dJlf/^B. PRESENTED TO THE LIBRARY OF PRINCETON THEOLOGICSL SEMINHRY BY IVLrs. Rle^^andeF Proudfit. u COMMENTARY ON THE REVELATION A COMMENTARY ON THE REVELATION OF St. 7 H N. IN TWO VOLUMES, Br BRTCE yOHNSTON, D. D. MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT HOLYWOOD. VOL. IL EDINBURGH L^RINTED FOR WILLIAM C R E L C h SOLD BY T. CADELL LONDON. MDCCXCIV. / ERRATA. Vol. II. Page 20, line l^thjor inHituted r.Wconftituted. 30, line ly thy for they readlxQ. 179. «™ «^. r..^n,en, „.,« . „.„ ,^,,, ,,_ .„, ^^ lelves, cniand ^^/'or^ will. " 369, line ijly for tim r^Wtime. 3^5y line \a,th,for purpofe r^^^ purpofes. 32,6, line 2d, after could read not. 419, //«^ 2^, /or or read of. 4a2,//;i^ii^,^,/,r36, 37,^^«-/xxxvi.xxxvIi. 424, lines Z2d, zdth, and Z-lth^fr I jo read I500. 434, line 3d,for"n'. read xlvii. 462, line l^th.for which r^,7:/when it. COMMENTARY ON THE REVELATION. VISION VI. CHAP. Xll. 'T^HIS chapter contains an account of the fixth viiion which John faw. In it, from verfe iirft to fifth, is contained a comprehenfive view of the ftate and appearance of the Chriftian church, from the time of the refurredion of Chrift to the commencement of the temporal power of the Ro- man pontiff in the year 756. From verfe 6tli to the end of the chapter is a comprehenfive view of the fituation of the Chriftian church, from the year 756 to the final overthrow of Papal Rome, in the Vol. IL A year 2 A COMiMENTARY Ch. Xll. year 1999. This laft part of the chapter foretels events which are cotemporary with the prophefy- ing of the two witneiTes in fackcloth in the preced- ing chapter, the reign of the beafl in the follow- ing chapter, and the pouring out of the feven vials in the lixteenth chapter. So many cotem- porary reprefentations of the fituation of the Chrif- tian church and of the Roman hierarchy, in diffe- rent points of view, throw light upon each other, and confirm their meaning. Verfes ijl^ id, — And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the fun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve ftars : and flic- being with child, cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. The word in the original which is tranflated wonder, is ay^/Mioy, which fignifies a fign. Signs and wonders are perfedly dillincl from each other, and are expreiled in the Greek language by words as different from each other as thefe two words are in the Englifh language. They are both men- tioned in Heb. ii. 4. among thofe ways by which God bore teilimony to the declarations of the a- poftles : "God alfo bearing them witnefs, both ** with figns and wonders, and with divers mira- '* cles, Ver. 1,2. ON THE REVELATION. 3 " cles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft." In that vcrfe, ff}ifA.uov is the word in the original which is ufed^for a iign, and n^a; for a wonder. All thefe four ways of divine teftimony, by figns, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, are diftincT: from one another. To explain the proper import of every one of them would be a deviation from our prefent fubjecl : A fign is fome vifible leprefen- tation, by which a future event, which fliall bear a llriking refemblance to that Iign, is predicted. When an event takes place, which correfponds to that Iign, men may be certain, from its correfpon- dence, that it is the one which was fignified by the Iign. Both in the Old and New Teflament many in- flances of ligns occur. I fhall mention only a ve- ry few of them, from which the reader may per- ceive the proper meaning of a iign. Ezekiel iv. 1,2, 3. " Thou alfo fon of man, take thee a tile, " and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the " city, even Jerufalem. Andlay liege againfl it, and " build a fort againft it, and cafl a mount againll: •* it; fet the csmp alfo againfl it, and fet battering " rams againll it round about. Moreover, take ** thou unto thee an iron pan, and fet it for a wall " of iron between thee and the city, and fet thy *' face againll it, and it fliall be befieged, and thou " flralt lay ii^ge againtl it : this fliall be a f^n to " the houfe of Ifrael." Thus, tliis viiible reprefen- A ^ tation 4 A COMMENTARY Cll. XlL tation of a fiege of the city of Jerufalem is a prophetic fign tha^Jerllfalem lliall in facl be belieged in a manner llridly correfpondent to this model orlign of a fiege. Matth. xii. 38, 2^0^^ 40. *' Then certain of " the Scribes and of the Pharifees anfwered, faying, " Mailer we would fee 2ijign from thee. But he " anfwered and faid unto them, An evil and a- " dulterous generation feeketh after a fign, and *' there lliall no lign be given unto it but the ^\^xi " of the prophet Jonas. For as Jonas w^as three " days and three nights in the whale's belly, fo " fhali the Son of man be three days and three " nights in the heart of the earth." Here Jonas being three days and three nights in the whale's belly, and afterwards appearing alive on dry ground, is fixed upon as a prophetic fign that Chrifl fhould die, be buried, and fhould rife from the dead on the third day, Luke ii. 1 1, 12, "For unto you is born this ** day, in the city of David a Saviour, who is Chrifl " the Lord. And this fball be a7^// unto you, ye " fliall find the babe wrapped in fwaddling clothes, " lying in a manger." Thus, by their finding a babe lying in a manger, an unufual place, they fnould fee ay^;/ of the extraordinary birth of Je- fus, and be fatisfied of the truth of the declaration of the angel, who told them, " that that day was " born a Saviour, who was Chrifi: the Lord." Hence, when in the verfe under our view it is faid *' there appeared a ^x^dXfign in heaven," the import Ven 1,2. OK THE REVELATION. 5 import of this expreffion is, that this vifion which John faw, and which is exprefled in this hierogly- phic, is a fymbolical defcription of an appearance of the Chriflian church, by which it may be diftin- guifned from ail other churches in the world. She is like a woman for her beauty, her gentle- nefs, her fruitfulnefs, and her dependance upon a more powerful perfon for her protection, provi- lion, and defence. She is clothed with the fun. Her chief orna- ment and protedlion is Chrift, the Sun of righteouf- nefs. In the natural world, the fun is the centre of motion to all the planets in the folar fyflem hath light and heat in itfelf, and reflects thefe on all the other parts of the fyflem; hence, in the fym- bolical language, the fun lignifies Jefus Chrift, w'ho is the centre of knowledge, righteoufnefs and jov to the Chriftian church, hath thefe eflentially, in- herently, and underivedly in himfelf, and commu- nicates them to every part of his church, in that proportion which beft accords to the whole i'y[- tem. The moon w^hich is a fatellite of this earth, and which continually moves round it, which has no light in itfelf, which refleds the light of the fun on- ly upon the earth, and w^hich fnines in the ab- fence of the fun only, is a moft ftriking fymbol of the Jewifh church. As the moon is a fatellite of this earth J that church bore a great refemblance to tlie 6 A COMMENTARY Ch. XII. th^ kingdoms of this world, in its external cere- monies, pomp, and civil and political laws. As the moon gives no Hght but what fhe refleds from the fun, the Mofaic diipenfation can be underftood only when it is viewed as typical of Chrifl, the fun in the kingdom of God. As the moon fhines on- ly in the abfence of the fun, the Mofaic difpenfa- tion was in force only until Chrifl by rifing from the dead proved himfelf to be the Son of God with power, eftablifhed the Chriflian church, and made the Mofaic difpenfation difappear like the moon at the rifing of the fun. Hence, the moon is faid to be under the feet of the w'oman, becaufe the law of Mofes was as a fchoolmafler to bring men unto Chrifl; and all its ordinances and ceremonies were accomplifhed in and abrogated by the death and refurredtion of Chrifl, on which the Chriflian church was eflablifhed. This woman has on her head a crown of twelve flars. Stars always fignify miniflers of religion. The twelve flars fignify the twelve apoflles of Chrifl, the firfl miniflers of religion in the Chriflian church. They are her crown, becaufe her doc-r trine, worfhip, and difcipline, exadly correfpond to what thefe apoflles taught, and recorded in the facred fcriptures, and becaufe all her real miniflers in fucceeding ages preach only what was firfl taught by thefe apoflles. They have no powers as minif- lers of Chrifl's church to teach any new doctrine, worfhip, Ver. 3, — 5» on the revelation. 7 worfhip, or difcipline, which were not taught by the twelve apoilles of Chrift, by divine authority. Thus the apoflie Paul, fpeaking of Chriftians as a church or colieclive body, faith, Ephef ii, 20. '* Ye " are built upon the foundation of the apoftles ** and prophets, Jefus Chrift himfelf being the " chief corner ilone.'* This church, thus conili- tuted, fhall bring forth many children. Her vota- ries and difciples fhall be formed through much fuffering and with much difficulty. Verfes 3^, 4//?, ^th, — And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and Behold, a great red dragon, having feven heads, and ten horns, and feven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the ftars of heaven, and did caft them to the earth : and the dragon flood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to de- vour her child afloon as it was born. And flie brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron : and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. In thefe verfes, the apoflie mentions another fign, {ay^iJiUQv ), which fhould appear in the church ofChrill; even *' a great red dragon, having fe- ** vcn 8 A COMMENTARY Cll. Xll. " ven heads and ten horns, and feven crowns up- ** on his heads." This dragon iignifies ^' that old " ferpent, called the Devil and Satan," as it is ex- plained in verfe 9th of this chapter. By the ft- ven heads with feven crowns upon them, is meant the Roman empire until the termination of the imperial government, with the city of Rome for the feat of government. In chapter xvii. 9, 10. we are informed, that the feven heads iignify the feven mountains on which the city of Rome was built, and the feven kings, or forms of civil govern- ment which have that city for their feat, as fhall be fully fliewn in the commentary on that palTage. The city of Rome was built on the following feven hills, Palatinus, Coelius, Capitohnus, Aventinus, Quirinalis, Viminalis, and Efquilinus, From the foundation of the Roman government to the prefent day, there have been exactly feven diftindl forms of government, which have had the city of Rome, (the Urbs Septicollis) for their feat. The diftinguifhed hiftorian, Tacitus, who wrote a little before the time of this vifion, fays, in his Annals, lib, i. cap. i. " Rome was firll governed " by kings, then by confuls, by didlators, by *' decemvirs^ and by military tribunes with confu- " lar authority." All hiftorians agree, that thefe five diilindl forms of civil government had taken place in fuccelTion in Rome, before the com- mencement of that of emperors. Thefe five were all Ver. i, 2. ON THE REVELATION. f^ all paft, before John farw this vifion, as he informs us, chap, xvii. lo. and another, that is, a lixth one, was then in exiftence. This fixth one was that of the emperors. Domitian, one of thefe emperors, banifhed John to the illand of Patmos, where the revelation, contained in this book, was made to him. The lixth or imperial form of government is long ago paft, and the feventh, or papal form of civil government, hath continued lince the year of Chrift 756. The ten horns are the different kingdoms, which were conquered by the Roman empire, who, du- ring the period of time to which this hieroglyphic refers, were treated as conquered provinces, and were deprived of their regal or independant power. As the ftrength of fome of the fierceft: beafts lies in their horns, or rather as their ftrength is colleded and applied to one point by their horns ; in the fymbolical language j horns fignify the collected ftrength of one body of men under one Jiead, that is, the power of a kingdom under one king. This fymbol is uniformly ufed in this fenfe, by all the prophets, particularly by' Jeremi- ah xlviii. 25. by Zechariah i. 18. 19. and by Da- niel viii. 20, 21. The laft of thefe palTages I fliall here tranfcribe, " The ram which thou faweft ha- *' ving two horns, are the kingdoms gf Media and ** Ferfia, and the rough goat is the king of Greece, Vol. IL J3 *' »i^d iO A COMMENTARY Ch» XIL " and the great horn between his eyes is the firft " king." In chap. xvii. 12. John exprefsly fays, " that the ten horns are ten kings, which have re- " ceived no kingdom as yet." That be is there explaining the very ten horns now under our view ihall be Ihewn in our commentary on that verfe. In this hieroglyphic the crowns are upon the fe« ven heads, and not upon the ten horns, to fignify that during the period to which it relates, Rome fhall be veiled with the only fupreme independent civil power; and that thefe provinces, though formerly independent kingdoms^ and though, in a future period, they fliall again become indepen- dent kingdoms, yet during this period Ihall be llripped of their regal power ; but flill as conquer- ed provinces fhall add to the llrength of Rome. In a fucceeding period thefe conquered provinces Ihall become independent kingdoms, and then they are reprefented, as in verfe ift of the next chapter, by ten horns v/ith te?i crowns upon them^ while there are no crowns upon the feven heads, but only the name of blafphemy. The plain mean- ing, therefore, of this iign is, that Satan, not im- mediately, but by the Roman empire, as an in- ilrument in his hands, fhall attempt to deftroy the church of Chrilt. The various attempts, which he Ihall make, are particularly defcribed in this chap- ter, and Ih^l be illuftrated as they occur. This dragon is called great to lignify the great power Ver. I, 2. ON THE REVELATION. I( power of Rome during the period of this hierogly- phic, and red to lignify the great quantity of the blood of the martyrs, which ihould be fhed in the different perfecutions carried on by the heathen Roman emperors. By the influence of the Roman emperors, after they fhould be called Chridian, a great proportion of the minifters of Chriit's church, (liled the ftars of heaven, ihould be fo dazzled and charmed by the outward grandeur and magniiicence of the many heathen rites, which, at that period, fhould be introduced into the worfhip of thofe who ihould call themfelves Chriftians, and io captivated by the great temporal emoluments of the minifterial office, that they fhould be cad unto the earth. They fhould no longer continue the minifters of Chrill's church, but fhould become the minifters of the church of Rome, which fhould then be mo- delled like the kingdoms of this earth. The Roman empire fhould firft attempt to def- troy, not the v/oman, but only her child, and that fo foon as he fliould be born. The woman fignifies the Chriftian church, as an organifed or conftituted church, confifling of a fixed fyftem of doctrine, precepts, worfhip and difciphne conform- able to the facred fcriptures of the new teftamcnt. Her child fignifies all thofe individual Chriftians, who, by their belief and obedience of thefe, are rendered the real votaries of that church. The B 2 firfl 12 A COMMENTARY Ch. Xllo firft attempt of the Roman power fhould be, not to corrupt the ChrilUan church, but to kill and deflroy individual Chriftians, and thefe it fliould perfecute in a very early period of the church. The church fliould produce a manly race, whom ho dangers fhould intimidate, and no fuflcrings Ihould deprefs. A race, who, at a diftant period, Ihall fubdue all nations, with a rod of iron, and who, upon the overthrow of the various kingdoms and nations mentioned in prophecy, fliall reign triumphant on the earth. This predidlion of ruling all nations, refers to a period long pofterior to that in which Rome Ihould perfecute individual Chriftians, as is evident from the word ^e^^.e<, expreflive of futurity, which is u- fed in verie 5th, relative to the time of ruling with a rod of iron. This predidion refers to the fame event, and is expreffed almoft in the fame words, v^ith thofe contained in Pfal. ii. 9. and Rev. xix. 15. We are not to fuppofe that any of thefe pre- didions fignify that Chriftians ftiall, with armies, fight againft, and with relentlefs cruelty deftroy the nations, who oppofe Chriftianity and her vo- taries. It is only fignified, that, in the courfe of Divine providence, inftruments fhall be raifed up at laft, completely to overthrow all the nations which oppofe the kingdom of Chrift, and that the time (hall then come, when Chriftianity and her votaries fhall reign triumphant. Some of thefe na- tions, Ver. 1,2. ON THE REVELATION. 1 3 tions, as fliall afterwards be flicwn in the proper place, fhall be the rod of iron, by which, in the courfe of providence, others of thefe nations, and particularly the Roman empire fliall be broken to pieces. In the mean time, the child was caught up to God and his throne. The child fignifies the fame perfons, who are reprefented in chap iv. 4. by the four and twenty elders clothed in white raiment feated round about the throne of God, that is true Chriftians. True Chriflians, during that period fhould make but little figure upon earth, neither they nor their peaceful fyftem of religion fliould appear very likely to fubdue and overcome all na- tions. x\s if caught up to the throne of God they fhould, in fome fenfe, be inviiible ; becaufe men Ihould not be able to fay w^ith abfolute certamty that this or that perfon is a fon of the church, a real Chriftian ; not being able to look directly to the real and internal qualities of the underflanding and the heart, which form the Chriftian character; yet, they fhould all be true worfliippers of God, fhould enjoy communion with him, lliould be his people and fubjedls, governed by his law and pro- tedled by his power. The prophecies, contained in thefe five verfes, have been fulfilled, with a mod flrikihg exadnefs, fo far as the times, to which they refer, are yet come. The Chriftian church hath been eredled in 14 A COMMENTARY Ch. XII. in the world. Her chief glory and fupport is Chriil. Her fyflem of religion is that which was taught by the twelve apoftles. The JewiQi dif- penfation w^as preparatory to the Chriftian, and was accompliflied and abrogated by the death of Chrift, that great event which opened up the Chriftian difpenfation. The heathen Roman em- perors did not attempt to corrupt the church of Chriil in her doclrines, precepts, worfhip or dif- cipline : But they carried on the moft violent and bloody perfecutions againd individual Chriftians, her children, as has been (hewn under feals id^ 3d, and 4th, in chap. 6th. In the reign of Conftantinc the Great, and of feveral fucceeding emperors, many of the miniilers' of religion w^ere induced to admit into what might then have been called the church of Rome, ra- ther than the church of Chriil, dodrines, modes of worfliip and rules of conducl and difcipline, which were borrowed from heathen theology, and from civil governments. The Chriftian church had many votaries, notwithftanding all the dan- gers to which they were expofed. To this day fhe hath many votaries, who are all known to God, who worfliip him in fpirit and in truth, who enjoy communion with him, who refpedl his. authority and laws, and are protected and defended by him. Though, in fome fenfe, they are invilible to men, they are all known to God. He fees fome to be Chriftians Ver. 6. ON the revelation. 15 Chriftians whom men do not believe to be fuch. He knows that fome are not Chriftians, whom many men beheve to be Chriitians. Probably he fees fome Chriftians in churches or focieties, in which fome men think there are few or perhaps none ; and he fees fome not to be Chriftians in churches or focieties, where fome men think they are almoft all Chriftians. The time is not yet come, when this child of the woman ihall rule the nations with a rod of iron. It is flill at a confi- derable diilance. The exact time lliall appear, as we proceed in this book. When the predided time fhall come, we have the betl reaf3n to ex- pe6l, that the event predided ihall alfo take place. Verfc 6th. — And the woman fled into the wildernefs where fhe hath a place prepared of God, that they fhouldfeed her there a thou- fand and two hundred and threefcore days. Having told us in the preceding verfe in what lituation the child was placed until the time Ihould come when he ihould rule the nations with a rod of iron; John tells us in this verfe in what iituation the woman is placed for that period of time. She fled into the wildernefs, w^here ihe had a place pre- pared of God where ihe fiiould be fed for 1260 prophetic 10 A COMMENTARY Ch. Xll, prophetic days ; that is, as explained in chap, xi, I, 2. 1243 folar years. When thefe 1243 years Ihall commence, and confequently when they fhall end, fhall appear from the commentary on verfe 14th, and Ihall be Hill farther cleared up on chap- ter xiii. During this period, the church is faid to be in the wildernefs, in an obfcure and diflrefsful litua- tion. During that period, ilie hath no place pre- pared of men. There is no vilible eitabliihed church, in which nothing is to be found except what exactly accords to the conilitution of the Chriftian church as it is delineated in the bible, and m which none can be found except thofe who are real Chriilians. But file hath a place prepared of God. He flands in no need of human eilabhfliments to preferve his church in the world, nor to tranfmit his ordinan- ces from one age or country to another. He hath eftedually provided for the exiitence of his church in the world ; and he perfedly knows all thofe fcattered individuals every w^here who en- tertain jufl views of the Chriftian church, and who are her real votaries. Even in this wildernefs ftate, {he Ihall be fed. Chriftians, even in the worft times, fhall receive as much fpiritual food as Ihall fupport them in their faith. Every thing confidered, the prefervation of the church of Chrift during this period fhall be {0 extraordinary Ver. 7,^-9. ON THE REVELATION. I7 extraordinary and fo much beyond the natural ten ^ dency of ordinary means, that it may well be com- pared to the mh'acLilous feeding of the Ifraelites with manna in the wildernefs. Verfes 'Jth^ Sth^ i)th. — And there was war in heaven ; Michael and his angels fought a- gainft the Dragon^ and the Dragon fought and his angels : and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great Dragon was caft out, than old ferpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world : he was caft out into the earth, and his angels were caft out with him. Before the woman fled into the wildernefs, there was war in heaven between Michael and the Dra- gon. Michael fignifies Jefus Chrill. In Daniel chap* X. 13, — 2!. Michael is reprefented as con- tending for, and (landing by the fervants of God. From the defcription given of the condud of Mi- chael in thefe paflages and alfo in this verfe, it is evident that fuch is the iignitication of this fyinbo- lical name. The very meaning of the word alfo fuggefts this interpretation. It is a Hebrew word, which in that language fignifies "He who is Cod." But Jefus Chrift is God. The parties in this war Vol. II. C were, l8 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIL were, on the one fide, Michael and his angels'; and on the other, the dragon and his angels. On the one fide were Chrift and all true Chriilians; and on the other were the Devil and all thofe men who had embraced, and attempted to fup- port and propagate thofe errors in religion which came originally from the Devil, and to the pro- pagation of which he tempts men. This war was in heaven, the Chriflian church. In it the Devil and his angels were defeated, ba- nilhed from heaven, (the Chrillian church), and caft down to the earth, the Roman empire. The plain meaning of this fymbolical reprefentation is, that by the fecret temptations of the Devil, through their fondnefs for pre-eminence, external pomp and riches, many members of the Chriflian church fhould take the moll; effectual method to corrupt the purity and fimplicity of the gofpel : that on the other hand, many other members of that church, through faith in Chrift, a facred ref- fpedl for his authority, and the influence of his grace, fnould adhere fo clofely to the divine puri- ty and fimplicity of the gofpel, that no worldly honours, preferments, or emoluments fhould make them adopt or approve the corruptions introduced by the other members ; that the former Hiould ad- here to their corruptions, and the latter to the iim- plicity of the gofpel fo firmly, that they fliould .ieparate from and no more hold religious commu- nion Ver. 7,-— 9. ON the revelation. 19 nion with each other ; and that from the time of their feparation, the former fliould become in rea- lity the Roman empire, the only kingdom in the world, during the period to which this prediction refers, known in antient prophecy, and therefore ftiled the Earth ; but that the latter fliould conti- nue fo clofely in the purity and fimplicity of the gofpel, that they fhould Hill be called the Kingdom of Heaven, the name which is given to the real church of Chrift, both by the prophets and the e- vangelifts. This prediclion was verified in the early and keen contefts for- pre-eminence among the mem- bers of the Chriflian church, and for uninflituted, (and which is the fame thing) for abrogated cere- monies, which took place as early as the days of the apoftles ; and which afterwards increafed to fuch a height as to form the huge fabric of the Ro- man hierarchy, which was completed when Pepin king of France veiled the Pope of Rome and his fucceiTors v/ith a temporal dominion in Rome in the year of Chrifl 756. Verfes loth^ iith^ 12th. — And I heard a loud voice faying in heaven, Now is come falvation, and ftrengch, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Chrifl: : for the accufer of our brethren is cafl down, C 2 which 20 A COMMENTARY Ch. XII, ^ hich accufed them before oitr God day and ni)rht. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore, rejoice ye hea- vens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the fea : for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, becaufe he knoweth that he hath but a fliort time. In the preceding verfe, the feparation of the church of Rome from thofe Chriilians who adher- ed to a church inilituted according to the fimple rule of fcripture, is jullly reprefented as a victory obtained over Satan and his difciples. In thefe verfes, the church of Chrift is reprefented as rejoic- ing on account of that vidtory. The voice which proclaims this triumph is in heaven, the church of Chrill. When the church of Rome appeared in fo great outward pomp and Ihew, and was endow- ed with fuch large temporal poffeflions, the vpen of the world would imagine that the vidory was on the other fide ; but real Chriftians judged o- therwife, and better. They knew that in mat- ters of religion outward pomp, Ihew, and tempo- ral poffellions are not to be compared with the be- lief of truth, the pure worfliip of God, the practice Ver. 10, 12. ON THE REVELATION, 2t of univerfal righteoufiiefs, and the enjoyment of i-eal happinefs. Therefore, they confidered it as a great vidory that the attempts of Satan to cor^ rupt the purity and fimphcity of the Chriftian church had been defeated, and that by them he had corrupted only that church and kuigdom which was the very oppofite to the Chriftiau church. On this occanon they rejoice, becaufe by calling Satan with his difciples out of the church the arm and flrength of God and the power of Chrill are difplayed, and Chriftianity appears a- gain in that purity in which fhe offers eternal fal- vation to her votaries. Thefe difciples of Jefus, who under his protec- tion and affiftance overcame the difciples of Satan, were viclorious by the merit of the blood of Chriit, and that full confidence which they repof- ed in it as the only fufhcient atonement for the fins of men. It was this which made them defpife all the luftrations, penances, maffes, and indulgen- ces of the church of Rome. They reafoned juii:- ly, when they concluded that if Chrifl; took away fin by the one facrifice of himfelf, that if he is the? propitiation for our fins, and not for ours only but alfo for the fins of the whole world, all thefe modes of expiating fin are vain, abfurd, and impiou^. They overcome him alfo by the word of their teftimony. They did not fight with carnal wea- pons. They knew that fire and fword could ne- 1Z A COMMENTARY Ch. XII. ver enlighten the underflanding, convince the judgement, perfuade the will, nor purify the heart ; but they believed and uniformly expreffed the truth, in fpite of all oppoiition. Noperfecution could make them deny Chrift and Chriflianity, or even c^afe to give their explicit teflimony to them. This teflimony was one great inflrument, by which under God they overcame Satan and his difciples. It had a natural tendency to victory. Had they been intimidated and iilenced, how could the truth have been tranfmited to the riling genera- tions, or to men in heathen counrries? or hov/ could men have been fatisfied that they did believe thofe truths, which they did not profefs ? But if their enemies could by no other way hinder them from giving their teftimony to the truth, could they not put them to death, and thus completely filence them? This they frequently did, but even by this they could not overthrow the kingdom of Chrift, becaufe his difciples loved not their lives unto the death. Death, in all he moll terrifying drefs w^hich men could give it, could not fright them from their attachment to the truth. They fealed their teflimony to the truth with their blood, wherever providence called for fuch a feal. That firmnefs, fortitude, and triumph with which they gave their teflimony at the flake, and when expir- ing amid all thofe worfe than favage cruelties with which the Roman empire Hands difgraced, in an ' age Ver. TO, 12. ON THE REVELATIOr?. 2t J age in which it boafled of its high civilization and tefinement, convinced the fpeclators that they were ferious in the belief of their religion, that it afforded them joys and profpeds with which they would not part for property, liberty, and even life itfelf ; and that they were fupported by a divine power. By means of their fufFerings many were converted to that divine religion vvhich rendered its votaries fo far fuperior to the pleafures and the fuf- ferings of this life, and am«ng thefe not a few of their perfecutors Thus their blood proved the feed of the church. ' On account of this viclory thus obtained, the heavens and they that dwell in them, the church of Chrift, and all her votaries, are called upon to rejoice. But while this event is a fubjed of great joy to the church«of Chrift, it is a caufe of wo to the earth, the Roman empire, and to the fea, the fluduating and diffolved ilate of thofe countries over which the heathen empire formerly extended, during the period of time, from the dilfolution of the empire by the Goths, Vandals and other barba- rous nations, until the empire fhould be fettled a- gain under the Papal government. Great fliall be their wo, becaufe the devil fliall lead them deep into error, delufion and fin ; becaufe he is cad out of the Ghriftian church, and finds it impoffible for him completely to deceive God's chofen and fealed ones, and becaufe he knows that the time allowed 124 A COMMENTARY CIl. XIL allowed to hiiti to miilead even the votaries of Rome fnall be fliort, when compared with the pe-^ riod of his exiftence. For, as fhall appear from chap. XX. he fhall be bound for a looo years, and from the time in which he was cad down to the Roman empire in the year 756, to the commence- ment of thefe 1000 years there fhall be only 1243 years. Verfe 13//7.— And v^hen tlie Dragon faw that he was caft unto the earth, he pcrfecut- ed the woman which brought forth the man- child. The heathen Roman emperors, as in verfe 4th, perfecLited individual Chriftians, but after the dragon was caft to the earth, after the Papal domi- nion was ereded, Papal Rome perfecuted the wo- man herfelf, the church of Chrift. Now it was, that Rome began to ftile the Chriftlan church he- retical, and to reprefent all dodlrines, worfliip and difcipline to be wrong and heretical, except thofe which were eftablifhed alid obferved in the church of Rome. Verfe 14^ A. — -And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that flie might fly unto the wildernefs, unto her place : Where Ver. 14. ON THE HEVELATION. 25 Where {he is nourlflied for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the fer- pent. The eagle, the bird of Jove, was the ftandard of Rome. As the eagle flies very high, and far, and lives long, the Roman eagle was the emblem of the height of their power, the extent of their kingdom, and the duration of their empire. But that powxr ihould not fubdue the kingdom of heaven. The church of Chrift, fhould be pro- vided with two wings of a great eagle, which Ihould carry her beyond the reach of the Roman eagle, fmall when compared with this one. The two wings of this great eagle feem to be the fym- bols for the providence and the grace of God. Supported by thefe, the church of Chrift can de- fy the Roman eagle, and even fly with fafety over the gates of hell. This great eagle with thefe two wings is the bird of the great Jehovah. With this ftandard the kingdom of Chrift fliall rife much higher, extend much farther, and continue much longer than that of Rome with the eagle for its ftandard. Upon thefe two wings the church of Chrift fliould fly unto a wildernefs ftate from the face of the ferpent, and fliould be preferved and trained up in that ftate *'foratime and times and " half a time." Vol. II. D A 26 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIL A time is one year, times are two year§, and half a time is half a year; the whole together are three years and an half. Each year coniifts of 12 months, and each of thefe months of 30 days, which make 360 days. Hence the time here is exactly the fame with the 1260 days mentioned in verfe 6th, as relative to the continuance of the wildernefs flate of the charch. For 1260 days are exactly the days of three years and an half. Here, as in verfe 6th, it lignifies 1243 years. It is evident, that this period commenced at the year of Chriil 756, which in next chapter fhall be clearly Ihewn to be the time when the dragon was call unto the earth. The woman fled unto the wildernefs from the perfecution of the dragon ; but the dragon perfecuted the woman, as in verfe 13th, only when he faw that he was call unto the earth. The wildernefs flate of the church com- menced in the year 756, is to continue for 1243 years, and therefore Ihall terminate in the year 1999. This wildernefs ftate of the church is ex- adlly cotemporary with the treading of the holy city under the foot of the Gentiles for 42 ^months, which is jj^ull three years and an half, or 1260 days ; and with the prophefying of the two witneiTes for ^260 days, both as in chap. xi. 2, 3. Vcrfes Ver. 15, 160 ON THE REVELATION. 27 Verfes 15th, i6th. — And the ferpent call out of his mouth water as a flood, after the woman, that he might caufe her to be car- ried away of the flood. And the earth help- ed the woman, and the' earth opened her mouth and fwallowed up the flood which the dragon caft out of his mouth. When the dragon perceived that the woman was flying out of his reach, he caft waters out of his mouth like a flood, that flie might be carried away by the flood. The flood iignifies that great inundation of errors, which the devil at this time introduced into the world, by means of the Papal church. His defign was, not that thefe might be imbibed by that church, but that they might be imbibed by the church of Chrift, and that by them fhe might be carried away from the truth, purity, and fimplicity of the gofpel. In this defign he was difappointed, for the earth helped the woman. The Roman empire, now become Papal, greedily fwallowed thefe errors, and thus, as it were hinder- ed the church of Ghrift from embracing them. We are not to fuppofe, that the church of Rome in- tended to promote the intereft of Chrift's church, in fwallowing up thefe errors with which the de- vil defigned to carry away the church of Chrift. V\7'ithout intending or knowing it, flie proved on- D 2 ly 28 A COMMENTARY Ch. XII. ly the occafion or inflrument of helping the church ofChrift. . Verfe i^th, — And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her feed which keep the com- mandments of God and have the teftimony of Jefus Chrift, When the devil found that he could not hurt the church ofChrift in the wildernefs ftate; that the flood of errors and delufions, with which he in-- tended to have drowned her, had been gireedily fwallowed up by that church and empire which he had ufed as inftruments in order to deftroy her; and that thus, contrary to his intention, or without their knowledge or delign, they had adually help- ed her ; he then exprelTed his rage againft the church, by perfecuting the remnant of her feed. Who her feed are we are told, in terms which cannot be mifunderftood, " They keep the com- *' mandments of God, and have the teftimony of " Jefus Chrift.'* They are thofe who in matters of religion ftridly adhere to the commandments of God. They do not make void the law of God by human traditions, nor teach or believe as doc- trines of God commandments of men. They firm- ly .believe and heartily approve of that teftimony which Ver. 17. ON THE REVELATION. 29 which is given in the facred fcriptures of the na- tures, charadler, offices, and religion of Jefus Ghriflr, and they boldly give their teftimony to thefe. It is fcarcely poffible to draw a more exad and mark- ed defcription of the charader of true Chriftians, than this one. If thofe who keep the command- ments of God and have the teftimony of Jefus are not Chriftians, I know not who are Chriftians. This is a character which will fuit no other except Chriftians. It cannot be faid with truth of any o- thers, that they keep the commandments of God and have the teftimony of Jefus Chrift. They are called the remnant of his feed, becaufe they are perfons of the very fame charader with her man- child whom the dragon wiflied to deftroy, as in verfe 4th. This prediction was verified in the many Papal perfecutions which commenced with the wilder- nefs ftate of the church, in which great num- bers of Chriftians were put to death, becaufe they kept the commandments of God and had the tef- timony of Jefus. The, perfons who fuftered un- der Papal Rome were of the fame charadler, and fufFered on the fame account with the Chriftians who fuftered under Heathen Rome. It is in rela- tion to thefe primitive Chriftian martyrs, that the perfons foretold in this verfe are called the rem- nant of the woman's feed. In chap, vi, 9. the character of the primitive martyrs, and the caufe for 30 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIL for which they fufFered, are expreffed in terms of the precife fame import with thofe by which the martyrs under Papal Rome are defcribed in this verfe. *' They were llain for the word of God and *' for the teftimony which they held." And in verfe nth of that chapter, when a reference was made to thofe who fhould be killed as martyrs under Papal Rome, they are called " their fellow " fervants and their brethren, that fhould be kil- ** led as they were." The former of thefe, the church of Rome extol, canonize, and almoft adore as Chrillian martyrs and faints, while they traduce and anathematife the latter as obllinate heretics. Let any candid intelligent perfon read with atten- tion the hiflories of the charadlers of both, and of the caufes for which both thefe fuffered, and they fhall clearly perceive, that they both kept the commandments of God, had the teftimony of Jefus Chrift, were fellow fervants of God and bre- thren, and that they were both flain for the word of God and for the teftimony which they held. CHAP. Ver. I, 3. ON THE RJEVELATION. 3I CHAP. XIII. VISION VIL Verfes ijl^ 2^, ^d, A ND I flood upon the fand of the fea, and Taw a beaft rife out of the fea, having feven heads, and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blafphemy. And the beaft which I faw was Hke unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a Hon : and the dragon gave him his power, and his feat, and great autho- rity. And I faw one of his heads, wounded as it were to death ; and his deadly wound was healed : and all the world wondered af- ter the beaft. Thefe verfes contain a very minute and llriking defcription of a beaft which John faw in vifion, and of thofe circumftances which mark the nature of 32 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. of the beafl, and the time and place of his appear- ance. John informs us, that the fand of the fea was the fcene of this vifion. In the fymbohcal language, fea as oppofed to earth, fignifies a fluctuating, un- fettled, and violent flate of civil fociety : Hence, the fand of the fea fignifies, like the fand w^hich is iituated between the fea and the dry earth, a itate of civil fociety vv^hen the convulfions of the pre- ceding fluctuating flate are jufl ending, and the calmnefs and firmnefs of eftabliflied government are jufl commencing. Such was to be the fituation of the Roman empire at the time when this beafl fliould arife. The word in the original which is here tranflated heajl^ is9;;f/oi', which fignifies a beafl of prey. In ch. iv. 6. beafls are mentioned, but the word in the ori- ginal in that place is ^6^,, which fignifies living crea- tures, as has already been fliewn. In the fymbolical language a beafl of prey always fignifies a temporal kingdom, becaufe temporal kingdoms, like beafls of prey, in all ages have preyed upon and fwallowed the weaker ones. Like beafls of prey, they make ufe of force to feize upon other kingdoms. Like beafls of prey, they are in fa6l reflrained by fiiperior force only. It is unneceflary to fpend any time in tracing the analogy between temporal kingdoms and beafls of prey, on which this fymbol is found- ed, becaufe this is the explicit and uniform mean- ing Ven I, — 4. ON THE REVELATION. 33 ing given to it in facred prophecy, which is a fuf- ficient, and even the beft reafon for us to underftand it in that fenfe when explaining f^ured propiie^y. Thus, Daniel vii. 3, 4, 5, 6,7. Daniel faw four great beads of prey like a lion, a bear, a leopard, and one of a mod monftrous appearance. In verfe 17th, which contains an explication of the meaning of thefe ravenous beads, it is faid : *' Thefe great beads ** w^iich are four, are four kings which diall arife " out of the earth." That by kings are meant kingdoms in that place, is evident from verfe 23d, where it is faid, '* Thus he faid, the fourth bead " diall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth." In- deed, king in prophetic writings fignifies not an individual king, but the regal power or kingdom, as is evident from the fequel of that 7th chap- ter of Daniel, and many other of the prophetic writings. In particular this is the fenfe, as we are told in chap. xvii. 9, — 13, in which this very bead is to be underdood, as diall be fully ihewn in the commentary on that place. That this bead dgnides the Roman empire, un- der the Papal form of government, which, as a temporal kingdom, commenced in the year of Chrid 756, and which diall continue one until the end of the year 1999, fliall, I hope, clearly appear to every candid, intelligent and atteiit ve reader, from the following explication of the vari- ous parts of this hieroglyphic. Vol, 1L 1: h^^ 34 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL John flood on the fand of the fea, and faw this bcaftrife up out of the fea, not out of the earth, like another beafl defcribed in verfe nth. This king- dom therefore was to rife out of a fluctuating and dilTolved flate of civil fociety, and when the great- eft violence of that unfettled ftate of fociety had abated coniiderably. — Accordingly, it was after the Roman empire had been overrun, violently agitated, and even entirely diflblved by the Goths and Vandals, and other northern barbarous na- tions; it was after the violence of thefe convullions had in a good meafure fubfided ; it was after the city of Rome for a conliderable time had ceafed to be the feat of government, that in the year 756the Pope was vefted with a temporal dominion in Rome by Pepin king of France, as the very firft temporal prince there after the diflblution of the empire. That temporal dominion in that feat of govern- ment he and his fuccefTors have held to this day. This beaft had feven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blafphemy. In chap. xvii. 9, 10. it is faid, " The fevcn heads are feven mountains, on which " the woman fitteth, and there are feven kings/' From which, as fhall be fully (hewn in that place, the feven heads lignify that the feat of this tempo* ral kingdom fhall be in a city which is built upon feven hills, and that there fliall be feven different forms of civil government in fucceffion, which fliall all Ver. I, — 3. ON THE REVELATION. 35 all have that city for their feat. This defcription exadly agrees to the Roman empire, and to no o- ther empire which has ever been in the world. For the city of Rome is built upon feven hills, and the prefentor Papal form of government which did not commence for about 600 years after John wrote this prophecy, is the feventh which hath been c- flabliihed in Rome. Thefe hills and thefe forms of government have been all named in the commen tary on chap, vi, 3. In that place, the Roman em- pire was reprefented by a bead with feven heads and ten horns, and feven crowns upon his heads : but here it is reprefented by a bead with the fame feven heads and ten hprns, with this difference, that there are ten crowns upon his ten horns, and upon his heads a name of blafphemy. The former reprefents imperial Rome, when the diffe- rent kingdoms of the world, fuch as England, France, and others, were not independent king- doms, but conquered provinces of the empire ; not only tributary to Rome, but alfo ruled by Roman governors, for thefe ten horns had no crowns at that time ; and when Rome herfelf was the only inde- pendent and ruling flate in the whole empire, and the city of Rome the only feat of government, for the feven crowms were upon the feven heads. But the latter reprefents Papal Rome, at a time when thefe different kingdoms had become independent, and were governed by laws and kings of theu' own ; E 2 for, 3^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. for upon the horns there were now ten crowns ; and when the Roman prince who had his feat of government in the city of Rome was not crown- ed like a temporal king, did not take a title ever borne by any king, but alTamed a blafphemous ti- tle ; for upon his heads was the name of biafphemy. We are not to fuppofe, that the word biaf- phemy was infcribed on his heads as his name. The import of this part of the hieroglyphic, thougb dark in our tranllation, is perfedly clear in the original language. The particle to which the correfponds, is not in the original. There it is Am- ply cVo/xa llKoi(y(^yiyJ(x,(;, which ought to have been tranllated a name of biafphemy, which iignifies, that at this time the prince who fnould have the city of Rome for his feat of government Ihould af- fume a blafphemous title. Is not his Holineff a blafphemous title, fince God only is holy ? But though thefe ten kingdoms fliould be independent, his Holinefs, like their head, fliould turn them whatever way he pleafed, but always by the cords of blafphemous fuperilition, and by arrogat- ing to himfelf thofe abfolving powers which it is biafphemy for any man to claim, by which he kept all thefe kings in awe. !Now to what ftate and period of the Roman empire does this laft defcription agree ? Is it not to the Papal ftate ? Did not the various indepen- dent kingdoms which rofe within the bounds of ^he Ver. I,— 5. ON THE REVELATIOI^. 37 the wellern empire, arife at the very time the Pa- pal government began in Rome in its temporal charader ? Did not the Pope aflume to himfelf, and does he not ftill retain, the bhifphemous title of bis HoUnefs ? Did he not (till govern thefe inde- pendent kingdoms by the fceptre of fu perdition ? Though in every other refpedl: they were inde- pendent kingdoms, were they not as much under the controul of his HoUnefs of Rome, by the ties of fuperilition, as if they had flill been conquered provinces. It was then that Rome was (chap, xvii. 18. ) " that great city which reigneth over the ^' kings of the earth." The apoflle Paul in his 2d epiftle to the ThefTalonians, chap. ii. 4. many hundred years before the event, foretells in the mofl pointed language the names of blafphemy which fhould be upon the Papal head of Rome, when he faid of him, '* who oppofeth and exalteth " himfelf above all that is called God, or that is " worfhipped ; fo that he as God fitteth in the *' temple of God, fhewing himfelf that he is God/* This defcription not only exactly agrees to the Pa- pal (late of Rome, but it agrees to no other empire and to no other ilate of that empire. This beaft was partly like a leopard, partly like a bear, partly like a lion. Daniel in chap. vii. 3, 4, 5> 6, 7. foretold the four great, and as they are commonly called, univerfal monarchies which were to a^iife in th^ earth in fucceirion before that glo- rious 3^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. rious period fhould come, when in the language of fcripture, and even of that chapter, " The kingdom '•ofChrift Ihould come, and all people, nations, " and languages fhould ferve him." He fays, the firfl of thefe was like a lion, the fecond like a bear, the third like a leopard, and he does not name any particular beall to which the fourth was like, becaufe it was a monfter ; but only fays, verfe vii. *' After this I faw in the night vifion, and behold " a fourth bead dreadful and terrible, and ilrong ** exceedingly, and it had great iron teeth, it de- " voured and brake in pieces, and ftamped the " relidue with the feet of it, and it was divers from " all the beads which were before it, and it had " ten horns.'* Interpreters are all agreed, that the firil of thefe beafts is the fymbol of the AlTy- rian, the fecond of the Fer{ian,the third of the Gre- cian, and the fourth of the Roman empire, which in fa(^ have all arifen in fucceffion to each other juil as Daniel predidled, who lived an illuftrious fubje^l of the firft of them in the court of one of its kings, in Babylon. He gives us no o ther particular defcription of this fourth bead or Roman empire but that it was very fierce and ter- rible, that it rofe after the other three, and had ten horns. When the bead which John faw, not only rofe after the other three monarchies were JiiTjlYed, not only was very fierce and terrible, not only Ver. I, — 3. ON THE reVelatiok. 39 only had thefe ten horns, but in feme of its parts re- iembled all the firft three beads, it mud be the fourth of thefe beads, and the fymbol of the Ro- man empire, which comprehended within its boundaries fome parts of the territory of all thefe three monarchies. Being made up of parts from every one of them, it is here reprefented by a mon- ilrous bead, which in fome of its parts refembles a leopard, in fome abear, and in others a lion. " The dragon gave this bead his power, his feat, " and great authority/' The feat of the dragon was Rome, the city built upon the feven hills, as was fhewn chap. xii. 3. Hence the feat of this empire was alfo to be the city of Rome, and its power was alfo to be as great as that of Heathen Rome. And it was to have great authority. It was to govern the world more by mere authority, more by opinion, than even by real power. In this lad indrument of domination, it was greatly to ex- cel and be didinguifhed from Heathen Rome. Is not the city of Rome the feat of the Papal empire ? Was not its pov/er long as great as that of Heathen Rome? And did it not go verm the world much more by mere authority than by real power ? Were not the kings of the earth, for a long time, more terrified for the Papal anathemas than ever they were for all the arms of the Roman legions. John faw one of the heads of this bead, as if wounded to death. Thefe feven heads are {even different 40 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII, different forms of government in the city of Rome as their feat. Five of thefe were pafl before John's day, and the lixth, that of the emperors, was in exiftence when he faw the vifion. This is the fact in hiflory, and alfo the exprefs declaration of this book, chap. xvii. lo. " and there are {even " kings, five are fallen, one is, and the other is not " yet come." The one head, therefore, which John faw wounded to death was that of the emperors. The imperial government was to receive a deadly wound before this bead fhould appear; and though the wounded head ihould die, yet the bead itfelf ihould not die, for the deadly wound in fo far as it affeded the bead fhould be healed. As the beafl had lived when the other five heads had been cut off, it lived alfo after the fixth head had been wounded to death. It livedunder the feventh head. After this " deadly wound was healed, all the " world wondered after the beafl." The word rendered world ought to have been tranilated eartb. It is yti in the original, the proper fignification of which is earth, and which is uniformly in this book tranilated the earth. The earth in this book is the fym.bol for the Roman empire. Not all the world, but all that part of it which was within the limits of the Roman empire at the time John faw this vifion, was to wonder after, admire, and be- come fubjecl to this lafl head of Roman govern- ment. Do not all thefe' marks exadly fit Papal Rome r Ver. 1,-3. ON THE REVELATioN. 41 Rome ? Hath not the imperial government been diffolved ? After the clifiblution of this form of go- vernment, did not Rome for a confiderable time ceafe to be the feat of empire, and to be ranked a- mong the kingdoms of this world ? Was not the proud city of Rome for a confiderable time a fmall duchy, under the Exarchate ofRavennd? Did not the imperial government of Rome then receive a deadly wound ? Did any perfon then living ever fuppofe, that Rome fhouid again govern the world? But whilfl the fixth, the wounded imperial head, died, did not the beafl itfelf recover from the wound? The imperial government hath never yet been reflored to Rome, but the Papal govern- ment waserecledinit,in the yearof Chriil756,and hath continued in it to this day, in the year 1790. Hath not all the anrient weilern Roman empire w^ondered after and become fubjecl to the Papal government? That the Papal as a civil government was not to arife until after the diiTolution of the imperial go- vernment, was clearly predicted alfo by the apoiile 'Paul, 2 Their, ii. 3, — 12. efpecially verfes 6th, 7th, where he faith, " and now ye know what with- *' holdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. ** For the myftery of iniquity doth already work ; " only he who now letteth, (0 v.'XTix^y, who with- *' holds), will let, (that is, witbhold), until he be " taken out of the way/' He who withheld in VcJU. n. F the 42 A COMMEKTAR^ Ch. XIlL the days of Paul was the imperial government. It was not poffible in the nature of the thing, that the Papal government in its civil character could be erected in the city of Rome as its feat, until the imperial Ihould be removed from that feat. Verfe /i^th. — And they worfliipped the dra- gon which gave power unto the beafl : and they woriliipped the beaft, faying", Who is like unto the beaft I who is able to make war with him ? All the Roman empire who wondered after the Papal hierarchy, fbould worfliip the dragon who gave power to the bealt. All idolatry and fuper- llition may be denominated the worlhipping of devils, becaufe they are not the worfhip of God, the fole objed of all rehgious worfliip, and becaufe they originally proceed from the devil, and pre- pare men for his fervice. In particular, certain doctrines long and publicly avowed by the church of Rome, becaufe indeed they are of fuch a na- ture that they cannot be concealed, were predid- ed by the apoflle Paul, and exprefiy called doc- trines of devils. — Such for inilance, as not keeping faith with heretics, equivocations, and mental re- fervations, the celibacy of the clergy, and the dif- tindijons Ver. 4. ON THE REVELATION. A\ tindlicns and prohibitions of meats, i Tim. iv. i, — 3. " Now the Spirit fpeaketh exprelly, that in " the latter days fome lliall depart from the faith, *' giving heed to feducing fpirits, and docirines of *' devils J fpeaking lies in hypocrify, having their " confciences feared with a hot iron, forbidding to *' marry, and commanding to abftain from meats *' which God hath created to be received' with " thankfgiving of them which believe and know " the truth.*' " They worfliip the bead alfo." — Men do not pay religious worfliip to civil governors and govern- ments. But he muil be a Itranger to the hiilory of Papal Rome, who does not know that the vo- taries of Rome exprefs their refpedl for the Pope and the Papal hierarchy, in a manner too like ado- ration and religious worfliip ; they v/orfliip the bead in afcribing omnipotence to him. They fay, *' Who is like him ? who is fo great " and powerful as he ? Who can make war with *' him ? They impioufly imagine, that the King of kings and Lord of lords cannot overthrow him. They worfhip the Papal hierarchy, by afcribing to it infallibility. Ver/e ^th. — And there was given unto hini a mouth fpeaking great things, and blalphe- F 2 mies ; 44 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. mies ; and power was given unto him to con- tinue forty and two months. What power ever fpake greater things or more blafphemous than Papal Rome hath done ? ** And power was given unto him to continue ** forty and two m.onths.'' The words rendered " to continue," fhould have been tranllated to make war. In the original, they are TroKiy.ov Tromai. By that God who governs the world, who proteds his church and overrules her enemies, permiffion Ihould be given to Papal Rome to make war a- gainii the faints of God for 42 prophetic m.onths, that is 1260 prophetic days, which, as was former- ly Ihewn, are 1243 ^^^^^^ years, As Papal Rome became a temporal kingdom in the year of Chrift 756, 1243 years added to that year will run down to the year of Chriil 1999, the time when Papal Rome and the Roman empire itfelf iliall be for ever diflblved under this, its feventh and lail head. This period of time during which Papal Rome ihall make war with the faints, is of the fame length, and indeed begins and ends at the fame periods, with the Gentiles treading the holy city under foot for forty-two months, -chap. xi. 2. the prophefy- ing of the two witnelTes in fackcloth for 1260 days, verfe 3, and the woman's being in the wil- dernefs for 1260 days, chap. xii. 6. and for a time ^nd times and' half a time, verfe xiv. In the na- ture. Ver, 5. ON THE REVELATION. 45 ture of the thing, all thefe mull be cotemporary : for the reign of Antichrift, and the fufferings and perfecuted liate of Chrid's church, mud be of the fame continuance. The charader given of Papal Rome in thi^ paf- fage, and the time of his making war with the faints, are predicated of the laft head of Roman go. vernment, in terms of the very fame meaning, and almoft of the fame expreilion, by Daniel, chap, vii. 7, 8, 23,-25. Is it not wonderful? Is it not worthy of rernark ? Ought it not to ftrengthen our belief of tjiis prediclion, that amidft all the revolutions which have taken place in other king- doms. Papal Rome hath continued for 1034 years fpeaking great things and blafphemies, and mak- ing war wdth the faints of God ? Is not this a llrong prefumption that fhe will continue during the remaining 209 years of the predided time: In verfe 23. Daniel fays " the fourth beafl " fhall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which *' fhall be divers from all kingdoms^ Is not the Papal government different from all the kingdoms which ever were in the world ? It is neither civil nor religious. It is a monllrous mixture of both. A mod extraordinary and fingular combination of civil and ecclefiaftic government is the very con- ftitution of the Papal hierarchy. Varji 46 A COMMENTARY CIl. XIIL Verfe 6th, And he opened his mouih in blafphemy againft God, to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Another mark of this bead is, that he fhould open his mouth' in blafphemy againft God. This blafphemy is defcribed very particularly. It is of three kinds, or rather immediately directed againft three different objects, in all which it ultimately ftrikes againft God. It is againft the name of God, againft the tabernacle of God, and againft them who dv/ell in heaven. By the name of God, is meant God himfelf in fcrlpture. It is thus ufed in Exodus xx. 7. Pfalms xxix. 2. xxxiv. 3. Ixi. 5. and Matth. vi. 9. and many other paflages of fcripture. In the fymbolical language, the tabernacle of God fignifies the church of Chrift in this world, in its wildernefs ftate as it is defcribed by the womai;. in the wildernefs for 1260 days, in the preceding chapter. The reajTon, why this period of the church of Chrift from the year 756 to the year 1999, is reprefented by the tabernacle of God, is that the tabernacle, and not the temple, was the vifible and ftated place of public worfhip in the Jewifti church, during their abode in, and travels through the wildernefs of Arabia, which ftate of the Jews in the wildernefs, was typical of this wildernefs jft^te Ver. 6, ON THE REVILATION. 47 Hate of the Chriftlan church. Upon the fame principles of interpretation the opening of the tem- ple is, in this book, the fymbol for the triumphant, glorious, and etlabhllred flate of Chrifl's church in this world, which fhall commence in the year of Chrift 2000, which fliall appear as we proceed. By them who dwell in heaven, are meant the individual Chriflians, the real faints of God, in the church of Chriil, during that period. For heaven, as was formerly (hewn fignifies in this book, the church of Chrifl, or kingdom of heaven in this world. The word which is tranflated dwell is vKmayTu^, which fignifies them who tabernacle. It is derived from the very word, which in the preceed- ing verfe is tranflated the tabernacle. Hence it is evident, that it fignifies not the perpetual and e- ternal abode of the faints in heaven in a future flate, but a fhort and unfettled habitation of Chrif. tians in the church of God in this world, fimilar to the nature of the temporary and unfettled ha- bitation of men in tents. Hence too it is evident that it fignifies thofe Chrifi;ians, who live in that Hate of the church, v:hich in the preceding claufe is reprefented by the tabernacle; that is, thofe real Chrillians who live from the year 756 to the year 1999. The bed informed and mofi: accurate hiftorian could not have given a more difiin(5t and precife account of the blafphemies of papal Rome, than that 48 A COMMENTARY Ch. Xlth that which the prophet delivered above 1600 years ago in the verfe now under our view. Rome hath blaiphemed God du'eQly by arrogating to herfelf that infaUibihty, which is the prerogative of~God only, by allowing and eftablifliing image worlhip, by confecrating and worfhiping the hoft, or bread in the facrament of the fupper. This laft inftance of blafphemy direclly againft God cannot be better expreifed than in the words of the council of Trent, feci. 13. chap. 5 — " Nulius " itaque dubitandi locus reliquitur, quin omnes " Chrifti fideles, pro more in Catholica eccleiia fem- " per recepto, latrias cultum qui vero Deo debetur " huic fancliffimo facramento in veneratione exhi- " beant. Nam ilium eundem Deum prefentem in " eo adelTe credimus, quern Pater eternus intro- " ducens in orbem terrarum, dicit, Et adorent euni *' omnes angeli Dei." Which is thus exprefled in the Englifh language. " Therefore no place for " doubting is left, but that all the faithful, accord- " ing to the cudom always received in the catholic " church, give that religious worfliip to this moftho- " ]y facrament, which is due to the true God. — *' For we believe, that that very God is prefent in ** it, whom when the eternal Father was introda- ** cing unto the world, he faid And let all the angels *' of God worfliip him." And as to the Chriilian church, and individual Chriftians, Rome uniform- ly blafphemes them by calling them heretics. Is not Ver. 7,— lo. ON the revelation. 49 not this the uniform appellation, which fhe gives thetn? Upon the fuppofidon that the Chriflian church is the church of God, and that real Chrif- tians are the true woriliippers of God, is not this ultimately to blafpheme God himfelf ? Verfes'jth^ 8tb, gth^ loth. — And it was given unto him to make war with the faints, and CO overcome them : and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and na- tions. And all that dwell upon the earth fhall worfliip him, whofe names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity, lliali go. into captivity ; he that killeth with the fvvord, muft be killed with the fwcrd. Here is the patience and the faith of the faints. This beail was permitted to make war with the faints, and to overcome them. Papal Rome hath, for a long time, made war with the faints, in the violent and bloody perfecutions, which (lie long carried on, and ftill carries on againft them, fo far as her power extends. Immediately before the time of the glorious Reformation in the fixteenth century, the faints appeared to be totally overcome by Papal Vol. XL G perfecution. 