wimm

FROM THE LIBRARY

OF

JOHN WHITEHEAD1850-1930
PRESENTED TO
BY HIS HEIRS

THE SPIRITUAL
EIPOSITION OE THE APOCALYPSE.

LONDON :
PRINTED BY WALTON AND MITCHELL,
24, Wardour-street, Oxford-street,

THE
SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION

APOCALYPSE ;

AS DERIVED FROM
THE WRITINGS OF THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG,
ILLUSTRATED AND CONFIRMED
r,Y
ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORITIES.

REV. AUGUSTUS CLISSOLD, M.A.
FORMERLY UP EX. COL. OXFORD.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
VOL. IV.

" According to the opinion of many (in the Church) the Apocalypse must altogether be incom
prehensible without an especial revelation from God."— Pererius, Prol. Disp. i.
" All things which are written in this prophetic book are written concerning the Last Judg
ment, but by representatives and correspondences." — Swedenborg, Apoc. Ex., art. 260.
" Most of the ancient Fathers and of the earlier Commentators on the Apocalypse followed
the system which explains the whole hook as concerning the Last Judgment." — Calmet, Apoc.
art. ii.

LONDON :
LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS,
PATERNOSTER ROW.
1851.

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH VOLUME.

In this volume, some omissions which occur in the body of the
work are supplied in the Appendix. Indeed nearly all the Notes
in the Appendix are to be regarded as being rather a part of
the work itself, and as such ought to have been embodied into
the text. This is particularly the case with the Notes on the
Sea of Glass mentioned at the very opening of the volume, p. 1 ;
on the Fourth Vial, p. 48, concerning The Sun ; on Babylon,
chap, xvii., xviii. ; on Gog and Magog, p. 351 ; and on the New
Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem, p. 480. The reader
therefore is here requested to refer to these Notes, when perus
ing, in the body of the work, the subjects above referred to.
One principal topic of the present volume is Babylon ; and
as Roman Catholic writers have objected to the interpretations
of Protestants upon this subject, it has been thought desirable
to exclude the latter altogether, and to substitute only Patristic
and Roman Catholic authorities. This method has the advan
tage of clearing the ground, and of shewing what is the precise
state of the question upon this subject with regard to the Church
of Rome. It has likewise the advantage of entirely relieving the
author of these volumes from all responsibility for the language

vi PREFACE TO THE FOURTH VOLUME.
employed ; as he is only making use of documents supplied by
the Church of Rome herself.
In the Preface to his Explication of the Apocalypse, it is
observed by De Sacy, when speaking of the Reformers ; " We
agree with them that this Babylon is Rome, but it is incumbent
on them to shew that this Rome is the Church of Rome." In
the present work, it will be perceived that upon this topic the
evidence of Patristic and Roman Catholic writers is so ample
and decisive, that they have themselves done that which others
have been called upon to do ; and it is to be presumed that no
Church will object to its own authorities.*
With regard to the interpretations concerning the New
Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem, it is well known that
Swedenborg interprets them to signify a New Church triumphant
and a New Church militant ; and notwithstanding the opposition
sometimes made to such an interpretation, it will be seen to be
nothing more than what has been asserted by some of the most
eminent and reputedly orthodox writers.

* It is stated in the Notes in the Appendix, that Bullenger's work on the Apo
calypse is dedicated to " Prince Henry Lothario," &c, whereas it should be " Prince
Henry De Lorraine," &c. Also in p. 96, Aleppo is put for Lisbon. This ought to
have been inserted in the Errata at the end of the volume.

CONTENTS OF VOL. IV.

CHAPTER XV.
Preparations for disclosing the last state of the Church, and laying open the
evils and falses in which it is principled : those are first separated from it
who have acknowledged the Lord and lived according to his command
ments 

CHAPTER XVI.
The evils and falses in the Church of the Reformed discovered hy influx from
heaven. — Influx into the Clergy — into the Laity — into their understanding
of the Word — into their love — into their faith — into their interior reason
ings — into all these simultaneously  29

CHAPTER XVII.
The Roman CathoUc Religion — in what manner it has falsified the Word and
thereby perverted all things of the Church. — How it has falsified and per
verted them among those who are subject to its dominion, but less among
those who are not subject to its dominion in the same degree. — Of the
Reformed, that they have withdrawn themselves from its yoke — its pre
valence notwithstanding  90

CHAPTER XVIII.
The Roman Catholic Religion. — That by reason of its adulterations and profa
nations of the truths of the Word and thence of the Church, it will be
destroyed. — Of those of the Ecclesiastical order therein who are supreme. —
Of the inferiors of that order.. — Of the Laity and common people who are
in subjection to them. — The joy of the angels by reason of the removal of
this religion. — Its destruction in the spiritual world  19-1

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIX.

Glorification of the Lord by the angels in heaven on account of the removal of
the Roman Catholic Religion in the spiritual world. — Annunciation of the
Lord's Advent, and of a New Church from him.— The opening of the
Word as to its spiritual sense for the use of that Church. — All men are
called to it. — The resistance of those who are principled in faith separate
from charity. — Their removal and damnation  294

CHAPTER XX.
Removal of those who are meant by the Dragon. — Ascent of those out of the
inferior earth who worshipped the Lord and shunned evils as sins. — Judg
ment upon those in whose worship there was no religion. — Damnation of
the Dragon. — Universal judgment upon the rest  341

CHAPTER XXI.
The state of heaven and of the church upon earth after the Last Judgment. —
By means of the New Heaven a New Church will exist upon earth, which
will worship the Lord alone. — The description of the New Church as to
intelligence, doctrine, and every other quahty  450

CHAPTER XXII.
The New Church. — Its intelligence originating in truths from the Lord. — The
Apocalypse manifested from the Lord to be revealed at its proper time. —
The coming of the Lord and his conjunction with those who believe in him
and live according to his commandments. — The tilings which are revealed
are to be observed. — The desponsation  555

Appendix

587

THE SPIRITUAL
EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE.
CHAPTER XV.
PREPARATIONS FOR DISCLOSING THE LAST STATE OF THE CHURCH, AND
LAYING OPEN THE EVILS AND FALSES IN WHICH IT IS PRINCIPLED;
THOSE ARE FIRST SEPARATED FROM IT WHO HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED
THE LORD AND LIVED ACCORDING TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xv., verses
1,2;— " ' And I saw another sign in heaven great and mar
vellous,' signifies, a revelation from the Lord concerning
the state of the church upon earth, shewing the quality of
that state with respect to love and faith : ' seven angels
having the seven last plagues,' signifies, the evils and falses
in the church, such as exist in its last state, universally
disclosed and laid open by the Lord : ' for in them is the
wrath of God consummated,' signifies, the devastation of
the church and consequent end of it : ' and I saw as it
were a sea of glass mingled with fire,' signifies, the ulti
mate boundary of the spiritual world, where they were
collected, who had some religion and consequent worship,
but no good of life."
Tychonius says that the fire here mentioned is the fire
either of the Spirit, or else of temptation.
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xv,, p. 507 ; —
" And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire.
VOL. IV. B

2 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
Hitherto we have heard in general of the matters that are to be
done, and of those who are to be agents in the execution of
them. Now he teacheth us what should be the state of the
holy church in the meanwhile, the matters and persons whereof
are described, of which is the sea, that is, the doctrine as before,
whose diverse quality hath made a diverse sea. One heavenly,
such as that was, chap, iv., 6, which was also glassy and like to
crystal; another earthly, turned into blood, and void of all
purity, chap. viii. Now we have a third, which is an heavenly
one indeed, as the former verse shewed, for this sign was seen
in heaven. As also glassy, such as the first was, with which
therefore it doth agree in nature, however there be some differ
ence in the quality of either of them. Eor in the room of that
crystal, fire is mingled in this place, for he saith it was ' a glassy
sea mingled with fire.' That first, therefore, was transparent as
glass, and most simple, void of all color as crystal is. This
other here is transparent also as glass, but it is colored with a
fiery redness, and not shining with the simplicity of crystal.
Now what other thing can fire signify but brabbles and conten
tions, burning and boiling with mutual hatred of one against
another? ' I came to bring fire upon the earth/ saith Christ,
1 And what do I desire but that it may be kindled ?' Luke xii.,
49. The heavenly truth, then, of the last period should have
this inseparable companion joined with it."
"The doctrine should be glassy and transparent, through
which we might behold the loving and favorable countenance of
the Father in Christ Jesus, and yet it was not pure on every
side like crystal, but colored with the fire, of contention. The
which thing, indeed, all the good men do to their great grief
find by experience to be too true at this day." . . .
..." The churches which are further remote from the con
suming that this fire made, do burn out with another no less
scorching flame of ambition; whence it cometh to pass, that
there are hot and fierce contentions kindled about earthly dig
nities and honors which churchmen claim and hunt after for
themselves; as if they were the ornaments that make to the
being of the church, and must therefore be stood for with might
and main. Though the purer ages of the church do teach us
sufficiently, that there was never anything that hath brought

VERSE II.] SEVENTH TRUMPET — " SEA OF GLASS." 3
more certain mischief and undoing unto it. It is this ambition
that will not suffer either the preaching of the Word to have so
free passage as it ought to have, or the wicked lives of men to
be corrected and suppressed with that rod and bridle of holy
discipline, which being taken away, men have liberty granted
them, at least they may take it, to be licentious, and to commit
all kind of notorious crimes that do overthrow true Christian
piety. Such a fire as this flieth up and down throughout the
whole Reformed Church ; which doth either consume the most
men, or is troublesome to the rest, while they strive to restrain
the force of it. Neither can there be any sound quietness any
where ; because this great fire hath such power to live and do
mischief even in the midst of the waters. The which thing the
Holy Ghost doth diligently warn us of in these words ; that no
man might cast away the truth and true Church, because of
contentions and corruptions that are mingled with and in it.
For thanks be to our God, though this fire may be mingled with
our sea, yet he vouchsafeth it to be glassy as yet, that is, through-
bright and shining ; so as we may behold through it the most
comfortable grace of salvation, purchased for us by Christ."
Brightman, Apocalypse, p. 510 ; —
" ' Standing by the glassy sea.' . . . He alludeth to the Is
raelites who stood upon the shore of the Red Sea," &c.
For the meaning of the ' sea of glass,' see chap. iv.
Here it is said not, I saw a sea of glass, but as it were a
sea of glass ; i. e., it was not a sea of glass such as is men
tioned in chap, iv., but only an appearance like it ; it was
not the appearance of the genuine truths of the Word of
God or of those who have received that Word, but of a
multitude who presented that appearance ; an appearance
which yet was not genuine but only as it were.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 2, 3 ; —
" ' And them who had gotten the victory over the
beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over
the number of his name,' signifies, those who have rejected
faith alone and the doctrine thereof, and so have not
b 2

4 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
acknowledged and imbibed its falses, nor falsified the
Word: 'standing beside the sea of glass, having the
harps of God,' signifies, the Christian heaven in its boun
daries, and the faith of charity among those therein: 'and
they sung the song of Moses the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb,' signifies, a confession grounded in
charity, consequently in a life conformable to the com
mandments of the law, which is the Decalogue, and in a
belief of the divinity of the Lord's humanity."
All authors agree that this song of Moses and the
Lamb is the same with the new song mentioned in chap.
v., 12, and again in chap, xiv., 3 ; and it will there be
seen that it implies a new confession of faith, or a new
creed ; which consists in these two essentials, that charity
and works are requisite to our justification, hence that we
cannot be accounted righteous before God except by keep
ing his commandments ; and in the next place, that the
true and only object of divine worship is the Lord Jesus
Christ. After the remarks which have been made on the death
of the First Witness, it is moreover desirable to ascertain to
whom the present song is directly addressed. Brightman
affirms that it is addressed to God the Father ; a large
number of commentators leave the subject in doubt. We
proceed however to quote those authors who consider it to
be addressed directly to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Aretas and GEcumenius regard it as addressed to the
Lamb, or the Lord Jesus Christ. Ribera says, it is called
the song of the Lamb, because in it ' they praise the Lamb,
and the Lamb taught them to sing that which they had re
ceived from the Lamb.' Sebastian Meyer says, 'it is addressed
to the Lord their Saviour, their Saviour Christ :' Hammond,
that it is ' sung to Christ :' Stuart, that it is ' a song sung to
the Lamb, as the captain of their salvation who is sure to

VERSE III.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " SONG OF MOSES." 5
triumph.' Lord says, that it is " the song of the Lamb as he
is the Lord God Almighty.' Gill observes, that ' Christ is in
this song addressed as a divine person as the Lord of all,
God over all, blessed for ever ; the Almighty God, as his
works declare him to be — his works of creation, providence,
and redemption which are all great and marvellous, par
ticularly the accomplishment of the glorious things spoken
of his church, and the destruction of his enemies which are
here designed.' Robertson says, that the song is ' in praise
or commendation of the Lamb, which in this case is evi
dent for that he is king of saints.' Pareus also says, that it
is a song praising the Lamb, celebrating the Lamb's vic
tory over Antichrist ; and that it affords a clear argument
to prove the divinity of the Lamb : Cornelius a Lapide,
that in this song they praise the Lamb. Calmet also says,
that it is the song which the Lamb taught them, and which
contains the praises of the Lamb.
Bishop Walmisley, General History of the Christian
Church, p. 78 ; Apocalypse, chap, v., 12 ; —
" The whole drift of the Arian doctrine being to impugn the
Divine nature of Christ : in opposition to it was ascribed to the
Lamb the attribute of Divinity or riches, according to the Greek
text, Apoc. v., 12 ; i. e., the riches of the Godhead, which he
shares equally with the Father, for ' in Him dwelleth the full
ness of the Godhead corporally,' Col. ii., 9 ; &c."
Hence also Pareus affirms as above, that from the song
iu chap, xv., may be proved the divinity of the Lamb.
The new song then being addressed to Christ or the
Lamb, as Lord God Almighty, and the titles Christ and
Lamb being proper to the humanity ; it is obvious that in
this new song the humanity is called omnipotent ; but if
omnipotent, omnipresent also, or Immanuel, God with us.
Hence Alford observes, in his Greek Testament, Matt.
xxviii., 20, on the words, ' Lo, I am with you always,' &c.
" I in the fullest sense. Not the divine presence as dis-

6 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAT. XV.
tinguished from the humanity of Christ. His humanity is
with us likewise."
Matthew Hoe, Apocalypse, chap, xiv., p. 535 ; —
" Let us believe in simplicity that Christ, God Man, is not
locally or by expansion and extension, but yet truly present to
all creatures ; and governs, cherishes, and preserves them. Let
us believe this, I say, and shun those impious dogmas and em
blems which contravene the omnipresence of Christ ; such as
what Beza says, when he calls the omnipresence of Christ an
excrement of Satan, a dogma Nestorian and Eutychian and in
every way abominable, vol. i., p. 212, 213 ; also p. 644, epist. 70;
likewise what Zanchius says, when he calls our doctrine con
cerning the omnipresence a portentous dogma, hateful to God
and to the church, as also a figment of the Manichees. In the
Confession, p. 178, Disputation concerning the Resurrection,
thesis 49, he says of us, ' They shall at some time receive most
just punishment from the Judge of the living and the dead, and
shall be scourged according to their deserts."
He adds that Beckman compiled a scurrilous invective
against him, calling him a ubiquitarian, and omnipresen-
tarian; and blasphemed the doctrine of Christ's omni
presence in a horrible manner.
The Roman Catholic church, equally with the Protestant
in general, rejects the doctrine of the omnipresence of
Christ as God-man ; and it is upon the opposite doctrine,
or that of the absence as opposed to the presence of Christ
as God-man, that the Papacy is founded ; the Pope being
thus a vice Christ, or his representative on earth, while
the glorified humanity is absent in heaven. This sub
ject has already been amply considered; — we may how
ever add from Suarez on the Incarnation, vol. i., p. 438 ;
Disp. xxxii., sec. 4 ; that Cyril of Alexandria, book ix., on
John, chap, xxi., says that Christ is absent from us in
body, and is present in his divinity. The same is repeated
by Cyril in book ii., chap. xxi. ; and by Cyril of Jeru
salem in Catechesis xiv. ; and Theodoret, Dial, ii., who

VERSE III.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " SONG OF MOSES." 7
quotes Gregory of Nyssa for the same opinion in his
oration against Eunomius. Also among Latin writers
Augustin says, treatise 50, on John, that Christ is now
absent from us, and yet present ; because ' his body he took
into heaven, but he withdrew not from the world his ma
jesty.' Many other writers are quoted to the same effect.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 3, 4 ; —
" ' Saying, great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord
God Almighty,' signifies, that all things in the world, in
heaven, and in the church, were created and made by the
Lord out of divine love through divine wisdom : ' just and
true are thy ways, thou King of saints,' signifies, that all
things which proceed from him are just and true, because
he is divine good and divine truth itself in heaven and the
church : ' who shall not fear thee, 0 Lord, and glorify thy
name,' signifies, that he alone is to be loved and wor
shipped : ' for thou only art holy/ signifies, that he is the
Word, the truth, and illumination : ' wherefore all nations
shall come and worship before thee,' signifies, that all who
are in the good of love and charity, will acknowledge the
Lord to be the only God : ' for thy judgments are made
manifest,' signifies, that the truths of the Word plainly
testify it."
Pererius when treating on Daniel vii., 13, observes,
that the title Son of Man alludes to the assumed human
nature; which also is signified by the Lamb. Pererius
adds, p. 115 ; —
" ' Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and
divinity and wisdom,' &c. It is said the Lamb was then worthy
to receive divinity ; not indeed as he was God, for this he had
been from the beginning of his generation ; nor was it owing to
antecedent merit ; but He had, by reason of his passion, merited
the honor and glory of divinity ; that is to say, He had merited
that both by angels and men He should be adored and wor
shipped as the wise, mighty, and glorious God : and this is that

8 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
which St. Paul says, that by reason of the obedience of Christ
' God also highly exalted him and hath given him a name which
is above every name ; that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth.' "
Undoubtedly therefore the Humanity, the Lamb, is here
regarded as Divine, and consequently as possessing all the
attributes of Divinity ; such as omnipotence, omnipresence,
and so forth. We have however seen that the divinity of
the humanity is denied ; that existing churches maintain
that the Lamb is neither omnipresent nor omnipotent.
And whereas it is said, " All power is given me in
heaven and in earth," and therefore all presence, or om
nipresence, or ubiquity must be claimed likewise ; Suarez
replies, that this power communicated to the humanity
is not the very omnipotence itself of God, but a certain
power of excellency above all creatures, which requires not
a real presence in all creatures.
Now as we have already seen that by the Lamb is sig
nified the Humanity; that the song of the angels is addressed
to the Lamb ; hence that the Lamb, or Christ, or the
Divine Humanity, is addressed in the song as the Lord
God Omnipotent ; so consequently we see how this song,
the song of Moses and the Lamb, is a new song, or one not
hitherto sung by the church in general, but proper to the
new church and economy about to be established.
" Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy
name," is the counterpart in this song, to the command,
' fear God, and give glory to him ;' i. e., Not putting forth
the figments of men or the doctrines of devils, but abiding
by the everlasting Gospel, obey not the authority of men,
but fear God. Hence —
Sir Isaac Newton on the Prophecies of Daniel, p. 14; —
" For God has so ordered the prophecies, that in the latter
days 'the wise may understand, but the wicked shall do wickedly,

VERSE III.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " SONG OF MOSES." 9
and none of the wicked shall understand,' Dan. xii., 9, 10. The
authority of emperors, kings, and princes, is human. The au
thority of councils, synods, bishops, and presbyters, is human.
The authority of the prophets is divine, and comprehends the
sum of religion, reckoning Moses and the apostles among the
prophets ; 'and if an angel from heaven preach any other gospel,'
than what they have delivered, 'let him be accursed.' Their
writings contain the covenant between God and his people, with
instructions for keeping this covenant ; instances of God's judg
ments upon them that break it : and predictions of things to
come. While the people of God keep the covenant, they con
tinue to be his people : when they break it they cease to be his
people or church, and become the synagogue of Satan, who say
they are Jews and are not. And no power on earth is author
ized to alter this covenant."
The song of Moses and the Lamb may be regarded as
opposed to a song of any merely human composition, or
inculcated by any merely human authority.
That Moses is a figure of the Law, or that it is a name
standing for the Law, is (according to Lauretus, art. Moses)
the interpretation of Origen, Arnobius, Tertullian, Am
brose, Augustin, Cyril, B. Gregory, Bede, Georgius
Venetus ; not to mention numerous Protestant expositors.
Why the song is called the song of the Lamb, has already
been seen.
It is added, ' Thou only art holy ;' for it is written,
" therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee
shall be called the Son of God," Luke i., 35. "Thou shalt
not suffer thine holy one to see corruption," Acts ii., 27.
" Sanctify them (make them holy) through thy truth, thy
Word is truth," John xvii., 17. Whence as the Lord is
alone holy, so his Word is alone the fountain of holi
ness. All devotional books, therefore, which are not
founded on the Word of God, may serve to kindle the
imagination or the affections, but are not calculated to
purify or sanctify either. See Medc's Works, p. 10.

10 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 5 ; —
" ' After this I saw, and behold, the temple of the ta
bernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened,' signifies,
that the inmost [part] of heaven was seen, where the Lord
is in his holiness in the Word, and in the Law, which is the
Decalogue." Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" The tabernacle and the heaven are both one thing, i. e.,
the church. In this heaven the temple is opened, as above
stated ; that is, the mysteries of Christ are revealed in the
church ; his nativity, for instance, death, passion, and resurrec
tion, with other things of the same kind. Moreover the church
itself is called ' the tabernacle of the testimony ;' because it has
the tables of the two Testaments. It has likewise within itself
the ark, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and of knowledge. There also is the rod
of Aaron which budded, that is, the spiritual priesthood which
presignified the true priesthood of the church."
Primasius, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" ' The temple of the tabernacle of witness in heaven was
opened.' Here now, says he, are laid open the hidden arcana
of the testimonies concerning Christ and his church, according
to promise." So Ambrose Ansbert.
Glossa Ordinaria, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" ' The temple was opened.' The mysteries of the church
are revealed in which God dwells, and which militate for the
honor of God."
De Lyra, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" ' The temple is opened,' i. e., the divine secret, by the ful
filment of it in bringing it into effect."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" This temple, that is, the church, was shut up within one
nation only, viz., the Jewish, in which alone the Lord was
known. It was shut up in respect of its confinement in one
locality : it was shut up by the figurative and mystical causes of
the ceremonies not being understood. But when the Lord

VERSE V.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  "TEMPLE." 11
Jesus resigned his spirit, and after his death instituted the sacra
ment of baptism ; the vail of the temple was rent in twain from
the top to the bottom ; and he, rising from the dead, opened
the understanding of his disciples that they might understand
the Scriptures. Thus the temple of the tabernacle of the tes
timony was opened. Where ? In heaven, says he. Heaven,
or the heavens, are all the saints in whom God dwells, and es
pecially the apostles. For of these it is written, 'The heavens
declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handi
work.' Therefore the temple is opened in heaven, that is, in
the hearts of the apostles, as being those to whom, as before
said, he opened their understanding that they might under
stand the Scriptures."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
XV.; —
" ' The temple was opened,' i. e., the mysteries of the church,
which is the tabernacle, are openly revealed; because God
dwells in it, and in it he is for the time being militant : ' of the
testimony in heaven;' the church which contains within itself
the New and Old Testament."
Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" ' The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was
opened,' i. e., the inmost and most sacred part of the temple,
namely, the Sanctum Sanctorum, in which as in its own taber
nacle was kept the divine testimony, i. e., the divine law, and
the tables of the law or decalogue in the ark. Moreover by the
Sanctum Sanctorum are signified the adyta and inmost recesses
of the Divine Providence, as the author and vindicator of the
Divine Law ; for which reason the seven angels come forth from
out of these penetralia, as the future avengers of the violated
law." Bede, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ;—
" In order that the Lord might be adored by all nations, the
temple of the secrets of God, formerly confined within the walls
of one city, began now to be spiritually opened to the whole
world." CBcumenius, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
"Before the advent of Christ unto us in humiliation, the

12 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
knowledge of the things which pertain unto us, was obscure and
not sufficiently considered by men ; and therefore in order to a
more efficacious faith in these things, at the passion of the Lord
the vail of the earthly temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom ; indicating, that the divine mysteries, which from
the foundation of the world were involved in secresy, might,
from that time, be made manifest and plainly exhibited to all ;
not treasured up in secret for one nation only, but sent forth to
all the world. The tabernacle of testimony, however, is not so
called without reason, or by chance ; but because God then gave
out his oracles to priests appointed by the law ; explaining what
was to be done, and what was not to be done, by precepts the
most certain and exact, not by the testimony of the law but by
a (speaking) archetypal and human testimony."
To the same effect is the interpretation of Aretas.
Richard Bernard, after observing that the ark of the
testimony is the ark containing the two tables of the law,
which are called the testimony, adds ; —
" After the two prophets were ascended up, chap, xi., 12,
and that now the church became visible, the temple, that is, the
hidden things of God formerly unknown, became now to be
manifest by those angels, chap, xiv., 6, 8, 9 ; who taught what
this true testimony of God was, unto the people. 'In heaven,'
i. e., in the true visible church of Christ."
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 395 ; —
. . . "We would consider that there is an allusion, as in
chap, xi., to the Jewish church ; where in time of idolatry and
backsliding the temple was shut, as in Ahab's days ; and in the
time of the Reformation, when all was brought back again to
the standard, the temple was opened and sanctified, the sacrifices
put in order, and the priests sanctified, as in Hezekiah's days.
John's meaning is : before this the temple was shut ; religion
in its outward splendor and beauty was defaced by Antichrist ;
but now, as if he said, I saw a time of reformation, when super
stition and idolatry were banished, and purity and truth preached
in open view ; as it was before Antichrist darkened their light.
Thus, as the temple was that which most evidenced the state of
the Jewish church, and the changes were most sensibly observed

VERSE V.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  "TEMPLE." 13
there ; so (as are many other things) that also is borrowed, to set
out the change in the Christian church here."
Mr. Pearson, formerly Christian Advocate at Cambridge,
in his Examination of the Prophecies of the Apocalypse,
observes, p. 235 ; —
..." The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there
was seen in his temple the ark of his testament (chap, xi., 19) ;
emblematical, as we have before observed, of the more perfect
revelation of the wonders and mysteries of redemption, which
will accompany this final accomplishment of the dispensations
of God." It has before been observed that the author does not
refer this period to that of the Reformation, but to one
subsequent to it ; and of which he says we ought to be in
patient expectation.
Mr. Paber, in his Sacred Calendar, vol. iii., p. 251,
remarks in a note, that " clearly some great change in mat
ters ecclesiastical must be understood by the opening of
that mystic temple."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 1916; —
" The temple is opened to angels and to men, as the sequel
teaches. Because, when the Witnesses were slain, heaven was
shut to mortals, and was open again at the resurrection of the
Witnesses; here, where the events are explained which occur
between the trumpets and vials, the temple which is in heaven
is exhibited as open. Moreover there are here three things
distinguished one from another. The heaven, in which was the
tabernacle, that is, the abode of the blessed, in which was the
vabs, temple, i. e., the shrine of God which is rendered illustrious
by a more bounteous supply of light, and more express evidence
from God (Cotterius) ."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 370 ; —
" The sense therefore i3 ; that because God in the last times
by the preaching of the Gospel hath manifested Antichrist, and
by his wonderful judgment poured contempt upon him ; it shall
come to pass, that by degrees one nation after another shall
leave him, and be converted to Christ : and so indeed it shall

14 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
be. Only let us not by our sins stop this judgment of God,
which he hath begun to reveal."
Forbes, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 146 ; —
" Now, how these ministers of the last wrath are feated and
prepared to this great execution, is shewed from the first verse
to the end. And first, whence they are. 2. How disposed. 3.
Wherewith instructed and by whom. 4. By what power it is,
that so great a work is effectuate. They come out of the temple
of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven now opened, that is,
out of the true church militant (this is implied in the word
tabernacle) now made patent and visible. This first note shewed,
both what they are, and of what time. They are members of
the true militant church, who by the light of the Gospel, the
church being reformed and opened, are stirred to the work. For
God turneth the hearts of kings, who erst gave their kingdoms
to the beast and wear his horns, to hate now the whore and
eat her flesh, chap. xvii. For her fall shall not be by kings of
the East or Mahometans, but by reformed Christians : whereof
we see already good degrees ; praised be the kings of saints."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 514 ; —
" The temple was shut before, as long as the woman was in
the wilderness. Oftentimes angels came out from thence, but
there was a vail hung before the door, which would not suffer a
man to look in ; whereupon it was, that they who were without,
had it hidden from them continually for all that. But now
when it is opened, they who stand in the court might look
into it, if they would."
" ' The temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven.' This
is a circumlocutory description of the holy of holies. The two
tables of stone are called the testimony, because of the law that
was written in them, which testifieth God's will. Hereupon
the ark is called by the same name, because that these tables
were laid up within it : afterwards this name was derived further
to the whole tabernacle : within the innermost whereof the ark
resided, Numb, xvii., 23. But yet these words in this place, ' the
temple of the tabernacle of testimony,' are all one with those,
' and the ark of his covenant in his temple was seen,' xi., 19."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 1916; —

VERSE V.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  "TEMPLE." 15
" While Antichrist was reigning and the world worshipping
him, the judgments of God and his covenant with his people
were concealed from view ; but when vengeance is taken upon
Antichrist, they become manifest (Lightfoot). By the opening
of the temple is signified that the church emerged from her
retreat, and raised her head in public, and that the mysteries
of God were laid open to the church and the nations (Cluverus).
... As if he should say, I saw the time of the Reformation,
when superstition and idolatry were banished, and truth and
purity publicly preached (Durham) ."*
It is here important to bear in mind that according to
Vitringa, Dr. Gill, and others on this passage, the ark of
the testimony is so called because it contained the two
tables of the law, or Two Tables of testimony ; and we
would observe therefore that it is here introduced as being
a testimony or witness against those who had broken the
covenant, as explained in the remarks on the death of the
Two Witnesses ; and also as containing the two essentials
of the new covenant established under the new economy
about to commence.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 6, 7; —
" ' And the seven angels came out of the temple hav
ing the seven plagues,' signifies, a preparation from the
Lord to operate by influx from the inmost heaven into the
church, that its evils and falses may be disclosed and laid
open, and that thus the wicked may be separated from the
* Robertson says, 292 ; —
" Some, by the opening of the tabernacle, &c, understand the discovering of the
eternal counsels of God. If by this they mean, that this emergent -wiW accomplish
what God had from all eternity determined concerning his ancient people the Jews,
and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning them, then there is no plea ; we are agreed.
But what they give as the explication of this sense, carries it quite off this footing ;
for they seem to say there will be another revelation of the will of God, than what we
have yet met with. This is a position which will be very hard to prove; for it would
appear the whole will of God is already manifested in the Scriptures, though it is
not the happiness of every one to understand it. Besides, such thoughts as these are
of dangerous consequence, and rub hard upon the perfection of the Word of God."
The answer to this may be seen in the interpretations already given, and also in
ehap. xxi. xxii.

16 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.

b

good : ' clothed in linen clean and shining, and having
their breasts girded with golden girdles,' signifies, this
from the pure and genuine truths and good of the Word :
' and one of the four animals gave unto the seven angels
seven golden vials,' signifies, those truths and goods, by
which the evils and falses of the church are detected, taken
from the literal sense of the Word : ' full of the wrath of
God who liveth for ages of ages,' signifies, evils and falses
which will appear and be detected and laid open by pure
and genuine truths and goods of the Word."
Daubuz, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 677 ; —
" Now, God being to send these seven angels to pour out
his wrath upon men, they are said to come out of the temple
where the testimony is laid up, to signify that these plagues are
sent upon these men upon the account of their having broken
the covenant of God."
White linen is the righteousness of the saints, Apoc,
chap, xix, derived from the truths of the living Word of
God. By golden girdle may be meant love, according to Bede,
Ambrose Ansbert, Richard of St. Victor, Haymo, Anselm
Archbishop of Canterbury, &c.
Pareus also observes, p. 371 ; —
" This some understand of the love of angels towards such
as here on earth exercise themselves in the worship of God."
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 809 ; —
" ' And having their breasts girded with golden girdles;' such
an one as Christ himself was girded with, chap, i., 13 ; and this
some understand of the love which the breasts of angels are
filled with towards the saints, and their readiness to perform all
good offices to them, and to execute the judgments of God upon
their enemies, whenever they have orders; but since these
angels come out of the temple, and members of Gospel churches
seem designed, rather this is to be understood either of the
grace of faith, which is much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, which receives the righteousness of Christ, puts it on,

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " FOUR BEASTS." 17
and girds it about the believer ; or of love, the love of God and
Christ, which encompass the saints about, and constrain them,
and engage them in fervent love to them, and one another : or
of the girdle of truth, Eph. vi., 14, which is near and close to
them, and which keeps them close to Christ; nor can they
depart totally and finally from him, or that ; or in general, this
may denote their strength and readiness for what service they
shall be called to ; see Luke xii., 35, 36 ; 1 Peter i., 13."
It has already been observed, Vol. II. , p. 36, that by
the four Beasts are meant not a part of the Word of God,
such as the four evangelists ; but the whole Word of God in
its fourfold aspect.
The Cherubim, says A Lapide, Exodus xxv., 18, p.
540, " are the symbol of wisdom, which excels all other
things and is alone fit for the government of others. Por
the wisdom of God, in governing this universe, (Wisdom
viii., 1) ' reacheth from one end to another : mightily and
sweetly doth she order all things.' This is the form of
the best government." Again, p. 536, A Lapide says,
that the Cherubim represented a divine and secret know
ledge of obscure and divine things ; hence, that Jerome
and others have interpreted the name to signify ' a fulness
or multitude of knowledge.'
Spencer says, in his Laws of Moses, p. 858, that the
Cherubim adumbrated the most remarkable properties of
God and the angels ; and in p. 862, he treats of their
symbolizing the power of the Deity in governing the world.
Bossuet understands the four Beasts to signify the four
Evangelists ; Ribera, to signify the Evangelists or the
evangelical law.
Villalpandus on Ezekiel, vol. ii., p. 315 ; —
"The great Anastasius, the Sinaite, Patriarch of Antioch
and Martyr, when explaining that sentence in the blessed
apostle Paul, in which he says, that ' all things are brought
back to their head and are restored in Christ,' observes, if you
wish to know that He has six wings, hear the Psalmist, who says
vol. iv. c

18 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION, [dlAP. XV.
to Him, 'Thou shalt protect me under the shadow of thy wings :'
He took them under his own care, spreading over them his
wings. For as the True Light which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world, and itself beholding all things, is there
fore worthily called ¦rroXvo(f)6aXfio<i, i. e., having many eyes; and
as the word Cherubim is interpreted ' multitude of knowledge,'
and God is the Lord of knowledge, for He knoweth all things
before they are done, and no one knoweth the Father but the
Son ; so worthily is He himself also called Cherubim, who is
himself the Maker of the Cherubim ; worthily also is He called
Seraphim, which is interpreted a flaming and a burning fire.
You see that Anastasius assigns to the Cherubim six wings, a
multitude of eyes, and a multitude of knowledge ; all which
are found in a still higher degree in Christ, with the power of
giving light (proper to the Cherubim,) and also the power of
burning proper to the Seraphim."
" Still nearer to the explanation of this vision comes the
other Anastasius, priest of Nicsea, who assigns the face of a
Cherub to Christ the Lord ; from which, says he, it is manifest
that the Word, the Maker of all things who sitteth upon the
Cherubim, and comprehendeth all things in one, hath given to
us men the manifestation of the Gospel, which though quadri-
form is comprehended in one Spirit ; as David said, when pray
ing for his advent, ' Thou that sittest between the Cherubim,
shew thyself.' For the Cherubim have four faces, and their
faces are the images of the operation of the Son of God."
Ambrose Ansbert also says, that the Cherubim repre
sent something in Christ ; so likewise says Pradus ; these
' writers not following out a fiction of their own brain,' says
Villalpandus, ' but pursuing a most exalted argument ; in
their enquiries into which the most holy and learned men
have from the beginning of the early church most worthily
engaged their endeavors and studies.'
Ibid, p. 317 ;—
" With respect to the name of living creatures, as given to the
Cherubim of the ark, it seems to be confirmed by the testimony
of Bede ; who, when he interprets the two Cherubim to be the
two Testaments, in the midst of which Christ appears and speaks,

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET — " VIALS." 19
adds, ' in this sense may be understood the passage of Habba
kuk who says, 'In the midst of the Two Living Creatures,* do
thou make known, &c, Hab. iii., 2.' "
It is observed by Malvenda in his Treatise on Anti
christ, p. 48, when treating of the passage in Habbakuk
iii., 2, " O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years,
in the midst of the years make known," &c, that instead
of years Eusebius of Cesarea reads lives ; and hence thus
interprets the passage ; " Our Lord and Saviour, who is
the very Word or God, is known amidst the two lives ;
for we are not to understand them as two living creatures
but two lives ;" which he considers to be the life of the
divinity and that of the humanity. Jerome regards the
lives as living creatures ; and says, that " some understand
the two living creatures as the two Testaments, the New
and the Old, which are truly animate (animantiaj and
vital, which breathe, and in the midst of which the Lord
may be known."
We thus see how the Cherubim or Living Creatures are
identified with the perfections of Christ, or with the Word,
or with the two Testaments which are the Word, or with
the four Gospels which are part of the Word; hence how it
is that they naturally indicate wisdom either as underived, or
else as derived into the angelic multitude from the Word.
Thus the four Animals, the Word, as being essentially
divine, are in the midst of the throne ; as diffused or
infused into the angelic hosts, they are round about the
throne. On the words in Zechariah xiv., 20, " The pots in the
Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar," Me-
nochius observes ; —
" The use of the pots was in boiling the flesh of the victims
sacrificed to God. ' Like the bowls' (or phials) : in the temple
there was a great abundance of phials, for they were used for
* The reading of the Septuagint.
c2

20 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
many purposes ; for instance, for burning incense, for libations
of wine, &c, and for receiving the blood of the victims. Where
fore as utensils in use at the temple, there were usually more
phials than pots."
It is observed by Bishop Chandler in the Vindication
of his Defence of Christianity, vol. ii., p. 47, that Soph or
Siph, the origmal of the Greek Scyphus, means a cup or
bowl in the Hebrew and Chaldee tongue; and again, p. 61,
that Tzapha or Sapha signifies to speculate, look about, or
enquire nicely, which being part of the office of prophets,
they were therefore called Zophim ; but that the same verb
Zapha, in another conjugation, hath the sense of covering and
concealing ; partly, because the wise men used to commu
nicate their knowledge by parables and figurative expres
sions. Hence, he thinks, arose the Greek word Sophia ;
as in Eccles. vi., 22, " Wisdom, is according to her name,
and she is not manifest unto many." " There was then in
the Hebrew tongue a word like Sophia, signifying wisdom,
used also for secrecy and concealment, which was its pri
mary sense ; and the name was metaphorically translated
to wisdom for some relation it had to things hidden and
covered." Thus we see the connection between the Scyphus,
bowl or phial, and toisdom. Hence also Haymo says, that
the phials are filled with the ivord ofi wisdom. Anselm
Archbishop of Canterbury says, they are full of wisdom and
charity. Richard of St. Victor says, they signify the
preaching or discoursing of the Gospel, and that the phials
are golden because they are lucidly and clearly illuminated
by divine wisdom. Alcasar says, that the vials (coming
from the word vaXos) signify the preaching of the Gospel.
Thus also the signification of phial is very similar to that
of cup, which we have seen to signify, in an evil sense,
erroneous doctrine or teaching, or truth falsified.
Cardinal Hugo says, that by these vials are signified
" all the discourses and authorities of Scripture," and that

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " VIALS." 21
they are golden as being " full of divine wisdom." Essen
tially, says he, " they are golden ; but accidentally full of
wrath ; because it is accidentally that they announce punish
ment, essentially that they announce tidings of joy."
Lauretus says, that in a good sense —
" A phial as being of broad dimension, may signify a very
copious supply of doctrine, and also great and eloquent doctors
(B. Gregory, Jerome, Rupertus, Origen, Ambrose) ; and like
wise, the measure of preaching according to the capacity of
the preacher." In a bad sense ; "phials are the fallacious reasons of
heretics, with which they supply to the simple the wine
of error." (Rupertus).
Tychonius says, the phials were full of incense, which
incense was " both the wrath of God and also the Word of
God." Scott says, that giving the vials to the angels, im
plied that " the preaching of the truth would be instru
mental in bringing the judgments which were written,
upon Antichristian opposers ; and ' the temple being filled
with smoke/ shewed the darkness of those dispensations
and the horror which would envelop the enemies of God
while these plagues were executing."
It appears from Exodus xxv., 29, that the bowls or
phials were made for the table of shittim wood ; and this
circumstance is mentioned in connection with the making
of the cherubim and the mercy-seat; on which passage
A Lapide quotes B. Gregory, Homily vi. in Evang., to
shew that by phials is there signified an abounding supply
of doctrine, or the teaching of wisdom.
We have already observed, Vol. IL, p. 244, that Vitringa
regards the phials as being filled with fire. Nor will this
be far from the truth, if we conceive them to be filled with
burning incense ; which would seem to be implied in the
sequel, where it is said (understanding the symbol in a good
sense) that the temple was filled with smoke. In this case,

22 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
the truths of the Word (which is represented by the four
beasts), burning with love and contained in the letter of
Scripture, will be represented by the burning incense con
tained in the golden phials. It is indeed said elsewhere
that the incense is the prayers of the saints ; we may there
fore regard it as representing also the worship of the Lamb
in spirit and in truth.
Forbes, Apocalypse, chap, xv., p. 148 ; —
"These cups are given to the angels by one of the four
beasts, that is, by the true pastors of the church, chap. iv. ; to
shew, that through the clear light of the Gospel preached,
Antichrist being laid open, the hearts of God his faithful ser
vants, shall be filled with holy indignation and zeal to employ
their power to God his honor, in his overthrow, stirred thereto
by the preachers of the truth. ' Reward her as she hath rewarded
you,' &c, ' according to the cup she filled to you, fill her the
double.' "
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 8 ; —
" ' And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory
of God and his virtue,' signifies, the inmost of heaven full
of the Lord's divine spiritual and celestial truth : ' and no
one could enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of
the seven angels were consummated,' signifies, in such
degree there, that it could not further be supported ; and
this until, after devastation, the end of that church was
seen." Ibid., art. 754;—
" That smoke in an opposite sense signifies falses of
concupiscences, and falses originating in the pride of self-
ascribed intelligence, see chap, ix., 2, 17."
Interpretation of smoke generally in a good sense.
Bede, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" If you interpret the smoke to signify the secret arcana of
God's judgments, these remain impenetrable and shut up to
mortals ; until the plagues of the age now treated of being ac-

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET — " SMOKE." 23
complished, the Lord cometh, who will both give light and make
manifest the hidden things of darkness ; so far as is useful to
try the faith of the church ; or, in justice, to blind those Jews
who have not received the love of the truth that they might be
saved," &c.
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" Smoke usually accompanies the divine presence ; in order
that by this it may be signified, that the divine nature is incom
prehensible, and is but obscurely known by us in this life."
Pyle, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" As in the Jewish tabernacle when it was consecrated by
Moses, and in the temple when dedicated by Solomon, the glory
of the Lord filled both those places to such a degree that even
the priests could not enter them till it was over ; so will the
Divine Majesty display itself in a most adorable manner in these
judgments upon the Antichristian powers, and in the reforma
tion of his church."
Durham, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; — ¦
..." The temple is filled with smoke : this alludeth to God's
way of old making his presence sensible by signs in the taber
nacle when it was newly erected, as Exod. xl. ; and in the temple
when it was newly builded, as 2 Kings viii., 10. So here when
the gospel-church shall be of new recovered, God's presence will
be as sensible and great in it as it was of old ; when priests
might not enter into the temple because of the glory of it."
Interpretation of smoke in an evil sense.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" The smoke signifies the blindness of ignorance, with which
the hearts of such unbelievers are filled as know not how to
consider that God will give unto thera the heritage, as unto sons ;
and therefore He permits them to be afflicted for a time, in order
that, after a short season, they may rejoice with Him in a state
without time."
Glossa Ordinaria, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" Although all things will then be open to the faithful ; ne
vertheless they will be shut and obscure to the unbelieving."
Richard of St. Victor, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" The temple being filled with smoke, no one can enter in ;

24 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
because none of the wicked, who by God's permission were
blinded with ignorance, can understand the justice of the divine
judgment." Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xv.;— " ' The temple was filled:' although the mysteries of the church
were open to the good, still they were obscure to the wicked :
' with smoke,' i. e., darkness from the majesty of God, from his
presence, and from his power ; because to whom he shuts no
one opens ; and ' none (of the wicked) could enter into the temple,'
i. e., into the church; that is, become members of the church,
until the seven plagues of God were consummated," &c.
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
.." As if he should say ; Although the divine judgments
are open to the faithful, as also the secrets of Scripture or the
mysteries of the church; nevertheless they are closed to the
wicked, who are blinded by the smoke of their ignorance and
obstinacy. Whence he says, that the temple of God, that is,
the church or the Scriptures, was filled with smoke, i. e., with
obscurity in relation to the reprobate, who see not those myste
ries of God which yet are open to the good : and in this appear
the majesty and power of God, who shuts to the unworthy and
opens to the worthy ; whence he adds, ' from the majesty of God,'
who hath the keys of David, who shutteth and no man openeth,
and openeth and no man shutteth. ' And no one could enter in,'
i. e., to see the mysteries of Scripture and penetrate into them,
for their wickedness blinded them, Wisdom ii. ; ' until the seven
plagues of the seven angels were consummated.' . . . Or, gene
rally, no one, whether good or evil, could enter into the temple,
i. e., into heaven, so as fully to know its mysteries," &c.
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" ' And no one could enter into the temple,' &c. Although
the temple was open, and access was given to the faithful, and
the glory of God was made manifest in the world; nevertheless
this abundance of smoke hindered men from approaching him
without error, in spirit and in truth ; but many strayed from
the kingdom of heaven, adoring the beast for God ; and the
kingdom of God could not be found except through faith : and

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET — "ENTER." 25
because throughout the whole of that time it was in the world,
although not with observation so as to be seen of men, or as if
it were a city built with hands," &c.
" In that it is said ' no one could enter in,' it signifies that
the smoke was so great an impediment to men as to prevent their
entering into the temple ; so that it was impossible for them to
distinguish the smoke from the temple, and thus to recognize
the temple of God. For if no one can see the kingdom of
heaven, and enter into it, except he at length be born again,
John iii., 3, 5 ; this inability becomes wonderfully increased in
the carnal man, when such an obstacle as the foregoing is put in
his way. But that which is impossible with man, is possible with
God, Matt, xix., 26. The reason for which men cannot enter
in because of the smoke, is, because by nature they love those
things which are of great account with the world, and which are
but smoke."Durham, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" These plagues being against obstinate contemners of the
light of the Word, now such a spiritual smoke of ignorance and
hardness of heart was on them, and possibly of darkness and
contention in the church, that through God's judgment on them
they fretted under these plagues and perished, but repented not ;
as we will see particularly observed, chap, xvi."
Faber, Sacred Calendar of Prophecy, vol. iii., p. 248 ; —
. . . "Although open, no man was able to enter into the
temple, by reason of a thick smoke, until the effusion of all the
seven vials should have been completed. Such accordingly has
been the fact. Though every physical impediment be now re
moved, and though the doors of the temple be thrown wide
open ; yet, through the moral impediment of a thick intellectual
smoke, no man can enter into it. Even where the light of the
Gospel shines the brightest, the adherent of the Roman church*
is unable to discern its excellency. The temple is open : but
clouds and darkness bar up his approach, no less effectually than
persecution itself."
Tract Society, Apocalypse, chap. xv. ; —
" The greatest deliverances of the church are brought about
* Not the adherent of the Romish church alone.

26 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XV.
by awful and astonishing steps of Providence ; and the happy
state of the true church, perhaps implied by the entering into
the temple, will not commence, till by the same awful dispen
sations obstinate enemies shall be destroyed, and lukewarm,
superstitious, or formal Christians are purified. Then whatever
is unscriptural or antiscriptural in every company being purged
away, the whole brought to purity, unity, and spirituality, shall
be firmly established."
A similar interpretation is given by Richard Bernard,
&c* Mr. Galloway, Gate of Prophecy, vol. ii., p. 401 ; —
" As to what is signified by that event itself, ' the opening of
the temple in heaven,' I have already remarked that it signifies
the termination of the dispensation of the mystery of God, and
of the contemporaneous mystery of iniquity, during which God's
providence was in a sealed or closed state, shut up for future
manifestation ; and further, the introduction of a new dispen
sation, beginning in open and manifest judgment, and pro
ceeding in a more glorious disclosure of God's gracious purpose
in and by the general assembly of the redeemed, and sanctified,
and saved."
Ibid., p. 404 ;—
" That temple which is now opened in heaven, in the act
and purpose of the eternal God and in the new dispensation
of his Providence toward the church, doth there indeed taber
nacle for a time ; but shall descend, if it be not already descend
ing, out of heaven upon the earth ; that the tabernacle of God
may be with men. The church in her visible constitution, con
sidered apart from Christ her bridegroom, is not a temple but a
city or a polity ; the character of temple depends upon the in
habitation of God and of the Lamb therein ; but united spi
ritually and eternally to these, a temple she unquestionably
becomes. The full understanding of the nature of the new
dispensation of God now opened, cannot be expected to be at
tained, while no man as yet is able to enter into the experience
* See also here Professor Lee's Enquiry into the Nature, Progress, and End of
Prophecy, p. 418.

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  "ENTER." 27
and enjoyment of it ; but its general character is revealed and
may therefore be known with certainty."
The real nature of the new dispensation may be
clearly seen in what has already been stated ; and is further
shewn in the comments of Cardinal Hugo on Apoc. xi.,
where it is said the temple of God was opened in heaven.
Thus ;—
" ' And the temple of God was opened in heaven,' i. e., the
mysteries of God were made manifest and revealed in the
church, which is called heaven, as having the luminaries of doc
trine." ..." Or the Scripture is called heaven ; in which the temple
was closed so long as the book was sealed under figures and ob
scurities ; but was opened when at the approach of truth the
darkness withdrew, as the shadows of night at the dawn of day.
The luminaries of this heaven are the several sentences of Scrip
ture; or the four modes of exposition, the allegorical, analo
gical, topological, and historical."
Cardinal Hugo intimates that the temple here referred
to is the same as the one mentioned in Ezekiel xliii., and
which has already been seen to be a new temple or a new
church. It has further been seen that the Protestant Re
formation did not call into existence a new church, and
that reference is therefore made by the opening of the
temple to some period subsequent to the Reformation;
since the Protestant church is not professedly a new
church, but a reformed one. It has also been seen, that
so far from the spiritual sense of Scripture having been
laid open at the Reformation, it was altogether denied.
The passage therefore here implies some other and subse
quent church, not reformed only but new, in which the
spiritual senses of Scripture are laid open.
See what has been said on this subject in Vol. IIL,
p. 5, 253.
According to Swedenborg, the three senses of Scripture

28 spiritual exposition. [chap. XV.
now unfolded at the Lord's second advent, are the celestial,
spiritual, and natural. That the second advent of the Lord
in clouds was intimated in chap. xi. by the opening of the
temple, has already been seen to be the opinion of Mede.
See Vol. IL, p. 273.
The candid and thoughtful reader will not fail to per
ceive in all these remarks a signal confirmation of Sweden-
borg's interpretations; and will, if guided by the Spirit
of Truth, beware lest the smoke of prejudice, ignorance,
obstinacy, or false doctrine prevent him from entering into
the temple.

CHAPER XVI.
THE EVILS AND FALSES IN THE CHURCH OP THE REFORMED DISCOVERED
BY INFLUX FROM HEAVEN.— INFLUX INTO THE CLERGY— INTO THE
LAITY— INTO THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD— INTO THEIR LOVE
—INTO THEIR FAITH— INTO THEIR INTERIOR REASONINGS— INTO ALL
THESE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xvi., ver. 1 ;
" ' And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying
to the seven angels, Go and pour out the vials of the wrath
of God upon the earth,' signifies, influx from the Lord out
of the inmost heaven into the church of the Reformed,
where they are who are principled in faith separated from
charity as to doctrine and life."
Ibid., art, 676, p. 191 ;—
" The church among the Reformed is still treated of ;
but in the next chapter the subject is concerning the Roman
Catholic church, and afterwards concerning the last judg
ment, and finally concerning the New Church, which is
the New Jerusalem (see the Preface and n. 2). Chapters
viii. and ix. treat of the seven angels who had the seven
trumpets, which they sounded ; and inasmuch as many
similar circumstances occur there, I will explain what is
signified by those seven angels, and what by these. By the
seven trumpets which the seven angels sounded, is signi
fied the exploration and manifestation of the falses and
evils, in which they who are in faith separated from charity
are principled ; but by the seven vials full of the seven last
plagues, is signified their devastation and consummation ;
for the last judgment is not executed upon them until they

30 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
are devastated. Devastation and consummation in the spi
ritual world take place in this manner : from those who
are in falses as to doctrine, and thence in evils as to life,
are taken away all the goods and truths which they pos
sessed only in the natural man, and by virtue of which
they simulated Christians ; on being deprived of which,
they are separated from heaven, and conjoined with hell ;
and then they are disposed into societies in the world of
spirits according to their various concupiscences, and after
wards these societies soon begin to sink down. They are
deprived of goods and truths by an influx from heaven :
the influx is of genuine truths and goods, by which they
are tortured and tormented ; just like a serpent when put
near a fire, or thrown upon an ant-hill ; for which reason
they reject from themselves the goods and truths of heaven,
which are also the goods and truths of the church ; and at
last, by reason of their feeling as if their infernal torment
proceeded from them, they curse them : when this has
come to pass, they enter into their own evils and falses
and are separated from the good. These are the things
which are described and signified in this chapter by the
pouring out of the vials, wherein were the seven last
plagues. The vials did not contain the evils and falses
signified by the plagues, but genuine truths and goods ;
the effect of which was such as has been described ; for
the angels came out of the temple of the tabernacle of tes
timony, by which is meant the inmost of heaven, where
there are nothing but goods and truths in divine holiness
(chap, xv., 6). This is the devastation and consumma
tion which the Lord speaks of in these words : ' Por unto
every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have
abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken
away even that which he hath,' Matt, xxv., 29 • Mark iv.,
25. 'Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it

VERSE I.] SEVENTH TRUMPET  " VIALS." 31
unto him which hath ten talents ; for unto every one that
hath shall be given, that he may abound, but from him
that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath,' Matt.
xxv., 28, 29 ; Luke xix., 24, 25,' 26."
Alcasar, speaking of the agreement between the two
series of plagues, viz., those of Egypt and those of the
Apocalypse, observes, not. 5, chap, viii., ver. 2 ; —
" When therefore we consider this agreement between these
two, it becomes immediately apparent that the Holy Spirit
delineated in the plagues of Egypt, as in certain figures, what
He was about afterwards to accomplish through the medium
of the plagues of which the Apocalypse treats. This Irenaeus
teaches in the following words, book iv., chap. 1. ; ' The entire
exodus of the people out of Egypt was a type and image of that
exodus of the church which was to take place from out of the
Gentiles ; and which not Moses the servant of God, but Jesus the
Son of God, led forth into its heritage. If any one however
will give very diligent heed to what is said by the prophets con
cerning the end, and then to what John the disciple of the Lord
saw in the Apocalypse, he will find that the nations universally
experience the same plagues which Egypt then received in par
ticular.' Thus far Irenasus. These words of Irenaeus and of
the ancient presbyter whom he praises, if rightly considered,
throw great light upon the Apocalypse ; for there is introduced
into them the subject matter of both the plagues, namely, the
trumpets and vials, and which altogether occupy five or six
chapters. In the foregoing words, moreover, we are admon
ished that these are the same plagues by which God brings forth
the mystical Israel, that is, Christian people, from out of the
mystical Egypt," &c.
Haymo says, 'the vials are called vials of wrath be
cause the source from which pardon is derived through a
pacification of wrath is the same from which others derive
the wrath of vengeance.' Anselm Archbishop of Canter
bury says that * the mysteries of God are now opened, and
that as some now refuse to enter in at the preaching of the

32 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
angels, so these angels are furnished with a just reason for
smiting with the plague.'
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 249 ; —
..." These phials are golden because the vengeance of God in
this life proceeds from love and not from hatred. For He is
willing by the vial to correct and to heal the perverse mind of
man : the case is otherwise in another life and in hell. When
therefore thou art here chastised by God, think that God loves
thee, &c. ... In like manner the angels proceed to punish from
out of charity, in order that by these punishments they may
induce sinners to emendation of life."
Similar is the interpretation of Marloratus.
Dr. Wordsworth, Lectures on the Apocalypse, p. 420 ; —
" This word vial you will bear in mind is not to be under
stood in its common English acceptation. It does not signify
a bottle, but a bowl-like dish. It is borrowed from the temple
worship, and describes the sacred bowls in which aromatic
incense, lighted by coals taken from the great brazen altar of
sacrifice which stood in the outer court of the temple, was of
fered on the golden altar which stood in the inner court or place
before the veil."
..." These phials represent spiritual benefits converted into
banes ; means of grace changed into plagues. Precisely as was
the case with the Two Witnesses. They were God's messengers
to man. But they are despised, and the word in their mouth
bursts into fire and consumes their foes."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And the first went and poured out his vial upon the
earth,' signifies, influx into those who are in the interiors
of the church of the Reformed, and study the doctrine of
justification by faith alone, and are called the clergy : ' and
there came an evil and noisome sore,' signifies, interior
evils and falses destructive of all good and truth in the
church : ' upon the men who had the mark of the beast,
and worshipped his image,' signifies, among those who live
a life of faith only and receive the doctrine thereof."

VERSE II.] FIRST VIAL  " ULCER." 33
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., says that these
plagues are to be understood spiritually, and that they are
brought to pass in the soul as being " voluntary and mortal
sins, which are as ulcers in the soul and are experienced
by all the impious and proud." Haymo regards the ulcer
as signifying the sin of unbelief. Andreas ; " an ulcerous
state of the soul, and wounds inflicted by the diabolical im
postures of Antichrist and the darts of error." Ambrose
Ansbert ; unwillingness to believe in Christ. So also Viegas.
Brixianus, art. Ulcus ; — •
" Ulcer, in Isaiah lxiii., means original sin (Galatinus) ."
Lauretus, art. Ulcus; —
" The ivounds of the soul are said to be sins (Origen, Jerome,
B. Gregory) ; and an ulcer bred in the flesh seems to be sin origi
nating from the inclination of the flesh. Now the cause of ulcer
in the body is from the abundance of a filthy noxious humor ;
while the cause of ulcer in the soul is from the abundance of
unclean thoughts and cupidities in it. Wounds are also errors
concerning the faith. . . . The ten plagues of Egypt are sins con
trary to the Decalogue (Augustin, Isychius, Bede, Chrysostom) ."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 1920 ; —
"That this plague was a spiritual one, is shewn from the
facts; as, 1. That the bestial world is exhibited as spiritual
Egypt, chap. xi. (Mede) ; as also by the circumstance that it is
said to be in men, i. e., interiorly, in the hearts and consciences
of men (Pareus, Brightman)."
Daubuz, Habershon's Dictionary, art. Sore ; —
"The symbol of sores or ulcers is very analogous to the
vices and guilt of the mind."
" A sore signifies an uncleanness, a sin, or vice proportion
able to the properties of the sore."
" Sores or ulcers symbolically signify sins ; because, in the
Hebrew phrase and notions, to heal signifies to pardon sins;
and to pardon the sin is equivalent to healing."
Patrick Porbes, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 151 ; —
" The effect thereof is, that the filthiness, loose life, hypo
crisy, avarice, pride, simony, and other vices of the clergy, and
VOL. iv. D

34 ' SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
church of Antichrist, break out to the view of the world (long
blinded) as filthy boils." . . .
"Now, as in the first trumpet, contention and self-love
joined with cruelty, like fire and hail mixed with blood, cast on
the earth, made the first great degree to Antichrist's rising,
by burning up all true love, life, and holy zeal of religion : so,
the first open degree of his fall, is by the cup of wrath poured
on the earth, even the discovery of their hypocrisy and filthi-
ness, whereby they were seen to be void of all true religion."
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 701 ; —
" This emblem of an ulcer exhibits to us the body of the
Church as everywhere so deformed with its ulcers, that is, with
vicious doctrine, worship, discipline, and morals, that holy men
everywhere begin to avoid communion with it and to distin
guish the church by the name of Babylon and Sodom; nearly
after the same manner as the Jewish church, suffering in every
part of it, corrupted and filthy with its vices and spots, is
described by Isaiah i., 6." . . .
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Scripture Prophecies,
vol. ii., p. 80 ; —
" Now what resemblance can be more proper to represent
such a corruption of manners, than a noisome sore, or ulcer,
which is here given by St. John ? An ulcer does contain the
idea, 1. Of a great corruption of the blood ; for apostems and
ulcers do always proceed from thence. 2. Of a very great stink,
offensive to the smell. 3. Of a frightful object to the sight.
Such was this corruption of manners ; it proceeded from a deep
corruption of the inward parts of the heart and mind ; it cast
a very bad smell, which hath reached even to us," &c.
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 358; —
" Ulcers or sores in the natural body are indications of the
bad state of the system ; what is commonly called a bad habit
(icaxe%la, cachexy). This bad habit may exist before the ulcer
makes its appearance : some exciting cause brings out the sore,
and thus serves as a test, shewing the real condition of the
patient; the eruption on the surface of the body being an effect
of the inward disease. Sores too having their varieties, the
character of the irruption corresponds with that of the disease.

VERSE II.] FIRST VIAL  " MEN WHO HAD THE MARK." 35
The test accordingly, whatever it may be, becomes the means of
indicating the latent ailment."
" The pouring out of these vials may be viewed as the ap
plication of so many tests. The effusion of this first vial upon
the earth or land is not the cause of the ulcer ; for the cause is
in the bad habit — the constitution of the men ; but it is the
means of betraying and manifesting their real condition — shew
ing their real character ; the condition of man by nature (his
earthly position) corresponding with the description of the
prophet, Is. i., 5. 6; ' The whole head is sick, and the whole
heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there
is no soundness in it ; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying
sores : they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither
mollified with ointment.' So David, under a conviction of his
' iniquities,' exclaims, ' My wounds stink and are corrupt, be
cause of my foolishness,' Ps. xxxviii., 5."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 1919; —
" Upon the earth — upon the ecclesiastical state or body, as
understood by the earth, chap, ix., 3 (Cotterius) ; upon the An-
tichristian clergy and church (Forbes) ; or the order of false
prophets, &c. (Cluverus)."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 523 ; —
" Of what sort these men be, is declared by the mark of the
beast, and the adoring of his image. Now we have shewed
above, chap, xiii., 17, out of that threefold mark with which the
worshippers of the beast are signed, that the first obtaineth the
name of the whole, and is called a mark, which hath his seat in
the right hand, and was proper to the chief worshippers, that
is, the nobles, the clergy, the schoolmen, &c, upon whom the
beast doth chiefly rely, as upon props. Wherefore these were
chiefly to be plagued with this sore. But not only such as have
the mark, but such also as adore his image, are to be vexed ;
now this belongs chiefly to the teachers, and such as are more
subtile than the common sort, as hath been said on the 9th verse
of the 14th chapter; although the adoring of the image be in
some respect common to all the Popish crew, chap, xiii., 15."*
* Brightman says, p. 530 ; — " For we must know, that the whole company of
the malignant church is divided either into the clergy ; or into the rest of the com
mon sort, called by them laity. Those clergymen are the living creatures that be
D 2

36 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' And the second angel poured out his vial upon the
sea,' signifies, influx among those there who are in the ex
ternals thereof, and principled in that faith, and are called
the laity : ' and it became blood as of one dead, and every
living soul died in the sea/ signifies, the infernal false prin
ciple among them, whereby all truth of the Word, conse
quently of the church and of faith, is extinguished."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" In the sea is water, and therefore we must first ascertain
what this water is, and then how it is turned into blood. For
the Law of the Old Testament is water, which was afterwards
turned by Christ into wine at the marriage-feast. For to the
Jews was given the Scripture as sweet water, by which those
might be saved who believed in Christ as promised to them ;
but these turned the same Scripture into the bitterness of un
belief, denying Christ, and delivering him over to death ; thus
turning it into blood, that is, into a carnal meaning. The sea
therefore was made blood, as the blood of the body of a dead
man, because they verily turned the Law into their own destruc
tion, when they were always wishing to understand it in a carnal
manner, and never to pass on to the spiritual sense. But with
this evil are those proved to perish more fearfully, who, to their
own damnation, denying Christ before the face of Pilate, are
recorded to have said, ' His blood be upon us and upon our
children." " ' And every living soul died in the sea.' By the whole we
here understand a part. For it is not all who die through a
carnal understanding of the law ; because there are many who
by the grace of God understand in a spiritual sense that which
happened to the Jews in a figure."
. . . " ' Every living soul died in the sea,' is to be understood
of those only who in reading the law attend to nothing else but
.the letter, as did the Jews ; but who cease to be dead especially
proper to this sea ; these of the laity are chiefly the earthly ones, and are noted by
the earth.''
Here is observed the distinction already noticed between earth and sea, or clergy
and laity. Brightman however has inverted the application.

