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i^L 


.:^^^'^i^ii\'de 


APOCALYPSE, 

OR, 

REVELATION    OF   SAINT   JOHN^, 

Crangiateti, 

(Sec.  &c. 


THK 

APOCALYPSE, 

OR, 

REVELATION  OF  SAINT  JOHN, 
WITH  NOTES,  CRITICAL  AND  EXPLANATORY. 

TO   WHICH   IS  PREFIXED, 
A 

DISSERTATION 

ON  THE 

DIVINE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  BOOK; 

IN  ANSWER  TO  THE  OBJECTIONS 

OF  THE   LATE 

PROFESSOR  J.  D,  MICHAELIS, 


BY 


JOHN  CHAPPEL'fvOODHOUSE,  M.  A. 

ARCHDEACOiJ    OF    SALOP, 

I!V   THE   DIOCESE  OF   LICHFIELD   AND   COVENTRY. 


In  Prophetiis  explicandis,  semper  patuit,  ct  patere  debet,  omnibus  Dei  honorem 
amantibus  campus  liber.  Qui  mi nimam  vim  verbis  facit,  qui  confusa  distin2,uit, 
qui  historias  apertas  vaticiniis  quam  couimodissime  uptat,  plus  semper  apud  aequos 
judices  referet  grutias.  G Ron  vs. 


LONDON: 

rrilNTED  FOR    J.    IlATCIIARDj    BOOKSELLER    TO     HER    MAJESTY, 

190,     PICCADILLY, 

13y  J.  Brfttfxl,  Marshall  Street,  Golden  Square. 

1805. 


TO 


ISAAC  HAWKINS  BROWNE,  ESQ.  MP.  F.R.S, 


IN  MEMORIAL 


OF  THAT  TRIENDSHIP, 


WHICH, 


HAPPILY  AND  HONOURABLY  FOR  ME, 


HAS  SO  LONG  AND  CONSTANTLY  SUBSISTED  BETWEEN  VS, 


PERMIT  ME, 


WITH  GRATEFUL  AND  AFFECTIONATE  ATTACHMENT, 


TO  INSCRIBE  TO  YOU  THIS  WORK, 


J.  C.  WOODHOUSE. 


THE 


INTRODUCTION, 


The  Prophecies  of  the  Apocalypse,  though 
illustrated  by  commentators  of  all  ages,  have 
not  been  so  successfully  explained,  as  to  afford 
general  satisfaction.  From  the  interpretations 
most  commonly  received,  many  of  the  learned 
have  withholden  their  assent ;  and  doubts  have 
been  expressed,  whether  we  are  yet  in  possession 
of  the  fortunate  clues  to  be  derived  from  human 
sagacity  or  Divine  inspiration ;  or  of  the  ne- 
cessary aids  of  learning  ;  or  of  the  events  in 
history  ;  which,  at  some  future  period,  may  be 
destined  to  ascertain  the  completion  of  these 
predictions. 

Under  such  circumstances,  opportunity  is 
fairly  afforded  for  attempts  to  explain  this  mys- 
tical book  by  new  methods  of  inquiry.  And, 
while  the  rash  precipitancy  of  the  enthusiastic 
and  unqualified  interpreter  is  to  be  discouraged, 
indulgence  will  justly  be  thought  due  to  those, 
who  with  pious  caution,  with  laoorious  investiga- 
tion. 


VlJl 

tion,  and  literary  research,  endeavour  to  explore 
its  sacred  recesses.  To  illustrate  it  in  all  its 
parts,  to  prove  the  completion  of  all  its  predic- 
tions, to  exhibit  it  as  that  perfect  evidence  of  the 
divine  origin  of  our  religion,  for  which  it  is  per- 
haps intended,  ''  in  the  latter  days,"  can  only  be 
the  v/ork  of  time,  and  must  employ  the  labours 
of  succeeding  generations*.  Yet  to  inter- 
pret and  explain,  by  scriptural  induction,  the 
symbols  and  language  under  which  the  events 
are  presignificd ;  to  separate  and  assort  the  pro- 
phecies;  to  discriminate  those  whose  fulfilment 
has  alrieady  taken  place,  and  to  point  out  their 
agreement  with  certain  records  of  history,  is  a 
work  which  at  any  time  may  be  reverently  at* 
tempted,  and  is  encouraged  and  indeed  autho- 
rised in  this  divine  book  -f. 

But  an  additional  circumstance  has  lately 
arisen,  which  should  more  peculiarly  engage 
the  attention  of  the  Christian  scholar  to  this  sub- 
ject. The  supposed  obscurity  of  these  prophe- 
cies, and  the  doubtful  and  discordant  methods 
hitherto  employed  for  the  interpretation  of  them, 
together  with  some  imagined  difficulties  in  the 
evidences  of  the  book  containing  them,  have 
occtisioned  some  persons  of  eminence  in  litera-^ 
ture  to  question  their  divine  origin. 

*  Because  many  of  these  propliecie&  seem  to  extend  to  the 
latest  pfiriud  of  the  world,  and  can  only  be  interpreted  confidently 
and  surely  by  the  assistance  of  the  events  fulfilling  them. 

t  Ch.  i.  3.  ii.  7, 11, 17,  ^9.  iii.  0,  13, 22.  xiii.  9, 17.  xxii.  6,  7,  lO. 

The 


it 

The  late  distinguished  Professor,  J.  D.  Mi- 
cliaelis,  in  a  work  of  great  merit,  and  of  general 
circulation  *,  has  proposed  this  question,  and 
assigned  reasons  for  his  doubts  respecting  it.  It 
is  noH',  therefore,  incumbent  upon  the  learned 
Christian  to  inquire  and  determine,  whether  the 
Book  of  Apoca]>'pse  has  been  justly  placed  in 
our  canon  of  sacred  Scripture  ;  whether  it  be 
entitled  to  that  honourable  station,  by  the  ex- 
ternal and  internal  evidence  v,  hich  can  be  pro- 
duced in  its  support. 

The  author  of  the  following  v/ork,  for  the  so- 
lution of  his  own  difficulties,  had  engaged  in  this 
inquiry  even  before  the  publication  of  Michaelis's 
Introduction  to  tiie  New  Testament,  bv  Mr. 
Alarsh.  Upon  the  appearance  of  that  work,  ho 
addressed  to  the  learned  editor  a  series  of  letters, 
in  w^hich  it  was  his  endeavour  to  shew,  by  an 
appeal  to  antiquity  (that  which  Sir  Isaac  Newton 
had  asserted,  and  Dr.  Lardner  had  proved  to  a 
considerable  extent  •^•),  that  no  book  of  the  New 
Testament  is  supported  by  stronger  external  evi- 
dence than  this;  and  that  the  internal  evidence 
in  its  behalf  is  much  more  considerable  than  has 
hitherto  been  supposed.  These  letters,  having 
been  received  favourably  by  the  learned,  are 
now  reprinted    with   corrections    and   additions, 

*  Introduction   to   the  New  Testament^  by  Jolin  David   Ml- 
chaelis,  &c.  chapter  the  last. 

t  Sir  I.  Newton  on  the  Apocalypse,  ch.  i.  p.  249.     Lardner's 
Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History, 

and, 


and,  in  another  form  (that  of  a  Dissertation),  are 
prefixed  to  the  following  work.  Here  this  essay 
will  be  found  to  occupy  its  proper  place;  not 
only  because  some  knowledge  of  the  question  is 
a  proper  introduction  to  the  Apocalypse,  but  also 
because  the  subsequent  Annotations  on  this 
sacred  book  will  be  found  a  proper  sequel  to  the 
Dissertation;  for  in  them  will  be  continued  those 
arguments  in  defence  of  the  divine  original  of 
these  Prophecies,  which  could  only  be  begun  in 
the  former  work.  In  them  will  be  presented  many 
indxiclions  o{  internal  evidence,  ^Yhic\l  the  nature 
of  the  former  publication  would  not  admit*.  In 
them  it  w^ill  be  attempted  to  shew,  by  an  appeal 
to  history,  that  many  of  these  prophecies  have 
received  their  completion;  and,  consequently, 
that  the  book  which  has  recorded  them  is  divine. 
Such  are  in  part  my  motives  for  the  present  pub- 
lication ;  in  which,  however,  I  should  not  have 
engaged,  if  a  peculiar  method  of  studying  this 
Book  of  Revelation  had  not  happened  to  present 
its  prophecies  to  me  in  a  new  and  original  point 
of  view,  which  I  presume  may  be  usefully  com- 
municated to  the  students  of  the  Apocalypse. 

In  my  earliest  researches  in  sacred  literature, 
after  having  perused,  w^ith  such  critical  attention 
as  I  could  then  apply,  other  parts  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  I  proceeded  to  the  Book 
of  Revelation.     Here  difficulties  occurred,  which 


See  p.  64^  of  the  Dissertation. 

I  felt 


XI 


I  felt  myself  unable  to  surmount;  and,  upon 
inquiring  for  the  best  aids  of  notes  and  expo- 
sitions, these  were  described  to  me  as  numerous, 
and  very  discordant;  and  none  of  them  as  afibrd- 
ing  general  and  entire  satisfaction.  Under  such 
circumstances,  I  was  not  disposed  to  receive  im- 
plicitly the  deductions  of  any  particular  com- 
mentator, and  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  form  a 
judgment  of  my  own,  or  to  determine  between 
the  contradictor}'  opinions  of  others,  without  en- 
tering into  a  wide  and  arduous  field  of  criticism 
and  of  history.  I  soon  perceived  that  the  flight 
which  then  opened  before  me,  was  too  daring  for 
my  unfledged  wings ;  I  therefore  resolved  to 
decline  these  studies  for  the  present,  with  the 
expectation  of  resuming  them  at  some  future 
period,  w^ien  more  maturity  of  judgment,  and 
some  additional  acquisitions  in  literature,  mioht 
enable  me  to  pursue  them  with  better  prospect 
of  success.  lu  the  mean  time,  I  resolved  to 
avoid  the  perusal  of  every  book  or  treatise  pro- 
fessing to  explain  these  prophecies ;  hoping  to 
study  them,  when  the  proper  season  should 
arrive,  free  from  prepossession  in  flivour  of  any 
system,  unfettered  by  a  predilection  for  any  par- 
ticular mode  of  interpretation  ''\ 

*  I  recollect  to  have  kept  tLis  resolution  so  entire,  as  not  to 
have  read  any  book  treating  on  the  Apocalyptic  Prophecies,  ex- 
cepting the  ingenious  and  elegant  Sermons  of  Bishop  Hurd  on 
Prophecy.  He  was  then  my  much-respected  Diocesan  ;  and 
upon  the  subjects  on  which  he  has  written  so  ably,  he  may- 
have  given  some  bias  to  my  thoughts. 

After 


j^fter  an  interval  of  many  years,  I  found  my- 
self at  liberty  from  other  engagements  to  pursue 
my  original  design ;  and  after  some  preparatory 
studies,  began  to  read  the  Apocalypse  unassisted 
by  any  of  the  commentators'^*.  And  without 
placing  any  presumptuous  confidence  on  my  sa- 
gacity, or  my  literary  acquirements,  of  the  me-^ 
diocrity  of  which  I  was  fully  conscious,  I  felt  my- 
self not  altogether  discouraged,  by  the  seeming 
difficulty  of  the  attempt.  For,  if  the  Apoca- 
lypse be  of  divine  revelation,  it  appeared  to 
me,  that  an  uniformity  must  be  expected  to  sub- 
sist between  this  and  other  parts  of  sacred  Scrip- 
ture ;  and  that  the  clue,  for  tracing  and  deve- 
loping its  figurative  language  and  meaning, 
would  be  safely  and  effectually  derived  from  that 
source.  If  the  same  divine  spirit,  which  dic- 
tated the  preceding  prophecies,  were  also  the 
inspirer  of  the  Apocalyptic  Visions,  a  mutual 
relation  must  subsist  between  them ;  and  the 
light  derived  from  the  one  must  contribute  most 
beneficially  to  the  elucidation  of  the  other. 

This  then  was  the  first  principle,  upon  which 
I  resolved  to  ground  my  method  of  investiga- 
tion ; — to  compare  the  language,  the  symbols,  the 
predictions  of  the  Apocalypse,  with  those  of  former 

*  After  the  annotations  now  published  were  finished  in  their 
first  form,  then  the  works  of  the  commentators,  accessible  to  the 
annotator,  were  perused  ;  some  of  them  diligently  studied  ;  and 
free  use  made  of  their  stores  for  the  purposes  of  addition  or  cor- 
rection. 

revelations  ; 


Xlll 


revelations ;  and  to  admit  only  such  interpretation^ 
as  should  appear  to  have  the  sanction  of  this  divine 
authority, 

A  second  controliiDg  principle  seemed  neces- 
sary.    For,  as  the  language,  symbols,  and  pre- 
dictions, thus  interpreted    by    the  assistance  of 
Scripture,   were  to  be  applied  afterwards  to  his- 
torical facts,  a  preliminary  question    seemed    to 
occur ; — to  what  hind  of  history  are  they  to  be  ap- 
plied ?    To  profane   history,    or   sacred  ?   to  the 
extensive  and  boundless  mass  of  the  Gentile  his- 
tory,   or,    exclusively,   to    that  of  God's  chosen 
people  ?   To  assist  me    in   answering  this  ques- 
tion, I  had  recourse   to    the  preceding  proj)he- 
cies   of  the    Old    and    New   Testament.      How 
have  we  been  authorised  to  explain  these  ?  In 
what   kind    of  history  do  they  appear   to  have 
been  accomplished  t  The  answer  was  at  hand  ; — 
the   history  of  the  church  of  God.     For,  in  this 
sacred  history  we  find  the  divine  prophecies  prin- 
cipally,   and    almost   exclusively,  fulfilled.     For 
whenever  sacred    prophecy  is    seen    to    deviate 
from    this  its   peculiar  object,    it  is  in  such  in- 
stances only,  wdierein  the  fortunes  of  God's  peo- 
ple have  become  necessarily  involved  with  those 
of  heathen  nations.     Vv'hen  the   people   of  God 
were  to  become  subservient  to  the  four  monar- 
phies,    the  character,    and  succession,    and  fates 
pf  those   monarchies    were   predicted:    but   the 
main  object,   continually  kept  in  view,   was  their 
fleliverance  from  these  successive  yokes,    by  the 

superseding 


XIV 

superseding  dominion  of  the  Messiah.  This  su- 
preme and  universal  dominion,  gradually  and 
finally  to  prevail,  appears  to  be  the  grand  ob' 
jeet  of  all  sacred  prophecy  :  and  revolutions  of 
world iy  power  among  the  Gentiles,  seem  to  be 
noticed  only  at  those  times,  when  they  impede 
or  promote  it*.  Therefore  the  prophecies  of  the 
Apocalypse  appeared  to  be  applicable  princi- 
pall}',  if  not  solely,  to  the  fates  and  fortunes  of 
the  Christian  church ;  to  the  progress  or  retard- 
ment of  that  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  which, 
when  these  predictions  were  delivered,  had  al- 
ready begun  to  obtain  its  establishment  in  the 
^vorld.  And  I  conceived  myself  obliged  to  adopt 
as  a  controlling  principle  of  interpretation,  that 
unless  the  language  and  symbols  of  the  Apocalypse 
should  in  particular  passages  direct,  or  evidently 
require^  another  mode  of  application,  the  predic- 
tions were  to  be  applied  to  events  occurring  in  the 
progressive  kingdom  of  Christf, 

In 

*  See  Bp.  Hurd  on  Prophecy,  Serm.  2d  and  3d.  And  the 
extension  of  divine  prophecy  to  the  nations,  may  be  observed  to 
take  place  in  exact  proportion  to  their  encreasing  connection  with 
the  Jews.  First,  Moab,  Edom,  Amaiek,  the  PhiHstines,  &c. 
are  noticed  ;  then  Nineveh,  Babylon,  Tyre,  ^gypt,  &c.  ;  after-  • 
v/ards  the  four  great  monarchies;  and  lastly  the  Gog  and  Magog, 
the  distant  and  barbarous  nations. 

t  There  are  discoverable  in  scriptural  prophecy,  and  generally 
acknowledged  by  divines,  two  advents  or  comings  of  our  Lord  ; 
1st,  his  personal  appearance  in  the  flesh ;  2dly,  his  progress  to 
complete  dominion,  by  the  subjection  of  all  his  enemies.  The 
first  of  these  had  already  taken  place  when  the  Apocalyptic  pro- 
phecies 


XV 

In  the  wide  field  of  universal  history,  innumer- 
able events  may  be  selected  by  the  industry  of 
investigators,  seeming  to  bear  resemblance  to 
the  figurative  pictures  of  holy  writ.  Instances 
of  wars,  famines,  conquests,  and  revolutions, 
may  be  separated  from  that  infinite  mass  of  in- 
formation, appearing  to  assimilate  to  images 
presented  in  prophecy.  Some  restriction  is 
therefore  necessary  to  guide  investigation,  and 
to  serve  as  chart  and  compass,  through  such  ex- 
tensive and  difficult  seas;  and  what  can  be 
deemed  more  proper  than  this  principle,  which 
derives  its  authority  from  the  analogy  of  sacred 
Scripture  ? 

A  third  controlling  principle  seemed  also  re- 
quisite, arising  from  a  consideration  of  the  nature 
and  kind  of  that  kingdom^  which  had  thus  ap- 
peared to  be  the  grand  object  of  the  prophe- 
cies. It  is  a  kingdom,  not  temporal,  but  spi- 
ritual ;  "  not  a  kingdom  of  this  world*,''  not 
established  by  the  means  and  apparatus  of 
worldly  power  and  pompt,  not  bearing  the  ex- 
ternal ensigns  of  royalty  ;  but  governing  the  in- 
ward man,    by  possession  of  the  ruling  princi- 

phecies  were  delivered.  The  latter  therefore  is  the  object  to 
which  we  are  principally  to  look,  when  we  attempt  to  assort  these 
predictions.  Accordingly,  the  subject  of  this  prophetical  book 
will  appear  to  be  generally,  the  fates  and  fortunts  of  the  Chris- 
tian churchy  from  the  Ascension  cf  our  Lord,  and  the  preaching 
of  his  Apostles f  to  the  great  consummation  of  ail  things, 

*  John  xviii.  36.  i 

f  «  fji.sT66  X!jccii(Kr7)pyia-£us,  Luke  xvii.  20, 

pies; 


XVI 


pies ;  "  The  kingdom  of  God,"  says  our  Lord, 
^'  is  within  you"^/' 

Such  a  kingdom  may  be  m  a  great  degree  inde- 
pendent of  the  fates  and  revolutions  of  empires; 
aifected  only  by  those  changes  in  the  political 
world  which  are  calculated  to  produce  the  en- 
crease  or  decline  of  religious  knowledge,  and  of 
pure  profession  and  practice.  Wars  therefore, 
and  conquests,  and  revolutions  of  vast  extent, 
and  of  great  political  import,  may  be  supposed 
to  take  place,  even  in  the  Christian  world, 
without  becoming  the  proper  object  of  Chris- 
tian prophecy.  The  inhabitants  of  the  Chris^ 
tian  world  may  be  subdued  by  a  ferocious  con-^ 
queror;  the  sufferings  of  the  vanquished  may 
be  such  as  result  from  ferocious  conquest ;  the 
faithful  servants  of  Christ  may  undergo  their 
common  share  in  this  calamity,  may  suffer 
grievously  in  their  property  and  in  their  persons: 
yet,  in  such  times  of  general  distress,  if  their 
religion  be  not  denied  them  ;  if  they  enjoy  those 
consolations,  which,  under  such  afflictions,  their 
religion  is  designed  to  bestow ;  if,  corrected  by 
the  awful  visitation,  not  only  they,  but  Chris- 
tians of  looser  practice,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  in  general,  shall  be  seen  to  turn  to 
their  God,  and  allow  to  his  purifying  religion 
its  divine  influence  on  their  hearts  and  lives  :--f 
shall  we   expect  that  such  a  revolution   should 

*  Luke  xvU.  gl. 

be 


XVll 

be  predicted  as  a  calamity,  as  a  ^voe  ?  Our 
Conception  of  the  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom, 
(the  object  of  such  prophecy,)  will  determine 
us  to  answer  in  the  negative.  But  if  such  a  con- 
queror, after  having  subdued  the  bodies  of  men, 
should  proceed  to  extend  his  usurped  dominion 
over  their  souls :  should  require  them  to  re- 
nounce their  allegiance  to  the  heavenly  King ;  to 
deny  their  God  and  Redeemer  ; — then  will  suc- 
ceed a  conflict  of  another  nature,  and  a  resist- 
ance deserving  the  notice  and  interference  of 
divine  prophecy.  Then  will  be  employed  those 
arms,  which  properly  belong  to  this  spiritual 
warfare* ;  then  w^ill  the  kingdom  of  God  be 
truly  advanced  or  diminished.  I  describe  this 
imaginary  concjuest,  succeeded  by  such  spiritual 
conflict,  only  as  what  may  happen ;  not  advert- 
ing to  any  similar  instances  which  have  occurred. 
I  mention  them  to  shew  with  what  previous 
notions  I  formed  the  rules  of  interpretation, 
for  which  I  deem  myself  accountable. 

In  adopting  the  rule  now  under  considera- 
tion, I  have  been  obedient  to  the  direction  of 
holy  Scripture  ;  which  has  required  a  spiritual 
interpretation  of  its  m3^steriest :  they  are  not  to 
be  taken  according  to  the  bare  letter  J,  nor  in  a 
carnal  or  worldly  acceptation  §.  The  warfare  of 
the  Christian  kingdom,  (the  subject  of  these 
prophecies,)  is  not  to  be  carried  on  by  worldly 

*  Eph.  vi.  16.  t  1  Cor.  ii.  12—15. 

t  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  §  John  vi.  26—63. 

B  arms 


XVIU 

irms    and   battles*;  tliey,    who   entertain   siicli 
notions  of  this  religion,  "  know  not  what  man- 
"  ner   of  spirit  it  is  of  t-''     As  the   Captain  of 
our  salvation   conquered  by  suffering,   and  re- 
fused  the   sword  of  Peter,   and   the  legions  of 
angels,   ready   for   his  defence:):,  so  neither  by 
external  force  must  his  followers  expect  to  pre- 
vail.    The  kingdom   of  God  is  not  advanced  by 
crusades ;   nor   is    the  sword  of  man  employed 
successfully   to   seat  the  Messiah  on  his  throne. 
/  To   obtain  his   destined   dominion,  Christ    must 
reisn  in    the   hearts  and  consciences  of  his  far- 
extended  subjects.     His  reign  is  advanced  when 
Christian    principles,  when  faith,  and  righteous- 
ness, and  charity,    abound.     It  is  retarded  when 
ignorance,   impurity,  idolatrous  superstition,  in- 
fidelity,   and  wickedness  prevail  §. 

A  fourth  general  rule  of  interpretation  has 
been  also  adopted  in  the  prosecution  of  thi:^ 
work.  Not  to  attempt  the  particular  explanation 
of  those  prophecies  zehich  remain  yet  to  be  fulfilled. 
Few  words  will  shew  the  reasonable  foundatioa 

^  John  xviii.  35. 

t  Luke  ix.  55. 

t  Heb.  ii.  10.     Matt,  xxvil.  5S— 55r. 

§  As  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  Interpreted  car- 
nally by  the  Jews  to  designate  a  worldly  conqueror,  have  beeii 
seen  to  lead  that  infatuated  people  into  egregious  error  :  so,  in 
these  days  af  superior  light,  when  by  experience,  as  well  as  divine 
direction,  a  spiritual  interpretation  is  so  clearly  recommended  and 
enforced,  it  seems  extraordinary  that  any  sober  and  well-in- 
formed Christian  can  look  to  any  othey. 

of 


XIX 

of  tliis  rule,  which  I  am  sorry  to  observe  so  fre- 
quently transgressed*  They  shall  be  borrowed 
from  Sir  Isaac  Newton ;  "  God  gave  these,  and 
"  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  not  to 
"  gratify  men's  curiosity^  by  enabling  them  to 
"'  foreknow  things  ;  but  that  after  they  were  ful- 
**  filled  they  might  be  interpreted  by  the  event, 
*'  and  his  own  providence,  not  the  interpreter's, 
"  be  then  manifested  thereby  to  the  world*/' 

Such  are  the  principles,  such  the  scheme  of 
investigation,  with  which  I  have  ventured  to  ap- 
proach this  mysterious  book.  And  although  I 
cannot  but  be  feelingly  aware  of  the  difficulty 
of  the  subject,  and  of  my  deficiency  in  the  qua- 
lifications requisite  to  do  justice  to  it;  yet,  the 
method  I  l>ave  pursued,  free  from  the  preposses- 
sions which  have  \varped  the  operations  of  abler 
minds,  has  enabled  me,  I  trust,  to  make  some 
useful  discoveries. 

It  might  operate  more  favourably  to  the  cre- 
dit of  my  sagacity,  if  I  were  to  publish  only 
selections  from  the  following  work ;  of  those 
parts  in  which  I  may  appear  to  have  been  most 
successful.  Such  has  been  sometimes  my  inten- 
tion. But  I  consider  myself  as  acting  more 
justly  to  the  important  subjects  of  investigation, 
if  I  lay  before  the  public  the  result  of  all  my 
inquiries.  In  those  parts  wherein  I  have  had 
the  least  success,  I  may  perhaps  open  a  field  for 
the  success  of  others. 

*  Sir  I.  Newton  on  the  Apocalvpse,  p.  251. 

B   2  ^Vith 


XX 


With  tlie  same  view  I  have  resolved  to  publfsli 
the  result  of  my  studies,  in  the  form  in  which 
the  investigations  were  originally  written  ;  after 
that  analytic  method,  which  I  found  it  necessary 
to  pursue.  They  might  be  presented  in  a  more 
abstracted  and  concise  form,  and  in  a  more  lu- 
minous point  of  view  ;  but  in  the  present  form, 
the  reader  will  accompany  every  step  of  the  in- 
quiry, and  may  thus  more  easily  detect  the  error, 
or  confirm  the  safety  of  the  proceeding.  Truth, 
in  this  important  research,  is,  I  hope,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  my  principal  concern  ;  and  I  shall 
rejoice  to  see  these  sacred  prophecies  truly  in- 
terpreted, though  the  correction  of  my  mistaken 
should  lay  the  foundation  of  so  desirable  a  su- 
perstructure. 

To  the  candid  correction  of  the  learned  reader 
I  consign  this  attempt,  trusting,  that  whatever 
may  be  its  reception  in  the  world,  I  shall  not 
have  reason  to  reproach  myself  with  precipi- 
tancy unbecoming  the  sanctity  of  the  subject; 
with  narrow  views,  or  party-prejudices ;  with 
w^ant  of  moderation  and  of  candour;  which 
have  disgraced  too  many  writings  of  professed 
Christians^ 


THE  new  Translation  now  presented  to  the 
reader,  was  a  necessary  part  and  result  of  the 
plan  pur&ued.     For,  as  it  was  proposed  to  study 

the 


XXI 


the  prophecies  of  the  Apocalypse,  by  the  guid- 
ance of  their    own  internal  marks  and  charac- 
ters,   without    that    prepossesion    which    might 
arise   from  an  acquaintance  with  the  systems  of 
other   interpreters ;    so   it    became  necessary  to 
avoid   the  perusal  of  translations,    as  wxll  as  of 
expositions;  because  a  prejudice  in  favour  of  a 
particular  mode  of  interpretation  may  be  sug- 
gested   by   the    translator.     The  original   Greek 
was  therefore  to   be   studied  by  itself,  and  the 
meaning    of     the   words   and    phrases    of   it   to 
be  ascertained.     But  to  ascertain  these  in  Eno-- 
lish     idiom,    was     to    produce   a    new     English 
translation;   which,   in  this  case,   beino;  designed 
solely  for    the   use  of  the  annotator,   was  ren- 
dered as  literally  as   the  forms  of  the  two   lan- 
guages would  admit.     When  the  new  translation 
had  served  this   purpose,  and  when  the  notes  en- 
grafted upon  it  were  completed  in  their  first  form, 
it  was  then  compared  with  the  common  EngUsh 
version,  and  thence  received  considerable  acces- 
sion and  improvement.     For,  as  I  am  fully  per- 
suaded that  the  best  form  of  a  new  English  ver- 
sion of  the  Scriptures  will  be  that  which  shall 
retain  the  phraseology  of  the  common  translation, 
where  it  is  not  evidently  faulty;  so  in  revising  my 
new  version,  and  preparing  it  for  general  use,  I 
was  careful  to  adopt  into  it  those  expressions  of 
the  old  version  which  appeared  to  represent  the 
Greek  original  faithfully,   and  not  inelegantly  ; 
retaining  those  only  of  my  own  translation  which 

seemed 


xxu 

seemed  to  conve}^  the  meaning  of  the  orighial 
with  juster  effect. 

The  version,  therefore,  now  offered  to  the 
pubhc  may  be  considered  as  corrective  of  that 
which  is  inserted  in  our  English  Bibles.  Yet, 
having  been  first  moulded  in  an  original  form  of 
its  own,  a  forni  derived  directly  from  the  Greek, 
it  has  thereby  acquired  this  advantage ;  that  the 
servile  uniformity  cannot  be  imputed  to  it  which 
Dr.  Macknight  alleges  to  have  characteri;?ed  all 
English  translations  of  the  New  Testament  prior 
to  his  own.  Such  uniform  similarity,  he  observes, 
is  almost  inevitably  produced  by  the  method, 
which  the  translators  have  commonly  pursued ; 
by  their  examining  the  steps  of  their  predecessors, 
while  they  themselves  were  translating,  and  not 
after  they  had  finished  *. 

There  is  no  book  of  the  New  Testament  which 
more  necessarily  requires  a  revision  of  its  text, 
and  consequently  a  new  translation  corrective  of 
the  old  one,  than  this.  For  it  appears,  from  the 
accounts  of  inquiring  critics,  that  the  editors  of 
the  Greek  text  from  which  our  received  English 
version  is  taken,  were  in  possession  of  very  few 
ancient  manuscripts  of  the  Apocalypse.  Erasmus 
possessed  but  one ;  Stephens  had  only  two ;  and 
it  is  not  made  apparent  that  Beza  had  the  means 
of  consulting  moref.     Heqce,  the  dihgence  of 

f  Mackniglit's  General  Preface  to  the  Epistles. 
t  Michaelis's  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament,  c.  x\u  sect.  1^, 
and  in  othe?  passages, 

svicceeding 


xxm 


succeeding  scholars,  by  the  collation  of  the  re- 
niaming  manuscripts  (some  of  them  of  the  first 
authority),  has  restored  many  original  readings, 
which,  by  consent  of  judicious  critics,  have  been 
received  into  the  Greek  text,  and  ought  therefore 
to  pass  into  translation.  A  Greek  text,  receiving 
these  and  assigning  their  authorities  (and  which, 
therefore  appears  to  be  the  most  perfect  copy  of 
the  original  yet  printed),  is  that  of  Dr.  Griesbach, 
Hvhich  is  accordingly  followed  in  this  translation. 
It  has  been  attempted  to  translate  it  as  closely 
and  literally  as  the  English  idiom  would  allow ; 
a  restriction  which  must  be  thought  necessary  in 
rendering  a  symbolical  prophecy ;  in  which  a  very 
slight  deviation  may  materially  change  the  sense 
of  the  original. 

It  has  been  the  wish  of  the  translator  to  express 
the  very  stamp  and  figure  of  the  original,  truly 
if  not  elegantly,  and  without  bias  toward  any 
favourite  method  of  explanation.  The  translation 
was  begun  and  completed,  in  its  first  form,  before 
any  knowledge  was  obtained  by  the  translator  of 
the  various  modes  of  interpretation  which  have 
been  devised  by  the  learned.  And  in  the  subse- 
quent corrections,  it  has  been  his  endeavour  to 
preserve  it  pure  from  all  tendency  to  prejudice  and 
system. 

That  this  new  version  may  be  compared  with 
the  Greek,  and  also   with  the  common  Enghsh 
translation,  of  which  it  is   corrective,  they  are  all 
printed  together.     Those  words   are  placed  be- 
tween 


tvveen  brackets,  to  which  Giiesbach  has  prefixed 
his  mark,  denoting  that  they  are  prohahly  to  be 
expunged;  and  those  are  wholly  omitted,  which 
he  has  inserted  in  his  interior  margin,  accounting 
them  mdubit  ably  spur  torn  ^,  Probable  ellipsises, 
or  such  as  the  English  idiom  seemed  to  require, 
are  supplied  in  Italic  characters.  The  relatives 
who^  whom^  which,  &c,  are  generally  used  in  pre- 
ference to  the  relative  that,  which  is  30  frequently 
employed  in  the  old  translation ;  and  thus  an 
ambiguity  is  avoided,  of  which  foreigners  justly 
complain.  But  the  word  which  is  still  retained, 
in  preference  to  who  or  whom,  when  referring  to 
the  great  God  of  Heaven,  whose  personality  is  far 
different  from  that  of  any  of  his  creatures,  an4 
is  therefore  properly  expressed  by  other  terms  -f. 
The  translator  has  thought  himself  at  liberty  to 
disregard  the  common  punctuation,  and  the  re? 
ceived  division  by  verses ;  because  they  evidently 
appear  to  be  of  modern  date,  and  are  not  seen 
in  the  ancient  manuscripts ;  and  he  has  been 
guided  to  the  sense  of  a  passage  by  its  context, 

*  The  Greek  text  is  printed  from  the  edition  of  Griesbach, 
Halee,  1777  ;  but  in  this  copy  now  printed^  no  notice  is  taken  of 
his  marks  referring  to  authorities  in  the  margin,  which  could  not 
be  conveniently  exhibited  in  this  edition.  Only  those  passages 
to  which  he  has  prefixed  his  mark  ==,  denoting  that  they  are 
probably  no  part  of  the  original  text,  are  included  in  brackets^ 
after  the  manner  adopted  in  Bower's  Greek  Testament. 

t  The  modern  attempts  to  amend  the  translation  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  by  substituting  "  who  art  in  heaven"  for  "  which  art  iix 
heaven/'  are^  I  believe^  not* approved  by  the  judicious. 

rathey 


rather  than  by  such  recent  and  arbitrary  restric- 
tions *.  For  the  same  reasons,  and  supported 
by  the  same  authority,  he  has  not  confined  him- 
self to  the  received  division  by  chapters,  but  has 
portioned  the  book  into  parts  and  sections,  as  its 
internal  structure  seemed  to  require.  The  Apo- 
calypse was  very  little  underwood  when  the  di- 
vision of  it  into  chapters  and  verses  took  place  *j-. 
The  authorities  taken  from  books  are  generally 
referred  to  by  exact  quotation.  In  some  in- 
stances such  particular  reference  may  seem 
wanting.  For  any  such  omission,  this  cause  is 
to  be  assigned  : — that  the  work  was  not  originally 
,  intended  for  publication ;  and  when  that  view- 
began  to  suggest  itself,  some  of  the  books  con- 
taining the  passages  quoted  were  gone  out  of  the 
author's  hands,  and  not  easily  recalled.  Quota- 
tions, when  in  the  learned  or  foreign  languages, 
are  commonly  presented  also  in  an  Enghsh  form, 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  English  reader, 
who  will  find  few  disquisitions  in  this  work,  which 
J]e  may  not  understand. 

*  See  Clerlcl  Ars  Crltlca,  p.  Hi.  sect.  ].  ex.  7,9,  and  MU 
chaelis's  Introd.  to  the  New  Test.  ch.  xiii.  sect.  2, 3,  &a 

+  The  Scriptures  were  divided  into  chapters  in  the  xiiith  cen-? 
tury;  into  verses  in  the  xvith.  See  Michaelis's  Introd,  to  the 
New  Test.  ch.  xiii.  sect,  9,  10^  11.  and  the  notes  of  his  learned 
translator. 


A  DIS^ 


CONTENTS 


DISSERTATION 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

Of  the  Method  pursued  in  this  Enquirif    ...       1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  Time,  xvhcn  the  Apocalypse  appears  to 
have  been  written  and  published        .....       G 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Testimony  of  Irenceus  and  of  other  Fathers        ^ 
in  the  Church  before  him;  of  Ignatius ;  of  Poly- 
carp  ;  of  the  Writer  of  the  Epistle  describing  Po- 
lycarp's  Martyrdom  ;  and  of  Papias       ....     25 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Testimony  of  Justin  Martyr  ;  of  Athena- 
goras;  of 'the  Churches  in  Gaul;  of  Melito ; 
Theophilus ;  Apollonius  ;  Clemens  of  Alexandria ; 

and  Tertullian .       44 

B  6  CHAP- 


(     xxviii     ) 

CHAPTER  V,  PAGE 

'The  Evidence  against  the  Apocalypse  during  its 
first  Century ;  the  rejection  of  it  by  Marcion, 
and  by  the  Alogi ;  their  Objectio?is,  so  far  as 
they  ?xlate  to  external  Evidence,  eccamined     .      .     54 

CHAPTER  Vr. 

The  Testimonies  of  Hippolytus  and  of  Origen  ; 
the  Objections  of  Caius,  and  of  Bionysius  of  Alex- 
andria, and  of  others  preceding  him.  Animad- 
versions on  the  Conclusions  of  Michaelis,  respect- 
ing this  Evidc7ice 60 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Testimonies  of  Gregory  of  NeocCesarea  ;  of 
Dionysius  of  Alexandria;  of  his  private  Opi- 
nion ;  the  Testimonies  of  other  Writers  in  the  same 
Century;  of  EusebiuSy  and  of  the  Writers  in  his 
Time,  and  after  him;  of  the  Reception  of  the 
Apocalypse  at  the  Reformation      ......     70 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  internal  Evidence  respecting  the  Apoca- 
lypse; from  the  Completion  of  its  Prophecies;  from 
its  Correspondence  in  point  of  Doctrifie  and  of 
Imagery  zvith  other  Books  of  Divi?ie  Authoi^ity  : 
Objections  of  Michaelis  answered.  True  charac- 
ter of  the  Beauty  and  Sublimity  in  this  Book ; 
Argument  thence  derived ;  Comparison  of  the  Apo- 
calypse xvith  other  IFritings  of  the  same  Age, 
Hermas  and  the  Second  Book  of  Esdras.  Objec- 
tion arising  from  the  Obscurity  of  the  Book  an- 

Severed     .     *     ,     ^ .     89 

CHAP- 


(     xxix     ) 

CHAPTER  IX.  PAGE 

Of  the  internal  Evidence  respecting  the  Question^ 
whether  the  Apocalypse  was  written  by  St,  John. 
Dr,  Lardners  Opinion;  Opinions  of  others.  Ar- 
guments of  Dionysius  of  Alcvandria^  wider  fvc 
Heads  ;  Answers  thereto,  and  to  the  Objections 
of  Michaelis,  Enquiry  whether  John  the  Evan- 
gelist, and  John  the  Divine,  were  by  the  Ancients 
accounted  the  same  Person,  Evidence,  from  a 
Passage  in  the  Book,  that  it  was  zvritten  by  St* 
John.     Recapitulation  and  Conclusion   ....   107 


E  7  A  DIS 


A 

DISSERTATION, 


IN    WHICH 


THE   EVIDENCE 

FOR    THE 

AUTHENTICITY  AND  DIVINE  INSPIRATION 

OF    THE 

APOCALYPSE 

IS    STATED; 

ANp    VINDICATED    FROM    THE    OBJECTIONS    OF    THE 
LATE    PROFESSOR, 

J.    D.    MICHAELIS. 


DISSERTATION,    &c 


CHAP.  I. 

OF  THE  METHOD  PURSUED  IN  THIS  INQUIRY 


An  the  following  pages  I  propose  to  review  the 
evidence  which  has  been  adduced,  for  the  au- 
thenticity and  divine  inspiration  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse; to  add  thereto  some  collections  of  my 
own ;  and  occasionally  to  remark  on  those  obser- 
vations of  Michaelis*,  which  tend  to  invali- 
date it. 

This  evidence  divides  itself  into  exiejiial  and 
internal.  The  external  is,  that  which  is  derived 
from  credible  witnesses,  from  the  early  writers 
and  fathers  of  the  church.  The  internal  is,  that 
which  results  from  a  perusal  of  the  book. 

Michaelis  appears  to  me  an  unfair  reporter  of 
the  external  evidence  for  the  Apocalypse.     He 

*  In.  the  last  chapter  of  his  Introduction  of  the  Nezo  Testament, 
to  the  pages  of  which,  as  published  by  Mr.  Marshy  the  figures 
at  the  bottom  of  these  pages  will  be  found  to  refer. 

seems 


seems  to  have  approached  it  with  prejudice^ 
a  prejudice  occasioned  by  the  opinion  which  he 
had  previously  formed  concerning  its  internal 
evidence.  For,  it  appears  from  passages  of  his 
chapter  on  the  Apocalypse,  that  he  considered 
the  prophecies  of  this  book,  as  still  remaining 
dark  and  unexplained.  He  professes  that  he 
does  not  understand  them;  he  declares  himself 
dissatisfied  with  the  attempts  of  other  writers  to 
shew  their  meaning  and  completion  ;  and  he 
esteems  the  contradictions  of  these  interpreters 
to  be  more  unfavourable  to  the  pretensions  of 
the  Apocalypse,  than  even  those  ancient  testi-^ 
monies,  that  external  evidence,  to  which  he 
attributes  no  preponderance  in  its  favour.  Now, 
as  they  who  appear  to  themselves  to  have  dis- 
covered, in  the  completion  of  the  Apocalyptic 
prophecies,  certain  proof  of  its  divine  origin, 
(for  a  series  of  prophecy,  punctually  fulfilled, 
must  be  divine,)  will  be  disposed  to  examine 
the  external  evidence  with  a  prepossession  in  its 
favour;  so  he,  who,  by  examining  the  internal 
evidence,  has  formed  an  opinion  unfavourable 
to  its  pretensions,  will  enter  upon  the  exami- 
nation of  its  external  evidence  with  that  kind  of 
prejudice,  which  is  visible  in  the  writings  of  this 
learned  divine. 

But,  in  our  examination  of  the  external  evi- 
dence, we  ought,  so  far  as  human  infirmity  may 
permit,  to  be  free  from  any  partiality  ;  and  to  lay 
aside,   for  a  season,   quv  previous  conceptions  of 

the 


the  weight  of  Its  internal  evidence.  The  two 
species  of  evidence,  external  and  internal, 
should  be  kept  apart;  they  should  not  be  suf- 
fered to  incorporate  or  interfere ;  each  should 
be  considered  at  first  with  reference  to  itself  onl}'-. 
After  which  separate  examination,  they  may  use- 
fully and  properly  be  brought  together,  and  be 
allowed  their  due  influence  upon  each  other. 

Such  appears  the  proper  method  of  proceed- 
ing in  this  inquiry,  so  as  to  lead  to  a  fair  and  just 
conclusion.  This  method  has  not  been  usually 
pursued.  The  writers,  who  have  presented  us 
with  the  two  kinds  of  evidence,  have  not  kept 
them  apart.  When  they  treat,  for  instance,  of 
the  external  evidence  adduced  b}"  Dionysius  of 
Alexandria ;  when  they  state  how  far  it  appears, 
from  his  writings,  that  he  considered  the  Apoca- 
lypse as  an  inspired  book,  delivered  down  to  his 
time  as  such  by  the  early  Fathers  of  the  Church ; 
they  moreover  produce,  and  under  the  same 
head,  the  criticisms  of  this  writer  on  the  style 
and  manner  of  the  book ;  which  consideration 
belongs  to  the  subject  of  internal  evidence. 

In  the  following  pages,  it  will  be  my  endea-  - 
vour  to  keep  these  two  species  of  evidence  apart, 
until  they  have  been  separately  considered,  and 
may  safely  be  suffered  to  unite.  This  method, 
so  far  as  it  can  be  followed,  will  tend  to  pre- 
vent the  operation  of  prejudice,  and  to  facili- 
tate the  production  of  truth. 

I  shall  proceed,   first,   to  the  consideration  of 

the  external  evidence, 

CHAP. 


CHAR  II. 

OF  THE  TIME  WHEN"  THE  APOCALYPSE  AP- 
PEARS TO  HAVE  BEEN  WRITTEN  AND  PUB« 
LISHED. 


JLHE  e:tfer7ial  evidence,  for  the  authenticity  and 
divine  inspiration  of  the  Apocalypse,  is  to  be 
collected  from  the  testimonies  of  those  ancient 
waiters,  who,  living  at  a  period  near  to  its  pub- 
lication, appear,  by  their  quotations  or  allu- 
sions, to  have  received  it  as  a  book  of  sacred 
Scripture.  This  was  the  test  by  M'hich  the 
primitive  church  was  accustomed  to  deter- 
mine the  claims  of  all  writings  pretending  to 
divine  authority.  All  such  writings  were  re- 
jected, as  appeared  not  to  have  been  received 
by   the    orthodox    Christians   of    the  preceding 


ages*, 


But  to  enable  us  to  judge  of  the  force  of  this 
evidence,  as  affecting  any  particular  book,  it  is 
necessary  to  ascertain  the  time  when  the  hook  was 
written.  For  if  it  shall  appear  to  have  been 
written  and  published  in  the  early  period  of 
the  apostolic  age,  we  may  expect  to  find  tes- 
timonies concerning  it,  from  apostles,   or  from 

*  Euseb.  Hist,  Eccl,  lib.  iii.  c.  3. 

apostolical 


7 

<tpostolical  men  *.  If,  on  the  contrary,  it  can 
he  proved  to  have  been  published  only  in  the 
latter  times  of  that  age,  ^ve  shall  not  be  intitled 
to  expect  this  earlier  notice  of  it^ 

Before,  therefore,  we  proceed  to  examine  the 
testimony  of  the  writers  by  whom  the  Apocalypse 
is  mentioned,  it  will  be  useful  to  ascertain  the 
time  in  which  it  was  published.  For  if  it  were 
not  pubhshed  before  the  year  96  or  97  (as  some 
critics  have  pronounced)  little  or  no  notice  could 
be  taken  of  it  by  the  writers  of  the  first  cen- 
tury ;  and,  in  such  case,  a  writer  in  the  se- 
cond century,  especially  in  the  former  part  of 
it,  becomes  an  evidence  of  great  importance  ; 
which  importance  would  be  much  diminished,  by 
the  supposition,  that  the  book  had  been  written 
in  the  earliest  part  of  the  apostolic  age,  that  is, 
almost  a  whole  century  before  the  time  of  that 
author. 

This  previous  inquiry  is  the  more  necessary, 
since,  according  to  Michaelis,  no  less  than  six 
difterent  opinions  have  been  advanced,  concern- 
ing the  time  when  the  Apocalypse  was  written  ; 
only  one  of  v/hich  can  be  true. 

In    examining  these  opinions,   I  shall  endea- 

*  Apostolical  men,  in  the  acceptation  of  the  Fathers,  were 
those  who  had  been  personally  instructed  by  apostles  ;  and  the 
apostolic  age  is  that,  which  extends  from  before  the  middle  of  the 
first  century,  when  the  apostles  began  to  write,  to  the  clcsi  of 
that  cciUury,  when  St.  John,  the  last  surviving  apostle,  died.— 
Irtncciis  €t  Clem,  AhiGJid.  apud  Euseb,  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c  £3. 

C  voar 


8 

vour  to  be  concise-  I  shall  freely  use  tlie  argu- 
ments of  MichaelJs,  where  I  can  see  reason  to 
agree  with  him;  but,  where  I  am  obliged  to 
dissent,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  a  larger 
compass. 

I.  The  earliest  date  assigned  to  the  Apocalypse 
is  in  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Claudius.  This 
opinion  rests  on  the  single  testimony  of  Epi- 
phanius,  a  credulous  and  inaccurate  writer  ^^ 
who  lived  about  three  hundred  years  later  than 
St.  John  the  Apostle,  to  whom  he  ascribes  this 
prophetical  book. 

This  external  evidence,  weak  in  itself,  is  not 
only  unsupported,  but  contradicted,  by  exery 
argument  which  can  be  derived  from  internal 
evidence  -f*.  For,  first,  it  appears  from  the  evi- 
dence of  the  book  itself,  (chap.  1st.  2d.  3d.) 
that  it  was  written  at  a  time  when  the  Asiatic 
Christians  had  been  suffering  persecution,   even 

*  See  his  character^  as  given  by  Dupin  and  by  Jortin.-— JJrwz. 
Eccl.  Hist,  iv.  115.  And  bis  gross  mistakes  on  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory are  recounted  by  Spanheim,  in  his  Introduction  to  Eccl.  Hist. 
Sjec.  iv.  p.  425. 

t  The  reader  may,  perhaps,  begin  to  think,  that  I  am  already 
transgressing  the  rule,  so  lately  proposed,  to  prevent  the  inter- 
mixture of  internal  ffiih  external  evidence.  That  rule  shall  be 
scrupulously  observed,  wh<s^^, proceed  to  examine  the  evi- 
dences for  the  authenticity  of  the  book.  But  we  are  now  en- 
gaged in  a  previous  q}iesiion,  which  must  be  determined  before 
we  can  judge  of  the  main  object  of  inquiry.  And  in  determin- 
ing the  several  steps  of  this  previous  question,  it  is  necessary  to 
adduce  both  kinds  of  evidence.  Still  they  shall  be  kept  apart, 
and  each  come  in  its  order. 

unto 


unto  death;  John  himself,  the  writer,  was  ia 
banishment,  ''  for  the  word  of  God,  and  the  tes- 
*'  timony  of  Jesus,  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos,"  when 
he  saw  the  visions*.  But  no  traces  of  such  per- 
secution can  be  discovered  in  the  times  of 
Claudius.  Nero,  says  the  unanimous  voice  of 
history,  w^as  the  first  Emperor  who  persecuted 
the  Christians,  and  enacted  laws  against  themf. 
Claudius,  indeed,  commanded  the  Jews  to  quit 
Rome,  but  this  command  could  not  affect  the 
Jews  in  Asia,    much  less  the  Christians  there. 

2dly.  There  is  no  appearance  or  probability 
that  the  seven  churches,  or  communities  of  Chris- 
tians, addressed  by  their  Saviour  in  the  Apoca-* 
lypse,  had  existence  so  early  as  in  the  reign 
of  Claudius ;  much  less  that  they  were  in  that 
established  and  flourishing  state,  which  is  de- 
scribed or  inferred  in  this  his  address  to  them. 
For  Claudius  died  in  the  year  54-,  some  years 
before  the  Apostle  Paul  is  supposed,  by  the  best 
critics,  to  have  w^ritten  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephe- 
sians,  and  his  First  to  Timothy.  But,  from  these 
Epistles  we  collect,  that  the  Church  of  Ephe- 
sus  was  then  in  an  infantine  and  unsettled  state* 
Bishops  were  then  first  appointed  there  by  St. 

*  Hence   St.  John   Is  called  a  Martyr,  by  Polycratcs — Jpiii 
Euseb.  E.  II.  lib.  ili.  c.  31. 

t  Tacitus,  A nnal.  lib.  xv.  c.  44.  Suetonius,  Vit.  Neronls,  cap. 
xvi.  Tertulliani  Apolog.  Sulp.  Sev.  Hist.  lib.  ii.  39.  P.  Oras. 
vli.  c.  7.  Enseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  ii.  c.  £5,  -  Mosheim,  H.  E, 
Cent.  1.  part  1. 

c  2  Paul's 


10 

Paul's  order*.  But,  at  the  time  when  the 
i-\pocalypsc  was  written,  Ephesus,  and  her  sister 
Churches,  appear  to  liave  been  in  a  settled,  and 
even  flourishing  state ;  which  could  only  be  the 
work  of  time.  There  is,  in  the  address  of  our 
Lord  to  them,  a  reference  to  their  former  con- 
duet.  Ephesus  is  rej)reseuted  as  having  for- 
saken h^v  forme?'  love,  or  charity  ;  Sardis  as  hav- 
ing acquired  a  name,  or  reputation  ;  which  she 
had  also  forfeited  ;  Laodicea  as  become  luke- 
warm, or  inditrerent.  Now,  changes  of  this 
kind,  in  a  whole  bochf  of  Christians,  must  be 
gradual,  and  the  production  of  many  yearsf. 
Colosse  and  Ilierapolis  were  Churches  of  note 
in  St.  Paul's  time  j  ;  but  they  are  not  mentioned 
m  the  Apocalypse,  although  they  Mxre  situated 
in  the  same  region  of  proconsular  Asia,  to 
which  it  was  addressed.  They  were  probably- 
become  of  less  importance.  All  these  changes 
required  a  lapse  of  time ;  and-  we  necessarily 
infer,  that  such  had  taken  place  between  the 
publication  of  St.  Paul's  Epistles,  and  of  the 
Apocalypse.  Add  to  this,  that  some  expres- 
sions, which  w^e   n>eet  with    in  the  Apocalypse^ 

*  See  this  proved  by  Micliaelis,  in  bis  Observations  on  the 
3 St  Epistle  to  Timothy. 

t  See  more  on  this  subject,  In  Vltrlnga,  in  Apoc.  1.  2.  and 
L'Enfant  and  Beaiisobrc's  Preflice  to  the  Apoc.  j  also,  Lardncr's 
Supplement  to  the  Crcd.  Gosp.  Ilist.  ch.  xxii.  wh^re  passages 
from  these  books  are  quoted. 

X  Acts  iv.  13. 


11 

are  such  as  seem  not  to  have  been  used  in  the 
early  period  of  the  Apostohc  times.  Sunday  is 
called  the  Lord's  Day  * ;  and  we  find  the  same 
expression  tmed  by  Ignatius  -f*,  and  other  writers 
of  later  date.  In  the  early  books  of  Scripture, 
it  is  called  the  first  day  of  the  week,  or  the  first 
after  the  .]:  Sabbath,  &c,  but  never  the  Lord's 
Day. 

This  opinion,  therefore,  that  the  Apocalypse 
ivas  written  in  the  reign  of  Claudius,  cannot  be 
received.  The  single  testimony  of  an  inaccurate 
writer  of  the  fourth  century,  cannot  be  opposed 
to  such  external  evidence  as  we  shall  produce 
in  examining  the  remaining  opinions;  espe- 
cially when  it  appears  so  strongly  refuted  by  in- 
ternal evidence  §. 

II.  By  the  second  opinion,  the  Apocalypse  is 
supposed  to  have  been  written  in  the  reign  of 
Nero.  1.  Let  us  examine  the  external  evidence 
by  which  it  is  supported  ;  namely  a  subscription 
to  the  Syriac  version  of  the  Apocalypse,  which 
mentions  that  Revelation,  as  given  "  by  God  to 
^'  John  the  Evangelist,  in  the  Island  of  Patmos, 
*'  whither  he  was  banished  by  the  Emperor  Nero/' 


*  Rev.  i.  10. 

t  Epist.  ad  Magnes.  Sec.  9. 

J  fAi»  ZxQQotluiy.  Mat.  xxviii.   1. 

§  This  first  opinion  would  have  deserved  little  notice,  if  it  liad 
not  been  maintained  by  the  celebrated  Grotius,  whose  arga- 
nients,  and  the  able  refutation  of  them  by  D.  Blondel,  may  be 
seen,  abstracted  by  Lardner  ;    Svppkmcnt,  ch.  ix.  sect.  3. 

Lardnci 


12 

Lardner  has  observed  of  this  subscription,  that  it  is 
not  only  without  a  name,  but  without  a  date.  But 
Michaelis  has  shewn  it  to  be  probable,  that  the 
version  to  which  it  is  attached  was  made  in  the 
sixth  centur}^ ;  and  he  intimates  that  this  sub- 
scription might  perhaps  have  been  annexed  to 
the  more  ancient  Syriac  version.  It  might  per- 
haps^ also,  have  been  added  in  later  times.  For 
of  what  authority  are  some  of  the  subscriptions 
to  other  books  of  the  New  Testament,  even 
those  which  are  printed  with  the  Greek  text  .^ 
They  are  anonymous,  and  without  date,  and,  in 
some  cases,  are  known  to  give  false  informa- 
tion*. What  credit,  then,  can  be  due  to  this 
Syriac  subscription,  whose  highest  claim  to  au- 
thority is,  that  the  version  to  which  it  is  attach- 
ed, was  written  in  the  sixth  century  ?  If  we 
could  admit  the  evidence,  it  would  indeed  be 
useful ;  for  it  would  immediately  determine  the 
main  object  of  our  inquiry.  It  would  deter- 
mine "  the  Revelation  to  have  been  made  by 
"  God  to  John  the  Evangehst;"  which  being 
determined,  no  more  doubt  could  remain  con- 
cerning its  authenticity,  and   divine  inspiration. 

*  In  another  passage  of  Michaelis's  introduction  he  has  obserr- 
ed,  that  "  no  subscription  of  this  kind  is  entitled  to  the  name  of  evi- 
*'  dence  ;"  Ch.  vli.  sect.  10.  p.  320  :  which  he  has  again  asserted 
on  good  grounds ;  Ch.  xi.  sect.  1.  p.  14.  Archdeacon  Paley 
has  shewn  by  probable  arguments,  that  the  subscriptions  to  six 
of  St.  Paul's  Epistles  contain  false  information,  contrary  to  evi- 
dence fairly  deduced  from  the  Epistles  themselves.  Hortc 
PaulincE,  ch.  xv. 

But 


13 

But  such  externa]  evidence  is  not  equal  even  to 
that  of  Epiphanius,  which,  as  standing  alone^  and 
at  such  a  distance  of  time  from  the  fact ^  Michaelis 
has,  with  great  propriety,  refused  to  admit, 

2.  This  opinion,  hke  the  first,  has  no  internal 
evidence,  derived  from  the  Apocalypse,  in  its 
favour.  All  that  can  be  said  is,  that  the  inter- 
nal evidence  thence  arising  is  not  so  decidedly 
against  it,  as  against  the  former  opinion.  The 
Christians  at  Rome,  and,  it  may  be,  in  some  of 
the  Roman  provinces,  were  persecuted  in  the 
reign  of  Nero.  But  there  is  no  evidence,  that 
the  Christians  in  Asia  suffered  at  this  time.  And 
the  arguments,  used  so  successfully  by  Michaelis 
and  others,  to  shew  that  the  Apocalypse  was  not 
written  in  the  reign  of  Claudius,  will  extend  in 
some  degree,  to  that  of  Nero.  From  the  lime 
of  Claudius  to  the  end  of  Nero's  reign,  we  count 
only  fourteen  years.  The  date  of  the  First  Epis- 
tle to  Timothy  is  placed,  by  Michaelis,  about 
ten  years  before  Nero's  death ;  by  Fabricius, 
Mil|^  and  other  able  critics,  much  later.  The 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  has  certainly  a  later 
date.  So  that,  it  may  still  be  doubted,  whether 
the  changes  which  appear  to  have  taken  place 
in  the  Churches  of  Lesser  x\sia,  between  the 
date  of  these  Epistles  and  that  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, could  well  be  brought  about  in  so  short  a 
period  of  time,  as  must  be  allotted  to  them,  if 
we  suppose  the  Apocalypse  to  be  written  in  the 
times  of  Nero.     But  suppose  this  argument  not 

to 


14 

to  be  insisted  upon,  to  what  will  the  concession 
amount?  The  question,  in  favour  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse having  been  written  in  Nero's  reign,  will 
gain  no  internal  evidence  positively  in  its  favour. 
It  will  rest  on  the  external  evidence  above  stated, 
the  insufficiency  of  which  must  be  apparent. 

III.  A  third  opinion  (as  it  is  called)  has  been 
produced  by  those  writers,  who,  having  explained 
some  of  the  Apocal3''ptical  prophecies,  as  fulfilled 
in  the  Jewish  wars,  which  ended  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  are  interested  to  make  it  ap- 
pear, that  these  prophecies  were  wiitten  before 
the  commencement  of  those  wars.  ]>ut  to  assert 
the  Apocalypse  to  have  been  written  before  the 
Jewish  wars,  is  the  same  thing  as  to  attribute  the 
date  of  it  to  the  reign  of  Nero;  for  these  wars 
began  in  the  twelfth  3^ear  of  that  Emperor*. 
The  question,  therefore,  seems  decided  by  the 
evidence  already  examined.  But  since  the  exa-^ 
mination  of  this  third  opinion,  by  Michaelis,  has 
produced  another  evidence,  and  other  arguments, 
it  will  be  proper  to  notice  them. 

A  certain  degree  of  external  evidence  is  at- 
tempted to  be  derived  from  Arethas,  who,  in  his 
Commentary  on  the  Apocalypse,  has  endeavoured 
to  explain  some  of  its  prophecies,  as  fulfilled  in 
the  Jewish  wars;  and  he  has  certainly  affirmed, 
that  "  destruction  was  not  yet  come  upon  the 
Jews,  by  the  arms  of  the  Romans,  when  he  (the 
writer  of  the  Apocalypse)  received  these  prophe- 

*  Josephus,  de  Ee'I,  Jud.  lib,  ii.  c.  xh.  4. 

cieso" 


15 

cies."  The  earliest  date  assigned  to  the  com- 
mentary of  Arethas,  is  in  the  sixth  century  ;  but 
there  seems  internal  evidence  in  the  work,  which 
will  prove  it  of  later  date.  The  empire  of  the 
Saracens  is  mentioned  in  it,  as  succeeding  in 
Babylon  to  that  of  the  Persians  *.  But  the  Sa- 
racens were  not  possessed  of  Babylon  till  nearly 
tiie  middle  of  the  seventh  century.  A  writer  of 
so  late  a  date  will  be  entitled  to  little  belief  in 
tiiis  question,  particularly  if  his  evidence  go  no 
farther  than  to  discover  an  opinion  of  his  own, 
without  proof  in  support  of  it.  But,  it  is  said, 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  opinion  is  more 
ancient  than  the  period  here  referred  to;  for  An- 
dreas Caesariensis,  who  v/rote  about  the  year  500, 
though  he  does  not  adopt  the  opinion,  mentions 
it  as  the  opinion  of  some  others.  And  Michaelis, 
who  favours  this  third  opinion,  is  disposed  to  be- 
lieve it  derived  from  Hippolitus,  or  Irenaeus.  But 
he  has  produced  no  evidence  of  the  fact.  It  is 
merely  a  conjecture,  resting  on  this  unsure  founda- 
tion ;  "  Arethas  must  have  received  this  opinion 
from  some  author,  who  explained  the  Apocalypse 
before  the  times  of  Andreas  Ca^sariensis;  and  who 
could  this  be,  but  Hippolitus,  or  Irenaeus  ?''  Hip- 
politus would  have  been  a  valuable  evidence,  if 
any  proof  could  be  adduced  of  his  having  held 
fiuch  opinion.  The  testimony  of  Irenreus  would 
be  yet  more  decisive,  could  it  be  procured.  This, 
then,  is  the  desideratum;  and  accordingly  we  shall 

*  Com,  In  Apocal,  cap.  xxxvi, 

.find, 


16 

find,  that  attempts  have  been  made  to  press  Ire- 
naeus  into  this  service.  With  what  success,  will 
be  seen  in  our  examination  of  the  fourth  opi- 
nion. 

IV.  For,  under  the  fourth  opinion,  we  must 
produce  the  words  of  Ireneeus,  which  have  been 
understood,  by  all  the  ancients,  and  by  all  the 
modern  critics,  until  these  days,  to  assert  plainly 
and  unequivocally,  that  the  visions  of  the  Apo- 
calypse were  seen  "  toward  the  close  of  Domi- 
tian's  reign/'  If  these  words  had  been  supposed 
by  ancient  writers  to  have  been  capable  of  any 
other  meaning,  or  of  such  meaning  as  hath  lately 
been  attributed  to  them,  the  tradition  of  the 
Church  would  not  have  been  so  uniform.  For, 
as  Michaelis  observes,  ''  almost  all  the  ecclesiastical 
''  writers,  who  have  spoken  of  the  time  zoheii  the 
"  Apocah/pse  was  written,  have  followed  this  ac- 
"  count,*'  namely,  that  it  was  written  "  toward  the 
"  close  of  the  reign  of  Domitian"  We  have  al- 
ready produced  all  the  evidence  which  has  an}' 
tendency  to  contradict  this  general  testimony  of 
the  Church,  and  we  have  seen  to  what  little  it 
amounts.  It  is  very  far  from  sufficient  for  the 
purposes  of  those,  who,  wishing  to  apply  certain 
prophecies  of  the  Apocalypse  to  the  times  of 
Nero  and  his  immediate  successors,  are  driven  to 
the  attempt  of  establishing  this  necessary  postu- 
latum,  that  "  it  was  written  before  the  times 
in  which  (they  say)  these  prophecies  were  ful- 
filled.''     This  is  the  true  reason,  (as   Michaelis 

allows,) 


allows  *.)  why  they  have  recourse  to  the  testimony 
of  Irenseus  ;  the  importance  of  which,  to  the  de- 
termination  of  this  question,  may  be  collected 
from  the  ardent  desire  of  these  writers  to  make 
his  evidence  support  their  sentiments;  but  will 
more  fully  appear,  by  considering  his  character 
and  connections,  and  the  time  in  which  he  lived. 
Irenaeus  was  born,  according  to  his  own  ac- 
count, (as  his  words  have  generally  been  under- 
stood,) in  the  age  immediately  succeeding  that, 
in  which  the  visions  of  the  Apocalypse  were 
seenf.  He  was  a  Greek  by  birth,  as  his  name 
and  language  import,  and  probably  an  Asiatic 
Greek,  for  he  was  an  auditor  of  Polycarp  J,  who 
was  Bishop  of  Smyrna,  one  of  the  seven  churches, 
and  who  had  been  the  auditor  of  St.  John  the 
Apostle,  whom  Irenaeus  constantly  affirms  to  be 
the  writer  of  the  Apocalypse  §.  And  accordingly, 
when  Irenaeus  speaks  upon  such  subjects  as 
concern  the  external  evidences  of  the  Church,  he 
appeals,  for  a  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  what 
lie  has  advanced,    to  Polycarp,  and    to  others, 

*  P.  524,  525. 

f  The  learned  Dodwell  has  taken  pains  to  shew,  that  Irenaeus 
was  born  in  the  year  97,  the  very  year  in  which  the  Apocalypse 
will  appear  to  have  been  published.  But  there  is  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  he  has  tixed  the  birth  of  this  father  about  ten  years  too 
soon.     See  Grabe's  Proleg.  ad  Irenreum. 

t  Iren.  iii.  3.  Euseb.  H.  E.  iv.  14,  lb*,  v.  4,  19,  20. 

§  Iren.  lib.  iii.  3,  4.  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iv.  14.  16.  v.  4,  19,  20. 
Iren.  iv.  50.  v.  2(),  28,  30,  34,  35.  Lardner,  Supplement,  p.  34S, 
378. — Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  art.  Irena2us. 

who, 


18 

who,  he  533-85  had  seen  the  Apostle  John,  lie 
appeals  also  to  the  Asiatic  Churches,  in  which  he 
appears  to  have  been  echicated  *.  When  re- 
moved from  Asia  into  Gaul,  w^iere,  upon  the 
martyrdom  of  Pothinus,  he  became  Bishop  of 
Lyons,  he  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  the 
brethren  of  the  Asiatic  Churches,  from  whom  he 
would  continue  to  receive  the  most  genuine  in- 
formation then  to  be  obtained  concerning  the 
Apocalypse.  He  was,  in  his  own  character,  the 
most  learned,  pious,  prudent,  and  venerable 
prelate  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived  f .  He 
wrote  largely  in  defence  of  the  truth ;  and  it  has 
been  a  prevailing  opinion  in  the  Church,  that  he 
sealed  his  testimony  with  his  biood. 

Here  then  is  a  witness,  far  surpassing,  in  autho- 
rity and  credibility,  any  that  has  hitherto  been 
produced.  Accordingly,  his  evidence  has  been 
received  by  the  writers  nearest  to  his  time,  and, 
with  the  very  few  exceptions  which  we  have  now 
produced,  by  the  universal  Churcli.  And,  until 
these  days,  there  has  not  been  the  least  doubt  of 
the  import  of  his  evidence;  no  one  has  seen  oc- 
casion  to    interpret    his   words,   otherwise   than 

*  Tren.  lib.  Hi,  3.  v.  8.     Euscb.  H.  E.  lib,  Iv.  14.  v.  ^0. 

f  It  was  principally  by  the  wisdom,  authority,  and  moderation 
of  Irenaeus,  that  the  furious  Victor,  Bishop  of  Rome,  was  kept  iri 
order,  and  induced,  rgi,rr.s  u^-nw  9pv«y,  to  think  of  the  things  which 
make  for  peace,  when  a  schism  was  about  to  take  place  between 
t)ie  Eastern  and  Western  Churches,  occasioned  by  the  dispute 
concerning  the  time  of  keeping  Easter. —  Cuseb.  H.  E.  lib.  v.  24. 

accof^iog 


19 

according  to  their  obvious  and  received  meaning 
— "  that  tlie  visions  of  the  Apocalypse  were  seen 
in  the  times  of  Domitian*.  But  since  a  novel 
interpretation  of  these  words  has  been  attempted, 
in  order  to  press  them  into  the  service  of  a  pre- 
conceived opinion,  it  will  be  necessary  to  produce 
them. 

Irenaeus,  speaking  of  the  mystical  name  as- 
cribed to  Antichrist  in  the  xiiith  chapter  of  the 
Apocalypse,  and  of  the  difficulty  of  its  inter- 
pretation, adds.  SI  Ss  shi  uvu(pavhv   fv  to)   vvv   kxi^c^  KVr 

7^v\ljiy  sco^uKOToc.  Ovh  ycc^  'ur^o  TxyoKKov  %^ovov  scjo^oc^'^,  uXKoc 
c%yj^oy  £7fi  rvig  r,ijifjs^ag  ycvsagy  'zs'^og  to  Tc7^og    7'/ig   Ao^i]iOiVoi> 

a^yj/jg :  which  may  be  thus  hterally  translated  : — 
^  But  if  it  had  been  proper,  that  this  name 
"  should  be  openly  proclaimed  in  this  present 
"  time,  it  would  have  been  told  even  by  him 
"  who  saw^  the  revelation.  For  it  was  not  seen 
''  a  long  time  ago,  but  almost  in  our  own  age 
"  (or  generation),  toward  the  end  of  Domitian's 


''  reign/' 


These  w^ords  are  plain  and  unequivocal;   no 
variety  of  interpretation   of  them  arose    during 

*  Micbaelis,  in  anotiier  part  of  his  work,  considers  the  testi- 
mony of  Irenseus,  so  far  as  relates  to  St.  John's  writings,  as  of 
the  highest  authority.  "Irenseus,"  says  he,  *' is  not  only  the 
"  most  ancient  writer  on  this  subject,  but  was  a  disciple  of  Poly- 
"  carp,  who  was  personally  acquainted  with  St.  John.  Consc- 
''  quently  Irenseus  had  the  very  best  information  on  this  subject." 
Introd.  vol.  ili,  ch.  vii.  See  also  his  translator's  judicious  re- 
marks on  the  importance  of  Irenseus's  testimony. 

sixteen 


20 

sixteen  hundred  years,  in  which  they  were  read 
by  the  Church.  And,  indeed,  the  only  doubt 
concerning  them  now  is,  *'  what  it  is  that  Irenaeus 
"  affirms  to  have  been  seen  in  Domitian's  reign  V* 
What  does  the  verb  seen  refer  to,  and  agree  with  ? 
What  is  the  nominative  case  to  the  verb  su^oc9i>}?^ 
Now,  I  will  venture  to  affirm,  that  no  Greek 
scholar,  unbiassed  by  any  favourite  opinion,  can 
possibly  suppose  that  the  verb  scAj^^yJyj,  "was  seen,'^ 
can  be  referred  to  any  other  nominative  than 
'H  A7roKaKv\l/ig,  "  'I'he  Revelation." — But  it  is  not 
a  matter  wherein  a  critical  knowledge  of  the 
Greek  tongue  is  required,  to  enable  us  to  decide. 
Plain  common  sense  is  to  supply  what  is  wanting. 
And  no  person,  possessed  of  that  valuable  quali- 
fication, can  read  this  passage,  translated  literally 
into  any  language,  without  perceiving  that  the 
thing  represented  to  be  seen  in  the  latter  clause, 
must  be  the  same  which  was  said  to  have  been 
seen  in  the  former.  The  same  verb,  used  so 
nearly  with  a  relative,  must  refer  to  the  same 
noun.  Otherwise,  there  is  no  dependence  on 
common  lano;uao;e :  and  we  must,  in  all  our 
writings,  be  driven  to  use  the  repetitions  which 
are  in  usage  among  the  lawyers;  and  Irenaeus, 
if  he  wGve  to  Avrite  in  modern  times,  must 
be  instructed  to  say,  after  the  word  "  Reve- 
*'  lation,''  not  ''  It  was  seen/'  but  the  "  Afore- 
"  said  Revelation*  was  seen. 

But  if  the  discovery  of  these  modern  critics 
had  rested  upon  any  solid  or  probable  founda- 
tion, 


21 

lion,  they  would  be  agreed  among  themselves, 
not  only  in  rejecting  A7rcy.a7KV7r4jig  as  the  nomina- 
tive to  which  the  verb  is  to  be  referred,  but  in 
ascertaining  the  noun  which  is  to  supply  its  place. 
They  are  agreed  so  far  as  to  perceive  the  neces- 
sity of  rejecting  the  common  and  obvious  inter- 
pretation, (because,  this  being  admitted,  their 
explications  of  the  prophecies  cannot  stand);  but 
they  contend,  among  each  other,  about  the  me- 
thod of  supplying  the  new  interpretation.  And, 
indeed,  every  proposition  made  by  them,  with  a 
view  to  supply  a  new  nominative  to  s^oo^k^jy,,  is  full 
of  difficulty  and  absurdity.  Michaelis  seems  to 
pass  this  sentence  upon  all  of  them  but  one,  which 
refers  sm^oc^vi  to  to  ovoij^a^  and  which,  to  me,  appears 
as  forced  and  improbable  as  any  of  the  rest.  What 
was  seen?  answer,  the  name  was  seen  !  If  Irenoeiis 
had  intended  this  meaning,  he  would  not  have 
written  sa'p^c^j?  hwl-^^Kna^^n.  Michaelis  has  suo-crested 
this ;  and  it  is  a  sufficient  answer.  Yet  this  able 
critic  is  still  inclined  to  favour  this  application  of 
the  verb,  referring  to  ovojmoc  to  Titan.  But  this  is 
to  break  all  bounds  of  grammatical  connection. 
And,  to  suppose,  as  this  forced  construction  re- 
(juires,  that  Ireneeus  understood  the  Emperor 
Domitian  to  be  Titan  and  Antichrist,  is  to  make 
Irenaeus  contradict  himself;  for  this  father  plainly 
tells  us,  that  he  understood  not  this  prophecy ; 
and  that,  in  his  opinion,  "  it  is  better  to  wait  the 
*•  completion  of  it,  than  to  guess  at  names,  which 
"  may  seem  to  fit  the  mystical  figures."  Ire- 
naeus, 


22 

timiis*,  therefore,  considered  the  prophecy  as  not 
having  been  fulfilled  in  the  times  before  him; 
nor  is  there  any  colour  of  proof  for  supposing, 
that  he  considered  Domitian  as  a  type  of  Anti- 
christ, or  that  there  had  been  any  partial  com- 
pletion  of  the  prophecy.  Besides,  the  context 
of  Irenaeus,  if  examined,  will  admit  none  of  these 
novel  and  forced  interpretations.  It  evidently  re- 
quires the  old  and  obvious  acceptation.  The 
object  of  Irena^us  is  to  dissuade  his  readers  from 
a  difficult  and  presumptuous  attempt  to  settle 
who  is  Antichrist,  by  applying,  in  the  manner  he 
had  shewn,  the  Greek  figures  66*6.  And  his  ar- 
gument is  to  this  effect :  "  The  mystery  was  not 
"  intended  to  be  cleared  up  in  our  times :  for  if 
"  it  had,  it  w^ould  have  been  told  by  him  who 
"  saw  the  vision.''  This  implies  that  the  vision 
had  been  seen  lately.  But,  to  complete  the  ar- 
gument, and  to  support  the  last  clause  of  it, 
\vhich  was  not  perfectly  clear,  Irenaeus  adds — 
^*  for  it  was  seen  at  no  great  dutance  from  our 
"  own  times/' 

In  short,  all  these  new^  interpretations  are  in- 
consistent and  absurd,  and  have  no  support  but 
wdiat  is  derived  from  the  Latin  translation  of 
Irenaeus,  wliich  is  allowed  to  be  very  imperfect -j-; 
and  if  it  had  been  of  greater  authority,  could 
only  disclose  to  us  the  translator's  opinion  of  the 

*   Lib.  V.  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii,  c.  18. 

f  Grabe  asserts  and  proves  it  to  be  barbarous  and  defective. 
Proleg.  in  Irenseum, 

meaning 


25 

meaning  of  the  passage.  But  since  we  possess 
the  original  Greek,  we  must  have  recourse  to 
the  text  as  it  stands  there ;  of  which  the  learned 
in  the  present  age  are  at  least  as  good  judges  as 
this  translator,  who,  if  by  using  the  words  *'  visum 
*'  est,''  he  intended  to  refer  the  verb  to  any  other 
nominative  than  "  Revelatio,''  has  contradicted 
all  the  learned  students  of  Irenaeus,  from  the  ear- 
liest ages  to  the  time  of  the  present  innovators. 

Of  the  observations  of  Knittel,  to  which  Mi- 
chaelis  refers  us  for  information  on  this  subject,  I 
can  say  nothing,  not  having  seen  them.     I  have 
already  been  too  diffuse  on  the  subject.     But  the 
authority  of  Michaelis  is  deservedly  great:  and, 
it  is  necessary  to  shew  at  large,  why  an  opinion, 
to  which  he  inclines,  ought  not  to  be  adopted.    I 
collect,  moreover,  that  Michaelis  had   observed 
no  evidence,  either  external  or  internal  *,  of  suf- 
ficient weight  to  obhse  him   to  fix   the  date  of 
the  Apocalypse  in  the  days  of  Nero,  or  before 
those  of  Domitian.     Otherwise,  he   Avould  not, 
in  another  passage,  have   been  inclined   to  pro- 
nounce it  "  a  spurious   production,   introduced 
"  probably  into  the  world  after  the  death  of  Saint 
"  John  *,''  who  lived  beyond  the  reign  of  Domi- 
tian. 

*  The  German  critics,  who  liave  endeavoured  to  point  out  tlie 
accomplishment  of  the  Apocalyptical  prophecies  in  the  Jewish 
wars^  and  times  preceding  Domitian,  have  met  with  insuperable 
difficulties,  as  may  be  sufficiently  seen  in  Michaelis's  account, 
p.  513— 518. 

t  P.  487. 

D  The 


24 

The  words  of  Irenseus,  of  this  competent  and 
unexceptionable  witness,  are  therefore  to  be 
taken  in  that  obvious  sense  which  has  been  af- 
fixed to  them  by  all  the  writers  before  our  own 
times :  and,  thus  taken,  they  determine  the 
time  when  the  Apocalyptic  visions  were  seen, 
and  published,  namely,  "  toward  the  end  of  Do- 
"  mitian's  reign/'  This  is  confirmed  by  the  evi- 
dence of  all  the  ancient  writers,  who  are  agreed 
(except  in  the  few  and  unimportant  instances 
which  have  now  been  produced  to  the  contrary) 
that  St.  John's  banishment  to  Patmos,  where  he 
saw  the  Visions,  is  of  this  date.  Lampe  has  as- 
serted, and  Lardner  confirms  the  truth  of  the 
assertion,  "  that  all  antiquity  is  abundantly 
"  agreed,  that  Domitian  was  the  author  of  John's 
"  banishment*/' 

Internal  evidence  likewise  supports  this  con- 
clusion. For,  in  the  three  first  chapters  of  the 
Apocalypse,  the  Churches  of  Asia  are  described 
as  being  in  that  advanced  and  flourishing  state  of 
society  and  discipline  reasonably  to  be  expected; 
and  to  have  undergone  those  changes  in  their 
faith  and  morals,  which  might  have  taken  place, 
in  the  time  intervening  between  the  publication 

*  See  Hegisippus  apiid  Eiiseb.  lib.  ill.  c.  20,  Q3.  Tertulllan, 
Apol.  c.  V.  Hieron.  torn.  x.  p.  100,  and  other  authorities  ad- 
duced by  Lardner,  Supplement,  ch.  ix.  sec.  5,  who,  with  his 
usual  judgment  and  candour,  has  most  satisfactorily  determined 
this  question  ;  and  also  that  the  Apocalypse  was  not  written  till 
the  end  of  Domitian's  reign, 

of 


25 

of  Saint  Paul's  Epistles,  and  the  concluding  years 
of  Domitian. 

Domitian's  death  is  related  to  have  happened 
in  September,  A.  D.  96.  The  Christian  exiles 
were  then  set  at  liberty ;  and  Saint  John  had 
permission  to  return  to  Ephesus.  But  the  Em- 
peror's death,  and  the  permission  to  return,  could 
not  be  known  in  Asia  immediately.  Some  time 
must  intervene,  before  Saint  John  could  be  at 
liberty  either  to  write  the  Apocalypse  at  Ephe# 
sus,  or  to  send  it  by  messengers  (now  probably 
for  the  first  time  admitted  to  approach  him)  from 
Patmos  *.  We  shall,  therefore,  place  the  date  of 
the  Apocalypse,  as  Mill,  Lardner,  and  other  able 
critics  have  placed  it,  in  the  years  96  or  97 : 
probably  (for  reasons  now  assigned)  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  latter.  It  could  not  be  circulated 
through  the  Seven  Churches  sooner. 

V.^ — VI.  I  shall  pass  over  the  fifth  and  sixth 
opinions,  mentioned  by  Michaelis,  because  they 
are  supported  by  such  slender  evidence,  that  he 
does  but  barely  notice  them  himself.  And  I 
trust  there  is  less  reason  to  refute  them,  after 
this  review  of  the  evidence,  by  which  the  fourth 
opinion  is  established. 

*  There  seems  internal  evidence  in  chap.  1.  9,  that  the  i\po- 
calypse  was  written  after  the  writer  had  left  Patmos  ;  he  says, 
sysvoiAm  h  rri  y^jcrw,  I  z£;as  in  the  island. 


D  2  CHAP. 


se 


CHAP.  III. 

THE  TESTIMONY  OF  IRENiEUS,  AND  OF  OtifEIl 
FATHERS  IN  THE  CHURCH  BEFORE  HIM,  OJf 
IGNATIUS,  OF  POLYCARP,  OF  THE  WRTTEK 
OF  THE  EPISTLE  DESCRIBING  POLYCARP's 
MARTYRDOM,  AND  OF  PAPIAS* 


JoLATiNG  ascertained  the  time  iii  which  the 
Apocalypse  was  written,  we  may  proceed  to 
review  the  external  evidence,  which  afl'ects  its 
authority.  For  we  shall  now  be  enabled  to  ap- 
preciate such  testimony,  by  considering  its  ap- 
proximation to  the  time  when  the  book  was 
published. 

In  the  examination  of  this  evidence,  Michaelis 
has  chosen  to  begin  with  that  of  Eusebius.  But 
Eusebius  wrote  at  an  interval  of  more  than  two 
hundred  years  from  the  time  when  the  Apocalypse 
first  appeared.  In  his  days,  doubts  had  arisen 
concerning  the  authenticity  of  the  book — doubts 
which  bad  no  foundation  on  any  external  evi- 
dence, but  which  had  been  suggested  by  some 
writers  from  a  consideration  of  its  internal  marks 
and  character.  The  subject  appears  to  have 
been  in  debate  among  the  Christian  critics  in 
these  times.     Eusebius  hesitated  where  to  place 

the^ 


27 

the  Apocalypse  ;  whether  among  the  undoubted 
books  of  the  inspired  Canon,  or  among  those 
which  were  accounted  spurious.  He  promises 
farther  information  when  the  debate  should  be 
concluded  ;  but  we  do  not  appear  to  have  re- 
ceived it  from  him  ^. 

I  will  begin,  then,  where  we  have  more  decided 
and  authentic  information  ;  from  Irenaeus,  whosQ 
competency  to  decide  on  this  question  we  have 
considered.  There  are  other  testimonies,  which, 
in  point  of  time,  are  antecedent  to  this  of  Ire- 
naeus, but  none  so  comprehensive,  so  positive, 
and  direct.  We  shall  review  these  with  more  ad- 
vantage, after  the  consideration  of  this  important 
evidence. 

Irenj^us,  the  auditor  of  Polycarp,  and  of  other 
apostolical  men,  who  had  conversed  with  St. 
John,  had  the  best  means  of  inforniation  con- 
cerning the  authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse;  and 
from  the  zeal  which  he  shews,  to  discover  the 
true  reading  of  a  passage  in  the  Apocalypse  (by 
appeal  to  ancient  and  authentic  copies,  and  to 
the  testimony  of  apostolical  men),  we  may  justly 
conclude  that  he  took  equal  pains,  and  the  same 
judicious  methods,  to  assure  himself  concerning 
the  writer  of  the  book-j-.  But  Irenaeus,  in  many 
passages,  ascribes  this  book  to  "  John  the  Evan- 
"  gelist,   the  disciple  of  the  Lord, — that  John  who 

*  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  24,  25. 

t  Irenaeus,  lib.  v.  c.  30.     Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  18. 

^'  leaned 


^8 

"  leaned  on  his  Lord's  breast  at  the  last  supper'^/' 
There  are  twenty-two  chapters  in  the  book  of 
Revelation,  and  Ireneeus  quotes  from  thirteen  of 
them,  producing  more  than  twenty-four  passages, 
some  of  considerable  length.  The  candid  and 
judicious  Lardner,  after  an  examination  of  this 
evidence,  says,  "  His  (Irenoeus's)  testimony  for  this 
'^  book  is  so  strong  and  full,  that,  considering  the 
"  age  of  Irena3us,  he  seems  to  put  it  beyond  all 
"  question,  that  it  is  the  work  of  John  the  Apostle 
"  and  Evangelist -j/' 

The  testimony  of  Irenseus  may  be  supposed  to 
extend  from  about  thirty  or  forty  years  after  the 
date  of  the  Apocalypse,  to  about  eighty  years 
after  the  same  period,  viz.  the  year  of  our  Lord 
178,  when  he  is  said  to  have  published  the  books 
which  contain  this  testimony  J.  But  during  this 
period  of  eighty  years,  other  writers  appear  to 
have  quoted,  and  acknowledged  the  Apocalypse. 
We  w  ill  now,  therefore,  take  a  retrospect  of  their 
quotations  and  allusions,  which  will  give  addi- 
tional weight  to  the  testimony  of  Irenseus;  while, 
from  a  recollection  of  his  evidence,  theirs  also 
will  derive  support. 

Ignatius  is  mentioned  by  Michaelis  as  the  most 
ancient  evidence  that  can  be  produced,  respect- 
ing the  authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse.  He  lived 
in  the  apostolical  times,  and  died  by  a  glorious 

*  Irenseiis,  lib.  iv.  37,  50,  27; 
t  Cred.  Gosp.  Hist.  art.  Irenaeus. 
J  See  Cave  and  Lardner. 

martyrdom 


29 

Tiiartyrdom  in  the  year  107,  as  some  writers  state, 
though  others  have  placed  this  event  a  few  years 
later.     He  is  commonly  supposed  to  have  made 
no   mention  of  the  Apocalypse  ;    and    this   his 
silence  amounts,  in  the  opinion  of  Michaelis,  to  a 
rejection  of  the  book.     "  If  Ignatius,"   says  he, 
''  had  seen  and    acknowledged  the  Apocalypse 
"  as   the  work    of  John  the  Apostle,  he   would 
"  probably,  when  he  w^rote  his   Epistles  to   the 
'*  Christian  communities  at  Ephesus,  Philadelphia, 
"  and  Smyrna,  have  reminded  them  of  the  praises, 
"  which,  according  to  Rev.  ii.  1 — 7-  8 — 11.  iii. 
'*  7 — 12.  their  Bishops  had  received  from  Christ, 
"  more    particularly     when     he    addressed    the 
"  Church  of  Ephesus ;  because,  in  his  Epistle  to 
"  that  Church,  he  particularly  reminds  them  of 
^'  the  praises  bestowed  on  them  by  St.  Paul." 

The  connection  of  idea  and  train  of  thought, 
expected  from    Ignatius  upon  this    occasion,  is 
indeed  ?2flf?^r«/,  but  it  is   not   necessary;  so  that 
the  want  of  it  w^ill  not  amount  to  any  proof  that 
Ignatius  had  never  seen,  or  that  he  rejected,  the 
Apocalypse.     Ignatius  was  not  a  Bishop  of  any 
of  the  Seven  Churches  to  which  it  was  addressed, 
nor  of  any  of  the  Churches  in  Asia  properly  so 
called,   but  of  Antioch  in  Syria ;  and  his  fami- 
liarity   with  so   obscure  and    mystical    a   book, 
would  depend  much  upon  his  own  turn  of  mind, 
and  bent  of  study.   We  know^  that  many  eminent 
divines  of  our  own  times  have  been   very  little 
conversant  with  the  Apocalypse;  and  we  know- 
that 


so 

that  many  of  those,  who  are  conversant  with  the 
bqpk,  are  Uttle  inchned  to  quote  it  in  their  ser- 
mons and  popular  addresses ;  for  they  appeal  to 
those  books  of  Scripture  with  which  they  sup- 
pose then*  auditors  most  acquainted. 

Besides,  we  are  to  take  into  our  account  the 
peculiar  circumstances  under  which  this  Father 
of  the  Church  wrote  his  Epistles,  which  are  the 
only  remains  of  his  works.  He  was  a  prisoner, 
upon  travel,  guarded  by  a  band  of  soldiers,  whom 
for  their  ferocity  he  compares  to  leopards  *,  and 
by  them  hurried  forward,  in  his  passage  from 
Antioch  to  Rome,  there  to  be  devoured  by  wild 
beasts.  In  such  circumstances,  he  would  write 
at  uncertain  seasons,  with  frequent  interruption, 
his  train  of  thoughts  necessarily  broken ;  and  his 
quotations,  depending  probably  on  memory  alone, 
would  be  inaccurate.  From  these  causes  it  has 
happened,  that  the  references  of  Ignatius  to  sa- 
cred Scripture,  in  his  hasty  Epistles,  may  be 
styled  allusions,  rather  than  quotations;  and  to 
many  of  the  sacred  books,  he  appears  not  to 
allude  at  all.  The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  is 
the  only  book  expressly  named  by  him.  Of  the 
Gospels,  he  only  quotes,  or  even  plainly  alludes 
to,  those  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  John.  And  it 
will  appear  dubious,  to  those  who  examine  the 
writings  of  this  Father,  v/hether  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  or  any  of  the  Scriptural  Epistles,  are 
either  ind'abitably  quoted,  or  alluded  to  by  hirii,, 

*  Ad  Romaaos_,  sect.  v. 

except 


31 

except  that  to  the  Romans,  the  First  to  the  Co- 
rinthians, to  the  Galatians,  Ephesians,  Philip- 
pians,  and  the  Second  to  Timothy.  But  shall 
we  affirm,  that  Ignatius  rejected  two  of  the 
Gospels,  and  fourteen  other  books  of  sacred 
Scripture,  because  no  evident  allusion  to  them 
can  be  found  in  these  his  hasty  Epistles?  No  one 
ivill  make  this  affirmation.  The  authenticity 
and  divine  inspiration  of  these  books  are  sup- 
ported by  other  and  sufficient  evidence :  and  the 
conclusion  which  Michaelis  invites  us  to  draw, 
from  the  silence  of  Ignatius  respecting  the  Apo- 
calypse, must  appear  rash  and  unfounded.  It  is 
in  contradiction  to  the  remarks  of  this  able  critic 
himself,  in  l]is  observations  on  the  same  subject, 
in  another  passage  of  his  work.  For  he  tells  us, 
after  having  first  assigned  the  reasons  on  which 
he  grounds  his  assertion,  that  "  It  is  therefore 
"  no  objection  to  the  New  Testament,  if  it  is  so 
"seldom  cited  b}^  the  Apostolic  Fathers;  and 
"  even  could  any  one  be  produced,  who  had  not 
"  made  a  single  reference  to  these  writings,  it 
"  would  prove  as  little  against  their  authenticity, 
"  as  St.  Paul's  never  having  quoted  the  Epistles 
"  of  St.  Peter,  or  the  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew 
'•  and  St.  Luke.''  But  if  this  holds  good,  as  ap- 
plied to  the  Sciiptures  in  general,  it  is  peculiarly 
applicable  to  a  book  of  mysterious  prophecy,  and 
of  so  late  publication  as  the  Apocalypse.  And 
we  cannot  conclude  even  if  it  should  appear  that 
Ignatius  has  not  mentioned  the  Apacalypse,  nor 

alluded 


32 

alluded  to  it,  that  "  it  was  unknown  to  him  : 
"  nor  if  it  was  known  to  him,  that  he  did  not 
**  believe  it  genuine ;  nor  yet,  that  his  silence 
"  concerning  it  amounts  to  a  rejection  of  it/i 
This  answer  to  Michaelis  may  be  apphed,  and 
I  trust  effectually,  in  case  it  shall  be  concluded 
that  Ignatius  "  has  passed  over  the  Apocalypse 
in  silence."  But  there  are  some  passages  in  his 
Epistles,  which  may  perhaps  be  admitted  to 
allude  to  this  sacred  book.  It  may  be  thought, 
that  if  Ignatius  had  not  seen  the  Apocalypse, 
he  would  not  have  used  certain  expressions, 
which  he  has  employed  in  the  following  pas- 
sages. I  shall  present  them  at  length,  because 
they  have  never  yet  been  produced. 

Rev.  i,  g,  Ignat.  ad  Rom.  ad  fin. 

The  text  of  the  Apocalypse  is  here  taken  from 
the  approved  edition  of  Griesbach  ;  and  it  is  a 
confirmation  to  be  added  to  his  supports  of  this 
text,  that  it  was  thus  read  by  Ignatius.  This 
expression,  though  the  idea  be  quite  scriptural, 
is  to  be  found,  I  believe,  in  no  other  passage 
of  the  New  Testament,  but  in  this  of  the  Apo- 
calypse only. 

Rev.  xxi.  2.  Ignat.  ad  Ephes.  sect,  3, 

Tijv  'aoKiv  Tv>v  uytav  onto  ra  ©ta  A;9o<  vxa  zjulpos 

Here 


S3 

Here  the  use  of  the  word  thkoo-^yi^svoi,  following 
so  immediately  after  the  words  YiToifLcca-uLsvoi  and 
€>fy,  and  with  such  connection  of  thought  and 
of  imagery,  affords  reason  to  suppose,  that  Ig- 
natius had  seen  this  passage  of  the  Apocalypse. 
Ignatius  appears  to  me  to  comment  on  St.  John, 
referring  this  passage  to  the  fourth  chapter  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  where  the  same 
images  are  used,  and  by  a  comparison  with 
which  it  is  bfest  explained.  A  better  illustration 
cannot  be  given  of  Ksx,o(r^rjiJLsyYiv  t(a)  av^pi  avryjc,  than 
in  these  parallel  words  of  Ignatius,  KSKoa-i/.yjiJi,syYiv 
sfjoKaig  I)?cr«  Xpzs"^.  The  One  is  the  mystical  ex- 
pression ;  the  other  is  its  meaning,  w4ien  dis- 
robed of  the  figurative  dress. 

Rev.  xxi.  3.  Ignat.  ad  Ephes.  sect.  15. 

Kxi  ixvioi  Xaoi  avlov  sa-0'p>aci,  xa/  avlos  o  Qeos     Ivx  v;/.sv  avliv  vxoi  (fors,  Xocoi)  y.x(tivlos 
Efoit  [xil'  ocvluv,   Gsos  avluv.  H  sv  ri(^iv,   Gsos  rt^uy. 

Both  these  passages  seem  to  have  reference  to 

3  Cor.  V.   l6.    KocL    sa-ou.oci  oivjajv  o  Gfcog,    Kcci  ccvjoi   i<rov\oiL 

1/.01   Xaog,    which    is  taken    from   Lev.    xxvi.    12. 

%ai  STOiJioci  v^j^ocv  Q>cog,  KOii  v^zig  sasa-^s  ^jloi  T^ocog :  or  from 
Jer.  xxxi.  33.  noci  SToy.cci  uvjag  sig  Qcov,  kch  ocvjoi  so-ovjcci 
ULOi  sig  Kccov,  or  Jer.  ixxii.  38.  xunu-ovjui  ^oi  sig  Koiov,  nai 

syoo  so-oixoci  ocvjoig  sig  Gsov.  or    from  Ezek.  xxxvii.  23. 

Tioci  e(ro{^oci  u.oi  sig  7\0(,ov,  Koci  iyui  Kvpio^  so-ouLai  av]oig  sig 
Qeov. 

I  have  produced  all  these  passages  to  shew  in 
what  degree  Ignatius  can  be  supposed  to  quote 

fronoj 


34 

from,  or  allude  to  each.  The  expression,  in 
the  first  part  of  the  sentence,  may  be  taken 
from  any,  or  all  of  them,  as  well  as  from  this 
passage  in  the  Apocalypse.  But  the  peculiar 
turn  and  form  of  the  latter  clause  is  only  to  be 
found  here.  And  I  think  it  probable,  that  Ig^ 
natius  would  not  have  relinquished  the  form 
observed  in  the  other  quotations  for  this  mode 
of  expression,  which  is  very  peculiar,  if  he  had 
not  seen  and  remembered  it  in  the  Apocalypse. 
They  are,  indeed,  the  very  same  words  ;  only 
with  that  grammatical  alteration  which  was  ncr 
cessary  to  fit  them  to  the  circumstances  ;  that  is, 
to  the  application  which  Ignatius  makes  of  them 
to  himself,  and  his  readers. 

I  submit  the  consideration  of  these  passages 
to  the  learned  reader,  who  may  perhaps  de^ 
termine,  that  Ignatius  has  not  "  passed  over  thq 
"  Apocalypse  in  silence/' 

The  next  writer,  from  whom  Michaelis  ex-? 
pects  evidence  respecting  the  Apocalypse,  is  the 
old  Syriae  translator.  He  has  taken  consider- 
able pains  to  shew,  that  the  first  Syriae  trans- 
lation is  of  great  antiquity*.  But,  whoever 
has  read  the  notes  of  his  learned  translator, 
upon  this  part  of  Michaelis's  works,  must  be 
convinced  that  there  is  no  sufficient  evidence  to 
shew,  that  the  Syriae  version  w^as  made  before 
the  fourth  century ;  because  the  first  quotation 
from  it   is    by   Ephrem^  who   lived   in    that  pe- 

*  Introd.  vol.  1.  part  l» 

viod. 


3& 

rlod  '^.     In  this  case,    it  cannot  be  admitted  as- 
an  evidence,    belonging  to  this  early  class. 

Hermas,  or    the  author  bearing  that  namCj 
or    the    Shepherd,     is    not    mentioned    by    Mi- 
chaelis.     But  Lardner  has  produced  some  pas- 
sages from  this  book,  by  which  he  was  inclined 
to  think,  that   Hermas  "  had  seen  and  imitated 
*'  the  Apocalypse/'     I  have  examined  these  pas- 
sages attentively,   but  can  see  no  such   particu- 
lar expressions,   (such  as  we  have  observed   in 
Ignatius)  as  wall  lead  me  to  conclude  that  Her- 
mas  had    seen  this    book.      There  are,    indeed, 
images   and   descriptions,  which  bear  some  affi- 
nity to  those  of  the  Apocalypse;    but  the  sour- 
ces,  from  which    these  w^ere   probably    derived, 
may  be  shewn  in  other  parts  of  Sacred  Scripture. 
There  appears  to   me  nothing  either  in  the  ima- 
gery or  expression  of  Hermas  which  will  prove 
that  he  copied  after  the  Apocalypse.     But  the 
time,    in  which    Hermas  wrote,  is  supposed   by 
Lardner  and  others,  upon  probable  grounds,  to 
have    been   before   the    conclusion    of   the   first 
century;   some  name  the  year  75,  others  92 -f; 
but,   as   this  book   was    written  at  Rome,    it  is 
not  probable  that  the  author  could,  in  any  part 
of  that  century,  have   obtained   a   sight  of  the 
Apocalypse,    which,    as  w^e  have  observed,   be- 
gan to    be  circulated  in  Asia,  only  about   the 
year  97-     If  Hermas  had  seen  the  Apocalypse, 

*  Marsh's  Notes  to  Mlchaells's  Introd.  vol.  ^.  ch.  vii,  sect.  Q, 
t  I'illemont, 

it 


36 

it  is  to  be  expected  that  his  narration  would 
have  been  strongly  and  unquestionably  tinged 
with  the  imagery  and  appropriate  expressions 
of  this  sublime  book"^.  If,  then,  Hcrmas  wrote 
before  he  could  see  the  Apocalypse,  his  silence 
is  no  evidence  against  its  authenticity  :  but  it 
is  an  additional  proof,  to  be  classed  with  those 
of  the  preceding  chapter,  that  the  Apoca- 
lypse was  not  published  till  late  in  Domitian's 
reign. 

PoLYCARP  has  not  been  cited  as  an  evidence 
in  the  question  before  us.  He  is  reported,  by 
Irenaeus,  to  have  written  many  epistles.  But 
only  one  of  these  is  come  down  to  us.  And 
this  is  so  replete  with  practical  exhortations,  that 
there  is  little  reason  to  expect  in  it  any  quota- 
tions from  this  mystical  book.  We  have,  how- 
ever, other  reasons  to  conclude,  that  Polycarp 
received  the  Apocalypse  as  divine  Scripture; 
because  it  was  so  received  by  Irenaeus,  his  Au- 
ditor, who  appeals  to  him  and  the  Asiatic 
Churches,  over  one  of  which  Polycarp  presided, 
for  the  truth  of  his  doctrines.  This  apostolical 
man  suffered  martyrdom,  about  seventy  years 
after  the  Apocalypse  had  been  published.  An 
account  of  this  event  is  given  in  an  interesting 
Epistle  written  from  the  Church  of  Smyrna, 
over  which    Polycarp    had    presided.      In   this 

*  This  seems  to  be  the  case  In  the  Apocryphal  Esdras.  Com- 
pare 21  Esdras,  ii.  42. — 47.  with  Rev.  vii.  Q.  Also,  vi.  17.  31. 
58.     V.  4.  vii.  57.  58.  ix.  38.  x.  37.  xi.  5.  S2. 

Epistle, 


S7 

Epistle,  part  of  which  is  reported  by  Eusebius*, 
there  seem  to  be  some  allusions  to  the  Apo- 
calypse, which  have  escaped  observation.  And 
if  the  Apocalypse  w^as  received  by  the  Church 
of  Smyrna  at  the  time  of  Polycarp's  death,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  it  was  received  by  him, 
their  Bishop  and  Instructor. 

In  Rev.  i.  15.  In  the  Epistle, 

The  feet  of  the  Son  of  Man  are      The  body  of  the  suffering  Martyr 
described  is  represented, 

Ofco/o;    -yxKYJikiZcc^ta    us   tv   KOC(jt.ivu  T7£-      Ovtc  us   cruf^   KXio^juvi)^    aX}C  us  ^vtros 
'nvfu^iiQi'  y,xt  ccpyvfos  bv  koc^aivu  zjvpuiASvm* 

That  the  wTiter  did  not  use  the  word  %ciXKo?u^uvoc, 
may  be  accounted  for,  by  his  having  in  view% 
at  the  same  time,  another  passage  of  Scripture, 
1  Peter,  i.  7-  where  the  Apostle  compares  the 
suffering  Christians  to  "  Gold  tried  by  the  fire  ;" 
but  why  did  he,  after  having  used  the  word 
gold,  omit  the  S/a  'zs-vpog  ^okiijloc^ojjl-v^  of  St.  Peter, 
to  substitute  ev  Kccijuycd  'nrvpcoi/.syoi  ?  why  ?  but  be- 
cause he  w^as  led  to  it  by  this  passage  of  the 
Apocalypse  ?    besides    in  Rev.  iii.    18.  we   read 

also   %pVO-lOV  TJCSTTVpUJlXSVO]/  S7C  ziTvpog, 

The  pious  and  sublime  prayer  of  Polycarp,  at 
the  awful  moment  when  the  fire  w^as  about  to  be 
lighted  under  him,  begins  with  these  words, 
Kup/5,  0  Gcog,  0  zs-cifjoKpoclc^p,  They  are  the  identical 
words  in  the  prayer  of  the  Elders,    Rev.  xi.  17- 

*  H.  E.  lib.  iv.  c.  15. 

From 


38 

From  these  instances  perhaps  some  confii-^ 
mation  is  derived,  that  Polycarp,  and  his  dis-* 
ciples  of  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  received  the 
Apocalypse. 

Papias  belongs  likewise  to  the  apostolical  age, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  an  Auditor  of  St.  John*. 
This  Father  is   asserted  by  Andreas,   Bishop  of 
Caesarea,  who  wrote  in  the  fifth  century,  to  have 
given  his  testimony  to  the  Apocalypse  t ;   and  is 
classed  by  this  writer  in  the  list  of  those  who  are 
well  known  to  have  testified  in  its  favour ;  with 
Irenseus,    Methodius,    and    Hippolitus.      What 
writings  of  Papias  had  descended  to  the  time  of 
Andreas,    we    do   not  know ;    but   to   us  there 
have  come  down  only  a  few  very  short  fragments 
preserved   by  EusebiusJ.     In  these  we  have  no 
mention     of    the   Apocalypse.      They   treat   of 
other  subjects ;  of  the  Gospels  chiefly.     And  to 
two  only,  of  the  four  Gospels,  has  Papias  given 
evidence.     Yet   no    one   has    doubted,    for  this 
reason,   whether  Papias  received  the  other  two. 
Yet,  as  Papias  was  then  treating  on  the  Gospels, 
it  is  stronger  evidence  against  St.  John^s  Gospel, 
that  he  did  not  mention  that  Gospel,    than  that 
he   omitted   to    mention   his   Apocalypse.     The 
same   is  the    case   with  the    quotations  of  Pa- 
pias,   from  the  Epistles  of  the  New  Testament. 
It  is  said  by  Eusebius,   that  Papias  quoted  from 

*   Irenasus,   lib.  v.  33.     Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii,  c.  3p. 
f  Proleg.  ad  Apoc. 
t  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  39. 

the 


S9 

the  First  Epistle  of  Peter  and  the  First  of  John, 
and  no  other  of  the  epistles  are  mentioned  as 
quoted  by  him.  Yet  no  notion  has  thence  been 
entertained,  that  he  rejected  the  other  Epistles 
of  the  Sacred  Canon.  "  He  confirms  these 
*'  which  he  has  mentioned,"  says  Lardner*, 
"  without  prejudicing  the  rest/* 

Upon  the  same  footing  stands  his  silence  con- 
cerning the  Apocalypse.  And  this  silencCj  in 
these  short  fragments  of  his  works,  would  be  no 
evidence  against  it,  even  if  we  had  no  assurance 
that  he  received  it  as  holy  writ.  But  such  as- 
surance we  have,    from  Andreas  of  Csesarea-j-. 

Michaelis  collects,  from  some  expressions  of 
Eusebius;]:,  that  Papias  had  no  where  cleared  up 

*  Cred.  Gosp*  Hist.  art.  Papias. 

*|-  Michaelis  is  willing  to  suppose  (p*  466)  tliat  Andreas  had 
no  proof  of  what  lie  asserts^  and  that  he  concluded  Papias  to  be 
an  evidence  in  favour  of  the  Apocalypse,  merely  because  Papias 
■Nvas  a  Millenarian.  This  is,  at  most,  a  conjecture,  for  the  sup- 
port of  which  he  refers  us  to  what  is  afterwards  said  by  him  of 
Andreas,  when  he  comes  to  speak  of  Gregory  of  Nazianzum» 
When  we  turn  to  that  passage  (page  490)  which  is  designed  to 
invalidate  the  testimony  of  Andreas  by  this  argument,  '*  that  he 
*•'  who  had  falsely  represented  Gregory,  as  an  evidence  for  the 
•*  Apocalypsej  may  be  supposed  to  have  done  the  same  concern- 
**  ing  Papias  ;"  we  find  that,  even  by  the  admission  of  Miekadis, 
Gregory  has  quoted  the  Apocalypse  in  two  passages  of  his  writ- 
ings. Which  quotations  will  be  found  (when  we  come  to  exa- 
jnine  Gregory*s  evidence)  more  than  sufficient  to  counterbalance 
the  circumstance  of  the  Apocalypse  not  being  mentioned  in  his 
Metrical  Catalogue.  Michaelis,  at  last,  leaves  the  question  un- 
decided. And  so  the  testimony  of  Andreas  remains  unim- 
peached  by  him.  Papias  appears  also  by  the  testimony  of  And. 
Cajs.  to  have  commented  on  the  Apocalypse  ;  sttj  T^t^ixson  the  text. 
See  cap.  xxxiv.  Serm.  xii,  of  And.  Cjcs.  J  P.  464. 

the 


40 

the  important  question,  "  whether  John  the  Pres- 
"  byter,  who  also  lived  at  Ephesus,  was  the  writer 
"  of  the  Apocalypse/'  But  how  can  we  expect 
such  determination  from  Papias,  when  it  appears 
thiat  the  question  was  never  agitated  in  his  time  ? 
Eusebius  himself,  in  tlie  fourth  century,  first 
started  it.  Dionysius  of  Alexandria,  in  the  cen- 
tury preceding,  had  mentioned  some  other  John 
as,  perhaps^  the  author  of  the  book;  but  even 
he  does  not  mention  John  the  Presbyter,  Nor  is 
there  any  evidence  that  it  was  ascribed  to  any 
other  than  to  John  the  Apostle,  by  any  ortho* 
dox  writer  of  the  Church,  during  the  first  cen- 
tury of  its  appearance  in  the  world.  The  Alogi, 
a  sect  of  heretics,  ascribed  it  to  Cerinthus ;  but 
no  one  of  the  orthodox,  before  the  third  cen- 
tury, (as  far  as  we  know)  assigned  to  it  any 
other  than  John  the  Evangelist.  That  Papias, 
therefore,  never  entered  into  the  merits  of  this 
question,  is  of  no  disservice  to  the  Apocalypse. 
On  the  contrary,  that  little  is  said  by  him,  and 
by  the  ancient  Fathers,  concerning  the  writer  of 
the  Apocalypse,  shews,  that  no  doubts  arose, 
in  the  early  times,  concerning  the  person  who 
wrote  it.  All,  who  have  spoken  upon  the  ques- 
tion, have  asserted  John  the  Evangelist  to  be 
its  author  ;   and  they  were  not  contradicted. 

But  that  the  Apocalypse  was  unknown  to 
Papias,  our  author  attempts  also  to  prove  from 
another   passage    of    Eusebius*;    who,    having 

*  Lib.  iii.  c.  39. 

mentioned 


41 

mentioned  that  Papias  had  reported  some  doc- 
trines and  parables  of  our  Saviour,  not  contain- 
ed in  the  Gospels,  but  learnt  by  oral  tradition, 
and  among  these  some  things  that  are  fabulous, 
classes  among  the  latter  his  Millenarian  doc- 
trine, "  That,  after  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
*'  Christ  will  reign  in  person  a  thousand  years 
"on  earth/'  "  I  suppose  "  adds  Eusebius,  "  that 
"he  acquired  this  notion  from  his  inquiring 
"  into  the  saying  of  the  Apostles,  and  his  not 
"understanding  what  they  had  delivered  figu- 
"  ratively/'  From  this  passage  it  is  inferred, 
that  Papias  was  ignorant-  of  the  Apocalypse ; 
"  for  why,"  it  is  said,  "  should  he  have  recourse 
"  to  oral  tradition  for  the  support  of  these  prin- 
"  ciples,  when  the  20th  chapter  of  Revelation 
"  would,  literally  interpreted,  have  much  better 
"  suited  his  purpose?''  But  this  mode  of  prov- 
ing is  somewhat  like  that  which  we  have  lately 
examined,  which  was  found  to  rest  only  on  a 
conjecture  of  Eusebius.  For  this  rests  only  on  a 
supposition  of  the  same  writer,  equally  unfound- 
ed. "  I  suppose/'  says  Eusebius,  "  that  he  ac- 
"  quired  his  millenary  notions  from  oral  tradi- 
"  tion :''  but  there  is  no  other  ground  for  this 
supposition^  than  that  Papias  had  appeared  to 
acquire  some  other  information,  and  some  other 
fabulous  notions,  by  this  method.  But,  if  the 
20th  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  verses  4,  5,  6, 
literally  interpreted,  would,  according  to  the 
confession   of   Michaelis,  "  have   much    better 

E  2  "  suited 


42 

**  suited  his  purpose,"  why  may  we  not,  with 
equal  reason  suppose,  that  he  found  it  did  suit 
his  purpose  ?  Certainly  we  can  shew,  in  this 
chapter,  a  passage,  which,  literally  taken,  would 
be  a  groundwork  for  Papias's  niillenary  doc- 
trines; but  neither  Eusebius,  nor  Michaelis, 
were  able  to  prove  any  such  oral  tradition  re- 
ceived by  Papias,  upop  which  he  could  found 
his  notions  of  Christ's  millenary  reign  on  earth. 
But  Eusebius  may  be  mistaken  in  this  supposifmi, 
because  he  is  evidently  so  in  another,  which  is  con- 
tained in  tlie  same  passage.  He  supposes  Irenaeus 
to  have  founded  his  Millenary  notions  on  the  tra- 
dition and  authority  of  Papias  :  but  Irenaeus  hap- 
pens to  have  told  us  otherwise.  For,  in  his  fifth 
book  against  the  heretics,  chapters  xxxii,  xxxiii, 
xxxiv,  XXXV,  xxxvi,  he  rests  this  doctrine,  partly 
indeed  upon  the  tradition  of  the  Elders,  but  chiefly 
on  the  promises  of  Scripture,  which  he  quotes 
abundantly,  producing  also  this  passage  of  the 
i\pocalypse;  "  In  the  Apocalypse,  and  the  Apo- 
calypse alone,"  (says  Michaelis,  speaking  of  the 
Millenarian  system,)  "is  this  doctrine  discoverable, 
"  if  we  take  all  the  expressions  used  in  the  xxth 
"  chapter  in  a  strictly  literal  sense  ;  and  this  is 
"  the  chapter  on  which  all  the  Millenarians  of 
"  modern  ages  have  principally  grounded  their 
"  opinions."     And  why,  then,  not  Papias? 

To  me,  there  appear  to  arise  two  powerful 
arguments  in  favour  of  the  antiquity  and  diviue 
origin  of  the  Apocalypse,  to  be  derived  from  a 

consideratioQ 


^3 

consideration    of  the  times  of  Papias.     1.  The 
Millenary  doctrines  appear  then  first    to  have 
taken  that  form,  agreeably  to  the  xxth  chapter 
of  the  Apocalypse,    which,    Uteralli/  interpreted^ 
would  supply  those  notions.     2.  If  the  Apoca- 
lypse had  been  written  after  the   times   of  Pa- 
pias,   after  the  times    when   he   had    broached 
these  doctrines,  and   had   not   been  a  work  of 
divine  origin,  the  ingenious  author  of  it,   (who 
will  be   supposed,  from   this    passage,   to   have 
favoured    the   Millenarian    tenets,)    would    not 
have  contented  himself  with  that  short  descrip- 
tion of  the  terrestrial  reign  of  Christ,   which  is 
contained  in  three  verses  of  his   xxth  chapter. 
He  would  have  enlarged  on  a  topic  so  flattering 
to  the   Christians,  in  the  manner  used   by  Pa- 
pias, or  his  followers,  and  not  have  left  the  de- 
scription  restricted  to  that  brevity  and  obscu- 
rity,   which    bespeak   a   work   published  before 
these  notions  had  prevailed. 

I  may  have  detained  the  reader  too  long 
with  what  relates  to  the  evidence  of  Papias :  but 
it  seemed  to  me  to  require  a  particular  exami- 
nation; because  Michaelis,  when  he  sums  up 
the  evidence  for  and  against  the  Apocalypse, 
still  takes  it  for  granted,  that  Papias  knew  no- 
thing of  this  book ;  and  considers  this  circum- 
stance  as  sufficient  to  balance  against  the  express 
testimonies  of  the  learned  Origen^  a  determined 
Anti-millenarian,  in  it§  favour. 

CHAP. 


44 


CHAP.    IV. 

THE  TESTIMONY  OF  JUSTIN  MARTYR,  OF 
ATHENAGORAS,  OF  THE  CHURCHES  IN  GAUL, 
OF  MELITO,  THEOPHILUS,  APOLLONIUS,    CLE- 

,     MENS  OF  ALEXANDRIA,    AND  TERTULLIAN. 


I  SHALL  now  produce  the  testimony  of  a  writer, 
who  was  contemporary  with  all  those  whom  we 
have  reviewed*.  If  any  thing  shall  have  ap- 
peared defective  in  any  of  their  testimonies, 
such  objection  cannot  be  made  here.  The 
testimony  which  Justin  Martyr  affords  is  full, 
positive,  and  direct.  He  received  the  Apoca- 
lypse as  the  production  of  "  John,  one  of  the 
"  Apostles  of  Christ/'  He  expressly  names  this 
John  as  the  writer  of  itf.  He  appears  also, 
from  the  testimony  of  JeromeJ,  to  have  inter- 
preted some  parts  of  this  mystical  book:  although 
no  work  of  this  kind  has  come  down  to  us. 

*  It  is  probable  that  Justin  Martyr  was  born  in  the  fi:  st  cen- 
tury, and  before  the  Apocalypse  was  written,  and  that  he  suffered 
Martyrdom  about  the  middle  of  the  second  century.  See  Cave, 
Fabricius,  Tillemont,  Lardner.  Euseb.  describes  him  as  o  /aeT  « 
laoKv  Tuv  ocnoaloXuv.  lib.  ii.  c.  13.  Michaelis  says  he  wrote  in  the 
year  133,  ch.  ii.  sect.  6.  p.  32. 

f  Dial,  cum  Tryphon.  lib.  vi.  c.  20. 

i  Catal.  Script.  Eccles.  c.  9. 

Some 


45 

Some  writers  have  supposed,  from  the  words 
of  Jerome*,  that  Justin  pubhshed  a  commen- 
tary on  the  Apocalypse;  but  there  seems  not 
sufficient  foundation  for  this  opinion,  since  such 
a  work  is  mentioned  by  no  early  writer  of  the 
Church.  But  it  has,  on  the  contrary,  been  too 
hastily  concluded,  that  Justin  wrote  no  other 
interpretation  of  the  Apocalypse,  than  that 
which  is  to  be  found  in  the  single  passage  of  his 
Dialogue  with  Trypho,  already  referred  to.  But 
Jerome  would  not  be  justified,  in  calling  him  an 
interpreter  of  the  Apocalypse,  from  this  passage 
only,  which  contains  a  reference  to  Rev.  xx,  but 
no  interpretation.  It  is  probable  therefore 
that,  in  some  other  work,  now  lost,  he  had  at- 
tempted an  interpretation  of  some  parts  of  it,  in 
the  manner  of  Ireneeus  -f*.  If  this  be  admitted 
as  probable;  the  testimony  of  Justin,  which  is 
sufficiently  clear  and  direct,  becomes  also  more 
extensive. 

Athenagoras,  who  was  contemporary  with 
Polycarp  and  Justin  Martyr,  is  admitted  by 
Michaelis,  from  the  allusion  produced  by  Lard- 
nerj,  to  have  been  acquainted  with  the  Apo- 
calj^pse. 

*  Scripsit  (Johannes)  Apocalypsin,  quam  Interpretantur  Jus- 
t'lnus  Martyr  et  Irenaeus. 

f  Some  account  of  Justin's  works,  which  are  now  lost,  may 
be  seen  in  Grabe's  Spicileg.  vol.  ii.  p.  \QQ, 

%  Cred.  Gosp.  Hist.  art.  Athenagoras. 

Michaelis 


46 

Michaelis  has  passed  over  in  silence  the  evi- 
dence to  be  found  in  that  valuable  remnant  of 
ecclesiastical  antiquity,  The  Epistle  from 
THE  Gallic  Chuuches,  which  relates  the 
sufferings  of  their  Martyrs  about  the  year  177, 
eighty  years  after  the  publication  of  the  Apo- 
calypse*. 

We  are  obliged  to  Eusebius  for  preserving  a 
considerable  part  of  this  letter  f,  in  which  Lard- 
ner  has  remarked  this  passage,  AkhKh^mv  tw  Apv/&) 
oVj^  uv  v^ayyj.  They  ave  the  very  words  of  the 
Apocalypse,  ch.  xiv.  4.  and  so  peculiar  in  idea 
and  expression,  as  evidently  to  be  derived  from 
no  other  source. 

I  shall  state  more  at  large  another  passage 
observed,  but  not  admitted  as  evidence  by 
Lardner,  because  it  niay  be  useful  to  make 
some  remarks  upon  it, 

Rev.xxii.ll.  Epistle. 

fvnotfx^u)  ill '  Koci   0   5ixa<oy  Sixa/o-  Sixa^w W«  «'(• 

o"t'y>3V  z^oi'nacclu  tit' 
(aliter  leg.  ^imhuOttIx.) 
Pan.  xii.  10. 

*  It  must  be  remarked,  that  although  this  Epistle  was  written 
eighty  years  after  the  Apocalypse  was  published,  the  writer,  who 
quotes  from  it,  is  an  evidence  of  an  earlier  date.  For  the  person 
chosen  by  the  Church  to  write  for  them,  would  probably  be  no 
young  man,  but  one  of  their  venerable  Fathers.  Irenaeus  has 
been  supposed  to  be  the  writer,  hut  there  is  no  propf  of  this, 

t  Hist,  Eccl.  lib.  V.  c.  1. 

From 


47 

From  this  view  of  comparison  we  may  per- 
ceive, that  although  in  the  first  clause  the  writer 
referred  to  the  Book  of  Daniel,  in  the  second 
he  adverted  to  the  Apocalypse.  The  whole 
form  and  colouring  of  the  passage  are  indeed 
taken  from  the  latter,  which  sufficiently  appear 
from  the  peculiar  use  of  the  word  m :  and 
liKociM^vilu}^  though  expunged  by  Greisbach,  is  a 
reading  of  considerable  authority,  and,  from 
this  quotation,  appears  to  have  stood  in  the  an* 
cient  MSS.  used  by  the  Gallic  Church. 

I  shall  add  to  these  quotations  one  which  to 
my  knowledge  has  not  been  observed  before. 

In  Bev.  i,  5.  iii.  14.  In  the  Epistle, 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  called       The  Martyrs  give  place  to  Jesus 

Christ,  as 

«rpolo}oxo;  ax  ruv  vtxpuv,  toIqku   tuv    nnfuy. 

After  the  perusal  of  these  quotations,  we  can 
entertain  no  doubt,  but  that  the  writer  of  these 
Epistles,  and  the  Churches  of  Gaul  who  em- 
ployed him  to  write  in  their  name,  received  the 
Apocalypse  as  divine  Scripture.  And  their 
testimony  is  of  the  more  importance  in  this  in- 
quiry, because  these  Churches  appear  to  have 
received  their  instructions  in  religion,  and  con- 
sequently their  canon  of  sacred  Scripture,  from 
the  Churches  in  Asia.  Their  connection  with 
these  Churches,  at  the  time  when  this  Epistle 
was  written,  is   sufficiently   apparent,   from   its 

being 


48 

being  addressed  "  to  the  Churches  of  Asia  and 
''  Phrygia*."  And  there  appears  to  have  been 
another  Epistle  from  the  Martyrs  themselves  of 
these  Churches,  with  the  same  address,  but  upon 
another  ecclesiastical  subject,  written  at  the  same 
time.  These  were  not  letters  from  individuals  to 
individuals,  but  from  societies  to  other  ecc5le- 
siastical  communities.  The  Gallic  Churches 
give  account  to  the  Asiatic  Churches,  as  colonies 
to  their  mother  country.  We  may  collect  also 
from  names,  casually  mentioned  in  this  Epistle, 
that  the  Gallic  Churches  had  among  them  Asia- 
tic Greeks,  men  of  the  first  rank  and  character, 
then  teaching  in  Gaul,  Attains  of  Pergamus,  (one 
of  the  Seven  Churches,)  and  Alexander,  a  P  hry- 
gian.  Pothinus  appears  to  a  be  Greek  name*f-; 
this  venerable  Bishop  of  Lyons  was  more  than 
90  years  of  age,  when  he  suffered  martyrdom, 
and  therefore  born  ten  years  before  the  Apo- 
calypse was  published.  But  it  appears,  from 
the  evidences  now  produced,  that  the  Gallic 
churches  believed  it  to  be  a  book  of  divine  au- 
thority. We  may  add  too,  that  they  believed 
the  Asiatic  Churches  to  have  received  this  book 
into  their  canon,  otherwise  they  would  not  have 
quoted  from  it  in  a  letter  addressed  to  them.    Ire- 

*  Laodicea,  one  of  the  seven  Churches  addressed  in  the  Apo- 
calypse, was  situated  in  Phrygla. 

t  The  accurate  historian  Mosheim  relates  it  as  a  fact  that  Po- 
thinus came  from  Asia;  and  produces  his  authorities.  Eccl,  Hist, 
Cent-  ii.  part  i.  ch.  i. 

nseus 


49 

Tiaeus  likewise  the  auditor  of  Polycarp,  was  a 
Presbyter  of  the  Church  at  Lyons  at  this  time, 
and  succeeded  Pothinus  in  the  bishoprick ;  and 
we  have  aheady  made  ourselves  acquainted  with 
his  creed,  respecting  this  book. 

Thus  there  is  strong  reason  for  concluding,  that 
these  Gallic  Churches  held  the  same  canon  of 
Scripture  with  the  Asiatic;  and  consequently, 
that  the  Asiatic  Churches,  to  whom  the  Apoca- 
lypse appears  to  have  been  addressed,  received  it 
as  divine  Scripture,  and  with  Irenseus,  as  the  work 
of  John  the  Apostle.  This  will  be  confirmed  by 
the  article  which  follows. 

Melito,  after  some  doubt  and  hesitation,  is  at 
last  admitted  by  Michaelis,  as  a  witness  in  favour 
of  the  Apocalypse;  he  is  stated  to  have  flourished 
about  the  year  170*,  and  probably  might  be 
living  at  the  time  the  Gallic  Epistle  was  received 
by  the  Asiatic  Churches ;  of  one  of  which  (of 
Sardis)  he  was  Bishop  f-.  He  was  a  Bishop  of 
the  highest  repiiytation  in  the  Christian  world,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimonies  of  Polycrates  J,  of  Ter- 
tullian  §,  of  Eusebius  [|.  He  wrote  upon  the 
Apocalypse^,  and  was  esteemed,  says  Tertullian, 

*  Cave,  Hist.  Lit. 

t  See  what  is  said  by  Mr.  Marsh  on  the  subject  of  an  Epistle 
being  received  at  a  place  to  which  it  was  addressed,  vol.  i.  p.  368. 
+  Euseb.  V.  24. 
§   Cave,  Script.  Illust. 
II  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iv.  26. 
^   Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iv,  26.  Hierom.  Proleg.  327. 

a  Prophet 


50 

a  Prophet  by  many  Christians;  probably,  be- 
cause he  had  interpreted  and  applied  the  divine 
prophecies  of  this  book,  with  some  apparent  suc- 
cess.    His  works  are  unfortunately  lost. 

THEOPHiLUs,who  was  Bishop  of  Antioch  about 
90  years  after  the  publication  of  the  Apocalypse, 
appears  to  have  written  upon,  and  to  have  quoted 
from  it,  as  of  divine  authority,  in  his  treatise 
against  Hermogenes*.  This  treatise  is  not  ex- 
tant; but  Lardner  has  produced  one  passage, 
from  another  work  of  his,  in  which  he  calls  the 
Devil,  "  Satan,  the  Serpent,  and  the  Dragon;'* 
which  seems  taken  from  Rev.  xii.  9 1-  Michaelis 
admits  Theophilus  among  those  who  undoubtedly 
received  the  Apocalypse :{:. 

Apollonius  is  not  mentioned  by  our  author. 
But  Eusebius,  who  speaks  of  him  as  a  learned 
man,  represents  him  also  as  supporting  the  Apo- 
calypse, by  testimonies  taken  from  it  §.  He 
suffered  martyrdom  about  the  year  186  j|,  and  is 
a  valuable  addition  to  our  evidence. 

Clemens  of  Alexandria  is  admitted  by 
Michaelis  as  an  undQubted  evidence  for  the  Apo- 
calypse ^.  He  has  frequently  quoted  from  it, 
and  referred  to  it,  as  the  work  of  an  Apostle.  He 
was  an  inquisitive,  and  well-informed  writer,  and 

*  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iv.  24. 

t  Lardner,  Cred.  art.  Theophilus. 

X  P.  467. 

§   Euseb.  H.  E.  lib,  v.  c.  18.21, 

II  Lardner,  art.  Apollonius, 

H  P.  467, 

having 


51 

having  flourished  within  the  first  century  after 
the  publication  of  the  Apocalypse,  is  an  import- 
ant evidence  in  its  favour. 

Tertullian  wrote  about  the  same  time  with 
Clement ;  but  his  long  life  extended  farther  into  the 
next  century.  Michaelis  allows  his  evidence  for  the 
Apocalypse  as  undouhted;  and  it  is  certainly  valu- 
able. He  is  the  most  ancient  of  the  Latin  Fathers, 
whose  works  have  descended  to  our  times.  He 
quotes,  or  refers  to,  the  Apocalypse,  in  above 
seventy  passages  of  his  writings  ;  and  he  appeals 
to  it  expressly  as  the  work  of  the  Apostle  John. 
He  defends  the  authenticity  of  the  book  against 
the  heretic  Marcion  and  his  followers,  by  assert- 
ing its  external  evidence.  He  appeals  to  the 
Asiatic  Churches,  and  assures  us,  that  "  though 
"  Marcion  rejects  it,  yet  the  succession  of  Bishops, 
"  traced  to  its  origin,  will  establish  John  to  be 
its  author  *.  In  particular,  it  may  be  observed, 
that  Tertullian  has  quoted  Rev.  i.  6,  "  Quia  aa- 
"  cerdotes  nos  et  Deo  et  patri  fecit,''  as  a  passage 
common  in  the  mouths  of  the  Laifi/  of  his  time  f. 
This  frequent  and  popular  appeal  to  the  Apoca- 
lypse, shews  it  to  be  a  book  much  read,  and 
generally  received,  in  the  African  Churches  of 
the  second  century. 

*  Habemus  et  Johannls  alumnas  ecclesias :  nam  etsi  Apoca- 
lypsin  ejus  Marcion  respuit,  ordo  tamen  episcoporum,  ad  Origi- 
nem  recensus,  in  Johannem  stablt  auctorem.  Adv,  Marcion, 
lib.  iv.  c.  5. 

t  Terlull.  de  Monog.  cap,  12. 

We 


52 

We  are  now  returned  again  to  the  times  of  Ire- 
naeus,  whose  single  testimony  appeared  to  have 
such  deserved  influence  in  setthng  the  question 
before  us  *.  But  the  retrospect,  which  we  have 
been  able  to  take  of  the  writers  who  preceded 
him,  has  added  great  weight  to  the  evidence. 
Tor  testimonies  have  been  drawn  abundantly 
from  every  generation  of  writers,  through  the  first 
century  after  the  Apocalypse  was  published. 
They  have  been  produced  from  almost  all  parts 
of  the  Christian  world:  from  Asia,  where  it  made 
its  first  appearance  ;  from  Syria ;  from  Italy ; 
from  Gaul;  and  from  the  Churches  of  Africa, 
where  it  seems  to  have  had  an  universal  reception, 
and  a  more  than  ordinary  circulation. 

I  now  present  the  reader  with  a  sketch,  drawn 
after  the  manner  of  Priestley's  Biographical  Chart, 
and  those  of  Play  fair's  Chronology ;  by  which 
he  may  see,  in  one  view,  the  MTiters  whose  testi- 
monies we  have  hitherto  collected.  He  will 
hereby  be  enabled  to  estimate  the  force  of  that 
numerous,  imbroken,  concurring  chain  of  evi- 
dence, which  we  have  laid  before  him.  Besides 
those  writers  already  reviewed,  he  will  see  also,  in 
the  chart,  the  names  of  Hippolitus  and  Origen, 

*  In  a  passage  ofMichaelis,  oh.  xxvi.  sect.  8.  on  the  Epistle 
of  Saint  James,  we  collect  the  names  of  the  ancient  authors, 
whose  testimony  he  esteems  most  decisive  to  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament.  These  are  Irenseus,  TertuUian,  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria, and  Origen ;  hy  all  of  whom  we  shall  find  the  Apoca- 
lypse fully  received  as  the  writing  of  St.  John. 

who 


Part  of  Century 
the  tirlL 


C  entur V  th e  le  c  ond . 


Part  of  Centurs' 
the  thinl. 


®.^7 


S(  fin/' ■//>/'// 


/f/Af/^fJ/U 


/k'     2J/9     Ao    Ao    j«r'     A"     'm>     ^o    ,W\ 


O^e???  f//s 


^/^^.r 


AfA 


u/iat/ora^ 


Tt7vAf /•/};■>///  ////'  Ga/^/r  C/t//rr/tr,f 


H^ri^/r/iy////  /~/t/^C'//f//-r//  t>/^'Sf/i\7'///y 


^//A 


{f/jpr)(_ 


I/f/Jpf)(v///.\ 


Po/ytyfr/' 


Ire. 


J/<'/a.' 


^97 


///. v////  ^///  /•/!  y • 


rhvV,, 


T^rfr/Jln 


7 '/nf  >/>/*// //s 


^l/Jf'///^f/tfU.^ 


I 

X  io|o 


F^ 


rra/an.\Jdr/an.\  Arit.I*.  \  M.Ant.\Com\\\    1 1     t    I 


:i 


.  _.  .  J-,...:^.-'^..: 


53 

wlio  belong  more  strictly  to  the  next  century ; 
because  in  that  century  they  chiefly  wrote  and 
flourished.  But  they  lived  also  in  this  century. 
They  are  important  evidences  in  favour  of  the 
Apocalypse.  They  carry  on  the  testimony  by 
a  strong  and  regular  concatenation  to  the  middle 
of  the  third  century  after  Christ;  after  which 
time,  we  can  expect  Httle  or  no  accession  of  ex- 
ternal evidence,  concerning  any  inspired  book. 

The  testimonies  of  Hippolitus,  and  of  Origen, 
will  be  exhibited  in  a  succeeding  chapter.. 


CHAR 


54 


CHAP.  V. 

THE  EVIDENCE  AGAINST  THE  APOCALYPSE 
DURING  ITS  FIRST  CENTURY;  THE  RE- 
JECTION OF  IT  BY  MARCION  AND  BY  THE 
ALOGi;  THEIR  OBJECTIONS,  SO  FAR  AS  THEY 
RELATE  TO  EXTERNAL  EVIDENCE,  EXA- 
MINED. 


JBTaving  reviewed  the  external  evidence  in 
favour  of  the  Apocalypse,  during  the  first  cen- 
tury after  its  publication,  it  will  be  useful  to 
pause,  before  we  produce  subsequent  witnesses, 
and  to  afford  opportunity  of  examining  any  testi- 
monies of  the  same  period,  by  which  its  authen- 
ticity and  divine  inspiration  have  been  denied. 
The  examination  of  this  evidence  will  soon  be 
dispatched.  For,  wonderful  as  it  may  appear, 
there  is  not  one  writer  of  the  pure  Primitive 
Church,  no  Father,  no  Ecclesiastical  Author^ 
who,  during  this  period,  seems  to  have  ques- 
tioned its  authenticity.  Yet  there  was  ground 
then  for  the  same  objections,  which  afterwards 
induced  some  persons  to  reject  it  in  the  third  and 
fourth  centuries.  The  Fathers,  before  the  times 
of  Caius  and  of  Dionysius,  could  discover  that 
the  Apocalypse  was  obscure ;  that  it  was  to  them  no 
revelation ;   that  the  Greek  of  it  appeared  different 

from 


55 

from  that  of  Saint  Johns  Gospel ;  but,  notwith- 
standing these  circumstances,  which  they  were 
well  qualified  to  appreciate,  tliey  received  it  with 
pious  acquiescence  as  divine  Scripture,  communi- 
cated by  the  beloved  Apostle;  and  the}^  delivered 
it  as  such  to  the  succeeding  century. 

Now,  to  what  can  w*e  attribute  this  conduct, 
but  to  the  powerful  operation  of  that  external 
evidence  by  which  it  was  then  supported  ?  The 
writers  of  the  first  part  of  this  century  had  the 
opportunity  of  hearing  from  apostolical  men, 
from  "  those  w4io  had  seen  the  face  of  John," 
as  Irena^us  expresses  it,  to  what  author  they 
ascribed  the  Apocalypse.  In  the  latter  part  of 
the  century,  the  tradition  was  still  w^arm,  depend- 
ing upon  the  living  testimony  of  those  who  had 
seen  apostolical  men;  and  an  inquisitive  author 
could  satisfy  himself,  from  the  narration  of  others, 
vipon  what  grounds  of  external  evidence  the  book 
had  been  so  universally  received.  It  had  been 
produced  pz^6/ic/?/ into  the  world.  It  was  to  be 
found,  not  in  the  archives  of  one  insignificant 
Clmrch,  but  of  the  seven  flourishing  Churches  of 
Asia ;  "  This  thing  was  not  done  in  a  corner." 
From  the  mode  of  its  publication,  it  challenged 
observation,  and  defied  detection.  And  we  may 
suppose,  that  as  none  of  the  early  Fathers  ob- 
jected to  the  evidence,  all  were  satisfied.  They 
received  and  transmitted  to  others  those  prophe- 
cies, which  they  themselves  could  not  understand. 
Under   these  circumstances,  we    may  be   more 

F  surprised 


56 

surprised  that  so  many  of  the  ancient  Fathers 
have  quoted  from  the  Apocalypse,  than  that 
some  (and  they  are  but  few)  have  passed  it  over 
in  silence. 

But  although  none  of  the  orthodox  writers  of 
the  Church  seem  to  have  questioned  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  Apocalypse,  during  the  first  century 
of  its  appearance,  we  have  evidence  that  certain 
heretics  rejected  it.  Of  this  number  was  Mar- 
cion*.  But  we  know  also  that  this  daring 
Gnostic  rejected  or  mutilated  other  books  of 
sacred  Scripture,  which  he  could  not  otherwise 
render  subservient  to  his  wicked  purposes!. 

The  rejection  of  the  Apocalypse  by  Marcioii 
is  favourable  to  its  pretensions.  It  is  a  proof 
that  the  book  w^as  in  existence,  and  received  by 
the  Church,  in  those  early  times  in  which  he 
flourished  J;  and  that  the  doctrines  contained  in 
it,  were  such  as  opposed  his  impious  tenets. 

The  Apocalypse  was  rejected  also  by  a  sect, 
who  obtained  the  name  of  Alogi ;  but  they  re- 
jected also  the  Gospel  of  Saint  John;  and  for 
the  same  reasons  ;  which,  with  these  rash  people, 
were  not  founded  on  any  exceptions  to  the  c.r- 
ternal  evidence  of  these  divine  books,  but  princi- 
pally on  their  dislike  to   the  word  Logos,  wdiich, 

*  1  ertulllan.  adv.  Marcion.  lib.  iv.  cap.  a. 

t  Irenajiis  adv.  Ilrer.     Tertullian.  adv.  Marclon.     Epiphanius 
Hser.  42.     Origeu  cont.  Celsum,  lib.  ii.  c.  27. 

J  MarcioQ  came  to  Rome  In  the  year  127,  only  SO  years  after 
the  Publication  of  the  Apocalypse.     CavC;  Hist.  Lit, 

as 


57 

as  used  in  this  Gospel  and  Revelation,  they  re- 
fused to  consider  as  of  divhie  authority  ^^;  but 
this  objection,  and  also  their  ascription  of  the 
Apocalypse,  together  with  the  Gospel  of  St.  John, 
to  Cerinthus,  ho^y  weak  soever  the  grounds  on 
which  they  stand,  are  not  to  be  considered  here ; 
because  they  rest,  not  on  external,  but  internal 
evidence -j-.  Among  these  their  objections  to 
the  Apocalypse,  there  is  one  indeed  which  our 
author  has  remarked  to  be  of  an  historical  kind  ; 
which  must  therefore  be  examined  under  the 
head  o?  external  evidence.     It  is  this  : 

The  fourth  epistle  in  the  Apocalj^pse  is  ad- 
dressed to  the  Angel  of  the  Church  of  Thyatira; 
but  the  Alogi,  w^ith  a  view  to  convict  the  Apo- 
calypse of  falsehood,  declared  that  there  existed 
no  Church  at  Thyatira.  The  words,  as  delivered 
by  Epiphanius,  are  observed  to  be  ambiguous, 
and  may  denote,  either  that  there  was  no  Chris- 
tian community  at  Thyatira  in  the  time  of  St. 
John,  or  none  at  the  time  when  these  Alogi  made 
their  objections:}:.  If  we  ascribe  to  them  the 
latter  sense,  the  argument,  as  Michaelis  justly 
observes,  is  of  no  importance.  For  if  there  w^as 
no  Church  at  Thyatira  in  the  middle,  or  toward 
the  close  of  the  second  century,  still  there  might 
have  been  at  the  close  of  the  first. 

*   Epiphan.  Hser.  51,  34. 

f  Michaelis  has  fully  exposed  and  refuted  this  strange  notion 
of  the  Alogi,  p.  464. 

r  2  But 


58 

But  let  us  meet  the  objection  in  its  strongest 
force.  Let  us  suppose  it  to  be  unecjuivocally 
declared,  by  the  testimony  of  these  Alogi,  that 
there  was  no  Church  at  Thyatira  at  the  time  of 
Saint  John;  at  the  time  when  he  is  affirmed  to 
have  addressed  this  Epistle  to  that  place.  Now 
these  Alogi,  who,  when  we  come  to  examine 
their  internal  evidence  against  the  Apocalypse^ 
will  be  found  to  support  their  cause  by  the  most 
weak  and  absurd  ar2:uments  :  who  rejected  the 
Gospel  of  St.  John,  and  attributed  it  to  the  he- 
retic Cerinthus,  merely  because  they  disliked  tlie 
word  Logos,  as  applied  by  St.  John  to  Christ ; 
are  not  very  credible  witnesses.  Eye-witnesses 
they  could  not  be,  because  they  did  not  live  in 
those  times;  and  we  can  entertain  but  an  un- 
favourable opinion  of  their  fair  and  candid  ap- 
preciation of  the  evidence  of  others,  when  they 
rejected  the  powerful  external  evidence,  by 
which  St.  John's  Gospel  was  supported,  so  soon 
after  its  publication,  only  because  some  passages 
of  that  Gospel  seemed  to  oppose  their  favourite 
tenets.  But  admit,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  the 
fact  which  they  wished  to  establish.  Admit,  for 
a  moment,  that  not  St.  John,  but  Cerinthus  was 
the  v/riter  of  the  Apocalypse.  But  Cerinthus 
was  contemporary  with  St.  John;  and  Cerinthus 
lived  in  Ephesus,  and  amidst  the  seven  Churches*; 
and  can  we  suppose  it  possible,  that  Cerinthus, 

♦  Euscb.  H.  E.  lib.  Hi.  c.  ^8. 

SO 


59 

so  circumstanced,  should  address  an  epistle  to  a 
society  of  Christians  in  that  very  region  where  he 
lived,  when  in  fact  no  such  society  existed  ? 
Nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  supposi- 
tion. To  carry  the  argument  a  little  further,  the 
Apocalypse  (if  it  could  be  proved  a  forgery)  must 
have  been  written,  says  Michaelis,  before  the 
times  of  Justin  Martyr,  before  the  year  120*; 
that  is,  very  near  to  the  time  when  the  ancients 
believed  the  Apocalypse,  if  genume,  to  have  been 
written.  A  fabricator  so  circumstanced  cannot 
be  supposed  capable  of  so  gross  a  mistake  ;  and 
if  such  a  mistake  had  been  made,  we  sliould 
have  heard  of  it  from  other,  and  earlier,  ob- 
jectors than  these  Alogi ;  and  any  fabricator  of 
the  Apocalypse  must  be  supposed  to  have  known, 
better  than  they,  what  Churches  existed  in  Asia 
Proper,  in  the  reign  of  Domitian.  Persons  who 
make  use  of  such  absurd  arguments,  and  no 
other,  deserve  little  attention.  I  may  have  be- 
stowed upon  them  too  much  ;  but  it  seemed  ne- 
cessary to  examine,  in  all  its  appearances,  the 
only  external  evidence  which  seems  to  have  been 
alleged  against  the  Apocalypse,  during  the  first 
pentury  after  its  publication. 


CHAP. 


60 


CHAP.  VI. 

the  testimonies  of  ilippolitus  and  of 
origen;  the  objections  of  caius  and  op 
dionysius  of  alexandria,  and  of  others 

preceding  HIM.  ANIMADVERSIONS  ON  THE 
CONCLUSIONS  OF  MICHAELIS,  RESPECTINQ 
THIS   EVIDENCE. 


Jl  NOW  proceed  to  consider  the  external  testi-^ 
inony  which  is  obtained  from  Hippolitus  and 
Origen,  two  great  names  in  the  ancient  Chris- 
tian world,  and  both  highly  favourable  to  the 
divine  authority  of  the  Apocalypse.  They  have 
already  had  their  place  in  the  Biographical  Chart, 
for  reasons  which  have  been  already  assigned. 
But  I  have  kept  apart  the  examination  of  their 
evidence,  because  I  wished  my  readers  to  consider 
separately  "  the  cloud  of  witnesses,''  who  sup- 
ported the  authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse  during 
its  first  century,  in  the  times  before  any  objection 
was  made  to  it  by  any  of  those  members  of  the 
Church,  who  observed  the  pure  faith,  and  the 
pure  canon  of  Scripture. 

In  the  times  of  Hippolitus  and  of  Origen,  £^ 
notion  seems  to  have  been  adopted  by  some 
persons  ia  the  true  Church,  that  the  Apocalypse 

w^^ 


61 

was  not,  what  it  pretended  to  be,  the  production 
of  an  Apostle. 

Dionysius  of  Alexandria,  who  wrote  about  tlie 
middle  of  the  third  century,  says,  "  Some,  before 
"  our  times'^,  have  utterly  rejected  this  book ;"  and 
he  has  been  thought  to  intend  Caius,  an  eccle- 
siastical man  at  Romef,  who  certainly  ascribed 
some  Apocalypse,  and  not  improbably  our  Apo- 
calypse (though  this  matter  has  been  much 
doubted)  to  the  heretic  Cerinthus  J.  But  what- 
ever may  be  determined  concerning  the  opinions 
of  Caius,  it  seems  clear,  that  before  Dionysius 
wrote,  that  is,  in  the  former  part  of  the  third 
century,  some  persons  in  the  Christian  Church 
had  begun  to  doubt  concerning  the  authenticity 
of  the  Apocalypse;  to  question  whether  it  were 
the  production  of  St.  John,  or  of  any  apostolical, 
or  even  pious  man;  and  to  ascribe  it,  as  the 
Alogi  had  done  before  them,  to  Cerinthus  §. 

But  it  does  not  appear  that  they  alleged  any 
external  evidence  in  support  of  these  extraordi- 
nary opinions.  They  rested  them  on  the  basis  of 
internal  evidence  only.  "  The  Apocalypse,"  said 
they,  "  is  obscure,  unintelligible,  and  inconsistent, 
^'  and   improperly  entitled  a  revelation,     It  au- 

*   Tms  zy^o  yii^uy.      Euseb.  lib.  vii.  C.  25. 

f  So  Euseblus  calls  him,  H.  E.  lib.  ii.  c.  25. 

:|:  Michaells  has  chosen  to  place  these  objectors  in  the  second 
century,  but  on  no  solid  ground  of  evidence ;  for  the  first  ob- 
jector, of  whom  we  have  any  account,  is  Caius,  and  the  earliest 
time  assigned  to  him  is  A.  D.  210.     Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  art.  Caius. 

g   Euseb,  H,  E,  lib.  vii.  c.  24, 

^'  thorises 


62 

'*  thorises  notions  of  an  impure,  terrestrial  mil- 
"  lenniuni,  unworthy  of  an  Apostle  of  Christ. 
"  But  Cerinthus  adopted  sueh  notions,  and  to 
*'  propagate  them  the  more  successfully,  he  wrote 
"  the  Apocalypse,  and  prefixed  to  it  the  honour- 
"  able  name  of  John." 

All  the  arguments  here  used,  excepting  th.e 
aflirmation  tliat  Cerinthus  is  the  author,  (which 
has  no  proof  vvliatever  to  su])port  it*,)  will  be 
observed  to  rest  on  internal  evidence,  and  there- 
fore belong  not  to  tliis  present  inquiry.  In  a 
future  chapter  they  Avill  be  examined.  But  I 
mention  them  in  this  place,  because  they  pre- 
vailed in  the  times  of  liippolitus  and  Origen, 
v/hose  testimony  is  now^  to  be  adduced.  These 
two  learned  men  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing 
and  of  considering  all  the  arguments,  which  these 
novel  objectors  had  alleged  against  the  authenti- 
x:ity  of  the  Apocalypse.  We  shall  see  what  in-^ 
fluence  they  had  on  the  minds  of  these  able  di- 
vines. 

HippoLiTus  flourished  early  in  the  third  cen- 
tury *j-,  and  probably  lived  and  taught  during  a 
considerable  part  of  the  second:  for  he  was  an 
instructor  of  Origen,  who  was  set  over  the  Cate- 
chetical school  in  Alexandria,  in  the  year  20£. 
He  had  been  the  disciple  of  Irena^us ;  and,  pro- 
bably,  was  a  Greek  by   birth,  for  he  wrote  in 

*  See  this  affirmation  perfectly  refuted  by  onr  author,  p  469. 
f  One  work  of  his  is  shewn  to  have  2^2  for  its  date.     See 
Larcjncr,  art.  Hippolitus. 

Gieekj^ 


63 

Greek,  and  not  improbably  in  the  eastern  parts 
of  the  Christian  world,  where  his  writings  were 
long  held  in  the  highest  esteem  *.  He  is  in  all 
respects  as  credible  a  witness,  as  the  times  ia 
which  he  lived  could  produce.  He  received  the 
Apocalypse  as  the  work  of  St.  John,  the  Apostle 
and  disciple  of  the  Lord  |.  Michaelis  admits 
his  evidence,  and  attributes  to  his  influence  and 
exertions,  much  support  of  the  Apocalypse  J. 
He  could  produce  no  new  external  evidence  in 
its  favour,  but  he  probably  appealed  to,  and  ar- 
ranged that  evidence  which  had  gone  before,  and 
endeavoured  to  take  away,  in  some  measure,  a 
popular  objection  to  the  book,  by  explaining 
parts  of  it;  thus  rendering  it  less  obscure  §.  His 
studies  qualified  him  for  this  office ;  for,  as  Mi- 
chaelis observes,  he  commented  on  other  prophe- 
cies. His  genuine  works,  except  a  few  fragments, 
appear  not  to  have  come  down  to  us,  but  thej^ 
were  read  both  in  Greek  and  in  Syriac  for  many 
ages.  And  it  appears,  by  the  evidence  of  Jerome 
and  Ebed-jesu,  that  one,  if  not  two  of  his  books 
were  written  in  defence  of  the  Apocalypse.  Mi- 
chaelis is  inclined   to  believe  that  he   left    two 

*  P.  479. 

t  See  the  testimonies  as  collected  by  Lardner,  who  says,  that 
"  the  testimony  of  Hippolitus  is  so  clear  in  this  respect,  that  no 
<'  question  can  be  made  about  it."     Cred.  G.  H.  art.  Hippolitus. 

t  P.  478. 

§  What  remains  of  Hippolitus  in  this  kind,  is  to  be  seen  in  the 
Commentary  of  Andreas  Czesariensis  on  the  Apocalypse^  who 
professes  to  have  followed  him, 

works 


6i 

v/oiks  on  this  subject,   one  in  answer  to  Caius, 
the  other  against  the  Alogi*.     He  says  nothings 
^vhich  tends  to  invalidate  the  evidence  of  Ilip- 
politus  in  favour  of   the  Apocalypse,    but  much 
to  confirm  it. 

Origex  was  born  in  the  year  184  or  185, 
and  lived  to  his  70th  year.  Of  all  the  ancient 
fathers,  he  is  generally  acknowledged  to  have 
been  the  most  acute,  the  most  diligent,  the  most 
learned.  And  he  applied  these  superior  qualifi- 
cations to  the  study  of  the  holy  Scriptures, 
He  studied  them  critically,  with  all  that  investi- 
gation of  their  evidences,  and  of  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  books  and  of  the  text,  which  is 
now  become  a  voluminous  part  of  theological 
studies.  He  was  in  a  great  degree  the  Father 
of  Biblical  learning.  Such  a  man  could  not 
be  ignorant  of  the  objections  urged  by  Caius 
and  others,  against  the  authenticity  of  the  Apo^ 
calypse.  He  was  inclined  to  allow  all  the  weight 
of  their  popular  argument  against  it,  which 
was,  that  it  encouraged  the  Millenarians:  for 
Origen  was  a  decided  Anti-millenarian.  He 
appears  likevrise  to  have  felt  the  full  force  of 
another  of  their  objections.  He  acknowledged 
and  was  distressed  by  the  dark  veil,  Avliich  ap- 
peared to  him  to  "  envelope  the  unspeakable 
''  mysteries   of    the   Apocalypset."      But   these 

*  P.  479. 

t  Sec  a  fragment   of  Origen,    preserved  In  his  works,   and 
quoted  by  Lardncfa  art.  Orlgea. 

objections, 


65 

obiections,  wlialever  other  influence  thev  niip'ht 
have  in  the  mind  of  Origen,  did  not  induce 
him  to  reject  the  book.  He  received  it  readily 
and  implicitly.  He  quotes  it  frequently  as  "  the 
"  work  of  the  Apostle  John,  of  the  author  of 
^*  the  Gospel  of  John,  of  the  Son  of  Zebedee,  of 
"  him  who  leaned  on  the  bosom  of  Jesus*.''  But 
to  what  shall  we  ascribe  this  decided  conclusion 
of  Origen,  so  hostile  to  his  own  prepossessions  ? 
To  what,  but  to  the  irresistible  weight  of  ex- 
ternal evidence,  which  obli2:ed  him  to  acknow-. 
ledge  the  Apocalypse  as  the  undoubted  produc- 
tion of  John  the  Apostle  ?  No  one,  w  ho  has 
taken  into  consideration  the  v/eight  of  this  evi^ 
dence  (even  as  it  now  appears  to  us),  and  the 
superior  qualifications  of  this  learned  and  in- 
quisitive Father  to  judge  of  it,  can  ascribe  the 
testimony,  which  we  derive  from  Origen,  to  any 
other  cause.  And  every  candid  person  must  be 
surprised  and  sorry  at  the  cavilling  questions  ad-, 
vanced  by  Michaelis-j-,  by  which  he  endeavours 
to  represent  the  wxll-considered  and  respectable 
evidence  of  Origen,  as  depending  solely  on  the 
authority  of  his  master  Hippohtus,  or  (which  is 
still  more  extraordinary)  to  be  the  result  of  that 
duplicity,    which  our  author  attributes  (unjustly, 

*  Euseb,  H.  E.  lib.  vi.  c.  25.   Orig.  Horn,  in  lib.  Jer. ;  Com, 
in  Job.  p.  14  ;  Com.  in  Mat.  p.  4V7  ;  Cont.  Celsum^  lib.  vi, 
t  P.  48Q, 

aa 


66 

as  we  shall  endeavour  to  prove)  to  Diony- 
^iiis  *. 

But  from  other  passages  it  appears,  that  Mi- 
chaehs  felt  the  force  of  Origen's  testimony  re- 
specting the  Apocalypse.  In  these  he  acknow- 
ledges it  to  be  "  greatly  in  its  favourf- ;'  and  so 
it  will  remain;  for,  the  counterpoise  to  it,  wdiich 
he  has  proposed,  arising  from  the  silence  of 
Papias,  has  been  shewn  to  have  very  little 
weight  J, 

I  shall  now  request  my  readers  to  review 
the  Biographical  Chart  presented  to  them  at 
page  52.  They  will  there  observe,  that  by  the 
addition,  which  is  made  to  the  writers  of  the  se- 
cond century,  by  the  testimonies  of  Hippolitus 
and  Origen,  the  evidence  is  carried  down  150 
years  from  the  first  publication  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse. This  evidence  is  abundant,  (surprisingly 
so,    considering   the    mysterious  nature    of    the 

t  Nothing  can  be  more  express  and  positive  than  the  testimony 
of  Origen  ;  even  in  his  last  work,  his  book  against  Celsus, 
when  he  had  probably  seen  the  objections  of  Dionysius.  For 
Dionysius  wrote  probably  before  the  rage  of  persecution  came 
on  in  250,  which  pursued  him  almost  to  his  death,  in  264  ;  but 
Origen  wrote  his  last  work  in  259,  the  year  before  he  died  :  but 
whether  or  not  Origen  lived  to  see  this  book  of  Dionysius,  he 
was  doubtless  acquainted  with  the  arguments  which  it  contains, 
respecting  the  authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse,  for  they  had  i^exi, 
been  many  years  current  in  the  wprld. 

t  P.  486. 

J  In  Chap,  iii, 

book) I 


67 

book);  it  is  constant  and  uninterrupted*.  At 
no  time  does  it  depend  upon  any  single  testi- 
mony ;  many  writers  testify  at  the  same  period  ; 
and  these  witnesses  are  nearly  all  the  great  names 
of  ecclesiastical  antiquity  f.  To  their  evidence, 
which  is  for  the  most  part  positive  and  express^- 
no  contradictory  testimony  of  an  external  kind 
has  been  opposed.  No  one  has  alleged  against 
the  Apocalypse  such  arguments  as  these : — "  It 
"  is  not  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Seven 
"  Asiatic  Churches.  The  oldest  persons  in  those 
"  cities  have  no  knowledge  of  its  having  been 
"  sent  thither :  no  one  ever  saw  it  during  the 
"  life  of  John.     It  was  introduced  in  such  and 


*  It  may  be  observed,  that  although  many  writers  give  their 
testimony,  yet  a  very  few  witnesses  may  be  selected,  who  can 
be  supposed  to  have  delivered  down  the  evidence  in  succession, 
during  the  first  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  the  Apocalypse. 
For  instance,  these  three,  Polycarp^  Iren:eus,  Origen  ;  or,  Justin 
Martyr,  Tertullian,  Origen.  A  long  tradition  has  more  cre- 
dibility attached  to  it,  when  it  has  passed  but  through  few 
hands. 

t  Every  writer  quoted  by  Lardner  in  the  first  volume,  part  ii. 
of  his  Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History,  except  two  or  three,  of 
whom  short  fragments  only  remain,  is  to  be  found  in  our  list, 
and  this  volume  contains  all  the  writers  who  gave  testimony  to 
a?/}/  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  during  almost  the  whole  of  the 
first  century  after  the  Apocalypse  was  published.  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ion  asserts  truly,  that  '^  no  other  book  of  the  New  Testament 
*^  is  so  sti'ongly  attested,  or  commented  upon,  as  this.'*  Sir 
Isaac  Nev/ton  on  Daniel  and  the  Apocalypse,  part  ii.  c.  1. 
p.  219. 

such 


68 

"  such  a  year,  but  it  was  contradicted  as  soon 
"  as  it  appeared*/' 

Upon 

*  These  arguirents  are  candidly  and  judiciously  suggested  by 
Micliaellsj  and  he  allows  considerable  weight  to  them.  (p.  484.) 
But,  in  a  note  subjoined,  he  endeavours  to  invalidate  them  by 
observing, 

1.  That  *^  only  a  few  extracts  from  the  writings  of  the  an- 
cient adversaries  of  the  Apocalypse  are  now  extant,  the  writings 
themselves  being  lost." 

2.  That  "  the  ancient  advocates  for  the  Apocalypse  have  like-^ 
wise  not  alleged  any  historical  arguments  in  its  defence/' 

To  these  objections  we  will  answer  shortly  : 

1.  If  the  learned  professor  had  allowed  any  weight  to  this 
kind  of  argument,  when  he  reviewed  the  evidence  of  Igna- 
tms  and  Papias,  he  could  not  have  pronounced  their  silence 
"  as  a  dt'cisivt  argument,"  against  the  Apocalypse.  But  there  is 
a  difference  in  the  two  cases,  a  difference,  which  is  In  favour 
of  the  Apocalypse.  The  short  writings,  or  extracts  now  ex- 
tant,' may  easily  be  supposed  not  to  contain  all,  or  perhaps 
any,  of  the  testimonies  which  they  bore  to  this  book,  which, 
from  its  mysterious  contents,  they  cannot  be  expected  often  to 
have  quoted.  And  if  such  testimonies  were  lost,  they  would 
not  be  renewed  by  subsequent  authors,  from  whom  all  that  we 
should  have  to  expect  would  be  such  a  general  testimony  as  An- 
dreas Ctesarlensis  gives  of  Papias,  namely,  that  Papias  bore  evi- 
dence to  the  Apocalypse.  But  if  in  any  of  the  writings  of  the 
ancient  adversaries  of  the  book,  any  such  argimients  as  these 
suggested  by  Michaelis  had  been  inserted,  they  could  not  have 
sunk  into  oblivion.  A  book  asserted  to  be  divine,  yet  having 
at  the  same  time  such  internal  evidence  against  it,  as  Dionyslus 
has  produced,  would  be  ever  regarded  with  a  jealous  eye;  and 
if  the  Alogi,  or  Caius,  or  Dionyslus,  (and  these  are  all  the 
adversaries  of  whom  we  hear,)  had  recorded  any  such  allegation 
against  the  Apocalypse,  it  would  have  been  repeated  and  re- 
echoed  by  its  adversaries  through  all  the  ages  of  the  Church. 

But 


69 

Upon  the  whole^  the  candid  examiner  cannot 
but  perceive,  that  the  external  evidence  for  the 
authenticity  and  divine  inspiration  of  the  Apo- 
calypse is  of  preponderating  weight;  and  that 
Michaelis  is  by  no  means  justifiable  in  repre- 
senting it,  when  placed  in  the  scale  against  the 
contrary  evidence,  as  suspended  in  equipoise. 
It  is  a  complete  answer  to  the  assertions  of  his 
third  section '"^j  to  affirm,  (and  we  now  see  that 
we  can  truly  affirm  it,)  that  the  authenticity  of 
the  book  was  never  doubted  by  the  Church, 
during  the  first  century  after  it  was  published  : 
and  that  it  was  received  with  especial  reverence, 
as  divine  Scripture,  by  the  Asiatic  Churches^  to 
w^hich  it  was  addressed,  and  by  their  colo- 
nies. 

But  if  there  Were  any  foundation  for  sucli  allegations,  Polyca]-pr 
and  Mclito,  bishops  of  the  Seven  Churrlies,  would  not  have 
suffered  the  Apocalypse  to  pass  in  their  days  to  Irenseus,  as  a 
work  received  by  those  Churches  from  Saint  John. 

2.  On  the  second  objection  we  may  observe^  that  where  there 
was  no  contradiction,  there  most  certainly  needed  no  proof. 
The  silent  admission  of  the  Apocalypse,  by  the  early  fathers,  makes 
greatly  in  its  favour.  No  controversy,  shews  no  doubt.  And 
how  stands  the  evidence  in  the  case  of  other  acknowledged  books 
of  the  sacred  canon?  Arc  we  expected  to  prove  that  all  the  epis- 
tles of  Saint  Paul  were  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the  respective 
Churches  to  which  they  were  Vv-ritten  ?  Far  otherwise  :  no  such 
proof  is  made  ;  none  such  is  reasonably  expected.  We  shew  that 
the  epistles  were  undoubtedly  received  by  the  early  writers  of 
the  Church ;  this  is  proof  sufficient  ;  and  we  have  this  proof 
abundantly  for  the  authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse. 

*  P.4SG.  '       * 

CHAR 


70 


CHAP.  Vlf. 

THE  TESTIMONIES  OF  GREGOPvY  OF  NEOC.ESA- 
REA  ;  AND  OF  DIOKlSIUS  OF  ALEXANt)lllA  ; 
OF  HIS  PRIVATE  OPINION;  THE  TESTIMO- 
NIES OF  OTHER  ^tRITERS  IN  THE  SAME 
CENTURY,  OF  EUSEBIUS,  AND  THE  WRITERS 
IN  HIS  TIME,  AND  AFTER  HIM  ;  OF  THE  RE- 
CEPTION OF  THE  APOCALYPSE  AT  THE  RE- 
TORMATION. 


Vt^ITH  the  last  chapter  I  might  have  fairly 
closed  all  that  need  be  said,  to  defend  the  au- 
thenticity of  the  x4ipocalypse,  by  external  evi- 
dence. For  what  addition  of  historical  testis 
mony  can  we  require?  what  original  documents 
are  w^e  likely  to  procure?  or  what  weight  of 
contradictory  external  evidence  can  we  expect 
to  encounter,  in  the  times  beyond  those  we  have 
examined  ?  \yho,  in  these  after-ages,  can  give 
lis  information,  which  will  bear  comparison 
with  that  which  we  have  already  received  ?  or 
whom  of  the  succeeding  Fathers  can  v/e  esteem 
equal  judges  with  Hippolitus  and  Origen, 
whether  it  be  of  the  evidence  already  pro- 
duced,  or    of   the    questions   agitated   in    their 

times, 


tim(e&,  concerning  the  authenticity  of  the  Apo- 
calypse* ? 

Yet  I  shall  pursue  the  subject,  because  it  has 
been  pursued  further  by  Michaelis.  It  is,  at 
least,  curious,  to  know  the  sentiments  of  later 
Avriters  on  the  external  evidence ;  though  the 
same  accuracy  in  examining  them  may  not  be 
required. 

Gregory  of  Neocaesarea,  surnariied  Thauma- 
turgus^  not  mentioned  by  Michaelis,  is  supposed 
to  have  referred,  in  his  Panegyrical  Oration, 
to  Rev.  iii.  7.  if  not  to  Isa.  xxii.  22.  The  ob- 
servation is  Lardner'sf,  who  remarks  also  that 
Gregory,  having  been  the  pupil  of  Origen,  and 
much  attached  to  that  great  man,  probably  re- 
r:eived  the  same  Canon  of  Scripture. 

DioNYsius,  of  Alexandria,  was  another  pu- 
pil of  Origen,  and,  like  Gregory,  a  man  of  emi- 
nence. He  received  the  Apocalypse  as  a  divine 
prophecy,  w4iich  he  represents  to  be  dark  in- 
deed and  aenigmatical,  and  above  his  compre- 
hension, yet  certainly  divine  ;  and  he  says  he 
could  not  dare  to  think  otherwise  of  it^  since 
many  of  the  brethren  held  it  in  the  highest 
esteem+.  He  appeals  to  it,  likewise,  as  contain- 
ing a  divine  prophecjs  which  he  believes  to  have 

*  Dr.  LesSj  in  his  History  of  Religion^  closes  his  evidence 
with  Origen,  and  Mr.  Marsh  observes,  that  further  testimony  is 
unnecessary.     See  Introd.  vol.  i.  p.  SOl. 

t  Cred,  Gosp.  Hist.  art.  Greg,  of  N.  C. 

t  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  vii.  c.25. 

G  been 


72 

been  fulfilled  during  his  own  times,  in  the  cha- 
racter and  conduct  of  the  persecuting  Em- 
peror Valerian  *.  At  the  same  time,  it  was  the 
opinion  of  Dionysius,  that  the  Apocalypse, 
though  of  divine  origin,  was  not  written  by  the 
Apostle  John,  but  by  some  other  John,  an  holy 
and  inspired  man.  But  where  are  the  grounds 
of  this  opinion  ?  Are  they  historical  ?  Does  he 
allege  in  their  support  any  external  evidence  ? 
any  tradition  of  the  Church  ?  No.  He  gives 
his  opinion  as  a  conjecture  formed  upon  the  in- 
ternal evidence  of  the  book,  on  certain  peculia- 
rities of  style  and  manner,  which  appeared  to 
him  discordant  from  those  of  Saint  John  in  his 
Gospel  and  Epistles. 

These  arguments  of  Dionysius  wdll  be  con- 
sidered, when  we  examine  the  internal  evidence, 
by  which  the  authority  of  the  book  is  supported 
or  invalidated.  It  is  our  present  business  to  report 
only  the  external  evidence  of  Dionysius.  And 
the  amount  of  this  is,  that  the  Apocalypse  was 
generally  received,  in  his  time,  as  a  sacred  pro- 
phecy, and  by  such  men  as  he  revered,  and 
wished  not  to  oppose  ;  that  some  persons  had 
rejected  it,  and  ascribed  it  to  Cerinthus  ;  that  he 
himself  believed  it  to  be  a  book  of  sacred  au- 
thority, doubting,  at  the  same  time,  whether  it 
were  properly  referred  to  the  Apostle  John. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  Michaelis,  (and  Lardner 
has  afforded   some   occasion  for   it,)    that,    al- 

*  Eiiseb.  H.  E.  lib.  vii.  c.  10. 

though 


73 

though  Dionysius  professed  in  such  strong  terms 
his  reception  of  the  Apocalypse,  as  a  divine 
book  of  Prophecy,  yet  he  did  not  beheve  it  such 
in  his  heart.  Dionysius  has  certainly  affirmed 
such  to  be  his  behef  in  plain  and  positive  terms  ; 
and  his  practice  was  agreeable  to  his  professions. 
For  we  have  seen  that  he  proceeded  so  far,  as 
to  explain  a  prediction  of  the  Apocalypse  as 
actually  fulfilled.  Now,  if  proofs  were  wanting 
of  the  sincerity  and  plain  Christian  honesty  of 
Dionysius's  character,  this  particular /dcf,  that 
he  appealed  to  the  Apocalypse,  as  containing  a 
prophecy  which  he  believed  to  be  fulfilled, 
would  place  beyond  all  doubt,  that  he  believed 
that  book  to  be  inspired.  But  Dionysius  was 
confessedly  a  man  of  an  open,  artless  probity ; 
and  Lardner  celebrates  him  as  such,  adding, 
in  his  account  of  him,  that  he  had  at  the  same 
time  (which  is  a  usual  accompaniment  of  such 
a  character)  an  honest  and  excessive  warmth. 
But  the  conduct  which  Michaelis  attributes  to 
him  on  this  occasion,  is  that  of  a  sly,  captious 
hypocrite.  Certainly,  neither  the  general  cha- 
racter, nor  conduct  of  Dionysius,  nor  the  facts 
which  have  now  appeared  before  us,   can  in  any 

degree  warrant  such  a  conclusion*. 

This 

*  Michaelis  has  defended  -his  opinion,  by  arguments  which 
appear  to  me  unequal  to  the  defence  of  it.  He  says,  that  Dio- 
nysius has  assigned  reasons  for  his  not  venturing  to  reject  the 
Apocalypse,  which  are  wholly  devoid  of  importance.  They  did 
not  appear  such  to  Dionysius,  nor  will  they,  1  think,   to  the 

G  2  gene- 


n 

This    Father  of  the  Church  appears  to  me  to 
have    thought,  that   he  was  doing  no  injury  to 

the 

generality  of  Christ' an  readers.  1.  '*  He  did  not  reject  it,  be- 
"  cause  many  of  the  brethren  held  it  in  the  highest  esteem." 
Now,  surely,  this  is  a  reason  which  must  be  allowed  to  have 
considerable  weight  on  the  mind  of  a  modest  and  sensible  man. 
The  pupils  of  Iren^eus,  of  Tertullian,  of  Hippolytus,  and  of 
Origen,  were  still  living.  They  had  been  taught  by  their  mas- 
ters, and  by  tlie  general  tradition  of  the  Church,  to  consider  the 
Apocalypse  as  a  book  of  divine  authority  :  and  they  resisted 
the  new-fashioned  notions,  derived  from  the  Alogi  or  Caius, 
who  ascribed  it  to  Cerinthus,  ^'^  avraUs,  zealously.  Dionysius 
was  modest,  and  had  a  due  deference  to  the  opinions  of  such 
ilien,  and  he  censures  obliquely  those  who,  in  his  time  as  in 
durs,  delighted  to  run  counter  to  the  received  opinions  of  the 
Church. 

2.  The  other  reason,  which  Dit>ny&ius  assigns  for  not  reject- 
ing the  Apocalypse,  and  which  our  author  deems  also  weak  and 
wnimportant,  is  in  answer  to  those  who  rejected  it,  because  it 
\tras  diificult  to  be  understood.  But  Dionysius  answers,  that^ 
'*  He,  for  his  part,  does  not  reject  what  he  does  not  understand  : 
*'  that^  not  being  able  to  understand  the  Apocalypse,  he  sup- 
"  poses  it  to  contain  a  sublimer  sense  than  his  faculties  can 
'*  reach ;  and  to  become,  therefore,  the  object  of  his  faith, 
"  rather  than  of  his  understanding  ;  and  that  his  wonder  and 
'*  admiration  are  iri  proportion  to  his  ignorance."  Now,  this 
argument,  which  may  be  accounted  weak,  and  (from  such  a 
man  as  Dionysius)  insulting,  supposing  him  not  to  believe  the 
divine  inspiration  of  the  book,  will  be  found  to  carry  wilh  it  a 
considerable  force  and  efficacy,  if  we  suppose  him  to  believe  it. 
Try  it,  by  an  application  of  it  to  other  difficult  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture, to  the  unfulfilled  Prophecies  of  Isaiah,  Ezekiel,  or  Daniet 
Shall  we  reject  these,  and  deny  their  divine  inspiration,  because 
we  do  not  understand  them  ?  Far  otherwise.  They  have  been 
delivered  to  us  by  our  Christian  ancestors,  as  of  sacred  authority : 
they  are  strongly  supported  by  external  evidence.     We  must 

wait 


75 

the  Apocalypse,  by  assigning  to  it  another  au- 
thor, instead  of  St.  John,  to  "  some  holy  and 
*'  heavenly  inspired  man."  So  far,  at  least,  he 
might  fairly  think,  that  he  was  defending  the 
book,  by  taking  away  the  foundation  of  those 
objections  to  it,  which  arose  from  the  dissimi- 
larity of  its  style  from  that  of  St.  John's.  And 
perhaps  he  might  reason,  that  as  the  Apocalypse 
is  not  evangelical  history,  it  may  not  necessarily 
require  the  evidence  of  an  eye-witness  of  our 
Lord's  life;  that  as  it  is  not  a  book  revealing 
doctrines  and  rules  of  conduct,  it  may  not  be 
necessarily  confined  to  the  pen  of  an  Apostle  ; 
but  that  some  other  holy  martyr,  some  aposto- 
lical man  (for  the  time  of  its  date  implied  so 
much)  might,  like  Daniel,  or  other  Prophets  of 
the  Old  Testament,  be  selected  by  the  Spirit, 
to  convey  these  visions  to  the  Church.     I  do  not 

wait  the  time  of  their   completion    with    pious   awe   and   pa- 
tience.    We  may  not   be   able  to  understand   them  ;    we  may 
zDonder,  but  we   cannot   reject.      Wouid   the  Jews,  who  lived 
before    our    Saviour's   time,   have    been  justified   in    rejecting 
the   dark  and   aenigmatical,  and,    to  appearance,    contradictory 
prophecies,  which  represented  him  as  a  triumphal  king  and  con- 
queror, despised  and  rejected  of  men,  &c.  merely  because  they 
did  not  understand  them  ?  This  argument  of  Dionysius  is  not, 
therefore,  *'  wholly  devoid  of  importance."     ft  was  that  which 
influenced   all  the  Fathers  of  the  Church  ;  who,  although  they 
understood  not  the  Apocalypse,  received  it   on  its  external  evi- 
dence  with   pious  veneration,    anvl    delivered   it  to  succeeding 
times.     And  it  is   our  duty  to  follow   their  example,  modestly 
and  diligently  to  interpret  what  we  can,  and  to  deliver  the  re- 
mainder to  be  fqltilled  and  interpreted  in  futiu'e  ages. 

sive 


76 

give  this  as  a  sound  and  authorized  conclusion, 
but  as  such  an  one  as  may  perhaps  have  satis- 
fied the  mind  of  Dionysius,  who  certainly  found 
a  great  stumbling-block  in  the  style  and  manner 
of  the  Apocalypse,  and  yet  appears  by  his  pro- 
fession, and  by  his  practice,  to  have  received  it 
as  an  inspired  book. 

I  have  extended  my  observations,  I  fear,  to 
an  unwarranted  length,  in  this  attempt  to  re- 
concile the  opinions  of  Dionysius.  But  I  was 
moved  to  it  by  a  desire  to  do  justice  to  a  cha- 
racter which  stands  deservedly  high  in  Ecclesias- 
tical History;  to  exculpate  an  eminent  Chris- 
tian Father,  from  the  charge  of  setting  an  ex- 
ample, under  which  the  late  Mr.  Gibbon  might 
have  sheltered  his  artful,  disingenuous,  and  in- 
sulting attack  upon  the  Christian  religion.  I 
shall  return  to  my  subject;  first  remarking  on 
the  external  evidence  collected  from  Dionysius, 
that  whatever  notion  may  obtain  concerning  his 
private  opinions,  it  is  at  least  clear,  from  his 
testimony,  that  the  Apocalypse  was  generally 
received  in  his  time,  and  in  high  estimation 
with  those  Christians  whom  Dionysius  himself 
revered. 

"  After  the  age  of  Dionysius,''  says  our  au- 
thor*, "  the  number  of  ecclesiastical  writers, 
"  who  quote  the  Apocalypse  as  a  divine  work, 
"  especially  of  the  members  of  the  Latin  Church, 
"  begins  to  increase.     But  as  they  are  of  less 

*  P.  484.  . 

^'  importance 


77 

"  importance  than  the  more  ancient  writers,  and 
"  I  have  little  or  nothing  to  remark  on  their 
"  quotations,  I  shall  content  myself  with  barely 
"  mentioning  their  names,  and  referring  to  Lard- 
"  ner,  by  whom  their  quotations  are  collected  K" 

Little  more,  indeed,  can  be  done;  to  the 
weight  of  evidence  already  produced,  not  much 
can  now  be  added  ;  nor  can  it  be  deemed  to  di- 
minish from  it,  if  some  writers  of  account  in 
later  times,  influenced  perhaps  by  the  arguments 
advanced  by  Dionysius  and  by  others,  concern- 
ing the  internal,  have  been  backward  to  admit 
the  external  evidence  for  the  Apocalypse. 

This  book  was  received,  as  of  sacred  autho- 
rity, in  the  times  of  Dionysius,  by  Cyprian,  and 
by  the  African  Churches ;  by  the  Presbyters 
and  others  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  who  cor- 
responded with  Cyprian ;  by  divers  Latin  au- 
thors whose  history  is  abstracted  by  Lardner; 
by  the  anonymous  author  of  a  work  against  the 
Novatians ;  by  the  Novatians  themselves ;  by 
Commodian ;  by  Victorinus,  who  wrote  a  com- 
mentary upon  it;  by  the  author  of  the  poem 
against  the  Marcionites ;  by  Methodius,  who 
also  commented  upon  it;  by  the  Manichaeans ; 
by  the  later  Arnobius ;  by  the  Donatists ;  and 
by  Lactantius. 

All  these  evidences  in  favour  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse are  admitted  by  Michaelis,  who  expresses 
no   doubt   concerning  any  of  them,  excepting 

*  See  Lardner's  Cred.  Gosp.  Hist,  part  ii,  vol.  ii.  p.  777,  &g» 

the 


78 

the   Manichaeans,    whose    evidence,    jn    another 
passage,    he  seems  to  allow  *. 

We  now  come  to  the  testimony  of  Eusebius, 
w^hich  may  deserve  a  more  particular  attention. 
To  this  valuable  collector  of  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory (which  would  otherwise  have  perished),  we 
are  indebted  for  many  important  testimonies  of 
ancient  authors  in  favour  of  the  iVpocalypse, 
xvhich  have  already  been  produced.  And  by 
him  we  have  been  informed  of  all  the  objections 
which  were  made  to  it,  by  Caius  and  Diony- 
sius,  which  seem  to  have  had  a  considerable  in- 
fluence upon  the  learned  Christians  of  Euse- 
bius's  age,  and  to  have  occasioned  some  doubt 
among  them,  whether  they  should  receive  the 
Apocalypse  into  their  catalogue  of  undoubted 
books  of  Holy  Writ,  or  place  it  among  those  of 
less  authority.  Eusebius  represents  the  matter 
as  in  debate,  and  not  yet  determined,  at  the 
time  he  wrote  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  He 
promises  further  information  when  the  matter 
shall  be  settled  by  the  testimony  of  the  an-t 
cients;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he  ever 
gave  it. 

We  may  be  enabled  to  form  some  notion  of 
the  nature  of  this  debate  concerning  the  Apoca- 
lypse, by  attending  to  what  Eusebius  has  de-? 
livered  upon  the  subject.  He  has  distributed 
into  four  classes   all    the   books  pretending   tq 

*  P.  521. 

a  place 


79 

a  place  in  the  sacred  canon  of  the   New  Testa- 
ment*. 

1.  Tlie  Oi^oXoyii^svoif  AmiJi<piX£7cloi^  books  univer- 
sally read,  and  admitted  to  be  genuine. 

2.  AvTiXiyo^svoif    'OjMCAjg  Tvoj^i^jloi  Toig  UoXXoig,    books 

objected  to  by  some,   yet  acknowledged  by  the 
many,  by  the  greater  part  of  the  Church. 

3.  No^o/,  spurious,  or  apocryphal  books,  whose 
authenticity,  or  whose  divine  inspiration,  was 
denied  by  the  Church,  but  which  might  be  use- 
fully read,  as  containing  pious  thoughts,  and  no 
bad  doctrine, 

4.  Books  published  by  heretics,  which  no  Fa- 
ther of  the  Church  has  deigned  to  support  with 
his  external  evidence,  and  which  have  no  sup- 
port of  internal  evidence,  being  discordant  from 
the  apostolical  writings,  both  as  to  matter  and 
manner. 

Eusebius  places  the  Apocalypse  in  the  first, 
and  also  in  the  third  class  ;  but  as  it  cannot  be- 
long to  both,  so,  in  placing  it  in  each  of  these 
classes,  he  adds,  si  (pccmvi,  "  if  it  should  so  seem 
"  proper.*'  It  was  to  stand  in  one  of  these 
classes,  when  the  question  concerning  its  pre- 
tensions should  be  determined.  Hence  may  be 
inferred,  that  the  question  was  then  so  far  set- 
tled ii)  the  mind  of  Eusebius,  that  it  must  be- 
long either  to  the  first  or  third  class,  and  by  no 
means  to  the  second  or  fourth.  It  was  not  then 
(esteemed,  with  the  books  of  the  fourth  class,  g, 

*  H.  E.  lib.  lil.  c.  25, 

forgery 


80 

forgery  of  the  heretics ;  it  was  not  the  work  of 
Cerinthus.  From  this  silly  notion  of  it,  first 
started  by  the  Alogi,  it  was  now  fairly  delivered. 
The  quotations  of  the  early  Fathers,  as  well  as  in- 
ternal evidence  arising  from  the  book,  which  is 
contradictory  to  the  tenets  of  Cerinthus,  and 
affords  support  to  no  heresy,  had  saved  it  from 
this  class. 

Nor  it  was  it  to  be  placed  in  the  second  class ; 
with  the  Epistles  of  James,  Jude,  &c.  books, 
which  a  considerable  part  of  the  Christian  world 
had  not  received,  though  they  were  generally 
acknowledged  to  be  of  divine  authority.  This 
determination,  excluding  the  Apocalypse  from 
the  second  class,  seems  to  import,  that  the 
Apocalypse,  imtil  the  times  of  Eusebius,  was 
almost  universally  received  by  the  Church.  The 
doubts  concerning  it  had  arisen  only  in  the 
minds  of  a  few  learned  critics,  who,  from  an 
examination  of  the  style  and  other  internal 
marks,  were  induced  to  contend  that  it  was  not 
the  work  of  Saint  John.  If  it  should  be  deter- 
mined to  be  John's  work,  it  was  then  to  be  re- 
ferred to  the  same  class  with  his  Gospel  and 
first  Epistle.  If  it  were  found  not  to  be  written 
by  that  Apostle,  it  was  yet  allowed  to  be  the 
work  of  some  other  pious  apostolical  John,  and 
then,  as  it  could  not  be  placed  in  the  first  class, 
with  the  writings  of  the  Apostles,  it  was  to  be 
consigned  to  the  same  class  with  the  writings  of 
apostolical  men ;   with  the  Epistle  of  Barnabas, 

with 


81 

with  Hermas,  and  other  books  which  the  ancient 
Church  considered  as  written  by  persons  whose 
names  they  bear,  and  which  were  read  by  Chris- 
tians, as  we  read  the  apocryphal  books  of  the  Old 
Testament,  for  the  pious  matter  contained  in 
them,  but  not  considered  as  of  divine  authority. 

It  appears  then,  that,  in  the  times  of  Euse- 
bins,  the  Apocalypse  had  its  place  among  the 
genuine,  undoubted  books  of  sacred  Scripture. 
There  he  first  places  it ;  but  as  some  learned  or 
ingenious  critics  had  produced  arguments,  which, 
if  allowed  by  the  Church,  would  degrade  it  from 
this  exalted  situation,  he  prepares  for  it  likewise 
another  place,  in  which  it  would  stand,  if  these 
arguments  should  prevail.  The  place  prepared 
for  it  shews  that  the  attempt  of  its  adversaries 
did  not  go  so  far  as  to  denominate  it  a  forgery,  or 
an  impious  book,  but  the  work  of  a  pious  and 
eminent  Christian,  if  not  of  an  Apostle  *.  Yet  all 
the  inquiries,  set  on  foot  by  these  doubters,  seem 
not  to  have  brought  the  matter  to  a  conclusion. 
They  who  made  objections  to  the  style  and  man- 
ner of  the  Apocalypse,  appear  not  to  have  suc- 
ceeded in  their  attempt  to  degrade  it>  by  the  pro- 
duction of  any  external  and  historical  proofs. 
Eusebius  produces  only  a  conjecture^  ''perhaps 
"  John  the  Presbyter  was  its  author ;''  but  what 

*  The  attempt,  in  modern  times,  is  to  mark  it  as  a  forgery, 
^'  a  spurious  production,  introduced  probably  into  the  world  after 
"  the  death  of  St.  John,"  p.  487 ;  but  how  totally  unsupported 
bi/ external  evidence ! 

weight 


82 

weight  could  be  allowed  to  such  a  conjecture, 
unsupported  by  any  historical  evidence,  and  not 
given  to  the  world  till  above  two  hundred  years 
after  the  Apocalypse  was  written  ?  Eusebius,  in- 
deed, seems  to  lay  little  stress  upon  it,  for  he  adds 
immediately  afterwards,  "  If  it  be  not  insisted 
.*'  upon  to  be  the  former  John,''  that  is,  John  the 
Apostle. 

Upon  the  whole,  we  are  not  to  be  surprised 
that,  in  Eusebius's  time,  the  claims  of  the  Apo- 
calypse to  its  situation  in  the  sacred  canon,  should 
meet  with  some  opposition.  Two  hundred  years 
had  now  elapsed  since  it  had  been  published  to 
the  world;  many  of  the  authentic  documents 
which  supported  its  authenticity,  had  probably 
perished  in  the  Dioclesian  persecution  * ;  the 
prophecies  which  it  contained  were  still  dark 
and  apparently  unfulfilled  -j-. ;  they  had  been 
abused  by  the  Millenarians  ;  the  style  and  man- 
jier  had  been  pointed  out  to  be  unlike  that  of 
St.  John ;  the  criticisms  of  Dionysius  had  in- 
fluence with  many;  yet  no  one,  however  desirous, 
from  these  and  other  concurring  causes,  of  in- 
validating the  authority  of  the  book,  appears  to 
have  been  able  to  produce  any  external  evidence 
which  might  suit  the  purpose, 

^  See  the  devastation  made  at  that  time  in  the  records  of  the 
Church,  as  described  by  Eusebius,  H.  E.  lib.  viii.  cap.  C. 

f  Epiphanius  mentions  the  Alogi,  as  rejecting  the  Apocalypse, 

among  other  reasons,  ^'»  ra  iv  rrj  xtra-AaXv^n  QaBtus  km  aKolnvus  et^ri^^iyx* 

(Haer.  51.)  and  he  seems,  in  sqme  measure,  to  ^dmit  the  reason- 
ableness of  their  excuse. 

It 


83 

It  was  received,  after  the  times  of  Eusebius,  by 
the  Latin  Churches,  almost  without  exception. 
Jerome,  the  most  learned  and  diligent  inquirer  of 
that  century^  pronounced  positively  in  its  favour; 
and  was  followed  universally  by  the  Fathers  of 
the  Western  Churches :  and  from  him  we  learn 
the  grounds  upon  which  he  received  the  Apoca- 
lypse, which  he  assigns  to  be  "  the  authority  of 
"  the  ancients  *,''  that  is,  external  evidence ;  and 
he  tells  us  at  the  same  time,  that  he  does  not 
follow  "  the  fashion  of  his  times,''  that  fashion 
by  which  some  of  the  Greek  Churches  were  in- 
duced to  reject  the  Apocalypse. 

This  fashion  of  the  times  seems  to  have  con- 
sisted in  a  daring  contempt  of  the  testimonies  of 
the  ancient  Church,  and  a  ready  acquiescence  in 
those  arguments  which  were  confidently  drawn 
from  internal  evidence.  Yet,  notwithstanding 
this  fashion,  which  appears  to  have  had  consi- 
derable prevalence  in  the  Greek  Church,  and. 
perhaps  to  have  influenced  those  eminent  men, 
Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  and  John  Chrysostom, 
(neither  of  whom  appears  to  have  quoted  the 
Apocalypse,)  many  of  great  name  in  the  Greek 
Church  appear  still  to  have  received  it;  and, 
in  the  fourth  century,  it  is  supported  by  testi- 
monies in  this  Church  frona  Athanasius,  Basil, 

*  Nequaquam  hujus  temporis    consuetudinem,   sed  veterum 
auctoritatem  sequentes.     Hierom,  Epist.  ad  Dardan.  torn.  ii. 

Epiphanius, 


84 

Epiphanius,  Gregory  of  Njssa,  and  Gregory  of 

Nazianzum  *. 

Yet 

*  Michaelis  says,  '^  Gregory  of  Nyssa  places  the  Apocalypse 
"  among  the  apocryphal  writings;"  but  he  omits  to  tell  us,  that, 
in  the  very  same  passage,  this  Father  quotes  Rev.  iii.  15,  as  the  work 

'^  of  John     the    Eva7igelist.''       Hxao-a  t«  tvxyysXis'V  luxwu  ev  KtroK^vipots 

'zjpos  THs  rotertii^t'  aiviyfAoiTos  Ktyovros'^,  If  the  Apocalypse  were  apo- 
cryphal in  the  opinion  of  Gregory,  he  could  not  attribute  it  to 
John  the  Evangelist,  but  he  calls  it  apocryphal,  because  it  was 
now  accounted  such  by  many  of  the  Greek  Church.  There  are 
books  of  the  Old  Testament  which  are  called  apocryphal  by  our 
Church;  yet  some  of  these  have  been  deemed  divinely  inspired 
by  our  own  writers.  If  such  a  writer  should  quote  from  such  a 
book,  for  instance,  from  the  Second  Book  of  Esdras,  and  intro- 
duce his  quotation  after  the  manner  of  Gregory  ;  "  I  have  heard 
"  the  Prophet  Ezra,  in  the  Apocrypha,  say,"  we  should  conclude 
that  he  esteemed  the  Second  of  Esdras  as  the  work  of  Ezra  the 
Scribe,  and  an  inspired  writer  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  work  of 
a  divine  Prophet.  Somewhat  of  this  kind  has,  I  believe,  hap- 
pened in  our  own  times. 

The  testimony  of  Gregory  of  Nazianzum  has  been  accounted 
doubtful,  and  is  considered  as  such  by  our  author.  The  evidence 
which  places  this  Father  against  the  claims  of  the  Apocalypse,  is 
this,  that  it  is  not  to  be  seen  In  his  catalogue  of  canonical  books. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  we  collect  from  the  representation  of  An- 
dreas Caesariensis,  and  of  Arethas,  in  their  respective  commenta- 
ries on  the  Apocalypse,  that  Gregory  received  it ;  and  Lardner 
has  produced  two  passages  from  his  works,  in  which  it  is  clearly 
quoted  as  of  Divine  Authority  f .  Surely  the  weight  of  evidence 
preponderates  on  this  side.  And  I  have  some  suspicion  that  the 
Apocalypse  had  a  place  originally  in  Gregory's  Catalogue,  but 
that  it  was  erased  from  it  by  the  zeal  of  some  Greek  Christians, 

*  In  suain  Ordinal,  t.  ii.  p.  1 44. 

f  Sec  them  ici  Ljudner's  Cred.  G  osp.  Hist.  art.  Greg.  Nazianz. — *0  u¥,  o  »jv, 
0  l^^ofxev'^,  Kf  0  zjxvToK^atrup.  These  words  of  Rev.  i.  8.  are  quoted  by  Greg. 
Naz.  as  spokea  of  the  Soa.     Orat.  xxxv.  edit.  Morelli,  p.  573. 

who 


85 

Yet  it  will  easily  be  conceded,  that  many  of 
the  Greek  Church,  for  some  centuries  after  Eu- 
sebius,  and  probably  upon  the  authority  of  those 
who  in  his  time  determined  from  internal  evi- 
dence that  the  Apocalypse  was  not  to  be  referred 
to  his  first  class  of  sacred  books,  rejected  the 
Apocalypse*. 

Of  the  Syrian  Churches  we  have  no  satisfactory 
information,  how  early  or  to  what  extent  they 
received  the  Apocalypse.  In  the  fourth  century, 
it  appears  by  the  testimony  of  Ephrem  that  it 
was  received  by  them,  and  probably  much  sooner, 
since   the  translated  works  of  Hippolitus,  that 

who  rejected  the  Apocalypse.  In  this  Catalogue  we  read  these 
words^  describing  St.  John, 

which  may  be  literally  translated,  *'  The  great  Herald,  or  Mes- 
^'  senger,  who  went  to  learn  in  heaven  *  ;"  but  where,  or  when,  is 
it  said  that  the  Evangelist,  St.  John,  ascended  to  heaven,  to  be 
divinely  instructed,  and  to  be  the  Messenger  and  Herald  of 
Divine  information  ?  No  where  but  in  the  Apocalypse,  where  he 
is  called  thither  by  the  heavenly  voice,  ocvx(^x  u^t,  Rev.  iv.  l.  The 
zeal  of  a  transcriber  may  have  carried  him  to  omit  the  passage,  in, 
which  Nazianzene  mentions  the  Apocalypse  :  but  this  expression 
remains  as  it  was  written,  and  seems  to  indicate  that  such  a  pas- 
sage once  existed,  and  that  Gregory  received  the  Apocalypse  as 
the  work  of  John  the  Evangelist. 

*  It  has  commonly  been  urged,  as  a  testimony  against  the 
Apocalypse,  that  it  was  rejected  by  the  Council  of  Laodicea  in 
363.  But  Michaelis  professes  himself  satisfied  that  the  Catalogue 
of  Sacred  Writings  annexed  to  the  canons  of  that  Council,  has 
been  clearly  shewn  to  be  a  forgery,  p,  489. 

4>a<Taw  has  peculiarly  this  sense ; 
Disveadi  causa  adeo,  frequcnto. 

renowned 


86 

renowned  champion  for  the  book,  T^^ere  riiueh 
read,  and  in  high  request  among  those  Christians 
who  used  the  Sjriac  language*. 