5^ A COxMMENTAKY Ch. XIII. perfecution. This overcoming of the faints is the fame with the killing of the two witneffes, chap. xi. 7, which hath been fully explained on that place. However much the weflern empire was divided - into dillincT: and independent kingdoms and na- tions, at the time of the rife of the Papal hierarchy, and however -different the languages were, which were fpoken in thefe kingdoms. Papal Rome, long had the fupreme authority over them, as pre- dided in verfe 7. In all thefe kingdoms, the kings and their fuhjects were equally obedient t® the nod of Rome. All that du^ell upon the earth, that is, all the inhabitants of the weitern empire, even when di- vided into the ten kingdoms, fhould worfliip the Beatt and the Papal hierarchy, and obey it from a principle of fuperilition, with the lingle exception of men cf one particular characTier. For they, whofe names are written in the book of life of the Lamb llain from the foundation of the world, though living withiii the boundaries of the Rom.an empire, fhould not worfliip nor ferve the Papai hierarchy. Thefe perfons, v/ho fliall not worfhip the Beafl, are all thofe individual perfons fcattered through the whole empire, during the whole wildernefs ftai e of the church, who are fpiritually alive in Ciiiift Jefus ; who are renewed by the fpirit of God in the ij^irit of their minds ; wj^o walk not after the fiefli, Ver. 7,— lo: on the revelation. 31 flefli, but after the fpirit ; who, though they may not be all known or acknowledged by men to be true Chriftians, are all perfedly known, and fhall at laft be as certainly acknowledged by Chrift, as ^hey could have been, had all theh' names been written in a book kept by him, as a regiiler of all thofe who being born again, are alive in Chriil Je- fus. Thefe are all real Chriftians, and thefe are the only perfoEs, w^ho, during the whole of that period, fhall never fabmit to Papal faperftition. The ninth verfe is a folemn call to all men to attend to, and keep in remembrance, the predic- tions contained in the following verfe. The mean- ing of w^hich is, that how^ever great and powerful Papal Rome fhall be; however much her domina- tion Ihall extend over kindreds, tongues and na- tions ; however much the inhabitants of the em- pire ihall worfliip her; however many of the faints file fhall put to death, or obhge to ily unto baniih^ ment ; and however much flie (hall for a time ap- pear to have overcome the faints of God ; Ihe her- feif Hiall afterw^ards be led into captivity, fhe her- felf fliall be killed wdth the fword and totally over- thrown. This prediction refers, in the fird place, to the various judgements, particularly of captivi^ ty, and bloody deflrudions in wars, wdjich have been fulfilled already on the votaries of Papal Pvome; as more particularly predicted under vials, i> 2, 3, 4, and 5, in chap. xvi. 2. — 11. which lliall G 2 b.c 5"2 A COMMENTARY Ch. XlII, be fully explained in the commentary on thefe \cxh5. And in the fecond place, to thole terrible, deftrudive, and bloody wars, by which the Papal hierarchy and empire fhall be totally overthrown at lafi, in the year 1999, which are particularly predicled in chap. xiv. 20. chap. xvii. 16. 17. and chap. xix. 19. — 21. which Ihali be explained fully on thefe palTages. " Here is the patience and ti.e faith of the " faints." All the faints of God believe the pre^ diclion of the final overthrow of Papal Rome. Whilft fome men treat thefe predictions with ne- glecl or contempt, and while others regard the chmxh of Rome as the true church of God, every real faint of God believes that the Papal hierarchy fhall be finally overthrown, according to the pre- didions of facred fcripturc. Here too is the pa- tience of the faints. The faints only are poiTeiTed of that patience, which fl:iall qualify them, for en- during, without apoilatiiing from the faith, all thofe perfecutions to which they fiiall be expofed, from Papal Rome. This period of the power of Papal Rome, is the one in wnich the faith and pa- tience of the faints lliall be chiefly exercifed and confirmed. In the fucceeding period of the churchy in which the kingdom of God fliall be triumphant in the world, neither their faith nor their patience ihall be io much put to the trial. In chap. xiv. 12. The fame thing isfaidof the ptaie^^.ce Ver. II; ON THE RE VSL AT TON. 53 patience and faith of the flints. In that paflligc, as connecled with the final overthrow of Rome, it lignifies the proof or evidence that their faith and patience have been built on folid grounds, fince what they believed is then in fad: come to pafs ; and (ince they are then, in fact, dehvered from thofe. trials, and put in polTeffion of thofe bleillngs, the termination of the one, and the commence- ment of the other, which were the grounds of their patience. Verfe nth, — And I beheld another bcafl: coming up ont of the earth, and he had two horns like a Iamb, and he fpake as a dragon. John, having feen the bead with feven heads and ten horns, mentioned in verfe r, rife out of the fea, before he left his ftationonthe fand of the Tea, fa vv, on the other hand of him, another beait coming up cut of the. earth. The firit of thefe was the tempo- ral government of Rome under its lall form, which rofe after the empire had been diffohTd by the Goths and other northern barbarous nations, Thii> fecond beailrofecut of the earth, that is, outofthe Rom.an empire, v/hen it was again brought tc a fet* tied conftitutionand ftate under the lail form of go- vernment. It was alfo (e^f/cO a bcail of prey, and therefore a civil governraeiU. Like the firll bcaU 54 ^ COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL beaft it is alfo monftrous, for it is like a lamb, and yet fpeaks like a dragon. It has two horns, and only two. By the two horns it is intimated, that this government is veil- ed with two kinds of power. As a lamb it is part- ly eccleiiailic, pretending a relation to Chrift, who is represented frequently in this book, and in o- ther parts of facred fcriptm'e, by a lamb; and as a dragon it is partly civil, and in reality more nearly related to the devil than to Chrift. The whole hieroglyphic taken together iigniiies, that foon af- ter the Roman empire fliould be eftablilhed or fet- tled under the feventh or lali form of government, another power fhould rife up within the empire, and fubfervient to it, partly ecclefiaftic, and partly civil: That this power fliould put on the appear- ance of an ecclefiaftic ; for though it fhould have two horns, they fhould not be horns of a lamb, but like the horns of a lamb : But that, in reality, it fliould have much of the nature of the dragon in it, for it fpake as a dragon. Like the dragon it had Rome for its feat ; like the dragon it fhould throw floods of error out of its mouth ; like the dragon it fhould be w^'oth with the woman, Wnd fhould make v/ar with the remnant of her feed ; like the dragon it fhould imagine that the firft beaft derived its pow- er and authority from it^ It hath no crowns upon it 5 horns, nor upon that head w^hich fpoke like a dragon, to Caew us, that this power though both ecclefiaftical Ver. ir. on the revelation. c;:^ ccclefiaftical and civil, and though its feat of go- yernment fhould be the city of Rome, lliould not be a crowned head. The firft beail which rofe out of the fea fignifies the conftitution of the Roman government under its lafl or feventh form. And this fecond beafl fignifies the Pope individually, who foon after the conftitution of Papal Rome was fully' fettled and confirmed, afiumed a defpotic power to himfelf ; and, notwithftanding the conftitution of the Papal government, afted as an abfolute defpot, as if there had been no law nor counfel in the empire but his own will. For a confiderable time after the grant of Pepin, in the year 756, the Pope acled as the biiliop of Pvome, and the chief magiftrate of the Roman ftate. He never attempted to afllime a defpotic power to himfelf, either in ecclefiaftic or civil matters. But in the end of that century and the beginning of the next he afiumed a defpotic power in both ; and from that time the govern- ment of Rome was the moft fingular and extraor- dinary that ever appeared in the world. At the fame time, over the lame extent of territory, and in the fame feat of government, the conftitution of Rome was a mixed government of the monarchical and ariftocratical kmds, and the Pope himfelf was vefted with a power abfolutely defpotic; and yet thefe two oppofite kinds of government mutual- ly fupported and ftrei-gthened each other. As ^6 A COlMMENTARr Ch. XIII. As this fecond bead had no crowns upon it, the Pope does not wear a crown like other kings. All hiftorians are agreed, that it was in the end of the eight century, and in the ninth one, that the Ro- man pontiffs aiTumed that defpotic power which they have long held. The reader will be fully fa- tisfied of this by looking unto the writers on thcfe centuries of the church, particularly Moflieim. That this fecond bead llgnifies the Pope indivi- dually acling with defpotic authority, will I hope clearly appear from the charadler Avhich is drawn of this beallin the fix folio w^ing verfes. Ver/es i2th^ ^ph^ iJi^th^ 15^^, \6th^ lyth. • — And he exerclfeth all the power of the. firft bead before him, and caufeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worfliip the firft beaft, whofe deadly wound was healed* And hedoeth great wonders, fo thathe maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the fight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of thofe mi- racles which he had power to do in the fight of the beaft, faying to them that dwell on the earth, that they fhouid make an image to the beaft which had the wound by a fword, and did live. And he had power to give life un- to Ver. IJ?,— 17- ON THE REVELATION. 57 to the image of the beaft, that the image of the beaft fhould both fpeak and caufe that as m^y as would not worfliip the image of the beaft ftiould be killed. And he cauf- eth all both fmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads : and that no rnan might buy or fell, fave he that had the mark, or the name of the beaft, or the number of his name. This fecond beaft exercifeth all the power of the' firft beaft before him, or as the word ivcoTnov figni- fies, in his prefence. They fliould be cotemporary powers, and both in the Roman empire. All the power of the firft beaft is both a civil and ecclefiaf- tic power, and both thefe the Pope individually exercifeth during the exiftence of the laft form of government. By the exertions of his civil and ecclefiaftic powers, the Pope hath made the Ro- man empire and all its citizens not only to fubmit to, but almoft to adore the Roman hierarchy. The Pope hath wrought many .falfe miracles, with the fame intention of proving himfelf to be the fervant of God, and the fyftem of worfhip which he teaches, the true worftiip of God, with w^hich the prophet Elijah in a miraculous manner brought down fire from heaven, as recorded in VoL.H. H 1 Kings 5S A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. Kings xviii. 37, 38. and 2 Kings i. 10, — •12. Thefe falfe miracles he works in the light of men not of faints. He does not perform them in the prefence of the true worfliippers of God, leaft examining them with impartiahty and attention they Ihould difcover and publifh the tricks by which thefe falfe miracles are wrought. But he performs them in prefence of the votaries of Rome, who, on account of their prejudices and ignorance are ealily deceived by thefe falfe miracles which they wifh to be true. By thefe falfe miracles, " they who dwell on " the earth," the inhabitants of the Roman em- pire are deceived and led into grofs errors. By the power and influence of the Pope the inhabitants of the Roman empire were perfuaded to make an image to the beail, which had the w^ound with the fword and did live. It was the imperial head of Roman government w^hich was the head of the beail, that had the wound, as was fhewn on verfe 3d. Hence, when it is faid that the Pope perfuaded them to make an image to the bead which had the wound, the meaning of it is, that through the influence of the Popes, the Papal hierarchy, both in its civil government and in its ceremonies of religious worfliip, was in a great mea- fure modelled upon thofe which were efl:abUfhed under the Heathen emperors. That this is in facfl the cafe with the conftitution of the Papal govern- ment, muil be evident to every candid and intelli- gent Ver. 12, — 17. ON THE REVELATION. 59 gent perfon who compares the imperial with the Papal conflitution of Rome, and the Heathen rites of worfhip in ufe in Rome during the times of the emperors, with very many of the ceremonies of wor- fhip in the church of Rome under the Popes. On account of this refemblance of Heathen Rome, Pa- pal Rome is called the Gentiles in chap. xi. 2. This image of imperial Rome was not to be a dead one Life fliould be given to it. It fhould be as really alive as the bead had been whofe i- mage it is. Papal Rome in a great part of its con- flitution civil and religious, fliould be modelled up- on imperial Rome ; and though ollenlibly a reli- gious government, it fliould as certainly be poflef- fed of civil and political life or power as imperial Rome had been. This life it fliould exprefs by fpeaking, and by cauling thofe to be killed who would not a6l as the devoted fervants of Papal Rome. By fpeaking great things and killing the faints, Papal Rome is charaderifed in verfes 5th and 7th of this chapter. Accordingly, in fadl the Papal hierarchy hath been as real, adliveand powerful a civil government as that of imperial Rome ever was. It hath been particularly marked by fpeaking great things, by its bulls, anathemas, and excomunications. By thefeithath often produced greater eftecls than imperial Pvome could do by large armies. It was not for nothing that in this paflagc, in verfe 5th of H 2 this 6o A COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL this chapter, and in Daniel chap. vii. 8, and 25, Papal Rome is charaderifed by a " mouth fpeak- " ing great things," Another feature in the charader of Papal Rome is, " that it caufeth that as many as would not " worlhip the image of the beaft, fhould be kil- ** led." Rome hath long been diflinguifhed, by perfecuting to death, thofe who refufe to become her votaries. The fadt is fo well known, that it would be an infult offered to the underflandings of the reader, to produce particular inftances from liillory ; of thofe vaft multitudes of perfons, whom fhe fliling heretics, becaufe they would not be- come her devoted fervants, hath put to death by fire and fword. The church of Rome indeed fays that fhe puts none to death, that fhe only delivers over obftinate condemned heretics to the civil magiflrate, and he puts them to condign deaths. This diilindlion will be of no avail to them, in or- der to evade the force of the prediclion of the fpi- rit of God, in this and other paflages in this book. For it is not faid, that the ecclefiailic power of Rome, as diilinguiflied from the civil power, kills them who worfhip not the image of the beaft : But it is the image of the beaft, it is the beaft it- felf under the feventh head which caufeth them to be killed. But the beaft lignifies the whole Papal conftitution civil and eccleftaftic combined toge- ther, but ftill in fuch a manner as to render the form Ver. 12, — 17. ON THE REVELATlO^f. 6t form of government a temporal one, (a beafl of prey). And therefore, if they are put to death either by the civil or the eccleiiaftic rulers under that hierarchy, they are killed by the bead, or the image of the beaft, as predided ; and ftill more fo, when, as is the fa6l, both the ecclefiaftic and the civil powers unite to *' caufe them to be kil- " led;" The former finds them obflinate heretics, excommunicates, and delivers them over to the civil magiitrate, and the latter puts them to death, left he himfelf, iliould be treated as a heretic or favourer of heretics. This predidlion is exprefled in-fuch language as to give the moft direct and full anfwer to this evafion, and to exprefs the part, which both the powers in the Papal conftitution ad in killing thofe, who refufe to become the de- voted fervants of Rom.e. In verfe 15th, it is faid, " that the image of the " beaft ftiould both fpeak, and cavfe that as many " as would not worfl^ip the image of the beaft, " fhould be killed." Scarcely could any other words have exprefTed fo exadly, the part, which each of thefe powers ad in this matter, as the words caufe them to he killed. The ecclefiaftic powers do not condemn to death, by their own fentences, nor kill, with their own hands, obfti- nate heretics; but do not ihty caufe them to be killed, when they excommunicate them, and de- liver them oyer to the civil magiftrate for that ve- ry 62 A COMMENTARV Ch. XIH. ry purpofe? And does not the civil tnagiftrate caufe them to be killed, when he paiTes fentencQ of death upon them, and delivers them into the hands of the executioner? The one is the more remote, and the other the more immediate caufe of their death. The two together form the com- plete caufe of it. The image of the beaft, that is, the Papal hier- archy, fhould caufe all perfons of every rank and of all circumflances, to receive a mark by which they ihould be known to be the Haves of Rome, and Ihould hinder all, who do not receive fuch a mark from carrying on any civil employment within the empire. Thefe marks are fymbols borrowed from the cullom of imprinting a mark and a number upon fome part of the body of Haves and cattle, to afcertain that they are the property of that perfon, whofe mark and number they bear. With refpedl to thefe marks, Papal Rome was not to adl like other perfons or communities who im* print a mark upon their Haves and cattle. The fame perfon imprints not only the fame mark upon all his Haves and cattle, but alfo on the fame part of their body ; and he imprints his mark always along with his number. But fome of the Haves of Papal Rome were to have the mark on their right hand, fome on their forehead, fome were to have the mark, fome the name of the beaft, and fome the number of his name. We are Ver. 12, 17. ON THE REVELATION-. 63 are not to imagine that any external mark was to be imprefTed on any part of the bodies of the vota- ries of Rome : But only that they fliould be known to be the fubjeds of Rome, by certain traits in their character, properly exprefled in the fymbolical language by a mark in their right hand, in their forehead, by the name of the beaft, and by the number of his name. Thofe with the mark in the right hand are thofe perfons, who though they do not openly profefs themfelves the votaries of Rome, are dexterous and adive in promoting the interefts of the hierarchy. Thofe with the mark in the forehead, are they who openly profefs themfelves to be the votaries of Rome, whether they are ikfllful and adive or^not in promoting her in- tereil; thofe with the name of the bead, are thofe who after his name are called Roman Catholics ; and thofe with the number of his name, are the great number of religious orders, who how* ever widely, in dodrine and rules of difcipline, they diifer from one another, and even from the peculiar dodrines of the church of Rome, ac- knowledge the Papal hierarchy, and rank them- felves among the number of its votaries. Thefe lail are properly dillinguifhed by the number of his name. Whoever reads with impartiality and attention the hiftory of the different religious or- ders which arofe in fuch numbers in the church of Rome muft clearly fee, that the doctrines and rules of 64 A COMMENTARY Ch. Xlth of difcipline of many of them were not only diffe;^ rent from, but in many things oppofite to, thofe of the church of Rome, that they were not called af- ter the name of the beafl, but after the name of their particular founder ; fuch for inftance, as the Francifcans, the Dominicans, and fuch oihers : Their chief connexion with the hierarchy is, that they rank themfelves as its fubjeds, under the Pope as their head, and apparently increafe the number of thofe who refpedlhis name. Every perfon acquainted with the hillory of Papal Rome knows, that every one who did not come under one or other of thefe four denominations was {til- ed a heretic, was prohibited from buying or fel- ling, and was excluded from all civil commerce within the bounds of the empire. To produce bulls of the Popes, or examples to this purpofe inproof of the faft, would be endlefs, they are fo many, and fuperfiuous; the fadl is fo well known, I fhall therefore produce only the bull of Pope Martin V. as an example of the ex- clufion from civil rights and privileges now men- ed. (Fox's Adls and Monuments, vol. i. page 738. alfo in Jine conjtlii Cojijlanfien/is.') " We will ** and command, that by this our authority apof- " tolical, ye exhort and admonilli all the profeiTors " of the Catholic faith, as emperors, kings, dukes, ^* princes, &c. that they expel out of their king- ** doms, provinces, cities, towns &c. all and all ** manner Ver. I2,--I7. ON the REVEIAtlON, 6^ '^ manner of heretics, according to the effedl and " tenor of the council of Late ran. — That they " fufFer none fuch within their fhires or circuits to " preach, or to keep either houfe or family, either " yet to ufe any handycraft or occupation or other " trades or merchandife, or elfe to folace themfelves " any ways, or to frequent the company of Chrif- " tian men. And furthermore, if fuch public " and known heretics Ihall chance to die, (al- ** though not fo denounced by the church), yet in " this fo great a crime, let him and them want '' Chriflian burial. — The relidue let the forefaid " temporal lords, See, take amongft them, . with " condign deaths without any delay \o punifh.'* Thus Pope Martin V. hath written a mofi exad iind full commentary on verfes i6thand 17th, Not only is this prediclion moll minutely fulfil- led in the hiftory of Papal Rome, in thefe four marks by which her votaries are known, which four are peculiar to that hierarchy, but by receiv- ing perfcns of all thefe four denominations into her communion, the worldly wifdom of Rome is high- ly diilinguifhed. This is one of the chief engines by which her power hath been increafed fo much and preferved fo long. Men who had her mark in their right hand, men of any or of no religion, if ildlful and adive in promoting her intereih, flie regarded as her votaries. In thefe men fhe had many artful, diligent, and powerful fiipporters. Vql. l]^ I . Among 66 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL Among the order of Jcfuits how many fuch men were there ? Men who had her mark in their fore- head, men who avowedly profelTed her rehgion, though they had neither the addrefs nor the power to promote her intereft by their aclive exertions, fhe received into her communion ; as alfo thofe who bearing her name were called Roman Catholics ; becaufe Ihe knew that the world is more governed by opinion than by real pow- er, and that with the men of the world nothing has a greater tendency to make many new profe- lytes to a church than a great Ihew of old vota- ries. But her receiving the lafh of thefe into her communion, thofe who had only the number of her name, the different religious orders, is a maf- ter-piece of worldly policy, and peculiar to Rome of all the churches that ever appeared in the w^orld. Every one acquainted with church-hif- tory muft have feen, that the different religious or- ders are juft fo many religious fedls, which in pro- cefs of time, and in the ordinary courfe of things, have ariien in the church of Rome. Every one of ihefe, like all feels in every church, held certain tenets in common with the church in which they fprung up, whilft they had fome peculiar ones, on account of which they feparated from it. The power of all other churches hath always diminiflied in proportion to the number of fedls which have fprung up in them, becaufe thefe feds no Ver. 12, 17. ON THE REVELATION. 67 no fooner arofe than they feparated from the communion of the mother church, and carried off numbers of her votaries. But Rome, with a policy pe- cuhar to herfelf, mod artfully kept thefe new feels or religious orders in her communion, whatever their peculiar tenets were, and even when fome of them bore the bittereft enmity againft, and were at open war wdth, one another. I hus, the more fe^s fprung up in her, the ilronger flie grew ; be- caufe their number reprefented to the world the number of her votaries as daily increaling. Their number increafed the number of her name, and by her name more than by her real power ilie long governed the world. Verfe iSth, — Here is wifdom. Let him that hath under ftanding count the number of the bead ; for it is the number of a man ; and his number is fix hundred threefcore and fix. The expreffion " here is wifdom," is always ufed in this book to intimate to us, that what imme- diately follows is a key to the preceding prophe- cies, and therefore is explanatory of the fymbo- licai predictions ; the language in it is to be taken in its plain and natural meaning, jufl: as it is ordi- narily ufed by men. This exprefrion is alfo ufed I 2 in 6S A COMMENTARY Ch. Xlll. in chap. xvii. 9. *' Here is the mind which hathwif- ^l dom ;" and all the following nine verfes to the end of the chapter contain a very- plain and exact key to the preceding prophecies, as ihallbefhewn in the commentary upon them. The language in all thefe keys is not fymbohcal or prophetic, but is all ufed in the common acceptation of the words. This is neceifary ; for otherwife it could not be explanatory of prophetic language. We findfuch keys in the prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah, and others. Such keys are a part of the idiom of prophetic language, and in them the words are al- ways ufed in their ordinary acceptation. It is with peculiar propriety that thefe keys to prophetic writings are introduced with this proclamation, *' Here is wifdom" ; for wifdom coniiiis in perceiv- ing clearly, and ufing in a right manner, the befs Ineans for attaining the ends of which we are in purfuit. The end which wepurfue in ftudying pro- phecies, is to difcover their meaning. But the bell means for enabling us to difcover their meaning, muit be thofe particular keys, which the fame Spirit of God who didlated thefe prophecies hath placed a- itiong them for that very purpofe. As much wifdom is difplayed in forming the key, fo fome wifdom is iiecelTary to underftand its conilrudion, and to ufe it fo as to unlock the prophecy, It is not the number of tbe Jiame of the beaft * But it is the number of the beafl, that we are to fmd Ver. 18. ON THE REVELATION. 69 find out by this key. That is, it is by the proper application of a given number, that we are to find out the year, in which the beafl predicted in this chapter, particularly in the firft verfe of it, fiiould arife. It is to find out the year, in which the Papal, or lail head of Roman government fhould arife,. by being veiled with a temporal dominion. This given number is fix hundred and fixty fix. We are told that this is the number of a man. It is not the number of a prophet. It is not, there- fore, to be ufed, as prophetic numbers are, to fig- nify fome other period of time, than that which is adually exprefied, as the prophetic numbers, in chapters xi. and xii. \yere ufed. But it is to be taken jufl: as thefe numbers, 666, are ufed by men in the common acceptation of them. A man's pen, in Ifaiah viii. i. fignifies fuch a pen as men write with. The meafure of a man, in Rev. xxii. 17. is that meafure, with which men meafure, particularly, as is evident from the context, the cubit, with which they meafure. The number of a man, is the very fame phrafeology to fignify a number taken in the fame acceptation, in which men ordinarily ufe it. Though this number had not been exprefsly de- fined the number of a man, to diftinguiih it from a prophetic number ; as being a part of a key or explanatory pafiage, it ought to have been taken in the ordinary acceptation of the numbers. It mull: 70 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL miifl therefore fignify 666 years, which when re- duced to- folar years, are 657 years. But uniefs w^e know when thefe years commence, we cannot know when they fhall terminate, nor the time when the beciil (hall rife, which fhall happen at the time of their termination. In ail prophetic writings, the commencements of the predicted periods are all either exprefsly fixed to a particu- lar time, or no time at all is mentioned for their commencement. Thus the commencement of Daniel's feventy weeks, in Dan. ix. 24, 27, was fixed *' from the going forth of the commandment *' to reltore and rebuild Jerufalem." The time and times and half a time, during which the w^oman is to be in the wildernefs, Rev. xii. 14, commences w^iih her flight unto the wildernefs. The 42 months continuance of the bealf, Rev, xiii. 5. commences with his becoming a beaft, that is a temporal government. When no time is men- tioned for their commencement, the time, which common fenfe didates, is the right time, that is, the time when the vifion was actually made to the prophet. If any perfon fays, that a certain event fiiali take place at the diltance of 20 years, without namiiig any particular time for the com- mencement of thefe 20 years, there is not the leafl doubt that he meant that they commenced at the very time he fpoke. The paflage now under our viev/is one of thofe in which Ver. 1§. ON THE REVELATION. 7i which no time is exprelsly fixed for the commence- ment of the 666 years. The time of its com- mencement muil, therefore, be the time when John faw the vifion of the bead to whom this num- ber refers. Among chronologiils, there are fome fmall variations with refpecl to antient dates, which, indeed, is not furpriiing, when every cir- cumftance is candidly coniidered. But, from the befl evidence that can be obtained, the vifion contained in this chapter, and all the vifions con- tained in this book, were made to the apoftle John, in the iiland of Patmos, in the year 95 of the vul- gar Chriftian aera. In chap. i. 9. John tells us that he was baniilied to the ille of Patmos, for his adherence to the word of God, and the tedimony of Jefus, at the time the vilions contained in this book were made to him. This facl is confirmed by authentic hidory. All the church hiflorians agree that John was banifhed to Patmos, by the Roman emperor Domitian, in the perfecutioa v/hich he raifed againfl Ghriftians. This perfecu- tion began in the end of the year 93, or in the be- ginning of the 94. It was very violent; but of fhort duration. Of this perfecution, of the time of it, and of the banifhment of the apofile John to Patmos un- der it by Domitian, Mofheim thus writes : Hijl. Cent. i. Vol. i. page 35. *' Though immediately '* after the death of Nero, the rage of this firfl *' perfecution 72 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. " perfecution againft the Chriflians ceafed, yet *' the flame broke out anew in the year 93 or 9.4 " under Domitian, a prince little inferior to Nero " in all forts of wickednefs. The perfecution re- " newed by this unworthy prince was extremely " violent, though his untimely death put a flop to " it not long after it commenced. Flavius Clemens, " a man of confular dignity, and Flavia Domitilla ** his niece, or, as fome fay, his wife, were the prin- ■*' cipal martyrs that fuffered in this perfecution j *' in which aifo the apojile John was banifhed to " the ille of Patmos." It is well known, by all acquainted with chro» nology, that the vulgar Chriilian a^ra did not commence at the time of the birth of Chrift ; but at the fourth year after his birth. It commenced in the year of the world 4004 ; but Chrift was born in the year of the world 4000, as is agreed upon hi the moll accurate chronologifls, and as fliall be fhewn, as we proceed in this book, by certain ge- neral leading fixed principles of chronology efla- blifhed in facred fcripture. Hence, to find the true year of Chrift, in which this vifion was made to John, we muft add four years to the vulgar year of the vifion, which will bring it to the year 99, as the true year of Chrift, in which John faw this vi- fion. Though chronologifts had erred four years, in their calculations, it would be impious to fup~ pofe, that the unerring fpirlt of God w^ould refer to Ver. 18. ON THE REVELATION. ^3 a wrong year, in this key. To the year of Chrifl 99 we niuft, therefore, add 657 years, which will bring us down to the year of Chrift 756, as the year in which the beail with the feven heads and ten horns defcribed in verfes 1,2, and 3, ihould a- rife ; or, in plain language, when the Pope, the lad head of Roman government, Ihould become a temporal priace, and have the city of Rome for the feat of his government. By this method of calculation, upon the mod juft principles of chronology and prophecy, the exact time of the commencement of the temporal power of the Pope, might have been difcovered long before it happened, as it was thus predicted, by John, 657 years before the event. ; The juft- nefs of this mode of calculation might be edar blifhed at great length : But to us,^ who live in this age of the world, this is unnecelTary ; foi; the year 756, is now pail 1034 years ago. If we look into the hiftory of the year 756, we ihall find that, in that very year, the Pope of Rome was veiled with temporal poiiefiions, and a temporal dominion ; that the city of Rome was the feat of his government, and that this feventh head of Ro- man government hath held that temporal domi- nion in this feat to this day. All hiflorians fo ex- adly agree that it was in the year 756, that Pepin King of France veiled Pope Stephen II, with the temporal dominion of Rome and of the other cities Vol. U. . K included 94 A COMMEKTAHV Ch. XIII, included in his grant, and this was an event of fo pubHc a nature, that particular proofs of it are quite unneceflary. For the information of thofe of my readers, who are leaft acquainted with hiflory, I fhall refer them to Mezeray's hiftory of France, vol. i. page 216, or"^to John Buiteel's tranilation, at the year 756, and Ihali tranfcribe one paiTage from Molheim's church hiftory, and one from Sigonius his. de reg^ no Italia, Mofheim Cent. viii. vol. i. page 353. " The ter- " rifled pontiff Stephen II. addrelfes himfelf to ** his powerful patron and protector Pepin, repre- •* fents to him his deplorable condition, and im- " plores his affiftance ; the French Monarch em- *^ barks with zeal, in the caufe of the fuppliant pon- *' tiff, croffes the Alps, A. D. 754 with a nume- •' rous army ; and having defeated Aiilulphus, *' (Aiftulphus was king of the Lombards), obliged ** him, by a folemn treaty, to deliver up to the fee ** of Rome, the Exarchate of Ravenna, Pentapolis, " and all the cities, caftles and territories, which " he had feized in the Roman dukedom. It was ** not, however, long before the Lombard prince *' violated, without remorfe, an engagement, " which he had entered into with reludance. In " the year 755 he laid liege to Rome for the fecond *' time, but was again obhged tofue for peace, by *' the victorious arms of Pepin, who returned in- •• ta Ver. I S. ©N THE REVELATION. 73 " to Italy, and, forcing the Lombard to execute " the treaty he had io audaciouily violated, made *' a new grant of the Exarchate and of Pentapolisto ** the Roman pontiff and his fucceifors in the apof- ** tolic fee of St Peter. And thus was the bifhop " of Rome raifed to the rank of a temporal prince'' Mollieim thus tells us, that it was in the year 755, that the king of the Lombards laid iiege to Rome, which Pepin obliged him to raife before he gave the grant of their temporal dominions to Pope Stepl^en II, and his fucceifors. Pie is not minute enough in his narrative, to tell us in what time of the year the liege was laid, nor when it was raifed. But Sigonius a civil hiitorian of high character and a Roman Catholic, informs us, that this liege was laid in the end of autumn 755, that Pepin did not leave France until the end of that autumn, and that it was in the following year 756, that he gave- the grant of their temporal dominions to the Ro- man pontiffs. Every year is marked on the mar- gin of Sigonius*s hiftory oppoiite to the tranfadions of the year, fo that, at one glance, the reader fees in what year the^ events happened, which he narrates. In Hijl, de regno Itali(s, lib, 3. page 79. oppo- fite to the year 755, in the margin, he writes thus. *' Jam autumnus per nonam indictionem, magna ** ex parte proceiferat ; cum Pipinus paratum ex- *^ ercitum ducere ad faltus Alpium coepit." Which K ^ is 76 A COMxMENTARY Ch. XIII. is thus exprefled in the Englifli language. " Now " the autumn had, in a great part paffed through " the ninth indiclion; when Pepin began to lead " the army which he had muitered, to the pafles "of the Alps." In the following page oppoiite to the year 756, on the margin, he writes thus. " Interim Aiftul- ' phus per aliquot dies, diligenter obfefTus extre- * mum expugnationis, atque excidiipericulum ti- * mens, legatos cum liberis mandatis ad Pipinurn ' de compolitione milit. Qui in colloquium pro- * greffi Aillulfum pacem petere dixerunt, earn- * que non Exarchatu folum, et Pentapoli reftitu- * enda, fed Cama6lico etiam adjungendo praefto * elTe redimere,addiderunt; conditione aPipinoac- * cepta inde fcedus fcriptum, atque jurejurando, * oblidibusque^firmatum. Quibus rebus perfedis, * Pipinus Exarchatum, Fentapolimque iterum St. * Petro, et fuccefloribus ejus in perpetuum poffi- ' denda conceffit, atque ita fcribam referre ipfas ' donationes in tabulas juffit. Neque ita multo poft * Fulrado abate, qui ab Aiilulfo iingula acciperet, ' et pontifici aflignaret, reliclo, ipfe Franciam * repetivit. Fulradus cum procuratoribus Aiilul- ' fi in Exarchatum, Pentapohm progreiTus omnes * urbes praeter Ferrariam, Faventiam, et Cabal- * lum recepit, et obiidibus de unaquaque fumptis, * ac primoribus fecum earum dudis, Roman adiit, " atque Ver. 18. ON THS REVELATION. /J " atque iingularum urbium claves una cnni tabulis " ipfis donationis in confelTione St Petri depofuit.'* This paflage may be thus exprefled in the En« glifh language : " In the mean time, Aiftulfus ha- " ving been clofely beiieged for fome days ; and " fearing the extreme danger of an affault and of *' being totally cut off, fent ambafiadors to Pepin, " with ample powers, to treat of a capitulation. " Who having entered upon a conference, faid *' that Aiftulfus defired a peace, and added, that *' he is ready to purchafe it, not only by reiloring *' the Exarchate and Fentapolis; but alio by ad- " ding to them Comachio. Pepin having accept- " ed the condition, an agreement was inftantly " written and confirmed by an oath and hoftages. " When thefe things were finiflied, Pepin gave a *' new grant of the Exarchate and Pentapolis to " St Peter and his fucceffors to be poflelled by *' them for ever, and commanded a writer to ex- *' tend thefe grants in writing, in the above terms. " Very foon after he returned to France, having " left the abbot Fulradus, who fhould receive e- " very one of thefe towns from Aiftulfus, and dit- " pone them to the pontiff. Fulradus having *' gone unto the Exarchate and Pentapolis with "the procurators of Aiftulfus, received all the ci- " ties excepting Ferraria, Faventia, andCaballum, " and having taken hoftages from every one of '* them, and having led, along with him-, the " chief 78 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. •* chief men af them, went to Rome and depoiited " the keys of every one ofthefe cities, together with ** the title-deeds themfelves of the grant, on the *' altar of St Peter. In the year 755, Pepin made a peace with Aif- tulphus king of the Lombards, upon his engaging to give up to the Pope the Exarchate of Raven- na and Pentapohs. Though Aiilulphus confirm- ed his engagement by a mofl folemn oath, and by delivering to Pepin forty hoftages for his per- formance of it, whom he carried with him to France, yet when he returned to France Aiftul- phus not only refufed to veil the Pope with his temporal dominions, but again attacked Rome in the fallowing year. Thus by refuling to perform his engagement, the time when th^ Pope was firil raifed to the rank of a temporal prince, was brought down to the year 756, the precife time predided in this verfe. And the king of the Loni' bards, without knowing or intending it, was the blind inflrument, in the hand of God of meafur- ing out the 657 years of this prophecy ; for if he had performed his engagement to Pepin, the Pope would have been a temporal prince in the year 755, one year too early for this predidion. For thefe fads the reader is defired to confult Sigonius, de regno Italian, lib. iii page 79. Having thus, both from the prophetic predidion ^nd from the hillorical account of the event afcer- Ver. l8, GN THE REVELATION. Jc? tained, that the year of Chr ill 756 was the very year in which the Papal government became a civil one, or in the fymbolical language, a beaft, it will now be eafy to know with equal certainty, in what year the Papal government fhall be finally dif- folved. In verfe 5th, this government was to conti- nue 42 months. In Daniel vii. 25, 26. it is thus predidled of the laft head of Roman government. " And he fhall fpeak great words againft the Moil •' High, and lliall wear out the faints of the Mod " High, and fliall think to change times and laws ; ** and they fliall be given unto his hand, until a *' time and times and the dividing of time. But " the judgement fhall fit, and they fliull take a- " way his dominion, to confume and to deflroy it *' unto t*ie end." All thefe fufferings of the Chrif tian church which in this prophecy are declared to be cotemporary with the Papal reign, and which in the nature of the thing mud be fo, are repre- fented as continuing for the exad: fame Ipace of time for which he is faid to continue in verfe 5th. Thus inch. xi. 2. the Gentiles are to tread the holy city under foot 42 months; in v. 3d, the two wit- neffes are to prophecy 126c days clothed in fack- cloth^ in ch. xii. 6. the woman hath a place prepar- ed for her in the wildcrnefs for 1260 days ; and in v. 14th, fhe is to be nourifhed there for a time and timesandhalf atime. Every one of thefe prophetic exprefTions of time fignifies the exad fame num- ber 80 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIIL ber of years, even 1243 folar years, as has been lliewn already. If then to the year 756 we add 1243, ^'^ ^^^^ ^"^ the year 1999 to be the year in which the Papal hierarchy fliall be totally and fi- nally diffolved. This calculation will be fairther confirmed, if more confirmation is neceffary, when in its proper place we come to fix the commencement of the millennium ; which, upon very flriking principles, lliali be fixed to the beginning of the year of Chriil 2000. But in the nature of the thing, that ^ra of pft-rity, peace, and profperity to the church of Chrift cannot commence until Antichrifl be overthrown. That this calculation is j nil, we have very itrong reafon to believe, from what hath already in fad: happened relative to the Papal government. Though this predidion was written by John 657 years before the Papal government became a civil one, it became one in the year 756, the very year which John preditled. Since that time, it hath continued the fame form of government, the fame civil conflitution, and in the fame feat of govern- ment for 1034 years. There is not another ci- vil government in Europe whofe conflitution hath not been changed during that period. When it a- rofe at the predided time, when it hath continued fo long, when it is the only one in Europe which hath continued fo long, are not all thefe together very Ver. l3. ON THE REVELATION. 8 1 very flrong prefumptions that it fhall continue for the remaining 209 years of the predidled period. Since the Reformation, above 220 years ago, though the Papal conftitution continues iliU the fame, and though the city of Rome dill continues the feat of government, the extent of the Papal dominions, and the authority and power of the Pope and of the Papal hierarchy have been' greatly cuntracled. Since that time they have been diraini(hing, they are ilill diminiihing with an accelerated mp.t ion ; is it not therefore highly probable that they vvi!] go on dimiriiiliing until they Ihall be totally dilToiv- ed ? Ail civil governments, like men, have t eir in- fancy, their progrefs, their prime, their dcQlinej and their dilTolution. Can there be any reafon to con- clude, that after it has been on th^ decline for above 220 years, the Papal fliali be the only civil govern- ment in the world which fliail renew its age and its vigdur? But if it fliall goon in its dechne with an accelerated motion, as all other empires have done whenever they had paffed their prime, and as itfelf hath done for the lail 220 years, it muft^be totally diflTolved in the remaining 209 years of the predicted period. Before leaving this chapter, I ihall make three general obfervations, which I trufl will be follow- ed out at greater length by the candid and in- telligent reader. Vol. IL L 7/, tZ A COxMMENTAilY Ch. XllL ijl, All the fymbolical terms ufed in this chap- ter have been explained in the common accepta- tion of the fame fymbolical terms, wherever they have occurred in any other part of this book, or in any other prophetic writings. Hence, it is e- vident that no falfe interpretation hath been for- ced upon them to ferve a particular hypothefis. fid, That the bead with the feven heads and ten horns defcribed in this chapter, fignifies the Papal government, with the city of Rome for its feat, after it became a civil as well as an ecclefiaftic one, is evident from this circum(lance,that in this chap- ter that government is reprefented not jbyone fym- bol, but by a great many diflind: and feparate ones, nnd every one of them exadily agrees to the particu- lar feature in the Papal government to which it re- fers, unefymbol mightbyaccident agree to one par- ticular feature in that government, but it is beyond all the calculations of chances that, of fo great a number of fymbols, ev^ry one ihould exadlly agree to its refpedive feature in the Papal government ; unlefs the whole pidure had been intended to re- prefent that government. The hieroglyphic in this chapter is a full picture of a particular civil government. Like every picture, it fhews the par- ticular government of which it is the picSlure, by exhibiting all its features in their proper places and proportions. If I go into a gallery hung with a number of weU drawn piftures, and fee one which hath Ver. rS. on the revelation. 83 hath the nofe or the eyes of a gentleman who is a particular acquaintance of mine, at firft glance I conclude, that this is his pidture : but, on examin* jng it more narrowly, I cannot find another feature in it which correfponds to my friend's face, and therefore am quite certain that it is not his pidure, but that it was drawn for fome perfon who refem* bles him in his nofe or eyes, but in no other part of his face. As I walk along the gallery, my eyes are attracted by another pidure which much re- fembles my friend's face, I examine it with atten- tion, and find that not only the general complexion jmd fhape of the face refemble his, but that every particular feature, however minute, exactly agrees to the correfpondent feature in his face. I am then more certain that he is the perfon for whom this piclure was drawn, than I could have been that another one was his pidure which had his name written on the bottom of it. In the laft cafe» the name might have been affixed to a wrong pidure by miftake, it might be the piclure of ano- ther perfon whofe name was the fame with my friend's, or of one to whom my friend's name was humourouily given. But when, in its complexion and in all its features the pidure exadly cor- refponded to my friend's face, none of thefe cir- cumflances could attend it, nor any other which could raiie a doubt in the mind of an intelligent, candid, and attentive perfon, that it was the pic- h Z tare §4 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIII. ture of the perfon whom it fo exadly refembled. Perfeclly fimilar is the cafe with the pidlure of Pa- pal Rome, w^hich is drawn in this chapter. It is capable of conveying to the intelligent, candid, and attentive nlind, more certainty that it is Pa- pal Rome which is reprefented by it, than the name of /^^^/TZd* itfelf written in the plainefi: cha- racters could have done. If the name of Rome had been ufed in place of this pidure, fome might have faid that it was Heathen not Papal Rome which was meant; others, that Rome was not to be taken for Rome iifelf, but like the names of Egypt and Babylon, for fome idolatrous and perfecuting power wdiich was to arife. But when a pidure is drawn at full length, in which all the features ex- actly agree to Papal Rome, and to no other king- dom that ever hath been on the face of the earth, v/hat unprejudiced man can doubt that by it Pa- pal Rome is reprefented ? And 3(i, That as this picture was drawm by- John 657 years before Papal Rome became a ci- vil government, that is, before Rome was in fad poifelTed of any of thefe features which are drawn fo minutely in this pidure ; that as thefe at the prcdided time appeared in the charader of Papal Rome, fo exacdy correfpondent to this pidure, that if a limner lliould have drawn a pidure of Papal Rome from the life, he could not polfibly have drawn a more juil or ftriking one than that which, i5 Ver. i8; • ON the revelationt. 85 is exhibited in this chapter ; we may hence fee n clear proof that this book was written by the in- fpiration of that God to whom all things pafl, pre« fent, and future, are ever prefent. We may alfa hence fee a flriking proof of the fuperintendency of divine providence in the moral government, of the world, in the llricteft confiilency with the ma- faj agency of men. CHAF. i4 itr A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. CHAP. XIV. VIRION VIIL Vtr/es ijlj 2^, ^dy 4/J&, ^th» A ND I looked, and lo a lamb flood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thoufand, hav* ing his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder : and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps : and they fung as it were a new fong before the throne, and before the four beafts, and the elders : and no man could learn that fong, but the hundred and forty and four thou- fand which were redeemed from the earth. Thefe are they who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins : thefe are they who follow the Lamb whitherfoever he go- eth; Ver. I,-^S. ON THE REVELATION, tf eth ; thefe were redeemed frora among men, being the firft fruits unto God, and to rhc Lamb. And in tTieir mouth was found no guile : for they are without fault before the throne of God. This chapter, aceording to the general con* ilrudion of this book, is a general introdudion to the following prophetic vifions in it, relative to the final overthrow of Antichrift, to the bringing in of the Jews with the fuUnefs of the Gentiles, and to the commencement, duration, and nature of the mil- lennium. As it is an introdudion, the things con- tained in it are exprelTed in fhort and general terms ; they are treated more fully in the follow- ing parts of this book. The commeijt on this ia^ trodud;ory chapter fhall be general and (hort like itfelf, and the fliort hints contained in it ihall be more fully explained when I ihall confider thofe parts of this book to which this chapter is in- troduftory. The Lamb fignifies Chrift ; and mount Sion the fettled and triumphant flate of Chrift's church af- ter the travels, toils, and perfecutions of her wil- dernefs ftate. The 144,000 with his Father's name on their foreheads, are the true and fealedfervants of God, as mentioned in chap. vii. 3, 4. This number is made up of 12, the number of the pa- triarchs, fi3 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. Iriarehs, multiplied into 12 the number of the a- poftles, which makes 144, and this multiplied by J 000, the years of the millennium, which makes the exa6l number of 144,000. This number is the hieroglyphic fixed on in chap. vii. to fignify the true fervants of God, during the whole perfecutcd' period of Chrifl's church, until that period flmll end with the ddwnfal of Antichrift and the com- mencement of the millennium. It does not mean, that the number of the fervants of God during the whole or any part of that period lliall be exaclly 144,000, nor that their number fl'iklt be uniform- ly the fame, nor that the fame individual perfons' flialllive during the whole period. But it means, that in every part of that period, however trying it may be, there flaall be fome wliofe reUgion is drawn frcm^nd modelled upon the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament ; who narne the name of Chrift, and depart from iniquity; arid who' are. neither afliamed nor afraid to avow themfelves the ferVants of God, for they h'ave his name oii their foreheads; and whom, though men may call them heretics or hypocrites, the Lord himfelf knoweth tQ be his. It ligniiics, that thofe waofe religion is drawn from the bible fliall continue to adhere to Ghrift in fpite of all periecutidn^, until that day vhen the 1000 years of purity, peace, and tri- umph to the church of Chrill fhall commence. Hense, this hieroglyphical number f;gn^fies at * ©nee Ver. I, — 5. OK THE REVELATION. 8f once, the charadler and the continuance of thofc fealed fervants of God. When that looo years fhall commence, then- charadlers fliall remain the fame, and their rehgion Ihall (till be built upon the foundation of the prophets and apoftles, Jefus Chrifl himfelf being the chief corner ftone. But the number 144,000 ihall be quite too fmall to reprefent the countlefs multitude which Ihall be added to the church ut that glorious aera, when thefe faithful 144,00c fhall have finiflied the Chriftian warfare, and fhall begin to fing their triumph. Then the church ihall be reprefented, as in chapter vii. 9. and in verfe 6th of this chap- ter, by " a great multitude which no man could " number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, " and tongues." When the millennium iliall commence, lignified by the Lamb ilanding on mount Sion, thofe perfons who adhered to the woi'd of God and to the teflimony of jefus iliall be openly acknowledged as the true members of Chriil's church. The millennium is defcribed at full length in chapters xx. xxi. and xxii. and its nature fhall be explained in the commentary on them. However many have wondered after Papal and other fuperftitions, yet amid all the trials of the preceding period, not one of thofe chofen fervants of God hath been led into deflrudlive errors and fins. They are God's fealed ones, and have there- Vol. 11. M for& 5)0 A COMMENTARV Ch. XlVi fore efcaped the fpiritual hurt which hath been brought upon the vveflern empire by fuperftition, chap. vii. 2, 3. Their names are written in the book of Hfe of the Lamb. Tkey are therefore excepted^from the number of thofe who worfhip the Bead, chap. xiii. 8. They are the elect of God, and therefore it is impoffible to deceive them to their final deilruclion, Matth. xxiv. 24. This period thail be intreduced by an unfettled and lluduating (late of the empire, and of fome of the kingdoms in it, and by a great war, or rather a decmve battle. Thefe are exprelTed by " the " voice of many waters and the voice of a great *' thunder.'^ When it is introduced, thefe fealed ones Ihall praife God in the alTembly of the true church of Chrift, which is reprefented here as in chap. iv. 6, — !o. by the four (^oja) living creatures and the 2^ elders.' The fong which they fhall ling is recorded at full length in chap. xix. 5, — 7. to which this paiTage is only an introduction. It is " Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent " reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give *' honour to him: forthe marriiige of the Lamb is " come, and his bride hath made herfelf ready." This is indeed a new fong. A fong which Chrif- tians have never yet been able to ling, and never lliall ling, until that period Ihall come which is predided in this chapter. The import of that fong and the grounds on whicii it is lliled new, ihall Ver. 1,^—5. ON THE REVELATION. gi ihall be illuftrated in the commentary on chap. xix. 5, — 7. This fong none lliall be able to l?arn but true Chriftians. When the meaning of that fong is explained, it will appear, that they only can fully underftand its import; that they only will re- joice on account of thofe events to which it refers; and that they only can fing praife, with that in- ward devotion and gratitude of heart, which are neceffary to the praife of that God, who is only worfliipped when w^orihipped in fpirit and ia truth. At that period, as w^ell as at the prefent time, none but true Chriftians rightly know, and are' properly affedled by, fpiritual things, i Cor. ii> 14. 15. " Hut the natural man receiveth not the* ** things of the fpirit of God ; for they are foolifli- ■- nefs unto him; neither can he know them, be- *' caufe they are fpiritually difcerned. But he ** that is fpiritual difcerneth all things, yet he him-- ** felf is difcerned of no man." The character of thefe true fervants of God, is marked by five particular qualities, for which they are eminently diftinguifhed. i/?, " They were not defiled with women ; for " they are virgins." For obvious reafons, idolatry and fuperftition, are exprelled in the fymbolical language, by fornication and adultery, both in the old and new teflament, and particularly in this book, Thef^ fervants of God have always M 2 been 92 A COxMMENTARY Ch. XIV. been diftinguiflied, by keeping clear of idolatry and fuperftition. They worfhipped and ferved God only. They v/orfhipped the one God only, through Chrifl Jefus, the one Mediator between God and man. They regarded not, as do6lrines of God, the commandments of men ; nor did they make void the law of God by human traditions. They dared not to live in the negledl of any means ofworlhip which God had inltituted, nor to ob- ferve any which had not the ft amp of divine au^ thority. id, " They follow the Lamb whitherfoever he " goeth." Whether Chriil goeth to the wildernefs, or to mount Zion, they follow him. Worldly fame, preferments, and emoluments, never make- them model their religion and their charaders to the times and the falhions. Fully convinced that the religion, which they have learned from Chrift, is the beft the world ever faw or ever fhali fee, they have no inchnation to change it. They fol- low Chrift through good and through bad report. Though they prudently ftiun danger ; yet when called to it, in the courfe of providence, they wil- lingly part with property, liberty, fame, and even life itfelf, rather than deny Chrift and Chriftianity. 3^, " They were redeemed from among men, ** being the firft fruits unto God and to the Lamb." They were refcued by the providence and the grace of God, from among thofe votaries of idola^ trjr Vcr. 1,—S' •^ "^^^ REVELATION". 93 try and fuperftition, among whom they lived in the world. Like the firft fruits in the Jewifh church, they are confecrated and holy unto the Lord, and the earned of the plentiful harveft in its feafon. As certainly. as they have been holy to the Lord, fo certainly (hall the great multitudes of Chriilians at the millennium appear, as the full harveit in its feafon. ' ' -•''! " -^ 4^/6, " In their mouth w^as found no guile." They are Ifraelites indeed, in whom is no guile. They are lincere and upright towards God, and they pay a facred regard to truth and fidelity to- wards men. -As citizens of Xion they -fpeak the truth in their heart. Ai)d ; ; ' • ;:' 5^7j, " They are without fault before the throne " of God." However, much t^qir charadlers iiaye been mifunderftood or mifreprefented by men 5 however, they have been traduced as fanatics, hy- pocrites, or thofe who turn the w^orld upfide down ; and how^ever many of them have been condemn- ed as heretics in the courts of men ; they fliall be declared faultlefs, when theyfhail ftand before the throne of God. God will not condemuthem, when he judgeth. Having trufled in the merits of Chrill, and not in thofe of any faint, nor in in- dulgences and pardons obtained for money, from thofe perfons, who cannot forgive fms ; having had their hearts and lives purified, not by fuperfli- lious hiflrations, but by that grace of God, which, bringing^ ^4 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV, bringing falvatlon, teacheth men that, denying ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, they Ihould live fo-,- berly, righteoufly, and godly, in a prefent,world ;- having not denied, but confeiTed Jefus before men, they fnall be found, at lall. meet for the ia< heritance of the faints in light. Jefus ihall cortfefs* them, and fay omto them ; ** Come ye.blefled of my ** Father, inherit the kingdom prepared lor you,.^ "from. the foundation of the worM ;" and then, with the righteous' before the throiie of God; they ihali go unto life eternaL. i : Ver/cs 6thj yth.-^Andl faw another angel fly in the midft of hestven, hating the ever- lafting gofpel to preacih unro thevn that dwell on the earth; aiid to every nation, and kin- dred, and tongue and people, faying, with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgement is come : And worfnip him that hath made heaven and. earth, and the fea and the fountains of water. When thefe firll fruits ihall all be offered up to God, then the millennium, the great harvefl of the church Ihall draw nigh. The gofpel fhall then be preached in purity, and with effed, to thofe who dwell in the weftern empire, them who dwell Vef. 6, ' 7. ON THE REVELATION* 95 dwell in the earth. Till that time, it fhall be preached as it were in this or that corner ; but then it ihall be preached in the middle of th-e church, and fhall fpread to every corner of it. For John faw this angel fly in the midit of heaven. Then the inhabitants of the weftern empire, Ihall not be one great empire and people, as they were in John's day, but they ihall b^ divided into dif- ferent kingdoms, under different forms of govern- ment, and fpeaking different languages, as they are in our day, and as they adually became at the precife time predidled by John, as fhall appear in the commentary on chap. xvii. 12. He therefore deligns them here, every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. They fhall then, in the courfe of providence, receive a loud call to fear God more than man, to worihip him who created and preferved all things, and no longer to worihip the beaft. A flrong reafon is ailigned why, at" that time, they fhould fear, woriQiip, and glorify God, even ** becaufe the hour of his judgement is come." By the hour of his judgement is hgnified that time, w^hen the truth of Chrill's religion fliall no longer be fupported merely by the private teltimony of individual Chriflians, who, in this book are ililed the two witneiTes ; but ihall be eflabliflied, beyond all doubt, by the folemn judgement of God in its favours, when, in the courfe of his providence, he iliall 96 A COMMENTARY Ch. XtV. fhall overthrow Antichrift, his kingdom and churchy and fhall fully eftablifh the Chriftian church, in its fcriptural purity, through the whole world. What more powerful motive than this, could be preiented to their minds. If they complied with the exhortation, they would inftantly enjoy much greater advantages, than thofe men could do, who had hved before them ; and if they rejeded it, they w^ould greatly increafe their guilt and their doom, by linning againfl: greater light and privi- leges. At the approach of every great change of their religious privileges to the better, God hath ad- drefied mankind in a limilar manner ; by referring to their privileges as a powerful motive to improve them. The publication of the moral law, on mount Sinai, w^as thus introduced, Exod. xx. 2. " 1 am the Lord thy God, which hath brought " thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houfe " of bondage.