r»ra> in Jii>,jX ■» t lit rii .<' vealed, to the Course of Nature, by Dr. Butler, part ii. chap. vii. ver. 2. See also Mr. Lowman's pref. to his Paraph, on this book, p. 24, 25, &c. 12 PREFACE. authority so well established, and the objections against it so very weak and insignificant, as to need no confu- tation. They that would be satisfied of this may see Sir Isaac Newton's Introduct. to Observat. on the Apoc, and the learned Mr. Lardner's Credibility of the Gosp. Hint. vol. ii. p. 621., with Mill, Proleg. No. 168., and Lardner, vol. v. chap, of Dionys. Alexand. ; where they will find, or be referred to, plenty of matter upon this head. ^.5. It may not be amiss to take notice here of the occasions, whereby the study of this important book became neglected, for some considerable time, by the divines of our own church. It is apparent by the d Homilies, approved by our Articles, as containing the faith of the Church of Eng- land, that the characters of Antichrist, Babylon, &c. in this book of St. John, were looked upon as belonging to the Church of Rome ; which continued to be the current doctrine of all our learnedest bishops e and doctors, till the latter end of the reign of King James the First. But our marriages into popish families put, by degrees, silence to that sort of language, and turned the doctrine of the Homilies out of fashion. It was thought unmannerly to call the Pope Antichrist, when we had papists for our queens ; and the gene- rality of our writers grew very courtly and complaisant, in refraining their pens from apocalyptical titles and characters, as the times required ; and none but a few of the most sincere and disinterested amongst d Sermon against Idolatry, part 3. c Jewell, Abbot, Whitgift, Andrews, Billson, Morton, Hooker, Grindal, Crauuier, and Usher. PREFACE. 13 the learned, would engage so openly in the old and good cause. To which may be added, a strange and weak conceit, which afterward got into the minds of many, that to uphold the Church of Rome to be An- tichrist, and the Whore, &c. would be to endanger the uninterrupted succession and ordination in our own Church, which was thought necessary to be maintained against Rome, and against those that separated from us. While we were thus paying the compliments of silence to the Church of Rome, the learned Grotius (by whatever motives he was led) was cultivating a scheme of reconciliation between the Protestant and Popish communions. But this could never take place while Daniel and St. John were interpreted, in the Protestant way, to mean the corruptions of Rome by their Beast and Little Horn, and false Prophet. So that great scholar racked his invention and ingenuity, i in order to explain those odious characters, not of Rome Christian, but of Heathen Rome: and with this view he proposed such interpretations, as were not inconsistent with this imaginary coalition of parties and principles ; between whom and which there can, in the nature of things, and by the plain tenor of this prophecy, be no better communication than between light and darkness, Christ and Belial. In this he was followed by our Dr. Hammond ; and their manner of interpreting this book has been so fully confuted by variety of learned f pens, that I need say no more about it. f Dr. Henry More, Myst. Godliness, and his Mystery of Ini- quity. Vitringa on this book ; and M. Jurieu, Accomplish, of the Scripture Prophecies. See Critical Notes on some Passages of Scripture, &c. page 106, &c, printed by Davis in 1747. 14 PREFACE. In the mean while there were some others, who, with a truer judgment and good success, were labour- ing to confirm the doctrine of the first reformed divines, relating to the Romish corruptions, as de- scribed in the prophecy and language of this book. Mr. Joseph Mede, by a profound skill in ancient lan- guages, histories, and learning of every useful kind, and by a most honest and judicious use of it toward explaining the prophetic writings, laid a firm and sure foundation for the true understanding of this Revela- tion of St. John. And those writers who have since pursued and made improvements upon his first plan, have done variety of good service to the Christian and Protestant cause. Dr. Henry More confirmed Mr. Mede's demonstrations in several of the most material and important branches. Learned pens beyond sea were not wanting. The laborious Vitringa took into examination all the several schemes for explaining this prophecy ; and though in several points he differs from Mr. Mede, yet, by a vast amass of both critical and historical learning, he has illustrated the truth and reasonableness of the Protestant interpretation, and confuted both the Romish and Grotian way. Mr. Jurieu has also done several things to the same good purpose. In England, during the reign of Charles the Second, out of a compliment to Rome, scarce any notice was taken of the characters of Babylon and An- tichrist. And though the threatening reign of James the Second awakened the courage of our divines against popery, yet the controversy ran but upon par- ticular doctrines — the axe seemed not to be laid to the root of the tree. The glorious Revolution unfet- tered the minds of men, and freed them from all oc- casions of further compliment to popish alliances. PREFACE. 15 Then began to be reassumed the strong and true pre- servative against popery, viz. the demonstration against it from the current of Scripture prophecies concerning it ; and those of Daniel and St. John's Revelation in particular; wherein the very boasted marks and notes it would claim for its truth, are evident predictions and characters of its corruptions. Mr. Whiston, Dr. Cressener, and Mr. Daubuz, have each of them con- tributed a commendable share in this useful and ne- cessary work ; and the great Sir Isaac Newton has esteemed it worthy of his successful pains, and given an ample confirmation of this Protestant principle in several of its most important instances. All these learned Protestants were fully sensible of the truth of what the judicious and eminent Dr. Clarke thus ex- presses ; viz. " That one of the great artifices by " which religious tyranny has been kept up in the " world, has been the discouraging men from consi- " dering soberly the prophetic part of the New Tes- " tament°." §.6. Being, therefore, myself fully persuaded, that this prophecy was intended by the Holy Spirit for the great purposes before mentioned ; and that the in- terpretation given of it by these learned men is, in the main and most considerable branches of it, true, and withal very intelligible ; I have endeavoured to set it before the common Christian reader (for whose use I principally design this paraphrase) in as clear a light as I can : and I will give a short account of the man- ner of my proceeding in it. I little concern myself into what or how many s Serin, vol. ix. p. 379. 16 PREFACE. principal parts this book is to be divided. I take the several visions in the order they lie in our present copy, and digest them into that method, and give them that connection which appears to me most agreeable to their main design, and to the historical events, by which I take them to be truly or most probably explained. The seven epistles to the churches I consider as a proper part of the Revelation, dictated by the Holy Spirit in a distinct vision ; and containing not only reproofs, warnings, exhortations, promises, and threats, to those Asian churches in particular, but de- livered with such a solemnity, as bespeaks them in- tended for universal use, and to reach downward to the instruction of all succeeding churches, of many or most whereof these Asian ones seem clearly to have been here treated as samples, and instances of what they would hereafter prove, and were foreseen to prove, in their virtues or faults, in their steadiness or depravities. Even as our blessed Saviour, after delivering several of his parables, such as that of the sower, of the wheat and the tares, &c. wherein is shewn and foretold the good or bad success his reli- gion and doctrine would have in the minds of several men, cried out, in the same solemn words, " He that " hath ears to hear, let him hear :" as he, I say, may most naturally be understood to point out this, not merely to his present hearers, but to men of all succeeding generations ; as intimating the same temptations they would lie under, and the same occa- sions they all would have for this solemn caution ; as also, speaking in particular concerning his second coming, the great day and hour, Mark xiii. 37. What I say unto you, my particular disciples, I say unto all PREFACE. 17 future Christians, Watch. So naturally do I take St. John's seven epistles not merely as doctrinal, but prophetical ; and these seven churches to be repre- sentations of what others, both the more primitive ones in part, and the later ones more fully would be afterwards. And, indeed, what were the faith, pati- ence, and perseverance for which some of these early ones were so highly commended ; and the losing the first love, impurity, idolatry, persecution, and time- serving, and lukewarmness, for which the rest are so warmly reproved, but the very same virtues and vices, found in so many larger instances, in the succeeding periods of the church ? But as to particular applica- tions of the state and case of any of these Asian Christians to the times and cases of any particular suc- ceeding church, I leave them tor be soberly and judi- ciously made by every one, as his skill in the text, and in ancient or later histories, shall direct him. In my explication of the seals, trumpets, and vials, I have taken from the several learned writers before mentioned what I think to be most clear in some parts, and most probable in others, according to the nature of the Scripture language, and the series of histories and events corresponding to the descriptions severally given by St. John in these visions ; leaving room for the inquisitive reader to exercise his judg- ment, and make his choice, wherever he sees any va- riety of interpretation. He will observe the same latitude to be allowed him in the following parts of this prophecy, wherever it may be very difficult to de- termine, with any certainty, whether the literal, or figurative, or moral acceptation ought to take place ; as those of the reign of Christ upon earth, the resur- rection of the martyrs to reign with him, called the VOL. III. C IS PREFACE. first resurrection, [ch. xx.] thinking it sufficient that, in either sense, they express such a glorious change, as tends to the honour of divine Providence, and of Christ's religion, and the great consolation of all good and sincere men. Only with relation to the glories and happiness of Christ's kingdom, described in the two last chapters under the emblems of the new heavens and new ■ ' l m,u ou earth, and the new Jerusalem, I rest myself in the cliap. xxi, * J vcr. 2. sense of those learned writers, who understand them to mean nothing more and further than the full and complete reformation of the Christian church during its last period upon earth, in the first part or accept- ation of Christ's second coming ; the last and uni- versal judgment of the world, and the general resur- rection, and the future eternal kingdom of happiness in heaven, being (as it seems to me) spoken of and described but once, in a very short compass of words, in the xxth chapter, from the 11th verse to the end of that chapter : the many other portions of the New Testament being full and large enough upon that great article. But if any reader thinks he sees a plain reason to interpret these chapters of the future and heavenly kingdom, following after the general judg- ment and resurrection, he may so interpret them, without any inconsistency with the main purpose of this book ; nor will I take upon me to deny all pro- bability to such interpretation. §. 7 . And now, upon the whole, let no Protestant reader be under any concern or suspicion about the usefulness and great importance of these prophecies, because of the different sentiments and interpretations given of them by learned men, even learned Protest- PREFACE. 19 ants. For those differences are merely in circum- stantials, that do not at all affect the main purpose of this book. In the great point, you have an almost universal agreement of the far learnedest and best of those writers, who have made prophecy their study: and that great point is this, viz. " that the idolatrous " corruption and oppressive powers in religious mat- " ters, foretold by the prophets in general, and by " Daniel in particular, to prevail in the church of " God in the latter days, i. e. in the times of Ch-ris- " tianity ; the great apostacy, or falling away, the " man of sin, the wicked one, the doctrines of devils, " (or demons, saints, &c.) the seducing spirits, speak - " ing lies in hypocrisy, forbidding to marry, and ab- " staining, superstitiously, from meats, as described " by St. Paul, 2 Thess. xi. 1-12. 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3. " the great h Antichrist foretold by St. John, I John " iv. 1, 3. and characterised in this book under the " phrases of the second beast, the whore, the false " prophet, &c. that all these, I say, were by the Holy " Spirit intended as clear and evident descriptions " of, and are eminently fulfilled in, the Pope, Court, " and Church of Rome : that the warnings and ex- w hortation, the promises and dreadful denunciations " contained in this book of Revelation, are designed " as preservatives to Christians against the snares, al- " lurements, and temptations of this deceitful and " corrupt power, seating itself in the temple of God, " and exalting itself above all that is called God : and, " finally, that the judgments and destruction of this " same oppressive power, pronounced by all these h 'O 'Arrlxproe. 1 John ii. 22. 2 John vii. Concerning which title, see Downham of Antichrist, book ii. chap. 2. c 2 •20 PREFACE. " sacred writers, in the Old and New Testament, are " to be accomplished ; first, by the full reformation " of the Christian church, and by its peace and glory " upon earth ; and, after that happy period, by the " general judgment of the world, at the second com- " ing and glorious appearance of Jesus Christ." This is the doctrine and interpretation of Protest- ants ; as, indeed, it was of most, if not of all ancient writers who treat upon this subject. And if, by set- ting this before the eyes of my reader, I may save him the needless trouble of entering into any of the 1 artificial parts of the popish controversy, and fix him upon the sure foundation of the word of God, and of his apostles and prophets, clear of the corruptions and superstitions here foretold, and unmoved by the pompous appearance and specious arguments that are apt to work upon weak and unstable minds, I have my desired end. ' See Dr. Cressener, Pref. to his Demonst. pa£: 11, &c. SHORT ADDRESS TO THE READERS OF THIS PROPHECY. IF it be true in fact (and no unprejudiced man, I think, can doubt of it) that such a series of predic- tions as occur in the following books has been made, concerning the principal events in the several king- doms of the world, and particularly concerning the great oppressive power in religion, during the Chris- tian dispensation ; and if the interpretation given of these prophecies by learned Protestants be, in the ge- neral, right, and confirmed by corresponding histories of times and events of things, a clear demonstration may from hence be formed of the truth of our com- mon Christianity, and also of the Protestant profes- sion of it. §. 1. The former part of this proof cannot, I think, be more strongly wrought up, than in the words of the learned and judicious Dr. Clarke, Connect. Script. Proph. pag. ult. " If in the days of St. Paul and St. John, there " was any footsteps of such a sort of power as this in ; ' the world ; or if there ever had been any such power " in the world ; or if there was then any appearance c 3 82 ADDRESS TO THE READERS. " of probability that there ever could be any such " kind of power in the world ; much less in the tem- " pie or church of God ; and if there be not now such " a power actually and conspicuously exercised in the " [Christian] world ; and if any picture of this power, " drawn after the event, can now describe it more il plainly and exactly than it was originally described " in the words of these prophecies ; then [but not till " then] may it with some degree of plausibleness be 11 suggested [by an Atheist or a Deist] that these pro- " phecies are nothing more than enthusiastic imagi- " nations." To which let me add, that if the foretelling of a long train of future events, not possible to be fore- seen, or forethought of, by the several subordinate agents concerned in producing them, be justly and indubitably ascribed to a knowledge and interposition supernatural, and above the power of man ; and, whatever degree of knowledge or foresight any created inferior beings may be supposed endowed with, yet, with respect to any wicked, deceitful, or malicious spirit, if it cannot possibly be supposed, that, had such a being a power, he could ever have it in his will to benefit mankind with predictions of any such enormity of power, and corruptions of true religion, especially to warn against, to dissuade them from compliance with it, and to exhort them to the true and undefiled worship of God ; if this, I say, be rea- sonable in the eye of every impartial man, then it will follow, that the Christian religion, concerning which, and for the sake of which, these several prophecies were made, and in the events whereof they have been so remarkably accomplished, can be ascribed to no other original but the God of truth. ADDRESS TO THE READERS. 23 §. 2. Again; if every grand circumstance, every express, not to say the minutest character, of this dreadful power be found experimentally fulfilled in the Church of Rome ; in its corruptions of doctrine, idolatry of worship, in its pious frauds, cruelties, and persecutions ; and if it is not possible that, in any latter days, in any succeeding time whatever, there can arise any power more destructive of true, chari- table, and peaceable religion, or more correspondent to these prophetic descriptions, than this Rome-Chris- tian has long been, and still is ; then for any Papist to send us, notwithstanding all this, to seek out the Scripture Antichrist, the man of sin, the wicked one, in some other time, or under any other power, is to make these prophecies absolutely unintelligible ; nor can they be more applicable to, or clear concerning, any other time, than they are concerning the times and powers to which they are now applied. Besides, of what use, advantage, or comfort, would any pre- diction be to the cause of true religion, or to the church and people of God, if, after the apparent cer- tainty of its completion, in the most important ar- ticles of it, a liberty be left to evade or disregard the application of it, and wait for its accomplishment in some unknown times, and future events, the greatest whereof cannot possibly exceed those that are already past, in any mark of clearness and certainty ? And, to be particular in the case before us, What empire has there been, since the writing of these New Testament prophecies, seated upon seven hills, even in that very great city which, in St. John's time, reigned over the kings of the earth ; and of such universal extent, as to cause all that dwell upon the earth, peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and c4 £4 ADDRESS TO THE READERS. tongues, and languages, to worship it, and submit to its religious ordinances and decrees ? Where has there appeared any second beast, the image of another former beast, viz. of the imperial civil power of Rome, in the shape of a lamb, but with the voice and power of a dragon, i. e. of a civil tyranny, domineering over the ten kingdoms, into which the Roman or last em- pire of the world was divided; where, I say, is such an empire within an empire to be found, but in the papal court and dominion r Or, where has there been a ruling power sitting in the very temple of God, in the Christian church, [for no other k temple has God had since the time of these prophecies,] exalting itself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, drunk with the blood of the saints, and of all that were slain upon earth ; and all this for a space of no less than twelve hundred and sixty years ? Neither the Roman-hea- then nor Turkish monarchies were ever seated in the temple of God, or belonged to the Christian com- munion at all ; nor did any of their persecutions of Christians last for so much as one third part of the period here mentioned. But the reign of Christian idolatrous Rome will reach, or is in full view of reach- ing, to that whole period, begin the date of the Papal dominion where you please ; and their effusion of Christian blood, in massacres, persecutions, and in- quisitions, have as far surpassed all that either Pagans or Mahometans have done in that kind, as the murder of a whole city would do that of a private family. §. 3. But without entering into further questions k See note on chap. xi. 1. ADDRESS TO THE READERS. 25 of this kind, I will content myself with pointing to my Protestant reader the plain and easy method, which •the right application of these Scripture prophecies will furnish him with, for defending himself and his principles against all the attacks of popish adversaries : the advantage whereof will be, the saving him the trouble of entering into any of the voluminous and intricate disputes, which take up so much of the choicest time of learned men, and is apt to perplex the minds of many honest and virtuous ones ; dis- putes wherein too often the art, and a great part of the glory, is, to entangle, rather than to convince. Sophistry often usurps the place of reason and argu- ment ; and the gaining a proselyte is preferred to the love of truth. In all such religious debates then, let the plain Christian think himself safe, if he intrenches himself within the clear expressions of holy Scripture, and draws his defence from these divine prophecies. For instance, If you are tempted to believe certain vast and pe- culiar advantages in the Church of Rome, above what are to be found, or even pretended to be, in any other communion; such as " the having a supreme head, " and infallible judge of controversies, and an autho- " ritative interpreter of doctrines, for preserving the " peace and unanimity of the church ;" or if " you " are told of the benefit of absolutions, indigencies, " and pardons, for the comfort and quiet of private "consciences;" let it be. sufficient to answer, that God Almighty having given to Christians his divine and inspired word in the holy Scriptures, " as sufficient " for doctrine and instruction in righteousness, so as " to make every man of God [every sincere believer] 26 ADDRESS TO THE READERS. " perfect in every good work ;" and our Lord himself having commanded us " to call no man master, or " father, upon earth ; because one (only) is our Father " and Master, who is in heaven," Matt, xxiii. 10. " and all we being brethren ;" and his blessed apo- stles having for themselves disclaimed all " lordship " over the faith of men," 1 Pet. v. 3. 2 Cor. i. 24. we conclude, that for any man, or body of men, to claim these forementioned privileges, to assume these titles, and pretend to these powers, is to make and demonstrate themselves to be that very prophetic beast, or spiritual dominion, which is described " as " having a mouth speaking great things, and blasphe- " mies, opening his mouth in blasphemies against " God, to blaspheme his name and tabernacle, and " them that dwell in heaven," Rev. xiii. 5, 6. Again, if you be urged, or in any danger of being dazzled with the spacious words of " catholic, uni- u versal, union of head and members, long duration, " and uninterrupted succession," and such like pom- pous qualities of the Romish church ; your reply is ready, Rome could never have deserved, nor Protest- ants have had any right to give her the character of spiritual Babylon, and the name of Antichrist, had she not, agreeably to these prophecies, long enjoyed such an amplitude, such a " variety of believers," as to have " all nations drink of the wine of her fornica- " tion," and extend her blasphemous power over all " kindreds, and tongues, and languages," Rev. xiii. 7. xviii. 3. Nor can she be denied to have had a most dreadful unity, ever since " the ten kingdoms [of " Europe] were of one mind, and gave their power, " and strength, and whole kingdoms to that beast," Rev. xvii. 13, 17. Nor do we envy her the glory of ADDRESS TO THE READERS. ti a succession, which was nothing else but one eccle- siastical tyrant succeeding another, " till the time of " her end shall come, and the mystery of God shall " be fulfilled, as he has declared by his servants the " prophets," Rev. x. 7 ■ And, finally, the temporal felicity which this corrupt communion boasts of, as, the blessing of heaven, and a mark of truth, is the very thing wherein it resembles the riches and mer- chandise of Tyre, and the golden cup, and wealth, and glory of Babylon, Rev. xviii. 16, 17, &c. Once more, let not Romish miracles, nor shews of great sanctity, delude you : Let them know, that these are not appropriated to the true church, but are foretold as things that should abound in the Antichristian church. Now, as needful and real miracles, and true sanctity once were marks and evidences of the Christian religion, so signs, or miracles, fe are not for them that believe, but for them that be- " lieve not." High and great pretences to continual and useless miracles, are foretold to be the marks of the grand apostacy, " the man of sin, who opposethsThes*. x i. himself against God," i. e. Antichrist. For that man [that political man, or power] is foretold " to come " with all the workings of satan, with all power, and " signs, and lying wonders, whereby he deceiveth all " them that dwell on the earth, and, if it were pos- " sible, the very elect." Concerning any Popish mi- racle, there needs but one question to be asked, viz. To what purpose, or for the proof of what doctrine, was it wrought ? No true doctrine can be in any want of it ; all religious truths are already sufficiently con- firmed, either by the demonstrable principles of reason, or by divine revelation : and as to false doctrines, all the miracles in the world can never prove any one of 1, t, S, 14. 2S ADDRESS TO THE READERS. them to be true. Again, sueh a power and comniu- nity must be .supposed to put on the appearance of great sanctity and holiness. Antichrist must be pro- fessedly Christian, must " sit in the temple of God ;" i rim. iv. yet at the same time, he is " to give heed to the se- " ducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." (Doctrines about demons, saints, tutelar saints, &c.) Under the cover of an oracle of truth, " he is to speak lies in " hypocrisy." On pretence of great sanctity, " he is " forbid (certain ranks and orders of persons) to " marry ; and to abstain from meats which God has " created to be received with thankfulness." In short, numerous and needless miracles, rigid fastings and austerities, monkery, celibacy, and saint worship, are the clear marks given in Scripture, not of a true, but of a false church. Lastly, these things will prevent every man from being frightened at the terms and imputation of schism and heresy, in denying to comply with a church, which, if these prophecies be at all intelligible, is itself the grand apostacy from Christ's religion. And thus, in every other article of this controversy, the right application of these prophecies will arm the plain and honest man against the snares of such who come to him " with all the deceivableness of unrififh- " teousness ;" and will fully satisfy himself, if not his adversary, " that the very same reasons that can justly " induce a Protestant to yield up his faith to the Church " of Rome, must induce every Christian to give up , G, 7. Here are interspersed thanksgivings to Divine Providence for so just a retribution. Ci-nt. is, Ver. 8. The fourth plague describes the bloody wars caused by the insults of the Popes against the Christian princes ; with the ravages upon Italy, and the popes them- selves. Cent. 14. Ver. 10. The fifth plague denotes the schism of the anti-popes: the scandal and contempt it brought the cor- rupt church into ; with the wars against Italy, and the slaughter of the clergy by the Germans, Spaniards, &c. Ver. 9, 11. A character of the Romish Christians of that time. Cint. it, Chap. xvi. ver. 12. The sixth plague foretells the depo- pulation of the Grecian parts of the corrupt Christian church, bv the wars and contentions amongst the Christians themselves, with the total slavery of them under the Otto- man Turkish power. Also the great progress of the re- formation in the western parts. And thus far we may justly conclude the prophecies of this book to have been accomplished already, by events past in the Christian world, and in the Roman empire. The succeeding parts of the prophecy are expected to be glori- ously fulfilled in God's due time. Then follows, Ver. l.i, 14. A prediction of the grand efforts to be made by the agents and emissaries of the corrupt church- powers, to stir up the Christian princes to suppress and persecute the reformers; the full defeat of which wicked enterprises is shewn by the Ver. 15. to the end. Seventh and last vial or plague, under the image of a fatal battle, ending in the fall of this idolatrous power. Chap. xvii. But before the particulars of this battle are described, [as in chap, xix.] there is a digression, giving a THE REVELATION. 37 more careful and explicit character of this Antichristian power: old heathen Rome described in its several forms of government ; Christian idolatrous Rome represented under the figure of a strumpet, rich, gaudy, and magni- ficent ; the period of its persecuting power under the ten European kingdoms : the very place and seat of this power. Then the prophecy returns to set forth the effects of the seventh trumpet, with respect to this corrupt church- power. And these are, Chap, xviii. 1. The utter destruction of Christian cor- rupt Rome, under the figures of Babylon and Tyre ; with the lamentation of her mourners, the corrupt votaries of that communion. Chap. xix. 2. The joyful acclamations and peaceful state of the reformed churches upon that destruction : the vast enlargement of the church by the conversion of Jews, and Gentiles, and corrupt Christians : the conversion of Jews and Gentiles to true Christianity : the extirpation of tvranny and idolatry through all the Roman dominions, under the emblem of Christ at the head of a victorious army. Intimated before, chap. xvi. 15. Then follows, Tiie third grand period of the church, hi its peaceful and triumphant state upon earth. Chap. xx. 1. The binding of Satan, i. e. all promoters of idolatry and vice, for a thousand years. Chap., xx. ver. 1 — 6. 2. The glory and happiness of the Christian church during that time. The resurrection of the martyrs. Ver. 7 — 10. 3. Satan loosed from his restraint. One attempt more, of certain barbarous nations, upon the Chris- tian territories, with their utter destruction. D 3 3S A SUMMARY VIEW OF THE REVELATION. Ver. 11. to the end. 4. A short account of the general resurrection and judgment of the world. Then follows, Chap. xxi. xxii. A large figurative description of the church reformed and triumphant, under the images of the new heavens and new earth, and the new Jerusalem. Ver. 6. to the end. Concluding with a most solemn confirmation of the truth of all these visions. From all this, the reader will see the greatest regularity in the composure of this divine book : the visions lying, for the main, in perfect order; and such events as are already past, corresponding to them, in a regular succession of time. The sight and apprehension of which completion, may it fill the heart of every serious believer with delight- ful astonishment at the Divine providence over mankind in general, and over the Christian church in particular; and awaken the less thinking part of the world to attention, and to a truly rational and religious piety ! while the in- terspersions or digressions, consisting of divine warnings, exhortations, comforts, promises, and threats, to Chris- tians of the several ages of the church, cannot but appear so^dapt to the occasions that called for them, as to throw an exquisite beauty and divine lustre through the whole prophecy. PARAPHRASE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN D A A PARAPHRASE ON THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. CHAP. I. The general purpose and design of this book. The great importance it is of for Christians to read and understand it. The divine Author of this Revelation. The first part of it, viz. The Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia ; and of what extent those Epistles are. The manner in which the contents of them were given to St. John, in the first vision. 1 HPHE revelation 1 FTHHIS book contains a prophetic of Jesus Christ, ■* revelation of great and im- which God gave unto portant events, that were to fall in and h.m, to shew unto his upon tne R oman empire, and the Chris- servants thing, which tian church wkhin the bounds of . must shortly come to from th { f fa { , ^ pass; and he sent and ,, , ,. . * J ' signified it by his an- the S reat ^y of judgment, and the gel unto his servant consummation of all God's dispensations John f. with mankind here upon earth. Which events are, some of them, to begin * to * Which must shortly come to pass. *A $u yaeo-Soti h ta>x u > which will he shortly a-doing, i. e. some of them begin. So Dr. More, Mr. Mede, Grotius, and the very learned Vitringa render it. Or else, which will as certainly and assuredly come to pass as if they came this moment. So Christ says, Behold I come quickly, i. e. cer- tainly. Chap. xxii. 7. of this book. And Isa. Ix. 22. I the Lord will hasten it in his time. The same with the apostle, Heb. x. 37. He that cometh will come, and will not tarry ; %pom7, will not outstay his time. t Ver. 1, 2. Jolm, who bare record of the word of God, #c. These expressions (beside many others) are perfectly in the style of St. John the Evangelist. John xxi. 24. This is the disciple that testifieth 42 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. I. take place now very soon in the Roman and Christian parts of the world ; the rest of them will discover themselves, agreeably to these predictions, in the several succeeding periods of time. This divine revelation was first given by God the Almighty Father, to Jesus Christ; who, sometimes by himself, at other times by the ministry of an * an- gel, delivered, and opened it, in its se- veral parts, to me his apostle ; 2 Who was his faithful and beloved disciple, while he was here upon earth ; and who have hitherto borne testimony f to the miracles I saw him work, and to the holy doctrines I personally heard him preach ; and am always ready to die a martyr for the truth of his Gospel. 3 And happy will it be for every one, especially for every Christian, who seriously studies, and duly attends to, the matters here treated on ! For they are of infinite concern to him, let him live in whatsoever age of the church he will ; as carrying in them the best cautions, the most seasonable warnings, the truest comforts, and the most useful knowledge, that can possibly be wanting under any time and circumstance either of epidemical vice or general virtue, or of prosperity or adversity J. 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein : for the time is at hand. of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony (or record) is true. And xx. 34. He that saw it bare record, and his record is true : and he knoweth that he saith true. Again, 1 John iv. 1, 3. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. Accordingly, all the best testimonies of antiquity agree, that St. John was the author of this book. In many good copies and ver- sions, the title of it is, 'AiroKxXv-^is roU clyiov ' AiroroXov *al TLixyyikirov 'luxwov rov ®to\6yov, i. e. The Revelation of the holy Apostle and Evan- gelist John the Divine. The character of the Divine is supposed to have been given him upon account of the sublimity of the things he treats of", and particularly that of the divinity of Christ ; or, perhaps, rather from the sublime matters of this book. * See chap. xxii. 16. f See John xxi. 24. 1 John i. 1. X Ver. 3. For the time is at hand. See note on ver. 1. CHAP. I. THE REVELATION. 43 4 JOHN to the se- ven churches which are in Asia : Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne ; 4 NOW the first part of this divine revelation is comprehended in the fol- lowing epistles, or messages, 1 was com- manded by Jesus Christ to send to seven of the Christian churches in the Ly- dian, or Proconsular, Asia. Which di- vine messages consist of reproofs for vices or neglects ; of encouragements and commendations to known courage and virtues ; of exhortations to repent- ance, and promises of glory and pros- perity to steadiness in the Christian faith and practice ; and of sure pre- dictions of what would befal them and their successors, according to the regard they shewed to these sacred warnings. Which warnings, exhortations, and pre- dictions, are not intended by the Holy Spirit for these seven churches merely; but are directed to all Christian com- munities, to all professors of Christ's religion, in every country, age, and time of the Gospel : whose case and circumstances, whose faulty or virtuous behaviour, may any way resemble that of any of these particular churches : these being only * samples or representations of what Christians may and will be, or do, or sutler, in the several periods of the Gospel time. To all and every of these, therefore, may there be bestowed all suitable favours, and divine blessings from the infinite and eternal Father f, * I here follow the sentiment of those learned men, Mr. Mead, Dr. Henry More, Vitringa, and Sir Isaac Newton. What M. Ju- rieu or others have offered, to prove these Epistles to have no fur- ther view than to these particular churches, seems to me much more ingenious than solid. See my Preface, and the learned Dr. Sykes's Essay upon the Truth of the Christian Religion, p. S7, 8S. f Ver. 4. From him which is, and which was, and which is to come, uko'tov o m, &c. " A most emphatical expression, and placed in a " construction no where else found in the whole New Testament, •< nor perhaps in any other book ; the sense being this : who. not " only, is, and was, and is to come ; but also, he, whose peculiar " name and character is, to be essentially, and invariably, and cter- 44 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. I. See Zech. x. 4. the original Author of every gracious and good gift, and of every revelation that is conveyed by the Holy Spirit, or by any heavenly ministers, who conti- nually wait to execute his good plea- sure, for the benefit of his true church and people ; such as are those seven angels, the messengers of his divine wrath upon the enemies of Christ's religion, chap. viii. xv. and xvi. * 5, 6 And may the Lord Jesus Christ continually bless and preserve them all ! He who condescended to come down from heaven, to preach to us the Gospel of truth ; who taught it, and died for it; whom God raised from the dead, and, in reward of his sufferings, made him Lord, Governor, and Judge, over this whole world ! To him, therefore, who so loved us as to die for our salvation, and b} r our faithful obedience to his laws has rendered us capable of enjoy- ing a dignity, happiness, and J honour 5 And from Jesus Christ, tchoisthe faith- ful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us , and f washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father ; to him be " nally ; he who was, and is, and is to come." Dr. Clarke, Serm. vol. i. p. 145, 146. and see Mr. Pierce upon Heb. vii. 3. * Ver. 4. And from the seven spirits which arc before his throne. I think it exceeding plain, that these spirits are the same seven angeis which stood before 6 viii. 2. thi >ut of the tempi ■■ v 6. xvii. 1. most probably the same which the prophet Zechariah, under the emblem of seven lamp*, calls the seven eyes of the J. " run to and fro through the tohole earth. Zech. x. 4. Rev. v •. v. 6. Seethe note there. The same whom St. Paul calls the el Is, 1 Tim. v. 2!. Which passage is exactly pa- rallel to this of St. John, I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels. But, however, I have expressed it in the paraphrase, so as to leave to every learned reader room for his particular opinion. See Dr. Hammond's note on this verse, and the excellent Mr. Mede, Disc. x. f Ver. 5. Hath unshed us from our sins in his own blood. 'Ev tw alfjMTi, by his own blood. So chap. vii. 14. whitened their robes, not in, but by, the bled of tht Lamb. See note on chap. iii. 5. Some copies read it here toWrrt, delivered us by liis blood. X Ver. 6. Hath Mi :, r s and priests, $c. i. e. hath promised, to all good Christians, honour and dignity answering to and far surpassing, all that is comprehended ill the word ?rD in the He- brew, and ispftt; in the Greek, which imply boih a pronely and CHAP. I. THE REVELATION. 45 glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he com- eth with clouds ; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him : and all kindreds of the earth shall wail be- cause of him. Even so, Amen * . from God his Father, far surpassing all the fading glories, honours, and titles of this short life be praise, dominion, and glory for ever and ever. Amen ! 7 Let it be observed then, that the main scope of all these prophetic visions compare is to give a full assurance, and a suffi- Dan - v,u cient description of the second coming ia * of Christ; both to set up his kingdom in glory, peace, and true righteousness, in this world, after the many afflictions, and long persecutions that his faithful servants have undergone ; and, after that, to judge the whole world by the laws of truth, and of the Gospel. And then will be most eminently fulfilled those words of the prophet, (Zech. xii. 10, 11, &c.) concerning the Jewish nation, They shall look on me whom they have pierced ; and again that of our Saviour, from the same prophet ; Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and again, Matth. xxiii. 39. Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ! i. e. Many of them shall la- ment their former obstinacy, and be converted to Christianity ; and the still obdurate part of them shall bewail, and be terribly astonished at the dreadful consequences of their wilful infidelity. A most just dispensation, which will most certainly be accomplished ! priestly power, 2 Sam. viii. 18. Exod. ii. 1G. And the ancient kings of Egypt and the Roman emperors were both kings and priests, or high priests. And the lexicographers observe from Eu- stathius upon Homer, that all persons of eminent and illustrious estate are called Icings, or princes. In what sense, and latitude of interpretation, every Christian is promised to be a king, and to reign upon earth, in the last and glorious period of the church, the reader may see exceedingly well explained by the learned Mr. Allen, in his State of the Church in future Ages, chap. vii. pag. 68S, 689. edit. fol. * Ver. 7- Even so, Amen, k»\ 'Ajuw. Note, This is to be taken either as a devout wish, as in chap. xx. 20, 21. or else as an asseve- ration, either let it be so, or so it will he. 46 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAI\ I. 8 For, to render these things a more effectual terror to all wicked men, and a sweeter consolation to the pious, the faithful, and afflicted; let it be also remembered, that they arc dictated, and thus foretold, by no other than the Spirit of the great Lord, and almighty Governor of all things, whose existence, power, truth, and providence, is from everlasting to everlasting. 9 To proceed now to the first part of this Revelation. I John, who am a brother to every Christian believer, a fellow-sufferer with all who now do, or shall hereafter, endure persecution for the sake of Christ's religion, was ba- nished by the Roman prefect into the island Patmos, for being an apostle, and preacher of the same faith. 10, 11 During my confinement in which place, a heavenly revelation, in the way of a vision, or ecstacy, was made to me in the following manner, on a Sunday, which is our Christian j- sab- bath. First, I heard a voice more than human, somewhat like indeed, but far exceeding, that of the loudest trumpet, summoning me, as it were, to give due attention to what 1 should now hear and see; telling me, that the person that spoke was no other than Jesus Christ himself, the glorified Son of God ; whom the Almighty Father from the bernnniny: constituted the Lord, Re- J Matt. xi. deemer, and Governor | ol his church in is. Hcb. tn is vv rld; and who will continue to rule and guide it through all its pe- riods and dispensations ; even to the last judgment, which he will execute + Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribu- lation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the * Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 laying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last : and, What thoa seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia ; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sard is, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. * Ver. 10. On the. Lord's day. Note, Concerning this day, in what respect it may be called the Christian sabbath, the curious reader may consult the learned Bhomer, Dissertat. 1. from p. 9, 10. to the end. CHAF. I. THE REVELATION. 47 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candle- sticks ; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks' one like unto the Son f of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and \ girt about the paps with a gold- en srirdle. upon the whole world. The voice then gave me in charge to write down what was now shewn and spoken to me ; and to send the several parts of it to the respective churches of Christians in the Lydian Asia, viz. Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Phila- delphia, and Laodicea, 12, 13, 11, 15, \G Turning myselfin a just surprise toward that part from whence the voice * came, there pre- sented himself to me a person in human shape f, but of an appearance inex- pressibly glorious and majestic. His garb resembled, but far surpassed, that of the greatest monarch or high-priest in his imperial or sacerdotal robes; his head had a splendor that bespoke a truly divine power ; bis eyes a brightness that discovered a piercing knowledge ; his lower parts seemed to be all strength and beauty; his voice was a mixture of terror and sweetness ; and his face had * Ver. 12. To see the voice. Note, The like expression is found in Exod. xx. 18. " And all the people SAW the voices, — and the " sound of the trumpet." That is, perceived and felt the terror of each. And here St. John turned to " SEE the voice," i. e. the per- son of the speaker, as the context plainly shews. Of the nature of this, and many such like figures of speech, see Glassius's Philolog. Sac. lib. v. cap. xviii. p. 1385. I will add Isai. ii. 1. " The word which Isaiah the son of Amos SAW." | Ver. 13. One like the Son of man. Described here in much the same manner as in Dan. x. 5, 6. vii. 13. See on chap. xiv. 14. of this hook. X Ver. 13. Girt about the paps. The Jewish high priest, of whom Christ was the antitype, always wore his pontifical girdle about his paps ; which the Jews thought he was obliged to, from that com- mand in Ezek. xliv. 18. He shall not be girded by any thing which causeth sweat, — but, as the marginal reading is, more truly, about the stveating places ■ which the Cbaldee Paraphrase expresses thus : " He shall not be girt about the loins, but about the heart." Accordingly, in chap. xv. 6". of this book, The angels which came out of the temple ; and in Dan.x. 5. The man that spake to Daniel ; hav- ing, both of them, the grand ensigns of authority and majesty, but not of priesthood, were girt, the one about the breast, the other about the loins. lint possibly this may be too nice. 48 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. I. every thing in it that raises reverence, astonishment, and delight in the beholder. Lastly, From his mouth there appeared to come a sharp two-edged sword, as an emblem of the justice of his govern- ment, and the efficacy and power of his * word and commands. This glo- rious person was surrounded with seven golden candlesticks, or branches, lighted up ; and in his right hand he held seven luminous bodies in the form of so many stars. Dan.x. 8, 17, is I fell down, methought, quite * io, n, sense ] ess a t th e sight of such a person &c who, in the most condescending manner, took me up, and recovered me from my astonishment ; bidding me remember who he was, viz. the Saviour of the world, who once died for the sins of it, and now lives for ever, to reward all his true and sincere followers : and as cer- tain priests and officers of the Jewish temple kept the keys, and were en- trusted, some with its gates, others with its treasures; so, in like manner, says he, has God now committed to me, the great High Priest of your profession, all power in heaven and earth, even the power of unlocking the grave, and rais- 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow ; and his eyes were as a flame of fire ; 16 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a fur- nace ; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars : and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword * : and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not ; I am the first and the last : 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead ; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the keys of hell and of death. * Ver. 16. A sharp two-edged sword. St. John follows here (and indeed every where else) the language of the ancient prophets. Thus Isaiah describes Jesus Christ. He shatl smite the earth with the rod of his mouth ; and with the breath of his lips shall he shnj the wicked, That is to say, govern the world by his power, and convert it by his word and Gospel, Isa. xi. 4. And again, Isa. xlii. 4. He shall set judgment in the earth, And again, Isa. xlix. l 2. He hath made my mouth as it were a sharp sword. Compare chap. xix. 11, 13, 15, 16. of this book, and Ilcb. iv. 12. CHAP. I. THE REVELATION. 