It  is  useless  to  pursue  the  history  of  the  Apo* 
Calypse,  through  the  dark  ages  of  the  Church^ 
No  external  evidence  is  to  be  expected  from 
such  times.  At  length  the  light  of  the  Reforma- 
tion followed  the  reproduction  of  learning,  and  a 
free  and  critical  inquiry  was  instituted  into  the 
testimony  of  the  ancients,  as  well  as  into  the  in-^ 
ternal  evidence  of  the  book.  And  what  was  the 
result  ?  The  Apocalypse  is  generally,  and,  I  be* 
lieve,  almost  universally  received  as  canonical 
Scripture.  Luther,  and  some  of  the  first  Re- 
formers, had  their  doubts  concerning  it ;  but 
these  soon  subsided,  being  over-ruled  by  the 
more  profound  and  accurate  examination  of  other 
learned  men.  And  although  the  Articles  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  are  represented  by  Michaelis  to 
leave  the  question  open ;  yet  he  tells  us  at  the  same 
time,  "  that  the  greater  part  of  the  Lutheran 
*'  divines  refer  the  Apocalypse,  without  doubt  or 
"  scruple,  to  the  class  of  canonical  writings  of  the 
"  New  Testament  t/' 

The  Church  of  England  was  blessed  with 
the  important  privilege  of  settling  her  articles  and 
her  canon  of  Scripture  at  a  later  period ;  at  a 
time  when  the  testimonies  of  the  ancients  con- 
cerning the  books  of  Scripture,  were  more  accu- 
rately ascertained  ;  when  the  first  crude  notions 

*  P.  479.  t  P.  50U 

of 


87 

of  the  Reformers  had  been  matured  into  safe 
opinions,  by  the  progress  of  time  and  of  truth  *. 
But  the  Church  of  England  had  no  hesitation  to 
place  the  book  of  Apocalypse  in  her  sacred 
<:anon  ;  and,  I  doubt  not,  her  sons  will  continue 
to  supply  her  with  irrefragable  reasons  for  retain- 
ing it. 

And  here  I  close  what  I  have  been  able  to  col- 
lect of  the  external  evidence  for  the  Apocalypse. 

We  have  seen  its  rise,  as  of  a  pure  fountain, 
from  the  sacred  rock  of  the  apostolical  Church. 
We  have  traced  it  through  the  first  century  of  its 
passage,  flowing  from  one  fair  field  to  another, 
identified  through  them  all.  and  everywhere  the 
same.  As  it  proceeded  lower,  we  have  seen  at- 
tempts to  obscure  its  sacred  origin,  to  arrest  or 
divert  its  course,  to  lose  it  in  the  sands  of  anti- 
quity, or  bury  it  in  the  rubbish  of  the  dark  ages. 
We  have  seen  these  attempts  repeated  in  our 
own  times,  and  by  a  dextrous  adversary  f.  But 
it  has  at  length  arrived  to  us,  such  as  it  flowed 
ibrth  at  the  beginning. 

*  This  is  a  remarkable  Instance  of  good  coming  out  of  evil. 
The  advantage  arose  from  the  subjugated  state  in  which  this  Church 
was  holden,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Reformation,  by  the  tyrannical 
hand  of  Henry  the  Eighth.  This  retarded  the  settlement  of  our  eccle- 
siastical opinions,  till  they  were  more  maturely  considered,  during 
thirty  years  of  inquisitive  research  into  every  subject  of  this  nature. 

"t"   Kxt  f  IQiXt  pyj^xi  T^yjx-s  ccvofu'j,  'Vjeip^Ti^uvf 

A/^A'  tf^'  fc'f  ^VVXrO  p;|3J<,   (jl.xX0l  CTE^  (J.ZVSX4VUV, 

Iliad.  O.  6l5, 

H  In 


88 

In  short,  so  far  as  the  question  concerning  the 
Apocalypse  is  to  be  determined  by  external  evi- 
dence^ we  may  indubitably  pronounce  that  the 
hook  is  to  be  received  as  Divine  Scripture,  communis 
cated  to  the  Church  by  John  the  Apostle  and  Evar}". 
gelist. 


CHAP. 


89 


CHAR  VIIL 

the  internal  evidence  respecting  the 
apocalypse;  from  the  completion  of  its 
prophecies  ;  from  its  correspondence 
in  point  of  doctrine  and  of  imagery 
with  other  books  of  divine  authority  i 

OBJECTIONS  OF  MICHAELIS  ANSWERED  ; 
TRUE  CHARACTER  OF  THE  BEAUTY  AND 
SUBLIMITY  IN  THIS  BOOK  ;  ARGUMENT 
THENCE  derived;  COMPARISON  OF  THE 
APOCALYPSE  WITH  OTHER  WRITINGS  OF  THE 
SAME  age:  HERMAS  AND  SECOND  BOOK  OF 
ESDRAS.  OBJECTION  ARISING  FROM  THE 
OBSCURITY  OF  THE   BOOK   ANSWERED. 


WVe  now  proceed  to  the  internal  evidence : 
In  the  examination  of  which,  we  no  longer  rely 
on  external  witnesses  :  we  search  the  work  itself; 
we  try  its  interior  marks  and  character ;  and  de- 
termine, by  the  judgment  thence  arising,  whe- 
ther it  be  of  divine  authority.  The  inquiry  will 
be  two-fold.  1st,  AVhether,  from  the  internal 
form  and  character  of  the  Apocalypse,  it  appears  ^ 
to  be  a  book  of  divine  inspiration.  2dly,  Whe- 
ther it  appears  to  have  been  written  by  the 
Apostle  John. 

H2  I.  If 


90 

I.  If  all,  or  indeed  most  Christians,  were  agreed 
upon  the  same  interpretation  of  the  Apocalyptic 
Prophecies,  this  question  might  be  determined  by 
a  short  and  summar}^  proceeding.  It  would  only 
be  necessary  to  ask — Have  these  prophecies  been 
fulfilled  ?  for,  if  it  be  answered  in  the  afHrmative, 
the  consequence  immediately  follows  ;  the  Pro- 
phet was  inspired,  and  his  book  is  divine. 

This  criterion  may,  in  some  future  time,  when 
the  Apocalyptical  Prophecies  have  been  more 
successfully  studied,  produce  sufficient  evidence 
to  the  point  in  question.  But  it  cannot  be  ap-? 
plied  at  present,  so  as  to  produce  general  convic- 
tion. We  must  argue  from  points  in  which  there 
is  a  more  general  agreement.  Omitting  there- 
fore for  the  present,  the  important  question 
(which  it  would  take  a  very  large  compass  to  dis- 
cuss) whether  the  prophecies  have  been  generally 
fulfilled  or  not,  we  may  consider  the  book  inde- 
j3endently  of  this  evidence.  We  may  compare 
the  doctrines  which  it  exhibits,  and  the  pictures 
and  images  which  it  presents,  with  those  con- 
|;ained  in  other  w^ritings  universally  acknowledged 
to  be  of  divine  authority. 

To  do  justice  to  this  topic,  wH)uld  require  a  re- 
gular examination  of  the  wdiole  book,  a  particular 
induction  of  passages,  by  a  comparison  of  which 
with  other  texts  of  Scripture,  their  agreement  or 
dissimilarity  would  appear,  and  arguments  be 
(lerived,  to  determine  whether  it  came  from  the 
same  source.  This  proceeding  would  be  too  ex- 
tensive 


91 

tensive  and  voluminous  for  the  sketch  I  no\r 
offer*  ;  but,  as  I  am  not  altogether  unpractised 
in  these  researches,  I  feel  myself  justified  in  mak- 
ing this  general  assertion^  that,  upon  comparing 
the  Apocalypse  with  the  acknowledged  books  of 
divine  Scripture,  I  have  almost  universally  found 
the  very  same  notions,  images^  representations, 
and  divine  lights,  as  in  other  sacred  Scriptures; 
yet  not  delivered  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  ap- 
parently copied  from  other  inspired  VvTiters,  but 
from  some  original  prototype  of  the  same  kind^ 
which  these  other  writers  also  seem  to  have  co- 
pied. There  is^  in  short,  betv/een  tlie  writer  of  the 
Apocalypse,  and  his  predecessors  in  the  sacred 
office  of  Prophet,  that  concordia  discors,  that  agree* 
ment  in  matter,  but  difference  in  manner,  which 
is  observed  in  painters,  who  delineate  and  colour 
in  different  stations  from  the  same  original  o\y]Gcti 
and  this  will  be  allowed  to  be  a  strong  internal 
evidence  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Apocalypse. 
I  should  feel  myself  obliged  to  treat  more  at  large 
this  subject,  if  much  had  been  advanced  by  the 
adversaries  of  the  Apocalypse,  to  deny  this  fact^ 
Tiie  ancient  objection  made  by  some  before  Dio-^ 
mjsius,  that  "  the  Apocalypse  is  unworthy  of  any 
*'  sacred  writer,''  is  not  now  persisted  in,  and  de- 
serves not  a  particular  refutation  ;  it  will  indeed 
be  refuted  in  every  step  as  we  proceed. 

Michaelis  has  allowed  that  the  internal  struC- 

*  It  is  attempted  ia  some  measure  in  ilie  Annotatioos  which 
follow* 

ture 


ture  of  the  Apocalypse  is  noble  and  sublime;  that 
"  the  imitation  of  the  ancient  Prophets  is,  for  the 
"  most  part,  more  beautiful  and  more  magnificent 
"  than  the  original*;  more  short,  more  abound- 
"  ing  in  picturesque  beauties  j/'  Whilst  1  agree 
with  him  in  this  decision,  I  would  point  out  the 
cause  of  it.  It  is  not  to  be  accounted  for  from 
the  superior  ability  or  art  of  the  writer  (for  there 
is  in  him  no  aim  at  eloquence),  he  drew  simpl}^ 
nay,  with  rude  lines,  from  the  heavenly  ojects  be- 
fore him;  they  were  frequently  the  same  objects 
from  which  other  sacred  penmen  had  coloured  ; 
but  they  were  presented  to  the  writer  of  the  Apo- 
calypse in  a  more  noble  attitude  and  appearance, 
by  his  Divine  Conductor. 

The  Doctrines  of  Christianity  are  by  no 
means  a  principal  subject  of  the  Apocalypse; 
but  if  we  advert  to  the  doctrines  delivered  in  this 
book,  we  shall  find  a  perfect  congruity  with  those 
delivered  in  other  apostolical  writings.  No  doc- 
trines are  herein  taught,  which  are  in  the  least 
degree  at  variance  with  any  divine  revelation  of 
the  New  Testament.  Michaelis  entirely  acquits 
the  Apocalypse  of  the  general  and  unfounded 
charge  advanced  by  Luther,  that  "  Christ  is  not 
"  taught  in  it  J;"  but  I  am  sorry  to  observe  that 
he  afterwards  qualifies  this  just  concession,  by 
asserting  that  ''  the  true  and  eternal  Godhead  of 
"  Christ  is  certainly  not  taught  so  clearly  in  the 
"  Apocalypse,  as  in  St.  John's  Gospel."     Could 

*  P.  533,  534.  t  P.  543.  ±  P.  538. 

he 


93 

he  expect  so  clear  an  exposition  from  a  prophecy, 
which  respects  chiefly  future  events,  as  from  a 
Gospel   which  the    ancients  have    described    as 
written  principally,  with  the  view  of  setting  forth 
the  divine  nature  of  Christ  ?   But  this  divine  na- 
ture is  also  set  forth  in  the  Apocalypse ;  and  as 
clearly  as  the  nature  of  the  book,  and  as  symbols, 
can  express  it.     He  is  described  as  sitting  on  the 
throne  of  his  Father's  glory,  "  in  the  midst''  of 
that  throne,  far  beyond  the  cherubim,  far  above 
all  principalities  and  powers;  and  all  the  heavenly 
inhabitants  are  described  as  faUing  prostrate  be- 
fore him,  as  to  their  God*.     And  all  this  is  ex- 
hibited in  a  book  which  denies  worship  to  angels  f. 
But  lest  symbols  should  not  carry  sufficient  ex- 
pression wdth  them,  words  unequivocal  are  addedw 
He  is  called  (and  no-where  else  in  Scripture  but 
in  St.  John's  writings)  "  the  Word   of  God  J,'^ 
which  (notwithstanding  all  that  our  author  has 
advanced  to  lower  the  meaning  of  the  expression) 
can  be  understood  only  in  the  same  sense  as  the 
same  words  of  the  Gospel,  to  which  indeed  it  evi- 
dently refers.     The   primitive  Christians  under- 
stood it  in  this  sense  ;  and  because  it  could  be 
understood   in  no  other,  the  Alogi  rejected  the 
Apocalypse  for  the    same  reason  that   they  re- 
jected  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  §.     Our  Lord  is 
also  described  in  the  Apocalypse,  as  the  "  Alpha 
*'  and    Omega,"  the    first  and  the  last ;    which 

*  Rev.  iil.  21.  v.  6.  ad  lin.  f  Ch.  xxii.  8. 

X  Ch.  xlx.  13.  §  Epiphanius,  Hser.  51. 

expression, 


94 

expression,  liotwitlistanding  any  attempts  to  lower 
its  signification,  will  be  understood  by  orthodox 
Christians  to  mean  that  divine  natnre,  whieh 
from  ''  the  beginning  was  with  God/'  the  original 
Cit-^ator  and  final  Judge  of  the  world. 

With  the  same  view  of  supporting  his  argu- 
ment, Micliaelis  has  represented  tiie  dignity  of 
Christ  as  lessened  in  the  Apocalypse,  because  he 
happens  to  be  tuentioned  after  the  Seven  Spirits, 
which  our  autlior  supposes  to  represent  seven  an- 
gels. But  thiscannot  be  thus  interpreted  ;  because 
the  Seven  Sj)irits  stand  before  the  throne,  but  Christ 
has  his  seat  upon  it^  and  in  the  midst  of  it.  And, 
indeed,  reasons  may  be  assigned,  why  Christ  is 
mentioned  after  the  Seven  Spirits.  They  are  re- 
presented standing  in  presence  of  tlie  throne, 
before  he  enters  to  take  his  seat.  They  compc^se  a 
part  of  the  lieaveniy  scenerjs  and  are  so  necessarily 
connected  with  the  throne,  and  witli  Him  that 
sate  thereon,  that  the  mention  of  the  one  brings 
the  mention  of  the  other.  But  our  Lord  was  not 
seen  till  afterwards.  And  if  he  be  mentioned 
last,  it  is  only  to  dwell  the  longer  upon  his  divine 
glories,  wdiich  occupy  four  verses  in  this  descrip- 
tion ;  whereas  the  Seven  Spirits  are  only  named. 

There  is  one  passage  in  the  ^Apocalypse,  which, 
by  having  bcx^n  literally  and  improperly  inter- 
preted, has  given  offence  to  pious  Christians  in 
all  ages  of  the  Church,  as  introducing  doctrines 
inconsistent  with  the  Gospel  purity.  This  is  the 
description  containeci  in  a  part  of  the  twentieth 

chapter. 


95 

chapter,  where  the  servants  of  Christ  are  seen 
raised  from  the  dead,  to  reign  with  him  a  thou- 
sand years.  But  this  is  no  dodrhic,  it  is  r  pro- 
phecij,  dehvered  in  a  figurative  style,  and  yet 
t/ti fulfilled.  Such  a  prophecy,  no  judicious  person 
will  attempt  to  explain  otherwise  than  in  very 
general  terms :  much  less  will  he  draw  from  it 
any  doctrine,  contradictory  to,  or  inconsistent 
with,  the  known  word  of  God.  The  prophecy, 
we  trust,  will,  in  its  due  time,  be  fulfilled,  and 
thereby  the  truth  of  God  will  be  gloriously  mani- 
fested. In  the  mean  time  it  must  be  received 
as  the  word  of  God,  though  we  understand  it 
not.  The  extravagant  notions  of  the  Chiliasts  are, 
therefore,  no  just  imputation  on  the  Apocalypse; 
which  must  not  be  accused  of  containino*  un- 
scriptural  doctrines,  in  passages  which  cannot  yet 
be  understood.  Other  places  of  the  Apocalypse, 
w^hich  are  objected  to  by  our  author  in  his  section 
on  "  The  Doctrine  delivered  in  the  Apocalypse," 
will  be  found  to  contain  no  doctrines,  but  fisfura- 
tive  representations  of  future  events,  which  he  ap- 
pears to  have  misconceived. 

We  may,  therefore,  truly  assert  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, that,  fairly  understood,  it  contains  nothing 
which,  either  in  point  of  doctrine,  or  in  relation 
of  events,  past  or  to  come,  will  be  found  to  con-*, 
tradict  any  previous  divine  revelation.  It  accords 
v/ith  the  divine  counsels  already  revealed.  It  ex- 
pands and  reveals  them  more  completely.  We 
see  the  gradual  flow  of  sacred  prophecy  (accord- 
ing 


96 

ing  to  the  true  tenour  of  it,  acknowledged  by  di- 
vines), first  a  fountain,  then  a  rill,  then,  by  the 
union  of  other  divine  streams,  increasing  in  its 
course,  till  at  length  by  the  accession  of  the 
prophetical  waters  of  the  New  Testament,  and, 
above  all,  by  the  acquisition  of  the  apocalyptical 
succours,  it  becomes  a  noble  river,  enriching  and 
adorning  the  Christian  land. 

Michaelis  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the  beauti- 
fully sublime,  the  affecting  and  animating  manner 
in  which  the  Apocalypse  is  written.  But  in  what 
does  this  extraordinary  grandeur  and  pathos  con- 
sist ?  Not  in  the  language^  as  he  seems  to  ima- 
gine; for  the  evidence  which  he  brings  to  confirm 
this  notion,  goes  directly  to  refute  and  contradict 
it.  "  The  Apocalypse,''  says  he,  "  is  beautiful 
"  and  sublime,  &c.  not  only  in  the  original,  but 
"in  every,  even  the  worst  translation  of  it*/' 
But  is  this  the  description  of  a  beauty  and  sub- 
limity arising  from  language?  Will  such  stand 
the  test  of  a  bad  translation  ?  far  otherwise. 
Beauty  which  consists  in  language  only,  is  seen 
to  vanish  with  the  language  in  which  it  was 
written,  and  in  translation  is  very  seldom  pre- 
served. But  there  is  another  kind  of  beauty, 
another  kind  of  sublimity,  which  even  a  bad 
translation  may  convey  :  and  excellence  which 
stands  this  trial,  is  found  to  consist,  not  in  lan- 
guage, but  in  ideas  and  imagery.  These,  in  the 
Apocalypse,  are  so   grand,  so  simple,  so   truly 

*  P.  535^  and  againxli.  iv.  sect.  3.  p.  112. 

sublime, 


97 

sublime,  that,  even  rudely  represented  in  any 
language,  they  cannot  fail  to  elevate,  to  alarm, 
or  to  delight.  This  prophetical  book  can  boast, 
indeed,  no  beauty  of  diction,  so  far  as  respects 
mere  language.  The  words  and  expressions  are 
rude  and  inharmonious,  and,  on  this  account, 
there  is  no  book  that  will  lose  less  by  being  trans- 
lated. But  this  pure  and  simple  sublimity,  which 
is  independent  of  the  dress  of  human  art,  and  to 
be  found  perhaps  only  in  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
whence  was  it  derived  to  this  book  ?  which,  on 
this  account,  must  be  pronounced  to  be  either 
an  heavenly  production,  like  the  other  divine 
writings ;  or,  such  an  imitation,  such  a  forgery, 
as  the  Christian  authors  of  that  time  wer©  not 
likely,  were  not  able,  to  produce.  For  there  has 
been  observed  to  be  a  very  unequal  gradation 
and  descent,  in  point  of  pure,  simple  eloquence, 
just  sentiment,  and  unsullied  doctrine,  from  the 
Apostles,  to  the  Fathers  of  the  Church.  And  this 
circumstance  has  been  applied,  as  an  argument, 
to  shew,  that  the  books  of  the  New  Testament 
are  of  superior  origin,  and  could  not  be  fabri- 
cated by  those  Fathers,  or  in  those  times  *.  The 
same  argument  may  be  applied  to  the  origin  of 
the  Apocalypse,  and  with  more  force  and  effect, 
since  it  appears  to  have  been  published  in  the  very 
times  of  these  first  Fathers.  "  Whence,''  we  may 
ask,  almost  in  the  words  of  Scripture,  "  whence 

*  By  Le  Clerc,  and  by  Jortin,  Eccl.  Hist. 

"  hath 


98 

**  hath  this  book  these  things  ?  What  wisdom  is 
"  this  which  is  given  unto  it*  ?" 

In  the  word  of  God  there  is  a  grandeur  and 
majesty  independent  of   the    accidents   of   lan- 
guage, consisting  in  the  greatness  and  subhmity 
of  the  things   revealed.      Men    of  genius  nrnv 
catch   some    sparks   of  this  heavenly  fire,    they 
may  imitate   it,  and   with  considerable  success. 
But  no  one  is  found  so  confident  in  this  kind  of 
strength,  as  to  neglect  the  arts  of  composition. 
Mahomet  was  a  man  of  superior  genius  ;  in  writ- 
ing his  pretended  revelation,  he  borrowed  much 
from  the  Sacred  Scriptures;   he  attempted  often, 
in    imitation    of  them,    to   be    simply  sublime  ; 
but  he  did  not  trust  to  this  only;  he  endeavour- 
ed   to    adorn    his   w^ork   with   all    the   imposing 
charms    of    human   eloquence,    and    cuUivated 
language  ;  and  lie  appealed  to  the  perfection  of  his 
compositions,  as  a  proof  of  their  divine  original. 
Such  an  appeal  would  have  little  served  his  cause 
in  a  critical  and  enlightened  age ;   which   v/ould 
expect    far    other    internal    proofs   of    divinit\% 
than    those   which  result   from    elegant  diction. 
The  learned    of  such  an  age  would  reject  a  pro- 
phet appealing  to  a  proof  which  has  never  been 
admitted   with  respect  to  former  revelations ;   a 
prophet,    who  both  in   doctrine,  and  in  the   re- 
lation of  events,  past  and  future,  is  seen  to  con- 
tradict, or  add  strange  extravagant  conceits  to 

the 


99 

the  credible  and  well-attested  revelations  of  for- 


mer times*. 


There  is  nothing  of  this  kind  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse. Compare  it  with  forged  prophecies : 
many  such  have  been  written  ;  some  calculated 
to  deceive,  others  only  to  amuse.  These  works, 
if  they  amaze  us,  as  appearing  to  have  been  ful- 
filled, are  commonly  found  to  have  been  written 
after  the  events  foretold,  and  to  have  a  retrospec- 
tive date  which  does  not  belong  to  them  f .  But 
no  one  can  shew  that  the  Apocalypse  contains 
prophecies,  which  were  fulfilled  before  they 
were  written. 

We  have  accounts,  in  ecclesiastical  history, 
of  several  apocalypses  or  revelations,  besides  this 
of  Saint  John  ;  of  St.  Peter,  of  St.  Paul,  of  St. 
Thomas,  of  St.  Stephen  %,  Will  these  bear  any 
comparison  with  the  Apocalypse  of  St.  John  .^ 
Let  our  author  speak  of  them;  he  knew  per- 
fectly all  that  remains  of  them,  and  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  what  the  cincients  have  delivered 
concerning   those   that   have   perished.      "  The 

*  In  the  Koran,  which  admits  the  heavenly  origin  and  divine 
mission  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  is  represented  as  returning  to  the 
earth,  marrying,  begetting  children,  and  embracing  the  Ma- 
hometan doctrines  ;  and  this  is  said  plainly  and  without  figure  or 
mystery  ;    and  the  reasons  are  plain  why  it  is  so  said. 

t  Thus  the  Sibylline  Oracles,  the  Testaments  of  the  Twelve 
Patriarchs,  Virgil's  Anchises  in  the  Elysian  Fields,  Gray'* 
Bard,  &c. 

t  Euseb.  H.  E.  iii,  cap.  3.  25.  vi.  c.  14.  Gelasius  de  lib^ 
Apocryph. 

^'  spurious; 


100 

"  spurious  productions  of  those  ages  (of  the  first 
*^  and  second  century),  which  were  sent  into  the 
*'  world  under  the  name  of  Apostles,  are,  for 
"  the  most  part,  very  unhappy  imitations,  and 
"  discover  evident  marks  that  they  were  not 
"  written  by  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  as- 
"  cribed*. 

Fragments  of  these  may  be  seen  in  the  Codex 
Apocryph.  of  Fabricius ;  in  Grabe's  Spicilegia; 
and  in  Jones's  Canon  of  the  New  Testament; 
and  may  be  compared  with  the  simple  and 
scriptural  dignity  of  our  Apocalypse.  The  Fa- 
thers of  the  first  centuries  compared  them  at 
length,  and  rejected  all,  but  this  acknowledged 
•work  of  Saint  John.  And  this  they  guarded 
with  so  sedulous  a  care,  as  to  preserve  it,  in 
the  main,  free  from  interpolations;  while  the 
genuine  productions  of  apostolical  men,  of  Igna- 
tius, Polycarp,  cScc.  are  known  to  have  suffered 
from  the  contact  of  profane  pens. 

Two  works  of  ecclesiastical  writers  of  the  first 
or  second  century,  still  preserved,  and  in  some 
degree  venerated,  by  our  Church  or  its  mem- 
bers, may  be  compared  with  the  Apocalypse. 
They  are  the  rivals  which  come  nearest  to  it ; 
they  are  proximi — longo  intervallo.  I  mean  the 
Visions  of  Hernias,  and  of  the  apocryphal  Es- 
dras.  The  former  contains  the  relation  of  some 
dreams,  which  the  writer  may  have  possibly  be- 
lieved   to   be  real  inspiration,  or  may  have  in^ 

*  Introduct.  to  N.  T.  vol.  w.  ch.  xxvii.  sect,  1. 

vented 


101 

vented  as  useful  allegory.  The  imagery  of  this 
book  is  borrowed  from  Scripture,  but  in  a  ser- 
vile style  of  imitation,  which  indicates  no  sight 
or  communication  of  any  original  vision.  There 
is  nothing  which  makes  "  our  hearts  burn  within 
"  us/'  as  we  read.  The  preceptive  and  doc- 
trinal parts  of  this  book  are  simple  and  moral, 
and  were  therefore  used  in  the  ancient  Church 
to  initiate  youth  into  religion  *.  But  although 
such  an  use  of  the  book  could  not  fail  to  spread 
a  prejudice  in  its  favour,  it  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  received  by  the  ancients  as  a  divine 
work  ;  at  least  it  was  so  received  by  very  fewf. 

The  second  book  of  apocryphal  Esdras,  though 
preserved  by  our  Church  among  those  which 
may  be  read  "  for  instruction,  but  not  to  esta- 
*' blish  doctrine  j,''  is  convicted  nevertheless  of 
evident  forgery.  The  author  has  assumed  a 
name  and  age  to  which  he  had  no  title,  and  his 
prophecies  which  appear  fulfilled,  were  evident- 
ly written  after  the  events  foretold.  He  has 
otherwise  a  superior  dignity  to  Hermas,  and 
imitates  more  successfully  the  sacred  prophets. 
He  has  made  great  use  of  the  prophecies  of  the 

*  Euseb,  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  3. 

f  See  Leland's  Cred.  Gosp.  art.  Hermas,  and  also  vol.  viil. 
98.  xli.  158;,  where  he  speaks  with  much  information  and  learned 
inquiry,  concerning  the  apocryphal  books  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

J  Articles  of  Religion,  art.  vi. 

Apocalypse, 


102 

Apocalypse*.  But  a  particular  comparison  of 
the  passages  in  each  writer  would  involve  us  in 
too  long  a  disquisition.  I  mention  these  books, 
that  the  reader  may  compare  them  at  his 
leisure. 

By  the  preceding  observations  we  may  appear 
fully  to  have  answered  the  objection  to  the  Apo- 
calypse, which  first  proceeded  from  the  Alogi, 
and  was  afterwards  taken  up  by  some  of  the 
Church,  that  not  Saint  John,  or  any  Apostle, 
but  that  Cerinthus,  or  some  false  fabricator,  was 
the  author  of  the  workf. 

I  pass  on  to  the  consideration  of  an  objection 
against  the  Apocalypse,  which  is  also  connected 
with  its  internal  evidence ;  preferred  against  it 
in  very  early  times,  and  often  repeated  even  to 
this  day,  the  obscurity  of  the  book.  This  was  the 
grand  stumbling  block  with  the  ancient  Fathers; 
and  it  continues  to  be  such  with  Michaelis,  who 
frequent!}"  repeats  it  J. 

To  this  general  charge  of  obscurity,  a  general 
answer  may  be  given.  How  can  you  expect  a 
series  of  prophecies,  extending  froni  the  apos- 
tolical age  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,  to 
be  otherwise  than  obscure  ?  It  is  the  nature  of 
§uch  prophecy  to  give  but  an  imperfect  light  §, 

*  See  Mr.  Gray's  learned  and  judicious  account  of  this  book, 
Gray's  Key  to  tlie  Old  Testament. 

t  MlcliaeHs  has  shewn,  from  internal  evidence,  that  Cerinthus 
couM  not  be  its  author,  p.  4(59, 

X  P.  459,  502,  50.1,  511. 

§  2  Pet.  i,  19.     1  Pet.  i.  10,   U,   12. 

eveu 


103 

even  in  the  case  of  prophecies  fulfilled  ;  because 
the  language  in  which  they  are  delivered  is 
symbolical,  which,  though  governed  by  certain 
rules*,  and  therefore  attainable  by  the  judicious 
among  the  learned,  is  nevertheless  very  liable 
to  misconstruction,  in  rash  and  unskilful  hands. 
But  prophecies,  yet  unfulfilled^  are  necessarily 
involved  in  deeper  darkness,  because  the  event 
is  wanting  to  compare  with  the  prediction,  which 
of  itself  is  designedly  obscure :  "  For  God  gave 
"  such  predictions  not  to  gratify  men's  curiosity 
"  by  enabling  them  to  foreknow  things ;  but 
"  that  after  they  were  fulfilled,  they  might  be 
"  interpreted  by  the  events  and  his  own  pfovi- 
"  dence,  not  tliat  of  the  interpreter,  be  then 
"  manifested  thereby  to  the  Worldf/' 

This  same  objection  of  obscurity  will  opefate 
as  forcibly  against  many  of  the  prophecies  of 
the  Old  and  of  the  New  Testament,  as  against 
those  of  the  Apocalypse;  particularly  the  pre- 
dictions  which    appertain    to  the   latter  days%. 

The 

*  See  tills  explained  in  Bishop  Lowtli's  Prelections,  p.  69,  70, 
and  in  Bishop  Hard's  Sermons  on  Prophecy. 

f  Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  Daniel,  &c.  p.  25l. 

X  The  Jewish  Sanhedrim  doubted  at  one  time  whether  tliey 
should  not  reject  the  book  of  Ezekiel  from  their  Canon  of  Scrip- 
ture ;  and  one  principal  argument  of  this  debate  was  the  extreme 
obscurity  of  the  book,  Calmet*s  Dissert,  voh  il.  p.  369.  Sir 
Isaac  Newlon  argues  otherwise  coricerning  the  Apocalypse  ;  he 
argues  from  internal  evidence^  that  **  it  is  a  part  of  this  pro- 
**{^hecy>   that  it  should  not  be  understood  before  the  last  age  of 

I  "  the 


104 

The  book  of  Daniel,  which  has  our  Saviour^'s 
seal  to  it*,  must  be  rejected  with  the  Apoca- 
lypse, if  it  be  a  sufficient  objection  to  it,  that  it 
is  yet  in  many  places  obscure. 

But  with  respect  to  the  Apocalypse,  Michaelis 
has  helped  us  to  some  specious  arguments, 
whereby  to  shew  that  the  difficulties  of  the 
book  have  not  yet  been  fairly  encountered  ;  that 
the  men,  who  have  attempted  to  explain  it,. 
have  not  been  possessed  of  the  necessary  requi- 
sites f.  To  those  who  entertain  this  opinion, 
that  "  the  prophecies  of  the  Apocalypse  have 
"  not  been  satisfactorily  interpreted,"  this  might 
be  a  sufficient  answer ;  for  by  such  persons  a 
hope  may  be  yet  entertained  that,  as  the  failure 
in  expounding  the  Apocalypse  is  to  be  ac- 
counted for,  by  the  want  of  proper  qualifica- 
tions in  the  expounders,  this  defect  may  in  time 
be  obviated.  But  the  greater  part  of  learned 
Christians  who  have  applied  themselves  to  the 
study  of  the  Apocalypse,  are  not  of  this  opi- 
nion. They  are  persuaded  that  a  part  of  these 
prophecies  have  received  their  completion.  But 
if  that  were  not  the  case,  if  no  such  conviction 
were  obtained;  surely  they  would  not  be  jus- 
tified in  rejecting  a  book  so   authenticated  as 

"  the  world  ;  and  therefore  it  makes  for  the  credit  of  the  pro-! 
"  phecy  that  it  is  not  yet  understood.*'  Sir  I.  Newton  on  Pro- 
phecy,  ch.  i.  p.  251, 

*  Matt.  xxiv.  15. 

t  P.  605—511. 

divine. 


105 

divine,  merely  because  they  do  not  yet  under- 
stand it.  If  such  had  been  the  rash  proceed- 
ings of  the  Primitive  Fathers  of  the  Church,  we 
should  not  at  this  time  have  possessed  the  book. 
But  it  has  pleased  divine  Providence  to  preserve 
it  to  us,  and,  if  we  cannot  yet  understand  it,  it 
is  our  duty  to  deliver  it  to  the  studies  of  pos- 
terity. 

We  cannot  know  what  ages  of  Christianity  are 
yet  to  come ;  in  what  manner  the  predictions  of 
the  book  may  yet  be  fulfilled ;  nor  what  portion 
of  the  Divine  Spirit,  or  of  human  knowledge, 
may  be  yet  granted  to  explain  it.  The  prophe- 
cies, now  dark,  may,  to  future  generations,  be- 
come "  a  shining  light,''  and  the  apocalyptical 
predictions,  rendered  clear  by  their  completion, 
serve  as  an  impregnable  bulwark  of  Christian 
faith,  during  the  later  ages  of  the  militant 
Church.  Difficulties  are  found  in  the  abstruser 
parts  of  every  kind  of  speculative  knowledge. 
Every  study  has  its  dark  recesses,  not  hitherto 
penetrable  by  human  wit  or  industry.  These 
apocalyptical  prophecies  are  among  the  deeper 
speculations  in  the  study  of  divinity.  And  are 
we  to  be  surprised,  that  man  meets  with  diflS- 
culties  here;  man  whose  bold,  prying  insolence 
is  checked  in  the  paths  of  every  science,  by 
the  incomprehensible  greatness  of  the  works 
of  God ! 

We  may,  therefore,  conclude,  that  no  just 
cause  has  been  assigned  to  induce  us  to  reject 

I  2  the 


106 

the  Apocalypse ;  but  that  many  good  reasons, 
arising  from  internal  evidence^  and  concurring 
with  the  forcible  arguments  drawn  from  the 
testimonies  of  the  ancients,  require  us  to  re* 
ceive  it  as  a  book  of  divine  inspiration  :— But 
whether  as  the  work  of  John  the  Apostle  and 
Evangelist,  will  be  the  subject  of  inquiry  in  the 
next  chapter. 


CHAP. 


107 


CHAP.  IX. 

OF  THE  INTERNAL  EVIDENCE  RESPECTING 
THE  QUESTION,  WHETHER  THE  APOCALYPSE 
WAS  WRITTEN  BY  ST.  JOHN.  DR.  LARD- 
NEr's  OPINION  ;  OPINIONS  OF  OTHERS.  AR* 
GUMENTS  OF  DIONYSIUS  OF  ALEXANDRIA 
UNDER  FIVE  HEADS;  ANSWERS  THERETO, 
AND  TO  THE  OBJECTIONS  OF  MICHAELIS. 
INQUIRY  WHETHER  JOHN  THE  EVANGELIST, 
AND  JOHN  THE  DIVINE,  WERE  BY  THE  AN- 
CIENTS ACCOUNTED  THE  SAME  PERSON.  EVI- 
PENCE  FROM  A  PASSAGE  IN  THE  BOOK  THAT 
IT  WAS  WRITTEN  BY  ST.  JOHN.  RECAPITU- 
LATION   AND    CONCLUSION, 


The  next,  and,  I  believe,  the  only  subject 
remaining  to  be  considered  is,  whether,  if  we 
admit  the  Apocalypse  to  be  an  inspired  book, 
we  are  also  to  receive  it  as  the  writing  of  John, 
the  Apostle  and  Evangelist, 

We  have  already  seen  it  expressly  declared  to 
be  such,  by  unexceptionable  witnesses,  who 
lived  in  or  near  to  the  times  when  it  was  first 
received  by  the  Seven  Churches ;  who  had  ample 
means  of  information;  and  were  interested  to 
know  from  whom  the  Churches  had  received  it. 

Such 


108 

Such  were  Justin  Martyr,  Irenaeus  the  disciple 
of  Polycarp,  TertuUian,  Origen,  and  others  who 
preceded  them.  This  external  evidence  appear- 
ed of  such  preponderating  weight  to  the  candid 
and  judicious  Lardner,  (who  entertained  no  pre- 
judice in  favour  of  the  Apocalypse,  which  he 
appears  to  have  little  studied  or  understood*)  as 
to  have  drawn  from  him  this  conclusion,  twice 
repeated  ;  "  It  may  be  questioned,  whether  the 
'*  exceptions  founded  on  the  difference  of  style, 
"  and  such  like  things,  or  any  other  criticisms 
"  whatever,  can  be  sufficient  to  create  a  doubt 
"  concerning  the  author  of  this  book,  which  was 
*'  owned  for  a  writing  of  John,  the  Apostle  and 
"  Evangelist,  before  the  times  of  Dionysius  and 
"  Caius,  and,  so  far  as  we  know,  before  the  most 
"  early  of  those  who  disputed  its  genuineness -f*." 
But  it  is  a  part  of  our  proposed  plan  to  con- 
sidev  these  exceptions  and  criticisms.  They 
arose  in  the  third  century,  and  are  detailed  in 
the  writings  of  Dionysius  of  Alexandria ;  and 
the  objections  are  by  him  placed  in  so  strong  a 
light,  that  little  has  been  added  to  them  by 
subsequent  critics.  The  answers  to  them  that  I 
have  seen  are  those  by  Mill,  in  his  Prolegomena 
to  the  New  Testament;  by  Bishop  Gibson,  in 
his  Pastoral  Letters ;  by  Blackwall,  in  his  Sa- 
cred Classics ;  which,  with  those  of  other  writers, 

*  Supplement,  vol.  iii.  p.  372. 

t  Cred.  Gosp.  Hist.  vol.  iv.  p.  733.      Supplement,  vol.   iii. 
p.  364. 

have 


109 

have  been  abridged  and  presented  to  the  pubhc» 
with  useful  additions,  by  Lardner,  in  his  Cre- 
dibility of  the  Gospel  History*'.  I  shall  state  the 
objections  of  Dionysius,  as  reduced  by  Lardner 
to  five  heads  f.  I  shall  subjoin  to  them,  in  a 
short  compass,  such  answers  as  appear  to  me  to 
have  been  satisfactorily  produced,  or  I  shall  sub- 
stitute others ;  and  I  shall  note  occasionally 
those  objections  of  Michaelis,  which  have  not 
yet  been  answered. 

I.  "  The  Evangelist  John  has  not  named  himself ^ 
"  in  his  Gospel^  nor  his  catholic  Epistle ;  but  the 
*'  writer  of  the  Revelation  nameth  himself  more 
"  than  once." 

This  argument  appears  to  me  to  stand  on  very 
weak  and  untenable  foundations :  yet  Michaelis 
has  thought  proper  to  repeat  it  J.  Is  it  possi- 
ble for  us  to  know,  at  this  distance  of  time, 
with  no  historical  information  on  the  subject, 
what  special  or  private  reasons,  then  existing, 
occasioned  an  apostolic  writer,  either  to  disclose 
or  conceal  his  name  ?  Thus  far  the  answer  is 
general :  but  let  us  enter  more  particularly  into 
the  charge.  1.  "  The  Apostle  who  put  his  name 
"  to  the  Apocalypse,  has  omitted  to  do  so  to 
"  the  Gospel,''  But  was  it  usual  for  the  Evan- 
gelists to  put  their  names  to  their  Gospels?  Is 
any  other  Gospel  published  with  the  name  of  its 

*  Art.  Dionysius  of  Alexandria. 
t  Part  I.  vol.  iv.  p  730. 
J  P,  534. 

author^ 


110 

author  ?  Not  one.  It  was  not  the  apostolic 
practice :  yet  John,  of  all  the  Evangelists,  ap- 
proaches nearest  to  a  disclosure  of  his  name  ;  he 
discloses  by  various  circumlocutions,  that  he, 
the  Apostle  John,  wrote  that  Gospel ;  and  this 
we  know,  fron)  what  he  has  delivered  to  us  by 
such  Gircumlocution,  as  clearly,  as  if  he  had 
expressly  written  his  name*,  2.  "  But  though 
^'  this  answer  may  be  satisfactory  respecting  St. 
**  John's  Gospel,  can  we  defend  by  it  the  same 
"  omission  in  his  Epistles  ?"  An  epistle,  in- 
deed, generall3^  requires  the  name  of  its  author 
to  be  inserted  ;  and  for  thp.t  reason,  among 
others,  the  name  of  John  is  inserted  in  the 
Apocalypse,  which  is  writteri  in  the  form  of  an 
epistle.  Yet  there  may  be  exceptions  to  this 
general  rule ;  and  we  see  such  evidently  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  which  is  written  withr 
out  a  name.  But  the  omission,  if  such,  in  the 
three  Epistles  of  St.  John,  need  not  be  sheltered 
vmder  this  precedent.  We  may  otherwise  ac- 
count satisfactorily  for  their  being  published 
without  his  name. 

The  two  last  Epistles  are  short  letters,  fami- 
liarly addressed  to  individuak1[ ;  and  the  writer 
calls  himself,  not  hy  the  name  of  John,  but  by 
the  appcllfition  of  the  Elder^  by  which  he  was 
probably  as  well  known,    in  the  familiar  confe-. 

*  John  xxi.  2C,  &:c.  xix.  ^6.  xii'u  23,  &c. 
t  See  Michaelis,  Iiitrod.  ch.  xxxii.  sect.  iii. 

rence 


Ill 

rence  which  he  held  with  these  his  correspondents, 
as  if  he  had  written  his  name  John.  He  was,  in- 
deed, at  the  time  he  wrote  these  Epistles,  the 
Elder  of  the  Christian  Church,  not  only  far  ad- 
vanced in  vears,  but  the  sole  survivor  of  all  his 
apostolic  brethren.  Such  an  appellation,  in  a 
private  letter  to  an  individual,  amounts  to  the 
same  as  the  writer's  name. 

But  what  shall  we  say  to  the  omission  of 
his  name  in  ti)e  First  Epistle .?  Michaelis  shall 
assist  us  to  clear  up  this  difficulty.  He  pro- 
nounces this  writing  of  St.  John  to  be  '*  a  trea- 
"  tise  rather  than  an  Epistle,''  and,  therefore, 
gays  he,  it  has  neither  the  name  of  the  writer  in 
the  beginning,  nor  the  usual  salutations  at  the 
end*.  Therefore,  in  all  these  writings  of  our 
Apostle,  the  insertion  of  his  name  appears  to 
have  been  unnecessary  ;  in  the  Gospel,  because 
such  had  not  been  the  practice  of  the  other 
Evangelists  ;  in  the  treatise,  because  in  that  like- 
wise it  would  have  been  informal ;  in  the  two 
familiar  Epistles,  because  another  well-known 
appellation  supplied  its  place.  But  in  the  Apo- 
calypse, which  is  written  in  the  epistolary  farnty 
not  to  any  individual^  but  to  seven  Christian  com^ 
munities^  and  is  commanded,  by  Him  who  gave  the 
Hevelationy  to  be  written  and  addressed  to  them-f, 
the  Apostle  could  not  do  otherwise  than  prefix: 

♦  See  his  arguments,  at  large,  vol.  iv.  cb,  X3?x.  sect,  ii.  p,  400j, 
401. 
t  Ch.  i.  V.  11. 

bisi 


112 

his  name.  And  when  he  had  prefixed  it,  we  can- 
not deem  it  surprising,  that  he  should  repeat  it, 
in  passages  where  he  relates  to  them  the  wonder- 
ful sights  which  he  had  seen.  For  such  a  repeti- 
tion conveys  this  assurance;  "  Be  not  incredu- 
"  lous,  I  John,  whom  you  can  trust,  whom  you 
"can  safely  believe,  I  John  saw  these  things/' 
This  same  Apostle  had  before  given  them  warn- 
ing not  to  believe  every  pretence  to  inspiration, 
but  ^^  to  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God*.'" 
It  was  necessary,  therefore,  when  he  sent  them 
this  Revelation,  to  assure  them  that  in  receiving 
it  they  would  not  be  deceived.  He  assures  them, 
therefore,  that  he  himself,  the  only  surviving 
Apostle,  the  president  of  the  Churches,  whom 
they  well  knew  by  the  name  of  John,  had  seen 
these  visions.  There  was,  therefore,  no  vain 
egotism  in  this  repetition,  as  hath  been  vainly 
imagiiied ;  it  was  necessary^  and  to  us  of  these 
later  times  it  is  a  proof,  that  some  person,  df 
considerable  weight  and  influence  with  the 
Churches,  was  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse ; 
but  his  name  was  John ;  and  who  could  this  be, 
but  John  the  Apostle  and  Evangelist?  who, 
we  are  assured  was  banished  to  Patmos,  where 
the  visions  of  it  were  seen  '\. 

IL  The  second  objection  is,  that  "  though  the 

*   1  John  Iv.  1. 

t  Hegesippus,  apud  Euseb.  lib.  lii.  c.  20.  23.  Tertullian.  Apol, 
c.  6.     Hierom.  torn.  x.  p.  100.     Lardiier's  Supp.  ch.  ix.  s.  5. 

'•  urifer 


115 

"  writer  of  the  Revelation  calls  himself  John,  he 
"  has  not  shewn  us,  that  he  is  the  Apostle  of  that 
^' name''  Michaelis  expects  that  he  should  at 
least  have  made  himself  know  a  by  some  such 
circumlocution  as  he  had  used  m  the  Gospel, 
"  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved/' 

In  answer  to  this,   it  v/ill  be  sufficient  to  shew, 
that   such   addition   to  the   name  of  John  was 
totally    needless.      He     wrote    to     the    Seven 
Churches,  and  from  Patmos,  in  which  island  he 
expresses  that  "  he  is  suffering  tribulation  for  the 
*'  word    of   God,    and   the   testimony  of  Jesus 
*'  Christ/'     All  the  Churches  knew  that  he  was 
then  suffering  banishment  in  that  island,  and  they 
knew  the  cause  of  it,  "  for  the   word  of  God/' 
An  Epistle,   containing  the  history  of  a  heavenly 
vision,  seen  by  John   in  the  island  of  Patmos, 
required  no  other  addition.     What  John  would 
write  John  alone,   without  other  addition  or  ex- 
planation, excepting  the  great  John,   John  the 
Apostle  and  president  of  all  the  Churches  ?  A 
private  person  would  have  described  himself  by 
the  addition  of  his  father's  name,  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  ancients.     A  Bishop  or  Pres- 
byter would  have  added  the  name  of  his  church; 
but  John,   the  Apostle,   needed  no  such  distin- 
guishing mark  or  appellation.     A  fabricator  of 
an  Epistle,  containing  a  revelation  in  St.  John's 
name,  would  perhaps  have   added  his  titles  of 
"  Apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.  or  would  have 
introduced  some  circumlocution  in  imitation  of 

those 


114 

those  in  his  Gospel ;  but,  from  the  expression, 
as  it  now  stands,  we  derive  a  much  stronger  evi- 
dence that  it  is  the  genuine  work  of  St.  John*. 

III.  The  third  objection  is,  "  That  the  Reve- 
**  latiofi  does  not  mention  the  catholic  Ejnstley  nor 
*'  the  catholic  Epistle  the  Revelation" 

This  objection  Lardner  has  pronounced  to  be 
*'  of  little  moment.*'  Michaeli^  seems  to  have 
been  of  the  same  opinion,  for  he  has  not  noted 
it ;  if  the  reader  think  it  deserving  of  an  answer, 
he  is  referred  to  Lardner  f. 

IV.  Fourthly,  it  is  objected,  "  That  there  is  a 
♦^  great  agreement  in  sentiment^  expression^  and 
**  manner  between  Saint  John's  Gospel  and  Epistle; 
*'  hut  the  Revelation  is  quite  differefit  in  all  these 
*^  respects^  without  any  resemblance  or  fimili-> 
♦'  tudc:' 

Michaelis   repeats   this  objection  J,  and  then 

*  St.  Paul,  in  the  opening  of  his  Epistles,  has  used  generally,. 
not  always,  the  term  '*  Apostle  ;"  but  with  him  it  was  more  ne- 
cessary than  with  St.  John,  who  was  confessedly  such,  having 
been  numbered  with  the  Twelve.  St.  Paul's  right  to  the  apostle^ 
ship,  having  been  established  more  privately,  had  been  doubted 
by  some,  which  leads  him  to  say,  "  Am  not  I  an  Apostle  ?*'  &c. 
(I  Cor.  ix.  1.)  and,  therefore,  he  generally  asserts  himself,  ia 
his  Epistles,  to  be  an  Apostle.  Saint  John  had  no  need  to  use 
the  term;  his  authority  as  an  Apostle  was  undoubted  :  he,  there- 
fore, calls  himself  by  an  humbler  title,  "  A  brother  and  compa- 
•*  nion  in  tribulation  ;'*  so  St.  James,  although  an  Apostle, 
mentions  himself  only  as,  **  A  servant  of  God,  and  of  the  Lpr^. 
<*  Jesus  Christ."    Jam.  i,  1. 

t  Vol.iv.  p.  707. 

:  P.  533,  ^p4, 


115 

asks  the  question,  whether  it  is  possible  that  the 
author  of  the  one  and  of  the  other  could  be  the 
same  person? 

Two  methods  have  been  taken  to  avoid  the 
force  of  this  objection,  wliich  has  been  derived 
from  comparing  the  imagery,  sentiments,  and 
style  in  these  separate  works,  all  attributed  to 
Saint  John. 

1st.  It  has  been  asserted  that  a  pivphefical 
work  of  St.  John,  cannot  be  expected  to  have 
resemblance  to  his  Gospels  and  Epistles. 

2dly.  The  fact  has  been  denied  ;  it  has  been 
asserted  that  this  dissimilarity  does  not  exist; 
that  there  is  in  the  Apocalypse  a  strong  resem- 
blance of  sentiment  and  character,  to  the  other 
written  productions  of  St.  John. 

I  do  not  find  that  either  of  these  points  have 
been  so  clearly  proved  as  to  afford  satisfaction 
to  the  learned.  I  will  suggest  another  method  of 
answer. 

In  perusing  the  Apocalypse,  I  remark  that  the 
sentiments,  the  notions,  the  images  presented  in 
the  book,  are,  in  very  few  passages,  those  of  the 
writer,  (such  I  mean  as  had  been  digested  in, 
and  arose  out  of  his  arm  mind,)  but  of  that  Holy 
Spirit,  or  of  those  heavenly  inhabitants,  who 
expressed  them  to  him  by  symbols,  or  declared 
them  by  speech.  The  pen  of  John  merely  nar- 
rates, and  frequently  in  the  very  Words  of  a 
lieavenly  minister*  "  That  which  he  sees  and 
*'  hears,'*  he  writes,  as- he-is  commanded  ;  (ch.  i. 

19.) 


116 

190  b^^  t^^y  ^^^  ^^^  his  own  ideas  from  which 
he  writes ;  he  relates  simply,  and  with  little  or 
no  comment  of  his  own,  the  heavenly  visions 
which  he  had  seen.  Even  in  those  parts  of  the 
book,  where  we  should  most  reasonably  expect 
to  meet  with  the  sentiments  of  the  writer,  we  per- 
ceive his  mind  teeming  (as,  indeed,  was  natural) 
with  the  newly-acquired  images.  He  uses  such 
at  the  very  outset  of  his  work,  even  in  the  Epis- 
tolary Address,  which  is  full  of  those  images 
which  had  been  exhibited  to  him  in  the  visions. 
The  same  are  again  seen  at  the  close  of  the  book. 
And,  indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  find  many  pas- 
sages wherein  the  writer  has  recourse  to  his  ow7i 
sentiments^  and  previous  store  of  imagery. 

The  whole  of  the  second  and  of  the  third 
chapter,  and  a  great  part  of  the  first,  is  de- 
livered in  our  Lord  s  own  words,  and  therefore 
contains  his  sentiments,  his  doctrines,  not  those 
of  the  writer,  who  is  commanded  to  write  down 
the  very  words  of  the  great  Visitor  of  the  Church. 
We  have,  indeed,  other  words  of  our  Lord,  re- 
lated by  St.  John  in  the  Gospel,  with  which  it 
may  be  thought  that  these  words  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse may  be  properly  compared.  Yet  they  do 
not  seem  to  admit  this  comparison  :  because 
the  character  and  office  which  our  Lord  is  seen 
to  assume  in  the  Apocalypse,  is  different  from 
that  which  he  bore  in  the  Gospel.  He  is  now 
no  longer  the  Son  of  Man,  upon  earth,  the  con- 
descending   c^ompanion    and   instructor    of  his 

disciples ; 


117 

disciples;  but  the  glorified  King  of  Heaven, 
the  Omniscient  Visitor  of  the  Churches,  the 
Omnipotent  Judge  of  mankind.  And,  in  the 
remaining  parts  of  the  book,  what  does  the 
writer  present  to  us  ?  Not  his  own  ideas  and 
conceptions ;  but  "  the  things  which  shall  be 
*'  hereafter/'  the  symbols  and  figurative  resem- 
blances of  future  events  shewn  to  him  in  heaven ; 
and  when  he  uses  explanatory  speech,  it  is  in 
the  words  of  his  heavenly  conductors.  One  of 
the  fev/  passages  in  which  the  author  of  the 
Apocalypse  seems  to  have  written  from  his  own 
previous  conceptions  is,  perhaps,  ch.  i.  verse  7. 
The  sentiments  and  images  which  he  employs, 
before  he  arrives  at  this  passage,  may  all  be 
traced  to  the  apocalyptical  source:  they  are 
derived  from  the  sublime  visions  which  he  had 
so  lately  seen.  With  them  his  mind  was  filled  ; 
with  them  even  his  salutation  to  the  brethren 
abounds.  But  here  he  seems  to  speak  from  his  for- 
mer store  of  Christian  imagery.  And,  so  speaking, 
it  is  remarkable  that  he  is  led  to  quote  from 
Zech.  xii.  10.  and  in  the  very  manner  which  has 
been  observed,  by  Michaelis  and  other  critics^ 
to  be  peculiar  to  Saint  John.  Michaelis  has 
noted  the  peculiar  circumstances  which  attend 
this  quotation,  and  he  has  allowed  to  them  con- 
siderable weight*  :  but  he  was  not  aware  that 
this  is   one   of    very  few   passages   which   can 

*  See  his  note,  p.  555. 

fairly 


118 

fairly  and  properly  be  compared  witli  ih^  former 
zmtings  of  Saint  John,  so  as  to  deduce  evidence 
whether  that  Apostle  were  the  author.  In  al- 
most every  other  part  of  the  book,  it  will  be 
apparent  to  an  accurate  observer,  that  the  writer 
draws  not  his  sentiments  and  imagery  from  his 
own  stores,  but  from  the  new  and  surprising 
scenes  which  he  had  been  permitted  to  behold 
in  heaven. 

But  although,  from  the  causes  now  assigned, 
we  may  think  it  improper  to  look  for  any  nice 
resemblance  in  sentiments  and  ideaSf  between  the 
Apocalypse  and  other  writings  of  Saint  John; 
yet  some  similarity,  in  the  mode  and  character  of 
narration,  may,  perhaps,  be  reasonably  expected. 
And  this  kind  of  similarity  will  be  seen  and  ac- 
knowledged in  the  plain,  unadorned  simplicit}'', 
with  which  the  Apocalypse,  and  all  other  pro- 
ductions of  St.  John,  appear  to  be  written. 
There  is,  at  the  same  time,  a  difference,  which 
seems  to  consist  chiefly  in  that  circumstance 
which  Jortin  has  pointed  out* ;  that  "  the  Apo- 
"  calypse,  like  the  Septuagint,  follows  the  He- 
*'  brew  phraseology,  using  copulatives  continu- 
*•  ally  t,  whereas  the  Gospel,  instead  of  mt,  uses 
"  Sf,  or  by,  or  is  written  oca-w'ieJcAjg"  Such  is^  in* 
deed,  the  principal  difference  of  style  to  be  ob- 
served in  comparing  the  Gospel  with  the  Apoca- 
lypse:   but   the   attentive  reader   may  perceive 

*  Disc,  on  Christian  ReL 

"f   Km  tiTTty  0  O^'f  xat',   &C» 

some 


119 

some  passages  in  the  Gospel,  where  the  copula- 
tive Kcii  is  used  almost  as  profusely  as  in  the 
Apocalypse.  They  are  those  passages  wherein 
the  mind  of  the  writer  appears  charged  with  su- 
blime or  surprising  ideas,  following  upon  each 
other  in  a  rapid  succession.  He  then  pours  them 
forth,  one  after  another,  coupled  only  by  the 
conjunction  -nui.  The  same  may  be  observed  of 
the  other  Evangelists,  and  more  frequently  than 
of  St.  John.  When  these  sacred  wTiters  relate 
wonderful  events,  following  in  quick  succession, 
they  continually  repeat  the  copulative  kolu  But 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  produce  instances  from  St. 
John.  In  his  fifth  chapter,  this  Evangelist  de- 
scribes the  situation  of  a  poor  cripple,  who  for 
thirty-eight  years  had  been  expecting  a  cure  from 
the  waters  of  Bethesda.  The  circumstances  are 
related  calmly,  and  without  any  extraordinary 
use  of  the  copulative  %ui^  till  we  come  to  verse 
ninth ;  when,  the  cure  having  been  pronounced 
by  our  Lord,  the  surprizing  events  immediately 
follow  in  rapid  succession;  and  the  copulative 
is  incessantly  employed.      Ka/  ^v^^toq  sysvfjo  vyivig 

0   ocv9poo7rcg,    kcci    ViDS    tov   KpocSSocjov    avjii,    %ul    zir?pi7ralct. 

Thus  also  at  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  all  proceeds 
calmly,  and  without  the  copulatives,  until  the 
great  event ;  but  this  is  narrated,  (ver.  44,)  with 
Kcct,  Kcci,  Tiui  *.     This   copulative   style  then   ap^ 

*  Other  instances  may  be  seen  in  ch.  i.  8 — 14 — 20.  iL  IS — 
la.     xiii.  21.  xix.  1,  2,  3,  18.  xx.  11,  14, 

K  pears 


120 

pears  to  be  used  by  the  Evangelists,  and  even 
by  St.  John,  to  express  events  wonderful  and 
surprizing,  and  rapidly  following  each  other. 
But  the  Apocalypse  contains  a  continual  succes- 
sion of  such  events ;  the  copulative  language 
therefore,  continually  used  therein,  may  yet  be 
the  language  of  St.  John. 

But  whatever  weight  may  be  allowed  to 
these  observations,  still  there  are  many  reasons 
which  should  deter  us  from  forming  any  hasty 
conclusion,  by  comparison  of  style  and  manner, 
that  the  Apocalypse  was  not  written  by  the 
writer  of  the  Gospel.  The  history  of  its  first 
publication  is  unknown  to  us ;  it  may  have  been 
written  originally  in  Hebrew,  and  then  the  Greek 
translation  would  naturally  retain  much  colour- 
ing of  the  Hebrew  style;  or  the  language,  in 
which  our  Lord  and  his  angels  addressed  Saint 
John  in  the  visions,  might  be  Hebrew^*;  and  then 
his  Greek,  being  a  direct  translation,  may  be  ex- 
pected to  preserve  the  Eastern  idiom,  for  he 
would  probably  translate  closely,  to  preserve  (as 
he  is  ordered)  the  words  delivered  to  him*  In 
short,  many  circumstances  may  have  happened 
to  occasion  a  difference  of  style,  of  which  we 
are  now  ignorant.  But  of  this  at  least  we  are 
assured,  that  a  considerable  lapse  of  time  had 
taken  place,  between  the  writing  of  the  Gospel 

*  Our  Lord,  appearing  to  St.  Paul,  addressed  him  in  tlie  He- 
brew tongue,  (Actsxxvi.  14.)  probably  the  Syro-Chaldaic  He- 
brew then  in  use  with  the  Jews. 

and 


121 

and  of  the  Apocalypse.  A  period  of  about  thirty 
years  had  intervened.  Such  a  circumstance  is 
well  known  to  make  a  considerable  difference  in 
the  style  of  the  same  writer.  Michaelis  allows 
and  has  forcibly  expressed  it.  (p.  352,  536.) 
But  he  alleges,  and  with  good  reason,  (if  we 
take  it  is  a  general  observation,)  that  when  there 
is  this  change  in  the  style  of  an  author,  we 
naturally  look  for  the  bold,  sublime,  and  per- 
haps, incorrect  style,  in  his  youth,  and  the 
gentler  and  more  finished  manner  in  his  later  years. 
And  hence  he  collects  that  the  Apocalypse,  dis- 
playing bold  imagery,  with  much  fire  of  compo- 
sition, an  oriental  form  of  speech,  and  an  incor- 
rect manner,  might  indeed  be  written  by  St.  John 
some  years  before  he  wrote  his  Gospel ;  but  that 
he  could  not  be  the  author  of  it  late  in  life, 
many  years  after  he  had  resided  among  the  Greeks 
at  Ephesus.  The  argument  is  specious  ;  but,  I 
trust,  the  edge  of  it  has  been  already  taken  off, 
by  a  consideration  of  the  causes  which  will  ac- 
count for  the  sublime  imagery  and  animated 
manner  of  writing  in  the  Apocalypse,  where  it 
differs  from  the  calmer  style  of  St.  John.  But  I 
will  suggest  another  cause,  which,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  me,  would  not  fail  to  produce  a  more 
warm  and  turbid  style  in  the  Apocalypse  than  in 
the  Gospel,  supposing  them  to  be  written  by  the 
same  pen. 

The  Gospel  appears  to  have  been  written  by 
St.  John,   after  an  interval  of  about  thirty  years 

K  2  from 


122 

fl'om  the  events  which  be  relates.  At  such  a  dis- 
tance of  time,  the  mind  is  enabled  to  look  back 
with  composure,  and  to  represent  with  serenity, 
transactions  which  could  not  be  narrated  soon 
after  they  had  happened,  without  warm  and 
passionate  expressions.  It  seems  to  be  owing 
partly  to  this  cause,  that  the  Evangelist  is  seen  to 
relate  in  so  cool  a  tenour  of  style,  in  the  Gospel, 
those  sufferings  of  his  beloved  Lord  which  he 
had  witnessed,  and  which,  if  related  by  him 
immediately  after  the  events  had  taken  place, 
could  not  have  been  told  otherwise  than  with 
commotion  and  indignation.  But  the  Apoca- 
lypse v/as  written  by  its  author  immediately  after 
he  had  seen  the  vision  ;  the  impressions  on  his 
mind  had  no  time  to  cool;  his  expressions  kept 
pace  with  his  feelings,  and  his  style  became 
Tivid  and  glowing. 

Many  other  causes,  unknown  to  us,  might  ope- 
rate to  produce  a  variety  in  the  style  of  St.  John. 
He  might  use  an  amanuensis,  or  corrector  of  his 
language,  at  one  time,  and  not  at  another. 
For,  a  tradition  prevailed  in  the  ancient  Church, 
that  the  Apostles  in  their  writings  had  used 
amanuenses,  and  Jerome  accounted  for  the  ap- 
parent difference  of  style  between  the  first  and 
second  Epistles  of  Saint  Peter,  by  his  having 
employed  different  persons  in  this  office*.  The 
Apostle  John  may  have  used  an  amanuensis, 
or  a  corrector  of  his  Greek,  in  one  of  his  works, 
and  not  in  another.     In  the  opinion  of  Lardner, 

*  Tom.  iv.  p.  183. 

founded 


123 

founded  upon  sound  reasons,  to  which  Michaelis 
allows  great  weight,  (though  he  is  disposed  to 
contend  for  a  later  dale,)  St.  John's  Gospel  was 
written  about  the  yei^r  68.  But  at  this  period, 
Saint  John  being  but  newly  arrived  from  Palestine, 
cannot  be  supposed  (as  Michaelis  has  observed*) 
to  have  written  that  fluent  Greek  in  w^hich  his 
Gospel  is  composed.  He  might  therefore  at 
that  time  have  employed  an  amanuensis  or  cor- 
rector. But  after  thirty  years  residence  at 
Ephesus,  where  the  Greek  was  principally 
spoken,  he  might  not  feel  the  want  of  such  as- 
sistance, and  he  might  have  written  the  Apoca- 
lypse in  his  own  Greek  ;  a  Greek  tinged  with 
the  Hebrew  idiom.  This  is  only  conjecture ; 
which  I  do  not  propose  as  any  sure  method  of 
accounting  for  this  difficulty;  but  as  a  probable 
means  of  shewing  that  this,  or  perhaps  other 
circumstances  unknown  to  us,  may  have  oc- 
casioned a  dissimilarity  in  this  Apostle's  language 
at  so  great  a  distance  of  time. 

But  no  difference  of  style,  will  justify  us  in 
denying  St.  John  to  be  the  author  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse. The  Fathers  of  the  Church,  who  first 
received  this  work,  might  probably  know  the 
causes  of  this  apparent  dissimilarity.  They  were 
satisfied  :  and  on  such  a  point  it  is  vain  for  us 
to  dissent  from  them.  And,  in  truth,  this  diffe- 
rence of  style  between  the  Gospel  of  St.  John 
and  the  Apocalypse,  nearly  considered,  is  far 
■^  Intrqducticn  to  the  N.  T.  ch,  vil.  sect.  10. 

from 


124 

from  being  so  much  in  its  disfavom%  as,  at  first 
view,  we  are  apt  to  imagine.  For  it  is  such  a 
style  as  St.  John  may  have  written,  circumstances 
considered :  but  it  is  not  such  a  style  as  an  im- 
postor, an  imitator  of  St,  John  would  have  writ- 
ten. Such  an  one  would  have  gone  to  the  Gos- 
pel and  Epistles  for  his  model  of  imitation. 

V.  This  observation  may  serve  to  introduce 
the  fifth  objection,  which  is  stated  by  Lardner 
from  Dionysius,  and  repeated  by  Michaelis*', 
"  That  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  is  elegant  Greek ;  but 
*'  that  the  Apocalypse  abounds  with  barbarisms  and 
*'  solecisms"  For  the  same  general  answer  may 
still  be  given,  even  if  we  admit  the  fact  alleged. 
Various  causes  may  have  operated  to  produce 
this  difference,  many  of  them  unknown  to  us, 
but  Icnoron,  perhaps,  to  the  ancients  of  the  se- 
cond century,  who  seem  not  to  have  objected 
to  this  dissimilarity.  More  than  a  hundred 
years  had  elapsed,  from  the  first  reception  of 
the  book  by  the  Church,  before  any  such  objec- 
tions appear  to  have  been  advanced  against  it. 

But  the  attention  of  modern  critics  has  tended 
greatly  to  lessen  the  force  of  this  objection. 
For  such  irregularities,  in  point  of  Grammar, 
as  are  objected  against  the  Apocalypse,  are 
observed  also  in  the  Septuagintf,  and  in  other 
writings  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  the  Gos- 
pels and  Epistles  of  Saint  John  are  now  so  far 
fi'om  being  accounted  that  perfect  Greek,  which 

*  P.  529,  530.  t  See  page  530. 

Dionysius 


125 

Dionysius  represents  them  to  be  ;  that  Black- 
wall  (who  in  his  Sacred  Classics  has  attempted  to 
vindicate  the  Scriptures  from  the  charge  of  be- 
ing written  in  an  impure  and  barbarous  style) 
has  found  himself  obliged  to  defend  the  Gospel 
and  Epistles  of  this  Apostle  in  more  than  forty 
passages,  in  some  of  which  only  he  has  suc- 
ceeded. 

But  such  vindication  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  is 
unnecessary ;  they  must  be  allowed  to  speak  ^ 
language  of  their  own,  *'  not  with  the  enticing 
*'  words  of  man's  wisdom*."  They  use,  for  the 
most  part,  an  Asiatic  Greek,  plentifully  mixed 
with  Hebraisms.  A  pure  Attic  language  would 
by  no  means  give  them  greater  credibility  ;  for 
in  these  days  we  should  n^ot  admit  the  appeal  of 
Mahomet,  and  conclude  them  divine,  because 
elegantly  composed. 

Many  of  the  expressions,  which,  upon  this 
ground,  have  been  objected  to  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse, have  been  shewn  to  convey  the  sublime 
meaning  of  the  sacred  inditer  more  forcibly  and 
effectually,  than  a  more  exact  and  grammatical 
Greek  -f.  Of  this  character  is  (sctto  S  uv,  kui  o  riv,  vml 
0  soxoif.mg%9  which  cannot  be  so  corrected   into 

*   1  Cor.  ii.  4, 

t  This  is  observed  by  Michaelis,  (Iiitrod.  vol.  i.  part  1.  chap, 
iv,  sect.  3.)  who  says,  *'  The  very  faults  of  grammar  in  the  Apo- 
♦*  calypse  are  so  happily  placed  as  to  produce  an  agreeable 
♦*  effect." 

J  Chap.  i.  4. 

grammar 


126 

grammar  as  to  express,  with  equal  force,  that 
sublime  attribute  of  God,  by  which  he  fills 
eternity. 

The  instances  of  irregularity,  in  point  of  gram- 
mar, produced  from  the  Apocalypse  by  Bengel, 
and  repeated  by  our  author  *,  are  all  of  one 
kind,  and  of  a  kind  which  is  found  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint,  and  in  Greek  translated  from  the  He- 
brew. In  these  instances,  the  original  (or  no- 
minative) case,  is  used  immediately  after  a  word, 
which,  having  been  expressed  in  one  of  the  ob- 
lique cases,  seems  to  require,  in  purer  Greek,  the 
continuation  of  the  same  oblique  case-j*.  This 
might  happen,  either  if  the  text  were  translated 
from  St.  John's  Hebrew,  or  if  St.  John  had 
translated  into  Greek  the  Hebrew  words  of  Jesus 
and  of  the  angels  J. 

The  instances  produced  by  Michaelis  are  taken 
chiefly  from  ancient  MSS.  of  the  Apocalypse, 
and   are  not   to  be   seen  in  the   common   and 

*  P.  529. 
.  t  Instance  cli.  I.  5.  «7ro  'i*}<?-8— o  /xapV,  which  may  be  rendered 
strictly  grammatical  by  supplying  o  ^V'^  and  this  ellipsis  is  so 
common  in  our  English  language,  (and,  I  believe,  in  most  mo- 
dern ones,)  that  the  places  objected  to,  pass  in  literal  translation 
without  any  apparent  offence  to  grammar.  The  offence  then  is 
not  against  universal  grammar,  but  against  the  particular  idiom 
of  the  Greeks,  and  yet  not  against  the  idiom  of  the  Oriental 
Greeks.  See  the  observations  of  our  author  on  the  language  of 
the  New  Testament,  with  the  judicious  remarks  of  his  translator  j 
Introduct.  vol.  i.  ch.  iv. 

^  As  suggested  in  p.  155. 

latec 


127 

Jater  editions.  And  he  expresses  his  suspicions 
that  these  violations  of  grammar  were  probably 
yet  more  abundant  in  former  times,  hq,ving  im- 
dergone  the  correction  of  transcribers.  But  if 
this  supposition  can  be  allowed,  it  may  also 
be  surmised,  that  other  books  of  the  New  Tes^ 
tament  have  probably  undergone  this  kind  of 
correction.  And  why  not  the  Gospel  and  Episr 
ties  of  Saint  John,  even  before  the  Apocalypse 
3vas  written  "^  But  taking  it  for  granted,  that  the 
Apocalypse  abounds  with  Hebraisms,  and  even 
with  solecisms,  more  than  any  other  book  of 
the  New  Testament, — what  can  we  hence  infer, 
jbut  that  we  probably  have  the  original  text  of 
the  sacred  writer,  as  preserved  in  the  early  ages 
with  scrupulous  care  .^  A  forger,  an  impostor, 
would  have  written  another  kind  of  Greek, 
more  closely  resembling  that  of  Saint  John's 
Gospel  and  Epistles. 

And  although  we  cannot  shew  the  Apocalypse 
to  be  written  in  precisely  the  same  Greek,  as 
the  Gospel  and  Epistles  of  St.  John  ;  yet,  I 
trust,  we  must  be  convinced  that  this  circum- 
stance is  very  far  from  being  entitled  to  any 
.decisive  influence  u\  favour  of  the  opinion  that 
it  was  not  written  by  that  Apostle,  to  whom  the 
united  voice  of  antiquity  has  ascribed  it.  Of 
all  the  arguments  which  have  been  advanced  to 
support  this  opinion,  there  is  none,  which  it 
will  not  be  presumptuous  to  oppose  to  such  au* 
thority. 

Having 


128 

Having  now  advanced  what  I  deem  necces-^ 
sary  to  say  in  answer  to  these  objections  of  Dio- 
nysius,  repeated  by  Michaelis,  I  shall  add  a  few 
ivords  concerning  an  objection  of  later  date,  to 
^vhich  this  learned  critic  seems  inclined  to  give 
his  sanction,  though  he  has  not  formally  avowed 
it.  He  distinguishes  between  John  the  Evan^ 
gelist  and  John  the  Divine^  as  if  he  believed 
them  to  be  two  separate  persons  ;  and  the  latter 
to  be  the  author,  or  the  reputed  author  of  the 
Apocalypse.  But  the  title,  prefixed  to  the  Apo- 
calypse, in  which  it  is  called,  "  the  Revelation 
*^  of  John  the  Divine,"  does  not  properly  belong 
to  the  book.  It  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  most 
ancient  and  authentic  MSS.  and  is  therefore  re- 
jected by  Griesbach  in  his  edition.  The  true 
title  of  the  book  is  seen  in  the  first  verses  of  it : 
it  is  "  the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,''  not  of 
John.  But  as  it  was  communicated  to  the 
Church  by  St.  John,  and  as  other  Revelations 
were  afterwards  written  in  imitation  of  this,  and 
ascribed  to  other  Apostles,  so  by  degrees  this 
Revelation  was  distinguished  in  the  Church  by 
the  name  of  John.  The  Apocalypse  of  John  was 
the  title  by  which  it  was  known  in  the  times  of 
Dionysius*.  In  the  following  century,  when 
many  contests  had  arisen  concerning  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity,  and  the  Orthodox  had  found 
their  firm  support  in  the  writings  of  this  Apostle, 
(who  alone  of  the  sacred  writers  had  described 

*  Euseb,  E.  H.  lib,  vli.  c.  24. 

the 


129 

the  Son  of  God  as  0c«  Koyog  ^),  they  began  to 
apply  to  this  Apostle  the  title  of  Theologus,  a 
title  expressive  both  of  John's  doctrine  t?  and  of 
his  eminent  knowledge  in  divine  subjects.  Atha- 
nasius  calls  St.  John  o  GioXoyog  avyjp. 

In  the  decrees  of  the  Council  held  at  Ephesus, 
in  431,  that  city  is  mentioned  as  the  burial  place 
of  John  the  Theologus,  which  agrees  with  the  ac- 
count of  the  ancients,  that  John  the  Evangelist 
was  buried  there  J.     Andreas   Cesariensis,  com- 
menting on   Rev.   xvii.    quotes   the    Evangelist 
John  by  the  title  of  Theologus  § ;  and,  although 
the  same  title  was  applied  by  Andreas  and  others, 
to  Gregory  Nazianzen,  and  to  other  able  defenders 
of  the  Theologic  doctrine,  yet  John  the  Evan- 
gelist was  0  OsoKoyog  koct  e^oxr,v,  the  Divine,  and  no 
other  John  appears  to  have  had  this  title.     So  we 
may  be  assured,  that,  at  whatever  time  this  title 
was  prefixed  to  the  Apocalypse,  he  who  prefixed 
it,  intended  by  it  Johii  th^  Evangelist ;  who  was 

*  The  Word  of  God. 

f  See  the  word  ©loXoy**,  as  used  in  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  24, 
jind  applied  to  the  beginning  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  The  Chris* 
tians  are  described  as  worshipping  Christ,  with  reference  to  this 
name  tov  ^i^i^ov  vi^tuat  ©soXoysvlEj-.  Cuseb.  H.  E.  lib.  v.  c.  28.  And 
the  Alogi,  as  we  have  seen,  received  that  appellation,  from  deny- 
ing the  Doctriqe  of  St.  John,  rov  ev  a^^V  ^^'^  ^^^  ^®***)  Aoyov.  Epiph. 
Haer.  54.  Eusebius  quoting  the  beginning  of  St.  John's  Gospel 
says,  uh  vm  ^toXoyu,     Prsep.  Evang.  lib.  xi.  c.  19. 

t  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  1.20. 

§  Commenting  on  chap,  iii.  21,  he  calls  John  QtQ>,oyQs  koh  ^§oy%s. 
lios*    iVi^d  on  1  Job.  V.  8,  he  says,  K^tr*  T*'  ©loXoyoK, 

wejl 


130 

well  known,  and  celebrated  in  the  fourth  and 
succeeding  centuries,  by  this  appellation. 

Having  thus  afforded  some  answer  to  the  ob- 
jections urged  from  internal  evidence  against  the 
authenticity  of  the  Apocalypse,  I  shall  conclude 
with  adding  a  positive  evidence  in  favour  of  the 
notion  generally  received,  that  it  was  written  by 
3t.  John. 

In  chap.  i.  13,  he  who  is  ordered  to  write  the  book, 
beholds  in  the  vision  "  one  like  unto  the  Son  of 
Man."  Now,  who  but  an  eye-witness  of  our  Lord's 
person  upon  earth,  could  pronounce,  from  the  like- 
ness, that  it  was  he  ?  St.  John  had  lived  familiarly 
with  Jesus  during  his  abode  upon  earth;  and 
had  seen  him  likewise  in  his  glorified  appearances, 
at  his  transfiguration,  and  after  his  resurrection. 
No  other  John  had  enjoyed  this  privilege. 
No  other  eye-witness  of  pur  Lord's  person  ap- 
pears to  have  been  living  in  this  late  period  of 
the  Apostolical  age,  when  the  visions  of  the  Apo? 
calypse  were  seen. 

We  may,  therefore,  I  trust,  fairly  conclude, 
that  to  the  impregnable  force  of  external  evidence, 
which  has  been  seen  to  protect  the  divine  claims 
of  the  Apocalypse,  a  considerable  acquisition  of 
internal  evidence  may  be  added  ;  or,  at  least, 
that  this  avenue,  by  which  its  overthrow  has  been 
so  often  attempted,  is  not  so  unguarded  as  its  ad- 
versaries imagine.  And  the  future  labours  of 
judicious  commentators  will  probably  add  a  con- 
tinual accession  to  this  weight  of  evidence ;  for, 

every 


131 

every  prediction  of  this  prophetical  book,  which 
shall  be  shewn  to  be  clearly  accomplished,  will 
prove  it  to  be  divine;  and,  this  being  proved, 
there  will  then  remain  little  or  no  doubt  but  that 
it  proceeded  from  the  pen  of  the  beloved  Apostle, 
to  whom  the  early  Fathers  of  the  Church  uniformly 
ascribe  it. 

I  shall  conclude  with  examining  the  pretensions 
of  the  Apocalypse  by  the  rules  laid  down  even  by 
Michaelis  himself^  whereby  to  determine  whether 
a  scriptural  book  be  authentic  or  spurious*. 

I.  Were  doubts  entertained,  from  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  the  Apocalypse  in  the  world,  whether 
it  proceeded  from  the  pen  of  Saint  John  ? 

To  this  we  are  now  enabled  to  answer,  (see 
chap.  iii.  iv.  v.  of  this  Dissertation,)  that  no  such 
doubts  appear  upon  record  in  the  true  Church, 
during  the  important  period  of  one  hundred  years 
after  its  publication  ;  but  that  all  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal writers  of  that  time  who  speak  of  its  author, 
attribute  it  uniformly  to  Saint  John.  If  any 
persons  held  a  contrary  opinion,  they  were  heretics, 
who  appear  to  have  assigned  no  plausible  ground 
for  their  notions. 

II.  Did  the  friends  or  disciples  of  the  supposed 
author  deny  it  to  be  his  ? 

Answer,  There  is  no  such  denial  from  Polycarp, 
Papias,  Ignatius,  &c.  who  appear  all  to  have  re- 
ceived it  as  divine  Scripture.  (See  chap.  iii.  of  this 
Dissertation.) 

*  Introduction  to  N.Test,  chap.  ii.  sect.  3,  p.  27,  &Co 

III.  Did 


132 

III.  Did  along  series  of  years  elapse  after  the 
death  of  Saint  John,  in  which  the  book  was  un- 
known, and  in  which  it  must  unavoidably  have 
been  mentioned  and  quoted,  had  it  really  existed? 

Answer.  No  such  period  did  elapse.  Michaelis 
himself  has  allowed,  that  this  book,  even  if  forged 
and  spurious,  existed  before  the  year  120,  that  is, 
within  twenty- three  years  of  the  time  which  we 
have  shewn  to  be  that  of  its  publication ;  but 
even  in  this  period  we  have  seen  it  quoted  and 
acknowledged,  as  appears  probable,  by  the 
Apostolical  Fathers.     (See  chap.  iii.  and  v.) 

IV.  Is  the  style  of  the  Apocalypse  difterent 
from  that  of  Saint  John  in  his  other  writings  ? 

Answer.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  there  is  some 
difference,  but  it  is  a  difference  which  admits  of 
a  reasonable  explanation,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
former  part  of  this  chapter. 

V.  Are  events  recorded,  which  happened  later 
than  the  time  of  Saint  John  ? 

Answer,  No  such  events  are  recorded.  Nor, 
we  may  add,  are  any  events  predicted,  which  oc- 
curred before  the  time  when  the  book  appears  to 
have  been  written  ;  which  is  a  case  happening  to 
pretended  prophecies.     (See  chapter  viii.) 

VI.  Are  opinions  advanced  in  the  Apocalypse, 
which  contradict  those  which  Saint  John  is  known 
to  have  maintained  in  his  otlier  writings  .^ 

Answer.  The  theology  which  it  contains  is 
found  to  be  precisely  that  of  St.  John  in  his  other 
writings;  and  the  wild  opinions  of  the  Chiliasts, 

though 


133 

though  they  had  probably  their  origin  from  a 
passage  of  this  book,  are  to  be  attributed  only  to 
the  rash  interpretation  of  it  by  these  visionaries. 
(See  chap,  viii.) 

Thus,  bringing  this  prophetical  book  to  the 
test  proposed  by  Michaelis, — by  the  most  success- 
ful opponent  of  its  claims  to  a  divine  origin,  we 
shall  be  obliged  to  confess  its  indubitable  right 
to  that  place  in  the  canon  of  sacred  Scripture, 
which  the  ancient  Fathers  of  the  Church  assigned 
to  it,  and  which  the  reformers  in  the  Protestant 
Churches  have  with  mature  deliberation  con- 
firmed. 


END  OF  THE  DISSERTATION, 


POSTSCRIPT* 


►e©®®"^-®®©®* 


mNCE  the  preceding  sheets  were  committed 
to  the  press,  I  have  seen  a  work  on  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  New  Testament,  translated  by 
Mr.  Kingdon,  from  the  German  of  Dr.  Less. 
In  this  pubUcation,  fifty  pages  are  employed 
in  an  attempt  to  discredit  the  authenticity  of 
the  Apocalypse.  And  since  the  otherwise  ex- 
cellent Treatise,  of  which  this  attempt  is  a  part, 
is  likely  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  many  young 
students  in  Divinity,  it  may  be  Useful  to  offer 
some  observations  upon  it. 

These  may  be  presented  in  a  small  compass ; 
because  there  are  few  objections  of  moment  ad- 
vanced by  Dr.  Less,  against  the  Apocalypse, 
which  have  not  been  repeated  by  Michaelis,  and 
already  considered  in  the  foregoing  Dissertation*. 

*  The  latest  edition  of  Less*s  work  was  published  in  1785; 
that  of  Michaelis,  in  1788 ;  (see  the  Prefaces  of  their  Trans- 
lators;)  consequently  Michaelis  had  the  opportunity  of  adopt- 
ing or  rejecting  the  arguments  of  Less. 

*  K  I  have 


136 

I  have  now,  therefore,  only  to  note  and  answer 
those  observations  and  arguments  of  Less,  which 
his  learned  follower  did  not  produce. 

In  page  143,  Dr.  Less  objects  to  the  Evi- 
dence of  Thepphilus  of  Antioch  in  favour  of  the 
Apocalypse,  because  the  work  of  this  Father 
against  Ilermogenes,  in  which  he  is  said  to  have 
quoted  from  this  Book  of  Scripture,  is  no  longer 
extant. 

Answer. — But  what  scholar  will  hesitate  a 
moment  to  admit,  that  Theophilus  received  the 
Apocalypse  as  of  Divine  authority,  when  he  reads 
in  Eusebius*,  that  in  his  time  that  work  of  Theo- 
philus was  extant,  m  zi)}iich  he  had  used  proofs,  or 
testimonies  of  Scripture,  taken  from  the  Apocalypse? 
Dr.  Less  himself  has  very  properly  supported 
the  authenticity  of  the  other  Scriptures  by  the 
evidences  of  writings,  now  lost,  but  reported 
by  Eusebius :  (ch.  i.  sect.  3:)  and  Michaehs  says, 
that  the  Apocalypse  was  undoubtedly  received 
by  Theophilus,  as  the  work  of  Saint  Johnf- 

In  pages  186,  202,  objection  is  made  to  the 
Apocalypse,  because  tlie  relator  represents  him- 
self as  in  a  trance  during  the  exhibition  of  it. 

Answer. — The  expression,  eysvojjLTjv  sv  'zirvsvi^ocTi, 
cannot  propeily  be  translated,  "  I  was  in  a 
trance.''  AVas  Jesus  in  a  trance,  when  viysTo  sv  tu> 
'^^ytvi/.ocTi,  "  he  was  led  in  the  Spirit  into  the  svilder- 

*  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv.  c.  24. 

t  Introd.  to  N.  T.  ch.  .\xxiii.  sect.  2.  p.  46?. 

ness  ?" 


137 

ness  ?"  or  David  when,  sv  tu)  ^vivi/.octi^  "  he  called 
Christ  Lord  *?" 

In  page  197)  the  Author  says;  "  How  the 
Apocalypse  was  understood,  after  Christianity 
had  ascended  the  imperial  throne  in  the  person 
of  Constantino,  is  unknown." 

Answer. — Were  not  the  commentaries  on  the 
Apocalypse  by  Andreas  Ca^sariensis,  by  Arethas, 
by  Victorinus,  by  Primasius,  written  during  the 
period  which  the  author  here  describes,  after 
the  exaltation  of  Christianity,  and  before  that 
of  the  papal  tyranny?  From  the  Fathers  also  of 
the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  many  quotations 
may  be  produced,  shewing  in  what  sense  they 
understood  passages  of  this  prophecy. 

In  page  201,  he  asserts  "  this  book  to  be 
"  entirely  different  from  all  the  other  w^ritings, 
"  not  only  of  the  New  Testament,  but  of  the 
"  Old." 

Answer.— Thus  he  contradicts  what  he  had 
asserted  in  page  187,  "  That  many  forcible  ex- 
"  hortations  in  this  book  are  composed  almost 
"  entirely  from  passages  of  the  Old  Tcssament 
"  and  the  Gospels."  But  neither  of  these  asser- 
tions will  be  found  strictly  true. 

In  page  205,  he  objects  to  "  the  mysterious 
^'  number*,  a  time,  times,  and  half,  and  the 
"  frightful  beasts  and  monsters,"  as  being  un- 
scriptural. 

♦  Matt.  xxii.  43.      Mark  viiL  12.     Luke  i.  80  ;    ii.  27,  40. 
See  also  John  iv.  23. 

*  K  2  Answer, 


138 

Answer. — Do  we  not  read  of  the  self-same 
numbers,  and  nearly  the  same  beasts,  in  the 
Book  of  Daniel  ? 

In  page  206*,  he  represents  the  joy  and 
triumph  of  the  saints,  upon  the  horrid  punish- 
ment of  their  enemies,  as  irreconcileable  with 
the  charitable  spirit  of  the  Gospel. 

Answer.— It  is  the  triumph  of  pure  Rehgion 
over  idolatrous  superstition  and  tyranny,  repre- 
sented allegoricaUy ;  at  which  every  true  Christian 
must  rejoice. 

In  page  207,  he  objects  to  the  passages  where 
the  writer  of  the  Apocalypse  describes  himself 
as  prostrating  himself  before  the  Angel. — A  spe- 
cies of  idolatry,  of  which,  he  says,  no  Jew,  no 
Christian,  much  less  Saint  John,  would  have 
been  guilty. 

Answer. — The  objector  seems  here  to  contra- 
dict his  former  assertion,  that  the  whole  of  the 
Apocalyptic  vision  was  exhibited  m  a  trance: 
but,  setting  aside  this  consideration,  it  will  be 
seen,  in  the  ensuing  notes,  that  the  conduct, 
which  the  writer  of  the  vision  attributes  to  him- 
self on  this  occasion,  was  natural,  and  agreeing 
with  his  situation,  and  that  tliis  description,  with 
its  attendant  caution  and  reproof,  so  far  from  en- 
couraging angel-worship,  has  operated,  as  pro- 
bably it  was  intended  to  do,  most  powerfully 
against  it. 

In  page  208,  he  asserts  that  we  are  destitute 
of  credible  manuscripts  of  the  Apocalypse,  and 

5  of 


139 

of  versions  of  high  antiquity,  and  consequently 
possess  but  a  very  uncertain  text. 

Answer.— It  is  true  that  the  Apocalypse,  on 
account  of  its  mysterious  nature,  having  been  less 
studied  than  other  books  of  Scripture,  has  also 
been  less  copied.  Yet  the  manuscripts  of  it  al- 
ready collected,  appear  to  be  no  less  than  forty- 
five.  Of  these,  four  are  of  high  antiquity.  The 
Codex  Alexandrinus  is  one  of  these;  seven  more 
seem  by  their  description  to  be  of  distinguished 
value.  In  the  early  fathers,  are  many  and  long 
quotations  from  this  book.  Michaelis,  though  he 
judged  that  the  text  of  the  Apocalypse  was  not 
so  well  ascertained  as  that  of  other  Scriptural 
books,  is  far  from  repeating  these  extravagant 
assertions  of  Dr.  Less.  See  Michaelis  and  Marsh, 
Introduction  to  New  Testament,  ch.  viii. 

In  page  236,  Dr.  L.  ably  defends  the  authen- 
ticity of  the  Scriptures  in  general,  by  the  proof  of 
their  being  quoted  by  the  early  fathers;  and  es- 
pecially by  Justin  Martyr,  Irenceus,  Tertullian, 
Clement  of  Alexandria,  and  Origen. — But  all  these 
fathers  have  quoted  the  x^pocalypse. 

In  pages  343,  344,  he  derives  the  safe  trans- 
mission of  the  Gospel  truths  from  St.  John  the 
Apostle,  through  Polycarp,  Irenaeus,  and  Origen, 
by  a  cotemporary  succession. — But  have  we  not 
the  very  same  safe  transmission  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse? 

Page 


140 

Page  214— 227?   Dr.   Less's  chief  confidence 
in  opposing  the  pretensions  of  the  Apocalypse  is- 
derived  from  the  authoritij  of  Dionysius  of  Alex- 
andria. 

Answer.— The  arguments  of  this  excellent  fa- 
ther must  be  allowed  all  the  weight  to  which  they 
can  possibly  be  entitled;    and    have   already,  I 
trust,  been  candidly  considered.     But  the  aiitho- 
rity  of  Dionysius,  on  a  subject  of  historical  anti- 
yyrJty,  cannot  be  placed  in  competition  with  that 
ui   iiis   master  Origen ;    much   less   with   that  of 
Irenaeus,  the  disciple  of  Polycarp,  or  of  Justin 
Martyr,  who  was  probably  cotemporary  with  St. 
John.     And  Dr.  Less  himself  was  clearl}^  of  that 
opinion.     For,  in  enumerating  the  fathers  whose 
authority  is  essential  to  the  testimony  of  Scrip- 
tural authenticity,  he  descends  no  lower  than  to 
Origen  ;  the  boasted  Dion^^sius  is  excluded.     Be- 
sides, if  the  authority  of  Dionysius  were  allowed, 
his  Tivsg  'sr^p  '/?/xw;^  caniiot  be  understood  to  compre-- 
hend  testimony  of  high  antiquity. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  to  be  lamented,  that  these 
two  able  and  learned  Germans  have  so  rashly  in- 
corporated into  their  valuable  works  of  universal 
circulation,  their  prejudices  against  the  authority 
of  this  well-authenticated  book  of  the  Sacred 
Canon.  And  it  is  to  be  wished,  that  the  trans- 
lators from  the  German  language  would  favour 
us  with  the  most  distinguished  answers  of  the 
(jerman  writers  to  these  objections;  with  those  of 

Chancellor 


141 

Chancellor  Reuss  and  Dr.  Storr;  whicli  would 
proi)ably  enable  us  to  settle  this  importa  ^.t  ques- 
tion, of  the  authenticity^  of  the  Apoca'yp'^c,  \yith 
increased  satisfaction. 


END    OF    THE    rosTSCJlIPT. 


I 


CONTENTS 


OF    THE 


NOTES. 


PART  I.,  divided  into  ten  Sections,  contains  d  mr  i.  e. 
the  then  present  State  of  the  Christian  Churches 
in  Asia,  as  known  by  their  Omnipresent  Lord. — 
Chapters  i.  ii.  &  iii. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  i.  1—4. The  Title  of  the  Book      -     -         3 

Sect.  II.  Ch.  i.  4 — 9- Tbe  Address  or  Salutation, 

and  the  Doxology  prefixed  to  the  Epistle  -  -  -  -  8 
Sect.  III.  Ch.  i.  9 — to  the  end. The  Appearance  of 

the  Lord  Jesus  with  the  Symbols  of  his  Power  ;  and 

the  Commission  given  by  him  to  Saint  John,  to  write 

what  lie  beholds  ---_---.----  21 
Sect.  IV.  Ch.  ii.  1 — 8.  ——The  Address  to  the  Church 

in  Ephesiis      -------------       38 

Sect.  V.  Ch.  ii.  8—12. The  Address  to  the  Church 

in  Smyrna      -----------^-       54 

Sect.  VI.  Ch.  ii.  15—18. The  Address  to  the  Church 

in  Pergamos         -»--------,_       Qo 

Sect.  Vlf.  Ch.  ii.  18— to  the  end.  • The  Address   to 

the  Church  in  Thyatira  ----.---^  69 
Sect.  VIII.  Ch.  iii.  1—7. The  Address  to  the  Church 

in  Sardis   --------------       73 

Sect.   IX.   Ch.  iii.   7—14. The  Address    to  the 

Church  in  Philadelphia     ---------       85 

Sect.  X.  Ch.  iii.  14 — to  the  end.  -- — The  Address  toi 

the  Church  in  Laodicea    ----,-^--      90 

PART 


(    ii     ) 

PART  11. ,  divided  into  nine  Sections,  contains  a  ge- 
neral prophetical  Sketch  of  d  fxeXXet  ysvea^ai^  fu- 
ture  Events,    under  the  six  first  Seals. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Chap,  i^^ The  Representation  of  the  divine 

Glory  in  Heaven     -----_-----       95 

Sect.  11.  Ch.  V. The  sealed  Book,  the  Lamb  who 

opens  it,  and  the  Praises  sung  by  the  heavenly  Choir     115 

Sect.  III.  Ch.  vi.  1—3- The  opening  of  the  first 

Seal      -     -     -     - 127 

.    Sect.  IV.  Ch.  vi.  3 — 5. The  opening  of  the  second 

Seal    -     -     - 1S5 

Sect.  V.  Ch.  vi.  5— 7. TTie  opening  of  the   third 

Seal 142 

Sect.  VI.  Ch.  vi.  7—9. The  opening  of  the  fourth 

Seal 151 

Sect.  VIL  Ch.  vi.  9 — 12. The  opening  of  the  fifth 

Seal -"..--     164 

Sect.  VIII.  Ch.  vi.  14 — to  the  end. The  opening  of 

the  sixth  Seal      ---- 168 

Sect.  IX.  Chap.  vii. TheSeahng  of  the  144,000,  and 

the  Presentation  of  the  palm-bearing  multitude  be- 
fore the  Throne       -_-----•--_     175 

PART  III.,  divided  into  seven  Sections,  contains  the 
opening  of  the  seventh  Seal,  and  the  six  first 
Trumpets,  and  the  Prophetic  Commission  to  Saint 
John. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  viii.  1 — 6, The  opening  of  the  seventh 

Seal,  and    the   Commission  to  the  Angels  with   the 
seven  Trumpets  ------------     igs 

Sect.  II.  Ch.  viii.  6—13. The  four  first  Trumpets   -    205 

Sect.  III.  Ch.  viii.  13. The    Denunciation    of  the 

three  Woes     ---------__..     003 

Sect.lV.  Ch.ix.  1-<13.~ — The    fifth    Trumpet  and 

first  Woe 226 

Sect. 


PAGE 
Sect.  V.  Ch.  ix.  13— to  the  end. The  sixth  Trum- 
pet and  the  second  Woe     ---------     250, 

Sect,  VI.  Chap.  X. The  little  Book 274 

Sect.  VII.  Ch.  xi.  1—16. The  Measuiing  of  the 

Temple,  and  the  Witnesses     --------    283 

PART  IV,,  divided  into  four  Sections,  contains  the 
sounding  of  the  seventh  Trumpet,  the  Dragon, 
and  two  Wild-Beasts. 

FAGS 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  xi.  15 — to  the  end. The  sounding  of 

the  seventh  Trumpet     ----------     304 

Sect.  Il.Ch.xii.  1 — 17.^— The\Voman  and  the  Dragon,  309 

Sect.  III.  Ch.  xii.    18.   xiii.  1— 11. The  wild-beast 

from  the  Sea  -------------     307 

Sect.  IV.  Ch,  xiii,  1 1— to  the  end. ^The  Wild-Beast 

from  the  Land,  or  false  Prophet  -------     347 

PART  v.,  divided'  into  six  Sections,  contains  the 
Lamb  on  Mount  Sion,  and  the  Proclamations 
or  Warnino's. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  xiv.  1—6. The  Lamb  on  Mount  Sion,  375 

Sect.  II.  Ch.  xiv.  6 — 8. The  first  Angel  proclaims,  379 

Sect.  III.  Ch.  xiv.  8. The  second  Angel  proclaims,  3S0 

Sect.  IV.  Ch.  xiv.  9— 13. -The    third    Angel   pro- 
claims       ----------_.._  331 

Sect,  V.  Ch.  xiv.  13. The  Blessedness  of  those  who 

die  in  the  Lord  proclaimed      -----___  334 

Sect.  VL.Ch,  xfv.  14— to  the  end. The  Vision  of 

ihe  Harvest  and  VLniage     ---.^----  335 

PART  VI.,  divided  into  five  Sections,  contains  the 
seven  Vials,  and  the  Episode  of  the  Harlot  of 
Babylon,  and  her  Fall. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Chap.  xv.  xvi.  1. The  Vision  preparatory 

to  the  seven  Viuls      --- --     339 

Sect. 


(    iv     ) 

PAGE 

Sect.  11.  Ch.  xvi.  2— to  the  end. The  seven  Vials,       394 

Sect.  HI.  Chap.  xvii. The  great  Harlot,  or  Babylon,    414 

Sect.  IV.  Chap,  xviii. The  Judgment  of  Babylon, 

continued  --------------    44Q 

Sect.  V.  Ch.  xix.  1 — 11. Exultation    in    Heaven 

over  the  fallen  Babylon,  and  upon  the  Approach  of 

the  New  Jerusalem       ------.>---    453 

PART  VII.,  divided  into  seven  Sections,  contains  the 
grand  Conflict,  the  Millennium,  the  Conflict 
renewed,  the  Judgment,  and  the  new  Crea- 
tion. 

FAG* 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  xix.  11— -19. The  Lord  appears  with 

his  Followers  for  Battle  and  Victory  ------     459 

Sect.  II.  Ch.  xix.  19 — to  the  end. -The  Conflict, 

and  Victory  over  the  Beast  and  false  Prophet  ,  -    462 

Sect.  III.  Ch.  XX.  1 — 4. The  Dragon   taken   and 

confined     --------------     46a 

Sect.  IV.  Ch,  XX.  4—7. The  Millennium     -     -     -    4(}T 

Sect.  V.  Ch.  XX.  7 — 11' Satan  loosed,  deceiveth  the 

Nations,  and  is  cast  into  the  burning  Lake      -    -     -     47I 

Sect.  VI.  Ch.  XX.  11— to  the  end. The  Judgment,     473 

Sect.  VII.  Ch.  xxi.  1— 9 The  new  Creation   -    -    476 

PART  VIII.,  in  two  Sections,  contains  the  Bride,  or 
New  Jerusalem,  and  the  Conclusion. 

PAGE 

Sect.  I.  Ch.  xxi.  9— to  the  end;  xxii.  1—6. The 

Bride,  or  New  Jerusalem   - 482 

Sect.  II.  Ch.  xxii,  6— to  the  end. The  Conclusion,    492 


TrtE 


APOCALYPSE, 

OR, 

revelation  of  saint  john. 
With  notes,  critical  and  explanatory. 


%:^^  THE  GREEK  OF  THE  APOCALYPSE  IS  PRINTED  FROM  THE 
TEXT  OF  GRIESBACH'S  EDITION  j  REASONS  FOR  WHICH  HAVE 
:BEEN  ASSIGNED  IN  THE  INTRODUCTION.  IN  THE  SECOND 
COLUMN    IS    THE    NEW    TRANSLATION.      THE     THIRD     CON- 

,  TAINS  THE  AUTHORIZED  VERSION,  PRINTED  FROM  OUR 
ENGLISH  BIBLE. 


THE 

A  P  O  C  A  L  Y  P  S  E,  .  &c, 


AnOKAATtIS  '!»)- 

roTs  ^iXois  avTH  a 
oti    ysviaoxt  Iv  rdi- 

CCTIO'^ilKXS     oix     Ttf 

o-.^eAa     ayra      tw 

2  "O^  l^Jua^lv^vitTZ  Tov 
Ao'yoy  Ta~  0£a,  x^ 
Ti^v  (Accfl-j^ixv  'l>3«r« 
Xf/fa,      &<r«   *I^«. 

HWSUVy      7C,       01      01- 

xisovlfs    Tbs    KoyBs 

rVS  'uJ^OtpvjTStXSj    K, 

T'^pums  ra,  h  avTri 
xxi^os  Ifytrs* 


PART    I. 

SECTION     I, 
The  Title  of  the  Book 

CHAP.    i.  VER.    1 — 3. 

1  The  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christy  which  God 
gave     unto     him. 


unto  him,  to 
shew  unto  his  ser- 
vants things  which  must 
corjQe  to  pass  in  a  short 
time ;  and  he  signifi- 
ed them,  sending  by 
his  angel  unto  his  ser- 

2  vant  John  ;  Who  bare 
record  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  of  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ, 
according  to  whatso- 
ever   things     he    saw. 

3  Blessed  is  he  who 
readeth,  and  they  who 
hear  the  words  of  the 
prophecy,  and  who 
keep  the  things  which 
are  written  therein ; 
for  the  time  is  near. 


1  The  Revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  which  God 
gave     unto    him,     to 

shew  unto  his  servants 
things  which  must 
shortly  come  to  pass; 
and  he  sent  and  signi- 
fied it  by  his  angel  un- 
to  his   servant  John: 

2  Who  bare  record  of 
the  word  of  God,  and 
of  the  testimony  of 
Jesus  Christ,  a;id  of 
all  things  that  he  saw, 

3  Blessed  is  he  that 
readeth,  and  they  that 
hear  the  words  of  this 
prophesy,  and  keep 
those  words  which  are 
written  therein :  for 
the  time  is  at  hand. 


SOME  of  the  commentators  have  entirely  disregard- 
ed, and  some  have  but  slightly  noticed,  the  three 
first  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse.  Upon  these  I  have 
been  induced  to  bestow  a  more  than  ordinary  atten- 

L  2  tion. 


4  Af  OCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  1. 

tion.  They  are  replete  with  the  same  figurative  lan- 
guage and  symbols  which  pervade  the  whole  book. 
And  therefore  it  appeared  to  me  a  desirable  object  to 
ascertain  the  meaning  of  them,  and  to  make  the 
notes  to  these  three  chapters  the  basis  of  the  inter- 
pretation, which  is  to  be  applied  to  the  rest.  And  as 
these  notes  are  constantly  referred  to  in  the  pro- 
gress of  the  work,  the  reader,  it  is  hoped,  will  pro- 
ceed patiently  through  this  part,  as  being  useful,  and 
indeed  essential,  to  the  explication  of  the  more  in- 
teresting visions  which  follow. 

This  part  of  the  annotations  extends  to  a  greater 
length  than  otherwise  might  be  necessary  ;  because 
the  author,  for  his  own  satisfaction,  was  desirous  to 
ascertain,  how  far  the  doctrines,  images,  sentiments, 
and  language  of  the  Apocalypse,  are  concordant  with 
those  of  other  Sacred  Scriptures :  and  since  Micliaelis 
has  founded  his  objections  to  the  Apocalypse  partly  on 
this  subject  of  inquiry,  it  seems  proper  to  produce 
collections  of  this  kind  before  the  public. 

THE  three  first  verses,  which  compose  this  section, 
contain  the  title  of  the  book.  It  is  no  necessary  part , 
of  it.  For  the  book  is  written  in  an  epistolary  form, 
and  at  the  fourth  verse  begins  with  that  form,  as  coni- 
monly  used  by  the  sacred  writers;  **  John  to  the 
**  seven  Churches,  &c.'*  And  such  a  title,  announcing 
the  contents  of  the  book,  may  have  been  added  after 
the  times  of  Saint  John,  and  by  transcription  may 
have  passed  into  the  text"^.     But  there  is  no  reason  to 

*  As  certain  additions,  or  subscriptions,  at  the  end  of  many  of 
the  sacred  epistles,  are  known  to  have  done.  See  Michaelis's  Intro- 
duct,  to  the  N.  T.  ch.  vii.  sect.  10.  xi.  sect.  I.  Also  Paley's  Horas 
Paulinse,  ch.  xv. 

suppose 


Ch.  i.  1 — S.]  APOCALYPSE.  5 

suppose  that  in  the  instance  before  us,  such  has  been 
the  case.  For  nearly  the  whole  of  this  title  is  founil 
quoted  by  the  ancient  Fathers,  by  Dionysius  of  Alex- 
andria, and  by  Origen*.  Add  to  this,  that  the 
greater  part  of  it  is  to  be  found,  expressed  in  the 
same  \v%ords,  in  the  body  of  the  workf.  It  is  there- 
fore of  similar  authority.  And  the  subsequent  notes 
will  shew,  that  the  expressions  contained  in  it  are 
concordant  in  their  meaning  and  doctrine  with  other 
passages  of  sacred  Scripture. 

Ver.  1.  The  Revelation.']  We  have  many  revelar 
tions  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  delivered  to  his 
servant  John,  is  one  of  them.  Not  only  on  this  ac- 
count, but  because  the  prepositive  article  is  omitted 
in  the  Greek,  it  may  seem  most  proper  to  express  the 
word  UTTornXv^iQ  by  *^  a  revelation,"  and  not  *'  the 
/'  revelation,''  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  make  this 
alteration.  For,  by  long  usage  and  acceptance  in 
the  Christian  Church,  it  is  now  accounted  the  Reve- 
lation. 

lb.  Which  God  gave  luito  him.']  The  scheme  of 
the  Christian  revelation  is  mediatorial  throu2:hout. 
God  giveth  to  the  Son  J,  dispensing  knowledge  and 
favour  through  him. 

lb.  JVhich  7?iust  come  to  pass  in  a  short  time.]  The 
same  expression  is  seen  to  recur  at  the  close  of  the 
book  §  ;  and  we  may  collect  from  it,  that  the  events 
foretold  in  this  prophecy  begin  to  be  fulfilled  even 
from  the  time  of  its  delivery,  and  are  to  follow  in  a 
rapid   succession   until  the   final  consummation.     In 

*  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  vii.  c.  25.  t  See  ch.  xxii.  6,  7. 

I  John  lij.  ^5,  V.  19,  27.  viii.  28,  3S.  xii.   15.    xiv.  6,   10,   Phil. 

ii.p. 
§  Ch,  xxiir  6, 

*  Daniel, 


6  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  I.    §   1. 

Daniel,  ch.  ii.  28,  29,  45,  we  have  the  same  words, 
«  ^£1  ye-jea^cit :  there  they  are  coupled  with  f/  fs-^arccv 
Tca-j  i^pif^wv :  the  events  \vere  to  take  place  in  the 
latter  days;  but  these  latter  days  are  said  by  Saint 
John,  to  have  commenced  in  his  time,  that  is,  at  the 
close  of  the  apostolic  age,  and  to  be  the  ajitkhr^istian 
days  *.  Thus  we  learn  that  the  antichristian  times, 
revealed  to  the  prophet  Daniel,  are  the  same  which 
are  now  to  be  disclosed  in  the  Apocalypse. 

lb.  Signified  them.'\  Etrvn^avEVj  expressed  them  by 
(7'/,lx£i£i  signs  significative,  for  a^iJ^siov  has  precisely  this 
meaning  inch.  xii.  1.  f 

lb.  Unto  his  servant  John.]  John  the  Evangelist, 
one  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  as  will  appear  from  the 
Dissertation  preceding  these  notes. 

Ver.  2.  fVho  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,    &c.] 
This  may  be  understood  to  allude  to  the  former  testi- 
mony of  St.  John,  which  he  had  delivered  in  his  Gospel, 
or  to   the  testimony  which  he  had  just  now  recorded 
•of  the  visions  seen  by  him  in  Patmos  ;   or  to  both. 

Ver.  3.  Blessed  is  he  who  readeth,  &c.]  The  same 
kind  of  blessing  is  pronounced  in  Matt.  xiii.  \6,  Luke 
xi.  28,  2  Pet.  i,  19,  on  those  who  cultivate  spiritual 
knowledge,  who  attend  with  faith  to  the  light  of 
*' Prophecy,  shining  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day 
''dawn,"  &c.  But  to  knowledge  must  be  added 
practice;  "  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye 
*'  if  ye  do  them:}:."  The  word  tv^^ew  is  used  in  this 
sense  more   frequently   by  Saint   John,    than  by  any 

*  1   Job.  i5.  18. 

+  See,  says   Daubuz,  Jamblic.  de  Myst.  lEg.  sect.  iii.  c.  15.  where 
cm(A.xi-iui  is  used  in  the  very  same  signification. 
X  Joh.  xiii.  17. 

othcv 


Ch.  i.  1 — 3-]  APOCALYPSE.  7 

other  sacred  wilter.  And  it  is  with  great  propriety 
appHed  to  this  book  of  prophecy,  in  which  much 
practical  exhortation  is  interspersed  ;  more  especially 
in  the  three  first  chapters. 

lb.  For  the  time  is  near.]  The  time  which  is 
here  announced  as  fast  approaching,  seems  to  be  that, 
wherein  the  Son  of  God,  having  obtained  the" victory 
over  those  powers  who  oppose  the  progress  of  his 
power,  shall  pass  final  sentence  upon  all;  when  *"  he 
''Cometh  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,"  as  represented 
in  the  seventh  verse  of  this  chapter. 

By  comparing  Deut.  xxxii.  3,  5.  Is.  xiii.  6,  Joel 
ii.  1,  15.  Phil.  iv.  5.  1  Pet.  iv.  7,  we  shall  perceive 
that  it  is  usual  with  the  Divine  Spirit  to  announce 
this  great  day  as  near,  when  yet  at  considerable  dis- 
tance, measured  by  years,  and  applied  to  successive 
ages.  The  reason  of  which  may  be,  that  this  great 
day  is  always  near  to  every  individual;  who,  at  the 
time  of  his  departure  from  this  w^orld,  will  have  made 
up  his  account.  And  the  warning  is  here  applied  to 
individuals,  for  such  are  addressed  in  the  beginning 
of  the  verse.  It  has  been  observed  also,  that,  in  the 
Scriptures,  we  are  never  exhorted  to  prepare  for  death, 
l)^t  always/or  the  coming  of  the  Lord. 


PART 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  I.  §  §. 


PART    I. 


s  i;  c  T  I  o  N    ir. 


The  Addre&s,  or  Salutation^   and  the  Doxology, 


luicXifirixis   rscTs  Iv 

tfuv  3^  upvvy)  ci'JTO 
0  uv,   x^  0  rtv,   K/  0 

Tiov,  cL  [IrivJ  hu)- 
nriov  T«  v^ovs  avTH' 

5  Kaia7ro'ln<75Xp<o-- 
ra,  0  fjA^vs  0  -zD'/fof, 
o  zy^ojloroxf^  [Ik] 

p^iiv  rajv  ^xa-tXiuv 
Tvts  yins'    T.y  uyx- 

cavu  vj/x-aj  o-Tro  ruv 

rat     aifjiXTt    avTd, 

6  Kxi  sTToiTiaiv  ri[jLas 
(SxaiXiiav  U^bTs  tZ 

avrZ  Ti  6o|flc  kxi  to 
itpuros  els  Tiss  cc'iuivxs 
ruv  atuiuvf    u/jlvv. 

7  Ion,  i§X'^.xt  (xsrx 
rZv  npsXuiv,  aai 
ovJ/E/a/  avTov  zjois 
o^aXy2s,  yy  o'lrms 
avTov  t^Enivlna-av' 
7y  xoi^oyrxt  sfr*  av- 
rrov  z^oiaxi  at  ipvXxl 
rris  y^s*  vx\j  acij.r,v. 


CHAP.   i.    VER.    4 — 8. 

4-  John  to  the  seven 
Churches  which  are  in 
Asia.  Grace  be  unto 
you,  and  peace,  from 
Him  which  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which 
is  to  come  ;  and  from 
the  seven  spirits  which 
are  before  his  Throne  ; 

5  And  from  Jesus  Christ, 
the  faithful  witness, 
the  firstrborn  of  the 
dead,  and  the  ruler  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth. 
Unto  Him  who  loveth 
us,  and  hath  washed 
us  from  our  sins  in  his 

6  blood,  And  hath  made 
us  a  kingdom ;  hath 
made  us  priests,  unto 
God  even  his  Father ; 
to  him  be  the  glory 
and  the  dominion  for 
ever  and  ever.   Amen. 

7  Behold,  he  cometh 
w^ith  the  clouds,  and 
every  eye  shall  see  him. 
and  all  they  who  have 
pierced  him ;  and  all 
the  Tribes  of  the  earth 
shall  wail  because  of 
him  ;  even   so,  amen. 

8  I  am  the  Alpha  and 


4  John  to  the  seven 
churches  which  are  in 
Asia:  Grace  be  unto 
you,  and  peace,  from 
Him  which  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which 
is  to  come;  and  from 
the  seven  spirits  which 
are  before  his  throne; 

5  And  from  Jesus  Christ, 
•who  is  the  faithful  wit- 
ness, and  the  first-be- 
gotten of  the  dead, 
and  the  prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth ; 
Unto  Him  that  loved 
us,  and  washed  us 
from  our  sins  in  his 

6  own  blood,  And  hath 
made  us  kings  and 
priests  unto  God  and 
his  Father;  to  him  be 
glory  ^nd  dominion  for 
ever  and  ever.   Amen, 

7  Behold,  he  cometh 
with  clouds ;  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and 
they  also  which  pierced 
him  :  and  all  kindreds 
of  the  earth  shall  wail 
because  of  him :  even 

8  so.  Amen.  I  am  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  be- 


Ch.  i.  4—8.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


8    Eyu  iifjt.1  TO  A  >^  TO 
fi,    XiyH  Kv^ios  0 


the  Omega,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  which  is, 
and  which  was,  and 
which  is  to  come,  the 
Almighty. 


ginning  and  the  end- 
ing, saith  the  Lord, 
which  is,  and  which 
was,  and  which  is  to 
come,  the  Almighty. 


Ver.  4.  To  the  seven  Churches  which  are  in  Asia.]  This 
book,  being  written  in  an  epistolary  form,  begins,  like 
other  Apostolic  Epistles,  with  a  Salutation,  followed  by 
a  Doxology.  It  is  addressed  to  the  seven  Churches, 
"vvdiich  are  afterwards  mentioned  by  name.  They  were 
situated  in  the  proconsular  province  properly  called 
Asia,  which,  at  the  time  when  the  Apocalypse  was 
Avritten,  is  reported  by  historians  to  have  contained  five 
hundred  great  cities.  Of  these,  Ephesus,  Smynia,  and 
Pergamos,  (being  three  of  our  seven,)  long  contested 
for  the  pre-eminence.  And  when  a  Heathen  Temple 
was  to  be  erected  in  this  province,  in  honour  of  the 
Emperor  Tiberius,  and  of  the  Roman  Senate,  eleven 
Cities  contended  for  the  possession  of  this  Temple: 
and,  among  these,  were  five  of  the  seven ;  for  Sardis 
also  and  Laodicea  entered  the  hsts  on  this  occasion  *. 
They  were  certainly  therefore  cities  of  great  account. 
The  order  in  which  they  are  here  named  is  that  pro- 
bably in  M'hich  they  were  visited  by  the  Apostle  Saint 
John,  who,  both  before  and  after  his  banishment  to 
Patmos,  superintended  them  all,  residing  principally 
at  Ephesus  f.  It  is  the  order  also  in  which  epistles 
written  by  Saint  John  fiom  Patmos  would  be  most 

*  Tacit.  Annal.  iv.  55.  Gibbon's  Hist.  i.  60.  Inscriptiqns  upon 
medals  still  extant,  and  relating  to  this  contest,  may  be  seen  in  a  note 
of  Michaelis  to  sect.  i.  of  the  20th  chapter  of  his  Introduction  to  the 
N,  T. 

f  Euseb,  r.ccl  Hist.  hb.  iii.  c.  20. 

conveniently 


]0  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   I.   §  2. 

conveniently  distributed  through  the  Churches,  by  a 
messenger  making  a  circuit  of  about  three  or  four 
hundred  miles,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  most  correct 
maps. 

These  Churches  of  Asia  continued  their  bond  of 
Christian  connection,  long  after  the  time  when  they 
were  thus  addressed  by  Saint  John.  For  it  appears, 
that  when  toward  the  close  of  the  second  century  the 
contest  about  the  time  of  keeping  Easter  grew  warm 
between  the  eastern  and  w^estern  parts  of  Christendom, 
Poly  crates,  who  engaged  in  that  controversy,  '^  pre- 
*' sided  over  the  Bishops  of  Asia*,''  And  the  famous 
Epistle  from  the  Gallic  Churches,  written  somewhat 
earlier,  is  addressed  to  the  Churches  of  Asia  and  Fhry- 
gia.  Nou'  Phrygia  lay  contiguous  to  the  province  of 
Asia,  of  which  it  was  sometimes  accounted  a  part; 
and  Laodicca,  one  of  the  s^ven  Churches,  was  the 
capital  of  Phrygia  |. 

The  number  of  Churches  to  which  the  Epistle  is 
addressed,  is  seven :  the  same  number  which  we  shall 
find  frequently  employed  in  this  sacred  book.  For 
wc  read  in  \to^  seven  spirits  of  God,  seven  angels,  seven 
thunders,  seven  seals,  seven  trumpets,  seveii  vials,  se^'e7i 
heads  of  the  D-ragon,  of  the  Beast,  &c.  In  which 
passages,  as  in  others  of  holy  Scripture,  the  number 
seven  appears  to  represent  a  large  and  complete,  yet 
uncertain  and  undefined  number.  Hannah,  in  her 
song,  says,  '*  The  barren  hath  borne  seven,''  (that  is, 
a  great  and  indefinite  number  of)  children  J.  God 
threatens  the  Israelites  tliat  he  will  punish  them 
*'  seven  times;"  that  is,  very  completely  and  severely, 

*  Eusebius,  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  v.  c.  24. 
t  Ibid.  lib.  V.  c.  1. 
+  1  Sam.  ii.  5. 

Nume-^ 


Ch.  I.  4—8.]  APOCALYPSE.  11 

Numerous  are  the  instances  in  Scripture  of  such  use  of 
this  number*.  In  its  Hebrew  etymology  it  signifies 
fuhiess  and  perfection  f.  Philo  styles  it  rsXscr^po^og,  the 
completing  number ;  and  it  is  mentioned  as  such  by 
Cyprian,  who  cites  passages  from  the  Apocalypse  and 
other  Scriptures,  to  shew  the  consiimmatio  perfecta  et 
legitima  of  this  number :[:.  By  what  means  this  number 
became  so  important  to  the  Israelites,  so  representative 
of  completion  and  universality,  may  be  collected  from 
their  history.  God  had  revealed  to  them,  that  his  own 
great  work  of  creation  had  been  completed  in  seven 
days;  and  in  memory  thereof  he  commanded  them  to 
reckon  time  by  sevens,  seven  days  to  the  sabbath  day, 
seven  months  to  the  sabbatical  month,  seven  years  to 
the  sabbatical  year,  seven  times  seven  years  to  the  great 
sabbatical  or  jubilee  year.  And  when,  upon  their  en- 
trance into  Canaan,  it  pleased  God  miraculously  to 
deliver  the  city  of  Jericho  into  their  hands,  he  ordered 
them  to  march  round  it  seveji  days,  seven  priests,  with 
seven  trumpets,  preceding  them :  and  on  the  seventh 
day,  on  which  the  walls  fell,  they  were  instructed  to 
encompass  it  seven  times  §.  As  therefore  the  number 
ten  came  to  be  reckoned  among  all  nations  a  perfect 
and  complete  number,  by  counting  on  the  ten  fingers 

*  See  Gen.  ii.  3,  iv.  15.  xxxiii.  3.  Lev.  iv.  6.  Prov.  xxiv.  1^, 
xxvi.  25.  Is.  XXX.  26.  Ezek.  xxx.  9.  1  Kings  xviii.  43.  2  Kings  v.  10. 
Job  V.  19,  xlii.  8.  Mic.  v.  5.  Estli.  i.  11.  Eccl.  xi.  2.  Dan.  iii.  19. 
2  Esd.  ii.  IS,  19.  Tob.  xii.  15.   Mat.  xviii.  22.  Luke  xi.  36,  xvii.  4. 

t  Daubuz,  Etymol.  Diet. 

X  See  also  Cyprian.  De  Exhort.  Martyr.  De  Spiritu  Sancto.  Test. 
ecjv.  Judaeos;  and  Augustin.  de  Civitate  Dei,  lib.  xi.  cap.  30, 

§  Gregory  Nazianzene,  alluding  to  this  transaction,  calls  seven  the 
pOXVerjul  number.  'HXios  /fa/^jvor,  Kxt  a-iKvvn  iucny^ofAivriy  xa/  lo^^avris  avxy.oTrTO' 
/xEvoy,  rtf^  yLocTxatiOfxtvx    n^suv  'Ob^io^^  xiZi  aaXTTivrwi  v^^u-j  tint   a§i9/xu  ^vyit/Air 

fX"^vTi»     Orat.  iii.  p.  57 f  edit.  Pans. 

of 


12  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.   §  C, 

of  man;  so  did  the  number  seven,  with  those  nations 
who  preserved  the  memorials  of  divine  revelation ;  and 
these  two  numbers,  seven  and  ten,  multiplied  together, 
are  accordingly  used  to  express  the  utmost  indefinite 
number.  ''  Not  only  until  seven  times,"  says  our 
Lord,  *' but  until  seventy  times  seven  *."  But  with 
the  Jews,  seven  became  the  most  important  numler, 
being  seen  to  enter  into  almost  all  their  institutions  f. 
In  the  eastern  nations,  less  given  to  change,  this  use 
of  the  number  seven  has  continued  more  prevalent  than 
with  us.  The  Arabians  and  Indians,  between  whicli 
nations  was  a  great  conformity  of  religious  customs, 
had  seven  celebrated  temples,  and  believed  in  seven 
heavens,  and  seven  compartments  of  hell:j:.  And  in 
modern  India  we  still  find  this  maxim  in  common  use : 
*''  A  man's  own  mind  will  tell  him  more  than  seven 
'*  sages  that  sit  on  an  high  tower  §."  It  was  through 
the  nations  of  the  east  that  the  reverence  for  this 
number  passed  to  the  Greeks  and  Romans  ||.   According 

*  Matt,  xviii.  22. 

■j-  They  had  seven  lessons,  seven  readers ;  seventy  (that  is,  ten  times 
seven)  composed  their  supreme  council ;  which  Josephus  afterwards 
imitating,  appointed  seventy  elders  in  Galilee,  and  seven  judges  in 
icvery  city.  (Bell.  Jud.  xx.  5.)  And,  for  the  same  reason,  in  the  Roman 
Church,  the  number  of  Cardinal  Bishops  (the  word  Cardinal  implying 
completion),  was  originally  fixed  at  seven;  so  continuing  until  the  reign 
of  Pope  xVlexander  III.  And  the  ecclesiastics  of  the  Church  of  Rome 
w€re  aware  of  this  use  and  pre-eminence  of  the  number  seven,  even  so 
late  as  in  the  l6th  century;  for,  in  154-7)  at  the  Council  of  Trent, 
they  defended  the  doctrine  of  seven  sacraments,  amongst  other  argu-)- 
liients,  by  that  of  the  universality  and  superior  digmti/  of  the  nunAer 
seven.    (Padre  Paolo,  lib.  ii.) 

X  Sale's  Koran,  Prelim.  Disc. 

§  Tracts  on  Hastings's  Trial. 

II  Spencer,  de  Leg.  Heb.  lib.  i.  Varro  on  Weeks,  in.  A.  GelUu9,lib,  Ui, 
p.  IQ.  Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  \^, 

to 


Ch.  i.  4—8.1  APOCALYPSE.  13 

to  Pythagoras,  who  had  studied  in  Egypt,  in  Phoenicia, 
and  at  Babylon,  it  is  a  number  venerable,  perfect,  and 
accommodated  to  things  sacred^.  And  here  it  may 
be  observed,  that  it  is  not  from  any  casual  or  arbitrary 
notion,  that  the  number  seven  has  been  thus  dignified. 
It  is  entitled  to  this  distinction,  from  the  natural  order 
of  things,  which  God  was  pleased  to  establish  at  the  crea- 
tion. A  day  is  a  natural  measure  of  time,  and,  multiplied 
by  seven,  forms  that  period  of  a  week  w^hich  most  con- 
veniently multiplies  again,  so  as  to  form  months  and 
years.  J.  Scaliger  has  observed  f,  **  that  the  number 
**  seven  is  of  all  others  the  most  fit  to  measure  the 
**  courses  of  the  sun  and  moon."  Add  to  this,  that 
a  week,  or  seven  days,  appears  to  be  a  complete  period, 
by  other  laws  and  provisions  of  Providence;  since 
it  will  be  found  to  measure,  by  its  repetitious,    more 

*  Brucker,  Hist.  Phil.  Crit,  i.  1055.  Jarablichus  de  Vit.  Pythag.-— 
Grotius  has  produced  proofs  from  Josephus,  Philo,  Tibullus,  Homer, 
Hesiod,  Caliimachus,  and  Luciaii,  of  an  observance  of  a  seventh  day 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  or  of  a  reverence  of  the  number  seven  ; 
and  from  Philostratus,  Dion  Cassias,  and  Herodotus,  of  the  account  of 
time  being  numbered  by  weeks  among  the  Egyptians,  Indians,  and  the 
northern  nations  of  Europe.  M.  Varro  (as  reported  in  Aulus  Gellius, 
lib.  iii,  c.  10.)  has  produced  some  coincidences  of  the  complete  nature 
of  this  number,  which  shew  at  least  that  this  notion  of  the  number 
seven  had  passed  to  the  Romans. 

'Ha/oooy  w.£V  Jl*;  -crff*  aJJrjf  XsyUf 

Tlpuros  jv»3,  rsT^acs  te,  xa<  iQo/xoy  U^ov  m«p. 
Ka<  0/*»j^or, 

'E^o^a^ij  S'  fiirtiru  xaT»jXu0£v  U^ov  ig^a^* 
Na/  /u,>3y  xxi  ¥i.KXKty(.ocyps  o  'usomrris  y^acipsif 

*EC^ofA,2c^7)  §£  er)y,  X.XI  0/  inrvKTo  wrrxvrx, 

Euseb.  Praep.  Evang.  lib.  xiii.  c.  13. 
Additional  citations,  fully  confirming  this,  may  be   seen  in  Briant's 
Analogy,  vol.  i.  p.  382  j  and  in  Faber's  Horse  Mosaicae,  vol.  i.  p.  344. 

t  "  Septenarium  numerum  accomraodatissimum  esse  solis  et  lunae 
'"  rationibus."   Canon.  Isag.  95. 

exactly 


14  Al»OCAt-YPSE.  [PtI.   §^. 

exactly  tlian  ally  other  number,  the  natural  periods  of 
gestation  in  animals,  and  of  incubation  in  birds;  which 
will  easily  be  acknowledged  in  the   instances  of  do- 
mestic  fowls ;    some    brooding  on    their    eggs    three 
times  seven  days,   some  four  times  seven.     The  mea- 
sure of  time  by  weeks,  or  by  the  intervention  of  the 
number  seven,  is  therefore  not  altogether  arbitrary ;   it 
has  a  foundation  in  the  nature  of  things ;   and  the  dis- 
covery of  this  circumstance  is  a  proof  that  the  great 
Being  who  created  the  world  in  six  days,  and  contem^ 
plated  its  perfection  on  the  seventh,  and,  after  this  rule, 
established  the  number  seven  for  the  measure  of  time, 
acted  in  this  circumstance  with  that  providential  order 
and  harmony  which  characterize  the  rest  of  his  works. 
Add  to  this,  that  when  we  find  the  first  inhabitants  of 
the  globe  in  the  practice  of  measuring  time  by  this  so 
perfect  a  number,  which  they  could  not  have  obtained 
by  science,  we  must  conclude  that  it  was  given  to  them 
by  revelation. 

These  observations  will  open  the  way  for  the  right 
apprehension  of  the  sense  in  which  the  number  seven  is 
used  by  the  prophetic  writers.  It  is  used  to  express 
any  large,  complete,  indefinite  number.  By  the  seven 
Churches  of  Asia,  are  implied  all  the  Churches  of  Asia, 
and,  it  may  be,  all  the  Christian  Churches  in  whatever 
situation  or  period  of  the  world  *.  St.  Paul,  speaking 
of  the  events  which  happened  to  the  people  of  God  in 
the  Wilderness,  says,  ''  Now  these  things  were  our 
*'  examples;"  they  were,  as  the  original  implies,  Tuto/, 
types,  or  prophetical  representations,  *'  written  for  our 

*  It  was  understood  in  this  extensive  signification  by  the  com" 
mentators  nearest  to  the  times  of  St.  John,  as  reported  by  Andreas  Cae- 
sariensis.  To  f^vcfliKov  ruv  acTTavrai^ji  sKuXyio-iuv  ct,ij.xivuv»  Comment,  in 
loc. 

*'  ad  mo- 


Cll.  i.  4 — 8.]  APOCALYPSfi,  tS 

*'  admonition  *."  The  Jewish  Church  being  removed, 
the  Christian  Church  stands  in  its  place,  and  is  to 
apply  to  herself  the  same  admonitions.  And  thus,  in 
the  present  instance,  the  seven  Churches  of  Asia  being 
sunk  in  Mahometan  superstition,  their  '*  lamp-bearer 
removed,"  all  the  Christian  Churches  inherit  the  advice 
given,  the  threatenings  denounced,  the  blessings  pro- 
mised by  their  divine  Lord. 

Ver.  4.  Grace  be  unto  you,  and  peace,  &c.]  The  Saluta- 
tion in  this  epistle  resembles  those  in  other  epistles  of  the 
New  Testament;  in  almost  all  of  which  the  inspired 
writer  intreats  "  grace  and  peace  from  God  the  Father, 
*' and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  But  the  Godhead  is 
here  described  with  some  additional  expressions,  not 
unscriptural,  but  presented  in  a  new  form,  being  such 
as  naturally  arose  in  the  mind  of  the  Apostle  from  tlie 
impression  of  the  vision  which  he  had  then  seen,  and  was 
proceeding  to  relate.  Full  of  the  images  lately  presented 
before  him,  he  recurs  to  them  even  in  this  his  intro- 
duction, and  instead  of  saying,  in  the  calm  expression 
which  otherwise  he  might  have  used,  ^'  Grace  from 
*'  God  the  Father,"  &c.  he  says,  *'  Grace  from  him 
*^  that  was,"  &c.  using  the  very  forms  of  speech  in 
which  he  had  heard  the  Divine  attributes  described  ia 
the  vision. 

The  description  of  God  the  Father,  occurs  under 
the  same  expression,  ch.  iv.  8,  from  which  place  it  is 
evidently  taken ;  and  is  consonant  to  the  great  I  AM 
of  Exod.  iii.  14.  The  description  of  God  the  Son  is 
in  like  manner  taken  from  the  vision.  He  calls  him- 
self f  *'  the  faithful  and  true  witness."  He  is  so  styled 
prophetically  by  Isaiah  J;  such  he  was  eminently  in 
the  last  scene  of  his  earthly  life,  when    **  before  Pilate 

»  1  Cor.  X.  6—11.  t  Ch.  iii.  14.  ;  Ch.  Iv.  4. 

*'he 


16  APOCALYI'SE.  [Pt.  L  §2, 

**  he  witnessed  a  good  confession*."  Our  Lord  calls 
himself  also  in  the  same  passage,  "  the  beginning  of 
*'  the  creation  of  God."  He  is  styled  by  Saint  Paulf, 
*'  the  first-born  of  every  creature,"  and  %  "  the  first 
"fruits  from  the  dead."  But  here  he  is  ^/.^o  intitled 
*'  The  Ruler  of  the  kings  of  the  earth."  But  such  is 
the  prophetic  character  of  the  Messiah  in  Scripture, 
and  such  he  is  eminently  shewn  to  be  in  the  sequel  of 
this  prophecy  §. 

But  in  this  salutation,  grace  and  peace  descend, 
by  the  prayers  of  the  pious  writer,  not  only  from 
God  the  Father  and  the  Son,  but  also  from  a  third 
Power  ;  *'  from  the  seven  spirits  which  are  before  the 
**  throne."  To  underftand  this  expression,  we  must 
refer  to  chap.  iv.  5.  where,  in  the  glorious  representa- 
tion of  the  Deity,  are  exhibited  '*  seven  lamps  of 
*'  fire  burning  before  him,  which  are  the  seven  spirits 
*^  of  God.'*  But  in  chapter  iii.  1.  God  the  Son  de- 
scribes himself  as  '^  having  the  seven  spirits  of  God;'' 
and  when  ||  he  appears  under  the  emblem  of  the  Lamb, 
he  is  described  as  having  '^  seven  eyes,  which  are  the 
''  seven  spirits  of  God,  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth." 
But  what  can  we  account  this  universal,  holy  Spirit  of 
God,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  to  be,  but 
that  which,  in  the  plainer  language  of  divine  Scrip- 
ture is  called  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  The  comment  of  Vene- 

*  1  Tim.  vi.  1.3.  tuv  xaXrjv  o^oXoyictv,  the  noble,  honourable,  excel- 
lent confession.  The  primitive  Christians,  who  suffered  martyrdom 
in  the  Gallic  churches,  considered  the  title  of  Martyr  as  appropriate 
to  their  Lord,  and  were  unwilling  to  take  it  to  themselves.  Euseb. 
Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  v.  c.  2. 

f  Col.  i.  15.  t  1  Cor.  XV.  23. 

§  Ch.  xviii.  U.  xix.  l6.  j|  Ch.  v.  6. 

rable 


Ch.  i.  4—8.]  APOCALYPSE.  17 

rable  Bede  on  this  passage  appears  forcible  and  just, 
*'  Unum  spiritum  dicit  septiformem,  quae  est  perfec- 
**  tlo  et  plenitudo*. 

So  that  this  sakitation,  divested  of  its  prophetical 
form,  and  of  that  imagery  which  had  been  derived 
to  it  from  the  scenery  of  the  vision,  will  be  found 
equivalent  to  the  epistolary  and  plainer  language  of 
Saint  Paul,  ''  The  Grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
*'and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the 
''  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you  f." 

But  why,  in  this  passage,   is  the  general  order  of 
Scripture  inverted  ?  Why  is  the  Holy  Spirit  m.entioned 
before  the  Son  ?  This  may  in  part  be  accounted  for, 
from  the  impression  remaining  upon  the  imagination 
of  the  writer,  after  he  had  seen  the  vision.     For  in 
chap.  iv.  5,   where  the  symbol  of  the  seven  spirits  was 
seen,   it  had  appeared  before  the  throne,    closely  con- 
nected  with  the   glory  of  the  Father,    and  previously 
to  the  entrance  of  the  Son,   under  the  emblem  of  the 
Lamb.     Another  reason  inay   be,    that  the  character 
and  description  of  the  Son  is  reserved  separately  for 
the  last,     there   to   be  longer  dwelt   upon;     because 
he   appears   throughout   the  vision   to  be   the   prime 
agent,    and  the  grand  object  of  the  whole  prophecy  ; 
he   who,    alone   of  the  persons  in  the   Godhead,   has 
taken  our  human  nature  upon  him,    and  visibly  fought 
our   battles  against   the  common  enemy.     He  is  de- 

*  *'  The  one  Holy  Spirit  is  here  described  as  sevenfold,   by  which  is 

*'  intimated  in    prophetic  language  fulness  and   perfection." The 

most    ancient  commentators,    as  reported  or    followed  by.  Andreas 
Caesariensis,    by  Arethas,  Primasius,  and  Victorinus,   understood   by 
the    seven  spirits   and   seven  lamps  of    fire    (ch.  iv.   5,)   the    Holy 
Spirit,  or  the  seven  Charismata  thereof,  mentioned  in  Isaiah  xi.  2. 
t  2  Cor.  ^iii.  13. 

M  scribed 


18  AtOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  2. 

scribed  to  us  here,  1ft,  As  in  his  suffering  state  ; 
when,  having  taken  the  lowly  form  of  a  servant,  by 
his  SLiiferings  he  bare  witness  to  the  truth,  ^'dly,  As 
the  first  fruits  from  the  grave*;  when,  triumphing 
over  sin  and  death,  he  obtained  the  victory  for  his 
faithful  followers.  3dly,  As  King  of  kingsf  ;  when, 
fulfilling  all  the  prophec^ies  which  predict  the  Messiah, 
he  shall  reduce  all.  nations  under  his  easy  yoke, 
utterly  subduing  all  worldly  tyranny  and  usurped  do- 
minion. The  two  first  of  these  offices  and  characters 
he  hath  already  fulfilled ;  the  first  during  his  earthly 
life,  the  second  at  his  resurrection  ;  the  last  remains 
to  be  completed  ;  and  is  peculiarly  the  subject  of  the 
prophecies  in  this  book;}:. 

Ver.  6.  The  Doxology,  or  Glorification,  which  in 
other  of  the  sacred  epistles  is  no  unusual  sequel  to  the 
Salutation,  comes  next  in  order ;  but  is  more  especial- 
ly addressed  to  the  Son,  as  the  grand  agent  in  the 
vision.  The  love  of  Christ  towards  mankind,  and  the 
ablution  of  their  sins  by  his  precious  blood,   are  topics 

celebrated  universally  in  the  New  Testament  ;^  but  no- 

*- 

*  1  Cor.  XV.  20. 

+  1  Tim.  vi.  15. 

X  For  the  change  of  case,  which  the  Greek  reader  will  remark  iti 
ibis  passage,  •*  ocno  'l*jo-«  9  y^ix^vSy'  let  him  consult  Grotius  on  Mark 
vi.  40.  who  points  out  such  construction,  not  only  in  the  scriptural, 
but  also  in  the  classical  writers ;  but  this  grammatical  inaccuracy  is 
more  appropriate  to  the  Hebrew-Greeks.  And  the  occurrence  of 
such  in  the  Apocalypse,  is  so  far  from  militating,  as  hath  been  re- 
presented, against  the  authenticity  of  the  work,  that  it  tends  to 
establish  its  authority,  by  placing  it  upon  the  same  footing  in  this 
respect  with  other  books  of  the  sacred  canon.  For,  ungrammatical 
Greek,  or  at  least  Greek  of  impure  idiom,  will  be  found  in  most  of 
ihem,  though  perhaps  not  so  abundant  as  in  the  Apocalypse. 

where 


Ch.  i.  4—8.]  APOCALYPSE.  19 

where  more  copiously  than  in  the  writings  of  Saint 
John.  That  he  hath  prepared  for  his  faithful  servants 
a  kingdom,  and  appointed  them  priests  unto  God, 
though  more  immediately  connected  with  the  subject 
of  this  prophecy,  are  not  novel  ideas,  but  purely 
scriptural.  A  kingdom  is  proposed  for  the  servants 
of  Christ*,  they  are  to  reign  with  himf.  And  in 
Exod.  xix.  5,  God  promises  to  Israel  that  by  obe- 
dience, they  shall  become  *' a  kingdom  of  priests,  a 
*'  pecuhar  treasure  unto  God  above  all  nations,  a  holy 
"  nation  J.''  In  Isaiah,  ch.  Ixi.  6,  this  promise  is  ex- 
tended to  the  Christian  times  and  to  the  converted  Gen- 
tiles, whom  Saint  Peter  also  calls  an  holy  priesthood, 
a  royal  priesthood^;  in  which  latter  expression,  as  in 
the  words  of  Moses,  the  two  ideas  of  kings  and  of 
priests  are  brought  together.  In  the  Septuagint  the 
words  of  Moses  are  rendered  by  BuiriXeicv  'U^a;l£viJ.ct,  the 
very  expression  of  Saint  Peter,  which  is  also  to  be 
found  in  some  MSS.  of  the  Apocalypse ;  but  the  true 
text  seems  to  be  given  by  Dr.  Griesbach  from  the 
Alexandrine  and  other  ancient  MSS.  confirmedby  the 
readings  in  the  Fathers  whom  he  has  quoted ||. 

Ver.7.  In  this  verse  the  prophet,  enraptured  with  his 
subject,  passes  from  the  glorification  of  Christ,  which 
he  had  delivered  in  the  form  of  a  prayer,  to  the  de- 
scription of  the  awful  event,  when  (as  foretold  in 
Scripture)  he  shall  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  in 

*  Mat.  XXV.  34f.     Luke  xii.  32. 

+  2  Tim.ii.  12.     1  Cor.  iv.  8.  vi.  2,  S. 

I  See  also  Deut.  xv.  6.  xxvi.  ip.  xxviii.  1. 

§  1  Pet.  ii.  5,  9- 

\\  To  which  we  may  add,  that  the  manuscript  used  by  Tertullian 
in  the  second  century,  seems  to  have  presented  the  same  reading. 
Tertullian.  de  Mouoganj^.  cap.  12. 

M  2  the 


20  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  I.  §  3. 

^he  glory  of  the  Father,  to  preside  at  the  general 
judgment^. 

*^  They  who  have  pierced  him,"  are  not  only  the 
Jews,  who  demanded  his  crucifixion  of  Pilate,  but 
likewise  all  those  who  wound  him  by  their  ti^ansgres* 
sions,  who  ^^  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God 
**  afresh,    and  put  him  to  open  shamef.'* 

Ver.  8.  In  the  same  spirit  of  exultation  he  continues 
to  set  forth  the  supreme  dignity  of  the  Son  of  God, 
ascribing  to  him,  as  our  Lord  had  done  to  himself  in 
the  vision:}:,  those  sublime  attributes  of  the  Father  by 
M'hich  he  fills  all  eternity,  and  exercises  all  power§. 
This  apphcation  of  the  attributes  of  the  Father  to  the 
Son,  pervades  all  the  sacred  writings  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, and  is  represented  to  be  by  communication, 
or  inheritance.  ''  As  the  Father  has  life  in  himself, 
^*  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself. 
^'  I  and  my  Father  are  one.  I  am  in  the  Father  and 
•'  the  Father  in  me.  All  things  that  the  Father  hath 
''  are  mine.  Whatsoever  things  the  Father  doetl>, 
'*  these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise.  The  Father  judg- 
*•  cth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  judgment  to 
'*'  the  Son/'  These  are  our  Lord's  words,  as  recorded 
hy  Saint  Johriy   according  to  whom  he  M^as   ^' in  tht 

*  See  i)ah.  vii.  13.  Mat.  xxiv.  30.  Mar.  xiii.  26.  xtv.  62.  bivt 
more  particularly  Zech.  xii.  10.  where  these  images  occur. 

t  Ileb.  vi.   6\ In   confirmation  of  the    received   opinion,   that 

St.  John  the  Evangelist  was  the  author  of  the  Apocalypse,  we  may 
observe,  that  c^iksyk^xY  is  the  very  word  used  by  that  Apostle  in 
his  Gospel,  (xix.  37,)  and  is  a  word  used  by  no  other  writer  of  th« 
New  Testament. 

I  Ch.  i.  ii.  13. 

§  See  Is.  xliv.  6.  Ivi.  15.     Mic.  v.  2, 

^*  begimiifigi'* 


Ch.  i.  4—8.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


21 


**  bcginnmg,''  and  **from  the  beginning  with  God*.*' 
The  apostle  to  the  Hebrews  enforces  .the  same  notion 
x)f  our  Lord's  eternity,  when  he  calls  him  "  Jesns 
"Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  everf." 
He  is  x^lpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the 
original  Creator,  and  the  final  Judge,  of  the  world;  to 
whose  illustrious  advent^  and  final  triumph  oyer  his 
enemies  (as  being  the  g;-and  catastrophe  of  the  Apo- 
calypse) the  propliet,  who  had  already  seen  it  exhi- 
bited in  vision,  exultingly  adverts,  even  before  he 
begins  his  narration.  This  was  natural,  in  one  who 
had  seen  such  a  vision,  but  it  would  not  easily  have 
occurred  in  a  work  of  mere  imagination  and  art. 

♦  John  i.  1.  J3,  V.  26.  1-9.  22.  xiv.  11.  xvi.  15,  alsjo  Col.  i.  iS.  17, 
Jleb.  i,  2,  3,  8.     1  John  v.  20, 
t  lieb.  xiii.  8. 


PART    I. 


SECTION    III. 


The  Jppearance  of  the  Lord  Jesus  with  the  Symbols  of 
kls  Poxver;  and  the  Commission  giveri  by  him  to 
Saint  John  to  write  xvhat  he  beholds. 


CHAP.  i.  VER.  9 — to  the  end. 


9  'Eyw      lucf,yy%^y    o 
cvrxo/ya;vof     h    r-^ 


9  I  John,  your  brother, 
an<}  fellow-sharer  in 
the  tribulation  and 
kingdom  and  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ,  was  in 
the  Island  called  Pat- 
njos,  for  tl^e  word  of 


9  I  Jphn,  who  also  anri 
your  brother,  and  com- 
panion in  tribulation, 
and  in  the  kingdom  arjd 
patience  of  JesusChrist, 
was  in  the  isle  that  is 
called  Patmosj  for  tlje 


23 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  I.  §  3. 


fju'jy}  ndrpiUf  dice 
Toy  Xoyov  rS  ©fa, 
x«<  oi^  Try  fji.a.plv- 
^Iccv  ''iviaa  [X^;f5]. 

10  'Eysvo^^v  £v  -nrvfu- 
fAOcii  sv  TV  Kvpicm-^ 

1 1  W/fy^,  >.e7«£7*jj' 
"O  ^XiTTeiff  ypd,- 
■J/Oy  £<y  j3<C?v/ov, 
xa<    -cjf'/xNj/oy    Tflf'^s' 

"£^£<70y,  xa<  £/r 
XfivpyaVf  Kcci  lis 
TJe^^afjioyy  xxi  its 
QvcirsipiXf  xoit  i'ls 
J-ci^^sis,  xoii  tU  $/- 
A.a^£X^E<ay,  xat  its 

1 2  \aodiKeiccv.  Kat 
IwtVfE^'*  ^Xiiriiv 
Tijv      (^uvriVt      viris 

Iw/a   Avp^y<«y  ^fv- 
ruv   Ithcx.    Xv^vtMv 

0(X,OIOV  l/lZ  SiV^^UTT^, 

|yo£oy^£vov   'ao^vpti, 

xai     ^£fi£^wcr/xs»ov 

ts^ls    rois    (xoi^ofs 

^4'^wv»3v  %fva^y*    *H 

xa<)       i^af^      £^/oy 
Xevxov,     ws'    ;!^'wy* 

rS  us  9^^^  -cry^oi-. 


God,    and   for    the 
testimony    of    Jesps 

10  [Christ].  I  was  in  the 
Spirit  on  the  Lord's 
day  J  and  I  heard 
behind  me  a  loud 
voice,  as  of  a  trum- 

11  pet,  Sc.ying,  "  That 
"  which  thou  seest 
"  write  in  a  book, 
"  and  send  unto  the 
**  seven  churches ;  to 
*'  Ephesus ;  and  to 
*'  Smyrna;  and  to 
*'  Pergamos;  and  to 
**  Thyatira ;  and  to 
*'  Sardis;  and  to  Phi- 
"  ladelphia;   and   to 

12  "  Laodicea."  And  I 
turned  to  see  what 
the  voice  was  which 
spake  with  me  ;  and 
being  turned,  I  saw 
seven  golden   lamp- 

13  bearers;  And  in  the 
midst  of  the  seven 
lamp-bearers  one  like 
the  Son  of  man, 
clothed  with  a  long 
garment  down  to  the 
feet,  and  girt  about 
the    breasts    with   a 

14  golden  girdle;  His 
head  and  his  hair 
white,  as  white  wool, 
as  snow  ;  and  his  eyes 
as  a  flame  of   firej 

15  And  his  feet  like 
smelting  brass,  as  if 
burned  brightly  in  a 
futnace ;     and     his 


word  of  God,  and  for 
the  testimony  of  Jf- 

10  sus  Christ.  I  was  in 
the  Spirit  on  the 
Lord's  day, and  heard 
behind  me  a  great 
voice,  as  of  a  trum- 

11  pet.  Saying,  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  first  and  the  last : 
and,  What  thou  seest, 
write  in  a  book,  and 
senci  it  unto  the  seven 
Churches  which  are 
in  Asia;  unto  Ephe-. 
sus,  and  unto  Smyr-? 
na,  and  unto  Perga- 
mos, and  unto  Thya- 
tira, and  unto  Sardis, 
and  unto  Philadel- 
phia, and  unto  Lao- 

12  dicea.  And  I  turned 
to  see  the  voice  that 
spake  with  me.  And 
being  turned,  I  saw 
seven  golden  candle- 

13  sticks;  And  in  the 
midst  of  the  seven 
pandlesticks  one  like 
unto  the  Son  of  man, 
cloathed  with  a  gar- 
ment down  to  the 
foot,  and  girt  about 
the  piips  with  a  golden 

14.  girdle.  Hii  head  and 
his  hairs  ucere  white 
like  wool,  as  whjte 
as  snow ;  and  his  eyes 
uere    as   a   flame  of 

15  fire;  And  bis  feet 
like  unto  fine  brass, 


Ch.  i.  9—20.] 


APOCALYPSr. 


23 


vft))  'jis  £y  v.K[xiiu 
tJiTTv^xixivoi*  KXi 
V  ipuvn  otvra  us 
^uvri  vtotruv  tJoX" 
l6  KZv'  Kcci  t^u/v  ty 
Tr:  ^s^i^  ayre  ^«<f « 
as'epxs  inP'X'  kx)  Ik 
ra  fOfAXTos  auTB 
fOfA.(pXl'x         5/ro^3j 

KXt     V)     0\|/<f    Xf/TUj 

.US    0    7i\ios  ■  ^xiyu 

Iv  rr,  ^pyxfjiti  xvTd. 

I  {  Ka<  oTf  ticov  ai/Tov, 

iTtKTX  VT^OS  ms 
'30^  XS  acvTH  'JIS 
WXpOJ*  XaW  [TTiQTiKt 
TV¥      OS^laV        OCVTU 

lir       l^t,      Xiyuv 

fyui  stixi  0  zi^ujros 
XXI      0       lay^xks, 

lyfvo/xigy  ny.^os,  kxi 

t^ti  ^Z'V  i'ly^i  tls    TiSS 

a'iiivxs  ru)v  x'luvuv' 

text  'i^u)  rxs  y.Xeis 

Ta  ^xvoirH  y.xi  t5 

}f)a^a.      Tfx^ov    «v 

xjii  oifjJ>J\u  yivsa- 
Oxi  yt-iix  rxvrx, 
20  To  fA-jpo^iov  rwv 
I'njx  aff^i/Vi  uv 
i^is  Wi  rtjs  ^t^ixs 
^Hy  axl  rxs  ItiIx 
Kv^vla-s    rxs    Vfy- 

irxs'  01  ETflx  afJf £f, 

x/yiXof  ruv  iiflx  Ix- 
xXinaiuiv  iiai'  xxt 
Oct  iirix  Av^ytxif 
fTflgi  sKX.?.riQiX(  JiV/', 


voice  as  the  voice  of 
l6  many  waters;  And 
having  in  his  right 
hand  seven  stars,  and 
from  his  month  a  two- 
edged  sharp  sword 
coming  forth  ;  and  his 
countenance  as  the 
Sun  shlneth  in  his 
1/  power.  And  when  I 
saw  him,  I  fell  at  his 
feet,  as  dead  ;  and 
he  laid  his  right  hand 
upon  me,  saying  [to 

18  me]  ^'  Fear  not ;  I  am 
**  the  first  and  the 
"  last,  and  he  who 
*'  liveth;  and  I  was 
*^  dead,  and  behold  I 
"  am  alive  for  ever 
**  and  ever ;  and  I 
*'  have  the  keys  of 
"  Death  and  of  hell. 

19  "  Write  therefore 
*'  those  things  which 
"  thou  seest,  even 
**  the  things  which 
*'  g,re  present,  and 
**  which  are  about  to 

20  *^  be  after  these  :  The 
"  mystery  of  the 
"  seven  stars  which 
*'  thou  seest  in  my 
*'  right  hand,  and 
♦•  the  seven  golden 
"  lamp-bearers.  The 
**  seven  stars  are  the 
**  angels  of  the  seven 
*'  churches ;  and  the 
"  seven  lamp-bearers 
**  are  the  seven 
♦'  Churches." 


as  if  they  burned  in 
a  furnace:  and  his 
voice  as  the  sound  of 
\6  many  waters.  And 
he  had  in  his  right 
hand  seven  stars  : 
and  out  of  his  mouth 
went  a  sharp  two- 
edged  sword,  and  his 
countenance  xcas  as 
the    sun    shineth   in 

17  his  strength.  And 
when  I  saw  him,  I 
fell  at  his  feet  as 
dead :  and  he  laid 
his  right  hand  upon 
me,  saying  unto  me. 
Fear  not ;   I   am  the 

18  first  and  the  lust  :  I 
am  he  that  liveth, 
and  was  dead ;  and 
behold,  I  am  alive 
for  evermore,  Amen ; 
and  have  the  keys  of 
hell    and    of    death. 

19  Write  the  things 
which  thou  hast  &een, 
and  the  things  which 
are,  and  the  things 
which  shall  be  here- 

20  after,  The  mystery 
of  the  seven  stars 
which  thou  sawctt  in 
my  right  hand,  and 
the  seven  golden 
candlesticks.  The 
seven  stars  are  the 
angels  of  the  seven 
churches  :  and  the 
seven  candlesticks 
which  thou  sawcst  are 
the  seven  churches- 


•^4"  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  I.   §  3, 

Vcr.  9.  I  John,  &c.]  Who  this  John  was,  aiul  why, 
and  whither  banished,  may  be  seen  in  note,  c.  i.  1.  His 
dignity,  as  an  apostle,  and  as  a  prophet  favoured  with 
this  vision,  and  honoured  with  this  commission, 
was  at  all  events  considerable;  but,  in  the  spirit  oF 
the  Gospel,  he  calls  himself  only  a  brother,  as  his 
Lord  liad  called  himself  before  liim  *,  and  a  fellow- 
sharer  ill  tlie  afflictions  wliich  the  faithful  were  then 
.  sufiicring,  under  the  persecution  of  Domitian.  But  to 
partake  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  is  to  partake  also  his 
kingdom!,  v/hich  are  here  therefore  emphatically 
united, 

Fo7^  the  word  of  Cod  and  for  the  testimonij  of  Jesus. ^ 
The  sense  of  this  expression  becomes  clear,  by  com- 
paring it  with  chap.  vi.  9,  where  the  IMartyrs  are  re- 
presented as- having  suffered  lia  roy  T^oyov  rs  Qes  y.cci  ^ix 
■^.:ifv^iciy  VjV  £;%oy,  ''  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the 
*'  testim.ony  which  they  bare."  John  was,  like  them, 
a  persecuted  sufferer  and  confessor,  in  the  Island  of 
Patmos,  to  which  he  was  banished  for  his  adherence 
to  the  faith,  and  where  he  was  favoured  with  this 
vision  J. 

Vcr.  10.  I  nns  in  the  Spirit.']  It  is  in  vain  to  niquire 
the  exact  manner  in  which  these  sacred  visions  were 
communicated.  The  Jewish  v/riters  have  said  much 
upon  the  subject,  but  nothing  which  can  satisfy  a  ra- 
tional and  sober  mind.  So  far  however  is  plain  from 
Ezek.  ii.  2.  iii.  f24.  2  Cor.  xii.  2.  and  other  passages 
of  Scripture,  that  the  prophet  commonly  perceived  the 
ijTipuise  of  the  Spirit  acting  upon  him  in  a  sudden 
and  extraordinary  manner ;  }  et  30  mysteriously,  that 

*  John  XX.  17.  t  3  Tim.  ii.  12. 

+  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  cap.  18. 

Saint 


Ch.    I.  9 — QO.]  APOCALYPSE.  25 

Saint  Paul  affirms  that  he  could  not  tell  whether  it  was 
*'  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body,"  that  he  was  present 
in  the  heavens.  Saint  John  perceived  this  movement 
of  the  Spirit  upon  him,  when  the  heavenly  voice  called 
to  him.  He  represents  it,  as  it  struck  his  senses, 
coming  from  behind  him,  and  thus  affecting  him  with 
laiore  sudden  surprise;  it  was  loud,  and  as  of  a  trumpet, 
the  signal  of  war ;  it  was  fearful  and  alarming*.  The 
trumpet  was  the  voice  of  God,  at  the  awful  delivery  of 
the  Law  from  Mount  Sinai,  and  so  shall  be  again  at 
the  consummation  of  the  world  f . 

Ver.  11.  See  notes  on  verses  4  and  8.  • 
Vcr.  ]L\  Se^en  golden  lamp-bearers.']  These  are  ex- 
plained afterwards  (v.  20. )  to  signify  the  seven  Churches, 
or  the  universal  Church  of  Christ:]:.  They  are  not  the 
lamps  or  lights,  but  the  bearers  of  them ;  they  are  the 
instruments,  on  which  the  lights  being  suspended, 
illuminate  the  Christian  world.  Spiritual  knowledge 
is  frequently  represented  in  Scripture,  under  the  emblem 
of  a  light  or  lamp.  Numerous  are  the  instances;  but 
see  in  particular  ]Mat.  v.  14,  \5,  and  the  parallel  pas- 
sages, and  Ezek.  iv.  2.  Agreeably  to  which,  in  Rev, 
iv.  5.  seven  lamps  of  fire  are  used  to  express  the  gifts 
of  the  Divine  Spirit;  but  the  receptacle  of  religious 
knowledge,  the  station  from  which  it  is  communicated, 
is  the  lamp-bearer  or  candlestick  ;  and  by  this  is  de- 
noted the  Church  of  Christ.  So  Irenaeus,  who,  allu- 
^tjing  to  this  passage,  says,  Ubique  enim  ecclesia  prse- 
dicat  veritatem,  et  ha^c  est  hTa^uxo;  (aliter  aisTu^viog) 

*  Joel  ii.  X,     Amos  iii.  6.    1  Cor.  xiv.  8» 
I  1  Thess.  iv.  l6\     1  Cor.  xy.  5%, 
I  See  note,  ver.  4, 

Lucerna, 


26  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt   I.  §  3, 

Lucerna,  Christi  bajulans  lumen*.  From  some  pas- 
sages in  Josephusf,  it  will  appear,  that  the  candle^ 
sticks  of  the  Temple  were  seven,  each  distinct  from  the 
other ;  but  that  the  Romans,  when  they  took  possession 
of  them,  new-modelled  them,  to  grace  the  triumphant 
entry  of  Vespasian ;  forming  them  into  one  of  seven 
branches ;  which  they  certainly  appear  to  have  been 
originally.  (Exod.  xxv.  31.)  But  this  alteration  may 
have  probably  taken  place.  And  it  agrees  with  the 
representation  in  this  vision,  wherein  our  Lord  is  re- 
presented as  walking  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  lamp- 
bearers;  which  could  not  be  so  easily  conceived,  if 
they  had  been  so  many  branches. 

Among  the  antiquities  exhibited  in  modern  Rome, 
is  a  representation  of  the  seven  lamp-bearers,  or  rather 
of  the  lamp-bearer  with  seven  branches,  which  is  to  be 
seen  on  the  Arch  of  Titus +. 

,  *  ^*  For  in  all  parts  the  Church  preacheth  the  truth ;  and  this  is  th^ 
**  seven-branched  lamp,  bearing  the  light  of  Christ."  Irenpeus,  lib.  v» 
c.  20.  As  the  Church  is  the  y^v^nx^  or  lamp-bearer,  so  the  illustrious 
characters  who  have  adorned  the  Church,  and  given  light  to  the  world, 
are  sometimes  called  the  Ay;^wi,  the  lamps,  or  lights  \  such,  in  the 
language  of  Saint  John,  was  John  Baptist:  zkhws  ^»  o  Xv^vqs  l  ^xtofjLzws 
M<xi  (^ativm.  Job.  V.  35.  And  in  the  martyrdom  of  Ignatius,  that  vene- 
rable apostolical  Bishop  is  said  to  be  ><v^vh  h}Cf,y  0«Vx«  rriv  iKx^-a  ^Jlt^ui 
hxioixv.     Martyrium  Ignat.  sect.  1, 

t  Antiq.  Jud.  lib.  jii.  c.  vi.  7.  lib.  viii.  c,  iv.  1.  Bell,  Jud.  lib.  vii, 
c.  V.  5.  lib,  V.  c.  V.  5. 

X  Count  Stolberg's  Travels ;  XiUmsden's  Antiquities  of  Rome ; 
Montfaucou's  Antiquities.  The  subsequent  history  of  the  original 
lamp-bearers  is  as  follows:  They  continued  in  Rome  till  that  city  was 
plundered  by  Genseric  in  455.  They  were  then  removed  to  Africa, 
where  they  remained  till  the  Emperor  Justinian,  having  subdued  the 
Vandals  in  534,  presented  these  spoils  to  the  G^^eat  Chyych  at  Jerasalem, 
Adr.  Reland.  de  Spoliis  liierosol, 

Ver. 


Ch.  i.  9—20.]  APOCALYPSE.  27 

Ver.  13.  Like  the  So7i  of  Mem. '\  The  same  expression 
occurs  in  Dan.  x.  16,  and  it  is  the  appellation  which  our 
Lord  himself  generally  adopted;  but  John  (if  the  Apostle 
John)  had  known  the  appearance  of  this  Son  of  Man 
in  the  flesh ;  had  seen  not  only  his  ordinary  bodily 
form,  but  also  his  more  glorified  appearances,  on  the 
heavenly  mount,  and  at  his  ascension.  And  \ye  may 
collect  an  argument  from  this  his  manner  of  noting  the 
likeness,  that  the  person  who  saw  the  vision,  was  one 
of  the  civloTTcii,  eye-witnesses*^,  of  these  heavenly  ex* 
liibitions ;  and  therefore  probably  the  Evangdist  Saint 
John,  who  alone  of  the  Apostles  was  living  at  this 
latest  period  of  the  Apostolic  Church. 

It  is  agreeable  to  the  tenor  of  Scripture,  that  our  Lord 
is  represented  as  walking  amidst  his  Churches.  JValking 
amidst  is  the  action  of  one  that  busies  himself  to  watch 
and  protect  those  for  whom  he  is  concerned.  Thus  God 
says  to  the  Israelites,  **  I  wnll  walk  among  you,  and  be 
*'your  Godf.''  And,  as  Daubuz  observes,  the  % 
%qv(7^^M  uiJ.0ite^vi-A(i;  of  Homer,  spoken  of  Apollo,  has  the 
same  force  %.  This  is  the  office  of  our  Lord,  according 
to  his  gracious  promise  §,  '*  Lo  !  I  am  with  you,  even 
*'  unto  the  end  of  the  world  ||.'*  He  is,  as  styled  by 
Saint  Peter,  **  the  Bishop  of  our  souls."  Other  Bishops 
execute  an  office  subordinate  to  him,  and  therefore,  in 
Jhose  early  times,  Jgnatius,  speaking  to  the  Ephesians 
of  their  good  Bishop,  calls  him  J/x^'v  €v  cu^m  fT/c-KOTov, 
your  Bishop  in  the  flesh  ^. 

Clothed  with  a  long  garment  down  to   the  feet. 1 


*  Luke  i.  2.  f  Levit.  xxvi.  12. 

X  Sym.  Diet,  word  posture.  §  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

jj  See  also  Matt,  xviii.  20.  |C©1.  i.  18. 
^f  Ignat.  Epist.  ad  Ephes. 

Tin's 


28  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  I.  §  S. 

This  is  the  dress  of  a  priest*.  Such  is  our  Lord, 
"  a  priest  for  ever, "ever  Hving  **  to  make  intercession" 
for  his  Church  f. 

Ver.  14,  15.  His  head  and  his  hair,  &c.]  The  ap- 
pearance  of  this   heavenly  personage  is  of  a  similar 
description   with   other  glorified   bodies   described    in 
Sacred  Writ.    Our  Lord,  at  his  transfiguration,  as  seen 
by  Saint  John,  had   *'  his  face  shining  hke  the  sun, 
*^  and  his  raiment  shining  exceeding  white  as  snow, 
so  as  no  fuller  on  earth  could  white  them  J."     In  the 
visions  of  Daniel §,    *'  The  Ancient  of  Days  did  sit, 
*'  whose  garment  was  white  as  snow,  and   the  hair  of 
/*  his  head  like  the  pure  avooI."   And  again  ||,  '*  A  man 
■^  clothed  in  linen,  whose  loins  were  girded  with  fine 
*'  gold  of  Uphaz,  his  body  also  like  the  beryl,  and  his 
**  eyes  as  lamps  of  fire  ;  and  his  arms  and  feet  like  in 
*'  colour  to  polished  brass,  and  the  voice  of  his  words 
'*  like  the  voice  of  a  multitude."     In  which  passages 
xve  have  all  the  original  ideas  which  are  represented  in 
this  vision  of  Saint  John,  but  with  that  varied  expres- 
sion which  implies  that   Saint  John's    copy   was   not 
taken  from  these  passages,  but  from  the  same  kind  of 
crigintily  which  they  had  copied.     This  may  be  exem- 
plified in  the  last  expression.     '*  The  voice  of  a  multir 
'*  tude,"  says  Daniel,    ^'  The  voice  of  many  waters." 
says  Saint  John.     They  describe  the  same  thing,   by 
the  intervention  of  ideas,  Avhich  at  first  sight  appear  to 
have  no  mutual  relation,  but  on  comparison  will  be 
found  truly  and  symbolically  representative  of  the  same 
original     Observe  how  beautifully  they  approach  eacl^ 

*  Exod.  xxviii.  xxix.  t  Heb.  vi.  passim, 

t  Mat.  xvii.  2.  Mark  ix.  3.  §  Gb.  vii.  9. 

IJ  Q\.  X.  5,  6. 

Qtfeer 


Ch.  i.  9—20.]  APOCALYPSE.  ^9 

other  in  another  passage  of  Scripture:  **  Wo  to  the 
**  multitude  of  many  people,  which  make  a  noise  like 
**  the  noise  o^  the  ^e^^,  and  to  the  rushing  of  7iations, 
''  like  the  rushing  of  mighfy  waters  *  1"  This  figurative 
resemblance,  having  its  foundation  in  nature,  has  been 
noticed  also  in  classical  antiquity.  Demosthenes,  de- 
sirous of  acquiring  that  forcible  oratory  which  should 
rise  superior  to  the  tumult  of  popular  assemblies,  was 
in  the  practice  of  declaiming  before  the  waves  of  a 
stormy  sea. 

15.  Smelting  brass,  as  if  burned  hrightly  in  afur- 
7iace.']  See  Schleusner  on  the  word  %«AkoA/€<2vov,  where  it 
will  appear  that  the  most  learned  interpreters  assign 
this  meaning  to  it,  which  corresponds  exactly  with  the 
resplendent  brightness  of  the  thing  seen  in  'this  vision. 
This  is  expressed  by  Ezek.  xl.  3,  and  Dan.  x.  6.  u:?  ooa-riQ 
xei>^y^ii  (TTiX^ovTo;,  And  w£Tupwiu.£vo/,  though  in  the  perfect 
tense,  does  not  seem  to  express  burned,  that  is,  the  tire 
being  extinct,  but  having  been:  in  the  act  of  burning  so 
long  as  to  have  obtained  a  great  degree  of  brightness 
So  the  context  <p\oi  zjv^oc,  and  the  parallel  passages  re- 
ferred to  in  the  foregoing  note,  seem  to  point  out ;  also, 
ch.  X.  1,  where  the  angeFs  feet  are  wc  <rr'j\ot  r:v^o;. 

Ver.  16.  Seven  stains.']  The  seven  stars  in  the  hand 
of  the  great  High  Priest,  are  explained  below,  ver.  20, 
to  signify  the  angels  of  the  seven  Churches.  To  urn- 
derstand  which  expression,  we  may  observe,  that  AfyeXoc, 
angel,  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  as  well  as  in 
profane  authors,  is  generally  used  to  signify  a  messenger, 
ambassador,  or  representative;  one  who  bears  a  deputed 
office  or  commission ;  and  that  it  rarely  occurs  in  the 
sense  in  which  we  understand  the  English  word,  a?2gel, 

*  Is.  .xvii.  12.     See  also  Psalm  Xciii.  4.     Ezek.  1.  24.    xliii.  2. 
Rev.  xiv.  2.  xix.  6.     Wisd.  xvii.  4. 

(\.  e. 


30  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  3. 

(i.  e.  a  messejiger  from  God),  without  the  addition  of 
the  words  God  or  Lord  *,  either  expressed,  or  evidently 
from  the  context  understood.    Examples  are  numerous, 
and  may  be  seen  in  all  the  concordances.     The  eefyiXoi^ 
angels,  or  messengers  of  John  Baptist  (Luke  vii.  24.) 
of  Christ  (Luke  ix.  52.)  of  Peter  (Acts  xii.  15.)  were 
human  beings,  ambassadors,  delegates.     Such  were  the 
twelve  Apostles,  as  the  very  name  implies,  messengers, 
delegates;  to  which  Saint  Paul  adds  that  of  herald 
(^y.Vi^vi  y.a,i  ai^ocToXog,  1  Tim.  ii.  7. )  >vhich  has  nearly  the 
same  signification.     They  executed  the  office  of  am- 
bassadors under  Christ  f ;  and  the  Bishops,  afterwards 
delegated  by  them,  held  the  same  kind  of  commission. 
For  Saint  Paul,  mentioning  under  what  name  or  title 
such  heads  of  the   Church,    Titus  and   others,  were 
to  be  received,    says,    *'  They  are  the  messengers  of 
the  Churches,  (in  the  original  it  is  ^t^os-IoXoi,)  and  the 
glory  of  Christ  J.*'     They  held  an  intermediate  and 
delegated  office,  between  Christ,  the  Head  of  all  the 
Churches,  and  that  particular  Church  to  which  they 
were  deputed  by  him  or  his  Apostles.     They  were  the 
imder-shepherds,  to  whom  particular  flocks  were  in- 
trusted, and  from  whom  the  Great  Shepherd  will  ex- 
pect account.     To   such  persons,   in  so  intermediate 
and  responsible  an  office,  the  injunctions  of  their  Lord, 
the  supreme  Head,  are  addressed.     As  he  walks  in  the 
luidst  of  the  seven  lamp-bearers,  or  seven  Churches,  so 
he  possesses,  and  directs,  the  seven  lights  which  are  to 
be  placed  upon  them.     The  lights  which  the  Churches 
receive,  are  derived  from  him,  and  pass  through  his 
hand.     These   lights   or  teachers,  and  heads   of  the 

*  AfyjXoj  T8  ©ea  or  Kv§ia* 

t  2  Cor.  V.  20.     Eph.  vi.  20.     iCor.  iv.  1. 

I  2Cor.  iv.  1. 

Church, 


Ch.  i.  9-*-20.]  APOCALYPSE.  31 

Church,  are  here  represented  under  the  emblems  of 
stars  ;  by  which,  in  the  symbolical  language  of  Scrip- 
ture, are  signified  eminent  leaders  in  God's  service. 
Under  this  symbol,  Joshua,  David,  and  others,  and 
Christ  himself,  are  denoted  *,  And  it  well  accords  to 
the  distinguished  presidents  and  conductors  of  the 
Christian  Church,  whose  appropriate  reward  is  an- 
nounced t,  that  ''  they  shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever 
*'  and  ever."  And  the  removal  of  such  teachers  is  re- 
presented in  prophetical  language,  as  the  stars  being 
removed,  covered,  darkened,  and  not  giving  their 
light  J. 

Ver.  \6,  And  from  his  mouth  a  two-edged  sharp 
sword  coming  forth,]  This  is  the  weapon  by  which 
our  Lord  and  his  followers  are  to  conquer  at  the  last ; 
and  therefore  is  again  described  in  ch.  xix.  15,  2L 
In  an  eminent  passage  of  the  evangelical  Prophet,  con- 
fessedly prophetical  of  our  Lord,  it  is  said,  '^  He  shall 
**  smite  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth,  and  witli 
**  the  breath  of  his  lips  shall  he  slay  the  wicked  §." 
Agreeably  to  which,  the  *^  sword  of  the  Spirit"  is  called 
by  St.  Paul,  *^  the  word  of  God  || ;"  and  is  the  weapon 
with  which,  according  to  the  same  Apostle,  even 
**  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,"  the  Lord  shall  destroy 
the  man  of  sin  ^.  And  the  powers  of  this  weapon  are 
again  described:  *'  The  word  of  God  is  quick**,  and 
**  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword  ff." 

*  Num.  xxiv.  17.    Rev.  xxii.  \Q,     Dali.  viii.  10.  2  Mace.  ix.  10. 
t  Dan.  xii.  3. 

J  Ezek.  xxxii.  8.  Joel  ii.  10.  iii.  15.  and  in  other  passages. 
§  Is.  xi.  4.     See  also  Is.  xxx.  28,  33.  xlix.  2,     Job  xii.  I9,  21. 
Ps.  cxlix.  6. 

II  Eph.  vi.  17.  51  SThess.ii.  8.  1 

**  i.  e.  alive,  Zm.  tf  Heb.  iv.  12,  ( 

These 


52  ai^ocali^pse;  [Pi.  I.  ^  3. 

These  quotations  from  Holy  Writ  cast  considerable 
light  upon  the  passage  before  us,  and  shew  the  nature 
of  the  arms,  by  which  our  Lord  and  his  Churcli  are  to 
gain  their  victories  ;  not  by  the  usual  instruments  of 
human  warfare,  but  by  the  preaching  of  the  word  in 
evangelical  purity  and  power.  The  metaphor  of  the 
sword,  employed  here  to  represent  powerful  speech,  may 
appear  bold;  **  but,"  says  Bishop  Lowth,  *'  it  is  just  ^, 
*'  It  has  been  employed  by  the  most  ingenious  heathen 
''  writers,  if  with  equal  elegance,  not  with  equal  force, 
"  It  is  said  of  Pericles,  by  Aristophanes  f, 

A  pud  Diod.  lib.  xii, 

— his  powerful  speech 

Pierced  the  hearer's  soul,  and  left  behind 
Deep  in  his  bosom  its  keen  point  infix'd. 

''  Pindar   is    particularly  fond  of  this  metaphor,   and 

*'  frequently  applies  it  to  his  own  poetry.     Olymp.  ii. 

'-'  160,  149.  ix.  17." 

The  SunJ]  Our  Lord  has  the  stars,  the  lessc)^  lights^ 
the  m.inisters  of  his  word,  in  his  hand,  under  his  direc- 
tion ;  but  he  himself  alone  shineth  like  the  greater 
light,     ^^  The    Sun    of  righteousness,    with   sevenfold 

*'  lio'htj."  But  as  he  is  in  glory,  so  shall  be  likewise  hi? 
faithful  servants  after  their  resurrection.  '•'  They  shall 
''shine  forth  as  the  sun,  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
''  Father  §." 

Here  ends  the  Apostle's  description  of  this  appear- 
ance of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  such  he  undoubtedly 
is,  from  his  account  of  himself,  which  follows  in  verse 

*  On  Is.  xlix.  2. 

t  S«e  Cicero,  Epist.  ad.  Atticum,  xii.  6. 

:  Mai.  iv.  2.  Is.  XXX.  26'.  §  Mat.  xiii.  43. 

the 


Ch,  i.  9~-20.]  APOCALYPSE.  3d 

the  18th,  and  which  can  belong  to  none  of  the  angehc 
natures,  but  solely  to  the  only-begotten  So?i  of  God. 
It  is  also  to  be  observed,  that  our  Lord  repeats,  and 
applies  to  himself,  all  this  description,  in  his  addresses 
to  the  seven  Churches,  contained  in  the  two  subsequent 
chapters ;  and  in  one  of  these  passages  he  calls  himself 
6  ijiog  Tov  Qeov^  the  Son  of  God,  Now  an  angel,  or  even 
a  good  man,  in  the  language  of  Scripture  is  called 
sometimes  vio;  Qes,  a  son  of  God ;  but  none  except 
the  only  begotten,  our  Lord  Jesus,  is  ever  styled  o  \hoq 
r8  0f8,  the  Son  of  God.  Ch.  ii.  18.  Add  to  this,  that 
in  the  next  verse,  Saint  John  is  described  as  prostrating 
himself  before  this  Son  of  Man,  and  no  reproof  follows, 
as  in  ch.  xix.  10,  and  xxii.  9,  when  he  prostrates  him- 
self to  the  angel.  This  shews  the  difference  between 
an  angel  and  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  ;  and 
unites,  with  other  passages  of  Scripture  in  authorising 
the  worship  which  the  orthodox  Christians  pay  to  their 
Redeemer.  Such  was  the  opinion  of  the  most  ancient 
commentators,  To  tv^;  OfOTvjrof  t8  X^/q-8  e\L(^umTat  t/^eye^og, 
ttVTS  yu^  ^sKa  to.  a^j\Li:a.vTCL* , 

Ver.  17.  As  decuL]  The  effect  here  described  is 
such  as  was  to  be  expected  from  the  conflict  of  passions 
in  the  breast  of  the  Apostle,  of  surprise  and  delight,  of 
fear  and  joy.  For,  it  was  the  appearance  of  the  Son  of 
Man,  who  on  earth  had  dignified  Saint  John  M^th  his 
peculiar  love,  but  it  was  at  the  same  time  awful  and 
alarming. 

lb.  And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,]  The 
right  hand  is  the  hand  of  protection,  and  of  salvation  f, 
and  of  fellowship:}:,  and  the  instrument  of  conveying 
spiritual    gifts  §.     The    touch    felt  palpably    by    the 

*  And.  Csesariens.  in  loc.  t  Psalms,  passim. 

J  P^Uii.  9,  §  Actsvih.  18. 

K  Apostle, 


54  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.I.   §5, 

Apostle,  is  agreeable  to  that  part  of  Scripture  which 
represents  our  Lord,  after  his  resurrection,  as  an  object 
of  feeling.  This  passage  is  sublime*:  Mahomet  per- 
ceived and  has  imitated  it  in  his  fictions  :  but  his  imi- 
tation is  carried  to  a  vicious  excess ;  the  hand  of  God, 
touching  the  Prophet,  is  described  to  be  cold-f. 

lb.  Fearnot,']  The  scenery  accompanying  the  visions 
under  the  Gospel,  is  of  a  milder  nature  than  that  under 
the  Mosaical  dispensation,  which  was  ushered  in  at 
Mount  Sinai  with  so  dreadful  an  apparatus,  that  none 
could  dare  to  behold  J.  *'  Fear  not,'"  is  the  comforting 
assurance  to  the  Virgin,  to  Zacharias,  to  the  Shepherds, 
to  the  Women  at  the  Sepulchre,  under  similar  impres- 
sions. 

lb.  lam  the  first  and  the  last,']  See  the  notes  on  verses 
4  and  8. 

Ver.  18.  The  keys.']  To  bear  the  keys,  imports  the 
same,  both  in  Scriptural  and  Pagan  antiquity,  as  to 
bear  power  and  office.  In  chap.  iii.  ver.  7,  our  Lord 
is  represented  to  have  '*  the  keys  of  David;"  to  bear 
that  power  and  office  which  were  attributed  to  him  by 
the  Prophet  Isaiah,  in  the  very  same  words  §.  It  is  by 
these  keys  that  he  possesses  the  sole  and  exclusive 
right  of  opening  and  shutting  to  all  eternity  (|. 

*  "  Who  can  read,  jf  he  reads  without  prejudice,  the  following 
**  address  of  Jesus  to  John,  sinking  to  the  ground  through  fear,  and  not 
*'  be  affected  with  the  greatness  of  the  thought  and  the  expressions  ? 
**  Fear  not,  &c.  &c.  v.  17,  18."  Michaelis,  Introd.  to  N.  Test.  ch. 
xxxiii.  sect,  x, 

t  Prideaux,  Life  of  Mahomet.  Vie  de  Mahomed  par  Boulain- 
villiers,  p.  356. 

I  Heb.  xii.  2  Cor.  iii.  7,  8. 

§  Is.  xkii.  22. 

)i  See  Greg.  Neocjes.  Oratio  Panegyr.  p.  73.  edit.,  Paris.;  Bp, 
Lowth  on  Isaiah  xxii.  22  ;  and  Juriin's  Sermons,  vol.  iv,.36^. 

lb. 


Ch.  i.  9—20.]  APOCALYPSE.  ^  S6 

lb.  HelL]  By  this  word,  in  popular  language,  is  com- 
monly expressed  the  Gehenna,  or  place  of  punishment, 
only :  but  this  is  not  the  true  and  proper  sense  of  the 
Avord,   the   sense  in  which    it  is  to  be  taken   in   this 
passage ;   for  the  word  Hell  M^ill  be  found  in  our  old 
writers  to  answer  exactly  to  the  Scheol  of  the  Hebrews, 
and  to  the  Hades  of  the  Greeks.     It  is  the  general 
receptacle  of  the  dead,   the  place  of  departed   souls, 
whatever  it  may  be,    whether  happy  or    miserable  *. 
And  therefore,    though  I  had  at  first  used  the  word 
Hades  in  my  translation,  after  the  examples  of  Bishop 
Lowth   and   of  Daubuz,    1    afterwards    restored    this 
word  from  the  old  translation  ;  because,  rightly  under^ 
stood,  it  is  fully  adequate  to  represent  the  idea  of  the 
original:   and  why  should   we  adopt  foreign  phrases, 
when  our  own  language  is  competent  to  express  what 
we  intend  ?  Besides,  we  seem  obliged  to  preserve,    in 
our  versions  of  the  Scriptures,  this  English  expression, 
in  conformity  with  our  principal  creed,  and  with  the 
third  article  of  our  national  religion  ;    in  both  of  which 
the  word  Hell  is  used  ;  and  so  used,  is  continually  ex- 
plained by  our  catechists  to  mean  the  invisible  mansion 
of  departed  souls.     In  the  earlier  forms  of  our  language 
it  was  written  Hele,  being  derived  from  the    Saxon 
Helan,  to  cover. 

Death  is  a  formidable  foe,  who  kills  the  body  ;  but 
there  is  yet  a  more  dreadful  enemy,  which  attacks  the 
soul,  in  those  regions  beyond  the  grave,  where  *'  the 
''  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched."  Both 
are  mentioned  by  our  Lord,  in  Matt.  x.  28,  and  he 
points  out  which  is  the  most  formidable.     Both  are 


*  See- the  learned  notes  of  Grotiua  on  Matt.  xvi.  18.  Luke  xvi.  23* 
xxiii.  4-3,  and  Scbleusner  or  Parkhurst  on  the  word  *Alrts, 

^  a  -frequently 


Sd  APoCALXPSt.  [Pt.  I.   §  3. 

frequently  personifed  in   Scripture*;    and   both    are 

addressed   in   that  animated   apostrophe,    "  O  Death, 

''where  is  thy  sting!   O   Grave  {cllv\),   where  is  thy 

victory!  •"  The  gates  of  death,  which  are  opened  by 

these  keys,   are  frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture ;]: ; 

and  the  gates  of  Hell  (wvXat  cf^s)  by  our  Saviour^* 

And   the   same   metaphorical    expression    is    used   by 

heathen  autliors  ||.     The  keys  of  these  gates  are  in  tlic 

possession  of  the   Captain  of  our  Sah^ation,  who,    by 

suffering  death,  triumphed  over  Death  ^ ;    under  his 

banner,    *'  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."     Thi^ 

conquest  is  represented  as  complete  in  1  Cor.  xv.  and 

in  the  sequel  of  this  book  **.     By   this,    Christ   has 

obtained  for  his  faithful  followers  a  S3.fe passage  through 

the  gates  of  Death,  and  through  the  terrors  of  Hell,  to 

that  kingdom  of  glory  which  he  has  prepared  for  them. 

Under  no  consideration   can  our  Redeemer  be  felt  of 

greater  importance  to  us,  than  as  possessing  the  keys  of 

Death,  and  of  our  future  state  of  everlasting  existence. 

Ver.  19.   TVrlte,  &c.]   The  Apostle  is  commanded 

to  zvr it e  fov  the  information  of  the  Church;  and  the 

subject  matter  which  he  is  to  write  is  here  divided  (as 

indeed  it  naturally  divides)  into  two  parts  ;    1st,    the 

scene  then  before  him,  with  the  address  to  the  seven 

Churches,  revealing  to  them   their  then  internal  and 

real  state  ;    2dly,  the  events  which  were  to  happen  to 

the  Church  in  future.    This  same  division  occurs  again 

in  ch.  iv.  1,  where,   the  first  part  being  dispatched,  the; 

Prophet  is  invited  to  behold    '*  the  things  which  are 

•*  about  to  happen  after  these,'*     Both  are  revealed  by 

the  spirit  of  prophecy,  which  was  equally  necessary  to 

*  Is.  V.  14.     Hab.  ii.  5.  t  1  Cor.  xv.  5&. 

X  Jobxxxviii.  17.     Ps.  ix.  13*  §  Matt.  xvi.  18, 

II  Horn.  Iliad,   ix.  31«.  If  Heb-  ii.  14.  •*  Ch.  xxi.  4, 

discover 


Ch.  i.  9—20.]  APOCALYPSE.  37 

discover  the  real  internal  state  of  the  Church  then 
existing,  as  the  events  which  were  to  happen  to  it 
in  future.  We  may  instance  in  the  Church  of  Sar- 
dis  *,  which  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  a  living 
Church,  a  Church  flourisliing  in  faith,  doctrine,  and 
practice;  but  she  is  discovered,  by  the  spirit  of  pro- 
phecy, to  be  **  dead-\.'' 

Ver.  20.  The  mystery,'\  Mu^;i^/ov,  in  tlie  scriptural 
language,  generally  signifies  hidden  and  recondite 
knowledge ;  such  as  is  accessible  only  by  the  peculiar 
favour  and  revelation  of  God  \,  In  prophetic  language, 
as  in  this  passage,  and  in  ch.  xvii.  7,  it  is  used  to  sig- 
nify the  meaning  concealed  under  figurative  resem- 
blances. So  the  stars  are  angels,  and  the  lamp-bearers 
churches :  for  the  explanation  of  which,  as  relating  to 
the  lamp-bearers,  see  the  note,  ver.  12,  and  as  relating 
to  the  stars,  ver.  16;  in  which  latter  note  will  be  seen 
some  of  the  reasons  why  the  bishops  or  presidents  of 

♦  Ch.  iii.  1. 

t  Some  commentators  have  supposed  three  divisions,  as  arising 
from  these  words  of  Jesus  Christ ;  namely,  «  li^is,  to  express  the  things 
which  John  had  already  seen ;  a,  t/o-i,  the  things  which  he  was  seeing,  the 
present  stat^  of  the  Churches ;  L  [kiKKu  ymcrOxi,  the  things  to  come. 
But  it  will  appear  that  John  had  already  seen  nothing  but  the  beginning 
of  a  vision,  which  was  then  disclosing  the  a  tiat,  the  present  state  of  the 
Churches.  The  vision  is  one  and  the  same ;  the  Son  of  Man,  clothed 
with  the  same  symbols,  delivers  the  whole  of  it.  And  the  word  n^es, 
being  used  in  an  indefinite  tense,  m^y  be  understood  as  having  relation 
to  the  whole  scenery  of  vision  which  was  then  passing,  and  about  to 
pass,  before  the  Apostle ;  and  thus  it  may  be  fitly  translated,  "  that 
**  which  thou  seest,"  and,  with  the  o  CKtinis  of  the  eleventh  verse 
(which  has  also  an  indefinite  signification),  understood  to  comprehend 
the  two  subsequent  divisions.  It  is  to  be  observed  also,  that  the 
word  uhs  is  applied  in  the  next  verse  to  the  appearance  of  the  Son  of 
^an,  with  the  symbols  of  the  stars,  &q.  which  John  was  at  that  present 
instaqt  beholding  J  and  that  in  the  verse  next  following  (ch.  ii.  1.)  Jesus 
is  described  continuing  to  hold  the  stars,  by  the  present  partiqiple,  k^utwu 

I  1  Cor,  ii.  7.  xiji,  2,  xv.  51.  Eph.  iii.  3.  v.  32, 


sa 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.   I.   §  4. 


the  primitive  Church  were  called  angels  or  messengers; 
and  wb}^  consistently  with  the  usage  of  the  syniholic 
language  in  Scripture,  they  are  represented  under  the 
emblem  of  stars.  In  Malachi  ii.  7,  the  Priest  of  the 
Lord  is  styled  Angel  or  Messenger  of  the  Lord.  And 
it  appears  from  the  accounts  of  the  ancient  Jewish 
synagogue  (the  forms  of  which  were  followed  in  the 
first  Christian  Churches),  that  the  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue, or  at  least  the  chief  minister,  was  styled  Shehach 
Zibbor,  The  Angel  of  the  Congregation  *  ;  and  what 
the  Sheliach  Zibbor  did  in  the  synagogue,  that  the 
Bishop  appears  to  have  done  in  the  primitive  Christian 
Church  f.  The  term  angel,  or  messenger,  instead  of 
bishop,  seems  to  have  been  in  use  principally,  if  not 
ej^clusively,  in  the  eastern  Churches. 

*  Buxtorf,  Synag.  Jud.     Vitringa  de  Syn.  Vet.     Prideaux,  Con. 
part,  i.  book  vi, 

t  Introd.  to  N.  T.  by  Beausobre  and  L'Enfant. 


PART     I. 

SECTION     IV. 
The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Ephesus, 


1   T^    afyiXw   rris   sv 

7W    0   K^xruv    TBf 
£9rJa   n^ipas  h  rr, 

fTiljt    Kv^viuv    ruiv 

lf%  0-«,   5^    TOV    XO- 

/xov^iv  0-8,   yij  on  a 


CHAP.    ii.  VER.    1 — 7. 

Unto  the  Angel  of  the 
Church  in  Ephesus, 
write;  Thus  saith  he 
who  holdeth  the  seven 
stars  in  his  right  hand, 
who  walketh  in  the 
midst  of  the  seven 
golden  lamp-bearers  ; 
I  know  thy  works,  and 
thy  labour,  and  thy 
patience,  and  that  thou 
canst  not  endure  evil 
men.     And  thou  hast 


1  Unto  the  Angel  of  the 
Church  of  Ephesus^ 
write,  These  things 
saith  he  that  holdeth 
the  seven  stars  in  his 
right  hand,  who  walk^ 
eth  in  the  midst  of  the 
seven   golden  candle-^ 

2  sticks  ;  1  kno\Y  thy 
works,  and  thy  labour, 
and  thy  patience,  and 
how  thou  canst  not 
bear  theni  which  are 


Ch.  ii.  1— 7^] 


APOCALYPSE. 


39 


Ttff  Xiyovrx!  sxvli!S 

EiV/*    )^  evptf  XVTHS 

rxaxs  Qioi,  to  ovo{/.x 

fJLH    KOil    HK     tMTcl' 

4  a<TJty.  *AXX'  iy^uj 
Kocra.  (tS,  ot<  t»v  a- 
yatnv  <TH  T^y  -CTf  £^^• 

(i.ovevB    *BV,      -GToosy 

'^tl^iOKOLS.,    -iCj  (/.llx- 

V8>3a-oy,  >c  Ta  -BJfw- 

[ras^y],  5t^  x/v>5<ra; 
T^y  Xv^viav  ca  Ix. 
TB  roTra  ayr^r,  £«y 

6  fMVi  ^vxvi-hcri^s,  'AX- 
Xa  tSto  £;^«^5  oT^ 
^(CTfr^  Ta  E^Iflt  Tftly 
N/xoXaiV^/y,  a  jca- 

7  7^  ixiaA>.     O  E^wy 

«f,   (XKHa-OCTQ}    Tl    To 

■BjyEy/xiZ  Xf'yw  T^r? 
lKK\y)(Ttxts'  Ta?  y<- 
i^mri  ouTu  avrta 
^xym  ex.  T»  |uXa 
T'7/s-  ^(w5jf,  0  Ef/y  £y 
T'f  Tsxqx^v<Tf  tS 
0<-5  /x«. 


tried  them  who  say 
they  are  Apostles,  and 
are  not ;  and  thou  hast 

3  found  them  false.  And 
thou  hast  patience, 
and  hast  endured  on 
account  of  my  name, 
and     hast     not    been 

4  wearied  out.  But  I 
have  against  thee  that 
thou  hast  left  thy  for- 

5  mer  love.  Be  mindful, 
then,  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent,  and 
do  the  former  works  ; 
or  else  I  am  coming 
to  thee  [soon],  and  I 
will  remove  thy  lamp- 
bearer  out  of  its  place, 
unless     thou     repent. 

6  But  this  thou  hast, 
that  thou  hatest  the 
works  of  the  Nico- 
laitans,  which    I   also 

7  hate.  He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  Churches,  To 
him  that  overcometh, 
to  him  will  I  grant  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  Para- 
dise of  my  God. 


evil :  and  thou  hast 
tried  them  which  say 
they  are  Apostles,  and 
are  not;  and  hast  found 

3  them  liars :  And  hast 
borne,  and  hast  pa- 
tience, and  for  my 
name's  sake  hast  la- 
boured, and  hast  not 

4  fainted.  Nevertheless, 
I  have  somewhat  a- 
gainst  thee,  because 
thou     hast     left    thy 

5  first  love.  Remember, 
therefore,  from  whence 
thou  art  fallen,  and 
repent,  and  do  the  first 
works;  or  else  I  will 
come  unto  thee  quick- 
ly, and  will  remove  thy 
candlestick  out  of  his 
place,  except  thou  rq- 

6  pent.  But  this  thou 
hast,  that  thou  hatest 
the  deeds  of  the  Nico-. 
laitanes,  which  I  also 

7  hate.  He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  Churches, 
To  him  that  over- 
cometh, will  I  give  to 
eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  Paradise  of  God. 