*' The preaching of the gofpel to mankind, by the perfonal miniflration, death, and refurredion of Chrift, was thus introduced by John the Baptiil, Matth. iii. 2. " Repent ye, for " the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Verje 8lh. — And there follov\red another angel, faying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen^ that great city, becaufe flie m^de all na- tions Ver. 8. ON the revelation. gj tions drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. In this verfe, and in all other parts of this book, where Babylon occurs, it does not lignify the an- tient city or empire of Babylon. That city and empire were both totally overthrown many hun- dred years before this book was written ; and there- fore never could be the objed of predictions, . which are contained in it. Babylon is always ufed in this book as a fymbol to reprefent another city and kingdom, to which Babylon bore a mod ftrik- ing refemblance. The epithet " the great city," which is given to Babylon in this verfe, and in the other parts of this book where that name is ufed, plainly fhews that it is to be underftood fymbolically. Our tranllation of this verfe, is not fufficiently corredl and clear. The original runs thus, iTnci? iTTiai BalivKcov n ttokiq yi fjLiyoLKn, which fhould have been rendered, " JBabylon the great city is fallen, ** is fallen," and not " that great city." In chap, xvi. 1 9. It is called BajSyxwK yi jUiyoLKn, that is, ** Baby- *' Ion the great; and not, as in our tranflation great ** Babylon." And in chap. xvii. 5. it is called ** Babylon the great;" which is rightly tranflated, as it is the very fame phrafc in the original. One firfl principle in the fymbolical language, IS, that what is fmall is the fymbol of what is greats Vol. II. N ^ ^( pS A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV, of the fame or of a fimilar kind. For inllance, a day is the fjnibol of ^ year, becaufe each of them figniiies the time meafured by a complete revoki- tion of the earth, and the former is the lefler. The reafon of this principle is evident from the nature of the hieroglyphical charadlers or paint- ings, from which the fymbolical language is de- rived. In fuchi paintings, it was always ne- ceifary to make the pictures much lefs than the things reprefented b,y them, .otherwife, hierogly- phical writings could not have been contained in any reafonable bounds, nor indeed could they have been practicable at all. Ttlence when, in any fymbolical writings, fuch as this book is, any thing is called, " the great," the meaning of this epithet is, that the thing to which it is given is not to be underflood hterally, but is the fymbol of fomething, greater than itfelf, to which it bears a ftriking refemblance. Thus Babylon, without the epithet " the great," literally fignifies the an- tient city of Babylon, the capital of the Afiyrian empire ; but Babylon " the great" fignifies a great- er city and empire, of which, in many of its mod ftriking features, Babylon was a very fit type. Thus, in chapter xi. 8. Sodom and Egypt are called the ^r eat city, becaufe they are there ufed, not literally, but fymbolically for Rome. In this verfe, and in all the other parts of this book, whpre it occurs, Babylon the gre^t, fignifies Papal Ver, 8. •N THE REVELATION. 99 Papal Rome, as fliall be fully flicvvn in the com- mentary on chap. xvii. from an explanation of this fymbol given by the fame unerring fpirit, who dictated this book to John. In pride, luxury, idolatry, and perfecution of the church of God, Babylon refembled Papal Rome. Every unpre- judiced perfon, who is acquainted with the hidory of both empires, mufl: be convinced that, in thefe particular features, Rome is the greater of the two. At the time to which this chapter refers, Papal Rome fhall be certainly and completely overthrown. She lliall be deftroyed, bccaufe ilie hath intoxicated all nations with her idolatry and fuperftition ; on account of which they have often felt the effeds of divine wrath. Ver/is gth, loth^ nth. — And the third angel followed them, faying with a loud voice, If any man worfhip the beaft and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, of in his hand, the fame fliall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out, without mixture, into the cup of his indignation ; and he fliall be tormented with fire and brimftone, in the prcfence of the holy angels, and in the prefence of the Lamb : And the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and ever : And they have no reft N 2 day IC® A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. day nor night, who worfhip the beafl and his image, and whofoever receiveth the mark of his name. When the time of the final overthrow of Papal Rome ihall draw near, the evidences that the Pa- pal hierarchy is Antichriflian, and that the religion "which is modelled upon the fimplicity and purity of the bible, is the religion of Jefus, fhall be fo flrong, flriking and univerfal, that an adherence then to Popifh idolatry fliall be puniflied with ex- quilite and endlefs mifery, in a future ilate. The words in thefe verfes are fo plain and ilrong that they needfno comment. Here, however, it may not be improper to obferve, that this is the firft paflage, in this book, in which future mifery is denounced againft men merely for their Popery. In every part of Europe, before the Re- formation, the greatefl part of the people were fo totally without the means of information, that that ignorance, which was the mother of their Popifli devotion, was, certainly,, as to them, a ktnd of necelTary ignorance. In moil Popifh countries, to this day, though fome of their leaders may be informed, artful, interefted, and defigning men, the great body of the people are in a ftate of necef- fary ignorance. How God will deal with well difpofed perfons, at the day of final judgement, ivho, in the courfe of his providence, having been placed Ver. 9> — II- ON THE REVELATION. JOI placed in thefe iituations, have profefTed them- felves Roman Catholics in this world, it is not our province to determine, any more than it is with refped: to thofe, who, iti heathen countries, long have been, and Hill are placed under a limilar ne- cefTary ignorance. V/e know not the utmofl ex- tent of the merit of Chrid's blood, nor all the fe- cret avenues by which the Spirit of God can con- vey his purifying grace unto the hearts of men. But we know, that the Judge of all the earth, ever does that v/hich is right, and that he hath faid to us, relative to fuch cafes, " Who art thou that " judgefl another man's fervant, to his own mafter " he ftandeth or falleth.'^ As ijDthing is faid with refped: to their future doom, in this book, until the period comes, in which they cannot plead ne- celTary ignorance as an apology for their fuperfti- tion ; let us learn that it is our duty to fay nothing with refpedl to it. The fecret things belong to the Lord our God ; but the things, " that are " revealed belong unto us." Let us pity and pray for thofe deluded men. Let us, by the fpiritual and gentle means which the gofpel preicribes, and by thefe only, do what we can to convey to them the knowledge, and to make them feel the power of that kingdom of God, vvhich is not meats and drinks, but truth, righteoufnefs, peace and joy in the holy Ghoft. Let us blefs God, that our fitua- tion in the world is fo much more favourable for the 102 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. the difcoveiy of truth, and the proper exercife of the rights of confcience. And let us improve thefe privileges ; left either a contempt of them, or a falfe confidence in them, fhould render our guilt and our doom greater than that of thefe deluded men, whom too many are apt, with an unchrif- tian temper, to doom, in a body, to eternal def- trudion. Verfes i2th, 13^^. — Here is the patience of the faints : here are they that keep the com- mandments of God, and the faith of Jefus. And I heard a voice from heaven, faying unto me, Write, Bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth : Yea, faith the Spirit, that they may reft from their la- bours ; and their works do foUow them. At the beginning of the reign of the Beaft, we heard the fame thing faid of the patience and faith of the faints, chap. xiii. 10. What was faid of their faith and patience at the commencement, is now faid of them at the end of his reign. The long period of 1243 years fliall not be able to ex- hauft their patience, iliake their faith, nor make them abandon the fervice of God. At that period, it fhall fully appear that their faith, patience, and •bedience, have been built upon a good founda- tion. Ver. 12, 13. ON THE REVELATION. IO3 tion, when every thing relative to Chrifl's king* dom hath in fadl come to pafs juft as they believ^ ed and hoped. To die in the Lord, is to die believing in Jefus as the Chrifl and the Son of God, and purified by his Spirit and word. It is to die interefted in Chrift,in fuch a manner as to be juftified and ren- dered eternally happy through him. " There is "now no condemnation to them who are in Chrifl: " Jefus, who walk not^after the flefli but after the " fpirit." Thofe who thus die in the Lord, are pronoun- ced blefled. i/?, Becaufe they fhall red from their toils and labours in this world. And 2^, Becaufe their works fhall follow them, or, more agreeably to the original, flialf follow fo cloiely that they may almofl be faid to go along with them. By this ex- prefTion it is not only intimated that, in a future ftate, none of their labours of love fhall be forgot- ten by that God whom they had ferved in the midfl of a crooked and perverfe generation ; but alfo, in this world, in a ihort time after their death, full juftice ftiall be done to their charaders and memory, at the commencement of the millen- nium. At whatever time they yield to the Itroke of death, thofe who die in the Lord are blefTed. But the death of fuch is pronounced peculiarly blelFed at that time, in reference to the bloody and violent wars, in which Antichrill, after his lail and 104 A COMMENTARY Ch. XlVo and moft violent flruggle, iliall be totally over- thrown. The following verfes of this chapter open to us a general view of thefe. Hence, the particular meaning of this verfe, as introduced in this part of the prophecies, is this : So violent Ihall be the lall flruggle which Antichrifl: (hall make to pre- ferve his dominion, fo bloody fliall the wars be which fhall immediately precede his final over- throw, and fo many fhall be the calamities of war to which men lliall be expofed, that even death it- felf, however repugnant to the feelings of nature, would be defireable, w^hen compared to the cala- mities of that war, to every man w^ho is in fuch a Itate that happinefs would be his portion after death. Verfes i/[th^ — 2Qth. — And Hooked, and be- hold, a white cloud, and upon the cloud one fat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a Iharp fickle. Andanotherangel came out of the tem- ple, crying with a loud voice to him that fat on the cloud, Thruft in thy fickle, and reap : for the time is come for thee to reap ; for the harvefl of the earth is ripe. And he that fat on the cloud, thrufl in his fickle on the ^ earth; Ver 14,— io. €N thf. revelation. 105 earth ; and the earth was reaped. And a- nother angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he alfo having a fliarp fickle. And another angel came out from the alcar, which had power over fire ; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the fharp fickle, fay- ing, Thruft in thy fharp fickle, and gather the ciufters of the vine of the earth : for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thruft in his fickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and caft it into the great wine-prefs of the wrath of God. And the wine-prefs was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine-prefs, even unto the horfc-bridles, by the fpace of a thoufand and fix hundred furlongs. This pafTage contains a general account of the wars by which Papal Rome fliall be overthrown. As thefe are more particularly defcribed in fome of the following parts of this book, to which thefe verfes are introductory, it will be proper to defer the full explication of them until I fhall explain thefe parts* i fhall therefore only in general take notice of a few ftriking things in this introduc- tion. At that period, Chriil fhall appear on a white cloud, with a golden crown on his head, and Vol, II. O fliarp lOb A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. a fharp fickle in his hand. Then the cloud which had hung over the church of Chrift fince the year 756 fhallnot be totally difpelled : but having be- come gradually thinner lince the Reformation, it fliall be a white cloud. A thick cloud is always black. The thinner any cloud is, it is propor- tionally whiter, becaufe niore of the rays of the fun arid more of the clear aether are feen through it. Soon after that time, the clouds fliall be to- tally difpelled, whenever the violent but ihort wars predicted in this paiTage fhall terminate. At the Reformation, the two witnefles repre- fenting Chriflians, afcended up to heaven in a cloud, chap. xi. 12. It was not called a white cloud at that time, being then fo thick as to hang over the church for abqve four hundred years. But at the period to which this prediction refers, it is called a white cloud, becaufe probably it fhall not then hang over the church for more than one year. Chrift has a p;olden crown on his head, and a fliarp fickle in his hand, to fignify, that at that period his kingdom fhall begin to fhew its flrength and power over his enemies, particularly over that enemy, who with peculiar propriety is called An- tichrift. It was the harveft of the eartb which he was to reap, becaufe it was ripe. At that time, the Papal Roman empire fliall be ripe in fin, and ripe for deflrudion. God had allowed that peo- ple Ver.i4, — '20* on the revelation. 107 pie above 1240 years Under a great variety of dif- penfations of his providence, to repent of their op- pofition to that kingdom of God which is truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and joy ; but they repented not. Tiiey Ihall at that period become ripe for deftrudion, and the time predicted for their final overthrow fhall draw near. The angel who has power over fire is intro- duced here. Fire purifies, warms, and alfo total- ly confumes. It is rendered beneficial or def- trudive by the management of the perfon who has it under his powder. .: In the fymbolical lan- guage, fire fignifies wars and contentions, frequent- iy fi:iled fiery trials. By the angel who had power over fire, it is fignified, that, neither Jiave^any ot the wars and contentions th^t have happened in the Roman empire fprnng up by chance, nor Ihall the lafl and mdl dreadful one come by chance, Avith which that empire fiiall terminate, but they are all overruled by tl t fuperintendency 'of divine providence. They fnall allbe direded by divine -providence to the purpofes which God intended, and not to thofe which thefe inen in- tend, who are only the inftruments in them, though they imagine themfelves the prime a- gents. Many of thefe w^ere carried on by Papal Rome againfl: the church of Chriil, in order to def- troy her : but divine providence overruled them to the purpofes of purifying her and keeping her O a z-.eal lo8 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. zeal in proper heat. In all thefe (he is that bufli which burned and was not confumed, becaufe the angel of the Lord was in the flame of fire in the tnidfl of the bufh. But when he who overrules wars fhall give the conynand, the war predidled in this pafTage fhall, at once completely purify the church of Chrifl and deftroy Papal Rome. The language of this war fhall be, " Thruft in " thy fliarp fickle, and gather the cluflers of the "vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." It is =11111 on the earth, tht Roman empire, that def- truclion fhall be brought by this war. In verfe 15th it is the harvell: of the earth which fhall be reaped, and in verfe i8th it is the cluflers of the vine of the earth 'which fhall be gathered ; and both for the fame reafon, becaufe they are fully ripe. There are two reafons why thefe two fym- bols are ufed to reprefent the final overthrow of the fame empire, ijl, Becaufe that empire though one, is made up of two diflind and different parts, a civil and an ecclefiaftic government: parts in themfelves elTentially different, and yet infepara- bly interwoven in the very conflitution of the Pa- pal government. Hence, the defl:rudlion of each part is predided by a fymbol peculiar to itfelf. A ripe harvefl, fignifies a civil government ripe for deflrudion. The deflrudion of Tyre and Zi- don is thus expreffed in Joel iii. i^^ "Put ye in ** the fickle, for the harvefl: is ripe.'* And of the final Ver. 14, 10, ON THE REVELATION?. I09 final overthrow of Babylon it was faid in Jeremiah li. 33 "Yet a little while and the time of her " harvell fhall come." And a vine fignifies a church. The Jewilh church is reprefented by a vine in the beautiful allegory contained in Pfalm Ixxx. 8,— 16. The Chriftian church in its head and members is ftiled the true vine, and reprefent- ed by a vine and its branches in John xv. i, — 5. Ofa falfe and idolatrous church it is is faid in Deut. xxxii. 32. ^' Their vine is of the vine of Sodom." That w^e may: be at no lofs toknow what church is fignified by this vine, in ver. 18. it is called the vine of the eartb, that is, of the Roman em- pire. Neither in the fymbolical, nor in any alpha- betical language ancient or modern do 1 recoiled any one word which iignifies both a civil and an - ecclelialtic government ; hence to reprefent the ■complete deftriidlion of that government which is both civdl andccclefiailic, I am of opinion that both thefe fymbols were necelTary. The ufe of both is a plain declaration, that at that period both the church and flate of Rome fhall be finally over- thrown. And id. To fignify, that the final over- throw of Rome fhall be accompliihed by a very bloody war; for the red juice vvhich is preiTed from the grape is the fymbol of blood flied in wars. It is called the blood of the vine. This meaning is clearly given to the prelfing of grapes, by Ifaiah Ixiii. i,— 6. which paffage is a prophecy of no A COMMENTARY Ch. XIV. of the very fame bloody wars which, are predid:ed in the verfes under our view. . This is Itiled the great wine-prefs of the VvTath of God, to inform us that this fhall be the mod bloody and deftruc- tive war which had ever b^een brought upon Rome. The lafl and deciiive battle Ihall be fought very near the city of Rome, . . " And bloo4 came out of the wine-prefs even " unto the horfe^ bridles, by the fpace of a thou- " fandand fix hundred furlongs." It is thus pre- di6ted that at this battle there fhall be caval- ry, and that very much blood fnall be fhed. And as 1 600 furlongs, or rather iladia, ' as they are in the original, are nearly 200 miles of Englilh mea- fure ; it is highly probable that by the- blood flow- ing to that diftance it is intimated, ih^t the prin- cipal field of V that lafl: and decifive war fiiall ex- tend only about 200 miles from the city of Rome. Who the parties fliall be in that war, fhall be Ihewn in the proper place under the fixth vial ia chap, xvi, 12.-— 16. nifilq n i>i rftnff CHAP. Ver. I. ®N THE RJEVBLATION. IH C H A P. XV. Verfe ijl, A ND I faw another fign in hea- ven, great and marvellous, feven angels having the feven laft plagues, for in them is filled up the wrath of God. In this chapter, the introduclion to the fubfe- quent prophecies of this book, which was begunin. the preceding one, is continued. With this one the introdudion ends, and the prophecies them- felves begin with the following chapter. John faw another fign in heaven. By this mode of exprellion, he refers to a former fign which he had feen in heaven. In chap. xii. i. that other fign is thus mentioned, " and there appeared a '' great wonder in heaven," or as it ought to have been tranllated, (and hath been explained in the commentary on that palTage), a great Jign, In both places, the word in the original is the fame, vt^|J.ilQY'y and its proper fignification is a fign This fign is faid to be in heaven, becaufe thefe plagues have been and fiiall be inflicted on Papal Rome for her injuries to the church of Chrift, and fiiall ill A COMMENTARY Ch. X^T^ i lliall be a lign by which Chriftians fhall know An- ■ tichrift, and fhall be confirmed in the belief of his | final overthrow. ' This iign is mentioned in reference to the for- \ mer fign of the woman in the wildernefs, becaufe \ they fhall be cotemporary. Daring the whole pe- ! riod of the church's perfecuted flate, that is, from the rife to the final overthrow of tfle beafl, thefe ^ \ feven plagues or judgements fhall be poured out j on Papal Rome in fucceffion ; and the lafl of them ! fhall overthrow her, and fet the church at liberty. They are called the Iq/l plagues, becaufe the whole temporal judgements which God fhall infiici: ^ on Papal Rome fhall be included in them. j Ver/es 2^, 3^, /^th, — And I faw as it were a 1 fea of glafs mingled with fire ; and them that had gotten the vicflory over the beafl, and over his image, and over his mark, and j over the number of his name, fland on the fea of glafs, having the harps of God, And they fmg the fong of Mofea the fervant of God, and the fong of the Lamb, faying, Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty ; iuft and true are thy ways ; thou king of faints. Who fhall not fear dice, O Lord, and glorify thy name! For thou Vef. 2,--4« OK THE REVELATION. II3 thou only art holy : for all nadoiis fliall come and worlllip before thee ; for thy judgdments are made manifeft. After the feven vials had all been poured out ; that is, immediately upon the final overthrow of Antichriil, John faw a fea of glafs mingled with . fire. In the commentary on chap. iv. 6, it was fliewn, that, in allufion to the fea in the temple for purification, the fea of glafs fignifies the puri- fying influences of Chrift. Here it is mingled with fire to predid that, at that time the Vvrath of the Lamb fhall be kindled againfl:, and fliail con- fume his enemies. Then, the faints of God fnall obtain a Complete vidory over heathen and Papal Rome. This victory they fliall obtain through Chrift. By him they and their caufe have always been purified and fupported, and their enemies teftrained, and fliall at lail be fubdued : For they if and on the fea of glafs. Then the victorious church of Chrift fliall re- joice and flng praife unto God. Conlifting of Jews and Gentiles united into one true church of Godj they fliall flng in concert the long of Mcfes, and the fong of the Lamb. Thefe are mentioned heru as two fongs quite well known. It is not faid a fong, as if it had been a fong then made for the cccafion, or any fong of Mofcs and the Lamb : \iMt the fong, to intimate that there are two parti- VoL. IL F cul^r Ii4 '^ COMMENTARY Ch. XV. cular fongs, well known by the names of the " fong. of Mofes," and ** the fong of the Lamb,'^ and that, though thefe fongs wer^didlated by the Spirit of God many hundred years before, they were prepared for the very occaiion in which the united church of Jews and Gentiles fliall praife God, for the final overthrow of Antichrift. The fong of Mofes is recorded at full length in Deut. xxxii. I, — 43, and that pafTage has " the fong of *' Mofes," prefixed to it as its title. It merits the ferious and attentive perufal of every reader. It predidls all the calamities which have befalleD the Jews, and the caufe of them. It foretells the cha- racter, rife, height, and downfall of Antichrift ; and clofes with the Jews and Gentiles united in one church, linging in concert their triumph over their common enemy* How flriking is the laft Verfe of that fong, " Rejoice O ye Gentiles, with " his people, for he will revenge the blood of his " fervants, and will render vengeance to his ad- ** rerfaries, and will be merciful unto his. land and " to his people." The fame word, in the original, fignifies Gentiles and nations, and indeed thefe w^ords are of the fame import in the Englifli lan- guage. His people, in the old teflament, always, lignifics the Jews, as diftinguiilied from all other nations. The fong of the Lamb is recorded in this book, chap. v. 8, — 14. How exactly does this fong celebrate the joyful occafion of the com- mencement Ver. 2^ — 4. ON THE REVELATION. I15 mencement of the millennium, and reprefent both Jew and Gentile united in the fame triumphant viclory over Antichriil ? At that period, the pre- dictions contained in both thefe fongs iliall be fully accompliflied. The verfes now under our view contain a fhort com pen d of thefe two fongs. This compend, like the fongs themfelves, has-a particular reference to the time and occaiion, on which it ihall be fung, even the final overthrow of Papal Rome, and the commencement of the millennium. *' Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord " God Almighty." In this part of the fong, the works of divine providence, and grace are cele- brated. The events which fhall then take place, fhall illuflrioully difplay the great and wonderful 'nature of the works of providence and grace, Hvhich brought about thefe events^ and prepared the church and the world for them. The various fleps, by which Papal Rome rofe, came to its lieight, declined and fell, are great and marvellous. The various ways, hy which, in every age, even the darkeft, a feed hath been preferved to fervc God ; and by which, thefe few perfecuted Ghrif- tians, called heretics »by their enemies, iliall be rendered completely viclorious over hell and Rome, without the ufe of fire, fv/ord, or fighting on their part, are great and marvellous. The various ways by which the people of the Jcws^ for fo ma- ? 2 nv tX6 A C0M5IENTARY Cll. XV. ny hundred years, have been preferved diflinct froxn all nations, while they have been fcattered through almoft every nation of the earth ; by which» at that period, they fnall be brought to lay afide their ftrong and inveterate prejudices ar. gainfl. Chrifl and Chriilianity, and ihali embrace both at the very time when Meiriah-s kingdom fnall become triumphant over the Roman empire, and .ail the kingdoms of the world, are great and marvellous: The minute exacTnefs, with'wjiich all' thefe events fnall correfpond to the early pre- didions of the prophets of God ; the active hand, which men have Irad. in bringing them, about, whilft, unreflrained in their moral powers by the determinate purpofes of heaven, they intended fp^iid atSled' freely as accountable creatures, are great and marvellous. The influence of divine providence and grace in gradually preparing, and at latl fully forming men's mindg to that truth, righteaufnefs,. peace; and joy, which fliall charac- terize the age x)f the. millennium, is great and marvellous. The. extent and clearnefs of -percep- tion, the purity and height of joy; with which the faints of God, at that period, fnall contemplate thefe works of divine providence and grace ; and, perhaps, many of the ways or circumflances of di- vine providence and grace, which, at prefent, entirely efcape our notice, are great and marvel- lous, ' Witl^ ^Cr. 2,— 4« ON THE REVJILATION. II7 With refped: to his works of providence, God Is sdored as the Lord, the righteous and fupreme Lord and Governor of the univerfe. With refped to his works of grace he is praifed as God, the fole Obje(5i:and Author of all religious vv^orfliip. And with refpecl to both he is fliledthe Almighty, be- caufe by the omnipotence '>f his power, he, with perfect eafe, overcomes every obllacle, and ac- complifhes all the purpofes of his will ; and, efpe- cially, becaufe, at th^^t period, the extent and omiiipotence:of his" prpvidence and grace fliall be iliuftriouflvidifplayed ift ,the ftate of the world and of tlie chuireh. : • c. . ) :> - ■* Juft and" true, are thy ways thou king of ^' -faints."'' . , God is the king of faints. He hath put his law within them i and • written it on thdr hearts, and tkus they are hi^ people. He is to them the only Lord over the-cpnfcience. In matters of religion, they call» no man on earth mafler. He only prefcribes to them the lau-^ of their religion, he govern$,.proted;s,im7d cbndufts them ; he re- ilrains, and, at the period referred to in this chap- ter, fnall conquer their enemies, and raife_theiTT;to victory, when as foretold by Daniel, " he fnall ^' give .the Jvingdom to the, people ot the faint's *« of the Moil High," His ways both to his faints his fubjeclsj'and their enemies, are jufl and true, and at that period fl>all clearly appear to have been ih, The.jqftice of his ways to tiieir enemies flaall tl9 A COMMENTARY Ch. XV* ihall appear, in the feven great calamities which fhall be poured out of the feven vials on the head of Papal Rome, for her cruelties to, and per- fecutions of the faints. Thefe judgements ftiall exadtly correfpond to their iniquities, both in kind and degree. The ways of God lliali then evident- ly appear juft. All the toils, perfecutions, and con- tempt, to which his faints had been cxpofed in the preceding period, lliall be abundantly compenfat- ed in the purity, peace, profperity, and glory of the miiienniuni (late. It Iball then fully appear that his ways are not only juft, but alfo true. That during the whole of the preceding period, ^s ways both to his faints and their enemies ex- aclly correfponded to the truth of things, and were the fittefl to perfons of their charader, in their iituation, and in that ftage of fociety and of re- ligion in which they were in facl placed. Then their truth fhail appear in the exadl correfpon- d^nce of his various ways to his faints and to their enemies, to the promifes and threatenings predict- ed in his word. Of Papal Rome he faid, chap. xiFi. id. " He that leadeth unto captivity fhall go *' unto captivity ; he that killeth with the fword ** fhall be killed With the fword." The final o- verthrow of Papal Rome lliall prove, that this threatening was true. God promifed chap. v. lo. ♦' that the faints fhould be made kings and priefts ♦* vmto God, and fhould reign on the earth," and i|L Ver* 2, 4. ON THE REVELATION. I If) in chap, vi. 9,-11 (to which, and the commen- tary upon it the reader is referred), that their reign upon earth, and their vengeance upon their enemies, fhall not commence until the perfecutions of Chriftians by Papal Rome fliall be ended. Whea Rome ihall no longer be able to perfecute, and when the millennium iliall commence, fliall it not then appear that thefe promifes were true ? " Who Ihall not fear thee O Lord, and glorify " ;thy name, for thou only art holy." Moral excel- lences properly aflembied in the higheft pollible per- fection, in one character is abfolute holinefs. Such holinefs.is peculiar to God. In this fenfe, God onlv is holy. He is the thrice holy one. It is his holinefs which renders God the proper object of religious "worfiiip. If we could fuppofe his. natural perfec- tions feparated from his moral perfections, he would not be the objedt of worfhip, but of dread and averlion. But, it is his holinefs which fills the minds of his intelligent, rational, and religious creatures v/ith that elteem, love, and truft, which lead them to worfhip him, nay, which aliedions themfelves are the worfhip of God. The ftate of the world at the millennium, when the myftery of God fhall be finifhed ; when ignorance, error, vice, and mifery Ihall be conquered, and truth, righ- teoufnefs, and peace fhall be triumphant; and when the fteps in divine providence, which led to that ftate through fo many intricate windings, are clearly 1^2(5 A COMMENTARY CIl. XV* clearly feen, fhall exhibit in a moft finking point of view the holinefs of God. Such a flriking view of the holinefs of God fhall excite men to worfhip God in fincerity, and to glorify, him by well-order- ed converfations. > " For all nations fliall come and wdrlliip before " thee, for thy judgements are made manifeft.'* Thefe acquainted with the Greek language, by looking into the original, will clearly perceive, that as the article ra is prefixed to eOy^r, it ought not to have been tranilated nations, but lliould have been tranilated tbe natio?2s, or rather thd Gentiles, though the words in reality are* of the fame import ; but their common acceptation is different. This is the very word which is tranilat- ed Gentiles in all the paiTages of the New Telta- ment where we meet with this term tbe Gentiles, At that period, all the Gentiles fliall come and worfliip God in fpirit and in truth. ^ Then fhall be accomplifhed the prediction of Paul, Rom. xi, ^5. 26. ** For 1 would not brethren that ye fhould be ig- •' norant of this myftery, that blindnefs in part " happened unto liVael, until the fulnefs of the *' Gentiles be come in, and fo all lirael fhall be " faved : as it is written, there fliall come out of '* Zibn the Deliverer, and he fliall turn away un- *' godlinefs from Jacob.'' AiKoifujuoiTci, the word ix^\'\^2iled. judgements, does not fignify thvofe calamities and great fufFering^, which Ver. 2,^-4. ON THE REVEL AtlOI^. tit which men commonly call judgements. It figni- fies the judgements or fentences pronounced by a judge orl the bench. The word here ufed does not lignify the judgements or fentences of a judge in general; but, as thofe acquainted with the Greek language mud know, it fignifies a fentence of ap- probation or juftiiication. This fentence palled by God himfelf, the fupreme Judge of controver- fy, in favours of the church of Ghrill, and pub- lilhed or manifefted by the great events w^hich fhall take place at that period, is affigned as the reafon why the fullnefs of the Gentiles fhall then come in. It was formerly fliewn in chap. xi. that, from the year of Chrift 756 to the end of the year J 999, the church of Chrift is reprefented by two wit- neffes. During that period, the caufe is, compara- tively fpeaking, undecided, whether the church of Rome or the church of Chriil is the true church of God. True Chrlftians fteadily give their teftimony as witnelTeSjin favours of the latter;, but fome meri take one fide of the queflion, and others the 0- ther ; and multitudes calling in queftion the knowledge or the veracity of thefe tw^o witneflesj hence, during that period, take the wrong fide of that important and interefting queftion. Bur, when in the courfe of divine providence, Papal Rome ftiali be completely overthrown, in the man- ner and at the time predicted in this book ; wl>en thofe whofe religion conlifts in that truth, righ- YoL, II. (^ teoufnefs. S22 A COMMENTARY Ch. XV* teoufnefs, peace,and joy, which the bible teaches, fhall in the courfe of divine providence increafe in number and rife into high refpedl in the world ; thefe events fhall be juflly coniidered, as they are in themfelves the publication of the judgement or fentence of God himfelf, in favours of the pure, fimple, and fcriptural religion of Chriit. This view which the minds of men fliall take of thefe events, fhall be one principal inilrument in the hand of God, at that period, to make all the Gen- tiles come and worfliip before God. Verfes ^th, — 8/^. — And after tliat, I look- ed, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the teftimony in heaven was opened: and the feven angels came out of the temple, hav- ing the feven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breads girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beafts gave unto the feven angels feven -gol- den vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was fil- led with fmoke from the glory of God, and from his power ; and no man was able to en- ter into the temple, till the feven plagues of the feyen angels were fulfilled. The Ver. 5, — ^8. ON THE REVELATION. H^ The temple of the tabernacle of the teflimony in heaven, fignifies the church of Chrift during the period of 1243 years preceding the final over- throw of Papal Rome. In chapter xi. 1,2. it is called **the temple, the altar, and them that wor- " lliip therein," as diftinguiflied from " the court ** which is without the temple," and from " the " holy city." Out of the church, during this period, came feven angels having feven plagues. The feven plagues, which, under feven diuincl difpenfations of divine providence, partly have been and partly fhall be brought upon Papal Rome, as predided ia the following chapter, Ihall all be brought upon her in her public or national charader, for the in- juries which fhe hath done, and ftill ihall do, in that character, to the perfecuted church of Chrid, during that period. That thefe plagues upon Rome fliali come out of the church of Chrifl, du- ring that period, is intimated, chap. xi. 6. " Thefe *' have power to fmite the earth, (the empire) *' with all plagues as often as they will." Thefe angels, like the high priefl under the law, are clothed with pure and white linen, and have their brealls girded with golden gii'dles. Thus it is fymbolically reprefented that thefe difpenfa- tions are the niinifters of God ; that they flridly execute the divine command, and ad only minif- teriaily in bringing thofe plagues upon Papal Q^ 2 Rome. 1 24 A COxMMENTAP^Y Ch. XV, Rome, Though the perfecution of the Chriftian church is the real caufe, why thefe plagues are brought upon Rome ; though thefe are predidled in thofe fcriptures which Chriftians believe to be the word of God, yet, in all thefe, Chrifli'ans are clothed in pure and white linen, for they enter- tain no revenge nor malice againft the votaries of ' Rome. Like their great mailer, they have often, with their dying breath, prayed for their perfecu- tors. *' Father forgive them, for they know not ** what they do." They have no a6live hand nei- ther intentionally nor even unintentionally in in-, fiicling thefe plagues upon R.ome, as fliall appear in the commentary on the following chapter. " And one of the four living creatures,'* (men- tioned and explained in the commentary on chap. iv. 6, 7, 8,) " gave unto the feven angels fe- *' ven golden vials." The gofpel miniftry fliall, from the predictions of fcripture, explain thefe e - vents to mankind before they happen. This is. their duty, becaufe this book, not being fealed, is a part of th&t infpired fcripture, out of which they are to teach the church of Chrift. By this it is predided that fome of the miniilers of the gofpel fhall, in fad explain thefe predictions. " Thefe are golden vials full of the wrath of " God.'' By this hieroglyphic it is predicted that all thefe plagues fliall be poured out by meafure, TThough the vials ^nrq not all of a lize, every one o,f the^^ Ver. v,-^S. ON THE REVELATION* J» them fhall be exaclly fitted to the occafion, and ihall be completely filled up: The nature, degree, and continuance of the calamity, fhall all be as ex- adlly fixed and determined hy God, as the time of its commencement is. They are vials full of wrath. They are not, like the trumpets fent to alarm, roufe, and corred the church of Chrifi; but are fent to puniili Papal Rome as a colledive body for her public iniquities. They are golden to fig- nify, at once, their firength and their purity. Vials of glafs are brittle, and eafily broken ; but gold is llrong and durable.- Thefe plagues fliall not bs turned afide from Rome, nor fiiall any part of them fail on any other kingdom. They are pure judgements. They are wrath indeed ; but it is xlot the wrath of man, which is influenced by and proceeds from paffion. It is the wrath of God and therefore perfeclly pure, and entirely, free from every thing like paf- fion. They are great, public and terrible calami- ties ; but not one of them is the effect of anger, revenge, or any other paffion. They all proceed from that divine juflice, which, with the moil perfed exaclnefs, affiinilates and proportions the punifiiment to the tranfgreffion. They are full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. To him who liveth for ever, all times pad, prefent, and to come, are ever pre- fent. He can therefore, eafily predict thefe plagues J26 A COMMENTARY Ch. XV. plagues long before they happen ; and he can in-^ flict each of them in its proper time, however dif- tant they may be from one another. Between the firil and the lafl of thefe plagues there fliall be nearly 1240 years ; but to him, w^ho liveth for ever, diilance of time is nothing. " And the temple was filled with fmoke from *' the glory of God, and from hie power." When the tabernacle was confecrated by Mofes and Aaron, Exod. xl. 34. 35. " a cloud covered the " tent of the congregation, and the glory of God " filled the tabernacle : And Mofes was not able " to enter into the tent of the congregation, be- ** caufe the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of " the Lord filled the tabernacle." And when the temple was confecrated by the priefts, in the reign of king Solomon, i Kings viii. 10, 11, " It ** came to pafs when the prieits were come out of " the holy place, that the cloud filled the houfe •' of the Lord, fo that the priefts could not ftand to *' minifter, becaufe of the cloud, for the glory of " the Lord had filled the houfe of the Lord." In reference to thefe clouds, v/hich fiJled the taber- nacle and temple at their confecration, it is here faid the temple was filled with fmoke from the glo- ry of God. The plain meaning of which hierogly- phic is, that ail thefe perfecutions to which ChriC tians are expofed during the wildernefs fi:ate of the church, and all thefe plagues, which fhall be inflided Ver. 5, — 8. on the revelatioi^. 127 inflided upon Papal Rome, during that period, and which, at the end of it, fhall totally over- throw her, are the ways by which God prepares the fettled and glorious ftate of the millennium ; prepares and confecrates the Chriftian church for that ftate ; and thus builds up and confecrates the temple of the living God. In Eph. ii. 19, — 22, Paul ftiles the collective body of Chriftians a holy temple in the Lord. As Mofes could not enter into the tabernacle, nor the priefts into the temple for the cloud, fo it is faid, here, " no man was able to enter into the " temple, till the feven plagues of the feven angels " were fulfilled." Though the temple as con- nedled with the tabernacle, as in verfe 5, fignifies the wildernefs ftate of the Chriftian church, yet it is the temple in a very particular fituation. It is the temple fliut up. It was formerly ftiewn that the tabernacle, with peculiar fitnefs, fignified the wildernefs ftate of the church ; becaufe it was the place, in which the Jews ftatedly and public- ly worfliipped God fo long as they were in the wildernefs : and that the temple fignifies the fet- led and triumphant ftate of the church at the mil- lennium ; becaufe the Jews worfhipped in the temple in their fettled and profperous ftate in the land of Canaan. But as the pureft worfliip of God was performed in the temple, and as' certain worftiippers, who were not confidered as fo- holy as 12% A COMxMENTARY Ch. XV* as others, were not allowed to worfliip in the temple, but only in the outer court, called the court of the Gentiles ; when, as in chap. xi. i, 2, the outer court, and the holy city were given to the Gentiles for 1243 years, the temple and the altar were excepted ; the meaning of all wdiich is, that, during that period, the outw^ard gran- deur, extent, and magnificence of the church of Rome were fitly reprefented by the outer court and the holy city : But as the temple reprefents the pureft worihip, though their grandeur might have been reprefented by the magnificence, yet their worfhip did not refemble, and therefore could not have been reprefented by the purity of the tem.ple worfiiip. But, on the other hand, though the purity of the w^orfiiip of Chriftians, might have been reprefented by the purity of the worihip in the temple, yet their ^perfecuted con- dition for thefe 1243 years, bearing no refem- blancC/ to the magnificence of the temple, nor to the fettled fi:ate of the Jews w-hen they worfiiipped in it, the temple as a place of worfiiip could not be the fymbol for the Chriiliaii church during that period. What then fiiall become of the temple as a fymbol, fince as an open place of w^orfiiip, it ac- cords neither to the fi:ate of the Chrifiiian church, nor to that of the church of Rome, during that period. It niufl be fiiut up i for the temple of God Ver. 5,— 8. ©nthe revelatioi?. I29 God mufl not be profaned. But let it be given to Chriftians thus (hut up. Let them, in the mean time, worftiip in the tabernacle : But let them look forward with hope to that glorious period, when their wildernefs petiod ftiall end; when the temple (hall be opened ; when it (hall be fully con- fecrated ; when the cloud of its confecration fhaU be difpelled ; and when, in the millennium llate, they (hall worfhip God in purity, peacf^, and tri- umph. Into this opened temple or millnniunl ftate of the church, none (liali enter till all thefe feven plagues Ihall be fulfilled. When we confi- der thefe feven plagues, in the following chapter, it (hall appear that the lad of them (hall not be ful- filled till the final overthrow of Papal Rome, in the end of the year 1999 ; and, confequently, that the entrance of Chriftians into the opened and confe^ crated temple (hall not be till after that year. It will be in the beginning of the year of Chi ill 2000, which year fhall, in its proper place, be fnewn to be the commencement of the milleoniura. Vol. n, R CHAPj 130 . A COMMZNTARY ,Ch, XVL, CHAP. XVL Verfc ijij \ ND I heard a great voice out of the temple, faying to the feven angels. Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. This chapter contains a long and connedled chain of predidions, under the hieroglyphic of the feven vials full of the wrath of God. That they are judgements, which fhall be inflided for the fins of thofe, on whom they are poured, is evident from the expreflion, *' vials of the wrath •^ of God." They are to be poured out upon the earthy that is, according to the fymbolical language, and to the invariable ufe of the term in this book, upon the Roman empire; and upon the empire too in a fixed and uniform flate : for it is upon the earthy not upon the fea, that dilToived and fluduating flate of the empire, out of which the Papal hierar- chy rofe to the rank of a temporal government, ajs in chap. xiii. i« But Ver. I. OITTHE REVELATIOK. IJl. But it may be afked, on what ftate or period of the Roman empire fliall thefe judgements fall? The queftion is important; the anfvver to it is very neceffary ; and it is not more necelTary than clear from the plain language of this chapter itfelf. In verfe 2d, it is faid that the " firft vial was poured *' upon the earth ; and there fell a noifome and ** grievous fore upon the men which had the ** mark of the beait, and upon them which wor- " fhipped his image." But it was fhewn in chap, xiii. that the rife of the beaft, (^nftov), fignifies the commencement of the Papal or feventh head of Roman government. In chap. Xiii. 14, — 17. it w^as fhewn, that the men who had the mark of the beaft and who woriliipped his image, lignified the votaries of Papal Rome. Since then the firft vial was poured out on them who had the mark of the beaft, and upon them who worfhipped the image of the beaft, the firft of thefe plagues could not happen till after the rife of the beaft, and till after he had votaries to worftiip him. Hence, it is as plainly expreffed in the fymbolical language that the firft of thefe judgements fell upon Papal Romxe, foon after it became a temporal govern* mcnt, that is, foon after the year of Chrift y^6^ as it could have been if it had been faid fo in common language. From verfes 17th, i8th, 19th, 20th, and 21ft of this chapter, it is evident that the judgement poured out of the feventh or laft R a vial 13* * A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI, vial reprefents the complete and final overthrow of Papal Rome. If then the firft of thefe vials was, poured out on Rome foon after the commence- ment of the Papal government, and if the laft of them contains thofe judgements which fhall com- pletely overthrow that government, it muft be as plain as words can make it that the flate and pe- riod of the Roman empire, on which thefe plagues ihall fall, is the Papal one, from its rife in 756 to its final ©verthrow in 1999. If this fad needs any farther proof, it fhall receive it as we proceed in the explication of the difierent vials in their or- der. Thefe vials predict judgements which fhall be brought upon Papal Rome in this world, m theit national capacity, for thofe injuries which in that capacity they have done to Chriilians. Thefe judgements fhall follow one another in the exadt order of the vials themfelves. They fliall not be indantaneous ; each of them fhall commence at the exact time when its refpedive vial fiiall be^ poured out, but it fliall continue for a confidera^ ble time, rnolt probably to near the time of the commencement of the following vial. The fiiil five of thefe vials have already been poured out on Papal Rome. We mull therefore fearch for the judgements iigniiied by them in the hiftory of Papal Rome preceding the period in wjuch we Uve. As we proceed, her hiftory fhall aflord Ver. I. ON THE REVELATION. t^^ afford an exa^l and complete comment on thefe prediclions. Thefe judgements too are to be con- iidered as one of thofe figns by which God calls- upon us to diilinguifh between the church of Chriil and the church of Rome. By the alarm- ing calamities predided by the feven trun?pets, and by the wildernefs ilate of the church, the Chiiftian church was to be known during this period. This was the great fign mentioned in chap. xii. and thefe judgements of the fevea laft plagues upon Papal Rome are the other figu inentioned in chap. xv. by which the church of Pvome fhali be known. Thefe plagues come not by chance : They are difpenfations of divine pro- vidence, in every refpecl obedient to the command of God. Thefe feven angels cannot pour out their ref- pedlive vials, till they receive the command from him whom all things, animate and inanimate, muft obey. His is a great voice, fuch as the moil dif- tant of thefe events in point of time or place muft obey, as wtII as the neareft of them. This voice came out of the temple. Thefe judgements fijall be infli6ted on Rome for her injuries to ihe church of Chrift. They are foretold in thofe infpired fcrip- tures, which contain the rule of faiih and obe^ dience, by which that church conducls berielf ; and when Chriftians Qiall arrive at the /late repre- sented by the opened temple, they Ihail clearly fee how exactly all thefe judgements had been predided 134 COMMZNTARY Ch. XVI. predi(fled in the bible, and accomplifhed in the coiirfe of divine providence. In this introdudlory verfe, thefe judgements are faid to be poured out upon the empire in general. Under the particu- lar vials in the courfe of this chapter, the different parts or members of the empire on which the. judgements (hail fall are fpecified. Verfc id. — And the firft went and poured out his vial upon the earth ; and there fell a noifome and grievous fore upon the men "which had the mark of the beaft, and upon them which worlhipped his image* The firfl judgement v^as to fall upon the earth itfelf, the very conftitution of the Papal govern- ment. And it was to be a noifome and grievous fore upon the votaries of Rome, viewed both in their civil and religious character. The former of thefe isexprelTed by the men who had the mark of the beall, that is, who were the marked flaves of Rome; and the latter by them who worfhip his image. The fupremacy of the Papal pov/er over tempo- ral kings and princes; the infallibility of the church of Rome in matters of doclrine and worfhip; the glory, and fomething like divinity and infalhbihty of the Popes, are interwoven in the conflitution of the Papal government : Thefe three qualities of it« Ver, 2. ON THE REVELATION. ?35 its conilitution were almofl idolized by the vota- ries of Rome. A judgement therefore by which thefe parts of the Papal conilitution received a a fliock, is lAofl fitly denominated one upon the conilitution itfeif. It is one which the citizens of Rome mull feel as a noif jme and grievous fore up* on them, whether their zeal for the civil or reli- gious fupremacy of Rome is the greateft. As this is the firll of thefe vials, the judgement contained in it, predided by John above 650 years before the rife of the Papal government, muit have fal^ len upon Rome foon after the eredion of the Pa- pal empire, that is, foon after the year 756. Looking into the hiftory of Rome at that time, we fliail find the moil minute accomplifhment of this predicted judgement. In the end of the eighth century, during tile, whole of the ninth, and a great part of the tenth century, the weftern empire was torn by contending princes. The Lombards invaded Italy. The Pope was obliged to apply to Charlemagne for fuccour. The trea- fures and lands which the church of Rome poffef- ed in Sicily, Calabria, and Apulia, were confifcat- ed by the Greek emperors. Italy fhared in the calamities of thefe civil difcords. Pope John XII. inftead of commanding, was obliged in the moft abject manner, to implore the affiitance of Otho the Great, emperor of Germany for the love of the prefervation of the Chriftian religion, and of Italy. 13"^' • • A COMMENTARY Ch. XVl; Ixaly. The Normans and Saracens invaded the empire, defpifed the menaces of the Pope, and came even to the walls of Rome. During this period, the church of Rome wasr greatly divided about the worfliip of images, the real prefence cf the body of Chrift in the facrament of the fupper, and the dodrine of predeftination. Both fides of all thefe quellions were keenly efpouf- cd by diiierent perfons in the church of Rome ; and different decifions were given upon them, e- ven by councils. One Pope anathematifed another Pope, and ordered the dead body of a Pope to be ' dugout of his grave and thrown into the Tyben Inftead of the Popes dcpoiing emperors, the em* peror Otho the Great depofed Pope John XIL and appointed Pope Leo VIII. to fill his place. The number of Popes who fucceeded each o- ther during this period was very great ; the lives of nioit of them were, for vicioufnefs, a difgrace to hu- man nature; and many of them^were depofed from their high office. Were not thefe great calamities upon the very conilitution of the Papal hierarchy? and could any judgements be more painful or moredifgraceful to the votaries of Rome ? if thefe things can be e- ftablilhed from authentic hiilory, the fupremacy of Rome over temporal princes, and the infallibili- ty of Popes and councils, muft fall to the ground, Tii€ paiTages of hifiory which fully confirm thefe . * " fads Ver. 1, ON THE REVELATION. 1 37 facls are fo many and fo large, that it would be improper to tranfcribe them all. I fliall therefore tranfcribe only a few of them, and refer the rea- der to many more of them. Molheim Hifl, cent. viii. Vol. i. page 357. ^' Whilft the power and opulence of the Roman *' pontiffs were rifmg to the greatefl height by the " events which we have now been relating, they " received a mortifying check, in confequence of a " quarrel which broke out between thefe haughty *' pontiffs and the Grecian emperors. Leo the Ifau- " rian, and his fonConftantine Gopronious, incenfed " at the zeal which Gregories II. and III. difcover- " ed for the worfhip of images, not only confircat- " ed the treafure and lands which the church of " Rome poffeffed in Sicily, Calabria, and Apulia, " but moreover withdrew the bifnops of thefe *• countries, and alfo the various provinces and *' churches of Illyricum from the jurifdidion of " the Roman fee, and fubjeded them to the fpiri^ " tual dominion of the bifhop of Conilantinople. " And fo inflexibly were the Grecian emperors " bent upon humbling the arrogance of the Ro- " man pontiffs, that no intreaties, fupplications, " nor threats, could engage them to abandon their " purpofe, or to redore this rich and lignal por- *' tion of St Peter's patrimony to his greedy fuc- *' ceffors." Vol. II. S . Pa.r^es 138 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVL Pages 371, — 373. " The profligate Irene, en- *' tered into an alliance with Adrian bifhop of " Rome, A. D. 786, fummoned a council at Nice " in Bjthinia, which is known by the title of the " fecond Nicene council. In this aiTembly the im- - " perial laws concerning the new idolatry were a- " brogated, the decrees of the council of Conftan- " tinople reverfed, and the worfhip of images and " of the crofs reflored. — ■*' In the year 794, Charle- " magne alfembled, at Francfort on the Maine, a " council of three hundred bifhops, in order to ex- ** amine this important queftion ; in which the *' opinion contained in the four books was folemn- *' ly confirmed, and the worfhip of images unani- " moufly condemned. From hence we may con- " elude, that, in this century, the Latins deemed *' it neither impious, nor unlawful, to diffent from " the opinion of the Roman pontiff, and even to " charge that prelate with error." Pages 415, — 41 B. " Charles the Bald fum- " moned a new council or fynod, which met at " Qj^iiercy, A. D. 853, in which, by the credit " and iniiuence of Hincmar, the decrees of the. " former council were confirmed, and of confe- ** quence Godefehalcus again condemned, But *' the decrees of this council were declared null ; " and decilions of a different kind, by which Go- *' defehalcus, and his dodrines were vindicated " and defended, were fubflituted in their place, " in Ver. Z. ON THE REVELATION. 1 39 " in a council afTembled at Valence in Dauphiny, «« A. D. 855." The contefts for civil power and dominion be- tween Bcrenger Duke of Friuli, and Guy Duke ofSpoletto, aflided all Italy with great calamities, in which Rome itfelf fliared very deep, from A. D. 888, to A. D. 960. The Popes themfclves had a great hand in excitirtg thefe troubles, and had aifo a great fhare in them. The parties of Pope Formofus and Sergius raged againll each other, with a difgraceful fury. Pope Stephen caufed the dead body of Pope Formofus to be dug out of the grave, and after condemnation, to be thrown into the river Tyber. He made all his acls hull and void, and took care to have an emperor made of his own party. Thefe contefts and calamities, went fo far that Pope John Xii. A. D. 960, felt himfelf, the church of Rome, and Italy, in fuch imminent danger from Berenger and his fon Adel- bert, that he fent ambailadors to Otho the Great, in Saxony, giving the moft pitiful and abjecl de- fcription of his fituation and of his forces, and in- treating him for tlie love of the prefervation of the ChriPcian religion and of Italy, to lead his army back to Italy, and, after the example of Charle- magne, to refcue the church and Italy from their cruel tyranny. Thefe facts are recorded, at length, by Sigonius ^ Roman catholic Jiiftorian of high charaderin his s 2 H?yi. 140 A COMMENTARY Ch..XVI. Hifl, de regno Italia;, lib, 6, from pkge 139 to page 1 66. For the fatisfadlion of thofe who have not an opportunity of confulting that hillorian, I fhall here tranfcribe a few paflages from thefe pages, which, in the Latin language, in which he writes, contain the fubflance of what 1 have faid on this fubjec^. Speaking of Berenger and Guy he fays, " Hi " fummam libi rerum baud malo confilio afcilTere " ilixi, inteftinis populorum difcordiis Italiam per- *' turbarunt, ac feipfos prorfus una cum ecclelia ** perdiderunt. Ea temporaio rempublicam infer- " entes, quibus nulla alia tetriora, ac foediora " fuiiTe, vel principium nequitia, vel populorum " infania, in tota antiquitate inveniuntur." In thefe words, this Roman Catholic writer gives a moll exadl comment on the noifome and grievous fore ^ when he calls thefe times, tetriora ac fccdiora. Speaking of the hand w^hich the Pope had in thefe civil contefts he fays, " Major pars, licet *' Berengerii caufa juftior eifet, pontificis, credo *' aucloritate impulfa, ad Vidonem fe contuht." It is worthy of remark that this iloman Catho- lic writer, fays here, that he believes that the pon- tiff fupported Guy, whilil the caufe of Berenger, his opponent, was the more righteous. " Ac violato Formoli fepulchro, cadaver ejus ex- •' tra .xevunr, ac juiTj Stephaniiin confpedum con- " ventus Ver. 2. ON THE REVELATION. I41 ** ventiis produxerunt. Quod ociilis cpifcoporum " obje<^um Stephanas pontiiicialibus veilibus exui, " et laicalibus indui julTit ; et conventum metu " minilque ; ut Formofum tanquam fimonias com- " pertum damnaret, adegit. Damnatum inde ^' Sergiani ira, ac libidine inflammati projicierunt ^' in Tiberim. Neque vcro hac injuria contentus " Stephanus fuit, quin etiam omnia Formoii pon- " tificatus ada refcidit, atque in primis, eos, qui " initiati ab eo fuerunt, exaucloravit, et Amulfum •' regem, quern Formofus metu confecrarat impe- " ratorem vitio fadum cffe pronunciavit, Lamber- " turn vero regem Italics, fadlionis fuas partes ex- ^' emplo patris foventum inunxit imperatorem.'* It is fcai*ce poflible to conceive words more fit for predicting this event than " a noifome and " grievous fore upon the men, who had the mark ** of the bead, and wiio vvorlhipped his image." " In Italiam vero furentibus in dies vehementi- " us regibus cum nemo omnium elTet, qui non ex- *' terno cuicunque obedire imperio, quam huic do- •* meflicce fervire tyrannidi mallet ; Joannes pcnti- " fex indigna omnia paiTus Joannem diaconum car- " dinalera, et Azonem fcriniarium ad Othonem le- " gates cum literis in Saxoniam milit. Summa " legationis fuit ; Berengarium atque Adelbertum " occalione occupationum ejus impulfos multo, " quam ante, truculentius, ecclefiam, atque adeo " totam Italiam divexare, pertinere ad ejus non " dignitatem 14^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI. ^' dignitatem folum, fed fecuritatem etiam, ipfo- •' ram adeo infirmas opes efle ut nemini aut nocu- *' mento, aut formidini ei^Q poffint. Quo circa ** orare eum fe, ut pro Chriftianas religionis atque ^' Italiae falutis- amore exercitum de integro in Ita- " liam adduceret, atque ecclefiam Italiamque, Ca- *^ roli Magni exemplo, ab faeva eoram ryrannidi *' vindicaret.'* Sigonius tells us that, in the year 846, the Saracens marched up to the city of Rome, plun- dered the rich churches of the apoflles Peter and Paul, and carried away all their precious orna- ments, and alfo the filver doors of the Yaucian. His own words are as follow :— Lib. 5, page 120. " Quippe Saraceni praedas libidine ftimulati ex ** Africa clalTem, Romanis littoribus intulerunt; et " procurfu ad urbem facto, opimas apoHolorum *' Petri et Pauli fuburbanas balilicas, nemine vim " propulfante, diripuerunt, ac precioiis omnibus *' earum ornamentis ablatis ; ipfas etiam bafilicse *' Vaticanas valvas argenteas abiportarunt.'* Mojheim^ cent. x. vol. i. pages 447, — 451, gives a very particular and long hillory of the Popes daring the tenth century, to which the reader is referred, and from which he will fee, that that hif- tory well deferved this his introduction to it. — " The hlftory of the Roman pontiffs, that lived in " this cciitary, is a hiftory of fo many monfters, " and not of men 3 and exhibits a horrible feries of " the Ver. 2. ON THE REVELATION. 1 43 " the moil flagitious, tremenduoiis, and compli- " cated crimes, as all writers, even thofe of the *' Roraifli communion, unanimoufly confefs.'* The reader is alfo deiired to confult Mejljei7n^ Hiji, cent. viii. Vol. i. pages 354, 413, 414, and 415, for the keen controverfies in doctrine and wor- Ihip which diflraded the church of Rome in that century. Thefe events, thus fully eilablifhed from authen- tic hiftory, fall in fo exadly with the period of the firft vial ; give fuch a fhock to the vaunted confli- tution of the Papal government; were felt with fuch pain and fhame by the votaries of Rome in that period ; and are ftill fo feverely felt by them who live in the prefent and every period of their hiftory, that they exadlly agree to, and minutely accompiifh the prediction of a " vial poured out " upon the earth, and a noifome and grievous fore *' upon the men who had the mark of the beaft, " and upon them who worfhipped his image." Verfe 3^.