VERSE III.] SECOND VIAL — " BLOOD." 37
from that time in which they begin to live as believers, through
the medium of its spiritual senses."
Primasius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" ' And the second angel poured out his phial into the sea,
and it became blood,' &c. The water being turned into blood
we may readily understand as the same with thinking carnally
of spiritual things ; which without any difficulty we know to be
figured forth in the first of the plagues brought upon Egypt. . . .
' And every living soul died in the sea.' By which I conceive to
be signified those among the Jews who not only aimed at car
nally understanding the spiritual Law, whence they could not
recognize Christ as being within it (for had they known Him,
says the apostle, they would never have crucified the Lord of
glory) ; but who are brought to such a pass by the urgency of
their deserts, that, being smitten with a second sore of a still
worse plague, they wish for the image of the beast ; and having
the inscription of his name, they think that Antichrist should
be adored instead of Christ."
Ambrose Ansbert gives a like interpretation.
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 399; —
" God's plague upon these maketh them like the blood of a
dead man ; that is, as chap, viii., 8, it became corrupt, and not
only useless but deadly ; so that whosoever now would follow
that way and drink of these doctrines, it would kill him."
Piscator says the blood signifies horror of conscience
arising from a corruption of the Word of God.
Patrick Porbes, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 151 ; —
" The second vial maketh a higher degree, in that not only
the persons, who worshipped the beast and received his cha
racters, are for their filthiness, odious ; but now, even their com
mon doctrine and ordinary worship becometh vile and corrupted
as bloody worsum, deadly to all that drink thereof, and abhorred
of men, who in the clear glassy sea before the throne perceived
the stinking rottenness of this Asphaltites."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 528 ; —
" It is the doctrine therefore, whereunto a notable change
should happen under this vial ; for whereas it was corrupt

38 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
before, it should now be made corrupt to the superlative degree.
In former ages it was changed into blood, but now it should be
turned into a more gross and public filthiness than ever before,
till at last it became like to the blood dropping out of a dead
man ; black gore, thick and rotten : not clear and flourishing,
such as gloweth out of a live body."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 381, gives a similar
interpretation, but applies it to the decrees of the Council
of Trent ;—
" ' The waters of the sea became as the blood of a dead
man ;' that is, corrupted and mortal, hence every soul living in
the sea died ; for the decrees of Trent were bloody, that is writ
ten (and so indeed generally they were) with the blood of here
tics: but (being false and destructive) by their filthy and deadly
savor, they killed the souls of all living creatures, swimming or
seeking for life in this sea."
Lauretus, art. Sanguis ; —
" Among the Egyptians water is converted into blood, when
divine worship is turned into idolatry."
Lauretus, art. Bibere ; —
" True drink is the acknowledgment of the truth (Origen) .
To drink blood is to feed upon the sins and errors of others
(Glossa Ordinaria)."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 143 ; —
..." Whatever waters from the Scripture they imagine
they drink in the synagogues, are converted into blood; because
they corrupt them for themselves by a deadly perversion of the
understanding ; the Spirit of prophecy assigning this employ
ment to them, and thus pronouncing, ' Let their table become
a snare before them ; and that which should have been for their
welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that
they see not ; and make their loins continually to shake,' Psalm
lxix., 22."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 4 ; 
' And the third angel poured out his vial upon the
rivers and fountains of waters,' signifies, influx into their

VERSE IV.] SECOND VIAL  " RIVERS AND FOUNTAINS." 39
understanding of the Word : ' and they became blood,'
signifies, the truths of the Word falsified."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
..." By rivers and fountains of waters, are signified Gen
tiles ; as in Like manner they are above, by the sea. The river
flows onward from its source into lower regions, and is then
emptied into the sea ; so likewise paganism, flowing from infi
delity, pursues its course onwards to death ; but paganism,
in its systems of philosophy, received its own proper vial, i. e.,
the sacred Scripture and the knowledge of God ; as when for
instance Plato, while in Egypt as is supposed, knew from Jere
miah, that an omnipotent God made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that is in them ; but turned this phial into blood, that is,
into a depravation induced by error; saying, that heavenly beings,
that is angels, made all things, that is, the inferior creation.
Virgil also learned from the volume of Daniel, that there were
four kingdoms pre-ordained of God ; one of which was the
golden; but this truth he converted into blood when he referred
it to Saturn and Jupiter, and said that these were the founders
of the kingdoms. Hence the teacher of the Gentiles thus
speaks ; ' Carnal wisdom is death ;' and again ; ' The wisdom of
the flesh is enmity with God.' "
Primasius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" He embraces all the nations in general, who being fore
stalled by the error of their nature, and involved in filthy
desires, added this error likewise of carnal wisdom in things
divine ; whence by the fountains may be understood the doc
trines ofthe Gentiles. Therefore, he says, they became blood ;
according as it is said in Genesis, ' My spirit shall not always
remain in these men, inasmuch as they are flesh.' Likewise in
the book of Wisdom it is said ; ' They were defiled with foul blood
for a manifest reproof;' and because, moreover, to be wise
according to the flesh, says the apostle, is death ; and the wis
dom of the flesh is enmity with God."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xvi ;—
" In the rivers and fountains of waters, we see that paganism
is here figured forth ; and, as this was preceded by the error of
our nature, and like a river flowed onward to death, amid filthy

40 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
works : so it added to the former error that of carnal wisdom in its
teachers, that is to say, in the philosophers of this world, in regard
to things divine. For they had learned many truths from the
law and the prophets, which nevertheless they afterwards con
verted into a corrupt dogma. For there are some who relate
that Plato, to say nothing of others, when in Egypt as is sup
posed, learned from Jeremiah the prophet many truths; but
afterwards, as we have said, converted them into a most corrupt
dogma. Of such, says the apostle, ' when they knew God they
glorified him not as God, nor gave him thanks ; but went
astray in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened ;
calling themselves wise when they were fools ; and changed the
glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of an image of
corruptible man.' This is assuredly for the water to be turned
into blood; that is, it is to renounce a spiritual understanding,
and to follow a carnal one in all things. Hence in the way of
reproof, it was said by the Lord to Peter when savoring of car
nal wisdom, ' Get thee behind me, Satan ; thou art an offence
to me ; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the
things that be of men.' On the other hand, when having a
right understanding concerning the Lord's divinity, it was said
to him by the Lord himself, ' Blessed art thou Simon Barjona;
for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven.' Hence also to some who were carnally
understanding his words, it was said, ' It is the Spirit which
giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing.' Hence likewise the
teacher of the Gentiles says, ' To be carnally minded is death.'
And again; 'The wisdom ofthe flesh is enmity to God.'"
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" ' Poured out his vial upon the rivers,' namely, announced
punishment and divine vengeance to the false apostles of Anti
christ and heretics who corrupt the Scriptures."
" ' And upon the fountains of waters,' that is, the leaders of
heretics from whom the corrupt doctrine proceeds."
" 'Turned into blood.' By this is understood their detesta
ble punishment ; for in anything white, blood occasions abomi
nable spots. This was their detestable and abominable plague ;
because their preaching was of the same kind. This is signified,
Ex. vii., where Moses turned the waters into blood : because

VERSE IV.] THIRD VIAL  " RIVERS AND FOUNTAINS." 41
the good will shew that the preaching of these men is ivicked
and spotted. For the wicked will themselves shew in their own
evil fate, that their preaching had been evil. Morally : the vial,
that is wrath, falls upon the rivers, that is, upon the clergy who
study the sacred Scripture with an evil intention ; Micah iii.,
' Who build up Zion in bloods, and Jerusalem in iniquity ;'
because on this account many learn to promote their carnal
interests, and for this reason there happens to the church that
which follows at the end of that chapter, viz., 'Zion,' that is the
church, 'is like a field that is ploughed,' that is, like a field that
is cultivated for temporal profit on account of its produce ; ' and
Jerusalem shall be a heap of stones ; where the stones are uncom-
pacted, and from which cause arise dissensions in the church."
Marloratus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 226 ; —
" Here are betokened properly the false prophets and privy
deceivers which are the ministers of Antichrist, for whom there
waiteth alike punishment as went last afore. For they trouble
the sweet and pleasant fountains of the Scriptures with their
own corrupt glosses, and preach their own dreams to the people
instead of God's Word."
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 399 ; —
" The object of this vial is fountains and rivers ; to wit, such
things as furnish moisture and life to the Antichristian world,
as fountains and rivers do in this. They must be something
running to the former sea, and in opposition to the truth of the
Gospel, chap. viii. ; yet so as it must be applied not of things,
but of persons who have shed blood and whose blood is shed.
By this then it would seem their orders, and clergy especially
(and all others who are prime instruments and supporters of
that Antichristian world), with thsir nurseries and seminaries,
whereby they have filled the world with corrupt teachers, must
be understood. These are called wells by Pet. ii. ; 2 Ep. ii.
though without water, that is, refreshful water. These run to
and suit with the sea of ordinances formerly mentioned. These
have furnished life to that beast of a long time ; men drinking
at no other fountain or river but the writings of some corrupt
Schoolmen, whose principles and assertions are often more de
bated for than the Scriptures ; and had it not been watered by

42 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
these, that world had run dry long since. These men's doc
trines shall not only by this be vilipended; but the executors
and followers of these principles, whereby many saints have
smarted, shall be repaid; for persons eminently subservient
to Antichrist, and malicious against the saints, must be under
stood here ; as their ordinances were by the former."
Cornelius a Lapide, Exodus vii., 24 ; p. 412 ; —
" Tropologically : Augustin has written a tract concerning
the correspondence between the ten plagues of Egypt and the
ten precepts of the Decalogue, which is extant in vol. ix. In
this first plague, says he, the water is turned into blood, that is,
God is changed into an idol ; for carnal and foolish men, think
ing unworthily of the majesty of God, attributed his glory to
animals and stones, as did the Egyptians. So philosophers, who
by their natural talent and study have arrived at but little
water, that is, doctrine concerning God, dig wells round about ;
but the water is bloody, that is, befouled with an admixture of
errors." Dean Wodehouse has an interpretation somewhat simi
lar in p. 402 of his treatise on the Apocalypse ; and also
observes that " both Christianity and Antichristianity have
their rivers and springs of doctrine, and their lights."
p. 400. Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 706 ; —
"By rivers and fountains of water in general, Launeus
rightly observes, is understood in this book the teaching of the
faith of the church; or the teachers who deliver, expound,
and inculcate doctrine, and give it to the people to drink ; as
is evident from chap, viii., 10, and everywhere from the writings
of the Old Testament ; where the doctrines of salvation conjoined
with the grace of the Holy Spirit, come under this symbol. From
these fountains men are said to drink, when they receive the
teaching proposed to them ; and which, as the Psalmist says, civ.,
11, is the proper use of fountains and rivers, and which is here
alluded to."
Hooper, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 142 ; 
'"The rivers and fountains of waters,' upon which the third

VERSE IV.J THIRD VIAL  " RIVERS AND FOUNTAINS." 43
angel poured out his vial of wrath, are symbolical of the minis
tries and sources of instruction in the church ; they are the
channels by which the Spirit of life, and all the blessings of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ are conveyed and administered to the
people. The deadly heresy of Arius and his followers, spoken
of under the third trumpet, brought down the wrath of God
upon them. The judgment here declared is the fruit and con
sequence of their sin. These sources of instruction became cor
rupt ; and, instead of giving forth the refreshing waters of the
Spirit, gave forth the carnal and corrupt reasonings of men of
perverse minds, who had departed from the faith of Christ,
teaching doctrines which were utterly opposed to the truth of
the Gospel : so that, in the true and striking language of the
inspired Word, 'the fountains of waters became blood,' and men,
in drinking thereof, became spiritually dead."
Other commentators carry out the same idea, but as is
usual with Protestants, apply it to the Church of Rome.
Thus Patrick Porbes, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 152; —
" By the third vial, their rivers and fountains of waters are
turned into blood. When by Moses the flood and all the tanks
and ponds of Egypt were turned into blood, (for thereto in this
and the former vial the Spirit alludeth) the Egyptians digged to
themselves wells to drink of. When in the days of Ahab, through
parching drought, all other waters failed, he and Obadiah seek
to the rivers and fountains. So the common sea of Popish*
worship and doctrine becoming vile : the last refuge, for pre
serving the lives of their beasts is their rivers and fountains,
whereby their sea is enriched, and which by kind should be
more clear and sweet. But these are also made blood ; and that
in two respects. Their rivers and fountains are their great and
learned doctors, and grounds; whence these, as rivers, carry
waters as from springs, to sweeten if it were possible that rotten
sea. But, howsoever, in some outward degree they appear to
have some more freshness; yet they are but blood, and to drink
of them it is deadly. They labor much to excuse and mask
the gross rottenness of their sea, and to sweeten it with elo
quence, aid of arts, and philosophy : and yet all is blood. They
* In the present case, not the Popish, but the Protestant. The reader must con
stantly bear in mind the difference between interpretation and application.

44 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
busy themselves to bring warrants from the Fathers : but almost
all from that third part of that ancient sea, which in the second
trumpet was made blood : and from these fountains and rivers,
which in the third trumpet were for the third part made bitter
and mortal. And what clear and sweet water might both from
Scripture and the Fathers be brought for cure of their sea, they
by false glosses, wrested interpretations, cuttings and carvings,
turn all into blood."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 531 ; —
" The working of this third vial is upon the fountains and
rivers. The event changed the same into blood. Now the
fountains and floods are the breasts, as it were, with which the
sea is nourished; as again, those fountains do borrow their
nourishment from the sea. And seeing the doctrine of the
Papists is this sea, the masters which are set over the doctrine,
are the fountains; these masters are not the ordinary and petty
ushers, and underlings, but the chief doctors, upon whose
mouth the rest of the rout depends ; which are the Jesuits by
the consent of all men."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 382 ; — ¦
" Others of our interpreters come nearer to the scope ; un
derstanding the rivers and fountains of waters, the false pro
phets and false teachers of Antichrist : because Peter calls them
7r?77a9 avvhpss, fountains, or wells without water, that is, de
ceivers : for as dry wells frustrate the hope of the traveller, who
thinks to find water in them, and doth not : so false prophets
deceive such who look for sound doctrine aud consolations from
them, whatsoever they promise or make shew of."
" Notwithstanding these also shew not who are here meant,
nor do they sufficiently unfold the kind of the plague here sig
nified : but keep for the most part to the thesis, that to Anti-
christians the waters become blood, that is, unprofitable, yea,
deadly to drink of: for as to the godly, all things, yea, even
their sins, do work together for their salvation : so to the un
godly, the good creatures of God become a curse and are turned
to their destruction."*
* Pareus wishes to extend the interpretation, so as to include not only false doc
trine, but sanguinary decrees, and to apply it to the Council of Trent. See above,
p. 38.

VERSE VI.] THIRD VIAL  " BLOOD OF SAINTS." 45
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 5 — 7 ;
" ' And I heard the Angel of the waters say,' signifies,
the divine truth of the Word: 'Thou art righteous, O
Lord, who art, and who wast ; and holy ; because thou hast
judged these things,' signifies, that this is of the Divine
Providence of the Lord, who is and who was the Word,
which otherwise would be profaned : ' for they have shed
the blood of saints and prophets,' signifies, this, by reason
that this single tenet, that faith alone saves without the
works of the law, when received, perverts all true doctrinals
from the Word •. ' and thou hast given them blood to drink,
for they are worthy,' signifies, that they who have confirmed
themselves in faith alone both in doctrine and in life, have
been permitted to falsify the truths of the Word, and to
tincture their life with falsifications : ' and I heard another
out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true
and righteous are thy judgments,' signifies, the divine good
of the Word confirming that divine truth."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap.- xvi. ; —
"The blood of the holy prophets is to be understood as
being their spiritual meaning. He therefore who pours out the
blood of the prophets or of the other saints, that is, who con
verts their spiritual meaning into an earthly one, shall drink
blood ; that is, shall endure the vengeance of blood. That is
to say ; whatsoever vital truth he possesses he shall lose, and by
the just judgment of God remain in the carnal sense. 'For
they are worthy.' For it is but just, that he who is unwilling
to drink spiritual wine, should be inebriated with the corruptions
of vices as with bloods. ' And I heard another angel say, Even
so, Lord God Almighty, for just and true are thy judgments.'
. . . This may be specially understood of heretics, from whose
mouth seems to flow an abundance of oracles as rivers. But
these who pour out the blood of the saints and prophets which
are converted into blood, themselves drink blood. Because
when they change the words of the Law and the oracles of the
prophets and the sayings of the apostles into false meanings,
these, when the sharpness of persecution impels them, let go the

46 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
name of Christ which they had falsely retained, by becoming
publicly slaves to the sins of the flesh. Thus it may be aflirmed;
' Just art thou, who wast holy, in thus judging,' &c. ; as if it
were said ; because in depraving the words of the law, the oracles
of the prophets, and the sayings of the apostles, they have as it
were slain them; it is but just that through the medium of
those temporal afflictions which they had before trodden in
contempt under foot, the blood which they poured out and with
which also they had stained their souls, they should drink
before men ; that is, that thy name which they had falsely wor
shipped they should publicly deny, and should presume to go
back again to the corruptions of the flesh, which they had before
restrained as it were only out of an appetite for empty glory."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" Although the Jews and Gentiles also poured out corporally
the blood of the saints, which the Lord says that he will require
at their hands ; it nevertheless may be understood as a plague
of blindness in such a sense, that those persons may be regarded
as having poured out the blood of the prophets, who, abusing
their true meaning, have turned it aside into a different channel ;
after the same manner of speaking, as when, reading Moses . . .
we are said to pour out the blood of Moses if we understand
the words of the law after the literal sense which killeth. The
slayers of whom therefore the Lord compels to drink blood;
because the justice of Him who judgeth all things rightly de
mands, that they who have been unwilling to drink spiritual
wine should be made drunk by the corruptions of their sins, as
by bloods. As if the same Angel should say ; Those who have
carnally understood a spiritual law, are justly delivered over to
the corruption of flesh and blood ; where we perceive both the
sin and the punishment of the sin."
This subject has been fully treated of in Vol. IL, p.
263, where it may be seen how the waters were turned
into blood at the Reformation. See also Mr. Newman's
Doctrine of Developments, p. 325.
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 363 ; —
" Blood representing life, and life being put for spirit, the
earthly elements are said to have shed blood, &c, because the

VERSE V.] THIRD VIAL  " ANGEL OF WATERS." 47
earthly system is sustained by depriving the elements of Scrip
ture testimony of their proper spiritual sense. . . . The letter
killeth — the earthly system adopts the letter — abides the results
of the literal interpretation ; and thus when the truth is mani
fested, shews itself to be a ministration of death unto death ; a
ministration of condemnation, as the opposite of that of justi
fication, 2 Cor. iii., 9."
By waters, says Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury,
"we understand good doctrines." By "the Angel of the
waters," Cocceius understands all the angels commissioned
to diffuse the waters of the Gospel, by preaching.
Ribera intimates that by the angel heard from the altar,
the same is signified as by the angel mentioned in chap, viii.,
3 ; which was there seen to signify the angels of the celes
tial heaven, as designated by the fire of the altar, which
signifies love. ' The angel of the waters' and the angel of
the altar may signify therefore, in a secondary sense, the
celestial and spiritual heavens, as mediums of the corre
sponding divine communications from the Holy Spirit of the
Lord. Most writers, both ancient and modern, are of opi
nion that the word angel is here, as elsewhere, a noun of
multitude. Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 707 ; —
" This therefore is another angel ; by which Cocceius under
stands all the angels which God, by the preaching of the Gospel,
has sent to the many people and nations where the harlot sits.
In this exposition there is nothing unsuitable; although I think
that by this angel we may more rightly understand that kind of
angels whose ministry the Holy Spirit, who is of all holy spirits
the Head, employs in the ministry of the divine Word, or teaching
of religion ; obviously, as by the angel who had power over the
fire we have understood those angels who are the executors of
the divine judgments.. Certainly when by the waters this very
doctrine of salvation, or the teachers of the doctrine, are mysti
cally designated ; no one doubts, that, as coming under this latter
title, the Holy Spirit is preeminently regarded. For His office is
to have the care of the ministry of the Word. According to

48 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
the doctrine of the apostle, ' All these things worketh one and
the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.'
Now since the Holy Spirit employs good angels as his ministers
in executing his counsels, so we the rather assign to them a
place in the present instance; in which a reference to their
office seems to be more immediately made."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 8, 9 ; —
" ' And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the
sun,' signifies, influx into their love: 'and it was given
him to scorch men with fire,' signifies, that love to the
Lord tormented them, because they were in concupiscences
of evil proceeding from the delight of the love thereof:
' and men burned with great heat, and blasphemed the
name of God, who hath power over these plagues,' signifies,
that by reason of the delight of self-love originating in
grievous concupiscences of evil, they did not acknowledge
the divinity of the Lord's humanity, from whom neverthe
less flows all good of love and truth of faith : ' and they
repented not to give him glory,' signifies, that therefore
they cannot receive with any faith, that the Lord is the
God of heaven and earth even with respect to his humanity.
although the Word so teacheth."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" What is it for the angel to pour out his vial upon the sun,
except it be to adduce the preaching of the truth against the
perverse dogmas of Antichrist, and his ministers? ' And it was
given him,' says John, ' to scorch men with heat and with fire.'
. . . What else is the fire or heat with which a part of the beast
is said to be scorched, but the heat of envy, spleen, wrath, zeal,
emulation, animosity ? It is of this fire we read, ' Zeal hath
seized upon a people that is uninstructed ;' and, ' the fire of
thine enemies shall devour them.' "
By the sun may be signified the wisdom of the tvise,
according to B. Gregory and Bede ; while Anselm, Gag-
neus, and some others conceive that by the sun is desig
nated Antichrist, who calls himself the light of the world.

VERSE VIII.] FOURTH vial— -"SUN." 19
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; Paraphrase ; —
" In the fourth vial follows still the preaching of the Gospel ;
which causes the light of the true God to confute the deceits of
the Gentiles, and the falsity of the worship of vain gods. Whence
the obstinate became highly incensed at the brightness with
which they were completely confounded ; and vented numerous
maledictions against Him whom they ought to have worshipped,
and to whom they ought to have looked up."
Durham gives a similar interpretation, but applies it to
the doctrines of the Church of Rome. Thus, p. 401 ; —
" Looking again unto this beast as a whorish church, by Sun
we understand the complex doctrine, rules and canons of the
Church of Rome, or what is to them in place of the Scriptures,
which we expounded to be that sun in the fourth trumpet ;
though this be not the sun simply, yet to them it is so, and it
is a sun profitable to that kingdom or heaven wherein it shineth,
that we are to seek for here. This is done by God's making the
light of his Word to shine more clearly and convincingly, to
discover the prophecies about Antichrist, whereby his glory is
stained : that darkness and ignorance, which they formerly called
light, is abolished now in a great measure ; and this cannot but
burn and scorch these men as very fire, when light cometh to a
height, while as the very prophesying of Two Witnesses, chap.
xi., so tormented them : for the outbreaking of God's light
darkeneth their sun, as the rising of their errors darkened his
sun, chap, viii.; but not in the same manner. The effects will
suit well with this also ; both, first, the pain that men were
scorched with, that is, by this Word convinced and shamed ;
and (next) by the Gospel's thriving, which they could not impede,
so fretted; as Isaiah xxvi., 11, ' The fire of enemies is their envy,
which as fire consumeth them.' "
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" For when God hath caused the Sun of righteousness to shine
by his Word into the consciences of men more clearly than
before ; and that men should see that they are by this convinced
of those errors and sins, which it seemed to them in a worldly
point of view useless and unprofitable to repent of; then without
doubt there is produced a heat in the minds of those Avho err and
VOL. IV. Js

50 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
are in love with error ; and the Sun is made to them an intoler
able fire. Therefore, in that the fourth angel is here said to have
poured out his vial upon the Sun, it signifies, that the angel
desired or willed that the light of the Word of righteousness
should become brighter, and the eternal Gospel be preached ;
that those men should be scorched by the preaching of it who
love not the truth, or who love the reward of unrighteousness ;
and should be inflamed into fury and madness, and take occasion
for contradicting the truth, and laying open their own thoughts
concerning God and Christ and righteousness, and the kingdom
of Christ, and faith, and the true worship of God."
. . . " ' And men were scorched with a great heat, and blas
phemed the name of God,' &c., that is, opposed themselves to
the truth with greater fury than before ; so that they not only
spoke what was false concerning God, but likewise with a kind
of insanity opposed themselves to those who spoke what is true,
and everywhere subjected them to punishment by the most
cruel edicts. ... In that he says they blasphemed the name of
God who had power over these plagues, he shews first, that
although they knew that God could inflict these plagues and
take them away, and that the remedy for all these plagues is to
give glory to God (for this would be to be healed of their mad
ness and rage against those who speak against the truth, and of
their blasphemy) ; nevertheless they did not repent, nor think
it possible for them to err, but pertinaciously persisted in their
errors ; crying out that they could not err because they were
the church. The like glorying we read of in Hosea xii., 8 ;
' Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance : in all
my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.'
Secondly ; ' they blasphemed God who has power over these
plagues ;' which is especially true of this fourth plague. For
when God caused the sun to shine so brightly, as to make them
perceive that by it their dark errors were confuted, they said
that the doctrine concerning the righteousness of God and the
glory of God and his name, which was made known by compar
ing it with Scripture, was heresy and from the devil."
Gagneus says that instead of praying, as they ought
to have done, and supplicating to be delivered from these

VERSE VIII.] FOURTH VIAL  "SUN." 51
plagues, " they took to blaspheming and neither repented
nor changed their design or counsel, so as instead of blas
phemy to give glory to God." Haymo says, they would
not give glory to God because they would not acknowledge
themselves to be sinners and praise the just judgments of
God ; " but, on the contrary, as is the custom of the wicked,
they defend their own iniquities and blame the judgments
of God." So Ambrose Ansbert, Marloratus, and others.
Richard Bernard interprets the scorching to signify the
making " them burn with the rage of impatience so as they
blaspheme even God himself; . . . they were enraged in
their hearts with rancor and malice, as with a burning
fire." Patrick Porbes, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 154; —
" The fourth vial is on the Sun ; whereby the Beast his
marked ones are plagued : the clear light of the Gospel (shew
ing Christ the Sun of righteousness) now so shining, as in place
of glorifying God by repentance, and acknowledging of their
error and works of darkness, they, as the children of darkness,
and hating the light, whereby their works are reproved, boil in
despiteful rage, and are burnt up with envy and malice, as were
the Pharisees at Christ his clear doctrine and evident miracles :
and at Stephen having his face like the sun. And they blas
pheme God in blaspheming his truth, and true church ; speak
ing evil of the way of righteousness : their desperate rage still
increasing as the light groweth ; because induration in impeni-
tency is a common effect of all these plagues ; in that, how
soever God hath his own single ones to pull out of that kingdom,
yet the body is not reclaimable, but must go to destruction.
Compare this with the fourth trumpet. The light of the Gospel
is a plague and torment to the reprobate world, as the Two Wit
nesses, chap, xi., were a vexation. Here the first effect of this
vial is rage ; the second, blasphemy."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 386 ; —
" Others understand the sun to be Christ the Sun of righte
ousness, to whom it shall be given, to torment the consciences
of Antichristians with the heat of his wrath, as it were by fire ;
e 2

5,2 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
for because they can by no means resist the Gospel of Christ
(by the heat of wrath being turned into fury), they shall blas
pheme the name of God, that is, the truth of the Gospel in its
clearest light, as if it were devilish and heretical, being far from
repentance and giving glory to God. If this be the sense, we
may then understand what we are to expect henceforward ofthe
Papists, and how we are never to hope for any reconciliation
with them."
" Here also I will allege Brightman's opinion not altogether
diverse from the former. The Sun he interprets of the Holy
Scriptures, by whose light our dark minds are enlightened.
The vial is to be poured out on these, not to hurt them, as the
former vials were hurtful to the earth, sea, and rivers, but to
give a force and set an edge upon them, that may more sharply
prick and penetrate into the consciences of men : for although
the Scriptures in our times have been very much illustrated,
yet many things (especially prophetical) are as yet not suffi
ciently explained. And although indeed Antichrist be plainly
discovered ; yet what shifts and feigned pretences doth he daily
make, to the end the world may not take notice of him ? But
by how much the day of judgment draws nearer, by so much
the more shall the light of the Sun, that is, the Scriptures,
bring to the eyes of the world a more abundant and clearer
light. The sum of all is ; that a greater perspicuity of the Scrip
tures seems to be expected, by which Antichristians, as by a
more vehement heat of the Sun, shall be very much tormented :
because the filthiness of Antichrist will hereby be more dis
covered, which shall occasion them to persecute men with the
greater hatred, yea, such shall be their exceeding folly, as they
will rage and fret against the Sun, because their filthy whore
doms are laid open to the view of all the world."
" This sense is clearer than the former : yet both are to one
effect : for Christ by the Scriptures will send forth a great light
and new heat, which indeed should rejoice the adversaries;
amend them, bring them to repentance, but through their own
malice they shall be the more enraged thereby. Now all things
will be clear."
Ibid., p. 387 ;—
"'And it was given him to scorch men.'] Kau/xaTtcrat ts?

VERSE VIII.] FOURTH VIAL  " SUN." 53
av8pd)7rn<;, the phrase denotes some extraordinaiy judgment of
God : for indeed neither Christ nor his Word do in themselves,
or of their own nature, work this effect, viz., to torment men
with the scorching heat of fury, but the Sun is given or attri
buted unto them accidentally : God sending on Antichristians
' strong delusion that they should believe a lie, because they re
ceived not the love of the truth.' They ought indeed by the
beams of the Sun of righteousness so clearly shining in the
Holy Scriptures, to be enlightened, warmed, and stirred up to
acknowledge, love and embrace the truth of Christ : but they
maliciously in heat of fury will rage against Christ, and be tor
mented by fire, that is, extreme malice and envy."
"And men were scorched.'] Again with the article, ot
av&panroL ; that we might not indefinitely understand all men,
but only the ulcerous marked ones of the beast : who are like
dogs, over heated, gaping and hanging out their tongues : for
the more their eyes are smitten with the beams of the Gospel,
tlie more despitefully they shall hate the same ; and be scorched
with heat, or rage, because they shall find no way how to darken
the sun, and extinguish the light thereof."
" ' And they blasphemed.'] A second accidentally effect on
the Antichristians, is, by desperate oppressing of the truth they
shall break forth into blasphemies against God, to wit, by attri
buting the work of God to the devil : like the blasphemous
Jews in Matt. xii. : neither is it strange ; for they learned to
blaspheme of the Beast their head, unto whom, as we heard in
chap, xiii., 5, ' a mouth was given, speaking great things and
blasphemies against God his name, his tabernacle, and those
that dwell in heaven.' It is true the beast did long before cast
out blasphemies, but they were nothing in comparison of those
which these ulcerous blasphemers shall pour out against God."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 538 ; —
" The hypocrites, and all the rest that are not truly religious,
whatsoever religion they profess, cannot brook it, to have their
sins laid open, convinced and reproved with the lightsome truth
of God ; so that it should be no marvel, if many other earthly-
minded men also, who are not of the Popish religion, should
be sore troubled with the scorching heat of the Sun. But the
words of the next verse (that hath power over these plagues)

54 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
seem to belong to the men who felt the former scourges also, as
we have said."
" But why are the next words (by fire) added, seeing the
verb to scorch doth express the burning heat of the Sun suffi
ciently ? Namely, that we may know that the heat wherewith
they shall boil, shall not be heavenly, but earthly, such as that
of the fire is ; that is to say, emulation, strife, and all bitter
affections of the heart. For this fire here is metaphorical, which
may make it plain that this is no proper Sun ; as which doth
not work by his own, but by another's force."
" Such therefore is the first event, by which men shall boil
in heat, not only with inward fretting and galling of their hearts,
but also with open brawling and railing. But shall the angel
of the sun be so rewarded for his pains ? it had been a wiser
and safer part for him to have stopped up his vial, that so it
might not have dropped down such a mischievous trouble upon
himself. But let not his courage quail, nor his hand slack from
working ; God will provide an hiding place for him, from the
strife and venomousness of tongues. This is the self-same
thing that all prophets of God have ever been tried and scourged
with. That holy book is of such a nature, that when it is
tasted in the mouth, it is sweet as honey, but being eaten up,
it bringeth bitterness to the belly, chap, x., 9. Wherefore let
the wicked rail on at their pleasure, while that it is the dis
covery of their wickedness that makes them thus to disgorge
their rancorous stomachs."
"Verse 9; 'And men boiled with a great heat.' The second
effects, are the marvellous and unwonted vexations that shall
befal men ; when as there shall be no shade, no, not of a thick
grove of trees, wherewith they may break and beat off the
Sun's heat. They blaspheme the name of God, therefore, who
hath power over these plagues ; even as those people did who
were called Atlantici, who cursed the Sun with all the execrable
curses they could devise, because it scorched them with an over
great heat ; as Herodotus reporteth. These last words seem to
appropriate this plague to those men whom the ulcers also did
annoy, and whose fountains were turned into blood. Yet we
must not think that they shall blaspheme God in plain terms,
and with open mouth, so as they shall violate his holy name

VERSE X.] FIFTH VIAL  "THRONE." 55
openly, after the manner of the heathens, and those who know
not God ; but men do commit this sin at such time also, when
they do discredit and disgrace his truth, by railing and speaking
evil against it : such an indirect kind of blasphemy as this is
like to be used by them."
Ibid., p. 539 ;—
" ' Neither did they repent to give him glory.' It is a de
fective speech, which is set down at full, chap., ix., 20 ; as if he
should say ; ' And they repented not of their works, that they
might give,' &c. ; and so it is beneath, ver. 11. Now then see
here what this increase of light and heat will work ; it will drive
men to blaspheme God, and they will continue obstinate in
their sins no less than they did before. And this is spoken of
here, lest perhaps we should look to see them submitting them
selves and yielding to so manifest a truth, as men that are con
vinced in their consciences. Be well assured therefore of this,
that this kind of men will be perverse and obstinate ; that so,
when thou seest it prove so, thou mayest not be offended at it."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 10, 11 ;
" ' And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the
throne of the beast,' signifies, influx into their faith : ' and
his kingdom became dark,' signifies, that nothing but falses
appeared : ' and they gnawed their tongues for pain,' sig
nifies, that they could not endure truths : ' and blasphemed
the God of heaven, because of their pains and their sores,'
signifies, that they could not acknowledge the Lord to be
the only God of heaven and earth by reason of repug
nances proceeding from interior falses and evils : ' and re
pented not of their works,' signifies, that although instructed
out of the Word, they would not give up their falses of
faith and consequent evils of life."
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
"The throne of the beast is his church, i. e., the congrega
tion of the proud; which is blinded by plagues of this kind."
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
"The church acknowledges no other throne but that of

56 sriUITUAL EXPOSITION. [chap. xvi.
God, before whom are the Lamb (exalted to the throne of God),
the seven spirits, the angels, the twenty-four elders, the four
animals, i. e., all the faithful and the saints. But the beast has
another throne and another seat. The multitude which has
another throne, and therefore wishes to be esteemed as the
church because it possesses that throne ; how can it escape from
being the beast mentioned in the Apocalypse ? Now who is it
that sits on that throne, but the image of the beast ; i. e., one
in whom are seen all the sentiments of that people, by reason
of the obedience of the people to him ?"
The throne of the beast is the cathedra or chair in
whieh the beast teaches ; consequently also it signifies his
teaching or doctrine ; in the present case, the ruling doc
trine in virtue of which he reigns, or professes to be a
church, such as the articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesice.
See Vol. I., p. 321, on the church in Pergamos.
" His kingdom was full of darkness."
Gagneus, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" Being blinded by their own perfidiousness and ignorance,
lest they should behold the true light."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
..." That is, by a mutual exhortation to blaspheme the
God of heaven ; adding moreover the blasphemy against the
Spirit ; by which they hardened themselves so as to be unwilling
to return to penitence." So also Haymo.
Joachim regards the expression as signifying impatience
at hearing the Word of God. The hearing of truth became
to them such a cause of agony that they bit or gnawed
their tongues. It is an expression signifying much the
same with gnashing the teeth. Thus Acts vii., 54 ; " When
they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and
they gnashed on him with their teeth." Lam. ii., 16 ;
" All thine enemies . . . hiss and gnash the teeth." " Por,"
says the Glossa, " it is usual for an angry man to bite his
tongue and teeth."
Marloratus, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —

VERSE X.] FIFTH VIAL  "THRONE." 57
"'And yet they repented them not of their works.' The
more they be blamed and reproved, the more they defend their
errors, and the more they continue them and increase them
from day to day. So saith Paul of them ; that the evil men
and the deceivers shall wear worse and worse, while they deceive
and are deceived themselves. Whereby he doth us to under
stand, not only that they shall be wilful stubborn ; but also that
they shall have prosperous success in doing harm and in cor
rupting others."
Both the doctrine of repentance and the doctrine of
works we have seen to be alike repudiated by the Beast.
Patrick Porbes, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 154 ; —
" The fifth (vial) is first on the throne of the Beast, that is, on
his kingdom; as the next words interpret, and as the whole frame
of Scripture speech evinceth. The throne of David is for his
kingdom. The throne is established ; for the kingdom is esta
blished. Satan his throne, chap. ii. and xiii., for his kingdom.
The first effect hereof is, their kingdom looseth the glory, lustre,
pomp, and wonted estimation, and becometh contemptible.
Whereupon the secondary effect followeth in them, of desperate
sorrow, expressed b3r a gesture of men extremely grieved, 'gnaw
ing their tongues :' and obduration in impenitency and blas
phemy; their sores by the light of the sun, being more and more
laid open, and thereby their sorrow augmented. For their works,
see chap. ix. ; and withal consider what a wise and just retribu
tion. As, by falling from heaven to the earth, and from being
stars of light to become ministers of darkness, they opened the
bottomless pit, and let out darkness, by the smoke thereof
eclipsing all true light, and so erecting the kingdom of dark
ness ; so here, by the clear arising light of the Sun of righte
ousness, all the earthly and worldly account of that kingdom
becometh contemptible, and is darkened. And as by the doc
trine of darkness, they, like scorpions stinging men, tormented
their consciences : so the light opened, and discovering their
treachery, tormenteth them with anguish and sorrow."
Pearson, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 242 ; —
" The fifth vial is poured out on the seat of the Beast ; and
like Egypt under the infliction of her ninth plague, his kingdom

58 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
becomes full of darkness. But still, as in the case of the
former plagues, it produces no repentance in those who were
afflicted by it ; but they gnaw their tongues for pain, and blas
pheme the God of heaven, and repent not of their deeds. This
darkness, a spiritual darkness, occasioned by the withdrawing
of the blessed light of the Gospel, falls upon the whole extent
of the spiritual empire and dominion of the Beast ; a just retri
bution on those who have been so instrumental in withdrawing
the light of the Gospel from mankind."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 388 ; —
" The fifth vial being poured out on the throne of the beast,
his kingdom is filled with darkness, his worshippers fret, blas
pheme and remain obstinate unto the end : which effects are
not much differing from the former. And therefore this plague
is the less obscure, provided we understand what the throne of
the beast is, and the darkening of his kingdom."
Again ; —
"Andreas thinks the throne of the beast to be the kingdom
of Antichrist; which (saith he) shall be darkened by this pouring
out, because it shall altogether so appear, and be wholly desti
tute of the light of the Sun of righteousness. He understands it
therefore of the darkness of doctrine, wherewith Antichrist's
kingdom shall be utterly overwhelmed : from which opinion our
interpreters, as Bullinger, Marlorate, Alphonsus, Artopceus,
Aretius, and Chytrseus, do not much differ ; save only that they
interpret the throne of the beast more clearly than he, viz., of
the Popish* kingdom, and its gross idols, errors, and horrible
darkening of the truth, which at last shall be discovered by the
light of the Gospel."
Again, p. 389 ; —
" The darkening therefore of Antichrist's kingdom, is not a
bringing in of a new darkness : for his kingdom was never en
lightened with the light of true doctrine : but began to be
darkened even from the first, after that the smoke of the bot
tomless pit had filled all parts and places thereof with a most
gross mist or blindness ; although the world in regard of its
* Not the Popish kingdom, either here or in the other corresponding passages ;
as we have before frequently explained.

VERSE XII.] SIXTH VIAL— " EUPHRATES." 59
external lustre thought it to be most bright and shining. But
the full manifestation of the darkness, and dispelling of the
smoke, shall be a fatal darkening unto Antichrist, when the
most clear light of the Gospel shall break forth and shine in all
parts of the world : for then the Beast's abominations shall be
laid open to the view of all men : whereupon many shall desert
him : his glory shall be obscured, his authority despised, and his
kitchen grow cold. This plague shall be more grievous than the
former : or certainly an extreme increasing thereof : for then the
beast shall be nearest to utter ruin ; of which more afterward."
Again ; —
" First, they gnaw their tongues : by which proverbial speech
is noted the extreme rage they shall fall into : and the cause is
added ; to wit, for the pain or grief in which they shall be be
cause of the fatal declining of the Popish kingdom : for mad or
furious persons use to bite their lips, tongues, and fingers ; and
gnash their teeth, as beasts, not able to revenge themselves."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 12; —
" ' And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the
great river Euphrates,' signifies, influx into their interior
reasonings, whereby they confirm the doctrine of justifica
tion by faith alone : ' and the water thereof was dried up,
that the way of the kings might be prepared from the
rising of the sun,' signifies, that their false principles of
reasoning were removed among those who are in truths
originating in good from the Lord, and are to be intro
duced into the New Church."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 474 ; —
..." The vial of the wrath of God is poured out upon the
waters of this river, not (as in chap, ix., 14) that the angels may be
loosed, but that its waters may be dried, and that the way might
be prepared for the kings from the rising of the Sun. Therefore it
is that the vial of the wrath of God is poured out upon the ivater
of the river ; and therefore it is that by this water we must un
derstand such water as that to which, in a rational sense, the
wrath of God may be said to be due. Otherwise, when the pre
ceding vials had turned into blood the sea and rivers and foun-

60 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
tains of water ; why should the river Euphrates deserve a vial
proper to itself, except it be that among all the other evils
produced under the sun, some one particular evil is signified
by the waters of this river? There is then some especial
evil whose condemnation we have not attained to in the pre
ceding vials ; which, both in this passage and the former, is
rightly understood to be signified by the waters of this river,
and afterward by the three unclean spirits crawling out like
frogs. This evil is divisible into three parts ; and these parts
are the deceits of the magi, the vain inventions of philosophers,
and the fictions of the poets. The deep wickedness of these
and their muddy talk, are aptly signified by the waters of the
Euphrates ; for the Euphrates is a river of Babylon ; and,
flowing through Babylon, becomes divided into many heads;
and Babylon by its very name is wont to signify, in the Scrip
tures, the whole generation of the wicked as contrary to the
generation of the upright ; the city of the devil as opposed to
the city of God ; since Babylon, being interpreted, signifies
confusion. Therefore, after the vials had been poured out upon
the sea the rivers and fountains of waters, a phial is poured
out also upon the Euphrates ; for inasmuch as the tyrants and
impious kings, together with the nations in subjection to them,
have procured condemnation to themselves, so to these also
is wrath due; for these have demented the nations, increased
their error by their vain-talking , their wicked, lying, fabulous
ivritings. Before the wrath of God upon these waters had been
revealed from heaven by the Gospel of Christ, the holy kings could
not pass over them ; those kings, I mean, who were the heads
or the authors of the Scriptures of truth ; some of whom also
had been kings in wordly dignity ; and such as are rightly said
to have come from the rising ofthe sun; because they came not
or spake of themselves ; but, as they spake, received from divine
illumination what they should speak.* Those waters of Eu
phrates these kings could not pass over : they could not, with only
one language (the Hebrew), meet Grecian wits, learned Latin
grammarians, rhetoricians, logicians ; and so many poets, tragic,
comic, and satirical. But when He, the Spirit of truth, came
* Who are truly the kings of the East, will be seen in the sequel.

VERSE XII.] SIXTH VIAL  " DRIED UP." 61
to reprove the world of sin, and righteousness, and judgment ;
by thus convicting it, He dried up the great waters of this
mighty river; for he made foolish the wisdom of this world.
For when the wisdom of God went forth, and gave a reason for
that which had appeared the foolishness of God (as said the
apostle, 'We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified; to the
Jews a stumbling-block, to the Gentiles foolishness') ; then, on
comparing the two, that appeared to be foolish and to be dried
up which hitherto had seemed to be something grand and pro
found. How vile, how execrable and abject was, and appeared
to be, that worldly wisdom in the eye of those whom the truth
had illumined, John beautifully intimates in his own person,
when he says ; ' And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come
out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the
beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.' "
That the waters of the Euphrates signify, however, in a
good sense, baptismal waters, is the interpretation of Richard
of St. Victor, Cardinal Hugo, &c. Here they are to be in
terpreted in an evil sense.
A Lapide includes among its significations human elo
quence. Marloratus says that by that great river Euphrates
whose water is dried up, he meaneth that " all things shall
be taken away, whatsoever may hinder the elect of the
whole world from coming to the knowledge of the truth."
Waters are rational truths or doctrines ; hence the waters of
the Euphrates may in a good sense signify the truths or
doctrines by means of which we enter into the church. In
the present case those truths or doctrines perverted. Hence,
according to Hyponoia, the waters of the great river Eu
phrates here represent " a system of false doctrine!'
Lauretus, art. Arere ; —
" The water of the sea is dried up when the doctrine of here
tics or even of philosophers is confounded, so that they can no
longer persuade men to their lies. (Origen, Jerome, Augustin,
B. Gregory). Thus is the river dried up, and the brooks of
defence, and the rivulets in seed-time. . . . After the same manner

62 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
is the bed of the river Jordan dried up. The dried up rivers of
Ethan are perverse knowledge confounded."
" God dried up the pools, when he took away doctrine from
the Jews (Glossa Ordinaria)."
Lauretus, art. Aauce ; —
" Waters moreover are the authorities and doctrines of phi
losophers, to which Pharaoh went, Ex. vii., 12 (Origen) ; because
by these the unbelieving fortify themselves against the faith.
And the waters of Egypt (Ambrose) are human wisdom itself,
Ex. viii. ; and the water of Sihor, i. e., turbid water, which is
that of the Nile in Egypt, is the teaching of philosophers and
heretics, which is turbid with the admixture of errors. The
water of the river, i. e., of the river Euphrates in the land of
the Assyrians, designates the same thing (Jerome, Chrysostom,
Augustin, B. Gregory, Glossa Ordinaria). It designates also the
wisdom of the Scribes and Pharisees and wicked men. And
the worst of all waters are the teaching which is mixed up with
falses. This is the water which is converted into blood ; that
from the authors of these things may be required all the blood
which is poured out upon the earth ; and which is their own
carnal, animal, diabolical wisdom (Rupertus)."
Alvarez likewise on Is. xliv., 27, " Which saith to the
deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers," observes ; " Eor
at the preaching of the Gospel and the building up of the
catholic church, the wisdom of this world was dried up and
destroyed." A similar interpretation is intimated in the
Glossa Interlinea.
So likewise on Isaiah xix., 5 to 10, " And the waters
shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and
dried up," &c, Alvarez observes ; —
" There are the waters of evangelical doctrine and heavenly
wisdom, which the Holy Spirit infuses into the heart of the
believer ; that streams of living water may flow out of his belly;
and that there may arise in him a fountain of living water
springing up unto life eternal. And there are the turbid waters
of Egypt, viz., the human wisdom and inflated eloquence of the
various worldly sciences. . . . When the Lord enters into Egypt,

VERSE XII.J SIXTH TRUMPET  " DRIED UP." 63
and clear and pure evangelical doctrine is preached throughout
the world ; then are the streams of human wisdom made waste,
and the rivers of worldly eloquence dried up."
Cornelius a Lapide says on Isa. xi., 15, that it means
that no obstacles, either on the highways or on the part of
men, shall be any hinderance to the apostles and others in
preaching Christ ; but that God will either remove them
all, or enable his servants to overcome them. Menochius
refers it to the removal of idolatry, error, and superstition.
De Lyra says " that by the sea of Egypt, which is inter
preted darkness, is signified Antichrist and his disciples,
who are bitter and dark with error : their tongue shall be
made desolate when their falsity shall be laid open."
Cardinal Hugo, Isaiah xi., 15 ; —
" Mystically : the tongue of the sea of Egypt is the wisdom
of the world ; which the Lord hath made desolate, because by
the preaching of the cross he hath shewn it to be foolish, 1 Cor.
i., ' Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ?'
Moreover the Lord will make desolate the tongue of Egypt,
when the blasphemous and vain-talking tongue he changes into
a tongue singing hymns and confessing sins."
Vitringa, Isaiah xi., 15; vol. i., p. 463; —
" Theodoret — is of opinion that in this prophecy it is signified,
that God would bring the Egyptians to the knowledge and belief
of the truth of the Gospel, and would give a check to the errors
of Egypt : for by the sea of Egypt is designated impiety bitter
and undrinkable ; and in like manner the river is put to signify
error." In the sequel Vitringa observes, that as the drying up
of rivers is their emptying and destruction ; so the drying
up of the Nile and Euphrates, which he conceives to be
signified in this prophecy, implies the wasting away both of
the civil and spiritual powers in respect of the false religion
and superstition predominating in them ; their submission
to the kingdom of Christ Jesus; their acknowledgment
and adoption of his doctrine and worship, so that nothing

64 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
should remain in them to oppose itself to the progress of
the Gospel : nor, says he, could the Nile and Euphrates
be considered as dried up so as to make the way open to
the heralds of the Word ; unless it were in reference to a
state of false religion, idolatry, and superstition, and to a
hatred of true religion.
Poole's Synopsis, Isaiah xix., 5 ; —
" The sense is ; that as the Lord formerly took away every
impediment by which the people might be enabled to pass over,
so likewise will he take away impediments that the elect may
come to Christ (Vatablus) . This passage I thus render ; ' In
like manner as the Lord hath made desolate the tongue of the
sea of Egypt, and (I prefer the reading, so) he will lift up his hand
upon the river Euphrates,' &c. From this passage I conceive
the one to be borrowed in Apoc. xvi., 12 (Mede). Like as
God formerly, by laying open a passage through the Bed Sea,
led his people into Canaan ; so likewise, when some impediment
of the highest moment is removed and which is signified by
the Euphrates, he will bring back his exiled people," &c.
(Sanctius). Assembly's Annotations, Isaiah xix., 5 ; —
" The meaning is, that no impediment or obstacle should be
so great that might hinder those who were to be brought home
to Christ and his cliurch out of all quarters, but it should be
removed." Poole's Comments, Isaiah xix., 5 ; —
"All impediments shall be removed, and a way made for
God's Israel from all parts of the world."
Gill, Commentaries, Isaiah xix., 5 ; —
" By the men are meant the kings of the east ; of which see
the note on Rev. xvi., 12 : all these phrases denote the removal
of all impediments out of the way of God's people in those
parts, in coming over to the Christian religion, and their em
bracing and professing that."
Tract Society, Comments, Isaiah xix., 5 ; —
" When God shall set his hand for the bringing of nations
or particular persons home to himself, divine grace will be vie-

VERSE XII.] SIXTH VIAL  "KINGS OF THE EAST." 65
torious over all opposition. At the presence of the Lord the
sea shall flee and Jordan be driven back, and those who set
their faces heavenward will find there are not such difficulties
in the way as they thought they were ; for there is a high way
thither." Similar is the interpretation ot* Scott.
Mr. Galloway, in his Gate of Prophecy, vol. ii., p. 425,
says, the waters of the Euphrates are not literal but spi
ritual waters, hence he considers them to designate " a tor
rent of religious doctrine, feeling, and principle ;" and he
speaks of the exhaustion of this torrent as consisting in,
among other things, " the confutation of principles by the
spirit of prophecy." The interpretation is substantially
the same with the one we have been considering ; as usual,
however, the application is different, inasmuch as with
other Protestant divines, he applies it to Romish doctrine.
On the same passage Hammond observes, p. 982 ; —
" To prepare a way, we know is to remove difficulties, and
obstructions, to level and plain a passage ; and that in the pro
phets is expressed by exalting valleys, and bringing hills low, and
plaining the rough places. And when rivers or waters are in
the way, then the drying them up is preparing the way, making
them passable."
It is obvious, then, that these waters being dried up
signify that the fallacies, errors, and perverted reasonings
cease to flow as a stream or flood, and to act as an impedi
ment in the way of the kings of the east ; for it is said,
" That the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."*
Who are these kings of the east ?
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" By these kings are understood saints, who rightly govern
* Cocceius, interpreting ' the kings of the east' literally, Apocalypse, ch. xvi. ; —
" It may readily appear that when the power of those who give their power to
the teacher of lawlessness, is exhausted ; then is the opportunity for undertaking an
expedition against them ; and when the enemies of the truth are weakened, so that
the servants of God are enabled to speak freely, this will be a means by which many
will come from all quarters, and among others, the kings of the east."
VOL. IV. Jf

66 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
themselves and others, and restrain by rule the motions of the
flesh ; who are said to come from the rising of the sun, because
they are called by the Lord who is the true Sun of righteous
ness." Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 1677; —
" Who hath made us, namely, by the renewing of the Spirit
(Piscator), Kings, namely, spiritual and celestial (Piscator,
Zegerius) . Kings are Christians both on account of their vic
tories over the flesh, the world (Grotius, Cotterius, Cluverus,
Durham), sin (Cotterius, Brightman), the devil (Grotius, Pis
cator), and his ministers (Piscator), death (Brightman) ; as also
because they reign in spirit with God by their heavenly con
versation; as, lastly, also by title and right (Psalm cxlix., 9),
because they will be at some future time judges of the world,
1 Cor. vi., 1, and will reign with Christ (Durham)."
Robertson, Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 9 ; —
" They are, first, kings unto God, in that they are made
conquerors over sin, Satan, and the world: in that they have the
honor and title of a king, they sit upon a throne, they wear a
crown, they judge the world : for they execute the judgment
written, 'this honor have all the saints,' Psalm cxlix., 9. They
are, secondly, priests unto God, in that they offer up their body
a living sacrifice ; they offer up prayers and praises unto him,
with assurance of acceptation."
Jones, Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 24 ; —
" ' He hath made us kings and priests unto God,' &c. In
the song of the redeemed, chap, v., 10, it is said, 'And hath
made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign
upon the earth.' The Lord Jesus has not only redeemed his
people from the wrath to come, but he has advanced them to
the most honorable and dignified relationship to God in connec
tion with himself. As believers are all the sons of God, by faith
in Jesus Christ, Gal. iii., 25 ; 1 John iii., 1, so they are heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ Jesus, Rom. viii., 17; Gal.
iv., 7. The whole church of the redeemed are a church of ' first
born' ones, Heb. xii., 23 ; even as Israel of old was denomi
nated, typically, God's ' first-born,' Exod. iv., 22; and so like
them, they are a kingdom of priests, Exod. xix., 6 ; or a royal

VERSE XII.] SIXTH VIAL  " KINGS Ol' THE EAST." 67
priesthood, as the apostle Peter terms them, 1 Pet. ii., 9 ; which
is precisely the same import with his making them ' kings and
priests,' having the dignity of God's first-born. All the children
of God are raised to royal honors becoming the children of such
a Father ; they are heirs of the kingdom, and shall inherit all
things. They are consecrated priests unto God, having access
into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus, ' to offer up spi
ritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,' 1 Pet. ii.,
5 ; Heb. xiii., 15, 16. They are kings and priests even now
while in this world, just as they are sons and heirs ; though it
doth not yet appear what they shall be, when they shall appear
with Christ in glory, and shall obtain the crown and kingdom.
All this honor and dignity, Christ had procured for them, and
they enjoy it in virtue of their connection with him ; and,
viewing the matter in this light, can we wonder the apostle
John should add, as he does, ' To Him be glory, and dominion,
for ever and ever. Amen.' "
Hooper, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 210 ; — ¦
" ' The East' is emblematical of the source from whence the
power of rule and dominion comes. The Sun, the great ruler
of the day, rising from that quarter, sufficiently declares this
truth, and renews, as it were, to every man, day by day, the
pledge and earnest of the appearing of the Lord ; even of that
coming morning when we shall awake up after his likeness and
be satisfied with it. The last words of David, the sweet singer
of Israel, were, ' The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his
word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of
Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just;' or
as in the Hebrew, ' He that ruleth in manhood is the Just One,
ruling in the fear of God ; and as the light of the morning shall
rise the sun, a morning unclouded, shining with splendor, with
showers, like grass from the earth.' Hence even in the day of
his humiliation, it was said by the wise men who sought him at
Jerusalem, ' We have seen his star in the east, and are come to
worship him.' And under that emblem, too, as well as the Sun
of righteousness, is he set forth in this book of the Revelation
of Jesus Christ, saying, ' I am the root and offspring of David,
and the bright and morning star.' St. Peter also uses similar
f2

68 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVI.
language, exhorting us to take heed unto the sure word of
prophecy, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the
day-dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts. Moreover, it
should seem that the hope of his glorious appearing and king-
do m were not set before us in word only but by act, by the
custom which has long prevailed in the church in turning to the
east when the creeds are repeated ; and as though the church
would not have us sorrow without hope, but hold fast our faith
in his appearing and kingdom, she so lays his sleeping saints in
the dust that when they shall rise their faces might be towards
the east ; thus reminding us, in this last solemn act, ' that as
Jesus died and rose again, even so those that sleep in Jesus will
God bring with him.' And these, we believe, are ' the kings
of the east, even those who shall come with Jesus at his appear
ing and kingdom."
Mr. Galloway in his Gate of Prophecy, observes, vol.
ii., p. 426 ;—
" The Sun here mentioned is the Sun of righteousness, whose
rising is already casting before him the light of the dawn. The
kings are they who come from the dawn of that celestial morn
ing, and who are illuminated with its rising light ; agreeably to
the prophet Malachi (iv., 2, 3), who predicts that they on whom
he thus arises, ' shall tread down the wicked as ashes under the
soles of their feet, in the day that the Lord of hosts shall do
this.' This therefore is the time at which the prophecy of
Malachi shall receive its fulfilment ; for as much is implied in
the application here made of it."
Swbdenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 13, 14;
" ' And I saw come out of the mouth of the dragon,
and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth
of the false prophet,' signifies, it was perceived, that from
theology founded on the doctrine of a Trinity of Persons in
the Divinity, and on the doctrine of Justification by faith
alone without the works of the law : ' three unclean spirits
like frogs,' signifies, there resulted mere ratiocinations and
cupidities of falsifying truths : ' for they are the spirits of
demons,' signifies, that they were cupidities of falsifying

VERSE XIII.] SIXTH VIAL — " FROGS." 69
truths and reasoning from falses : ' making signs to go
away unto the kings of the earth and of the whole globe,
to gather them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty,' signifies, contestations that their falses are
truths, and excitations of all those in that church, who
are in the same false principles, to impugn the truths of
the New Church."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" Frogs are animals which are a source of annoyance ; they
make a noise, destroy the repose of men, and live in the mud.
Such will be the ministers of Antichrist ; because they will be
perceived not so much to speak, as rather with garrulous voices
to croak. They will likewise take from the elect their rest ;
everywhere severely persecuting them ; and will crawl about in
the mud, that is, in the uncleanness of sins."
So the Glossa Ordinaria. Aretas and CEcumenius say
that these unclean spirits, as frogs, are highly adapted to
excite disturbances and tumults, but not to the praising of
God. Gagneus says " they are not inaptly assimilated to
miry and loquacious animals ; because their doctrines and
suggestions are vain, and always tending to the lust of the
flesh and licentiousness."
Menochius, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" He beholds these spirits as being similar to frogs ; because
a frog is a feeble animal, foul, and loquacious ; it has a voice
and makes a noise louder than is proportioned to its body ; but
it is destitute of strength. In like manner these unclean spirits
will then give out a noise, and will excite many to arms ; but
all the efforts of their armed men will come to nothing, for they
themselves will be rather the vanquished and slain ; as indicated
in the sequel."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" ' I saw three unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of
the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the
mouth of the false prophet.' As if it were openly said to them
by John : 'It is not heaven, but mud that you are looking

70 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
upon : not holy preachers but noisy frogs that you are hearing.
... Do not lend your ear to the croaking of frogs, as if it was the
voice of preachers.' In which words he asserts, that the hor
rible blasphemies of the beast and false prophet are as far dis
tant from the teaching of the truth, as frogs are from holy men.
By this, both constancy is ascribed to the saints and caution
to the unwary ; so that they who are unable to guard against
these wicked deceits, by a spirit of discernment, may at least,
by being smitten with disgust at the appearance of the frogs,
endeavor to avoid such persons. For as frogs hinder our natural
rest, so do these hinder our spiritual rest ; by whose prating it
comes to pass that no one perceives the truth in the quiet of
devotion. And inasmuch as these ministers of Satan, not only
by terrors and blandishments, but also by the false signs pro
duced by deceits, will seduce unto death those who are fore
known; therefore it is added, with respect to these unclean
spirits, that they are the spirits of demons, making signs (un
derstand that they are not true but false signs) ; by which not
Israel, but the Egyptians are deceived."
. . . "Above (chap, xiii.), when speaking of the seductive signs
which the beast is to work, this observation is interposed ; ' And
he made great signs, so as to cause fire to descend to earth in the
sight of men.' As if it were said; of all the signs that he will
exhibit, the greatest will be that of causing fire to descend from
heaven to the earth ; that is, he will shew that he himself has
received, after the manner of the church, the seal of the Holy
Spirit, under the appellation of fire ; although he is replete
with the spirit of seduction. But this is to be ' in the sight of
men ;' because they savor not the things which be of God, but
the things which be of men. I say that in the sight of men,
they will be believed to utter with fiery tongues the words of
the Spirit ; but in the sight of the elect, they will appear to be
as frogs without tongues ; because it is certain, it is so declared
and so appointed, that in the eyes of the elect they shall not be
able to proceed beyond the signs of frogs" ... as neither could
the magicians before Moses.
To the same effect are the observations of Haymo.
Dr. Henry More observes in his Works, p. 543 ; —

VERSE XIII.] SIXTH VIAL — " FROGS." "1
" But in that it is thus gendered of filth and mire, I should
look upon it as a fit emblem of that wisdom which is not from
above, but is eTrl'yeio<;, •^rv^tK^, ical Baip.oviaSTj'i, earthly, animal
or sensual, and devilish ; and is accompanied with bitter zeal
and strife in the heart, as the apostle intimates just before ; and
altogether contrary to that wisdom which is from above ; which
is first pure, not bemired with worldly lusts ; then peaceable,
not breeding contention, nor full of words and brawlings, like
the importunate, harsh, and disharmonious coaxations of frogs,
(so called in the Greek from that very ungrateful noise, as if
fSdrpa-xpi were as much as/3oaTjoa^e.?, irapa t>j? TjOa^urr/TO? ttjs
(3oa<;, from the shrillness and asperity of the noise they make ;)
much less forward to war and bloodshed, or to the instigating
of princes and men in power thereunto : which the hoarse and
harsh coaxation of these creatures may be a fit symbol of; and
the rather, if these trumpeters to war be conceived to be such
men as are as soft and unwarlike as these naked and slimy ani
mals, no more fit to fight than they, but only to be trumpeters
to war and confusion, and that for their own interest ; the zeal
ous declamations and vociferations they make being in behalf
of themselves ; as all the noise the frog makes, is with its tongue
turned inwards towards its own gullet. Whence that creature
seems a very lively emblem of such wretches as these. Arte-
midor, lib. ii., c. xv. : BaTpayot Be avBpas yorjTaS Kat, /3oj/u.o\o^8?
irpoo-ijfiaivucrLv. 'Ranse homines impostores et scurras significant;'
which has no small affinity with our larger description of them."
Wodehouse, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 407 ; —
" The evil spirits sent into the world on this occasion, are
three ; each antichristian chief having produced one. They
come forth from the mouths of their wicked parents ; may pro
bably therefore be employed in spreading those doctrines by
which the kind of apostacy to happen ' in the latter days' is
promoted : and which is described by St. Paul as effected irvev-
pacri ifkavois Kat, BiBaaKaXiai'; Batfj,ovia>v, by seducing spirits
and doctrines of devils. There is a striking resemblance in the
two passages ; irvevfiara hat,fiovt,<ov iroLuvra ai]peia, ' spirits of
demons working wonders,' that is, the same kind of wonders
as we have seen before worked by the false prophet, who ifkava

72 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [<HAP. XVI.
Bta ra crr)p,eta, seduceth by the wonders which he worketh. Of
this nature seems to be this threefold attack on the Christian
church ; to seduce the kings and leading men ; and to range
the civil powers on the side of Antichrist. The seducing doc
trines are personified ; they are like frogs ; they have the appear
ance of that loathsome and unclean animal which infested Egypt
when suffering her plagues. They are here as plagues ; as plagues
upon the Antichristians ; for such only are poured out in the
vials." Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 548 ; —
"They are like unto frogs; because they delight in their
own most filthy and stinking abominations of doctrine, out of
which they fetch their beginning and their life."
Philo says that frogs are the symbols of vain opinions
and glory ; having only noise and sound void of reason.
(Daubuz, Sym. Diet.)
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Scripture Prophecies,
vol. i., p. 206 ; —
" The Spirits of God are lamps, which being set on some
high place do give light : but these are like the frogs, creatures
of the night and of darkness, that croak in the night, and love
the bottoms of waters. As therefore the Spirits of God are
undoubtedly his oracles : there is no cause to doubt, that those
unclean spirits of the beast and false prophets are the false ora
cles of Antichrist."
" In the third place, spirits coming out of the mouth so
clearly denote words, that it cannot be enough admired that
none hath seen this. First, everything which comes out of the
mouth in a figurative style signifies words. 'Tis said in chap.
xix., 15, that ' out of his mouth came a two-edged sword.' All
know that this signifies the word of God that comes out of the
mouth of Jesus Christ. Isaiah saith, that the Messiah ' shall
smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked
with the breath of his lips;' a notable passage for explaining
that upon which we now are ; spirit or breath is there taken in
the sense that we lay down ; the spirit of his lips is the speech
of his lips. And the rod that comes out of the mouth of the
Messiah is also evidently his word or speech."

VERSE XIII.] SIXTH VIAL  " FROGS." 73
Ibid, p, 212 ; —
" 'Tis for this reason that the oracles of the false prophet
are compared to frogs ; the oracles of God are eagles' that fly
in pure air ; but the oracles of Popery* and false religion are
creatures that love the dirt, that descend into pits and live there.
They make a great noise in times of darkness, as frogs do in
the night ; but will immediately be silent as soon as the sun of
grace is risen, that is, when it shall dissipate all the shadows
of false religion."
Hooper, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 213 ; — -
" Living, as we are, in these awful times, it may be well to
give a note of warning to those who suppose that they will be
able to judge of the doctrine by the evidence of supernatural
power, or by the miracle which may be wrought to attest it,
for this is to lay themselves open to the devil's He ! — whereas
ive must judge of the miracle by the doctrine ; for Satan, by his
lying wonders, will deceive and gain ascendancy over all who
abide not in the faith and truth of Christ."t
Dr. Henry More observes in his Works, p. 769 ; —
" That no miracle, though done by such as may seem of an
unexceptionable life and of more singular sanctity, can in reason
ratify any doctrine or practice that is repugnant to rightly-cir
cumstantiated sense, or natural truths or science, or the common
Christian faith, or any plain doctrine or assertion in Scripture.
The truth of this is manifest from hence, that no man can be
so certain that such a man is not a crafty and cautious hypocrite,
and his miracle either a juggle or delusion of the devil, or (if
* Not Popery.
f Hooper, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 213; — •
" The first unclean spirit coming out of the mouth of the dragon, is emblema
tical of Satan assuming the authority and power of headship, putting himself in an
antagonistic position against the Lord. The second unclean spirit coming out of the
mouth of the beast, represents Satan filling the region of the understanding, pro
ducing such a refined intellectualism as shall annul or subvert the faith of men in
every truth of God. The unclean spirit coming out of the mouth of the false prophet,
is Satan filling the spirit of man with the light of hell, and exercising supernatural
power, confirming false doctrines with signs and wonders. It is not the incorpora
tion of a threefold form of iniquity which is here presented to our notice, but the
going forth of spirits to gather, preparatory to the organization of Antichrist ; and it
is only under the seventh and last period of the Christian dispensation, that the dragon
and the beast and the false prophet will be manifested."