Ver.  1.  Unto  the  angel  of  the  Church,']  Tlie  ad- 
dress of  our  Lord  is  not  unto  the  angels,  or  presidents 
of  the  churches,  on  their  ozvn  behalf]    but  on  account 

of 


40  APOCALYPSEo  [Pt    I.    §  4. 

of  the  churches  over  which  they  preside.  This  will 
appear  in  many  instances,  but  particularly  in  that  of 
the  Church  of  Thyatira*,  where  O/x/v  h  Xeyu,  (I  say 
to  i/oiCy  not  to  thee)  plainly  shews  it.  Some  of  the 
commentators,  overlooking  this,  have  understood  the 
words  of  Christ  as  addressed  to  the  Presidents  on 
their  own  individual  account.  They  are  addressed 
to  the  seven  Churches  in  particular,  and  through 
them  to  the  universal  church  in  all  times  and  in  all 
places  ;  such  is  the  figurative  import  of  the  number 
seven  f .  Some  commentators  have  proceeded  farther. 
They  have  imagined  that  under  the  description  of  the 
seven  churches,  seven  successive  periods  of  the  church 
are  prophetically  delineated.  But  this  does  not  agree 
with  the  division  made  by  the  Divine  Giver  of  this 
Revelation :{:,  whereby  he  points  out  the  second  and 
third  chapters  as  containing  a  skji,  *'  the  things  which 
**  now  arc,"  and  the  remaining  chapters  as  unfolding 
a  [leXUi  yevec^ai  y^elu  recvla,  ''  the  things  which  are  about 
*^.  to  be  after  these."  And  without  entering  into  far- 
ther particulars,  it  must  appear,  that  no  description 
pf  any  of  the  seven  Churches  is  sufficiently  dark,  to 
express  the  corrupt  state  of  religion  in  the  middle  ages 
as  described  in  history  ;  or  as  prophetically  delineated 
in  the  subsequent  parts  of  this  revelation  :  Nor  can 
we  here  find  any  representation  of  that  triumphant 
state  of  the  church,  which,  from  the  concluding 
chapters  of  this  book,  and  from  other  prophecies,  we 
have  reason  to  respect.  Another  yet  more  fanciful 
exposition  has  been  added  to  this ;  under  the  Greek 
name  of  each  of  the  seven  churches,  the  successive 

♦  Ch.  ii.  24.  i"  See  note,  chap.  i.4. 

X  Ch.  i.  19.  which  compare  with  ch.  iv,  1.  and  see  t,he  i\oteon  the 

former  passage 

cb.a' 


Ch.  ii.  1 — 7.]  APOCALYPSE.  41 

character  of  the  universal  Church  has  been  sup- 
posed to  be  mysteriously  expressed.  Bede,  in  the 
eighth  century,  is  the  first  author  in  whom  I  recollect 
to  have  seen  this  mode  of  interpretation.  He  finds 
myrrh  in  the  word  Smyrna,  and  then  applies  the 
qualities  of  myrrh  to  the  city  of  that  name ;  others 
following  the  example  (e.vemplum  mtiis  imitabile)^ 
have  extended  this  method  of  interpretation  to  all 
the  seven  churches. 

lb.  Ephesus.  ]  This  is  the  city,  in  which  the  apostle 
Saint  John  commonlv  resided*  and  from  which  he 
would  visit  the  six  remaining  Churches,  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  here  named.  It  is  also  the  first  sea- 
port to  one  proceeding  from  the  Island  of  Patmos, 
from  which  the  distribution  of  our  Lord's  injunctions 
to  the  seven  Churches  would  begin.  Strabo,  who 
wrote  about  50  years  before  the  date  of  this  vision, 
and  who  had  been  educated  in  the  province  of  Asia, 
and  was  personally  acquainted  with  every  part  of  it, 
has  described  Ephesus  as  the  most  considerable  city 
in  that  region|.  So  likewise  Pliny;]:.  Possessing  the 
famous  temple  of  Diana,  which  had  been  endowed 
with  peculiar  privileges  by  the  conquerors  Xerxes 
and  Alexander,  it  became  a  distinguished  seat  of 
heathen  idolatry.  Hence  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
was  opposed  in  this  city  from  political  prejudices  and 
mercenary  motives  §.  But  the  cause  of  true  religion 
prevailed,  by  the  diligent  preaching  of  Saint  Paul 
assisted  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  That  Apostle  made 
Ephesus  his  abode  "for  the  space  of  two  years;" 
qind,    as  this   city  was  the  grand  mart  of  Asia,  so  it 

•  Jren.  adv.  Hser.  lib.  iii.  c.  1.     Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  c.  23. 
+  Strabo,  ii.  p.  865,  pil.  %  Nat.  Hist.  lib,  v.  c.  29, 

§  Acts  :^ix.  16, 

became 


4^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  L  §  4, 

became  a  central  point,  whence  the  Christian  Reli- 
gion was  successfully  propagated  ;  ''so  that  all  they 
**  who  dwelt  in  Asia,  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord 
*'  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks*."  Therefore,  when 
Saint  John,  some  years  later,  came  to  dwell  in  Asia, 
Ephesus  became  the  proper  place  of  his  residence. 

We  may  learn  somewhat  of  the  state  of  this 
Church,  about  30  or  40  years  before  the  date  of 
this  vision,  from  the  Epistles  of  Saint  Paul  to 
Timothy,  whom  he  had  left  at  Ephesus,  and  who 
was  Angel  or  Apostle,  of  this  Church  at  the  time 
w^hen  the  letters  of  Saint  Paul  were  addressed  to  himf. 
It  was  then  assailed  by  zealots,  probably  Jews,  who 
taught  their  *'  fables  and  endless  genealogies,"  and 
made  little  account  of  that  charity  which  is  '*  the 
"  end  of  the  commandment."  We  might  obtain  ad- 
ditional information  on  this  subject,  from  the  Epistle 
of  Saint  Paul  which  is  inscribed  to  the  Ephesians,  if  it 
should  appear  to  be  written  peculiarly  to  the  inhabitants, 
of  that  city.  But  doubts  have  been  advanced  upon 
this  subject :  and  some  have  supposed  that  this  Epistle 
is  that  which  Saint  Paul  had  sent  to  the  Laodiceans, 
and  which,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  Epistle  to  the 
Colossians,  he  orders  to  be  read,  interchangeably 
with  that  Epistle,  by  the  two  ChurchesJ:.     But  how^ 

ever 

♦  Acts  xix.  10.  t  1  Tim.  1.3. 

J  See  Whitby  on  Coloss.  iv.  6.  Paley's  Hora3  Paulinas.  Lardner's 
Cred.  vol.  vi.  Bp,  Pretymaji's  Christian  Theology,  vol.  i. — Certainly 
this  Epistle  contains  nothing  personal  to  the  Ephesians,  which  might 
be  expected  in  the  letter  of  an  Apostle  who  had  resided  above  two 
years  among  them.  And  to  me  it  appears  probable,  that  containing 
only  a  general  exposition  of  the  Christian  dispensation  so  far  as  it 
relates  to  the  Gentiles,  and  a  general  view  of  the  Christian  doctrines  as 
applicable  to  all,  and  confined  to  no  community  in  particular,  it  W4is 

intended 


Ch.  ii.  1 — 7.]  APOCALYPSE.  43 

ever  this  matter  may  be  determined,  it  is  certain  that 
'the  Church  of  Ephesus  had  enjoyed  very  considerable 
advantages,  beyond  most  other  churches,  at  the  time 
when  our  Lord  now  addresses  it.  Saint  Paul  had  re- 
sided at  Ephesus  upwards  of  two  years,  and  afterwards 
Timothy,  under  his  immediate  direction  ;  lastly,  the 
Apostle  Saint  John  had  fixed  his  abode  there.  All 
this  accords  with  the  address  of  our  Lord  to  this 
Church,  in  which  it  is  (1st)  represented,  as  free  from 
heretical  doctrines  ;  (2dly)  is  reprimanded  severely  for 
a  defect  in  charity ;  for  to  whom  much  is  given,  of 
the  same  much  will  be  required. 

The  History  of  Ephesus,  from  the  apostolical  times 
to  the  present,  is  in  abridgment  as  follows.  This 
city  stood  very  high  in  the  commonwealth  of  Chris- 
tians for  some  centuries.  She  sent  her  bishops  to  the 
general  councils,  and  councils  were  holden  at  Ephesus. 
About  ten  or  twenty  years  after  this  address  of  her 
Lord  to   her,   at  the  time  of  Ignatius's  martyrdom, 

intended  to  be  circulated  not  only  at  Ephesus,  but  in  all  the  adjacent 
region  ;  and  accordingly  might  be  addressed  also  to  the  Laodiceans. 
Arguments  for  this  hypothesis  may  be  seen  in  Michaelis's  Introduc- 
tion to  the  New  Testament,  ch.  xx.  Add  to  these,  that  Tychicus  was 
the  bearer  of  this  Epistle ;  and  Tychicus  appears  to  have  been  often 
employed  in  bearing  the  communications  of  this  Apostle  to  the 
Churches;  (Col.  iv.  7.  2  Tim.  iv.  12.  Tit.  iii.  12.)  From  Rome, 
where  Saint  Paul  wrote  this  Epistle,  Tychicus  had  to  travel  over 
many  regions  before  he  would  arrive  at  Ephesus.  This  Epistle,  as  a 
Catholic  universal  address,  was  of  a  fit  character  to  be  distributed 
as  he  passed  through  the  Churches.  The  copy  left  at  Ephesus  had 
the  words  fv  E^so-^  inserted,  and  this  copy  principally  was  preserved, 
^nd  acknowledged  by  the  Fathers  of  the  Church.  But  in  some  of  the 
;MSS.  now  extant,  the  words  tv  E^eo-y  are  not  to  be  found,  and  in 
some  the  word  zjuat  is  added  after  ay/oK  (such  is  the  case  in  the  famous 
Alexandrine  MS.)  which  gives  some  colour  to  this  supposition,  of  its 
being  a  Ci^tholic  Epistle,  designed  for  many  of  the  Gentile  Churches. 

she 


44  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  4, 

she  appears  to  be  in  a  flourishing  state,  having  in  her 
bosom  great  numbers  of  Christians  professing  a  pure 
faith,  and  directed  by  Onesimus  an  excellent  bishop  ; 
The  heresies,  which  then  began  to  prevail  throughout 
the  Churches,  had  not  yet  corrupted  her  *.  In  the 
third  naval  expedi,tion  of  the  barbarians  from  the 
Euxine,  during  the  reign  of  Valerian,  Ephesus  suffer- 
ed great  calamities.  But  the  grand  desolation  of 
this  city,  under  which  she  now  lies  prostrate,  was  that 
which  she  underwent  in  common  with  the  maritime 
coast  of  Lesser  Asia,  in  the  year  1312,  from  the  de- 
vastating armies  of  the  Turksf.  Ephesus  is  described 
hy  modern  travellers  as  little  better  than  a  heap  of 
ruins;  so  completely  is  her  **  lamp-bearer  removed  J.'* 
lb.  Thus  saith  he,  &c.]  The  supreme  head  of  thd 
Christian  church  is  now  in  the  act  of  visiting  and 
superintending.  To  the  church  of  Ephesus,  with 
Avhich  he  begins,  he  represents  himself  in  that  cha- 
racter and  office,  as  walking  amidst  his  churches,  and 
directing  and  supporting  their  teachers  §. 

Ver.  2.  Canst  not  endure.  ^  The  word  e;zr/wr^(/5«ff7«fw) 
Ver.  3.  Hast  endured,  )  is  twice  applied  to  the 
Ephesian  Church,  which  in  the  same  passage  is  com- 
mended, Ist,  for  enduring;  and  2dly,  ^ox  not  endur^ 
ing;  for  enduring  the  yoke  of  Christianity  without 
fainting  under  the  afflictions  and  persecutions  which 
attended  it ;    for  not  enduring  another  yoke,  namely, 

*  Ignatii  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  sect.  9« 

t  Gibbon's  Hist.  i.ch.  10.  vi,  p.  314. 

X  For  accounts  of  the  present  state  of  Ephesus,  and  of  th«  other 
six  Churches,  as  briefly  reported  in  the  ensuing  notes,  see  at  large. 
Smith's  Septem  Asiae  Eccles.  Notit. ;  Rycaut's  Present  State  of  the 
Greek  Church ;  and  the  relations  of  Wheeler,  Spou,  Heyman,  and 
Van  Egmont,  in  their  voyages  and  travels, 

I  See  note  i.  1?. 

the 


Ch.  ii.  1—7.]  APOCALYPSE.  45 

the  yoke  of  doctrines  and  ordinances  of  pretended 
Apostles,  who  under  the  name  of  Christianity  had 
attempted  to  deceive  them.  This  Church  had  pro- 
ceeded, according  to  the  injunction  of  our  apostle*, 
*'  to  try  the  Spirits,"  to  hring  the  doctrines  of  these 
pretended  apostles  to  the  test  of  Apostolic  lleligionf ; 
and  upon  this  trial  had  rejected  them.  If  the  Chris- 
tian C'hurch,  mindful  of  this  commendation,  (which 
is  again  studiously  repeated  in  verse  6,)  had  been 
careful  in  succeeding  times  to  model  its  conduct 
by  the  example  proposed,  it  would  not  have  been 
betrayed  into  antichristian  apostacies,  or  have  sub- 
mitted to  antichristian  domination,  such  as  will  be 
seen  described  in  the  sequel  of  this  prophecy. 

Ver.  4.  Thy  former  lox>e.'\  It  seems  justly  remarked 
by  Grotius  on  this  passage,  that  t^wIviv,  as  in  John  i.  15, 
has  the  force  of  ir^olsi^viv.  Tertullian  thus  understood 
it,  desertam  dilectionem  Ephesiis  imputatj.  The 
Church  is  accused  of  having  forsaken  that  warm  and 
extensive  communication  of  charity  which  charac- 
terised Christianity  in  its  infancy,  and  which  in  the 
days  of  Justin  Martyr,  and  of  Tertullian,  is  de- 
scribed to  be  its  distinguishing  ornament  §.  To  fail 
in  this,  is  to  fall  from  primitive  purity;  and  the 
fall  is  great;  xoOfv  f nTf ttIwx^; ;  and  the  punishment 
threatened,  naturally  follows  :  for  the  Church,  which 
is  defective  in  Christian  Charity,  cannot  long  remain 
*'  a  shining  light ;"  her  lamp-bearer  is  removed  ||^ 

Ver.  6.  Nicolaifans.]  It  is  observed  by  Mosheim, 
that  our  knowledge  of  the  sects  and  heresies  of  the  first 

*  1  John  iv.  1.  t  2  John  vi.  Mat.  vii.  l6m 

X  De  Poenitentia,  sect.  8. 

5  Just.  Dial,  cum  Tryphon.  p.  254.     TertulUaD,  Apol.  c.  31.  p.  31. 

])  2  Esd.  X.  22. 

century 


46  Al'OCALYPS£.  [Pt.  I.  §  4. 

century  is  very  incomplete.  And  doubts  have  arisen, 
whether  in  the  accounts  given  of  the  Nicolaitans, 
by  Irena^us,  TertuUian,  Clemens,  and  others,  they 
did  not  confound  the  Nicolaitans,  mentioned  in  this 
passage,  with  another  sect  afterwards  founded  by  one 
Nicolaus  *.  It  appears  from  tlie  testimony  of  these 
ancient  fathers,  and  of  Eusebiust,  that  the  Nico- 
laitans, whom  they  describe,  adopted  principles 
which  were  afterwards  held  by  the  Gnostics,  denyt 
ing  the  humanity  of  our  Lord,  and  his  real  suffer- 
in  o-s  in  the  flesh.  But  these  were  no  novel  doctrines, 
the  Nicolaitans  of  Saint  John's  time  might  have 
taught  them  ;  for  we  find  them  mentioned  or  alluded 
to  in  Saint  John's  writings  |.  The  same  doctrines  ar6 
opposed  by  Ignatius  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Trallians, 
and  Ignatius  wrote  at  no  great  distance  of  time  from 
the  date  of  the  Apocalypse.  Polycarp,  the  next  in 
succession,  is  seen  to  oppose  in  his  Epistle  the  same 
errors.  And  the  end  of  the  age  of  Polycarp  brings 
us  down  to  the  times  of  Irenasus,  and  of  TertuUian, 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  &c.  And  as  these  fathers 
agree  in  calling  the  heretics,  who  professed  these 
tenets,  by  the  name  of  Nicolaitans,  there  seems  good 
reason  for  concluding  that  the  Nicolaitans  of  Saint 
John*s  time  were  such.  Their  history,  though  but 
slightly  touched,  appears  (me  and  the  same  through 
the  whole  period  of  time,  from  the  latter  part  of  the 
first  to  the  middle  of  the  second  century.  But  what^ 
ever  we  may  judge  by  the  evidence  of  their  doctrines, 
the  matter  will  appear  clearer  from  considering  what 
is  delivered   by  the  ancients,  concerning  the  morals 

*  Mosheim,   Eccl.  Hist.  Cent.  1.  cli.  v. 

t  Hist.  Eccl.  ch.  iii.  29. 

X  1  John  ii.  18,  19-  iv.  2,  3  ;    2  John  7. 

and 


Ch.  il.  1—7.1  APOCALYPSE.  47 

and  practices  of  the  Nicolaitans  whom  they  describe, 
and  by  comparing  them  with  those  mentioned  in 
the  Apocalypse.  They  describe  the  Nicolaitans  as  im- 
pure and  profligate  in  their  lives,  and  in  comment- 
ing on  those  passages  of  Saint  Jude,  and  of  the  se- 
cond Epistle  of  Saint  Peter,  which  represent  heretical 
leaders,  ''  like  the  Sodomites,  turning  the  grace  of 
"God  into  lasciviousness  *,"  they  assert  that  these 
nvere  Nicolaitansf.  The  tradition  of  the  Church  call- 
ied  them  by  that  name  ;  and  they  were  probaWy  he- 
retics of  the  same  kind  as  these  mentioned  by  our 
Saviour,  at  a  time  intermediate  between  the  date  of 
these  Apostolical  Epistles,  and  of  the  writings  of  these 
ancient  Fathers.  It  is  of  their  practices  th^t  our  Lord 
speaks  with  detestation,  '*  Thou  hatest  the  woi^ks  of 
**  the  Nicolaitans,    which  I  also  hate." 

From  this  testimony  it  appears,  that  these  Nico- 
laitans were  impious  in  their  doctrines,  and  impure 
in  their  lives  %,  The  Christian  Gnostics  afterwards 
adopted  many  of  their  doctrines  and  practices,  and 
are  therefore  said  by  the  ancients  to  be  sprung  from 
them.  The  progressive  history  seems  to  be  this. 
When  the  Apostles  Peter,  and  Jude,  and  John,  wrote 
their  respective  Epistles,  there  were  some  heretical 
teachers  of  this  character,  '*  creeping  unawares,"  that 
is,  slyly  and  covertly,  into  the  Church.  When  the 
Apocalypse  came  forth,  they  had  increased,  were  em- 
bodied, and  had  acquired  a  name.  Yet  in  that  form, 
(and  probably  in  consequence  of  our  Lord*s  dis- 
avowal of  them  in  this  passage  and  in  ver.  15.)  they 
made  little  progress  :  but  afterwards,    uniting  to  their 

•  Jude  4,  7,  8.     2  Pet.  ii.  2. 

t  See  these  evidences  in  Whitby,  in  loc\ 

}  Tlffi  ufv  5o7/»a]of  acriCeo-lolo/,  in^  ^t  Qm  MC-eXye'Moi,      CEcUtnenius. 

'*         •  principles 


48  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §4. 

principles  of  doctrine,  and  some  of  them  to  their 
practices  (for  all  the  Gnostics  were  not  impure  in  their 
lives*)  the  pompous  title  of  Gnosis,  and  its  philoso- 
phical jargon,  they  swarmed  over  and  corrupted  a 
great  part  of  the  Christian  world. 

It  appears  however  from  the  testimony  of  Ignatius 
given  previously  to  his  martyrdom,  at  a  period  of 
ten  or  twenty  years  after  these  injunctions  of  our 
Lord  were  delivered,  that  this  Church  of  Ephesus 
had  profited  much  by  his  warnings;  for,  when  the 
other  churches  began  to  be  corrupted  by  the  Gnos- 
tics,   Ephesus  was  seen  to  flourish  with  a  pure  faith  f. 

Ver.  7.   He  that  hath  an  ear,    &c.]     It  was  usual 
with  our  Lord,    when  he  was  about  to  address  himself 
to  his  auditors  in  figurative  language,  to  bespeak  their 
spiritual  attention  by  a  warning  of  this  kind,   "  He 
*'  that  hath  ears  to  hear,   let  him  hear."     In  the  pas- 
sage  before  us  the   language  changes  from  plain  to 
figurative;  and  the  same  notice  is  given.     The  ad- 
dress is  now  from  the  Spirit,  or  seven  Spirits^,  whose 
oflrtce  it  is  to  reveal  mysteries,    and  *'  to  shew  things  to 
"  come§;"   and  it  applies  not  only  to  the  Church  of 
Ephesus,   but  to  all  the  seven  Churches ;  and  through 
them  to  the  universal  Church,  in  all  ages  and  places  \\. 
lb.  To  him  that  over  come  thJ]  Being  summoned  in  the 
words  immediately  preceding,    to  apply  our  spiritual 
ear  to   the   symbolical  language,    in   which  the  Holy 
Spirit  addresses  the  Church,    let  us  in  the  first  place 
inquire   into,    and   settle,    the  figurative   meaning   of 
the  words  conquer ,  victory,    &c.   as  used  in  Scripture. 
The  Christian  is  represented  to  be  engaged  in   a  dan- 

*  Clem.  Alex.  Strom,  lib.  iii.  v. 

f  Ignat.  Epist.  ad  Ephes.  sect.  9.  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  25.  iv.  7. 

X  See  note,  ch.  i.  4.  §  John  xvi.  13.  (]  Note  i.  4* 

gerous 


Ch.  ii.  1 — 7.]  APOCALYPSE.  49 

gerous  warfare^  against  a  very  powerful  enemy.  Our 
Lord,  in  St.  Matthew,  ck  xiii.  ^^,  and  Saint  Peter,  in 
his  first  Epistle,  chap.  v.  8,  inform  us  plainly,  that 
this  adversary  is  the  Devil,  that  ancient  foe  of  man- 
kindj  who  attacks  us  sometimes  by  deceits  and  entice- 
ments, as  he  did  successfully  our  first  parents ;  some- 
times by  force  and  terror,  as  he  did  those  of  the  first 
Christians,  who  were  exposed  to  the  fiery  trial  of 
mc?rtyrdom.  The  arms,  which  he  employs  against  us, 
are  the  temptations,  or  terrors,  of  the  world  and  of 
the  flesh ;  but  these  would  not  be  so  formidable,  if 
they  were  not  aided  by  the  influence  which  he,  as  a 
Spirit,  possesses  over  our  Spirit;  **  for  we  wrestle  not," 
says  Saint  Paul*,  **  against  flesh  and  blood,  but 
**  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against  the 
*'  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  api- 
''^ritual  wickedness  in  high  places."  Wiierefore  he 
exhorts  us  to  take  in  our  defence  **  the  whole  armour 
**  of  God,"  which  he  also  describes  Jigurativeli/,  con- 
cluding that,  **  above  all,  we  should  take  the  shield  of 
*'  faitli,  wherewith  we  shall  be  able  to  quench  all 
**  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  one  (ts  ttovv^^s)."  This 
combat,  and  these  means  of  victory,  are  also  set  forth 
in  various  parts  of  Scripture,  of  which  the  following 
may  be  produced  as  instances;  1  Tim.  vi.  12.  1  Thess. 
V.  8.  Rom.  xii.  12.  2  Cor.  vi.  7.  x.  3,  4,  5.  xii.  10. 
1  Cor.  xvi.  13.  1  John  ii.  13,  14.  iv.  4.  5.  v.  4,  5. 
1  Pet.  V.  8,  9.  ii.  11.  James  iv.  7.  Our  Lord  is  de- 
scribed as  having  successfully  fought  this  battle,  a^ 
the  periods  of  his  temptation  and  of  his  final  suffering, 
and  we  his  servants  can  only  expect  success  by  follow- 
ing him,  **  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,"  who  has 
promised    spiritual   assistance    to    those    who    strive 

*  Eph.  VI.  12. 

a  against 


50  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  4. 

against  the  common  enemy, — such  assistance  as  shall 
enable  them  to  overcome*.  But  with  what  arms  did 
our  Lord  himself  overcome?  for  with  none  other  can 
his  followers  expect  to  conquer ; — not  with  the  wea- 
pons of  human  warfare.  When  such  were  offered  to 
him,  previously  to  the  grand  conflict,  ''  put  up  thy 
*' sword,"  said  he  to  the  zealous  apostle,  who  drew 
it  in  his  defence,  ''  all  they  that  take  the  sword,"  that 
rely  on  such  arms  in  such  a  cause,  "  shall  perish  with 
"  the  sword,"  shall  lose  that  victory,  which  is  to  be 
gained  by  other  means.  The  means  then  used  by 
the  great  ''  Captain  of  our  salvation,"  was  meek  per- 
severance in  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
founded  upon  faith  in  his  God;  he  conquered,  he 
''was  made  perfect,  by  sufferings!."  Which  words 
are  explained  in  the  14th  verse  of  the  same  chapter; 
"  through  death  he  destroyed  him  that  had  the 
*'  power  of  death,  even  the  devil,  openly  triumphing 
*'  over  him,"  in  this  very  act  J.  It  is  for  this  reason, 
that  our  Lord,  when  preparing  for  this  combat,  in 
which  he  knew  that  by  siifering  he  should  overcome, 
calls  his  death  his  glorification  §.  In  that  last  and  de- 
cisive conflict  in  the  flesh,  with  "  the  prince  of  this 
''  world  II,"  as  our  L6rd  then  calls  him,  he  overcame 
him  by  suffering ;  and  passing  through  the  grave  to 
heaven,  he  opened  a  passage  for  his  faithful  followers, 
leading  them  triumphantly  into  that  kingdom,  which 
he  had  prepared  for  them,  and  where  ''  he  must 
**  reign,"  till  all  his  enemies  shall  be  finally  subdued; 
until  ''Death  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  victory^." 
Thus,  as  I  have  seen  it  expressed,   with  brighter  truth 

*  Luke  X.  18.  &c.  f  Heb.  ii.  10.  %  Col.  ii.  15, 

§  Johnxii.  23,  28.  xiii.  31.  xvii.  1.  also  vii.  13.  xii.  \6. 

II  John  xii.  13.  xiv.  20.  H  1  Cor.  xv.  24.  5^—57- 

than 


Ch.  il.  1 7.]  APOCALYPSE.  51 

than  Latinity,  '*  Victus  qui  saeviebat,  vicit  qui  suf- 
'^  ferebat."  *'  The  conqueror  was  subdued,  the  suf- 
'^  ferer  conquered;"  or,  as,  in  more  stately  lan- 
guage, God  the  Father  is  represented  speaking  of  the 
Son  incarnate; 

'*  I  send  him  forth 
**  To  conquer  sin  and  death,  the  two  grand  foes, 
**  By  humiUation  and  strong  suff'rance*." 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  be  ready  at  all 
times  to  fight  this  spiritual  battle,  under  the  convic- 
tion, that  he  is  certain  to  triumph,  if  he  be  lawfully 
called  to  the  conflict  f ,  and  have  faith  to  follow  his 
great  Leader.  For,  to  suffer  in  that  cause  is  to 
triumph  ;  *'  nay,  in  all  these  things,"  says  Saint  Paul 
speaking  of  such  sufferings,  '*weare  more  than  coji- 
*'  qicei^ors,  through  Him  who  loved  us  J."  And  this  no- 
tion of  conflict,  battle,  "cictory,  Sec.  will  be  found 
also  to  pervade  the  writings  of  the  early  Christians. 
In  the  martyrdom  of  Ignatius,  published  by  Arch- 
bishop Usher,  that  martyr  is  called  AfiAv^Tj^;  aai  yev- 
v&m  (xu^lvg  X^ijls,  yicilcLirctlvi^ciQ  tov  d^iatoXov' ^  and  in  that 
precious  morsel  of  Ecclesiastical  History  in  the  second 
century,  the  epistle  from  the  Gallic  Churches,  the 
persecuting  power  is  styled  ©  uvlrAsiixsvog,  the  adversary, 
who  :r^oyu|ULy«^f/,  skirmishes  before  the  battle ;  but 
avliaWii  v|  %tfj^/?  T8  0f8,  the  grace  of  God  conducts  the 
Christian  force  against  him,  and  supports  the  martyrs, 
who  are  called  yevmioi  u^^^vflxi,  noble  combatants  ||. 
Agreeably  to  these  images,  that  ancient  hymn  of  th6 

*  Par.  Reg.  i.  159.  t  2  Tim.  ii.  5.  X  Rom.  viii.  37,    '■ 

§  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  v.  Pref.  &  c.  i. 

II  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  v.  Pref.  &  cap.  i.     See  also  the  same  lan- 
guage in  Minuc.  Felix  Octav.  c.  37, 

t  o  21  Christian 


6^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  4. 

Christian  Church,  beginning  with  Te  Deum,  recounts 
the  '*  noble  army  of  Martyrs."     But  besides  this  battle 
which  every  Christian  has  to  fight  individually,   and 
on  his  own  private  account,  against  the  great  adver- 
sary, there  is  a  more  general  and  extended  warfare, 
in    which   the  followers  of  Christ  are  engaged   in   a 
bodi/,   as  the  bodi/  erf  Chrisfs  Church.     It  is  against 
the  same  arch-enemy,   the  devil,  and  under  the  same 
leader,   Christ.     For  our  Lord  is  represented  as  con- 
tinually presiding  over  the   fortunes   of  his  church : 
'*  Lo,    I   am   with   yon,   even   unto   the   end    of  the 
*'  world*."     It  is  this  warfare  extended  through  all  the 
ages  of  the  world,  which  seems  principally,  if  not  solely, 
to  be  prefigured  in  the  Apocalypse.     The  Devil  and 
his  worldly  agents  attack  by  seduction  and  corrupt 
doctrine,    by  terror  and  persecution ;    the  church  re- 
sists,   covering  herself  with   the  arms   of  her   great 
Leader,    **  the  cincture  of  truth,    the  breast-plate  of 
**  righteousness,  the  helmet  of  salvation,   the  sword  of 
*'  the  Spirit,    and,    above   all,   the   shield   of  faith  f. 
'^  Though  she  walk  in  the  flesh,   yet  does  she  not  war 
**  after  the  flesh,    for  the  weapons  of  her  warfare  are 
*^  not  carnal,    but  mighty,  through  God,    to  the  pull- 
*'  ing  down   of  strong  holds,    bringing  into  captivity 
*'  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ."     Agree- 
ably  to   which  words  of   Scripture  in  the   language 
of  the  Apocalypse:    '*  He  that  conquereth,"  is  "he 
*'  who  keeps  the  works  of  his  Lord   even  unto  the 
**end:J;;"    he  who,   by  the  prevalence  of  faith,  per- 
severes in  the  profession  and  practice  of  Christianity, 
when  assailed  by  temptation  or  terror,    is  the  faithful 
and   victorious   soldier  of  Christ.     And  to  a  church 

♦  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  +  Eph.  vi.  14,  &c. 

X  See  ch.  ii.  26.  where  the  expression  may  be  thus  paraphrased. 

of 


Ch.  ii.  1—7.1  APOCALYPSE.  S3 

of  this  character,  and  to  none  other,  is  promised 
*'  power  over  the  nations,"  a  spiritual,  increasing  do- 
minion. 

As  to  the  passage  immediately  before  us,  it  con- 
cerns the  times  a  ei<7i  *,  the  situation  of  the  church  at 
the  time  when  our  Lord  addressed  these  warnings  to 
it;  when  the  Faith  was  assailed  both  by  delusive 
teachers  from  within,  and  by  heathen  persecutors 
from  without.  Of  the  former  of  these,  we  have 
spoken  f.  The  hostility  of  the  latter  had  commenced 
some  years  before,  in  the  reign  of  Nero,  whose  un- 
just edicts  against  the  Christians  had  been  renewed 
by  Domitian  a  little  time  before  the  date  of  this 
prophecy.  For,  under  this  persecution,  Saint  John 
was  banished  to  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  where  he  saw 
the  vision  :t^.  That  the  seven  Churches  were  actually 
under  persecution  at  this  time,  and  were  not  to  be 
relieved  immediately,  may  be  collected  from  various 
passages  of  these  addresses  to  them  §. 

Ver.  7.  To  eat  of  the  tree  of  Life,  &c.]  The  Lord 
God  is  described  to  have  planted  a  garden,  or  para- 
dise, in  Eden,  and  to  have  placed  in  the  midst  of 
the  garden  the  tree  of  Ife ;  of  which  the  fir^t 
created  pair  might  eat,  and  by  eating  live  for  ever. 
Under  this  description  is  represented  that  immor- 
tality, to  which,  by  obedience,  the  race  of  men 
might  have  attained  in  their  primitive  state,  and 
which  they  forfeited  by  disobedience  ||.  For  they 
listened  to  the  seductions  of  their  wily  foe,  and  were 
overcome.  But  the  *'  Second  Adam,  the  Lord  from 
**  Heaven^,"  having   condescended  to   undergo,    in 

*  See  note,  ch.  i.  19.  f  Note,  ch.  ii.  6. 

X  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iii.  cap,  xi.s.  §  Ch.  ii.  3,  10,  13.  iii.  10. 

II  Gen«  ii,  8,  9.  1[  1  Cor.  xv.  22,  45.  John  vi.  51.  xi.  t25. 

the 


H 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  I.  §  5, 


the  behalf  of  fallen  man,  the  penalty,  ^vhich  was 
death"^,  man  is  hereby  restored  to  his  lost  privileges. 
The  tree  of  life  is  again  placed  within  his  reach,  he 
may  *'  put  forth  his  hand  and  live  for  ever."  This 
advantage,  which  the  Saviour  of  the  world  has  re- 
gained by  his  own  prowess,  he  bestows  as  a  free  gift 
or  reward  upon  those  servants  of  his  who  follow  him 
faithfully  in  his  victorious  career  f.  A  description  of 
the  tree  of  life  will  recur  in  ch.  xxii.  %  14. 

*  Gen.  ii.  \7 • 

t  See  a  copious  explanation  of  the  tree  oflife,  as  signifying  immortality, 
in  Bp.  Home's  Sermons,  vol.  i.  It  was  so  understood  by  the  author 
(of  the  2d  Book  of  Esdras,  ch.  viii.  32.  which  was  probably  written 
soon  after  this  book  of  Revelation.  See  Gray's  Key  to  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. 


PART    L 


SECTION      V. 


The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Smyrna. 


y^a-vJ/OK*  Tade  >>£- 
ye-t  0  zs^uros  Kj  o 
tayxros^  os  sysvsia 

^Xoca^piixv  Ix.  ruv 
AeyoiTby  ''laoca'as  ai- 


CHAP.    ii.    VER.    8 11. 

8  And  to  the  Angel  of 
the  Church  in  Smyrna, 
write  ;  Thus  saith  the 
First  and  the  Last,  who 
was  dead  and  is  alive  ; 

9  I  know  thy  [works  and 
thy]  tribulation  and 
thy  poverty,  (but  thou 
art  rich,)  and  the  blas- 
phemy of  those  who 
say  they  are  Jews,  and 
are  not,  but  are  a  syna- 

10  gogue  of  Satan.  Fear 
none  of  those  things 


8  And  unto  the  Angel 
of  the  Church  in  Smyr- 
na, write,  These  things 
saith  the  First  and  the 
Last,  which  was  dead, 

9  and  is  alive ;  I  know 
thy  works,  and  tribur 
lation,  and  poverty. 
(but  thou  art  rich,) and 
I  k?iow  the  blasphemy 
of  them  which  say  they 
are  Jews,  and  are  not, 
but  are  the  synagogue 

10  of  Satan.     Fear  none 


Cli.  il.  8—11.] 

10  mA  (poC5  a 
tjj^  (pt;Aa>c'/jy,  <vac  Wt/- 
^xvairsj    J^     ^Meruj 

<T0{  TOV    S'e^OiVOV  TVlS 

\  1  ^JriS.  *0  e'x*"'  ^^) 
aKHaocru  rt  to 
imv(/.x  Xiyet  rccTs 
(Kii\varia.iS'  OviaZy 


APOCALYPSE. 

which  thou  art  about 
to  suffer ;  behold,  the 
Devil  is  about  to  cast 
some  of  you  into  pri- 
son, that  ye  may  be 
trie4 ;  and  ye  shall 
have  tribulation  ten 
days  ;  be  thou  faithful 
unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  the  crown  of 
11  life,  rje  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  wh^t 
the  Spirit  saith  unto 
the  Churches :  He  who 
overcometh,  shall  not 
be  injured  by  the  se- 
cond death. 


65 

of  those  things  which 
thou  shalt  suffer:  be- 
hold, the  Devil  shall 
cast  some  of  j^ou  into 
prison,  that  ye  may  be 
tried;  and  ye  shall 
Jiave  tribulation  ten 
days  :  be  thou  faithful 
unto  death,  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of 
J 1  life.  He  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  sailh  unto 
the  Churches,  He  that 
overcometh,  shall  not 
be  hurt  of  the  second 
death, 


Ver.  8.  Smyrna,']  The  city  of  Smyrna  is  represented 
by  Strabo,  as  situated  about  forty  miles  to  the  north  of 
Ephesus,  of  which  it  was  originally  a  colony  *.  PUny 
describes  it  as  the  city  of  greatest  account  in  Asia,  after 
Ephesus -f.  There  is  no  mention  of  it,  as  a  Church,  in 
the  books  of  Scripture.  The  renowned  martyr,  Poly- 
carp,  was  its  Bishop :  but  as  he  suffered  in  the  reign  of 
Verus,  aged  86  years :[:,  he  must  have  been  too  young 
to  have  exercised  this  important  office  at  the  time  of 
this  Revelation  ;  even  if  we  should  suppose,  with  Bishop 
Pearson,  the  date  of  his  martyrdom  to  be  more  early  §. 
Yet  he  is  represented  by  the  ancients  as  receiving  his 
doctrine  immediately  from  the  Apostles  ;  and  Ireneeus, 
when  a  youth,  had  heard  him  discoursing  of  his  ac- 
quaintance with  Saint  John  ||.     The  Bishops  of  Smyrna 

*  Strabo,  ii.  p.  940,  t  Nat.  Hist.  v.  c.  29, 

X  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv.  c.  15, 

§  Cave,  Hist.  Lit.  art,  Polycarp. 

II  Euseb.  Hist,  Eccl,  lib.  v.  c.  20, 

attended 


S6  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.   §5. 

attended  tne  councils  of  the  Church  for  many  centu- 
ries. At  length  this  Church  sank  under  the  comrnoii 
desolation  in  the  13th  century.  Yet  Smyrna,  being  at 
this  time  a  principal  mart  of  European  commerce,  is  ia 
a  better  state  than  others  of  the  seven  Churches.  It  is 
still  a  populous  city,  and  contains  some  Christian  in- 
habitants. 

lb.  Thus  saith  the  First  afid  the  Lasty  &c.]  The 
title,  under  which  the  Supreme  Head  addresses  this 
Church,  is  the  same  which  he  had  assumed  on  his 
iirst  appearance  to  Saint  John,  and  is  explained  in  the 
note,  ch.  i.  17,  18.  The  character  of  it  agrees  with 
the  purport  of  this  address,  which  is  to  encourage  the 
Smyrnseans  confidently  to  meet  the  fiery  trial  of  mar- 
tyrdom ;  in  the  sure  expectation  of  triumphing  over 
the  power  of  the  enemy,  as  their  Lord  had  done  before 
them. 

Ver.  9.  Thy  poverty  (but  thou  art  r/cA).]  The 
Smyrnaean  Christians,  poor  as  to  the  goods  of  this 
transitory  life,  were  rich  in  good  works,  through  faith ; 
**  rich  towards  God  ;"  had  laid  up  a  treasure  in  heaven, 
which  no  worldly  calamity  can  destroy"^.  They  were 
opposed  and  harassed  by  a  powerful  party,  w^ho,  caUing 
themselves  Jews^  were  not,  like  the  honest  Nathanael, 
'^  Israelites  indeed  f;"  nor  like  him  described  by  Saint 
Paul,  **  a  Jew  inwardly,  in  spirit,  not  in  the  letter, 
**  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God;};."  Thes^ 
professed  Jews  were  men  of  violent  character,  who 
blasphemed  the  name  of  Israelite  by  calling  themselves 
such ;  who  were  in  fact  the  emissaries  of  Satan,  em- 

*  Luke  xii.  21.  xvi.  2.   2  Cor.  vi.  10.    1  Tim.  vi.  18.   James  ii,  ^, 
V.  2. 

t  John  i.  48. 

X  Rom.  ii.  28,  29.     See  the  true  Israelite  in  the  Christian  Church 
fiescribed  more  particularly  in  note,  ch.  iii.  4. 

ployed 


Ch.  ii.  8—11.]  APOCALYPSE.  57 

ployed  to  corrupt ;  or  to  excite  that  persecution,  which 
is  foretold  ia  the  succeeding  verse.  They  continued 
the  same  practices  in  later  times ;  for  the  Jews,  as  was 
their  custom,  says  the  Smyrna^an  account  of  the  mar- 
tyrdom of  Polycarp,  assisted  most  zealously  to  accom- 
plish the  destruction  of  the  martyr,  and  to  prevent  his 
interment  by  the  Christians  *. 

Ver.  10.  Fear  none,  &c.]  To  this  virtuous  Church, 
against  which  no  particular  fault  is  alleged  by  their 
all-seeing  Lord,  persecution  is  announced  ;  a  persecution 
occasioned  by  that  great  adversary  of  the  Church,  who 
appears,  in  the  sequel  of  this  book,  to  be  the  ultimate 
cause  of  all  the  evil  which  it  suffers  in  the  course  of 
ages.  Some  of  them  were  to  be  imprisoned ;  and,  as 
we  may  judge  from  the  words,  **  Be  thou  faithful  unto 
''  death,"  were  to  suffer  martyrdom.  Yet  these  suf- 
ferings are  not  denounced  as  a  punishmenty  for  they 
are  not  so  accounted  in  the  New  Testament.  Such 
persecuted  saints  our  Lord  encourages  to  **  rejoice,  for 
**  great  is  their  reward  in  heaven  f.'*  So  also  Saint 
James,  ch.  i.  2,  and  St.  Peter,  i.  1,  ^,  7,  the  latter  of 
whom  assigns  a  reason,  which  will  be  the  best  comment 
on  these  words,  im  zjBi^aa^^le,  *'  that  ye  may  be  tried  ;" 
'^  that  the  trial  of  your  faith,"  says  he,  '*  being  much 
*'  more  precious  than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it , 
*'  be  tried  by  fire,  may  be  found  unto  honour,  and 
'*  praise,  and  glory,  at  the  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ." 

lb.  Ten  dai/s.]  This  period  may  be  either,  literally, 
ten  days ;  or,  typically,  ten  years ;  for,  according  to 
the  use  of  time  in  prophetical  Scripture,  a  day  is  often- 
times taken  for  a  year.  It  is  thus  expressly  ordered  in 
Ezek.  iv.  6;  and  in  earlier  times,  days  were  pronounced 
typical  of  years,  as  in  Numbers  xiv.  34.     So  Isaiah, 

^  Eus.eb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv.  c,  15.  f  Matt.  v.  12. 

according 


58  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.   §  5. 

according  to  Bishop  Lowth  *,  uses  three  days  for  so 
many  years.  So  Ezekiel,  in  ch.  iv.  G-f.  And  as  a 
week  of  days  ended  in  a  sabbatical  day,  so  there  was  a 
tveek  of  years  ending  with  a  sabbatical  year  %,  And 
after  this  manner  of  computation  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel  are  generally  understood.  The  difficulty  of 
settling  whether  the  persecution  foretold  in  this  passage 
be  of  days  or  of  years,  arises  from  this,  that  we  have 
very  little  history  of  the  Church  in  those  times  when 
the  prophecy  was  probably  fulfilled,  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  first,  or  commencement  of  the  second  century. 
Many  of  the  Christian  records  were  destroyed  in  the 
Dioclesian  persecution.  We  have  indeed  an  account 
of  a  persecution  which  the  Church  of  Smyrna  under- 
went about  the  year  169;  when,  amongst  others,  Po- 
lycarp,  its  venerable  Bishop,  or  Angel,  suffered  martyr- 
dom §  :  but  there  is  no  proof  that  this  persecution  con- 
tinued either  ten  years,  or  only  ten  days.  And  it  seems 
at  too  great  a  distance  of  time,  upwards  of  70  years, 
to  be  the  persecution  foretold  by  our  Lord,  who  addresses 
the  Smyrnirans  then  living,  and  prepares  them,  not  their 
grand-children,  for  the  catastrophe.  Besides,  this 
persecution  M^as  extended  to  the  other  Churches  of 
Asia,  which  would  therefore  have  beent  prepared  by  the 
same  warning.  Less  reason  have  we  to  suppose  that 
this  prophecy  was  fulfilled  at  the  persecution  under 
Diocletian  ;  for  the  distance  of  time  was  still  greater, 
being  upwards  of  two  hundred  years.  And  this  perse- 
cution raged  throughout  the  empire,  Yet  we  find  this 
persecution  applied  to  the  prophecy  by  some  writers, 
chiefly  upon  the  notion  that  it  lasted  ten  years,  which, 
however,  seems  pot  to  have  been  strictly  the  case ; 

*  Cb.  XX.  3.  t  Clarke,  Serm,  vi.  185, 

\  Y^%0^^  xxiii,  10,  11a  12,  §  Euseb.  Hist.  JLccl,  Ub.  iv,  c.  la, 

for 


Ch.  ii.  8 — 11.]  APOCALYPSE.  69 

for  it  commenced  in  304,  and  ended,  in  the  East,  if 
not  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  by  the  edict  of  Maximin 
Galerius,  in  311*.  Upon  the  whole,  it  seems  most 
probable,  that  the  persecution,  foretold  in  these  words, 
was  only  often  days,  and  was  fulfilled  in  that  generation ; 
and  that  the  Jews,  who  are  described  as  acting  against 
this  Church,  under  the  influence  of  Satan,  were  the 
authors  of  the  persecution.  This  prophecy,  thus  ful- 
filled, would  serve  a  temporary  purpose ;  it  would  con-? 
yince  the  seven  Churches,  that  the  Revelation  which 
foretold  it  was  from  God  ;  and  that  therefore  the  re- 
maining predictions  of  the  same  Prophet  would  also 
receive  their  completion :  and  it  would  occasion  them 
to  revere,  and  preserve,  and  faithfully  to  deliver  down 
to  posterity,  the  book  in  which  they  were  contained ; 
which  they  seem  to  have  done. 

lb.  Croxvn  of  life.']  A  crown  denotes  regal  and  tri- 
umphant power.     It  is  a  distinguishing  ornament  of 
the  Messiah,  who  is  *'  King  of  kings  f,"  and,  as  such, 
is  represented   with  many  crowns  J;  and  he  has  pro- 
mised such  rewards  to  his  faithful  followers.     As  then 
^'  the  tree  of  life"  is  used  to  signify  immortality  §,  so 
*'  the  croxvn  of  life"  represents  a  triumphant  immor- 
tality II  ;   according  to  an  assurance  given  us  by  Saint 
Paul,  which   will  exhibit  the  meaning,    and,    at  the 
same  time,  the  scriptural  propriety  of  both  these  ex- 
pressions:   *' If  we  be  dead  with  him   (Jesus  Christ), 
**  we  shall  also  live  with  him  ;  if  we  suffer,  we  shall 
**  also  reign  with  him."     Whereas,  in  Lam.  v.  16,  it  is, 
'*Woe  unto  thefii  who  have  singed;    the   crown   is 
*'  fallen  from  their  head  ^." 

*  Mosheim,  History  of  the  Church. 

-j-  Ps.  xxi.  3.  1  Tim.  vi.  16.  Rev.  xvii.  14. 

X  Rev.  xix.  12.  §  Note,  ch.  ii.  7. 

jj  1  Cor,  i.%.  25,  II  Compare  also  James  i.  12, 


60  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   I.  §  5. 

Ver.  11.  He  that  hath  an  ear.]  See  note,  ch.  ii.  7- 
lb.  Second  death.]  For  an  explanation  of  the  ex- 
pression, ''  he  who  overcometh,"  see  note,  ch.  ii.  7. 
To  the  spiritual  conqueror,  in  that  passage,  immortal 
life  is  promised  ;  but  it  is  here  inferred  that  he  must 
not  expect  to  approach  to  it  otherwise  than  through 
the  passage  of  death,  wliich  is  the  common  lot  of  man 
by  the  divine  sentence*;  and  by  which  the  "  Captain 
of  Salvation,  the  Lord  of  Life,"  himself  passed  to  vic- 
tory. This  is  the  Jli^st  death.  But  beyond  the  grave, 
(where  death,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  word, 
can  no  more  prevail,)  is  the  second  death  ;  not  only  a 
total  extinction  of  all  our  pleasurable  feelings,  and  of 
all  our  hopes  of  happiness,  but  an  ever-during  sense  of 
this  extinction,  **  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the 
*' fire  is  not  quenched."  To  death,  in  this  secondary 
sense,  our  Saviour  frequently  alludes,  *'  He  that 
*^  believeth  in  me  shall  never  die,  8  fx)^  uto^xv^^  hq  tov 
uimu,  shall  not  die  for  ever^ ;  John  xi.  26 ;  see  also 
John  viii.  51.  x.  28:  in  which  passages  it  is  clear  from 
the  context,  that  our  Lord  did  never  intend  to  exempt 
his  followers  from  the  first  death,  or  common  passage 
through  the  grave  :j:.  For,  this  kind  of  death,  by  the 
victory  of  our  Lord,  being  disarmed  of  its  sting ; 
being  deprived  of  the  power  of  retaining  "  the  soul  in 
hell;"  being  to  the  good  Christian  only  a  short  passage 
to  immortality ; — is  expressed  by  the  gentle  term  sleep,, 
*^  Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth.'"  And  again,  "  The 
^*  maid  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth§."    And  we  are  ex- 

horte4 

*  Gen.  iii.  19.  f  So  translated  by  Dr.  Clarke. 

t  John  xii.  25.  Matt.  x.  28. 

§  Matt.  ix.  24.  John  xi.  11,  13.  1  Cor.  xi.  30.  xv.  6,  18.51. 
I  Thess.  iv.  14, 15.  Rom.iv.  17.  Matt,  xxvn.52.  LuHe  xx.  36,  37,  38. 
^'his  metaphorical  application  of  the  word  sleep,  so  useful  to  devest 


Ch.  ii.  8 — 11.]  APOCALYPSE.  6\ 

horted  by  our  Saviour  not  to  be  afraid  of  this  first 
death,  **  of  them  that  kill  the  body,''  but  of  Him  who 
can  inflict  the  second  death,  **  who  is  able  to  destroy 
**  both  soul  and  body  in  hell;"  in  that  very  lake  of 
fire  which  is  described  as  the  second  death  in  Rev. 
XX.  14,  and  xxi.  8.  which  two  passages  will  be  found 
to  elucidate  the  sense  of  this  expression,  **  the  second 
"  death,"  as  used  in  the  Apocalypse  *. 

Before 

ileath  of  its  terrors,  continued  long  in  popular  use  with  the  Christian 
world.  Prudentius,  speaking  of  the  Christian  bodies  deposited  in 
graves,  says, 

'     '  **  non  mortua,  sed  data  somno ;" 

not  dead,  but  sleeping. 

And  so  says  Tertullian :  Neque  ipsi  mortui  sumus,  qui  Deo  vivimus, 
neque  mortuos  sepelimus,  quia  et  illi  vivuut  in  Christo.  (Tertull.  de 
Monog.  cap.  vii.  ad  fin.)  Hence  the  place  of  Christian  burial  was 
called  xoi/:A»j%f/oy,  coemeterium,  sleeping-place. — The  lofty  heathen 
writers,  who  could  promise  to  their  readers  no  such  resurrection  of  the 
body,  called  the  death  of  the  good  Upov  lirvoy  (Homer)  ;  which  noble  ex- 
pression probably  gave  rise  to  that  beautiful  epitaph,  ascribed  to  Cal- 
limachus  : 

T^Jc  Sawv  o  AfKuvos  AxavQios  U^tv  tw^v 

KoiixuToti'    ^vria-Ktiv  ixr)  Asyg  t«s-  ayaOtiS. 

In  sacred  sleep  here  Saon  rests  his  head  : — 

In  sleep  : — for  who  shall  say  the  good  are  dead  ? 

f  Irenaeus,  one  of  the  earliest  commentators  on  the  Apocalypse, 
explains  "  the  second  death"  to  mean  the  Gehenna,  or  eternal  fire. 
Iren.  lib.  V.  c.  35.  This  distinction  between  the  ^ao  deaths  maybe 
read  to  advantage  in  the  sublime  Poet,  who,  speaking  in  the  person 
of  Adam,  says  : 

'  how  gladly  would  I  meet 

Mortality y  my  sentence,  and  be  earth 

Insensible  !  how  glad  would  lay  me  down 

As  in  my  mother's  lap !  there  I  should  rest, 

And  sUep  secure !     —    —    —    — 

—    —    —    —  yet  one  doubt 
Pursues  me  still,  lest  all  I  cannot  die;— 

Leat 


62  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  G. 

Before  we  leave  this  passage,  let  us  remark  how  ap- 
propriately the  reward  of  escaping-  the  second  death  is 
holden  forth  to  the  good  Smyrna^ans,  when  called  to 
martyrdom,  and  how  consistently  our  Lord  represents 
himself  to  these  martyrs,  as  ''He  who  was  dead,  and 
•*is  alive  1" 

Lest  that  pure  breath  of  life,  the  spirit  of  man, 
Which  God  inspired,  cannot  together  perish 
"With  this  corporeal  clod  ; — then  in  the  grave, 
Or  in  some  other  dismal  place,  who  knows 
But  I  shall  die  a  living  death  ! 

Paradise  Lost,  book  x,  77 S — 7^^* 


PART    1. 

SECTION    VI. 

The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Pergamos, 


1 2  Kix<  ru  oSytXio  rvs 
h  Tlt^yoiiAU  IkxXv)- 
ff/aj' 7^a\]/ov*  Tuos 
XiyH  0  fX^v  Triv 
^oiJ^(paixv  rriv  oi'^o- 

13  (xov  rr.v  o^tTuv'  Oi- 
^x  rot  Eff*  o"»,  xa< 

^        n         ^      „  f 

ISti  KXblKBlS,  O'TTU  0 

^povos    T«  arOiTiXVX' 

7^   KftxitlS     TO  OWIXOC 

T^V  Zsl'^lV  fC8,    [)^] 

h  rods  viiJii^xtSj  iv 
ccis  ^ Avi'itrots  0  /M,af- 

rVS  fXH    0  TJ/fW,    OS 


CHAP.  ii.  VER.    12 — 17. 

12  And  to  the  Angel  of 
the  Church  in  Perga- 
mos, write ;  Thus  saith 
he  who  holdeth  the  two- 

1 3  edged  sharp  sword :  I 
know  thy  works,  and 
where  thou  dwellest, 
even  where  the  throne 
of  Satan  is ;  and  thou 
boldest  fast  my  name, 
and  hast  not  denied 
my  faith  ;  [even]  in 
the  days  in  which  An- 
tipas  my  faithful  wit- 
ness waSf  who  was  slain 
among  you,  where  Sa- 


12  And  to  the  Angel  of 
the  Church  in  Perga- 
mos,write,These  things 
saith  he,  which  hath 
the  sharp  sword  with, 

13  two  edges.  I  know  thy 
works,  and  where  thou 
d  weilest,  even  where  Sa- 
tan's seat  is  :  and  thou 
boldest  fast  my  name, 
and  hast  not  denied 
my  faith,  even  in  those 
days  wherein  Antipas 
was  my  faithful  martyr, 
who  was  slain  among 
youjwhere  Satan  dwell- 


Ch.  il.  12—17.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


63 


oTra  0  a-aravas  xx- 
1 4-  TOiKsT,    'a ax'  e%w 

T^v  ^idx^vv  Bx- 
7\xsi.ix,  OS  loioxTy.sy 
ru>  BxXxn  ^xXeTv 
aKXidxXov  Ivuimoy 
r^v  viMV  lapxriKy 
(pxytTy  e'l^uXoOvTx, 
15h^  zjo^vsvaxt,    Ov- 

rhrxs  TTiv  h^x^vtv 
ru)v  t'iix.oKxirwv  o- 

ibuOlblS.        MiTXVOV 
COV  BX*    £/  Oe  {JI.Y),  £^- 

^oixxf    croi    rxyvy 

avTuv   h   rn   poix- 

<pxtec  ra  ^oi^xlos  [jlh. 

I/O  'i^Mv  oZs,  xaov- 

iTxru  t/  to  'csnvij.x 

7\iyH  TXtS  BKK?,y]<Tl- 

ais'  TM  yiKuivrt  Jw- 

CiO  XvTU  T«  (AXVVX  t5 

avTf  ■\>yi(pov  KsvKvtVf 

KXl    llll    TYiV  ^j/^^OV 

liyo/xa  y.xtvov  yi^qxy^.- 

f^SVOV)   0     HOiti    OlOSV 

ei  (/.ri  0  XxiA,Ca.vuv, 


14  tan  dwelleth.  But  I 
have  against  thee  a  few 
things,  that  thou  hast 
there  those  who  hold 
the  doctrine  of  Balaam, 
who  ta tight  Balak  to 
cast  a  stumbhng-block 
before  the  children  of 
Israel ;  to  eat  things 
sacrificed  to  idols,  and 
to  commit  fornication : 

15  So  hast  thou  also  those 
who  hold  the  doctrines 
of  the  Nicolaitans  in 

l61ike  manner.  Repent, 
therefore,  or  else  I  am 
coming  unto  thee  soon, 
and  I  will  war  against 
them  with  the  swx)rd 

17  of  my  mouth.  He 
that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the 
Churches:  To  him  who 
overcometh,  to  him 
will  I  give  of  th*e  hid- 
den manna ;  and  I  will 
give  him  a  white  stone, 
and  upon  the  stone  a 
new  name  written, 
which  none  knoweth 
but  he  who  receiveth  it. 


14  eth.  But  I  have  a  few 
things  against  thee,  be- 
cause thou  hast  there 
them  that  hold  the 
doctrine  of  Balaam, 
who  taught  Balak  to 
cast  a  stumbling-block 
befcre  the  children  of 
Israel,  to  eat  things 
sacrificed  unto  idols, 
and  to  commit  forni- 

15  cation.  So  hast  thou 
also  them  that  hold  the 
doctrine  of  the  Nico- 
laitanes,  which  thing  I 

16  hate.  Repent;  or  else 
I  will  come  unto  thee 
quickly ;  and  will  fight 
against  them  with  the 
sword    of  my  mouth. 

17  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the 
Churches:  To  him  that 
overcometh,  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  hidden 
manna;  and  I  will  give 
him  a  white  stone,  and 
in  the  stone  a  new  name 
written,  which  no  man 
knoweth,  saving  he  that 
receiveth  it. 


Ver.  12.  Pergamos.]  A  city  of  great  account, 
enriched  and  adorned  by  a  long  succession  of  the 
Attalian  Kings.  The  last  of  these,  Attains  Philo- 
nieter,  bequeathed  his  dominions  to  the  Romans, 
and  it  then  became  the  residence  of  a  Roman  pro- 
consul. 


64f  APOCALYJ^SE,  [Pt.  I.   §  6, 

consuL  Pliny  the  elder,  who  wrote  but  a  short  time 
before  the  date  of  this  Revelation,  describes  it  as  the 
most  famous  city  in  Asia*.  A  heathen  metropolis 
Avould  naturally  become  a  central  scat  of  corruptive 
doctrines  and  morals ;  and  in  this  sense  it  might  be 
called  **  the  throne  of  Satan."  It  might  also  ac- 
quire this  appellation  from  being  the  scat  of  the 
pagan  persecuting  government,  whence  issued  the 
edicts  and  instruments  of  persecution  ;  and  it  appears 
that  Antipas,  the  faithful  martyr,  was  slain  heref. 
It  was  also  a  grand  seat  of  heathen  learning,  because 
its  famous  library  of  200,000  volumes  would  neces- 
sarily attract  the  residence  of  the  learned ;  whence 
also  from  this  place  would  probably  be  derived 
that  **  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,"  against  which, 
as  corruptive  of  Christianity,  the  apostle  warns  his 
disciples  if.  And  the  B«6v5,  or  depths  of  Gnostical 
learning,  are  ascribed  to  Satan,  in  the  address  to 
the  Church  of  Thyatira  §.  So,  in  more  senses  than 
one,  Pergamos  may  have  been  styled  the  **  Throne 
**  of  Satan."  It  is  described  by  modern  travellers  as 
containing  at  present  from  two  to  three  thousand 
Turks,  who  have  converted  its  best  churches  into 
mosques.  Yet  there  are  some  few  Christians  remain- 
ing,  to  whom  a  priest  sent  from  Smyrna,  occasionally 
officiates. 

lb.  Two-edged  sharp  sword,}  With  this  instru- 
ment of  power  our  Lord  has  been  already  described, 
in  ch.  i.  16,  where  see  the  note.  The  description  is 
peculiarly  proper  in  this  place,  because  the  supreme  Head 
of  the  Church  now  appears  against  the  '*  Throne  of 

*  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  v.  c.  xxx,  t  Ver.  13. 

I  Coloss.  ii.  8.  §  Ver.  24. 

'*  Satan, '• 


Ch.  ii.    12—17.]  APOCALYPSE.  65 

^'  Satan,"  against  the  seat  of  persecution,   of  corrupt 
morals,    and  of  corrupt  philosophy  *. 

Ver.  13.  Antlpas.l  No  account  has  been  pre- 
served to  our  times,  of  this  martyr  ;  but  Andreas 
Csesariensis  reports,  that  he  had  read  the  history  of 
his  martyrdom  f. 

Vcr.  14.  Doctrine  of  Balaam.']  .  This  Church  is 
hitherto  commended  for  its  stedfast  faith  and  perse- 
verance, even  in  times  of  great  trial.  But  she  had 
in  her  bosom  some  who  taught  impure  doctrines.  By- 
referring  to  Numb.  XXX i.  16,  and  then  to  the  whole 
25th  chapter  of  the  same  book,  we  learn  that  Balaam 
suggested  to  Balak  the  means,  or  stumbling-block,  by 
which  he  decoyed  Israel  from  their  duty  ;  and  that 
the  sin  which  they  committed,  when  fallen  into  this 
snare,  was  apostacy  from  their  God,  by  joining  in 
the  heathen  sacrifices  with  the  dissolute  women,  who 
were  employed  to  seduce  them.  Hence,  by  the 
Apostles  Saint  Peter  and  Saint  Jude,  a  defection  from 
the  true  religion,  when  united  with  immoral  and 
lascivious  practices,  is  called,  *'  following  the  way, 
*'  or  error  of  Balaam :[:." 

Ver.  15.  Nicolaiians,']  See  note,  ch.  ii.  5.  These 
were  followers  of  the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  as  the 
name  signifies  both  in  Hebrew  and  Arabic.  See  Mi- 
chaelis,  Introd.  to  New  Test.  ch.  xxviii.  sect.  3. 

Ver.  16.  /  will  war  against  them.']  Not  against 
yoic  the  Church,  but  themy  the  corrupters  of  it.  Yet, 
insomuch  as  many  received  these  impure  doctrines, 
and  the  rulers  of  the  Church  had  not  been  vigilant 
to  reclaim  or  eject  them,  all  are  called  to  repent. 
For  the  weapon  with   which  their  Lord  threatens  to 

*  See  the  last  note.  f  Comin.  in  loc. 

X  2  Pet.  ii.  15.  Jude  11. 

p  attack 


66  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  6, 

attack  them,  see  note  ch.  i.  16,  It  is  with  this 
powerful  sword  that  Antichrist  shall  be  slain,  and  the 
enemies  of  the  church  shall  be  finally  subdued*. 
The  word  of  God,  advancing  in  its  purity,  and  gain- 
ing dominion  ove^  the  hearts  and  actions  of  men, 
shall  in  due  time  expel  idolatry,  infidehty,  and  the 
persecuting  spirit  of  worldly  policy  and  of  insincere 
religion  f.  This  '*  word  of  God"  is  described  as 
liaving  a  /ii^/w^  efficacy,  *'  sharper  than  any  two-edged 
*'  sword,"  penetrating  into  the  inmost  parts  of  man  :}:; 
and  it  is  represented  as  an  object  of  terror  to  those 
of  the  brethren,  who,  from  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief, 
shall  apostatize  from  the  living  God  §.  And,  in  the 
subsequent  verse,  the  whole  congregation  is  directed 
to  exhort  each  other  daily,  lest  any  of  them  be 
hardened  by  the  deceitfulness  of  sin.  Apply  this  to 
the  Church  of  Pergamos,  which  the  members  of  it 
might  then  have  done,  by  having  recourse  to  the  same 
Sacred  Scripture. 

Ver.  17.  Hiddeii  manna,']  This  expression  will  be- 
come intelligible,  by  the  perusal  of  the  ^th  chapter 
of  Saint  Johns  Gospel  from  the  26th  verse.  Our 
Lord  declares  to  the  multitude,  who  followed  him 
in  the  expectation  of  being  miraculously  fed,  that  he 
himself  is  the  bread  of  life,  the  manna  from  heaven, 
which  shall  support  those  partaking  of  it  to  everlast- 
ing life  :  and  when  they  could  not,  or  would  not, 
understand  him  in  the  spiritual  sense  which  he  in- 
tended, he  tells  them  that  he  is  to  be  understood  in  a 
figurative,    and   not    in  a  literal  meaning.      **  It   is 

*  Is.  xi.4.  2  Thess.  ii.  8.  Rev.  xix.  15,  21. 
t  Matt.  xii.  36\  37.  John  viii.  31,  37,  43,  47.  xii.  47,  48.  xr.  3, 
7.  Heb.i.  3.  1  Pet.  i.  23,  25. 

X  Heb.  iv.  12.  §  Heb.  iii.  12. 

''  the 


Ch.  ii.  12 — I7.J        APOCALYPSE*  67 

'*  the  Spirit   that  quickeneth,   the  flesh  profiteth  no- 
'^  thing ;    the  words   that  I    speak   to   you,    they   are 
*'  Spirit,  and  they  are  Life."      The   '^  hidden  manna" 
is   this  bread  of  life  in   its  spiritual  signification,   of 
Avhich   the  manna,    free  from   eorruption,    laid   up  in 
the  tabernacle,  was  only  a  type ;   namely,  the  benefits 
derived    to    the   faithful   followers   of  Christ  by   the 
offering  of  his  body  ;    forgiveness  of  sins  and  ever- 
lasting salv^ation.     In    the  midst  of  a  figurative   dis- 
course,    our    Lord   presented   his    disciples   with   this 
plain  interpretation  :    *'  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
"he  that  believeth   on  me  hath   everlasting  life;   I 
''  am  that  bread  of  life*."     He  who  through  faith  in 
his  crucified  Redeemer,   follows  him  in  his  victorious 
career,     unmoved   by    the  temptations   or   threats    of 
the  enemy,    is  by  his  Lord's  appointment  entitled  to 
this  food  of  heavenly   life.       But   this   **  Life  is  hid 
*Mvith  Christ  in  God|."     *'  It  does  not  y€t  appear 
''  what  we  shall  be  J."     *'  Eye  hath  not  seen,   nor  ear 
^'  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man, 
*^  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  those  that 
**  love  him§."     Such  appears  to  be  the  hidden  manna, 
namely,  the  ineffable  joys  of  a  blessed  immortality. 

From  the  small  remains  of  history,  which  are  pre- 
served to  us  of  this  church,  she  seems  to  have  re- 
membered these  splendid  promises  of  her  Lord;  for 
many  of  the  Pergamenians  underwent  the  fiery  trial 
of  martyrdom,  at  the  time  when  Polycarp  suffered 
at  Smyrna  11 . 

Ver.  17.  IVhite  sto?2e.]  Stones,  ^^/vlCf)o/,  calculi, 
were  used  by  the  ancient  nations,  as  the  names  import, 
to  calculate  and  to  vote  with  ;  and   in  criminal  pro- 

*  John  vi.  47,  48.  f  Col.  iii.  3.  J  1  John  iij.  2. 

§  1  Cor.  ii.  $.  il  Euseb.  Hist.  Cccl.  lib.  iv.  c,  15. 

P  2  cesses 


6s  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  6, 

cesses  the  white  stone  was  the  mark  of  acquittal,  the 
black  one  of  condemnation  : — 

Mos  erat  antiquus  niveis  atrisque  lapillis  ; 
His  damnare  reos,  illis  absolvere  culpa*. 

The  white  stone,  presented  to  the  conquering 
Christian,  may  be  supposed  to  signify,  *'  well  done, 
''thou  good  and  faithful  servant''  But  this  white 
stone  is  inscribed  with  characters ;  so  were  the  %)/iiC|)o/ 
of  the  ancients.  The  letter  0  with  the  Greeks  was 
the  token  of  condemnation ;  or,  in  a  general  sense, 
of  disapprobation.     So  Persius ; 

Et  potis  es  nigrum  vitio  pra^figere  Thetaf, 

But  on  this  zvhite  stone,  given  by  our  Lord  to  his 
approved  servants,  was  written  a  new  name,  which 
will  be  explained  in  the  following  note. 

Ver.  17.  A  nezv  name, 'I  By  the  custom  of  nations, 
from  the  earliest  ages,  a  person  raised  to  dignity  was 
commonly  invested  with  a  new  name  or  title,  expres- 
sive of  his  deserts.  Many  instances  occur  in  Scrip- 
turej.  It  is  the  promise  of  God  to  Zion,  that,  becom- 
ing the  glory  and  the  light  of  the  Gentiles,  *'  she  shall 
^*  be  called  by  a  new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  the 
"  Lord  shall  name."  He  has  promised  also  to  the  Eu- 
nuchs and  Gentiles,  who  shall  '^  keep  his  covenant, 
*'  and  love  the  name  of  the  Lord,  a  place  and  a  name 
'*  better  than  of  sons  and  of  daughters,  an  everlast- 
"  ing  name  which  shall  not  be  cut  off  §."  Of  this 
kind  and  nature  is  the  new  name  or  title,  given  by 
the   Lord   of  Heaven  to   his  elected  servants.      The 

*  Ovid.  Metam.  lib.  xv.  41.  f  Sat.  iv.  13. 

J  Gen.  xli.  45.  2  Sam.  xii.25.  Dan,  i.  7.  John  i.  42.  Matt.  xvi.  18. 

§  Is.xlii.  1,  6.  Ivi.  5, 

honour 


Ch.  ii.     18 — 29.]  APOCALYPSE. 


69 


honour  which  they  shall  receive  at  his  hands,  when 
their  spiritual  warfare  is  accomplished,  is  beyond  con- 
ception,   and  can  only  be  known  by  being  enjoyed. 


PART    L 


SECTION     VII. 


The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Thyatira, 


CHAP.  ii.  VER.  IS — to  the  end. 


xXiktIocs  7|?«\J/ov  ■ 
Tu^s  Xiyst  0  vlos  t« 

©£«,     0      i^MV     T«? 

«(p9aA/x«y  avrZ  us 
<^Xoyx  'Sjvpos,  xa< 
ot  'zso^ss  avTti  'o(j(,oioi 
l^^xXKoXtCoivu}.  OJ^a 
an  roc  Efj'a,  >^  rm 
ayoL'rr'riv^      >^      t^v 

^IXKOVIXV,       'ft,      T-/)V 

'SJifiv,  y^  rviv  vTio- 
(JLOvriv    <7«,     xl     rai 

i^fx  aa  roc  scT^xlx 
'cyXiiovx    rujv   zjfu- 

20  ruv'  'aAX'  s^ij 
y.xix  an  on  a,(p£'ts 
T^v  yvvx7x.x  an  'is- 
^aQx,  77  XiynfTX 
sxvlriv  zjpOyvriVy  X, 
dtox7->L£i  yL  ziXxvoi 
raj  lixHS  tii?.>iSf 
'Ujo^ysvcrxt   x^  iwu)- 

2  I  Ka9vlx  (pxyuv.  Kal 


18  And  to  the  angel  of 
the  Church  in  Thya- 
tira write :  Thus  saith 
the  Son  of  God,  who 
hath  his  eyes  as  a 
flame  of  fire,  and  his 
feet  like  snielting  brass. 

19  I  know  thy  works, 
even  thy  love,  and  thy 
service,  and  thy  faith, 
and  thy  patience,  and 
thy  last  works  to  be 
more   than   the   first : 

20  But  I  have  against 
thee,  that  ihou  sufferest 
thy  woman  Jezebel, 
who  calleth  herself  a 
prophetess,  and  teach- 
eth  and  seduceth  my 
servants  to  commit 
fornication,  and  to  eat 
meats  sacrificed   unto 

21  idols:  And  I  have 
given  her  a  time,  that 
she  might  repent,  and 
she  v/ill  not  repent  of 


18  And  unto  the  angel  of 
the  church  in  Thya- 
tira, write,  These 
things  saith  the  Son 
of  God,  who  hath  his 
eyes  like  unto  a  flame 
of  fire,  and  his  feet  are 

19  like  fine  brass;  I  know 
thy  works,  and  chari- 
ty, and  service,  and 
faith,  and  thy  patience, 
and  thy  works ;  and 
the   last    to    be  more 

20  than  the  first.  Not- 
withstanding, I  have 
a  few  things  against 
thee,  because  thou  suf- 
ferest that  woman  Je- 
zebel, which  called 
herself  a  prophetess, 
to  teach  and  to  se- 
duce my  servants  to 
commit  fornication, 
and  to  eat  things  sa- 
crificed    unto     idols. 

21  And  I  gave  her  space 


70 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  I.  §  7. 


f)c     ry,s     iso^nlocs 

avTYiv  lis  >cX/»>?v, 
;c;  Tss-  (/.oi^ivonias 
fjLiC  cuiirv]!  iU  ^Xi'-^'iv 
fAiyaX'nvy  lav  (j^n 
IxsioiVQ-na-ccariv  Ix.  raiv 
SSI'ffwv  ocvrrts'  Kal 
roe,  riKvtx,  tx.vT7)S 
ec7roy.r£vu>  Iv  S'o;- 
veiru,  j^  yvuj(70vla.i 
-SsSiaxi  ai  ly.y.'K'jica 
on     lyu     ti{jLt     0 

xoc^oixs*  Kj  O'jjauj 
viJ,iv  lyca-Tu  nxloc 
roi  s^ya,  v^jluv, 
24<  ^Tijuv  ^£  Xeyu, 
[ro/y]  XoiiroTs  ro7s 
ev  Qiixlsi'^oi^y  oiTOi 
itK  '("/JiiTi  rvjv  ^i- 
da^Yiv  ravrviVy  oiri- 
v^s  ax.  tyvucrxv  tec 
^a.9y)  t5  crixlxvcc, 
ojs  XByaeriv'  Ov 
^aXu)       Ip'      v(A.ois 

25  aAXo  /3af©u.  UXm 

26  Ka<  0  v;xa)v,  5£a< 
0  Tvjf a;v  a^/  riXas 
Tot  e^fjt  f/ta,  Soio-w 
alru    l^scriuv    Itti 

27  TiDv  IQvZ-Vf  Keel 
'C70i(j.xve7  xiiTHS  jy 
-iaC^w  ai^yj^S.'  us 
roi  aKBV'o  rot.  ks- 
^acjjLiKoc  avvlpi^slxif 

28  'ns   Kccyij   slXvjfa 


22  her  fornication  ;  Be- 
hold, I  cast  her  into  a 
bed,  and  those  who 
commit  adultery  with 
her,  into  great  tribu- 
lation, unless  they 
shall  repent  from  her 

23  works  ;  And  her  chil- 
dren will  I  slay  with 
death  ;  and  all  the 
churches  shall  know 
that  T  am  he  which 
searcheth  the  reins  and 
hearts ;  And  I  will 
give  unto  every  one  of 
you  according  to  your 

24  works.  But  unto  you 
I  say,  unto  the  rest 
in  Thyatira,  as  many 
as  hold  not  this  doc- 
trine, (whosoever  have 
not  known  the  depths 
of  Satg.n,  as  they 
speak,)  I  shall  put  up- 
on   you    none    other 

25  burthen  ;  Only  that 
which  which  ye  have, 
hold  fast  until  I  come. 

26  And  he  who  over- 
cometh,  and  who  keep- 
eth  even  unto  the  end 
my  works,  to  him  will 
I  give  power  over  the 

27  nations,  (And  he  shall 
rule  over  them  with 
an  iron  sceptre,  as  the 
vessels  of  earthen  ware 
are  broken  to  pieces,) 

28  Even  as  ,1  have  re- 
ceived from  my  Fa- 
ther; and  I    will  give 


to  repent  of  her  forni- 
cation,   and    she   re- 

22  pented  not.  Behold, 
I  will  cast  her  into  a 
bed,  and  them  that 
commit  adultery  with 
her  into  great  tribula- 
tion, except  they  re- 
pent   of  their   deeds. 

23  And  I  will  kill  her 
children  with  death ; 
and  all  the  churches 
shall  know  that  I  am 
he  which  searcheth 
the  reins  and  hearts : 
and  I  will  give  unto 
every  one  of  you  ac- 
cording to  your  works. 

24  But  unto  you  I  say, 
and  unto  the  rest  in 
Thyatira,  As  many  as 
have  not  this  doctrine, 
and  which  have  not 
known  the  depths  of 
Satan,  as  they  speak, 
I  will  put  upon  you 
none     other     burden. 

25  But  that  which  ye 
have  alreadij,  hold  fast 

26  till  1  come.  And  he 
that  overcometh,  and 
keepeth  my  works  un- 
to the  end,  to  him  will 
I  give  power  over  the 

27  nations:  (And  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron  :  as  the  vessels 
of  a  potter  shall  they 
be  broken  to  shivers  :) 
even  as  I  received  of 

28  mv  Father,  And  I  wi|l 


Ch.  ii.  18— 29.]  APOCAITPSE. 


71 


'SraJfa     t5     'Sjxlpos 

Tov  oc^fE^x  roil  la^u' 

uKHo-ocrUi     r't     ro 
OTvsy/xa  Xiyn  rxis 


give  him  the  morning 
2Pstar.  He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 


give  him  the  morning 
29  star.  He  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto 
the  churches. 


Ver.  18.  Thyatira.']  This  v/as  a  considerable  city 
in  the  road  from  Pergamos  to  Sardis*.  Lydia,  who 
at  PhiHppi  received  the  Apostles  Paul  and  Silas,  was 
of  this  place ;  and  being  a  person  of  consequence, 
and  divinely  called  to  receive  the  Christian  Religion^, 
probably  became  the  cause  of  estabhshing  a  Church 
here.  So  that,  on  this  account,  as  well  as  because 
this  address  of  our  Lord  is  directed  to  the  Church  of 
Thyatira,  we  can  give  no  credence  to  the  notion 
which  was  holden  by  some  persons  in  Epiphanius's 
time,  (300  years  after  the  date  of  this  epistle,)  that 
the  church  in  this  city  was  founded  after  the  time  of 
Saint  John's  seeing  this  vision.  No  Christians  are  at 
this  time  reported  to  be  found  in  the  remains  of  this 
city. 

.lb.  Eyes  as  aflame  of  fire,  &c.]  Thus  the  Son 
of  God  appeared  in  ch.  i.  14,  where  see  the  note,  and 
the  meaning  of  the  word  %«AxoA/€«vov. 

Ver.  19.  Thy  last  xvorks  to  be  more  than  the  first.'] 
This  is  great  commendation,  and  the  reverse  of  the 
fault  for  which  the  Ephesians  are  reproved,  (v.  4.) 
and  of  that  lamentable  state,  described  in  Saint  Luke, 
xi.  26.  2  Pet.  ii.  20.  to.  eaxa^a  %eii^ovci  twv  w^wlwi/,  the 
last  state  worse  than  the  first. 

Ver.  20.  Jezebel.]     This  might  be  literally ,  a  wo- 


Strabo  and  Pliny. 


t  Acts  xvi.  14. 


ma7i 


72  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  <^  7. 

man  of  great  rank  and  influence  at  Thyatira,  who 
seduced  the  Christians  to  intermix  idolatry  and 
heathen  impurities  with  their  religion.  Such  sedu- 
cers were  in  the  church  in  Saint  Paul's  time  *  And 
the  history  of  Queen  Jezchel,  that  eminent  patroness 
of  idolatry,  as  delivered  in  the  Books  of  Kings, 
shews  that  such  a  woman  would  he  fitly  represented 
under  that  name.  But  there  is  another  sense  in  which 
it  also  may  be  applied;  for,  in  symbolical  lan- 
guage, by  a  woman  is  signified  a  city,  a  nation,  a 
community,  a  church  f .  This  passage  is  so  understood 
by  Venerable  Bede,  who  explains  the  term  Jezebel  to 
mean  :j:  a  synagogue  of  false  apostles  pretending  to  be 
Christian ;  and  it  may  signify  a  sect  of  seducers,  like 
that  described  in  verses  14  and  15  of  this  chapter; 
for  the  same  doctrines  are  ascribed  to  both.  In  the 
comment  of  Andreas  Bishop  of  Csesarea,  written  about 
the  year  500,  and  containing  the  matter,  as  the 
writer  professes,  of  more  ancient  commentators  on 
the  Apocalypse,  of  Irenasus,  Papias,  Methodius,  &c. 
it  is  said,  that  the  Nicolaitan  heresy  is  here  called 
Jezebel  Jigur a tiveli/  ^,  on  account  of  its  inipiet}^  and 
intemperance.     See  also  the  note  below,    ver.  24. 

Ver.  20.  Fornication,']  The  edict  of  the  Apostles, 
(Acts  XV.)  forbids  to  the  Gentile  converts  that  which  is 
here  mentioned :  l.Ho^veici,  fornication,  under  which 
word  are  comprehended  all  those  carnal  impurities,  which 
were  common  among  the  heathens,  and  even  made  a 
part  of  their  sacred  rites.  2.  E/^wAaOuT^^,  AKiffyvKxaTa  t«v 
f/JwAwv,  meats  offered  unto  idols  ;  to  partake  of  which, 
when  declared   to    be    such,    was   to  partake   of  the 

*  2  Cor.  vi.  14,  &c,  t  See  note  below,  v.  22, 

J  Synagogam  pseudo-apostolicam,   quce  se  Christianam  fingit. 

worship. 


Ch.  ii.  IS — 29.J        APOCALYPSE.  73 

worship.  The  two  sins  were  nearly  connected  to- 
gether in  the  heathen  institutions,  and  introduced 
each  other. 

Ver.  23.  Adultery,']  In  scriptural  language,  nations 
and  cities,  and  communities  are  frequently  expressed 
under  the  emblems  of  women,  virgins,  &c.  ;  nor  has 
this  mode  of  representation  been  confined  to  the  an- 
cient or  Eastern  nations.  In  our  times  and  country, 
Britannia  is  personified,  and  is  seen,  as  a  woman 
upon  our  coins;  as  are  Judcea,  Rome,  &c.  &c.  on 
those  of  ancient  days  *.  The  nation  of  Israel,,  or 
the  church  of  God  under  the  Old  Testament,  is  con- 
stantly represented  under  this  symbol.  In  the  times 
of  her  purity,  she  is  a  virgin;  in  her  happy  pro- 
spects, a  bride;  in  her  impure  connections,  a  harlot. 
And,  conformably  to  this  figure,  the  great  Being 
who  especially  protects  her,  was  pleased  to  represent 
himself,  as  the  husband  who  espouseth  her\  and  who, 
for  her  wickedness,  divorces  herf.  For,  by  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  metaphor,  she  is  described  as 
*^  treacherously  departing  from  her  husband,"  com- 
mitting adulter!/  with  stocks,  stones,  and  idols  J  ;  but 
after  chastisement  and  repentance,  she  is  restored  to 
favour  and  matrimonial  distinction,  and  becomes 
fruitful  in  children,  the  multitudes  of  the  Gentiles  §. 
The  reader  may  see  this  imagery  produced  into  alle- 
gory, in  the  xvith  chapter  of  Ezekiel.  Agreeably 
to  this,  in  the  New  Testament,   our  Lord,    the  head 

*  See  the  plates  in  Montfaucon,  or  in  Calmet*s  Dictionary. 
t  Jer.  xxxi.  32.   Is.   xlix.  20,   &c.    liv.  5.  Ixii.  1,  5.  Hos.  ii.  2. 
Is.  liv.  7. 

I  Jer.  iii.  8,  9-   20.  Ezek.  xvi.  22.  xxiii.  37, 
§  Hos.  ii.  7.  16.  19.  Is.  liv.  6. 

of 


74  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  L  §  7. 

of  the  church,  is  represented  as  the  bridegroom,  and 
her  apostacy  from  him  is  called  adultery*. 

Now,  in  the  passage  before  us,  adultery  may  be 
taken  either  in  a  literal,  or  in  this  its  figurative  sense; 
accordingly  as  we  understand  Jezebel  to  represent, 
either  literally  a  woman,  or  figuratively  a  sect.  If 
taken  in  the  figurative  meaning,  (which  seems  most 
probable,)  then  her  sons,  to  be  slain,  are  the  followers 
of  her  religious  institutions  ;  and  they,  who  commit 
adultery  with  her,  are  the  Christians,  who  are  seduced 
to  her  doctrines  and  practices,  from  the  duty  they 
owe  to  their  Lord. 

Ver.  22.  Bed.]  The  place  which  had  been  the 
scene  of  her  transgression,  is  to  be  that  of  her  pu- 
nishment. Taken  literally,  it  will  imply  the  pains 
of  a  sick-bed  ;  and  to  be  tormented  in  bed,  where 
men  seek  rest,  is  peculiarly  grievous  f.  Or,  in  a 
figurative  sense,  to  adopt  blasphemous  and  impure 
doctrines  and  practices,  may,  and  probably  will,  occa- 
sion great  tribulation  to  an  apostatizing  church. 

Ver.  23.  I  will  slay  with  death,]  This  is  a  Hebraism, 
denoting,  by  its  repetition,  the  certainty  of  the  event 
denounced.  The  equivalent  expression  in  Genesis  ii. 
17,  is  translated,  ^^  thou  shalt  ^wre/j/ die.*'  Sickness 
and  death  are  represented  by  Saint  Paul,  as  punish- 
ments inflicted  on  the  perverters  of  holy  ordinances 
in  the  apostolical  times  J:  or,  QavuTo;  may  here  signify, 
as  it  does  evidently  in  ch.  vi.  8,  pestilence;  and  thus 
express  the  mode  of  death  by  which  these  rebellious 
servants  of  God  were  to  be  slain. 

*  Matt.  XXV.  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  Uom.  vii.  4.    Eph.  v.  23,  &c.  Gal.  ir. 
26,  &c. 

t  Daubuz.     See  Psalm  vi.  3.  xli.  3.  Job  xxxii.  19.  Is.  xxviii.  130. 
X  1  Cor.  xi.  30. 

Ver. 


Ch.  ii.  18—29.]        APOCALYPSE.  75 

Ver.  24.  The  depths  of  Satan.']  Our  interpretation 
of  the  word  Jezebel  in  a  figurative  sense,  seems  to  be 
confirmed.  She  had  a  doctrine,  and  taught  deep  mys- 
terious knowledge^  calling  it  perhaps  with  Saint  Paul, 
Td  ta^vi  ra  0£8,  the  deep  things  of  God*,  but  it  is  de- 
clared to  be  Td  i^afivi  '^«  Xarciva,  the  depths  of  Satan. 
Traces  of  such  philosophizing  sects  are  to  be  seen  in 
the  writings  of  the  apostles,  and  of  the  apostolical 
fathers.  And  the  Gnostics,  who  dealt  eminently  in 
these  ^a^viy  thus  afterwards  entered  and  corrupted  the 
church. 

Ver.  25.  Until  I  come,']     See  note,  ch.  i.  3. 

Ver.  27-  Power  over  the  Nations.]  The  expres- 
sions in  this  passage  have  near  resemblance  to  those 
of  the  second  Psalm,  which  are  undoubtedly  pro- 
phetic of  Christ  f.  He  is  there  declared,  '^  a  king 
^*  over  the  nations,  even  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
He  shall  **  rule  over  the  nations  with  an  iron  rod," 
or  sceptre,  **  and  break  them  to  pieces,  as  a  pot- 
ter's vessel :{:."  But  our  Lord  informed  his  disciples, 
that  *^  he  appoints  unto  them  a  kingdom,  even  as 
■^  his  Father  had  appointed  unto  him  §  ;"  and  the  pro- 
mise  is  continued  by  them  to  their  successors  in  the 

*  1  Cor.  ii.  10.  t  See  Acts  iv.  24. 

I  In  this  passage  in  the  Septuagint,  the  word  'aoiixonvco  is  used,  as 
well  as  in  the  Apocalypse.  And  the  ancient  Hebrew  text  probably 
agreed  with  it.  (See  Reeves's  Collation  of  Hebrew  and  Greek  texts, 
Ps.  ii.  9«)  This  character,  of  shepherd  of  the  people,  was  anciently 
attributed  to  good  kings.  Such  was  the  i3oi^%v  Xxuv  of  Homer.  B)' 
such  a  character,  did  the  great  Cyrus  desire  to  be  distinguished. 
(Xenoph.  Cyrop.  lib.  i.)  It  is  frequently  applied  in  Scripture  to  the 
Messiah,  and  occurs  in  that  sense  four  times  in  the  Apocalypse.  So 
'PuQoos  is  properly  translated  sceptre^  as  in  Heb.  i.  8.  See  Schleusner, 
in  voc. 

§  Luke  xxii.  29.  John  xxi.  I^.  Acts  xx.  8.  1  Pet.  iii.  2. 

church. 


76  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   I.  §  7. 

church.  It  is  a  kingdom  of  great  power  and  glory, 
yet  not  after  the  fashion  of  this  world;  for  it  is 
neither  acquired  nor  preserved  by  arms.  It  is  not 
founded  on  worldly  policy,  over  which  it  is  destined 
to  prevail.  It  is  the  ftone  of  Daniel's  vision,  which, 
cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,  breaks  to 
pieces  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  miraculously  in- 
creasing till  it  fills  the  whole  earth.  ''  And  the  king- 
*'  dom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  king- 
''  dom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the 
**  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  whose  king- 
"  dom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions 
*'  shall  serve  and  obey  him*." 

Ver.  28.  The  morning  star.]  A  star  is  a  teacher f  ; 
our  Lord  is  eminently  such  ;  and  such  heintitles  himself 
in  ch.  xxii.  16.  6  ac-rvi^  d  y^ay.'Ki^og  nai  o^^i^ivog^  *' the  shi- 
*'  ning  and  moming  star."  As  such  he  was  foretold 
in  Numbers,  xxiv.  17;  and  a  star,  in  the  eastern  and 
morning  quarter  of  the  hemisphere,  preceded  his 
birth  J.  As  this  star,  seen  by  the  wise  men,  sig- 
nified to  them  \\\^  first  coming ;  so  by  the  star,  pro- 
mised in  this  passage,  we  must  probably  understand 
the  signs  denoting  his  second  coming ;  a  know- 
ledge of  '^  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
*Wen§,"  and  of  its  approach  in  power.  Saint  Peter, 
speaking  of  prophecy,  whose  office  it  is  in  part 
to  reveal  these  mysteries,  recommends  us  to  attend 
diligently  to  this  ''  light  shining  in  a  dark  place," 
imtil  some  clearer  manifestation  shall  be  reveal- 
ed ;  f w?  8  ViiJ^e^ci  hciuyaas  •/.ui  C)wfCpo^o^  CiVUTsKyi  ^^  '^«<C 
'Acc^huig  Ujawv,   until  the  da}^  shine  forth,  and  the  day- 

*■  Dan.  vii.  27.     See  the  note,  cli.  ii.  7.  and   the  Scriptures  there 
quoted.     This  reign  of  the  saints  is  again  described  in  ch.  xix.  15. 
t  See  note,   ch.  i.  l6".  |  Matt.  ii.  2.  §  Matt.  xiii.  2. 

star 


Ch.  ii.  18— 29.]         APOCALYPSE.  11 

star  (or  morning  star,  for  so  it  should  be  translated,) 
shall  rise  in  your  hearts  :  until  that  time,  when  the 
prophetical  information,  imperfect  in  its  nature,  be- 
ing *'  done  away,"  that  perfect  knowledge  shall  suc- 
ceed, which  is  like  knowing  *' face  to  face*."  But 
beside  this  time  of  perfect  consummation  to  which 
both  these  apostles  may  be  thought  principally  to 
refer,  there  is  a  time  promised  when  the  Divine  Power 
shall  ^*  remove  the  veil  spread  over  all  nations  f," 
and  the  earth  *'  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
**  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea  J." 
This  glorious  and  extensive  reign  of  Christ  and  of  his 
religion,  is  the  subject  of  many  sublime  prophecie's, 
and  is  copiously  prefigured  in  the  sequel  of  this 
book.  To  those,  whether  they  be  churches  or  in- 
dividuals, who,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  resist  the 
temptations,  and  surmount  the  difficulties  of  their 
Christian  warfare,  looking  forward  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  divine  promises  with  spiritual  discern- 
ment, to  such  shall  be  granted  the  dawnings  and  first 
light  of  these  happy  times ;  they  shall  see  them, 
though  afar  off  §  ;  and  seeing,  they  shall  rejoice  ||  ; 
and  this  joy  no  one  shall  take  from  them  ^. 

*  1  Cor.  xiii.  10.  &  12.        f  Is.  xxv.  7.  X  Hab.  ii.  14. 

§  Heb.  .xi.  13.  (I  John  viii.  55.  51  John  xvi.  22, 


PART 


7S 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt   I.    §  8. 


PART    I. 


SECTION    VIII. 


The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Sardis. 


1  Katt  Tf  otf^yiXu  rrjS 
it      ^oc^ifTiv     Ik~ 

Taoe  Xiyti  o  'iy^ujv 
to,  aiflci  'syvsvf/i.xia. 
Ta  ©£«,  >^  Tar 
iTTix  afspxi  Oiocc 
an  ra  spfx,  on 
ovoyM  £%£'?,  ori 
^Wf,    iCj    yzy.pls     £i. 

2  r/vB  yf^fofo/v,  '/^ 
S'V^i^ov  Ta  XoiTToi, 
a  fAsXXsi  Si-VoOocvsTv' 
ts  ya^  svpviy.ci  o-»  ra, 
e^fx  'C7£'7rXnfw//.£ya 
IvuTTiov  rS  0£s  /iA». 

3  Mv^/>cov£y£  5v,  'SJWS 
i"Xri2>xs  J^  »3x»3-«f, 
>^  rripsT,  >^  /aeIjcvo- 
v)Uov      SUV     av    fA.ri 

as  us  kaetHios,  '/^ 
a  [jLi)  yvoTj,  tjoixi) 
cu^xv    'nqcij    s'TTl     as, 

4  'AAA'    £X^'^   oXiyx 
xix  Iv  2apo£cr/v» 


OtOjJLXiX  f  V 

a    »)t  l/xoAvvav   ra 
ifxxrix    alruvy    >c 

1^5  ev   Aevxors*   ot< 

5   oi^ioiilaiv.  OviKuiv, 

eros   t^zqiQx>.iirxi 


CHAr.  iii.  VEIL  1 — 6 

1  And  to  the  angel  of 
the  Church  in  Sardis 
write  :  Thus  saith  he 
who  hath  the  seven 
Spirits  of  God,  and 
the  seven  stars.  I 
know  thy  works,  that 
thou  hast  a  name,  that 
thou  livest,   and  thou 

2  art  dead.  Be  watch- 
ful, and  strengthen 
the  things  remaining, 
which  are  about  to 
die;  for  I  have  not 
found  thy  works  per- 
fect before  my   God. 

3  Remember  therefore 
how  thou  hast  received 
and  heard,  and  hold 
fast,  and  repent.  For 
if  thou  shalt  not  be 
watchful,  I  will  come 
upon  thee,  as  a  thief; 
and  thou  shalt  not 
know  at  what  hour  I 
shall  come  upon  thee. 

4  But  thou  hast  a  few 
names  in  Sardis,  which 
have  not  defiled  their 
garments ;  and  they 
shall  walk  with  me  in 
white,  for  they  are 
worth V.  He  that  over- 


1  And  unto  the  angel  1 
of  the  Church  in  Sar-  | 
dis,  write.  These  things  j 
saith  he  that  hath  the  | 
seven  Spirits  of  God, 
and   the   seven  stars; 

I  know  thy  works,  that 
thou  hast  a  name,  that 
thou   livest,    and    art 

2  dead.  Be  watchful  and 
strengthen  the  things 
which  remain,  that  are 
ready  to  die :  for  I 
have  not  found  thy 
works   perfect    before 

3  God.  Remember  there- 
fore how  thou  hast  re- 
ceived and  heard,  and 
hold  fast,  and  repent. 
If  therefore  thou  shalt 
not  watch,  I  will  coma 
on  thee  as  a  thief, 
and  thou  shalt  not 
know  what  hour  I  will 

4  come  upon  thee.  Thou 
hast  a  few  names  even 
in  Sardis,  which  have 
not  defiled  their  gar- 
ments ;  and  they  shall 
walk  with  me  in  white ; 
for  they   are   worthy, 

3  He   that  overcometb,  i 
the    same     shall    be  ! 


Ch.  iii.  1—6.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


9C  K  fc^   l^a.Ku-^l'U 
ro  ovo/xa  eivra    Ik 

ty      OfJioXoyv^iJ      TO 
OOlfitToiTA/f       T<       To 

©■vey/A«  Xtys'   T'«r5^ 


Cometh,  the  same  shall 
be  clothed  in  white 
raiment ;  and  I  will 
not  blot  out  his  name 
from  the  book  of  life  ; 
and  I  will  confess  his 
name  before  my  Fa- 
ther, and  before  his 
G  Angels.  He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 


clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment; and  I  will  not 
blot  out  his  name  out 
of  the  book  of  life, 
but  I  will  confess  his 
name  before  my  Fa- 
ther, and  before  his 
6  angels.  He  that  hath 
an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith 
unto  the  churches. 


Ver.  1.  Sardis.']  Sardis,  situated  on  the  Pactolus, 
the  ancient  seat  of  Croesus,  and  of  the  Lydian  kings, 
was  proverbially  the  seat  of  Riches.  This  city  had 
suffered  grievously  by  an  earthquake  some  time  be- 
fore the  date  of  this  vision ;  but,  by  the  bounty  of 
Tiberius  Caesar,  had  been  restored  to  splendour*. 
Sardis  possessed,  from  its  natural  situation,  extraor- 
dinary means  of  acquiring  riches.  But  riches  are 
corruptive,  and  are  apt  to  lead  to  that  supineness 
in  religion,  and  profligacy  in  morals,  which  in  this 
epistle  are  so  severely  rebuked. 

Sardis  is  now  no  more  than  a  village.  An  an- 
cient Christian  church  supplies  the  Turks,  who  in* 
habit  it,  with  a  mosque.  The  few  Christians  (if 
such  they  may  be  called)  who  still  continue  there, 
are  represented  to  have  neither  Church  nor  minister. 

lb.  The  ^even  Spirits  of  God.'\     See  note,   ch.  i.  4. 

lb.  The  seven  Stars. '\     See  note,   ch.  i.  16. 

lb.  Name,^     Character  or  reputation. 

lb.  That  thou  livest,   and  thou  art  dead.]     In  the 
same  figurative  language,  our  Lord  commanded  his 

*  Strabo  ii.  p.  931. 

disciples 


go  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   I.  §  8^ 

(Iis.ciples  to  'Met  the  dead  bury  their  dead*."  The 
word  ve-A^oc,  a  dead  body,  is  used  in  its  metaphorical 
sense;  '^  dead,''  ^s  Saint  Paul  expresses  it,  'Mn  tres- 
'*  passes  and  siiVs ;  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  f.'^ 
The  same  metaphor  occurs  frequently  in  Scripture. 
A  person  living  in  the  defilements  of  the  world,  iii 
whom  the  spiritual  life  in  Christ  hath  httle  or  no 
vigour,  is  said  to  be  ^'  dead  while  he  liveth  ;"  as,  on 
the  contrary,  of  him  who  meets  death  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  Christian  duty,  it  is  pronounced,  that 
*'  he  liveth,  though  he  die:|:."  '*  The  use  of  this  me- 
*'  taphor  has  been  so  common  with  the  Jews,  that,  as 
''  Maimoiiides  informs  us§,  they  proverbially  say, 
**  Impii  ctiam  viventes  vocantur  mortui,  The  wicked 
*^  are  dead,  even  while  they  are  alive;  for  he,  saith 
"  Philo  II ,  who  lives  a  life  of  sin,  TfQvv^v.f  tov  sv^anLovu, 
"  is  dead  as  to  a  life  of  happiness :  his  soul  is  dead,  * 
*'  and  even  buried  in  his  lusts  and  passions.  And 
'^  because  the  whole  Gentile  world  lay  more  especially 
*'  under  these  unhappy  circumstances,  whence  the 
'-'  apostle  styles  them  sinners  of  the  Gentiles'^,  it 
'^  was  proverbially  said  by  the  Jewish  doctors,  Populi 
''  terrarum,  I.  e.  Ethnici,  non  vivunt,  the  heathens 
*^  do  not  live**. "  An  attention  to  this  use  of  the 
words  death,  die,  dead,  &c.  in  this  figurative  Ian-  ^ 
guage  of  Scripture,  will  tend  to  illustrate  many  pas- 
sages otherwise  obscure.  Such  are  Matt.  xxii.  32, 
iv,  6.  Luke  i.  79-  .Rom.  vi.  2.  viii.  6.  2  Cor.  I.  9, 
10.  iii.  6,   1  Pet.  iv.  6.      So  likewise  in  the  sequel  of 

*  Matt.  viii.  22.  t  Eph.  ii.  1,  5.  iv.  18. 

\  John  xi.  26.  Matt.  iv.  l6.  Rom.  viii.  6",  Eph.  v.  14.  1  Tim.  v.  6. 
1  Pet.  iv.  6.    1  John  iii.  14.  Jude  12. 

§  More  Nevoch.  lib.  1.  |1  Leg.  Alleg.  c.  1. 

IT  Gal.  ii.  15,  **  Whitby  on  1  Pet.  iv.  6. 

thi 


Ch.  iii.   1—6.]  APOCALYPSE.  81 

this  prophetical  book,  where  it  is  reasonable  to  expect 
that  such  words  will  be  used  in  this  their  acknow- 
ledged metaphorical  sense,  as  in  this  expression  of  our 
Lord  to  the  Church  of  Sardis,  w^hich  serves  as  a  clue 
to  the  rest.  For  the  whole  is  his  prophecy  or  reve- 
lation, given  to  him,  and  delivered  by  him*.  We 
find  also  that  the  early  M'riters  of  the  church,  who 
succeeded  the  apostles,  applied  these  words  in  the 
same  figurative  meaning.  In  this  acceptation  Igna- 
tius uses  the  word  death'\.  In  the  persecution  of 
the  Christians  under  M.  Aurelius,  some  had  denied 
the  faith*  these  are  styled  vfit^«,  dead;  but  being 
afterwards  enabled  to  profess  their  belief  in  Jesus, 
even  in  the  face  of  torture  and  of  death,  they  are 
then  said  to  be  restored  to  life.  The  passage  is  ex- 
pressive, and  may  be  seen  at  length  in  Euseb.  Hist. 
Eccles.  lib.  v.  c.  i.  Tertullian  has  frequently  used 
the  words  death  and  die  in  this  figurative  sense : 
Mortuus  es  qui  non  es  Christianus  J.  Apostoli  de 
mortuis  vivos  faciebant,  hseretici  de  vivis  mortuos 
faciunt  §. 

Ver.  2.  Be  watchful.^  We  are  exhorted  to  the  same 
watchfulness,  connected  with  the  metaphor  explained 
in  the  last  verse,  in  many  other  passages  of  Scripture. 
**  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  deady'^ 
&c.« 

Ver.  3.  Remember.^  The  fault  of  Sardis  was  not 
heresy,  or  corruption  of  doctrine :  it  was  negligence 
and   supineness :  she  knew  the  will  of  her  Lord,   but 

*  Ch.  i.  1.  t  Epist.  ad  Trail,  sect.  6. 

X  De  Carne  Christi,   sect.  2. 

§  De  Prase.  Hairet.  sect.  30.     See  also  Cyprian  s  Epistles  10  & 
27?  where  the  same  metaphor  is  used. 
U  Eph.  V.  14.  Matt.  xxv.  13. 

Q  did 


83  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.  §  8. 

did  it  not.  She  is  therefore  called  upon  to  remember 
the  doctrines  she  had  received,  and  to  bring  them 
into  practice.  '*  And  Avhat  I  say  unto  you,  I  say 
*'  unto  all,"   says  our  Lord,    *^  watch." 

lb.  A  thief. 1  The  coming  of  Christ,  to  take  ven- 
geance on  his  enemies,  is  represented  to  be  hk^  the 
approach  of  a  thief  in  the  night,  when  men,  lulled  iri 
security,  awake  suddenly  to  see  their  own  ruin  *. 
This  consideration  more  especially  affects  the  care- 
less and  negligent,  such  as  the  Sardians  are  repre- 
sented to  be.  The  words  of  Saint  Paul  may  he  ap- 
plied as  the  best  possible  comment  on  this  text :  ^*  But 
'^  of  the  times  and  seasons,  Brethren,  ye  have  no  need 
'^that  I  write  to  you,  for  you  yourselves  know  per- 
*'  fectly  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a 
*^  thief  in  the  7iight ;  for  when  they  shall  say  peace 
**  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon 
*'  them,  as  travail  upon  a  woman  with  child,  and 
**  they  shall  not  escape :  but  ye.  Brethren,  are  not  in 
^'  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a 
*^  thief;  ye  are  all  the  children  of  the  light,  and  the 
*'  children  of  the  day;  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor 
*'  of  darkness  ;  therefore  let  us  not  sleep  as  do  others, 
*'  but  let  us  watch  and  be  sober  f." 

Ver.  4.  Names.']  We  observe  the  same  expres* 
sion  used  in  the  same  sense  to  signify  Christian  per- 
'  sons,  Acts  i.  15.  and  again,  Rev.  xi.  13.  They  are 
those  who  have  their  names  enrolled  in  the  book  of 
their  Lord,  who  claim  a  citizenship  in  his  new  Jeru- 
salem J.  We  learn  here,  as  from  other  passages  of 
Scripture,    that  pure  members  of  an  impure  church 

♦  Joel  ii.  9.  ;Matt.  xxiv.  43.  Luke  xii.  3.9,  40. 

t  1  Thess.  V.  1 — 7.        X  See  the  note  below,  ver.  5.  book  of  life* 

are 


Ch.  iii.  1--6.]  APOCALYPSE.  83 

are  kept  separate  in  the   eye  of  their  Lord,    and  by 
him  shall  be  considered  as  his  own. 

lb.  Xjiarments — whiteJ]  By  an  easy  and  obvious 
n^etaphor^^,  what  raiment  is  on  the  body,  its  cover 
and  ornament,  such  is  the  habit  of  practice  to  the 
soul.  **  I  put  on  righteousness,  and  it  clothed  me,'* 
says  Job;  *' my  judgment  was  a  robe  and  a  diadem." 
Conformably  to  which  method  of  speaking,  the 
Christian  is  required  ' '  to /;z^/ ^' the  old  man,  to  put 
**  on  the  new,  to  put  on  Christ  f  ;"  Avhich  expressions 
are  explained  by  their  context  to  signify,  that  he 
should  *'  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  his  mind,  and  put 
*^  on  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith."  In  this 
allegorical  form  of  speech,  our  Lord  describes  his 
servants  as  invited  to  the  M^edding  of  their  great 
Master  ;  when  one  of  them,  appearing  without  a  wed- 
ding garment,  is  sentenced  to  be  cast  into  outer 
darkness.  This  garment  is  white,  pure,  free  from 
stain  of  sin,  made  cleaUj  as  it  is  expressed  not  only 
in  the  Apocalypse  but  in  other  passages  of  Scripture, 
by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  %.  Sin  defiles  the  soul,  as 
earthly  impurities  do  the  bodily  raiment;  and  there  is 
no  other  means  of  cleansing,  but  propitiating  blood ; 
not  the  blood  of  bulls  and  goats,  for  these  were  only 
typical,  but  the  blood  of  the  Redeemer,  of  the  holy 
victim,  slain,  in  the  counsel  of  God,  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  Avorld.  If  we  would  be  clothed  in  this 
raiment,  in  which  alone  we  can  appear  pure  and  ac- 

•  For  the  gradual  formation  of  which,  see  1  Sam.  xviii.  4.  2  Sam. 
i.  24-.  Is.  xxii.  21.  ixi.  10.  Dau.  v.  7.  Luke  xv.  22.  xvi.  I9.  Also, 
Herodotus,  Thalia,  Ixxxiv.    Xenoph.  A  nab.  lib.  i. 

t  Eph.  iv.  22.  27.  Gal.  iii.  27. 

X  See  1  John  i.  7-  Ps.  li.  7.  Dan.  xi.  35.  I  Pet.  i.  I9.  Heb.  xi.  15. 
Rev.  vii,  14, 

Q  2  ceptable 


84  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt    1.    §  8. 

ceptable  before  God,  we  must  put  on  faith,  working 
in  us,  by  love,  the  best  moral  conduct ;  agreeably  to 
which  explanation,  this  acceptable  xvhlte  garment  is 
(in  chap.  xix.  8,)  affirmed  to  be  "  the  righteousness 
"of  the  Saints*.'' 

Ver.  5.  White  raiment.']  See  the  preceding  note, 
to  which  we  may  add  this  observation  ;  that  the  expres- 
sion fv  KevMoiQ  is  peculiar  to  Saint  John  ;  see  chap.  xx. 
12.  where  it  is  applied  to  the  shining  appearance  of 
angels ;  also  Mark  xvi.  5.  croKyi  Afuxv^,  which  in  Saint 
Luke  is  expressed  by  fv  e(T^vi<T£(nv  uar^u^wT^aetig,  whence 
we  may  collect  that  Afuxo?  applied  to  garments  means 
a  white  of  a  dazzling  brightness  and  splendour,  such 
as  arrays  angelic  beings. 

lb.  Book  of  life.]  As  in  states  and  cities,  those 
who  obtained  freedom  and  fellowship,  were  enrolled 
in  the  public  register,  which  enrolment  was  their 
title  to  the  privileges  of  citizens;  so  the  King  of 
heaven,  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  engages  to  preserve 
in  his  register  and  enrolment,  in  the  book  of  life, 
the  names  of  those,  who  like  the  good  Sardians,  in 
a  corrupted  and  supine  society,  shall  preserve  alle- 
giance and  a  faithful  discharge  of  their  Christian 
duties.  He  will  own  them  as  his  fellow-citizens,  be- 
fore men  and  angels  f. 

*  The  result  of  these  observations  will  enable  us  perhaps  to  ex- 
plain a  passage  in  the  2d  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  (ch.  v.  3.)  which 
seems  to  have  perplexed  the  commentators :  "  If  so,  that  being 
"  clothed,  we  shall  not  be  found  naked  :  that  is,  if  at  the  day  of 
Judgment,  when  we  must  necessarily  appear  without  our  corporeal 
integuments,  we  shall  have  obtained  that  clothing,  which  alone  can 
make  us  fit  to  appear  in  the  Divine  presence ;  that  white,  pure  wed- 
ding garment,  the  righteousness  of  the  Saints,  without  which  no  one 
can  be  admitted  to  the  presence  of  God. 

t  Matt.  ix.  32.  Luke  xii.  8.  See  also  Psalm  Ixix.  28.  Ezek.  xiii. 
9.   Exod,  x^xxii.  33.  Dan.  xii.  1.  Mal.  iii.  l6.  Luke  x.  20. 

5  PART 


Ch.   ill.  7 — 13.]  APOCALYPSE. 


85 


PART     I. 

SECTION    IX. 

The  Address  to  the  Church  in  Philadelphia, 


7  Kati  TM  xfyiXu  rvs 
Iv  ^iXx^eX^iioc  sx.- 
x\if)a-fas  ypx^l/ov' 
Tach  XzyH  o  ay/®', 
o  aX»jS*yof,  0  ap^wv 
T^v  xXii^x  tS  A«- 
C/'o*    e   uvoiyMVy    jc 

aXiUif  tC)  is^iis  (xvoi- 

8  yei'     Ol^ci   ern    roc 

h'jj'ffiov    as    ^v^xv 

^vvxrxt  xXe7(TX(  av- 
T>}y*  on  (AiK^xv  e- 
y^eis^vvxiA^tv,  Kj  It-/)- 
fvicrxs  (AH  rov  Xoyov, 
Kj  dx.  vpyna-oj  to  'Ivo- 

9  (jt.x  /xy.  'l5a,  ^i^iij[A.i 
Ik  ttos  uvvxyuyyis 
T«  o-i»Tixva  rSv  Ae- 
yov]ft;v  ixvTHS  'is- 
^as/«s  slva;/,  ><1  «>t  £<- 
o-<y,  xKkx  ^/ivoovixi* 
Ida,  'cjofh'TU  xvTus, 
tvx  ri^'jjcri  Kj  'SJ^oa- 
jcvvrxrua-tv  h'Jjtno'i 
ruv  'cjoouv  0-8,  )txi 
yvunVf  oTi  lyu  vi- 

10  yxit-tiTut  o-e*  "Ot/ 
Irvpyjcrxs  rov  Xoyov 
rrts  vvo(jiO)iT^s  /«,«, 
Kfcytlt  as  rn^-nau  sk 


CHAP.  iii.  VER.  7 — 13. 

7  And  unto  the  Angel  I 
of  the  Church  in  Phi- 
ladelphia, write :  Thus 
saith  He  that  is  holy  ; 
He  that  is  true ;  He 
who  hath  the  key  of 
David  ;  He  who  open- 
eth  and  n©  one  shut- 
teth,  and  shutteth  and 

8  no  one  openeth  :  I 
know  thy  works;  be- 
hold, I  have  set  before 
thee  an  opened  door, 
which  no  one  can  shut : 
because  thou  hast  little 
strength,  and  hast  kept 
my  word,  and  hast 
not  denied  my  name, 

9  Behold,  I  give  unto 
thee  those  of  the  syna- 
gogue of  Satan,  (who 
say  of  themselves  that 
they  are  Jews,  and  are 
not,  but  speak  falsely, 
behold,  I  will  make 
them)  to  come  and 
worship  before  thy 
feet,  and  to  know  that 
I    have     loved    thee. 

10  Because  ihou  hast 
kept  the  >vord  of  my 
patience,  I  also  will 
keep  thee    from    the 


7  And  to  the  Angel  of 
the  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, write,  These 
things  saith  He  that  is 
holy ;  He  that  is  true ; 
He  that  hath  the  key 
of  David;  He  that 
openeth,  and  no  man 
shutteth ;  and  shutteth, 
and  no  man  openeth : 

8  I  know  thy  works; 
behold,  I  have  set  be- 
fore thee  an  open  door, 
and  no  man  can  shut 
it :  for  thou  hast  a 
little  strength,  and  hast 
kept  my  word,  and 
hast    not   denied    my 

9  name.  Behold,  I  will 
make  them  of  the 
synagogue  of  Satan 
(which  say  they  are 
Jews,  and  are  not,  but 
do  lie) ;  behold,  I  will 
make  them  to  come 
and  worship  before  thy 
feet,  and  to  know  that 
I    have    loved    thee. 

10  Because  thou  hast 
kept  the  word  of  my 
patience,  I  also  will 
keep  thee  from  the 
hour    of    temptation, 


86 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  I.  4  9. 


rr)S   OtKlifA.£VYiS  oA»i-, 

'asi^iaui  tbj-  koiIoi- 
y.tiv\as  ETTi  rvis  yns. 

1 1  ^'E^^o(/.xi  rayy' 
xgoiret  o  £%«?,  <W 
fji^yjosts  xdCv)  Tov  fE- 

12  ^fljyoy  an,  O  viy.u>v, 
'aoi'hau  otvrov  ri'Aov 
h  Tw  y«aJ  T»  ©EK 
fta,  xa<  I'lft;  «  iJ-'n 
l^eXOvi  iTi'   7^  y^oi- 

T«  ©£«  /w,»,  xa/  TO 

rS    ©eS     /x«,    T^s" 
xa/v«j    h^HaxXny., 

©£«  fita,    >^    TO  OVO- 

yLOr  /w,B    TO   xa/yov. 

13  *0  Ip^^yv  «?,  a)t8<7a- 
ta;,  t/  to  isnZy.x 
XiyH  roas  IxxkY^' 
cloiis. 


hour  of  trial,  which  is 
about  to  come  upon 
the  whole  region,  to 
try   those    who    dwell 

11  upon  the  earth.  I  am 
coming  soon ;  hold  fast 
that  which  thou  hast, 
that  no  one  take  thy 

12  crown.  He  that  over- 
cometh,  him  -will  I 
make  a  column  in  the 
Temple  of  my  God  ; 
and  out  of  it  he  shall 
never  more  depart ; 
and  I  will  write  upon 
him  anameofmyGod, 
and  the  name  of  the 
city  of  my  God ;  of 
the  new  Jerusalem, 
v'hich  cometh  down 
out  of  heaven  from  my 
God ;    even  my   new 

13  name.  He  that  hath  an 
ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto 
the  Churches, 


which  shall  come  upon 
all  the  world,  to  try 
them  that  dwell  upon 
lithe  earth.  Behold, 
I  come  quickly  :  hold 
that  fast  which  thou 
hast,  that  no  man  take 

12  thy  crown.  Him  that 
overcometh,  will  I 
make  a  pillar  in  the 
Temple  of  my  God, 
and  he  shall  go  no 
more  out ;  and  I  will 
write  upon  him  the 
name  of  my  God,  and 
the  name  of  the  city  of 
my  God,  xohich  is  new 
Jerusalem,  which  co^ 
meth  down  out  of  hea- 
ven from  my  God : 
and  I  mil  write  upon 

13  him  my  new  name.  He 
that  hath  an  ear,  let 
him  hear  w'hat  the 
Spirit  sj^ith  unto  the. 
Churches, 


Ver.  7.  Philadelphia.]  This  city,  in  the  times  of 
Strabo,  that  is,  npt  long  before  the  date  of  this  vision, 
had  been  so  often  shaken  by  earthquakes,  that  it  was  in 
^  great  measure  deserted  by  its  inhabitants;  which  may 
in  some  degree  account  for  the  poverty  of  its  Church, 
as  described  in  this  Epistle.  And  its  poverty  may  also 
in  some  degree  account  for  its  virtue,  which  is  so 
highly  commended  *.  MeUto,  an  eminent  Bishop  of 
this  see,  and  a  Christian  apologist  in  the  second  cen^ 


Strabo,  ii,  lib.  xii, 


tury, 


Ch.  ill.  7—13.]  APOCALYPSE.  87 

tury,  appears  to  have  written  on  the  Apocalypse  *.  That 
such  a  man,  in  such  a  situation,  so  near  to  the  time 
when  the  Apocalypse  was  published,  should  acknow- 
ledge it  as- divine,  by  commenting  upon  it,  is  a  strong 
argument  for  its  authenticity.  Unfortunately  this 
work  of  his  is  lost. 

Philadelphia  appears  to  have  resisted  the  attacks  of 
the  Turks  in  1312,  with  more  success  than  the  other 
cities  I;  but  at  length  it  fell  under  their  domination. 
It  still  contains  (probably  as  being  the  last  which  was 
subdued)  more  Christian  families  than  most  of  the 
others.  Modern  travellers  represent  four  Christian 
Churches  standing  in  this  place,  and  above  200  houses 
inhabited  by  Christians. 

lb.  He  that  is  holy.]  This  epithet  belongs  appro- 
priately to  the  Deity.  He  alone  is  holy  J :  the  Holy 
One.  But,  by  communication,  the  same  epithet  de- 
scends to  the  only  begotten  Son,  who,  as  such,  partaking 
the  nature  of  the  Father,  is  styled  the  Holy  One^. 

lb.  He  that  is  ti^ue.']  This  epithet,  like  the  pre- 
ceding, is  applicable  only  to  the  Father,  who  is  /xovoc 
uXy^^ivog  Qeog,  the  only  true  God  (John  xviii.  3.);  but 
descends  also  to  the  Son,  *'  the  express  image  of  the 
*' Father,"  **  the  Truth  and  the  Life||."  He  is  the 
true  bread,  the  t7^ue  vine,  the  true  light,  and  is  em- 
phatically denominated  The  True  One^. 

lb.  Key  of  David.]  See  note,  ch.  i.  18. 

Ver.  8.  Opeiied  door.]  Our  Lord  has  rendered  the 
everlasting  glories  of  his  kingdom  of  easy  access  to  the 
faithful   and   repentant:    1st,    Because  he   has  made 

*  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  p.  147.  t  Gibbon,  vi.  314. 

J  Exod.  xxviii.  36.     Is.  vi.  3. 

§  Psalm  xvi.  10.     Mark  i.24.     Luke  iv.  34.     Acts  iii.  14. 
jl  John  xiv.  Q.  If  1  John  v.  20. 

atonement 


88  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  I.   §9. 

atonement  for  those  sins  which  would  otherwise  pre- 
chule  their  entrance.  2dly,  By  granting  to  them  spi- 
ritual assistance.  3dly,  By  supplying  them  with  rules 
and  directions,  which  he  has  illustrated  by  his  own 
perfect  example.  Hence  he  has  called  himself  the  IFai/y 
the  Door,  no  one  entereth  but  through  him.  And 
against  those  who  faithfully  and  diligently  attempt  an 
entrance  through  him,  the  powers  of  Hell  shall  not 
prevail.  In  Acts  xiv.  ^7,  it  is  called,  the  **  door  of 
''faith,''  and  is  described  as  open  to  the  Gentiles, 
through  the  mercies  of  God. 

Ver.  g.  Jews.]  See  note,  ch.  ii.  Q.  A  complete  tri- 
umph over  these  pretended  saints  is  promised  to  this 
humble  Church ;  and  probably  it  took  place  in  those 
early  times,  of  which  so  little  history  remains.  But  as 
this  meek  and  faithful  Church  is  a  type  and  resem- 
blance of  the  pure  Church  of  Christ;  so,  to  that  uni- 
versal Church,  when  it  shall  appear  in  its  purity,  after 
this  type,  the  conversion  of  the  whole  body  of  the 
Jews  seems  promised  ;  which  has  been  vainly,  though 
often  attempted  by  violence  and  persecution. 

Ver.  10.  I  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  trial^ 
This  promise,  in  favour  of  the  Church  of  Philadelphia, 
Avas  probably  fulfilled  in  some  subsequent  persecution, 
of  which  we  have  no  special  account. 

Ver.  11.  I  am  coming  soon.]  See  notes,  ch.  i.  3, 
iii.  16. 

lb.   Crown.]  See  note,  ch.  ii.  15. 

Ver.  12.  Column.]  The  ancient  nations  were  ac^- 
customed  to  erect  columns  in  honourable  memorial  of 
heroes.  Such,  in  idea  at  least,  were  the  columns  of 
Hercules.  Absalom,  *'  having  no  son  to  keep  hi$ 
*^  name  in  remembrance,"  built  a  column  to  be  called 


Ch.  ill.  7—13.]         APOCALYPSi.  89 

hy  his  name  *.  The  Christian  conqueror  is  here  pro- 
mised such  an  honourable  memorial  in  God's  temple, 
in  his  everlasting  temple  in  heaven.  Agreeably  to  this 
figurative  language,  the  Apostles  James  and  Peter  are 
accounted  columns  of  the  Church  (^arvKoi,  Gal.  ii.  Q,) 
And  the  Alexandrian  martyrs  of  the  third  century  are 
called  (yrvKoi  rs  0f8,  and  also  Attains  of  Pergamos,  in 
the  account  of  the  martyrs  at  Lyons  and  Vienne  in  the 
second  century  f. 

lb.  Nezv  Jerusalem.']  The  numerous  prophecies, 
foretelling  great  and  everlasting  glory  to  Jerusalem, 
have  not  been  fulfilled  in  the  literal  Jerusalem  ;  nor 
can  be  so  fulfilled,  without  contradicting  other  pre- 
dictions, especially  those  of  our  Lord,  which  have 
denounced  its  ruin.  They  remain  therefore  to  be  ful- 
filled in  a  spiritual  sense  ;  in  that  sense  which  Saint 
Paul  points  out  to  us,  when,  in  opposition  to  *'  Jeru- 
■*'  salem  that  now  is,  and  is  in  bondage  with  her  chil- 
"  dren,"  he  presents  to  our  view  "  Jerusalem  which  is 
*'  above,  which  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all." 
This  is  the  city  which  '*  Abraham  looked  to;  a  building 
*'  not  made  with  hands,  whose  builder  and  maker  is 
'*  God  J;"  even  the  hea'venly  Jerusalem^  whose  splen- 
dour will  be  displayed  in  the  concluding  chapters  of 
this  book, 

*  2  Sam.  xviii,  IS. 

t  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  vl.  c.  41.  &  lib.  v.  1. 

I  Gal.  iv.  24—27,     Heb.  xi.  10—16.  xii.  22—24.  xiii.  14. 


PART 


90 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  I.  §  10. 


PART      I. 
SECTION      X. 

The  Address  to  the  Church  m  Lao  die  ca. 


14  Yiott     rZ     ulyLXu 
rris     fx.xXv)crixs    Iv 

0  (A-fcfivS  0  ZJl^ls    Kf 

or/  »T£  vj^y^^oi^  fl, 
»T£    ^EfOS*      o(f>EXoy 

l6*'0yrft)r,   oT<   ;^X/- 

;Cfoy,     «T£     {sro,-, 

17"Ot/  XiycHs*   "Or/ 
«r«9rX8T»3xa,  -/^  a^f- 

o  rxXuiTfu^^y  Kocl 
«  IXEs/vor,  xa<  Wiw- 
X05"i    '/^  Ty(f)Xos-,  >^ 

cot,  ayoquaai  zjaf 

fva  'aXnr'na-ris*  xai 
t^arix  >k£t/xa,  'lya, 
•BTf^/CaX*?,   xa<   jtA^ 

rns  yvf^voTijiw   cry* 


CHAP.   111.   VER.  14 — 21. 

14  And  to  the  Angel  of 
the  Church  in  Laodi- 
cea,  write:  Thus  saith 
the  Amen,  the  faith- 
ful and  true  Witness, 
the  Beginning  of  the 

15  Creation  of  God.  I 
know  thy  works,  that 
thou  art  neither  cold 
nor  hot ;  I  would  that 
thou  wert  cold  or  hot: 

l6So  then,  because  thou 
art  lukewarm,  and  nei- 
ther cold  nor  hot,  I 
am  about  to  nauseate 
thee  out  of  my  mouth ; 

17  Because  thou  sayest 
that  I  am  rich,  and  am 
grown  wealthy,  and 
have  need  of  nothing, 
and  knowest  not  that 
thou  art  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor, 
and  blind,  and  naked. 

181  counsel  thee  to  buy 
of  me  gold  purified 
ill  the  fire,  that  thou 
may'st  be  rich ;  and 
white  raiment,  that 
thou  may'st  be  clothed ; 
and  that  the  shame  of 
thy  nakedness  may  not 


14  And  unto  the  Ang^^I 
of  the  Church  of 
the  Laodiceans,  write, 
These  things  saith  the 
Amen,  the  faithful  and 
true  Witness,  the  Be- 
ginning of  the  Creation 

15  of  God;  I  know  thy 
works,  that  thou  art 
neither  cold  nor  hot : 
I  would  thou  wert  cold 

l6or  hot.  So  then  be- 
cause thou  art  luke- 
warm, and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,  I  will  spue 
thee  out  of  my  mouth : 

17  Because  thou  sayest, 
I  am  rich,  and  increas- 
ed with  goods,  and 
have  need  of  nothing; 
and  knowest  not  that 
thou  art  wretclied,  and 
miserable,  and  poor, 
and  blind,  and  naked. 

181  counsel  thee  to  buy 
of  me  gold  tried  in  the 
iirCi  that  thou  may  est 
be  rich ;  and  whit© 
raiment,  that  thou 
may  est  be  clothed,  and 
that  the  shame  of  thy 
nakedness  do  not  ap- 


Ch.  iii.  14 — 21.]         apocaiypse. 


91 


9c  MXXifiov  ^yxP'" 

jp'Eyw  oaras  eav  ?»<- 

XaJ,  IXfyX**  ^  '^*'' 
Jsyw*  ^v)Xw<rov  »y, 
20)C  fA£]«yo>5erov,  Io8, 
sfTixa  lirl  rvv  ^v- 
fXVj    >c    Xf«W*    !«» 

3ms  (jt,Sf  xaci   dvoi^ip 

ffOfJLXi  "CTfoj-  cciroVf 
jc  oft-TryiJcra;  /xsT  ay- 

Ttf,  >^  avTOf  /XeT  f/A«. 

Tw  xx9t'axi  /iae?  £- 

(X5  ly  Tf  ^OVU  fASf 

vs  xdyuj  ev/Kva-Xf 
5^  EKxQia-x  fxsloi  rS 
^aclpos  fjLS  h  ru 
-jpoyu  xvru.      O  t- 

t/  to  wvEv/xa  XE<y« 


appear ;  and  to  anomt 
thine  eyes  with  eye- 
salve,  that  thou  mayest 

19  see.  As  many  as  I 
love,  I  prove  and  chas- 
ten ;  be  zealous,  there- 

20  fore,  and  repent.  Be- 
hold, I  stand  at  the 
door,  and  knock;  if 
any  one  shall  hear  my 
voice,  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in 
unto  him,  and  will  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with 

21  me.  He  who  over- 
cometh,  to  him  will  I 
give  to  sit  with  me  on 
my  Throne ;  as  I  also 
have  overcome,  and 
am  seated  with  my 
Father  on  his  Throne. 

22  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saitli  unto  the 
Churches. 


pear ;  and  anoint  thine 
eyes  with  ey^-salve, 
that  thou  mayest  see, 

19  As  many  as  I  love,  I 
rebuke  and  chasten : 
be  zealous,,  therefore, 

20  and  repent.  Behold, 
I  stand  at  the  door, 
and  knock;  if  any  man 
hear  my  voice,  and 
open  the  door,  I  will 
come  in  to  him,  and 
will  sup  with  him,  and 

21  he  with  me.  To  him 
that  overcome th,  will 
I  grant  to  sit  with  me 
in  my  throne,  even  as 
I  also  overcame,  and 
am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  Throne. 

22  He  that  hath  an  car, 
let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the 
Churches, 


Ver.  14.  Laodicea.]  Upon  the  river  Lycus  (for 
there  were  other  cities  of  the  same  name)  stood  this 
city,  flourishing  in  wealth,  in  the  times  immediately 
preceding  the  date  of  this  vision  *.  Near  to  it  was 
situated  the  city  of  Colossae ;  and  in  the  times  of  Saint 
Paul,  these  appear  to  have  been  sister  Churches  of  the 
same  character,  neither  of  which  had  been  personally 
visited  by  this  great  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles  t-  To  each 
of  them  he  wrote  epistles,  which  he  ordered  to  be  read 
interchangeably  by  both.     And  that  which  now  beara 


Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  v.  c.  xix. 


+  Col.ii.  1. 


the 


92  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  T.   §    10- 

the  inscription  to  the  Ephesiaus,  is  supposed  by  some 
able  writers  to  have  been  the  Epistle  to  Laodicea*. 
But  at  the  time  of  Saint  John's  banishment  to  Patmos, 
the  Church  of  Colossus  seems  to  have  been  absorbed  in 
that  of  Laodicea ;  or  at  least  the  latter  appears  to  have 
been  at  that  time  the  superior  and  predominant  Church. 
But  its  ruin  and  present  state  of  desolation  are  described 
by  modern  travellers  as  more  complete  and  lamentable 
than  that  of  the  other  six. 

Ver.  14.  The  Amen.']  This  word  imports  truth  and 
certainty ;  "  I  am  he,  all  whose  promises  will  be  most 
*'  strictly  fulfilled."     See  Q  Cor.  i.  20. 

lb.  Faithful  and  true  [Fitness.]  See  note,  ch.  i.  4. 

lb.  The  Beginning  of  the  Creation  of  God.]  See 
note,  ch.  ii.  17.  For  this  seems  to  refer  to  the  new 
creation,  new  building,  where  in  Christ  all  things  are 
made  new  f.  There  is  a  new  commandment,  a  neza 
worship,  a  nezv  temple,  a  ?? ere;  city,  s  TccvTv^q  rv^g  y.TtfTsug, 
of  which  Christ  is  the  corner  stone  and  foundation  J. 
And  he  is  not  only  the  a^x^^  but  the  cifra^x^  from  the 
grave,  the  first  fruits,  insuring  the  resurrection  of  his 
followers. 

Ver.  15.  Neither  cold  nor  hot.]  Many  are  the  pro- 
fessed Christians,  in  all  countries,  as  well  as  in  Lao- 
dicea, who,  contented  to  be  named  after  their  Re- 
deemer, are  indifferent  to  their  actions  and  their  con- 
sequences. Supposing  themselves  rich  in  his  merits, 
and  "  wanting  nothing,"  they  fall  into  a  lifeless  sort 
of  Christianity,  which  must  needs  be  disgusting  to  that 
zealous  Master  who  suffered  so  much  for  them,  laying 
so  fair  a  foundation  for  their  active  exertions.  Here 
he  calls  upon  such  persons  to  examine  their  situation ; 

*  See  note,  ii.  1.  f  2  Cor.  v.  17. 

X  1  Pet.  ii.  6,     Eph  ii.  20. 

they 


Ch.  ill.  14— *21.]  APOCALYPSE.  93 

they  are  poor  instead  of  rich  * ;  naked  instead  of 
clothed  t ;  and  blind,  that  is,  ignorant,  and  wilfully  so. 
For  our  Lord  told  the  Pharisees,  ^'  If  ye  were  blind, 
**  (that  is,  necessarily  ignorant,)  ye  would  have  no  sin; 
*^  but  now  ye  say  we  see,  (now  ye  presume  upon  your 
fancied  knowledge,  and  refuse  divine  instruction,) 
"  therefore  your  sin  remaineth." 

Ver.  18.  Biij/,]  That  is,  attain  in  preference  to 
worldly  riches.  See  Is.  Iv.  1,  4.  Pro  v.  Six'ui.  13. 
Matt.  xiii.  44—47. 

lb.  Gold  purified.']  nfTu^wjuievviv,  such  virtue  as  will 
stand  the  fiery  trial,  or  such  as  men  possess  after  severe 
trials,  assisted  by  the^Divine  Grace ;  for,  see  the  follow- 
ing verse. 

Ver.  19.  As  many  as  I  love,  &c.]  See  Heb.  xii. 
5 — 1^,  which  is  exactly  to  the  same  purpose. 

Ver.  20.  Sup.']  The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  described 
as  ^  feast  for  all  people  J.  He  is  the  bread  of  life ; 
none  who  come  to  him  shall  hunger  or  thirst  §.  But  it 
may  be  said,  if  Christ  prepares  the  supper,  why  is  he 
represented  as  standing  at  the  door,  and  knocking  for 
entrance  ?  But  this  action  is  agreeable  to  the  office  he 
bears  in  the  allegory  or  parable.  He  is  the  Bridegroo7n\\^ 
and  his  servants  sit  in  his  house  to  a  late  hour,  waiting 
his  arrival;  when  returning  from  the  wedding,  accord- 
ing to  eastern  custom,  '^  he  cometh  and  knocketh,'* 
and  they  open  to  him,  and  he  maketh  them  to  sit 
down  to  meat.  Luke  xii.  36 — 38.  See  also  John 
xiv.  Q3,  which  tends  likewise  to  illustrate  this  passage. 

Ver.  21.  On  my  throne.]  This  is  the  last  reward 
promised  to  those  who  overxome  ;  and  it  is  the  richest 

*  See  note,  ch.  ii.  9.  f  See  note,  ch.  ifi.  4. 

X  Isaiah  xxv.  6.     Matt.  viii.  11.     Luke  xiv.  l6'.  xxii.  19,  30. 
§  John  vi.  35.     Rev,  vii.  i6,  \\  .Matt.  xxv.  1, 14.  Johniii.  29- 

and 


54  APOCALYPSE.  iPt.  I.  §  la 

and  most  glorious.  Yet  it  is  in  perfect  concordance 
with  similar  promises  in  Scripture.  Our  Lord's  seat  is 
upon  the  throne  of  God,  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father*;  and  he  has  prepared  a  place  for  his  true 
followers,  "  that  where  he  is,  there  may  they  be  alsof.'* 
They  are  *^  heirs  of  God,  joint-heirs  with  Christ ;  and 
with  him  they  are  to  reign  \  '*  These  splendid  rewards 
are  to  be  obtained  only  through  Christ,  by  those  who 
follow  him  faithfully  in  his  career  of  spiritual  warfare, 
and  of  victory,    **  as  he  also  hath  overcome.*  ' 

*  Heb.  viii.  1.  xii.  2.     Matt.  xxvi.  ^4.  xxii.  4.     Mark  xvi.  19. 

f  John  xiv.  2. 

X  Heb.  i.  Rora.  tiii.  17.  Eph.  ii.  6,  Coloss.  iii,  X— 4.  STim.ii.  12. 


THE 


Chap,  iv.] 


[    95    ] 


THE 


APOCALYPSE,    &c. 


PART    II. 

SECTION      I. 

Representation  of  the  Divine  Glory  in  Heaven. 


1  MeTA  raZrx  eT- 
^ojr,  xai  i3«,  Sy- 
^x  rinulfJiivy}  h  rZ 

XfffiJTVi     10V     YDCBJ-X 

yuv'  'AvuCx  u'^s, 
nxi  ^ti'^u  cat  a.  ^sT 
'/ena-Oxi  (jlbIix  raZ' 
3  rx*  Kxi  evOsciJS  lys- 
yofAfiv  h  Z3KV[j^ari' 

Iv  T«  «^ayw,  yCj  I'TTt 

Vu  ^^ov«  axOviiMvos, 

S    Ka<     0    y.x9r)fA£v^ 

[>3v]   o/xoi©-  ofxati 

.xXo^Ev  t5  ^pova   0- 

ftC/^    O^XaSi    (TfAX- 

4t  ^xyoivu.      Ka*  xy- 

xXofifV  t5  Sf  0V8  ^^0- 

foi    HKOffi     riaax~ 
qzs'  x^  \m  riss  ^f  o- 


CHAPTER   IV. 

1  After  these  things,  I 
looked;  and  behold, 
there  was  a  door  open- 
ed in  the  heaven;  and 
the  former  voice,  which 
I  had  heard  as  of  a 
trumpet  speaking  with 
me,  saying,  "  Come 
"  up  hither,  and  I  will 
*'  shew  thee  the  things 
*'  which  must  happen 

2  *'  after  these."  And 
immediately  I  was  in 
the  Spirit;  and  behold, 
a  Throne  was  set  in 
heaven;  and  upon  the 
Throne    one    sitting ; 

3  And  He  that  sate  [was] 
like  in  appearance  to 
a  jasper,  even  a  sar- 
dine stone.  And  a 
radiance  round  about 
the  Throne,  like  in  ap- 
pearance to  an   eme- 

4  raid.  And  roundabout 


1  After  this  I  looked, 
and  behold,  adoorwa* 
opened  in  heaven :  and 
the  first  voice  which  I 
heard,  was  as  it  were 
of  a  trumpet  talking 
with  me  ;  which  said. 
Come  up  hither,  and  I 
will  shew  thee  things 
which   must  be  here- 

2  after.  And  immedi- 
ately I  was  in  the  Spi- 
rit ;  and  behold,  a 
Throne  was  set  in 
heaven,  and  one  idt  on 

3  the  Throne.  And  He 
that  sat,  was  to  look 
upon  like  a  jasper,  and 
a  sardine  stone :  and 
there  was  a  rainbow 
round  about  the 
Throne,  in  sight  like 

4  unto  an  emerald.  And 
round  about  theThrone 
were  four  and   twentjr 


96 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  II.  §  J. 


/xe'y8s  Iv  ifxoili'ois  Xsv- 
xois*  KOii  sTTt  ras 
X£(pxXix.s  uvruv  fs- 

Ik.  t2  ^^ovh  lyfjTo- 
^tvovlxt  a.f^a'Trxt  k. 
^fovlxi    }cixi   (p^vxr 

Xai  E'TTTiX.  XaixTTU^BS 

-vyv^QS  KaioiJLivui  t- 
vu'rriov  T«  ^^ov8,  «'/ 
licri  roc  iifla.  tjnv- 

6  fAxla  T«  ©£«,  Kai 
huTTiov  t5  ^f  ovs  us 
^<x,Xx(r<7(X     vaXlv'Ti, 

pa  >y  avaXai  t5  Spo- 
va  r£<7ax^x  ^ux  ys- 

(JiOvlx  0(p^xXfJl.MV  £/>(,- 

7  TTfoaOsv  KXioiria: 
&SV,  Kai  TO  ^oJoy 
TO     tiypuTov    ofA.oiov 

XiOvrty    XXI    TO     QSV- 

Tspsv  Cuoy  01A.010V 
yuaa^u,  iL  TO  rpiTQv 
^uioy  t'yov  re  zj^oa- 
wnov  us  olvQ^wTros, 
«^  ro  rirxplov  ^uov 

0(JI.OIOV  XbIm  ItTElw/^E- 

8  VCD*  Kxi  ria-ax^x 
L,^Xy  £V  xaa  £v  au- 
Ta^y,  Ep(;'5V  ^vx  zjle- 
pvyxs  eI,  xyxAoSfv 
iCj  ic-u9sv  ysy-aaiv 
l(pdxXjjiiiv'  >y  ata- 
'Kxvaiv  bx  iy^t-jCTiv 
vifjiipxs  K,  vvyJos,  Ai- 
yovrss'  "Ayi^)  x- 


the  Throne  wert  twenty- 
four  thrones,  and  upon 
the  thrones  twenty^bur 
Elders,  sitting,  clothed 
in  white  raiment;  and 
upon      their       heads 

5  crowns  of  gold.  And 
out  of  the  Throne  pro- 
ceed   lightnings,    and 

thunderings,and  voices; 
and  seven  lamps  of  iire 
burning  before  the 
Throne,  which  are  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God. 

6  And  before  the  Throne, 
as  it  were,  a  Sea,  glassy, 
like  unto  crystal ;  and 
in  the  midst  of  the 
Throne,  and  around 
the  Throne,  four  living 
creatures,  full  of  eyes, 
before     and     behind. 

7  And  the  first  living 
creature  like  a  lion ; 
and  the  second  living 
creature  like  a  steer; 
and  the  third  living 
creature  having  the 
aspect  as  a  man ;  and 
the  fourth  living  crea- 
ture like  a  flying  eagle. 

8  And  the  four  living 
creatures,  having  each 
of  them  six  wings,  are 
full  of  eyes,  around 
and  within  ;  and  they 
cease  not  day  and 
night,  saying,  "  Holy, 
"  holy,  holy,  the  Lord 
"  God,  the  Almighty, 
"  which  was,  and  which 


seats '.  and  upon  the 
seals  I  saw  four  and 
twenty  Elders,  sitting, 
clothed  in  white  rai- 
ment; and  they  had  on 
their  heads  crowns  of 

5  gold.  And  out  of 
the  Throne  proceeded 
lightnings,  and  thun- 
derings,  and  voices  ; 
And  thtre  were  seven 
lamps  of  lire  burning 
before  the  Throne, 
which   are    the   seven 

6  Spirits  of  God.  And 
before  theThrone  there 
was  a  sea  of  glass,  like 
unto  crystal :  And  in 
the  midst  of  the  Throne, 
and  round  about  the 
Throne,  ivere  four 
beasts,  full  of  eyes,  be- 

7  fore  and  behind.  And 
the  first  beast  was  like 
a  lion;  and  the  second 
beast  like  a  calf;  and 
the  third  beast  had  a 
face  as  a  man ;  and 
the  fourth  beast  wag 
like    a     flying    eagle. 

8  And  the  four  beasts 
had  each  of  them  six 
wings  about  him,  and 
ihei/  were  full  of  eyes 
within  ;  and  they  rest 
not  day  and  night,  say-p 
ing,  Holy,  holy;  holy, 
Lord  God  Almighty, 
which  was,  and  is,  and 

9  is  to  come.  And  when 
those  beasts  give  glory, 


Chap,  iv.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


97 


7<©-,  «!<©-  Kvpios 
0  ©fofo  zjavroK^ce.- 

TUp,    0  *JV,  X.XI  0  UVy 

Q  Kxt  orxv  0'Jj(TU(Ti 
roc  (^ua,  ^o^xv  xxi 
T//>t^y  ?o  zv^ixpifixv 

Uiiovas  ru!V  aluvuvy 

10  TLsauvlxi  01  eIkoo-i 
ria-yx^is  ^pi^v- 
rspoi  huiriov  t5  kx- 

Qvi^iVS  £77/  T»  ^^0- 
>«,  Kx}  ZT^OCTKVVrr 
WH<Tl      TW     ^«Dv1/     s\s 

ras  xiuvxs  ruv  xl- 
uvuv,  jcxi  ^xX^a-i 
TtfS'  ^£<pacv8s  XVTU/V 
IvuTFtov    tS    S^ovy, 

1 1  Xiyovlss'  "A^ios  zl, 
Kv^ts,  KxQm  rh 
^o|ay,  ytx\   t^v  t;- 

ft/*    or<  <ry  ikUctxs 

TO,   ZJoivlx,  KXl    ^tx 

TO  ^iXnfjLX.  a-a  rxrav, 
Kxl  £Klia-9r}crixy» 


**  is,  and  which  is  to 

9  *'  come  !"  And  when 
the  living  creatures 
give  glory  and  honour 
and  thanksgiving  to 
Him  whosittethonthe 
Throne,  who  liveth  for 

10  ever  and  ever,  The 
twenty-four  elders  fall 
down  before  Him  who 
sitteth  on  the  Throne, 
and  worship  Him  who 
liveth  for  ever  and 
ever;  and  cast  their 
crowns      before      the 

1  iThrone,  saying, "  Wor- 
"  thy  art  thou.  O  Lord, 
"  to  receive  the  glory, 
**  and  the  honour,  and 
"  the  power ;  for  thou 
*^  hast  created  all 
*'  things,  and  by  thy 
"  will  they  were,  and 
*'  were  created." 


and  honour,  and  thanks 
to  Him  that  sat  on  the 
Throne,  who  liveth  for 

10  ever  and  ever.  The 
four  and  twenty  Elders 
fall  down  before  Him 
that  sat  on  the  Throne, 
and  worship  Him  that 
liveth  for  ever  and 
ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns      before      the 

11  Throne,  saying,  Thou 
art  worthy,  O  Lord, 
to  receive  glory,  and 
honour,  and  power : 
for  thou  hast  created 
all  things,  and  for  thy 
pleasure  they  are,  and 
were  created. 


Ver.  1.  Jfter  these  things.']  In  the  19th  verse  of 
the  first  chapter,  the  Prophet  is  ordered  to  write  both 
the  things  which  were  then  present,    a  ei<ji,   and  the 

events  which  were  to  happen  afterwards,  a  <   ^'       > 

yfv£<r0^/  juiela  rayla.     Into  these  two  parts  the  whole  book 
of  the  Apocalypse  is  divided  *.     The  first^   containing 


*  See  note,  ch,  i.  19» 


tha 


98  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  11.  §  f. 

the  present  state  of  the  seven  Churches,  as  discovered 
by  their  all-seeing  Lord,  is  now  completed;  and  we 
enter  upon  the  second,  which  contains  the  disclosure 
of  events  which  were  then  to  come.  Accordingly  it 
is  a  new  vision  which  is  now  presented  ;  and  the  words 
*'  immediately  I  was  in  the  spirit,*'  shew  it  to  be  such ; 
for  they  needed  not  to  have  been  repeated  from  chap, 
i.  10,  if  it  had  been  otherwise. 

lb.  In  the  heaven.]  The  same  kind  of  opening  in 
the  heaven,  is  described  by  other  Prophets,  who  were 
favoured  with  such  visions*.  This  opening  of  the 
heaven  was  previous  to  Saint  John's  ascent  thither,  and 
seems  to  hav^e  been  seen  by  him,  before  he  was  carried 
in  the  Spirit  to  become  a  spectator  of  the  sublime  scene 
which  he  is  going  to  describe. 

Vei\  2.  /  was  in  the  Spirit,']  The  celerity  with 
which  the  Apostle,  rapt  in  the  Spirit,  is  presented  be- 
fore the  scenery  in  heaven,  is  sublime.  It  is  like  that 
alluded  to  by  Saint  Paul,  who  knew  not  whether  he 
was  bodily  or  only  spiritually  present  f.  It  is  not  like 
the  fabled  ascent  of  Mahomet,  on  the  beast  Albo- 
rak  J. 

lb.  A  throne,]  This  representation  has  a  near  re- 
semblance to  what  it  pleased  the  Holy  Spirit  to  display, 
at  other  times,  of  the  majesty  of  Jehovah  §.  The  in- 
effable presence  of  God,  as  Bishop  Lowth  remarks  ||,  can 
only  be  represented  by  sensible  and  earthly  images. 
Here  is  displayed  the  utmost  magnificence  of  eastern 
state. 

lb.  Upon  the  throne  one  sitting,]  There  is  great 
sublimity  in  this  nameless  majesty  of  God ;  and  ipsum 

*  Ezek.  i.  2.x.  1. 

t  2  Cor.  xii.  2.  &  3.  J  Prideaux*  Life  of  Mahomet. 

§  Isaiah  vi.  Ezek.  i.  26,  &c.  xliii.  i.  9.  ||  On  Isaiah  vi. 

verbum 


chap,  iv.]  APOCALYPSE.  99 

verbum  sedere,  the  very  word,   sitting,  says  Jerome, 
shews  the  power  and  authority  of  his  rule  *. 

Ver.  S.  Jasper — sardine's  tone.']  The  jasper  is  re- 
presented to  be  a  pellucid,  watery  gem,  its  colour  va- 
rious f,  the  sardine  also  transparent,  but  of  a  fiery 
tinge.  So^  to  express  in  some  measure,  by  sensible 
images,  the  ineffable  brightness  of  Him  who  sate  upon 
the  throne,  the  clear  jasper  first  presented  itself  in  the 
Prophet's  mind,  but  a  fiery  glow  was  wanting  to  com- 
plete the  description  ;  he  therefore  adds  the  sardine. 
There  is  a  resemblance  to  this  in  Exod.  xxiv.  10,  17. 

lb.  Radiance.']  In  the  vision  of  Ezekiel  J,  there  is 
a  throne,  and  one  sitting,  and  around  him  ^^  as  it  were 
"  the  appearance  of  fire,  and  it  had  brightness  round 
"  about,  as  the  appearance  of  the  bow  that  is  in  the 
**  clouds  on  the  day  of  rain."  Such  was  this  circular 
glory ;  it  was  not  a  rainbow,  but  like  it ;  and  of  a 
green  hue  and  lustre,  like  an  emerald. 

Ver.  4.  Tzventy-four  thrones — twenty-four  elders.] 
Comparing  this  vision,  so  far  as  we  have  proceeded, 
with  those  exhibited  in  the  Old  Testament  to  the 
Prophets  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel,  we  cannot  hesitate  to  de- 
clare, that  it  represents  (to  use  the  words  of  these 
Prophets)  ^*  the  King,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  Glory 
'*  of  the  God  of  Israel !"  But  who  are  these^  whom  we 
behold  on  the  twenty-four  thrones,  seated  in  state,  and 
dignified  with  crowns?  They  are  admitted  to  distin- 
guishing honour  in  the  Divine  presence;  and  yet  they 
are  certainly  servants,  for  they  officiate  as  such  (v.  10, 
and  ch.  xi.  IG.)  in  postures  of  adoration,  as  before  an 
eastern  monarch,  with  crowns  abased,  doing  homage 
to  the  Supreme  King.     Yet  they  are  not  angels^   the 

*  Hieron.  Comra.  in  Ephes.  i.  20, 

t  Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  xxvii.  %  Ch.  i.  27,  28. 

R  S  usual 


100  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.   §    1. 

usual  attendants  of  the  Deity;  thej  have  no  other 
attribute  or  character  of  those  heavenly  iiiliahitants, 
than  that  of  heavenly  ministration.  These  are  not, 
then,  *'  the  innumerable  company  of  angels/'  described 
by  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  (ch.  xii.)  which  sacred 
writer,  if  Saint  Paul,  (as  is  probable,)  had  been  admitted 
to  the  heavenly  scene  *.  No  ;  this  "  innumerable  com- 
*'  pany  of  angels"  is  added  to  the  scenery,  in  the  next 
chapter  f  ;  nor  can  we  with  greater  probability  suppose 
them  to  represent  that,  which  immediately  follows  in 
the  same  description,  ''  the  general  assembly  and 
**  Church  of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven ;" 
because,  by  comparing  this  part  of  the  vision  with  that 
which  follows  in  ch.  xiv.  1,  we  shall  plainly  discover, 
that  the  twenty-four  elders,  although  they  may  repre- 
sent a  part  of  Christ's  Church,  redeemed  from  earthy 
and  seated  in  heaven,  do  not  represent  '-'  the  general 
assembly,''  or  xvhole  bodij.  For,  the  Lamb,  the  Re- 
deemer, when  he  appears  on  Mount  Sion,  is  attended 
hy  an  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand ;  who  are  ex- 
pressly said  to  be  '*  the  redeemed  from  amongst  men  l^.'' 
And  these  are  distinct  from  the  Elders  :  for  they  *'  sing 
*'  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  living 
*'  creatures,  atid  before  the  Elders.''  And  these  are 
also  said  to  be  "  3.  first  fruit  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb," 
(ver.  4.)  and  to  have  ''  the  name  of  the  Lamb  and  of 
*' his  Father  written  on  their  foreheads;"  (ver.  1.) 
which  description  agrees  so  exactly  with  that  of  ''  the 
general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  First- bo rx  {ts^o- 
ToloHcav)  which  are  written  in  heaven,"  that  we  musj; 
necessarily  account  them  as  such,  and  therefore  look 
for  another  body,  with  whose  description  the  twenty- 
four  Elders  may  agree.     Such  another  body  is   dis- 

*  2  Cor.  xii,  1—5.  f  See  ver.  11,  j  Ch.  xiv.  4. 

closed 


Chap,  iv.]  APOCALYPSE.  lOl 

closed  in  the  very  same  passage  of  the  Apostle  to  the 
ijebrevvs;  for,  in  his  description  of  the  inhabitants  of 
heaven,  having  mentioned,  1st,  this  general  assembly 
of  Christ's  Church,  ^dly,  ^^  God,  the  Judge  of  all," 
he  adds,  3dly,  ''  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect:'* 
which  is  indeed  a  very  general  expression,  and,  as 
such,  if  occurrino;  in  any  other  place,  might  be  under- 
stood to  comprehend  xhtwhole  of  the  Christian  Church, 
perfected  in  heaven.  But  as  in  this  passage  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  there  is  an  evident  distinction 
between  ''  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,"  and 
^'  the  general  assembly  of  the  Church  :'*  and  as  the 
same  distinction  is  to  be  observed,  in  this  passage  of  the 
Apocalypse,  between  the  company  of  "  the  redeemed 
''  from  amongst  men,"  and  the  twenty-four  elders;  so 
we  seem  authorised  to  look  for  another  explanation ; 
for  one  which  may  bring  together  the  two  remain- 
ing unexplained  descriptions,  those  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  and  of  the  Apocalypse,  We  have  al- 
ready shewn  that  the  twenty -four  elders  are  not  of  the 
angelic  nature ;  and  it  will  be  easily  supposed  from 
what  has  already  appeared,  that  they  are  "just  men 
■■  made  perfect.''  But  of  what  period  and  descrip- 
tion ?  To  answer  this  question,  let  it  be  observed,  that 
the  point  of  time  when  this  vision  opens,  and  the 
twenty-four  elders  appear,  is  antecedent  to  the  coming 
of  Christ  in  the  flesh.  The  great  mystery  of  redemp- 
tion by  his  blood,  as  of  a  Lamb  without  spot,  is  repre- 
sented, up07i  the  same  scene,  in  the  ensuing  chapter. 
Yet,  before  these  times  of  the  Gospel,  numbers  of 
*' just  men"  had  lived;  some  of  whom,  as  our  Lord 
tells  us  of  Abraham,  saw  the  day  of  redemption,  and 
rejoiced  *,     These  Patriarchs  and  Prophets  of  the  old 

*  Johii  viii.  5.6. 

Church 


102  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §    K 

Church  are  expressly  called  Ui^ea-^vlei^otj  Elders,  by  tlio 
Apostle  * ;  and  they  seem  in  this  vision  to  be  repre- 
sented by  the  body  of  twenty-four.-  This,  is  th^t  part 
of  the  Christian  Church  (for  all  are  redeemed  through 
Christ)  which,  having  already  ''  fought  its  good  fight" 
on  earth,  appears  triumphant  in  heaven;  and  seems 
properly  distinguished  from  the  part  which  still  remains 
upon  earth,  whose  future  conflicts  with  Satan  and 
Antichrist  are  described  in  the  succeeding  visions. 
They  arc  called  Elders,  because  such,  with  the  Jews, 
was  the  title  oiven  to  eminent  men  selected  to  be  their 
rulers.  Such,  among  other  ancient  nations,  also,  were 
the  Patres  of  the  Romans,  and  the  TBi^^fjia  of  the  Cartha- 
ginians f.  They  who  have  the  experience  of  age,  are 
the  fittest  to  direct;  especially  in  those  times  and  na- 
tions where  little  attention  has  been  given  to  education. 
Such,  among  the  Gothic  nations  of  Europe,  were  the 
Earls,  or  Elders  (as  the  word  imports),  and  whence  is 
derived  our  Eldcrman,  or  Alderman.  Among  the  Jews, 
a  selection  of  such  a  body  was  first  made  by  advice  of 
Jethro:]:,  and  afterwards  by  Divine  appointment  §. 
These  were  seventy  in  number.  Such  was  the  grand 
superior  council,  calleid  the  Sanhedrim,  which  Avas 
always  permitted  to  form  a  court,  and  to  transact 
business,  if  twenty-three  of  its  members  should  be 
present.  And  beside  this  supreme  council,  there  was. 
in  Jerusalem,  and  in  every  considerable  city,  another 
court  of  elders,  twenty-three  in  number,  who  exercised 
criminal  jurisdiction  ||.  This  body  would  have  been 
more  complete  in  number,  if  it  had  been  composed  of 

*  Ileb.  xi.  2.  t  Polybius,  lib.  x.  p.  591. 

X  Exod.  xviii,  §  Numb.  xi. 

11  Maimonides,  in   Sanhed.  Per,  1,  2,3.     Spencer,  de  Leg.    Heb, 
Lewis,  Orig.  Heb.  lib.  i.e.  6\ 

twenty- 


Chap.  IV.]  APOCALYPSE.  lOS 

twenty-four  members,  like  the  priests  of  the  courses, 
two  for  each  tribe,  (1  Cbron.  xxiv.)  but  an  unequal 
number  was  preferred,  in  order  that  upon  a  division 
on  any  vote  or  sentence,  there  might  be  a  decisive 
majority.  Either  of  these  courts,  the  greater  when 
reduced  to  twenty- three,  or  the  less  when  full,  resembles 
the  session  of  these  twenty-four  elders  in  heaven  ;  who, 
being  now  **  made  perfect,"  and  placed  beyond  the 
reach  of  error  in  judgment,  are  represented  as  complete 
in  their  number,  because  unanimous  in  their  decisions. 
In  Isaiah  xxiv.  23,  the  Supreme  Lord  is  described  as 
**  reigning  before  his  Eiders  (T^ea€ul£^uv)  gloriously." 
Thus  does  he  also  appear  in  this  passage  of  the  Apo- 
calypse. More  observations  on  this  body,  will  occur 
in  the  note  below,  ver.  6. 

lb.  JVhite  raiment.']  Such  is  the  array  of  those, 
who,  through  faith,  and  the  power  of  the  Uedeemer, 
are  described  as  having  overcome  the  enemies  of  their 
salvation,  washing  their  garments  xvhite  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb  *.  This  confirms  us  in  the  notion  that  these 
Jllders  are  of  *^  the  redeemed  from  the  earth,'' 

lb.  Crowns  of  Gold.]  See  note,  chap,  ii.  10.  Such 
are  promised  to  the  faithful  throughout  the  Gospel. 
They  shall  reign  with  Christ! ;  ^^^^y  shall  receive  **  a 
*'  crown  of  righteousness,  of  life,  of  glory  f."  This  is 
another  confirmation  that  the  Elders  are  of  the  redeemed 
from  earth. 

lb.  Lightnings,  and  thunderingSy  and  voices.]  With 
such  terrific  pomp  the  majesty  of  God  appeared  at 
Mount  Sinai,  and  is  thus  represented  frequently  in  the 
Book  of  Psalms. 

■^  Ch.  iii.  4, .5.  vii.  9,  14.   xix.  8,  14, 

t  1  Cor.  ix.  25.     2  Tim.  ii.  12. 

X  2  Tim.  iv.  8.     James  i.  12.     1  Pet.  v.  4. 

lb. 


304  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.   II.   §  1. 

lb.  Seven  lamps  of  fire,  ]  These  are  not  Au%v/«/,  as  in 
chnp.  i.  \%  but  Xufj^Tcchg :  not  the  receptacles  of  the 
lights,  but  the  Hghts  themselves.  We  have  the  same 
imagery  in  Zech.  iv.  1,  7,  10;  on  which  the  Angel 
observes,  by  way  of  explanation ;  **  Not  by  might,  nor 
*'  by  power,  but  by  my  Spi7^it,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.'' 
Therefore,  under  this  symbol  was  represented  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  This  agrees  perfectly  with  the  repre- 
sentation before  us,  which  will  receive  additional  con- 
firmation by  recurring  to  chap.  i.  4,  and  the  note 
thereon  ;  Avhere  the  seven  Spirits  before  the  throne, 
appear  evidently  to  represent  the  Third  Person  in  the 
Holy  Trinity. 

lb.  A  Sea,  glassy, '\  The  clearness  and  purity  of 
"tvatei^  is  expressed  by  the  same  image  in  the  classical 
writers : 

O  fons  Bland usiae  splendidior  vUro  ! 

HOR. 

And, 

Vitreo  daturus  nomina  Ponto. 

Ibid, 

One  of  the  sacred  vessels  in  the  ancient  Temple  was 
called  the  Sea,  It  was  a  large  receptacle  of  water,  thirty 
cubits  in  circumference,  supported  by  twelve  images  of 
oxen*;  and  it  was  used  for  the  puiification  of  the 
priests.  The  Sea  before  the  throne  in  heaven  may  be 
supposed  to  have  a  similar  use  and  efficacy  under  the 
new  covenant.  Upon  our  Lord's  coming,  (as  foretold 
by  the  Prophet  Malachif)  he  was  ''  to  purify  the  sons 
"  of  Levi ;"  to  prepare,  for  them  and  for  his  **  peculiar 
'*  people  J,"  the  means  of  a  more  perfect  purification. 
But  what  does  this  appear  to  be,  by  the  whole  tenour  of 

*  1  Kings  vii.     2  Chron.  iv.     Joseph.  Antiq.  viii.  iii.  6,  8. 
t  Ch.  iii.  3,  X  Tit.  ii.  14, 

Scripture, 


Chap*  iv.]  APOCALYPSE.  105 

Scripture,  but  his  own  precious  blood,  which  alone 
cleanseth  from  sin*?  It^  purity  and  cleansing  efficacy, 
are  here  expressed  by  the  term  \fei\ivv\,  glassy ;  which  is 
in  like  manner  applied  to  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  in 
ch.  xxi.  18,  21.  And  the  martyrs,  who  are  introduced 
as  triumphant  on  this  glassy  Sea  ^^  obtain  their  con- 
quest ''  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ;'  in  which  they  are 
represented  to  have  *'  washed  and  made  white  their 
*'  robes:}:."  To  those  who  attend  to  this  connection  of 
imagery,  there  can  be  little  doubt,  but  that  this  puri- 
fying laver,  clear  as  crystal,  represents  the  blood  of 
the  Redeemer,  which  alone  cleanses  man  fropi  sin. 
Water,  hi  baptism,  represents  this  sacred  blood  ;  and 
therefore  all  the  ancient  commentators,  down  to  Pri- 
niasius,  undeistood  the  glassy  Sea  to  represent  the  laver 
of  regeneration  in  ChiibCfan  baptism  §.  But  it  seems 
to  represent  not  only  the  water  used  in  baptism,  but 
that  also  which  the  water  represents,— the  blood  of  the 
Redeemer. 

lb.  Four,]  This  number  is  used  frequently  in 
Scripture  to  denote  universality  or  completion  ||.  It 
has  this  force  naturally,  from  the  figure  and  formation 
of  the  human  body ;  which  is  so  fashioned,  as  to  oc- 
casion a  four-fold  division  of  the  objects  which  sur* 
round  it :  so  that  under  the  number  four  they  are  all 
comprehended.  For  instance,  a  man  faces  one  quarter 
of  the  horizon,  the  south;  he  has  the  north  behind 
him ;  his  hands  extended,  point  to  the  east  and  to  the 
west^.  Hence  is  derived  in  Scripture  the  determina- 
tion of  these  four  cardinal  points,   and   their  corr^- 

*  1  Pet.  i.  19.     1  John  i.  7.  +  Ch.  xv.  2. 

X  Ch.  xii.  11.  vii.  14.     See  also  ch,  i.  5. 

§  See  Andreas  Caesariensis,   Arethas,  Victorinus,  and  Primasius,  in 
loc. 

11  Prov.  XXX.  18,  &c.  ^  Job  xxiii.  8,  9, 

sponding 


WS  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.  §   i: 

spondnig  M^inds,  *'  the  four  winds  of  heaven*."  And 
thus  "  the  four  corners  of  the  land,"  are  used  to  signify 
4z// the  land  f ;  whence  Philo  says,  'srcsvlsc  £v  ni  Til^a^i^. 
So  Pythagoras :  Tetras  omnium  perfectissimus,  radix 
omnium  §.  When,  therefore,  in  the  prophetic  language, 
the  number  four  is  used,  it  implies  universality  or  com- 
pletion. In  the  present  instance  it  seems  to  import 
that  the  zvkole  throne,  every  side  or  corner  of  it,  is 
suiTounded  by  the  living  creatures;  which  are  here 
described  to  be  the  body-guards  and  nearest  attendants 
upon  Him  that  sitteth  thereon. 

lb.  Living  creatures.']  The  Greek  is  Z£<z,  very 
improperly  translated  beasts.  A  beast  is  inferior,  these 
living  creatures  are  far  superior  in  intelligence,  to 
man  |[.  I  have  adopted  the  term  used  by  the  Right 
Eeverend  Translator  of  Ezekiel :  and  I  mean  to  prove 
"by  a  comparison  of  particulars,  that  the  living- 
creatures,  of  Saint  John,  are  the  same  celestial  in- 
telligences with  those  described  by  Ezekiel,  and  by 
Isaiah.  The  comparison  will  cast  useful  light  on  each 
of  these  prophetic  descriptions.  As  the  medium,  or 
common  measure,  by  which  they  may  be  brought 
together,  we  will  use  the  Greek  of  the  Septuagint, 
which    will   admit  of    the    nearest   comparison,    and 


*  Dan.vii.  2.  xi.  4.     Rev.  vii.  1. 

t  Isaiah  xi.  12.     Ezek.  vii.  2. 

X  All  things  are  comprehended  in  the  number  four,  which  completes 
the  square.     Jls^i  Mutrsus,  lib.  iii.  p.  1 52. 

§  Brucker  de  Pythag.  i.  p.  1053,  1054. 

([  Plato  has  been  observed  to  apply  the  term  Zvov  to  God.  (Dialog. 
Timasus.) — To  which  we  may  add,  that  Aristotle  has  done  the  same : 
4>^pt£v  5?  rov  0£OK  etvxi  znoN  a'/Siov,  af/fov,  (Metaphysic.  lib.  xiv.  cap.  viii.) 
— Zwov  is  any  thing  which  has  life,  and  in  its  highest  signification  may- 
be applied  to  Him  who  ^lone  *'  has  life  in  Himself;"  John  v.  26". 

is 


Chap,  iv.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


107 


is  probably  tlie  text  which  was  used  by  the  writer  of 
the  Apocalypse*, 


Rev.  iv.  6,  7,  8. 

4.  To  ^^uroy  o^oiov  KsovTi, 

5.  To  otvre^ov  o(jiOtov  ^oa^u, 

6.  To  rpflov  By^ov   TO   'Sj^oaMTToy   ws  av- 

7.  To   TBTX^roV  OIXOIOV  CCSTU  'UJETCUfJiEVU, 

8.  TsduapM  Zu/x  sv   y.x&'  Iv  xvTu>y  f^ov 

avx  'ofls^vyxs  1^. 
j9  Ka<  xvx'rrxva-iv  ax.  s^aortv  yifjii^xs  kxi 
yvKToSj      y^tyovTzs,    'Ay/or,     a.yios, 
ayios  Kv^ios  o  Qsos  o  zsxvTov.qxruD^ 


EzEK.  Ch.  i.  10.     IsAiAii  vi. 

1.  fis  ofji,oicoy.x  rta-a-ci^uv  Zwa/v. 

2.  Ev  rw  (xsa■u^ — a-v^^s^o[ji.svuv, 

3.  O't   vujlot  uvTMv   XXI  it  %«f£J  avrav 

XXI  It  rqo^ot  zsKftqus  o^^a^/xwv. 

4.  n^oruTTov  rS  Asoyrof , 

6,  n^oa-uiTov  xvO^coTTa* 

7.  n^Oa-ufTTOV  XETH, 

8 .  'E|  Z77s^vyss  TV  Iv;,  xa/  s^  zjls^vyss 

ru  svt,     Isaiah  vi.  2. 

9,  Ka/  VKtxpxyev  srspos  frpos  rov  srs^ovy 

XXI  sKtyov'  AyioSf  ay/or,  aytos 
Kvpios  'LxQxuQ,  'TsXri^yis  tjxa-x  4 
yn  Trjs  ^o^ns  civre,  Isaiah  vi.  3. 


From  this  comparison,  (in  which  all  the  expressions 
of  the  writer  of  the  Apocalypse,  describing  the  '^living 
*'  ci-'^atures,"  are  contrasted  with  like  expressions  taken 
froii^^  the  visions  of  Ezekiel  and  of  Isaiah,)  it  jnust  ap- 
pear, thac  all  these  descriptions  are  derived  from  the 
same  original,  and  that,  whatsoever  may  seem  to  be  the 
difference  between  the  Seraphim  of  Isaiah,  and  the 
Cherubim  c  £  ckiel,  it  is  here  reconciled  by  their 
being  brought  into  comparison  with  a  third  common 
measure,  namely,  the  "  living  creatures"  of  Saint  John's 
vision.  I  shall  present  to  the  reader  some  additional 
observations  on  the  several  passages,  referring  to  them 
as  numbered  in  the  foregoing  scheme. 


*  See  Lightfoot,  Hor.  Heb.  on  Matt.  i. 


l.The 


108  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.   §   I. 

1.  The  number  of  "  living  creatures"  is  the  same 
as  described  by  both  Prophets;  but  Ezekiel  ah'cady 
intimates  the  indistinctness  of  the  vision,  and  the  diffi- 
culty of  expressing  it  by  similitudes  taken  from  earthly 
things ;  for  he  says,  cog  o^oiuij^a^  as  it  were  the  likeness 
of  four  living  creatures. 

2.  Here  both  writers  concur  in  expressing  this  in- 
distinctness ;  but  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  useful  to 
the  explanation  of  each  other.  John  says,  '^  in  the 
**  midst  of  the  throne,  and  around  the  throne ;"  as  if  he 
could  not  fix  the  exact  station  of  these  heavenly  at- 
tendants. Ezekiel  says,  ^' in  the  midst;"  and  at  the 
same  time  expresses  the  uncertainty  of  their  position, 
by  these  words,  they  ''  ran  and  returned,  as  the  ap- 
**  pearance  of  a  flash  of  lightning ;"  like  the  aurora 
borealis,  or  northern  lights,  whose  position  seems  ever 
moving,  and  whose  exact  station  cannot  be  ascertained. 

3.  The  abundance  of  eyes  is  the  same  in  both 
writers,  though  not  described  exactly  in  the  same 
manner.  From  both,  it  appears  that  no  part  of  these 
heavenly  ministers  was  without  eyes.  In  Ezekiel's 
vision,  they  extended  to  the  wheels,  which  appear  to 
have  been  added  in  that  vision  for  the  purpose  of 
making  the  throne  moveable,  In  Saint  John's  vision, 
the  scene  is  stationary;  the  wheels  therefore  are  not 
necessary.  The  eyes,  that  wonderful  part  of  animal 
creation,  the  inlets  of  knowledge  and  intelligence,  are 
innumerable,  and  thus  express  an  infinite  superiority  of 
understanding  to  any  thing  which  is  earthly. 

4.  5,  6,  7.  In  both  writers  we  see  the  resemblance 
of  the  same  animals;  but  in  Ezekiel,  each  cherub  seems 
to  have  had  the  four  likenesses  in  itself,  and,  together 
therewith,  a  general  resemblance  of  the  human  form  ; 
oy^oiu^ci  fljvQ^wxa  e%'  avToig :  they  had  that  dignified  ap- 
pearance 


iChap.  i\\]  APOCALYPSE.  109 

ipearance  which  distinguishes  man  from  other  animals, 
Iresulting  from  his  superior  intelligence  Tlie  Cherubim, 
Isays  Joscphus,  were  extraordinary  living  creature  ,  of  a 
figure  unknown  to  man*.  The  resemblance  to  the 
animals  was  not  exact,  but  somewhat  like  to  them  ap- 
jpeared,  as  the  living  creatures  flashed  upon  the  scene, 
"  in  the  midst  and  around  the  throne  f/' 

8.  In  the  vision  of  Ezekiel,  the  Cherubim  had  each 
four  wings ;  in  that  of  Isaiah,  and  of  Saint  John,  they 
have  six.  The  propriety  of  this  distinction  is  remarked 
by  Grotius.  The  Seraphim  of  Isaiah,  says  he,  have  two 
more  wings  than  the  Cherubim  of  Ezekiel,  because 
they  are  described  to  be  more  immediately  before  the 
presence  of  God ;  and  therefore  each  of  them  has 
*^  twain  to  cover  his  face,"  before  such  transcendant 
brightness. 

9*  Here  also  what  was  wanting  in  EzekieFs  de- 
scription, is  supplied  by  that  of  Isaiah.  The  Seraphim 
sing  the  praises  of  God  without  intermission. 

After  this  comparison  with  concordant  passages'  -of 
Scripture,  we  shall  have  little  hesitation  in  determinino- 
the  nature  and  species  of  these  ''  living  creatures" 
of  the  Apocalypse.  They  are  the  same  with  those 
in  Ezekiel  and  Isaiah;  and  Ezekiel  has  settled  this 
point  by  declaring  expressly  that  they  are  Cherubim, 
and  that  he  knew  them  to  be  Cherubim ;{:.  They  are 
of  the  highest  order  of  angelic  beings,  attending  most 

*  Antiq.  lib.  iii.  c.  6.  lib.  viii.  c.  iii.  3. 

t  The  word  Mocr;^oj  sigaiiies  in  the  Greek  the  progeny  of  a  bull  and 
cow ;  not  only  in  its  tenderest  years,  while  we  call  it  a  calf,  but  long 
afterwards  ;  and  as  it  agrees  best  with  the  appearance  of  the  vision,  to 
suppose  the  majesty  of  the  young  bull  or  steer,  and  not  the  helpless 
awkwardness  of  the  calf,  the  translation  is  altered  accordingly.  See 
Schleusneri  Lexicon  in  voc.  Moo-p^o^. 

J  Ezek,  .X.  2,  8, 15,  20. 

nearly 


IIO  APOCALYPSE.  t^t.  II.  §   f 

nearly  upon  the  Throne,  and  speaking  thence  with. 
the  voice  of  thunder,  which  is  the  voice  of  God*, 
They  are  so  near  to  the  Throne,  so  intermingling  with 
its  dazzling  splendour^  that  human  faculties  must  ftiil 
in  attaining  any  precise  and  adequate  idea  of  them. 
All  nature  appears  linked  together  in  gradational 
order.  The  chain,  beginning  from  heavy  and  inert 
matter,  ascends  through  the  vegetable  to  the  animal 
tribes,  of  which  man  is  the  highest,  proceeding  through 
Angels  and  Archangels,  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  to 
the  Throne  of  God.  But  the  higher  orders  of  angelic 
intelligences,  who  are  nearest  to  the  Throne,  must 
necessarily  be  seen  indistinctly  by  human  apprehension. 
The  opinions  of  commentators  upon  the  **  four 
*'  living  creatures,"  have  been  variously  divided.  There 
is  an  ancient  interpretation,  derived  in  some  measure 
from  Irenaeus,  and  repeated  by  Athanasius,  Victorinus, 
Augustine,  Jerome,  and  others,  that  under  these 
symbolic  representations,  The  Four  Gospels  are  de- 
signed t.  Nothing  but  the  antiquity  of  this  notion 
can  give  it  any  weight  or  respect.  In  the  Apocalypse^ 
offices  and  services  are  ascribed  to  the  living  creatures, 
which  no  hooks  can  perform.  Nor  could  The  Four 
Evcmgelists  themselves  be  intended ;  for  Saint  John, 
one  of  this  number,  was  a  spectator  at  the  time.    This 

*  See  ch.  vi.  1,  and  note^ 

f  Irenaeus  argues  that  the  Gospels  are  four  in  number,  and  there** 
fore  perfect,  bearing  a  certain  analogy  to  the  four  quarters  of  the  worlds 
and  to  the  four  principal  Spirits  ;  seeming  to  allude  to  these  four  Che- 
rubim of  the  Apocalypse.  The  followers  of  Irenceus,  observing  this 
allusion  or  illustration,  have  attempted  to  establish  it  as  a  complete 
symbolical  representation.  Irenseus^  lib.  iii.  c.  11.  See  also  Victorin; 
Comm.  in  Apoc.  Rev.  iv.  Augustin.  in  Johan.  Evang.  Hieron.  Prolog. 
in  Comm.  Matth.  Epist.  ad  Paulinuro. 

strange 


Chap.  IV.]  APOCALYPSE.  lit 

strange  notion  arose,  perhaps,  also,  from  another  cause; 
that  the  tv/enty-four  Elders  had,  with  as  little  reason, 
been  supposed  to  represent  the  twenty-four  books  of  the 
Old  Testament,  By  some  later  writers,  the  four  living 
creatures  are  supposed  to  represent  ''  the  people,  or  body 
*^  of  the  Church,  as  the  twent3^-four  Elders  are  supposed 
'*  to  represent  its  jninisters,'^  But  this  cannot  be  so; 
for  the  representatives  of  the  priests  would  be  entitled 
at  least  to  as  near  an  approach  to  the  Throne,  as  the 
representatives  of  the  people;  who,  if  represented  by 
the  living  creatures,  are  evidently  the  nearest  to  it  ** 
Besides,  as  hath  been  shewn  f,  the  body  of  Christian, 
people  were  afterwards  introduced,  and  make  no  part 
of  tlie  present  scene:}:. 

There  is  another  interpretation  of  the  four  living 
creatures,  which,  as  it  appears  to  me,  would  scarcely 
deserve  notice,   if  it  had  not  been  introduced  by  that 

*  The  living  creatures  are  generally  mentioned  before  the  Elders, 
as  first  in  dignity,  and  nearest  to  the  Throne,  of  which  indeed  they 
make  a  part  (ch.  iv.  9.  v.  6,  8,  11,  xiv.  3.) :  and  if  in  ch.  vii.  11,  and 
xix.  3,  the  Elders  are  spoken  of  first,  it  seems  to  be  with  reference  to 
their  station  ^s  farthest  from  the  Throne,  and  nearest  to  the  Angels, 
who  surround  them  outwardly;  in  this  part  of  the  narration  the  order  is 
reversed  throughout. 

t  Note,  ch.  iv.  4. 

X  The  only  plausible  reason  which  I  have  seen  assigned  that  the 
living  creatures  are  not  purely  Cherubim,  angelic  attendants  upon  the 
Majesty  of  the  Throne,  is  this,  produced  by  Archbishop  Newcome,  in 
his  note  on  Ezek.  i.  10.  "  They  cannot,"  says  he,  "  always  represent 
"  Angels  alone,  because  (Rev.  v.  9.)  they  were  redeemed  to  God  by  the 
"  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  (ver.  11.)  are  distinguished  from  Angels," — 
But  we  must  observe,  that  it  is  the  peculiar  office  of  the  four  living 
creatures  to  sing  praises  to  God  without  ceasing,  (ch.  iv.  8.)  praises  not 
in  their  own  name,  but  in  that  of  others,  of  the  universal  Church. 
They  unite  their  voices,  therefore,  with  those  of  the  Elders,  whose  song 
it  is  more  peculiarly  (ch.  iv.  9,  v.  8 — 14.)  they  lead  m  the  beginning, 
and  they  conclude  the  last  chorus  with  the  emphatical  Amen* 

able 


112  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §   L 

able  expositor  Joseph  Mede,  and,  from  the  prevalence 
of  his  authority,  been  adopted  by  almost  all  our  mo- 
dern commentators.  They  are  supposed  to  signify 
the  four  camps,  or  standards  of  the  camps,  of  Is- 
rael, of  which  standards  there  is  no  such  account  in 
Scripture,  nor  in  the  ancient  Jewish  writers  Josephus, 
Philo,  &c.  The  whole  being  derived,  says  Lowman, 
from  an  uncertain  Jewish  tradition*.  I  rest  therefore 
upon  this  my  interpretation  obtained  by  a  comparison 
of  scriptural  passages,  that  the  four  living  creatures 
are  simply  Cherubim  or  Seraphim  ;  the  most  glorious 
and  the  nearest  attendants  upon  the  throne  of  God. 
They  are  said  to  be  such  by  Andreas  Csesariensis,  who 
professes  to  give  the  sense  of  those  ancient  com- 
mentators whose  works  have  not  descended  to  our 
times  f. 

In  other  respects,  I  am  happy  to  accord  with  the 
ingenious  and  generally  judicious  Joseph  Mede,  who 
has  shewn,  that  the  scene  of  the  Apocalypse,  and  of 
this  august  session  of  God  and  his  church,  6  S^ovo?  ti^s 
xfijQfJpa?,  is  the  inner  and  most  holy  part  of  the  tem- 
ple :J:.  Or,  to  speak  more  properly,  it  is  that  theatre  in 
lieaven,  which  was  represented  upon  earth  by  the  inner 
Temple-^  where  God  was  supposed  to  have  his  local 
seat  between,  or  among,  the  Cherubim.  Hence,  as 
we  advance,  we  shall  find  the  furniture  of  the  tem- 
ple, the  golden  altar  of  incense  before  the  throne, 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  sea  or  laver,  &c.  These 
were  originally  appointed  to  be  made  after  the  heavenly 
pattern  shewn  to  Moses  in  the  mount  §.     Therefore 

*  See  Lowman's  note  on  this  passage. 

t  Jerome  saw  this  in  the  living  creatures  of  Ezekiel,  "  Quadriga 
•*  Domini,   et  verum  Cherubim."     Epist.  ad  Pauiinum. 
f  Mede*s  Works,  p.  439.  §  Heb.  viii.  5. 

1  whea 


Chap.  IV.]  APOCALYPSi.  113' 

"when  by  revelation  we  are  admitted  to  behold  the  glory 
of  God, 'we  must  expect  the  scenery  to  bear  resemblance. 
But  additions  are  made  to  this  scenery  by  the  inter- 
vention of  the  new  covenant  through  Christ,  which 
will  be  remarked  as  they  occur '^'. 

Ver.  9.  Andivhen  the  Imng-creaturcs.']  The  Che- 
rubim, as  nearest  to  the  throne,  and  whose  ofiice  it  was 
incessantly  to  sing  praise,  begin  the  adoration  ;  then 
the  elders,  the  redeemed  from  earth,  now  priests  to 
God,  commence  their  hymn.  It  is  in  unison  with  the 
Holy,  Holy^  Holy  of  the  Cherubim,  and  is  a  Crea- 
t ion  Hymn ^  simple  and  sublime  !  Of  the  same  kind  is 
the  148th  Psalm,  wherein  the  inanimate  creation  is 
called  to  give  glory  to  God  :  *'  Let  them  praise  the 
*'  name  of  the  Lord  ; — for  he  commanded, — and  they 
*^  were  created." 

We  have  now  before  us  a  splendid  exhibition  of 
the  Deity,  attended  by  his  ministering  Spirits,  and 
which  continues  as  the  apparatus  or  scenery,  before 
which  the  vision  is  to  be  exhibited.  But  the  scenery 
is  not  yet  complete.  In  chap.  v.  the  Lamb,  the  ''Son 
of  God,  in  his  gracious  character  of  Redeemer,  takes 
his  station  "  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,"  and  an  in- 
numerable company  of  angels  are  seen  to  encompass 
the  surrounding  body  of  the  elders  and  the  living 
creatures,  and  are  added  to  the  chorus  ;  which  re- 
ceives a  further  increase,  when,  (in  chap.  xiv.  1. 
XV.  2.)  the  innumerable  company  of  the  redeemed 
on  earth  are  introduced  by  their  Redeemer,  and  sing 
the  new  song  before  the  throne.  The  whole  represen- 
tation is  wonderfully  sublime,   and  must  tend  to  exalt 

*  See  also  Joseph!  Antiq.  lib.  iii.  c.  5.  and  Pbilo  de  Vit.  Mos. 
V'bence  it  will  appear  that  the  Jews  accounted  the  Holy  of  Holies  the 
earthly  abode  of  God,  and  the  ti/pe  of  his  seat  in  heaven. 

s  religious 


114  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.   §    1. 

religious  devotion.  One  of  the  finest  parts  of  the 
devotional  exercises  of  our  church,  the  beginning  of 
that  ancient  and  majestic  hymn  called  Te  Deum, 
seems  to  have  been  formed  principally  upon  it. 

Vcr.  10.  Fall  clorvn.']  This  is  expressed  in  the 
Greek  by  the  future  tense,  by  the  Vulgate  in  the 
imperfect,  v/hich  the  French  translators  have  followed. 
The  English  translators  have  given  it  in  the  present 
time,  which  may  be  allov/ed  to  stand,  as  expressing 
indefmitely  v»'hat  usuailif  happens,  and  will  ever 
continue  to  happen,  in  the  church  triumphant  ill 
heaven. 

lb.  Cast  their  croxvns.l 

No  sooner  had  the  Almighty  ceas'd,  b^it  all 

The  multitude  of  Angels,  with  a  shout 

Loud  as  from  numbers  without  number,  sweet 

As  from  blest  voices  uttering  joy;  heav'n  rung 

With  jubilee,  and  loud  hosannas  fill'd 

Th'  eternal  regions  :  loxcly  reverent 

Tow'rch  cither  throne  they  bow,  and  to  the  ground 

With  solemn  adoration  down  they  cast 

Their  crowns     —     —     —     —     — 

P.^RADISE  LOST,  iii.  344 — 35'^. 
No  voice  exempt,  no  voice  but  well  could  join 
]\Ielodious  part, — such  concord  is  in  heuv'n, 

IB.  5ro. 


PART 


Chap,  v.] 


APOCALYPSE, 


115 


PART    II. 
SECTION    ir. 


The  Sealed  Book;  the  Lamb  xvho  opens  it;  and  the 
Praises  sung  by  the  heavenly  Choir. 


1  Kdti  ii^Qy  aTTi  rriv 
vB    liri     rS    ^pova 

Gsvj   xoikaip^a.l'ta-fji.i- 
Tiov  c^pxyTiTiv  ETna.. 

2  Kxi     il^ov    oifysXov 

ru  [is-iv]   «!<©- 

nvoT^xt  TO  ^iQx'iov, 
^  XZaroti  rxs  cr^p«- 

3  yT^ois    oivrS ',    Ka< 

ii'^£lS  ijOvvsclo    Iv    TW 
ipxvaif  «^e  £71''  T^S' 

rvs  7>/J,  ccvoi^ai  to 

4  at  TO.  Ka<  lyw 
inXxiov  -croAPva,  ot/ 

»vo7^oit  To  ^iQxloVf 
iiTt  ^Xeiruv    uvro. 

5  Kai  SIS  EK  ruv 
'ZJ£^<rCvTE^uv  Xiyst 
(jLOt'  M.y]xXx7e'  l^iSf 
htKViffsv  0  Aiwp  0  Ik 
Ttis  ^v\y)s  'la^jt,  n 
ft^x  ^xCi^,(xyoi^xt 
TO  ^iQhm,  ic.  rois 


CHAPTER    V. 

1  And  I  saw  in  the  right 
hand  of  him  who 
was  sitting  upon  the 
throne,  a  book  written 
within  and  without; 
sealed  up   with  seven 

2  seals.  And  I  saw  a 
mighty  angel  proclaim- 
ing with  a  loud  voice, 
''  Who  is  worthy  to 
"  open  the  book  and  to 
"  loose  the  seals  there- 
"  of?"  And  no  one 
was  able  in  heaven^ 
nor  upon  earth,  nor 
under  the  earth,  to 
open   the    book,    nor 

4-  to  look  into  it.  And 
I  lamented  much,  that 
no  one  Avas  found 
worthy  to  open  the 
book,  nor  to  look  into 

5  it.  And  one  of  the 
elders  saith  unto  me, 
''Lamentnot;  behold, 
"  the  lion,  who  is  of 
'^  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
"  the  root  of  David, 
"  hath  prevailed  to 
*'  open  the  book   and 

**  its  seven  seals/'  And 

S2 


1  And  I  saw  in  the  right 
hand  of  him  that  sat 
on  the  throne,  a  book 
written  within,  and  on 
the    backside,    sealed 

2  with  seven  seals.  And 
I  saw  a  strong  angel 
proclaiming  with  a 
loud  voice.  Who  is 
worthy  to  open  the 
book,  and  to  loose  tlie 

3  seals  thereof }  And  no 
man  in  heaven,  nor  in 
earth,  neither  under 
the  earth,  was  able  to 
open  the  book,  neither 

4  to  look  thereon.  And 
I  wept  much  because 
no  man  was  found 
worthy  to  open,  and 
to  read  the  book,  nei- 
ther to  look  thereon. 

5  And  one  of  the  elders 
saith  unto  me,  Weep 
not:  behold,  the  Lion 
of  the  tribe  of  Jiida, 
the  root  of  David, 
hath  prevailed  to  open 
the  book,  and  to  loose 
the  seven  seals  there- 

6  of.    And  I  beheld,  and 


116 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.   11.   ^2. 


tirloc  afpfxyioxi  av- 

^-Oya    5<^     TfcV    TciT- 

fjii^ai  rujv  Tofia'svii- 

eyfov  Khulci  l-nra,, 
0/  i'i(ri  rx  fTrla  r5 

^A^f,  5^  tiXri(pi   [to. 

/SiCx/ov]    £JC   TW  ^t- 

hois    Ta    x.x9'/}pi.BVS 

0T£     'iXxQz      TO     /3<- 

Cx/oy,  Ta  TMrera^x 
y~      \   '  >  t 

Ca^is  'ST.^s.arCvrs^oi 
(Tnaov  £vw7r/ov  t» 
ipviSy   i^ovlss   'iytx- 

fA80-aj'-5t'/x/a/L<,a.Twy) 
ar£i04>  «<  -cifPaEy- 
y^xL     ruv      uyicov. 

xxiyriVf  Xsryovles. 
*A|<©-  I'l  XetCtiy  TO. 
^iCXt'ovj  7y  a,vot^xi 
rus  a-ip^xyi^as  av- 
TB*  0T<  la-(pa.lriff  jA 
rjyofaarxs  T'Z  0fw 
sj/x«5  Iv  Tw  «*/x,ai/ 

?{^  yX'Jia-a-r)s  >^  Aaa 


I  beheld,  [and  lo] 
in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  and  of  the 
four  living-creatures, 
and  in  the  midst  of 
tije  elders,  a  lamb; 
standing,  as  if  smitten 
for  the  sacrifice,  hav- 
ing seven  horns,  and 
seven  eyes,  which  are 
the  sevea  Spirits  of 
God,,  sent   forth    h>to 

7  all  the  earth.  And 
he  came  and  received 
[the  book]  from  the 
right  hand  of  him  who 
was  sitting   upon  the 

8  throne.  And  when  he 
had  received  the  book, 
the  four  living-crea- 
tures and  the  twenty- 
four  elders  fell  pro- 
strate before  theLamb, 
having  each  of  them 
harps,  and  golden  vials 
full  of  ineense,  which 
are  the  prayers  of  the 

9  Saints.  And  they  sing 
a  new  song,  saying, 
**  Worthy  art  thou  to 
"  receive  the  book, 
"  and  to  opea  its 
*'  seals,  because  thou 
"  wast  sacrificed,  and 
"  hast  redeemed  us  to 
"  God  by  thy  blood, 
**  out  of  every  tribe, 
*'  and  language,  and 
**  people,  and  nation ; 

10"  And  hast  made  them 


lO:  in  the  midst  of  the- 
throne,  and  of  the  four 
beasts,  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  elders,  stood  a 
Lamb  as  it  bad  been 
slain,  having  seven 
horns,  and  .seven  eyes, 
which  are  the  sevew 
Spirits  of  God  sent 
forth     into      all     lh« 

7  earth.  And  he  came 
and  took  the  book 
out  of  the  right  hand 
of    him   that    sat  lap- 

8  on  the  throne.  And 
when  he  had  taken  the" 
book,  the  four  beasts-, 
and  four  a7id  twenty 
elders  fel>  dowi-i  before 
the  Lamb,  having 
every  one  of  theix^ 
harps;  and  golden-  vkil» 
full  of  odours,  whici^ 
are     tlie     prayers     of 

9  saints.  And  they  sung, 
a  new  song,  sayings 
Thou  art  worthy  to 
take  the  book,  and  to 
open  the  seals  thereof: 
for  thau  wast  slain, 
and  hast  redeemed  us 
to  God  by  thy  blood, 
out  "of  every  kindred, 
and  tongue,  and  peo- 

10  pie,  and  nation  ;  And 
hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests: 
and  we  shall  reign  on 

11  the  earth.  And  I  be- 
held, and  I  heard  th©^ 


Chap.  V.J 

iTtoiTiu-xs  xi/rtss  ru 

j^  Units'  ty   (Sxa-i- 

ii  7^f.       Kcii    sloov, 

~      y  I  \        ~ 

1.2  Asyovhs  ^cuv^  ij.i-' 
'yoiXvi*  "aI^qv  s'T'  to 

\siSity  r-nv  oiwo!,ixiy, 
jc  ctAv'tov,  5^  o-o- 
f/av,  -^  iV^-^v,  -^ 
oo^xv,   '/u  wKoyixy. 

vpacv^y  y^  Itti   rrts 

yriSf       'fCj      VTTOHXTM 

rr>s  yns,  K)  fTTi  rvis 
^xXxfjcr/>s  [a]  l^iy 
^  T«  £v  avToTs 
'axvlx,  rtKH<TX  Xb- 
yovlxs'  Tw  xa0ij- 
'  |uiyw  I'm  T»  ^povy, 
jc  Tw  af  v/w  19  E^Xo- 

Co^acj  Kj  TO  y.fotr^ 
£iJ  THS  xtwvxs  tmv 
1 4  xiuvuv*  K.XI  rx 
ragrerxfx  ^uicc  iXs- 
yoy,     ^A(jiviy'    ^   (j'l 

<rxv,  K;  'uT^oaticvvn'- 

y^  r,         ,  > 

©■flty    ^uyu    as   rvs 
.  airnxs  ruv  xlwyuy. 