-ovov, which iignifies a throne, and is the very word from which our Engiiih word throne is derived. The word, throne, occurs no lefs than twenty feven laiies in our Engiifli tranf- iation of this book of Revelation, and in every onq of thefe places ^^ovoc is the word, which is ufed in the original. Ought it not therefore to be tranflat- ed throne, in this palTage alfo, which is its proper meaning. In the fymbohcal language, throne figniiies fu- preme and fovereign power, becaufe it is the feat, upon which kings lit in flate. The fymbol is fo natural, that not only in prophetic, but alfo in common language, throne is ufed as an elegant metaphor for fovereign power. To approach the throne, to addrefs the thione, to petition the throne are the common terms for approaching, addreffing, or petitioning the king, in the charac- ter of the fovereign of the flate. In this fenfe, it is alfo frequently ufed in fcripture. Thus Pha- raoh referving to himfelf only tlie prerogatives of the crown, above thofe high powers with which he had veiled Jofeph as governor over all Egypt, fays to him, Gen. xli. 40, *' only in the throne will ** I be greater than thou." Thus in 2 Sam. iii. 10. to fet up the throne of David over all Ifrael, is to pife David to be king over Ifrael. " To tranflate " the Ver. 10, II. ON THE REVELATION. I73 ** the kingdom from the houfe of Saul, and to fct " up the throne of David over Ifrael, and over Ju- " dah from Dan even to Beerflieba." And his kingdom was full of darknefs. In the original that claufe is thus expreffed, Ka/ ^yiyiio 9 jLoLiiKetoi ajjTv iaxoTCdfjuy^if which fignifies that his king- dom was obfcLired or eclipfed. The degree of an eclipfe may be greater or fmaller, and it maj in- creafe, until the eclipfe becomes total. From the conflruction of the Greek language, it feems to be iignified that this obfcurity and eclipfe, be- gun under this vial, but not perfected under it, fliall go on increaling until it (hall become totaL Hence, the plain meaning of this hieroglyphic is^ that the fifth judgement, which fnall be infiided on Papal Rome, fhall fall on the fovereign powei* of the hierarchy ; and fhall greatly obfcure and xeflrain that power, and gradually increafe, until it fhall totally eclipfe and deftroy the fovereign- ty of Rome. But notwithflanding this great di- minution of power, many of thofe rotaries, who had long adored Rome as fupremc head over the whole weflern kingdoms, both in fpiritual andtem* poral affairs, fhall fliil adhere to her, even when fact fully difproves her claim to univerfahty and fupremacy in both. " For they repented not of their deeds." But, though they repented not, they were exceflivelj vexed by this judgement, and they gnawed their ton^ue$ 174 ^ COMMENTARY Ch. XV. tongues for pain, and even blafphemed God. The peculiar appellation which is here given to God, merits our particular attention. " They blafphemed the God o^ heaven'^ Hea- ven, in the fymbolical language, and in this book, fignifies the true church of Chrift. The God of heaven, therefore lignifies that God whom true Chriftians believe, worfhip, and obey; and who protects and governs the Chriftian church. Under the preceding vial, it is faid, " they blafphemed " the name of God," that is, they blafphemed the Divine perfections exerted in the government of the world ; becaufe the judgements under that vial were of fuch a nature, that the Popes, coun- cils, and votaries of Rome themfelves, were the only viiible inftruments in infticling them, and true Chriilians did not appear in them at all. But the judgements predicled in this vial, are of fuch a nature, that the church of Rome fhall at* tribute them to true Chriilians, whom they call heretics; and therefore fhall blafpheme the God whom thefe heretics worfhip. The fourth vial brought us down to near the end of the fifteenth century, it is therefore proba- ble, that the commencement of this one will be found in the beginning of the lixteenth century. In the hiilory of Home at this period, great events, which accompli fli the predictions in this vial, rufli upon us ; even thofe, which, under Divine pro- vidence, Ver. 10, II. ON THE REVELATION. I75 vidence, ufhered in and accomplifhed the glorious Reformation in the lixteenth century. Before this period, the power of Papal Rome was very great. The Pope claimed, and very frequently v^ith efFecl exerted a fupreme power both in fpi^ ritual and temporal affairs, over all the kings and fubjeds in all the different countries, unto which the wellern empire had been parcelled out. With a defpotic fway, he interdicted whole kingdoms, excommunicated and depofed emperors and kings, and raifed up others in their places. In the thir-^ teenrh century, thi^ fupremacy and defpotifm of the Popes rofe to a mod enormous height. Of Innocent III. MoJIjeim, cent xiii. vol. i. page 642. thus writes, " Innocent III. who re- '* mained at the head of the church until the *' year 1216, followed the Heps of Gregory VIL ** and not only ufurped the defpotic government " of the church, but alfo claimed the empire of " the world ; and thought of nothing lefs than " fubje<5ling the kings and princes of the earth to " his lordly fceptre. — — In Alia and Europe he " difpofed of crowns and fceptres with the moil ** wanton ambition." In that and the following pages, Moflieim enu- merates many kings and emperors whom he ex- communicated and depofed, and others whom he raifed to imperial and regal dignities. Even Eng- land, with all its innate andboalled courage, trem- bled ty6 A COMMENtARV Ch. XVI. bled as a moil abjedl Have before the tyrannic Popes. Innocent HI. laid all England under an interditfl:, excommunicated King John, abfolved all his fubjeds from their oath of allegiance, and in the year 12 12 depofed him, declared the throne of England vacant, and wrote to Philip Auguftus king of France to take pofTeffion of it, and unite it to his own dominions. Roufed by the arrogance, ambition, and defpo* tifm of the Popes, the diilipation and wickednefs of the clergy, and above all by the preaching and proclaiming by Joha Tetcel thofe famous indul- gences of Leo X. which adminiftered remiffion of all fins pail, prefent, and to come, how^ever enor- mous their nature, to all who were rich enough to purchafe them, that moll extraordinary man Martin Luther rofe up to refill the impiety and defpotifm of the Popes, in the year 1517. About the fame time, Melan61hon, Zuingle, Garloilad, and the great Calvin, w^ere all raifed up by divine pro- vidence to promote the Reformation, Thefe illuf- trious names muft ever be dear to every friend of learning, liberty, and rehgion ; for to them under God we are indebted for thefe ineftimable blef- fings. Many princes were raifed up to fupport the Reformation, who, with their counfels and their arms combated the tyranny of Rome. On the loth Deer. 1520, Luther publicly re- nounced his fubjection to Rome, and in the pre- fence Ver. 10, II. ON THE RETELATION. IJ? fence of a prodigious number of people, burned the decretals and canons relating to the Pope's fupreme jurifdidlion, on a large pile of burning wood eredled for that purp0fe. The Ele6lor of Saxony, the Landgrave of HefTe, and other German princes who were friendly to the Reformation, and members of the fecond diet of Spires, protefled againll the decree of that diet on the 19th April 1529 ; from which fad and time the Reformers got the name of Frotejiants, On the 25th Sept. 1555, the Proteftants were folemnly exempted from the jurifdiclion of the church of Rome ; fecured in liberty of confcience in all matters relating to religion ; and the Reform- ed churches were eflablifhed by the acts of the diet of Augfijurg. The Reformation forms fo great and illuflrious an aera in the hiftory of the church, and of all the European kingdoms^ and the above fads relative to it are of fo public and important a nature, that they are recorded by all the civil and eccleiiallical hiilorians of that period. The Reformation thus begun, went on, and flili goes forward. The kingdoms of England, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, and Denmark, many German iiates, and cantons of Switzerland, Holland, and great numbers of individuals in France, Hungary, nd Bohemia, feparated from the Roman commu- VoL. IL Z Jiiofij if6 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI. nion, abfolutelj renounced the Pap^l authority, and firmly adhered to the Reformation. The Re- formation not only feparated whole kingdoms from the jurifcii6lion of Rome, but alfo greatly weakened her authority in thofe kingdoms which llill adhere to the Papal hierarchy. The Pope dares not now ifTue out his excommunications a- gainft princes of the Roman Catholic perfuafion. He dares not now depofe them from their thrones, and abfolve their fubjeds from their allegiance. Is not this then a great judgement upon the fove- reignty of Rome ? Is not her fupreme power great- ly obfcured and reftrained ? Is not this, then, an exact accomplifhment of the judgement predided under the fifth vial ? Though many kingdoms have abandoned Rome ; yet that many ilill adhere to her, are grieved for the Reformation, and blafpheme Pro- teflants as heretics, and the God whom they w^or- fhip, is a farther completion of the prophecy. " For " they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blaf- " pheitiied the God of heaven becaufe of their " pains and their fores, and repented not of their " deeds." This vial reaches down to the prefent day, and will reach down to the commencement of the lixth vial, which probably will be about the year 1998. The power of Rome has been gradually di- minifliing fince the Reformation, and will go on di- mini filing Ver. lO, — II. ON tHE REVELATION. I79 miniftiing in the courfe of divine providence by the progrefs of learning, commerce, and civil and reli- gious liberty^ in the world, until the time of the iixth vial, when it fhall receive another violent fhqck. Other kingdoms ihall abandon Rome be- fore the period of this vial fhall be clofed ; and over thofe few who fhall adhere to her to the laft, her defpotic power fhall be greatly diminiflied. The art of Printing, difcovered a little before the time of the Reformation, hath provided fo ex- cellent a mean for rendering the attainment and prefervation of knowledge praclicable, certain, and cheap ; the great extent of commerce in the world affords fo eafy and unfufpeded a way of diffufing knowledge, liberty, and pure religion, through the world, that Papal fuperftition gra- dually lofes its hold even of the votaries of Rome; and they, as is commonly the cafe with men, change their religion before they dare change its name. In the fame way, only with an accelerat- ed motion, matters will go on. Even in Popifli countries, men will feel themfelves, and men will think for themfelves. Popilh kingdoms will feel their own greatnefs, power, and independence ; and will defpife the empty threats of a power in- ferior to their own, though they iliould be thun- dered from the Papal throne. So heterogeneous is the Papal kingdom to all others, that in propor- tion as light and hberty fpread through the Z 2 world. l80 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI. world, this kingdom fhall be full of darknefs, as predided in this viaL The next vial introduces us into thofe prophe- cies, which, refpeding times yet at a confiderable diilance, are not accompliflied. — Before entering on thofe, let it be obferved, that all the five e- vents which have been produced from authentic hillory as accomplifliments of the five predidions already confidered, are of a magnitude worthy of prophecy, and exactly correfpond to their refpec- tive predidions, in their natures, in all their cir- cuniftances, and in their times ; that they are all great judgements upon Papal Rome ; and that they are all facts of fuch great and important na- tures, and of fuch public notoriety, that there can- not be any mifreprefentation of their natures or times. What perfon is there in any tolerable degree acquainted with hiftory, who hath not heard of the contefls for power between the emperors and Popes, in the 8th, 9th, and loth centuries; of the Croifades or holy wars ; of the civil wars of the Guelphs and Gibeliines ; of the great Weftern fchifm ; and of the glorious Reformation from Popery ? Who is there who does not know that thefe great events follow- ed each other in the order jufl now mentioned ? Who, that knows what a judgement is, can doubt, that every one of thefe was a great judgement up- on Papal Rome ? Vcrfcs Ver. 12,— »i6. ON the revelation. i8i Verfes i2th^ — i6th. — And the fixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Eu- phrates ; and the water thereof v/as dried up that the way of the kings of the eaft might be prepared. And I faw three unclean fpi- rits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beaft, and out of the mouth of the falfe prophet. For they are the fpirits of devils, 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 of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief, blef- fed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his gar- ments, left he walk naked, and they fee his fliame. And he gathered them together into a place, called in the Hebrew tongue, Ar- mageddon. This fixth vial is to be poured out upon the great river Euphrates. Euphrates is here ufed not literally but fymbolically, like all the other places upon which ail the other vials in this chain of predictions are poured. Euphrates the great, ligniiies fornething v/hich bears the fame relation to Babylon the great or Papal Rome which the river Euphrates bore to antient Babylon. A branch l82 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI. branch of the Euphrates ran through the antient city of Babylon. After Cyrus had belieged it in .vain for near two years, he at lad made a lake a little above the town of Babylon, into which he could turn the river and dry up- its channel. While Bellhazzar, his nobles, and his foldiers were rioting in the impious feaft mentioned in Daniel chap. V. Cyrus opened a fluice, emptied the Eu- phrates into the lake, laid its channel dry in the night time, and having feparated his army into two divilions, the one entering the tov/non the one iide, and the other on the other, along the dry channel, furprifed the king, his nobles, and his forces rioting in drunkennefs; killed the king, took the city, and finally overthrew both the city and kingdom of Babylon. So long as the Eu- phrates flow^ed in its ufual channel, Babylon was impregnable, but as foon as that river was dried up, that city was taken and totally deftroyed. By the Euphrates, therefore, we are here to un- derftand that barrier, be it what it will, which has hitherto rendered Papal Rome impregnable ; whe- ther it be that fuperllition, which has hitherto kept the weRern kings from attacking Rome, or whether it be the Adriatic fea or gulph of Venice which, as a kind of natural barrier, has defended her from the Turks, who live on the eail fide of it, or whatever it is, which has hitherto been the defence of Rome. The eff*ed of this vial fliall be to Ytr, 12, 16, ON THE REVELATION. 1 83 to remove that barrier. Silpeiflition fhall then no longer make men dread to attack Rome, as they would do to commit facrilege. And the Turks fliall pafs over the gulph of Venice. By their fkill in navigation, they fhall pafs over it, as eafily as if it were dried up. The drying up of the Euphrates, fignifies that this attack upon Rome like that upon Babylon, when that river was dried up, iliall be fatal and final; that the city and empire of Rome fhall be overthrown forever, never more to be ranked a- mong the cities and kingdoms of the world. At this time Rome is to be attacked by many power- ful enemies ; and fhe is to collecl all her own forces and thofe of her allies, and to make a lafl effort for her expiring kingdom ; the war is to be violent and bloody, and flie is to be finally overcome. The following fhall be the parties in that war ; on the one fide the Pope with his Italian fubjecls, and all the kings in Europe, who fhall be flili Ro- man catholic : Thefe will then be very few. And on the other fide probably fome of the proteftant king- doms of Europe, and certainly the Turks in great numbers. That thefe fhall be the parties, is evident from the terms of this prediction. The Pope and all the other members of the hierarchy fhall fend emif- faries to colled all their forces and allies to this war. Thefe emiffaries are filled three unclean fpirit:^ 184 A GOMMENTARY Ch. XVL fpirits like frogs. One of them lliall proceed from the Dragon, that is the Devil. That fiend, feeing his kingdom in this world near its overthrow, fhall exert himfelf to the utmoft, to blind many v/ith error, fuperftition, and falfe zeal, fo as to make them fight for Rome to the lalt. Another of theru fhall come out of the mouth of the bead ; every part of the hierarchy fhall exert itfelf in colleding forces to this war. And the th ird fhall come out of the mouth of the falfe prophet. The^alfe pro« phet ngnifies the Pope individually. This is the firll time, that he is called the falfe prophet, be- caufe the ifilie of this battle Ihall fully prove that he was a falfe prophet when he reprefented the church of Rome as the true church of God, and himfelf and that church as infallible. In chap. xix. 20. he is again called the falfe prophet, and he is defcribed in the fame manner as he is def- cribed in chap. xiii. 11. — 15, as working miracles before the beaft, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the bead, and them that worfliipped his im^age ; to fhev/ us that he is the fame perfon under a diiferent name The Pope too fliall exert himfelf individually to the ut- moft of his power, in colleding forces from every quarter. Thefe emiflfaries are unclean fpirits like frogs. However, zealous for religion, they are, like unclean beads, mifit for the pure worfhip of the altar of God, As frogs are amiphibious animals, they Ver. 12, 16. ON THE REVELATION. ^ I85 they fhall put on an amphibious charader, and addrefs either the temporal or fpiritual interefts of> thofe whom they follicit to the war, which ever of them they Ihali judge to be moft eifedual. To men who have no regard to rehgion, they will Ihew^ as little; but will reprefent to them how deeply their temporal interefts are engaged in this war. To men blinded by fuperftition, they will pretend that they defpife their temporal concerns; but they call upon them to fight for their religion, and their church^ To work the more powerfully upon fuch perfons, they will perform falfe mira- cles before them. The battle, to which they fhall be gathered is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty, It Ihall be that great bat- tle, v/hich he hath predicled ; in which he fhall totally overthrow Papal Rome, and fully prove, to the world, his ow^n omnipotence, by the full eftablilhment of his church, and overthrow of all her enemies. " Behold I come as a thief." In thefe words, it is intimated that however clearly this battle of the great day of the Lord hath been foretold, that, when it ad:ually happens, it fhall come upon the greateft part of men, efpecially upon the votaries of Rome, fuddenly and unexpededly. Not cre- diting thefe predidions, or not applying them^ to themfelves, they fhall be furprized and taken at unawares, by the event itfelf. Vol, IL A a ; ''And jS6 a commentary Ch.XVl. . " And he gathered them together, unto a place. '• called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon."' The be here evidently refers to the fixth angel, in the beginning of verfe X2th. That is, by the in- ilrumentality of the devil, of the Roman hierar- chy, of the Pope, offomeofthe European king- doms, and of the Turks, this ditpenfation of divine providence lliall, without knowing that they are fulfilling the prophecies of God, col- lect all thefe forces to a particular place, as liie principal field of adlon ; which according to the import of the Hebrew word, may juitly be called Armageddon. This word, in the Hebrew language, fignifies the turrets which are devot- ed to deftrudion. Moil probably it fignifies the many lofty turrets of Rome, which had long ago been devoted to deflrudlion by the predictions of God ; and which fliall be deftrcyed by the ar- my, which at this time fliall forever bury the name of Rome under the rubbiih of its fallen towers, to which the name of Armageddon fhall fitlv apply. That Armageddon fignifies the city of Rome, fur the realVh jiifl now given, is flill fartiier evident from what is faid as to the field of action in this war, in chap, xiv- 20. The precife time pf the commencement of this' war, or rather of this great and decifive battle, predicted in this fixth vial, 1 do not pretend to fix exactly 3 firit, becaufe it is not fixed in the predic- tion Ver 12, — 16. ON tHE REVELATION. 187 tion itfelf ; and next, bccaufe it cannot be fixed from hiftorj, the time of its conimencenient not being yet come. But it is probable, that it will be fometime in the year 199S, becaufe it muft imme- diately precede the feventh vial, which clofes that war, and announces the total overthrow of Rome as the clofe of it. It was formerly (l^iCwn that Rome fliall be finally overthrown in the end of the year 1999 ; and wc may reaionably fuppofe that a little more than one year will be fufticient, and not more than fufficicnt time for coUeding the forces, and fighting the battle predi6led in the fixth vial; which would run it back to fome- time in the year 1998. Its commencement may be either a little earlier or later ; ,but its termina- tion will be near the end of the year 1999. Verfes ijth^ — 21 //a— And the feventh an- gel poured out his vial into the air ; aftd there came a great voice out of the temple in heaven, from the throne, faying, it is done. And there w^ere voices, and thunders, and lightnings ; and there was a great earth- quake, fuch as was not fince men were upon the earth, fo mighty an earthquake and fo great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell : and great Babylon came in remembrance A a 2 before l8S A COMMENTARY (Ih. XYI. before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenefs of his wrath. And every ifland fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every ftone about the v»reight of a talent : and men blafphemed God becaufe of the plague of the hail ; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. The feventh angel poured out his vial into the air. The air is the region and medium of light- ening, thunder, hail, and ftorms. Thefe are pro- duced by the changes which take place in the flate of the air. As thefe are the judgements which are predicted in this vial, it is therefore faid to be poured into the air. Changes in the civil, political, and religious ilate of the world, are exprelTed in the fymbolical language, by corref- pondent changes in the (late of the natural world. Hence, as this vial predids the total overthrow of Papal Rome, and a great change, for the better, o:^ the general ilate of the civil, political, and re- iigiGus condition of the Vv orld, the vial is faid to be poured into the ah', to iignify that the very at- mofphere of civil and religious government ; un- der which men fhall live, after the time of this yial, fliall be purified and refined, having difcharg- ed Ver. 17,' 21. ON THE REVELATION. 1 89 ed itfelf of every noxious quality by thefe ftorms of thunder, lightening and hail. The great voice, out of the temple in heaven from the throne, faying, " It is done," is a reference to what was faid to John by a voice from heaven chap. X, when he was prohibited from writing the feyen thunders, which he then heard, becaufe the time for them was not then come ; but was told that he iliould write them, in the days of the voice of the feventh angel, for the my fiery of God fhould then be finifhed. When therefore 'this great voice out of the temple fays, " It is done," he gives him the fignal, that this is the proper place, in which he ihould write thefe feven or fi- nifhing thunders ; becaufe this feventh vial is co- temporary with the founding of the trumpet by the feventh angel, and under it the myilery of God fhall be finilhed. The thunders wrote out at full length under this vial, are thofe which John was prohibited from, writing in chap, x, and which he is now al- lowed to write, by the great voice, which faid un- to him, it is -done. To hinder a long repetition, the reader will pleafe look back to the commen- tary on chap. x. 3, — 7. and on chap. xi. 15, — 19, from which palTages he will fee the connection between them and this one now under our view, and alfothat the feventh trumpet -and feventh vial are cotemporary with each other. This 190 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVI. This voice is faid to come out of the temple in heaven ; becaufe, at the time of the event to which it refers, the wildernefs ftate of the church fiiall be almoft at an end, and its triumphant Itate, reprefented hy the opening of the tc^.mple, fhall be juft at hand : and from the throne, be- caufe it fliall then appear that the church of Chrifl is the kingdom of God, when every oppofing power muft fail before Him whofe throne is in the heavens, and whofe kingdom ruleth over all. There vvas a great earthquake, accompanied with a violent ilorm. Is was formerly fliewn that, in the fymbolical language, an earthquake fignifies a revolution in the civil, political, and religious llate of the world ; that it is always ufed in this book, to fignify a revolution in all the places in which revolutions are predicted in it ; and that when the earthquake is accompanied with thunder, lightening, hail, and ftorms, it always fignifies that the revolution is brought about by wars. This revolution fhall be upon the earth , that is, the Roman empire : but it fliall be fuch an one as has not been fince men w^ere upon the earth. From the foundation of the Roman empire by Romulus and Remus to the prefent day, there have been many great and violent revolutions in Rome. It hath undergone, in its conflitution and government, a revolution from kings to confuls, from confuls to didators, from dictators to decem- virs, Ver. 17, 21. ON THE REVELATION. I9I virs, from decemvirs to military tribunes with con- fular authority, from military tribunes to emper- ors, from heathen emperors to Chriftian emperors : Which laft revolution, happening to fall within the period of thefe prophecies, is predi6led in chap. vi. J 2, — 17, by the fymbol of a great earthquake. It underwent a greater revolution than any of thefe when the impeiial government was over- thrown, when the empire was totally diflblved by the northern barbarous nations, when the city of Rome, for a confiderable time, ceafed to be the feat of any government, and was only a fmall duke- dom under the Exarchate of F^avenna. It under- went a great revolution, w^hen the v/efcern empire, after this dilTolution of it, v/as parcelled out into many independent kingdoms. It underwent a great revolution, when the Papal dominion was eredled in Rome, and all thefe kings and king- doms, however independent, were controuled by the Papal nod. It underwent a great revolution when, at the glorious reformation, fo many of thefe kingdoms Hiook off all fubjedion to and connection with Rome ; and the reft of them be- gan to feel their own independence and power. This'laft revolution is predided in this book, chap, xi. 13, by a great earthquake. But not one of thefe revolutions is to be compared with the one predided in this paffage.' " There was a great earthquake, fuch as was ** not 192 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVL " not iince men were upon earth, fo mighty an ** earthquake and fo great." The greatnefs of this revolution is defcribed in verles 19, 20, 21. in which, in fy mbolical language, it is predi6led that Rome and all her cities, iflands, llrong-holds, and dependences, iliall be totally deftroyed. After all her former revolutions, Rome lifted up her head, and even after the total diirolution of the empire by the northern barbarians ; but, after this revo- lution, fhe fliall never more be numbered among the kingdoms of the world. Her name would link unto total oblivion, were it not that perhaps it may be remembered to the difgrace of her me- mory. As we proceed, it fhall more fully appear in chapters xvii. xviii. xix. that Rome fliall never rife more, either as a temporal kingdom or a church, after this revolution. The events predicted in this vial fhall take place in the end of the year 1999. They refer to the final overthrow of Papal Rome, as the lafl head of Roman government. But it was formerly fhewn that the Papal became a temporal kingdom in the year 756, and that it was to continue for 1243 years, w^hich two numbers, when added together, fix the termination of that empire to the end of the year 1999. Therefore this feventh vial, which predids its final overthrow, muft refer to that year. This vial takes up little or no time, it re- lates only the nature and confequences of thofe w«r?,- Ver. 17, 21. ON THE REVELATION. I93 wars, which are predidled under the fixth feal. It is, as it were, the cloiing of the period of the vials, and alftioft cotemporary with the opening of the fucceeding period of the millennium. The feventh feal, the feventh trumpet, and the feventh vial, are all, in this refpedt, analogous. In chap, viii. I. the feventh feal takes up almoft no time ; but juft clofes the feals, and opens up the trum- pets. In chap. xi. 15, — 19. the feventh trumpet takes up no time, but juft clofes the period of the trumpets, and opens up the fucceeding period of the millennium, and refers to this feventh vial as cotemporary with itfelf, faying, " and there were " lightenings, and voices, and thunderings, and ^' an earthquake." Vol. IL B b CHAP. 194 ^ COxMMENTARY Ch. XVil. CHAP. XVII Vir/es ly?, 2d. A ND there came one of the feven angels which had the feven vials, and talked with me, fay- ing imto me, Come hither, I will fhew unto thee the judgement of the great whore, that fitteth upon many waters : with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornica- tion, and the injiabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her forni- cation. In this chapter an angel is introduced, in order to explain to John the plain meaning of the pre- ced,ing prophecies relative to Papal Rome. Such explanations are an eftabliilied part of prophetic writings. They are to be found in the prophecies of Ezekiel, of Daniel, of John, and in all prophetic writings of any confiderable length. They form a part of the idiom of prophetic language, fo to fpeak. From verfe ill to 6th, the angel in viiion gives John a compendious defcriptlon of the pre- ceding Ver. I, 2. ON THii: PvEvelation. io D ceding prophecies, which he intends to explain to him. From verfe 7th to the end of the chapter, he gives him a moll minute, full, and flriking expli- cation of them. On the firil fix verfes 1 Ihall be only general and fhort in the commentary ; be- caufe the fame unerring fpirit who dictated the prophecies explains them fully in the laft ten verfes of the chapter, in the commentary on which I fhall be more full. In the two firfl verfes, John, in vifion, faw an an- gel come unto him, and heard him talk with him. The angel told him, that he would fhew him the judgement which at ]ail fhould be paiTed upon a great idolatrous city and church that fits upon many waters ; who- had feduced to idolatry ail the kings of the various kingdoms which had arifen out of the wefl:ern Roman empire; and who had intoxicated all their fubjects with her idolatry and fuperfiiition. It is well known, that the terms of lewdnefs ufed in thefe verfes are thofe which are ufed in the Old Teftament, particularly in the prophetic parts of it, tofignify idolatry and fuper- flition. And it is evident from the whole ilrain of thi? book, that in it they are ufed in that lenle. Verfes ^d^ ^th. — So he carried me av^-ay in the fplric into the wildernefs ; and I faw a B b 2 woman 1^6 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII^ woman fit upon a fcarlet-coloured beafl:, full of names of blafpliemy, having feven iieads, and ten horns. And the woman was array- . ed in purple, and fcarlet-colour, and decked with gold and precious ftone and pearls, hav- ing a golden cup in her hand, full of abomi- nations, and filthinefs of her fornication. To be carried in fpirit to any place, is not to ber adlually carried to that place ; but it is to have our ~ fpirit or mind impreffed by the infpiration of the Spirit of God, in the fame manner as it would have been by our having been bodily in that place. Here John informs us, that he was under the in- fluence of divine infpiration ; that in this way he faw a particular vifion; and that the fcene of this vilion appeared to his mind to be the wildernefs. The wildernefs lignifies the wildernefs flate of the church, which, as was formerly (hewn, commen- ced A. D. 756, and.fhall continue to the year 1999- The reafon of mentioning the wildernefs as the fcene of this vifion, is to inform us that the de- fcription of the idolatrous and fuperilitious city, flate, and church, given in the following vilion, a- grees to that city, llate, and church, during, and only during that period, which runs from A. D. y^6 to A. D. 1999. In the wildernefs, that is, during that period, he faw the vilion exadly as defcribed in thefe verfes. By Yer. 3, 4. on the revelation. I97 By divine infpiration, the very fame iiriprefRons were made upon his mind, that would have been made upon it by the natural mode of vidon; had he actually feen with his bodily eyes, a woman fo feated, fo clothed, with fuch a name written on her forehead, and fo employed as the woman is de- fcribed in verfes 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th. The wo- man, as fhall be fliewn in the lail part of this chap- ter, is the idolatrovis city and church of Rome. The beafl or h^vov which fupporrs her, is the bead Vith feven heads and ten horns, full of the names of blafphemy. This defcription exaclly agrees to the beafi: defcribed in chap. xiii. which v^as there Hiewn to be the Papal hierarchy, in the characler of a temporal kingdom. This beafl: is fcarlet-coloured, to mark the bloody and perfecuting character of Papal Rome. The woman v;as arrayed in purple and fcarlet- colour. In Heathen Rome, purple and fcarlet were the colours of the imperial habit ; ,the former in times of peace, and the latter in tim.es of war. It is well known that thefe colours were thence introduced into Papal Rome, and ufcd by the Pope and cardinals. To be raifed to the purple or fcar- let hat, is the ordinary term for being maJe a car- dinal. Decked with gold, precious flones, and pearls, fignifies the great quantity of thefe, and of other fliewyand coftly ornaments, Vvith which the Pope and the Popilli churches are adorned. Having 19^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XVlL a golden cup in her hand, figniiies that fhe fedu- ces Ibnie to her idolatry by her outward magnifi- cence, fliew, and fplendid ornaments ; and others by the profpedl of riches or vv^orldly gain. So de- praved, alas I is human nature in its prefent flate; and fuch ftrangers are many men to the fpiritua- lity^ purity, and fimplicity of religious worfliip, that they think it mean and vulgar to worfhip God in any church whofe ordinances are not fhewy and pompous. Like the idolatrous Ifraelites, they wifh to have a god that may be feen, and that may go before them; and they make a golden calf and fall down and worfhip it. Others will be the vo- taries of any church for worldly gain. With them gain is godlinefs. To both, with that worldly wifdom for which fhe hath long been diilinguifli- ed, Rome holds out her golden cup, and fed aces them to her idolatrous fuperHition. Verfe ^th, — And upon her forehead was a name written, Myftery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots, and Abominations ' of the Earth. By the name written on her forehead, it is fig- nified, that during the period to which this vifion refers, her name is very confpicuous, and may ea- fily be perceived by every unprejudiced perfon. Names Ver. 5. ON THE REVELATION. I-99 Names were originally given, not only to diftin- guilli one thing or perfon from another, but alfo to exprefs their real nature or true character, as muit be evident to every intelligent perfon who reads with attention the books of Mofes. Hence, infcripture, the name of a perfon is frequently uf- ed to iignify the nature or charader of that per- fon whofe name it is. in this fenfe, in fcripture, the name of God iignifies the nature of God. By her name, therefore, in her forehead it is meajit, that her character fhall confpicuoully correfpond to her name. Her name confifts of three diflindl parts, or rather of three diilind names. It is thus lignified, that her character fhall correfpond to the true meaning of every one of thefe three names. ^ It is ^ot within the calculation of chances, that when three names of different meanings are given to any church or itate above 600 years be- fore that church or Itate had any exiftence, yet when it is brought into. exiftence, its real charac- ter fliali exactly agree to the true meaning, of eve- ry one of thefe names, unlefs thefe names had been a real predicTiion by the Spirit of God of the character of that church and fcate. If only one name had been given, there might have been fomxe,but a moft diftant chance,. that it might have correfpondedto the character of that ftate. If then it fliali appear that tlie character of Papal Rome correfpcnds 200 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII. correfponds to every one of thefe names^^no un- prejudiced perfon can doubt that Rome is ihe ci- ty and church lignified by them. The firll of thefe names is Myjlery. That under that divine providence which governs the world, fuch a church as that of Rome Ihould arife, be- come fo greats continue fo long, bear the name of Chriftian, and yet in doClrine, worlhip, difcipline, and condiidl be fo evidently Antichriftian, is a great myflery. To us fliort lighted creatu-res, the ways of divine providence often appear myfte- rious. Though juftice andfoundwifdom are ever the habitation of God's throne, yet clouds and dark- nefs often appear to us to be around him. But of all the w^'s of providence, none is more myfbe- rious than that a church calling herfelf Chriltian, and a6ling contrary to that Chriftianity which is taught in the facred fcripture.s by Chrift and his apoilks, fhould have in appearance triumphed o- ver the true church of Chrift for fo long a time. This is a myftery, which moft probably fhall not be unveiled to men until that day when this myf- tery of iniquity fliall be overthrown, when, as mentioned in chap. x. 7. of this book, "the myf- *' tery of God fliall be finifhed." The ftate and church of Papal Home was predicted by Paul in 2 Their, ii. 7. by the name of " the Myftery of I- niquity." The reader will pleafe read and conii- Jer that pafiage, as it is contained at full length in 2 Theft: Ver, 5. ON THE REVELATION. iot 1 Their, ii. i, — 12. which is one of the moll ftrik^ ing and charadleri-flic prophecies of Papal Rome that is any where to be found. The fecond is Babylon the Great, that is, that city of which ancient Babylon was a ftriking type or fymbol. iVncient Babylon was marked by her pride, ambition, luxury, idolatry, number and grandeur of her images, and her perfecutionof the church of God. Are not all'thefe alfo the mofl prominent features in the chara6i:er of Papal Rome? Is fhe not therefore Babylon the Great? The third is, ne Mother of Harlots^ and Aho- minations of the Earth. It is well known, that in fcripture, in the fymbolical language, harlots fig- nify idolaters, and abominations idolatry. The earth lignifies the Weftern Roman empire. With- out entering into any difquifition about the nature of idolatry and fuperflition, it mufl be admitted, that in the Weitern empire, fince the year 756, ma- ny images have been ufed m the worfhip of God; the Virgin Mary and faints departed have been frequently invoked in prayer, if not as the objedls of it, which fome of the prayers feem to infinuate, at lead as interceifors Vvith God , and that the bread in the ordinance of our Lord's Supper hath been firft deified by the prayer of a priefi, and then a- dored. It muil alfo be admitted, that not one of thefe is enjoined in the facred fcriptures, but that they are all prohibited in them. Without enume^ Vol. II. C G rating 102 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIL rating particulars, have not many modes of reli- gious worfliipbeen pradifed in the Weftern empire, which are not inflituted in the word of God, and which are inconfiftent with the genius of that fpi- ritual, true, and iimple worfhip of God, which is taught by the gofpel of Jefus ? Do not the infpir- ed fcriptures of the New Teftament fay, "Thou " ilralt worflirp the Lord thy God, and him only *' (halt tiiou ferve." " God is a Spirit, and they " that worfhip hun mufl worfhip him in fpirit and " in truth.'* " For there is one God, and one Me* " diator between God and men, the Man Chrift "Jefus." "But in vain they do worlliip me, "teaching for dodrines the commandments of " men.*' IVIatth. iv. lo. John iv. 24. i Tim. ii. 5, Matth. XV. 9. Since it is a fad too p\iblic and frequent that fuch idolaters and fuch idolatries have long aboimded in the Weftern empire, they muft have proceeded from fome fource. But is it not equally wellknown, that they have all proceed- ed from the church of Rome ? Is fhe not, therefore, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth .^ Does not every one of thefe three names ex- actly agree to her charader.^ It is not eafy to fay which Ox them fits Rome beft, they all fit her fo well. Muil not then Papal Rome be the city and church deugned by this three-fold nam-e ? Verfe Ver. 6, ON the revelation. 203 Verfe 6th, — ^Aiid I faw the woman drunk- en with the blood of the faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jefus : and when I faw her, I wondered with great admira- tion. In this verfe, the woman is reprefented as fhed- ding, to the greateil excefs, the blood of the faints, and of the martyrs or witnefles of Jefus. This Rome hath done to the greateft excefs in the period of the vifion. At this part of her condud, John wondered greatly. To fee men of any denomination fhed- ding the blood of their fellow men, for articles of faith, and modes of worfhip, is fliocking to huma- nity : to fee heathen Rome, who kpew not God, nor Jefiis Chrift whom he had fent, Ihedding the blood of faints, was fhocking ; but not more w^onderful than many others of the fhocking vices of degenerate man. But to fee a church, who called herfelfChriftian; to fee thofe, who profefs themfelves the difciples of that Jefus, who faid, not to the fucceffor of Peter only, but to Peter himfelf, " Put up thy fword into its place, for he '' that killeth with the fword, fliall be killed by the *' fword ;" of that Jefus who thus rebuked the blind zeal of his difciples, when they afked power from him to call down fire from heaven to deliroy the^ Samaritans, becaufe they would not follow C c 2 their 204 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII. their mailer, nor become members of their church; *' Ye know not what manner of fpirit ye are of, " for the fon of man is not come to deltrov men's " lives, but to fave them :" to fee thofe who call themfelves the fubjed:s of that prince of peace, who hath declared to his fubjeds that the weapons of their warfare are not carnal but ipiritual, and that, ** them that are without God will judge ;" to fee thefe deluging the world with the blood of innocent, of holy men, merely becaufe, as Chrif- tians, they conlidered themfelves bound in con- fcience to keep the w^ord of God, to bear their tef- timony to Jefus, and to acknowledge no power on earth fuperior to God, and no ftandard of faith, worfhip, and obedience, fuperior to the holy bible, was indeed a lliocking and a wonderful fight. Verfes ytb, 8ih, — And the angel faid unto me, wherefore didft thou marvel ? I will tell thee the my fiery of the woman, and of the beafl that carrieth her, w^hich hath the {even heads, and ten horns. The beaft that thou faweft, was, and is not ; and fhall afcend out of the bottomlefs pit, and go unto per- dition : and they that dwell on the earth fhall wonder, (whofe names were not writ- ten in the book of life from the foundation of Ver. 6. ON the revelation. 205 of the world), when they behold the beaft that was, and is not, and yet is, ^ The feventh verfe informs us, that, in the fol- lowing part of this chapter, we fhall find a plain account of the true meaning of the woman and the beaft, reprefented in the preceeding vilion. That we may be certain that the following expli- cation refers to the woman and the beafl exhibit- ed in the preceding vilion ; the beaft is exprefsly faid to be the one with the feven heads, and the ten horns, and the woman to be the one, who fits on that beafl: ; which is the very defcription given of them in the vifion, verfe 3d. The beaft with the feven heads and the ten horns, as was formerly ftiewn, is the Roman em- pire. This empire, in its heathen ftate, was be- fore the year 99, in which John faw this vifion, and Rome the city built upon the feven hills was the feat of that government. But that beaft with the names of blafphemies upon it, that is, the Pa- pal Roman empire, was not in exiftence at the time of the vifion. It did not rife into exiftence until 657 years after that time; therefore, in that point of view John fays that " the beaft is not." This beaft fiiall afcend out of the bcttomlefs pit ; that is, that ecclefiaftic form, which the empire Ihall afTume under its laft head, and thofe errone- ous doctrines, modes of worfhip, and rules of dif- cipline 206 A GOMMENTAKY Ch. XVIL cipiine and of life, by which this laft head of Ro- man government fhall be diilinguiilied from the imperial form, (hall all be the contrivance of Sa- tan to feduce men from the purity and fimplicity of the gofpel of Jefus. In the language of Paul to Timothy, i Tim. iv. i, — 3. thefe dodrines are faid to proceed from feducing fpirits, and to be dodtrines of devils. " Now the fpirit fpeaketh ex- " prefsly, that in the latter times fome fhall de- " part from the faith, giving head to feducing fpU " rits, and dodrines of devils ; fpeaking lies in hy- " pocrify, having their confciences feared with an *' hot iron ; forbidding to marry, and command- " ing to abftain from meats, which God hath " created to be received with thankfgiving of " them who believe and know the truth." On account of the origin of thofe erroneous doc- trines, by which the biihop of Rome was prepared for becoming a temporal prince, this beait is faid to " afcend out of the bottomlefs pit," or hell ; for from thence thefe doclrines are faid to af- cend, as was formerly fliewn in the commentary on the fifth trumpet, chap. ix. i, — 11. In verfes lit, 2d, of that chapter, it is faid, " And the fifth " angel founded, and I faw a fi:ar fall from heaven ** to the earth, and to him was given the key of " the bottomlefs pit, and he opened the bottom- " lefs pit, and there arofe a fmoke out of the pit, " as the fmoke ofa great furnace." Verfeiith,"And ''' they Ver. 6. ON THE REVELATioisr. 207 " they had a king over them, which is the angel " of the bottomlefs pit, whofe name, in the He- " brew tongue, is Abbaddon ; but in the Greek; " tongue hath his name Apoilyon." And alfo on account of his being raifed to the temporal do- minion of Rome, by the arts of the devil, as pre- dided in chap. xii. 3, — 9. and in chap. xiii. 2. " And fhail go into perdition/' This feventh Ihall be the lad head of Roman government. Though new heads have always rifen up in Rome, after the former ones were deflroyed, this beall. itfelf, which, on account of its blafphemies is faid to come from hell, Ihall go unto deilrudlion. It is not the head only that fliall be wounded, as was the cafe with the imperial head, as mentioned in chap. xiii. 3; but it is the entire beait, the Ro- man government itfelf, that fhall go into perdi- tion, and lliall never more be ranked among the kingdoms of the world, either under the old Pa- pal head, or under any new head whatever. All they that dwell upon the earth, that is, all the inhabitants of the Weftern empire, fhall great- ly, wonder, when Rome fliall again become the feat of government under the Popes, after the total dilTolution of the empire by the Goths. They fhall wonder at this as a great and wonderful event, and they fhall wonder after, by paying the moft abject and flattering obedience to the Papal go- vernment. Like men thunderftruck and aflo- nifhed. 208 A COMMfi^TARY Ch, XVII. nifhed, their obedience fhall be the mod complete, but not rational. Their intelledual powers be- ing fufpended by their wonder and aflonifhraent, their faith and obedience fnall therefore be im- phcit. But a certain defcription of men, who fliali be dwelling within the boundaries of the Weftern empire, fhall neither w'onder at nor after the beaft. They, whofe names are written in the book of life, who are fpiritually alive in Chriil Jefus; that is, all true Chriftians ; they fhall not wonder at that event, becaufe it was foretold by thofe infpired fcriptures, which they believe and lludy, and therefore was not unexpedted by them. They fhall not wonder after the beaft : , being fpiritually alive, their intelle6;ual and reli^ gious powers are awake, they therefore will give implicit faith and obedience to none. They prove all things and hold faft that which is good. They can give a reafon of the faith and of the hope w'hich is in them. They follow the Lamb, whitherfoever he ^oeth, and therefore cannot wonder after the beaft. They truft in Chrift as the Saviour of his people, and therefore keep at a diftance from the beaft, who is the Apollyon, the Deftroyer. This beaft " was and is not, and yet is." Pie was, before John's day, in the imperial, and o- ther preceding heads'of Roman government. He is. Ver, 7, 8. ON THE REVEI-ATIONT. 209 is not in John's day, in his public and vilible characl^r, as the Papal and laft head of Roman government : Yet, in another fenfe, he then ac- tually exiited. That ipiritual pride, ambirioiij defire of pre-eminence, fondnefs for abrogated and .uninftituted modes of religious Worfliip, im- plicit attachment to men's perfons, and the rob- bing Chrift of his real glory, which are the eilcu- tial qualities of the Papal conftitutior, were in tlie world,; and had difcoyered- many fymptoms of thein exiflenqe, in the apoiloiic age. Hence^ in this view,' John, the I aft of the apoftles, could . fay of the beaft, " He is " To this pl|rfr^^^e, Joha thus expreffes himfel^f,^!^! his firft epifilei Ichap \v, 3. " And this is that Ipirit of Antichrift, whereof *' you have heard that it Ihould come, and even *' now already is' it in the world " By the mflu- ence of Satan, thefe ellential qualities of Anti- chrift were nourilhed and gradually ftrengrhened in, the world, even in the apoiloiic age. In a iuc- ceeding period, they were to become more vifible ; when that perfon, the conftltution of whofe go-' vernment fliould be made up of them, fliould be raifed to his throne. But before he could be railed to his throne, it mult be left vacant by the demife of that king who then polfeired it. His throne, as ihall appear in the lequel of this chapter, is in the city of Rome : But that throne was poifelTed byxhe emperors in the days of John* ' Vol. n. D d The 210 A COMMENTAHY Ch. XVII,- The imperial government of Rome behoved, therefore, to be diflblved, before x\ntichrift, who " exifted fecretly in John's day, could be raifed to the Papal throne of Rome. This is the very thing, which Paul faid on this fubjedl, in the apof- tolic age, i Theff. ii. 7, 8. *' For the myftery of " iniquity doth already work, only he who now " letteth (?. e. hindereth) will let until he be ta- *' ken out of the way, and then Ihall that wicked *' be revealed." The reader is defired to perufe* the whole paiTagefrom verfe ifl, to 12th. In thefe w^ords, the apoflle Paul perfectly agrees with the apoftle John in declaring, that the bead was in the world in their day ; bi^t^that he could not be manifefted publicly on his throne, until the im- perial head, which then polTefled it, fliouldbe ta- ken out of the way. Let us, in this account of the bead, '' that he is not and yet is,'' which at firfl glance appears to the ignorant fo contradidory, behold and admire the precilion and accuracy of the infpired writers, and their exact agreement with one another. *' That he is not and yet is,'* is a defcription of this beait, expreflive of the moll accurate knowledge of his real charadler and fi- tuation. By this defcription, John fo exadly a- grees with Paul, and with himfelf in his firfl epif- tle, that he puts it out of the power of infidels to fay, with effed, that the Pope is not the Anti- chrifl of whom John fpeaks in his epiflle, or that he Ver. 6. ON THE REVELATION. ftll he is not the myflery of iniquity, the man of fin, the fon of perdition, the wicked of whom Paul fpeaks. Had John faid of the beaft that he was, and is not, but not alfo faid, " that he is," infidels might have faid, as Paul and John were nearly cotemporary writers, and as the epiftles of John were written by the fame perfon who wrote this, book, the Antichrifi: which was in John's day, and the myfiery of iniquity, which was in Paul's day, could not be the beaft of whom John wrote in the revelation, becaufe he faid of him '* that he is not;" but adding, " and yet he is," he fully obviates that objedion. By this mode of exprefiiion he leads men to attend to the diilindlion between the jcxiftence and the public appearance of a per- fon ; between the fi:ateofan heir apparent to a crown, and the adlual coronation of that perfon, when he afcends the throne that had been left vacant for him by the demife of his predecefiTor. Verfes ^th^ loth^ nth, — And here is the mind, which hath wifdom. The feven heads are feven mountains, on which the woman fitteth, and there are feven kings. Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come ; and when he cometh he muft con- tinue a fhort fpace. And the beaft that was D d 2 and 212 , A COMr^ENTARY Ch. XVIL and is not, even he is the eighth, and Is of tiie f(iven, and goeth into perdition. " Here is the mind thst hath wifdoni." By this es'preffion, as w^s formerly fnewn in the com- mentary on chap. xiii. 18, intimation is given to us, that what follows to the end of this chapter is a key to the preceding vifion of the woman and the beafb; and therefore, that all the explanatory parts of it are to be taken in a literal and ordinary, hot in a fymbolical or prophetic fenfe. I have "faid explanatory parts, becaufe, as will be evident to every reader, the following verfes connH: of two parts; iirfh a fhovt repetition of the different parts of the vifion of the woman and of the beall defcribed in verfes 3, 4, 5, 6. of this chapter, in which firit part the language muft necefTarily be fymbolical-; and fecond, the particular explication of that viiion, in which the whole language is li- teral and plain. The feven heads of the beail are the firfi: part of the viiion which the angel explained unto John. The explication of this part is perfectly clear in the original, but is confiderably darkened by our tranllation. it is thus expreffed in the o- riginal, A! 't-Trra. KUpciXcct oj>J? irtv iTrra, ctt's r, yvvn Kdhrcf^ Itt' ciVTuy, ^ ^QLTiKea; imoL kiv. The literal tranllation ofv.hichis, '* the {cYQn heads are feven moun- '' tains, in the place where the woman fits upon ** them, -Ver. 9, — II. ON the revjelation. 21 " them, and they are feven kings." By ending the fentence, as in our tranflation, at the word fitteth, and by beginning the next one thus, *' and *' there are feven kings," the feven kings are fe- parated from their antecedent, and the verb ere from its nominative ; fo that it appears, as if the words " and there are feven kings" had no con- nedion with the feven heads in the preceding verfe. Whereas, it is clear from the original, that the feven heads are the antecedent both to the feven mountains and to the feven kings, and the nominative to both the verbs which precede the mountains and the kings. Heiice, nothing can be more evident than this explication. The feven heads are the fy mbol of, and they iignify feven mountains, in that particular place on which the city is built, which isreprefented by the woman ; and they iignify alfo feven kings, or diilincl forms of civil government, every one of which hath that city for its feat. It is univer- fally known, that the city of Rome is built upon feven mountains. The following are their names, viz. Mons Palatinus, Ccelius, Capitolinus, Aven- tinus, Quirinalis, Viminalis, and Efquihnus. By this very uncommon lituation, Rome was fo per- fedlly diftinguidied from every other city in the world, that both the Greek and Latin writers call her the city on the feven hills, Ett^xco?:, and Urbs ^epticollis; by which name, every reader under- i^Qod 214 ^ COMMENTARY Ch. XVIL flood as perfedly that Rome was meant, as if they had read the word Rome itfelf. Ovid, Trijl, I. i. eko-, 4. thus defcribes the fi- tuation of the city of Rome : " Quae de feptem *' totiim circumfpicit orbem montibus, imperii Ro- " ma Deumque locus." That is, *' Rome the feat " of the gods and of empire, which furveys the *' whole world from her feven mountains.'* That it is the city of Rome, literally and locally, w4iich is meant, is evident not only from the defcription of its fituation, by the feven mountains, but alfo from the very uncommon mode of expreflion in the o- riginal language, which I have literally tranllated " in the place where the woman fits upon them ;'* by which expreffion, the locality of the city is fixed in as plain and ftrong terms as language can af- ford. As Rome is in fadl built upon feven hills, fo wheii we count the forms of government which have Isad their feat in that city, from the day in which Romulus founded the Roman empire to the prefent day, we fhall find them alfo exactly feven. A very eminent Roman hiftorian tells us, that in his day there had been five dillin£l forms of go- vernment in Rome ; and it is univerfally known, that there have been juil two more fince his time. Tacitus, AnnaL 1. i. c » . fays, " Rome was *' firit governed by Kings, then by Confuls, by •* Didators, by Decemvirs, by Military Tribunes *♦ with Ver.'9» ^^' ON THE REVELATION. ^1$ " with confular authority." Since that time, there have been Emperors ; and there are now Popes. In verfes loth, nth, the angel enters into a ve- ry particular narrative relative to thefe kings or forms of government ; a narrative, which to thofe who are ignorant of the true meaning of the feven heads, and of the real hiftory of Rome, will appear unintelligible and feif-contradidory. For of the beafl he fays, he is the eighth, and yet is one of the feven. Such perfons will fay, that it is felf-contradidory : how can the identical fame beafl be both the eighth and one of the feven? Form not fo rafli a judgement : Attend with candour to what follows ; and I trufl you ihall perceive this un- intelligible and contradidlory part the moft intel- ligible, exadl, and complete key to this part of the \ilion that can be formed. Of thefe kings, five are fallen. Before John's da/ the five fucceffive forms of government in Rome, by Kings, Gonfuls, Dictators, Decemvirs, and Mi- litary Tribunes with confular authority, were all paf- fed away. "And one is." Though thefe five forms of government were all pad, Rome was not in John's day in a itate of anarchy, nor was the empire then diffolved; the imperial, the fixth formofgovernm.ent in Rome, was then in exiftence. Domitian one of thefe emperors, in a perfecution raifed againft Chriftians,banifhed John to the iflandof Patmos, in the '^i6 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVff» the year of Chrift 9 j^ when and where' he wrote thefe words. Itis univerfally.known, that the imperial government Was then in exiflence. *' And the o- '' ther is not yet eome, and when he cometh he *' mull continue a iliort fpace." .After the impe- rial government fliould be dilTolved, another, or as the word in the original imports, one of a diffe- rent kind from any of the feven forms of govern- ment fliould come, and continue for a Ihorc fpace of time, before the bead exhibited in the viiion fliould a rife. The imperial government continued for 377 years after John wrote this book. At iaft, impe- rial Rome, the proud miilrefs of the world, cruilied by her own greatnefs, weakened by her own luxury,, and impoverifliedby her immenfe riches, fell an ea- fy prey to the Goths and other northern barbarous nations. Momillus, who was alfo called xiuguf- tulus, the lafl of the emperors, overcome by Odoa- cer king of the Keruli, abdicated the empire^ A. D. 476. At that time, the empire was dilTolv- ed ; and in that fatal year Rome ceafed to be what fhe had always been farce the days of Romulus, a feat of government. Odoacer did not relide at Rome, nor take the title of Rome, or any other title borrowed from the city of Rome. He was ililed king of Italy. When Theodoric, the firil Gothic king of Italy, cunquered Odoacer, A. D. 494, he made Ravenna the feat of the Gothic kingdom Ver. 9, — Ti. ON th£ revelation. 217 kingdom of Italy. The whole weftern empire was parcelled out into diftind and independent kingdoms, among the different barbarous nations who had overrun and diiTolved it. The city of Rome was not the feat of any government, for any part of the time that Italy was in the hands of the Goths, and other northern nations. After a confiderable time, Juftinian, the em- peror of the Eaflern empire, fent his armies into Italy, under the command of the great generals Belifarius and Narfes. They broke the power of the Gothic kingdom, and recovered the greateft part of Italy to the obedience of the emperors of Conftantinople. The Greek emperors adminifter- ed the government of Italy by lieutenants, under the title of Dukes of Italy. Narfes was made the nrft Duke of Italy, A. D. 553. Of this government of Italy Sigonius thus writes, De Regno It u Her ^ p. 3. "Exadis autem " Gothis, expulfor ipfe vidorque Narfes a Juftini- " ano imperatore fummse rerum priepoiitus, titulg *' Ducis Italic! fumpto ; Italiam per hos provin- " ciarum praefectos, pro fuo arbitrio, adminiftra- "' vit," That is, ** But the Goths being driven '' out of Italy, the vidorious Narfes himfelf, who " had driven them out, was intruded with the ** chief adminiftration of affairs by the emperor " Juitinian, under the title cf Duke of Italy ; and *' he adminiileved the affairs of Italy by thefe lieu- YoL. II, E e ' tenants. 2l8 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII, *' ennnts of provinces, according to his own plea- " fure " About the year 568, the Lombards invaded, and made themfelves mailers of ahnoft all Italy, except Rome and Ravenna. At this time, though Rome belonged to the Eallern emperor, yet that city was not the feat of government ; the governor re- fided at Ravenna, under the title of the Exarch of Ravenna; and Rome was only a fmall dukedom under the Exarchate. This Exarch of Ravenna was the other, or one of a different kind, who fliouldcome, and who actually came after the em- pire was diffolved. But he was to continue only for a fhort fpace, This prediction was alfo verified. For Longinus was made the firil Exarch, A. D. 568, and Euti- chius was the laft, when Aiflulphus king of the. Lombards took Ravenna, A D. 752. Sigon. de Regno Italic, pages 8, and 374 : So that he con- tinued only 185 years, which is a fhort fpace, when compared Vv^ith the 382 years which the emperors were to continue after the vifion, or the 1243 years the Papal head of government was to continue. From the year 75^2 to the year 756, the time was fpent by negotiations between Aiflulphus and pope Stephen IL and by w^rs and negotiations, between Aiuulphuo and Pepin kinr; of France, un- til, in the year 756, Pepin veftcd Pope Stephen II. wki^ Ter, 9> — ^^' on the revelation, 219 with the temporal dominion of Rome, which he and his fucceiTors have kept ever fince, Si^on. de Regno I alia, p. 75, — 80. " And the beaft that was and is not, even he is " the eighth, and is of the feven." The beaft in the vifion was to facceed the Exarch of Ravenna, and on that account, may be called the eighth form of government in Rorrle, when the Exarch is counted as one of them. But, according to the fymbol of the feven heads, as explained by the angel to lig- nify feven mountains and {QV(tn kings in union^ the Exarch is not to be counted ; becaufe the feat of his government was llavenna ; and not Rome, the city built upon feven mfltintains None are to be counted among the kings, iignified by the i^w^n heads, except thofe who had for the feat of their govemment the city on the feven hills ; and hence, when you take into the count the Exarch, that one of a different kind from tiie reft, the beaft in the viiion will be the eighth ; but when you count only thole who hav^e all agreed in this lead- ing feature, that they had their feat of govern- ment in the city of Rome, then the beaft is one of the feven. As lix of the feven were paft before the Exarch, and as the beaft in the vifion hath arifen immediately after the Exarch, he muft be the feventh. Is not the Papal the only form of government which hath had the city of Rome for its feat fmce the dilToiution of the empire under E e 2 Momillus: Ci20 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVll. Momillus? Was not the imperial, which ended in Momillus, the lixth form of government which had its feat in the city of Rome ? After the dilTo- lution of the empire, and the unfettled ftate of I- taly under Jhe northern barbarians, none of whomt had Rome for the feat of their government, did not the Exarch of Ravenna govern it for a fhort time as a fmall dukedom under him, while he had his feat of government in Ravenna ? And did not Pepin king of France raife Pope Stephen II. to the temporal dominion of Rome, with the city of Rome for his feat of government, A. D. 756? Is not therefore the Papal government of Rome the bead with the feven heads ? Hath that govern- ment, wuh thbit feat of it, continued for 1034 years? Is ri5t this a ftrong prefumption thatitihall continue for the remaining 209 years of the 1243, for which this book fays he fhould continue. " And goeth into perdition." He is the laft head of Roman government, for the bead had only feven heads : When the fcventh head, therefore, receives a deadly wound, the beaft itfelf mufh die. The Papal and the Roman government lliall both end together in the year 1999. This key, " he is the eighth and is of the feven," fo exadlly fits all the uncommon wards of that lock which is to be opened by it, that when deliberately examined, it appears to exceed all created fkill. Had John faid the beall^was the feventh, the vo- taries Ver. 9, — ii« on the revelation. 