74 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
he was not an eye-witness of it) a false report of a miracle, as
he is certain of the truth of rightly-circumstantiated sense, of
common notions and natural science, of the articles of the apos
tolic faith, or of any plain assertion in the Scripture. And
therefore that which is most certain in this case ought in all
reason to be our guide."
" The kings of the earth," says Richard of St. Victor,
" are the wicked who know not how to exercise restraint
over themselves or others, in regard to earthly cupidities.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 15; —
" ' Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watch-
eth, and keepeth his garments,' signifies, the Lord's advent,
and then heaven to those who look to him, and persist in
a life conformable to his commandments, which are the
truths of the Word : ' that he walk not naked, and they
see his shame,' signifies, lest they should be with those who
are in no truths, and their infernal loves should appear."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, p. 836, Matt. xxiv. ; —
" (Origen.) The master of the household is the understand
ing, the house is the soul, the thief is the devil. The thief is
also every contrary doctrine which enters the soul of the unwary
by other than the natural entrance, breaking into the house,
and pulling down the soul's natural fences, that is, the natural
powers of understanding, it enters the breach, and spoils the
soul. Sometimes one takes the thief in the act of breaking in,
and seizing him, stabs with a word, and slays him. And the
thief comes not in the day-time, when the soul of the thought
ful man is illuminated with the sun of righteousness, but in the
night, that is, in the time of prevailing wickedness ; in which,
when one is plunged, it is possible, though we have not the
power of the sun, that he may be illuminated by some rays from
the Word, as from a lamp ; continuing still in evil, yet having
a better purpose, and watchfulness, that this his purpose should
not be broken through. Or the time of temptation, or of any
calamities, is the time when the thief is most found to come,
seeking to break through the house of the soul. (Greg.) Or
the thief breaks into the house through the neglect of the

VERSE XVI.] SIXTH VIAL  " GATHERED TOGETHER." 75
master of the house, when the spirit has slept upon its post of
guard, and death has come in unawares into the dwelling-house
of our flesh, and finding the lord of the house sleeping, slays
him ; that is, the spirit, little providing for coming evils, is
taken off unprepared to punishment by death. But if he had
watched he would have been secure from the thief; that is,
looking forward to the coming of the Judge, who takes our
lives unawares, he would meet him with penitence, and not
perish impenitent. And the Lord would therefore have the last
hour unknown, that it might always be in suspense, and that
being unable to foresee it, we might never be unprepared for it."
By garments Ambrose Ansbert understands " that love
of God and of our neighbor in virtue of which we keep
the commandments." " As garments," says he, " cover
the body, so do good works protect the soul." B. Gregory
says on this passage ; — ¦
" He watches who keepeth open the eyes of his mind to the
perception of the true light. He watches who drives away from
himself the shadows of slumber and negligence. Hence also
Paul says ; ' Awake ye just, and sin not.' And again ; ' The
hour is come that we awake out of sleep.' . . . We keep our gar
ments when we observe in our minds the commandments of
innocence." . . .
Eor a further explanation see Vol. I., p. 414 ; by the
commandments of God are meant in general the truths of
his Word. Swedenborg, ' Apocaltpse Revealed,' verse 16; —
" ' And he gathered them together into a place called
in the Hebrew Armageddon,' signifies, a state of combat
of falses against truths, and a desire to destroy the New
Church, originating in the love of rule and of preemi
nence." By their being gathered together, Aretas and CEcume-
nius understand that their separation is signified from those
with whom they formerly associated ; and their congregat
ing together under the influence of their predominant

76 spiritual exposition. [chap. xvi.
principles. The separation is thus natural and voluntary.
Thus also Haymo observes, that " they will be gathered
together into one consent and one evil will. This is said
by reason of their unity in wickedness, for what one does
that all the rest do likewise." So Gaspar a Melo. Meno-
chius says, they are gathered together that they may all be
overcome by Christ in one day, and that they may all be
slain together.
Richard of St. Victor regards the word Armageddon as
signifying mountain of pride.
Swedenborg, Apocalypse Explained, vol. v., chap, xvi.,
art. 1010, p. 460;—
" By Armageddon is signified the love of honor, of
rule, and of supereminence ; and this love is also signified
by Megiddon in the old Hebrew tongue, as is evident from
the signification of that word in the Arabic language ; nor
is anything else understood by Armageddon in the heavens ;
for all the places mentioned in the Word signify things
and states. The reason why the love of honor, of rule, of
supereminence, denotes the last state of the church, when
falses are about to fight against truths, is, because that love
has rule in the church in the last time thereof; and when
that love has rule, then also the false from evil rules, and
this overcomes truth ; for that love, above all others, extin-
guisheth the light of heaven, and induceth the darkness of
hell ; and this, because this is the very proprium itseK of
man, and man cannot by any force be drawn away from
his proprium and elevated towards heaven, so long as that
love hath rule ; and the proprium, into which that love
altogether immerseth the man, is nothing but evil and
false. That man from that love is in thick darkness as to
all things of heaven and the church, consequently in mere
falses, does not appear to those who are in it ; by reason
that the natural lumen with them appears in splendor, to

VERSE XVI.] SIXTH VIAL — "ARMAGEDDON." 77
such a degree that spiritual light is extinguished ; but that
splendor is from an infatuating lumen, enkindled from the
love of glory, thus from the love of self-derived intelli
gence, which intelligence, viewed in heaven, is insanity and
infatuation. When therefore this love reigns in the church,
it is all over with it ; for there is no longer with any one
any understanding of truth, nor will of good ; for honor,
rule, and supereminence, constitute the highest pleasure,
and are felt as the highest good ; and what constitutes the
highest pleasure and the highest good, is the end for the
sake of which all other things are regarded ; and, in this
case, all goods and truths, both civil, moral, and spiritual,
are made subservient as means, which are loved only from
the end and according to the degree in which they serve
the end ; and if they do not serve, they are altogether ac
counted vile, and rejected. So also with respect to all uses,
civil, moral, or spiritual. The case is otherwise when uses
are regarded as the end, and man doth not attribute glory
and honor to his own person, but to the uses themselves,
according to their excellence ; for then honor, rule, and
supereminence, are the means, and are estimated, only so
far as they are thereby serviceable to uses. Prom these
considerations it may in some measure appear, what is un
derstood by Armageddon. It has also been shewn me to
the life, that that love hath vastated the church, and adul
terated all the goods and truths thereof, not only in the
kingdoms of Babylon, but in all other kingdoms ; for al
most every one at this day, when he cometh after death
into the spiritual world, carrieth with him out of the na
tural world the desire to be honored, to rule, and to raise
himself above others ; and there are very few indeed who
love uses for the sake of uses ; for it is their will that uses
may serve ; and that the honor, which in itself is not use,
may command ; and when that principle reigneth, which,

78 spiritual exposition. [chap. xvi.
separate from use, is not anything, no lot nor inheritance
can be given them in the heavens where uses alone reign.
Por the kingdom of the Lord is a kingdom of uses ; for
when these reign, then the Lord reigneth, inasmuch as
uses are goods, and all good is from the Lord. This now
is the state of the church manifested as to things rational ;
which state is signified by the sixth angel pouring out his
vial upon the great river Euphrates, and is the subject now
treated of."
The derivation of the word Armageddon is much dis
puted by interpreters. According to Swedenborg, it is a
compound of the Hebrew word aram, signifying elevation,
magnificence, (see Calmet's Dictionary) ; or, otherwise,
arom or rom, to be lifted up, exalted, elevated; and Me-
giddo, from magad, — " A word," says Parkhurst, " which
occurs not as a verb in Hebrew ; but verbs from this root in
Arabic signify to excel, exceed in glory, honor, or praise!'
Hor likewise means loftiness or mountain. Megiddo was,
in the historical sense, the valley where Josiah was slain in
battle by the Egyptians : it was also noted for other slaugh
ters : whence likewise it implies a state of warfare against
all goodness and truth ; induced, in the present case, by
self-elation or a love of glory, honor, and praise.
Matthew Hoe, Apocalypse, part ii., chap, xvi., p. 83 ; —
" It is not a physical or local space that is denoted by Har-
mageddon, as we have above explained. A word indeed indicat
ing locality is here used ; but even place does not always desig
nate physical space ; for example, when St. Peter says of Judas,
Acts i., 25, that 'he went to his own place,' is any one so foolish
as by place to understand here a physical space? So likewise
in the Apocalypse, place has not any signification of physical
locality ; for in chap, xii., 8, John says of the evil angels, ' and
their place was no more found in heaven.' If therefore place
denotes precisely physical space, it necessarily follows that the
infernal dragon formerly had such a physical place in heaven;
which no one but a plainly stupid person would affirm. To say

VERSE XVI.J SIXTH VIAL  ARMAGEDDON." 79
nothing of other authors, John Damascen maintains the exist
ence not only of corporeal place, but also of intellectual place ;
so that I am under no constraint, in the application or historical
deduction of the sixth phial, to shew any given physical place
as having the name of Armageddon ... it is sufficient if I prove
that the kings and kingdoms were cast by unclean spirits into
destruction, and utter perdition; and therefore that place of
some kind was not wanting, in which the operation of spirits
should be made manifest."
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" In our Latin version, the word congregavit seems to refer
to the Omnipotent God ; and indeed with a very wise design ;
in order that we might thus understand that the hostile intent
and conflict of the three spirits was an instrument in the hands
of Divine Providence ; that by help of this he might bring his
counsels to their destined issue, and lead the army of his adver
saries into the field of Armageddon, that is, into snares; and
there capture them. For Armageddon is not a name proper to
any given place ; but is a name coined from the Hebrew, with
a view to the signification of this mystery ; for it properly sig
nifies a place suited to the laying of snares. Wherefore in this
passage it is intimated, that when the Gentiles became more
active, and firm in their attitude of war against the church ;
then most especially were they led away by God, and drawn into
those snares which he had prepared for them."
If the word Armageddon be understood as signifying a
place of snares ; in this case, the snares will be those of
worldly glory, honor, and praise, &c.
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 379 ; —
" We suppose the term place to be put here for a certain po
sition of principles peculiarly adapted to a test of their correct
ness." " There seems to be no such place as Armageddon men
tioned elsewhere in the Scriptures Some have supposed the
appellation to refer to Megiddo, a place remarkable for a double
slaughter, Judges v., 19, and 2 Kings xxiii., 29, Rob. Lex. : this
double slaughter, if such be the allusion, being perhaps a type
of the great contest between truth and error here contemplated

80 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XVI.
—the kings of Canaan and the king of Egypt representing the
powers or principles symbolized in the Apocalypse by the kings
of the earth."
Pyle, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" Armageddon is the same as Mount Megiddo ; as much as
to say, a mountain of destruction. And it has the same mean
ing with that place which the prophet Joel calls the valley of
Jehoshaphat and the valley of decision ; where the multitudes
of the enemies of God's true worshippers were to be gathered
together and destroyed. For Jehoshaphat signifies as much as
the judgment of the Lord. See Joel ii., 1, 2 — 12."
Swedenborg, ' Apocaltpse Revealed,' verses 17, IS ;
" ' And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the
air,' signifies, influx into all things appertaining to them at
once : ' and there came a great voice out of the temple of
heaven from the throne, saying, It is done,' signifies, thereby
a manifestation from the Lord, that all things appertaining
to the church are devastated, and that the last judgment
is now at hand : ' and there were voices, and lightnings,
and thunders,' signifies, reasonings, falsifications of truth,
and arguings grounded in falses of evil : ' and there was a
great earthquake, such as Avas not since men were made
upon the earth, such an earthquake so great,' signifies, as
it were concussions, paroxysms, inversions and distractions
from heaven of all things relating to the church."
Cocceius says that the phial being poured out into the
air signifies that the plague is general, and in a sense
universal, and swift in coming.
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" This vial is said to be poured upon the air, the seat and
region of sounds, voices, thunders, and lightnings ; which are
the emblems of the vast changes in the face of affairs now to
be wrought. And the air, surrounding and comprehending the
whole earth and sea, denotes these changes to be total. This
vial again is introduced with a solemn voice from the heavenly
temple or scene of these visions ; viz., 'It is done.' As much

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " AIR." 81
as to say; the vials are finished; this is the last period of time
which shall not end but with the complete ruin of the Anti
christian power. The same with those other expressions re
lating to the same period. ' Behold ! I make all things new/
chap, xxi., 5, 6 ; by a change greater than was ever yet seen in
the world ; for the kingdoms of this world shall then become
the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; chap, xi., 15, of
this book." Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 818 ; —
" ' And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air,'
&c. Or upon the air, as the Alexandrian copy, Syriac and
Arabic versions, read; by which is meant the kingdom of Satan,
he being the Prince of the power of the air, Eph. ii. 2 ; not
that he has power over the air, to raise or lay winds and storms
in it at pleasure ; but he is so called because he is the Prince of
that posse of devils, the principalities and powers of darkness,
that have their dwelling in the air ; hence the air encompassing
the whole earth stands for the kingdom of Satan all the world
over : and this vial differs from all the rest ; that whereas the
rest only affect some part or branch of the Antichristian state,
this will affect all the remains of the Pagan, Papal, and Ma
hometan powers, gathered and united together at Armageddon ;
and the pouring out of this vial is the execution of divine wrath
and vengeance upon them all at once."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 551 ; —
" The event of this vial shall be common ; as which is poured
upon the air, which compasseth the land and sea round about ;
which air yet is not this elementary air that we breathe in, but
some other thing which is signified by this name; as it was
usual in the other vials. Now we know that the devil is called
in Scriptures the Prince that hath power over the air, Eph. ii., 2 ;
whither those chains of darkness belong, which Peter speaks of,
2 Epistle ii., 4; and Jude in his Epistle, verse 6. Seeing
therefore the air belongeth to his jurisdiction, this last vial
shall bring a most grievous calamity unto the whole kingdom of
the devil.* The former vial did plague some members thereof
* Hooper, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 238 ; —
" ' The air,' into which this vial of God's wrath is poured, is symbolical of the
spiritual region ; the last form of iniquity manifested on the earth by men giving
VOL. IV. G

82 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
severally, this shall destroy the whole body of the wicked with
a common destruction."
Mr. Prere, Apocalypse, p. 84 ; —
" The meaning of this symbol, I conceive to be derived from
its property of being every where present ; and that it is used
to express universality; in this case, a judgment or vial of wrath,
being poured out into the air, would imply that it was one of
universal extent and influence."
The voice says, 'it is done;' i. e., says Gagneus, it pro
ceeds "from the majesty of God who is about to judge; 'It
is done,' i. <?., that is, it is now consummated: it is all over
with the world." So Richard of St. Victor: "As if he should
say, all things are now consummated ; the end of the world
is at hand." Haymo : "all things are consummated hy his
judgment : the kingdom of Antichrist is at an end." So
Ambrose Ansbert, &c. "The voices," says Haymo, "are the
exhortations with which the ministers of Antichrist will per
suade men to believe in Antichrist as God; the thunders are
threats and torments by which they will deceive many."
Anselm ; the voices and thunders are the " warnings and
threats uttered by the earthly-minded against the good."*
themselves up unto spiritual uncleanliness, being filled with the spirits of devils.
We have learnt, from the contents of the sixth vial, that such will be the condition
of men, that they, being filled with evil spirits, will he gathered together by Satan
against the Lord in his Church: hence, when Babylon is judged, it is said of her —
' She is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a
cage of every unclean and hateful bird,' xviii., 2. By the spiritual region, there
fore, we do not mean spirits apart from men, but spirits in men. This being the
last form of iniquity under the Antichrist, there is no other symbol which could so
well convey the nature of the judgment contained in this vial, and the condition of
those on whom it should be poured out.''
* Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" What else are we to understand to be designated in the lightnings, but the signs
of miracles ? what else in the voices, but preachings ? what else in the thunders, but
comminations ? But inasmuch as together with the word of preaching, and the ter
rors of comminations, we are told that there will be the signs of miracles ; so it is
not here sufficiently clear whether the miracles are those of good men contradicting
falsity ; or those of wicked men resisting the truth, with a view to try the good and
to harden the wicked ; or whether both of these will alternate with each other."
Primasius makes the same observation.

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " THRONE." 83
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 552; —
" The first event is a great voice, which is described by the
place from whence it cometh, and by that which it spake. The
place is not only the temple of heaven, but the throne also
whereof we had a description, chap, iv., 2. That is, the habita
tion of the saints, as we have seen before. This is that throne
of highest majesty, which being placed in the midst of the
assembly of the faithful, doth glitter with an incomprehensible
brightness and glory of the most holy Trinity. Wherefore this
voice cometh mediately from God himself, in respect of the
ministry of the church ; whereby it is signified that God would
provide for his servants, under this vial, beyond his usual
manner, and almost beyond all hope and expectation; by
putting forth his power and force from heaven, for the defacing
of all his enemies ; all which we have heard right now that they
were gathered together into the place called Harmageddon;
which interpretation we shall see confirmed more fully in the
chapters that follow, where there is a more large explaining of
this vial. The word which was given forth was, ' It is done ;'
which is a most fit word for the consummation of all things.
Which we know was used in the creation of them ; Gen. i.
This is the meaning of it ; as if we should say, all things have
now been which I have decreed should be done. Neither is
there anything more of my promises remaining, the accom
plishment whereof is to be looked for upon the earth. For
this word, It is done, hath relation to that chapter x., 7. ' In
the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall blow
the trumpet, the mystery of God shall be accomplished.' "
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 1930; —
"From the throne, i.e., from that part of the adytum in
which God sits magnificently upon the cherubim, setting his
feet upon the ark (Grotius, Piscator) ; for it is under that figure
that among the Hebrews the abode of God was conceived
(Grotius) . The same place is here called the temple and the
throne ; because God dwells in his secret place, and there sits
in glory. It is the different relation, therefore, that is the cause
of the difference in appellation (Cotterius). It shews both the
authority of the speaker and the certainty of the thing (Dur-
g2

84 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
ham.) It signifies that this was the voice of God himself (Forbes,
Pareus, Cluverus, Durham), or of Christ as judge sitting upon
his throne (Piscator)."
Swedenborg, ' Apocaltpse Revealed,' verse 19 ; —
" ' And the great city was divided into three parts, and
the cities of the nations fell,' signifies, that the church
with respect to its doctrine was entirely destroyed thereby,
and in like manner all heresies to which it had given birth.
"The great city," says Haymo, "is the genus, the
cities of the nations, the species." Other authors also ob
serve, that the great city is the mother city ; the cities of
the nations are the cities thence derived. Richard Bernard
says, " the cities of the nations are all the places depend
ing upon and containing the subjects of the great city."
Similar interpretations occur in Alcasar; only that they
are applied to the breaking up of idolatrous religions in
the early ages of Christianity. De Lyra says that, " mo
rally, the city divided is the church (which ought to be a
union of citizens into one) divided into three parts ; for
some adhered to the doctrine of Arius, some to the doc
trine of the church, some were doubtful concerning both."
Cornelius a Lapide says, that by the division of the city
into three parts ' many understand the going over to vari
ous parties and schisms;' Aretas and (Ecumenius, that
the cities of the nations which fell may signify various sen
timents and opinions concerning religious faith, and which
easily fall by reason of their mutual discordance. Vitringa,
that it signifies, that the entire state of the Antichristian
city and church, which before was shaken, will now be
overthrown. Cocceius, that " cities are said to fall when
the entire order of their polity is deranged, and scarcely
any one can dwell under it safely; or when the face of
the commonwealth becomes changed."*
* He says that he is unable to decide whether a division is intended here in the
chuich, or in some great empire ; or whether it means dissensions in the church re-

VERSE XIX.] SEVENTH VIAL-

85

Swedenboug, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 19 ; —
" ' And great Babylon came in remembrance before
God, to give her the cup of the wine of the anger of his
wrath,' signifies, in this case the destruction also of the
tenets of the Roman Catholic religion."
It has already been seen, on the authority of Roman
Catholic writers, that by Babylon is signified Rome : we
may here add further that Emanuel Sa, on Apocalypse xiv.,
8, says, that by Babylon is signified the world or Rome.
Tirinus, on Apocalypse xvi., 16, expressly says that Babylon
is Rome; and again on verse 19, that Babylon the great
is the city of Rome : Joachim, foi. 190, that the city of
Rome is itself the new Babylon: Gagneus, that the Greek
scholia understand here by Babylon ancient Rome. Thus
whether referred to the past or the future, there is a
general consent of testimony to the fact that by Baby
lon is signified Rome. But if Rome be signified by
Babylon, then by the city of Babylon is signified the
church of Babylon, or the church of Rome ; since a city
means a church. Indeed, we have already seen that by
Babylon is to be understood, according to Cornelius a
Lapide, a Satanic church.
This subject, however, will be amply considered in the
sequel. It may here be added that on the words, " the church
which is at Babylon salutes you," 1 Peter v., 13, Cardinal
Hugo observes ; —
" It is Rome that he here calls Babylon, by reason of its
cultivation of idolatry. And this he says, because in like manner
as a people, small in number and in a state of captivity, through
a longing for their own land wept over the daughter of Babylon ;
so the church small and just beginning, wept over Rome."
specting ecclesiastical polity ; or whether it refers to the fall of some political empire.
Even however these uncertainties proceed upon the same general principle of inter
pretation with regard to the division of the city.

86 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
Emanuel Sa, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" Babylon, i. e., Rome, according to Jerome and Eusebius,
for it was then full of idolatry and sin."
Menochius, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" 'The church which is in Babylon,' &c. ; the Roman church.
He calls Rome, Babylon, by reason of the similarity to it in
respect of magnificence, its being frequented, and the extent of
its empire, as also by reason of the sins which flourished in those
times of infidelity."
Tirinus, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" Which is in Babylon, i. e., in the city of Rome. ... As
Orosius beautifully demonstrates ; and as is unanimously affirmed
by the fathers and orthodox doctors, according to Bellarmine,
Ribera, Viegas, Pererius, and Alcasar on the Apocalypse, chap.
xvii., 18."
Calmet, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" Under the name of Babylon we here understand, with all
the ancients and moderns who have Lived in the communion of
Rome, the city of Rome."
Cardinal Cajetan, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" ' The church which is in Babylon salutes you.' . . . By the
appellation of Babylon he signifies Rome ; for it was from that
place that he wrote. He saw indeed that Rome was oppressed
by a confused mixture of idols and of morals. And for this
reason it is that he gave it a name derived from its confusion."
Glossa Ordinaria, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" ' The church which is in Babylon,' &c. He calls Rome,
Babylon; by reason of the confused medley of its multifold
idolatry ; and in the midst of which the holy church now shone
forth ; as yet indeed elementary and small ; just as the people of
Israel, small in number and in captivity, when sitting upon the
streams of Babylon mourned over their absence from the Holy
Land, and sang not the Lord's song in a strange country. And
when he is exhorting his hearers to patience under adversity,
rightly does he speak of the church which is with him in Ba
bylon, i. e., in a confused multitude of tribulations ; because the
holy city of God cannot be free from the commixtion and pres
sures superinduced by the devil."

VERSE XIX.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BABYLON." 87
De Lyra, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" The church which is in Babylon, i. e., Rome, which he calls
Babylon figuratively. . . . Because like as Babylon was a prin
cipal city and given to idolatry, as is evident in Daniel ; so was
Rome afterwards, by a like addiction to idolatrous practices.
Whence Pope Leo, in his Sermon concerning the holy apostles
Peter and Paul, alluding to the city of Rome, says; 'They
thought they made their religion a great one, if there was no fal
sity, that is, idolatry, which they rejected."
Estius, 1 Peter v., 13 ; —
" Certainly the ancients, such as Papias, bishop of Hierapolis ;
and from him Eusebius and Jerome ; as also Bede and (Ecu-
menius in their commentaries, and all the later orthodox writers,
interpret Babylon to be Rome. By which name also is signified
Rome in Apoc. xvii. and xviii., i. e., on account of the confusion
of idolatry which then prevailed in it ; and which was a slave to
the errors of all nations ; as says Leo in his Sermon concerning
Peter and Paul. Although afterwards by the preaching and
ordinances of the apostles its conversion from a Babylon into
a holy Jerusalem and new Zion, such as it remains to this day,
was at length effected; as Rupertus beautifully sets forth in
book v., concerning the Glorification of the Trinity."
So De la Haye ; who says, that " Rome was called Ba
bylon by reason either of the extent of its empire, accord
ing to Tertullian ; or else, of its wicked cultivation of
idolatry." Cornelius a Lapide, 1 Peter v., 13, p. 332 ; —
" Do you ask for what reason Rome is called Babylon ? It
is answered, First ; because Rome succeeded Babylon in empire,
as a daughter the mother, or rather a grand-daughter the grand
mother; and therefore the Babylonian empire passed on and ter
minated in the Roman ; just as the synagogue passed on into the
church ; and Jerusalem the Jewish, into Jerusalem the Christian ;
for which reason the church itself is called a synagogue, Zion,
and Jerusalem." . . .
" Secondly ; because Rome was similar to Babylon in the
greatness and magnificence of its empire. So fficumenius.

88 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVI.
Whence Babylon was a type and prelude of Rome ; as Orosius
shews, reciting many parallels and analogies."
..." Lastly ; in the time of Peter Rome was a Babylon,
i. e., a confused medley of all the idols, vices, and spoils of the
whole world. Whence Tertullian, book iii., against Marcion ; ' So
likewise Babylon,' says he, ' is according to John a figure of the
city of Rome, hence of a city great and proud in empire, and
warring against the saints of God."
This subject will be further pursued in chap. xvii.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 20, 21 ;
" ' And every island fled away, and the mountains were
not found,' signifies, that there was no longer any truth of
faith, nor any good of love : ' and there fell upon men a
great hail from heaven, as it were the weight of a talent,'
signifies, direful and atrocious falses, whereby all truth of
the Word and consequently of the church was destroyed :
' and they blasphemed God because of the plague of the
hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great,' signifies,
that because they have confirmed themselves in such a
manner as not to be able to know them, by reason of re
pugnance proceeding from their interior falses and evils."
Ibid., art. 714 ¦—
" The reason why the hail is said to be of the weight
of a talent, is, because a talent was the largest weight of
silver, and likewise of gold ; and by silver is signified truth,
and by gold good, and in an opposite sense falsehood and
evil." Mountains by reason of their altitude signify love, as
will be further shewn in the sequel : in an evil sense, self-
love. Islands are lands surrounded with waters; and waters,
as we have seen, signify truths of doctrine. Gaspar a
Melo and others interpret mountains as signifying the
more perfect churches, and islands the more imperfect. In
general, it may be understood that nothing good or true

VERSE XXI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " GREAT HAIL." 89
was found any longer pertaining to any of the professing
churches. Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 399 ; —
" ' The great city was broken,' that is, rent asunder by the
earthquake into three parts, that is, it fell, being broken to
pieces : for here three parts denote the destruction ; and the
threefold number, the perfect, full, and utter ruin thereof : for
a city, being divided by an earthquake into divers parts, cannot
remain entire, but must of necessity perish."
Sebastian Meyer, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 70 ; —
" By this rending, as also by the things next in order, are
meant a most extensive change in the world and its affairs."
Gill observes, p. 819, that it denotes utter ruin.
With respect to the hail, see chap, viii., 7, where it is
generally interpreted of error and heresy*
* Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 388 ; —
..." An exhibition or manifestation of the blasphemous character or principles
of a system professing to be Christian, must be equivalent to the final destruction
of such principles. A system overthrown by an exhibition of its fallacy, by the
undermining of its foundations, and by proving its elements to be blasphemous,
must necessarily be entirely destroyed, and such we suppose to be the implied con
ditions of all the systems here alluded to ; the plague of the hail sweeping away not
only the refuges, but the last refuges of lies."

CHAPTER XVII.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION— IN WHAT MANNER IT HAS FALSIFIED
THE WORD AND THEREBY PERVERTED ALL THINGS OF THE CHURCH-
HOW IT HAS FALSIFIED AND PERVERTED THEM AMONG THOSE WHO
ARE SUBJECT TO ITS DOMINION, BUT LESS AMONG THOSE WHO ARE NOT
SUBJECT TO ITS DOMINION IN THE SAME DEGREE— OF THE REFORMED,
THAT THEY HAVE WITHDRAWN THEMSELVES FROM ITS YOKE— ITS
PREVALENCE NOTWITHSTANDING.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xvii., verse
1;— " ' And there came one of the seven angels who had
the seven vials, and talked with me,' signifies, influx now
and revelation from the Lord from the inmost of heaven
concerning the Roman Catholic religion."
It is observed by Gregory the Great, that "the apostle
John says he writes to the Seven Churches, in order that by
these Seven he might designate the one Catholic church."
That the Seven Churches to which St. John writes in
the Apocalypse signify the one Catholic or universal
church, is the interpretation also of Tychonius, Berengaud,
Ambrose Ansbert, Gaspar a Melo, Richard of St. Victor, &c.
Now we have seen that the great theme of the Apo
calypse is the Last Judgment ; that the subjects of the
Last Judgment are the seven churches; hence that the great
theme of the Apocalypse is that of the Judgment of the
Catholic church at its consummation. The Catholic
church is judged according to the Two Tables of the Law:
and, considered in regard to the three divisions of the Tem
ple, is divided into the Dragon, Bel or Babel, and Gog
and Magog ; the Dragon, signifying more especially those

VERSE I.J SEVENTH VIAL  " TALKED." 91
by whose distinguishing doctrines the Second Witness is
killed ; and Babylon, those by whom the Pirst Witness is
killed (Babylon indicating self-love as opposed to the love
of God, and thus having a more especial relation to the
Pirst Table ; the Dragon indicating a love of the world, as
opposed to the love of the neighbor, and thus having a
more especial relation to the Second Table) ; while Gog
and Magog include all those who are in the mere externals
of religion. As it is in relation to these Two Tables that the Church
is judged ; so all who are judged have thus a reference to
the Dragon, Babylon, and Gog and Magog ; the external
and historical divisions of the church, having relation to its
external history in this world, rather than to its internal
and spiritual condition in the spiritual world at the Last
Judgment, before the Lord. Por throughout the Apoca
lypse all things are arranged in relation to the order ob
served in the temple, hence to its three divisions ; not in
relation to the external circumstances of the outward
world. The internal character of the Dragonists, both lay and
clerical, having been laid open, we now proceed to that of
the Babylonians.
It has been seen that by the four beasts or living crea
tures, was signified the Word of God ; by phials, the
truths of that Word; by the seven angels, the universal
heaven as a medium of communication, from the living
Word, of the truths of the Word. In the present case,
by one of the seven angels, is designated that order of
angels which is appointed to be a medium of communica
tion to John on the present occasion. Moreover, as this
angel has a golden phial containing the truths of the
Word, so is he regarded by some as representative of the
Word.

92 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
"The angel in this passage personates Christ, who is the
messenger of the Father's will. John is a type of the church.
What is said to John by the angel, is said daily to every church
by Christ. It is here to be noted, both that the angel comes to
teach John, and that John is invited to come in order to be
taught. The angel comes to John, that is, Christ comes to the
church ; when, either by internal inspiration or by the teaching
of the apostles and other holy men, Christ invites it to consider
the torments of the wicked prepared by the just judgment of
God. Come, says he, with the steps of faith and of under
standing, and contemplate the damnation of the great whore ;
i. e., give heed to the damnation of the wicked. John comes,
when the holy church assents to; and by understanding the
words of holy teachers or by the admonitions of divine inspira
tion, contemplates ; these punishments which are to befall the
wicked." Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Whose person is it that John here represents, but that of
the church ? Whose person is it that is represented by one of
the seven angels having the seven golden phials, but the person
of the Lord Jesus Christ ? or at least of the prophets, apostles,
and all the teachers, who, being filled with the Holy Spirit,
instruct the church concerning the nature of the damnation of
the wicked? . . . The church therefore may say concerning
Christ, concerning also holy preachers, 'One ofthe seven angels
came to me, saying, Come, and I will shew thee the damnation
of the great whore.' . . . And it is to be noted, that both the
angel is invited to teach John, and that the same John comes
in order to be taught by the angel. For the steps of the angel
coming to John, are those either of an internal aspiration from
Christ, or of an external voice coming from preachers and pass
ing on to the hearts of the hearers. But the steps of John are
the faith of the hearers following the words of the teachers. It
should be known, however, that the voice is one of grief, which
says, ' Come, and I will shew thee the damnation of the great
whore." '
Joachim, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —

VERSE I.] SEVENTH VIAL  " TALKED." 93
" The angel comes to John in order that John may go to the
angel, who calls him with a view to shew him the damnation of
the Great Whore ; because unless spiritual men by the word of
preaching approach to the disciples of truth, neither can these
very disciples in their turn approach to them in the understand
ing of the heart ; nor can they see the damnation of the Great
Whore, which hath sat for some time and which still sits upon
many waters. It is however conducive to our interest to see
her damnation ; because he who knows not what she is to suffer
for her errors, may easily be deceived by the winking of her
eyes." Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" ' One of the seven angels came to me,' i. e., to excite my
understanding in order that I might understand the things
which follow. 'And he said to me,' by an interior word. . . .
' Come,' by the understanding of the mind ; as if he should say,
prepare thyself for understanding the things which I will shew
thee. Here then it is evident, that in order to perceive angelic
or divine testimonies, we must draw near to God and prepare
and elevate the understanding. ' Come up hither,' &c. Note ;
that, as the Glossa says, the angel sustains the character of a
teacher, John the character of a learner. Whence by this angel
may be understood Christ the Angel of the great counsel, who
by his inspiration teaches the church of which John was a type.
. . . ' I will shew,' as if he should say, come with a prepared un
derstanding, and I will shew, &c."
Cardinal Hugo says, that the Angel here mentioned
may signify Christ, from whom John learns the fate of
Babylon by internal inspiration ; and that this is commu
nicated to John possibly not for his own sake, but for the
sake of the church to whom it is announced. John, we
have seen, is a symbolic person ; at the commencement of
the Apocalypse describing himself as " a brother and com
panion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of
Jesus Christ." John therefore is symbolic of those who
will form the true church at this time; or of the elect, who
in the days of Antichrist are few in number compared with

94 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVII.
the multitude of waters upon which Babylon sits. That
John is symbolic of the church is asserted passim by Haymo,
Primasius, Ambrose Ansbert, and other writers ancient and
modern. At present, it is the church in tribulation, wait
ing in patience for the coming of the Lord ; the few, not
the many, to whom the Lord reveals the internal character
of Babylon by the internal teaching of his Spirit, or by
the external teaching of spiritual men.
This will be further illustrated in the sequel, Apoc. xxi.,
9, where it is said ; " And there came unto me one of the
seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last
plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will
shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 1 ; —
" ' Saying unto me, Come, I will shew unto thee the
judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters,'
signifies, a revelation concerning that religion as to its pro
fanations and adulterations of the truths of the Word."
Pererius, on Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 785 ; —
" The Abbot Joachim says ; ' The voice of Christ is said
to be as the voice of many waters ; because like as many showers
make a musical harmony out of their manifold sounds; so
also as there are many oracles of divine authority and many
diverse and differing writers who treat of the sacred volumes in
which Christ speaketh; yet they all concur in one opinion of
the truth, and in one language of love, which is the fulfilling
of the commandments of God. And like as the sound of the
inundating shower, or the rush of torrents among lofty crags
falling headlong into the gulphs below, is heard from afar ; so is
the preaching of Christ heard to the uttermost ends of the earth ;
as the Psalmist testifies concerning the holy preaching of the
Gospel, saying, 'Their sound went forth throughout all lands,
and their words to the ends of the earth.' This is that voluntary
rain which God set apart for his heritage, and of which Paul
in Heb. vi., 6, 7 .' . . . Thus Joachim."
¦ The voice of Christ therefore is compared to the voice, that

VERSE I.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MANY WATERS." 95
is to the sound, of many waters ; because so resonant was the
preaching of the doctrine of Christ, that its sound went forth
into all lands. Rightly is it said of many waters ; for the many
waters, as the Scripture says, Apoc. xvii., are many people ; since
the preaching of the doctrine of Christ is not shut up in confine
ment among one people only, as the Hebrew, hke the preaching
of the ancient prophets; but is spread abroad throughout all
lands ; diffused throughout all the nations of the world."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 362 ; —
" ' And his voice as the voice of many waters ;' by the name
of waters are wont to be understood the Divine Scriptures, as
might be abundantly proved from the Scriptures themselves. . . .
His voice therefore is as the voice of many waters ; i. e., the
whole of his teacliing and his works are truth, and the ful
filling of the Scriptures which are many, namely, the Law, the
Prophets, and the Psalms. . . . Otherwise : his voice is as the voice
of many waters, that is, as the voice of many people ; according
to what the Psalmist speaks in his person, ' I will confess thee
among the people, and sing a Psalm unto thee among the na
tions.' Lastly ; his voice is the words of the Scriptures, which
are adduced in his person ; and which there are many people who
sing in the present day consentaneously ; which people, forsooth,
are wont to be signified by the name of waters."
Cardinal Hugo, Psalm xxviii. ; —
" ' The voice of the Lord is upon the waters ;' as if it were
said to the hearers, ' Verily the voice of the Lord is upon you,
because the God of majesty hath thundered forth to you by his
preacher.' Whence Matt. x. ,• ' For it is not ye that speak, but
the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.'. . . The Lord is
upon many waters ; because God is over all men. It follows,
therefore, that if the Lord hath thundered, and he is upon the
waters ; the voice of the Lord, i. e., the preaching of the Word
of God, or the preacher himself, in so far as he preaches after
this manner, is upon the waters. The voice of the Lord, that
is, the preaching of the Gospel, is uttered. . . . The Lord shall
sit as King, i. e., as Ruler and Governor.". . . .
In the present case, Babylon sitteth as queen. Sedeo
Begina, chap, xviii.

96 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury says, that to " sit
upon many waters" is to reign over many people ; De Lyra,
to domineer over many people ; Tirinus, io preside over and
command, as mistress and queen; Richard of St. Victor, to
have the primacy fprimatum) ; Alcasar, to domineer over
many nations and people. ..." Thus the maritime cities,
Tyre, Lisbon, and others, are rightly considered as the
mistresses of that sea upon which they look down far and
wide." Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" ' Sitteth upon many waters' &c. ; because by this woman or
harlot is understood the multitude of the wicked who are the more
perverted, the more eminent in wickedness, and the more stu
dious to pervert others ; and who sometimes by occult means,
and sometimes by open, after the manner of a harlot, cause
others, both rulers and subjects, to give in their adherence to
them ; inducing them by teaching, or persuasion, or example,
or by other means, to follow with delight their errors or other
sins : and this has been done, and is doing, and will also
continue to be done especially in the time of Antichrist, by
heretics or other perverted persons ; and together with these will
be damned the others whom they seduce. . . . The harlot is said
to sit upon many waters, that is, upon many individual wicked
people. The difference therefore between the harlot or woman,
and those who commit fornication with her or are under her
dominion, is the same as between the church in general and
its particular members."
The meaning of the symbol harlot will be explained in
the sequel, verses 3, 4.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' With whom the kings of the earth have committed
whoredom,' signifies, that it has adulterated the truths and
goods of the church received from the Word."
Lauretus, art. Begere ; —
" The kings of Juda are the bishops and prelates in the church
(Jerome, Origen, Arnobius, Hilary, Ambrose, Gregory, Augustin,

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL — " KINGS OF THE EARTH." 97
Bede) . The king of Damascus signifies the heads, and teachers
in the church of the Gentiles. The king of Jerusalem, taken
prisoner to Babylon, signifies a prelate in a state of sin. Kings
of the seed of David are bishops and prelates. ... In an especial
sense, a king denotes a preacher ; because he holds the highest
place and exercises the highest vigor of authority."
" (In a good sense) the kings of the earth are the apostles
and perfect men, who exercise dominion over the body."
" (In an evil sense) King Saul designates a preacher or pre
late ; and because he reigned even when cast off by God, he
denotes a priest, who engages in sacred things even when he is
in sin." "A king sometimes signifies secular domination in the church;
or a carnal prelate : also power (B. Gregory).
" The powerful kings of the earth are demons ; and the kings
over which the Divine Word triumphs are demons. These are
called the rulers of the darkness of this world; and, in general,
kings of the earth (Apoc. xvii.) are all who are born of the
earth." " The king of Babylon and the king of Samaria signify here-
siarchs. The kings of Juda, who worship idols, are the pa
triarchs of heretics. . . . The king and princes who rejoice in
wickedness, are heresiarchs and their followers. . . . Kings who
are astonished by the sword of the Lord, are demons and here
siarchs put to confusion by the Word of God." Jerome.
We may here observe that on the words in Rev. i., 6,
" hast made us kings and priests unto God," Alcasar con
tends that the reading ought to be, not kings, but a kingdom ;
that a kingdom supposes a king or regal power ; that it is
the priesthood which is vested with this regal power ; and
that priests are therefore kings, whose kingdom is the sacer
dotal earth. He contends likewise in chap, iv., 4, that by
the twenty-four elders are meant the priesthood, and by the
crowns on their heads, their regal and judiciary power,
p. 306, 307.
Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap, v., ver. 10 ; —
" ' Hast made us (the priesthood) kings and priests unto
VOL. IV. H

98 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
God;' i. e., hast made us the universal heads of the church ;
who have the care and administration upon earth, of things both
sacred and profane, ecclesiastical and poHtical. Whence what
soever befals the church militant and the rest of the universe
down to the end of the world, most highly concerns us as the
KINGS OR RULERS OF THE EARTH."
Brixianus, art. Bex; —
" The kings of the earth who committed fornication with the
great whore, signify those prelates, to whom, in order to prevent
the sins of the people, is given the rule over souls ; but who
please men rather than God ; and in this place the kings of the
earth signify wicked prelates, as elsewhere they signify good ones."
Joachim, Apoc. xvii.
" Priests, says the Abbot Joachim, are the kings of the laity,
bishops the kings of the clergy, archbishops the kings of prelates,
priors the kings of regulars, and abbots the kings of conven
tuals." Joachim on Jeremiah.
See Vol IL, p. 170, where similar interpretations are
given by Aquinas.
The primary and more strictly abstract sense of kings,
from which the concrete is derived, will be seen in the
sequel when treating of the seven kings.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And the inhabitants of the earth have been made
drunk with the wine of her whoredom,' signifies, the in
sanity in spiritual things of those who are in that religion
in consequence of their adulteration of the Word."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" ' Made drunk,' i. e., by a complete subversion and excseca-
tion of mind, so that they neither see themselves, nor effectually
fear God nor punishment ; just as a drunken man has no fear of
anything." Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 478 ; —
" For veritable and great is the whoredom of the rational
creature, that is, of man, in going far away from God, and ad
hering to worldly cupidity. Hence the Psalmist, when he had
said, lxxiii., 26, ' Lo ! they that forsake thee shall perish,' imme-

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  " DRUNKEN." 99
diately added, ' Thou hast destroyed all them that commit forni
cation against thee.' "
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, p. 900 ; —
" ' With whom the kings of the earth have committed forni
cation ;' that is, they who hold the principal station among the
inhabitants of the earth and ought to rule over others; yet,
themselves deviating and lapsing from upright conduct ; for since
the entire kingdom is wont to follow the example of the king ;
so, instead of being an example of good living to those who are
under them, they have conformed to their vices, and been them
selves the first to apostatize from God and commit fornication
with the devil and the world." Gagneus.
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 261 ; —
" ' With whom the kings of the earth have committed forni
cation ;' spiritually, in worshipping idols ; in order that they
might be the mystical paramours and rivals of this great whore.
. . . For thus the prophets call idolatry fornication ; because in
idolatry the soul forsaking God as its spouse, goes away to its
idols as to adulterers."
A Lapide, referring to the various forms of idolatry,
Wisdom xiii., 19, p. 255, observes that —
" Mystically : all these you may adapt to heresy, and to
every cupidity. For to the heretic the idol is heresy ; to the
proud, honor ; to the miser, gold ; to the glutton, the belly ; to
the luxurious, Venus ; to the sluggard, sleep ; to the angry,
revenge; to the envious, spite ; as we are taught by S. Augustin,
B. Gregory, and other doctors, nay, even by St. Paul, Phil, hi.,
19 ; Eph. v., 5."
When therefore it is said by some that Rome is to
return to idolatry at the end of the world, it will be desir
able to bear in mind this interpretation ; and especially as
given by Lauretus from the fathers, and by Bellarmine in
Vol. I., p. 332, of the present work ; also by Suarez, Cor
nelius a Lapide, &c, in Vol. IIL, p. 416,
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 217 ; —
" Scripture is wont to denominate as fornication all decline
from good; as Aretas observes ; or, to speak more properly, all
h 2

100 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
withdrawing ofthe soul from God; to whom by faith and charity
it had been previously espoused."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 478 ; —
" ' The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk,' &c.
For they have been made drunk in committing fornication with
the cupidity of this world; that is, as those who are drunken
with wine lose the power of discretion, and say and do all things
without reason ; so these also, utterly bowed down by their cu
pidity to the earth, are unable to look up to Him who has the true
divinity in heaven ; and dream that the power of divinity resides
in their idols. ' Come,' says he, ' and I will shew thee the damna
tion ofthe whore.' When he says, ' come,' we ought to understand
that the elect soul is called as it were interiorly ; so that itself
also shall not go wandering outwardly after the lust of the flesh
and the lust of the eyes ; but should recollect itself interiorly in
the hidden chamber of contemplation, where it may meditate by
itself, with the judgment of reason, on those things which are
and which are to be."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, p. 900 ; —
" ' The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with
the wine of her whoredom ; . . . that is, with fornications and
lusts spiritual and corporeal. Well does he say made drunk ;
that is to say, hke men intoxicated, seeing nothing of the mo
mentous evils into which they precipitately rush." Menochius.
Lauretus, art. Ebrietas ; —
" Drunkenness is a perturbation of the senses, &c., &c. Or,
in a more general sense, drunkenness is no other than falling from
right reason; a deliration and privation of a sound mind, whether
through anger or any other mental disease."
"The drunkenness of Lot, designates the perverse love of
temporal things (Origen) ; also the depraved understanding of
the Jews ; and they are drunk who are the followers of heretics
(Jerome) . Likewise the Pharisees and Judas were made drunk,
but not with wine. And the cup of Babylon inebriates the whole
earth, when earthly things pervert the sense of all the inhabi
tants of earth." B. Gregory.
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 480, speaking of
the Israelitish and other nations ; —

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  "DRUNKEN." 101
..." It is for this cause that it is inebriated ; because it neither
understands nor sees, and has no reason nor perception of truth ;
nay, being entangled in all the meshes of error by reason of its
drunkenness, that prophecy is fulfilled, which, in giving the
nation over to divine justice, foretold ; ' They gave me gall to
eat and vinegar to drink ;' and then immediately added, ' Let
their table become a snare before them ; and that which should
have been for their welfare let it become a snare.' . . . ' Let their
eyes be darkened, that they see not ; and ever bow thou down
their backs.' "
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 312 ; —
..." With ' the wine of her prostitution,' that is, with the
carnal delight of worldly pleasure ; which so intoxicates the kings
of the earth, and prelates of the earth, that they are insensible
to the chastisements in the divine threatening, Is. xxviii. ; ' The
priest and the prophet have not known by reason of drunken
ness ; they are swallowed up of wine.' Or, it may refer to
those who are less in authority, who are ' the inhabitants of the
earth,' i. e., who love earthly things, are ' made drunk,' i. e., have
been led out of the right path, and out of a good state, by the
' wine of her prostitution,' namely, that of the city of Rome, or
some prelates of the church. For prelates of the church by their
evil example give occasion of falling or of sinning. For which
reason Gregory says, that prelates ought to know that if ever
they do evil, they are worthy of as many deaths as they have set
fatal examples to those who are under them."
Rabanus Maurus, art. Ebrietas ; —
" Drunkenness is error ; as in Paul ; ' They who are drunken
are drunken in the night, and they who err, err through the
darkness of ignorance, 1 Thess. v., 7."
Cardinal Hugo, like Alexander de Hales, refers to Isa.
xxviii., 7, for an illustration of the passage in the Apo
calypse we are now considering ; we therefore refer to the
comment upon it as given by Cornelius a Lapide in Vol.
III. of the present work, p. 482.
Gaspar a Melo after saying that drunkenness signifies
" alienation of the intellect," observes ; —

102 spiritual exposition. [chap. xvii.
"Not that God takes away the intellect; but that by reason
of the wickedness of men he does not give them grace or spiritual
light that they may see the truth."
Babylon " was drunk," says Berengaud on Apoc. xvii.,
because she was " alienated from all spiritual rationality!'
Again on Apoc. xiv., 8 ; —
" The wine of wrath is the errors of the nations with which
they provoked God to wrath ; but since Babylon is no other than
all these nations, that is, all the wicked ; how is it that she gives
these nations to drink of the wine of God's wrath ? In this
manner ; as when one has taught another, this other teaches a
third, and the third a fourth, and so on, till the diabolical error
passes on into all men; so hath Babylon assuredly given unto all
nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of God."
Lauretus, art. Vinum; —
"The wine which Lot drank is the perverted meaning
given to the Holy Scriptures. And the wine with which
heretics are made drunk, is the Holy Scripture falsely un
derstood. And the wine of Babylon is heathen doctrine and
perfidiousness. And the wine with which Eh thought that Annas
was made drunk, is either ambition after temporal things, or de
pravation of doctrine. And heretics are maddened with wine,
that is, with erroneous doctrine. This is called the wine of
the damned and the wine of iniquity." Rupertus, Jerome, Origen,
Ambrose, &c.
" The refuse of the grapes being dry and useless, after the
wine has been expressed from them, may signify the worship of
idols, the traditions of men, especially those of the Jews."
Jerome. For additional illustrations of the meaning of this
symbol from Cornelius a Lapide, Ribera, and other authors,
see chap, xiii., ver. 10.*
* Cornelius a Lapide observes, p. 261 ; —
"Wine of prostitution, i. e., with that wine with which she allured both kings
and people to commit fornication with her, that is, to idolatrize. This wine was the
riches and honors of the Romans ; or the hope of the lucre, pleasure, and dignity,
to be procured from the Romans if any one would offer them adulation and worship
their gods."

VERSE III.] seventh vial — "wilderness." 103
Ribera, p. 207, interprets the wine to signify the wine
of error. Also in p. 219 ; and says in p. 243, that it
signifies " the inducements and blandishments with which
Rome allured others to commit fornication."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' And he carried me away in the spirit into the wil
derness,' signifies, that in a spiritual state he was carried
to those among whom all things of the church were devas
tated." Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Inasmuch as the hearts of the wicked are set forth under
the figure of a desert; Jeremiah the prophet testifies, when
speaking of Judea abandoned by God, saying, ' How doth the
city full of people, sit solitary !' If it was full of people, how
was it solitary ; unless it was that God deserting it, it was
made a wilderness of dragons, i. e., of demons ? Hence Esaias
saith, ' The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight
the way of the Lord.' Hence the devil's first solitude cries out
to the Lord ; ' Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the
face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be
a fugitive and vagabond in the earth.' Are not they justly called
a desert in whom the omnipotent God does not dwell by his
grace ? For the absence of God is a demoniacal solitude. The
presence of God is paradisaical company. What then in this
passage ought we to understand by the word wilderness, but the
hearts of the wicked blinded through the absence of all the
Divinity ?"
So likewise Haymo, the Glossa Interlinea, &c. Pri
masius on this passage says, " the absence of the Divinity
makes a wilderness; his presence makes & paradise." Bede
has a similar comment. Cardinal Hugo says, that being
carried away by the Spirit into the wilderness signifies,
" He illuminated my spirit by preaching, to see the hearts
of the wicked that were deserted hy God."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Into a desert ; that is, to contemplate the hearts of the

104 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
wicked, who have been deserted by divine grace ; for by the fol
lowing vision he was enabled to understand the state of the
wicked," &c. So Alexander de Hales.
Joachim, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ;¦ —
" There are two things which do not permit men to behold
the fall of the sons of this world, viz., earthly cares, and the
sense of the letter which killeth. So long as you are involved
in worldly affairs, you cannot behold in Scripture the fall of the
world, by reason of the hinderance arising from these very
things. Leisure to read, peace and silence are necessary, if you
wish to understand what you read. And even when these are at
hand, it is necessary that you should pass from the sense of the
letter to the spiritual meaning. For if what you read you al
ways understand in the literal sense ; then, as you read, the
carnal understanding frequently brings you to what is not in
agreement with the meaning. Whence the truth itself says, ' It
is the Spirit which giveth life, the flesh profiteth nothing.' If
then you wish to see in what manner the kingdom of this world
comes to an end, suffer thyself to be carried by the angel into
the desert after the manner of Abraham ; and in hke manner as
he went out from his own kindred and from the house of his
father, so do thou go forth from out of the letter into the spi
ritual sense ; and then shalt thou be able to see in this thy day,
saith the Lord (what the sons of this world cannot see), the
things which belong unto thy peace ; — but now they are hidden
from thine eyes."
De Lyra, who applies this to the Saracens, says, that
it signifies, " their state as abandoned by God by reason
of their sins."
Cornelius a Lapide, p. 262 ; —
..." John seemed to himself, in a mental rapture, to be carried
into a desert ; to signify not only the perdition of Babylon, which
was to be converted into a desert ; but also to intimate that to a
spiritual man and a divine prophet, such as John, all the pomp
of the world was but like a desert ; that we may understand that
the innumerable crowd of heathens busying themselves at Rome,
the beautiful structure of the palaces and temples of the city, the
magnificence of the court, the wonderful organization of the

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SIT." 105
state, the laws and polity, the splendor of the senate, and all
the other characteristics of Rome, were to a holy man intent
upon celestial things, like a desert and a wilderness ; which is
the habitation not of men but of wild beasts and brutes ; where
no account is made of piety and true virtue, but only of pomp,
pride, and glory ; and in which are growing not rose-trees but the
thorns of all manner of wickedness. After the same manner did
Diogenes, when walking through a crowded part of the city with
a lantern in his hand, declare, that he was in search of a man, and
could not find one."*
We meet with almost the same remarks upon this sub
ject in Alcasar as in A Lapide ; both, however differing in
some other respects, yet agreeing that by the desert is sig
nified the moral or religious condition of Babylon.
Lauretus, art. Desert um ; —
" The desert, or region of the desert, is the heart of unbe
lievers ; which, when the Creator abandons, no inhabitant is left
there but the devil. And the devil himself or multitude of un
clean spirits is sometimes called a desert." B. Gregory, Victor.
" The desert in which John preached, may be said to be
Judsea deserted by God. For the habitation of the Jews was
made a desert when Jerusalem was destroyed." Hilary, Augustin,
&c. " They say that Christ is in the desert, who teach errors un-
perceived; or who teaching manifest errors, separate hearers
from the church (Origen) . And the deserted waters of Nemrim,
designate the corrupt doctrine of heretics destroyed. In this
desert heretics bite." Jerome.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet beast full of
names of blasphemy,' signifies, that religion (the Roman
Catholic) upon the Word profaned by them."
That woman, in a good sense, signifies the true church,
* We may here add to the illustration of A Lapide the paraUel one from chap.
v., 1, of the prophet Jeremiah ; —
" Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know,
aud seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that exe-
cuteth judgment, that seeketh the truth j and I will pardon it."

106 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
see chap, xi., 1 ; hence in a corresponding evil sense, it
means a false church, which is a harlot and adulteress.
Lauretus, art. Sedere ; —
" He is said to sit, who remains still in one place (so that he
cannot be said to be either standing or lying down), but so as
to be possessed of a certain authority."
" The Lord sits upon the Cherubim ; that is, he dwells in the
plenitude of knowledge, and presides over the minds of the spi
ritual." B. Gregory.
" The Lord sitting upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of
an ass, is the Word of God resting in the souls of men, and
guiding the footsteps of the mind." (Origen, Hilary, Ambrose,
B. Gregory). " To sit sometimes signifies to judge ; and Job sitting as it
were king, designates one who is master ; who in his heart sits as
it were king, and in thought rules the noisy emotions of the
mind, and sits as chief when occupying the chief place in the
mind, the virtues standing round about." (B. Gregory).
" Antichrist sitting in the temple of God, is Antichrist wish
ing to exercise power in the church. Or, he is those heresies
which usurp to themselves a place in Holy Scripture. Thus
Lucifer wished to sit on the mount of the Testament. And the
prince of Tyre sitting in the seat of God, is the devil usurping
divinity to himself. He also sits in Libanus, who swells with
pride." Origen, Jerome.
Roman Catholic writers generally agree, that in the
passage under consideration, to sit implies " magisterial
rule," and " domination." In Cornelius a Lapide, .p. 262,
Alcasar, p. 751, and in the Biblia Maxima of De la Haye,
p. 901, the woman is spoken of as one, which " sitting upon
the beast, directs, moves, and drives the beast." This is
mentioned as shewing what is implied by sitting.
Menochius affirms, on the same passage, that this beast
is not the same with either of those which appeared to John
in chap. xiii. ; and this is the opinion likewise of a great
many writers. On the other hand, numerous commentators
maintain it to be the same ; and both are in the right.

VERSE HI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SCARLET BEAST." 107
The beast is the same in so far as it signifies blasphemous
doctrine or falsifications of the Word of God ; but the beast
is not the same as signifying the same falsifications ; in the
one case the beast represents the falsifications by the Dragon;
in the other, the falsifications by Babylon.
We proceed to ascertain what is signified more par
ticularly by the Beast in the present case, and in so doing
we must observe the important remark of Alcasar ; that in
determining the meaning of a symbol we must have regard
to its intrinsic aptitude, its harmonious relation to the con
text, and to all the other parts of the narrative ; and that
where this is the case, even though the interpretation of the
symbol should be such as to have no external authority to
support it, yet that it has the internal authority of reason
and propriety. See Vol. I., p. 36.
In various parts of the Apocalypse we have met with
symbolic animals, such as £»« living creatures ; and beasts
^Tjpta, which Parkhurst says may be taken either in a
good or evil sense In verse 1 of this chapter it is said,
" There came one of the seven angels which had the seven
vials and talked with me." These phials were given by
one of the four animals described in chap. iv. ; and it was
there seen that each of the four animals represented the
Word of God in some one of its relations. In chap. vi. and
xix. we read of white horses ; we read also in chap. vi. of
horses Mack, red, and pale; all of which were seen to have
corresponding relations to the four animals, and to designate
true or false and corrupted doctrines. In chap. xii. we read
of the red dragon, signifying homogeneously with the black,
red, and pale horses, certain corruptions of the Word of God;
and said to be full of the names of blasphemy, having seven
heads and ten horns, i. e., all wisdom perverted, and much
power. According then to the rules of Alcasar, harmony
and homogeneity require, that the present beast should be

108 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
of the same description. Indeed so great has been the sup
posed resemblance between the two, that this alone might
naturally lead the reader to the same conclusion. Neither
could those who conceive that this beast represents Anti
christ, and that Antichrist is the name of a system of false
doctrine, as we have already seen, come to any other con
clusion than the one already mentioned.
This beast then, like the others, signifies false or Anti
christian doctrine ; in other words, the truths of the Holy
Scripture falsified and profaned; whence it is called, in
an evil sense, a ^piov. The woman or the church, is
seated upon these truths falsified and profaned, and usurps
to herself the sole power over them ; making them go in
whatsoever direction she pleases, and according as she may
determine in the exercise of her supreme discretion. Thus
as the Lord sitteth upon the cherubim or living creatures,
which in chap. iv. represented the Word of God in a four
fold aspect ; so this woman sitteth upon the beast, which
represents not a plenitude of true knowledge, but of names
of blasphemy. The reason why this beast is said to be full of the
names of blasphemy, is, because it is full of blasphemous
doctrine ; as the Scriptures are made to be when they are
made to teach blasphemies, as they are made by this
woman. To illustrate the case : Gregory of Nyssa in his Eleventh
Oration against Eunomius, p. 707, says ; —
" That he adulterates the sacred Scriptures ; alters the inspired
words ; defiles with his own filth the pure dogmas of religion ;
and not only arms his tongue against mankind, but endeavors to
pervert the sacred words ; and is ambitiously contentious to prove
that his own perversion is more sure and firm than the teaching
of the Lord." Suicer, art. Antichrist.
Gregory afterwards adds ; that this impiety of Euno
mius was " a meditated purpose, preparation, and begin-

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SCARLET BEAST." 109
ning of Antichrist." According to Aquinas on Matt, xxiv., 5
(quoting Origen) ; —
" Every discourse which professes to expound Scripture faith
fully and has not the truth, is Antichrist. For the truth is
Christ ; that which feigns itself to be the truth is Antichrist.
Hence if the living Word be Christ, that Word falsi
fied is Antichrist. Such is the beast upon which the woman
sits : it is the truth or the Word as interpreted and under
stood by the woman, who sits upon it, rules over it, and
directs its course at her own will and pleasure.
The sequel will shew how far such an interpretation is
confirmed by its aptness and harmonious relations.
We have seen concerning the sardine stone, which was
red, that it signified love, chap. iv. ; that the red or fiery
color of the horse (chap, v.) signified that love perverted,
and that the red color of the dragon signified the same.
Rupertus, on the Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 748, ob
serves, that the beast is scarlet, which is of a fiery color,
because it is under the dominion of cupidity.
We may here observe, that Cornelius a Lapide, p. 82,
Isychius (see Lauretus), and other authors quoted in the
present work, interpret the color red, in a good sense, to
signify love ; whence, in the opposite, it signifies cupidity,
concupiscence, or any evil affection contrary to love. Hence
also Rupertus observes, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 486 ; —
" Is not Babylon, i. e., cupidity itself, the root of all evils ?*
and are not they who preside over cupidity malignant demons
and perverse men ; who are seducers of the earth ; the universal
body of which is here called Babylon, and the great mother of
fornications, &c?"
St. Bernard in his Works, vol. ii., p. 862 ; —
" Avarice and cupidity are sisters ; pride is the mother of
both. Never was there pride without cupidity, nor cupidity
without avarice."
* So St. Bernard. See his Works, vol. ii., p. 862 ; sec. xiv., De Cupiditate.

110 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' Having seven heads and ten horns,' signifies, intel
ligence derived from the Word at first holy, afterwards
none, and at last insanity ; and much power continually
derived from the Word."
Por the explanation of these symbols, see Vol. III.,
p. 299 ; also, the sequel.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 4 ; —
" ' And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet,'
signifies, divine good and divine truth celestial, which are
of the Word among them : * and decked with gold and
precious stones,' signifies, divine good and divine truth
spiritual which are of the Word among them : ' and pearls,'
signify, the knowledges of good and truth which are of
the Word among them."
This woman is above called a harlot.
Lauretus, art. Meretrix ; —
" The church of the Gentiles was called a harlot before she
was converted to her husband Christ ; but after she was converted,
she ceased to be a harlot (Origen, Ambrose) . Rahab designated
this church, who was a harlot before she became conjoined with
the people of Israel." Jerome.*
" On the other hand, the synagogue and Jerusalem became a
harlot ; which at first was faitlrful to God, and afterwards be
came adulterous by idolatry." Ambrose, Jerome.
" The two harlots contending before Solomon designate the
church and the synagogue ; the one who would receive the son
alive is the church, the other who would receive it dead is the
synagogue." Jerome, &c.
Brixianus, art. Meretrix ; —
" A harlot signifies the church gathered out of the Gentiles,
* Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 751 ; —
"The name of the great harlot is given to the great city of idolatry, for those
cities which were worshippers of idols are in the Holy Scriptures accustomed to be
called harlots ; in like manner as also the name oi fornication is given to idolatry,
Is. xxiii., 15; Jer. ii., 20; iii., 1; Ezek, xvi., 15 ; Nah. iii., 4; Mich, i., 7."