49 19 Write the tilings which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be here- after. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candle- sticks The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches : and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest arethe seven churches. ing all good Christians to an immortal and happy life. 19 He then repeated his charge to me of writing down this, and all the follow- ing visions, relating either to the pre- sent or future conditions of the Christian churches; and to commit them to pos- terity. 20 And, for your clearer understand- ing of the whole, says he, take the meaning of those two principal emblems you now see, viz. the candlesticks^ and the stars ; the former of them signify the several Christian churches, in their several states and conditions, either as primitive churches only, or as societies of men, in general, professing Chris- tianity, during the whole course of this present world ; of which these seven you are particularly to write to are a sample and representation ; and the latter (the stars) denote the ministers, pastors, and the chief guides of the churches, (as representatives of their whole flocks,) who are wont to be called, in the Jewish language, the angels of the churches, Q Cor. viii. 23. VOL, III. 50 A PARAPHRASE ON chav. i;. CHAP. II. The Epistles to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergumos, and Thyatua. Pro' phttic warnings and denunciations against divers vices and corrup- tions already begun in the Christian church, and foreseen as grow- ing to greater degrees in future times. Exhortations and glorious jjromises to such as remain uncorrupted, arid steady to the true faith and worship of God. Epist. I.] 1 'THO the ministers and -*- Christian people of Ephesus write thus : " Give a diligent " ear to what is now said to you by him " who is the heavenly Ruler, Pro- " tector, and Guide of all them that'bear " rule in his church ; the Saviour, " whose divine presence is ever with all " his faithful servants, to support them " in distress, and reward them for every " virtue, and every instance of suffering " for his truth. 2, 3 " I perfectly know what has been " hitherto your general conduct in the " Christian life ; how diligent you have " been in discovering false and hypo- " critical teachers ; and how zealously " you have abhorred them, and their " doctrines. I have observed all the " pains you have taken to promote the i; true religion; and with what gene- " rous patience and steadiness many of " you have suffered for it. And, upon " the whole, I own you deserve the " character of a primitive and apostolic " church. 4 <: But, of late, amongst many of " you at least, I take notice that this " zeal is much abated ; a coldness and " indifference about these matters seems " to be prevailing amongst them. It is " high time to warn you of this dan- " gerous fault. 5 " Consider then, how shameful a •* thine: it is for Christians once so emi- * c ncnt in the glorious cause oi truth, to 1 TTNTO the angel of the church of Ephesus write : These things saith he that holdeth the seven starsinhis righthand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks ; 2 1 know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil : and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars : 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. \ 4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember there- fore from whence thou art fallen, and THE REVELATION. 51 repent, and do the first works ; or else 1 will * come unto thee quickly, and will re- move thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nico- laitans, which I also hate. " suffer them selves to be exposed to " the delusions of error and falsehood. " Let every one put his helping hand " toward restoring yourformer courage, " and concern for my holy religion. Do " it in due time; for a delay may in- " troduce that degree of corruption, " which in the course of just providence "may end in the ruin of your whole '* church f. 6* " One particular, indeed, I have " still to commend you for, that you " continue to abhor the vicious and " impure practices of the % Nicolaiian " and other heretics, which are the * Ver. 5. I will come unto thee quickly ; s^o/aou aoi r»xv', I tome to thee quickly, i. e. luill come : the present for the future tense, de- noting the certainty, as well as nearness, or suddenness of actions. As woi«», rj tccvtkv, rt Ktlvav, rd^u ; which way shall I go; this or that way? Eurip. Hecub. dpi & wo; y^; what country shall I go to P Aristoph. + Ver. 5. And will remove thy candlestick out of his place. This threat upon this, and the other eastern churches, was fulfilled, says the learned Vitringa, partly by the persecutions under Decius, Gall us, and Valerian ; but more eminently afterward by the Sara- cens and Turks : those once famous and populous cities of the east having now, for a long time, become lonesome and almost desolate villages , and the few ignorant and superstitious Chris- tians dwelling in them, labouring under the severe yoke of Turk- ish government. See also Dr. Prideaux, Pref. to the Life of Ma- homet ; and Dr. Smith of the Greek churches. X Ver. 6. Who this Nicolas, the first author of this impure heresy, was, I shall not take upon me to determine. Of the heresy itself, see my Pref. to 1 John, with the notes there : Mr. Mede, Com- ment in Apoc. book v. chap. 7- and Irenyeus for more particulars about it. But, indeed, it were worth considering, whether the word in the text is intended to denote any heresy derived from one Nicolas, or be not rather a mere technical word, denoting a wicked set of men, like those of Jezebel, and Balaam in these chapters. Let the reader see the Acta Eruditorum, as quoted in the Memoirs of Literat. for the month of August, 1712; as also Dr. More on these seven Epistles; and Vitringa upon this passage. I will only add the observation made by some learned critics ; that the word Balaam or Balaamite and Nicholaite, signifying as much as Lord or conqueror of people, is a proper title for impostors, i. e. head and leaders of people into sin or error. E 2 52 A PARAPHRASE ON " most contrary, of all things in the " world, to my religion. 7 " But let what I have said be M a warning to all those Christians, " amongst whom, at any time, a zeal " for God's truth, and for the puredoc- " trines of Christ, shall begin to slacken " and deca}\ Let the first and best of '* Christian churches remember, they " are in a state of trials and temptation, " and are liable to corruptions, both of " faith and practice, by the artifices or kt the violences of wicked men. To ' ! stand firm against these attempts, and " to recover .speedily from any mis- " chievous errors they may be drawn " into, is the very condition of their " prosperity in this life, and of their " reward in heaven in the next." Epist. II.] 8 To the pastors and people of Smyrna write : " Attend well " to the comfortable words of your hea- " venly Master, whom God has ap- " pointed to be the original Lord, the " continual Preserver, and at last the " righteous Judge of mankind. 9 " I perfectly know, and tenderly " consider the persecutions you endure; " the poor condition you are now in; " and which many succeeding Christian " people after you will undergo, for the 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches ; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 8 And unto the an- gel of the church in Smyrna write ; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 1 know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich,) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews *, and are not, * Ver. 9. Who saij they are Jews, and arc not P Note, the persons here pointed at by St. John were very probably of the same stamp with those mentioned by St. Luke, Acts xv. 1, 5. and by St. Paul, Gal. vi, 11, 13. Men who hypocritically complied with the Jews, and pretended great zeal for the law, only to avoid persecution ; and would expose their fellow Christians to keep themselves from harm. See the learned Mr. Allen's Mystery of Iniquity unfolded, page 614, &c. edit. fol. If they were not these false Christian converts, it must be meant of the Jews, who were very numerous in Smyrna, and were there, as every where else, the bitterest persecutors of the Christians. Jews, whom God had rejected from being any longer his chosen people, true Israelites ; who called themselves such, but were not. chap. n. THE REVELATION. 53 but are the synagogue " sake of my name and religion. I of Satan. <« continually have in view the steady " patience wherewith you all support {i your hearts under it. But, poor as the " world may think you, your love to " Gcd, and your virtuous qualities are '* the truest riches. And as I thus think (i of you with the thoughts of a good " Saviour, and a bountiful Rewarder; " so I do, with just indignation, observe " the many false Christians there are i( amongst you; who are like those Jews, " who are only so outwardly, and in u name, but have none of the virtues of " a true Israelite. For so these pre- " tended Christians are your very per- ** secutors ; and, instead of the fol- " lowers of Christ, are in their lives (i and practices the children of the " devil. 10 Fear none of I0 u j f oresee the hardships that will those things which ti befal for m §ake . and that there thou shalt suffer : be- „ wiU be nQ , tfaan ten geasons Qr eJ hold, the devil shall ,, * r- 1 1 j -• i • i cast some of you into y ear f. <* blood y persecution, which prison, that ye may be m >' dls ciples must run through in the tried ; and ye shall " following ages, by the instigation of have tribulation ten "wicked men, the instruments f of sa- days : be thou faith- " tan. But let no Christian's heart fail * Ver. 10. Ten days. See chap. vi. 9, 10. And note, that the ge- nerality of interpreters, who hold St. John to have written his Re- velation not till Domitian's reign, refer these ten days (i. e. years) to the particular persecution begun by that bloody emperor Dio- clesian, and carried on by his successors for ten years. But if we judge, with Sir Isaac Newton, that this book was written very early in the apostolical time ; then the ten days signify all the ten sea- sons or times of heathen persecutions. I have expressed it both ways, leaving every reader to his own judgment ; but indeed the number ten, in the Scripture language, very often signifies no more than many ; as may be seen in abundance of instances. As Mr. Daubuz, and Mr. Lowman from him, have justly observed. See Sir Isaac Newton's Introduct. to Observ. on Apoc. and Dr. More, Myst. Iniq. p. 213, 216. t Ver. 10. The devil, or o hccGoXo;, the false accuser. See the note on chap. xii. 12. e3 54 A PARAPHRASE ON •' him ; lot him not imitate the coward- " ice of those who throw up the hopes of " another life for ease and safety in this. 11 Let them remember, that suffering is u the Christian's trial, and, as it were, " his field of honour; and that, if he " comes off with victory, he is certain of " the future and immortal crown. 1 1 " Let this then he the cordial to " all persecuted Christians, to all who " suffer for conscience sake, in any time " and age. The Spirit of truth itself '< promises, that such as courageously Ci die for the true faith, shall not only " escape the punishment of sinners in " the future state, but shall have a glo- '• ileus part in the first resurrection." See chap. xx. 4, 5, Epist. III.] 19 To the church of Pergamos write after this manner: " Be " assured that this message comes from " him, whose judgments, both toward " the righteous and the wicked, are per- " fectly just, and whose laws and com- " mands are truly powerful. 13 "I keep a watchful eye upon " your behaviour, and mercifully con- " skier the circumstances you labour " under: the same that will befal many " more of your successors in the seve- " ral times of the church ; when and " wheresoever the great enemy of God's " kingdom, and his instruments, shall " prevail to bring upon true Christians " great temptations* and persecutions. " I observe with pleasure what a stand " you have made, and how steady you " have been to my profession under ful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 1 1 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches ; He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death. 12 And to the angel of the church in Per- gamos write ; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's* seat is .- and thou boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelled). * Ver. 13. Where Satan's throne is. Arethas, as quoted by Dr. Mill, says, ©fo'vov too Xarava t*iv n?'p i yap.ov ita^si", 0$ hmtiIjuiXov ova"x.» i-xlp tiiv Aai'av ■mu.Tot.i. St. John calls Pergamos, the throne of Satan, as bent" more addicted to idolatry than any other city of Asia. The idol of JLisculapius was worshipped at Pergamos. CHAP. II. THE REVELATION. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Ba- laam, who taught Bu- lac to cast a stum- bling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed * unto idols, and to commit fornication f. 1 5 So hast thou also i! these severe trials. And particularly " in that heat of the persecution amongst lC you, when that good Christian Antipas " died a martyr. A noble exam pie, a true " pattern for all them that shall hereafter 4( struggle with and conquer the cor- " ruptions that wicked and diabolical " powers will introduce into the Chris- " tian religion ! 14 "Thus far you have done well, " and bravely. But there is a crime or " two amongst you, that loudly call for " a severe reproof, (and the same will " be the case of many that will succeed "you;) viz. First, that numbers of you " are guilty of prevarication, and sinful " compliances with the corruptions of " your times. They own them to be " falsities and depravities of doctrine " and worship, but still fall in with " them in practice, for fear of certain " temporal inconveniences, to the great " scandal of more conscientious Chris- " tians, and to the ensnaring of weak " ones into the like offences. Which is " to act the part of the wicked Balaam; " who, though he did not attempt to " draw the Israelites into idolatry by ( ' plain words, did it by stratagem. 15 *' The other crime amongst vou * Ver. 14. The doctrine of Balaam. So St. Peter and St. Jude speak of men, false Christians, who followed the way of Balaam for reward, 2 Pet. ii. 15. Jude 11. The same persons, probably, with those St. Paul argued against, 1 Cor. viii. and with those here mentioned by St. John. See Mr. Allen as quoted on ver. 9. f Ibid. And to commit fornication, i. e. to commit idolatry, which, in Scripture language, is called fornication, and going a whoring, as it were, after other gods. This sin these primitive Christians committed, not by directly worshipping the heathen idols, but by partaking of the feasts and entertainments, made by their heathen neighbours, in honour of those idol gods. See the passages quoted in the note above. See the Scriptures, quoted on chap. xvii. 4. The one or the other of these crimes these Christians were guilty of, and perhaps both, as some learned persons think. E 4 56 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. II. " is, that some of you arc fallen into the " lewd and impure practices of the Ni- " colaitan, and other heretics, which I " perfectly abhor, and cannot but se- " vereiv punish. 16 " Wherefore exert all your best " and speediest endeavours to correct " these enormities. For otherwise you " will, in the course of divine provi- fc dence, be dreadful sufferers by it. " And as for those dissemblers and vi- " cious persons amongst you, such of " them as my word and threatenings " will not reform, my judgments shall " destroy. See chap. i. 16. 17 " Let all Christians then, who " have any serious regard to their < ; profession, take this divine warning " against all hypocritical prevarications; <; against all imprudent and sinful com- " pliances with the corruptions, super- " stitions, or any immoral practices of " the times they live in. Let them re- " member that the faithful and courage- k ' ous Christian, the man of simplicity " and integrity, is the only person for " whom are laid up the pleasures of " spiritual knowledge ; of a good con- " science in this world*, and the joys " of another ; whom Christ will justify f them that hold the doctrine of the Nico- laitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent ; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will tight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches ; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna*, and will give him a white stone f, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. * Ver. 17. The hidden manna. Christ calls himself the true manna, the bread which came down from heaven, meaning that his doctrine, and the mysteries of his religion, were the food that would nourish and fit men for eternal happiness; tilings which unbe- lievers knew nothing of, John vi. 32, 33. And St. Paul says, Col. iii. 3. The life of future happiness, promised to good Chris- tians, is hid with Christ in God. Hid, and kept safe, as the most precious treasures are hid. The expressions are a plain allusion to thepot of manna that was laid up in the ark, Exod. xvi. 33. Where it was kept entire, safe, and uncorrupted, as a sure memorial and pledge of God's favour, blessing, and protection to that people. •f Ibid. I will give him a white stone. This is an expression al- luding to the custom of the Grecians, who, in their courts of judi- cature, when a man was acquitted, gave him a white stone; and CHAP, n. THE REVELATION. 57 18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write ; These things saith the Son of God, who hath Ins eyes like un- to a flame of tire, and his feet are like fine brass : 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works ; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstand- ing, I have a few things against thee, because thou sutferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my ser- vants to commit for- nication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idolsf. " at the great day of judgment; and to " whom he will give the name and cha- " racter of a true servant of God, and " a member of his kingdom; of the " glories and blessings whereof none " can have any relish and true notion, " none can be a partaker, but such as " are like him in faith, virtue, and " Christian perseverance." See chap, iii. 12. Epist. IV.] 18 Charge the bishops, and their Christian flocks in Thyatira, to lay to heart what you now say to them, from me their great Saviour, who has been described as a Governor of piercing foresight, and all discerning providence*; of constancy, and purity in all his dealings, both with his faithful servants, and toward the enemies and persecutors of his church. 19 Tell them, " I have fully observed " the pious regard of many amongst M them toward the true Christian prin- " ciples ; and their courageous suffer- (t ings for their adherence to them. I " foresee also, that in theirs, and the Ct succeeding times of the church, these " persecutions, and the patience of good li Christians under them, will increase, " and be more signal and remarkable. 20 " But there is one thing (and a " great one it is) which too many of " you are guilty of; and they are " but a sample of the greater numbers " that will be blameable for the same •' thing in the following ages. There li are notorious corrupters of the Chris- " tian faith and worship got into the " church ; persons that assume the cha- Ci racter of inspired teachers, and set up i( for infallible oracles of divine truths; when he was condemned, or cast in a trial, gave him a black one. See Dr. Hammond in loc. Ovid. Met. lib. xv. ver. 41, 42. * Chap. i. 14, 15. f Ver. 20. To eat things offered unto idols. This is a phrase 58 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. a. " but who at the same time, by deceitful " arts of false reason, and the shews and " pompous formalities of religion, seduce (t Christians into the grossest supersti- " tions, impurities, and idolatries; and " stir up others to abuse and persecute '•' all that will not conform to them ; as ' ; Jezebel *did king Ahab against the " true worshippers of God. These " might be prevented much more than " they are; but too great a number of " you suffer them to go on, and take " little notice of them; while, by due " courage and spirit, they might be " checked and suppressed. 21 " These depravers of the Chris- " tian doctrine have had arguments and " time enough to be convinced, by the " Gospel precepts, and the good ex- " amples of the sound and better part " of your church; hut your pious en- " deavoui-s are lost upon them. And " so it will be in the future times of the " church, when such corruptions shall " come to a greater height. 22, 23 "But let all such apostate " Christians know, that, in the due " course of my providence, I shall pull " down their pride, and severely chas- " tise them and all their idolatrous ad- " herentsf; and that in so exemplary a 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will east her into a bed, and them that com- mit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. whereby any idolatrous worship is often described in Scripture; the part being put for the whole. So eating upon the mountains is used, Ezek. xviii. 6, 15. xxii. 9. For a plenty of this kind of expression the reader may consult Glassius, Philog. Sac. pag. 13/3. And thus the infidelity, perverseness, superstition, and vice of both Jews and corrupt Christians, are described by Isaiah (lxv. 2, 3, 4.) in the characters of heathen idolatry ; viz. necromancy, eating swine's flesh, fyc. as the learned Yitringa on that passage very judiciously observes, as also on lxvi. 17. of that book. See upon ver. 14. of this chapter. * The icoman Jezebel. Many good manuscripts read it "/vvxTkoc, tov, thy wife Jezebel. And so do all the ancient writers, who take this woman to have been wife to the bishop of Thyatira, as Grotius observes. 1 Ver. 23. And J will lull her children. This expression has a CHAP. II. THE REVELATION. 59 23 And I will kill her children with death ; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheththe reins and hearts : and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and winch have not known the * depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that (( manner, that all the Christian world " shall see, I judge not of the goodness " of any societies of Christians by their " specious pretences, and shining out- " side, and pompous titles : but by their " real virtues, the practice of righteous- " ness, and a sincere conformity to my " true doctrine and commands. All u shall be forced to confess that I know " them thoroughly, see into the inward (t hypocrisies of all hearts, and will "judge all men according to their true " deserts. 24, 25 " As to the rest of Chris- " tians, who have courage enough to '' withstand these corruptions, and keep " themselves clear from the influence of 11 these diabolical delusions, I have no- " thing farther to say, but only to com- " mend them for their stedfastness, and " exhort them to continue in it ; in full " assurance that the time will come, " wherein my church shall triumph over " all these corruptions and corrupt men; ■ ' and wherein all sincere Christians shall " meet with a happy and full reward. 26, 27, 28 " For as God the Father plain allusion to the destruction of Allah's children, 2 Kings x. 1, &c. as the foregoing verse has to the death of Jezebel. And thus is this prophecy remarkably fulfilled ; all historians and travellers telling us, that there are now to be seen hardly any the least re- mains of this city of Thyatira, except a few stones dug up from its old ruins — like the hands, feet, and skull of Jezebel. * Ver. 24. The depths of Satan, to. /3*Sn iov "Zxtxia,. By this seems clearly to be meant the idolatry spoken of in ver. 20. Ido- latry was Satan's masterpiece and mystery of policy. The idola- trous Christians of Thyatira seemed to have boasted of a profound secret they had learned, viz. of shewing these idolatrous compli- ances to be indifferent things. If this be their depth of knowledge, says Christ, it is a depth, a device, a mystery of Satan. Ibid. As they speak, wc \tyova-t, as they call it. The idolatrous Christians seem to have called it a. depth, viz. of knowledge ,• but Christ called it of Satan ; or the good Christians called it the depth of Satan. 00 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAf. II. " hath committed to my hands the do- " minion over mankind, and by his holy " prophets has promised that all the " kingdoms of this world shall be my " kingdoms; all the heathen my inherit- " ance, and the uttermost parts of the " earth my possession, fife, (Dan. vii. 13, " 14. Psal. ii. b", 7, 8, 9.) So let every " Christian assure himself, that whoever " overcomes the temptations, endures " the hardships, and avoids the corrup- " tions of the times he lives in, shall be il a member of that happy and glorious " kingdom, which Christ, the true light, " the bright and morning star, shall en- " lighten with all truth, adorn with the "' fulness of peace, and every instance of "virtue and true happiness; after a " complete victory obtained over super- " stition, idolatry, and vice*. 29 " And thus let the whole Chris- " tian world bear testimony that the " Spirit of God has not been wanting " to give all careful and early cautions, " all proper denunciations and divine u threatenings against seducers, cor- " rupters, and arbitrary imposers and " persecutors, under the specious names " of guides and governors in the church. " As also against all those, whether overcometh,and keep- eth my works unto the end, to him will I * give power over the nations : 27 (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron : as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers) even as I received of my Father. 2S And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. * Ver. 26. 27. Power over the nations, &;c. See chap. hi. 9, 21. compare also Wisdom Hi. S. Matt. xix. 28. 1 Cor. vi. 2. Jude, ver. 14, 15. f A T er. 28. In chap. xxii. 16. our Saviour calls himself the bright morning star. The phrase seems to be used in a political sense ; in opposition to such wicked princes and powers that affected to be, or were falsely or ironically, so called. Thus the king of Ba- bylon is styled Lucifer, son of the morning, Isai. xiv. 12. Christ, on the contrary, is the truly great Potentate ; the true light of the world ; and will bestow light, and power, and victory to all his faithful and persevering disciples : this is to rule, or be victorious over, the nations, in the two foregoing verses ; to be the ruling star. CHAr. III. THE REVELATION. 61 a princes, pastors, or people, who shall " at any time neglect to do their best " endeavours to withstand these anti- *' christian powers, and lose the happy " opportunities afforded by Divine Pro- " vidence for reforming such abuses." CHAP. III. The fifth, sixth, and seventh Epistles to the churches of Sardis, Phila- delphia, and Laodicea ; containing reproofs and threaterdngs , exhort- ations and divine promises, suitable to the faults or virtues of these Christian churches ; and applicable to the foreseen states and con- ditions of the succeeding churches in the following ages and periods of the Christian world. 1 A ND unto the an- gel of the church in Sardis write ; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars ; I know thy works,that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 1 Be watchful, and strengthen the things Epist. ?\] I TO^RITE the next * ' Epistle as to a church still more corrupt in doctrine and manners than that of Thyatira, and let your style be agreeable to the con- dition of the people you write to. " Tell the clergy and people of Sar- " dis then from me, who send forth all " those ministering spirits * that mi- " nister to them who are heirs of salva- " tion ; who am the dispenser of all di- " vine gifts and blessings to the church " of God ; that though their church " makes a great figure, and carries a " mighty name in the world, for num- " bers, and shew, and ceremonies : for " zeal in many external forms, and " modes of worship ; and for high pre- " fences to knowledge, power, and pre- " eminence ; yet all this is not to live " in the purity of Christianity, but to " be really dead to all the true virtue " and power of it. 2 " Because, with all this pompous " appearance, your worship is corrupt, Ver. 1. The seven Spirits of God. See note on chap. i. 4. 62 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. III. f Chap, xvi 15. I Dan. xii. 1. " superstitious, and idolatrous ; and the " practice of Christian virtue, humility, " purity, and charity, are almost quite " * lost amongst you. Take speedy " care to reform ; or else the little rem- " nant of goodness amongst you will be " gone, and nothing left you to boast " of but a mere name. 3 " It will highly concern you, and " whatever church else may hereafter " be in the like case, to remember how " you were instructed at first by Jesus " Christ and his apostles ; what doc- " trine and worship they taught ; what " precepts they left ; and to return to " them again. For if you, or any suc- " ceeding churches, persist in your vi- " cious corruptions, I shall take my " due lime to come upon you with such " divine judgments as will be unex- " pected, terrible, and fatal. 4, 5 u Your defection from the Chris- et tian truth and purity is so great, that " there are comparatively but few left " amongst you free of the gross stains " of your corruptions. And you of (t Sardis are but a sketch of a greater " apostacy that will be hereafter. But " let not the small number of my faith- " ful disciples be despised. They will, " in God's due time, increase, and be (i victorious over all their adversaries, " and persecutors. And as the priests " under the law were wont to be clad " in white, to || denote the dignity, pu- which remain, that are ready to die : for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember there- fore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and re- pent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief f, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few uames even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments ; and they shall walk with me in white : for they are worthy. 5 He that over- cometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and J will not blot out his name out of the book % of life, but 1 will confess his name * Ver. 2. Not perfect, i. e. exceeding faulty. See my note on Rom. i. 28. || Ver. 5. Sliall be clothed in white raiment. It was also the custom of princes to present fine garments to their favourites, or such as had done them any eminent services : and the white colour was ac- counted the most honourable. And, on the contrary, sordid and dirty garments were the tokens of sorrow, disgrace, and affliction. But I think, with the learned Mr. Mede, that the thing principally CHAP. 151. THE REVELATION. 63 before my Father and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. '* rity, and honour of their office, and " the full qualification of their persons " for it ; so these professors of my rc- " ligion, who stand the shock of epide- " mical vice, and gaudy superstition, " they, and they only, shall be the in- " heritors of my future and glorious " kingdom *, and be declared before " God and angels, and the whole world, " as worthy to enjoy its blessings and " felicities. 6 " Behold, therefore, and acknow- lt ledge, all ye Christians, of every time " and period of the Gospel dispensation, " what a solemn lecture is here read to " you by the Holy Spirit; not to think " yourselves in the safe way of salvation, alluded to in this passage, and in chap. vii. 13, 14. was, the custom and manner of the Jews in examining and choosing their officiating priests. For the Jewish Rabbins and Talmud tell us, " How the " council sat to judge of the priests ; that if any fault or blemish " was found upon any of them, he was clad in black, and forthwith " turned out ; if no such blemish were found on him, he was clad " in the white priestly robes, and admitted to minister amongst his " brethren." Talm. Bab. apud Mede, p. 909. See chap. xvi. 15. of this book. * Ibid. The book of life. This phrase is a figure of speech taken from the custom of cities, whose freemen were registered in a book, and their names kept in, and struck out, according as their be- haviour, in their observance or breach of the laws, was. So far is this expression, of men's having their names written in the book of life, from signifying any such thing as an irreversible divine decree for the salvation of any man ; but indeed quite the contrary. The heathens had a truer notion of divine government than this : Qui est imperator divum atque hominum Jupiter — Qui falsas lites movent — Quique in jure abjurant pecuniam — Eorum referimus nomina exscripta ad Jovem — Bonos in aliis tabulis exscriptos habet. Plant. Proleg. in Rud. But it is probable St. John, and the New Testament writers, might take this expression from such passages of the Old Testa- ment as that of Ezek. xiii. 9. Tsalin Ixix. 28. Ezra ii. 59. Exod. xxxii. 32. Isai. iv. 3. 64 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. III. 11 by being the formal members of any " community, that shines out, ana, four living creatures. See the note on ver. 11. agreeably to Ezekiel's vision, Ezek. i. and x. 74 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. IV. those four ensigns comprehended the whole army or body of Israel ; so these here were to denote the body of the Christian church in the four quarters of the world, the Israel of God under the New Testament. These creatures appear full of eyes, to signify them to be that people to whom it is given to know the mysteries of God's kingdom, the full revelation of his divine will, and to behold the instances of his divine providence over his chiych and people *. 7 Their faces represented, the one the face of a lion, another that of an ox, the third that of a man, and the fourth that of an eagle : signifying the strength and vigour, the industry and labour, the reason and virtue of mind, the active and lofty desires, wherewith all Chris- tians should serve, obey, and worship God. 8 They had wings also, as an em- blem of their readiness and agility in performing the divine will. And are in all respects a figurative representation of that church and people, whose daily and constant work it is to set forth, and duly to celebrate, in words and deeds, in devout praises and obedience, the glory and honour of the infinite and eternal Creator ; of his goodness to, and providences over, mankind. Exactly agreeable to what the angels about the 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a Hying eae:le. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within ; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. * Ver. 6. 1 herein follow the interpretation of Mr. Mede, with whom agree Vitringa, Mr. Whiston, Sir Isaac Newton, and others. P»ut .Turieu thinks their meaning of elders, and living creatures, ought to be inverted ; and that the former signify the body of the Chris- tian church, and the latter the ministers and pastors. The matter is not great, whichever of the two is the truth ; since all are agreed that, taken together, these elders and cherubims represent the whole of the Christian church. And the main sense is still the same, if by the elders are meant the Christian princes, and by the living crea- tures the ministers and pastors of the church j as Mr. Daubuz repre- sents them. CHAP. IV. THE REVELATION. 75 9 And when those beasts * give glory, and honour, andthanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him thatlivetli for ever and ever, and cast their f crowns be- fore the throne, say- ing, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power : for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. divine throne are said to have done in the vision of Isaiah ; Isaiah vi. 3. " And one cried unto another, and said, " Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts ; " the whole earth is fall of his glory." 9, 10, ] 1 And the whole emblem of these elders and living creatures is this ; that, upon all solemn occasions, and at all times and assemblies of Christians for public worship of the true and eter- nal Lord of all things, it is the office of these ministers and pastors of the flocks to go before, to guide, direct, and im- prove them in all proper, most humble, and devout adorations; the people join- ing with them in a solemn and joyful Amen, to the glories ascribed to him, by whose power and goodness the world was created, and by whose bounty and providence it is guided, and will be preserved, to its final consummation %. * Ver. 9. And when those beasts give glory^ ovx-v qug-ov' w xaSsVoyj-iv ol n/go-ai, the seats on which the Persiam sit, or used to sit. f Ver. 10. And cast their crowns before the throne. Note, thf i§ an allusion to the usage of princes and great personages, even amongst the heathens, who, at their prayers, in the temples, for themselves and their kingdoms, were wont to lay down their crowns upon the ground. See Mr. Mede, p. 909. edit. fol. X Note. I cannot but think also, these four beasts or living crea- tures were designed to bear a plain reference and analogy to the four iv'dd beasts, by which the prophet Daniel represents the four grand idolatrous and persecuting empires of the world ; and by the last of which, St. John (in this hook, chap. xiii. and xvii.) describes the Roman monarchy, and Roman persecuting church. As Daniel's beasts were cruel and idolatrous, these living creatures of St. John are their contraries, viz. powers, and ministers promot- ing piety, truth, and peace. As the one were the enemies of God, 76 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. v. CHAP. V. The book containing these visions and prophecies, ivith its seven seals. The meaning of them. No person but Jesus Christ is approved of God to open and explain them. The honour and worship, due from the whole church, both to God and Christ upon tJiis account. 1 HPHE theatre of this revelation be- 1 AND I saw in the •*■ ing thus opened, I proceed to right hand of the several visions, wherein were repre- him that sat on the sented to me the future events of Divine throne . * book , wnt " r> • i », • *u m • 4.- u t L ten within, and on Providence in the Christian world; those . . , ., , , ,. ,. c .. T i • u the back side, sealed chiet parts or it, 1 mean, which were ... „„ „„ le .* , . , . ' , t, ' . with seven seals. contained within the ltoman empire: the same monarchy which the prophet Daniel describes as the fourth great kingdom of the world. Now the first great series of these events concerning this empire, and the Christian church in it, was represented to me under the emblem of a book, which, methought, I saw God Almighty holding in his right *hand, with a design to have it opened, that therein might be discovered to the Christian churches the said events. The book had something written on both sides of every part of the roll, (if it was in the form of a roll;) or of every leaf, (supposing it to be a leaved book;) the two sides of every part, or leaf, contain- ing such events as corresponded!, in of mankind, and of true religion ; these others were the instru- ments of real divine worship, of the honour of heaven, and the salvation of mankind. Accordingly the former are called $»fia, wild beasts, the latter $», (good) living creatures, in this book. * Ver. I. In the right hand of him, S;c. In allusion to the book of the law, which was inclosed in the right side of the ark. f So Sir Isaac Newton. But if the translation of this passage be as Grotius would have it, and as the Greek will very well admit of, there will be no occasion for any of these criticisms or suppo- sitions ; viz. /3jfeA('ov ysy£aju ( u.£vov scrawn xxl oTHrZiv, x36TE<7$paytherd. And I the Lcrd will be their God, and my servant David a prince over them. So also Jer. xxix. 9. Hosea iii. 5. David their king in the latter days. See note on chap. xxii. 16*. * Ver. 6. A lamb as it had been slain, w? lo-Quy pivov, which had been slain. Compare xiii. 3. X Ibid. Seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth, &c. Note, this manner of speaking agrees with what Xenophon says of the seven counsellors of the kings of Persia. " They were," savs he, " the eyes and ears of the prince." Cyropaxl. lib. viii. 517. CHAP. V. THE REVELATION. 7 And he came, and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down beforethe Lamb, having every one of them harps, and gold- en vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints : 9 And they * sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and peo- ple f , and nation ; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests : and we shall X reign on the earth. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round whole church of God, and inspires, en- lightens, and instructs all the true mi- nisters of his Gospel throughout the world. Or else they denote the seven elect spirits, mentioned chap. i. 4. See the note there. 7, 8 To this highly dignified person did the Almighty Father then give the honour of revealing his future provi- dences relating to the Christian church, and to that Roman empire under which it was so cruelly persecuted. Here- upon, the four creatures, and the twen- ty-four elders, fell prostrate before the Lamb, the Redeemer of mankind; of- fering up to him the most devout prayers, and solemn thanksgivings, and praises. .9, 10 The subject of which praises was to this effect : " Lord and Saviour " of God's people ! who besides thee " can be esteemed worthy to enter into ** the secrets of the Almighty Father, " and disclose his future counsels ? " since to thy meritorious blood alone " it is owing that we are made members " of that kingdom,. wherein all sincere "Christians, Jews, and Gentiles, shall f Compare "one day triumph in truth, peace J, Dan - m - 4 > " and righteousness, and partake of " honours far exceeding those of any i( priests, or even princes upon earth !" See Isai. xxvi. 11, 12 Moreover, not only these re- presentatives of the whole Christian church, but the angels and heavenly * Ver. 9. Sung a new song, i. e. an hymn peculiar to the Chris- tian religion ; an hymn to Christ ; whereas, under the Old Testa- ment, all public worship and praises were usually performed to God alone. Compare chap. xiv. 3. xv, 3. X Ver. 10. And tve that reign upon earth. See the note on chap, i. G. 80 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. V. spirits, in numberless ranks about the divine throne, joined their acclamations of all praise, dignity, and glory, to this Son of God. Compare Dan. vii. 10. 13 In short, the whole rational world, methought *, bore a part in magnifying the supreme Father, the original of all mercies, the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom, the Creator of all things ; and in celebrating the praises of Jesus Christ, for bis redemption of mankind, and as the revealer of the divine will, and providences of God, to his church. 14 But particularly these emblems of Christ's body the church closed up all with the most solemn and joyful Amen; paying the lowest reverence and adora- tion to the Lamb of God. Thus was represented the pure and primitive worship of f the Christian about the throne, and the beasts, and the el- ders : and the num- ber of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thou- sands of thousands ; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wis- dom, and strength, and honour, and glo- ry, and blessing. 13 And every crea- ture which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worship- ped him that liveth for ever and ever. * Ver. 13. Every creature which is in heaven, earth, under the earth, in the sea, &;c. A Jewish phrase to express the whole crea- tion, the same with that of Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. The world taken from its beginning to the last end, including the living, and the dead that are to rise again. Christ is the Lord both of the dead and of the living. Compare Isai. xlii. 10, 11. xliv. 23. xlix. 13. Where, and in many other passages, are the like exultations concerning the blessings of Christ upon his church. f So Sir Isaac Newton, taking his lirst hint (as 1 imagine) CHAP. VI. THE REVELATION. 81 church, to be performed toward God, and Jesus Christ, through all its periods of time upon earth. And it is called new, (ver. 9.) as belonging peculiarly to Christians; for it is they only who worship God through Christ the only Mediator. CHAP. VI. The opening of the six first seals, wherein are shewn the most remark- able occurrences in the persecuting Roman empire ; from the days of the apostles, to the fall of Paganism, and the conversion of the empire to Christianity. The several particulars of each of these events, answering to each seal; and how those prophecies or seals were fulfilled. 1 A ND I saw when "^ the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts, saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a * white Seal 1.] 1 4 ND now to proceed to -^*- the several distinct pro- phecies, contained in the several parts of the forementioned book, concerning the Roman empire, and the Christian church under it. Upon opening the first sealed part, a voice came to me from that living creature that stood on the east side of the divine throne, bidding me come and see an emblematic repre- sentation of what fell out in the eastern quarters of that empire, drawn out as in a picture. 2 There I beheld an illustrious per- son, even Christ himself, in the form of from the remarkable words of the judicious Mr. Met'e. " Canti- " cum porro novum est, cujusmodi, post CHRISTUM mundo " exhibitum, Deo canitur — altius in aniino meo insedit, universum " Cultus Evangelici MYSTEKIUM eo contineri." Comment. Apoc. par. ii. ad cap. xiv. and Sir Isaac Newton, Observ. on Apoc. cap. xi. * Ver. 2, 4, 5, 8. Behold a white horse — red, black, and pale horse. Here St. John plainly copies from the prophet Zechariah, chap. i. and vi. where the conquering armies of the several nations of the world are described by four horses, and four war-ehariots drawn by horses of these and the like different colours ; denoting the se- VOL. III. G 8S A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VI ♦Chap.xvii. a commander* of a victorious army, horse ; and he that H. xix. ii, conquering, and quite subduing his ene- sat on him had a bow • ^• V :T mies, that" is to say, Christ subduing and a crown was given xlv. 3,&«. u » , ,. __<__?