22c taries of Rome would have faid, It is not the Papal government which is intended, becaufe the Exarch was the feventh, and therefore the Papal is the eighth : or had he faid he is the eighth, they would have faid the Exarch was but a depute himfelf, un- der the Grecian emperors, and therefore could not be counted a form of government, fo that the Papai is the feventh, and therefore, cannot be the bealt to whom John refers. But, fays John, in this key, to prevent all fuch quibbling, count the Ex- archate a form of Roman government or not, as you pleafe, and you fliall find that this key* opens the beaft with the feven heads, fo as to difcover the Papal form of Roman government, and no other one. For, if you count the Exarch one, then re- member I have faid the bead is the eighth ; but if you do not count the Exarch one of the feven, but one of a different kind, as I do, then remem- ber that 1 have told you that the beaft is of the fe- ven. Count therefore, as you pleafe, you fhall not derange this mark of the beaft which I have fixed upon the Papal government, Verfd 1 2th, — And the ten horns which thou fa weft are ten kings, which have receiv- ed no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings, one hour with' the beaft. The 112Z A. COMMEi^tARY Ch. XVlI. The ten horns are ten kings, that is, ten dillindl independent rulers of kingdoms. None of them had received his kingdom in the days of John, but they were all to rife into exiflence as independent kin;^doms, at the fame time with Papal Rome. *' One hour with the bead.'* Some commen- tators think that this phrafe fhould have been tranllated at the fame hourj or fame time, with the bead. To this interpretation I could have had no objedlion, if fAiav u^av had been in the ablative and not in the accufative cafe. But, whether we tranflate it at the fame time, or for one hour, that is. for a fhort time w^ith the bead, it will equally correfpond to the facl. For ten kingdoms rofe out of the weftern Roman empire, a very fhort time before the Papal became a temporal kingdom; and the complete number ten continued only for a very Ihort time after the Papal government a* rofe. The greated part of one of them was dedroy- ed in the very eredion of the Papal kingdom : A great part of the kingdom of Ravenna was con- tained in the grant which Pepin made to Pope Stephen II. by which he and his fuccelTors became temporal princes. Other two of thefe kingdoms, which had their feats alfo in Italy, were foon fwallowed up by the Papal kingdom, fo that the ten kingdoms continued entire with the bead on- ly for a very diort time. The Ver. 12. ON THE REVELATION. 22^ The prophet Daniel gives a very minute ac- count of thefe ten horns. With John he tells us, thiit they are ten kings who were afterwards to arife; buit he tells us farther, that the Papal power was very foon to pluck up juft three of them, and confequently, that all the ten were to exitl only a (liort time with him. Dan. vii. 8. *' I confiJered ♦' the horns, and behold there came up among *' tht-m another little horn, before whom there " were three of the firft horns plucked up by the *^ roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes, like *'' the eyes of a man, and a mouth fpeaking great *' things." Verfe 24th. *' And the ten horns out ** of this kingdom are ten kings that ihall arife : *' and another (hall rife after them, and he fhall ** be diverfe from the firft, and he fhall fubdue " three kings." And then in verfe 25th, he de- fcribes the Papal government moft exadly. Let us now fee if it appears from hiflory, that ten kings rofe out of the Weftern empire, at the time the Pope became a temporal prince, and if he foon fwaliowed up three of thefe. The ten following kingdoms rofe out of the Weftern empire, juft before the Pope became 4 temporal prince ; the Franks and Burgundians in Gaul ; the Goths and Vifigoths in Spain ; the En- glilh and Scottifii in Britain ; the Lombards, the Normans, and the kingdom of Ravenna in Italy; and the Savacc.ns in Afiica* For thefe, confult 224 ^ COMMENTARY Ch. XVIL Sigonius de Occidentali mperio, p, 358. alfo Ibid, de Regno ludice. p. 2,-— 75. and Mo/Jjewiy Vol. i, p. 343. That a confiderable part of Ravenna was gifted by Pepin to the Pope when he w^as firil created a temporal prince, Sigonius tells us, Be Regno Italics, p. 79, 80. All Italy foon became fubjecl to the Roman pontiff, and hath long con- tinued fubjedl to him. But, in Italy there were exa(5lly three of thefe ten kingdoms, vjz, Ravenna, and the kingdoms of the Lombards and Normans in Italy. Since that time, though the boundaries of thefe kingdoms, their number and names, have varied, the Weftern empire haih been Hill divi d- ^d into many diftind and independent kingdoms. Verfe 13/A. — Thefe have one mind, and fliall give their power and flrepgth to the beaft. However much thefe kingdoms fliould differ in other things, they were to be unanimous in giv- ing their ftrength and authority to the' beaft. Accordingly, in facl, they all became Roman Ca* tholic ; they were all obedient to the nod of the Pope; and Vvith the greateil alacrity, they devoted to his fcrvice and fupport their whole ftrength and authority. Whenever he pleafed, he called forth their whole ftrength, to execute his projects, and Ver. 14. CN THE REVELATION. 225 t-iid carry on his wars, however foolifn and un- ju(l. In the time of the croifades, he called forth their kings, and all their forces and treafures, to fight againfl: theTurks, until, by that mad prcjedt, he had ahnoft beggared and depopulated Europe. Ferfe i^tk.- — Thefe iliall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb fhall overcome them : for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings ; and they that are with him are called, and chofen, and fiiithfuL Thefe kings, hke the Pope himfelf, fhall fight againll Chriil the Lamb of God, and perfecute Chriftians his follou^ers. This, it is well known, they did. For this wicked purpofe, they fre- CLiently gave their firengch and authority to Fa- pal Rome. In this war they flrall be unfuccefsful : not one of rhem fliall be able to baniih true Chrillians en- tirely out of their dominions. The Lamb fliall o- vercome every one of them. Some of them heiball fubdue by his grace, and conquer by the fvvord of the Spirit, the word of God. They Ihall abandon Popery, and fupport^the kingdom of God in the world. And the few who fhall continue attached 'to Papal Rome to the lad, he fhall crufh vv^ith his rod of iron, as predided of him inPfalm ii. 9, — 12; Vol. li. F f '* Thou 226 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIL " Thou fhalt break them with a rod of iron ; thou " fhalt dafli them in pieces like a patterns vefTel. " Be wife now, therefore, O ye kings : be inilrud- ^* ed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with " fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kifs the Son, " left he be angry, and ye perifn from the way, *' when his wrath is kindled but a little : BleiTed " are all they who put their truft in him," The reader is defired to perufc with attention the whole of that pfalm, which is a moil pointed pro- phecy of the perfecution of the church of Chrift by the kingdoms of this world, and of that fove- reign contempt with which God looks down upon weak mortals, attempting to overthrow the king- dom of the Almighty. The angel affigns two reafons why Chrift iliall overcome thefe kingdoms, and why his kingdom and church fliall at laft be vidlorious in this world, when they and Papal Rome fhall be cruflied as a potter's Iherd. And they are the real reafons of his fuccefs. The firft is, that *' he is Lord of lords, and King •' of kings." He is the omnipotent God. His providence and grace (hall be a fufficient defence and fupport tohis people. His throne is the bea* vens, his footftool is the earth, and his kingdom ruleth over all. He raifes up, one king, and puts down another* He fo overrules the events of this world, that thefe kingdoms cannot hurt his church fooner. Ver. 14. ON THE REVELATION. 22^ fooner nor farther than they are permitted by the Lord of lords and King of kings. He who fliys to the raging fea, Thus far fljalt thou come, and here fhall thy proud waves be flayed, with f^qual effect, and as little perceived by them, flills the tumults of the people, makes the wrath q/" man to praife him, and reflrains the remainder of hi$ wrath. The kingdom of truth, rigbteoufnefs, peace, and joy, fhall come, in fpite of all oppoii- tion, from whatever quarter: becaufe it is the king-, dom of God, and his is the power which fupports it. The fecond is, that they that are with him, are called, and chofen, and faithful. Becaufe thefe three qualities unite in their character, true Chrillians cannot be conquered. They may be killed by their enemies ; but they will conquer even in dy- ing. He that iliall lofe his life for my fake, faith Chrift, fliail fave it. Perfecutions may fliake and overcome thofe perfons who have no fixed rule of faith, woriliip, and obedience, thofe who have not felt the power of divine grace upon their fouls, or thofe who are hypocritical in their profeffion. But, different is the chara^ler of thofe perfons, who, with invincible fortitude and courage, follow the Lamb through good report and through bad re- port. They are called ; they have heard the call of God, by his providence, and by his w^ord ; and have been obedient to the heavenly call, la F f 2 the 22S ' A COMMLKTARY Ch. XVIL the facred fcriptures, they have a fixed and uni- form llandard of faith, pf worfliip, and of o^ bedience. They are chofen. *'Tbey are chof- *' en veifels to bear jhe name of God, bef()re the. " Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Ifrael. "'Iheyarea chofen generation, a royal pried* *' hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ** they fliorild fhew forth the praifes of him who *' hath called them out of darknefs into his mar-. *' vellous light." *' They are thofe whom God *' hath from the beginning chofen to falvation, " through fanclificatiorj of the Spirit and belief of " the truth." They are fuch as God himfeif hath chofen, and therefore they cannot difappoint the choice of him who cannot be deceived. And they are faithful. They are flriclly faithful to their profeffion and obligations as Chriilians. No world- ly advantages or loifes can fiiake their fidelity. Such men cannot be conquered, becaufe no mo live to apollacy can be propofed to their mind fo llrong as their fenfe of duty ; and no powder can be brought againil them equal to that omnipotent powder wdiich fupports them. He that is with them is greater than all that are agaiqfl them. Their faithfulnefs not only renders theni invincible, but hath alfo often proved the means cf fubduing their enemies. Their perfecutors often admired and Imitated the honeily, the courage, anfi the faith pf thofe upright men, who cheerfully parted v/ith property, Ver. 15. ON THE REVELATION. 21^ property, character, liberty, and life itfelf, rnlLer than prove unfaithful to their Chriftian profeiHon. They are faithful unto the death. Verfe I ^th, — And he faith unto me, The waters which -thou faweft where the whore fitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, aiid na- tions, and tongues. In the fymbolical language, the earth fignifies the Roman empire, and waters fignify a great coU leclion of men in a fluiStuating and unfettled fcate, as was formerly flievvn. Hence, in the flricleil: agreement with that meaning of the term., the angel faith here, " that the -waters in which the. " woman litteth are peoples, and multitudes, an<,i *' nations, and tongues." That is, the city and church of Rome iits fupreme ever thofe nations and kingdoms into v^hich the Weflern empire was divided. Thefe are called multitudes, as well oa account of the great number of thefe European kingdoms, as on account of the popiiloufnefs.of many of tliem ; peoples and nations, on account of their different forms of civil government, fome of them more- free, and others of them more defpo- tic; and tongues, on account of the great variety of languages which are fpoken in th'cfc difleront kingdoms. Like waters made up of many drops. 230 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII. the c61]ecli\''e body over whom Rome prefides, is made up of many diiiinCl kingdoms. Like wa- ters fiuduating and unfettled, thefe different king- doms are frequently at war with one another; and frequently change their boundaries, either by loof- ing fome of the territories of their own, or acquir- ing fome of thofe of their neighbouring kingdoms. Unliable and fluduating, as they were among themfelves, Papal Rome for a long tinie fat fu- preme over them, both in temporal and fpiritual sifairs. Several of thefe kingdoms have indeed at the Reformation, and lince that period, thrown off this haughty miilrefs. But this alfo was fore- told in the following verfe. Verfe I dth. — And the ten horns whicli thou faweft upon the beaft, thefe fhall hate the whore, and ihall make her defolate, and naked, and fliall eat her flefli, and fliall burn her with lire. Though the ten kings were to give their flrengthand authority to Papal Rome for aconiide- rable time, yet they are not to fupporther always. Thefe kingdoms fliall change their minds and con- dud, and Ihall exert themfelves with fuccefs in to- tally deflroying her in a ir.oft violent manner. At the Reformation, feveral of thefe kingdoms turned againfi: Ver. 1 6. ON THE E.EVELATION. 23 1 againd Papal Rome, and wounded her deeply. E- ver lince that time, thofe who have remained in communion with her have greatly checked her power over them in eccleliailical concerns ; and have almoll totally deftroyed it in civil matters. In the courfe of providence, they wiil gradually go on more and more curtailing her power and abandoning her altogether, fo that before the end of the year 1999 there will be very few Roman Catholic kingdoms in the world. The progrefs of commerce, learning, and liberty, will, under the guidance and bleiling of divine providence and grace, teach men the mod valuable of all liberty, liberty of confcience, and will ralfe man to the true dignity of his nature, the worfliip, obedience, and enjoyment of God in that way which God himfelf hath prefcribed. In the year 1999, feve- ral of thefe kingdoms fnall be engaged againd Pa« pal Rome in the war in which die diall be finally overthrown, along with the other parties mention- ed under the lixth vial. Verfe I'jth. — For God hath put It ia their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the bead, until the words of God fliall be fulfilled. Tbij I^l A GOMMES^TARY Ch. XYil. This vciTe affigns the reafon why thefe king- doms (liall fupport Papal Rome for a confiderable time, and fiiall afterwards exert themfelves with faccefs to deitroy her. The pointed and precife meaning of this verfe is in a great degree loll by our tranilation. The original is as follows, o ya^ ©Eoc i^cdx.iv eii; rccc xa^dixi; oujtcov Troinaxj rrj yvcoy.m olrMy >i T£/\£^ '^■. ra ^}i,u:c7x Tb' 0£y : which is thus cxaclly tranf- iated, " For God hath put it into their hearts to exe- *' cute his own fentence, to execute one fentence, *' even to give their kingdom unto the beail, until " the v/ords of God fhall be fulfilled.'* The plain meaning of this mod pointed reafon for their con- duel is, that that God who governs the world ; in whofe hand the king's heart is; and who turns it as the rivers of water whitherfoever he will, with- out any reilraint upon his moral powers, hiitii lb difpofed things in the courfe of his providence, that thefe kings iliall even w^ith a vvilling mind act as the executioners qf the fentence of God againit Papal Home, even of this one fentence, that they Ihall give the power of their kingdoms to Papal Home, until the v.'ords of God fliali be fulfdled; but no longer. The vvords of God fignify not one, but feveral prediclions of God concerning Papal Rome, Some of thefe predicSiions referred to, and were fuliitied at the Reformation, There were to be Ver. 17. ON THE REVELATIOl^. 233 wars and a revolution then, as in chap. xi. 13. Someofthefe kings were then necelTary to execute that part of the fentence againll Rome; for that word of predidtionwas then fulfilled. Others of thefe predidions, fuch as the fixth and feventh vials, chap. xvi. 12, — 21. foretel wars, a revolution, and the total overthrow of Papal Rome. Some of thefe kings fhall be neceflary to affift in executing this part of the fentence, and they fhall as certain- ly Hep forward as executioners of it as fome of their number did at the Reformation. Let us here admire, adore, and confide in the fuperintendency of divine providence over the v^orld. In the view given of divine providence in this verfe, and verified in the hiflory of the Eu- ropean kingdoms, we behold individuals and king^ doms, with the mofl minute exadtnefs, executing the fentences which God had long before pro- nounced and publifned by the mouth of his pro- phets. We may behold them flridly executing the fentence of God, without knowing or intend- ing it; acting freely from the natural imprellions of furrounding circumflances, and yet not deviating a lingle iota from the fentence of God in the exe- cution of it. This is that divine fuperintendency which governs the world properly, in fpite of devjls and wicked men ; which is never at a lofs for the fittefl executioners of its fentences, whe- ther they be good or bad men/ individuals or Vol. IL G g colieclive 234 ^ COMMENTARY Ch. XVlI. collective bodies ; without taking away the moral liberty of men, or detlroying the virtue of the good, or the vice of the bad. To the men of If- rael who crucified Jefus, Peter fays, Ads ii. 23. '' Him being delivered by the ^determinate counfel "• and foreknowledge of God, ye Have taken, and ** by ivicked hands have crucified and flain." Let us admire and adore that divine wdfdom, which not in mere fpeculation, but in fad, recon- ciles the foreknowledge and pre- determination of God Vv ith the moral agency of men in the admi- nifiration of divine providence. Let no man fear, that the excellency of his good condud will be di^ minifaed, becaufe he is only executing the purpo- fes^f God ; for the higheft excellency of an intel- ligent and accountable creature is to conform to the unerring will of his Creator. Let no wicked man imagine, that his condud in any paiticular inftance bath not been criminal, becaufe he hath aded as an executioner of the fentences of God. No wic- ked man ever did a wicked adion from the inten- tion of executing the will of God; no wicked man ever did a iinful adion but from an evil intention, in forming which he aded freely ; no wdcked man, therefore, can plead, as an apology for a bad ac^ tion, what v/as not in his intention at the time of ading. Thofe perfons who apprehended and cru- cified Chriil executed a fentence of God, in cruci- fying him who was delivered by the determinate counfel Ver. 17. ON THE P.EVELAT10N. 235 counfel and foreknowledge of God ; but they did it not from the intention of executing the will of God; they did it not as mere machines from exter- nal conltraint; but they did it voluntarily from a wicked intention, and therefore they did it with 'Wicked hands. Let wife and good men, in an honefl endeavour, by the bleffing of God, to do their duty, repofe themfelves and all their concerns, public and pri- vate, with a calm and firm trufl in divine pro- vidence. Let them never defpair of the church of Chriil, nor of the fuccefs of truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the world. The w^ifeft, the beft, and the moil powerful of beings governs and judges the world. His fentences are always the very beft, and he is never at a lofs for proper exe- cutioners of them. The kingdoms of Europe fup- ported Papal Rome until it was raifed to the gteat- eft height, and the fame khigdoms have for a long time pad been pulling her down ; and whenever the fecret but effe^laal cominand of God (hall be given, they fnall afiilt in totally overthrovvdng her. We cannot always fee the wifdom of the divine admini- {lration,notbecaufeitis unwife at any time, but be- caufe it is often too high for our limited faculties to perceive it clearly. B'ut we may always red in this as a never failing maxim^ in the divine adminiftra- tion, that ail God's works are done in wifdom, and that the Judge of all the earth ever does that G g 2 which *S36 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIL ivhich is right. " The Lord reigneth, let the *' earth rejoice, let the multitude of the ifles be ^^ glad thereof ; clouds and darkuefs are round a- *' bout him, righteoufnefs and judgement are the " habitation of his throne. ■■ Ver/e i8tk, — And the woman which thou faweft, is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the eartli. This verfe finifhes the key or explication which the angel gave to John. And indeed this is one fo lingular and ilriking, that he who will not be convinced by it that the woman is the city of Rome under the Papal government, it is probable will not be convinced by any other evidence. The wom^n lignifies not a great city in general, but in particular that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth. There is one city, and only one in the whole world, and for a determinate pe- riod of her hiftory, to whom this defcription exadl- ly agrees. Rome is a great city, and, in point of dominion, the greateft city that ever was in the world : but as there are other great cities jn the world, the ap- pellation, a great city, would not have authorifed us to fix upon Rome. But this great city reign- eth over the kings of the earth; that is, thofe kings Ver. 18. ON THE REVELATION. 237 or kingdoms which rofe up in the weflern Roman empire. When John wrote this verfe, there was not a city in the whole world th^t reigned over independent kingdoms, nor fince his day hath any city appeared which correfponds to this defcrip- lion, except the city of Rome. The jurifdidion of all the governments in the world is confined within their own kingdom, excepting that of Pa- pal Rome. It is fo inconliftent with the nature of civil government, that the jurifdiciion of one king- dom ihould extend over another independent kingdom, that no fuch thing was ever known in the world in facl till about 600 years after John wrote this verfe ; and I am perfuaded the idea, fo unlike every thing which men had feen or heard, could not have entered into the mind of any man, but by divine infpiration. A city to reign v/ith ab- folute fway over many independent kingdoms, and they ftill tcr continue independent kingdoms, is an idea which in the days of John could have been derived only from infpiration ^ an idea which hath fmce that time been verified only in the hiflory of Papal Rome. After the difiolution of the Wefiern" empire by thjs northern nations, and a fiiort time before the Papal government was erected in Rome, the Weflern empire was parcelled out into many diflincl kingdom.s, governed by laws and conftitutions of their own, quite independent of one another, and of any foreign pov/er. The num- ber, 238 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVlI. ber, extent, lituation, and even conftitutions of thefe kingdoms changed; but fllU many diftind and independent kingdoms continued within the limits of the antient Weilern empire. " But, it is univerfally known that, till the Reformation in the i6tli century, Papal Rome reigned over all thefe kingdoms with an abfolute fway, both in civil and religious affairs. There was nothing in the confli- tution or laws of thofe kingdoms which deftroyed or limited their independence, or which veiled Puome with a fupremacy over them. Pap^l Rome afliimed the felf-created power, and wreathed the chains of flavery, forged hy the hands of fuperfti- tion in the dark ages, about the necks of indepen- dent kingdoms; and there never was another ci- ty or kingdom which reigned over independent kingdoms ; Rome, therefore, muil be that great ci- ty reprefented by the woman in the viiion. But this defcription agrees to Rome only in one parti- cular period of her hiftory. She could reign over the kings of the earth only when the empire was parcelled out among independent kings, but this was only during the time of Papal Rome, as all hiftory declares. Heathen Rome, in- deed, cbnquered many countries and reigned o- ver them, but /lie did not reign over any of them as an independent kingdom. She reduced them to the ilate of conquered provinces, depofed their own kings, and fent them laws and governors of her Ver. i8. ON the revelation. "^19 her own. She reigned over many conquered pro- vinces ; but it could not be faid of her that fhe reigned over the kings of the earth. The v/hole ilrain of this book fixes the period of the reign of Rome over the kings of the earth to the time of Papal Rome. In this chapter, verfe 3d, the fcene of this vifion in which the wo- man and the bead appear, is the wildernefs ftate of the church : but the wildernefs fiate of the church, as was formerly fhewn, is cotemporary and commenfurate with that of Papal Rome. In iiiid vifion, the woman rides upon the beaft ; but, as was formerly fliewn, the beaft is the Papal hie- rarchy, and arofe at the time of the ten kings, in the year 756. The woman therefore, muft be Pa- pal Rome, becaufe the beaft could not carry her before it had exiftence. In chap. xiii. i. this beaft is faid to have ten crowns upon his ten horns, and no crowns upon his heads, but upon them the names of blafphemy. But, in chap. xii. 17^, the dragon is faid to have feven heads v/ith crowns upon them; and ten horns, but not a word about crowns upon them. The letter of thefe beafts, as was formerly Ihewn, fignifies Heathen Rome when Rome itfelf wore the crown, but none of the horns were crowned heads ; and the former fignifies Papal Rome v/hen all the ten horns were crowned heads, and Rome itfelf had no crown, but, in place of it the bMfphe- nious titles of His Holinefs, and The Vicar of Chriji. Let .140 A COMxMENTAR^ Ch. XVII. Let us herepaufe a little, and review the many important and linking events which are predicted in the laft ten verfes of this chapter, and the won- derful manner in which they have all in fa6l hap- pened and confpired to afford the moft incontella- ble evidence, that the beall with the feven heads and ten horns, and the names of blafphemies upon his heads, is the Papal hierarchy ; and that the woman who fits on that be ait, is the city of Rom€ during its Papal flate. i/?, There hath been feven diftindl forms of ci- vil government in Rome ; and the city of Rom-e hath been the feat of every one of them. 2d, The Papal is the feventh of thefe forms. 3J, Between the imperial and Papal forms of government, Rome was ruled by the Exarch of Ravenna for near 200 years, who had his fe^t of government in Ravenna, and not in the city of Rome. 41b, A very fhort time before the rife of the Pa* pal government, ten independent kingdoms fprang up in the Weftern empire. 5/Z>, However much thefe kingdoms differed a- mong themfelves in other things, they all united in fupporting the Papal power, 6tb, Thefe kingdoms long perfecuted, but could not deftroy the true church of Chrift ; andmanyof them have iince embraced and fupported that re- ligion which they had long perfecuted. jtb. Ver. iB. ON THE REVEL ATIOK. 24I 7/^, Many of thefe kingdoms have, long ago, turned their whole force againil Papal Rome ; and the greatefl part of the remainder of them are gradually checking her power over them, both in civil and religious affairs. Sib, From a fhort time after the eredlion of the Papal government until the Reformation, the city of Rome adually reigned over all the mde- pendent kingdoms, which arofe within the an- tient boundaries of the Weftern empire. All thefe eight events, great, ftriking, and fome of them moil uncommon, and, before they hap- pened, in themfelves highly improbable, were predicted in thefe verfes, by John, above fix hun- dred years before the rife of the Papal govern- ment. They were all previouily fixed upon as marks, by which it fiiould be known that the bead fignified Papal Rome ; and they all hap- pened in the moil fiirid correfpondence to the predictions. Is it therefore poflible to conceive a more full, pointed, and conclufive proof from pro- phecy, than that which thefe events and the pre- dictions of them afford, that the beafi: is Papal Rome ? Such a government as that of Papal Rome hath in fadl exifted, and hath made a very great uncommon, and diftinguifhed figure in the world, fincetheyear756. Rome claims to be the only true church of Chrift in the world, and her worfhip to be th? only right worfhip of Chriftians. In this en- li h lightened 24^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XVII. lightened age of the world, tliere are few men, who ferioully believe that the worfhipping of ima- ges, the invocation of faints, pilgrimages, penan- ces, and the like, are the worfhip of that God, who is only worfhipped when worlhipped in fpirit and in truth ; or the ordinances, inftituted by Chrift, in that gofpel recorded in the infpired fcriptures of the JvJew Tsflament. Was it not, then, very reafonable to expedl that, in a chain of prophe- cies relative to great and important events, from the days of the apoilles to the end of the world, a kingdom and church, fo great, fo lafting, and fo extraordinary, fhould be particularly noticed ? What event hath happened in the world, lince the date of this book, fo great in itfelf, and in which both the civil and religious interefls of man- kind have been fo deeply interefted, as the rife, progrefs, height, and decline of Papal Rome ? When lefler events were made the fubjedl of pro- phegy, is it not unreafonable to fuppofe, that this great and interefting one Ihould pafs unnoticed ? If it is predided at all, can it be fuppofed chat fuch a fyftem of error, fupevllition, perfecution, pride, and tyranny, would have been mentioned with approbation by the fpirit of God ? Can any intelligent and unprejudifed perfon allow himfelf to imagine, that the fpirit of God would foretell the church of Rome as the^rue church of Chrift, ^rthe Papal hierarchy as the kingdom of God? Or Ver. 1 8, ON the revelation. 143 Or can he fuppofe, that the fpirit of God would give any other character of that myflery of ini- quity, than that which is given of Papal Rome in this book, under the hieroglyphic of the beaft with the feven heads and the ten horns ; of the woman who fitteth upon that beaft ; and of Ba- bylon the great, the great mother of idolatry and fuperflition in the earth ? VISION 244 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIIL VIS10N XL CHAP. XVIK. Verfes ijl^ 2dy ^d. A ND after thefe things I faw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was Hghtened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a ftrong voice, faying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils ^ and the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of e- very unclean and hateful bird. For all na- tions have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. This chapter, in point of order and of time, is connedled with the end of the i6th chapter. In the end of that chapter, we were informed, that Papal Ver. i,— -3. ON THE REVELATION. ^245 Papal Rome or myftical Babylon Qiould be total- ly overthrown, in the end of the year 1999. This chapter gives us a full account of that fall, and of the manner in which it Ihall affed the votaries of Rome. The intermediate feventeenth chapter is a kind of explanatory epifode by which the nar- rative is interrupted for a little, but which, not predicting any new events, takes up no additional time. In it an angel is introduced, according to the idiom of prophetic language, to give an in- fallible explication of the preceding part of the prophecy. In this chapter, the final overthrow of Papal Rome is predicted and defcribed in terms very fi- Tnilar to thofe in which the deftrudion of antient Babylon is predicted by the prophets, Ifaiah in chap, xlvii. and Jeremiah in chap. 1. and li. Thefe terms are ufed,^ becaufe Babylon wds a type of Papal Rome; that prediction v/as one of the final overthrow of Babylon, and this of that of Rome, and that men might thereby be led to compare the predictions by Ifaiah and Jeremiah of the de- ftrudion of antient Babylon with the real hitlory of Babylon, and its fituation ever (ince fo conform- able to thefe predidions ; and from what happen- ed to Babylon, that they might learn beforehand what fhall happen to Rome, lince God predided the overthrow cf both; governs the world at both theie 2^6 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIIL thefe periods, and is equally powerful at all times. The certainty of the fall of Rome is intimated by the repetition of it. She fhall become an heap of ruins, to which nothing but frightful and foli» tary ravenous beafts and birds lliall refort. The greatnefs of her idolatries and fuperilitions, the exteniive influence which they have had on kings and people through the weflern world, and the unjufl gain which her fpiritual office-bearers, cal- led the merchants of the earth, have accumulated, by making merchandife of mens fouls, are the caufes of her fall. Verfes ^thj ^th. — And I heard another voice from heaven, faying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues : for her fins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. When the fall of Rome fhall be jufl at hand, the ftate of divine providence fhall give the lafl call to any of the people of God, who have iliil adhered to her, to abandon her without delay, left they (liould fhare of her iins and of her plagues. How long fome feiious and well difpofed perfons may adhere to Papal Rome, being mifled by ne- cefTary Ver. 4, 5. ON THE REVELATION. ^4j cefTary ignorance, and how many calls of divine providence to come out of her they may refifl, and yet be the people of God, it is not our pro- vince to fay. They are in the hands of that God, who is perfedlly wife, merciful, and jufl ; and who will at lafl pafs that fentence upon them, which even they themfelves muil acknowledge to be pcrfedly right. But the whole ftrain of this book declares the miferable and hopelefs lituation of of thofe, who adhere to Papal Rome, under that difpenfation of divine providence, which intro- duces her final overthrow. ".They lliall receive of her plagues." Relative to this very period, it is faid, in chap. xvi. 15. " Behold, I come as a thief, blelTed is he that ** watcheth." And in chap. xiv. 8, — ii. this awful truth is ilated at full length. To thefe paf- fages, and to the commentary upon them, the reader is referred. The punilliment of Rome fhall be great, be- caufe her iniquities are great. It fhall then be delayed no longer, becaufe the meafure of her ini- quities fhall be filled up. Ver. 6th — \gth, Rew^ard her even as flhe re- warded you, and double unto her double according to her works : in the cup which fhe hath filled, fill to her double. How much 14^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIIT. much file hath glorified her felf, and lived delicioufly, fo much torment and forrow give her : for fhe faith in her heart, I fit a queen, and am no widow, and Ihall fee no forrow. Therefore fliall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and fa- mine ; and ILe fliall be utterly burnt with fire: for ftrong is the Lord God who judg- eth hen And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication, and Jived deli- cioully with her, fhall bewail her, and la- ment for her, when they fhall fee the fmoke of her bitrning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, faying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city : for in one hour is thy judgement come. And the merchants of the earth fhall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchan- dife any more : the inerchandife of gold, and filver,and precious flones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and filk, and fear- let, and all tliyine wood, and all manner vefTels of ivory, and all manner veflels of moft precious wood, and of brafs, and iron, and m.arble, and cinnamon, and odours, and pintments, and fi'ankincenfe, and wine, ar^d pil^ Vcr. 6,— i-I9. ON THE REVELATION. 240 oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beafts, and ftieep, and horfes, and chariots, and ilaves, and fouls of men. And the fruits that thy foul lufted after, are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty ahd goodly, are departed from thee, and thou fhall find them no more at all. The mer- chants of thefe things which were made rich by her, fliall ftand afar off, for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and faying, Alas, alas ! that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and fear- let, and decked with gold, and precious ftones and pearls : For in one hour fo great riches is come to nought. And every fhip- mafter, and all the company in ihips, and failors, and as many as trade by fea, flood afar off, and cried when they faw the fmoke of her burning, faying. What city is like unto this great city ? And they cafl duft on their heads, and% cried, weeping and waiUng, faying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had fhips in the fea, by reafon of her coftlinefs j for in one hour is fhe made defolate. Vol. H. I i U 250 A COiMMENTARY Ch. XVIIL In thefe veriies, it is predicted at great length and in moil flriking terms, that Papal Rome fhall be fully punifhed for the great injuries which fhe had done to the people of God for a long time. The greatnefs of her fall fhall be in proportion to the height of luxury and pride to which ihe had a- rifen. Her beft, moil fleady, and powerful friends, thofe of the kings of the earth who fhall adhere to her to the lail, fhall be unable to give her any ef- feclual fupport, and fhall be able only to v/eep and wail for her helplefs andmiferable fituation. The merchants of the earth fhall then weep, becaufe Rome no longer continues a mart for all the ne- cefiaries and luxuries in which they traded. E- fpecially the fpiritual office-bearers, who with peculiar propriety are filled the merchants of the Papal kingdom, fnall mourn, becaufe no man buy- eth their merchandife.' The articles of merchandile are enumerated in verfes 12th and 13th. Thefe are the articles for which the o^'naments of the Papal churches and the luxuries of Rome caufe fo great a demand. The lail two are not very common articles of mer- chandife, excepting with the oulce-bearers of Pa- pal Rome, *' flaves", or as it is in the original, aw^a- 7uy ; that is, bodies, and '* fouls of men." In thefe two articles Papal Rome hath dealed largely, and hath made mofl extravagant profits on them. The bodies of men were an extenfive article of trade in her flore of holy relids. And of the fouls Ver. 20. ON THE revelation; 451 fouls of men fhe made merchandife to a great ex- tent, hi the large fums of money which (he receiv- ed for delivering them out of purgatory. All thofe perfons, in fhort, who are her tools of any kind, and w^ho made profit in her fervice, (hall lament her deftru(5tion, from a principle of felfilhnefs, be- caufe their lucrative trade mud fall with her. Verfe 20th, — Rejoice over her, thou hea- ven, and ye holy apoftles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. Three diftind bodies of men are called upon to rejoice over fallen Rome, i/?, The heaven^ that is, the true church of Chrift. 2 J, The holy apof- tles, the twelve apoftles of Chrift. And 3/i, The holy prophets, that is, the prophets of both the Old and New Teftament, particularly Ezekiel, I- faiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and John ; who have all propheiied of the latter days. The caufe affigned for their rejoicing is, that God hath avenged them on her. Chriftians, fo far from avenging themfelves, pity and pray for their very perfecutors. But, the injuries which are done them efcape not vengeance from him who perfedly knows them all, and who with equal eafe can punifti the ftrongeft and weakeft of their enemies. (Rom. xii. 19.) " Dearly beloved, avenge I i 2 " not ^5^ ^ COMMENTAUY Ch. XVIlIc *• not yourfclves, but rather give place unta " wrath : for it is written, vengeance is mine, I " will repay, faith the Lord.'* By the final over- throw of Papal Rome, God fhall, in the courfe of his providence, fully avenge all thefe on her. She reprefented and perfecuted the Chridian church as hereticai; but that church fhall then be fully avenged on her, when Ihe ihall be deftroyed by the Turks, and by feveral of thofe kingdoms in Europe who formerly worfhipped her, while the whole courfe of divine providence (Iiall clearly de- clare, and almofl the whole world fliail openly ac- knowledge that church which ihe denominated heretical, t© be the church of Chrill. Chriil commanded his apoflles and miniflers to admit members into his church, by baptizing them, and teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever he had commanded them. But the church of Rome omitted many things which Chrifl comm.anded his apoflles to teach, and enjoined up- on her votaries many articles of faith, qnd rules of worfhip and of condudl, which Chrill never com« manded, and which his apoflles never taught. The Chriftian churchis built upon the foundation of the prophets and apoflles, Jefus Chrift himfelf being the chief corner flone. But, the church of Rome is built upon her traditions and councils, the Pope himfelf being the chief corner Hone, When, therefore, the church and city of Rome fhall be overthrowDi^ Ver. 21, 24. ON THE REVELATION. 2$^ overthrown, and that church which is built upon the foundation of the prophets and apoftles, fhall appear in a triumphant ftate, then the holy apoftles fhall be avenged on Papal Rome. The prophets of the Old and New Teftaments, particularly Daniel, Paul, and John, predidled the rife, the height, and the downfal of Papal Rome. .Rome, like even too many who call themfelves Proteftants, hath treated the prophecies with con- tempt or negled, as unintelligible and ufelefs, and harh applied them to others and not to herfelf. But, as the events themfelves will not mifinterpret the prophecies nor reprefent them as ufelefs, when not only all the intermediate events, but alfo the fi- nal cataftrophe of Rome fhall exadly correfpond to. the predidions of thefe prophets ; then, in the courfe of divine providence, they fhall be fully a-. venged on Rome, and on all others who had treat- ed their prophecies with contempt or negle£^, Verfes iijl^ — 24/i. — And a mighty angel took up a flone like a great milftone, and cafl it into the fea, faying, Thus with vio- lence fhall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and fhall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers and muficians, and of pipers, and trumpeters fhall be heard no more atallinthee; andnocraftfman,of what- foever 254 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIlt fc-ver craft he be, fhall be found any more in thee : and the found of a mllilone fhall be heard no more ac all in thee ; and the light of a candle fliall fliine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the bridegroom, and of the bride fhall be heard no more at all in thee : for thy merchants were the great men of the earth ; for by thy forceries were all nations deceived : and in her v/as found the blood of prophets, and of faints, and of all that were flain upon the earth. The total and final overthrow of Papal Rome is here predided by the fymbol of throwing a great milftone into the fea, as a vilible reprefenta- tion that Rome fhould be overthrown in a moll: violent manner, never to rife again. Such vifible reprefentations being a part of the idiom of the fymbolical language, are very common in prophe- tic writings. That this overthrow (hall be final, is farther predi6ted by a mod minute and particu- lar declaration, that all the neceffary, the ufeful, the ornamental, and the amuling arts fhould to- tally difappear ; and that there fliould be no rjf- ing generation in Rome to fill up the vacant places of thofe perrons who had periilied. In Ver2I,— ^4- ON THE REVELATION. 255 In the laR claufe of the 23d verfe, and in the whole of the 14th, three reafons are alligaed for this fatal overthrow'. • ly?, "For her merchants were the great men of ''• the earth/* The office-bearers in the church of Rome afTamed a rank in'theftate, and an in- fluence in the adminillration of civil government, unfuitable to the trharader of ininitet's in Chrifl's church. ad, " By her forceries all nations were deceiv- '' ed." By her fuperftitions, idolatries, and artful impoftures and tricks, ail nations v/ere led into dangerous errors in matters of religion. And 3^, Becaufe ** in her was found the blood .*' of prophets, and of faints, even of all that were " flain upon the earth." In her unjuil and cruel perfecutions, the blood of the miniliers and of the hearers of the gofpel was (bed in the greateft pro- fufion, even the blood of all thofe perfons who for their adherence to the word of God, and to the teftimony of Jefus were llain in every part of the Roman empire. The number of thefe is pail counting, and the fliocking cruelties committed in the manner of their deaths were fuch, as for the fake of human nature ought never to be nam- ed. That Rome for a long time hath been deep flained with thefe three atrocious crimes, none can doubt, who are not either grofsly ignorant or prejudiced. That thefe three crimes, when they rife 256 A COMMENTARY Ch. XVIIL rife to a great height in any city or kingdom, e- fpecially when they are enabled and enforced by law, arc a fufficient reafon for the total deftrudlion of that city or kingdom, muft be equally evident to every perfon who hath a juft fenfe of good and evil, of the nature of the moral government of God over the world, and of that of flates or col- ledive bodies of men in this world. CHAR Ver. 1—4* ON THE REVELATION. 357 CHAP. XIX. VISION xii. Verfes 1/7, — 4'^, A^'^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, faying, Allelu'a ; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God: For true and righ- teous are his judgements ; for he hathjudg^ ed the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his fervants at her hand. Anxl again they faid. Alleluia. And her fmoke rofe up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, and the four beafts fell down, and w^orlhipped God that fat on the throne, faying, Amen ; Alleluia. The events predided in this chapter fhall im- mediately fucceed ihofe which have been foretold in the preceding one. They relate to the triumph Vol. IL K k of S58 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX, of the Chiifllan church, which cannot precede, but mufl immediately fucceed the final overthrow of Papal Rome. John heard a great voice of much people. In the ongmai, it is, " He heaid as it were a great *' V'.'ice of a great multitude.'* It is the fame word voX'^of) which in chap. vii. is tranllated multitude, and the fame perlons are fignified by it m both places; even the church of Chrift, in its enlarged ilate, after the downfall of Rome, \v'hen the Jews with the fullnefs of the Gentiles Ihall be brought unto her. This great multitude fliall be in heaven; that is, in the Chriftian church. This great multi- tude iliall then give praife to God, as expreffive of their triumph and joy. They ihall begin their fong with the Hebrew word AUelujah, which iig- nifies, praife God 'y to fignify that then the Jew and the Gentile ihall unite in wcriliipping God in the fame church. They fhall then praife God as the Lord, the fupreme Ruler of the univerfe, and as their God, whom they only have wor- fhipped and ferved. To God, in thefe charac- ters, ihey afcribe falvatfon, becaufe he (hall then work out a wonderful and complete deliverance for his church from Rome and all her other ene- niies : — glory, becaufe the nature and mai ner of that deliverance ihall illuilriouily difplay the glo- ry of God, even the unirea iaiUe ot all his perfec- tions ; I Ver. 1,-^4. ON THE REVELATION. 259 tions ; — honour, becaufe it fhall then fully appear that he is the proper objedt of all honour, reve- rence, and worfhip, and becaufe men Ihall then worfhip him with fihal honour and affedion. Mai. i. 6. " A fon honoureth his father. If then I be a ** father, where is mine honour ? faith the Lord of " hods ;" — and power, becaufe the omnipotence of his power fliall then appear in the total over- throw of all thofe boafted powers, by which Rome and all the other enemies of his church had fo lung attempted in vain to dvillroy her. The reafon and occafion of that joy and triumph are the final judgement or overthrow of Papal Rome. She is defcribed here by the fame charac- ter which is given of her in chap. xvii. i, 2. By thefe judgements ihe Ihall be punilhed for cor- rupting the Roman empire with her fuperftition and idolatry ; and far fpilling the blood of thofe who are the fervants of God, who in matters of religion had worfhipped and ferved God only, and had obeyed God rather than man, whenever their commands came in competition with each other. Thefe judgements are called true, becaufe the event ihall then clearly fhew that they exadly correfpond to the predidions of God by the mouth of his prophets, particularly of Daniel, of Paul, and of John; — and righteous, becaufe they flittU exadlly correfpond in kind and degree to the crimes of Papal Rome. Since Rome fo keenly K k 2 attempted 5t6o A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX, attempted to overthrow that church of Chrift which is the kingdom of G'd, is it not right that her church and kingdom fhould be overthrown ? As Rome, in fo cruel, unjuil, and profufe a man- lier hath fhed the blood of faints, it is right that in her overthrow the blood of her citizens Ihould be llied ; not by the brethren of thefe faints, but by wicked men, who, without intending it, fhall aci as the executioners of the fentence of that God who hath faid, " whofoever flieddeth man's *' blood, by man fhall his blood be ihed." As that idolatry and perfecution were committed by Kume, in its coUedive capacity as a ftate, and , flowed* from the very conflitution of the Papal hierarchy, it is right that that kingdom fhould be punilhed for them in its colledlive capacity, by the difgraceful and final overthrow of its conflitu- tion of church and flate in this world. For it can- not exifl, and confequently cannot be punifhed in that capacity in a future ftate. In a future flate, every individual perfon mufl anfwer for his own conduct to the righteous and final Judge of the world, and among others every individual in the Papal empire mull anfwer for himfelf. Then the mofl flrid juftice fhall be adminillered to every one. None fhall fare better nor worfe than he ought to do, every circumftance of his fituation, and every quality in his character, being exadly weighed. The Ver. I, 4. ON THE REVELATION. 26i The repetition of this fong of praife in verfe.3d, predidls the great certainty and height of that joy, with which the church of Chrifl fhall be blef- fed at that period That that overthrow of Pa- p-1 Rome fliall be her final deftrudion, is figni- fied by '* her fmoke riling up for ever and ever/' The perfons, mentioned in verfe 4th, are called not elders and beq/h, but tbe eiders and the beajis, becaufe they are not new perfjns introduced in this place for the iirfl time, but are charadters formerly defcribed and well-known in this book. They are the fame four and twenty elders, and the fame four beafls or living ( reatures, (?cya), which were introduced and fully defcribed in chapter iv. 4, — 1 1. It was formerly fhewn, that thefe 24 elders reprefent the Chriftian church, and the four living creatures reprefent the gofpel miniil:ry in four fucceffive periods. The events which (hall then take place fhall clearly appear to be the anfwers of the prayers of the faints and minifters of God, during the preceding period of 1243 years ; particularly of thefe prayers put into their mouths by Chrill himfelf: "Our Father " who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy " kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as i: is " in heaven." Then iliall their Amen be granted, when the name of God fhall every where be hal- lowed, when Chrift's kingdom or reign on earth, th^t is, the millennium, (hali commence, and when men 26l A COMMENTARY Ch XIX, men Ihall in that happy period do the will of God on earth as it is in heaven: Then rhefe prayers fhall be converted into fongs ofpraife, Alleluia. In- flead of praying ** thy kingdom come," th^y fhall iing " Alleluia, for the Lord Gud omnipotent ** reigneth." inftead of praying " thy will be done " on earth as it is in heaven, '^ the voice from the throne fhall fay unto them, *' Piaife our God all " ye his fervants." All thofe Chriflians and miniflers of Chrifl's church who Ihall be alive on the earth at the com- mencement of the millennium, fhall join with the great multitude of worlhippers, newly introduced into the church by the converfion of the Jews and the bringing in of the fullnefs of the Gentiles, in giving their Amen or lincere aflent to the fong of praife contained in verfes lil and 2d, and particu- larly in afcribing all thefe bleilings to the provi- dence and grace of God. Verjes i;th, — ^th. — And a voice came out of the throne, laying, Praife our God all ye his fervants, and ye that fear him both fmall and 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 thunder- ings, faying, Alleluia, for the Lord God om- nipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and re- joice, Ver. 5, — 8. on the revelation. «^3 joice, and give honour to him : for the mar- riage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herfelf ready. And to her was granted that fhe fhould be arrayed in fine li- nen white and clean : for the fine linen is the righteoufnels of faints. The throne mentioned in ver. 4. 5. is the tl|rone introduced and defcribed in chap. iv. 2, 3. In chap. iv. He that fat upon the throne is fym- bolically defcribed ; but that we may not mif- take the import of the fymbol, it is plainly and literally faid, in ver. 4. of this chapter, that " God *' fat upon the throne " Hence the voice from the throne, is a voice fn m God who fitteth upon the throne. The commands of God mull all be obeyed. The plain meaning of this voice therefore is, that then all who really fear and ferve God (hall be in a mod happy fituation, what- ever their ftation in life may be, and fhall, with grateful hearts, praife him for all his goodnefs to his church and people. Then the reign of God on earth fhall commence. ** The Lord God om- " nipotent reigneth." Though the providence of God fuperintends the world in every age; yet, in a very peculiar manner, God is faid, in facred fcripture, to reign, when the gofpel of Chrift, Hiled 264 A COMMENTARY Ch XIX* filled the kingdom of God, fhall be triumphant in the world. This reign or kingdom of God, which is the millenium flate of the church, fhall com- mence upon the final overthrow of Papal Rome. Thig kingdom of God was firft predicted ill Daniel ii. 31, — 45. but efpecially in verfe 44. " And in the days of theTe kings fhall the " God of heaven fet up a kingdom, which fhall " never be deilroyed ; and the kingdom fliall not '' be left to other people; but it (hjll break ia *' pieces and confuine ail thefe kingdoms, and it *' fhall ftand for ever." It is alfo predidled in Daniel vii. 13, 14.- and particularly in verfe 27. " And the kingdom and dominion, and the great* " nefs of the kingdom under the whole heaven, *' Ihall be given to the people of the faints of the " Moil High, whofe kingdom is an everlafling *' kingdom ; and all dominion fhall ferve and o* *' bey him." Thus introduced into facred fcrip- ture, there is not any appellation which is more frequently given to the church of Chrift, in the writings of the New Tellament, than *' the king- " dom of God." The nature of this kingdom Paul thus deferibes : " The kingdom of God is ** not meat and drink, but rig hteouf nefs, and " peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft," Rom. xiv. 17. In Matth. vi 10. Chriil: teaches his difciples to pray to God, " Thy kingdom come." This I prayer Ver* 5,-8. on the revelation. 265 prayer his difciples have hitherto put up, and will continue to put up to God, until that king- dom Ihall Gome at the period referred to, when^ m the words under our view, it is faid, " the Lord ** God omnipotent reigneth." Three things (hall unite to prove the com- mencernent of this reign, ijl. The voice of a great multitude ; even the united praifes of the Jews and of the fuUnefs of the Gentiles, id. The voice of many waters. In chip. xvii. 15. the many waters are '* th^ peoples, and multitudos, •' and nations, and tongues;' which were fubjecl to Papal Rome : But even thefe fhall then unit^ in prailing God, and they (hall be regulated by that righteoufnefs, and fhali partake of that peace and joy, which fliall render them citizens of " the '' kingdom of God.'* And id, the voice of migh- ty or powerful thunderings. Thundeiings iigni- fy wars, and thefe mighty thundenn^^s fignify the great wars by which Papal Fvome fhall be fi- nally overthrown. Hence the plain meaning of the whole is, that whenever thefe three great e- vents fhaJl happen at the fame time, men may confider them as a certain iign that the millen- nium ftate of the Chriftian church is then com- mencing, and that that is a ftate of triumph, joy, and praife. For all thefe three voices fay "Alle^ ** luia, for the Lord God omnipotent rcigneth.'* Vol. 1L L 1 Thd 1l66 A COMMENTARY Ch. XlX. The commencement of this glorious period is reprefented in verfe 7th, by the marriage of the Lamb being come, and his wife having made her- felf ready. Among the Jews, unmarried women lived in a ftate of great retirement, and never went abroad without a vail ; the marriage ceremony was conduced with great magnificence and fpien- dour, and after marriage the fpoufe ftiared in the rank and dignity of her hufband, and appeared a- broad without a vail. Hence, that enlargement, fplendour, and glory, to which the church of Chrifl fhali be raifed at the commencement of the mil- lennium, is beautifully exprefled in the fymbolical language, by ** the marriage of the Lamb being " come, and his wife having made herfelf rea- " dy." In the preceding period, the outward appear- ance of the Chriftian church hath not been fuch as might have been expeded of a church which had Chrift himfelf for her head. She hath always appeared under a vail. But, at that period ihe fhall rife to that ftate of purity and fplendour, which fhall fully and clearly prove her connedion with Chrift as her head. She ftiall then appear, in every refpedl as the church of Chrift. This period and ftate of the Chriftian church is pre- dicted both in the Old and New Teftament, by the efpoufal of the church to Chrift. See to this purpofe, Ifaiah liv, i, — 10. and Ephefians v. 23, —27. Ver. 5,— 8, ON the reveiation. ft6f -—27. and gt. It is faid, that his wife hath made herfelf ready, and that fhe is arrayed in fine linen clean and white. We are told, that this fine linen is " the righteoufnefs of faints," The Lamb's wife, therefore, who is arrayed in it, muil be "the ^ faints." Until that time, the church of Chrift fhall not be made ready for her triumphant millennium ftate. The two great features of that ftate are peace and joy. In it the church of Chrift Ihall be blelTed with uninterrupted peace, and with pure and exquifite joy. But, the preparation in the church which is abfolutely neceflary for enjoying thefe, is righteoufnefs. Without righteoufnefs, peace and joy cannot be long preferved or relifli- ed in any fociety of men. Hence, that kingdom of God is righteoufnefs, before it is peace and joy in the Holy Ghoft. This righteoufnefs is what is here called " the righteoufnefs of faints." It is not that felf-confident righteoufnefs, which pro- ceeds from that infenfibility to the atrocity of fin, to the perfedion of the divine law, and to the juf- tice of God, and from that pride which are ineon* Ment with the charader of faints. It is not that merely ceremonial righteoufnefs, which may be performed by the (inner as well as by the faint; but it is the perfedl righteoufnefs of Chrift, on which alone the faints of God rely for the expiation of their guilt, and the internal, real, univerfal, per- LJ. 2 manenty '268 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX, inanent, and progreflive rigbteoufnefs, produced in their fouls by the agency of the Spirit of God, the belief of the truth, and the fincere and dili- gent pradice of their duty, which form the very character of faints or h >ly perfons. This righ- teoufnefs is not yet f ^ general in the world, as is neceifary to fit men for the millennium flate ; and the church of Chrifl herfelf is not yet fully pre- pared for that flate. So much ignorance, error, fuperflition, bigotry, infidehty, profanity, enthu- fiafra, and fin prevail in the world, and fo many grains of thefe areftill to be found about the beft of men, that neither the world nor the church of Chriil are yet prepared for a flate of perfect peace and exquifite joy. Mankind are fo conflituted, that, fo long as unrighteous, they are incapable of preferving or enjoymg a (late of pure peace and In the whole univerfe, there is not a fingle in- ftance of a fuciety of intelligent and moral crea- tures who are righteous, that enjoy not uninter- rupted peace and j^y ; nor of a fociety of fuch creatures who are unrighteous, that live in a flate of pure peace and joy. " There is no peace, faith ** God, unto the wicked." But could not God have prepared the church and the world much fooner for that millennidm of peace and joy ? Certainly, in a miraculous way God could have prepared them in any fpace of tinie^ Ver. 5, — 8. on the revelation. ^6f time, however fliort. In bow much ftiorter tim God could have prepared them without a miracle, it • is not our province to determine. But, both fact and the nature of the thing gives us verj full af- furance, that a great length of time was neceflary, at leaft moft proper, to prepare the world and the church for fuch a ftate of peace and joy, as fhall commence with the millennium. That flate is not yet in fadl come; and from prophecy it is evi- dent that it ihall not arrive for above two hun- dred years. Neither hath the world yet arrived at'hofe attainments in truth and righteoufnefs, which would render fuch a flate a bleffing to them. If we admit that the world is under the government of God, we mull allow this fadt to be a proof of the will of God ; and confequently, of the fitnefs and propriety of a great length of time for preparing the* w^orld and the church of Chrift for that flate. This flill farther appears from the nature of the thing. The qualifications which both fcripture and reafon declare to be ne- cefTary to fit men for that flate of peace and joy, are the righteoufnefs of the faints, jufl and high attainments in truih and righteoufnefs, and thefe, if not univerfal, at leaft very general in the world. But, all improvements of the intelledual, moral, and religious kind, mufl be the effed of that ra- tional convidlion and approbation, which are pro- duced by that kind of evidence which does not controul ^7d A COMMINTARY Ch. XIX. controul or fufpend, but which leads the intellec- tualand moral powers of man to make a volunta- ry choice, in confequence of a moral perfuafion. All external compuliion is inconliftent with, and deftrudive of the nature of real knowledge, true reJigion, and pure righteoufnefs. Hence, to bring the bulk of mankind to the attainment of truth and righteoufnefs, in that way which is fuited to the nature of fuch attainments, much time is ne- ceflary. In religion, as in moft other things, man- kind in general run from the one extreme to the other, before they fettle in the right medium. In the dark ages, mankind ran to the extreme of bi- gotry, fuperftition, and enthuliafm. In the prefent century, they have run to the oppofite extreme of fcepticifm, infidehty, exceffive refinement, and in- difference. Like a pendulum, they mufl, in the na- ture of the thing, vibrate from the one of thefe points to the other ; gradually in procefs of time making their vibratious ihorter, until they Ihall fet- tle in that true religion which is equally diftantfrom both thefe extremes; that religion which is truth and righteoufnefs, and which is therefore every way worthy of God as its author, and fit for man to believe and pradife ; that religion, which when* ever it becomes nearly uniyerfHl,muft undoubted- ly prepare the world for a Hate of univerfal peace and joy. When we refled on tke various vibra- tions from one fide to another in matters of reli- gion, Ver. 5,— S. ON thz revelation. 