APOCAJ-YPSE. 

'*  to  our  God  "Icings 
*'  and  priests,  and  they 
*'  shall  reigii  upon  the 

11"  earth."  And  I  be- 
held ;  and  I  heard  the 
voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the  throne 
and  the  living-crea- 
tures and  the  elders, 
(and  the  number  of 
them  v.as  myriads  of 
myriads,and  thousands 

12  of  thousands^)  Saying 
with  a  loud  voice, 
*'  Worthy  is  the  Lamb, 
*'  which  was  sacriti- 
*'  ced,  to  receive  the 
"  power,  and  riches, 
"  and  wisdom,  and 
*'  might,  and  honour, 
"  an((l       glory,      and 

13'*  praise,"  And  every 
creature  which  is  in 
lieaven^  and  on  the 
.earth,  and  under  the 
earth,  and  on  the  sea, 
and  all  things  that  are 
therein,  I  heard  say- 
ing, "  To  him  that 
**  sitteth  upon  the 
**  throne,  and  to  the 
*'  Lamb,  be  the  praise, 
*'  and  the  honour,  and 
*'  the  glory,  and  the 
"  power,  for  ever  and 

14"  and  ever!"  And  the 
four  living -creatures 
said  **  Amen  V  and 
the  elders  fell  pro- 
strate, and  worshipped 
him  who  liveth  for  ever 
and  ever. 


voice  of  many  angels 
round  about  the 
throne,  and  the  beasts, 
and  the  elders :  and 
the  nua:iber  of  them 
was  ten  thousand  times 
ten  thousand,  and 
thousands     of     thou- 

12  sands  ;  Saying  with  a 
loud  voice.  Worthy  is 
the  Lamb  that  was 
slain,  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  w'is- 
dom, and  strength,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and 

13  blessing.  And  every 
creature  which  is  in 
heaven,  and  on  tha 
earth,  and  under  the 
earth,  and  such  as  are 
in  the  sea,  and  all  that 
are  in  them,  heard  I, 
saying,  Blessing  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and 
power  be  unto  him  that 
sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb  for 

14  ever  and  ever.  And 
the  four  beasts  said. 
Amen.  And  the  four 
and  twenty  elders  fell 
down  and  worshipped 
him  that  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever. 


118  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.   §  2. 

Ver.  1.  A  book.]  The  books  of  the  ancients  were 
generally  skins  of  parchment,  not  reduced  by  repeated 
duplication,  and  bound  together,  as  in  modern  days, 
but  rolled  up ;  whence  in  Latin  they  are  called  volu- 
mina,  volumes  or  rolls.  Frequent  mention  is  made  in 
Scripture,  of  the  *' roll  of  the  book,"  and  the  book 
"when  opened  for  reading,  is  said  to  be  spread*. 
When  closed,  it  is  called  '*  the  volume  rolled  up  f." 
To  a  roll  or  volume  of  this  form,  a  seal  might  be  easily 
affixed,  so  as  to  conceal  its  contents  J.  And  that  this 
was  the  usual  method,  by  which  the  contents  of  a 
book  A\^ere  kept  secret,  among  the  ancient  Jews,  is 
apparent  from  Isaiah  xxix.  11.  where  "  men  deliver  a 
*'  sealed  book  to  one  that  is  learned,  saying,  Read  this, 
* '  I  pray  thee,  and  he  saith,  I  cannot,  for  it  is 
'*  sealed  §." 

The  prophecies  delivered  to  Daniel  concerning 
Christ's  kingdom,  which  M^ere  then  dark,  and  only 
to  be  unfolded  by  additional  prophecy,  (such  as  is  con- 
tained in  this  Revelation,)  are  said  to  be  ''  sealed  ;1|" 
or,  which  is  synonymous,  to  be  **  closed,  to  be  shut 
"up  for  many  days."  And  in  chap.  x.  4.  of  this 
book,  the  prophet  is  commanded  not  to  write  cer- 
tain predictions  which  were  uttered,  but  to  seal  them 
up;  which  evidently  means  that  they  were  not  to  be 
disclosed  at  that  time. 

*  Ezek.  ii.  10.  f  B/Ca/ov  nXicreroixtyoii.  Rev.  vi. 

J  In  Josephus,   Antiq.  Jud.  lib.  xv.  c.  6,  Herod  rolls  and  seals  a 
letter. 

§  The  Jews  are  said  to  use  such  rolls  of  parchment  in  their  Syna- 
gogues, to  this  day. — Such  also  was  the  custom  with  the  Greeks  and 
Romans;  Horace  addressing  his  book,  as  desirous  of  publication,  says, 
Odisti  claves,   et  grata  sigilla  pudico.    (Ep.  lib.  ii.  20.) 
(i  Ch,  viii.  26,  27.  ix.  24.  xii.  4.  ^, 

lb. 


Chap,  v.]  APOCALYPSE.  1 1,9 

lb.  Written  within  and  without.']  Such  also  was 
the  book  of  prophecy  unfolded  before  EzekieP  ;  it  was 
M^ritten  '' M'ithin  and  without,"  that  is,  on  both  sides 
of  the  roll ;  whereby  is  intimated  the  abundance  of 
its  important  matter. 

Ver.  5.  One  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me,]  The  dis- 
tinguished characters  of  the  ancient  church,  prior 
to  the  Christian  times,  (whom  I  suppose  to  be  repre- 
sented by  the  elders,  see  note  ch.  iv.  4.)  had  *'  en- 
*'  quired  and  searched  diligently f,"  yet  had  seen  but 
imperfectly  the  '^mystery  of  Christ,  which  had  been 
**  for  ages  and  generations  J."  They  had  felt  the  in- 
quietude, which  Saint  John  now  expresses,  at  the 
book  being  sealed,  and  that  none  should  be  found 
"worthy  to  open  it.  Therefore  one  of  that  body  was 
a  proper  instrument  of  consolation  to  the  lamenting 
prophet. 

lb.  The  lion  xvho  is  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.]  The  lion 
is  represented  by  the  most  ancient  authors,  by  Moses 
and  Job  among  the  scriptural,  by  Hesiod  and  Homer 
of  the  heathen  writers,  as  the  most  terrible  of  ani- 
mals. He  has  been  accordingly  regarded  as  the 
emblem  of  fortitude  and  strength.  Under  this  de- 
scription, it  pleased  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  mouth 
of  the  dying  Patriarch  §,  to  foretel  the  victorious 
superiority  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  ;  which  was  »een 
to  take  place  partially  and  typically,  in  the  person 
of  David  and  of  his  successors,  but  was  to  receive  a 
more  sublime  and  final  completion  in  Christ.  For 
David  is  declared  |]  to  be  a  type  of  Christ :  and  in 
this  sense,   as  well  as  on  account  of  his  pre-existence 

♦  Chap.  ii.  10.  t  1  Pet.  i.  10.  |  Col.  i.  26, 

S  Get),  xlix.  9.  II  Ezek.  xxxvii.  24,  &c.  Acts  ii.  25.  30,  &c. 

and 


1^0  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  .11.    ^  2, 

and  heavenly  origin*,  Christ  became  *'  the  root,"  as 
he  styles  himself,  Rev.  xxii.  16.  at  the  same  time  that 
he  was  the  offspring  of  David  ;  that  root,  of  which 
all  men  must  be  branches,  otherwise  they  cannot  bear 
fruit  f.  Isaiah  calls  him  '' the  root  of  Jesse :[:;"  inti- 
inating  that  David,  the  son  of  Jesse,  Avas  only  a 
branch,  of  which  the  original  stem  was  in  Christ. 
'^  He  shall  grow  up,"  says  the  same  prophet,  ''  as  a 
tender  plant,  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground,  despised 
*' and  rejected." — Yet,  in  this  neglected  tree,  after- 
wards extending  its  wide  branches,  ''  the  birds  of  the 
*' air  shall  shelter  §."  So  did  he  likewise  fulfil  the 
other  emblematical  character,  in  which  the  Prophets 
had  taught  the  Jews  to  expect  him.  They  expected 
him  as  a  lion  ;  he  came  like  a  lamb,  "  like  a  lamb  for 
"  the  slaughter,"  yet  in  fortitude,  in  power,  in  prow- 
ess, and  complete  victory  over  his  enemies,  he  proved 
himself  to  be  the  very  ''  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.'* 
But,  by  what  arms  he  ^'  conquered,"  namely,  by  pious 
faith,  and  suffering  virtue,  see  explained  in  notes, 
chap.  ii.  7.  v.  9-  xii.  11,  12,  * 

Ver.  6.  In  the  midst  of  the  throne.']  The  cheru- 
bim were  represented  ||,  to  be  ''  in  the  midst  of  the 
"  throne  and  around  the  throne ;"  but  the  expression 
here  is  ^'  in  the  midst"  only  ;  .which  is  the  inner  and 
more  dignified  situation  ;  and  in  order  that  no  doubt 
should  remain  concerning  this  station,  it  is  added, 
"  in  the  midst  of  the  four  living  creatures  and  of  the 
"elders."  This  is  that  exalted  station  of  pre-emi- 
nence and  glory,  even  *^  the  bosom  of  the  Father," 
to  which  the  only-begotten    Son   of  God  alone  ^aa 

•  Mic.  V.  2.  Col.  j.  l6*.  John  viii.  58.  t  John  xv.  1.  8, 

%  Is.  xi.  10.  Rom.  XV.  12.  §  Mutt.  xiii.  3:^. 

H  See  note,  chap,  iv,  6, 

hav^ 


Chap,  v.]  APOCALYPSE.  121 

have  access;  '*  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  far  above 
**  all  principalities  and  powers,"  So  in  ch.  xxii.  ]. 
this  throne  is  called  ''  the  throne  of  God  and  of  ths 
Lamb*:' 

lb.  J  lamb,]  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  whom 
alone  so  supreme  a  station  could  be  designed,  is  fre- 
quently represented  under  this  symbol  of  innocence, 
led  to  suffer  at  the  altar  for  the  sins  of  mankind  ; 
as  prefigured  in  the  daily  service  of  the  temple  f. 
Under  which  description,  attributed  to  Jesus  by  the 
Baptist,  two  of  the  disciples  acknowledged  him  to  be 
the  Messias  J.  He  appeals  in  the  character  of  asuifer- 
ing  victim  ;  the  character  which  endears  him,  above 
all  others,  to  sinful  and  mortal  man ;  and  which, 
thoroughly  considered,  is  found  perfectly  to  agree 
and  coincide  with  that  more  splendid  description  of 
him,  in  which  he  is  styled,  '^  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of 
*'  Judah."  For,  it  was  in  this  very  lowly  and  suffer- 
ing form  that  he  fought,  and  obtained  the  victory  §. 
The  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  describing  the 
Messiah,  sometimes  as  a  despised  sufferer,  sometimes 
as  an  irresistible  and  triumphant  conqueror,  appeared 
dark  and  irreconcileable,  until  the  event  shewed  the 
truth  and  consistency  of  both  predictions;  when  **  the 
"  Lord  of  glory"  effected  the  salvation  of  the  world 
under  the  character  of  an  innocent,  unresisting  victim. 
That  victim  now  appears,  having  received  the  deadly 
blow  at  the  altar,  still  living,  (as  he  says  of  himself, 
Jlev.  i.  18,)  by  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  as  when 

^  Jobni.  18,    Matt,  xvi,  19,    Eph.  i.  20,  21,     Heb.  i.  5.  Rev.' 
in.  94. 

t  Nam.  xxvii.  3.  John  xix.  36,  37,  41.  Eph.  i.  7.  v,  2.  Heb.  x. 
^—22.  1  Pet.  i.  19.  1  Cor.  y.  7. 

I  John  i.  19,  §  See  note,  chap,  ii.  7. 

he 


122  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §  2. 

he  shewed  his  mortal  wounds  to  his  disciples*;  and 
thus   ''  he  ever  hveth  to  make  intercession  for  us  -f-." 

*^  The  lamb  died  for  no  offence  of  his  own,  but 
"  for  the  sins  of  others ;  so  did  Christ.  The  lamb 
*'  could  not  commit  sin,  by  his  nature  ;  nor  Christ, 
*'  by  his  perfection :  the  lamb  was  without  bodily 
*'  spot  or  blemish ;  Christ  was  holy  and  undefiled :  a 
"lamb  is  meek  and  patient;  such  was  the  afflicted 
and  much-injured  Son  of  God  J.'* 

Ver.  6.  Seve?i.]  How  this  number  became  expres- 
sive of  universality,  fulness,  and  perfection,  see  note, 
chap.  i.  4. 

lb.  Hojms.]  The  horn,  being  commonly  that  part 
of  the  animal  by  which  he  asserts  his  power,  was 
received  by  the  eastern  nations  as  the  symbol  of  power. 
So  pur  Lord  himself  is  called  *^  a  horn  of  salvation  §  ;** 
tbd!t  is,  the  great  power  of  salvation.  By  the  seven 
"  horns,''  attributed  to  the  lamb,  is  signified  that  uni- 
versal and  irresistible  power  which  our  Lord  obtained, 
when,  suffering  death  under  this  very  form,  of  an  in- 
nocent victim,  he  thereby  vanquished  the  formidable 
enemy  of  man.  "  All  poxcei%''  says  he  to  his  disciples 
(immediately  after  this  conflict),  "  is  given  to  me  in 
"  heaven  and  in  earth  |1." 

lb.  Eyes.^  As  the  seven  horns  of  the  Lamb  signify 
our  Lord's  omnipotence,  so  do  the  seven  eyes  his 
omnipresence.  These  seven  eyes  are  described  in 
Zech.  iii,  9.  iv.  10.  to  be  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  which 
*'  run  to  and  fro  through  the  whole  earth."  They  are 
in  that  passage  said  to  be  inscribed  "  on  a  stone,'* 
which  is  probably  '*  the  precious  stone,  the  head  stone  of 

*  Luke  xxiv.  2,^),  t  Heb.  vii.  25. 

X  Jortin  on  Eccl.  Hist.  i.  184. 

§  Luke  i.  6^9.  ||  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

1  -  ''  the 


Chap,  v.]  APOCALYPSE.  123 

**  the  comer,"  described  m  Is.  xxvili.  l6.  1  Pet.  li. 
6,  7.  Luke  XX.  17.  Acts  iv.  11.  and  therefore,  being 
applied  to  Christ,  appear  to  have  reference  to  this  de- 
scription *. 

Ver.  8.  Fell  prostrate,']  The  majesty  of  the  Son 
of  God  appeared  clouded  under  the  covering  of  the 
Lamb.  So  was  it  in  the  flesh,  when  he  appeared  as 
the  son  of  Mary  and  of  the  carpenter.  But  his  splen- 
dour breaks  forth  with  astonishing  effect,  when  he 
receives  the  book  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father ; 
and  all  the  powers  of  Heaven,  "-  thrones  and  domi- 
•*  nions,  principalities  and  powers  f,"  fall  prostrate 
before  him.  Like  this,  probabl}'-,  was  the  disclosure 
of  the  divine  mysteries  in  Christ,  to  '*  the  principa- 
"  lities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places,"  of  which 
Saint  Paul  speaks  in  Eph.  iii.  10. 

lb.  Harps,]  The  harps,  as  svell  as  the  vials  of  in- 
cense, seem  to  belong  to  the  elders  only,  not  to  the  che- 
rubim, to  whose  form  they  cannot  accommodate,  and 
whose  fio-ures  were  not  seen  distinctlv.  Besides,  the 
masculine  smTlog  directs  this  interpretation.  The  che- 
rubim were  seen  in  such  effulgent  brightness,  flash- 
ing before  the  throne  J,  as  not  to  admit  an  exact  ac- 
count of  the  place  of  their  position,  much  less  a 
minute  inspection  of  them,  as  bearing-  harps  and 
vials. 

lb.  Vials,]  The  (piuK^,  'vial,  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment appears  to  have  been  a  sort  of  patera,  or  bason, 
in  which  were  deposited,  before  the  altar,  the  offer- 
ings of  meal,  or  of  incense.  It  was  distinct  from  the 
censer,  on  which  the  offering  was  presented,  and 
which  is  called  Kitavcalog  §,    ^v^siov,  ^v(xicilyt^m,   but  never 


•  SP3  Archbishop  Newcome  on  Ezekiel. 

■f  Col.  i.  l6,  J  See  note,  iv,  6,  j  Rev.  viii. 


(pixKvi, 


124  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.   §  2. 

<p/^Avi.  Therefore,  they  who  bear  these  vials,  are  not 
necessarily  priests  who  ofFer  incense  ;  these  rather  bear 
the  incense,  ministering,  like  the  Levites  under  the 
old  covenant,  to  the  great  high  priest  of  the  Chris- 
tian covenant,  by  whom,  and  through  whom  alone, 
prayers  are  to  be  offered  up  to  God  *. 

lb.  Full  of  incense.^  QviJ^iafiuluv  being  in  the  plu^- 
ral  number,  our  translators  may  seem  to  have  ren- 
dered it  not  improperly  odours;  but  this  word  docs 
not  express  that  particular  compound,  which  by  di- 
vine appointment  was  used  in  offering,  and  which  we 
call  ince?ise.  I  have  therefore  employed  this  expres- 
sion, i?iceme,  which,  being  of  itself  a  compound  of 
various  sweets  t,  has  a  plural  signification.  And  by 
the  use  of  this  word  we  avoid  an  equivocation,  which 
is  to  be  seen  in  the  common  translation,  Mherein  the 
*' prayers  of  the  saints,''  may  be  referred  to  the 
odours  onli/,  whereas,  in  the  original,  they  refer  clearly 
to  "  the  vials  full  of  inceiise:'  The  incense  of  itself 
does  not  so  fitly  represent  *'  the  prayers  of  the  saints," 
as  when  placed  upon  the  vial  or  patera,  and  brought 
up  to  the  altar,  there  to  be  offered. 

lb.  JPliich  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints.}  Prayer 
is  fitly  represented  under  the  symbol  of  incense,  ac- 
cording to  the  comparison  of  the  Psalmist,  ''  let  niy 
*'  prayer  be  set  forth  before  thee  as  incense  %;'  and  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  holy  worship  with  the  Jews, 
who  accompanied  the  offering  of  incense  with  their 
prayers,  (see  Lukei.  10.)  Hence  Origen,  in  his  treatise 
against  Celsus,    alludes  to  this  passage  of  the  Reve- 

*  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  Heb.  vii.  24,  25 — For  a  more  partieular  account  of 
the  word  (p/ax>,,  see  Parkhurst's  Lexicon,  and  Daubuz,  in  loc. 
t  Exod.  XXX.  34.  xxxvii.  59.  Lev.  xvi.  12» 
I  Pj,  cxli.  2. 

lation. 


Chap,  v.]  APOCALri>sE.  't^^ 

lation,  observing  that  "  the  minds  of  Christians  serve 
*^  as  altars,  whence  incense  is  truly  and  intelligibly 
'*  wafted  to  heaven,  namely,  prayers  from  apurecon- 
*'  science;"  which  are  the  prayers  of  the  saints.  But 
as  prayers,  under  the  old  covenant,  could  be  offered 
only  by  the  priests*  ;  so,  under  the  new  dispensa- 
tion, they  are  accepted  only  through  the  intercession 
of  the  great  High  Priest  and  Mediator,  for  whose 
mediatorial  presentation  they  seem  deposited  with  the 
elders  of  the  church  f,  these  prayers  and  pi^aises,  (for 
the  word  Tpoc-fu^v)  implies  both,)  ascend  to  God,  ai 
incense,   in  the  following  hymns. 

Ver.  9.  A  nexv  song.']  The  covenant  through  Christ, 
and  every  thing  appertaining  to  it,  is  called  nexv  in 
Scripture  ;  of  which,  innumerable  instances  may  be 
seen  in  the  concordances,  under  the  word  nezv.  In 
the  passage  now  before  us,  is  disclosed  the  mystery  of 
the  Son  of  God  appearing  to  suffer  as  a  victim  ;  a 
mystery  ordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
yet  revealed  only  in  the  latter  times  \  ;  which  patri- 
archs and  prophets  saw  but  imperfectly,  and  angels 
themselves/'  desired  to  look  into  §."  It  was  wonder- 
ful and  nexv,  and  the  surprising  benefits  of  it  were 
extended  beyond  earth,  '*  to  things  in  heaven\S^'' 
It  is  therefore  celebrated  in  heaven,  before  its  pro- 
gress on  earth  Js  foreshewn  ;  and  by  ''^  2,  nexv  song'' 
This  song  is  a  hynm  to  the  Redeemer,  in  which  all 
creation  joins.     The  cherubim,   as  before,   begin  the 

*  Numb.  xvi.  40. 

f  At  the  dedication  of  tlie  tabernacle,  the  twelve  dders  or  princes 
pf  Israel  ofiered  each  of  them  a  golden  spoon,  full  of  intense.  Numb, 
vii.  10.  14.    Daubuz. 

X  Matt.  xiii.  ^b,  1  Pet.  i.  20, 

^  1  Pet.  i.  U.  1  Tim.  iii.  ;6'.  1  Cor,  iv.  %  \  Eph.  i.  10. 

sons: : 


126  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  11.   §  2. 

song;  the  elders  unite  their  voices,  their  harps,  and 
their  incense.  Such  praises  we  now  sing  to  Christ, 
in  the  ancient  hymn  called  Te  Deuni.  Such  were 
sung  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  in  the  times  im- 
mediately following  those  of  this  vision ;  whereof 
the  younger  Pliny  gives  testimony  in  his  famous  letter 
to  Trajan  *.  Such  were  sung  in  the  succeeding  times 
of  Origen  f.  Such  also  in  the  days  of  Eusebius,  who 
deduces  the  worship  of  Christ  from  the  Hymns  and 
Psalms  of  the  Old  Testament,  through  all  the  vene- 
rable fathers  of  the  church,    to  his  own  times  J. 

Ver.  10.  Kings  and  ptiests.']  See  note,  chap.  i.  6, 
€m  TY^g  yviQ  is  not  m^er  the  earth,  but  upon  the  earth, 
in  which  sense  it  is  used  continually,  This  promise 
is  fulfilled  in  chap.  xx.  6.  xxii.  5. 

Ver.  11.  Myriads.']  So,  an  ^^innumerable  com- 
*'  pany  of  angels,"  in  Heb.  xii.  22  ;  and  in  chap.  i.  6. 
all  the  angels  of  God  are  commanded  to  worship  him. 
The  appearance  of  this  innumerable  company,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  heavenly  band,  is  sudden,  as  described 
also  in  Luke  ii.  14. 

Ver.  13.  E*cery  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on 
the  earth,  aud  under  the  earth,  and  on  the  sea,  &c.]  That 
is,  the  "whole  creation  ;  for  it  is  frequently  enumerated, 
under  this  fourfold  division  by  the  sacred  writers §. 

lb.  The  praise  and  the  honour.]  The  common 
translation  leaving  out  the  article,  which  is  expressed 
in  the  Greek,  in  this  and  other  passages,  has  not 
attained  the  sense  of  the  original,  which  implies  not 
only  that  praise,   honour,    power,  should  be  ascribed 

*  Plinii  Epist  lib.  x.  17.  t  Cont.  Cels.  p.  422. 

X  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  v.  cxxviii.  His  expression  is  grand :  roy  Aoyo»  t» 

©««,    Tov  X^i(7iov,    v^'VH(Ti  QtoXoyaviss. 

§  Exod,  XX.  4,  11.  Ps.  XXXV,  6»   Phil.  ii.  10. 

to  I 


Ch.  Vi.    1 — 2.]  APOCALYPSi:. 


127 


to  God,  and  to  the  Redemcr,  in  a  general  sense,  but 
the  particular  and  supreme  praise,  and  the  honour, 
and  the  power,  which  have  been  claimed  by  other 
gods  '^  which  are  no  gods/'  (Isai.  xvii.  \9,)  and  by 
men,  (Uke  Herod  in  Acts  xii.  ^i2,  23.)  but  which  be- 
long solely  to  the  God  of  Heaven. 


PART    II. 


SECTION    III. 

The  opening  of  the  first  Seal, 


1  K«i  flJoy,  oT£  rtvot^i 
TO  a^viov   fxtxy    Jx 

t)wv,  >c,  TOKHcrx  Vfos 
IX.    Tijv    rzaax^uv 

2  %»  it,  /Saette.    Kcil 

Qnij.zv'^  Iw'  xvrov 
t^wv  To|ov*  i^looQy) 
ccvTuJ  fi'^av©-,  K, 
i^r,K9e  Viitu/Vf  '/C,  'nx 


CHAP.  VI.    VER.  1 2 

1  And  I  saw  when  the 
Lamb  opened  one  of 
the  seven  seals ;  and 
I  heard  one  of  the  four 
livhig  -  creatures  say- 
ing, as  a  voice  of 
thunder,   <*  Come  and 

2  "  see ;"  And  I  saw, 
and  lo!  a  white  horse; 
and  he  that  sat  upon 
him  having  a  bow  ; 
and  a  crown  wa.s  given 
unto  him :  and  he 
went  forth  conquer- 
ing, and  for  to  con- 
quer. 


1  And  I  saw  when  the 
Lamb  opened  one  of 
the  seals,  and  I  heard, 
as  it  were  the  noise  of 
thunder,  one  of  the 
four     beasts,     saying, 

2  Come,  and  see.  And 
I  saw,  and  behold,  a 
white  horse;  and  he 
that  sat  on  him  had  a 
bow,  and  a  crown  was 
given  unto  him,  and 
he  went  forth  con- 
quering, and  to  con- 
quer. 


Ver.  L  As  a  voice  of  thunder.^  The  voice  of  the 
Lord  from  heaven  is  frequently  spoken  of  as  '*a  great, 
*'  a  terrible,    a  glorious  voice  ;    even  a  voice  of  thun- 

''  der." 


128  AP6CALYPSE.  [Pt    II.    §  5. 

"  der  */'  Of  this  kind  was  Ihe  voice  from  heaven, 
described  in  John  xii.  28.  promising  glorification  to 
the  name  of  Jesus ;  when  some  of  the  auditors  said, 
that  *'  it  thundered,  others  that  an  angel  spake  to 
'^him."  Such  also  are  the  voices  of  the  cherubim, 
of  the  near  attendants  upon  the  throne  f.  Such  was 
the  voice  of  those  heavenly  ministers  in  Isaiah's  vi- 
sion ;  when  '^  the  posts  at  the  door  of  the  temple 
"  moved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried  J."  This  aw- 
ful voice  from  the  throne  is  in  other  passages  described 
as  the  '*  voice  of  many  waters."  And  both  these 
images  are  brought  together,  to  express  the  same 
idea;  '^  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  as  the  voice  of 
"  many  thunders  §." 

lb.  Cor/ie  and  see.']  This  invitation,  proceeding 
from  the  cherubim,  who  surrounded  the  throne,  and 
are  close  to  the  place  of  exhibition,  seems  to  shew 
that  the  prophet  is  to 'be  fav^oured  with  a  near  in- 
spection of  the  images  of  future  things.  The  call  is- 
repeated  at  the  opening  of  every  one  of  the  four  first 
seals,  and  not  afterwards;  which  seems  to  signify 
that  these  four  seals,  like  the  four  sides  of  the  throne, 
each  of  M-hich  is  guarded  by  a  cherub,  will  be  found 
to  form  of  themselves  an  entire  and  and  conipact  his- 
tory II.  As  the  Lamb  breaks  the  seal  of  each  separate 
roll,  the  sheet,  thus  set  at  liberty,  unfolds,  and  dis- 
covers in  a  kind  of  painted  delineation,  (for  ho\y 
otherwise  could  the  colours  be  known?)  the  four 
horses  in  succession. 

2.  Lo!  a  white  horse.']     The  horse  is  a  noble  ani- 
mal,   by  the  eastern  nations  used  principally  in  war; 

*  Ps.  xviii.  15.  xlvl.  6,  Ixxvii.  18.   civ,  7. 

t  See  note)  ch.  v.  6.  X  Is.  vi.  4,  §  Rqv.  xix.  6. 

J[  See  note^  on  number  four^  ch.  iv.  6. 

sa 


Cb.  Vi.     1 — 2.]  At>OCALYPSE.  129 

so  that  ill  Scripture  a  horseman  and  a  warrior  are 
synonymous  terms*.  The  description  of  the  war- 
horse,  in  the  book  of  Job,  is  highly  poetical  and 
sublime -f.  The  white  horse  is  a  war-horse,  for  he 
carries  his  rider  *'  to  conquer ''  In  a  vision  of  the  pro- 
phet Zechariah,  (chap,  i.)  a  person  is  seen  *'  riding  on 
*^  a  red  horse,  ('s^u^^o?,  fire-coloured,)  and  behind  him 
"  were  there  red  horses,  speckled  and  white."  These 
appear,  in  the  sequel,  to  represent  the  progress  of 
lieavely  angels,  in  military  array,  sent  forth  through 
the  nations,  at  the  time  of  the  Jewish  captivity. 
The  red  horses,  which  lead  the  array,  portend  war 
and  slaughter,  such  as  had  preceded  the  captivity. 
The  white  horses  concluding  the  procession,  denote, 
as  the  context  shews  %,  the  peace  and  happiness 
which  were  to  follow.  The  speckled  or  parti-coloured 
horses  were  to  express  the  intermediate  transition. 
In  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  same  prophecy,  there  is  a 
similar  exhibition  of  four  chariots,  drawn  by  red,  by 
black,  by  white,  and  by  parti-coloured  horses ;  which 
are  explained  to  be  **  the  four  Spirits  of  the  heavens, 
*'  which  go  forth  from  the  Lord."  And  they  go  forth 
for  the  same  purpose;  ''the  black  horses,  denoting 
*'  mourning  and  woe,  go  forth  to  the  north  country," 
to  Babylon,  where  the  Jews  were  then  in  bondage:  but 
*'  the  wliite  go  forth  after  them  ;"  the  deliverance  of 
the  Jews,  the  restoration  of  their  temple  and  religion 
followed  under  the  victorious  Cyrus.  From  this  view 
of  the  application  of  the  Scriptural  imagery  we  may 
collect,  that  a  man  on  horseback,  exhibited  in  divine 
vision,  denotes  the  going  forth  of  some  power  in  mi- 
litary array  divinely  commissioned,  to  effect  changes 
upon  the  earth ;  and  that  the  character  of  the  change  . 

*  Jer.  1.  42.  vi.  22.  viii.  1^.        t  Job  xxxix.  19—26.  |  V.  11. 

T  is 


130  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.   §  3. 

is  expressed  by  the  colour  of  the  horse ;  the  red  or 
fire-coloured  denoting  war  and  slaughter ;  the  black, 
mourning  and  woe  ;  the  white,  victory  and  peace  to 
God's  people.  To  assist  us  further  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  the  white  horse,  we  have  a  passage  in  this 
book  of  the  Apocalypse,  (chap.  xix.  11 — 17.)  where 
a  white  horse  is  introduced  with  the  very  same  ex- 
pression, 1^8  h%og  Kev'Aog,  ^^  Lo  !  a  white  horse, — and 
"  he  that  sate  upon  him  called  Faithful  and  True,  and 
"  in  righteousness  doth  he  judge,  and  make  war. 
'*  His  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,  and  on  his  head  many 
^'  diadems,  having  a  name  written  which  no  one 
''  knoweth  but  himself;  and  clothed  in  a  garment 
**  dipped  in  blood  ;  and  his  name  is  called  The  Word 
'^  of  God.  And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven 
"  followed  him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine 
'^  white  linen,  (and  pure) ;  and  out  of  his  mouth 
'^  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite 
"the  nations;  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  an  iron 
"  rod,  and  he  treadeth  the  press  of  the  wine  of  the 
''  anger  and  [indignation]  of  the  Almighty  [God]  ; 
*'  and  he  hath  upon  his  garment  and  upon  his  thigh 
"  a  name  written,  King  of  Kings,  and  Lord  of 
*'  Lords."  It  is  impossible  to  doubt  to  whom  this 
description  appertains.  The  glorious  rider  on  this 
white  horse,  is  manifestly  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God.  Whether  he  be  the  same  in  both  visions;  whether 
the  Son  of  God  be  the  rider  of  the  white  horse  under 
this  first  seal ;  we  will  proceed  to  enquire.  And  first 
let  us  settle  our  opinion  concerning  the  ho7'se.  This 
at  least  is  of  the  very  same  description  in  both  passages. 
He  is  simply  ''  a  xvhite  horse,''  and  in  both  passages, 
as  in  those  above  quoted  from  the  prophet  Zechariah, 
he  carries  his  rider,  who  ''  iu  righteousness  judgeth  and 

*'  maketh 


Ch.  VI.   1 — 2.]  APOCALYPSE.  131 

**  maketh  war,"  to  victory,  and  the  consequence  of  such 
victory, — peace.  This  notion  is  Oon firmed  by  the  con- 
text to  all  these  passages  :  and  the  colour,  white*,  con- 
fines this  horse  to  the  service  of  the  purifying  Christian 
covenant.  By  the  xvhite  horse  then  is  signified  the  pro- 
gress of  a  Christian  power,  militant  for  a  time  in 
"  righteousness,"  and  in  the  end  appointed  to  victory, 
which  shall  bring  lasting  peace*  He  goes  out,  '*  con- 
*'  quering,  and  for  to  conquer."  In  chap,  xix,  becomes 
to  this  final  victory,  and  then  his  rider  is  the  Son  of  God, 
who  now  in  person  (that  is,  with  a  more  ample  manifes- 
tation of  his  over-ruling  power")  fights  the  battles  of  his 
Church.  But  under  this  first  seal,  which  represents 
only  the  earlif  progress  of  the  Christian  church,  it  is 
not  so  manifest,  that  the  rider  of  the  white  horse  is 
the  same  glorious  personage.  For  he  is  destitute  of 
the  same  glorious  attributes.  He  has  simply  a  crown 
and  a  bow.  And  the  elders  have  crowns  ;  and  crouais 
are  promised  to  every  victorious  Christian  f;  and 
the  bow  is  not  a  weapon,  or  ornament,  peculiar  to 
Christ.  And  yet  he  may  be  the  same ;  because  there 
is  a  great  difference  between  the  humble  and  clouded 
beginning  of  our  Lord's  progress  on  earth,  and  his 
expected  glorious  appearance  when  he  is  to  take  ven- 
geance on  his  enemies.  But  we  are  not  yet  warranted 
to  say  that  this  horseman  is  the  same,  the  Son  of  God. 
For  his  followers  also  are  represented  upon  white  horses. 
*'  As  the  Father  had  sent  him,  so  he  sent  them  into 
*^  the  world  J."  And  therefore  the  progress  of  the 
white  horse  seems  to  be  rather  that  of  the  Christian 
religion,  in  its  primitive  purity,  from  the  time  that 
its  heavenly  Founder  left  it  on  earth,  under  the  con- 
duct of  his  Apostles.     The  divine  religion  goes  out 

*  See  note,  ch.  iii.  4.  t  Ch.  ii.  10.  X  John  xvii.  18. 

T  2  crowned, 


132  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.   §  S. 

crowned,  having  the  Divine  favour  resting  upon  it, 
armed  against  the  attacks  of  its  many  foes,  and 
destined  to  conquer  at  tlie  last  *.  There  is  another 
prophecy  of  Zecliariah,  which  will  afford  light  to  this 
imagery  of  the  wliite  horse.  I  Mill  give  it  in  the  trans- 
lation of  Archbishop  Newcome: 

*'  But  Jehovah  God  of  Hosts  will  visit 

'•  His  flock  the  house  of  Judahy 

**  And  will  make  them  as  his  goodly  horse  in  -war. 

"  From  him  shall  be  the  corner  stone,  from  him  the  nail, 

'*  From  him  the  battle-botv. 

*'  From  him  shall  go  forth  every  ruler  together, 

*■  And  they  shall  be  as  men  who  tread  down 

**  The  mire  of  the  streets  in  war. 

"  And  they  shall  fight ;   for  Jehovah  shall  be  with  them: 

'*  And  the  riders. on  horses  shall  be  confounded. 

7ECH.  X.   3 — 6.f 

The  going  forth  of  this  Christian  armament  seems 
represented  by  the  Avhite  horse  in  this  first  seal ;  its 
final  success  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel  of  the  pro- 
phecy. 

.Ver.  2.  A  boxv.'\  This  was  the  weapon  In  ancient 
warfare,  which  was  known  to  slay  at  the  most  con- 
siderable distance,  with  the  greatest  celerity,  from 
a  quarter  least  expected,  and  most  difficult  to  es- 
cape. This  weapon  therefore,  with  its  accompany- 
ing arrows,  expresses  figuratively  the  sudden  and  un- 
expected  strokes   of  miraculous  interposition,    and   is 

*  That  very  ancient  commentator  Methodius  understood  by  the 
first  seal,  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles,  and  he  is  followed  in  this  no- 
tion by  all  the  early  writers.  Sec  Andreas  CcKsariensis,  Arethas,  Vic- 
torinus,  and  Primasius,  in  locum. 

t  Tertullian,  after  quoting  some  prophetical  passages  of  Scripture, 
which  represent  the  Messiah  as  a  warrior,  adds ;  Sic  bellipotcns  et 
^rnaiger  Christus  est;  arma  allegorica.     Ad  Jud.  218. 

so 


Ch.  vi.    1 — 2.]  APOCALYPSE.  133 

so  used  in  the  Scriptures  *.  The  progress  of  the  Gos- 
pel M^as  assisted  by  sudden  and  unexpected  and  mira- 
culous aid  and  deliverance. 

lb.  And  a  crozvn  xvas  given  unto  him.]  This  is  the 
crown  of  life,  described  in  ch.  ii.  JO.  (see  the  note)  : 
our  Lord's  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world.  The  crown 
is  the  reward  of  the  faithful  martyrs,  who  in  the  three 
first  centuries  fought  and  conquered  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  ^ire 
"•  thee  a  crown  of  Iife|." 

Ver.  2.  He  zvent  forth  conquering ^  and  for  to 
conquer.']  Two  periods  of  time  seem  to  be  here  de^ 
signated.  The  first,  when  the  Christian  religion, 
preached  in  its  purity  by  the  Apostles,  succeeded 
against  human  opposition,  overcame  the  powers  of 
darkness,  and  established  itself  in  the  world;  **  he 
*' went  forth  conquering  :"  The  second,  when,  after 
a  long  period  of  warfare,  during  which  this  religion 
is  corrupted,  deformed,  ^nd  almost  annihilated  by 
the  arts  and  machinations  of  the  enemy,  it  is  at 
length  seen  to  regain  its  primitive  freedom  and  purity, 
and  its  "  crown  is  established  in  righteousness:];,"  in 
an  "  everlasting  kingdom  §."  These  two  periods  are 
plainly  distinguished  in  the  visions  of  Daniel.  The 
first  is  that  of  the  stone,  representing  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  its  infantine  state;  when  it  begins  to  con- 
quer,  by  smiting  the  idolatrous  kingdoms  which  are 
established  in  worldly  power  ||.  The  second  is  that 
of  the  mountain^  when  this  ''  stone  becomes  a  great 
*'  mountain,  and  fills  the  whole  earthy."  The  latter 
period  is  represented  in  the  sequel  of  the  Apocalypse**. 
In  the  present  passage  it  is  only  alluded  to ;   for  the 

*  Psalms,  passim.  Lam.  ii.  4.  iii.  12.  Pleb.  iii.  9. 

t  Rev.  ch.  ii.  10.  J  Is.  xxxii,  i,  §  Dan.  ii.  44.  vii.  sr. 

II  Dan.  ii.  34.  H  Ver.  35.  ♦*  Ch.  xix.  11,  &c. 

nrinrinal 


134  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §  5. 

principal  object  is,  to  represent  the  religion  of  Christ 
as  going  forth  in  its  original  purity.  Its  heavenly 
colour  is  as  yet  unstained  by  worldly  corruption.  It 
appears  pare  now,  and  pure  it  must  be,  when  it  shall 
conquer  at  the  last  *. 

'*  So  long,  and  so  far,  as  Christianity  was  planted 
^*  according  to  this  standard  of  its  great  x'\uthor  ;  in 
"  plainness  and  simplicity  of  incorrupt  doctrine  ;  and 
**  in  meekness  and  humility,  love  and  charity,  in 
''practice:  when  Christians  continued  stedfastly  in 
''the  Apostles' doctrine  and  fellowship; — when  the 
"  multitude  of  them  that  believed,  were  of  one  heart 
"  and  of  one  soul,  and  great  grace  was  upon  them 
"  all,  (Acts  iv.  32,  S3)  ;  then  did  their  light  shine 
"  forth  indeed  before  men,  and  cause  them  to  glorify 
"  the  God  of  heaven.  Then  was  the  Gospel  truly 
*'  and  conspicuously,  like  a  city  upon  an  hill,  a  light 
"  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  God's 
*'  people,  It  was  the  praise^and  wonder  of  those  who 
"  beheld  its  blessed  effects,  and  might  have  been  the 
"joy  of  the  whole  earth.  Had  Christians  continued 
*'  to  walk  worthily  of  the  vocation  wherewith  they  were 
*'  called, — the  Christian  church  estabhshed  upon  this 
"  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus 
*'  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone,  might 
"  in  its  whole  building,  fitly  framed  together,  have 
"  grown  up  into  one  holy  temple  in  the  Lordf." 

I  have  thus  quoted  from  a  learned  and  accurate 
writer,  well  versed  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Ch  .rch,  a  draft  or  picture,  (given  nearly  in  the  words 
of  Scripture,)  of  what  I  conceive  to  be  the  period  re- 
presented under  the  first  seal, 

*  Gbap.  xix.  -f  Clarke's  Sermons,  vol.  iii.  p.  312. 

Its 


Ch.  vi.  3 — 4]  APOCALYPSE. 


135 


Its  commencement  is  to  be  dated  from  our  Savi- 
our's Ascension,  when  he  gave  his  final  commission 
to  the  disciples,  to  go  forth  with  his  doctrines  to  the 
world.  The  time  of  its  duration  cannot  be  so  pre- 
cisely ascertained  ;  because  the  change  in  the  church 
from  original  purity  to  corrupt  morals,  worship,  and 
doctrine,  was  gradual.  But  it  may  be  affirmed,  at  least 
as  a  general  position,  that  the  Christians  of  the  three 
first  centuries,  exclusive  of  the  heretics,  were  of  this 
character,  although  too  many  exceptions  may  be 
found  in  their  history  to  this  general  description. 


PART    II. 

SECTION    IV. 

The  opeimig  of  the  second  Seal. 

CHAP.  vi.  VER.    3 — 4. 


O    K«<    ore    TiVOlh  tV)Tf 

^(W8  Xsloylos*  "Ef  %«. 
4  Kax  f|?AflevaAA®- 

avTov  loo9in  avrZ 
>^xQiii  rviv  tl^rivriv 
[a.'TTo]    Tvis  yns,   Kf 


3  And  when  he  opened  the 

second  seal,  I  heard 
the  second  living-crea- 
ture saying,  "  Conie !" 

4  And  there  went  forth 
another  horse,  fire- 
coloured  ;  and  to  him 
that  sate  thereon,  to 
him  was  there  given 
to  take  the  peace  of 
the  earth,  and  that 
they  should  slay  one 
another :  and  there 
was  given  unto  him  a 
great  sword. 


3  And  when  he  had 
opened  the  second 
seal,  I  heard  the  se- 
cond beast  say.  Come, 

4  and  see.  And  there 
went  out  another  horse 
that  was  red :  and 
power  was  given  to 
him  that  sat  thereon, 
to  take  peace  from  the 
earth,  and  that  they 
should  kill  one  an-. 
other:  and  there  was 
given  ULt  J  him  a  great 
sword. 

Ver. 


136,  APOCALYPSE.  [Pull.    §  4. 

Ver.  4.  Another  horse.]  The  second  seal  being 
broken,  another  sheet,  or  roll,  unfolds,  and  another 
representation  of  a  horse  and  rider  appears ;  but  the 
colour,   and  consequently  the  character,  is  changed. 

lb.  Fire-coloured.]  In  the  Greek,  tu^^o^,  from  wu^, 
fire.  This  colour  is  said  to  be  compounded  of  the 
yellow-red,  E^vOo;,  mixed  with  the  dusky,  cpaisg  *.  It 
is  applied  to  horses  by  the  classical  writers  : 

A^if*  To^yoi  T<  ysvot(As9x  ;   rot  zjroXE(xifa.i 

The  ano*el  who  leads  the  host  to  war  amono:  the 
nations,  is  mounted  on  a  horse  of  the  same  colour  '^. 
This  is  also  the  colour  of  the  dra^ron,  the  ancient 
serpent,  the  devil,  who  comes  xvrathfully  to  war 
against  the  saints  <§. 

lb.  To  take  the  peace  of  the  earthy  and  that  they 
should  slay  one  another  :  and  there  was  given  unto  hhn 
a  great  sxvord.]  Our  Lord  established  his  religion  in 
peacefulness,  and  commissioned  it  to  conquer,  or  pro- 
sper in  the  world,  by  peace  ||.  And  yet  he  foretold, 
very  remarkably,  that  peace  should  not  altogether 
ensue.      '*  Think  not,"  says  he,   "  that  I  am  come  to 

*  Plato,  Timaeus,  ad  finem. 

t  Theocriti  Idyll.  15.  1.  51. — This  kind  of  colour  in  horses,  if  that 
which  we  now  denominate  bright  or  golden-bay,  would  be  properly 
expressed  by  the  term  flame-coloured:  but,  as  ^yf  signifies  fire  itself, 
rather  than  the  flame  of  fire,  the  word  'cyv^qos  may  be  thought  to  denote 
a  deeper  tinge,  somewhat  like  our  bright  chesnut.  And  \  prefer  the 
woT(\  Jire-colouredy  as  agreeing  best  with  the  vengeful  character  which 
pervades  this  seal,  and  which  is  commonly  expressed  in  prophetical 
language  under  the  image  of  fire, 

I  nv^^osy  Zech.  i.  8.  §  Rev.  xii.  3.g.  17. 

||  Luke  ix.  55. 

'*  send 


Ch.  vi.  3 — 4.]         APOCALYPSE.  137 

*'  send  peace  on  the  earth ;   I  came  not  to  send  peace, 
**  but  2iSZvord*f   which   Saint  Luke,  in  the  parallel 
passage  t,    calls   ''division.''     In  which  sense  also  he 
declares  that  he  is  ''  come  to  scmijire  on  the  earth  J." 
Not  that  it   was  his    wish    or   intention,    as  the   com- 
mentators have  observed,    fnat  such  direful  and  anti- 
christian  consequences  should  arise;  but  he  foreknew 
such  effects  necessarily  arising  from  the  corrupt  pas- 
sions and  prejudices  of  sinful  men.     Such  a  scene  was 
to  follow   the  first   age  of  Christianity  distinguished 
by  the  pure  practice  of  the  Christian  virtues,    Avhen  a 
fieri/   zeal,    without  knowledge,    or  at   least    without 
charity,  should   instigate  the  professors  of  this  peace- 
ful religion  to  destroy  peace ;   and  Christians,   divided 
among   themselves,    should    persecute    and    slay   each 
other.     Such  a  scene,    it   is  well  known,   did  follow. 
And  the  prophecy  of  the  second  seal,   under  this  fire- 
coloured  horse,   according  with  that  of  our  Lord,    in 
the  use  of  the  same  figures,    (fre,   sxvord,   take  peace 
from  the  earth,    men  divided  so  as  to  kill  each  other,) 
seems   plainly  t3  point  to  the  same  period   of  time;  a 
time,   when  the  heavenly  religion,    which,    under  the 
first  seal,    had  proceeded  fv  Ksvy^ol;,    in  white  array,   be- 
came   so  degenerate,    as   no   longer  to   appear  zvhite. 
She  assumed  the   angry,    intolerant,    persecuting  hue 
of    the   f  re-coloured  dragon.      Neglecting    charity, 
•*  which  is  the  bond  of  peace,"  from  dissentions  and 
controversies  she  was  hurried  into  tumults  and  wars, 
in  which   (horrid  to  relate  !)    Christians  weue  known 
to  murder  each  other.     But  whence  are  we  to  date  this 
disgraceful   change  ?  May  we  fix   its  commencement 
from  the  end  of  the  second  century  ;   when  the  western 
rulers  of  the  church,   and  the  wise  and  moderate  Ire- 


Matt.  X.  34.  t  L"ke  xii.  51e  X  Luke  xii.  49. 


n^eus, 


138  APOCALYPSE,  [Pt.  II.  §  4. 

nseus,  were  seen  to  interjDose,  and  exhort  the  furious 
Bishop  of  Rome  to  cultivate  Christian  peace  *  ?  The 
Jiery  and  intolerant  character  which  marks  this  seal, 
was  indeed  somewhat  visible  in  these  partial  transac- 
tions :  but  the  hue  from  white  to  fire-colour,  changed 
gradually.  The  persecuting  hand  of  the  common 
enemy  for  some  time  restrained  this  factious  and  un- 
charitable spirit  within  decent  bounds  ;  and  although, 
previous  to  the  Dioclesian  persecution  in  302,  there 
were  shameful  divisions  among  the  Christians,  which 
Eusebius  mentions  with  a  becoming  mixture  of  indig- 
nation and  tenderness  f,  yet  the  change  cannot  be  re- 
presented as  complete  (so  as  to  produce  the  general  and 
mutual  slaughter,  which  characterises  this  seal,)  till 
a  later  period.  But,  when  the  Roman  empire  became 
Christian  ;  when  a  Christian  Emperor  bore  the  sword; 
(with  which  in  the  imagery  of  this  seal  the  Christian 
power  seems  invested;)  when,  reheved  from  the  ter- 
rors of  pagan  persecution,  the  Christians  became  pos- 
sessed of  civil  power ;  their  animosity  increased. 
Worldly  prosperity  is  corruptive  ;  and  instead  of  those 
halcyon  days  of  peace  and  happiness,  which  the 
Church  promised  to  itself  from  the  acquisition  of 
power ;  history  is  seen  to  date  from  this  period  its 
degeneracy  and  corruption  J.  This  degeneracy  was 
first  manifested  in  the  mutual  enmities  and  feuds  of 
the  Christians ;  which  were  so  notorious  in  the  fourth 
century,  that  a  contemporary  author  reports  of  them, 
(with  some  hyperbole  perhaps,  for,  he  was  a  pagan,) 
that  **  their  hatred  to  each  other  exceeded  the  fury 

*  T«  t-ns  s/^*jy»jf  <p^oy£<v.  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  v.  c.  24. 
f  Eccl.  Hist.  viii.  c.  I. 

%  The  reader  may  see  this  proved  by  authorities  at  length  at  the 
eod  of  the  notes  to  ch.  vii. 

I  of 


Cll.   Vi.  3—4.]  APOCALYPS-E.  139 

"of  wild  beasts  against  men*."  This  was  a  great 
change  from  the  times  of  Tertullian,  in  the  second 
century,  when  the  pagans  made  a  very  different  re- 
port of  Christian  community:  ''  See,"  said  they, 
**  how  these  Christians  love  each  other  f-"  It  is  a 
change  well  expressed  by  fire-colour  succeeding  to 
white.  The  feuds  of  the  Christian  bishops  and  rulers 
contending  for  power  and  promotion,  make  a  princi- 
pal part  of  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury J.  The  election  of  a  bishop  was  frequently  ac- 
companied by  every  corrupt  art  of  intrigue  and  cabal ; 
and  the  factions  proceeded  to  determine  the  contest 
by  arms.  Of  this  kind  was  the  election  of  a  Bishop 
of  Rome,  which,  2ihGv  much  7nutual  slaughter  of  the 
Christian  electors^  ended  with  the  victory  of  Da- 
masus§.  In  the  schism  of  the  Donatists,  which  had 
its  origin  also  in  faction,  and  in  a  contest  for  worldly 
power,  thousands  of  Christians  perished  by  the  hands 
of  each  other.  The  Donatists  are  not  accused,  even 
by  their  adversaries,  of  corrupt  doctrine,  nor  of  pe- 
culiar degeneracy  in  morals.  If  worldly  ambition  and 
party-hatred,  and  violence,  so  unchristian,  had  not 
prevailed  on  all  sides,  this  disgraceful  history  would 
have  been  wanting,  to  illustrate  the  prophecy  of  the 
second  seal  ||. 

The  Arian  controversy  produced  similar  fruits,   and 
of  much  longer  duration  ^.     With  process  of  time  tlie 

*  Amm.  Marcell.  lib.  xxii.  c.  5,  f  TertuU.  Apol.  c.  39. 

X  Mosheim,  cent.  iv. 

§  Bower's  Lives  of  the  Popes,  vol.  i.  180.  and  Mosheim,  i.  286, 
jl  Mosheim,  i.  329,  &c. 

IT  See    Mosheim,   i.  340.  and  the  note  of  his  learned   and  judi- 
cious translator. 

evil 


14a  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt   II.   §4. 

evil  continued  to  increase  *,  until  it  produced  a  further 
change  from  bad  to  worse,  which  will  appear  under 
the  next  seal. 

But  this  alteration  from  wJiite  to  fire- coloured; 
from  primitive  purity  and  charity,  to  envious,  hate- 
ful, and  murderous  animosity;  was  the  first  great 
and  notorious  change  which  took  place  in  the  cha- 
racter of  the  C'hristian  church  ;  and  did  so  confessedly 
follow,  that  few  writers,  who  treat  of  its  gradual 
degeneracy  have  omitted  to  notice  it.  The  reader 
was  presented  with  a  sketch  of  the  character  of  Chris- 
tianity under  the  first  seal,  in  the  words  of  Dr.  Clarke. 
The  same  learned  and  accurate  writer  thus  continues 
his  narration  ;  and  it  is  surely  the  historij:  of  this  se-r 
cond  seal,   although  he  did  not  intend  it  as  such : 

■'  But  an  enemy  soon  sowed  tares  among  this 
*'  wheat,  and  contentious  men  very  early  began  to  build 
*'  hay  and  stubble  upon  the  foundation  of  Christ.  Not 
*■  content  with  the  simplicity  and  plainness  of  the 
'^  Gospel,  which  could  possibly  furnish  no  materials 
•*  for  strife  and  contention,  vain  men  soon  began  to 
''  mix  their  own  uncertain  opinions  with  the  doctrine 
*^  of  Christ ;  and  had  no  other  way  to  give  them 
*'  weight  and  authority,  but  by  endeavouring  to  force 
*^  them  upon  the  faith  of  others.  And  out  of  this 
**  bramble,  as  Jonathan  foretold  the  men  of  Shechem, 
*'  afre  proceeded  which  hath  devoured  the  cedars  of 
*'  Lebanon,  Or,  as  the  prophet  Ezekiel  expresses 
*Miimself  concerning  the  Vine  of  Israel:  Afre  is 
^^  gone  out  of  a  rod  of  her  branches,  which  hath  de- 
**  voured  her  fruit.  For,  from  a  desire  of  hQ:mg  majiy 
**  masters ;    from  a   desire    of  forcing  mutually  our 

*  The  account  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Mosheim's  History,  vol.  i. 
pages  373,  &c.  400.  415. 

**  own 


Ch.  vi.   3 — 4.]  APOCALYPSE.  Hi 

*^  own  opinions  on  others,    instead  of  exhorting  them 

*'  to  study  and  obey  the  Gospel  of  Christ;    have  arisen 

^*  strifes   and  contentions^    hatred    and  uncharitable* 

^^  ness,    schisms    and   divisions    without    end.      From 

**  whence,  says  Saint  James,    come  wars  and  fightings 

''among  you?   Come  they  not  hence,   even  of  your 

**  lusts  which  war  in  your  members?  From  a  zeal  for 

'*  the  rehgion  and  for  tlie  commandments  of  Clirist, 

*'  from  a  concern  for  the  promoting  of  truth,  righte- 

''  ousness,   and  charity,    it  is  evident,    in  the  nature  of 

*'  things,   and  in  the  experience  of  all  ages,    that  wars 

''  and  fightings,  hatred  and  animosities,    never  have, 

*'  nor  can  proceed.      Tliese  precious   fruits  have  al- 

'*  ways  sprung  from  tliat  root  of  bitterness,  a  zeal  for 

"  the  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men,   a  stri- 

''  >ving  for  temporal  poxver  and  dominion.    At  the  first 

'*  beginning  of  the  mijstery   of  iniquitij,   tlie  builders 

''of  hay   and  stubble  on    the    foundation  of  Christ, 

"  went   no   farther   than    to    censoiiousness    and    un- 

"  charitableness  towards  their  bretlnen.   Against  whom 

"  Saint  Paul  argues;  Why  dost  thou  judge  thy  brother, 

"  or  why  dost   thou  set  at  nought  thy  brother?   We 

*'  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat,  of  Christ. 

"  But  in  process  of  time,   as  water,    at  a  further  dis- 

"  tance  from   the   fountain,   divides  itself  continually 

"  into  more  streams,    and  becomes  less  pure  ;    so  when 

"  men   had    once  departed   from    the   simplicity   and 

"  purity  of  the  doctrine,    and  from  the  charitableness 

*'  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,    their  hatred  and  animosities 

"  against  each  other  increased  continually,  till  they 

"literally  fulfilled    that  remarkable  prophecy  of  our 

'*  Saviour,    in  which   is   contained  a  most  severe  re- 

*'  proof  of  those  corrupters  of  the  Gospel  of  truth  and 

"  charitv,  who  he  says  would  arise  in  following  ages. 


142  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  II.  §  5. 

*'  lam  come  to  sendjireofi  the  earth,  Lukexil.  49.  And, 
^^  Think  not  that  lam  come  to  send  peace  on  earth: 
**  /  came  not  to  send  peace,  hut  a  sword:  for  I  am 
"  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his  father, 
'^  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  a  ma}is 
*'foes  shall  be  they  of  his  ozvn  household:  Matt.  x. 
**  34.  Nay,  even  that  description  wiiicli  he  gives  of 
*'  the  persecution  which  the  Jews  should  bring  on 
'*  his  disciples,  the  time  comet h,  that  whosoever  kil- 
"  LETH  you,  will  think  that  he  doethGod  service  ;  even 
**  this,  in  time,  came  to  be  fulfilled  by  one  Christian^ 
*' (so  they  still  called  themselves,)  it  was  fulfilled,  I 
*'say,  by  one  Christian  upon  another^' ."^ 

*  Clarke's  Sermons,  vol.  iii,  312 — 315. 


PART    II. 


SECTION     V. 
The  opening  of  the  third  Seal,- 


!)  Kaif  ors  wo<^8  Tr,t 
rpiTvjv  a^pa.y7^oc, 
TiKua-x  t5  Tpira  ^ua 
XiyoKT©-'  "'Efy^H. 
[K<x<  eUof,]   -iCf   «Sb 

a&Toy  f^ui  l^vyov  Iv 

^?      X^'f      ocvTa, 

6   Kai    riKHa-x    (pwv^v 

«»  {A.i<Tu  ruv   rsa- 

ca»*    Xo7pt^    a-ira 


CHAP.  vi.  VER.  5 — 6. 


\5 


And  when  he  opened 
the  third  seal,  I  heard 
the  third  hving-crea- 
ture  saying,  "  Come  :" 
[and  I  beheld]  and  lo  ! 
a  black  horse  !  and  he 
that  sat  on  him  hav- 
ing a  yoke  in  his  hand  : 
6  And  I  heard  a  voice 
in  the  midst  of  the 
four  living-creatures, 
saying,  "  A  choenix  of 
"  wheat   for  a  dena- 


5  And  when  he  had 
opened  the  third  seal, 
I  heard  the  third  beast 
say,  Come,  and  see. 
And  1  beheld,  and  lo, 
a  black  horse  ;  and  he 
that  sat  on  him  had  ai 
pair  of  balances  in  his 

6  hand.  And  I  lieard 
a  voice  in  the  midst 
of  the  four  beasts  say, 
A  measure  of  wheat 
for  a  penny ;  and  three 


Cli.  vi.  5—6.] 

vxqla'  J^  TO  iKotiO^t 
Kxl    Toy    aJyov    ^i.'h 


APOCALYPSE. 

"  rius,  and  three  choe- 
"  nices  of  barley  for 
**  a  denarius  :  and  the 
"  ©il  and  the  wine 
*•  thou  may'st  not  in- 
"jure/' 


143 

measures  of  barley  for 
a  penny  :  and  see  thou 
hurt  not  the  oil  and 
the  wine. 


5.  Lo  !  a  black  horse  /]  Another  change  now  en- 
sues, still  for  the  worse ;  by  a  colour  the  very  opposite 
to  zvkite ;  a  colour  denoting  mourning  and  woe, 
darkness  and  ignorance*.  What  a  change  in  this  pure 
and  heavenly  religion  !  but  history  will  shew  that 
Christianity,  as  professed  and  practised  on  earth, 
underwent  this  change;  which  will  appear  from  the 
following  notes. 

lb.  He  that  sat  on  him  having  a  yoke  in  his  hand.] 
The  word  K^yog^  which  in  our  common  translation  is 
rendered  by  a  pair  of  balances,  I  have  translated  a 
yoke,    for  reasons  now  to  be  assigned. 

1.  Zuyo^,  and  not  Zsuyoc,  is  used  by  all  the  Greek 
\vriters,  whether  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament,  to 
signify  ySV  yoke,  either  in  its  proper  or  metapho- 
rical sense  ;  the  latter  word  expressing  not  the  yoke, 
but  the  j5^/r  of  oxen,  horses,  &c.  which  go  under  it ; 
(Lev.  V.  1 1.  Luke  11.  24.)  whence  it  comes  to  be  used 
by  the  scriptural  and  other  Greek  writers,  to  signify 
pairs  of  any  kind  whatever. 

2.  ZvyoQ,  when  used  by  the  scriptural  writers  to 
signify  a  balance,  is  seen  seldom,  or  perhaps  never, 
to  stand  alone,  as  in  this  passage  of  the  Revelation, 
but  is  joined  to  some  other  word  or  expression  in  the 
context,    which  points  out  this  its  borrowed  significa* 


♦  Is.  1.  3.  Jer.  iv.  20,  xiv.  2, 


tion  ; 


144  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §  5, 

tion ;  such  as  Zuyo?  gIu^ijjo^Vj  Zvyo^  h'/utog,  a^mog,  avofj^og^ 
'Pozv\  (^vys,  and  the  like ;  without  which,  K^yo?  M^ould 
necessarily  he  understood  to  mean  simply  ci  yoke  :  for 
it  is  only  in  a  horrowed  and  secondary  sense  that  ^vyog 
can  be  taken  to  signify  a  balance.  In  its  primary  signi- 
fication it  is  a  yoke;  that  is,  a  staff,  which  having  a 
link  or  small  chain  fixed  to  the  middle  of  it  *,  was 
thereby  suspended  on  the  beam  of  the  plough,  or  of 
the  pole  of  the  chariot,  or  wain,  (like  the  swing-tree 
used  in  modern  agriculture,)  and  from  this,  so  sus- 
pended, the  two  beasts  weie  to  draw,  the  two  ends  of 
the  staff  or  yoke  being  fixed  to  the  necks  or  horns  of 
the  beasts.  To  render  their  draft  equal,  it  was  necessary 
that  the  staff,  or  yoke,  should  be  divided  eqitally  at 
the  point  of  draft,  at  the  place  where  it  was  fastened 
by  the  link  to  the  beam  or  pole ;  it  was  necessary 
also  that  it  should  hang  loose,  and  play  freely  upon 
the  pole.  Such  being  the  construction  of  the  yoke, 
it  is  evident,  that  when  the  beasts  were  taken  from 
under,  it  would  remain  suspended  from  the  pole  so 
evenly,  and  so  freely,  by  the  middle,  as  to  exhibit 
the  figure,  and  answer  the  purpose  of  the  beam,  or 
yard  of  a  balance,  or  of  a  pair  of  scales.  And  it 
seems  probable  that  this  instrument,  first  used  to 
fasten  two  beasts  to  a  plough  or  carriage,  in  such  a 
manner  as  that  they  might  draw  equally,  afforded 
the  first  idea  of  determining  weights,  by  fixing  ropes 
and  scales  to  each  end  of  tlie  yoke.  Thus  it  seems 
that  the  word  K'^yo;,  yoke,  used  with  words  in  the 
context  denoting  the  act  of  weighings  (but  not  olher- 
wise,)  came  to  signify  a  balance -f. 

A  de- 

*  Msaax  XolQuv.      Horn.  II.  X.  212. 

+  The  manner  in  which  the  yoke  was  fastened  to  the  pole,   and 

th» 


Ch.  vi.  5 — 6.]  APOCALYPSE.  145 

A  description  of  the  ancient  plough,  with  its  pole 
or  beam  (temo),  and  its  yoke  (jugum),  maybe  seen  in 
Virg.  Georg.  i.  I69.  Temo  dictus  k  tenendo,  says  Var- 
ro*;  is  enim  continet  jugum.  Which  jugum  (from  Kvyog, 
yoke),  being,  as  above  described,'  a  staff  or  rod,  pas- 
sing over  the  necks  of  the  beasts,  was  early  and 
very  universally  used,  for  the  badge  and  symbol  of 
slavery.  *' Thou  shalt  serve  thy  brother,"  says  the 
Patriarch  to  his  eldest  son ;  **  and  it  shall  come  to  pass 
**  when  thou  shalt  have  the  dominion,  that  thou  shalt 
*'  break  his  yoke  (Kvyov)  from  off  thy  neck  f.  It  was 
under  this  kind  of  yoke,  or  under  a  staff,  beam,  or 
spear  representing  it,  that  the  nations  of  antiqiuty 
had  the  custom  to  pass  their  conquered  enemies,  in 
token  of  subjection. 

It  is  in  this  its  obvious  and  primary  sense  that  I 
understand  the  word  K^yog  in  this  passage.  I?i  this  sense 
it  is  used  throughout  the  Nexo  Testament ;  and  in  no 
other  sense  zvhatsoever  J.  It  is  used  metaphoricaUif  to 
signify  the  burthensome  ceremonies  of  the  Mosaic 
law,  from  which  the  Christian  *'  law  of  liberty"  has 
delivered  us§;  and  in  this  law  of  liberty  we  are  ex- 
horted to  *'  stand  fast,  and  to  resist  every  attempt 
•*  to  subject  us  to  ordinances  and  a  yoke  of  bo7uIage\\.''' 

the  horses  brought  under  it  in  ancient  carriages,  is  minutely  described 
by  llomer  : 

T«  (scil.  ^i(p^ii)  S'eI  oc^v^tos  pvixos  ■OTfXsv*  ocvlix^  I'n  axfu 

^litirns  uKWo^as.  II.  V.  729 — 733. 

*  Lib.  vi. 

t  Gen.  xxvii.  40.  See  also  Is.  ix.  4.  x.  27.  Nah.  i.  13.    Jer.  xxvii. 
2—15. 

I  Matt.  ii.  ^9,  30.     1  Tim.  vi.  i.     Acts  xv.  10.     Gal.  v.  1. 
§  Jam.  i.  25.  ii.  12.  ||  Gih  v.  i.  Col.  ii.  16.  1  Pet.  ii.  l5. 

U  With 


146  APOCALYPSE,  [Pt.  II.  §  5. 

With  these  attempts  '^  to  put  a  yoke  on  the  neck  of 
'*  the  disciples,"  the  history  of  the  church  abounds. 
Attempts  of  this  kind  are  to  be  traced  so  early  as  in 
the  second  century*;  but  these  were  only  '*the  be- 
*'  ginnings  of  evil."  As  the  stream  of  Christianity 
flowed  farther  from  its  fountain,  it  became  more  and 
more  corrupt,  and  as  the  centuries  advanced,  super- 
stition advanced  with  them  ;  and  unauthorized  morti- 
fications and  penances,  and  rigorous  fastings,  and  vows 
of  celibacy  f,  and  monkish  retirement  and  austerities, 
and  stylitism,  and  the  jargon  and  repetition  of  prayers 
not  understood,  and  tales  of  purgatory,  and  pious 
frauds,  and  the  worship  of  saints,  relics,  and  images, 
took  the  place  of  pure  and  simple  Christianity  :  till 
at  length,  the  book  of  God  being  laid  aside  for  le- 
gendary tales,  and  '*the  traditions  of  men,"  all  these 
corruptions  were  collected  into  a  regular  system  of 
superstition  and  oppression,  well-known  by  the  name 
of  the  papal  2/oke,  and  which  was  expressly  foretold 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  about  to  be  produced  in  the 
latter  times  J.     The   Eastern  Church,   for  some  time, 

*  Mosheim,  Eccl.  Hist.  ch.  iv. — In  a  fragment  of  Ignatius,  pre- 
served by  Grabe,  (Spicileg.  sect.  ii.  p.  24.)  that  apostolical  father  says, 
Ua^Qiviats  ^vyov  /xvihvt  tmliOsi'  "  Lay  Upon  none  the  yoke  of  virginity.*' 
And  Augustine,  in  the  5th  century,  complains,  that  the  Jiigum  Ju- 
daeorum  sub  lege,  t/ie  yoke  of  the  Jews  under  the  law,  was  more 
tolerable  than  the  ceremonies,  &c.  then  introduced.     Epist.  xix. 

t  See  Socrat.  Hist.  i.  11.  where  it  is  called  Me  yoke:  for  in  the 
first  Nicene  Council,  when  some  of  the  bishops  had  proposed  that 
the  married  clergy  should  separate  from  their  wives,  Paphnutius,  a 
prelate  of  great  authority  among  them,  successfully  opposed  the  mo- 
tion: £cox  fxxicpMf  f^v)  ^a^vy  '<^vyoy  BTTtQiivai  ro7s  tE^Mixivois  av^^aa-i*  vehemently 
calluig  upon  them,  not  to  lay  a  heavy  yoAe  on  the  clergy.  Thus  the 
disposition  to  impose  the  yoke  in  this  instance  strongly  appeared  and 
was  defeated  :   but  the  evil  day  was  only  deferred. 

I  1  Tim.  iv.  1. 

kept 


Ch.  vi.  5 — 6.]  APOCALYPSE.  147 

kept  pace  with  the  Western,  in  the  introduction  of 
burthensome  unauthorized  observances;  and  the  ]\fa- 
hometan  reHgion,  derived  from  the  corrupted  Jewish 
and  Christian,  has  imposed  a  similar  kind  of  i/oke  in 
those  parts  where  it  has  prevailed. 

Ver.  5.  A  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  living  crea- 
tures,'] This  voice  is  from  the  throne  ;  for  the  Cheru- 
bim, or  hving  creatures,  were  stationed  close  around  the 
throne^'.  The  progress  of  the  yoke,  through  the  ages 
of  dark  ignorance  and  superstition,  has  been  indeed 
alarming  ;  threatening  to  annihilate  the  pure  law  of 
Christian  liberty.  A  voice  therefore,  of  the  highest 
authority  and  most  dread  command,  is  uttered,  to 
restrain  its  pernicious  consequences.  The  effect  of 
this  will  be  seen  in  the  ensuing  note. 

lb.  A  chceni.v  of  wheat  for  a  denarius,  and  three 
chosnices  of  bar  lei/  for  a  denarius;  and  the  oil  and 
the  zvine  thou  mayest  not  injure,]  Wheat,  barley,  oil, 
and  wine,  were  with  the  Eastern  nations  of  antiquity  the 
main  supports  of  life.  Under  these  terms  therefore, 
in  scriptural  language,  we  find  plenty  to  be  generally 
expressed  f .  Now  it  is  proclaimed  from  the  throne, 
that  during  the  progress  of  the  black  horse,  how 
desolating  soever,  there  sliall  be  still  a  certain  price, 
at  which  wheat  and  barley  may  be  bought,  and  a 
certain  preservation  of  the  more  precious  commo- 
dities, wine  and  oil.  These  prices  will  be  found  to  be 
very  high,  which  infers  great  scarcity  of  the  com- 
modity. But  still,  there  is  not  to  be  an  utter  failure; 
they  are  to  be  purchased  at  some  price.     A  chosnix  of 

•  Ch.  iv.  6. 

t  Gen.  xxvii.  28.  Deut.  xi.  14.  xviii.  14.  2  Chron.  ii.  15.  Is. 
Jxii.  8.  Jer.  xxxi.  12.  xli.  8.  Ps.  iv.  ?.  Hos.  ii.  8.  22.  Joel  ii.  24, 
Hag.  i.  H. 

u  2  wheat 


14S  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.  §  5. 

wheat  (that  ancient  universal  measure)  is  to  be 
bought  for  a  denarius,  and  three  measures  of  barley 
for  the  same.  We  may  judge  concerning  the  degree 
of  plenty  or  want  attending  this  arrangement,  if  we 
obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  quantity  of  corn  contained 
in  the  choenix,  and  compare  it  with  the  value  of  the 
denarius,  which  was  a  coin  of  universal  circulation 
in  the  Roman  empire.  The  choenix  appears  to  have 
contained  just  so  much  wheat,  as  to  supply  a  slender 
allowance  for  the  daily  food  of  one  man.  This  we  col- 
lect from  ancient  authors,  who  represent  it  as  the 
allowance  of  a  slave  :  and  in  particular  from  Hero- 
dotus, M'ho,  in  calculating  the  corn  consumed  by 
the   army    of    Xerxes   in     their  daily   march,     says, 

which  shews  this  measure  to  have  been  but  a  short 
allowance  for  the  sustenance  of  one  man.  The  de- 
narius, (in  the  Scripture  translation  called  a  penny,) 
appears  to  have  been  the  daily  pay  of  a  labouring 
man  f.  But  the  labouring  man  has  many  other  things 
to  provide  for  himself  besides  bread.  Those  times 
therefore  must  be  accounted  very  dear  and  oppressive, 
wherein  the  whole  daily  pay  must  be  employed  to 
purchase  the  daily  food;  and  that  but  scantily.  In 
the  times  of  Cicero,  it  appears  that  a  elenarius  would 
purchase  sixteen  choenices  of  wheat,  and  in  Trajan's 
reign  twenty  :j:.  The  times  of  the  yoke,  or  black 
horse,  were  therefore  times  of  great  scarcity.  A 
coarser  bread  might,  it  seems,  be  then  had  in  greater 
proportion  for  a  denarius,  even  as  three  to  one  ;  a 
bread  of  barley,   which  appears  to  have  been  used  by 

*  *'  If  each  person  received  a  choenix  of  wheat  per  day,  and  no 
more.*'     (Herodot.  Polymn.  edit.  Stephani,  Geneva?,   16I8;  p.  446.) 
t    Matt.  XX.  2.  X  See  the  authorities  in  Daubuz,  in  loc. 

the 


Ch.  vi.  5 — 6.]  APOCALYPSE.  149 

the  poorer  Jews  *,  and  which  is  represented  to  be  still 
produced  in  the  East ;  viz.  "  a  black,  coarse  barley, 
'*  yielding  fifty-fold,  and  principally  consumed  by 
"  cattle  f."  Hence  we  may  collect,  that  the  provi- 
sion of  food  for  the  support  of  life  was,  under  this 
seal,  to  be  slender  in  quantity,  or  coarse  in  quality  ; 
and  that  the  stored  dainties,  the  wine  and  oil,  were 
to  be  in  danger  of  total  failure. 

But  by  these  provisions  for  food,    what  are  we  to 
understand  ?  wheat,   barley,    wine,    oil,  in  their  plain 
and  proper  meaning  ?   Surely  not.     The  tenour  of  pro- 
phetic language  forbids, — directing  our   attention,   as 
our  Lord  has  directed  it  J,  to  another  kind  of  scarcity, 
even  that  of  which  the  prophet  Amos  speaks,  *'  Not  a 
*' famine    of  bread,   nor   a   thirst    of   water,     but    of 
*'  hearing  the  words  of  the  Lord  §."      This  kind   of 
scarcity   is    frequently   lamented    by    the   prophetical 
writers,   who  delight  in  describing  the  spiritual  plenty 
of  Christ's  kingdom  by  such  sensible  images,    ^'  corn 
"and  wine,    and  oil||."     By   these  are  signified  that 
food  of  religious  knowledge,    by  which  the  souls    of 
men  are   sustained  unto  everlasting  life.     Such  we  are 
invited   by   the   Evangelical   Prophet   to   buy,    even, 
^'without  price ^."      Such   are  recommended   to   the 
purchase  of  the  Laodiceans  by  their  divine  Lord**. 
Such   were  dispensed   throughout   tlie   world,    at  the 
first  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  upon  terms  of  the 
easiest  acquisition; — ''freely  ye  have  received,"   said 

*  Judg.  vii.  13.  John  vi.  9'  Joseph.  Ant.  v.  c.  vi.  4;  Bell.  Jud.  v. 
c.  X.  2. 

+  Niehburgh's  Travels.  J  See  note,  ch.  ii.  7. 

§  Amos  viii.  11. — Qui  terrena  sapiunt,  famem  verbi  Dei  patiun- 
tur,     Origen.  in  Gen.  hoin.  l6. 

11  Ps.  Ixii.  iG.  Hos.  ii.  22.  Jer.  xxxi.  12.  Matt.  ix.  17, 

IT  Is.  Iv.  I.  *♦  Rev.  iii.  IS. 

Jesus 


150  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.  §  5. 

Jesus  to  his  disciples,  *' freely  give."  But  -when  dark 
clouds  of  ignorance,  denoted  by  the  colour  of  the 
black  horse,  began  to  spread  over  the  face  of  the 
Christian  world,  and  ambitious  and  corrupt  teachers 
could  advance  their  worldly  purposes,  by  "bringing 
*'  the  disciples  under  the  yoke"  of  superstitious  ob- 
servances, the  knowledge  and  practice  of  genuine  re- 
ligion became  scarce.  Astonishing  are  the  instances 
produced  by  historians,  of  the  extreme  ignorance  in 
the  professors  of  Christianity,  throughout  the  middle 


ages. 


Yet,   during  the  long  progress  of  these  dark  times, 
the  prophetical   command    from  the    throne  has  been 
wonderfully  fulfilled.     There  has  always  been  a  mode- 
rate   supply    of    spiritual   food.       The    grand    saving 
doctrine  of  Christianity,   an  eternal  life  of  happiness, 
given  to  sinful  man,   upon  his  faith  and   repentance, 
through  the  satisfaction  of  his   Redeemer,    has  been 
tauo'ht  in  all  these  ag-es.     And  that  invaluable  store- 
house  and  repository  of  divine  knowledge,   of  spiritual 
wine  and  oil,   the  Holy  Bible,   the  zcord  of  God,  has 
been  accessible  to  some  persons  in  all  times  since  this 
injunction  was  delivered.     Through  all  the  ignorant, 
fanatical,    factious,     and    corrupt   hands,    by    which 
this  sacred   treasure  has  been  delivered  down  to  us, 
it  has  passed,    in  the  main,    uninjured.     The  corrup- 
tions of  it,   even  for  the   base  purposes  of  party  zeal, 
and  worldly  domination,   have  been  miraculously  few. 
And  such  as   it  hath  come  down  to  our  times,   it  is 
likely  to   be   delivered  to  posterity,    by  the  useful  art 
of  printing.      Thus   hath   the   prophetical  injunction 
from   the   throne  been  wonderfully  fulfilled,    through 
a  dark  period  of  long  continuance,  and  of  great  diffi- 
culty and  danger : — The  oil  and  wine  have  not  been  in- 
jured. 

PART 


Ch.  vi.  7—8.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


151 


PART    ir. 

SECTION     VI. 
The  opening  of  the  fourth 

CHAP.  vi.  7 — 5. 


7   Ka*       oTf      rivoi^e 
rrtv   (T(p§xyi^»  rriv 

>^iyoiTos*      "E^^w. 
S    [Kat  eIoov]   Kj  <S'tf, 

0  xxOvixEv^s  Ittxvuj 
ocvT^y  ovofjix  avruj  o 
Gayal®-*  /t^  o  ao'/}s 
woXtOst  fjf.ft  ai/Tti* 
K)  IooQy}  txvry  l^y- 
crix  lui  TO  rsrxfhv 
TVS  yris,  a.'rroiiluvxi 

iy  viro  Tuv  ^VgWv 
rriS  yviS, 


7  And  when  he  opened 
the  fourth  seal,  I 
heard  the  fourth  li- 
ving-creature  saying, 

8  "  come;''  And  [I  be- 
held] and  lo!  a  pale 
livid  -  green  horse  ! 
and  he  that  s^te  upon 
him !  his  name  was 
Death  ;  and  Hell  fol- 
lowed with  him.  And 
power  was  given  unto 
him  over  ihe  fourth 
part  of  the  earth,  to 
slay  by  sword,  and  by 
famine,  and  by  pes- 
tilence, and  under  the 
beasts  of  the  earth. 


Seal 


And  when  he  had 
opened  the  fourth  seal, 
I  heard  the  voice  of 
the  fourth  beast  say, 
Come,  and  see.  And 
I  looked,  and  behold, 
a  pale  horse  ;  and  his 
name  that  sat  on  him 
was  Death,  and  hell 
followed  with  him: 
and  power  was  given 
unto  them,  over  the 
fourth  part  of  the 
earth  to  kill  with 
sword,  and  with 
hunger,  and  with 
death,  and  with  the 
beasts  of  the  earth. 


Ver.  8.  A  pale  livid- green  horse.]  XKu^og,  in  the 
common  translation  rendered  by  the  adjective  j5^/e,  is 
used  in  the  Greek  Scriptures  to  express  the  colour  of 
grassy -greeyi ;  which,  though  beautiful  in  the  clothing 
of  the  trees  and  fields,  is  very  unseemly,  disgusting, 
and  even  horrible,  when  it  appears  upon  flesh  ;  it  is 
there  the  livid  colour  of  corruption.  I  have  there- 
fore translated  it  with  this  additional  epithet.  By 
Homer,  the  epithet  %Aw^o?  is  applied  to  fear*,  as  ex- 

*  XA:vfoy  ho?,   Odvss.  U.  2-13. 

prcssive 


152  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §). 

pressive  of  that  green  paleness  which  overspreads  the 
human  countenance,  upon  the  seizure  of  that  pas- 
sion. And  the  epithet  pale  may  be  sufficient  to  ex- 
press this  colour,  as  affecting  the  face  of  man,  but 
seems  inadequate  to  convey  the  force  of  %Aw^o?,  when 
used  to  describe  the  hue  of  this  ghastly  horse. 

There  is  a  sublime  climax,  or  scale  of  terrific  images, 
exhibited  in  the  colours  of  the  horses  in  the  four 
first  seals,  denoting  the  progressive  character  of  the 
Chrisian  times.  It  begins  with  pure  white;  then 
changes  to  the  Jieri/  and  "vengeful;  then  to  blacky  or 
mournful :  and  when  we  imagine  that  nothing  more 
dreadful  in  colour  can  appear,  then  comes  another  gra- 
dation much  more  terrific,  even  this  *' deadly  pale*  " 
And  the  imagery  is  Scriptural,  as  well  as  sublime. 
Striking  resemblance  to  it  may  be  observed  in  the 
following  very  poetical  passage :  *'  Her  Nazarites 
^^  zvere  purer  than  snoxVy  they  xv ere  whiter  than  milk, 
''their  polishing  was  of  Sapphire. — Their  visage  is 
**  blacker  than  a  coal,  darker  than  blackness;  they 
''  are  not  known  in  the  streets  ;  their  skin  cleaveth  to 
*'  their  bones^  it  is  withered-^''  Such  a  gradation  was 
there  also,  from  heavenly-pure  to  foul  and  horrible, 
in  the  Christian  church. 

lb.  Death.^  This  grisly  king  of  terrors,  so  mount- 
ed, is  very  different  from  the  benign  conqueror, 
who  came  forth  on  the  opening  of  the  first  seal, 
seated  on  the  white  horse ;  yet  he  is  not  described  ; 
the  name  only  is  given,  and  the  picture  of  him  is 
left  to  be  suppHed  by  the  imagination  of  the  reader, 
where  (such  is  the  natural  horror  of  dissolution)  he 
stands  delineated  in  terrific  colours.  Death  is  fre- 
q  •  ntly  personified  in  Scripture,   as  an  invader,  a  con- 

♦  Shakespeare's  Hamlet.  f  Lament,  iv.  7,  8. 

queror, 


Ch.  vi.  7—8.]  APOCALYPSE.  153 

qiieror,  a  king  *      Such  he  now  appears  in  formidable 
power. 

lb.  HelL]  Death  in  his  victorious  career  is  fol- 
lowed by  Hell ;  for  a  description  of  which,  in  con- 
junction with  death,  see  note,  chap.  i.  18.  When 
death  and  hell  are  spoken  of  as  acting  together,  the 
utmost  destruction  and  desolation  are  implied  f. 
Consequently  this  is  a  period  of  great  slaughter  and 
devastation :  but  these  are  not  necessarily  confined  to 
the  lives  of  men,  but,  in  the  metaphorical  language  of 
Scripture,  may  destroy  also  whatever  can  prolong  and 
make  life  happy.  And  it  is  the  most  dire  work  of 
death  and  of  hell  to  destroy  in  the  heart  of  man 
those  seeds  of  religion,  which  are  there  planted  to 
grow  up  unto  eternal  life,  .  In  this  sense,  the  Church 
of  Sardis  is  said  to  be  deaclX^  Persons,  in  whom  the 
spiritual  life  in  Christ  is  extinct,  are  said  to  be  in 
the  shadoxv  of  death ;  and  they  who  promote  this  ex- 
tinction in  themselves  and  others,  are  called  '^chil- 
**  dren  of  Ae//§."  And  the  recovery  of  such  persons 
to  true  religion,  is  described  as  a  resurrection  from 
the  dead\\.  Conformably  to  these  images,  death  and 
hell,  under  this  seal,  are  described  as  making  ravage, 
not  only  on  the  natural  lives  of  men,  but  also  on  their 
spiritual  lives,  and  on  that  pure  and  vital  Religion, 
which  supports  them.  The  Christian  Religion,  which 
had  begun  its  progress  in  white  array,  and  under  the 
guidance  of  apostolical  teachers,  is  now  not  only  so 
changed  in  colour  and  appearance,    as  to  be  scarcely 

*  Jer.  ix.  21.  Rom.  v.  12,  14. 

t  See  Prov.  v.  5.  Cant.  viii.  6.  Is.  v.  13,  14.  Heb.  ii.  5. 

X  Ch.  iii.  1.  where  seethe  note. 

§  Matt.  iv.  l6.  Luke  i.  79*  Matt,  xxiii.  15. 

Ij  Ezek.  xxxvii.  &c. 

discernible 


154  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  ir.  §  6. 

discernible  as  the  same ;  but  is  under  the  guidance 
of  deadly  and  infernal  directors,  who  destroy  in  her 
all  that  remains  of  primitive  purit}^ 

Ver.  8.  Over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth.]  This 
is  the  only  passage  of  the  Prophecy,  in  which  Sifourtk 
part  of  the  earth,  or  a  fourth  part  of  any  other  thing, 
is  mentioned  :  the  third  part  frequently  occurs.  It 
may  perhaps  be  found,  that  the  countries  which  un- 
derwent the  rage  of  this  seal,  bore  this  proportion  to 
the  rest  of  the  inhabited,  or,  at  least,  Christian  world. 
The  dark  ignorance,  corruption,  and  destruction  of 
Christian  liberty,  under  the  third  seal,  extended  ge- 
nerally through  Christendom  :  but  the  slaughter  and 
devastation  (which  is  to  be  explained  under  the  ensu- 
ing note)  reached  only  to  certain  parts. 

lb.  To  slay  hy  szcord,  and  by  famine,  and  by 
pestilence,  and  tinder  the  beasts  of  the  earth.]  These 
Avill  be  found  the  same  with  the  four  ''  sore  judg- 
"  ments"  of  God,  denounced  against  a  sinful  land 
by  the  prophet  Ezekiel  *.  Let  the  reader  compare 
this  passage  of  the  Apocalypse  with  the  Greek  of 
the  Septuagint,  and  he  will  acknowledge  the  resem- 
blance. He  will  be  aware  also,  that  the  word  ^avalog, 
death,  should  be  translated  J5e5/z7e;2ce,  in  which  sense 
it  is  used  by  the  prophet;  as  it  is  also,  in  above  thirty 
other  places,  by  the  Septuagint  translators,  to  ex- 
press the  word  *]3T  pestis'\.  Pestilence,  being  in 
an  extraordinary  degree  deadly,  obtained  the  general 
name  of  death.  These  therefore  being  "  the  four  sore 
*^  judgments  of  God,"  (containing  generally  all  the  in- 
struments of  grievous  suffering,)  and  being^xpressed 
by  the  number  four,    which    implies   universality  or 

*  Chap.  xiv.  21.  f  SeeTrommii  Concord. 

completion, 


Ch.  vi.  7 — 8.]  APOCALYPSE.  155 

completion  J,  we  may  collect,  that  <2// kinds  of  devas- 
tation and  destruction  were  to  break  forth  and  ravage 
under  this  seal :  — 

Vestibulum  ante  ipsum  primisque  mfauQihus  Orciy 
Luctus  et  ultrices  posuere  cubilia  Curas  ; 
Pallentesque  habitant  Morhiy  tristisque  Senectus, 
Et  JNIetus,  et  maksuada  Fames,  et  furpis  Egestas, 
Terribiles  visu  forma? !  Letumque  Laborque  ; — 

morlifcnimque  adverse  in  limine  Bellujn, 

Ferreique  Eumenidum  thalami,  et  Discordia  demum 
Vipereum  crinem  vittis  innexa  cruentis.t 

^NEiD.  vi.  273. 

These  dire  evils,  thus  personified  by  the  poet's 
imagination,  arise  from  the  fabled  hell  of  heathen 
antiquity.  And  in  this  picture,  we  may  see  a  strong 
resemblance  to  those  evils  let  loose  upon  the  Chris- 
tian world,  under  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  seals 
of  this  Prophecy.  Under  the  second  and  third,  they 
begin  to  appear,  and  some  of  them  are  in  action: 
but  in  the  fourth,  their  united  force  is  exerted,  to 
ravage  all  before  them.  For,  to  speak  without  me- 
taphor, when  (under  the  second  seal)  uncharitable 
controversies  and  ambitious  dissentions  had  banished 
that  peace,  which  true  Religion  is  calculated  to  pro- 
mote ;  and  dark  ignorance,  and  superstition,  and  do- 
mineering priestcraft,  (under  the  third  seal,)  had  fixed 
a  burthensome  yoke  on  the  necks  of  the  disciples,  and 

*  See  note,  cb.  iv.  6. 

f  Just  in  the  gate,  and  in  the  jaws  of  Hell 
Revengeful  Cares  and  sullen  Sorrows  dwell ; 
And  pale  Diseases^  and  repining  Age, 
Want,  Fear,  and  Famines  unresisted  rage, 
Foniis  terrible  to  viexo  I  —  and  Death,  and  Strife, 
And  deadly  War,  that  foe  to  human  life : 
The  Furies'  iron  beds,  Discord  that  shakes 
Her  hissing  tresses,  and  unfolds  her  snakes. 

1  had 


156  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.   §  6. 

liad  rendered  the  pure  doctriues  of  the  Gospel  of 
difficult  attainment,  then  greater  evils  naturally  en- 
sued. Ignorance  easily  became  blind  submission,  and 
priestcraft  advanced  into  civil  tyranny. — So  under 
the  fourth  seal,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  was  com- 
pleted. It  was  then  that  the  harsh  and  usurped  do- 
minion which  we  call  the  papal  tyranny,  was  extend- 
ed over  the  lives  and  the  consciences  of  Christians. 
To  profess  Religion  in  its  purit}^  became  a  crime  in 
the  account  of  those  who  had  seized  the  government 
of  the  Christian  Church.  Bloody  tribunals  were 
erected,  and  deadly  laws  enacted,  against  deviations 
from  the  standard  of  doctrine  enjoined  by  the  corrupt 
rulers;  soldiers  were  levied  to  inforce  obedience  to 
their  tyrannical  laws  ;  and  entire  nations  of  reputed 
heretics  were  subdued,  or  extirpated  by  the  sword. 
Thus,  under  the  name  of  the  Christian  Church,  un- 
der the  auspices  and  guidance  of  her  professed  minis- 
ters, Death  and  Hell  were  seen  to  commit  devas- 
tation, to  destroy  the  lives  of  men,  and  almost  to 
eradicate  pure  Religion  from  the  world. 

The  chronological  period  of  these  respective  seals 
may  be  generally,  but  cannot  be  exactly,  ascertained  ; 
because,  as  was  observed  before,  the  change  was 
gradual :  and  in  such  cases,  though  we  can  see  clearly, 
as  in  the  colours  of  the  rainbow,  that  the  change  from 
one  to  the  other  has  taken  place  ;  yet  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  ascertain  at  what  point  of  contact  it  began. 
Thus,  generally  speaking,  we  may  affirm,  that  the  un- 
charitable and  veno-eful  character  of  the  second  seal 
is  to  be  seen  distinctly  in  the  fourth  century,  though 
it  had  its  dawnings  much  sooner  *.  The  third  seal, 
under   which   superstition   imposed    a  yoke  of  cere- 

*  See  note,  ch.  vi.  4. 

monies 


Ch.   Vi.  7 — 8.]  APOCALYPSE.  157 

monies  and  observances,   '•  such  as  pure  Religion  had 
'*  rejected,"  seems  to  have  had  its  commencement  in 
those   times   when   the    Church  associated  itself  with 
heathen  philosophy,    and  imbibed  with  it  heathen  su- 
perstition.    These  abuses  crept  in  by  degrees  ;   and  the 
colour  seems  not  entirely  to  have  changed  till  the  end 
of  the  fourth  and  beginning  of  the  fifth  centuries  *. 
The  corruption  and  ravages  of  the  fourth  seal  came 
on  likewise  by  gradation,    growing  as  it  were,  out  of 
the  two  preceding ;  and  did  not  arrive  at  their  utmost 
horror,  till  about  the  twelfth  century.     The  banish- 
ment of  Christians,    on  account  of  religious  opinions, 
began,  under  the  influence  of  the  second  seal,  with 
the  reign  of  Constantine,    and  increased  under   that 
of  Theodosius.     Under  Honorius,   in  the  fifth  century, 
edicts  were  obtained  from  the  civil  power,  for  perse- 
cution  unto  death  t ;  but  they   appear  not   to  have 
been  then   carried  into  execution.      Yet  the  bias   of 
the  church  had  begun  at  this  time  to  incline  strongly 
to  such  violent  measures.     Augustine,   in  his  epistle  to 
Vincentius  %,  says,  that  he  has  found  reason  to  change 
his  opinion  concerning  the  application  of  force  in  the 
conversion  of  heretics,  perceiving  it  now  to  be  useful. 
But  still  there  seems  to  have  been  no  capital  punish- 
ment for  that  which  the  church  should  deem  heresy, 
before  the  twelfth  century  ;    when  a  court  of  Inqui- 
sition was  erected   against  the  Albigenses  and  Wal- 
denses.     In  the  thirteenth  century  it  was  enacted,  by 
the  fourth   council  lateran,    that   heretics   should  be 
delivered  to  the  civil  power  to  be  burned.     At  which 

*  Mosheira,  Cent.  V.  pp.  376.  382.  390.  S^'i.  396. 
t  See  this  proved  by  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  on  Daniel  and  the  Apoca- 
lypse, p.  410.  415. 
I  Tom.  ii.  p.  174. 

time, 


158  AFOCALYPSfi.  [Pt.  II.  §  6. 

time,  during  a  lamentable  period  of  forty  years,  above 
a  million  of  men  are  said  to  bave  suffered  by  capital 
punishment  for  Avbat  was  deemed  heresy,  or  in  what 
was  called  Christian  warfare*. — 

Tantum  relligio  potuit  suadere  malorum ! 

Such  is  the  interpretation  of  the  four  first  seals, 
which  a  diligent  attention  to  the  figurative  language 
of  Scripture,  and  a  comparison  of  it  with  ecclesiasti- 
cal history,  has  occasioned  me  to  produce.  It  is  diffe- 
rent from  the  exposition,  at  this  time  generally  re- 
ceived ;  in  which,  the  reigns  of  certain  Roman  Em- 
perors, distinguished  by  conquest,  civil  war,  famine, 
and  slaughter,  are  exhibited,  as  fulfilling  these  predic- 
tions. But  the  grounds  upon  which  the  interpreters 
have  proceeded,  are  not  such  as  have  inclined  me, 
on  a  candid  review,  to  retract  my  interpretation, 
and  adopt  theirs. 

I  have  already  stated  f  my  reasons  for  believing, 
that  (agreeably  to  the  opinion  of  many  eminent  di- 
vines) all  Sacred  Prophecy  has  for  its  object,  the 
fates  and  fortunes  of  the  Church  of  God  and  of 
Christ ;  that  it  is  seldom  found  to  deviate  from  this 
object  ;  and  that  when  the  fates  of  nations  or  of 
individuals  are  foretold,  it  is  even  then  with  some  re- 
ference to  the  future  History  of  the  Church  and  of  its 
Messiah.  If  this  notion  be  just,  (as,  I  trust,  will  be  ge- 
nerally allowed,)  it  must  at  the  same  time  be  granted, 
that,  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Apocalyptic  Visions^ 

*  Mosheira,  Eccl.  Hist.  cent.  xiii.  Hist,  des  Papes,  iii.  1'6, 
-Fleury,  Eccl.  Hist.  xvi.  174.  240.  xviii.  485.  Jortin's  Remarks  on 
Ecci.  Hist.  V.  72.  138,  &c.  245.  254.  330.  ^52,.  363.  356.  ZJS.  3S(). 
493. 

\  See  the  Introduction,  pages  11,  12,  13,  14. 

no 


Cb.  Vi.  7 8.]  APOCALYPSE.  159 

no  part  should    be  diverted   from  this  its  main  and 
proper  object,  so  as  to  be  applied  to  the  fortunes  of 
civil  and  heathen  empires  or  rulers,    unless  the  sym- 
bols,  under  which  the  prediction  is  represented,   evi- 
dently demand  such  application,    by  a  comparison  of 
their  former  and  undoubtedly  fit   application  to  such 
purposes  by  preceding  Prophets.    I  allow,  for  instance, 
that  the  remainder  of  the  Roman  empire,    divided  into 
ten  kingdoms,  is  evidently  symbolized  and  delieneated 
in  chapters  xiii.    xvii.    &c.  of  the  Apocalypse.     The 
symbols   there  used,    compared  with  similar   passages 
of  the  prophet  Daniel,    point  out  and  demand  such  an 
application.     But,   when  no  such  cogent  reasons  occur 
from    a  Divine   interpretation   of    the  figurative  lan- 
guage, (as  in  that  of  Daniel  by  the  angel,  Dan.  vii.  16.) 
it  appears   to  me,   that  we    have  no   right  to   apply 
the   prophecies  to  civil   and  heathen  history.     In  the 
figurative  language  of  the  four  seals,   I  can  discover 
no  such   grounds   of  interpretation ;  nor  can   I  per- 
ceive that  any  such  have  been  produced.     We  have  no 
Divine  direction,   as  m  chap.  xvii.  18,    to  point  to  the 
great  city  Rome :  and  certainly  there  is  no  appearance 
in  the  horses  or  their  riders,   which    designates  them 
as  Roman.      Nor  do  I  remark  that  the   writers  who 
have    adopted   this   mode  of  applying   these   predic- 
tions, have  used  arguments  to  justify  such    interpre- 
tation.     A  passage  indeed  of  this  kind,    I  have  ob- 
served in  Joseph  Mede,  and  have  before  quoted;   in 
which  he  concludes,   that  because  the  prophet  Daniel 
had  both  presignified  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  also 
arranged  the  fortunes  of  the  Jewish  Church,  according 
to  the  succession  of  the  heathen  empires  ;  so  the  Apo- 
calyptic prophecies  must  be  supposed  to  measure  the 
Christian  history  by  the  intervention  of  the  Roman 

empire 


1^0  APGCALTPSE.  [Pt.  II.   §  6, 

empire  then  remaining  *.  This  will  be  granted  in  all 
cases,  when  the  symbols  employed  shall  appear  necessa- 
rily to  point  out  such  interpretation ;  but  not  otherxvise  f. 
The  application  of  the  prophecies  of  the  seals  to 
the  fortunes  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  to  the  charac- 
ter of  its  princes,  appears  to  me  forced  and  unjusti- 
fied. It  would  be  curious  to  observe  whence  it  took 
its  rise,  and  how  by  degrees  it  obtained  so  general  a 
reception  in  modern  times  ;  or  at  least  in  our  coun- 
try. There  is  reason  to  believe,  that  the  most  ancient 
commentators,  Papias,  Irenceus,  Methodius,  Hippo- 
lytus,  &c.  (mentioned  by  Andreas  Caesariensis  J,  as 
exhibiting  the  lights  which  he  followed  in  his  com- 
mentary,) entertained  no  such  idea.  For  Andreas 
has  interpreted  the  three  first  seals  to  exhibit  the  his- 
tory of  the  Christian  Church.  The  prophecy  of  the 
fourth  seal,  he  indeed  supposes,  with  the  modern 
commentators,  to  foretel  the  slaughter,  pestilence, 
&c.  which  raged  in  the  Roman  empire  wider  Maxi- 
min.  But  such  a  comment  on  the  fourth  seal,  could 
not  be  derived  from  these  ancient  expositors ;  because 
they  did  not  live  to  see  those  times,  and  explain  the 
prediction  by  the  event.  It  is  therefore  not  their  ex- 
position, but  probably  that  of  Andreas  himself,  who 
wrote  about  the  year  500.  And  certainly  it  must  be 
thought  inconsistent,  and  disorderly,  after  interpret- 
ing the  three  first  seals  as  relating  to  the  fortunes  of 
the  Christian  Churchy  to  understand  the  fourth  as  re- 
specting the  Roman  empire.  But  this  application  of 
the  fourth  seal  by  Andreas,    seems  to  have  afforded 

♦  See  Mede's  Works,  p.  441. 

t  This  subject  is  treated  more  at  large  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
prophecy  of  the  four  first  Trumpets,  ch.  viii. 
J  Praef.  in  Apocalypsin. 

the 


Ch.  vi.  7 — 8.]  APOCALYPSE.  151 

the  iirst  hint  of  tills  mode  of  application,  Mhich  mo- 
dem expositors  have  gradually  followed.  Viega,  a 
Jesuit,  who  wrote  in  the  sixteenth  centur}^  seems  to 
have  been  one  of  the  first  who  applied  all  the  four 
seals  to  the  Roman  history.  Mede,  who  by  his 
just  reputation  as  an  ingenious  interpreter,  has 
given  the  greatest  encouragement  to  this  mode  of 
application,  though  he  interpreted  the  second,  third, 
and  fourth  seals,  as  relating  to  the  Roman  empire, 
yet  understood  the  first  to  treat  clearly  and  ex- 
clusively of  the  Christian  Church.  Indeed  the  first 
seal  cannot,  consistently  with  the  symbols  compared 
in  Scri])ture,  be  otherwise  applied.  Aud  if  the  first  seal 
has  so  evident  a  designation,  why,  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  rest,  are  we  to  change  our  object,  without 
special  and  compulsive  reason?  The  writers  who  have 
followed  Mede,  have  been  aware  that  consistency 
required  of  them,  to  apply  all  these  predictions  to  the 
same  kind  of  history  :  but,  to  obtain  this  consistency, 
what  method  have  they  pursued  ?  They  have  not  re- 
linquished Mede's  interpretation  of  the  second,  third, 
iind  fourth  seals,  thereby  to  bring  them  in  unison 
with  that  of  the  first:  but,  labouring  to  make  the 
symbols  of  the  first  seal  agree  with  his  interpretations 
of  the  three  following,  they  have  most  unscripturally 
and  unfitly  represented  the  rider  of  the  white  horse, 
(whose  purity  can  belong  only  to  the  most  perfect 
Christian,)  to  signify  those  bloody  and  heathen  sol- 
diers, Vespasian  and  Titus  *  !  If  Vespasian  can  be 
thought  worthy  of  this  almost  divine  honour,  it  is 
but  another  step  to  suppose  him  gifted  with  divine 
miracles,    as  related  by  Tacitus,  Suetonius,    and  Dion 

*  Jurieu    seems   to   have  been  the   author   of    this  intepretation 
adopted  by  Bishop  Newton, 

X  Cassius, 


152  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  II.   §  6. 

Cassius,  and  as  vaunted  by  David  Hume*  But,  if 
the  conquests  of  these  Roman  Emperors  had  been 
foretold  in  this  vision,  surely  they  would  have  been 
sufficiently  expressed  by  the  single  word,  ^'  conquer- 
"  ingy''  without  that  additional  commission,  **  a7id  for 
^^  to  conquer;^*  which  must  imply  a  distant  period, 
far  beyond  the  twenty-eight  years  of  their  empire. 
On  the  whole,  I  can  perceive  scarcely  any  colour  of 
argument,  arising  from  the  words  and  symbols  of 
the  seals,  to  justify  the  interpretation  of  any  part  as 
concerning  the  fates  and  fortunes  of  the  Roman  Empira, 
or  of  any  political  establishment  whatever.  It  must 
therefore  belong  to  the  fates  and  fortunes  of  God's 
Church ;  which  appear  to  me,  in  this  place,  to  be 
represented  under  four  distinct  successive  characters  ; 
such  as  history  has  recorded  them.  Each  horse  is  se- 
parate and  distinct  ;  he  is  ''  another  horse,"  though 
still  representing  the  Church :  for,  the  Church  was 
so  changed  under  the  progress  of  these  diiFerent  cha- 
racters, as  no  longer  to  appear  the  same. 

The  white  horse,  representing  the  Church  in  its 
purity  (and  the  true  Church  is  always  pure),  is  in' 
progress  through  the  whole  of  the  vision.  He  goes  out 
conquering ;  is  then  eclipsed,  as  it  were,  for  a  time,  by 
the  other  horses, — by  the  corruptions  of  Christianity; 
but  at  length  appears  again,  in  chap.  xix.  ''  conquering, 
*'  and  for  to  conquer."  Together  with  this  distinctness 
of  character,  there  is  also  an  unity  to  be  observed* 
They  are  all  horses  ;  and  all  pass,  by  a  regular  gradation, 
from  one  colour  to  another;  from  the  mild  and  peaceful 
rule  displayed  in  the  character  of  the  first  horse,  to  the 
dreadful  tyranny  of  Death  and  Hell  which  characterizes 
the  last.     This  unity  and  completion  of  parts  is  also 

*  Essay Sy  4 to.  350; 

insinuated 


Ch.  vi.  7 — 8.J  APOCALYPSE.  1^3 

insinuated  by  their  being  contained  under  the  cardinal 
i\mr)herJ'ou7%  answering  to  the  four  sides  of  the  Throne, 
and  to  the  four  Cherubim  there  stationed,  who  speak 
on  the  opening  of  each  seal,  until  the  voices  have  gone 
through  the  complete  square  of  the  Throne.  This  unity 
also  accords  Avith  that  of  the  four  first  trumpets,  and  of 
the  four  first  vials,  as  will  be  seen  in  their  places*. 

These  four  seals  present  us  with  a  general  view  of 
the  progress  of  Christianity,  from  its  first  establish- 
ment in  purity,  to  its  utmost  corruption  and  degene- 
racy under  the  papal  usurpation.  They  contain  the 
Jirst  outlines  of  a  history,  which  we  shall  see  afterwards 
extended  and  filled  up  by  the  same  prophetic  Spirit. 
And  this  method  is  analogous  to  that  of  other  sacred 
prophecies;  of  those  of  Daniel  in  particular,  in  which,  as 
Sir  Isaac  Newton observ^es,  the  same  subject  is  retraced; 
the  subsequent  prophecies  adding  continually  something 
new  to  the  former  f. 

*  See  the  note,  ch.  xvi.  17 :  and  obsers^e  also,  that  as  the  ancients 
accounted  the  number  seven  of  all  others  the  most  perfect  (see  note, 
ch.  i.  4.)  ;  so,  among  other  reasons  for  its  perfection,  they  assigned 
this,  that  it  is  compounded  of  the  numbersybwr  and  three;  the  first  of 
these,  the  most  perfect  of  the  even  numbers ;  the  second,  of  the  uneven. 
(Cyprian,  de  Spirit.  Sanct. ;  August,  de  Civ.  Dei,  c.  30.;  Macrobiusin 
Somn.  Scipionis.)  Certainly,  in  this  book  of  Revelation,  the  number 
seven  evidently  divides  into  these  component  parts, — in  the  seals,  in 
the  trumpets,  and  in  the  vials. 

t  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  on  Prophecy,  part  i.  ch.  3. 


X  2  PART 


164 


AT^OCALYPSE. 


[Ft.  II.  §  r. 


PART    IL 


SECTION    vir. 
The  opening  of  theffth  Seal. 


9  Ka/  on  r}voi^t    rr,v 

E/oov    vTcoicuru    t« 

yjxs  ruv  la^ocy- 
IJ.ivojv  oioc  Toy  Aoyov 
Ttf  0f»,  y^  ^ioc.  rriv 

1 0  Kcti  cK^oc^av  (puvf. 
fj.iyxXvif    Xiyovtis' 

"Ecus     'SJOTSj    0     OS(X- 

Tioryis  0  oiyt^  J^ 
ak-nOivoSj  «  y.piveis 
jc  Ik^ikbTs  to  a/fca 
')»/i/,a/v  a-TTo  ruiv  v-oc- 
ro/)c8v]wv    £7r;    t>7J 

fltyTor?  ro?^»)    Xei/xy,, 

dvx'nava-uvloe.i  In 
ypovcv,  E6/f  'StXio^u- 
6ucrt  >c  01  yui^^aXo/ 
•yTwv  j^  o<  x^sX^Qi 
eivTuVf  01  fAiXkovrts 
dTroxJemaOxt  us  '^ 
avrou 


CHAP.  vi.  VER.  9 — 11, 

9  And  when  he  opened 
the  fifth  seal,  I  saw, 
under  the  altar,  the 
souls  of  those  that 
were  sacrificed  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  for 
the    testimony    which 

10  they  held.  And  they 
cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  "  How  long, 
**  Sovereign  Lord,  the 
"  Holy  One  and  True, 
"  dost  thou  not  judge, 
"  and  avenge  our  blood 
*'  upon  those  that  dwell 

11''  on  the  earth?"  And 
there  was  given  unto 
theni  white  raiment ; 
and  it  was  said  unto 
them,  that  they  should 
rest  yet  a  time,  until 
their  fellow-servants 
also,  and  their  brethren 
should  be  completed, 
who  were  about  to  be 
slain,  even  as  they  had 
been. 


9  And  when  he  had 
opened  the  fifth  seal, 
I  saw  under  the  altar 
the  souls  of  them  that 
were  slain  for  the  word 
of  God,  and  for  the 
testimony  which  they 

10  held.  And  they  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  say- 
ing, How  long,  O 
Lord,  Holy  and  True, 
dost  thou  not  judge 
and  avenge  our  blood 
on  them  that  dwell  on 

1 1  the  earth  ?  And  white 
robes  were  given  unto 
every  one  of  them,  and 
it  was  said  unto  them, 
that  they  should  rest 
yet  for  a  little  season, 
until  their  fellow-ser- 
vants also,  and  their 
brethren,  that  should 
be  killed  as  they  werCj 
should  be  fulfilled. 


Ver.  9.  Under  the  altar. ^  We  are  not  informed 
whether  the  altar  here  mentioned,  is  the  golden  one  of 
incense  which  makes  part  of  the  scenery  in  ch.  viii. 

and 


Cb.  vi.  9— 11.]  APOCALYPSK.  165 

and  has  its  proper  place  before  the  throne  ^ ,  or,  the 
brazen  altar  of  burnt  sacrifice  f.  The  former  belongs 
more  appropriately  to  the  scenery ;  but  the  latter  seems 
more  fitting  to  the  action  represented,  in  which  the 
martyrs  are  sacrificed.  For,  at  the  golden  altar  v>^ere 
offered  only- incense  and  prayer;  before  the  brazen  one, 
the  victims  were  slain.  This  uncertainty  occasions 
some  difficulty,  which  may  perhaps  be  removed,  by 
supposing  the  action  of  this  seal,  as  of  the  four  pre- 
ceding, to  be  represented  graphically  in  picture.  Then, 
though  the  golden  altar  may  be  still  supposed  to  stand 
in  its  place,  in  the  scenery  before  the  Throne,  yet  the 
brazen  altar  may  also  appear  delineated  upon  the  roll 
of  the  book  when  opened  by  the  Lamb.  For  on 
the  unfolding  of  the  fifth  roll,  this  additional  altar  ap- 
pears, and  the  martyrs  are  seen  under  it,  and  voices 
are  heard  to  accompany  their  expressive  gestures,  as 
they  hold  up  their  hands  in  prayer. 

lb.  The  Souls.']  'II  '4^u%vj,  the  soul,  is  that  vital 
part  or  principle  of  life  in  man,  which,  by  the  favour 
of  God  through  Christ,  they  who  kill  the  body  cannot 
destroy:):.  The  martyrs  (for  such  they  are),  although 
slain  by  persecutors  *'  for  the  word  of  God,  and  the 
''  testimony  which  they  held,"  are  ''  alive  unto  God," 
their  ^'  souls  are  not  left  in  hell  §  ;"  they  are  deposited 
in  *'  their  proper  place  || :"  they  had  suffered  as  victims 

*  That  is,  before  the  Ark  and  Mercy^seat,  which  was  the  local  seat 
of  the  Divine  presence  in  the  Temple.  See  Exod.  xxx.  xxviir.  xxxi. 
xl.  5  J  2  Chron.  iv.  19;  Luke  i.  11  ;  Heb.  ix.  4.  7. 

f  The  word  ^vaixs-yi^tov  may  be  used  to  signify  either  of  these  altars ; 
see  Luke  i.  11.  Matt.  v.  23.  Rev.  xi.  1.  The  expression  W;atr»f<ov 
^vi^ixiAMTos  is  applied  in  the  Septuagint  to  both  of  them. 

X  Matt.  X.  28.  §  1  Pet.  iv.  19- 

11  To»  TOTToy  Toy  ihor  (Acts  1.  25.) :  OH  which  teict  see  3p.  Bull's  Sermon. 

at 


l66  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   H.  §  7- 

at  the  altar  *  :"  and  from  under  the  altar  we  hear  their 
complaint. 

lb.  Thei/  cried.]  In  the  figurative  language  of 
Scripture,  the  blood  of  the  murdered  is  said  to  cry  from 
the  ground  to  the  Lord  for  vengeance  t. 

Ver.  10.  Sovereign  Lord.]  In  the  Greek,  ^£(T7i:or\^?f 
which  is  applied  to  God,  as  the  sovereign  Arbiter  and 
Disposer  of  all  things:!:. 

lb.  Hozv  long  ?]  Such,  with  pious  sufferers,  has  ever 
been  the  subject  of  en  qui  r}?^  and  complaint:  *^  Hozv  long 
**  shall  the  ungodly  triumph  §?  For  wise  reasons,  in 
part  discoverable  now,  but  which  will  be  completely 
apparent  hereafter,  the  Almighty,  in  forbearance,  sus- 
pends his  certain  vengeance  on  the  triumphant  wicked  ||. 
But  in  chapter  xv.  of  this  prophecy,  we  shall  see  a  com- 
plete answer  to  this  complaint, — we  shall  see  the  mar- 
tyrs triumphant,  and  the  *^just  judgments  of  God'* 
manifested. 

Ver.  II.  And  there  xpas  given  unto  them  xvhite 
raiment.]  White  raiment  is  emblematic  of  innocence, 
purity,  and  justification  through  Christ^.  '*  Precious 
'^  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  blood  of  his  saints**." 
To  those  who  suffer  in  the  cause  of  their  Redeemer,  are 
promised  great  rewards  in  heaven  ff  :  and  what  can  be 
more  glorious,  than  to  be  presented  pure,  and  blameless, 
and  justified,  in  the  sight  of  God  1  To  this  blessing, 
they  who  suffer  for  the  word  are  entitled  J+, 

*  Rom.  viii.  36.  2  Tipn.  iv.  6.  Phil.  ii.  17. 

t  Gen.  iv.  10  :  and  see  Grotius  on  Heb.  xi.  4- 

I  Luke  ii.  29  ;  Acts  iv.  24  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  1. 

^  Psalm  xciv.  3. 

{I  See  JAike  xviii.  /,  8  ;  which  has  resemblance  to  this  passage, 

IF  See  note,  ch.  iii.  4.  **  Psalm  Ixxii.  J4. 

■tt  Matt.  V.  12.  Jf  Dan,  xii.  10, 

lb. 


Ch.  vi.  9 — 1 L]         APOCALYPSE.  167 

lb.  Tkei/  should  rest  yet  a  time,  until  their  fellow- 
sergeants  also  and  their  brethren  should  he  completed^ 
who  were  about  to  he  slain,  even  as  they  had  be€n,'\ 
A  general  day  of  recompense,  and  of  vengeance  on 
wicked  persecutors,  is  universally  promised  in  the  Word 
of  God.  Until  that  time  come,  although  persecutors 
may  be  seen  to  suffer  some  exemplary  punishments  *, 
yet  the  adequate  and  complete  vengeance  of  a  Just  God 
is  delayed.  Under  this  seal,  the  promise  of  a  Divine 
retribution  is  renewed,  and  the  lists  are  still  kept  open 
for  additional  martyrs  who  shall  conquer  in  the  cause 
of  their  Redeemer.  At  the  time  when  this  prophecy 
was  delivered,  there  had  been  but  few  martyrs  to  the 
Christian  cause.  We  are  here  taught  to  expect  (that 
which  subsequent  history  has  produced)  a  numerous 
succession  of  suffering  witnesses,  through  a  long  period 
of  time.  We  were  prepared,  by  the  imagery  of  the 
second  and  third,  and  more  especially  of  the  fourth 
seal,  to  expect  some  account  of  those  that  should  be 
slain  in  such  times  ''  for  the  testimony  of  the  word.** 
In  this  seal  it  comes  forward,  but  in  general  description 
only,  (as  in  the  preceding  seals,)  to  be  resumed  in  the 
sequel  of  the  prophecy  f.  The  period  of  time,  occupied 
by  the  martyrs  under  this  seal,  is  therefore  from  the 
death  of  our  Lord,  who  is  properly  the  first  Christian 
Martyr  I,  to  the  great  day  of  recompense,  when  the 
*' noble  Army  of  Marty  rs"will  be  completed  and  avenged. 
But  the  point  of  time  in  which  their  history  is  espe- 
cially delineated,  under  this  seal,  seems  to  be  towards 
the  close  of  the  fourth  seal,  when  they  had  suffered 

*  See  some  striking  instances  adduced  in  Jortin's  EccL  Hist.  iiU 
246—322. 

t  See  ch.  xi.  7— I-l.  xiii.  7.  xv.  2—5.  xviii.  20.  ix.  4. 
X  Ch.  i.  5. 

such 


168  APOCALYPSE.  [Pi.  II.   §  8. 

such  enormities  of  persecution,  that  the  question  ^'  how 
^'  long;''  seems  more  emphatically  called  forth,  and  thus 
the  events  of  the  fifth  seal,  as  here  interpreted,  will  be 
found  to  stand  in  their  proper  place. 


PART     II. 


SECTION    VIII. 


The  opening  of  the  sixth  Seal. 


CHAP.  vi.  VEU.  12 — 'to  the  end. 


12  K«J  alojv,  ort  ^mi- 

fjios  (/.tyocs  sycVEio, 
h1  0  yjXi©'  lyivsia 
IJLiJ'XSy   US  <TaY.yM^ 

X>)y>)  oKri  eysvETO  us 

13  r^-V^t*  Ka<  ot  »$-£- 
pes  tS  a^avS  'iTTscrccv 
fis  Tm  ym,  us  aiKri 
^aWst  TiSS  Ikvv^Hs 
avrrtSy  l%o  {xtyuhu 

Ida-vsw-tt  (TSiOfxiv^'  K.ai 
0  i^xvos  v.irz'/u- 
fta-On  us  ^»c A^v  £/- 
A/<T'7o/y.£voy,  7^  zjoiv 
o^os  Kj  VY.cros  Ik  ruv 
ri'nxy  ocvruv  ex;v»)- 

?MS  ryi<  yris^  k^oi  ij.s- 


12  And  I  beheld  when  he 
opened  the  sixth  seal; 
and  there  was  a  great 
earthcjuake ;  and  the 
sun  became  black,  as 
sack-cloth  of  hair;  and 
all  the  moon  became 

13  as  blood :  And  the  stars 
of  heaven  fell  to  the 
earth,  as  a  fig-tree  cast- 
eth  her  untimely  figs, 
when     shaken     by    a 

14  mighty  wind  :  And  the 
heaven  was  removed 
as  a  volume  rolled  up ; 
and  every  mountain 
and  island  were  moved 
out   of    their   places : 

15  And  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  the  great 
men,  and  the  chief  cap- 
tains, and  the  rich  men, 
and  the  mighty  men, 
and  every  bondman, 
and  [every]  freeman, 


12  And  I  beheld  when  he 
had  opened  the  sixth 
seal ;  and  lo,  there  was 
a  great  earthquake,  and 
the  sun  became  black 
as  sack-cloth  of  hair, 
and  the  moon  became 

13  as  blood  ;  And  the 
stars  of  heaven  fell  un- 
to the  earth,  even  as  a 
fig-tree  casteth  her  un- 
timely figs,  when  she 
is  shaken  of  a  mighty 

14  wind :  And  the  heaven 
departed  as  a  scroll, 
wlien  it  is  rolled  to- 
gether ;  and  every 
mountain  and  island 
were    moved    out    of 

1 5  their  places :  And  the 
kmgs  of  the  earth,  and 
the  great  men,  and  the 
rich  men,  and  the  chief 
captains,  and  the 
mighty  men,  and  every 


Ch.   vi.    12 — 17.]  APOCALYPSE. 


169 


"kocioc  yL  eh  rus  wi- 

<ri  it,  rxTs  rsir^'Ms' 

aTio    'crpoo-'Jj'rra    t« 
y.xO'/iixivu    Imi     tS 

Cl       /  N         5  V 

17  '  Or;  ^jKOey  ri  i7^s^a 

avry'   K^    ri'i  ovviX- 
rxi  s'ocQvivxi  : 


hid  themselves  in  the 
caves,  and  in  the  rocks 

l6  of  the  mountains :  And 
they  say  to  the  moun- 
tains and  to  the  rocks, 
"  Fall  on  us,  and  hide 
"  us  from  the  face  of 
"  Him  who  sitteth  on 
**  the  throne,  and  from 
*'  the     wrath    of    the 

17"  Lamb:  Foi- the  great 
"  day  of  his  wrath  is 
"  come  :  and  who  is 
"  able  to  stand  ?" 


bond-man,  and  every 
free- man,  hid  them- 
selves in  the  den?,  and 
in   the   rocks    of    the 

iC  mountains  ;  And  said 
to  the  mountains  and 
rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and 
hide  us  from  the  face 
ol  Him  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne,  and  from 
the  wrath  of  the  Lamb : 

17  For  the  great  day  of 
his  wrath  is  come  ;  and 
who  shall  be  able  to 
stand  ? 


Ver.  12.  SLrth  seal.]  In  the  complaint  of  the 
martyrs  under  the  fifth  seal,  it  was  asked,  "  how  long'^ 
the  day  of  vengeance  and  of  recompence  should  be 
delayed?  The  answer  to  which  was  expressed  in  general 
terms,  ''  When  the  number  of  martyrs  should  be  com- 
'^  pleted."  The  sixth  seal  represents  the  arrival  of  this 
awful  day  :  "  The  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come;  and 
'"  who  may  be  able  to  stand  !"'  Now,  if  this  great  day 
be  (as  I  trust  will  be  made  apparent  in  these  notes)  the 
great  day  of  universal  recompence,  and  which  cannot 
take  place  till  all  martyrdom  is  over,  the  prophecy  be- 
fore us  evidently  describes  a  time  which  is  still  future. 
Such  a  prophecy  cannot  be  now  illustrated,  as  all  pro- 
phecy should  be,  by  the  event,  as  delivered  in  history. 
In  a  prophecy  of  this  description,  all  that  the  com- 
mentator can  prudently  attempt  is,  to  cast  upon  it 
what  assistant  light  he  can,  by  couiparing  it  with  the 
other  prophecies  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which 
bear  relation  to  it,     This  shall  be  our  present  object, 

after 


170  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  II.    §  8. 

after  having  first  ascertained  the  meaning  of  the  figu- 
rative terms  employed  in  the  narration. 

lb.  A  great  earthquake.]  When  the  earth  is 
shaken  violently  by  subterraneous  commotion,  the 
buildings  erected  upon  it  fall.  Agreeably  to  this,  iu 
prophetical  language,  whatever  commotion,  by  Divine 
appointment,  shakes  and  overturns  political  fabrics  and 
empires,  is  called  earthquake  *. 

lb.  The  sun  became  black  as  sack-cloth  of  hair^  and 
all  the  moon  became  as  blood.']  In  such  figurative  lan- 
ffuao-e,  great  calamities,  which  bereave  men  of  the 
usual  sources  of  their  comforts,  are  frequently  expressed. 
The  sun,  under  such  deprivation,  seems  no  longer  to 
shine,  but  is  enveloped  in  raiment  of  mourning;  for, 
such,  with  the  eastern  nations  of  antiquity,  was  sack- 
cloth of  hair  f.  The  moon  glares  horribly,  like  blood ; 
the  stars  fall  \, 

Ver.  13.  Figs.]  See  Isaiah  xxxiv.  4.  Nahumiii.  12. 

Ver.  14.  As  a  "oolume  rolled  up.]  A  sheet  of  parch- 
ment, upon  which  the  ancient  books  were  written  §, 
beino-  in  its  nature  elastic,  is  seen  to  roll  up  in  an  in- 
stant, when  he  that  extends  it  quits  his  hold.  Then 
the  characters,  written  or  painted  upon  it,  vanish  from 
the  sight,  with  a  rapidity,  which  aptly  expresses  this 
sudden  disappearance  of  the  splendid  luminaries  in 
heaven,  at  the  command  of  their  Maker.  The  same 
image  is  used  by  Isaiah,  ch.  xxxiv.  4. 

*  Psalm  ix.  2.  xcvii.  1 — 7.  xcix.  1.  Isaiah  ii.  ip.  xiii.  13.  xxiv. 
18—21.  Jer.  iv.  24-.  x.  10.  xlix.  21.  Joel  ii.  10.  iii.  l6.  Mic.  vi.  2, 
Hagg.  ii.  6,  7,  21,  22.     Amos  viii.  8.     Hab.  xii.  26. 

t  1  Kings  xxi.  7.  Zech.  xii.  4.  Eccl'us  xxv.  17.  Matt.  xi.  21. 
Luke  X.  13. 

I  Isaiah  xiii.  10.  xxiv.  4,  23.  Ezek.  xxxii.  7,  8.  Amos  viii.  8,  9. 
Joel  ii.  10.  iii.  15.  JVIatt.  xxiv.  29.  Mark  xiii.  24,  25.  Luke  xxi.  25. 
Acts  ii.  20.  §  See  note,  ch.  v.  1. 

lb. 


Ch.  VI.    12—17.]  APOCALYPSE.  171 

lb.  Mountain — Island,']  These  are  places  of  the 
greatest  security  in  times  of  hostile  invasion ;  the 
mountain  is  difficult  of  access,  by  reason  of  its  height 
and  steepness ;  the  island,  from  its  surrounding  waters. 
Therefore,  under  these  images,  the  securest  places  are 
represented  as  no  longer  affording  safety  during  this 
dreadful  visitation.  *. 

Ver.  15.  Kings  of  the  earth,  &c.]  As  in  the  de- 
scription of  the  verse  preceding,  no  place  can  afford 
security,  so,  in  this,  no  pre-eminence  in  rank,  power,  or 
riches,  can  yield  protection  from  the  impending  devas- 
tation:  nor  is  there  escape  from  it  in  any  station  of 
\itt:  **  Every  bond-man  and  every  free-man"  flee  before 
it;  but  in  vain! 

Ver.  16.  Say  to  the  mountains  and  to  the  rocks,  Fall 
on  us,  and  hide  us.]  Compare  Judges  vi.  2 ;  1  Sam. 
xiii.  6;  Isaiah  ii.  10,  19;  Hos.  x.  8;  Luke  xxiii.  30; 
and  add  to  them  the  accounts  which  we  derive  from 
modern  travellers,  of  the  caves  and  hiding-places  yet 
to  be  seen  in  Judaea,  Arabia,  &:c.  :  and  this  language 
will  be  found  to  describe  a  flight  of  the  utmost  terror  and 
dismay,  before  a  victorious  enemy,  who,  havingdestroyed 
all  the  fortresses  and  cities,  pursues  the  hopeless  fugi- 
tives into  their  last  places  of  refuge.  But  who  is  this 
dreadful  and  avenging  Conqueror,  before  whom  at  this 
time  they  flee?  (ver.  16.)  *'  He  who  sitteth  on  the' 
*' Throne;  and  the  Lamb,"  the  Redeemer,  his  Vice- 
gerent, who  executes  his  wrath  j. 


Through- 


*  Hab.  iii.  v,  Q, 

t  Go,  then,  thou  mightiest,  in  thy  Father's  might; 
Ascend  my  chariot ;  guide  the  rapid  wheels 
That  shake  Heav'n's  basis ;  bring  forth  all  my  War^ 
My  Bow  and  Thunder ;  my  Almighty  Arms 
l&ircj  on,  and  sword  upon  thy  puissant  thigh; 


Pursue 


172  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  11.   f  8« 

Throughout  the  \vhole  of  prophetical  Scripture,  a 
time  of  retribution,  and  of  vengeance  on  God's  ene- 
mies, is  denounced.    It  is  called  '  *  the  day  of  the  Lord  j" 
**  the  day  of  wrath  and  slaughter ;  of  the  Lord's  anger, 
**  visitation,  and  judgment ;"   ''  the  great  day;"  ''  the 
**  last  day :"  and  whenever  it  is  described,   the  signs 
which  occur  under  this  seal  will  be  found,  more  or 
less,  to  compose  its  dreadful  apparatus.     At  the  same 
time,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  this  kind  of  description, 
and  the  same  expressions,  which  are  used  to  represent 
this  great  day,  are  also  employed  by  the  Prophets,  to 
describe  the  fall  and  punishment  of  particular  states 
and  empires;— of  Babylon,    by  Isaiah  (ch.  xiii.);  of 
Egypt,   by  Ezekiel  (ch.  xxx.    2,    3,  4.    xxxii.  7,  8.); 
of  Jerusalem,   by  Jeremiah,  Joel,  and  by  our  Lord  *' : 
and  in  many  of  these  prophecies,  the  description  of  the 
calamity  which  is  to  fall  on  a  particular  state  or  na- 
tion, is  so  blended  and  intermixed  with  that  general 
destruction,  which,  in  the  final  days  of  vengeance,  will 
invade  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  that  the  industry 
and  skill  of  our  ablest  interpreters  have  been  scarcely 
equal  to  separate  and  assort  them  -f.    Hence  it  has  been 
concluded  by  judicious  divines,  that  tliese  partial  pro- 
phecies and  particular  instances  of  the  Divine  ven- 
geance, whose  accomplishment  we  know  to  have  taken 
place,  are  presented  to  us  as  types,  certain  tokens  and 
fore-runners,   of  some  greater  events  which   are  also 
disclosed  in  them.     To  the  dreadful  time  of  universal 

Pursue  the  sons  of  darkness,  drive  them  out 
From  all  lieav'n's  bounds,  into  the  utter  deep. 
There  let  them  learn,  as  likes  them,  to  despise 
God,  and  Messiah,  his  anointed  King. 

Paradise  Lost,  vi.  710. 
*  Matt,  xxlv. 

i  See  the  ingenious  atteaipt  of  Grotius,  in  his  notes  on  Matt.  xxiv. 

vengeance, 


Cll.  Vi.   12—17.]  APOCALYPSE.  173 

vengeance,  they  all  appear  to  look  forward,  beyond 
their  first  and  more  immediate  object.  Little  indeed 
can  we  doubt  that  such  is  to  be  considered  the  use 
and  application  of  these  prophecies,  since  we  see  them 
thus  applied  by  our  Lord  and  his  Apostles  *." 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  prophecies 
is  that  splendid  one  of  Isaiah,  ch.  xxxiv;  the  im- 
portance and  universality  of  which  is  to  be  collected 
from  the  manner  in  which  it  is  introduced  :  '*  All  na- 
'*  tions  and  people,  the  world  and  all  things  in  it," 
are  summoned  to  the  audience.  It  represents  ^'  the 
**  day  of  the  Lord's  "vengeance,''  and  the  year  of  the 
recompenses  for  the  controversy  of  Sion  (ver.  8) ; 
it  descends  on  all  nations  and  their  armies  (ver.  2). 
The  images  of  wrathful  vengeance  and  utter  dissolu- 
tion are  the  same  which  are  presented  under  this  sixth 
seal.  The  hosts  of  heaven  are  dissolved  ;  the  heavens 
are  rolled  together  as  a  scroll  of  parchment ;    the  stars 

*  See  Matt.  i.  22,  23.  xxvii.  p.  John  xv.  25.  xix.  3^,  37.  Acts  ii. 
20,  27.  iii.  19,  22,  24.  Heb.  iv.  7,  S.  x.  27,  '^1 .  Rom.  ii.  5.  Gal 
iv.  24-.  Eph.  V.  14-.  2  Thess.  ii.  3,  &c.  2  Pet.  iii.  2—14;  where 
the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  are  applied  in  a  more  extended 
and  spiritual  sense,  than  in  their  first  and  primary  designation.  For 
observations  on  the  nature  of  Divine  Prophecy,  as  applicable  in  a 
double  sense,  which  has  been  denied  by  some  divines,  (by  Dr.  Sykes 
and  Dr.  Benson,  and  by  Collins,  the  free-thinker,)  see  Bp.  Lowtli, 
Praelection  xi.and  Note  on  Isaiah,  cb.  xl.;  Mr.  Lowth  on  Isaiah  \^i.  15; 
Jortin's  Remarks  on  Eccl.  Hist.  p.  188—228;  Serm.  v.  1,  124;  Sir 
Isaac  Newton  on  Prophecy,  251 ;  Bp.  Kurd's  Sermons  on  Prophecy, 
iii.  iv.  v;  Bp.  Sherlock  on  Prophecy,  Disc,  ii ;  Bp.  Warburton, 
Divine  Legation,  book  vi.  8;  Bp.  Home's  Preface  to  the  Psalms; 
Jones  on  the  Figurative  Language  of  Scripture,  lect.  viil;  and,  lastly, 
a  very  recent  publication  by  Archdeacon  Nares,  in  which,  with  great 
judgment  and  ability,  he  has  shewn  the  indubitable  right  and  Authority 
by  which  vv^  apply  the  prophecies  in  a  douhk  senses  because  they  are 
thus  applied  by  our  Lord  himself  and  his  Apostles;  (Sermons  at  the; 
Warburtonian  Lecture,  1805), 

fall, 


174  Al'OCALYJ>SE.  [Pt.  II.  §  8. 

fall,  like  a  leaf  from  a  vine,  or  a  fig  from  its  tree.  And 
yet  Idumea  is  mentioned  by  the  prophet  as  the  par-' 
ticular  object  of  vengeance :  such  seems  to  be  the 
typical  completion,  and  primary  application  of  this 
prophecy  :  but  it  has  evidently  a  more  sublime  and 
future  prospect,  and  in  this  sense  the  whole  world  is 
its  object  :  and  using  the  same  symbols  and  figura- 
tive expressions  with  this  prophecy  of  the  sixth  seal, 
with  those  of  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  and  above  all, 
sixteenth  chapters  of  the  Apocalypse,  and  with  others 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  it  must,  with  them, 
be  finally  referred  to  the  great  day  of  the  Lord's 
vengeance  for  its  perfect  completion. 

The  sixth  seal  appears  to  exhibit  a  general  descrip- 
tion of  this  great  day ;  and  is  illustrated  by  many 
preceding  prophecies,  which,  having  a  primary  re- 
ference to  the  destruction  of  God's  enemies  in  Ba- 
bylon, iEgypt,  Jerusalem,  &c.  have  evidently  re- 
ceived their  partial  accomplishment,  yet  as  evidently 
look  forward  to  a  more  full  and  glorious  consum.ma- 
tion.  They  are  not  become  a  dead  letter ;  they  unite 
in  pointing  to  some  grander  object,  which  all  such 
prophecies  describe;  even  the  universal  and  final  over- 
throw of  the  enemies  of  Christ.  And  they  encourage 
us  to  look  with  cjertain  assurance  to  the  completion 
of  the  predictions  in  their  Jinal  sensCy  since  we  have 
already  seen  them  fulfilled  typically. 

As  our  Lord,  in  foretelling  the  destruction  of  Je- 
rusalem, made  use  of  the  expression  of  former  pro- 
phets, and  thus  directed  their  application  to  events  then 
to  come,  involving  in  the  same  prediction  the  ven- 
geance to  fall,  not  only  on  his  enemies  in  that  siege, 
but  at  *' the  end  of  the  world;"  so,  this  propjhecy 
of  the  sixth  seal,  published  after  the  destruction  of 
1  Jerusalem, 


Chap,  vil,] 


APOCALYPSE. 


175 


Jerusalem,  yet  containing  the  expressions  of  these 
former  prophets,  together  Avith  those  of  our  Lord, 
seems  to  give  clear  indication  of  a  more  full  and  per- 
fect accomplishment  of  all  these  prophecies. 

Additional  light  will  be  cast  on  this  prophecy 
(which,  like  the  other  seals,  is  to  be  considered  as 
only  a  general  sketch  and  outline)  by  subsequent  vi- 
sions in  this  book,  which  cotemporize  with  it,  and 
were  so  understood  by  Cyprian  in  the  third  century  ; 
who  referred  them,  together  with  this  prediction  of 
the  sixth  seal,  to  their  grand  and  final  accomplish- 
ment at  the  end  of  the  xvorld  *. 

*  Cyprian,  ad  Novat.  Ilaer.  i. 


PART    II. 

SECTION     IX. 

The  sealing  of  the  Hundred-and  forty  four  Thousand^ 
and  the  Presentation  of  the  Palm- bearing  Mul^ 
titude  before  the  Throne. 


Kai  yiilx  raZrx 
ilooy  riaaxexs  u<y- 

Tai  rBcraoc^as  yw 
ytocs  Tjjy  yrii,  x^ot- 
Turrccs  rss  re'cr- 
erecpxs    oivsfAHs  r^s 

an(A<^  Iff/  rris 
y^Sf  (jiioTE  Itri  TTis 
hxKuaimSf      (A-nn 


CHAPTER    VII. 

And  after  these  things 
I  saw  four  angels 
standing  on  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth, 
holding  the  four  winds 
of  the  earth,  that  not 
a  wind  should  blow  on 
the  earth,  nor  on  the 
sea,  nor  on  any  tree. 
And  T  saw  another 
angel  ascending  from 
the  sunrising,  having 


I  1  And  after  these  things, 
I  saw  four  angels 
standing  on  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth, 
holding  the  four  winds 
of  the  earth,  that  the 
wind  should  not  blow 
OQ  the  earth,  nor  on 
the  sea,  nor  on  any 
tree.  And  I  saw  an- 
other angel  ascending 
from  the  east,  having 


170 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  ir.  §  9. 


2  Ktxi  iJdov  aXKov 
afyzXov  avx^oilvoila 
uTTo  avscioXvis  yiXiHj 

©Es  ^iDv/®-'  yoti  E- 
x^a^c  (^uv'rt  [xiyaK-ri 
Tois  ri(7a-a.paiv  af- 
yiXoiSf  ois  £Oo9>3 
avTo7s  oi'^i)i7)(ra,{  rriv 
*y7iv  JO  rriv  •^a.'Ka.cr- 

3  cav,  hiyuv"  M'n 
tc'^iiciiaviit  rriv  yr,v, 
fjt.virs  rr,v  'j^Aao-- 
travf  (A/liri  rd  oev- 
^^ot,  oi^is  5  (T(ppx- 

Ta    ©£«  "n^uv   £7r< 

Ta/v  I^SIUTTUV  aVTMV. 

a^tOfji^oy  ruv  IcrOfo,- 
Tsa-a-iXfd.KOyl't  ria- 
^pccyi(T(A.hot  1)1  zja- 

<nS        (pvXr,S        ViMV 

5  *I(T^xriX.  'Ex  (^t'Xiis- 
'itOdK,  it  y^tXidoes 
g(r(ppxyi(riJiiyoi'  ek 
(pvXvis  Ptttryy,  /©' 
^/X/a^£J  BtTi^px^icr- 
(/.tvot'  ex.  <pvXyiS 
Fa^,   /C    p^iA<a^£f 

6  l(T(p^xyia-^ivoi'  'Ek 
^vA^J  'A(7^f,  iC 
y^iXiuots  lo-(pqx'\icr~ 
IA,Eyoi'  Ik  (pvXyjs 
Nf^SaAEi/x,  iQ'  yj- 
Xiaoss  e(7(payiaf/.s- 
vot*  eK  (^vXvis  Mx- 
yxaa-y),  iQ'  y^iXidots 

7  iaippayt(7[JihQt'  '£x 


a  seal  of  Ibe  Living 
God.  And  he  cried 
with  {I  loud  voice  to 
the  four  angele,  to 
whom  it  was  commit- 
ted to  injure  the  earth 
and    the    sea,  Saying, 

3  "  Injure  not  the  earth, 
"  nor  the  sea,  nor  the 
"  trees,  until  we  shall 
"  have  sealed  the  ser- 
''  vants  of  our  God 
"  upon     their      fore- 

■i  "  heads."  And  I  heard 
the  number  of  the 
sealed  :  an  hundred- 
and-forty  -  four  thou- 
sand were  sealed  out 
of  all  the  tribes  of  the 

5  sons  of  Israel.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  twelve 
thousand  sealed ;  of 
the  tribe  of  Reuben, 
twelve  thousand  seal- 
ed ;  of  the  tribe  of 
Gad,  twelve  thousand 

6  sealed  ;  Of  the  tribe  of 
Asher,  twelve  thou- 
sand sealed  ;  of  the 
tribe  of  Naphthali, 
twelve  thousand  seal- 
ed ;  of  the  tribe  of  Ma- 
nasseh,    twelve    thou- 

7  sand  sealed ;  Of  the 
tribe  of  Simeon,  twelve 
thousand  sealed;  of  the 
tribe  of  Levi,  twelve 
thousand  sealed ;  of  the 
tribe  of  Issachar,  twelve 

8  thousand  sealed;  Of 
the   tribe  of  Zabulon, 


the  seal  of  the  Living 
God :  and  he  cried 
with  a  loud  voice  to 
the  four  angels,  to 
whom  it  was  given  lo 
hurt  the  earth  and  i 

3  sta,   Sayings  Hurt  :; 
the  earth,  ncithtr  t 
sea,  nor  tlie  trees,  tul 
we  have  sealed  the  sfr- 
vants  of   our  God  in 

4  their  foreheads.  And 
I  heard  the  number  of 
them  whii-h  were  seal- 
ed :  ajid  there  xverc 
sealed  an  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  thou- 
sand, of  all  the  tnbf'a 
of  the  children  of  Is- 

5  rael.  Of  the  tribo  ul 
Juda  u'ercsealed  twclvt 
thousand,  bf  the  tribe 
of  Reuben  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand.-  Of 
the  tribe  of  Gad  tt'erc 
sealed     twelve     thou- 

6  sand.  Of  the  tribe  of 
Aser  rtrre sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Nephthalim  were 
sealed  twelve  thousan-d. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Manas- 
ses  were  sealed  twelve 

7  thousand-  Of  the  tribe 
of  Simeon  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand  .Of  the 
tribe  of  Levi  were  seal- 
ed twelve  thousand. 
Of  the  tribe  of  Isach-ar 
were     sealed      twelve 

8  thousand.  Of  the  tribe 


Cliap.  vii.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


117 


Q{A.ivoi*     lit     ^vKrts 
Afyt,   /£"  %<Ai*5ff 

8  cfAivot'  Ex  ^vXins 
ZaC«Awv,  <C  v/- 
Aia^ff  ierippxyio-fAs- 
vof   Ik  <pv>iTos  'l«- 

ia(p§oiyt(TiAhoi'     Ix 

9  t*.i^ot,  Mfic»  ravrac 
tJooVf  >c  «o«  o^A©- 
taoKvs,  01  oiptOiA.rxTixi 
ai/TOv  ti^eis  ri^vvxlo, 
Ik  -Kjav/oj  iQvus  Kf 
(pvXuh  i^  Kxuv  iy 
yXufraZvy      l>"a/rsr 

.   huTTiov  t3  S^ovs  ><^ 

vrept'oiQXriiJihtii  ro- 
Aas-  hivxAs'  yZ  <pot- 

lOauTiDy*  Ka<  x^^ 
^ac/  ^wv>j /xsyaAyj, 
AE^ovl«y*  *H  a-Jhpix 

llKa*  tscKviss  ot  oifys- 
Aoi  £r>i>i£!T:jt«  xvxAw 

iTtKTOV    cvwTr/oy    t5 


twelve  thousand  seal- 
ed; of  the  tribe  of  Jo- 
sephj  twelve  thousand 
sealed  ;  of  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin,twelve  thou- 

9  sand  sealed.  After  this 
I  beheld,  and  lo !  a 
great  multitude,  which 
no  one  could  number, 
from  all  nations  and 
tribes  and  people  and 
languages,  standing 
before  the  throne  and 
before  the  Lamb,  clo- 
thed in  white  robes, 
and  palm-branches  in 

lOtheirhands;  And  they 
cry  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  "  The  Sal- 
*'  vation  be  ascribe 
*'  ed  to  our  God  who 
"  sitteth  upon  the 
'*  throne,    and   to   the 

11'' Lamb!"  And  all 
the  angels  stood  round 
about  the  throne,  and 
about  the  elders  and 
the  four  living-crea- 
tures, and  fell  before 
the  throne  on  their 
faces,  and  worshipped 

12God,  Saying,"  Amen! 
*'  The  praise,  and  the 
"  glory,  and  the  wis- 
"  dom.  and  the  thanks- 
*'  giving,  and  the  ho- 
"  nour,  and  the  power, 
"  and  the  might,  be 
"  unto  our  God  for 
**  ever  and   ever  1    A- 


of  Zabulon  zyer^ealed 
twelve  thousand.  Of 
the  tribe  of  Joseph 
ivere  sealed  twelve 
thousand.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin  zuere  seal- 
ed   twelve    thousand. 

9  After  this  I  beheld, 
and  lo,  a  great  mul- 
titude \v-hich  no  man 
could  number  of  all 
nations,  and  kindreds, 
and  people,  and 
tongues,  stood  before 
the  throne,  and  be- 
fore the  Lamb,  cloth- 
ed with  white  robes, 
and    palms    in    their 

10  hands  ;  And  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  say- 
ing, Salvation  to  our 
God  which  sitteth  up- 
on the  throne,  and  un- 

1 1  to  the  Lamb.  And 
all  the  angels  stood 
round  about  the 
throne,  and  about  the 
elders,  and  the  four 
beasts,  and  fell  before 
the  throne  on  their 
faces,  and  worshipped 

12  God,  Saying,  Amen  : 
Blessing  and  glory,  and 
wisdom,  and  thanks- 
giving, and  honour, 
and  power,  and  might 
be  unto  our  God  for 
ever  and  ever.  Amen. 

13  And  one  of  the  elders 
answered,  saying  unto 


178 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  11.  §  9. 


truTiiX  atvTo/y,  h^ 
^iv'    13  tvKoyix  jc 

TU1  ouamuVf   A^»v« 

13  Kai   dimi^tdn  eis 

Ix.  ta;>  ZT^tcrQvli^Wj 

Tdyuv  i*.(ii'     OuTOi 

3t3fr,  n'vss  et(Ti,  i^ 
IJkuoQsv  wXfiay;  Kotl 
u^viKX  xvru'  Kv^is 
f6,«,  ail  Qi^as.  Kat 
BiVS      (JiOf       OvToi 

Txs  ^oXa-s  ccvruv, 
5C  IXwKOcyxv  [roXas^ 
a.vTuv\  h  rZ  xlyua^i 
i.jrS  k^vis.  Aix  T«To 
c.Viy  lvu>7rsov  t« 
%oy8  r«  0£ej  j^ 
Xxlfsvaan^  avru  ij- 

rw  vaw  aclru'   >c  o 

^foy»,  (7x>jy5cr£<  jtt' 

eraa-iy  trij  e^l  S;- 
"^■na-aaiv  ct/,  «^£ 
fii  «T£'(7»j  £77'  awraj 

l7xat!/:it,a*      "Ot;     to 
oi'fviov  TO  ava.  fji.sa'ov 


ISmenl"  And  one  of 
the  elders  spake,  say- 
ing unto  me,  "  These, 
*'  clothed  in  white 
"  robes,  who  are  they, 
**  and    whence    came 

14"  they?"  And  I  said 
unto  him,  "  O  my 
*'  Lord,  thou  know- 
"  est/'  And  he  said  un- 
to me, "  These  are  they 
"  who  are  come  out 
**  of  the  great  tribula- 
*'  tion,  and  have  wash- 
*'  ed  their  robes,  and 
**  have  made  them 
"  white  [their  robes] 
*'  in  the  blood  of  the 

15"  Lamb  :  Therefore 
"  are  they  before  the 
*'  throne  of  God,  and 
"  serve  him  day  and 
"  night  in  his  temple  ; 
"  and  He  that  sitteth 
"  on  the  throne,  shall 
"  have     his    dwelling 

16"  over  them  ;  They 
^*  shall  hunger  no 
*'  more,  neither  shall 
"  they  thirst  any  more ; 
"  nor  shall  the  Sun 
*'  srike  on   them,  nor 

17"  any  burning;  Be- 
"  cause  the  Lamb, 
*'  which  is  in  the  midst 
*'  of  the  throne,  shall 
"  rule  them  like  a 
"  shepherd,  and  shall 
*'  lead  them  unto 
"  fountains  of  waters 
**  of    life ;    and    God 


me,  What  are  these 
which  are  arrayed  in 
white  robes  ?  and 
whence    came    they  ? 

14  And  I  said  unto  him, 
Sir,thou  knowest.  And 
he  said  to  me,  These 
are  they  which  came 
out  of  great  tribula- 
tion, and  have  washed 
their  robes,  and  made 
them  white  in  the 
blood   of  the   Lamb. 

1 5  Therefore  are  they  be- 
fore the  throne  of 
God,  and  serve  him 
day  and  night  in  his 
temple :  and  he  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne 
shall      dwell     among 

16  them.  They  shall 
hunger  no  more,  nei- 
ther thirst  any  more, 
neither  shall  the  sun 
light  on  them,  nor  any 

17  heat.  For  the  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  shall 
feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living 
fountains  of  waters  : 
and  God  shall  wipe 
away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes. 


Chap,  vii.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


179 


TB  ^^ova   'nott/.otn'i 

avTis^j  5^  o^riYncret 

etvriis     im      ^c^^s 

-STJjyaj  v^Jircov'    >^ 

i^xMi->lei     0    QS0S 

Oav     Jax^Doy    0.970 

ruy   o<pQaXiJiuv  ccv" 

ruv. 

**  shall  wipe  away 
*'  every  tear  from  their 
*'  eyes/' 


Yer.  1.  ^//er  these  things,  I  saw.]  There  appears, 
by  these  words,  to  be  some  separation  of  that  which 
follows,  from  the  main  part  ot  the  sixth  seal,  which 
has  preceded.  And  yet  the  sixth  seal  is  certainly 
continued,  for  the  seventh  does  not  open  till  the  next 
chapter.  So  this  chapter  is  probably  to  be  taken 
as  a  kind  of  supplement  to  the  body  of  the  sixth 
seal ;  belonging  to  it,  yet  separated  from  it.  The 
sixth  seal  represents  the  vengeance  of  God  upon  a 
wicked  world.  This  part  of  it  seems  to  exhibit  the 
Divine  protection  and  Salvation,  which  shall  support 
the  elect  in  that  **  great  day;''  "  the  Jew  first,  and 
*'  also  the  Gentile," 

lb.  Foicr  angels.]  The  number  is  cardinal,  and 
expressive  of  universality  *.  Angels  are  ministers  of 
the  Divine  mercy,    and  of  the  Divine  vengeance. 

lb.  Oil  the  four  cornel's  of  the  Earth.]  The  earth 
is  a  part  of  the  scenery  exhibited  in  this  vision,  and 
is  a  proper  appendage  to  that  which  has  been  already 
displayed ;  the  glory  of  the  Lord  in  Jieaven,  For  he 
is  described  in  Scripture  as  ruh'ng  over  heaven  and 
earth  :  the  one  being  '*  his  throne;''  the  other,  "  his 
^' foot'Stool\r  *' The  four  corners  of  the  earth'*  are, 
in  the  language    of   Isaiah   and  Ezekiel,    the  zvhole 


*  See  note,  cbt  iy.  6, 


-f-  h,  Ixvi.  1. 


y  2 


earth ; 


18D  Al^OCALYPSE.  [Ft.  II.  §  9- 

earth  * ;  which  now  appears  in  vie\r,  immediately 
below  heaven  and  the  throne ;  not  in  an  orbicular 
form,  but  stretched  out  as  a  plain,  with  four  sides 
and  angles,  and  thus  it  continues  through  the  trum- 
oets. 

lb.  The  four  winds.']  In  the  language  of  Scrip- 
ture, a  wind  (which,  when  violent,  destroys)  is  used 
to  express  desti^uction  f  ;  and  the  four  winds,  a  ge- 
neral destruction  J.  The  necessity  of  a  superintend- 
in  o-  Providence  to  restrain  the  fury  of  these  ministers 
of  vengeance,  will  be  acknowledged  by  those,  who 
have  witnessed  the  dreadful  devastation  committed 
by  the  unimprisoned  winds  in  ruder  climates ;  or, 
who  have  read  accounts  of  the  hurricanes  in  the 
West  Indies.  Hence  the  heathen  poet  has  repre- 
sented them  as  under  divine  restro-int,  and  with  such 
dignified  language,  that  I  shall  not  scruple  to  quote 
from  him : — 


Hic  vasto  rex  ^olus  antro 


Luctantes  ventos,  tempestalesque  sonoras 
Imperio  premit,  ac  vinclis  et  carcere  fraenat  :— 
Illi  indignantes,  magno  cum  muniiure  montis 
Circum  claustra  fremunt.     Celsa  sedet  i^olus  arce 
Sceptra  tenens,  moUitque  animos  et  temperat  iras. 
Ni  faciat,  maria  ac  terras  ccelum.que  profundum 
Quippe  ferant  rapidi  secium,  verrantque  per  auras  : 
Sed  pater  omnipotens  speluncis  abdidit  atris, 
Hoc  metuens;  raolemque  et  montes  insuper  altos 
Imposuit,  regemque  dedit,   qui/a?c?ere  certo 
Et  premere  et  laxas  sciret  dare  Jussus  hahenas. 

-^NEID.  i.  56—^8. 

But  now  the  restraint  is  removed, — 

*  Is.  xi.  12.  Ezck.  vii.  2. 

t  Jer.  li,  1.  iv.  11,  12.  Hos.  xiii.  15. 

X  Jer.  xlix,  36'.  Ezek.  vii.  2.  Dan.  vii.  2.  viii.  S.  xi.  4 

—    —    tc 


Chap,  vii.]  APOCALYPSE,  181 

—  —  ac  venti,  velut  agmine  facto. 

Qua  data  porta,  ruunt,  et  terras  turbine  perflant. 

Incubuere  mari,  totumque  a  sedibus  imis — 

Un^  Eurusque  Notusque  ruunt,  creberque  procellis 

Africus ; •  JEstad.  i.  85 — 90. 

Previous  to  the  dreadful  siege  of  Jerusalem  by 
Titus,  a  prophet  (perhaps  an  enthusiast)  is  described 
by  Josephus,  as  going  about  and  crying,  (^m^i  xro 
T'jiv  TE(j<j£iptav  avf/jiwy:*  which  was  perfectly  understood 
to  mean  a  xvide  and  dreadful  destruction  t- 

Ver.  2.  Siinrising,']     This  quarter,  which  we  call 
the  East,     was    the    cardinal    point   of  first    impor- 
tance with  the  eastern  nations  of  antiquity  ;   because 
from  that  point  was  seen  to  arise  the  sun,   that  visi- 
ble source  of  light   and   vital  heat.     In  the  camp  of 
the  Israelites,   the  eastern  side  was  always  the  front, 
the  honourable   post.     Here   Moses  and   Aaron   were 
stationed:}:.     And  **The  Sun  of  Rigtheousness"  (so 
our  Lord  is  called)  is  said  to  emit  his  first  beams  of 
glory,    his  '^  day-star,"  from  that  quarter  §.     Hence, 
the   Jews   appear   to   have    reckoned    their    cardinal 
points  by  supposing  a  person  to  face  the  East,    as  the 
first  and  principal  quarter  of  the  heavens.     To  a  man 
so  stationed,    the   South    is   on    his  right  hand,  the 
North  on  his  left,    and  the  West   behind   him.      In 
consequence  of  this  distribution,    the    Syrians,   who 
were   to   the   East  of  Israel,  are  said  to  be    **  before 
*' Israel;"  the   Philistines,    who   dwelt   to   the  West, 

*  A  voice  from  the  four  winds. 

t  Bell.  Jud.  lib.  vi.  c.5.  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iii.  c.  S.— The 
space  comprehended  under  "  the  four  winds,"  is  paraphrased  by  our 
Lord  in  these  words,  *'  from  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth  10  the 
**  uttermost  part  of  Heaven  ;'*  Mark  xiii.  27. 

X  Mumb.  ii.  3.  iii.  38.  §  Eaek.  xliii.  2.  Matt,  ii,  2.  xxiv.  ^7. 

"  behind 


182  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §  9. 

*^  behind''  them.  Hobah  is  described  as  on  the  *^  left 
''  hand  of  Damascus,"  because  it  lay  to  the  North  of 
that  city  *.  The  Europeans,  on  the  contrary,  have 
made  the  North  their  first  and  fronting  point,  and, 
as  such,  have  placed  it  at  the  top  of  their  maps. 
And  from  this  cause,  in  political  geography,  the 
eastern  bank  of  a  river  f  is  termed  its  right  bank, 
the  western  its  left.  This  division  is  as  ancient  as 
the  times  of  Homer :  — 

E;?  fKi  ^a|<'  luffi,  Tffpos  viuj  r  n'iXiov  rs*         % 
EiTtTr'  aptT^fx  roiys,   isoli  ^o^ov  rfifisvlx. 

Iliad  xii.  ^391' 

The  angel  who  now  appears  upon  the  earth  to  the 
angels  stationed  at  its  four  corners,  comes  from  the 
Pivine  presence,  with  a  Divine  commission,  of  which 
the  seal  he  bears  is  a  mark  and  earnest. 

lb.  /}  seal  of  the  Living  God,']  Seals  were  in  use 
with  ancient  nations  to  secure  possessions  §  ;  each 
person  having  his  pecuhar  mark  which  ascertained 
the  property  to  be  his  own. — Sign  are,  quid  est  nisi 
proprium  aliquid  ponere?  Ideo  rei  ponis  signum,  ne 
res,  cum  aliis  confusa,  a  te  non  possit  agnosci  ||. 
Hence  the  seal   of  God   is  his  mark  by  which   He 

*  Gen.  xiv.  15. — And  from  this  usage,  it  has  been  observed,  that 
the   same  word   in  Hebrew,  which  is  applied  to   signify  the   Southj 
signiiies  also  the  right  hand, 
t  Instance  the  Rhine. 

X  Ye  vagrants  of  the  sky,  your  wings  extend^ 
Or  where  tht  Suns  arise ,   or  where  descend y 

To  right,   to  left . 

Pope,  line  27^. 
§  Jt.b  xiv.  17.  Matt,  xxvii.  66. 

fj  Augustin.  in  Johann.  vi. — "What  is  sealing,  but  marking  a  thing 
as  your  own?  You  place  a  mark  on  the  thing,  lest,  being  mixed  with 
other  ihings,  it  may  not  be  known  by  you. 

"  knoweth 


Chap,  vii.]  apocalypse.  183 

**  knoweth  them  that  are  his*."  Under  the  Law  of 
Moses,  circumcision  is  represented  to  be  the  seal 
which  separated  the  people  of  God  from  ''  the  hea- 
**  then  who  did  not  call  upon  his  namef."  And, 
in  this  sense  the  sacrament  of  baptism,  succeeding 
to  circumcision,  was  called  by  the  fathers  of  the 
Church,  the  Seal  of  God.'X  but  in  the  Gospel,  this 
divine  seal  is  more  accurately  described  to  be  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God.  They  who  have  this  Spirit,  are 
matched  as  His  §.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  represent- 
ed as  possessing  eminently  this  mark  |[.  Generally, 
all  *'  who  name  the  name  of  Christ,  and  depart  from 
**  iniquity,"  are  said  to  be  thus  divinely  sealed^. 
By  the  seal  of  God,  then,  is  signified  that  impression 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart  of  man,  which  pre* 
serves  in  it  the  principles  of  pure  faith,  producing 
fruits  of  piety  and  virtue.  This  is  the  seal  which 
marks  the  Christian,  as  the  property  of  the  Almighty, 
and  consequently  under  his  providential  protection. 

Ver.  3.  Until  we  shall  have  sealed  the  servants  of 
cur  God  upon  their  foreheads.^  The  sweeping  de- 
struction, by  the  winds  of  heaven,  which  is  to  level 
every  thing  in  this  world  in  one  common  devastation, 
is  withholden  by  Divine  command,  until  the  servants 
of  God  shall  be  so  marked  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  as 
to  be  separated  and  saved  apart  from  those  whom  he 
now  consigns  to  punishment.  The  sealed  mark  is  said 
to  be  impressed  upon  the  forehead;  because  on  this  con- 

*  2  Tim.  ii.   19.  f  Rom.iv.  11. 

I  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iii.  c.  23. — See  many  more  instances  of 
this,  produced  by  C^rabe,  in  his  notes  to  the  Spicilegium,  sect.  i. 
p.  331. 

§  2  Cor.  i.  29.  Eph.  i.  13.  iv.  30.  It  John  vi.  27- 

If  2  Tim.  ii.  19, 

1  spicuous 


184  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.  §  g. 

spicuous  part  of  the  person,  distinguishing  ornaments 
were  worn  by  the  eastern  nations*.  Slaves  also  were 
marked  upon  their  foreheads,  as  the  property  of  their 
masters  j.  But  the  passage  will  receive  more  particu- 
lar illustration,  by  a  comparison  with  the  ninth  chap- 
ter of  Ezekiel,  Avhich,  foretelling  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  represents  the  ministers  of  Divine  ven- 
geance prepared  to  strike;  when  another  angel  is  com- 
manded CO  mark  on  thefoj^ehead  the  servants  of  God, 
who  are  to  be  saved  from  the  calamity.  This  pro- 
phecy of  lizekiel  was  fulfilled  at  the  taking  of  the  city 
by  the  Chaldeans,  when  "  a  remnant  was  saved,"  and 
many  of  the  righteous  Jews,  as  Daniel  and  his  com- 
panions, were  promoted  to  honour.  And  again  it 
was  fulfilled  at  the  final  overthrow  of  Jerusalem  by 
tke  Romans;  when  the  Christians,  forewarned  by 
their  Saviour  J,  retired  to  Peila,  and  were  saved  §. 
But  a  more  universal  accomplishment  still  awaits  this 
prophecy,  when,  together  with  those  of  Is.  xiii.  xxvi. 
Zeph.  ii.  3.  Mic.  vii.  Hab.  i.  Mai.  iv.  Matt.  xxiv. 
£  Thess.  i.  7.  10.  2  Pet.  iii.  10,  and  this  of  the  sixth 
seal,  it  shall  receive  its  final  completion,  in  the  last 
days  of  vengeance,  previous  to  the  destruction  of  this 
globe.  Of  the  manner  in  which  the  sealed  of  God 
shall  be  delivered  in  that  day,  we  can  speak  no  far- 
ther than  the  assurances  of  other  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture seem  to  warrant.  Saint  Paul  assures  us,  that,  in 
the  great  day  of  the  Lord,   the  pious  Christians  then 

*  Gen.  xxiv.  22.  marg.  note  ;  which  seems  tp  be  the  true  read- 
ing. Exod.xxviii.  38.  Ezek,  xvi.  12.  Deut.  vi.  8.  2  Esd.  ii.  38. 

t  Grotius,  in  loc.  Mede's  Works,  p.  511,  Jortin  on  EccI.Hist. 
iii.  219-  iv.  371. 

J  Matt,  yxiv,  §  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iii.  c.  5. 

alive, 


Chap,  vii.]  apocalypse.    .  185 

alive,  shall  be  caught  up  to  the  Lord  *  by  a  glorious 
deliverance ;  which  seems  to  accord  with  that  de- 
scribed in  the  prophecy  now  before  us. 

Ver.  4.  One-hundred' and-foyHy 'four  thousa?id  were 
sealed  out  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  sons  of  Israel,]^  On 
this  passage  I  remark,  first,  that,  according  to  the 
Gospel,  **  Salvation  is  to  the  Jewfrst,  then  also  to 
"  the  Gentile f."  And  we  are  instructed,  that  "God 
**  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  ;"  that,  *^  though 
^*  blindness  in  part  has  happened  unto  Israel,"  yet, 
'*  after  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  is  come  in,  all  Is- 
*'  rael  shall  be  saved  J."  Now,  as  the  prophecy  which 
■engages  our  present  attention,  is  of  tlie  last  times^ 
the  times  immediately  preceding  the  great  day  of  the 
Lord ;  so  the  Jews  will  by  that  time,  if  ever,  be  re- 
stored to  the  Church  §.  This  body  of  the  sealed 
may  therefore  be,  literally,  of  the  tribes  of  Israel 
Or,  secondly,  the  Israel  here  may  be,  under  the 
New  Testament,  the  purer  Gentile  Church,  called 
also  in  Scripture,  ''  the  Israel  of  God\\;''  of  which 
the  ancient  Israel  is  the  original  root  ^  ;  on  which 
root  the  Gentile  Church  being  engrafted**,  receives 
for  a  time  the  name,  the  privileges,  and  the  honours 
/of  that  rejected  people,  being  now  the  '*  chosen  peo- 
"pie,"  the  ''holy  nation,"  ''  the  temple  of  the  Liv- 
^'  ing  God  If."  Such  is  the  language  of  Scripture  m 
general,  applying  the  name  tmd  privileges  of  Israel 
to  the  Christian  Church ;  such  it  will  be  seen  also  in 

*  1  Thess.  iv.  7.  t  Rom,  i.  l6.  ii.  9,  10.  Matt.  xv.  24. 

X  Rom.  xi.  25,  2^.  §  Rom.  xi.  15— S5. 

|j  Gal.  vi.  16.  Phil.  iii.  5.  Col.  ii.  U.  fl  Rom,  xii,  17.  22* 

**Rom.  xi.  18,  19. 
ft  Tit.  ii,  14.     Heb.  viii.  10.     1  Pet.ii.  6^1U 

this 


I8G  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IL  §  9^ 

this  book  of  Revelation*.  In  chapter  xiv,  the  hundred- 
and-forty-four  thousand,  having  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son  on  their  foreheads,  appear  again  in 
the  train  of  their  Lord,  and  are  expressly  said  to  be 
"  redeemed  from  among  men,  a  first  fruit  to  God 
*'  and  to  the  Lamb."  There  seems  no  expression  here 
sufficient  to  determine  whether  the  144,000  be  lineal 
or  adopted  Israelites,  The  word  ''frst  fruit,''  may 
be  thouglit  to  favour  the  former  interpretation,  be- 
cause the  first  converts  to  Christianity  were  certainly 
Israelites  ;  and  Saint  James,  writing  bis  Epistle  to  the 
twelve  tribes,  calls  them,  together  with  himself  (a 
lineal  Israelite)  *'  a  kind  of  first  fruit  of  God's  crea- 
*'turesf,"  But  concerning  the  interpretation  of  an 
unaccomplished  prophecy,  we  must  not  be  positive ; 
it  may  be  fulfilled  in  either  way  ;  or  in  a  way  which 
we  cannot  at  present  conceive. 

Thirdly ;  the  number  of  the  sealed,  whether  they 
be  original  Israelites  or  not,  expresses  fulness  and  per- 
fection, having  been  observed  to  amount  to  a  mul- 
tiplication of  the  complete  square  root  of  the  number 
of  the  tribes,  or  perhaps  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  oa 
whom,  as  a  foundation,  the  Christian  Church  is  said 
to  be  erected^;  as  will  more  particularly  appear  in 
Rev.  xxi.  30.  14. 

Fourthly ;  to  the  reader,  who  compares  the  names 
of  the  tribes,  and  their  order,  as  exhibited  in  this 
passage,  with  parallel  places  in  the  Bible,  some  pecu- 
liarities will  appear.  The  chief  of  which  peculiarities 
are,  that  the  tribe  of  Dan  is  omitted,  and  that  of 
Levi,  which,  being  dispersed  among  the  other  tribes 
for  the  purposes  of  ministration,  had  no  allotment  ivk 

♦  See  ch.  ii.  9.  and  the  note.  +  James  i.  18. 

X  1  Kings  xviii.  31.  Luke  xxii.  30.  Eph.  ii.  520. 

Canaan, 


Chap.  vH.]  APOCALYPSE,  187 

Canaan,  is   taken  into  its   place.      A   reason  may  be 
assigned  for  the  re-aci mission  of  Levi.     This  tribe  had 
been  excluded,   because,   separated  for  the  priesthood, 
it  had  its  provision  in  another  form  ;   but  now  being 
to  enter  on  the  heavenly  Ccmaan,   where  there   is  no 
temple^ ;  where  all  are  priests  to  God  f ;   there  is  no 
Jonger  need  of  a   peculiar  priesthood  :   and  therefore 
this   tribe  seems  properly    to  resume  its  ancient  sta- 
tion among  the  brethren.     For  the  omission  of  Dan, 
the  reason  commonly  given,   is,    that  this  tribe,  by  its 
early   apostacy,    became    the    common  receptacle   of 
idols,    and    corruptor  of  the  rest  J.     The  same  cause 
is  assigned  for  the  omission  of  the  name  of  Ephra'im; 
the  name  of  Joseph,    the  father,    being  here  used  in- 
stead §.     There  appears  to  have  been  an  ancient  notion 
or  tradition   in   the  Church,   mentioned  in  the  fourth 
century  by  Jerome,   Ambrose,   and  by  Gregory  Nazi- 
anzene,  that  when  Antichrist  should  come,   he  should 
be  a  Jew,  and  of  the  tribe  of  Dan ;    which  opinion 
might  take   its  rise,    in  some  degree,  from  this  omis- 
sion of  Dan  amongst  the  sealed  ;  though  we  may  trac^ 
it  in  Iren^us  ||,  who  seems  to  have  collected  this  no- 
tion principally  from  Jer.  viii.  ]6. 

Ver.  9.  Lo  !  a  great  multitude,  which  no  one  could 
7mmber,from  all  nations;  &c.]  The  one-hundred-and- 
forty-four  thousand  of  the  sealed,  the  first  fruits  to 
Christ,  having  led  the  way,  the  Gentiles,  afterwards 
converted,  follow,  are  incorporated  with  them  ^,  and 
are  presented  before  the  throne,  clothed  in  white 
robes,  washed  pure  from  their  sins  **,  bearing  palm- 
branches,    the   signals  (.f  joy    and  festivity -ff  >    and 

*  Rev.  xxi.  22.  +  Rev.  v.  10,  |  Judg.  xvii, 

§  See  Mede's  Works,  p.  455.  |i  De  H^eres.  lib.  v.  cap.  ZO, 

IT  Gal.  iii.  28.  Col.  iii.  H,  ♦»  See  note,  ch.  iii,  4,  5. 

ft  Levit,  xiii.  40. 

victory 


188  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  II.  §  p. 

victory.  They  ascribe  their  Salvation  to  God  and 
their  Redeemer.  And  the  heavenly  angels  close  around 
them,  and  rejoicing  at  their  redemption  *,  unite  in  a 
chorus  of  praise. 

Ver.  13.  JVho  are  they,  and  whence  came  they  ?]  To 
assist  us  in  answering  this  question,  and  in  determining 
Avho  are  the  persons  composing  this  multitude  of  palm- 
bearing  Saints,  we  have  an  heavenly  Interpreter  ;  from 
whom  we  learn,  that  '*  they  are  come  out  of  the 
**  great  tribulation,"  fx  i-v^g  ^Kri/eag  rTig  fxeyccKvig :  not,  as 
it  is  generally  translated,  *'  out  of  great  tribulation," 
but  out  of  the  great  tribulation,  that  particular  tri- 
balation,  for  which  such  preparation  was  made  by  the 
ministers  of  God's  wrath,  in  the  beginning  of  this 
chapter,  and  from  which  the  sealed  only  are  enabled 
to  escape  f.  Yet  it  may  be  said,  this  multitude  fs 
not  of  the  one-hundred-and-forty-four  thousand,  who 
alone  are  described  as  sealed.  But,  observe  the  re- 
mainder of  the  description.  They  are  said  by  the 
elder  to  *'  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  white 
**  their  robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  And  what 
is  this,  M'hen  rendered  by  plain  language,  but  that, 
through  faith  in  their  Redeemer,  they  are  purified  from 
sin?  Which  is  only  another  mode  of  expressing  that 
they  are  sealed  as  Christ's  property ;{:.  Therefore  the 
whole  body,  taken  together,  first  of  the  one-hundred- 
and-forty-four  thousand,  then  of  the  great  multitude 
from  all  nations  added  to  them,  seems  to  express  the 
whole  Christian  Church,  from  the  time  of  Christ  to  the 
great  and  last  day.  It  is  the  New  Jerusalem,  as 
described  in  ch.  xxi,  which  has  its  foundation  on  the 

*  Luke  XV.  10. 

•f-  So  Tertullian  appears  to  have  read  and  understood  it,  iii  the 
second  century ;  **  ex  Hid  pressura  magna,*'     Scorpiace,  sect.  12. 

X  See  note,  ch.  vii.  2. 

Twelve 


Chap,  vii.]  apocalypse,  189 

Twelve  Apostles.  So,  to  compose  this  assembly  we 
have,  first,  the  Judai-Christian  Church,  which  was 
the  first-fruits ;  then,  the  Gentile  Churches  which 
were  received  into  it.  And,  as  we  are  expressly  in- 
formed by  Saint  Paul  *,  that  the  pious  Christians, 
who,  previously  to  the  last  day,  shall  be  buried  in 
the  sleep  of  death,  will  not  be  postponed  to  those  who 
are  caught  up  alive  to  meet  their  Lord,  so  we  may 
properly  suppose  this  great  multitude  to  contain  also 
those  that  sleep  in  Christ.  And  thus  it  is  the  com- 
plete collection  of  the  redeemed  from  earth,  of  all 
ages  and  nations;  who,  adhering  to  their  allegi- 
ance and  duty,  shall  escape  out  of  ''  the  great 
**  tribulation,"  which  is  the  pecuhar  burthen  of  this 
prophecy.  The  terrible  calamities  of  these  latter  days 
are  by  our  Lord  represented  under  the  very  same 
terms,  '^Xr^ig  y^syciK'Ai  ''great  tribulation f,"  and  after 
describing  them  he  assures  us,  that  he  shall  *'  send 
**  forth  his  angels,  and  gather  together  his  elect,  from 
^^  the  four  xvinds,  from  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth 
"to  the  uttermost  part  of  heaven  J."  These  four 
winds  are  in  this  prophecy  described  as  devastating 
that  earth,  from  which  the  sealed^  in  the  words  oi 
this  Prophecy,  and  the  elect  in  those  of  our  Saviour, 
are  to  be  delivered,  and  collected  unto  his  presence, 
as  is  here  represented.  I-t  was  from  a  justly  founded 
expectation  of  this  signal  deliverance,  that  the  Apos- 
tles (who  appear  not  to  have  known  the  particular 
time  and  season  of  this  visitation,  concealed  even 
from  angels  §)  exhorted  the  faithful  disciples,  as  their 
Lord  had  done  before  them  ||,  to  lift  up  their  heads, 

*  1  Thess.  iv.  15. 

t  Matt.  xxiv.  21.  Mark  xiii.  Ip.  24.  :  Mark  xiii.  27. 

S  Matt.  xxiv.  36.  Acts  i.  /•  {|  Luke  xxi.  28, 

and 


190  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   II.  ^  9* 

and  look  with  joyful  expectation  to  these  clays  of 
vengeance,  knowing  themselves  not  to  be  appointed  to 
wrath,  but  to  Salvation,  whether  they  be  found  among 
the  dead  or  among  the  living,    at  that  aM'eful  hour*. 

Ver.  15.  TherefWey  &c.]  The  remaining  part  of 
this  chapter  contains  a  figurative  description,  very 
simple  and  very  interesting,  of  the  future  happiness 
of  this  redeemed  multitude.  But  the  interpretation  of 
it  is  so  obvious,  to  those  who  are  in  the  least  degree 
acquainted  with  the  language  of  Scripture,  that  I 
shall  content  myself  with  referring  to  some  of  the 
principal  passages  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
where  the  same  figurative  language  is  applied  in  the 
same  manner. 

lb.  Serve  Jiim,  &c.]  Ezek.  xxxvii.  23.  28.  Psalm 
xvi,  cxl.  13.  Is.  xxxii.  i/.  Ivii.  15,  Ixv.  Ezra  ix.  8. 
John  xiv.  23.  Eph.  iii.  IT.  2  Cor.  iv.  1().  1  John 
iii.  24. 

Ver.  16.  Hunger— thirsty  &c.]  Is.  xxxii.  2.  Ixv. 
13,  xlix.  10.  Ezek.    xxxlv.   i.h}.   John  vi.  14,    ^5, 

Ver.  17.  Like  a  Shepherd.]  Is.  xl.  11.  xlix.  10. 
Psalm  xxiii.  1.  Ixxx.  1.  Jer.  xxxi.  10.  And  see  note, 
ch.  ii.  27. 

lb.  Tear.']     Is.  xxx.  I9.    xxv,  8, 


I 


Let  the  reader  now  compare  the  happiness  of  this 
palm-bearing  multitude,  as  here  described,  with  that 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  in  ch. 
xxi.  14;  and  he  will  probably  determine  the  two  pe- 
riods to  be  the  same.  Of  none  other  but  of  happi- 
ness in  heaven  can  it  be  alBrmed,   (as  is  affirmed  of 

*  1  Thess.  V.  1.  12.   2  Thess.  id.  1.  17.    James  v.  7,  8.    1  Pet.  iv, 
13.    2  Pet.  iii.  12,  13. 

both 


Chap,  vil.1  APOCALYPSE.  191 

both  these,)  that  pain,  and  sorrow,  and  hunger  and 
thirst,  shall  then  be  no  more,  under  the  reign  of 
the  Lamb,  who  *^  shall  wipe  away  every  tear  from 
**  their  eyes."  Joseph  Mede  observed  this  synchro- 
nism*; but  has  applied  it,  as  I  am  inchned  to  think, 
improperly,  to  an  earthly  millennium,  or  reign  of 
Christ  and  his  saints  on  earth.  The  expressions  of 
perfect  fehcity  in  both  passages  are  by  much  too 
exalted  to  bear  application  to  any  thing  possible 
under  the  present  constitution  of  things.  They  can 
be  fulfilled  only  in  heaven  ;  or  in  an  heaven  upon 
earth  (which  is  much  the  same  thing)  succeeding 
to  the  destruction  and  regeneration  of  the  present 
globe  j*. 

Having  thus  formed,  upon  the  scriptural  grounds 
above  stated,  this  notion  of  the  application  of  this 
prophecy,  I  found  myself,  when  I  came  to  read  the 
exposition  of  some  eminent  commentators,  little  dis- 
posed  to  subscribe  to  their  opinions,  which  represent 
this  seventh  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse  as  containing 
**  a  description  of  the  state  of  the  church  in  Constan- 
tine's  time;  of  the  peace  and  protection  that  it 
**  should  enjoy  under  the  civil  powers,  and  the  great 
*^  accession  which  should  be  made  to  it  both  of  Jews  and 
'^  Gentiles  X-''  Now  the  history  of  this  period,  faith- 
fully related,  informs  us,  that  although  the  Christian 
Church  was  delivered  from  persecution,  and  ad- 
vanced in  worldly  consideration  and  power,  yet  did 
it  acquire  no  real  accession  of  worth,  dignity,  or 
exaltation,  by  its  connexion  with  the  imperial  throne. 
Nay,    from  that  very  time,    its  degeneracy  and  cor- 

*   Clav.  Apocalypt.  pars  ii.  syn.  vii.  f  See  notes,  ch.  xxi. 

t  Daubux,  Bishop  Newton,  6cc,  &c, 

ruption 


592  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  11.  §  9. 

ruption  are  most  indubitably  to  be  dated.  From  that 
period,  worldly  power  and  riches  became  the  objects  of 
its  leaders,  not  purity  and  virtue.  Many  entered  the 
Christian  Church,  and  obtained  its  honours  and  dig- 
nities, by  base  dissimulation  of  their  principles,  to 
please  the  emperor,  and  recommend  themselves  to 
his  favour*.  And  the  consequent  extension  of  the 
Christian  Rehgion  among  the  heathen  nations  was, 
as  Mosheim  observes,  in  name ^  not  in  reality^.  The 
worldly  professors  of  Christianity  in  this  century 
were  so  far  from  fulfilling  the  prophecy,  by  '' wash- 
*'  ing  their  robes  white,"  and  by  htmgfed  and  con- 
ducted by  the  Lamby  that  they  appear  rather  to  have 
assumed  the  hue  of  another  leader ^  the  fire-coloured 
dragon,  and  to  have  greedily  sought  from  him  those 
worldly  riches  and  that  power,  which^their  Lord  had 
refused  at  his  hands  J.  This  grand  enemy  of  the 
Christian  Church,  the  devil,  had  begun  his  attack  upon 
her,  first,  by  the  terrors  of  persecution.  He  failed  in 
this  attempt :  the  blood  of  the  IMartyrs  became  the 
seed  of  the  Church.  He  then  changed  his  mode 
of  operation.  He  beguiled  the  Christians  with  the 
promise  of  worldly  power  and  splendour :  and  it  was 
from  this  succesful  mode  of  corruption,  that  he  was 
at  length  enabled  to  ^^xqAwq.^  Antichrist  ;— 

—  —  -^  *«.  — ,  —  Captique  dolis  —  — 
Quos  neque  Tydides  nee  Larissaeus  Achilles, 
Non  anni  donm^re  decern,  non  mille  carina3 ! 

iENEiD.  ii.  ]96^- 

•  Easeb.  de  Vit.  Constant,  lib.  iv.  c,  54. 
t  Eccl.  Hist.  cent.  4.  %  INIatt.  iv.  9, 

I  Thus  Satan  sped,  and  fix'd  his  artful  reign 
Where  ten  years'  persecution  rag'd  in  vain. 
The  last  great  persecution  under  Dioclesian  continued  almost  ten  years. 

Quotations 


Chap,  vil.]  APOCALYPSE.  ^9S 

Quotations  might  easily  be  inultiplied  from  co- 
temporary  authors,  and  from  learned  and  judicious 
writers  of  later  date,  to  shew  by  their  testimony,  that 
this  is  the  true  history  of  the  Christian  Church  in  the 
fourth  century.     I  shall  content  myself  with  a  few. 

Gregory  of  Nazianzam  will  be  allowed  to  be  a 
most  unexceptionable  witness,  both  as  to  character, 
and  as  to  the  time  in  which  he  wrote  ;  about  the 
middle  of  the  fourth  century. 

This  writer,  speaking  of  the  Emperor  Julian,  says,* 
"  It  was  not  long  before  this  (power  of  injuring 
''  the  Christians)  was  afforded  him  against  us,  by 
**  the  abounding  wickedness  of  the  many,  and  by 
*'  the  prosperity  of  the  Christians,  verging,  as  one 
"  may  say,  from  the  highest  pitch  to  a  contrary 
''  change,  and  the  power,  and  the  honour,  and  the 
'*  plent}^,  by  which  we  were  become  insolent."  Then, 
after  asserting  the  danger  of  prosperity,  and  support- 
ing his  assertion  by  quotations  from  Scripture,  he 
continues;  "  For  having  been  exalted  when  we  were 
*^  meek  and  moderate,  and  by  degrees  advanced,  so 
*'  as  to  arrive,  under  the  Divine  conduct,  to  so  great 
*^  a  figure  and  multitude,  when  we  were  fed  up  we 
'*  kicked,  and  when  we  were  enlarged  and  set  at  liberty 
"  we  were  reduced  and  narrowed  :  and  that  glory  and 
*^  power,  which  we  had  acquired  in  persecutions  and 
''  afflictions,  we  lost  In  prosperity."     Jerome  vv'rote  at 

*  Ov  zjoXv  TO  tv  (M(7u,  nxi  rsivrr,v  uioxcriv  ayrw  xaS'  vi^.cuv,  ^  'Uj>.'njv^Mii<Toe. 
ruv  zjoKXcov  avofAtx,  y.xt  -n  £7r'  axPojv,  us  av  sivoi  ns,  X^Krrixvuv  svs^ix  rnv 
tvxvrixv  ^-nmax  /xstaCoAvjv,  kxi  -n  b'^h^tix,  kxi  'h  niy.r),  Kxt  o  y.o^cs ,  oi  uv  vo^c 
a-a/xsv.  Hy-sts  yovv  v^uOsvns,  ots  viij.sy  sttiu-asis  rs  kxi  [xstpioi,  kxi  kxtx  (xix^ov 
av^'nOsvns  us  sis  to^b  to  <r;^*3//.a  kxi  's:Xr,9cs  crvv  y^n^xyx'yia  0£a  -crpoJ^.oEiv,  mviKX 
£Xt7ray9-/}(ji.sv,  sa-Ki^TTia-Xfji.sv,  kxi  wikx  £7rAaTfv9^^£v  tarivoy^ujfn'^x^iv'  kxi  yiv  ev 
rois  ^lujyfxois  kxi  rxts  ^Xi-^sai  avnXi^xfju^x  «o|av  KCti  ^vya^iy,   rxvrnv  ev  'SJ^xt- 

roP,ts  KXTt?.v(7x^!y.     Orat.  iii.  p.  6'2,  edit.  Morelli. 

z  the 


194!  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  11.  §d, 

the  close  of  this  century,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the 
next.  This  learned  and  able  Father,  speaking  of  the 
Christian  Church,  says,  "  After  it  came  to  the  Chris- 
**  tian  emperors,  in  power  indeed  and  in  riches  it 
^^  became  greater,  but  in  virtues  less*."  These 
ancient  cotemporary  testimonies  are  far  superior 
in  credibility  to  those  of  Eusebius  and  Lactantius, 
quoted  by  Bishop  Newton,  to  shew  the  beata  trati- 
quilUtas,  the  rare  felicity,  of  the  Church,  from  the 
time  the  emperors  became  Christian.  And  this,  not 
from  the  superior  veracity  or  judgment  of  the  writers, 
but  because  Eusebius  and  Lactantius  lived  at  the  time 
when  the  change  was  taking  place,  and  seeing  the 
Church  delivered  from  persecution,  and  supported  by 
the  supreme  power,  they  naturally  promised  to  them- 
selves and  their  successors  the  most  flourishing  pro- 
sperity. But  Gregory  and  Jerome  lived  a  generation 
or  two  later,  and  had  thereby  the  opportunity  of  see- 
ing the  actual  effects  of  these  measures,  which  proved 
highly  detrimental  to  the  true  prosperity  of  the  Church, 
and  are  acknowledged  to  be  so  by  all  our  judicious 
writers  on  Ecclesiastical  History. 

The  learned  Dr.  Jortin  seems  to  have  had  this 
passage  of  Jerome  in  mind,  when,  introducing  his 
remarks  on  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  times  of 
Constantine,  he  mentions  his  subject  in  these  words ; 
'^  The  Church  of  Christ  increasing  in  splendour,  and 
"  decreasing,  in  virtue  f."     And   to   these  times   of 

*  Scribere  enim  disposui,  ab  adventu  Salvatoris  usque  ad  nostraii^L 
retatem ;  id  est,  ab  apostolis  usque  ad  nostri  temporis  faecem  ;  quomodo, 
■et  per  quos,  Christi  Ecclesia  nata  sit,  et  adulta  persecutionibus 
creverit,  mart3'riis  coronata  sit ;  et  postquam  ad  Christianos  principes 
venit,  potentia  quidem  et  divitiis  major,  sed  virtutibus  minor  facta 
sit.  liierou.  de  Vita  Malchi ;  torn.  i.  p.  ii6,  edit.  Basil. 

t  Dedication  to  vol.  iii. 

Constantine, 


Chap,  vii.]  APOCALYPSE.  195 

Constaiitine,  he  justly  attributes  the  rise  of  those 
t\Vo  most  pernicious  maxims  hi  the  Church ;  1st, 
that  her  interests  may  be  laudably  served  by  deceit 
and  lying;  and  2dly,  that  heretics  are  to  be  punish- 
ed with  civil  penalties,  and  corporal  punishments. 
By  such  steps,  not  Christianity,  but  Antichristianity 
was  advanced.  '*  The  number  of  immoral  and  un-^ 
*'  worthy  Christians,"  continues  this  author,  *'  began  so 
'*  to  increase,  that  the  examples  of  real  piety  and  vir- 
**  tue  became  extremely  rare." 

Spanheim's  observations  on  this  part  of  ecclesias- 
tical history  are  to  the  same  effect:  ''  Luxus  glis- 
*^  cens  in  ecclesiam  cum  opibus,  dignitatibus,  am- 
'^  bitione,  superbia  clericorum,  et  requie  k  persecu- 
"  tionibus,  sub  Christianis  jam  principibus,  unde 
**  morum,    corruptio  ;  &c*" 

Mosheim,  having  produced  some  strong  facts,  as 
specimens  of  the  degenerate  state  of  Christianity  in 
this  century,  adds  ;  '*  the  discerning  reader  will  easily 
**  perceive  what  detriment  the  church  received  from 
**  the  peace  and  prosperity  procured  by  Constantinef." 
Joseph  Mede,  speaking  of  this  century,  says;  '^  Alas! 
'^  now  began  the  v^ei^oi  -ach^oi,  or  latter  times  ;  this  was 
*'  the  fatal  time,  and  thus  was  the  Christian  apostacy 
**  to  be  ushered  in  :  if  they  had  known  this.  It  would 
*'  have   turned  their  joyous    shoutings  and  triumphs 

*'  into  mourning  J." "  Alas  !  (says  an  eloquent  and 

**  learned  writer  of  our  own  times  J  from  the  very 
**  £era  of  the  security,  prosperity,  and  splendour  of 
*'  the  Christian  Church,  we  must  date  the  decay 
*^  of  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity  !  Honour,  wealth, 
*' and  power,   soon  excited  pride,  avarice,  ambition: 

•  Introduct.  ad  Hist.  Nov.  Test,  torn,  i.  p.  o7^. 

t  Eccl.  Hist.  cent.  iv.  part  ii.  c.  3.  %  Works,  p.  6S0. 

z  2  *'  and 


^96  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  11.   §   9. 

*'  and  the  contests  for  these  worldly  advantages  were 
^^  but  too  often  carried  on  with  the  greatest  ani- 
^^  mosity,  under  pretence  of  contending  for  the 
"faith*  " 


The  six  first  seals  having  been  now  opened,  and 
their  contents  exposed,  and  appearing  to  contain  an 
unity  within  themselves ;  before  we  proceed  to  new 
matter,  let  us  review  them.  They  contain,  accord- 
ing to  this  our  interpretation,  a  short,  rapid,  and  ge- 
neral sketch  of  the  progress  of  Christianity,  from  its 
establishment  to  the  end  of  time  ;  from  the  first,  to 
the  final,  coming  of  our  Lord.  (1.)  We  see  this  Re- 
ligion setting  forth  in  purit}^,  witlr*  primitive  piety  and 
charity,  in  which  array  v/e  are  assured  it  shall  prosper, 
both  at  its  first  outset,  and  at  the  last.  But  between 
these  two  periods,  of  commencement,  and  of  final 
victory  and  prosperity,  there  are  intermediate  ages : 
and  in  the  progress  of  the  Church  through  these, 
the  form  of  Christianity  changes  ;  she  is  no  longer  the 
same;  for,  {'2.)  ^  Jive- coloured  hue  succeeds  to  zekite. 
Unchristian  animosities  and  contentions,  then  becoming 
general,  proceed  even  to  mutual  bloodshed  and  slaugli- 
ter.  (3.)  The  form  changes  again,  and  for  the  worse. 
Under  the  cover  of  dark  ignorance  and  superstition, 
the  agents  of  tiie  enemy  fix  a  yoke  of  unauthorized  ob- 
servances on  the  necks  of  the  disciples,  and  thereby 
make  the  passage  easy  for  (4.)  another  and  still  more 
fatal  change,  when  true  Religion  is  so  completely 
banished  from  that  which  bears  the  name  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  that  they,  who  continue  to  practise  it  in 
its  purity,  become  objects  of  hatred  and  of  persecution 

''  Bishop  Lo-vvtb's  Visilation  Sermon,  1758. 

to 


Chap,  vii.]  apocalypse,  igj 

to  the  powers  ruling  under  the  Christian  name. 
(5.)  Then  comes  the  cry  of  the  Martyrs,  bursting  forth 
from  this  persecution,  and  continuing  through  a  long 
period.  (6.)  But  the  day  of  Divine  vengeance,  al- 
though delayed,  will  come ;  when  they,  who  have  the 
mark  of  true  Christian  faith  and  purity,  shall  be  saved 
triumphantly  from  the  never-ending  calamities  which 
shall  overwhelm  their  enemies,  the  enemies  of  Christ. 

Such   appears   to    be    this  general   outline  of  the 
Christian  history.     Many  important  intervals  remain 
yet  to  be  filled  up,  under  the  seventh  seal,  which  will 
be  found  to  contain  all  the  prophecies  remaining;  and, 
by  tracing  the    history  over  again,   to  supply  many 
events  which  were  only  touched  upon  before.     This 
method  of  Divine  prediction,  presenting,  at  first,  a  ge- 
neral sketch  or  outline,   and  afterwards  a  more  com- 
plete and  finished  colouring  of  events,  is  not  peculiar 
to  this  prophetical  book.     It  is  the  just  observation  of 
Sir  Isaac  Newton,  that  "  the  Prophecies  of  Daniel  are 
**  all  of  them  related  to  each  other;''  and  that  '*  every 
"  following    prophecy   adds    something   new    to   the 
*'  former '''."    We  may  add  to  this  observation,  that  the 
same  empires  in  Daniel  are  represented  by  various  types 
and  symbols.     The  four  parts  of  the  Image,  and  the 
four  Beasts,  are  varied  symbols  of  the  same  Empires. 
The  Bear  and  the  He-Goat,   in  different  visions,  repre- 
sent the  same  original:  and  so  do  the  Ram  and  the 
Leopard.     We  are  not  therefore  to  be  surprised,   Avhen 
we  find  the  same  history  of  the  Church  beginning  anew, 
and  appearing  under  other,  yet  corresponding  types; 
thus  filling  up'  the  outlines  which   had   been   traced 
before. 

*  On  Daniel,  Part  I.  c.  iii, 

THE 


[   m  ] 


THE 


[Pt.  IIL  §  1. 


APOCALYPSE,    &c. 


PART    III. 


SECTION     I, 


The  openmg  of  the  seventh  Seal,  and  the  Commission  to 
the  Angels  zvith  the  seven  Trumpets. 