_ iL _ T > „ unto him: andhewent them by his instruments, the Roman emperors, here mentioned ; as also, the conquests his religion made by the mi- nistry of his apostles. " Thus were re- *' presented the terrible wars in Syria *' and Judea, where Vespasian was raised " to the imperial dignity ; and returned " to Rome inmost triumphant manner. " Whose son Titus, after him, subdued " the Jewish nation ; destroying the " city, temple, and ceremonial worship " of that obstinate people, enemies of '• Christ's religion ; and so made way 64 for the further advancement of the " Gospel doctrine through all parts of " this empire f." forth conquering, and to conquer. vend ravages and destructions they were to make, or had already made upon each other, or upon the people and church of God. And tliey are there styled the four spirits, angels, or winds of the heavens, i. e. wars, or authors of wars ; exactly agreeable to this book, Rev. vii. 1. ix. 14, 15. The white horse, with his rider, in particular, in this place, and in chap. xix. 11. is an emblem of vic- tory and triumph; as white garments are of innocence, and the reward of virtue, chap. iii. 5, 6, 11. This is agreeable to that of Virgil, J&n. iii. Quatuor hie, primum omen, equos in gramine vidi Tondentes campurn late, candore nivali. Which Anchises took for an emblem of war, and victory, and a succeeding peace. Bellum hsec armenta minantur Sed tamen- Spes et pacis, ait. And Servius takes them to signify, and allude to the four whits horses, that were wont to draw the triumphal chariots of the Ro- man victors. Compare Psalm xlv. 3, &c. and chap. xix. 11, 12. and xvii. 14. of this book. + The followers of Mr. Mede's interpretation make this first seal to concern events past before St. John wrote this Revelation ; which they think to have been written in the reign of Domitian. So they number these events amongst the things which he hath seen, chap. i. 19. Sir Isaac Newton, who thinks the Apocalypse was CHAP. VI. THE REVELATION. S3 S And when he had opened the second seal, I heard thesecond beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red : and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another : and there was given unto him a great sword. Seal II.] 3, 4 " At opening the " second sealed part, there appeared " another eminent warrior, mounted '* upon a red horse, and who carried in " his appearance and actions all that is " bloody, and dreadful, in civil wars, " and in those merciless destructions " that follow upon internal strifes and " commotions within the bowels of a " nation. Thus was figured out what " afterward befel the remainders of the * Jewish nation in many quarters of the (i world ; in Egypt, Lybia, Cyrene, Pa- " lestine,and elsewhere; andthedestruc- " tion they made of the Romans during- i( their revolt ; and how dearly, at last, " theypaidfor it under the emperorsTra- * jan and Adrian, the instruments of di- " vine vengeance on a people, who every " where persecuted the true faith, and " excited the Romans to do the same. " I was called up to view this fearful " scene by the living creature that stood '* on the west side of the divine throne; " to intimate, that the events should be " brought to pass by a person that " came from the western quarters of tc this great empire : for Trajan was a " native of Spain, the most western part " of it," [And thus the historians confirm and clear the truth of this terrible prophecy; telling us, that of the Greeks and Ro- written much earlier, even in the time of the rest of the apostles' lives, must have accounted these events as future, amongst the things which shall be hereafter. The learned Vitringa, who agrees with Mr. Mede, as to the time of St. John's writing this book, yet thinks the events of this seal to be fulfilled after St. John's time. Accordingly he interprets this first seal as denoting the great suc- cesses and propagation of the Gospel doctrine, from the reign of Nerva, to that of Decius, viz. for 150 years after St. John's death. In either way, Christ was a conqueror. I shall remark the several expositions of this last learned person as I go along. G'2 S4 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VI. mans there perished six hundred thou- sand ; of the Jews twelve hundred thousand in these wars; and that before they were quite ended, more than two millions died a violent death. See the several historians, as quoted by Mr. Mede, Mr. Whiston, and the rest of the learned commentators*.] SifAL III.] 5, 6* The third scene I was called up to see by the third living crea- ture that stood on the south side of the divine throne, and bore the visage of a man; denoting, that what he was to shew me were transactions, in a reign or two of this Roman empire, of a milder and better kind than either of the two for- mer, or several of the ensuing visions represented: even times of strict justice, and of severe restraint from injuries, oppression, and violence in men's com- merce and dealings. Accordingly I was shewn another emperor, mounted upon a black horse, with scales in his hand, the emblem of justice; and a voice, at the same time, declaring, that this would be a season, wherein, by the care of the prince, all the necessary commo- dities of life would be enjoyed at tole- rable and reasonable rates, even after a time of great scarcity and failure of the fruits of the earth ; and that the utmost check would be given to all cheats J, thieves, knaves, and oppressors. [" This " was verified in the reign of Septi- " mius Severus, who was born in the 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black f horse ; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat fora penny, and three mea- sures of barley for a penny ; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. * This seal the learned Vitringa makes a prophecy of the Chris- tian persecution, by Decius, and Valerian. But I own myself not convinced by his reasoning in this part; and rather think, with Sir Isaac Newton, and the followers of Mr, Mede, that the affairs of the church are not particularly meddled with till the fifth seal. f Ver. 5. A black horse. Expressive of mourning and sadness. Compare Lam. v. 10. Ezek. iii. 16. X Ver. 6. And see that thou hurt not the oil and the wine, /un v dhxwn/s, Du no wrong in (the measure of) the oil and wine. CHAP. VI. THE REVELATION. 85 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice Eutropius. " parts of the empire for titteen years, " without intermission. And the Bar- u barians in the eastern quarters made " such ravage of the fruits of the earth " as produced a famine, that so thinned " the inhabitants, that the remainder u could hardly defend their lives from ** the wild beasts." These were the events which fell out from about the middle, to the latter end of the third age of the church f. 9 And when he had Seal V.] 9, 10 Upon opening of the opened the fifth seal, I fifth part of the sealed book, I was prc- saw under the altar sented with a deplorable sight of pcr- the souls of them that sedition upon the Christian church \ chap. iii. were shun % for the within the empire. A cruelty exer- i7.». 4. word of God, and for c ; sec | f or ten y ears together, begun by the testimony which Uiodesian, and carried on by others; they held . , it was represented to me by a vast 10 And they cried , K , ». i rM • .-■' i • with a loud voice, number of slaughtered Christians lying saying, How long, O under the altar > as so man y sacnfacfiiB to Lord, holy and true, God ; or else lying at the foot of the dost thou not judge, golden altar of incense ; signifying that and avenge our blood, their constancy, unto the death, was an tion of one fourth part of the people of the empire. Either of these ways may serve for the completion. See note on chap. viii. 6, ike. * Ver. 8. With death, i. e. the pestilence. So the Hebrew *\T), pestilence, is rendered by the LXX Savwro?, death, in the Old Testa- ment. Exod. ix. 3. c 2 Sam. xxiv. 13. And in many other places, SaWos, a mortality ; as we (in our language) call the plague, em- phatically, the sickness. These judgments of St. John are evidently the same with Ezekiel's four sore judgments, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beasts, and the pestilence ; which last is em- phatically called death, from the numbers that it sweeps away. See Ezek. xiv. 21. f Ibid. Vitringru according to his hypothesis, by which the affairs of the Christian church are principally pointed out in these four first seals, understands these characters to belong to the vic- tories of the Saracens and Turks, in the eastern quarters of the empire j in divine punishment of the dissensions and vices of the eastern Christians. Here again the prophecy is fully accomplished, whether you take it to relate to the judgment upon the empire in the third, or the church in the seventh century. G 4 88 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VI. offering, a sweet savour, acceptable to God, [for the scene was still a temple;] and whose souls, as it were, called upon Cod, in humble and devout manner, to know the time when these sufferings would have an end, and how long it would be before he, in the course of his good and all-wise providence, would punish that cruel and idolatrous empire, that thus mercilessly inflicted them upon the inn cent, 11 'I o which submissive and pious expostulations, an answer was returned: that they should patiently wait a while longer, till the glorious number of mar- tyrs were fulfilled at the conclusion of the persecution ; and that then such divine judgments should fall upon their adversaries, as would either convert or destroy them. That they should re- member the words of Isaiah spoken of these very times, (Isai. xxxvi. 20, 21.) Come my people, enter thou into thy cham- bers, and shut iky doors about thee: hide thyself, as it veer e, for a little moment, until the indignation (the persecution) be overpast. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. In the meanwhile, methought, I saw these martyrs clad in white, as a token of as- surance, that they were the persons had in honour in the church of God and Christ ; and should be esteemed worthy of admittance into the principal re- wards of his glorious kingdom. ['• Thus was described this terrible " persecution, of which the history "of those times is so full and clear; " wherein so many thousands and ten " thousands of Christian professors were " slain, or banished for the true reli- " gion ; which persecution, in answer to " the prayers of these martyrs, was on them that dwell on the earth ? ! 1 And white robes were given unto every one of them j and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow- servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. CHAP. VI. THE REVELATION. 89 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood ; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig- tree casteth her un- timely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind : 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled to- gether, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places ; " put an end to under the following « seal *." Seal VI.] 12, 13, 14 For upon open- ing the sixth seal, I had laid before me a representation of the greatest and most remarkable change of the face of things that ever yet befel this Roman empire; a revolution so shocking and terrible to some, and so unexpected and joyful to others, as nothing hitherto had been found to compare with it. And this was the fall of paganism, the extinction of idolatry in this empire, by the victo- ries that were gained by that eminent prince, Constantine the Great, and his successors ; and the conversion of the empire to the Christian religion, after he had pulled down the forces of Maxi- min, Maxentius, and Licinius,&c. those tyrannic idolaters and persecutors ; and became himself the first Christian em- peror, and defender of the true religion. These changes were set out to me under all those lofty images, and affrightening scenes, whereby the ancient prophets were wont to paint out the sudden and great destruction of cities and king- doms, such as earthquakes, to denote a total overthrow of a state or civil power ; the darkness of the sun, moon, and fall- ing of stars, to express the calamities brought upon the kings, princes, and nobles of a ruined government; the re- moving of mountains and islands, to *Ver. 11. Here again the learned Vitringa differs from the followers of Mr. Mede; and understands this persecution to have been fulfilled upon the Bohemian and the early Protestant churches. The reader must judge; it is sufficient, if the prophecy was fulfilled either way; only I must observe, that, in Vitringa's interpretation, the series of the prophecy and their accomplish- ments is greatly interrupted. 90 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VI. express the pulling down of towns, idols, temples, &c. * 15, 16*, 17 And finally, here was de- ciphered that universal consternation, that rage, flight, and contusion, into which the heathen idolaters, of all de- grees and ranks, were thrown; f when this famous emperor ruined the armies, pulled down the temples, and abolished the superstitions of pagan Rome; and, by degrees, he and his successors in the throne became the instruments of di- vine Providence for destroying these works of the devil, and setting up the kingdom of the great God, and the re- ligion of the Son of God, through the greater part of this empire : so far at least as to deliver the church of Christ from the insults of pagan idolaters, and from heathenish persecutions; and to encourage the free exercise of the Chris- tian religion. (" And thus was fulfilled " the great event of the fall of pagan " idolatry, and of the Roman empires si having Christian princes in its throne, 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, f hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains ; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : 17 For the great day of his wrath is come ; and who shall be able to stand ? (See and compare chap, xii .) * Ver. 12, 13, 14. See here how closely St. John follows the language and phraseology of the old prophets. Isaiah, painting out the fall of Babylon by the Medes, says thus : The stars of heaven and the constellations thereof sliall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place ; viz. I will stir up the Medes against them, Isai. xiii. 10, 13, 17- The same again in the destruction of Jerusalem, xxiv. 21, 23. Matth. xxiv. 29. And of Edom, Isai. xxxiv. 4. in the very words of the 12th and 13th verses of this chapter. But such pa- rallel passages are innumerable. See particularly Isai. li. 16. where planting the heavens, and laying the foundations of the earth, is ex- plained by making Sion God's people cr kingdom, i. e. erecting the Jewish nation again into a new state or policy. f Ver. 15, 16. Hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks, and said to the mountains, Fall on us. Exactly the words of Isai. ii. 19, 20. See also Hos. x. 8. speaking of these very times, the latter days, viz. the times of the Christian church. chap. vi. THE REVELATION 91 " in the famous transactions of the " fourth century ; begun by Constan- *•' tine, Anno Dom. 312, and completed " by Thcodosius toward the latter part M of that century. The particulars of " the histories demonstrating the truth " of this completion, may be seen in ** Mr. Mede, and such others as follow " his interpretation*.") By all which were (in great measure) verified the following words of Isaiah, (Isa. xiii. 11. and xiv. 2, 3.) I will punish the world for their evil, and the ivicked for their iniquity ; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. H shall come to pass in that day, i. e. the days of the Messiah, that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherewith thou (the church of God) wast made to serve (under heathen govern- ments.) They shall take them captives, ivhose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors. See also xlix. * Ver. 15, 16, 17. All this grand revolution in the sixth seal, the learned Vitringa understands to be meant of the complete re- formation from, and destruction of, popery. I have followed the sense of Mr. Mede and his learned approvers ; but let the reader apply it to which he judges best. See the note on chap, xii, 7, S, 9. But I must observe, that Vitringa himself, very frequently, (in his Comment, on Isaiah,) allows that this destruction of the Pagan religion by Constantine and his successors was, in a high and great measure, a completion of the prophecy of this sixth seal ; the first though not the full accomplishment of it. Indeed, whoever strictlv observes the manner of the prophetic writings, will, I think, find many events of the greater or lesser kinds, described under the same figures, and in much the same strain of words : and the gradual as well as the final and last com- pletion of prophetic mercies or judgments are wont to be set forth in the same language. See that excellent author on Isaiah, vol. ii. p. 287. and elsewhere. 92 A PARAPHRASE ON C HAP. VII. chap. vii. A preface of comfort to all sincere Christians during the further judg- ments that were to full upon the Roman empire. The sealing of the hundred and forty-four thousand. The meaning of that emblem; of the tribes, and of the number. The blessings of such as are so sealed. 1, 2, 3 rpHE Holy Spirit, having thus ■*■ far represented to me the principal events reaching to the conver- sion of the Roman empire to the Chris- tian religion, intended to proceed in further discoveries of what would befal it, and the Christian church under it, after that remarkable period, even to the final end of that empire, and of this whole world. But because these follow- ing occurrences were to be of a still higher nature; as consisting of divine judgments on that empire so terrible as gradually to destroy it; and of perse- cutions upon true Christians, arising from a general apostacy, and corruption of the truefaith in the heads and members of this same Christian empire, so much more dreadful than had ever been felt from Rome in its heathen state; there- fore it pleased God, for the comfort and encouragement of all sincere and good Christians, who might hereafter see, or feel any of these calamities, to draw out to me an emblem of his divine care, and gracious providence over all those who, at any time, were to suffer for Christ's religion, and kept their consciences and practices unstained with the idolatries 1 AND aftor these ■^ things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not * blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw an- other angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. * Ver. 1. That the wind should not blow. Thus the judgments of war upon El;im, are called the four winds of heaven, Jer. xlix. 36. and li. 1,2./ will raise up against Babylon a destroying wind ; and will send upon Babylon fanners (i. e. armies) that shall fan her, and empty her land. See also Jer. xviii. 17. CHAP, VII. THE REVELATION. 93 4 And I heard the numberof them which were sealed : and there were sealed an hun- and superstitions that would be brought into his church. And also (very pro- bably) to denote a happy interval of rest and peace to the Christian church, between this first conversion of the em- perors to Christianity, and the persecu- tions afterward to arise from their apo- stacy,and the judgments On theirapostate empire, described by the following trum- pets. The emblem was that of setting a seal or mark upon all such virtuous and courageous Christians ; denoting, that God would never fail to distinguish, to own, to protect, and reserve them for the rewards of Christ's kingdom of glory. * Four of those angels who were appointed to denounce the following sore judgments f, such as wars, tumults, &c. (called winds in the prophetic lan- guage,) upon the several quarters of this persecuting empire, (called the earth, sea,8ic.X) were commanded, methought, to stop their denunciations a while; until the seal was put upon all these Christians. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 And in like manner as the heads of the twelve tribes of the Jew- ish nation represented the whole body of that people ; so these good and faith- * Ver. 1, 2, 3. See Ezek. ix. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. where you see a plain instance, amongst innumerable others, of St. John's making use of the same emblems, and ways of speech, that were used by the ancient prophets. The Lord said, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a MARK upon the FOREHEADS of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abomi- nations that are committed in the midst thereof. And he said, Go and smite ; let not your eye spare, neither have pity ; slay utterly old and young, but come not near any man upon whom is the MARK. f See chap. viii. 2, &c. Four of the same trumpet-angels. % Ibid. ver. 1, 2. The trees. As the earth and sea denote the se- veral countries and quarters of a kingdom, so the trees signify the nobles and great officers in it ; who are frequently called cedars and oaks, lsai. ii. 12, 13. xiv. 8. Ezek. xxxi. 3, 4, 16. and elsewhere. Thus, accordingly, grass signifies the common people. 94 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VII. ful Christians are here styled the true Israel of God, who are built upon the foundation of the twelve apostles of Christ; steadily adhering to the doc- trine and worship taught by them. So then this whole number of the faithful is made up of twelve multiplied into it- self, viz. an hundred and forlu-juiir thou- sand: intended not to signify a precise and exact number ; but to shew the number of sincere and virtuous Chris- tians to be considerable, (even in the first ages of the reformation, as well as under the times of the persecuting hea- then emperors :) though small in com- parison of the greater numbers of apo- state and idolatrous Christians in the future times of the church *, or of the vast increase of that number of the faithful in the future and full reforma- tion of that church. 9, 10 They were represented, I say, as a very considerable number, even in the earlier persecutions of the Christian church. But when, afterward, I had + Compare shewn to me the more lasting and severe Dan. in. 4, oppressions of the Antichristian times of this church, I found the numbers of these brave and resolute Christians to dred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thou- sand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser weresealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thou- sand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thou- sand. Of the tribe of lssachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were seal- ed twelve thousand. 9 After this I be- held, and, lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, f and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, See Dr. Hen. More, Myst. Jniq. p. 213—216. CHAP. VII. THE REVELATION. 95 clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands ; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the an- gels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and wor- shipped God, 12 Saying, Amen : blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and ho- nour, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders* answered, say- increase so, throughout the several dominions of it, as was past all skill to reckon up. (See chap. xiv. l,&c.) These persecuted and untainted Christians (methought) stood before the throne, and before Christ the Lamb; that is, con- tinued in the Christian church upon earth, (as they shall hereafter stand more gloriously in the heavenly church tri- umphant,) expressing their devout hope in, and gratitude toward, God and Christ, as their Saviour and Deliverer, clad in robes that denoted the highest honour, purity, and innocence. And the palm branches they carried in their hands bore a resemblance to that festival of taber- nacles, wherein the Jews made such re- joicings, and sung hosannas, with palm branches in their hands. And thus this latter innumerable multitude represents the fuller and more complete reforma- tion of the Christian church. Com- pare chap. xi. 1 — 14. and the whole xiv. chapter. 11, 12 With these also joined the angels, and the elders, and living crea- tures, the representatives of the whole body of Christ's faithful church, in cele- brating and adoring the divine wisdom, goodness, and providence, in thus pre- serving his sincere worshippers, and bringing them, through much tribu- lation, into his glorious kingdom. 13, 14 Moreover, to give to me, and all future Christians, a clearer and * Ver. 13. One of the elders answered, saying. Not answered as to any question foregoing ; but spake, saying : as uiroxfivopcti is often 96 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VII. more comfortable notion of this matter ; one of the forementioned elders, me- thought, stepped down from the throne, and asked me, if I fully understood the meaning of this vision, and who this palm-bearing company was designed to represent ? My answer was, that 1 much wished he would please particu- larly to inform me. Know then, says he, that they signify all those pious and uncorrupted Christians who, in the de- i Sec note praved and oppressive times of the on chap. iii. Christian church, hold fast their inte- grity ; endure persecution for conscience sake ; and by a steady adherence in the true faith, and obedience to Christ's re- ligion, shine as illustrious members of his kingdom. In short, these are the persons foretold by the ancient prophets, and described as the great lights in the church of the Messiah. Dan. xi. 33, 35. xii. 10. They that understand shall instruct many ; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days ; to try them, and to jmrge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end. And Zech. xiii. 8, 9. It shall come to pass (in that day, the times of the Christian church,) that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off, and die, (in cor- ruption and apostacy,) i. e. the greater part shall do so, but the third (a lesser part) shall be lost therein, (in constancy and fidelity,) and shall bring the (or this) third part through the fire (of persecution), and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried : they ing unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of * great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and f made them white in the blood of the Lamb. used in manner of Gnanah in the Hebrew^. As Job iii. 2. Matt, xi. 25. xvii. 4. and elsewhere. * Out of great tribulation, Ik SaAJ/ew? trig ptycixn;, out of THE great tribulation, the greatest that ever the church and people of God felt. CHAP. VII. THE REVELATION. 97 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple : and lie that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hun- ger no more, neither thirst any more, nei- ther shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters : and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. shall call on my name, and I will hear them : I will say, It is my people ; and they shall say, The I^ord is my God. 1.5, 16, 17 As such, therefore, God will, in every age, watch over them with an eye of heavenly love, providence, and protection; until, at last, in the course of his divine dispensations, he will cause all superstitions, corruptions, idolatries, and * persecutions to cease: Christ will restore to his church the full enjoyment of peace, truth, and righteousness; and change the face of things so, that his true worshippers shall enjoy a reign of universal security, and of all virtuous pleasures, even in this world upon earth; and a more glorious one in heaven hereafter for ever. [See and compare chap. xiv. 1 — 5. with chap. xxii. 1. Isai. xlix. 10, &c. f xxv. 8. xxxv. 10, 11. * Ver. 16. Neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. The same with the sun shall not burn thee by day, &;c. Psalm exxi. 6. (See note on chap. xvi. 8.) Thus St. Peter calls the persecution of Christians ■e7-J8. 2 - 10 And the third Trumpet III,] 10, 11 The third angel sounded, and angel foretold a dreadful continuation there fell a great star of the forementioned invasions by the H 3 109 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. VIII. Cent. 5. 452. 427. barbarous nations. It was represented to me by the appearance of a vast fiery meteor, falling from tbe sky upon tbe rivers and waters, that is to say, either upon the Roman provinces in general, or else particularly upon those fine pro- vinces lying' along the Danube and the Rhine, the greatest rivers of Europe. This star, or fiery meteor, pointed out some eminent person or persons, leaders of armies, to harass and ravage this empire, or the empire itself which was to be ravaged by him, And he has the name of Wormwood given him, to ex- press the bitter calamities he was to throw these countries into *. [" Which prophecy was sufficiently '* fulfilled in the middle and latter part "of the forementioned fifth age of the " church. For, in the year 45^, Attila, " with a prodigious army of Hunns, " i.e. the Tartars, Scythians, &c. invaded " the western parts of this European " empire, about the Danube and Rhine, " carrying all before him ; and for the li ravages and desolations he made, be- " came what he delighted to call him- " self, viz. The scourge of God, and f the " terror of mankind. Jn the year 4<27, " Geneseric king of the Vandals entered " Africa, beat the Romans, and look from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters : 11 And the name of the star iscalled Worm- wood : and the third part of the waters became wormwood ; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bit- ter. * Ver. 10. A star fell from heaven. It makes no alteration either in the sense, or the completion of this part of the vision, whether by the star be meant the person that brought these calamities on the empire, (as some think,) or the emperor, with the empire, that fell by them ; as the excellent Mr. Mede thinks. If it were the latter, it is just such an expression as that of Ruth i. 10. " Call " me no more Naomi, but call me bitterness (Mara,) for the Lord " hath dealt bitterly with me." Ibid. A star fall from heaven. This is true prophetic language. See Jer. xiii. 16. Isa. xiii. 10, 11. Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. Numb. xxiv. 17. Dan. viii. 10. Isa. xiv. 12. f Sigonius. CHAP. VIII. THE REVELATION. 103 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars ; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. " Carthage the capital city. In the "year 4.55, he attacked Italy; took 455. " Rome, Naples, and Capua, and carried " away their choicest treasures, and the " chief of their people into Africa. Fi- " nally, in the year 472, Rome was 4 ? 2 - " again taken, and plundered ; and in " 476, the emperor, deprived of most 476. " part of his dominions, was, in one " year's time, conquered by Odoacer, " king of the Heruli." But these last mentioned victories rather belong to the following trumpet. Trumpet IV.] 12 The fourth angel sounded the complete fall of this apo- state western empire, and an end of the very name and title of the Roman Cae- sars. This was represented to me by a darkness spread over the sun, moon, and stars, that is to say, the ruin of a monarchy ; of its princes, nobles, sub- ordinate magistrates, and powers *i [" And thus it was fulfilled, in this em- " pire of Europe, styled the third part " of the then known world ; when the " Vandals and Heruli, under the fore- " mentioned princes, took, and sacked < : the city of Rome for fifteen days to- " gether. Whereupon Augustulus, the Anno 477. " last emperor, laid down the purple, {i and abdicated the government. And " by these wars and conquests, which (l reached from the fourth to the latter " end of the sixth century, this empire " was broken into the ten kingdoms, ts which, with some small alterations, " have remained in Europe f ever since * See Isaiah xiii. 10, 11. Jer. xiii. 16. xv. 9. Ezek. xxii. 7, 8. and the note on chap. vi. 12, 13, 14. f Viz. France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, England, &c. What names they formerly had, and what alterations they may have undergone, either in name or number, the reader may see in Mr. Mede, Mr. Jurieu, Mr. Whiston, Mr. Daubuz, Sir Isaac h 4 104 A PARAPHRASE ON chaf.viii. '« to this day. Which ten kingdoms 44 also are the same with the ten toes on ■* tlie feet of Daniel's image of the four " monarchies of the world. (Dan. ii. M 40, 41, 42, 43.) These being a mix- " tare composed out of the fourth or " Roman monarchy ; part of iron, part " of clay, of different interests, and of " different strength *. Thus is com- " pleted what the prophet Daniel fore- " told under that part of the image, " and under that beast, whereby is " meant the Roman, or fourth mo- " narchy, broken into these kingdoms. « Dan. ii. 33, 48. vii. 7, 25. His (the " image's) feet were part of iron, and " part of clay. Whereas thou sawest the "feet and toes, part of potters 7 clay, and '• part, of iron, the kingdom shall be di- " vided, and shall be partly strong and " partly weak. The fourth beast (mo- " narchy) had ten horns. The ten horns *' are ten kings." See chap. xvii. 12. 13 These four first denunciations, 13 ,\ m i t beheld, though great, and thus terrible in their and heard an angel corresponding events, may yet be well flying through the Newton, and others. And see our learned Bishop Chandler, Vind. Christian, vol. i chap. ii. sect. 3. and sect. 2. and Dr. Henry More, Myst. Iniq. p. 213, 214. Moreover, it is fit to be remarked., that, in the Scripture language, the word kings signifies all kinds of ruling powers, monarchies, republics, democracies, successive or elective. Thus, in ver. 18. of chap. xvii. the great city (ROM ft) which reign- eth over the kings of the earth, i. e. over all governors or govern- ments whatever. And it is well observed by Mr. Lowman, " that " there is no occasion to seek after the precise number of ten "kingdoms or governments, after this division of the empire." The number ten (as also seven) being frequently used as a certain for an uncertain number; intending to express several or many. As I have remarked before from other authors. * Pedes vero partim ferrei, partim fictiles, dividendum esse Ro- manum regnum, ita ut nunquam inter se coeat, pra?figurant: quod aeque impletum est. Siquidem jam non ab uno imperatore, sed etiam a pluribus, semperque inter se armis aut studiis dissentient!- bus, res Romana administratur. Sulp. Sev. Hist. lib. ii. CHAP. YIII. THE REVELATION. 105 midst of heaven, say- ing- with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels whichare yetto sound. styled the four lesser ones, in compa- rison of what is to follow, under the three last, upon this European world, now considered as degenerated from a truly Christian, to a corrupt and An- tichristian kingdom. Accordingly, be- fore the fifth angel uttered his prophecv, there flew a particular angel around the heavenly assembly, crying forth, in tre- mendous accents, the still more severe woes and punishments to fall upon this broken kingdom, now full of super- stition, vice, and depravity, brought in by Christians themselves *. * In the vices of these times, it ought to be remarked, what a deplorable share the Christian clergy had. Sidpitius Severus (to omit others) gives a sufficient testimony. " Tanta hoc tempore " animos eorum (uiinistroruni) habendi cupido, veluti tabes, in- " cessit : inhiant possessionibus, prsedia excolunt, auro incubant, " emunt venduntque, qiuestui per omnia student. At si qui me- *' lioris propositi videntur no que possidentes, neque negociantes, " quod est umlto turpius, sedentes munera expectant, atque oinne " vita* decus mercede corruptum habent, dum quasi venalem " pra&feruBt sanctitatem." Lib. i. 10G A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. IX. Gent. 9. CHAP. IX. The judgments foretold to fall upon the European part of the Roman empire, by the armies of tJie Saracens and Arabians, in the Jiftli trumpet, or denunciation. That of the Turks in the sixth trumpet. The eastern and Greek parts of the empire quite lost by these wars. The western parts, under flame, and Roman Catholic governments, remaining still unreformed, notwithstanding these severe judgments and warnings. Trumpet V.] I, 2, 3 ~|>EHOLD! -*-* now a woe- ful judgment indeed ! foretold to fall upon this broken empire of Rome, like another pestilential meteor from hea- ven. It was represented to me by the bursting open, as it were, of the infernal pit* of hell itself; from whence issued out an horrid smoke that darkened the whole sky ; and in that smoke a flight of locusts, with mouths and teeth, to de- vour the fruits of the earth ; and stings like those of scorpions, to torment men withal. " By all which, in the same " figurative language used by the pro- " phct Joel, in describing the Assyrian ii f armies, Joel i. 6. ii. 5, G, 7. are here 1 A ND the fifth an- gel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth : and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit ; and there arose a smoke out of the pit ; as the smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun and the air were dark- ened, by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke lo- custs upon the earth ; * Ver. 1, 2, 3. Bottomless pit — locusts. This is an allusion to the manner of locusts, which, as Pliny and the eastern historians tell us, breed in pits and deep slimy holes, in the latter part of the sum- mer 5 and, from the eggs or spawn there laid, arise the vast swarms in the spring following. f Thus that prophet expresses the comparison, the locust my great army, and the northern army, chap. ii. 20, 25. See ver. 7. and i>. below. I observe no further of these Saracens, but that they were the descendants of Ishmael ; of whom (and in him, of his posterity) the Scriptures foretold, that he should be a wild man, Gen. xvi. 12. In the Hebrew it is, a ivild ass of a man, i. e. like One of the fiercest and most terrible creatures upon earth; as the wild ass is described by old writers. Accordingly, Ammianus Mar- cellinus describes the Saracens to be nationem pemiciosam ; qui re- tro citroque discurrantcs, quicquid invenire poterat, momento tern- CHAP. IX. THE REVELATION. 107 and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was com- manded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; hut only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, hut that they should iC described the terrible forces of the Sa- " racens and Arabians under Mahomet *' and his successors their leaders; in- •' vading and ravaging not only the Eu- " ropcan kingdoms, or third part of the " world, but large tracts of both Asia " and Africa : whose false and impious " religion was as smoke and darkness Ci arising from hell ; and his armies " fitly resemble locusts for multitude ; " and both of them together, as mis- " chievous to the minds and liberties of " a country, as the poison of serpents is ei to the human body." Which will be found to be the true interpretation of this vision by every particular character in the following verses. 4 For, in the first place, these in- vaders were permitted by Divine Provi- dence to exercise their cruelties upon no parts of the empire, but such as were over-run with idolatry, supersti- tion, and false worship: such were the whole Eastern and Greek churches, with Italy, Spain, Portugal, and others in the West. The few who remained un- tainted in the general corruption, in some parts of Savoy, Piedmont, Mi- lan, (the forerunners of the Albi- genses and Waldenses,) being quite exempted from these miseries*. 5, 6 Again, it was permitted to these ravaging armies not totally to subdue, and make an entire conquest of those parts of the empire which they invaded; poris parvi hastabant, milvorum rapaci vitre similes. Exactlv agreeable to the forementioned Scripture, His hand shall be against fxery man, and every man's hand against him. And their very name in the Arabic language is El-Sarak, a wild robber or plunderer. See our learned countrymen R. Fuller, Miscel. lib. ii. cap. 4. and cap. 12. and iiochart, Phaleg. lib. iv. cap. 2. * Ver. 4. This is the ingenious interpretation of Mr. Whiston, and I know none so probable. 108 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. IX. but only to plunder, harass, and vex the inhabitants, during the whole time of their invasion, which was principally in the summer season of every year ; even as locusts, during the five summer months, they usually live through, are perpetually consuming and spoiling the fruits of the earth on which they light ** Cent. 7--0. [" And thus it was with those Sara- " ecus, and Arabian Mahometans. For " three hundred years together they " ravaged both the eastern and western " quarters of the empire ; besieged Con- " stantinople, and plundered part of " Rome; but were, at last, forced to re- " tire without being masters of either of " those capital cities. However, so tcr- " rible was the devastation they made " on all sides, that the miserable inha- " bitants, wherever they came, were " quite wearied out of their lives."] 7, 8 Moreover, these animals in the vision had a resemblance to an army of war horses ready equipped for battle ; each with the visage of a man; plainly expressive of the manner in which these nations wage their wars, viz. on horse- back. They had golden crowns upon their heads ; to denote the many king- be tormented five months : and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death f, and shall not find it -, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto X horses prepar- ed unto battle ; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. * Ver. 5, Five months. I here explain this phrase according to the sense of M. Jurieu, and the learned Dr. Henry More. For a further sense of it, see verse 10. and Mr. Daubuz upon this chapter, who has most fully and historically explained it. And see in Mr. Lancaster's Dictionary prefixed to his Abridgment of Mr. Daubuz's Commentary, under the word locust. f Ver. 6. And in those days men shall seek death. So Joel ii. 6. Before their face the people shall be much pained; alt faces shall gather blackness. X Ver. 7. Like unto horses. Exactly as the prophet Joel described his locusts ; Joel ii. 4. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen so shall they run ; and ver. 7. They shall run like mighty men, like men of war ; and they shall march every one u/i his ways, and shall not break their ranks. CHAP. IX. THE REVELATION. 109 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions *. 9 And they had breast-plates, as it ■were breast-plates of iron ; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariotsf of many horses run- ning to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scor- pions, and there were stings in their tails : and their power was to hurt men five months. doms they were to conquer; and their teeth were like the teeth of lions, to ex- press the tenor of their arms. And as another particular mark of these same people, they wore their hair very long down their backs; the known custom of the Arabians. Others of them tressed up and plaited their hair in an effemi- nate manner; a proper symbol of the luxury and lechery of the Saracens. 9, 10 And as they were hideous and frightful, so was the armour they wore; their breast-plates seemed so strong as to make them invulnerable; they had wings to signify the swiftness of their conquests; and, when they took their flight, the sound of them was much like that of an army of Arabian horse rush- ing into battle. Nor had these crea- tures power to hurt and destroy with their teeth only, i. e. with their military power ; but, like scorpions, stung and tormented the world with a poisonous tail J, i. e. with the poison of a false and * Ver. 8. Teeth of lions. " Locusts," says Pliny, " will eat through " every thing, even the very doors of houses." " Omnia morsu " erodentes, et fores quoque tectorum." See below. And thus, Joel i. 16. calls his locusts a nation that is come up upo)t my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheelc teeth of a great lion. f Ver. 9. As the sound of chariots, &c. Thus Pliny speaks of these creatures, the emblems of destruction : " Namque et grandiores " cernuntur, et tanto volant pennarum stridore, ut alia? alites cre- " dantur :" i. e. Some of them are so large, and make so dreadful a noise ivith their wings, that (when they fly in vast bodies together) one would take them to be birds of a large bigness. See Plin. Nat. Hist, lib. ii. cap. 29. And Bochart, Hierozo, lib. iv. where is a full histo- rical account of tins animal. So the prophet Joel ii. 5. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap ; as a strong people set in battle array. X Ver. 10. And they have tails like scorpions, and stings, '' and a month, the nations they attacked. All Greece, a , nd , a ^ ar ' for „ to sla y and the whole eastern branch of the the third part of men %. Roman empire, was possessed by them, and never lost since. They stood ready prepared, as instruments of Divine Pro- vidence, to punish the idolatries and superstitions of this pretended Chris- tian, hut really Antichristian, empire; they were ready at any % year, or day, * Sir Isaac Newton. f Ver. 15. The third part of men; i. e. the Asiatic or Greek empire. X Ver. 15. The reader may see the calculations of this rise and progress of the Turkish empire in Mr. Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, Mr. Whiston, and Vitringa, which last learned man agrees, in the main, with the former expositors in this explanation ; as does Mr. Daubuz. But I will not omit to acquaint the reader with the remark of Mr. Lowman, concerning this sixth trumpet prophecy, viz. that to interpret it of the rise and progress of the Ottoman Turks, seems inconsistent with the order of this book; the fulfilling of the last prophecy ending about A.D. 656, and this not beginning till the year 1300, and upward. But Mr. Jackson makes it begin 1070 ; Address to the Deists. I was aware of this great chasm ; and, if it were, certain that St. John intended to, mark out not only periods successive to one another, but successive also in close and immediate order of time, I should think it absolutely neces- sary to agree with him in interpreting this of the further invasion? CHAP. IX. THE REVELATION. n: Id And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand : and I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vi- sion, and them that sat on them, having breast-plates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone : and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire, and smoke, and brim- stone. 18 By these three was the third part of or time that God should please to call them in, or restrain and recal them again. Or, if we count the number of days contained in a year, and a month, as so many years, in the usual pro- phetic way; so long did they, in fact, execute their tyranny, even in a largo tract of the western empire, viz. for three hundred and ninety years and upward. And thus were they prepared for so long a time ; viz. from A. D. 1063 to 1453 inclusive, when Constantinople was taken. 16 Again, these armies consisted mostly of horsemen, and their numbers were expressed to me in such words as are used to denote vast and prodigious multitudes. Such as Psal. lxviii. 17. Dan. vii. 10. Thousands of thousands, and ten thousand, times ten thousand. [" A description perfectly answering (i to the exceeding m-eat number in the " old Turkish armies."] 17, IS Moreover their arms, horses, weapons, and their whole warlike pre- parations, were such as carried terror and destruction ; men and horses breath- ing out nothing but slaughter. ('• And " probably, the fire, and smoke, and " brimstone here mentioned may be the " fire-arms, which were then lately in- " vented, and were used by these armies " for the destruction of the European " territories: as our best commentators, " and even Vitringa himself, are in- " clined to think *.") of the SARACENS. Let the reader see the comment of that learned and diligent gentleman, and then judge for himself. Also the learned Mr. Jackson's Letter to the Deists, wherein the events of these two woes are most critically drawn and adjusted from the historians of those periods. * See Mr. Jackson's Address to the Deists, page 105, 10b'. VOL. III. I 114 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAI\ IX. I Compare Dan. v. 4. \0 In short, these dreadful powers are thus far the same with those in the foregoing vision, ver. 10. that they were to afflict and torment all mankind, like monsters with lions' mouths, and ser- pents' tails ; to ruin their bodies and estates by force of arms ; and poison their mindsf with a false and wicked religion ; and from the beginning to the end of their conquest, were to spread error and misery wherever they came. C J0, 21 And though the gracious end of Providence, in this, and the forego- ing judgments upoii this corrupted Christian empire, was to cause men to consider, and reform the several abuses of the Gospel light they had so long en- joyed ; yet were these intentions of heaven frustrated by an irreclaimable temper universally prevailing. " For '.