271 gion, and on the flow but real progrefs of know- ledge and righteoufnefs in the world, in confe- quence of thefe, for the laft two hundred years, fince the Reformation from Popery ; judging from analogy, we have good reafon to conclude, that the remaining two centuries will be neither too fhort nor too long a fpace of time, for fully corredling all thefe faulty. extremes, and bringing mankind to thofe high attainments in truth and righteoufnefs which fhall qualify them for the millennium Hate of peace and joy. Let us here contemplate and adore the wifdom, the juftice, and the mercy of God in the goverfl<* ment of the world, and of his church. God does not thruft in his fickle, until the harveft of the earth is ripe. Papal Rome fhall not be over- thrown, until her fins fliall have reached unto heaven ; full time is allowed for repentance, and defl.ru£lion falls on the impenitent only. Some may think, that the millennium flate is at too great a diftance, and that a ftate of peace and joy hath been delayed too long. But, it is delayed no longer than until the world and the church of Chrift fhall be prepared for it. And, fhould it come fooner, it could not be a ftate of happinefs to men, becaufe they would not be qualified to enjoy it. Let none, therefore, blame God becaufe his kingdom is fo long in coming : but let them blame themfelves, that they are fo long in becommg fit for 17* A COMMENTARY Ch. XlX« for it, though they are favoured with all thofe c-* vidences and aids which are confident with the nature of truth and virtue in the prefent flate of man. Verfe (^th, — KnA. he fald unto me, Write, Blefledare they w^ho are called unto the mar- riage-fupper of the Lamb. And he faith unto me, Thefe are the ttue fayings of God. The very cQmmencement of the millennium, here lliled the marriage fupper of the Lamb, fhall be glorious ; and thofe perfons who fhall then be members of Chrift's church, fhall be highly bleffed. Of all the preceding predidions it isdeclared, " thefe ** are the true fayings of God." They are not the conjedlures of men who may err, and who can- not look with certainty into futurity, but they are the predidions of that God to whom all times and places are ever prefent, and whofe power is fully able to accomplifh all his predictions. They are true, and therefore fhall be accomplifhed. At that time fhall be accompliflied the .Yarious pre- dictions contained in this and the eight preceding verfes, refpe<51ing the glorious and happy flate of the church of Chrift at the end of the year 1999 and the beginning of the year 2000, when Anti- chrifl fhall be overthrown, the Jews and the full- nefs of the Gentiles fhuil be brought into the Chrif- tiai$ Ver. lO. O^ THE REVELATION. 273 Chriillan church, and when the world ui general, and the church of Ghrift yi particular, Ihall be fuUj prepared for the glorious millennium flare which fliall then commence. Ver/e lo//??.— And I fell at his feet to wor- liiip him : and he (aid unto me, See thou doit not: I am thy fellow- fervant, and of thy brethren that have the teftimony of Jefus : worflilp God : for the teftimony of Jefus is the fpirit of prophecy. When the angel had finifhed this narrative, John fell at his feet in order to worfhip him. Some are of opinion that he did not intend to worfhip the angel, but only to pay him civil refpecl, by proflration ; according to the manners of the eaft. It is true, that the word in the original fome times fignifies civil refpect as well as religious worfhip : But, it is evident from the reply of the angel, that he underflood that John intended to have paid him religious woriliip. Firft, he tells him that he mud not worfhip him, becaufe he is his fellow fer- vant. This is an unanfwerable reafon why he ought not to be worlliipped ; for no creature, no fervant of God is the proper objedl of religious worfliip. Bat, that he was the fellow-fervant of John was no reafon why he fhould not pay him Vol. II. M m civil ^74 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. civil refpedl and homage. It is only to our fellow creatures that we can pay^fuch refpedl ; and cer- tainly it is not the lefs due to any of them becaufe they are the faithfal fervants of God. And next he fays to him, " worfhip God," uling the very fame word in the original which is ufed in the firft claufe of the verfe for worfliipping the angel; as if he had faid, I am not God ; I am only like thyfclf,a fervant of God ; thou knowell that God is the fole objedl of religious worfhip, w^orfhip him therefore, and him only. If thou art thankful for the impor- tant difcov^ries which 1 have now made to thee, offer thy praife to God, whofe fervant I am in this bufinefs The whole context puts it out of doubt that John intended to have paid religious worfhip to the angel. But, it does not appear that he knew^ or believed him to be a created angel. Mofl proba- bly, he believed, or at leafl apprehended that this angel was Jefus Chriil himfelf. Chrifl is ftiled the meffenger, that is, the angel of the covenant, in Malachi iii. i. and an angel, four times in chap. x. of this book. And, indeed as the prophet of his church, as the ^oyof , or word of God, the revealer of the Father, and of the Father's will to mankind, though uncreated, he is fliled the angel of the Lord, with the ftrideft propriety. Apprehending that this angel might be Chrift, and knowing that Chrifl in his divine nature is the proper ob- jed of religious worfliip, not only to men, but ai- Ver. 10. ON THE REVELATION. 275 fo to all the angels of God, (Heb. i. 6.) he thought it his duty to fall down before that angej, in order toworlhip him. Probably he reafoned thus with himfelf : It is highly probable that this perfonage is Chrift ; if it is he, it is my duty to fall poftrate to worfhip him ; but if this is only a created angel, certain as I am from the meiTctge whioh he brings, and from the impreilions of divine infpiration upon my mind, that he is a good angel, he will hinder me from worfhipping him ; therefore, the fafeft way for me to ad: in the prefent ilate of my mind, is to fall down before him. Accordingly, the angel hin- dered John from worfhipping him, telling him that he was his fellow-fervant, and thus convin- cing him, that he was not Chrift the objed of reli- gious worfhip. The angel calls himfelf the fel- low-fervant of John, and of John's brethren who have the teftimony of Jefus. Thefe brethren of John are the prophets, apoftles, and faithful difci- pies of Chrift, who all unite in giving their tefti- mony to the world that Jefus is the Chrift and the Son of God. They are brethren, being by nature of the fame order of creatures, and by grace the children of the fame God. The angel, of a diffe- rent order of beings, is not their brother ; but ferv- ing the fame mafter, in the fame work of bearing teftimony to Jefus, he is their fellow-fervant. He is that angel, who in chap. i. i, is faid to be fent M m 2 bv 2^6 A COMMENTARY dl. XIX. by Jefus Chrifl: to John ; and this is the work which is ailigned to him there. In refufing rehgious wor- fliip from John, and telHng him to worlliip God, he declares, that angels ought not to be worfhip- ped, that God only is the objedl of religious wor- fhip, and that however grateful we are to angels or men for the bleffings which, are conveyed to us by their means, we mufl give thofe praifes for them which are of the devotional kind to that God only whofe inftruments they were. The angel next explains upon what principle he fliles himfelf the fellow-fervant of thofe who had the teftimony of Jefus, when he is employed only in communicating prophecies to John , " for, " (lays he), the teilimony of Jefus is the fpirit of " prophecy." The very fpirit and end of prophe- cy is to bear teflimony to Jefus. Hence, by com- municating prophecies to you, I am bearing tefli- mony to Jefus, and employed in the fame fervic?. with you and all others who bear teflimony to Je« fus. In thefe words, the angel gives the general key to prophecy. By it he removes the great ob- jection, which infidel and ignorant men throw out againfl prophecy becaufe of its obfcurity. Say they, If the defign of prophecy is to reveal future events to mankind, why are the predidlions not exprefled in fuch clear terms that all men may ealily and certainly underfland their meaning? But, it is not the principal defign of prophecy to reveal Ver. 10. ON THE REVELATION. 277 reveal future events to all men ; and therefore it does not follow tbat the predictions (hould be ex- preiTed in fuch clear terms, that all men might clearly underftand their meaning. The fpirit of prophecy is to bear tcllimony to Jefus. This is its principal end and defign ; and this end it may accomplifh much better, when its predidions are exprelTed juft as we find them in facred fcripture, than it could have done, had they been expref- fed in fuch clear terms, that all men could have underitood their meaning before the event. We think more highly of ourfclves than we ought to do, when we imagine that God fends his pro- phets merely to gratify our curiofity, by telHng us beforehand the fate of empires and the for- tunes of men. We know not ourfelves, when we imagine that it would be advantageous for us to know, beforehand, the events which fhall be. fal us through the whole of life. That God, who knows our frame, hath concealed thefe from us in mercy. But to bear teftimony to Jefus the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, is an objed of fuf- ficient dignity and importance for prophecy, and one the moll beneficial to man. From the day,. when it was faid, " the feed of the woman ihall *' bruife the ferpent's head,'* to the laft prophecy contained in this book, the great d^fign and end of prophecy hath been to bear teftimony either to 278 AfiOMMENTARY -Ch. XIX. to the birth, the life, the charader, the natures, the offices, the fufferings, the death, the refur- redlion, the afcenfion, the rehgion of Jefus ; or the various liquations and conditions of his church. And, as the refult of the whole, to afford proper evidenccj in every age of the world, that Jefus is the Chrifl: and the Son of God, and that his rehgion is the kingdom of God ; and, at lall, to demonftrate thcfvi great truths in the moft ample manner. Such being the fpirit of prophecy, it is rea- fonable to conclude, that the fame candour and diligence are requifite to perceive the meaning and to feel the force of the teftimony given by prophe- cy, which are necclTary in order to underftand and feel the force of the other teftimonies in fa- vours of Chrift and of his religion. It ought, there- fore, not to be furprifing that the language of pro- phecy is unintelligible to the wicked, the pre- judifed, or the carelefs. It would be jufl matter of furprife, were the cafe otherwife. Not the na- ture of the evidence, but the flate of fuch per- fons minds renders them incapable of perceiving the true meaning, or of feeling the full force of this or of the other evidences of Chriftianity. Mence proceed their fcepticifm, their ignorance, their profanity, and their guilt. Though the candid, the intelligent, and the in- qufitiive may,, before the events, perceive the ge- neral meaning of prophecies, fo far as is neceifary to Ver. 10. ON THE R£V£IATI0N. "2 79 to fupport their faith and patience, yet it is to be expedled from the whole analogy of Chriftianity, that their views of many of the more minute cir- cumftances will be fo dark as to exercife that faith and patience. But prophecy gives the fulled tef- timony to Jefus when it is accomplifhed. The events fully explain what is dark in the fymboli- cal terms of the predidion ; and, by that ex- plication, prove the infpiration of the prophet, and confequently that his teflimony in favours of Jefus is the teftimony of God himfelf. It was thus, that the various events relative to the birth, the life, the fufFerings, the death, and the refur- reclion of Jefus, removed that degree of obfcurity which had long hung over the Jewifh prophecies, and clearly proved Jefus to be theMefliah of whom Mofes and all the prophets had fpoken. In like manner, the various events which have already taken place relative to the church of Chrift, ex- plain the dark parts of the prophecies of Daniel, of Paul, and of John, fo far as the times for their accompliilmient are yet come ; and thus bear tef- timony to the religion and church of Chriil:. And when Papal Rome fhall be finally overthrown, when the fcattered Jews, and the fullnefs of the Gentiles, fhall be brought into the church of Chrift, and the millennium fnail commence, fliall not thefe events fully remove any obfcurity, which at prefent hangs over the predidlipns in this aSo A COMMENTAHY Cll. XIX« this cliaptei-, and give fuch an irrefiflible teftitno^ ny in favours of Jefus, and of his religion, as mud put the fceptic and infidel'to filence ? It is thus that prophecy, gradually fulfiUing in a regular chairi^ becomes a kind of perpetual mi- racle, to give teftimony to Jefus in every age of the world, until the confummation of all things. On this fubjedl I mufi refer my reader to Dr Hurd's fermon • on thefe words : " The teflimony of Je- *' fus is the fpirit of prophecy ;" being the fecond in the lil volume of fermons preached by that great man at Warburton's ledures. Here too I muft tranfcribe a fliort palfage on this fubjecl from page 319 of the very excellent fermons preached by Mr Jofeph White, ProfefTor of Arabic in Oxford, before that Univerlity. *' Through ail their predidions, fomething pointing ** to the Meffiah, either by dired application, or " by fecondary and diftant reference, is fo inter- ** woven with the general contexture, the univer- " fal fcheme of prophecy, that by keeping it in ** our eye we fhall be furniilied with a clue to *' trace out their ultimate defign, and contemplate " their mutual connedion with and dependence " on each other : " for the tellimony of Jefus is the " fpirit of prophecy," This is its ruling and its " its vital principle. Divefled of this, it lofes its ** fpirit and its power. The imprellion of its dig- ** nity is weakened, its objed is debafed, its end Ver.ir, — 13. on the revelation. 281 ** is darkened. But, viewed in this light we be- " hold in it a harmony which delights, a grandeur *' which aftonifhes ; and from the refult of the " whole arifes fuch evidence as carries convidlion " to the underilanding." Verfes i ith^ — 13/^. — And I faw heaven o- . pened, and behold a white horfe ; and he that fat upon him was called faithful, and true, and in righteoufnefs he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns ; and he had a name written that no man knew but he himfelf : and he was clothed with a vef- ture dipt in blood : and his name is called The Word of God. At that period, heaven, the church of Chrift, fhall'he opened up. It Ihall be enlarged and ex- alted, far beyond the condition in which it ap- peared in the preceding period of 1243 years, A horfe and his rider is the hieroglyphic for a difpenfation of divine providence. The particu- lar nature of the difpenfation is marked by the colour of the horfe and the character of the rider, as was fhewn in the commentary on chap. vi. This white horfe and the fame rider appeared on the opening of the firft feal, chap. vi. 2. " And I Vol.. II. N n " faw. 282 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. " faw, and behold a white horfe, and he that fat *' on him had a bow, and a crown was given un- " to him, and he went forth conquering and to " conquer." It was Ihewn, in the commentary on that verfe, that the white horfe was a difpenfation of purity and profperity to the church of Chrifi: ; that Chrifi was the rider ; that, though not perfo- nally prefent, he then conducted his church, ac- cording to the rules of that fcripture which was didlated by himfelf ; that as king of his church he had one crown ; that as entering on a long flate of warfare, from which he fhould come off conque- ror, he had a bow; that this hieroglyphic iigni- fied the apoftolic age of the church of Chrift, dif- tinguifhed for purity, fimplicity, and profperity, when ail things in it were regulated by the re- vealed will of Chrifi ; before the termination of which the church fliould enter upon a long Hate of war. Since that time, the white horfe and his rider have never appeared in this book until now. Now they appear again, the horfe in every refpe£l the fame he was at his former ap- ' pearance; and the rider the fame perfon, but ar- rayed in greater grandeur. His drefs at each time, exaclly correfponded to the time and occafion of his appearance. At firfl he was entering upon a flate of war, and was therefore armed with a bow ; and as he is fubjedl to and dependent on none, being a king, he wore a crown. Now. having finifhed the war. Ver. II, — 13. ON THE revelation: 283 war, conquered all his enemies, and returning in triurriph, he hath laid afide his bow, and he hath many crowns on his head as the trophies of his vidlory and triumph over all his enemies. The fymbolical language being as determinate and fixed as the alphabetical, the white horfe here mud iignify the fame purity, limplicity, and pro- fperity which he did under the firft feal. It is e- vident from the whole context, that the beginning of the millennium is the period of time to which this fecond appearance of the white horfe and his rider refers. Then the church of Chrift fhall a- gain appear in this world in its primitive apoftolic purity. Then the infpired fcriptures fhall be the infallible llandard of faith, worfliip, obedience, and difcipline to Chriftians. li^qual in purity to the a- poilolic church, in profperity and glory the Chrif- tian church of this period fhall far excel it. This is iignified by the defcription which is given of the rider. The various epithets given to him in thefe verfes, fully prove that the rider is Chrifl. He will no more appear perfonally on earth at that time, than he did in the apoflolic church after his afcenfion unto heaven, though he Vv^as reprefented riding upon the white horfe under the firftfeal; but, he will then be regarded as the fole head of his church, though invilible. All the office-bearers in it will then adlonlyminiiterially under him, teach- ing his dodrines only, and enforcing his laws only; and 284 A COMMENTARY Ch. XlX. and all the people will regard their obedience as paid to him. Let us now confider the epithets, which are given to him. " He is called faithful and true." This appellation is given to Chrift, Rev. i. 5. " And from Jefus Chrift, who is the faithful wit- *' nefs." — iii. 7. " Thefe things faith he that is ho- " ly, he that is true;"^ — and veife 14. "Thefe " things faith the Amen, the faithful and true " witnefs." At that period it iliall illuftrioully appear that he is faithful and true. All the pro- mifes w^hieh he had made to his church by the mouth of all his prophets, and particularly the great one, that they fliould reign as kings and priefts on the earth, fnall then be performed. It fhall then appear, that all the judgements which he denounced upon their enemies, and all the ca- lamities and trials to his church, which he fore- told, have exadly taken place. "And in righteoufnefs he doth judge and make " war.'' Then it fliall appear, that all the judge- ments which he had inflidled upon Papal Rome, and all the wars by whicli llie was overthrown, were Itriclly righteous. So many of thefe wars, as are already pafl, have not been carried on by Chriilians, in order to propagate truth and righ- teoufnefs by the fvvord; nor fhall thefe which are yet to come be carried on by fuch perfons for fuch purpofes. Such wars could not be right- eous; Ver II, — 13. ON THE REVELATION. 285 eous ; becaufe it never can be right, in any fitua- tion, to perfecute for confcience fake, nor to teach men religion by fire and fword. The wars by which Papal Rome hath been fliaken, and thofe by which flie fhall be overthrown at laft, are wars carried on between different kingdoms as civil governments. No kingdom can fight againft Rome, without fuffering fome of the calamities of war itfelf. But no kingdom hath fought or fhall fight againft Rome which is not highly crimi- nal; and therefore thefe calamities are right- eous, becaufe not difproportioned to their crimes. Certainly the Turks fliall fuffer great calamities in the war by which they fliall totally overthrow Papal Rome: But will any man fay, that the Turks are fo righteous a people, or that the vota- ries of Mahomet are fuch pure worfhippers of God, that it would be unrighteous for them to feel the calamities of war. " His eyes were as a flame of fire." Jefus Chrift i^ thus defcribed, Rev. i. 14. *' And his " eyes were as a flame of fire." He is there repre- fented as the Son of man, as is evident from the preceding verfe : and, in chap. ii. 18. where he is filled the Son of God, he is pointed out by the fame defcription : " Thefe things faith the Son " of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of " fire." The events, which fliall take place at that period, fhall fully prove that, with the mofl blight 1286 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. bright and perKtrating eye, he hath looked through every difguife, vail, and cloud, to the real natures of things and charaders of men, and hath always predided and acted from the mofl intimate and perfedl knowledge of all things. ** And on his head were many crowns." The bow is now laid afide, becaufe the wars, perfecutions^ and fightings of his church fnali then be all over. In the apolloiic age he had one crown. He was then, and he hath ever continued to be the king of Zion, though his fubjeds were frequently very fevv^ But now he hath conquered all his enemies, and returns from the war carrying the crowns of all the conquered kings, as trophies of his com- plete vidory and triumph. The enemies of Chrift and his church are all enumerated, and ranked under three didind clafles in Ephelians vi. 12. *' For we \vreille not againft flefli and " blood ; but againft pj'incipalities, againft powers, " againft the rulers of the darknefs of this world, " againft fpiritual wickednefs in high places." The nature o^all thefe enemies of Chrift's church will be much better known by confulting this verfe in the original, which runs thus : 'Or/ ovy, 'Uiv TDVT'iS, -prfoq ra Tryiv/AariicoL rr,c Troyiv^ioit; tv rolq kTTou^oLvioiq. The proper tranilation of which is : " For we wref- " tie not againft flefli and blood; but againft prin- " cipalities, Ver. II, 13. ON THE REVELATION. 287 " cipaiities, againfL. powers, againil the worldly " princes of the darknefs of this age, againft \he *^ fpiritualflate of wickednefsin heavenly places," The firil order is principahties and powers : that is, fallen angels, the devil and his angels. The fecond is the .worldly princes of the darknefs of this age : Thefe are temporal kings, during all that part of this age, or Chrijlian difpenjation^ which may be filled the darknefs of it. Even thofe temporal princes, who live in any part of the pe- riod, from the end of the apoflolic age to the com- mencement of the millenium, and who are not enhghtened with the knowledge of the pm'e reli- gion of Jefus; particularly the heathen Roman emperors, and the ten Roman Catholic kingdoms, which arofe in the weft during the dark ages of the church and of the w-orld, after the dilToiutioa of the Weftern empire by the barbarous nations; And the third is the fpiritual ftate or kingdom of wickedaefs in heavenly places, that is, in the church. This is the Papal hierarchy. How ex- acily does this account of it correfpond to that given of it by Paul, 2 TheiT. ii. 3, 4. *' And that " man of lin be revealed, the fon of perdition: who *' oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above all that is " called God, or that is worfliipped : j^o that he as «' God fitteth in the temple of God, fliewing him- "felfthatheis God.'* All 28S A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. All thefe three clafles of enemies, with all the troops which they have led on, fliall be completely conquered by Chrift at the commencement of the millennium. Then the Devil lliall be confined to hell for a thoufand years, and during that pe- riod fhall tempt the nations no more ; then there Ihall not be a fingle perfecuting civil kingdom in the world ; and then Papal Rome and fuperftition fhall be finally overthrown. The many crowns are the trophies of the vidlo- ries of the Chriflian church over thefe enemies. In this chapter, from verfe 15th, to 21ft, and in chap. XX. i,—2>' i^ ^^ clearly predidted, that all thefe enemies fhall be completely overthrown at this period. "And he had a name written that no man " knew but he himfelf " A name written might have been tranflated B,fcriptural name. It is evi- dently meant, that this name is written in the fa- cred fcripture. It is faid to be written, without mentioning any part of his body or armour on which it is infcribed. So far does infpired fcrip- ture excel all other writings, that whenever fcrip- ture is ufed indefinitely as it is here, it fignifies in- fpired fcvipture. " That no man knew," ftiould have been tranf- lated " that none knew." The word man is not in the original, and the fubftitution of it greatly con- tracts the meaning of that claufe. The word *' none Ver. U,-— 13. ON THE REVELATION. 2S9 " none" comprehends all the intelligent beings in the univerfe, but the one exprelly excepted, even " he himfelf." No man nor angel knows the full meaning of his fcriptural name. What this name is, we are told in the end of verfe 13th, " and *' his name is called "The Word of God." That this is a fcriptural name of Chrift, and one which accorded to his nature before his incarnation, is evident from John i. 1,2, 3, and 14. " In the be- " ginning was the Word, and the Word w^as wdth " God, and the Word was God. The fame was in " the beginning with God. All things were made ** by him^- and without him was not any thing made " that was made. In him was life, and the life was " the light of men. — And the Word^N2iS made flefh " and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, " the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, •* full of grace and truth." It is one thing to know, to dillinguiih from all other names, and to pronounce the found of a particular name ; and it is another thing to know and fully underfland its meaning and lignification. This is the cafe with this name, " The Word of God ;" and it is . not fo much fo with any other name which men pronounce, except the name of God itfelf. Names w^ere originally given to perfons and things, expreffive of their real natures. Hence, in fcripture the name of God is frequently ufed to fignify God himfelf. Whether ''TheWordof God" Vox. II. O o is spo A commenVary Ch. XIX. isufedhereto fignifj the nature of Chrift, or merely that name which was given him in fcriptm'e be* fore his incarnation, its full meaning is known to none but himfelf. This aifertion is abfolutelj true, provided Chrifl is true God : but it cannot be true of even the firft and higheft of creatures. It cannot be faid of the highefl creature, that any one thing isknown to none but himfelf, becaufe all things are perfedlly known to God. But, as Chrifl is God ; if by the Word of God is meant the nature of Chrift, it mufl be abfolutely and perpetually true that his nature is known to none but himfelf. It is CiTential and peculiar to the divine nature to be incomprehenfible, becaufe it is infinite. " Canft *' thou by fearching find out God ? Canft thou ** find out the Almighty unto perfe6lion?" Though the divine nature muft ever be incom- prehenfible by all creatures, becaufe their faculties are finite while the fubjedl k infinite ; yet it muft be fully known to God, becaufe however great his nature is, his own powers muft be as great. The difficulty increafes in appearance, though not in reality, when we connder Chrift in his per- fonality, as the Word of God or Son of God. I have ufed the term per/on, becaufe perhaps human thought and human language cannot af- ford a better. But let us not imagine, that by per- Jon as applied to God the Father, to Chrift, and to the Holy Spirit, is fignified the very fame thing which Ver. II, 13. ON THE REVELATION. 29! which is meant by perfon when appUed to one man to diflinguifh him from another. It is fome- thing in the divine nature, in one refpedl more hke the diftindion of perfons among men, than any other thing we are acquainted with ; but, in a- nother refpedl perfedlly unlike this perfonaUty, as it imphes identity and upity infeparable from this diftin£lion. But why darken counfel with words oii this fubjed, it relates to the nature, nay, to the pecu- liarities of the nature of God ; it is therefore fully known to none but God himfelf. Could we fully comprehend the nature of God, one of thefe two impoflibilities muft take place ; either he muft ceafe to be God, or we to be creatures. I have often pitied the folly and criminality of thofe men, who define by terms of human inven- tion the nature of God, and the modes in which he exifts and ads, and who conlider every deviation from thefe technical terms of human invention as impiety or atheifm ; and alfo of thofe men, who perceiving fomething like diftind perfonality at- tributed to Chriil in fcripture, have impioully and boldly denied that he is true God. Ah I vain man doft thou imagine, that thou canft fully compre- hend the divine nature : Can the fhort fpan of thy httle faculties meafure the infinitude of Dei- ty ? Art thou unable to comprehend thine own nature, and to knov/ how in thyfelf matter and O 2 fpirit 292 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. fpirit are united and operate upon each other ? Do the eflences of the plained things totally e- fcape thy notice ? Does a perfei^ knowledge of the fmalleft herb exceed thy boafted powers ? and dareft thou to den;f ne Word of God to be true God, becaufe thou canft not comprehend the mode of his exigence in the unity of the divine nature ? Tempt not yourfelves, by the fame delufion by which Satan at firft deceived the human race when he faid, "For God doth know, that in the day " you eat thereof your eyes Qiall be opened, and *' ye fhall be as gods^ knov/ing good and evil." Let us not think, that we can know what is above the ken of creatures. Let us never attempt to be wife above what is written. If we attend to the import of the Word of God, as the name by which Chriil was known before he had created this world, or took our nature upon him, we fhall find that, although we may know much of its meaning, yet none but he him- felf, as God, knows it fully. The very nature and ufe of a word is to reveal the mind of the perfon who fpeaks : Hence the Word of God fignifies that which reveals the mind and will of God, Chriil is therefore lliled the Word of God, becaufe it is his peculiar charader and office to make known to men the nature and the will of God, both be- fore and after his incarnation. Matth. xi. 27. \\ None knoweth the Son but the Father : neither *' knowetU Ver. II, — 13. ON THE REVELATION. 293 ** knoweth any the Father, favd the Son, and *' he to whomfoever the Son will reveal him." After the words none and any I have left out the word man^ becaufe it is not in the original, and the addition of it greatly contrads the meaning of that verfe. Whatever way pure fpirits per- ceive and enjoy one another, in our prefent embo- died ftate, in which our fpirits perceive, feel, and act, through the channel of our bodily fenfes, and in which we cannot diredly fee an immaterial fub- llance by our bodily eyes, the nature and will of God are revealed to us in a manner fuited to our prefent organs of perception. By vifible objects and external revelation, the nature and will of God are manifefted to men. But Chrifl is the chief agent in all thefe viiible works : and, as it feems to be as it were the pecuhar department of the fecond perfon to reveal the nature and will of God by thefe, both before and after his incarna- tion, it is probable that he is therefore called the Word of God. Here, for want of precife terms, w^e are obliged to ufe fuch as are too vague when applied to this fubjecl. As all things were created by the Word of God, he reveals, to all nations and ages, the nature and will of God, fo far as they are proclaimed by the works of creation. As all judgement is committed to the Son, and as he reigns in the moral govern- ment of the world, as King of kings and Lord of lords, 2p4 ^ COMMENTARY. Chap. XIX. lords, he reveals the nature and the will of God, by the courfe of providence. In no age does he leave God without this witnefs. When he took the human nature upon him, by his v/hole con- dud he exhibited the moil juft views of the nature and will of God, in a v/ay the moft adapted to the faculties of men. It was when " the Word was " made flefh, and dwelt among men, full of grace *' and truth, that they beheld his glory, the glory " as of the only-begotten of the Father.'* By tracing intellectual and moral qualities in ourfeives, and by feparating in idea every impe.r- fedion from them, and adding infinitude to thern, we form the ideas which we entertain of the intel- ledual and moral perfe£lions of God. Thus form- ed, we are obliged to exprefs them in very abilrad- ed terms ; but abflrad terms are intelligible only to thofe perfons, who are accuftomed to think not cf things themfelves, but of ideas or the impref- lions of things on their own minds, v/hich is not the cafe wuth the greateil proportion of mankind. Hence we are under the neceffity of fpeaking to them, of the divine perfeclions, as it were in an un- known tongue, which cannot convey knowledge to their minds. But, in the life of Jefus, every intelledlual and moral quality, in their divine per- fedlion, were exhibited in a viiible form, and cloth- ed as it were with a body. There were no defeds in either, as they appeared in him, to be taken a- way Yer, II^—I^. ON THE REVELATION. 1^$ way before they could be applied to God. He was the wifdoni and power of God. He fpake as ne- ver man fpake. In him the Godhead dwelt bo- dily. He was full of truth. In perception, feel- ing, affedion, and condu6l, he never-deviated from the truth. He was full of grace. He be- llowed the moil ineftimable bleifings on men, in the mofl gracious manner ; — bleffings which none but God could beftow, and beftowej^, as all divine bleffings are, from pure unmerited grace and be- nevolence. The divine perfedions, which adorn- ed his charader, were taught by his life, in a way equally fuited to the philofopher and to the pea- fant, to the rich and to the poor. His perfed knowledge of future events, and of the fecret thoughts of men's hearts, taught men the om- nifcience of God, in a way fuited to every capa- city. By a word rendering the flormy winds and raging waves a calm, railing the dead to life from their coffins and their graves, and making an arm- ed band of regardlefs foldiers fall proflrate on the ground before him as dead men, he taught the om- nipotence of God. Continually going about do- ing good; croudlng favours upon his bitterell: ene- mies; llriclly jufl to all both in a private and pub- lic charader ; rendering unto all their due, to God the things that are God's, and to Ccefar the things that are Cxfar's ; fuHering on the crofs, to ii^tisfy the demands of divine juftice, to fupport the a^6 A COMMENTARY. Chap. XIX. the honour of the divine government, and to fave iinners of mankind, his very enemies ; he taught the juftice and the mercy of God in a way the moil fubhme and perfect, and the moft plain and ftrik- ing. He thus exhibited every intellectual and mo- ral perfection in one charadler, forming one all- comprehending perfection, which is the glory of God. He alfo reveals the nature and the will of God, by the truths which he taught by his perfonal mi- niftration, and by thofe which he empowered and enabled his apoftles to teach in his name, as they are both recorded in the facred fcriptures. Theie are only a few hints of the meaning of his name, " The word of God." Should we fol- low it much farther, we fhould foon get beyond our depth: For this is the name w^hich none knoweth fully but he himfelf. None knoweth all the ways, in which he revealeth the Father and the Father's will to men, by his works, his word, and his fpirit. None knoweth to how many other orders of beings he reveals the di- vine nature and will, in other parts of God's wide creation. None knoweth why his peculiar office fhould be the Revealer of God, fo that "none iliould know the Father, fave he to " whomfoever the Son reveals him." " And he was clothed with a vefture dipt in " blood." The blood v/ith w hich his vefture is ftained, is neither his own blood nor that of his followers : Ver. li, — 13. ON THE REVELATION. I^J followeis : but it is the blood of his enemies. The whole coiUext fixes this prediction to a flate of triumph, particularly to the commencement of the millennium. To fuch a ftate, the fliedding of his own blood or that of his followers does not accord; but the Ihedding the blood of his ene- mies exactly correfponds to it. It is true, that his own blood was; flied on the crofs for the remif- non of the fins of many, and that the blood of his followers was often fiied by their perfecutors, when they fuffered as martyrs for the truth. But both thefe were ftates of humiliation and fuffering, not of triumph to him and to his church. The words now under our view are a reference to a prediction of Ifuiah of this triumphant itate, of greater length, in which he exprefsiy lays, that the veilure of Chriil is fi;amed with the blood of his e« nemies. Ifaiah Ixiii. i, — 6. **Wh!.) is this that '* Cometh from £dom, with dyed garmerts from *' Bozra ? this th it is glorious in his apparel^ tra- *' veiling in the greatnefs of his llrength ? I that ** fpeak in righteoufnefs, mighty to fave. Where- " fore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy gar- " menrs like him that treadeth in the wine fat? *' I have trodden the vvine-prefs alone, and of the " people there was none with me; for I will tread *' them in mine anger, and trample them in my " fury, and their blood fiiall be fprinkied upon my *' garments^ and Iwill ilainall my raiment. For the Vol. II. P p *' day 2gS A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. " day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year " of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and " there was ngne to help ; and I wondered that " there was none to uphold : therefore mine own " arm brought falvation unto me, and my fury it " upheld me. And I will tread down the people ** in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fu- *' ry, and I wall bring down their ftrength to the " earth." The plain meaning of this fymbol is,, that the triumphant (late of the church of Chrift fliall not commence until Rome and her adherents iliall be totally overthrow-n in the deflruclive and bloody wars already defcribed. Verfes i^th^ I5^^» \6th, — And the armies which were in heaven followed him vipon white horfes, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a fharp fword, that with it he fliould fmite the na- tions : and he fhall rule them with a nod of iron ; and he treadeth the wine-prcfs of the ficrcenefs and wn'ath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vefture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. In this triumph, the armies in heaven follow their leader, like him mounted on w^hite horfes. The Ver. 14, 16, ON THE REVELATION. 199 The faints or Chrillians in the church of Chrill are called armies in this place, becaufe they are con- necled with the militant and triumphant dates of the church. The militant (late they had jufl fi- nifhed in the total overthrow of Anrichriil, and the triumphant they are jufl entering upon in the commencement of the millennium. White horfes, as was formerly fhewn, fignify profperous difpen- fations oi^ divine providence ; in which the gofpel appears in its fcriptural purity. Thefe armies are clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Fine li- nen, white and clean, isexprefsly declared to be the righteoufnefs of the faints, in verfe .8th of this chapter, which hath been illuftrated in its place. This fymbolical defcription of thefe armies in heaven, (the church of Chriil), is a clear predic- tion, that at the commencement of the millen- nium all real Chrillians fhall fliare in the triumphs of the church, fn all enjoy the gofpel in its purity, and under a mod profperous difperifation of divine providence fliall all be adorned with all thofc Chriftian graces and Tirtues which conilitute th3 righteoufnefs of the faints. " The iliarp fword that goeth out of his " mouth" is one of thofe fymbols, which is ap- plied to Chriil in this book, chap. i. i6. and chap. ii. 12. This fword \vhich proceeds out of the mouth of Chriil, is that which in Eph. vi. 17. is called " the fsvord of the Spirit," even the word of P p 2 God 300 A COMMENTARY Ch. XIX. . God or infpired fcriptures. With it he iliall, at that period, finite the nations, the heathens. It fhall appear that, though true Chriiiians have u- fed no other offenfive weapon agamit their ene- mies, this one hath proven fufficient; and that *' it hath been mighty through God to the puUing " down of ilrong holds." 1 hen the domination of fuperflition over the minds of men fliall be ludu- ed by the influence of the w^ord of God. With it too, he flialj fmite the nations ; for it fhall then appear, that all the kings, princes, and nations of the earth who had oppofed Chriflianity have been overcome, puniflied, and deilroyed, in the the courfe of divine providence, in the ways and at the times predicted m the iacred fcriptures. Though in a peculiar manner Chriil is the King of Zion, (his church), he is alfo the gover- nor of the world at large. Over his people, he is the Prince of peace. Over his whole dominion, *' a fceptre of righteoufnefs is the fceptre of bis *' kingdom " But it is the natio?is that he fnall rule with a rod of iron. The Gentiles who oppofe his kingdom, are thofe whom he rules with that jufl feverity, which is expreiTed by ruling them with a rod of iron. Wlien they fliall be overcome, and when the kingdom of God and of his Chrifl which they oppofed with all their art and power fliali be triumphant, it fnall then appear that he hath in this Ver. 14, — 16. ON THE REVELAriON. 30I this manner ruled and fubdued them. This fvm- bol is taken from Plahn ii. 9. and is a reference to the whole of that pfalm. That pfalm contains a veiy finking prophecy of the oppoiition which the Heathen, the people, thekings, and the rulers of the earth fhould make againft the Lord and his Chrifc, and of that deftruclion which they fhould thereby draw upon themfelves, at that period when Chriit fhould have the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermofl parts of the earth for his polTeiiion ; when he fhall. break them with a rod of iron, and dafh them in pieces like a potter's veiTel. The reader is defired to conlider the whole of this pfalm with attention, and in doing fo to remem- ber, that the Lord's Annoijited is the LorcVi Chrijl^ arid with the greateil propriety might have been thus tranflated. Treading the wine-prefs of the ficrcenefs and vvrath of Almighty God lignifies, that it (hail then appear that, in the courfe of divme providence, he hath totally deilroyed the enemies of liis church by mod bloody wars. Thisfymbol is a reference to a full prediclion of thefe bloody wars in Ifaiah Ixiii. I,—- 6. The name, King of kings and Lord of lords, hath been a name of Chrift from the time that all judgement was delivered unto the Son. In the courfe of providence, ne raifes up one king, and puts down another. By a fecret but powerful in- fluence, 302 A COMMENTARY h.XTX. fluence, he commands the moP: powerful lords with more effect than an v of them could com- mand their vaffals and fubjeds. He fits fupreme governor of the world. The greateft- kings and moil powerful lords are only the minillers in his kingdom. Neither knowing nor intending it, and wirbout unnatural reftraint upon the liberty of thrir minds, they contrive and execute what he hath planned for the adminiflration of the govern- ment of this world. As God faid of Pharaoh king of Egypt, fo may he fay of all the kings and lords of the earth, Exod. ix. i6. *' And in very deed for ** this caufe have I raifed thee up, for to Iliew^ in *' thee my power : and that my name may be de- ** clared throughout all the earth." It is true at this moment, that Ghrift, as the fupreme ruler of the world, is King of kings and Lord of Lords, as he is lliled in chap. xvii. 14. Bur, at the com- mencement of the millennium this fiiall be not only true, but alfo confpicuoully evident. This name fliall then be written upon his veilure and on his thigh. It fhall be as confpicuous as the name of any perfon fliould be if written in this manner. When it fliall be evident from fact, that all the revolutions v.hich have happened in the diiierent kingdoms of the world have united to bring about that great and glorious revolution, which iliall take place at the millennium, it fliall then be manifcfl: that the kings and lords in thefe kingdoms Ver. 17, — -f. ON THE REVELATION. 303 kingdoms were overruled by a fupreme power ; and ihat Chrid was and is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Verfes ijth. — 2 1/?. — And I few an angel ftandlng in the fun ; and he cried with a loud voice faying to all the fowls that fly in the midft of heaven, Come and gather your- felves together unto the fupper of the great God ; that ye may eat the liern of kings, and the flefli of captains, and the flefli of mighty men, and the flefh of horfes, and of them that fit on them, and the fleili of all men, both free and bond, both fmall and great. And I faw the beaft, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war againfh him that fat on the horfe, and againft his army. And the beaft was taken, and with him the falfe prophet that v/rought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the head, and them that worHiipped his i- mage. Thefeboth were call: alive into a lake of fire burning with brimftone. And the rem- nant were flain with the fword of him that fat upon the horfe, which fword proceeded out ^04 A COMMENTARY Ch. XI X, out of his mouth : and all the fowls werd filled with their flefh. Thefe verfes contain a farther defcription of that terrible deflru6lion with which Papal Rome fnall be finally overthrown. So many lliall fall in the field of battle, that their unburied carcafes faall become food to the birds of prey. This iliall be the cafe with the dead bodies of men of all ranks, from the greateit kings down to the meaneil ilaves. Their number fliall be fo great, that if all the ravenous birdsunder the whole heaven were colleded together they might gorge them- feives with their carcafes. The kings of the earth, the rulers of the darknefs of this age ; and the Papal hierarchy, the fpiritual wickednefs in heavenly places; two of the clafTesof Chriil's ene- mies, iliall be completely overthrown in this bat- tel. in verfe 20th, both the bead and the falfe pro- phet are mentioned. The bead is the Papal hie- rarchy, or civil conftitution of Rome. The falfe prophet is the Pope, conlidered individually and perfonally as the fupreme governor in that king- dom. This falfe prophet is not Mahomet, as fome have imagined. No part of the context has any re- ference to Mahomet, and none of the qualities af- crib&d to the falfe prophet in this verfe correfpond to the character of Mahomet ; but they all exadiy agree Ver. 17, — 21. ON THE REVELATION. 305 agree to that of the Pope of Rome, and the con- text relates to him. This falfe prophet wrought miracles before the beaft, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beaft, and them that worfhipped his image. Mahomet wrought no miracles to promote the fuperllitipn and idolatry of Popery. On the contrary, he wrecked his keeneil vengeance on the votaries of Rome for their idolatry. But the Pope was dif- tinguiHied by w'orkingmany falfe miracles, to de- ceive them that had the mark of the beaft, and them that worfhipped his image. By thefe he greatly promoted the fuperflitions of Popery. And the whole context treats of the beaft, and of the kings of the earth, to whom the Pope ftands in the nearell relation. At that period the Papal hierarchy fhall be^difTolved for ever ; the Pvoman empire lliall never more rife up in any other form of government ; and the Popes, as the lad head of government, fhall go into endiefs perdition with it. When he and his kingdom fliali be complete- ly overthrown, it fhall then fully appear that he was a falfe prophet; iince that kingdom is totally overthrown, which he had often declared fhould continue to the end of the world, and fnould triumph over all thofe Chridians whom he con- temptuoufly denominated heretics. The adhe- rents of Rome fliall then be flain in the way pre- Vol. 11, Q^q dided ^o6 A COMMENTARY Cll. XIX. diiHed in the facred fcriptures. And it fliail ap- pear, that the time and manner of their final over- throw are a fulfillment of the fcripture prophecies concerning the deftru6lion of the kings of the earth ard the rulers, who take counfel together a- gamil the Lord and his Chrift. CHAR Yer. I, — 5. ON THE REVELATION. 307 G H A P. XX. VISION XIIL Verfes ifr^S^b* A ND I faw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomlefs pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old ferpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thoufand years, and cad him into the bot- tomlefs pit, and (Imt him up, and fet a leal upon him, that he Ihould deceive the nations no n ore, till the thoufand years flioulct be fulfilled ; and after that he mud be loofed a litde feafon. And I faw thrones, and they fac upon them, and judgement was given unro them : and I faw the fouls of them chat v/ere beheaded for the witnefs of Jefus, and for the word of God, and which had not worlhippcd the bead, neither his image, nei- Q^q 2 ther 3oS A COMMENTARY Ch. XX, ther had received his mark upon their fore- heads, or in their hands : and they lived and reigned with Chrifl: a thoufand years. But the reft of the dead lived not again until the thoufand years v^ere finifhed. This is the firft refurre(^ion. This chapter contains predidlions of the millen- nium, of the flate of the world after the millen- nium, of the general refurredion, of the final judgement, and of the different iituations of men in a future flate. Thefe are grand and interefling fubjedls to mankind. Thefe five verfes contain a compendious view of the millennium, which is exhibited at full length in the two following chapters. Previous to a particular explanation of them, it will be highly proper, on a fubjedl fo little underflood by one part of mankind, and fo grofsly mifunderflood by another part of them, that I fliould fhew what is meant by the millennium, at what time it fliall commence, and how long it fliall continue. For the information of thofe readers who under- itand not t^e Latin language, letit beobferved, that the word millennium is compounded of two Latin words, which lignify a thoufand years., And that this term fignifies that period of a thoufand years, in Ver. 1,-5. ON TKE REVELATION. 309 in v/hich Chriftians fliall reign with Chrifl on earth, as predided in verfe 4th. By the millennium, 1 do not underlland fuch a flate as accords to any of the many fuperllitious and enthuiiaflic defcriptions of the renovation of this earth after the general conflagration, of the firfl refurreQion of the bodies of the faints to live again for a thoufand years upon that renovated earth, and of the perfonal reign of Chrift for a thoufand yeajg on earth ; which have been pub- lifhed to the world, even by men of coniiderable note. Thefe conjedlures I rejcdl, becaufe there is no foundation for them m fcripture ; and they are highly unreafonable and improbable in themfelves, fo far as we are capable of judging on fuch a fub- ject. But, by the millennium I underlland a tri- umphant flate of the kingdom of God or true re- ligion of Jefus on earth for a thoufand years. This kingdom of God is righteoufnefs, truth, peace, and joy in the Holy Gholt. This kingdom, coniifling of thefe four conHituent parts, fliall be in a trium- phant flate during the whole millennium. Then mankind fhall in a very high degree be freed from ignorance and error ; and ihall love, fludy^ and know the truth, on every fubjed: in which they have any concern, and efpecially on the fubjcd' of rehgion. Univerfal righteoufnefs fhall prevail. They fhall pay that regard to the perfed and me- ritorious righteoufnefs of Chrift, which accords tp truth, 310 A COMMENTARY Gh. XX. truth, to the perfedion of the divine law, to the 'iiifinitude of divine juftice, to its own perfedion, to tlieir need of it, and to the gracious purpofe of God in fending Chriil into this world to fulfill all righreoufnefs. They lliall love and praclife righ- teoufnefs to God, to their brethren of mankind, to all the creatures of God with whom they have intercourfe, and to themfelves, in all its branches : and they fuall make perpetual progrefs in truth and righteoufnefs. Uaiverfal pcac^fhall prevail on the earth. Men, as individuals, fhall enjoy peace wirh God, and peace of confcience ; as ccn- necled in fociety, they fliall live in peace with their neighbours, whether in fmafler or larger focieties. Private quarrels and public wars fiiall ceafe to the ends of the earth. " They fliall beat their *' fwords into plough fhares, and their fpears into " pruning hooks ; nation flaall not lift up fvyord a- " gainil: nation, neither fliall they learn war any *' more." The brute creation, treated with gen- tlenefs by men, fliall become much more gentle jind harmlefs to them and to one another than they are nov/. "The wolf aUb fliall dwell with " the lanib, and the leopard fliall lie down with " the kid, and tiie c:ilf and the young lion and *' the fatiing together, and a young child fhall ♦' lead them." Univer.nil jny fiiall abound. That joy which is pure and exalted happinefs, that joy which is con- genial Ver, I, — 5. ON THE REVEllATION. 3II genial to a mind renewed and fandified by the Holy Ghofl '• For " the fruit of the Spirit is joy.*' That joy, which proceeds from the belief, love, and obedience of the truths revealed in fcripture by the Holy Ghofl ; that joy, which fhall accord with peculiar fitnefs to that triumphant ftate of Chrillianity, in which men wnll be [o much umder the influence of the Holy Spirit, that the law of God will be written on their hearts. Not only iliall all public affairs be conducted with profperi- ty and joy, but individuals fliall alfo be happy. They fliall be blefPed with that joy, which is infe- parable from high attainments in truth, righ- teoufnefs, and peace. " Happy is the man that '■ findetli wifdom, and the man that getteth un- " derflanding." Such, in a certain degree, fliall be the fitiiation of the w^hole w^orld during thefe thoufand years ; and in a very high degree of eve,ry part of it, ex- cept that fliled Gog and Magog in verfe 8th, which fhall be explained in the commentary on that verfe. On this part of the fubjecl it is unnecefTary to enlarge in this place. The nature of the miL lenium will be illuftrated more fully in its proper place, when we come to confider thofe predidions of this book, which at once foretell and delcribe this glorious flate of the church ofChri(t and of treworlcl. 312 A COMMENTARY CIl. XX. In the mean time, it may not be improper to obferve, that if God were to reveal a fyllem of re- ligion to men, it is not poflible for man to con- ceive a fyftem more fit for God to reveal or man to receive, than a fyilem of truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and }oy, — That, if Chriftianiry, which is this fyflem, is a religion from God, of which full e- vidence is afforded, it is certain that it cannot come to nought, that men and devils cannot over- throw it, but that it muft prevail over all oppofition, and become triumphant in the moft proper fea- fon. Is it not reafonable to hope, that truth, righteoufnefs, and joy, fhall prevail over ignorance, vice, and mifery in fome age of the world ? Does not the progrefs of arts, knowledge, and commerce in the world for the tw^o centuries fince the Refor- mation, render it highly probable that two more, with that accelerated motion which is the conle- quence of progreffive improvements, fhall bring the world to that flate of knowledge, righteouf- nefs, peace, and joy? Is it an improbable fuppo- fition, that in the progrefs of fociety men fliall fee fhe folly and the lofs of private contentions and of public wars ? Confidering how much the rigour and violence of private feuds and of public w'arSt have been mitigated for the two lafl centuries, is is not highly probable that the progrefs of civili- zation and of Chriflianity may nearly deftroy them in two centuries more ? Are there not in facl ma- Ver. I — 5' ON THE REVELATION. 3I3 ny examples of wife and good men who enjoy a high degree of happinefs in this world in outward lituations not the moft profperous ? Have there not been many, are there not many perfons fiill in the world, whofe ferenity, eheerfulnefs, and joy fpeak the language of the*prophet, " Although •* the fig-tree fhall not bloifom, neither Ihall fruit " be in the vines, the labour of the olive fliall " fail, and the fields fliall yield no meat, the flock *' fhall be cut off from the fold, and there fliall be " no herd in the flail : yet I will rejoice in the " Lord, I will joy in the Gk)d of my falvation." Is it not therefore highly probable, that when wife and good men become numerous in the world, joy and happinefs will abound in it ; more efpecially wlxen the peace and profperity of their outward lituation fhall be fo favourable to that joy which flows from an enlightened underftanding and a purified heart. Before fixing the commencement of the mil- lennium., it will be beft to fix the time of its con- tinuance, as one argument for the time of its commxencement will" be drawn from that of its continuance. In this chapter, which predirfls the millen- nium, it is repeatedly faid, in the moft exprefs and plain terms, that it fhall continue for a thoufand years. It is faid verfe 2d, " that Satan fnould be ** bound a thoufand years ;" veife 3d, " that he Vol. II. R r " fliould 3^4 A COMMLNTAP.Y Ch. XX. " ihould deceive the nations no more till the " thoufand years fhould be fulfilled ;" verfe 4th, *' that the faints fliould live and reign with Chrifl " a thoufand years ; verfe 5th, " that the reft of " the dead lived not again until the thoufand " years were finifhed ;" verfe 6th, "that thofe who *' have part in the firft refurredion fnall reign with *' Chrift a thoufand years ;'* and verfe 7th, " that ** when the thoufand , years are expired Satan ^* iball be loofed out of his prifon.'* As the prophecy expreily limits the conti- nuance of the millenium to a thoufand years, the only ground of doubt, and the only queftion which hath arifen or can arife on this part of the fub- jedl is, whether thefe thoufand years are to be underftood literally for a thoufand civil years, or for a thoufand prophetic years, which would make 360,000 civil years ? From the idiom of fymbolical language k is quite clear, that a thoufand years in this paflL^ge iignify a thoufand civil years. A year is not ufed as a fy mbol or charader in the fym- bolical language. If it is ever ufed at all, it is in a way fimilar to a metaphor in alphabetical lan- guage. — The reafon of this is interwoven with the very conftrudion of the fymbolical language. In it the leiTer is always the fymbol for the larger of any thing of the fame or of a fimilar kind, be- caufe. when the fy mbols were originally painted or engraven, if they had been large they would have Ver. I, 5. ON THE REVELATION. 315 have taken up too much room on the tables on which they were drawn. Hence, from the ana- logy of the written language, the lelTer was ufed in the fpoken language to fignify the greater. Thus, a day, which is the complete revolution of the earth round its own axis, is the fymbol for a year, which is the complete revolution of the earth round the ecliptic. The lelTer revolution is the fymbol for the greater revolution of the fame kind. But, in that very early age of fociety in which the fymbolical language was formed, the flate of aftronomical knowledge did not lead men to perceive any greater revolutions of the earth by which time is meafured ; and for which a year, as the leffer revolution, might have been the [••o- per fymbolical charader. Accordingly, in facl the word which exprelTes the civil year, (tr)^), which is the word in the whole of this pafTage, does not appear to be ufed as a fymbol by any of the prophets, either in the Old or New Tefta- ment. If they predicted a very long period of time for which a year might be a more convenient fymbol than a day, they always take another word than a year'to iiguify 360 prophetic days, or as many civil years. Thus Daniel, vii. 25. ufes " a *' time and times and the dividing of time," and John, Revel, xii. 14. " a time and times and half " a time.*' The only apparent exception from this fs&ct that I have ever found in prophetic R r t writings, ^l6 A COMMENTARY Cll. XX. writings, is ch. ix. 15. of this book. *' x\ndthefour " angels were loofed, which were prepared for an ** hour and a day, and a month and a. year, for to *' flay the third part of men." But this exception is only apparent, for the word in the original which is tranflited year in this paflage is very different from the one tranflated year in chap. xx. In chap. ix. it is tytoLvroy, which properly fignifies a revolution, that which returns again into itfelf, and ought to have been tranflated a revolution in that place. But, in all the flx verfes in chap. xx. where the word years occurs, it is km in the ori- ginal, which is the proper word for years in the Greek language. It feems alfo to be agreeable to the idiom of the fymbolical or prophetic language, that when- ever the fame period of time is repeated in the fame continued narration, a different fymbol, but which fignifies the fame length of time, is ufed at each repetition : for this good reafon, that by comparing one of them with another, and finding their exa6l agreement in fenfe, though different in found, we may learn with certainty the period of time which they lignify. Thus, chap. xi. 2, 3. 42 months and 1260 days are ufed to fignify the fame period of time, even 1243 ^^'^^^ years, as was formerly fliewn, a^nd, in chap. xii. 6, 14, 1260 days, and a time and times and half a time, are ufed to iignify the fame period of time. But in literal Ver. I, 5. ON THE REVELATION. 317 literal or common language the very reverfe is th^ cafe : in order to prevent ambiguity, whenever the fame period of time is repeated in a continued narrative, the fame terms are ufed to exprefs it at each repetition. It is not exprefTed in days in one part of the narrative, in weeks, months, or years in other parts of it. But, in chap. xx. though the period of the millennium is fix times repeated in verfes 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, it is always ex- prelTed without variation by " a thoufand years'^ For thefe two reafons, together with another w^hich cannot be ftated with propriety and force until it hath been firft produced in proof of the time of the commencement of the millennium, I am as fully convinced as language can make me, that the continuance of the millennium fhall be for one thoufand civil yeaas. But, let it be obferved that the church of Chrift {hall not be opprefied nor overcome by her ene- mies when thofe thoufand years fhall expire. She fiiall continue triumphant to the endof the world; and for ever in a future ftate. For, in ch. xxll 5. which refpecls the millennium flate,as fhall be faewn in its place, it is faid, *^ the fervants of God fliall ""' reign for ever and ever." But, by the millen- nium is meant, that for thefe thoufand years no attempt whatever fhall be made to diflurb the peace and interrupt the profperity of the church of Chrifl and cf the world, that there lliall be no \ perfecutions 31 8 A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. perfecutions nor wars on the whole earth : but, •at the end of thefe thoufand years, certain perfons lliled Gog and Magog, inlligared by the Devil, fnall attack the church of Chrift, and by bloody wars fhall difturb the peace of the whole world for a fliort time ; but, that they Ihall be difap- pointed in their wicked attempts, and totally dc- fkoyed. And, that by their deftrudion the church of Chrill and the world fhall be left in a Hate of complete and final triumph and peace* Thefe particulars will be illuftrated in the com- mentary on verfes 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th It now only remains, that I fhould fhew at what time the millennium fnall begin. That it fhall begin with the year of Chrifl 200c, uili I hope clearly appear to every candid and intelligent reader, from the following evidence. From chap, xix. II. to chap. xx. 4. there is a clofe and con- tinued narrative of the laft and bloody wars in which the enemies of Chrifl's church fliall be o- verthrown, and at the termination of which the triumphant ilate of his church fhall commence. In that narrative, chap. xix. 12. Ghrifl is repre- fented with many crowns on his head ; chap. xix. 19, 20. the kings of the earth, the bead, and ^the falfe prophet are reprefented as killed; chap. xx. ■ I, 2. Satan, the third clafs of Chriii's enemies, is r-eprefented as chained in hell for a thoufand years; chap, xix. 14. the armies in heaven, or faints, Ver. I, 5. ON THE REVELATION. 3 !