I  riAI  on  Ytvot^i 
T*iv  trip^ocyT^ix  rr,v 
cb  ^o/x.'/5v,  syhflo  aiyr) 

ras   iifloi  ocfysXasf 

crxv    avrois    tttra, 

3   a-aXTTi^yzs,  Ka.1  ka- 

?:^  a^ysX!^   vX9b, 

5^  hix.9y]  Ivf  TO  St- 

xxi  Edo9»  civru:  ^v- 
f/JCiixxroc,  'CjoXKoc, 
tvx  ou>aip  rxis  'sjpo- 
czv^^olIs  txv  ocyluv 
"tuavrMv  Itti  to  ^v- 

GtX<i-t)^lOV  TO  Yff- 
cS>  TO     hulTlCV    T« 

0  xaTrvi J  Ti^/  vt'p,i»- 


CHAP.  viii.  1 — 5. 

1  And  when  be  opened 
the  seventh  seal,  there 
was  silence  in  heaven, 
as  it  were  half  an  hour. 

2  And  1  saw  the  seven 
Angels  who  stood  be- 
fore God ,  and  to  them 
were  given  seven  trum- 

3  pets.  And  another 
angel  came,  and  was 
stationed  at  the  altar, 
having  a  golden  cen- 
ser :  and  there  was 
given  unto  him  much 
incense,  that  he  should 
ofler,  with  the  prayers 
of  all  the  saints,  upon 
the  golden  altar  which 
was  before  the  Throne. 

4-  And  the  smoke  of  the 
incense  ascended  with 
the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  from  the  hand  of 


1  And  when  he  had 
opened  the  seventh 
seal,  there  w^as  silence 
in  heaven  about  the 
space  of  half  an  hour. 

2  And  I  saw  ^he  sevea 
angels  which  stood  be- 
fore God ;  and  to  theni 
were  given  seven  trum-» 

3  pets.  And  another  an- 
gel came  and  stood  at 
the  altar,  having  a 
golden  censer ;  and 
there  was  given  uijto 
him  much  incense, 
that  he  should  offer  it 
with  the  prayers  of  all 
saints,  upon  the  golden 
altar  which  was  before 

4  the  throne.  And  the 
smoke  of  the  incense 
ivhich  came  with  the 
prayers  of  the  saints, 


Ch.  viii.  1 — 5.]  ArocALYPSE. 


W9 


fMcruv  rxis  Wfo- 
wivy^xis  ruv  ocyiuv 
Ik.  XJ^ifos  t5  aifys- 
^Uf  fvuirtov  Ta  ©sa. 

y£A©-  Toy  Xi^avuj- 
Toy,  >c  lyt(Mi(rtv  av- 
Toy  «x  T8  zuvpos  Ta 

Afy  E<j  T^v  7^y*  xa< 
jys'yovTo  ^uvat    yLXi 

>y  (TE«r/ixor. 


the  angel,  before  God. 
And  the  angel  took 
the  censer,  and  filled 
it  from  the  fire  of  the 
altar,  and  cast  to 
the  earth ;  and  there 
were  voices,  and  thun- 
derings,  and  lightnings, 
and  earthquake. 


ascended  up  before 
God,  out  of  the  an-- 
5  gel's  hand.  And  th« 
angel  took  the  censer, 
and  filled  it  with  fire 
of  the  altar,  and  cast 
it  into  the  earth  :  and 
there  were  voices,  and 
thunderings,  and  light- 
nings, and  an  earth- 
quake. 


Ver.  1.  There  was  silence  in  heaven,  as  it  were 
half  an  hour.']  Upon  the  opening  of  each  of  the 
former  seals,  a  significant  action  had  innnediately 
commenced.  Under  the  four  first  seals,  voices^  from 
heaven,  from  the  place  of  representation,  had  invited 
the  Prophet  to  ^^  come  and  see."  With  the  fifth 
seal,  the  voices  of  the  Martyrs  had  been  heard.  The 
opening  of  the  sixth  seal  had  been  directly  followed 
by  a  representation  of  action  the  most  tremendous,  ac- 
companied and  explained  by  voices,  during  which  the 
prophecy  seemed  to  extend  even  to  the  great  and  last 
day  of  recompense.  Now,  upon  the  opening  of  this 
seventh  and  last  seal,  no  voice  is  heard,  no  representa- 
tion immediately  ensues.  An  aweful  silence  suspends 
the  gratification  of  curiosity.  After  a  solemn  pause, 
preparation  is  made  for  a  new  kind  of  exhibition ;  the 
seven  angels  come  forth. 

This  silence  in  heaven  has  been  supposed  to  express, 
or  at  least  to  allude  to,  that  custom  of  the  Jews,  whereby 
they  joined  their  ^i/ew/ prayers  to  the  offering  of  the 
incense.  But  this  silence  takes  place  before  the  time 
of  incense;  before  the  angel  takes  his  station  at  the 

altar. 


200  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   III.    §   1. 

altar.  And  there  is  an  intervening  action  between  the 
silence  and  the  offering  of  incense,  namely,  the  pro- 
cession of  the  seven  angels;  each  of  whom  is  presented 
with  his  trumpet.  This  silence,  therefore,  though  it 
may  bear  a  certain  degree  of  allusion  to  the  temple- 
service,  and  may  even  be  supposed  to  continue  during 
the  service  which  follows,  seems  to  be  exhibited  for 
another  purpose ;  to  denote,  as  it  appears  to  m.e,  a  change, 
in  the  mode,  or  in  the  subject  of  the  prophecy ;  to  dis- 
unite the  succeeding  scene  from  that  which  had  gone 
before  ;  to  unfold  a  new  chain  of  prediction.  The 
connexion,  which  bad  hitherto  united  the  seals,  is 
broken;  the  seventh  seal  stands  apart;  and  then  pro- 
duces a  ne\7  method  of  representation,  and  a  new  series 
of  events,  to  which  the  silence  in  heaven,  and  the  offer- 
ing of  incense,  are  preparatory.  But  if  a  new  series  of 
events  is  to  be  exhibited,  whence  are  we  to  expect  that 
it  will-take  its  date?  Under  the  sixth  seal,  preceding 
this  which  contains  tlie  trumpets,  the  rapid  sketch  of 
the  Christian  history  was  brought  down  to  the  last  great 
day  of  recom.pense.  Where  then  are  we  to  expect  that 
tliis  renewed  history  will  begin  r  From  the  earliest 
times  of  Christianity,  or,  to  speak  more  properly,  from 
the  period  when  our  Lord  left  the  world  in  person,  and 
committed  the  Church  to  the  guidance  of  his  Apostles. 
From  this  time,  the  first  seal  takes  its  commencement; 
from  this  also  the  first  Trumpet.  This  is  the  beginning, 
settled  by  the  agreement  of  divines,  of  the  second 
ad  vent  of  Christ,  the  proper  subject  of  the  Apocalyptic 
Prophecies. 

Ver.  2.  The  seve;^  angels.]  These  are  not  the  com- 
pany of  angels  employed  under  the  preceding  seal ;  for 
they  vftYtfour.  And  this  seems  to  afford  an  additional 
argument,    that  a  new  kind  of  representation  is  to  be 

expected. 


Ch.  viii.  1 — 5.]  apocalypse*  201 

expected.  Seven  is  a  number  expressive  of  universality, 
or  completion  *.  The  Jewish  writers  seem  fond  of  enu- 
merating seven  principal  angels.  But  the  writings,  in 
which  they  are  described,  are,  I  believe,  of  later  date 
than  the  Apocalypse,  and  the  notion  was  probably  de- 
rived from  this  passage  f- 

lb.  Seven  trumpets.']  The  use  of  the  trumpet  among 
the  people  of  God,  and  its  symbolical  meaning  in  this 
passage,  will  be  explained  under  verse  6. 

Ver.  3,  4.  And  another  angel  came,  and  xvas  sta- 
tioned at  the  altar ;  &c.]  This  is  expressly  said  (ver.  3.) 
to  be  "  the  golden  altar,  which  was  before  the  throne." 
Upon  this  altar,  which  stood  before  the  Mercy-seat 
(the  local  seat  of  the  Divine  glory  in  the  Temple),  was 
to  be  offered  no  strange  incense  J;  no  strange  fire§; 
by  no  strange  priest  ||  :  but  incense,  offered  thereon  by 
the  legal  priests,  was  as  an  atonement  for  the  people  ^y 
who  accompanied  this  offering  with  their  prayers  **. 
For  it  was  the  custom  of  devout  people  to  ofler  up 
their  prayers  in  the  court  of  the  Temple,  while  the 
priest  was  burning  incense  within  ;  as  may  be  seen  at 
large  in  Luke  i.  9,  10,  21,  22.  The  angel,  therefore, 
seems  to  represent  a  lawful  priest ;  and  the  incense, 
added  to  the  prayers,  a  mode  of  ottering,  or  form  of 
worship f I,  probably  the  Christian;  for,  the  incense, 
the  means  of  presenting  the  prayers  unto  God,  is  given 
from  heaven  to  the  angel  or  officiating  priest ;  is  ac- 
companied by  the  prayers  oHhtsaintSy  who  are  certainly 

*  See  note,  cb.  i.  4. 

t  Tobitxii.  15,  on  which  see  Jortin's  Remarks,  i.  113  ;  Gray's  Key 
to  the  Old  Testament,  art.  Tobit ;  Mosheim,  Hist.  Eccl.  i.  17^. 
X  Exod.  XXX.  9,  38.  §  Levit.  x.  1. 

\\  Numb,  xvi,  5[  Numb.  xvi.  4^. 

**  Psahn  cxli.  2.  Luke  i.  10.  ft  See  note,  ch.  v.  8. 

Christians  ; 


gOS  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IIL   §   1. 

Christians;    and  ascends  before   the  throne;    which 
implies  that  it  is  accepted  by  the  Ahiiighty  *.     This 
character  can  belong  to  no  other  than  the  true  Reh- 
gion  t-     The  proper  priest  of  the  Christian  ReHgion, 
the  only  High  Priest,   is  our  Great  Intercessor  and 
Mediator,  the  Lord  Jesus.     Yet,  powerful  reasons  may 
be  assigned,  to  shew  that  the  officiating  angel,  in  this 
passage,  is  not  this  High  Priest.     For,  first,  he  has  no 
distinguishing  attributes,  such  as  mark  this  high  priest 
in  ch.  i.  \3y  &c.     He  is  simply  styled  an  angel, — an- 
other angel,  that  is,  one  of  the  same  rank  and  descrip- 
tion \vith  the  seven.     Secondly,  this  office  of  burning 
incense,  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  high  priest ;   subordinate   priests  might 
offisr  it:  and  the  office  was  generally  discharged  by  the 
priests  of  the  twenty-four  courses.     Zacharias,  who,  in 
Luke  i.  ^'  burns  incense  with  the  prayers  of  the  people, ** 
was  of  this  description.     And,  thirdly,  under  the  Gos- 
pel dispensation,   we   find    this   function    of  offering 
spiritual  incense,  committed  to  the  Christian  priesthood 
-in  general  J.     So  that  this  angel  may  be  supposed  to 
represent  the  Christian  priesthood  in  general,  as  exer- 
cised in  subordination  to  the  Great  High  Priest. 

This  religion  is  of  heavenlij  origin  and  institution  ; 
and  the  smoke  of  its  incense,  or  worship,  ascends  from 
the  hand  of  the  priest  "  before  God." 

Ver.  5.  And  the  angel  took  the  censer,  and  Jilled  it 
from  the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  to  the  earth;  &c.] 
A  question  seems  to  arise  upon  this  passage ;  what  did 
the  angel  cast  to  the  earth?  Our  translators  have  in- 
serted the  pronoun  it ;  *'  cast  it  to  the  earth;  by  which 
we  must  understand  the  censer.     But  this  construction 

*  See  Acts  x.  4.  t  I^al.  i,  11.     1  Pet.  ii.  5. 

^  Rom,  XV.  16.     1  Pet.  ii.  5. 

is 


Ch.  viii.  1 — 5.]  APOCALYPSE.  203 

is  by  no  means  warranted  by  the  original  *\    But  if  the 
censer  were  not  cast  to  the  earth,  its  contents  must 
have  been :  and  what  were  they?  To  answer  this  ques- 
tion, we  are  to  observe  the  method  in  which  the  angel 
.,seems  to  have  proceeded.     He  offered  the  incense,  most 
probably,  not  upon  the  censer,  but  upon  the  altar  ;  the 
golden  altar ;  the  altar  appropriated  for  that  use ;  as 
he  is  expressly  appointed  to  do,  in  the  third  verse.    And 
if  it  seem   an  objection   to  this  supposition,  that  the 
smoke  is  said  to  ascend  from  the  hand  of  the  angel,  it 
may  be  answered,   that  so  it  would,  if,  as  may  seem 
probable,  he  took  the  incense  from  the  censer,  and  with 
his  hand  applied  it  to  the  fire  upon  the  altar.     The 
smoke  would  then  ascend  from  his  hand,    almost  in 
contact  with  the  fire.     It  would  be  only  in  the  same 
manner,  ''from  his  handy''  if  the  incense  were  burned 
upon  the  censer.     But  the  censer  seems  to  have  been, 
in  this  case,  only  the  receptacle  of  the  incense;  for  the 
angel  came  forth  with  the  censer  in  his  hand ;  and  thoz 
the  incense  was  given  to  him.     He  had  no  vial,  which 
was  the  usual  receptacle  f.    The  angel,  therefore,  seems 
to  have  taken  the  incense  from  the  censer,  and  to  have 
burned  it  upon  the  fire,  which  was  on  the  altar.     He 
now  reverses  the  mode ;  he  first  takes  the  censer,  and 
then  the  fire  from  the  altar,  which  he  applies  to  the 
censer,  in  which   was  the  remainder  of  the  incense: 
and  the  fire  and  the  incense,  thus  burning,  he  casts  to 
the  earth.     But  the  incense,  thus  burning,  as  we  have 
before   remarked,   means  the    Christian    worship   and 
Religion  ;   pure  and  heavenly  in  its  nature  and  origin  ; 
but,   sent  down  to  the  earth,    and   mixing  with   the 
passions  and  worldly  designs  of  men,  it  produces  signal 
commotions,  expressed  in  the  prophetical  language  by 

.f'  K«;  E^aXcv  £is  r^v  yviv,  f  See  note,  ch.  v.  8,  on  the  word  Vial. 

^*  voices, 


204  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §   I. 

''  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and  earth- 
*'  quake."     Or,  if  it  be,  as  it  may  perhaps  be,  that  the 
fire  alone  is  cast  to  the  earth,  (the  incense  being  ex- 
hausted,) the  interpretation  will   be  nearly   the  same. 
For  our  Lord  has  declared,  in  the  same  kind  of  figura- 
tive language,  that  in  sending  forth  his  holy  Religion 
to  the  earth,  he  had  cast  j^7*e  thereon  ; — -ujv^  viaOov  ^aKstv 
etg  Tviv  yviV — it  is  the  very  same  expression  '^  :  and  this 
fire  he  afterwards  explains  to  signify  divismis  and  con- 
tention -j".     Thus,   in  the  representation  before  us,  the 
Christian  Religion  begins  in  peace;  and  pure  incense:}:, 
rendered   effectual  by    the   Saviour's   atonement,    and 
accompanying  the  devout  prayers  of  the  Church,    is 
offered  for  a  time;    till,   mingling  with  earthly  cor- 
ruption, with  human  passions  and  prejudices,  it  becomes 
the  instrument  of  discord  and  violence.     But  this  is 
only  a  general,    symbolical,    preluding    view   of  the 
subject ;    the  heresies,  divisions,  commotions,    which, 
under  the  name  of  Christianity,  miserably  afflicted  the 
Christian  world,   and  almost  banished  true   Religion, 
are  to  be  more  especially  developed  in  the  sequel  of 
this  seal.     The  significant  action  now  exhibited,  pre- 
pares  us  for   the  kind  of  history   which   is  to  follow. 
And  it  seems  to  confine  our  interpretation  of  the  sequel^ 
to  the  history  of  the  Christian   Religion,   thus 
producing  commotions  upon  the  earth, 

*  Luke  xii.  49.  t  See  Grotius  and  Whitby,  in  loc. 

X  Mai.  i.  U. 


PART 


Cll.  viii.  6 — 12.]  APOCALYPSE. 


205 


PART     III. 


SECTION     II. 
The  four  firs  t  Trump  e  ts. 


01  tyovlss  TiXS  aiTia, 

cav     {xvTaSf      fvcc 

o  '537^ a; T©-  laocX- 
'fficrs,  ;Cf  lytvilo  yji.- 
^OCCpC  ■>^  TTvq  iJ.lyA'y- 

pt.ivx  ev  oc'i'ixocri,  ?c 
(QXyiQil  t'ts  rr,y  yriv' 
f^    TO    r^i'roy    r^s 

yY,S    KXTSKti-n,  >C   TO 

xal£xa>9,    y.x\    zjois 
$    rjxavj,     Kai  o  ^£y- 

fxlyx  njv^i  Kxioy.i- 
wv  £^Xrj9ri  SIS  rriv 
^xAxaaxv  K,  iyi- 
ysro  TO  rclrov  Tins 
^aXxacms,     mixx' 

^  Kxici'^sOxn  TO  rpi- 
Toy  Tuv  iili(TiAxrci>v 
ruv  £v  rrt  ^x'>.x<r- 
wriy  Tx  s^ovtx  \]/i'- 
5^«j' '  )y  TO  T^lTOy 
Tu)V  zjXolwv  Oli^Ox- 

10  pv.  Kai  0  r^iTos 
oi[yi\^  £Tx?.'rTia-E, 
yl  iTTecrcv  Ik   tS  a- 


CHAP.viii.  VER.  6 — 12. 

6  And  the  seven  angels, 
who  had  the  seven 
trumpets,  prepared 
themselves   to   sound. 

7  And  the  tirst  sounded ; 
and  there  were  hail 
and  fire  mingled  with 
blood  ;  and  they  were 
.cast  upon  the  land  ; 
and  the  third  part  of 
the  land  was  burnt 
up;  and  the  third  part 
of  the  trees  was  burnt 
up ;  and  all  green  grass 

8  was  burnt  up.  And 
the  second  angel  sound- 
ed ;  and,  as  it  were,  a 
great  mountain,  burn- 
ing with  fire,  was  cast 
into  tiie  sea;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  sea 

9  became  blood  :  And 
tlie  third  part  of  the 
creatures  in  the  sea, 
which  had  life,  died  ; 
and  the  third  part  of 
the  ships  was  destroy- 

10  ed.  And  the  third 
angel  sounded  ;  and 
there  fell  from  heaven 
a  great  star,  burning 
like  a  meteor;  and  it 


6  And  the  seven  angels 
which  had  the  seven 
trumpets,  prepared 
themselves  to   sound, 

7  The  first  angel  sound- 
ed ;  and  there  follow- 
ed hail  and  fire  mingled 
with  blood  ;  and  they 
were  cast  upon  the 
earth :  and  the  third 
part  of  trees  was  burnt 
up,  and  all  green  grass 

8  was  burnt  up.  And  the 
second  angel  sounded, 
and  as  it  were  a  great 
mountain  burning  with 
fire  was  cast  into  the 
sea ;  and  the  third  part 
of    the     sea    became 

9  blood :  And  the  third 
part  ©f  the  creatures 
which  were  in  the  sea, 
and  had  life,  died ;  and 
the  third  part  of  the 
ships  were  destroyed. 

10 And  the  third  angel 
sounded,  and  there  fell 
a  great  star  from  hea- 
ven, burning  as  it  were 
a  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon 
the  third  part  of  the 
rivers,,  and   upon  the 


205 


APOCALYPSE. 


[pt.  HI.  f  t 


xxioixiv®^  us  Xa/x- 
'TTotSf  yCf  iTnatv  III  I 
To  Tfiroy  TAiv  'molix- 
fAuv,  K^  tTf]  ra,s  wv)- 

1 1  yxs  i/^aruv.  Kxi 
TO  ovofAX  r^  aH^oy 
?^iyflxi  0  "Ai]//v0oj* 
9C  yiVETXl  To  T^/- 
Toy  Tw/  v^a.T'jJv  e'V 

raJy  ocvO^uTrojv  oini- 

QxvOV  IK  rvV  V^XTulVf 

on     t'TTtK^oivQ'/io'av, 

12  Ka<  0  T£raf  t(^ 
aTyeX®-  laaXTlKJt, 
jc  sTrXiiyij  TO  t^/tov 
t5  >jX/a,  >^  TO  r/j/- 
rov  TA/y  «s"£f  wv'  I'va 
c"/.oli(rOr)   TO   r^trov 

(AVI  (pxiv-f)  TO  Tflrov 
4liTriS,  KXt  ^  VV^  0- 
(AOiUi. 


fell  upon  the  third  part 
of  the  rivers,  and  upon 
the  springs  of  waters. 

1 1  And  the  name  of  the 
star  is  called  theWorm- 
wood;  and  the  third 
part  of  the  waters  be- 
comes wormwood ;  and 
many  of  the  men  died 
of  the  waters,  because 
they  were  made  bitter. 

12  And  the  fourth  angel 
sounded ;  and  the  third 
part  of  the  sun  was 
smitten,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  moon,  and 
the  third  part  of  the 
stars;  so  that  a  third 
part  of  them  should 
be  darkened,  and  the 
day  might  not  shine, 
as  to  the  third  part  of 
it,  and  the  night  like- 
wise. 


fountains   of   waters : 

11  And  the  name  of  the 
star  is  called  Worm- 
wood :  and  the  third 
part  of  the  waters  be-^ 
came  wormwood ;  and 
many  men  died  of  the 
waters,    because   they 

12  were  made  bitter.  And 
the  fourth  angel  sound- 
ed, and  the  third  part 
of  the  sun  was  smitten, 
and  the  third  part  of 
the  moon,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  stars;  so  as 
the  third  part  of  them 
was  darkened,  and  the 
day  shone  not  for  a 
third  part  of  it,  and 
the  night  likewise. 


Ver.  6.  And  the  seven  angels,  who  had  the  seven 
trumpets,  prepared  themselves  to  sound.]  The  formei^ 
part  of  this  chapter  having  prepared  us  for  a  new  kind 
of  representation,  in  which  we  may  expect  to  find  the 
history  of  those  commotions  which  followed  the  descent 
of  Christianity  upon  earth  ;  wg  will  in  the  next 
place  observe,  with  what  propriety  they  are  severally 
introduced  by  the  sound  of  Trumpets.  Trumpets  wer^ 
in  use  among  the  Israelites  for  several  purposes :  first, 
for  assembling   the  people*,    or   their  leaders f;    or. 


Numb.  X.  5,  3. 


t  lb.  X.  4. 


secondly, 


CL  viii.  6—12.]        APOCALYf>SE.  207 

secondly,  to  express  joy  and  exultation  on  solemn 
festivals  * ;  or,  lastly,  to  give  signal  when  the  camp 
was  to  move,  or  the  host  to  go  forth  to  battle  f  ;  on 
which  occasion,  the  trumpets  were  to  "  sound  an  alarm^* 
after  a  manner  not  used  on  other  occasions  j:.  It  was 
the  signal  of  hostile  invasion  § ;  it  was  fearful : — *'  Shall 
**  the  trumpet  be  blown  in  the  city,  and  the  people 
*'  not  be  afraid  |j  ?"  Of  such  kind  we  may  account  the 
seven  trumpets  of  the  angels.  They  are  not  the  trum- 
pets of  the  new  moons  and  feast  days  ^ ;  there  is  no 
joy  and  festivity  in  them  ;  they  are  not  for  the  quiet 
and  peaceful  calling  of  the  assembly ;  they  sound  an 
alarm ;  an  alarm  of  war ;  and  woe !  woe !  woe !  ac^ 
companies  their  notes  (v^er.  13.):  they  foretel  to  the 
Church  of  Christ  the  invasions  of  its  enemies,  and  are 
so  many  signals  on  the  approach  of  each  antichristian 
foe.  And  from  the  preparatory  vision,  in  which  incense 
and  fire  from  the  altar  in  heaven,  are  cast  down  to  earth, 
producing  violent  commotions,  we  have  reason  to  ex- 
pect that  Religion,  or  the  pretence  and  abuse  of  it,  is 
intimately  connected  with  this  warfare.  This  expecta- 
tion will  be  confirmed  by  our  observing,  that  the  re- 
presentation under  every  trumpet  appears  to  have  some 
reference  to,  or  connection  with,  the  preparatory  vision. 
At  the  sounding  of  almost  every  one  of  which,  some- 
what is  seen  to  fall  from  heaveii  to  earth,  as  the  in- 
cense and  fire  had  fallen,  and  to  occasion  the  commo- 
tions which  ensue. 

Ver,  7.  A7id  the  first  soutidecL]  The  prophetic  his- 
tory of  the  four  first  trumpets  is  dispatched  in  few 
words,  containing  ftw  images;  so  that  much //^r//67//i/r 

♦  Numb.  X.  10.  .        t  lb.  x.  5,  &c.  +  Deut.  x. 

§  Jer.  iv.  5,  19,  21.  vi.  1;  17.  II  Amos  iii.  6, 

^  Psalm  Ikxxi.  3. 

5  information 


208  "^"^APOCALYPSE,  [Pt.  III.   §<?v 

information  cannot  be  safely  collected  from  them. 
Like  the  first  four  vials,  they  seem  to  have  a  general 
character.  The  attack,  whose  alarm  is  sounded,  falls 
in  a  fourfold  division :  first,  oh  the  land;  for,  thus  it 
seems  to  me  that  vj  yvj  should  be  translated  ;  not  in  its 
general  signification  of  the  earthy  as  containing  the 
land,  sea,  rivers,  &c. ;  but  in  its  particular  sense,  as 
opposed  to  the  sea,  &c.  ^  :  secondly,  on  the  sea: 
thirdly,  on  the  rivers  and  springs  :  fourthly,  on  the 
heavenly  lumiinaries, — the  sun,  moon,  and  stars;  that  is, 
on  the  whole  of  God's  creation.  For  in  the  xivth 
chapter  of  this  book,  verse  the  seventh,  God  is  de- 
scribed as  the  Creator  of  all  things,  under  these  di^ 
visions:  ''the  heaven;  and  the  earth;  and  the  sea; 
*'  and  the  springs  of  waters."  The  same  divisions  of 
the  visible  world  (three  of  them  often,  sometimes 
four,)  are  to  be  seen  in  other  passages  of  Scripture f. 
This  mode  of  division  is  ancient,  and  passed  to  the 
Greek  and  Roman  poets.  Virgil,  after  his  Greek 
masters,  describing  the  creation,  says  : 

PriDcipio  co£lum  et  terras^  carnposque  liquentes, 

Lucentemque  globum  lunce,  titaniaqiu  astray 

Spiritus  intus  alit.  ^neid.  vi.  724^. 

*  In  confirmation  of  which  we  may  observe,  that  in  ch.  xvi.  all  the 
seven  angels  are  ordered  to  pour  their  vials  on  the  earth,  e/?  r^vy^v: 
and  yet  only  one  of  theLii  obeys  the  order  literally  and  speciallj/,  as  ttjv 
yrii:  because,  in  pouring  their  vials  on  the  sea,  rivers,  &c.  they  fulfil 
the  order  in  the  general  sense  in  which  the  word  earth  was  applied. 
The  word  is  first  used,  generally,  to  signify  the  whole  extent  of  the 
earth,  as  containing  the  land,  sea,  rivers,  &c.;  then  particularly  to  mean 
that  part  of  it  only  which  we  call  the  land. 

t  See  Isaiah  li.  15,  l6.  Ilosea  iv.  3.  Nahum  i.  4,  5.  Hab.  iii. 
6,  8,  11.     Zeph.  i.  3.     Hagg.  ii.  6\     Phil.  ii.  10. 

X  Know,  first,  that  Iieav'n  and  earth's  compacted  frame, 

And  f  owing  iratcrs,  and  the  starry  Jlame, 

And  both  the  radiant  lights,  one  common  Soul 

Inspires  and  feeds,  and  animates  the  whole.       Dkydek. 

In 


Ch.  viii,  6— 12.J        apocalyps^"  209 

In  the  fourfold  enumeration  before  v^  th6  rivers 
and  springs  arc  kept  separate  from  the  other  waters; 
for  a  particular  purpose  of  illustration,  which  will  be 
seen.  Hereby  also  is  made  that  fourfold  division, 
which,  containing  every  part  of  the  square,  implies 
universality  and  completion  *.  For,  as  the  vision  of 
the  four  horses,  at  the  voices  of  the  four  Cherubim, 
passing  completely  around  every  side  or  angle  of  the 
throne,  is  seen  to  exhibit  a  sketch  of  the  Christian 
degeneracy  in  all  its  parts,  from  its  first  purity  to  its 
utmost  corruption  ; — 

White  Horse, 

First  Cherub. 


Livid-green  Horse, 
Fourth  Cherub. 


Fire-coloured  Horse, 
Second  Cherub. 


Black- Horse, 
Third  Cherub. 

— so,  the  four  first  trumpets  seem  to  compose  a  whole^ 
and,  under  a  fourfold  division,  to  repvesent  all  the  parts 
of  the  Christian  world  as  affected  by  the  commotions f: 

First  Trumpet, 
Land. 


Fourth  Trumpet, 
Heavenly  Luminaries. 


omnium 
perfectissimus. 


Second  Trumpet, 
Sea. 


Third  Trumpet, 
Rivers,  &c. 
*  See  note,  ch.  iv,  6. 

t  I  say  the  Christian  world;  for  thus  appear  to  me,  those  **  new 
"  heavens,"  and  that  *'  new  earth,"  described  by  the  Prophets,  and  the 
Apostles,  to  be  **  created  after  God  in  righteousness."  Isaiah  li.  l6. 
Uph.iv.  24. 

A  A  And, 


210  APOCALYPSA.  [Pt.  III.  §  2. 

And,  for  this  reason,  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that 
these  attacks  are  made  in  an  exact,  successive,  chrono- 
logical order.  If  the  whole  of  Christianity  (as  under 
the  seals)  were  to  undergo  four  several  attacks,  such 
attacks  could  only  succee/i  each  other ;  but  these 
assaults  being  upon  tlie  four  par^ts  of  the  whole,  are 
not  necessarily  successive,  h\xt  may  be  contemporaneous ; 
*ach  assault  might  begin,  or  end,  at  nearly  the  same 
time ;  and  yet  they  would  be  narrated  in  a  progressive 
order ;  for,  the  history  of  one  part  must  be  told  before 
that  of  another. 

Ver.  7.  Hail  and  fire  miitgled  with  blood.]  Both 
hail  and  fire  are  instruments  of  destruction.  Hail  is 
such  more  especially  in  the  warmer  climates,  as  may 
be  seen  in  the  accounts  of  modern  travellers ;  afford- 
ing such  testimony,  as  to  give  perfect  credibility  to 
the  Scriptural  history,  which  relates  surprising  events 
of  this  kind.  (See  Job  xxxviii.  23.  Josh.  x.  11.  and 
the  commentators.)  And  even  in  the  climate  of  France, 
so  congenial  to  our  own,  there  are  undoubted  rela- 
tions of  such  destructive  effects  from  hail.  During  the 
expedition  of  our  Third  Edward  against  that  kingdom 
in  1360,  the  hail-stones  fell  so  large,  as  to  kill  men 
and  beasts*.  The  effect  of  fire  and  hail  united,  is 
seen  in  Exod.  ix.  23.  Psalms  xviii.  12.  cv.  32.  cxlviii. 
8.  Ezek.  xxxviii.  29.  Eccl'us  xxxix.  29.  And  the  hor- 
ror is  increased  by  their  being  mingled  with  blood, 
as  in  Exod.  iv.  9-  vii.  17.  Is.  xv.  9.  These,  like  the 
incense  and  fire  in  the  preparatory  vision,  are  cast 
to  the  earth;  but  not  upon  the  earth  in  general; 
not  upon  ex^ery  part  of  it,  but  upon  that  part,  which, 

*  Froissart,  liv.  i.  ch.  9A2.  And  extraordinary  ravages  by  hail  on 
the  agriculture  of  France,  are  related  by  Mr.  Arthur  Young,  in  his 
late  account  of  that  kingdom. 

5  distin- 


Cb.  viii.  6—12.]        apocalypse,  21 1 

distinguished  from  the  sea,  we  cd\\  the  Zand.  Now", 
in  the  prophetic  writers,  'H  Tvi,  the  land,  as  opposed 
to  the  sea,  is  found  frequently  to  signify  the  Holy 
Land,  the  people  of  Israel,  so  long  as  they  con- 
tinued the  people  of  God  *.  And  between  these  and 
the  Gentile  converts,  who  are  represented  by  the  sea  f , 
there  was,  in  the  early  times  of  Christianity,  a  marked 
line  of  distinction ;  the  circumcised  being  bound  to 
the  observance  of  the  ceremonial  law,  while  the  un- 
circumcised  were  free  from  such  obligation.  They  are 
separated  in  the  New  Testament  also,  under  the  diffe- 
rent appellations  of  Aetot  and  ESvozJ,  and  on  account 
of  this  division,  there  was  a  corresponding  distribution 
of  offices  to  the  Apostles  and  teachers ;  some  among 
whom  being  sent  to  the  circumcision,  others  to  the 
Gentiles  §.  This  distinction  has  occurred  before  in 
ch.  vii.  of  this  prophecy ;  and  will  recur  in  the  pro- 
gress of  the  book.  The  descendants  of  the  twelve 
Patriarchs,  preserved  miraculously  as  a  separate  peo- 
ple, may  probably  make  a  separate  part  of  Christ's 
heritage  after  their  conversion  to  his  name  ||. 

lb.  And  the  third par^t  of  the  land  was  burned  up, 
ayid  the  third  part  of  the  trees  zvas  burned  up,  and 
all  green  grass.^^  Trees,  and  other  vegetables,  repre- 
sent  the   converts   of  Religion ;  some  of  whom   are 

■  ♦  See  Is.  xxiv,  throughout,  and  the  Prophets  generally, 
t  See  note  below,  v.  8. 

I  Actsiv.  27.  xxi.  28.  xxvi.  17.  23.  Rom.  xv.  10. 
§  Gal.  ii.  7,  9- 

II  See  notes,  ch.  ii.  p.  vii.  4.  xi.  1. — We  have  reason  to  believe^ 
that  the  Church,  even  in  its  glorious  and  triumphant  state,  shall  still 
be  conformed  to  its  primitive  division  :  for,  Christ  assured  his  Apos- 
tles, that  when  the  Son  of  Man  should  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his 
glory,  they  also  should  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes 
of  Israel,    Jones's  Lectures  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  p,  3S1. 

A  A  2  '*  7^00 ted 


212  APOCALYPSE.-  [Pt.  111.  ^if. 

''  rooted  and  grounded  in  the  faith  ;^'  others,  having 
no  root,  cannot  stand  against  the  storm  *.  The  third 
part  of  these  is  destroyed.  To  r^ilov,  the  third  part,  is 
an  expression  not  uncommon  with  the  prophetic 
writers:  compare  Ezek.  v.  12.  and  Zech.  xiii.  8,  9, 
&c. ;  where  the  third  part  represents  the  rem?icnit  of  the 
people  Mho  are  to  be  saved, — few  in  number,  when 
compared  with  those  who  are  to  perish :  but  here  the 
greater  part  of  the  Christian  plants  are  to  survive 
the  attack.  But  no  grass  is  left;  *' all  green  grass 
*'  was  burned  up."  Grass,  in  Scriptural  language, 
represents  the  gaily  flourishing  ;  those  who  exhibit  a 
promising  appearance,  yet,  like  herbage  in  hot  burn- 
ing clinjates,  are  soon  withered  and  gonef.  Such 
persons,  our  Lord  foretold,  would  ^'spring  up  quickly; 
"  with  joy  receive  the  word,  but,  in  time  o^  perse- 
*'  cutlon,  fall  away."  The  first  persecution  which  at- 
tacked the  Church,  arose  from  the  Jewish  zealots, 
and  fell  upon  the  converted  Jews.  Saint  Stephen  and 
Saint  James  the  Eider,  and  James  the  Just,  suffered 
martyrdom  under  such.  Saint  Paul  was  an  instru- 
ment of  this  rage,  and  afterwards  a  sufferer  by  it. 
It  continued  to  molest  the  Church  grievously  at  the 
time  when  this  prophecy  was  uttered,  as  may  be  seen 
in  ch.  ii.  9  —  12.  iii.  9  :  and  the  few  ancient  records 
Avh'^h  \YQ  now  possess  of  those  early  times^  shew  that 
it  was  continued  afterwards  '^. 

*  Psalms  i.  3.  Ixxx.  8,  9.  &c.  Isaiah  v.  7.  24.  Ixi.  3.  xliv.  4.  Jer. 
ii.  21.  2  Kings  xix.  30.  Matt.  iii.  10.  xiii.  6".  21.  xv.  13.  Eph.  iii. 
17.  Judel2. 

t  See  Psalms  Ixxii.  l6.  xc.  7.  Matt.  vi.  30.  James  i.  10.  And  by 
comparing  Exod.  x.  15;  Is.  xv.  6.  xxxvii.  27  ;  Ezek.  xvii.  24.  xx. 
47  ;  in  the  Septuagint ;  it  will  be  evident,  that  x^.^-fos  •^pflos  is  the 
green,   flourishing  grass,  opposed  to  the  ^yj^os-,  withered. 

I  See  Justin  Martyr's  Dialogue  with  Trypho,  in  various  passages. 
See  also  the  martyrdom  of  Ignatius,  where  the  unconverted  Jews  aie 

represented 


Ch.  viii.  6 — 12.]        APOCALYPSE.  213 

Ver.  8.  A  great  mountain,    bujviing  with  fire,  was 
cast  into  the  sea;    &c. ]    At  the  sound  of  the  second 
Trumpet,  the  hostile  invasion  of  the  antichristian  powers 
falls  upon   the  sea.     Under  this   nanie,   or  that  of  the 
Isks  of  the  sea,  or  Isles  of  the  Gentiles,  the  nations 
beyond  the  pale  of  the  Jewish  Church,   the  Gentiles, 
are  frequently   represented*.     These,   by   the  original 
counsel  and  appointment  of  God,   were,  in  process  of 
time,   to  partake  the  benefits  of  Christianity,  and  to  be 
exposed  to  its  warfare.   Upon  these  the  attack  descends, 
under  the  symbol  of  '^  a  great  mountain  burning  with 
'*  fire."     A  mountain,  in  prophetic  language,   signifies 
an  eminent  seat  of  power,   civil  or  religious.     From 
the  mountain  of  Sinai,   the  Law    was  proclaimed  ;    it 
was  the  seat  of  the  God  and  King  of  the  chosen  peo- 
ple.    Ou  Mount  Sion  afterwards  stood  His  temple  and 
the  place  of  His  local  residence:   and  the  increasing 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  described  under  the  emblem  of 
a  mountain,   which  shall  fill  the  whole  earth  f.     And 
the  powers,    who  opposed    God   and  his  people,    had 
their   fastnesses,   and  local    worship,    on    the  tops   of 
mountains,   '^  on  every  high  hill;};."     Under  such  figu- 
rative   lan2:uacre,     the    Christian    Reli^'ion    is    called 
Mount  Sion,   and  is  contrasted  with  the  Jewish  Law, 
called  Mount  Sinai,   in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  §. 
In  this  sense,   Babylon,   that  eminent  seat  of  power  and 
of  idolatry,    hostile  to  true  Religion,    is   by  the  pro- 
represented  as  the  most  active  instigators  of  that  persecution.     See 
likewise  Mosheim's  Ecclesiastical  History,  cent.  i.  ch.  v. 

*  Gen.  X.  5.  Psalm  Ixv.  5.  Isaiah  xxiii.  2,  11.  xxiv.  14.  xvii.  12, 
)3.  Ix.  5.9.  xUi. -i. ;  compared  with  Matt.  xii.  21.  Ezek.  xxvi.  15, 
&c.  Ecd'us  xxiv.  56. 

t  Is.  XXV.  6.  Dan.  ix.  16.  ii.  35,  44-.  Mic.  xiii.  12.  Zech.  viii.  3. 
X  Ezek.  xviii.  14.  Mic.  i,  45.  §  Heb.  xii.  18,  &c. 

phets 


214  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   III.   §g. 

phets  called  a  mountain,  although  it  stood  in  a  low 
situation  by  the  river,  and  upon  an  extended  plain. 
"  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  destroying  mountain  ; 
**  I  will  stretch  out  my  hand  upon  thee,  and  roll  thee 
^'  down  from  the  rocks."  To  which  is  added,  *'  I  will 
''  make  thee  a  burnt  mountain."  And  these  words 
appear  to  be  spoken  prophetically  of  the  utter  destruc- 
tion of  Babylon,  frequently  foretold  in  other  pas- 
sages. The  mountain  before  us  is  still  burning,  and 
as  such,  is  to  become  a  formidable  neighbour  and 
enemy  to  the  sea, — to  the  Gentile  Christians,  as  the 
hail  and  fire  had  been  to  the  land,— to  the  Jewish  con- 
verts. The  effect  is  similar  in  both, — "  Blood  ;" — 
and  the  third  part  perishes.  A  large  proportion  of 
*'  those  who  had  life,"  (that  is,  as  I  conceive,  spiritual 
life  in  Christ)  *,  and  who  were  distinguished  among 
the  Gentiles  for  their  eminence,  like  ships  which  lift 
their  heads  above  the  plain  of  waters,  perishes. 
*'  Howl,  ye  ships  of  Tarshish  t,'  is  an  address  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Tarshish,  and  not  literally  to  iht'n  ships. 
And  to  die,  in  the  figurative  language  of  Scripture, 
is  to  lose  the  spiritual  life  which  is  in  Christ  |,  Our 
Lord  had  foretold  under  the  same  figure,  f  *'  Fire,'') 
that  his  Religion  should  not  descend  upon  the  world 
without  producing  persecution,  divisions,  conten- 
tions, bloodshed,  for  the  trial  of  faith,  under  which, 
many  should  fall  away  §.  The  Gentile  converts  were 
mingled  with  the  heathen  idolaters,  whose  power 
and  corrupt  religion  were  in  due  time,  like  Babylon, 
to  become  "  a  burnt  mountain."  But  the  period  of 
its  extinction  was  not  yet  arrived  ;  it  was  now  burning, 
and,  as  such,  became  terrible  to  all  around.     During 


*  See  note,  ch.  iii.  i,  f  Is,  xxiii.  1, 

t  See  note,  ch.m.2»  §  Lukexii.  49.  1  Pet.  i.  7 


the 


Ch.  viii.  6 — 12.]         APOCALYPSE.  215 

the  three  first  centuries,  the  idolatrous  power  was 
consuming  away  from  the  fire  inflicted  upon  it  from 
above,  and  which  had  been  cast  upon  the  earth  from 
the  altar  of  the  True  Religion  (v.  5).  But  so  long 
as  it  continued  burning,  the  persecution  of  the  ido- 
laters raged  grievously  against  the  Gentile  Churches, 
and  great  was  the  number  of  the  lapsed*. 

Ver.  10,  n.  A  great  star,  burning  like  a  meteor ; 
&c.  ]  Upon  the  sound  of  the  third  Trumpet,  there  is  seen 
to  fall  from  heaven  a  great  star,  burning  like  a  A^^/xxac: 
Avhich  Greek  word  will  be  found  to  express  any  bright 
effulgence,  a  lamp,  a  torch,  &c. ;  but  having  in  this 
passage  the  semblance  of  a  stary  it  may  be  deemed 
what  in  our  language  we  call  a  meteor ;  thus  there- 
fore have  I  translated  it.  The  Elder  Pliny,  descri- 
bing, from  the  Greek  Philosopher  Hipparchus,  various 
kinds  of  meteors,  calls  them  by  this  very  name  lam* 
pades  \,  Such  a  meteor  passing  through  the  nocturnal 
air,  is  by  Homer  called  a  star ; 

Iliad,  iv.  IfS, 
which  Virgil  imitating,  says, 

—    —    —    — -de  ccelo  lapsa  per  umbras, 
Stella,  facem  ducens,  muU4  cum  luce  cucurrit. 

jEneid.  ii.  X 

*  Under  this  name,  those  Christians  are  represented  in  ecclesias- 
tical history,  who  denied  their  faith  in  the  times  of  persecution  ;  and 
it  was  only  by  very  severe  penitence,  that  they  could  be  restored  to 
the  bosom  of  the  Church.  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  vi.  c.  44.  Cypri- 
an! Epistolffi  ix.  X.  xi.  et  seq.  Mosheim,  cent.  iii.  parti,  ch  2, 

t  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  ii.  c.  ^26,  See  also  Aristot.  Meteorol.  lib.  i.  c.  4, 
J  Ssep^  etiam  stellas,  vento  inapendente,  videbis 
Praecipites  cceIo  labi.  Georg.  i.  365. 

Tlie 


216  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  f  2.  J 

The  passage  of  such  a  meteor,  in  our  popular  Ian-  J 
guage,  is  called  the  shooting  of  a  star.  Now  a  star,  ' 
in  prophetic  language,  signifies  a  prince,  or  eminent 
leader,  a  leader  in  doctrine  *.  Such  an  one,  falling 
from  heaven,  as  dkl  Satan  f,  corrupts  the  third  part  of 
the  rivers  and  springs  of  waters,  corrupts  the  streams  and 
the  sources  of  pure  doctrine,  vdiich  are  by  our  Lord 
expressed  under  the  same  metaphor  J.  The  corruption 
of  pure  doctrine  and  the  introduction  of  heretical 
opinions  are  in  Scripture  commonly  attributed  to  the 
agency  of  Satan  and  his  angels  §  ;  and  the  corrupting 
doctrine,  which  produces  heresies,  is  often  expressed 
by  the  metaphors  xvormwood^  g(^lh  bitternesSj  &c.  || 
And. the  death  is  spiritual^. 

Under  this  Trumpet,  therefore,  we  seem  to  obtain 
a  general  description  of  tliose  corruptions,  which,  at 
the  instigation  of  Satan,  were  seen  to  invade  and 
subvert  a  great  part  of  the  Gentile  Christian  Church 
by  the  preaching  of  .'?/?/e;2fi?ir/ heretics.  Such,  in  the  ear- 
liest times,  were  Simon,  Menander,  Ceriuthus,  &c.** 

*  See  note,  eh.  i.  ]6. 

+  Luke  X.  18.  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  Jude  (5. — And  observe  in  ch.  xii.  4, 
the  fallen  angels  are  described  under  the  symbol  of  the  stars  of 
heaven:  and  the  star,  inch.  ix.  1 — 12,  is  a  fallen  angel,  and  has  the 
action  of  such  a^ribed  to  him  ;  he  opens  the  pit  of  the  bottomless 
deep. 

X  John  iv.  10.  &c.  vii.  37,  38,  39. 
•     §  2  Cor.  xi.   14,  15.     Eph.  ii.  2.     2  Thess.   ii.  9.     1  Tim.  v.  15. 
Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  v.  c.7. 

II  Deut.  xxix.  18.  Is.  v.  20.  Amos  v.  7.  vi.  12.  Acts  viii.  23. 

H  See  note,  ch.  ii.  16.  iii.  1. 

**  This  evil  spread  wide  :  and  the  Waters  of  Christian  doctrine 
lo^t  their  original  sweetness  and  salubrity,  in  other  hands  than  those 
of  acknowledged  heretics.  Many  who  are  called  Fathers  of  the 
Church,  though  by  no  means  wilful  and  intentional  corrupters  of  the 
l-'aith,  are  observed  to   have  holden  doctrines,  which  by  no  means 

agree 


Ch.  Vill.  6 — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  217 

Ver.  12.  And  the  third  part  of  the  Sun  was  smitten  ; 
&c.]  At  the  sound  of  the  fourth  trumpet,  the  same 
kind  of  stroke  which  had  afflicted  the  three  preceding 
divisions  of  the  Creation,  falls  on  the  fourth  remain^ 
ing  part, — on  the  Heavenly  Luminaries;  the  Sun, 
Moon,  and  Stars:  a  third  part  of  these  is  smitten, 
and  ceases  to  give  light.  When  The  Almighty  took 
the  Israelites  to  be  his  peculiar  people,  he  is  said,  in 
prophetic  language,  to  have  **  planted  the  Heavens, 
^'  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  *."  It  was  a 
kind  of  new  creation.  Happiness  was  thereby  found- 
ed for  man  on  a  new  basis,  and  under  nezv  lights^ 
unknown  to  the  heathen.  The  Divine  ordinances 
of  Theocracy,  under  which  that  peculiar  people 
flourished,  are  frequently  expressed  by  the  sub- 
lime images  of  the  heavenly  luminaries.  So  that  the 
darkening  of  these  implies,  that  this  Divine  polity 
shall  fail  |.  But  the  heavenly  dispensation  of  the 
Christian  covenant,  being  to  succeed  to  it  by  the 
appointment  of  the  same  Heavenly  Lord,  is  repre- 
sented by  the  same  figures.  When  the  Jewish  pohty, 
expressed  under  the  image  of  the  Sun  and  Moon,  is 
"  ashamed  and  confounded  J,'  the  superior  splendour 
of  the  Christian  Light  shines  forth  in  the  same  kind  of 
description.  ''  The  light  of  the  Moon  shall  be  as  the 
*'  light  of  the  Sun,  and  the  light  of  the  Sun  shall  be 
"'  seven-fold  §."      There  is  likewise  frequent  allusion 

agree  with  the  purity  of  Scripture.  In  some  of  them  are  to  be  dis- 
covered, the  seeds  at  least  of  error,  which  were  afterwards  matured 
into  dangerous  heresies.  (See  this  justly  and  eloquently  set  forth  in  a 
Sermon  by  the  Bishop  of  Oxford,  intitled  Concio  ad  Clerum  a  Johaii. 
Randolph  ;    17^0.) 

*  Is.  li.  l6.  t  Amos  viii.  9,  &c.  Matt.  xxiv.  29. 

;  Is.  xxiv.  23.  §  Is.  XXX.  26'. 

to 


218  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IIL   §  2. 

to  this  mode  of  expression  in  the  Apostolic  writers  *. 
So  that  a  third  of  the  b'ght  taken  from  the  heavenly 
luminaries,  implies  a  failure  in  that  invaluable  light 
derived  from  the  Christian  revelation.  The  reign  oi 
darkness,  ignorance,  and  superstition,  did  indeed  re- 
turn after  the  Light  of  the  Gospel  had  been  revealed  ; 
the  more  particular  history  of  which  will  be  unfolded 
in  the  following  Trumpets.  The  prophecy  of  the 
fourth  Trumpet,  as  of  those  preceding,  is  general. 
It  follows  the  other  three  in  natural  order;  and  is 
indeed  the  eifect  of  the  third.  Corruption  of  know- 
ledge necessarily  produces  ignorance.  The  corruption 
of  Christianity  produced  at  length  Gothic  darkness 
and  superstition. 

Thus  I  suppose  the  four  first  Trumpets  to  afford  a 
general  vlezo  of  the  warfare  which  the  Christian 
Religion  iinderzvent,  upon  its  first  establishment.  The 
history  delivered  under  the  Seals,  after  a  solemn  pause 
and  silence,  begins  again.  Under  the  Seals,  the  de- 
generacy of  the  Church  had  been  described.  Under 
the  Trumpets,  the  attacks  whicfh  she  had  to  sustain  from 
her  antichristian  foes.  And  she  is  first  represented  as 
mideraoing*  various  kinds  of  assault  in  her  several  di- 
visions  ;  these  divisions  of  the  Christian  world  bearing 
analogy  to  the  Scriptural  divisions  of  the  natural 
world.  1.  The  storm  of  persecution  in  Judcea,  which, 
murdering  the  martyrs,  and  dispersing  the  Apostles  t> 
is  aptly  represented  by  hail  and  fire,  mingled  with 
Hood ;  on  the  bursting  forth  of  which,  theweak  in  the 
faith  fall  away.  2.  The  Gentile  persecution,  arising 
from  the  pagan  religion,  which  is  fitly  designated  by  a 

•  Col.i.  12,  13.   2  Cor.  iv.  6.  1  Thess.  v.  4,  &c.  2  Tim.  i,  10. 
Heb.x.  32.  James  i.  17*  1  Pet.  ii.  ^,  1  John  i.  5,  &Q. 
^  Acts  vii.  54,  &c.  viii.  1. 

burning 


Ch.  viii.  6 — 12.]         apocalypse.  219 

burning  mountain.  3.  The  corruption  of  the  Waters 
of  Life,  by  the  earliest  heretics,  and  by  injudicious 
teachers.  4.  The  consequent  faikire,  in  part,  of  that 
bright  and  glorious  light  which  originally  beamed  from 
this  Revelation.  The  symbols  do  not  appear  to  me  to 
warrant  a  more  especial  interpretation  of  them.  The 
difficulty  which  attends  them,  arises  from  the  paucity 
of  the  matter,  and  the  short  compass  in  which  it  is 
expressed.  The  means  of  interpreting  them  which  I 
have  ventured  to  apply,  have  been  derived  from  com- 
paring similar  passages  of  Scripture ;  and  by  consider- 
ing, that  these  four  first  Trumpets  must  be  supposed  to 
sound  the  signal  of  the  same  kind  of  attack,  and  against 
the  same  object,  as  the  three  last.  Now,  as  these  three 
will  be  found  to  represent  the  invasion  of  the  Christian 
Church  by  Antichristian  foes,  we  have  reason  to  con- 
clude that  the  preceding  trumpets  foretel  a  similar 
history.  Some  additional  light  has  been  obtained  from 
the  preparatory  vision  *,  which  seems  to  restrict  the 
commotions  contained  under  these  Trumpets,  to  reli- 
gious causes.  If  Religion,  descending  from  the  altar 
in  heaven,  had  not  mingled  with  the  passions  and  pro- 
jects of  men,  these  commotions  would  have  had  no 
place  in  history.  The  greater  part  of  the  modern 
commentators,  following  Joseph  Mede,  have  supposed 
these  prophecies  fulfilled  in  the  ravages  committed  by 
the  Gothic  barbarians  on  the  provinces  of  the  Roman 
Empire.  But  I  have  as  yet  been  able  to  perceive  no 
plausible  reason,  produced  either  by  Mede  or  his  fbl- 
iowers,  to  shew  why  the  prophecies  of  the  Apocalypse 
in  general,  why  the  seals,  or  why  the  four  fii*st  Trum- 
pets in  particular,  should  be  understood  to  relate  to  the 
history  of  the  Roman  Empire,     Mede  says,  indeed,  at 

*  Chap,  viii.  1—6, 

his 


220  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.   §  2. 

his  entrance  upon  the  explanation  of  the  Seals  *,  that, 
''  as  Daniel  in  the  Old  Testament  both  presignified  the 
'*  coming  of  Christ,  and  arranged  the  fortunes  of  the 
'*  Jewish  Church  by  the  succession  of  the  empires  ;  so 
*'  the  Apocalypse  is  to  be  supposed  to  measure  the 
*'  Christian  history  by  the  means  of  the  Roman  Em- 
*'  pire,  which  was  yet  to  be  remaining  after  Christ." 
The  conjecture  is  good;  and  as  such  will  be  acknow- 
ledged in  its  proper  place.  For,  in  the  course  of  the 
prophecy,  that  beast  of  the  Prophet  Daniel  (or>  one 
nearly  resembling  him,  and  plainly  representing  the 
remains  of  the  Roman  Empire)  will  appear.  But  before 
the  symbols  under  which  the  prophecy  is  expressed, 
are  seen  clearly  to  indicate  the  Roman  Empire,  why 
are  we  to  expect  that  the  prophecy  should  relate  its 
fortunes  f?  The  subject  of  these  Divine  visions  is  of 
superior  importance : — the  fates  and  fortunes  of  the 
Christian  Church  : 

non  res  Romanae  perituraque  regna  J  : 


and  the  Roman  Empire  seems  to  be  only  so  far  noticed 
in  them,  as  it  necessarily  became  connected  with  the 
Church  of  Christ.     The  learned   writer  above  quoted, 

*  Quemadmodum  enim  in  V.  T.  Daniel,  secundiim  imperiorum 
successiones,  turn  Christi  adventum  prassignavit,  turn  Ecclesiaj  Judaicae 
fata  digessit;  ita  rem  Christianam  Apocalypsis,  Romani,  quod  adhuc 
post  Christum  superfuturum  esset,  imperii  rationibus  admetiricensenda 
est. — Works,  p.  44>1. 

t  There  is  a  period  of  the  Roman  Empire,  even  its  latest  period, 
pointed  out  by  the  Prophet  Daniel  in  his  Sacred  Kalendar  (so  Mede 
calls  it),  when  the  Empire,  divided  under  its  ten  Kings,  will  be  inter- 
mixed with  the  fortunes  of  the  Christian  Church.  This  history  will 
appear  displayed  in  its  proper  symbols  in  the  sequel  of  the  Apocalypse; 
but  hitherto  no  such  symbols  have  appeared ;  nor  do  they  appear  be- 
fore the  production  of  the  little  book,  ch.  x. 

J  See  Bp.  Hard's  Sermons  ou  Prophecy,  p.  45. 

was 


Ch.  viii.  6 — 12.]       apocalypse.  221 

was  aware,  that  the  fates  of  the  Roman  Empire  were 
beneath  the  dignity  of  this  sacred  book.  For,  having 
dispatched  that  part  of  his  work  which  he  supposes  to 
contain  them,  ''  We  now  proceed,"  says  he,  "  to  an- 
^'  other,  and  much  the  most  noble  prophecy^  because  it 
**  co7itains  the  history  of  Religion  and  of  the  Church*,^' 
Another  judicious  obseivation  of  the  same  commenta- 
tor will  be  usefully  applied  to  this  enquiry.  He  ob- 
serves that  the  Trumpets  should  be  interpreted  as  being 
all  of  one  kind  and  nature,  or,  as  he  expresses  it,  homo- 
geneal;  **  to  make  some  of  them  warlike  invasions, 
*'  and  others  to  be  heresies,  is  to  bring  things  of  too 
*^  differing  a  nature  under  one  name  'f."  After  having 
supposed  the  four  first  Trumpets  to  represent  *'  warhke 
**  invasions  on  the  Roman  Empire,"  he  clearly  saw,  that 
the  remaining  Trumpets  must  not  be  interpreted  as 
containing  the  history  of  Christian  heresies;  and  there- 
fore he  laboured  to  shew  that  the  Roman  Empire  was 
the  object  of  attack  in  all  the  Trumpets.  This  labour 
he  would  perhaps  have  spared,  if  he  had  not  already 
explained  the  four  first  Trumpets  to  be  so  many  attacks 
on  that  Empire  ;  and  therefore  found  himself  obliged 
to  exhibit  a  consistency,  when  he  proceeded  to  inter- 
pret the  rest.  For,  certainly,  the  great  apostacy  occa- 
sioned by  Mahomet  (which  Mede  understands  to  be 
contained  under  the  fifth  Trumpet)  will  be  found  to 
have  attacked  the  Christian  Religion  yet  more  hostilely 
and  extensively  than  the  Roman  Empire.  It  over- 
tlirew,  or  fatally  corrupted,  this  Religion  in  the  Roman 
Empire,  wherever  it  subverted  that  Empire  ;  and, 
moreover,  was  fatal  to  Christianity  in  the  wide  and 
extensive  regions  of  the  Eastern  World,  which  had 
never  been  subjected  to  the  Roman  dominion. 

♦  Mede's  Works,  p.  477.  t  lb.  p.  595. 

But 


222  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  HI.  §  3. 

But  if  the  Trumpets  are  to  be  all  homogeneal,  let  us 
have  recourse  to  one  of  them,  M'hose  character  and 
interpretation  arc  placed  beyond  dispute ;  in  the  appli- 
cation of  which,  all  interpreters  must  agree:  and  then 
let  us  bring-  the  prophecies  under  the  other  Trumpets  to 
that  settled  standard. 

The  seventh  Truinpet  !  what  does  it  announce  ? 
Most  clearly,  the  victory  obtained  by  Christ  and  His 
Church,  not  over  the  Roman  Empire,  but  over  the 
powers  of  Hell,  and  of  Antichrist,  and  a  corrupt  world; 
over  the  Dragon,  the  Beast,  the  false  Prophet,  and  in 
process  of  time  (for  the  seventh  Trumpet  continues  to 
the  end),  over  Death  and  Hell;  *'  for  he  must  reign 
'*  till  he  hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet."  If  then, 
under  the  seventh  Trumpet,  the  warfare  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church  be  so  clearly  represented  (and  in  this  all 
writers  are  agreed),  what  are  we  to  think  of  the  six  ? 
How  must  they  be  interpreted,  so  as  to  appear  homo- 
geneal  ?  Are  they  to  be  accounted,  with  Mede  and  his 
followers,  the  successive  shocks,  by  which  the  Roman 
Empire  fell  under  the  Goths  and  Vandals  ?  Homage- 
neity  forbids.  They  must^  therefore,  be  supposed  to 
contain  the  warfare  of  the  Christian  Church.  And 
this  warfare  may  be  successful  under  the  seventh  and 
last  trumpet,  when  it  had  been  unsuccessful  before,  yet 
the  homogeneity  be  consistently  preserved.  For,  the 
question  is  not  concerning  the  success,  but  concerning 
the  warfare.  And  the  Trumpets  may  be  deemed  ho- 
7?wge?2ealj  if  they  all  represent  the  sa77ie  zvarfare  (viz.  of 
the  powers  of  Hell,  and  of  the  Antichristian  world, 
against  the  Church  of  Christ),  whatever  may  be  the 
event ;  and  whether  it  be  carried  on  by  the  violence 
and  persecution  of  open  enemies,  or  by  heresies  and 
corrupt  doctrines  ;  for  heresy,  which  leads  to  apo- 
stacy,  is  a  most  dangerous  assault  upon  the  Church. 

The 


Ch.  viii.  13.]  apocalypse.  323 

The  irruption  of  the  barbarous  nations  of  the  North, 
upon  the  declining  Empire,  is  of  great  importance  in 
civil  history.  It  occasioned  a  signal  revolution  in  power 
and  property,  and  produced  wonderful  effects  on  the 
manners,  customs,  and  laws  of  Europe.  But  although 
it  took  crowns  from  kings,  and  property  from  rich 
laymen,  and  overwhelmed  multitudes  in  slavery,  its 
disastrous  influence  was  small,  or  of  no  permanency, 
on  the  Christian  Church.  That  Church  had  already- 
degenerated,  through  ignorance  and  conupt  worship ; 
but  it  retained  its  property,  and  power,  and  the  number 
of  its  subjects :  nay,  it  greatly  increased  all  these ; 
for  the  conquering  nations  forsook  their  p^gan  creed 
for  the  religion  of  the  conquered  *. 

*  Mosheim,  Cent,  vi,  part  i. — Gibbon  narrates  the  number  of  the 
barbarous  nations  which  had  become  Christian  before  the  age  of 
Charlemagne ;  and  remarks  that  the  Christians  were  then  in  possession 
of  all  the  fertile  lands  of  Europe,  which  had  been  seized  by  these 
warriors.     (Decline  of  the  Roman  Empire,  ch,  xxxvii.  p.  532,  4to.) 


PART     III. 


SECTION    III. 


Denunciatio7i  of  the  Three  If^oes, 


CHAP.  viii.  VER.  13. 


ixlf  tixi  rots  Koioi- 


13  And  I  beheld,  and  I 
heard 


(  eagle  } 

one    <      °  ,  > 

^  angel  ^ 


flying  in  the  space  be- 
tween heaven  and 
earth,  saying,  with  a 
loud  voice,  "  Woe ! 
'*  woe  !  woe  1  to  those 


13  And  I  beheld,  and 
heard  an  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of 
heaven,  saying,  with  a 
loud  voice,  Wo,  wo, 
wo  to  the  inhabiters  of 
the  earth,  by  reason 
of  the  other  voices  of 


224 


At»OCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  III.  §  3, 


"  who  dwell  upon  the 
''  earth,  from  the  re- 
*'  maining  voices  of 
"  the  trumpet  of  the 
"  three  angels,  who  are 
"  yet  to  bound  !" 


the  trumpet  of  the 
three  angels  which  arc 
yet  to  sound. 


Ver.    13.  J72d  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  one    ^^^f^^A 

Jlijlng ;  &c.]  Griesbach  has  admitted  the  word  ubth 
{eagle)  uito  the  text,  and  seems  to  produce  powerful 
authorities  for  the  admission.  But  the  received 
reading,  AP/fXa  {angel)  seems  also  supported  by 
good  authorities;  and  internal  evidence  will  appear 
decisive  in  its  favour.  The  two  Avords  have  resemblance 
in  Greek  character,  and  might  be  confounded  by 
transcribers.  I  prefer  the  word  angel,  because,  in  the 
scenery  of  the  Apocalypse,  the  action  is  almost  en- 
tirely and  exclusively  administered  by  angels.  And  in 
ch.  xiv.  5,  the  Prophet  sees  ''  another  angel  flying  in 
''  the  space  between  heaven  and  earths  To  what  former 
angel  docs  this  other  angel  refer,  but  to  this  of  the 
eighth  chapter,  who  is  the  only  one  before  described 
as  flying  ?  And  it  is  in  the  same  "  space  between 
*'  heaven  and  earth."  And  this  angel  of  the  xivth 
chapter  is  followed  by  others,  all  of  them  aiigels,  no 
eagle.  I  remark  also  the  application  of  the  word  hog, 
one,  to  this  angel  or  eagle,  whichsoever  it  may  be.     If 

,  it  be  to  be  applied  to  an  eagle,  why  does  the  Prophet 
say  one  eagle ;  why  not  an  eagle  ?  for  no  eagles  had 
been  mentioned.  But  there  is  a  propriety,  if  it  be  an 
angel,  in  spying  one  angcly  because  many  angels  had 
been,  and  ^\  ere  then,  employed  in  the  action.  The 
cohort  of  seven  angels  were  then  standing  forth  with 
their  trumpets. 

lb. 


Ch.  viii.  13.]  apocalypse.  2^5 

lb.  In  the  space  betxveen  heax/en  and  earth,']  The 
(jLea8^etvvi(xcc  appears  to  have  been  one  of  the  cardinal 
points  in  the  Chaldean  astronomy,  opposed  to  the 
hypog^eum^:  but  in  this  passage,  it  seems  simply  to 
mean  the  intermediate  space  between  heaven  and 
earth,  as  they  appeared  in  this  vision;  the  one  extended 
above,  the  other  below  f. 

lb.  IVoe  /  woe!  zvoe  I]  The  Divine  messenger,  at 
the  command  of  God,  leaving  heaven,  and  hovering 
over  the  earth,  proclaims  three  woes,  or  dreadful  cala- 
mities, to  happen  to  its  inhabitants,  under  the  three 
remaining  Trumpets.  No  greater  calamity  can  happen 
to  the  sons  of  men,  than  the  corruption,  the  rejection, 
the  loss  of  true  Religion.  Under  the  four  preceding 
Trumpets,  an  hostile  invasion  of  the  whole  Christian 
Church,  in  its  fourfold  division,  had  taken  place ;  but 
the  view  of  its  effects  had  been  hitherto  general,  and 
representative  of  few  particulars.  The  warfare  snow 
exhibited  more  plainly  and  openly  ;  and  Antichrist  will 
soon  stand  confessed.  In  the  apostolic  times,  in  the 
times  when  this  vision  was  exhibited  (and  the  four  first 
Trumpets  seem  to  have  their  date  from  those  times, 
ch.  i.).  Antichrist  already  was  said  to  be  come  J;  the 
mystery  of  iniquity  did  then  work  §,  *^  and  waxed 
**  worse  and  worse  ||."  So,  under  the  four  first  Trumpets, 
the  storm  seems  increasing ;  but  the  calamity  is  as  yet 
described  only  in  general  terms,  previous  to  a  more 
particular  exhibition.  Now  it  advances  to  its  ma- 
turity, and  most  desolating  effects,  by  three  distinct 
and  particular  explosions,  under  the  three  last  Trumpets. 

*  Brucker,  Hist.  Crit.  Philos.  i.  139.  t  See  note,  ch  vii.  1. 

X  1  John  ii.  18,  22.  iv.  3.     2  John  7.  §  2  Thess.  ii.  7. 

II  2  Tim.  iii.  13.  What  is  thus  expressed  by  the  Sacred  writers, 
has  always  been  understood  to  signify  the  beginnings  of  Antichristian 
power. 

BB  PART 


225 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  III.  §  4. 


PART  in. 


SECTION    IV. 


Tltejifth  Trumpet,  and  first  JVoe. 


1  Ka/  ©  taiyLttl^  ay 
yfX©'  ta-a-Kiria-t,  ^ 

v^avH  'at'niux.ora, 
lis  T>jv  7«V  i^  loo- 
Bn  ccvru  V  xAek  tb 
(^^lizios  rrts  a^vcrva. 

2  Koci  nVOI^E  TO  <p^£iXf 

TVS  eiSvaaa'  i^  oi- 
viCn  xoanws  Ix   ra 

^|'£a](^,  ujs  xxTtvos 

laKoliaQri  o  y{Xios  k^ 
0  a«^  ex  Ttt  xaw^ 

Ix.  T«  xaTTvS  l|*»X- 
6oy  aK^i^ss  us  rm 
7^v,  it  iSoQ*)  alrxis 
t^aat^if    us  t%so-iy 

6>}  ayT<*rj,  I'va  /A*j 
a^iXflo-wo-*  Tov  ;^of- 
Toy  rris  fpis,  K^f 
■Tsray     p^Xwfov,    tfol 

ths  O'vQpilymiSf  o\'- 
T<yEJ  fciJt  i^aai  t^v 

Jw      Tft/V     fJATUTt'jJV 

;5   ayTJDy,       K«i  eJo- 


CHAP.  ix.  VER.    1 12. 

1  And  the  fifth  angel 
sounded  -.  and  I  saw  a 
star  from  heaven  fall 
to  the  earth :  and  to 
him  was  given  the  key 
of  the  pit  of  the  bot- 

2  tomless  deep.  And  he 
opened  the  pit  of  the 
bottomless  deep.  And 
there  arose  smoke  out 
t)f  the  pit,  as  the  smoke 
of  a  great  furnace.  And 
the  sun  was  darkened, 
and    the   air,  by   the 

3  smoke  of  the  pit.  And 
out  of  the  smoke  came 
forth  locusts  upon  the 
earth.  And  to  them 
was  given  power,  as 
the    scorpions    of  the 

4  earth  have  power.  And 
it  was  commanded 
them,  that  they  should 
not  injure  the  grass  of 
the  earth,  nor  any 
green  thing,  nor  any 
tree ;  but  only  the  men 
whosoever  have  not 
the  seal  of  God  upon 

5  their  foreheads.  And 
it  was  given  tkem  not 


1  And  the  fifth  angel 
sounded,  and  I  saw  a 
star  fall  from  heaven 
unto  the  earth :  and  to 
him  was  given  the  key 
of  ihe  bottomless  pit. 

2  And  he  opened  the 
bottomless  pit,  and 
there  arose  a  smoke 
out  of  the  pit,  as  the 
smoke  of  a  great  fur- 
nace ;  and  the  sun  and 
the  aif  were  darkened, 
by  reason  of  the  smoke 

3  of  the  pit.  And  there 
came  out  of  the  smoke 
locusts  upon  the  earth ; 
and  unto  them  was 
given  power,  as  the 
scorpions  of  the  earth 

4  have  power.  And  it 
was  commanded  them 
that  they  should  not 
hurt  the  grass  of  the 
e  arth ,  neithe  r  any  green 
thing,  neither  any  tree ; 
but  only  those  men 
which  have  not  the 
seal  of  God   in  their 

5  foreheads.     And      to 
them  it  was  g^iven  that 


Ch.  ix.  1—12.1 


APOCALYPSE. 


227 


ttfFOiilsivuait  avT«y, 
tt>X  hat,  (Satravia- 
6Zcrt  fjLxvas  'crivrt' 
xal  o  ^ota-xviariMS 
^vruv  us  ^xaetvKT- 

fAOS    CTKO^mSf     OTOCV 

sKtlvMS  (^'Klna-tia-iv  o» 
avOfufroi  Toy  ^ava- 
Toy^  x«<  «  /x*)  svpy)- 
araa-iv  airov'  Kj  Itci*- 
BvfA.-n(rtia-iv    tifroOx- 

Sayaloy  «■»•*  oti/ru/v* 

7  Ka*  Ta  9(^01  u(ji,oilx 
rZv  UK^i^wv  ofAotx 
ttrvois  vTotfjt.ixcrfji.i- 
vois  sU  ZJoXtfjiOv'  ty 
«7ri  rais  xtipaXa? 
avTuv  us  ^sipxvoi 
^f  yo-o?,  >c  ra  -STf  o- 
ciaitx     avr&9    us 

8  wwy,  Ka»  el^ov 
T^t^ois  us  r^ly^xs 
yvvxiKuVf  >y  ooovles 
avTuv  us  XeovIuv  5- 

9  vxy.  Kai  fTj^oy  vw- 
focxar  o-/§»}f Sj*  xa< 

yuY  xvruv  us  (^uvr) 
a^fAxruVf  'tTntuy 
tioKKuy   r^i^ovruy 

10  us  v6Xs(ji.or.  Ka/ 
jp^^o-iy  a^ais  h^oUs 
CKG^TrmSf  j^  xevl^a 
f)v  fv  rxTs  is^uTs  av- 
ruv'  xal  -n  l^saix 
tivTuv  o^iwto-xt  rits 


to  kill  them,  but  that 
they  should  be  tor- 
mented five  months : 
and  the  torment  of 
them  is  as  the  torment 
of  a  scorpion,  when  it 

6  striketh  a  man.  And 
in  those  days  shall  the 
men  seek  death,  and 
shall  not  find  it ;  and 
shall  desire  to  die,  and 
death  shall  flee  from 

7  them.  And  the  ap- 
pearances of  the  lo- 
custs were  like  horses 
prepared  for  battle : 
and  upon  their  heads, 
as  it  were,  crowns  of 
gold ;  and  their  faces 
as  the  faces  of  men  : 

8  And  they  had  hair,  as 
it  were,  the  hair  of 
women ;  and  their  teeth 

9  were  as  of  hons.  And 
they  had  breast-plates, 
as  it  were,  breast- 
plates of  iron.  And 
the  sound  of  their 
wings  as  the  sound  of 
chariots, of  many  horses 

lOrushing  to  battle.  And 
they  have  tails  like  to 
scorpions ;  and  stings 
were  in  their  tails.  And 
their  power  was  to 
injure   the    men    five 

11  months.     They   have 

over  them  a  king,  the 

angel  of  the  bottomless 

deep  J  his  name  in  He- 

B  B  2 


they  should  not  kill 
them,  but  that  they 
should  be  tormented 
five  months :  and  their 
torment  was  as  the  tor- 
ment of  a  scorpion, 
when    he    striketh    a 

6  man.  And  in  those 
days  shall  men  seek 
death,  and  shall  not 
find  it ;  and  shall  de- 
sire to  die,  and  death 
shall  flee  from  them. 

7  And  the  shapes  of  the 
locusts  tcere  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto 
battle;  and  on  their 
heads  were  as  it  were 
crowns  like  gold,  and 
their  faces  -were  as  the 

8  faces  of  men.  And 
they  had  hair  as  the 
hair  of  women,  and 
their  teeth  were  as  the 

9  teeth  of  lions.  And 
they  had  breast-plates, 
as  it  were  breast-plates 
of  iron  ;  and  the 
sound  of  their  wings 
was  as  the  sound  of 
chariots  of  many  horses 

10  running  to  battle.  And 
they  had  tails  like  unto 
scorpions,  and  there 
were  stings  in  their 
tails  :  and  their  power 
•was  to  hurt  men  five 

1 1  months.  And  they  had 
a  king  over  them, 
which  is  the  angel  of 


228 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.   III.  §  4. 


avrHiv  ^xaiXia,  tov 

tra'      ovofjLK     ttvrZ 
*E^f«lV<  'Ataoowv, 

ovofAX  «%«    Alio'K- 

12  XjJwv.      'H    «««    i5 

/x/a   a7n5X0£v'    <ow, 

t^yfpiixt  In  ovo  tsai 

fJLtrx    TXVTX* 


brew  is  Abaddon  ;  and 
in  the  Greek  he  hath 
a  name,  ApoUyon. 
12  The  first  woe  is  past ; 
behold  there  come  yet 
two  woes  after  these 
things. 


the  bottomless  pit, 
whose  name  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue  is  A- 
baddon,  but  in  the 
Greek  tongue  hath  his 
12  name  ApoUyon.  One 
wo  is  past,  and  behold 
there  come  two  woes 
more  hereafter. 


Verses  1 — 11.  And  the  Jifth  angel  sounded;  &c.] 
In  these  eleven  verses  is  contained  a  very  particular  de- 
scription (and  indeed  the  first  particular  description 
occurring  in  the  Apocalypse)  of  the  prevalence  of 
Anti-Christianity.  For,  the  prophecies  of  the  six  Seals 
do  not  descend  to  any  minute  delineation  ;  and  those 
of  the  four  first  Trumpets  are,  each  of  them,  com- 
prized in  a  very  narrow  compass ;  in  one,  or  at  the 
most,  two  short  verses.  Now  the  prospect  enlarges 
into  a  more  exact  display  of  the  warfare. 

Upon  the  blast  of  this  Trumpet,  which  is  woeful 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth*  a  star  is  seen  to  fall, 
or  just  to  complete  its  fall,  from  heaven  to  earth ; 
for,  such  seems  to  be  the  sense  of  wfTrrwjioTa  f-  The  de- 
scent of  such  a  star  was  seen  under  the  third  Trum- 
pet;}:;  this  leader  of  iniquity  had  begun  his  evil  mi- 
nistry by  embittering,  by  corrupting  the  Waters  of 
Life.     This   corruption,  in  which  we  have  seen  him 

*  Ch.  viii.  13. 

t  Praesens-perfectum.  Annot.  S.Clarke,  S.T.  P.  in  Hom.  Iliad. 
lib.  i.  lin.  37. 


X  Ch.  viii.  10.  consult  the  note. 


successfullv 


CIl.  ix.  1  —  12.]  APOCALYPSE.  229 

successfully  employed,  produced  those  beginnings  of 
darkness,  ignorance,  and  superstition,  which  were  dis- 
closed under  the  fourth  Trumpet.  Upon  the  blast  of 
the  fifth  Trumpet,  this  evil  increases.  To  these  begin- 
nings of  darkness,  he  is  permitted  to  add  the  smoke 
and  machinations  of  hell  *.  It  is  by  permission^  that 
he  opens  this  source  of  infinite  mischief:  for,  the  keys 
of  death,  and  of  hell,  belong  to  another  power,  even 
to  the  Lord  of  Life  j.  But  "  the  Spirit  of  God  will 
**  not  always  strive  with  man:j:."  The  wilful  and  re- 
probate are  at  length  given  up  to  the  just  consequen- 
ces of  their  wilfulness.  The  key  of  the  great  in- 
fernal deep,  (whence  are  the  /3«6i^  t8  aeiluvdi,  the  depths 
of  Satan  §,  those  black  corruptive  doctrines,  which 
destroy  the  purity  and  splendour  of  the  Church,)  is 
given  to  the  fallen  star,  to  the  fallen  angel ;  to  '*  the 
'^prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  ;  the  power  of  dark- 
"  7iess ;  that  spirit  which  worketh  in  the  children  of 
*' disobedience  ||."  He  is  a?i  angel,  for  so  he  is  ex- 
pressly called,  (v.  11.)  *'  the  angel  of  the  bottomless 
*' deep,"  and  surely  an  evil  angel:  and  in  this  de- 
scription, as  also  in  hisfallfrom  heaven,  his  evil  cha- 
racter will  be  found  to  correspond  with  that  of  the 
chief  of  our  infernal  enemies,  called  Satan  in  the 
twelfth  chapter :  who,  under  the  symbol  of  a  fiery 
dragon,  is  there  described  as  having  fallen  from 
heaven.  There  can  be  little  or  no  doubt  therefore, 
but  that   the  Prince  of  Darkness,   Satan,  or,   which 

*  For  aCycrorof  is  certainly  used  to  signify  that  part  of  *AJijy,  or  hell, 
which  is  to  be  the  place  of  punishment  to  the  wicked.  Compare 
ch.  XX.  1 — 3.  and  2  Pet.  ii.  4. 

I  Ch.  i.  18.  X  Genvi.  3.  §  See  note,  ch.  ii.  24. 

II  Eph.  ii.  2.  Luke  xxii.  33.  Col.  ii.  15.  See  also  John  xii.  31.  45. 
xiv.  30.  Acts  xxvi,  18.  Eph.  vi.  12.  Heb.  ii.  14. 

will 


230  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  III.  ^  4, 

will  amount  nearly   to   the   same  thing,    one  of  his 
ministers  *,  is  the  agent  who  opens  the  infernal  deep. 
Upon  the  opening  of  this  pit,  vast  clouds  of  smoke  are 
seen  to  ascend,  darkening  the  sun  and  air.     Ignorance 
and  superstition,    frequently    described   in    Scripture 
under  these  figures,   invade  the  Christian  atmosphere f. 
-Under  covert  of  these  clouds,    and  engendered  in  these 
*'  depths  of  Satan  J,"  locusts  come  forth.     Locusts  are 
described    by  profane  as   well   as  sacred,   by  ancient 
and  by  modern  authors,   as  committing  the  most  ex- 
traordinary depredations  in   the  eastern  regions ;    the 
horror  of  which   is  represented  as   beginning  with  b^ 
deprivation  of  light.    Solem  obumbrant,  ^  ■  they  darken 
^'  thesuriy''  says  Pliny  §.   *'  At  that  time,  Syria  suffered 
'*  from  a  scarcity  of  food  for  cattle  of  all  kinds,  and 
'^  of  corn,   occasioned  by  a  multitude  of  locusts,   so 
'*  great,  as  had  never  before  been  seen  in  the  memory 
"of  man;   which,   like  a   thick  cloud,    flying  about 
*'  in  mid-day,   and  obscuring  the  light,   devoured  the 
"  products  of  the  fields  on  every  side  ||."     **  Suddenly 
**  there  came   over   our  heads   a  thick  cloud,   which 
"  darkened  the  air,   and  deprived  us  of  the   rays  of 
*'  the  sun ;  we  soon  found,  that  it  was  owing  to  a 
*'  cloud  of  locusts^."     But  the  locusts,   seen  in  this 

♦  Jude  6. 

t  Prov.ii.  13.  Joel  ii.  IQ.  John  xii.  35.  46.  Eph.  v.  8.  11,  &c. 

X  Ch.  ii.  24.  §  Nat.  Hist.  xi.  39. 

II  Laborabat  eo  tempore  pabuli  omnis  generis  ct  annonag  inppid 
Syria,  ob  locustarum  nusquam  hominum  memorid  tantam  visam  mul' 
titudinem  :  quae  densae  nubis  instar,  die  in  medid,  luce  obscuratd, 
volitanles,  agrum  circumquaque  depa^tae  sunt.  Thuanus,  clxxxiv.  vii. 
p.  364.  torn.  V. 

IT  Adamson's  Voyage  to  Senegal!,  p.  127.  See  also  Bpchart,  on 
Joel.  ii.  10;  and  Chandler,  on  the  same  place.  These  quotations  are 
collected  by  Archbishop  Newcome.  And  to  these  add  the  following^ 
from  Holy  Scripture ;  Exod,  x.  12,  6.  Jer.  Ii.  27,  &c.  Nahum  iii.  15. 

vision. 


Ch.  ix.  1 — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  231 

vision,  have  a  yet  more  dreadful  character ;  they  have 
the  power  of  scorpions,  and  stings  in  their  tails;    and 
their  prey  is  not  (as  usual  with  locusts)  the  grass  and 
green  plants,    and   trees   of  the  field;   they  are  per- 
mitted to  attack  man;  jet  not  all  men,    **  those  only 
*'  who  have  not  the  seal  of  God  upon  their  foreheads ;" 
by   which  we   plainly    understand  *,    that  all   sincere 
servants  of  Christ  are  preserved   from  the  mischief. 
The   scorpion   is  a   small  insect,    contemptible  as  the 
locust  in  its  size  and  appearance ;   but  formidable  by 
reason   of  its   sting.     Scorpions  are   classed  in  Holy 
Writ,   together  with  serpents,  as  a  part  of  the  power 
of  the  infernal  enemy  f.     And  our  Lord  gives  his  Dis- 
ciples power  over  them  ;    and  it  is  in  consequence  of 
this  gift  that  the  sealed  escape  their  venom.     The  men 
who  are  attacked  by  them  are  not  killed,   but  wounded 
and  tormented.     They  lose  not  altogether  their  spiritual 
life    in  Christ,    their  knowledge    of  a  life   immortal, 
purchased  and  revealed  to  them  by  their  Redeemer, 
whose  name   they   still    confess,    and   to  whom  they 
may  yet  return,    and  live  '^  ;  but  the  impression  made 
upon   them  by  this  infernal  attack,  renders  the  pro- 
spect of  a  pure  spiritual  life  no  longer  the  object  of 
delight ;  they  are  of  those  who  love  darkness  better 
than  light,   because  their  deeds  are  evil  §. 

A  nearer 

♦  See  note,  ch.  vii.  2.  t  Luke  x.  19. 

\  See  note,  ch,  iii.  1.  vi,  8. 

§  A   most  eloquent  representation  of  mental  torment,  conveyed 
under  the  emblem  of  scorpion-stings,  will  be  found  in  these  lines  : 
**  Cold,  fearful  drops  stand  on  my  trembling  flesh  ;  — 
**  O  coward  consicence  !  how  dost  thou  afflict  me  ! 
**  Oh,  the  affliction  of  those  terrible  dreams 
**  That  shake  us  nightly  !  Better  be  with  the  dead, 
"  Than  on  such  torture  of  the  mind  to  lie. 
"  Oh  !  full  of  Scorpions  is  my  mind,— I'm  fiU'd  with  horror !" 

Macbeth. 


Ver.  7.  Like  horses 
prepared  for  battle. 


Upon  their  heads  J 
as  it  xvere,  crowns 
of  gold. 


232  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.III.   §4. 

A   nearer   view  of  these  swarms  of  Antichristian 
corrupters  exhibits  them, 

r  Naturalists  have  remarked  the 
resemblance  in  shape  between  the 
head  of  the  locust  and  that  of  the 
horse*.  They  are  swift,  intrepid, 
and  formidable ;  the  worldly-mind- 
ed,   who  have  not  the  seal  of  God, 

Lcannot  easily  escape  them. 

The  true  golden  crown  is  the 
proper  ornament  of  Christ  himself, 
of  his  elders,  of  his  followers,  of 
those  who  overcome  sin  and  the 
world,  by  his  example  and  po>ver. 
See  notes,  (ch.  iii.  12.  ii.  12.  iv.  4. 
vi.  2.)  These  imposing  enemies  of 
the  true  faith,  have  crowns,  not  of 
gold,  but,  as  it  were  of  gold  :  (see 
Matt,  xxiii.  27,  28.)  they  deceive 
under  the  appearance  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion.        • 

r  The  face  of  man  giv^en  to  an  ani- 
mal, implies  a  reasoning  power  in 
that  animal ; — 

Os  homini  sublime  dedit,  coelumque  tueri 
Jussit. — 

These  deceivers  impose  by  a  show 
of  reasoning  and  by  the  specious  elo- 
quence which  is  human.  Ignatius,  in 
his  Epistle  to  the  Church  of  Smyr- 
na, written  about  the  time  when 
'  I  the  gr^at  Gnostic  heresy  began  to 

f  Bochart,  on  Joel  ii.  where  it  is  said  of  them,  *^  WkQ  Jiorsemen 
"  shall  they  run."  Ray,  on  Insects ;  quoted  by  Bp.  Newton. 

prevail, 


Their  faces  as  the 
faces  of  men. 


Ch.  ix.  1—12.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


235 


prevail,  calls  these  deceivers  ^vipia 
iv0p«TOiu,opCp«,  wild-beasts  with  the 
appearance  of  men.  (Patres  Aposto- 

Llici,  sect,  iv.) 

"     They  possess  the  arts  of  allure- 
ment.      The  hair  of  the  women, 
Their  hair,  as  of  j  among    the     Eastern     nations     of 
Zi;o?n€n,  \  antiquity,    was    long ;    which   was 

accounted    effeminate   in    a   man. 

L(l  Cor.  xi.  14,  15.) 

f  Yet  under  this  effeminate  allu- 
ring appearance,  they  devour  and 
destroy.  (Joel.  i.  6.  Psalms  Ivii.  4. 
Iviii.  6,  Ezek.  xix.  6.  xxii.  25.  1  Pet 

Lv.  8.  Hab.  xi.  33.) 

The  natural  locust  has  a  breast- 
plate, or  coat  of  mail:  these  symbolic 
locusts  have  defensive  armour,  to 
<(  repel  the  weapons  of  controversy, — 
such  Scriptural  opposition  as  the 
orthodox     Christian    would    bring 

^against  them. 

Their    attack    is   powerful    and 
alarming ;  with  the  furious  noise  of 
\  great  host,  they  overbear  all  be- 
fore them.  (Joel  ii.  5.) 


Their  teeth,  asof  . 
lions^ 


C 


They  have  breast- 
plates, as  of  iron. 


Vcr.  9.  The  soimdT 
of  their  wings  is  as 
the  sound  of  cha- 
riots, of  many  horses 
rushing  to  battle,    ^ 


'     As   by  the    appointment  of  the 

Creator,   the  face  belongs  to  man 

only;  so  the  tail  is  peculiar  to  brutes : 

and  thus  the  more  brutal  passions 

scorpions,andstings\  and  appetites  seem  to  be  here  em- 


Ver.  10.     They 
have   tails    like    to 


in  their  tails. 


ployed,  as  an  instrument  of  seduc- 
tion.    The  dragon  acts  by  the  same 

instrument, 


S3* 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  III.  §  4 


Their  power  is  to 


instrument,    the  tail,  (ch.    xii.  4).; 
' '  The  sting  of  death  is  sin, "  (1  Cor 
XV.  56). 
f     The  continuance   of  these  anti- 
christian    invaders   is    during   five 


months. 


Ver.  11.  Lastly, 
Thcj/  have  over  the7n 
a  king,  the  angel  of 
the  bottomless  deep. 


injure  the  men^  Jive  'i  months,  or  150  days ;  that  is,  in 
prophetical  language,  (see  note, 
ch.  ii.  10.)  150  years. 

The  king,  or  leader  of  this  war-l 
fare,  is  not  one  of  the  scorpion-lo-' 
custs,  one  of  their  own  earthly 
stock  and  nature ;  they  have  super^ 
natural  assistance  and  direction:; 
the  evil  angel,  who  had  embittered 
the  waters,  and  opened  the  infernal 
abyss,  being  himself  their  king 
.  With  respect  to  the  name  ApoUyon, 

Hisname  in  Hebrew  ^  observe,  that  Judas  Iscariot  is  called 


is  Abaddon,  in  the 
Greek  ApoUyon, 
that  is,  Destroyer, 


by  our  Lord  d  vhg  rvjg  ctTcoKeiag,  thcp 
son  of  perdition  or  destruction,  after 
Satan  had  entered  into  him,  (John 
xvii.  12).  And  the  heresies  de- 
scribed hi  ^  Pet.  iL  which  by  thej 
best  commentators  are  supposed  to! 
be  of  the  Gnostic  cast,  are  styled 

After  this  comparative  view  of  the  figurative  lan- 
guage of  the  text,  we  may  proceed  to  observe,  that, 
as  swarms  of  locusts,  under  the  Old  Testament,  are 
used  to  signify  armies  devastating  the  Holy  Land,  the 
heritage  of  God,  the  Theocracy  under  which  the  Is- 
raelites enjoyed  superior  blessings  and  protection  :  So, 
under  the  New  Testament,  such  an  invasion,  led  by 
an  evil  angel,  from  the  depths  of  hell,  must  be  un- 
5  derstood 


Ch.  ix.   1—12.]  APOCALYPSE.  SM 

^erstood  to  have  for  its  object,   the  Christian  Church, 
the  heritage  of  Christ. 

The  object  of  attack,  then,  seems  clearly  ascertain* 
ed.     But  of  what  nature  are  the  assailants?    Do  they 
attack  the  Church  with  arms  ?   or  with  more  formida- 
ble weapons, — with  corruptive  doctrines?  The  figura- 
tive expressions  here  used,   may,   in   many   instances, 
imply  either.     But  that  part  of  the  description  which 
represents  the  '*  sealed  of  God,"  the  faithful  and  true 
Christiai*s,    as  unhurt  by  their  stings,  seems  to  point 
out  decisively,  that  the  invasion  is  not  by  arms  lite- 
rally understood.      In  no   invasion   of  the   Christian 
Church  by  arms,    has  it    been   known,    (nor  indeed 
can  it  be  consistently  supposed,)  that  the  sealed,  the 
sincere  servants  of  God  through  Christ,   should  escape. 
Upon   such  trying  occasions,   they  die  nobly,   as  mar- 
tyrs,   or  at  least  undergo  patiently  their  share  of  the 
common  calamity.     But  suppose  a  base  corruption  of 
Religion,  engendered  in  the  depths  of  hell,  and  pro- 
mising worldly  greatness,   and  pleasure  and  power,    to 
attack  the  Christian  Church; — in  such  case,  the  pro- 
phecy now  before  us  might  be  exactly  fulfilled.     The 
sealed,   the  true  servants  of  Christ,    would  reject  the 
proffered  allurements,   would  adhere  to  their  ancient 
faith ;     vyhile    the    worldly    and    nominal    Christians 
would  be  captured  in  the  snare.     For  this  reason,    (as 
well  as  because  in  the  progress  of  our  enquiry  it  will 
be  found  so  best  to  accord,)  under  the  symbol  of  the 
scorpion-locusts, ,  we  are  to  look  for  a  swarm,   not  of 
armed  men,   but  of  teachers  of  corrup^ doctrines. 

In  the  early  times  of  the  Church,  many  notions, 
corruptive  of  pure  Christianity,  were  engendered  by 
fanatical  and  wicked  heretics.  But  the  authority  of 
the  Apostles  and  of  apostolical  men  prevented,  for  a 
time,  their  successful  propagation.  Yet  their  in- 
crease 


iSS  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  III.   §  4 

crease  and  prev^alence  were  foretold  by  the  Holy  Spirit  * ; 
and,  these  holy  men  being  now  removed,  they  swarm 
through  the  Christian  world.  Such  heresies  were  pre- 
ordained, to  prove  the  Church;  the  sealed,  the  pure 
and  faithful  followers  of  their  Lord,  were  to  escape 
the  contagion  f.  And,  in  the  corrupted,  they  do  not 
utterly  destroy  the  life,  the  spiritual  life  which  is  in 
Christ  X;  for,  the  Divine  evidences  of  the  Gospel 
were  in  those  early  times  so  clearly  established  by 
recent  miracles,  were  so  palpable  and  convincing,  as 
not  to  be  withstood,  or  denied,  by  those  who  made 
enquiry.  But  these  heretics  corrupt  and  debase  the 
faith  which  they  acknowledge,  by  the  addition  of 
their  own  philosophical  dreams  and  superstitions. 

Now,  the  first  szvarm,  the  first  multitudinous 
host  of  corrupters,  recorded  in  Christian  history,  is 
that  of  the  Gnostics  § .  Their  seeds  and  beginnings 
are  observable  in  the  first  century,  even  in  the  apos- 
tolic times  ||.  Cerinthus  appears  to  have  imbibed  the 
Gnostic  doctrines,  and  also  the  Nicolaitans  ^,  But 
heretics  of  this  description  Avere  not  successful  in  cor- 
rupting the   Church  during  its  first  century.     Euse- 

*  2  Cor.  xi.  13.  14;  1  Tim.  vi.  3,  4,  5,  20,  21 ;  2  Tim.  iii.  13  ; 
2  Pet.  ii.  1,  &c. 

t  1  Cor.  xi.  If);  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  iii, 3. 

I  See  notes,  ch.  iii.  1.  vi.  8. 

§  "  The  first  great  heresy,  which  as  a  gangrene  did  overspread  and 
"  consume  much  of  the  beauty,  glory,  and  vigour  of  the  Christian 
*'  Church,  was  that  of  the  Gnostics."  Gale,  Court  of  the  Gentiles, 
pt.  iii.  b.  ii.  sect.  7i 

II  Tris  ylzv^ui^oi^a  yvcoas'^^:  the  very  name  under  which  it  is  attacked 
by  Irenaeus;  1  Tim.  vi.  20,  21;  Col.  ii.  8,  9,  10;  1  John  ii.  18; 
Epist.  Polycarpi. 

IF  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  iii.  c.  28.  Mosheim,  i.  11(5.  117.  Whitby  on 
2  Pet.  ii.  See  also  note,  ch.  ii.  6;  p.  45. 

J  bius 


Ch.  ix,  1^ — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  257 

bius  says  expressly,  that  the  attempts  of  the  heretics 
against  the  purity  cf  the  Church,  had  little  success 
in  the  apostolical  times ;  and  he  dates  their  prevalence 
from  the  times  of  Ignatius's  martyrdom,  the  latter 
days  of  the  emperor  Trajan,  or  the  beginning  of  those 
of  Adrian  *.  The  same  author  has  preserved  for  us  a 
fragment  from  the  works  of  Hegesippus,  who  lived  ia 
the  times  of  Adrianf  ;  and  he  says,  that,  '*  until  those 
**  times  the  Church  had  continued  a  pure  and  incorrupt 
«  Virgin ;  for,  that  those  who  attempted  to  corrupt 
**  the  wholesome  canon  of  Evangelical  doctrine,  had 
*'  hitherto  remained  in  obscurity.  But  when  the  sa- 
*'  cred  company  of  the  Apostles  was  departed,  and 
"  the  generation  of  those  who  were  thought  worthy 
**  to  hear  their  divine  preaching  w^as  gone,  then  the 
*^  conspiracy  of  impious  deceit  had  its  beginning; — 
**  then  to  the  preaching  of  the  truth  did  they  dare 
"  boldly  to  oppose  their  knowledge  falsely  so  called  XJ* 
Clemens  Alexandrinus,  speaking  of  the  Gnostics,  as- 
serts that  they  were  not  a  pestilential  heresy  before 
the  times  of  Adrian  \.  Ireneeus,  a  nearer  witness  of 
those  times,  after  describing  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gnostics,  as  derived  from  Simon  Magus  and  Menan- 
der,  to  Saturninus,  Basilides,  and  Carpocrates,  speak- 

•  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  c.  7.  iii.  SG,  f  Lib.  iii.  c.  32, 

X  fEv^rnvfjiov  yvua-i¥,  the  term  used  by  Irenaeus,  in  his  treatise  against 
the  Gnostics.  Tvc^o'ts  is  true  knowledge,  and  is  thus  applied  by  the 
Sacred  writers,  and  by  the  fathers,  to  express  divine  knowledge. 
And  therefore  yvus-iMs  means  a  well-informed  Christian.  (See  Clem. 
Alex.  Strom,  lib.  iv.  and  vi.)  Hence  the  Gnostics  were  not  allowed 
by  the  orthodox,  the  name  which  they  impudently  assumed :  but  to 
them  they  attributed  the  ylyev^c^wfjLov  yvua-iv  mentioned  by  Saint  Paul, 
(1  Tim.  vi.  20).  In  the  next  century,  when  this  folly  was  gone,  a 
fraternity  of  monks  took  the  name  of  Gnostics  in  its  proper  and  good 
sense.     Socratis  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv.  c.  23. 

§  Strom,  hb.  vii.  17.  viii.  27. 

ing 


238  ai»ocaly:^se.  [Pt.  III.  §  4, 

ing  of  the  two  last,  says ;  **  their  impure  followerjJ 
**  are  not  to  be  numbered,— springing  up  like  mush- 
"  rooms:"  and  thus  he  certifies  the  time  of  the  grtat 
pestilential  irruption  *.  Epiphanius,  quoting  from 
Irenaeus,  observes,  that  they  burst  out  of  the  earth 
together  at  one  time,  like  mushrooms,  the  lurking- 
places  of  many  scorpions  f. 

In  short,  by  the  united  and  prevailing  testimony* 
of  the  fathers,  it  appears  that  the  Gnostics  did  not  be* 
^in  to  swarm  over  the  Christian  Church  before  the 
period  mentioned  by  Eusebius ;  the  end  of  Trajan's 
or  beginning  of  Adrian's  reign.  Internal  evidence 
may  be  collected  confirming  this  account.  Ignatius, 
(at  the  time  of  whose  martyrdom,  the  Gnostics  are 
described  by  these  fathers  as  beginning  to  swarm,)  in 
his  epistles,  written  at  this  period,  represents  the  lea- 
ders of  this  enormous  heresy  as  A^fipoJvjyJo/,  still  work- 
ing covertly.  He  describes  the  Church  of  Ephesus  as 
happily  withstanding  their  impressions:  but  in  his 
passage  to  Rome,  he  finds  the  heresyarchs  busily  em- 
ployed in  corrupting  other  churches  J.  Polycarp  lived 
to  a  later  period,  when  the  vast  irruption  had  taken 
place.  This  apostolical  bishop  was  frequently  assailed 
by  these  heretical  doctrines  ;  for  Irenseus,  when  a 
boy,  remembered  him  in  that  situation,  stopping  his 
cars,  and  moving  from  the  place  where  he  heard 
these  Gnostical  blasphemies,  (as  he  says,  was  custo- 
mary  with  him,)    and  exclaiming,  O  gracious  God, 

*  Velut  k  terra  fungi  manifestati  sunt; — etenim  non  est  nuraerum 
dicere  eorum,  qui  secundum  alterum  et  alterum  modum  exciderunt 
^veritate.     Iren.lib.  1.  c.  21,  22,  32,  33.  iii.  c.  4. 

t  Cont.  Haer.  lib.  i.  31.  See  also  Tertullian  de  Prose.  Haer.  c.  30r 
Cypriani  Epist.  75,  the  letter  of  Firmilian  to  that  father. 

X  Ignat.  Epist.  ad  Ephes,  7;  8,  9  ;  ad  Smyrn.  5. 

to 


Ch.  ix.   1  — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  239 

to  what  times  hast  thou  reserved  me,  to  undergo  all 
this  *  ! 

Thus,    although  ecclesiastical  history  has  preser- 
ved but  few  original  documents  belonging  to  the  times 
of  which  we  enquire,    (for  they  perished  in  the  Dio- 
cletian persecution) ;   yet  there  is  abundant  proof  of 
the  period  when  the  grand  Gnostical  irruption  took 
place.     It  burst  forth  in  Asia  and  Africa  at  nearly  the 
same  time.     Saturninus,   followed  by  Cerdo,   and  by 
Marcion  who  afterwards  corrupted  Italy,   by  Barde- 
sanes,    Tatian,    Severus,    and  their  multitudinous  dis- 
ciples,   spread  the  poison  over  the  east.     While  Basi- 
lides   in  Africa,    followed  by  Carpocrates,   Valentine, 
&c.  overran  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world.     Nume- 
rous churches  and  communities  of  these  Gnostics  con- 
tinued to  flourish,  and  to  bring  scandal  on  the  Chris- 
tian name,  through  that   century  and  the  better  half 
of  the  next.     But  in  this  their  progress,    they  were 
vigorously  opposed  by  the  orthodox  and  pure  Chris- 
tians;   by  Justin  Martyr,    Iren^eus,    Tertullian,   Cle- 
mens Alexandrinus,    and  Origen;    and   in  their  wild 
philosophy,   by  the  Platonic  philosophers   under  Plo- 
tinus ;  at  whose  death,    in  the  year  270,  they  will  be 
seen  to  have  been  almost  entirelv  sunk  and  srone. — 
So  that,  taking  all  these  accounts  together,    we  find 
evidence,    that   the  duration  of  the  Gnostics,    as   a 
prevailing  heresy  and  pestilential  swarm,  (for,  it  is  in 
that  view  only  that,    consistently   with  the  symbols, 
we  are  to  consider  them,)  was   about  150  years,   the 
period  foretold  f . 

The 

♦  Euseb.  H.  E.  lib.  v.  20. 

t  The  exact  time  of  the  rise  of  the  Gnostics  having  appeared  to 
occasion  some  dispute  in  the  literary  world  ;  it  may  be  proper  to  add 
•  few  more  words  on  this  5ubject»-«-The  learned  have  been  generally 

agreed. 


S40  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  III.  §  4. 

The  Gnostics  are  represented  to  us,  by  the  fathers, 
as  deriving  their  religious  principles  from  the  Nicolai- 

tans; 

agreed,  by  the  testimonies  of  the  ancients,  (such  as  we  have  above  I 
reported,)  to  refer  the  rise  of  these  heretics  to  the  beginning  of  the 
second  century.  But  Bishop  Pearson,  in  his  Vindiciob  Ignatianoe^ 
attempted  to  shew  that  they  were  of  earlier  date.  He  was  answered 
in  a  very  satisfactory  manner  by  Dodwell,  (Diss.  i.  in  Irenaeum).  The 
learned  and  judicious  Mosheim,  having  given  a  particular  atten* 
tion  to  this  subject,  has  perfectly  reconciled  these  contending 
opinions,  by  observing,  that  the  Gnostics  were  lurking  in  the  Church 
in  the  first  century;  but  that  it  was  not  before  the  second  century 
that  they  burst  from  their  obscurity  into  open  day : — **  Certisque 
**  ducibus  adscitis,  stabilem  sibi  formam,  certasque  leges  praescribe- 
"  bant.'*  (Com.  de  Rebus  Christian,  ante  Const.  Mag.  Sasc.  i.  sect. 
ix.)  And  again;  qui,  (scil.  Gnostici,)  quum  primo  rei  Christianae 
seculo  sine  luce  et  gloria  vixissent,  paucisque  discipulis  usi  fuissent, 
Hadriano  imperante,  audacius  rem  suaro  agere  incipiebant,  atque  per 
varias  provincias  paulatim  familias  satis  nuraerosas  colligebant,  col- 
lectasque  omni  contentione  roborare,  ornare,  ac  amplificare  stude- 
bant.  Deficiebant  ad  hoc  genus  hominum  plurimi  Christianorum,  sanis 
antea  sententiis  deditorum,  partim  eloquentia  quorundam  fanati  cd  ; 
partim  pietatis  quara  nonnulli  prae  se  ferebant,  magnS,  specie;  partim 
etiam  securius  vivendi,  et  liberius  peccandi  desiderio,  cui  aliqui 
eorum  favebant,  allecti.  (Sasc.  ii.  sect.  xli.  See  also  Mosheim*s  Eccl. 
Hist.  cent.  11.  c.  5.  sect.  4.)  The  learned  are  now,  I  believe,  gene- 
rally agreed,  that  this  is  the  true  state  of  the  question.  Le  Clerc  had 
incautiously  referred  the  times  of  Saturninus  to  the  first  century ;  but 
Mosheim  has,  in  the  same  work,  shewn  this  to  be  by  mistake.  (Saec. 
ii.  sect,  xliv.)  He  adds,  that  it  is  beyond  all  doubt,  that  all  he 
numerous  and  important  sects  of  the  Gnostics  flourished  in  the  middle 
of  the  second  centurijy  and  that  the  chief  of  them  had  their  origin 
not  long  after  the  beginning  of  that  century,  "  non  diu  post  initi^ 
"  seculi  exortas  esse."  Upon  these  authorities  we  shall  appear  fully 
justified  in  placing  the  rise  of  the  Gnostics  as  a  prevalent  pestilential 
heresy,  at  or  before  the  year  120.  In  the  I7th  of  Adrian,  anno  133, 
Basilides  was  living  at  Alexandria,  (Euseb.  Chron.);  in  127  Mar- 
cion  came  to  Rome,  (Iren.  lib.  iii.  c.  4.)  and  there  began  to  broach 
his   false    doctrine ;    and    the    leading   teachers   of  these   doctrines 

continued. 


CIl.   ix.    ]  — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  241 

tans*;   but   as  carrying   their  mischievous  notions  etg 
tty.pov,    to   the  utmost  excess.     To  the  wildest  dreams 

of 

♦  See   note,    ch.  ii.  6.    Clem.    Alex.   Strom,  iii.   4.''25.    Epiphan, 
Haer.  25. 


continued,  says  Clemens  Alexandrinus,   to  the  times  of  the  Antonincs. 
(Strom,  vii.  ad  fin.) 

So  much  for  the  rise  of  the  Gnostics*  Their  continuance,  as 
a  prevalent  pestilential  heresy,  cannot  be  so  accurately  ascertained  ; 
because  their  decline  was  gradual,  and  not,  like  their  rise,  by  a 
sudden  burst.  But  after  the  same  manner  as  the  question  con- 
cerning the  rise  of  these  sects  is  properly  confined  to  their  appear- 
ance as  a  general/j/  prevalent  j)estileiitial  heresy^  and  is  not  ati'ected 
by  Gnostical  principles  having  been  previously  professed  by  someday 
Christians;  so,  the  enquiry  concerning  the  termination  of  this  heresy 
is  to  be  governed  by  the  time,  when  these  heretics  appeared  no  longer 
in  such  mnnhers,  aSy  fidJilUng  the  prophecy ,  darkened  the  face  of  the 
Church.  When  they  no  longer  appear  in  this  character,  the  period  we 
seek  is  arrived  ;  and  we  have  no  occasion  to  pursue  their  remains,  a 
few  stragling  Gnostics,  in  whose  times  the  Gnostical  influence  on 
Christianity  was  reduced  to  a  still  lower  state  than  that  in  which  it 
was  seen  previously  to  the  grand  irruption  under  Saturninus  and 
Basilides. 

Now  it  is  clear  from  the  writings  of  Irenccus,  Tertullian,  Clemens 
Alexandrinus,  and  of  Plotinus,  that  the  Gnostics  continued  to  flourish 
in  the  times  of  these  writers ;  which  will  be  found  to  continue 
through  the  second  century,  and  beyond  the  middle  of  the  third. 
And  after  these  times,  we  do  not  find  that  the  champions  of  the 
Church  had  much  occasion  in  their  writings  to  oppose  the  doctrines  of 
the  Gnostics,  or  that  they  mention  them  as  a  sivarming  prevailing 
heresy.  The  history  of  the  Church  at  the  end  of  the  third  century  is 
indeed  imperfect ;  many  of  its  records  having  perished  in  the  Diocle- 
tian persecution:  but  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century,  vvhen 
the  Church,  delivered  from  persecution,  held  frequent  and  general 
councils,  and  condemned  the  doctrines  and  opinions  of  the  prevailing 
heretics  ;  we  hear  little  or  nothing  of  those  of  the  Gnostics.  Hence  it 
may  be  concluded  that  they  were  no  longer  formidable  to  the  Church, 
and  hence  Mosheim  and  other  ecclesiastical  enquirers  have  observed, 
that  the  philosophy,  whi^h  sprang  up  in  the  Church  in  the  third  cen- 

c  c  tury 


242  APOCALTPS£.  [Pt.  III.   §4, 

of  visionary  and   fantastic   philosophy,  derived    from 
the  oriental  schools,    which    they  incorporated    with 

the 


tury  with  Origen  and  others,  ad  absurda  harum  sectarum   commenta 
profliganda  et  funditus  evertenda  sufficiebat.  (Mosheim  de  Rebus  ante 
Const,  sa^c.  ii.    See  also  Eccl.  Hist.)     Yet   it  must  not  be  concealed, 
that  the  same  learned  author  has  observed  in  another  passage,  that 
the   followers  of  Marcion  were  not  entirely  eradicated  before  the  fifth 
or  sixth  century.     And  the  method  which  this  judicious  writer   has 
taken  (as  above  represented)  to   reconcile  the  jarring  opinions  con- 
cerning the   rise  of  the  Gnostics,  must  in  this  place  be  tised  to  re- 
concile his  own  opinions  concerning  their  continuance.     The  Gnostic* 
were  extinct,  as  a  prevalent  pestilential  heresy  ;  but  from  their  ashes, 
yet  warm^  doctrines  of  a  similar  cast  were  seen,  now  and  then,  to 
blaze  forth :  but  these  v/ere  soon  extinct  again,    and  never  acquired 
any  thing  like   that  universal  domination,  described   by  historians  to 
have  taken  place  in  the  second  century ;  which  they  have  hence   de- 
nominated the  Gnostic   age.        The   Manichaeans  incorporated   some 
Gnostic  principles  into  their  doctrines  :    but  this  sect  was  never  nume- 
rous. (Libanius,  Epist.  ad  Priscian. ;  Lardner,   Cred.  vol.  viii.  37,  57, 
156.)     Yet,  in  the  page  of  history,  it  seems  to  have  obtained  a  cele- 
brity, equal,  or  perhaps  superior,  to  that  of  the  Gnostics.    This  cir- 
cumstance is  to  be  attributed  entirely  to  the  numerous  writings  which 
have  come  down  to  us  from  the  age  of  the  Manichaeans,  while  so  fesT 
have  descended  from  the  Gnostical  age.    (August,  cent.  Faust,  c.  20. 
22 ;  Lardner,  Cred.  vi.  p.  38.   56.  viii.  37.)      The    Priscillianists,  in 
the  fourth  century,  were  also   said  to  have  sprung  from  the  Gnostic 
ashes  :   but   Gibbon  calls   them  a   recent  sect :  (Hist,  of  Decline  and 
Fall,  ch.  xxvii.)  and  Lardner,  upon  good  reasons,  which  he  assigns, 
doubts  of  this  origin  attributed  to  them.   (Cred.  Gosp.  art.   Priscil- 
lianists.)     He   says  also,  that  they  would   have  been  little  known  or 
regarded,  but  from  the  violent  and  inhuman  methods  used  to  extirpate 
them.  (Cred.  vol.  ix.)  Excepting  in  these  instances  (which  appear  of 
a  doubtful  character,  and  by  no  means  exhibit  the  Gnostical  sects  as 
continuing  to  darken  and  disturb  the  Christian  world,)    very  few  re- 
mains can   be  found  of  these   heretics,  beyond  the  time  allotted  to 
them  in  the  prophecy.     Yet,  Epiphanius  says,   that   in  his  times,  in 
the  fourth  century,  there  were  some  relics  of  them.     And  this  may  be 
allowed,  without  impeaching  the  application  of  this  prophecy  to  the 

main 


Ch.  ix.  1 — 12.]  APOCALTPSE.  S45 

the  doctrines   of  Christianity,    rejecting  or  corrupt- 
ing  any    part    of   the  Sacred    Writings    which    op- 
posed 


main  body.  When  an  army  has  marched  through  a  country,  and 
only  some  stragling  parties  belonging  to  that  army  remain  behind, 
the  army  may  be  truly  said  to  be  gone.  And  a  few  locusts  may 
remain  behind,  (than  which  nothing  is  more  common  in  natural  his- 
tory,) when  the  swarm,  the  great  body,  has  disappeared,  and  may 
properly  be  affirmed  to  be  no  more. 

But  further  to  shew  that  the  remains  of  the  Gnostics,  after  the 
time  specified,  (about  the  year  260,  or  270,)  were  very  inconsiderable, 
I  shall  add  a  few  additional  authorities,  all  taken  from  writers  of 
those  times. 

Celsus,  the  Epicurean  Philosopher,  who  is  supposed  to  have 
written  his  book  against  the  Christian  Religion  about  the  times  of 
Antoninus  Pius,  when  the  Gnostics  had  already  put  forth  their  grand 
ewarm,  mentioned  many  sects  of  them  under  various  denominations, 
which  in  the  year  252,  when  Origen  wrote  his  famous  answer  to  that 
book,  were  so  entirely  gone,  that  this  learned  Father  professes  an 
utter  ignorance  of  them.  And  he  blames  Celsus  for  ascribing  to  the 
Christians  the  strange  dreams  and  inventions  of  these  heretics,  in  par- 
ticular of  the  Ophiani,  who,  he  says,  in  his  time,  had  altogether  dis- 
appeared, or  were  very  few  indeed.  (Origen.  cont.  Cels.  lib.  vi, 
p.  293.)  Origen  is  said  by  Eusebius,  to  have  converted  many  of  the 
Gnostics.  (Eccl.  Hist.  vi.  18,  20.)  This  able  and  active  Father  flou- 
rished in  the  times  when  they  were  rapidly  declining,  and  returning 
to  sober  principles.  Some  of  his  early  works  were  written  against 
the  Gnostics.  But  from  his  last  production,  the  work  already  quoted, 
written  about  the  year  252,  we  perceive  the  Gnostics  to  be  sinking 
into  disrepute,  if  not  entirely  sunk.  Of  the  Simoniansy  he  says  in  one 
passage,  he  does  not  believe  ihirti/  are  to  be  found  in  the  world : 
(Cont.  Celsura,  lib.  i.  p.  44.)  and  in  another  place,  that  there  are 
none  left.  (lib.  vi.  p.  282.)  The  Simonians  certainly  were  Gnostics; 
all  of  whom  were  comprehended  by  some  writers  under  this  generic 
name.  Cerdo  and  other  distinguished  Gnostics  are  called  so  by  Ire- 
naeus;  (Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  c.  11.)  who,  together  with  Tertul- 
lian  and  Eusebius,  derives  all  the  Gnostics  from  Simon,  (Iren.  lib.  1, 
20.    30.   33.   ii.;  Pref.  iii.  c.  4.  ad  fin.    TertuUian.  de  Animd,  325. 

Euseb.  H.  E.  ii.  13.  iv.  70 

c  c  2  The 


244?  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  IIL  §  4. 

posed  their  tenets,  many  of  them  added,  as  might  be 
expected,  tlie  most  immoial  and  indecent  practices. 
The  particulars  of  these  it  is  not  necessary  to  ad- 
duce ;  they  may  he  collected  from  Irenaeus  and  Ter- 
tullian  ;    from  Plotinus  also,   the  Platonic  Philosopher, 


Tiie  Platonic  Philosopher,  Fh^tinus,  flourished  in  the  former  part 
of  the  third  century,  and  wrote  against  the  Gnostic  philosophy;  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  that  century,  his  disciple  Porphijri/  published  his 
works.  In  his  preface  to  that  book,  by  way  of  explaining  the  matter 
of  it,  he  says,  '*  e/  t/iat  time  there  were  many  Christians,  not  only  of 
"  the  conniion  sort,  but  heretics,  deriving  their  notions  from  the  an- 
*'  cient  philosophy."  ^Vhy  does  he  say  there  uere  at  thai  time,  such 
philosophical  Christians  (in  other  terms  Gnostics),  but  because  they 
were  not  to  be  found  at  the  later  period  when  he  wrote  ?  And  he 
wrote  after  the  death  of  Plotinus  ;   which  happened  in  270. 

In  the  times  of  Cyprian,  who  died  a  martyr  in  258,  the  Crnostics 
were  returning  into  the  body  of  the  Church.  Among  the  numerous 
heretics,  to  be  rebaptized,  are  mentioned  Valentinians  and  Marcio- 
nites,  who  were  certainly  Gnostics.   (Cyprian.  Epist.  7^-) 

Eusebius  wrote  his  history  in  the  former  part  of  the  next  century, 
lie  describes  Manes,  the  founder  of  the  iNIanichceans,  as  "  collecting 
"  false  and  iinpious  doctrines  from  aa  infinite  number  of  heresies,  which 
"  had  been  a  long  time  extinct.*'  And  there  can  be  no  doubt,  but 
that  he  intended  those  of  the  numerous  Gnostic  tribes.  (Euseb.  H.  E, 
lib.  viii.  c.  31.)  He  mentions,  in  another  passage,  the  mariner  in 
which  these  sects  arose  one  upon  another,  and,  taking  new  and  vari- 
ous forms,  perished,  (Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  c.  /  •)  In  these  times  of  Eu- 
sebius, and  of  the  Emperor  Constantine,  the  Valentinians  and  Mar- 
cionites  are  once  mentioned,  among  the  subsisting  heresies  by  another 
Ecclesiastical  Historian,  (Sozomen.  lib.  vi.  c.  32).  But,  about  50  years 
afterwards,  when  the  Emperor  Gratian  excepted  all  such  pernicious 
heretics  from  the  general  toleration,  they  are  no  longer  remembered. 
(Socrates,  v.  c.  2.  Sozomen.  vii.  c.  I.)  Thus  the  grand  swarm  of 
Gnostics  passed  over  and  was  gone,  about  150  years  after  its  in- 
vasion of  the  Christian  world,  leaving  a  few  scattered  locusts  behind ; 
who,  occasioning  little  trouble  and  alarm,  are  seldom  mentioned  by 
the  ecclesistical  writers ;  and,  in  another  century,  are  heard  of  no 
more, 

who 


Ch.   ix.    1 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  245 


wlio  wrote  successfully  against  their  extravagant  te- 
nets; from  other  writers  who  lived  after  this  raee  had 
passed  over,  from  Theodoret,  Clemens  Alexandrinus, 
and  Epiphanius.  The  English  reader  may  obtain  a 
general  notion  of  them  from  JNIosheim's  History  of 
the  Second  Century,    chap,  v.* 

From  the  account  now  deduced,  first,  of  the  Scrip- 
tural import  of  the  figurative  language  of  this  Trum- 
pet, and,  secondly,  of  the  character  of  the  Gnostics, 
and  their  period,  as  extracted  from  cotemporary  wri- 
ters, it  may  already  appear,  that  in  this  first  general 
and  extensive  apostacy,  the  prophetic  representation 
of  this  Trumpet  was  fulfilled.  But  it  may  be  satis- 
factory to  descend  to  particulars.  In  ver.  1,  the  '*  star 
"  fallen  from  heaven,"  called  afterwards  the  *' king" 
or  leader  of  the  locusts,  **  the  angel  of  the  bottom- 
*^  less  pit,"  ''  the  destroyer,"  has  been  already  shcAvn  to 
be  Satan,  or  some  distinguished  minister  of  that  fallen 
angel.  Now,  the  ancient  writers  of  the  Church,  and 
her  historian  Eusebius,  ascribe  the  introduction  of  the 
Gnostic  heresy  to  the  agency  of  the  Devil  (d  (j.i(Toy.aXog 
Aeciij.uv\  who,  having,  as  he  says,  attempted  in  vain 
to  overthrow  the  Church  by  external  persecutions, 
attacked  it  internally  by  his  agents,  by  professed 
Christians,  leading  some  of  the  faithful  eig  /JuQov  oLi:oXeicig, 
to  the  deep  of  destruction  ;  in  which  expressions,  we 
have  a  remarkable  coincidence  both  with  the  oi^ig'm 
of  this  woe,  *' the  pit  of  the  bottomless  deep,"  and 
with  the  name  of  the  Leader,  Apollyon  '\,  He  repre- 
sents 

*  Clem.  Alex.  Strom,  lib.  iii.  2,  3,  4.  Epiph.  Ilaer.  23,  24,  2r. 
31,  32.  iii.  6\  Fragra.  Agrip.  Castor,  in  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv. 
c.  7. 

+  In  another  passage  of  the  same  historian,  the  Gnostical  philo- 
sophy is  called  rot  xiteifot  pvSo»  :  and  Irenxnis  speaking  of  the  Carpo- 
3  cratians, 


246  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  4. 

sents  this  attack  also  as  a  warlike  invasion,  calling 
the  leader  woAefiwIalof,  which  agrees  with  the  descrip- 
tion before  us,  and  with  the  alarm  by  the  trumpet  *, 
Justin  Martyr  is  also  represented  by  the  same  author, 
as  ascribing  this  invasion  to  diabolical  operation  f. 
In  ver.  2,  what  can  express  so  forcibly  the  dark,  and 
perplexed,  and  uncomfortable  philosophy  of  the  orien- 
tal schools,  which,  mixing  with  Christianity,  so  ob- 
scured and  debased  it,  as  these  dark  fumes,  arising 
from  th©  infernal  deep,  and  obscuring  the  Sun  ?  In 
describing  the  invasion  of  the  Gnostic  heresy,  the 
historian  makes  use  of  nearly  the  same  figures  ;  com- 
paring the  Churches  of  Christ  to  the  most  resplen- 
dent luminaries  before  that  attack  § ;  by  which  he 
intimates  that  their  splendour  was  darkened. 

In  verses  3  and  4,  a  swarm  of  locusts  arises  with 
the  smoke.  Now,  the  resemblance  of  the  Gnostic 
teachers  to  such  a  swarm,  in  respect  both  of  their 
numbers,  and  of  the  mischief  occasioned  by  them,  is 
so  striking,  that  historians,  who  did  not  entertain 
the  most  distant  thought  of  applying  to  them  this 
prophecy,  and  merely  related  what  they  found  record- 
ed in  the  annals  of  those  times,  have  described  them 
in  the  very  same  terms  by  which  the  scorpion-locusts 
are  described  in  this  vision.  Such  is  the  relation  of 
the  learned  Jacob  Brucker,  who,  in  his  critical  His- 
tory of  Philosophy,  after  speaking  of  a  sect  of  orien- 
tal philosophers  in  the  first  century,  adds ;  * '  and 
**  when  many  from  that  sect  had  betaken  themselves 

cratxans,  an  eminent  sect  of  the  Gnostics,  says,  d.  Satand  praemissi 
sunt. — Again ;  Amarum  et  malighum  principis  apostasiae  serpentis 
vcnenum  porrigentis  eis :  (lib.  i.  30.) 

♦  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  c.  7.  11. 

t  Lib.  iii.  c,  26.  J  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  7» 

"to 


Ch.  ix.  1  — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  247 

*'  to  the  Christian  Reh'gion,  and  had  preposterously 
**  attempted  to  unite  their  precepts  to  it,  hence  there 
*'  arose  those  swarms  of  heresies^  which,  priding 
*'  themselves  in  the  name  of  Gnostics,  like  winged 
**  insects,  xvent  flying  through  all  the  churches  of  Asia 
'*  and  Africa,  and  contaminated  the  simplicity  of  the 
**  most  holy  Religion  with  the  most  absurd  nonsense  : 
*'  and,  continuing  their  progress  to  the  Jews  also, 
**  and  even  to  the  Gentiles,  miserably  corrupted  the 
**  national  Philosophy  of  both  of  these;  invented 
**  wild  and  monstrous  notions,  confirmed  and  increased 
**  a  wide-reigning  fanaticism,  disseminated  multitudes 
*^'  of  spurious  books,  and  corrupted  the  whole  xvorld 
**  with  the  very  worst  doctrines  *." 

This  learned  author  laments'):,  that  an  accurate 
knowledge  is  not  now  to  be  obtained  of  this  wide- 
spreading  mischief;  very  few  fragments  remaining  of 
the  writings  which  concern  the  Gnostics.  But  if  no 
more  were  known,  than  what  this  studious  enquirer 
has  presented  to  us  in  the  above-cited  passage,  we 
should  want  little  to  convince  us,  that  the  marks  and 
characters  of  them,  as  delivered  in  history,  corre^ 
spond  most  exactly  with  those  of  the  scorpion-locusts 
under  this  Trumpet. 

*  Exque  ea  secta  plures,  cvlm  ad  Christianam  religionem  se  con- 
tulissent,  prseceptaque  sua  cum  h4c  praeposter^  conjungere  conati 
essent,  exorta  esse  ilia  haeresium  examina,  quae  Gnosticorum  nomine 
superbientia,  muscarum  instar,  per  omnes  Asiae  atque  Africae  eccle- 
sias  pervolitarunt,  et  nugis  ineptissirais  simplicitatem  sanctissimae  Re- 
ligionis  contaminarunt.  Ad  Judaeos  quoque  et  ipsos  Gentiles  pro- 
gressa,  doraesticam  utrorumque  Philosophiam  misere  corruperunt, 
sententiarum  monstra  excogitarunt,  fanaticism  am  lat^  regnantem 
confirmarunt  et  auxerunt,  librorum  spuriorum  segetes  disseminarunt, 
pessimisque  doctrinis  totum  commacularunt  orbem.  (Brucker.  Hist. 
Crit.  Philosoph.  torn.  ii.  p.  6390 

.    ^^''''-  la 


248  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.   §  4 

In  verses  3,  5,  and  10,  the  locusts  are  described  as 
having  the  tails,  the  slings,  the  poxver  of  scorpions* 
We  have  already  seen  tliat  scorpions,  in  Scriptural  lan- 
guage, are  represented  as  a  part  of  the  poM^er  of  the 
infernal  enemy,  being  nearly  related  in  character  and 
description  to  the  race  of  serpents.  Now  Eusebius, 
giving  an  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of 
the  Gnostic  heresy,  ascribes  it  to  some  serpent-like 
poxver*'  :  and  again  he  compares  the  concealed  mis- 
chief of  that  sect  to  that  of  a  lurking  reptile  f-  And 
TertuUian,  in  his  treatise  intitled  Scorpiace,  (that  is, 
antidote  against  the  scorpions,)  directly  compares  the 
Vaientinians,  and  other  Gnostic  teachers,  to  scorpions; 
and  he  instances  the  points  of  resemblance,  in  the 
dangerous  poison  of  a  little  and  contemptible  animal; 
in  their  infinite  kinds  and  varieties,  all  armed  in  the 
same  manner  with  ^  tail,  and  produced  by  heat.  And 
then  speaking  of  the  hot  persecution  which  had  raged 
against  the  Christians; — Tunc  (says  he)  Gnostici 
erumpunt,  tunc  Valentiniani  proserpunt,  tunc  omnes 
martyriorum  refragatores  ebulliunt,  calentes  et  ipsi, 
offendere,  figcre,  occidere  J.  These  quotations  will 
tend  to  shew,  that  those  Christian  writers,  who  lived 
in,  or  nearest  to,  the  times  of  the  Gnostic  heresy,* 
conceived   of  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  represent  it 

*  0(pic,^v>s  ns  ^vvocijus  :  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  iv.  7. 

t  'Ep'Trda  ^(xviv  <pw?^tvuivios :   lib.  iv.  C.  7- 

X  Terlullian.  Scorp.  sub  initio. — "  Then  (says  he)  the  Gnostics 
**  burst  forth,  then  the  Vaientinians  creep  out,  then  all  the  gainsayers 
<**  of  the  martyrdoms  boil  up,  themselves  all  in  a  heat,  to  hurt,  to 
"  sting.,  to  kill."  And  again  he  says,  (speaking  of  the  swarm  of  the 
C^nosti^  Marcion,)  faciunt  favos  et  vcspce,  faciunt  ecclesias  et  Mar- 
cionitio,.  (Adv.  Marcion.  lib.  iv.)  TertuUian  composed  his  works 
against  the  Gnostics,  about  the  year  207,  when  they  were  highly  flou- 
oshing.     Heury,  Eccl.  Hist,  book  v. 

under 


Ch.   ix.   1 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  24$ 

\incler  the  very  same  images  as  the  army  of  the  scor- 
pion-locusts is  described  in  this  vision.  The  compa- 
rison need  not  be  pursued  farther.  If  the  reader, 
while  he  peruses  the  remaining*  verses  in  which  this 
prophecy  is  contained,  will  turn  back  to  the  compa- 
rison already  exhibited  in  page  198,  keeping  in  mind 
what  he  has  learned  of  the  Gnostic  history,  he  will 
probably  admit,  that  the  Gnostics,  springing  up  sud- 
denly,  in  immense  numbers,  from  the  dark  and  proud 
philosophy  of  the  East,  and  possessing  themselves  of 
many  of  the  Christian  Churches,  darkening  their  pri- 
TTiitive  lustre,  and  poisoning  their  principles  and 
morals,  yet,  not  succeeding  against  all  the  members 
of  the  congregations,  but  only  against  the  more  cor- 
rupt part ;  and  not  destroying  utterly  in  these  the 
principles  of  their  faith,  but  leaving  room  for  their 
repentance  and  return  into  the  bosom  of  the  Church ; 
and  continuing  to  flourish  about  the  space  of  150 
years^   have  wonderfully  fulfilled  this  prophecy. 


Upon  referring  to  the  commentators  I  find,  that 
this  prophecy  is  generally  supposed  (in  this  country  at 
least)  to  have  received  its  completion  in  the  rise  and 
invasion  of  Mahomet  and  his  Saracens.  I  will  offer  a 
few  observations,  to  shew,  why  it  cannot  justly  be  so 
applied. 

1.  The  star  fallen  cannot,  as  they  pretend,,  be 
Mahomet;  by  no  interpretation,  literal  or  figurative, 
can  this  crafty  enthusiast,  bied  in  idolatry  and  world- 
ly traffic,  be  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven.  Mede, 
who  has  applied  this  prophecy  to  the  Mahometans, 
was  well  aware  that  the  star  could  not  represent  this 

leader 


250  ^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  4. 

leader  of  the  Saracens,  and  could  indeed  be  no  other 
than,  as  he  strongly  expresses  it,  *^  ipsissimus  Draco 
*' e/  Satanas*"  But  his  followers,  Daubuz,  Bishop 
Newton,  &c.  &c.  have  incautiously  fallen  into  this 
error. 

2.  The  preceding  observation  will  be  confirmed  by 
another ;  namely,  that  the  darkness  which  overspread 
the  East  in  the  time  of  Mahomet,  was  not  occasioned 
by  him ;  he  made  use  of  it  for  his  purposes,  but  it 
had  long  been  collecting,  during  preceding  heresies 
and  corruptions^  such  as  I  suppose  to  be  prefigured 
under  the  four  first  Trumpets,  and  which  are  assign- 
ed, by  all  historians,  as  the  means  of  his  success. 
This  will  be  shewn  in  the  sequel  of  these  annota- 
tions.  But  under  this  Trumpet,  the  clouds  of  dark- 
ness and  the  locusts  ascend  together. 

S.  The  darkness,  and  locusts,  of  the  fifth  Trumpet 
invade  the  whole  Christian  world;  for  the  Sun  and 
the  air  which  they  invade,  extend  every-where  ;  no 
third  or  fourth  part  is  mentioned,  as  under  other 
Trumpets.  But  the  Mahometan  arms  and  superstition 
ravaged  only  a  part.  The  nations  of  Europe,  (except 
Spain  for  a  season,  and  some  islands  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean,) were  in  general  free  from  them.  In  their  grand 
attempt  on  Europe,  they  were  repulsed  early  by 
Charles  Martel. 

4.  But  the  regions  which  escaped  the  sword  and 
destructive  doctrines  of  Mahomet,  are  said  (in  order 
to  accommodate  them  to  this  interpretation)  to  have 
contained  the  sealed;  how  improperly,  will  soon  be 
acknowledged,  when  it  is  considered,  that  the  parts 
which  thus  escaped,  will  be  found  to  be  principally 

*  Clavis,  pars  ii.  Syn.  iv. 

those 


Ch.  ix.  1 — 12.]  APOCALYPSE.  251 

those  many  kingdoms  of  the  western  M^orld,  which  at 
that  xiery  timCy  on  account  of  their  ignorance  and 
superstition,  were  submitting  themselves  to  the  papal 
yoke.  The  sealed  are  to  be  found  in  all  Christian 
countries,  mingled  with  the  unsealed  ;  and  the  in- 
vasion which  could  hurt  the  one,  and  not  the  other, 
may  easily  be  understood  to  be  that  of  an  uni- 
versally extended  heresy,  but  not  that  of  a  partial 
invasion  by  arms*.  The  good  Christian  who  con- 
tinued stedfast  in  the  primitive  faith,  did  not  submit 
to  the  Gnostical  teachers,  and  thus  remained  unhurt. 
But  how  could  he  escape  unhurt  from  the  sword  and 
plunder  and  domination  of  the  Mahometans  ? 

5.  A  period  is  assigned  for  the  continuance  of  this 
woe;  five  months,  or  150  years.  The  progressive 
conquests  of  the  Saracene  Mahometans  continued  more 
than  double  the  length  of  this  period  ;  have  been  re- 
newed by  other  nations  professing  the  same  creed; 
and  the  Mahometans  have  at  this  day  possession  of 
the  greater  part  of  their  acquired  dominions,  after  a 
lapse  of  nearly  1200  years  1 

6.  To  accommodate  the  Saracens  to  the  symbols 
of  this  Trumpet,  the  commentators  have  been  obliged 
to  apply  the  prophetic  characters  sometimes  in  a  bor- 
rowed, sometimes  in  a  literal  sense,  which  I  suppose 
to  be  unwarranted.  They  ought  all  to  be  applied  in 
the  same  sense. 

7.  Under  the  next  Trumpet,  we  shall  attempt  to 
shew,    that  another    prophecy  belongs   more    appro- 

*  Especially  if  a  whole  region  be  invaded ;  for,  in  the  invasion  of 
a  particular  city,  the  sealed  might  escape,  as  we  are  told  they  did, 
at  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  under  Titus,  retiring  timely  to  Pella,  upon 
the  warning  given  them  by  their  Lord.  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib. 
iii.  Ct  5. 

priately 


t52 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  III.   §  5, 

priately  to  the  Mahometans.  The  apphcation  of  the 
fifth  Trumpet  to  them  is  of  modem  date  : — Contenta 
iti  h^c  visione  omnes  penh  de  kcereticis  intelHgunt  *. 

8.  The  important  period  of  150  years^  during  which 
the  infant  Church  was  darken,ed  and  disfigured  by  the 
Gnostic    heresies,    and  on   that    account    exposed  to 
scandal,    and  misrepresentation,    and  additional  perse- 
cution,   seems  of  magnitude  to  require  the  notice  of 
Divine  prophecy.     Though   but  sparingly  mentioned 
in    history,    because   the   records   of  it,    which  have 
survived   the   Diocletian  destruction  of  manuscripts, 
are  few ;   yet,   its  real  consequence  is  not  diminished 
by  such  accidental  circumstance.     The  great  and  lead- 
ing facts  are  fully  established,  and  no  doubt  can  be 
entertained  of  their  extensive  and  powerful  influence 
on  the  progress  of  Christianity.     But  this  is  its  place 
in  the  Apocalyptic  Visions,    (and  I  hope  clearly  as- 
certained,) or  it  has  none. 

*  Gagnaeus  apud  Polum. 


PART  iir. 


SECTION     y. 


The  soufiding  of  the  sixth  Trumpet  and  beginning  of 
the  second  JFoe, 


CHAP.  ix.  VER.  13 — to  the  end, 


13  And  the  sixth  angel 
t^ounded  ;  and  I  heard 
one  voice  from  the 
four  horns  of  the 
golden  altar,  which  is 

14  before  God,  Saying  to 


13  And  the  sixth  angel 
sounded,  and  I  heard 
a  voice  from  the  four 
horns  of  the  golden 
altar,    which  is  before 

14  God,   Saying    to    ihe 


Ch.  ix.  13 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE. 


255 


14' r5    0i«,  Atymrxv 
rp    tx.taf  d^yiXu,    o 

AiJa-ov   rtss    TiV<r«- 
pxf      afysXys      ras 

VTolxfAOi  Tu  /juyxXiij 
15    Ev^^drri.         Kaci 

SaIOtjo-XV       01      TBCr- 

cocj)Bs  XtysXoi  01  ^- 
votixxafjiivoi  Sii  Tr,v 

U^XV,        ^     ^{AB^XV, 

jc^  (jLTjVXf  "/^  hixvlovy 

"ivx    OCJTOKiiivua-l     TO 

r^irov  ru¥  ocvO^m- 

lO  TTiJv^    Kxi  0  d^i9- 

^os   ruv  s'f^^vfjLoc,' 

ruv  Td  i7rmK»,  ^vo 

fAVpid'OSS    (AV^tXOUV' 

}c   r}x.iiarx  ro>  cc^iQ- 

17  {JI-OV     OCVTUV.       Kxi 

iiTus  iiQoy  ras  "it- 

'TtHS  Iv  TYi  O^xa-Bl,  Kj 

Tas-  x.x9v)(/Aviis  lii 
etvTMV,  tyovlxs  vai- 

vxicivOivaSf  iC  ^si'M- 
ozis'  >c  x'l  •At(pxKxi 
Twv  m'nu't  'I's  y.s- 
(pxXxi  Xso^iov,  j^ 
iK  Tu>y  <iO^Axruv  xv- 
Tuv  By.Tro^svslxi  trivf 
iCj  y-XTtvos  Kf  ^bTov, 

18  AlTO       TUV      T^IUV 

xsXinyu>  r^Tajv  k- 
'my.ruvOrta-xv  ro 
r^irov    rvv  xvO^u- 

jc  ly  t5  y-XTiv^,  Kj 
t5    S'E/'a    t5  txwo- 


the  sixth  angel  who 
had  the  trumpet, 
""  Loose  the  four  an- 
*'  gels,  who  are  bound- 
"  en  at  the  great  river 

15"  Euphrates,"  And 
the  four  angels  were 
loosed,  who  were  pre- 
pared for  the  hour, 
and  day,  and  month, 
and  year,  for  to  slay 
the  third  part  of  the 

iGmen.  And  the  num- 
ber of  the  troops  of 
cavalry  was  two  my- 
riads of  myriads :  and 
I  heard  the  number  of 

17  them.  And  l^us  I  saw 
the  horses  in  the  vi- 
sion, and  those  who 
sate  on  them  having 
breast-plates  of  the 
colour  of  fire,  of  hya- 
cinth, of  brimstone. 
And  the  heads  of  the 
horses  like  heads  of 
lions ;  and  out  of  their 
mouths  issueth  fire, 
and  smoke,  and  brim- 

18  stone.  By  these  three 
plagues  were  slain  the 
third  part  of  the  men, 
by  the  fire,  and  the 
smoke,  and  the  brim- 
stone    issuing     from 

19  their  mouths.  For  the 
power  of  the  horses 
is  in  their  mouth,  and 
in  their  tails;  for,  their 
tails  are  like  serpents, 


sixth  anoel  which  had 
the  trumpet,  Loose 
the  four  angels  which 
are  bound  in  the  great 

1 5  river  Euphrates.  And 
the  four  angels  were 
loosed,  which  were 
prepared  for  an  hour, 
and  a  day,  and  a 
month,  and  a  year, 
for   to   slay  the  third 

16  part  of  men.  And  the 
number  of  the  army 
of  the  horsemen  woere 
two  hundred  thousand 
thousand  :  and  I  heard 
the  number  of  them, 

17  And  thus  I  saw  the 
horses  in  the  vision, 
and  them  that  sat  oa 
them,  having  breast- 
plates of  fire,  and  of 
jacinct,  and  brim- 
stone :  and  the  heads 
of  the  horses  were  as 
the  heads  of  lions;  and 
out  of  their  mouths 
issued  fire  and  smoak, 

1 8  and  brimstone.  By 
these  three  was  the 
third  part  of  men 
killed,  by  the  fire,  and 
by  the  smoak,  and  by 
the  brimstone,  which 
issued     out    of    their 

19  mouths.  For  their 
power  is  in  their 
mouth,  and  in  their 
tails :  for  their  tails 
zrere     like    unto   ser- 


254 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  III.  §  5. 


1^  (jLeiruv  xvTuv,     H 

avruv  sfiVf  axt  h 
tou$  H^oils  oivruv* 
act  yxf  a^ut  avTuv 

OfAOtXl  0^£0"<»,  £;^»- 
CXl      XM^iXXotS'       K^ 

«  avrais  othaafft' 

20  Kxi  ot  XoiTTol  rwv 

dvQ^UVUV  o'l'tiK  XTtt- 

xioivOvo-av  sv  roTs 
%fXtiyxTs  rxvrxi^t 
i  fAflsvona-xv  Ik  rm 
tfyuv  rm  ^si^mv 
auruVf  \'vx  /x^  larf o- 
iF}wmo''jja't  rx  oxt- 
lAWXj  jc  rx  fi^ft/Xa 
rx  y^vvSiy  Kf  rx 
affyf «,  Kf  rx  xaX- 
XfiC)  xxl  rx  XiQivXf 
Kxi  ra  ^i\4vXf  X 
Srt  ^XtTTttv  ^vvixlxt, 
«ri     axaeiv,      5re 

21  'cnptTfxltTv'   Kxi  s 

fAfltVOHIirXf     «X      Tft/K 

^ovuv  xlruvy  art 
IX  ruv  (px^fAXiutZv 
avruvy  BTf  fx  r^f 
ijofHtxs  xvruiy  an 
Ix  Tft/K  KhtiAfuxruv 
uvruv. 


having  heads:  and  with 
thera     they      injure. 

20  And  the  remainder  of 
the  men,  who  were  not 
slain  by  these  plagues, 
repented  not  of  the 
works  of  their  hands, 
so  that  they  should 
not  worship  the  dae- 
mons, and  the  idols 
of  gold,  and  of  silver, 
and  of  brass,  and  of 
stone,  and  of  wood, 
which  can  neither  see, 
nor    hear,   nor   walk. 

21  And  they  repented 
not  of  their  murders, 
nor  of  their  sorceries, 
nor  of  their  forni- 
cation, nor  of  their 
thefts. 


pents,  and  had  heads, 
and    with  them  they 

20  do  hurt.  And  the  rest;  \ 
of  the  men  which  were  ' 
not    killed    by    these 
plagues,   yet  repented 
not  of  the   works  of 
their  hands,  that  they 
should     not     worship 
devils,    and    idols    of 
gold,  and  silver,   and  i 
brass,  and  stone,  and 
of  wood  ;  which  nei- 
ther can  see,  nor  hear, 

21  nor  walk;  Neither 
repented  they  of  their 
murders,  nor  of  their  < 
sorceries,  nor  of  their 
fornication,  nor  of 
their  thefts. 


Ver.  13,  <§*c.]  Upon  the  sound  of  the  sixth  Trum- 
pet, a  voice,  proceeding  from  the  four  horns  of  the 
altar,  and  addressed  to  the  angel,  commands  that  he 
should  '*  loose  the  four  angels,  then  bounden  at  the 
**  great  river  Euphrates,''  who  were  appointed  for  this 

precise 


Ch.  ix,  13 — 21.]         APOCALYPSE.  255 

precise  time,  **  the  hour,  and  day,  and  month,  and 
**  year  ;'*  and  for  this  purpose,  **  to  slay  the  third  part 
''  of  the  men." 

The  altar  is  the  golden  one,   the  altar  of  incense*, 
which  makes  a  part  of  the  scenery  in  heaven,   standing 
before  the  Throne,    as,    in  the  earthly  temple,  before 
the  Mercy-seat,   which  represented  the  local  residence 
of  God  f.     Upon  the  four  horns  or  projecting  angles 
of  this  altar,    under  the  Mosaic  law,  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  the  people  was  made  J.     From  this  sacred 
place,   from  the  four  cardinal  points  thereof,    is  issued 
a  decree   of  destruction   against  a  third  part  of  the 
Christian  Church.     For,  by  the  moi  is  to  be  under- 
stood the  Christian  men.     In  Acts  xv.  1 7.  ot  y.etlaKm'KOi 
Tujv   avdfojTwv,    are  the  remnant  or  residue  of  the  Is- 
raelites ; — and  thus  also  in  this  chapter  (verse  20,)  ot 
TiOiTot  Twv  av^wTwv  are  plainly  the  residue  of  the  Chris- 
tia?i  men;  as  also  in  chap.  ix.  4,  the  men  who  have  not 
the  seal  of  God,    are   the  nominal  Christians.     And 
the   sins  and   offences   of  the   Christians  must  have 
been  great  at  this  period,    when  the  altar,    which,  as 
Bishop  Newton   observes,    is    **  their  sanctuary,    calls 
^'  aloud  for  vengeance  upon  them."     The  voice  com- 
ing from    the  altar  which  was  before  the  throne,  is  as 
the  voice  of  God,  who  permits,  and  had  decreed  this 
destruction ;    yet,    coming  from   the   altar,    and   not 
from    the    throne,    somewhat  more   seems   to   be   in- 
tended :    religion   seems   intimately  concerned.     The 
angels  who  lead  this  assault  on  the  Christian  Church, 
are  four,    in  concordance  with  the  four  horns  of  the 
altar,  whence   the   decree  and   permission   proceeded. 
We  are  to  account  them  evil  angels,   like  those  of  the 

*  See  note,  ch.  vi.  p.  f  See  notes,  ch.  vi.  9.  vlii.  3, 

I  Exod.  XXX.  1 — 10.  PrideJiux,  Con.  i.  141,  d'C. 

5  bottomless 


Q56  AFOCALYPSE,  [Pt  III.  §  5, 

bottomless  deep ;  for  why,  otherwise,  were  they 
bounden  ?  They  appear  to  have  been  engaged  in  such 
destructive  warfare  aforetime,  at  the  river  Euphrates  ; 
but  their  progress  had  been  arrested,  their  activity 
restrained  ;  now  they  are  again  loosed  to  devastate 
the  Church.  But  what  are  we  to  understand  by  Eu- 
phrates?  In  Scriptural  language,  ''War  upon  Eu^ 
"  phrates,"  is  against  the  King  of  Assyria  *,  whose 
capital  city  Babylon,  on  that  river,  was  the  grand  seat 
and  receptacle  of  idolatry,  the  formidable  enemy,  the 
insidious  corrupter,  and  at  length,  by  the  Divine  ap- 
pointment, the  scourge  and  corrector  of  the  Ancient 
Church  f.  The  Jews,  corrupted  by  the  arts,  and 
then  subdued  by  the  arms,  of  Babylon,  were  de- 
tained in  a  long  captivity  ;  from  which  they  return- 
ed to  their  native  soil,  so  entirely  weaned  from  ido- 
latry, that,  prone  as  they  had  been  to  this  strange 
propensity,  before  their  sufferings  in  that  idolatrous 
city,  *'  they  were  strongly  and  cautiously,  and  even 
''  to  superstition,  set  against  it  afterwards  J."  Ido- 
latry never  again  reared  its  head  in  the  Church,  till 
the  Church  had  been  for  some  ages  Christ ian.  That 
time  was  now  come :  for  under  this  Trumpet,  the 
Church    is    described    as    idolatrous  and   desperately 

*  2  Kings  xxiii.  1  Esdras  i.  25 — 27. 

t  Jer.  li.  Prid.  Con.  book  ii.  art.  Babylon.  Whitby's  note  on 
iPet.  V.  13. — Upon  Euphrates,  at  the  time  this  prophecy  was  de- 
livered, stood  the  ruins  of  Babylon,  whose  ancient  walls  inclosed  a 
park ;  the  country  surrounding,  was  still  called  Bahyloiiy  and  the 
Nestorians  soon  afterwards  had  a  patriarch  of  EHbylon^  which,  as 
Gibbon  observes,  was  an  appellation  successively  applied  to  the  great 
cities  which  lose  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Babylon;  to  Seleucia,  Ctesi- 
phon,  and  Bagdai.  This  shews  how  connected  was  the  name  of  Babjj- 
Ion  with  the  reigning  city  on  Euphrates, 

X  Prideaux,  Con.  i.  389.  425.  5i3, 

wicked : 


Ch.  ix.  13 — 21.]         APOCALYPSE.  257 

wicked  ;  as  will  appear  evident  by  referring  to  the 
20tb  and  21st  verses.  And  it  is  not  surprising  that 
-srAviyft/,  corrections,  should  issue  from  this  quarter, 
where  they  appear  to  have  been  kept  in  readiness, 
even  from  the  times  when  they  had  been  so  success^ 
fully  applied  to  the  punishment  and  correction  of  the 
Church.  These  ministers  of  wrath  had  been  permitted 
to  lead  the  Assyrian  troops  against  the  idolatrous 
Jewish  church,  and  to  carry  it  into  captivity.  But  on 
the  repentance  of  the  sinners,  their  agency  was  re- 
strained. They  now  come  forth  with  a  new  commis- 
sion against  the  idolatrous  Christians ;  not  to  lead 
into  captivity,  but  to  slay  one  third  of  them.  And, 
as  is  the  punishment,  so  is  also  the  effect  of  it,  different 
from  that  of  the  former  chastisement;  the  offenders 
are  not  all  slain,  and  the  remaining  church  is  not  re- 
claimed from  its  idolatry. 

The  above  is  a  general  view  of  the  character  of 
this  Trumpet :   but  since  the  swarm  of  invaders  under 
the   fifth  Trumpet,    and  the   army  of  assailants   un- 
der the   sixth,    appear  to  have  a  certain  assimilation, 
as  well  as  a  certain  difference,   of  character,  which, 
compared   together,   may  cast  useful  light  on  both  ; 
let  us  bring  them  into  one  view. — 


D  D  FIFTH 


258 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pi.  III.   §  5. 


FIFTH  TRUMPET. 

1 .  A  swarm  of  scorpion- 
locusts. 

2.  The  leader,  a  star 
fallen,  a  fallen  angel,  the 
destroyer. 


3.  They  arise  from  the 
pit  of  the  bottomless  deep, 
under  cover  of  darkening 
smoke. 

4.  Their  commission  is 
not  to  slay,  but  to  tor- 
ment, the  unsealed,  who 
wish  to  die,  but  cannot ; 
and  these  are  the  unsealed 
only. 

5.  Their  continuance, 
five  months. 

6.  Their  cliaracter  :  — 
They  hav€  tails  and  stings 
and  power  as  scorpions; 
are  like  war-horses  in  ap- 
pearance ;  have  crowns  as 
of  gold ;  faces  as  of  men  ; 
hair  as  of  women  ;  teeth  as 
of  lions  ;  breast-plates  as 
of  iron  ;  come  in  smoke  ; 
with  the  noise  of  war- 
chariots  ;  wound  Avith 
sting  and  tail. 


SIXTH    TRUMPET. 

1.  An  army  of  myriads 
of  cavalry, 

2.  Their  leaders,  four 
angels,  who  had  been 
bounden  at  Euphrates,  but 
are  now  loosed  at  the  com- 
mand of  one  voice,  and 
that  from  the  altar. 

3.  They  come  from  Eu- 
phrates, where  they  had 
been  bounden. 

4.  To  slay  the  third  part 
of  the  men. 


5.  Their  appointment  for 
the  hour,  day,  month, 
year. 

6,  The  horses  of  the 
troops  of  cavalry  have  tails 
of  serpents  with  heads  on 
them,  with  which  they  in- 
jure. The  heads  of  the 
horses  like  heads  of  lions. 
From  their  mouths  issue 
fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone, 
by  which  they  kill.  And 
the  riders  have  breast- 
plates of  fire,  smoke,  and 
brimstone. 

7.  Their 


Ch.  ix.  13—21.]         APOCALYPSE.  269 

FIFTH  TRUMPET.  SIXTH  TRUMPET. 

7.  7.  Their  attack  is  of  the 

nature  of  a  wAv^y^i,  or  stroke 
of  correction  upon  the  ido- 
latrous and  wicked,  but 
produces  no  repentance  or 
amendment  in  those  who 
survive  the  calamity. 

I  proceed  to  offer  some  observations  on  these  passages, 
thus  brought  to  comparison,  in  the  order  in  which  they 
stand  ;    referring  to  the  numbers  prefixed  to  each. 

1.  A  swarm  of  locusts  and  an  innumerable  army 
of  hostile  invaders,  are  in  Scripture  used  metaphori- 
cally for  each  other  *.  Yet  there  must  be  some  diffe- 
rence in  the  present  instance ;  otherwise  they  would 
both  have  been  described  under  the  same  name, 
whether  it  be  of  locusts,  or  horses  for  war.  This 
difference  is  pointed  out  afterwards ;  the  locusts  are 
said  to  be  like  war-horses ;  (v.  7.)  The  other  are  war- 
horses.  The  attack  under  the  sixth  Trumpet  has 
therefore  more  real  warfare  in  it,  than  that  of  the 
fifth  ;  which  only  resembles  warfare,  being  metaphori- 
cally such. 

2.  The  leaders  of  both  invasions  are  of  the  same 
description,  angels;  under  the  fifth  Trumpet,  one 
fallen  angel ;  under  the  sixth,  four  ;  certainly  wicked 
angels,  why  otherwise  had  they  been  bounden  ? 
The  difference  is  four  instead  of  one ;  which  seems 
to  imply  f,  that  the  devastation  is  to  be  more  dread- 
ful and  complete. 

3.  The  angel  of  the  fifth  Trumpet  leads  his  in- 
vaders  from  the  grand  seat  of  all  impurity,    from  the 

*  Joel  iu       ^  t  See  note,  ch.  iv.  6. 

D  D  2  depths 


g60  APOCALYPSE,  [Pt  III.  §  5. 

depths  of  hell*.  The  assailants  of  the  sixth  come 
from  Euphrates ;  where  had  stood  Bahylon,  the  grand 
source  of  corrui>tion  to  the  ancient  Church,  and 
which  was  the  instrument  applied  by  the  Almighty  to 
punish,  and  to  restore  her.  This  passage  compared 
with  the  two  concluding  verses  of  this  sixth  Trum- 
pet, will  shew,  that,  under  this  invasion,  idolatry,  as 
well  as  other  kinds  of  wickedness,  is  to  be  punished ; 
which  does  not  seem  to  be  the  case  under  the  fifth 
Trumpet,  where  there  is  no  allusion  to  this  sin. 

4.  The  sivarm  of  locusts  is  commissioned  to  tor- 
ment, not  to  kill ;  and  the  unsealed  only  are  the  ob- 
jects of  their  rage.  The  armies  of  ca'calry  kill  one- 
third  part  of  the  Christian  w^orld  :  and  there  seems  no 
return  to  life,  as  in  Zech.  xiii.  8.  they  are  totally  cut 
off  from  God*s  people  t- 

5.  The  swarm  of  the  fifth  Trumpet  is  appointed 
for  a  certain  period  of  continuance ;  after  which,  its 
ravages  may  be  supposed  to  end.  The  armies  of  the 
sixth  for  a  certain  determined  time  of  commencement^ 
against  which  they  were  kept  ready :  vfloifxuafjisvoi  ei;  tv\v 
tei^ecv.  This  sense  of  the  construction  will  appear  mani- 
fest by  consulting  similar  passages  in  the  Greek,  viz. 
Job  xii.  5.  Psalm  xxi.  31.  Prov.  xxiv.  27.  Ezek.  iv.  7. 
2  Tim.  ii.  11.  Yet,  by  the  addition  of  the  words, 
*'  day,  viojith,  year,''  more  may  be  implied  than  the 
commeticement,  to  express  which,  the  word  hour  alone 
would  have  been  sufficient.  But  even  if  a  continu- 
ance be  implied,  it  is  not  a  determinate  one,  like  that 
of  the  fifth  Trumpet ;  the  duration  may  be  long,  but 
the  time  is  not  ascertained. 

6.  The  locusts  of  the  fifth  Trumpet  are  like  horses 
for  war.     The  assailants  of  the  sixth  are  horses.     One 

♦  Compare  ch.  xx.  2.  t  See  notes,  ch.  iii.  1.  vi.  8. 

set 


Ch.  IX.  13—21.]  APOCALYPSE.  26l 

set  of  invaders  wounds  with  the  tail ;  the  other  with 
the  mouth  and  tail.  The  locusts  have  the  teeth,  the 
horses  the  heads,  of  lions.  The  crowns  of  gold,  the 
appearance  of  men,  the  delicacy  as  of  women,  are 
wanting  to  the  invaders  of  the  sixth  Trumpet,  who 
seem  to  prosper  hy  terror  more  than  by  persuasion. 
But  both  come  on  with  the  din  of  war ;  both  have 
terrific  breast-plates ;  one  army  comes  on  in  smoke, 
from  the  bottomless  pit ;  the  other  destroys  by  smoke, 
and  by  fire  and  sulphur,  which  are  described  in  Scrip- 
ture as  produced  from  the  same  source  *.  The  ar- 
mour of  these  assailants  agrees  with  their  weapons ; 
being: — 

Their  armour    i  nrv^ivus  )    of   C  vxaivOivas  >      of      f  hiuhis  >  of  brim- 
Their  weapons  (  ix  lav^os  }  fire,  (  sk  kxttvu  )  smoke,  ( ta  3«»  5   stone -f-. 

7.  The  attack  of  the  fifth  Trumpet  is  not  ordained, 
as  that  of  the  sixth  is,  to  be  a  plague,  or  punish- 
ment, upon  the  idolatrous,  and  such  an  one  as  should 
produce  no  amendment. 

From  this  comparison  it  will  appear,  that  the  points 

*  See  Is.  XXX.  33,  Rev.  xiv.  10.  xix.  20.  xx.  10.  xxi.  8. 

t  This  comparison  will  shew  the  sense  in  which  ixxivOms  is  used, 
namely,  to  express  that  black  and  blue  smoky  colour  which  would 
arise  from  the  burning  brimstone  on  tlire  iron  armour :  for,  the 
hyacinth,  vxMvQms  of  the  ancients,  appears  to  have  been  a  dark  co* 
lour  with  acserulean  tinge,  such  as  we  see  on  violets, — 
Kxi  TO  /ov  [jLtXxv  £»]<,   ytxi  a.  y^xtr'tx  vatKtvOos. 

Theocrit.  Idtll.  X.  28. 
After  which  Virgil  says, 

Et  nigriE  violae  sunt —     —    —  Ec.  x.  35. 

By^'*f»  in  the  figurative  language  of  Scripture,  violence,  war,  and 
devastation,  are  denoted,  (see  note,  ch.  vi.  4.);  by  smoke,  dark  con* 
fused  doctrines,  clouding  the  light  of  pure  revelation,  (see  note,  ch. 
ix.  1 — 12.  p.  196.)  i  ^^^  brimstone,  in  union  with  these,  implies  their 
infernal  origin.     Seech,  xix.  20.  xx.  3,  10.  xxi.  8. 

d  in 


262  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  5. 

I 

in  which  the  visions  under  these  two  Trumpets  agree, 
and  resemble  each  other,  are  these  :  Both  represent 
invasions  on  the  Christian  Church ;  by  an  innume- 
rable host  of  assailants  ;  in  formidable  power ;  and 
proceeding  from  the  sources  of  infernal  iniquity ; 
under  the  leading  and  direction  of  evil  angels ;  and 
gaining  an  ascendency  over  the  men,  by  applying  to 
their  sensual  and  brutish  passions. 

They  differ  in  these  points.  First,  as  to  the  body, 
which  is  the  object  of  attack.  In  the  fifth  Trumpet, 
"we  have  only  a  general  description  of  its  iniquity  ; 
but  that  under  the  sixth  Trumpet,  beside  this  general 
description,  has  a  particular  character, — it  is  idola- 
trous.  Secondly,  the  assailing  power  :  in  the  one,  it 
attacks  like  an  army  ;  in  the  other,  it  is  an  army. 
The  one  is  appointed  for  a  certain  season  of  continue 
ance ;  the  other  for  an  appointed  period  of  commence- 
ment, or,  if  of  continuance,  for  an  undetermined 
time.  The  one  is  seductive,  as  well  as  formidable ; 
the  other  overbears  by  terror  and  force.  The  one 
torments  the  nominal  Christian,  but  hurts  not  the 
sincere  and  sealed  •  the  other  destroys  and  annihilates 
one-third  of  the  body  attacked.  The  one  injures  by 
the  tail ;  the  other  by  the  mouth  and  tail.  Lastly, 
the  invaders  under  the  sixth  Trumpet,  and  under  that 
only,  are  described  as  instruments  of  correction  and  pu- 
nishment upon  the  wicked  and  idolatrous ;  by  which, 
however,  they  who  survive  the  calamity  are  not  re- 
claimed. 

In  our  attempts,  therefore,  to  assort  this  prophe- 
cy, we  must  endeavour  to  fix  our  eyes  upon  some 
great  calamity  (for  it  is  a  woe)  which  has  happened 
to  the  Christian  Church ;  first,  by  a  multitude  of 
invaders,    who  are  known  to  have  attacked  it,   not 

only 


Ch.  ix.   13 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  2G3 

only  by  false  doctrines  and  seductions,  as  under  the 
fifth  Trumpet,  but  also  hy  arms :  secondly,  at  a  time 
^vhen  the  Church  had  relapsed  into  idolatrif,  and  was 
generally  corrupt;  and  when  the  altars  of  Religion 
were  so  ill  served,  that  from  the  altar  in  heaven  ven- 
geance was  demanded  upon  them  :  thirdly,  when  so 
large  a  part  of  the  body  as  oiie-third  was  separated 
from  the  Church  ;  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  lose 
their  spiritual  life  in  Christ,  calling  no  longer  upon 
his  name :  fourthly,  when  the  residue  of  the  Church, 
which  witnessed,  and  seemed  itself  exposed  to,  this 
dreadful  visitation,  continued  unrepentant,  corrupt, 
and  idolatrous,   as  before. 

Before  we  proceed  to  apply  all  these  circumstances, 
in  their  order,  to  events  in  history,  it  will  be  useful 
to  ascertain  that  which  belongs  more  especially  to  the 
second  of  these  heads ;  the  time  when  this  calamity  took 
place.  It  was  in  a  corrupt  period  of  the  Church,  when 
the  altar  of  Religion  called  for  vengeance;  when  ido- 
latry in  particular  was  a  reigning  vice,  (verses  i^O, 
21).  Now  it  is  impossible  to  fix  this  stain  upon  the 
Church  in  the  early  periods  of  it ;  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury indeed,  and  perhaps  in  some  small  degree  in  the 
third,  we  may  acknowledge  the  seeds  and  beginnings 
of  a  corrupt  and  idolatrous  worship  ^.  Yet  the  pro- 
gress of  this  evil  was  slow  and  gradual;  and  it  was 
a  long  time  before  it  could  justly  be  said  to  have 
amounted  to  that  general  prevalence  described  in  the 
£Oth  and  21st  verses.  This  character  is  not '  fairly 
and  generally  applicable  to  the  Christian  Church,  be- 
fore the  sixth  century.     But  toward  the  end  of  the 

*  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.   lib.   viii.  c.  1.      Mosheim,  cent.  iv.  ch.  3. 
Cyprian.de  Laps.  p.  170.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  Prophecy,  l^^,  202.  2^7- 

sixth 


^64i  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   III.  §  5. 

sixth  and  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century,  the 
measure  of  this  iniquity  became  full.  And  at  that 
time,  history  records  a  dreadful  invasion  of  the  Chris- 
tian world  by  numerous  armies,  assailing  it  at  the 
same  time  by  corrupt  doctrines  and  by  the  terror  of 
their  arms;  witli  such  success  as  to  cut  off  from  the 
hope  and  comfort  of  Christianity,  and  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church,  so  large  a  body  of  Christians, 
as  may  fairly  be  accounted  one  third  part  of  the 
whole ;  yet  leaving  those  parts  of  the  Christian  Church 
which  remained,  idolatrous  and  unrepentant. 

Under  this  description,  I  shall  easily  be  understood  to 
intend  the  invasion  of  the  Mahometan  Saracens,  whose 
numerous  armies,   famous  for  their  cavalry,  beginning 
their  destructive  progress   early  in   the  seventh  cen- 
tury, soon  overran,  and  subdued  not  only  to  their  arras, 
but  to    their    corrupt  doctrines,    a  great  part  of  the 
Christian  world  ;  thus  fulfilling  that  which  is  predict- 
ed in  verses    16,    17,   18,    19,    and  comprized   under 
the  first  head  proposed.     2.  The  time,    in  which  they 
burst  forth  upon  the  world,  is  that  already  ascertained, 
and   accords   with  verses  20,    21,   of  the  prophecy; 
from  which  verses  it  is  plainly  inferred  to  be  a  very 
corrupt,   and,  in   particular,    an  idolatrous  time.     All 
historians  are  agreed  in  describing  the  dreadful  cor-' 
ruption,   and   idolatry  of  the  Church  at  the  time  of 
the  Saracene  invasion,  and  especially  of  that  Eastern 
part  of  it,    Mdiich   chiefly  sank    under  the  calamity. 
And  to   this  corruption  of  the   Church,    and  to  the 
unchristian  divisions  and  animosities  accompanying  it, 
they   unanimously    ascribe  the   success   of  Mahomet 
and  of  his  followers,   accounting  this  calamity  to  be 
a   punishment,    which    the    Church  had    justly    de^ 

served, 


Ch.  ix.  13—21.]        APOCALYPSE.  065 

served  *.  3.  The  success  attributed  to  these  armies  of 
cavalry,  under  this  Trumpet,  expressed  by  their  slaying 
one-third  part  of  the  men,  that  is,  of  the  Christian 
world,  seems  likewise  fully  completed  in  this  irruption 
of  the  Mahometans.  By  the  terror  of  their  arms,  and 
by  their  arts,  imposing  on  the  vanquished  nations 
their  newly-modelled  religion,  (which,  although  it 
acknowledge  Jesus  as  a  prophet,  rejects  his  media- 
tion and  atonement,)  they  separated  from  the  great 
body  of  the  Church  one- third  part  of  it;  which,  re- 

*  See  Mosheim*s  Eccl.  Hist.  cent.  vii.  parti,  ch.  2  &  3.  Amm. 
Marcell.  i.  21,  Sale's  Preliminary  Discourse  to  the  Alcoran,  p.  44, 
45,  51.&  214.  Vie  de  Mahom.  par  Boulanvilliers,  p.  219,  &c.  Pri- 
deaux'  Life  of  Mahomet,  preface.  Ockley's  Hist,  of  the  Saracenes, 
vol.  i.  p.  20,  160,  223.  Ricaut's  Ottoman  Empire,  p.  187.  — A  mo- 
dern writer,  who  has  had  access  to  the  Eastern  originals,  as  well  as 
to  these  authorities,  has  concisely  and  eloquently  displayed  the  origin 
and  causes  of  the  Mahometan  success  :  "  If  in  surveying  the  history  of 
"  the  sixth  and  seventh  centuries,  we  call  to  our  remembrance  that 
"  purity  of  doctrine,  that  simplicity  of  manners,  that  spirit  of  meek- 
*'  ness  and  universal  benevolence,  which  marked  the  character  of  the 
"  Christians  in  the  Apostolic  age;  the  dreadful  reverse  which  we  here 
*'  behold,  cannot  but  strike  us  with  astonishment  and  horror.  Divid- 
"  ed  into  numberless  parties,  on  account  of  distinctions  the  most 
*'  trifling  and  absurd,  contending  with  each  other  from  perverseness ; 
"  and  persecuting  each  other  with  rancour,  corrupt  in  opinion,  and 
**  degenerate  in  practice,  the  Christians  of  this  unhappy  period  seem 
*'  to  have  retained  httle  more  than  the  name  and  external  profession 
*'  of  their  Religion.  Of  a  Christian  Church  scarce  any  vestige  re- 
**  mained.  The  most  profligate  principles  and  absurd  opinions  were 
^*  universally  predominant :  ignorance  amidst  the  most  favourable 
**  opportunities  of  knowledge  ;  vice  amidst  the  noblest  encouragements 
*'  to  virtue  ;  a  pretended  zeal  for  truth,  mixed  with  the  wildest  ex- 
**  travagances  of  error;  an  implacable  spirit  of  discord  about  opmions 
**  which  none  could  settle  ;  and  a  general  and  striking  similarity  in  the 
^'  commission  of  crimes,  which  it  was  the  duty  and  interest  of  all  to 
**  avoid."    White's  Bampton  Lectures,  p.  60, 

nouncing 


266  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  5. 

nouncing  the  name  of  Christ,  and  denying  his  sole 
power  of  salvation,  became  dead  to  his  redemption, 
forfeiting  the  spiritual  life  obtained  for  them  by 
him  *. 

The  kingdoms  subdued  by  the  IMahometans,  if 
examined  on  the  maps,  will  be  found  to  compose  a 
full  third  part  of  the  then  Christian  world ;  but  some 
of  these  regions  were  not  Christian,  when  subdued  by 
the  Saracene  arms,  and  are  therefore  not  to  be  taken 
into  the  account.  Some,  as  Spain  and  Portugal,  after 
years  of  conflict,  were  recovered  to  the  Christian 
name.  In  all  the  parts  of  the  Mahometan  dominions, 
there  have  been,  and  still  are,  many  Christians;  but 
among  the  Christians  we  find  scarcely  any  Mahome- 
tans. These  circumstances  being  taken  into  conside- 
ration, it  will  appear  to  be  fairly  represented  as  a 
general  position,  that  one-third  part  of  the  world 
which  was  once  Christian,  was  cut  off  from  Christi- 
anity by  the  Mahometan  invaders.  And  the  balance 
appears  to  have  continued  nearly  the  same,  even  from 
that  time  to  the  present. — It  is  a  remarkable  coin- 
cidence, that  when  the  Mahometan  arms,  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  overturning  the  Eastern  empire, 
made  such  additional  acquisitions  to  Ishmaejism  ;  the 
Christians  began  to  extend  their  religion  to  distant 
chmates,  and  preserved  this  balance  by  the  addition 
of  many  millions,  who  call  upon  the  name  of  Christ 
in  the  new  world  |,      4.  The  historians  represent  the 

♦  See  notes,  ch.  iii.  1.  vi.  8. 

t  *'  By  the  industry  and  zeal  of  the  Europeans,  Christianity  has 
*'  been  widely  diffused  to  the  most  distant  shores  of  Asia  and  Africa; 
"  and,  by  the  means  of  iheir  colonies,  has  been  firmly  established 
*'  from  Canada  to  Chili,  in  a  xcorld  imknoun  to  the  ancients,"  Gibbpn, 
Decline,  &c.  ch.  xxv.  p.  j3j. 

remaining 


Ch.  ix.  13—21.]        APOCALYPSE.  Q67 

remaining  parts  of  the  Christian  Church  which  esca- 
ped this  plague,  as  continuing  corrupt  and  idolatrous. 
This  fact  is  so  well  established  in  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory, that  it  seems  to  need  no  confirmation.  The 
remains  of  Christendom,  after  the  Mahometan  domir 
nation  had  taken  place  in  one  part,  continued  im:^ 
pure  and  idolatrous  in  almost  all  other  parts,  until  the 
purifying  period  of  the  Reformation. 

In  my  notes  upon  the  fifth  Trumpet,  some 
reasons  were  assigned,  to  shew  that  the  prophecy 
therein  contained,  cannot  be  properly  applied  to 
these  Mahometan  devastations,  which  I  have  suf)- 
posed  to  be  prefigured  under  this  sixth  Trumpet, 
And  in  this  application  of  it,  I  am  at  no  great  dis^ 
tance  from  the  general  notion  of  modern  commen- 
tators ;  for  almost  all  of  them  apply  the  sixth  Trunin 
pet  to  the  devast;itions  of  the  Turks,  or  of  the  Tar- 
tars, who  were  also  Mahometans.  The  application  of 
this  prophecy  to  some  of  the  Mahometan  irruptions  is 
indeed  so  obvious,  that  it  is  admitted  by  Michaelis; 
who,  dissatisfied  with  most  other  interpretations  of 
the  Apocalypse,  has  observed,  that  this  prophecy 
*'  may  be  very  well  applied  to  the  irruptions  of  the  Sa- 
*'  racens,  the  Turks,  and  the  Tartars  =^."  It  may  per- 
haps be  justly  applied  to  all  of  them  ;  for,  all  of  them 
have  the  same  character,  as  opposed  to  the  Christian 
Church;  they  are  all  Mahometan.  And  if  the  Maho- 
jnetan  character  is  so  strongly  impressed  upon  this  pro- 
phecy, that  it  may  fitly  be  applied  to  the  later  dcvasta- 
pons  of  the  Mahometans,  it  will  not  be  thought  ex- 
traordinary, if  it  should  be  found  applicable,  ecn- 
^vith    a    superior    degree  of  propriety,    to   their   first 

*  Jntrodvict.  to  the  N.  T  ch.  xxiii.  gect.  7. 

jrrand 


258  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  5. 

grand  and  fatal  irruption.  For  my  own  part,  I  can 
discover,  in  the  interpretation  of  those  commentators, 
•who  apply  the  sixth  Trumpet  to  the  Turkish  Mahome- 
tans, only  three  instances  in  which  it  may  appear 
more  applicable  to  them,  than  to  their  predecessors 
in  this  warfare,  to  the  Saracene  followers  of  Ma- 
homet;  they  are  these:  1.  That  by  which  the  four 
angels  are  supposed  to  represent  the  four  governments, 
into  which  the  Turks  are  said  to  have  been  originally 
distributed.  2.  That  by  which  the  fire,  smoke,  and  brim- 
stone, are  interpreted  to  signify  the  guns  and  gun- 
powder used  in  the  Turkish  armies.  3.  That  by  which 
the  *'  hour,  day,  month,  year,"  are  understood  to 
express  a  certain  continuance  of  time,  applicable  pe- 
culiarly to  the  Ottoman  period.  Now  it  seems  to 
jne,  that  none  of  these  instances  of  interpretation 
are  fairly  established,  but  that  all  of  them  will  be  found 
to  rest  on  weak  and  fanciful  foundations.  And  if 
this  can  be  shewn,  it  will  then  be  allowed,  even  by 
the  followers  of  Joseph  Mede,  that  as  there  is  no- 
thing remaining  in  the  prophec}'^,  Avhich  restricts  it 
peculiarly  to  the  Ottoman  Mahometans,  it  may  be 
applied,  with  equal  if  not  greater  fitness,  to  the  Sara- 
cene founders  of  that  domination. 

I.  Joseph  Mede,  the  ingenious  deviser  of  this 
scheme,  which  represents  the  four  angels  to  signify 
four  Sultanies,  or  governments,  has  admitted  no  simi- 
lar kind  of  interpretation  respecting  any  other  pro- 
phecy. The  angel,  who  leads  the  host  of  the  fifth 
Trumpet,  he  asserts  to  be  a  fallen  angel,  even  Satan 
himself*.  And  it  may  be  questioned,  whether  an 
angel  is  used,  in  the  prophetical  language  of  Scrip- 

*  Clavis  Apoc.  par.  ii.  s^'n.  iv. 

ture, 


Ch.  ix.  13— 21.3  APOCALYPSE*  2()9 

ture,  to  represent  a  kingdom  or  government,   or  even 
any  earthly  leader.     But  if  this  licence  should  be  al- 
lowed, still  the  history  of  the  Turks  will  not  be  found 
such  as  to  warrant  this  application  of  it.     The  Quater- 
nion  of   Turkish   tribes,    which   Joseph    Mede   finds 
seated   at  or  near  the   Euphrates,    has  its   date  from 
the  year   1080;    which  will  be  found,   unfortunately 
for  this  scheme,   neither  to  reach  in  antiquity  to  the 
origin  of  the  Turks,   as  a  powerful  nation,  nor  to  their 
first  irruption  upon  Christendom,  as   narrated  in  his- 
tory ;  nor  yet  to  accord  with  the  time  of  their  suc- 
cessful attack  on  the  Eastern  empire,   in  the  fifteenth 
century.     Mede  confesses,  that  the  four  governments 
did  not  remain  perfect  and  complete,   but  that  they 
had  undergone  many  changes,   and  were  united  under 
one  leader,  Othman^  long  before  the  time  in  which 
they  are  supposed  to  be  prefigured  in  this  Trumpet. 
But  the  warfare  of  the  Turks  upon  the  Christians  will 
be  found  to  have  begun  htfore  these  four   sultanies 
are    said  to   be   established.      Early  in    the   eleventh 
century  did  they  attack  Christendom  with  immense 
armies,   when  the  Grecian  provinces  on  the  Euxine  Sea, 
and  a  great  part  of  Asia  Minor,   were  wrested  by  them 
from  the  Christians  *=.     But   the  Turks  were  a  great 
nation,   long  before  any  of  these  times.     Seated  upon 
Mount   Imaiis    or    Caf    (whence  they  deduce    their 
origin),    they  were  known  in  Roman  history  six  hun- 
dred  years  before   the  age  of  Othman.      They  were 
then  able  to  muster  four  hundred  thousand  soldiers ; 
and,   during  two  centuries,  became  formidable  to  the 
three  great  empires  surrounding  them,  to  the  Roman, 
the  Persian,  and  the  Chinese  f.     We  must  therefore 

♦  Gibbon,  Hist.  ch.  Ivii.  Mosheim,  cent.  xi.  ch.  ii. 
t  Gibbon's  Hist.  Decline  and  Fall,  ch,  b1 ,  04.  4-2, 

conclude, 


570  APOCALYFSE.  [Pt.   III.  §  S, 

conclude,  that  the  application  of  the  symbol  of  the 
four  angels,  to  the  four  sultanies  or  governments, 
leading  the  Turks  to  their  invasion  of  Christendomj 
has  no  fair  and  legitimate  foundation.  The  Turks 
were  not  divided  into  four  nations,  nor  seated  on  Eu- 
phrates, at  the  time  of  their  irruption  in  the  fifteenth 
century  ;  nor  was  this  their  original  seat.  And  if  to 
be  there  seated,  can  give  a  claim  to  the  application 
of  this  prophecy,  the  Saracene  Mahometans  will  be 
found  to  possess  this  claim  in  an  equal  or  superior 
degree.  For,  powerful  tribes  of  the  Saracens  *, 
were  seated  in  Mesopotamia  adjoining  to  Euphrates, 
at  the  time  when  this  apocalyptic  vision  was  seen. 
They  there  touched  upon  the  boundaries  of  the  Ra- 
man and  Persian  empires;  and  made  devastating  in* 
cursions  on  each  t-  About  the  year  378,  their  armies 
spread  desolation  in  the"  East  ;  and  afterwards  were 
employed  by  the  Romans  against  the  Goths  f.  Again, 
in  the  seventh  century,  the  Mahometan  Saracens 
were  in  early  possession  of  Euphrates,  having  turn- 
ed their  victorious  arms  thither  in  the  fourteenth 
year  of  their  Hejirah.  Cufah,  seated  on  that  river, 
became  the  residence  of  the  Caliph  Ali ;  and  Bagdat, 
built  in  76'iy  by  the  Caliph  Almansor,  ten  leagues 
from  the  site  of  ancient  Babylon,  was  for  many 
centuries  the  capital  seat  of  the  Mahometan  domi- 
nion §. 

If  therefore  it  were  a  necessary  part,  to  the  com- 
pletion  of   the  prophecy,   that   the   invading    armies 

*  Called  by  the  Greek  and  Latin  writers  of  the  first  century, 
SceniteSf  because  they  dwelt  in  tents,  but  afterwards  Saracens^  from  the 
Arabic,   Sarak,  a  robber.    Amm.  Marcellin.   lib.  xiv,  4. 

•)•  Strabo,  lib,  xvi.  p.  liop.  Phnii  Nat.  Hist.  vi.  26,  28. 

X  Socratis  Hist.  Eccles.  hb.  iv.  c.  36.  Sozomen.  lib.  vi.  c.  dS. 

§  Ockley's  History  of  the  Saracens. 

should 


Ch.ix.  13 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  271 

should  come  from  Euphrates,  this  will  appear  fulfilled 
in  the  Saracene  invaders,  more  truly  and  completely 
than  in  the  Ottoman  Turks.  And  if,  to  answer  to 
the  symbols  of  the  four  angels,  four  distinct  nations, 
or  armies  of  invaders,  are  to  be  expected,  I  would 
suggest  to  the  consideration  of  the  learned  reader, 
whether  four  distinct  periods  of  successful  Mahome- 
tan invasion,  and  by  four  diiferent  nations,  may  not 
be  found  to  present  themselves  in  history. 

The  first,  by  the  Saracens,  which  in  the  seventh 
ai  d  eighth  centuries  subdued  to  the  Mahometan  laws, 
Syria,  Palestine,  Persia,  Armenia,  iEgypt,  the  States 
of  Barbary,   and  Spain. 

The  second  under  the  Mahometan  Turks  Maymud 
and  the  princes  of  the  Seljuk  dynasty,  when  in 
the  eleventh  century  the  extensive  regions  on  the 
Euxine  Sea,  India,  Anatolia,  and  Asia  Minor,  were 
conquered. 

The  third  by  the  Mogul  Tartars  under  Timour,  or 
Tamerlane,  in  the  fourteenth  century,  when  in  widely 
extended  regions  of  the  East,  in  China,  Tartary,  and 
a  great  part  of  Asia,  Christianity  was  eradicated,  not 
only  by  authority  and  persuasion,  but  by  the  utmost 
efforts  of  persecution,  to  make  way  for  the  Mahome- 
tan creed  ♦. 

The  fourth  by  the  Ottoman  Turks,  in  the  fifteenth 
century,  when  the  Eastern  Roman  empire  fell  to  them, 
with  its  dependencies. 

I  do  not  propose  this  four-fold  division  as  per- 
fectly examined  and  arranged  ;  esteeming  it  no  neces- 
sary part  to  the  completion  of  the  prophecy  :  but  if 
such  a  kind  of  fulfilment  should  be  thought  needful, 

*  Mosheim,  cent,  xiv,  part  i.  ch.  i, 

it 


272  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  5. 

it  appears  probable,  that  it  will  be  more  easily  dis- 
covered in  the  history  of  all  the  Mahometan  inva- 
sions, than  in  that  single  one  by  the  Ottoman  Turks, 
which  has  been  exclusively  applied  to  this  prophecy. 

II.  The  smoke,  fire,  and  brimstone  of  the  sixth 
Trumpet  seem  inconsistently  understood,  as  expres- 
sive of  the  guns  and  gunpowder  used  by  the  Turks 
in  the  fifteenth  century.  Smoke  from  the  bottomless 
pit,  (ch.  ix.  2.)  under  the  fifth  Trumpet,  is  applied  by 
Mede  and  his  followers  to  signify  the  darkening  le- 
ligion  of  Mahomet*.  And,  in  prophetical  language, 
it  will  certainly  admit  that  application,  as  well  as  to 
the  dark  confused  doctrines  of  the  Gnostics.  This  is 
fair  and  legitimate  interpretation ;  and,  by  referring 
to  ch.  xix.  20.  XX.  3.  10.  xxi.  8,  it  will  appear,  that 
in  the  pit  or  lake,  whence  the  smoke  ascended,  were 
fire  and  brimst07ie.  When  therefore  under  the  sixth 
Trumpet,  w^e  meet  with  smoke,  fire  and  brimstone^ 
united,  our  interpretation  should  be  uniform.  These, 
issuing  from  the  mouths  of  the  invaders  of  the  Church, 
must,  if  interpreted  consistently,  be  stated  to  repre- 
sent corrupt,  infernal,  destructive  doctrines.  And 
these  are  applicable  to  the  Saracens,  in  common  with 
other  Mahometans.  But  to  understand  them  as  sig- 
nifying great  guns  and  gun-poxvder,  seems  to  be  a 
force  upon  prophetical  language,  unworthy  of  the 
respectable  names,  which  have  countenanced  the  in- 
terpretation. It  is  not  of  Mede's  devising  ;  I  have 
found  it  in  commentaries  more  ancient. 

III.  The  hour,  day,  month,  &c.  are  applied  to 
signify  a  contimcance  of  time,  answering  to  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  successful  warfare  of  the   Ottoman 

•  Mede's  Work?,  p.  4^)7. 

Turks. 


Ch.  ix.  13—21.]  APOCALYPSE.  273 

Turks.  But  it  has  already  been  shewn,  that  the 
original  language  will  not  admit  of  this  construc- 
tion. Or,  if  the  construction  could  be  admitted, 
even  then  it  would  not  be  found  to  answer  the  purpose 
of  the  commentators  :  for  the  continuance  of  time  to 
be  measured,  is  that,  during  which  the  evil  angels 
contmuc  to  slay  the  third  part  of  the  men*.  But  this 
period  is  surely,  in  continuance,  so  long  as  the  Maho- 
metans continue  to  alienate  from  the  Life  which  is  ifi 
Christ,  the  third  part  of  the  men,  or  nations,  which 
were  once  Christian.  The  Mahometan  woe  or  plague 
is  not  yet  come  to  its  end ;  but  the  measure  of  con- 
tinuance proposed  by  Mede  and  his  followers,  reaches 
only  to  the   year  1672  t- 

I  must  now  leave  to  the  learned  and  judicious 
investigator  to  determine,  whether  the  prophecy  of 
the  sixth  Trumpet  do  not  appear  to  be  more  fitly 
and  perfectly  fulfilled  in  the  great  original  irruption 
of  the  Mahometans,  (comprehending  perhaps  also 
their  subsequent  inroads,)  than  in  the  later  and  more 
partial  one  by  the  Ottoman  Turks.  The  interpreta- 
tion now  proposed  will  be  found,  not  only  to  accord 
more  accurately  with  the  symbols  exhibited  in  the 
vision,  but  also  to  bring  the  prophetical  narration  to 
that  precise  period,  which  is  seen  to  open  in  the 
eleventh  chapter,  where  the  prophetical  history,  after 
a  previous  exhibition  in  the  tenth  chapter,  proceeds. 
In  that,  and  the  ensuing  chapters,  the  famous  period 
of  forty-two  months,   or    1260  days  or  years,   comes 

*  See  verse  15. 

t  About  that  time  it  may  be  allowed  that  the  belligerent  power  of 
the  Mahometan  nations  became  less  formidable  to  the  Christian  world. 
But  which  of  these  nations  is  yet  become  Christian  ?  which  of  them 
has  yet  renounced  the  destructive  doctrines  of  Mahomet  ? 

E  E  into 


S,74f  APOCALFPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §6. 

into  view.  And  this,  in  the  apprehension  of  almost 
all  the  commentators,  had  its  beginning  many  cen- 
turies before  the  victories  of  the  Ottoman  Turks  ;  pro- 
bably from  those  of  the  Saracene  Mahometans.  If 
therefore  the  sixtli  Trumpet  be  understood  to  begin 
^\ith  this  first  Mahometan  invasion,  it  will  stand  in 
its  proper  historical  place.  So  beginning,  it  may  be 
supposed  to  run  through  the  whole  period  of  1260 
years,  and  to  contain  all  the  successful  warfare  of  the 
Mahometans  on  the  Christians.  It  is  not  to  the  na- 
iioii,  but  to  the  religion,  to  M^iich,  prophecy  seems 
to  advert.  And  all  these  invasions  seem  nearly  of  the 
same  character. 


1    K.CCI     tloo'»       aK'Kov 
rxQx'no^lx     Ik  t5 

r>  J^is  Itti  rr,s  ke- 
({)x}^s  avrti'  tC}  TO 
ts^oj-wTTov  uvra  us 
0  7)\i0if  iy  01  'CjoOes 
aira  us  s'v^oi  "^v-. 
2  foi.  Kxi  £%w» 
|y  rv  %f<f'  atrti 
^iQXotsi^iov    oinu^- 

Tor      zsobx     aiiTu 

rot    ^i^M    I'Jft    T?f 


P  A  R  T     III. 

SECTION     VI. 
The  little  Book. 

CHAPTEa    X. 


1  And  I  saw  another 
mighty  angel  coming 
down  from  heaven, 
clothed  with  a  cloud, 
and  a  radiance  over 
his  head,  and  his  face 
was  as  the  sun,  and  his 
feet  as  pillars  of  fire, 

2  And  having  in  his  hand 

a  little  book  opened. 
And  he  set  his  right 
foot  upon  the  sea,  and 
his  left  foot  upon  the 

3  land.  And  he  cried 
with  a  loud  voice,  as 
when  a  lion  roareth. 


1  And  I  saw  another 
mighty  angel  come 
down  from  heaven, 
clothed  with  a  cloud, 
and  a  rainbow  was  up- 
on his  head,  and  his 
face  was  as  it  were  the 
sun,    and  his   feet    as 

2  pillars  of  fire.  And 
he  had  in  his  hand  a 
little  book  open :  and 
he  set  his  right  foot 
upon  the  sea,  and  his 
left  foot  on  the  earth, 

3  And  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,   as  when  a  lion 


Chap.  X.] 

tVUWfAOy      tlfl       TVS 

3  yris,     Ktxi  i'«f«|« 

^uvy  ixiydcXri,    i^cr- 

♦^  OTB  tKpu^iV)  IXa- 

^§Qvlxi  rots  ia.vrbiv 

4  (f)uya.s.  Ka/  ort 
IXccXvia-ocv  a.\  e'rfioi 
0§ovlxi,  efji.eX\ov 
ypaipeiv'  kxi  vkhctx 
^wv^f  Ik  t«  «fav5 
y^yaaav*  X<p^oiyt- 
ffov  a  iXxXtfjcrav  ai 

rxZrx       y^a.'^ris' 

5  Kui   0    ollysXos,    ov 

■TV.         f      «  .       \        „ 

etoov  sfurx  CTri  rris 
^xXcisrcnos,  j^  Im 
'rns  yris,  n^s  rvv 
j^cr^a  avT«  rr,v 
Oi^iuv  Its  Toy  «^a:- 
0    vox,   Ka<   ui!J.oaiit  cv 

fu      ^wyU      us     T«f 

atu/vxs  Tuv  xnvvuVf 
OS  eKiiO'S  Toy  apxvov 
9^  Tot  h  avTui,  iy 
rvjv  yriv  >^  rcc  h 
avrrt,  yCf  T^y  3"a- 
Aao-o-av   xa*  rx  h 

CcilT^f     OTi     X^^ovos 

7  «x  cT/  ffa/.  'AAAa 
Iv  Ta^f  Ttyiiqxts  T^s 
(^uwts  t5  Iboo/Aa 
«!y£X»,  OT<zy  fjJX^.p 
a-xXiri^uv,  »^  It«- 
hia^ri  To  fji.VT'npiOv 
Ttf    ©CK,     «f   JuV- 


APOCALYPSE. 

And  when  he  had 
cried,  the  seven  thun- 
ders     uttered      their 

4  voices.  And  when  the 
seven  <*  thunders  had 
spoken,  I  was  about 
to  write  ;  and  I  heard 
a  voice  from  heaven, 
sayiBg,  *'  Seal  up  those 
**  things  which  the  se- 
"  ven  thunders  spake, 
"  and  write  them  not." 

5  And  the  angel,  whom 
I  saw  standing  upon 
the  sea  and  upon  the 
land,  lifted  up  his  right 
hand    toward  heaven, 

6  And  sware  by  Him, 
who  liveth  for  ever 
and  ever,  who  created 
heaven  and  the  things 
therein,  and  the  land 
and  the  things  therein, 
and  the  sea  and  the 
things  therein,  that 
time  shall  be  no  more, 

7  But  in  the  days  of  the 
voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  when  he  is  about 
to  sound,  and  the  mys- 
tery of  God  was  finish- 
ed, as  he  hath  declared 
good  tidings  to  his 
servants  the  prophets. 

8  And  the  voice,  which 
I  had  heard  from  hea- 
ven, spake  unto  me 
again,  and  said,  "  Go, 
**  take  the  little  book, 
'*  which  is  opened  in 

E  £  2 


Q75 

roareth  :  and  when  he 
had  cried,  seven  thun- 
ders      uttered      their 

4  voices.  And  when  the 
seven  thunders  had  ut- 
tered their  voices,  I  was 
about  to  write:  and  I 
heard  a  voice  from 
heaven,  saying  unto 
me,  Seal  up  those 
things  which  the  seven 
thunders  uttered,  and 

5  write  them  not.  And 
the  angel  which  I  saw 
stand  upon  the  sea,  and 
upon  the  earth,  lifted 
up  his  hand  to  heaven. 

6  And  sware  byHim  that 
liveth  for  ever  and 
ever,  who  created  hea- 
ven and  the  things  that 
therein  are,  and  the 
earth  and  the  things 
that  therein  are,  and 
the  sea,  and  the  things 
which  are  therein,  that 
there   should  be  time 

7  no  longer :  But  in  the 
days  of  the  voice  of 
the  seventh  angel, 
when  he  shall  begin 
to  sound,  the  mystery 
of  God  should  be 
finished;  as  he  hath, 
declared  to  his  ser- 
vants    the     prophets, 

8  And  the  voice  which 
I  heard  from  heaven, 
spake  unto  me  aga,in, 
and  said,  Go,  and  take 


^76 

S  Tar,  Kxi  "n  (poj^r.^ 
fit     rtV-HCrci.     SK     tS 

K'^cra,  jw.e/'   !(«,«,    >c 

;^6;f{     afysAs      t» 

tr-i/Toj  Itt^^  T^Jf  ^fij- 

..}\aacrns  yCj  I'm  rris 

5^.  V^i'.     Ka<  scTrriXQov 

-'  «Tfof    Toy    afysKov, 

^iyojv   a.vraj    ouvxl 

Kxi      Xiyti      fx,oi' 

uvro'    Kj    iJix^otvsT 
era  Trjy  )to<A/av,  ctAX 
ev     ru    fo/x,a//   ca 
fV<at'  yXvxvy  us(ji.sKi. 

10  Kaf  (XocQov  TO  /3;- 
CXoifiOioy  sK  rvji 
■)(ttfos  T«  fltlyfAtf, 
xaf<  Kctlt^xloy  ai/To' 
K,  vy  h  rf  f6/A,ailI 
^«,  us  fxiXij  yXvxv' 
■^  ors  i(pa[oi  ayro, 

1 1  fAti.  K«<  Xtysi 
ij>.oi'   Av   <7£  tsacKiv 

\vacx.i  sTTt  Xac- 


APOCALYPSE. 