< even the western Christians, under " the influence of Rome, and the Ro- " man Catholic governments, who had " seen the eastern and Greek II churches men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails : for their tails were like unto serpents * , and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that thev should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver + , and brass, and stone, and of wood : which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk : 21 Neither repented * Ver. 19. Their fails ivere like unto serpents, and had heads. Note, very probably this may be an allusion to that sort of ser- pents, which Pliny and other naturalists speak of, that had two poisonous heads, one at each end of their body. As Mr. Lowman has well observed. f Ibid. Their tails, Isc. See the note on verse 10. X Ver. 20. Idols of silver — and stone, and of wood. In the Roman pontificial the highest worship (Latria) is determined to be given to the Holy Cross. And Thomas Aquinas, their great doctor, "says, " We speak to the Cross, and pray to it, as if it were Christ cru- " cified upon it. Hail, O Cross, our only hope, in this time of " the passion ! increase the righteousness of the just, and to give " pardon to the guilty." Part III. Quest. 25. Artie. 4. Ounce of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pag. 490. || See chap. ii. 5. with the note there. HAP. IX. THE REVELATION. 115 fornication, their thefts. nor of they of their mur- " thus punished, and quite destroyed, ders, nor of their " for their superstitions and viciousprac- sorceries, nor of their « t j ces . yet even t } u>v st ij] continued " on in the practice of idolatry, * saint "worship, and irnage worship; nay, " would not so much as reform that " cruel spirit of persecution, nor of " putting cheats, delusions, and impo- " sitions upon the understandings, and " properties of mankind f." By all which are most remarkably ful- filled the predictions of Daniel concern- ing these very times and events, Dan. xi. 40, 43. where, having spoken of the king that should do according to his will, and exalt himself, not regarding the gods of his fathers, nor the desire r(iph;.ts. These two verses are a demonstration, that the judgments denounced against Babylon, Edom, Tyre, Egypt, &c. and the great mercies and glorious estate promised to Jacob, Zion, Jerusalem, &c. in the ancient prophecies, were not designed to be merely and ultimately understood of those idolatrous nations, and of the Jewish church then in being ; but of the church oj true and faithful people in the several dispensations of religion, and of the enemies and persecutors thereof : and principally in the latter times of the Christian dispensation. This is the mystical (spiritual) meaning of those prophecies ; the proper key to them. And for a still further demonstration of this great truth, let it be observed, that, whatever was the vulgar, national, notion of the Jews, about a temporal glory of the Jewish church, under the Messiah ; their learned Rabbies understood the prophetic descriptions in a spiri- tual sense, and of the future state. Maimonides expressly says, " this is the frequent meaning of the mountain of God's taher- " nacle, court, temple, house of God." So Solomon Tarchi, and several others of them. See their words in Rhenford, Sect. Diss. 11. and Mr. Chapman against Mor. Phil. vol. i. p. 51*2. f Yer. 7. When he shall begin to sound, otkv jusA^ti c-ccX-z-ltuv — when or while he shall sound. I Ver. G. Thai there should be lime no longer; i. e. Antichrist's reign should last no longer than 1260 years; from its full height to its fall ; or at least, v to such a degree of its decay as would cer- tify its total ruin before the end of this period. See the learned Dr. Clarke's note in p. 44. of his Connection of S. Prophecies ; and Dr. lien. More, iNlvsi. Iniquity, part ii. book ii. chap. 7- aftd the note on chap. xiv. 8. of this book, and on xii. 3, !). THE REVELATION. 121 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go, and take the little book which is open in the hand of the an- gel which standeth tipon the sea, and upon the earth. 9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up ; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in period of this seventh trumpet, now shortly to be declared ; and then should Christ's kingdom of glory begin. 8, 9 To proceed ; the voice then di- rected me to go up to Christ, who was still standing in the same posture, and beg of him to let me read and under- stand the contents of this book of futu- rities. Take it, says Christ, in the same way as Ezekiel took his, (Ezek. iii. 1,2, 3. Son of man, eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I did eat the roll, and it was in my moutli as honey for sweetness. And Jerem. xv. 16. Thy words were sound, and I did eat them ; and this word was unto me Hie joy and rejoicing ojmine heart,) eat it, i. e. digest and thoroughly understand it. But be assured, it will have the same effect upon you as his had upon him. Your desire of knowing the futurities of Di- vine Providence will be gratified ; the glorious promises you will see made to the church of Christ will please and delight you: but, when you come to the sight of what corruptions, idolatries, and persecutions this same church will first undergo, before these days of glory are to come, you will be astonished and confounded. 10 And just so it was. The sight I gained of these future events created in my thought a strange mixture of de- light and pain, of pleasure and vexation. Or again, the learned Dr. More well observes, the meaning may be this, viz. there should be time no longer than during the days of the seventh trumpet ; i. e. the period of the seventh trumpet should put an end to all God's dispensations with mankind here upon earth. Dr. More, Apoc. Apoealypseos, p. 10O. Or, lastly, xt° v °; ovx. hi fj-xt, the time shall not he yet, i. e. the time of Christ's king- dom of glory , the nourishing state of the church, shall not be yet ; but shall be in the days of the seventh trumpet, as Mr. Daubuz in- terprets it, followed herein by Mr. Lowman. Both senses are per- fectly agreeable to the text. vn A PARAPHRASE ON CHAT. X. 11 You see now, continued Christ, what it is you are to describe, and foretel, viz. the whole series of divine providences over my church, from its first establishment in the Roman empire, to the end of the world : and now, in particular, the dealings of God with it in its last corrupt and Antichris- tian state, until its wicked powers are destroyed, and my true kingdom be ex- alted in their place. This is what you are further to write, for the relief and comfort of all sincere and good Chris- tians ; and as a sufficient warning to all kings, princes, and people, who shall be promoters of superstition, cruelty, and idolatry. And these things shall be ex- plained to you in the following figures, emblems, and representations. my mouth sweet as honey : and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11 And he said un- to me, Thou must prophesy again be- fore * many people, and nations, and tongues, and kings. * Ver. 11. Before many people — l-nrl XaoTj, &e. concerning many people, or for the sake, and upon account of many people. Thus Matth. xxvi. 50. \q>' u< -nipti ; for w hat purpose contest thou hither? and Ephes. xi. 10. we are created in Christ Jesus, It) Egyu; a.yot.%';:, unto or for good works. See Glass, lib. iii. tract, vi. CHAP. XI. THE REVELATION. 123 CHAP. XI. This chapter is an epitome, or summary view of the Christian church, and of what is to befal it, under the period of the first six trumpets; by the figures of a temple measured and laid out, and of the two wit- nesses. The same short summary of the events of the seventh trum- pet, or period of woe to the Antichristian powers. 1 AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod : and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and mea- sure the temple * of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 1 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and meausre it not ; for it is given unto the Gen- tiles : and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty unci two months. 1,2 IRST then, in order to give me a clear idea, and, as it were, an epitome, both of the true Christian, and Antichristian church; this great angel bade me now consider the Christian church, in general, under the notion of a temple. As the Jewish temple formerly was the place of God's true worship; so now, under the Gos- pel, the Christian world is the (spiritual) temple of God, the true and only Jeru- salem in which he dwells. You re- member, says he, the prophets Ezekielf and Zechariah had the temple mea- sured; as a prophetic assurance, it would be rebuilt again, after its destruction by the Babylonians. In their case the whole city and temple was measured, and laid out; because the whole was to be rebuilt as (in a great measure at least) the acceptable place of God's * Ver. 1. Measure the temple of God, i. e. the Christian church. Thus St. Paul, 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17- Ye are the temple of God — The temple of God is holy, which temple ye (Christians) are. And St. Peter calls Christians, lively stones, built into a spiritual house or temple, 1 Pet. ii. 3, 4. Accordingly the scene of these visions is a temple, chap. iv. 1. of this book. Wherefore, when Antichrist, the man of sin, is said to sit, i. e. to ride in the temple of God, 2Thess. ii. 4. it must mean, that he (that riding power) is to be profess- edly Christian, and under that name, to corrupt and persecute the church of Christ. See G. Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. 1. and Vitringa on Isai. xiv. f Ezek. xl. &c. Zech. ii. 1, &c. and i. 16. 124 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xi. worship. But you arc to look upon the Christian church in another man- ner. When you consider it, you must divide it, indeed, into two principal parts, as the Jewish temple was, viz. the inner and the outward court; or the holy, and the common place of worship. Thus must you, in your thoughts, divide the Christian church into two parts; and esteem and measure out its professors under two denominations, viz. the in- ward, true, and sincere professors, the nncorrupt worshippers of God, and Christ; and the more numerous pro- fessors, in mere name, and mode, and form ; the external part of the church. The first of these will point out to you the pure and primitive church, and the followers of it; the latter the corrupt and Antichristian body; the hulk of which will consist of little else but superstitious, idolatrous, and im- moral professors, under the name of Christians; and under governments, and in communities, called Christian, but not really such; who, as Antiochus once profaned the Jewish sanctuary, will overrun the Christian world with corrupt and heathenish worship, for the course of forty and two months ; which, in Daniel's prophetic language, is * twelve hundred and sixty years, (Dan. vii. 25.) Thus must you mea- sure, and esteem none but the sincere * Ver. 2, 3. Forty and two months ; or, one thousand two hundred and threescore days, i. e. years. Daniel calls this period a time, and (two) times, and half a time ; now a time in Daniel signifies a year. Seven times passed over Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iv. 25. xi. 13. St. John here puts days for years, and his number of forty-two months, resolved into days, standing for years, are the same with Daniel's time, times, and half a time. Thus Ezek. iv. 5, 6. Forty days, each day for a year. And so Numb. xiv. 34. Sec on ver. J>. note ibid. CHAP. XI. THE REVELATION. 125 3 And I will give power unto my two f witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thou- sand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. and virtuous part, as the real church of Christ, in any age whatever. 3, 4 But, notwithstanding this ge- neral depravity of the Christian church, God will always have some faithful ser- vants to bear witness to the truth, and stand up against these corruptions ; though indeed, during this period * of degeneracy, they will be but few, and those few have but a miserable time of it ; will be treated by the majority with, great contempt and oppression. And as, in the rebellious nation of the Is- raelites, God had, at several times, some true Israelites andfaithful prophets, such as Moses and Aaron in the wilderness ; Zerubbabel and Joshua during the cap- tivity; (Zech. iii. 4.) Elijah and Elisha in the days of idolatry ; and as amongst the seven churches of Asia, styled can- dlesticks, chap. i. 20. there were two remarkable for virtue and purity; while the rest had, all of them, some great faults charged upon them; so, in like manner, will there be found, in the se- veral ages of this corrupt period, some true Christians in each of the two prin- cipal branches of Christ's church, viz. the Jewish and Gentile, or of the eastern * Ver. 3. My two witnesses. Note, the interpreting the two witnesses, as signifying the small comparative number of true Christians, is agreeable to the frequent use of the number two and three, in Scripture, to denote a small number of any thing ; ns, in like manner, seven is used to express a more plentiful num- ber, or often repeated things or actions ; as ten denotes many. Thus the woman to the prophet, (1 Kings xvii. 12.) I am going to gather two sticks, &;c. i.e. a few. And our Saviour, (Matt, xvi.) Where two or three are gathered together, i.e. a very few. How oft shall my brother offend me, until sevfen times? i. e. many repeated times. Go wash in Jordan seven, i. e. several times, 2 Kings v. Changed my wages ten times, i. e. a great many times, Gen. xxx't. 7. Ten times have ye reproached me, i. e.very often, Job xix. 3. with many other like passages. 126 A PARAPHRASE ON en a*, ju- and western parts of it ; some brave spirits, the followers of those two primi- tive churches, and of the courage and virtue of those forcmentioned prophets; who will support the truth of Christ's religion, and help to keep it alive in *: See chap, the world; though but amongst a * v. 4, 5,&c. sma ]l number in comparison. These I o" chap 6 compare to the two olive f trees that xix. 21. fed the lamps of the temple ; (Zech. iv. 3, II, 14.) These I call the lights and ornaments of Christ's church, the a- nointed ones, the witnesses, the two wit- nesses J. f Ver. 4. The two olive trees. Note, the comparison here made use of, between the two olive trees, (meaning Zerubbabel and Jo- shua,) and the Christian reformers or preachers of truth in corrupt times, is exceeding elegant, viz. as Zerubbabel and Joshua were to restore and finish the ruined temple ; (Zech. iv. 9.) not by might and by (mere human) power, but by my Spirit, (or power,) says God, (ver. 6.) and as the olive trees fed the lamps, not in any common, but in some secret and imperceptible way ; so in like manner should these witnesses keep up, and at last cause the truth of reli- gion to prevail by ways of God's Spirit and Providence working with them. \ Ver. 4. My two witnesses. Several learned interpreters observe- here, not only the fitness of this comparison, but a completion of the prophecy in the literal sense, of two witnesses ; the principal reformers of the Antichristian corruptions having appeared, as it were, in pairs, viz. the Albigenses and Waldenses ; John Huss and Jerom of Prague; Luther and Calvin ; and their followers. But I lay no stress upon such kinds of remarks. All sincere Christians are such witnesses in persecuting times. Ibid. And they shall prophecy, i. e. teach true doctrine, and, like the ancient prophets, reprove and confute all erroneous doctrine, and corrupt practices. See Grotius in Matt. xvii. ad finem. note ibid. Ibid. In sackcloth 1260 days, or years, i. e. the time from their being under a general oppression, to their deliverance from it, will be 1260 years. See the note on chap. x. 6. Concerning this num- ber of two witnesses, to denote the small number of the faithful in this corrupt period, in comparison of what it was, in and under the primitive persecutions. See the learned Mr. Daubuz on this chapter, and Mr. Lancaster's Dictionary to his Abridgment in Artie, number Two, p. 94. See Numb. xiv. 34. Ezck. iv. 5, 6. Daii- ix. 24. chap. xi. THE REVELATION. 127 5 And if any man 5, 6 Moreover these truly pious re- will hurt them, fire* formers, liketheforementioned prophets, proceedeth out of their wi]1 be dear to God . and wiJ1 have * mouth, and devoureth r wUh him For tho , their their enemies : and it ' ,.•. c vr .,11 i r any man will hurt condition of life will be very low for ^ them, he must in this lon g . time ' f nd the influence ol their manner be killed. doctrine and example but of small de- 6 These have power gfee; yet, at last, God will demonstrate to shut heaven, that himself the all-powerful Advocate of it rain not in the days them, and of their cause. And as mi- of their prophecy: racles were formerly wrought in defence and have power over f the old prophets f, and in punishment waters to turn them Q f their malicious persecutors ; so will to blood and to smite God> ; Q his due ti verjf ^ wor1 the earth with all d vindicate lhe f ' t| Ch rf plagues, as often as . c , . . . , they will tian re,ormers 5 and , by exemplary judg- ments upon the Antichristian powers, * Ver. 5. Fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies. Note, thus God is said to destroy wicked persons and nations by pronouncing threats against them by the mouth of his prophets and ministers. Hos. yi. 5. / have HEIVED them by the prophets, and have slain them by the words of my mouth. And Jer. v. 14. Behold, I will make my words in thy mouth FIRE, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. And Zech. i. 6. But my words, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did not TAKE HOLD of your fathers; i. e. were fulfilled upon them to their destruction. f Ver. 6. These have power to shut the heavens that it rain not in the days of their prophecy. Here is a manifest allusion to the case of Elias in Ahab's time, when it rained not for the space of three years and six months, James v. 17. the time exactly answering to these days of the witnesses' prophecies; prophetically taken for 1260 years. All that while the persecuting powers being plagued with some divine judgment or other, answering to the drought inflicted on tlse Israelites. Again, these witnesses have power with God, i. e. not to execute, but to pronounce and declare God's judgments i in the same sense as the prophets of old were set over the nations and kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, to destroy, and to build, and to plant. Jer. i. 10. xxv. 15 — 18, &e. Eccles. xlix. 7. xviii. 7 — 10. that is, to prophesy and foretel what sinful nation God would punish, and what virtuous people he would bless and exalt. And thus the steady and virtuous Christians, in corrupt times, have power to denounce, from the word of God, divine judgments on the apo- state persecuting powers, and by their prayers, to bring those punishments on them, for their own deliverance. 128 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XI. Compare this, from this verse to the end of the chapter, with chap. xvi. 12. to the end, and note on vet. 19. there. Compare Dan. vii. 21, &c. will make way for the establishment of his kingdom of righteousness upon earth. See chap. vii. 9, 1 0. 7 But, in the mean time, while these witnesses of truth, and reformers of the church's corrupt doctrines and prac- tices, * are carrying on their good work ; nay, and even after they shall seem to have brought it to a considerable per- fection, in the Christian world ; they will meet with hard and dreadful usage in their persons; and their cause will be brought so low as to appear quite lost and dead. And all this from the same Roman power, (Daniel's fourth beast, or kingdom ;) which formerly was purely pagan ; but now, under the name of Christian, is become as idolatrous and superstitious, and as cruel a persecutor, 7 And when they shall have * finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. * Ver. 7- When they shall have finished their testimony, or orav TsXETwert, while they are, or shall be, finishing or performing it. Thus to finish, teXe7v, often signifies to -perform, or be doing a thing, in order to complete it. James ii. 8. If ye fulfil, tiKurt, i. e. practise or perform the royal law. John xvii. 4. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, i. e. been performing it ; for it was not completed until his death, John xix. 28, 30. when he said, rm\irau, It is finished. See also Matt. x. 19. Moreover, seethe excellent Mr. Mede, fol. edit. p. 596. Moreover, the adverb orui, does often signify whilst, or during any time. Thus our Lord says, John ix. 5. orat h tZ xoVfii) u, while I am in the world; and xvi. 21. n yvw otosv ttKTV!, a woman while she is in labour. And Rev. x. 7- In THE DAYS of the voice of the seventh angel, orav pixx* (raKirl^uv, while he shall be sounding, i. e. not when he shall first BEGIN, but within that PERIOD of his sounding, the mystery of God shall be fulfilled. But let the reader see Mr. Mede, epist. xvii. book 4. p. 760, 766. fol. edit. I may observe yet further, that in like manner as our Saviour, though, before his death, he had not finished all that he was appointed to do ; yet might be said to have finished one great work, viz. he had glorified his Father upon earth ; had manifested his name ; had given to his disciples his word ; and kept them in his name, John xvii. 1 — 19. So these witnesses of truth may be said to finish their work of declaring the corruptions of Christians, confuting their errors, and converting many from them, before the persecu- tions raised agaipst them by tHe beast. CHAP. XI. THE REVELATION. 129 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified *. 9 And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them , and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tor- mented them that dwelt on the earth. as ever the heathen emperors were. See chap. xiii. 8 And with such indignity, and merci- less inhumanity will these Antichristian Roman powers treat such as would re- form their religious abuses, through the extent of their dominions, that I may well style Rome, the head of it, Sodom for corruption of manners f ; Egypt for f See chap, tyranny and oppression; and that*"' 1,4, wicked Jerusalem, which killed the prophets, and even our Lord Jesus Christ, their own Messiah. 9, 10 For, in short, as it is the heigh th of cruelty first to murder an innocent man, and then to deny him the privi- lege of a burial, and leave his body ex- posed above ground ; and as it is the custom of such as gain conquests over their enemies to celebrate their victories with mirth and feasting J, and presents +.^ te Neh - to their friends; so will these Anti- !,"!',, '. . x.suier ix, christian powers esteem this suppression 19, 20. of these two Christians (who tormented them with a sight of their errors, and galled their consciences by telling them the truth) to be the noblest gain that could befal them ; and instead of being reformed, will glory and rejoice in their cruelties II. * Ver. 8. Where also our Lord icas crucified. See the learned G. Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. 2. §. 17. and the note on chap. xvii. 6. of this book. Glassius Phil. Sac. lib. v. tract. 1. cap. 12. p. 1S22. || Ver. 9. Three days and a half, or three tunes and a half. These being resolved into the number of days contained in three years and a half, (days put for years, as years for days, in the prophetic language,) make exactly the forty and two months, or \W0 years, i. e. Daniel's time, and times, and half a time ; as in chap. xii. 14. of this book. Tims Of s (Join) in the Hebrew, and w^'pain the Greek, are used for the same as xfw and xaipos. See Dr. More, Myst. Godliness, book v. chap. xv. p. IT 7. See on ver. c l, ?>. And Mr. Lancaster's Dictionary, under the word Time. VOL. til. K 130 A PARAPHRASE DN CHAP. XI. • S( e Ezek xxxvii. 9, 10. 11, 12 But in vain will all this wicked violence be used toward the total sup- pression of true Christianity. For as Christ himself, after a laborious and painful ministry of about three years and a half, was ignominiously put to death ; and then, on the third day, was raised again in glorious power and ma- jesty ; so, in like manner, shall it be with these suffering witnesses to his truth. For it will be but a short time, comparatively speaking at least, (for such is the whole period of the reign of Antichrist, though twelve hundred and sixtv years, when compared to the boundless time that is in God's hand,) before God will raise them, or their successors in the same cause, not only to a free liberty and safety in preaching the true doctrine; but to an universal esteem, honour, and credit in the Chris- tian world ; to the great astonishment of mankind. (This is, in the prophetic language, to be culled, or raised up to lieavenf.) 13 When this grand reformation shall be brought about, it will be such a change of things as the J prophets are 1 1 And after three days and an half, the spirit of life from God entered into them : and they * stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them whieh saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies be- held them. 13 And the same I hour was there a great || earthquake, •j- Ver. 12. And they ascended up to heaven. See Isai. xiv. 13. So our Lord says of Capernaum, Thou that art exalted to heaven, i. e. raised to great prosperity, shalt be brought down to hell, i. e. into great calamity. Thus the Assyrian monarch boasted, I will ascend tip into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, &c. Isai. xiv. 13. Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, ver. 15. And thus Isai. xiv. 13, 14. represents the proud monarch of Babylon as saying, / will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars, I will ascend above the clouds, i. e. domineer over all nations. Yet thou shnlt be brought down to hell. How art thou fallen from hea- ven ! ver. 1<2, 13. + Ver. 13. And the same hour, i. e. during this time of trial and persecution of Christians. The words hour, and day, and time, de- noting certain periods of time, as has been noted before. || Ver. 13. A great earthquake. So Ezek. xxxviii. If), 20. In my jealousy, and in the fire of my wr ath, have I spoken ; Surely in THAT CHAP. XI. THE REVELATION. 131 and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand : and the remnant were affright- ed, and gave glory to the God of heaven *. 14 The second woe is past, and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this wont to express by earthquakes, and such kind of unusual motions. Thus will it be at several times, within the period I now speak of. At one parti- cular event, for instance, this persecuting power will lose a tenth part f of the do- minions it was possessed of; and a vast number of the dignities, honours, and preferments its votaries had enjoyed, will die and be lost. And by these judgments, these reformed countries of Christendom will learn to serve God in a manner more truly tending to his honour and glory. 14 And thus you have a short sum- mary of what is to come to pass in the corrupt Antichristian church, till the second period of divine judgments, or great woes, is past; or the sixth trumpet. Trumpet VII.] 1.3 The seventh and last of these is to bring on the total ruin and downfal of this Anti- christian power ; and to set up the kingdom or religion of Christ in purity, DAY (the LATTER DAYS of the Messiah) there shall be a great SHAKING (LXX. o-sio-juo? ^s'y^O * w ^' e ' f '" r ' °f Ist a ^- And all men upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence. * Ver. 13. The remnant. That is, either such as were reformed, or else the persecutors themselves, many of them at least. Ibid. Were affrighted, i. e. brought to consideration and repent- ance, and thereby to give glory to God. As in chap. xvi. <), 11. xiv. 7 . f Ibid. A tenth part of the city fell , viz. fell off from the commu- nion of the corrupt church, as, at last, they will all fall off. See chap. xvi. 19. Mr. Daubuz interprets these words of the total loss of the Greek churches, (accounted the tenth part of the Roman ter- ritories,) which was some time after the Reformation. I have no- thing certain to determine in this matter; and so I refer the reader to his choice of the several expositions given ; only let him ob- serve what Mr. Daubuz, in his Symbol. Lexicon, truly remarks, viz. That the numbers seven and ten are most frequently used, both in sacred and profane authors, to express, in the general, a great or considerable number ; as I have also before observed. Ibid. Seven thousand men, i. e. a great number. See Dr. More, Myst. Iniq. p. <213, 214. K<2 132 A PARAPHRASE ON chap, xl peace, and prosperity upon earth. And world are become the the general account of it now given is kingdoms of our Lord this, viz. that when the seventh angel and of llis Christ, and had made his solemn denunciation, the he shall reign for ever whole heavenly assembly, methought, an ever ' cried out with a voice of uncommon ex- ultation, Now comes on the blessed time of universal reformation; when true and vncorrupt Christianity shall prevail, and be practised in the world. JVoio are the n»n. xi. 4 4. predictions cfDatdel fulfilled, (not all at once, but, in a sure way*, beginning to be fulfilled.) Behold, one like the Son of man came in the clouds of heaven And there was givenhima dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him And the kingdom, fifG. shall be given unto the saints of the Most High, &c. See Dan. vii. 13, 14, 22, 23, 24, 25. to the end of the chapter. Also fsai. xxvii. 13. xiv. 22, 23, 21-, 25. and his lx. chap. Zeclu xiv. 15, 16, 17. And particularly with these words of Isaiah xxvii. 13. be now trulv fulfilled. And it shall come to pass in THAT day, that the GREAT TRUMPET shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish,, in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, (i. e. in the coun- tries where the true religion was perse- cuted,) and shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem, (in the Christian church, free of all violence and oppression.) ISee chap. xvi. 17, IS. of this book. As to what share the Jewish nation may be justly supposed to have in this great event, let the reader con- sult the excellent Appendix of Dr. Bur- net, to his De Statu Mart. &c. 16, 17, IS At the same time, me- 16 And the four * Sec the learned Dr. Henry More, Myst. Iniq. book ii. cap. 7. with my notC3 on chap. xiv. S. and on x. 6. of this book. CHAP. XI. THE REVELATION. 133 and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying - , We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou should- est give reward unto thy servants the pro- phets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament : and there were light- nings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great "hail. thought, the twenty-four elders *, the representatives of ihe ministers and pas- tors of the Christian churches, fell pros- trate in humble adorations and praises to the eternal Father of all things, " For " his wonderful providences, and all- " wise dispensations in thus delivering " his true church and worshippers from " the many persecutions of evil times, " and wicked and corrupt men ; in thus " vindicating the honour of his holv " religion by so many divine judgments 11 upon the nations its adversaries ; and, (i finally, by giving all these heavenly (i demonstrations of his all-perfect jus- " tice and mercy, in rewarding the faith- " ful and punishing all the disobedient " part of mankind." 19 In one word, as the sight of Solomon's temple was then most com- plete to any one, when the most holy apartment itself was open, and the very ark and cherubims became visible to the beholder, (in the same manner as the pro- phet Isaiah saw it, in his vision, Isa. vi. 1, &c.) so is this spiritual temple, this church, and kingdom of Jesus Christ upon earth, to be then in its perfect splendor and perfection ; when he shall reign in the hearts and holy lives and examples of his followers ; when his Gospel shall be their only rule, and their universal obedience to its laws of virtue become his glory, and their happiness f : * Ver. 16. See note on chap. iv. 6. f Ver. 19. The temple of God was opened in heaven, or the hcu- k 3 134 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xh. as it will be in this last period of the world, wherein arc to be such stupen- dous revolutions as are compared to thunders, lightnings, and earthquakes in the natural world, (ver. 13.) CHAP. XII. Another short description of the Christian church, and of the Roman powers that suppress and persecute it ; both in the Pagan and Anti* christian times; under the figures of a Woman. and a Great Dragon. This is a larger representation of the visions of the fifth and sixth seals. Chap. vi. 9—17. ], 2 A NOTHER manner wherein 1 A ND tbere R P" -™* the Holy Spirit gave me a P eare(1 a S reat general mew of the condition of the wonder in heaven, a Christian clmrch under the Roman woman clo 1 t,1 f d Ulth i • . • ,i * the sun, and the moon empire was, by representing it in the* umler hep ^ ^ figure of a woman with child, at her ||er lieatlacroua full time, and struggling under the f twelve stars : pains of delivery. She was clothed % \ m \ s h e being with the .sun ; to denote the blessing of w ith child f cried, light and knowledge this church enjoys travailing in birth, from Jesus Christ the Sim of Righteous- and pained to be de- ness. The moon vjas under her feet, sio;- livered. venly temple, i. e. the Christian church in its purity. For several particular significations of this figurative expression, I refer the reader to the Learned Vitringa. See the note on chap. iv. 1. and 9, 10, verses there. * Ver. I. A great sign — 3-^<7o» piya., a strange and surprising event. In heaven, i. e. this event was in the Christian church, the Gospel slate, which in Scripture language is called the kingdom of heaven. In the same sense it is said, there was war in heaven, ver. 7. t Ver. 2. And she being with child, travailing in birth. This is the usual figure made use of in Scripture, to express eager desire, or great difficulty. Tims the prbphe't describes the Jewish straits or calamities, Isa. xxvi. 10", 17, 18. Lord ! in trouble have they poured out a prayer, when thy chastening was upon them. Like as a woman with child draweth near the time of her delivery, and is in pain ; so have we been — We have been with child, ive have been in pain, be. And St. Paul, Gal. iv. 19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you. CHAP. XII. THE REVELATION. 185 3 And there ap- peared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red dragon *, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth : and the dragon stood before the wo- man which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as .soon as it was born. nifying that the lesser lights of religion, viz. the Jewish ceremonial laws, or hea- then superstitions, were now put down and laid aside. And the crown of twelve stars is an emblem of her being illu- minated by the doctrine, and governed by the discipline of the tweke apostles of Christ. 3, 4 This was one part of the figure now presented to my view ; the other was that of a great red dragon standing, as it were, with open mouth, to devour the child she was to bring forth. By this is signified the several * emperors and potentates of Rome, the instruments of the old serpent, the devil, the first deceiver, and example of idolatry, wick- edness, and persecution. This dragon Dan. viii. or empire appeared, in this vision, with seven heads; that is, under seven forms of supreme government; and with ten horns, i. e. as it was divided and split afterwards into ten kingdoms, (of both which we shall see more particularly in chap. xiii. and xviii.) Its idolatrous re- ligion t) i- e. its tail, had now overrun f See ehap. the third part of the then known world; ix - 10 - and made all the stars, i. e. the several princes J of it, bend and truckle under its dominion. It did much the same in the Christian church, as it had done in the heathen world. For by the terrible persecutions of these Roman emperors upon Christians, a great part even of the pastors and ministers of the church (called also stars, chap. i. 20.) were af- frightened, and fell off from their pro- * Ver. 3. A great red dragon. Note, Thus Pharaoh is called the dragon, Exod. i. 15, 16. Psal. lxxiv. 13, 14. Isa. li. 9. xxvii. 1. Ezek. xxix. 3, &c. See Isa. xxvii. 1. In all which passages the word is used to denote tyrants and persecutors. X So Mr. Mede and his followers. K t U6 A PAR API! RASE ON CHAP. XII. f'ession into the heathenish and idola- trous worship *. 5 But, alter all these hardships and persecutions which the Christian church laboured under, during the first three hundred years; the time was to come, when she was to be delivered from them by a famous prince, who was to embrace the Christian faith, and be exalted to the throne of this empire : to abolish idolatrous and heathen worship, and de- fend and support the religion of Jesus Christ. (" All which was fulfilled in " Constan tine the Great, whom the other " tyrants and princes of the empire en- " deavoured to destroy. Thus the "church's child was brought forth; " and, in the prophetic language, ex- " alted to heaven." Sec chap. xi. 11, 12. vi. 12, is, 15, 16, 17.) 6 But though the Christian church was thus to be delivered from the se- vere oppressions of these Pagan em- perors, and the true religion gain a set- tlement in the empire; yet, methought, it was but a little while before I saw it reduced to a very low and mean con- dition in the world, and its professors (the true and sincere ones, I mean) liv- ing in a Christian world that might be compared to a wilderness f, a wild de- sert ; wherein the far greater part of pretended Christians were over-run 5 And she 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. G And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. * So the learned Vitringa. ■f Ver. 6. The wilderness. The Roman empire may well be understood to be here called the wilderness, as the ancient prophets were wont to style great kingdoms and empires. Thus Babylon is called the desert of the sea, or waters, Isa. xxi. 1. And Jeremiah calls it the wilderness (or vast extent) of people, Jer. xx. 35. ^o St. John denotes the countries of the Roman empire by the many or spacious waters, chap. xvii. 1. 15. of this book. In this vast turbulent empire had the church of Christ a place in the times of persecution. The reader may see the nature of this expression fully explained and confirmed by Vitringa on Isa. xxi. 1. CHAP. XII. THE REVELATION. 13: 7 And there was war in heaven ; Mi- chael anil his angels fought against the dragon, and the dra- gon fought and his angels, S And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, with false doctrines, and superstitious practices. However, Divine Providence still preserved the truth from being quite extinguished; though these cor- ruptions were to be permitted to pre- vail (after they were come to their fulJ hcighth) in the church, for the term of twelve hundred and sixty years ; even as Daniel had long ago foretold. See chap. xi. 1, 2, 3. of this book, and chap. x. 6. 7, 8, 9 And, to make the impression of these memorable events more strong and lively upon my mind, they were presented to me in the scene of a dread- ful war, as it were, between heaven and earth, between God and Satan*; the one striving, by his instruments, these persecuting emperors, to destroy Chris- tianity; and the other, by his angels and ministers, by his martyrs and teach- ers, to uphold and support it. And the end of all was, that pagan idolatry, the work of the devil, the grand de- ceiver, was, by degrees, totally sup- * Yer. 7, S, 9. War in heaven ; Michael — and the dragon, be. It is certain, the Christians, in the time of Constantine, thought this prophecy to be so plainly fulfilled by this great event of Cons tan - tine's advancement to the throne of the empire, that this emperor's statue was set over his palace gate, trampling upon a wounded dragon; which, Eusehius says, " was done to signifyhis conquests of those tyrants that oppressed and persecuted the church, at the instigation of the devil; in allusion to the books of the prophets, where the devil thus raging against the church is called a dragon." Vit. Const, lib. iii. cap. 3. And Constantine himself, in his Epistle to EusebiuSj calls his conquest of Licinius, " The. foiling of the dragon, and the restoration of Christian liberty to all men." Socrat. lib. i. cap. 6'. And the prophetic passages alluded to by Eusebius, were such as this of Isaiah xxiii. 1. In that DAY (the time of oppression of God's true church) the Lord, with Ids sore, and great, and strong sword, shalt punish Leviathan, the piercing serpent, that crooked serpent, and he shalt slay the DRAGON that is in the sea, i. c. the idolatrous power ruling over, "and persecuting the nation? of ihe earth See upon ver. 1. and 12. 138 A PARAPHRASE OX c HAT. MI. pressed ; and the persecutors of the Christians, the heathen commanders of the opposite armies, and the pagan priests, were defeated, and confounded by the victories of this great Constan- tino, and by his advancement to the im- perial throne : that is, in this prophetic style, the one were cast down from hea- ven, the other raised up to it. Compare Isai. xxvii. 1. and chap. xi. 12. of this book. 10, 11 Whereupon, methought, I heard the whole assembly in this hea- venly temple expressing their joy in most devout and seraphic strains, for this glorious * change in the face of " ... . ° things, rejoicing in the happy prospect that the heathen persecutors and f ac- cusers of the Christians were now sup- pressed ; and God's truth was going to prevail ; that the patience and death of the martyrs had not only gained them the happiness of heaven, through the meritorious death of Christ, hut had, at last, ended in the conversion of the heathen world to his true and sav- ing religion. 12 This, said they, must needs be matter of unspeakable comfort to the whole world. But this song of praise was no sooner over, than, methought, I heard another voice, declaring, that this which deceiveth the whole world : he was east out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation,and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ : for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 1 1 And they over- came him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their tes- timony ; and they lov- ed not their lives u:ito the death. 12 Therefore re- joice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of * Ver. 10. Now is come salvation, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, that is, not the kingdom of Christ in its full glory and power : but thus far it is advanced, that idolatry is cast down, and Christian liberty restored. See the note on chap. vi. ver. 15, 16, 17. and note on chap. xiv. 8. f Ibid. The accuser of the brethren. The heathens (especially their priests) accused the Christians, to the emperors, as guilty of all manner of crimes, and as the causes of whatever calamities and misfortunes befel the empire. CHAr. XII. THE REVELATION. 130 the sea : for the * de- vil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the happiness would not last long in the height it might be hoped for and ex- pected ; that the grand enemy of truth had yet many stratagems and devices, which, through the corrupt inclinations of men, would yet work great miseries, and bring many sufferings upon the members of this f Christian empire ; and though, compared with the future happiness of Christ's kingdom, (which will be for ever and ever,) they were to be but short; yet they would be ter- rible, like the rage and malice of the wicked author of them. 13 And so it proved; for I observed, after the Pagan idolatry was thus far discountenanced in the empire, by Con- * Ver. 12. The devil is come down, or 5 Sia.ho'Koc, the licenser or the slanderer, the same (probably) with the Karriyoeoq, the accuser of the brethren, in the 10th verse. Thus the persecutors of the true reli- gion, and all men who oppose truth and right, as they are so far the instruments of the devil, or imitate him, are called in Scripture by his names and titles. Thus Christ called St. Peter by the name of Satan, i. e. an adversary or opposer of his sufferings, Matt. xvi. 23. And David called the sons of Zeruia, Satan, adversaries, 2 Sam. xix. 22. Thus again, Mahomet, and the successors of him, are styled king, angel of the bottomless pit, and Abaddon, i. e. the destroyer, chap. ix. 11. of this book. St. Paul was hindered from coming to the Corinthians by Satan, i. e. by some adversaries of the Christian faith, 1 Thess. ii. IS. Lastly, chap. ii. 10. of this book, the devil is said to cast some of the saints into prison, i. e. their false accusers, either amongst the heathens, or the corrupt Christians. And in ver. 7- and 9. of this chapter, the old serpent, the (proper) devil and Satan, is said to be cast out, by the defeat of his instru- ments, the heathen idolaters, or Jew r s, or false Christians, called his angels. f Ver. 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea. The learned Mr. Daubuz understands this as a denunciation against the idolatrous Gentiles, endeavouring to restore themselves again to the ruling power, but destroyed by Constantine ; as were Magnentius, Eugenius, ike. with vast numbers of the Romans, influenced by diabolical fury against the Christians. But the verse immediately following seems to me to determine it as meant of the woman, the Christian church. But the difference is not very material. 110 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAT. XII. * Dan. Tii. 2S. stanline's advancement to tlie throne, the dragon still persisted to persecute the woman, i. e. thechurcli itself, though lie and his agents failed of destroying him its protector. For there wire great struggles and attempts to continue, and propagate the heathen idolatry, during his reign, for a long season ; and af- terwards by Julian the Apostate. 11 But still, notwithstanding these attempts, Divine Providence so ordered, that Christianity found some tolerable protection (though, at best it might be compared to a man's habitation in a confused wilderness) both in the eastern and western parts of the empire. So that both these brandies of it may re- semble the two wings of an eagle, on which the Christian church may be said to have been carried in those dif- ficult times, and delivered from ruin and suppression. Agreeably to what God is said to have done for the Israelites, in conducting them into and through the wilderness. Exod. xix. 4. Ye have seen what I have done unto Egypt, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. And again, Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. As an eagle stir- reth up her nest, fiuttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on HER W INGS ; so the LORD alone did lead them, and there was no strange GOD with him. Thus is God to preserve Christ's religion in the world, during the future corruptions of it, which are to last (at lea. i. e. the beast stood, %c. chap. xiu. THE REVELATION. 143 power, and his seat, The beast now to be described was the and great authority. fourth of Daniel's beasts, viz. the Roman empire; which now appeared to me as made up of all the other three ; i. e. had all the cruel power of the Babylo- nian, Medo- Persian, and Grecian mo- narchies united, as it were, in one. It had seven heads, i. e. belonged to the city built upon seven hills ; and had gone, or was to go, through seven forms * of supreme government ; and is now considered as divided into \ ten Euro- pean kingdoms, signified by the ten horns, and crowns. Every one of the forms of government under which this empire had gone, or was to go, were to support and propagate id&latry ; which, in the Scripture language, is called blas- phemy | ; the worship of idols, images, X Isai. ixr. or false deities being the highest indiff- 7 - Ezek * **• nity that can be offered to the name ' and worship of the one true God. Fi- nally, Rome, at first, arrived not to this heighth of dominion, but by wicked vio- lence, and diabolical usurpations; and now still, will really and effectually pro- mote idolatry, though under the covert of the Christian name. Thus are ac- complished those words of the prophet, Dan. ii. 33—43. vii. 7, 23, 24, 25. The image's legs (the fourth kingdom, i. e. the Roman) were of iron : The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron ; forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces, and subdues all things. Behold a fourth beast, dreadful, and terrible. The fourth beast shaUbe the fourth KINGDOM upon earth. The fourth beast had ten HORNS. The ten horns are ten KINGS that shall arise. This is the kins that was to do according to his will, and exalt and mag- nify himself above every god, and speak * See chap. xvii. 9, 10, 1 1. with the note there, f See chap. viii. 12. with the note there. m A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XIII. marvellous things against the God of gods, and prosper until the indignation be accomplished, Dan. xi. 36*. that is, promote idolatry, superstition, and per- secute the worshippers of God. 3 One of these-forms of governmt nt, or one head of this empire, had received, raethought, a fatal blow, i. e. The im- perial power under the Caesars was de- stroyed by the barbarous nations; (as may be seen under the fourth trumpet, chap, viii.) But, though this one head was destroyed, the beast itself still lived; the power, the persecuting power, still remained, though got into several hands, and the ten kings exercised the same eruel and arbitrary dominion over their Christian subjects as ever the heathen emperors had done. Tims the deadly wound was healed ; to the pleasing f astonishment of all the corrupted part of the Christian world. 