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL — " WOMAN." Ill
and this because her bosom is unclosed to any one who comes
back to her." Durandus.
" The great harlot spoken of in the Apocalypse signifies
Rome in the time of Gentilism, or the multitude of all the
wicked." So in Ezekiel, chap, xvi., Cornelius a Lapide, in the
Synopsis, observes, " that the birth, education, adultery
(i. e., idolatry) of Jerusalem, i. e., the synagogue, are de
scribed under the character of an adulteress ;" and in his
comments on the chapter he speaks of the Jewish syna
gogue as the Jewish church. "The ancient church or
synagogue," says he, on verse 4, "had, as it were, its
origin when the Law was given on Sinai ;" verse 3, "Not
only now but formerly, before I chose you, oh ! ye Jews,
unto myself as a people, a church, and a spouse ; and as
it were took you to wife ; so barbarous were you and undis
ciplined in morals, that you seemed rather to have been born
and educated among the Amorites and Hittites."
Franciscus Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p.
650, likewise calls the synagogue, and also the church of
the Gentiles, a harlot.
Prom these remarks it is clear that a harlot may desig
nate an unfaithful church.
It is desirable then to ascertain whether, in the chapter
of the Apocalypse we are now considering, the woman who
is a harlot represents a literal city, or an unfaithful church.
In ascertaining this question it will be observed, that the
description of the harlot, as given by interpreters, does
not correspond to that of a literal city; for the distin
guishing characteristics of the woman, when interpreted in
a good sense, will be seen to be those of a faithful church ;
when interpreted in an evil sense, those of an unfaithful
church. Thus Haymo observes, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; con
cerning those represented by the harlot ; —

112 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
" Purple is the clothing of kings, and derives its tint from
the blood of certain fish of the sea. What therefore are we to
understand by the purple with which the woman was arrayed,
but the pretence of rule ? For what the church has in truth,
that do these possess in simulation. For the church has purple
and scarlet, i. e., royal dignity, because it has Christ as king ;
and of herself also she is in possession of many kings, since the
church herself also reigns, through Christ. For she is an elect
and a royal race. . . . The church also possesses a vestment of
gold, i. e., charity or wisdom ; of which it is written, ' Receive
wisdom as gold.' And the Psalmist says; 'The queen stood on
thy right hand in a vesture of gold.' So likewise this meretri
cious woman, although she is perfectly foolish, nevertheless, ne
glecting what would really make for her future prosperity, says
that she is wise ; and glories in the books of her philosophers and
in the wisdom of the word of man. In the precious stones and
pearls are signified the virtues of saints ; that is, faith, hope, cha
rity, humility, meekness, and other virtues of this kind with
which the faithful are adorned. Which ornaments as it is the
church alone that possesses, so this perverted woman endeavors
deceitfully to usurp them to herself. Wherefore she makes a
pretence of possessing that which she has not ; in order that
those whom she cannot draw into error by an exercise of power,
she may deceive by a simulated sanctity, and a plausible
fraud.." It is obvious that, in this description, Babylon is not
described as a literal city, but as a body of persons usurp
ing to themselves the notes or characteristics of a church ;
such as great wisdom, sanctity, and all the virtues of faith,
hope, charity, humility, meekness, &c. But this body of
persons moreover is Babylon, whose distinguishing charac
teristic is lust of domination, pride, presumption, arro
gance, haughtiness, self-love, self-intelligence, &c. Yet
while she is inwardly in that lust, she is outwardly clothed
with sanctity, humility, meekness, charity, and all the vir
tues of the saints. Hence Ambrose Ansbert observes ; —
" What is it for the woman to sit upon the beast, but for

VERSE IV.J SEVENTH VIAL— "WOMAN." 113
the body of the wicked seated upon the devil and that damnable
man (Antichrist), to boast (like a city which is about suddenly
to fall) that they are built together after the likeness of the
church, which is being daily built up upon Christ ? This city,
however, is as the harlot upon the beast which is opposed to the
Lamb ; the church is as the spouse upon the Lamb which over
comes the beast. The former, built upon the sand, is soon to
fall; the latter, built upon a rock, is to remain to eternity."
Babylon is here described as a city built up in the like
ness of the church. Moreover the woman is Babylon,
having all the outward characteristics of a church. Am
brose Ansbert adds with regard to the purple color, that it
may signify the oracles of the Scriptures perversely under
stood (male intellectis) according to the letter, or else the
corruptions of carnal vices. So likewise Anselm Arch
bishop of Canterbury, who says ; " She is clothed with
purple, because she pours out the blood of the saints, or
causes others to understand the oracles of God perversely"
— which latter has elsewhere been interpreted as signifying
the same with the former.
When therefore Roman Catholic writers affirm that the
harlot and Babylon signify Borne at the end of the world,
not Christian, but infidel and pagan ; we are instructed by
the foregoing interpretations, that however infidel and pagan
it may be interiorly, i. e., essentially, it does not outwardly
throw off the Christian character, but makes an imposing
profession of being the Christian church, and as such of
being clothed with the purple, scarlet, and precious stones
of the Queen or spouse of Christ ; and thus of being in
possession of the true Christian faith, and the Christian
virtues. Hence to be at heart infidel and pagan, and at
the same time to profess to be a true church, and to wear
its external appearance, are both of them characteristics of
the harlot and Babylon.
VOL. IV. I

114 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Haymo conceives the purple to signify a shew of domi
nion. Aretas says ; —
" She is clothed in purple because she audaciously attempts
all things by her power, as if she were queen."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" But we need not wonder, if those things which signify the
evils of the wicked should signify also the goods of the elect ;
since what these things designate on the part of the church, the
wicked contend that they also possess. For to glance only at a
few out of the many things which might be enumerated; it is said
of this harlot, that she was ' a woman arrayed in purple and
scarlet.' But of the spouse of Christ also Solomon thus speaks,
Proverbs xxxi., 22 ; ' She maketh herself coverings of tapestry ;
her clothing is silk and purple.' Of this harlot it is also said;
' She was arrayed in gold and precious stones and pearls.' The
Psalmist, too, addressed God concerning the spouse in these words;
' At thy right hand stood the Queen in a vesture of gold ; wrought
in diverse colors :' of whom also it is said in the Apocalypse, in
another place ; ' Her light was like unto a stone most precious.' "
" What wonder then is it, if one and the same thing which
demonstrates on the part of the wicked simulation ; should on
the part of the elect, demonstrate the religion of a true faith ?
Now what is signified, on the part of the wicked, by the purple
and scarlet, but the shew of pretended rule ? Moreover inasmuch
as true purple has the tint of blood ; so by it is designated, in a
good sense, the love of which the Lord speaks in the Gospel,
' Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends.' Further : scarlet has an appearance oifire ;
and what is designated by this, but the same love which is dif
fused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit ? Nor should this occa
sion surprise ; for the Holy Spirit himself is designated by the
name of fire. Hence the Lord says, ' I am come to send fire
upon the earth, and what will I but that it should burn ?' TIence
also it is said in the Acts of the Apostles ; ' And suddenly there
came from heaven the sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and
it filled the whole house where they were sitting ; and there ap
peared unto them cloven tongues as it were of fire.' By this love,

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WOMAN." 115
the elect are inflamed into a fervour of zeal against delinquents ;
by a simulation of this love, the wicked are excited against the
good into the fury of hatred ; by this love, the elect love even
those whom they endure as their enemies ; by a simulation of
this love, the wicked shew no mercy to the saints : this love
do holy preachers assuredly follow after, when the wandering
they bring back from error to a knowledge of the truth ; this
love do the followers of perverse dogmas pretend that they pos
sess, when they hasten to draw away God's elect from the truth
to a he."
" Now although this unhappy harlot be said to be arrayed in
gold and precious stones and pearls ; yet all this seems to per
tain to that same thing, viz., the simulation of wicked persons,
by which so great numbers are deceived. For what is expressed
by gold, but wisdom ? what by every precious stone, but the sum
of all the virtues ? what by pearls, but the effort after a holy
life ? Which things, as we have observed, since it is the church
alone of Christ which boasts that she possesses ; so the opposite
part of mankind deceitfully endeavor to usurp them to themselves ;
inasmuch as whomsoever this harlot is not able by an open exer
cise of power to draw away into error, she deceives by concealed
seductive arts, and a fraudulent show of truth."
According to the Glossa Ordinaria, the woman is " ar
rayed with purple and scarlet, that is, with a regal vest
ment, because they say that they are kings, in order to
deceive ;" with gold, because those whom she represents
" will seem to be illuminated with divine wisdom ;" with
carbuncle, that is, says the Glossa Interlinea, " with love,
which they say they possess." So Anselm Archbishop of
Canterbury ; thus ; —
" ' Arrayed in gold ;' they will seem to be illuminated with
divine wisdom ; or also with worldly wisdom, which in worldly
affairs is the more valued ; ' and with precious stones ;' he de
signs the precious stones to signify love, which they feign that
they possess ; even as among stones the carbuncle is the most
precious : and ' with pearls ;' by pearls he means the other vir
tues which they feign that they possess." i 2

116 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Here then is presented to consideration, first, the true
spouse of Christ, which is his church ; and secondly, a
harlot, usurping the character of this spouse, and conse
quently that of a church. We have next the description
presented of some of the notes of a true church, and then
the simulation of these by the opposite body. So that
everything contributes to shew that by the harlot is de
signated an unfaithful church simulating fidelity .
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 655 ; —
" In that he says she was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and
adorned with gold and precious stones ; he shews, that the gen
eral body of these proud and wicked men are full of all the en
ticements of simulated truth."
Gicumenius, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" She is arrayed with purple, because she authoritatively
dares all things after the manner of a queen ; with scarlet, be
cause she pours out the blood of many saints. She is arrayed
with gold and precious stones and pearls ; because the narrative
adorns the Queen with queenly attire."
Bede, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
"And arrayed with gold and precious stones and pearls;
that is, with all the enticements of simulated truth. What
that was which was inside this show of beauty he afterwards
explains." Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. p. 607 ; —
" If we read inaurata auro, the inaurata would be the same
as clothed with gold auro vestita. But the reading of the Vul
gate is inaurato auro, which is to be referred to external appear
ance ; as if she were clothed not with solid gold, which is the
symbol of love and of true riches, but with an external appear
ance of gold."
Cornelius a Lapide, p. 264 ; —
" She was not clothed with true and solid gold ; but only
with a surface and external show of gold ; that is to say, she was
indeed clothed with gold, that is, aurichalcho, brass gilded over."
Hence likewise Alcasar observes with regard to the

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WOMAN." 117
golden cup; that by the color of gold may be denoted
either " the pretence or external appearance under which
idolatrous worship was disguised, namely, a shew as of
religion and divine worship."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" ' The woman was arrayed in purple,' i. e., clothed with a
purple garment, which garment was also regal, as a sign of dig
nity and power. As if he should say, the wicked boast of power
or dignity, in order that they may receive honor, and the more
effectually thrust others down into sin. ' And with gold,' i. e.,
they boast that they possess divine wisdom, which is called gold
by reason of its splendor, beauty, and value. But Jeremiah
says, chap, x., ' The foolish and infatuated shall be tried.' ' And
with precious stone,' viz., carbuncle, as the Glossa says, by which
is designated charity, which they say that they possess toward
God and the neighbor, when they are injurious nevertheless to
God and their neighbor. . . . 'And with pearls,' i. e., with the
other virtues : boastfully, not truly. As if he should say ; they
boast that they possess not only true wisdom and charity but also
the other virtues."
We have seen that by the gold, purple, and precious
stones in which this woman is arrayed, are signified, accord
ing to Haymo, Primasius, Anselm, &c, wisdom, faith, hope,
charity, meekness, and all the virtues of the saints. Now
this is the same interpretation which is given to the clothing
of the spouse in Isaiah lxi., 10, and which Alvarez, A
Lapide, Menochius, and others of the Roman communion
describe as the clothing of the church, and signifying, says
Alvarez, " faith, hope, charity, and the other virtues." It
is therefore in the Apocalypse a meretricious church laying
claim to the virtues of a faithful spouse or church that is
here described.
This is further shewn by the observation of Tychonius,
who, as will be seen in the sequel, regards the Babylonians
not as pagans or unbelievers, but as hypocritical and pre
tended Christians ; that is to say, persons who, however

118 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
evil may be their inward character, have not outwardly
thrown off the profession of Christianity.
Bozius, on the Signs of the Church of God, p. 368 ; —
" That the kingdom of Christ and of the Church is one and
the same kingdom, is evident from many of the oracles of the
holy prophets. But let us adduce from Isaiah a most beautiful
testimony. He introduces either the Bridegroom or the Bride,
(for he has not defined which, in order that we might know that
one is in the other), as thus speaking; 'I will greatly rejoice in
the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath
clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh
himself with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herself with
jewels.' Thus Isaiah. Augustin says in his Letter to Honoratus ;
' The bridegroom and the bride, we understand to be Christ and
the Church. But they are two in one flesh. There is a great
mystery, says the apostle, in Christ and the Church. ' Therefore
they are no longer two but one flesh ;' if then there be but one
flesh, there is correspondingly but one voice. Again ; the same
Isaiah afterwards makes admirable mention of the one as being
two. For he speaks in the person of Christ and says ; ' He hath
placed a mitre upon me as a bridegroom, and as his bride hath
he decked me with ornament.' Here it is one person that seems
to speak, who makes himself to be both Bride and Bridegroom ;
because they are not two but one flesh ; because the Word was
made flesh and dwelt in us ; and to that flesh the Church is ad
joined; and is become whole Christ, body and head.' Thus far
Augustin; who frequently takes this subject into consideration
in other places. But could Isaiah more aptly depict with his
pencil this extremely beautiful similarity and ambiguity of person?
For he shews that both of them reign, that is, both Christ and
the Church. But which of the two is King, or which is Queen,
he professes himself unable to distinguish ; since to both apper
tain the insignia and ornaments of royal power."
. . . " ' At thy right hand stood the Queen:' hearest thou Christ
the King ? or hearest thou the Queen ? but come now, attend to
what follows, and observe that he ascribes the same thing to the
Bride as he does to the Bridegroom ; and lest you think anything

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WOMAN." 119
humbly concerning her, he attributes greater things to the Bride
than he does to the Bridegroom ; though the external gifts of
the Bridegroom are the greater, when intimating how highly he
would amplify her with honors ; that you may know her to be
the same with himself, and that one and the same kingdom
belongs to both. ' The King,' says he to his spouse, ' shall desire
thy beauty. The daughters of kings shall be there with gifts ;
Hke as the rich also among the people shall make their supplica
tion before thee.' "
" Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of
gold wrought about with diverse colors. Behold here garments
of gold, such as are those of kings. And in order that you
may the more readily believe this, you must know that in Hebrew
the words stand thus ; ' The Queen stood at thy right hand in a
diadem of gold ;' for David designed that the spouse should be
a queen ; although she had not as yet taken the king for her
husband." Gaspar a Melo,* Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 656; —
" Observe, with Cselius Pannonius, that the church has her
purple, her scarlet, her gold, her precious stones, her pearls ; of
which the Psalmist speaks, ' On thy right hand stood the Queen
in a vesture of gold, wrought about with diverse colors,' Psalm
xliv. Yet she has them not externally, as this harlot, for a vain
appearance; for all her beauty is from within, as is said in the same
passage ; for she has purple and scarlet, i. e., regal dignity, since
she has Christ the king; and in this point of view all believers
are kings; and out of these is formed the church as an imma
culate virgin, which reigns through Christ. Moreover, she has the
privilege of being ' arrayed in a vesture of gold;' that is, in wisdom
with love ; according to the words, ' Receive wisdom as gold ;'
she has likewise precious stones and pearls, that is, virtues of the
mind, many and various, with which the church is clothed round
about. And as the church possesses these in truth, so does this
harlot endeavor to usurp them to herself in fallacy, whenever
seeming to make a shew of possessing any one of them, or of
glory of empire, wisdom, and the virtues. The church of God,
which is designated in the strong woman by Solomon in the last
chapter of Proverbs ; the church of God, I say, is adorned with
* Rector of the College of -St. Gabriel, Valladolid. Ed. 1589.

120 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
perfect charity and all the other virtues, in order to receive him
as her spouse; the harlot likewise and the synagogue of Satan
is adorned ; not that she may receive God, but receive fornicators
and adulterers ; that is, all kinds of devils. For this reason the
wicked Jeroboam, the author and inventor of idolatry, made two
calves not brazen but gold ; in order that by the splendor of the
gold he might attract men to idolatry. Hence it is that heathen
ism seeing the church to be most perfectly adorned, adorns also
her own idols, in order to deceive men by ornaments of a corre
sponding kind."
These remarks are sufficient to shew the parallel between
the descriptions of the spouse of Christ, and the woman
here represented. Both are denominated Queens ; both are
clothed in vestures of gold and jewels ; in the present case
also in purple, which is preeminently a regal as well as a
priestly color. It is therefore in her character as claiming
to be the spouse or wife of Christ, that she is here repre
sented ; and hence it is that as being married to Christ
she in the sequel calls herself a Queen ; and as the King is
to live with the Queen for ever as her husband, so she de
clares that she shall never be a widow,~nevev "see any sorrow."
Hence likewise it is, that this woman represents a church ;
which calls itself the spouse or wife of the king ; and as
such the true church, the mystical body of christ.
Hence, likewise, the parallel between the two expressions ;
" Come hither, and I will shew thee the judgment of the
great whore ;" and again ; " Come hither, I will shew thee
the bride, the Lamb's wife." The harlot, then, pretends
to be the Queen, the Church which is called the wife of the
Lamb ; hence she pretends to the spiritual nuptials with
Christ mentioned in chap. xix.
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., ver. 21, not. v. ; —
" Without any doubt in chap, xix., the nuptials there men
tioned adumbrate the spiritual nuptials of Christ with the Church
of Rome ; as of that Church which is the Queen and Empress
among all other churches."

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " GOLDEN CUP." 121
Ibid., chap, xix., ver. 7, 8, p. 639 ; —
" ' Come, and I will shew thee the spouse, the wife of the
Lamb.' This may be the sense : ' Come, and I will shew thee
the glory which God has prepared in the heavenly country for
the Church of Rome : that Church, I say, which upon earth was
called the wife of the Lamb ; that is, the Queen among the other
churches." Ibid., p. 638 ;—
" In these nuptials of the Lamb allusion is clearly made to
Psalm xliv., where the narrative is concerning the marriage of
the mystical Solomon with the Queen. And although in that
passage interpreters appear to maintain that we are to under
stand the Christian Church as the Queen ; yet, if by the name
of Christian church they understand the universal church as
comprehending all the faithful, in my judgment the Psalm evi
dently repudiates such a meaning. For in this Psalm the Queen
is distinguished from those who are nearest to her, or her kindred,
which are likewise espoused to the King. Wherefore it is ne
cessary that the name of Queen should there have a closer and
stricter application. For when it is said, ' The virgins that be
her companions shall be brought unto thee after her;' these virgins
who are her companions, or the kindred ofthe Queen herself, are
figures of particular churches in respect of the universal. There
fore, although the Queen and her kindred virgins are called to the
embraces of Christ, and to conjunction with him, nevertheless
the distinction between the Queen and her kindred argues a dis
tinction between the churches ; so that there is one Church which
is chief over the rest, the Queen and the head ; and this one is
frequently called by way of excellency the wife of the Lamb. . . .
And from this Psalm there will be strong confirmation, that in
the Apocalypse it is the church of Rome which is called the
wife of the Lamb ; let heretics bark at this as they may."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 4 ; —
" ' Having a golden cup in her hand full of abomina
tions and filthiness of her whoredom," signifies, that reli
gion grounded in a profanation of the holy things of the
Word, and in the defilements of its goods and truths by
direfulfalses."

122 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Gagneus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 901 ; —
" The cup is the blasphemous doctrine of the wicked and their
perverse example ; by which she intoxicates the imitators of her
self, in order to draw them into the abominable crimes and the
like damnation with their own. Some interpret the golden cup
to signify the hypocrisy of the wicked ; who disguising their vices,
and with doctrine covered over with the gold of a simulated divine
wisdom, seduce under a shew of probity and sanctity and intoxi
cate a greater number than do the openly wicked."
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 754 ; —
" Observe that the same kind of cup of Babylon, gilded and
full of deadly poison, is by some applied by accommodation to
those Gentiles and heretics, who, by the blandishments of words
and the pigments of plausible speech, sell out falsehood to the
uneducated and unskilled, and pass it off as the truth."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 479 ; — ¦
" To what purpose is she said to have a cup in her hand,
unless it be that she might drink of it herself, and offer the
potion to all that pass by ? What however is the potion but
error and obliviousness ; by which the sense withdraws itself
from God, being defiled by the allurements of her vices ? The
cup therefore which the woman is said to have in her hand, is
full of the abominations and uncleanness of her fornication;
which is entirely the fruit or effect of her desire to subvert the
rational part of man, and wholly to overwhelm his senses ; that
he may leave the true and firing God to commit fornication both
in mind and body ; being in his soul delivered over to idolatry,
and in his body subject to all uncleanness and to every ignomi
nious passion. And we must also take notice of the intentness
with which she pursues her most mischievous purpose ; namely,
how in order the more powerfully to allure, and the more quickly
to deceive, she is said to have in her hand a cup not of wood, or
of brass, but of gold."
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 264 ; —
" ' Full of abominations and filthiness,' &c. Tropologically
heretics and their hke are denoted, who, by the eloquence and
seductiveness of their words, hold out the cup to their hearers,
and instil into their minds their own errors and impious morals."

VERSE IV.J SEVENTH VIAL — " GOLDEN CUP." 123
So likewise on Jer. Ii., 7, he quotes Origen as teaching
that " the golden cup of Babylon is discourse adorned
with meretriciously seducing language, which instils cor
rupt notions into the hearers ; such as is that of heretics,
harlots, and flatterers."
Glossa Ordinaria, Jeremiah li. : ' Babylon hath been a
golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth
drunken : the nations have drunken of her wine, therefore
the nations are mad ;' —
" Nebuchadnezzar, desiring to deceive men by the cup of
Babylon, mingled not his wine in a cup made of iron, brass, tin,
and what excels these, of silver. He mingled his wine in a golden
cup ; in order that, beholding the beauty of the radiant gold,
you might fix your eyes entirely on the outward appearance, and
not consider what is within ; but might snatch up the cup, and
drink you know not what. By ' the cup of Nebuchadnezzar' un
derstand the pestiferous language of corrupt dogmas, captivating
in composition and beauty of eloquence ; and you will thus know
the manner and measure in which the poet hath mixed up the
wine of the golden cup, and cast in the poisonous ingredients of
idolatry and of degrading discourse, and dogmas that kill the soul,
and assume the false name of knowledge. The contrary, how
ever, did Jesus. For knowing the cup of the devil to be a golden
cup ; lest any one coming to the faith should think that the cup
of Christ was of the same kind with the one he had abandoned,
and of which, by reason of the similarity of the material, he
might be afraid as containing error ; Christ took care that the
treasure should be in earthen vessels. Often have I seen a golden
cup adorned with beauty of discourse ; and when contemplating
the poison of its dogmas, have discovered it to be the cup of
Babylon." The golden cup is in the hand of the Lord ; because,
says Cardinal Hugo, to whom he will it is given, and from
whom he will it is withheld.
Pranciscus Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
"The golden cup of this harlot has many significations.
First, it signifies the teaching of poets and of other gentiles and

124 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVII.
profane men ; shining with eloquence and sentiment, but con
taining the poison of idolatry and other errors. This is the golden
cup of which Jeremiah formerly spoke, chap. Ii. : ' Babylon is a
golden cup in the hand of the Lord ; the nations have drank of
its wine, and therefore are they in commotion.' It designates
likewise the hypocrisy of the wicked, who, dissembling their
rices, and with doctrine deceitfully laid over with the gold of
divine wisdom, under a pretext of probity and sanctity, seduce
and intoxicate more than do the openly wicked. . . . This harlot
has the golden cup in her hand ; now intoxicating the wicked
with the doctrines of profane men, full of brilliant eloquence,
but yet of error ; now with hypocrisy and simulation ; now with
the dignities and radiant glory of the world ; now with pleasures
and delights."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap. 17; —
" The woman was arrayed in gold, because she possessed the
wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God. By the
gems and pearls is designated worldly eloquence. By the golden
cup which she is said to have held in her hand, the teaching of
philosophers and poets ; which is said to be full of abominations,
and of the uncleanness of her fornication, because the teaching
of philosophers and poets was full of lies and of all kinds of error ;
being framed with a view to deceive mankind."
Lauretus, art. Calix ,¦ —
" The golden cup of Babylon may designate the writings of
the poets, and of the other heathen and profane authors, resplen
dent with eloquence and sentiment, but containing the poison
of idolatry and other errors (Origen, Chrysostom, B. Gregory,
Theodoret) . It designates the writings of heretics, and also hy
pocrisy, and the splendor of temporal glory ; also the pleasui'es
of the world. The same is signified by the golden cup of the
whore. Vials or cups are also the fallacious reasonings of here
tics by which they supply the simple with the wine of error."
Rupertus. These interpretations may serve to shew what the ' golden
cup' signifies when contemplated as in the hands of heathen
philosophers and poets: in the present case, the ' golden cup'

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " GOLDEN CUP." 125
is in the hands of the harlot as designating the Queen, the
pretended spouse of Christ, or his pretendedly mystical
body; that is to say, a pretended or counterfeit church.
This being the case, the ' golden cup' will signify the os
tensible teaching of the church ; its being in her hand,
her authoritative teaching.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" The harlot herself is a golden cup by reason of her simu
lated sanctity, which she outwardly pretends to, although inte
riorly she is full of all iniquity and abomination. Whence like
wise Jeremiah says, that ' Babylon is a golden cup in the hand
of God.' For by her hypocrisy she feigns herself to be the gold
of sanctity; which sanctity nevertheless is simulated, in order
that she may the more easily invite every one to drink of the
uncleanness of her fornication. To such the Lord says, ' Woe
unto you who are like unto whited sepulchres.' "
Ambrose Ansbert gives the same interpretation almost
word for word.
Bede, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" The golden cup full of uncleannesses is hypocrisy ; because
hypocrites appear outwardly to men righteous, but inwardly they
are full of all manner of uncleanness."
So Tychonius.
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xvii. ; —
" ' Having a golden cup in her hand,' that is, the divine
Scriptures, of which the faithful drink unto salvation, but which
these have in their hand, that is, in their corrupt expositions,
&c. : ' full of abominations and uncleanness of her fornication,'
because they teach according to their expositions many unclean
nesses, and to commit fornication with the devil ; by which means
they are separated from what is good, because the end they have
in view is evil."
Cardinal Hugo says, the cause of the damnation of
the wicked here intimated arises from their " abuse of the
understanding." The Glossa Interlinea that " full of abo-

126 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
minations" means "full of corrupt expositions" The Glossa
Ordinaria, that the golden cup signifies " the divine Scrip
tures, of which the faithful drink to their salvation : ' full
of abominations' which (meaning those expositions) ought
to be thrown away, as inculcating defilements of the flesh,
and fornication in departing from God."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Having. He here shews the wickedness of these perverted
persons, in as far as relates to their study and their office, which
is to pervert men by corrupt doctrines, corruptly expounding
the Scriptures, or by other modes of evil persuasion. And first
he touches on the desire of perverting others after a fraternal
manner ; ' having a cup.' Secondly, their pretence to sound know
ledge, golden. Thirdly, the degree of craftiness in their nefarious
deceipt, full. He says therefore, having a cup ; i. e., to give men
to drink, with a deadly draught, of error, of doctrine. For the
cup is here taken for the continent, not the content. This has
place especially in heretics, who, by corruptly expounding the
Scriptures, desire to pervert men by intoxicating them with the
wine of error. In her hand : i. e., in her power, or by the aid
of their own exposition ; whence it is said in the Book of Eccle-
siasticus, ' Beware thou of the pestiferous man,' &c, — gold, be
cause they feign that they have the knowledge of divine things,
which knowledge is signified by gold as above stated, when never
theless it is said in Ecclesiasticus xxxiii. : ' There is no grace
given him by God ; he is defrauded of all wisdom.' Full; here is
shewn the degree of craftiness of their nefarious deception through
error of doctrine ; and it is shewn likewise that the doctrine of
heretics is horrid ; whence it is said, full of abomination, i. e.,
full of testimonies (documenta), generating horror to reason, or
to a soul well disposed. It is likewise shewn to be filthy, whence
it follows ; and uncleanness, because the error of heretics is un
clean, and defiles men ; Ezek. xiv. : ' These men have placed
iniquity in their hearts.' It is shewn also to be noxious, because
it separates men from God ; whence it follows, her fornication,
i. e., impiety, by which this woman causes men spiritually to for
nicate with her, i. e., to adhere with delight to her heresies and
sins, and so separates herself and others from God. Psalm lxxiii. ;

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " GOLDEN CUP." 127
'Thou hast destroyed all who have committed fornication in
departing from thee.' "
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 315 ; —
" Having a golden cup in her hand ; i. e., the congregation
of Antichrist will have a golden cup, that is, the Divine Scripture,
of which the faithful drink to the salvation of their souls ; ' in
her hand,' that is, in her power ; because Antichrist and his
followers will expound the Sacred Scripture according to his own
pleasure; no one contradicting him. Whence Antichrist will
have the authorities of Sacred Scripture at hand, in order that
credit may the more easily be given him, and the people the
more effectually attracted to him. Whence the Glossa says;
this woman having a ' golden cup,' that is, the book of Sacred
Scripture ; ' in her hand,' that is, in corrupt expositions ; ' full
of abominations,' that is, of errors, falsities ; ' and uncleanness
of her fornications' both of mind and body. Whence again the
Glossa ; ' full of abominations/ that is, of falsities, errors, and
expositions which ought to be accounted as abominations ; ' full
of the uncleanness of fornication,' because their doctrine teaches
uncleanness of the flesh and excites to luxury ; whence Anti
christ will attract many to himself by means of the woman."
We have seen that Aquinas and others more consist
ently interpret fornication in a spiritual sense ; in which
sense alone it is here properly to be understood ; as already
frequently explained. It will further be seen in the sequel,
that Alexander de Hales is expressly referring to a church
professing to be Christian ; nor can any other interpreta
tion be given by those who regard the golden cup full of
abominations as signifying the authoritative inculcation of
false and corrupt expositions of Scripture.
We have hitherto spoken of the golden cup as repre
senting a simulation of wisdom. But there is another sense
in which it may be regarded. In the Book of Daniel we
read, chap, i., 1, 2, that " Nebuchadnezzar, king of Baby
lon, came unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord
gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, with part

128 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
of the vessels of the house of God ; which he carried into
the land of Shinar, into the house of his God : and he
brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god."
Glossa Ordinaria, Daniel, chap, i., 1, 2 ; —
" For if you consider over all the books of philosophers, you
cannot help finding in them some part of the vessels of the house
of God, which are to be understood as the dogmas of truth ; as
for instance in Plato, that God was the framer of the world ; in
Zeno, the chief of the Stoics, that there is a hell, that souls are
immortal, that there is one good — virtue (honestatem). But in
asmuch as to truth they conjoin falsehood, so not all the vessels
are said to be taken possession of, but only a part."
So likewise in the Glossa Inteiiinea, the vessels are said
to be " souls, or else the true opinions which heretics pos
sess." He who carries them away into the house of his
own god is said to be " the devil, the philosopher, or the
heretic." The house is said to be " the world, or the con
venticles of heretics."
So Cardinal Hugo, Daniel, chap, i., 1, 2 ; —
"According to the Glossa, Nebuchadnezzar signifies the devil,
or a heretic, both of whom besiege the church, and carry away
part of the vessels, that is, of the dogmas of the church ; because
if you consider over the books of philosophers, you will find
them to be a part of the vessels, that is, of the dogmas of truth.
For falsehood they conjoin to that which is the truth."
All these interpretations are only so many confirmations
of the one presented by Jerome, and in nearly the same
words. A similar observation may be applied to the purple,
gold, and precious stones in which the woman was arrayed.
Por all these likewise may be regarded as having been
taken from out of the temple; inasmuch as these had
formed the vestments of the high priest in the temple.
Nevertheless they are taken by the harlot and applied to
her own purposes. Hence in Jeremiah iv., 39 ; " Though

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  "GOLDEN CUP." 129
thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest
thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face
with painting ; in vain shalt thou make thyself fair : thy
lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life." On which
passage Jerome thus comments ;—
" The prophet is speaking under the figure of an adulterous
woman. When once thou hast offended God and forsaken the
Creator as thy true husband, in vain dost thou seek diligently for
ornaments; the demons thy lovers have despised thee, and
shall seek no longer the pollution of thy whoredom, but the
perdition of thy soul. The same is to be understood spiritually
of those who have lost the conjugal affection and chastity of
a true faith. Though, says he, thou clothest thyself in purple,
i. e, puttest on thee faith in the blood of Christ ; though thou
ornamentest thyself with a necklace of gold, i. e., though thou
art in the meditative exercise of a spiritual sense and under
standing ; though thou paintest thine eyes with pigment, that
is, art in the desire of knowing the mysteries and secret things
of God ; in vain shalt thou make thyself fair. For these things
thou hast prepared for thy lovers ; and therefore is the bed too
narrow to take in both ; nor does God accept ornaments which
thou hast made use of before to gratify thy lovers."
A similar interpretation is given in the Glossa Ordi
naria, Glossa Interlinea, and Cardinal Hugo.
It has before been observed that by the concupiscence
of Babylon is signified the libido dominationis, the lust of
domination. According to this account therefore the cup in the hand
of the harlot is a genuine cup taken from out of the temple ;
it is in her own hand, because she now claims the adminis
tration of it ; but she has mingled the cup in the house of
her god, or to serve her own purposes of Babylonian ag
grandizement, and has hence filled it with her own idola
trous dogmas, that is, as we have seen, her own false
and delusive teaching ; sanctioned by being contained
within a genuine golden cup of the temple.
VOL. iv. k

130 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 5 ; —
" 'And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery,
Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations
of the earth,' signifies, the Roman Catholic religion as to
its interior hidden quality ; that, by reason of its originat
ing from the love of dominion grounded in self-love, over
the holy things of the church and of heaven, thus over all
things of the Lord and his Word, it defiled and profaned
the things which relate to the Word, and thence to the
church." The forehead, says Brixianus, points out, as with a
finger, the character of the individual. . . . The forehead,
says Rabanus Maurus, signifies the mind ; it is the upper
part of the face which, according to Aquinas, signifies the
interior affections of the mind.
To be written upon the forehead, then, signifies to be
impressed upon the affections or upon the first principles
of the mind ; so as to pervade and constitute the essential
character of the individual.*
That by name is signified quality, see Vol. IIL, p. 429.
Although, however, the character of Babylon is written
on the forehead of the harlot, and public profession is made
of her principles, yet it does not follow that their nature is
detected by all, for there is written the word Mystery.
Hence Viegas observes, p. 830, that to the simple it
does not appear ; from these it is hidden : since in the
actions of the wicked designated by Babylon mystery is
latent, i. e., "a crafty and occult desire of acquiring

* Alcasar observes, p. 755, that it signifies the public profession by which Rome
most willingly embraced all kinds of idolatry ; which is as it were a certain kind of
spiritual fornication. For as Leo the Great says on the festival of the apostles Peter
and Paul, " When she was domineering over almost all nations, she was the slave of
the errors of all, and seemed to have assumed to herself a mighty religion, simply
because there was no falsity which she rejected."

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MYSTERY." 131
honor ;" whereas to the good, the character is conspicuous
and manifest.
Glossa Ordinaria, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Although she is so calculated to deceive, still despair not
ye faithful ! because to you she has upon her forehead, that is,
in open manifestation, a mark which to the uninstructed is a
mystery," &c, &c.
Bede, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" This her corruption is shewn at once in her very face to be
the mother of all vices ; but inasmuch as it is discerned only by
a wisely directed reason, which is an ornament of great price, so
this name is pointed out as being a mystical one."
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 655 ; —
" In that she has written upon her forehead, ' Babylon, the
mother of fornications,' the sign whieh this superstition impresses
upon her forehead is no other than hypocrisy ; that is, they feign
themselves to be good when they are evil."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Inasmuch as Babylon, that is, the multitude of the wicked,
feigns herself in hypocrisy to be that which she is not, i. e.,
shews herself as a golden cup while she is full of iniquity and
abomination ; so lest the superstition of error under the cloak
of simulation should deceive the unwary, they are put upon their
guard by the title upon her forehead ; since it is there written,
'Babylon,' that is, confusion. Whence we may see why it is
that the name of Mystery is given. For a mystery is said to be
some concealed thing ; and that in which one thing is presented
to the sight and another to the understanding. To some the
works of Babylon are on her forehead ; to others they are in a
mystery. To the more simple, who cannot see and understand
them, they are a mystery ; because those things which by the
multitude of the wicked are interiorly generated in their own
minds, are concealed from them. But to the more perfect her
name shews itself upon the forehead, because these know easily
the nature of all her works. Her name therefore is upon her
forehead, but yet is written in mystery; because to some it is
openly shewn, to others it is shut up in mystery."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
k2

132 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XVII.
" Lest the superstition of error, disguised under the cloak of
simulation, should deceive the unwary, the divine mercy has
caused them to be careful by means of the title upon her fore
head. How is it, however, that by her art of simulation she
deceives such innumerable multitudes of persons, when all the
time she carries upon her forehead the name of Babylon, i. e., con
fusion ; unless it be that it is not given to all to know the mys
tery of Babylon; in like manner as it is not given to all to know
the mystery of the kingdom of heaven ? Her name indeed is
openly written upon her forehead ; but it is shut up from some
in a mystery. Whence in this very Apocalypse it is said to John
by an angelic voice, and on account of the wicked, ' Seal up the
things which are uttered by the thunders, and write them not.'
On the other hand, on account of the elect it is said by the same
angel, ' Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xvii. ; — -
" ' And on her forehead a name written, Mystery,' viz., they
have in open display a sign which is a mystery to the unin
structed, but to the wise is clear knowledge, and to the faithful
a consoling help ; lest they should be seduced by her in whom
they manifestly behold such things."
Pranciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p.
182 ;—
" ' And on her forehead was a name written, Mystery ;' that
is, this harlot shews what she is, openly or manifestly in her
works ; because every one is known by his works as the tree is
judged of by its fruit. Nevertheless, inasmuch as she is adorned
with so many counterfeit virtues, the wickedness of this woman
will not make itself known to all, but only to the just and wise.
Therefore her name is a mystery, i. e., a something concealed.
For that is called a mystery which is the continent of something
occult, and in which one thing is seen and another understood.
Moreover the name in the complex is thus expressed ; ' Babylon
the great, the mother of fornications and of abominations of the
earth.' She is called Babylon, since she is full of the confusions
of impieties ; doing nothing according to true order, wisely, and
virtuously, since she has always a corrupt intention. She is

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON." 133
' great' by reason of the multitude of her sons, and the enormity
of her crimes. She is ' the mother of fornications,' that is, the
original source of uncleannesses, the root of aversions from God ;
who both in word a"hd example turns herself away from chaste con
junction with God, and defiles herself with her own impurities."
Such being the signification of Mystery, we next pro
ceed to that of Babylon; and in so doing shall refer to the
characteristics which have distinguished Babylon from the
time of its earliest mention in the Scriptures.
Brixianus, art. Babylon, n. 31 ;—
" Babylon, in the sacred Scriptures, signifies a very cunning
harlot, which offers to the nations in a golden cup the potion of
ignorance ; in which she mingles together promiscuously a medley
of crimes and a legion of invincible errors."
Glossa Ordinaria, Genesis, chap, xi., 1 — 4 ;—
" The tower of the world (Babel) is pride, or the dogmas of
heretics who have moved from the east, i. e., from the true hght;
and who coming into Shinaar, i. e., excussio dentium, have built
up the pride of their dogmas, in opposition to God." . . .
De Lyra, Genesis, chap, xi., 1 — 4 ; —
" 'And when they journeyed from the east :' this the exterior
senses do when they recede from the hght of right reason, at
tracted by their own delights ; and then do they mutually exhort
each other to build a tower of pride in opposition to God ; and to
this also are drawn over the interior senses of the mind by their
consenting to them. But God confounds their lip ; namely, by
punishing them with hell, where there is no order, and conse
quently where there is extreme confusion. Allegorically; by the
earth is understood the church militant ; by lip, true preaching
and doctrine. From the beginning of the church this lip was
one in preaching and in teaching one God, one faith, one bap
tism, Ephesians, chap, iv., 5. But at the receding of some from
the east, i. e., from Christ, of whom it is said in Zechariah vi.,
12 ; ' Behold the man whose name is the East,'* a tower of pride
was built up ; from whieh followed a division of languages by
reason of the teaching and preaching of divers heresies."
* Branch in the common English version.

134 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Glossa Interlinea, Genesis, chap, xi., 1 — 4 ; —
" ' Let us build a city and a tower,' viz., pride of the world,
or the elation of heretics, who build up their own figments in
opposition to God ; whence deservedly is the tower called Babel,
i. e., confusion."
Cardinal Hugo, Genesis, chap, xi., 1 — 4 ; —
'"And as they journeyed,' viz., Nimrod and his accomplices,
i. e., heretics, schismatics, and proud persons journey from the
east, that is, recede from Christ, whose name is the East. Zech.
vi., 12 : ' Behold the man whose name is the East.' ' They found
a plain in the land of Shinaar,' which, interpreted, is fcetor or
excussio dentium. This is the order of their progress ; and to
this as their end do they arrive who are ambitious of honors and
recede from Christ.". . .
" Note. That he who flies from the east has his back to the
east. And many there are who, when exalted to dignities, turn
their back to Christ. 2 Paral. 29 : ' They have averted their
faces from the tabernacle of the Lord, and turned unto it their
backs.'. . . ' Tower of Babel ;' pride of the world, which is erected
in opposition to God, but which is cast down in confusion.
Is. xiv., 14, 15 : ' I will ascend unto heaven; I will be hke the
most High,' &c. ' But thou shalt be cast down to hell ; to the
bottom of the pit.' Is. 30, 3 : ' The strength of the land of
Egypt shall be your confusion, and your trust in the shadow of
Egypt your ignominy.' These have bricks instead of stones. In
the brick clay is conglutinated with straw and is afterwards
baked. In the straw is designated vanity ; in the clay, wicked
pleasures ; in the glutinous substance, obstinate wickedness. . . .
Division of tongues signifies division of desires by reason of
various pleasures.
Lauretus, art. Later ; —
" Bricks used for stones in the tower of Babel designate the
dialectical reasonings (but such as are false) of heretics ; which
have indeed a shew of truth, but are destitute of the solidity of
truth : out of which is built a tower of pride, Gen. xi. Heretics
regard as bricks the reasonings of the church, which they think
they can easily dissolve ; but which nevertheless they do not
perceive to be true in regard to their own case." Jerome.

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON." 135
Ibid., art. JEdificare ; —
"The building of the tower of Babylon, designates the
building up of pride and of heretical dogmas, by which men are
lifted up against God and the church; which nevertheless is
turned to their confusion. They build their house in vain, who
labor without God ; whether they be philosophers, or heretics
teaching vanities." Jerome.
" To build up Babylon after the manner of the proud and
hypocritical, is to condescend to all humility, and under the pre
text of religion to expose oneself to every vile and abject condi
tion, and to shew oneself ready to submit to things of which men
generally feel ashamed, such as beggarly habiliments, humble
gesture, scanty food, voluntary servitude; and then afterwards
to make it the subject of vain glory. So spake Nebuchadnezzar :
' Is not this great Babylon that I have built ?' " St. Victor.
Biblia Maxima, De la Haye, Genesis, chap, xi., 14 ; —
" ' Let us make to ourselves a name ;' the cause was therefore
pride and an appetite for glory. And this agrees exceUently well
with that which is mystically signified; for the especial cause
of all heresies and confusion is the pride of the spiritual Babylon ;
and this pursues at length even the heretics, till they speak in
agreement neither with themselves nor with the truth." Estius.
" The cause of their attempt was their cupidity for eternaliz
ing a name. They cannot be excused from sin, who have under
taken to raise up this insane mass of bunding ; not only because
this structure indicates a cupidity of empty glory ; but likewise
because it is credible that Nimrod wished to raise it, in order
that it might be the citadel of his own tyranny and impiety."
Menochius. ..." In this insane fabric, Nimrod was here a type of Anti
christ." Tirinus.
Speaking of this Babylonian tower, as the monument
of vain glory, pride, arrogance, and self-inflation, St. Bernard,
observes in his Works, vol. ii., p. 592 ; —
"Very enormous indeed is this tower; and to prevent the
possibility of its being easily laid low, not only does it oppose to
us its altitude, but the strength of its encircling wall. And this
is that which ofttimes crushes our attempts to atoms, when making

136 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
war against the building. Because with the engines and batter
ing rams of holy preaching we might succeed in leveUing to the
ground the swelling elation of the soul, did not its pertinacious
obstinacy so invincibly, as I may say, resist us. For what good
can you effect for a soul, which, being by an unfeeling hardi
hood converted into adamant, you can neither bend by precepts,
nor attract by counsels, nor soothe by gentleness, nor terrify by
threats, nor amend by scourges, nor soften by acts of kindness ?
Would you not say of such a soul, that it is almost incurable ?
But though impossible to men, yet aU things are possible to
God. For the merciful and good Lord sendeth his Word to the
earth ; i. e., he infuses the inspiration of his Word into the soul ;
unto which his Word runneth swiftly not to return to him void,
but to accomplish that which he pleases, and to prosper in the
thing whereto he sent it."
The subject of Babylon occurs again in the prophets ;
where the city is described with the same characteristics.
The reader is here referred to what has already been said
on this subject in Vol. IIL, p. 467, where it has been seen;
that the destruction of the literal Babylon for its pride and
arrogance, in the days of Belteshazzar, was a type of the
destruction of the spiritual Babylon at the end of the world;
and that the spiritual Babylon to be destroyed at the end
of the world, is the same with the Babylon the destruction
of which is described in the Apocalypse. The question
then occurs, where or what this spiritual Babylon is ?
The answer to this question will be given as before ;
viz., solely on the authority of the Fathers and Boman
Catholic writers.
We begin with Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., ver. 1 ;
" By the great harlot whose mystical name is Babylon, no
other can be here understood than Rome ; as is evident from
ver. 9, where it is said, ' she sat upon seven hiUs ;' which is a
feature pertaining to no other city having dominion over the
kings of the earth. And by this name St. Peter eaUs it ; and
its fall, St. Paul says, would be a sign of the presence of Anti
christ. This is expressly taught by Lactantius, Tertulhan, Je-

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON." 137
rome, Ambrose, Augustin, and Paulus Orosius (the disciple of
Augustin), fficumenius, Andreas Csesariensis, Aretas, Victorinus,
Sixtus Senensis, Lindanus, BeUarmine, Bozius, Suarez, Salmeron,
Pererius, Pradus, A Lapide, Alcasar, and even the heretics of our
own time. But with this difference ; that by Babylon the here
tics understand the Roman Pontiff and the Roman Church ; but
the fathers and Roman Catholic doctors, the city of Rome be
come again infidel and pagan ; such as it was at the time of John,
and such as it wiU be at the end of the world ; namely, that Rome
which poured out the blood of the martyrs, as is said in verse 6.
For heathen Rome will then banish and endeavor to cut off the
Roman Church and Pontiff."
To the foregoing authorities adduced by Tirinus may
yet further be added those of Baronius, Malvenda, Ribera,
Viegas, Menochius, Estius, Pastorini, Calmet, Bossuet, De
la Haye, Joachim, Ubertini, Seraphinus, Berengaud, Gaspar
a Melo, Bullenger, &c, all of which are writers belonging
to the Roman communion.
Let us examine into this subject in the manner pre
scribed by Roman Catholic authors.
On this subject Alcasar observes, p. 746 ; —
" It is to be observed that we may speak of Rome in three
different ways. First, of Rome as it now is. Secondly, of Rome
as it will be at the coming of Antichrist, according as it is be
lieved by those who think it wiU then return to its old worship
of idols, and to the persecution and hatred of the Christian
name. Thirdly, of Rome as it was under the ancient Pagan
emperors, when it persecuted the church of Christ. Of these
three expositions the heretics of our day have most eagerly caught
at the first ; in order that they might thus rail at the Church of
Rome, and bite at the power of its sovereign Pontiff."
It is not our intention, as we have before observed, to
adduce the authority of any alleged heretics ; but to confine
the argument entirely to the interpretations given by ancient
writers and by Roman Catholics themselves.
We proceed then to adduce some of those ancient as

138 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
well as more recent authorities who interpret Babylon as
indicating Rome in the time of Antichrist.
Aretas, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" When he calls her the mother of fornication ; choose which
you wiU of the foUowing, ancient Rome, new Rome (or Con
stantinople), or the time of the advent of Antichrist ; and you
cannot err from the truth."
Ambrose Ansbert, referring the fall of Babylon to the
time of Antichrist, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., 3 ; Bibliotheca
Magna, p, 479 ; observes ; —
" That the seven heads are seven mountains ; and that these
are seven kings, the angel admonishes us in the sequel to under
stand ; by the aid of that sense of the words which has wisdom ;
in order to shew that, like those kings, St. John was brought to
Rome, which, sitting upon seven hills, formerly held, by her do
mination, the monarchy of the world ; and in the name of that
city he figured forth the power of the whole kingdom of the
world." Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 310; —
" ' I will shew unto thee the damnation of the whore,' &c.
For the vanity of the world is called a whore, because of its ve
neration of idols and abandonment of the spouse. The city of
Rome is called a whore by reason of its sale of ecclesiastical
favors [venditionem beneficii] and abandonment of the spouse," &c.
. . . " ' With whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication,' namely, with the city of Rome, the foulest of harlots,
have the kings of the earth committed fornication. LiteraUy,
the city of Rome wiU be the city of the kings of the earth, and
of other earthly men, for the sake of committing fornication
and of abandoning Christ as the spouse. For the kings of the
earth and some of the prelates, the principal rulers of the church,
wiU meet together against the Lord and against his Anointed, in
defrauding him of his treasures."
" Understand this of Rome," says the marginal note,
"which is again to become Pagan at the end of the world."
That is to say, inwardly Pagan, while outwardly professing
to be a church.

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  "BABYLON." 139
Ribera, referring to the time of Antichrist, Apocalypse,
chap, xiv., n. 30, 31 ; —
" AU that is spoken of Babylon in this book does most ex
actly fit the city of Rome. . . . And especiaUy that in ver. 9,
which can agree with nothing else. . . . If therefore we put to
gether aU that is spoken of Babylon, we shall the more plainly
understand it to be Rome. . . . For though something in every
mention of it might agree weU enough with the society of wicked
men in general, or suit with another city, yet all put together
can assuredly agree to nothing but the city of Rome."
Ibid., Apocalypse, chap, xiv., n. 30 ; —
" This I say that Ambrose, who at first denied, being in
chap. xvii. convinced by the truth, confessed at last that Rome
signifies Babylon."
Again on chap, xvii., ver. 16 ; —
" Here some writers, who had given a different interpretation,
are compelled by the truth to favor our opinion. For Ambrose
says that Rome is the fornicator."
Again, ibid., p. 214 ; —
"For that Rome shaU be utterly burnt* not only for its
former sins but also for those which it shaU commit in the last
times, we so manifestly know from these words of the Apoca
lypse, that the silliest man in the world cannot deny it."
Blasius Viegas, referring to the time of Antichrist,
Apocalypse, chap, xvii., sec. iii. ; —
" We therefore are of opinion that by the name of Babylon
is meant the city of Rome in this book of the Revelations. . . .
For that Rome is called by the name of Babylon is clear. . . .
John seems to have pointed out Rome by the clearest proofs."
" The name Babylon is not to be transferred to that Rome
which is now professing the faith of Christ under the Roman
Pontiff; but to that which, before it received the faith of Christ,
was subservient to idols ; and also to that which wiU be in
the time of Antichrist ; which in this and the foUowing chapter
* Not necessarily in the literal sense, as Ribera here supposes.

140 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
will faU away from the Roman Pontiff, and therefore from the
faith." Cornelius a Lapide, referring to the time of Antichrist,
Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
Ver. 2. "I say therefore Babylon here is Rome. Ver. 9.
It is evident that Rome is here denoted."
Suarez admits substantially the same view of the
subject. Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xiv., p. 541 ; —
" He, Peter, calls Rome Babylon because of the confusion
superinduced by idolatry ; as the Greek Scholia and all others
interpret the word. Formerly the soldiers of Persia and the
Medes (as Esaias says, chap, xxi.) cried aloud when Babylon was
vanquished ; ' Fallen, fallen, is Babylon ; and all the graven
images of their gods are broken to pieces on the earth.' And so
likewise after the destruction of Antichrist and his followers, the
soldiers of Christ whl cry aloud throughout the entire world,
' Fallen, faUen, is Babylon ! that great city !' i. e., now have we
subdued the Prince of this world, Antichrist, and all the confused
multitude of wicked men."
Gaspar a Melo admits also, p. 545, speaking of Rome ;
that, —
" It is probable also that by reason of the great celebrity of
the city which before the advent of Antichrist, had been mistress
of the world the mother and mistress of the churches;
many wUl come from aU quarters and take up with the worship
of many idols and many superstitions ; and that the contagion
will destroy many cities."
Bozius, De Signis Ecclesise, p. 1461 ; —
" Now since as often as the Emperors commenced war against
the Pontiff of Rome, Rome did for the most part (or at least always
for a great part) fight against the latter (or the Pontiff) and in
favor of the former (or the Emperors), and innumerable votaries
of true piety were slain in the city ; so will it then happen by
divine appointment, that hke as Rome was destroyed by the fire
of Nero, who first began war against the church ; and hke again,
as often as these things occurred in after times, it suffered (as
we have seen) immense calamities and slaughters ; so, as being

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON." 141
an adulteress from of old, she wiU pay the penalty both of her
former crimes and of those also of which she wUl then be guilty;
and wiU, together with the dignity and power of the Roman
empire, be utterly overturned by Antichrist and his forces ; as
we are taught in the Revelation, chap. xvi. ; and as Paul inti
mates in 2 Thess. ii ; and as those traditionally teach, whom we
have before adduced ; such as Tertullian in his Apology, chap.
xxxii. ; Lactantius, book vii., chap. xv. ; Cyril, Catechesis xv. ;
Chrysostom on the foregoing passage in Paul, whom all the
Greeks foUow ,¦ and, on the same passage, Ambrose, Jerome,
quest, xi. to Algasia ; Augustin in his book on the City of God,
chap, xx."
De la Haye, Biblia Maxima ; Concordia and Literalis
Expositio, p. 899 ; —
" Certainly, many of those tilings which are afterwards ad
duced by John concerning the great harlot and Babylon, cannot
be adapted, unless so to speak with very great difficulty, to any
other than to Rome, which at the end of the world will fall away
from the faith."
Ibid., p. 922 ;—
..." The name of Babylon is not proper to Babylon, nor to
be explained of it ; but of Rome, which is to become impious
in the last times."
Menochius, referring to the time of Antichrist, Apoca
lypse, chap, i., ver. 1 ; —
" The harlot whose name is Babylon is Rome."
We now come to the question whether Rome means
the city of Rome or the church of Rome. Menochius
says, it means " not Christian Rome such as it now is ;
but infidel and pagan Rome such as it was in the time of
John, and such as it will again be in the time of Anti
christ." On this subject De la Haye observes, in his Biblia
Maxima ; Concordia et Expositio Literalis, p. 899 ; —
"That great whore which, as we have said in the third
volume of our comments upon this chapter of the Apocalypse, is
the city of Rome, not the church of Rome itself; for the Roman

142 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
church itself is distinct from the harlot or Babylon ; and Saint
Peter also, i. 5, has distinguished between the two; for he
says, " the elect church which is in Babylon salutes you." The
church therefore, as assembled at Rome, is considered to be
very different from Babylon. Yet neither Peter nor John call
the city of Rome, Babylon; after the time that idolatry was
ejected and chased out of it, when it submitted itself entirely to
the religion of Christ under the rule of the Roman Pontiffs ; but
they caU by the name of Babylon that Rome which will return
to Paganism in the last times, and wiU eject the sovereign
Pontiff. The church of Christ, however, with its Head and uni
versal Pastor, although oppressed and afflicted, will always re
main inviolable in the Christian faith and religion; for the
Roman Pontiff being then ejected from Rome, will migrate to
another place, or wiU be concealed in the deserts. This opinion
is maintained by the fathers and by many modern authors."
Cornelius a Lapide, having conceded that in the last
times Rome may 'fall away into heresy! in making this
concession observes, p. 260 ; —
" I have made the foregoing remarks in order to shew, that
with the heterodox in faith I deal candidly and generously ; that
I avoid no difficulties ; am guUty of no shuffling, am influenced
by no party feeling, but only by reason ; and further, that I may
concede to those what may with probability be conceded ; in order
that they may the more readily concede to me what right reason
and faith teach us ought to be conceded. Otherwise I might say,
that in this prophecy was latent some other and recondite mys
tery, which God designed should be concealed from us in order
that it should be made known at its proper time, when the pro
phecy will be actuaUy fulfilled ; as we know that he did in the
case of the ancient oracles of the prophets. I concede therefore
to the heterodox, that the city of Rome is here caUed Babylon.
Let them equally concede to me that it does not therefore foUow
that it is the church of Rome which is here caUed Babylon, as
being the head of aU the churches; over which presides the
high priest — the successor of Peter and the Vicar upon earth of
Christ our Lord. If they but acknowledge this, we will hold
out to them the right hand of friendship and fellowship ; and,

VERSE V.J SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON." 143
aU heresy apart, we wiU meet together in one opinion and one
church, and become one fold under one shepherd."
We here perceive Menochius, De la Haye, A Lapide, &c,
to be naturally anxious to shew that by the city of Babylon
is not meant the church of Babylon but the literal city ;
because otherwise since Babylon means Rome, as they
admit, by the city of Babylon would be meant the church
of Rome. 1. Eirst, then let us hear A Lapide replying to himself
on this subject, as quoted before in Vol. IIL, p. 476, ofthe
present work ; —
" TropologicaUy : wickedness it turned from out of Jerusalem,
i. e., from out of the church, when schismatics are expeUed from
it and go out of it, in order to set up the idol of their heresy in
Babylon, that is, in their own Satanic church."
Does the locality of the Satanic church make any differ
ence in the interpretation ? If Babylon means a Satanic
church when it happens to be, as A Lapide thinks it is,
in England, Scotland, Germany, or Bohemia ; why should
it not mean a Satanic church if its locality be Rome?
Is it for this reason ; that modern ecclesiastical authorities
are like those of old, who very naturally disapproved of our
Lord's parable, " because they perceived that he had spoken
this parable against them?" Luke xxx., 19.
2. But this interpretation of A Lapide, that Babylon
means a Satanic church, is no more than a repetition of
that which is given by Ambrose Ansbert ; who, as already
seen, speaks of Babylon as signifying an Antichristian body
built up into the semblance of a church.
3. It is likewise only a repetition of that of Alexander
de Hales; and of Joachim, who says, foi. 120 ; "As far as
it appears to me, therefore, judgment must first be per
formed upon Babylon ; that is to say, that profane multi
tude of people who say that they are Christians and are
not, but are of the synagogue of Satan." Tychonius more- ,

144 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
over regards Babylon as including not merely heathens but
false Christians in the church, and heretics out of it ;
and Seraphinus, as signifying ccetus Christianorum, an as
sembly of Christians. And Bozius, p. 1397, defines the
church thus ; Ecclesia namque cetus est universorum qui
Deo sunt accepti." And Gaspar a Melo, p. 543; " Ecclesia
catholica co^g^^gatio fidelium. "
4. Moreover Ubertini Cassali interprets Babylon as
signifying a corrupted Christian church. Thus in the
work, entitled Lectionum Memorabilium et Beconditarum
Centenarii, 16 : Johanni Wolfii, J. C, p. 601 ; extracted
from the work of Ubertini de Cassali ; —
"Now the carnal church is called the new Babylon;
which church is called the great harlot ; both because in it the
order of the virtues has been thrown into enormous confusion by
the deordination (disorder) introduced by the vices; and the
true love and worship of Jesus the spouse has been shamefully
adulterated ; also because it is more in evil, not only intensively
but also extensively ; also because in it the good are as only a
few grains of barley in an immense accumulation of straw ; also
because as the sons of Israel were led captive in Babylon and
vehemently oppressed ; so the spirits of the just are at this time
above measure straitened and oppressed, by the rule and domi
nation of Babylon, and willing or unwilling, they are compelled
to minister to her in many meretricious acts. Wonder not
therefore, if at the fall of such enormous wickedness there should
be sung by the saints the most solemn Hallelujah !"
5. Babylon is professedly a church, because it is de
scribed as claiming to be the spouse of Christ ; which is
the mystical body of Christ, his church ; as such she is
arrayed in the vestments of the church ; she claims the
virtues and the sanctity of a church ; she is seen with the
golden cup in her hand, or authoritative expositions of
Scripture, which are insisted on as the exclusive privilege
of the church ; (although the expositions are declared to
be corrupt) ; she assumes the title of Queen, which is the

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BABYLON." 145
title of the church, as being the spouse of Christ the
King ; the merchants of the earth, the ship-masters, and
as many as trade by the sea, are all interpreted in the
sequel as signifying respective ranks and conditions in the
church ; the merchandize, &c, is interpreted as signifying
that of the church ; the great city is interpreted to sig
nify a church ; the sitting on many waters, which are
peoples and nations and multitudes, are notes of the catho
licity of a church ; and the sitting as a Queen who is never
to be without the King, and hence who is never to be a
widow, and never to see any sorrow, are notes of the
assumed stability of a church, claiming to be founded
upon that rock against which the gates of hell shall not
prevail. 6. That Babylon signifies a church, and hence the
Church of Rome, and that Rome ought not to be offended
at such an interpretation ; is thus told her by one of her
own devoted sons, under the name of Aben Ezra, in his
Treatise on the Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty,
vol. i., p. 251 ; speaking of the words, "made drunk with
the wine of her fornication ;" —
" We are not ignorant that many unrighteous men, out of
hatred to the Roman church, have misused, in a monstrous and
most impudent way, this passage of Scripture. But what thing
is there, so true and so holy, which they cannot abuse ? Wicked
children, in what they have said concerning Rome, under the
head of this prophecy, have uttered injuries, calumnies and in
vectives, and have mingled some one truth or another with end
less fables. But what has all this to do, or what can it have to
do, with the present subject? Because some have obscured
certain truths, by mingling with them errors and fables, ought
we therefore not to give our diligence to set forth these very
truths in their clearness and purity? Ought we therefore to
deny them wholly, and pass entirely to the other extreme ? Are
we therefore prevented from taking a middle path, equally wide
of fatal error and mischievous flattery ?"
VOL. IV. L

146 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVII.
" What we say of the crimes of this woman, we say, neces
sarily, of her punishment also. Rome, not idolatrous but Chris
tian, not the head of the Roman empire but the head of Chris
tendom, and centre or unity of the true church of the living
God, may very well, without ceasing from this dignity , at some
time or other incur the guUt, and before God be held guilty of
fornication with the kings of the earth, and amenable to aU its
consequences. And in this there is not any consistency, how
ever much her defenders may shake the head. And this same
Rome, in that same state, may receive upon herself the horrible
chastisement spoken of in the prophecy; nor is it necessary
thereto that she should previously be taken by the infidels, that
she should return to become the court of the infidel Roman
empire, arisen from the grave with new and greater grandeur ;
nor that the new emperors should root out of her the Christian
religion, and reconstitute idolatry. All these extravagant ideas,
aU these imaginary suppositions, are indeed consolations of no
worth, and which cannot faU to be of the greatest injury to
Rome, if she repose upon them. The great grievance (and it is
a grievance worthy of inconsolable lamentation), is that the
prophecy will accomplish itself, as appears by this very thing ; I
mean, by the too great trust which our Mother reposes upon
words of consolation ; not considering that they spring merely
from the respect and love of her faitirful subjects, who have re
garded, and do regard it as a point of piety, and even of reli
gion, to bless her at all times and in aU ways. Oh that it were
possible to speak in her ear, in such a way as should profit her,
those words which God spake to his ancient spouse ; I mean only
with a reference to this particular point ! ' Oh my people, they
which lead thee (say that thou art blessed, Vulgate) cause thee
to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.' Isa. hi., 12."
The same view of the subject is further followed out
by another Roman Catholic writer, Eather Lambert, a
Jansenist of the order of the Dominicans, in his Exposition
of the Prophecies and Promises made to the Church, vol. ii.,
chap, xviii., p. 327 ; —
" In examining with a good faith the different characteristics
which, in the Apocalypse, the woman who is a harlot presents ;

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BABYLON." 147
it is very difficult not to recognize under this emblem the city of
Rome." . . .
" This first point is not contested and cannot be. But after
this it is natural to ask whether it be of Rome still Pagan, or of
Rome become Christian, but degenerated and corrupted, of
which St. John speaks under the name of Babylon the Great."
" It is not, then, any longer of pagan Rome that this Apostle
exposes the iniquities and announces the mournful destiny. . . .
The criminal city of which he speaks is shewn him as a profound
mystery. She even carries the name of mystery written upon
her forehead ; and the Apostle is seized with great astonishment
as soon as he perceived it. She is gufity in the extreme ; the
severest punishment even faUs short of her iniquities. But her
abominations are clothed with certain exteriors, which cover
her deformity. It requires great attention, a superior hght to
discover what she is, and what she merits in the judgment of
truth. But if the design of St. John was to speak of the ancient
pagan Rome ; what would there be astonishing, what mysterious,
what difficult to comprehend in this, that an idolatrous city,
openly an enemy to the true God, and bent on abolishing his
worship, exterminating his worshippers, was odious in his eyes,
and devoted to signal punishment?"
" There is then every reason to believe that the holy Apostle,
in casting his eyes forward to the future, which was stfil sepa
rated from him by an interval of so many ages, shews us a
Christian city; but which wiU then be depraved, corrupted,
laden with iniquities, making religion subservient to her pride,
her domination, her avarice ; and which wiU merit from God the
outpouring upon her of the cup of his wrath. She it is to whom
he attributes the direful character, of being at the end of the
age, the mother of fornications and of abominations of the earth.
She it is principally from whom wiU one day proceed the abuses
and disorders which in the latter times wiU inundate the Chris
tian nations ; and consummate the mystery of iniquity, in sub
stituting for the spirit of the Gospel an unrestrained pride, a
violent desire to usurp everything, and to make aU subservient
to her purposes."
" Blinded then by her ambition, this mysterious woman will
change her august and modest prerogatives into foolish and
l2

148 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
turbulent pretensions ; which will cause infinite evils to religion
and to empires. She wiU be in her own eyes, she would be in
the eyes of aU the world, absolute mistress, free from all rule,
superior to aU power, the only source and plenitude of aU autho
rity. She wiU force herself to put under her own feet all that
in the world is grand, aU that is most eminent in religion ; she
will believe that she has the sole right of making laws without
receiving any from any one; she wiU usurp, at least in her
deeds, the august and incommunicable title of the Holy and the
True." " By a necessary consequence of this attempt, she wiU desire
all her orders to be executed without resistance, aU her words to
be revered as infaUible oracles. Not content with having in
vaded or annihilated the most sacred rights of those whom she
ought to cherish as her brethren, she will extend her domination
over even the spouse of the Son of God ; she wiU forget nothing
to reduce her to servitude ; she wiU command with authority
her whom she ought to obey."
" Excesses so great will be punished by permitting her to
precipitate herself into still greater. She will be led on by
degrees to proscribe and to strike with anathema the most im
portant portions of the sacred depository of the faith. She wiU
prostitute her favors, furnish arms to a crowd of lying teachers,
who have conjured her ruin. Abusing the ascendancy which
her prerogatives give to her, she wiU cause to chink of the cup
of her abuses, of her errors, of her outrages against justice and
truth, kings, pontiffs, priests, levites, the faithful of every state
and rank. She wiU erect into laws the most evident and cul
pable simonies, and the most hateful traffic of holy things. She
will give to aU an example of pride and domination. She wiU
put sinners to sleep by her arbitrary dispensations ; and by her
scandalous dissipation of the treasures of the church. She will
defame by most iniquitous censures the just who wiU have
refused to offer incense to her domination, or adopt her va
garies. She wiU make open war against the most astounding
marvels ; if they oppose ever so httle her pride, or her calamitous
policy. " AU these excesses, and many others which we pass over in
sUence, will form the traits of that symbolical woman which

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BABYLON." 149
St. John beheld not but with profound astonishment ; and which
toward the end of the world wUl play so great a part in the uni
verse, wiU cause so many erils, will make so many dissemblers
and so many victims, will heap up to its chmax the mystery of
iniquity, will draw down upon the nations who are accomplices
in her crimes and treacheries the dreadful scourges so often an
nounced in Scripture."
"The objection is not less frivolous than odious, that Pro
testants also have regarded Rome as the prostitute of the Apo
calypse. There are here two extremes to be avoided ; the one,
the adoption of the erroneous and schismatical declamations of
the sectaries of the sixteenth century ; the other the approval of
the excesses of the court of Rome. We must not follow either
blind or fanatical heretics, who, under the pretext of reform,
have thrown down at our feet the most holy institutions ; nor
imitate superstitious and mistaken Catholics, who revere a thou
sand things which the Gospel reproves. It is for all the children
of the church an essential duty, to honor in the person of the
Pope the successor of St. Peter, the primary vicar of Jesus
Christ, the chief of the sacerdotal college, and in his chair the
centre of the Catholic communion."
"But can we love sincerely Jesus Christ and his church,
and not detest the pernicious errors, the profane policy, the
proud domination, the insatiable avarice, the culpable encroach
ments of which the court of Rome has for so many ages given an
example to the universe ? And if, after so long an experience,
there is no room for hoping that of herself by a sincere repent
ance she wiU ever abandon her devious ways ; is it not a consi
derable part of Christian and Catholic piety to rejoice at the
approach of the severe judgments which the Lord wUl one day
cause to descend upon her ; in order that the Apostolic seat, so
worthy of the love and veneration of all the children of the
church, may recover at length its pristine splendor ?"
..." The Jews were in covenant with God ; he had chosen
Israel as his peculiar people and his heritage. But did that
hinder the prophets from treating them as sinners of the race of
Canaan? St. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ himself called
the Jews a generation of vipers, children of the devil, the syna-

150 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
gogue of Satan. Ought one then to be astonished that St. John
gives the name of Babylon to a Christian city nominally ; but
become Antichristian, as it will become at the time of Anti
christ, by reason of its depravity, its opposition to the spirit of
Jesus Christ, and to the most holy truths which He has taught
us by his lessons and examples ? It is not necessary in order to
justify this language, that this should be a city which has never
known God ; that it should never have been in covenant with
Him : it is sufficient that by the corruption of its morals and its
sentiments, it outrages God, and violates in the most essential
points the covenant which he had contracted with her."
" Now this is that which Rome will be under the reign of
Antichrist. In the judgment of the fathers, that deserves to
bear the name of Babylon which resembles it ; when it is, in
the time of the Evangelical Law, the same which this criminal
city was in the time ofthe darkness of Paganism. St. Augustin,
and the ecclesiastical authors after him, regard as citizens of
Babylon, as themselves forming a guilty Babylon, aU the wicked
who are in the external society of the true church ; who make
profession of its faith ; who partake of its sacraments ; and who
often exercise in its bosom the most sublime ministerial functions ;
but who have not either the spirit or the sentiments of the true
church." In the foregoing remarks, in which Father Lambert
speaks of Babylon as designating the members of a pro
fessedly Christian church, he is only following out the
ancient interpretations which have already been adduced,
such as those of Haymo, Primasius, Ambrose Ansbert, and
others. Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 6 ; —
" ' And I saw the Woman drunk with the blood of the
saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus,' sig
nifies, that religion in a state of insanity in consequence of
the adulteration and profanation of divine truths and goods
of the Lord, of the Word, and thence of the Church."
The signification of the expressions, ' drunk with blood,'

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL  "WONDERED." 151
has been so frequently explained, that it is almost unneces
sary to add anything further upon the subject. We shall
however subjoin the foUowing additional illustrations.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
. . . "The blood of the prophets is understood to be their
spiritual meaning ; and they who fear not to pervert this into a
carnal one by an evil interpretation, as do the Jews, wiU sustain
the vengeance of the blood they thus pour out, by losing what
soever vital truth they possess."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
..." Because they have changed the meaning of the prophets
into a carnal meaning, therefore do they deserve to be consigned
to the corruptions of the flesh. For their deserts demand, in
retribution for the blood they have poured out, that, like persons
intoxicated with blood, they should be rendered insane by the
corruptions arising from carnal things. ' Righteous art thou, who
art and who wast holy, because thou hast judged thus ; for they
have poured out the blood of the saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.' As if
those drink the very blood of the saints, who, by reason of their
gmlt in pouring it out, become inebriated with the allurements
of carnal vices." See chap, xvi., verses 3 — 6.
Lauretus, art. JEdificare ; —
" Heretics bihld up a city or Sion in bloods, who deprave
every rule of Scripture by evil interpretations." Jerome.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 6 ; —
" ' And when I saw her, I wondered with great ad
miration,' signifies, astonishment that that religion should
be such inwardly when nevertheless it appears different
outwardly." Ibid., art. 731 ¦—
" He was astonished to see the Woman sitting upon a
scarlet beast ; arrayed with purple and scarlet, and decked
with gold, precious stones, and pearls ; and having a golden
cup in her hand ; which things constituted her outward ap
pearance, and yet the cup was full of abominations and

152 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
filthiness of fornication ; and he saw written in her fore
head, ' Mother of the whoredoms and abominations of the
earth,' which constitute what is internal with her. This is
said by John because every one, even at this day, cannot
but be astonished at seeing that religion so holy and splen
did in externals, when he comes to know that it is so pro
fane and abominable in internals."
Cornelius a Lapide, p. 265 ; —
" And I wondered at seeing the woman so mad ; so furious
against Christians ; so drunk with the blood of the saints. Again ;
I wondered at the habiliments of the woman ; as that she sat
upon a beast with seven heads and ten horns, in such pomp
and with such a title as was before described ; John not under
standing what aU these things signified and portended. Whence
the angel explains these tilings to him, that his wonder may
cease." Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 7 ; —
" ' And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou
marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of
the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and
the ten horns,' signifies, a discovery of the significations of
the things which precede and were seen."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, p. 903 ; —
" The angel forbids John to wonder at the habiliments of
this woman, promising that he would teU him the signification
of the woman and the beast. I will teU thee, saith he, the
mystery, i. e., I wiU lay open the arcanum and its occult signifi
cation." Gagneus.
It has already been seen that the woman was outwardly
arrayed in glorious apparel, or the purple, gold, and pre
cious stones of the Bride of the Lamb ; by which, says
Alexander de Hales, are signified the semblance of charity,
wisdom, sanctity, patience, and strength. Thus she was
all holy without ; but she was likewise all unholy within.
The astonishment therefore was at the contrast, or at find
ing that the expectations excited from judging according to

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 153
her outward appearances and pretensions, were so con
founded by an internal view of her spiritual character.
Therefore says the angel, Wherefore didst thou marvel?
I will shew thee the cause of it all : that cause is a mystery ;
but it shall be unveiled ; and you will then see that the
woman could not be otherwise than she is. The explication
of the mystery of the beast, as sat upon by the woman,
will bring all to light among those who have minds endowed
with wisdom to perceive it.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 8 ; —
" ' The Beast that thou sawest, was and is not,' signifies,
the Word among them acknowledged to be holy and yet
in reality not acknowledged : ' and is about to ascend out
of the abyss and go into perdition,' signifies, that they
sometimes deliberated in the Papal Consistory respecting
the reception and reading of the Word by the laity and
common people, but that the motion was rejected."
That this Beast, when regarded as sat upon by the
woman, signifies the Word profaned, or corrupted by false
interpretations, having their origin in the love of dominion,
has already been stated.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' art. 733 ; —
" That the Word was among them, and also is, and yet
is not, is a thing well known ; it is acknowledged indeed
to be holy, because it treats of the Lord, and of his power
over the church, and over heaven, and of Peter and his
keys, but yet it is not acknowledged, for it is not read by
the people, inasmuch as they are withheld from reading it,
and it is taken away from them, yea, even prohibited under
various pretences of the monks, being kept only in libraries
and monasteries, where few read, much less attend to, any
thing that is in it ; but only to the dictates of the Pope,
which they maintain to be equally sacred ; yea, when they
speak from their hearts, they decry and blaspheme the

154 spiritual exposition. [chap. xvii.
Word. From these considerations it may appear, that by
the beast which was, and is not, is signified the Word ac
knowledged among them to be holy, and yet in reality not
acknowledged." An illustration of this subject is given in the following
extracts, in which will be seen, first, the Roman Catholic
theory concerning the authority of the Church; and se
condly, concerning the authority of the Scriptures.*
Perrone, who is himself inclined to take the more mo
derate and rational view of the Constitution of the Church
as a society forming one body, and hence as being one
moral person, observes in his Theological Prelections, vol.
ii., chap, ii., p. 707 ; —
" And here indeed we might pause ; since we are hence in
possession of all that is necessary and sufficient to the constitu
tion of the true church of Christ. There have not however been
wanting those who, having gone farther, have seemed to them
selves to see in the church a certain continuation as it were of
the Incarnation. According to these, Christ, God-man, designed
to leave in it a perfect image and likeness of himself; in which
and by which he might be seen in a manner to hve and
converse with us after his visible ascent into heaven. This
society therefore presenting to us Christ (as they speak) is di
vinely human, subsisting in unity of person by a communication
of each nature ; whence there is (as they say) a divine element
which pervades and penetrates the human element ; which rules
and directs it ; which nourishes and as it were informs it, and
constitutes one out of the two. In this moral person or society,
this divine element, which they say exists, constitutes its inmost
* The reader must remember that these extracts are adduced not in the way of
argument, but for the purposes of interpretation. Consequently, it is not necessary
here to shew where the observations of Perrone and Bozius are true, or where fal
lacious. This will be done in the sequel when we come to speak of the New
Church ; and yet even in this case not so much in the way of argument as in the
way of contrast ; inasmuch as these volumes are not controversial but interpretative.
The reader therefore has only to see whether the extracts here adduced are or are not
in accordance with the interpretation above given.