**  the  hand  of  the  an- 
*'  gel,  who  standeth 
"  upon  the  sea  and 
"  upon     the      land." 

9  And  I  went  to  the 
angel,  saying  unto  him 
to  give  me  the  little 
book.  And  he  saith 
unto  me,  "  Take,  and 
"  eat  it  up ;  and  it 
**  shall  imbitter  thy 
"  stomach;  but  in  thy 
"  mouth  shall  be  sweet 

10  "as  honey/'  And  I 
took  the  little  book 
from  the  hand  of  the 
angel,  and  ate  it  up. 
And  it  was  in  my 
mouth  sweet  as  honey ; 
and  when  I  had  eaten 
it,    my    stomach     was 

11  imbittered.  And  he 
saith  unto  me,  "  I'hou 
"  must  prophesy  again 
**  before  many  people, 
"  and  nations,  and  lan- 
"  guages,  and  kings." 


Xivai  'CJo7^>,o7s, 


[Pt.  III.  §  5. 

the  little  book  which 
is  open  in  the  hand  of 
the  angel  which  stand- 
eth upon  the  sea,   and 

9  upon  the  earth.  And 
I  went  unto  the  an- 
gel, and  said  unto  him. 
Give  me  the  little 
book.  And  he  said 
unto  me,  Take  it,  and 
eat  it  up  :  and  it  shall 
make  thy  belly  bitter^ 
but  it  shall  be  in  thy 
mouth  sweet  as  honey. 

10  And  I  took  the  little 
book  out  of  the  angel's 
hand,  and  ate  it  up ; 
and  it  was  in  my 
mouth  sweet  as  honey : 
and  as  soon  as  I  had 
eaten  it,  my  belly  was 

11  bitter.  And  he  said 
unto  me,  Thou  mast 
prophesy  again  before 
many  peoples,  and  na- 
tions, and  tongues,  and 
kings. 


III  the  13th  verse  of  the  viiith  chapter,    three  grand 

woes,   three  disthict  periods  of  successful  attack  upon 

the   Church,    by,  the  Antichristian    powers,    are    an- 

^  nounced. 


Chap.  X.]  APOCALYPSE.  277 

noil  need.  The  first  of  these  immediately  takes  place, 
and  is  afterwards  described  as  past*;  and  the  second 
follows:  but  this,  though  it  begins,  like  the  first, 
with  an  hostile  invasion,  does  not  end  in  like  manner. 
No  period  (as,  in  the  first,  of  150  years)  is  assign- 
ed for  its  continuance  ;  and  when  the  description  of 
the  invasion  seems  to  be  finished,  no  like  notice  is 
given,  that  the  woe  is  ended;  on  the  contrary,  it 
seems  to  continue  till  the  seventh  Trumpet  sounds  ; 
then,  and  not  till  then,  it  is  declared  to  be  gonef. 
The  prophecy  had  now  begun  to  appear  as  drawing  to 
its  close ;  the  seventh  and  last  Trumpet  was  expected. 
But  a  new  and  enlarging  scene  opens  under  the  sixth 
Trumpet,  and  before  the  end  of  the  second  woe. 
The  famous  period  of  forty- two  months,  or  1260 
days,  is  now  presented  to  view.  The  usurped  domi- 
nion of  the  Mahometans,  disclosed  in  the  sixth  Trum- 
pet, is  continued  throughout.  But  there  is  another 
Antichristian  usurpation,  which  belongs  to  the  same 
period,  and  Avhich  is  to  be  produced,  as  cotem- 
porary  with  it. 

Ver.  1 — 3.  Another  mighty  angel ;  &c.]  The  su- 
blimity of  this  passage  made  an  early  impression  upon 
the  poetical  mind  of  Sir  William  Jones  :  and  '*  at  a 
"  period  of  mature  judgment,"  says  his  biographer, 
"  he  considered  it  as  equal  in  sublimity  to  any  in  the 
*^  inspired  writers,  and  far  superior  to  any  that  could 
*'  be  produced  from  mere  human  compositions :[\" 
This  angel,  although  displaying  superior  glory  and 
power  §,  is  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  appears  in 
this  part  of  the  vision,  not  as  an  angel,  but  as  the  Lamb. 

*  Ch.  ix.  12.  t  Ch.  xi.  14. 

X  Lord  Teignmouth's  Life  of  Sir  William  Jones,  4to.  p.  14. 

§  See  note,  ch.  i.  14,  \6, 

(Ch. 


£78  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.    §  6. 

(Ch.  xiv.  i.)  he  is  described  to  •  be  another  angel. 
Such  another  angel  had  been  before  seen  officiating 
in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb  *.  He  is  an  angel  of  the 
highest  dignity,  invested  with  a  most  important  com- 
mission ;  to  convey  to  Saint  John,  and  to  the  Church, 
a  large  amount  of  prophetical  information.  For  this 
purpose,  he  holds  in  his  hand  a  little  book  ;  not 
little  in  respect  to  its  contents,  which  are  of  the 
highest  importance,  but  with  a  view  to  the  purpose 
for  which  it  was  designed ;  to  be  eaten  and  digested 
by  the  prophet.  The  book  is  open,  unsealed ;  by 
our  Lord's  merits  it  had  become  sof ;  for,  it  was  pro- 
bably a  part,  or  transcript,  of  the  larger  sealed  book; 
because  it  comes  under  the  opening  of  the  sixth  and 
seventh  Seals,  which  are  part  of  the  contents  of  that 
book.  It  may  be  the  same  also  with  that  part  of  the 
prophecy  of  Daniel  J  which  was  in  his  time  sealed 
for  a  very  distant  period ;  a  period  which  will  be  seen 
to  have  relation  to  these  times  of  the  apocalyptic 
visions. 

Ver.  2.  And  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea ; 
&c.]  In  the  scene  before  the  prophet,  the  heavens, 
containing  God's  throne,  and  his  altar,  and  surround- 
ing ministers,  are  above.  The  earth  is  beneath,  not 
hanging  like  an  orb  or  ball  §,  but  extended  in  a  plain, 
and  containing  the  divisions,  before  marked,  of  land, 
of  sea,  of  rivers.  The  angel  descends  from  heaven 
above,  and  takes  his  station  on  the  earth,  placing 
one  of  his  gigantic  feet  on  the  sea,  the  other  on  the 
land  1|.  The  Eastern  nations,  expressed  by  the  divi- 
sion of  the  landj  had  been  hitherto  the  principal 
scene  of  action  under    this   Trumpet.      The   angel's 

•  Ch.  vii.  2.  and  again  viii.  3,  ■}  See  note,  ch.  v.  9. 

I  Dan.  xii.  4.  9-       S  Cicero,  Somn.  Scip.        |}  See  note,  ch.  viii,  7. 

placing 


Chap.  X.]  APOCALYPSE.  ^79 

placing  one  foot  on  the  sea,  seems  to  intimate  that 
the  Western  nations  of  the  Gentiles  *,  are  to  be  an  ob- 
ject of  the  remaining  prophecy.  And  this  is  also  ex- 
pressed in  ver.  11  :  he  is  ^*  to  prophesy  before  many 
*' people,  and  nations,  and  languages,  and  kings." 
It  may  be  observed  also,  that  the  first,  the  right ,  or 
principal  foot  of  the  angel  descends  upon  the  sea, 
which  seems  to  imply  that  the  part  of  the  Christian 
world,  represented  by  the  sea,  is  now  to  be  principally 
concerned. 

Ver.  4.  The  seven  thundei^s,^  The  whole  Prophecy 
is  delivered  under  seven  Seals,  seven  Trumpets,  seven 
Vials  |.  In  this  passage,  a  particular  prophecy,  or 
perhaps  seven  distinct  prophecies,  are  uttered  by  seven 
voices,  loud  as  thunder,  aweful,  and  terrible  as  that 
of  the  lion-like  voice  of  the  angel  wdiich  introduces 
them.  But  whatsoever  intelligence  the  prophet  might 
receiv'C  from  this  Divine  communicatiop,,  he  is  for- 
bidden to  disclose  it.  Thus,  events  of  great  import, 
belonging  to  the  history  of  this  Seal  and  Trumpet, 
are  not  revealed  in  this  prophecy.  What  these  were, 
it  is  certainly  difficult,  and  may  be  presumptuous,  to 
conjecture.  But  we  may  safely  collect  from  this 
transaction,  that  many  important  events,  perhaps  re- 
corded in  history,  are  not  disclosed.  And  we  obtain 
herewith  an  additional  confirmation  of  the  notion  al- 
ready suggested,  that  this  sixth  Trumpet  contains  a 
period  of  long  continuance. 

Ver.  5,  Lifted  up  his  right  hand.]  The  angel  takes 
a  solemn  oath,  in  a  form  of  Scriptural  antiquity  J. 
This  mode  of  swearing  has  descended  even  unto  our 
own  times  and  nation,   being  still  used  in  Scotland, 

•  Note,  ch.  viii.  8.  t  Note,  ch.  i.  4. 

I  Gen,  xiv.  22.  Deut.  xxxii.  40.  Ezek.  xx.  5.  Is.  Ixii.  8. 

and 


280  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt   III.   §  6. 

and  there  allowed,  by  act  of  parliament,  to  those 
dissenters  who  are  styled  Seceders  *. 

Ver.  7.  That  time  shall  be  no  more,  &c.]  The 
original  language  as  used  in  the  writings  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament,  will  not  admit  of  the  transla- 
tion given  by  Daubuz,  Lowman,  &c. ;  mz.  "'  the 
**  time  should  not  be  as  yet;"  which  would  otherwise 
tend  greatly  to  clear  the  obscurity  of  this  passage. 
I  will  cast  upon  it  what  scattered  light  I  can  collect. 

The  whole  passage,  expressed  in  the  seventh  verse, 
taken  together,  has  a  plain  reference  to  happy  times, 
which  are  expected  with  the  seventh  Trumpet,  and 
which  have  been  promised  with  glad  tidings  under 
the  Gospel.  These  times  are  mentioned  as  the  y^ai^oi 
avci'slyv^ecagj  '^  the  times  of  refreshing  ;"  %povoi  oLiioy-eilaqU' 
ffsug  zjavluv,  *'  times  of  restitution  of  all  things,  which 
*'  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  His  holy 
*'  Prophets  since  the  world  began  f."  There  is  a  great 
similarity  in  the  two  passages.  The  same  times  are 
likewise  mentioned  in  Acts  i.  7.  and  in  both  these 
places,  as  in  this  of  the  Apocalypse,  the  word  xpovo;  is 
used  without  that  prepositive  article  which  expresses  a 
particular  designation  of  time.  And  yet  our  translators 
have  found  it  necessary  to  give  that  article  in  the  Eng- 
lish, (the  times,  the  seasons,)  as  the  sense  seemed  to 
require  it.  It  may  be  questioned  then,  whether  xP^^o;, 
in  this  passage  of  the  Revelation,  without  the  article, 
may  not  be  so  translated  and  understood  :  and  whether 
the  time,  which  is  not  to  be  under  the  sixth  Trumpet, 
may  not  be  expected  under  the  seventh.     The  attempt 

*  Paley's  Moral  and  Political  Philosophy,  4to.  p.  159.  The  solemn 
league  and  covenant  in  the  time  of  Charles  I.  had  been  taken  after  this 
manner. 

t  Acts  iii.  19.  20. 

to 


Chap.  X.]  APOCALTPSE.  281 

to  interpret  the  passage  in  this  manner  will  be  assisted 
by  considering  what  the  ''  7nystery  of  God  is;'' — com- 
pare it  with  2  Thess.  ii.  7; — the  '^  mystery  of  iniquity ,'' 
which  appears  plainly,  from  the  context,  to  be  the 
triumphant  working  of  Satan.  And  therefore  the 
mystery  of  God  appears  to  be,  (that  which  arrives  also 
under  the  seventh  Trumpet,)  the  triumphant  reign 
of  godliness.  Compare  also  Dan.  xii.  6 — 13;  where 
the  angel  takes  the  same  kind  of  solemn  oath,  refer- 
ring to  the  same  period  of  time  which  is  named  by 
the  angel  under  this  Seal,  *^  a  time,  times,  and  half," 
reaching  *' to  the  time  of  the  end^."  There  was  an 
obscurity  then;  Daniel  **  understood  not:"  and  the 
passage  before  us  is  yet  obscure  :  but  we  see  enough, 
to  fix  our  attention  on  the  final  establishment  of  the 
Messiah's  reign.  At  the  same  time,  it  seems  to  be 
intimated,  that  there  will  intervene  a  long  and  bus}^ 
scene  of  action,  under  the  remainder  of  the  sixth 
Trumpet,  before  this  can  be  completed  f. 

Ver.  8 — 1 1.  Go,  take  the  little  book; — take  and 
tat  it ;  &c.]  In  this  passage,  Saint  John  receives  com- 
mission as  a  prophet^  in  a  form  nearly  resembling 
that  by  which  Ezekiel  was  commissioned  as  a  prophet 
to  the  Jews.  The  roll,  or  book,  (for  it  is  the  same 
thing  J,)  upon  which  the  prophecy  is  written,  is  de- 
livered to   each  prophet,    with  a  command  to  eat  it. 

*  Dan.  xii.  7.  9- 

t  I  have  translated  \riKicr^y\  by  the  English  ir  as  finished;  and  yet, 
I  question  whether  we  might  not  be  authorized  to  translate  it  as  if 
it  were  expressed  by  the  other  reading  rsXea-Qrij  which  is  rejected  by 
Griesbach,  and  is  properly  rendered  by  the  old  translators  should  be 
finished  ;  because  I  find  BTsXea-Ov  in  ch.  xv.  1,  clearly,  from  its  context, 
expressive  of  time  yet  to  come  ;  and  in  this  instance  also  now  before 
us,  it  appears  so  ;  and  therefore  seems  to  be  used  as  rcXsa-Ov, 

J  See  note,  ch.  v.  i. 

To 


283  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §5, 

To  eat  it,  that  the  contents  m^-v  be  completely  pos- 
sessed by  him  internally,  that,  by  digesting  them, 
he  may  become  as  '*  the  living  oracle  of  God."  Both 
these  prophecies  contained  *'  r£;oe,"  and  were  unpleas^ 
ing  to  both  prophets  ;  yet  had  seemed  pleasant  to  the 
mouth  on  the  first  reception.  To  gratify  curiosity  with 
what  is  contained  in  the  womb  of  time,  has  its  de- 
lights :  but  so  many  bitter  things  are  found  written 
therein,  that  we  must  confess  that  it  is  by  a  kind  dis- 
pensation of  Providence,  that  man  is  ignorant  pf  fu- 
turity*. But  why  this  new  commission  to  the  pro- 
phet }  He  was  sent  originally  to  the  seven  Churches 
in  Asia ;  wherefore  this  new  designation,  **  Thou 
*^  must  prophesy  again  before  many  people,  and  na- 
"  tions,  and  languages,  and  kings  ?"  Observe  then, 
that,  before  the  conquests  of  the  Mahometan  inva- 
ders, the  seven  Churches  were  situated  near  the  centre 
of  the  Christian  world.  From  the  period  of  the  Ma- 
hometan apoGtacy,  they  were  no  longer  central  in  any 
sense.  They  lost  their  consequence;  '*  repented  not 
'^  of  their  idolatry  and  wickedness  ;"  and  in  succeed- 
ing irruptions,  they  fell  a  prey  to  the  victorious 
enemy.  "Their  lamp-bearer  was  removed,"  accord- 
ing to  the  threatening  of  their  Lord  f.  But  as  Chris- 
tianity receded  in  the  East,  before  the  arms  and  doc- 
trines of  the  Mahometans,  it  spread  and  enlarged  in 
tlie  West.  A  new  scene,  and  a  new  audience,  have 
now  therefore  their  commencement.  The  Gentile  na- 
tions of  Europe,  (the  sea,  on  which  the  angel  places 
his  first  foot,)  come  into  view  ;  those  ten  kingdoms, 
into  wliich  the  remains  of  the  western  Roman  empire 
were  divided.  And  the  period  of  this  prophecy  will 
be  seen,   in  the  next  chapter,  to  be  1260  years. 

*  Compare  Eaek,  li.  6—10.  iii.  1—4,  14.  xxi.  6.     Eccl'us  xl.  30. 

^  Ch.  ii.  5. 


Ch.  Xi.   1  — 14.]  APOCALYPSE. 


283 


PART    IIL     . 

SECTION     VII. 

The  Measuring  of  the  Temple  ;   and  the  Witnesses, 


1  K«'  l^o9*j  /xo<  xaAa- 

Xtyuv*  " Ey tt^xif  i^ 
fWTf*j<7-oy  Toy  vocov 
t5  065,  id  TO  ^y- 
a-iocsin^tov,  ycou  ths 
'Sjpoa-KVvHvta.S  h  oiv- 

2  Ta>.  Ka.1  rviv  aCXvty 
rvv  e^co9iv   t5   vaS 

alrv>v  fXETfvia-riii 
on  l^oQrj  rois  sQvsa-t' 
>c  TV)v  zjiXiv  rriv 
aytacv  ztccIvkthiti  (j-n- 
yixs  rea-ax^oiKovloi 
S  bvQ'  Ka*  0'jj(T'j} 
rois     cv<j]   (jLocfivai 

(TH(Tif    ^ijiipxs    yr}~ 
"klxs  ^ia,y.O(Tias  e^v- 

4  (jiiyota-UKKHS.  Ovrot 
t'liTiv  ix't  Syo  IXxioci 
jc  ot'i  ^vo  Xvyyloti 
at  IvMTTiov  t5  avfia 
Tris    yyis     Wudoci. 

5  Ka<  II  ris  ocvTHS 
<iXrt  a2tx.ria-ai, 

tSV^    SKTTOpSvflxt     EK 

t5  ^o^octos  acvTuiv, 

>C         KOtlsaQUt       TiiS 
«^0p»J     OCVTUIV'      }^ 

f7  Tts  avTtiS  ScAf 


CHAP.  xi.  VER.  1 14 

1  And  there  was  given 
to  me  a  reed  like  unto 
a  rod,  saying:  "  Arise, 
"  and  measure  the 
*'  Temple  of  God,  and 
"  the  altar,  and  those 
"  who  worship  there- 

2  "  in :  And  the  court 
"  on  the  outside  of 
•'  the  temple  cast  out, 
*'  and  thou  shalt  not 
"  measure  it  ;  for  it 
"  is  given  to  the  na- 
*'  tions ;  and  the  holy 
"  city  shall  they  tread 
"  forty  -  two     months. 

3  '-  And  I  will  give  un- 
*'  to  my  two  witnes- 
"  ses ;  and  they  shall 
''  prophesy  a  thousand 
''  two  hundred  and 
"  sixty  days,   clothed 

4  "  in  sackcloth.  These 
**  are  the  two  olive- 
"  trees,  and  the  two 
''  lamp-bearers  which 
^'  are  standing  before 
''  the     Lord     of     the 

5  "  earth.  And  if  any 
*'  one  shall  wish  to 
"  injure  them,  fire 
"  cometh  out  of  their 
"  mouth,  and  devour- 


And  there  was  given 
me  a  reed  like  unto  a 
rod :  and  the  angel 
stood,  saying.  Rise  and 
measure  the  temple  of 
God,  and  the  altar, 
and  them  that  worship 
therein,  But  the  court 
which  is  without  the 
temple  leave  out,  and 
measure  it  not ;  for  it 
is  given  unto  the  Gen- 
tiles :  and  the  holy 
city  shall  they  tread 
under  foot  forty  and 
two  months.  And  I 
will  give/?ow€runtomy 
two  witnesses, and  they 
shall  prophesy  a  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and 
threescore  days,  cloth- 
ed in  sackcloth.  These 
are  the  two  olive-trees, 
and  the  two  candle- 
sticks standing  before 
the  God  of  the  earth. 
And  if  any  man  will 
hurt  them,  fire  pro- 
ceedeth  out  oT  their 
mouth,  and  devourelh 
their  enemies  :  and  if 
any  man  will  hurt 
them,  he  must  in  this 


284 

aOlX.-flS'Xly    HT'jJ     oil 

ocvTov  ATtoyAayorivxi, 

6  OvToi  '^ynyiv  e|8- 

yri  vilos  rds  'nf/.e- 

fXS  TVS    ZTfop-nklXS 

avTuv'    y^  l^HO-ixv 

ta,  sU  az/Aa,  y^ 
ZTxIci^ai  Tv.v  yvv  Iv 

xts  eoiv    ^s.'kh<7ua-i. 

7  Kaf  oTay  ri>Acru(7i 
rr/v  yux^rvfiav  av- 

TMV,     TO     S)7^/oV     TO 

ava-ojtJvov  ex  Tr/f 
aQva-aa  vsoiriazt  'zso- 
Xa/u-ov    /xEJ'    avTcov, 

)^  VDtVia-Sl  XVTHS, 
5C     OtTTOytlsVci  avTHS' 

S  Kat  TO  zaiSiixx 
avTojv  iiTi  rY,s 
'isXaisixs  TKSoKiLiJS 
TVS  (xsyiUXvsy    vris 

XXXiiTOtl  TSVSVfJiX- 
TlKCtlS      ZOOOjAX        X^ 

Atyvrrlosj   oVS  >c  o 

Ku^/oi^  avTajv  l^xv- 

9    c'^^^ir,'    Kx\  /5?.eV8- 

Ciy   £>C   TkJV    XXUV    >C^ 

<pvAu/v  )C  yXx'cro'a/v 
K^  eSv^v,  to  ZjiZ-ixx 
avTMV  vi^Jpxs  TfZlS 
V.XI     TtlXKTV^    XXI  TX 

toi'jJixxlx  alruiv  tsyi 

a.(pr,jil'Jt  Tt%vxi  sii 

i  0  [jLvv^x.       Ka/     oi 

KXAOMtidcS    tirt     TYjS 


APOCALYPSE. 

"  eth  their  enemies  ; 
'^  and  if  any  one  shall 
"  wish  to  injure  them, 
"  thus  must  he  be 
6  "  slain.  These  have 
"  power  to  shut  up  the 
''  heaven,  that  rain 
"  may  not  fall  during 
"  the  days  of  their 
"  prophecy,  and  they 
"  have  power  over  the 
"  waters,  to  turn  them 
"  to  blood,  and  to 
"  smite  the  land  with 
"  every  plagde,  as 
"  often  as    they  shall 

7  "  be  willing.  And 
"  when  they  shall  be 
"  finishing  their  testi- 
'*  mony,  the  wild- 
"  beast,  which  as- 
"  cendeth  out  of  the 
"  bottomless  deep, 
*'  shall  make  w^ar  with 
"  them,  and  shall  over- 
"  come     them,      and 

8  "  slay  them.  And  their 
"  remains  shall  be  in 
"  the  broad  place  of 
*'  the  great  city,  which 
"  is  called  spiritually 
"  Sodom  and  .Egypt, 
"  where  also  their  Lord 

9  "  was  crucified.  And 
"  they  of  the  people, 
*'  and  of  tribes  and 
'^  languages  and  na- 
"  tions,  behold  their 
"  remains  three  days 
"  and  a  half;  and  their 
"  remains    they  shall 


[Pt.  III.  §  7. 

manner      be      killed. 

6  These  have  power  to 
shut  heaven,  that  it 
rain  not  in  the  days 
of  their  prophecy :  and 
have  power  over  wa- 
ters to  turn  them  to 
blood,  and  to  smite 
the  earth  with  all 
plagues,    as    often    as 

7  they  will.  And  when 
they  shall  have  finish- 
ed their  testimony,  the 
beast  that  ascendeth 
out  of  the  bottomless 
pit,  shall  make  war 
against  them,  and 
shall   overcome  them, 

8  and  kill  them.  And 
their  dead  bodies  s/iall 
lie  in  the  street  of  the 
great  city,  which  spi- 
ritually is  called  So- 
dom and  Egypt,  where 
also     our    Lord     was 

9  crucified.  And  they 
of  the  people,  and 
kindreds,  and  tongues, 
and  nations,  shall  see 
their  dead  bodies  three 
days  and  an  half,  and 
shall  not  suffer  their 
dead  bodies  to  be  put 

10  in  graves.  And  they 
that  dwell  upon  the 
earth  shall  rejoice  over 
them,  and  make  mer- 
ry, and  shall  send  gifts 
one  to  another;  be- 
cause these  two  pro- 
phets-tormented them 


Ch.  xl.  1—14.1 


APOCALYPSE. 


285 


avrois^    K)    sv(ppocv- 

XoLs^  on  HTot  oi 
cvo  zjpoipviTiZi  iCx- 
a-tivia-txv    ras  kocIoi- 

1 1  Kal  i^sia  rocs  rpsTs 
iljiipas  >c  vifjuQ-v, 
TunvfAX  (^ojris  ex.  ra 

©£«       £<<7'^Xct£V        STT 

tcvris'     ^     'i<rrt(j-xv 

IttI   TfeJ-  '^O^XS    XV- 

ruiv'  iCf  (^oCos (xiyxs 

!        tTTSTSV  llTl   T«S-  ^eu- 

12g'»Wa?  aiiris.    Kxi 

tiKHaXV     ^UVV)V     (A£- 

yeiXw  ex.  t»  ispxv^, 
y.eyii<Txv  xlroh'  A- 

«v£t>»)0'fl5y  aii'  rov 
ipxyov  h  T-n  vs(p£XTp ' 
xa«  I9eupv)(7xv  xv- 
T«J  0/ 1^9^01  xlr  ojv 

13K««  Iv  £>i£/v»J  T'jJ 
»(»<'(  '' 

o/^a  tyeveio  (retafjios 
fj.tyxSf  XXI  TO  oe- 
KxloV  TVS  zyoXtMS 
i'rrea'ey  xxt  xttb- 
itla.y9r,(rav  iv  rw 
<ret<Tix:9  ovo(/.ccTx 
ecvO^MTTcjv  ^tXtxoes 
ililx'  7y  01  XoiTToi 
i[x(poQoi  eyevovlo,    J^ 

tOCifXXV      00~XV        TCv 

140EW  T»  a^avS.  H 
axt    v  osvte^x   xm- 

•n  r^tTV)  e^^elxt 
rxyxj. 


"  not  permit  to  be  laid 

10"  in  a  sepulchre.  And 
"  tbey  who  inhabit  the 
"  earth  rejoice  over 
"  them  and  shall  ex- 
"  ult :  and  shall  send 
"  gifts  one  to  another ; 
"  because  these  two 
"  prophets  tormented 
"  those    who    dwelled 

11"  upon  the  earth.  And, 
"  after  the  three  days 
"  and  half»  a  spirit  of 
"  life  from  God  enter- 
"  ed  into  them  ;  and 
"  they  stood  upon  their 
"  feet ;  and  great  fear 
"  fell  upon  those   be- 

12"  holding  them.  And 
"  they  heard  a  loud 
'*  voice  from  heaven, 
"  saying  unto  them, 
"  'Ascend  hither;'  and 
*'  they  ascended  into 
"  heaven. in  the  cloud; 
"  and     their     enemies 

13"  beheld  them."  And 
in  that  same  hour  there 
was  a  great  earth- 
quake ;  and  the  tenth 
part  of  the  city  fell; 
and  there  were  slain 
in  the  earthquake 
names  of  men  seven 
thousand.  And  tlie 
remnant  became  a- 
fraid,  and  gave  glory 
to  the  God  of  heaven. 

14The  second  woe  is 
past:  behold,  the  third 
woe  Cometh  soon. 


that     dwelt      on     the 

1 1  earth.  And  after  three 
days  and  an  half,  the 
Spirit  of  life  from 
God  entered  into  them : 
and  they  stood  up- 
on their  feet,  and 
great  fear  fell  upon 
them  which  saw  them. 

12  And  they  heard  a 
great  voice  from  hea- 
ven, saying  unto  them, 
Come  up  hither.  And 
they  ascended  up  to 
heaven  in  a  cloud,  and 
their   enemies    beheld 

13  them.  And  the  same 
hour  was  there  a  great 
earthquake,  and  the 
tenth  part  of  the  city 
fell,  and  in  the  earth- 
quake were  slain  of 
men  seven  thousand  : 
and  the  remnant  vvere 
affrighted,  and  gave 
glory   to   the  God  of 

14  heaven.  The  second 
woe  is  past,  and  be- 
hold, the  third  woe 
Cometh  quickly. 


286  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  7. 

Ver.  I.  A  reed  like  unto  a  rod.'\  A  reed^*,  being  both 
straight  and  hght,  became  a  fit  instrument  for  mea- 
suring ;  and,  hke  our  rood,  rod,  or  pole,  had  its  de- 
finite measure.  The  Hebrew  rod  or  reed  was,  ac-l 
cording  to  Michaehs,  of  six  ells,  each  ell  being  five  *' 
or  six  hand-breadths.  Such  a  measuring  instrument 
is  now  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  prophet,  who,  on  re- 
ceiving; his  new  commission,  is  ordered  **to  measure 
*'  the  Temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  those  who 
"  worship  therein."  The  commission  extends  not 
only  to  the  temple  and  altar,  but  to  the  worshippers 
who  frequent  them ;  and,  compared  with  Ezek.  xl. 
Zech.  ii.  Hab.  iii.  6,  will  appear  to  authorize  an  ex- 
amination into  the  state  of  divine  worship  in  the 
times  of  this  Trumpet,  and  an  estimate  of  the  num- 
ber and  kind  of  the  worshippers.  Concerning  the  first 
part  of  the  commission,  which  respects  the  temple  and 
altar,  and  the  worship  of  those  who  are  admitted  to 
the  nearest  presence  of  the  Deity,  no  account  is  re- 
turned.  In  those  times  of  ignorance  and  supersti- 
tion, under  the  beginnings  of  the  sixth  Trumpet,  i^\'f 
they  were,  who  worshipped  ^'inspirit  and  in  truth." 
But  the  outer  court  of  the  Temple  is  particularly  men- 
tioned ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  measured,  for  the  God  of 
the  Temple  will  not  acknowledge  such  worship  as, 
under  the  times  of  this  Trumpet,  was  performed  there ; 
it  is  ordered  not  to  be  measured,  but  to  be  cast  out ; 
and  the  Gentiles  are  to  take  possession  of  it;  and  at 
the  same  time  they  are  to  possess  themselves  of  the 
holy  city  surrounding  it,  during  a  period  of  forty- 
two  months.     And  during  this  period  (the  length  of 


*  In  the  Hebrezv,   r\:ip  —  whence  the  Greek  hajvwv, 
and  the  English  cane. 

which 


i 


Cll.  Xi.   1  — 14.]  APOCALYPSE.  287 

which  will  be  explained)  we  have  no  mention  of  the 
inner  temple ;  till,  at  the  sound  of  the  seventh  Trum-» 
pet,  "  the  Temple  of  God  is  opened  in  Heaven,  and 
**the  Ark  of  his  covenant  is  seen*."  Then  is  re- 
stored a  purer  worship  ;  then  men  draw  nearer  unto 
God,    **  in  the  beauty  of  holiness." 

Ver.  2.  The  holy  city  shall  they  tread.]  The  Holy 
City  is  the  Christian  Church,  which,  after  the  rejection 
and  destruction  of  the  sacred  Jerusalem,  was  received 
in  its  stead  :  which  will  appear  clearly  from  this  inn 
stance,  that  the  Christian  Church  in  its  renovated 
and  purer  state  is  called,  ^' the  Nexv  Jerusalem '\ ;'' 
and  Jerusalem  is  certainly  *'  the  Holy  City  %.''  The 
Temple  was  at  Jerusalem  with  its  altar,  and  holy 
place,  and  Holy  of  Holies  :  but  these,  at  least  the 
inner  and  more  sacred  places,  are  not  given  to  the 
Gentiles,  but  the  outer  court  only,  with  the  city  sur- 
rounding, which  they  are  to  occupy  during  the  period 
assigned  to  them. 

It  is  said  in  the  received  translation,  that  ''  they 
**  shall  tread  under  foot  the  holy  city;"  &c. — And 
the  commentators,  who  have  generally  admitted  this 
translation,  have  explained  it  to  signify,  that  ''  they 
**  shall  trample  upon,  and  tyrannize  over,  the  Church 
*' of  Christ."  I  have  translated  the  Greek  (which  is 
isulYi(;^7i)  simply  by  the  word  tread;  because  I  enter- 
tain doubts  whether  either  the  Greek  expression,  or 
the  context,  will  require  or  indeed  admit  of  any  other 
meaning.  The  verb  -sralf/v  signifies  simply  to  tread ; 
and  to  tread  the  courts  of  the  temple,  is  synonymous,  in 
Scriptural  language,  to  worshipping  therein.  Thus  God, 

♦  Ver.  19. 

t  Gal.  iv.  25,  26.  Rev.  iii.  12.  note  xxi.  2.  10. 

J  Matt.  V.  35.  xxvii.  53. 

by 


288  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  III.  §  7. 

bj  the  mouth   of  his  prophet,  rejecthig   the  worship 
of  the  polluted  IsraeHtes,   says,    "  who  hath   required 
'^  this  at  your  hands,   to  tread  my  courts?"  where  the 
Greek  is,  Tijaleiv  rviv  avKviv  ^8,  and  has  the  same  signi- 
fication as  in  Psalm  Ixv.  4,  to  frequent,  or  dwell  in, 
my  courts  *.     To  tread  under  foot,   to  trample  upou'   , 
indignantly,    is  commonly  expressed  by  'AeclwKaleuj    ncc- 
TccTccileofLcit,    of  which  many  instances  may  be  seen  in 
the  concordances.     Or,  if  'bjccIsiv  is   ever  used  in  this 
sense,   to  express   indignant  trampling,    a- preposition 
generally  follows,   (as  zualsiv  i%eivca  o(pewv)  which  brings 
it  to  express  the  same  sense  as  aalaircileoo.    UoJeiv  is  indeed 
employed  to  express  the  treading  grapes  in  a  wine- 
press ;    but  that  action  is  si  aiply  treading  ;    and,    ex- 
cepting in  its  metaphorical  sense,    implies  no   indig- 
nation.      Metaphorically,    it   expresses    indignation; 
because,  in  that  borrowed  sense,  the  treading  seems  to 
be   destruction  attended   with  blood.     It  mai/  indeed 
be  used  in  that  borrowed  sense  in  this  passage  ;  but  I 
am  inclined  to  think    that  it  is  not,    for  the  reasons 
assigned  above ;  and  also,   because  the  historj^  of  the 
times,  hereby  signified,   agrees  better  with  the  notion 
of  the  Gentiles  being  the  occupiers  of  the  Christian 
Church,   (not  of  its  holy  interior,    but  of  its  exterior 
courts  and   surrounding   streets,)   than   with   that   of 
their  trampling  under  foot,   and   tyrannizing  over  it, 
during  the  long  period  assigned  to  them.     Jrom  the 
time  when  the  Gentiles  took  possession  of  the  Church, 
and  began   to  tread  its  courts  ;   from   the   time  that 
Constantine,  by  adopting   Christianity,    made  it  the 
Religion  of  the  Jiatioiis  ;    '*  Kings  became  her  nursing 

*  Ylartiv^  rso^ivza^oci :  Hesycli.  The  vulgaie,  and  the  ^Ethiopic  ver- 
sion, as  given  in  Latin,  have  calcabwit  not  conculcabunt :  Walton's 
Polyglot. 

*'  fathers, 


Ch.  xi.    1  — U.]  APOCALYPSE.  289 

*' fathers,  and  Queens  her  nursing  mothers*,"  and 
persecution  of  the  Church,  by  the  civil  powers,  has 
only  raged  at  some  certain  periods,  arising  from  the 
ignorance  of  the  kings,  wlio  worshipped  only  in  the 
outward  courts,  and  were  not  admitted  to  see  the 
truth  and  purity  of  Religion  in  the  inner  Temple  f. 

Ver.  2.  Forty-tivo  7nonths'\  The  period  assigned 
for  this  Gentile  worship  in  the  courts  of  the  Temple, 
is  forty-two  months.  It  is  the  very  same  duration  of 
time,  which  we  shall  afterwards  see  described  under 
the  name  of  12(J0  days.  Forty-two  months,  of  thirty 
days  each,  (such  undoubtedly  was  the  measure  of 
time  in  the  Eastj,:,)  amount  exactly  to  12^0  days. 
But  a  daify  in  the  prophetic  language  of  Sciiptiire, 
has  been  shewn  to  signify  a  year  §, 

The  exact  commencement,  and  consequently  the 
end  of  this  period  of  1^60  years,  shall  be  afterwards 
discussed  ||,     But  certainly  there  appears  exhibited  in 

*  Isa.  xlix.  23. 

t  The  note  of  the  ancient  commentator  Aretbas  upon  this  passage 

deserves  attention  : — TioXiy  m,yixv  r^nv  IkhMctioiv  hxXta-sv,  h  <V/xfv  ZJarHo-Qxi 
vTTO  I9vuv,  ols  idoOv)  o;ovsi  h  ocvTV}  avar^a^Eo-fiat/,  uTTo  (Atv  X^/f/avwv  ^sOyiXutf 
vTTo  ^e  xTTiTiov  y.oi\cx.<pqo)i'nriiLus  tCj  oXsQ^tus,  And  it  may  be  questioned 
whether  *l£f«5-aX»}/A  •ujo^m^ivn,  x.  t.  X.  in  Luke  xxi.  $34<,  should  not  be 
translated,  "  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  (not  trodden  down)  by  the 
Gentiles,"  and  whether  that  prophecy  does  not  belong  to  the  same 
period  as  this  ? 

I  See  Louth,  on  Hos.  vi.  6.  Prideaux,  Con.  i.  380,  &c.  Wintle's 
Prelim.  Dissert,  on  Daniel;  where  Gen.  vii.  24.  viii.  3.  6.  vii.  11; 
1  Kings  vii.  4  ;  1  Chron.  xxvii.  1  ;  are  quoted,  to  shew  that  the  an- 
cient year  was  composed  of  360  days,  or  of  12  months  of  30  days 
each  :  and  the  learned  writer  refers  to  Sir  John  IMarsham,  Bishop  Be- 
verldge,  Strauchius,  &c.,  for  proofs  of  other  nations  beside  the  Jews 
using  the  same  method  of  computation.  This  may  be  seen  also  fully 
proved  in  Play  fair's  Chronology,  p.  11. 

§  Note,  ch.  ii.  10.  |(  See  note,  ch.  xiii.  5. 

F  F  history 


290  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  III.  §  7. 

history  a  period  of  this  kind,  in  which  the  pagan  na- 
tions of  Europe,  (or,  in  prophetic  language,  of  the 
isles,  of  tlie  sea,)  after  being  converted  to  the  pro- 
fession of  the  Christian  name,  filled  the  courts  of  the 
Lord's  house,  and  principally  composed  that  body 
which  we  call  the  Christian  Church.  But  these  na- 
tions did  not  possess,  during  many  centuries,  a  pri- 
mitive faith  and  pure  knowledge.  They  worshipped 
in  the  outer  court,  at  a  distance;  their  views  of  Di- 
vine truth  were  obscure  ;  they  were  not  admitted  to 
a  sight  of  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant,  of  the  precious 
testimony  of  the  Gospel*. 

The  times,  when  the  Gentiles  should  flow  into  the 
Church,  are  foretold  by  ail  the  Prophets  ;  upon  which 
Saint  Paul  will  be  found  to  comment  in  Rom.  xi.  12. 
25.  XV.  7 — 13.  But  the  prophet  Daniel  has  gone  so 
far  as  to  fix  the  duration  of  a  period,  in  which,  *'  the 
*^  power  of  the  holy  people  (the  Jews)  shall  be  scat- 
"  tered  ;"  in  which  therefore  we  may  suppose  the 
Gentiles  are  to  possess  the  Church.  ''It  shall  be 
*'  for  a  time,  times,  and  halff/'  which  is  understood 
to  signify  three ^ears  and  an  half:  for,  a  time,  in  the 
prophecy  of  Daniel,  signifies  a  ycarf.  But  three 
years  and  an  half,  counted  after  the  eastern  compu- 
tation, amount  to  forty- two  months,  or  l^GO  days, 
which  is  this  very  period  of  the  Gentiles  §. 

Ver.  3.  And  I  xvill  give  unto  my  tzvo  witnesses.'] 
There  is  an  ellipsis  in  this  place,  after  the  word  ^w^-w, 

*  Mosheim,  i.  359-  430.  f  I>an.  xii.  7. 

;  Dan.  iv.  25.  xi.  13. 

§  It  will  be  seen  plainly  under  note,  ch.  xii.  14,  that  the  period 
of  12^0  days  is  exactly  the  same  with  the  time,  times,  and  half;  be- 
cause they  are  indiscriminately  applied  to  the  selfsame  period  of 
history. 

which 


Ch.  xi.    1  — 14.]  APOCALYPSE.  291 

which  may  perhaps  be  supplied  by  to  Uvsvfj.ec  |u,y,  or, 
as  it  stands  in  Acts  ii.  17,  IS,  dzo  m  UveviJLsilog  /xa: 
I  will  give  to  my  two  witnesses  a  portion  of  my 
Holy  Spirit.  This  is  the  necessary  supply  to  be 
given,  in  order  to  make  them  prophets.  They  are 
here  called  Witnesses,  Mafiv^eg^  Such  is  the  title  of 
those  who,  having  been  instructed  in  the  saving 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  are  enabled  to  testify  them  be- 
fore the  world  ;  and,  unawed  by  the  fear  of  suffer- 
ings, to  seal  the  testimony  with  their  blood.  Such 
a  witness  was  our  Lord  himself  "^ ;  such  were  his  Apos- 
tles f;  and  such  confessors  of  the  pure  faith  are  pro- 
mised to  the  true  Church  during  the  period  of  126'0 
years,  in  which  the  Gentiles  are  to  tread  the  courts  of 
the  Christian  Church  in  ignorance  and  impurity. 
Such  witnesses  are  to  appear  in  small  numbers  :  for, 
two  is  the  smallest  number  next  to  unity :  and  this 
number,  to  bear  effectual  testimony,  was  required 
under  the  Law  J.  The  ofBce  of  these  witnesses  is  to 
be  mournful ;  which  is  fully  implied  in  their  funeral 
garb  of  sackcloth  §,  and  the  period  of  their  continu- 
ing to  exercise  this  office,  is  the  same  which  we  have 
before  noted, — 1260  days;  that  is,  1260  years.  But 
the  life  of  one  man  will  not  ordinarily  fill  above  the 
twentieth  part  of  this  space  of  time :  we  are  there- 
fore led  to  expect  a  succession  of  such  prophets  or 
martyrs,    but  few  in  number  at  one  time. 

Ver.  4.  These  are  the  tzvo  olive-trees,  and  the  txvo 
lamp-hearers;  &c.]  The  character  of  these  witnesses 
is   further  expressed   by  their  being  called  *'  the  two 

*  Ch.  i.  5;  1  Tim.  vi.  13. 

+  Luke  xxiv.  48.  Acts  i,  8  ;  ii.  32  ;  iii.  15  ;  v.  32;  x.  Sp. 

\  Deut.  xvii.  6;  2  Cor.  xiii.  1  ;  Matt,  xviii.  l6. 

§  Note,  ch.  vi.  12. 

F  F  2  *^  olive* 


292  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.    §  7- 

''  olive-trees,    and  the  two  lamp-bearers,  which  stand 
*'  before  the  Lord   of  the  earth."     We  have   aheady 
learned,    from    infallible  authority*,    that   the  \\j%Mictiy 
the    lamp-bearers,    represent  the  Churches   of  Christ. 
But  the  seven  Churches  had  forfeited  the  privilege  in 
this  corrupt  and    idolatrous  period.     And   the  newly 
converted  Gentile  Cliurches  were  not  permitted  to  bear 
the  holy   Light  :    for,    they    are    excluded    from    the 
inner   temple  and  the   altar,    where  the  lamp- bearers 
properly  stood.     The  office  of  bearing  the    Christian 
Light,    before   the    Lord    of  the    earth,    is    therefore 
committed  to  the  tivozviitiesses.     The  true  light  of  the 
Gospel  is  exhibited   by  them,    and  commands  atten- 
tion,   though  seen  through  mists  of  suiTOunding  igno- 
rance  and  superstition.      They  are  called  also  *'  the 
*'  two   olive-trees."      The  olive  was   a  sacred   plants 
permitted   to   grow   up,     even   in    the   temple.      This 
figurative  resemblance  had  been  applied  before  to  such 
prophets,    who  are  described  as   two  olive-trees  spon- 
taneously producing  the  golden  (the  pure)  oil ;    and, 
after    this    description,     are    said    to  be     ^'  the   two 
"  anointed  ones,  that  stand  by  the  Lord  of  the  whole 
'*  earth  t."     Pure  Religion  therefore,    which  is  not  to 
be  found  among  the  Gentiles  at  large,   who  frequent 
only  the  outer  courts,    is   to    be  seen  here  with  the 
witnesses :    for,   here   is   the  inner   temple  ;    here   are 
the  lamp-bearers;    the  sacred  olives,   in  the  presence 
of  God. 

Ver.  5.  4'  6']     These  witnesses  are  also  to  be  en- 
dued  with  that  power  of  the  prophets,    expressed  in 

♦  Ch.  i.  12. 

t  Zech.  iv.  11—14.  These  are  usually  understood  to  signify  Zoro- 
babel  and  Joshua,  the  lights  and  ornaments  of  the  ancient  Church 
after  the  Babylonish  captivity. 

Holy 


Ch.  xi.  1— U.]  APOCALYPSE.  il93 

Holy  Writ;  '*  I  will  make  my  word  in  thy  moutli 
"  fire,"  says  the  Lord  to  the  prophet  Jeremiali,  **  and 
"this  people  wood,  and  it  shall  consume  them*." 
They  are  to  prophesy  in  the  power  and  spirit  of 
]\Ioses  and  Elijah,  at  whose  command  the  rain  was 
suspended,    and  the  waters  turned  into  blood  f. 

Ver.  7.  ^  8.]  But  at  the  time  appointed  for  the 
period  of  their  prophesying,  at  the  end  of  the  forty- 
two  months,  or  1260  days,  the  wild-beast,  who  is  to 
ascend  from  the  great  deep,  and  who  is  more  parti- 
cularly described  afterwards  J,  shall  overcome  and  slay 
them  ;  and  shall  prosecute  his  victory  with  such  bar- 
barous ferocity,  as  not  to  permit  to  tl>eir  remains 
the  usual  privilege  of  burial.  Their  dead  bodies,  like 
those  of  the  massacred  Jews  under  Sennacherib  §,  are 
to  he  exposed  in  the  streets  of  the  great  city ;  of 
that  idolatrous,  corrupt  communion,  of  which  So- 
dom, and  iEgypt,  and  Jerusalem  in  its  most  de- 
generate days,  stained  with  the  blood  of  Jesus,  were 
expressive  types. 

Ver.  9.  8^  10.]  And  the  persons  who  belong  to 
this  wicked  city,  consisting  of  "  many  people,  tribes, 
'*  and  nations,"  that  is,  of  the  Gentile  world,  shall 
behold  the  dead  bodies  three  days  and  an  half,  and  re- 
joice over  them.  But,  at  the  end  of  this  period,  the 
prophets  rise  from  the  dead,  by  the  power  of  the  Spi- 
rit; and  are  received  into  heaven,  as  their  prototype 
Elijah,   and  perhaps  Moses,  bad  been  before  them  jj. 

To 

*  Jer.  V.  14,  See?ilso  Isa.  X.  17,  3ci.4;  Jer,  i.  9.  10;  Hos.  vi.  5; 
%  Tht:ss.  ii.  8. 

+  Kxod.  vii.20.  Jumes  v.  17.         X  Ch.  xiii.         §  Tob.  i.  18—24. 

|{  Tlie  spurious  gospel,  under  the  name  of  Nicodemus,  represents 
Enoch  and  Elijah  as  destined  to  undergo  literally  what  is  figuratively 

fortlold 


294  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  7. 

To  proceed  to  the  application  of  this  prophecy : 
we  are  not  to  expect  a  literal  accomplishment.  For 
first,  that  would  be  contrary  to  the  mode  of  inter- 
pretation, to  which  we  are  in  general  directed  by  the 
highest  authority  :  by  our  Lord  himself  and  angels, 
who,  in  explaining  the  *^  mystery''  of  the  stars,  the 
lamp-bearers  *,  the  wild-beast,  his  heads,  his  horns  -f, 
teach  us  to  look  for  a  hidden  and  allegorical  meaninfj. 
Secondly,  such  an  explication  becomes  necessary  m 
this  particular  prophecy :  for,  the  dead  bodies  are 
represented  as  lying  **  in  the  streets  of  the  great 
**  city  which  is  called  spiritually  Sodom,  and  iEgypt, 
*' where  also  their  Lord  was  crucified."  Now  it  is 
plainly,  in  a  spiritual  sense  in  which  we  are  to  un- 
derstand the  words  Sodom,  ^gypt,  and  Jerusalem  ; — 
they  are  used  metaphorically.  And  further,  the  great 
city  which  is  called  Sodom,  ^gypt,  and  Jerusalem, 
cannot  be  all  of  them,  and  therefore  must  be  inter- 
preted to  signify  some  great  society,  or  body  of  men, 
which  h  like  them  all ;  resembling  those  famous  com- 
munities in  the  peculiar  wickedness  of  each;  and  in 
rebellion  to  the  most  high  God  ;  for  such  is  the  cha- 
racter of  them  all.  As  Jerusalem,  in  its  degenerate 
days,  is  by  the  prophets  called  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah X ;  so  the  great  city,  in  which  the  witnesses  pro- 
phesy and  suffer,  is  called  after  the  name  of  all  the 
above  mentioned  communities,  because  resembling 
all.     Thirdly  ;   the  time  of  the  accomplishment  of  this 

foretold  of  the  witnesses  in  this  part  of  the  Apocalypse.     That   rela- 
tion is  plainly  borrowed  from  this  passage.     (See  Evang.  Nicodemi, 
c.  25.)    And  some  of  the   Fathers,  among  whom  is  Tertulhan,  seein 
to  have  taken  up  this  notion.  (Tertullian.  de  Animd,  sect.  50.) 
*  Ch.  i.  2,  ^  Ch.  xvii.  J  Isa.  i.  9.  10. 

prophecy 


Ch.  xi.  1  — 14.]        APOCALYPSE.  ^gi 

prophecy  seems  well  ascertained  :  for,  although  doubts 
may  arise  concerning  the  exact  commencement,  and 
consequently  the  close  of  its  period  ;  yet  the  main 
part  of  it  is  plainly  seen  to  occupy  many  centuries  of 
the  most  degenerate  and  idolatrous  periods  of  the 
Christian  Church;  at  a  time  when  the  Gentile  world, 
the  European  nations,  professed  the  Christian  Reli- 
gion, but  not  in  purity;  a  time  cotemporary  with 
the  reign  of  the  wild-beast*;  a  period  of  1260  years; 
a  considerable  part  of  which,  at  least,  is  now  past. 
Yet,  during  this  period,  Ave  cannot  remark  in  history, 
that  any  such  literal  accomplishment  has  taken 
place.  Nor,  (fourthly,)  can  we  expect  such  literal  ac- 
complishment :  because  in  other  instances,  the  ac- 
knowledged types  under  the  Old  Testament  have  not 
been  thus  Uterallif  fulfilled  in  the  Gospel.  John  the 
Baptist  is  said  to  come  "  in  the  spirit  and  power  of 
^'  Elias  t ;"  nay,  to  be  that  very  prophet:}:;  yet,  con- 
formably to  the  spirit  of  meekness  which  belongs  to 
the  Gospel,  he  performed  no  avenging  miracles  ;  he 
called  down  no  fire  from  heaven  to  consume  his  ene- 
mies. He  knew  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  better  than 
those  disciples  who  intreated  their  Master  for  this  fire§, 
^'  what  manner  of  Spirit  he  was  of"  He  knew,  that 
■ '  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but 
''mighty,  through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  strong 
^' holds  II." 

Thus,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  the  prophecy  may  be 
accomplished  in  the  witnesses,  without  (1.)  hteral 
lire;  without  (-2.)  the  hindrance  of  literal  rain;  or 
(3.)  the  conversion  of  the  waters  literally  into  blood. 

*  Ch.  xiii.  t  Luke  i.  l/.  X  ^^^tt.  xi.  4.  Mark  ix.  13. 

§  Luke  ix.  54— 57.  11  2  Cor.  x.  4.. 

The 


29^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  7. 

The  first  may  be  deemed  essentially  fulfilled,  if  their 
enemies,  the  enemies  of  pure  Religion^  are  in  many 
instances  dismayed,  confounded,  frustrated,  and  sub- 
dued by  the  heavenly  words  of  their  mouth.  The 
second,  if  the  rain  from  heaven,  which,  spiritually 
interpreted,  is  the  blessing  from  heaven  upon  the 
growth  of  true  Religion  *,  is  evidently  suspended 
during  their  prophecy.  The  third,  if  in  the  contest, 
their  enemies,  instead  of  the  peaceful  enjoyment, 
expected  to  accrue  from  the  overthrow  of  the  wit- 
nesses, be  found  to  have  that  peace  troubled  and  dis- 
comfited, and  blood  and  slaughter  to  be  poured  on 
their  own  lieads.  Add  to  this,  that  the  death  of  the 
witnesses  is  also  to  be  taken  in  a  spiritual  sense.  Such 
interpretation  agrees  best  with  the  succession  of  wit- 
nesses, which,  as  before  observed,  must  necessarily 
take  place  in  so  long  a  duration  of  time.  They  do 
not  all  die,  and  again  arise  from  the  dead  ;  but  if 
their  religion  and  the  power  thereof  be  hrst  extin- 
guished, and  then  raised  again,  the  prophecy  seems  to 
be  accomplished  f. 

We   are  then   to  look    beyond   the  literal  sense  ; 
and  fixing  our  attention  on  the  period  of  history,    to 

*  Psalms  Ixviii.  9;  Ixxii.  6,  Isa.  Iv.  10.  Hos,vi.  3, 
t  The  prophets  Moses  and  Elijah  typify,  in  their  history,  that  of 
the  two  witnesses.  These  t\vo  prophets  tied  to  the  wilderness  before 
the  face  of  idolatrous  kings.  In  a  time  of  general  depravity,  they 
preserved,  and  at  length  miraculously  restored,  the  light  and  preva- 
lence of  true  Religion.  They  seem,  both  of  them  in  their  own  per- 
sons, to  have  been  exempt  from  death,  or  to  have  beeu  raised  ii^i- 
mediately  beyond  its  dominion.  They  both  appeared  at  the  trans- 
figuration,-—types  of  a  glorious  resurrection.  Whatever  is  attributed 
to  the  wiiiiesses,  may  be  found  prefigured  in  one,  or  other,  or  both, 
of  these  emineni  prophets.  But  that  winch  the  prophets  did  Htcralbh 
the  witnesses  perform  only  in  a  borrowed  and  spiritual  sense. 

which 


Cll.  xi.   1  —  14.]  APOCALYPSE.  297 

^vhich  we   seem  directed,     we   cannot  but  remark  a 
long  succession  of  ages,  commencing  with  the  times 
when   the  western  Gentiles  flowed  into  the  Church, 
and  possessed  the  outer  courts  of  the  temple;    when 
on    their   ignorance    and   superstition  a  corrupt   and 
ambitious  clergy  began  to  raise  the  papal  hierarchy, 
substituting  pagan   ceremonies  and  unauthorised  ob- 
servances in  the  room  of  primitive  Religion.     These, 
in  history  are  called  the  middle  ages ;    intervening  be- 
tween the  bright  period  of  Grecian  and  Roman  lite- 
rature,   and  the  restoration  of  learning  in    the  four- 
teenth century ;  between  the  days  of  primitive  Chris- 
tian knowledge,  and  the  return  of  it  at  the  Reforma- 
tion.    They  are   marked   in  ecclesiastical  history  by 
increasing    ignorance,     superstition,    corruption,    and 
by  papal  usurpatioti.     But  the  progress  of  these  foes 
to  true  Religion,   and   to  the  happiness  of- mankind, 
was    opposed    and    retarded    by   the   professors   of    a 
purer   faith.      ^'  God   did   not  leave   himself  without 
**  a  xvitness,''     There  arose   in   various   parts   of  the 
great  Christian  republic,    and  at  various  periods,  pro- 
fessors,   and    preachers  of  a  purer  religion ;    of  a  re- 
ligion formed  upon  the  precepts  and  promises  revealed 
in  that  Sacred  Book,    which  it  was  the  constant  en- 
deavour of  the  ecclesiastical  usurpers  to  keep  out  of 
sight.     A   successive   train    of   these,    though   thinly 
§cattered,    was   seen  steadfastly    to    profess   pure  Re- 
ligion,  and,  in  defiance  of  the  papal  thunder,   to  hold 
up  to  admiring  Christians  the  light   of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  true  worship  of  the  Temple.     Although  be- 
set  with  difficulties  and  dangers,    from  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastical   powers,   now   united  to  suppress  them, 
they  stood  their  ground  with  a  confidence  and  energy, 
which  could  arise  only  from  3uch  a  cause  ;    the  cause 

of 


59S  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.  §  7. 

of  truth,  cherished  and  supported  by  the  Spirit  and 
power  of  God.  If  they  suffered,  their  enemies  suifer- 
ed  also, — were  frequently  discomfited  in  the  conflict, 
and  enjoyed  at  last  a  dear-bought  and  only  tempo- 
rary victory. 

Of  the  witnesses,  in  the  early  part  of  this  his- 
tOTj,  wc  have  received  but  imperfect  accounts :  and 
these  come  down  to  us  in  a  very  suspicious  form, 
being  transmitted  chiefly  in  the  writings  of  their 
enemies.  What  therefore  is  said  in  their  praise,  we 
may  admit;  of  other  parts  we  may  doubt.  It  ap- 
pears probable,  that  the  Valdenses,  so  early  as  in  the 
seventh  century,  had  retreated  to  the  valleys  of 
Piedmont ;  there  to  profess  and  exercise  a  purer  re- 
ligion than  was  permitted  to  them  elsewhere*  In 
the  eighth  and  ninth  and  tenth  centuries,  the  pro- 
gress of  popery  was  vigorously  opposed  ;  and  private 
masses  and  pilgrimages,  and  the  adoration  of  images 
and  pictures,  and  other  superstitions,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  transubstantiation  (now  first  broached),  were 
clearly  shewn,  by  many  learned  w^riters,  to  be  con- 
trary to  true  Christianity  f.  From  the  time  of  Pope 
Gregory  VII.,  in  the  eleventh  century,  we  see  this 
light  of  Truth  more  frequently  beaming  forth,  and 
with  increasing  lustre.  In  the  twelfth  century,  it  was 
widely  spread  by  the  zeal  of  Peter  Waldus  and  of  his 
followers.  In  the  thirteenth  century,  the  Inquisi- 
tion M'as  established  to  extinguish  it  J,  and  crusades 

*  See  Mosheim's  Hist,  cent,  vii.  part  2.  ch.  ii.  sect.  2  ;  also  cent, 
x,ii.  part  2.  ch,  v.  sect.  ii.  note  ;  and  the  authorities  there  produced. 

t  Usserius  de  Christianas  Ecclesiae  successione  et  statu,  AlHx's 
Remarks  on  the  Ancient  Churches  of  the  Albigenses,  and  of  Piedmont. 
Bp,  Newton's  Dissertations  on  Prophecy,  vol,  iii.  pp.  150 — 160,  of 
the  octavo  edition. 

X  Mosheim,  cept.  xiii.  part  ii.  ch.  v. 

were 


Ch.  Xi.   1  —  14.]  APOCALYPSE,  2P9 

were  levied  against  those  who  received  it.  In  the 
fourteenth  cent?jry,  our  WicklifFe  caught  the  light, 
and  deHvered  it  to  many  followers.  John  Huss  and 
Jerome  of  Prague  died  martyrs  to  the  cause  in  the 
succeeding  century;  and  it  shone  forth  among  their 
disciples,  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  till  the  Inquisi- 
tion, v/ith  fire  and  fagot,  and  by  obstinate  perseve- 
rance, seemed  at  length  to  have  obtained  the  object 
of  so  much  bloody  persecution  ;  to  have  extinguished 
the  light  of  pure  Religion :  so  that  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  next  century,  the  Roman  pontiff  appear- 
ed to  enjoy  his  usurpation  in  tranquil  security  *.  The 
witnesses  were  heard  no  more  ;  pure  Religion  appeared 
dead  with  them  ;  their  enemies  enjoyed  a  temporary 
triumph.  But  suddenly,  to  the  astonishment  and  con- 
fusion of  the  papal  world,  they  behold  this  heresy 
(as  they  termed  it)  revive,  *'  a  spirit  of  life  from 
*' God  enters  into  it, — it  stands  upon  its  feet;" — 
it  becomes  immortal,  and  leads  the  way  to  heaven. 
Thus  the  revival  of  pure  Religion  in  spirit  and  in 
power,  placed  by  the  Reformation  beyond  the  reach 
of  its  enemies,  seems  expressed  by  the  resurrection 
of  the  witnesses.  Thus,  in  more  early  times,  our 
Lord's  Religion  had  appeared  extinct  and  buried 
with  him ;  but  after  three  days,  with  him  it  rose 
again  ;  was  rekindled  in  the  faint  and  sunken  hearts 
of  his  disciples  ;  by  whose  preaching  it  was  spread 
rapidly  through  the  nations,  disclosing  universally, 
and  in  its  purity,  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and 
of  a  heavenly  Redeemer. 

The  1260  years  preceding  the  Reformation,  were 
strongly  marked  by  a  gradual  corruption,  and  by  the 
darkened    face    of   Christianity :    but   the    light    of 

*  Moshcim's  Hist.  cent.  xvi.  ch.  1.  sect.  1 ;  ch,  ii.  sect.  1. 

genuine 


300  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  III.   §  7* 

genuine  Religion  was  seen  frequently  to  beam  tlirough 
the  prevailing  mists  of  supei*stition ;  to  beam  at  in- 
tervals, and  for  a  short  time ;  and,  many  periods  arc 
pointed  out  by  commentators,  when  this  true  lights 
overclouded,  broke  forth  again  at  the  end  of  three 
years  and  an  half*.  These  seem  to  be  so  many  partial 
and  particular  resurrections  of  pure  Religion,  again 
to  be  buried  and  lost  for  a  time.  Such  a  dark  period 
preceded  the  reformation  preached  by  Lutlier,  "  The 
**  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world  f,  *' l^ad  then 
apparently  extinguished  the  light  of  Evangelical  Re- 
ligion ;  but  while  they  were  enjoying  their  triumph, 
the  holy  light  rekindles  ;  it  rises,  as  it  were,  from 
the  dead;  by  Luther,  Melancthon,  Calvin,  Zuin- 
glius,  and  their  followers,  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is 
produced  to  the  w^orld ;  is  perpetuated,  by  the  art  of 
printing ;  becomes  the  rule  of  worship  and  of  duty, 
and  points  the  true  way  to  Heaven. 

Ver.  13.]  But  this  important  change  could  not 
take  place  without  great  commotions.  In  propheti- 
cal language,  **  there  was  a  great  earthquake  J."  The 
ecclesiastical  edifice  of  papal  Rome  was  shaken  to  its 
centre ;  among  the  reformers,  some  injudicious  and 
guilty  excesses,  some  folly  and  fanaticism,  were  seen 
to  disgrace  so  good  a  cause  §.  The  appeal  of  the  di- 
vided Christian  world  was  to  the  sword  ;  and  war 
was  accompanied  and  followed  by  religious  persecu-*- 

*  Answering  prophetically  to  the  three  day*  and  half  foretold. 
See  them  collected  by  Bp.  Newton,  Dissert,  on  the  Proph.  vqI.  Ui, 
140—146.  Svo  edit. 

t  Eph.  vi,  12.  \  Note,  ch.  vi.  1^. 

S  Plistory  has  recorded  such,  in  the  war  of  the  peasants  in  Ger- 
many ;  in  the  excesses  of  the  Anabaptists  at  Munster  j  in  the  History 
of  the  Reformation  in  Scotland. 

tion. 


Ch.   xi.    1  —  14.]  APOCALYI^SE.  301 

tion.      In  the  earthquake,    says  the  prophecy,   **  the 
*'  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell."     This  can  be  no  other 
than  a  tenth  of  ''  the  great  city"  before  mentioned, 
(ver.  8.)  corrupt,    after  the  abominations  of  Sodom,  of 
iEgypt,  of  Jerusalem  in  her  most  degenerate  days;  con- 
taining, at  the  same  time,   *'  the  Gentiles,"  (ver.  2.)  ; 
containing  ''many  people,  and  tribes,  and  languages, 
and  nations,"  (ver.  9.)  who  tread  the  Lord's  courts,  pro- 
fess his  religion,  but  are  not  admitted  to  the  interior 
of  his  temple,  (ver.  2).      This  description   comprises 
the  whole  visible  community  of  the  Christian  Church, 
afterwards  divided  into  many  cities*.     In  this   *'  great 
*'  city,"  the  edifices  are  shaken,   and  a  tenth  of  them 
h  seen  to  fall.     Most   of  these  buildings  were   "  the 
*'  work  of  men's  hands;"  the  foundation  indeed  was 
Christ   and   his  doctrines.     But  on  this  foundation  f 
strange  edifices  had   been  erected,   by  the  ignorance 
and  pride   of  superstition :   many  such  are  shaken  by 
the   reformation,    and   fall.      Yet  all  such  buildings 
are  not  thrown  down   in   this   earthquake.     *'  Baby- 
*'  Ion  the  great,"   a  conspicuous  part,    at  least,    of  thi^ 
great   city,    will   be  shaken   again,  and    fall   utterly. 
(Ch.  xvi.  19.  xviii.  22.  f) 

In  this  '*  earthquake  there  were  slain  names  of  men 
'^  seven  thousand."  Seven,  in  prophetical  language, 
is  an  indefinite  number  ;  otherwise  so  many  thousand 
would  seem  to  bear  but  a  small  proportion  to  the  im- 

*  Ch.  xvi.  19. 

t  Described  by  Saint  Paul,  1  Cor.  iii.  10—13;  Rom.  xt.  20; 
Eph.  ii.  t20. 

X  The  great  city  is  certainly  more  than  Babylon,  and  seems  to  com- 
prehend her  ;  for  in  ch.  xvi.  19,  the  great  city  is  divided  by  the  earth-- 
quake  **  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nmions  fall,  and  Ba- 
**  bylou  the  great  is  remembered  before  God.'' 

mensc 


302  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  III.  §  7. 

mense  population  of  so  great  a  city.  The  Reforma- 
tion, of  the  sixteenth  century,  though  infinitely  he- 
neficial  to  the  interests  of  true  Religion  and  Huma- 
nity, was  not  attended  with  the  same  saving  effects 
to  all  professed  Christians.  Liberty,  in  some  pro- 
duced licentiousness ;  in  some,  fanaticism ;  in  some, 
perhaps,  infidelity.  But  to  the  much  greater  part  of  the 
Christian  world  it  proved  highly  salutary.  **  They  be- 
**  came  afraid,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven." 
Many  nations  withdrew  themselves  entirely  from  the 
corrupt,  idolatrous  worship  of  the  church  of  Rome;  and 
modelled  their  religion  after  the  word  of  God  and  the 
practice  of  the  primitive  ages.  And  even  they  who 
adhered  to  the  papal  communion,  incited  by  the 
example  of  the  Protestants,  began  to  cultivate,  if  not 
in  their  formularies,  yet  in  their  lives  and  practice, 
a  less  impure  and  corrupt  religion.  Some  nations, 
acknowledging  the  papal  name,  have  been  enabled  to 
shake  off  a  considerable  part  of  the  papal  yoke;  to 
renounce  the  authority  of  the  Court  of  Rome  in  their 
civil  concerns ;  and  a  prospect  is  thus  opened  of 
their  entire  delivery  from  this  audacious  usurpa- 
tion *, 

Such  is  the  interpretation,  which  had  presented 
itself  to  me,  respecting  the  prophecy  of  the  Wit- 
nesses; and  it  has  received  considerable  accession 
from  the  commentators  whom  I  had  afterwards  op- 
portunity to  consult ;  whose  notions  in  general  accord 
with  those  now  delivered.  Yet,  upon  a  calm  review, 
I  must  confess  myself  not  very  confident  of  com- 
plete success.  All  the  symbols  of  the  prophecy,  espe- 
ciaUy  in  the  latter  part,  will  not  be  found  to  be  ful- 
filled  so  completely  in  the  history  which  we  exhibit, 

•  Mosheim,  cent.  xvi.  part  i.  sect,  3, 


Ch.  xi.  1 — 14.]  APOCALYPSE.  303 

as  should  reasonably  be  expected.  And  therefore  I 
am  inclined  to  agree  with  Bishop  Newton,  that  the 
final  conflict  of  the  beast  with  the  witnesses,  their 
death  and  resurrection,  77iay  be  yet  to  come.  The 
1260  years,  beginning  from  the  Saraceiie  invasion, 
are  not  yet  elapsed  ;  and  in  a  prophecy,  of  which  parts 
only  are  yet  fulfilled,   there  must  remain  difficulties. 

Ver.  14.  The  second  woe  is  past ;  kc.'\  The  second 
woe  appears,  from  this  passage  and  its  context,  to  be 
under  the  sixth  Trumpet ;  and  to  be  included  in  the 
period  of  1260  years,  which  contains  the  greater  part  of 
the  Mahometan  and  Papal  times.  But  where  is  the  third 
woe?  Certainly  not  under  that  Trumpet;  for  it  is 
here  stated  to  "^  come,  when  the  second  zvoe  is  ended''' 
But  this  woe  ends  with  the  completion  of  tlie  sixth 
Trumpet :  for^  immediately  after  this  declaration, 
that  the  third  xvoe  is  coming,  the  seventh  Trumpet 
sounds.  The  times,  in  which  we  now  live,  seem  to 
be  those  of  the  latter  end  of  the  sixth  Trumpet.  I 
fear  therefore  that  we  must  be  led  to  conclude  that 
the  third  woe  or  last  dreadful  conflict,  in  which  the 
Christian  cause  shall  suffer,  is  yet  to  come.  More, 
will  be  said  on  this  subject^  when  the  prophecy, 
wliich  seems  to  foretel  it,   shall  be  explained  *. 

t  gee  note,  ch,  xvi.  13,,  towards  the  eiid. 


PART 


r     304     ] 


[Pt.  IV.  §  I. 


THE 


APOCALYPSE,    &c. 


PART    IV. 


SECTION     L 


The  Sounding  of  the  seventh  Trumpet. 


CHAt*.  xi.  VER.  15 — to  tlie  end, 


Kj  lyivovlo  ^uvce.) 
lAiyoiXai  Iv  ru 
^poiyZj  XefovTBS*  'E- 

tS  Ky^/«  i)/x5»,  >Cf 
t5  XftT^  uvryf  k, 
^aa-tXsva-it  lU  r^s 
aiuvxs  Tui  aiuvuy. 
loKoci  ot  e'lKOO't  re(7- 

CXftS    VJ^iffCvTI^Oi 

•i   huvtov   Ttt  &ZU 

^povss  awTwK,  iiTt- 
0-uv  ««■«  ri  w^o- 
CA/va  alruVf  kxi 
«r^oa£Xvr*j(7<z»  t« 
170EW,  Atyoilts'    Ey- 

fit  0  Qios  0  'srav- 

)^  i  W  'in  tii\7}<pas 


15 And  the  seventh  angel 
sounded  ;  and  there 
were  loud  voices  in 
heaven,  saying,  "  The 
*'  kingdom  of  the  world 
*'  is  become  our  Lord's, 
"  and  his  Anointed's  ; 
"  and  he  shall  reign  for 

l6**  ever  and  ever."  And 
the  twenty-four  elders, 
who  were  sitting  be- 
fore God  upon  their 
thrones,  fell  upon  their 
faces,  and  worshipped 

17God, saying;  **  We  give 
**  thanks  to  thee,  O 
**  Lord,  the  Almighty 
"  God,  which  art  and 
"  hast  been  ;  because 
*'  thou  hast  taken  unto 
**  thee  thy  great  power, 
"  and     hast    reigned. 

18"  And  the  nations 
'*  were  wrathful,   and 


15And  the  seventh  angel 
sounded,  and  there 
were  great  voices  in 
heaven,  saying,  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  king' 
doms  of  our  Lord,  and 
of  his  Christ,  and  he 
shall    reign    for   ever 

l6and  ever.  And  the 
four-and-twenty  elders 
which  sat  before  God 
on  their  seats,  fell  up- 
on  their    faces,     and 

1 7 worshipped  God,  Say- 
ing, We  give  thee 
thanks,  O  Lord  God 
Almighty,  which  art, 
and  wast,  and  art  to 
come  ;  because  thou 
hast  taken  to  thee  thy 
great  power,  and  hast 

1  Sreigned.  And  the  na- 
tions were  angry,  and 


Ch.  xi.    15 — 19.]  APOCALYPSE. 


305 


18  XSV(TXS,        Kui    TM 

•nXdsv   n    o^yn   ctSy 

tCXI      0     KXipoS     Tk!V 

liix^u/y,  KptOvvxif  y^ 

OUVXt       TOV      f/t.t(T9ov 

^^Q^-nrxis  Kf  rois 
aylois  Kxi  rois  ^0- 
Vstf/Xfyo/f  TO  ovo^ix 
ati  rois  (Aiyc^ois  ^ 
roTs    (AsyccKoiSf    ;^ 

(pQfl^Oilxs    TJjy  y^v, 
15  Ka<  rivo/yu  0  vxos 

«^xvUf  iy    u<pQn   -n 

B-nK-ns  otlrZ  !»  rZ 
vxZ  xvrti*  iy  £<ye- 
>o>(o  d^^xTTxi  -Z 
^uvxi   iy  ^^ovlxi  y^ 

Cil(T(MS  JO  ^uKx^X 

f/Ayxhyi» 


'^  thy  wrath  is  come, 
"  and  the  season  of  the 
*'  dead,  for  judgment 
**  to  take  place,  and 
**  to  give  the  reward 
"  to  thy  servants  the 
*'  Prophets,  and  to  the 
**  Saints,  and  to  those 
"  v/ho  fear  thy  name, 
"  to  the  small  and  to 
"  the  great;  and  to 
**  destroy  those  that 
"  destroy  the  earth." 
19  And  the  Temple  of 
God  was  opened  in 
heaven,  and  the  Ark 
of  his  Covenant  was 
seen  in  his  Temple. 
And  there  were  light- 
nings, and  voices,  and 
thunderings,and  earth- 
quake»  and  great  hail. 


thy  wrath  is  come,  and 
the  time  of  the  dead, 
that  they  should  be 
judged,  and  that  thou 
shouldest  give  reward 
unto  thy  servants  the 
prophets,  and  to  the 
saints,  and  them  that 
fear  thy  name,  small 
and  great,  and  should- 
est destroy  them  which 
19  <iestroy  the  earth.  And 
the  Temple  of  God  was 
opened  in  heaven,  and 
there  was  seen  in  his 
temple  the  ark  of  his 
testament :  and  there 
were  lightnings,  and 
voices,  and  thuqder- 
ings,  and  an  earth- 
quake,  and  great  hail. 


Ver.  15.  And  the  seventh  ajigel  sounded^  and  there 
were  loud  voices  in  heaven,  saying;  &c.]  The  sound 
of  the  seventh  TTumpet  was  become  an  object  of  ex- 
pectation. It  was  the  la-st  Trumpet,  the  sabbatical 
one,  Avhich,  after  a  long  period  of  warfare,  should 
bring  rest  and  peace  to  the  Church.  The  angel  had 
solemnly  declared,  that  ''  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of 
'*  the  seventh  angel,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be 
'^  finished  *."  Immediately  therefore  as  the  sound  of 
this  Trumpet  is  lieard,  heavenly  voices  hail  the  happy 
time,    and  announce  the  triumphant  reign  of  God  and 

*  Ch.  X.7. 

Q  G  of 


m6  APOCALYI^SE.  [Pt.  IV.   §   1. 

of  his  Anointed.  The  twenty-four  elders  join  the 
heavenly  chorus,  anticipating  the  joyful  event,  even 
before  it  is  disclosed  in  prophetical  vision.  Thus  the 
scene  is  suddenly  removed  from  earth  to  heaven; 
where  the  same  apparatus,  and  the  same  heavenly 
ministers  appear,  surrounding  the  throne  of  God,  as 
in  the  fourth  chapter. 

Ver.  18.  T/ie  nations  zvere  wrathful.']  This  agrees 
with  the  opening  of  that  august  prophecy  of  our 
Lord's  kingdom,  in  the  second  Psalm:  ''Why  do 
**  the  nations  so  fiiriouslif-  trtge  ?''  &c.  The  same 
subject  is  also  magnificently  displayed  in  the  1 10th 
Psahn. 

lb.  The  season  of  the  dead,  Jor  judgfuent  to  take 
place.]  The  received  translation  expresses  that  the 
dead  are  to  be  judged  at  this  time.  But  this  does 
not  appear  the  whole  import  of  the  original :  for,  be- 
fore the  great  day  of  retribution,  when  the  literally 
dead  shall  be  raised  from  their  graves,  and  appear  be- 
fore the  judgment-scat,  (as  in  ch.  xxii.  12.)  another 
kind  of  judgment  is  to  be  expected  ;  that  by  which 
the  inequalities  in  the  distribution  of  justice  are, 
under  the  earthlij  reign  of  Christ,  to  be  rectified. 
Kp/fl-iV  Toig  e^vs^i  aTrafycKei,  "lie  shall  utttY  judgnwnt 
''to  the  nations,"  was  the  prophetic  designation  of 
our  Lord*.  "  AW  judgment  was  committed  to  him'' 
by  the  Father  f;  and  his  right  to  exercise  it,  took 
place  from  his  crucifixion:}::  but  this  judgment  was 
suspended  for  a  time,  'H  y.i^Kjig  uvls  v^pGii  §,  and  was  not 
to  be  exercised  in  plenitude  of  power,  till  the  times 
of  the  Gentiles  should  be  fulfilled  ||  ;  and  this  judg- 
ment,   though   not  perfected   in   all   its  parts    before 

*  Matt.xii.  18.  t  John  v.  22.  J  John  xii.  31. 

i  Acts  viii.  33.  j|  Luke  xxi.  24. 

the 


Ch.  xi.  15 — 19']         APOCALYPSE.  307 

the  great  and  last  day,  (which  is  also  comprehended 
under  this  Trumpet,)  yet,  is  first  to  be  displayed^  in 
the  destruction  of  the  corrupt  worldly  powers,  and 
the  restoration  of  a  purer  religion  and  morality.  This 
display  of  Chrisfs  judgment  on  earth  we  shall  yet 
behold  under  this  Trumpet;  and  the  jubilant  songs 
of  the  heavenly  choir  evidently  refer  to  it.  ''  The 
'*  time  of  the  dead,"  may  likewise  signify  (in  that 
metaphorical  sense  in  which  the  word  death,  Sec.  is 
frequently  used)  the  time  when  pure  Religion,  dead 
and  buried,  as  it  had  been  with  the  witnesses,  shall 
revive  and  flourish.  But  no  final  opinion  can  be 
passed  on  an  unfulfilled  prophecy,  before  the  event  shall 
direct  the  interpretation. 

Ver.  19.  The  ark  of  his  covenant  was  seen  in  his 
Temple.]  "  The  Ark  of  the  Covenant"  (the  sacred 
coffer,  so  called,  because  it  contained  the  tables  of 
the  Covenant,  into  which  God  had  deigned  to  enter 
with  the  ancient  Church)  was  deposited  in  the  ''  ta- 
*'  bernacle,  called  the  holiest  of  all  *."  This  interior 
part  of  the  temple,  accessible  under  the  law  to  none 
but  the  high-priest,  is  now  opened  ;  and  the  ark  is 
exhibited  to  view.  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  High- 
priest,  and  Mediator  of  the  New  Covenant,  who  had 
here  deposited  his  New  Covenant  of  Mercy,  even 
'*  the  everlasting  Gospel;"  who  had  broken  down  the 
partition  excluding  the  Gentiles  from  its  benefits  ;  who 
alone  could  enter  the  Holy  of  Holies ;  grants  it  to  be 
exhibited.  As  the  walls  of  the  idolatrous  Jericho  fell 
before  the  ark  of  the  Old  Covenant,  so  will  the  cor- 
rupt Babylon  before  this.  But  that  which  seems  more 
immediately  to  be  signified  under  this  exhibition,  is  the 
restoration  of  the  Gospel;   of  the  Christian  Religion, 

*  Ileb.  ix.  1—5. 

0  G  2  ia 


305  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   IV.  §     1. 

ill  its  purity.  The  Gentiles,  from  the  entrance  of 
the  greater  part  of  them  into  the  Church,  had  not  yet 
enjoyed  the  opportunity  of  knowing  and  practising  a 
pure  Religion.  They  had  trodden  the  courts,  but  had 
never  been  admitted  into  the  interior,  of  the  Tem- 
ple '*.  From  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  a  view  of 
the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  was  afforded  to  them. 

lb.  A}2d  there  xvere  light nivgs  and  ^voices;  &c.] 
Such  apparatus  accompanied  the  promulgation  of  the 
old  Covenant  froni  Mount  Sinai  t;  and  the  same  at- 
tends the  re-productron  of  the  N^tV  Covenant,  The 
scene  is  now  in  heaven;^;  and  the  voices,  &c.  seem 
to  proceed  thence.  But  their  effect  must  be  intend- 
ed for  the  earth-;  and  the  hail  would  probably  fall 
there.  So  that  (7et(T(j.og  (omitted  in  same  copies)  may 
be  translated  earthquake.  And  the  whole  seems  to 
express  commotions,  which  must  be  dreadfully  felt 
when  the  wrath  of  God,  disclosed  by  this  Trumpet, 
(ver.  18.)  shall  break  forth  upon  the  usurpers  of  hb 
power.  This  is  only  3.  p7'eparator]/  scoie,  and  there- 
fore affords  onl}^  a  general  view  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  seen  especially  poured  out  in  the  vision  of  the 
Vials,  contained  also  tinder  this  Trumpet. 

*  Ch.  xi.  2.  t  Kxod.  xi:^.  l6,   c^c. 

\  See  njole,    ver.  15. 


PART 


CI 


lap.  XII.  J 


APOCALYPSE. 


309 


PART     IV. 

SECTION     II. 

The  TVoman  and  the  Dra"'072. 


u^^ri  h  ru  u^xvZ* 
yvvv  -CTJfiCittATj/^a- 
fi}  Toy  riXtcVi  x.at 
<5  ffiXmn  vTTOY.o(.ru 
TftJy  'uTcSwv  ulrriSy 
^  liri  T?y  y.t(^oc\ris 
KvThi  fi^avS'  ao"- 

ty      yJK-f'      £X«^a 

^xffxvi^oijiev'n      te- 

OTj/xsroy  £y  Tw  «f  ayw, 

■SEry^^or,  ep^wy  x£- 
<pxAus  iijlx  K^  y.i- 
^ara  Ji'xa*  >{^  ett/ 
«•«$•  xE^a?>aj  «t'- 
Ta  o<o«^rj//,a./a  JTria. 

o-y^f*  TO  rptTov  TMv 
^-iip^v     tS    a^avH, 

tC       £^xXl¥       avTiSS 

s]s  Tr,v  yriv'  ^  0 
^^xxwv  ESTjxEy  EyJ^- 
'rrtov  'ths  ^vhxikIs 
rr)S  ynXXHcrns  rt~ 
xsTvy  'I'vx  orav  rixr), 
TO  Ti/.vov  xvrr,! 
^    Kzlx^siyr}*        Kxi 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

1  And  a  great  sign  \v.is 
seen  in  heav.eij  ;  a  wo- 
man clothed  around 
with  the  sun,  and  the 
moon  undctjr  her  feet, 
and  upon  her  head  a 
crown  ol  twelve  stars. 

2  And,  being  \Yith  child, 
she  cries  out,  suffering 
the  pangs  of  child- 
birth, and  painfully  la- 
bouring to  bring  forth. 

3  And  there  was  seen 
another  sign  in  hea- 
ven;  and,  behold,  a 
great  fire  -  coloured 
dragon,  having  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns, 
and    upon    his  heads 

4  seven  diadems.  And 
his  tail  draweth  along 
the  third  part  of  the 
stars  of  heaven  ;  and 

•  he  cast  them  to  the 
earth.  And  the  dra- 
gon stood  before  the 
woman,  who  was  about 
to  bring  forth,  that 
when  she  should  bring 
forth,  he  might  devour 

5  her   child.      And  she 


1  And  there  appeared  a 
great  wonder  in  hea- 
ven, a  woman  clothed 
with  the  sun,  and  the 
moon  under  her  feet, 
and  upon  her  head  a 
crown  of  twelve  stars  : 

2  And  she  being  with 
child,  cried,  travail- 
ing in  birth,  and  pain- 
ed    to    be    delivered, 

3  And  there  appeared 
another  wonder  in  hea- 
ven, and  behold,  a 
great  red  dragon,  hav- 
ing seven  heads,  and 
ten  horns,  and  seven 
crowns  upon  his  heads. 

4  And  his  tail  drew  the 
third  part  of  the  stars 
of  heaven,  and  did 
cast  them  to  the  earth  : 
and  the  dragon  stood 
before  the  woman 
which  was  ready  to  be 
delivered,  for  to  devour 
her  child  as  soon  as  it 

5  was  born.  And  she 
brought  forth  a  man- 
child,  who  was  to  rule 
all  nations   with  a  rod 


10 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  IV.  §  2. 


CrfXEV     ViOV     OCfpViXy 

vstv    '^dvloi   TO,  iQvv} 

ycoii  vi^Tra.a-%  to 
viy.vov  oivTvs  zj^os 
Toy  0EOV  -iCj  rjpos  rov 

•n    yvvvi    i^pvyiv   bU 

trtV         spVj(X.OV,       OTTH 

T»    ©£«,     IVjt    iKti 

uiPxs  yjKioLS  oiaKO- 
7  aias  s^ytKQvlx.  Kacl 
sysvflo  tsoKsfx^  Iv 
ru  iifotvw*  0  Ml- 
yjcvik  yij  o<  oHyaXoi 
apJrS  T«  'froXsiA.^axi 
fA.sla,  t5  ^^ax.ovT©'* 
7^  0  S^axwv  E7*oXi- 
fjLioai  i^    ot   ocfys'Aot 

8  aoT»5  Ka/'  8X.  ;cr- 
yvcrxv,  «t£  tott©' 
tvp^Ovi  acvruv  'irt  bv 

9  To;    ii^xvf.        Kcci 

1<^Xy,9v     0    ^pCCKUV    0 

fjAyxSy     0     o^is     0 
ap)(^'X,7^,    0  xaX«- 

0    <JX10CTI(X,S^     O  TUXx- 

yu/v     rriv    o/;t«/j(.£v>;v 

0A*3V,    IQXviOY)  bU  TVjV 

yr,v'   TCf    ol    oc.9yBXoi 

avTU        l^BI         XVTtS 

XOsCXyiQriaav,  Kai 
yjKnarx  (puvv)v  iKiyx- 

X»3V    £V    Tw       H^XvZj 

hiyaa-xv'  "A^i  iys- 


brought  forth  a  male- 
child,  who  is  about  to 
rule  as  a  shepherd  all 
the  nations  with  an 
iron  rod.  And  her 
child  was  caught  up  to 
God  and  to  his  throne. 

6  And  the  woman  fled 
into  the  wilderness, 
where  she  has  there  a 
place  prepared  of  God, 
that  they  should  there 
nourish  her  a  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty 

7  days.  And  there  was 
war  in  heaven;  Mi- 
chael and  his  angels 
for  to  fight  with  the 
dragon;  and  the  dra- 
gon    fought    and    his 

8  angels,  And  prevailed 
not ;  neither  was  their 
place  found  any  more 

9  in  heaven.  And  the 
great  dragon  was  cast 
down,  that  ancient  ser- 
pent, who  is  called  the 
Devil,  and  Satan,  who 
deceive th  the  whole 
world ;  he  was  cast 
down  to  the  earth  ;  and 
his   angels    were  cast 

10  down  with  him.  And 
r  heard  '4  loud  voice 
in  heaven,  saying ; 
*'  Now  is  come  the 
"  Salvation,  and  the 
*'  Power  and  theKing- 
"  dom  of  our  God,  and 
<*  the  Rule  of  bis  A- 


of  iron  :  and  her  child 
was  caught  up  unto 
God,  and  ^ohis  throne. 

6  And  the  woman  fled 
into  the  wilderness, 
where  she  hath  a  place 
prepared  of  God,  that 
they  should  feed  her 
there  a  thousand  two 
hundred    and     three- 

7  score  days.  And  there 
was  war  in  heaven ; 
INIichael  and  his  angels 
fought  against  the  dra- 
gon, and  the  dragon 
fought  and  his  angels  : 

8  And  prevailed  not,  nei- 
ther was  their  place 
found    any    more    in 

9  heaven.  And  the  great 
dragon  was  cast  out, 
that  old  serpent,  call- 
ed the  Devil  and  Sa- 
tan, which  deceiveth 
the  whole  world:  he 
was  Cvjst  out  into  the 
earth,  and  his  angels 
were    cast    out    with 

10  him.  And  I  heard  a 
loud  voice  saying  in 
heaven,  Now  is  come 
salvation  and  strength, 
and  the  kingdom  of 
our  God,  and  the 
power  of  his  Clirist : 
for  the  accuser  of  our 
brethren  is  cast  down, 
which  accused  them 
before   our   God  day 

11  and  night.    And  th?y 


Chap.  xH.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


Vila  v)  a-Miv^iOij  >c,  >3 
Xcix  T«  0Ea  vi^iovf 

3^       >J       l^HO-lx      T« 

Xf^ra  aJra*  %rt 
xxlsC\-n9r)  0  Kxlviyujp 
rut  a,0£X(puv  yift.MV, 
o  xa/>jyo(Oft/v   avruv 

tVjJTfJOV  t5  ©£» 
TJ/AoJv       VfAS^XS      XXI 

1 J  yv>dw.  Kai  xvrol 
Iv/>c^<r4tv  aJrov  o/a 
TO  aJ/Ajt  t3  apyt'a, 
yixi  otoi  rov  Xoyov 
r7)s  fj^x^vplxs  XV- 
vuv'   >y  «x  vyxTTvi- 

xvrZv  ocx£'  ^•*" 
.1 2  vara.  A/a  raro 
iu^p^xma-Qi  01  a- 
fflevo/  -/C  01  Iv  xvroTs 
erxrtvtimi .  Ovxi  r^ 
yn  Kj  rf.  ^xXdi<Ta-/i, 

CoXS-   zypos    VIJI.XS, 

s-ywv   -yjvixov  [xsyxv, 

ii^uSy     oTt     oKi'yor 

13y.xt^ov  £%£'•      K.a; 

OTE    eIoEV  0    CpXitUV, 

ort  1^\yi^  t(s  T^v 
7^y,  £o<a'^£  Trji/  yy- 

VxTy.Xj  yiTiS  ETIK! 
1-i  Toy  oipptvx.  Kxt 
a^6Qy)<rxv  rrt  yvvxixi 
§V3  tsli^vyts  tS  itala 
ra      fJisyxXUf     Hvx 

If.  J  X 

ZSiTrilxi  (IS  Ttjv 
s^yifjLoy  ih  rov  roirov 
xvrnSi  oTra  Tf  £'f)£laji 

IyM  KXtpoVT^  KXipUSf 
'^  VIJ-ITV  KX;f^j  XTTO 


"  nointed  ;  because  the 
**  accuser  of  our  bre- 
*'  thren,  who  accused 
*'  them  before  our  God 
"  day  and  night,  is  cast 

11"  down.  And  they 
**  overcame  him  by  the 
*'  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
"  and  by  the  word  of 
"  their  testimony  ;  and 
*'  they  loved  not  their 
*'  life  fre/i  unto  death. 

12"  Therefore  rejoice,  O 
"  ye  heavens,  and  ye 
"  that  dwell  therein. 
*'•  Woe  to  the  earth, 
'*  and  to  the  sea  j  be- 
"  cause  the  Devil  is 
"  come  down  to  you, 
"  having  great  wrath, 
"  knowing  that  he  hath 

13"  a  short  season."  And 
when  the  dragon  saw 
that  he  was  cast  down 
to  the  earth,  he  pur- 
sued the  woman  who 
brought  forth  the  male- 

14  child.  And  to  the  wo- 
man v.ere  given  two 
wings  of  the  great 
eagle,  that  she  might 
flee  into  the  wilder- 
ness, into  her  place, 
where  she  is  nourished 
there,  a  time  and  times 
and  half  a  time,  from 
the  presence  of  the  ser- 

15  pent.  And  the  serpent 
cast  out  of  his  mouth, 
after  the  woman,  water 
like  a  river,  that   he 


overcame  him  fey  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb, 
and  by  the  word  of 
their  testimony;  and 
they  loved  not  their 
lives   unto  the  death. 

12  Therefore  rejoice,  ye 
heavens,  and  ye  that 
dwell  in  them.  Woe 
to  the  inhabiters  of 
the  earth.,  and  of  the 
sea :  for  the  devil  is 
come  down  unto  you, 
having  great  wrath, 
because  he  knoweth 
that    he     hath   but  a 

13  short  time.  And  when 
the  dragon  saw  that 
he  was  cast  unto  the 
earth,  he  persecuted 
the  woman  which 
brought  forth  the  man- 

14-  c/iilc/.  And  to  the  wo- 
man were  given  tv.'o 
wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
that  she  might  fly  into 
t!ie  wilderness,  into 
her  place  :  where  she 
is  nourished  for  a  time, 
and  times,  arid  half  a 
time,  from  the  face  of 

15  the  serpent.  And  the 
serpent  cast  out  of  his 
mouth  water  as  a  flood, 
after  the  woman  ;  that 
he  might  cause  her  to 
be  carried  away  of  the 

16  flood.  And  the  earth 
helped  tlie  woman,  and 
the  earth  opened  her 
mouth,  and  swallowed 


31 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  IV.  §  2. 


oTriact}  TV)S  yvvxfKos 
to  up  us  zjolx{x.ov' 
't'vx  racvrriv   -cjorat- 

l6  Kacl  lCo'/i9r)aivv  775 
r^  yvvxiK^y  K)  vvoi- 
l^cv  v  yri  TO  fo/iAJS 
alrris,  y^  xaljTr.e 
Toy  'ZSolaiAQT)  ov  I  ba- 

w^ylaOv  0  S^ax.wv 
ftTT^xSs  'SJoiriTa.i  VTo- 

avTYiS^  TMV  rvipi^uv 
rocs  EVTCAaf  t50£5, 
>(^  £j^&v1:<;v  rrjv  /xaf- 
tv^'ixv  'l»9cr». 


might  cause  her  to  be 
carried    away  by  the 

16  river.  And  the  earth 
helped  the  woman : 
and  the  earth  opened  its 
mcuth,  and  swallowed 
up  the  river  which  the 
dragon  cast  out  of  his 

17  mouth.  And  the  dra- 
gon was  enraged  a- 
gainst  the  woman,  and 
wen^  away,  to  make 
war  with  the  remnant 
of  her  ofl^pring;  those 
who  keep  the  com. 
mandments  of  God, 
and  hold  the  testiniony 
of  Jesus, 


up  the  flood  which  the 
dragon  cast  out  of  his 
17  mouth.  And  the  dra- 
gon was  wroth  with 
tl.e  woman,  and  went 
to  make  war  with  the 
remnant  of  her  seed, 
which  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God, 
and  have  the  testimo- 
ny of  Jesus  Christ. 


Yer.  1.  A  great  sign — in  heaven.']  The  word  av^yjem 
is  used  liere  to  signify  a  type,  a  symbol,  or  figura- 
tive representation  ;  and  occurs  in  tlie  same  sense  in 
other  parts  of  Scripture  *.  The  verb  <7iipi<s;/vw,  as  used  in 
cb.  i.  1.  includes  the  same  meaning.  Tiie  scene  of 
this  representation  continues  yet  in  licaven.  We  are 
prepared  to  expect  under  this  Trumpet  the  descrip- 
tion of  that  conflict  and  victory,  by  which  the  Chrisr 
fian  Church  will  be  placed  in  security  from  her  ene- 
mies. And  in  order  to  exhibit  this  in  all  its  parts, 
the  Holy  Spirit  begins  the  representation  from  the  ear- 
liest times.     To  enable  us  to  understand  things  tiiturC;, 


*  Matt.  xii.  38.  xvi.  1^4,  Rom.  iv,  11, 


past 


Chap.  XJi,]  APOCALYPSE.  313 

past  events  are  first  represented  ti?i4er  the  same  kind 
of  allegory. 

Ibid.  A  JVoman.']  A  woman,  in  figurative  lan- 
guage, is  used  to  signify  a  city,  a  slate,  a  body  politic. 
Such  is  the  daughter  of  Tyre,  of  Babylon,  of  Jeru- 
salem * ;  the  latter  of  whom,  when  virtuous,  is  ho- 
noured with  the  high  appellation  of  the  espoused  of 
God  f ;  when  wicked  and  idolatrous,  she  is  styled 
the  harlot,  the  adulteress ;]:.  This  method,  of  re- 
presenting nations  and  cities  under  the  symbol  of 
women,  was  copied  from  the  eastern  by  the  western 
world,  Rome  is  represented  upon  the  ancient  medals 
under  the  form  of  a  woman.  Britannia  appears  under 
the  same  emblem.  There  is,  among  the  Roman  coins, 
one  of  Vespasian,  upon  the  reverse  of  which  is  a  cap- 
tive woman,  hanging  her  mournful  head,  and  the  inscrip- 
tion is  Jitdcea,  Siie  is  there  depictured,  as  by  the  mas- 
ter-hand, in  Lament,  i.  1 — 4,  and  in  the  137th  Psalm, 
where  the  daughter  of  Babylon  and  the  captive  daughter 
of  Jerusalem,  are  contrasted.  But  the  woman,  the  city 
now  represented,  is  o^  heavenly  ov\g\\\,  ^*  whose  builder 
**  and  maker  is  God,''  of  which  ^'  Christ  is  the  corner 
**  stone  ;  the  New,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  mother 
'*  of  us  all\.''     She  is,  in  short,  the  Church  of  Christ  ||^ 

*  Psalms  xlv.  12  ;  cxxxvii.  S.     2  Kings  xix.  21. 

■\  Isaiah  liv.  1.  5.  Ixvi.  6—14.  Jer.  xxxi.  4.  2  Cor.  xi.  2. 

X  See  notes,  ch.  ii.  20.  xvii.  1. 

§  Matt.  xvi.  18.  Gal.  iv.  26,  27.  1  Cor.  iii.  9,  &c.  2  Cor.  v.  1—3  ; 
vi.  l6'.  Eph.  ii.  21 ;  iii.  <) ;  iv.  12.  l6\  Col.ii.  7.  1  Tim.  iii.  15.  I  P^t. 
ii.  S—7 — 10.  Heb.  iii.  6.  xi.  10;  xii.  22;  xiii.  14.  Rev.  iii.  12; 
xxi.  2. 

11  Methodius,  one  of  the  most  ancient  commentators  on  the  Apo- 
palypse,  who  wrote  about  the  year  2f^0,  applies  this  symbol  to  tlie 
Christian  Church.  (See  the  commentary  of  And.  Cues,  in  loc.)  In  the 
Shepherd  of  llermas,  and  in  the  apocryphal  Esdras,  a  woman  repre- 
sents the  Church, 

and 


314  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  2. 

and  is  to  be  known  as  such,  not  only  by  these  Scrip- 
tural marks,  but  by  the  seed,  or  offspring,  attri- 
buted to  her.  For,  after  she  has  produced  the  great 
Shepherd  of  the  Christian  flock,  '' Christ  the  Jirst 
'^fruits"  the  rest  of  her  offspring  are  said  to  be, 
"  those  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
"  hold  the  testimony  of  Jesus.''  (ver.  17-)  But  >vho 
can  be  entitled  to  this  character,  unless  the  true  sons 
of  the  Christian  Church  ?  The  mother  therefore  is  the 
Christian  Church.  She  is  represented  as  arrayed  in 
the  most  pure  and  splendid  light;  the  Sun,  the 
Moon,  the  Stars,  those  acknowledged  symbols  of  pure 
knowledge,  and  of  dignity,  are  employed  to  adorn 
her.  The  lustre  of  her  attire ;  the  elevation  of  her 
throne,  expressed  by  the  second  luminary  being  her 
footstool ;  her  crown,  not  of  diamonds  or  rubies,  but 
of  the  stars  of  heaven  ;  all  imply  the  greatness  of  the 
personage,  and  her  high  acceptation  with  the  King  of 
Heaven.  In  the  vision  of  Joseph*,  which  displays 
the  future  glories  of  the  patriarchal  family  ;  of  that 
family  which  was  then  the  Church  of  God ;  in  which 
all  tlie  nations  of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed ;  the 
same  symbols  are  employed.  The  Sun,  the  Moon, 
^he  twelve  Stars,  represent  the  then  infant  Church. 
In  her  original  purity,  she  was  thus  splendid  ;  and 
when  purified  from  her  corruptions,  she  will  again 
appear  in  splendour  f. 

Ver.  2.]     But  pure   and  splendid   as  she   appears, 

*  Gen.  XXX vii.  0* 

t  Ch.  xxi.  &c.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  following  passages  of 
Scripture,  in  which  the  Sun  is  used  as  an  emblem  of  the  Church  : — 
Judg.  V.  31 ;  Psalm  Ixxxix.  36"  ;  Isa.  xxx.  q6;  Mai.  iv.  2  ;  Matt.  xiii. 
43.  The  twelve  stars  seem  to  allude  to  the  division  of  the  Church 
under  twelve  Patriarchs,  and  afterwards  under  twelve  Apostles. 

(and 


Chap,  xii.]  APOCALYPSE.  315 

(and  such  she  was  in  the  patriarchal  and  prophetic 
times,  compared  with  the  idolatrous  nations  surround- 
ing her,)  she  is  not  complete,  until  she  can  produce 
that  seed,  promised  t^  the  woman  from  the  earliest 
times,  Avhich  was  ordained  "■  to  bruise  the  serpent's 
*^  head.'*  She  is  now  represented  as  labouring  with 
this  momentous  birth.  And  such  was  the  situation 
of  the  Church  from  the  time  of  Adam,  the  hrst  man, 
(to  whom  the  seed  was  promised,)  to  that  of  Christ,  the 
second  man,  ''the  promised  seed,"  ''the  Lord  from 
"  heaven."  The  Scriptural  writers  express,  under  the 
same  images,  the  earnest  and  unsatisfied  desire  of  the 
ancient  Church  to  possess  the  promised  seed*. 

Ver.  3.  Ajiother  sign  in  Heaven.']  As  the  Church 
of  God  had  been  represented  by  symbols  in  the  two 
last  verses  ;  so  are  now  her  enemies.  And  first  that 
ancient  enemy  who  assailed  her,  in  the  days  of  our 
iirst  parents,  under  tlie  form,  of  a  serpent  '\,  For  this 
dragon  is  expressly  asserted  to  be  the  same,  **  the 
"  ancient  serpent,  who  is  called  the  Devil  and  Satan  J." 
He  appears  in  great  worldly  power,  such  as  is  attrir 
buted  to  him  in  other  parts  of  Scripture,    where  he  is 

*  Mich.  V.  2,  3.     Rom.  viii.  22.  +  Gen.  iii, 

+  The  devil,  A/acoAo?  being  his  name  in  Greek,  Satan  in  Hebrew. 
See  below,  ver.  9.  and  ch.  xxii.  2.  This  was  seen  clearly  by  the  most 
ancient  commentators,  0  \xy.uy  0  (Aeyx^,  x.  t.  K.  0  hx^oXos  hi.  The  same 
infernal  agent  seems  also  to  have  been  specified  by  iMelito  Bishop  of 
Sardis  one  of  the  seven  churches;  who,  in  his  \^ork  upon  ihe  Apo- 
calypse,  treated  in  particular  concerning  this  opposer  of  the  Church. 
For  the  title  of  the  book  (which  is  the  only  part  of  it  now  extant)  was, 

^E^<    T«  Aia'ooXu   KOii  Tjjy    aTTOnaXv^rxs  'l^'ayv«.      Euscb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  iv, 

c.  26.  Moreover,  in  a  passage  of  Theophilus,  bishop  of  Anlioch  in 
168,  which  is  quoted  by  Lardner  as  alluding  to  this  passage  of  the 
Apocalypse,  the  Devil  is  called  "  Satan,  and  the  Serpent,  and  the 
"  Dragon."    (Cred.  Gosp.  art.  Theophilus.) 

called 


316  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  2. 

called  ''  the  Prince  of  this  world,  the  God  of  the 
'*  world,  the  Piince  of  the  power  of  the  Air*.'*  This 
power  is  here  expressed  by  (I.)  his  size,  Avhich  is 
great:  (G.)  his  colour,  M-hich  is  fiery  f-  (3.)  his  heads, 
which  are  seven ;  a  large,  complete,  indefinite  num- 
ber X  •  '^"^^  these  heads  are  so  many  mountains,  or 
lofty  seats  of  strength  %  :  for,  as  in  ch.  v,  the  seven 
horns  and  seven  eyes  of  the  Lamb  denote  his  infinite 
extent  of  power  and  of  knowledge ;  so,  the  seven 
heads,  or  mountains,  of  the  dragon  express  an  im^ 
iiiense  command  of  worldly  power ;  such  as  he  offered 
to  our  invincible  Lordj|:  (4.)  his  ten  horns:  for, 
horns  are  ever  emblematical  of  strength  ^;  and  ten,  as 
well  as  seven,  is  a  large  indefinite  number,  becoming 
so  by  a  different  mode  of  calculation  **.  But  the  use 
of  the  number  tm  in  this  place,  seems  to  have  a  fur- 
ther reference,  even  to  those  passages  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, and  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  wherein  are  to  be 
seen  just  so  many  kings  or  kingdoms,  inimical  to  the 
Church  of  Christ,  and  promoting  the  interests  of  the 
adversary.  The  dragon  is  to  have  great  sway  among 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  whom  he  beguiles  by  the  offer 
of  that  >vorldly  power,  which  was  lejected  by  the 
Son  of  God.  This  interpretation  is  further  confirmed 
by  observing,  (5.)  that  his  heads  are  crowned  with 
diadems  hke  those  of  eastern  potentates  f|.    And,  lastly, 

*  John  xii.  31.  2  Cor.  iv.  4-.  Eph.  ii.  2. 

t  See  note,  ch.  vi.  4.  X  See  note,  ch.  i.  4. 

§  Sec  note,  ch.  xvil.  ch.  viii.  8.  ]|  Matt.  iv.  9, 

5r  See  note,  ch.  v.  6.  **  See  note,  ch.  ii.  4. 

tt  The  diadem  was  the  crown,  or  mark  of  kingly  power,  adorning 
the  eastern  nionarcbs.  It  was  commonly  a  broad  fillet,  or  turban^ 
richly  set  with  jewels.  The  radiated  crown  was  not  worn  by  the  Greek 
inonarchs  till  about  the  second  century.  (Pinl.trton  on  Medajs,  vol.  i, 
p.  173.) 

his 


Chap,  xii.]  apocalypse.  317 

his  tail,  his  ignoble  and  brutish  part*,  drags  after 
him,  as  with  a  nett,  a  third  part  of  the  stars  of 
heaven.  This  may  denote  the  original  apostacy  of 
those  angels,  wlio,  corrupted  by  their  rebellious 
leader,  *'  kept  not  their  first  estate  J;"  or,  it  may  sig- 
nify the  artful  machinations,  by  which  he  made  the 
ministers  of  Religion  subservient  to  his  designs  §  ;  or, 
it  may  be  understood  to  express  both  these  apostacies ; 
for  the  arch-iiend  has  succeeded  in  accomplishing 
such  rebellions  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 

Ver.  4.  c^^  5.]  Thus  arrayed  in  formidable  power, 
the  infernal  spirit  is  prepared  for  the  occasion,  **  seek- 
*^  ing  to  devour'  that  offspring  who  is  ordained  ''  to 
*' bruise  his  head;''  but  *' whose  heel/'  whose  less 
vital  part,  he  is  permitted  for  a  time  to  attack  suc- 
cessfully i|.  Such  success  docs  not  satisfy  his  destruc- 
tive rage;  he  aims  at  the  total  overthrow,  the  utter 
extinction  of  the  seed,  by  whom  the  race  of  men  is 
to  be  saved  from  his  envenomed  jaws. — For,  the  male- 
child  now  born  is  evidently  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
v.'ho  is  not  only,  the  only- begotten  Son  of  God,  but 
the  Jirst'born  of  the  Churchy  which  is  called  after 
his  name^;  for  which  right  of  inheritance,  it  was 
necessary  that  he  should  be  a  inak.  To  hhn  alone 
belongs  the  description,  *'  the  great  Shepherd  of  Is- 
*'  rael,  who  is  to  rule  all  the  nations  with  an  iroa 
*'  red**."  This  is  tlie  Divine  Shepherd's  crook,  dread- 
ful to  the  enemies  of  the  fold,  iind  to  the  disobedient 
of  the  flock  ;    but  a   sure  protection  to  the  ^'  sheep, 

*  See  note,  ch.  ix.  i — 12.  t  o"'"?"*  I  Jude  6\ 

§  See  note,  ch.  i.  l5.  i|  Gen.  iii.  16. 

IT  Rom.  viii.  29.     Col.  i.  15,  18.     Heb*  xii.  25. 
**  See  note,  ch.  ii.  27.  also  Matt.  ii.6.  Rev.  .xix.  \5i  vii.  17.  Isa. 
xl.  11.  Psulm  xxiii» 

''  who 


318  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   IV.  §2. 

*' who  obey  his  voice*."  From  the  whole  tenour  of 
Scripture,  and  from  internal  evidence  taken  from  the 
prophecy  t,  this  character  and  description  is  that 
of  our  Lord,  and  can  belong  to  none  but  him.  He 
is  now  represented  to  be  in  imminent  danger  from 
the  jaws  of  the  dragon  ;  who,  having  to  contend 
only  with  a  helpless  woman,  and  her  new-born  infant, 
seems  assured  of  success.  And  thus  did  it  appear 
to  ''the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,"  when 
they  seized  and  crucified  the  Lord  of  Life.  But  then, 
as  here  represented,  he  *^  was  caught  up  to  God  and 
'^  to  his  throne."  He  was  raised  from  tlie  grave,  and 
ascended  into  heaven,  for  this  very  purpose,  '*  to  sit 
"  upon  his  throne,   at  the  right  hand  of  God  :}:.'* 

Ver.  6.  J?id  the  xcoman  fled  into  the  wilderness; 
&c.]  By  referring  to  Isa.  xli.  ip,  20;  Ezek.  xix.  30. 
XX.  35 — 39;  Hos.  ii.  14;  it  will  appear,  that  the  word 
xvilderness  denotes  a  place,  bare  of  sustenance,  where 
food,  miraculously  given,  is  necessary  for  the  support  of 
life  ;  but  where  such  miraculous  support,  united  with 
the  correction  which  is  the  effect  of  a  desolate  and 
perilous  situation,  produces  admirable  fruits  of  re- 
ligious improvement.  Religion  abode  with  the  Is- 
raelites, in  their  tents  in  the  wilderness,  during  forty 
years  of  miraculous  preservation.  She  fled  again  to  the 
Avilderness  with  the  prophet  Elijah,  was  there  mi- 
raculously  supported,  and  thence  was  restored  to  the 
land  from  which  she  had  been  driven  §.  Thus  the 
Church  of  Christ,  (for  after  the  birth  of  the  pro- 
mised seed,  the  woman  is  become  such,)  persecuted 
by  the  devil  and  his  agents,  flees  for  refuge  to  ob- 
scure retreats ;    and   is    there   miraculously  preserved 

*  Johnx.  3.  14.   \G,  f  Cb.  ii.27;   vii.  17;  xix.  15. 

;  Acts  ii.  30.   Heb.  viii.  1.  §  1  Kings  xvii.  xviii. 

during 


Gbap.  xii.]  apocalypse.  319 

during  the  time  appointed, — 1260  years;  which  ac- 
cords exactly  with  the  period  of  the  xvitnesseSy  who, 
in  mournful  garbs,  execute  their  prophetic  office: 
but  of  this  accordance  more  will  be  said  elsewhere  *. 
It  is  sufficient  in  this  place  to  observe,  that  by 
diffisrent  shocks  under  the  preceding  Trumpets,  iu 
which  Satan  is  the  prime  agent,  pure  Religion  had 
been  almost  driven  out  of  the  world.  And  during  the 
same  centuries,  in  which  she  has  been  seen  desolate 
with  the  Witnesses  f,  she  had  existence  only  in  some 
retired  situations,  where  with  difficulty  she  kept  her- 
self from  annihilation,  or,  to  speak  more  appositely, 
was  miraculously  preserved. 

Ver.  7.  And  there  was  xvar  in  heaven. ^^  This  pas- 
sage, beginning  with  verse  7,  and  ending  with  verse 
14,  should  be  read  (as  it  appears  to  me)  in  parenthesis. 
Reasons  will  be  produced  in  commenting  on  the  14th 
verse.  A  transaction,  which  had  happened  long  be- 
fore the  history  related  in  the  present  scene,  but 
strongly  connected  with  it,  seems  to  be  introduced. 
And  therefore  the  word  iyev^lo  might  be  translated 
*'  there  had  been,"  being  used  in  the  same  sense  as 
in  Matt,  xxviii.  2,  where  Archbishop  Newcome  has 
pointed  out  the  propriety  of  this  translation  ij;.  This 
parenthesis  contains  explanatory  matter  of  great  im- 
portance ;  and  seems  to  have  been  exhibited  in  a  se- 
parate scene.  For,  the  conflict  between  the  dragon 
and  the  woman  in  the  wilderness  is  suspended,  while 
the  battle  in  heaven  is  described ;  and  is  afterwards 
resumed,  exactly  where  the  narration  had  been  broken 
off.  We  learn  from  it,  that  previously  to  the  conflict 
with  the  Church  of  God  upon  earth,   the  same  arch- 

♦  Note,  ch.  xiii.  5.  t  Cli.  xi.  1—15. 

X  Harm,  of  Gosp.  p.  154. 

fiend 


520  APOCALYPSi:.  [Pt.  IV.  §  Q. 

fiend  and  his  angels,  had  carried  on  a  conflict  in 
heaven.  It  is  the  same  conflict  which  is  alluded  to 
in  Jude  6.  &  2  Pet.  ii.  4. 

In  this  warfare  against  heaven,  he  is  defeatedy 
and,  with  his  followers,  utterly  expelled  from  the 
mansions  of  the  hlest*  But  he  is  still  permitted,  for 
a  season,  to  exhibit  his  rage  on  earth.  This  war  in 
heaven  is  to  be  understood  in  a  spiritual  sense,  as  well 
as  the  war  upon  earth.  The  tempter  seduced  the 
spirits  above  from  their  happy  state  of  obedience  to 
the  divine  laws.  The  leading  angel  who,  in  the  pro- 
phetic language  of  Scripture,  is  said  to  fight  against 
Satan  in  behalf  of  the  Church,  is  called  Michael ;  the 
import  of  whose  name  is  JVIio-Uke-God  f  He  is  by 
some  commentators  represented  to  be  the  Messiah  him- 
self'|\  This  can  scarcely  be  allowed ;  hut  he  certainly 
fights  under  the  banner  of  Christ ;  for  who  can  be  said 
to  have  overcome  Satan  in  heaven,  but  the  Messiah, 
who,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  accepted  the 
office  by  which  he  was  to  he  overcome  J?  And  as 
Christ  is  the  head  of  the  Church,  not  only  on  earth, 
hut  in  heaven,  whither  the  poM^r  of  his  creation 
and  of  his  redemption  is  said  to  extend,  and  where 
angels  and  principalities  are  subjected  to  him§:  so 
there  appear  to  be  two  rebellions  against  his  power  and 
name ;  the  one  in  heaven,  the  other  on  earth.  Both 
are  comprehended  in  Miltons  sublime  poem. 

Ver.  14.  To  the  xvomaii  xvere  give?i  two  xvings  of 
the  great  eagle  ;  &c.]  To  be  borne  on  eagle's  wings, 
signifies,    (as  will  appear  by  consulting  Exod.  xix.  4. 

*  ro'TTos  UK  sv^iOnj  Dan.  ii.  35.  Rev.  xx.  ii. 

t  Mede's  Discourses.  t  Compare  Dan,  xii.  1.   Luke  x.  j8. 

§Eph.  i.  10;  iii.  15.  Phil.  ii.  10.  Col.  i.  l6.  CO. 

Isa. 


Chap,  xii.]  apocalypse.  321 

Isa,  xl.  31.  Vsalmxci.  4.) 'divine,  miraculous  deliver- 
ance. Who  can  pursue  the  eagle  through  the  air  and 
take  from  him  what  is  committed  to  his  charge? 
This  verse,  compared  with  the  sixth,  at  the  end  of 
which  the  parenthesis  is  supposed  to  begin,  will  be 
found  to  contain  nearly  the  self-same  information, 
varied  only  in  expression. 


VER.  6. 
1.  *'  The  woman  fled  into 
*'  the  wilderness: — 

^.  **  Where  she  has  there, 
*'  a  place  prepared  of 
''God:— 


That  they  should 
"  there  nourish  her  a 
*'  thousand  two  hun- 
**  dred  and  sixty 
^^days." 


VER.    14. 

1.  ^'That  she  might  flee 

''  into  the  wilder- 
*'  ness.' 

2.  '*To  her  j5/«ce,"  to  con- 

vey her  to  which  she 
has  ^'  given  to  her 
'*  two  wings  of  the 
**  great  eagle." 

3.  "  Where  she  is  nourish- 

"  ed  there  a  time  and 
"  times,  and  half  a 
"  time,  from  the  pre- 
*'  sence  of  the  ser- 
''  pent.'' 


1.  The  expression  in  the  first  clause  is  the  same, 
varied  only  by  the  use  of  another  mood  and  tense, 
rendered  necessary  by  the  new  context. 

2.  The  second  clauses  have  only  this  difference, 
that  the  miraculous  deliverance  is  pointed  out  in  one, 
as  consisting  in  the  divine  security  of  the  place ;  in 
the  other,  from  the  divine  conveyance  to  it ;  both  are 
effected  by  the  same  miraculous  succour,  and  in  the 
same  place, 

H  H  3.   It 


522  APOCALYPSE,  [Pt.  IV.  §  e. 

S.  It  has  been  already  shewn*,  that  the  1^50  days, 
and  the  time,  times,  and  half,  are  exactly  the  same 
period.  Thus,  comparing  these  two  passages,  we  mu«t 
acknowledge  the  parenthesis  which  disjoined  them: 
the  history  contained  in  which,  being  now  delivered, 
we  are  again  brought  to  the  same  place,  whence  the 
narration  had  digressed,  to  the  coirflict  on  earth  be- 
twetn  the  dragon  and  the  xcoman, 

Ver.  15.  JVater  like  a  river.']  Overwhelming  ca- 
lamity is  often  represented  as  a  torrent,  or  flood  of 
Water,  bearing  down  all  before  itf,  from  which, 
however,  the  favour  of  God  deb  vers  his  servants. 
Such  a  flood  the  adversary  now  raises  against  the 
Church ;  the  floods  and  waves  of  worldly  power, 
stirring  up  the  madness  of  the  rulers  and  of  the  peo- 
p  e,  (which  is  expressed  by  the  same  imagery,  in 
Psalms  Ixxxix.  9  ;  Ixv.  7.  J)  against  the  cause  of  true 
Religion.  Such  were  the  persecutions  under  the 
heathen  emperors ;  but  the  whelming  torrent  did  not 
prevail  against  the  Church  of  Christ.  Remarkable 
instances  occur  in  history,  wherein  Christianity,  on 
the  point  of  being  utterly  annihilated,  Mas  delivered 
by  the  unexpected  interposition  of  earthly  power,  and 
the  political  movements  of  earthly  potentates.  There 
is  a  memorable  instance  of  this  in  the  time  of  the 
Diocletian  persecution,  Avhen  the  Christian  Religion, 
apparently  overwhelmed  by  its  enemies,  obtained  a 
wonderful  deliverance  from  the  extraordinary  proceed- 
ings of  Constantine  §.     Modern  history  presents  many 

*  Note,  ch.  xi.  2.  f  Psalm  cxxiv.  Is.  xvii.  12.  Jer.  xii.  5. 

X  See  also  Rev.  xvii.  15.  where  the  waters  are  explained  by  the 
angel  to  signify  ^'  people,  and  multitudes,  and  watious,  and  laa-. 
|uages." 

§  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.x.  c.  v. 

such 


Chap,  xii.]  APOCALYPSE.  3£3 

such  occurrences,  as  may  be  seen  in  Bishop  Newton's 
Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies  *.  But  perhaps  these 
more  properly  belong  to  the  warfare,  which  the  drsLgon 
is  to  wage  against  the  rest  of  the  of  spring  of  the 
wo77ian.  And  the  floods  are  to  be  referred  to  the  early 
persecutions  of  Christianity,  prevented  from  destroy- 
ing her  by  the  favour  which  the  Christians  enjoyed 
with  all  people  |. 

Ver.  17.    The   remnant  of  her  offspring,^      Christ 
is  the  first-born ;    the  first-fruits  of  the  Church  J  ;   and 
first   only  among  brethren  § ;    for  to  his  faithful  ser- 
vants he  hath  given  the  privilege  of  being  joint-heirs 
with  him.     Such  are  they,    *'  who  keep  the  command- 
•'  ments  of  God,  and  hold  the  testimony  of  Jesus;" 
Christians   in   faith  and  in  practice.      Against  these, 
during   the   season  permitted  to  him,   the  arch-fiend 
makes  war;  and  this  war  is  now  about  to  be  descri- 
bed.    He  succeeds  for  a  time:    but  in  the   end,    the 
Church  must  prevail.     Such  was  the  original  designa- 
tion of  Divine  Providence  by  prophecy; — *^  thy  seed 
'*  shall  possess  the  gate  of  his  enemies  :||"  and  in  ch.  vi. 
%  the  Church  goes  out  conquering,  and  /or  to  conquer^ 
The  time  of  this  warfare,    carried  on   by  the   dragon 
against  the  rest  of  the  offspring  of  the  woman,    by  the 
devil  and  his  agents,   is  to  be  dated,  as  it  appears  to  me, 
from  the  days  of  the  emperor  Constant ine;  when  the 
arch-enemy,   having   tried  in  vain  to  overwhelm  the 
Church  by   his  torrents  of  worldly  power,  began  to 
proceed   against  her  by  a  more  covert  and  sure  me- 
thod;    began  to   corrupt  her  by  the  splendour  and 
riches,  which  she  was  now  permitted  to  enjoy  :   and 

*  Vol.  iii.  Svo  edit.  p.  217.  t  ^^cts  ii.  47. 

X  Col.  i.  15.  1  Cor.  XV.  20.  Ileb.  xii.  23.  §  Rom.  viii.  29. 

II  Gen.  xxii.  17, 

H  H  2  thus 


324  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  IV.  §  2. 

thus  did  he  succeed  in  producing  her  most  success- 
ful enemy  out  of  her  own  bosom.  This  becomes  the 
subject  of  the  next  chapter. 


On  consulting  the  writings  of  the  commentators 
most  approved  in  this  country,  I  find,  that  by  the  dra- 
gon is  generally  understood  the  pagan  and  persecuting 
power  of  hnperial  Rome,  But,  I  trust,  a  few  obser- 
vations will  shew  the  fallacy  of  this  notion. 

Where  an   interpretation  is  expressly  given  in  the 
vision,    as  in  ch.  i.  20 ;    v.  6,  9 ;    xvii.  7.    &c. ;   that 
interpretation  must  be  used  as  the  key  to  the  mystery, 
in  preference  to  all  interpretations  suggested  by  the 
imagination  of  man.     Now  in  the  9th  verse  of  this 
chapter  such  an  interpretation  is  presented ;  the  dra- 
gon is  there  expressly  declared  to  be  '*  that  ancient 
**  serpent,"  (a^%«io?,   o  aV  «^%vj,)  called  '*  the  Devil;" 
known  by  the  name  of  ^m^oKog  in  the  Greek,    and  of 
Satan  in  the   Hebrew;    *^  who   deceiveth   the   whole 
"  world."     Here  are  his  names,  and  his  acknowledged 
character.     No   words  can  more    completely   express 
them.      No  Roman  eniperor,    nor  succession  of  em- 
perors,   can  answer  to   this  description.      The  same 
dragon   appears  again  in  ch.  xx.  ^.  and,   (as  it  were, 
to  prevent  mistake,)  he  is  there  described  in  ihe*very 
same  words.     But  this  re-appearance  of  the  same  dra- 
gon is  in  a  very  late  period  of  the  Apocalyptic  his- 
tory;  long  after  the  expiration  of  the  1260  days,   or 
years  ;   and  even  after  the  wild-beast  and  false  pro- 
phet,   (who  derive  their  power  from  the  dragon   du- 
ring this  period,)  are  come  to   their  end*.     And  the 

*  Ch,  xix,  20.  "* 

dragon 


Chap,  xii.]  apocalypse.  3^5 

dragon  is  upon  the  scene  long  after  these  times,  and 
continues  in  action  even  at  the  end  of  another  long 
period,  a  period  of  a  thousand  years*.  He  there 
pursues  his  ancient  artifices,  *^  deceiving  the  nations," 
even  till  his  final  catastrophe,  in  ch.  xx.  10,  when 
the  warfare  of  the  Church  is  finished.  Can  this  dra- 
gon then  be  an  emperor  of  Rome  ?  or  any  race  or 
dynasty  of  emperors  ?  Can  he  be  any  other  than  that 
ancient  and  eternal  enemy  of  the  Christian  Church, 
who  in  this,  as  in  all  other  Scriptural  accounts,  is 
represented  as  the  original  contriver  of  all  the  mis- 
chief which  shall  befall  it  ?  In  this  drama,  he  acts 
the  same  consistent  part,  from  begianing  to  end. 
He  is  introduced  to  early  notice,  as  warring  against 
the  Church  f  ;  as  possessing  a  seat,  or  throne  of  power, 
in  a  great  city  inimical  to  the  Christians  J;  as  the 
author  of  doctrines  corruptive  of  Religion,  which  are 
called  *'  the  depths  of  Satan.''  The  evils  brought  on 
the  Church  under  the  Trumpets,  particularly  the 
third  and  fifth,  are  ascribed  to  him.  In  the  suc- 
ceeding conflicts,  the  Church  is  attacked  by  his 
agents;  by  the  wild-beast  and  false  prophet §,  who 
derive  their  power  from  him ;  and  at  length  he  him- 
self is  described,  as  leading  the  nations  against  the 
camp  of  the  Saints  ||.  Nothing  appears  more  plain 
than  the  meaning  of  this  symbol.  The  only  ap- 
pearances which  may  seem  to  favour  the  application 
of  it  to  Imperial  Rome  are,  the  seven  crowned  heads, 
and  the  ten  horns  of  the  dragon.  But  the  number 
seven  is  of  great  universality :  and  although  seven 
heads,    or  seven  mountains,  are  in  another  prophecy 

*  Ch.  XX.  7.  t  Ch.  ii.  10.  13.  X  Ch.  ii.  24. 

S  Ch.xiii.  11  Ch.xx.9. 

applied 


326  APOCALYPSE.  fPt.  IV.  §  2. 

applied  to  Rome  in  a  particular  sense,  which  may  pro- 
perly designate  that  city  ;  yet,  they  have  a  much  more 
extended  and  general  signification,  expressive  of  the 
immense  influence  of  Satan  in  the  councils  of  this 
world.  In  a  particular  sense  also,  the  seven  moun- 
tains and  ten  horns  of  the  latter  Roman  empire  are 
fitly  attributed  to  Satan,  because  during  the  period 
of  1260  years,  and  perhaps  beyond  it,  he  makes  use 
of  the  Roman  empire,  its  capital  city,  and  ten  kings 
or  kingdoms,  as  the  instruments  of  his  successful  at- 
tack on  the  Christian  Church.  Joseph  Mede,  when  he 
had  no  favourite  hypothesis  immediately  in  view, 
clearly  saw  and  acknowledged  the  obvious  interpretation 
of  this  symbol ;  and,  in  one  of  his  learned  sermons, 
has  justly  described  the  parties  engaged  in  this  spi- 
ritual conflict:  1.  Satan,  and  his  angels;  2.  the  wo- 
man and  her  seed  *  If  the  Roman  emperors  are  at 
all  concerned  in  this  warfare,  it  is  only  as  sub- 
ministrant  agents  of  this  arch-enemy  of  the  Church, 
The  dragon  therefore  appears  to  me,  as  he  did  to 
Venerable  Bede,  eleven  centuries  ago,  to  be  *'  Dia- 
'*  bolus,  potentia  terreni  regni  armatusf."  The 
worldly  agents,  whom  he  principally  employs  to  carry 
on  the  warfare  thus  begun,  will  be  described  in  the 
ensuing  chapter. 

"*  Mede's  Works,  p.  235. 

i  Bedae  Com.  in  loc. ; — ^^  the   Devil,  armed   with  the  power  of 
*^'  worldly  dominion/' 


PART 


Ch.   xiii.     1  — 11.]  APOCALYPSE. 


S€7 


PART     IV. 

SECTION     III. 
The  JVild-beast  from  the  Sea. 


CHAP.  X 

ISKsc*  IfoSrtv  lit)  T^» 

1  cms.  Kixi  eJoov  Ik  rvis 
^acXuaayis  ^nfi'ov  cx-- 
fxCaTvevy  'iy(ov  ni^x- 

€  n  \       s  ■>     \ 

imlx   y^  siri  ruv  xe- 

puruiv     avra    ^skx 

OlOlO'nfJl,xixf     KXt    ETTl 

Txs  xsipxXois  ocvra 

S  xs.  Kxi  TO  ^v^t'ov  0 
Si  ooVy  riv  oy^oiov  tsxp-' 

nvra  us  a^Kiy^  Kj  to 
5-o/xa  ayra  us  fo/xa 
}<.ioy\'^'   XXI   z^uy.iv 

UVTf    I    O^anUV  T75V 

^vvxfJLiv  ayrS,    xxl 

To»  ^^ovov  «yT»,  xxl 

s^aa-i'xv      (AsyoiXinV' 

3   Kai   fxtxy    Ix.    ruv 

Xt^xKuV  UVTH  US 
jcr<pay/x£v>!y  l)s  ^u- 
yxlov'  axi  v  'aXfiyr, 
t5  ^xyxTa  acvra 
l^s^xmvSy)'  iC,  lOxv- 

iTtiau     T»     ^rifiH, 

Tf  ^pacKOvli,  art  t^w- 
xtn  T^y  l^aaisiv  t* 


ii.  18.  ciiAl'. 

l8  And  I  was  stationed 
on  the  sand  of  the  sea. 

1  And  I  saw  a  wild-beast 
rising  up  out  of  the 
sea,  having  ten  horns 
and  seven  heads,  and 
upon  his  ten  horns 
diadems,  and  upon  his 
heads  names  of  blas- 

2  phemy.  And  the  wild- 
beast,  which  I  saw,  was 
like  a  leopard;  and 
his  feet  as  those  of  a 
bear;  and  his  mouth 
as  the  mouth  of  a  lion  : 
and  the  dragon  gave 
him  his  power,  and  his 
throne,  and  great  au- 

3  thority.  And  I  saw 
one  of  his  heads  as 
having  been  smitten 
unto  death,  and  his 
deadly  wound  was 
healed.  And  the  whole 
earth  wondered  after 

4  the  wild -beast.  And 
they  worshipped  the 
dragon,  because  he  had 
given  the  power  to  the 
beast,  and  they  wor- 
shipped the  beast,  say- 
ing;   ''    Who    is   like 


xiii.  1— 11. 

I  1  And  I  stood  upon  the 
sand  of  the  sea,  and 
saw  a  beast  rise  up  out 
of  the  sea,havings-;ven 
heads  and  ten  horns, 
and  upon  his  horns 
ten  crowns,  and  upon 
his  heads  the  name  of 

2  blasphemy.  And  the 
beast  which  I  saw  was 
like  unto  a  leopard, 
and  his  feet  were  as 
the  feet  of  a  bear,  and 
his  mouth  as  the  mouth 
of  alien  :  and  the  dra- 
gon gave  him  his  pow- 
er,  and  his  seat,  and 

3  great  authority.  And 
I  saw  one  of  his  heads, 
as  it  were  wounded  to 
death ;  and  his  deadly 
wound  was  healed : 
and  all  the  world  won- 
dered after  the  beast. 

4  And  they  worshipped 
the  dragon  which  gave 
power  unto  the  beast : 
and  they  worshipped 
the  beast,  saying-,  Who 
is  like  unto  the  beast  ? 
who  is  able  to  make 

5  war   with   him?    And 


32S 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  IV.  §  3. 


y^iyovrts'  lis  ofAttos 
tZ  ^vj^Iu'y    Kxi  Tts 

lo  oSj)     avTu     <)0^(x. 

iS^oSv}    alru  l^saioc. 

rscrcra^ocKovltx,     ovo. 

6  Kal  »)V0<|£  TO  fo/xa 

fxiav  ZT^OS  TOV  ©£0V, 

^Xaa(pyi{Ariff(Xi  to  o- 
vo/AOt  avrS,  yq  try 
c-mrnt  «yT«,[j^]  Tsy 
2v  T«  H^atui  ani^yZv- 

7  rxs,  Kacl  llo9i^  ocv- 
ru  tsoASf/i.ov  ^oiria-oii 
y.vcc  ruv  uyiuv,  ty 
vixricoci  airis'  xon 
IJdSi?   aiiru  l^arxtx 

8  Xaov  x«<  yXwaaocy 
XXI  iQvos.  Ka< 
ta^oarKVYficmam  al- 
Tov  zjoims  01  xo^oi- 
xbms  Im  TVS  yvSf 
Ijy  «  yiy^wnloci  ro 
Zvo^x  Iv  TW  ^IQXiU 
T09S-    ^w/yy    TS   ap;« 

t5  Icrtpxy (Aiva,  aiio 

xxIx^oXtis     xoa-^a. 

E/  T/y  ty^tt  asy  axa- 

10  auru,  EJ  Tts  xty- 

l/LxXualav  crvvayu. 
tis  aty^xKuaixv 
tmuyst*    s'l    TIS    £v 


"  unto  the  beast,  and 
"  who  is  able  to  make 

5  "  war  with  him  ?"  And 
there  was  given  to  him 
a  mouth  speaking  great 
things  and  blasphe- 
mies: and  there  was 
given  to  him  power  [to 
continue  in  action] 
forty  -  two       months. 

6  And  he  opened  his 
mouth  for  blasphemy 
against  God,  to  blas- 
pheme his  name,  and 
his  tabernacle,  [and] 
those    who    dwell    in 

7  heaven.  And  it  was 
given  him  to  make  war 
with  the  saints,  and  to 
overcome  them.  And 
power  was  given  to 
him  over  every  tribe, 
and  people,  and  lan- 
guage,    and     nation : 

8  And  all  who  dwell  on 
the  earth  shall  wor- 
ship him;  they  whose 
name  is  not  written  in 
the  book  of  life  of  the 
Lamb,  which  was  sa- 
crificed from  the  foun- 
dation  of  the   world. 

9  If  any  one  have  an  ear, 

10  let  him  hear.  If  any 
one  leadeth  into  cap- 
tivity, into  captivity 
he  goes.  If  any  one 
shall  slay  with  the 
sword,  he  must  be 
slain  with  the  sword. 
Herein  is  the  patience 


there  was  given  unto 
him  a  mouth  speaking 
great  things,  and  blas- 
phemies ;  and  power 
was  given  unto  him  to 
continue  forty  and  two 

6  months.  And  he  open- 
ed his  mouth  in  blas- 
phemy against  God,  to 
blaspheme  his  name, 
and  his  tabernacle,  and 
them  that  dwell  in  hea- 

7  ven.  And  it  was  given 
unto  him  to  make  war 
with  the  saints,  and, to 
overcome  them:  and 
power  was  given  him 
over  all  kindreds,  and 
tongues,  and  nations. 

8  And  all  that  dwell  up- 
on the  earth  shall  wor- 
ship him,  whose  names 
are  not  written  in  the 
book  of  life  of  the 
Lamb,  slain  from  the 
foundation      of     the 

9  world.  If  any  man 
have  an  ear,  let  him 

10  hear.  He  that  leadeth 
into  captivity,  shall  go 
into  captivity :  he  that 
killeth  with  the  sword, 
must  be  killed  with 
the  sword.  Here  is 
the  patience  and  the 
faith  of  saints. 


Cll.  Xiii,  1 — 11.]  APOCALYPSE.  3^9 


osi  avrov  sv  (Aet^pn- 
pec      dnoKrcty&rivxi' 

y.xi     fi    'zsItis     TUT) 
ayluv. 


and   the  faith  of  the 
Saints. 


Ver.  1.  And  1  was  stationed  on  the  sand  of  the  sea.^ 
'Ec«6tiv,  not  equ^Vij  appears  to  be  the  true  reading^.  The 
scene  is  now  changed,  and  the  Prophet  is  so  stationed 
as  to  behold  it.  It  had  been  removed  from  the  earth 
and  sea,  where  the  angel  of  the  tenth  chapter  had  begun 
to  disclose  the  fortunes  of  the  Church  in  the  western 
kingdoms  of  the  Gentiles;  it  had  been  removed  to 
Heaven,  to  shew  the  prime  mover  of  all  the  warfare. 
Both  the  combatants  were  of  heavenly  extraction,  and 
had  fought  in  Heaven.  These  conflicts  therefore  were 
first  described;  and  the  scene  was  changed  to  accommo- 
date to  them.  But  the  battle,  which  had  been  begun  in 
Heaven,  is  now  continued  on  earth;  and  is  to  be 
brought  to  its  conclusion  under  the  seventh  Trumpet. 
Therefore  before  the  final  conflict,  wherein  the  heaven- 
ly Leader  will  again  appear,  the  combatants  on  earth 
are  also  to  be  exhibited;  first,  those  who  continue  the 
warfare  on  behalf  of  the  dragon;  then,  those  who 
engage  on  the  part  of  the  woman,  or  Church.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  scene  is  again  opened  upon  earth, 
and  at  the  brink  of  the  sea;  because  a  formidable 
agent  of  the  dragon,  or  satan,  is  to  arise  from  that 
quarter -f. 

lb.  And  I  saw  a  wild-beast  i^ising  up  out  of  the 
sea.^  The  sea,  in  prophetic  language,  signifies  in 
general  the  heathen  world  J;  numerous  4Xid  powerful 

*  See  the  lect.  var.  in  Griesbach,  f  Ch,  xi.  T, 

X  See  note,  ch.  viii.  7.  8. 

armies 


530  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  5. 

armies  of  the  Gentiles,  marching  against  the  people  of 
God,  are  figuratively  represented  by  the  stormy  zeaves 
of  the  sea*.  Thus  the  ascent  of  the  wild-beast  out  of 
the  sea  seems  to  signify  his  rise  in  xvorldly  power,  and 
probably  also  from  the  western  gentiles,  who  are 
more  especially  represented  under  this  symbol.  The  four 
wild-beasts  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  representing  so  many 
successive  tyrannies  which  overran  the  earth,  are  de- 
scribed, all  of  them,  as  ascending  from  the  sea.  There 
is  a  very  striking  resemblance  between  the  wild- beast 
of  the  Apocalypse  and  those  of  this  Prophet.  It 
will  be  useful  to  exhibit  them  together:  and  it  will 
be  done  most  effectually  in  the  Greek.  The  trans- 
lation of  Daniel  into  that  language  appears  to  be 
very  close  to  the  original,  as  given  in  Mr.  Wintle*s 
version. 


9o^O(,    XccKHv 


Dan.  vii.  2 — 15. 

1.  Clg  Ksocivoc* 
(orig.  a  lion.) 

2.  A^iilog- 

3.  lioc^^uKig* 

■4.  (  Gyjptov '  —  i(r%vpov  TtTc- 
pi(r(rcug,  (poQspo)/  kui 
£}c9oc^Sov,  ol  o^ovjig 
C(v]8  o-i^vjpoi"  %,  T.  A, 

AsKoc  (oa^iKag" 


Rev.  xiii.  1 — 18.  xix.  20.  xx.  4. 

'AvfSa/voj/  Ik  TTig  BuKu<r<rYig, 

'fig  'so^ot  Kicvjog. 

Ql  Tffo^sg  ocvja  wV  Apxjii, 

O^Otov  TATap^ahfi, 

Svipiov* — cdojKcv   uvjod   0  Spa- 
kcjOV   TVjv  "hvvoc^iv  ccvji^   xoct 

^^SocXyiv* 
K5pa7^  5^^«) — 'X'^'poiKotg  lifjoc. 
iAcTWi  'Sta.^YjiJLccIa, 
2  AsKoc  l3oi(riKHg,  (chap.  xvii.  12.) 


*  Is.  xvii.  1?;  13.  Jer.  vi.23;  li.  42.  55,  Psalms  Ixv.  T  ;  Ixxxix. 
9, 10 ;  xciii.  3,  4.  Ezek.  xxvi.  3.  Zech.  x.  11.  See  also  note,  ch.  i, 
H,  15. 

K^pocg 


Ch.  xiii.   1  — 11.]         APOCALYPSE. 


331 


KspOCg  STSpOV  ^iKpov' 

iv  TCt)  KS^ocji*  S 

'Kcug  Kccip8  7C0CI  xocipcicv  TiUl 

yc  Yi^KTV  KOClpii' 

ocyiMV,  Koci  icr%V(rs  zcpog 
uvjag' 

^Avyj^sS'/j  TO  Sripiov,  Kai  octtco' 

Xsjoj'      TtOCl  TO   (TUi^OC  Ccvj^ 


AAAo  Bviptov. 

'KepujoCf — o^o/a  oipvioc* 

YloiH    cTYi^Hx  iJLSyaXu, 

<       ^\ao-(pYi^tocg,     IXoCKh    ocg 

(.        ^pOCXMV, 

Mr,vocg  Ti(T(ra^ocKOv]oc  Suo. 
TloXs^ov     TffoiTia-ai     ^s]oc     tcov 

^ETTtoca-Ovj  TO   ^yjpiov,    xoii  [jl^oc 

Tiijcc     0     ipsv'^OTr^OipyjJTjg' 

eSXyj^yjo-av    ol    Suo     dg    tvjv 
7^il/.VYiv  tS  Ziyvpog,  (ch.  xix.  20.) 


O/  SfpovOL    STc9yi(rocv' — Kpi'      li^i  ^^ov  Spovag,  xai  skx^ktccv 

TVjpiOV  iKu9lO-e'  iTT     avjoJV,     TiCCt    KplLLCC     So^J/ 

av]oig, 
*[lg  viog  dO^coTTH  Ipxoi^svog,      Ka/  ISoco-iXsva-ocv  j^eJoc  tS  Xpifii, 
xai  uvTU)  l^o9yi  n   c^^XV'  {chap.  xx.  4.) 

3C.  T.   A. 


From  this  comparison,  it  must  appear,  that  the  Beast  of 
the  Apocalypse  (including  the  second  beast,  the  false 
prophet,  who  is  cotemporary  with  him,  exercises  his 
power,  and  exalts  him  to  universal  worship)  bears  stri- 
king resemblance  to  the  beast  of  Daniel ;  to  all  four  of 
them  in  some  respects ;  but  more  especially  to  the 
fourth;  which,  like  the  beast  of  the  Apocalypse,  has 
the  same  period  of  continuance  allotted  to  him,  at  the 
end  of  which  he  is  to  be  destroyed  in  like  manner; 
and  the  destruction  of  both  is  followed  by  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Messiah's  reign.  It  will  further  appear, 
by  a  similar  comparison,  that  the  visions  of  the  Apoca- 
lyptic 


532  APOCALYPSE,  [Pt.  IV.  §  3, 

lyptic  beast,  and  of  this  of  the  prophet  Daniel,  have  a 
nearer  resemblance  to  each  other  than  the  two  famous 
visions  of  Daniel  (of  the  beasts  and  of  the  image),  yet 
these  two  visions  of  Daniel,  on  very  satisfactory  grounds, 
and  by  report  of  the  best  ancient  and  modern  com- 
mentators, are  supposed  to  represent  the  same  history*. 
The  three  first  beasts  of  Daniel  resemble  those  which 
appear  to  have  been  most  formidable  to  the  ancient 
world;  the  lion,  the  bear,  the  leopard;  and  which 
are  enumerated  as  such  byHoseaf;  but  the  fourth 
beast  is  a  non-descript.  He  was  diverse  from  the  other 
beast;  exceedingly  terrible ;  had  iron  teeth,  and  ten 
horns ;  and,  among  the  ten,  one  more  dreadful  than  the 
rest,  which  sprang  up  after  them.  The  beast  of  the 
Apocalypse  is  described  as  possessing  the  most  terrible 
parts  and  properties  of  all  the  beasts  of  Daniel.  He  is 
in  his  general  shape  like  a  leopard;  uniting  uncommon 
agility  Math  ferocious  strength ;  he  has  the  mouth  of 
the  lion  I;  the  paw  of  the  bear  §.  But  his  resemblance 
is  much  nearer  to  the  fourth  beast,  whose  more  dread- 
ful power  he  seems  to  possess.  He  has  his  ten  horns, 
his  ten  kings,  or  kingdoms.  He  has  the  '^  mouth, 
'^  speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies,"  which  is 
seen  upon  the  little  additional  horn  of  the  fourth  beast 
of  Daniel.  To  which  little  horn,  the  second  beast  of 
the  Apocalypse,  (intimately  connected  with  the  first, 
rising  up  after  him  to  exercise  his  power  and  to  in- 
crease his  dominion)  will  be  found  to  bear  strong  resem- 
blance, when  we  proceed  to  consider  them  together,  and 

*  See  particulars  in  Bp.  Newton's  Diss,  on  Prophecy,  vol.  i.  454. 
8to.     Kctt  on  Prophecy,  vol.  i,  p.  3*20,  &c.  4th  ed. 

t  Ch.  xiii.  7,  8.  J  Psalm  xxii.  13 ;  2  Tim.  iv.  17. 

j  1  Sam.  xvii.  34,  38. 

to 


Ch.  xiii.  1— 11.]        APOCALYPSE.  3$5 

to  apply  Saint  Paiil's  comment  to  them  both.  This  will 
be  done  in  the  succeeding  section,  where  the  second 
beast  becomes  the  object  of  more  particular  attention. 
It  is  enough  at  present  to  observe,  that  this  resemblance 
will  be  shown.  But  sufficient  evidence  appears,  already, 
to  enable  us  to  conclude,  that  since  the  beasts  of 
Daniel,  and  especially  the  fourth,  bear  strong  resem- 
blance to  the  beast  of  the  Apocalypse;  their  time  of  con- 
tinuance being  the  same,  as  also  their  office  ("  to  make 
''  war  upon  the  Saints,  and  to  overcome  them");  their 
destruction  by  fire,  preceding  and  making  way  for  the 
reign  of  the  Messiah  and  his  Saints;  —the  interpretation 
of  one  will  lead  us  nearly  to  that  of  the  other.  Now 
the  four  beasts  of  Daniel  appear  bi/  Divine  interpret a^ 
tion*  to  be  four  successive  empires,  established  in 
worldly  power,  administered  with  tyranny  and  oppres- 
sion, and  hostile  to  true  Religion.  And  the  fourth 
empire  is  the  most  cruel,  and  the  most  oppressive  to  the 
Saints;  principally  by  producing  *' the  little  horn,"  a 
power  of  an  extraordinary  nature,  divers  from  the  rest; 
which,  from  a  slender  beginning,  usurping  the  power 
of  all  the  preceding  empires,  converts  it  to  the  esta- 
blishment of  a  blasphemous  religion,  and  of  persecution 
for  righteousness'  sake. 

Commentators  seem  generally  agreed,  that  the 
fourth  beast  of  the  prophet  Daniel  represents  the  Ro- 
man empire  f.  This  beast  continued  till  the  times  of 
the  Messiah;  and  was  the  basis  on  which  the  ten  horns, 

or 

*  Dan.  vii.  17,  23. 

t  See  the  arguments  which  are  weighty,  and  the  authorities  which 
are  of  the  first  antiquity,  clearly  stated  by  Bp.  Newton.  (Dissert,  on 
Propb.  vol,  i.  p.  451,  &c.  8vo  edit.)  Archbishop  Seeker,  who,  with 
bis  usual  accuracy  and  diligence,  had  studied  this  prophecy,  as  ex- 
pounded 


SS4  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  a 

or  kingdoms,  into  which  the  Roman  power  was  after- 
■wards  divided,  had  their  foundation.  The  same  horns 
appear  upon  the  Apocalyptical  heast ;  denoting  that  he 
belongs  to  the  same  period,  and  indeed  that  he  is  the 
same.  The  difference  which  may  be  found  in  the  de- 
scription of  the  cwo  beasts,  first  by  Daniel,  secondly 
by  St.  John,  may  perhaps  be  fully  accounted  for,  in 
the  three  folio wijig  circumstances  :  1.  that  the  descrip- 
tion of  Daniel  was  to  be  accommodated  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  take  in  the  type  contained  in  his  prophecy,  which 
i3  supposed  to  be  fulfilled  in  Antiochus  Epiphanes; 
while  that  of  St.  John  (the  type  having  been  fulfilled 
before  his  times)  had  to  look  only  to  the  latter  days,  to 
the  later  accomplishment.  2.  That  the  beast  of  the 
Apocalypse,  though  most  like  the  fourth  beast  of 
Daniel,  is  of  a  more  general  universal  character,  bearing 
some  resemblance  also  to  the  three  preceding  beasts. 
3.  That  Saint  John's  prophecy,  being  the  latest,  must 
be  expected  (according  to  the  general  tenour  of  Scrip- 
tural prophecy)  to  afford  a  nearer  and  more  exact  view 
of  the  objects  described,  by  revealing  intelligence  not 
yet  communicated.  It  is  sufficient  at  present,  before 
we  have  examined  more  particulars,  and  the  additional 
beast  united  with  him,  to  observe,  that  this  first  beast 
of  the  Apocalypse  appears  to  be  that  worldly  tyrannical 
domination,  which,  for  many  ages,  even  from  the  times 
of  the  Babylonish  captivity,  (for  then  the  first  beast  of 
Daniel  begins  to  oppress,)  had  been  hostile  to  the 
Church;  but  more  especially  under  the  fourth  beast 
of  Daniel,   the  Roman  usurpation,  which,  prior  to  the 

pounded  by  Joseph  Mede  to  signify  the  Roman  empire,  exclaimed 
with  his  author,  "  Tantum  non  articului  fidei !  Wiatle  on  Daniel,  notes, 
p.  35.     Mede's  Works,  p.  7.';6\ 

accession 


Ch.  xiii.  1  — 11.]       APOCALYPSE.  3SS 

accession  of  Constat) tine,  had  afflicted  the  saints  with 
many  bloody  persecutions.  Now,  under  this  beast  of 
the  Apocalypse  (including  his  false  prophet  or  minister), 
we  seem  to  behold  that  same  oppressive  and  persecut- 
ing power  renewed,  and  continued  for  ages,  with  some 
variety  of  exhibition ;  even  through  the  long  period  of 
twelve-hundred-and-sixty  years,  after  the  Roman  em- 
pire had  become  divided  into  its  ten  horns,  or  king- 
doms. 

Ver.  2.  And  the  dragon  ga'ce  him  his  power ;  &c.] 
The  dominion  exercised  by  this  beast  is  unjust,  tyrannical, 
oppressive,  diabolical.  It  is  not  a  power  legally  admi- 
nistered, for  the  good  of  the  subject;  for,  such  **  power 
**  is  ordained  of  God  ;"  the  magistrate  duly  exercising 
such  a  power,  is  pronounced  to  be  *'  a  minister  of  good, 
*'  bearinir  not  the  sword  in  vain^.'*  The  Christian 
Religion  gives  a  heavenly  sanction  to  such  lenient  and 
beneficial  power :  but  the  authority  of  the  beast  is 
founded  on  another  sanction;  on  that  of  the  dragon  or 
satan,  who  converts  legal  government  into  arbitrary 
oppression.  When  the  legislative  and  executive  powers 
act  from  the  impulse  of  worldly  and  diabolical  passions, 
this  dire  usurpation  and  tyranny  will  appear.  But  it  is 
the  work  of  Christianity,  by  introducing  other  motives 
of  government,  to  repress  these  enormities,  and  finally, 
by  the  intervention  of  Heavenly  aid,  to  extirpate  them. 
Yet,  during  the  long  period  of  1260  years,  not  yet 
ended,  the  power  of  the  beast  becomes  more  ferocious 
and  destructive,  by  receiving  the  apparent  sanctions 
of  Religion,  as  the  world  has  experienced  under  the 
papal  and  niahometan  superstitions. 

Ver.  3.  And  one  of  his  heads,  as  having  been  smit^ 
ten  unto  death,    and  his  deadly  xvound  was   healed,} 

*  Rom   xiii.  1—4.     1  Tirp.  ii.  2?, 

The 


356  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  S 

The  beast,  like  the  dragon,  from  whom  he  receives  his 
power,  has  seven  heads ;  which  are  explained  to  be  so 
many  mountains,  or  strong-holds,  the  seats  and  sup- 
ports of  his  oppressive  dominion*.  The  dragon,  and 
they  who  held  the  reins  of  worldly  power  under  him, 
had  mani/  such.  Such  had  been  ancient  Babylon; 
such  was  Rome,  spiritually  called  Babylon  f.  One  of 
these  heads,  or  chief  supports  of  tyrannical  power, 
had  received  a  mortal  wound  ;  and  yet,  to  the  surprise 
of  the  world,  and  the  exultation  of  the  wicked,  the  beast 
survives  the  blow. 

During  the  three  first  centuries  of  the  Christian 
times,  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel,  the  Roman  monar- 
chy, had  violently  persecuted  the  Church.  He  was 
then  in  full  vigour  and  dominion.  And  when  did  he 
seem  to  decline  in  strength?  when  to  appear  no  longer 
beastly  ?  when  to  remit  his  persecuting  ferocity  ?  when 
to  receive  an  apparent  mortal  wound  ?  At  the  accession 
of  Constantine,  the  first  Christian  emperor;  whose 
laws,  enacted  for  the  establishment,  protection,  and 
propagation  of  the  Christian  Religion,  seemed  at  that 
time  to  have  inflicted  a  mortal  wound  on  the  beast. 
He  was  smitten  on  his  Roman,  his  principal  head; 
and  his  death  appeared  certain  J.  But  the  Christian 
leaders  seizing,  too  eagerly,  the  power  and  riches  of 
the  world,  and  ensnared  in  the  temptation,  contributed 
most  effectually  to  heal  the  deadly  wound  of  the  beast ; 
they  restored  him  again  to  life  and  to  power;    to  a 

*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  8.  f  1  Pet.  v.  13. 

X  See  the  opinions  of  those  times  in  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  lib»  x ;  also 
Vit.  Constant,  lib.  ii.  cap.  xix.  xlii.  xlvi,  &c. ;  where,  upon  the  death  of 
the  dragofi,  (for  so  Maximin  and  Maxentius  and  the  foes  of  the  Church 
are  called,)  a  long  peace  and  virtuous  enjoyment  is  promised  to  Chris- 
tians. 

power 


Ch.  xiii.  1—11.]         APOCALYPSE.  337 

power  tenfold  more  dangerous  than  before,  when  a 
corrupt  administration  of  civil  tyranny  began  to  be 
supported  and  abetted  by  ecclesiastical  authority. 
Under  which  new  form,  he  became  an  object  of 
wonder,  and  of  worship  to  the  deluded  inhabitants 
of  the  world.  But  this  effect  will  be  considered  more 
at  large,  when  we  have  taken  the  additional  beast, 
called  the  false  prophet,  into  view.  It  will  be  useful 
at  this  time  to  compare  the  deadly  wound  of  the  beast 
in  this  passage  (which  wound  turns  out  to  be  not 
deadly)  with  his  existence,  and  his  non-existence^  both 
predicated  of  him  at  the  same  period,  in  ch»  xvii. 

Chapter  xiii.  Chapter  xvii. 
3.  Kai  ^luv  SK.  Tcov  K-^ocXccv      8.  To  Bvj^iov,  0  si^sg,  tjv,  ytoci  i$y, 

av]ii  cog  l(r(pc(.y^svov  sig  Bccvoc-  ss'i, Koci    Bocvi^cccrovlcici 

Tov*  xai  1^  TJO-X'/jyvj  t^  SfavaJH  ol   Ku]oi%Qv]sg  stti  Tyjg  yyjg, 

avis  i9spoc7r'iv9y}*    xai    l^ocv-  m  \i  ysy^aTfJcci   roc  ovouocjoc 
;^a(rc]/  oKy}   )j   y/j   oTTKrco  tS         .  stti  to  f^i^Kiov  tt)  g  ^ujY}g  cctto 

S'/}^iii.  Kocju^oKvi g  Koa-iJL8,  f3Kc7rovlMv 

^,Yi.oazs-qo(r}cuvYi(TH(Tiv  avjovurav'  to  Byj^iov,     otl    tjv,    koci    ^k 

Tsg  01  KoclorA.iiv\Eg  iin  T7}g  yyjgy  C  kocitts^  es'iv, 

'cov  ii  yty^oiTrjaL  to  ovo^u  ev  tV/,   <KCci  Tu-a^ss'oci, 

TOO  (o^ZXioc  Tvjg  ^ctjyjg  tQ  d^yin  (jnui  TaTcc^^^S'iv*, 
tS  la-(pocy^i'j^  ciTTo  xajuQo' 
X'/jg  Koa-jji^a, 

There  is  manifest  resemblance  in  the  two  passages. 
^he  pe7'so}is,  who  admire  and  worship  the  beast,  are  the 
^same  ;  '*  they  who  dwell  on  earth,"  the  whole  earth,  or 
that  part  whose  names  are  not  written  in  the  book  of 
life: — and  the  object  of  admiration  is  the  same,  namely 
the  beast,  who  in  the  notes,  ch.  xvii,  is  shewn  to  be 
the  same.  And  the  cause  of  admiration  is  at  least 
nearly  the  some.     In  the  one,  the  beast  receives  a  deadly 

*  There  are  these  three  readings,  see  note  to  ch.  xvii,  8. 

I  I  blow, 


33S  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  3. 

blow,  yet  does  not  die;  in  the  other,   he  was,  and  is 
not,  and  yet  he  is,  or  shall  be  again  *. 

Vcr.  4.   And  they  xcorsJiipped  the  dragon,  because  he 
had  given  the  poxvei^  to  ike  beast ;  and  they  worshipped 
the  beast.]     The  beast  succeeds  to  the  dragon,  who,  in 
verse  2,   gives  him  'Miis  power,   and  his  throne,    and 
''grt^at   authority."     Accordingly,    he   promotes   the 
interests  of  his  master,  and  the  worship  of  him  in  the 
world.     This  beast  is  joined  by  another  beast,  whom 
we  shall  proceed  to  consider ;  and  by  the  ministry  of 
the  latter  beast,   not  only  the  dragon,    but  the  first 
beast  also,  becomes  an  object  of  worship  to  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  earth.     To  worship  the  dragon,  i,  e.  the 
devil,  is  to  do  what  our  Lord  refused,  when  satan  tempted 
him  with  the  offer  of  worldly  greatness;  >vhen,  shewing^ 
to  him  "  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory 
**  of  them  ;  all  these  things,"  saith  he,   ''  will  I  give 
**  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  mef."  Who- 
ever, to  attain  worldly  eminence,  relinquishes  his  trust 
in  God,  and  deviates  from  the  path  of  the  Divine  laws, 
withdraws  his  allegiance  from  God,  andtranfers  it  unto 
the  devil. — And  this  allegiance  may  also  be  transferred  to 
the  agents  of  the  devil ;  to  the  powers  of  this  world,  who 
promote  his   infernal   interests   in   opposition  to   that 
heavenly  kingdom,  which  we  daily  pray  for,  and  which 
we  are  bound  daily  to  promote. 

.  lb.  IFko  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  zvho  is  able  to  make 
war  with  him  ?]  The  battle  to  be  fought  with  the 
beast,  who  proclaims  and  enforces  idolatry,  is  of  a  spi- 
ritual nature  J.  They  who,  giving  up  their  faith  in 
God,  worship  after  the  ordinances    of  the  beast,  are 

♦  See  more  on  this  subject,  in  notes,  ch.  xvii.  S. 
t  Matt,  iv.  8,  9.  X  See  note,  ch.  ii.  7. 

overcome 


Ch.  xiii.    1  — 11.]  APOCALYPSE. 


8S9 


overcome  by  him  :  but  every  faithful  Christian,  who 
adheres  "  to  the  word  of  the  Testimony,  loving  not  his 
*'  life,  even  unto  death,  overcomes  him  by  the  blood 
**  of  the  Lamb*." 

Ver.  5.  Blasphemies. 1  These  shall  be  considered 
when  we  take  into  view  the  assistant  beast  and  false  pro- 
phet, who  enabled  the  first  beast  to  blaspheme  to  the 
utmost  excess.     See  note  below,  ch.  xiii.  5.  6.  7. 

lb.  Pozver  [to  conti^iue  in  actio7i]fortij-txvo  months,'] 
Hotvidcii,  applied  to  time,  signifies  to  continue,  as  in  Acts 
XV.  33;  XX.  3;  to  continue,  during  this  period,  in  his 
evil  practices  against  the  Church. 

This  being  the  last  time  in  which  the  period  of 
forty-two  months  is  mentioned,  presents  us  with  the 
proper  occasion  for  taking  it  into  more  minute  consi- 
deration, together  with  the  other  concurrent  periods  of 
the  same  duration. 

There  are  three  of  these  periods  mentioned  in  the 
Apocalypse;  and  it  has  been  already  shewn  that  they 
contain  the  same  duration  of  timef.  This  will  appear 
still  more  evident,  by  the  following  scheme  : 


I.  A  time,    and  times,  n 
and  dividing:  of  time. 


p«.  During  this  period,  the 
Saints,  or  times  and  laws, 
are  given  into  the  hand 
of  the  little  horn,  or  king, 


Kai^ov  mi  nxi^si  ncit  vjixiffv    J      rising  <z/Ver  the  ten  kings 
ncci^s.     Rev.  xii.  14.  i    •       Dan.  vii.  25.  xiii.  7 

Ewf  nai^S  nut  Kfl5/^wv  y.cci  ys  i 
v,y.i<T\i  Kai^H,     Dan.  vii.  25.  J 


L 


b.  The  woman  is  nourished 
in  the  wilderness  from  the 
presence  of  the  serpent. 
Rev.  xii.  14. 


Ch.  xii.  11.  t  See  note,  ch.  xi.  2. 

I  I  2  II.  Forty. 


540 


II.  Forty-two  months. 


III.  Twelve      hundred 
and  sixty  days. 


APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.   §  S. 

c.  The    Gentiles   tread    the 

holy  city.      Rev.   xi.    2. 

Luke  xxi.  24. 
»  d.  The  beast  continues  to  act 

asrainst  the  saints.     Rev. 

xiii.  5. 
Ce.  The  witnesses  prophesy  in 
I       sackcloth.     Rev.  xi.  3. 
^\f.  The  woman  is  nourished 
i      in  the  wilderness.     Rev. 
t     xii.  6. 


Now  if  we  compare  a  and  d  together,  they  wnll  be 
found  to  relate  the  same  history;  therefore  the  periods 
contained  under  I.  and  II.  appear  to  be  the  same. 
Again  compare  b  with^;  they  are  the  same  history : 
therefore  I.  and  III.  are  the  same  periods.  But  L 
which  thus  appears  to  be  the  same  with  III.,  has  been 
seen  also  to  be  the  same  with  II. ;  therefore  all  three 
periods  are  the  saine.  Thus  these  three  prophetic 
periods  are  of  the  same  length  or  duration  :  they  mea- 
sure the  same  quantity  of  time.  But  another  question 
will  arise;  whether  they  measure  the  same  identical 
period  :  for,  although  allowed  to  measure  the  same 
quantity  of  time,  they  may  possibly  succeed  each 
other;  or  if  they  be  cotemporary  in  some  parts^  yet  it 
may  not  appear  that  they  quadrate  and  agree  mall: 
their  beginnings  and  their  endings  may  not  be  at  the 
same  points.     Now   it   will  not   be  dillicult  to  shew 

tliat  all  these  periods,   I.  V^.     II.  \  ^    111.  \  % 

(^•>         t^t  cji 


have  so?jie 


common  coincidence;  they  are  all  contained  under 
the  sixth  Trumpet,  a  and  d  exliibit  the  same  history,, 
told  by  different  prophets,   rU.  that  of  the  antichris- 

tian 


Ch.  xiii.  1~1I.]         APOCALYPSE.  341 

tian  oppressor  expected  to  arise  out  of  the  Roman 
empire,  after  its  division  into  ten  kingdoms,  b  and^ 
contain  the  same  history, — the  nourishment  of  the 
woman  in  the  wilderness,  which,  for  a  particular  reason, 
is  repeated^.  But  the  beast,  represented  in  a  and  d, 
receives  his  power  from  the  dragon  f,  who  is  certainly 
ilescribed  as  cotemporary  with  the  woman  ;  and  makes 
war  against  her  seed,  the  seed  of  the  woman  in  the 
wilderness,  the  saints.  Therefore  a  and  d,  and  b  andj^ 
contain  histories,  some  parts  of  which  at  least  are  of 
the  same  perio^l.  Again ;  any  one,  who  reads  ch.  xi.  2, 
5,  with  attention,  must  perceive  that  c  and  e  are  pur- 
posely brought  together,  in  order  to  shew  that  they 
contain  the  same  period,  but  e,  in  some  of  its  parts,  is 
certainly  cotemporaiy  with  a  and  d;  with  the  times 
of  the  beast.  For  the  beast  of  a  and  d  slays  the  wit- 
nesses of  e.  And  thus  all  of  them  appear  to  cotem- 
porize  in  some  parts  of  their  coVirse.  But,  that  they 
agree  and  coincide  in  all  their  points ;  that  they  syn- 
chronize, as  Mede  expresses  it,  in  every  part  of  their 
periods,  so  as  to  have  the  same  beginning,  middle,  and 
end,  will  not  be  so  easily  admitted. 

But,  to  render  this  examination  less  difficult,  we 
may  begin  with  reducing  the  six  periods  to  four.  For, 
(1.)  «  and  d  may  safely  be  pronounced  to  be  the  self- 
same period ;  viz,  the  time  during  which  the  antichris- 
tian  oppressor  is  permitted  to  act  against  the  saints. 
The  history  is  the  same,  but  given  in  different  expres- 
sion, yet  q,mounting  to  the  same  duration,  by  two  dif- 
ferent prophets  J.  (2.)  b  and^  evidently  set  forth  the 
same  history  and  time;  viz,  the  nourishment  of  the 

*  See  note,  ch.  xii.  14.  +  Ch.  xiii.  2,  5. 

X  The  forty-two  months  of  Saint  John  are  exactly  equal  to  three 
years  and  an  half,  the  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  of  Daniel.    See 

note,  ch.  xi.  2.  xii.  14. 

woman 


342  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  IV    §  5. 

•woman  in  the  wilderness.  We  are  therefore  enabled  to 
reduce  the  sir  periods  to  four:  —  1.  the  period  of  the 
continuance  of  the  beast ;  a  and  d:  —  2.  that  of  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  woman  in  the  wilderness;  b  and  /;  —  S, 
that  of  the  Gentiles  continuing  to  tread  the  holy  city  ; 
c :  —  4.  that  of  the  witnesses  continuing  to  prophesy  in 
sackcloth  ;  e. 

This  is  what  Joseph  Mede  has  intitled,  nobilis  iste 
quaternio  vaticinioruin,  aequalibus  temporum  intervallis 
insigniam  *;    whose   periods   he   has  endeavoured   to 
exhibit  as  synchronizing  in  all  their  parts.     His  first 
attempt  is  to  shew  the  synchronism  of  the  time  of  the 
beast,  (Oy  b,)  with  that  of  the  woman  in  the  wilderness, 
{b,  fy)  upon  this  ground,  that  their  times  begin  together, 
and  consequently  must  run  together  throughout.     But 
the  proof  of  their  beginning  together  does  not  appear 
free  from  objection.     They  begin  together,  says  he, 
from  one  and  the  same  point  of  time  ;  namely,  when  the 
dragon  is  overcome  and  cast  down  to  the  earth.     Now, 
if  this  be  the  point  of  time,  from  which  the  sojournment 
of  the  zvoman  in  the  xvilderness  is  to  be  dated,  yet  it  can 
scarcely  be  that  of  the  commencement  of  the  beast's 
reign.     For  there  is  an  interval,  full  of  action,  between 
the   fall   of  the   dragon   and  the   rise  of  the  beast; 
namely,  that  in  which  the  dragon  pursues  the  woman, 
casting  after  her  torrents  of  water :  and  it  is  not  till 
after  he  has  in  vain  tried  this  method  of  destroying  her, 
that,   enraged  at  his  disappointment,  he  raises  up  the 
beast  to  war  against  the  rest  of  her  oifspripg|.     That 
the  beast  and  the  woman  are  cotemporary   in  some 
parts  of  their  periods,  is  very  probable ;  and  it  is  pro- 
bable likewise,  that  their  beginnings  are  not  far  distant 


Clav.  Apoc.  p.  419.  +  See  ch.  xii.  13—1/  ;  and  ch.  xiii.  1. 

from 


Ch.  xiii.  1 — 11.]  APOCALYPS*:.  543 

from  each  other,— so  that  from  M'hat  has  hitherto  ap 
peared,  they  may  he  the  same : — but  this  has  not  yet 
seemed  to  admit  of  complete  demonstration. 

The  synchronism  of  the  beast  with  the  prophecy  of 
the  witnesses  seems  Hkewise  defective  in  proof.  These, 
says  iVIede,  are  both  brought  down  to  the  same  period 
of  consummation,  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  Trumpet. 
But,  if  the  period  of  the  witnesses  be  allowed  to  end 
with  the  sixth  Trumpet,  it  is  otherwise  v/ith  the  period 
of  the  beast,  v/hose  warfare  against  the  Church  is  par- 
ticularly described  under  the  seventh  Trumpet ;  when, 
together  with  the  false  prophet,  he  is  taken  and  slain  *, 
Besides,  nothing  is  more  manifest,  than  that  the  beast 
does  not  come  to  his  end  at  the  same  time  with  the 
witnesses;  for  the  witnesses  are  slain  hy  him;  and 
when  they  are  slain,  \\\QyJinish  their  prophetical  office  ; 
as  is  expressly  declared  in  ch.  xi.  7.  Add  to  this, 
;diat  the  earthquake  and  fill  of  one  tenth  of  the  city, 
TVhich  concludes  the  prophecy  of  the  Avitnesses,  and 
also  the  sixth  Trumpet  t,  cannot  be  the  same  with  the 
great  slaughter  and  total  victory  under  the  seventh 
Trumpet  J;  when  the  beast  is  destroyed.  The  syn- 
chronism therefore  is  defective  of  proof  §. 

The 

*  Ch.  xix.  19.  t  Ch.  xi.  i  Ch.  xix. 

§  This  attempt  of  the  ingenious  author  of  the  Clavis  Apocalyptica 
to  synchronize  these  periods,  seems  to  me  conclusive  in  very  few  stages 
of  it.  He  appears  to  approach  near  to  the  truth,  in  many  instances; 
but  the  proofs  are  not  positive  and  satisfactory.  The  prophecies  do 
not  seem  to  supply  the  means  of  that  strict  demonstration,  which  he 
has  attempted:  and,  one  proof  failing  (as  we  have  seen  in  these  first 
propositions),  that  which  is  built  upon  it  must  fail  also.  There  is  one 
passage  in  this  able  divine's  commentary,  from  which  it  may  be  collect- 
ed that  he  did  not  always  conclude  the  termination  of  the  beast's  career 
to  be  exactly  synchronal  with  the  termination  of  the  prophecy  of  the 
witnesses.  He  plainly  asserts  the  one  to  belong  to  the  sixth,  the  other 
to  the  seventh  Trumpet.     (See  his  Works,  pages  490,  49 1.)    And  his 

method 


3A4i  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.    <^  5. 

The  four  grand  apocalyptic  periods  are  involved  very 
mucli  together,  and  before  the  final  completion  of  them 
all  has  taken  place,  it  may  not  be  in  the  power  of  man 
to  settle  the  times  when  each  of  them  had  its  com- 
mencement. But,  for  the  reasons  above  assigned,  I  am 
inclined  to  conjecture  that  the  period  of  the  beast  may 
be  found  to  derive  its  beginning  somewhat  later  than 
that  of  the  v»'oman  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  to  receive  its 
termination  somewhat  later  than  that  of  the  witnesses. 
His  times  seem  rather  later  than  either  of  theirs.  And 
it  may  perhaps  be  found,  that  those  of  the  woman  and 
of  the  >vitnesses  are  the  same ;  with  which  the  other 
remaining  period,  that  of  the  Gentiles  treading  the 
holy  city,  seems  also  to  accord.  Commentators  seem 
to  have  been  too  adventurous  in  fixing  the  exact  com- 
mencement of  these  periods,  which  appear  to  be  in- 
volved in  a  purposed  obscurity,  which  the  event  only- 
can  clear.  But  it  may  be  probable,  that  the  1260  years 
of  the  Gentiles;  of  the  woman  in  the  wilderness,  and 
of  the  witnesses;  will  come  to  their  conclusion,  before 
the  antichristian  reign  of  the  beast  is  seen  finally  to 
cease.  And  this  is  all  that  I  dare  advance  concerning 
prophecies  which  are  yet  fulfilling. 

Verses  5,  6,  7.  And  there  was  given  to  him  a  mouth 
speaking  great  things  and  blasphejnies ;  &c.]  It  will 
be  useful  to  observe,  that  in  Daniel  vii.  8.  20.  25,  the 
fourth,  or  Roman  beast,  does  not  obtain  '*  his  mouth 
^'  speaking  great  things,"  (they  are  the  very  same  words 
used  by  both  prophets,)  nor  open  his  mouth  for  blas- 
phemy, until  he  has  produced  the  little  horn,  that  is, 
after  he  has  produced  the  ten  kings.     So  in  the  Apo- 

method  of  solving  this  diflficulty,  must  be  thought  defective:  for,  surely, 
the  end  of  the  beast  is  \ns  final  confinement  in  the  lake  of  fire,  ch.  xix. 
20,  and  not  his  imagined  expulsion  from  the  city  of  Rome. 

calypse, 


Ch.  xiii.  1 — 11.]         APOCALYPSE.  345 

calypse,  it  is  not  in  the  first  period  of  the  beast's  pro- 
gress that  he  exalts  himself  so  superbly,  and  becomes 
an  object  of  worship.  This  exaltation  is  accomplish- 
ed for  him  by  the  intervention  of  the  second  beast,  his 
minister  in  iniquity,  whose  office  and  actions  are  de- 
scribed in  the  subsequent  part  of  this  chapter.  But  in 
this  description  of  the  first  beast,  ch.  xiii.  1 — 9,  we 
may  discriminate  his  gradual  progress ;  1.  under  verses 
1  &  2,  the  Roman  tyranny  under  its  pagan  persecuting 
emperors,  to  whom  the  apostate  Christians  literally 
offered  incense: — ^  *.  his  wound  at  the  accession  of 
Constantine :  — 3.  his  recovery,  and  the  great  admiration 
of  him  in  his  new  form:  —  4.  his  additional  power  and 
increased  dominion,  when,  after  his  division  into  ten 
kingdoms,  the  little  horn  of  Daniel,  the  false  prophet, 
springs  up  in  him  ;  when  the  harlot  directs  the  reins f. 
The  period  of  1260  years  seems  to  be  that  of  his  renew- 
ed life,  and  of  his  increased  dominion,  displayed  in 
verses  5,  6,  7-  [*'  They  who  dxvell  in  Heaven^'"^  are 
not  only  the  heavenly  inhabitants,  literally  speaking, 
but  the  faithful  Christians  on  earthy  whose  "  conversa- 
'*  tion  is  in  Heaven ;''  whose  '*  building"  and  home  are 
there;  who  account  themselves  "strangers  and  pil- 
'*  grims  upon  earth:]:." 

Ver.  8.   Book  of  Life.']     See  note,  ch.  iii.  5. 

Ver.  9.  If  any  one  have  an  ear ;  &c.]  See  note, 
ch.  ii.  7. 

Ver.  10.  If  any  one  leadeth  into  captivity;  &c.] 
After  the  fearful  picture  exhibited  of  the  victorious 
power  of  the  beast,  a  comfort  is  derived  from  these 

*  Ver.  3.  t  Ch.  xvii. 

X  Heb.  xi.  9.  13.  Eph.  ii.  6.  19.  1  Pet.  i.  1/.  They  are  opposed 
to  "  those  who  inhabit  the  earth,"  and  who  are  said  to  worship  the 
beast,  ch.  xiii.  3.  8.  xvii,  8, 

words; 


346  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  3, 

words ;  which  contain  an  assurance  from  the  Almighty, 
that  the  wicked  shall  not  finally  prosper.  The  cause 
of  iniquity  sometimes  flourishes  during  a  long  period, 
and  under  various  instruments:  but  the  individuals 
employed  to  promote  its  reign,  have  no  lasfmg  enjoy- 
ment or  prosperity.  They  suffer  in  their  turn  the  evils 
which  they  introduce,  and  inflict  on  others.  This  great 
truth  in  the  providential  government  of  God,  is  exem- 
plified by  Dr.  Jortin,  in  the  sufferings  and  deaths  of 
the  most  noted  persecutors  *.  We  have  seen  it  exempli- 
fied in  our  own  times,  during  the  progress  of  the 
French  Revolution.  The  individuals  who  chiefly  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  overturning  legal  government 
and  promoting  persecution,  oppression,  a  beastly  do- 
mination, and  the  overthrow  of  Christianity,  have  en- 
joyed but  a  precarious  and  short-lived  power.  We 
have  seen  most  of  them  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  their 
ambitious  career,  or  consigned  to  misery  in  a  distant 
wretched  colony. 

The  saints  must  be  patient;  the  great  day  of  re- 
compense will  surely  comef. — '*  Fear  not,  little  flock; 
'Mt  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give  you  the 
^'kingdom J."      And  it  is  the  oiiice  of  the  Messiali 
"  to  lead  captivity  captive  §." 

*  Remarks  on  Eccl.  Hist.  vol.  iii.  pp.  24()— 322.        t  ^eb.  x.  3^. 
I  Luke  xii.  32.  §  Psalm  Ixviii.  18.  ICph.  iv.  8. 


PART 


Ch.  xiii.  11—18.]  apocalybse. 


347 


PART    IV. 

SECTION     IV. 


The  Beast  from  the  Land,  or  false  Prophet. 


CHAP.  xiii.  VER.  11 — to  the  end< 


i  1  Kai     i%v     «XXo 

"rrts  yriSy   xxl   il^t 

xs^atiat  ovo  tixoix 
eipvla/*  jc  i}mXh  us 
12  l^uKuv,  Kxl  rr,v 
i^tta-t'av  t5  zs^ura 
^v^tti  xsua-otv  'BJoiu 

xatloiKti^xs  Iv  fxiiT^i 
J»«  'afocrxwh<7U(Ti 
TO  ^ftqm  TO  'uj^u- 
Toy,  tt  f0£f aWJvSij  19 

1 3  air  a,  Ka«  vsoiii 
(T^tTot  (jnyciXUf  iva 

Kj  tjv^  'Ojoi'n  xaia- 
Qalvziv  Ix  t5  «fay5 
tis  T^y  yriv,  eywiriov 

14  ru*  dv9fu'Truy.  Ka< 
-roXaya  rtis  xoio;- 
x»yW  !''»■'  T^y  7^^ 

i^ofi»  aJrw  tuOi^crat/ 
huTim  TB  ^»!f/a* 
Asywy  ToFy  xa)oix«'- 
o-^y  I'm  Tins  yns^ 
ijotria-xi  ilxovx  rf 

wXr^T^n    r-ni    /*«- 


1 1  And  I  beheld  another 
wild-beast,  coming  up 
out  of  the  land.  And 
he  had  two  horns  like 
a  Lamb,  and  he  spake 

12  as  a  dragon.  And  he 
exerciseth  all  the  pow- 
er of  the  first  beast 
before  him;  and  cau- 
seth  the  earth,  and 
those  who  dwell  there- 
in, to  worship  the 
first  beast,  whose 
deadly     wound     was 

13  healed.  And  he  doeth 
great  wonders ;  so  that 
he  even  maketh  fire  to 
come  down  from  hea- 
ven, upon  the  earth, 

14  before  men.  And  he 
deceiveth  those  who 
dwell  upon  the  earth, 
by  the  wonders  which 
were  given  him  to  do 
before  the  beast ;  say- 
ing to  those  who  dwell 
on  the  earth,  to  make 
an  image  to  the  beast, 
who  hath  the  wound 
of  the  sword,  and  did 

15  live.  And  it  wis  given 


11  And  I  beheld  another 
beast  coming  up  out 
of  the  earth,  and  he 
had  two  horns  like  a 
lamb,  and  he  spake  as 

1 2  a  dragon .  And  he  ex- 
erciseth all  the  power 
of  the  first  beast  before 
him,  and  causeth  the 
earth,  and  them  which 
dwell  therein,  to  wor- 
ship the  first  beast, 
whose   deadly   wound 

13  was  healed.  And  he 
doeth  great  wonders, 
so  that  he  maketh  fire 
come  down  from  hea- 
ven on  the  earth,  in 

14  the  sight  of  men.  And 
deceiveth  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  by 
the  means  of  those  mi- 
racles which  he  had 
power  to  do  in  the 
sight  of  the  beast,  say- 
ing to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earih,  that  they 
should  make  an  image 
to  the  beast  which  had 
the  wound  by  a  sword, 

15  and  did  live.    And  lie 


348 

15  Kxt  scoQy)  avraj 
immt  T«  ^'/jpla,  "vx 

coot  oiv  Lv.',  TufQa-ycv- 
V/itJuai  ~r,v  six-OiX  T« 
C>)f/a,  'lysi  ccnoyJxv- 

16  ^ua-i.  Vixi  zjotsT 
'znx^^xs,  rks  {x.ixpiis 
y^  ras  [/.syxKus,  -^ 

TtiS      'SjKaCiUS     KXl 

Ttts  islu^aSf  Kxt 
riis  sXsvGs^as  y.a,i 
TW  ^t'Aas-,  'I'vx  cZ-atv 
cc.lrc7s  ^a^x^ux  srrt 
"rris  X^'P^^  avruv 
rr,s    ce^ixs,    vv    f97i 

TUV  {JLiiuTTUV  XVTUV. 

1 7  Ka<  'lyx  fjLV)  rts 
ovvnixi  dyo^xa-xi  v) 

sy(ujv  TO  yjxpx^y.a^ 
TO  ovoixci  TB  ^ripia^ 
♦)    Toy   a^i^ijiOii     rt; 

18  oyoixxios  avri.'flh 
75  ao(^ix  l^-i)/'  0  j'^t'v 
v£v,  \J/>iO<(7aT&;  Toy 

a^iOlJLOV    TB    ^'/J^lU' 

im  It'i  Kf  0  d^i9[A0S 
tCrCry  yJ-S  ' 


APOCALYPSE. 

him  to  give  life  unto 
the  image  of  the  beast, 
that  the  image  of  the 
beast  should  even 
spealc ;  ^nd  he  should 
cause  that  as  many  as 
should  not  worship 
the  image  of  the  beast 

15 should  be  slain.  And 
he  causeth  all,  both 
the  small  and  the 
great,  and  the  rich 
and  the  poor,  and  the 
freemen  and  the  slaves, 
that  they  should  give 
them  a  mark  upon 
their  right  hands,  or 
upon  their  foreheads. 

17  [And]  that  no  one 
might  be  able  to  buy 
or  sell,  but  he  who 
hath  the  mark,  the 
name  of  the  beast,  or 
the     number     of    his 

IS  name.  Herein  is  the 
wisdom  ;  let  him  that 
hath  understanding, 
calculate  the  num- 
ber of  the  beast:  for 
it  is  a  number  of  a 
man  ;  and  his  number 
is  666. 


[Pt.  IV.  §  4. 

had  power  to  give  life 
unto  the  image  of  the 
beast,  that  the  image 
of   the    beast    should 
both  speak,  and  cause 
that  as  many  as  would 
not  worship  the  image 
of  the  beast,  should  be 
16' killed.    And  he  cau- 
seth  all,    both    small 
and   great,    rich     and 
poor,   free  and  bond, 
to  receive  a  mark  in 
their  right  hand,  or  in 
17  their  foreheads  :  And 
that  no  man  might  buy 
or  sell,  save  he  that 
had  the  mark,  or  the 
name  of  the  beast,  or 
the     number    of    his 
IS  name.     Here  is  wis- 
dom.     Let   him   that 
hath      understanding, 
count  the  number  of 
the  beast :  for  it  is  the 
numberofamaiji;  and 
his  number  is  six  hun- 
dred   threescore    and 
six. 


Ver.  il.  Another  xdld  beast— out  of  the  land] 
'H  7V1,  tlicland*,  in  opposition  to  y^ 'baKcitTtret,  the  sea, 
signifies  tlie  Israel;  the  peculiar  people  of  God;  the 


*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  7, 


Jews, 


Cb.  xiii.  11—18.]         apocalypse.  349 

Jews,  so  long  as  they  continued  such;  but,  after  the 
Divine  rejection  of  them,  the  Gentiles;  who  now, 
during  the  1260  years,  tread  the  courts  of  the  Lord's 
Temple*.  Tliis  beast  therefore  ariseth  from  among 
the  professed  Christians.  He  is  of  the  kind  foretold 
by  St.  Paul ;  '^  grievous  wolves,  not  sparing  the  flock  ; 
^^  also  o^ your  oxvnselves  shall  men  arise,  speaking  per- 
*'  verse  things  f  &c.  t  Thus  also  Saint  John  describes 
antichrist  6^  v/xwv — «AA'  obn  i^  v^y^m  : — he  is  a  Christian 
in  pretence,  but  in  fact  an  enemy  to  the  faith:}::  and 
he  propagates  new  doctrines,  and  seduces  or  forces 
others  from  the  ancient  faith  §.  This  is  the  spirit  of 
antichrist  which  began  to  shew  itself  even  in  St.  John's 
days,  but  was  to  be  manifested  in  full  growth  at  that 
later  period,  which  seems  foretold  in  this  passage  of  tlie 
Apocalypse. 

lb.  He  had  txvo  horns  like  a  lamb,  and  he  spake  as 
a  dragon.~\  Horns  signify  power,  and  two  horns  two 
branches,  into  which  that  power  is  divided  ||.  They 
are  of  the  same  beast;  a  power  of  the  same  kind  ;  but 
exercised  in  two  separate  divisions  or  kingdoms.  They 
are  made  to  appear  like  the  liorns  of  a  lamb,  profess- 
ing to  be  that  spiritual  power  which  belongs  to  the 
Lamb,  and  is  peculiar  to  his  kingdom ;  to  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  Tliey  are,  in  short,  ecclesiastical  pozvers. 
But  though  their  outward  seeming  be  such,  not  such 
is  their  reality.  This  beast  is  no  lamb, — he  is  the  very 
wolf  in  sheep's  clothing,  foretold  by  our  Lord^;  after 
which  passage  the  venerable  Ignatius  calls  false  prophets 
and  deceivers  in  the  Church  Avko/  ciioiric^ci.     Tins  beast 

*  See  notes,  ch.  ii.  9;  vii.  4;  xi.  1. 

t  Acts  XX.  29,  30.     Phil.  iii.  2.  :  1  John  ii.  18,  I9. 

§  1  John  ii.  24,  25,  26  ;  iv.  2,  &c.  2  John  6,  7. 

))  See  note,  ch.  v  6';  xvii.  12.         H  Malt.  vii.  15.  xiii.  22. 

is 


350  '  APOCALYPSE*  [Pt.  IV.  §  4. 

is  by  Saint  Jolm  styled  the  false  prophet* ;  and  the 
ancient  Fathers  universally  understood  him  to  be  the 
leader  of  the  great  antichristian  apostacy  f-  He  puts  on 
the  garb  and  outward  appearance  of  a  pure  servant  of 
God :  but  M  hen  he  speaks  and  brings  to  light  his  doc- 
trine and  his  decrees,  the  difference  becomes  manifest. 
Our  Lord  ''  spake  as  never  man  spake,"  with  divine 
energy  united  to  gentleness  and  tender  affection ;  he 
spake  ''  comfortably  to  his  Jerusalem."  Not  so  this 
ecclesiastical  wild-beast; — like  the  voice  of  the  little 
horn  in  Daniel:}:,  his  voice  is  blasphemous ;  it  is  exalted 
"  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Anointed."— It  iy 
of  his  predecessor  the  dragon. — ''  Ye,"  says  our  Lord 
to  the  Jewish  ^j//?ocnVe^,  *' are  of  your  father  xht  deml\.^* 
Ver.  12.  And  he  exerciseth  all  the  pozver  of  the 
first  beast;  &c.]  This  second  beast,  the  ecclesiastical 
power,  divided  into  two  branches,  exerciseth  all  the 
power  of  the  first  beast;  that  power  which  has  been 
already  described  as  given  to  him  by  the  dragon,  with 
whose  voice  he  speaks.  But  this,  as  was  before  ob- 
served IJ,  is  not  in  the  early  times  of  the  beast's  power ; 
not  during  the  pagan  Roman  empire;  but  after  he 
had  received  his  deadly  wound ;  which  mark  of  his 
chronology  is  twice  repeated  ^.  The  power  which  he 
receives  from  the  dragon,  and  exercises  under  the  first 
beast,  whose  armour-bearer  he  is  therefore  called  by 
Irenaeus**,  has  already  been  described.     It  is  a  power 

*  Ch.  xvi.  13;   xix.  20;  xx.  10. 

t  Irenaeus,  lib.  v.  25.  Augustin.  Horn.  ii.  in  Apocal.  In  tbe 
Synops.  S.  S.  attributed  to  Athanasius,  a  kind  of  abstract  is  given  of 
the  Apocalypse :  and  in  this  the  second  beast  is  called  the  anti-christ, 
OS  t)'i  o  Aviix^h-os,  which  seems  to  have  been  the  prevailing  notion  with 
the  Fathers.  |  Dan.  vii.  20.     Ch.  xiii.  4,  5. 

§  John  viii.  44.  jl  Note,  ch.  xiii.  5,  6,  7 

1[  Ver.  12.  &  14.  **  Adv.  Hrer.  lib.  v.  cap.  28. 

of 


Chap.  xiii.  11  — 18.]         apocalypse.  551 

of  great  extent*;  opposed  against  God,  and  true 
Religion  f ;  idolatrous  and  tyrannical :{:.  Being  a 
false  prophet  §,  he  possesses  himself  of  an  ecclesiastical 
authority,  and  adds  the  influence,  with  which  the  sanc- 
tions of  Religion  seem  to  invest  him,  to  the  civil  power 
which  he  obtains  and  exercises  under  the  Roman  beast. 
Thus  armed  with  tv/ofold  authority,  he  employs  it  in 
the  support  of  the  power  which  he  has  obtained ;  and  to 
secure  reverence  and  obedience  to  that  power,  he  sets 
it  up  as  sacred. 

Ver.  13.  And  he  doeth  great  wonders  ;  cS:c.]  The 
opposers  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  God,  performed  lying 
wonders  in  iEgypt  ||.  This  false  prophet  endeavours  to 
personate  the  servants  of  God,  and,  like  them,  to  per- 
form miracles  ;  like  Moses  and  Elijah,  to  *'  draw  down 
*'  fire  from  heaven  i7i  the  sight  of  men,''  He  is  suc- 
cessful in  the  delusion,  and  is  generally  received  as  a 
prophet  of  God.  Under  the  sanction  of  Religion,  he 
establishes  an  oppressive  domination,  hostile  to  true  Re- 
ligion; and  which  true  Religion  is  calculated  to  de- 
stroy. 

Ver.  14.  It  is  the  image  and  resemblance  of  the 
ancient  tyranny,  in  the  times  of  the  C^sars,  by  which 
those,  suspected  to  be  Christians,  were  required,  at  the 
penalty  of  their  lives,  to  offer  incense  to  the  pagan 
emperors.  By  investing  this  tyrannical  usurpation  with 
the  sanctions  of  sacred  authority,  he  renders  it  the  ob- 
ject of  the  world's  foolish  idolatry.  And  where  obedi- 
ence and  worship  are  refused,  they  are  then  enforced 
by  terror  and  by  arms.  All  orders  and  degrees  of  men 
are  enrolled,  and  marked  as  slaves  of  this  tyranny  %, 

The 

*  Ver.  7,  8.  +  Ver.  5,  6.  |  Ver.  4. 

J  Ch.  xvi    3.         1!   Exod.  vii.  12,  22. 

If  The  custom  of  receiving  marks  on  the  forehead  and  right  hand, 


552  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  IV.  §  4^ 

To  those  who  withhold  the  decreed  worship  and  obedi^ 
ence,  the  common  privileges  of  Hfc  are  denied ;  they 
are  oppressed,  persecuted,  and  slain.  The  atncient  Ro- 
man tyranny  denied  to  persons,  suspected  to  be  Chris- 
tians, the  privilege  of  buying  and  seUing,  unless  they 
would  sacrifice  to  idols  *.  This  revived  tyranny,  the 
living  image  of  the  old  one,  does  the  same. 

The  future  existence  and  success  of  such  an  hypo- 
critical, blasphemous^  and  cruel  povver,  has  been  fore- 
told in  other  passages  of  Scripture.  The  little  horn  of 
Daniel  came  up  like  this.  Upon  theforrmr  beast,  upon 
the  old'established  civil  poxver ;  came  rooting  up  other 
branches  of  this  power,  to  make  way  for  his  own  domi- 
nation. He  is  '^  divers  from  the  other  horns;"  he  is 
not  merely  a  cfr// power;  ^*  he  has  eyes,  as  the  eyes  of 
*'  a  man,"  and  ''  a  mouth  speaking  great  things;''  and 
**  he  wears  out  the  Saints  of  the  Most  High,"  who  are 
given  into  his  hand  during  the  very  same  period  of 
time  which  is  assigned  to  the  first  beast  of  the  Apoca- 
lypse, all  whose  power  is  exercised  by  this  second  beast  f. 

as  badges  of  servitude,  is  very  ancient.  Moses  seems  to  allude  to  it  in 
Deut.  vi.  8.  Such  a  mark  was  inflicted  on  the  conquered  Jews  by 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus.  (Maccabees.)  Irenieus  relates,  that  the  Gnostics 
were  accustomed  thus  to  mark  their  disciples.  Both  believers  and 
infidels,  according  to  the  koran  of  Mahomet,  are  to  be  marked  respec* 
tively  on  their  faces,  previous  to  the  last  day.  (Sale's  Koran,  p.  105.) 
Jn  riindostan,  some  casts  are  yet  marked  in  the  forehead.  A  curious  ac- 
count of  these  marks,  and  specimens  of  their  forms,  may  be  seen  in  the 
Voyage  of  Fra.  Paolino  da  San  Bartolomeo  to  the  East  Indies,  chap, 
\iii;  also  chap.  i.  toward  the  end.  See  likewise  Augustin.  torn.  xi. 
p.  538  ;  "  signacula  oris,  et  manuum,  et  siniis."  Likewise  see  Spencer 
de  Leg.  Heb.  lib.  ii.  c.  14-. 

*  Euseb.  Eccl  Hist.  v.  c.  1.  vi.  c.  41.  Just.  Martyr,  quoted  by  Bp. 
NewtoH,  iii.  p.  244. 

t  Dan.  vii.  8.  20.  21.  24.  25.  See  them  compared,  notej  ch. 
xiii.5. 