§ faints, are reprefented as following Chrift ; and chap, XX. 4. thefe faints are reprefented as placed upon thrones, and reigning with Chrift a thoufand years. Thi? connedlion to fome perfons may appear to be broken by the intervention of the diviiion of the XX. chapter. But let fach perfons be inform- ed, that they ought to judge of the connection of the narrative by the fenfe, and in doing fo, they ought not fo much as to fuppofe the intervention af a divifioR by the chapter. There were no di- vifions by chapters and verfes in the original ma- nufcripts of the facred fcriptures ; but thefe were introduced in latter times, in order to aflift men in making and finding citations from fcripture with more expedition and certainty. The chapters are not always made at the moft proper places, v/hich is the cafe with this xx. chapter. As therefore this is a very clofe connedled nar- rative, the events contained in it muft happen in the order in which they are narrated ; and confe- quently, the miilennmm mull commence imme- diately upon the final overthrow of Papal Rome. But,- it was formerly fhevvn in its proper place, that Papal Rome fhall be completely overthrown in the end of the year of Chrift 1999. '^^^^ ^^^' Icnnium, therefore, which both in the order of this prophecy and in the nature of the thing, follows clofe upon the overthrow of Papal Rome, muft 3 commence 320 A COMMENTARY Ch. XX» commence in the beginning of the year of Chrifl 2 GOO. On account of the prevalence of true religion and the total reft from wars in it, the millennium is as it were the great fabbath of the whole earth. The feventh part of time was fet apart by the Al- mighty for a fabbath to men : But, the year of Chrift 2000 is the firft year of the feventh m'illen- nary of the world. x\t that time, 6000 years from the creation of the world will be run. Through the whole fcriptures, both of the Old and New Tefta- ment, there is a ftriking typical reprefentation of fome great and important fabbath, as a great fep- tenary that has not yet taken place, and which evidently appears to be the millennarran feptena- ry, as the great fabbath of the whole earth. Thus, Gen. ii. 3. *' God blelTed the feventh day, and " fanQified it." Exod. xx. 8, — 11. The appoint- ment of the feventh day as the weekly fabbath was renewed in a moft folemn manner. Levit. xxv. 1, — 7. every feventh year was appointed a fab- batical year; and Levit. xxv. 8, 9. the commence- ment of the year of jubilee, which was every fif- tieth year, was to be fixed by the running of a feptei^.ary offabbatical years: *' And thou flialt ''number feven fabbaths of ye-ars unto thee, feven " years, and the fpace of the feven fabbaths of ** years fliall be unto thee, forty and nine years," The number feven, becaufe ufed in fcripture to complete Ve.r. I,— 5* ON THE. REVELATION. 32I corxiplete all the facred divifions of time, was re* garded by the Jews as the fymbol of perfeclion, and is ufed in this fenfe in fcripture. Thus, th^ feven fpirits mentioned in this book fignify the perfect fpirit of God. And all the parts of ihs book are divided into fevcns ; the feven churches, the [qvqii ilars, the feven golden csijcileftiC'lis, ths feven angels, the feven feals, the feven trumpets^ the feven vials, and the feven thunders. Is it e- ver to be fuppofed that all thefe events which are interwoven with the Mofaic diipenfation, which was fymbolical or typical itfelf, and which are introduced into the New Teflament, and abound fo much in this book of Revelation, have no anti- type to correfpond to them, no great fabbatical feptennary. to which they all point, and in which they fnall all be accompliihec ? Is it not highly probable that they are ail typical of thefevench millennary of the earth, which is the great fab- bath? There are alfo two particular pafTages of the New Teflament which feem to point to the mil- lenmum as the great fabbath or miilennarian fep- tenary of the earth. The firft is Heb. iv. 9. " There remaineth therefore a reji to the people of God." The word tranflated r^ is However true it is that all time is ever-prefent to God, and to the Eternal the difference between the length of a day and of a thoafand years is very inconiiderable, yet it is not by what time is or ap- pears to God, but what it is or appears to them- felves, that the condud both of Chriftians and of fcoffers will be regulated. If the time for accom- plilhing the promife were left indefinite, fuch a view of time in relation to God would tend rather to 52^6 A coMMENTAP.Y Chap. XX. to increafe the objeclions of fcoffers and the doubts of Chriitians, becaufe they could know but that one year might be with the Lord as ten thoufand years as w^ell as one thoufand years ; and thus, that the millennium might be at fo vaft r didance that it would become invilible to the human eye, and thought might lofe itfelf in the countlefs re- volutions of time. It is only when a perfon does not perform his promife at the promifed time, that thofe to whom the promife was made have reafon to complain that he is llack concerning his pro- mife. When, therefore, the apoille ufes thefe "Words to fhew men that God is not fiuclc concern* ing his promife of the millennium, it is evident, that by them he fliews that the definite and deter- minate time in w^hich God had promifed that this kingdom of Ghrifl's fhould come, is not yet arrived. Six thoufand years, correfpondent to the fix days in which God created the world, have not yet run out; the time, therefore, typified by the feventhor fabbath, which is the promifed time of the millen- nium, is not yet come. If that time had been paft and the promife not fulfilled, Chriftians might have had fome reafon to doubt, and fcoffers to mock : but as that is not the cafe, the doubts of the one and the fcolfs of the other are both unrea- fonable. . - Th^ manner of the apoftle's exprelHon alfo fix- es to it tne fenfe in which 1 have explained it. He fays, Ver. I, 5. ON THE REVELATtOS. 327 fays/- Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thoufand years, and a thoufand years as one day. By this" cxpreilion, ibis 07ie thing, h^^XdiVcAy Ihews, that it is not ufedas a general exprellion ; for in that way it is as true, and might as well be faid, that one day is with the Lord as a million of years. To fhew that he ufed the exprefSon in a very particular fenfc, the apof- tle repeats it, " that a thoufand years are as one ** day." It is highly probable, that it is in refe- rence to fome fuch divifions of time as the ages of the world into feven millennaries, :.nd the feventh of thefe a fabbatifm, that lix days were fpent in the creation, of the world, and that the feventh was fancliiied for a fabbach. The almighty Creator could have made the world in a moment, as eafijy as in lix da^ys ; and for any thing which we know, another day or another proportion of time might have been as fit for a fabbath as the feventh. By all thefe arguments united, I am convinced that the millennium will commence with the firil year of the feventh millennary of the world, which, according to the bed chronologies, will correfpond to the two thoufandth year of Chrill. It is thus alfo upon principles of chronology, interv/oven with the predictions of fcripture, that the true year of the birth of Chrifl may be afcer- tained. Every reader will give that aifent to the conciufion. ^iS A COMMENTARY Chap. XX. conciuiion, which correfponds to the impreflion which thefe arguments make upon his mind. This argument which fixes the commencement to the beginning of the feventh millennary of the world, as the great fab bath of the whole earth, on the fame principle fixes its endurance to one thou- fand years. For " one day is with the Lord as a ** thoufand years, and a thoufand years as one " day." In the firfl three yerfes of this chapter, it is pre- dicled, in very plain fymbolical language, that the Devil fhall be confined to hell, and reflrained from deceiving mankind for the fpace of a thoufand years. His rellraint ihail begin and end with the millennium- It is faid *' he fhall deceive the nations no more'* during that time. Ever fince the day in which the Devil tempted and deceived Adam and Eve, he hath been employed in tempting mankind. But, it was only the nations as diftinguiQiedfrom the people of God, that he deceived to their own dellruclion. The faints he tempted, but could not thus deceive thefe elecl ones. But, fur thefe thoufand years he fhall be reflrained from deceiv- ing even the nations. Then the Devil, as the lafl enemy of Ciirillians fliall be vanquilhed. When thefe thoufand years are expired, he fliall be loofed from this rellraint for a little I'^afon, about the begmainj Ver. I,-^5- ON THE REVELATION. 329 ning of the year of Chrifl three thpufand and one. Until that time, all the periods of time are fixed in this book with the molt exat!l preciiion : but after the end of the millennium, they are men- tioned in general and indelinite terms. It is faid, " He (liall be loofed for a Uttle feafon^^' or Hiort time. Relative time is denominated long or fliort, accord- ing to the length of the period of time with which it is compared. But, not being told with what period of time this little feaibn is compared, it is to us ve- ry indefinite. As the preciiion in fixing all former times in this book was a proof of its infpiration, fo when the events approach near the end of the world, the leaving of times indefinite, as in this verfe, is alio a proof of its infpiration ; becaufe^ whatever certainty it gives us of the times of o- ther events, it leaves us in that uncertainty of the precife time of the end of the world, which accords to the declaration of Chrift himfelf on that fub- jecl, Matth. xxiv. 46. " But of that day and hour *' knoweth no man, no not the angels of he^ven^ " but my Father only^'* It is evident from the context, that the armies in heaven, mentioned in chap. xix. 14. are thez/jd^ whom John faw fitting on thrones in verfe 4th o'i^, this chapter. At the commencement of the mil- lennium, the armies in heaven, that is, the faints, fliall be raited to a triumphant and dignified Hare, Vol. 11. Tt ri-nrefented 330 A COMMENTARY" Cll. XX. reprefented by the fymbol of being feated on thrones. Of this triumphant (late of the church Chrifl fpeaks to his difciples, in terms very fimilar to thofe ufed in this verfe, Matth. xix. ay. " Ve- *' rily I fay unto you, that ye who have followed " me in the regeneration, when the Son of man " fhall fit on the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall *' lit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve " tribes of Ifrael." Not only fhall the faints be raifed to a trium- phant ilate, but judgement fhall alfo be given un- to them. The promife which was made to the martyrs who fnffered under Heathen Rome, chap, vi. 9, 10, 11. fhall be fully accompliflied. They prayed that God would judge and avenge their blood on them who dwell on the earth. And it was promift'd unto them that white robes fliould be given unto them, but that they fliould reil yet for a little feafon, until their fellow fervants alfo and their brethren that (liould be killed as they were fliould be fulfilled. Their fellow fervants are killed under Papal Rome, and they fhall not be fulfilled until the laft martyrs fhall be flain by Rome. At the commencement of the millennium, it fliall then appear that vengeance had been brought both upon Heathen and Papal Rome for the blood of the martyrs, and by the ov^erthrow of all their enemies and the profperity of the church, that th'i decided judgement of God had been giv- en Ver. I, — 5. ON THE REVELATION. 33I en in favours of that caufe to which they had borne faithful teftimony. ( In what refpedl judgement fliould be given unto them, and they fhculd be placed on thrones, the following words in ver. 4th farther predidt and ii- *' luflrate. And I fiiw the fouls of them that were " beheaded forthewitnefsof Jefus,andforthe word " of God, and which had not worfhipped the beafi:, ''neither his image, neither had received his mark " upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they " lived and reigned with Chrift a thoufand years." Some have underdood thefe words, as a prediclioii that the martyrs who were ilain vmder Kcathen and Papal Rome fViall be raifed to life from their graves at the commencement of the m.iilennium, and fhall perfonally reign with Chrifl on earth for a thoufand years. Even if the language of this paffage had been much flronger in favours of fi real refurreclion of the martyrs at that time than it is, there are fo many unanfwerable objedions a- gainft fuch a refurredtion at that time, that it would not be eafy to make candid andintelhgent men to underiland the words in that fenfe,if they could poffibly bear any other. Does not fcrip- ture aifure us, that the fouls of departed faints are with Chrift in heaven, which is actuation f//;2." If God and Chrifl were not one, it would have been faid, " and *' fnall reign with them,'' (not with him). If the particle is rendered evcn^ as the following claufe Ihews it ought to be, then this is a plain declara- tion that God and Chrift are one. Indeed the fame conclulion will follow%" whatever w^ay the par- ticle /.a; is rendered. If they are priefts of Chrift, as w'ell as of God, Chrift muft be true God , be- caufe religious w^orfhip is due to God only. If, af- ter mentioning God and Chrift, it is faid *' they " fliall reign with bim,"' it is evident that God and Chrift are confidered as one. The approach of e- very Chriftian to God in religious worftiip, in that |late, (hall be fo near, fo pure, and fo conftant, that 34^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. that they are compared to the priefls who ap- proached nearer to God in the temple than the people could do, who were llrictly holy, and who waited conilantly on the miniftrations of the tem- ple. And their profperity and triumph is beauti- fully exprefied, by reigning with Chrifl. Verfes jth\, — iQ^A.—- And when the thou- fand years are expired, Satan fliall be loofed out of Ills prifon. Andfhall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle : the number of whom is as the fand of the Tea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compalTed the camp of the faints about, and the beloved ci- ty : and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them, was caft into the lake of fire and brimftone, where the beaft and th^ falfe prophet are, and fhall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. , At the end of the thoufand years, the divine re- flraint being taken off the devil, he Hiali beletloofe from the prifon of hell, for a httle feafon, and per- niitied to tempt men as he formerly did. No fcgner Ver. Jr^io, on ihe revelation. 343 fooner ihall he have it in his power to tempt men, that he fhall haften to this earth to deceive cer- tain nations upon it, who during the millennium had lived in fonie remote corners of the world, probably ignorant of the knowledge, purity, and joy of all the other inhabitants of the world : but peaceable, becaufe there was no devil on earth to tempt them to war, plunder, and bloodflied. Thefe nations, who fliaii be deceived by the de- vil to attack the church of Chrilt, and to rekindle the flame of war on earth after it had been extin- guillied for a thoufand years, are called Gog and Magog. But, what nations are we to underftand by the names of Gog and Magog? The whol© xxxviii. and xxxix. chapters of Ezekiel con- tain at great length this prophecy concerning Gog and Magog* From them we may learn with a high degree of probability what nations thefe are. The palTage is too long to be inferr- ed here. The reader is therefore deiired, before he fhall proceed farther than this part, to read with attention chapters xxxvi. xxxvii. xxxviii^ and xxxix. of Ezekiel. From thefe chapters it is evident, that the wars which Ihali be raifed againfl the church of Chrift by Gog and Magog, fhall be at a great diitance from the time of Ezekiel, and in the period o^ the gofpel difpenfation. In chap, xxxviii. 8. they Ihey fhall be after many days, aud in the latter ysarSi 344 -^ COMMENTARY Ch. XX* years. This lail expreflionis one of thofe which the Old Teilament prophets always ufedto fignify the thiie of the gofpel difpenfation. It is alfo evident that they iliali be after the millennium flate, fince that llate is predided in chapters xxxvi. and xxxvii. and Gog and Magog are reprefented in chapters xxxvii. and xxxix. as attacking the church of God after it had been brought to the millennium Hate ; and therefore, that in point of time they coincide with the prophecy concerning Gog and Magog*in this place. In chap, xxxviii. 2. Gog and Magog are- thus defcribed : " Son of man fet thy face againfl Gog^ *« the land of Magog, the chief prince of Mefaech " and Tui?al, and prophefy againil him.'* After the deluge, the whole world was peopled by the defcendants of Shem, Harri, and Japheth. The ifles of the Gentiles were peopled by the defcen- ciants of Japheth. Magog was the fecond. Tubal the^fifth, Mefhech the fixth fon of Japheth, and Togarmah was his grandfon by Gomer his eldell fon. The whole tenth chapter of Genefis contains a very particular account of the peopling of the •the earili at the time of the building of the tower of Babel. But it is only the liril five verfes of that chapter which relate to the fubjed now under our view. '* Now thefe are the generations of the «' fons ofMoah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and *' unto them were fons bora after the flood. The ^' fon^? Ver. 7, — 10. ON THE REVEL. \TION. 355 ** fons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Ma- " dai, and Javan, and Tuhal^ and Mefjech, and *' Teras. And the fons of Gomer , AfiCenah, and *' Riphath, and Togarmah. And the fons of Ja- ** van, Ehfhah, and Tarfhifh, Hittim, and Doda- " nim. By thefe were the iiles of the Gentiles di- " vided in their lands ; every one after his tongue, " after their families, in their nations." Ezekiel prophecied about fourteen hundred years after the difperfion of the decendants of Japeth to the ifles of the Gentiles, at the building of Babel ; and John wrote this book about fix hundered and fe- venty years after the time of Ezekiel ; therefore neither of them could mean Magog, Tubal, ot Mefhech perfonally, who were all dead long before they prophefied, but by Magog, Tubal, and Mefhech they both meant the defcendants of thefe fons of Japheth. It is very common in the fcriptures of the Old Tefhament, and it feems to be the idiom of the fymbolical language, to call a nation even to the latefl generations, by the name of their founder. Thus, for inllance, the nation of the Jews are frequently called Ifrael, af- ter the name of Ifrael, which was given to Jacob the father of their tribes ; and the Edomites, are called Edom, after the name which was given to Efau, their founder. Gog and Magog, therefore as explained by Ezekiel fignify the defcendants of Japheth. But not all his defcendants, only the Vol. 11. X X nations ^S^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XX, nations who fprang from Magog his fecond, Tu- bal his fifth, Mefhech his fixth fon, and Togar- mah his grandfon, by his oldeft fon Gomer. What particular nations thefe fhall be, at the end of the year of Chrifl 3000, is not fully agreed by learned men, who have turned their attention to this fubjecl. But the bell founded opinion is, that the Sythians are defcended from Magog. It is alfo faid, that the Mogul Tartars, a people of the Scythian race, are Hill called Ma^vghy the Arabi- an waiters, who beyond the writers of every other country have preferved ancient names and cuf- lloms. That they fnall be a northern nation Eze- kiel plainly declares in chap, xxxviii. 15. " And •* thou fiialt come from thy place out of the nortb " parts^ thou and many people v.dth thee.'' This he predids of Gog in the latter dajs, verfes 24, 15, 16. Hence, it is highly probable that Gog and Magog lignify the Mogul Tartars, and certain that they fignify thofe nations, be who they will, who fiiail in facl be the lineal defcen- danta of Magog, Tubal, Mefnech, andTogarmab, at the end of the millennium. Both Ezekiel and John, predicl that feme other nations, belides thefe northern ones, fball be ftir- red up by the devil to the fume war. In verfe 8. Johr^i fay^, " and he iliall go out to deceive the nations, who are in the four'quart&rs of the 6arth ; ydiypQif^i ^^ic word in the original, which is tranllu* ted Ver. 7, — 10. ON the revelation. 357 ted quarters, lignifies corners, that is remote and obfcure parts of the earth, and is with propriety oppofed to TTKarcr Tii^ y/'^. Thefe nations Ezekiel calls, chap, xxxviii, 5, " Feriia, Ethiopia, and Lybia.'* In great numbers as the fand of the fea, thefe nations fhall attack the Chriftians, efpe- cially thofe of them who fliall then be living in the land of Canaan and city of Jerufalem. But they fhall be fuddenly and totally deftroyed, moft probably partly by fire from the heavens, as a mark of the divine difpleafure fox their great wic- kednefs in re- kindling in the world thefe wars and contentions, which proceed from the lulls of men fet on fire from heil. At leafl fuch fliall be the manner of their complete overthrow, as to con- vince the whole world that they are dellroyed by God himfelf, whether mediately or immediately, and for ever to banifli war and bloodfhed from the face of the earth. This alfo is the lafl- effort, which the devil fliall make to deceive and diflurb the vv^orld. When they are conquered, he Ihall be remanded to hell, from whence he fhall never return. He and hh fervants, efpecially thofe who have been moft ac- tive under him in deceiving the w^orld, and oppof- ing the truth as it is in Jefus, fliall be. tormented day and night forever. From Ezekiel chap, xxxix, it is evident that this w^orld fhall not end immediately on the overthrow Xxa ' .of 35B A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. of Gog and Magog, and the fecond and final im- prifonment of Satan in hell. For in verfe 14, we are informed in what manner Ghriftians fhall be employed for feven months, and in verfe 9, how they fliall be employed for feven years, after the total defeat of Gog and Magog. For the remain- ing years of the world, truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and joy, fliall prevail without much interruption from wicked men or devils. When thefe years fhall end, it is not for us to fay, becaufe it is not revealed. " That day knoweth no man, not e- " ven the angels in heaven, but God only. The " fecret things belong to the Lord our God : but *' thofe things, which are revealed belong to us." Let us never difcover our folly by attempting to be wife above what is written. Verfes iith, — 15/Z7. And I faw a great v/hite throne, and him that fat on it, from whofe face the earth and the heaven fled a- way, and there vras found no place for them. And I faw the dead, fmall and great, (land before God ; and the books were opened : and another book was opened,' which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of thofe things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the fea gave up the dead which were in it ; and death Ver. II, 15. ON THE REVELATION. 359 death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them : and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were caft into the lake of fire : this is the fecond death. And whofoever was not found written in the book of life, was cart into the lake of fire. This hieroglyphic predids and defcribes the ge- neral and final judgement of the world, and the confequences of it. By the great white throne, and him that fat upon it, is reprefented the majef- ty, purity, and final nature of this judgement. A throne is the fymbol of fupreme dominion, rather than of judgement. But from the context, par- ticularly verfe 12, it is perfectly clear that this throne is the fymbol for judgement. This fymbol is ufed with peculiar propriety to iignify the final judgement. A judgement from the throne in any government is at once fupreme and final. There is no higher tribunal to which an appeal can be carried, and no perfon who can grant a pardon. The Judge of all the earth is the fupreme Sove- reign of the univerfe ; there is no higher tribunal than his to which the condemned linner can ap- peal. Neither is there any king to pardon the condemned criminal, becaufe God the Judge is King, and it is God only who can forgive fin. Ail the 360 A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. the fentences which (hall be pafled at that awful dayfhali be final. This throne is great. Great on account of the Judge, the great God o^heaven and of earth ; — of his attendants, myriads of glorious angels;— of the number and charaders of thofe who fhall be judged ; all the men who have lived in every age and country of the world, however diverfified in their iituations, ftations, advantages, and cha- raders, and on account of the fentences w^hich Ihall be paiTed of finals unfpeakabie, and eternal blifs or mifery. This great throne is white. White is the fym- bol for purity, as hath been uniformly fhewn in this book. The whole of this judgement fhall be conduded with the moft perfed purity and juf- tice. When God is the judge, we may be perfed- ly certain that this Ihall be the cafe. All the di- vine perfedions unite in affaring us, that he w^hofe natural, intelledual, and moral perfedions are all infinitely, immutably, and effentially perfed can- not pafs a wrong fentence either through error, intention, or compulfion. The Judge of all the earth mud ever do that which is right. Kven thofe perfons who fhall be condemned wdll be ob- liged to acknowledge the juftice of the fentence and the purity of the Judge. The juftice of the divine procedure at that awful day is very particu- larly defcribed in Rom. ii. 2. 1^6, That paffage the i:ead,eF Ver. II, 15. ON THE REVELATIOjr. ^it reader is defired to confult with attention. In it one particular is mentioned, which remarkably difplays the purity of this judgernent, even that God will judge the fecrets of men by or in the perfon of Jefus Chrifl:. This is more fully declar- ed in Ads xvii. 31. '* Becaufe he hath appointed " a day in the which he will judge the world ** in righteoufnefs by that man whom he Iiath or- " dained, whereof he hath given alTurance unto " all men, in that he hath raifed him from the *' dead." Thus God the Judge in the perfon of Chriil fits upon the throne, clothed in human nature, and tries men by a Judge, who in one fenfe is bone of their bone and flefh of their fiefh, and even calls them brethren. When this throne of judgement fhall be erected, this earth and the viiible heavens or folar fjitem of which it forms a part fhall be diflblved. Of this dilTolution the apoille Peter thus fpeaks; 2 Pet. iii. 7. " But the heavens and the earth " which are now, by the fame word are kept in " ilore, referved'Unto fire againft the day of judge- ** ment and perdition of ungodly men." And verfe 10th, " But the day of the Lord will come as *' a thief in the night; in the which the heavens " fiiall pafs away v/ith a great noife, and the e- *' lements fliall melt with fervent heat ; the " earth alfo and the works that are therein ihaii '' be burnt up," That ^6i A COMMENTARV Ch. XX. That fome time fhall interveen between the complete overthrow of Gog and Magog and the day of judgement, and that the precife length of time is known to God only, has been fhewn alrea- dy. As in the narrative the day of judgement follows clofe upon the final overthrow of Gog and Magog, it is thereby intimated that from that time to the day of judgement the reign of truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and joy, fhall not be great- ly interrupted in the world. All men of every country, age, rank, or charadter, fliall appear before that tribunal. The rich and the poor, the great- eft monarch and the meancft flave, the philofopher and the peafant, the infidel and the believer, the wifeman and the fool, the good and the bad, thofe who fhall then be alive on the earth, who Hiall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and thofe whofe bodies are in the grave, fhall ftand before God. " The books were opened." As written laws and written evidence are the beft fences of juf- tice, to exprefs the perfect juftice of this court it is>faid, the books were opened. Thefe are the books which contain the written laws, and the records in which the evidence of the fa6ls are inferted. The plain meaning of this fymbol is, that every perfon in whatever country or age he lived, fliall at laft be judged by thofe rules of faith and condudt with which he had been favoured. Thofe Ver. II, — 15. OH THE REVELATION. ^6^ Thfefe were to him as a written law. He fhall not be judged by advantages or rules of which he wac neceffarily ignorant, though other perfoni were favoured with them. Thefe were not written laws to him. In the pafTage cited in Rom. ii. three general fyllems of laws are mentioned, by which men fhall be tried at the final judgement. The firfl is the law of the Gentiles, the law written in the heart, which is commonly ililed the law of na- ture. The fecondis " the law," by which in fcrip- ture, in this and many other palTages, is meant the written law of Mofes. And' the third is " the gof- " pel," which is the difpenfation of revealed reli- gion publifhed to the world by Chrill and his a- pollles. Under one or other of thefe, all men; in every age and country of the world, have been placed. That fame impartial juftice, which will try every man by the law under which he lived, will certainly try him by the degree in which any of thefe laws were in fact promulgated to him, e- very circumftance of his conftitution, temper, and fituation being duly attended to. The fads^ al- fo, for which they Ihall be tried, iliall be Hated and proven as from written records. They fhall be brought forth from the perfed omnifcience of God. Every intention, word, and adion, which form the real charadler, are perfectly known to God, and fhall be brought forth to view as authen- VoL. II. Y y tic 3^4 A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. tic evidence for or againfl them, when they fhall ftand at his bar. They ihall be brought forth from the book of men's own confcience. Men ihall then recolledl thofe intentions, words, and adions, which had formed their character ; at lead they fhall all be perfedly fatisfied that they were, in fad, exactly fuch as they are ilated by the Judge. It is added, " And another book was opened, " which is the book of life." Beiides thefe two books, by which mankind, in general, Ihall be tried, there is a book of another kind, by which true Chriflians fhall be tried. This other book is the book of life. By the book of life, we are to underliand all thofe perfons, whom God knows to be alive as inrelligent, rational, moral, and re- ligious creatures, all who are fpirituaily alive in Chrift Jefus. At that day, God will approve of all fuch perfons, and admit them into the joys of hea- ven, not becaufe, when in this world, they al- ways ac^ed in perfedl conformity to thofe rules of conduct with which they were favoured ; not be« caufe their own confciences fhall not then recoi- led any failings or tranfgreffions ; but becaufe they have been made alive in Chrift Jefus, have heartily embraced that method of falvation, which the mercy of God hath offered to them through the mediation of Chrift, and have been made meet for the inheritance of the faints in light, by the Ver. II, — 15. ON TiiE revelation. 365 the fpiritual life begun, and gradually brought to perfe<^ion in them. ** There is no condemna- " tion to them Vv'ho are in Chrift Jefus, who walk " not after the flefh, but after the fpirit. To be ".carnally minded is death : but to be fpiritually " minded is life and peace." The phrafe, or ra- ther the fymbol, " the book of life," is ufed eight times in fcripture, and uniformly all thefe times, to iignify thofe perfons whom God knows to be fpiritually alive, viz. Philipp. iv. 3. Rev. iii. 5. xiii. 8. xvii. 8. XX. 12, 15. xxi, 27, and xxii. 19. So perfect is the divine ilandard of duty to man, and fo defedive is the obedience of the wifell and befl Chriftians in this world, that even they could not be juftified by that Ilandard at the bar of God. But the gofpel of Chrift is a merciful fyftem, wife- ly calculated for faving man, when by the per- verlion of his nature, he had difqualified himfelf for acting up to that perfect ftandard. As God hath promifed eternal hfe to all, whc give the gof-* pel of Chrift that reception which they ought, and regulate their faith, difpoutions and conduct by it, his truth and equity are engaged finally to fave fuch perfons. But all they, who are written in the book of life are fuch. In Pfalm. xcvi: 12, 13. xcviii. 8, 9. we find the fame difterence mark- ed between the manner in which God Ihall judge the world at large, and the people in particular, Y y 2 that ^66 A GOMMENTART Ch. X^^. that is, his Ifrael or fpiritual worfhippers, which is marked in the verfe under our view, *' let the "fields be joyful, and all that is therein : then ** fliall 'the trees of the wood rejoice before the *' Lord, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge '^ the earth : He fliall judge the world with righte- " oufnefs^ and the people with his truth. Let the *' floods clap their hands, let the hills be joyful " together, before the Lord ; for he cometh to *' judge the earth: with righteoufnefs fhall he judge *' the world and the people with equity. ^^ At that tribunal, all the dead, without one ex- ception, fnall be tried by one or other of thefe boolvs, according to their works. However un- willing fome men may be to come to this judge- ment, none fliall be able to abfent themfelves, and no barrier fliall detain them. Wherever their dead bodies fliall be depofited, though in the bot- tom of the depths of the fea, whether they fliall have been long in their graves, or fliall be newly dead and unburied, they fliall be raifed to life. For the fea and death fhall deliver up the dead, which are in them. *' And hell fliall deliver up " the dead, which are in itsT' *aS^c, the word here tranflated hell, fignifies the invilible flate of depart- ed fpirits., , It comprehends under it the flates of both: good :and bad feparate fpirits. Though, by death, the rfouls and bodies of men are feparated ; though their bodies are reduced to daft in their ' . graves^ Ver. II, — 15. oil THE REVELATION. 367 graves, or in the bottom of the fea ; and though: their fpirits are, in their feparate ftates, happy or. itiiferable according to their refpeclive characlers;i yet before the general judgement fhall commence,; their dead bodies fliall be raifed to life ; their fepa-i rate fpirits fhall be reunited to them, never more to be feparated ; and the Avhole man, confiding of foul and body, fliall Hand before the bar of God to receive his final fentence. To thofe who either deny the refurredlion of the dead, or put cavilling quelVions on that fub- jedl, I reply, in the words of Chrift to the Saddu- cees, Matth. xxii. 29. " Ye do err, not knowing ** the fcriptures, nor the power of God." For the fcriptures, not to mention many other pafTages both in- the Old and new Teftament, I refer them to I Cor. chap. >:v. where this fubjedt is fully treated. And as to the power of God, it is cer- tainly as eafy for omnipotence to raife the bodies of men from the duft, and to reunite their fouls to them, as it was at firfl: to make the body of man out of th(2 dud of the earth, to breath into him the breath of life, and make him a living foul. The refurreclion does not imply in it any na- tural impoiiibiiity ; it is therefore a work which comes within the fphere of divine power. It's poffibility is already proven by fatfl. The body of Chrift rofe from the dead. This fuel is as fully proven as any fad can be. But what hath once happened 36S A COMMENTARY Ch. XX. happened is not impoffible ; and, may happen a- gain. We need not trouble our heads about fix- ing the ellential itamina of every body, nor what it is by which the identity of the body, of the fpirit, and of the man made up of the union of both, fhall be afcertained. Thefe things are not revealed to us in fcripture ; they are not neceffary for us to know in our prefent ftate ; and they make no part of the fcriptural dodrine of the re- . furredion of the dead. But we may be certain, that thefe things are perfectly known to God ; and that he, who is omnifcient, fliall be at no lofs, at the general refurredtion, to afcertain erery body, every fpirit, and the relation in which they fland to each other. We may be certain, that, when the dead fhall arife, every perfon fliall be confci- ousofhis own identity. A wicked man-, when fuffering in a future ftate, fliall have no doubt that he is the identically fame perfon that finned in this world, and a faithful fervant of God, re- joicing in heaven, fnail have no doubt that he is the fame perfon who, on earth, adhered to the word of God, and to the teftimony of Jefus. Then all men, Chriftians as well as others, fhall be judged according to their works. Then it will be of no avail to a mere nominal Chrillian, that he hath been baptifed according to the inilitution of Jefus, that he hath pretended to believe all the doctrines of the gofpel, and that he hath paid an Ver. II, — Ii> ON THE REVELATION. 369 an exteroal regard to all its ordinances ; if his bap- tifm hajth not bound him cheerfully to obferve all things whatfoever Chrifl commanded his Apof- tles to teach us; if the name of Chriflian hath not been connected with the Chriftian character in him; if his faith hath not purified his heart, wrought by love, and produced in him the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs ; and, if his external regard to. the ordinances of religious worfhip hath not pro- ceeded from, and encreafed in him, real piety and devotion of foul to God. In Matth. vii. 21, — 23. Chrilt faith, " not every one that faith unto me, " Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the kingdom of hea- " ven : but, he that doeth the will of my Father " who is in heaven. Many iliall fay unto me in " that day, have we not prophecied in thy name ? " and in thy name call out devils ? and in thy " name done many v/onderful works ? And then •* I will profefs unto them, I never knew : you " depart from me, ye that work iniquity.'* To be cad unto the lake of fire, or in plain terms to be call into hell, is fliled the fecond death. Chrift reprefents the torments of hell by the fcorching of fire, Matth. xxv. 41. and Mark, ix. 44. Thefe torments are (liled the fecond death; becaufe they are preceded, in every perfon, by the firfl death both temporal and fpiritudl ; and, be- caufe hell is the ilate of greateft degradation and mifery to thofe beings who are configned to fuch 3 mifery. 370 A COMMENTARY Ch. XSi mifeiy. As hell is the lafl ftate to which wicked men fhall be conligned, and as revelation gives us no information of any change that fhall take place in them, after they fhall enter into that flate, when death and hell {dln^), that is, the fe- parate ftate, are faid to be call into the lake of iire ; this fymbol fignifies that death and the fe- parate flate fhall never more be heard of after that time. Then no man's foul and body fhall any more be dilTolved by natural death, nor fhall his fpirit any more exift in a feparate flate. Death Ihall be fvvallowed up in vidlory. The immortahty of the bleffed will crown their bhfs, and the immortali- ty of the miferable; will complete their wretched- nefs. All who fhall not be then fpiritually alive, all whofe natures fhall not be renewed, being to- tally unfit for heaven, fhall be cad unto hell. CHAP. Ver. I. ON THE REVELATION. 37 1 CHAP. XXI. VISION XIV. Verje \jl. A ND I faw a new heaven, and a new earth : for the firft hea- ven and the iirll earth were pafTed away ; and there v/as no more fea. This chapter and the firil five verfes of the fol- lowing one, are confidered, by mofi: of the com- mentators, as a defcription of the glory and hap- pinefs of the heavenly ftate, in a futuve world. But, if we examine this pafTage with candour and attention, we fhall find in it the mofi fatisfadory internal evidence, that it is not a defcription of the heavenly fiate. Very many of the principal fea- tures of this hieroglyphic cannot pofilbly fuit the heavenly fiate. That fiate cannot, with propriety, be called a new heaven. We have no reafon to fuppofe that any other local heaven, than the pre- fent one, fi:iall be made for the reception of the Vol. II. Z z faints. 372 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXL faints. Much lefs can it be fliled a new earth, ^Eartb never can be a defcription of heaven. Thefe two words, whether ufed fymbolically or literally, always fignify two diiferent places or ilates. There is not a iingle indance, in any writing divine or human, of their lignifying the fame place or ilate. And what relation can fea have to the heavenly world ? The new Jerufalem inflead of aicending unto heaven, is faid to be coming down from God out of heaven. It is faid, *' the tabernacle of God *' is with men, and he will dwell with them ;'* as it is in the original, tabernacle with them for a ihort time. This is a plain proof- that the heavenly Hate is not intended by this hieroglyphic. In the heavenly flate, the taber/tacie of God is not with men, but the temple in which men worlhip is with God ; and God does not dwell with them for a fhort time, but they dwell with him for ever. It is faid, that " the kings of the earth do bring their glory *' and honour unto the new Jerufalem, and they " fhall bring the glory and honour of the nations " unto it." If this referred to the heavenly ftate, how could the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour and thofe of the nations unto it ? As the earth fhall be dilTolved with fervent heat, at the time of the final judgement, there will be neither earth, nor nations, nor kings upon it, to bring their glory into heaven after that period. It is alfo faid that the leaves of the tree of life, are for the Ver. I. ON THE REVELATION. 373 the healing of the nations. This lynibDl cannot apply to the heavenly ftate; both becaufe there would then be no nations to be healed; becaufe there will then be no earth in exiilence; and if by nations were meant the inhabitants of heaven, they would need no healing, becaufe they are per-^ feet in vigour of body and mind. It is impoflible to reconcile thefe fymbols with a defcription of the heavenly ftate ; and yet thefe are all leading features in the pidure, which is drawn in this and the following chapter. But that they coniain a beautiful hieroglyphic of the glorious and happy ftate of the church of Chrift, and of the world, during the millennium, is evident from the following reafons. ift, As hath been fhewn, the defcription cannot agree to the heavenly ftate. 2d, As ftiall appear in the commentary upon it, every part of it exactly agrees to the millennian ftate of the church, and of the world. 3d, It ex- adlly correfponds to the various prophetic defcrip- tions of the millennium given by ifdah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Micah, and is frequently ex- prefted in their very words, as fhall be ftiewn in the commentary upon it. And 4th, bee tufe, conft- dered in this point of view, this defcription of the millennium corrvrfponds to the form of this book in its other predidlions. The invariable for.Ti of writing, which runs through the whole of this buok, is firft to give a 2. z :j ibort 374 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI. fliort and general view of the particular event w^hich is predidled, and afterwards to give a full defcription or illuitration of it. And, moft com- monly, a (hort account of fome other event, which is not the principal object of the prophecy, but fome way connected with it, is thrown in between the firfl fhort view, and the fecond full defcription of the chief obje£l of the prophecy. Thus, the prediction of the beaft with the feven heads and the ten horns, in chap. xiii. is fully illuilrated and explained in chap. xvii. The general account of the fall of Babylon in chap. xiv. is enlarged and illuftrated in chap, xviii. And the fhort account of the feven vials in chap. xv. i. 6, 7. is fully il- luilrated in chap. xvi. In every one of thefe pre- dictions, certain other predictions are thrown in be- tween the iirft general view and the fubfequent full defcription, as the reader may fee by turning to thefe paiTages. In like manner, the fliort ge- . neral account given of the millennium in chap. xx. I, — 6. is fully illuilrated in chap. xxi. and chap, xxii. I, — 6. As in all the other inftances, fo in this, a fliort account of iome other events is thrown in between the general account and the full de- fciiption. Thefe events are the battle of Gog and Magog againlt the faints, the refurrection of the dead, the general and final judgement, and the final doom of mankind. In point of time, thefe follow, in courfe, upon'^the millennium. And John Ver. I. ON THE REVELATION. 375 John gives a defcription of each of thefe events llridly correfpondent to the general ftrain of fcrip- ture on thefe fubjeds. Then, at chap. xxi. here- fumes the fubjecl of the millennium, and illuftrates it fully. We have no reafon to expe6l a more particular and full defcription of the heavenly ilate, in this book, than thofe defcriptions of it which are fre- quent in the other parts of fcripture. However general thefe are, moil probably they are as parti- cular as the prefent flate of our faculties can admit; A defcription, which cannot be underflood by us, in the prefent Itate of cur faculties, is to us no de- fcription at all. But the heavenly ftate is fo pure, fpiritual, and perfedl, that, moft probably, human language could not furnifh words for a plain and particular defcription of it, and human inteilecl, in its prefent ilate, could not underfland fuch a defcription. Such words would be like thofe which Paul heard in Paradife, " unfpeakable, and " which it is not lawful for a man to utter." But, on the other hand, w^e have great reafon to expeifl a full defcription of the millennium, in this book. Is it ever to be fuppofed, that the fpirit of God would favour men with a full defcription of the Papal hierarchy, of the fall of fpiritual Babylon, of the plagues which fhould be brought upon Rome, and of the perfecuted Ilate of the Chrillian church ; and yet give theiu only a Ihort hint of the millennian 37^ -*- COMMENTARY Ch. XXL xnillennian ftate of the church and of the world ia the firfc fix verf^s of chap. 20. Is it ever to be fup- pofed, that this mofl glorious and happy Hate of the church and of the world, the fabbatical mil- lennary, fhall not be as fully defcribed, at lead, as any of thefe other events ? This is the great and glorious asra, to which all thefe events lead. Shall they be fully defcribed, and ihall it be dif- KiiiTed with a fhort hint? As we fhall proceed, it will appear that (Irikiiig intimations of this glorious asra run through the whole of the Old and New Teflament fcriptures, and are clofely interwoven with the language offcripture. Is it not, there- fore, highly reafonable to expect a full defcription of it before the canon offcripture fhould be clo- fed ? Fiaving premifed thefe necelTary obfervations let us now proceed to conlider the defcription it- felf At this period John faw " a new heaven and a •* new earth." It was early fhewn, that heaven is the fymbol for the church of Chriil, and the earth that for the kingdoms of the earth, particularly for the Roman empire. By the n^w heaven it is predided that, at the commencement of the mil- lennium, the church of Chrift fhall alTume a new appearance ; and, by the new earth, that the civil kingdoms of the world fhall alfo affume a new ap- pearance at that time, He ajUigns two reafons for this change. The firfl Ver. I. OK THE REVELATION. 377 is, that the " firft heaven and the firfl earth were *' pafTed av»/ay/* The perfecuted wildernefs Hate of the church (hall then be at an end. The Chri^ ftian church which formerly confided of fcattered individuals, in this or that external church, fliall then be no more. And the Roman empire, in the fall of its feventh arid ;laft head, (hall be totally dilTolved, and the few kingdoms of the world, who fhali adhere to it to the lall, fliail be buried in its ruins- * And fecond, " That there was no more fea." Sea is the fymbol for a troubled, diflblved, fiuduating and tumultuous Hate of civil fociety. During the millennium, there iliall be none of that fluctuating and tumultuous ilate of civil fociety, in which re- volutions are generated ; which at once proceed from, and are accomplifhed by, the diforder of both church and flate. On what account the church of Chrifl and the kingdoms of the world fhall then be denominated new, may be feen from the following pafuiges of fcripture : Ifa. Ixv, 17,-25. (the reader isdellred to confult that palTage). 2 Pet. iii. 13, " Never- ** thelefs we, according to his promife, look for a *' new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth ** righteoufnefs/' Rom. xiv. 17. " For the " kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but ** righteoufnefs and peace, and joy in the holy ** Ghoit;'' and Matth. vi. ic. " Thy kingdom come, " thy 37^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI. *' thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ;" and alfo from comparing the defcription of the wil- dernefs flate of the church in chapters xi. and xii. with that of her triumphant flate in this chapter, and the account gk'-en of the kings of the earth in chap. xiii. 5, — 7. with that given of them, in this chap, verfes 24th, 26th. Ail thefe paiTages have a plain reference to one another, and to the words now under our view. From them, it is evident thfet the church of Chriil Ihall then be juftly called tz^ic; on the following ac- counts. Becaufe it Qiali be flriclly modelled, in doclrine, worfhip, obedience, and difcipline, on the word of God corltained in the facred fcriptures. — It fnall no longer be confined to narrow bounds; but fhall extend over the greateft part of the world. — There fhall no longer be any oppofi- tion between Jew and Chriilian ; but both fhall be united in one church, believing in Mofes as the fer- vant, and in Chriil as the Son of God. — It fhall no longer confift of pure individuals fcattered among corrupt churches of various denominations ; but of one univerfal pure church. — It fliall no longer be perfecuted ; but fhall enjoy uninterrupted peace, profperity, and triumph. — The kingdom of Chrifl, which is not meats and drinks, but righteoufnefs, peace, and joy, fhall then come; and therefore the will of God fhall be done on earth, as it is in hea- ven : Nothing but righteoufnefs and joy fliall dwell I • m Ver. I. ON THE REVELATiot^, 379 in the Chriflian church. And efpecially becaufej in the full extent of the prediclion of Jeremiahj chap. xxxi. 31, — 34. " the days fliall be come, *' when the Lord will make a new covenant with " the houfe of Ifrael, and with the houfe of Judah, " — when he will put his law in their inward parts " and write it in their hearts, and will be their " God, and they fhall be his people, — and they " fhall all know him from the leaft of them unto *' the greateft of them." It is thus that all the members of the new hea- ven, fhall be new creatures. And the civil king- doms of this world fhall be filled new^ becaufe, though civil governments and governors fhall be continued for the right regulation of men as focial creatures, yet both the fubjecls and fovereigns ihall be fo much regulated by that religion, which is truth, righteoufnefs, peace, and joy, that righte- oufnefs and peace only fliall dwell in thefe king- doms ; — a facred regard fliall be paid by every one to the rights of every one ; — private contentions, and public wars fhall, therefore, ceafe to the ends of the earth, and univerfal peace fhall prevail for a thoufand years ; — kings, inftead of perfecuting the church of Chrift, fliall be nurfing fathers, and queens fhall be nurfing mothers unto her, and the kings of the earth fhall bring their glory and ho- nour unto the church of Chrift. 3 A Verfe 380 A GOMMZNTARY Ch. XXI. Verfe 2d, — And I John faw the holy city, new Jerufalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her hufband. Antient Jerufalem was called the holy city, be- caufe the temple confecrated to the worfliip of God was built in it, and the tribes of Ifrael went up to^ worfhip God in that city, at all the three great annual fealls. . Hence, as a fymbol, it fig- nifies the church of Chrift, efpecially when the epithet new is prefixed to it. By comparing the fymbol for the church of Chrift in its perfecuted flate, under Papal Rome, for 1243 years, as it is drawn in chap. xi. i, 2. with the fymbol ufed in this place, it will be per- fectly clear that " new Jerufalem, the holy city,'^ is the fymbol for the triumphant millennian ftate of the Ghrlftian church, which fliall commence immediately upon, the final overthrow of Papal Rome. In cha^.xi. 1^2, it is faid, " And there was gi- ^' ven me a reed like unto a rod : and the angel " flood, faying, Rife and meafure the temple of God, " and the altar, and them that worfaip therein. '* But the court which is without the temple leave " out, and meafure it not : for it is given unto the *' G€?itiks, and the holy city ihall they tread under '' foot Ver. 2. ON THE P.EVELATION. 38 1 "'foot fof'ty and two months.^'' During thefe 42 months or 1243 years, the church of Chrift was to be very narrow, hke the temple and the altar : but the outer court and the holy city of Jerufalem were to be trampled under foot of Papal R not ** one to another, feeing that ye have put off the ** old man with his deeds, and have put on the new " man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the " image of him that created him." Eph. iv. 24, 25. " And that ye put on the new man, which " after God is created in righteoufnefs and true " hohnefs. Wherefore putting away lyings fpeak " every Vcr..^,— 8. ON THE REVELATION. ^ 409 " ev^ry man truth with his neighbour ; for ye are " members one of another." John viii. 44. ** Ye " are of your father the devil, and the lufts of your " father ye will do ; he was a murderer from the " beginning, and abode not in the truth, becaufe ** there is no truth in him. When he fpeaketh a " lie, he fpeaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and " the father of it." It is therefore no wonder that this black catalogue of linners is clofed with liars, and that all liars are doomed to the lake which " burneth with lire and brimilone." Let.it be here obferved that it is not every de- gree of all or any of thefe lins for which men will be conligned to hell. For feme degree of fin cleaves to the wifefl and beft of men in this worlds ** If we fay we have no fin, we deceive ourfelves, " and the truth is not in us. No man liveth and " finneth not." But it is only when thefe fins or a- ny of them fo much predominate in men as to form their general charader. It is not when men flrive againfl thefe fms, but it is when they become the flaves of them. Under thefe eight clalfes may be comprehended all the finners on the earth which Ihall be configned to hell. Every man whofe real charader hath come under feme of thefe clalfes for fome part of his life Ihall not be doomed to hell y butthofe only who live and dieimpenitently, if any of thefe characters belong to them,* i Cor. vi. 9» 10,11. 410 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXL Verfes ^th. — 21/?. — And there came unto me one of the feven angels which had the fe- ven vials full of the feven lafl plagues, and talked with me, faying. Come hither, I will fliew thee the bride the Lamb's wife. And he cajjrled me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and Ihewed me that great city theholy Jerufalem defcend- ing out of heaven from God, having the glo- ry of God, and her light was like unto a ftone, moft precious, even like a jafper-ftone clear as cry ftal ; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates tw^elve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Ifrael. On the eaft three gates, on the north three gates, on thefouth three gates, and on the weft three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve founda- tions, and in them the names of the twelve apoftles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to meafure the oi- ty, and the gates thereof, and the wall there- of. And the city lieth four fquare, and the length i^ as large as the breadth : and he mcafured the city, twelve thoufand fur- longs ; Ver. 9, — 21. ON THE revelation: 411 longs : the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. And he meafured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the meafure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jafper : and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glafs. And the foundations of the wall of the city were gar- nifhed with all manner of precious ftones. The firft foundation was jafper, the fecond fapphire, the third a chalcedony, the fourth an emerald, the fifth fardonyx, the fixth far- dius, the feventh chryfolite, the eighth be- ryl, the ninth a topaz, the tenth a chryfo- phrafus, the eleventh a jacinft, the twelfth an amethyft. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; every feveral gate was of one pearl ; and the ftreet of the city was pure gold, as it were tranfparent glafs. Agreeably to the idiom of prophetic writing, and to the particular conftrudlion of this book, an an- gel is introduced to give a full and diftincEt view cf the new Jerufalem or millennium (late of the Chriilian church, Vv^hich had been predicled in the XX. chapter, and in the preceding part of this one, after the Papal hierarchy had. been predidled in chap.xiii. In chap. xvii. i. anang^lis introduced Vol. II. 3 £ in 412 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI. in a manner exaLtly iimilarto that of the angel in this pailage, to preient a flriking pidareof the Pa- pal hierarchy and an exphcation of it, which he did in tlie whole xvii. chapter. In chap. xvii. i. the angel laid to John, *' Conie hither;" and in this palTage the angel alfo fays to John, '• Come hither." By thefe iimilar expreffions it is intimated, that each of thefe vifionsis limited to a particular fcene, even to that on which the argel flood at the time when he gave each of thefe invitations, " Come hi- *' ther.^' In the former iiillance it V;'as the wil- derneis ilate of the church, even the period from the year of Ghriil 736 to the end of the year 1999. Verfe 3d, *'So he carried me away in the Spirit *' unto the ^lldernejsr In this inftance it is a great and high mountain, Verfe Joth, "And he " carried me away in the Spirit unto a great and *' high ir»juntaia." But what particular fcene or Hate of the church and of the world is reprefented by this great and high mountain ? This is the iymbol for the millennian. period of the church and of the world. .It was formerly fhevvn, that, in the fymbolical language, a mountain fignifies dominion or king- dom ; becaufe dominion or powder elevates thofe who are veiled with it above the reft of men, juft as mountains are elevated above the furrounding plains.. Hence the proper fvmbol for that period of the Chriftian.church^.when the kingdom of God fhall come on earth, when the kingdom (hall be giAxn Ver. 9, — 21. ON the -revelation. 413 given to the faints of the ivlofl High, and when they fliall be made kings and priefts unto God, and fhall reign with Chrifi a thoufand years, is a great mountain, becaufe that kingdom of God fhall then extend over the v/hole earth ; and a high mountain, becaufe it fhall then overtop every o- ther kingdom on earth. By this fymbol the mil- lennian period is uniformly Ycprefented by the an- tient prophets. Thus Daniel ii. 31,-— ^5. 1 fliall tranfcribe only verfes 34,35, 44, 45. but the rea- der is dcfired to read the whole pa flage. *'Thoii *' fa well till that a Jlone was cut out without *' hands, which fmote the image upon his feet that " vvere of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces; *' then was the iron, the clay, thebrafs, the filver, ** and the gold broken to pieces together, and be- ** came like the chafFof the fummer threlliing-fioors, " and the wind carried them away that no place ** was found for them : and the (lone that fmote " the image became a great mountain, and filled " the whole earth. And in the days of thefe *' kings fliallthe God of heaven fet up a kingdom '* which fliall never be dellroyed : and the king- '* dom fhall not be left to other people, but it Ihall " break in pieces and confame all thefe kingdoms, '* and it fhall (land for ever. Forafmuch as thou ** fawell that the flone was cut out of the moun- " tain without hands, and that it brake in pieces " the iron, the brafs, the clay, the filver, and the "^old: the great God hath made known to the 3 E 2 *' king 414 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI. *' king what iliall come to pafs hereafter : and the " dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof *' fure." In this pafTage Daniel predids the rife and fall ^)f the four great kingdoms, the Babylonian, the Ferftan, the Grecian, and Roman. And he alfo predids the different appearances of the kingdom of God in theworld in different periods. So long as any of thefe four kingdoms fhould continue, it is reprefented by xht Jlone cut out without hands: but whenever the kd of them fliould be totally andfinally deflroyed, that fame (tone fnould become a great mountain, and fhall fill the whole earth. Hence it is perfectly clear, that the period in which the church of Chrift is reprefented by a great mountain is that v/hich fhall commence up- on the final overthrow of Rome under its laft head, the Papal, which is the lafl of thefe four kingdoms. But, as w^as formerly Ihewn, the mil- lennial! period is to commence at that time, and on the very back of that event. Ifaiah predicting the millennian period ufes the fame fymbol, chap. ii. 2, — 4. ** And it fliall come *' to pafs in the lajl days that the mountain of the " Lord's houfe fhall be eflabhihed in the top of •' the mountains, and fhall be exalted above the " hills ; and all nations fhall flow unto it. And ** many people fhall go and fay, Come ye, and let *' us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the " houfe Ver. 9, — 2 1. ON the revelation. 415 '* houfe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us ** of his ways, and we will walk in his paths ; for " out of Zion Ihall go forth the law, and the word *' of the Lord ^^^vajenifalevi. And he fhall judge " among the nations, and fliall rebuke many peo- " pie ; and they fhall beat their fwords into plough ** Ihares, and their fpears into pruning hooks : na- " tion fhall not lift up fword againfl: nation, nei- •* ther fliall they learn war anymore.*' All the particulars of this palTage unite in marking the period of the viountain of God's houfe as that of the millennium. This prediclion refpeded the laji days. This fymbol, *'the lall days," always fxgnifies the period of the gofpel, as diflinguiflied from that of the Mofdic difpenfa- tion. This mountain of the Lord's houfe fhall be euablifhed on the top of the mountains, and ex- alted above the hills, and ail nations fnall fiow un- to it : and there fhall be no more war. But that period when the kingdom of God fliall be fupreme in the world, when all nations fliall flow unto it, and univerfal peace (hall prevail on the earth, is the millennium. Micah predicting the fame pe- riod ufes the fame fymbol, and the very fame de- fcrrption, without almoft a lingle word of varia- tion, chap. iv. I, — 3. This palfige the reader is defired to examine, and particularly to notice that Micah, like Ifaiah, exprefsly limits the period to which it refers to " the laJl days^ And Ezekiel when 4i6 A COMMENTARY Chap. XXI. when beginning his long and minute predidions of the millennian flate, under the hieroglyphics of the temple, of the city of Jerufalem, an^ of the holy land, which fills up the whole lail nine chap- ters of his prophecies ; in chap. xl. 2. fixes upon the fame " very high mountain^' as the fcene of his vifion : " In the vifions of God brought he me *' into the land of Ifrael, and fet me upon a very ** high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city " on the fouth :" and in ch. xlviii. 35. " The name " of the city from that day fiiall be the Lord is " there." The whole of thefe nine chapters is a defcription of the millennian flate, with a particu- lar referenc^i^p what (liall be the fituation of the tribes of Ifrael at that period. By the name which h-e gives to the city that he defcribes, and with which he clofes the defcription, " The Lord *' is there," he fhews that his defcription of Jerufa- lem, and that of the new Jerufalem by John in this chapter, both predict the fame period of the Chrif- *' tian church." Of the new Jerufalem John fays, *' The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will " dwell with them, and they fliall be his people, *' and God himfelf fhall be with them, and be their " God." Of the city of which thefe things are faid, may it not with the utmoft propriety be faid *' The Lord is there." I have been the more particular in fixing the< import of the high mountain as the fcene of the vifion, Ver. 9> — 21. ON the revelation. 417 viiion, becaufe the right knowledge of the fcene of vifion is the bed key for opening up the time or period to which the viiion refers. Thus in chap, X. 2. xiii. I. xvii. 3. and xxi. 10. the particular fcene of vifion, in all thefe pafTages, clearly pointed out the particular time to which each of thefe vi- lions referred. John was not carried away bodily to a high mountain. He was carried away *' in '* the Spirit." This is the ordinary fcriptural phrafe for being under the immediate influence of divine infpiration. Not to mention many other paflages of fcripture, where this phrafe is ufed to lignify that a perfon is under the immediate in- fluence of divine infpiration, it k thus ufed in this book, chap. i. 10. iv. 2. xvii. 3. and in this paf- fage. By divine infpiration upon his mind, the fame imprefliions were made^ and the fame ideas were raifed in him, that would have been had he been adlually carried away to and placed upon the top of a great and high mountain. Upon that mountain the angel was to fhew John the bride the Lamb's wife. By the bride the Lamb's wife is meant the new Jerufalem : for ver. 2d, it is faid, " I John faw the holy city new Je- ** rufalem coming down from God out of heaven, " prepared as a bride adorned for her hulband.'