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL—" BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 155
part or soul ; whUe what they caU the human element constitutes
its exterior or visible form or body ; by which as by an organ,
the soul puts itself forth and manifests itself outwardly. Hence
it is, that the church must be necessarUy both invisible and visi
ble ; invisible as to the soul, visible as to the body ; also hence
it is that the church is one as Christ is one, holy as Christ is holy,
indefectible as Christ is indefectible, infallible as Christ is infal
lible ; who designed it to be as it were a perfect and living image
of himself, nay, designed by it in a manner to perpetuate him
self upon earth to the consummation of the age. So that what
soever Christ has and had in his own nature, he might commu
nicate by grace and pririlege to the church as to his daughter or
spouse." The nature of the relation between Christ and his
church is thus further set forth by Athanasius in his book
on the Incarnation, sec. xxi., ibid. ; —
" And when Peter said, ' Therefore let aU the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye
have crucified, both Lord and Christ,' Acts ii., 36 ; it is not of
his Divinity that he says he made him Lord and Christ, but of
his humanity, which is the universal church ; which in Him
has dominion and rule after he was crucified, and which is
anointed for the kingdom of heaven ; that it may reign with Him
who emptied himself for it, and who, in putting on the form of
a servant, assumed it."
According to this theory it is maintained, that the di
vinity of Christ was communicated to the humanity of the
church ; so that the church is said to be a divinely human
body. Cornelius a Lapide explains it in a similar manner ;
for according to his remark on Ephes. iv., 13, p. 547 ; —
" Christ is as it were the hypostasis, life, and soul of his
church, as I have remarked on 1 Cor. xii. And thus aU Chris
tians in the church are, as it were, one ; nay, one man civil and
political in Christ. And this is the root of that rule of Tycho-
nius, as set forth in the works of Augustin ; which teaches us,
that sacred Scripture attributes to Christ those things which are
of the church, and to the church those things which are of
Christ. As if there were a communication of properties between

156 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Christ and the church, such as there is between Christ Man and
Christ God."
We thus see that according to these theories, it is not
so much the properties of the divine humanity of Christ
which were communicated to the humanity of the church,
as rather the divinity of Christ which is communicated to
the humanity of the church ; whence the church is con
sistently called a divinely human or a divine hitman body.
This theory furnishes an adequate reason for the alleged
sanctity, infallibility, and indefectibility of the church ; as
well as for its alleged power of opening and shutting the
gates of heaven and hell, commonly called the power of the
keys. It is likewise in the same way that the divine au
thority of the church in teaching is accounted for; the
church being said to be a perpetual incarnation of divinity
upon earth, and consequently of divine authority. Hence
Mcshler observes in his Symbolism, vol. i., p. 35, "The
church is the body of the Lord : it is in its universality his
visible form — his permanent ever -renovated humanity — his
eternal revelation." Hence again, p. 17, he observes ; —
..." The authority of the Church is the medium of all which
in the Christian religion resteth on authority and is authority ;
that is to say, the Christian religion itself; so that Christ himself
is only so far an authority as the Church is an authority."
And again, p. 18 ; —
"If the Church be not the authority representing Christ,
then aU again relapses into darkness, uncertainty, doubt, distrac
tion, unbelief, and superstition; revelation becomes nuU and
void, faUs of its real purpose, and must henceforth be even called
in question and finally denied."
Hence likewise in the work of Count de Maistre, en
titled Tlie Pope, it is observed, p. 25, Preliminary Dis
course, that " Christianity is wholly based upon the Sove
reign Pontiff;" and p. 16, that "without the Sovereign
Pontiff there is no real Christianity."

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 157
The means by which divinity is infused into the church,
is a subject treated of by Bozius in his work, entitled De
Signis Ecclesiaj, in which, p. 423, there is a chapter shew
ing at large, that, " The teaching of the Church is Divine ;"
and as it is requisite that this subject should be fully un
derstood in order that we may rightly understand the in
terpretations given by Swedenborg both here and in the
sequel, it will be desirable to premise the following extracts
from the foregoing work.
Pirst ; it is shewn at large by Bozius that the teaching
of the church is divine, p. 424.
" The teaching of the church therefore is divine, by reason of
the Sacrament of Ordination ; by which means they who are
consecrated, derive divinity from Christ, so that by reason of
the office committed to them their decrees are divine, and may
be so caUed."
..." Moreover it has been observed, that divinity descends into
us through the Sacraments ; therefore are those words which we
use in the administration of the Sacraments caUed words of life
and spirit ; and what can be more divine than that which imparts
divinity? But you wiU say, it is not everything which the
church teaches that seems to relate to the Sacraments. This,
however, is false ; for everything which the church does is with
a view that the Sacraments may be rightly administered^ rightly
perceived, either in act or in desire ; since the church has in view
this especial end, to adjoin and agglutinate us intimately to
Christ, to make us one with Christ, and through Christ with
God. But we are adjoined to Christ by the intervention of the
Sacraments, when legitimately perceived either in effect, or at
least in a firm deliberation of the mind. For these reasons there
fore the teaching of the church is the most divine of all ; both be
cause it comes from the Sacrament by which we are united to
Christ, and from whom we partake of divinity to this end espe
cially ; nor can any defect possibly enter into that which is of
God alone ; which makes us celestial beings, leading us to the
highest fehcity ; and, by a legitimate perception of the Sacra
ments, bestows upon us divinity."

158 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
..." God intimately moves the minds of those who are initiated
by the Sacrament of Ordination ; so that they not only indivi
dually, but also universally perceive what is for the good of the
universal body of Christians, which is the church. And the
same God intimately moves the Roman Pontiff, who is the head
of this universal body, to decree what is necessary to be done
when he has to do anything in the character of Universal
Pontiff. And in hke manner he impels other presiding rulers
to put out different constitutions according to the times ; to renew,
change, and abrogate them ; and yet all are divine."
..." Now in like manner as words are to us the signs by
which we make known the perceptions of our minds to whom
soever we wish; so God by an inmost impulse, as by a kind of
voice, stirs up the minds of those who are set in authority to do
that which is agreeable to the divine will. This motion, how
ever, this divine voice, (which is wont to be and ought to be
preceded by many deliberations,) is given in answer to the in
quiries of our rulers ; an answer in which they may acquiesce, as
being that which is acceptable to God : and although in councUs
different persons may be of different opinions, yet it is enough
if they nearly all, through the consent of the greater part,
determine that which is afterwards approved by the Roman
Pontiff. For as to the others who are of a different opinion, it
is necessary that they should humble their minds, and acknow
ledge their own infirmity and need ; in which case they are under
a necessity of giving in their assent to the others ; and so are
divinely moved to make their sentiments accede to those of other
Christians ; and this motion is a certain divine voice."
..." It is therefore a most safe and assured position, that the
sanctuary of truth is in the decrees of the church ; whose teach
ing is divine, as we proceed to shew. For this was no other
than the meaning of Isaias, chap, ix., when he said that God
would ' sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to
confirm it and establish it injustice and judgment from hence
forth even for evermore.' Now the throne of David we have ex
plained to be the church of Christians ; for they are born again
of the race of Christ the son of David, by reason of the implan
tation of a new and entirely divine form of mind and body. In
this church God sitteth as in his throne; in order that justice and

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 159
judgment may thence proceed according to the most perfect equity.
And in hke manner as the tribunal in which judges give their
sentences, is said to determine controversies and to make laws,
while all the time it is the judge who promulgates from thence
his decrees ; so likewise it is not the church that is said to give
out the sanctions, by which doubts are removed from the minds
of men; but it is to God himself, who sits in the church as
on his royal and judicial throne, that its laws are deservedly
ascribed." ..." So on Ezekiel xxxiv., 22, and seq., ' And I will set up
one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my ser
vant David,' &c, &c. These things said God, attesting that
Christ himself, who is God, is the Pastor of the church and the
Ruler who is set in the midst of it. And what means this, ' I
the Lord will be their God ;' which likewise is often repeated
by other prophets, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah ? Was he not God
to the Hebrews also ? In these words then God intended no
thing else than that he would be a God unto the church in all
respects ; so that all the things of the church should be most
highly and entirely divine." . . .
" But since it would he an endless task to recite all the say
ings of the prophets to this purpose, let us come to Christ.
' He who heareth you,' says he to the apostles, ' heareth me ;
and he who despiseth you, despiseth me.' Which words Cyprian
believes to apply not to the apostles only, but through the
apostles (such is his expression) to all who are in authority, who
succeed in place of the apostles by Ordination. But who will
deny that the voice of Christ was divine ? Surely it would be
most foolish to confine those words of Christ, ' he who heareth
me,' only to what is written ; for none of the words of Christ
had as yet been committed to writing ; nor is Jesus speaking of
words, but of those who hear the words. ' He who heareth you,'
said he; but writings are not heard but read. Therefore if
Jesus had meant to refer to writings, it would have been said,
'he who readeth your writings' It must stand good therefore,
that he heareth Christ and God who hears the authorities of the
church, i. e., who hears the church; and therefore that the voice
ofthe church is'divine." . . .
" See you not that the apostles, and their successors who

160 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAP. XVII.
sustain the person of the church, are one with Christ and the
Father? Christ says of himself, ' I am the light of the world ;'
nevertheless he asserted of the Apostles, ' Ye are the light of
the world ;' and lest you should except to this that it was meant
to apply to the light of works, he added, ' Ye are the salt of the
earth;' which Augustin interprets as applying solely to teaching.
Christ says of himself, ' I came into the world that I might
bear witness to the truth.' The same office he attributes to the
apostles ; ' Ye shall be witnesses to me throughout aU Judea
and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.' Christ said to
God, 'Thou hast sent me.' He said of the apostles, 'As thou
hast sent me into the world, so send I them into the world.'
Further ; ' The glory which thou hast given me, I have given
them.' Lastly; 'That all maybe one, as thou Father art in
me and I in thee.' ' I in them and thou in me, that they may
be all perfect in one.' Who therefore dares deny that the
teaching of the church is from heaven ? There is the same light
to the church which there is to Christ ; the same testimony to
the truth ; the same authority to make itself heard ; the same
power of delegating ; the same glory ; and lastly, the same one
ness with Christ and with God. Must not therefore the defini
tions of the Church be the definitions of God P"
We now see the reason for which the decrees of the
church are regarded as divine ; for which consequently the
decree of the three hundred bishops at Nice was required
to be looked upon as the sentence of God himself ; and for
which it was said by Cardinal Julian in his harangue to
the deputies of the Bohemians in the Council of Basil,
" That the decrees of councils are not less to be believed
than the Gospel ; because it is they that give authority to
the Scriptures."
Having now considered the authority of the Church, we
proceed secondly to the authority of the Scriptures, as
dependent upon and derived from that of the Church.
And here Bozius, in chap, x., thus continues, p. 433 ; —
" The Church is of greater authority than the Divine Scrip
ture considered apart from the Church."

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 161
" But when heretics endeavor in every possible way to pull
to pieces the authority of the church, as deduced from its reign
and its conjunction with Christ ; then, because they see that they
are mightily urged and pressed by this authority, and that they
have no place of refuge into which like slippery serpents they
may make their escape, (so far as they can) ; they have dared to
affirm that Divine Scripture is of greater authority than the
Church ; which how falsely and impudently asserted, is clearly
evident from our foregoing remarks. Nevertheless, in order
that they may be convicted and have nothing whatever to say,
we shall subjoin a few further remarks. But previously you
must take note of two things ; that, in the first place, we are
here treating of the written Word of God : and this must be kept
in mind. For our adversaries make many affirmations concern
ing the Word of God, which, as we shall see, have nothing to
do with the question concerning the unwritten Word of God,
which is inscribed upon the heart ofthe church itself; affirmations
which (if considered) make most especiaUy against themselves.
Secondly, when we ask which of the two has the greater au
thority, the meaning is, what is the principal reason for which
faith is to be placed in the things to be believed ; is it because
they are written, or because the Church says that they are to be
believed ?"
"Now in whom are we more to believe than in Christ?
Who, I pray you, can be equal to him ? Is there any one else
in whom we are to place greater faith than in God ? 'Ye believe
in God,' says he in the Gospel of John, ' believe also in me ;'
and in another place, ' He who heareth my Word, and believeth
in Him who hath sent me, hath eternal life.' And we have shewn
above that Christ and God reside and are in the church ; and
therefore that the voice and doctrine ofthe church is divine."
" Further, the very church itself is the church of Christ, and
his fulness ; as Paul testifies to the Ephesians, chap. iii. What
therefore can be wanting to that which is the fulness of Christ
himself; which is full of Christ ; into which Christ infuses his
entire self? That we may fully know of how great moment the
foregoing words are, St. Paul, speaking of Christ and God,
observes; 'He hath put all things under his feet, and hath
given him to be head over all the church, which is his body, and
VOL. iv. m

162 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAP. XVII.
the fulness of him which filleth all in all.' The Church, says he,
is the fulness of Christ who filleth all in all, who bringeth all
to perfection or is himself brought to perfection, as the Latin
interpreter renders it ; for in the Greek the words are, ro TrXr/-
pwfia t« Travra iv rraat, TrXrjpufievs, that is, the fulness of him
who filleth all in all; or who is filled 'secundum omnia in om
nibus.' Of how great moment then is the church which per
fected all in all ; Christ so wishing, ordaining, and bounteously
imparting. Therefore whatsoever good the Scripture hath and
bringeth to perfection ; whatsoever it hath of fulness or solidity,
that it hath from the church, which filleth him who filleth all
things. For Christ hungereth and thirsteth especially for this,
to pour out himself and all that he hath into some other : this
hunger and thirst Christ gratifies. The church receiveth all the
goods of Christ as the body subject to the head; that they may
be derived into all the members which make up the body an
nexed to the head, which body otherwise would be maimed and
headless. And lest this should be so, Christ hath by his divine
bounty adjoined the church to himself, in which he may shew
forth his powers, and unfold the amplitude of his Divinity and
Humanity. There are many things on this subject, indeed,
which Paul comprises within most weighty and brief sentences ;
but in my opinion there are no words in which he could more
extol the excellency of the church than in these : ' The church,'
says he, ' filleth him who filleth all in all.' Could he say any
thing more weighty, more ample, more sublime, more Divine ?
Whether he ever said anything of this kind, or anything like it,
of the Scripture, we shall see in the sequel."
" Hear again what Paul says to Timothy ; ' The church is
the pillar and the ground of the truth.' What, I pray, are we
more to believe in than in the truth ? But the church, by reason
of its being as closely as possible conjoined with God, does not
rest upon the truth, but the truth rests upon the church, as upon
its pillar and ground; that we may know that the truth is
nowhere but in the church ; that when the church is taken away,
the truth must necessarily and entirely fall to the ground. And
assuredly whenever Paul makes mention of the church, with
what words more sublime or Divine than he used could he adorn
it? For he knew of how great moment the subject was. If

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 163
now it be true that we are to have entire faith in Christ and
God ; then the nearer any one is to God and Christ, the more
is faith to be placed in him. But what is nearer to Christ the
head, than the body which is the church ? What is nearer to
Christ the truth, than the church which is the pillar and ground
of the truth ? What is nearer to Christ the Bridegroom, than
the Church which is his Bride ?"
" Moreover, this also deserves especial consideration ; that
whatsoever authority Divine Scripture possesses, this was and is
entirely from the church ; for aU its books were composed by
sons of the church. And further, although many have put
forth numerous volumes concerning sacred things, as St. Luke
has left on record ; ' Forasmuch,' says he, ' as many have taken
in hand to set forth in order a declaration,' of those things
which have been fulfilled among us; nevertheless we see no
authority in any of the books except in those which the church
has approved of. Nor to ourselves individually is there any
reason to make it evident why these books should be received
rather than the others which are rejected; and why we should
follow the faith of the one rather than of the other ; unless it be
because it was so ordained by the church ; this being a most
perfectly true and evident mark, as it were, by which the cano
nical books are capable of being distinguished from those which
are not canonical. ... As Augustin says on the city of God,
book xviii.j chap, xxxviii. ; there is no reason why some books
are received and others rejected ; except it be that the prophets,
and you may add the apostles, wrote some things by the afflatus
of the Divine Spirit, and committed some by their own indivi
dual exertions to memory. But what is of the one, or of the
other, the church is the judge appointed by God. Since there
fore the divine books were composed by the sons of the church,
and also confirmed by the church; it assuredly follows that
there is much greater authority in the church than there is in
those books. For we see in nature, that in causes there is always
greater power than in effects ; since the latter are on account of
the former, and are referred to them and to the good and ad
vantage which they have in view. That of this kind are the
Sacred Scriptures (viz., effects of causes), no one can deny."
" But come now ; we understand the Book to be those alpha-
m 2

164 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAP. XVII.
betical characters which are put into print, either without any
profitable and true sense of the sentences, or else together with
this sense. If you choose the first, then without doubt there is
no difference between the Divine Scriptures and any other book ;
for in both cases the alphabetical characters are the same. If
you choose what we said in the second case, then we affirm that
this sense does not inhere in the letters and characters, but m
the church itself. Otherwise any one, on whatever passage he
fixed his attention in the course of his reading the Divine books,
would attain to its true meaning, nor would there ever have
been or ever be in future any such thing as a heretic ; yet that
there are very many, even heretics themselves confess, and
loudly complain. Nay further the truth is, that heretics do
not derive their perverse opinions from any other source than
from these very same documents rashly understood ; as we shall
afterwards shew at large."
" Now granting, what nevertheless is impossible, that there
is per se any true sense in those alphabetical characters, and
this too independently of the mind of the church and the
reader ; still, even in this case, there is the same sense in the
heart of the church, and after a much more effective and noble
manner ; for the former is written with ink, the latter with the
Spirit ; the former is imprinted on paper, the latter upon the
heart ; the former is without any assent of the mind, the latter
with the assent of a believing mind. What comparison is there
between ink and the Divine Spirit ? What, between paper and
the human mind ? What, between that which of itself does no
thing, and that from which all our actions proceed ? Will any
one dare to compare ink with God ? Will he dare to compare
an inert substance, to an agent which operates so many and
such mighty effects ? WiU he dare to pronounce alphabetical
characters to be similar to the human mind, to which everything
that presents itself to the senses is in subordination ?"
" Assuredly we are wont most willingly to foUow the faith
of those from whom no danger is to be apprehended ; but to
shun the authority of those by whom any mischief could be
created for us. If we follow the commands of the church, no
danger threatens us from any quarter ; since she is the pillar
and ground of the truth, and the gates of heU cannot prevail

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 165
against her. But if we adhere to the Divine books ; in this case,
unless we shaU have first most firmly adhered to the decrees of
the church, we shall most easily fall and rush headlong into
deception. For all heresies proclaim that they rest upon the
sacred volumes ; that they embrace, kiss, and venerate them."
" Hear stiU further what says St. Paul, Eph. iv. ; ' Christ,
ascending up on high, led captivity captive ; he gave gifts to
men ; and to some he gave apostles ; to some prophets ; to some
evangelists ; to some pastors for the perfecting of the saints ; for
the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of
Christ ;' that is to say, it is they who constitute the church, that
perfect the saints ; not the divine books."
"If now that be true which St. Paul asserts, 'knowledge
puffeth up, but charity edifieth ;' then is charity not in written
books, but in human hearts."
" Moreover faith cometh not from reading, but from hear
ing ; as the same apostle testifies. Therefore whether we regard
faith, without which it is impossible to please God ; or charity,
which is the first of the virtues ; we must not have recourse to
books, but to the church and its members."
" And what is there, I ask, which procures and possesses
among all men greater authority than signs and miracles ? For
hence it was that when John the Baptist sent his disciples to
Christ to ask him, ' Art thou he that should come, or do we
look for another?' Christ, in order to shew forth manifestly
that he was the person, did many miracles before them as eye
witnesses; and hence most especially of aU do they sin who
believe not in miracles actuaUy seen. For so Christ says in the
Gospel of John ; ' If I had not done among them the works
which no other man did, they had not had sin ; but now they
have both seen and hated me and my Father.' Before all things
then must faith be put in miracles ; since, observes Paul, signs
are for the unbelieving. But miracles are not put forth by the
sacred volumes, but by the sons of the church."
" What need I say more ? Cast your eyes upon aU things
around you ; reflect on them in your thoughts ; imagine in your
mind whatsoever you please ; are they not all for the sake of the
church ? For it hath God created every single thing, which
can in any way fall within the mind's conception; and will

166 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP, XVII.
any one dare to make the Scripture of more account than the
church ?"
" Take away the church, and what need is there of Scripture?
It is almost a vain and unprofitable thing of itself; but take away
the Scripture, and the church does not become vain and unpro
fitable; for the church for a long time was without the Scrip
ture ; and after the day of Judgment will still continue without it.
" Have we not said that among other articles of faith there
is this also, ' I believe in one holy Catholic church ?' Now we
know that these articles are certain first principles, in which
before aU things faith is to be plaeed. But the Scripture is not
to be placed among these first principles ; although it is caUed
holy and sacred ; on the contrary, Scripture is proved and con
firmed by the church as by a first principle ; since to the church
it belongs to reject and approve the Scripture."
" And what greater authority can there be, than that which
is given to a person of opening and shutting heaven ? Or of
having one spirit, body, and kingdom with God ? or of being in
capable of falling ? But say some, the church cannot teach other
wise than as the Scripture teaches. So Paul ; ' Though an angel
from heaven should preach any other Gospel beside that which
is preached, let him be anathema.' What then? And has God
left it on oath in the Sacred Writings, that there are many things
which he will do ; and wUl he do them in truth, and will it
be of greater authority with me and produce in me the greater
faith, because it is so written, than because God says so or does
so ? Or how do I know that a writing of this kind is the Word
of God except by the testimony of the church ? Attend now :
did not Christ come to fulfil the Scriptures? And do I the
more foUow the faith of Christ, because there is a something
written concerning him; than because God said from heaven,
' Hear ye him ?' Was it to the sacred books that he very often
referred the obstinate Jews, or was it to works ? It was but
rarely, only once or twice, that he said, ' Search the Scriptures ;'
but very often, ' The Father hath given testimony of me ; very
often, ' If ye believe not me, believe in my works.' "
" Heretics again argue, that the Holy Spirit gave the sacred
books. Imbecile argument! And did not the Holy Spirit
ordain the church ? Does he not reside in it, and after a much

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 167
more effective and illustrious manner than in books ? Moreover,
hath not the same Spirit engraved upon the mind of the church,
whatsoever is referred to the sacred books ; and much more ?
Is not that which is written almost dumb, and feeble, unless the
mind of the church be in it ? The church, say they, is appointed
to bear testimony to the divine books ; who can tolerate such
stuff? Is the church for the Scriptures, or the Scriptures for
the church, for which are all things that have been created by
God ? had they said the Scriptures were appointed to bear tes
timony to the truth, which is that which Christ said of himself,
they would not have erred from the truth. But God is more in
the church than in writings ; and so is the truth and the testi
mony to the truth in like manner."
..." Wherefore, if any one in this question would wish to
take away all arguments by a single answer; let him say, that
the Scriptures consist not in reading but in understanding ; or
with Jeremiah and Paul, that the law of Christ is not in the
letter, but in the spirit ; not written on tables, but on the heart.
Now since it is granted through Christ, that to God and the
church pertain the same spirit, body, and kingdom ; so does the
devil, who formerly drove from Paradise Adam and Eve who
were deceived by his snares and frauds, endeavor, through An
tichrist and his companions, to deprive us of these goods." . . .
Such is the manner in which it is attempted to shew
that the Church is of greater authority than the Divine
Scripture considered apart from the Church. Hence we
see the reason for which it was stated by Poictieres to the
ambassadors of the Duke of Maurice, a.d. 1552, that "of
itself Scripture* was an inanimate and dumb thing as all
other political laws also were ; but that the judge's mouth
must go along with it to make it understood ;" that of
itself it was imperfect, ambiguous, a mute judge, a leaden
rule ; that " the Scriptures, if destitute of the authority of
the church, are of no more authority than iEsop's fables,"f
as asserted by Pighius and defended by Cardinal Hosius ;
* Sleidan, History of the Reformation of the Church, book xxiii.
f Casaubon, ad Cardinal. Baronii Prolegomena, p. 110.

168 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
and also why it is that Cardinal Bellarmine argued that
" as the Alcoran maintains that it was sent from heaven
by God, and yet we do not believe it ; so the dogma that
any Scripture is divine cannot be sufficiently maintained
from the Scripture alone."* We likewise see the reason
why in the Roman states, Italy, and other domains of the
Roman Catholic Church, while the Bible professedly is, it
nevertheless is not, but has gone into perdition ; the pos
session of it being penal, and its extermination complete.
We see the reason why on several occasions it has been
committed to the flames by indignant priests, who have
disdained even to touch it except with the tongs.
Hence we see the reason for which in his Theological
Prelections, De Locis Theologicis, vol. ii., chap, v., p. 1179,
Perrone, when treating of the reading of the Sacred Scrip
ture in the vernacular tongue, says that the reading of the
Scriptures promiscuously by all the faithful is not necessary
to salvation ; and then observes ; —
"For if the Scriptures are not absolutely necessary to faith
and salvation, how much less necessary will be the reading of
them ? To this may be added, that if the reading of Scripture
were altogether necessary to all persons, it would be so because
the reading of them would be absolutely required to beget,
cherish, and promote faith, piety, and sanctity in the mind.
But now to this end the reading of Scripture is not at all neces
sary ; since faith cometh from hearing ; whUe piety and sanctity
may be cherished and promoted by so many other subsidiary
means with which the faithful abound, namely, instructions, ex
hortations, sermons, so many ascetical books, from which the
minds of the faithful receive safe information for the purposes
of all manner of sanctity."
It was for similar reasons that in the Bull Unigenitus,
Pope Clement the Ninth, in the year 1713 a.d., denounced
the following propositions as false, blasphemous, heretical,
* Bellarmine's Disputations, vol. i., De Verbo, bookiv., chap, iv., p. 213.

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " ABYSS." 169
reprobate ; and decreed that the faithful in Christ of both
sexes shall not presume to hold any of those propositions
under penalty of the censures of the church. The propo
sitions are these ; —
" That, it is useful and necessary for all persons to know the
Scriptures." " That, the reading of the Scriptures is for every body."
"That, the sacred obscurity of the Word of God, is no
reason for the laity to excuse themselves from reading it."
" That, the Lord's day ought to be sanctified by Christians,
in reading pious books, and above all, the Scriptures."
" That, it is a great mistake to imagine that the knowledge
of the mysteries of religion ought not to be imparted to women,
by the reading of the sacred books."
"That, to wrest the New Testament out of the hands of
Christians, is to keep it closed up ; by taking from them the
means of understanding it, is no other than to close up the
mouth of Christ as to them."
"That, to forbid to Christians the reading of the Holy Scrip
tures, especially of the Gospel, is no other than to forbid the
use of light to the children of light."
" That, to deprive the unlearned people of the comfort of join
ing their voices with the voice of the whole church, is a custom
contrary to apostolical practice, and to the design of God !"
Thus we see how the reading of the Scriptures, aud
consequently so far the Scriptures themselves, have gone
into perdition ; and how those who thus read them are
under the anathema or curse of the church; both the
Scriptures and the readers being by this anathema consigned
to perdition ; for as Aretas, (Ecumenius, and others observe,
going into perdition here means " condemnation to hell."
We have thus seen how although the Beast was, it
is not. But it is further said, that it is to ascend out of the
abyss or the bottomless pit.
According to Augustin, vol. v., p. 480, " an abyss is a
certain impenetrable, incomprehensible depth ; and may be

170 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
predicated more especially of a multitude of waters." Hence
lie says the judgments of God are called an abyss ; and I
think also, says he, "that man himself may not be ab
surdly understood as an abyss.". . ." The saints as preachers
of the Word of God are an abyss." And again, taking the
word in an evil sense ; —
" Could you believe that in man there is so great a depth,
as to be hidden from the consciousness of the man himself in
whom it is ? How great was the depth of infirmity which lay
concealed within Peter, when he was ignorant of that in him
self which nevertheless he was about to do ; and promised rashly
that he would die either with the Lord or for the Lord ? How
great was this abyss ? which nevertheless was open to the eyes
of God. For Christ announced to Peter beforehand the very
thing which Peter knew not to exist in himself."
Augustin, vol. vi., p. 922 ; Psalm cxxxiv., 6 ; —
" Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in
earth, and in the sea, and in all deep places." What are these
deep places? The hidden hearts of mortals, the deep cogita
tions of men? ... A good heart is hidden from our view, an
evil heart is hidden ; there is an abyss in a good heart, and an
abyss in an evil heart."
Hence it is that both hell and the thoughts of the heart
are called an abyss. Eor, says Viegas, " a fountain of waters
is true and heavenly doctrine, whereas the waters of the
Stygian abyss signify heresies and evil thoughts." Thus,
Apocalypse, chap, ix., p. 413 ; —
..." All impiety, and heresy most especially, has its origin
from the devU, and thus is deservedly said to proceed from the
abyss, that is, from hell ; since all heresies have been derived as
it were from the waters of Styx."
It is for the same reason, as Viegas says, that it is called
a pit, p. 414 ; —
" For heretics endeavor to obstruct the wells of divine wis
dom and to pollute them; lest there should be drawn from
thence the saving waters of doctrine ; which nevertheless Christ
by his children again purifies and opens ; and sets them before

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " ABYSS." 171
all, that they may draw from them living water ; however the
Philistines, i. e., heretics, may quarrel about it."
So Gaspar a Melo, chap, ix., p. 357 ; —
" As the church is called a well of living waters, Cant, iv.,
by reason of the overflowing of grace ; so the bosoms of those
men who are to be the precursors of Antichrist, are a well of
deadly waters," &c.
Again, p. 663 ; —
" Nearly all expositors refer the abyss to the deep hearts of
the wicked." Lauretus, art. Abyssus ; — •
" The wisdom of this world is called an abyss, and so are
the wise men and magi." Glossa Ordinaria.
" Moreover the mind is an abyss, and the inscrutable heart
of man ; and thus is darkness said to be upon the face of the
abyss, when the mind is without grace and in blindness and
ignorance. . . . The pit of the abyss is the heart of the wicked."
Augustin. " Devils likewise may be caUed abysses ; as when the abysses
are said to be gathered together in the midst of the sea." Jerome.
Brixianus, art. Abyssus ; —
"An abyss signifies an innumerable multitude of wicked
men, whose hearts are very deep in malignity against the
church." Alexander de Hales observes in chap, ix., that the ' pit
of the abyss' means the wickedness and fraud of the pre
cursors and satellites of Antichrist.
Tychonius likewise interprets the abyss as signifying
the heart of the wicked. So does Cardinal Hugo. Anselm
Archbishop of Canterbury says, chap, ix., that abysses are
dark and deep sinners. Ambrose Ansbert on chap, ix., that
the abyss signifies the preachers of errors.
Moreover as an abyss or bottomless pit signifies the
thoughts of the heart, so likewise it is used to signify the
words of the mouth. Thus Proverbs xxii., 14, " The mouth
of the strange woman is a deep pit ; he that is abhorred
of the Lord shall fall therein."

172 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVII.
De Lyra, Proverbs xxii., 14 ; —
" A deep pit is the inculcation of wicked and superstitious
doctrine, because it leads to hell."
Cornelius a Lapide, Proverbs xxii., 14 ; —
" Tropologically : a deep pit is the mouth of an harlot, i. e.,
the mouth of heresy and of the heretic ; for it goes on down
wards from one error to another, from one wickedness to ano
ther ; drawing others along with it, and so implicating them that
they cannot extricate themselves, but are ever falling lower
until they tumble into the abyss of heU ; for seldom is there any
return from heresy to the orthodox faith, since but few acknow
ledge their error and become sorry and repentant. ' He with
whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein ;' because heresy is
never the first sin ; but is the punishment of antecedent pride,
unrighteousness, or self-indulgence. For it is the extreme
degree of God's wrath to permit any one to fall into heresy.
Wherefore grave must be the sins which precede ; and which
provoke so great a degree of God's wrath as that he permits a
man to fall into the pit of heresy."
Cardinal Hugo, Proverbs xxii., 14 ; —
" A harlot is a deep pit, and a strange woman a narrow well :
because from the time that any one has fallen into it, scarcely any
one can come out. Whence Hosea v., 4; ' They will not give their
thoughts to return unto their God, for the spirit of whoredoms
is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.'
Or the pit may be understood of the eloquence of worldly know
ledge; which like a harlot allures hearers to itself; so that there
is no pit from which men may not more easily extricate them
selves. For the spouse of man's intellect is celestial wisdom.
Hence Wisdom viii.; ' I sought to take her unto me as a spouse ;
and I was a lover of her beauty.' But .worldly wisdom is a
harlot." We thus see how both the heart and the mouth is called
an abyss, or a pit, or a bottomless pit. Accordingly Roman
Catholics have applied the term pit or abyss to Protestant
synods, councils, or consistories, as being the abyss or pit
of hell in which the Protestant heresies are hatched. Upon

VERSE VIII.] 7tll VIAL  " FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD." 173
the same principle, according to B. Gregory and Jerome,
caverns or dens designate the conciliabula hereticorum. On
the other hand, Protestants have applied the same designa
tion to the councils and consistories of Roman Catholics.
Both of these, however differing in the application, making
use of the word in the same sense or to signify the same
kind of thing. In the present instance the pit is spoken
of when treating of Babylon and the Babylonians ; and as,
according to Cardinal Hugo on this passage, it signifies
the hearts of the wicked, it must signify therefore the hearts
of these Babylonians.
Pqr the Beast then to ascend out of the abyss, signifies
for it to come forth into freedom from out of the place or
state of confinement signified by the abyss ; i. e., out of
the heart, its thoughts, and counsels, where it had been
consigned to incarceration or perdition.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 8 ;¦ — ¦
" ' And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder,
whose names were not written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was, and is not, and yet is,' signifies, the amazement felt
by all those of that religion, who from its first establish
ment have affected to exercise dominion over heaven and
earth, that the Word, although so rejected, still exists."
By the foundation of the world is signified the founda
tion of the CHURCH.
Calmet, Hebrews i., 10 ; Literal Exposition; —
" The apostle applies here to the Saviour these words, ' Thou,
Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth.'
He recognizes him as Creator not only of the sensible and ma
terial world, which he had created together with his Father ; but
also of the spiritual world, I mean to say, his church, in which
he wUl reign eternally."
Estius, Hebrews i., 10 ; —
"These verses are read in Psalm ci. But ho.v they pertain

174 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
to Christ is a question ; since the Psalm appears to be no other
than the prayer of the people or the prophet supplicating God
for the restoration of the city of Jerusalem which had been
overturned by the Chaldeans ; nor can it properly be referred to
Christ, but to God absolutely, the Maker of heaven and earth."
" To this it is replied : that as the earthly Jerusalem was a
figure of the church of Christ, so the things said in the Psalm
concerning the restoration of the earthly Jerusalem are to be
mystically referred to the building of the spiritual and heavenly
Jerusalem, that is, the church, which is the city and kingdom
of Christ. For only in Christ and the church are perfectly ful-
fiUed the following portions of this Psalm. . . . Wherefore also
the other things spoken of God in this Psalm pertain to Christ ;
so that most commentators* both the ancient and the more
recent, interpret all these as pertaining literally to Christ and
his CHURCH." Menochius, Hebrews i., 10; —
"'Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth.' This testimony is taken from Psalm ci., 26, in which
David is literally praying that Sion and the temple burned by
the Chaldeans, may be rebuilt : but in the allegorical sense,
which is the one principally intended, he prays that the old
church, overwhelmed in sin and misery, may be restored by
their deliverer Christ, and may be formed again into a new
church, i. e., the Christian church, as is evident from verses 14,
16, 23, ofthe same Psalm."
Cornelius a Lapide, Hebrews i., 10, p. 909 ; —
" ' Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of
the earth.' He cites Psalm ci. ; in which in like manner as the
Psalmist literally prays that Sion and the temple which was
burned by the Chaldeans might be rebuilt ; so allegorically also,
he the rather prays that the old church, declining and over
whelmed in sin and misery, might be restored by Christ their
deliverer, and be built and transformed into a new church, i. e.,
the Christian church, as is evident from verses 14, 16, 23."
This subject will be further considered in the sequel
when treating of the New Heavens and the New Earth.
* Most commentators ; although not Estius himself.

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 175
Moreover the Beast, as already has been observed, is not
and yet is. This may be further illustrated by the following
remarks from the Preface to the Douay Bible, referring to
its translation into English ; speaking of which it says, —
"Which translation we do not for all that publish, upon
erroneous opinion of necessity, that the Holy Scriptures should
always be in our mother tongue or that they ought, or were or
dained by God, to be read indifferently of all, or could be easily
understood of every one that readeth or heareth them in a known
language : or that they were not often through man's malice or
infirmity, pernicious and much hurtful to many: or that we
generaUy and absolutely deemed it more convenient in itself,
and more agreeable to God's word and honor or edification of
the faithful, to have them turned into vulgar tongues, than to
be kept and studied only in the ecclesiastical learned languages :
not for these, nor any such like causes do we translate this sacred
book ; but upon special consideration of the present time, state,
and condition of our country, unto which divers things are either
necessary, or profitable and medicinable now, that otherwise in
the peace of the church were neither much requisite, nor per
chance wholly tolerable."
" In this matter, to mark only the wisdom and moderation
of holy church, and the governors thereof on the one side, and
the indiscreet zeal of the populace, and their factious leaders, on
the other, is a high point of prudence. These latter, partly of
simplicity, partly of curiosity, and speciaUy of pride and dis
obedience, have made claim in this case for the common people,
with plausible pretences many, but good reasons none at all.
The other, to whom Christ hath given charge of our souls, the
dispensing of God's mysteries and treasures (among which Holy
Scripture is no smaU store), and the feeding his fannlyin season
with food fit for every sort, have neither of old, nor of late, ever
wholly condemned aU vulgar versions of Scripture, nor have at
any time generally forbidden the faithful to read the same : yet
they have not by public authority prescribed, commanded, or
authentically ever recommended, any such interpretation to be
indifferently used of aU men."
" Which causeth the holy church not to forbid utterly any

176 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Catholic translation, though she allow not the publishing or
reading of any absolutely and without exception, or limitation :
knowing by her divine and most sincere wisdom, how, where,
when, and to whom these her master's and spouse's gifts are to
be bestowed to the most good of the faithful : and therefore
neither generally permitteth that which must needs do hurt to
the unworthy, nor absolutely condemneth that which may do
much good to the worthy. Whereupon, the order which many
a wise man wished for before, was taken by the deputies of the
late famous Council of Trent in this behalf, and confirmed by
supreme authority, that the Holy Scriptures, though truly and
CathohcaUy translated into vulgar tongues, yet may not be in
differently read of all men, nor of any other than of such as
have express license thereunto of their lawful ordinaries, with
good testimony from their curates or confessors, that they be
humble, discreet, and devout persons, and hke to make much
good, and no harm thereby, Which prescript, though in these
days of our's it cannot be so precisely observed, as in other times
and places, where there is more due respect of the church's
authority, rule, and discipline : yet we trust all wise and godly
persons will use the matter in the meanwhile, with such modera
tion, meekness, and subjection of heart, as the handhng of so
sacred a book, the sincere senses of God's truth therein, and the
holy canons, councUs, reason and religion do require."*
* The following observation of Bayle is here inserted as a note, in conformity
with the rule to exclude from these two chapters (the 17th and 18th) concerning
Bahylon, all Protestant authorities.
Bayle's Dictionary, vol. ii., p. 311, notes, art. Arnaud ,—
"Every body knows that Mr. Arnaud maintained the usefulness of the Scripture
versions, with the greatest learning and most solid reasoning of all the Catholic
writers. What he hath said with regard to the matter of right on this subject is
admirable ; and what he has advanced with regard to matter of fact, in order to prove
that it never was the intention of the church that the laity should be debarred from
reading the Word of God in the vulgar tongue, is excellent and curious ; though if,
on the other hand, we carefully peruse the answers of Mons. Simon, we shall be at
a loss what to think was the intention of the church concerning this matter. The
sentiments of doctors, the opinions of universities, the mandates of prelates, and
in short public records, produced on both sides, form such a strange variety of con
tradictions ; but more especially when we examine into the particular motives and
principles of those who are for and those who are against the public use of transla
tions ; that one can't help concluding from the whole that the church both allows and
denies the people the liberty of reading the Holy Scripture ; and perhaps there is no

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BEAST WAS, AND IS NOT." 177
In conformity with this view of the subject, in his
Prselectiones Theologicse, vol. ii., p. 1180, Perrone has the
foUowing propositions ; —
"Prop. 1. The reading of the Sacred Scripture by all the
faithful of Christ indiscriminately, is by no means necessary to
salvation." . . .
Again, p. 1187 ; —
" Prop. 2. Never have the church or the Roman Pontiffs pro
hibited to the faithful universaUy the reading of Sacred Scrip
ture in the vernacular tongue ; but have only at one time dis
approved, at another time approved of it ; according as the ad
juncts of time, place, or person, and the welfare of the faithful
seemed to require."
On these subjects Perrone, having attempted to shew
that even the Scriptures themselves are not absolutely ne
cessary to faith and salvation, much less the reading of
them, observes, that Clement I. commended the reading
of the Scripture, and Clement II. proscribed it. Which
of the two therefore is to be obeyed ? Perrone answers
that both studied the welfare of the faithful ; because the
means to it which were proper for Christians under Cle
ment I., were not only unsuited but even pernicious under
Clement II. ; not indeed in themselves, but in relation to
the faithful on account of the adjuncts above mentioned.
fact more resolvable into the question of historical Pyrrhonism than this question,
whether the church has condemned or approved of the reading of the Scripture by
the laity in the vulgar tongue. What great pity is it that they can come to no cer
tain resolutions on a question of this importance, neither on the negative nor affirma
tive side ! Might not one reasonably expect that a body which boasts of infallibility
should'be more unanimous' in its proceedings! Mr. Arnaud's great learning and
eloquence must inevitably have brought over most of hi3 readers to look upon the
numberless reproaches which have been cast upon the church for excluding the laity
from reading the Word of God, as a scandalous aspersion ; I say he must certainly
have gained upon his readers to be of this opinion, if Mr. Simon had not opposed his
reasons and thereby put a stop to the success of his rhetoric. We see here how in
the very same communion one doctor pulls down what another builds up ; and leaves
the common enemy to profit by their quarrel, and to cry out, ' Siepe premente Deo
fert deus alter opem.' "
VOL. IV. N

178 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
That both Popes therefore were to be obeyed, as becometh
sons who yield obedience to parents whose precepts are dif
ferent at different times or under different circumstances.
It appears then that the power of the church upon this
subject is altogether discretionary; and that we cannot say
that, theoretically, the church absolutely forbids the read
ing of the Holy Scriptures, or absolutely enjoins it.
Practically, however, throughout a great portion of the
Roman Catholic Church the Word is exterminated. For
according to the theory laid down, the church may subsist
without the Scriptures, but not the Scriptures without the
church. Whereas the church designated by Babylon is
destroyed, yet the Scriptures survive. The astonishment
then indicated by the words, that ' all they shall wonder,
&c, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and
yet is,' results from the event proving to be the very reverse
of that which the Babylonian church had taught and be
lieved ; for the ch«rch passes away, but the Scriptures
remain. How the Word is acknowledged to be holy, and yet is
virtually not acknowledged to be holy, has already been
explained; we may here however further add the following
remark of Mcehler in his Symbolism, vol. ii., p. 59 ; —
. . . " As to the nature and mode of the church's interpreta
tion, this is not conducted according to the rules and weU-known
aids of an historical and grammatical exegesis, whereby the indi
vidual seeks to obtain scientific insight into the sense of Holy
Writ. On the contrary, the doctrinal contents of Scripture she
designates in the general spirit of Scripture. Hence the earliest
oecumenical councUs did not even adduce any particular Scrip
tural texts in support of their dogmatic decrees ; and CathoUc
theologians teach, with general concurrence and quite in the
spirit of the church, that even a Scriptural proof in favor of a
decree held to be infallible is not itself infallible, but only the
dogma as defined. The deepest reason for this conduct of the
church lies in the indisputable truth, that she was not founded

VERSE IX.] SEVENTH VIAL — "WISDOM." 179
by Holy Writ, but already existed before its several parts ap
peared." Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 9 ; —
" ' And here is the mind which hath wisdom,' signifies,
that this interpretation is in the natural sense ; but for the
use of those who are in the spiritual sense from the Lord :
' here is the mind,' signifies, that this is the meaning and
interpretation of the things which were seen : ' which hath
wisdom,' signifies, for the use of those who are wise inte
riorly." Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" Here is the meaning that hath wisdom secret and recon
dite. As if he should say; in this enigma of the beast and
woman, so full of wisdom, are latent many and great mysteries ;
to understand which there is need of great study and attention."
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 266 ; —
"This enigma of the beast and woman is full of wisdom,
and was in wisdom devised by the Holy Spirit to signify arcana ;
in which therefore are latent great wisdom and great mysteries."
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xvii., p. 246 ; —
" Andreas. Since spiritual things are explained by spiritual
and not earthly wisdom, it is necessary that what is said should
be understood. But vS? signifies also meaning and signification ;
and this rendering is the one most agreeable to our interpreter :
as if it should be said ; here, i. e., in these things which I now
speak, is the meaning ; that is, this is the explanation of the
vision ; ' which has wisdom,' i. e., which is the true and wise ex
planation : let these things be truly and wisely understood thus."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ;—
" This is the meaning which hath wisdom ; that is to say, in
what follows there is great obscurity, and our faculties require
to be highly sharpened in order to understand it. We should
also ask the Lord to open this obscure enigma to us."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 9, 10; —
" ' The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the
woman sitteth ; and they are seven kings,' signifies, the
n 2

b

180 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
divine goods and divine truths upon which that religion is
founded in time destroyed, and at length profaned."
It has already been observed, that as the head is the
seat of the mind or the rational faculties, so also that in a
good sense it signifies wisdom ; thus that seven heads
signify all wisdom, truth, and intelligence. On the other
hand, in an evil sense, the head, as of a serpent, sig
nifies falsehood, folly, &c, and seven heads, all falsehood,
folly, &c.
This interpretation is thus illustrated by Eranciscus a
Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xii., p. 21 ; —
" ' Having seven heads,' that is, says Albertus Magnus, seven
evil spirits in opposition to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Matt, xii., 45 ; ' Then goeth he and taketh with him seven other
spirits worse than himself.' These are of the following kind ; — ¦
the spirit of insipience as opposed to the spirit of wisdom ; the
spirit of foolishness as opposed to the spirit of understanding ;
the spirit of imprudence as opposed to the spirit of counsel ; the
spirit of timidity as opposed to the spirit of fortitude; the
spirit of ignorance as opposed to the spirit of knowledge ; the
spirit of impiety as opposed to the spirit of piety ; the spirit of
rashness as opposed to the spirit of fear." . . .
Thus in a good sense 'the seven heads' are said to cor
respond to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit ; in an evil
sense, to these gifts perverted. In the present case they
signify the divine goods and truths of the Word.
But these seven heads are said to be seven mountains
and seven kings.
Rabanus Maurus, art. Mons ; —
" I have lifted up mine eyes to the mountains, that is, I
have lifted up my intuition to the teaching of the apostles. By
mountains are signified internal contemplations, as in Job xxxix. ;
' He looketh around upon the mountains of thy pasture,' i. e., he
considers the heights of internal contemplations in which the soul
devoutly finds repast.'
That mountains may signify the two Testaments, and

VERSE IX.] SEVENTH VIAL — "MOUNTAIN." 181
thus the Scriptures, is also an interpretation of Rabanus
Maurus, and Cardinal Hugo. So likewise Gaspar a Melo,
p. 698, where this signification is given to Mount Sinai ;
the same is also given by the Glossa Interlinea, and a very
similar one by the Glossa Ordinaria on Exod. xix., 13.
Lauretus, art. Mons ; —
" The mountains of God designate all the sublime and secret
things of God, to which rational creatures cannot attain; as. also
the judgments of God. . . . The waters of Jordan are said to
have swelled like a mountain in order to designate love increas
ing in imitation of Christ. He is the mountain upon whom the
heavenly Jerusalem is founded, Apoc. xxi. (Augustin, Jerome,
Tertullian) . A lofty mountain is the Divinity itself." HUary.
" In general, a mountain or mountains are the higher senses
of the Holy Scripture (Origen, Jerome, Augustin, B. Gregory,
Georgius Venetus, &c.) . Upon these mountains, if Jews pre
sume to ascend, they will find thorns. A mountain signifies
especiaUy the New Testament and its principal precepts of justice
and its exalted dogmas. . . . And a mountain covered with clouds
is the Holy Scripture, which is darkened with the dense obscuri
ties of allegories, and which contains the hidden mysteries of
the church and is caUed a mons campestris ; because, though
lowly in appearance, it contains sublime senses. Mountains of
pasture are the lofty significations of Sacred Scripture."
Ibid., art. Altitudo ,• —
" By altitude is wont to be designated love ; so that the fruit
of Christ- upon Mount Lebanon is extoUed, when love is preemi
nent above aU the other virtues." Augustin.
In the present case these sublime senses of Holy Scrip
ture are those relating to the Divine Love, which are pro
faned as being made to subserve to the Babylonian love of
domination ; for the woman sitteth upon them, i. e., rules
and reigns over them.
King is used both in an abstract and a concrete sense.
Abstractedly it means a ruling principle whether in a good
or evil sense.

182 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
Lauretus, art. Bex ; —
(In a good sense) " The Law and the Prophets may be
caUed the king and the princes of Zion." PhUo, Rupertus,
HUary. Hence likewise concretely, those in whom the truths of
the law and the prophets reign are called kings ; or kings
of the earth in a good sense.
In an evil sense, Lauretus, art. Bex;—
" The new king in Egypt which knew not Joseph may be
said to be the wisdom of the flesh, which knew not Christ. Also
the king of Idumea is the earthly and carnal meaning of the
Law. . . . And the king of Amalek is the carnal vigor and sense,
which is to be abolished." Origen, Bede, Jerome, Ambrose,
B. Gregory. " The five kings of Sodom are the five senses." Ambrose,
Bede, Origen, Jerome, B. Gregory.
Thus also in chap, viii., 11, where it is said that the
locusts had a king over them, Alcasar understands the
king to mean self-love.
Concretely, kings would signify those in whom these
evil principles reigned, and who would accordingly be
called kings of the earth in an evil sense.
In the present case, kings are abstractedly truths of the
law and the prophets. Seven kings are all the truths.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 10; —
" ' Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet
come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short
time,' signifies, that all the divine truths of the Word are
destroyed except this one, that unto the Lord is given all
power in heaven and in earth ; and except the other which
has not as yet come into discussion, and when it has will
not remain with them, which is, that the Lord's humanity
is divine." Ibid., art. 738 ;—
" They are said to be fallen, because this expression

VERSE X.J SEVENTH VIAL — " FIVE ARE FALLEN." 183
applies to kings who fall by the sword ; by One is, nothing
else is signified but this divine truth, that unto the Lord is
given all power in heaven and in earth, according to the
Lord's own words (Matt, xxviii., 18 ; John xiii., 3 ; xvii.,
2, 3, 10), the reason why this one is not destroyed, is,
because without it they could not have claimed to them
selves a right of exercising dominion over all things of the
church, and of the Word, and over heaven."
Five signify all the rest, because seven kings signify all
the holy truths of the Word, and of these one is, that is
to say, is not fallen ; another is to come, but yet is to
continue only for a short time ; of the rest, that is to say,
the five, or all the remaining truths of the Word of God,
these have fallen.
What then is the meaning of these five, or all the rest,
having fallen ?
De Lyra, Isaiah lix., 14 ; —
. . . " ' Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.'
Because the priests have turned away the people from the truth
in opposition to Christ ; in order that Barabbas might be liberated,
and Christ might be crucified. Whence follow the words, ' and
truth is brought into obhrion,' because the truth of the teaching
of Christ which the people heard, hath withdrawn itself from
their minds by reason of the deceptions introduced by the
priests." Cardinal Hugo, Isaiah lix., 14 ; —
" ' Truth is fallen in the street,' namely, in the street of the
chief Pontiff, or in the street which was before the prsetorium
of Pilate ; because where only the perversity of the Jews had
its reign, there the truth feU. . . . ' And equity could not enter'
into the hearts of such persons, because iniquity occupied the
whole place. Hosea iv. ; 'There is no truth, no mercy, no
knowledge of God in the earth.' Truth has reference to faith,
equity to works or to moral honesty. " Or, truth is of judgment ;
and equity, that is justice, is in the execution of judgment. Or
truth and equity is Christ himself, who is the Truth, giving light

184 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XVII.
to the understanding ; and who is Equity, or the equal and straight
path directing the affections and motives to good works. But
most especially does the truth fall in the street at this day, that
is to say, in the Court ; or in the plural number, in the Courts of
prelates and princes, lest it should seem as if only one Court was
here alluded to. For in place of judgment the prophet is here
treating of the death of truth in the street."
Alvarez, Isaiah lix., 14 ; —
" The meaning therefore is this. Amid such great wicked
ness on the part of the Jews, so many calumnies and lies ; what
judgment, what justice, what salvation can be expected ? Be
cause truth has fallen in the street, i. e., even though any one
should wish to teach the truth freely and publicly and to preach
it in the streets, those who are higher in authority do not permit
him, but soon cast such an one into prison as being an adversary,
and this without trial or assigning any reason. What a multi
tude of examples of saints are at hand, whom, as soon as they
made confession of Christ the Lord, tyrannous princes thrust into
foul gaols ; aUuring them with mighty promises to make denial
of that truth which they had learned ! And if they persisted
with fortitude in their confession, then were torments introduced
and numerous calamities threatened in order to oppress the truth.
So the Jews, when they had called the apostles and beaten them,
commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus.
Truth therefore falls in the streets as often as no one dares pub
licly to teach it, or to give testimony to the truth ; but it remains
shut up in one's heart or in one's house, which is of aU evils the
greatest. Jer. v., 1 ; ' Bun ye to and fro through the streets of
Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places
thereof if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth
judgment that seeketh the truth ; and I will pardon it.' In the
broad places, he says, for no one can be found in these, that is,
in public, who keeps the faith and confesses the truth ; therefore
equity could not enter, lest it should be torn to pieces by the
perverse ; therefore has truth taken her station above, to avoid
being evU entreated below. Whence the Psalmist ; ' Thy mercy,
0 Lord, reacheth unto heaven, and thy truth unto the clouds.'
He says unto the clouds, since in the broad places it is evil en
treated. For when Christ the Lord, who is the way, the truth,

VERSE XII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " TEN HORNS." 185
and the hfe, was conversant with man upon earth, iniquity pre
vailed, and he was unjustly put to death by men. Whence no
wonder that truth was dehvered over to obhvion, and they who
departed from eril were exposed as a prey to the spofler."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 11 ; —
' And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition,' sig
nifies, that the Word, spoken of above, is divine good itself,
and that it is divine truth, and that it is taken away from
the laky and common people, lest the profanations and
adulterations of it by their leaders should be rendered ap
parent, and they should recede on that account."
It has been amply shewn that number signifies quality ,¦
and that hence on this ground, in the Scriptures, it is al
ways closely allied to wisdom ,¦ and as it was said in chap.
xiii., 18, ' Here is wisdom ; let him that hath understanding
count the number of the beast ;' so, in the present passage
also it is said, ' Here is the mind that hath wisdom,,' — ' the
beast is the eighth!
That the number eight signifies & good quality, is gene
rally admitted. Thus Cornelius a Lapide, on chap, xiii.,
18, says it is "the symbol of perfection, consummation,
and eternal felicity." A similar interpretation is given
by Aquinas, Lauretus, Brixianus, and innumerable other
authors. The peculiar quality designated by eight is derived from
that which is designated by its constituent, the number
two, that is, union or conjunction, as in these words ;
' Mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and
peace have kissed each other ;' mountains designating love
or mercy ; kings designating truth.
The beast, then, is the eighth, i. e., the eighth moun
tain ; but as the woman sits on the seven mountains, and
these mountains are thus profaned, so the beast, being of
these seven, represents the Word profaned or destroyed in

186 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
respect to the qualities signified by eight. But the same
is not said with respect to the seven kings ; for these are
not all, although they are nearly all, destroyed : though five
are fallen, yet one is, and the other is yet to come.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 12 — 14 ;
" ' And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings,'
who have received no kingdom as yet,' signifies, the Word
as to its power from divine truths, among those who are in
the kingdom of France, and are not so much under the
yoke of the Papal dominion, with whom nevertheless there
is not as yet a church altogether separated from the Roman
Catholic religion -. ' but receive power as kings one hour
with the beast,' signifies, that the Word has power among
them, and they through the Word, as though they were in
its divine truths : ' these have one mind, and they will give
their power and strength unto the beast,' signifies, that they
unanimously acknowledge, that there is no government or
dominion over the church, except through the Word :
' these shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall over
come them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings,'
signifies, the Lord's combats with them concerning the ac
knowledgment of his divine humanity, because in it the
Lord is God of heaven and earth, and also the Word :
' and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and
faithful,' signifies, that they who approach and worship the
Lord alone, are those who go to heaven, as well they who
are in the externals of the cliurch, as they who are in its
internals and inmost principles."
By ten horns are signified truths of the Word in power.
For the horns are kings, and kings are truths ; and being
also horns are truths in power. There are therefore those
in the Babylonian church with whom there are truths of
the Word in power. But ' these have received no kingdom
as yet.' If truths are kings, then the kingdom proper to

VERSE XIV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WAR WITH THE LAMB." 187
these truths is the mind or soul of man : ' the kingdom
of God is within you.' For the same reason the kingdom
of God or the kingdom of heaven upon earth is also the
church. And thus there are indeed truths of the Word
which are acknowledged, but as yet they have received no
kingdom ; in other words, there is no church founded upon
them. They who are in these truths, therefore, remain as
yet in Babylon ; and are distinguished from those, who,
in the sequel, have a kingdom and give it to the beast.
These also make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall
overcome them.
It has already been observed that by the Lamb is sig
nified the Divine Humanity. To make war with the Lamb
is therefore to make war against this doctrine ; for the
Lamb to overcome them, is for the Divine Humanity of the
Lord to convince and convert them ; inasmuch as it is only
these who are so converted that are among the called, the
chosen, the faithful.
That overcoming signifies convincing or converting, may
be seen in the following illustrations.
The Lamb shall overcome them, says De Lyra, " by
simply condemning some and subjugating others to himself
by the faith" There occurs a similar interpretation in
Ambrose Ansbert. Berengaud, referring the passage to
past times, observes ; " The Lamb shall overcome them, be
cause we know that, with the exception of a few, these
nations have taken upon them the yoke of the faith of Christ!'
Alcasar ; " The Lamb shall overcome them, and subject
them to the^sweet yoke of the Catholic religion!' Bossuet ;
" They will be idolaters, but in the end they will become
Christians " and he quotes the author of a work entitled
the Seventh Age, who says ; " They have made war against
the Lamb, because they have caused the people of God to
die; but the Lamb shall overcome them because these

188 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
people shall submit themselves for the greater part to the yoke
of Jesus Christ." Calmet ; " The Lamb shall overcome
them, because he shall subjugate them to the faith and to
the Christian religion."
Estius, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; —
" ' For he is King of kings, and Lord of lords ;' namely, in
respect to the Human nature assumed ; for he speaks of the uni
versal power and dominion, which as Man he receives from the
Father, according to those words, ' All power is given to me in
heaven and in earth.' Now this power is not an earthly but a
spiritual power ; because the kingdom of Christ is not of this
world. He is therefore Lord and King over aU lords and kings ;
because he wiU judge them all, and has the power of judgment
even now."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 15 — 17 ;
" ' And he saith unto me, The waters which thou
savvest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes,
and nations and tongues,' signifies, that they are under the
Papal dominion, but principled in the truths of the Word,
variously adulterated and profaned, according to the varie
ties of its doctrine and discipline, and according to the varie
ties of its religion and confession : ' and the ten horns which
thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the harlot,'
signifies, the Word as to its power derived from the divine
truths among the Protestants, who have entirely cast off the
yoke of Popery : ' and shall make her desolate and naked,'
signifies, that they will divest themselves of its falses and
evils : ' and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire,'
signifies, that they will hate and condemn the evils and
falses which are proper to that religion, and destroy them
from among themselves, and will desecrate the religion
itself, and root it out from among them -. ' for God hath
put it in their hearts to execute his will, and to act with
one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast,' sig
nifies, judgment from the Lord among them, that thev

VERSE XV. J SEVENTH VIAL—" MANY WATERS." 189
might totally repudiate and desecrate the Roman Catholic
religion, and root out and extirpate it from among them
selves, and their unanimous determination to acknowledge
the Word, and thereupon to found the church : 'until the
words of God should be consummated,' signifies, until all
things should be fulfilled which are foretold concerning
them." Haymo says that the ' many waters,' as they are here
called, are " many of all nations and people and tongues
who are deceived by the devil." Ambrose Ansbert ; that
they are called many, " because, in the pride of presumption,
the kingdom of our ancient enemy glories in the multitude
of its people." Cornelius a Lapide says it means " all the
nations and people which Rome will command, and which
will go over into obedience to the vanity and idolatrous
superstition of the one Rome, as to their own mistress
and the ladv of the world."
Suarez observes in his Defence of the Catholic Faith,
p. 296, that the city is called great not in the way of
distinguishing it from a small city ; but to denote absolute
magnitude, i. e. (he says), to denote the universality of
the city ; for that " it occupied all places and all times."
Hence also, he observes, that when it is said " all nations
have erred through her sorceries," &c, these things can be
adapted only to a city occupying the whole world.
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; — ¦
'" The waters which thou sawest where the harlot sits' (that
is, worldly vanity, or where the congregation of Antichrist resides
or governs as Mistress and Queen) ' ore people,' referring to the
avaricious ; ' and nations,' referring to the luxurious ; ' and
tongues,' referring to the proud.' On these sits and rests this
iniquitous harlot. For all these will be subject to this harlot,
namely, to Antichrist, the devil, and his domination, who will
teach them to commit whoredom and fornication. For she will
collect many from every quarter ; for which reason he mentions

190 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVII.
'people,' in respect to those who have the law; 'nations' in
respect to those who are without the law ; ' tongues! in respect
to both as instructing and teaching others. Whence not only
the greater number of all who are understood by peoples and
nations, but likewise the smaller in number who are understood
by the speaking tongues, will be subject to Antichrist, especially
to the harlot ; because not only wiU he commit fornication but
compel others to commit fornication."
Catholicity is thus a prominent feature of this simu
lated church ; and the cause of this universality is said to
be that on her forehead is written the name mystery ; i. e.,
that her real internal and spiritual nature is known only to
a few, being entirely concealed from the great body of her
adherents. It is of these it is said they have all drank of the
golden cup of Babylon — they have all become drunken,
for, (Jeremiah li., 7,) " Babylon hath been a golden cup
in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken : the
nations have drunken of her wine, therefore the nations
are mad." Here then, according to the testimonies of ancient
writers and Roman Catholic commentators, is described a
Church having the notes of catholicity and unity ; authori
tatively administering to all within its communion corrupt
and depraved expositions of Scripture ; in virtue of which
all the earth is alienated from right reason in regard to spi
ritual things, and as such is described as being intoxicated
or insane, and this without knowing it ; because the name
of Babylon is Mystery !
The clause, " these shall hate the whore, and make her
desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her
with fire," is interpreted by Alcasar in a similar manner
to that of Swedenborg ; only that Alcasar refers the harlot
to the religion of Pagan Rome, and Swedenborg to that
of Christian Rome ; and what the former applies to Roman

VERSE XVIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " CITY." 191
senators, the latter applies to Protestants ; for we have
seen all the way through, that the Apocalypse refers not
to the early but to the last times of the church.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 18 ; —
" ' The woman which thou sawest is that great city
which reigneth over the kings of the earth,' signifies, that
the Roman Catholic religion as to doctrine prevails in the
Christian world, and in some measure even yet among the
Reformed, although they are not under Papal dominion."
St. Augustin on the City of God, book xv., chap, viii.,
vol. ix., p. 509 ; —
" A city is nothing else than a multitude of men bound to
gether by some social bond."
Lauretus, art. Civitas ; —
" A city is a congregation of men established and governed
according to law."
" A city may signify the church both militant and triumphant.
And the citizens : . . . are the faithful and the saints in the
church. . . . The cities which are inhabited are the churches of
the faithful. And the Saviour himself is called the city of the
strength of Sion, because he is the strength of the church. . . .
The city which God keeps, without whom the watchman waketh
but in vain, is the church or the soul. . . . The strong city which
is assaulted, but is not overcome, is the church. . . . The re
deemed city and cities of the south are churches, partakers of
the true and perfect light. . . . Many cities are churches, aU in
cluded in one." Origen, Bash, Arnobius, Ambrose, Hilary,
Augustin, &c.
" The city of Babel may signify pride, it may also designate
the church of heretics." Bede.
" Fortified cities, or the cities of the strong, may be called,
the arguments of philosophers and heretics." Origen, Bede.
" The cities of citizens are different heresies. Jerusalem, the
city of homicides, designates the meeting together of heretics in
one dogma. . . . They go from city to city who go out from the
Gospel into foreign opinions. The cities to which multitudes go,

192 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVII.
as to their own, are their own proper opinions and superstitions.
And the cities of the Samaritans are the churches of heretics.
The congregation of heretics is also called a crowded city and a
rejoicing city; by reason of the multitude of its deceivers and
its pride." Origin, Bede.
" The cities of the Gentiles captured by the sons of Israel
designate the doctrine of philosophers subserving the faithful, in
so far as it possesses what is agreeable to catholic doctrine. The
cities of Egypt overturned, are the false opinions of these phi
losophers confuted by Catholic doctrine." Jerome.
The ancients call a polity civitas, but the walls urbs.
Aristotle in his Politics, book i., chap, ii., calls civitas " a
community made up of many vicinities." Thucydides
says, " men constitute a civitas, not walls." Tacitus ob
serves, that the Germans had civitates, but not urbes.
Csesar, in his Gallican War, book i., says, " that the whole
civitas of Helvetia is divided into four cantons."
In the original, the word is woXl?, and this is rendered
by the Vulgate not urbs, but civitas. The Latin word
urbs has been substituted for civitas by some interpreters,
to enable them the more easily to make the great city or
Babylon signify literally a city, and thus not a church.
But as Suarez observes, in his Defence of the Catholic
Faith, p. 296 ; " Babylon is not made up of stones, but
consists of wicked men ; so that, as Tychonius, Hom. xvi.,
says, its destruction will not consist in the demolition or
conflagration of walls and buildings, but in the final per
dition of all the wicked."
It has been supposed that the expression, all the
wicked, or the congregation of the wicked, does not imply
a church ; hence the word civitas has been translated not
ecclesia, but societas, convocatio, caius, congregatio, collectio,
conventus malorum. These words however may after all be
synonymous with ecclesia, which is called congregatio ccetus,

VERSE XVIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " CITY." 193
collectio, conventus fidelium. Hence as a true church is a
congregatio fidelium, so a false church is a congregatio in-
fidelium ; professing to be however congregatio fidelium.
Even however if vroXk be regarded as signifying urbs,
yet a literal city being full of streets (plateis, viis, vicisj,
will symbolically have nearly the same meaning as ohh,
or 6B01, ways of thinking or teaching, or doctrines. St.
Peter's Epistle, in which a distinction is made between
the church and Babylon, is not an allegorical Epistle ; and
therefore in this case the distinction maintained between
a city and a church, is only a distinction founded on the
literal sense ; for every one knows that literally a city is
not a church ; but in the allegorical sense, in which a city
is admitted to signify a church, in which sense also it is
interpreted in other passages of the Apocalypse, it must
not be allowed to be deprived of its admitted allegorical
meaning merely because it might in consequence directly
point to the Church of Rome.