This 


Ch.  xiii.  11 — 18.]       apocalypse.  353 

This  prophecy  of  Daniel  may  have  been  fulfilled  ti/pl- 
cally,  and  in  its  primary  sense,  in  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes  *  ;  but  that  in  this  persecutor,  the  prediction 
was  not  finally  completed,  we  may  affirm  upon  the  au- 
thority of  an  apostle.  For  St.  Paul,  who  Hved  after  the 
times  of  Antiochus,  teaches  the  Christians  of  his  time 
to  look  to  a  future  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy ; 
to  expect  a  faUing  away  from  the  faith,  a  signal  cor- 
ruption, and  even  apostacy,  in  the  leading  powers  of  the 
Christian  Church ;  when  ''the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  per- 
*'  dition,  shall  be  revealed,"  whom  he  describes  in  words 
to  the  same  effect  with  these  of  Daniel  and  St.  John ; 
*'  Who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that  is 
"  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped,  so  that  he  is  as  God ; 
^'  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing  himself  that  he 
*'  is  God  ;  even  he  whose  coming  is  after  the  working 
"  of  satan,  with  all  power,  and  signs,  and  lying 
"  wonders  f."  It  may  be  useful  to  bring  these  several 
prophecies  into  one  view ;  so  that  the  comparison  of 
them  may  be  more  nearly  exhibited.  Their  relation  to 
each  other  was  observed  by  so  early  a  commentator  as 
IrenaeusJ. — 

♦  See  Wintle,  on  Daniel  vii.  &c.        f  2  Tbess.  ii.  3,  4, .9. 
.    X  Lib.  V.  c.  25.  2^, 


K  K 


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APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  IV.  §  A. 


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Ch.  xiii.  11  — 18.]       APOCALYPSE. 


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35G^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  IV.  §  4^. 

In  comparing  these  descriptions  of  Antichrist  we 
must  observe,  that  the  prophecy  of  Daniel  is  the  most 
general,  and  the  most  obscure  of  the  three.     This  is 
agreeable   to    the    analogy   of  prophetical   Scripture, 
which  is   found   to  afford  additional  information,    as 
it   approaches  nearer  to   the   times  foretold  *.      The 
prophecy  of  the  Apocalypse  exhibits  a  nearer  view  of 
the  common  subject,    and  discovers  objects  which  had 
not  been  discerned  before ;    while  the  words  of  Saint 
Paul  may  be  taken  as  a  comment  on  those  of  Daniel ; 
and,   .being  the  comment  of  an  inspired  writer,   may 
be  considered  -at  the  same  time  as  illustrating,    by  the 
Holy  Spirit,    the   prophecy  of  the  Apocalypse.     The 
little  horn,    which,  hi  the  vision  of  Daniel,    had  ap- 
peared somewhat  more  than  a  common  horn,    (for  it 
had  eyes,    and  a  mouth,  and  spake,  and  fought,  and 
conquered,)   upon  a  nearer  view,    as  presented  to  the 
Apocalytic   Prophet,   becomes   a  separate  wild-beast; 
anjd  yet,  between  him  and  the  other  wild  beast  there 
is,   as   iii   the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  a  very  close  con- 
nection and  resemblance.     lie  exerciseth  all  the  power 
of  the  first  beast  ;   renders  him  an  object  of  worship  ; 
becomes  great  through  his  influence ;    partakes  all  his 
fortunes  ;   and  perishes  with  him  at  the  last. 

This  nearer  view  discovers  to  us  also  the  txvo-fold 
ecclesiastical  power  which  Antichrist  was  to  establish, 
and  which  did  not  appear  distinctly  at  the  distance 
at  which  it  was  shewn  to  Daniel  f.     This  method  of 

sacred 

*  Bp.  Lowth's  Praelect.  xx.  p.  197. 

t  Vet  it  is  remarkable,  that  the  three  horns  rooted  up,  the  three 
kingdoms  destroyed  by  the  little  horn,  though  represented  by  Daniel, 
are  not  at  all  noticed  in  the  vision  seen  by  Saint  John.  This  part  of 
the  prophecy  of  Daniel  appears  to  me  to  be  of  difficult  solution.  The 
?hree  kingdoms,  which  by  modern  expositors  are  assigned  for  this 
.<:'  purpose, 


Ch.  xiih    11-^18.]        APOCALYPSE.  36T 

sacred  prophecy,  wherein  one  vision,  under  th-e  same 
or  different  imagery,  enlarges  upon  another  vision,  and 
refers  to  and  ilkistrates  the  same  original  archetype, 
may  be  frequently  observed.  Instances  occur  con- 
tinually in  the  visions  of  Daniel,.  ''  which,"  as  Sir- 
Isaac  Newton  remarks,  "  all  relate  to  one  another, 
^^  every  following  prophecy  adding  somewhat  new 
"  to  the  former*."  The  vision  of  the  Beasts  is  only 
that  of  the  Image  enlarged  ;  yet  represented  undei- 
other  symbols.  And  thus  the  vision  of  Antichrist,  in 
the  Apocalypse,  is  no  more  different  from  those  of 
Daniel,  than  those  of  Daniel  are  from  each  other. 
All  look  to  the  same  times ;  all  are  from  the  same 
sacred  inspiration ;  and  unfold  and  confirm  each  other. 
Now  as  these  several  prophecies,  of  Daniel,  of  Saint 
Paul, .  and  of  Saint  John,  seem  all  to  belong  "  to  the 
latter  times/'  and  to  point  to  the  same  object,  sup- 
porting and  explaining  each  other ;  so,  they  appear 
to  have  been  evidently  fulfilled,  or  to  be  now  fulfilling 
in  the  world. 

1.  The  church  of  Rome  can  point  out  to  us  the 
grand  apostacy  of  the  Mahometans,  accomplished 
principally  by  religious  artifice;  a  blasphemous,  de- 
structive usurpation,  set  up  in  a  form  the  least  sus- 
pected,    because    it    had   the   apparent    sanctions    of 

purpose,  "  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lom- 
"  bards,  the  state  of  Rome,"  (Bishop  Newton,  &c.  &c.)  taken  all 
together,  make  so  petty  a  territory,  that  they  seem  to  compose  only 
a  part  of  one  of  those  ten  kingdoms  into  which  the  Roman  empire, 
(whether  we  consider  either  the  whole  of  it,  or  the  west.ern  part  only,) 
was  divided.  Yet  if  these  be  the  kingdoms,  they  belong  to  one  horn 
only,  of  the  second  apocalyptic  beast,  and  to  that  horn  which  is  to 
be  viewed  more  particularly  in  ch.  xvii :  and  thus  perhaps  in  some  de- 
gree the  omission  is  to  be  accounted  for. 

*  Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  Daniel,  part  i.  ch.  3. 

5  Religion ; 


55S  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   IV.  §4, 

Religion  ;  of  fire  brought  down  from  heaven  *.  No 
wild-beast  of  the  ancient  monarchies,  has  been  more 
tyrannous  than  this.  It  is  indeed  the  image  of 
the  ancient  oppression,  moulded  by  the  hand  of  a 
false  prophet,  who  seized  and  delivered  to  successors 
enormous  civil  and  ecclesiastical  power,  obtained  un- 
der the  apparent  sanction  of  heaven,  and  under  this 
monstrous  domination,  thus  artfully  and  blasphemously 
produced,  the  pure  Religion  of  the  meek  and  heavenly 
Jesus  has  been  superseded,  and  its  saints  persecuted 
and  '*  worn  out." 

But,  secondly,  the  reformed  Churches  have  dis- 
covered as  manifestly,  and  in  colours  equally  strong 
and  glaring,  another  apostacy  from  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  another  erection  of  corrupt,  worldly,  op- 
pressive, and  blasphemous  dominion,  established  by 
ecclesiastical  artifices,  and  by  pretended  miracles,  un- 
der the  direction  of  another  false  prophet,  who  like- 
wise is  seen  sitting  in  the  Temple  of  God;  in  the 
sacred  centre  of  the  Christian  Communion.  There  he 
has  been  seen  exercising,  by  inquisitorial  powers,  the 
tyrannous  domination  of  the  first  beast,  persecuting 
even  unto  death,  and  denying  the  common  privi- 
leges of  life  to  those  who,  true  to  their  Lord,  re- 
fuse  to  receive  the   badge  of  his  usurpation  f .     But 

these, 

*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  5. 

t  I  have  judged  it  unnecessary,  to  shew,  by  a  deduction  of  par- 
ticulars as  they  arise  in  history,  the  agreement  between  Popery,  and 
the  emblems  of  the  beast;  because  this  has  been  done  copiously  by 
almost  all  the  Protestant  writei-s  on  this  subject.  The  reader  will 
find  much  information  of  this  kind  in  some  late  publications ;  in 
Campbell  on  Ecclesiastical  History ;  in  Whitaker  on  the  Revelation  ; 
in  Kett  on  ]*rophecy.  But  I  will  beg  leave  to  add  in  behalf  of  us  all, 
that,  when  Protestant  writers  attribute  such  descriptions  to  the  papal 
church,   they  must  not  be  understood,  as  uttering  a  censure  on  tb^^ 

individuals 


CB.'xiii.  11—18.]        APOCALYPSE.  359 

these,  it  will  be  said,  cannot,  both  of  them,  be  the 
same  wiUl- beast,  the  same  false  prophet.  Observe 
then,  that  the  second  beast,  called  also  the  false 
prophet,  has  tzvo  horns.  He  branches  out  into  two 
divisions  of  power;  two  separate  kingdoms;  and  both 
of  an  ecclesiastical  description  *.  They  both  aposta- 
tize from  and  corrupt  the  same  faith  :  both  are  esta- 
blished by  lying  wonders  ;  and  both  promote  the  reign 

individuals  of  that  body  ;  numbers  of  whom  are  known  to  have  been 
as  pious  and  good  Christians,  as  perhaps  may  be  found  in  any  other 
community.  Nor  yet  are  all  ages  of  the  papal  church  to  be  equally 
branded  with  the  same  black  character.  The  restoration  of  letters  in 
the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  and  yet  more  the  Reformation 
of  Religion  which  followed,  have  occasioned  considerable  retrench- 
ment of  abuses  in  this  corrupt  hierarchy.  The  power  of  papal  Rome 
has  declined,  and  with  it  her  means  of  extensive  and  domineering 
violence.  But  it  is  to  be  feared,  that  the  seeds  and  principles  of  such 
antichristian  domination  yet  remain  in  her.  And  she  is  ever  to  be 
regarded  with  a  jealous  eye,  till  she  solemnly  renounces  them  in  pro- 
fession and  in  practice.  Her  beginnings  were  gentle,  as,  it  seems,  are 
in  some  degree  her  latter  times :  but  how  many  centuries  does  his- 
tory hold  up  to  view,  rendered  dreadful  by  her  enormities,  such  as 
correspond  with  the  description  of  this  second  beast ! 

*  Kings  and  kingdoms  are  the  same;  and  so  explained  by  the 
angel,  Dan.  vii.  17.  23,  24;  Rev.  xvii.  12.  And  by  the  same  divine 
interpreter  it  appears,  that  two  horns  are  two  kings,  or  kingdoms,  of 
the  same  empire,  fiz.  Media  and  Persia:  Dan.  viii.  20. — Some  inter- 
preters, following  Joseph  Mede,  endeavour  to  account  for  the  txoo  horns 
by  a  division  of  the  clergy  in  the  papal  communion  into  regular  and 
secular.  But  the  horns  are  kings  or  kingdoms,  that  is,  so  many 
distinct  governments ;  and  so  will  be  found  in  Daniel,  and  in  the 
Apocalypse  universally.  If  seven  horns  had  been  attributed  to  this 
beast,  or  evenfourj  these  numbers,  being  indefinite,  might  have  been 
interpreted  to  signify  great  power  ;  power  in  general ;  and  without 
respect  to  particular  number :  but  not  so  here.  They  are  tico  powers, 
both  derived  from  the  same  origin ;  at  the  same  time ;  of  the  same 
nature;  acting  upon  the  same  principles  ;  and  against  the  same  pure 
Religion. 

of 


360  APOCALTtSE.  [Pt  IV.  §  4. 

of    a  worldly,   tyrannical,    blasphemous   domination. 
Both  date  their  origin  and  rise  from  the  same  aera. 
The  year  606,  says  Prideaux,  gave  rise  to  both*.     In 
the  very  same  year  that  the  tyrant  Phocas,    by  a  grant 
to  the   Bishop  of  Rome,  enabled  him  to  assume  the 
title  of    universal  pastor,     or    ecclesiastical    supreme 
judge,    the  false  prophet  Mahomet  retired  to  his  cave, 
to  broach  his  superstition  :    ^^  so  that  antichrist  seems 
*'  at  this  time  to  have  set  both  his  feet  upon  Christ eti- 
"  dom  together,    one  in  the  East,  and  the  other  in  the 
"  West.''     Thus  the  two  horns  of  Antichrist  sprouted 
at   the  same  time,   and  grew  up  together,    being  fed 
and    nourished   out   of   the  same   corruptive   matter. 
"  The  quibbling  philosophy   of  Greece,    mixed  with 
''  the  eastern,   and  these  with    Christian  notions,  be- 
*'  gat  that  spirit  of  controversial  accuracy  and  dog- 
''  matism,  which  divided  Christianity  into  a  thousand 
'*  sects,    and   prepared  the  way  for   the  Mahometan 
**  and   Papal   superstitions  f."      And   these  horns,    or 
powers,    not   only   arose,    but   were  fully  established 
nearly  at  the  same  time.     In  the  year  758,  the  Pope 
received  the  exarchate    of  Ravenna,    became  a  tem- 
poral potentate,    and  soon   after  sovereign  of  Rome. 
In  762,    the   Saracen  Caliph  Almansor  built  Bagdat, 
as  the  capital  of  his  extensive  empire.     It  is  certain 
also  that  they  have  declined  together ;{:. 

The  Mahometan,  as  well  as  the  papal,  was  no 
nexv  religion,  but  a  corruption  of  that  which  we 
acknowledge  to  have  been  revealed  to  Adam,  to 
Abraham,  to  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  and  finally  com- 

*  Life  of  JNIahomet,  p.  16. 

t  See  Sale's  Koran,  Prelim.  Discourse,  pp.  42.  4*,  45.  51.  Sir 
Wjlliam  Jones,  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  i.  Ricaut's  Ottomaa 
Empire,  p.  187.     Prideaux,  Pref.  to  Life  of  Mahomet. 

\  Kelt  on  Prophecy,  class  ii  ch.  2. 

pleted 


Gh.  xiii.  11—18.]      apocalypse,  361 

pleted  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  Mahomet  ad- 
mitted, as  the  basis  of  his  superstructure,  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  alleging  only 
that  they  had  been  corrupted  in  those  places,  which 
he  found  it  convenient  to  frame  anew*  So  the 
Christians  received  him  as  a  prophet,  at  the  time  of 
his  flight  from  Mecca  f.  And  without  Xhi^  apostacy 
of  the  Christians^  which  he  artfully  fomented  and 
always  expected  J,  his  daring  schemes  must  have 
failed.  The  king*  of  ^Ethiopia,  and  his  subjects  were 
converted  to  Mahometism  by  considering  it  as  a 
divine  addition  to  the  Christian  Religion §.  The  Chris- 
tians were  uniformly  invited  to  embrace  IMahometism 
as  a  more  perfect  divine  Revelation.  The}?,  with  the 
Jews,  as  believing  the  foundations  of  the  same  Reve- 
lations, were  at  first  treated  with  peculiar  lenity  and 
respect.  They  were  called  the  people  of  the  book^  and 
as  such,  were  tolerated  in  the  profession  of  their  re- 
spective rehgions,  on  payin^^-  a  moderate  tribute, 
•while  the  Harhii,  that  is,  the  idolaters  and  atheists, 
were  extirpated  ||.  Hence  Mahometism  has  been  fre- 
quently accounted  a  Christian  heresy  %;  and  as  it  had 
its  origin  jn  Christianity,  so  to  Christ  it  looks  in  the 
end.  For,  according  to  the  creed  of  the  Mahometans, 
Jesus  is  expected  to  descend  to  earth,  to  embracie 
the  religion  of  Mahomet,  to  slay  Antichrist,  and 
to  reign  with  his  Saints**'.  And  not  only  does  Ma- 
hometism resemble  Popery,  as  one  horn  of  the  same 

*  Koran,  ch.  3,  4,  5.  &c. 

t  Prideaux,  Life  of  Mahomet,  pp.76.  l6l. 

X  Prideaux,  page  76  ;  5th  Ch.  of  the  Koran. 

I  Boulanvilliers,  Vie  de  Mahomed,  p.  Z^9. 

II  Reland  and  Hottinger,  quoted  by  Gibbon,  ch.  11. 

f  See  the  proofs  of  this,  in  p.  364.  **  Sale's  Koran,  p.  10^. 

beast 


56t  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  IV:  §  4w 

beast  does  another,  in  these  characters  of  an  apo- 
state church ;  but  the  resemblance  is  equally  com- 
plete in  those  marks  of  which  the  papal  writers  *  boast, 
as  characteristic  of  their  only  true  Church  ;  Ampli- 
tude, Duration,  Temporal  Prosperity.  If  these  are 
marks  of  the  true  Church,  both  these  usurpations 
have  equally  enjoyed  them.  And  as  their  immense 
civil  power  and  dominion  arose  and  was  established 
nearly  at  the  same  time ;  so  from  the  same  sera,  the 
declension  of  that  power  is  to  be  dated.  The  latter 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  saw  the  tide  of  pro- 
i^perity  ebbing  apace  in  bothf.  In  short,  both  these 
are  religious  powers ;  or,  to  speak  more  justly,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  prophecy,  xcorldl^  powers  masked 
\inder  a  religious  semblance;  they  pretend  their  rights 
from  Religion ;  and  support  them  by  the  civil  sword, 
which  they  both  have  wielded  M'ith  oppressive  vio- 
lence. Both  claim  their  authority  originally  from  the 
same  source,  from  the  Christian  Religion  ;  the  one  as 
vicar  and  representative  of  Christ ;  the  other  by  com- 
mission from  the  Father  of  Christ,  acknowledging 
the  revelation  given  to  the  Son,  but  pretending  to 
restore  it  to  an  original  purity.  Both  attack  Chris- 
tian libert}^,  by  the  arbitrary  introduction  of  burthen- 
some  and  unauthorized  ceremonies  ;  both  attack  and 
render  nugatory  that  most  essential  part  of  Christi- 
anity, the  Mediatorial  office  of  our  Lord ;  the  one 
when   the  pretended  prophet  took  it  upon   himself; 

*  Bellarmine,  kc.  &c. 

+  It  has  been  observed,  that  no  successful  efforts  have  been  made 
either  by  the  Mahometans  or  Papists  to  extend  their  influence  and 
-dominion,   from  the   peace  of  Ryswick,   in  I697,  followed   by  that 
of  Carlowitz  in  1099. 

the 


Ch.  xiii.  11  — 18.]       apocalypse.  S63 

the  other,    m  hen  the  pretended  vicar  transferred  it  to 
angels  and  departed  saints  *. 

The  preceding  commentary  was  written,  nearly 
as  it  now  stands,  before  I  had  consulted  any  com- 
mentator concerning  the  interpretation  of  the  lamb- 
like beast.  I  find  that  many  of  the  Protestant  writers 
have  attributed  this  prophecy  to  popery,  but  few,  if 

*  It  has  been  a  favourite  object  with  some  very  respectable  mo- 
dern writers,  to  represent  the  hifidel  democratic  power  which  appeared 
at  one  time  to  spring  up  with  the  French  revolution,  as  fulfilling  this 
prophecy  of  the  false  prophet.  I  will  propose  a  few  reasons  to  shew 
why  it  cannot  be  so.  1.  The  horns  hhe  a  lamb  denote  ATi  ecclesiastical 
power  :  but  the  French  power  is  wholly  civil,  and  it  imposes  no  re- 
ligion on  the  conquered.  2.  There  are  in  this  infidel  attempt,  no  pre- 
tended miracles  or  heavenly  commission,  no  "  fire  from  Heaven/' 
3.  The  French  have  indeed  set  up  an  image,  a  lively  representation 
of  the  ancient  tyrannies  :  but  it  is  not  pronounced  sacred ;  nor  is  its 
worship  enforced :  they  require  no  more  than  other  political  con- 
querors, submission  to  their  civil  sceptre  ;  they  do  not  persecute  for 
religion's  sake.  4.  There  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  as  the  two 
beasts  are  to  perish  together,  (ch.  xix.  20.)  so,  their  period  being  of 
the  same  length,  that  they  arose  together;  or,  to  speak  more  ac- 
curately, that  the  second  beast  arose  when  the  first  was  renewed^ 
and  his  deadly  wound  healed  :  for,  the  splendour  of  the  first  beast^ 
after  his  renewal,  is  attributed  to  the  successful  ministry  of  the  second. 
The  first  beast,  after  his  first  introduction,  is  never  afterwards  men- 
tioned without  some  mark  or  sign  of  his  being  in  conjunction  with  the 
second.  (See  ch.  xiv.  9;  xv.  2;  xvi.  2.  13.)  So  early  as  the  pouring 
forth  of  the  first  Vial,  the  two  beasts  are  together  in  action  ;  for  this 
Vial  falls  on  those  who  have  received  the  mark  of  the  beast  and  have 
worshipped  his  image,  but  both  the  mark  and  image  were  produced  by 
the  second  beast.  The  rise  of  the  second  beast  is  therefore  much  too 
early  for  the  times  of  the  French  revolution. 

The  above  was  written  in  the  early  times  of  the  French  revolution, 
when  these  infidel  democratic  notions  were  first  published.  Events 
have  since  happened,  which  must  be  acknowledged  to  shew  the  fallacy 
of  this  application  of  the  prophecy;  such  is  the  re-establishment  of 
the  Christian  Religion  in  France,  freed  from  some  of  the  burthens  of 
popery,  and  with  toleration  of  all  Christian  sects, 

any, 


354  AFOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  4. 

any,  to  MaliGvietism.  This  has  engaged  me  in  a 
more  strict  enquiry  concerning  the  parallelism  of 
these  two  apostacies,  and  I  will  now  give  the  result 
of  it. 

Dr.  Benson,  in  his  exposition  of  the  prophecy  of 
**  the  Man  of  Sin,"  (2  Thcss.  ii.  1—12.)  has  attempted 
to  shew,  that  popery  alone,  and  no  other  person  or 
power,  can  have  pretensions  to  fulfil  it.  And  he  is 
clearly  successful  in  his  attempt,  till  he  comes  to  the 
Mahometan  religion.  In  favour  of  the  claims  of  this 
superstition  he  allows,  (I.)  that  Mahomet,  though  no 
Christian  himself,  led  «;?  apostacy  o^  Christians:  (2.) 
that,  as  he  built  his  religion  on  Christianity,  so  he 
may  in  some  sense  be  said  to  ''  sit  in  the  temple  of 
''  God:"  (3.)  that  he  was  '^  a  man  of  sin,"  and  a  tem- 
poral potentate:  (4.)  that  he  arose  after  the  downfall 
of  the  Roman  empire,  which  was  the  time  when  this 
man  of  sin  was  to  be  expected. — These  are  important 
concessions,  which  no  learned  and  candid  examiner  of 
the  question  will  be  disposed  to  retract.  But  now 
come  the  objections :  which  are  assigned  as  so  many 
reasons,  Mhy  the  ^Jahometan  power  can  not  be  '^  the 
"■  Man  of  Sin:"  (1.)  He  is  not  seated  in  Rome:  (2.) 
He  attempted  no  miracles.  I.  The  first  objection, 
is  easily  obviated.  No  prophecy  of  Antichrist  repre- 
sents him  as  seated  at  Rome,  excepting  that  of 
Rev.  xvii,  which  will  be  found  to  belong  to  one  horn^ 
or  branch  of  him  onlijy  and  that  is  the  papal,  there 
established.  II.  But  Mahomet,  it  is  said,  attempted 
no  miracles.  Such  evidences  of  a  divine  commission 
he  very  prudently  disclaimed,  in  the  manner  in  which 
aur  Lord  and  his  Apostles  performed  them,  not  able 
to  stand  so  severe  a  test.  Yet  by  what  other  means, 
than  by    those   described  in  these  prophecies  of  the 

man 


Ch.  xiii.  11 — 18.]       APOCALYPSE.  365 

inan  of  sin,  '*  by  the  working  of  Satan  with  all 
'*  power,  and  signs,  and  li/ing  wonders*,  deceiving 
^*  those  who  dwell  on  earth  by  the  wonders  which  it 
**  was  granted  him  to  dof,"  did  he  establish  his  re- 
ligion ?  His  Koran  itself  was  a  lying  wonder,  a  pre- 
tended  miracle  ;  for  he  describes  himself  ascending  to 
heaven  to  receive  a  part  of  it ;  and  the  remainder  to 
be  brought  to  him  by  angels  \  ;  and  he  asserts  his 
Koran  to  be  a  divine  composition  ;  a  miracle  in  itself; 
and  frequently  appeals  to  the  world  for  its  vindi- 
cation  as  such§.  \yhat  are  these  but  *Mying  won- 
**ders?"  pretended  miracles?  "fire  from  heaven,'' 
to  deceive  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  ? 

The  Mahometan  apostacy.  may  therefore  fairly 
stand  by  the  side  of  the  papal,  as  forming  one  horn  of 
the  second  antichristian  beast.  And  as  this  will  be 
more  readily  admitted  by  those  who  have  considered 
(as  Dr.  Benson  by  his  concessions  seems  to  have  done) 
its  right  to  the  name  and  title  of  a  Christian  heresy 
or  apostacy,  I  will  here  subjoin  some  quotations 
tending  to  illustrate  this  fact,  which  is  not  com- 
monly seen  or  acknowledged. 

**  Mahomet  did  not  pretend  to  deliver  any  nez4)  re- 
**  ligion,  but  to  revive  the  old  one  ||.  He  allowed 
*^  both  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  that  both 
*^  Moses  and  Jesus  were  prophets  sent  from  God  ^ ; 
**  that  Jesus,  son  of  Mary,  is  the  word  and  a  Spirit 
'*  sent  from  God,  a  Redeemer  of  all  that  believe  in 
**  him  **.''  Mahomet  represents  himself  as  the  Para- 
clete   or    Comforter   sent   by   Jesus    Christ;     John 

♦  2  Thess.  ii.  9.  f  Rev.  xiii.  14. 

X  Koran,  xcvii.  §  Koran,  passim, 

il  Pndeaux,  Life  of  Mahomet,  p.  18.  f  lb.  p.  Ip.- 

**  Sale's  Koran,  p.  19.  80.  65.     Ockley's  History  of  Saracens,  ii. 

xvi. 


S6G  Al^GCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  4. 

XVI.  7.*  So  in  Mahomet's  ascent  to  heaven,  as  m- 
Tcnted  in  the  Koran,  while  the  Patriarchs  and  Pro- 
phets confess  their  inferiority  to  him,  by  entreating 
his  prayers,  in  the  seventh  heaven  he  sees  Jesus, 
whose  superiority  the  false  prophet  acknowledges  by 
commending  himself  to  his  prayers  f-  **  Faith  in  the 
"  divine  books  is  a  necessary  article  of  the  Mahome- 
*^tan  Creed;  and  among  these  is  the  Gospel  given 
**  to  Issa  or  Jesus,  which  they  assert  to  be  corrupted 
**by  the  Christians j:."  ''If  any  Jew  is  willing  to 
"  become  a  Mahometan,  he  must  first  believe  in 
*'  Christ :  and  this  question  is  asked  him,  Dost  thou 
"  beheve  that  Christ  was  born  of  a  Virgin  by  the  blast 
*'  {i.  e.  inspiration)  of  God,  and  that  he  was  the  last 
*'  of  the  Jewish  Prophets/*  If  he  answers  in  the  affir- 
mative, he  is  made  a  Mahometan  §.  '*  Mahomet  arose 
**  to  establish  a  new  religion,  which  came  pretty  near 
"  the  Jewish,  and  was  not  entirely  different  from 
"  that  of  several  sects  of  Christians,  which  got  him 
**  a  great  many  followers  ||." — *'  Fassus  impostor  (sciL 
«  Muhammedes)  Jesum  de  virgine  Mari^  natum,  Mes- 
"siam,  verbum  Dei  coelitus  missum,  Dei  Spiritum,  mi- 
"  raculis  evangelicis  clarum,  Prophetam  Dei,  quiEvan- 
**  p-ehum  tradiderit,  ac  docuit  salutis  viam,  qui  ven- 
**  turus  ad  judicium  sit,  et  destructurus  antichristum, 
**et  conversurus  Judseos,  &c.  Sic  Apostolis  Christi 
"  credendum  docuit  ut  Evangelio  Christi,  ac  legi  Mosis 
**et  Prophetis  omnibus.  Sic  de  Christianis  sequius 
**  qu^m  de  Judasis  sensit,  quos  et  benigne  habuit ;  unde 
'*  illud   Muhammedis    apud    Elmacinum,  qui  Chris- 

•  Koran,  p.  l65. 

f  Sale's  Koran,  ch.  17.    Prideaux*  Life  of  Mahomet,  p.  55, 
"i  Reeland  on  the  Mahometan  Religion,  pref.  p.  25. 
S  Ibid,  p,  11.  H  Leibnitz's  Letter,  170^. 

**  tiamim 


Ch.  xiii.  11  —  18.]        APOCALYPSE.  $67 

^'  tianiim  opprimit^  adversarium  eum  habebit  dk 
^^judicii;  qui  Christ iano  7iocet,  mihi  nocet ;  &c."* 
Thus  also  the  Mahometan  writers,  when  speaking  of 
him,  say,  *^jussit  quoque  credere  veritatem  Prophe* 
*'  tarum  et  Apostolorum  ; — item  Christum  filium  Ma- 
*' rias  Dei  esse  et  Verbum  ejus  atque  Apostolum  f ; " 
and  even  at  this  day  they  honour,  what  we  call,  the 
Christian  Religion,  next  to  their  own  J.  "  Mahome- 
"  tism  began  as  a  Christ iaii  heresy^  acknowledging 
'*  Christ  for  a  prophet,  a  greater  than  Moses,  born  of 
'*a  Virgin,  the  Word  of  God;  Alcoran,  v.  27."  4 
Sale  asserts  the  Mahometan  religion  to  be  not  only  a 
Christian  heresy,  but  an  **  improvement  upon  the 
*'  very  corrupt  idolatrous  system  of  the  Jews  and 
"  Christians  of  those  times  |j."  Joseph  Mede  affirms 
that  the  Mahometans  are  nearer  to  Christianity  than 
many  of  the  ancient  heresies,  the  Cerinthians,  Gnos- 
tics, Manichees  ^.  *'  Whatever  good  is  to  be  found 
*'  in  the  Mahometan  Religion,  (and  some  good  doc- 
'*  trines  and  precepts  there  undeniably  are  in  it,)  is  in 
^'  no  small  measure  owing  to  Christianity  :   for,    Ma- 

*  The  impostor  Mahomet  confessed  that  Jesus  was  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  that  he  was  the  Word  of  God  sent  from  heaven,  the 
Spirit  of  God  declared  by  the  miracles  of  the  Gospel,  the  Prophet 
of  God,  whose  office  it  was  to  deliver  the  Gospel,  and  teach  the 
way  of  Truth,  who  is  to  come  to  judgment  and  to  destroy  Anti- 
christ, and  convert  the  Jews,  &c.  Thus  also  he  taught,  that  the 
Gospel  of  Christ,  and  the  law  of  Moses,  and  all  the  Prophets  are  to 
be  believed.  And  thus  he  was  better  inclined  to  the  Christians  than  to 
the  Jews,  and  he  treated  them  kindly.  Whence  that  saying  of  Ma* 
hornet  reported  in  Elmacinus,  He  ivho  oppresses  a  Christiaiiy  shall  find, 
him  an  adversary  to  him  in  the  day  of  Judgment ;  he  xuho  injures  a  Chris' 
tian^   injures  me.     Spanhemii  Introd.  ad  Hist.  Ssec.  vii.  p.  609. 

t  Elmacini  Hist.  Saracen,  p .  3.  J  Ibid. 

§  Ricaut,  Ottoman  Empire,  p.  188.  'H  Prelim,  p.  51.^ 

%  Works,  p.  645.  :  ; 

.3  *'  hornet isnqi 


3^8  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  §  4. 

"  hometism  is  a  borrowed  system,  made  up  for  the 
"  most  part  of  Judaism  and  Christianity  ;  and,  if  it 
'*  be  considered  in  the  most  favourable  view,  might 
"  possibly  be  accounted  a  sort  of  Christian  heresy. 
**  If  the  Gospel  had  never  been  preached,  it  may 
**  be  questioned  whether  Mahometism  would  have 
*'  existed  *." 

*'  The  Musselmans  are  already  a  sort  of  heterodox 
**  Christians  ;  they  are  Christians,  if  Locke  reasons 
"  justly,  because  they  firmly  believe  the  immaculate 
**  conception,  divine  character,  and  miracles  of  the 
"  Messiah :  but  they  are  heterodox  in  denying  vehe- 
*'  mently  his  character  of  Son,  and  his  equality,  as 
*^  God,  with  the  Father,  of  whose  unity  and  attri- 
*  *  butes  they  entertain  and  express  the  most  awful 
*'  ideas,  while  they  consider  our  doctrine  as  perfect 
*'  blasphemy,  and  insist  that  our  copies  of  the  Scrip- 
*'  tures  have  been  corrupted  both  by  Jews  and  Chris- 
**  tiansf." 

These  are  such  testimonies  as  have  occurred  to  me 
in  a  no  very  extensive  course  of  reading.  They  are 
derived  from  authors,  who  for  the  most  part  enjoyed 
favourable  opportunities  of  examining  the  Mahometan 
tenets  ;  and  they  exhibit  that  rehgion  as  rising  upon 
the  basis  of  true  Religion,  corrupted,  even  like  the 
papal,  to  serve  the  purposes  of  a  worldly  and  diabo- 
lical tyranny.  In  the  Mahometan  religion  are  these 
articles,  all  evidently  derived  from  the  Christian, 
and  constituting  iu  it  a  great  superiority  above  any 
thing  that  paganism  or  mere  philosophy  have  been 
able  to  produce:  the  belief  of  the  existence  of  one 
all-wise,   all-good,  all-powerful  God ;  of  the  imnior^ 

*  Dr.  Jortin^s  first  Charge. 

'\  Sir  William  Jones,  in  the  Asiatic  Disertations^  vol.  i*  p.  €S, 

tality 


Ch.  xiii.  11  — 18.]      APOCALYPSE.  369 

tality  of  the  soul ;  of  future  rewards  and  punishments 
to  be  distributed  by  Jesus ;  of  the  acceptance  of 
prayer,  of  self-humiliation,  of  almsgiving  ;  of  the  obliga- 
tion to  morality  in  almost  all  its  branches.  Take  from 
Mahometism  one  article,  in  which  it  differs  from  all 
religions,  generally  admitted  to  be  Christian,  the 
belief  of  Alahomefs  divine  mission  ;  and  little  will  then 
be  found  in  it,  which  may  not  be  discovered  in  the 
profession  of  many  acknowledged  Christians.  Nay, 
perhaps  it  may  appear,  that  the  creeds  of  two  bodies 
of  Christians  will  supply  every  thing  which  is  to  be 
found  in  Mahometism,  excepting  belief  in  the  pre- 
tended prophet  of  Mecca. 

The  first  article  of  the  Mahometan  Creed  is  the 
Unity  of  God. — *'  The  Christians,"  said  Mahomet, 
**  have  fallen  into  error,  corrupting  this  dogma  by 
**  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  ;  and  God,  who  would 
*'  not  leave  the  essential  truths  without  testimony,  sent 
"  his  Prophet  to  re-establish  them  *."  But  the  pecu- 
liar profession  of  this  unity,  together  with  the  per- 
suasion that  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  a  corrupt 
xloctrine,  is  also  the  corner-stone  of  the  Socinian 
profession.  The  agreement  in  this,  is  so  entire  be- 
tween the  Mahometans  and  Socinians,  as  to  make 
the  passage  from  either  of  these  religions  to  the 
other,  far  from  impracticable  or  difficult.  Witness, 
on  the  one  hand,  the  history  of  conversions  from  So- 
cinianism  to  the  religion  of  Mahomet,  of  Adam  Neu- 
ser,  &c.,  in  the  sixteenth  century  f;  and,  on  the 
other,  the  writings  of  some  modern  Socinians,  who 
recommend  their  religion  as  removing  all  obstacles  to 

*  Vide  Abulfaragius,  apud  Pocock,  page  SO.    in  notis  ad  Spec. 
Hist.  Arab.     Et  Aslscliarestanrus,  ap.  eund.  p.  52.  274—292. 

t  Reflections  on  Mahometism,  printed  with  Reland'»  Abridgement. 

L  L  the 


570  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt    IV.   §  4f. 

the  conversion  of  Pvlaliometans  *.  Thus,  in  this  dis- 
tinguishing article  of  faith,  the  Unitarian  Christians 
agree  with  the  Mahometans.  And  in  the  remaining 
articles,  which  separate  them  from  the  pure  Church, 
a  yoke  is  imposed!,  nearly  similar  to  that  which 
binds  the  papal  church.  They  are  these;  excessive 
and  merely  oral  prayers,  fastings,  pilgrimages.  What- 
soever in  Mahometism  is  excessive  and  antichristian 
in  respect  to  these  articles,  will  be  found  to  corre- 
spond very  nearly  with  corruptions  which  prevail  in 
the  papal  church.  External  purification,  and  hypo- 
critical ostentation,  supersede,  in  both  these  religionsj 
the  religion  of  the  heart.  Mahometism,  as  well  as 
Popery,  has  its  purgatory,  and  its  indulgences  to  be 
purchased  by  money  %, 

On  the  whole,  when  we  consider  the  origin  of 
Mahometism,  and  its  near  affinity  to  corrupted  Chris- 
tianity; when  we  reflect  also  on  the  amazing  extent 
of  this  superstitious  domination,  which  occupies 
nearly  as  large  a  portion  of  the  globe,  as  that  pos- 
sessed by  Christians;  comprising  vast  regions  in  an- 
cient Greece  and  Asia  Minor,  in  Syria,  in  Persia,  in 
the  Indies,  in  Tartary,  in  iEgypt,  and  Africa;  which 
once  were  Christian ;  we  shall  readily  admit  that,  if 
not  a  Christian  heresy^  it  is  at  least  a  Christian  opos- 
tacy,  and  well  worthy,  from  its  magnitude,  to  be 
accounted  one  horn  or  division  of  empire  of  the  an- 
tichristian beast. 

After  these  observations,  it  may  be  useful  to  ex- 
hibit together,'  in  one  point  of  view,  these  two  horns, 
and  to  shew  their  mutual  agreement  with  the  prophecy. 

*  Dr.  Priestley,  &c.  i  See  note,  ch.  vi.  5. 

X  Sale's  Koran,  Introduct.     Ockley's  Hist,  of  the  Saracens,  vol.  ii. 
p.  128.     Ricaut's  Ottoman  Kmpire,   188",     Nieburgh's  Travels. 

POPEUV 


Chap.  xiii.  11— 18.]        apocalypse. 


371 


POPERY 

is  a  Chmtian  apostacy .  "'i 
which  is  ably  set  tbrih 
by  Joseph  Mede,  in  his 
tract  on  that  subject 
Works,  p.  623. 


'J 


1 1  Another  wild 
^ beast  ou 
land  J 


is  one  of  the  powers "" 
into  which  Antichrist 
is  divided,  usurping  the 
place  and  office  of 
Christ>  and  pretending 
to  a  vicarial  power  from 
him,  and  producing  out 
of  its  own  body  media- 
tors and  intercessors  in 
opposition  to  him. 

The  doctrine  of  Po-"^ 
pery,  though  it  affect 
to  be  Christian,  is  in 
many  respects  *'  car- 
"  nal,  worldly,  devil- 
*' ish;*  and  its  edicts  ^ 
have  been  enforced  by 
the  sword  of  the  civil 
power,  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  eccle- 
siastical. J 


REV.  on.  XHl.  MAHOMETISM 

is  a  Chrutian  apostacy, 
formed  upon  the  basis 
of  true  Revelation,  and 
t  of  the'N  professed  by  nations 
which  were  formerly 
in  the  pale  of  the 
^Christian  Church. 


is  one  of  the  powers 
into  which  Antichrist 
is  divided,  usurping  the 
redeeming  and  media- 
torial power  of  Christ, 
which  is  annihilated 
under  this  system,  or 
transferred  to  the  u- 
surping  false  prophet. 


has  two  horns  like 
a  la7ub  : 


speaks  like  a  dra- 
soil : 


L 


r  The  doctrine  of  Ma- 
homet, though  it  as- 
sume an  heavenly  ori- 
gin, is  not  heavenly, 
but  "  carnal,  worldly, 
"  devilish,'^  and  has 
been  enforced  by  the 
sword. 


The  object  of  Po-->| 
pery  has  been  to  ac- 
qu  i  re  civil  power  ^wh  ich 
the  Popes  have  effect- 
ed to  a  vast  extent, 
and  transmitted  to  their 
successors. 


1 2  Exerciseth  all 
^the  power  of  the-^ 
first  beast ;  &c.  : 


L    L   2 


,'  Mahomet  made  use 
of  ecclesiastical  influ- 
ence to  obtain  civil 
power,  which  he  com- 
bined with  it,  and 
transmitted  to  his  suc- 

^  cessors. 

POPERY. 


372 


APOCx\LYPSE, 


[Pt.  IV.  §  4. 


POPERY. 

Popery  has  been  ^ 
promoted  by  pretend- 
ed miracles,  so  that  the 
civil  power,  exercised 
by  the  Popes  over  kings 
.ind  their  subjects,  has 
been  believed  to  be  au- 
thorized by  divine  com- 
mission, and  has  been 
revered  accordingly.     J 


itEV.  CH.  xm. 


13— U  Doeth 
great  wonders,  ma- 
king fire  come 
^down  from  heaven's 
in  the  sight  of  men 
to  cause  them  to 
worship  the  becst  : 


MAHOMETISM. 

Mahomet  persuaded 
men  that  his  Koran 
was  a  divine  iaw, 
brought  down  from 
heaven  miraculouslt/, 
and  thus  he  gave  a 
rehgious  sanction  to 
his  civil  power. 


The  Popes  have 
erected  a  civil  empire 
of  vast  extent  in  Chris- 
tendom. It  is  the  very 
image  of  the  ancient 
Roman  tyranny,  which 
persecuted  the  infant 
Church  ;  but  more  for- 
midable, because  it  is 
believed  to  have  the 
sanction  of  Divine  ap- 
pointment. The  power 
in  such  hands  is  re- 
vered as  sacred. 


15     Makes     an 
image  of  the  beast, 
to  which  he  givess 
life  and  speech  : 


Mahomet  and  his; 
successors  have  erect- 
ed a  civil  empire  of 
great  extent  like  the 
Roman,  a  cruel  op- 
pressive power,  perse- 
cuting true  Religion, 
and  by  an  apparent 
sanction  from  heaven. 
Their  numerous  sub- 
jects revere  their  go- 
i^vernnieiJt  as  sacred. 


The  intolerance  and 
persecuting  spirit  of 
Popery  is  notorious. 
The  professors  of  other 
religions  have  been 
murdered  by  millions. 
And  the  Christian 
world  was  for  ases 
compelled  to  receive 
the  mark  and  name. 


1  16—- 17  Causes 
those  who  refuse 
worship  to  the 
beast  to  be  slain, 
and  prohibits  them 
from  buying  and**" 
selling,  unless  they 
have  the  mark  or 
name  of  the  beast; 
&c. 


r  The  intolerance  and 
persecuting  spirit  of  the 
M  ahometans,  by  which 
I  hey  have  denied,  to 
all  but  Musselmans, 
the  common  privileges, 
is  well  authenticated 
in  history,  as  are  the 
grievous  sufferings  of 
the  Christians  under 
their  sway. 

Such 


Ch.  xlii.  Jl— -18.]       APOCALYPSE.  373 

Siicli  is  the  agreement  ])etween  Popery  and  Maho- 
nietism  ;    and  so  exactly  do  they  both  fulfil  the  ])VO- 
phecy   of  the   second  apocalyptic   beast.      But   still, 
there   is   a  great  and  remarkable  difference  between 
these    two   apostacics.      The   IMahometan,    though  it 
acknowledge  Christ  as  a  Prophet,   divinely  born  and 
commissioned,    and   as   such   expects    him  to   return 
again  before  the  end  of  the  world  ;   seems  practicallif 
to  forget  him,  and  to  be  as  it  were  lost  to  his  name  ; 
dead  to  the  life  which  is  in  Christ.     The  papal  apostacy, 
though  in    works  it  deny   Christ,     iand  in  many  in- 
stances has  so    corrupted   liis  holy   Religion,    that  it 
can  scarcely  be  known  as  such ;   yet  in  name  acknow- 
ledges   him    as   supreme    Lord,    and    calls    itself  ex- 
clusively the    Christian,    the  Catholic,    or    universal 
Church.     This  difference  seems  to  supply  us  with  the 
reason,    why  these  two  branches  of  Antichrist,  when 
they  come  to  be  treated  separately  and  particularly  in 
the  visions  of    the   Apocalypse,    are   exhibited   in   a 
manner  so  different.     The  JMahometan   branch,  hav- 
ing  sprung  up  rapidly   into  power;   having  by  open 
force,   as  well  as  art,   possessed  \\^^Vi  suddenly  of  em- 
pire, and  continued  in  the  possession  of  it  many  ages, 
apart  from  the  professed  Christian  Church ;    so  its  rise 
and   extension,    and  ail  their   effects,    are  represented 
at  once  under  the  sixth  Trumpet ;    and  are  not  often 
noted  afterwards,  excepting  in  this  its  conjunction  with 
the   papal  horn.      But   the   papal   branch   required   a 
more   particular   description.      It   grew  up  gradually 
and  covertly  ;    stole  silently  into  power,   and  without 
much  conflict.      To   the  pure  and  reformed   Church, 
(which  is  to  win  her  way  to  victory  U  t^  S^^p/ij,  out 
of  the  body  of  the  beast  in  which  she  is  enveloped,) 
this  branch  is  to  be  exhibited  specially  in  all  its  as- 
sumed 


374-  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  IV.  ^  4. 

sumed  grandeur  and  artifice ;    and  comfort  is   to    be 
afforded  against  its  terrors.     For  this  reason,   the  pa- 
pal horn  is  again  produced  to  view,   under  the  sym- 
bol of  the  great  harlot,   the  corrupt  Babylon  *.      With 
this  branch  of  Antichrist,    the  battles  of  the  Church 
are  principally  to  be  fought.     As  in  the  Apocalypse, 
so  in  the  Prophecies  of  Daniel,  the  blow  of  the  stone 
strikes  this  part  of  the  beast ;    the   toes   and  legs  of 
the  image;   the  AYestern,    the  European  Roman  em- 
pire ;   that  blow,   which  is  to  break  the  whole  of  An- 
tichrist to  pieces ;  when  the  stone  itself  will  become 
a  great  mountain,  a  kingdom   of  everlasting  righte- 
ousness, and  fill  the  whole  earth  f. 

Ver.  18.   The  number  of  the   beast.']     I  have  not 
been  able  to  devise  any  plausible  interpretation  of  this 
number.     The  verse  which  contains  it  being  wanting 
in  some  of  the  MSS.,    I  had  entertained  some  suspi- 
cion, that  it  did  not  belong  to  the  true  text ;    but  it 
appears  upon  enquiry,  to  be  genuine.     The  early  com^ 
ment  of  Irenaius  upon  it,    appealing  to  ancient  MSS. 
for    the  genuine    reading,    (ad  fin.    lib.  v.)  stamps   it 
with  great  authority.     And  I  do  not  find  that  any  of 
the  commentators  since  his  time  have  produced  any 
more  probable  conjectures   than  that  of  this  Father. 
The   word    Lateinos  was  first  produced  by  him :  and 
modern   commentators   adhere   to  itf.     Others  com- 
pute the  number  of  the  beast  from  the  time  of  the 
vision,  seen  by  Saint  John  in  Patmos ;   and  thus  bring 
the  66G  years  to  the  year  of  our  Lord  756,    or  758, 
when  the  Pope  obtained  his  temporal  power.     I  con- 
fess myself  far  from  satisfied  with  any  of  the  methods 
hitherto  produced  for  solving  this  difficulty. 

*  Ch.  xvii.  f  Dan.  vi. 

X  See  Bishop  Newton,  &c.  on  this  passage. 

PART 


[     375     ] 


T  H  E 


APOCALYPSE,    &c. 


PART  y. 

SECTION     I. 

The  Lamb  on  Aloiint  Sioih 


1    JSlAI    tt^ov,     Kxi 

ids    TO   a^vtov   i^/i- 

XtiS      tTfl        TO      OqoS 

Xiu/v,   Kj  (Jt,sC  aJrS 

ixaiov  rscra-x^XKov- 

AiccJss",    'iyjiaxi    to 
ovo^x  xvru,    '/^  TO 

OVO(JiX      T«       -CTiti^OS" 

auT«    yzy^xiJi^ivov 
Itii     TaJv     {xzImttuv 

WJ      ((>UVV)V      VOXTUV 

■woXXiDy,  ;c  wi^  i^uvvv 

ilj  ipwv'i  iiv  ri/.ii(TX  us 
xiQxfuluv  xiOa^t^ov- 

ruv  Iv  TxTs  KtOx^XiS 

3  xvruv.  Ka<aW/v 
us  wonv  KXimv  Ivu- 
Vtoy  Ta  ^foytf,  KXt 

^U!V  ^U)UJVj    KXi    Twy 


CHAP.  Xiv.  VER.   1  —  £ 

1  And  I  looked,  and  lo  ! 
the  Lamb,  standing 
on  the  nnountain  Sion, 
and  with  him  an  hun- 
dred and  forty-four 
thousand,  having  his 
name,  and  the  name 
of  his  Father,  written 
upon  their  foreheads. 

2  And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  as  a  voice 
of  many  waters,  and  as 
a  voice  of  loud  thun- 
der ;  and  the  voice 
which  I  heard  as  of 
harpers     playing      on 

3  their  harps.  And  they 
sing,  as  it  were,  a  new 
song,  before  the  throne, 
and  before  the  four 
living-creatures,  and 
the  elders ;  and  no  one 
was  able  to  learn  the 
song,  except  the  hun- 


1  And  I  looked,  and  lo, 
a  Lamb  stood  on  the 
mount  Sion,  and  with 
him  an  hundred  forty 
and  four  thousand, 
having  his  Father's 
name  written  in  their 

2  foreheads.  And  I  heard 
a  voice  from  heaven, 
as  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  a  great  thun- 
der :  and  I  heard  the 
voice  of  harpers  harp- 
ing with  their  harps: 

3  And  they  sung  as  it 
were  a  new  song  be- 
fore the  throne,  and 
before  the  four  beasts, 
and  the  elders  ;  and  no 
man  could  learn  that 
song,  but  the  hun- 
dred and  forty  rt«c?  four 
thousand,  which  were 


576 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  V.  §  1. 


Ixatlov  T£!7-(7apa>tovlos 

01  vtyo^xaiJisvot  xtto 

4   Tiis  y5;>".    Ouroi  ti~ 

atvy   01  (jisloi  yvvxi- 

xu>v  da  liJ.oXvyQr)(TXv' 

UTOl   IITIV    01   XKOKo- 
BuvlsS    Tf  oc^Vl'u  OTTtf 

av  uTTxyn'  arot  ■/lyo- 

PX(t9v}7XV    {STTO    TU'J 

ru  ©if  tC.  TaJ  olpviu' 
b     Kxl     Iv     raj     rofXS^l 

xuruv     ityr^    sv^iQ-/) 
yx^  ticriv. 


dred  and  forty  -  four 
thousand,  the  redeem- 
ed    from     the    earth. 

4  These  are  they  who 
have  not  been  defiled 
with  women,  for  they 
are  virgins  ;  these  are 
they  who  follow  the 
Lamb  whithersoever 
he  goeth ;  these  were 
redeemed  from  among 
men,  a  first^fruit  unto 
God  and  to  the  Lamb ; 

0  And  in  their  mouth 
was  found  no  guile, 
for  they  are  spotless. 


redeemed     from     the 

4  earth.  These  are  they 
which  were  not  defiled 
with  women  ;  for  they 
are  virgins  :  these  are 
they  which  follow  the 
Lamb  whithersoever 
he  goeth :  these  were 
redeemed  from  among 
men,  being  the  first- 
fruits    unto  God,  and 

5  to  the  Lamb.  And  ir^ 
their  mouth  was  found 
no  guile  :  for  they  are 
without  fault  before 
the  throne  of  God, 


Ver.  1 — 4.  The  Lamb — on  mount  Sion,  and  with 
liim, — &c.]  The  seventh  Trumpet  had  already  sound-" 
ed,  and  a  general  vie\r  of  its  blissful  effects,  in  re- 
storing the  kingdom  to  the  Messiah  and  his  followers, 
had  been  afforded  *  The  conflict  is  now  to  be  ex- 
pected. But  before  the  battle  takes  place,  the  battle- 
array  is  to  be  viewed.  The  enemies  of  Christ  and  of 
his  Church,  the  dragon,  the  beast,  the  false  prophet, 
have  been  exhibited  in  the  two  last  chapters.  13ut 
*'  when  tlie  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spi- 
'*  rit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a  standard  against  him, 
*'  and  the  Redeemer  shall  come  to  Zion  f."  During  the 
alarming  progress  of  the  antichristian  powers,  the 
Christian  forces  are  not  idle  and  unemployed.  The 
vision    proceeds    to    exhibit   their  efforts   to   cheeky 


Ch.  xi.  15, 


t  Isaiah,  lix.  19.  20. 


and 


Ch.  xiv.  1—5.]  APOCALYPSE.  377 

and  at  length  finally  subdue,  the  enemies  of  the 
Church.  The  Lamb  *  appears  upon  Mount  Sion,  up- 
on the  place  of  true  religious  service  f;  the  site  of 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  the  seat  of  the  throne  of 
the  Messiah  J.  He  comes  attended  by  his  Church ; 
by  the  hundred-and-forty-four  thousand,  who  had 
been  sealed  as  **  Israelites  indeed §."  He  comes  in 
the  likeness  of  his  suffering  state,  leading  his  followers 
to  conquer  by  suffering  ||,   not  yet  by  his  vengeance. 

This  then  appears  to  be  the  true,  persecuted,  and 
suffering  Christian  Church,  which  throughout  the 
reign  of  the  dragon,  beast,  and  false  prophet,  refuses 
to  worship  the  image,  and  receive  the  mark  of  the 
beast.  These  are  marked  holy  unto  God  ;  the  pre- 
cious price  of  Redemption  has  not  been  paid  for  them 
in  vain^.  And  **  there  is  joy  in  heaven,"  on  be- 
holding their  array.  The  voice  of  Deity  from  the 
throne,  awful  and  sublime**,  acknowledges  them; 
the  heavenly  chorus  breaks  forth  into  songs  of  praise 
and  exultation.  They  sing  "a  new  song  ft?"  the 
song  of  the  Lamb,  a  song  mysterious,  unfit  for  im- 
pure and  worldly  ears  %%  ;  in  which  those  only  can  be 
initiated  who  are  pure  and  faithful :  and  the  delights  of 
the  heavenly  harmony  are  unutterable;  *'  none  know- 
*'eth,    but  he  that  receiveth  it§§." 

Ver.  4,  5.  These  are  they,  xvho — &c.]  Here  fol- 
lows a  description  of  that  pure  Church,    which  alone 

*  See  note,  ch.  v.  ^.  t  See  note,  ch.  viii.  8. 

X  Psalm  ii.  6.   Heb.  xii.  22.    Isaiah  ii.  23,  &c.  ;  xi.  9, 10;  Ivi.  7. 
]Ezek.  xvii.  22,  kc. ;  xx.  40.  JNIicah  iv.  1,  2.  Luke  iii.  5,  6, 

§  See  notes,  ch.  vii.  ]|  Note,  ch.  ii.  7.  IT  1  Cor.  vi.  20. 

**  See  notes,  ch.  i.  14.  vi.  I. 

ft  See  note,  ch.  ii.  17* ;  iii.  12,  Jt 'ff|  ^jCuXo/. 

§§  Rev.  ii.  17. 

Christ 


'57^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  V.  §  .1. 

Christ  acknowledges  for  his  own,  during  the  usurpa- 
tion of  Antichrist.  'H  yvvvj  signifies  generally  a  mar- 
ried woman  ;  the  crime  committed  with  such  is  adul- 
tery ;  which  may  he  taken,  in  a  literal  sense,  to  re- 
present in  general  all  the  defilements  of  the  flesh;  or 
in  a  metaphorical  sense,  a  woman  is  a  Church,  or 
congregation  of  religious  persons*;  which,  keeping 
itself  pure  from  idolatry,  is  styled  a  Virgin  ;  but,  de- 
filed with  such  abomination,  is  denominated  Harlot 
or  Adulteress.  "  They  called,"  says  Hegisippus,  "  the 
*'  Church  a  Virgin,  when  it  v/as  not  corrupted  by 
*Wain  doctrines  f."  Every  part  of  this  description 
may  be  found  applied  in  other  places  of  Scripture  : — 
1.  by  Saint  Peter;  '^  they  have  escaped  the  corrup- 
'^  tion  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust;]::"  2.  by 
our  Lord  ;  '^  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth," 
that  is,  **  take  up  their  cross  and  foiloza  him  ^  :*'  3. 
by  Saint  Paul ;  are  redeemed,  *'  bought  with  a  price  |1: " 
4.  by  Saint  James;  **  a  kind  of  first  fruits  of  God's 
*^  creatures^:"  Lastly,  **  speaking  no  deceit,"  **  blame- 
*  Mess  before  God**."  And  this  description  agrees 
nearly  with  that  of  the  Prophet  Zephaniah  :  "I  will 
•*  leave  in  the  midst  of  thee  an  afflicted  and  poor 
''people,  and  they  shall  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
"Lord;  the  remnant  of  Israel  shall  not  do  iniquity, 
'*  nor  speak  lies,  neither  shall  a  deceitful  tongue  be 
found  in  their  mouth.  They  shall  feed  and  lie 
'  down,  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid  ||." 

*  See  note,  ch.  ii.  20.  f  Euseb.  Hibt.  Eccl.  lib.  iv.  cap.  xxvi. 

:  2  Pet.i.  4.  §  Matt.  x.  38. 

II  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  IT  James  i.  18. 

*♦  1  Pet.  ii.  22,;  ill.  10.  2  Pet.  iii.  4.  Phil.  ii.  15.  Luke  i.  6, 

f\  Zepb.  iii.  12,  13. 

PART 


it 


€h.  xiv.  6,  7.] 


APOCALYPSE, 


S79 


PART    V. 


SECTION     II. 


The  first  Angel  proclaims. 


6  Koi)  tl^oy  a>^ov 
a-y^zKov    'CJtrufJi.ivov 

'XPVTX  liix^yiXtoy 
etiuviov,  svoclyiXlo'cci 
Ttff  KOcloiKuvlcics  £7r* 

iGvos    ^     (pvKviV    7^ 

yhZaa-xv   -/^    Xxov* 

7  Asyuv  £v  ^uvvi  (X£- 
yxKv)'  ^oCrjWe  Toy 
0£ov,  tC  oItz  avru 
JS^lav,    on  ^xSiv  r) 

aura'  tL  zjpoax.wri- 
coiie  Tu  'njoirKTxvli 
TOV  iS^XVOV  Kj  rriv 
yviv  >^  T^y  ^xXxcT- 
a-xv  vCf  'Cjyiyxs  y§a- 

TUV, 


CHAP.  xiv.  VER.    6,    7' 

6  And  I  saw  another 
apgel  flying  in  the 
space  between  heaven 
and  earth,  having  an 
everlasting  Gospel,  to 
preach  good  tidings  to 
those  that  dwell  on 
the  earth,  and  to  every 
nation,  and  tribe,  and 
language,  and  people, 

7  Saying  with  a  loud 
voice  ;  "  Fear  God, 
*'  and  give  him  glory  : 
**  for  the  hour  of  his 
"  judgment  is  come  : 
"  and  worship  him  who 
"  created  the  heaven, 
"  and  the  earth,  and 
"  the  sea,  and  the 
*•  springs  of  waters." 


6  And  I  saw  another  an- 
gel fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,  having  the 
everlasting  Gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth, 
and  to  every  nation, 
and  kindred,  and 
tongue,    and    people, 

7  Saying  with  a  loud 
voice,  Fear  God,  and 
give  glory  to  him,  for 
the  hour  of  his  judge- 
ment is  come:  and 
worship  him  that  made 
heaven  and  earth,  and 
the  sea,  and  the  foun- 
tains of  waters. 


The  character  of  the  true,  faithful,  Christian 
Church  having  been  exhibited,  its  history  now  begins 
to  be  generally  set  forth  ;  while  solemn  warnings,  and 
instructions,  and  encouragements,  most  useful  to  the 
faithful  during  the  times  of  the  beast,  are  delivered. 
And  first  an  angel,   flying  in  mid-heaven  *,   proclaims 


*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  13. 


the 


580 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt,  V.  §  5; 


the  Gospel,  as  an  everlasting  rule  of  faith  and  of 
conduct.  It  has  been  the  endeavour  of  the  anti- 
cliristian  powers  to  corrupt,  or  secrete,  this  Gospel*, 
which  is  to  lead  all  nations  and  languages  to  the 
knowledge  and  worship  of  the  Almighty  Creator. 
So  the  progress  of  the  Reformation  seems  here  to  be 
prefigured,  which,  from  its  first  dawnings,  ever  ap- 
pealed to  the  everlasting  Gospel  as  the  sole  rule  of 
faith,  and  preached  the  restoration  of  Gospel  worship 
in  opposition  to  the  reigning  impurities  and  supersti- 
tions. 

Ver.  7.  Judgment, ']     See  note,  ch.  xi.  18. 

*  Maliomet  and  his  followers  have  corrupted, — the  papal  hierarchy 
have  secreted  it. 


PART    V 


SECTION     III. 


The  second  Angel  proclaims. 


8   Ka<  ukXos   afyaXoi- 
ri)to^ad>jcrE,     Xsyuv' 

(AsyxXtij    [o't<]     tK 
TTis    Tso^viixs    acv- 


CHAP.  xiv.    VER.   8. 

8  And  another  angel  fol- 
lowed, saying  ;  "  She 
"  is  fallen  !  Babylon, 
**  the  great  BabyloUf 
*'  is  fallen  !  [for]  of 
"  the  wine  of  the  rage 
*'  of  her  fornication 
**  she  hath  made  all 
**  the  nations  to  drink." 


3  And  there  followed 
another  angel,  saying. 
Babylon  is  fallen,  is 
fallen,  that  great  city, 
because  she  made  all 
nations  drink  of  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of 
her  fornication. 


Another 


Cb.  Xiv.  9 — 12.]  APOCALYPSE. 


SSI 


Another  angel  follows,  proclaiming  the  fall  of 
'*  Babylon,  that  great  city,"  which  had  intoxicated, 
seduced,  and  corrupted  the  nations  with  her  impure 
religion.  This  city,  and  her  fall,  will  be  more  par- 
ticularly represented  in  chapters  xvii.  and  xviii.  It 
is  sufficient  in  this  place  to  observe,  that  this  is  one 
very  formidable  horn  of  the  second  antichristian  beast, 
the  false  prophet;  the  fall  of  which  is  here  propheti- 
cally anticipated,  for  the  comfort  and  encouragement 
of  the  suffering  Church,  engaged  in  opposing  her. 
And  the  progress  of  the  Reformation  seems  still  to 
be  generally  described  :  for,  the  purer  Christians,  the 
Albigenses  and  Valdenses,  in  the  twelfth  century, 
pronounced  the  church  of  Rome  to  be  this  very 
**  Babylon ;  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  abomina- 
**  tions  of  the  earth  *."  From  this  discovery  is  to  be 
dated  the  beginning  of  her  fall. 

*  See  Mede's  Works,  pp.  517.  72^.  &:c.  Thuan.  Hist.  lib.  vi,  cap|. 
l6.    Bp.  Newton's  Dissert,  vol.  iii.  p.  268.  8yo, 


PART    V. 


SECTION     IV. 


The  third  A 71  gel  proclaims. 


^   Kfiti  Tf/raj  afytXos 


CHAP.  xiv.    VER.  9 — 12 

9  And  a  third  angel  fol- 
lowed them,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice :  **  If 
"  any  one  worship  the 
"  beast  and  his  image, 
*'  and  receive  a  mark 
**  upon    his  forehead, 


9  And  the  third  angel 
followed  them,  saying 
with  a  loud  voice,  If 
any  man  worship  the 
beast  and  bis  -^n^age, 
and  receive  hh,  mark 
in  his  forehead,  or  in 


382 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  V.  §  4. 


tS    (/.elwuii  .ccvt5, 

1 0  «vt5,  Kai  Oivros 
^lelact  Ik  tS  o'i'vh 
T»  ^v/xa    T»  ©£«, 

•riTDf/  )C  ^e/w  IvuTTlOV 

ruv  ay/wv  a'yj'Xwv  >^ 
huTtiov    t5    «^v/«. 

11  Ka»  0  xaTTvoj  t5 
^xfftxvta-fAa  ixvruy 
nvxQa'im lis  oclufvots 
aiuvuf  ^  »)c  E%a- 
<r/y  avoiTrxva-tv  viixi- 

gxS     KOil     VVHTOS    01 

'a^oo-y.vvHyiss  ro  vij- 
floy  xa.1  rw»  hkovoc 
aiiT^j  y-on  eJ'  r/f 
XafjJouvsi  TO  j^a- 
pal/xa     T»    ovof/.x- 

12  roJ  aJrS,  'n^E 
v'TrofMv^  TtJv  ayluv 
If/y*  fti^E  ol  ryipSvks 
tots     lyloXas       r» 


"  or  upon  his  hand  ; 

10"  Even  he  shall  drink 
"  of  the  wine  of  the 
"  wrath  of  God,  of  the 
"  imbittered  powerful 
*'  wine,  in  the  cup  of 
"his  anger,  and  shall 
"  be  tormented  with 
"  fire  and  brimstone 
"  before  the  holy  an- 
**  gels,  and  before  the 

11"  Lamb.  And  the 
"  smoke  of  their  tor- 
"  ment  ascendeth  for 
*' ever  and  ever:  and 
"  they  have  no  rest, 
**  day  nor  night,  who 
*'  worship  the  beast 
"  and  his  image,  and 
"  if  any  one  receive 
"  the    mark     of     his 

12"  name.  Herein  the 
"  patience  of  the  Saints 
"  is,  they  who  keep 
"  the  commandments 
"  of  God,  and  the 
**  faith  of  Jesus." 


1 0  his  hand.  The  same 
fjhall  drink  of  the  wine 
of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out 
without  mixture,  into 
the  cup  of  his  indig- 
nation ;  and  he  shall  be 
tormented  with  fire 
and  brimstone,  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy 
angels,  and  in  the  pre- 
sence  of  the    Lamb : 

1 1  And  the  smoke  of  their 
torment  ascendeth  up 
for  ever  and  ever  ;  and 
they  have  no  rest  day 
nor  night  who  worship 
the  beast  and  his  i- 
mage,  and  whosoever 
receiveth  the  mark  of 

12  his  name.  Here  is 
the  patience  of  the 
saints :  here  are  they 
that  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God, 
and  the  faith  of  Jesus. 


A  third  angel  proclaims  just  and  eternal  ven- 
geance upon  those  who  **  worship  the  beast;"  who 
knowing  their  duty  and  their  allegiance  to  God,  sa- 
crifice them  to  their  M-orldly  interests.  They  are- 
threatened  with  ''  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God  ;" 
the  wine,  which  is  at  first  strong  of  itself,  unmixed 
(«Kpalov),  has  no  diluting  liquor  put  to  it,  to  reduce 
its  strength,  as   was   common  in  the  eastern  nations 

of 


Ch.  xiv.  9 — 12.]         APOCALYPSE.  383 

of  antiquity.  But,  secondly,  it  is  nsne^nffiisvov,  rendered 
still  stronger  by  the  mixture  of  powerful,  intoxica- 
ting ingredients.  Compare  Isaiah  li.  17 — 23;  Psalm 
Ixxv.  8.  *^The  Hebrew  idea  of  which  Saint  John  ex- 
**  presses  in  Greek,  with  the  utmost  precision,  though 
*'  with  a  seeming  contradiction  in  terms,  y.fKe^«(T|xfvov 
^*  ax^alov,  merum  mixtum ;  pure  wine  made  yet 
*^  stronger  by  a  mixture  of  powerful  ingredients.  In 
*'  the  hand  of  Jehovah,  (saith  the  Psalmist,)  there  is  a 
*^  cup,  and  the  wine  is  turbid ;  it  is  full  of  mixed 
"  liquor,  and  he  poureth  out  of  it,  (or  rather  he 
"  poureth  it  out  of  one  vessel  into  another,  to  mix  it 
**  perfectly,  according  to  the  reading  expressed  by  the 
**  ancient  versions,)  all  the  ungodly  shall  wring  them 
''  out  and  drink  them."  The  expression  in  the  Sep- 
"  tuagint,  Psalm  Ixxv.  8  :  'sjolVi^iov — oivs  dy.^ula  's:K\^^iQ 
^*  ii£i^ci(T(xcilog,  which  in  the  Chaldee  is  called  a  cup  of 
'*  malediction,  throws  additional  light  on  this  pas- 
**  sage.  Compare  also  Psalm  xi.  6;  Ix.  3:  Jer.  xxv. 
''  J5,  16,  &c.  :  Lam.  iv.  21  :  Ezek.  xxiii.  32,  &c.  : 
"  Hab.  ii.  16:  Zech.  xii.  2  :  also  Hom.  II.  xxii.  5£7; 
**  Odyss.  iv.  220*."  Such  terms  wxre  used  to  express 
the  anger  of  God,  terrible  by  temporal  punishments, 
but  most  terrible  by  those  torments  beyond  the  grave, 
"  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  their  fire  is  not 
"  quenched  ;'  v/hich  ideas  are  also  forcibly  expressed 
in  the  words  now  before  us  ;  '*  the  smoke  of  their 
**  torment  ascendeth  for  eve?'  and  ever.''  Thus  the 
terror  of  the  greater  evil  is  exhibited,  to  enable  Chris- 
tians to  undergo  the  less  with  patient  courage  de- 
scribed in  the  twelfth  verse. 

*  Bp.  Lowth,  on  Isaiah  li, 

•»  - 

PART 


384 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  V.  §  5. 


PART    V. 

SECTION    V. 
The  Blessedness  of  those  who  die  in  the  Lord,  pro^ 

claimed. 


13  Kjxi  YlKSa-X    <puvv)S 
Ix    Tt    tspxvy,    Ae- 

MuxoiplOt     01     VSKpOl 

Byvcrxovlss  oi'noL^t. 
Na/j  Ae'yci  to  'anv 
fAa,  <'ya  oivxfrxv- 
truvlxi  In  TftJv  xoiruv 

avru/v. 


CHAP.  xiv.  VER.  13. 
13  And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  saj'ing; 
**  Write  ;  Blessed  are 
**  the  dead,  who  die 
"  in  the  Lord,  hence- 
"  forth,  even  so,  saith 
*'  the  Spirit,  that  they 
"  may  rest  from  their 
**  labours,  but  their 
*'  works  follow  with 
"  them." 


13  And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven,  saying 
unto  me,  Write,  Bles- 
sed are  the  dead  which 
die  in  the  Lord,  from 
henceforth :  Yea,  saith 
the  Spirit,  that  they 
may  rest  from  their 
labours ;  and  their 
works  do  follow  them. 


The  voices  of  the  angels  had  pronounced  the 
punishments  of  those  who,  for  worldly  purposes  re- 
ceiving the  antichristian  mark,  deny  their  Lord.  A 
voice  from  heaven,  from  the  throne  itself,  confirms 
their  denunciations,  adding  thereto  this  consolation; 
that  if  the  fiery  trial  proceed  to  its  last  stage,  even  to 
temporal  death,  this  death  shall  be  blessed ;  shall  in- 
troduce the  martyr  to  an  eternal  freedom  from  pain 
and  trouble ;  his  sufferings  on  earth  shall  be  recom- 
pensed with  everlasting  rest  and  glory. 

These  four  proclamations  are  plain  in  their  meaning, 
and  of  eas}'  solution  to  those  who  are  versed  in  Scrip- 
tural language.  They  seem  intended  to  be  so,  in  order 
that  all  Christians  may  be  encouraged  in  time  of  trial 
to  preserve  their  allegiance  to  their  Lord,  the  Lamb; 
whose  banner  is  unfolded  in  this  chapter. 

PART 


Ch.  xiv.    14—20.]  APOCALYPSE. 


385 


PART    V. 

SECTION     VI. 
The  Vision  of  the  Harvest  and  of  the  Vintage, 


CHAP.  xiv.  VER.  14 — to  the  end. 


Ttjv  i/t(piXviv  xx9riiJi£- 
>o»  oy.oiov  v'lf  a,)i9^u- 
TTti,  «p^wy  Itti  rr)S 
xif  aXijj  avTu  T£(px- 
yov  ^vaav,  >^  iv  r^ 

1 5  o^v.  K«i  aKXos 
afysXos  1^vi\9ev  Ik  r5 
»«»,  x^oc^uv  h  fjit- 
yaXri  ^uv^  ru  xx- 
Qr)[jt.ivu  sTTi  rris  n- 
^i'K-ns'  TiiyL^Qif  TO 
o^iitxyov  aa,  xx) 
^i^iTov'  ort  vXOe 
[o"o/]  V  u^x  t5 
^EgitTxi*  or/  i^-n- 
faiv9ri  0  ^tpt(T[JiQS  Tns 

0  xxBrifjisvos  eTft  TY.v 
je^eAtjv  to  S^ETravov 

1 7  Ka<  a^AoJ  oifytKos 
i^ri^9ev  ex  T«   7a« 

c^wy  »c  xi/Tos  d^E- 

18 'Travail    o^w.     Kxt 

tiXXoi  oi.ysKoi  elijX- 

6«jf  ex  t5  ^vcr/atrri- 


14  And  I  looked,  and  lo ! 
a  white  cloud;  and 
upon  the  cloud  one 
sitting,  like  the  Son  of 
Man ;  having  upon  his 
head  a  golden  crown, 
and  in  his  hand  a  sharp 

15  sickle.  And  another 
angel  came  forth  from 
the  temple,  crying  with 
a  loud  voice  to  him 
who  was  sitting  on  the 
cloud ;  *'  Send  forth 
*'  thy  sickle,  and  reap  ; 
*'  for  the  time  of  [thy] 
"  reaping  is  come;  for 
**  the  harvest  of  the 
'•  earth  is  become 
"  ripe."  And  he  who 
was  sitting  upon  the 
cloud,  cast  his  sickle 
upon  the  earth,  and  the 

17earth  was  reaped.  And 
another  angel  came 
forth  from  the  temple 
in  Heaven,  he  also 
having  a  sharp  sickle. 

18  And  another  angel 
came  forth  from  the 
altar,  having  power 
over  the  fire ;  and  he 

M  M 


14  And  I  looked,  and  be- 
hold, a  white  cloud, 
and  upon  the  cloud 
9ne  sat,  like  unto  the 
Son  of  man,  having 
on  his  head  a  golden 
crown,  and  in  his  hand 

15  a  sharp  sickle.  And 
another  angel  came  out 
of  the  temple,  crying 
with  a  loud  voice  to 
him  that  sat  on  the 
cloud,  Thrust  in  thy 
sickle,  and  reap-  for 
the  time  is  come  for 
thee  to  reap ;  for  the 
harvest  of  the  earth  is 

16  ripe.  And  he  that  sat 
on  the  cloud,  thrust  in 
his  sickle  on  the  earth ; 
and  the  earth  was  reap- 

17  ed.  And  another  angel 
came  out  of  the  tem- 
ple, which  is  in  heaven, 
he  also  having  a  sharp 

18  sickle.  And  another 
angel  came  out  from 
the  altar,  which  had 
power  over  fire ;  and 
cried  with  a  loud  cry 
to  him   that   had  the 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  V.  §  6. 


l.pcovYicrs  ycfxvyy)  jw,e- 

TO         OpE^OCVOV  TO 

o^v,  XiyMv'  nifji^l/ov 
CTH  TO  ^^fTravov  TO 
o|yj  ;^  T^yyraov 
Ttfi-  ^or^vxs  r~ns 
ccfjiTTsXy  rr>s  yris, 
on  Yjx.pt'Xa'ixv  ai  r*- 
!.[)  ^vXxi  avrr)s.  Ka< 
t'-^xXiv  0  x[ytXos  TO 
opsTrxvov  avrS  sh 
rnv   yviv,   jc  Jt^u- 

7)?CrE     TrV     a.{JI,7TBX0V 

T^s-  7^?,  K^  bQxXsv 
SIS  Tnv  Xrivov  T« 
vt///.a  t5  ©£a  Toy 
SO/At'yav.  Kai  liTx- 
rriOv)  V  X'/i)ils  i^ioOsv 
T^s     -zooXaa-'i",      axi 

E^vXObv  xlfAX  Jx  TVS 

XvjvS  Oi.^Pi  ruv  yx- 

?JVU>y       TMV       'I'Tl'TTUt 

a'no   <)X^luv  •^(^iXtuv 
i^xaoijwv. 


called  out  with  a  loud 
voice  to  him  who  had 
the  sharp  sickle,  say- 
ing; "  Send  forth  thy 
*'  sharp  sickle,  and  ga- 
"  ther  the  clusters  of 
*'  the  vine  of  the  earth, 
"  for   her   grapes   are 

19  ^'  fully  ripe."  And  the 
angel  cast  his  sickle  to 
the  earth,  and  gathered 
the  grapes  of  the  vine 
of  the  earth,  and  cast 
them  into  the  great 
wine-press  of  the  wrath 

■20  of  God.  And  the 
wine-press  was  trod- 
den on  the  outside  of 
the  city;  and  there 
came  forth  blood  from 
the  wine-press,  even 
unto  the  bridles  of  the 
horses,  for  the  space 
of  a  thousand  six  hun- 
dred furlongs. 


sharp  sickle,  saying, 
Thrust  in  thy  sharp 
sickle,  and  gather  the 
clusters  of  the  vine  of 
the  earth;  for  her 
grapes  are  fully  ripe. 

19  And  the  angel  thrust 
in  his  sickle  into  the 
earth,  and  gathered 
the  vine  of  the  earth, 
and  cast  it  into  the 
great  wine-press  of  the 

20  wrath  of  God.  And 
the  wine-press  was 
trodden  without  the 
city,  and  blood  came 
out  of  the  wine-press, 
even  unto  the  horse- 
bridles,  by  the  space 
of  a  thousand  a7id  six 
hundred  furlongs. 


Times  of  persecution,  siicli  as  have  been  now  repre- 
sented under  the  antichristian  powers,  are  times  when 
tlie  faith  and  virtue  of  Christians  are  tried  by  the 
severest  tests.  Many  are  they,  ''  who  gladly  receive 
''  the  word,  but  in  time  of  persecution  fall  away."  Now 
such  methods  of  God's  Providence  separate  the  good 
seed  from  the  tares*.  But  the  time  of  harvest  and 
vintage,  represented  also  in  the  Old  Testament t,  is  a 

*  Which  our  Lord  and  his  Angels  are  represented  as  doing,  in  Matt. 
5viii.  41 .  Mark  iv.  29;  where  the  word  ^pETrxvoy  is  also  used, 
t  Jer.li.-33.    Joeliii.  13.     Is.  Ixiii.  1— 7. 

3'  time 


Ch.  xlv.  14 — 20.]  APOCALYPSE*  587 

time   not   only   of  separation    of  the   good   from  the 
M'icked,  but  also  of  the  final  punishment  or  destruction 
of  the  latter,  expressed  by  the  act  of  burning  the  tares 
and  chaff;  and  also  by  the  bloody  and  furious  appear- 
ance of  him  who,  stained  with  the  juice  of  grapes,  tread- 
etli  the  wine-press  ^.     The  imagery  of  both  harvest  and 
vintage  are  brought  together  in  the  prophecy  of  Joel ; 
which  seems  to  give,  in  a  short  and  abstracted  form,  the 
same  picture  as  this  passage  in  the  Revelation.      "  Put 
"ye  in  the  sickle,   for  the  harvest  is  ripe;  come,  get 
"  you  down,  for  the  press  is  full,  the  fats  overflow  : — 
^^Jor,  their  wickedness  is  great '\,''     This  final  venge- 
ance of  the  Almighty  upon  his  enemies,   is  evidently 
not  yet  accomplished.     But   such  a  general  view  of 
''  God's  righteous  judgments"  was  proper  to  accom- 
pany the  warnings  and  encouragements  delivered  in 
this  chapter ;  in  which  is  also  generally  displayed  the 
successful   warfare   of  the   Lamb    and    his   followers. 
'^  V^^hdit  particular  events  are  signified  by  this  harvest 
'^  and  vintage,   it  appears  impossible  for  any  man  to 
*'  determine;  time  alone  can  with  certainty  discover: 
*'  for,  these  things  are  yet  in  futurity  ;  only  it  may  be 
'^  observed,  that  these  two  signal  judgments  will  cer- 
''  tainly  come,  as  harvest  and  vintage  succeed  in  their 
''  season,  and,  in  the  course  of  Providence  the  one  will 
"  precede  the  other,   as,  in  the  course  of  nature,   the 
'Murvest  is  before  the  vintage;    and   the  latter  will 
"  greatly  surpass  the  former,   and  be  attended  with  a 
**  more  terrible  destruction  of  God's  enemies.     It  is 
**  said,  ver.  20,  that  the  '  blood  came  even  unto  the 
''  *  horses'  bridles;'  which  is  a  strong  hyperbolical  way 
*' of  speaking,   to  express  vast  slaughter,  and  effusion 

*  Gen.  xUx.  11.     Psalm  Ixiii.  1 — 7.     Lam.  i.  15.  -^  A>3»o»  lret%a-t» 
t  Joel^.  13. 

M  u  2  ''  of 


388  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  V.        6. 

**  of  blood;  a  way  of  speaking  not  unknown  to  the 
**  Jews;  for,  the  Jesuralem  Tahnud,  describing  the 
**  woeful  slaughter  which  the  Roman  Emperor  Adrian 
'^  made  of  the  Jews  at  the  destruction  of  the  city  of 
'*  Bitte7\  saith,  that  the  horses  waded  in  blood  up  to  the 
**  nostrils.  Nor  are  similar  examples  wanting  even  in 
"  the  classic  authors ;  for,  Silius  Italicus,  speaking  of 
**  Annibal's  descent  into  Italy,  useth  the  like  expres- 
**  sion  ;  the  bridles  flowing  with  much  blood*." 

*  Bp.  Newton,  Dissert,  iii.  p.  '267.  8vo  edit. 


IH'AIIT 


[    S89    ] 

THE 

APOCALYPSE,    Sec. 


PART    VI. 

SECTION     I. 

The  Vision  preparatory  to  the  seven  Vials, 

CHAPTER  XV.    &  CHAP.  XVi.  VER.   1. 


1    KaI    tJSov    «XXo 

dlyiXus  etrioi,  ty(pv- 
Tus  rjXyiyas  iTrra. 
rocs  la-^dras,  or/ 
fv  avTxTs  ir(Xs(T9ri 

0     ^VfJLQS     T8       ©£8. 

•^  Kxi  i]^ov  us  3a- 
\x<T<rotv  vaXlv'nv  ^e- 
fxiff^iviity  xsvfl*  >o  THs 
Yi}iu>ylxs  ex.  Ta  3»?f /a 
j^  £x  Tijy  £<xoyoy  ay- 
t5,  >^  Ix  T«af;5^5 
T8  uvofxaros  avm^ 
If  aJraj  £7r<  t^v  3a- 
Aaao-av  rrv  IxXtrnvj 
h'y^ovlxs  KiOoipxs  T8 

3  0J«.  Ka<  a^acT*  rr* 
J^r/V  M'MO-eus  SaAa 
Ta  0£8,  >^  rv>v  oJo^v 
T8  davits,  Xiyoviss* 
Mty<x\x  xai  Saty- 
^afa  T«  ipyx  an, 
■Kyf/£  0  ©EOi'  0  zjxv- 
roK^xruf  ^Ix.aixt 
xoi  dXriOtvxt  at  o^oi 
era,  0  ^xai>^tvs  tuv 

4  ■<  .  ,  >•  T/^  a 
TO   oyo^a  (TUf     oTt 


1  And  I  saw  another 
sign  in  Heaven,  great 
and  wonderful :  seven 
angels  having  the  seven 
last  plagues :  for  in 
them  was  completed 
the    wrath    of    God. 

2  And  I  saw,  as  it  were, 
a  sea,  glassy,  mingled 
with  fire,  and  those 
who  had  gotten  the 
victory  over  the  beast, 
and  over  his  image, 
and  over  the  number 
of  his  name,  standing 
upon  the  glassy  sea, 
having  harps  of  God. 

3  And  they  sing  the 
song  of  INIoses,  the 
servant  of  God,  and 
the  song  of  the  Lamb; 
saying,  "  Great  and 
"  wonderful  are  thy 
"  works,  O  Lord,  the 
"  Almighty  God  ;  just 
"  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
»*King    of  5^'>»'«>"i[ 

*'  Who  shall  not  fear, 
"  [thee]  O  Lord,  and 
"  glorify  thy  name,  for 
"  thoa  alone  art  holy  I 


1  And  I  saw  another  sign 
in  heaven  great  and 
marvellous,  seven  an- 
gels having  the  seven 
last  plagues,  for  in 
them  is  filled  up  the 

2  wrath  of  God.  And  I 
saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of 
glass,  mingled  with 
fire;  and  them  that 
had  gotten  the  victoiy 
over  the  beast,  and 
over  his  image,  and 
over  his  mark,  fit/iri over 
the  number  of  his 
name,  stand  on  the  sea 
of  glass,    having    the 

3  harps  of  God.  And 
they  sing  the  song  of 
Moses  the  servant  of 
God,  and  the  song  of 
the  Lamb,  saying. 
Great  and  marvellous 
are  thy  works,  Lord 
God  Almighty;  just 
and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou    King   of  saints. 

4  Who  shall  not  fear 
thee,  O  Lf)rd,  and  glo- 
rify thy  name?  for 
thou  only  art  holy  :  for 


390 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VI.  §   1. 


<BJoivicx.ra  I'^vvj  vj^aa-i 

mm  an'  on  ru  ^t- 
xxiu(y.oclu.   an   i<px- 

5  VB^u9yi7Xv,  Kxl 
f^iloi  Txvrx  sl^ov, 
Kj  vmyn  0  vxos  rvi 
arKV))iYis  rs  (xx^vfia 

6  Iv  Tu  iifxvuj,  ¥Lal 
l^^XOov       01      sttIo. 

lU  tS   v3:5'',  £v^£- 

OVlXBVOl  XlVOV  KxOx^OV 

^ua-[xivoi  zjs^t  roc 
T'nTo  t^Mvxs  "ypvaxs. 

7  Kxi  h  Iktmv  rta-aa.- 
f wv  ^ujuv  i^uKi  rots 
STTia.    a,!yiXois    It^I^ 

(^IXXXS  ^^V7XS, 

'■JliKHO-XS    Ttf     ^t'/vc5 

'    its  ras  xluvas  rZv 

8  XlMVMV,        Kxi    lys- 

{/.la-B'/j  e  vxos  kx'TtvS 
ex.    rrjs     Sol^f    r« 

©EK,  >C^  £>C  TYiS  ^VVX- 

{XSMS  avr-d'  >c}  hqhs 
7)')vvxlo  bIosaOeTv  els 
Tov  vxov,  ixvpi  rs- 
>v£cr0a;(7/y    cct     stPix 

J  afyiXuv.  Kxl  >)X«- 
crx  (pmvis  (j.Byci,?.ris 
Ik  Ta'vaa,  Xiyuaris 
7o7s  tipia  d^'yiXots' 
'XTruytlsf  K)  lity(^iix]{ 
rois  iijla,  (pixXxs 
Tfe  ^viA.fiTS  ©t«  bIs 


"  For,  all  the  nations 
"  shall  come  and  wor- 
*'  ship  thee ;  for  thy 
"  righteous  judgments 
'*  have  been  made  ma- 

5  "  nifest."  And  after 
this,  I  looked,  and 
there  was  opened  the 
temple  of  the  Taberna- 
cle  of  the  Testimony 

6  in  Heaven.  And  the 
seven  angels,  who  had 
the  seven  plagues, 
came  out  [of  the  tem- 
ple] clothed  in  pure, 
resplendent  linen,  and 
girt  about  their  breasts 
with    golden     girdles. 

7  And  one  of  the  four 
living-creatures  gave 
unto  the  seven  angels 
seven  golden  Vials, 
full  of  the  wrath  of 
God,    who  liveth    for 

8  ever  and  ever.  And 
the  temple  was  filled 
with  smoke  from  the 
glory  of  God,  and  from 
his  power;  and  no  one 
was  able  to  enter  into 
the  temple,  until  the 
seven  plagues  of  the 
seven  angels  should  be 

1  completed.  And  I 
heard  a  loud  voice  out 
of  the  temple,  saying 
to  the  seven  angels, 
"  Go,  and  pour  out 
"  the  seven  vials  of  the 
"  wrath  of  God  upon 
"  the  earth." 


all  nations  shall  come 
and  worship,  before 
thee;  for  thy  judg- 
ments are  made  mani- 

5  fest.  And  after  that  I 
looked,  and  behold, 
the  temple  of  the  ta- 
bernacle of  the  testi- 
mony in    heaven  was 

6  opened  :  And  the  se- 
ven angels  came  out  of 
the  temple,  having  the 
seven  plagues,  cloath- 
ed  in  pure  and  white 
linen,  and  having  their 
breasts  girded  with  gol- 

7  den  girdles.  And  one 
of  the  four  beasts  gave 
unto  the  seven  angels, 
seven  golden  vials  full 
of  the  wrath  of  God, 
who  liveth  for  everand 

8  ever.  And  the  temple 
was  filled  with  smoak 
from  the  glory  of  God, 
and  from  his  power; 
and  no  man  was  able 
to  enter  into  the  tem- 
ple, till  the  seven 
plagues  of  the  seven 
angels    were    fulfilled. 

1  And  I  heard  a  great 
voice  out  of  the  tem- 
ple, saying  to  the  se- 
ven angels,  Go  your 
ways,  and  pour  out 
the  vials  of  the  wrath 
of  God  upon  the 
earth. 


Ch.  XV.    &  XVi.    1.]  APOCALYPSE.  391 

Ver.  ].  Another  sign  171  heaven — seven  angels  ;  &c.] 
The  scene  of  the  vision  continues  the  same,  heaven  and 
eartli  in  view,  and  the  angels,  who  are  the  actors,  pass- 
ing between  both.  The  present  exhibition  is  preparatory. 
Such  a  general  representation  had  preceded  the  seven 
Seals,  and  the  seven  Trumpets;  this  precedes  the  seven 
Vials.  We  are  now  in  the  midst  of  the  warfare  carried 
on  by  the  Church  of  Christ,  under  his  auspices,  to  re- 
sist the  formidable  efforts  of  the  combined  enemies.  It 
is  a  silent  warfare,  operating  chiefly  in  the  human 
heart.  But  heaven  is  now  seen  interposing  visibly  to 
repress  the  pride  and  arrogance  of  the  antichristian 
usurpers.  And  as  seven  angels,  by  sounding  the  alarm, 
had  foreshevv^n  the  several  shocks  of  battle,  which  the 
Church  should  sustain  from  her  enemies :  so  seven 
angels,  by  pouring  forth  seven  Vials,  express  the 
vengeance  of  the  Almighty,  poured  out  on  the  trium- 
phant worldly  powers,  checking  their  career,  imbitter- 
ing  their  success,   and  finally  overwhelming  them  in 

destruction. 

They  are  to  be  accounted,  as  the  word  -zjXvjyv) 
expresses,  so  many  blows  or  strokes ;  visitations  of 
Divine  Providence  on  unrepentant  sinners.  Such  fell 
on  Pharaoh  and  the  hardened  i'Egyptians,  who,  persisting 
in  their  obstinate  opposition,  were  overwhelmed  in  the 
lied  Sea.  The  number  seven  implies  a  complete  visita- 
tion*. ''  When  I  begin,  I  will  also  make  an  end,  saith 
*'  the  Lord  f."  So,  with  the  last  of  these  Vials,  ''  the 
'^  wrath  of  God  will  be  completed."  And  it  is  in 
allusion  to  this  completion,  that  they  are  called  ^*  the 
"  last  plagues;"  for  they  do  not  seem  to  extend  to  the 
very  last  times  o^ final  judgment,  but  to  end  with  the 
beast  and  false  prophet  finally  and  completely  subdued; 
with  whose  action  thciefore  they  seem  cotemporary. 

Note,  ch.  i.  4.  t  1  Sam.  iii.  IC. 

Ver. 


392  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.  ^   1. 

Ver.  2.  A  sea,  glassy,  mingled  with  fire;  &c.] 
This  glassy  sea  has  been  already  displayed  as  standing 
before  the  throne  of  God*,  M^iere  it  was  seen  to  repre- 
sent the  purifying  blood  of  the  Redeemer;  the  price  of 
human  redemption,  in  which  alone  the  vestments  can 
he  washed  white  ;  by  which  alone  the  Christian  can  be 
presented  pure  before  God.  But  the  Redeemer  has 
two  characters,  conformably  to  the  offices  assigned 
him  on  earth;  the  one  of  meekness,  in  which  he  came 
to  siiff'er  ;  the  other  of  exaltation,  in  which  he  returns 
to  reign,  and  to  pour  out  vengeance  on  his  enemies. 
We  are  now  arrived  at  that  point  of  the  prophetic  his- 
tory, in  which  this  vengeance  begins  to  be  poured  out. 
We  therefore  see  the  glassy  sea  mingled  with  fire;  its 
-waves  flashing  flame;  symbolically  expressive  of  anger 
and  vengeance  f.  Here  we  see  collected,  as  in  an  ap- 
propriate situation,  those  who,  during  the  usurpation  of 
Antichrist,  had  contended  for  the  faith  ;  and  suffering, 
had  gained  that  victory,  which  is  only  to  be  acquired 
**  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  J. "  The  purification  of  the 
priests  for  the  service  of  the  earthly  temple  was  in  the 
brazen  sea ;  these,  who  are  to  minister  before  the  God 
of  heaven,  are  purified  by  the  heavenly  sea;  by  the 
blood  of  the  Redeemer.  And  many  of  them,  having 
poured  out  their  own  blood  in  his  cause,  and  after  his 
example,  now  begin  to  enjoy  the  triumph  which  was 
promised  them  under  the  fifth  Seal  §.  They  are  now  to 
be  "  avenged." 

lb.  Of  the  beast.']  in  t8  Sv)p/«,  ^*  not,"  says  Dr.  S. 
Clarke,  over  the  beast,  hut  fro?n  out  of  the  midst  of  the 
beast :  for,  by  this  expression  is  implied,  not  only  their 
conquest,  but  the  difiiculty  of  it,  by  a  few  persons,  ad- 

*  Cb.  iv.  6.  +  See  note,  ch.  viii.  Y. 

X  Ch.  xii.  1 1  ;  vii.  13.  1  John  v.  4,  &c. 
§  Ch.  vi.  9 — 13  ;  where  see  the  note. 

hering 


Ch.  XV.  XVi.   1.]  APOCALYPSE.  393 

hering  stedfastly  to  the  true  Religion,   in  the  midst  of 
idolatrous  and  corrupt  nations. 

Ver.  3.  The  Song  of  Moses.']  These  holy  sufferers  no 
longer  cry  under  the  altar  for  the  delayed  vengeance  of 
their  just  God*.  The  promised  tiaie  is  come  f.  They 
now  see,  as  they  express  in  their  song, — their  triumphant 
song,  hke  that  of  Moses  after  the  d  estr  u  c  tion  of  Pharaoh :{:, 
the  great  and  wonderful  works  of  God,  who  has  led  them 
to  victory  by  suiferings ;  subduing  the  proud  arm  of 
flesh,  and  bringing  all  nations  to  an  acknowledgment 
of  his  just  and  wonderful  power  §.  The  nations  had 
been  early  invited  to  worship  in  the  nmne  of  Christ ;  they 
had  forsaken  their  ancient  idolatry,  and  had  come  to. 
his  courts :  but  the  Temple  was  shut ;  there  was  none 
to  teach  them  the  truth  '^  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  A  great 
part  of  the  nations,  who  have  been  turned  from  their 
idols,  through  the  operation  either  of  the  papal  ot 
mahometan  religions,  do  not  even  now  worship  in 
truth.  But  when  the  final  vengeance  upon  the  beast 
and  false  prophet,  which  is  here  promised,  shall  be  com- 
pleted, the  Temple  will  be  opened,  and  the  nations  shall 
**  worship  in  the  beauty  of  holiness,"  ''  with  anholy  wor- 
*'ship."  This  seems  to  be  the  reason,  why  the  nations 
are  introduced  in  this  song,  (v.  4)  ;  and  for  this  cause  I 
prefer  the  reading  £0vwv  before  that  of  cj/wvwvin  this  verse. 
It  seems  supported  also  by  the  best  authorities  ||. 

Ver.  5.  Tlie  temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  testi- 
mo7iy.']  The  holy  place,  the  local  habitation  of  the 
Almighty,  was  tluis  called  ^.  There  the  cloud  and  the 
glory  appeared,  when  the  Lord  zvas  xvrath  with  the 
congregation**. 

Ver.  6.  Clothed  in  pure  resplendent  linen.]  **  The 
*'  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  the  Saints ff.'*     The 

♦  Ch.  vi  9,  &c.  t  Luke  xviii.  8.  X  Exod.  xv. 

§  Compare  Psalm  Ixxxvi.  8,  9,  10.         ||  See  also  Jer.  x.  ?. 
IF  Num.  i.  50.  53.         **  Num.  xvii.  42.         ft  Ch.  xix.  8. 


5i)4  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.   §  2. 

external  habit  agrees   with    the    internal  purity;    the 
angels  have  the  same  kind  of  raiment  as  their  Lord*. 

Ver.  7.  One  of  the  four  living  creatures. ^^  See 
note,  ch.  iv.  6.  The  Vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  are 
given  to  the  angels  by  one  of  those  ministering  spirits 
nearest  the  throne;  by  the  cherubim;  which  implies, 
that  they  come  immediately  from  the  Divine  presence. 

lb.  Vials.']  The  wrath  of  God  is  represented  in 
Scripture  as  ''poured  out-f.''  Frequently  the  cup  of 
God's  w-rath  is  mentioned ; — the  (PinKviy  vial,  was  a 
bowl,  or  cup,  (for  which  see  note,  ch.  v.  8.);  and  was 
used  also  to  pour  from,  (see  1  Sam.  x.  1). 

Ver.  8.  The  temple  was  filed  with  smoke.']  The 
presence  of  God,  especially  when  he  is  wroth,  is  com- 
monly represented  as  such  J.  And  at  the  dedication  of 
the  first  temple,  when  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  *'  as  a 
"cloud,  had  filled  the  house  of  God,"  the  priests 
could  not  stand  to  minister  §. 

*  Ch.  i.  14.  t  Is.  xlii.  25  ;  Ezek.  vii.  S  ;  and  Psalms  passim, 

t  Js.  vi.  4.     Exod.  xix.  13;  &c.         §  2  Chron.  v.  13,  14. 


2   Kai  a'W^?^S«v  0  'CJfu- 

xaxov  Kj  z:ovy>^ov  its 
riss  av9^'l"7riis  ras 
iypvlxs  TO  yJc^a.'ii/.iK 

sJxow   aiiTti    'wfooT' 


PART    VL 

SECTION     II. 

The  seven  Vials. 

CHAP.  xvi.  VER.  2 — to  the 

2  And  the  first  went, 
and  poured  out  his 
Vial  upon  the  land: 
and  there  came  an  evil 
and  grievous  sore  upon 
the  men  who  had  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and 
upon  those  who  wor- 
shipped    his      image. 


end. 

2  And  the  first  went,  anc 
poured  out  his  via 
upon  the  earth :  and 
there  fell  a  noisome  anc 
grievous  sore  upon  the 
men  which  had  the 
mark  of  the  beast,  and 
vpon  them  which  wor- 

3  shipped  his  image.  And 


Cll.  xvi.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE. 


S95 


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a.TFtOxvtv  Iv  rri  jx 

4  Xxcra-n.   K*»  o  t^/- 

roj  l^iX^^  "^^^  ^'"'~ 
A)jv  a^T»  us  ras 
zjolxixiis  iL  ilS  TXS 
tuvjyxs  Tuv  voxruv' 

5  K)  lyhslo  x'nj-x,  Ka< 
nx-HiTx  Ta  dfyiXa 
rvv  v^druvXiyovlos' 

AUxIOS  £1,  0  UV,  KXi 

0    riVf    0    cxTioSy    on 

6  rxvrx'iKqivxs,"Ori 
aifj^x  uyiMv  tCj  zj^o- 

(pr,\uv  l^B^SXV,     KXl 

ai^x  avTois  boukxs 
'lJisT)!'     oi^ioi     U7i. 

7  Ka/  -nyiiia-x  t«  ^y- 
a-ix^vjpi'a  >Jyovi<^' 
Na/,  Ku^ie,  o  Qsos 

0  'ZuXvloK^xru^yXATj- 

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yxj   Kxi   Ir^KxaC^- 

(XVI3-XV    01     XvO^UTTOl 

TO  ovo(jia  ra  0£a  t5 
rocs  'CiXnyxs  txv~ 


3  And  the  second  [angel] 
poured  out  his  Vial 
upon  the  sea :  and 
there  came  blood,  as 
of  a  dead  carcase ;  and 
every  living  soul  died 

4  in  the  sea.  And 
the  third  poured  out 
his  Vial  upon  the 
rivers,  and  upon  the 
springs  of  waters :  and 

5  there  came  blood.  And 
1  heard  the  angel  of 
the  waters,  saying ; 
**  Righteous  art  Thou, 
*'  which  art,  and  which 
"  wast,The  Holy  One! 
"  in  that  thou  hast  ex- 
*'  ecuted     this    judg- 

6  "  ment:  For,  the  blood 
"  of  saints  and  of  pro- 
"  phets  they  have  poLir- 
"  ed  forth  :  and  blood 
'*  thou  hast  given  them 
**  to  drink  !   they   are 

7  "  worthy  ofU."  iVnd 
I  heard  a  voice  from 
the  altar,  saying ; 
"  Even  so.  Lord,  the 
"  Almighty  God  !  True 
"  and    just     are     thy 

8  ''judgments!"  And  the 
fourth  poured  out  his 
Vial  upon  the  sun : 
and  it  was  given  to  him 
to  scorch  the  men  with 
fire:  and  the  men  were 
scorched     with    great 

9  heat:  And  the  men 
blasphemed  the  name 
of  God,  who  had  the 


the  second  angel  pour- 
ed out  his  vial  upon 
the  sea ;  and  it  became 
as  the  blood  of  a  dead 
man  :  and  every  living 
soul  died  in  the  sea. 

4  And  the  third  angel 
poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  rivers  and 
fountains  of  waters; 
and  they  became  blood. 

5  And  I  heard  the  angel 
of  the  waters  say,  Thou 
art  righteous,  O  Lord, 
which  art,  and  wast, 
and  shalt  be,  because 
thou  hast  judged  thus: 

6  For  they  have  shed  the 
bk)od  of  saints  and 
prophets,  and  thou  hast 
given  them  blood  to 
drink ;    for    they   are 

7  worthy.  And  I  heard 
another  out  of  the  altar 
say.  Even  so,  Lord  God 
Almighty,  true  and 
righteous  are  thy  j  udge- 

8  ments.  And  the  fourth 
angel  poured  out  his 
vial  upon  the  sun  ;  and 
power  was  given  unto 
him   to    scorch    men 

9  with  fire.  And  men 
were  scorched  with 
great  heat,  and  blas- 
phemed the  name  of 
God,  which  hath  pow- 
er over  these  plagues : 
and  they  repented  not 

10  to  give  him  gloiy.  And 
the  fifth  angel  poured 


396 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VI.  §  3. 


^yvxi  alru  00^X1, 

ahri  Ivl  Tov  %^ovov 
t5  ^vi^ta'  ^  eylvslo 
^    $x<TiXitx     adra 


1  i  K*i  sC\xa-(pv(JLyicrxv 
Toy  ©jov  tS  tt^avS  ax 
TftJv  'n7ova;y  xvtmv  K/ 
Ix.  ruv  ikycuy  xlruv' 
jca  {xdevoviravlx.  rm 

XZi^yuv  xtruv.  Kai 
o  'ixl^  H^X"  "^^^ 
<piccXv)v  xliru  tTri  tov 
VJolxfAOV   TOV  (xiyxv 

j-atyy^  TO  yOa,'p  ayTtf , 
7vx  sTQilMxaQr.  Yi  ooos 
rojv  $x!Ti>^ia)v  taJv 
XTTo  xvxloXiov  vtXia, 

1 J  K:s:/  elooy  Ix  t5 
fo'/xali^  t5  o^a- 
xovl<^,  '^  Ix.  tk  fo- 
^aJ\^  Ta  ^-fi^'m,  TCf 
zx  rS  s'oy^xr^ 
Ta  vJ/sv^oTT^o^rjTe, 
%jviv^ciix  rpix  djisi- 
Gx^x  us  ^xrfxypi' 

1 4  EiVi  yaf  7snvu.a\x 
dxiiJioviujv  tsoLtivrx 
cvif^sTxy  [a,  sKTro- 
^BVilxi'\  Itti  Tiss  /3a- 

■trtKliS   TY)i  QlKHlA-ivYiS 

cXv};,  crvvxyxytiv 
ftVTHS  lis  zjoK^ixov 
rris  vfjiipxs  sxsivris 
Tr.s     ixcya'/sTfiS      tS 


power  over  these 
plagues ;  and  they  did 
not  repent  for  to  give 

10  him  glory.  And  the 
fifth  poured  out  his 
Vial  on  the  throne  of 
the  beast;  and  his 
kingdom  became  dark- 
ened :  and  they  did 
bite  their  tongues  from 

11  the  suffering:  And  they 
blasphemed  the  God 
of  Heaven  from  their 
sufferings  and  from 
their  sores ;  and  re- 
pented not    of    their 

12  works.  And  the  sixth 
poured  out  his  Vial 
upon  the  great  river 
Euphrates :  and  the 
water  thereof  was  dried 
up,  that  the  way  of  the 
kings  from  the  rising 
of  the   sun   might   be 

13  prepared.  And  I  saw 
from  the  mouth  of  the 
dragon,  and  from  the 
mouth  of  the  wild- 
beast,  and  from  the 
mouth  of  the  false 
prophet,  three  unclean 
spirits,  as  it  were  frogs : 

14  For  they  are  spirits  of 
dtemons,  working  won- 
ders [which  go  forth] 
upon  the  kings  of  the 
whole  region,  to  gather 
them  together  for  the 
battle  of  that  great  day 
of  the  Almighty  God. 

15  (Behold,  I  come  as  a 


out  bis  vial  upon  the 
seat  of  the  beast ;  and 
his  kingdom  was  full 
of  darkness,  and  they 
gnawed  their  tongues 

11  for  pain.  And  blas- 
phemed the  God  of 
heaven,  because  of 
their  pains  and  their 
sores,  and  repented  not 

12  of  their  deeds.  And 
the  sixth  angel  poured 
out  his  vial  upon  the 
great  river  Euphrates ; 
and  the  water  thereof 
was  dried  up,  that  the 
way  of  the  kings  of  the 
east  might  be   prepa- 

13  red.  And  I  saw  three 
unclean  spirit*  like 
frogs  co7ne  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  dragon, 
and  out  of  the  mouth 
of  the  beast,  and  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  false 

14  prophet.  For  they  are 
the  spirits  of  de- 
vils, working  miracles, 
which  go  forth  unto 
the  kings  of  the  earth, 
and  of  the  whole  world, 
to  gather  them  to  the 
battle  of  that  great  day 

15  of  God  Almighty.  Ber 
hold,  I  come  as  a  thief. 
Blessed  u  he  that 
watcheth  and  keepeth 
his  garments,  lest  he 
walk  naked,  and  they 

l6see  his  shame.  And 
be  gathered  tliem  to- 


Cll.  Xvi.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE. 


0«5    tS    ZJOcyloKfu^ 

l^xi  US  ytXinriris'  ^x- 

J^  rr}^iuv  ra,  ;^ar/a 
avrSj  Yvx  (A.ri  yvfjL- 
*os    xutpitixi-^,    XOCl 

lo fA.o(n>rriv  xlr^.  Kai 

avvyjyxysv  xIths  iis 
Toy  roTTon  Toy  xaXs- 

l/^aysJJwy.      Kai  o 

^tOiXr,y  aiiTH  tis  Toy 

^A-v^   fxsyaXr}    oittl 

aVo  T«  Sfo'yy,  As- 

iysvovto  (^uvxl  xxi 
^^ovlui  iy  a^^acTTxi' 
Xj  a-sia-fj.os  iyivelo 
(/.syxsjol^  iSKsyi- 

TTOt  tyivoylo  Itt]  ttjs 

t^os     HTu     fxiyxs. 

l9Kai  syivelo  17  zji\is 

9J  fAiyuK'n  f.\s  Tfi'x 

/As'f »?,     >^     XI  -CToAe/J 

TaJy  fSvA/y  tirt<TOy'  iC, 
BxCvXuv  ri  fJLiyxKr) 
Ifxyrta-Qi^  hwTTiOv  t5 
0EB,  Oeya/  ayx'S  to 
'aom^ioy  Tts  oi»a  ra 
^vfjJa     rris      oqyviS 

ZOxvtQ.  Kxt  zxoia-a 
v^<r©-  ipvye,  ty  opt) 

21  u^tupeQnaxv,  K*« 


thief;  blessed  is  he 
who  watcheth,  and 
preserveth  his  gar- 
ments, that  he  may 
not  walk  naked,  and 
they  see  his   shame.) 

16  And  they  gathered 
them  together  unto 
the  place  which  is 
called  in  Hebrew,  Ar- 

17  mageddon.  And  the 
seventh  poured  out  his 
Vial  into  the  air:  and 
there  came  a  loud 
voice  from  the  temple 
[in  heaven]  from  the 
throne,  saying;  "  It  is 

18"  done!"  And  there 
were  voices,  and  thun- 
derings,  and  light- 
nings; and  there  was 
a  great  earthquake, 
such  as  never  was 
from  the  time  that 
men  were  upon  the 
earth,  such  an  earth- 

19 quake,  so  great!  And 
the  great  city  became 
divided  into  three 
parts :  and  the  cities 
of  the  nations  fell :  and 
the  great  Babylon  was 
remembered  before 
God,  to  give  unto  her 
the  cup  of  the  wine  of 
the  fierceness  of  his  an- 

20  ger.  And  every  islaud 
fled  away  ;  and  moun- 
tains were  not  to  be 

21  found.   And   a   great 


^97 

gether  into  a  place, 
called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue,  Armageddon. 

17 And  the  seventh  angel 
pouredouthisvialinto 
the  air;  and  there  came 
a  great  voice  out  of  the 
temple  of  heaven,  from 
the  throne,  saying,  It 

18  is  done.  And  there 
were  voices,  and  thun- 
ders, and  lightnings; 
and  there  was  a  great 
earthquake,    such    as 

wasnot  since  men  were 
i^pon  the  earth,  so 
mighty  an  earthquake, 
iPa/?r/ so  great.  And  the 
great  city  was  divided 
into  three  parts,  and 
the  cities  of  the  nations 
fell:  and  great  Baby 
Ion  came  in  remem- 
brance before  God,  to 
give  unto  her  the  cup  of 
the  wine  of  the  fierce- 

SOnessofhis  wrath.  And 
every  island  fled  away, 
and     the     mountains 

21  were  not  found.  And 
there  fell  upon  them  a 
great  hail  out  of  hea- 
ven, everi/  stone  about 
the  weight  of  a  talent: 
and  men  blasphemed 
God  because  of  the 
plague  of  the  hail;  for 
the  plague  thereof  wiis 
exceeding  great. 


39^ 


rxXxvlixlx       xocix- 
Cxivst  Ik  t5  y^ava 

y,xi  JCAacr(p>i/xv;(Tav 

0/  Xv9^UfrOl  TOV  ©£0V 

OtVTViS  or^o^fa. 


APOCALYPSE. 

hail,  weighty  as  a  ta- 
lent, falleth  from  hea- 
ven upon  the  men. 
And  the  men  blas- 
phemed God  from  the 
plague  of  the  hail :  for, 
great  exceedingly  is 
the  plague  thereof. 


fPt.  VL  §  2. 


The  seven  Vials  bear  a  certain  analogy  to  the  seven 
Trumpets :  and,  that  this  may  the  more  conveniently  be 
seen,  the  following  comparative  abstract  is  given  : 


THE  SEVEN   TRUMPETS. 

1.  Upon  the  la72d;  hail,  fire, 
and  blood ;  a  third  of  the 
trees,  and  all  green  grass 
burnt  up. 

2.  Upon  the  sea;  a  burning 
mountain;  a  third  part  of 
the  sea  becomes  blood; 
and  the  third  of  the  crea- 
tures die. 

3.  Upon  the  rivers  and 
springs;  a  burning  star, 
wormwood,  falls,  and  many 
die  of  the  embittered  wa- 
ters. 

4.  Upon  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars;  the  third  of  which 
is  darkened. 


THE    SEVEN    VIALS. 

1.  Upon  the  land,  afflictive 
to  the  worshippers  of  the 
beast. 


2.  Upon  the  sea ;  as  the 
blood  of  a  dead  carcase ; 
every  soul  dies. 

3.  Upon  the  rivers  and 
springs,  blood ;  a  just 
judgment  and  retalia- 
tion on  the  murderers  of 
the  saints. 

4.  Upon  the  sun  ;  the  men 
are  scorched  with  great 
heat,  and  blaspheme,  and 
repent  not. 

5.  The 

i 


Cil.  xvi.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE. 


S99 


(D     J 


a; 


5.  The  bottomless  deep 
opened,  smoke  mid 
darkness,  and  scor- 
pion-locusts injure  the 
men  unsealed,  five 
months. 

6,  Four  angels,  loosed 
from  Euphrates,  lead 
the  cavalry  who  slay 
the  third  of  the  men; 
the  rest  are  unrepent- 
ant. 

The  prophecy  of 
the  times  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  of  the 
witnesses,  during 
1260  days,  is  opened 
under  this  Trumpet. 


7.  The  grand  conflict 
of  the  dragon,  beast, 
and  false  prophet, 
with  the  Lamb  and 
his  followers;  in  r 
the  course  of  which 
the  seven  Vials  are 
poured  out. 


5.  Upon  the  throne  of  the 
beast,  darkeninghh  king- 
dom ;  they  blaspheme, 
and  repent  not. 


6.  On  the  great  river  Eu- 
phrates, which  is  dried  up 
to  prepare  the  way  of 
the  eastern  kings. 

Frogs,  spirits  of  de- 
mons, working  won- 
ders to  gather  the 
kings  of  the  whole 
world  to  the  battle  of 


M 


the  great  day. 
7.  Into  the  air;  "  It  is 
"  done  !"  an  unparallel- 
led  earthquake  divides 
the  great  city  into  three 
parts ;  cities  of  the  na- 
tions fall ;  Babylon  re- 
membered; islands  and 
mountains  are  no  more ; 
great  hail ;    men   con- 


I 


tiime  to  blaspheme. 

The  notes  on  chapter  viii.  6,  7,  &c.,  will  shew  the 
probable  meaning  of  the  terms  Land,  Sea,  River,  Sun  ; 
as  used  in  both  the  Trumpets  and  the  Vials.  But  in 
the  explanation  of  these,  and  such-like  terms,  there  is 
a  certain  distinction  to  be  observed  when  we  apply  them 
to  the  different  passages:  for,  under  the  Trumpets,  the 

iittack 


400  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  2. 

attack  is  upon  the  Christian  Church;  under  the  Vials, 
upon  the  oiemies  of  that  Church.  For  it  is  clear,  from 
the  first  Vial  to  the  last,  that  the  anger  of  the  Lord  is 
poured  out,  not  on  the  Church,  but  on  its  foes.  The 
iirst  Vial  falls  expressly  on  the  worshippers  of  the  beast ; 
and  the  third  is  declared  to  be  a  just  retaliation  on  the 
murderers  of  the  saints ;  the  fourth  falls  on  unrepentant 
blasphemers ;  the  fifth  is  poured  on  the  throne  of  the 
least ;  and  the  last  on  the  corrupt  cities  and  Babylon. 
Therefore  the  laJid^  and  sea,  and  waters,  and  heaxienly 
luminary,  on  which  the  four  first  Vials  fall,  are  not  to 
be  accounted  the  xery  same,  against  which  the  Trum- 
pets sounded  warfare;  but  a  land,  sea,  &c.  bearing  just 
analogy  to  them.  Those,  under  the  Trumpets,  are  the 
land,  sea,  &c.  oi \}i\^  Christian  world:  Those  under  the 
Vials,  of  the  antichristian.  For  the  antichristian  world 
has  its  divisions,  as  Alede  has  observed,  which  will  an- 
swer to  those  of  the  Christian  world.  If  the  Land, 
of  the  Christian  world,  signifies  the  ancient  worshippers 
of  God,  there  are  also  tlie  ancient  worshippers  of  the 
beast.  If  the  Sea,  among  Christians,  represent  their 
distant  Gentile  converts;  the  worshippers  of  the  beast 
have  also  their  Sea,  the  newly  acquired  converts  to 
their  superstitions  or  infidelity.  Both  Christianity  and 
antichristianity  have  their  rivers  aiid  springs  of  Doc- 
trine, and  their  Lights,  By  this  kind  of  analogy,  it 
seems  probable  that  the  Vials,  especially  the  four  first 
of  them,  are  to  be  interpreted.  If  the  pure  Christian 
Church  has  been  seen  to  suffer  in  its  several  parts  and 
divisions,  by  the  seven- fold  warfare  of  its  enemies, 
those  enemies  shall  not  enjoy  a  joyful  and  bloodless 
victory;  the  Providence  of  God  will  interfere;  and 
they  will  suffer  by  corresponding  strokes,  justly  pro- 
portioned.    But,  though  each  Vial  may  seem  to  answer 

to 


Ch.  xvi.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPsi.  401 

to  eacli  Trumpet;  either  in  the  part  or  division  at- 
tacked, or  in  the  effect  of  the  attack;  yet  in  point  of 
time,  they  do  not  seem  to  range  exactly  against  each 
other:  each  corresponding  Trumpet  and  Vial  does  not 
appear  to  belong  to  the  same  period  of  history  :  for,  the 
liistory  under  the  Vials  is  confined  (as  before  shewn)  to 
the  times  of  the  beast ;  while  the  Trumpets  appear  to 
have  an  earlier  date  and  origin.  Indeed,  all  the  Vials 
seem  to  have  their  rise  out  of  one  of  the  Trumpets, 
namely,  the  last ;  and  therefore  may  be  supposed  to  be 
confined  to  tlie  Instory  which  that  Trumpet  compre- 
hends. That  Trumpet  docs  indeed  look  so  far  back,  as 
to  the  conflict  of  the  dragon  with  the  infant  Church; 
but  only  by  way  of  prelude;  and  in  order  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  the  main  subject  of  the  prophecy,  namely, 
the  conflict  of  the  antichvistian  beast  with  the  Church, 
The  vials  seem  to  run  the  whole  length  of  this  impor- 
tant warfare. 

The  four  first  Vials,  like  the  four  first  Trumpets, 
are  of  so  very  short  and  general  a  description,  as  not 
to  encourage  or  justify  a  very  minute  application  of 
them  to  particular  passages  in  history  *,  They  will  be 
found  to  liave  been  genei^ally  fulfilled. 

The  first  produces  a  noisome  sore  on  the  worshippers 
of  the  beast.  This  plague  derives  its  figurative  descrip- 
tion, from  the  boil  and  blain  inflicted  by  Divine  venge- 
ance on  the  ^Egyptian  persecutors  of  the  ancient 
Church  f.  As  they,  in  their  impious  attempts  to  oppose 
tlie  God  of  heaven,  felt  his  Almighty  hand  grievous 
upon  them,  to  controul  and  punish ;  so,  in  the  early 
attempts,  made  by  the  antichristian  powers  under  the 
beast,  to  stifle  pure  Rehgion,  they  had  difificulties  to 
encounter,  where  they  least  expected  them  ;  and  which 

♦  See  note,  ch.  viii.  7.  t  Exod*  ix«  10.. 

X  N  were 


40^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.  ^  2. 

were  to  be  surmounted  only  by  tbcir  omhi  suiferings. 
God  did  not  permit  tbem  to  enjoy  during  that  genera- 
tion their  expected  triumph. 

The  second  Vial  produces  blood,  which,  mixing 
with  the  sea,  corrupts  it.  Blood,  in  Scriptural  lan- 
guage, is  a  pollution  and  abomination  ;  and  from  a  dead 
carcase,  heinously  such  *  The  sea,  the  isles,  the  dis-  . 
tant  nations  of  the  anti christian  M'orld,  those  who 
by  terror  or  force  were  made  converts,  (as  were  some 
of  the  nations  of  the  north  to  popery,  of  the  south  to 
mahometism,)  forsaking  their  idols,  worship  the  God  of 
Heaven  ; — but  not  in  purity  ; — -so  polluted  is  the  wor- 
ship, as  not  to  save,  but  to  destroy  by  spiritual  death. 
Under  the  second  Trumpet,  which  corresponds  in  some 
respects  with  this  Vial,  a  third  part  dies ;  that  is,  a  third 
of  the  Christians.  There  is  a  considerable  part,  who  by 
the  Grace  of  God  escape  spiritual  death.  Here,  all  die ; 
and  so  also  under  the  rest  of  the  plagues  ;  but  the  seal- 
ed Christian  is  not  touched  by  these  visitations. — Thus 
also  under  the  plagues  of  ^Egypt,  "  they,  who  fear  the 
**  Lord,"  have  the  privilege  of  escape  f. 

The  third  Vial  is  discharged  also  upon  the  waters  :  not 
upon  the  sea;  but  upon  those  waters  which  feed  both  land 
and  sea;  upon  the  sources  of  comfort,  especially  of 
religious  comfort,  to  both  J.  These  sources  of  spiritual 
nourishment  become  blood  \.  Instead  of  the  "  living 
*'  waters,  flowing  out  into  everlasting  life|l,"  they  who 
reject, oppose, or  oppress  the  Christian  Religion,  generally 
receive  in  the  lieu  thereof  a  burdensome  and  uncomfort- 
able yoke  of  superstitious  folly.  This  has  been  ever  the 
case  with  Christian  apostates,  and  particularly  so  in  the 

*  Lam.  iv,  11.     Lev.  v.  C.     Numb.  v.  2. 

t  Exod.  ix.4.  CO,  26';  x.  23.  :  See  note,  ch.  viii.  10.  II. 

§  See  the  preceding  Vial.  ||  John  iv.  10;  vii.  37,  38. 

great 


Ch.  xvi.  2—21.]  AP0CALYP3E.  403 

great  apostacies,  the  Mahometan  and  the  Papal.  There 
may  he  alhision  likewise  to  the  blood  shed  by  these 
cruel  fanatics,  who  in  their  bigoted  rage  slew  millions  of 
the  saints  ;  and  then  turned  their  arms  upon  their  own 
bretliren,  wallowing  in  blood.  The  bloody  wars,  which 
raged  between  the  Saracens  and  Turks  and  Tartars, 
and  between  the  popes  and  western  emperors  ;  between 
the  parties  denominated  Guelphs  and  Ghibelines ;  and 
the  deadly  contests  between  the  two  great  antichristiau 
divisions,  the  Papal  and  Mahometan,  in  the  crusades, 
seem  to  have  amply  fulfilled  this  bloody  prophecy. 

The  fourth  Vial  is  poured  on  the  great  heavenly 
luminary,  the  Sun*.  A  similar  stroke  under  the  cor- 
responding Trumpet,  had  produced  darkness  and  igno- 
rance. But  there  is  a  further  progress,  insomuch  as  the 
deprivation  of  the  light  of  true  Religion  produces  also 
religious  feuds  and  animosities  which  are  found  to  rage 
most  bitterly  in  the  persecuting  party,  ever  most  defi- 
cient in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  what  is  good 
and  true. 

The  fifth  angel  pours  his  Vial  on  "  the  throne  of 
*^  the  beast ;"  on  his  chief  seat  of  empire  and  dominion. 
Pergamus,  at  the  time  of  tlie  vision,  was  declared  "  the 
**  throne  of  satanf:"  and  satan,  or  the  dragon,  gave 
his  throne  to  the  beast :};.  But  at  this  period,  the  beast, 
by  the  ministry  of  the  false  prophet,  had  greatly  ex- 
tended his  dominion,  and  his  capital  seat  was  elsewhere. 
He  had  now  a  vast  two-fold  empire;  under  the  two 
horns  of  antichrist.  But  '^  his  kingdom  becomes 
**  darkened."  During  the  antichristiau  reign,  there  has 
been  a  long  and  dark  age;  an  age  of  deplorable  igno- 
rance and  superstition.  The  fanatical  disciples  of  Maho- 
met, at  their  fust  outset,  forbade  the  cultivation  of  all 

*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  12,  t  Ch.  ii,  13,  ;  Ch.  xiii.  2. 

if  N  S  learning, 


40-4^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.   §  e. 

learning,  except  tliat  which  is  contained  in  the  book  of 
their  false  prophet.  The  papal  usurpers  encouraged 
only  monkish  dreams  and  lying  legends,  and  scholastic 
quibbles;  and  prohibited  the  free  and  general  use  of  the 
fountains  of  knowledge;  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  This 
operated  not  only  as  a  great  hindrance  to  the  cause  of 
Christianity,  (represented  under  the  corresponding- 
Trumpet,)  but  also  as  a  'srXvjyv^,  an  inflicted  punishment 
upon  the  wicked  authors  and  abettors  of  this  spiritual 
ignorance;  men  who  "  loved  darkness  better  than 
"  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil."  For  as  *^  they 
"  who  love  silver,  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  silver*  ;"  so 
they  who  love  darkness,  cannot  be  satisfied  therewith. 
It  recoils  upon  them,  and  torments  f . 

The  sixth  Vial  is  poured  out  on  the  great  rivet' 
Euphrates,  which  is  dried  up,  to  prepare  the  way  of 
the  kings,  who  come  from  the  east,  or  sun-rising. 
Euphrates  is  the  river  on  which  stood  Babjjloiy  the 
enemy  and  corrupter  of  God's  ancient  Church :}:.  And 
as  Babylon  is  used,  symbolically,  to  represent  the 
corrupt  Christian,  or,  to  speak  more  justly,  antichris- 
tian  Church;  so  Euphrates  may  represent  that  region  : 
or,  having  been  the  grand  boundary,  in  ancient  times, 
between  those  countries  generally  connected  together 

*  Eccl.  V.  10. 

t  We  have  before  us  a  modern  instance  of  this  truth.  The  extuic- 
tion  of  Christianity  in  France,  so  far  as  it  could  be  accomphshed,  wa* 
the  most  unwise  policy  which  its  infatuated  rulers  could  have  devised; 
that  which  afforded  them  the  greatest  embarrassment,  and  involved 
them  in  the  utmost  danger.  To  this  cause  is  to  be  attributed  the 
most  formidable  of  their  rebellions ;  and  so  far  as  their  mad  devices 
took  place,  they  undermined  and  eradicated  in  the  minds  of  the  subjects 
those  principles  which  render  them  most  governable. — This  was  writ- 
ten about  the  year  1795. 

J  Note,  ch.  ix.  3.. 

by 


Ch.    Xvi.    2 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  405 

by  a  reciprocation  of  interests,  and  the  more  remote 
nations  to  the  east,  and  being  also  the  limiting  line  of 
tlje  Roman  empire,  it  may  hkewise  be  used  to  denote 
tliat  Mdiich  separates  and  })revents  an  union  in  religion 
betNvecn  the  now  eastern  and  M^estern  worlds.  The 
kin2:s  and  tlieir  nations  were  destined  bv  the  oriirinal 
counsel  of  God,  declared  by  liis  propliets*  to  flow  into 
the  Christian  Church.  This  prophecy,  in  the  western 
licmisphere  has  been  most  v/ondcrfully  fulfilled:  but 
the  eastern  nations  remain  idolatrous,  or  immersed  in 
mahometan  superstition.  And  it  is  this  superstition, 
settled  upon  the  w  hole  range  of  tlie  modern  Euphrates, 
which  seems  to  be  a  principal  impediment  to  their  con- 
versions. But  this  is  not  all ;  there  is  another  Eu- 
phrates, another  Baby lo}i,  which  impedes.  Not  only  this 
eastern  branch  of  Antichrist,  but  his  western'  horn 
also,  more  particularly  denominated  Babijlon'\,  is 
found  to  |)lace  great  obstacles  in  the  xcay  prepared  for 
these  kings  and  nations  to  pass  over  to  the  Christian 
Church.  The  Indian  ]\Iahometans  are  described  by 
modern  writers  to  be  a  kind  of  Christian  heretics,  most 
averse  to  the  Romish  superstition  ;  and  till  that  super- 
stition shall  be  in  a  greater  degree  removed,  it  is  said 
there  are  little  hopes  of  converting  many  of  them  to  the 
Christian  Church  J.  This  enmity  of  the  Mahometans  to 
the  papal  religion  is  so  great  in  the  east,  that  there  are 
said  to  be  treasures  of  Christian  manuscripts  among 
them,  copies  of  which  might  be  obtained,  if  the  owners 
could  be  assured  that  the  copyists  were  not  of  the  same 
party  aa  the  Pope§.  ''  The  writers  of  the  Romish 
*' communion,   by  endeavouring  to  defend  their  own 

-  Is.  ii.  2;  Ixvi.  12.  18,  19,  20;  xlix.  23.  Mic.  iv.  I. 

t  Ch.  xvii.  X  Sir  \Vm.  Jones,  Asiatic  Ke&earches. 

^  Nieburgb's  Truvels,  vol.  i.  p.  100". 

*'  idolatry 


406  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  C. 

**  idolatry  and  superstition,  have  rather  contributed  to 
**  the  increase  of  that  aversion,  which  the  Mahometans 
*' now  entertain  against  the  Christian  Religion*" 
Hence  it  appears  that  Antichrist,  in  both  his  horns  or 
branches,  (one  of  which  is  now  seated  on  the  EuphrateSy 
and  the  other  is  scripturally  known  by  the  name  of 
that  Babylon  which  was  formerly  seated  there,)  occa- 
sions impediments,  wliich  must  probably  be  removed, 
before  the  eastern  nations  with  their  kings  can  flow  into 
the  Church  of  Christ. 

In  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  (ch.  vii.  12.)  a  continu- 
ance in  life  is  assigned  to  the  three  first  beasts,  or  em- 
pires, after  the  fourth,  or  Roman  empire,  shall  be  sub- 
dued to  the  Messiah.  Accordingly  the  eastern  nations, 
beyond  the  pale  of  the  Roman  empire,  ^re  the  latest 
converted  to  Christianity.  But  the  difficulties  will  be 
removed;  their  conversion  will  take  place;  and  ''theie 
**  will  be  one  fold  and  one  vShe])herd,"  These  observa- 
tions may  perhaps  afford  some  light  to  the  prophecy 
contained  under  the  sixth  Vial;  which  must  remain  in- 
A'olved  in  some  obscurity,  till  the  time  when' it  comes 
to  be  fulfilled.  This  prophecy  appears  not  only  to 
bear  some  analogy  and  relation  to  that  of  the  sixth 
Trumpet,  but  also  to  be  in  some  degree  cotemporary 
with  it;  with  that  part  of  it  which  runs  the  course  of 
the  1260  years,  to  the  end  of  the  Gentile  period  f. 

Ver.  13.  Andlsazafrom  the  mouth  of  the  dragon, 
&c.,  three  unclean  spirits,  as  it  werejrogs.]  Under 
the  sixth  Trumpet,  as  hath  been  before  remarked,  the 
prophecy  stretches  beyond  its  primary  object,  (the 
armies  led  by  the  angels  from  Euphrates,)  into  the  \^60 
years,  the  period  of  the  Gentiles,  even  to  the  end  of  it :};. 

*  Sale's  Koran,  Preface,  p.  viii.  +  See  note,  ch.  x.  1. 

X  Note,  ch.  X.  1. 

Thus 


Cll.  XVI.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  407 

Thus  also  the  sixth  Vial,  having  discharged  its  plague 
upon  Euphrates,  opens  a  wider  field,  preparatory  to  the 
final  wrath  of  the  seventh  Vial.     The  dragon,  the  beast, 
and  false  prophet,  are  now  seen  to  act  witli  united  force, 
each  contributing  to  the  common  cause,   *'  against  the 
**  battle  of  the  great  <lay,"  which  is  expected  under  the 
seventh  Seal,   the  seventh  Trumpet,   tlie  seventh  Vial. 
The  evil  spirits  sent  into  the  world  on  this  occasion, 
are  three  ;    each  antichristian  cliief  having  produced 
one.     They  come  forth  from  the  mouths  of  their  wicked 
parents ;  may  probably  therefore  be  employed  in  spread- 
ing those  doct7'ines  by  which  the  kind  of  apostacy,  to 
happen  *^  in  the  latter  days,"  is  promoted  :  and  which  is 
described  by  St.  Paul  as  effected  wvfu/xaj/  Tshecvotg  nut 
lila(7y,aKiuig  lanLO'jLuv,  by  seducing  spirits  and  doctrines  of 
devils*.     There  is  a  striking  resemblance  in  the  two 
passages ;     zjvsvixula   dmixoviuv    zuotsvlx   avifj^eiUj     "  spirits  of 
*^  dsemons  working  wonders,"  that  is,  the  same  kind  of 
wonders,  as  we  have  seen  before  worked  by  the  false 
prophet,   who  wA^^vS  dia  ra   (j'/ifLeici'\,    seduceth  by  the 
wonders  which  he  worketh.     Of  this  nature  seems  to 
be  this  three-fold  attack  on  the  Christian  Church;  to 
seduce  the  kings  and  leading  men ;  and  to  range  the 
civil  powers  on  the  side  of  Antichrist.     The  seducing 
doctrines  are  personified;  they  are  like.  f7'ogs ;  tliey 
have  the  appearance  of  that  loathsome  and  unclean 
animal,   which  infested  iEgypt,    when    suffering    her 
plagues.     They  are  here  as  plagues ;  as  plagues  upon 
the  antichristians ;  for,  such  only  are  poured  out  in  the 
Vials.    They  levy  war  indeed  against  Christianity ;  but 
since  they  appear,  in  the  present  instance,  under  the 
Vials,  and  not  under  the  Trumpets,  they  are  to  be 

•  J  Tim.  iv.  1.  +  Ch.  xiii.  14. 

accounted 


408  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.    §   2, 

accounted  as  eventually  bringing  discomfit  to  the  anti- 
christians. 

Whether  all  these  impure  seducing  spirits  are  already 
come  into  the  world,  I  take  not  upon  me  to  pronounce : 
but  the  production  of  the  first,  the  spawn  of  the  dragon, 
seems  already  apparent.  The  proud,  immoral,  atheisti- 
cal notions,  which  in  the  eighteenth  century  have  been 
published  by  popular  writers,  and  propagated  by  secret 
clubs  and  associations,  and  which  have  mainly  assisted 
the  revolution  in  France,  and  the  attempt  of  its  rulers 
to  annihilate  Christianity  in  the  world,  liave  much 
the  appearance  of  being  such.  Yet  these  diabolical  doc- 
trines have  not  prochiced  those  pleasurable  fruits  which 
the  seducing  spirit  had  promised  to  his  votaries.  For 
if  the  tenets  which  they  have  broached,  have  been  a 
plague  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  the  profes- 
sors of  the  new  doctrines  have  had  their  full  share  of 
the  calamity.  The  bitter  cup  has  been  drunk,  and 
its  dregs  wrung  out,  by  those  who  introduced  it, 
and  by  their  adherents.  Such  may  perhaps  appear  to 
be  one  of  these  frog-like  evil  spirits.  But  until  *'the 
*^  great  day"  approaches  nearer,  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
determine  clearly  the  character  of  those  wicked  ma:- 
chinations,  which  will  l)ring  forth  the  powerful 
leaders  of  the  world,  to  oppose  the  Alessiah  and  his 
Saints  at  the  great  conflict  of  Armageddon  *.  In  this 
conflict,  notwitlistanding  this  combination  of  infernal 
and  worldly  potentates  against  the  I^amb  and  his  fol- 

*  This  is  interpreted  to  signify  the  mountain  of  Megiddo,  a 
pkce  famous  for  slaughter  and  destruction.  2  Kings  ix.  27  ;  xxiii.  QQ. 
Judg.  V.  19.  Zech.  xii.  1 1 .  See  Parkhurst,  in  voc. :  and  Lowman  on 
the  Revelation,  p.  202. 

loAvers, 


Ch.  xvi.  2—21.]  APOCALYPSE.  409-. 

lowers,  the  victory  will  be  decisive,   and  the  slaughter 
of  God's  enemies  immense*. 

Ver.  lo.  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief ;  &c.]  See  note, 
cli.  iii.  3,  4.  the  same  kind  of  warning  is  here  repeated  ;, 
assuring  us,  according  to  the  constant  tcnour  of  Scrip-, 
ture,  that  notwithstanding  all  the  signs  afforded,  and 
the  preparations  declared,  *'  that  day"  will  come  upon  the 
world   unexpected.      The    victory    obtained    by    the 

*  Ch.  xix.  17.  ad  fin.     It  lias  been  already  observed,  that  there  is 
difficulty   m  determining  the   place  of  the  third  Woe  ;    which  is  an- 
nounced as  coTriing  after  the  end  of  the  sixth  Trumpet,  and  consequently 
is  expected  under  the  seventh.     (See  note,  ch.  xi.  1 4.)     This  dreadful 
time  is  not  mentioned  afterwards,  and    therefore  can  be  clearly  re- 
cognized and  ascertained  by  the  event  only,  which  seems  yet  to  come. 
But  if  I  may  be  allowed  a  conjecture,  (to  which,  as  being  such,  I  have 
a  right  to  expect  no  implicit  credence,)  this  seems  to  be  its  probable 
place.       For  let   us  examine  the  progress  of  the  seventh  Trumpet. 
Upon  the  first  sound  of  it,  (ch.  xi.  15.)  the  triumph  of  the  INIessiah,  (by 
v'hich  this  Woe  will  probably  be  ended,)  is  celebrated ;  but  only  as 
prophetic  of  the  victory.     In  ch.  12,  a  conflict  begins;  but,  by  the  exa- 
mination of  this  conflict,  we  have  found  it  to  belong  to  the  seventh 
Trumpet  only  in  a  preparatory  light;  being  a  representation  of  events 
which  had  taken  place  before  any  of  the  three  W^ocs,  and  concluding 
with   events    which  confessedly  must  belong  to  the  times  of  the  sixth 
Trumpet;  the  poor  estate   of  the   Church   in  the   wilderness.     This 
therefore  cannot  be  the  third  Woe.     Chapter  xiii.  contains  the  rise  of 
tiie  beast  and  false  prophet.     But  this  is  only  a  more  detailed  account  of 
the  transactions  of  the  sixth  Trumpet.    Thexivth,  xvth,  and  part  of  the 
xvith  chapters  contain  the  prowess  of  the  Church  militant,   assisted  by 
the  Vials  of  Divine  W^rath.     But  under  the  sixth  Vial,  the  evil  spirit 
stirs  up  new  mischiefs,  which  affect  Christianity  so  fatally,  as  to  enable 
her  enemies  to  bring  their  battle-array  against  her.     This  then  seems 
to  be  the  place  where  the  third  Woe  is  most  likely  to  operate,  by  ef- 
fecting a  numerous  apostacy  of  Christians,  resembling  those  which  had 
happened  under  the  two  former  AVoes,     This  is  the  only  hostile  attack 
under  the  seventh  Trumpet,  and  it  is  probably  not  of  long  continuance; 
for  the  Church  is  in  extreme  danger,  and  perhaps  oppression ;  but  she 
is  suddenly  relieved  by  her  great  Champion  and  Redeemer, 

^Ics^iali 


410  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt»  VI.  §  e. 

Messiah  for  his  Saints,  will  be  sudden,  decisive,  and 
ccmplete.  This  warning,  delivered  in  the  fifteenth 
verse,  is  to  be  read  as  in  parenthesis,  after  which  the 
narrative  seems  to  be  resumed.  And  the  verb  singula?, 
cvvytyKyav,  agrees  with  the  neuter  plural  cmyMfu  zjveviLtila^ 
whose  office  it  was  to  collect  the  kings:  (ver.  14).  This 
is  observed  by  Daubuz. 

Ver.  17.  And  the  seventh  poured  out  his  Vial  on 
the  air;  &c.]  The  seven  Vials  are  called  the  seven 
last  plagues*,  '*  because  in  them  Mill  be  completed  the 
*'  wrath  of  God."  And  this  wrath  could  not  be  fully 
complete  until  the  last  of  the  seven  should  be  poured 
out.  This  period  is  now  arrived ;  and  appears  to  be 
the  same  with  that  of  the  sixth  Seal'\,  and  of  the  seventh 
Trumpet;  both  of  which  exhibit  a  similar  earthquake 
and  hail:  these  are  dreadful  chiefly,  if  not  wholly,  to 
the  enemies  of  Christ;  for,  at  the  sound  of  the  seventh 
Trumpet,  the  heavenly  chorus  announces  joy  and  hap~. 
piness  to  the  servants  of  God ;  who  are  sealed,  and 
preserved  from  the  calamity  of  the  sixth  Seal.  The 
particulars  of  the  conflict  will  be  revealed  more  copious- 
ly in  ch.  xix.  kc.  In  the  present  scene,  it  is  represented 
xinder  the  character  of  a  Vial  of  wrath  poured  out,  of  a 
plague  and  punishment  inflicted  on  the  antichristian 
powers.  Hence  the  sufferings  of  these  men  enter  more 
especially  into  the  description. 

This  Vial  is  poured  out  upon  the  air;  upon  that 
element  which  pervades,  or  envelopes,  all  the  other 
divisions  of  the  world, — of  the  antichristian  world,  on 
which  the  preceding  Vials  had  been  discharged; — the 
Land,  the  Sea,  the  Rivers,  and  Heavenly  Luminaries; 
and  consequently  afreets  them  alL     It  is  the  region  of 

♦  Ch.  XV.  i. 

•\  See  ch.  vi.  12--ir;  ch.  xi.  U— 1^;  and  tjie  no.tes. 

the 


Ch.  Xvi.  2 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  411 

the  air,  of  which  satan,  as  Mede  observes,  has  been  de» 
nominated  the  prince^'.  Antichristianity,  therefore, 
is  now  attacked  in  her  strongest  holds,  and  in  every 
part.  The  discharge  of  this  Vial  is  accompanied  by  a 
voice  from  the  throne  in  heaven,  proclaiming  by  the 
emphatical  expression,  Ysyovs,  the  final  completion,  thq 
perfect  victory. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  this  prophetical  book,  ex- 
pectation is  fixed  upon  this  great  event;  which  however, 
for  reasons  above  assigned,  is  not  yet  exhibited  in  all  its 
particulars.  But  the  earthquake  so  dreadful,  and  un- 
paralleled t ;  the  removal  of  mountains  and  of  islands  jf 
the  hail  §  ;  afford  the  same  kind  of  general  display  of 
the  tremendous  judgments  of  an  offended  God,  as  we 
have  seen  exhibited  under  the  sixth  Seal,  and  the  se- 
venth Trumpet.  All  three  appear  to  predict  the  same 
period  and  events,  and  in  like  language.  Any  variation 
to  be  observed  in  each,  may  be  sufficiently  accounted 
for,  by  adverting  to  the  object,  which  each  had  more 
especially  in  view.  For  instance;  (1.)  the  sixth  Seal, 
containing  the  first  opening  of  this  dreadful  scenery, 
would  properly  present  it  in  a  general  style  of  imagery, 
such  as  had  been  already  seen  in  other  parts  of  prophetic 
Scripture  II,  such  as  might  serve  as  a  basis,  whereon  to 
build  the  additional  information,  which  would  more 
fitly  come  forward  in  the  subsequent  parts  of  the  pro-i 
phecy  5f.     (2.)  When  the  same  period,  attended  by  the 

*  Eph.  ii.  2.  t  See  notes,  ch.  vi.  12,  &c. 

X  See  note,  ch.  vi.  14.  §  See  note,  ch.  viii.  7» 

II  See  note,  ch.  vi.  l6. 

5r  The  sixth  Seal  seems  also  to  extend  to  the  final  Day  of  Judgment 
and  retribution,  at  the  consummation  of  the  world  ;  which  the  seventh 
Trumpet  and  Vial  perhaps  do  not.  This,  like  other  prophecies,  may 
have  a  primary  and  secondary  completion ;  the  first,  so  far  as  it  agrees 
and  coteraporizes  with  the  seventh  Trumpet  and  Vial ;  the  last,  at 
the  latest  period  of  time. 

same 


413  2\POCALYP5E.  [Pt.   VI.   §  2. 

same  kind  of  scenery,  was  to  be  exliibited  ruider  the 
seventh  Trumpet ;  joy,  triumph,  and  tlianksgiving, would 
naturally  predominate  in  the  description  :  for,  the  pre- 
ceding Trumpets,  which  had  announced  a  long  and 
Tiiournful  waifare  to  the  Church,  were  now  come  to 
their  end  ;  but  in  the  back-ground  of  the  scenery,  the 
same  dreadful  apparatus,  whicli  appeared  under  the 
sixth  Seal,  is  still  displayed:  *Mightnings  and  voices, 
*'  and  thunders,  and  earthquake,  and  great  hail."  And 
it  is  observable,  that  these  commotions  proceed  from 
the  Temple,  and  Throne  in  Heaven  ;  from  the  very 
same  quarter,  whence  the  angels  had  brought  the  Viah 
filled  xv'ith  the  wrath  of  God;  and  from  which,  at  the 
pouring  out  of  the  last  Vial,  the  emphatic  Vsyove  like- 
wise had  proceeded. 

(3.)  Under  the  se'venth  Vial,  the  same  kind  of  ap- 
paratus appears,  as  under  the  sixth  Seal  and  under  the 
seventh  Trumpet;  but  Avith  this  additional  informa- 
tion; that  **  the  great  city  became  divided  into  three 
''  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell;  and  the  great 
'^  Babylon  vras  remembered  before  God,  to  give  her 
*'  the  cup  of  the  wine  of  the  fury  of  his  anger."  This 
particular  description  is  the  proper  subject  of  the 
Viah-;  in  which  the  xvrath  of  God  is  represented 
m  poured  out  on  his  enemies.  The  great  city  is  the 
same  which  we  find  mentioned  in  ch.  xi.  composed  of 
*^^  many  people,  tribes,  nations,  and  languages^';"  and 
seems  to  be  the  universal  assemblage,  or  combined 
power,  of  the  wicked  and  worldl}^  who  at  tlie  instigation 
of  satan,  and  under  the  expectation  of  earthly  reward, 
or  fear  of  the  beast,  shall  have  set  themselves  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  God  of  Heaven,  and   to  the  reign  of  his 

*  See  note,  ch.  xi.  8.  13. 

Anointed^ 


Ch.  XVi.   2—^1. ]  AFOCALTPSE.  413 

Anointed.  Tlie  division  of  this  community  into  three 
parts,  must  be  explained  by  the  event,  v/hen  the  pro- 
phecy shall  be  fulfilled.  The  cities  of  the  nations  may 
perhaps  be  associations  for  worsliip,  pagan  and  idola- 
trous, beyond  the  pale  of  the  great  city,  of  the  corrupt 
Christian-antichristian  Church.  All  such  are  to  fall 
at  this  time,  before  the  great  Lord  and  Conqueror, 
"  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all 
''dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  Him*."  But  of  all 
the  cities,  or  communities  of  Religion,  which  are  op- 
posed to  tlie  city  of  God  and  of  Christ, — to  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  the  great  Bahijlon  is  especially  remembered. 
For  her,  (the  harlot,  the  adulteress,  the  apostate 
Church,)  tlie  cup  of  God's  anger,  the  vial  of  his  wrath, 
is  especially  prepared.  *'  For  it  is  not  an  open  enemy 
**  that  hath  done  me  this  dishonour;  for  then  I  could 
'*  have  borne  it ; — but  it  was  even  thou,  my  companion, 
*^my  guide,  and  my  own  familiar  friend  |."  The  de- 
scription therefore  of  this  city,  of  her  domination,  and 
of  her  fall,  is  related  ;  and  becomes  the  especial  subject 
of  the  two  ensuing  chapters ;  where  we  shall  be  enabled 
to  unveil  her,  and  to  expose  her  abominations. 

*  Dan.  vii,  27.  t  P^alnj  Iv.  12;  14, 


PART 


^14 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  VI.  §  5. 


PART    VI 


SECTION    III. 


The  great  Harlot ^  or  Babylon. 


CHAPTER  XVir, 


itria.  ayythuv  Ta/v 
l^ovluv    rat     iTrloi 

Aei'^o,     Oti'^u     trot 

To  Kpl/J!M  TTiS  'aof' 
V/is  rvf  (j.iya,Kyis 
TiiS   xuOrifxiyyjs    l<JTl 

ctXtTs  Trir  7^y,  5^ 

oi'vif    rios    'ujo^vsiois 

avTris    01  ustiotx-av 

3  ris  rriv  yjjy.      K«i 

xoxxivoy,  7*;Aoy  e»o- 
fjLKTuv  ^Xxo-^n{ji.i- 
ar,  l;^ov  xKpaXois 
E'Tjria  7C,  xifotlx  OBxa. 

}^  xox)t/voy,  7^  Kt' 
rL     Ai'9w     Ti/x/w      :^ 

(jkctpya^irats,  i^H' 


1  And  there  came  one  of 
the  seven  angels  who 
had  the  seven  vials, 
and  spake  with  me, 
saj  ing  ;  "  Come  hither; 
"  I  will  shew  thee  the 
*'  judgement  of  the 
"  great  harlot,  who 
"  sitteth      upon      the 

2  *'  many  waters  ;  With 
**  whom  the  kings  of 
"  the  earth  have  com- 
*^  mitted  fornication  ; 
"  and  the  inhabitants 
**  of  the  earth  have 
**  been  made  drunken 
*'  with  the  wine  of  her 

3  "  fornication."  And  he 
carried  me  away  into  a 
wilderness  in  tlie  Spi- 
rit. And  I  saw  a  wo- 
man seated  upon  a 
scarlet-coloured  wild- 
beast,  uhich  xvas  full 
of  names  of  blasphe- 
my ;  having  seven 
heads   and  ten  horns, 

4  And  the  woman  was 
arrayed  in  purple  and 
scarlet,  and  richly  ad- 


1  And  there  came  one  of 
the  seven  angels  which 
had  the  seven  vials, 
and  talked  with  me,- 
saying  unto  me,  Come 
hither,  1  will  shew  un- 
to thee  the  judgement 
of  the  great  whore 
that  sitteth  upon  many 

2  waters:  With  whom 
the  kings  of  the  earth 
have  committed  forni- 
cation, and  the  inhabi* 
tersof  the  earth  have 
been  made  drunk  with 
the  wine  of  her  forni- 

3  cation.  So  he  car- 
ried me  away  in  the 
Spirit  into  the  wilder- 
ness :  and  I  saw  a  wo- 
man sit  upon  a  scarlet- 
coloured  beast,  full  of 
names  of  blasphemy, 
having    seven    heads, 

4  and  ten  horns.  And 
the  woman  was  array- 
ed in  purple,  and  scar- 
let-colour, and  decked 
with  gold,  and  preci- 
ous stone,  and  pearls, 


Chap,  xvii.] 

I)  'STcpnias  xCrrit.Kx^ 

tTTi  TO  ^AZTultOt  av 

rrrss  ovOfAX  yj.^afx- 
fAenoy*  Mv^rtptOTi'  Bat- 
CvXuv  V  lAiyxkv),  VI 

K3ii     TU>¥     pOiXwiAoi- 

ilJoy    rr>*    yvyxinx 

y.i^\iHar»%  Ik  tS  x'l- 

f/Lxt^   ruv    ayiMVy 

KX1      Ik     ra     «<- 

fj.xl^    rui¥    ftajf- 
»         »       ».  * 

l^xviAxaa,  louiy  «y- 
T^v,  ^atv/y^a:  f/Ayx, 
7  I' XI  livi  (j,Oi  0  oly 
y?^©-.  £^ixri{Ox'j- 
{*,xcx^  ;     iy;6     o-oi 

i^iJ  TO  fAWS^f  <ov  TIJ? 

yuvxiali,  y^  t3  ^«- 
r«^oyl^  a^T^v,  t5 
4'p^oyT©-  r«s  sTrlx. 
Ki^xXiti  yl  rd,  «iKX 
6  Ktpxlx,  To  ^vpioy, 
Oliver, 5y,  )^  «xeV'* 
»^  (j.s^^.it  dixQx!^ 
mu  Ik  rvi  c^'otVcra, 
xa<    tl(     diruXttxv 

iftXyHV  '  K.  ^XVfAM- 
WOVlXi   Oi    KXIOtK^vliS 

airi  T'VS  ynSf  <vy  » 
yiy^H'Txixt  ra  oyo- 
fifl^a  eff?  TO  jS/Cx/oy 

Co\^s  xocr/^3,  /S\e- 


APOCALYPSE. 

orned  with  gold,  and 
precious  stone,  and 
pearls,  having  a  gold- 
en cup  in  her  hand, 
full  of  abominations 
and  the  impurities  of 
$  her  fornication ;  And 
upon  her  forehead  a 
name  written,  A  mys- 
tery, THE  GREAT  BA- 
BYLOX  THE  MOTHER 
OF  HARLOTS,  AND  OF 
THE  ABOMINATIONS  OF 

6  THE     EARTH !     And    I 

saw  the  woman  drunk- 
en with  the  blood  of 
the  Saints,  and  Nvith 
the  blood  of  the  wit- 

7  nesses  of  Jesus.  And 
I  wondered,  beholding 
her,  with  great  asto- 
nishment. And  the 
angel  said  unto  me, 
**  Wherefore  dost  thou 
"  wonder  r  I  will  tell 
"  tliee  the  mystery  of 
*'  the  woman,  and  of 
*'  him  that  carrieth 
"  her,  wliich  hath  the 
*'  seven  heads  and  the 

8  ♦'  ten  horns.  The  wild- 
*'  beast  which  thou  be- 
*'  boldest,  was,  and  is 
*'  not,  and  is  about  to 
*'  ascend  from  the  hot- 
*'  tomless  deep,  and  to 
**  go  into  destruction. 
"  And  the  inhabitants 
"■  of  the  earth  shall 
"  wonder,  (they  whose 
**  oa  nesarenotw.itten 


415 

having  a  golden  cup 
in  her  hand,  full  of 
abominations  and  lil- 
thiness  of  her  fornica- 
5  tion.  And  upon  her 
forehead  u^as  a  name 
written,  mystery,  Ba- 
bylon THE  GREAT, 
THE  MOTHER  OF  HAR- 
LOTS, AND  ABOMINA- 
TIONS OF  THE  EARIH. 

G  And  I  saw  the  woman 
drunken  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints,  and  with 
the  blood  of  the  mar- 
tyrs of  Josus :  and 
when  I  saw  her,  I  won- 
dered  with  great  ad- 

7  miration.  And  the 
angel  said  unto  me, 
Wherefore  didst  thou 
marvel?  I  will  tell  thee 
the  mystery  of  the  wo- 
man, and  of  the  beast 
that  carrieth  her,  which 
hath  the  seven  heads 

S  and  ten  horns.  The 
beast  that  thou  sawest, 
was,  and  is  not ;  and 
shall  ascend  out  of  the 
bottomless  pit,  and  go 
into  perdition :  and 
they  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  shall  wonder 
(whose  names  were 
not  written  in  the 
book  of  life  from  the 
foundation  of  the 
world)  when  they  be- 
hold the  beast  that 
^^s,  and  i&  not,  and 


416 


.AfOCALYPSE. 


[Pfc.  VI.   §  5. 


on   viv,    Kj   ax.   tff, 

A<  tTiifii  xi(pa,Xxi, 
opi}  iiaiv  i'nla^  o7r« 
17  yyvi  xaS'/jla*  Jtt' 
avruV  K»t  ^xa-i- 
JO  XiTs  sTrlei  si j-iv.  O't 
-cte'vIj  irjia-xvf    [x^] 

bVa)  ^X0£'  j<^  oTav 
l'Xa>7j    oXiyov  at'Tov 

1 1  ^si  {jLcTyxt.  Kat  ro 
^Ttpiov,  0  ^Vf  y^  «x 
sTij  }q  auros  oy^oli 
£f/,  jc  EX  rwv  iijla 
hi)  ^  sU  ATTuXuav 

12  t'TTaya/,  Ka<  ra 
oj'xifc  y.ifx\Uf  ot, 
jjoar,     0£X5s   ^xcri- 

0ua-i'Kilx^  ut^u  tXx- 
Cov,  uKTC  l^aaixVf 
ws  paviXihy  ixi'xv 
u^xy        Xaf/.Ca,yt!ai 

To/     (Aixv     yvuixYiv 

1^80"',  5C,  TT/V  OyyJC- 

/x.<v  >^  ry;»    l^aaixy 

14  ^/^oao-iv.        Ot/ro/ 

7^i[j.rta'U(Tif  >c  TO  fzf- 
y<ov  viKfio'ii  avTus, 
on  Kvpi®^  x-vpluv 
tfi  xxt  BxaiXsvs 
^xatkiwv'  Kj  o\  f/,ii 
avrv,  xXvilotf  xxi 
IxAJxIo/,   xa<  'uJfTOi. 

15  Ka<  Xsytt  fAoi'  Ta 

17      C7'-'fWJ     xxQi^xif 


leiit,  > 

5.  J 


"in  the  book  of  life, 
*'  from  the  foundation 
"  of  the  <vorlcl,)behold- 
"  ing  the  beast,  that 
"  he  was,   and  is  not 

C     and  ig  present, 

^and  shall  be  present, 
C      although  he  is, 

9  "  Herein  is  the  rnind 
"  having  wisdom.  The 
"  seven  heads  are 
^'  seven  mountains, 
"  where  the  woman  is 
"  seated  upon  them  ; 
"  and  are  seven  kings  : 

10"  Five  of  them  have 
*'  fallen,  [and]  one  of 
"  them  is  ;  the  other 
"  is  not  vet  come : 
*'  and  when  he  is 
"  come,    he  must  re- 

11"  main  a  little.  And 
"  the  wild-beast  which 
'*  was,  and  is  not,  even 
"  he  is  the  eighth,  and 
"  is  of  the  seven,  and 
"  goeth   into   destruc- 

12"  tion.     And  the  ten 

.  "  horns,  which  thou 
"  didst  see,  are  ten 
"  kings  who  have  not 
"  yet  received  domi- 
"  nion ;  but  receive 
''  power,  as  king?,  one 
*'  hour  with  the  beast. 

13"  These  have  one 
**  counsel,  and  give 
"  their  power  and  their 
"  authority     to      the 

14"  beast.  These  shall 
"  war  with  the  Lamb  : 


9  yet  is.  And  here  is 
the  mind  whi-ch  hath 
wisdom.  The  seven 
heads  are  sevei>  moun- 
tains,    on    which    the 

10 woman  sitteth.  And 
there  are  seven  kings  : 
five  are  fallen,  and  oue 
is,  and  the  other  is  not 
yet  come;  and  wlien 
he  cometh,  he  must 
continue  a  short  space. 

J 1  And  the  beast,  that 
was,  and  is  not,  even 
he  is  the  eighth,  and  is 
of  the  seven,  and  go- 
eth    into      perdition, 

12  And  the  ten  horns 
which  thou  sawest,  are 
ten  kings,  which  have 
received  no  kingdom 
as  yet;  but  receive 
power  as  kings  one 
hour  with  the   beast. 

13  These  have  one  mind, 
and  shall  give  their 
power     and     strength 

14  unto  the  beast.  These 
shall  make  war  with 
the  Lamb,  and  the 
Lamb  shall  overcome 
them  :  for  he  is  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of 
kings;  and  they  that 
are  with  him,  arc  call- 
ed,   and  chosen,   and 

15  faithful.  And  he  saith 
unto  me,  The  waters 
which  thou  sawest, 
where  the  whore  sit- 
teth,  are  peoples^  and 


Cbap.  xvli.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


417 


i^  sQvn  )^  yXuaraai, 

1 6Ka»  TO. ^Exa  Kspxlx, 

a  B't^es  ?c  TO  ^rj^iovf 

itrot  fA.i<rv<rti(ri  rvv 

/AEVijy  'CJoiriaao'iv  atii- 
rr,)t  ty  yvfji,)iviVf  7^ 
T<xf  a-x^Kxs  etvTvis 

jtxIxKSiiKTHa-iy  sv  zjv- 

17pA  'O  ydp  &tos  e^M- 

xEv  s'n  rxi  Kx^^ias 

CCVTUV   ZTOtrKTXt    Tr/V 

yviiA.riv  xvr^,  y^  zsoi- 
Ticrxi  fjiixv  yv'J)(x,viVf 
iy  ^Svxi  Ttiv  (Sxart- 
T^uxv  xvruv  ru  9"»)- 

ptOff    OC^^l   r£X£(70>J- 

aovrxi  oi   Xoyot  t« 

IS  ©£».     Kxi  ■^  yvvrj, 

jjy  E;^ey,  eV'v  n  zsoXts 

V  /!A£y«X»7  *3    £X,^<7X 

^xa-tT^elxv  Itt*  ruv 
0zTi>^swf  TVS  yr,s. 


*'  and  the  Lamb  shall 
"  overcome  them,  (for 
"  he  is  Lord  of  lords, 
*^  and  King  of  kings)  ; 
**  and  they  who  are 
"  with  him,  C£(lled, 
"  and      chosen,     and 

15"  faithful."  And  he 
saith  unto  me  ;  *'  The 
'^  waters  which  thou 
"  didst  see,  where  the 
**  harlot  is  seated,  are 
"  peoples,  and  multi- 
*'  tudes,  and  nations, 

l6"  and  languages:  And 
**  the  ten  horns  which 
"  thou  didst  see,  and 
"  the  wild- beast,  these 
*'  shall  hate  the  harlot, 
*'  and  shall  make  her 
"  desolate  and  naked ; 

17**  And  shall  eat  her 
"  flesh,  and  burn  her 
"  utterly  with  fire:  for, 
"  God  hath  put  into 
**  their  hearts  to  per- 
**  form  his  counsel,  and 
**  to  perform  one  coun- 
"  sel,  and  to  give  their 
"  dominion  to  the 
"  beastjuntil  the  words 
'<  of  God  shall  be  ac- 

IS"  complished.  And 
"  the  woman  whom 
**  thou  didst  see,  is  the 
*'  great  city  which  hath 
'*  dominion  over  the 
"  kings  of  the  earth." 


multitudes,  and  na- 
tions, and  tongues. 
l6And  the  ten  horns 
which  thou  sawest  up- 
on tlie  beast,  these 
shall  hate  the  whore, 
and  shall  make  her  de- 
solate, and  naked,  and 
shall  eat  her  flesh,  and 
burn    her    with    fire. 

17  For  God  hath  put  in 
their  hearts  to  fulfil 
his  will,  and  to  agree, 
and  give  their  king- 
dom unto  the  beast, 
until  the  words  of  God 

18  shall  be  fulfilled.  And 
the  woman  which  thou 
sawest,  is  that  great 
city,  which  reigneth 
over  the  kings  of  th^ 
earth. 


O  O 


Ver. 


4IS  AtocALypsE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  3. 

Ver.  1.  One  ^f  the  sexen  angels  ;  &c.]  This  vision 
seefns  in  some  measure  to  be  detached  and  separated 
from  the  rest.  The  scene  is  changed  to  a  wilderness, 
for  the  purpose  of  its  exhibition  ;  and  it  appears  like 
a  sort  of  episode.  Yet  the  matter  of  it  will  be  found 
to  be  of  high  importance;  it  will  be  found  to  ex- 
plain may  passages  in  the  preceding  prophecy,  but 
especially  those  of  ch.  xvi.  19,  where  Babylon  is 
mentioned  as  ''  remembered,'"  To  exhibit  this  con- 
nection, the  angel,  who  attends  upon  the  prophet  and 
explains  this  vision,  is  one  of  the  seven  who  had  been 
employed  to  pour  out  the  Vials.  This  separate  vision 
is  therefore  intitied  by  the  angel,  "  the  judgment  of 
*'  the  great  harlot,"  who  appears  in  the  fifth  verse  of 
this  chapter  to  have  the  name  of  Babylon,  So,  this 
Section,  taken  too-ether  with  its  continuation  in  ch. 
xviii.  and  xix.  1  — 11,  will  be  found  to  contain  the  Vial 
or  plague  upon  Babylon  :   but  first,    she  is  described. 

She  is  called  "  the  great  harlot,"  and  '*  the  great 
*'city*."  These  two  names,  in  prophetical  language,  have 
the  same  meaning.  A  city,  or  kingdom,  is  frequently 
represented  under  the  symbol  of  a  woman.  Babylon, 
ancient  Babylon,  is  so  represented  |.  And  when  it  is 
the  object  of  the  prophecy  to  express  the  idolatry  and 
corruptive  wickedness  of  the  city^  she  then  appears  as 
an  harlot :[.  All  the  imagery  belonging  to  this  form  of 
speech,  may  be  seen  in  complete  allegory,  in  the  six- 
teenth chapter  of  Ezekiel ;  where  a  forlorn  female  in- 
fant, under  the  fostering  hand  of  Providence,  grows 
up,  and  becomes  "  exceeding  beautiful,"  and  *'  pro- 
'*  speis  into  a  kingdom  f  but  afterwards  degenerates 
into  an  "idolatress  and  harlot §."    The  same  imagery 

•  Ver.  18.  i-  Isa.  xlvii.  1—6.  X  Isa.  i.  21. 

§  See  more  on  this  topic,  in  notes,  ch.  ii.  20.  22  ;  xii.  1^. 

appears 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  419 

appears  again,  in  cb.  xxi.  of  tlie  Apocalypse  ;  v/here, 
to  Babylon,  the  harlot^  is  opposed  the  New  Jerusalem^ 
the  Bride,  I  his  corrupt  city>  now  exhibited,  liad 
acquired  her  greatness  and  celebrity  under  the  cha- 
racter of  harlot ;  for  her  power  over  the  kings  and 
iniiabitants  of  the  earth,  is  described  as  arising  from 
her  fornication  with  them  ;  she  is  represented  as  be- 
guihng  them  to  drink  of  "  the  cup  of  her  fornica- 
*'tionsr'  and  leading  them,  intoxicated,  through  all 
the  impurities  of  her  idolatry,  to  that  extreme  mad- 
ness of  iniquity,  when  she  wallows  in  the  innocent 
blood  of  saints  and  martyrs  ^.  Possessing,  by  this 
influence,  the  riches  of  the  kings,  she  appears  array- 
ed in  vestments  of  the  utmost  splendour.  Purple 
and  scarlet,  the  distinguishing  regal  colours  in  the 
ancient  world,  are  employed  to  adorn  her.  She  is 
decorated  with  gold  and  precious  stones.  She  "  sits 
*'upon  many  waters;"  which  is  afterwards  explained 
to  signify,  (as  indeed  it  generally  signifies  in  pro- 
phetic language  f,)  that  she  has  dominion  over  manij 
Jiations.  She  has  a  mysterious  name  ;  a  name  lenig- 
matical  ;     y.vqv,<iiov  % '.—it  \^    *' the  great    Babylon,   the 

*  Ver.  6.  t  See  note,  ch.  i.  13. 

X  The  word  /xyr'Jp'ov,  mystery,  does  not  appear  to  have  been  part 
of  the  inscription  on  the  forehead  of  the  woman ;  but  to  imply  that 
her  name,  so  written,  was  of  the  mysterious,  3?nigmatical  kind.  So 
it  seems  to  liave  been  understood  in  the  ancient  Latm  text  used  by 
Primasius  ;  et  in  fronte  ejus  nomen  scriptum  Sacramcnti.  (Primasius 
in  loc.)  Seech,  i.  20.  where  (^vrn^m  is  used  to  signify  an  senigma, 
containing  a  spiritual  truth  concealed  under  a  literal  form.  Agree- 
ably to  this,  the  angel  says,  '*  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of  the  wo- 
man;"  I  will  explain  this  symbolical  appearance.  And  it  must  be  in 
a  mystical  sense  only  that  any  city  or  political  body  can  be  now  called 
Babylon  :  for,  the  literal  Babylon  has  been  long  since  sunk  to  nothing  : 
and  divine  prophecy  has  declared  of  her,  that  she  shall  no  more 
rise  again.  The  city  was  a  heap  of  ruins  before  this  prophecy  was 
delivered.     Plin.  Nat.  Hist.  lib.  vi.  2G. 

o  o  2  **  mother 


420  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  3. 

''  mother  of  harlots,  and  of  the  abominations  of  the 
'*  earth."  That  which  the  ancient  and  literal  Baby- 
lon was  to  the  nations  surrounding  her,  (the  parent 
of  tlie  most  gross  and  corruptive  idolatry,)  this  mys- 
tical Babylon  has  been  to  the  modern  nations.  Tlie 
ancient  Babylon  was  literally  seated  "  on  many  wa- 
*'ters*."  The  mystical  Babylon  is  so  seated,  in  the 
spiritual  sense  applied  to  the  passage  l)y  the  angel;  she 
rules  over  many  kingdoms  f.  The  ancient  Babylon  is 
described  as  "a  golden  cup;  the  nations  have  drunken 
''  of  her  wine,  therefore  the  nations  are  mad  J."  Such 
also  has  been  the  modern  Babylon.  She  is  herself, 
like  her  prototype  §,   intoxicated;   and  not  only  with 

her   shameful    reveliings,    but    *'  with   the   blood   of 

Saints." 

Thus  far  the  description  of  the  woman ;  who  ap- 
pears to  represent  some  city,  state,  or  body  politic, 
exercising  an  extended  dominion  over  kings  and 
nations,  like  the  ancient  Babylon  ;  and  thus  also 
distinguished  by  her  ambition,  sensuality,  idola- 
try, and  by  her  persecution  of  true  Religion.  A 
reader  versed  in  history,  without  waiting  for  other 
prophetic  marks  of  this  city,  will  be  led  to  think  of 
Rome,  either  ancient  or  modern,  pagan   or  ecclesias- 

•  Jer.  li.  13.  f  Ver.  IS. 

I  Jer.  li.  7' — For  the  corrupt  and  corruptive  character  of  ancient 
Babylon,  see  not  only  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  but  the  ancient  profane 
historians:  Herodot.  lib.  i.  l^Jp.  Qu.  Curtius,  v.  1.  Vet.  Schol.  iu 
Juvenal.  Sat.  i.  104.  Bayle's  note  B.  Diet.  Hist.  And  in  the  classical 
authors  may  be  also  seen  Vice  personified  and  corrupting  under  the 
symbolical  appearance  of  a  woman.  In  the  Tablet  of  Cebes,  a  wo- 
man, whose  name  is  Deceit,  holds  in  her  hand  the  corrupting  cup;  and 
in  Prodicus's  Choice  of  Hercules,  as  preserved  by  Xenophon,  there 
is  the  same  imagery. 

§  Isa.  xlvii,  7,  &c. 

tical : 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypsk.  4«21 

tical:  but  whatever  he  may  have  done  before,  he  can- 
not fail  to  turn  liis  attention  to  this  great  city, 
when  he  reads  the  explanation  of  the  angel  in  the 
]8th  verse.  *'  The  woman  which  thou  didst  see,  is  tlie 
*^  great  city  which  hath  dominion  over  the  kings  of 
"  the  earth."  What  can  be  more  obvious  than  that 
this  city  is  Rome?  What  other  city  or  state,  had 
such  dominion  at  the  time  when  the  angel  pronounced 
these  words  ?  In  the  symbolical  language  of  Scrip- 
ture, Rome  is  Babylon,  Saint  Peter  dates  his  first 
Epistle  from  Rome  under  the  name  of  Babijlon  *  ; 
the  Romanists  themselves  deny  not  to  Rome  the  ap- 
plication of  this  name.  It  is  necessary  to  their  own 
purposes,  but  it  confirms  the  application  of  this  pro- 
phecy, which  plainly  belongs  to  Rome,  either  pa- 
gan or  ecclesiastical ;  and  the  sequel  will  discover 
which. 

But  the  woman  does  not  come  alone  ;  she  is  mount*- 
ed  on  *'  a  scarlet-coloured  wild-beast,  full  of  names 
"  of  blasphemy,   having  seven  heads  and   ten  horns.'* 

*  See  the  notes  of  Dr.  Hammond  and  of  Grotius  on  this  passage, 
as  well  as  the  opinion  of  the  ancients  upon  it,  in  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist, 
lib,  ii.  c.  15.  Some  eminent  critics  have  indeed  contended  for  the 
literal  Babylon,  the  remains  of  Babjdon,  in  which  some  Jews  appear 
still  to  have  dwelled  in  Saint  Peter's  time,  being  the  place  whence 
Saint  Peter  dated  his  Epistle.  (See  Michaelis's  Introd.  ch.  xxvii.  sect.  4.) 
But  however  that  may  be  determined,  it  affects  not  the  mystical  ap- 
plication of  the  word  Babylon  in  a  mystical  book.  (See  note,  ch.  xi. 
9,  10.)  Babylon,  at  the  time  this  Revelation  was  written,  was  in  a 
still  more  deserted  miserable  state  than  when  Saint  Peter  wrote. 
Pausanias,  who  flourished  about  one  hundred  years  later  than  the 
date  of  St.  Peter's  Epistle,  and  about  sixty  after  the  date  of  the  Apo- 
calypse, has  recorded,  that  ancient  Babylon  had  then  nothing  remain- 
ing but  its  wall,  which  was  afterwards  employed  to  inclose  a  park, 
in  which  wild  beasis  were  kept  for  the  hunting  of  the  kings  of  Per- 
sia.    Pausan.  lib.  viii.  c.  33. 

This 


422  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.   §  5. 

This  description  cannot  fail  to  remind  us  of  the  wild- 
beast  represented  in  the  xiiith  chapter.  It  will  be 
useful  to  bring  the  two  descriptions  together,  that 
thus  they  may  more  easily  be  compared  : 


WILD-BEAST  of  Chap.  XIII. 


WILD-BEAST  of  Chap.  XYIL 


1  From  the  sea. 


2  Seven  heads,  ten  horns, 

3  Ten    diadems     on    the 

horns. 


4  Names  of  blasphemy  on 

his  heads. 

5  Like  a  leopard. 

6  Has  the  feet  of  a  bear. 

7  Has  the  mouth  of  a  lion. 

8  Has    great    power   and 

rule  from  the  dragon. 


9  One  of  his  heads  mor- 

tally wounded,  but 
wonderfully,  and  un- 
expectedly, healed. 

10  A  great  wonder  upon 
earth,  and  object  of 
adoration. 


1  From     the     bottomless 

deep ;  so  the  sea  is 
called ;  atvaaog,  Luke 
viii.  31. 

2  Seven  heads,  ten  horns. 

3  The  diadems  not  men- 

tioned, but  maybe  sup- 
posed, for  the  horns  are 
here  said  to  be  kingSy 
therefore  crowned. 

4  Full  of  names  of  blas- 

phemy. 
5 
6 
7 

8  Has    the  power  of  the 

kings,  which  is  used, 
like  that  of  the  dra- 
gon, against  the 
Church. 

9  Was,   is  not,  though  he 

is;  (see  the  comparison, 
in  the  note,  ch.  xiii.  3.) 

10  A  wonder  to  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  earth, 
and  may  be  an  object 

of 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse 

WiLD-BEAST  of  Chap.XIII. 


42S 


II  Blasphemously  opposes 
God  and  his  pure  wor- 
ship, and  persecutes 
the  saints  42  months. 

12  The  Lamb  shall  destroy 
him.  Ch.  xix.  21. 

13  Has  a  false  prophet, 
who  exerciseth  his  do- 
minion, and  making  a 
living  image  of  him, 
compels  the  world  to 
worship  it. 

14-  Is  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire.   Ch.  xix.  2 J. 


WILD-BEAST  or  Chap.  XVII. 
of  worship :  for  the  har- 
lot, who  is  idolati^oiiSy 
seems  to  set  up  no 
other. 

1 1  The  kings,  who  are  up- 
on the  beast,  give 
their  power  to  him,  and 
v/ar  with  the  Lamb, 

12  The  Lamb  shall  over- 
come the  kings,  who 
rise  out  of  this  beast. 

13  Has  a  woman,  a  har- 
lot, who  rides  upon 
him,  i.  €.  directs  the 
reins  of  his  power :  and 
the  woman  is  idola- 
trous,   and  bloody. 

14  Goes  into  perdition. 


It  will  easily  be  perceived  that  the  two  beasts  bear 
strong  resemblance  to  each  other;  there  are  indeed 
no  parts  of  them  which  will  appear  to  want  this  like- 
ness, excepting  Nos.  5,  6,  7-  The  beast  of  the  se- 
venteenth chapter,  has  no  marks  of  the  leopard,  the 
bear,  and  the  hon,  which  belong  solely  to  the  beast  of 
the  thirteenth.  And  what  are  these  ?  They  are  the 
marks  of  the  Assyrian,  Medo- Persian,  and  Grecian  mo- 
narchies ;  all  which  were  parts  component  ot  the  beast 
of  the  thirteenth  chapter,  yet  whose  more  particular  re- 
semblance was  to  the  fourth  beast,  or  Roman  monarchy 
of  Daniel.     Hence  it  seems  to    be  insinuated,   that 

the 


424  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  3. 

the  dominion  of  the  beast  of  the  thirteenth  chapter, 
was  to  be  extended  over  all  the  nations  which  had  been 
subject  to  any  of  these  four  monarchies;  over  the 
eastern,  as  Avell  as  the  v/estern  world.  But  this  ex- 
tent of  dominion  is  not  assigned  to  the  beast  who  bears 
the  harlot.  His  rule  seems  to  be  confined  to  the 
fourth  monarchy  ;  to  the  Roman  empire,  and  to  those 
ten  kings  or  kingdoms  into  which  that  empire  has  been 
divided;  those  ten  toes,  with  which  the  kingdom,  de- 
scribed by  Daniel,  ended ;  and  upon  which  it  is  to  rcr 
ceive  the  blow  of  the  stone.  These  are  the  western  and 
European  kingdoms;  even  to  the  exclusion  of  ancient 
Greece,  modern  Turkey,  of  that  part  pf  the  Macedo- 
nian monarchy  which  was  seated  in  Europe  '^.  So,  after 
the  destruction  of  the  fourth  beast  of  Daniel,  it  is  said, 
that  the  dominion  of  the  three  first  is  removed  or  chan- 

*  *'  As  the  four  kingdoms  of  Daniel,  considered  in   succession  to 

<*  each  other,  form   a  prophetic  chronohgy ;  (Mede,  p.  712.)  so  in  an- 

"  other  view  they  form   a  propJietic  geographi/,  being  considered  in  the 

*'  eve  of  prophecy  as  co-existent,  as  still  alive  and  subsisting  together, 

*'  when  the  dominion  of  all   but  the  last   was   taken   away.     In  con- 

"  sequence  of  this  idpa,    vvhich  Daniel  gives  us  of  his  four  kingdoms, 

"  so  much  only  is  to  be  reckoned   into   the  description  of  each  king- 

*'  dom,   as   is  peculiar    to  each  ;    the  remainder  being  part  of  some 

"  other  kingdom,    still  supposed  to' be  in  being,   to  which  it  properly 

"belongs.     Thus   the  second,  or  Persian,   kingdom  does  not  take  in 

*'  the  nations  of  Chaldasa  and    Assyria,  which   made  the  body  of  the 

*'  first  kingdom  ;   nor  the  third,   or  Graecian  kingdom,  the  countries  of 

"  Media  and  Persia,  being  the  body  of  the  second.     In  like  manner, 

**  the  fourth,  or  Roman,   kingdom  does    not,  in  the  contemplation  of 

*'  the  Prophet,  comprehend  those  provinces,  which  made  the  body  of 

*'  the  third  or  Grecian  kingdom,  but  such   only  as  constitute   its  own 

*'  body,   that   is,  the  provinces  on  this  side  of  Greece."     Bp.  Hurd's 

Sermons  on  Prophecy,  p.  34-8.     See  also  Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  Daniel, 

ch.  iv.  p.  31,  32. 

ged. 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  425 

ged,  but  that  length  of  life  is  permitted  to  them  for  a 
season*.  Upon  this  change,  the  empire  devolved  to  the 
fourth,  or  Roman,  monarchy ;  which,  in  process  of 
time,  Avith  its  triumph.int  harlot  and  ten  kings,  is  to 
give  place  to  the  reign  of  Christ.  But  the  three  other 
monarchies  remain  for  a  time.  Though  they  lose 
their  po^er,  they  remain,  as  we  see  them  at  this  day, 
beastli/y  marked  with  ignorance,  superstition,  tyranny, 
cruelty,  and  injustice,  until  the  stroke  of  the  stone 
having  first  broken  the  legs  of  Daniel's  image,  of  the 
Roman  or  fourth  beast,  the  other  parts  of  the  image 
will  also  fall ;  and  the  stone,  or  fifth  kingdom,  the 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah,   shall  fill  the  whole  earth. 

The  beast,  therefore,  carrying  the  harlot,  seems  in 
most  points  like  the  former  beast  of  the  xiiith  chap- 
ter, but  not  in  the  extent  of  his  dominion.  That  of 
the  former  beast  comprehended  the  eastern,  and  now 
Mahometan,  provinces,  of  the  four  great  monarchies ; 
while  the  latter  is  confined  to  the  western  kingdoms 
only.  He  is  indeed  the  same  beast ; — but  when  car- 
rying the  harlot,  he  is  exhibited  only  in  reference  to 
one  of  the  horns  of  Antichrist,  that  horn  which  the 
harlot  will  be  found  to  represent.  The  eastern  or 
Mahometan  horn,  and  consequently  the  eastern  or 
Mahometan  world,  does  not  enter  into  this  descrip- 
tion. 

There  is  another  peculiarity  in  the  beast  carrying 
the  harlot,  which  was  not  seen  in  the  beast  of  the 
thirteenth  chapter  ; — he  is  of  a  scarlet  colour.  He 
seems  to  have  obtained  this  tinge,  by  his  connection 
with  his  scarlet  mistress.  This  was  not  noted  before, 
and  there  are  some  other  minute  marks  of  descrip- 
tion,   attributed  only  to  the  beast  of  the  xviith  chap- 

*  Dan.  vii^  1 2. 

ter, 


42^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.  §  5, 

ter,  which  belong  to  him  peculiarly  when  he  carries 

the  harlot,    as  a  branch  and  horn  of  Antichrist  ;   and 

which  could  not  so  justly  be  ascribed  to  him  in   the 

xiiith    chapter,     where   the   representation    would   be 

such  as  to  agree  with  the  extension  of  the  four  mo- 

narcliies ;  the    eastern    as    well  as  the  western    horn. 

These  shall  be  considered  in  their  place :  but,   first  in 

order,    let  us  attend   to  that   a^nigmatical  description 

of  the  beast,   by   which  it  is  said  that,   ''he  was,    and 

.     (;yet  is  present*.")      rri    c  r  t_  • 

''is   not,    <,,        ,  ,     '   „  (      1  he  rorni  of  speech  IS 
(although  he  is.     )  ^ 

highly  enigmatical.    He  hath  existed  ;  doth  not  exist; 

*  There  are,  I  believe,  but  two  passages  in  the  text  of  the  Apo- 
calypse, in  which  I  have  not  submitted  to  the  authority  of  Griesbach, 
and  adopted  his  readings.  I  do  not  possess  the  Biblical  knowledge 
and  means  of  consulting  authorities  which  may  give  me  a  right  to  con- 
tend such  points.  But  in  the  passage  now  before  us,  I  have  been  in- 
clined to  preserve  the  commonly  received  text,  xxiirs^  i^-tv,  as  appear- 
ing to  contain  an  appropriate  meaning,  which    I   in   vain  look  for  in 

the  reading  preferred  by  Griesbach.     The  three  readings  -J  xafnt^ 

as  written  in  ancient  ]MSS.,  would  have  a  near  resemblance  to  each 
pther:  but  if  any  change  has  been  made  by  transcribers,  it  is  more 
likely  that  the  difficul  and  aenigmatical  expression  has  been  rejected 
by  them  for  the  more  easy  and  plain  one,  than  that  the  easy  and  plain 
expression  shoald  be  changed  for  the  difficult  and  aniigmatical.  But 
whatever  might  be  the  practice  of  transcribers,  we  roust  in  such 
difficulties  pursue  a  canon  of  criticism,  laid  down  by  the  best  critics  ; 
and  especially  in  respect  to  the  readings  of  the  Apocalypse.  It  is 
among  the  rules  adopted  by  Griesbach  himself;  **  Preferatur  lectio 
"  brevior,  obscurior,  durior,  sensum  paradoxum,  ant  apparenter  fal- 
"  sum  fundens,"  &c.  (Pref.  ad  Nov.  Test.)  Irenasus,  who  informs  us 
that  he  possessed,  in  his  times  (so  near  to  the  publication  of  the 
Apocalypse)  the  atra^aix  nai  x^yxia.  avriy^a^x^  seems  to  have  followed 
this  reading;  or,  in  describing  this  beast,  he  would  not  have  used 
the  expression,  which  appears  in  the  Latin  translation,  '*  quasi  qui 
"  non  sit."     Iren.  lib.  v.  c.  35, 

yet 


:i 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  427 

yet  doth  exist.  These  two  last  terms  in  their  literal 
acceptation  are  in  direct  contradiction  to  each  other; 
and  therefore,  literally  taken,  cannot  he  true.  Yet 
many  passages  of  Scripture  have  this  character,  and 
yet  are  found  to  contain  true  and  important  doctrine. 
Thus,  a  good  Christian  is  said  to  he  dead,  though  he 
liveth  *.  His  Ufe  is  hid  v/ith  Christ  in  God  f.  This 
expression,  literally  interpreted,  cannot  be  true :  but 
if  one  of  the  terms  be  taken  in  its  spiritual  sense,  the 
meaning  becomes  plain,  and  most  important  :|:.  The 
lite  of  the  beast  is  thus  figuratively  dead ;  his  life  is 
hid,  he  is  not  seen  and  acknowledged  by  the  world  as 
being  aiive  ;  although  in  fact  he  lives  and  rnles  with 
the  same  tyrannical  oppression  as  before.  In  the  de- 
scription ot  the  beast  in  the  xiiith  chapter,  tliere  is  a 
similar  a^nigaiatical  representation,  which,  as  it  seems 
to  allude  to  the  same  history,  niay  be  usefully  com* 
pared  §. 

The  fourth  beast  of  Daniel,  the  Roman  tyranny, 
by  the  ecclesiastical  revolution  under  Constantine, 
appeared  to  be  deprived  of  his  savage  ferocity;  to 
have  no  more  existence  as  a  wild-beast,  as  the  opj)ressor 
of  true  Religion.  He  seemed  then  to  have  received 
his  deadly  wound:  —  "He  was,  and  is  not:" — but 
"his  deadly  wound  was  healed  1|.''  Though  **  he  M'as, 
**  and  is  not,  yet  he  is<[."  Unobserved  to  be  the 
same  beast,  the  same  persecuting,  oppressive  power, 
he  re-ascends  from  the  great  abyss,  the  same  in  the 
Spirit,  even  as  Joim  Biptist  was  said  to  be  Elijah,  and 

*  Rom.  vi.  10.  f  Col.  ii.  3. 

J  Thus  also  in  Saint  John's  writings,  i|  i5/xa;v,  ^iAV  «c  II  o5/x:cy.  1  John 
ii.  19- 

§  See  them  exhibited  in  comparison,  in  note,  ch.  xiii.  3. 
II  Ch.  xiii.  3.  1[  Ch.  xvii.  8. 

Christ 


4'iS  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VI.   §  3c 

Christ  to  be  David  ;  because  they  came  in  the  same 
'-'  poxver,''  and  fulfilled  the  offices  assigned  by  pro- 
phecy to  their  respective  prototypes.  By  the  scarlet 
splendour  of  the  harlot,  who  is  seated  upon  the  l>eas^t 
and  directs  his  steps,  he  is  so  covered  and  disguised  ; 
by  her  abominable  cup  the  kings  and  nations  of  the 
earth,  Vf'ho  should  oppose  his  reign,  are  so  intoxicated; 
that  he  is  suffered  to  come  up  unknown,  unacknow- 
ledged; and,  directed  and  abetted  by  the  harlot,  to 
exercise  all  his  former  oppression.  He  is  the  samCy 
though  he  does  not  appear  such  :  '^  He  was,  and  is 
"not,  though  he  is*."  Yet,  the  admiration  and 
worship  with  which  the  beast  is  honoured  in  this  his 
disguise,  though  general,  is  not  universal.  The  seal- 
ed Christians,  whose  names  are  written  in  the  book 
of  Life,  though  few  in  number,  are  awake  to  their 
duty  ;  discover  the  deceit;   reject  the  cup  of  the  har- 

*  These  words  of  the  angel,  describhig  the  beast,  "  Pie  was,  and 
"  is  not,"  &c.  appear  to  me  in  no  wise  applicable  to  the  tjTanny 
seated  at  Rome  at  the  time  of  the  vision,  when  the  angel  spake  them. 
Iliis  was  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Domitian,  when  a  cruel  persecu- 
tion raged  against  the  Church,  when  Saint  John  himself  was  actually 
suffering  banishment  in  Patmos,  "  for  the  word  of  God  and  the  testi- 
*'  mony  of  Jesus."  Such  a  time  can  in  no  wise  agree  with  the  repre- 
sentation, that  the  beast  "  was,  and  is  not."  It  is  therefore  probable 
that  the  time  in  which  the  beast  is  said  to  have  been,  and  not  to  be, 
&c.,  is  the  time  when  he  ariseth  again  after  his  wound,  to  exercise 
dominion  under  the  direction  of  the  harlot.  This  time  was  not  ar- 
rived when  Saint  John  saw  the  vision  in  Patmos :  but  though  future 
in  this  sense,  it  was  present  in  another,  as  belonging  to  the  vision 
then  under  exhibition  :  for,  the  beast  was  then  present  in  exhibition 
before  Saint  John,  and  in  the  act  of  re-ascending  to  power.  ,  This  will 
appear  more  probable  to  those  who  read  forward  from  this  passage  to 
the  end  of  the  8lh  verse,  where  the  admiration  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  is  spoken  of  as  future  ;  and  yet  this  admiration  is  fixed  upon 
the  same  object, — the  beast  which  was,  and  is  not,   &c, 

lot. 


Chap,  xvii.]  APOCALYPSE.  42d 

lot,  and  the  mark  of  the  beast;  abjure  the  idolatrous 
worship  required;  and  many  of  them  sacrifice  their 
lives  in  the  cause  of  Truth. 

Ver.  9.  Herein  is  the  mind  having  wisdom.']  By 
comparing  this  expression  with  similar  passages*,  it 
will  appear  to  contain  a  call  to  the  observant  Chris- 
tian, engaging  him  to  attend  diligently  to  the  marks 
(x^^tiyiJicila)  of  the  beast  and  harlot,  which  are  now  an- 
nounced by  the  angel,  in  order  to  assist  the  detection 
of  them  when  they  shall  appear.  In  the  first  place, 
we  are  informed,  that  the  seven  heads  of  the  beasts 
are  so  many  mountains,  on  which  the  woman,  who 
directs  the  power  of  the  beast,  is  seated.  But  moun- 
tains have  been  found  to  signify  eminent  seats,  high 
stations,  of  power  f.  But,  in  ver.  1.  of  this  chapter, 
the  woman  is  said  also  to  be  seated  ^'  07i  many  wa- 
ters ;"  And  tliese  were  ascertained,  by  the  explanation 
of  the  angel,  to  signify  **  people,  and  multitudes,  and 
**  nations,  and  languages  J."  Thus  presiding  over  these 
nations,  she  is  afterwards  said,  in  plainer  language,  "  to 
**  have  dominion  over  the  kings  of  the  earth."  From  a 
comparison  of  these  passages,  it  will  therefore  appear, 
that  the  seven  mountains  express  that  widely  extended 
power  and  dominion,  which  this  re-ascending  beast  was 
to  exercise  under  the  direction  of  the  harlot. 