4 For the generality of the subjects of these idolatrous Christian govern- ments soon ran into compliance with, and admiration of, the prevailing powers; and submitted to all their superstitious injunctions; and thereby, in effect, be- came the subjects of that old serpent, the first deceiver of mankind. 5, 6 Thus will this Antiehristian power continue to hold its arbitrary and idolatrous dominion over the Chris- tian world ; to the dishonour of God t, and the scandal of the Christian name, 3 And I saw one of his heads, as it were * wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed : and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they wor- shipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast : and they worshipped the beast, saying Who is like unto the beast ? who is able to make war with him ? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things, and blasphem- ies j and power was * Ver. 3. As it were wounded; a.',- laQxypirnv, that hud been wounded. See chap. v. 6. -f- Ibid. Wondered after the beast, iSai'^ao-Ex 6-n-ia-u) icv Syclov. Fol- lowed the beast with wonder and admiration ; as crowds of people run after a show, or a great man. + Ver. 5. A mouth speaking great things, and blasphemies, viz. Such as calling itself the queen and mistress of all churches, the ventre of unity, the infallible judge of controversies, the ark out of chap. xiii. THE REVELATION. 145 given unto him to during the whole period foretold by * trwtut. * continue forty and Daniel, viz. for the twelve hundred and Todo °*te two months. g^y years, at least. (See Dan. vii. s t wllled ' 6 And he opened 24j 95.) See chap. xi. 1, 2. of this book, his mouth in bias- am j d x Q ?> with the n()le there# phemy again.st God, l to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, which there is no salvation, the sovereign of kings, disposer of crowns. This ascribing to itself what belongs only to God and Christ, is another sense of blaspheming. See, for more flagrant instances of this kind, Dr. Hen. More, Myst. Iniq. and Vitringa in his notes upon this place. Sir Edwyn Sandy's Europa? Speculum, pag. 41 , 4"2, 45. Review of the Council of Trent, by William Ranchion, book ii. chapters x. and xi. See here some more of the numerous examples of the blasphemies of the popish writers, the canonists, with rela- tion to temporal powers attributed to the pope ; as, " That he is " set over all empires and kingdoms ; that the empire depends " upon the pope, and he hath dominion over it ; that he may " depose them, (the kings and emperors,) and transfer their king- " doms and dominions ; may set up a king in every kingdom ; " for he is the overseer of all kingdoms in God's stead, as God is te the maker of all kingdoms : that he hath jurisdiction over all " things throughout the whole world ; seeing he is the judge of " the quick and the dead in Christ's stead." With abundance more to the same blasphemous purpose. Review Counc. Trent ut supra, and in book v. chap. iii. of Dis- pensations -, with chap. vii. of the Jesuits; as also book vi. chap. 6, 7- of the Pope's Decrees and the Censure of Books; and book vii. throughout. It may also not be amiss to give the reader some in- stances of these last popish blasphemies , as they are quoted, from their own popish canonists, and other authors, by the writer of the review above-mentioned, viz. " That the pope is Christ's vicar, not only over things in earth, " in heaven, and hell, but even ever all angels good and bad. " That the pope's power is greater than the power of saints. " That the pope is greater than the angels in dominion. To him " is committed the government of the universe. " That the pope may excommunicate the angels ; is greater in " power than the apostles. " That the pope is equal to God ; that there can be no appeal " from him to God ; that he can determine against the law of " nature, and the law of nations, and the law of God, even with " reason, or without reason." And for a most full account of the blasphemies, in their prayers to saints, see Chemnitius Exam. Con. Trid. lib. iii. VOL. III. L 146 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XIII. Sec Mr. Mede, epist xvii. book iv. p. 7')'>. edit. fol. 7, 8 And the worst and most dread- ful article of this Antichristian domi- nion will be, that of forcing the consci- ences of men in religious matters, and of persecuting all that dare to question or withstand their idolatrous commands: which none will dare to do, except a few chosen, sincere, and virtuous Chris- tians, in all this difficult time ; who are therefore said to be written in the book of life -f. (See the note on chap. iii. 5. and compare Dan. vii. 21, 23, 25.) V, 10 But here again $ let me call upon every one, whose lot it may be to live in these times of distress, to give attention to the solemn denunciation of God against this persecuting spirit, and to his comfortable promise to such as patiently suffer by it, viz. " That be " will assuredly vindicate the cause of " his true religion, and pull down the " antichristian powers that oppress it, " by a most exemplary destruction ; i( and cause his true and faithful and them that dwell in heaven *. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them : and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity : he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. * Vcr. 6. Against them that dwell in heaven, i. e. either God and Jesus Christ j or else the saints and angels, by abusing their names and characters in setting them up as mediators and intercessors ; or, by persecuting the saints upon earth, who are said in Scripture to be citizens of heaven, and to have their conversation there, Heb. xii. £2. Ephes. xi. ly. Philip, iii. 20. See again, for the flagrant in- stances of this Romish blasphemy, Dr. Hen. More, Myst. of God. and Myst. Iniquity, Vitringa in loc. and G. Downham of Anti- christ, book i. chap. 4, 5. and the note foregoing. See also the third part of the Church Homily Against the Peril of Idolatry. f Ver. 8. In the book of life of the Lamb slain from the founda- tion of the world. I make no doubt but the words from the foun- dation of the world, are here transposed ; and should follow after names written, for so they expressly do, chap. xvii. 8. note there. X See chap. ii. 7, 11. and iii. (>', 13. CHAP. XIII. THE REVELATION. 147 11 And I beheld another beast coming out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 1*2 And he exer- ciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them which dwell therein,. to wor- ship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. " servants to reap the blessings of " Christianity in safety, glory, and " peace.*' So, as the forementioncd times will try and display the patience of good Christians; let this divine promise ani- mate them to steadiness and perse- verance. (This is the fourth vision of the open book before mentioned ; wherein are given the characters of the corrupt antichristian church.) 11, 12 In a fifth vision was described to me the marks of the very Antichrist himself, the head, and principal mover of all the foremen tioned corrupt and idolatrous Christian powers'. These marks were represented by and in a second beast, rising out of the earth, i. e. from amongst these countries into which the empire was now divided under ten kings. This beast did indeed put on the appearance of a lamb * ; that is to say, it represented a person, a political person, or a governing power, who pro- fessed themselves vicars of Christ, the Lamb of God ; his vicegerents, and re- presentatives ; successors of his apo- stles, and pastors of his flock : but spake * Ver. II. Two horns like a lamb. Our learned commentators interpret the horns either of the several powers this beast pretended to have a right to exercise : or of the extent of such powers ; such as temporal and spiritual power; of binding and loosing; two patriarchal powers in and over the eastern and western empire. But perhaps, after all, the horns might be here mentioned by St. John only as part of the description of the lamb ; the appearance whereof this beast now affected to take upon him. But let the reader judge. Only I will add, that this appearance with the marks of a lamb, agrees with St. Paul's description, he sitteth in the tem- ple of God, i. e. is of the Christian profession ; exactly as Ezekiel sets forth the (spiritual) Tyre, Ezek. xxviii. 2, 14, 16. Thine heart is lifted up ; thou hast said, 1 sit in the scat of God; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God ; and thou ha»t sinned : therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and I will destroy thee. Sec G. Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. v. §. (5. and also page 146". L 2 148 A PARAPHRASE ON ciiAr. xiii. like a dragon, and exercises all the power of the first beast, &c. i. e. He was still to be the agent and instrument of that old serpent, by whom the old lloman empire was set up. He exercised the same tyrannical dominion, though un- der another form ; and, by an uncon- trollable church authority, first per- suaded, and then, by increase of power, forced the Christian subjects to pay im- plicit obedience to these ten princes; and then made use of their power to oblige all to submit to his own superstitious and idolatrous determinations. Thus you have the same beast in a new shape ; or, if you will, two beasts conspiring in one and the same wicked dominion. The old lloman empire that was lost and dead, as it were, by the abolish- ment of the Caesars, now revived again, in the same arbitrary power, though placed in different hands. It is no longer a pagan empire ; but it is the same dominion under ten weak tyrants, guided and ridden into a cruel and ido- latrous administration, by a subtle and domineering set of ecclesiastics; the chief head of which is called the false prophet, chap. xvi. 13. and chap. xix. 20. And his advancement into tem- poral dominion, was what made him properly a horn, i. e. a king with a kingdom. 13, 14, 15 The methods, whereby this church empire is foretold to gain this ascendant over both princes and people, are pretended miracles, forged gg"g ^ s revelations, sham appearances of angels, i. io. b and saints from heaven, to hypocritical saints upon earth ; the terror of excom- munications f, tyat tend to fright weak * Compare 1 Kinirs 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come *down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of f Ver. 13. He makclh fire come down from heaven. As heaven, in the prophetic language, signifies the princes and rulers of the poli- chap. xni. THE REVELATION. 149 those miracles which minds into wicked compliances ; anathe- he had power to do in m as, and spiritual curses, pretended to the sight of the beast; h c confirmed from heaven itself, and to saying to them that j; ht n all opposers y± e fi re f rom dwell on the earth, God aboye B aU w , lid and guch that they should make ».j i • » •■ •* *••■*. u? „ . J . ,, , . like lying wonders, it was to raise itselt an imag"e to the beast, ■', ° , , % . . . . which had the wound to such unbounded authority, as is m- by a sword, and did d< ; ed the very image, * the same things live. with the ancient imperial persecuting 15 And he had pow- power, (wounded in the destruction er to give life unto the of the Caesars, but now revived in this image of the beast, Christian persecuting power, so very that the image of the like it in cruelty and oppression;) and tical world, so fire from heaven, in the same eastern speech, denotes the threats and terrors of persons in authority; and is here an ap- posite description of popish excommunications. See Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. vii. §. 8, 9, 10, 11. and book ii. chap, xv. " Betwixt the years 1076, and 1150," says Father Paul, " ex- " communications were thundered out, conspiracies, and rebellions " (against princes) set on work, with the loss of many millions of " lives, in order to wrest from princes the collation of bishoprics." From the time of Pope Greg. VII. to Innocent IV. containing 200 years, seven emperors were excommunicated, viz. Henry IV. Henry V. Frederick I. Philip I. Otho IV. Frederick II. and Con- rad J. F. Paul of Eccles. Benef. chap. xlvi. * Ver. 14, 15. The image of the beast. It will make no differ- ence as to the completion of this part of the prophecy, whether by this image we understand this second beast ruling over the ten kingdoms of Europe, as in the paraphrase, or the emperor Charles the Great, set up, and crowned by the pope, as supporter of the church-persecuting power ; which is Mr. Whiston's opinion, and is countenanced by very good authorities. Essay on Rev. page 260, &c Charles the Great, as called an emperor, was indeed an image of the ancient Roman emperors : but then he was made so by the second beast ; and not without being obliged, at his coro- nation, by the most solemn oath, to defend the papal superstitions with all the terror of his sword. Surely this is a much more agreeable interpretation than that of the learned Vitringa, who understands it of the Roman inquisition, which prevails only in some particular countries. See Dr. Cressener, Demonst. lib. Hi. chap. vi. with his notes there. And book iv. chap. ii. <\c. And G. Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. 3. and chap. 7« §. 13, 14, 15. Also book ii. chap. 3, 5. Sir Isaac Newton, Observ. on Dan. part i. chap. 7, 8. ad fin. L3 150 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XIII. makes it death to any subject to resist it. And as it was in the literal old Ba- bvlon, Nebuchadnezzar commanded all that would not worship his golden iin;)' e, to be cast into the ' ry furnace; so whoever will not, among Christians, worship this beast's image, and comply with the idolatries of this spiritual Ba- bylon, should be killed. 16", 17 In short the very common rights and privileges of life, trade, and commerce, anil the peace of neighbour- hood, are all tied to the profession- of this same corrupt religion, now in the hands of the governing clergy, and backed by the temporal sword of princes *, 18 And finally, that there maybe no excuse left for Christians in mistaking these characters of the great Antichrist, or wh(-re will be the place and seat of his fullest church-power; it is here spe- cific' 1 iii a single word ; a word, the letters whereof stand, in the Hebrew and Greek languages, for so many dis- tinct numbers ; and the whole of it is six hundred and sixty-six. The word beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. \G And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to re- ceive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads : 17 And that no man Blight buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Mere is wisdom. Let him that hath un- derstanding count the number of the beast : for it is the number of a man ; and his num- ber is six hundred threescore and six. * Ver. 16, 17. See Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. S. To wh&t is here described, of the persecuting spirit, as the peculiar ' image and mark of this corrupt community, may be added the many idolatrous rites, ceremonies, and usages in the worship of this Romish church : all derived from, and imitations of, hea- thenism. In full confirmation whereof, see Dr. Hen. More, Synop. Prophet book i. chap. 17- Dr. Middletons Letter from Rome: Stillingileet's Idol, of the 'Church of Rome: with many other writers. CHAP. XIII. THE REVELATION. 151 is in Greek Lateinos * (AATEINOS), in Hebrew n"DH (Romiith), as much * A 030 A 001 T 300 E 005 I 010 N 050 O 070 s 200 Total 666 "» 200 1 6 D 40 s 10 s 10 n 400 Total 666 Or, call it in the Greek, The Church of Italy, EKKAHEIA ITA- AIKA, the number the letters of those two Greek words amount to is exactly the same, viz. E K K A H S I A 5 20 20 30 8 200 10 1 294 T 10 T 300 A 1 A 30 I 10 K 20 A 1 372 294 >tal 666 The learned Mr. Jurieu and Mr. t)aubuz have here also ob- served, that in the Hebrew language, the language of ancient pro- phecies, (in which also letters are used for numbers,) the word JT s Qn (Romiith) makes up exactly the number 666 : and in this also you see the Romish beast. These 'two are appellative names, such as St. John means ; names of a man ; or body, or kingdom, or government of man, in a certain place and situation. No other word, in any language whatever, can be found to express both the same number, and the same thing. See chap. xvii. 5. See Downham of Antichrist, for answers to such objections as are raised against this explication, book ii. chap. 10. Ver. 18. Here is wisdom. That is, here is a secret whereon to Eccles. vi. try the attention and understanding of all serious and religious 23. which minds. The Son of Sirach says, Wisdom is according to her name, COIU P ar « i. e. a kind of secret, to be studied and found out by such as the W1 SaB1 " Scriptures calls the wise in heart, or men of understanding, i. e. honest and virtuous men. So the Psalmist says, The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; i. e. the most important truths of L4 ltB A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xiu. as to say, it is the Western or Latin or Roman church. Here is icisdom, i. e. a rule sufficient to guide and preserve religion are found, and practised by virtuous minds. Accordingly the word I saw an ~ other sign in heaven *, great and marvellous, seven an- gels having the seven last plagues ; for in itiem is rilled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and. them that had gotten the victory over the 1 \ S in the former part of this pro- u --^- phecy (chap. vi. and viii.) the Holy Spirit described the several divine' judgments of God upon the Roman em- pire, during its political state and pagan religion, and Antichristian corruption, under the representations of opening the seals of a book, and then of the sounds of trumpets or heavenly denun- ciations ; so he now pursued the like method in foretelling the punishments and final ruin of the Antichristian- church-empire, (in particulars new and unspoken of before,) as he had done that of the heathen Csesars. This scene of vengeance was opened to me in a sight of seven angels, ministers of divine wrath, with each a vial or vessel in his hand, filled with either some liquor of an in- toxicating and pernicious quality ; or (perhaps) with fire, the usual symbol f of divine fury; to be thrown upon this idolatrous body, at several times and periods, till its destruction were com- pleted, and a full reformation wrought in the church of Christ. 9, 3, 4 The whole was introduced by a chorus of a vast number of steady and faithful Christians, who had stood the shock of all the temptations and perse- cutions of the Antichristian ages. These * Ver. 1. Another sign in heaven. See upon chap. xii. \, 7. t So the learned Vitringa. m2 164 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XV. stood close by, or upon a sea * of glass and fire ; in allusion to the case of God's ancient people the Israelites, who stood vpon the sea shore, beholding, and tri- umphing over their enemies, the Egyp- tians, (Exod. xiv. 30, 31.) For so, me- tho ught, in like manner stood this army of pious + Christians ; " magnifying and " adoring the divine goodness and pro- " vidence running through all the dis- cs o ft pensations of God's church; abound- " ing in unspeakable wisdom in the a permissions of the sufferings of his (i saints ; in mercies and goodness shewn "in their deliverances from them; in * justice inflicted upon all the adver- " saries and corrupters of sacred truth, '* and all finally terminating in the ad- " vancement of his kingdom in peace, " righteousness, and glory, throughout " the world." Exactly agreeable to the hymn sung by Moses and the Israelites. Exod. xv. Jer. x. 7- (Compare Psalm cxlv.) beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God f. 3 And they sing the f| song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and mar- vellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty ; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art holy : for § all nations shall come and worship be- fore thee j for thy judgments are made manifest. * Ver. 2. Sea of glass, #c. See chap. iv. 6. Vitringa takes it to be the floor shining like crystal, and bright as fire. Mr. Jurieu renders it ice and fire, denoting the extremes of misery out of which these saints were delivered. And Mr. Daubuz thinks it to express the pure, but unsettled and afflicted state of the faithful in this world. f Ibid. Having the harps of God. That is, the sacred harps, the instruments of the temple-music; the temple, the emblem of the Christian church, being the scene of these visions, as in ver. 5. and chap. iv. and vii. % Ibid. Them that had got the victonj over the beast, and over his image. Tou? mkwhtws Ik tov Sn^w, not over the beast, but from out of the midst of the beast ; or gotten the victory by keeping clear of the beast. That is, by adhering to true religion in the midst of an idola- trous world. || Ver. 3. The song of Moses — and of the Lamb. In allusion, perhaps, to the hymn that was sung, on the sabbath, at the offering up the lamb on that solemn day j as Le Moyne conjectures. Var. Sac. vol. ii. § Ver. 4. For all nations sliall come ; for thy judgments are made manifest — on Tci.nct. t» e$»u i"|cw» — oti ra. &wfi»ft>^»T« trot/. Therefore all CHAP. XV. THE REVELATION. 16; 5 Anil after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the ta- bernacle of the testi- mony in heaven was opened : 6 And the seven an- gels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white li- nen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four beasts gave un- to the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God , and from his power ; and no man was able to enter into the tem- ple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 5, 6 These saints were to be the spec- tators, methought, of the divine tragedies now to be shewn to the world. Accord- ingly, when this hymn of praise was over, the inner and most sacred part of the heavenly temple was thrown open; from whence came the seven angels, the executioners of divine wrath, as before mentioned. They were clothed * in that august and splendid manner as be- spoke them ministers of the great Lord and King of the whole world ; coming to execute his commands with absolute justice, purity, and righteousness. 7 Then one of the living creatures f, the representatives of the Christian church, delivered into their hands the vials X or vessels, the symbols of those t j e r. xxv. judgments they were to execute. To 15, 16. denote, that the servants of God and Christ always committed themselves and their cause into the hands of God, as the all-perfect and righteous Judge, eternally just in his dispensations, and faithful to all his promises to his people. 8 And as in the Jewish tabernacle, when it was consecrated by Moses, and in the temple, when dedicated by Solo- mon, (Exod. xl. 3i — 37. 1 Kings viii. 10, 11.) the glory of the Lord filled both those places to such a degree, that even the priests could not enter them ti 11 it was over ; so will the Divine Majesty display itself in a most adorable manner in these judgments upon the Antichris- tian powers, and in the reformation of his church. And as in the judgment upon Korah and his company ; and also nations shall come, &c. because thy judgments are manifest. So the former or* should be rendered by therefore, answerable to the Heb. T3 ; as in many passages is apparent. * Ver. 6. Their breasts girded. See note on chap. i. 13. f Chap. iv. 6, &c. m 3 166 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAf. XVI. when the children of Israel murmured against God, (Numb. xvi. 19, 42, 46.) the cloud and glory of the. Lord appeared at the tabernacle of the congregation, as the forerunner of judgment; and wrath was gone out from the Lord ; so was this si. oke and glory of God an assured token of his divine vengeance upon this corrupt ch urch empire. And thus much by way of preface or introduction ; we now come to the judgments themselves. CHAP. XVI. The seven vials. Why called the seven last plagues. How and when the six first of them may be conceived to have been already fulfilled. The seventh, like the seventh trumpet, is yet future: to be expected in God's due time. The old proj>hetic language and figures used in these vials. Euphrates, Armageddon, Sse. explained. 1 npHESE judgments then were -■- given, as was said before, into the hands of seven angels, by a voice from the divine throne ; to signify, that they were to be inflicted on this corrupt Roman church by the just and wise direction of Providence. And as before, in the trumpet judgments, this empire is compared to the natural world, wherein are variety of parts, greater and lesser; so here again, the sun, earth, sea, rivers, &e. denote the chief head, nations, lower people, officers, cities, &c. of this ecclesiastical world. And these plagues are called the seven last plagues ; not as, in point of time, coming after those mentioned under the seventh trumpet, (which are to be the last also,) but as being contemporary with them, and not to end but with the complete destruction of this Antichristian power. For if some of them be the same, as to time, with some of those mentioned under the seventh seal, they arc still here described 1 ^ND I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath ot God upon the earth. CHAP. XVI. THE REVELATION. 16? 2 And the first went, .and poured out his vial upon the earth ; and there fell a noi- some and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which wor- shipped his image. with different circumstances, and put in a new light, denoting effects not before described *. And such of them as are wholly new, are yet all within the same grand period of that last trumpet; which reaches to the perfect reformation, and the setting up, of Christ's kingdom upon earth. To begin then. 2 The first of these is said to fall upon the earth, or the general body of the Roman idolatrous community j breaking out in painful sores and ulcers, to torment this spiritual Ee's dominions were invaded ; " some popes deposed, and others set li up * ; many ])ut to death, by stran- " gling, poisoning, &c. by their sneces- " sors ; and many began to call out " aloud against this impious power, to " style it Antichrist, and to reform "from it; so that during this period, " the popes, who were arrived at this " heighth of wicked power, and the suc- " cessors of those princes that first raised *' them into it, became the scourges and " plagues of each other. This jjavethe " smart, and vexation, and pain, repre- '• scnted by sores and ulcers f.") be cardinals ; and the baddest cardinal is chosen pope. And Father Paul observes, that, in this and the following ages, such a series of wild disorders gave occasion to historians to say, That those times produced not popes, hut monsters. * Ibid. See Review, Counc. Trent, lib. iv. chapters 3, 4. Pla- tina in Vit. Joan. 13. et alibi. Luitprandus de Rebus per Europ. lib. vi. cap. 6, &c. Father Paul of Eccles. Benefices and Revenues, chap. xix. and elsewhere. f Ver. 2. See Mr. Mede, M. Jurieu, and the learned Vitringa, who are all well agreed in this exposition, and furnish out histo- ries sufficient to justify the truth of it. And Mr. Daubuz agrees with them in this and in the four following vials. Ibid. A noisome and grievous sore. In the prophetic style, both epidemical and private vices, and their consequences, are fre- quently compared to bodily distempers. Thus Isa. i. 5, 6. the Jewish revolt into idolatry and vice is compared to sickness, faint- ing, wounds, hruises, and putrefying sores. And the Psalmist likens CHAP. XVI. THE REVELATION. 169 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea ; and it became as the blood of a dead man : and every living soul died in the sea. 3 The second plague falls upon the sea, i. e. as the Holy Spirit himself in- terprets it, chap. xvii. 15. upon the people of the countries within this eccle- siastical empire ; upon the subjects only of the popedom. The countries of these several subjects are said to be turned into blood ; in plain allusion to the wa- ters of old Egypt, by the judgment in- flicted by Moses, (Exod. vii. 19, 20.) and agreeably to the language of the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah. J will icater with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains, Ezek. xxxii. 6. And again, The moun- tains shall be melted ivith their blood, Isa. xxxiv. 3. ('* And the histories of " the ages following after the times be- i( fore mentioned, will furnish us with ** what is sufficient to fulfil this predic- " tion. From the eleventh to the thir- " teenth century, the people of Europe, iC by the instigation and presumptuous " authority of the popes, and by the " ignorant superstition of the Christian " princes, were sent in arms into the " holy war ; in which foolish and des- ** perate expeditions so much blood " was spilt, such armies lost, as is be- " yond the power of any one fully to " describe. Again, within the same " period of time, even here at home, *' in the confines of Germany and Italy _4» o *» i 8 And the fourth 8 The fourth of these plagues, as , d out hi3 that' of the jour th trumpet, was to tall vial U p 0n the gun . upon the sun, or the ruling and sove- an( j p 0W er was given reign powers belonging to this Anti- un to him to scorch christian government:}:. Sovereign au- men with fire. * Ver. 5, 6, 7- A dreadful detail, of popish cruelties, within this and the following period, might be collected out of the histories belonging to them. Bishop Usher proves, out of the popish writers., that, in the space of thirty-six. years, above 100,000 of Waldenses were barbarously slain . And in sixty years, Dr. Cracken- thorp, from their own authors, shews near 150,000 of the same innocent Christians to have been murdered by the pope's party. Father Paul reckons up 4000 Waldenses, and then 50,000 other Protestants butchered in the same country, by the same cruel ■hands. Bellarmin (de Eccles. cap. 18.) says, in Pope Innocent Third's time, 100,000 Albigenses were slain in battle. Perionius says, above a million were slain in France. At the storming of Beziers, 6'0,000 murdered. Julius II. in his popedom of seven years, is said to have destroyed 200,000 Protestants. And, to go down no lower, calculations haveheen made, that, in the space of forty years, ROME has been the death of THIRTY MILLIONS of people. Thus drunk with the blood of saints and prophets. f Ver. 5, 6, 7. Thus were perfectly completed the words of Isaiah concerning this very church of the Messiah. Isa. xlix. 26. J will feed ihem that oppress thee with their own flesh, and they shall be drunken with their own blood. And all flesh shall know that I am the Lord thy Saviour. Compare Ezek. xxiii. 33, 34. % Ver. 8. Upon the sun. Thus in Psalm exxi. 6. The sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the moon by night, i . e. No princes, nor any of their inferior officers, shall vex or conquer thee. Thus Joseph in his dream saw the sun, and moon, and stars pay obeisance to him; where the sun is explained of Jacob the father of the family ; the moon of his wife, being the next to him in power ; and the stars of his sons, the inferior governors of the family. Gen. .xxxvii. 9, 10. chap. xvi. THE REVELATION. 173 thority exactly corresponds to the light and heat of the sun. According as it is used with moderation or excess, it warms or burns, enlivens or destroys ; produces plenty and prosperity, or else vexation and ruin, to a commonwealth. It" by the sun is here meant the ecclesi- astical ruling power, it is the exorbi- tancy of the papal administration, that is said to plague and torment the Chris- tian world ; as violent heats scorch up the ground, and kill its fruits. And if by the sun is understood the temporal princes of the popish countries, it is they who had now power given them to vex and mortify the insulting heads of the court of Rome. (" Whichever way " it be understood, the prophecy is amply sf fulfilled within the period of time be- " fore, and at the beginning of, the re- •* formation. In the thirteenth and i( fourteenth centuries, the popes, who " had been tyrants in the church, be- " came now tyrants over the world. " They raised themselves above all so- " vereigns, took away and disposed " of crowns, and absolved subjects Si from their allegiance to their lawful te princes ; stirred up wars and rebel- " lions in many countries, and drew " both their blood and their treasures at " the same time, toward increasing the " pride and luxury of their court. His- *^ tories * abound in these doleful evi- M dences, how men were scorched with ei the fire of this Antichristian sun." See Isaiah xxiv. 12. * Ver. 8. See a most ample collection of testimonies of these facts, from the popish writers of these very times, in Ranchin's Review of the Council of Trent, lib. ii. chap. 1, 2. to the end of that book. And Platina, in the lives of Gregory VII. Boniface VIII. Alexander III. Innocent IV. and Julius II. Bishop Stilling- licet of the Divisions of the Church of Rome, p. 332, 333, &c. edit. 1G72. 174 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xvr. Again, on the other side, "In the " age following, Italy and the popes " themselves were equally mortified, in " their turn, by the arms of the French u kings; who, for three reigns succes- " sively, ravaged and destroyed that " country, to a degree that would raise i( compassion in ai'y reader of the ac- " counts of those wars*." .9 And yet none of these calamities brought either popes, or these temporal princes, to a due sense of their idola- trous iniquities, or mutual cruelties to- ward their own subjects, or to each other ; nor wrought them to any dispo- sition toward a reformation. Instead of being humbled by these miseries, they rebelled in more impudent vices against the divine hand from whence they came; and like the rebellious Jews, in Isai. viii. 21. They passed through (the land) hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. 10 The fifth of these last punishments, as a further step of Divine Providence toward the destruction of this beast, or Antichristian power in the church, was to fall upon the seat or throne of this empire ; as much as to say, either on the power, government, &c. of corrupt Christian Rome, in general, (as the word throne or seat is often taken in Scripture, 2 Sam. iii. 10. vii .16. livings i. 46'. and elsewhere:) or else the per- sons and officers that had the adminis- tration of it ; to the ruin of all true 9 And men were scorched -with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues : and they repented not to gi ve him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast ; and his kingdom was full of darkness ; and they gnawed their tongues for pain. * See Guicaiardin's Introduct. to his History. Mazerai. Hist. chap, viii. and Vitrtaga and M. Jurieu on this chapter. See also the same excellent Vitringa's comments on Isai. viii. 21, &c. And Mr. Lowman's ample collection of testimonies under this period. chap. xvi. THE REVELATION. l; > Christian discipline, and the practice of the Gospel virtues. And the like dread- ful calamities fell upon Constantinople, the eastern throne of the same corrupt ecclesiastical empire. This divine judg- ment struck at the very person, honour, credit, and grandeur of this ecclesiasti- cal tyrant, and of all the imperious of- ficers of his court. His kingdom was full of darkness ; as the prophets de- scribe the nations of the world to be y when any signal calamities or reproaches befal them. Thus Jer. xiii. 16. Give glory 'to the Lord your God, before he cause DARKNESS, and before your feet stumble in the DARK mountains ; and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross DARKNESS. And Ezekiel describes the destruction of Egypt, Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. / will put thee out, (margin, extin- guish thee;) I will make the stars — all the bright lights of heaven — DARK over thee, and set DARKNESS upon this land, saith the Lord God. And Isai. v. 30. If one look unto the land, behold DARKNESS and sorrow, and the light is DARKENED in the heavens thereof. [** And in this figurative sense was " the church and court of Rome greatly " eclipsed ; and suffered a dreadful de- " cay of its credit and authority in the " world, by another judgment, falling " partly within the period before men- " tioned, and in the century following '* it. In the beginning of the fourteenth fS century the popedom was removed " from Rome unto Avignon in France, «* for seventy-four years ; during all '* which time, the great city, the mi%- ' i tress of the world, was left desolate ; " the splendor of its churches was lost, a and the whole place became a * desert, ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ — __«■»——— * See Platina, Lives of the Popes, in Clem. V. 176 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xvi. " in comparison of what it formerly Ci had been. This brought on the u schism of the Antipopes ; when, for " forty years together, two pretended " vicars of Jesus Christ were thunder- " ing out curses and excommunications " against each other, and their adher- " ents ; and all Europe was excom- * " municated by one side or other, to " the great scandal, laughter, and con- " tempt of all serious and thinking men. " This wretched division caused princes iC to despise the power, and their people " to contemn the ecclesiastical censures, " they used formerly to tremble at. " And this contempt increased as the " reformation now grew, and gathered (i strength. These spiritual darknesses " were followed by as great ones of a " temporal kind ; when, in the popedom " of Clem. VII. the army of Germans, " Italians, and Spaniards attacked the " city of Rome itself, took it by storm, " and committed such slaughters upon Ci the people, such outrages upon the " highest as well as lower order of the " clergy themselves, as the historians " of that time seem not able to relate " without trembling *. Thus the throne " and kingdom of the beast ivas darkened; " and men gnawed their tongues for " pain" 11 And yet neither did these calami- 11 And blasphemed ties reduce the votaries of popery to any the God of heaven, true sense of the crimes they suffered because of their pains for. Superstition and idolatry were and their sores, and still the prevailing principles, whereby ^pented not of their God's holy name and Christ's reli- e gion were profaned. It was an age of * See Platina in the Life of Clement VlI.Guicciardin. Hist. lib. xviii. p. C64. and M. Jurieu and Vitringa on this passage, with Bishop Stillintrfleet on the Divisions and Fanaticism of the Church of Rome. CHAP. XVI. THE REVELATION. 177 1<2 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates ; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way monks, fables, legends, aw] lying mi- racles : simony was at the height; every thing, sacred and common, was bought and sold : * crimes, and abso- lutions for crimes, sacraments, and mi- nistry preferments, and Paradise itself, were all exposed to sale, and became the purchase of money. The greatest afflictions of Divine Providence put them only upon wicked methods of de- liverance from them, f They repented not of their deeds. 12 This first part of the sixth vial is expressed either by way of allusion, and in plain similitude only, to the judg- ment of the sixth trumpet, chap. ix. 13, 11, &c. or else as a part of it, not be- fore mentioned. And the figurative * See Review of the Council of Trent, as quoted above, book ii. chap. 3. and 4. and lib. v. cap. 1. and 3. Claudius Espencams, a Romish divine, has exposed these prac- tices of the popes, from a book openly sold at Rome, called, The Tax of the Chamber, or Apostolic Chancery, wherein are prices set for dispensations for any villany a man shall commit, be it adul- tery, simony, perjury, incest, or worse than incest. Espeneceus, cap. i. In the last age, a very learned Roman Catholic gentleman pub- lished two pieces ; the one entitled, Nipotismo di Roma, or, The History of Nepotism at Rome ; the other, // Cardinalisnto di Sancta Chiesa, The History of the Cardinals of the Roman Church ; translated from the Italian in 1670. A book worthy to be pur- chased at any price. Wherein is set forth the policy, vice, and ex- orbitancy of the court of Rome, (as the author himself saw and knew them,) in a most exquisite and entertaining manner. f Ver. 11. Repented not of their deeds. A demonstration of this impenitency of the Roman church was seen in the Council of Trent ; where, notwithstanding all the forementioned calamities, and the light that had been already diffused by the Reformation, the popish clergy would not consent to abolish any one false doctrine or ar- ticle of idolatrous worship, but rather established and confirmed them all. And within this period the inquisition was set up. The adoration of the host, and taking away the cup from the laity, were established by a council, wherein the papacy seemed to have cast off the very appearance of Christianity. See the Review of the Council of. Trent, by W. Ranchin, book i. chap. i. 11, &c. vol,, in. N 17b A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xvi. meaning of it is this, That as in the of the kings of the east eastern quarters of the Roman empire, might be prepared, the river Euphrates was formerly the Chap.ix.i4. limit and barrier of the Turkish armies ; where they were long kept from enter- ing upon the Grecian territories ; but were afterward let loose to invade and conquer it; so, in like manner, had there been hitherto, in this western or Roman-church-empire, an obstacle, a barrier, a figurative * Euphrates, that stopped the princes of Europe from di- rectly attacking that church-empire, especially in its ecclesiastical capacities. See how these figurative barriers were removed, these Euphrates dried up, first in the eastern, and then in the western quarters of this corrupt Chris- tian empire. " When the Saracens and Arabians " were forced to relinquish their con- " quests, and to retire, the only pre- " servative against any future conquests " by the Mahometans in the European " kingdoms was the valour and una- " nimity of the eastern empire, and of 11 the Christians in and about it. But " they, falling into contentions, feuds, tf and wars amongst themselves, became " first so weakened, and at last so des- " perate, as to call in, and even invite w the Ottoman powers to support their * Ver. 12. Euphrates. See this same thing represented in the hai.viii. 11. parallel passages of Jsai. xi. 15, 16. Zech. x. 2. The Lord shall smite the river in the seven streams thereof, and make men go over dry shod. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people. tie shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up. See the Targum, and Chaldee Paraph, in loc. Ibid. That the way of the kings — may be prepared ; that is, That they may enter upon their conquests, as it were, with ease and triumph. It is an allusion to the custom of levelling, cleaning, and adorning the roads, when any great prince made a progress, or solemn entry into tiny place. As in '2 Kings ix. 13. Matth. iii. 3. xxi. 8. and else- where. chap. xvi. THE REVELATION. 179 " ambitious designs upon each other, " and so deservedly were ruined by an ff enemy themselves helped to raise " into power; and perished by the very " power which, a little before, they were " able to despise. Thus they were " dried up, and made way for the kings " of the east, to make full conquest of " a great part of the European Chris- (l tian empire." In the western popish empire this prophecy may be conceived to have been thus spiritually accomplished, viz. " That the grand obstacle to the (i pulling down this Antichristian power, " having all along been the usurped C( authority of the court and clergy of M Rome over the consciences of both "princes and people; when their un- " sufferable pride and avarice had drawn " the princes of Europe to chastise them, " and suppress their temporal power, " by wars and devastations ; whereby " they were unable any longer to dis- M turb them in their governments, by " exciting their subjects to rebellion ; " those princes were then in a capacity " to shake off, from themselves, and " their subjects, the terror formerly " arising from the bulls, edicts, * and " censures of Rome ; to take and give " a free liberty of hearing and consi- " dering the doctrines of the reformers " against that corrupted church. Thus " grew popery into contempt; and the " European princes and states (like the *•' kings of the east) had a way prepared "for them, not only to fall from, but to " fall upon, this depraved community; '"' by encouraging and defending their " subjects, in confuting and renouncing * Review Counc. Trent, book vii. chap. 8. of Excommunica- tions and Censures. N 2 ISO A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVI. See ehaj). xiii. l 1. " its absurd doctrines and idolatrous " worship. The Euphrates of the pa- " pal power was, in great measure, " dried up ; and a passage gained for " the Reformation, that proved so suc- " cessful in Germany, France, Britain, " Holland, Denmark, Sweden, &c a " sure earnest of the conversion of the " rest of the nations, and of the total " ruin of Antichrist ; to be completed " under the period of the next and last 16 vial *.") But to proceed to the par- ticular circumstances of this sixth plague. \3, 14 At this success of the true Gospel doctrine in the world, I saw, methought, Satan, the enemy of man- kind, this idolatrous church-empire, now called the Roman beast, and the eccle- siastic head of it, styled emphatically the f false prophet, all three in rage and vexation, throwing out of their mouths creatures of an ugly and deformed kind; but intelligent, crafty, and of great abi- lities, to delude and deceive mankind || : 13 And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the month of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet %. 14 For they are the spirits of devils work- ingmiracles, which go forth unto the kinsrs * Ver. 12. And the waters thereof were dried up, %c. See the learned Vitringa, Comment, on Isa. xi. 15, 16. where the nature of this, and such like prophetical expressions, is most amply ex- plained. f See chap. xix. 20. xx. 10. X Ver. 13. And out of the mouth of the false prophet. Note, the difference will he little or nothing, whether by the false prophet is meant the second beast, (the church corrupt power,) as Mr. Low- man takes it as another title of that beast ; or, the head, the ee- elesiastical prince of it, as I here paraphrase it. In favour of the former sense it may be queried, whether the words may not well be rendered, out of the mouth of the beast, even [ko.1] the mouth of the fuse prppket ? See the like rendering in chap. xix. 20. || Ver. 13, 14. Unclean spirits — spirits of devils, or demons. That is to say, persons or teachers pretending to inspirations and spi- ritual gifts, teaching the doctrines of ghosts, demons, and saints, &;c. In the same sense as St. John says, ] John iv. 1, 2, 3. Believe not every spirit, i. c. every one professing himself a spiritual teacher— chap. xvr. THE REVELATION. 