* And in verfe loth, after the angel had told John that he would fliew him the bride the Lamb's wife, John fays, •* And he fliewed me that great " city 41 8 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI. *' city, the holy Jerufalem, defcending out of hea- •' ven from God." The reader is deiired to read the Vi^hole Ixii. chapter of Ifaiah, in which the pror phet prediding the millenniari period fays, that Je- rufalem ihall be called by a new name, viz. the new Jerufalem ; and Beuiah, or married : " For " the Lord dehghteth in her, and he,r]and Ihall be " married. And fhe fhall be called Sought out, ** A City not forfaken." In the fymbolical language, the nevv^ Jerufalem and the bi'ide the Lamb's wife both iignify the fame period and flate of the church, even the mil- lennian flate. The former is as it were the proper name of it, and the latter the defignation of that relation in which it Hands to Chrifl. John mufl be carried up to the great and high mountain, be- fore he could obtain a full view of the new Jeru- falem as the bride the Lamb's wife ; to fignify that the flate of the church, reprefented by thefe two fynonymous fymbols, fhall not in fact appear in the worid, until the time come when the kingdom of God iliall be no longer " the flone cut out without " hands," but " the great and high mountain *' which fills the w^iole earth." From this high mountain John in vifion faw the holy city, the new Jerufalem; and by this hieroglyphic defcribes the purity, triumph, and glory, of the church of Chriil during the millennian or mountain period of it. The unequalled grandeur and magnifi^ cence Ver. 9, — 21. ON the revelation. 419 cence of this city in general reprefents the une- qualled grandeur and triumph of the church or Chrift during that period. The beauty of this grand hieroglyphic Vv^ill appear more flriking ^^ an examination offome of its principal parts. *' The new Jerufalem defcends out of heaven " from God." The defcription of the city, for the wonderful aflemblage of iimplicity and of gran- deur, baffles all human architedure. Then the church of Chrifl will not be modelled on the plan of this or that church or fedt. Chrillians will not be bigots to the church of Rome, to the Lutheran church, to the church of England, to the church of Scotland, or to any other church. They fliall not fay, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Ce- phas; for they fhall all be of Chrift. And the Ghriftian church fhall in every refpedl correfpond to the model of it which is contained in the infpir- ed fcriptures of the New Teftament. " This city lliall have the glory of God in it." It fliall illuftriouily difplay the glory of God. To Ihew forth the glory of God fliall be the chief aim and the happy attainment of every individual Chriftian, and of the church as a colledlive body. ".Whether they eat, or drink, or whatfoever they " do, they fhall do all to the glory of God." Her light, the fymbol of purity and knowledge, fhall be like the bright and uniform Iiiftre of a preqious flone. Her purity and knowledge fhall be at ' Vol. II. 3 F once 420 A COMMLNTARY Ch. XXI. once very great, and very uniform and permanent. They fhall not^bb and flow. They fhall not change like the hghtofday unto the twihght and gloom of night. ** It had a great and high wall ;" fo great as to encircle every part of the church, though it fhall then extend o^*er almofl the whole earth, and fo high that no enemy Oiall be able to fcale it. This great and high wall is that peculiar care with which divine providence fhall then proted the church of Chrift. Such is the account which Ze- chariah gives of this wall, when he predicfls both it and the glory of God which fhall be in the new Jerufalem, chap. ii. J, — 5. The reader is defired to look into this pafTage. I fhall tranfcribe only verfe 5th. *' For I, faith the Lord, will be unto her •* a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory " in themidfl of her.'* " The city had twelve gates, at the gates twelve " angels, and names written thereon, which arc ^* the names of the twelve tribes of the children of " Ifrael. On the eaft three gates ; on the north ** three gates ; on the fouth three gates ; and on *' the wefl three gates " By gates to every quar- ter of the earth, it is fignified that the church of Chrifh fhall then become univerfal, and that men fhall flock unto it from every quarter of the globe. Ths Ver. 9, 21. ON THE REVELATION. 42 i The gates are named after the twelve tribes of Ifrael, to fignify that the Mofaic difpenfation is in. troductory to, and as it were the gate unto the Chriflian difpenfation. Then the Jews rightly underftanding and believing Mofes, fhall beheve in Jefu: of whom Mofes wrote. When the Jews fhall enter the Ghriilian church in a body, the Gentiles fhall be led by their converfion to flock unto it from all quarters; fo that in this refpedt the twelve tribes of Ifrael fhall be the gates into the church of Chrilt to thofe who fhall come from the eaft, from the north, from the fouth, and from the weft. The prefervation of the Jews diftind from every o- ther people, though fcattered fo widely and for fo long a time, and their univerfal converfion to the Chriftian faith, and reftoration to their own land, all in the raoft exad correfpondence with the an- tient prophecies concerning them, will appear fo miraculous, that infidelity itfelf fhall be obliged to yield to fuch overpowering evidence of tht?" truth of Chriftianity, and the fullnefs of the Gen- tiles fhall then come into the Chriftian church, Rom.xi. I i, — 2^. That the Jews fhall be converted to the Chrif- tian faith in a body, fliall be coilecled from all parts of the world whither they are fcattered, arid ihail be put iq pofTeffion of the land of Canaan, are clearly and frequently predicted by the pro- phets of Cod. And the whole train of divine pro- 3 F 2 vide nee. 422 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXI, vidence to that people, evidently appears prepara- tory to their converfion and to their return to their own land at the predicted time. Many paf- fages of fcripture contain general and dark hints, relative to the return of the Jews to their own land, and to their converlion in a body to the Chriftian faith : but in the following thefe two great events are predicted in a full, clear, particu- lar, and llriking manner. Nothing but prejudice or inattention can put another meaning upon Deut. xxxii. 43. Ezekiel xi. 4, — 20, 36, 37. and xxxix. 23, — 29. if any thing were neceflary to (render it more probable that fuch is the meaning of thefe predidions, and that thefe events fhali take place in due time, the following fads i^ight be dated. The original promife and grant of that land to Abraham and his feed for an everlajiing pojftfjfion by God himfelf : — The long difperfion of the Jews through all the countries of the world, in terms of the predictions of thofe very palTages in which alfo their return is foretold ; — ^the molt un- common care and accuracy with which they Itill preferve the genealogies of their tribes; — that they have no civil eftablifhment in any country; and that notwithitanding the very great riches of many of them in money, they do not purchafe land ; by which uncommon peculiarities of their lituation^ they have no attachments in any country to make them unwiUing to return to the land of Canaan : 3 — Their Ver. 9, 2l« ON THE REVELATION. 423 — Their flrong attachment to that land, and their ardent hope of being reflored to it, which length of time neither weakens nor cools; — and that the Turks, the prefent inhabitants of that coun- try, who obtained polTeffion of it by violence, lliall be moilly deftroyed in that great war in the end of the year 1999, in v/hich they and Papal Rome fhallmutually deilroy each other, fo that the land of Canaan ihall be left almotl without inhabitants in the beginning of the year 2000, ready for the return of the Jews to the land v/hich God gave un- to Jacob his fervant, wherein their fathers dv/elt. In this converiion of the Jews in a body, and in their return to their own land to a fl:ate of much greater profperity than their fathers ever enjoyed, the two great external proofs of Ghriilianity, pro- phecy and miracle, fliall unite in fo wonderful and powerful a manner that their evidence iliall be ir- reliilable. Their return to their own land,. and their converiion to Ghriilianity, will fully explain and confirm prophecy ; and the' v^'hole of thefe .e- vents Hiall appear fo miraculous, that no man will be able to deny that it is a work of God. In thefe events the finger of God will be evident. And thus the Ifraelites in entering into the church of Chrift, fhall fet open its gates on every fide for the fullnefs of the Gentiles to flock unto it from every quarter. At 424 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXL At thefe twelve gates there are twelve angels as porters, to admit every proper perfon, and to re-* fufe admiffion to every improper one. By this fy mbol it is predided, that the difpenfations of di- virje providence and grace fliall fo be ordered, ason the one hand to condudl an innumerable multitude into the Chriftian church, and on the otherhand to prevent the admiffion of any who are not true Chrif- tians, Ifraelites indeed in whom there is no guile. The names of the twelve apofties of the Lamb are infcribed upon the foundations of the wall of the city. Therefore it is not the old Jerufalem which was founded before the days of the apoilles of Chrift. It is not the Jewilh church. But it is the new Jerufalem, the Chriftian church in its triumphant Itate, modelled in every refped up- on the writings of the apofties of Chrift. The nieafure of the city is twelve tl^oufand fur- longs. That this meafurement cannot apply to a-^ ny real city, and does not fignify any extent of fpace, is evident from the great length of it, even 150 Englilh miles ; and from this circumftance, that '' the length, the breadth, and the height of ■* the city are eq^ual.'* Though vaftly exceeding any city in the world, one may be fuppofed to be 150 miles long and broad ; but to fuppofe a city 150 miles high is to exceed all proportion and all probability. But the 1 2000 is a number made up of loco the number of the years of the millennium multiplied Ver. 9j*^2i. on the revelation. 425 multiplied by 12 the number of the apoftles; by the multiplication of which numbers a fymbol is formed, which reprefents the church of Chrift in its apoftolical purity and iimplicity, and at the fame time in its millennian glory for the fpace of a thoufand years. The wall is 144 cubits. By the multiphcation of 12, thenumberof the patriarchs, the reprefenta- tives of the Jewifh church, into 1 2, the number of the apoflles of Ghrid, the reprefentatives of the Chriftian church ; the number 144 is produced, as a fymbol both of the union and of the great in- creafe or multiphcation of the Jewiih and Chriliian church. When this fymbolical number of 144 is applied to the meafurement of the wall of the city, the plain meaning of it is, that as the wall furrounds the city, both Jews and Gentiles fliall be included within th-^ new^ Jerufalem, both (hall be greatly increafed, and they Ihall all be faithful fervants of God like the 1 44000 fealed ones, chap. vii. 4. All the materials of which this city is built are of the mod valuable kinds :^ — all manner of pre- cious Hones, pure gold, and pearls. Thefe three are the material fubftances on which men put the highefl value. Thefe have all received their chief value from the creating hand of God. In many o- ther fubflances on which the artifl exerts his ikill and induftry, the workmanihip exceeds the value of ^2& A COMMENTARY Cll. XXL of the materials. But whatever (kill is exerted on any of thefe three kinds of materials, they alv/ay? exceed the value of the work. By thefe, as the ma- terials of which the city ig conftruded, it is fymbo- lically faid, that all the materials of which the Chriftian church fhall then be compofed Ihall be intrinlicaily and fuperlatively valuable as the works of God, independent of the refinements of men. Verfe 22d^ — And I faw no temple therein : for the Lord God Ahnighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. As it was in the temple that the Jewifh w^orfhip was performed, no temple being in the new Jeru-- falem fignifies, that though the Jews fhall then be admitted into the Chriilian church, the worfhip lliall be Chriftian and not Jewifh. As the tem- ple is the fymbol for external ordinances and cere- monies of worfhip, the want of it fignifies, that the external ordinances of religious worfhip in the millennian ftate fliall be very few and fimple. They fhall llridly accord to the gofpel of Chrill in its fcriptural purity and fimplicity. *' For the '* Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the " temple of it." Then the one God fhall be worfliipped Ver. 23. ON THE REVELATION. 427 worfhipped in fpirit and in truth, through Chrifl Jefus the one Mediator between God and man. Verje 23. — And the city had no need of the fun, neither of the moon to fhine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. By the fun and moon are lignified created and fecondary caufes of light. And as light is the fymbol for knowledge, they lignify the created, fecondary, and ordinary fources of knowledge. The citizens of the new Jerufalem fhall not much ftand in need of the ordinary and (low methods of inilrudion in religious knowledge, which are fo ne- ceflary and often fo ineffedual in the prefent pe- riod ; for they fhall entertain fuch jull views of the nature of God, his law Ihall be written fo deep up- on their hearts by his Spirit, and they fhall trace the nature of truth, virtue, and real religion, fo clearly in the charader of Jefus, that they Hiall feldom miftake their duty, or want an inclination to do it. This happy condition of Chriitians in the millennian Hate Ifaiah predidts, in almoit the fame words with thofe of this verfe, chap. Ix. 19'. " The fun iliall be no more thy light by day, nei- " ther for brightnefs (hall the moon give hght " unto thee : but the Lord (hall be unto thee an Vol. II. 3 G ** everlaftin^ 428 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXL " everlafting light, and thy God thy glory." Je- remiah in chap. xxxi. 33, 34. predicts the man- ner of acquiring religious knowledge, and the de- gree in which it fhall be attained in that period. Verfes 2^th^ — 2y th. — And the nations of them whic-h are faved fhall walk in the light of it : and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it fhall not be fhut at all by day: for there fhall be no night there. And they fhall bring the glory and honour of the na- tions into it. And there fhall in no wife enter into it any thing that defileth, neither what- foever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Not only fhall individuals regulate their condud by the light of gofpel truth and by the will of God, but colledlive bodies alfo, even in their civil capacity, fhall conform to the will of God, and to the great laws of the gofpel. " The nations of *' them who are faved fhall walk in the hght of it, ** And the kings of the earth fhall bring their glo- " ry and honour into it." Then there fhall be ci- til governments, as well as in the prefent time, of different kinds, nations or republican; kin^s or 5 monarchical. Vcr. ^4, — 27. ON THE REVELATION. 429 monarchical. But of wha>ever kinds they are, their conftkution ihall be good, and pubhc affairs ihall be well adminiftered according to thefe con- flitutions. Both the governors and the governed fhall conform to the will of God and to the laws of the gofpel. No Csfar fliall then encroach upon the prerogatives of God, and no citizen fliall with- hold from God the things which are God's, nor from Caefar the things whicji are Caefar's. Pure and undefiled rehgion will make the people good and loyal citizens, and it will make kings fupport- ers inTtead of perfecutors of the churcti of Chrift. Then, as Ifaiah predidted of this period of the church, chap. xhx. 23. " Kings ihall be thy nur- ** fing fathers, and their queens thy nurhug mo- '' thers." During all that period there fliall be no time to be compared to night on account of igno- rance, mifery, or danger. That whole period Ihall be like the day, in which men are favoured with light, enjoy themfelves, and are not afraid of the attacks of thieves, robbers, and enemies. The gates of the city fhall be ahvays open, to iignify, that no enerny fliall enter into nor attack the church of Chriil, but that friends and votaries fhall continually flock unto it- The civil powers fhall greatly exert themfelves to promote the fecu- rity and fuccefs of the Chriftian church. They fhall not indeed compel men by legal penalties 3 G z to d^O A COMMENTARY Ch. XXL to profefs themfelves her votaries. Such compul- fion, and fuch forced votaries (he Ihall defpife, as to- tally inconfillent with the nature of true reli- gion. But they Ihall fupport her by entering her gates as friends, by becoming true Chriftians, and by conducing themfelves, even in the adminiftra- tion of civil affairs, by the laws of truth, righteouf- nefs, and peace. Though the gates of the new Jerufalem Ihall be alyvays open, though the en- trance into Chrift's church fhall not be narrowed by human flatutes, though even civil governments fhall enter into it, and though its entrance ihall be as wide as Chrifl hath made it ; no perfon who is polluted with error or iin, or who fhall pollute o- thers, none who worfhippeth God in idolatry or hypocriry,and none who maketh a lie, fliall enter into the millennian ilate of the church. But thofe perfons only fhall enter it who are true Chriftians, having been made fpiritually alive in Chrifl Je« fus. CHAP. Ver. 1,2. ON THE REV£LATION. 43 1 C H A P. XXIL Ver fa ly?, Q.d. A ND he (lie wed me a pure river of water of life, clear as cryftal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb. In the midft of the ftreet of it, and of either fide of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month : and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The river of the water of life, and the tree of life, are fjmbols taken from the river which water- ed the terreflrial paradife, and from the tree of life which grew in the middle of it. As fymbols, they fignify in general, that this period of the church and of the world fhall be a kind of paradi- faical one, on account of its purity, fimplicity, and happinefs. Thefe fymbols fignify in particular the food, by means of which the fpiritual life is preferved and ftrengthene^. In the paradifaical iiate, men lived on the fruits of trees, and drank of the pure water. Hence the tree of life, and the water 43'2 A COMMENTARY Ch. XKII. water of life, iignivy the whole food which fupports the fpiritual life. True religion is the food of the fpiritual life. It is this which preferves and invi- gorates in the foul that life \^ hich was firil produ- ced in it by the Spirit of God. Solomon calls true religion a tree of life, Proverbs, chap. iii. 18. " ^iic '* is a tree of hfe to them who lay hold upon her." This tree of life had twelve manner of fruits. It is thatfyftem of religion which is contained in the infpired waitings of the t^welve apollies, and which is adapted to the adual fituadons of all men how^ever diverlified. It is theGhriftian fyf- tem proceeding not only from God, but alfo from the Lamb, Jefus Chrifl. The river ran down the middle of the city, and a tree of life grew on each fide of the river, in the fpace between it and the Itreets of the city which ran parallel with the river. And the tree yielded its fruit every month. This fymbol lignifies that true religion Ihall then be fo fituated that no per- fon fhall be at any lofs to find it, and all Ihall have the moft eafy accefs to it. In that period the religion of Jelus fliall appear in the greatefl purity and plenty, and iliali preferve and Itrengthen the fpiritual life in all the citizens of the new Jerufa- lem. " And the leaves of the tree were for the heal- " ing of the nations." Trees bear leaves as well as fruits. The leaves, by Iheltering the bloffoms and Ver. I, 2. ONTHE REVELATION. 433 the fruit from the inclemency of the weather, pro- mote their growth. The tree of life alfo had leaves. As the tree of life fignifies true religion, its leaves are the fy mbol for the means of reli- gion ; even thofe pofitive inftitutions, which, in the prefent ftate of the world, are as neceffary to train men up to real religion, as the leaves of fruit trees are, in fuch a world as this, to Ihelter the bloflbms, and to nourifh up the fruit to maturity. Thefe leaves or poiitive inftitutions, few and lim- ple as they fhall be in that period, fhall even then be neceffary for the healing of the nations. So long as men (hall be in this world, they fhall be imperfed; fo long as they are imperfect, they can- not arrive at abfolute perfedion in religion ; fo long as they are not abfolutely perfect in religion, the proper means of religion fliall be neceffary for them. In heaven, the ftate of perfeclion, real re- ligion fhall exifl without any poiitive inftitutions ; and to fuch a ftate only is fuch pure, real, and perfe6l religion adapted. While men need any degree of healing, the leaves as well as the fruit of the tree of life ftiall be neceffary. When they Ihail arrive in that world m which *' the inhabi- " tant ftiall not fay, 1 am lick," their whole reli- gion fliali be feated in their underftanding and their heart, and ftiall be not the medicine but the food of the fpiritual life for ever. By the percep- tion of truth, and the exercife of right affedions, the ^34 A COMMENTARY Gh. XXIL the fpiritual life, under the bleffing of God,lhall be preferved and invigorated throughout eternity. The reader is delired to confult Ezekiel iv. 7, — 12. X Verfe 3^. — And there ihall be no more curfe: but the throne of God and of the Lamb fhall be in it; and his fervants fliall ferve him. The firll claufe of this verfe runs thus in the o- riginal : Ka/ 7ra.y KCLTOLvcL^ipLa MK era> iTi ; which Ihould have been tranilated, "And the whole curfe " denounced againft it fliall not be yet." The word xaraKctOe^a evidently refers to a curfe de- nounced. The whole or final curfe denounced againft the earth, is contained in the laft chapter of the prophecies of Malachi, verfe i. " For be- " hold the day coraeth that fhall burn as an oven, ** and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, " fhall be ftubble, and the day that cometh Ihall " burn them up, faith the Lord of hods, that it ** fhall leave them neither root nor branch." Verfes 5th, 6th. *' Behold 1 will fend you Elijah " the prophet before the coming of the great and " dreadful day of the Lord. And he fliall turn ** the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the " heart of the children to their fathers, left I come " and fmite the earth v/ith a ciirfe.'^ This final curfe Ver. 3. ON THE REVELATION. 435 curfe denounced upon the earth is farther explained by the apollle Peter, 2 Epif. iii. 7. " But the hea- *' vens and the earth which are now, by the fame *' word are kept in ftore, referved unto fire againfl " the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly "men/* Verfe icth, " But the day of the Lord '' will come as a thief in the night, in the which '* the heavens fliali pafs away with a great noife^ *' and the elements fliall melt with fervent heat, '• the earth alfo and the works which are therein ** fliali be burnt up." It is evident from both thefe paflages that the curfe which is denounced againfl this earth is, " that it fhall be burnt up," and that it is predidv ed that the millennium fliali happen before this curfe fliall be infiided upon the earth* For Ma- lachi fays verfe 2d, " But unto you that fear my *' name fliall the fun of righteoufnefs arife \\ A COMMENTAR'V Ch. XXIL with fuch luftre in their characlers, that his name ihaR as it were be vifibie in their foreheads. Verfe ^th. — And there fliall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither Hght of the fun ; for the Lord God giveth them light : and they ihall reign for ever and c- ver. In that enhghtened and happy period there iliall be no ignorance nor forrow, and Httle need of thofe means which are neceflary now to com- municate knowledge and comfort to mankind. The Lord God Ihall give them comfort and joy. They fhall be taught of Qod ; he will put his law within them, and write it upon their hearts. Their knowledge of God will fo greatly enlarge their intelledual powers and purify their hearts, that they fhall clearly perceive every other objedof. knowkdge which it is proper for them to know. Their fupreme afFedions placed on God will qua- hfy them for relifliing every other object which they pofTefs, comfort them under the lofs of every objedl of which they are deprived, and prove at all times a fund of the n)oil refined and exquilite joy- *' And they fliall reign for ever and ever." With thefe words John clofes the full explication of Ver. 5^ ON the revelation. 441 of the new Jerufaleni or millennian ftate. Some men might be ready to fay, this millennian ftate is glorious and happy ; but, being only for a thou- fand years, it will come to an end, and the citi- zens of the new Jerufaleni may be conquered by their enemies. Bat, faith the fpirit of prophecy, en- tertain no fuch fear; for true Chriftians fhall reign for ever and ever. They Ihall never more be perfecuted by devils and wicked men, as their forefathers were under Heathen and Papal Rome. At the end of the thoufand years, the devil Ihall be loofed for a fhort time, and Gog and Magog (hall compafs the camp of the faints about and the be- loved city ; and thus, by raiiing wars in the earth aft^r they had ceafed for a thoufand years, fhall put an end to the millennium ; but they fhall not put an end to the reign and triumph of the faints on earth. For the devil and Gog and Magog fhall be defeated in thefe vvars. Gog and Magog fliall be deilroyed by fire from heaven, and the devil fhall be cafl into the lake of fire and brimftone, where he fhall be tormented day and night for c- ver. After the commencement of the millennium, Chriftians fhall not be conquered by any enemies on earth, and their reign fhall not terminate with this earth. *' On them the fecond death fliall ** have no power.*' The fame truth, righteouf- nefs, peace, and joy which conilitute their king- dom 44^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XXIL dom and reign on the earth, fliall in higher de- gree of perfeclion accompany them to heaven, for ever improve, and confticute their reign for ever and ever. Before this earth and the works that are therein fhall be burnt in the general conflagration, " the *' Lord hirafelf (hall defcend from heaven with -' a fhout, with the voice of the Archangel and ** trump of God, and the dead in Chrifl fliall rife ** firfl : then they who are alive and remain fliall " be caught up together with them in the clouds, ** to meet the Lord in the air : and fo fliall they *' ever be with the Lord.'* As the feventh day fabbath is the type or fym- bol of the feventh millennary or great fabbath of the whole earth, fo it is probable that the firfl: day of the week, the Lord^s day, is the type of that reign of the Chriftian church, after the millennium until the general refurredion^ and in heaven for ever and ever. The Lord's day, or firfl day of the week,^ though frequently mentioned in fcripture as the day fet apart for the public worfliip of God in* the Chriflian church, is always defcribed in very general terms. May not one reafon of this be^ that it is not, like the feventh day; the type of a determinate period of time ; but the type of inde* finite time, even of the eternal reign of the faints in heaven, and therefore beft expreflfed in general or indefinite terms. Vcr. 6. ON THE REVELATtON\ 443 Verfe 6th. — And he faid -anto me, Thefe fayings are faithful and true, i^nd the Lord God of the holy prophets fent his angel to fhew unto his fervants the things which muft fliortly be done. All the fayings of this book are truths of God, and all the predictions in it fhall be faithfully ac- complifhed in due time* That God who is the Lord and fovereign of all the holy prophets, who dictated to them what they revealed to men, and whom they cheerfully obeyed and devoutly wor- Jhipped as their God, fent a particular angel, who^ on account of fome peculiarities ih his character or office is ftiled peculiarly his angel, to fhew unto his fervants the things which muft fhortly be done. This angelisthe fame one, andthetruft committed to him is the fame, that was mentioned in chap. i. I. He was the particular and intermediate a- gent between Jefus Chrift and John, in conveying to John the things contained in this book. The pro*, phecies of this book are things which muft fhort- ly be done. The firft of them w^ere accompliflied in the days of John, immediately after this revela- tion Vv^as made to him ; and ever fmce that time the fucceeding predidlions have been gradually ful- filled in the ftrideft conformity to the chain of prophecy contained in this book. The angel was Vol. IL 3 i to 444 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXlL to ihew them to the fervants of God. The book is left open to the infpeaion of all ; but the fer- vants of God only perceive the meaning of the .predidions, in fa far as it is fit for fupporting their faith and patience. So much are even the intel- ledlual powers of man bliaded or turned afide by his wifhes, his propenfities, or his averlions, that the fervants of this or that church, of this or that vice, and of this or that erroneous opinion, fee e- very thing, and thefe prophecies among the reft, through a glafs which gives them its own colour. But they who are the fervants of the Lord, thefe upright, candid, pious, and diligent men, who in matters of religion have no other wilh but to dif- cover and obey the will of God, ihall fee every thing, and among the reft thefe prophecies in their own colour. " The high way of the upright *' is to depart from evil." Verfe ph. — Behold I come quickly: blef- fed is he that keepeth the fayings of the pro- phecy of this book, Chrift Cometh quickly in the accompliftiment of the predided events. In the firft of them he came quickly after the revelation w^as made to John. And he comes at the predided time in e- very out of them. The fame blefling which was pronounced in chap. i. 3. on thofe who keep the fayings Ver. 7. ' ON THE REVELATION. 445 fayings of the prophecy of this book, is repeated in this verfe when the book draws near to a clofe, Thofe whom God blefTes are blefTed indeed. Is not this a powerful motive to the fludy of the prophe- cies of this book ? For, unlefs we know them we cannot keep them in a way that may be ftiled du- ty, or in a way to which a bleffing is affixed. Thofe who keep them fhall be blelTed in all the fituations of life, eren the moft calamitous, by that fupport which they fhall afford to their faith and patience, and by that improvement and de- light which they fhall communicate to their heads and hearts, under the blefling of God. And they fhall be qualified for the enjoyment of unfpeaka- ble and endlefs blifs in a future flate. Ver/is 8th^ gth, — And I John faw thefe things and heard them. And when I had heard and feen, I fell down to worllilp before the feet of the angel which iliewed me thefe things. Then faith he unto me, See thou do it not : for I am thy fellow-fervant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the fayings of this^ book : wor- fliip God. John informs us that he does not relate thefe prophecies as legendary tales or flories, which had 3 I 2 been 44^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XXS, "been handed to him bj uncertain tradition : but that he faw and heard them. He faw all the vi- iions, and he heard all the explications of them which were made by the angels. He was as fully perfuaded of the reality of the imprellions made upon his mind by the viiions which are reprefent- ed in this book, as he could have been if he had adlually feen them with his bodily eyes, and ac- tually heard with his bodily ears the information given by the angels. The nature of the impref- lions made upon the mind, and of the manner in which the ideas are excited in it by prophetic vifions, w-as formerly explained. Let it only be obferved here, that the imprellions made, and the ideas excited in the mind in thefe ways, are as real, flrong, and diftind, as thofe are which are excited in the mind by vifible or audible objedls, through the ordinary channels of the eyes and ears ; and they are of the fame kind too. Con- fequently, the perfon who is confcious of thefe imprellions and ideas, is as much an eye and ear witnefs of what he attefts from fuch perceptions, as the man is who attefts what he faw and heard. John therefore is to be regarded as an eye and ear "witnefs of all the things which he relates in this book. This alfertion farther implies, that without altering the viiions or declarations in any refpecl, John, with the moll faithful limplicity, related Ver. 8, 9. ON the revelation* 447 theci exactly as they had been communicated to his mind. On this occafion John fell down again before the angel, in order to worlliip him. And he was again prevented by the angel ; who told him that he was not the object of religious worfhip, for he was a fervant of God as well as he, and engaged in a work limilar to that in which he and all the other prophets had been employed, even in communi- cating the will of God to mankind, and teftifying of Jefus ; and that he was a fellow-fervant of them who keep thefayings of this book. Like them, he believed and candidly received divine revelation, confidently truiled to the accomplifliment of thefe predictions, and therefore obeyed the will of God. The angel again direds John to worOiip God only. Thofe who worfhip angels, not only idolatroully rob God of his prerogative ; but alfo feem to know better what is due to angels than they do them- felves. This whole matter was fully explained in the commentary on chap, xix, 20. to which the reader is referred. Verfe i oth. — And he faith unto me, Seal not the fayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. Johp is commanded not to feal the fayings of the prophecy of this book, In the lalt chapter of the 44S * A COMMENTARY Ch. XXII. the prophecies of Daniel, that prophet is command- ed to feal his book, verfe 4th, " But thou O Daniel " fhut up the words, 2LX\dfeal the book even to the " time of the end :*' and verfe 9th, " And he faid, ** Go thy way Daniel : for the words are clofed up ♦* ?indfeaied till the time of the end." It was thus iignified in the fymbolicai language that the hints given by Daniel of the Papal hierarchy, of the wildernefs (late of the Chriflian church, and of the niillennian ftate of it, were defignedly fo fliort and obfcure, that this part of his prophecies was as a fealed book, and ihould continue fo to the time of the e7}d ; that is, to the lad or gofpel times, when a prophet fhould be fent to explain and illuftrate thefe hints. Accordingly, that prophecy of Da- niel is reprcfented as a fealed book in chap. v. I. of this book, and Chrifl enables John by vifions to open up and explain it in the prophecies of this book. Hence, when it is faid to John in this verfe, *' Seal not the fayings of the prophecy of this *' book," it is declared in the fymbolicai language, that no fucceeding prophet Ihall be fent to unfold the myfteries of this book, as John hath done thofe of the prophecy of Daniel ; that it is left open for the infpecSlion and ftudy of all ; and that it may be underftood by the candid, intelligent, and flu- diou's, under the ordinary bleffing of God, Vvith- out any aid from prophetic infpiration. In Ver. I p. ON THE REVELATION. 449 In the clofe of the verfe this reafon is alligned for leaving it open, '* for the time is at hand." And it is the very flrongeil reafon for not fealing up a prophecy. The time of the aqcomplifhment of its firfl predidions was at hand when John wrote this book,and they were adually fulfilled according- ly. And as it contains a clofe chain of prophecies from the days of John to the end of the world, the time is at hand in every age for the accompliih- ment of fome or other of its predidions. Thofe per- fons who live in the time in which the predicted events fhall happen, are mofl deeply interefled in the prophecy of them ; it is therefore fit that it fhould be left open to them, " becaufe the time is at " hand." Dark prophecies are beft underftood when the events have taken place, and the pre- didions can be compared with the events. As prophecies are bed underftood when the time is at hand, it is certainly highly proper that in that cafe they fhould be left open for the infpedion of all. For near 1700 years, events predided in this book have been happening. Hence, we enjoy e- very advantage for underftanding all the predic- tions which foretel events previous to the prefent day, which can be derived from the events them- felves as explanatory of what is dark in the predic- tions. Thofe men ad very prepofteroufly indeed, who, by defpifing this book, feal it up when not only is the time at hand, but with refped to far I the 450 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXII. the greatefl part of it, the time is pafl. Neither prelent nor pail events will of themfelves explain the full meaning of the predictions which refer to them. They explain the predictions to thofe per- fons only, who with candour, judgement, and dili- gence, ftudy the meaning of the predictions, obferve prefent events, and from authentic hiftory make themfelves acquainted with thofe which are pail. He who does not underftand the great outlines of prophecy at leaft, however accurately he obferves prelent events or knows pad ones, can never fay whether or not they agree to the predictions. And on the other hand, though he hath acquired a to- lerable knowledge of the meaning of the predic- tion, he cannot fay that it hath been accomplifhed in the prefent or in former times, unlefs he hath fearched the hillory of the times which are paft, and obferved with accuracy the events which take place in the Vi^orld around him. Before we can make a juft comparifon of any two objeCts, we niuflhave a diftincT: knowledge of them both. Verfe I ith, — He that is unjuft, let him be unjuft ftill : and he which is filthy, let hina be filthy flill : and he that is righteous, let him be righteous ftill : and he that is holy, let him be holy ftill. Some Ver. II, ON THE REVELATION. 45 1 Some might be ready to fay, a book of prophe- cy fo expreifed as to be underftood before the e- vents take place and, left open to the infpedtion of all, will defeat its own ends. Men feeing before- hand the part ^yhich it predids they fhall adl, will guard againft that condud:, and thereby defeat the prophecy. But, faith the fpirit of prophecy, fuch fhall not be the confequence of leaving the book o- pen to all, though exprelTed in fuch terms as may be underftood without the aid of a new revelation. This unfealed prophecy Ihall impofe no reflraint upon the conduct or the m^otives of men. Thofe who are unjuft w^ill be unjuft Hill, thofe that are filthy fhall be filthy ftill. He that is righteous Ihall be righteous ftill, and he that is holy fhall be holy ftill. A prophecy expreftcd not merely in the fym- boUcal language, but even in the plaineft alpha- betical language, would never hinder a fingle per- fon from accompliftiing its predidions, nor from ading that part which it afcribes to him. In the prefent perverted ftate of human nature, there is fome unaccountable biafs in man, which in fpire of the ftrongeft evidence makes him difbe- lieve W'hat he does not wifti to beheve. Many, clear, and full, were the prophecies in the OldTef- tament concerning Mefliah, and they were fulfil- led in the moft minute and ftriking manner in Je- fus. But though the Jews who lived in the days Vol. II. 3 K . of 45- A COMMENTARY Cll. XXII. of Chrift believed the divine infpiration of thefe prophecies, and knew the hiftory and Hfe of Jefus, yet inftead of acknowledging him as the Meffiah, they rejeded and even crucified him, and thereby falfilled the very prophecies, which though clear in themfeives, and rendered doubly fo by the e- vents, they would not believe. And hence, it was juftly faid to them in Acts ii. 23. " Him CChrift) " being delivered by the determinate counfel and " foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by " wicked hands have crucified and flain." The prophecies of God, however clear, will ne- ver prevent their own accomplifhment, nor take a- way the liberty and refponfibility of man for hi^ condud. The Jews in crucifying Jefus fulfilled the prophecies concerning them, w^ithout intend- ing to do fo, nay from a very different and crimi- nal intention. While executing the determinate counfel of God, they intended another thing, and therefore did it with wicked hands. Similar is the cafe with men in every country and age with refpcd to even the clearefl: prophecies. There al- ways have been, and there always will be, abun- dance of men to difbelieve, in order to accompliili the prophecies of God. For infiance, though the predidions concerning the Papal hierarchy had been clearer if pollible than they are, that hierar- chy would have been e reded, would not have b^en finally diifolved until the year 1999, would have Ver. ir. on the revelation: 453 have had many votaries, and they would never have apphed thefe predidions to themfelves. This obfervation does not apply to prophetic writings only. The conflitutions, the tempers, the educations, the habits, the interefts, and the in- clinations of men, are fo various, and have fo povv^- erful an influence in warping their underitanding, that the plaineft didactic writings are grofsly mif- underftood and mifapplied by fome men. Some men difbelieve and deny the plaineft doctrines of the bible. Some deny divine revelation altoge- ther. Some are unjuft and filthy, notwithilanding the plain precepts and awful denunciations of fa- qred fcripture againft fin, the powerful motives to hohnefs contained in it, the dictates of confcience, and even their prefent refpedlability and intereft. Let none therefore be afraid that the cleareil: pro- phecy or the plaineft comment upon it will ever defeat its own end by preventing its accomphfii- ment. And let none be furprized that this fliould be the cafe, fince fuch conduct in men, relative to prophetic writings, is fo ftridiy analogous to their ordinary coiidud relative to all other writings which are addrefted to the heart as well as to the underftanding. In tills verfe the prefent tenfe of the imperative is ufed, inftead of the future of the indicative. In- ftead of faying he that is unjuft /^^// be unjuft ftill, it is faid he that is unjuft let him be unjuft ftilL 3 K 2 This 454 A COMMENTARY Ch, -XXIl. This mode of expreffion is agreeable to the He. brew idiom frequently ufed in prophetic writings, efpecially in the book of Pfalms. Not to detain the reader with other inftances, it is faid in Plalm eix. 8. '* Let his days be few, and let another take *' his office." This palTage the infpired author of the Ads of the Apoftles in chap. i. i6, — 20. ex- prefsly informs us is a prophecy concerning the the traitor Judas. " Men and brethren this fcrip- " ture mud needs have been fulfilled which the " Holy Ghoft bythe mouth of David fpake before *' concerning Judas, which was guide to them who ** took Jefus. For it is w^ritten in the book of *' Pfalms, Let his habitation be defolate, and let " no man dwell therein : and his bifhopric let ano^ " ther take." This idiom is introduced with pe- culiar propriety in this verfe. The very con- ftrudlioa of the language intimates, that the elear- nefs of the prophecy fhall have no more influence in making wicked men abandon their wickednefs and defeat the prophecy, than it could have had if they had been under an exprefs and fupreme command to be unjuft flill. And the knowledge of the predictions, inltead of checking the righ- teous and holy, will ftrengthen their faith and pa.^ lience, and animate their zeal. Verfi Ver. 12. ON THE REVELATION. 455 Verfe nth. — And behold I come quickly ; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work fliall be. Jefus came quickly in the events which accom- plifhed the firft predidions in this book. He will come much fooner in all the predicted events in every age than the generality of the men of that age -ihall cxped, thofe of the millennian one only ex- cepted. In all thefe events he will reward every man according as his work fhall be. The truly religious man lliall tafte the comforts and joys of religion here. And to the wicked there fhall be no peace, for his heart is like the troubled fea, which cannot reft. The vials of divine wrath fhall be poured out on Antichriil's kingdom, in tempo- ral judgements exadly aflimilated to their public crimes; and the kingdom of God fhall become triumphant on earth fo foon as the world fhall be fully prepared for fuch a ftate. When the bride fliall have made herfelf ready, flie fliall become the Lamb's v/ife. When the gold fhall be com- pletely refined in the furnace, with it, pure as tranfparent glafs, fliall the flreetsof the new Jeru- falem be paved. To every individual perfon fhall Chrifl come quickly by death. Ere long every man living in any country or period of the w^oiid, fhall be called from this world by an authority as irrefiftable 45^ ^ COMMENTARY Chap. XXIL irreliflable as that which Ihall bring about the e- vents predided in this book. To the greateft part of men this call ihall be given fooner than they expecl, and at a time when they are not looking for it. Then every man fliall receive a final doom from Chrifh, not for, but Itridly conformable to, his works. It fliall then be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked. How powerful a motive is this to make men take heed to their works ? Verfe iph. — I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Firft and the Laft. Jefus informs John who he is, " The Beginning " and the End, the Firft and the Laft." That di- vine perfon who gave beginning to this world by creating it ; and who flaall put an end to it by judging the men and burning the earth : — that perfon who infpired the prophets, and in whom all the prophecies terminate. This is the fame ap- pellation with that given to Jefus in chap. i. 8. Verfe i^th» — BlefTed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into tile city. The Ver. 14. ON THE REVELATION. 457 The words " his commandments" Ihould have been tranflated ** its commandments :'* for " this " book*^ mentioned in verfes 7th, 8th, and 9th, is the antecedent to this relative expreffion, as is evi- dent from our tranllation, and ilill more fo from the original Greek. They who do its command- ments are thofe who regulate their faith, worfliip, and obedience, by the commandments recorded in this book; who keep the commandments of God and the teftimony of Jefus. In general, they are thofe who habitually regulate their conduct by the commandments of God as recorded in the fa- cred fcriptures. The middle claufe of the verfe runs thus in the original : /Va l^ai n i^v(rtcc avrcov iTTt TO ^uxov^ which lliould have been tranflated, " that they may have ** power (or rather licence) of the tree of life." e?«o-/a is derived from e^es-/ licet. It was formerly fhewn that the tree of life fig- nifies true religion in its millennian purity, which is the food of the fpiritual life in the foul. The ci- ty is the new Jerufalem, the city defcribed in this and the preceding chapter as the hieroglyphic of the millennian flate of the church. In the laft verfe of chap. xxi. it is declared that no wicked perfons fliall enter the gates of that city, that is, become members of the millennian church, but only thofe perfons who are fpiritually alive in Chrift Jefus. Hence the plain meaning of this verfe 45^ A COMMENTARY Ch. XXIL verfe is, that the way which God hath appointed for men to acquire true religion, and which he bleffes for that purpofe to all who ufe it, is the do- ing of his commandments as they are recorded in facred fcripture. That the way of conformity to his commandments is the gate through which in every age true votaries fhall be introduced into the true church of Chrift, and through which in particular they ihall be introduced into the mil- lennian church. In doing his, commandments, God gives men the faculty and licence to regain that true religion which they had loil by the de- pravity of their natures, and which they could not regain by human wifdom- or commandments of men. i Corrin. i, 21. Matth. xv. 19. James i. 21,— 25. They who do the commandments of facred fcripture Ihali be bleifed thus in the honeft and di- ligent ufe of thofe very means of religion which God himfelf hath provided for obtaining it, they fhall receive that divine bleffing and aid which fliall conduct them in the way of God's com- mandments to the aclual attainments of true reli- gion. If they live in the miJlennian age of the church, they who do the commandments of God lliall be members of that church, which fhall be purified from all the commandments of men taught as dodrines, and confequently fit for thofe men .only who do the commandments of God. Poffef- fi?d of true religion, and the members of fo pure and Ver. 14. ON THE REVELATION. 459 and profperous a church, they fliall be bleiTed and happy in this world, and railed to higher degrees of endlefs happinefs in a future world. For the citizens of the new Jerufalem fliall reign for ever and ever. And if they live in the prefent or any other age previous to the millennium, by doing the commandments of God, they fhall, under the divine bleffing, undoubtedly learn that true reli- gion which is the food of the fpiritual life ; and they fhall become members of the true and univerfal church of Chrift, of which the millennian church is an illuflrious part. And let their outw^ard fitua- tions be what they will they fhall be bleffed. I am convinced that there never was an inftance of a man, who habitually endeavoured to do the commandments of God, as recorded in facred fcrip- ture, and yet did not find true religion ; nor of one whofe foul was enlightened, purified, and flrength- ened by true religion, v/ho did not enjoy, in pro- portion to his attainments in religion, a degree of refined happinefs in God, in himfelf, in the crea- tures of God, and in all the difpenfations of divine providence and grace. Men who with a narrow bigotry attach themfelves to this or that churchy modelled in many of its parts upon human inven- tions, and who view that as the only church of God on earth, fhall feel their minds often diflref- fed for its fafety, when they fee its rifings and de- VoL. II. 3 L ^clinings 460 . A COMMENTARY Cfew XXIL clinings like all the kingdoms of men. But he who knows that th^ church of Chriil confifts of aU thofe' fcattered individuals through the whole world who do the commandments of God, in what- ever vifible church they outwardly worfhip God, entertains no fears for his church. He knows that fuch an univerfal kingdom erededin the hearts of Chriilians is the kingdom of God, and that the wifdona and power of God will fupport his own kingdom againil all oppoiition and danger. He contemplates with delight its progrefs in the world. He beholds all things working 'together for its good. He fees the progrefs of learning, li- berty, and commerce, bringing its hidden treafures to view, and carrying the knowledge of i.t to dif- taiit nations. He perceives even perfecution purg- ing it from the corruptions produced by the flag- nations of peace and outward profperity, and driv- ing upright men againfl their will from their na- tive land to carry true religion, as the apoftles of Jefus, to nations fitting in darknefs and under the fhadow of death. He looks forward with exulta^ tion to the millennian ftate of the church, w^hen this kingdom of God fnall extend over all the kingdoms of the w^orld, and when its fubjeds fhall be nearly as numerous as the men who (hall inha- bit the earth. He looks up to heaven, and with a joy truly heavenly recognifes a church there, in which Ver. 14. ON THE REVELATION. 46 1 which no fingle pevfon who on earth did the com- mandments of God is awauting. His truft in God is firm. Of the church of Chritt he never de. fpairs. His benevolence to men is as extenfive as human nature. His brotherly aifedion to Chrif- tians is as largeas the charaderof Chrifiian and the church of Chrift. With that affection he loves all who he believes love our Lord Jefus Chrid in lince. rity ; though by differing in ieller matters fome Ihould fay, 1 am of Paul, fome, I am of Apollos, or fome, I am of Cephas, provided they are in reality and in effentials of Chrift. How happy muft fuch a perfon be, and how v/ell muft he be trained up by fuch views, affections, and condud, for hap- pinefs in a future ftate. Verfe ij'/A. — For without are dogs, and forcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whofoever loveth and maketh a lie. Both in the millennian and in the prefent ftate of the true and univerfal church of Chrift, all perfons of the following charaders, whatever they may pretend, are not members of it, nor ftiall they be members of it in the heavenly ftate if they live and die of thefe charaders. — All contentious and quarrelfome perfons, all who ufe charms and in- 3 L 2 cantations, 4^2 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXII. cantations, all fenfual perfons, all cruel perfons and murderers, all idolaters, and all who love a lie or make a lie. Every perfon who thinks coolly on the fubjed, muft clearly perceive that perfons of all thefe characters are unfit to worfliip and en- joy God, or to enjoy the true happinefs of man in any llage of his exiilence. Vcrfe i6th. — ^I Jefus have fent mine an- gel to teftify unto you thefe things in the churches ; I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning flar. Jefus informs John that he had fent his angel to teftify unto him the things w^hich are contained in this book, not on his account only, but alfo on ac- count of the churches. The words tranilated in the churches are itti ran; tKKicriccii;^ which fhould hare been tranllated, on account of the churches. For iTi moft commonly ii^^m^QS propter, X)n account of, which governs the dative, as it does in this verfe. Thefe prophecies were publiihed for the benefit and advantages of the churches of Chrift. They were revealed to John, that, in the firft place, having committed them to writing, he might communi- cate them to the feven Chriftian churches at that time in Afia. Jefus exprefsly commanded John to fend Ver. l6. ON THE REVELATION. 463 fend them to thefe churches, chap. i. 1 1. and John' addrefTed them to them accordingly, chap. i. 4. By divine providence they were to be preferved and fent in due time to all the Chriflian churches in the world, in order to fuppcrt their faith and patience. In this verfe Jefus declares his divine and human nature, by flihng himfelf both " the root and the ** offspring of David." As the root of David, he communicated exiftence and life to David. In his divine nature he was before David and before A- braham. As the offspring of David, in his hu- man nature he fprang from David. In that na- ture he was defcended in the ftraight line from David, as appears from his genealogies recorded in Matth. chap. i. and Luke chap. iii. Ifaiah prophefies of Chriil as the offspring of David, ch. xi. I. " And there fhall come forth a rod out " of the flem of Jeffe, and a branch fhall grow out " of his roots." In Pf. ex. i. He is fliled David^j Lord. Onthefe words of the Pfalmift Jefus puts to lilence the captious Pharifees. And indeed they mufl put to filence every perfon who does not ac- knowledge the divine and the human nature of Chrift. Mat. xxii. 41,-46. " While the Pharifees " were gathered together, Jefus afked them, fay- *' ing, What think ye of Chrifl ? Whofe fon [' is he ? They fay unto him, The fon of David. " He 464 A COMMENTARY Ch. XXiL ** He faith unto them, How then doth David in " fpirit call him Lord, faying, The Lord faid un- ** to my lord. Sit thou on my right hand, till I " make thine enemies thy footflool ? If David then ''^ call him Lord, how is he his fon ? And no man " was able to anfwer him a word, neither durft a« " ny man (from that day forth) aflc him any " more queftions/' He is alfo the bright and morning ftar; — that divine teacher, ^vho hath knowledge and truth in himfelf, and who like the morning ftar diipells the clouds of night, and ufh- ers in the light of day. He is the true hght which hghteneth every man that cometh into the world. He is the glory of his antient peo- ple Ifrael, and the light to enlighten the Gentiles. Verfe i "jth. — And the Spirit and the Bride fay. Come. And let him that heareth fay. Come. And let him that is athirfl come. Andwhofoever >villj let him take of the wa- ter of life freely. The Holy Spirit of God is reprefented as defir- ing that Chrift's kingdom may come/ The Spirit of God, by his gracious influences on the hearts of men, promotes the interefts of that kingdom in e- vcry period of it. But this pafTage refers chiefly to the millennian ftate, which in fcripturc is mofl commonly Ver. 17. ' ON THE REVELATION. 465 commonly reprefented by the coming of Chriil's kingdom. That period fhall in a peculiar manner be the reign of the Holy Spirit. Satan bound for a thoufand years fhall not then influence the con- dud: of men. The Spirit of God fiiall then put his laws in their inward parts, and write them upon their hearts. They ihall all be taught of God. The bride faith come. The true church of Chrift looks forward to, and prays for that pure, glorious, and happy ftateof the church. They all pray J as taught by Chrift, " Thy kingdom come, " thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Let every one who hearethof the kingdom of God pray that it may come. This is his duty. The hearing of that kingdom, if he does not pray for its profpe- rity and promote its interefl, will greatly aggra- vate his guilt and his doom. For, to whomfoever much is given, of them the more will be required. Let him that is athirfl come. Let every one who lincerely and ardently defires toknow and do the will of God, come. Such defires will lead him to- wards, and qualify him for finding the way of righteoufnefs and joy. He fnall come, along with the other fubjeds of Chrifl's kingdom, as one of the citizens of Zion. " BlefTed are they Vvho do " liunger and thirfl after righteoufnefs, for they ♦* ihall be filled." And 466 . A COMMENTARY Ch. XXII. " And whofoever will, let him take the water <* of life freely.'* The gofpel of Jefus clofes with this extenlive and gracious invitation and exhorta- tion with which it was at firft opened, and which runs through every part of that fyflem of truth and grace. The angel who announced the birth of Chrift to the fhepherds of Bethlehem, faid unto them : " Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which fhall be to all people'' Ifaiah fays, ** Ho every one that thirfteth, come ye to the wa- •* ters, and he that hath no money come ye, buy " and eat, yea come and buy wine and milk with- ** out money and without price." Jefus complain- ed thus of infidel men, " Ye will not come to me " that ye may have Hfe." And he fays, " If any ** man will do the will of God, he fhall know of " the dodrine, whether it be of God, or whether " I fpeak of myfelf And commiiTioning his a- poilles to preach the gofpel, he faid unto them, "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gofpel " to every creature,'^ The plain import of all thefe palTages, which are exactly parallel to the one now under our view is, that the gofpel is a fyflem of re- ligion and a fcheme of falvation intended for all men, that it is freely offered to all men, and that it is want of will which hinders any of thefe men to whom it is a6lually offered to embrace it. They will not come unto the light, left their evil deeds ihould Ver. 18, 19. ON THE REVELATION. 4^7 fhould be reproved. Let every man who inclines to do it embrace that true religion w^hich is repre- fented by the v^^ater of life. Is is offered to him, not for any merit of his own, but freely ; or as th^ Greek word (So/jeac) fignifies, as a gift. If he does not embrace it, he Hiall have nothing to blame for his bad condud but his own obftinate will. Verfes iSth^ \()th, — For I teftify unto eve- ry man that heareth the words of the pro- phecy of this book, if any man fliall add un* to thefe things, God fhall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book : and if any man fliall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God fliall take a- way his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. This^book being finifhed, thefe verfes contain a folemn and awful threatening againft every man who fhall knowingly and intentionally add to or take from the things which are contained in it. This threatening, founded in the very nature of infpired fcripture, is placed with peculiar litnefs in the end of the book which clofes the canon of fa- cred fcripture. It is a folemn intimation that the facred canon is clofed, and a warning to men not 3 M to 4^8 ' A COMMENTARY Ch. XXII. to be impofed upon by any later writings whicb may lay claim to infpiration. It is alfo a folemn and awful warning given to every man who reads and hears infpired fcripture, not intentionally to add any thing as the word of God which is not con- tained in fcripture, nor to take away from it any thing which is contained in that facred record. One can fcarce fuppofe a higher degree of impiety and Vvdckednefs than a deliberate intention in any refpedt to corrupt thefe writings, which are infpir- ed, and which we believe to be fo. If any man does fo, both the nature of the thing, and the ex- prefs denunciation of God, declare that he iliall be deprived of -al! the blefiings' promifed in this book, and expofed to all the plagues which are de- nounced in it.* Under, I trufc, a juft impreilion of this awful threatening, of the facred nature of truth, and of the dignity of divine revelation, I have not know-, ingly and intentionally added to nor taken from the things contained in this book in the commen- tary which 1 have written upon it. If therefore any thing is faid in this commentary which gives offence to any individual or any fociety of men, it was faid, not to give them offence ; but becaufe I believe it is faid in the prophecies of this book, and therefore I durli not take it away. It was faid, becaufe I trull I fear God more than man, ^ud defire ihe praife of God more than the praiie of Ver. i8, 19. ON the revelation. 469 of man. If in any thing I have erred, I have erred neither intentionally through negligence ; nor, if I know my own heart, through prejudice. Un- fettered by fyilem or intereft, 1 began and proceed- ed all along with a lincere deiire and fervent pray- er to God that 1 might clearly difcoverthe truth, and fairly communicate it when difcovered. if in any thing 1 have erred without intention or ne- gligence, a gracious God will not impute fuch er- ror as a fault. And 1 lliall always with gratitude and pleafure difcover and correct any fuch error, who or whatever iliall be the inilrumenf under divine providence of leading me to perceive it. Verfe 20th,— He which teftifleth thefe' things faith, Surely I come quickly. Amen, Evenfo come Lord Jefas. Jefus declares that he will come quickly in the accompiiiliment of all the events predicted in this book. The firll of them ihail happen foon after the predidlion, and none of thfem fliall be delayed a moment beyond the time which is fixed for them in the prophecy. The church gives her A- men to this, and reechoes, Even fo come Lord Je- fus. The church of Chriit fnali welcome every difpenfation of divine providence as the fitteil and bed. Even though at particular times clouds a#l darknefs may appear around the Governor dr the 470 A COMMENTARY Chapf. XXlL the world, the Chriilian ever refts fatisfied that juflice and judgement are the habitation of his throne, and that mercy and truth ever go before his face. Verfe i ift. — ^The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with you all. Amen. With this apoftolic benedidion and prayer John clofes this book, and with it the canon of infpired fcripture. With it the apoftle Paul clof- es the greateft part of his epiilles. It is the moll comprehenlive prayer which can be conceived. The grace of Chrift fignifies the free favour of, Chrift ; and confequently comprehends under it all thofe gracious divine bleffings, which are con- veyed to men in the gofpel of Jeius from God, through the mediation of Chrift and the influence of the Holy Spirit. He prays for all thefe free and ineftimable bleffings to them all ; to all the feven churches then in Afia, to all the church- es of Chrift in every country and age, and efpecially to every true Ghriftian as an individual. Amen. So let it be. By this word he clofes his prayer, and expreftes his aflent to the truth of it, and his fincere deftre that its requeft may be granted by ihe Hearer of prayer. F I N I S.