VOL. IV.

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION.— THAT BY REASON OF ITS ADULTERA
TIONS AND PROFANATIONS OF THE TRUTHS OF THE WORD AND THENCE
OF THE CHURCH, IT WILL BE DESTROYED.— OF THOSE OF THE ECCLESI
ASTICAL ORDER THEREIN WHO ARE SUPREME.— OF THE INFERIORS OF
THAT ORDER.-OF THE LAITY AND COMMON PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SUB
JECTION TO THEM.— THE JOY OF THE ANGELS BY REASON OF THE RE
MOVAL OF THIS RELIGION.— ITS DESTRUCTION IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xviii., verse
1;— " ' And after these things,' signifies, a continuation of
the subject concerning the Roman Catholic religion : ' I saw
an angel come down from heaven having great power, and
the earth was lightened with his glory,' signifies, strong
influx from the Lord out of heaven by divine truth whereby
his church was in celestial light."
In order to understand this subject it should be recol
lected that this event takes place under the seventh vial, and
that the vial which is now poured out contains the incense
of divine love and wisdom, as revealed in the Word of
God. That moreover the temple of God in heaven is now
open, but is filled with smoke, which to the good is the
light and love of the living Word ; to the evil, darkness
and enmity. Hence it is observed on chap, xv., 9, by
Alexander de Hales, p. 285 ; —
" The angels or preachers of the Gospel, going forth from the
temple to announce the plagues of heU, have phials, that is, doc
trines, full of the wrath of God. But although they preach
thus, the temple of God, i. e., the church, is fiUed with smoke,
that is, the bhndness of ignorance ; namely, in regard to the

VERSE I.] SEVENTH VIAL  " ANOTHER ANGEL." 195
perverse, who are unwilling to understand the truth of the sacred
Scripture. Whence inasmuch as they are unwUling to see the
mysteries of Holy Scripture, they wiU remain in their bhndness,
being blinded by the smoke of ignorance. Whence although
the temple and the divine mystery is open to the faithful and
holy ; it is nevertheless filled with the smoke of ignorance, and
is shut up in respect of the wicked."
The faithful and the saints are those who afterwards
hear the voice from heaven in verse 4, " Come out of her
my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins."
The sins are especially these ; that she claims to be the
Bride when she is not ; that she deceives others with a shew
of genuine sanctity and virtue which yet is counterfeit;
that she authoritatively teaches false and abominable doc
trine, which imposes upon others by reason of the golden
cup of the temple in which it is administered ; that what
ever truths she preaches, she makes use of to forward her
purposes of ambition and domination; so that with her
religion is the means and power is the end. Thus all na
tions are represented as intoxicated with her false teaching
and alienated from right reason in spiritual things. Nor
could the real character of Babylon be brought to light
except by means of a divine influx from the temple ; when
the minds of the Babylonians become the more blinded
and hardened, while those of the faithful become enlight
ened to the perils of their condition. Thus a distinction
and separation are effected, similar to what is implied in
the words, " For judgment am I come into the world, that
they which see not might see, and that they which see might
be made blind."
That this Angel is Christ is admitted by commentators
in general, both ancient and modern ;* although the former
* Ambrose Ansbert, Primasius, Haymo, Richard of St. Victor, Viegas, Rupertus,
and almost all Roman Catholic commentators ; Alcasar being an exception, who
regards the angel as Peter.
o 2

196 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
generally interpret it as having reference to the Incarnation.
It has already however been observed, that all the parts of
the narrative are consecutive, and consequently we must
not interrupt the order by going back to the Incarnation.
The descent therefore of the Angel has immediate reference
to the fall of Babylon, as indeed is admitted by Bede,
Rupertus, &c. And this Alcasar also admits ; for he says
it indicates the light which comes into Babylon or Rome
from the true teaching of heaven, and which is ascribed to
the confession of Peter, " Thou art Christ the Son of the
living God." It was upon this confession that the Lord
said he would build his church as upon a rock, and that the
gates of hell should not prevail against it. Now a church
built upon this rock cannot fall ; consequently as Babylon
is here announced to have fallen, it could not have been
built upon this rock. See Vol. I., p. 153.
This Angel had great power.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" This power may be referred to both natures, viz., the Divine
and the Human. For this power was in him by Divinity, without
time, before aU ages; for like as with the Father and Holy
Spirit he had created aU things, so with the Father and the Holy
Spirit he possessed aU things. This power moreover was given
to him in time; when after the triumph of his resurrection power
was given to him in heaven and in earth, that at the name of
Jesus every knee should how of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things in hell. Of this power it was that on rising
again from the dead he says, ' AU power is given to me in heaven
and in earth.' But of that which he had before all time with
the Father, Daniel says, ' Power everlasting was given to him.' "
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii.,
p. 913;— " ' Another angel,' &c, i. e., Christ descending from heaven ;
because his going forth was from the highest heaven. ' Having
great power,' as one who is himself the power of God the
Father, and who testifies of himself, ' AU power is given unto

VERSE I.] SEVENTH VIAL — "LIGHTENED." 197
me in heaven and in earth.' ' And the earth was iUuminated
with his glory ;' for, observes St. John, ' we have seen his glory
the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.' By whom the
earth was enlightened, when, according to Isaiah, ' the people
that walked in darkness have seen a great light.' In what man
ner the earth of the faitlrful was iUuminated by his glory John
teaches in the first chapter. ' And of his fulness have all we
received, and grace for grace.' It was Christ therefore who in
the form of an Angel appeared to John in strength ; and, as the
Greeks add, with a great voice," &c. Gagneus.
Similar is the interpretation of Ambrose Ansbert.
Moreover the earth is said to be ' enlightened with his
glory.' That the earth here signifies the church of the elect, is
the interpretation of Haymo, Aquinas, Ambrose Ansbert,
Primasius, &c. Bede refers it to the teachers of the church.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' Enlightened with his glory,' i. e., from his power. For
He who is the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world, hath chased from the hearts of the faithful the
shadows of infidelity, ignorance, and sin. Whence it is written ;
' The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light ;
upon them that dweU in the region of the shadow of death hath
the light shined.' For he likewise says of himself; ' As long as
I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' And elsewhere
it is written of him ; ' The hght came into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light.' Inasmuch as this Angel came
to destroy the power of the devU, rightly is he represented as
strong ; that it might be insinuated that he had come stronger
than the strong man against him ; more powerful than his power
ful adversary. And because he came to make void all human
wisdom, rightly is the earth said to be iUuminated with his glory ;
as if he should say, there appeared a great power against the
big swelling power of the world, the light of true knowledge
against the darkness of false teaching."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" As if he should say, Power against the swelling power of

198 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
the world : in opposition to the shadows of false doctrine, the light
of true knowledge has appeared ; in order that to the kings of the
earth and to the wise of this world, who glory in the strength of
their power and the pride of their knowledge, He may be shewn
to be invincible ; inasmuch as, in comparison with him, there is
neither power nor wisdom, which can any longer be so caUed,
in which the boasting world had before put its trust."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xviii. ; —
" Having great power, that is, in respect to the Divinity and
Humanity : whence it is said, Matt, xxviii. ; ' AU power is given
to me in heaven and in earth.' In that it said he has so great
power, it is that he is powerful to bring to pass. ' The earth
was enlightened with his glory,' i. e., the church, the shadows of
ignorance being driven away ' by his glory,' i. e. by his glorious
preaching" Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' The earth,' i. e. the church." ... Or,
" ' The earth, i. e., earthly men who become iUuminated by
faith ; the shadows of ignorance being dispelled. For John iii. ;
' Light hath come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light because their deeds are evU.' "
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 485 ; —
. . . "An Angel great and strong; of whom the prophet
says, ' Behold the Lord whom ye seek shaU come to his temple ;'
and the Angel of the covenant whom ye desire, with a strong
voice proclaimed in the hearing of the whole earth that her
damnation was come ; and he preached it in manifestation of the
Gospel.' Now he says that he saw another Angel descending in
beauty from heaven ; because he descended from heaven in hu-
niility ; but there was another which feU from it through pride.
He has, says John, great power ; the mention of which bears
considerably upon the present subject, i. e., what is here shewn
respecting the damnation of the harlot. For speaking of him
self in another place, he said ; ' As the Father hath life in him
self, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and he
hath given power to him to execute judgment because he is the
Son of Man.' &c. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath com-

VERSE I.] SEVENTH VIAL  "LIGHTENED." 199
mitted aU judgment to the Son.' &c. Bightly therefore did he
say having great power ; power of executing the judgment or
damnation of the harlot. ' And the earth was enlightened with
his glory ;' which indeed is truly said ; as in like manner at his
coming the prophet Zacharias thus spake ; ' The dayspring from
on high hath visited us, to give hght to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death.' And when he had come he said
of himself; ' I am the light of the world; he who foUoweth me
shaU not walk in darkness.' Also; 'As long as I am in the
world I am the light of the world."
Bede, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" This Angel who is strong and iUuminates the earth, may be
understood to be the incarnate Lord himself and the teachers of
the church ; who being endued with celestial light, preach the
fall of this world, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 326 ; —
" ' And the earth was iUuminated with his glory ;' that is,
the church, firm in its position, estabhshed upon the waters of
grace, fertile in fruits, beautiful in virtues. This earth, I say,
was nluminated by his glory ; that is to say, by his instruction,
preaching, and working of miracles ; and was consequently in
formed and illustrated by his agency. Whence his teaching,
example, and miracles will iUuminate the whole earth, that is,
the church militant. Whence Isaiah ix. ; ' On those who sat in
darkness and the shadow of death, hath the hght shined,' i. e.,
they are illuminated by the light of faith and knowledge, after a
state of darkness, unbelief, and ignorance"
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Finally : ' The hght came into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than hght,' John ih. Whence Haymo says;
inasmuch as the angel came to make void aU human wisdom,
rightly is the earth said to be iUuminated by his glory. As if it
were said ; the light of true knowledge hath appeared in opposi
tion to the darkness of false teaching. This Angel, therefore,
at his first advent, both by himself and by his apostles and evan
gelical preachers, . . . exercised great power and iUustrated the
whole earth by the glory of his doctrine and his miracles. But
at the second advent, when this Angel shall descend to judge

200 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XVIII.
Babylon, he wiU bring along with him supreme power, and shall
come shining forth in great majesty, glory, and splendor."
" A second sense of this passage, is, that this Angel who
appeared to John preeminent in power and glory, with whose
brightness the earth was iUuminated and who predicted the faU of
the great Babylon, (the causes of whose damnation a former
angel had in the preceding chapter foreannounced,) may signify
another order of preachers and ministers of the Word of God,
who will with a greater power of speech and with a greater
degree of energy and light, announce at this time the ruin and
faU of the world."
In what sense the world is to be here understood has
already been explained in the preceding chapter, verse 8 ;
where the expression occurs, 'foundation of the world,' and
where it is said to signify the foundation or beginning of
the church or dispensation ; whence the fall or end of the
world is the fall or end of the church or dispensation.
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" The earth was Uluminated with his glory ; because by the
teaching of his faith, the human race was rescued from the
darkness of ignorance and unbelief."
Viegas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 836 ; —
" ' And the earth was illuminated with his glory,' that is, he
shone with so much splendor, that by the greatness of his hght
he illuminated the whole earth. Our doctors in general inter
pret this Angel to signify Christ (of which exposition we approve),
who is said to have descended from heaven by his Incarnation.
He is also described as having great power and illuminating the
earth by his splendor, because Christ filled the whole world with
the brightness of his doctrine ; and by the rays of his truth dis
pelled the darkness of ignorance and unbelief. Such is the opinion
of Primasius, Eupertus, Richardus, Haymo, Pannonius, and
others on this passage."
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 251 ; —
"He is describing the vastation of Babylon, of which he
had begun to speak in chap. xvi. and xvii. He now sees an
Angel bearing with him the sentence of the desolation of Rome,

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON IS FALLEN." 201
descending from heaven ; that aU may see that this happens not
by chance but by the Divine Providence and wul."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And he cried mightily with a great voice, saying,
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,' signifies, that he made
it known that by the divine power of the Lord all who
were in that religion and at the same time influenced
through it by the love of dominion, were destroyed in the
spiritual world and cast into the respective hells."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Fallen, fallen is Babylon, after that she had lifted herself
up in her pride. Whence it is written, ' Thou hast cast down
them that were exalted.' "
" Babylon," says Berengaud, " is twice said to have
fallen ; because it fell first when by the teaching of the
Gospel it lost a very great multitude of inhabitants in the
elect ; who being cut off from it by the faith of Christ,
were made citizens of the holy city, that is, of the church.
It will fall a second time at the last day when it will be
punished by a perpetual death; which, in this book, is
called the second death." Alcasar, who applies the inter
pretation to ancient Rome, observes, that it signifies that
Pagan Rome would fall as being Pagan, i. e., says he,
" would be converted to the Christian religion ; that the
worship of false gods would thus fall to the ground. And
it not a little contributes to establish this sense, that after
the foregoing words Isaiah subjoins, ' And all the graven
images of their gods he hath broken to the ground.' '
So Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 692 ; —
" And this is what the Angel said unto John, ' Now is the
judgment of this world, now shall the Prince of this world be
cast out.' As if he should say ; now is at hand the last struggle
of Satan, who is the Prince or rather the tyrant of this world,
who by sin had hitherto detained in death all who love the
world. Now is the cause of the world brought into judgment;

202 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
and falsity being refuted, the truth will shine forth, and the Prince
of this world, the author of death (when he thinks that he is
conqueror), will by death be driven from his tyranny."
Gaspar a Melo likewise refers this passage to the one in
Isaiah xxi. ; observing on the words, ' Fallen, fallen is Ba
bylon, and all her graven images are broken,' that both pas
sages may be understood in a mystical sense, thus : — they
shall fall " by the breath of the mouth of our Angel and his
apostles ; so that sinners shall no longer worship idols," &c.
It is not unfrequently urged by some Roman writers,
that Babylon is not a professedly Christian church, but a
literally idolatrous Pagan city ; because it is thus described
in the prophecy concerning Babylon, Isaiah xxi., 9 ; ' Ba
bylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven images of her
gods he hath broken unto the ground.' We have however
already seen how graven images may signify the dogmas
fabricated by men ; and this is the interpretation given to
the passage by Cardinal Hugo ; — •
" AU the graven images, i. e., aU the false dogmas of heretics,
phUosophers, inquisitive doctors, graven out by the sharp chisel
of logic and colored over with a rhetorical disguise ; or else, on
the other hand, the images of Babylon are those which are
called by the name of Prelates. Zechariah xi., 17 ; ' Woe to the
idol shepherd that leaveth the flock.' The Lord shaU enter into
Egypt, and the images of Egypt shall fall to the ground."
Moreover Haymo on Zech. xiii., 2, describes the idols
as those of corrupt dogmas fabricated by heretics ; —
" For as idols are made by the hand of the artificer, so is
the perverted teaching of heretics turned into an idol, because
they adore Antichrist for Christ. For the Lord shaU take away
the false prophets, i. e., the priests ofthe idols, whom the Gentiles
called prophets or vates. And he shaU take away every unclean
spirit which rests in the hearts of the unclean ; so that he shall
no longer he able to deceive any one by fanatics and diviners."
So likewise the Glossa Interlinea on Jer. Ii., 47 ; ' I
will clo judgment upon the graven images of Babylon, i. e.,

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BABYLON IS FALLEN." 203
says the Glossa, " upon the images of errors which here
tics fabricate." So again the Glossa Ordinaria on verse 8.
Glossa Ordinaria, Isaiah xiv. ; —
" ' How art thou faUen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning!' These are false apostles, lying workmen, who are
transformed into apostles of Christ ; who sow tares whUe pre
lates are asleep or else unwilling or unable to make resistance.
AUegoricaUy : Lucifer, who rises in the morning. The deril,
who was created at the beginning of the world, glorious among
angels ; or who fell, according to these words ; ' I beheld Satan
as hghtning falling from heaven ;' who before this was thus think
ing ; ' I wiU ascend into heaven above the stars, to the throne of
God.' After his faU likewise he arrogates to himself the same
thing. Whence also he boasts that he will ascend above the
angels into heaven, or above the clouds, i. e., the hearts of the
elect ; and sit on the mount of the Testament in the church, and
in the sides of the north in the cold. ' I wiU chmb into heaven,'
&c. . . . All these things are to be referred to heretics, who, when
low in. the dust, make a boast, together with their Prince, that
they are on high."
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah xiv., 15 ; —
"MoraUy: learn therefore from hence what pride is ; what
ambition ; for it is the sin of Lucifer which from a most beau
tiful angel made him a most foul devU. They therefore who are
ambitious after bishoprics, prelacies, or princedoms, let them
know, first, that they are ambitious after the rule of souls, of
which God wiU demand an account from them; and whose
damnation, if they perish, he wiU impute to them. A prelacy
therefore is a burden formidable even to the shoulders of angels.
Secondly ; let them know that ambition, equally with avarice,
draws along with it many other sins ; for ambitious men are
ready per fas et nefas to snatch at all occasions of personal ag
grandizement. Thirdly ; let them know that from ambition al
most aU heresies arise. For ambitious men when they cannot
reach to the extent of the hopes and dignities at which they had
been aiming in the church, become the enemies of the church,
heresiarchs, and veritable Lucifers. Fourthly ; let them think
of that saying of St. Chrysostom, Hom. xxxiv., Epistle to the

204 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
Hebrews ; ' It will be a wonder if many Prelates be saved ; for
the greater number are damned ; and let them know that there
are many who are damned who are already placed in dignities,
who would have been saved had they lived as private persons ;
for there are in proportion many more saved of those who in
humble life are in subjection to authority, than of Prelates who
are in an exalted station. For many are exalted on high, in
order that they may experience the greater fall. It is the loftiest
mountains that are struck by hghtning.' Fifthly; let them
think of that saying of the wise man, ' The mighty shall mightily
suffer punishment.' Let them hear Origen ; ' AU ambition of
ecclesiastical honor would be cut off, if those who wished to
preside over the people thought they were rather to be judged
than to judge.' Sixthly ; let them know that ambition is never
satiated; for it is ever aiming at something further, even as
Lucifer is not at rest until he invades the throne of God. For,
as Seneca says ; ' An ambitious man feels not as much delight
in seeing many behind him, as he does vexation in seeing any
one before him.' "
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And is become the habitation of demons,' signifies,
that their hells are the hells of the lusts of dominion from
the heat of self-love, and of the lusts of profaning the
truths of heaven from the spurious zeal of that love : ' and
the hold of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every un
clean and hateful bird,' signifies, that the evils of the will
and thence of the action and the falses of thought, and
thence the deliberations of those in the hells, are diabo
lical, because they are turned away from the Lord to
themselves." Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii.,
p. 913 ;—
" If God be said to dweU in his elect, and if Paul says of them
truly, ' Ye are the holy temple of God ;' so also rightly is this
spiritual Babylon caUed the habitation of devils, and the cage
of every unclean spirit and unclean bird ; by which we are to
understand no other than demons ; for that by birds are under-

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL — " HABITATION OF DEVILS." 205
stood demons, Christ teaches us in the parable of the seed,
Luke viii. For after he had said, that, in sowing, ' some feU by
the way side,' he adds, ' and the fowls of heaven gathered it
up.' Afterwards, in explanation of the parable, he says, 'Those
who feU by the way side, are those which hear (viz., the Word
of God). Then cometh the deril and taketh away the Word
from their hearts.' Fitly indeed are they caUed 'fowls! hy
reason of the agility possessed by an aerial spirit ; ' unclean! hy
reason of the obscenity of their vices ; and ' hateful! or, as the
Greek says, /jLepK7]/j.ivoi,, i. e., hating and hated." Gagneus.
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 272 ; —
" AllegoricaUy, he again aUudes to what was said of the de
struction of Babylon by Isaiah xiii., 20 ; 'It shall never be inha
bited, neither shaU it be dwelt in from generation to generation :
neither shaU the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the
shepherds make then fold there. But wild beasts of the desert
shaU Ue there, and their houses shaU be full of doleful creatures ;
and owls shaU dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there ; and the
wild beasts of the island shaU cry in their desolate houses, and
dragons in their pleasant palaces ; and her time is near to come,
and her days shaU not be prolonged.' The prophet says similar
tilings concerning the destruction of Idumea, xxxiv., 14; 'The
wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wUd beasts of
the island, and the satyr shall cry to his feUow : the screech owl
also shaU rest there, and find for herself a place of rest. There
shall the great owl make her nest,' &c. By these phrases nothing
else is signified, than the thorough vastation and desolation
which are to befal Rome ; so that it will be reduced to a desert,
and become the habitation of dragons and wUd beasts. Whence
. . . the sybil foretold that Borne would become Pvprj, that is,
a hamlet." " MysticaUy ; in this phraseology is signified the idolatry,
superstitions, and other crimes which would prevail in Bome at
the end of the world; for by reason of these it would become
the habitation of demons ; as Primasius, Aretas, Ansbert, and
others observe."
Viegas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 837 ; —
" Francis Bibera thinks that Rome will be so vastated, and

206 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
wiU be destroyed with such a fearful fire, that it wfil be turned
into a desert and wUderness, and become the habitation of wild
beasts and demons who are dehghted with desert places. In the
same sense the prophet speaks of the subversion of Babylon ; as
in Isaiah, chap, xiii., 20. On this passage, Jerome observes, " that
by ah these signs of vastation and solitude it is shewn that so
great wiU be the depopulation of a city which in former times was
the most powerful, that no shepherd wiU venture to enter into it
by reason of the multitude of demons and wild beasts which abide
there. In my own opinion, however, we must say with Aretas,
Primasius, Ambrose Ansbert, Haymo, Ambrose and others,
that in this passage is signified the idolatry ofthe city; and that
Bome will apostatize from the faith, and become the habitation
of devils and of every unclean spirit and unclean bird; by reason
of its execrable crimes, and the superstition of idolatry which
at that time wiU again widely diffuse itself throughout the city
of Rome and the Roman dominion."
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 615 ; —
..." These words can by no means be referred to the mate
rial subversion of the city. For according to the true and proper
mode of speaking, both ofthe sacred writings and of spiritual men,
there is no doubt that amidst her most celebrated triumphs, and
the innumerable crowds of different nations frequenting the city,
Rome, whUe yet lying immersed in the darkness of idolatry,
was without controversy much more properly the habitation of
demons and unclean birds, than she was after her destruction
and ruin. For if, being consumed by fire, she is to be converted
into a waste, according to the words of Virgil, ' Et campus ubi
Troja fuit ;' who sees not that a plain is not a more suitable ha
bitation of demons than are the cities which are the worshippers
of idols and of their demons ? In language of this kind, there
fore, the prophet speaks of the mystical vengeance which God
was in a short time to take upon the western Babylon; and what
is spoken of as having been accomphshed (that is, in a short
time it was to be made the habitation of demons and the cage
of every unclean bird, &c), is to be explained in the same man
ner as the passage of Paul in 1 Cor. i., 20. ' God has made
foohsh the wisdom of this world ;' where to make signifies no
other than to shew and manifest in reality, or cause to be evi-

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  " HABITATION OF DEVILS." 207
dent. That ancient Rome, therefore, was made the habitation
of demons, means no other than that by the conversion of the
city and the Roman world, it was manifested to men that Pagan
Rome (which appeared to be so glorious and which was thought
to be the home of the immortal Gods), was no other than the
habitation of demons and the dens of unclean spirits ; and conse
quently that there had been dwelling there not rational men,
Hving according to reason, but mystical wild beasts and mystical
owls and birds of Tartarus. And what I say of ancient Pagan
Rome and the relics of it, which remained for many years, I
understand after the same manner of those who continued for
many years in the worship of idols, after the conversion of the
city. For these were in hke manner, or stiU more deservedly,
regarded by the faithful as the ruins of some ancient city, inha
bited by demons and unclean birds. The aUegory is derived
from the case of a house abandoned by its tenants ; because they
found it inhabited and infested by hideous goblins, ghosts, and
terrific appearances ; and which no one afterwards dared to in
habit but only bats and unclean birds ; whence of necessity it
would in a short time tumble to ruin, and there would be no
hope of its ever afterwards being re-buUt. We thus readily un
derstand how suitable was the allegory to signify that horror of
ancient idolatry, which was conceived by the Romans, after their
illumination by the beams of the Christian faith ; as also to assert
that in a short time the relics also of Paganism, which had sur
vived the conversion of the city, from out of the ancient idolatry
of Rome, would be utterly destroyed."*
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" This Babylon signifies that which consists of the multitude
of the wicked, in which is the hold of every unclean spirit;
because in the hearts of the wicked as in prisons are shut up
derils, who are called unclean by reason of the foulness of aU
the sins with which they are conversant. ... By ' unclean birds,'
we may understand vain and proud men who dwell in Babylon.
Wicked spirits, by reason of their wickedness, are demons ; by
reason of the aUurements of the flesh, they are unclean spirits ;
by reason of elation of mind, they are caUed birds."
* See here Ribera, p. 252.

208 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. p. 328 ; —
" ' And is become the habitation of devhs,' that is, the re
ceptacle of all mortal sinners ; as of Mary Magdalene it is said
that ' he cast out of her seven derils,' because she was fuU of all
sins. ' And the hold of every unclean spirit,' which is said with
respect to carnal sins, which render man unclean both in the
eyes of man and of God. ' And a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird.' This is said with respect to spiritual sins, which
exalt men aloft, as birds, not into heaven but into opposition to
God; wherefore these render man most highly odious to God.
For sins of the flesh have the greater disrepute, but spiritual
sins the greater degree of guilt. ' Or the cage of every bird,'
in hke manner as the sin of pride has the power, hke a bird, of
elevating man on high against God ; ' unclean' in respect to luxu
rious indulgence, which has the power of staining both the body
and soul ; ' hateful' in respect to the sin of avarice, because it
most highly renders a man hateful to his neighbor and to God,
and faulty even in his own eyes. For a covetous man exceeds
in pride even the presumptuous Lucifer; for the latter seeks
equality with God, as if esteeming this of the highest moment ;
whereas the covetous man is dahy making a sale of God, treating
him as a thing of httle value, nay as nothing worth ; although
were the miserable man to offer himself for sale, he would by
no means let himself go for nothing."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 698; —
" If we refer these words to the last times, and by Babylon
understand the confusion of this world, the sense wiU be this ;
for the assembly of the ministers of God signified by this angel
wiU convert an innumerable number of the elect to the faith ;
and then shaU suddenly faU the kingdom of the devU and of Anti
christ ; in the ruins of which shaU dwell demons, and unclean
spirits, and unclean birds, in the manner before described. Nay,
then whl be verified also what Esaias the prophet said, ' Neither
shaU the Arabian pitch tent there, neither shall the shepherds
make their fold there.' "
Cardinal Hugo, Isaiah, chap. xiii. ; —
" Neither shaU the shepherds make their fold there, but
wUd beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL  " ALL NATIONS HAVE DRUNK." 209
be fuU of doleful creatures, and owls shaU dweU there and satyrs
shaU dance there ; and the wUd beasts of the islands shaU cry
in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces."
" Neither shall the shepherds who feed the flock of the Lord
' rest there ;' that is, teachers or preachers who ought to feed
the flock of the Lord with the word of doctrine and the example
of a good life. But ' wild beasts' shaU he there, that is, covetous
and ambitious prelates and preachers who are to be caUed rather
beasts than pastors, because they feed not the flock of the Lord,
but devour it. Therefore, Psalm lxxiii., the Psalmist cries out,
' Give not over unto beasts, the souls of them who confess unto
thee.' Ezek. xxxiv. ; ' My sheep were scattered because there
was no pastor, and became a prey devoured of aU beasts.' ' And
their houses shaU be fuU,' i. e., of worldly prelates, namely, of
such as live after a worldly manner ; ' of dragons,' i. e., poisonous
detractors, of whom it is said in Deut. xxxii., 33, ' Their wine
is the poison of dragons.' ' And ostriches shall dwell there,' i. e.,
hypocrites, who are not elevated above the earth, although they
seem to have wings, Job xxxix. The wing of the ostrich is
similar to the wings of the buzzard and hawk. 'And satyrs
shall dance there,' that is, greedy money-lovers who are hairy
aU over, 1 Kings xix. . . . One satyr cries to another when the
perpetration of one crime provokes that of another. ' And owls
shall be in the houses,' that is, ' deriders ;' and ' syrens in their
pleasant palaces,' . . . i. e., adulators in the houses of prelates."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath
of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have com
mitted whoredom with her,' signifies, that they fabricated
abominable tenets, which are the adulterations and profa
nations of the good and truth of the Word ; and caused
all who were born and educated in the kingdoms under
their dominion to imbibe them : ' and the merchants of the
earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her deli
cacies,' signifies, the superior and inferior orders in that
hierarchy, who by the dominion over royal things aspire to
divine majesty and super-royal glory, and continually aim
VOL. IV. p

210 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
at establishing them by multiplying monasteries and pos
sessions under them, and by treasures which they collect
and accumulate from the world for no purpose ; and thus
procure to themselves corporeal and natural pleasures by
having celestial and spiritual dominion attributed to them."
Suarez, in his Defence of the Catholic Faith, rightly
observes that the expression, ' all nations! as in verse 3,
' all nations have drunk ;' and again in verse 23, ' all nations
were deceived ;' implies universality or the whole world ;
hence, if catholicity be the mark of a true church, it is
likewise the mark of a false one, as it is a distinguishing
characteristic of the society of Babylon.
Moreover it is said that they have all ' drunk of the
wine of the wrath of her fornication.' Hence Gaspar a
Melo on the parallel passage in chap. xvii. ; —
" And among other things she has in her hand a cup full of
the abomination and uncleanness of her fornication. For this
city of the world intoxicates her imitators with the cup of her
false doctrine, and with the cup of her perverted example, and
with the cup of her hypocrisy."
Glossa Ordinaria, Isaiah xxviii., 7 ; —
"They are inebriated with wine who wrongly understand
the Scriptures and pervert them."
If we regard this cup as taken from out of the temple,
the following interpretation of Daniel v., 3, may be adduced
as an illustration from the Glossa Ordinaria ; —
" TropologicaUy : whatsoever heretic or other person takes
the words of the prophets and abuses the testimonies of Sacred
Scripture by giving them his own meaning, and out of these
gives to drink unto those whom he deceives, and with whom, in
going away from God, he commits fornication ; such an one takes
away the vessels of the temple and becomes intoxicated by
them," &c.
Lauretus, art. Negotiator ; —
(In a good sense) " Merchants are those who seek the true
gain of spiritual things, and who are instructed in the law of

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL — "MERCHANTS." 211
God. And the merchants who bought Joseph, are the faithful
of aU nations who accept Christ, who was rejected by the Jews.
And the merchants of Tharsis, are those who, amid the waves of
this world, by good works seek spiritual merchandize. Also they
are preachers. And merchandize is preaching itself. And the
merchandize of Tyre is with aU nations when persons of aU
nations are converted to the faith ; which merchandize is said to
be holy to the Lord." Origen, HUary, Jerome, Bede.
(In an eril sense) " The merchants of Phoenicia are heretics
and demons, who are hucksters and merchants of the Gentiles
and of Tyre and Babylon ; to these may be added magi and phi
losophers. And the traffic of Nineveh are sins. The traffic of
Ethiopia is also the worship of the gods of the Gentiles." Jerome.
Ibid., art. Mercator ; —
" The merchandize of Tyre may signify the merchandize of
philosophers, heretics, and worldly men." Jerome.
" The merchant who shall not be in the house of the Lord,
may be said of the seUers and buyers whom the Lord cast out
of the temple. Also of those who in religion appropriate to
themselves something as their own." HUary.
Glossa Ordinaria, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
"Merchants; because giving away their souls in exchange
for earthly things, they have exercised too great a power, which
they can partake of no longer."
Cornelius a Lapide, p. 273 ; —
" Note. That he here eaUs Rome, in the first place, a harlot
\meretricem\ . Secondly; a merchant [mercatricem] . Thirdly;
a vintneress, who inebriates and dements all people with her
wine. The reason is, that the Hebrew word zona signifies a
a vintneress, who converts to the purposes of prostitution both
her home and her repasts, herself and her companions ; or else
one who traffics, seUs wine, furnishes dinners, is wanton; that
is, who earns money \meretur\ either by providing refreshments
as a vintneress ; or by the exposure of articles for sale as a
merchant ; or by prostitution of the person, whether her own or
that of the companions whom she supports. She who prostitutes
her person to others for money, is caUed by antonomasia,
meretrix; although the name is common to all the three just
p2

212 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAP. XVIII.
mentioned. . . . So likewise the Greek iropvi], i. e., harlot, signifies
a vendress ; for it is derived from iropvafiat, vendo. For this
reason therefore, Babylon is here and in the preceding chapter
introduced as a vintneress, harlot, and merchant. Therefore as
in Isaiah xxiii., 15. The merchandize of Tyre is called an aUure-
ment and whoredom, to which John here alludes : so on the
other hand, indeed for a like reason, the whoredom of Babylon
he here calls merchandize, on account of the general analogy
between the two ; for both a harlot and a merchant turn goods
into profit, expose them to sale, and likewise vend them. Also
because not unfrequently then, as now, the same .persons were
vintners, harlots, and merchants ; and this especially agrees* with
Pagan Rome and wiU again apply at the end of the world. Hence
the ancient Roman and civil laws presume, that she who waited at
an inn or tavern was not of virtuous character. For as Cicero,
1 . Off. says, hostis was formerly one who was caUed a stranger or
guest ; but the manners of strangers and guests have caused the
word hostis to be now taken for an enemy : the same appears
to have befallen the title harlot, of which Plautus says truly in
his Truculentus ; ' A harlot, therefore, I deem to be a sea ; as
being that which swallows up aU and never overflows.' "
"Note. Secondly; that a harlot is the firing image and
origin of idolatrous worship ; as is evident from Num. xxv., 1 ;
Ex. xxxii., 6. . . . The harlot Babylon signifies Rome cultivating
idolatry ; thus Jerome Prado in Ezek., vol. i., p. 195, and others."
Lauretus, art. Caupones ; —
" Priests may be caUed vintners, according to the Septua-
gint. So also may the Scribes, Pharisees, and Heretics, who are
the vintners (publicans) that are not justified from sin," Ecc.
xxvi. Ambrose, Jerome.
According to Cardinal Hugo on Isaiah xiii., kings are
teachers or doctors. Hence, as earth has been frequently
interpreted to signify church, kings of the earth are the
teachers or doctors of the church. And this seems to be
admitted by Alexander de Hales, when he says ; —
. . . " ' Or kings of the earth,' that is, great men having
rule, have committed fornication with her ; and like as these
have sinned, so Isaiah xxiv., ' As with the people, so with the

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL — " DELICACIES." 213
priest. Or otherwise thus : as the church of the good multi-
phes graces and gifts, so the church of the evil multiplies erils
. . . 'have committed fornication,' i. e., have sinned after the
example of Babylon, and have withdrawn from the supreme
spouse." Richard of St. Victor, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' The kings of the earth,' that is, the prelates of the earth,
have committed fornication with her ; by withdrawing from God
after her example, and loving the world."
The same expression, 'kings of the earth,' occurs in
chap, vi., 15, 'And the kings of the earth and the great
men and the rich men, &c, hid themselves in the dens and
the rocks of the mountains.' On which passage Alexander
de Hales observes, taking the words in a good sense ; that
the kings of the earth mean " apostolical men spiritually
ruling others, the great men are archbishops, the tribunes
bishops, the rich men priests, strong men deacons." It is
obvious however that in the passage we are now consider
ing, the words are to be taken in an evil sense ; for they
are said to signify the covetous, worldly, and ambitious.
By merchants Haymo understands " those rulers and
principal persons who sell their souls in order to procure
retinues, bishoprics, and other dignities of this world."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury ; " all who sell their souls
in exchange for worldly things ;" so Richard of St. Victor.
These ' have waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies.' Lauretus, art. Delitite ; —
" To delight in the Lord, or to enjoy delights, is to meditate
with pleasure upon the spiritual senses of the Sacred Scripture."
Origen, HUary.
" The night is iUuminated in the midst of delights, when any
one has the knowledge and love of God as a source of delight
to him. Moreover the delights of the spouse consist in the
reading of the Scripture." Cant, vii., 6.
"The delights afforded by the fat of bread are those of

214 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
wisdom and love and the spiritual senses of the Sacred Scripture ;
which is therefore called a paradise of pleasure." Origen, B.
Gregory. " Enemies are said to be delighted when man falls into sin,
and the soul of the eril is dehghted in its own abominations."
Basil. Now the delights or delicacies of the merchants of Ba
bylon are evil and false delights ; or the delights in those
errors which the merchants buy, that is, procure to them
selves ; and sell, that is, impart to others ; or which they
buy, that is, learn ; and which they sell, that is, teach ; as
will be further seen.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 4 ; —
" ' And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of
her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues,' signifies,
an exhortation from the Lord to all, as well those who are
in that religion as those who are not, to take heed not to
connect themselves with it by acknowledgment and affec
tion ; lest as to their souls they should be conjoined with its
abominations, and perish."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
"By heaven in this place is designated the church. The
voice is that of the preachers, and proceeds from the church."
The voice from heaven, says Anselm Archbishop of
Canterbury, is the inspiration of Christ, or it is preaching.
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ;¦ — ¦
* Both Alcasar, p. 765, and A Lapide, p. 274, include among the delicacies
here noticed, luxury in marble and porphyritic columns, in proud and magnificent
temples to idols, images of gold and silver, distinguished with wonderful variety of
sculpture and ornament in gems and most precious stones, &c. ; by which the Romans
formerly seduced men to the worship of their gods, and will again seduce them at
the end of the world. For these luxuries the merchants conveyed to Rome and
sold at a dear price, and so became rich, and will again be made so in the last times.
What is here said of a body of persons or Antichristian church, Malvenda applies
to an individual Antichrist ; as that he will heap together immense riches, build
magnificent palaces, cause statues and Colosses to be erected to him, adorn himself
with precious stones and diamonds, &c.

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL — " COME OUT OF HER." 215
" For the church hears daily this voice from heaven when it
outwardly perceives it with the ear of the body as coming from
holy preachers, or when solely by divine inspiration it perceives
it in the understanding with the ear of the heart. Now the
voice which strikes the ears of the body through the ministry of
preachers, both the elect and the reprobate hear at the same
time ; but the voice which strikes the ears by divine inspiration,
the elect only are enabled to perceive. Whence also John says
to the faithful, ii., 27 ; ' And ye need not that any man teach
you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of aU things.' Now
we must know that when God, instructing human hearts, speaks
by himself with this voice, it is the power [vis] of internal in
spiration alone that is discovered to us. When I say, He speaks
by himself with this voice, then does the heart receive teaching
from his Word, without words and without syUables ; because
his power [virtus] is known by a certain inmost elevation ; so
that the mind being filled with this power becomes suspended
aloft, and when void of this power, sinks downward again to
earth. For it is a kind of gravitating force which lifts up the
whole soul, which it fills. It is an incorporeal hght, which
both fiUs the interiors, and which, when these are filled, surrounds
the exteriors. Its speech is without noise ; it opens the ears,
yet is free from vocal sound."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' Another voice from heaven ;' that is, a divine inspiration ;
which is rightly caUed another voice, because it speaks concern
ing the admonition given to the elect, as the first did concerning
the condemnation of the wicked. It is also said to come from
heaven, i. e., from the holy church, because the mysteries of
Christ it conceals from the unbelieving and unworthy."
Augustin on the City of God, vol. ix., book xviii., chap.
xviii., p. 658 ; —
" And what shaU we say, but that we must flee from out of
the midst of Babylon? which prophetic precept is to be spi
ritually understood thus ; that we must flee from out of the city
of this world, which is assuredly the society of wicked angels
and men ; hastening with the steps of faith which worketh by
love, unto the living God."

216 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
Brixianus, art. Babylon ; —
" To flee from out of the midst of Babylon, as in Jeremiah,
chap, ii., is to flee from the pit of sin. For he who is deeply
immersed in vices, is said to be in the midst of Babylon. But
he, who, gradually leaving evil and turning his own nature to
better things, has not begun so much to possess virtues as rather
to desire them, although he is fleeing out of the midst of Ba
bylon, yet has nevertheless not yet departed from it." Origen
on Jeremiah, chap, ii., Honhl. ii."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii.,
p. 915 ;—
" How is it commanded to go out of Babylon, that is, the
society of the wicked ? Is it in body or mind ? Undoubtedly in
mind; because no one is at liberty to be conjoined with the
wicked in mind and will, or indeed with any eril men, in that
respect in which they are evil. But this passage seems to forbid
also bodUy conjunction with them; because he subjoins the
danger of a conjunction of minds, when he says, ' that ye be
not partakers of her sins.' The meaning therefore is ; separate
yourself from the wicked in body, lest your mind be poUuted by
their rites, and so ye become partakers in their punishments.
Inasmuch, however, as to be present in body among the wicked
is not per se an evil ; the divine precept concerning corporal de
parture and withdrawal obliges only in the proportion in which
there is no danger of becoming partaker in wickedness ; and no
excuse can be alleged from necessity. And inasmuch as few
possess such a perfection that they can be among the wicked
without danger ; and even the perfect can scarcely be among
them without scandal to the more imperfect ; it is manifest that
none, or at least that few, are excused from seceding from the
open and pernicious society of the wicked, such as is that of here
tics. The necessity arising from poverty, which is the general
pretext, rather excuses them from sinning less, than releases
them entirely from blame." Estius.
" ' Come out of her, my people.' Since Eome is to be over
turned and to be consigned to the flames, God wiU admonish
those of his elect who are left in it to come out ; whether by
means of prophets who will then be raised up ; or by means of

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " COME OUT OF HER." 217
an internal inspiration; or by means of angels, in the same
manner as he led Lot out of Sodom, when the burning of the
city was at hand." Menochius.
" ' Come out of her, my people :' even as by Isaiah, Jeremiah,
and Zechariah, I formerly warned the Jews to depart out of
Babylon, before they were tainted either with its depraved
morals, or were involved in the plagues that were to come upon
them. The same warning was given by Christ concerning Je
rusalem, Matt, xxiv., 16 ; according to Ribera, Viegas, and A
Lapide." Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 486 ; —
" Come out therefore, my people, from Babylon, saith the
voice ; that is, do the work of repentance, and let every one of
you be baptized in the name of the Lord. For this it is which
is truly to go out of Babylon. . . . What he means by saying,
' Come out,' he beautifully defines by adding, ' that ye be not
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.'
Therefore they are not commanded to move from one place to
another, but to change their lives ; that, abandoning their sins
and fornications above mentioned, they may consequently and
deservedly be esteemed to be free from its plagues."
Alcasar, who applies the passage to ancient Borne, ob
serves, p. 617 ; —
" The church, as taught by St. Peter, had learned that in the
prophets the name of Babylon was to be understood of Pagan
Rome ; and hence it inferred that the exit from out of Babylon,
although the prophets seem to speak literaUy, has a mystical sense.
When God therefore says to his servants, ' Come out of her, my
people,' he accommodates himself to the aUegory which he had
figuratively used in the subversion of Pagan Rome by the direst
vengeance from heaven. Wherefore, as God has sometimes ad
monished his friends to go out from this or that city when he
had resolved to overturn it (as happened in the burning of Sodom
and the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus) ; so now, being about
to devastate Rome as an idolatress, he forewarns the faithful that
they go out from aU intercourse and society with the Pagans ;
not indeed by taking to corporal flight (for this is as it were only
the outward seeming and cortex ofthe phraseology), but by ma-

218 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
nifestly shewing themselves and openly professing the religion of
Christ." Bellarmine's Disputations, vol. i., p. 720 ; —
" ' Come out of her, my people,' which is to be understood as
coming in heart not in body ; as St. Augustin explains in Bre-
viculo Collationis, col. ih. For John commands that the saints
be not conjoined with the Pagans in idolatrous customs, and in
similarity of life ; although they might be in the same city with
them. Whence by reason of these words of St. John it is also
evident, that the Christians never did depart out of the city."
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" As often as you hear the name of Babylonia mentioned,
understand not a city made of stones ; because Babylonia is inter
preted confusion ; but know that this name signifies men who
are proud, robbers, luxurious, wicked, persisting in their erils ;
as on the contrary when you hear the name of Jerusalem, which
is caUed the vision of peace, understand holy men who belong
to God. ... In that it is said, ' Go out,' understand this not
corporeaUy but sphituaUy. We go out of the midst of Babylon
when we forsake an eril life. For the Babylonians are with
the Jerusalemites in one house, in one church, in one city;
nevertheless so long as the good consent not to the evU, and
the evil are not converted to the good, it may be known that in
the good is Jerusalem, and in the evil Babylon. They dweU
together in the body, but are divided far asunder in the heart ;
because the conversation of the wicked is always upon earth,
inasmuch as they love the earth, and in the earth place aU their
hope and aU the purposes of their mind ; while the mind of the
good is, according to the apostle, in heaven, inasmuch as they
seek the things which are above."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ;—
" This voice, which is understood to be the voice of the Om
nipotent God exhorting the elect, daUy cries to them by the
teaching of the faithful or by internal inspiration, to come out of
Babylon. But this voice, which enters into the ear by the mi
nistry of preachers, the good and the eril both hear together ;
but it is only the righteous that hear with the ear of the heart.
He says therefore, ' Come out of her, my people ;' i. e., come

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL — " REACHED UNTO HEAVEN." 219
not corporeally, because this you cannot, but mentally. As he
immediately shews when he subjoins, ' That ye be not partakers
of her sins.' For in the present life the good sojourn in the
body together with the evU, but in morals and life are far from
their society. Therefore the voice of God admonishes them to
go out as to mind, morals, and life, not as to body; that they
may not be partakers of her sins, lest they become companions
of her punishment."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" He goes out from the midst of Babylon who avoids the
errors of the perverted."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" The Lord by his preachers persuades the elect to go out of
Babylon, not in body but in mind. How they are to go out of
Babylon he teUs us in the sequel. ' That ye be not partakers of
her sins ;' for those appositely go out of Babylon who alienate
themselves from her eril works, as the Psalmist thus speaks of
himself; ' I have not sat in the counril of vanity, neither have I
entered in with those that do iniquity.' ' That ye be not par
takers of her plagues ;' what are we to understand by the plagues
of Babylon, but the sins which destroy souls ? or we may like
wise by the plagues of Babylon understand the punishments of
Babylon prepared for the wicked. So that the sense is this ; if
you abstain from the sins of Babylon, you wUl be separated from
the punishments which she wiU endure to eternity."
So Gaspar a Melo, Joachim, Alexander de Hales, and
the Glossa Ordinaria on Jer. Ii.
It is obvious that all these interpretations do not imply
change oi place, but change of mind ; not the going locally
out of a literal city, but the going out mentally from a
society or church. In other words ; as, according to Ty-
chonius, there is a Jerusalem in Babylon, so the Jerusa-
lemites are commanded to go out from among the Babylo
nians. Hence Alcasar justly observes, that for the faithful
to go out of Babylon, is for them to go out from the inter
course and society of Babylon, and boldly to make open

220 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
profession of the Christian faith, even though they did so
at the expense of their lives.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 5 ; —
" For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities, signifies, that its evils and falses
infest the heavens, which the Lord will protect from their
violence." Menochius, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" AU sins reach to heaven ; because there is not one, however
smaU, that can escape the notice of God. Scripture however
is not accustomed to use language of this kind ; except only
when the sins are of the greatest magnitude, and their punishment
is not to be delayed. For Scripture speaks of God as of a most
merciful man, who throws a veil over sins until they increase to
so great an amount and come to so great a height, that it is no
longer possible for them not to be seen nor to be passed over
without being punished."
The strictly proper sense of the phrase ' reached unto
heaven,' can be explained only when we come to speak of
Divine Order. In the mean time it may be observed that
the words have a reference to a consummation ,• which may
be illustrated by the following remarks.
Cornelius a Lapide, Heb. ix., 26 ; —
" ' But now once in the consummation of the ages hath he ap
peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,' &c. . . . Do
you ask how it is that Christ is said to have suffered in the con
summation, that is, the end of the ages ; when sixteen hundred
years have passed away since the time of his passion, and many
more may flow on before the end of the world ?"
" Chrysostom and Theophylact answer ; that the ' consum
mation of the ages' is caUed that time of the world in which the
sins of men had become completely predominant, and had
reached to their chmax; which was in the time of Christ.
Whence Gregory Nyssen, in his Sermon on the Birth of Christ,
teaches; that Christ imitated a most exceUent physician, who
does not interfere with the fever of his patient while it is increas-

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " REACHED UNTO HEAVEN." 221
ing in strength and aggravation, but only when it has put out
aU its force, discharged its virus, and come to its climax ; for then
its strength being exhausted, it begins to abate in effervescence
and to subside. So likewise Christ, as being a most skilful phy
sician of souls, awaits the opportune time ; so as not to extend
his hand to our disease until aU the sickness of the distemper shaU
have put itself forth and come out ; lest he should leave any of
the virus still concealed in the system, and uncured."*
This wTill be further explained in the remarks upon
Divine Order. It may be well however to add the follow
ing still further illustration.
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' Her sins have reached unto heaven,' seems to be the same
as to say, heaped up together, accumulated, or grown into a
heap so huge as to touch the heaven. Moreover in this phrase
I suspect that aUusion is made to the tower of Babel, of which
they who built it said, ' Let us make to ourselves a city and a
tower, whose top shaU reach unto heaven,' Gen. xi., 4. And
because the tower lifted itself to so great a height, God descended
to confound the architects and builders. In the present case
also, in a manner nowise differing, God determined to introduce
mystical confusion among the Romans ; because they were so
proud, and erected the tower of their flagrant sins to so great a
height." It has been seen that this tower was built of brick, i. e.
false doctrine or teaching. It also reached to heaven ; that
is, usurped to itself divine characteristics. Thus we see
the city and tower represent the false doctrine, teaching,
or reasoning of a church whose top reaches to heaven,
claims to be divine, or aspires to the attributes of Divinity.
According as it is said in Isaiah xiv., 13. ' Thou hast said
in thine heart I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God. I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High;
which Cardinal Hugo and others apply to Babylon.
* This is not the interpretation chosen by A Lapide, although it is by Chry
sostom and Theodoret. That it conveys the true idea will be seen in the sequel.

222 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
It is observed by Leo the Great, in Sermon iv., on the
Anniversary of the Assumption of the Virgin, p. 17 ; —
" ' And I say unto thee,' that is, as my Father has mani
fested unto thee my divinity, so also wiU I make known to thee
thine own exceUency. For ' thou art Peter ;' that is, although
I am the inviolable rock, I the corner stone, which conjoin both
into one ; nevertheless thou also art a rock, because thou receivest
solidity through virtue from me ; so that whatsoever things are
proper to me in regard to my power, are, by participation, com
mon to thee with myself. ' And upon this rock wiU I build my
church, and the gates of hell shaU not prevah against it.' Upon
the strength of this rock wiU I build my eternal temple ; and in
the firmness of this faith shall rise the loftiness of my church,
whose top shaU reach unto heaven, coelo inferenda sublimitas."
Hence likewise in the Appendix to Sermon 14, Ln Ca
thedra Petri, vol. L, p. 436, it is observed, —
" ' Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I bmld my church
and the gates of heU shaU not prevah against it ; and I whl give
unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' This is he who
heard the words ; ' Whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall
be bound in the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon
earth shall be loosed in the heavens.' "
" He therefore in his preaching ought not to be contemned
by man, who merited from the Creator and Redeemer of man
the honor and privilege of so great a dignity. It is a terrible
thing that his (Peter's) counsel should be despised, to whose
power both heaven and earth are subject. Who shutteth and
openeth heaven, who binds and looses on earth at his own dis
cretion. For thus is the chair of ecclesiastical primacy entrusted
to him by divine authority, in order that it may be founded in
perpetual stabhity."
For this reason it is that the head of the church at
Rome wears a triple crown, to signify his power over hea
ven, earth, and hell.
Count de Maistre, on the Pope, p. 28 ; —
" St. Leo, faithful depository of the same maxims, declares
that all the gifts of Jesus Christ have only reached the bishops

VERSE V.] SEVENTH VIAL  " REACHED UNTO HEAVEN." 223
through Peter ... in order that from him, as from the head, all
divine gifts should be diffused through the whole body."
Ibid., p. 10 ;—
" We know that the gates of heU shaU not prevaU against the
church. But why ? Because of Peter on whom she is bunt.
Remove this foundation, how should she be infallible ; since she
would no longer exist ? To be any thing whatever it is necessary,
if I mistake not, to be."
Ibid., p. 320 ;—
" The Sovereign Pontiff is the necessary, the only, the ex
clusive basis of Christianity. To him belong the promises ; with
him disappears unity, in other words the church."
Ibid., St. Theodore Studites to Pope Leo IIL, p. 48 ; —
" O, thou supreme pastor of the church that is under heaven,
aid us in the utmost danger ; fiU the place of Jesus Christ."
Cornelius A Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, iv., p. 86 ; —
" The Cardinals represent these twenty-four elders, and con
sequently their thrones ; the throne and the whole apparatus
mentioned in this chapter beautifuUy represents the chapel of
the Pope, in which is seen an image of the heavenly Jerusalem ;
the one seeming to be aptly taken from the other. For the Pope,
being as it were the Vicar of God, represents God; and the seven
primitive deacons, the seven spirits standing before God; the
cardinals, the twenty-four elders. The Lamb, Christ who is
offered in the mass ; the sealed book, the book of the Gospels.
Lastly, the patriarchs and mitred bishops robed in their pon
tificals, the penitentiaries, canons, the whole array and mag
nificence of prelates, priests, and. ministers : as also the celestial
music ; represent the innumerable glorious multitude of angels
and saints who are perpetuaUy jubilating and hymning before
God. In like manner the seven bishops of Asia, subject to
St. John, represent the seven cardinal bishops subject to the
Pontiff. The seven churches of Asia are adumbrated in the
seven churches of Rome, which are celebrated for their architec
ture, for indulgences, and for pUgrimages thither by the whole
world ; pUgrimages which both Romans and foreigners frequently
make, and there suppliantly implore the assistance of the martyrs

224 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
and saints who lie buried there in innumerable multitudes. Many
more such illustrations might be quoted ; so that the ceremonies
and magnificence of the Church of Rome appear to be taken from
and to be expressed by, the Apocalypse. Whence St. Fulgentius,
beholding and admmng it, worthily exclaimed, ' If the earthly
Rome be so resplendent, how resplendent must be the heavenly
Jerusalem !' "
Alcasar, Notatio ii., Apocalypse, chap. iv. ; —
"We ought to foUow Rupertus, who in Isaiah by the title
of Seraphim understands the apostles. I add, however, that
to this number are to be referred not only the apostles, but
likewise those apostolic men who are the emulators of their
primaeval perfection and holiness ; as we have already observed
concerning the Cherubim of Solomon and the Living Creatures
of John. I myself, however, am entirely of opinion that this
is the hteral exposition of Isaiah ; to which Dionysius somewhat
assents in his Treatise on the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, chap, iv.,
p. 3, where he says, that the Seraphim are the priests who
surround the Pope ; although he seems to have said this not as
setting forth the hteral meaning, but in the way of apphcation.
For the Person sitting on the throne he applies to the Pope ; and
says that this Person is covered round about with the twelve
wings ofthe Seraphim, that is, with the priests who stand around
the Pope." Alcasar on chap, xix., 10 ; —
" To be the Vicar of Christ is in some measure to be Christ
himself, as being he who represents Christ."*
* In Apoc, chap, i., ver. 15, where Christ is represented as walking amidst the
seven golden candlesticks, A Lapide observes, p. 26 ; —
' ' The Roman Pontiff makes allusion to this passage and represents this circum
stance, when in the solemn celebration of the service, he alone has around him at
the altar seven candlesticks ; a distinction conceded to no other bishop ; for he is the
Vicar of Christ who here appeared to John among the seven candlesticks as Supreme
Pontiff and Governor of the seven, that is, of all the bishops and churches, as well
of Greece as ofthe whole world."
" In Apoc. vi., 2, on the words ' I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat
on him had a bow,' A Lapide says, that this horseman was Christ, and observes,
p. 119 —
" On the greatest of all the festival days at Rome, in which the newly-elected

VERSE V.J SEVENTH VIAL  " REACHED UNTO HEAVEN." 225
Ibid., part ii., chap, iv., ver. 7, 8, p. 262 ; —
" Our exposition therefore is, that the Four mystical Animals
seen by John are a symbol of the apostles, and of those who
succeeded them, i. e., of the bishops of the Christian church ; on
whom is incumbent the preaching of the Gospel as their own
peculiar function. And although the vision described in this
chapter appeared in heaven, still its signification does not figure
out the church triumphant in heaven, but the church militant
upon earth ; which by reason of the exceUency and height to
which it was advanced by God, appeared aloft in heaven ; as we
have observed in the beginning of this chapter."*
Ibid., chap, iv., notat. vi., p. 246 ; —
" Let us now pass on to the thrones of the twenty-four elders.
Pontiff is conducted to the Lateran to take possession of the Pontificate, amid the gene
ral plaudits of the city and the world ; all the ecclesiastical dignitaries are wont to
accompany him on white horses. And this custom perhaps, as likewise many others,
is taken from this passage in the Apocalypse ; in order to represent this white horse,
the sitter upon which is Christ, whose vicar and successor is the new Pontiff."
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap. iv. ; —
" The Pope is as it were the sun of the world, at whose eclipse all beholders are
struck with fear."
* Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, iv., p. 53 ; —
" So we read in the Lives of the Saints, that to illustrious saints such as St.
Francisca of Rome, strenuously progressing in heroic virtues, are assigned for their
guardianship the more illustrious angels. This is the more true in the case of Prelates
aud Princes ; who frequently, for the guardianship both of themselves and of their
church or commonwealth, have not an angel but an archangel, or one from the su
perior order. Whence he said that he had, as a guardian, not a doctoral but an
episcopal angel," (or not such an angel as attends an ordinary doctor, but such a one
as attends upon a bishop).
A Lapide on Rev. iii., 8, p. 62 ; —
" 'They shall worship at thy feet.' By which is signified the consummate devo
tion, reverence, and submission of the faithful toward the church and its prelates.
For this adoration proceeds from an apprehension of the excellency of prelates, which
is more than human and less than divine. . . . Chrysostom in his Fifty-ninth Homily,
addressed to the people of Antioch, admonishes them to approach the monies, and to
avert their displeasure by kissing their feet. ' Approach,' says he, ' and touch those
holy feet ; for much better is it to touch the feet of these than the head of others!
For tell me now ; if there are those who embrace the feet of statues, only because
they present an image of royalty ; shall you be acquitted who embrace not him by the
feet who has Christ within him ? Holy are feet, albeit vile they be. Of the defiled
not even the head is to be venerated. For the feet of saints have been able to effect
great things ; wherefore also they are avenged when they shake off the dust from their
feet.' The same thing did Isaiah foretell, chap. xlix. , 22 ; ' Kings shall be thy nursing
VOL. IV. Q

226 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
And first no one can deny that to express the surpassing dignity
which Christ the Lord has imparted to the priests ofthe church,
and to explain the power of absolving men from sin and of
consecrating the most holy body and blood of Christ ; the pre
sent is a wonderful symbol, in which thrones are given to them
before the infinite God."
Again, Commentary ii., p. 242 ; —
" Of Christian priests is truly affirmed that which is expressed
in the vision of John ; namely, that they sit upon thrones before
the Most High. For theirs is the power of consecrating the most
holy body of Christ, and of absolving men from their sins ; and
this it is to have a throne in heaven ; namely, a divine authority
much more sublime than the very Seraphim themselves possess, and
one which is most especially proper to God. Wherefore most
truly are those words of the Psalm applied to them, ' I have said
ye are Gods and ye are all the sons of the Most High,' Psalm
lxxxi., 6."
" However great be the dignity and majesty of priests, it is
however certain that in the church there is a degree yet higher
and in more intimate conjunction with God ; viz., the dignity of
apostles and bishops, who are truly and peculiarly bound by their
office to promulgate the Gospel. This dignity, therefore, of the
apostles and bishops is figured forth by the Four Animals ; and
these Four Animals are placed between God and the elders ; and
are consequently more intimately conjoined to God than are the
elders themselves. Moreover in the divine praises which are
sung to God, the Animals precede, leading as it were the chorus."
Ibid., p. 243 ;—
" Lastly, consider that no dignity can be found which is to
be compared with the priestly dignity of the Christian church ;
as also that the chief and principal thing in the dignity of the
Bishops and the supreme Pontiff is the sacerdotal power. And
most suitably to this signification does it occur, that in the sight
of God are given them seats and thrones. EspeciaUy since the
fathers, and Queens thy nursing mothers. They shall bow down to thee with their
face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet.' "
Alcasar interprets the Seraphim full of eyes to denote the watchfulness and cir
cumspection of bishops, who ought to be full of eyes ; and the veiling of the faces of
the Seraphim, to signify the modesty and shamefacedness of bishops.