But  these  seven  mountains,  by  the  interpretation 
of  the  angel,  appear  to  have  an  additional  significa- 
tion;— '^  they  are  also  seven  kings;  five  of  them  have 
*'  fallen  ;  and  one  of  them  is  ;  the  other  is  not  yet 
*'  come  ;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  must  remain  a  little : 
**  and  the  wild-beast  which  was,  and  is  not,  even  he 
**  is   the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven."     I  quote  this 

<^  Ch.  xiii.  10,   IS.  xiv.  IC. 

t  See  notes,  ch.  i,  4.  viii.  8.  {  V'er.  15. 

passage, 


430  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt,  VI.   §  3. 

passage,   lo   shew  what    we  are  to  expect  under  the 
name  of  kings.     For  the  beast  himself,   upon  his  re- 
vival, is  to  be  one  cf  the  kings :  therefore,  from  what 
he  is  known  to  be,    some  conjecture  may  be  formed  of 
the   nature  of  the  rest,    who    are  here  styled    kings. 
Now,  it  has  been  clearly  seen  that  the  seven-headed 
beast   is  a  tyrannical  and  oppres>ive  power;    and  in 
particular,    that  power  which  formed  the  Roman  do- 
mination,  which  is  still  the  same  beast,   under  what- 
ever form  of  government  it  may  be  exercised.     But 
this  power,    though  it  may  be  administered  bij  a  king, 
cannot  itself  be  litei^ally  a  king,   that  is,  a  man  exer* 
cising  supreme  authority.      So   in    the  interpretation 
of  the  word  king,  as  used  in  this  passage,    we  must 
look  for  some  other  meaning ;    for  such  as   may  not 
exclude  the  beast  from  bearing  it.     In  this  research^ 
we   obtain  assistance  from  the  eighth  chapter  of  the 
prophecy   of  Daniel;    where,    by  comparing  verse  17, 
with  verse  :^3,  it  appears,   that  the  word  kings  is  used 
to  signify  kingdoms,  or  forms   of  government.     The 
beast  before   us  has  seven  heads ;   seven    mountains ; 
seven   seats   of  eminent  power  ;   seven   kingdoms,  ^t 
forms  of  government;    yet   not    all   existing   at    the 
same  time,    but  suceeding  to  each  other.     Fur,    five  of 
them  are  represented  to  have  fallen ;    one,   the  sixth, 
to  be  then  existing;   anotlier,    the  seventh,    to  be  not 
yet  con^e  ;    and  after  a  short  continuance  to  be  suc- 
ceeded by  an  eigluh  and  la>>t ;  even  by  the  whole  beast 
himself,    representing    such    a   kingdom,  or   form  of 
government.     In  attempting  to  point  out  these  seven 
kingdoms,   or  forms  of  government,   it  will  be  useful 
to  begin  with  the  sixth  ;    with  that  which  M'as  exist- 
ing at  the  time  when  the  angel  described  them.     This 
was  the   power   imperial;   for  at  that  time  one  man, 
3  D^mitian, 


Cliap.  xvli.]  APOCALYPSE.  431 

Domitiaii,  under  the  title  of  Emperor,  exercised  the 
supreme  authority,  uttering  oppressive  edicts  against 
the  Christian  Church.  But  can  we  trace  back  the 
forms  of  government,  which  succeeded  each  other 
under  the  Rom.an  domination,  so  that  they  may  fairly 
appear  five,  preceding  the  imperial  form  ?  Kingly, 
Consular,  Dccemviral,  are  confessedly  three  distinct 
forms  of  government,  established  by  three  separate 
revolutions.  And  the  balance  of  power,  continually 
changing,  and  verging  at  one  time  in  favour  of  the 
patrician  or  aristocratic,  at  another  of  the  plebeian  or 
democratic  scale,  have  probably  produced  two  other 
distinct  forms  of  government.  Such  indeed  we  find 
recorded  in  the  Roman  history,  as  exercised  under 
Dictators,  and  Military  Tribunes*.  These  appear  to 
be  the  five  heads,  which  were  fallen,  at  the  time 
when  the  angel  spake.  The  sixth  or  imperial  head, 
was  then  existing  ;  and  continued  to  exist  till  the 
year  475  ;  when  it  terminated  with  Augustulus,  the 
last  emperor.  To  this  imperial  form  succeeded  the 
government  set  up  by  the  Gothic  conquerors,  when, 
after  a  short  time,  a  magistrate,  with  the  title  of 
Exarch,  presided  in  Rome.  But  in  the  dark  ages, 
which  were  now  commencing,  the  beast  begins  again 
to  appear.  He  had  disappeared  under  the  auspices  of 
Constantine;  now  he  revives;  and  the  civil  power  of 
the  empire  passes  into  hands  in  which  it  becomes 
idolatrous,  blasphemous,  tyrannical,  and  oppressive 
to  true  Religion.     This  was  the  time  when  the  false 

*  These,  as  Bp.  Newton  observes,  are  the  five  forms  of  govern' 
ment  antecedent  to  the  imperial  form,  enumerated  and  distinguished 
as  such  *'  by  those  who  should  best  know,  the  two  greatest  Roman 
*'  Historians,  Livy  and  Tacitus."  Livii  lib.  vi.  1.  Tacit,  Annal.  lib.  i. 
sub  initio. 

prophet 


43i  APOCALYPSE.  [Pf.  VI.  §  3, 

prophet    of   the    xilith    chapter   began   to   exalt  the 
power   of  the  beast  :   when    the  harlot   directed   the 
reins  and  exhibited  him  as  an  object  of  terror  and  ad- 
miration.    Thus  he  became   the  eighth  form  of  go- 
vernment :  and  in  this  form,  he  exceeded  all  his  pre- 
decessors  in  cruel  and  exterminating  warfare  against 
the  saints.     The   popes,  and    their  agents  in  the  cor- 
rupt church,    made  use  of  the  civil  power  of  the  kings 
to  persecute  and  destroy  those  who  dared  to  profess  a 
creed  or  worship,  other  than  they  had  authorized.     Ha- 
ving,   uttered  their  decrees  against  such  persons,   they 
delivered  them  to  the  secular  arm,   which  at  their  in- 
stigation  was    ready    to   apply   the   fire   and   faggot. 
From  the  time   that   the  reigning  powers   of  Europe 
were  willing  to  enforce  the  decrees  of  persecution  at 
the  call  of  a   corrupt,    domineering  religion,   is  to  be 
dated  the   reign  of  the  beast,   as  an  eighth  head.     It 
is  not,    strictly  speaking,   a  head  of  the  beast ;    for  the 
heads  were  seven ;    and   were  all  fallen ;    but  it  is  the 
revival  of  a  tyrannical,    persecuting    power  in    their 
place.      It    is    a  form  still   more   beastly,     subsisting 
after  the  seven   heads  were  gone.       It  is  the  whole 
beast,  or   the  perfect  image  of  him,  revived,    by  the 
false  prophet,    by  the  harlot. 

Ver.  12.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  didst  see,- 
are  ten  kings;  &c.]  This  beast,  like  that  in  the  viith 
chapter  of  Daniel,  has  ten  horns ;  which  are  also 
explained  to  represent  ten  kings  or  kingdoms.  They 
are  not  described  as  having  existence  in  the  early 
days  of  the  beast's  power;  but  as  succeeding  to  a 
share  of  dominion  with  him  afterwards,  "  one  and 
**  the  same  hour;"  that  is,  during  a  space  of  time,^ 
the  commencement  and  duration  of  which  seem  not 
to  be  determined.     But  the  warfare  in  which  they  are 

to 


Chap,  xvii.]  APOCALYPSE.  433 

to  unite  their  forces  to  that  of  the  beast,   against  the 
Lamb   and  his  followers,   takes  place  toward  the  end 
of  the  beast's  reign,    when  they  are  mustered  to  the 
battle  of  the   great   day,    by  the  agency  of  the  evil 
spirits  *.      That  these   times   are   the   same,    we  may 
collect  from   the  similarity   of  the  relation.     In  ch. 
xvi.  4.    xvii.  14.  and  xix.  [6.  9,  the  same  Avords  are 
repeated; — ^*  The  Lamb  shall  overcome  them; — King 
*'  of  kings,    Lord  of  lords."     But  the  ten  kingdoms, 
or   their    successive  rutes,    although   for   a   time  in- 
toxicated by  the  harlot,   and  made  subservient  to  her 
exaltation,    shall   in  the   end   oppose  her  usurped  do- 
minion ;    *'  shall  hate  her,  and  shall  make  her  desolate 
"  and  naked ;  and   shall    eat  her   flesh,    and  burn  her 
*'  utterly  with  fire."     Her   gaudy  ornaments  shall  be 
stripped   from   her  by  the  agency  of  those,  Avho  shall 
enrich  themselves  with  her  spoils,    and   finally  reduce 
her  to  that  complete  destruction,   which  is  expressed 
hy  the  operation  of  firef.     Yet  this  hostility  between 
the  kings  and  the  harlot,    does  not  seem  to   proceed 
from   any  virtue  in  them,    but  from  worldly  avarice 
and  ambition.     They  covet  her  power  and  her  riches; 
and  this  change  in  their  conduct  seems  to  take  place 
from  the  time  when  they  awake  from  their  intoxica- 
tion.    They  who  had  been  the  means  of  exalting  the 
harlot,   become  the  instruments  of  her  fall, 

*  Ch.  xvi.  4. 

+  This  destruction  is  particularly  displayed  in  the  following  chap- 
ter. See  also,  Jer.  xiii.  22 — 2/.  Ezek.  xvi.  39 ;  xxiii.  29.  Hos.  ii.  3. 
Mich.  i.  6 — 12.  Nah.  iii.  4 — 5.  Lam.  i.  8  ;  iv.  21  :  which  passages  will 
afford  light  to  the  imagery  here  used,  which  is  not  unfrequent  in  the 
history  of  other  ancient  nations.  See  Tacitus  de  Mor.  Germ.  c.  xix. 
where  the  woman  convicted  of  adultery,  is  described  as  turned  out 
of  doors,  stripped         naked. 

P  P  Having 


434;  APOCALYFSE.  [Pt  VI.  §  S. 

Having  taken  this  view  of  *•  the  great  harlot^' 
who,  like  the  little  horn  of  Daniel,  is  seen  seated 
among  the  ten  kings  or  kingdoms,  into  which  the 
latter  end  of  the  Roman  beast,  the  western  part  of 
the  Roman  empire,  was  divided ;  who  sitteth  supreme 
over  many  nations,  directing  the  civil  power,  cor- 
rupting by  idolatry  and  impure  religion,  and  rioting 
in  the  blood  of  Saints  and  Martyrs ;  whose  mystical 
name  is  Babylon,  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  of  the 
abominations  of  the  earth ;  v/ho,  though  she  cor- 
rupt and  intoxicate  the  rulers  of  the  western  nations, 
is  at  length  deserted  and  destroyed  by  them  ;  who  is, 
lastly,  that  great  city  which  had  dominion,  at  the 
time  of  the  vision,  over  the  kings  of  the  earth; — we 
shall  find  Httle  difficulty  in  applying  it  to  history. 

Rome,  seated  on  seven  mountains,  and  ruling  over 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  is  clearly  the  scene  on  which 
the  harlot  acts  her  part.  This  is  the  city  called  by 
the  fathers  of  the  Church,  in  nearly  the  same  ex- 
pression, Tvjv  ^xjiKevdJUv  Z70>.iv,  T>iv  zjoXiv  (^ajiKida*,  It 
has  been  observed,  that  on  an  ancient  coin,  Rome  is 
symbolically  represented  as  a  ivoman  seated  on  a  lion'f. 
And  this  picture  of  her  was  so  well  known,  and  found 
to  be  so  consonant  to  this  prophecy,  that  the  fa- 
thers, from  Tertullian  to  Augustine,  generally  un- 
derstood Rome  to  be  designated  under  the  emblem 
of  this   harlot  j.      Modern  interpreters   could  do   no 

*  See  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib.  ii.  c.  13.— She  is  Babylon;  Saint 
Peter,  as  it  were,  by  the  direction  of  the  same  Holy  Spirit,  fixes  this 
title  upcn  her.  See  1  Pet.  v.  13.  with  the  notes  of  Whitby  ;  also 
Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib,  :i.  c.  15.  with  the  note  of  Valesius  upon  the 
passage.  f  Vitringa,  p.  Jo?- 

X  Babylon,  apud  Joannein  nostrum,  Romanaa  urbis  figura  est, 
proindii  et  magna?,  et  regno  superbac,  et  sanctorum  debellatr-icis. 
Tertull.  ad%-.  Jud.  p.  217. 

5  Otherwise 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  435 

otherwise  than  follow  them.  All  are  generally  agreed, 
that  this  prophecy  is  of  Rome,  But  a  question  arises  ; 
whether  this  eity,  so  designated,  be  the  pagan  and 
imperial,  or  the  modern  and  ecclesiastical  Rome. 
The  writers  of  the  church  of  Rome  have  contended 
that  she  is  the  former :  and  they  have  received  con- 
siderable assistance  from  certain  Protestant  divines  ; 
from  Grotius  and  Hammond.  But  the  attentive  rea- 
der, perusing  the  comments  of  those  learned  writers, 
will  find  great  deficiency  of  correspondence  between 
the  symbols,  and  the  objects  in  history  which  they 
have  supposed  them  to  represent.  Pagan  Rome  be- 
came Christian,  before  the  beast,  as  exhibited  in  this 
vision,  was  completed  in  his  seven  forms  of  govern- 
ment, and  had  divided  his  power  among  the  ten 
kings.  Pagan  Rome  did  not  beguile  and  corrupt, 
but  compel  and  destroy.  She  permitted,  as  Bishop 
Newton  observes,  the  conquered  nations  to  continue 
the  religion  of  their  ancestors.  Instead  of  corrupt- 
ing others,  she  was  herself  corrupted  by  foreign  su- 
perstitions. The  Babylon  of  the  Apocalypse  is  a 
church,  or  religious  society  :  for  she  stands  opposed  to 
the  New  Jerusalem,  She  is  a  corrupt  church,  op- 
posed to  the  pure  one ;  and  this  cannot  be  said  of 
Pagan  Rome.  So,  the  harlot  on  the  beast  stands  also 
contrasted  to  the  xvoinan  in  the  xvilderness.  They  are 
both  of  them  Churches  ;  —  but  one  of  them  is  an 
apostate  church ;  not  the  modest,  pure,  suffering 
Church,  which  was  seen  in  the  wilderness  ;  but  that 
proud,  gaudy,  drunken,  bloody,  corrupted,  and  cor- 
rupting society,  whose  antitype  can  be  found  no- 
where in  history  but  in  the  papal  hierarchy.  Pagan 
Rome  therefore,  though  seated  on  the  beast,  can,  by 
no  just  interpretation,   be  deemed  the  harlot.     Besides, 

p  p  2  the 


436  APOCALYPSE.  [Ft.  VI.  ^  5. 

the  beast,  on  which  Pagan  Rome  was  seated,  is  not 
the  identical  beast  on  which  we  have  seen  the  harlot. 
It  is  indeed  the  Roman  empire;  but  not  in  that 
period,  which  has  been  clearly  discriminated  in  the 
beast  carrying  the  harlot.  This  is  the  Roman  empire 
in  its  last  stage  ;  when  it  appears  divided  into  ten 
toes  ^  ;  into  ten  kingdoms.  No  such  division  is  seen 
in  history  while  Rome  continued  pagan.  It  is  that 
period  of  the  beast,  when  having  received  an  appa- 
rently  mortal  wound,  by  Christianity  having  become 
the  religion  of  the  empire,  he  is  again  restored  to 
life;  and  adding  the  sanctions  of  religious,  to  civil 
power,   domineers  over  the  pure  Christian  Church. 

This  interpretation  is  not  new  :  it  is  that,  in  which 
almost  all  the  Protestant  commentators  have  con- 
curred. If  I  have  added  any  thing  to  the  evidence 
by  which  it  is  established,  it  is  by  pointing  out  the 
diiference  of  the  beasts,  represented  in  the  xiiith  and 
xviith  chapters;  the  one  extending  his  dominion  over 
tlie  v/hole  Roman  empire,  eastern  as  well  as  western  ; 
the  other  confined  to  the  western  dominion,  and  its 
ten  kingdoms ;  the  former  producing  the  lamb-like 
beast,  the  false  prophet,  or  antichrist  entirCy  that  is> 
having  two  horns,  one  springing  forth  in  the  Maho- 
metan or  eastern,  the  other  in  the  papal  or  western, 
apostacy;  the  latter,  being  a  part  of  the  former, 
bears  only  one  horn  of  Antichrist,  yet  that  the 
most  eminent.  For,  the  western  horn  of  Antichrist, 
appearing  in  the  very  centre  of  that  part  of  the  world, 
which  bore  the  Christian  name  ;  which  styled  itself 
the  Catholic  Church ;  wliich  denied  the  title  of 
Christian  to  any  who  should  dare  to  dissent  from  its. 
decrees;  requiied  a  more  particular  description.     That 

•*  Dan.  ii,  4^. 

description 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  437 

description  has  been  now  examined;  and  the  cha- 
racters presented  to  view,  can  apparently  accord  with 
no  other  than  papal  Rome.  The  false  prophet,  as 
represented  with  his  tzvo  horns,  may  appear  to  bear  as 
strong  a  resemblance  to  the  Mahometan,  as  to  the  pa- 
pal apostacy  *  :  but  this  horn  or  branch  now  repre- 
sented under  the  symbol  of  the  harlot,  belongs  exclu- 
sively to  the  papal  usurpation. 

The  arguments  which  are  used  by  the  Romanists 
to  evade  this  application  of  the  prophecy,  are  of  little 
weight.  Those  produced  by  some  eminent  Protes- 
tants, by  Grotius  and  Hammond,  have  been  fre- 
quently and  most  satisfactorily  refuted  :  nor  do  there 
remain  at  this  time  any  which  may  seem  to  require 
notice,  excepting  that,  which  has  been  triumphantly 
advanced  by  Bossuet,  the  eloquent  Bishop  of  Meaux. — 
The  woman  (says  he)  must  of  necessity  represent 
pagan,  and  not  Christian  Rome ;  for,  to  accord  with 
the  former,  she  is  properly  named  as  a  harlot ;  but 
to  agree  with  the  latter,  she  should  have  been  called 
a  faithless  spouse,  an  adulteress  |. — To  this  objection 
Bishop  Hurd,  with  equal  acuteness  has  answered,  that 
the  term  adulteress  could  not  be  applied  to  Babylony 
which  had  never  entered  into  marriage  contract  with 
the  Deity.  And  yet  Babylon,  he  observes,  on  ac- 
count of  her  enormous  idolatry,  was  the  fittest  of  all 
types  to  represent  the  corriq^t  Roman  church.  But 
the  answer  does  not  yet  appear  to  take  away  the 
force  of  the  objection.  It  seems  necessary  to  shew, 
that  the  term  harlot  is  here  applied  to  papal  Rome 

*  Indeed  it  very  strongly  expresses  both  :  see  notes  on  cb.  xiii. 
p.  298. 

t  L'ApocalypsC;  &c.  par  Messire  J.  B.  Bossuet,  EvequS  de 
Jleaux. 

with 


43g  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §3, 

with  strict  propriety y  and  according  to  the  just  ana- 
logy of  Scriptural  language :   and  that  the  name  of 
adulteress  would  7iot  be  more  proper.     And  this,  as  I 
conceive,    it    is  not  difficult  to  shew :   for,   we   can 
produce  other  churches,   which  had   undoubtedly  as 
fair  a  claim,   as  the  church  of  Rome  can  pretend,  to 
be   called  the  betrothed,  the  espoused  of  God ;  which 
yet  upon  their  apostacy,  or  idolatrous  defection,  have, 
in  the  language  of  Scripture,  been  denominated  har-^ 
lots.     Such  were  the  churches  of  Judah,   and  of  the 
ten  tribes  in  Samaria,   whose  legitimate  claim  to  the 
title  of  the  betrothed,  or  espoused,   will  not  be  disputed. 
These   churches   were  undeniably  in   that  very  situa^ 
tion,  in   wliich  the  Bishop  of  Meaux  represents  the 
Church  of  Rome  to  be,    when  he  asserts  that  on  ac- 
count of  that  situation,    the  name  of  harlot,   and  of 
Babylon  cannot  zv it h  propriety  be  applied  to  her.     And 
yet    in   Scripture,    these   churches    are    denominated 
harlots,    when  idolatry  is  laid  to  their  charge.     Their 
crime  is  called  zvhoredom  3.nd  fo7yiicatio?i,  veiy  seldom 
adultery  *,     And  thus,  that  term  which,  in  the  mouth 
of  Divine  Wisdom,    was  properly  applied  to   the  es- 
poused  Churches   of  Judah  and  of  Israel,  when  re- 
bellious and   apostate,    is  certainly  applied  v/ith  equal 
propriety  to  the  Church  Christian,    when  she  appears 
in  the  same  character ;   when  she  is  convicted  of  the 
same  crime.     And  a  reason  may  be  assigned,  why  such 
apostate    Churches   are  described   in   Scriptural    lan- 
guage under  the  name  of  harlots,  rather  than  of  adul- 
teresses.    When  they  forsake  God,   he  disowns  them ; 
they   are   no  longer   esteemed   as   married ;    they  are 
considered   as   ''  put  axvay,''  by  that  great  Being  who 

*  See  Isaiah  i.  21;   Ixiv.  5 — 8;  Ixii.  4.  5.  Jer.  iii.  throughout; 
xxi.  32.  xvi.  throughout;  Ezek.  xvii.  Hos.  ii. 

had 


Chap,  xvii.]  apocalypse.  439 

had  conferred  upon  them  the  title  of  Spouse.  In  the 
language  of  Scripture,  he  has  '*  given  them  a  bill  of 
''divorce*"  Such  appears  to  be  the  precise  case 
of  the  idolatrous  church  of  Rome  ;  she  forsook  her 
Lord,  when  she  attached  lierself  to  the  beast  and  his 
image ;  she  rebelled  and  apostatized ;  and  in  such  a 
state,  if  the  Holy  Spirit  were  to  call  her  abomina- 
tions adultery^  it  would  be  to  oxvn  and  to  honour 
her  more  than  she  deserves.  She  is  no  longer  the  adul- 
terous wife ;  she  is  the  divorced  castaway,  and  con- 
sequently the  harlot.  The  prophecy  therefore  in  this 
passage,  as  in  all  other  parts  of  it,  is  strictly  appli- 
cable to  Papal  Rome ;  to  Papal  Home  in  her  high 
zenith  of  insolence  and  dominion,  when  she  had  the 
command  of  worldly  power  in  the  ten  European  king- 
doms ;  for  it  is  then  more  especially  that  she  could 
be  said  to  ride  the  beast,  and  intoxicate  the  kings. 
In  our  days,  that  proud  period  of  her  exaltation  is 
well  nigh  passed.  She  now  appears  in  a  state  of 
weakness  and  decline.  The  kings,  the  powers  of  Eu- 
rope, have  begun  to  '^  hate  her,''  to  strip  ber  of  her 
ornaments,    and  to  expose  her  nakedness  and  shame  f. 

*  See  Jer.  iii.  8.  Isa.  1.  1. — This  also  appears  to  be  the  case  with 
Tuv  '^vvxiKOi  era  'li^ccCvX,  in  this  very  book  of  E.evelation,  ch.  ii.  20 — 23  : 
the  term  implies,  that  she  is  a  wife,  yet  she  is  said  ijopvtva-xi,  to  act 
the  harlot ;  whilst  those  who  are  corrupted  by  her,  are  represented 
as  (/.oi^svovlss  [ji.eT  xvrnsy  as  committing  adultery  with  her. 

t  In  my  remarks  on  this  chapter,  I  have  not  found  it  necessary  to 
enter  into  a  detail  of  those  numerous  particulars,  in  which  this  pro- 
phecy has  been  found  to  quadrate  with  the  apostacy  and  corruptions  of 
the  papal  church.  The  reader  will  find  this  abundantly  supplied  by  al- 
most all  the  Protestant  commentators.  Joseph  Mede  very  ably  led 
the  way,  by  proving  the  apostacy  of  this  church,  (Mede's  Works, 
p.  6"23.)  and  he  has  been  followed  by  many  learned  writers,  even  to 
our  own  times;  who  have  with  great  felicity  demonstrated  the  ccr- 
riiptions  of  this  hierarchy,  concording  with  the  symbols  of  the  pro- 
phecy . 


440 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VI.  §  4. 


PART    VI. 


SECTION     IV. 


The  Judgeinent  of  Babylon  continued. 


1  Vixi  (metoc,  rxZrx 
n6ov  aXXov  afyj^ov 
xxla^ou'vovlai    ex.  ra 

<riav  yi,iya,Xiir  ^  ri 
yv  Ipulia-Bn  Ik  rvs 

(pwvv,  Afi'yft^v*  "Ette- 

<7"£V,  ETTEO-S   Ba^vXciv 

m  (^ByaXvif  >(^g<y£V£lo 
xaloiKrilri^iov  oai{x6~ 
vxiVf  j^  (pi/Aajt^  Z7XV- 

\  I        n         1 

TOS  XSVSV^lXloS  (XX.X- 

Occ^la,  Kj  (pvXtzx^ 
'axilos    o^vm   ay.x- 

3  /UEvs*  "On  Ik  rt 
o'lva   Ttf   ^v(j,a  r^s 

'nuKs  Tram  ra. 
i^vn'  y^  ol  ^xaiXils 
ir.s  yris  ^.e/'  avTriS 
iTopnvcrxv,  i^  ol  t'^- 
'nopoi  rr:s  yr>s  ly,  rr.i 

avTY,s    ItTXHTrtrrxv. 

4  YLsci  Tiy.aa-x  aX>.r,v 
(pUVTiV  SK  Tti  i^xyy, 
>.iyu(Tai'  'EIeASete 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1  And  after  these  things, 
I  saw  another  angel 
coming  down  from 
heaven,  having  great 
power  :  and  the  earth 
was  enlightened  by  his 

2  glory.  And  he  cried 
with  a  mighty  voice, 
saying  ;  "  She  is  fal- 
"  len !  the  great  Ba- 
"  bylon  is  fallen  !  and 
"  is  become  an  habi- 
"  tation  of  demons, 
"  and  a  station  of 
*'  every  unclean  spirit, 
**  and  a  station  of 
"  every  unclean  and 
"  abominated      bird  ; 

3  "  Because  all  the  na- 
''  tions  have  drunken 
*'  of  the  wine  of  the 
*'  rage  of  her  fornica- 
*'  tions ;  and  the  kings 
"  of  the  earth  have 
*'  committed  fornica- 
"  tion  with  her;  and 
"  the  merchants  of  tlie 
*'  earth  have  become 
"  rich  from  the  abun- 
"  dance    of  her  inso- 

4  "  lent  luxury."     And 


1  And  after  these  things. 
I  saw  another  angel 
come  down  from  hea- 
ven, having  great 
power:  and  the  earth 
was  lightened  with  his 

2  glory.  And  he  cried 
mightily  with  a  strong 
voice,  saying,  Babylon 
the  great  is  fallen,  is 
fallen,  and  is  become 
the  habitation  of  de- 
vils, and  the  hold  of 
every  foul  spirit,  and 
a  cage  of  every  un- 
clean and  hateful  bird. 

3  For  all  nations  have 
drunk  of  the  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  her  forni- 
cation, and  the  kings 
of  the  earth  have  com- 
mitted fornication  with 
her,  and  the  merchants 
of  the  earth  are  wax- 
ed rich  through  the 
abundance  of  her  de- 

4-  licacies.  And  I  heard 
another  voice  from 
heaven,  saying.  Come 
out  of  her,  my  people, 
that   ye  be    not   par- 


Chap,  xviii.] 

^tf,  "ifx  fJLr,  crvyaoi- 

rtxfs     ocvrvSf    y.xi 
IK      Tuiv      'cjXriyu!V 

5  Cjjte*  "Ort  ly.oKKr,. 
Qy)tTxv  avrr,s  at  a.- 
lAX^Tixi     ccyji    TB 

WJcrsv     0    &EOS    rex, 
a^lAYtlAXTX    avTrif. 

6  ^Atto^ots  avryi,  us 
Kf  avry)  uiri^xy.evy 
^  h'rr>.'Ji(Txre  avrf, 
^iTiXoc  xxloi  TO.  i^yx 
etiiTris'  tv  Tw  ti7o/n- 
f /w,  w  sKi^xcrSi  xg- 
pei(Txre    ayrvj     S<- 

7  ttXSv.  "0(73;  loo^X' 
nw  sxvm  k^  ss'fn- 
ylxae^  ToaSroy  Jere 

avTTJ       ^X^XVitTlXOV 

iCf  tBivd^*  on  h 
rri  icx^ix  xvrr.s 
Xiyii*  Kx^vpt^xt  p«- 
fflXKTffXy    y^    X^?^ 

tSto  fy  /x'^  ^^^^ 
Yt^UfTtv  XI  tsX-oyscu 
xvrtiSy  ^iTiXT^  ^ 
■0{»9^  yc.  Xtixos' 
K)  h  r^vpi  x.xrx- 
xxvQ-na-tTxi'  on 
^cryjjPiiS  Kvg/©-  0 
©£ W  0  K^tyXS  XVTYiV. 

9  Kxi  xXxv<7ov}xi  K- 
xo\ffOvrxi  tTT  aiirrj 
0/  ^xa-iXiis  rns  yijy, 
0*1  (jifT  xvrr,s  zsop- 


APOCALYPSE. 

I  heard  another  voice 
from  heaven,  saying ; 
"  Come  out  other,  my 
*'  people,  that  ye  be  not 
"  partakers  of  her  sins, 
''•  and  that  ye  receive 
"  not  of  her  plagues  : 

5  "  For,  her  sins  have 
"  reached  up  unto 
"  heaven,  and  God 
*'  hath       remembered 

6  "  her  iniquities.  Ren- 
"  der  unto  her  even  as 
"  she  herself  has  ren- 
*'  dered,  and  repay  her 
"  two-fold,  according 
"  to  her  works ;  in 
"  the  cup  in  which  she 
*'  hath  mingled,  mingle 
**  unto    her    two-told. 

7  "  So  much  as  she  hath 
**  glorified  herself,  and 
**  wantoned  in  luxury, 
"  so  much  give  unto 
"  her  torment  and  sor- 
"  row;  because  in  her 
"  heart  she  saith,  I  am 
*'  seated  as  a  queen, 
"  and  am  not  a  widow, 
*'  and    sorrow  I   shall 

8  "  never  see.  There- 
"  fore  in  one  day  shall 
♦*  her  plagues  come, 
*'  death  and  sorrow 
**  and  famine  ;  and 
"  with  fire  shall  she 
*'  be  utterly  burned  ; 
"  for  mighty  is  the 
"  Lord  God  who  hath 

9  '*  judged  her.  And  the 
"  kin^s   of   the  earth 


44  i 

takers  of  her  sins, 
and  that  ye  receive 
not    of    her    plagues ; 

5  For  her  sins  have 
reached  unto  heaven, 
and  God  hath  remem- 
bered   her    iniquities. 

6  Reward  her  even  a-; 
she  rewarded  you,  and 
double  unto  her  dou- 
ble, according  to  her 
works :  in  the  cup 
which  she  hath  filled, 
fill     to     her    double. 

7  How  much  she  hath 
glorified  herself,  and 
lived  deliciously,  so 
much  torment  and  sor- 
row give  her  :  for  she 
sailh  in  her  heart,  I  sit 
a  queen,  and  am  no 
widow,   and   shall  see 

8  no  sorrow.  Therefore 
shall  her  plagues  come 
in  one  day,  death,  and 
mourning,  and  fa- 
mine ;  and  she  shall 
be  utterly  burnt  with 
fire  :  for  strong  is  the 
Lord    God   who  jud- 

9  geth  her.  And  the 
kings  of  the  earth, 
who  have  committed 
fornication,  and  lived 
deliciously  with  her, 
shall  bewail  her,  and 
lament  for  her,  when 
they  shall  see  the 
smoke  of  her  burnUig, 

10  Standing  afar  off  for 
the   fear    ai  her  tor- 


442 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Ft.  VI.  §  4. 


aocvriSf  orxv  ^Xi- 

10  Trfy,    *A7ro  (jiXK^l- 

TOV    fo^OV     t5    /3«- 

yovlfs*  Ovxij  »«/, 
5»  tffoXij  *j  fjieyaXr) 
BaCvXuv,  «  'WoA/j 
19  Icryntfoiy  on  (jao. 
v^a.  rjXQsv  v  n^io-is 

1 1  cry.    K«/  o<  l'//,7ro- 
^o<   T^^  7^s    xAa/- 

diiTnt  on  TOV  yojM,ov 
a-vru/y  ti^sis  afo^a^E/ 

^/Sa  T//<c<if,  >^  ^t^^" 
yx^irHf     Kf     ^vcT' 

x)  (r/s^iy.a,  k^  kox- 
x/v8*  H^  tZJ«y  |:^A3y 
^y/Voy,  /^  t:7«y  a-y.zv' 

rtfAiulixTii,  iy  X^^' 
x5,  i^  (ri^ri^a,  >^ 
\6  l/.xfy.ufH.  K.«i  Ki- 
vai{A.uvoVf  )^  aiJLxixoy 
1^  ^V(A.ixiJi.atlx,  )^ 
fcyfov,  ;^  XlCxvotf 
JC  Oivov,   k1    k'Acciovj 

V.XI    ae[Jl.tOX\lV,     )tXl 

o-r-oy,  H^  XT»5>>J,  J^ 

rSflQxix'  y^  i'TTTTA/V; 
^   fl^UIV,  H^   CUJPiX- 

Twv'  >c  \J/yp^as-  av- 
14;  OpviTuv*         Kxi  -a 


"  shall  bewail  and  la- 
**  ment  over  her,  (they 
**  who  have  commit- 
"  ted  fornication,  and 
*'  wantoned  in  luxury 
"  with  her,)  when  they 
"  shall  behold  the 
"  smoke  of  her  burn- 

10''  ing,  Standing  afar 
"  off  for  fear  of 
"  her  torment;  saying, 
"  Alas  !  alas  !  that 
*'  great  city,  Babylon  ! 
"  that  mighty  city  ! 
"  for  in  one  hour  is 
"  thy  judgement  come. 

11"  And  the  merchants 
*'  of  the  earth  weep 
"  and  lament  over  her, 
*'  because  no  one  buy- 
'*  eth  their  merchan- 
"  dize  any  more  ;  Mer- 

12'*  chandizeofgold,and 
"  silver,  and  precious 
"  stone,  and  pearl,  and 
"  fine  linen,  and  pur- 
"  pie,  and  silk,  and 
"  scarlet,andallkindof 
"  sweet-scented  wood, 
'*  and  all  furniture  of 
"  ivory,  and  all  furni- 
"  ture  of  the  most 
"  precious  wood,  and 
"  of  brass,  and  of 
"  steel,  and  of  marble; 

13"  And  cinnamon,  and 
"  amomum,  and  o- 
"  dours  of  incense, 
'*  and  aromatics,  and 
"  frankincense,  and 
**  wine,    and  oil,  and 


ment,  saying,  Alas, 
alas,  that  great  city 
Babylon,  that  mighty 
city  !  for  in  one  hour  is 
thy   judgement  come. 

1 1  And  the  merchants  of 
the  earth  shall  weep 
and  mourn  over  her, 
for  no  man  buyeth 
her   merchandize   any 

12  more:  The  merchan- 
dize of  gold,  and  sil- 
ver, and  precious 
stones,  and  of  pearls, 
and  of  fine  linen, 
and  purple,  and  silk, 
and  scarlet,  and  all 
thyine  wood,  and 
ail  manner  vessels  of 
ivory,  and  all  manner 
vessels  of  most  prd* 
cious  wood,  and  of 
brass,  and    iron,  and 

ISmaxble;  And  cinna- 
mon, and  odours,  and 
ointments,  and  frank- 
incense, and  wine,  and 
oil,  and  fine  flour,  and 
wheat,  and  beasts,  and 
sheep,  and  horses,  and 
chariots,  and  slaves; 
and     souls    of    men. 

14-  And  the  fruits  tiiat 
thy  soul  lusted  after, 
are  departed  from 
thee,  and  all  things 
which  were  dainty  and 
goodly,  are  departed 
from  thee,  aud'tiiou 
shalt    find    them    no 

15  more  at  aU.  The  m^r- 


Chap,  xviii.] 

as  T^s  "^v^YiS  as  : 
vjxvlx  roi   Xcrra^x 

1 5  f  >)ir>)f    avr«.      0< 
£/x,7ro^o;     TBTwv    ol 

ayrrfy,  aw*  (axx^q' 
6iv  5'»iyoyl(aH,  S<^  Toy 
i^o^ov  tS  /3<xaav/«r- 

flfylfj  xai  CTEvSSylfJ-, 

16  [Kai]      ^e'vovtk* 

to  tSOf^V^Zv  5^  JtO)C» 

x/xoy,  >^  tci^uaw 

17  yxptroits.         Ot< 

^/^  ftjfje  ^fr>- 
iu,«9jj  0  too-St©- 
'ZcrX5T3-*    xa;  wa^ 

0  i^ri  roTTov  -i«;Xc'a;y, 
xa/  vayTiK/,  xai 
o(Toi  Tvv  ^oiKx'Jcroiv 

TTwes  Tov  K5t7rv5y 
Twi-  tsvfuatus  XV' 
^TiS,  hiyoiiii'  Tt's 
i>yi.olx  T'ji    tsoKti  rn 

KZpX\XS  XVTWVy    Kj 


APOCALYPSE. 

*'  fine  flour,  and  corn, 
"  and  cattle,  and 
**  sheep ;  and  of  horses 
"  and  chariots,  and 
"  bodies  and  souls  of 

14'*  men.  And  the  har- 
"  vest  of  the  fruits  of 
**  the  desire  of  thy 
**  soul  is  departed 
"  from  thee  ;  and  all 
*'  the  dainty  andspleu- 
*'  did  things  are  pe- 
**  rished  from  thee, 
**  and  never,  never 
**  more  shalt  thou  find 

15"  thera.  The  dealers 
**  in  these  things,  who 
**  have  been  enriched 
**  by  her,  shall  stand 
"  afar  off  for  fear  of 
*'  her  torment,  weep- 
*•  ing      and      wailing, 

16"  [and]  saying,  Alas  ! 
*'  alas  !  that  great  city, 
*'  which  was  arrayed 
"  in  fine  linen  and 
*'  purple  and  scarlet, 
**  and  richly  adorned 
"  with  gold  and  pre- 
*'  cious  stone  and 
*'  pearls!  for  in  one 
"  hour  so  great  wealth 
"  is  made  desolate. 
17"  And  every  pilot, 
"  and  every  one  who 
*'  sailethby  th  place, 
"  and  sailors,  and 
*'  whosoever  occu- 
**  py   ihe  sea,    stood 

18"  afar  off,  And  cried 
"  out,    beholding    the 


443 

chants  of  these  things 
which  were  made  rich 
by  her,  shall  stand  afar 
otf,  for  the  fear  of  her 
torment,  weeping,  and 

16  wailing,  And  saying, 
Alas,  alas,  that  great 
city,  ihat  was  cloath- 
ed  in  fine  linen,  and 
purple,  and  scarlet, 
and  decked  with  gold, 
and   precious    stones, 

17  and  pearls:  For  in 
one  hour  so  great 
riches  is  come  to 
nought.  And  every 
ship- master,  and  all 
the  company  in  ships, 
and  sailors,  and  as 
many  as  trade  by  sea, 

18  stood  afar  oi^',  And 
cried  when  they  saw 
the  smoke  of  her 
burning,  saying,  What 
citi/  is  like  unto  this 

19  great  city  ?  And  they 
cast  dust  on  their 
heads,  and  cried,  weep- 
ing and  wailing,  say- 
ing, Alas,  alas,  that 
great  city,  wherein 
were  made  rich  all 
that  had  ships  in 
the  sea,  by  reason  of 
her  costliness :  for  in 
one  hour  is  she  made 

20  desolate.  Rejoice  over 
her,  thou  heaven,  and 
ye  holy  apostles  and 
prophets,  for  God  hath 
avenged  you  on   her. 


444 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VI.  §  4. 


ttf  zysvQ^vtsi,  Xiyov- 
Tts'     0-Jx;,   Hxi,  v> 

h  *7  lirXtiTviaav 
mcivres  s;  s^ovres 

TO,     wXoWf      IV       T>J 

^aXcc<riTVj  ix  TiiJ 
on  [jLijc   u^oc   ri^v}- 

olyioi  -/c  0/  uTTos'oXot 

tX.piV£V     0      0£M     TO 

21  Trf.    Kaiyt^Bv  its 

XlQoVy         us         /AVAOV 

fxiyoiv,  y^  EteaAev  ils 
rrtv  ^ciXa(Tarav,  Xe- 
yuv'  OvTus  op(/,-/j- 
fAan  ^Xv>9Y)(7crxi 
Ba^vXiiv  ^  (ji.BydX-0 
'croXiSj    XXI    i  (ji,r> 

fjmanxuiv  /C  avXyiTuJv 
■Kj  aaXiTi^uv  «  yi^'n 
dxticrQri  £v  a-oi  en. 
fC/  zjxs  rs^vi'rv}! 
•crdaT.s  tiyj-ns  « 
IjJn  it^sOn  h  (TOi 
in'  x^  (pujwi  fji-vXH 
is  [Art  aKHa^y)  h  aoi 

23  sVr  Yioc\  <^ws  Xl-^- 

©■oi  £Ti*  K^  ^ojyyj 
wix^iii  x^  vvfj.(pr,s  « 
/x^  xy^aa-Qvi  ev  c-oi 
I't/  or;  o<    i^Tioqoi 


*^  smoke  of  her  burn- 

19"  ing,  saying,  What 
"  city  like  to  that 
"  great  city !  And  they 
"  cast  dust  on  their 
"  heads,  and  they  cried 
"  out,  weeping  and 
*'  wailing,  saying,  Alas! 
"  alas !  that  great  city, 
"  by  which  all  who 
**  possess  ships  in  the 
"  sea  were  enriched, 
*'  by  reason  of  her 
*'  costliness;  for  in  one 
*'  hour    she    is   made 

20"  desolate.  Rejoice 
"  over  her,  O  heaven, 
<^  and  ye  saints,  and 
"  apostles  and  pro- 
"  phets,  because  God 
*'  hath  avenged  your 
''  cause      upon    her." 

21  And  one  mighty  an- 
gel took  a  stone,  like 
a  large  millstone  and 
cast  into  the  sea,  say- 
ing, "  Thus  violently 
"shall  Babylon,  the 
"  great  city,  be  hurl- 
"  ed,  and  shall  never 

22^'  be  found  more  :  And 
"  the  voice  of  harpers 
"  and  musicians,  and 
*'  of  pipers  and  trum- 
"  peters,  shall  never  be 
*'  heard  in  thee  more  ; 
'*  and  never  shall 
''  craftsman,  of  what- 
"  soever  craft, be  found 
"  in   thee   more  ;  nor 


21  And  a  mighty  angel 
took  up  a  stone  like  a 
great  millstone,  and 
cast  it  into  the  sea, 
saying.  Thus  with  vio- 
lence shall  that  great 
city  Babylon  be  thrown 
down,  and  shall  be 
found  no  more  at  all. 

22  And  the  voice  of  har- 
pers, and  musicians, 
and  of  pipers,  and 
trumpeters,  shall  be 
heard  rxo  more  at  all 
in  thee ;  and  no  crafts- 
man, of  whatsoever 
craft  he  be,  shall  be 
found  any  more!  in 
thee;  and  the  sound 
of  a  millstone  shall  be 
heard  no  more  at  all 

23  in  thee;  And  the  hght 
of  a  candle  shall  shine 
no  more  at  all  in  thee; 
and  the  voice  of  the 
bridegroom  and  of  the 
bride  shall  be  heard 
no  more  at  all  in  thee ; 
for  thy  merchants  were 
the  great  men  of  the 
earth ;  for  by  thy  sor- 
ceries   were     all   na-c 

24  tions  deceived  :  And 
in  her  was  found  the 
blood  of  prophets,  and 
of  saints,  and  of  all 
that  were  slain  upon 
the  earth. 


Chap,  xviii.] 


APOCALYPSfi. 


445 


CH  ria-xv  01  i/.zyt<rci* 
VIS  rrts  *yris,  on  Iv 
r-p  (px^fAXKEtet  0-5 
ETrXavnQricrxy  'mdylx 
QA  rx  tOvn,  Kxi  h 
etvr-p  aifAxlx  tjpo- 
<pr,ruv  XXI  xyicov 
£v^iQy],  ^  z^xvruv 
Twv  Ij-^ecyiAiiiwv  £73"/ 


''  shall  the  sound  of  a 
*'  millstone  be  ever 
*'  heard  in  thee  more ; 

23"  And  the  light  of  a 
"  lamp  shall  never 
"  shine  in  thee  more  ; 
*'  And  the  voice  of 
"  bridegroom  and 
'*  bride  shall  never  be 
"  heard  in  thee  more  : 
"for  thy  merchants 
"  were  the  great  men 
"  of  the  earth  :  for  by 
*'  thy  sorcery  were  all 
*'  the  nations    led  a- 

24'*  stray  ;  And  in  her 
"  the  blood  of  pro- 
**  phets  and  of  saints 
"  was  found,  and  of 
"  all  who  have  been 
"  slaughtered  upon  the 
'«  earth/' 


Ver.  1.  After  these  things.']  The  angel  of  the 
Vials  having  fulfilled  the  purpose  for  which  he  had 
taken  the  Prophet  apart  into  the  wilderness  ;  to  shew 
him  ''the  harlot,"  the  mystical  Babylon,  whose  fall 
had  been  denounced  in  ch.  xiv.  8.  xv.  19;  the  same 
scenery  is  renewed,  which  had  attended  the  exhibi- 
tion of  the  Y/arnings  and  Vials.  Heaven  is  again 
restored  to  view,  and  the  angels  descend  to  perform 
the  parts  allotted  them.  The  prophecy  now  to  be 
produced,  is  connected  with  ch.  xiv.  8,  where  the 
same  words  are  used  by  the  angel,  who  proclaims 
the  fall  of  Babylon,     That  which  is  there  said  in  few 

words, 


445  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VL  §  4. 

words,  is  now  particularly  described.  It  is  a  sequel 
also  to  the  seventeenth  chapter,  in  which  the  angel 
proposed  to  shew,  not  only  Babylon,  the  great  harlot, 
but  also  her  judgment;  which  is  now  pronounced. 
It  is  connected  also  with  the  seventh  Vial ;  for  it  is 
here,  that  '^  Babylon  is  remembered,'^  as  was  promised 
under  that  Vial  * ;  her  plagues  are  come,  and  she  is 
finally  destroyed  by  fire,  as,  in  eh.  xvii,  it  was  said 
she  shall  be. 

Ver.  2.  An  habit aiion  of  Dcemoiis,']  The  mystical 
Babylon,  like  the  ancient  and  literal  one  its  type,  is 
to  be  utterly  destroyed.  And  when  the  utter  destruc- 
tion of  a  city  is  denounced  in  Scripture,  the  site  of 
that  city  is  commonly  described  as  becoming  the 
haunt  and  habitation  of  wild  beasts,  and  of  such 
loathsome  reptiles,  as  are  found  in  the  forsaken  ruins 
of  a  city.  (See  for  examples,  Isa.  xiii.  20—22 ; 
xxxiv.  10—16.  Jer.  ix.  11  ;  li.  37.)  On  one  of  these 
passages  it  is  observed  by  Bishop  Lowth,  that  He- 
brew words  expressive  of  such  animals  are  trans- 
lated in  the  Septuagint  by  the  word  Aai/xov;«,  which  is 
used  heref. 

Ver.  3.  Because  all  the  7iations — &c.]  The  cause 
of  her  judgment  and  fall  is  assigned.  She  who,  as  a 
Church  of  Christ,  should  have  been  the  teacher  and 
preserver  of  pure  Religion  and  morality,  had  become 
the  seducer  and  corrupter  of  the  nations  and  their 
kings ;  and  had  set  the  example  of  that  insolent 
luxury,  disposing  to  irrellgion,  which  it  was  her  duty 
to  oppose  J.  It  v/iil  be  seen  clearly  from  this  verse, 
as  well  as  from  other  passages  of  this  chapter,  that 
the  great  harlot  of  the  seventeenth  chapter,  there  called 

*  Ch.  xvi.  19.  t  Bp.  Lowth  on  Is.  xxxiv.  14, 

X  See  Schleusner  or  Parkhurst  in  voc.  rf'jvo^. 

Babylon^ 


Chap,  xviii.]  apocalypse,  447 

Babylon,  and  the  Babylon  whose  judgment  is  here 
pronounced,  are  the  same.  The  same  intoxicating 
cup,  the  same  nations  and  kings  are  repeated  as  the 
causes  of  the  Divine  judgments  upon  her. 

*'  As  the  destruction  of  Rome  is  here  compared 
*'  to  the  destruction  of  Tyre^  we  easily  see  how  pro- 
'*  per  it  was,  to  describe  the  sins  of  Rome,  by  figures 
*^  taken  from  the  sins  of  Tyre,  The  profit  of  trade 
*'  created  a  commerce  between  that  city,  then  the 
*'  chief  mart  of  the  world,  and  all  nations;  so  that 
**  Tyre  spread  her  luxury  and  superstition,  far  and 
"  wide,  with  her  trade.  Rome,  in  like  manner, 
**  corrupted  distant  and  remote  nations,  by  reward- 
*'  ing  her  votaries  with  considerable  wealth,  encou- 
'*  raging  their  ambition  and  luxury ;  and  thus,  hke 
*'  Tyre  of  old,  she  made  her  corruptions  general,  and 
'*  almost  universal*." 

'*If,"  says  Bishop  Newton,  ''this  fall  of  Baby- 
**  Ion  Avas  effected  by  Totilas,  king  of  the  Ostro- 
**  goths,  as  Grotius  affirms,  or  by  Alaric,  king  of 
*' the  Visigoths,  as  the  Bishop  of  Meaux  contends; 
*'  how  can  Rome  be  said,  ever  since,  to  have  been  the 
**  habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul 
"  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful 
''  bird;  unless  they  will  allow  the  Popes  and  Cardi- 
"  nals  to  merit  these  appellations  t?" 

Ver.  4.  Come  out  of  her,  my  people.']  The  same 
commandino;  call  is  to  be  seen  in  Jer.  li.  6,  which  is 
again  repeated  after  the  fall  of  the  literal  Babylon  +. 
Of  this  injunction,  great  use  was  made  by  the  Re- 
formers.     The  sentence  of  retaliation  is   to  be  seen 

*  Lowman  on  the  ReA-elation,  p.  219. 

+  Dissert,  on  Tropb.  iii,  312.  X  2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18. 

also 


44-8  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  4. 

also  in  the  ancient  Prophets  *.  To  God  alone,  **  Ven- 
"  geance  belongeth;"  he  is  to  reward  according  to 
their  doings ;  yet  man  may  be  employed  to  execute 
vengeance  :  and  the  kings  of  the  western  world  seem 
designed  for  this  work  f . 

Ver.  7.  /  am  seated  as  a  Qiceen.l  The  same  ima- 
gery is  used  in  Isaiah  xlvii ;  which  prophecy  con- 
tains the  divine  judgment  on  the  literal  Babylo7i. 

Ver.  8.  With  fire  shall  she  be  utterly  burned.]  This 
sentence  imports  utter  destruction  :  for,  where  fire  has 
holden  its  complete  course,  no  particles  of  the  former 
mode  of  existence  remain. 

Ver.  9.  The  Idjigs  of  the  eai^th.]  It  is  remarkable, 
that  the  kings  are  described,  in  chap,  xvii,  as  the  in- 
struments of  destruction  to  the  spiritual  Babylon ;  yet 
here  they  are  represented  as  mourning  her  fall.  The 
event  will  shew  the  completion  of  both  prophecies. 
It  is  far  from  improbable,  that  they  who  from  envy, 
and  an  avaricious  desire  of  her  spoils,  delight  to 
destroy  Babylon,  may  afterwards  lament  the  fall  of 
her  who  supported  their  own  power. — But  we  must 
not  prophesy. 

Ver.  10.  Alas!  alas!]  The  use  of  the  Greek 
word  mij  acci,  alas !  alas  1  or  woe !  woe !  in  this 
passage,  has  suggested  to  some  commentators,  that 
under  this  part  of  the  prophecy  is  contained  the  ihi?^d 
zvoe,  whose  period  and  character  are  not  clearly  de- 
scribed. This  notion  has  been  entertained  on  a  very 
false  foundation.  It  has  no  other  ground  or  colour 
of  support,  than  these  two  adverbial  interjections^ 
which  occur,  as  they  must  occur,  in  many  other  pas- 
sages.    The  three  woes,   coming  under  the  Trumpets> 

*  Psalm  cxxxvii.    Jer,  1,  15 — 17,  29  ;  li.  24.  49. 
t  Ch.  xvii.  1(). 

are 


Chap,  xviii.]  apocalypse.  449 

are  woes  on  the  Chris  an  Church;  this,  if  it  be  a 
woe,  is  a  woe  upon  its  enemy  and  persecutor;  over 
whose  fall  we  are  invited,  by  the  angel,  not  to  lament 
as  for  a  woe,  but  to  rejoice  as  on  deliverance*.  The 
third  woe  is  announced,  but  is  never  described.  It 
comes  secretly.  It  may  perhaps  be  seen,  felt,  and  ac- 
knowledged, before  the  final  fall  of  Antichrist ;  be- 
fore the  1260  years  are  expired. 

lb.  7/2  one  hour.]  This  is  repeated  three  times  in 
the  course  of  this  prophecy  of  the  judgement  on  Ba- 
bylon; and  is  generally  understood  to  signify,  that 
the  desolation  of  Babylon  shall  come  suddenly.  But 
this  does  not  agree  with  the  present  appearance  of  the 
event,  as  exhibited  in  history.  Babylon  seems  to  de- 
cline, and  wear  away  gradually ;  according  to  the 
prophecy  of  Daniel,  ch.  vii.  26.  See.  Mr.  Wintle's 
translation,  agreeing  with  the  Greek  of  the  Septua- 
gint,  **  to  be  wasted  and  destroyed  unto  the  end." 
*'  In  one  hour^''  seems  to  mean,  in  one  uninterrupted 
period  of  tijne,  whether  it  be  of  longer  or  shorter  con- 
tinuance ;  it  is  not  said  in  one  moment,  in  one  point 
of  time. 

Ver.  11.  The  merchants — &c.]  The  lamentation  of 
the  kiiigs  shews  the  extreme  height  of  worldly  power 
to  which  the  mystical  Babylon  had  arrived;  the 
mourning  of  the  merchants,  her  extreme  wealth  and 
hLvury.  As  Babylon,  of  the  ancient  world,  was  her 
type  for  power  and  dominion,  so  was  Tyre  for  mer- 
cantile riches  f.  The  enumeration  of  the  articles  of 
trade  by  which  this  Babylon  is  described  as  making  an 
iniquitous  profit,  has  something  in  it  very  peculiar  and 
striking.     It  proceeds  by  a  climax,  or  gradation,  from 

♦  Ver.  20.  |  See  Isa.  xxiii.  Ezek,  xxvi.  xxvii.  xxviii. 

Q,  Q  one 


450  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VL  §  4. 

one  article  to  another,  till  it  rises  to  the  bodies,  and 
then  to  "  the  sviils  of  men  J'  Can  we  avoid  recalling 
to  memory  the  purgatory,  the  penances,  the  commu- 
tations, the  indulgences,  made  saleable  in  the  corrupt 
papal  church  ? 

Ver.  12.  Fine  linen.']  It  is  not  necessary,  respect- 
ing this  passage,  to  determine  the  contested  point, 
whether  C^v^aog  was  used  to  signify  linen,  or  cotton. 
It  is  plain  from  the  context,  as  also  from  Lukexvi.  1<), 
that  it  was  the  apparel  only  of  the  rich  ;  and  so  it  is 
here  coupled  with  purple,  scarlet,  silk,  &c.  which  were 
certainly  the  distinguishing  habits  of  the  opulent. 
Silk,  at  the  time  this  Revelation  was  delivered,  was  a 
very  rare  and  dear  commodity,  being  then  the  pro- 
duce only  of  China*. 

Ver.  17.  Every  pilot — &c.]  Here  is  presented  a 
third  company  of  mourners,  of  the  same  kind  with 
those  who  lamented  over  the  ancient  maritime  Tyre  f. 
That  these  should  be  so  affected,  shews  the  extent  of 
influence  which  the  mystical  Babylon  had  acquired  in 
distant  nations ;  for  she  corrupts  wheresoever  her  bane- 
ful commerce  can  be  extended.  The  reading  i%i  totov, 
restored  by  Griesbach,  seems  to  be  of  great  authority; 
in  confirmation  of  which  it  is  observed,  that  in  tlie 
Vulgate,  the  word  locum  w^as  antiently  read,  which 
lias  been  changed  to  lacum  ^,  It  does  not  howe\'cr 
appear  to  aflbrd  an  appropriate  sense ;  and  therefore, 
many  attempts  have  been  made  to  amend  the  reading ; 
but  it  is  not  very  material ;  for  the  context  shews  how 
it  is  to  begeneially  understood,  namely,  of  those  who 
sail  in  ships.  1  suspect  iin  totov  to  be  a  technical, 
maritime   phrase;    but  have   translated  it  as  if  writ- 

*  See  Gibbon,  Hist.  ch.  xl.  where  the  history  of  silk  is-collected. 
i  Ezek.  xxvii.  32.  J  Father  Simon. 

ten 


chap,  xvii!.]  apocalypse.  4Sl 

ten  €irt  To^  TOTTov .-  in  the   sense  in  which  the  ^thiopic 
version  seems  to  have  rendered  it. 

Ver.  20.  Rejoice  over  her,  O  heaven  ;  &c.]  The 
same  rejoicing  is  announced  upon  the  prophesied  fall 
of  the  ancient  Babylon*;  and  her  eternal  desolation 
is  represented  under  the  same  imagery  f.  **  But  what 
*'  reason  had  the  Christians  to  rejoice  over  the  calami- 
"  ties  brought  on  Rome  by  x\laric  or  Totiias ;  in  which 
**  they  themselves  were  the  principal  sufferers  ?  And 
*'  how  were  these  calamities  any  vindication  of  their 
"  cause,  or  of  the  cause  of  true  Religion '|.  ?" 

Ver.  21.  ^  st07ie — &c.]  Thus  also  the  ancient  Ba- 
bylon, condemned  never  to  rise  again,  is  described  as 
sinking,    like  a  stone,  in  Euphrates  §. 

Ver.  22.  The  voice  of  harpers,]  Here,  the  cheerful 
noise  heard  in  a  populous  city,  '*  the  busy  hum  of 
*'  men,"  is  poetically  described.  There  is  resem- 
blance to  the  great  poet's  description  of  a  joyous 
city  II .  But  so  entire  and  final  is  the  destruction  of 
Babylon,  that  these  shall  be  heard  in  her  no  rnoi^e  for 
ever.  The  prototype  of  this  description  is  to  be  seen 
in  Jer.  vii.  34;  xvi.  9;  xxv.  10;  xxxiii.  2.  But 
Rome,  as  Bishop  Newton  observes,  has  never  suffered 
this  utter  desolation.  She  has  often  been  captured 
and  plundered  by  the  enemy  ;  but  she  still  remains 
(says  he)  a  joyous  city,  the  resort  of  strangers,  de- 
lighting Europe  with  her  music,  and  her  arts  ^.  I 
shall  not  pursue  the  learned  Prelate  in  his  endeavours 
to  prove  that  modern  Rome  is  to  be  destroyed  by 
fire,  literally  understood.  Fire,  in  prophetic  language, 
implies  utter  destruction ;  and  it  is  the  corruption,   the 

*  Jer.  li.  48.  t  Jer.  li.  64-. 

X  Bishop  Newton,  Dissert,  on  Propb.  vol.  iii.  p.  317. 

§  Jer.  li.  6:^,  64.  |1  Hum.  Iliad,  lib.  xviii.  4^0 

IT  Dissert,  iii.  317. 

Q  Q  2  superstition, 


452  APOCALYPSE,  [Ft.  VI.  §  4. 

superstition,  and  usurped  dominion  of  Rome,  which 
are  to  be  utterly  destroyed,  not  her  buildings.  She 
is  Babylon  in  a  spiritual  sense;  and  in  a  spiritual 
sense  it  is,  that  she  is  to  be  burned  and  consumed, 
^^  even  unto  the  end." 

Ver.  23 — 24.  Sorcei^y — blood  of  prophets.']  We  have 
here  two  distinguishing  marks  of  this  corrupt  Church, 
which  have  been  before  noticed: — 1.  The  arts  of  de- 
ception, like  the  sorceries  and  incantations  of  the 
heathen  priests,  by  which  she  has  beguiled  the  nations 
and  their  kings  : — 2.  Her  tyranny,  by  which  she  has 
persecuted,  even  to  tortures  and  death,  those  who 
refuse  her  yoke.  And  as  the  blood  of  the  prophets 
was  required  of  the  ancient  Jerusalem  ;  so  is  the  blood 
of  the  Christian  Saints  and  Martyrs,  from  this  corrupt 
city*. 

The  denunciation  of  the  judgement  of  Babylon, 
contained  in  this  speech  of  the  angel,  seems  princi- 
pally intended  for  the  support  and  comfort  of  the 
poor,  persecuted  Christian  Church,  during  the  high 
zenith  of  tlie  Antichristian  usurpation.  To  answer 
this  purpose  the  more  effectually,  almost  every  part 
of  the  prophecy  is  taken  from  tlie  prophetical  denun- 
ciations of  the  Old  Testament,  against  Babylon,  Tyre, 
&c.  which  were  known  to  have  been  literally  fulfilled. 
No  other  method  could  afford  such  perfect  confidence 
to  those,  who,  in  the  new  Babylon,  clearly  discover- 
ed the  tj^ranny  and  wickedness  o^  the  old  one.  And 
from  the  time  that  Papal  Roine  was  acknowledged  to 
be  this  new  Babylon,  (and  this  discovery  was  made 
early  in  the  twelfth  century  |,)  great  must  have  been 
the  encouragement  derived  to  the  Reformers  from  this 
chapter  of  the  Apocalypse. 

*  Lukexi.  50,51. 

t  See  Mede,p.  5\7.  722,  &c.  Thuani  Hist.  lib.  vi.  c.  1(). 


Ch.  xix.    1  — 10.]  APOCALYPSE. 


453 


PART    VI. 


SECTION     V. 


Exultation  m  Heaven  over  the  fallen  Babijlon,  and  upon 
the  approach  of  the  nexv  Jerusalem. 


1  Ms1«  toZtx  TiKHda. 

us  (puvm  0%A8  ZjOX- 

px'iu,  Xsfoyluv'  'AA- 

KXt  y)  ^'j^x,  KXi  ri 
9VVXf/.fS   t5   0«5  i5- 

2  /M.WV*  "Or/  oiXviOivx] 

J^  ^IKXtXI  XI  ■H.^ldZiS 

aurS*  or/  s'x^-ivs  t-^v 
CTo^iojv  T^v  fxiyx- 
^.TiYj-nriSE^Osi^sTrtv 
yijjf  £v  Tvj  'iuopviix 
avrr^Sj  iCj  l^eoiyiyiiye 
TO  a//>Kaf  tZ'V  ^iXuv 

3  TTjy.  Ka<  JgyTEiC'oji 
ifpyjKOCv'  ^AXKriXiise.' 
x«<  0  ytXTFf OS  auTYis 
dvxCatm  sis  ras 
uiuvxs  ruv  ai'Jjvuy. 

4  Kx^i  e'TTscrov  o'l 'vj^ea-- 
Cvrs^oi  o<  t'lKQcrt 
ria-<ra^ss,  Kxi  rx 
tiacrxqx  ^a5a>  x«< 
'^j^oasavvioo-xy  t<w 
©fa?  Ta;  >ia9viiJ,svaj 
Itti  ra  ^povUt  ^f- 
yovles*  ^A[JLV)v'  'AA- 

5  >:r{Kiiix,    K<c<  ^WF^ 


CHAP.  XIX.    VER.   1 10. 

1  After  these  things,  I 
heard,  as  it  were,  a 
loud  voice  of  a  great 
multitude  in  heaven, 
saying,  "  Allelujah  ! 
**  the  salvation,  and 
*•  the  glory,  and  the 
**  power  of  our  God  ! 

2  "  for,  true  and  righte- 
*'  ous  are  his  judg- 
"  ments  ;  for,  he  hath 
"  judged  the  great 
**  harlot,  which  did 
«<  corrupt  the  earth 
"  with  her  fornication; 
*'  and  hath  avenged 
"  the  blood  of  his  ser- 
*'  vants  at  her  hand." 

3  And  again  they  said, 
*' Allelujah!"  And  the 
smoke  of  her  as- 
cend eth  for  ever  and 

4  ever.  And  the  twenty- 
four  elders,  and  tiie 
four  living-creatures 
fell  down,  and  wor- 
shipped God  who  sit- 
teth  on  the  throne, 
saying,   "  Amen  !  Al- 

5  *'  lelujaii  TAnd  a  voice 


1  And  after  these  things 
1  heard  a  great  voice 
of  much  people  in  hea- 
ven, saying ;  Alleluia ; 
Salvation,  and  glory, 
and  honour,  and  pow- 
er unto  the  Lord  our 

2  God :  For,  true  and 
righteous  crehis  judge- 
ments; for  he  hath 
judged  the  great  whore, 
which  did  corrupt  the 
earth  with  her  fornica- 
tion; and  hath  avenged 
the  blood  of  his  ser- 
vants   at     her    hand. 

3  And  again  they  said. 
Alleluia.  And  her 
smoke  rose  up  for  ever 

4  and  ever.  And  the 
four-and-twenty  ciders, 
and  the  four  beasts,  fell 
down  and  worshipped 
God  that  sat  on  the 
throne, saying;  Amen; 

5  Alleluia.  And  a  voice 
came  out  of  the  throne, 
saying;  Praise  our 
God,  all  ye  his  ser- 
vants, and  ye  that  fear 


454 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VI.  §  5. 


Xiyao-x'  AIvbTts  to? 
0£ov  T,y.iuy  'Zoa(,v\ss 
01  ouXoi  «yra,  ct 
<poQd[xzvoi   ocvrov  ci 

G  Ka<  vycaa-'cx.  us  (pu- 

w?  ^'jjvriv  voa.rxy 
TSoXXZvf  a^i  us 
(puvriV  fi^ovliiv  i<T- 
yvpuVf  Xfyov/as* 
'AXXijXsi'a*  on  l- 
Qota-'iXtvfTi  Kv^i^ 
0  ©eoy  i7/xft}v  0  'cray- 

(xsv  KUi  oiyaXXiu;- 
f/,z9xy  )c  oxi/.iv  ry,v 
^o|aji  xCtZ'  on  riA- 
Bev  0  ydifji.©^  tS 
apv/tf,  >^  5?  7i;v^  aj- 

tS       ftTo'llJiXtJiy       i' 

acvrf.f  'I'voi  zjs^iCa.- 
AW/  (^vaa-ivov  x«- 
Qx^ov  ^  Koc^tZfov' 
TO  7ap  ^vya-ivovf 
tat  viK(m!J(/.xici  It  I 

9  Twv    tcyt'uv,       Kai 

^-ov*    Moix.a.^101    ol 

e/f     TO       OfiTTVOV     T» 

ya/x8  Ta  «f  v/s  x£- 
ic\viJ.ivot.  Ka;  Ae- 
7«  /xo<*  OuTO/  ol 
Xoyoi   dXY,9ivoi   sl(Ti 

10  T«  0£tf.  Ka<  eVs- 
&ov's[ji'rr^o6Q£y  rav 
Z}ooiov  ocv'rZ  '^^oc- 

XVYr;f7Xl    av  tZ'    xxl 

"Kiyii  //..r  "Ofoi  [x-n. 


from  the  throne 
carae  forth,  saving; 
*'  Praise  our  God,  all 
"  ye  his  servants,  ye 
"  who  fear  liim,  both 
"  small     and    great." 

6  And  I  heard  as  it  were, 
a  voice  of  a  great  mul- 
titude, and  us  a  voice 
of  many  waters,  and 
as  a  voice  of  mighty 
thunderings,  saying ; 
"  AUelujah!  for,  the 
"  Lord  our  God  the 
*'  Omnipotent     reign- 

7  "eth.  Let  us  be  glad, 
"  and  rejoice,  and  give 
*'  the  glory  to  him; 
*'  for  the  marriage  of 
*'  the  Lamb  is  come, 
"  and  his  Wife  hath 
"  prepared        herself. 

S  "  And  it  hath  been 
"  given  to  her,  that 
"  she  should  be  ar- 
*'  rayed  in  fine  linen, 
"  pure  and  bright :  for, 
"  the  fine  linen  is  the 
"  righteousness  of  the 

9  "  saints."  And  he 
saith  unto  me, "  Write; 
*'  Blessed  are  they  who 
"  are  called  to  the 
"  marriage- supper  of 
"  the  Lamb."  And 
he  saith  unto  me, 
"  These  are  the  true 

10"  wdrdsofGbd:"  And 
I  fell  down  before  his 
feet  to  worship  him : 
and  he  saith  unto  me, 


him,   both   small    and 

6  great.  And  I  heard' 
as  it  were  the  voice  of 
a  great  multitude,  and 
as  the  voice  of  many 
waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  mighty  thun- 
derings, saying ;  AUe, 
luia:  for  the  Lord  God 
Omnipotent  reigneth. 

7  Let  us  be  glad  and  re- 
joice, and  give  honour 
to  him :  for,  the  mar- 
riage of  the  Lamb  is 
come,  and  his  wife  hath 
made    herself    ready, 

8  And  to  her  was  gran  ti- 
ed, that  she  should  be 
ai'rayed  in  fine  linen, 
clean  and  white:  for, 
the  fine  linen  is  the 
righteousness  of  saints. 

9  A  nd  he  saith  unto  me ; 
Write,  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  called  unto 
the  marriage-supper  of 
the  Lamb.  And  he 
saith  unto  me.  These 
are  the  true  sayings  of 

lOGod.  And  I  fell  at 
his  feet  to  worship 
him :  And  he  said  unto 
me  ;  See  thou  do  it  not : 
I  am  thy  fellow- ser- 
vant, and  of  thy  bre- 
thren that  have  the 
testimony  of  Jesus : 
worship  God :  for  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  is 
the  spirit  of  prophecy. 


Ch.  xix.  1 — 10.]  APOCALYPSE. 


455 


f'locy   Ta  'l>)(7»'    Tw 
GvZ    zjpodKvyiorov* 

Ivicra  Ift  TO  TJVivfAX 


"  See  thou  do  it  not ; 
"  I  am  a  fellow-ser- 
*'  vant  with  thee,  and 
**  with  ihj  brethren, 
"  who  hold  the  testi- 
"  mony  of  Jesus:  wor- 
**  snip  God ;  for,  the 
"  testimony  of  Jesus 
"  is  the  spirit  of  pro- 
''  phecy." 


Ver.  1.  And  after  these  things;  Sec]  In  the 
^Oth  verse  of  the  last  chapter,  Heaven,  as  described 
in  ch.  iv,  and  the  Saints,  who  are  stationed  in  grand 
chorus  before  the  throne  *,  are  exhorted  to  rejoice  over 
the  fall  of  Babylon.  The  representation  of  this  fall 
being  now  completed,  we  hear  the  choral  song. 

lb.  Allelujahi]  II eb.  Praise  ye  Jehovah  !  a  word 
of  holy  exultation,  which  hath  passed  into  many  lan- 
guages even  of  the  heathens,  both  ancient  and  modern  f . 
This  song  of  praise  breaks  forth  on  the  fall  of  the 
harlot, — of  Babylon  ;  and  as  she  falls  by  the  last  Vial, 
it  has  retrospect  to  that  Vial,  and  to  the  rest,  which 
are  preparatory  to  her  fall. 

Ver.  4.  And  the  tzventy-four  elders;  &c.]  The 
song  of  praise  is  begun  by  the  redeemed  Saints,  in  con- 
junction probably  with  the  innumerable  company  of, 
angels  %,  The  elders,  and  the  cherubim,  who  are  near 
the  throne,  sing  the  antiphonal  '^  Allelujah,  Amen.'' 
Thus  the  song  beginning,  from  the  lowest,  advances 
to  the  highest  orders  of  heavenly  beings  §  ;  from  **  the 

*  Ch.  XV.  2.  t  See  Schleusner  or  Parkhurst,  in  voc. 

X  See  notes,  ch,  iv.  9,  10. 

4  And  therefore  the  elders  are  mentioned  here  before  the  cherubim, 
?is  observed  in  note,  ch.  iv.  6.  9« 

*'  redeemed 


456  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VI.  §  5. 

''redeemed  from  amongst  men,"  to  the  cherubim,  who 
are  "  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  around  the  throne," 
(ch.  iv.  6)  ;  till  at  length  a  voice  proceeds  from  the  throne 
itself*,  joining  in  the  same  harmony,  and  exhorting 
all  the  servants  of  God,  of  every  rank  and  degree,  to 
praise  Him,  The  exhortation  is  imii^ed lately  obeyed. — 
And  magnificent  is  the  effect,  when  all  unite  their  ac- 
cordant voices,  to  sing  praise  to  the  Almighty  King; 
who,  by  destroying  the  impure  harlot,  (which  had 
usurped  the  name  of  his  Church  upon  earth,)  had  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  Virgin-Bride,  the  true  Church, 
who  is  now  to  be  owned  and  espoused  publicly  by  her 
Kedeemer. 

Ver.  7.  The  jyiar^iage  of  the  Lamb  is  come.]  The 
holy  and  mystical  union  of  Christ  with  his  Church,  is 
frequently  mentioned  in  Scripture f.  The  harlot, 
pretending  to  be  that  spouse  J,  having  been  now  con- 
victed of  fornication  with  the  worldly  powers;  having 
been  judged,  and  eternally  discarded  ;  the  attention  in 
Heaven  and  earth  is  naturally  turned  to  that  chaste 
and  pure  Virgin  §,  who  is  now  to  be  presented  to  her 
Lord.  The  choral  song  brings  her, to  view;  arrayed, 
not  ^^  in  purple  and  scarlet,  and  gold  and  precious 
''stones;"  not  in  worldly  splendour,  like  the  harlot ; 
but  in  the  pure,  simple,  but  resplendent  garments,  which 
are  the  clothing  of  the  heavenly  inhabitants  ||.  She 
had  "  washed  her  garments,  and  made  them  white,  in 
"  the  blood  of  the  Lauib  ^."  By  faith  in  her  Redeemer, 
she  is  become  righteous : — for,  this  is  "  the  fine  linen, 
"  the  righteousness  of  the  saints." 

*  Ver.  5. 

+  Jsaiah,  liv.  5.     Jer.  iii.  14.     Hos.  ii.  19,  20.     Malt.  xxii.  xxv. 
2  Cor.  xi.  2.     Eph.  v.  22—32.  |  Ch.  xviii.  l6.         §  2  Cor.  xi.  2. 

II  Matt,  xxviii,  3.     llev.  iv.  4 ;  iii.  5,  where  see  the  note;  xv.  6. 
IT  Ch.  vii.  13. 

Ver. 


Ch.  xix.  1 — 10.]  APOCALYPSE.  457 

Ver.  9.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  IVrite.]  From  the 
first  opening  of  the  vision,  which  exhibits  *'  the  judg- 
''  7?ient  of  the  great  harlot,''  an  angel,  one  of  the  seven, 
had  graciously  accompanied  the  prophet,  explaining  to 
him  the  mystery  ;  (xvii.  7).  This  vision  now  closes 
with  the  triumphal  chorus  in  heaven.  The  angel  then 
orders  him  to  write  what  he  had  seen  ;  which  was  to  be 
delivered  to  the  seven  Churches,  and  not  to  be  sealed 
or  suppressed  with  the  prophecy  of  the  seven  thunders*. 
He  then  fixes  the  attention  of  the  prophet,  and  of  those 
who  are  to  read  what  he  thus  Myites,  on  the  due  appli- 
cation of  what  is  now  represented.  *'  Blessed  are  they 
*^  who  are  called  to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  !" 
Blessed  are  they  who  by  the  grace  of  God,  co-operating 
with  their  own  endeavours,  "  make  their  calHng  and 
^'  election  surcf ;"  who,  having  on  the  '*  wedding-gar- 
*' ment"  of  righteousness  J:,  become  entitled  to  '*  sit 
**  down  to  meat"  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  §.  The 
angel  then  concludes  with  this  solemn  assurance: 
"  These  are  the  true  words  of  God."  All  that  thou  hast 
now  heard  and  seen,  will  assuredly  come  to  pass. 

Ver.  10.  And  I  fell  dozen  before  his  feet ;  &c.] 
The  prophet,  affected  with  astonishment  at  what  he 
had  beholden  and  heard,  and  with  veneration  and  gra- 
titude towards  his  heavenly  conductor,  follows  the  na- 
tural bent  of  his  feelings ;  and  falls  down  before  the 
angel,  to  express  them,  after  the  custom  of  the  eastern 
nations.  But  the  angel  renounces  this  kind  of  adora- 
tion, ranking  himself  only,  where  other  intimations  of 
Scripture  have  placed  him  and  his  fellow-angels,  *'  as  a 
*^  ministering  spirit,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who 
^*  shall  be  heirs  of  Salvation  ;"   (Heb.  i.  14).     The  pro- 

*  Ch.  X.  4.  t  2  Pet.  i.  10. 

X  Matt.  xxii.  11.  §  Lukexii.  37. 

hibition 


458  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.    VI.    §  5, 

hibition  to  worship  angels,  or  any  other  being  than 
God,  is  repeated  in  chapter  xxii.  9,  and,  thus  repeated, 
seems  to  contain  a  very  strong  injunction  against  that 
angel-worship  in  which  a  great  part  of  the  Christian 
-world  has  been  involved. 

lb.  The  testimoyiy  of  Jesus  is  the  spWit  of  prophecy,'] 
My  office  (says  the  angel)  for  M'hich  you  honour  me,  is 
of  the  same  kind  with  yours :  I  support  the  testimony 
of  Jesus,  by  bringing  prophecy  from  heaven;  you  and 
your  fellow-servants  perform  the  same  duty  on  earth, 
supporting  the  same  testimony,  by  preaching,  confes- 
sion, martyrdom,  &c. ;  even  in  the  present  instance,  we 
axe  fellows  er'o  ants  of  the  same  Lord.  I  shew  to  thee 
the  vision  from  Heaven ;  thou  writest  it  for  the  use  of 
those  who  inhabit  the  Earth.  Let  us  both  worship 
God,  and  God  only. 


PART 


[    459    ] 


THE 


APOCALYPSE,    &c. 


PART    VII. 
Section  i. 


The  Lord  descends  to  Battle  and  Victory, 


IiKai     i%v     Tov 

a^acvov   oivsuy^ivovy 

)y  0  x»0>?/^Ev3-  In 

^£   o(p9oiXp(.oi   »lru 

j^  lirt  rv)v  MipuXv)v 
uvt5  ^ix^ri(ji,xrix 
CJoXXa*  i^ojv  ovoyix 

T^  »        \      >    , 

o<w£v,  £;  [jif)  ocvros. 

•nxXiiroti  ro  ovo(jlx 
avTH'  'O  Ao-y©-  t5 

revfAxlx   Iv   ru    a- 


CHAP.  xix.  VBR.  11 — 18< 

1 1  And  I  saw  heaven 
opened,  and  lo!  a 
white  horse !  and  he 
who  sate  upon  him, 
called  Faithful  and 
True ;  and  in  righte- 
ousness doth  he  judge 

12 and  make  war;  his 
eyes  [as]  a  flame  of 
fire,  and  on  his  head 
many  diadems,  having 
a  name  written,  which 
no   one    knoweth  but 

13  himself:  And  clothed 
with  a  garment  dipped 
in  blood :  and  his 
name  is  called  the 
WORD     OF     GOD. 

14  And  the  armies  which 
were  in  heaven,  follow- 
ed him  upon  white 
horses,  clothed  in  fine 
white  linen  [and  pure]; 


11  And  I  saw  heaven 
opened;  and  behold, 
a  white  horse ;  and  he 
that  sat  upon  him  was 
called  Faithful  and 
True ;  and  in  righte- 
ousness he  doth  judge 

12  and  make  w^r.  His 
eyes  were  as  a  flame  of 
fire;  and  on  his  bead 
were  many  crowns ; 
and  he  had  a  name 
written,  thai  no  man 
knew  but  he  himself: 

13  And  he  was  clothed 
with  a  vesture  dipt  in 
blood  :  and  his  name 
is  called,  The  Word  of 

14  God.  And  the  armies 
v^ihich  were  in  heaven, 
followed  him  upon 
white  horses,  clothed 
in  fine  linen,  white  and 


460 

1 5  K«i  ly.  T«  <^ojxxi^ 
aura  iKiroevjirai 
fOfji^txtat  o^sTcc,  't'vx 
hixiT^  nyala^-n  to. 
iOvvi'  7^  atvros  zjot- 
(xxveT avr^s  h  fa.Q~ 
^f  a-i^YiqS.'  -Z  a.u- 
vos  'cyallsT  r-h  Kmov 
tS   o'lya    rS    ^v[j.h 

£'^<  To  ifjiocriov  xai 
»9r»  Toy  yivt^ov  schra 
ovofcoi  ysy^au.fxiyov* 
Bxa-iKsvs  ^xuiXiojv 

9^     Kl)f/©^     KVPl'uV. 

iTKtxi  sjoov  hx  oilyi- 
hav    l^a/rx    h    tm 

a  Tots  o^vsots  rot's 
^ilioyuSTiOis  h  (xzaa- 
§x)t-^(ji.xli'AeuTs  (Tvv- 

vov  TO  [/.iya  t5  ©f«* 

1 8'  Ivx  ^xyoie  aafaxs 

pxariKzuVj  y^  cap.. 

<rdpx.xs  icr^j^uJVf  yL 
a-aeycxs  'I'Tinxwi  y.a\ 

avruvy  KXi  (rapuxs 
iD'avlwv,  IXivQipxy  Tt 

xjxi  fXEytiXuv. 


APOCALYPSE. 

15  And  out  of  his  mouth 
goeth  a  sharp  sword, 
that  ^vith  it  he  should 
smile  the  nations:  and 
he  shall  rule  them  with 
an  iron  rod  :  and  he 
treadeth  the  press  of 
the  wine  of  the  anger 
[and  indignation]  of 
the  Almighty    [God]. 

l6And  he  hath  upon  his 
garment,  and  upon  his 
thigh,  a  name  written, 
KING  OF  KINGS,  and 
LORD    or     LORDS ! 

17  And  I  saw  one  angel 
standing  in  the  sun : 
and  he  cried  out  with 
a  loud  voice,  saying  to 
all  the  birds,  which 
fly  between  heaven  and 
earth;  **  Come,  be  ga- 
''  thered  together  to 
"  the  great  supper  of 

18"  God  ;  That  ye  may 
*'  eat  flesh  of  kings, 
"  and  flesh  of  com- 
"  nianders,  and  flesh 
**  of  mighty  men,  and 
**  flesh  of  horses»  and 
'•  of  those  who  ride 
"  upon  them,  even 
''  flesh  of  all,  both 
"  of  freemen  and  of 
"  slaves,  both  of  small 
"  and  of  great." 


[Pt.  VII.  §  1 


15  clean.  And  out  of  his 
mouth  goeth  a  sharp 
sword,  that  with  it  he 
should  smite  the  na- 
tions: and  he  shall 
rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron  :  and  he  tread- 
eth the  wine-press  of 
the  fierceness  and 
wrath     of     Almighty 

l6"God.  And  he  hath  on 
his  vesture,  and  on  his 
thigh  a  name  written^ 
King  of  kixgs,  and 

17  Lord  OF  LORDS.  And 
I  sav/  an  angel  stand- 
ing in  the  sun  :  and  he 
cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying  to  all  the  fowls 
that  fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,  Come  and 
gather  yourselves  to- 
gether unto  the  supper 

18  ofthe  great  God;  That 
ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of 
kings,  and  the  flesh  of 
captains,  and  the  flesh 
of  mighty  men,  and  the 
flesh  of  horses,  and  of 
them  that  sit  on  them, 
and  the  flesh  of  all 
men,  both  free  and 
bond,  both  small  and 
great. 


Oiap,  xix.  II — 18.]       APOCALYPSE.  46l 

We  are  now  arrived  at  that  signal  and  expected 
point  of  the  prophecy,  to  which  the  preceding  parts 
seem  principally  to  tend,  and  in  which  they  have  their 
completion ;  the  grand  and  decisive  combat  between  the 
Christian  and  aiitichristian  powers.  Here  the  seven 
Seals,  seven  Trumpets,  seven  Vials,  and  all  their  accom- 
panying warnings,  unite.  Heaven  opens,  and  the  white 
horse  appears, 

Qiialis  ab  incepto  processerat ; — et  sibi  constat. 

He  is  the  same  white  horse,  whom  we  saw  proceeding 
on  his  career  of  victory,  in  the  early  part  of  the  vision; 
whose  rider  **  went  forth  conquering,  and  for  to  coU' 
'*  quer''',''  He  has  been  pursuing  his  destined  course, 
though  not  always  equally  in  sight; — he  now  appears 
again  in  more  splendid  array.  The  Christian  Church, 
again  pure  (fv  AfUKo/^^),  sees  her  Messiah  in  person,  lead- 
ing her  forces,  and  fighting  her  battles.  ''  Faithful 
**  and  true''  to  his  promises  f,  he  now  gives  more  mani- 
fest assistance  to  the  cause  of  his  Religion.  And  while  he 
confounds  and  destroys  his  enemies,  it  is  apparent,  that 
'*  his  judgments  are  righteous,''  He  appears  in  this 
passage  as  a  dreadful  warrior ;  yet  there  is  little  new 
in  the  description;  we  acknowledge  the  s^me  King  of 
kings  v/hom  we  have  before  seen  in  other  parts  of  the 
prophecy  J.     The   epithets,   elsewhere  applied  to  the 

IVIessiah, 

*  Ch.  vi.  1.  +  Matt,  xxviii.  20.  Rev.  i.  6\  iii.  14. 

X  This  title  is  attributed  to  the  conquering  Messiah,  in  ch.  xvii.  14. 
The  conquerors  of  the  East  had  vainly  usurped  it.  On  a  tombstone  of 
Cyrus  in  the  city  of  Pasargadae  was  a  Persic  inscription  ending  with  this 
Greek  line, 

Here  am  I  buried,  Cyrus,  king  of  kings. 

Strabo,  lib.  15.  p.  100. 
The 


46^  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  Vll.  §  1 

Messiah,  are  here  collected,  and  so  arranged  as  to  dis- 
play his  glory,  his  power,  and  his  anger,  terrible  to  his 
unrepentant  foes.  He  leads  his  armies,  the  faithful 
and  pure  Christians  *,  to  assured  victory ;  victory  so 
decisive,  that  none  of  his  enemies  escape.  The  birds, 
who  prey  on  flesh,  are  bidden  to  a  banquet  on  their 
carcases  f .  The  angel  stationed  in  the  sun,  betokening 
the  light  and  knowledge  which  shall  then  beam  upon 
mankind,  invites  all  the  world  to  join  true  Religion, 
and  partake  the  victory. 

The  Asiatic  monarchs  followed  the  example;  and  medals  also  of 
Parthian  kings,  of  Tigranes,  of  Pharnaces,  &c.,  are  found  with  the  same 
title  inscribed.  Pinkerton  on  Medals,  vol,  i.  p.  203.  —  See  oh.  i.  14. 
16;  ii.  12.  17,  18.27;  iii.  7.  12.  14;  xiv.  19,  20;  xvii.  14;  and  the 
jDotfes.     Compare  also  Is.  lix.  Ixv.  17.  Ixiii.  1,  &c. 

♦  Ch.  xii.  13.  xix.  8.  t  Ezek.  xxxix.  17,  18. 


PART    VII. 


SECTION    II. 


The  Cd7iflicf,  and  the  Victor^/  over  the  IVild-beast  and 
his  False  Prophet. 


CHAP.  XIX.  VER,  19 — to  the  end. 


19  Ka<  eToov  to  ^n^tovf 

^Kocrx  avrZv  avvyiy- 
l^-ivu,  'syoivi(roci  tso- 
?\t(A.ov  iA,flci  tS  xa- 

£0  fAatl©*  alrv,    Kui 


19  And  I  saw  the  wild- 
beast  and  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  their 
armies,  gathered  toge- 
ther to  make  war 
against  Him  who  sate 
upon  the  horse,   and 

20  against  his  army.  And 
the     wild-beast      was 


19 And  I  saw  the  beast, 
and  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  and  their  armies 
gathered  together  to 
make  war  against  him 
that  sat  on  the  horse, 
and  against  his  army. 

20  And  the  beast  was 
taken,  and  with   him 


Ch.  xix.    19 — 2].]  APOCALYPSE. 


463 


y.xi    0    /M,ET*  aJrS 


Covlar  TO  •^a^aljw.at 

£/;toyi  aura'    C^ijvisS 
i'o  Arj-Jvicrtxy     oi    ovo 

us    TViV     Xlf/Dl^V    t5 

iffvpos  Tr)v  y.xtoixsyy]¥ 

Kx9ri{/,svii    Itti     r5 
la  T«  s'o/-^^*'^  ay- 

£>C   TUV    CX^KUV   XV' 

Twy. 


taken,  and  the  false 
prophet  who  -was  with 
him,  he  who  wrought 
the  wonders  before 
him,  by  which  he  de- 
ceived those  who  re- 
ceived the  mark  of  the 
beast,  and  who  wor- 
shipped his  image. 
These  two  were  cast 
alive  into  the  lake  of 
fire  burning  with  brim- 
21  stone.  And  the  rem- 
nant were  slain  by  the 
sword  of  Him  who  sate 
upon  the  horse,  which 
sxtjord  proceedeth  from 
his  mouth  :  and  all  the 
birds  were  filled  with 
their  flesh. 


the  false  prophet  that 
wrought  miracles  be- 
fore him,'  with  which 
he  deceived  them  that 
had  received  the  mark 
of  the  beast,  and  them 
that  worshipped  his 
image.  These  both 
were  cast  alive  into  a 
lake  of  fire  burning 
21  with  brimstone.  And 
the  remnant  were  slain 
with  the  sword  of  him 
that  sat  upon  the  horse; 
which  s-xord  proceeded 
out  of  his  mouth :  and 
all  the  fowls  were  fill- 
ed with  their  flesh* 


After  the  appearance  of  the  Messiah  and  his  armies, 
the  armies  of  the  worldly  powers,  under  the  beast,  the 
false  prophet,  and  the  kings,  who  are  *  mustered  by  the 
spirits  of  demons  to  the  great  battle  f,  come  in  view.  But 
the  conflict,  for  which  so  vast  preparation  had  been 
made,  is  finished  in  an  instantj.     The  leaders,  they  who 


*  Ch.  xvii.  13.  +  Ch.  xvi.  14-. 

X  There  is  great  propriety  and  sublimity,  in  this  rapidity  of  victory. 
An  invent'jr  would  probably  have  dwelt  upon  this  conflict,  and  have 
described  it  in  a  variety  of  detail :  but  this  is  a  victory  in  which  the 
arm  of  Omnipotence  is  displayed  ;  and  of  which  it  may  be  said  without 
extravagance, — A^enit,  vidit,  vicit. 

duriuar 


464'  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VIL  §  2. 

during  so  many  ages  had  abused  their  civil  and  eccle- 
siastical power,  are  taken,  and  consigned  to  that  ever- 
lasting prison,  to  which  such  offenders  were  originally 
doomed*  Their  followers,  both  small  and  great,  fall; 
and  are  utterly  destroyed  by  the  word  of  God'[, 

Thus,  the  kingdom  of  the  beast  and  false  prophet, 
of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  power,  administered  so 
long  and  so  abusivelj^,  comes  to  its  end;  and  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah,  and  of  righteousness,  is  established. 
This  is  that  happy  period,  the  theme  of  many  prophe- 
cies; which,  being  still  future,  it  is  presumptuous  to  ex- 
plain particularly :  yet  thus  far  we  may  generally  and 
safely  conclude,  that  as  we  have  already  seen  the  reign 
of  the  beast  and  false  prophet,  the  mystery  of  iniquity  J, 
so  exactly  foretold,  and  the  prophecy  so  wonderfully 
fulfilled ; — tyranny,  irreligion,  hypocrisy,  and  immora- 
lity triumphant  and  oppressive,  by  the  means  of  pre- 
tended commissions  from  heaven:  so,  this  usurpation 
will  be  utterly  destroyed ;  and  pure  Religion,  and  peace 
and  happiness,  succeed.  '^  The  wolf  shall  dwell  with 
*'  the  lamb,  and  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the 
**  kid;"  &c.  ''  They  shall  not  hurt  or  destroy  in  all 
"the  holy  mountain ; — the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
"  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the 
'*sea§." 

•  Ch.  xvii.  8.  Matt.  xxv.  41. 

f  Ch.i.  i6.  Compare  with  the  battle  here  represented  Isaiah  xxxiv. 
Jer.  vii.  32,  &c.  Ezek.  xxxix.  17,  &c.  Zeph.  i.  7.  See  also  Bishop 
Lowth  de  Sac.  Poes.  Heb.  lee.  xx. 

;  See  notes,  ch.  xiii.  §  Isaiah  xi.  &c. 


PART 


Cb.  XX.  1—3.] 


APOCALYPS] 


455 


PART    VII. 


SECTION     III. 


The  Dragon  taken  and  conjined. 


CHAP.  XX.    VER,   1 — 3. 


1  Ka<  eJdov  aiysXav 
xotiaQ xivovioi.  Ik  t» 

xKtTv  rns  aCva-au, 
i^  oiXvjiv  iJityxKm 
Itt*  r-nv  X^'P^  «y" 

2  tS.  K(*/  lyi^a,rv)<Tt 
TOV  o^dnovlUf  TOV 
oi^iv    TOV    afX^rov, 

arxlorvois,  kxi  edvtasv 
alrov   ^i\t»    £TV). 

3  Kgci  E^xKzt  xvrov 
s'ls  rriv  oiQvo-<Tot,  >c 
i)i\ei<7£y,  Kf  E7^pci- 
yiosv  Itrayu)  oivra, 
'ivx(A,n  zj\xyvi<Tvi  T« 

E0»3  £T/,  «%f<  TfiXe^T- 

^?  T(S6  %/A<a  I'tij*  >^ 
/:a£?«  TayT«  ^6?  oiV' 
Toy  >^v9Yiixt  (Aix^ov 
j^o'yov. 


1  And  I  saw  an  angel 
coming  down  from 
heaven,  having  the  key 
of  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  a  great  chain  in 

2  his  hand.  And  he  laid 
hold  on  the  dragon, 
(that  ancient  serpent, 
who  is  the  devil  and 
satan,)  and  bound  him 

3  a  thousand  years;  And 
cast  him  into  the  bot- 
tomless pit,  and  shut 
up  ;  and  set  a  seal  over 
him,  that  he  should 
deceive  the  nations  no 
more,  until  the  thou- 
sand years  should  be 
completed  :  and  after 
these,  he  must  be  loos- 
ed a  little  time. 


1  And  I  saw  an  angel 
come  down  from  hea- 
ven, having  the  key 
of  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  a  great  chain  in 

2  his  hand :  And  he  laid 
hold  on  the  dragon, 
that  old  serpent,  which 
is  the  devil  and  Satan, 
and  bound  him  a  thou- 

3  sand  years,  And  cast 
him  into  the  bottom- 
less pit,  and  shut  him 
up,  and  set  a  seal  upon 
him,  that  he  should 
deceive  the  nations  no 
more,  till  the  thousand 
years  should  be  fulfill- 
ed: and  after  that,  he 
must  be  loosed  a  little 
season. 


The  removal  of  the  beast  and  false  prophet  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  decline  of  impiety  and  wickedness,  and  by 
the  rapid  growth  of  true  Religion  and  Virtue.  This  i$ 
symbolically  displayed.  The  dragon,  that  ancient  foe 
of  man,  who,  under  the  disguise  of  a  serpent,  had  be- 

R  R  guiled 


466  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.    VII.  §  3. 

guiled  Eve;  who  had  lent  his  throne,  his  authority  and 
his  arts,  to  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet ;  to  mislead 
the  nations  and  their  kings  ^  ;  is  taken  and  confined. 
His  influence  upon  earth  is  wonderfully  diminished. 
And  this  important  object  is  accomplished  by  the  same 
superior  agency.  For,  though  an  angel  is  represented 
as  binding  satan,  yet,  whence  has  he  the  commission 
and  the  power?  whence  the  key  of  the  bottomless  deep, 
but  from  him  who  alone  is  described,  as  having  *^the 
"  keys  of  hell  and  of  death  f;"  from  him,  who  shutteth, 
and  no  man  openeth  J?  By  his  permission  the  bottom- 
less deep  had  been  opened  § ;  by  his  power  it  is  now 
closed  and  sealed.  The  author  of  all  iniquity  is  con- 
fined in  it,  for  a  time ;  after  which  he  is  permitted  to 
come  forth  again  '^  for  a  season,"  and  "  to  deceive  the 
nations."  But  the  beasts  rise  up  no  more.  They  are  no 
longer  the  successful  agents  of  satan.  He  is  no  longer 
permitted  to  employ  this  kind  of  civil  and  religious  ty- 
ranny against  true  Religion,  and  the  happiness  of 
man.  The  blissful  season,  during  which  satan  continues 
bounden,  is  called  a  thousand  years.  But  of  this  more 
particularly,  under  the  next  section. 

*  See  notes,  ch.  xii.  f  Ch.  i.  18. 

t  Ch.  iii.  7.  §  See  note,  ch.  ix.  I. 


PART 


Ch. 


XX. 


4—5.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


467 


PART    VII. 


SECTION    IV. 


The  MilleJimum. 


CHAP.  XX.    VER.    4 — 6'. 


4     Keel  il^OV    '^^nyas^y^ 

t    'n         1   ■>    ,    \ 

£X.CX,ViCrCl,))  S'TT    OCVTHSy 

\        '        ''^'/^        > 
Kj  KfifAX  sooti'n  acv- 

T07s'  K^  Tas  "4.  Vp^iXi- 
Tmv  'ZSSTteKsKiO'jxi- 
vuv  ^loi  rvv  (xa^k)- 
^la,y  'l>30"«,  >ca<  o/os 
Toy  Xoyoy  T»  ©£«, 
yCj  o'lrivts  «  t^foat^ 
xvvr,<rtxv   Tw    Sv)f/a;, 

5C  ««  eKxGov  to 
y^xpxyfAX  tTTl  TO 
fJ.£TiJTrOV,      XXI      ETTl 

rr.v   ^s'fa    ayri^v* 

?V£V(rav  ^sla  t2  Xp<- 
S"«  rac  %»'?>'*  f'^*'* 
5  O/  §£  Xoi'TToi  Tu/v 
vfxfaJv  «x  sZ;^a-x^, 
%us  rsT^a^Ti  rx  y^i- 
Xix    srn.    Avrv)    r. 

CCvccS-XaiS  V  -CTfWT*}, 

0  e'^wv  i^i^^  l»  TVJ 
«v«ra<r£<  Trj  -nr^ci- 

T>»*    lirt     T»TW»      • 

StyTep©*    SaviacT©' 

tin      £^£l       l^H'JIXVf 


4  And  I  saw  thrones, 
and  they  sate  upon 
them:  and  judgment 
was  given  unto  them  : 
and  the  souls  of  those 
who  had  been  slain 
with  the  axe  for  the 
testimony  of  Jesus, 
and  for  the  word  of 
God  ;  and  whosoever 
had  not  worshipped 
the  beast  nor  his 
image,  and  had  not 
received  the  mark 
upon  their  forehead 
and  upon  their  hand  : 
and  they  lived  and 
reigned  with  Christ 
the    thousand    years : 

5  But  the  rest  of  the 
dead  did  not  live  till 
the  thousand  years 
should  be  completed. 
This  is  the  first  resur- 

6  rection.  Blessed  and 
holy  is  he  who  hath  a 
part  in  the  first  resur- 
rection :  over  these,  the 
second  death  hath  no 
power :  but  they  shall 

R  R  2 


4  And  I  saw  thrones,  and 
they  sate  upon  them, 
and  judgment  was 
given  unto  them :  and 
Isazo  the  souls  of  them 
that  were  beheaded  for 
the  witness  of  Jesus, 
and  for  the  word  of 
God,  and  which  had 
not  worshipped  the 
beast,  neither  his 
image,  neither  had 
received  his  mark  upon 
their  foreheads,  or  in 
their  hands  ;  and  they 
lived  and  reigned  with 
Christ      a      thousand 

5  years :  But  the  rest  of 
the  dead  lived  not 
again  until  the  thou- 
sajid  years  were  finish- 
ed.    This  is  the  first 

6  resurrection.  Blessed 
and  holy  is  he  that 
hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection:  on  such 
the  second  death  hath 
no  power,  but  they 
shall  be  priests  of  God, 
and    of    Christ,    and 


46S 


APOCALYPSE. 

be  priests  of  God  and 
of  Christ,  and  shall 
reign  with  him  a  thou- 
sand years. 


[Pt.  VII.  §  4. 

shall  reign  with  him  a 
thousand  years. 


Ver.  4.  And  I  saro  thrones ;  &c.]  In  Daniel,  vii. 
22,  26»  **  the  jud.  mcnt  sits;" — "judgment  is  given  to 
*'  the  saints; — they  possess  the  kingdom."  To  this 
passage,  St.  Paul  seems  to  alhide  in  1  Cor.  vi.  2,  3,  as 
well  as  does  our  Lord's  promise  in  Matt.  xix.  28.  Luke 
xxii.  30.  giving  thrones  of  judgment  to  his  Disciples. 
These  prophecies,  dark  in  themselves,  until  the  event 
and  completion  shall  illustrate  them,  are  here  repeated, 
with  some  additional  information :  for,  it  is  affirmed, 
that  this  reign  of  the  Saints  shall  continue  "  a  thousand 
*'  years."  Who  the  saints  are,  is  at  first  expressed  in 
very  general  terms ;  as  also  is  the  prophecy  of  Daniel. 
^^  They  sate;  judgment  was  given  unto  them.''  But 
among  those  who  sit  upon  these  thrones,  are  afterwards 
expressly  enumerated,  they  who  during  the  long  con- 
flict with  the  hcast  and  false  prophet,  have  kept  the 
faith,  even  unto  death,  and  refused  the  idolatrous  wor- 
ship, to  which  they  were  tempted  or  forced,  hy  the 
worldly  powers.  These  faithful  sons  and  champions  of 
the  Church,  are  descrihcd  as  living  and  reigning  with 
the  Anointed,  or  Christ,-  the  thousand  years.  And  this 
early  or  first  resurrection  appears  to  be  their  exclusive 
privilege,  and  not  to  belong  to  the  rest  of  the  dead,  who, 
it  is  said,  shall  not  live,  until  the  thousand  years  shall 
be  completed. 

Much  has  been  written  upon  this  promised  Millen- 
nium, or  reign  of  the  Saints;  yet  little  that  can  afford 

satisfaction 


Cb.  XX.  4 — 6.]  APOCALYPSE.  4^9 

satisfaction  to  the  judicious''^.  The  meaning  of  a  pro- 
phecy of  thfs  kind  can  only  be  made  manifest  by  the 
event  which  is  to  fulfil  it.  Before  tliat  time  shall  arrive, 
it  is  unsafe  to  conjecture  after  what  method  it  shall  be 
fulfilled ;  whether,  as  some  prophecies  Ittera/ly,  or  as 
others,  tijpicaUy ;  whether  the  departed  Saints  and 
Martyrs  shall  actually  be  raised  again  in  their  own 
persons,  to  effect  so  glorious  a  change  in  Religion  and 
morals;  or,  whether,  like  Elijah  in  the  person  of  John 
Ba})tist,  and  David  in  that  of  Christ,  they  shall  live 
again  in  the  persons  of  other  saints,  who  shall  fulfill 
their  characters  and  offices,  no  man  may  presume  to 
determine.  It  is  best  therefore,  after  the  example  of 
the  wise  father  Iren-cBus,  respecting  another  prophecy,  to 
'*  xvait  the  completion  of  the  prediction^.''  Yet,  if  we 
are  not  permitted  to  descend  to  a  special  interpretation, 
we  may  receive  advantage  from  a  general  view.  We 
may  confidently  indulge  a  well-grounded  expectation, 
that  happy  times,  of  long  duration,   are  yet  destined 

*  Augustine,  in  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  xx.  c.  7,  commenting  on  this  chap- 
ter, says,  that  the  doctrine  of  a  Millennium,  in  which  the  saints  were  to 
enjoy  a  corporeal  resurrection  in  this  world,  was  founded  on  a  notion 
that,  after  six  thousand  years  of  trouble,  the  saints  should  enjoy  one 
thousand  years  of  sabbath,  or  rest.  But  the  doctriiie  was  founded  on 
this  passage  of  the  Revelation.  The  notion  of  the  time  only,  in  which 
the  prophecy  will  be  fulfilled,  was  taken  from  this  tradition  of  the 
Church.  From  Papias,  a  good  man,  but  weak  and  credulous,  seem  to 
have  been  derived  those  earihly  notions  of  a  Millennium,  branded  with 
the  name  of  Chiliasm,  which  were  adopted  by  some  eminent  writers  of 
the  ancient  Church ;  by  Irenaius,  ApoUinaris,  Tertullian,  Victorinus, 
LacLantius,  &c.  But  there  was  another,  and  much  more  debasing,  no- 
tion of  a  Millennium,  entertained  in  those  early  times,  in  which,  gross, 
sensual,  corrupting  delights  were  supposed  to  make  the  felicity  of  the 
Saints.  This  seems  to  have  been  derived  from  Cerinthus,  and  thence 
to  have  passed  on  to  other  heretics.     Euseb.  Hist.  Eccl.  lib,  iii,  c.  28. 

t  Ircn.  lib.  v.  30. 

for 


470  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VII.    §  4. 

for  the  Christian  Church,  even  here  upon  earth.  For 
the  days  will  come,  and  seem  at  no  very  great  distance, 
(the  present  century  may  perhaps  disclose  them,)  when, 
the  beast  and  false  prophet  being  removed,  and  Baby- 
lon sunk  for  ever,  the  devil,  that  ancient  foe,  shall  be 
deprived  of  his  wonted  influence;  and  the  prophecies, 
which  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  well  as  in  the  book  of 
Revelation,  promise  happy  times,  shall  be  accomplish- 
ed*. 

*  An  abstracted  view  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Ancients  on  this  diffi- 
cult, and  as  yet  obscure  subject,  may  be  seen  in  Bishop  Newton's  Dis- 
sertdtions,  vol.  iii.  329 — 343.  8vo  ;  and  of  the  Moderns,  in  Lowman's 
Paraphrase  and  notes  on  Rev.  p.  242—248.  Some  ingenious  and  use- 
ful hints  are  suggested  in  IMr.  Kelt's  last  volume  on  Prophecy.  And  a 
comprehensive,  learned,  and  very  judicious  view  of  the  whole  subject 
may  be  read  in  Mr.  Gray's  Discourse  on  Rev.  xx.  4,  5,  6'.  It  is  re- 
markable that  Dr.  Whitby,  who  had  dechned  to  comment  on  the  Apo- 
calypse, assigning  as  his  motive,  that  he  felt  himself  unqualified  for  such 
a  work,  has  ventured  to  explain  this  particular  prediction  of  the  Mil- 
lennium ;  which  being,  as  all  agree,  a  prophecy  yet  unfulfilled,  is,  of  all 
others,  tlie  most  difficult.  Yet  his  Treatise  on  the  true  Millennium  may 
be  perused  with  advantage.  But,  as  it  plaioly  appears  that  no  one, 
who  lived  before  the  completion  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Seals,  the 
Trumpet,  or  the  Harlot  of  Babylon,  however  learned  and  sagacious,  was 
able  to  penetrate  through  the  veil  of  these  mysteries  ;  nor  was  any  pro- 
gress made  in  assorting  these  prophecies,  until  the  historical  events  ful- 
filling them  appeared ;  so,  to  the  events  alone  are  we  to  look  with  confi- 
dence for  the  complete  illustration  of  these  predictions.  We  can  at 
present  collect  from  them  wiib  safety,  only  general  notions  and  assir- 
rances.  Such  however  are  sufficit^iit  to  support  our  faith,  if  not  to  gra- 
tifv  our  curiositv. 


PART 


Ch.  XX.  7—10.] 


APOCALYPSE. 


471 


PART     VII. 


SECTION     V, 


Satan  loosed^  deceiveth  the  iialions,  and  is  cast  into 


the  burning  lake. 


CHAP.  XX.    YER.  7 10. 


7  K«'  or XV  nXio-O-n 
rat,  y(j\ioi.  irt\^  Av- 
vfi'jirot.i  0  aarxvois 
Ik  rvs  ^pvXxuris  ccv- 

8  T«"  K«<  l^jKsvaslxi 
^Xxvrifjxi  rx  iOrn 
rx  sv  rx'is  rsaca^- 
ct  yuvixis  rr,s  yris, 
rov    I'ci'y    KXi    Tov 

alms  its  zjoASfjLoyj 

COV  0   OCDidly.OS  XVTCOV 

us  V)  a/jLfj.os  rns  vdt- 

9  Acio-OT^i-.  Kxi  ccve- 
Qviaxy  £7r<  ro  wA*- 
ros  rris  yris,  xxi 
Ix.\jkKw<tx)i  rriv  TJa- 
^^lJ.QoX-hv  rujy  ay/wv, 
'jCXi  T>iv  TooKiv  rrtv 
viyx7r'/i(j,svy)v'  ytxi 
KxliQn  zjvp  oTio  Ta 
©£»  Ix,  tS  »pav«, 
jc  KxlEyxysv  xiiris. 

]0K«<  0  ^ixQaXos  0 
'cjXxvu/v  xvrHSj  l- 
CXriOm  e'ls  rv)v  xIia.. 

VVtV     T«    ZJV^OS    KXl 
§■£/«,      OTTtf     KXl     TO 

^Yi^lov  >L   0    \)/£t;oo- 


7  And  when  the  thou- 
sand years  shall  be 
completed,  satan  shall 
be     loosed    from    his 

8  prison  :  And  he  shall 
come  forth  to  deceive 
the  nations  which  are 
in  the  four  corners  of 
the  earth,  the  Gog, 
and  the  Magog,  to  ga- 
ther them  together  to 
battle,  the  number  of 
whom  is  as  the  sand  of 

9  the  sea.  And  they 
went  up  on  the  extent 
of  the  earth,  and  sur- 
rounded the  camp  of 
the  saints,  even  the 
beloved  city.  And  lire 
came  down  from  God 
out  of  heaven,  and  de- 

lOvoured  them.  And  the 
devil,  who  deceiveth 
them,  was  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone ;  where  were  like- 
wise the  wild-beast  and 
the  false  prophet :  and 
thev  shall  be  tonnent- 


7  And  when  the  thou- 
sand years  are  expired, 
Satan  shall  be  loosed 

8  out  of  his  prison,  And 
shall  go  out  to  deceive 
the  nations  which  are 
in  the  four  quarters  of 
the  earth,  Gog  and 
Magog,  to  gather  them 
together  to  battle :  the 
number  of  whom  is  as 
the   sand   of  the   sea. 

9  And  they  went  up  on 
the  breadth  of  the 
earth,  and  compassed 
the  camp  of  the  saints 
about,  and  the  beloved 
city:  and  fire  came 
down  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  and  devoured 

10  them.  And  the  devil 
that  deceived  them, 
was  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone, 
where  the  beast  and  the 
false  prophet  are,  and 
shall  be  tormented  day 
and  night  for  ever  au^ 
ever. 


472  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VIL  §   5. 


viaartffovrai  rtfjutpxs 
y.oti  vvKToSf  its  rus 
aiuwX'S  ruv  aluivuv. 


ed  day  and  night  for 
ever  and  ever. 


After  the  grand  period  of  the  Millenniuni,  so  favour- 
able to  the  Christian  cause,  shall  have  come  to  its  end, 
another  apostacy  shall  unhappily  take  place.  This  is 
expressed  figuratively,  by  satan  being  again  loosed,  to 
deceive  the  nations.  This  new  rebellion  against  the 
laws  of  God,  and  against  the  easy  yoke  of  the  Redeemer, 
is  of  formidable  extent.  The  four  corners  of  the  earth, 
(that  is,  the  nations  of  the  whole  earth)  *  are  engaged 
in  it.  It  is  an  apostacy  of  a  new  kind;  different  at 
least  from  the  former  apostacy,  in  which  the  beast  and 
false  prophet  were  satan 's  instruments  of  mischief.  Be- 
yond this  we  have  little  ground  of  conjecture.  The 
enemies  of  the  Christian  Church,  numerous  as  the  sands 
upon  the  sea- shore,  surround  the  camp  of  the  Saints, 
V'hich  is  represented  as  in  a  state  of  siege.  But  the 
extinction  of  these  enemies  shall  be  sudden,  miraculous, 
and  complete.  They  shall  be  destroyed  by  fire,  by  fire 
from  heaven,  that  is,  miraculously,  and  utterly  f. 

This  description  is  conformable  to  other  ancient 
prophecies,  still  remaining  to  be  fulfilled ;  or  which 
have  received  only  a  partial  and  typical  completion. 
Such  are  Isaiah  Ixiii.  Ixvi.  Joel  iii.  Ezek.  xxxviii,  and 
xxxix;  which  is  the  last  prophecy  in  the  book  J,  and  is 
said  expressly  to  be  oUJie  latter  days,  Gog  and  Magog 
^vill  be  found  to  signify  the  nations;  those  which  were 

*  See  note,  cli.  iv.  6.  +  See  note,  ch.  xvii.  12. 

X  Excepting  the  exhibition  of  the  temple,  which,  being  a  subject 
entire  of  itself,  was  reckoned  by  the  Jews  as  an  additional  book.  See 
Joseph.  Ant.  Jud.  lib.  x.  c.  6. 

most 


Cll.  XX.   11  — 15.]  APOCALYPSE. 


473 


most  distant,  and  3'et  hostile  to  the  Church  *.  On  all 
these  prophecies,  evidently  not  yet  fulfilled,  little  can 
be  conjectured  with  safety.  They  are  to  be  handed 
down  to  the  Church  of  the  latter  days,  even  as  those 
prophecies,  whicli  we  have  seen  fulfilled,  have  been  de- 
livered to  us;  and  with  this  consolation,  that  this 
**  overflowing  of  iniquity,"  whenever  it  arrives,  shall 
be  miraculously  and  coaipletely  terminated  f.  And 
this  is  the  last  siiccessful  effort  of  satan  as^ainst  the 
Church.     He  is  then  consigned  to  his  eternal  prison. 

♦  See  Mede's  Works,  p.  280;  Abp.  Newcome  on  Ezekiel  xxxviii.  2; 
also  Lowth  on  the  same  passage. 

t  So  Ezek.  xxxix.  6.     Isaiah  xlvii.  13,  14;  xxxiii.  14. 


PART    VII. 


SECTION    VI. 


The  Judgment, 


CHAP.  XX.  V£R.  11 — to  the  end. 


1 1  Ka/  tl^Qv  ^^ovov 
X1VX.0V  (xiyxVf  >y 
rov  Kx9ri{A,ivov  Iff 
avr^f  a  aTro  zjfo- 

•  upxvos'  )^   roTTos 

^X    ^^f^'^*'    ac.vTo'i's, 

12Kai    sl^oy   Tits  VI' 

yaXay,  i<riorais  hu- 
Tfiov   t5   ©f«.    Km 

xou    ^iQhi'ov    otXKo 


11  And  I  saw  a  great 
wliite  throne,  and  him 
who  sate  thereon,  from 
before  whose  presence 
the  earth  and  the  hea- 
ven fled  away,  and 
there    was    found    no 

12  place  for  them.  And 
I  saw  the  dead,  small 
and  great,  standing 
before  the  throne :  and 
books  were  opened. 
And  another  book  was 
opened,    which  is  of 


11  And  I  saw  a  great 
white  throne,  and  him 
that  sat  on  it,  from 
whose  face  the  earth 
and  the  heaven  fled 
away,  and  there  was 
found    no    place    for 

12  them.  And  I  saw  the 
dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God ;  and 
the  books  were  open- 
ed :  and  another  book 
was  opened,  which  is 
the  book  of  life :  and  the 


474 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt  VII.  §  6. 


61  vsKpot  ex.  TAIV 
yi'i'fcciJt.ijJvuv  Iv  roTs 
l3iQ?Jois,    ytJ}x    To. 

I3lpy»  OiVTUIV.       Kxi 

avrois  V£xf»J*  noci 
ly.^iQyisriXV  sx.af''^ 
x.xitx,  TO,  tqyx  av- 

14  ruiv*  Kai  o  Sa- 
txlos  aai  0  a,ori; 
lQ\r)Qvic-av   sis    Tnv 

tsTos  sT'v  0  osvrs^os 

15  ^xvxlos.  Kai  si 
ns  ap^  sv^iQv  iv  rvi 
^i^Ku  rv)S  i^uYis 
ysTf  a/w-^Evof,  sQ^-ri^rt 
SIS    Ttjv    Xifj(,vyiv    tS 


life.  And  the  dead 
were  judged  from  the 
things  written  in  the 
books,    according     to 

13  their  works.  And  the 
sea  gave  up  the  dead 
which  were  in  it:  and 
death  and  hell  gave  up 
the  dead  which  were 
in  them :  and  they  were 
judged,  every  one  ac- 
cording to  their  works. 

14- And  death  and  hell 
were  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire.      This  is    the 

15  second  death.  And 
if  any  One  were  not 
found  written  in  the 
book  of  Life,  he  was 
cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire. 


dead  were  judged  out 
of  those  things. \vhich 
were  written  in  ths 
books,    according    to 

13  their  works.  And  the 
sea  gave  up  the  dead 
which  were  in  ii ;  and 
death  and  hell  deli- 
vered up  the  dead 
which  were  in  them : 
and  they  were  judged, 
every  man    according 

14-  to  their  works.  And 
death  and  hell  were 
cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire.     This  is  the   se- 

15  cond  death.  And  who- 
soever was  not  found 
written  in  the  book  of 
life,  was  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire. 


The  Christian  Church  being  now  triumphant  over 
its  enemies,  and  the  instigator  of  all  mischief  being 
himself  eternally  banished,  there  is  no  more  warfare  to 
relate.  Nothing  remains  but  to  describe  that  general 
judgment^  which  shall  render  to  etery  man  according  to 
his  works  ;  when,  immortality  succeeding  to  mortality, 
death,  that  ''  last  enemy,  shall  be  destroyed*'."  The 
appearance  of  the  great  Judge,  before  whose  *' presence 
"  the  earth  and  the  heaven  are  seen  to  flee  away;"  at 
whose  approach,  the  former  scenery,  (as  described  in 
ch.  iv.  &c.)  vanishes,  and  the  process  of  the  tribunal, 


*  1  Cor.  XV.  2G. 


by 


Ch.  xxi.    1 — 8.]  APOCALYPSE. 


475 


by  which  the  books  of  crimination  and  of  life  are 
opened,  are  shortly  and  subUmely  related :  and  the 
language,  though  figurative,  being  conformable  to 
other  passages  foretelling  this  great  ev^ent,  is  of  easy 
and  obvious  interpretation  *.  We  may  perhaps  except 
from  this  description  ver.  14,  wherein  death  and  hell 
are  said  to  be  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire,  called  the  second 
death.  But  this  second  death  will  be  found  explained 
in  note,  ch.  ii.  11. 

*  Compare  Mai.  iii.  l6;  iv.  1  :  Job  xxi.  30:  Psalm  ix.  IJ :  Dan. 
vii.  9;  xii.  2  :  Isaiah  xxviii.  14 — 19  :  Matt.  xiii.  41, 4'2 :  Mark  ix-  44  : 
1  Cor.  XV  :  Phil.  iii.  21:1  1  liess.  iv.  l6  ;  2  Thess.  i.  7—10:  2  Tim.  i. 
10:  Heb.  ii.  14:  1  Pet.  iii.  7,  10:  Jiide  14,  15:  also  Rev.  i.  14.  18; 
iii.  5  ;  iv.  2,  3  ;  ii.  1 1 ;  vi.  8  ;  with  the  notes  thereon. 


PART     VII. 


SECTION    vn. 


The  new  Creation. 


1  Kou  eT^ov  spavov 
x«/vov  ■i^  yyiv  Ka,in,v' 
0  ya.p  'VJ^MTos  Hfx- 

2  iTi.  Kai  Trtv  ZJoKiv 
T»jy    ecyixv,     l£f«- 

xxlucQscnacrxv    airo 


CHAP.  XXI.    VER.  1 — .8. 

1  And  I  saw  a  new  hea- 
ven, and  a  new  earth  : 
for  the  first  heaven  and 
the  first  earth  are  pass- 
ed awa}? ;  and  the  sea 

2  is  no  more.  And  the 
holy  city,  the  new  Je- 
rusalem, I  saw  de- 
scending from  God  out 
of  Heaven,   prepared 


1  And  I  saw  a  new  hea- 
ven, and  a  new  earth  : 
for,  the  first  heaven  and 
the  first  earth  were 
passed  away ;  and  there 

2  was  no  more  sea.  And 
I  John  saw  the  holy 
city,  new  Jerusalem, 
coming  down  from 
C^od    out  of  heaven. 


476 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VII.  §  7. 


T«  0£«  1)1  t5  n^avti, 
nToiixxa(jiin/»       us 

VKv  rZ  okV^^t  uvrris. 

(jLzyaXyis      ik     t5 

^favtf,        Xsyia^os. 

0j«  /!x,i]«  Twv  cc>Gpu- 
TTuv,   xxt  cicnvucrii 

fAtf  avTMV,  Kf  OLV- 
TOi  'KxOS  OIVTH  e<TOV- 

Ta<,  5C  avrof  o  Qbos 

4  ©aos-  ayToJv.      Ka< 

Kf fOV  aTTO    TiDv    01^- 

9xhiJ.u.v  avTuiVf  it, 
0  ^xvxlos  tSK  iT<xi 
JVi*       «T£       ZjhOoS, 

tin  y.oavyr,  tfrs 
rsovos  tfx  iT^t  BTi' 
on  tot,  'm^MTo.  o-TT- 

5  riXOov.  Ka<  Jttev  o 
nacQ-ni^svos  I'm  r» 
S^ovh*    'lo«,  xazva 

ij/ov*    on   sroi    01 

Xoyoi    u}\Vi9tV0l    KAI 

6  zjis'oi  tleru  Ka' 
tlxB  (jiGt'  Tiyon' 
lytif  tlfjit  TO  A  x«i 
TO  n,  r)  d^yjn  >^  TO 

TIXOS*    £74;    Tf    01- 

>]/a)v/<  oiiaw  Ix  rijJ 
tsriyiti     t5   t'oaTCJ 

7  'O  MVJJJM  •/.)^r,^ovof/.'ri- 
<7*i  ruvra'  v.ai  jVo- 

fJiXl  XVTf  Qioiy    vL 


as  a  bride  adorned  for 
3  her  husband.  And  I 
heard  a  loud  voice 
out  of  heaven,  saying; 
*'  Behold,  thetaberna- 
**  cle  of  God  with 
"  men :  and  be  ^vilI 
*'  dwell  with  them  : 
*'  and  they  shall  be 
**  his  people,  and  God 
"  himself  will  be  with 
''  them,  their  God. 
!•  "  And  he  will  wipe 
*'  away  every  tear  from 
*'  their  eyes.  Anddeath 
*'  shall  be  no  more ; 
*'  nor  shall  sorrow,  nor 
"  mourning,  nor  pain, 
"  be  more ;  for  the 
**  former    things     are 

5  *'  passed  away."  And 
he  who  sate  upon  the 
throne,  said ;  *'  Be- 
"  hold,  I  make  all 
"  things  new."  And 
he  saith  [unto  me] 
*'  Write  :  for  these 
"  words  are  true,  and 
"  worthy   of    belief." 

()  And  he  said  unto  me, 
"  It  is  done  !  I  am  the 
'*  Alpha  and  the  O- 
**  mega,  the  beginning 
"  and  the  end.  I  will 
*'  give  unto  him  that 
"  thirsteth,ofthefoun- 
*'  tain  of  the  water  of 

7  *' life  freely.  He  who 
*'  overcometh, shall in- 
"  herit  these  things  : 
"  and   I   will    be   his 


prepared   as   a    bride 
adorned  for  her  hus- 

3  band.  And  I  heard  a 
great  voice  out  of  hea- 
ven, saying;  Behold, 
the  tabernacle  of  God 
is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  with  them, 
and  they  shall  be  his 
people,  and  God  him- 
self shall  be  with  them, 

4  ^;?£/ 6c  their  God.  And 
God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their 
eyes;  and  there  shall 
be  no  more  death,  nei- 
ther sorrow,  nor  cry- 
ing, neither  shall  there 
be  any  more  pain  ;  for 
the  former  things  are 

5  passed  away.  And  he 
that  sat  upon  the 
throne,  said;  Behold, 
I  make  all  things  new. 
And  he  said  unto  me ; 
Write:  for,  these  words 
are   true  and  faithful. 

6  And  he  said  unto  me ; 
It  is  done.  I  am  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end:  I 
will  give  unto  him  that 
is  athirst,  of  the  foun- 
tain  of  the  water  of 

7  life  freely.  He  that 
overcometh,  shall  in- 
herit all  things;  and  I 
will  be  his  God,  apd 
he  shall  be   my  son. 

8  But  the  fearful  and 
unli^ttlieviiig,    and   the 


iCIl.  Xxl.  1 — 8.]  JIPOCALYPSE, 


477 


auros    BTXi    ^ot    o 
8    vios.      TojV  ^e    ^ll- 

a[Auplu?^o7s  Kj  iC^s- 

^uXoXoirpxiSf  x.xi 
'SsoitTi  ro7s  •\/ivbt<Tiy 
Ta  ixips  avTuv  Iv 
rr.  XlfxTrt  TA  axio- 

0    £f/y    0     'JXVXiQS    0 


"  God,  and  he  shall 
8  "  be  my  son.  But  for 
**  the  cowardly,  and 
*'  faithless,  and  sinners, 
**  and  defiled  persons, 
"  and  murderers,  and 
**  fornicators,  and  sor- 
"  cerers,  and  idolaters, 
**  and  all  the  deceivers, 
*'  their  portion  is  in 
"  thelakeburningwith 
*'  fire  and  brimstone, 
"  which  is  the  second 
'*  death/' 


abominable,  and  mur- 
derers, and  whore- 
mongers, and  sorcer- 
ers, and  idolaters,  and 
all  liars,  shall  have 
their  part  in  the  lake 
which  burnelh  with 
fire  and  brimstone : 
which  is  the  second 
death. 


Ver.  1.  And  I  saw  a  nezv  heaven  ;  &c.]  The  ge- 
neral judgment  having  taken  place,  and  the  heavens 
and  earth  passed  awa}^,  as  described  in  ch.  xx.  1 1,  and 
also  by  St.  Peter*,  there  follow  (as  mentioned  also  by 
the  same  Apostle)  ''  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth," 
foretold  likewise  by  Isaiah  f ;  to  which  St.  Peter  seems 
to  refer,  as  to  a  prophecy  unfulfilled.  But  the  Apoca- 
lyptic prophecy  does  not  rest  upon  the  general  assu- 
rance given  by  former  prophets ;  it  proceeds  to  a  more 
particular  description.  It  presents  to  us  **  the  new  city, 
*'the  New  Jerusalem,"  *'  the  Bride,  the  Spouse"  of 
Christ.  Under  these  images,  which  are  perfectly  con- 
cordant with  many  other  texts  of  Scripture;}:,  is  repre- 
sented that  assembly  of  the  Saints,  purified  from  sin ; 
that  '*  glorious  Church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle," 
which  is  here  contrasted  with  the  great,  the  impure, 


*  2  Pet.  iii.  t  Ch.  Ixv.  Ixvi. 

:  See  Eph.  ii.  19,  &c.     Gal.  iv.  26.     Heb.  xii.  22,  &c.;  viii.  2; 
ix.  11;  xi.  10.     1  Pet.  ii.  5;  iii.  13,  &c.  1  Cor.  iii.  9. 

idolatrous 


478  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt  VII.  §  7. 

idolatrous  city,  which  has  been  destroyed.  They  are 
both  of  them  exhibited,  first  as  women,  then  as  cities  ; 
which  symbols  are  convertible*.  But  the  first  wom.an 
is  an  impure  harlot.  The  second  is  a  virgin  bride,  fit 
for  her  Lord.  The  first  city  is  idolatrous,  and  wicked, 
a  very  Babylon;  the  second  \s  ''  the  holy  city,"  the 
new  Jerusalem!,  under  which  symbol  she  is  more  espe- 
cially represented  in  the  remaining  part  of  this  chapter. 

lb.  A7id  the  sea  is  no  more.]  Some  of  the  com- 
mentators have  perplexed  themselves  to  find  a  particular 
representation  signified  in  this  passage,  under  the  em- 
blem of  the  sea.  It  seems  to  me,  that  none  such  is  to 
be  looked  for.  The  Heave?},  the  Earth,  and  the  Sea, 
(with,  sometimes,  the  rivers  and  fountains,)  in  Scriptural 
idea,  compose  the  world\.  These  all  pass  away  ;  *'  all 
**  things  are  made  new."  The  old  translation  stands 
corrected  so  as  to  accord  with  this  notion  ;  yet  not  for 
that  reason  ;  but  because  the  language  of  the  original 
seemed  evidently  to  require  it. 

Ver.  3.  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  out  of  heaven,  say- 
ing— ]  Preparatory  to  almost  every  change  which 
has  taken  place  in  this  prophecy,  for  the  advancement 
of  Religion  and  the  consequent  happiness  of  man,  songs 
of  joy,  from  the  sacred  chorus  in  heaven,  have  proclaim- 
ed the  revolution,  before  it  has  been  exhibited  in  the 
scenery.  The  Heavenly  Jerusalem  is  descending,  and 
soon  will  be  seen  from  a  nearer  point  of  view.  Mean- 
while, the  happy  change  is  sublimely  described :  the 
heavenly  voice  expresses  most  eloquently  that  divine 

*  See  notes,  cli.  xvii.  1 ;  xix.  7,  8.  +  See  note,  ch.  iii.  12. 

X  See  note,  ch.  viii.  7.  "  In  six  days,  the  Lord  made  heaven  and 
"  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is  :"  Exod.  xx.  As  these  compo- 
nent parts  are  mentioned  at  the  creation,  so  again  at  the  dissolution,  of 
the  world. 

state 


Cll.  XXL    1 — S.]  APOCALYPSE.  479 

State  of  felicity,  to  which  redeemed  man  may,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  attain.  It  is  beyond  the  power  of  hu- 
man imagination  to  comprehend  the  particulars  in 
which  it  consists.  It  is  therefore  described  only  by 
negatives. — There  shall  be  no  sorrow,  no  pain,  no  death; 
—none  of  those  evils  which  embitter  this  mortal  life. 
And  this  description  is  confirmed  by  the  great  Judge 
and  Creator,  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne; — "  behold," 
says  he,  **  I  make  all  things  new,'^ 

Ver.  5.  Write :  for,  these  xvords  are  true  and  wor- 
thy of  belief  .^  At  the  conclusion  of  the  vision  which 
contained  the  judgment  of  Babylon  *,  the  angel,  who 
accompanied  the  prophet  during  that  vision,  had  ad- 
dressed him  in  nearly  the  same  wordsf.  But  the  pre- 
sent scene  is  that,  in  which  the  Son  of  God,  who  had 
appeared  at  the  commencement  of  the  prophecy,  ad- 
dresses the  prophet  for  the  last  time.  He  addresses 
him  from  his  glorious  throne;  where,  having  judged 
the  dead,  and  caused  the  old  heavens  and  earth  to  va- 
nish away,  he  creates  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, 
and  therein  a  new  and  heavenly  city,  to  be  the  bhssful 
habitation  of  his  servants.  He  now  therefore  renews 
his  command  to  the  prophet,  to  write  what  he  had 
seen  J.  And  he  assures  him,  and  through  him,  the 
Church,  that  these  visions  are  to  be  believed,  and  to  be 
relied  upon  as  the  words  of  God.  He  then  declares 
the  prophecy  to  be  brought  to  its  conclusion.  It  con- 
cludes with  the  new  creation.  The  enemies  of  Christ 
are  now  finally  subdued.  Their  opposition  was  the 
grand  argument  of  the  book.  It  ends  when  this  resist- 
ance is  no  more.     The  triumphant  Messiah  concludes 

*  Ch.  xix.  9. 

t  See  the  note,  which  is  inteuded  to  shew  their  purport. 

I  As  in  ch.  i.  19. 

his 


480  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VII.  §7. 

his  address,  as  he  had  begun  it,  (in  chapter  i.  8.  18.) 
with  such  a  representation  of  his  eternal  power  and 
glory,  as  must  induce  his  followers  to  trust  in  him.  He 
then  renews  his  promises  of  inestimable  rewards*,  to 
those  who  shall  diligently  seek  them,  and  his  denuncia- 
tions of  eternal  punishments,  to  those  who  pursue  the 
wages  of  sin.  The  sins  specified  in  the  8th  verse,  are 
such  as  have  been  noted  and  explained  in  the  progress 
of  this  work.  But  it  may  be  asked,  why  are  the 
cowardly  enumerated  in  the  catalogue  of  sinners?  Can 
a  man  help  the  fearfulness  and  timidity  of  his  nature?  Is 
not  courage,  in  a  great  degree,  a  constitutional  virtue? 
To  this  it  may  be  answered,  that  every  Christian,  in  the 
language  of  the  Scriptures,  and  especially  in  that  of  this 
book,  is  accounted  a  soldier  of  Christ,  As  such,  he  is 
engaged  to  fight  (and  he  undertakes  this  warfare  so- 
lemnly at  his  baptism)  against  the  world,  thejlesh,  and 
the  devil.  These  are  the  agents  of  iniquity  who  oppose 
the  Messiah,  in  these  prophetical  visions ;  the  dragon, 
and  the  beasts.  And  the  courage  required  to  resist 
these,  is  far  from  being  corporeal  and  constitutional. 
For  in  this  cause,  the  weak  and  timid  sex  have  pro- 
duced as  many  champions  and  conquerors,  as  the  sex 
accounted  most  valiant  and  robust.  Resolution  to 
resist  temptation,  and  to  follow  faithfully  the  great 
Captain  of  Salvation,  through  diflficulties  and  trials,  is, 
more  or  less,  in  the  power  of  every  one ;  and  what  is 
deficient  in  human  infirmity,  will  be  made  strong,  and 
equal  to  that  which  is  expected  from  it,  by  the  grace 
of  God.  Therefore  *^  the  cowardly  and  faithless"  are 
properly  classed  together  in  this  passage,  and  with  the 
sinners,  who  are  of  that  kind  and  description  which  was 
seen  to  apostatise  from  the  Christian  Religion,  in  times 

*  As  in  chapters  ii,  and  iii, 

of 


Ch.  Xxi.    1—8.]  APOCALYPSE.  481 

of  temptation  and  persecution ;  especially  during  the. 
prevalency  of  the  Gnostic  doctrines,  ^yhich  encouraged 
all  these  enormities,  and  had  hegun  to  exhibit  its  evil 
tendency  when  this  prophecy  was  pubhshed*. 

*  Mosheim,  de  Reb.  Christ,  ante  Const.  Mag,  Ssc.  ii,  sect,  xli. 


b  a 


PART 


[     482     3 


T  H  E 


APOCALYPSE,    Sec. 


PA5T  viir. 

SECTION     L 
ne  Brick,  or  nezo  Jerusalem, 


CHAP.  xxi.  VER.  9 — to  the  end.     chap.  xxii.  ver.  I — 5* 


}     KaI  ^X0JV    £ 

ruiv 

sTria    (p«t/.«i'    Tus 
yi(Ai(rxs  ruv  \if\a. 

Aerfo,     "Sil^^     <roi 

Tr,v  rjp.<fr,v  Ta  afvm 

1 0  rrtt  y tyarx* .     Kai 

fxan  Itt'  Of  Of  fAsyu 

(Ml  Try  t?o>J>  T'/jv 
ay/jty    'ltP<i(T!H,7^ri^, 

tifxta  atto  t5  0£,v, 

C^'jj'^r.f  avTT,s  Quotas 
Xi9m  rif^-iulaTa;,  i'^ 
?J9'jj   tJcj-njOi     K^v- 


9  And  there  came  one  of 
the  seven  angels,  (of 
those  who  had  the 
seven  vials,  which  were 
full  of  the  seven  last 
plagues,)  and  spake 
with  me,saying,"Come 
*'  hither;  I  will  shew 
*'  thee  the  bride,  the 
"  wife  of  the  Lamb." 

10  And  he  carried  me 
away,  in  the  Spirit,  to 
a  great  and  high  moun- 
tain :  and  he  shewed 
me  the  holy  city,  Jeru- 
salem, descending  out 
of  heaven  from  God, 

11  Having  the  glor%  of 
God,  [and]  her  splen- 
dour like  a  most  pre- 
cious stone,  as  it  were, 

1*2  a  crystal-jasper,  Hav- 
i(!g  a  wall  great  and 


9  And  there  came  untc 

me  one   of  the  seven 

angels,  which  had  the 

seven  vials  full  of  the 

seven  last  plagues,  and 

talked  with  me, saying; 

Come   hither;    I  will 

shew   thee  the  bride, 

lOthe  Lanib*s  wife.  And 

he  carried  me  away  in 

the   Spirit  to  a  great 

and    high     mountain*, 

and   shewed  me   that 

great  city,    the    holy 

Jerusalem,  descending 

out  of    lieaven    from 

11  God,  Having  the  glory 
of  God  :  and  her  light 
xvas  like  unto  a  stone 
most  precious,  even 
like     a    jasper-stone, 

12  clear  as  crystal ;  And 
had  a  wall  great  and 


Ch.  xxi.  9,   &C.]  APOCALYPSE. 


483 


1 2  TocXXi^oyh '  "E^Hcrx 
TU'/Qi    (Asyx    XXI 

'Ov'Kuvxs  ^u^eux, 
)^  Itti  ro7s  'avXuia-iv 
afyeXas  SiiJixa,  '^ 
OTio{A(xlx  l-sr/yflfa/x- 
fJityXj     a     iTt    Tuv 

diiiloXuv,    zjvXuvts 

'SsvXuns  r^iis*  xxi 
eiito  vortf)  'av\uns 

14Kai  TO  ru^os  rns 
tJus  S{io£;ta,  iCj  lii 

avTWV  ^'JidSKX  ovo- 
fJLStlx     Tuv     OUOSKX 

awofoAwv  Ta  x^ua, 

1 5  Kxt  0  XxXZv  /!/,sT 
l/x5,     tt^t    /M,ETpoy 

</  n   I  \ 

«roA/V,     Kg     Tits  'uJV- 

Aalvas  xCrris.  ?^  To 

16  TErj^oy  xCrris.  Kai 
«5  -CToA/y  TEi^ayijyos 
KllTUif  >^  TO  /x?;>co^ 
«PTrf  bVov  [ji^]  TO 
-SjAaTO^'  x*<  1^6- 
r^vias  Tvv  ■zjoXiv  ru 
xxKaiAaj  Itti  'fx^i^s 

C^^cKX       ^tXldoMV* 

ro  fj.vy-0Sf    xxt   to 

'OXxTOSy       XXf       To 

li^OS  XVTTiS  13-X  If' 

17  Kai  eiASTfntTE  to 
Tti^os  xCrriS  exflt-   I 


lofty,  having  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates 
twelve  angels ;  and 
names  inscribed  there- 
on, which  are  of  the 
twelve    tribes  of    the 

13  Sons  of  Israel.  On 
the  east  three  gates, and 
on  the  north  three  gates, 
and  on  the  south  three 
gates,  and  on  the  west 

14  three  gates.  And  the 
wall  of  the  city  hav- 
ing twelve  foundation- 
stones  ;  and  upon  them 
twelve  names  of  the 
twelve  Apostles  of  the 

1 5  Lamb.  And  he  who 
spake  with  me,  had  a 
measure,  a  golden  reed, 
to  measure  the  city 
and  the  gates  thereof, 
and  the  wall  thereof. 

l6And  the  city  lieth 
quadrangular;  and  the 
length  thereof  as  much 
as  the  breadlh.  And 
he  measured  the  city 
with  the  reed,  twelve 
thousand  furlongs.  The 
length  and  the  breadth 
and   the   height  of  it 

17  are  equal.  And  he 
measured  the  wall 
thereof,  an  hundred 
and  forty-four  cubits, 
the  measure  of  a  man. 
that   is,   of  an    angel. 

IS  And  the  building  of 
the  wall  thereof  was 
jasper;  and.  the  city 
s  s  2 


high,  and  had  twelve 
gates,  and  at  the  gates 
twelve  angels,  and 
names  written  thereon, 
which  are  the  names  of 
the  twelve  tribes  of 
the  children  of  Israel : 

13  On  the  east,  three 
gates;  on  the  north, 
three  gates ;  on  the 
south,  three  gates;  and 
on    the    west,     three 

legates.  And  the  wall 
of  the  city  had  twelve 
foundations,  and  in 
them  the  names  of  the 
twelve  apostles  of  ihe 

15  Lamb,  And  he  that 
talked  with  me,  had  a 
golden  reed  to  mea- 
sure the  city,  and  the 
gates  thereof,  and  the, 

iGvvall  thereof.  And  the 
city  lieth  four-square, 
and  the  length  is  as 
large  as  the  breadth: 
and  he  measured  the 
city  with  the  reed, 
twelve  thousand  fur- 
longs :  the  length,  and 
the  breadth,  and  the 
height  of  it  are  equal. 

17  And  he  measured  the 
wall  thereof,  an  huL- 
dred  and  forty  and 
four  cubits,  according 
to  the  measure  of  a 
man,  that   is,   of  the 

18  angel.  And  the  build- 
ing of  the  wall  of  it 
was  of  jasper ;  and  the 


484 


Toy      z^crC"X'cx}coy}u 

p  i  ;>  c  y  a  1/  Q^  -ji  '/7a  y    c 

1  8  I'lv  afyEXs.       Kxl 

(AOix  IdXu  x.ciOx^:^, 
fj.zKios    0     CT^'-T-rcs-j 

cxg-j'prj'z,'    I   'iy.ros, 

X^vcro:\,^oi'    0    b'y- 
00  55-,      ^r.piXXoi'     0 

croi  •  0  ivi^sV^ilsr,.  ta- 
yjr'oi    0  oxov/.xloSy 

2  \  x.fxsbus'os.      Kui  o' 

■N 1^  r     ' 

ccjdsKX  [/.xp.xfirtiii 

avx  SIS  rKX^os  ruv 

lAXfyxeira*  Kx)  % 
.  '^Axiii-x  rriS  CTO- 
AEfcJ,  yjevaloit  y.x~ 
Bacovy  'xs  vxKos 
22oixvyy,s,  Kx]  ixli 
ay.  s1-joy  ij»  avr-n'  o 
yaa  Kii^sos  oQils  o 
'!z::,^rox^xru^  xx'js 
(cur'tii   i^tj   x«<    TO 


APOCALYPSE. 

was  golil,  pure,  like 
.'  I(}unlo  clear  glass.  And 
the  foundatioii'-stones 
ot  the  wall  of  the  city 
'ii-cre  adorned  with  all 
manner  of  precious 
stones.  'Ib.e  first  foun- 
datlon-stonp,  JdSj^er  ; 
the  second,  Sapphire  ; 
th(;  third,  Chaicecion-y ;  j 
the  fourth,  Emerald  ; 
20'i'lie  fifth,  Sardonyx; 
the  sixth,  Sardine;  tlie 
seveiith.  Chrysolite ; 
the  eighth,, Beryl;  the 
ninth,  ']'opaz ;  the 
tenth,  Chrysoprasus  ; 
the  eleventh,  Jacynlh ; 
the  twelfth  Amethyst. 

21  And  the  twelve  gates, 
twelve  fjearls ;  eveiy 
several  gate  was  of  ovie 
pearl ;  and  tlie  broad 
place  of  the  city  ['old, 
pnre,     as    transp^arent 

22  glass.  And  1  saw  no 
temple  therein :  for,  the 
Lord  God  Alinightj^ 
is  the  temple  thereo-f, 

23  and  the  Lamb.  And  the 
city  has. no  need  of  the 
sun,  nor  of  the  moon, 
to  shine  in  it:  fur,  the 
glory  of  God  did  give 
light  to  it ;  and  its 
lamp    is     the     Lamb. 

24  And  the  nations  shall 
■w-.ilk  by  the  light  of  it: 

and  the  kings  of  the 
earth  shall  briij*  their 
glory  [tind  honour]  into 


[Pt.  viti.  § 

city  zcas  pure  gold,  like 
19  unto  clear  glass.  And 
the  foundations  of  the 
wall  of  the  city  were 
garnished  with  all  man- 
ner of  precious  stones. 
The  first  foundation 
lifl.y jasper;  the  second, 
sapphiire  ;■  the  third,  a 
chalcedony;  the  fourth, 
.20  an  emerald;  The  fifth, 
sardonyx ;  the  sixth, 
sardius;  the  seventh, 
chrysolite;  the  eighth, 
beryl ;  the  ninth,  a  to- 
paz ;  the  tenth,  a  chry- 
soprasus ;  the  ele- 
venth, a  jacinct ;  the 
twelfth,  an  amethyst. 
2iAnd  the  twelve  gates 
tivre  twelve  pearls; 
every  several  gate  was 
of  one  pearl :  and  the 
street  of  the  city  zvcrs 
pure  gold,  as   it  were 

22  trfiP.sparent  glass.  And 
I  saw  no  temple  there- 
in :  for  the  Lord  God 
Almighty,  and  the 
Lamb,  are  the  temple 

23  of  it.  And  the  city 
had  no  need  of  the 
sun,  neither  of  the 
moon  to  shine  in  it : 
for  the  glory  of  God 
did  lighten  it,  and  the 
Lamb    is,     the     light 

24  thereof.  And  the  na- 
tions of  them  which 
are  saved,  shall  walk 
in  the  liiihtof  i :       arid 


Ch.  xxi.9,  Sec] 

23  oipvf'ov.  Ksci  r,  ZJoXis 
it    ^fltscy    tyzi    ra 

»>3fj  'W  (paivxariv  h 

a^T^J       TO       CiCViJrJ, 

ra,    i^rn     c);«    t5 

l3xt7tXas  rvs  yyis  y  £- 
^Hcrt  T7IV  oo^xv  [kj 
ry,v     r<//,r,yj    OiVTuiv 

25  its  x'Jr-nv.  Ksm  ol 
TuvXuvis    avrvs    h 

fOLs'    vv^     "/xp    tsx. 

2bss'Sit   h/M'    Ka.t  Oi- 

crucri   rrrj  ^o'|av   yc. 

Ti)v  ri^w  ruy  iQvuiv 

^'ft  sio-iKdyi  us  a.-j- 
Tr/V  OTav  xo/yyy,    "/C 

•vj/iy^^'  I'l  (/in  ol 
ysfpoc(jifjJvoi  Iv  Tu) 
^iQXiu  rvis  L,'jj^/is  r« 

1  if v/a.  Kxi  '{ozit,'c (/.ot 
ZuorxfLOV  toar®-- 
^W)5i,  XiZf/.7:^i>v  us 
nea^xXKovi  luTTo^cv- 

•  op^vov   ey.  ra  ^foy« 

2  Ev  iMiau  rrts  z:Xoi.- 
TTilxs  uvrris  y^  t5 
?3'pja/u.5  EvisDyEy  y.ai 
IviivQsv,  ^iiKoy  ^uiYify 
VTOiav  KXpTfUS  ow- 
^£/C^,     X5;1it     i^rivx 


APOCALYPSE, 

^5  it.  And  its  cat<»s  shall 
not  bo  shut  at  all  by 
day,  (for  there  sliall  be 

26  no  night  there,)  and 
they  shall  bring  the 
glory  and  the  honour 
of  the  nations  into  it ; 

C7  And  there  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  into  it  any 
thing  which  dehleth, 
and  which  worketh 
abomination  and  de- 
ceit, but  only  they  who 
are  written  in  the  book 
of  Life  of  the  Lamb. 

1  And  he  shewed  me  a 
river  of  water  of  Life, 
clear  as  crystal,  pro- 
ceeding out  of  the 
tlirone  of  God  and  of 

2  the  Lamb.  hi  the 
middle  of  the  broad 
place  thereof,  and  of 
the  river,  (which  was 
on  one  side  and  on  the 
other,)  a  tree  of  Life, 
bringing  forth  twelve 
fruits,  yielding  accord- 
ing to  every  month  its 
fruit :  and  the  letives 
of  the  tree  for  the 
healing  of  the  nations. 

3  And  there  shall  be  no 
more  curse :  and  the 
throne  of  God  and  the 
Lamb  shall  be  in  it : 
and  his  servants  shall 

4  serve  him :  And  they 
shall  sec  his  face,  and 
his   name  aliall  be  on 


485 

the  kings  of  the  earth 
do  l)ring  their  glory 
and    honour    into    it. 

25  And  the  gates  of  it 
shall  not  be  shut  at  all 
by  day  :  for  there  shall 
be    no     night    there. 

26\And  they  shall  bring 
the  glory  and  honour 
of  the  nations  into  it. 

27  And  there  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  into  it  any 
thing  that  defileth,  nei- 
ther whatsoerer  work- 
et!i  abominanon,  or 
mulxlh  a  lie:  but  tliey 
which  are  written  in 
the    Lamb's    book    of 

1  life.  And  he  shewed 
me  a  pure  river  of  wa- 
ter of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeding  out 
of  the  throne  of  God, 

2  and  of  the  Lamb,  hi 
the  midst  of  the  street 
of  it;  and  of  either  side 
of  the  river,  tms  there 
the  tree  of  life,  which 
bare  twelve  'iiumncr  of 
fruits,  and  yielded  her 
fruit  every  month :  and 
the  leaves  of  the  tree 
were  for  the  healing  of 

3  the  nations.  And  there 
shall  be  no  more  curse  : 
but  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb  shall 
be  in  it :  and  his  ser- 
vants shall  serve  him. 

4  And  they  shall  see  his 


486 


APOCALYPSE, 


[Pt.  VIII.  §  h 


vioSv    Toy     xx^vov 

'TTtlOiV      Tft/y      l&VMV. 

3  Ka/  tsuv  KstiotOst^ci 
tiK  hoti  in'  i^  0 
^pov©-  tS  05  3  >^ 
Ta  afw'«  tv  ayT^ 
«r<ac<*  xa/  o/  d«Xo/ 
owtS    XurfixxTHo-iv 

4  «vtJ.  Ka<o4'ov]a; 
TO  'zy^oTu'Trov  avT«, 
xa/  TO  oyo/ixa  avTu 
lirl     T4;y   fxiruTTuv 

5  xtTuv.  Kai  v^l  tfx 

^wJw  r;A/«,  0T<   Kl^ 

^j©-  0  Geo  J  ^ijlifftf 

©•<Xiuo-tf(7iv  e<^   TSf 
ciiunxs  Ta/y  octuvuv. 


their  foreheads.  And  1 
there  shall  be  no  night 
[there],  and  no  need 
of  lamp,  even  of  light 
of  the  Sun;  because 
the  Lord  God  shall 
give  light  upon  them : 
and  they  shall  reign 
for  ever  and  ever. 


face:  and  his  name 
shall  be  in  their  fore- 
heads. And  there  shall 
be  no  night  there,  and 
they  need  no  candle, 
neither  light  of  the 
sun ;  for,  the  Lord  God 
giveth  them  light :  and 
they  shall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever. 


The  main  prophecy  had  aheady  come  to  its  conclu- 
sion^. He  who  opened  it  in  the  first  chapter,  had 
brought  it  to  its  final  period  in  this.  The  end  of  all 
worldly  things  is  succeeded  by  the  nexv  creation :  and 
*'  the  holy  city,  the  new  Jerusalem,"  had  been  exhi- 
bited, as  '^  descending  from  God  out  of  heaven,  pre- 
*'  pared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband."  But  a 
nearer  and  more  particular  view  of  this  blissful 
seat  was  desirable;  and  therefore,  when  the  scene 
was  closed,  and  the  throne  no  longer  in  view,  one 
of  the  angels,  who  had  exhibited  to  the  prophet 
the     harlot,      the    corrupt    city^     Bahyloriy     conde- 


♦  See  note,  ch.  xxi.  5. 


scendingly 


Ch.  xxl.p,  &:c.]  APOCALYPSE.  487 

scendingly  offers  to  shew  him  a  nearer  exliibition  of 
the  bride,  the  heaveiily  Jerusalem,  Thus  the  contrast 
between  the  two  is  more  effectually  shewn.  And  there- 
fore this  vision,  like  that  of  the  xviith  chapter,  seems 
to  stand  apart  from  the  rest ;  and  is  to  be  accounted  as 
an  episode.  Therefore  the  scene,  on  which  it  is  repre- 
sented, is  also  apart.  As,  in  the  xviith  chapter,  the 
angel  had  transported  the  prophet  into  the  wilderness, 
there  to  behold  the  harlot,  the  corrupt  city ;  so  he 
now  conveys  him  in  the  Spirit,  to  a  great  and  high 
mountain,  a  place  of  eminent  power  and  worship*, 
to  behold  the  Christian  Church,  perfect  and  trium- 
phant, after  the  renovation  of  all  things. 

Ver.  11.  And  her  splendour  like  a  most  precious 
stone.]  Here  follows  a  very  gorgeous  description 
of  the  new  city,  which,  conformably  to  the  pro- 
phecy of  Isaiah  t,  is  built  of  precious  stones,  with  a 
superb  costliness  beyond  the  reach  of  earthly  poten- 
tates. The  gems,  employed  to  decorate  this  glorious 
city,  are  such  as  have  ever  been  in  the  highest  request 
in  the  eastern  regions,    which  produce  them :(:.     Upon 

the 

*  See  note,  ch.  viii.  S.  +  Ch.  liv.  U,  12. 

X  Tlie  description  of  most  of  these  as  given  by  the  ancient  writers, 
may  be  seen  in  Pliny's  Natural  History.  See  also  Dionysii  Orbis  De- 
$criptio,  cap.  India;  and  in  works  of  more  modern  date, — in  Thun- 
burgh's  Travels,  vol.  iv.  p.  213  ;  &c.  — The  Crystal  Jasper  of  ver.  11.  is 
described  by  Pliny,  lib.  xxxvii.  c.  8,  Q. 

The  connection  of  these  two  gems  may  be  seen  in  these  lines : 

Here  the  clear  crystal,  like  the  winters'  ice, 
You  cut ;  and  with  it  fmd  the  watery  jasper. 

Dionysii  Pcrig.  lin.  781. 
And  again,  line  7-4: 

And 


488  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.   VIII.   §   1. 

the  parallel  passage  In  Isaiah,  Bishop  Lowth  has  writ- 
ten this  judicious  observation  :   "  These  seem  to  be  ge- 
*'  neral  images  to  express  beauty,  magnificence,  purity, 
'^  strength  and  solidity,  agreeably  to  the  ideas  of  eastern 
''nations;  and    to   have   never   been   intended  to  be 
**  strictly   scrutinized,    or   minutely   and    particularly 
**  explained,  as  if  they  had  each  of  them  some  moral 
*'  and  precise  meaning."    Nothing  more  seems  intended 
than  to  afford  some  general,  but  lofty  and  sublime  notion 
of  the  splendour  of  this  superb  and  heavenly  mansion, 
which  the  Apostle  Paul,   following  the  words  of  the 
Prophet  Isaiah  *,  represents  to  be  beyond  conception  f . 
And,  to  describe  the  building,  as  composed  of  the  very 
richest  and  most  costly  materials,  yet  such  as  few  per- 
sons have  seen,  or  can  imagine,  is  figuratively  to  say  the 
same  thing  '^.     Yet,  that  the  reader  may  not  confine  his 
notions  to  earthly  splendour  solely,  at  the  twelve  gates 
are  twelve  angels,  and  on  each  of  the  gates  is  inscribed 

And  in  these  lines  of  the  same  author,  are  described  several  of  the 
precious  stones,  which  are  figuratively  employed  to  build  the  New 
Jerusalem : 

AXXoi  0  i^vivao'iv  Itti  'Ht^oWoXtjt^v  avavpcov 
Hera  ^Yj^vXXa  yXxty.'hv  XiOov^  ^  a^a//,av]« 

K(Xi  yXvKc^vv  aiJisOiTov  vnn^iy.oc  t^o^^t^iWaiy,  1118— 1123, 

Some  trace  among  the  torrents'  rifted  beds 
The  clear,  blue  beryl,  or  resplendent  diamond, 
Or  green  pellucid  jasper,  or  pure  topaz, 
Or  the  mild,  gently-purpling  amethyst. 
*  1  Cor.  ii.  9.     Isaiah  Ixiv.  4. 

+  **  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  hath  ear  heard,  nor  have  entered  into 
''  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  those  that 
*'  love  him." 

X  Tl'is  figurative  language  thus  applied,  may  be  seen  by  consulting 
Lam.  iv.  1—7  ;  h  l  Cor.  iii.  12—1  j. 

a  name 


Cll.  Xxi.  9,  &C.]  APOCALYPSE.  489 

a  name  of  a  tribe  of  Israel  * ;  and  the  foundation  is 
raised  (as  in  Eph.    ii.   20.  and  1  Pet.  ii.  5,)   '^  on  the 
"  Apostles  and  Prophets;  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the 
*'  chief  corner-stone."   Every  thing  unclean  and  faulty, 
is  excluded  from  this  city;  whence  we  may  deduce  an 
additional  proof  that  this  prophecy  is  not  to  have  its 
final  completion   in  this  world  ;  where  the  good  and 
the  bad,  the  wheat  and  the  tares,  are  to  grow  together 
until  the  *'  endf."     Some  commentators  have  been  led 
to  a  different  interpretation,  by  observing  that  the  new 
cxXy  descends  fi^om  heaven ;  and  is  therefore,  say  they, 
upon  earth  :  but  this  objection  will  be  completely  re- 
moved,  by  remarking  that  the  earth,    to  which  the 
Heavenly  Jerusalem  descends,  is  not  the  earth  we  now 
inhabit.     A  new  Heaven  and  a  nezv  earth  are  produced; 
— '*  Behold,"  says  the  Creator,     "  I  make  all  things 
new  J."     This  vision  tlierefore  appears  to  exhibit  the 
future  mansions  of  the  blessed.     It  succeeds  the  general 
judgment  of  the  dead  ;   and  to  no  other  mansion  can  in 
any  wise  be  applied  the  glorious  representation  which 
describes  the  favoured  inhabitants  admitted  to  see  "  the 
*^  face   of  God§,"  and  reigning  ybr  ever  and  ever  I. 
Such  is  the  citi/  alluded  to  by  the  Apostle  to  the  He- 
brews, who,   speaking  of  this  world,  says,    ^'  here  we 
♦'have  no  continuing  city,  but  seek  one  to  come ^{.'^ 
Agreeably  to  which,   in   this   prophecy   it  is  declared 
that  there  is  **  here  no  temple."     In  this  world,  as  now 
constituted,  Religion  cannot  subsist  without  lier  tem- 
ples; without  some  external  mode  of  bringing  men  to 
God.     But  when  "just  men,  made  perfect,  see  face  to 
face"  the  glories  of  their  God,  Faith  and  Hope,  on  which 

*  See  note,  ch.  vii.  4.  f  i\Iatt.  xiii.  40. 

I  Ch.  XX.  11.  xxi,  1.  4,  5.  §  Compare  1  Cor.  xiii.  12. 

II  Ch.  xxii.  4,  5.  5[  Ileb.  xi.  10.  l6.  xii.  CC. 

the 


4P0  APOCALYPSi:.  [Pt.  VIII.  §  I. 

the  worship  is  founded,  being  absorbed  in  Reality,  the 
nearer  Presence  of  the  Deity  will  supersede  the  use  of  a 
Temple,  The  superior  Light  and  Knowledge,  emana- 
ting fi'om  his  glorious  Presence,  will  remove  darkness 
and  error,  and  the  necessity  of  that  stated  worship, 
>vhich  is  the  ordinary  means  of  preventing  man  from 
^eing  estranged  from  his  Maker.  Here  '-  we  know  in 
"  parif  and  prophesy  in  part  /'  that  is,  imperfectly : 
"  but  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  that  which 
*'  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away  *." 

Chap.  xxii.  Ver,  1.  Atid  he  shewed  me  a  river  of 
water  of  Life  ;  &c.]  In  a  thirsty  soil  and  hot  climate, 
like  that  of  Palestine,  where  most  of  the  prophecies  were 
delivered,  water  is  a  necessary  means  of  fructification ; 
and  the  practice  of  irrigation  is  much  used  in  agricul- 
ture. But,  as  water  is  to  the  soil,  supplying  health 
and  vigour  to  its  languid  plants;  so  is  the  influence  of 
God's  Holy  Spirit  to  the  human  soul,  when  sinking  in 
its  spiritual  progress.  Thus  refreshed,  the  soul  brings 
forth  *'  fruits  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting 
'*  lifef."  Water  is  therefore  used,  in  Scripture,  as  the 
symbol  of  such  supplies  of  Divine  Grace  J.  The  waters 
of  the  River  of  Life  proceed  from  the  throne  of  God, 
and  of  the  Lamb  § ;  from  the  Fountain  of  all  mercy : 
and  the  salutary  streams  support  the  tree  of  Life,  which 

*  1  Cor.  xiii.  9,  10.  —  Many  passages  of  the  ancient  prophets,  some 
of  which  may  have  been  typically  or  partially  fulfilled,  seem  to  belong  to 

these  times,  and  still  to  await  their  final  completion.     Isaiah  iv.  3 6; 

XXV.  G—9;  Ix;  Ixi.  10;  Ixvi. 20— 2-i.  Ezek.  xl;  xliii.  7;  xlvii.  1—5 
—12;  xlviii.  20.35. 

t  Horn.  vi.  22. 

:  Isaiah  viii.  6;  xxx.  25;  xxxii.  20;  xxxv.  ,  7;  xH.  17;  xlix.p; 
xliii.  20;  Iv.  1 ;  liv.  13^  Ivii.  11.  Jer.  ii.  13;  xvii.  13.  Ezek.  xlvii. 2. 
Joel  iii.  18,  Zech.  xiii.  1;  xiv.  8.  John  iv.  13,  14;  vii.  33.  Sf). 

i  See  note,  ch.  iii.  1. 

is 


Ch.  Xxi.  9,  &C.]  APOCALYPSE.  491 

is  to  be  seen  in  this  Paradise  7'egained,  a  never-failing 
source  of  immortality.  The  fruit,  continually  renew- 
ing, supports  the  body  to  eternal  life ;  whilst  the  leaves 
(that  no  part  may  be  unserviceable)  are  a  balm  or  heal- 
ing application  for  the  wounds  of  sin,  to  those  of  the 
nations  who  had  lived  in  ignorance  of  the  Divine  laws, 
but  now  partake  the  benefits  of  Redemption. 

The  remaining  expressions  describing  this  blissful 
state,  will  be  found  explained  iinder  note,  ch.  i.  16. 
ii.  10.  iii.  22. 

Ver.  2.]  Some  MSS.  says  Dr.  Jortin,  ''  instead  of 
^'  fv7fu6ev  nut  evlev^ev,  read  fv?£u0fv  ncci  snsi^sv  sed  nil  opus.'* 
And  he  quotes  fvfifv  nut  fvfifv  as  used  by  Aristotle,  Hero- 
dotus, Sophocles,  and  in  Const.  Apost. ;  and  observes ; 
'*  Nothing  is  more  common  than  ev^a  ncci  ev^a:  and  hinc 
"  et  hinc,  in  the  Latin  poets."  And  he  remarks,  that 
the  very  same  expression  is  used  by  St.  John,  in  his 
Gospel,  chap.  xix.  18*. 

*  Discourses  on  the  Christian  Religion,  p.  210.  2d  edit. 


PART 


492 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VIII.  §  2. 


PART    VIIL 


SECTION    II. 


The  Concluslojz, 


CHAP,  xxii,  VER.  6 — to  the  end. 


6  Kxl fJTri fJLOi*  Olrot 

ol   AoyO<    -TTifO*    KXt 

o  Geos  ruv  zjvsvij.cc- 
imkiiU  rov  afys- 

ysvia9xt  Iv  rayjri. 
tot-yl*  f/,atxcc^t^  o 

S   C\/a     Tar«.      Ka< 
Jyw  'Lvavvijy,  e   «.- 

rxZra,'-^  orz  macoc. 

Tf^oaoiv  run  xjoouv 
yyoy.'or  /y.3;     rxZrcc. 

;///)  CvvoBAOi  C« 
tlutf  Kj  Tuiv  dbtX- 
(f)ijv  an  rZv  TJ('0(^7)- 

Tfc'v   THi-   Aoyas  TW 

^.'oA<«       TttT8*      r;«. 


6  And  be  said  unto  me, 
*'  These  words  are  wor- 
**  thy  of  belief  and  true. 
«<  And  the  Lord  God 
"  of  the  prophets  hath 
"  sent  his  angel  to 
"  chew  unto  his  ser- 
"  vants  things  which 
"  must  come  to  pass 

7  "  in  a  short  time.  And 
''  behold,  I  come  soon. 
*'  Blessed  is  he  who 
"  keepeth  the  wprds  of 
"  the  Prophecy  of  this 

8  "  book."  And  it  was 
I  John  who  heard  and 
saw  these  things:  and 
when  I  had  heard  and 
seen,  I  fell  down  to 
worship  before  the  feet 
of  the  Angel  who  shew- 
ed   me    these    things. 

£)  And  he  saith  unto  me, 
"  See  tJiou  do  it  not : 
**  I  am  a  fellow  servant 
*'  with  thee,  and  with 
"  thy  brethren  the  pro- 
**  phets,and  with  those 
*'  who  keep  the  words 
*'  of  this  book :  wor- 


6  And  he  said  unto  me; 
These  sayings  are  faith- 
ful and  true.  And  ^he 
Lord  God  of  the  holy 
prophets  sent  his  angel 
to  shew  unto  his  ser- 
vants the  things  which 
must  shortly  be  done. 

7  Behold,  I  come  quick- 
ly :  blessed  is  he  that 
keepeth  the  sayings  of 
the   prophecy    of  this 

8  book.  And  I  John  saw 
these  things,  and  heard 
the7rh  And  when  I  had 
heard  and  seen,  I  fell 
down  to  worship  be-i 
fore  the  feet  of  the 
angel  which  shewed  me 

9  these  things.  Then 
saith  he  unto  me ;  See 
thou  do  it  not:  for  I 
am  thy  fellow- servant, 
and  of  thy  brethren  the 
prophets,  and  of  them 
which  keep  the  sayings 
of  this  book  :  worship 

lOGod.  And  he  saith 
unto  me  ;  Seal  not  the 
sayings  of  the  prophc- 


Ch.  Xxii.  6—^1.]  APOCALYPSE. 


493 


20 Ka<  Xlysi  (/.ot*  Mr) 
(T^p^ayiaris  T«r  ?.0' 
yas  TYiS  TspQip-nlslcxs 
tS  ^iCXta  Tarn'  o 
nxi^os    l.yvs    li-iv' 

ll'O  o-J/xiDv,  a.'^iKV}' 
a-ocrw  in'  }y  o  pv- 
motfos  fvitot^iv^hrui 
srt*  7y  •  ^ly.Xi'^, 
^ix.xiocrvvv)v  'Vjoiinaa.- 
ru  in'  yCj  o  ay<^, 

1  ^ayjao-S'/jrw  ET/.'l^fc?, 
'i^-Xpij^xt   rxypy   Kj 

1^.?,  XTTOOilVXl  IKO,- 

S-w  c!;f  TO  i^yoy  «y- 

TO  A  '/^  TO  n,   af- 

^^    xa»    TiA.^',     0 

zjpur^  y.xl   0  eV- 

1  4<  ;^a:r©-.   MxKdi^ioi 

ToAaj'  avTdy  'I'vx 
srxi  yi  s^aa-i'x  av- 
Twv    Itti    to    |yA5V 

r-^y  ^w^y,-  ;4X*  ro7s 

15  j<5  Tr,v  zsoXiy,  E^co 

Oi  K-JVBSf  Kj  o'l  (Dxp- 
fAXKOlj  -/^   ol  TJo'j'VO/, 

nxi  01  ^on7s,  'Axl  ol 
tiJx\oXsir^xi,  x«< 
tjx:  [o]    (p^/.o/y    y^ 

1 6  WOii^y  -vl/fyS^.  ^EyJ) 
^Iri^as  BTrey.-^oi  Toy 
elfysKov  ^H  [A,xjih^7j- 
cai  vijJv  rxZru  Itti 
■TJUi  luKXyia-txiS' 
ly-jj  ii[Ai  ri  (iiCu  x^ 
TO  yzV^  Ax^io,  * 


10*'  ship  God/'  And  he 
saith  unto  me,  "  Thou 
*'  may'st  not  seal  the 
"  words  of  the  prophe- 
"  cy  of  this  book  ;    the 

11"  time  is  near.  He  that 
'*  is  unjust,  let  him  be 
'*  unjust  still :  and  he 
*'  that  is  defiledjlethim 
"  be  defiled  still :  and 
*'  he  that  is  righteous, 
"  let  him  work  righte- 
"  ousness  still :  and  he 
"  that  is  holy,  let  him 

12"  be  holy  still.  Behold, 
"  I  come  soon:  and 
"  my  reward  is  with 
"  me,  to  requite  every 
"  one  according  as  his 

13"  work  shall  be.  I  am 
"  the  Alpha  and  the 
"  Omega,  Beginning 
"  and  End,    the    First 

14"  and  the  Last.  Blessed 
"  are  they  who  do  his 
*'  eommandments,  that 
**  their  power  may  be 
"  over  the  tree  of  Life, 
"  and  that  they  may 
"  enter   by   the   gates 

15"  into  the  city.  AVith- 
"  out  are  dogs,  and 
*'  the  sorcerers,  and 
"  the  whoremongers, 
"  and  the  murderers, 
*'  and  the  idoUiters,  and 
"  everyone  who loveth 
"  and   maketh  deceit. 

16"  I  Jesus  have  sent  my 
"  messenger  to  teslify 
'*  td  you  the£e  things 


cy  of  this  book  :  for, 
the   time  is   at  hand. 

11  He  that  is  unjust,  let 
him  be  unjust  still: 
and  he  which  is  filthy, 
let  him  be  filthy  still : 
and  he  that  is  righte- 
ous, let  him  be  righte- 
ous still :  and  he  that 
is  holy,  let  him  be  holy 

12  still.  And  behold,  I 
come  quickly  :  and  my 
reward  is  with  me,  to 
give  every  man  accord- 
ing as  his  work  shall 

13  be.  I  am  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning 
and  the  end,    the  first 

14  and  the  last.  Blessed 
are  they  that  do  liis 
commandments,  that 
they  may  have  rigi»t  to 
the  tree  of  life,  and 
may  enter  in  through 
the     gates     into     the 

15city.  For  without,  are 
dogs,  and  sorcerers, 
and  \vhoremongers,and 
murderers,  and  idola- 
ters, and  whosoever 
loveth  and    maketh  a 

1 6'  lie.  I  Jesus  have  sent 
mine  anGjel  to  testify 
unto  you  these  things 
in  the  churches.'  I  am 
the  root  and  the  off- 
spring of  David,  and 
the  bright  and  morn- 

17ingstar.  And  the  Spi- 
rit and  the  bride  say, 
Come.     And  let  him 


494 


APOCALYPSE. 


[Pt.  VIII.  §  2. 


17  vj^u'ms*  Kxi  TO 
o     axWA/y    tiVaTft;' 

J  8  o&;^Eay.  Moiplv^u 
lyS  WiKvJ/  Tw  dx-aovli 
riis  Xeyar  Tijf  -crfo- 
(fii^tixs  tS  /S<CAi'a 
Tars'  £*'  '''^  ETTifi^ 
Itt'  ayT»,  l7nQn<yEt 
o    ©£05    Itt'   *6yToy 

*i'Ey§oif/.[Aivus  h  rw 

lacy  T'5  a<pi)^  wno 
TaJy  XoyiJv  Ta  ^<- 
0./tf  Tfli"  ZTpo^Tolsixs 
r^wTjjf,  ai^EXEr  0 
0£W  TO  /xf'p©-  awTa 
a  wo  tS  ^v?.a  rns 
^unSf  Jcflf*  Ix  T«j 
'ZffoXius  T%s  uylxsy 
Ki  ruv  y£y§xy.fji,itui/ 
h  rZ  /S/Ca/w  TaTii;. 
SOAeys/  0  iA.a.(hfu¥ 
TfltvTJt*  va/  ffyoiJ.xi 
t3iy(l*  dixrtr  t^y^tt, 

^li  t2  Kv^i'ti    Iriara 

X^<f2  (wsla  -Mraviwy 


<*  through  the  Chur- 
"  ches.  I  am  the  root 
"  and  the  offspring  of 
"  David,  the  bright,  the 

17**  morning  star.  And 
**  the  Spirit  and  the 
**  bride  say,  *  Come :' 
**  and  let  him  that 
**  heareth  say,  *  Come:' 
*•  and  let  him  that 
**  thirsteth,  come ;  he 
"  that  willeth,  let  him 
"  take    water    of   life 

18*'  freely.  I,  even  I,  do 
"  testify  to  every  one 
**  who  heareth  the 
*'  words  of  the  prophe- 
**  cyofthisbook,if  any 
*'  one  shall  add  unto 
*'  them,  God  shall  add 
•'  unto  him  the  plagues 
*'  which  are  written  in 

19"  this  book :  And  if 
*'  any  one  shall  take 
*'  away  from  the  words 
*'  of  the  book  of  this 
*""  prophecy,  God  shall 
*'  take  away  his  por- 
*'  tion  out  of  the 
"  tree  of  Life,  and  out 
**  of  the  holy  city, 
"  which  are  written  in 

^20**  this  book.  He  who 
*'  testifieth  these  things 
**  saith, '  Surely  I  come 
*'  '  soon  :'Amen!  come, 

21"  Lord  Jesus  r  The 
Grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  be  with 
[you]  all! 


that  heareth  say , Come, 
And  let  him  that  is 
athirst,  come :  and 
whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  the  water  of 

18  life  freely.  For  I  testi- 
fy unto  every  man  that 
heareth  the  words  of 
the  prophecy  of  this 
book,  If  any  man  shall 
add  unto  these  things^ 
God  shall  add  unto 
him  the  plagues  that 
are    written     in    this 

19  book  ;  And  if  any  maa 
shall  take  away  from 
the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy,  God 
shall  take  away  his 
part  out  of  the  book 
of  life  and  out  of  the 
holy  city,  andj'rojn  the 
things  which  are  writ- 

20  ten  in  this  book.  He 
which  testifieth  these 
things,  saith,  Surely,  I 
come  quickly.  Amen. 
Even   so,  come.  Lord 

21  Jesus.  The  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  w ith  yo u  all .  Amen, 


Ch.  Xxii.  6 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  495 

Ver.  6.  And  he  said  unto  me;  &c.]  The  angel 
commissioned  to  exhibit  this  closing  scene  of  the  pro- 
phecy, being  now  about  to  depart,  addresses  the  pro- 
pliet  with  some  short  sentences,  directing  the  use  and 
application  of  what  had  been  exhibited. 

First ; — Ver.  6.  The  vision  may  be  confidently  relied 
on,  as  representing  events  soon  to  be  disclosed*. 

Secondly; — Ver.  7.  A  blessing  is  pronounced  on 
those,  who  in  faith  and  patience  expect  the  completion 
of  the  prophecy,  and  who  direct  their  lives  conformably 
to  such  expectation.  And  here  it  is  observable,  that 
the  angel,  as  ambassador  of  Christ,  to  whom  tlie  vision 
in  all  its  parts  most  certainly  appertains!,  speaks  in  the 
august  person  of  his  Lord,  using  his  very  words;  *^  Be- 
'*  hold,  I  come  soon  ;{:;"  words,  which  being  evidently 
those  of  the  Redeemer,  before  whom  the  prophet  had 
prostrated  himself  xvithout  rebuke  §,  occasion  him  again 
to  fall  prostrate.  And  now  the  reproof  of  ch.  xix.  10. 
is  repeated  || . 

Thirdly; — Ver.  10.   St.  John  is  ordered  to  represent 

*  See  notes,  ch.  i.  1,  2,  3.  t  See  ch.  i.  1.  and  note. 

X  Ch.  iii.  11.  §  Ch.  i.  17. 

ii  This  circumstance  may  in  some  measure  account  for  the  repeti- 
tion of  this  action,  if  it  be  such.  But  there  may  be  some  reason  to 
doubt  whether  the  action  be  repeated,  or  the  description  of  it  only  ;  whe- 
ther St.  John  does  not  merely  describe  over  again  his  attempt  to  wor- 
ship the  angel ;  for  it  might  seem  necessary  to  repeat  the  description, 
which  positively  forbids  it,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church,  prone  to  lapse 
into  this  kind  of  idolatry.  For  he  seems  in  both  situations  to  have  been 
present  with  the  same  angel,  one  belonging  to  the  Vials  *,  who  was  em- 
ployed to  shew  him  apart,  first  the  harlot,  and  then  the  Bride.  It  is 
therefore  less  likely  that  the  action  should  be  repeated.  And  in  both 
descriptions,  nearly  the  same  expressions  are  used,  and  also  introduced 
by  the  same  address  of  the  angel,  '*  These  are  the  true  words  of  Ggd,'^ 
&c. 

f  Compare  ch.  xvii.  I.  with  ch,  xxi.  9« 

this 


496  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VlII.  ^  2. 

this  prophecy,  not  as  a  sealed  book  *,  but  as  the  pre- 
diction of  a  train  of  events,  beginning  to  take  place 
immediately  '\. 

Fourthly; — Ver.  11^  12.  According  to  a  mode  of 
speaking  used  by  EzekielJ,  and  by  St.  Paul  §,  and  well 
explained  by  Dr.  S.  Clarke  ||,  we  are  warned,  that  as 
we  act  under  this  view  (this  awful  view  of  the  Divine 
judgments),  so  shall  we  experience  their  effects.  We 
are  free  to  be  just  or  unjust,  righteous  or  wicked,  and 
must  abide  the  consequences  of  our  own  determination. 

Fifthly  ; — Ver.  13,  14,  15.  The  angel  again  speaks  in 
the  person  of  his  Lord,  by  whom  the  whole  Revelation 
is  given  ^,  again  declaring  himself  to  be  that  great 
transcendent  Being  ^'  who  inhabits  Eternity**;"  and 
in  his  name  pronounces  a  blessing  on  those  who  keep 
his  commandments.  Good  works  performed  from  the 
operation  of  such  faith,  can  alone  afford  access  to  that 
heavenly  habitation,  from  which  the  wicked  f  f  shall  be 
excluded. 

Sixthly; — Ver.  16.  Adverting  again  to  thebeginning 
of  the  prophec}^  the  angel  declares,  in  the  name  of  his 
Lord,  that  it  is  given  for  the  edification  o^i\\iiChiirches\'\,, 
And  the  great  Giver  of  the  prophecy  is  described,  to 
be  both  the  root  and  the  branch  of  David  §§.  He  is  a, 
**  stem  of  Jesse;"  in  his  human  character,  appearing  as 
*'  tlie  son  of  David,"  the  jMessiah  expected  of  that 
stem:    but  in   his  di^cine  character,  partaking  of  the 


*  See  note,  cli.  v.  1.  +  See  note,  ch.  i.  1. 

X  Ch.  iii.  27.  §  1  Cor.  xiv.  58. 

11  Serm.  vol.  iv.  p.  38,  and  vii.  p.  14.  H  Ch.  i.  1. 

**  Isaiah  Ivi.  1  j.     Mic.  v.  2.  Note,  ch.  i.  8. 
ft  Dogs ;    by  v.hich  name,  as  m  Phil.  iii.  2,  **  eril  iiorhiV  are 
plainly  intended. 

n  Note,  ch.  i.  4.  §§  Isaiah  xi,  1. 

divine 


Ch.  xxii.  6 — 21.]  APOCALYPSE.  497 

divine  nature,  he  is  infinitely  more;  lie  is  the  root  and 
foundation,  the  cause  and  the  means  of  that  Salvation 
which  is  denominated  "  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 
He  is  that  bright  morning-star,  which  now  gives  consi- 
derable light  to  the  world  after  a  long  night  of  igno- 
rance and  superstition;  and  to  those  who  love  such 
light,  a  certain  earnest  and  prelude  of  increasing  know- 
ledge and  glory,  **  shining  forth  unto  perfect  day." 

Seventhly; — Ver.  ly.  he  describes  the  Holy  Spirit 
as  inviting  all  men  to  partake  the  blessings,  prepared 
for  them,  and  now  exhibited  under  the  symbol  of  the 
bride,  ox  heavenly  Jerusalem.  And  *'  he  who  heareth," 
he  who  hath  been  instructed  in  the  saving  truths  of 
the  Gospel,  is  called  upon  to  invite  others  to  participate 
in  its  advantages,  which  are  '' freely  bestoxved  on  all 
•'whom  our  Lord  shall  call*."  But  to  him  ''who 
'*  heareth,"  who  esteemeth  himself  instructed  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  especially  in  the  prophecies 
of  this  book,  an  awful  command,  under  severe  sanctions, 
is  added ;  that  he  teach  others  no  other  things,  than 
those  which  are  written  therein;  "not  diminishing 
"  therefrom,  nor  adding  aught  thereto f.  From  the 
history  of  the  times,  following  the  pubHcation  of  the 
Apocalypse,  we  collect  the  necessity  of  this  prophetical 
injunction.  For,  in  the  second  century,  many  spurious 
works,  falsely  attributed  to  apostles  of  Christ,  were 
circulated  in  the  Christian  world.  And  in  imitation  of 
this  Revelation  of  St,  John,  Revelations  of  St.  Peter,  of 
St.  Paul,  of  St.  Thomas,  and  of  others,  were  fabricated. 
The  threatenings  here  denounced  against  such  fabri- 
cators, or  those  who  shall  attempt  additions  or  altera- 
tions in  this  inspired  work,  united  to  that  reverential 
care,  with  which  the  fathers  of  the  Church  preserved  the 

*  Acts  ii.  39.  +  Deut.  xii.  32.    2  Cor.  iii.  6. 

T  T  true 


A9S  APOCALYPSE.  [Pt.  VIIL§2. 

true  readings  of  the  sacred  books,  seem  to  have  pre- 
served this  prophecy  free  from  material  interpolation. 

Eighthly ; — Our  Lord  concludes  the  book,  as  he 
had  begun  it,  with  this  interesting  declaration;  — 
**  Surely  I  come  soon." 

To  every  mortal,  short  is  the  time  leading  to  that 
awful  instant,  when  he  "  shall  stand  before  the  presence 
*'  of  God  !"  Be  it  our  endeavour,  by  the  assistance  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  so  to  direct  our  thoughts  and  actions, 
that  we  may  have  confidence  in  our  Redeemer,  and  be 
of  the  number  of  those  who  '*  love  his  appearing  *  !" 
Thus  may  we  be  enabled  cordially  to  unite  with  the 
beloved  Apostle,  in  his  concluding  prayer ;  ^'Ameii; 
**  so  be  it ;  come,  Lord  Jesus  !" 

*  2  Tim.  iv.  8. 


THE    KND. 


IMIDEX, 


The  Roman  Namerals  refer  to  the  Litroduction ;  the  letter  D  to  the 
Dissertation;  the  letter  N  to  the  Notes. 


A 
AdAMSON  .  .  .  .  N,  page  230 

Adultery N.  73 

Almansor N.  270 

Alogi,  D.  38,  39;    N.  33.  112.  l6o 

Altar,  brazen N.   l65 

,  golden  .  .   .  N.  165.  201.  255 

Ammonius  Marcellinus,N.  139.  ^^5. 

270 
Andreas  Caes.  D.  38,  39 ;  N.  33. 112. 

16'0 

Apollonius D.  50 

Antichrist N.  225.  356 

Apostolical  men D.  7 

Aretbas D.  14;    N.  289 

Arians N.   139 

Antipas N.  65 

Apocalypse,  when  written .  ,  .  D.  8 

,  by  whom  ....  N.  6 

— — ,    Scriptural  in  Doctrine, 

D.  92 

,  subject  of  .  N.   19.  97 

. ,  language  of  .  .  D.  96. 

120.  122,  &c. 

-,  obscurity  of  .  .  D.   102 

—- ,  imagery  of .  .  .  D.   115 

,  tried  by  the  rules  of  ]\Ii- 

chaelis,  D.   151 
of  St.  Peter,  &c.  D.  99  ; 

N.  497 


Aristotle N.   I06 

Arnobius D.  77 

Athanasius  .  .  D.  83 ;  N.  110.  350 
Athenagoras D.  45 

Augustine,  N.  110.  146.  157.   182. 

352.  469 
AulusGellius N.  13.  145 

B 

Babylon,  N.  21 3 .  256.  301 .  381 .  405. 
413,  414.  418.  420.  440 

Bagdat N.  270 

Balaam N.  65 

Basil D.  83 

Bede,  Venerable    .  .  N.  17.  41.  326 

Beast  the  first N.  327.  422 

the  second N.  347 

of  Daniel N.  422 

Benson N.  364 

Bez^a xxii 

Blackwall D.   108 

Bochart N.  230.232 

Bossuet N.  437 

Books  of  the  Ancients    ...  N.  118 

Book  of  Life N.  274 

Bower N.   139 

Britannia  personified    .  ,  N.  7S.  313 

Brucker N.   13.  225.  246' 

Bull,  Bp., N.  165 


INDEX. 


Calmet D.  103 

Campbell N.  358 

Caius D.  61 

Celsus N.  243 

Cerinthus,  D.  58.61.  102;  N.  2l6. 

236 
Chapters  and  verses  of  the  Bible,  when 

divided xxv 

Cherubim N.   106 

Chrysostom D.   83 

Church,  Christian,  N.  314.  377.  456 

of  England D.  86 

— — ,  Lutheran D.   86 

Churches,  the  seven N.  9 

Christ  .   .  N.  21.  32.  119,  120.  456 

Cicero N.  278 

Clarke,  Dr.  S.,  N.  134.  140.  228.  490 
Clemens  Alex.    D.  50;  N.  112.  237 

Column N.  88 

Constantine  the  Great,  times  of,  N.  1 38 
Conquer ;  meaning  of  the  word,  N.  48 

Cowardice N.  480 

Creation,  new N.  475 

Crown N.   59.  103 

Cufah N.  270 

Cyprian,  D.   11  \  N.   11.  163.  244. 

Cyril  of  Jerusalem D.   83 

Cyrus N.  75.  129 

D 

Duubuz,     N.  27.  2>b.  148.  250.  410 

Day N.   57 

Death,  first  and  second,   N.  60.  79- 

152 
Diocletian  persecution   ....  N.  58 

Dionysius,    Alex D.  61.  71 

• — ,  his  objections  to  tbe 

Apocalypse.   .  ,   .   D.   IO9,  ^c. 

Dionysius  Geograph N.  487 

Dodwell D.   17.240 


Domitian D.  24 

Donatists D.  77;  N.  139 

Dragon N.  515.  465 


Eagle N.  224 

East N.   181 

Elders N.  99 

Ephesus N.  41 

Ephesians,  Epistle  to N.  42 

Epiphanius  .  D.   8.82.84;  N.  238 

Ephrem D.  85 

Erasmus xxii 

Esdras  ii .  .  D.   lOl 

Evidence,  external    ,  .  .  D.  26 — 8/ 

,  Internal  .   .    .  D.  89— -127 

Euphrates N.  256.  404 

Eusebius,    D.  26.  44.  78  ;    N.  192. 

194.  244.  248.  261.  469 
Eyes N.  1£« 

F 

Faber N.   IS 

Fabricius D.   100;  N.   13 

Fornication N.  72 

Four,  number N.   105 

Froissart N.  210 

Frogs N.  406 

G 

Gagnaeus N.  252 

Gallic  Churches,  Epistle  of    .  D.  46 

Gentiles N.  213 

Gibbon  .  D.  76;  N.  223.266.450 

Gibson,  Bp D.   108 

Gnostics N.  47.  75.  236 

Grabe  .   .   .  .  D.  22  ;  N.  100.  183 

Gray D.   102;  N.  470 

Gregory  of  Nazianzum  .   .  .  D.  84 ; 

N.   11.  193 
Neocaesarea  .  .  .  D.  7 1  ; 


N.  34 


Nyssa 


D.  84, 


INDEX. 


Grlesbacli xxiii;  N.  426 

Grotius N.  172.  184.204 

H 

Hail N.  210 

Harvest  and  Vintage  ....  N.  385 

Hegeslppus N.  237 

Hell N.  35.   153 

Hermas D.  35.  100.  313 

Hesychius N.  28S 

Hippolitus D.  38.  62 

Homer,  D.  87;  N.  36.61.144,145. 
151.  182.215.  383.  451 

Horace N.   104.  118 

Horns N.    122.  349.  432 

Horse N.   128.  143.  151 

Hume N.   162 

Hurd,  Bp.     .  xi ;  N.  220.  424.  437 

I 

Ignatius,  D.  28;  N.  26,27.81.146. 

212.  232.  349 
Jerome,  D.  45.83;  N.  110. 187.  194 

Jerusalem N.  287 

the  new,  N.  89.  188.  I90. 

453.  482 

Jezebel N.  71 

Incense N.  124.  201 

John  the  Apostle,  D.  8,  9.  18.  28; 

N.  6 
— -  banished  to  Patmos,  D.   112; 

N.  24 

why  called  the  Divine  .  D.   128 

an  eye  witness,  D.  130  ;  N.  27 

his  first  Epistle  ....  D.  1 1 1 

John  the  Presbyter D.  40 

Jones,  Sir  Wrn.,    N.  277.  368.  405. 
Jortin,  D.  118;    N.  122.  I94.  346. 

368.  491 
Josephus  .  .  N.   113.  118.  181.  472 
Irenaeus,  D.  17.  27.  38  ;  N.  61 .  1 10. 

237.  350.  353.  426.  469 


Israelite,  the  true  ....  N,  56.  185 

Judaea  personified N.  313 

Judgment,  general N.  474 

of  Babylon    .  .  .  N.  440 


Jurieu N.  I6I 

Justin  Martyr  ...  D.  44;  N.  212 

K 

Kett N.  358.  470 

Keys N.   34 

Kings N.  429.  443 

Koran,    D.  99;    N.  352.361.365, 
366 

L 

Lactantius D.  77;  N.  194. 

Lamb N.  121.  376 

Land N.  211.  399 

Lampe D.  24 

Lampbearers N.  25 

Laodicaea D.  48.  N.  9I 

,  council  of D.  85 


Lardner,D.  11.  28,  29-  30.  39-  108  ; 
N.  64.  67.  77 

UEnfant N.  10 

Le  Clerc N.  240 

Less,    his  objections    to   the  Apoca- 
lypse     D.  135 

Lightfoot N,  107 

Living  Creatures  .;....  N.  I06 

Life,  tree  of N.  53 

,  book  of N.  84 

Livy N.  43 1 

Lion N.  1 1 9 

Locusts N.  230 

Lowman    .    N.  112.  408.  447-  470 
Lowth,  Bp.,  N.  32.35.  93.  I96.  356, 
383.  464. 

M 

Macknight xxil 

Macrobius N.  163 

Maimonides N.  80 


INDEX. 


Manna N.  66 

Marclon D.  56 

Marsh  .    ix.  xxv  ;  D.  I9.  49-  35.  71 
Mede,  Joseph,   N.    112.    159.   187. 
191.  195.  220.  240.  268.  326. 
343.  367.  439 

Melito D.49;  N.  315 

Methodius  .  D.  38.  11',  N.  132.  315 

Manicheans D.  77  ;  N.  242 

Mahomet,  D.  98;  N.  34.  147.  249- 

264.  364 
Mahometans,  N.  266.273.357.  36l 
Mahometism     compared  with  Chris- 
tianity   N.  360.  369 

— with  Popery  .  .  N.  371 

.  — with  Socinianism,  N.  369 

Michadis,  ix  ;   D.  1.  13.  39-  69.  IZ, 

91.  125.  162;  N.  267 
>■■  ■ '  ,  his  rales  for  trying  the  au- 

thenticity of  the  S.  S.  .  .   .  D,  131 

Mill D.  13 

Milton N.  51.61.114. 

Millennium    .    .    D.  42.  95  ;  N.  467 
Mosheim,  D.  48  ;  N.  192.  195.223. 
240.  481 

Montfaucon N.  26 

Month,  Eastern        N.  289 

Months,  forty-two N.  339 

Mystery N.37.  419 

N 

Xares,  Archdeacon N.  173 

Neighburgh N.  149-  405 

Nero D.  9 

Newcome,  Archbishop,  N.  111.  132. 

23Q.  317 
Xewton,  Sir  L,  ix.  xl ;  D.  67.  103  ; 

N.  157.    163.    197.   263.   "ibl, 

424 
Newton,  Bp.,N.  194.250.  387.  447. 

451.  470 
Ncuser N.  o^^ 


Nicolaitans D.  77 

'  Novatians D.  77 

Number  seven N.  10 

four  .  .  .  N.  105.  154.209 


O 

Ockley N.  265.  270.  365 

Origen,  D.  64 ;  N.  124.   126.  149. 

243 
Ovid N.  68 

P 

Paley D.  12  ;  N.  42.280 

Paolo  Padre N.  12 

Papias D.  38.  40 

Papal  usurpation N.  358 

Pausanias N.  421 

Pearson,  Bp N.  240 

Pergamos N.  12 

Persius N.  68 

Philadelphia N.  86 

Pliilo N.  11.  106.  115 

Pinkerton N.  31 6.  462 

Plato .  N.  106.  \'i^ 

Pliny  the  Elder,  N.  41.   55.  64.91* 
215.  419.  487 

the  Younger N.  126 

Plotinus N.  241.244 

Pocock N.  369 

Polycarp  .  .  D.  17.  Z^\  N.  55.238 

Polybius N.  102 

Porphyry N.  244 

Pothinus D.  43 

Pretyman,  Bp N.  42 

Prideaux N.  255,  256.  365 

Priscillianists N.  242 

Proclamation  of  the  first  angel,  N.  379 

of  the  second  —    N.  3 80 

of  the  third     —  N.581 

of  the  fourth  —  N.  384 

Prophecy,  when  obscure,  D.  103.  103 

Prudentius N.  61 

Pythagoras N.  13.  106 


INDEX. 


R 

Randolph,  Bp N.  217 

Reed  or  Rod N.  286 

Reformation,  the,  N.  299-  302.  379- 
452 


Reland    .... 

Ricaut 

Rome 

Roman  Empire 


.  .  .  N.  26.  365 

.   .  N.  187.  367 

X.  324.  421.434 

N.  333.336.  427 


Saracens  .  .    N.  250.  264.  270,  271 

Sardis N.  79 

Satan N.  229-  324.  470 

Scaliger,  J N.  13 

Sea N.  104.211.  392 

Seal N.  182 

Seal  the  first N.  127 

second N.  135 

third N.  142 

fom-th N.  151 

fifth N.  164 

sixth N.  169.411 

seventh N.  I99 

Scorpions N.  231 

Seeker,  Archbishop  .  .  .  ,  N.  330 
Seven,  mystical  number    .  .  .  N.  10 

lamps N.  17.  104 

spirits N.  16 

stars N.  29.  76 

thunders N.  279 

seals N.  127 

trumpets N.  206 

Shakespeare N.  152.  231 

Smyrna N.  55 

Socrates,  Ecclea.  .  N.  237.  244.  270 

Sozomen N.  244.  270 

Spanheim N.  8.  I95.  367 

Spirits,  seven N.  I6 

Stars  .....  N.29.  76.  215.  497 
Strabo,  N.  41.  55,  79-  86.  270.  46l 
Stolburgh N.  26 


Subscriptions  to  the  sacred    Epistles, 
D.  12  ;  N.  4. 

Sun N.  32.  399 

Suetonius N.  I6I 

Synchronisms N.  342 

Syriac  Churches D.  85 

Version D.  34 

Sword N.  31.  64 

T 

Tacitus N.  161.431.  433 

Tartars N.  271 

Tertullian,  D.  51  ;  N.  45.  6I.    81. 

132.  139.  188.218 
Te  Deum,  the  hymn  .    N.  114,  126 

Theocritus N.  136.261 

Theophilus D.  50;  N.  315 

Thuanus N.  230.  381 

Thunders N.  127.  279 

Thyatira N.  71 

Trumpet N.  206 

Trumpets,   four  first    .   .   .   .  N.  206 

fifth    .    .  .  .  N.  226.  253 

sixth   .  .  N.  254.258.27^ 

seventh N.  305 

and  Vials  comi)ared,  N.  398 

Turks N.  44.269.271 


Varro N.  13 

Vespasian N.  I6I 

Vials,  the  seven  ...   .  N.  394.  39S 

Vial  the  first N.  401 

second N.  402 

third N.  402 

fourth N.  403 

fifth N.  403 

sixth N.  404 

seventh    .   .   .  .  N.  410.  412 

Victorinus D.  77,  110 

Viega N.  161 


Virgil,  N.  145.  155. 
215.  2GI 


80.  192.  208. 


INDEX. 


Vision  of  the  Son  of  Man  .  .  N.  21 
— — —  of  Divine    Glory    in    Heaven, 

K.  95 
— —  of  the  Lamb   on  Mount  Sion, 

N.  375 
— —  of  Harvest  and  Vintage,  N.  385 

. preceding  the  Vials  .  ,  N.  389 

. of  the  great  Harlot  .  .  N.  414 


of  the  great  Battle 


N.  459 


Vitringa 


D.  10;  N.434 


W 


WTiitaker N.  358 

Whitby N.  80.  470 

White,  Professor N.  265 

White  stone N.  67 

colour  .  .    .  N.  S3.  103.  131 


Wilderness N.  318 

Winds N.  1 80 

Wintle N.  330.  353.449 

Witnesses N.  290 

Woe  the  first N.  226 

the  second N.  303 

the  third  .  .  N.  303.  409.  448 


Xenophon N.  75.  83.  420 

Xerxes N.  41 


Young,  Arthur .  N.  210 

Yoke N.  141 


Zeal 


N.  92 


ERRATA. 

In  the  Dissertation,  page  80.  for  nor  it  -was  it,  read  7ior  was  it. 

In  the  Apocalyse  and  Notes,  page  3.  for  amfivusuvf  read  ava.Gi»wo-xw>. 

1  59 .  for  delieneatedy  read  delineated. 

■    '  266.  for  IshmaeVmriy  read  Islamisyn, 

— •  440.  for  o^nH,  read  o^nu. 


Printed  by  J.  Brktiell, 
Marsiiall  Street,  Golden  Stiuare. 


Date  Due 


?h^TpocCseorRevelat.onofSaint 

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