181 of the earth, and of the these were to be sent as emissaries whole world, to gather into the courts of Christian princes; them to the battle of and by pretences of* miracles, appari- that great day of God t ions of saints, and new revelations Almighty*. from heaven, to confirm them in idol- atry, superstition, and saint-worship, and spirit them up to persecute the church of Christ afresh ; and, by force of arms, to root out the reformation be- gun in it -J-. This religious war against the cause of God and Christ, will be the last effort of the enemies of his truth. [" And let the histories of the two " or three last ages, the massacres of " Paris, and of Ireland, the inquisitions, " the Spanish Armada, and the almost for many false prophets (or spirits) are gone into the world. Like Ahab's lying spirit, 1 Kings xxii. Ibid. Three unclean spirits. Called three, not to determine their precise number, but their kind and quality ; signifying, that all such spirits come from the same original, as the learned Vi- tringa well observes. Ibid. Spirits like frogs. Frogs, in ancient authors, are symbols of impurity, vain glory, imposture, flattery, and impudence; as Pliny, Philo, and many others observe. Accordingly the poet describes them : -Et nunc quoque turpes Litibus exercent linguas : pulsoque pudore, Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere tentant. inflataque colla tumescunt. Ipsaque dilatant patulos convicia rictus. Ovid. Met. x'u And a Popish writer compares the agents of Antichrist to the frog? " Animal impudens, obstreperum, loquax, coaxatione et garru- " litate intolerable Blaterones ministri Antichristi." Malvenda, lib. 5. * Ver. 14. That great day of God Almighty ; viz. the day, or time spoken of by Isaiah xxxiv. 8. It is the day of the Lord's venge- ance, and the year of recompences for the controversies of Zion, [i. e. for the persecutions of God's church.] And again, Ixiii. 4. For the- day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And see the whole lxi. chapter of that prophecy, with Mic. iv. 11, 1<2. Zeph. iii. 8. with Zech. xii. 2, 3, 4. f See chap. xvh. 14. xix. 19. N 3 182 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVI. " universal persecution of Protestants, ** in and from popish countries, by the " instigation of Romish priests, and " especially of such of them as have an iC access to, and influence upon, Popish " princes ; let these, I say, bear testi- " mony to the fulfilling of this pro- " phecy, in great part already; and let " them shew who are meant by the un- " clean spirits of the beast, and false " prophet, tfiat gather the princes of " the earth to battle against God *."] Chap.iii.3. 15 Now, as these will be times of great struggle and affliction, let all Christians, that desire to approve them- selves such indeed, be armed with virtue and fortitude to stand the shock. Happy are they f, and none but they, who per- severe with courage, or suffer with pa- tience ! And let this be their comfort, says Christ, that, in my due time, I shall overtake their persecutors with terrible and unexpected vengeance. 16 For, in short, whenever these hitter adversaries of the church reform- ation shall come to make their last and greatest push in this religious war, they shall find the field of battle to be just like what the field below Mount Megidda was to the imprudent king Josiah, when Pharaoh Necho slew him, See Mr. Mede, Disc vii. con- cerning the Jewish manner of using such like names as these. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the He- brew tongue, Arma- geddon. * Let the reader consult, amongst many other writings, the Life of Ignatius Loyola; with book v. chap. 7- of the incomparable author of the Review Counc. Trent, concerning the Jesuits, their maxims, doctrine, discipline, and practice. f Ver. 15. That watcheth and keepeth his garments. For the na- tural and literal meaning of these two phrases, the reader may see Dr. Lightfoot, Temple Service, chap. vii. §. 1. Garments of the body are used as symbols of the temper and dispositions of the mind. " A priest (say the Rabbins) that was found asleep in his " watch in the temple, was stripped naked, and exposed with ig- " norniny." And Maimonides tells us, " An officer of the guards " took his rounds at night ; and if he found any of the Levites "upon his watch asleep, he either beat hiin, or burnt his gar- " meats. " Maimon. in Chelim. cap. vii. See note on chap. iii. 5. CHAP. XVI. THE REVELATION. 1S3 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air ; and there came a great voice out of the tem- ple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done f . 18 And there were 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22. the very same field where Deborah and Barak routed and slew Siscra and the Phoenician army, Judges v. \0. For Armageddon is the same as Mount Megiddo *, as much as Sec Zech. to say, a mountain of destruction. And 5 ". 1 ", 11 ' V 2- it has the same meaning with that place iy. j & c . which the prophet Joci calls the valley and Zeph. of Jehoshaphat, and the valley of decision, '• a " d "■ where the multitudes of the enemies of , 5- " ' ' God's true worshippers were to be ga- thered together, and destroyed. For Jehoshaphat signifies as much as THE J UDGMENT OF THE LORD. See Joel iii. 1, 2, 12. [See more of this in chap. xix. 11, 21. 17, 18 This grand struggle, ending so happily to the advantage of the true religion, will he followed by that total change and revolution, signified by the high figures of speech in which the events of the seventh vial are expressed, they being the same in the main as were represented under the seventh trumpet J; * Ver. 16. Armageddon, 13, 447- and vol. ii. p. 798, 799. In the two last of which pages, that excellent man shews the great reasons to believe, that agree- ably to the last great battle foretold in this chapter, " There is still CHAP. XVI. THE REVELATION. 1S5 cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierce- ness of his wrath. xvii.5.shall be remembered in just venge- ance for all the corruptions it has in- troduced, and the violences wherewith it has long supported them in the Chris- tian church, to the ruin of all true piety and worship. It is here compared to a great city, [Rome being the head and mistress of this whole idolatrous empire,] which shall now be divided into three parts, just as the rebellious Jews, and their city Jerusalem, was divided for three kinds of destroying punishments. Ezek. v. \Q. A third part shall die with the pestilence, and with famine ; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee ; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and will draw a sword after them. And the like representation the prophet Jeremiah makes, Jer. xv. 2, 3. I will appoint four kinds [of judg- ment] over them ; such as are for the stvord, to the sword; such as are for death, [by pestilence,] to death; and such as are for famine, to famine ; and such as are for captivity, to captivity. " Thus, under the figures of tempo- " ral judgments, is represented the spi- " ritual fall of this idolatrous kingdom, " when the cities * of the nations shall ic fall off from its interests, and be con- " verted to the true Gospel worship and " relimon. " to be expected a terrible shock to be given to the Protestant "interest, and the reformed religion, by the popish powers; " which is to be followed by as remarkable a suppression of those " persecuting powers, and the full advancement of the reformed re- " ligion." Which was the firm opinion of our most learned Arch- bishop Usher ; and is still the belief of the most skilful persons in the prophetic writings that I have had the happiness to converse with. See Mr. rillen, State of the Church, &c. chap. xii. p. 71*3. fol. edit, and Mr. Mede, p. 76"0, 829. fol. edit. Compare this chapter with chap. xi. 7, 8, 9, &c. * Ver. 19. The cities of the. nations fell; viz. in the same sense as *he tenth part is said to have fallen, chap. xi. 13. 1SG A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVI, tf Again, in the already past time of " this reformation, the European Ro- " mish territories were divided into <: three parts, with respect to religious " profession, viz. that of the Greek " churches, (divided from the Latin or " Papal one,) that of the Popish idola- " trous churches, and that of the re- " formed Protestant ones. Moreover, " lastly, the civil powers of Europe had " the like division, which still continues, " viz. The Turkish power in Europe, " the Popish, and the Protestant king- " doms. So fully is this prophecy thus " far verified." 20 For as earthquakes are seen to swallow up whole islands in the sea, and to overturn mountains; so will the se- veral states and great kingdoms of this western world be all quite changed in their religion, and the powers of Anti- christ be swallowed up before this period comes to its full end *. 91 And as in the seventh trumpet, so here, again, the total ruin of this empire is displayed by a fall of hailstones of an immense bigness, as it were to Josh. x. 11. break and crush both the head and members of it. But to shew us that 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent : and men blasphemed f God be- * Ver. 20. Every island — every mountain. The prophetic writers called the European countries, to which the Jews traded by sea, by the name of isles, and islands of the sea. And again, as idola- trous temples, &c. were anciently seated upon hills and mountains, the word mountain is used to signify idolatrous places, and hoiises of superstitious worship. And it is a right observation of Dr. Wells, that, as in chap. vi. 14. the putting down of heathen religion by Constantine is expressed only by the mountains and islands being moved out of their places ; it signifies there, not so moved as never to appear more ; whereas here, they are said to flee away, and not to be found any more, i. e. idolatry to be quite extirpated upon the destruction of Antichrist. f Ver. 21. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail. Note, Here is foretold a most amazing instance of the power of worldly prejudices, the love of secular pleasures, and in- chaf. xvi. THE REVELATION. 187 cause of the plague of the reformation of the Christian world, the hail; for the and this destruction of Antichrist is not plague thereof was ex- to be understood as effected in a single cceding great. point of time, and all at once, but gra- dually, and by succeeding events of Providence one after another, in this last vial or period, it is said, that even after this terrible storm of judgment, the members of this corrupt body did not universally repent, and forsake its communion ; but many of them still will continue in their idolatry, hardened in their blasphemous doctrines and prac- tices, till time, and further light, or succeeding providences, bring them to conviction, and work a general reform- ation. (" But this last and glorious " event is still future, and is to be " waited for until God's due and ap- " pointed season. For this is that one ie day (or that eminent day) known to te the Lord, as the prophet Zechariah " calls it, Zech. xiv. 7. according to the il comfortable promise concerning this " very event, Isai. Ix. 22. / the Lord (i will hasten it in its season." (See chap, xiv. 9. 10, 11. of this book.) terest, to debauch and harden the minds of men, even against the strongest reason, and the most terrible judgments of heaven. And this representation of St. John, compared with the eleventh verse of this chapter, may render it not unreasonable to believe, that the full reformation of the popish powers will not be effected by the mere influence of reasoning, learning, and argumentation ; but will require an additional vengeance, from above, upon such as remain incapable of conversion by any other means. Accordingly, the de- struction of these wicked powers is set forth, in this book, under figures, and battles, very capable of such an interpretation. And many passages of the ancient prophecies give great countenance to it. See particularly Jerem. xii. 14, 15, 16, 17- See also Sir E. Sandys, Europ. Spec. p. 117, &c and Mr. Allen's State of the Church, &c. chap. v. 1*8 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVII. CHAP. XVII. This chapter contains a more particular explication of what is repre- sented in the thirteenth chapter. Antichristian Rome, described un- der the figure of a strumpet, rich, gaudy, and magnificent. The Roman empire, the beast, displayed in three distinct forms or periods of government; whereof the last is church government. Its heads and horns further illustrated. The downfal of the Antichristian church power again foretold, agreeably to the prophecy of Daniel. The very place and seat of this power plainly expressed. 7XTIE Roman empire having been already described under Sec chap. j 2 xx. 7, 8. ' xxi. 22. notes there, the emblem of a savage beast, (chap, xiii. I, 2, &c.) agreeably to the ancient prophecy of Daniel (Dan. vii.) and the same empire, after its conversion to Christianity, having been shortly repre- sented as degenerating: into idolatry, su- perstition, and cruelty towards the true and sincere professors of Christianity; under the character of a second beast, chap. xiii. 11, 12. the Holy Spirit was now pleased to enlarge further upon this second character, and to be so par- ticular in his explications, that no se- rious and studious Christian might be left hereafter at any uncertainty in fix- ing the true marks of the great Anti- christ, and knowing how to avoid a communion so corrupt, and hazardous of salvation. Pursuant to which gra- cious design, methought, one of the angels before mentioned, chapters xv. xvi. called me to him, to see and hear the wicked rise, progress, and full de- scription of, together with the final judg- ments of God upon this persecuting 1 AND there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither ; 1 will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore, that sit- teth upon many* wa- ters : c 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornica- tion. Antichristian power, He gave it the * Yer. 1. Upon many waters. Sec note on chap. xii. 6. CHAT. XVII. THE REVELATION. 1S9 3 So he carried me away % in the spirit into the wilderness : and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet- coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. odious title of a * lewd woman, who, by wicked arts and allurements, had de- bauched princes and people f, and so obtained a dominion over them. (Com- pare Isai. viii. 7, 8. Jer. li. 13. Ezek. xvi. 30.) 3 I was then, methought, shewn a full sight of the Christian world in this idolatrous condition, (styled the woman in the wilderness ||, chap, xii.) it was under the figure of a woman riding upon the beast with seven heads and ten horns, i. e. an ecclesiastical power, or body of men, domineering over the civil powers of the Roman empire. (See ver. 10, 11, 12.) The beast was of a scarlet colour, to denote that em- pire, whose emperors, senators, and grandees were anciently robed in purple or scarlet. The colour was also here * TTofnn, a bawd. f Ver. 1, 2. See Nahum hi. 1, 3, 4. Jer. li. 7, 13. Isa. i. 2i. xlvii. 1, 5, 7, 9, 12. where Nineveh, and Babylon, and Jerusalem, are described in exactly the same characters. So constantly does St. John keep up to the prophetic style ; and is to be understood by it j and reciprocally gives great light to the ancient prophets ; as Sir Isaac Newton most judiciously observes, and every intelli- gent reader will find. In that excellent little book of morality, called Cebes's Table, there is the like figure of error and impos- ture ', yvw WE7rA * hat cru f l 7 and P er " wondered with great secut i° n * or conscience sake would be admiration. * ne sure and terrible character of the Antichristian church. 7 And the angel 7 Upon seeing me in this astonish- said unto me, Where- ment *, the angel bade me recover my- I cannot but observe also, with respect to the derivation of this word (MYSTERY), how emphatically it is here applied to this corrupt Christian church, as a name of infamy and reproach. It is derived from the Greek word juvew, which signifies to initiate, or to let a person into the knowledge of (religious) SECRETS, by cer- tain rites and ceremonies ; and has, in this place, a relation to the impure and abominable SECRETS and ceremonies used in the heathen temples and worship, of which St. Raid says, It is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in SECRET, Ephes. v. 12. And when Christians began, by arts and delusions, to corrupt the doctrines of Christ, he calls it, the MYSTERY of iniquity, 9, Thess. ii. J. How adapt and remarkable then is this title given to this church-harlot ! as in chap. xiii. 18. The Hebrew word Romiith is (in that language) the name and number of the BEAST, as comprehending the whole Roman Christian empire, both in the east and west; and the Greek word Lateinos, is the same number and name of that western branch of it, wherein these corruptions were to prevail in their greatest height and longest duration ; so this character Mystery, expresses all the wicked SECRETS, and evil ARTIFICES, whereby Christians, both of the eastern and western churches, were drawn into idol- atry, and reduced under the worst of superstitious tyranny. * Ver. 6, 7. / wondered with great admiration. It is a very just observation of the learned Vitringa, that St. John, by this woman, Babylon, could not possibly mean the heathen Rome ; because he was no stranger to the heathen persecutions of Christians ; he himself had lived to see them, and it could be no surprise to him. But to find a power professedly Christian, drunk with the blood of the saints, might well astonish him. See him more largely, Comment, on lsa. chap. xiv. ; and Downham of Antichrist, book i. chap. 'I. Ibid. Drunk, i. e. intoxicated with pride and cruelty. Thus the 192 A PARAPHRASE ON CIIAI'. XVII. self. I will explain to you, says he, the particular meaning of these figures now presented to you ; and when you cast your eye into the future times of Christianity, look but quite through them, and you will find matters of com- fort and thanksgiving, as well as of amazement and concern. 8 Know then, first, in general, that this beast is the Roman power, which you arc to consider in three distinct successions of times. So that were you now to imagine yourself living in the last of these periods, you would see and find the empire to stand thus in its three * stages of power and government. First, That of the Caesars, (the period wherein you live,) the persecuting hea- then Caesars. When the imperial power in the Caesars dropped, there arises the same supreme power again under a different form, in the hands of ten kings. (Ver. l c 2.) Thus, you would fore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the wo- man, and of the beast thatcarrieth her, Which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not ; and shall ascend out of the bot- tomless pit, and go in- to perdition : and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not writ- ten in the book of life f from the foun- dation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. pride and pleasure the Israelites took in their vices, is called the drunkenness of Ephraim, Isa. xxviii. 1, 3. xxix. 9, 10. Drunken, but not with wine, &;c. * Ver. 8. The beast which was, and is not, and yet is. Greek, and which shall again be, aocl ■woi-ai. So the MSS. of Stevens, and the Alexandrian, and all the best copies have it. Mr. Mede's interpretation therefore is founded on good authority, and is con- firmed by the former part of the verse, was, and is not, and shall ascend, &c. But I must not omit to observe, that in Greek au- thors the same manner of expression is used with that of our common copies. Hypocrates, in his book Tlt§) Tpo£^-, speaking of the times of women's going with child, says thus : 'Ej-i §\ xxl ovk e$- lv oKTapru/o; yivna^, i. e. there is, and there is not, a birth completed in eight months. Which his commentator Sabinus interprets after this manner : 'Erl /usv tpxiviptvx cJ; £va. [xer» tkv iK-rgutrw, ovx. if) d\ «; Svno-xovTU fjLiToc 7a.i>TK. Kxl W\ oiy tyuvTaaia. fxlv 'STU^ixvrlx.ac ovxa, awajj.^ ^ ouk irlv, i. e. Children so born abortives, ARE, indeed, in appear- ance, like living children for a while; but, as to any real power or faculty of life, they ARE NOT. -)- Ibid. Rook of life from the foundation of the world. See note .on chap, xiii.8. In confirmation of which note, see Sixtm. Amonm Antibar. Bib. lib. iii. p. 00<2, 903. (SHAP. XVII. THE REVELATION. 103 say, Rome imperial once was, but now it is no more. Then, thirdly, will ap- pear the same beast or empire, in an- other new form, viz. that of the church empire, or an ecclesiastic body of men under one head, guiding and domi- neering over the ten kin^s, and pushing them into measures of persecution in religion as ill as those of the pagan C32- sars were. This beast, with its head, the false prophet, will come from the same abyss of hell, with the locusts, chap. ix. 1, 2. This last event will not only cause wonder, but give pleasure to the corrupt part of the Christian church, even to all except such as are indeed sincere and truly virtuous Christians. But then, remember, that God has pro- mised, in his wise and due time, utterly to destroy this Antichrist ian church empire, and set up the kingdom of the saints, which shall continue for ever. Compare chap. xiii. 3, 4, 5. 9, 10 To proceed now to the parti- culars of these emblems. The woman rides upon a beast, that hath seven heads are * seven heads, i. e. Rome, whose capital city is mountains, on which built upon * seven hills. Again, by the the woman sitteth. heads, are meant the f seven ruling 9 And here is the mind which hath wis- dom. The seven * Ver. 9. The seven heads are seven mountains. Note, The Ro- manists pretend this to be no mark of the seat of Antichrist at all, much less of the pope as Antichrist ; because Constantinople is also said to be built upon seven hills, and the papal scat, is now not upon the old seven hills of Rome. In clear answer to all which, see M. Jurieu ; Dr. Hen. More 5. Dr. Fulk on Rhem. Test, on this passage ; and G. Downham of Antichrist, hook i. chap. 2. §. 19. f Ver. 10. And there are seven kings. Kal /3a-jAfu wtra rtViv. Note, There are, but they (the seven heads) are, i. e. signify seven kine;s. For the Hebrew language having no word to express our word signify or denote ; metaphors therefore are, in that tongue, ex- plained by is so, or so, instead of signifies so or so. Thus Daniel ii. 38. iv. 22. Thou, king, art that head of gold : and Nathan to David, Thou art the man : with many other like passages. And the Hellenistic language of the New Testament following the same VOL. III. O 104 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVII. powers, or forms of government, under which this empire has passed, and is to pass, viz. 1. Kings. 2. Consuls. 3. De- cemviri, or Ten Governors. 4. Tribunes. 5. Dictators. These five, you know, says the angel, are already past and gone ; the sixth is the present govern- ment, viz. that of the emperors that are he;ithens. There will follow another, indeed, which may be called a seventh, viz. the reign of the Christian emperors. But this is to be but a short one. For, considered as truly Christian, it will be but a short one indeed ; primitive and pure Christianity being soon to be over- run with corrupt superstitions. And, if you take their rergn at the longest, it lasted not more than a hundred and thirty-five years. Or, again, thus; at the fall of the sixth head of the imperial Caesars, the Gothic Icings, their con- querors, may be counted as am: 67?//i head, or change of the Roman government. But this is short, lasting not above seventy years. When these conquerors are expelled, there arises a sort of fresh imperial power, as that of Justinian, and afterward of Charlemagne, who are to give temporal power and dominion to 10 And there are seven kings : five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come : and when he cometh, he must con- tinue a short space. idiom, Matth. xiii. 10. Luke vii. 11. 1 Cor. x. 4. must be so inter- preted. Let the Romanist consider this, and then try if, without Mushing, he can male* the words, this is my body, to imply tran- substantiation. Note also, That they who think kings not to be reckoned here as the first form of the Roman government, (as being- much the same with the imperial one,) may begin the account with consuls, and make the fifth form to be that of the triumvirate, viz. the second triumvirate properly. For the former one of Ju- lius Caesar, Pompey, and Crasstis, was no distinct government, in- dependent of the senate and people ; but the latter one of Octa- vius Caesar, Anthony, and Lepidus was ; for they shared the whole power between them. Yet the empire itself was considered as one whole triumvirate power See L. Floras, lib. iv. cap. 2. Plutarch, Vit. Pomp, et Cees. et Vit. Mar. Anton, and Livy, lib. iv. and in many passages. And Tacitus in Annal. i. chap. 1. tion. chap. xvii. THE REVELATION. 18jS the church empire. Tlius the sixth head may be said to live again, and its deadly wound to be healed. Which reviving head will be called the eighth in number; though really the same in kind with the sixth ; and makes but seven. These princes, and their suc- cessors, being the creatures and instru- ments of the church powers, are hence- forward, in conjunction with them, styled the beast, the eighth beast ; the same with the second beast in cfhap. xiii. 11, 12, 13, 14. See the note there on ver. 11.* II And the beast 11 So that if you divide the reigns that was, and is not, of the Heathen and Christian Caesars even he is the eighth, i nto two governments, then this last and is of the seven, idolatrous church empire will be counted and goeth into perdi- as the eighth< Rut as> iu str i c tness, the two forementioned reigns are but one Caesarean government, this last is more properly the seventh. Or, again ; if you reckon the Gothic reigns for one * Ver. 9, 10, 11. Seven heads — seven kings — -Jive are fallen, %c. Having expressed in the paraphrase several interpretations of these, phrases, as given by the chief of the learned commentators, I must not omit that of Mr. Daubuz. That gentleman, by the seven heath, or kings, understands the seven principal kingdoms, and capital cities thereof, which were conquered by, and so composed the body of, the Roman empire, viz. Carthage, Alexandria, Mithridates, Ma- cedonia, Gaul, Rome. Five of these were fallen from their power by the Roman conquests. Rome was the head which is ; the stand- ing head at the time of the vision. Constantinople was the seventh head, the head that was not at the time of the vision, but was to be made the chief head by Constantine the Great, who transferred the seat of the empire thither. But it continued so but a short space of 146 years; and the chief headship returned to Rome again. So that the same Rome, considered in two various respects, may be counted as either a seventh, or an eighth head ; viz. a seventh, as head of all the other six conquered powers under it ; and an eighth, as in a new form, namely as capital over the ten idolatrous Christian kingdoms, into which the old empire was di- vided. This is very ingenious, and the reader is welcome to which ever of these interpretations his judgment will incline him. C 2 196 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVII. head, as before, and not divide the Ce- sarean empire into two, on account of the different religions of the Caesars, then it will stand as before expressed. But, reckon as you will, this is for cer- tain, that though the other empire re- vived again and again, in its power, though not in the same form, after it was suppressed ; (and was once wounded io death, chap. xiii. 3.); this persecut- ing church power, when once destroyed, shall never revive more. To go on. 12 The ten horns of the beast signify the ten kingdoms * of Europe, into which this western empire shall be broken, by the wars and devastations brought on it by the barbarous nations. This (says the angel to St. John) shall happen long after your time. And in and about the very same period f where- in these European princes will be rend- ing each his kingdom from the empire, 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet ; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. * See the note on chap. viii. 12. The ten principal kingdoms now in Europe, some of which had, originally, other names, and underwent some alterations ; but, in the main, are much the same still. See the authors there referred to. f Ver. 12. One hour with the beast. M/«v w(m, about the same time, as the learned Dr. Henry More truly renders it. To which Sir Isaac Newton agrees ; and Vitringa confirms it. So piuv yw/xw, in the next verse, is truly rendered one and the same mind. Or, if this phrase signifies for a little time, it is true, that the ten kings did reign, in ecclesiastical power, till they gave that power to the beast. There is a passage in Dan. vii. 24. which, to some learned men, hare seemed to be inconsistent with this of the ten kings and the beast's arising at the same period of time. Daniel says, the ten horns are ten kings that shall arise ; and another shall rise AFTER them, ower as k'mgs, one hour with the beast — and shall give their strength and power unto the beast. These verses, as explained in the paraphrase, give a clear light into that passage of St. Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 3, 8. concerning the apostacy, the falling away, the man of sin, the ivicked one, the mystery of iniquity ; the same poli- tical church power, the corruption of Christianity, the Antichrist of St. John. And now ye know what withholdeth, that lie might be re- vealed in his time. — Fie that now letteth will let, until he be taken away. That is, while the Roman imperial government continues in one hand, whole and entire ; no ecclesiastical power can dare to domineer over the civil power, or bind the prince to persecuting measures in religious matters. But when the empire shall be broken, and its powers shattered and divided, then will be the season for such corrupters to go into power. Then shall that wicked o 3 198 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVII. ing power. For he is that King of saints, to whom shall be given the king- dom, and the greatness of dominion vnder the whole heavens; as Daniel hath fore- told, Dan. ii. 44, 47, 48. vii. 13, 24, 25, 26, L>7. 1 5 To proceed, says the angel, in my particular explication. The sea, or waters, you saw the woman sitting upon, See note on (ver. 1.) i. e. ruling over, are the people chap. xxi. f the several European countries; ex- 22. and xx. ,. . l , , . , , 7 g. tending at one time through the whole Roman empire, but principally, after* ward, to the ten kingdoms of the west. Compare Isai. viii. 7, S. 16 But when these kingdoms shall have felt, and severely smarted under, this church-power, which they them- selves contributed to raise to such a heiglith, they will turn upon it, strip it of its temporal force, despise it in its spiritual dominion, and, at last, as per- 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sit- teth, are peoples, and multitudes, and na- tions, and tongues. 1G And the ten horns which thou saw- est upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and nak- ed, and shall eat * her one be revealed, (or shew himself,) or B«ro>caXu 8 And, said the same divine voice, in like manner as the old Ba- bylon, when vanquished and taken by the Medes and Persians, was paid home for all the cruelties and oppressions she had been guilty of toward the nations around her; so let all reformed Chris- tians * repay this spiritual Babylon ; not in her own kind of persecution and hatred of the persons of that communion, but by a generous contempt of her gross errors, and gaudy superstitions; dance of her deli- cacies. 4 And I heard an- other voice from hea- ven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remem- bered her iniquities. 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double, according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her : for she saith in her heart, * Ver. 6. Jer. li. 35, 49. 1. 29, 15. Double unto her double ac- cording to her works. The sense is, not that she should be pu- nished twice as much as she deserved; but amply, and abundantly re- paid. See Dr. Henry More, Myst. Iniq. p. 2 13— 216. CHAP. XVIII. THE REVELATION. ■203 I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and fa- mine ; and she shall he utterly * burnt with hre : for strong is the Lord God who judg- eth her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have eommittedfornieation, and lived deliriously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. 10 Standing afar off, for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city ! for in one hour is thy judgment come. of her pomp, luxury, and worldly pride; and by an abhorrence of her idolatrous worship; and by tying up her wicked hands from all future measures of op- pressing the consciences, and enriching herself by encroachments upon the li- berties of mankind. For this will be mortification enoughtoahaughty power, which, like the old Babylon, called it- self the lady, the queen of the world; (Isai. xlvii. 7, 8.) and which God, the righteous Judge, will now humble and as perfectly destroy, as a city can be supposed! to be by famine, sword, and fire. 9, 10 Then the princes of the na- tions, that used to support this cruel power, and were supported by it, in reducing their subjects to slavery in civil matters, and to idolatry in religi- ous worship, being now no longer able to defend it, will have nothing left but to lament its fall ; shall have no other power left but to wish they could still maintain so sweet and gainful a domi- nion ; and to bewail the ruin of such a well laid and truly f politic scheme of imposing upon the minds of men. Just as the prophet expresses the lamenta- tion over the once rich and proud Tyre, Ezek. xxvi. 15, 16, 17. " Shall not " the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, " when the wounded cry, and the " slaughter is made in the midst of t( thee ? All the princes of the sea shall " come down from their thrones — shall " clothe themselves with trembling — " and shall take up a lamentation for * Ver. 8. She shall be utterly burnt with fire. The proper ap- pointed punishment for harlots and prostitutes. Gen. xxxviii. 24. Lev. xx. 4. xxi. 19. t See Sir Edwyn Sandys's Europe Speculum, pag. 23, 29, 63, &.c. 204 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVIII. *.« thee, ami shall say, How art thou Ci destroyed, the renowned city!" See also Isai. xxiii. 6, 7« Jen li. and lii. chapters. 11, 12, 13, It And as, at the de- struction of that famous, but most cor- rupt city of Tyre, which was called the mart of the world, for traffic of all kinds, the merchants of the nations around (especially such whose hearts were set upon nothing hut gain, and riches, and ,worldly pleasures) deplored her ruin, bemoaned their own misfor- tunes in hers, and thought themselves undone ; Crying out bitterly, casting dust upon their heads, and wallowing themselves in ashes, and lamenting over her, saying, What city is UkeTyrus! which filled many people with the multitude of riches, and merchandise ! &c. Ezek.xxvii. -30, &c. Just so will it now be with this spiritual Tyre * 9 this corrupted Chris- tian church; whose heads, pastors, and teachers have so long made a trade of religion, and a gain of godliness; en- riching themselves upon the spoil of men's understandings and properties ; shining by the mere ignorance and darkness thrown upon the minds of their deluded people; trafficking with the souls f of men as the old Tyrians did with their bodies ; making them slaves in every capacity. For as soon as ever the true light of the Gospel takes its full place, and the reformation of 11 And the mer- chants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchan- dise any more : 12 The merchandise of gold and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vesselsof ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and oint- ments, and frankin- cense, and wine, and oil, and fine fiuur, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and cliariots, and slaves, and souls of men, 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, * Sec note on ver. 14. And Vitringa, as there quoted, page TOG, 707. See also the note on chap. xix. 21. of this book. f Ver. 13. And souls of men. Kx) 4^«J iv9 ? ww«v, the persons of men, as that phrase is frequently used in Scripture ; meaning no more than the buying and selling of men for slaves. See Vitringa upon the place. Two manuscript; add these words, ours \vx*$ *"- Spiiirmrov Aoittov fj^rejsrwf, neither shalt thou trade for, or in, the souls if men fur the future. CHAP. XVIII. THE REVELATION. 205 and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and pur- ple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls : 17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, say- ing, What city is like unto this great city ? 19 And they cast dust on their heads %, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, religion shall be established in the world; all this delusive and fallacious trade will drop, and be utterly sup- pressed with ignominy, scorn, and de- testation. 1.5, 16, 17, 18, 19 Thus as, while the enemy's fleets and forces were destroy- ing the ancient Tyre, no ship dared to approach the harbour, no merchant dared to venture any costly lading; but all business was at a stand ; and the flow of riches, plenty, and finery, quite stopped by siege, and the arms of war ; so will it be at the dissolution of this Antichristian power. The spi- ritual merchandise of indulgences*, masses, reliques, absolutions, and all the vile arts of satisfying men's consciences, without innocency and purity of life, and of giving hopes of salvation with- out true virtue, will be suppressed and abhorred ; to the eternal mortification of those that invented and supported them f . (See the two chapters of Ezekiel above quoted ; where the ex- pressions of lamentation are nearly the very same with these, Ezek. xxvii. 30, 36.) X Josh. vii. 6. J Sam. fa i2. Job xi. 13. * Note, Of the Roman indulgences, see an ample collection and confutation in Chemniter's Exam. Concil. Trident, lib. iy. cap. 1, 2, 3, 4. And Bishop Stillingfleet of the Idolatry, Fanaticism, &c. of the Church of Rome, edit. 1672. p. 421, &c. with the note on chap xvi. 11. of tins book. f Ver. 19. In one hour. 'E» pa «f«, i. e. suddenly, unexpectedly, or else fit this same period of time, as this phrase is used, chnp. xvii. 12. :o6 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVIII. 90 While, on the other hand, heaven and earth, angels, and all good men, every teacher and lover of truth, will triumph, rejoice, and bless the Divine Providence for so glorious and happy an event. (As in chap. xix. 1. 8.) 91 And, still further to confirm and display the absolute ruin of this corrupt and oppressive community, I saw, me- thought, a glorious angel plunge a vast millstone into the sea, with these words, (the very words and action of the pro- phet Jeremiah concerning Babylon, Jer. li. 63, 64-.) " Thus by Divine power " and providence shall this spiritual " Babylon sink, and be lost in an irre- " coverable destruction." So completely shall those prophecies be accomplished, which carry in them such a solemnity of expression as bespeak the subject treated on to be something much further and higher than the dissolution of a Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costli- ness : for in one hour is she made de- solate. 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and * prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down,, and shall be found no more at all f- * Ver. 20. Rejoice over her — ye holy apostles and prophets. Note, Let the reader compare with this the xxv. chapter of Isaiah, as quoted on xix. 1, 2, 3. of this book. As also, Isai. xiv. 4, 5, 21. with the xii. chapter of that prophecy. -|- Ver. 21. And shall be found no more at all. This was literally fulfilled in the ancient Babylon ; no remains of it are found; its place is a heap of rubbish ; and the city (a very poor one) now called Babylon, is built in a quite different place. It is equally ful- filled as to Tyre; according to Ezek. xxvi. 14, 21. Thou shall never be seen again. The new Tyre, says Mr. JMaundrel, has not one entire house left. Its present inhabitants are only a few poor wretches harbouring in vaults, subsisting chiefly on fishing; it is as the top of a rock, as the prophet speaks, a place for fishers to dry their nets on. Maundrel's Journey, p. i 9. chap. xvm. THE REVELATION. 207 mere earthly and temporal kingdom. Isai. xiv. 24, &c. xiii. 1!), 20. " Baby- " Ion, the glory of kingdoms, shall be as il when God overthrew Sodom and " Gomorrah. It shall never be inh'a- " bited, neither shall it be dwelt in, *' from generation to generation. And il the Lord of Hosts hath sworn it, say- " ing, Surely as I have thought, so it Ct shall come to pass ; and as I have " purposed it, so it shall stand." And xxiii. 9. in describing the fall of Tyre, he gives us, as it were, the ultimate meaning and moral of all such prophetic displays of the ruin of ancient political cities and governments. " *The Lord * Ver. 21. I cannot omit here to give the learned reader the words of Vitringa, as expressive of what I think to be the great and true view of the9e ancient prophecies. " Vis itaque et emphasis pro- ' phetioe (viz. Isaiaa ut supra) est, orane regnum et imperium mundi, ' quod mystice dici potest et in verbo prophetico dicitur ,/Egyp- ' tium, Babylonicum, Assyrium sive Syriacum, (sunt autem haec ' nomina mystica imperiomm adversariorum regni Dei et Messiae :) •' imminuendum, exaniniendum, destruendum, et regno Messise f subjiciendum esse,oeque acdestructasunt regnaveteraolimquidem ' Assyrium ac Babylonium ; ut regnum filii Dei, instar magni montis ' (Danielis) zequata omni alia superficie, totum impleret orbem. c Vides itaque regnum aliquod sive imperium, quod a Satana se- ' ductum ad superstitionem et idololatriam ; et quidem patrocina- ' tur cum tyrannide, oppressione, et afflictione eorum omnium, ' qui veram ecclesiam faciunt ; ubicunque, inquam, tale regnum ' vel imperium vides, ibi vides zEgyptum, siveBabylonem, mystice 1 sic dictam. En ! tibi Romam, imperatricem, Babylonem, Ty- c rum spiritualem, negotiatricem !" Vitringa in Isai. vol. i. pag. 708, ?09. To this I will only add the sentiment of another emi- nent writer, Rollin's Hist, of the Egyptians and Babylonians, in vol. ii. speaking of this very passage of Isai. xiv. 24, &c. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, &;c. " If (says he) we would take this " dreadful oath in its full latitude, we must not confine it either " to the literal Babylon, or to its inhabitants, or to the princes " that reigned therein. The malediction relates to the whole " world ; it is the general anathema pronounced against the " WICKED ; it is the terrihle decree by which the two cities of " spiritual Babylon and Jerusalem shall be separated for ever, i. e. " an eternal divorce be put between the good and the wicked. 208 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XVIII. Sc« Jer. xxr. 10. " of Hosts hath purposed it, to stain the " pride of ALL (worldly, and wicked) " glory, and to bring into contempt " ALL the honourable of the earth." See also Ezek. xxviii. 1 — 20. and Zcch. x. 6, 10, 11, 12. Ezek. xxvi. 14, 21. 22, 23, 24 "Thus shall come the fall " and destruction of Babylon and Tyre, " in that eminent, full, ami spiritual " sense, intended by the descriptions so " pathetically given by the ancient pro- " phets; the pomp and splendour, the " plenty and extravagance, the artifices " and delusions, that have accompanied " this false religion and worship, shall 4: end in shame, poverty, and disgrace. " No symptom of prosperity shall re- i( main in it ; the princes of the world, " once its tools, and instruments ; the •' prelates^ and grandees that shared in " its wicked powers and profits ; shall " all relinquish its interests, or be de- " prived of their dignities; and even " turn upon it, and help to consummate iC its downfal; the just recompence upon ' c all that are the followers of them who " slew the prophets, and persecuted the " saints of God, and the disciples of " Jesus Christ." (Compare chap. xvi. 5, 6. Jer. li. 35, 49. 63, 64. Matt, xxiii. 35, *) 22 And the voice of harpers, and musici- ans, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee ; and no crafts- man ; of whatsoever craft he be, shall he found any more in thee ; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee ; 23 And the light of a candle sh.dl shine no more at all in thee : and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee : for thy merchants were the great men of the earth ; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived : 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. " The Scriptures that have foretold it shall subsist until the day " of its execution : it is deposited in the public archives of reli- " gion." * Ver. 24. That the ancient prophets had a real eye to the cor- ruptions and downfal of this Antichristian Babylon, &c. in their prophecies concerning these political cities and governments of old, the reader may be satisfied from that learned and laborious com- mentator Vitringa, on Isai. xxiii. ad finem cap.; and in many other parts of that excellent work. See my note on chap. x. 6, 7- of this book, and chap. xxi. 2. CHAP. XIX. THE REVELATION. 209 CHAP. XIX. The joyful acclamations and thanksgivings of the church in heaven and earth, at tlie fall of spiritual Babylon. The happiness of the re- formed Christian church, under the emblem of the marriage, or mar- riage-feast. St. John's reverence toward the angel forbidden, and why. The last representation of the ruin of this Antichristian power, in a vision of Jesus Christ from heaven, at the head of an army, and gaining n final victory over the corrupters of religion. The several parts of that vision explained. 1 AND after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, say- ing, Alleluia ; Salva- tion, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God; 2 For tru*e and righteous are his judg- ments ; for he hath judged the great whore, which old corrupt the earth with her forni- cation, and hath aveng- ed the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. I, % 3 HPHE scene of ruin to the -*- Antichristian church-power being closed by the angel in the con- clusion of the foregoing chapter, was followed, metbought, by repeated accla- mations of praise from the heavenly throne ; with humblest adorations of that divine wisdom, justice, and good- ness of providence displayed in the de- liverance of the Christian world from the oppressions and idolatries of this corrupt church, and by destroying its wicked power for ever ; as in the very words of Isaial) concerning Edom, by which is meant the adversaries and op- pressors of God's people. The land thereof shall become burning — it shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever from gene- ration to generation, Isaiah xxxiv. 9, 10. Ixvi. 24<. And again the same prophet, in the person of Israel, (the true church of God,) breaks out into thanksgivings, at the foresight of these deliverances, Isai. xxv. 1,-g. in much the same strain of words with this; () Lord my God, I icill praise thee, I will exalt thy name ; for thou hast done wonderful things ; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For thou hast made of a (persecuting) city an heap ; of a defenced city a ruin ; VOL. I IX. <210 A PARAPHRASE ON CUkT. XIX. it shall never be built, &c. (See also Isai. xii. xiv. 4 — 21. And compare chap, xviii. 20. of this book.) 4 In these adorations and praises joined the elders, and living creatures, which, we said before, were the repre- sentatives of the Christian church upon earth. Chap. iv. 4, 6. 5 And these, again, were answered by the heavenly spirits about the divine throne, in the same strain of thanks- givings, and in exhortations to all ra- tional creatures, to pay this tribute so justly due to the great Lord and Go- vernor of the world. G, 7, 8 In short, the whole assem- bly of angels above, and of good men on earth, methought, gave forth an uni- versal voice of joy, and holy admiration, saying, '• That now came the time of " Christ's kingdom upon earth, the K kingdom of glory, truth, and rightc- " ousness, redounding to the honour " of the supreme God and Father of « all."' This heavenly assembly sounded forth the glory and happiness of this kingdom of Christ, this reformed state of the Christian church, in the scriptural fi- gure of a marriage-feast, (the feast pro- mised to the whole church of God, the church of Jews and Gentiles now mak- ing up one converted and reformed body, agreeably to Zech. xiv. 9. after the signal destruction of its adversaries; lsai. xxv. 1 — 12.) wherein the Lord himself is the Bridegroom, and Chris- tians are honoured with the title of his 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen ; Al- leluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, say- ing, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. G And 1 heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thun- derings, saying, Al- leluia : for the Lord God omnipotent reign- eth*. 