VERSE' V.] SEVENTH VIAL  "REACHED UNTO HEAVEN." 227
glory and majesty of God himself shines forth in a wonderful
manner in this excellency and loftiness of priests. For which pur
pose consider those words of Isaiah xxiv., 23 ; ' Then the moon
shaU be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts
shah reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his an
cients gloriously.' Where the same is predicated of ancients as
of elders ; for the Hebrew language has no comparatives. For
the sun and moon to blush, is for their glory and splendor to be
entirely overcome and obscured by this splendid achievement and
surpassing glory of God ; namely, in that he has most libe
rally placed this admirable height of splendor and exceUency
among men," i. e., the priests.
St. Bernard's Works, vol. ii., p. 739 ; —
" Ye especially who are round about the Lord, and who in
his sight bring gifts and offer them ; not of corruptible gold and
silver but of the precious blood and body of the immaculate Lamb;
How great is the dignity which God hath conferred upon you !
How great the prerogative of your order ! God hath preferred
you before kings and emperors ; he hath preferred your order
before aU orders ; nay, to speak more loftUy, he hath preferred
you before angels and archangels, thrones and dominations. For
as he chose not angels but the seed of Abraham to accomphsh re
demption, so he committed not to angels but to men and to priests
alone the consecration of the body and the blood of the Lord.
' Are they not aU ministering spirits sent forth to minister for
them who shaU be heirs of salvation,' Heb. i., 11 ? as saith the
Apostle. But/ar more excellent is your office, which is admirable
not only in your own eyes but in that of angels."
Pihemish Testament, John xx., 23, p. 322 ; —
" And it is a world to see, how the heretics wrestle with this
so plain a commission of remitting sins, referring it to preaching,
to denouncing God's threats upon sinners, and to we cannot tell
what else, though to our Enghsh Protestants this authority
seemeth so clear, that in their Order of Visiting the Sick, their
ministers acknowledge and challenge the same ; using a formal
absolution according to the churches' order, after the special con
fession of the party. But to conclude the matter, let every one
that list to see the true meaning of Christ's words, and the priests'

228 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
great power and dignity given them by the same words and other,
mark weU these words of St. Chrysostome. 'For,' saith he,
' they that dweU on the earth, and converse in it, to them is
commission given to dispense those things that are in heaven ; to
them is it given to have the power which God would not to be
given neither to angels nor archangels ; for neither to them was
it said, ' Whatsoever you shall bind in earth, shaU be bound in
heaven ; and whatsoever you shaU loose in earth, shall be loosed
in heaven.' The earthly Princes indeed have also power to bind,
but the bodies only : but that bond of priests which I speak of,
toucheth the very soul itself, and reacheth even to the hea
vens : insomuch, that whatsoever the priests shall do beneath,
the setf-same God doth ratify above, and the sentence of the
servants of the Lord doth confirm ; for indeed what else is this,
than that the power of aU heavenly things is granted them of God?
' Whose sins soever' (saith he) ' you shall retain, they are re
tained.' What power (I beseech you) can be greater than this
one ? The Father gave aU power to the Son : but I see the same
power altogether delivered by the Son unto them."
Cornelius a Lapide, Proverbs xxiii., 2, p. 234 ; —
" Christ hath conceded the power of consecrating and making
the Eucharist, not to one man, not to ten, not to a hundred, but
to many thousands ; and thus to aU the priests, even the impure,
adulterers, homicides, blasphemers, schismatics, and villains;
nor has he taken it from them on account of any outrageous-
ness of iniquity ; and he has been willing to suffer this indig
nity for our advantage, in order that he might every where and
always, by this divine sacrifice and food of life eternal, abun
dantly supply our wants, even through the medium of unworthy
priests ; and that we might not be deprived of so great a good
by their wickedness."
We are thus taught by the magicians, diviners, and
sorcerers of Babylon ; that impure men, adulterers, homi
cides, blasphemers, schismatics, and villains are endowed
with a power greater than that of angels or archangels,
cherubim or seraphim; that to them are committed the
keys of heaven and hell, as in the case of absolution, and
the power also of making the glorified body of Christ.

VERSE v.] SEVENTH VIAL— "reached UNTO HEAVEN." 229
Further ; we have seen it stated by Leo the Great, that
he possessed, as the Head of the church and by participation,
the power of Christ ; and that as such he was the head of
a church whose top reached unto heaven. According to
Count de Maistre, the Sovereign Pontiff is " the necessary,
the only, the exclusive basis of Christianity." According
to A Lapide, " the Pope, as being the vicar of God, repre
sents God." According to Dionysius, the Person sitting
on the throne in Bev. iv. is the Pope. According to Alca
sar, the " Pope as the vicar of Christ is in a manner Christ
himself;" " the priests of the church have a power more
sublime than the very seraphim themselves and one which
is especially proper to God ;" and St. Bernard says, that
their order is " preferred before angels, archangels, thrones,
and dominations." According to the Rhemish Testament,
" unto priests is given a power which God would not give
to angels nor archangels ;" hence the triple crown of the
Pope to signify his dominion over heaven, earth, and hell.
The Roman writers who sanction these claims (such
as Suarez, Cornelius a Lapide, Ribera, and others) seem
at a loss to find a hiding place, corner, or cavern in the
wilderness in which this Roman Almighty, exercising su
premacy over heaven, earth, and hell, with his seraphic
and cherubic company of priests, can find shelter from the
plagues, and mourning, and death which come upon Baby
lon. According to these authors both the Papal supremacy
and the priestly power begin with a climax and end in a
bathos. " Thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides
of the pit ;" for this is applied by Roman interpreters to
Babylon. Ribera, A Lapide, and other Roman Catholic
writers, conceive it possible that the very Pope himself may
literally become an outcast like Nebuchadnezzar ; a fugitive
and a vagabond upon the face of the earth.*
* The necessary result of interpreting the narrative in a literal sense. We have
adopted the spiritual ; and therefore need not accept the merely literal interpretation.

230 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 6 ; —
" ' Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double
unto her double according to her works ; in the cup which
she hath mixed, mix unto her double/ signifies, just retri
bution and punishment after death, when the evils and
falses by which they have seduced and destroyed others
will return upon themselves according to their quantity and
quality." Ibid., art. 762 ;—
" It is according to the literal sense that they, whom
they had seduced and destroyed, were to reward them ;
but, according to the spiritual sense, they were to reward
themselves ; because every evil carries its own punishment
along with it. This is similar to what is said in many
parts of the Word, that God will recompense and take
vengeance upon the injustice and injuries done to Him ;
and from anger and wrath will destroy them ; when never
theless the evils themselves which they have committed
against God do this ; consequently they do it to themselves ;
for this is the law of retaliation which derives its origin
from the following divine law ; ' All things whatsoever ye
would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them ;
for this is the law and the prophets,' Matt, vii., 12 ; Luke
vi., 31. This law in heaven is the law of mutual love or
charity ; whence there exists what is opposite in hell, in
that there happens to every one that which he would do to
another. Not that they who are in heaven do it, but they
who are in hell do it to themselves ; for the retribution of
retaliation exists from the opposition to that law of life in
heaven, as an inherent thing in their evils."
' Double unto her double' has reference to evils and
falses. The retribution is upon the principles mentioned
above, and also in chap, xvi., 6.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 7 ; 
" ' How much she hath glorified herself, and lived de-

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " I SIT A QUEEN." 231
liciously, so much torment and sorrow give her,' signifies,
that in proportion to their elatedness of heart from domi
nion, and according to their exaltation of mind and body
resulting from riches, so they experience internal grief after
death in consequence of falling from power and becoming
contemptible, and of being reduced to indigence and
misery." Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 706 ; —
" To glorify herself is proudly to boast and extol herself; and
to wish to be thought greater than aU others. As if it should be
said ; you have seen that she boasts and magnifies herself most
proudly, and that she is worshipped by ah others," &e.
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 256 ; —
"To glorify herself is proudly to boast, and extol herself,
and to wish to be thought greater than ah."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 487 ; —
" The distinguishing characteristic of her guUt, as also of her
unbounded sin, is her pride; because she does not sin and
commit fornication in any ordinary manner, but in her sins and
fornications boasts or glorifies herself. ... It is therefore by
reason of her pride (that her punishments come upon her), be
cause this harlot sins not in an ordinary manner ; but sins in
priding herself, and in her sinning prides herself and exults
that unlike the city of God, which is only a stranger in the
world, she is not a widow, since she is a harlot, and many kings
commit fornication with her ; as if this were the legitimate ma
trimony of a blessed, powerful, and reigning Queen."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 7 ; —
" ' For she saith in her heart, I sit a Queen, and am
no widow, and shall see no sorrow,' signifies, that these
things befall them, because from elatedness of heart, over-
dominion, and exultation of mind over riches, they are in
full trust and confidence that they shall reign for ever, and
be their own protectors, and that they can never be de
prived of their power and possessions."
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 256 ; —

232 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
" The words of John are not to be so understood as if they
were said by Borne at the time he was bring ; but they are to be
understood of the last time, of which the narrative is now treat
ing, when the saints are commanded to go out that they may
not be punished together with it. From which it is manifest
that at that time great wiU be the power of Bome, and that
many are the cities or provinces even over which she will rule.
She saith in her heart, as if she dared not speak openly lest she
should appear proud or procure to herself the envy of the pow
erful, ' I sit a Queen,' that is, I have great power, I command
many." So also Tirinus.
Viegas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 837 ; —
" The pride of Babylon is expressed on account of the pros
perity of her empire; for she boasts herself that she sits as
the Queen of the world ; and that all the Princes and Kings of
the world are in obedience to her ; and that she is not a widow,
i. e., that she enjoys dominion, splendor, and riches ; the sirmli-
tude being taken from a widow who sits in a state of grief de
prived of her husband. Whence in Lamentations, chap, i., over
the destruction and subversion of the city of Jerusalem, ' How
doth the city sit solitary,' &c."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii.,
p. 917;— " I sit a Queen ; I possess a great empire ; I rule over many
(Concordia) . I sit on a throne of such stabhity, that from this
throne of my kingdom no one is able to move me. . . . Instead
of Christ as her spouse she had a multitude of demons (Gagneus) .
. . These are words of boasting with which she glorified her
self." Menochius.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Beeause she saith in her heart, ' I sit a Queen,' i. e., I am
placed in honor and dignity, even as a Queen sitteth in glory
and honor ; ' and I am no Widow,' ... as the church hath her
own husband, i. e., Christ ; as saith the apostle, ' I have espoused
you unto one husband to present you to Christ as a chaste •sir-
gin ;' so the harlot, that is, the city of the wicked, is adjoined
to one man in adulterous intercourse, i. e., the devil, &c. Other-

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "i SIT A QUEEN." 233
wise : the souls of the elect have their own husband, that is,
spiritual understanding, by which they are directed to eternal
salvation ; so that by the exercise of an interior discrimination
they are led to look down on all earthly things, and to covet the
things which are above. On the other hand; the harlot, with
an erroneous understanding, while bending her course in a direc
tion leading to perdition, is nevertheless boasting that by a spiri
tual understanding she is setting in order the inmost affections
of her heart. . . . Moreover, the wicked possess not a rational but
an erroneous understanding as their husband. Hence it is that
the Lord said to the Samaritan woman; fThou hast had five hus
bands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.' As if
he should say ; thou hast no rational understanding, but error
has dominion over thee. When therefore the wicked city is
without rational understanding, she supposes indeed by a false
estimation, that she possesses a husband, saying ; I am no widow,
because I possess intelligence of mind ; and I shaU see no sorrow ;
for, supported as it were by inteUigence and virtue, I shaU con
tinue in joy."
That the interpretation here given applies rather to a
church than a city, is obvious.
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
"The soul of every elect person is no widow, but sitteth as
a Queen ; because she is directed to eternal things by a spiritual
understanding as by a husband; so that by the exercise of an
interior discrimination she is led to despise earthly things, and
to covet the things which are above. On the other hand,
the impudent handmaid, when taking to the error which
threatens her with destruction, boasts that she is enabled to
order her inward thoughts by a spiritual understanding. ... To
whom it is said by the Lord through the prophet, ' Come down !
and sit in the dust, 0 virgin daughter of Babylon ! there is no
throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans ! for thou shalt no more
be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind
meal ; uncover thy locks ; make bare the leg ; uncover the thigh,'
&c. As if he should say to her openly ; inasmuch as thou seekest
not the things which are above with a spiritual understanding,
come down, in this thy state of error, to the drudgery of a hand-

234 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
maid, i. e., to seek after earthly things. ... Sit in the dust ; for
coming down thus she does sit in the dust ; because after the loss
of a discriminating judgment, she seeks not with a spiritual under
standing the things which are above ; but, being sprinkled with
the dust of earthly thoughts, pines away in the midst of the
lowest desires."
Bossuet, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' She saith in her heart, I am a Queen.' This is that which
Isaiah makes Babylon say ; ' I shaU reign for ever ;' ' I am and
there is none beside me upon earth ;' and, ' I shaU never see
affliction,' Is. xlvh., 7, 8. Bome vaunted, after her example, of
the eternity of her empire ; and one of the blasphemies with
which the holy fathers reproached her, was that of being caUed
' The Eternal City,' " &c.
Calmet, Isaiah, chap, xlvii., 8 ; —
" ' I am, and there is none beside me.' I am Sovereign ; and
after me there is none other. There is neither city nor empire
which can contest with me the empire. I am the first city in
the world ! and there shall never be any other equal to me. An
insolent discourse ; sure presage of approaching ruin ! Pride is
uplifted before a faU."
So again, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
..." She has said, I am upon my throne as a Queen. St.
John makes an ahusion to Isaiah xlvh., 8, and Zeph. ii., 15.
That which at another time was said of Babylon admirably veri
fies itseh in Bome. She has said, I shall reign for ever. It
was said by the Bomans that one of the first prerogatives which
the destinies had given to Bome, was eternity. . . . Ammianus
MarceUinus eaUs Bome eternal ; and Virgil says, ' I have given
to her empire without end.' TertuUian, Lactantius, and some
others have seemed to suppose the same thing ; when they have
said that the world would not come to an end tiU the destruction
of Bome was seen."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii., p. 709 ; —
" ' I sit,' says she, ' a Queen ;' that is, I have a great empire
and rule over many. ' And am no widow.' A city is called a
widow when it is deprived of its empire, and of the throng and
multitude of its citizens. Lamentations i. ; ' How does the city

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " I SIT A QUEEN." 235
sit sohtary that was full of people ; the mistress of the nations
is made as it were a widow.' ' And I shall see no sorrow ;' no
thing calamitous wiU befaU me ; no one wUl do me harm. More
over this confusion of the world especiaUy says, I sit as a Queen.
Beigning, namely, in the minds of the wicked, whom she by
her impious and false doctrine has deceived. I am no widow,
that is, in the place of my spouse and husband, I have always
a lover ; not one or another, but the whole assembly of the
wicked. For in hke manner as faithful lovers wUl never be
wanting to the Catholic church, so neither wUl they be wanting
to this congregation of Satan. ' And I shall see no sorrow ;'
this coUection of wicked men promises to itself security; but
how empty and vain this confidence is, the evangelist very evi
dently shews in the words foUowing."
Ibid., p. 708 ;—
" ' These two things shall suddenly come upon thee in one
day, barrenness and widowhood.' But the words of John are
not to be understood as though they were said by Babylon, that
is, by Bome, at the time he was Uving ; but they are to be here
understood of the last time, of which the narrative is now treat
ing ; since the saints are commanded to go out of it, that they
may not be punished together with it."
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" In these words there is a manifest aUusion to Isaiah xlvh.,
concerning Babylon ; ' Thou sayest in thine heart, I am, and there
is none else beside me;' ' I shaU not sit as a widow, neither shall I
know barrenness.' ' These two things shah suddenly come upon
thee in one day, barrenness and widowhood." In these words
are signified the vanity, pride, and confidence of Pagan Bome ;
which thought that widowhood could never happen to it," &c.
Alvarez, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Babylon says, ' I am, and none other shaU reign beside
me ; I shaU not be a widow or barren, but populous and wealthy ;
I shall always preserve the tyranny of my kingdom ; I shaU give
laws to ah nations ; aU kings shall pay me tribute ; there is none
that shaU contend in dignity with me.' "
" ' These two things shah suddenly come in one day, barren
ness and widowhood ;' barrenness, because thou shalt be deprived

236 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
of thy sons ; widowhood, because thy king shall be slain ; and
this shaU be done suddenly ; for Babylon perished in the midst
of a feast, Balthazar being put to death ; and, what was still
more remarkable, this happened to Babylon immediately, in
which nevertheless there was a multitude of augurs ; who were
so far from being able to predict any such thing, that rather
they had been the cause of all the obduracy and blindness of Baby
lon ; inasmuch as by their lies they demented the citizens and the
King, and exhorted them to afflict the people of Israel ; as is evi
dent from the prophecy of Daniel ; from which you may coUect
what machinations the Babylonians devised against the ministers
of God and his servants who were in captivity through the counsel
of the enchanters. This is the wisdom and knowledge which de
ceived Babylon ; this the reward of its deceitful knowledge; which
inflates, hardens, blinds, and plainly denies God," &c.
Tirinus, Isaiah, chap, xlvii., 9 ; —
" ' These two plagues shaU come upon thee in one day, i. e.,
barrenness and widowhood ;' for thou shalt be deprived of thy
sons, i. e., of thy citizens ; and at the same time of thy husband,
namely, the King and his royal dignity ; for the King is both the
guardian and protector of the state, as also its spouse and hus
band ; say Cyril, Vatablus, and Forerius."
" Thy wisdom and thy knowledge with which thou thoughtest
thou hadst admirably provided thysetf ; especially thy judiciary
astrology, for which Chaldea was celebrated throughout the
world, this hath deceived thee."
Cardinal Hugo, Isaiah, chap, xlvii. ; —
" Who sayest in thy heart, as if not believing that any one
could do thee harm, I am Mistress of the world, and there is
none other beside me ; no other city which shaU reign. ' I shall
not sit a widow ;' that is, I shall not be without the King. . . . Thy
wisdom, that is, thy wise men, i. e., sorcerers, magicians, and
augurs, and thy knowledge, i. e., divination and inspection of the
stars, this hath deceived thee; because they told thee not to
care for the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah."
Ibid., Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Because she saith in her heart, priding herself; I sit as a

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " I SIT A QUEEN." 237
Queen in tranquillity and great peace, or I have no fear of being
moved from honor and dignity. . . . ' I shaU not see grief,' i. e.,
the future damnation with which the disciples of Christ threaten
me.' . . . For sometimes the wicked are so blinded by their
deserts, that they have no fear of being despoUed of prosperity,
nor afflicted by adversity."
Jerome observes on Isaiah xlvii., 12, that " Babylon and
all Chaldea had a school of enchanters, augurs, soothsayers,
prognosticators, &c, whom we call aruspices; as the read
ing of the prophet Daniel proves ; who mentions that the
Babylonian kings did everything according to their counsel."
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah, chap, xlvii. ; —
" ' I am, and there is none other beside me.' In the whole
world there is nothing of opulence, beauty, nobility, splendor,
and glory which is not in me ; there is nothing that any one can
desire in the world when he sees me : in me is the sum of all
beauty, felicity, opulence, delight, power, and glory. To say
this certainly is the part of God alone. Wherefore rashly does
the creature arrogate this to himself, and justly does he deserve
to be deprived of all and to be cut off. So says Forerius."
" Secondly, Sanchez is of opinion that Babylon here eaUs her
self and presents herself as a goddess. For so does God every
where say of himself, ' I am the Lord, and there is none beside
me,' chap, xliii., 11 ; xliv., 6; xiv., 5 ; xlvi., 9; alluding to Nebu
chadnezzar, who, in the golden statue wished himself to be adored
as God, Dan. hi., 1 ; also to Balthasar, who exclaimed, (Isa. xiv.
23), 'I will climb up into heaven, and I wUl be hke the Most
High.' So was Rome called by the Genthes the Goddess of the
earth and of the nations. And so is Babylon described in Apoc.
xvii., 4."
" The adulatory enchanters of Babylon, promising to her a
perpetual and invincible empire, nursed her in her arrogance and
tyranny ; confirmed her and made her so obdurate, that there
was nothing she did not dare ; fearing neither kings nor God. So
Haymo. Obduracy I here understand not actively, but passively ;
with which the enchanters hardened the Babylonians by their
false oracles."
Suarez, Defence of the Catholic Faith, p. 342 ; —

238 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
" ' She saith in her heart, I sit a Queen, and am no widow,
and shah see no sorrow.' . . . With respect to these words of
Scripture, it is certain that they are spoken of the city of the
wicked, or of Bome, Pagan and proud, which boasted that it sat
as a Queen, that is, because it ruled over many kingdoms and
provinces, and was not a widow, because it was married to the
emperor and supreme lord over nations ; as, on the contrary,
Jeremiah deplored that Jerusalem the mistress of nations sat as
a widow. When however it is added, ' and I shall see no sor
row,' the error of the Gentiles is indicated, who thought that
Bome and its empire would be perpetual, as Jerome assures us
in Qusest. 11 to Algasia, where among other things he says that
the name of blasphemy written on the forehead of the harlot in
the Apocalypse was that of ' Eternal Rome.' And in much the
same manner it is generally explained by the fathers and doc
tors ; and therefore the Ulusion of Protestants upon this subject
is ridiculous and impious."
The illusion referred to is this ; that the words "I sit a
Queen " are to be ascribed not to the city of Pagan Rome,
but to the church of Christian Rome ; and it has been
shewn that this illusion is not peculiar to Protestants, whose
interpretations have been altogether excluded from these
two chapters ; but is adopted by Roman Catholic writers,
and harmonizes with the interpretations in which Babylon
is described as professing to be the spouse of Christ, that is
to say, his church. For to admit, as Suarez elsewhere does,
that Babylon signifies Bome in the time of Antichrist ; and
then in order to avoid the consequence, to make an excep
tion in favor of this passage, and say it refers to Rome in
the time of the heathen emperors ; is not only to expose the
inconsistency of the application and the obvious reasons of
it, but also directly to impugn those authorities of his own
Church who refer this passage as well as the rest of the
narrative to the times of Antichrist. Besides, we shall
soon see in the sequel how Malvenda takes up the argu
ment at this point ; and how, if the prophecy applies to the

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " I SIT A QUEEN." 239
Pagan city of Rome, it apphes for that very reason also to
the Church of Rome.
But even Suarez himself proceeds to undermine his own
argument; and to shew that these words of Babylon maybe
those of a Church professing to be the spouse of Christ ; for
he thus continues ; —
" EspeciaUy since in the true church of Christ, it is not pride
but faithful love to profess that she is the spouse of Christ ; since
Paul, Ephesians v., says, ' Husbands love your wives even as
Christ also loved the church.' And after explaining the simili
tude by these words, ' For this cause let a man leave his father
and mother, and cleave unto his wife,' he subjoins, ' This is a
great mystery, but I speak in Christ and the church.' Whence
inasmuch as Christ is King of Kings, what wonder is it that the
spouse should sit as Queen in a vesture of gold wrought about
with diverse colours ? For she boasts of so great a dignity not in
herself; but in the Lord, in virtue of his being espoused to her.
And for the same reason it is not from pride or vain presumption,
that she has no fear of seeing widowhood or sorrow; because
she has heard from her husband these words : ' And the gates
of heU shall not prevail against her,' Matt. xvi. ' And behold
I am with you always even to the consummation of the age.' "
It is clear from these remarks of Suarez, that the words
" I sit a Queen," may be justly regarded as the language
of a true church, declaring herself to be the spouse of Christ,
and as such arrayed in a regal vesture of gold. Now we
have already seen that this is the very character to which
Babylon pretends ; that is to say, the character of a true
church ; and accordingly she appears arrayed in a vesture
of gold ; but inasmuch as in her heart she is a harlot and
not a spouse, a faithless church and not a faithful one,
therefore that destiny awaits her which she believes never
can overtake her, because she believes she is a true church,
and declares that she is the faithful spouse of Christ.
In the foregoing interpretations we are taught that
Christ is the husband of the church ; that Babylon assumes

240 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XVIII.
to herself Christ as her husband ; that as such she claims
to herself the possession of an enlightened spiritual under
standing ; that being married to the King she is therefore
a Queen ; that she is the sovereign Mistress of the world ;
that she will reign as long as the world lasts, and that
her throne will never be removed; that she is the first
city in the world ; that she has no equal, no second ; that
in her is the sum of all beauty, opulence, delight, power,
and glory ; that these pretensions are the result of over
weening vanity, pride, and confidence ; of spiritual blind
ness superinduced by her augurs, enchanters, sorcerers, and
magi, by whose lies the Babylonians were fascinated, de
mented, and made obdurate in their convictions of eternal
security ; that this moral dementation was the prelude to
her eternal downfal ; that Babylon means Bome ,•* and that
these pretensions would especially prevail in the days of
Antichrist. Now that all that was said of old concerning the city of
Rome applies to the church of Rome, is shewn by Mal
venda in his laudations, encomiums, and glorifications of
the Church of Rome. Thus in his Treatise on Antichrist,
p. 210;— ..." Whatsoever has been hitherto mentioned by us, whether
it be the encomiums, or the forementioned oracles, concerning
the eternity, stability, amplitude, felicity, of the city of Bome and
its empire, so mightily celebrated by the heathens; we may
piously, wisely, and according to our just due, more truly and
preferably interpret concerning the most holy Church of Bome,
and its most sacred ecclesiastical dominion over the whole world ;
which will stand firm, eternal, the most ample and felicitous of
all, as long as the world and the present course of nature shall
endure. For, without being guilty of wrong, we may surmise,
* It may here be observed incidentally, that Rome in Hebrew signifies much
the same qualities with those pertaining to Babylon : thus oil signifies to be lifted up,
exalted, elevated, to exalt oneself proudly. See Gessenius' Heb. Lex.

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " I SIT A QUEEN." 241
that it was by the secret and powerful providence of God that, so
suited and arranged were the auguries concerning the eternity
and felicity of the city and empire of Bome, as to apply rather to
the Church of Bome and its ecclesiastical monarchy than to the
Pagan city and its idolatrous empire. Since it was at Bome that
Christ consecrated and fixed the seat of his empire, i. e., of his
church. This church he designed to be eternal, and immove
able ; the Head of aU the earth, the asylum and epitome of the
world, the home of the virtues, the throne of him who is the
chief and sovereign Pontiff of Christians and his own vicar upon
earth, the common country of aU Catholics . . . the fountain of all
doctrine and sanctity whence the whole world derives the decrees
of faith and reUgion, and its examples of life ; which, by the light
of the two great luminaries, Peter and Paul, by the blood that
has been shed of so many martyrs (nearly three hundred thou
sand are said to have fallen in Bome alone), hath made heaven
itself shine the more brightly with such mighty doctrine and
piety, hath gathered scattered empires into one, hath joined the
one fold over the whole world under one Shepherd, hath
brought together into the Christian religion the nations of all
the earth, and by faith compacted them into one body ; so that
most truly may these lines be sung of Bome, —
" En hujus Petri auspiciis ilia inclyta Roma,''
" Imperium terris, animos Bequabit Olympo."
From these remarks it appears that the characteristics
of the Pagan city of Rome, such as her calling herself the
Eternal City, the Queen of the world, the Sovereign Mis
tress, the sum of all beauty, nobility, splendor, and glory ;
in virtue of which she says, ' I am and there is none else
beside me ;' may all be transferred from the ancient city of
Rome to the modern church of Rome ; which is the prin
ciple upon which we have been proceeding ; and as it has
already been seen that city means church, so the application
and interpretation thus harmonize with each other.
That it is not a literal city but the church that is sig
nified by Babylon, is further seen from Suarez on the
Commentaries and Disputations of St. Thomas Aquinas,
VOL. IV. R

242 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
part hi., quaest. lix., art. vi., p. 662, where, speaking of the
departure from the faith in the latter times, he observes ; —
..." For such a departure there may be from the Roman
Pontiff and the Catholic church ; in whatever countries or people
it may take place ; and it may be so called as by antonomasia ;
because it is the church perhaps which will for the greatest part
fall away."
..." For at the time at which Antichrist will reign, not
only will the church be unable to be propagated, or the preach
ing of the Gospel to be carried into new countries ; but rather
even where the church wiU be, it (the church) wUl for the
greatest part fall away ; and the faithful who shall persevere, will
scarcely be able to make any pubhc profession of religious wor
ship; much less wUl they be sent to convert new provinces."
So again in his Defence of the Catholic Faith, p. 340 ; —
" For, as I have said above, although the church continue
faithful, it may become either very much depraved in morals ; or
sects may become multiphed in it, either of heretics or of
heathens, and in such great power and hberty of action that the
Pontiffs may not be able to repress them. And in such a state
it (the church) may be called Babylonia; by reason ofthe con
fusion which, in that state, cannot but prevail to the utmost
degree." Now, it is to be remembered that by Babylon Suarez
understands Rome in the latter days ; and it is clear from
the foregoing remarks that by Bome he does not under
stand the city of Rome, but the church of Rome. If
any one says that it is not the church that will fall away ;
but that it is others who will fall away from the church ; even
in this case, it is then a church in the latter days and not a
city that is meant by Babylon. And thus it is instructive
to observe how although the language of the church of Rome
is, ' I sit a Queen, and shall never be moved,' the force of
truth compels Suarez to acknowledge that the church of
Rome may fall away, maxima ex parte (see above) ; or even
omnino, (Defence of the Catholic Faith, p. 339 ;) for even the

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " NO WIUOW." 243
Pontiff himself is not be relied on, according to Suarez,
Cornelius a Lapide, and Ribera.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 8 ; —
" ' Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death,
and sorrow, and famine,' signifies, that therefore at the
time of the Last Judgment the punishment of the evils
they have committed shall return upon them ; namely, death,
which is infernal life ; and intestine grief, in consequence
of their faU from power; sorrow, which is internal grief
through being reduced from a state of opulence to want
and misery ; and famine, which is the deprivation of the
understanding of all truth."
It has been seen that by the husband is signified
Christ, or the Word ; or again spiritual understanding.
Now by a widow, says Swedenborg, is meant in the spi
ritual sense one who is in good and not in truth ; and this
agrees with the interpretation given above by Haymo and
Ambrose Ansbert. For to be without Christ as the hus
band, is to be without the Word ; hence without wisdom,
intelligence, or spiritual understanding. Therefore in say
ing that she shall never be a widow, she maintains that she
shall never be destitute of these endowments.
For the same reason she maintains in Isaiah xlvii., 9,
that she shall never know the loss of children. The signi
fication of child has already been partly explained in chap.
xii., 5, where we read of the woman clothed with the sun,
who brought forth a male child ; so that we have there a
true church bringing forth children, and here a false church
boasting of bringing forth children. The former woman
representing the New Jerusalem, the latter Babylon or the
Antichristian church.
Perrone, Theological Prelections, vol. ii., p. 758; —
" If the church always begets* new sons to Christ, nay,
* In the Apocalyptic sense, it is Christ the Word that begets, and the Church that
brings forth.
R2

24t SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
people and nations, by recalling them from the darkness of in
fidelity and error to the admirable light of the Gospel ; it must
necessarily be endowed with life and vigor. Moreover, that
Christ attributed to his spouse a fecundity of this kind that
should never faU, is shewn by his own words ; in which he com
manded the apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature,
and to teach and baptize all nations. So long therefore as na
tions remain to be converted, or to be recalled to Christ, so long
there remains an occasion for missionary exertion and fecundity
in the church. Now that all nations would at length be con
verted to Christ, the most clear and repeated prophecies of the
ancient prophets and of Christ himself announce. For, omitting
what we everywhere read in the Psalms concerning the future
conversion of aU nations, Isaiah, in chap, liv., thus addresses the
church ; ' Sing, O barren ! thou that didst not bear ! break forth
into singing, thou that didst not travail with chhdren,' &c. ;
which words the apostle, Gal. iv., 27, explains concerning the
church of Christ to be gathered out of the Gentiles. So else
where passim does the same prophet foretell the triumphs of the
church. Christ also, Matt, viii., 11, foretells that 'many would
come from the east and west, from the north and south,' &c. ;
and that his Gospel should be preached throughout the whole
world, Matt, xxvi., 13; Mark xiv., 9. Moreover the apostle
speaks of the fulness of the Gentiles to be converted to Christ,
Bom. xi., 25."
" If therefore the affluence of gifts with which Christ promised
to overwhelm his church ; if a perpetual fecundity in procreating
nations to Christ, with which the church is divinely endued, be
an irrefragable argument that it lives also by the same super
natural and divine life through its intimate union with Christ ;
it is evident that between the soul and the body of the church
there is that mutual intercourse which we have enounced ; by
which it is most certainly ascertained, that it lives continually in
a supernatural manner and by a supernatural action."
Such then being the note of a true church, it is ob
vious that Babylon the harlot claims to be in possession of
it ; for she maintains that she is not and never will be a
widow, and that she never will be destitute of children;
thus she claims to be that very church spoken of in the

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "DEATH." 245
Psalms, the ancient prophets, the gospel, &c, and hence to
be the mystical body to Christ who is the inner soul.
It here deserves to be noted, that when Babylon says
she is no widow, we are referred by Roman Catholic expo
sitors to the parallel words in Isaiah xlvii, and again to
Lamentations i. ; in which latter case city is interpreted to
signify a church. Thus —
Cornelius a Lapide, Lamentations, chap. L, 1 ; —
" ' How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people !
how is she become as if a widow ! she that was great among the
nations, and princess among the provinces ! how is she become
tributary !' Jerusalem became desolate as if a widow, &c. ... A
widow, because she is abandoned by God who was the husband
of the Synagogue ; say Bupertus, Buonaventura, and Dionysius ;
whence it is said, ' as if,' because her husband, namely, God,
was not dead but only repudiated her as an adulteress, and ex
posed her as a prey to the Chaldees."
"AUegorically; the Synagogue was a type of the Church.
This may now therefore be spoken of the church, which was
formerly in Asia, Greece, Egypt, Africa, England, HoUand,
Denmark, Sweden ; but is at present suffering under the yoke
of the Turk or of heresy. How doth the city sit sohtary !"
Cornelius a Lapide agrees that in the Apocalypse the
locality is Rome.
Cardinal Hugo, Lamentations, chap, i., 1 ; —
" AUegorically this city is the church. ' How is she become
as if a widow that was Mistress of the nations !' He says not a
widow, but as if a widow ; because her husband, that is, Christ,
is not dead ; but she is as it were dead to her husband," &c.
De Lyra, Lamentations, chap, i., 1 ; —
"Here begins the lamentation over the fall of Jerusalem
historically ; by which lamentation is signified the faU of Jeru
salem aUegoricaUy, which is the church militant. . . . Concern
ing the allegorical Jerusalem, which is the church militant, we
must know that it has considerably declined from its first per
fection among the prelates, the clergy, and also the religious ;
and in like manner among princes and the laity under them.

246 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
So also in modern times it has considerably faUen away in the
number of the faithful. For the whole of Africa, which was
formerly fuU of Christians, at least for the greater part, is now
inhabited and possessed by infidels. Greece is become schismatic,
and the entire Holy Land is trodden under foot of the Saracens.
It is said also that Armenia is become subject to them anew ;
not only in respect of tribute but also the reception of the Ma-
homedan law ; at least for a considerable part ; which is a sub
ject for great grief throughout the whole Christian world. For
with respect to the Christians which remain, although there are
many in number in the church, yet both in number and merit
they are comparatively smaU ; for which reason we must exclaim
with lamentation, ' How doth the city sit sohtary !' that is, the
church, which is called a city ; for in it there ought to be unity
among its citizens by a concord arising from love ; and now God
permitting, and the deril procuring, she is become sohtary
compared with the times that are past ; and is in a state of dis
solution through her mutual dissensions and wars."
So also the Glossa Interlinea.
Alvarez, Isaiah, chap. xlvh. ; —
. . . " ' Thou hast said, I shaU be always Mistress ;' that is, I
shaU always reign. Therefore hath thy pride cast thee down :
thou hast faUen, because thou hast not remembered thine end,
nor considered the things that are at last to befaU thee. Hence
coUect how profitable to the salvation of the soul is meditation
on its last things ; since Babylon feU because she remembered
them not. Whence also the wise man says, ' Bemember thy
last end, and thou shalt never sin.' And Moses ; ' O that they
were wise, that they understood this, and considered their last
end.' So at length Jeremiah ; ' The mire is on her feet, nor
did she remember her last end ;' that is, because Jerusalem did
not remember her end, therefore her filth, viz., her sins, is on
her feet ; that is, have continued in her even to the end of life,
which is designated by feet. . . . He therefore assigns two causes
of the subversion of Babylon ; the first is her unmercifulness ;
the second is pride and arrogance. God hates most especiaUy
the proud and those who confide in themselves : such as were
the Babylonians. Nor is it any wonder ; for pride is the foun
tain of unmercifulness, the origin of envy, and the root of all

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SORROW." 247
sins. WhUe wishing to be praised as the only one, she con
temns all others ; and while a proud person does not acknow
ledge his own frauty, he promises to himself an eternity of
existence. Babylon therefore says, ' I am, and no other shall
reign beside me ; I shall not be a widow or barren, but populous
and rich.' . . . Babylon had said in her heart, ' I shaU not sit a
widow, I shall not know sterility.' But the Lord says barren
ness and widowhood shaU come upon thee in one day ; that is,
at one time." See above, p. 236.
After observing that the augurs, diviners, enchanters,
&c, were unable to predict the fall of Babylon ; that they
themselves were the cause of ah its obduracy and blindness
(see above, p. 236), and that it was the wisdom and know
ledge of her wise men by which she was deceived, ' Thy
wisdom and thy knowledge it hath perverted thee,' Isaiah
xlvii., 10 ; Alvarez thus continues ; —
" Then foUows : ' eril shall come upon thee, and thou shalt
not know whence it cometh, and calamity shall come upon thee
whieh thou shalt not be able to expiate.' He more clearly ex
plains how sudden would be the destruction of Babylon ; how
vain, lying, and powerless were her sorcerers and enchanters ;
how foohsh their counsels ; since they were unable to take any
precaution or foresee the eril impending over the city."
Brixianus, art. Augur ari, in a good sense ; —
" The knowledge of Joseph in divining, is the knowledge of
Christ in exercising augury from out of tlie Word."
See also the Glossa Ordinaria, Cardinal Hugo in loe,
Suarez, De Virtute, p. 371.
Cardinal Hugo on Isaiah xlvii., 12 ; ' Stand now with
thine enchantments and with the multitude of thy sorceries,
&c. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.
Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prog-
nosticators, stand up and save thee from these things that
shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble ;
the fire shall burn them,' &c. ; —
" The Augurs of heaven are theologians ; who contemplate
the stars, i. e., the things which are above. . . . They are become

248 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
as stubble ; because they were wicked prelates, vain theologians,
and false advocates."
Lauretus, art. Divinare ,• —
" Diviners are likewise heretics and teachers of false doctrine ;
and the prophets divine for money, when heretics seek gain from
perverse doctrine." Jerome.
" The Diviners of Palestine may be said to be preachers,
having a knowledge of divine things, whom those below them
consult." B. Gregory.
Ibid., art. Lncantatores, in an evil sense ; —
" The enchantments of the Egyptians are the deceits of phi
losophers ; and Enchanters are phUosophers and heretics, who in
their words endeavor to demonstrate that to be false which is
true." De Lyra.
Ibid., art. Magi ; —
" The Magi of Pharaoh designate Sophists, who adduce false
reasons which are similar to the true, in order to deceive."
Philo. It seems then to have been a principal fault in Babylon
that she refused to consider her latter end ; and this be
cause she would not believe that she should come to an
end ; and the cause of this was to be found in the augurs,
diviners, enchanters, and magi, who nursed the people in a
spirit of self-confidence, pride, and self-complacency ; hence
in ideas of security and peace. The augurs, it seems, are
prelates, vain theologians, and false advocates. Diviners
are preachers and teachers of false doctrine. Enchanters
are those who endeavor to shew that to be false which is
true. The magi are sophists ! In the present chapter, how
ever, we have quoted certain honorable exceptions to this
account of them ; for it has been seen that some are not
satisfied with the felicitous things which have been pro
phesied by the rest upon this subject. Besides which we
are now examining into the auguries, divinations, and
enchantments of those who extol the unity, catholicity,

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " FIRE." 249
stability, or indefectibility of Babylon ; and we find on
comparing the different parts of the evidence adduced, that
it compels us to come to that very conclusion which is so
unacceptable to many, we mean, that a city signifies a
church, and hence that the city of Babylon means the
Church of Rome ; for that Babylon means Rome, the au
gurs, diviners, &c, agree. Indeed if Babylon could in any
way be made to signify the city of Canterbury, Edinburgh,
or Geneva; would not the enchanters, magi, and others
very justly enforce, out of all the ancient and modern writers,
the undeniable testimony that a city means a church ; that
it is always so interpreted in other parts of the Apocalypse ;
and therefore that the city of Geneva, Canterbury, Edin
burgh, &c, signified the church of Geneva, England, and
Scotland ? And further ; is not this the very interpretation
given by Cornelius a Lapide, when he thinks he can so
apply it ?
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 8 ; —
" ' And she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong
is the Lord God who judgeth her,' signifies, that they will
entertain hatred against the Lord and against his heaven
and church, because they will then see that the Lord alone
governs and reigns over all things in heaven and earth ;
and not any man in the least degree from himself."
The symbol fire, as we have seen, has already very fre
quently occurred. Thus we read in chapters —
i., 14. ' His eyes were as a flame of fire.'
' His feet were as if they burned in a furnace.'
' Gold tried in the fire.'
' Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne.'
' The angel fiUed the censer with fire from the altar.'
' There followed hail and fire mingled with blood.'
' As it were a great mountain burning with fire.'
' Out of their mouths issued fire ;' see also xi., 5.
' The third part of men was killed by the fire.'

1., J

L5.

hi.,

18.

iv.,

5.

viii,

,, 5.

viii,

,,7.

viii,

,8.

ix.,

17.

ix.,

18.

250 spiritual exposition. [chap, xviii.
xiii., 13. ' He maketh fire to come down from heaven.'
xiv., 18. 'Another angel which had power over theire.'
xv., 2. ' I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire.'
xvi., 8. ' Power was given him to scorch men with fire!
In all these cases we have seen that in a good sense
fire signifies love, and in an evil sense, infernal hatred,
lusts, and concupiscences. In the present case Babylon is
utterly burned with this fire, i. e., with hatred produced by
these concupiscences, especiaUy those of dominion and self-
love ; and consequently with fury and indignation at being
deprived of her possessions, dominion, and power, &c. ; all
which passions are genuine infernal fire. This is the fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.
According to Swedenborg the reason why infernal fire
is hatred, is, because self-love hates ah ; for all who are in
that love burn with anger in proportion to the degree of
such love, and are full of hatred and revenge against those
who oppose it.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 9, 10 ; —
" ' And the kings of the earth, who have committed
whoredom and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her,
and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her
burning,' signifies, the interior grief of those who were in
superior dominion and its delights by means of the falsified
and adulterated truths of the Word which constitute the
holy things of the church, when they see those holy things
converted into such as are profane : ' standing afar off for
fear of her torment, saying, Alas ! alas ! that great city Ba
bylon, that mighty city ! for in one hour is thy judgment
come,' signifies, their fear of punishment and their grievous
lamentation that this rehgion, so strongly fortified, could
be subverted so suddenly and so totally, and they them
selves might perish."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, p. 919 ; —
" In one hour, that is, in a short time." De Lyra, Gagneus.

VERSE IX.] SEVENTH VIAL  " DELICIOUSLY." 251
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" I have said that Babylon, that is, the vanity of the world
or the Church of the wicked, erected itself against God ; saying,
' I sit as a Queen,' &c. . . . The husband of the soul is God ; but
whosoever committeth fornication with another, is conjoined
with that other in sin. Whence the vanity of the world at this
day (or the church of the wicked), draws over to the fruition of
the creature most especiahy princes and some of the Rulers of the
Church who are called Kings from their governing others; in their
despising God, loving earthly things, yielding to uncleanness,
adhering to the adulterous devil in opposition to the Lord, aban
doning him, and in opposition to his Christ robbing the treasures
of Christ himself. Hence it follows, that ' we should break their
bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' Psalm ii."
In verse 3 it is said, ' The kings of the earth have
waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies;' in
verse 7, ' How much she hath glorified herself and lived
deliciously ¦' in verse 9, ' The kings of the earth have com
mitted fornication and lived deliciously with her ;' in verse
14, ' All things which were dainty and goodly are departed
from thee.'
According to Swedenborg ' the abundance of her deli
cacies' signifies "dogmatical tenets through which, as means,
the Babylonians procure for themselves dominion over the
souls of men ; and thereby also over their possessions and
wealth ;" he says again, that for the kings of the earth to
live deliciously with her, signifies, " those who are in power
and in the delights thereof by falsifying and adulterating
the truths of the Word ; especially in consequence of falsify
ing and adulterating that truth of the Word which the Lord
spake unto Peter, Matt, xvi., 15, 'I say unto thee, thou
art Peter,' " &c.
In Proverbs xxiii., 3, it is said, ' When thou sittest to
eat with a ruler. ... be not desirous of his dainties, for
they are deceitful meat.' These dainties which are deceit
ful meat signify according to the Glossa Interlinea -perverse

252 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
doctrine; according to the Glossa Ordinaria -perverted
senses of Scripture learned from heretics ;' according to
Cardinal Hugo, ' heretical doctrine, false dogmas, multi
form, vain, and fallacious teaching! A like interpretation
is given by Gregory the Great and Cardinal Hugo on Job
xxxiii., 20, ' His life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty
meat.' With respect to ' the smoke' above mentioned, inasmuch
as it is that of the burning, it is obvious that such as is the
nature of the burning, such is the nature of the smoke.
Now we have seen that the burning by fire, is a spiritual
burning ; as when persons burn with anger, concupiscence,
pride, and the various evil passions. Of the same nature,
then, is the smoke ; the difference between the two being
that fire has relation to love ; smoke, to the intellect or un
derstanding. In this sense it has hitherto been explained
in other passages of the Apocalypse ; and uniformity of in
terpretation requires that the same should be given to it
here. Thus in Apocalypse, chap, ix., 2, where it is said,
' There arose a smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great
furnace,' it is observed by Gaspar a Melo ; —
" From the foul pit of the wicked bosom there burst forth
smoke, that is, perverted doctrine, which has the closest possible
relation to smoke ; for it produces blindness as smoke does. And
like as smoke is hurtful to the taste, throat, and intestines ; so
does this teaching disturb aU that is vital in the soul, and induce
spiritual death. . . . The smoke as of a furnace ; dense and ob
scure through the multitude of diabolical machinations."
Alexander de Hales, on the same passage, says it means
the "perverse doctrine of the precursors and satellites of
Antichrist — as the smoke of a great furnace ; for like as
the smoke of a great furnace overclouds the neighbouring
localities, so does the teaching of heretics blind weakminded
persons." Hence he likewise adds that the smoke rising
up, is the wicked thoughts or wicked teaching of the satel-

VERSE X.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MIGHTY CITY." 253
lites of Antichrist ; and as Alexander de Hales speaks of
Babylon as Antichrist, the same interpretation of smoke
must be retained in the present case.
So also Suarez in his Defence of the Catholic Faith, p.
331 ; speaking of the smoke arising from out of the bot
tomless pit, observes ; —
" By that smoke from out of the bottomless pit, which was
most dense, darkening the sun and the air, aU expositors under
stand heresies and corrupt doctrines ; for nothing can be more
appropriately signified by darkness and smoke ; since it is certain
that in this passage the particulars are all to be taken not in a
proper sense but metaphoricaUy. For although they were seen
in an imaginary vision, under a visible form, yet they represent
not any material smoke that is at any time to ascend to obscure
the sun ; but some spiritual tribulation which is to happen in the
church, obscuring the truth and hght of faith."
Bellarmine gives a similar interpretation in the Oration
prefixed to the fourth volume of his Interpretations, where
he applies it to Protestantism ; —
" Moreover, it would be incredible, were I to speak of the
dense darkness in which this smoke involved the Scriptures,
which as I have said are signified by the air. For there are ex
tant so many contrary interpretations, so many commentaries
conflicting one with the other, so many quarrels and contentions
concerning the understanding of the Word of God ; that passages
which formerly were most clear to all, are now most obscure,
and seem to have become a sort of enigmas."
Now as fire and burning mean those of concupiscences
and lusts, so the smoke of burning means correspondingly
the smoke of these concupiscences and lusts ; that is to
say, the dark and dense thoughts arising from corrupt ex
positions of Scripture, which again arise from the lust of
domination entertained by the harlot; and thus we see
how, according to Swedenborg, the falsities of the Baby
lonian religion, or falsified and adulterated truths of the
Word, are signified by the ' smoke of her burning.'

254 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
Further; it is added: 'Alas! alas! that great city
Babylon ! that mighty city !'
It may here be observed that on Isaiah, chap, xiv., 17,
' Is this the man that made the world as a wilderness, and
destroyed the cities thereof,' the Glossa Ordinaria interprets
cities to signify "churches converted into synagogues ofthe
devil and polluted with heretical pravity." It may also be
observed that Richard of St. Victor, De Eruditione Hominis
Lnterioris, p. 97, interprets the words ' I have hated the
congregation of the wicked,' to mean, ' I have hated the
church of the wicked.' Hence, if in order to avoid the
word church, Babylon is made to signify a congregation ;
by this interpretation nothing is gained, if after all the
congregation of the wicked means the church of the wicked ;
and it should be observed that both interpretations, namely
that of the Glossa and that of Richard of St. Victor, occur
in passages where the subject is concerning Babylon.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 11 ; —
" ' And the merchants of the earth shah weep and mourn
over her, for no one buyeth their merchandize any more,'
signifies, the grief of those of the inferior orders who mi
nister and gain by holy things, by reason that after the
destruction of Babylon they cannot make a profit of these
things as before."
With respect to merchants, see what has already been
said upon this subject, p. 211.
The expressions ' buying and selling ' have before occur
red, and have been explained to signify procuring and im
parting knowledge, or learning and teaching. When we
are told to ' buy wisdom and sell it not,' it means that we
are to procure wisdom and not to part with it. In chap.
xiii., 17, it was said that the ' beast caused that no man
should buy or sell, save he that had the mark and the
number of the beast ;' and it was there seen that according

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MERCHANTS." 255
to Haymo, Bede, Joachim, and Anselm Archbishop of
Canterbury, the expression ' buy and sell ' was to be spirit
ually understood, as above explained. See Vol. IIL, p.
428. Gaspar a Melo says it there alludes to " preachers
of the Gospel, to whom God hath given the doctrine of the
Gospel and other gratuitous gifts, that they might thereby
make a gainful purchase of souls to God." Cardinal Hugo ;
that it there means ; —
"Buying the sword of divine preaching, which is bought
by study and by hearing from others. This the apostles of Anti
christ wiU hinder ; in order that the Scriptures may not be ex
pounded by Cathohc doctors, nor heard by the faithful according
to the truth. Because then will be verified what the apostle
says ; ' the time shaU come when they whT not endure sound
doctrine, but shaU heap up to themselves teachers according to
their desires,' 2 Tim. iv."
Hence Cardinal Hugo on the expression in Isaiah xlvii.,
15, ' Thy merchants,' says it means, "thy magi and en
chanters, who obtained much lucre by their lies."
The Glossa Ordinaria, Isaiah xvi., 14, ' Within three
years as the years of an hireling ; and the glory of Moab
shall be contemned,' observes ; —
" False doctrine converts aU things into a means of lucre ;
for the hireling seeth the wolf coming and fleeth, &c. Therefore
is it said that a stranger and priest who is a hireling, is not to
eat of holy things ; but that it is the servants who are to be
partakers of these. For the former do all things not from the
love of the Lord but for the sake of reward ; in order that they
may be clothed in the wool and may drink of the milk."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' The merchants shaU bewaU,' because the coUective body
of the wicked being now overthrown, and cast into the deep,
none of these wUl remain to whom the merchants can send, or
from whom they can receive anything in the way of exchange.
For they who by their immense devotedness to avarice are intent
upon lucre, wiU, when the world is condemned, pour forth their
tears in grief that they can no longer be with those from whom

256 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
they can receive usury, and to whom they may sell their delicious
things. But the miserably rich wiU sleep their sleep with Ba
bylon, and find no riches in their hands. If the narrative be
understood as concerning Rome ; it wiU happen in reahty, that
the merchants of the earth will weep over her; since Bome
being overthrown, they who grew very rich in importing mer
chandize into this most mighty city, and were given to delights,
and fuU of riches, wUl now grow wealthy and rich no longer ;
the reason of which John immediately adds in the foUowing
words, ' Since their merchandize no man buyeth any more.' '
In the present case Haymo thus interprets the passage,
Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; — ¦
"Who these merchants are we have said above; namely,
those who make their souls venal, nor fear to lose them, if so
be they can only acquire honor and dignity."
So Ambrose Ansbert, Primasius, &c.
Joachim, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" The merchants of the earth, as above explained, are brute-
priests who know not the things which are of God; animal-
priests who are in the external court in order that they may feed
on the sins of the people ; who seU prayers and masses for pence,
and who make the house of prayer a depository for merchan
dize ; who make it the public focus and den of thieves. They
wiU bewaU therefore and weep that no one buyeth their mer
chandize any more ; not that they wiU blush, through compunc
tion, for their wickedness ; but only like animal and carnal men
wiU feel compeUed to bewail this only that they have lost what
they loved ; as there wiU no longer be those to whom they can
sell their merchandize. For the occupation of selling wiU fail,
when the concourse of buyers shall have passed away. All that
wiU remain wiU be the delusive and confused cupidity ; the ma
terial for the pleasure being taken away, the weeping wiU loudly
burst forth that what they would do they cannot; that what was
their own and to which they had been accustomed, they shaU lose."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" We may likewise by merchants understand those who make
a sale of ecclesiastical degrees, which the divine Scripture strongly
condemns. And although many of the Bishops appear to be

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL — "MERCHANTS." 257
free from this crime, still their officials are frequently polluted
by it ; the dehnqueneies of the pupil however belong to the
teacher. There is also another crime of the very worst descrip
tion, and which is committed by those who are called Arch
deacons ; for they receive a price from adulterous Presbyters ;
and by their sUence give consent to the evil, which, in vhtue of
the authority they have received from the Bishops, they might
otherwise amend. Others there are of Presbyters of this kind,
who, fearing that they shall be condemned for then crimes, are
more obsequious than the rest in their services to the Archdeacons ;
and against these, if any one should offer to say an adverse
word, they are immediately defended by the Archdeacons, who
pretend not to know anything about what they do know ; and
are condemned by that sentence of the prophet, which says,
' Woe unto you that call eril good, and good evU ; that put
darkness for hght, and hght for darkness !' To thee, therefore,
do I speak, whosoever thou art that art such ; behold thou hast
sold to the deril the soul of a priest. For who has ever per
suaded a Presbyter to commit fornication, but the devil ? Who
soever persuaded him to commit fornication, the same per
suaded him to give thee a bribe that he might perpetrate the
crime without any fear. By the hand therefore of the Presbyter,
the devil has given thee the price for the perdition of his soul.
Behold ! thou hast taken the bribe, and hast dehvered over the
soul of thy brother, which was redeemed by the blood of Christ,
unto that devil from whom he was redeemed. It is written in
the law, that if any one sold a man who was his brother he
should die the death. If therefore he be guilty who sells one
man to another ; how much more guilty art thou who hast sold
a man, redeemed by the blood of Christ, not to another man,
but, what is worse, to the devil ! Such merchants therefore shall
weep and mourn in hell ; for no one buyeth their merchandize
any more : they shaU lose what they seemed to retain, and shall
faU into that calamity against which they had neglected to
provide." Cardinal Hugo, Isaiah xlvii. ; —
" ' These two things shaU come upon thee in one day, bar
renness and widowhood.' Widowhood, so as to lose Christ as
your husband. . . . These two things frequently come upon the
vol. iv. s

258 spiritual exposition. [chap, xviii.
church together. . . . AU these things have come upon thee by
reason of the multitude of thy sorceries and the extreme ob
duracy of thy enchanters. Behold here the two causes for which
the Lord frequently permits the church to come into tribula
tion ; namely, wickedness or sorcery, the oppressions of Bedels
and avarice of Advocates, who are caUed enchanters because
they enchant the ears of the judges hy the rhetorical ornament
of their harangues. Nahum hi., 3 ; ' They stumble upon their
corpses because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-
favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that seUeth nations
through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.'
The hard-heartedness of Advocates is extreme ; for they spare
no one, neither rich nor poor, neither young nor old, neither
widow nor ward, and therefore can they with difficulty be healed.
Eccles. xii. ; ' Who shaU heal the enchanter,' i. e., the Advocate,
' bitten by a serpent ?' i. e., the deril. As if he should say, it
is a very difficult thing. 'And thou hast confidence in thy
wickedness.' The church at this day has more confidence in
the rapines and exactions of her Bedels, than in the revenue
arising from just returns. . . . ' Stand now with thine enchant
ments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries ;' this may be
said derisively in the day of judgment to the merchants and
covetous, who from their youth up have placed their whole study
and care in collecting riches per fas sive per nefas ; which never
theless cannot redeem them in the day of judgment. Eccles.
v. ; ' Riches wiU not profit a man in the day of his death.'
This may especially be said of Bishops and Prelates that they
stand with their enchanters, i. e., with their Advocates, by whose
counsel and cheating they have despohed the poor, put off the
trial of causes, and defended unjust causes on the ground of
their being just. Neither one however wUl be able to help the
other ; for every one wiU have to give an account for himself.
The Advocate's pleading wiU then be of no avah, 2 Cor. v. ; ' For
we shaU aU stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every
one may receive,' not others for us, 'for the things done in the
body, whether it be good or whether it be eril.' "
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xi., p. 434, speaking of
the calamities which are to befall the church in the last days
when " charity shall grow old and faith become rare ;" —

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MERCHANTS." 259
" Since it is the prophet that says this, assuredly we are at
hherty both to know and to declare, that the cause of this great
future tribulation is the sin most especiaUy of the Ecclesiastical
Orders ; the sin of venahty and avarice, which we now behold
and see everywhere reigning ; the overweening ambition that is
devastating aU things; the almost universal avarice devouring
what is treasured up in the churches ; for wherever these Orders
live, they think themselves entitled to aim at worldly posses
sions." St. Bernard, Works, vol. ii., p. 736 ;—
" An Archpresbyter takes- the circuit of the obedience en
trusted to him ; and to fiU his bag, betrays righteous blood. He
makes a sale, for instance, of homicides, adulteries, incests, for
nications, sacrileges, perjuries, and fiUs his portmanteau up to
the brim. The report of such lucre getting wind, makes itself
known to the Bishop ; and, sending for the Archpresbyter, the
Bishop says to him, ' Give me my share.' But, says the Arch
presbyter, ' I wiU give you nothing.' On the other hand, the
Bishop ; ' If you do not give me my share, I wiU take the whole
from you.' Thus from the avarice of the two arise the most
violent altercation and discord. Afterward, however, the Arch
presbyter reflecting within himself, that he discharges the duties
of that office only in virtue of the authority derived from the
Bishop, and that without the favor of the Bishop he can do
nothjng, by a perverse conversion exclaims, ' I repent ; take your
own share, and as much of mine also as you please ;' and so they
become reconcUed. Even alas ! as Pilate and Herod were re-
concUed, and Christ crucified ; so are these reconciled, while the
poor flock of Christ are plundered."
Ibid., vol. ii., p. 737 ;—
" Such are the times ! so manifestly poUuted by venality, the
pestUence that walketh in darkness : and hence woe unto this
generation by reason of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy ! if that ought to be called hypocrisy, which cannot
be concealed by reason of its overflowings ; and which seeks not,
by reason of its impudence. And thus it is that the fetid disease
creeps throughout the whole body of the church; the more
widely it spreads, so much the more desperate is it ; the more
s2

260 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
internaUy, so much the more dangerous. For were an open
heretic to rise up he would be cast out, and wither into nothing ;
if a violent enemy, any one perhaps would hide himself from
him. But now, how whl any one eject himself, or how wiU he
conceal himself? All are friends, yet all are foes ; all are akin,
all are of the household, yet is no one at peace and all seek
their own. They are the ministers of Christ and they serve An
tichrist ; they walk forth in the honors derived from the good
things that come from the Lord, to whom nevertheless they them
selves concede no honor in return. Hence we see them daUy
displaying such meretricious splendor, histrionic attire, and regal
paraphernalia. Hence the gold in their bridles, the gold in their
saddles and spurs. Their spurs shine more than their altars.
Hence come their tables splendid with dainties and plate. Hence
their revelhngs and drunkenness. Hence the harp, the lyre,
and the pipe; their overflowing wine-vats and gorged ceUars,
belching out the contents of the one into the other. Hence
their barrels full of drugs, hence their brimming purses. Of
such a character are those who are and who wish to be placed in
authority over the churches ; Deacons, Bishops, and Archbishops.
Nor do we find them disposing of these things except in the way
of lucrative exchange, that pestUence of venahty that walketh
in darkness. Formerly the eril was foretold, now comes the
time of its fulfilment ; ' Behold in peace I had great bitter
ness,' Isaiah xxxviii., 17. Bitterness at first in the death of
the martyrs ; greater bitterness afterwards in conflict with here
tics ; the greatest now in the morals of the domestics. They
can neither be expeUed nor exterminated ; they have so gained
ahead, so multiphed in number. The wound of the church is
internal and incurable; and therefore in peace have I the
greatest bitterness. But what peace? it is peace, and it is not
peace. Peace from pagans, peace from heretics, but not peace
from the sons of the church. The voice of one mourning in
the time of Israel, ' I have nursed and brought up children and
they have rebeUed against me.' They have despised me, they
have waxed powerful in a debased life, a debased love of lucre,
debased society, debased trafficking ; that pestUence walking in
darkness. It only remains now that the deril should attain his

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL — " MERCHANTS." 261
meridian in seducing any that may be stiU continuing in Christ,
or in simphcity of heart."
Ibid., vol. ii, p. 738 ;—
"We have said what sort of Pastors we have in the road
along which we are walking ; not such as we ought to have. All
are not friends of the Bridegroom who are seen at this day stand
ing around the church as if they were espoused to it, and who
seem, as is commonly said, to offer to her their right arm. Out
of aU that seem to be dear unto her, but few there are who seek
not their own. They are in love with gifts and cannot be equally
in love with Christ, because they join hands with Mammon.
See in what splendor and adornment they go forth ! in what
variety of attire, like the Bride going forth from her chamber !
Would you not, if you suddenly espied one of them walking out
at a distance, would you not rather think it to be the bride her
self, than the attendant of the bride ? Whence, think you,
came this superabundant affluence of possessions, this splendor of
costume, this luxury of the table, this assemblage of sUver and
golden vessels, except from the property of the spouse ? And
in the midst of all this she herself is left poor, needy, and naked,
with wretched and neglected looks, wrinkled, and pale. Hence
this is a time not for adorning the spouse but for robbing her ;
not for protecting but for destroying her ; not for defending but
for exposing her to the enemy ; not for edifying but for prosti
tuting her ; not for feeding the flock of the Lord, but for killing
and devouring it; the Lord saying concerning such as these,
' They devour my people as bread.' And again ; ' Who have
devoured Jacob and laid waste his dweUing place.' And also in
another prophecy ; ' They eat up the sins of the people ;' as if he
should say, they demand set prices for sins, and have no care
for the sinners. Whom will you name to me of all the number
of the Bishops, who is not more upon the watch for emptying
the purses of those who are put under his care, than for extir
pating their vices ? Where is the one who wUl turn away wrath ?
Where is he who wiU preach the acceptable year of the Lord ?
Wherefore let us leave them ; for they are not pastors but traitors ¦
and let us imitate those, who, while Uving in the flesh, have
planted the church with their blood. The others have indeed
been allotted to the place of the ministry, but not to the zeal.

262 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
AU desire to be successors of the apostles, and but few the imi
tators. Would that they were found as watchful in the duties
of their cure, as they are alert in running to the cathedral !
Would that they were as watchful and sohcitous in keeping the
church entrusted to them ; nay, were as watchful for themselves,
and did not permit it to be said of them, ' My friends and neigh
bour approached and stood round about against me !' Just in
deed is this complaint ; nor to any age does it apply more justly
than to our own. It is but a small thing to our pastors that they
protect us not ; they must also destroy us. Being plunged into
a profound sleep of obhrion, they were awakened by no threat
ening of the thunder of the Lord, so as to tremble either at their
own danger or that of their flock. Hence it is that they spare
not their own flock, who spare not themselves; being ahke
destroying and destroyed."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 12 —
17;— " ' The merchandize of gold and of silver and of precious
stones and of pearls,' signifies, that they no longer possess
these things because they are not in possession of the spir
itual goods and truths to which such things correspond :
' and of fine linen, and of purple, and of silk, and of scar
let,' signifies, that they no longer possess these things,
because they are not in possession of the celestial goods and
truths to which such things correspond ; ' and all thyine
wood and every vessel of ivory,' signifies, that they no
longer possess these because they are not in possession of
the natural goods and truths to which such things corres
pond : ' and every vessel of most precious wood, and of
brass, and of iron, and of marble,' signifies, that they no
longer possess these things because they are not in posses
sion of the scientific goods and truths in matters relating to
the church, to which such things correspond : ' and cinna
mon, and perfumes, and ointment, and frankincense,' sig
nifies, that they no longer have any worship originating
from spiritual goods and truths, because they have nothing

VERSE XII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MERCHANDIZE." 263
inwardly in worship that corresponds to the above men
tioned things : ' and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and
wheat,' signifies, that they have no longer any worship
originating in celestial truths and goods, because they have
nothing inwardly in worship that corresponds to the things
here mentioned : ' and cattle and sheep,' signifies, that
they have no longer any worship originating in external or
natural goods and truths of the church because they have
nothing inwardly in worship that corresponds to the things
here mentioned : ' and of horses, and of chariots, and of
bodies and souls of men,' signifies, all these things accord
ing to the understanding of the Word and doctrine thence
derived, and according to the goods and truths of its literal
sense, which they do not enjoy, on account of their having
falsified and adulterated them : ' and the fruits that thy
soul lusted after, are departed from thee, and all things
dainty and splendid are departed from thee, and thou shalt
find them no more at all,' signifies, that all the beatitudes
and felicities of heaven, even those of an external nature
such as they covet, will entirely flee from them and no
longer appear, because they have no celestial and spiritual
affections of good and truth among them : 'the merchants
of these things, who were made rich by her shall stand
afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,' sig
nifies, the state before damnation, and then fear and la
mentation of those who have acquired gain by various
dispensations and promises of heavenly joys : ' and saying,
Alas ! alas ! that great city that was clothed in fine linen,
and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious
stones, and pearls ! for in one hour are so great riches
come to nought,' signifies, grievous lamentation that their
magnificence and lucrative revenues are so suddenly and
totally destroyed."
To give a more detailed exposition of all the particulars

264 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
which are here enumerated will be unnecessary ; it may be
found in the larger exposition of Swedenborg. It may,
however, be desirable to ascertain how far the principle of
interpretation here pursued is agreeable to that of other
interpreters. First, then, it must be observed, that the foregoing
particulars have each a distinct spiritual meaning ; accord
ing to Haymo, Ambrose Ansbert, Gaspar a Melo, Cardinal
Hugo, Alexander de Hales, the Glossa Ordinaria, &c.
Secondly, that in a spiritual and good sense they are
all said to belong to a true church not to a literal city ; con
sequently, in the corresponding spiritual and evil sense,
they belong not to a true church but to a false or simulated
church, which, as such, pretends to the notes, qualities,
and distinguishing characteristics of a true cliurch ; see
above, p. Ill ; for which reason this simulated church is
called a harlot.
These are the two great principles of Swedenborg's
interpretation ; and they are also the two great principles
of interpretation adopted by Haymo, Ambrose Ansbert,
and the other authors above mentioned. This being the
case, whatever differences prevail with respect to the inter
pretation of the details cannot affect the general principle.
In illustration then of these two general positions, we
proceed to some observations of Gaspar a Melo, Haymo,
and others.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 720; —
" It is now worth whUe to recount the merchandize of the
holy city, Jerusalem ; in which there are innumerable evangehcal
merchants which bring into it true gold, sUver, precious stones,
pearls, fine hnen, purple and scarlet, thyine wood, vessels of ivory
and marble, cinnamon, wine, oh, fine meal, and barley ; birds,
horses, chariots, and servants, and souls of men, and beautiful
apples. The gold of the church therefore is wisdom ; of which
Solomon says in Proverbs xvi. ; ' Get wisdom, which is better than

VERSE XII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MERCHANDIZE." 265
gold.' SUver is divine and heavenly doctrine ; whence David says,
' The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in the fire.'
By this doctrine, the true is distinguished from the false. The
impious Luther says, that faith alone is sufficient to salvation ;
the Scripture teaches that faith without works is dead. Pre
cious stones are apostolical men ;* whence St. Peter in his first
canonical epistle, chap, ii., says, 'Ye are as living stones built up
into a spiritual house.' Among these stones Christ is indeed the
most precious ; concerning which Peter immediately adds, refer-
ing to Isaiah xxviii. ; ' Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone,
tried, chosen, precious.' The precious pearl is Christ ; of which
he says in Matt. xiii. ; ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a
merchantman seeking for goodly pearls, and when he has found
one that is precious, he seUeth aU that he ha3 and buys it."
Lauretus, art. Byssus ; —
" The fine linen sometimes signifies the deep senses of the
Holy Scripture. And the girdle of fine linen signifies truth ; of
which it is said in Eph. vi. ; ' Let your loins be girt about with
truth.' " Origen.
According to the Glossa Ordinaria it here means simu
lated righteousness. The Glossa, Gaspar a Melo, Haymo,
Ambrose Ansbert, and others, interpret silk to signify the
suavity and purity of virgins ; in which case the virginity
is that which is mentioned in Vol. Ill, p. 454.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
. . . "With this purple and fine linen the church will be
clothed. The fine linen and purple in the last chapter of Proverbs
is the clothing ofthe church. . . . The scarlet twice dyed is the
love of God and of the neighbor. All vessels of ivory adorned
with every precious stone, are the variety of merits and diversity
of virtues with which the saints are resplendent and shine forth.
Vessels of brass, which is resonant, are the consonance of a good
life and holy actions. That the church has its own most sweet
cinnamon wants no proof, when Paul in 2 Cor. ii, 15, says, 'We are
a sweet savor of Christ.' And this savor especially of cinnamon,
&c, signifies a contemplative life, Canticles hi, &c. . . . Moreover
* Abstractedly, apostolical truths, as will be seen in the sequel.