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was gran ted ,that she should be arrayed infine linen, clean and white : for the fine linen is the right- eousness of saints. * Ver. 6. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth, \Gccal\ivat , hath de- monstrated himself to be the Lord and King. See my note on Rom. vii. 11. shaf. xix. THE REVELATION. 211 spouse *, and bride; being now adorned with that universal righteousness, with that virtue and purity of conversation, with that peaceableness, love, arid cha- rity, whereof the whitest and most costly apparel, and the finest ornaments of the body, are but shadows and mere emblems. Compare Isai. lxii. 4-, .5. lxi. 10. Ezek. \vi. 10 — 13. with Matt. xxi. 2. xxv. 10. and chap. xxi. 2, 9, 10. of this book. 9 And he saith unto 9 The angel, mcthought, then came me, Write, Blessed to me, and bade me take special notice are they which are of this last representation of the Morious called unto the mar- state of the Christian church, under the nage-supper of the emblem of the marria „ e and the mar . Lamb. And he saith • -.i r^-u ■ <. r> unto me These are "age-supper with Christ. Be sure, says the true sayings f of he ' to write th ! s . clowu ' for the comfort Q d t of all true Christians; and assure them, fDan.x. i. from the mouth of God himself, that it will certainly come, to the inexpressible felicity of all that shall be worthy to partake of it. And that herein they will see the full and eminent completion of those prophecies and promises made to true Christians under the name and character of Israel. ]*n\. xxv. 6' — 9. And in tJiis mountain (the church of the Messiah) shall the Lord oj hosts make unto all (faithful) people a FEAS T (which may be compared to a feast) offal things, of fat tilings full of marrow, a feast of wines well refined. It shall he said in THAT DAY, This is the Lord, we have waited for him ; we will be glad and re- joice in his salvation. And Hosea xi. 16, 19, 20. In THAT DAY, saith the Lord, thou shalt call me HUSBAND, and I will BETROTH tJiee unto me for ever, yea, I will BETROTH thee unto me in righteousness, in loving-kindness, * See chap. xxii. 17*. the note there. P 2 - - A PARAPHRASE ON OHA». XIX. and in mercies, and thou shalt know the Lord. See also Isai. liv. 4 — 7- com- pared with John iii. 29. Matt. ix. 5. and Isai. lxi. 10, 11. lxii. 4, 5. with 2 Cor. ii. 2. ]0 The form of this angel (being the same with that of chap. viii. 1.) was so majestic and great, that I was going to fall prostrate, and pay him profound * ^r«uvS- reverence *, But he prevented me, by , j xxix. 20. a messenger or God to me, as 1 was i Sam. xxv. from God to other men. We are fel- 24. 2 Kings low-servants, therefore, says he, and the iv. 37. Mat. A . w t l l xviii. 29. testimonies or revelation 1 nave made Acts x. 25. to you, concerning Jesus Christ, and his kingdom, was dictated to me by the same Holy Spirit that inspired the pro- phets of old, and you that are now the apostle of the same Jesus. Though, therefore, I am, at present, in a form above you, look on me still as a servant of your God and mine. Keep back -your reverences, and pay them to him to whom alone they are due f. (Chap. xxii. 8, 9.) 10 And 1 fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not : I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testi- mony of Jesus : wor- ship God : for the tes- timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. f Ver. 10. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Thus, the testimony of Jesus Christ is the discovery or revelation made by Christ, chap. i. 2. xxii. 16, L 20. And the testimony here spoken of in this verse, is the revelation given to the angel, con- cerning Jesus and his kingdom ; and by the Spirit of Jesus ; the same Spirit that inspires angels, prophets, and apostles. To give testimony, to foretel, or declare, are frequently made synonymous terms in Scripture. When Christ foretold and declared that one of his disciples should betray him, the word is Ifxa-^rv^na-t, he testified. So John the Baptist's declarations concerning Christ, is called his testimony, ^o^Tt^i'av, and i'v« ^xerv^a-ri, John i. 7, 9. And the Holy Ghost foretelling the sufferings of St. Paul, is said to witness or tes- tify them — as Paul's preaching or declaring repentance is his testi- fying it, Acts xx. "21, 23. Vv T hen, therefore, this testimony of or concerning Jesus is said to be the spirit, i. e. given by the spirit ofprtrphecy, it is exactly the same expression as that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. There are diversities of gifts, but the same spi- rit, -c. All other interpretations do, I think, but trifle away the sense of this passage. GHAP. XIX. THE REVELATION. 213 11 And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse ; and he that sat upon him was called frtith ful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns ; and he had a ^tiame written that no man knew but lie him- self * : 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood : and his name is called The Word of God. 11, 19, 13 The last figurative repre- sentation of the fall of the Antichristian church-power was this : as in the 12th chapter the fall of heathenism was fore- shewn me in the emblem of a battle be- tween Michael and the dragon, and of a signal victory obtained by Michael; so here the ruin of the second beast, or the woman riding upon the ten horned beast, &c. is described by an appearance of Jesus Christ himself, with an army, as it were, from heaven. The form he appeared in was much the same with that expressed in chap. i. 12 — 16. and vi. 2. and in Isai. xi. 3 5 4. xlii. 4. (See the note on chap. vi. 16.) On his head he had crowns set one above another; shewing him to be him who had all power given him in heaven and earth. In See ver. ig. allusion to the Jewish high priest's wearing the ineffable name Jehovah on his forehead, he also bore the name of the Word, f the Son of God, whose power f John i. i . and majesty is incomprehensible; the- Htb - lV * '*■ name which heathens knew not, and * Ver. 12. A name written that no man knew but himself. Note, The 13th verse tells us, this name is the Word of God ; which is said .here not to have been known to any man ; not upon account of the incomprehensibility of what is meant by it, or of the dignity and authority belonging to it ; as the learned Mr. Lowman supposes. 1 rather should think, that by no man's (oWsly, no person's) know- ing this name, (or title, or character, -Svopu,) is meant no person's having it, beside Christ. As to know joy, or sorrow, is to have and feel it ; the same as seeing death, and seeing life, is to die or live. Thus, this title (\lyos tov ®toZ) is peculiar to Christ ; no other per- son ever had, or can have it. And though the majesty and glory of the person possessing it is indeed incomprehensible, the cha- racter itself, I imagine, was well understood in St. John's time. However, it is but just to observe, that in favour of the former opinion, the name of Christ is, in two remarkable passages of Scripture, called secret or wonderful, Judges xiii. 18. And again in Isai. ix. 6. His name shall be called Wonderful ; which may denote incomprehensible dignity of person. Let the reader judge for hinv self. See my note on Heb. i. 1, &c. p3 214 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XIX- which false Christians had so long blas- phemed, abused, and forgot : even that very name and character meant by Isaiah, when he called him Wonderful, Isai ix. 5 6. His robes seemed red, as if dyed with the blood of the enemies of his kingdom; of which see chap. xiv. 17, 1^? <^c. of this bouk, in the note there. And in this he answered the description given of him by Isa. lxiii. 1. Who is tliis that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozra ? i. e. from a bloody victory over the enemies of his church and kingdom. 1+ [i he ' army he led consisted of true and faithful servants, sincere and virtuous Christians; (for they that follow him are chosen, and called, and faithful, chap. xvii. 14 ) who now also appeared in such array as spoke them worthy to partake in the blessed fruits of this vic- tory; in reward of their innocence, and steady perseverance in his religion. And the meaning of the whole is, That Chri>t, by the virtue and courageous behaviour of reforming Christians, was to gain a complete conquest over the Antichristian corrupters of his Gospel; and establish it in truth and righteous- ness in the world *. 15, 16 Moreover, beside the ensigns of the sword, and the stained robes, (of which see above in chapters i. and vi.) he had upon one robe the f name denoting a sovereignty, which the east- ern and western monarchies so vainly and proudly assumed; and which the 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the na- tions : and he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he tread- eth the wine-press of * Ver. 14. Nothing is plainer than this verse is a mere paren- thesis ; the two following ones being a continuation of the cha- racters of the rider upon the horse. f Ver. 16". Upon his vesture and upon his thigh, viz. upon that part of the vesture which covered the thigh, where the sword usually hangs. See Montfaucon, vol. iii. p. 170. Eng. edit. CHAP. XIX. THE REVELATION. 215 thefiercenessand wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. 17 And 1 saw an angel standing in the sun ; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of hea- ven, Come and gather yourselves together un- to the supper of the great Godf ; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. Antichristian church rulers so impiously and audaciously claim, viz. King of kings, *or God's vicegerent over the whole Ver. 13. world; a title belonging to him alone whom God hath anointed /lis king. Psal. ii. a, 6. Dan. xi. 44, 47, 48.] 17, 18 When this heavenly army was thus assembled, an angel, rae- thought, flew up so high above the earth, as if he had reached the sun itself; and thence called aloud to all the birds of prey that live on the whole compass of the globe, to come and feed upon the carcases that would be slain in this great battle between God, and the enemies and corrupters of his true religion. His words are exactly in the strain of the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah, speaking of, and foretelling this same ease. Ezek. xxxix. 3, 4, 17j 18, 19, 20, 21. Isai. xhi. 9, 10. And the plain meaning is, " That God would fl as signally and completely destroy " the Antichristian power, as an army (i can be said to be destroyed, when (i its general, captains, and soldiers are " slain by the conquerors, and left un- li buried in the field, an ignominious "" prey to ravenous beasts and fowls J." * Ibid. King of kings. Thus the Assyrian monarch boasted in Isai. x. 8. Are not all my princes kings? so Sapori Regi Region. Tre- bell. Poll, in Valer. cap. iv. Rex Regum Sapor. Ammian. Marcel, lib. xvii. cap. v. Sesoo$is RxcnXiv ; BucriXituv , Aeo-ttotm,- Ae3-7tot£v. Diodor. Sic. lib. i. And Domitian Principum Princeps. Mart. lib. vi. epig. iv. f Ver. 17, The supper of the great God. The same meaning with the sacrifice of the Lord, (or feast upon a sacrifice, ) and the great slaughter of the Lord, in Isa. xxxiv. 5, 6. which exactly answer to the descriptions in this chapter. + Ver. 17, IS. Fowls — of heaven — eat the flesh of kings, #c. In the old symbolical language, birds of preif denote armies of ene- mies ; and eating the flesh, fa-, signifies the taking the spoil, riches and power of an enemy. Thus it is in Ezekiel xxxii. 4. and in p4 216 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xix. 19, 20, 21 For such was the event 19 And I saw the of this spiritual fight between true beast, and the kings of Christianity, and the princes and eccle- tne earth, and their siastic powers, now joined together to armies gathered to- oppose the reformation of this idola- S ether *° "^ War ;** /-,i » .« i » ,i i against him that sat on trous Christian church, thus represented .P , . . . . c ' . t . the horse, and against m the vision ot two opposite armies, ^j g armv viz. that these beasts, these corrupt go And the beast ruling powers, (as described under se- was taken, and with veral denominations in this book,) him the false prophet were vanquished and overcome*; ail that wrought miracles the false teachers of this idolatrous com- before him, with which Deut.xxxii. Dan. vii. 5. to devour much flesh is to conquer and spoil many coun- 41, 42. tries. And Psalm lxxiv. 14. the dragon (Pharaoh) is said to have been given as meat or flesh to the people (the Israelites) in the wil- derness. In the literal acceptation, the reader may see a beautiful parallel in Luean, Civ. Bell. lib. vii. lin. 830 — 846. where, after the battle between Caesar and Pompey, the poet paints out the horror of the field in these words : Non solum haemonii funesta ad pabula belli Bistonii venere lupi, tabemque cruentae C^edis odorati Pholoen liquere leones. Tunc ursi latebras, obscceni tecta, domosque Deseruere canes, et quicquid nare sagaci Aera non sanum, motumque cadavere sentit. Jamque diu volucres civilia castra secutae Conveniunt, Nunquam se tanto vulture ccelum Induit, aut plures presserunt aera pennae. Omne nemus misit volucres, omnisque cruenta Alite sanguineis stillavit roribus arbor. * Ver. 19. The beast, and the kings of the earth; to $«f»ov, xal revs fieto-iXui; ivg yi?s ; tlie beast — even the kings of the earth. For the civil Roman powers are originally intended to denote the beast in this book, and in Daniel's prophecy; though frequently the se- cular, in conjunction with the corrupt ecclesiastical dominion, bears this name. For you see them again distinguished, ver. 20. The beast, and with him the false prophet; yet, though the first and second beast, i. e. the civil and ecclesiastical persecuting powers, be really two distinct heads of power ; nevertheless, in the chapters following the xiiith and xviith in this book, they are often ex- pressed under one common name, as a body, or partners confede- rate in the same idolatrous dominion. See Dr. Cressener, Demon- strat. lib. ii. chap. 6. CHAP. XIX. THE REVELATION. 217 he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These I oth vere cast dive into a lake of tire burning with brimstone. 2! And the rem- nant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceed- ed * out of his mouth : and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. munion stripped of all influence to delude the world any longer by pretended mi- Compare racles, revelations from saints, or anyPan.vu.il. other base and false arts of religion; and, by the return of true Christian piety and worship into the world, this false worship and arbitrary power shall be destroyed as absolutely as a man's body would be, if cast into the burning flames.; or an army, when the slain are left a prey to beasts and birds; only with this difference, that the chief pro- moters and abettors of all this idolatry and corruption shall receive greater punishment than the rest; as burning alive is worse than being slain with a sword, and left, like common soldiers, unburied in the field of battle. See chap. xvii. 10". By this progress of the true Christian religion in the world, will be illustrated and completed those descriptions of the kingdom of Christ given by Daniel, and foretold to come to pass under the Roman, or fourth, kingdom of the world. Dan ii. 34-, 35, 44, 45. Thou saioest till that a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands, (i. e. not by human but divine power,) which smote the image upon liis feet, i. e. the Roman powers now under the ten kings or toes of the image, and brake them in pieces, and there was no place found for them. — For in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom ivhich shall never be destroyed : and the king- dom shall not be left to other people, (i, e. be conquered as the former monarchies were,) but it shall break in pieces and consume cdl these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. For this stone (or rock * Ver. 21. Which sword proceedeth out of his mouth. See upon 'hap. i. 16. and ii. 12. 218 A PARAPHRASE 15N chap. xix. as the Scripture calls Christ) shall be- come a great mountain, and Jill the whole earth. He being the same with that Son of Man who came with the clouds of heaven — and there was given him a dominion, and. a glory, and a kingdom, even an everlasting dominion — And the saints shall possess the kingdom *. " And thus are concluded all the se- " veral representations of the fall of the " corrupt church-power in the Christian " world ; all of them being contained " with the seventh seal, which is the " grand period including all the periods " of the seven trumpets; as the seventh " trumpet does the periods, and events, f Sir Isaac « of the seven f vials. The battle men- Obwrv"' " tionetl in tnis chapter, ver. 11—21. p. 895, " I take to contain the particulars of " that which is shortly mentioned in " chap. xvi. lfi. The frequent repe- " tition, and variety of the reprcsenta^ w tions of this grand event is owing to " the vast importance of it to the Chris- " tian world. It is indeed one large " half of the great subject of this noble « book t." * It is highly worth remarking-, that, in the ages wherein the papal power and corruptions were grown to the utmost height, there were several pious and learned persons, who held them in the greatest abhorrence, and thought them to be the very de- scriptions of the prophets Daniel and St. John ; and that the pro- vidential ruin and destruction of these wicked powers would be the completion of these very prophecies. The reader may see two famous instances of this in the writings of Nicholas de Clamangiis de Ruina et Praeparatione Eules : and Marsilius of Padua, in Def. Pacis, part ii. as quoted by the author of Review, Coun. Trent, lib.ii. chap. 13. which passages are exceedingly worth the reading; but too long to be here transcribed. And see Mr. Longman's History of the Third Period, &e. in his 12th section on chap. xiii. of this book. % Magnum hujus Revelationis argumentum. Vitringa in Isa. xiii. And see the learned Mr. Allen of the State of the Church in Future Ages, pag. 669, 670. edit. fol. CHAT. XX. THE REVELATION. 219 CHAP. XX. A preparatory scene of Providence toward establishing the Christian church upon earth in glory and peace, viz. The binding and impri- sonment of Satan, for a thousand years. The restoration and feli- city of the church, during that period, either under the figure of a resurrection, or by a real resurrection of the martyrs. The battle and destruction of Gog and Magog. A short description of the general resurrection, and last judgment. 1 AND I saw an an- gel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottom- less pit, and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thou- sand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and seta* seal upon him, that he should deceive the na- tions no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled : and after that, he must be loosed a little season. 1,2,3 A FTER the fall of the Anti- -^*- christian power, there is to succeed a glorious and happy state of the Christian church upon earth; which is to be displayed at large, in the lofty figures of prophetic language, in the two following and last chapters of this book. Preparatory to this glorious event, there will be, in the course of all-powerful Providence, a full (though not absolutely final) stop put to all wicked powers that formerly corrupted, annoyed, and per- secuted the true church of God ; all im- pious hands are to be tied up from the practice of religious frauds, and violent temptations; that so true knowledge, and pure worship, with a virtuous life, in peace, charity, and prosperity, may be uninterruptedly pursued and enjoyed. Now this preparatory part was repre- sented to my view, methought, by an appearance of Jesus Christ himself; even he wlio has the keys of hell and death) (chap. i. 18.) This key he now seemed to bring in his hand f , with a vast and strong chain upon his arm. With this chain he bound the great beginner of evil, the leader and example of wicked- ness and idolatrous worship, even Satan; * Dan. vi. 17. f Ver. 2. 'Exl t»\ jgity* uvrov. So Vitringa. S80 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xx. whose children and subjects all wicked men are called, from their compliance with his temptations, and by following his example. This grand adversary of God and men, Christ, our great Angel of the covenant, now caused to be thrown into that deepest, lowest, and darkest place of wretched abode, which is usually called Tartarus or hell; the mansion of the wickedest spirits, and criminals against heaven. Here he is doomed to close confinement for a thousand years; during which time the church of Christ is to be absolutely free of all effects from his wicked snares and temptations.. Only when this period is at an end, he is permitted to have his liberty again ; but that will be but for a small space of time : and then he shall be thrown back again to his doleful and everlasting habitation *. 4 While Satan, with all his wicked 4AndI saw thrones, * Ver. *2. He laid hold on the dragon — and bound him. This beau- tiful emblem is exactly agreeable to that made use of by tin- old poet. In Homer, Iliad E. Mars is represented as bound with a strong chain. The meaning of which is explained, by the Scho- liast, of putting an end to tiie war : as here an end is put to per- secution. T(\W UiV "Apili, GTE fJLiV flTO£ Jt^OSTE^J t' 'E(pia.'AT>ij Xk.Ajce'w y h Kifajj-to ^e'^eto t^^kc-Joikx fxriva.^. Iliad E. lin. 3S5— 391. Where the words of the Scholiast are, -woXArii Se x«1 /3ap£a.'§ou y«j ETTixcaTyiTavTa?, (inaV^sj 'AAwiioj,) <<.a.7a,7rxv(TCt.i tgv •ctoAejuov, ««! tx tU Oivrov •&0LPCt,(7x.i\JCt.;, xai lv ffytivri woivi^ai fiiOTevttv rovg kvZQwxovt;. And again, An* iovtov t£o*a.v Vrxrxi tov "Apjjv, Twririf tov woAejuov. Which figure ol speech Virgil also used. Dirae ferro et compagibus arctis Claudentur belli portse. Furor impiusintus Saeva seclens super arma, et centum vinctus aenis Post tergum nodis, fremet horridus ore cruento. Ma. i. 295. CHAP. XX. THE REVELATION. <22l and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them : and I saw the souls of them that were be- headed for the wit- ness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not wor- shipped the beast, nei- ther his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thou- sand years. instruments, were thus held under con- finement, and Christians at full liberty to hear, and profess, and practise the truths of Christ's religion ; I beheld the Christian church, methought, in all that compare splendour, purity, and grandeur, inDan.vii.22. which theancient prophets had described it. I saw the whole society of the Chris- tian world raised to that true glory 5 to that spiritual honour, arising from an universal practice of righteousness, real piety, undefiled worship, and mutual charity ; which made them kings and priests unto God ; (chap, i. 6.) every one (at least all the principal, and go- verning part of them) was seated, as it were, upon a throne, as Daniel repre- sented them, (Dan. vii. 9, 19, 27.) not upon such thrones, and in such high posts of temporal power, as Anti- christian prelates, and wordly-minded Christians formerly aspired to. These thrones were spiritual ; their power and influence spent in promotion of good and righteous conversation. Their Chris- tian virtues shone out with that lustre, as if the primitive saints and martyrs, and all the valiant and uncorrupt op- posers of Antichrist, were risen again, and lived upon earth. Indeed, they may be well said to live and rise again; if not in the literal sense, yet in that figurative and moral sense, wherein the prophets were wont to describe the church and people of God, as restored to life, as rising from death ; upon their deliverance from captivity, false religion, or any remarkable calamity *. * Ver. 4. See Dr. Whitby's Treatise on the Millenium, (with whom agrees the learned Mr. Lowman.) " As (says he) John " Baptist was called Elias, because he came in the power and spi- " rit of Elias; so shall this be the church of martyrs, and of those 222 A PARAPHRASE ON Thus the prophet Ezekiel promises the Jewish church a restoration (in their posterity) under the figure of a resur- rection. Ezek. xxxvi. 1, 2, 3, &,c. Son of Man, can these (dead) bones live f — Be/told, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. — And the breath came into them, and they lived. See also Behold, O my people, I vnll open your 1*9 ' 'with n raves > aR d Wl ^ P l< t m y spirit i" 1 V ol h an( l vitringa on ye shall live ; and J will bring you into that pas- your own land. So Ezra called the * a » e ' restoration of Israel from Babylon, a lightening of their eyes, and giving them * resurrection. (Ezra ix. 8, 9. and llosea vi. I, 2. The Lord hath smitten, and he will bind us up ; after two days he will REVIVE us ; on the third day he will raise us up, as from the DEAD, and ive shall live hi his siglit. And Luke xv. 32. This thy brother was DEAD, and is alive again. See Dr. Whitby, as above, chap. iii. and Dr. Henry More, Myst. Iniq. pag. 2-l7> 218.) Thus the wounded beast and the two slain witnesses lived again, (Rev. xi. 7> ll.xiii. 3, 12.) And St. Paul, in the New Testament, repre- " who had not received the mark of the beast, because of their " entire freedom from all the doctrines and practices of the " Antichristian church, and because the spirit and purity of the " times of the primitive martyrs shall return." Ibid. chap. ii. Ibid. As the prophets, so the ancient poets use this word, resur- rection, in the same manner. Thus Ovid speaks of Troy ; Victa tamen vinces, eversaque Troja resurges. Fast. lib. i. And Terence ; Qui ab orco mortuum me reducem in lucem feceris. Hecyr. Act. v. See the learned Vitringa, Comment, in Isai. xxiv. 16. where the reader will find this figurative sense confirmed by the strongest ar- guments it is capable of. * Zo07TO*r|cri7. chap. xx. THE REVELATION. 223 sents the conversion of the Jews as life from the dead. Rom. xi. 15. Thus will the primitive and later suf- ferers for the cause of Christianity live again in their name, honours, and cha- racters * vindicated and revived; in So to beeru- their virtues practised by their followers, dfiedwith triumphing over the idolatries and vices ^""''l* c \ c • i * u • * ■ hve Wlth of the foregoing ages : winch is to reign him— in with Christ upon earth. This glory they him,andht will have here upon earth; if not an t0 l ] ve . in UJt - actual and real resurrection at this time, fjompar* This glorious period is foretold to con- D»n. xii. e. tinue a thousand years : which, whether it is intended to denote that precise time, or only such a long f time as will, in the wisdom of divine Providence, be a balance and proportion to the time of the Antichristian reign, is neither very easy, nor very needful, to be de- termined. 5 But the rest of 5, 6 This, whether it be a literal or the dead % lived not figurative resurrection, before described, again until the thou- 1 call the first resurrection. There is * Note, This interpretation is very much countenanced, from that remarkable parallel passage in Ecclesiasticus xlvi. 1 1 , 12. The judges, whose heart went not a whoring, nor departed from the Lord, let their MEMORY he blessed, let their BONES flourish out of their PLACE, and let the NAME of them that were honoured be CON- TINUED upon their CHILDREN [or their SUCCESSORS.} f As the learned Vitringa thinks is the most probable meaning. % Ver. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not. Note, They who un- derstand this first resurrection wholly in the figurative and poli- tical sense, interpret these words accordingly; viz. " The corrupt " and persecuting party, being now suppressed, and out of all " power, (politically dead,) never revived or recovered again into " power, till the thousand years were expired." Then, indeed, some others, like them, rose up against the church, but were soon destroyed. Thus they understand those words of Isai. xxvi. 14. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not RISE; therefore [Heb. for] thou hast visited and destroyed them, and made all their MEMORY to perish. But I determine nothing in this point. 224 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XX. to be no general resurrection of the bo- dies of mankind till the glorious * pe- riod of a thousand years is expired. Hut blessed will those Christians be, whose lot it is to live within that reign of truth and righteousness ! And blessed will be the saints and martyrs, who, long before, shined as examples of virtue to them ! They all will be in the high- est esteem with their great Master ; their deaths will end in everlasting life ; and as both of them will reign, in some sense or other, in the kingdom of Christ upon earth, during the thousand years of purity, virtue, and peace ; so will they both have their share in his eternal kingdom in heaven f. But to go on. sand years were fi- nished. Tliis is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first re.-urrection : on such the second death hath no power, buttheyshallbe priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. * Note, thus Justin Martyr represents the doctrine of the Chris- tians in his time, Dial. Tryph. page 20S. " A man from among us, " by name John, one of the apostles of Christ, in the revelation " made to him, has prophesied, that the believers in our Christ " should live a thousand years in Jerusalem, (the new Jerusalem,) " and after that shall be the general, and, in a word, the eternal '"' resurrection, and judgment of all men together." -J- Ver. 6". The reader will observe, that I express the passages relating to this resurrection of the martyrs in such a latitude, as may leave room for either of the opinionsof learned men concerning it. It is not good to be too peremptory in a case where the Scrip- ture language is reconeileable to more than one acceptation. Ibid. Blessed and holy is he that has a part in the first resurrection. The word holy, in this place, signifies either the virtuous qualifica- tions of such men ; intimating, that none but such shall enjoy this blessing; or else, in the original meaning of that word, viz. sanc- tified or separated to a peculiar purpose, it imports (especially upon the supposition of a real and literal resurrection) that they are to be separated, and culled out, from the lump of mankind, to the glories of this thousand years reign upon earth. Ibid. The second death. St. John here seems to have followed the way of speaking usual in his time, amongst the Jews ; whose writers called the punishment of the wicked after death by the name of the second death. So the Targum of Onkelos on Deut. xxxiii. 6'. Let Reuben live, and not die.-— Let him not die the second death. And the Jerusalem Targum thus : Let him not die the second death by which the wicked die in the world to come. See chap, xxi. 8. of this book. chap. xx. THE REVELATION. 225 7 And when the 7, 8 As the first principal scene of thousand years are ex- these foregoing events in the Christian pired, Satan shall be church is laid in the * European parts See chap, loosed out of his pri- f tn€ wor i<] . tne re will yet remain, in "''• '■ :md tiottj on son - the further and more distant f quarters chap xxi 22 . 8 And shall go out of [t muc| . k stiU persisting in ig _ to deceive the nations, V . .:*;«„„ TUtZ^ , . . . a s norance and gross superstitions, these which are in the tour , . ,° r , quarters of the earth, » re th , e barbarous and savage nations Gog and Magog, to that tne prophet Ezekiel described as gather them together * ne adversaries of God's church, under to battle : the number the names or figure* of Gog J, or Ma- of whom is as the sand gog the posterity of Gog, [Ezek. chap, of the sea. xxxviii. an Gal. Christian church, in its former corrupt "' g 5 Jr 2 u* state, answered to the sinful Jerusalem, ni. 22. and that was to be destroyed by the Chal- with this deans and Romans; so now, in its re - cha P ter - formed and pure condition, it is styled new. As it was once Babylon the great : now it appears the great and holy city ; taking in the whole body of converted Jews and Gentiles J, and reformed Chris- + Mal - u tians. And, finally, it seemed to de-n.lsai. xix. scend from heaven; as being founded 9 2 !.'. 24, and perfected by the Divine power and 5 # zech* x.' providence, and abounding in all those 5 — 14. graces and virtues, that are taught from xul - *■ heaven, and whereof God himself is the intended to signify the future heavenly state, properly so called, but the fully reformed state of the Christian church here upon earth, in its last period ; when we consider it here described as being not IN heaven, but cowing from God, OUT OF or FROM heaven, i. e. to he spiritual or heavenly ; in the same sense with being from ABOVE, being OF G>D, not of this world, Src. Thus the Christian church in general is called Jerusalem which is from ABOVE, Gal. iv. 26. in opposition to the carnal and earthly nature of the Jewish reli- gion. So again, this church (even while upon earth) is, by the same apostle, comparing it with the Jewish law., styled Mount Sion, the city of the living God, the church of the first-born, who are (not yet IN, but) written in heaven. The heavenly (or spiritual) Jerusalem, Heb. xii. 22, 23, 29. Here let the reader consult Sir Isaac Newton, Observat. on Apoc. chap. i. pag. 239, &c. The remarks of which admirable man may (probably) add strength to this interpretation, in the judgment of considering persons. See also the ingenious Dr. Kurnet, De Statu Mort. pag. 255, 256, with his excellent Appendix to it, concerning the restoration of the Jens. * See note on chap, xviii. 22, &c. and on chap. x. 7- and Bishop Chandler, Def. Christian, vol. i. pag. 158, 159, 160, 288, 289, &c. '231 A PA HA I'M RASE ON CHAP. XXI. infinite fountain and exemplar. Tims is the church to be adorned as a bride. (Vcr. U, &e.) 3, 4< But, before the particular bless- ings of this church were entered into, a voice from heaven declared, in joyful terms, the fulfillingoftho.se ancient pre- dictions concerning this very period of 'the Christian church upon earth, Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. '• I will set my tabernacle " among you. And I will walk amongst " you, and will be your God, and ye " shall be my people." And Jerem. xxxi. 33. " This shall be the cove- '• nant that I will make with Israel, " saith the Lord ; I will put my law in if their inward parts, and write them in "their hearts; and will be their God, " and they shall be my people." And Ezek. xxxvii. 26, 27- " 1 will set my " sanctuar}' in the midst of them for " evermore. My tabernacle also shall a be with them ; yea, I will be their " God." And Isai. xxv. 8. " He will " swallow up death in victory ; and the ii Lord Go, 7, 8 Again, after giving himself •the great titles mentioned chap. i. 8. and xxii. 4 8. lie said, that this was the time, and this the state of the Christian church, wherein that light and truth, and comfort of the Holy Spirit, which the Scriptures so frequently call living water, should be abundantly conferred upon all that have hungered and thirsted after righteousness, and stood the shock of worldly corruptions and temptations. From which blessings all profane, idol- atrous, unjust, and cruel men, all de- ceivers, and corrupters of true religion, should for ever be excluded ; and share in the punishment styled the second death, (chap. xx. 14, 15.) V To come now to some more par- ticular descriptions of this reformed Christian church, in the last period of this world. The same angel, who be- fore had shewn me the doleful prospect of the idolatrous church, the great said unto me, Write : for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginningand theend: I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that over- cometh shall inherit all things, and 1 will be his God, and he shall be mv son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whore- mongers, and sor- cerers, and idolaters,, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake * which burneth with fire and brimstone : which is the second death. 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked * Ver. 8. The lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone. That is, shall have their part in that state, and place of future punishment, ■which the Scripture language compares to the burning lake of Sodom and Gomorrah, or to the fire burning in the valley of H1NNOM, •called GEHENNA, and TOPHET. Compare chap. xiv. 9, 10, 11. xvii. 16. xix. 20, 21. xx. 14, 15. And Mr. Mede, Disc. vii. con- cerning the Jewish manner of using such names and characters as these. CHAP. XXI. THE REVELATION. 237 with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, de- scending out of hea- ven from God, 11 Having the glory of God * : and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal : 12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. 13 On the east, three gates ; on the whore, (chap. xvii. 1.) called me now to him, to a contrary sight as ravishing and comfortable, viz. of this church of Christ now purged of corruptions, and clothed, as it were, in true righteous- ness; as it was before represented un- der the image of the bride and spouse of Jesus Christ. (Chap. xix. 7, 8, 9.) 10, 11 But he now presented it to my view, methought, in the figure of a vast city, styled New Jerusalem, i. e. The Jewish nation converted, and the Chris- tian church purified ; in contradiction to the former ignorance, idolatry, and corruption that were in it, while it bore the name of Babylon the Great. It shewed itself in a lustre that bespoke every thing that is most rich, precious, costly, and magnificent ; denoting the excellent virtues, the great holiness, the peace and prosperity of its inhabitants. 12, IS Its high wall expressed the di- vine protection, and a perfect security from the reach of enemies; exactly agreeable to the descriptions given by the ancient prophets, of this period of God's church, Isai. xxvi. 1. "In that '"' day shall be sung this song in the land " of Judah (the church of God), We " have a strong city, salvation shall " God appoint for (our) walls and bul- * Ver. 11. Having the glory of God. This I interpret to signify that purity and happiness in the reformed Christian church, which answers to that glory of the Lord, or external splendor of the cloud of glory, which appeared upon Mount Sinai, and resided in the Jewish tabernacle and temple. This, in the New Testament lan- guage, is to be a glorious church, Ephes. v. 27. And to have the spirit of glory, and of God resting on us, 1 Pet. iv. 14. i. e. to be of such a virtuous temper and conversation as will procure that peace and happiness of men, which is the glory of God. Some learned men understand this, and the like passages, of a visible glorious re- sidence of Christ in this millennial state. Let the reader judge and choose. I cannot but humbly think the prophetic ligurative mean- ing should be carried on through this whole prophecy. 238 A PARAPHRASE ON chap. xxi. " warks." And again, xxxiii. 20. " Look north, three gates \ " upon /ion, the holy city of our so- oh the south, three "lemnities; thine eyes shall see Jeru- gates; and on the " salem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle west ' three gates. " that shall not be taken (or thrown) "clown." And Zech. ii. 4, 5. " Jeru- '* salem shall be inhabited as towns (se- '* cure) without walls, for the multitude " of men therein : for I, saith the Lord, " will be unto her a wall of (ire round " about, and will be the glory in the < c midst of her." With many like pas- sages. See Tobit, chap. xiv. in the Heb. edition. Mic. iii. 12. Jerem. xyi. 18. Its twelve gates have a reference to the twelve tribes of the Jewish na- tion, who are, at this time, to be con- verted, and taken into the bosom of this city of the Lord, this church of their Messiah. And the twelve angels are the twelve apostles of Christ ; by whose doctrine, now accompanied with the power of the divine Spirit, will that people be convinced of their long error; will return to their Redeemer ; and enter into the gates of the true and spiritual Jerusalem. And thus, and at this time, will be fulfilled those illustrious prophecies about the future conversion, and resto- ration of this ancient branch of God's church ; to be gathered from all the four quarters of the earth, (lsai. x. 20, 23.) " It shall come to pass in that day, that " the remnant of Israel, and such as il are escaped of the house of Jacob, Compare « shall stay upon the , Lord, the Holy Bamch « Q ne Q f i srae l j [ n truth. The remnant Tobit xiv. " shall return, even the remnant of Ja- chap. i. " cob, unto the mighty God. I will call " my sons from far, and my daughters " from the ends of the earth. I will say " unto the north, Give up ; and to the " south, Keep not back." And again, " It shall come to pass in that day, that CHAP. XXI. THE REVELATION. 239 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he that talk- ed with me, had a golden reed to mea- sure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. " the great trumpet shall be blown, " and they shall come which were ready iC to perish in the land of Assyria, and " the outcasts in the land of Egypt, " and shall worship the Lord in the " holy mountain at Jerusalem," i. e. in the Christian church, Isai. xxvii. 13. And Zech. viii. 6, 7- " Thus saith the " the Lord of hosts, If it be marvellous " in the eyes of the remnant of this " people in these days, should it be also " marvellous in mine eyes ? saith the " Lord of hosts. Behold ! I will save " my people from the east country, and " from the west country, and I will t; bring them, and they shall dwell in " the midst of Jerusalem," i. e. in the true church of God. Which prophecy of Zechariah was given after the two tribes were returned from the Baby- lonish captivity ; and therefore cannot be understood of any but the grand restoration of the Jewish people in the latter days of the Messiah. Thus will God set his hand the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people, Isai. xi. 11, 19. [See these prophecies collected to- gether by Mr. Whiston, and by many other writers.] 14 The wall, containing, in each quarter, three gates, is said to be built upon twelve foundations; which again represent the twelve apostles. For pure Ver. 12, 13. and uncorrupt Christianity is built up- on no other foundation but that of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ him- self being the head comer stone. [Lphes. ii. 20.] 15, 16, 17 In the eleventh chapter of this book, the Christian church was considered only as a temple; and I was bid to measure, or to esteem, as the true church of God, only such and such parts of it ; the great outward court e4o A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XXI. being to be left out, to signify, That, in the foregoing ages, there -would be a major part of formal professors, who made no real part of Christianity. But now the church is compared to a whole city, the whole of which is considered as truly Christian, as being all righ- teous ; the golden reed it was to be measured with expressing the virtue, glory, and purity of its inhabitants. The figure of it appeared as that of a square, or rather a cube ; the twelve foundations being, as it were, multiplied, and rising to a vast increase, .strength, and invi- olable stability ; because all the build- ings of the city were of equal height, reaching up to the top of the wall : To signifv, that there was no difference be- tween Jew or Gentile, male or female, bond or free; but all, as parts of this noble fabric, were accepted as the pious servants of Jesus Christ, and virtuous members of his kingdom. 18, 19,20, 21 The materials of which this city was built, from its foundation to the top, its houses, streets, and pave- ments, were of nothing less than the most precious gems that the mines of the whole earth can produce, express- ive of all that can be styled strength, beauty, and perfection ; and affording the most astonishing and amiable sight to the beholder. By all which lofty figures is signified, that this Christian church shall then be made up of such professors as are of sincere and approved piety, of pure and uncorrupt worship ; every member (or the generality at least) living in the practice of virtues bright, and solid, and shining; its pastors and teachers endowed with knowledge truly spi- ritual, clear, and useful; and leading their people by an example of holy conversation, illustrious, charming, and \6 And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the breadth : and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thou- sand furlonys : the length, and thebreadth, and the height of it are equal. 17 And he mea- sured the wall there- of, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the mea- sure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper ; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19 And the foun- dations of the wall of the city were garnish- ed with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper ; the second, sapphire ; the third, a chalcedo n y; the foil rth, an emerald. 20 The fifth, sar- donyx ; the sixth, sardius ; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl ; the ninth, a topaz ; the tenth, a chrysoprasus ; the eleventh, a jacinth ; the twelfth, an ame- thyst. CHAP. XXI. THE REVELATION. 241 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple therein f "• for influential ; and, in short, all ranks and degrees of its members walking in the light of the heavenly truths, and in the purity, charity, and devotion of the Gospel ; which qualifies us for the life of heaven ; which is the treasure that never fails, the pearl of great price. And herein will be accomplished those high predictions of the prophets, concern- ing this same time, and church of God. Such as that of Isai. liv. 11, 12, 13, 14. " Behold, I will lay thy stones with '« fair colours, and lay thy foundations " with sapphires. And I will make thy '* windows of agates, and thy gates " of carbuncles, and all thy borders * " of precious stones. Great shall be "the peace of thy children. In righ- *' teousness shalt thou be established." And again, chap. lx. 18. " Thou shalt ** call thy walls salvation, and thy gates "praise." And again, "Thy people " shall be all righteous." With many like passages. 22 As this Christian church will then consist, in great part, of Jews converted * Yer. 21. And ihe broad place of tlie city was of pure gold, &e. These expressions of St. John, and of the ancient prophets, have a loftiness in them, equalling the brightest finery of ancient poets. Homer describes the place where the gods met to consult Jupiter, as having & floor of gold. O; Si Sscu mote TLriv) xaS/uEvoi jryopeoMTo Xpt/o-s'w Iv SocjtsSu. Iliad. A. lin. 1, 2. So the prophet in Isaiah lx. 17- For brans I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron. See the learned and excellent Bishop Chandler's Def. of Christianity, vol. i. page 51, &c. f Ver. 22. I saw no temple therein. Mr. Dauhuz, with several others, seem to conclude, from this and the fclloning verse, that in this millennial state, there will be no such thing as public wor- ship, nor political government and governors, meant by sun and moon, &c. But, as it is not clear to me, that the expressions here used amount to so much, and imagining, with the learned Yitringa, and others, that an earthly state of life (though never VOL. III. - R 248 A PARAPHRASE ON CBAP.xxr. to Christianity, let them expect that the the Lord God Al- divine worship performed in it will be mighty and the Lamb of quite a different nature from that of ™ e the temple of it. the old temple-service. Their material altars, sacrifices, and incenses, &c. will have no place here. It will not be a de- votion of pomp, and formality; but of spirit and truth ; an homage of pure minds, and clean hearts, and good con- sciences : arising from a due sense of God, the omnipotent and all-perfect mind, who is to be worshipped through Christ the one Mediator and Redeemer » of mankind, the true propitiation, the sa- crifice offered up once for all ; by uhom alone we have access unto the Father. c 23 And the comfortable words of 23 And the city had Isaiah, concerning this spiritual city, no need of the sun *, so happy an one) may well consist with public worship, and go- vernment also, I have chose to give them another meaning, as more agreeable to the main scope of the prophecy. I will here also again observe to the reader, that though, in the main, I have interpreted the phrases of Sion, Judah, and Jerusalem', as signify- ing God's church under the kingdom of the Messiah, yet as the conversion of the Jewish nation in particular, and their restora- tion to their ancient land, bears so great a part in the grand events spoken of in these chapters, and is expressed in so clear and ex- plicit a manner, I know not how to account for many passages but by taking them to import a real and literal restoration to a peaceful and happy settlement in that their beloved country, upon their conversion to Christianity ; according to the opinion of many of the most learned men, ancient and modern. And moreover, I understand it so, that though the first scenes and remarkable be- ginnings of these glorious reformations of things may be justly thought to be laid in the European parts of the world, where the grand apostacy and most enormous corruptions have had so long a continuance ; yet is it as reasonable to be believed, that there Avill be a gradual progress of these happy revolutions, with respect to the most distant of heathen and infidel nations, and the whole earth be Jilted with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, in the most strict meaning of abundance of prophetic promises. * Ver. 23. The city had no need of the sun, &c. That is, not that there would be no need or use of light, or comfort, or true reli- gious understanding, but that these now should so far surpass what was formerly enjoyed among Christians, as in a manner to CHAP. XXI. THE REVELATION. 24: en it, and the Lamb is the litrht thereof neither of the moon shall now receive their proper comple- to shine in it : for the tion. (Isai. lx. 19, ^0.) "The sun shall glory of God did light- « be no more thy light by clay, neither " for brightness shall the moon give " light unto thee. Thy sun shall no " more go down, neither shall thy moon " withdraw itself: but the Lord shall (i be unto thee an everlasting light, and " thy God thy glory." As also those ofZcch. xiv. 6, 7- " It shall come to See my " pass in that day, that the light shall noteon ., ' , , J 1 »i • 2 Pet. iii. li not be clear nor dark, i. e. some- times clear, at other times darkened ; but it shall be one day which shall be knoicn unto the Lord, not day nor night, i. e. sometimes day, and sometimes night ; but at the evening time it shall be light. As much as to say, " The " happiness and spiritual comforts of ft this religious kingdom will not be <( like the lights of the sun and moon supersede them. Agreeably to those other expressions of the pro- phet Isaiah, concerning this very time of Christ's kingdom, Isa. xxx. 26. The light of the moon shall he as (bright as) the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, i. e. all religious knowledge and prosperity shall be vastly increased. St. Paul follows the same style, 2 Cor. iv. 6. To give its the light of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. i. e. the true knowledge of the most comfortable and glorious religion of Jesus Christ. Thus light and sun signify happiness and prosperity in classic authors. LUCEM, redde tuae, dux bone, patriae : Instar veris enim vultus ubi tuus Aflulsit populo, gratior it dies, Et SOLES melius nitent. Horace, lib. iv. od. 5. Ad August. Ibid. These kinds of expressions induce several learned inter- preters to conclude, that, in this glorious state of the church, Jesus Christ himself will personally appear, and reside in the splendor of the Shechinah, or glory. Whether this reign of Christ will shew itself in his personal glory, or in that of the piety, peace, and righteousness of his church, and worshippers, 1 determine not, but think it best to leave it to the judgment of every reader, in the ge- neral words and sense of the Scriptures. See note on ver. 22. it 2 ■■>l* A PARAPHRASE ON chap. tea. " to the natural world, appearing only " in certain turns, with intervals of "night and darkness; but the perfect " knowledge of God, the light of Christ's " words, and the comforts of his Holy '* Spirit, will be perpetual, and unin- " terrupted by any future intervals of " ignorance, vice, or superstition." [Or, in the prophetic sense of sun and moon, no arbitrary princes or prelates shall rule the church of Christ. Such suns and moons shall be confounded and ashamed, according to Isai. xxiv. 23.] 24, 25, 26 At" this glorious time, 24 And the nations the remarkable conversion of the Jewish, of them which are and idolatrous, and heathen nations, savet , 1 . ^all walk in will all conspiro to raise the honour the , h S' ht °f /v! ' *X , , r r , , , c ^,, • . the kinars or the earth and grandeur of the church of Christ, ^ J thdr , agreeably to what was foretold by the an{ , honour into it same prophet, Isai. lx. 3, 4, 5, II, 25 And the gates of &c. " The Gentiles shall come to thy j t shall not be shut at " light, and kings to the brightness of all by day : for there "thy rising — AH they gather them- shall beno night there. " seivos together, they come to thee. — 26 And they shall " The abundance of the sea shall be bring the glory and « converted unto thee, the forces of the honour of the nations ** Gentiles shall come unto thee. — They mt0 lt- " shall bring gold and incense, and they " shall shew forth the praises of the " Lord. The sons of strangers shall " build up thy walls, and their kings Compare iC shall minister unto thee. There- Baruch, a f ore thy gates shall be open continu- d'ap. v. a a ]i V) the y shall not be shut day nor Ci night, that men may bring unto thee Ci the forces of the Gentiles, and that t! their kings may be brought.'* And Jerem. iii. 17. " At that time they shall " call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, ft and all nations shall be gathered unto u it, to the name of the Lord, to Jeru- salem; neither shall they walk any " more after the imagination of their " evil heart." And again, Isai. xix. 24, 25. " In that day Israel shall be CHAP. XXI. THE REVELATION 245 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that de- fileth, neither what- soever worketh abo- mination, or mafieth a lie ; but they which are written in the Lamb's book * of life. " the third with Egypt, and with Assy- " ria, even a blessing in the midst of the " land : whom the Lord of hosts shall " bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my '•' people, and Assyria the work of my " hands, and (or even) Israel mine in- " heritance:" that is, All shall become Israel, all shall be the people of God in Christ. Jerusalem shall be no more a private city, but a new society of all nations. Compare Psal. ii. 8. xxii. 07 — 30. lxxii. 8 — 11. Isai. lxvi. 18. Micah iv. 1, 2, 3. Zeph. ii. 11. iii. 9, 10. Jerem. xvi. 19. xxxi. 34. Zech. ii. 10, 11. viii. 20, 21, 22. Mai. i. 10, 11. [All which prophecies, beside abun- dance more, are referred to by St. Paul, Rom. xi. 25, 26. where he says, " The tf fulness of the Gentiles shall come in; <* and so all Israel shall be saved."] 27 And thus will the gates of this blessed community be always open, for the plentiful and free admission of all sincere converts. Nor will there, as in the case of earthly cities, be any occasion to keep them shut, and watched against enemies. For as the prophet foretold of this spiritual Jerusalem, Isai. lx. 2 1 . Iii. 1. " Thy people shall be all righte- * Dan. xii. « ous — and henceforth there shall not *• " come into thee the uncircumcised, and " the unclean, O Jerusalem, the holy " city:" — his words will be now most eminently fulfilled. For though there may be yet persons, or nations, remain- ing in the world, idolatrous, wicked, and unconverted, they will have no de- sire to join themselves to this pure and religious body ; but will keep at a 'full distance from it. And even such as may live amongst the members of it, not so good as they might and ought to be, will yet be too few, and have too little power, to do mischief by the in- fluence of a corrupt and wicked ex- it 3 24 b' A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XXII. anlple. [See also Isai. x^sxv. Ezek. xliv. 9. Zech. xiv. 20. *] CHAP. XXII. The description of the new Jerusalem continued, and completed under the emblem of a river running through the streets of it; set with trees; the tree of life. The end of all these visions. The solemn confirmations of the truth of them. A dreadful ivarning against depraving or corrupting any part of this prophecy, or forging new revelations. The conclusion. I f fl^HE angel proceeded to finish his -"- representation of this spiritual city of God, the reformed Christian church ; by adding one figure more to express the comfort and happy enjoy- Dan. vii. 10 ments to be expected in it: viz. that of a large and clear river, running down, from that place of eminence, where the throne of God and Jesus Christ seemed to have been piaced, for the pleasure and comfort of these blessed inhabit- ants; through every street of the city. In this there was a plain allusion to the river of the first earthly Paradise, Gen. ii. 10, ecc. And the blessings intended to be described by it are expressed in the very language of the prophet, Ezekiel xlvii. J — 12. The w&iers running from the temple through the city, perpetually increasing in depth and plenty. Every thing shall live, where the river cometh, ver. f). And they have the same mean- ing with that of Isaiah, concerning this very time and church; Isai. lxvi. 12. 1 A^D he shewed "^ me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal *, proceed- ing out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb. * Ver. 27- Note, I here represent the universal piety and virtue of the millennial state, with such a (possible) limitation, as is agree- able to the sentiment of many learned men. See Vitringa on this chapter, and the learned Mr. Mien's State of the Church, &c. pag. 693. fol. edit, also, see Dr. Butler's Analogy of Religion, &c. part i. ("hap. iii. p. 63,64. where such a state of things as this is most justly and elegantly described. CHAP. XXII. THE REVELATION. '2T, 2 In the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there the tree of life *, which bare Behold, I will extend peace to her like a Compare river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a Joeliii - 1S - jhming stream. And again, xii. 3. Ye^ ec '**" shall draw water with joy out of tin wells of salvation, or fountains of salvation. And with that of our Saviour himself, concerning his true doctrine and the practice of his religion. He that believeth on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, John vii. 37. And the water that I shall give him shall be unto him a well of water springing vp unto everlasting life. John iv. 14.* 2 And as Ezekiel then, so the angel now, represented these refreshing and beautiful canals as set on each side with trees f, abounding in variety, and con- stant bearing, of the fruits that mi- * Ver. 1. A clear river of 'water . The blessed state of the church being here represented by figures taken from temporal and sensible things, nothing could be so properly chosen for the eastern people as these two, of clear and plentiful water, and of trees ; the one for refreshment, and the other for shade, in dry and hot countries. [Compare Isai. Iv. 1, Sec. and Psal. xxxvii. 8, 9] I leave it also to the judgment of the reader, whether this expression may not •particularly denote a plentiful efficacy of the Holy Spirit in this last state of the church of God. I am led to this, by considering that the remarkable passages of our Saviour, John vii, 37. and iv. 14. are explained by him as meant of the Spirit poured out. This spake Jesus of the Spirit, which they which believed on him should receive. And Isai.xliv. 3. expresses the same meaning ; / will pourwater on him that is thirsty, and rivers upon the dry ground, i. e. my Spirit upon thy seed, and my Messing upon thy offspring. f Ver. 2. The tree of life. Notonetree, but a great number of the same species. Tree of life, in the same sense as the river or waters of life, ver. 1. meaning the happiness and pleasure of the life of true Christian virtue. Thus wisdom is styled a tree of life, Prov. iii. 18. \i. 30. And a wholesome tongue is so called, Prov. xv. 4. i. e. is the means of procuring both the happiness of life, and the future immortality of it: as the tree in Paradise was to prolong the life of man. The description of Ezekiel, in his 4/th chapter, inclines me very much to the opinion of the learned and ingenious Mr. Ken- nicot, viz. That the tree in the first Paradise was not one single tree, but many ; the Heb. 2fy (Etz) signifying, often, not a parti- cular, but the whole species of tree ; v/hich are called trees of life, r4 24S A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XXII. nistcrcd botli to perfect health and de- light; and their very leaves were a me- dicine against all distempers *. By all which figures is plainly understood. '* That the true knowledge of God, the ** clear understanding of his word, the " conscientious practice of Christ's com- iC mands, the graces of his Spirit, and " the joyous hopes in his divine pro- " raises, with the full assurance and ex- iC periencc of his favour, upon the pe- '* nitent and virtuous; pardon, blessing, " and protection ; will be the same " things to their good and virtuous " minds, as an abundance of all tempo- " ral conveniences are to a populous " city ; or as the most delicious meat J* and drink is to the hungry and thirsty " body ; or a sovereign remedy is to a " diseased one." 3, 4 For though, in this happy state, there must remain some imperfections and inconveniences, that are natural to, and inseparable from, an earthly con- dition of life; yet there will be nothing that looks like the curse upon the first Paradise ; nothing of the hardships and oppressions that were felt in the fore- + S 1 8°' n S times of the Christian church; iii. 12. xiv. but as the prophet Zechariah expresses i. the felicity of this same new Jerusalem, (Zech. xiv. 11.) Men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. And as Isaiah describes the same, (chap. twelve manner of 'fruits, and yielded her fruit every month : and the leaves of the tree were tor the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall he no more curse : but the throne of God, and of the Lamb, shall be in it j and his servants shall serve him. 4 And they shall see his face : and his name shall be in their fore- heads f . i. e. for supporting and prolonging life. See his Dissertations on this subject. f Ibid. For the healing of the nations, i. e. for curing them of the guilt of their former vices, (which are called sores and ideers, chap. xvi. 2. Isai. i.) and procuring them pardon and remission, upon their conversion and repentance. The leaves are represented as containing a balm in them, proper to the cure of wounds : agreeably to Jerem. viii. 22. xlvi. 11. li. 8. Ezek. xxx. 21. CHAP. XXII. THE REVELATION. 249 5 And there shall be no night * there, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord Godgiveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord Grid of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. lx. 18, 21.) Violence shall no more be heard in tliy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders ; but tliou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates jvaise. Thy people shall be all righteous. Since every Christian in profession will be really what he professes to be, and, as such, will dwell under the sure protec- tion of God, and the Jove of Jesus Christ. (See Isai. xxxv. 1 — 10. and his whole lx. lxi. and lxii. chapters.) 5 And what was said before, (chap. xxi. 23, 25.) will be assuredly made good, viz. That these joys and blessings of sincere Christians will meet with no interruption, like that of the sun's light when night comes on ; for this will be a state of light, and happiness, constant, and always improving. Death itself will put no stop, but give a vast en- largement to it; and the earthly ta- bernacle and city will be exchanged for the heavenly one, whose builder and maker is God, and which will endure for ever. (Heb. xi. 10. xii, 22, 23.) 6 WHEN the angel had thus dis- played to me all the several events that were to befal the Christian church, in its several periods upon earth, till the final consummation, and last judgment; this revelation was concluded with the most solemn confirmations of its truth, as before expressed, (chap. xix. 9. xxi. 5.) and now repeated. Assure the Christian world, said the angel, that these predictions are not the ravings of enthusiasm, nor the forgeries of a false * Ver. 5. No night — no candle — nor light of the sun. In the fur- ther prophetic sense, the meaning may well be thus : no night of ignorance, idolatry, and superstition. Rom. xiii. 13. No candle, no fictitious lights, no false instructions of carnal and artful men. Isai. 1. 11. John ix. 39. Nor sun, i. e. wicked riders in church or state, Isai. xxiv. 23. <2M) A PARAPHRASE ON ClIAi'. XXII. Sec on chap. xix. 10. prophet ; but the words of God himself, whose messenger I am, to declare them for the warning, comfort, and consola- tion of future Christians. Time and the events themselves will demonstrate their truth; to the glory of Divine Providence over mankind. 7 And I (said Christ from the throne) will see them all accomplished in their proper seasons, as foretold in the ancient prophecies; and particularly of that in Daniel. And what was said in the be- ginning of this book (chap. i. 3.) shall be found true at the end of the times, viz. " Blessed will they be, who duly " observe, and conduct themselves ac- " cording to what is here said and fore- " told !" 8, 9 I was then going, a second time, to prostrate myself in reverence to this glorious angel. But he received me in the same manner as he had done be- fore on the same occasion, (chap. xix. 10.) bidding me remember who he was, and keep my thankful prostrations for God himself, to whom alone they were due. 10 And whereas this prophecy of futurities was once a sealed book, as that of Daniel was, and as you saw it in the hand of Christ, (chap, vi.) re- member, you have now seen the par- ticulars of it opened and explained to you, as far as is needful to sincere and attentive minds. Keep it open, i. e. 7 Behold, I come quickly : blessed is he that keepeth the say- ings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he un- to me, See thou do it not ; for 1 am thy fel- low-servant, and of thy brethren the pro- phets, and of them which keep the saving of this book : worship God. 10 And he saith un- to me, Seal not the sayings of the pro- phecy of this book ; for the time is at hand *. * Ver. 10. For the time u> at hand. See on chap. i. 1, chap. xxn. THE REVELATION. 251 write them all down, and leave them to posterity. (See upon chap. v. 1.) Da- niel's prophecy was, indeed, in great part, made concerning the Christian See Dan. church ; but, as the events to be fulfilled Vli * 26 ' in it were at a great distance, the pro- phecy was sealed up, as it were, in ge- neral descriptions. But these particular explications of it, now given to you, are beginning already to take place, and are perpetually to go on in their completion, to the end of the world. It is time, therefore, to have them published. 11 He that is un- n During the whole state of this just, let him be un- cliurch f Christ upon earth, it must be lust still, anil he which ___,_„4. ,,i «.u «. l j i r i is filthy let him be ex P e that lewd, and profane, and filthy still: and he merciless men will, many of them, per- that is righteous, let slst , 1U their cruelties and imptety : as, him be righteous still : on tne contrary, all sincere and virtuous and he that is holy, let minded persons will learn, and be im- him be holy still. proved in goodness, by the serious be- lief of these predictions. For so is the way of divine government, to afford to all men sufficient light and knowledge of their duty; and then leave them to the free and unrestrained use of it. And thus will God fulfil those words of his prophets, speaking of these LAST TIMES, of these prophecies and their events. Dan. xii. 10. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried: but the wicked shall (or rather will) do wickedly : and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And Hosea xiv. 9. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them ? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them : but the transgressors shall fall therein. And thus Ezekiel brings in the Almighty speaking of the Jews. He that heareth let him hear, and he f hat forbear cth let him forbear, Ezek. iii. '27. In the same manner St. Paul says, I Cor. xiv. 38. If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant still. 252 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XXII. 12 But let all be assured, says See chap. Christ, that my kingdom of rightcous- '• 5 - ne^s and peace upon earth, and after that, my kingdom of judgment upon the whole world, will come, and is every day drawing forward ; wherein both virtuous and vicious men shall meet with the recompence, which their se- veral behaviours justly and naturally deserves, from the hands of the just Judge of all the earth. And thus shall be fulfilled the promise of Isaiah to the church of God, Isai. xl. 10. lxii. 11. Behold, the Lord will come with strong hand, (or against, the strong,) and his amis shall rule for him. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Sion, (i. e. the church of God,) Behold, thy sulfation cometh ; behold, his reward is with him, and his work (or recompence) before him. With many passages in this and the other prophets to the same purpose. 13 For as I myself was from the be- ginning with God, and shall for ever be with him ; and as he appointed me the original Lord and Governor of all f the dispensations of this world ; so am I to be the last Judge, and to put the finishing hand to the completion of them. 14, 15 Happy then will it be for those who, by virtuous practices, and steady obedience to the divine laws, qualify themselves to enjoy the blessings of my reformed church in this world, and the glories of my future and eternal kingdom in heaven, agreeably to the comfortable promise in Isaiah xxvi. 1, 2. " IN THAT DAY (the time of Christ's " glorious kingdom) shall this song be *' sung in the land of Judah, (the church " of God,) We have a strong city, sal- " vation shall God appoint for (our) " walls and bulwarks. Open ye the t Matt. xi. 22. Heb. xii. 2. 12 And, behold, I come * quickly : and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his command- ments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoso- ever loveth and maketh a lie. CHAP. XXII. THE REVELATION. 253 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the off- spring of David, and the bright and morn- ing: star. 17 And the Spirit, and the hride say, Come. And let him that heareth say. Come. And let him that is a- " gates, that the nation that keepeth " truths may enter in." And in Psal. cxviii. 19, 20. " Open unto me the ic gates of righteousness, and 1 will go " into them ; this gate of the Lord, into M which the righteous shall enter — into " Sion, the city of the living God, the " heavenly Jerusalem." Heb. xii. 22. Into neither of which can there be any admission granted to such as remain, unreclaimed, in inhumanity, deceit, and fraud, uncleanness and cruelty, idolatry and falsehood; but especially where any of these detestable vices are practised in matters of religion, and under pre- tence of doing God service. 16 The last words of Christ himself from the throne, in most solemn ratifi- cation of all that the angel had done and said, were these : " I the Lord Je- " sus, the Son of God, and the Son of " David *, the light and life of the world, " am the author of these prophecies, " now delivered for the use and com- " fort of the Christian church, through " all its following times and periods." 17 And as these predictions, which relate to the destruction of the oppres- sive Antichristian power, and the set- ting up of Christ's kingdom of truth and righteousness in the world, are of such * Ver. 16. Isai. xxi. 1, 10. The bright morning star. See the note on chap. ii. 8. Ibid. The root and offspring of David. That is, the original Lord and King, from whom David received the government over Israel, Psalm ex. Matt. xxii. 1 — 13. Mark xii. 36. and the son or offspring of David according to the flesh ; the Messiah, who also bore the name of David in the prophetic writings. See note on chap. v. 5. I observe further, that our Lord here calls himself the offspring of David, with a peculiar reference to the character of that prince, as a famous conqueror of the enemies and oppres- sors of God's people ; under which idea, Christ is displayed in so many principal parts of th'i3 book. See Glassius 1'hilog. Sac. do Metaph. tract. 1. cap. xiii. 4 >54 A PARAPHRASE ON CHAP. XXII. comfortable importance : the whole body of truly good Christians, who are the true church * and spouse of Christ; every one whose desires are set upon true virtue; every man that wishes for the genuine happiness of real and un- dehled religion, will wish and pray for this second coming of Christ ; for this kingdom, into which all that are not lost in wilful vices are so kindly invited. (Agreeably to Isai. lv. I, 2, 3.) 18, 19 Wherefore, let me conjure and warn every professed Christian, and to every body and community of Christians, for whose good improve- ment this prophetic book is so graci- ously intended, that he, nor they, never dare to add to, nor diminish from, any one part of it ; since the whole of it is so useful and necessary toward the due understanding of the ancient prophecies concerning the kingdom and church of Christ ; that he nor they, neither lu- dicrously, nor out of worldly and si- nister designs, pervert the plain sense of it; to the detriment of the truth, and the continuance of any religious error and superstition ; and that he dare not to forge J any new and false revelation thirst come. And who- soever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For f I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book : 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are writ- ten in this book. * Vex. 17. The spirit and tlie bride, or the spiritual bride, i. e. the true church of Christ. Thus, grace and truth is, a truth convey- ing the greatest grace or favour, John i. 17. So ^iXvy^x ku\ ■^ivSoc, is idolatry, xxi. 27- of this book. Glory and virtue, is glorious vir- tue or power, 1 Pet. i. 3. Kingdom and glory, 1 Thess. ii. 12. i. e. a glorious kingdom. Of which Hebrew manner of expression, see Glassius Grain. Sac. lib. iii. tract, i. can. 0'. Had the gene- rality of commentators observed this, they would not have had occasion to interpret this of the Holy Spirit of God, wishing and praying for the coming of his kingdom, in the same manner, and with the same ardency, as St. John and the Christian church here does : which, to me, seems very incongruous. f Ver. IS. For I testify — or rather, therefore, I testify, or else avpp.u.pTv%(.vy.xi yccf, I (John) also declare it. } Ver. 18, 19. St. John seems to have had special reason for CHAP. XXII. THE REVELATION. •2 :j 5 20 He which tes- tifieth these things saith *, Surely I come quickly; Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. of God's future providences, in dero- gation to the credit of this now given to me by his Holy Spirit. And this on pain of incurring all that curse and pu- nishment threatened to deceivers, liars, and impostors, in this book. (Chap. xix. 20. xx. 10, 15. xxi. 27. xxii. 15.) 20 To conclude, having this assured and gracious promise from Christ, of such a glorious kingdom, first upon earth, and after that for ever in heaven, let all Christians, in every age, join with me in this continual and daily praver, Even so be it! Lord, THY KINGDOM COME ! 21 And, in the mean time, may the favour and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ be with every sincere professor of, and sufferer for, his Gospel ! giving the severe warning in these two verses ; as foreseeing there would be persons who would venture at forging revelations, in imitation of this his real and authentic one. For so in fact there soon came abroad false Apocalypses under the names of Peter, Paul, St. Thomas, Stephen, Elias, and Cerinthus. See Sir Isaac Newton, Introduc. to Obser. on the Apoc. pag. 238, 239. * Ver. 20. Surely I come. See upon chap. xi. 5. A SHORT ALPHABETICAL DICTIONARY TO THE PROPHETIC LANGUAGE AS USED EY ST. JOHN IN THIS BOOK.; AND AN INDEX TO THE PRINCIPAL MATTERS, WORDS, AND PHRASES CONTAINED IN IT. N. B. The Numerals refer to the Chapter^ and the Figures to the Ferse. ABADDON, Apollyon, names of Mahomet, ix. 11. Add, adding to this hook, the peril of it, &c. xxii. 18, 19. Adrian. See Trajan. Air, is the extent of a country, xvi. 17. Alpha and Omega, i. 8, 11, 17. ii. 8. xxi. 6. xxii. 13. Altar, a voice from the altar, ix. 13. Albigenses, Waldenses, xiv. 6, 7, S. Amen, its meaning, iii. 14. v. 14. xxii. 20. Angel of a church, signifies a bishop or minister, ii. 1, 8, 12. xiv. 6. iii. 1. A heavenly spirit, denounc- ing or executing divine judg- ments, vii. 1, 2. viii. 2, &c. ix. 1, &c. xv. 5, 6. A general of an army ; the instrument also of divine vengeance upon sinful people, ix. 14, 15. Angel of the bottomless pit, viz. Mahomet, ix. 11. — — Angel signifies Christ the great angel of the covenant, x. 1, &c. Michael and his angels, dra- " VOL. III. s gon and his angels, are hea- then potentates, and Christian ones, and their abettors, xii. 7, 9. Angel of the fire, what, xiv. 18. Angel of the waters, what, xvi. 5. Angel-worship forbidden , xix. 10. xxii. S, 9. Antichrist, the Antichristian church, xi. 7 — 11. Its cruelty to sincere Christians, xiii. 13, to the end. Its downfal foretold and described, xi. 15. to the end. Its marks and characters, xiii. 11, to the end. xvii. l,,tp the end. Its name, why not ex- pressed in this book, p. 142. Arms of the Saracens and Turks described, ix. 7, 9, 17, 18. — Fire arms described, ibid. 17, 18. Armageddon, the meaning of it, xvi. 16. the note there. Egypt, Tyre, Moab, Edom, &c. are names of wicked govern- ments, persecutors of Chris- 258 INDEX. tians, xi. 8. xvi. 19. xvii. 5. xxi. 2. Rome, idolatrous so called, ibid. Babylon, its meaning, xiv. 8. xxi. 2. ■ Christian Rome so called, ibid. Its fall and destruction, xiv. 8. xviii. 2, 4, 21. Balaam, bis doctrine, ii. 14. False Christians so called, ibid. Battles, of God, an emblem of the ruin of Antichristian powers, xiv. 17, &c. xvi. 16. xix. 11, SI, Beasts, signify representatives ofthc Christian church, iv. 6, &c. Beast signifies a monarchy- kingdom, xiii. 1, &c. xvii. 3, 7, 8, &c. In particular the Roman empire, ibid. And again the papal power, ibid. 11, &c. xiv. 8, &c. xvi. Its fall foretold, and threats against complying with it, xiv. 8, &c. — Throne or seat of the beast, Rome, xvi. 10. Beast that was, and is not, and yet is, xvii. 8. j Beast, the same with the ten kings of Europe, xix. 19. Blood, washed in blood, i. 5. Of saints, xvi. (>. Whitened in the blood of the Lamb, vii. 14. in. 5. Blood, run even to the horses' bridles, an hyperbole, xiv. ult. Waters turned into blood, is the slaughter of war in any country, xvi. 3. Book of life (see Name,) books opened, xx. 12, 15. Book, the sealed book, v. vi. The open book, x. 2, &c. To eat a book, is to under- stand it, x. 9, 10, 11. Blasphemy, the kinds of it in the Antichristian church, xiii. 5, 6. xvi. 11, 21. Brass, fine, signifies strength and beauty, i. 15. ii. 18. Bride, the church, in the last period, so called, xix. 7, 8, 9. xxi. 9 5 10. Bride, the Spirit and the Bride, an Hebraism explained, xxii. 17- note there. Brimstone, and fire, signify the utter destruction of a place or empire. See Lake and Smoke, xiv. 10, 11. xxi. 8. Candlesticks, seven, signify churches, i. 12, 13, 20. ii. 1, 5. the two candle- sticks, xi. 4. Child, to be with, is vast diffi- culty to accomplish, a thing eagerly desired, xii. 2, &c. City, the great city, (the Romish communion,) xvi. 19. xvii. 18. the beloved city, is the Christian church reformed, xx. 9. Clergy, Romish, their vices, ix. 20, 21. judgments foretold against them, ibid. Cloud, is an emblem of multi- tude, power, and prosperity. To come with, or ride on clouds, is to rule, conquer, &c. i. 7. xi. 12. Constantine the Great, his con- version, and victories foretold, vi 12, 13. xii. 1 — 11. Creation, beginning at the crea- tion Of God, id. 14. Creature, every, in heaven, earth, under earth, v. 13. Cruelties, Popish, xv. 4, 5, 6. INDEX. 259 Cup, golden cup, denotes the delusions of false religion, xvii. 4. of wrath. See Wine. Curse, no more curse, i. e. Calamity, Persecution, xxii. 3. David. See Root. Day, days, signify several times or seasons, ii. 10. also put for years, xi. 9. xii. 6*. — THAT DAY, is the time of the Messiah, vi. 17. LAST DAYS, and great day of the Lord, is the last period of the Christian church. See Time, xvi. 14, 17. notes there, xix. 9. xx. 9. Death, the second death, ii. 11. xx. 14. Death and hell cast into the lake of fire, xx. 4. '• Death signifies pestilence — making a covenant with death, vi. 8. note ibid. Devil, signifies a false accuser, ii. 10. xii. 12. Devils, signify Romish saints, tutelar saints, ix. 20. Doctrine of devils, i. e. about saints. Devil is come down, i. e. persecutors of true religion, xii. 12, Dioclesian's persecution foretold, vi. 9, &c. Dispensations, p. 157. Dogs, the emblems of obstinacy, cruelty, and uncleanness, xxii. 15. Done, it is done. See Shortly, xvi. 17- xxi. 6'. Dragon, denotes a cruel and powerful empire doing the work of the devil, the old serpent. See Satan, xii. 3. xiii. 4. xx. 2, 3. Drunk, with blood of saints, xvi. 6. xvii. 6", 7. Eagle, is the prophetic symbol of power, empire, and great- ness ; so e;igle, the emblem of great and lofty desires, iv. 7. to be carried on eagles' wings, is to be powerfully de- fended and preserved, xii. 14. See Wings and Fowls. Earth, and the sea, is the Roman empire, .vii. 2, 3. Fourth part ofthe earth, vi. 8. Third part of the earth is Europe, viii. 7, 8, 9. Earth and sea, for the whole world, x. 2. Earth, sea, rivers, in the political or ecclesiastical sense, xvi. 2, 3, 4. New heavens and new earth, is the fully reformed church in the last period of the world, xxi. 1, &c. The breadth of the earth, what, xx. 9. Earthquakes, signify A'ast revo- lutions in a state, tie. xi. 13. xvi. 18. Eat, to eat. See Book. ELDERS, iv. 4, &c. Epistles, to the seven churches. The contents, and extensive design of them, i. ii. iii. Plyes, denote piercing knowledge, foresight, care, and provi- dence, i. 14. Euphrates, natural, the river, ix. 14. Mystical Euphrates dried up, xvi. 12. Feet and legs (of an image) is a monarchy succeeding other monarchies, xiii. 12. Fire from heaven, are threats and terrors of great rulers, &c. xiii. 13. 260 INDEX. Fish, as sea denotes a kingdom, so fish signifies the people of it, viii. 9." xvi. 3. First and the last. See Alpha. Flesh, to eat the flesh of kings, is to ruin kingdoms by war, xix. 18. Flood, against the Christian church, what, xii. 15. Fornication, signifies idolatry, ii. 2(>. ix. 21. xvii. 2, &c. Fowls of heaven, signify armies of enemies, xix. 18. Frogs, the emblems of impu- dence, and imposture, and flattery. See Spirit, xvi. 13, 14. Gallienus. See Maximinus. Garments, to defile, to keep, to watch, is to be virtuous, or immoral, iii. 4. xvi. 15. See Raiment. Gentiles, idolatrous Christians so called, xi. 2. . to be converted, xxi. 2. Gla93, sea of" glass, iv. 6. xv. 2. Glory of the Lord, is God's judgment on the Antichristian church, xv. S; - Also the blessed state of the reformed church in the last period, xxi. 1 1, 23. Gog and Magog, is a phrase for the enemies of God's church, xx. 8, 9. Gold, the emblem of truth, ho- nour, happiness, iii. 18. Grass, signifies common people ; and trees, nobles, viii. 7. ix. 4. Hail. See Thunder. Hair, white, a symbol of vene- ration due to a person, i. 14. Harvest, of the reformation, xiv. 14, 15, &c. See Vintage. Heaven. To ascend up, to be ex- alted into heaven, signify to be raised to great power and prosperity, xi. 12. xii. 5. To be thrust down to hell, is to be reduced to shame, poverty, and disgrace. Making: a covenant with hell, vi. 8. note. Men's having power to shut the heavens, xi. 6. War in heaven, is the struggle between Christianity and heathenism, xii. 7- New heavens and new earth, is the virtuous reformed church, xxi. 1, &c. Coming down from God out of heaven, i. e. spiritual and heavenly, ibid. Heads, of a beast, i.e. of govern- ment, are the several forms of it, xiii. 1, 2. xvii. 7, &c. A head wounded to death is the loss of one form ; as that of the Roman monarchy under the Ceesars, ibid. xiii. 3; Horse and rider, signify com- mander of a conquering army, vi. 2, &c. Horse, white, red, pale, and black horse, their meanings, ibid. Horns, of a beast, i. e. of a go- vernment or kingdom, denotes its division into several dis- tinct powers, xiii. 1, 2, &c. xvii. 12. — Two horns of the second beast, what, ibid. 11, &c. •Ten horns, little horn, xvii. 7, 16. Hills, seven hills of Rome, xvii. 9. Hour, is any time. One hour, is, at one and the same time, xvii. 12. Hunns, who, viii. 10, 11. Jacob, xxi. 1. Jerusalem, New, denotes the pure reformed church, ibid. INDEX. 261 Jerusalem, signifies the idolatrous persecuting church, xi. 8. Jews, signify Christians, ii. 9. iii. 9. Their destruction, ii. 3, 4. The! r conversion in the last days, xxi. 24. Jezebel, ii. 20. Idols, eating things sacrificed to idols, what, ii. 20. Idolatry, styled adultery, forni- cation, and why, ii. 20. ix.21. Image worship in the Antichris- tian church, ix. 20. Image of a beast or govern- ment, is one and the same per- secuting power in different hands, xiii. 14, 15. Indulgences, p. 177. Islands and mountains, signify the towns, temples, &c. of the European part of the world, vi. 14. xvi. 20. Keys of hell and of death, i. e. power of life and death, i. 18. Of the bottomless pit, ix. 1, &c. Key of David, signifies Christ's dominion, iii. 17- Kingdom, the ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire was broken, viii. 12. xvii. 12, 13, 16, 17- Kings of the earth, who, xix. 19. •—Kings of the east, a way for them, xvi. 12. Kings, seven, are seven forms of government in Rome, xvii. 10. To eat the flesh of kings, is to spoil their coun- tries, xix. 18. of Christ, glorious on earth, is a full reformation of the church, and universal piety and true worship, xx. 1, &c. xxi. xxii. Lamb, Christ, v. 1, 8, 12. xiv. i. xvii. 14. Lamb, the papal power in its shape, xiii. 11, &c. Lake of fire, &c. See Brimstone, xix. 20. xx. 14. xxi. 8. Leaves of trees, for the healing of the nations, xxii. 2. Lion of the tribe of Judah, i. e. Christ, v. 5. an emblem of strength and vigour, iv. 7- Light, signifies truth, blessing, comfort, xxi. 11, 23. xxii. 5. Linen, fine, white, denote holi- ness, xix. 8. And the honour and reward of it. See Raiment. Locusts, denote armies, ix. 1, 2, 3, &c. King of the locusts, viz. Mahomet, ibid. 11. Lukewarmness, iii. 15, 16. Mahomet, foretold and described, ix. 11. Man's face, the emblem of rea- son and virtue,, iv. 7. Man, man-child (of the church,) viz. Constantine, xii. 1, 2, &c. Manna, hidden, Avhat, ii. 17- Marriage feast, supper, xix. 6, 7, &c. Martyrs of Jesus. (See Resurrec- tion,) xx. 4. Mark of God, of the beast. See Name. Merchants (ecclesiastical,) xviii. 23. Moab. See Egypt. Maximinus and Gallienus, their tyranny foretold, vi. 8. Mountain, hill, signify cities, towns, temples, idols, vi. 14. Burning mountain, denotes Rome, viii. 8, 9. Mountain, is God's true church, xix. 9. 262 INDEX. Moon, denotes lesser officers of state, vi. 2. Lesser lights of religion, as Jewish ceremonies, &c. xii. 1. Months, every day whereof is a year, ix. 5, 10. So five months is 150 years, ibid. And forty and two months is 1260 years, xi. 2, 3. xiii. 5. For an hour, a day, a month, and a year, the double prophetic meaning of it, ix. 15. Tree that beareth fruit every month, xxii. 2. Mystery, Rome styled mystery, and why, xvii. 5. Mystery of God, signi- fies the divine prophecies of Christ's kingdom, and their full accomplishment, x. 7- Name, signifies person, iii. 4. Written in the book of life, blotted out, ibid, and xiii. 8. xvii. 8. xxi. 27. To have a new name, of God, &c. iii. 12. xiv. 1. xxii. 4. — — Name of the beast, mark of the beast, xiii. ult. xiv. 11. To receive the name or mark of any one, is to pro- fess we are his servants, or worshippers, xiii. ult. xiv. 11. Nicholaitans, who, ii. 6, 15. Night, no night, no candle, &c. xx. 5. Number, three, two, seven, ten, how used, xi. 3, 4, 13. ii. 4. xvi. 1. ' Names found by let- ters or numbers, called wis- dom, xiii. 18. notes there. Number of the beast, xiii. 18. Offspring. See Root. Overcome, to him that overcom- eth, ii. 7 ■ Oil, hurt not. the oil and the wine, a phrase, vi. 6. Olive trees, the two, the emblem of true Christians, xi. 3, 4. Ox, an emblem of labour and industry, iv. 6. Paganism, the fall of it foretold, vi. 12, 13, 17, &c. Palm branches, a symbol of jov and triumph, vii. 9. Paps, girt about the paps, i. 13. Paradise, of God. See Tree. Parts, city divided into three parts, xvi. 1 9. Perdition, goeth into perdition, xvii. 11. Plagues, the seven last, what, and why so called, xv. 1. Pillar, to be made a pillar, iii. 12. Pitt, bottomless. (See Angel, Lo- cust, Beast,) xx. 1. Power, over the nations pro- mised, ii. 26, 27. Pope and popery described. Po- pery, likely to prevail once more over Protestants, note on xvi. 19. xiv. 5. xvi. xvii. Pope, schism of the Anti-popes, xvi. 10, 11. Priests, kings and priests unto God, i. 6. Prices for sins, pag. 149. Prophets, referred to, x. 7 • The false prophet, who, xix. 20. xx. 10. Prophecy, to prophesy is either to foretel events, x. 7, 11. Or to teach true doc- trine, xi. 3. ■ Spirit of prophecy, xix. 10. Rome-Christianisthat Protestants, murdered, xvi. 5, 6, beast, ibid. INDEX. 263 Quickly. See Shortly. Raiment, white, signifies honour and dignity, iii. 4, 5, 18. iv. 4, &e. vi. 11. vii. 9. Rainbow, a symbol of truth and mercy, iv. 3. Reign, to reign with Christ on earth, what, xx. 4. Repent, repented, the unrepent- ance of Rome under God's judgments, xvi. 11. Revelation (of St. John,) what it contains, and what tract of time it takes in, i. 1, 2, 3. To whom, and by whom made, ibid. xxi. 16'. The vast importance of it, ibid. IS, 19. Resurrection of the martyrs. First resurrection, xx. 4, 5, 6. General resurrection, ibid. 11. to the end. Rivers, (See Earth and Sea,) xvi. 4. A pure river of water of life, xxii. 1. Reformation and reformers from Rome spoken of under the characters of witnesses, lamps, &c. xi. 1—14. xiv. 1—8. The great promises of success to them, after their many and long sufferings, ib. to the end, xiv. 14. to the end. Rome, heathen, called the beast, xiii. 1, 2, &c. • The fall of the Roman empire, viii. 12. Rome, Christian, still the beast, xiii. 1, 2, &c. The second beast. The papal power, xiii. 11, 12, &c. The fall and ruin of it Root, to be the root and offspring of David, v. 5. xxii. 16. Saracens, their invasion foretold, ix. 1, 12. Satan, (see Dragon), ii. 9. iii. 9. Synagogue of Satan, ibid. Satan's seat, ii. 13. Depth of Satan, ii. 24. Satan bound, xx. 1, 2,3. Scorpions, Mahomet and the Sa- racens compared to them, ix. 10. Seal, the seven seals of the book are so many prophecies of events in the Christian world and Roman empire, v. vi. Sealing the servants of God, what, vii. 2, 3, to the end. Sealing up of Satan, xx. 3. ix. 4. Sealing up a book or prophecy, x. 4. xxii. 10. Seven. See Number. Shortly, quickly, speedily come, or come to pass, i. 1. ii. 5, 16. xxii. 6, 20. Now i6 come, iii. 3, 11. xii. 10. Short time, used com- ibretold and described, xiv. 8, &c. xv. xvi. xvii. 16. xviii. paratively, xii. 12. Ships, merchant, emblem of traf- fic and profit, xviii. 15, 16, 17. Silence in heaven, what, viii. 1. Smoke, ascend up for ever and ever, signifies the total de- struction of a monarchy or people. See Brimstone, xiv. 10, 11. xviii. 1, 9. xix. 20. Son of Man, i. 12. xiv. 14, 16. Song, new, of Moses, xiv. 3. xv. 3. Sea, the earth, and sea, and wa- ters, is the Christian empire, and the several parts of it, xii. 12. xiii. 1, 2. xvi. 2, 3, 4. No more sea. xxi. 1. 264 INDEX. Sion, denotes the Christian church, yee Jerusalem, xiv. 1. xxi. 2. SPIRIT* The seven spirits, i. 4. iii. 1. Signify the Holy Spi- rit, or any ministering spirits, Lv. 5. v. 6. Unclean spirits, like frogs, popish emissaries, xvi. 13, 14. Spirits of devils, are teachers of doctrines about ghosts, demons, saints, &c. ib. Souls, trading with souls, xviii. 13. Sores upon men, signify vices, guilt, and their effects, xvi. 2. STARS, seven stars, signify rul- ing ministers of the church, i. 16, 20. Morning star, is a per- son great in power, ii. 28. xxii. 16. Star falling, is the fall of a great city or person, or a conqueror falling upon a king- dom, vi. 12, 13. viii. 10, 11. ix. 1, &c. Crown of twelve stars, denotes the doctrine of the twelve apostles, xii. 1. Stone, a white stone, is an ac- quittance at a trial, ii. 17. Precious stones, signify either wicked pomp and riches, or else true virtue, glory , and beauty, xvii. 4. xxi. 18, &c. Song, new song, i. e. the wor- ship of God through Christ the Mediator, v. 9. xiv. 3. Sword, two edged, i. e. Christ's word and power, i. 16. ii. 12. XIX. 21. Sun, moon, stars, signify rulers, ministers, officers, of various degrees, viii. 12. xvi. S, 9. Scorched by the sun, is to be oppressed by ruling powers, xvi. 8, 9. Sun, moon, darkened, black, bloody, &c. signify the great changes in empires, and kingdoms, the fall of great states, and personages, vi. 12, 13, &c. viii. 12. Sun, sun's lighting on, burning a person, is a prince's oppress^ ing him, vii. 16. xvi. 8. — Sun's going down is the fall of a state, or prince, viii. 12. — Third part of the sun, moon, &c. signifies the western em- pire of the Csesars, ibid. — Woman clothed with the sun, denotes the light and know- ledge enjoyed by the Christian church, xii. 1. — No need of the sun or moon in the new Jerusalem, xxi. 23. xxii. 5. Tail and sting, denote the poison of a false and wicked religion, and the false prophet the au- thor of it, ix. 10, 19. Teeth, the emblem of cruelty, ix. 8. Tabernacle of God amongst men, xxi. 3, 4. Temple, signifies the Christian church ; the scene of the pro- phetic visions, iv. 1, 2, 3, &c. vii. 15. xi. 1 — 19. xvi. 1. The temple measured, i. e. the Christian church now to be esteemed and judged of, x. 1, 2, &c. No temple in the New Jerusalem, xxi. 22. Tenth part. See Number. Testimony of Jesus, i. 2, 9. xix. 10. INDEX. 265 Testimony, finishing their testi- mony, what, xi. 7. Thefts, Romish cheats and im- positions so called, ix. 21. Throne of God, (see Temple.) Christian thrones, what, xx. 4. Thousands of thousands, &c. mean a vast number, or mul- titude, ix. 16. xi. 13. xiv. 1. vii. 4 — 9. . The thousand years reign of the martyrs, xx. 4. Threshing. See note on xiv. 15. Thunder, lightning, fire, hail, earthquake, signify the dread- ful wars and destructions in a state, viii. 5, 7. The seven thunders, x. 3, 4, xvi. 18. ( Time, A time signifies the days of a year counted for so many years, xii. 14. That time should be no longer, what, x. 6, 7. note there. ■ The time is at hand. See Shortly. Titus. See Vespasian. Trajan and Adrian, their destruc- tion of the Jews, vi. 3, 4. Travail, to be in. See Child. Tree of life, ii. 7. xxii. 2, 14. TREES, signify nobles and great officers of any kind, vii. 3. viii. 7. ix. 4. TRUMPET, signifies, a divine voice. — Divine judgment, or denunciation to be accom- plished in a certain period of time, iv. 1. viii. ix. Turks, their invasion of Europe foretold and described, ix. 13. to the end. Tyre. See Egypt. Waters, signify countries and people, xiv. 2. xvii. 1, 15. vol. in. Water of life, what, xxii. 1, 17. Vespasian and Titus, their con- quests foretold, vi. 2. Virgins, virgin company, are sound Christians, vii. 1, 9, 13. to the end, xiv. 1, 5. Vintage, the reformation and destruction of Popery described by it, xiv. 17, 18, &c. Vials, xv. xvi. Whore, the great, xvii. 1, &c. War, is expressed by wind, &c. blood, &c. — The holy wars foretold, xvi. 3,4. White raiment. See Raiment. White (colour) an emblem of honour, victory, &c. vi. 2. xix. 1 1 . xx. 1 1 . Unjust, he that is unjust let him be unjust still, xxii. 11. Wilderness, signifies an em- pire, Roman empire, xii. 6, 14. Also a desolate uncom- fortable abode, ibid. Wings, an emblem of defence and protection. Thetwo eagles' wings, are the eastern and western branches of the Ro- man empire. See Eagle, xii. 14. Wind, signifies war, army, com- motions, vii. 1. Wine of wrath, is divine venge- ance, xiv. 10. of fornication, is reli- gious deceits, xvii. 2, 4. xviii. 3. Winepress, treading it, denotes destruction on Christian ene- mies, xiv. 17, &c. Wisdom, called a secret, and how, xiii. 18. xvii. 9, &c. Witnesses, the two witnesses, i. e. good Christians, xi. 3, &c. Woe, trumpets, viii. 13. and is, T 266 INDEX. Wormwood, Attila so called, tian church, xvii. 1, 4, &c. 18. viii. 10, 11. Woman, as the usual Woman, taken for the Christian prophetic and poetic symbol church, xii. 1, &c. of cities., empires, or great so- Taken for the Antichris- cieties. THE END. JAXTER, PRINTER, OXFORD.