266 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
that this our city has oil, fine flour, and barley, the Psalmist
writes mystically in Psalm iv, 8; ' They have become multiphed
by the fruit of their corn and wine and oU.' The oU, I say, of
grace ; the bread and wine, that is, the body and blood of Christ
with which the soul is fed and nourished ; and which increases
and preserves the heavenly life."
Gaspar a Melo proceeds to shew how the Holy City,
or as he says the church, is in possession of the remaining
things which are mentioned. In the present case, however,
it is acknowledged by all, that the qualities severally sym
bolized are not possessed by Babylon in reality ; but only
in the way of spurious imitation. Hence we add the fol
lowing interpretations.
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" They seem to have the merchandize of cattle, that is, spi
ritual labors; and of sheep, or innocence and simplicity; and
of cattle, or endurance ; and of slaves, or ministrations ; and of
souls of men, or reason; and of delectable apples, or good
report, which they desire before aU things. But what then?
AU these have departed from thee, thou hypocrite ! ' VerUy, I
say unto you, they have received their reward.' And not only
have these departed, but likewise aU fat things; since their
wickedness wiU become manifest to all, which yet had before
been clothed with fine linen and purple and silk."
Haymo, likewise, after enumerating the foregoing par
ticulars, as interpreted in a good sense, speaks of their be
longing to the harlot in an evil sense, although pretendedly
in a good sense. Thus ; —
..." In the gold and sUver, she sets forth the teaching of phi
losophers and heretics. In the precious stone and pearl, she ex
hibits, as the corresponding opposite, false christs or false pro
phets and heresiarchs. In the fine hnen, unrighteousness covered
over with the show of righteousness. ... In the silk, corruption
of the mind overlaid with a fair show in the flesh. In the scarlet,
cruelty cloaked over with the simulation of love. In aU thyine
and precious wood, obstinacy of mind under the disguise of pa
tient constancy. In ivory, the turpitude of vices veiled over with

VERSE XII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MERCHANDIZE." 267
a simulation of the virtues ; in brass, an enduring and noisily
boasting perfidy, cloaked over with the most earnest preaching.
. . . And inasmuch as aU these things, though veUed over by a
shew of rehgion which yet is false, are put to confusion and
taken away into perdition; rightly is the world, although abound
ing with these riches in the wicked, yet described as poor in
respect of any effect upon their fives."
By the ' world' must here be meant the world in the
church, or the ecclesiastical world ; the church of the wicked
as opposed to the church of the good, according to Alex
ander de Hales. And this must be what is meant also by
Haymo ; who, although he attributes the things mentioned,
in a good sense, to the church, seems afraid to use the cor
responding expression ecclesia malorum when speaking of
the wicked, and substitutes for it that of adversa pars.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" If now we attend to the manner in which the adversa pars
say that they possess these things, though in deceit; at the
removal of which they seem to be so grievously afflicted ; then
we shah find that in the cinnamon and ointment, is the stinking
life of heretics under the pretext of being the sweet smeU
which flows from the virtues of saints. Of which on the other
hand it is said ; ' And instead of a sweet smeU there shaU be a
stink.' In the diverse fragrances, are represented the feigned
sedulity of hypocrites ostensibly in prayer, as of persons praying
sincerely. In the true ointment, the asperity of false Christians
under the veU of the lenity of Christ. . . . The wine, oU, fine
flour, and barley pertain to the taste, and is so agreeable to the
palate, that what they signify in truth, is sweet to the taste of
the hearts of the elect, and what is pretended by a false imitation
of them, is fancied as sweet to the minds of the wicked. By wine
is designated the New Testament, which, inebriating the minds
of hearers, renders them insensible to the concupiscences of the
world ; whence the Lord is said to have turned the water into
wine at the marriage-feast. What is figured by on, but the unc
tion of the Holy Spirit ? ... By fine flour and barley, is expressed
the flesh of our Bedeemer with which the faithful are dahy re-

268 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
stored to health. These things since part of the wicked city
pretend, through the seduction of the beast, that they possess ;
the more they seem to signify the possession of great riches,
the more it grieves the wicked if they happen to have lost them.
For they grieve that they have lost wine and oh, although they
have lost only refuse and dregs. They lament that they have
lost fine flour and barley, although they have lost only tares
and straw. . . . For they imagine that they are the preachers
of the true faith that are taken away, fiUed with spiritual
doctrine, endued with illustration from the Holy Spirit, nour
ished up with the heavenly sacraments unto life ; and, on the
other hand, that they would desire and rejoice that those should
be taken out of the world who are seducers, advocating a
depraved heresy, infected with corrupt opinions, full of the
spirit of derils, and damned through then abuse of the divine
sacraments." That all these interpretations, however variously modi
fied by various interpreters, have reference to fictitious
Christians, or to a fictitious church, and not to a city,
much less a Pagan and idolatrous city which openly throws
off all profession of Christianity, requires no proof. Indeed
Suarez himself admits that the hypothesis of Rome return
ing to Paganism, and which, as we have said, has been
invented solely through the dread of introducing the idea
of a church, is both unnecessary and untrue ; so that we
must come back to the position admitted by himself, that
in the last days the Roman Catholic Church will for the
most part apostatize. It is then a Catholic Church and not
a Pagan city that is represented by Babylon in the Apoca
lypse ; and that Catholic Church is the Roman Catholic by
the admission of even Suarez.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 17 —
19;- " ' And every shipmaster, and all the company in
ships, and sailors, and as many as ply the sea,' signifies,
those who are called the laity as well in higher as in lower

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL — "SHIPMASTER." 269
situations of dignity, even to the common people who are
attached to that religion, and love and kiss it, or acknow
ledge it in their hearts, and venerate it : ' stood afar off
and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying,
What city is like unto this great city,' signifies, in a remote
state their mourning over the condemnations of that religion
which they thought supereminent above every religion in
the world : ' and they cast dust on their heads, and they
cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas ! alas ! that great
city !' signifies, their interior and exterior grief and mourn
ing, which is lamentation that so eminent a religion should
be so totally destroyed and condemned : ' wherein were
made rich, all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her
costliness, for in one hour is she made desolate,' signifies,
by reason that through the holy things of that religion all
who were willing to buy had propitiation, and for worldly
and temporal riches received celestial and eternal riches."
Merchants and merchandize having been mentioned,
we have now come to ' ships,' ' shipmasters,' and ' sailors,'
&c. Lauretus, art. Navis ; —
" The ships of Tharsis or Carthage may signify the teaching
of heretics and heathens ; and heresiarchs themselves, or their
books; and those who wish to become rich, who are carried
about with every wind of doctrine and tossed to and fro in the
worship of idols. The ships of Tyre and Tharsis may signify
also the pride and errors of the heathens, And the sahors of
Tyre are those who lead others into error. . . . Saihng about over
many waters, signify aU who are carried about by every wind of
doctrine." Jerome, Augustin.
Alcasar, when treating of this subject, having remarked
that what is said by the prophets concerning the destruction
of Tyre, is likewise to be understood of the mystical fall of
Rome, observes, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Wherefore very significantly does the Church apply to the

270 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
faU of Babylon what is found written concerning the destruction
of Tyre. As if by these means the Church would intimate to us,
that the mystical Babylon is the same with the mystical Tyre ;
in hke manner as the mystical Sodom is the same with the mys
tical Egypt ; as the Apocalypse affirms, chap, xi., 8. Whence
also the mystical city of Bozrah, the metropohs of the Moabites,
was in hke manner the same with the mystical Babylon ; and
therefore what Isaiah affirms in chap, xxxiv, 10, the very same
does the Apocalypse also apply to Babylon, chap, xix, 3."
Now Forerius applies the prophecy concerning Tyre, in
Isaiah xxiii, to the times of Antichrist ; and there observes,
verse 12, that ; —
" By Tyre John seems to understand the city of the Anti
christians in the Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; although he does not
mention it by name. ' Alas ! alas ! that great city ! in which
were made rich by its prices aU who had ships in the sea; for in
one hour is it made desolate.' "
Moreover, Forerius insinuates a spiritual as well as
natural merchandize, when he says, that in Hebrew the
word for merchants signifies ' going or carrying about ;'
" and to this etymology," he continues, " the Lord appears
to have had regard in the Gospel, when he said of the
Scribes, that they compassed sea and land in order to make
one proselyte." These would seem therefore to be the
spiritual merchants, and their doctrines the spiritual mer
chandize. Tirinus, also, on this passage in the Apocalypse refers to
Ezekiel xxviii. ; observing that Tyre is a type of the city of
Rome. Cornelius a Lapide in like manner refers us to the
same prophet ; and on perusing what he says on the subject
in Isa. xxiii, we find that he there describes Tyre to be a
harlot in the same words in which he afterwards describes
Babylon in the Apocalypse ; indeed what he has stated in
the Apocalypse is little else than a transcript of what he
had previously stated in Isaiah xxiii.
Referring, however, to the mystical meaning of ship-

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "SHIPMASTER." 271
masters, sailors, &c, A Lapide quotes, on Ezekiel xxvii,
p. 1125, the foUowing observation of Jerome ; —
" Some ridiculously interpret shipmasters to signify the
Bishops of heretics, or Elders of a counch ; helmsmen, Arch
deacons ; rowers and mariners, Deacons ; the passengers they
interpret as aU the people ; and if they had but added the DevU
as owner, they would have filled up the tragical representation.
In hke manner aU who mourned, after perceiving the wreck
of the ship, and stood on the shore, are said to be those who
lost aU the glory of their false knowledge ; and who, instead of
joy and gladness, sealed their penitence with grief, in the bitter
ness of their heart."
First with respect to this observation of Jerome.
Jerome had already declared on Isaiah xlvii, that by
Babylon is designated Rome ; consequently if shipmasters,
sailors, and the company in ships were interpreted to sig
nify bishops, presbyters, or other members of a church,
whether heretical or not, the same interpretation would
have to be given to the same words in the Apocalypse,
concerning Babylon ; in fine, by the shipmasters, sailors,
&c, would be signified the various classes of members of
the Church of Rome ; and as such they would have to be
either then or at some future period regarded as heretics.
Such an interpretation therefore it was necessary to
forestall ; and hence Cornelius a Lapide quotes the obser
vation of Jerome ; although he does not quote the passage
on Isaiah xxiii, 1 ; in which it is intimated by Jerome
that the ships there mentioned signify heretics carried about
by every wind of doctrine.
Let us next proceed, however, to the interpretations of
A Lapide. There is not a more common symbol of the church than
an ark or a ship ; accordingly in the page occurring next
after the quotation from Jerome, A Lapide observes ; —
" In the Gospels, the church is signified by a ship ; especially

272 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
because from out of the ship of Peter, Christ preached and taught
the multitude. Hence the Roman Pontiff wears engraved on
his ring a ship with Peter as fisherman. For he governs the
ship of Christ, namely, the church ; of which it is said ; —
" Fluctuat, at nunquam mergitur ilia ratis."
Here then, it would seem that the shipmaster of the
ship is the Bishop of Rome. But who are those under his
authority in the ship ? A Lapide does not reply ; but
adds ; —
" Let therefore Princes and magistrates remember that they
are the shipmasters of the state ; and ought to govern it with
care, vigUance, and industry, as a shipmaster governs a ship."
But where are the clergy ? Have they nothing to do
with the ship ? or if they have, why are they omitted ? The
reply in this case is similar to that in the former. Corne
lius a Lapide had interpreted Tyre to be a type of the city
of Rome in tlie last days ; and hence the shipmasters and
sailors of Tyre to be the shipmasters and sailors of Rome.
Consequently, if he had interpreted the shipmasters and
sailors, not in a literal but allegorical sense, to signify the
clergy or any of the ecclesiastical orders, he must have in
terpreted them in the Apocalypse to signify those of the
Church of Rome, which would have been to steer his own
ship into the gulf of destruction ; therefore, after admitting
that the bishop of Rome is the shipmaster, he pauses in
his course, and turning about, speaks of shipmasters in
reference only to the state ; observing a total silence with
regard to the clergy, or even the laity as members of a
church. What, however, he has omitted, others supply.
We shall first present their interpretations, and then
compare them with those of Swedenborg.
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; — ¦
" Note : that by the ' Kings ' above mentioned are understood
earthly princes ; by merchants other secular persons ; here by
shipmasters are understood the clergy and the other governors of

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "SHIPMASTER." 273
the Church, whose duty it is to govern others. . . . Sailors are the
minor Prelates, such as Priors, Deans, and parish Presbyters.
. . . ' All who labor in the sea,' Some Prelates there are in the
Church who may say at this day, Canticles i, 6, ' They made
me keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not
kept ; nay, more, I have wasted it, and abandoned it when I
had done so, and stood afar off from it.' For which reason the
Church complains, in Canticles ii., 7, of the great number of
these keepers ; ' The watchmen that went about the city found
me ; they smote me ; they wounded me ; the keepers of the
walls took away my veil from me.' Some there are at this day
who go about the city of the church, in order to obtain pre
ferments, by unworthy conduct, to unlawful offices, by dishonest
fawnings carried on with eril designs, by falsified seals, until
they have found the Church ; and when they have found it,
they smite it by destroying its goods ; and wound it when
smitten, by ministering to the fire of impurity. They take
away the veil, when they absorb by violence the patrimony of
Christ, and give it to their parents ; and are therefore worthy of
eternal death. Whence Chrysostom ; ' The clergyman who can
be sustained out of the goods of his patrimony, if he takes to
himself what belongs to the poor, eats and drinks his own con
demnation, and much more so if he gives it to his parents. . . .
Not only these eril shipmasters, but also the pilots of the Church,
stood afar off. And 'cast dust upon their heads;' i. e., the
pilots of the Church who rule and govern themselves and others
in an eril manner. Note : that spiritually they are said to have
a ship in the sea, that is, in this world, who preside over others
by having some office of rule, such as Prelates ; whence these
are made rich by bribes and rewards wickedly and unjustly
acquired ; and therefore in the city of hell, they will be among
others desolate and poor."
Franciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Albertus says, that ' every shipmaster ' is to be taken lite
rally, or to signify a Bishop, who governs the ship of the church,
as do the higher order of Prelates ; Acts xx. ; ' Over which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,' &c. — ' And all who
narigate the sea :' the sea is the world ; he navigates through
the sea, who aspires to higher preferment : and by this are un-
VOL. IV. T

271 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
derstood the intermediate Orders, such as Archdeacons, Deacons,
and Deans, who aspire to higher things. ' And sailors :' by these
are understood the lower in gradation, such as plebeians, rural
Deans ; ' and those who labor in the sea,' that is, Doctors and
Preachers. Psalm cri. ; 'And they who descend into the sea in
ships,' &c. : ' stood afar off,' that is, will stand, degraded from
their preferments and thrust into hell ; or, ' stood afar off/ that
is, they will stand afar off from God by reason of their punish
ment, who before had stood afar off by reason of their guilt. . . .
' And they cast dust upon their heads.' Often by the head is
designated the mind ; by ' ashes,' sins ; therefore they put ashes
on their heads, because the memory of their sins never recedes
from their minds. So Ambrose. . . . ' Alas ! alas ! that great
city, in which were made rich all who have ships in the sea ;'
that is, the forementioned shipmasters, merchants, aud sailors,
who were made rich by the prices which they received in their
traffic. For those men who fear not God, who are designated
by the city, seek riches and delights and worldly pomp ; and there
fore the merchants of the sea among these make great gain ; or,
those who have ships, that is, who are invested with government
in the sea of this world, namely, evil Prelates who had become
rich by the set prices of things in Babylon ; and who receive
their riches from other evil Prelates, which they accept in the
way of price ; because they sell their own souls. ' Woe unto
you, for ye have received your consolation,' Luke vi."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" And they cried when they saw the place of her burning ;'
these are the Rulers of the Church, or Prelates, or Preachers. If
Prelates, they are either the higher order, such as Bishops ; of
whom he says, ' every shipmaster,' that is, Bishop, or Prelate of
the higher order ; who ought to direct the ship of the church
through the sea of this world. For Peter had a ship in which
the Lord sat frequently. Luke v, 2 ; ' Going into one of the
ships, which was Simon's ; he asked him to put off a little from
the shore, and as he sat in the ship he taught the multitude.'
Thus ought Prelates to do, so that removed from the world they
may not seek worldly things. Or else, they are the intermediate
Orders, such as Archdeacons, Deans, and those of this sort, who,
aspiring to Bishoprics, never arrive at them, but are stationary as

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "SHIPMASTER." 275
it were in the sea, i. e., in their inferior condition ; and so are fore
stalled by death. And of these he says, ' aU those who navigate
the sea;' being tossed about and always aspiring to higher things,
and yet always stationary. Or, they are the lower in order ; such
as plebeians, rural Deans, of whom he says, ' And the sailors,'
that is, Preachers, -nho descend into the sea, i. e, into the world,
in the ships of the sacred oracles, trading in many waters, that
is, with the talent of the Lord among many people. Luke xix. ;
' Occupy till I come.' These all but wickedly fulfil their offices.
. . . 'And they cast dust;' i.e., the concupiscences of earthly
things : ' upon their heads,' their minds : . . . ' saying, Alas ! alas !
that great city, in which were formerly made rich all who had
ships in the sea ;' and this with the prices of their goods, that is,
the merchandize which they bought with a price. For then they
made themselves rich who before were poor. Note ; those who
have ships in the sea are the Rulers of the Church, who literaUy
are made rich at this time by prices, that is, the riches of this
world, Ezek. xxvii. ; ' In the multitude of thy riches and thy
people, thou hast enriched the kings of the earth,' that is, the
Heads of the Church. Whence they say, Zechariah xi, ' Blessed
be the Lord ; we have become rich.' But they are really poor
and miserable ; because those riches will soon fail ; and they wUl
perish in the most grievous affliction."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 559 ; —
" Note ; that shipmasters may be understood to be Prelates,
who are now in possession of the dignity they had sought. Those
' who navigate the sea' and the ' sailors,' are those who are
aspiring to it. But this aspiration may be understood in two
ways : either as the appetite of something determinately, as of
the Episcopate, such being designated as navigators in the sea,
or else as the appetite of something indeterminately ; and these
are designated by ' saUors in the sea,' because the sea has a larger
dimension and distant limits. Many there are who perform
many things in the sea and whirlpool of honors ; and this they
do to obtain what they seek. St. Bernard, in book iii, De Con
sideration, exclaims ; ' O ambition ! thou cross of the ambitious !
how dost thou torture aU ! how dost thou delight all ! nothing
is there that more cruelly excruciates, nothing that more molest-

276 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
ingly disquiets ! yet nothing is there among miserable mortals
more frequent than its exercise.' Or, by shipmasters and navi
gators of the sea, and sahors laboring in the sea, may be under
stood Prelates of the first, last, and middle ranks, who badly rule
themselves and others by reason of their covetous motives. AU
these wUl experience horror, at beholding the punishment of
heU ; and wiU mourn over the loss of those things which they
had loved. . . . ' Those who dweU in ships,' i. e., who are in
government, in the sea of this world ; namely, wicked Prelates,
who had become enriched with the prices of things in Babylon ;
who receive from other wicked Prelates their riches, which they
take in the way of price ; because they sell their own souls ; but
as it is said in Luke vi. ; ' Woe unto you that are rich, for ye
have received your consolation.' "
Now the different classes mentioned in the Apocalypse
in reference to Babylon are kings of the earth, merchants
of the earth, shipmasters, sailors, and as many as ply the
sea. On reviewing the interpretations upon this subject
we find that some understand the kings of the earth as
including both civil and ecclesiastical rulers ; and ship
masters, &c, to apply to the clergy. The main difference
then between this interpretation and that of Swedenborg,
is, that the latter interprets the kings of the earth and
merchants of the earth to signify the various orders of the
clergy; and the shipmasters, sailors, &c, to signify the
various orders of the laity ; consistently with the distinc
tion previously laid down in chap, xiii, that the earth sig
nifies the church as to its interior principles, hence the
clergy ; and the sea, the church as to its exterior principles,
hence the laity ; whereas the writers above quoted confound
these distinctions. Both however Swedenborg and the
foregoing Roman Catholic interpreters agree in this ; that
by the kings of the earth, merchants of the earth, ship
masters, sailors, and others, considered altogether, are sig
nified the clergy and laity of the Church of Rome. Thus

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SHIPMASTER." 277
the conclusion is the same, the only difference being in the
distribution of the characters.
According to this view of the subject, the interpreta
tion of A Lapide is correct, which refers the shipmasters
to the civil powers, regarded however as constituting part
of a church ; but inasmuch as he had also interpreted kings
and merchants of the earth to signify likewise civil powers,
it is obvious that by interpreting the shipmasters in the
civil sense only, he took the opportunity of avoiding the
ecclesiastical altogether.
We shaU here add a part of Swedenborg's larger expo
sition in the Apocalypse Revealed, art. 786 ; —
"From verses 9 — 16 the clergy are treated of, who, by
virtue of that religion, were invested with dominion, and
exercised the Lord's divine power, and thereby gained the
world ; at present they are treated of who are not of the
ministerial order, but still love and embrace that religion,
or acknowledge and venerate it in their hearts, and who
are called the laity. By every shipmaster, are meant the
supreme among them, who are emperors, kings, dukes, and
princes ; by all the company in ships, are meant those who
are engaged in various offices of greater or lesser degree ;
by sailors are meant the lowest class, who are called the
common people ; by as many as ply on the sea, are meant
all in general who are attached to that religion, and love
and embrace it, or acknowledge and venerate it in their
hearts. That the latter and the former are here meant, is
plain from the series of things in the spiritual sense ; and
from the signification of ships, and of all the company in
ships, and of mariners ; and also from the signification of
as many as ply the sea. By the shipmasters, and by all the
company in ships, and by mariners, no others can be meant
than such as bring together the things above called mer
chandize, which are what they collect in their treasuries,

278 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
as also their possessions ; and who exchange them for bene
dictions and beatifications in return, such as merits and other
things of a similar nature which they desire for the benefit
of their souls. And since these are the persons meant, it is
evident that by every shipmaster, are understood the highest
among them ; by all the company in ships, all that are in
offices subordinate to them ; and by sailors, those of the
lowest order. That by ships are signified spiritual merchan
dize, which are the knowledges of good and truth, see above,
n. 406 : in this case, natural merchandize, for which they
give in exchange, as they imagine, that which is spiritual.
The reason why by as many as ply on the sea, are meant all,
without exception, who love and embrace that religion and
acknowledge and venerate it in their hearts, is, because by
the sea that religion is signified ; for by the sea is signified
the external of the church, as may be seen above, n. 238,
290, 403, 404, 420, 470, 566, 659, 661, and this religion
is merely external. Similar is the signification of this pas
sage in Isaiah ; ' Thus saith Jehovah, your Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel ; For your sake I have sent to Babylon,
and have brought down all their nobles and the Chaldeans
whose cry is in the ships. Thus saith Jehovah, which
maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters,'
xliii, 14, 16; a cry in the ships is mentioned, as also here,
that they stood afar off and cried out of their ships : and
in Ezekiel ; ' The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the
cry of thy pilots. And all that handle the oar, the ma
riners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from
their ships, and shall cry bitterly,' xxvii, 28 — 30 ; speak
ing of the devastation of Tyre, by which is signified the
church as to the knowledges of truth and good. But it is
to be observed, that no others are here meant, than such
as love and embrace that religion, or acknowledge it in
their hearts and venerate it. For they who are of the same

VERSE XXI.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MILLSTONE." 279
religion and indeed acknowledge it, from the circumstance
of their being born and brought up in it ; but who know
nothing of the subtle schemes and devices which such per
sons use, in order that they may arrogate to themselves
divine worship and possess the goods of every one in the
world ; and who nevertheless do good from sincerity of
heart, and have also turned their eyes to the Lord ; come
after death among the blessed ; for on being instructed in
another life, they receive truths, and reject the adoration
of the Pope and the invocation of saints, and acknow
ledge the Lord to be the God of heaven and earth ; and
are thus elevated to heaven and become angels."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 20 ; —
" ' Rejoice over her, O heaven ! and ye holy apostles
and prophets ! for God hath executed your judgment upon
her,' signifies, that the angels of heaven and men of the
church who are in goods and truths derived from the Word
now rejoice in their hearts, because they are removed and
rejected who are in the evils and falses of that religion."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii,
p. 923 ;—
" The saints are invited to congratulation over the subversion
of the impious harlot and Babylon ; because, he says, God hath
avenged you of her; i. e., the judgment is accomphshed which
you for a long time have desired, saying, ' How long, O Lord !
dost thou not avenge our blood ?' This vengeance upon Babylon
God hath at length taken." Gagneus. See also Bupertus, p. 488.
Ibid.;—
" Prophets,' i. e., teachers of the church." De Lyra.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 21 ; —
" ' And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great
millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with vio
lence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and
shall be found no more at all,' signifies, that by the Lord's
strong influx out of heaven that religion, together with all

280 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
its adulterated truths of the Word, will be cast headlong
into hell, and never appear in the sight of angels any
more." Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii,
p. 924 ;—
" What he here says concerning the mystical Babylon, Je
remiah had previously predicted concerning the Chaldaic Babylon,
chap. Ii, 63, saying; 'And it shall be when thou hast made an
end of reading this book that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and
cast it into the midst of Euphrates : and thou shalt say, Thus
shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will
bring upon her, and they shaU be weary.' " Gagneus.
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 488 ; —
" Then verily shall the whole city of the deril be cast with a
mighty force into the deep ; and as a great stone hurled into the
sea floats not on the surface nor rebounds back again, so this
city once precipitated shah never more rise from out of hell.
And accordingly he does not say any stone, but as it were a mill
stone, in expressing the simUitude; because Babylon is heavy
through the weight of sin, and unsteady with the whirl of error.
Both of these things a mhlstone aptly signifies; which as to
weight is heavy, and in performing its function of grinding is
always going round."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 44 ; —
" ' Two shall be grinding at the mill.' The nhll is the work
of the Law ; but as some of the Jews believed through the apos
tles, so some shall believe through Elias, and be justified through
faith ; and one part shall be taken through this same faith of
good works, the other part shaU be left unfruitful in the work of
the Law, grinding in vain and never to produce the bread of
heavenly food (Hilary) . Or, two men in one field shall be found
performing the same labor, sowing corn together but not reaping
the same fruit of their labor. The two grinding together we
may understand either of the Synagogue and the Church, which
seem to grind together in the Law, and to make of the same
Scriptures meal of the commandments of God; or of other
heresies, which out of one or both Testaments seem to grind
meal of their own doctrines." Jerome.

VERSE XXI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MILLSTONE." 281
Gregory the Great, Morals, book vi, chap. xi. ; —
" A millstone is turned round and flour is produced. Every
action of this world is an eril action, which, heaping up as it
were numerous cares, whirls round as it were the human mind
in a circle ; and casts as it were flour from out of itself, because
it is always begetting from out of a seduced heart most minute
cogitations." Lauretus, art. Mola ; —
" Preaching is sometimes called a mill ; and God destroys the
voice of the mill when hie takes away preaching. Preachers
may be said to be grinding, when they grind the meal of doc
trine for others." Jerome.
In a bad sense, Berengaud understands it to mean
unjust judgments.
It is obvious from these interpretations, that a mill may
signify the faculties of the human mind; and grinding, the
exercise of these faculties. If good corn be put in, the
result is flour, or the truths of Scripture. Hence Swe
denborg observes, that by ' the voice of the mill' nothing
else is signified but the enquiry after, examination, and
confirmation of spiritual truth, especially" from the Word.
We have seen it insisted on however as a fundamental
maxim, that the enquiry after, examination, and confirmation
of spiritual truth from the Word is by no means necessary
to salvation ; hence likewise that the possession of the
Scriptures is unnecessary ; for if the corn is needless, so is
the mill ; and thus the voice of the mill is unheard in
Babylon : all being resolved into authority.
Further : by mill, we have seen is signified enquiry into
truth, especially the Scriptures ; by stone is signified truth.
Therefore by millstone is signified, in a good sense, truth
from out of the Word ; in an evil sense, this truth falsified :
or in other words, confirmation of what is false, derived
from out of the Scriptures ; which confirmed falsity in the
present case is cast into the sea or common receptacle of
falsified truth ; never to rise again.

282 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
Lauretus, art. Lapis, in a good sense ; —
" The stones of Sion, which are pleasing to the servants of
God, are the books of the Sacred Scripture. With these stones
the sinner is overwhelmed." Arnobius, Isychius, Bede.
In the present case the stone being understood in an
evil sense, signifies truth taken out of the Word of
God and falsified. Thus we see Babylon is spoken of as
being stoned ; which according to the Law was the pun
ishment of harlots ; to signify the profanation of love, and
the consequent falsification of truth ; or the perversion of
love and wisdom into the lust of falsification, and the
obduracy of falsehood. Therefore, speaking of the fate of
Babylon, as signified by the angel taking up a millstone
and casting it down, it is observed by Gaspar a Melo,
p. 723;— " These same things shaU happen to the mystical Babylon,
or Rome, in the last days."
Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" The Roman Babylon shall be cast into the deep, or into
hell . . . never more to be restored."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 22 ; —
" ' And the voice of harpers, and of musicians, and of
pipers, and of trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in
thee,' signifies, that among them there will not be any af
fection of spiritual good and truth, nor any affection of
celestial good and truth : ' and no craftsman, of whatsoever
craft he be, shall be found any more in thee,' signifies, that
they who are in that religion from doctrine, and from a life
according thereto, have not any understanding of spiritual
truth, and therefore neither any thought of spiritual truth
so far as depends upon themselves."
With respect to harps and harpers, it has been seen
that harpers, in a good sense, signify those who make con
fession of the truth : whence also, as in Lauretus, they are
said to signify preachers. This is the sense in which the

VERSE XXII.] SEVENTH VIAL— " HARPERS." 283
symbol is here taken. There are therefore in Babylon to be
no longer any who make confession of the truth.
Here, however, it may be well to notice the contrary
sense in which both harp and harper are taken ; for it may
signify confession of the false as opposed to confession of
the true ; and in this sense the use of the harp is attributed
to harlots in the Bible. Thus on Isaiah xxiii, 16 ; 'Take
a harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been for
gotten ; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou
mayest be remembered ;' Alvarez thus comments ; —
" ' Take the harp, thou harlot !' that is, thou wilt take the
harp. ' Sing well ;' that is, thou wfit sing, both softly and
sweetly after the manner of a harlot; in order that thou mayest
allure to thyself the nations and attract merchants from the
regions afar with the hope of gain ; and may by thy traffic make
thyself memorable as in times of old. Traffic is here compared
to whoredom ; by reason of the perfect similarity which the in
ordinate appetite for riches has to the concupiscence of the flesh.
Whence merchants and traders are called fornicators ; and trad
ing, fornication. For it is added ; ' And it shall come to pass
in that day, after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will
risit Tyre ; and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit for
nication with aU the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the
earth.' Therefore by the harp and sweet song he understands
the mercantile frauds, craftinesses, lures, blandishments, and
lies with which these merchants deceive the simple poor, in order
to devour their substance. The prophet therefore says, that in
the future Tyre would by her sweet melody soothe the ears, and
multiply her songs ; that is, would join frauds to frauds, would
add lures to lures, and cheats to cheats, in order to excite others
to the remembrance and love of herself, and to inflame them by
those arts by means of which she had before wounded them.
Lastly : like as an old deformed hag seeks out ways and different
means by which she may the more easily return to the favor of
men, in her attire, adorning, painting, and setting herself out
in different colors, for the purpose of repairing the defects of her
long-lost beauty ; so likewise Tyre adorned and painted herself,

284 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
for the purpose of rendering herself acceptable to those who
came to her."
In the Synopsis of this chapter Cornelius a Lapide
remarks, that by Tyre Alcasar here understands heathen
Bome, as it was in the early days of Christianity ; an in
terpretation which he does not approve. We have seen,
however, that both himself and others approve of the inter
pretation that Tyre was a type of Rome as it is to be at
the end of the world ; for he says, Apoc. xviii, that "Tyre
renowned for its wealth, merchandize, and luxury, was a
type of the city of Rome ;" moreover both are called har
lots ; and in the sequel the language used in the prophecy
regarding the one, is used in explanation of the prophecy
regarding the other. Indeed Cardinal Hugo makes a
similar application of both prophecies, to those who are in
the Church of Bome. Thus on Isaiah xxiii, 8 ; ' Who hath
taken this counsel against Tyre . . . whose merchants are
princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?'
the Cardinal says ; —
"Whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth, not of
heaven ; that is, who covet earthly things, and care not for hea
venly ; such as at this day are the Heads of the Church, who are
traffickers in Prebends, buyers of Dispensations, &c. Ezekiel
xxviii, 4 ; ' With thy wisdom and thine understanding thou hast
gotten thee riches ; and hast gotten gold and sUver into thy
treasures; by thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou
increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy
riches." Zech. xiv, 21 ; ' And in that day there shaU be no
more the merchant in the house of the Lord.' Apoc. xviii, 14 ;
' AU things which were dainty and goodly are departed from
thee, and thou shalt find them no more at aU. The merchants
of these things, which were made rich by her, shaU stand afar
off for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing."
Nor does this application of the prophecy seem less ap
propriate in the times of Peter de Ferrariis, an Italian
lawyer, who lived in the year 1400, and who thus writes ; —

VERSE XXII.J SEVENTH VIAL  " CRAFTSMAN." 285
" The covetousness of men is so much enhanced, that they
endeavor with all their might to chmb up to jurisdictions, honors,
donations, and if it were possible to the thrones of heaven; but
they never consider what TuUy the father of eloquence said in
his offices ; ' We ought to take heed of the desire of glory.' This
appetite and desire is so much enlarged that not Laics only, but
even great Prelates and Clerks, are whoUy infected with this
vice and malady." — Banchion, Council of Trent, p. 127.
But it is said that no artificer of whatsoever art shall
be found in thee. By ' artificer! says Swedenborg, in the
spiritual sense of the Word is signified " a man who is in
telligent and who thinks from understanding; hence ar
tificers have relation to wisdom, intelligence, and science."
So Alexander de Hales ; they shall lose, says he, " all prac
tical and speculative science ;" " all science, intelligence,
and wisdom :" it signifies, he adds, " a privation of the
consolation of reason ; or of the understanding, not only in
regard to one art but all." Lamp, he interprets to mean
" intellectual powers."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 22,
23;— " ' And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more
at all in thee,' signifies, that they who are in that religion
from doctrine and from a life according thereto, make no
enquiry, examination, and confirmation of spiritual truth ;
because the falsity which has been received and confirmed,
and thus implanted, stands in the way : ' and the light of
a candle shall shine no more at all in thee,' signifies, that
they who are in that religion from doctrine and from a cor
responding life, have not any illumination from the Lord
and consequent perception of spiritual truth : ' and the
voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no
more at all in thee,' signifies, that with those who are in
that religion from doctrine and from a life according thereto,
there is no conjunction of good and truth which constitutes

286 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
the church : ' for thy merchants were the great men of the
earth,' signifies, that the superiors in the ecclesiastical hier
archy are such because, by means of the various and even
arbitrary rights left them in the statutes of their order,
they traffic and make gain."
Gagneus, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' Because thy merchants were the great men of the earth/
that is, on account of their covetousness and for the sake of
wealth, they oppressed all the people in the world by cunning
and usury. ' For by thy sorceries have all nations been deceived ;'
either literally, by intoxications, or spiritually by corrupt doc
trines and most foul examples which have infected all."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 23 ;¦ —
" For by thy sorcery were all nations deceived,' signifies,
their abominable arts and schemes, whereby they have
diverted the minds of all from the holy worship of the Lord
to the profane worship of living and dead men and of
idols." Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p.
925;— " He notices three causes of the destruction of Babylon.
The first is, that the kings of the earth being slaves to lucre and
avarice, unjustly vexed those who were subject to them with ex
actions and monopohes and other evil devices of this kind. The
second cause is, that ' by thy sorceries aU nations have erred ;'
i. e., by its blandishments Babylon drew over the princes and
kings of the earth, as it were by certain sorceries, to errors and
idolatry (Menochius) . Because thy merchants through gain and
lucre, often unjustly gotten, became princes of the earth who
were wealthy, haughty, proud, tyrannical. The first cause of
destruction to the Romans will therefore be avarice, pride, and
luxury. The second, beeause by its sorceries all nations have
erred; i. e., by the allurements and phUtres of wealth and honors
and other rewards, thou hast demented aU other nations and
allured them to idolatry and the rest of thy crimes. Allusion is
here made to sorceresses, who by their conjurations and incan-

VERSE XXIII.] SEVENTH VIAL— "SORCERIES." 287
tations fascinate, dement, and hurry to destruction the unwary
(Tirinus) . Then follows the third cause, that ' in her was found
the blood of the prophets,' " &c, &c.
Lauretus, art. Veneficus ; —
(In a good sense) " Christ is said to be a Sorcerer, as exercis
ing a wise incantation ; who by his preaching converts souls. And
so also is every good preacher." Arnobius.
(In a bad sense) " They are Sorcerers, who, entering houses
with certain plausible speeches and in fraud, lead captive siUy
women laden with sins; which is said especiaUy of heretics.
And the poison of asps designates calumnies, circumventions, and
heretical dogmas." Isychius, Origen.
Viegas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 840 ; — •
" 'Because by thy sorceries,' &c. By which is signified that
Rome, by its vain superstitions, nay, by its rewards and honors,
which by reason of the power they possess to influence the minds
of men are caUed sorceries ; had incited all nations of the world
to the worship of idols, and to adopt the false religion of her
gods." Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" He calls the allurements of sin, sorceries ; such as the
rewards and honors with which Pagan Rome demented all and
aUured them to idolatry and other crimes. He alludes to Syrens
who by their song, and to sorceresses who by their jugglings
and incantations, fascinate and dement men, and lead them on
to their destruction."
It has already been observed that by Pagan Rome this
author means Rome, not under the heathen emperors, but
Rome at the end of the present dispensation. On this
subject wre have already treated, and propose to add another
remark at the end of this chapter.
It is observed by Seneca in Epistle 45, that the quirks
of dialecticians deceive without doing (bodily) harm, in the
same manner as do the cups and pebbles of jugglers.
" Through thy sorceries all nations have erred ;" i. e.,
says Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, " literally, or by

288 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
poisonous persuasions," Glossa Interlinea, " evil persua
sions by which thou hast caused others to err."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" The sorceries of Babylon are the different errors by which
the human race is deceived."
Aquinas, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" Sorceries, veneficiis, i. e., maleficiis, so that they are the
incantations or songs by which the perverted deceive others —
" have caused aU nations to err." ... In thy sorceries, i. e., in
thy poisonous and perverse persuasions," Isaiah xlvii.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.' . . . This
is the cause for which Babylon the Great, that is, the kingdom
of the deril, shall be cast into the deep ; because it intoxicated
all nations by its lies, impostures, doctrines of devils, and fasci
nated them, so that they obeyed not the Gospel nor the truth. For
sorcery in this place seems to be put for spiritual intoxication."*
So likewise Cardinal Hugo on Nahum iii, 4.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 24 ; —
" ' And in her was found the blood of prophets and
saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth, signifies,
that from the religion which is meant by the city of Babylon
there is an adulteration and profanation of every truth of
the Word, and consequently of the church ; and that false
principles have emanated from thence throughout the whole
Christian world."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap, xviii ; —
" The blood is said to be found ; that is, vengeance for the
* Frauciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" ' If Babylon be so punished,' says Alexander de Hales, ' because it thus chose
avaricious Princes ; what shall become of those Ecclesiastics who are more in search
of earthly things than of divine ? Justly art thou doubly damned because by thy
sorceries, that is, thy diverse errors, corrupt examples, pestiferous persuasions,
(or sorceries literally, by which men hold their wives in hatred,) all nations have
been deceived that have belonged to thy school (collegium), and have come from
among the Gentiles ; or, many of all these.' "

VERSE XXIV.J SEVENTH VIAL  " BLOOD OF THE PROPHETS." 289
blood which shah come upon the whole wicked generation ; ac
cording to the words, ' The blood poured out upon the whole
earth from times of old, shaU be required of this generation. We
must hkewise know that, as before stated, they are found to have
shed the blood of the prophets and saints ; because the words
these have propounded, they (the Babylonians) have not feared
to pervert into another meaning."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap, xviii. ; —
" We must know, as frequently before observed, that they
are found to have shed the blood of the prophets and saints,
who, turning their words into a different sense from the one
intended, have fabricated in then writings the dogma of a corrupt
heresy ; in the same manner, for instance, as we are wont to
say, when any one wishes to make our words void in a manner
contrary to our intent, ' You are killing me.' According to this
mode of expression, Christ is now being killed by heretics."
These writers, therefore, preserve the same interpreta
tion of the words here which has been given to the symbol
in other parts of the Apocalypse. In the present case it is
the prophets and saints of Christ who are killed by the
Babylonians. Thus Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xvi,
verse 3, p. 616 ; —
" The waters of the Scriptures become blood, when by means
of a carnal sense they become corrupted by heretics. . . . After
the persecution under Constantine the Great had ceased, here
tics arose who by their false expositions turned the streams of
the Sacred Scripture into blood." . . .
The same interpretation of this passage in chap. xvi. is
given by Alexander de Hales.
Now as Cornelius a Lapide, Suarez, and others acknow
ledge that the Church of Rome may for the greatest part
decline into heresy ; we thus see how the prophecy may be
fulfilled, that the Church of Rome may shed the blood of
the prophets, the saints, and of all that were slain on the
earth ; i. e. of every truth of the church and the Scriptures.
We have seen that the ' blood of the prophets' is said to
VOL. iv. u

290 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
be shed, when the prophets are understood in the merely
literal or carnal sense. It is acknowledged by the Church of
Rome that the words ' I say unto thee that thou art Peter,
and upon this rock wiU I build my church,' are to be un
derstood in the literal or carnal sense; that the words,
' Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven,' are to be understood in the
literal or carnal sense ; whence, as we have seen, Peter is
declared to be the foundation of Christianity and the su
premacy of the Pope to be the capital dogma without which
Christianity cannot subsist. Also that the words, ' This is
my body,' &c, ' This is my blood,' &c, are to be under
stood in the literal or carnal sense ; whence the priests are
said to have power over the natural body of Christ, and
thus to be above the Seraphim. The washing of regenera
tion by water in baptism is required to be understood in a
similarly literal and carnal sense ; and when the Scripture is
viewed from this principle of interpretation, then does the
church ' shed the blood of prophets and of saints, and also
of all that are slain upon the earth.'
Ribera, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 212 ; —
" The same wiU happen to Rome as to Jerusalem, which slew
the prophets and stoned them which were sent unto her ; for
many things suffered she at many times, and was afflicted various
ways. And although many holy pontiffs had been in it, and
priests and prophets and citizens not a few, excelling in every
rirtue ; yet when it arrived at such a pitch of impiety as to dare to
sentence the King of Glory to the cross, it was most cruelly de
stroyed by the Romans, and its ruin paid the penalty of all its
past parricides." . . .
We have now completed the interpretations of these
two chapters, and also of the passages relating to Babylon
in other parts of the Apocalypse ; solely from out of the
interpretations of ancient writers, and Roman Catholic au-

VERSE XXIV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BLOOD OP THE PROPHETS." 291
thorities ; and thus has the Church of Rome borne ample
testimony to every part of Swedenborg's interpretations
upon this subject.
The very reluctancies, omissions, and tergiversations
of Roman Catholic interpreters in this case, are but the
prevarications of witnesses giving evidence against them
selves ; and produce in the mind of the hearer the same
kind of conviction with regard to the guilt of the witness,
as do similar prevarications before the civil tribunal of hu
man law.
Why is it, for instance, that Rome is said to return to
Pagan idolatry in the last times ? because it is necessary
to the safety of the Church of Rome to set aside the idea
of a Christian church. Why is it that her being arrayed
in purple, and gold, and precious stones, is interpreted
literally to signify the pomp and luxury of a heathen city ?
Because otherwise it would appear that it was not the city
of Rome but the church that was intended. Why is it
that the merchants and merchandize are all to be taken
in the literal sense ? Because, it being agreed that Rome
was intended by Babylon, and that the spiritual interpre
tation has relation to a church ; to have maintained that
Babylon means Rome, and to have interpreted the details
of the narrative as relating to a church, would have been a
fatal solution of the mystery, ' Babylon the Great.' That
this principle has been busily at work in the interpretation
of the Apocalypse is evident from the remark of Alcasar.
For when Ribera and Viegas could not but interpret Baby
lon to signify Rome in the last times, Alcasar objects to it
on the ground not of its being an untrue interpretation ;
but because it furnishes an argument against the church of
Rome. " I wonder," says he, " they have not been afraid
of affording to heretics, who detest Rome and the religious
worship offered to the images of the saints, a handle for
u2

292 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XVIII.
cavilling against us ; and consequently for boasting that even
among ourselves learned men are to be found who affirm
that the perversion of Rome and its return to idolatry are
predicted in the Apocalypse." Proemial Remark, n. 13.
If Alcasar cannot adduce a better reason for applying
the prophecy concerning Babylon in the Apocalypse to
ancient Rome than this, that unless this be done, heretics
have the best of the argument ; it only shews that want of
honesty in commentators to which we have already ad
verted. Notwithstanding, however, the advantage thus con
ceded to heretics, the warning of Alcasar was left unheeded
by Menochius, Tirinus, and that greatest of all commenta
tors in the Church of Rome — Cornelius a Lapide. They
felt themselves compelled by the force of truth to acknow
ledge that Babylon must signify Rome in the latter times.
But in order to avoid the application of the prophecy to the
Church of Rome, these writers insist that it refers to the
city of Rome ; which, they say, is to eradicate from out of
itself the Christian religion, and to introduce anew the wor
ship of idols ; so that Babylon or Rome may mean a heathen
city not a Christian church ; an hypothesis which is adopted
in order not to put weapons into the hands of heretics. Now
the celebrated Suarez himself rejects this hypothesis. Hear,
however, the reply of a devoted member of the Roman
Catholic church upon this subject.
Aben Ezra, The Coming of Messiah in Glory and
Majesty, vol. i, p. 246 ; —
" Well now ; and pray upon what foundation doth all this
pleasant history and aU these suppositions rest? Upon what
prophecy, upon what reason, upon what congruity, or verisi-
mUitude? Upon what foundation do they assure themselves
that the Roman empire shaU return to be what it was ? That
they shall eradicate the Christian religion from Rome, and intro
duce anew the worship of idols ? That Bome, now idolatrous,
shaU unite herself with Antichrist, king of the Jews, and favor

VERSE XXIV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " BLOOD OP THE PROPHETS." 293
his pretensions ? That, finally, the ten kings shaU, either out of
hatred to Antichrist, before being conquered by him, or by his
command after, bring upon Bome the terrible infliction? Is
not this hteraUy and properly, to build castles in the air ? Per
haps you wiU say that this is all done in prudence, to give no
occasion to heretics and hbertines to utter more of their wonted
incoherences against the Roman church; but this is the very
way to give them new weapons, and to provoke them to sport
them with the greatest success."
When or how it is that in the natural world Babylon is
to fall will be explained in the sequel.

CHAPTER XIX.
GLORIFICATION OP THE LORD BY THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN ON ACCOUNT
OP THE REMOVAL OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIGION IN THE SPI
RITUAL WORLD.— ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD'S ADVENT, AND OF A
NEW CHURCH FROM HIM.— THE OPENING OF THE WORD AS TO ITS
SPIRITUAL SENSE FOR THE USE OF THAT CHURCH.— ALL MEN ARE
CALLED TO IT— THE RESISTANCE OF THOSE WHO ARE PRINCIPLED IN
FAITH SEPARATE FROM CHARITY.— THEIR REMOVAL AND DAMNATION.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xix, verses
1—3 ;—
" ' After these things I heard as it were the voice of a
crowded multitude in heaven, saying Alleluia,' signifies,
thanksgiving, confession, and celebration of the Lord by
the angels of the inferior heavens, on account of the removal
of the Babylonians ; ' salvation, and glory, and honour, and
power unto the Lord our God,' signifies, that now there is
salvation from the Lord, because now there is a reception
of divine truth and divine good from his divine power :
'because true and just are his judgments, for he hath
judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with
her whoredom, signifies, because the profane Babylonian
religion is justly condemned for destroying the Lord's
church by foul adulteration of the Word : ' and hath avenged
the blood of his servants at her hand,' signifies, retribution
for the mischiefs and violence offered to the souls of them
who worship the Lord: 'and a second time they said,
Alleluia, and her smoke shall rise up for ever and ever,'
signifies, thanksgiving and celebration of the Lord, from a

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT." 295
principle of joy, because that profane religion is damned to
eternity." Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xix, ; —
" Worthy is the harlot of no smaU punishment ; first, be
cause she corrupted the earth by her prostitution, i. e, intoxi
cated aU carnal and earthly men with her pestiferous doctrine ;
namely by loving and foUowing the idolatry and defilements of
all nations and teaching wickedness. Secondly, because she had
poured out innocent blood like water."
For the meaning of pouring out blood, see p. 289.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" We may understand the pouring out of blood spirituaUy as
above ; for they have poured out the blood of the saints who
have corrupted their spiritual meaning. And because that which
had life in the divine oracles these persons have poured out and
turned into a carnal sense ; therefore so do they also in return
lose whatever vitahty they had."
Cardinal Hugo, Habbakuk ii, 15 ; —
" ' Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink,' &c. Woe
unto thee. Oh! Devil, Oh! Antichrist, Oh! Heretic, who intoxica-
test those who are deceived, with turbid temptation or with thy
teaching; that thou mightest behold, as naked of good works
proceeding from faith, those who before were boastful. . . . These
things shaU come upon thee by reason of the blood of souls, and
the iniquities which thou hast exercised in the earth, that is, in
the church of God. The graven images of thy figments shah
not profit thee, nor the beauty of thy dogmas ; because there is
neither the Holy Spirit, nor anything vital in them."
' He hath judged the great whore that did corrupt the
earth ;' i. e., says Tirinus, " the Roman Babylon being
now destroyed."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 4 — 6 ; — •
" ' And the four and twenty elders, and the four ani
mals, feU down and worshipped God, who sat on the
throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia,' signifies, adoration of the
Lord as God of heaven and earth, and Judge of the uni-

296 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
verse, by the angels of the superior heavens, and confirma
tion of the thanksgiving, confession, and celebration of the
Lord by the angels of the inferior heavens : ' and a voice
came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God all ye his
servants, and ye that fear him,' signifies, influx from the
Lord into heaven, and consequent unanimity of the angels,
that all who are in truths of faith and in goods of love,
ought to worship the Lord as the only God of heaven :
' both small and great,' signifies, those who in a lesser and
greater degree worship the Lord from truths of faith and
goods of love : ' And I heard as it were the voice of a
crowded multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and
as the voice of vehement thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for
the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth,' signifies, the joy of
the angels of the lowest heaven, of the angels of the middle
heaven, and of the angels of the supreme heaven, that the
Lord alone reigneth in the church which is now about to
come." Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 479 ; —
"Now it will appear from the foUowing hymn, that this
whole praising song belongs to the last times, not long before
Christ's coming to judgment : in which undoubtedly we now
live : and therefore we are bound to join our voice with the
same : the Church triumphant sings in heaven ; and the Church
mUitant hath with joint desires almost these hundred years (since
which the Church began to be purged from the dregs of Anti
christ) sung and praised the Lord, because he hath set up among
us the kingdom of his Son, and freed us from the tyranny of
Popery, intreating him at length to deliver that great whore to
condemnation, and avenge the blood of his servants on her."
Andreas here admits that he who is here said to reign
is " Jesus Christ our God and Lord." Haymo likewise
admits the person is Christ. Cardinal Hugo explains the
passage by a reference to chap, iv, where he admits the
person sitting on the throne to be Christ. De Lyra like-

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT." 297
wise says that the Lord God Omnipotent is Jesus Christ.
Gagneus ; that all the angels adored God who sitteth upon
the throne, i. e., Jesus Christ who sitteth upon the right
hand of the Father. Rupertus ; "the Lord God Omnipotent
reigneth ? What Lord ? What God ? The Lamb himself,
against whom the fornicating kings of the earth had fought
and who had conquered them ; for, says John, he is Lord
of lords and King of kings."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' For our Lord God reigneth.' Now is finished the
reign of sin ; and in future our God alone shall reign. Then
shall be fulfilled that which is said, ' Thy kingdom come.' In
which among other things we ask, that aU things may be sub
jected to Christ as King. AU power is indeed given to him in
heaven and in earth, and he is placed as Lord above aU the
works of his hands. We see the Lord Jesus, by reason of his
death and passion, surrounded with glory and honor ; but we see
not as yet all things made subject to him; there is not as yet
one fold, and one pastor. As yet reigns sin, as yet reigns death ;
to many is still unknown the blessedness of being subjected to
the kingdom of God ; and therefore do they prefer being slaves
of the devil. We pray therefore that the kingdom of Christ
may come, that nothing may remain which is not made subject
to him, that aU scandals may be removed from his kingdom, and
that the last death may be destroyed. Which wiU then happen
when that Babylon the Great shall utterly fall, for then shall
reign the Lord our God. Omnipotent, i. e, who has the power
to do all things that he wishes ; and to whom alone the kingdom
is due." Dr. Gill, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; — ¦
"The reason for their saying, Hallelujah, foUows; 'for the
Lord God Omnipotent reigneth ;' by whom is meant the Lord
Jesus Christ, who is Lord of aU, and God over all, blessed for
ever, and is the Almighty. And though he was set up as King
over the holy hiU of Zion, and has reigned over the church in
every age, and came as King into this world ; though his kingdom
was not of it; and at his resurrection was declared Lord and

298 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
Christ, and his kingdom was then more manifest ; and he has
ever since displayed his kingly power in defending his church
and defeating the enemies of it ; yet now wiU he reign more
visibly and gloriously ; his kingdom wUl be enlarged from one
end of the earth to the other, and he wUl be King over all the
earth," &c.
Robertson likewise admits that the person here desig
nated is Jesus Christ.
Professor Lee, Enquiry into the Nature, Progress, and
End of Prophecy, chap, xi, 15 — 18, p. 450 ; —
" The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of his Christ, and he shaU reign for ever and ever.
' 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.' The reign must necessarUy be that of
the Son of Man, as foretold in Daniel and noted above."
Ibid, p. 451 ;—
" The terms again, ' the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth,'
identify the subject of this song with that of our second; and
consequently the reign of the Son of Man is that of the Lord
God Omnipotent. Again here; ' Salvation . . . unto the Lord
our God . . . for he hath judged the great whore which did cor
rupt the earth,' &c. ; in our second song, is, ' the time is come
that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest destroy
them that destroy the earth.' The subject matter is therefore
the same in each of these songs ; it is that which glorifies the
power and grace of Christ in his having now subdued the great
enemy of souls, and in his offering salvation full and free to
every lost child of Adam."
From these authorities it is clear that the ' Lord our
God' is the Lord Jesus Christ ; that he is also the same
with the Lord God Omnipotent ; that to him are offered
the praises and thanksgivings of the angels, and this, too,
directly not obliquely. Now that it is denied by existing
churches, that Jesus Christ is Lord God Omnipotent, has
already been seen.
It has been observed, Vol. Ill, page 40, that Mr.

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT." 299
Mede was of opinion that the true idea or complete exem
plar of the legitimate and proper worship of the Divine
Being, can be derived from no other source than that of
the heavenly inhabitants. As the present instance then is
the last in the book of the Revelation, in which we are pre
sented with the form of divine worship by the heavenly
inhabitants ; it will be seen, upon referring back to the
various interpretations which have been adduced upon this
subject, that there is not a single instance in which divine
worship is not offered in heaven directly to the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ ; not a single instance in which we
meet with the words per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum.
Hence we perceive the reason, as already explained in Vol.
Ill, p. 449, why these angelical songs are called new songs ;
conformably to the new name which is ascribed to the Lord
Jesus Christ, as being in regard to his Humanity, Divine,
and consequently King of kings and Lord of lords.
We have seen that the Liturgical forms of worship
prevailing in all the churches upon the earth, are so com
posed as designedly to exclude, for the most part, this
form of divine worship prevailing in heaven.
Without repeating the authorities already adduced upon
this subject ; we may refer, in the first place, to the Com
mentary upon the Liturgy by Mr. Waldo, in order to ex
plain the doctrine of the Church of England upon this
subject. Mr. Waldo observes, p. 343 ; —
" It is almost a general rule in our Liturgy (except in the
Litany) to address our prayers to the Person of the Father, in
the name and through the mediation of Christ. But the prayer
of St. Chrysostom is directed immediately to the Son ; as appears
plainly from the promise referred to in the introductory part
(which our Saviour made in his own person whilst he dwelt on
earth), and also from the omission of the usual words, ' through
Jesus Christ our Lord,' at the end. Not that when we address

300 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
ourselves to one Person only in the blessed Trinity, we are to
exclude the others from our thoughts ; since they are one undi
vided nature or substance; the joint objects of our faith and
worship. Accordingly it is justly remarked in the Nicene Creed,
that the Holy Ghost ' with the Father and the Son together' is
worshipped and glorified ; and in the Athanasian, that ' in all
things the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped.' '
The author here observes that when we address ourselves
to one Person only in the blessed Trinity, we are not to
exclude the others from our thoughts ; for that they are
the joint objects of our faith and worship. Hence it is
clear that the distinct address to one Person only, is said
to include the joint worship of all. Yet in speaking of the
Litany the author observes, p. 239 ; — ¦
" It begins with a solemn and humble address to the ever-
blessed Trinity ; first to each Person distinctly, and then to all
jointly," &c.
Again, p. 240 ; —
" Having thus addressed each Person singly, we renew our
supplications to them all together."
The single or distinct address, then, does not include
the joint address ; and the reason assigned is, because of
the different office pertaining to each different Person (p.
223) ; each Person taking upon him a distinct part or office
in the economy of grace and man's salvation ; which there
fore we are by no means to confound."
The theological doctrine or metaphysical theory involved
in this mode of address is thus explained by Scotus ; in
reference to the prayers which are adopted in the Roman
Catholic church.
In vol. vi. of the works of Scotus, p. 1066, Scholium,
it is observed, that there may be an actual aversion from
one divine Person and not from another, hence also an ac
tual conversion to one divine Person and not to another.
" Which in the first place is proved thus ; since there are

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL — " LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT." 301
three articles respecting the Three Persons distinctly, it is possi
ble for an individual to err in one article and not in another, and
consequently to sin actuahy against one Person and not against
another ; because although actual consideration be had of one
Person, it does not follow that it is had of another ; for in every
Person is found the mean to the ultimate end ; because in every
one is found the mean to all good ; therefore toward that one
Person there may be reverence and irreverence, having no con
sideration toward the other Persons. And this the church ap
pears to do ; as is evident in the collects, in the conclusion of
which occur the words, 'per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum,'
&c. For first of aU, the Father is premised, to whom commonly
the prayer is directed ; and at the end the Mediator is subjoined,
in whose name the church offers up its supplications and prayers.
Whence, if any one offering up a prayer, per Dominum nostrum
Jesum Christum, &c, should intend to ask in the name of the
Trinity, he would ask nothing ; because the prayer is offered up
in the name of the Mediator, who is Christ. The church there
fore in praying seems to pray to one Person, and not to another
actuahy. This also is erident in the hymn, Veni Creator Spi-
ritus : in which many things are introduced which agree only to
the Holy Spirit; as that he is a gift, and such like."
For this and other reasons which are adduced, it is
affirmed that there may be actual conversion to one Person
and not to another; as also actual aversion from one Person
and not from another. Thus p. 1068, Commentary ; —
" One Person is in reality distinguished from another ; thus
a fortiori any one may in act consider one Person without con
sidering the other ; and so may in act be averted from one
Person, and in act not averted from the other."
Hence also it is said, we may sin against one Person
without sinning against the other ; and this explains the
remarks of Dean Comber and Dr. Hole on the Liturgy of
the Church of England (see above Vol. III. p. 163); in which
we find that there are distinct sins against the Father, dis
tinct sins against the Son, and distinct sins against the Holy
Ghost, and that each Person is to be distinctly invoked
and his distinct mercy implored in reference to the sin

302 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
which is distinctly committed against himself, each Person
being distinctly God and Lord by Himself.
Indeed, so explicit is Alcasar upon this subject, that
with regard to the Person sitting upon the throne, as stated
in chap. iv. of the Apocalypse, he remarks that this Person
was not Jesus Christ, " nor was it the Three-One God, but
only God the Father."
Now as it is said to be God the Father only upon the
throne, and God the Father only is addressed ; and all
Liturgical forms of prayer are said to be composed upon
this principle ; we can clearly understand the intercession
of God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, incar
nate ; and thus what it is to ask in his name, ox per Domi
num nostrum Jesum Christum. Thus ;
Cornelius a Lapide, Gospel of St. John, chap, xvi, 23,
p. 498 ;—
" To ask therefore in the name of Christ, is to ask by plead
ing the merits of Christ, and putting our trust in them and
not in our own ; so that God may not look upon our unworthi-
ness and sins but on the face of his Christ, and may give to us,
on account of the holiness and merits of Christ, that which we
do not deserve. Christ therefore here signifies not only God,
but God incarnate, obedient even unto the death upon the cross.
For he merited that the Father should give ear to our prayers.
It is thus that the church explains the subject; which concludes
all its prayers with the words, Per Dominum nostrum Jesum
Christum. It was thus that the Jews beseeched God by the
merits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were then forefathers ;
but Christians by the merits of Christ, whose merits infinitely
surpass the merits of the former."
According to this account, prayer to God through the
merits of Jesus Christ is similar to the prayer of the Jews
through the merits of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; or as
the Roman Catholics say, per merita sanctorum ; in which,
for instance, St. Joseph beseeches Mary, to beseech the Sa
viour, to beseech the Father.

VERSE VI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT." 303
We have now seen that explanation of the phrase,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, or of asking in the name of
Christ, which we are told is the one which has been adopted
by the Catholic church in the composition of its Liturgies.
There is however another and very different explana
tion, which is indeed admitted to be true, but is not the
one which the Catholic church has adopted.
Cornelius a Lapide, Gospel of St. John, chap, xvi, 23,
p. 498;— " Do you enquire what it is to ask in the name of Christ ?
First, St. Gregory answers in Hom. xxvii. ; ' The name of the
Son is Jesus, Jesus is the same with Saviour, or he who gives sal
vation. He therefore asks in the name of the Saviour who asks
for that which pertains to salvation. Since if that be asked for
which is not expedient, the Father is not asked in the name of
Jesus. When moreover the Lord says to these same apostles
who were still in a state of infirmity ; ' Hitherto ye have not
asked in my name ;' it is as if it were openly said to them ; ye have
not asked in the name of the Saviour, because ye have not known
how to seek eternal salvation. Hence it is likewise that Paul
was not heard ; because, had he been released from temptation,
it would not have conduced to his salvation, 2 Cor. xii.' And a
httle after St. Gregory thus contmues; 'Consider well your
petitions ; see whether ye ask in the name of Jesus, that is,
whether ye ask for the joys of eternal salvation. For in the
house of Jesus ye seek not Jesus, if in the temple of eternity
ye importunately ask for temporal things. For one in his prayer
asks for a wife, another asks for a villa, another asks for clothing,
anothers prays that victuals may be given him.' And St. Au
gustin says; 'That is not asked in the name of the Saviour,
which is asked contrary to the terms of salvation; nor does he
ask in the name of Christ who thinks of Christ what ought not
to be thought ; but he receives whensoever he ought to receive,
who asks in the way in which he ought : for some things there
are which are not denied, but are only deferred in order to be
given at a suitable time.' "
So Bede, Rupertus, and St. Thomas.
Such is the explanation of the phrase, per Dominum

304 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
nostrum Jesum Christum, which in this case therefore is not
added at the end ofthe prayer; because it is diffused through
out the whole of it, and the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom
is the Father, is himself directly addressed. Thus there is
no asking one Person for the sake of another Person : such
is the prayer commonly known as that of Chrysostom.
Now this is the form of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving
prevailing in heaven ; and likewise the form designedly ex
cluded for the most part from existing Liturgies. For
as Pamelius says in his Micrologus de Ecclesiasticis Obser-
vationibus, Biblia Magna, vol. xi, p. 379; —
" ' Whatsoever ye shaU ask the Father in my name, he wUl
give it you ;' whence most or nearly all the prayers we very
aptly conclude with these words, Per Dominum nostrum. For
extremely few [paucissima] are found, which, consistently with
the meaning of the prayer, wiU admit of any other conclusion."
If the true meaning of asking in the name of Christ
be that which is given above by Gregory, Augustin,
Bede, Rupertus, and Aquinas ; and if also nearly all the
prayers of the Catholic church are composed upon a dif
ferent principle, so that there are paucissimm the fewest
possible exceptions to the general rule ; then is that almost
or as nearly as possible true with regard to the Catholic
church, which our Saviour said was perfectly true with
regard to the disciples ; ' Hitherto have ye asked nothing
in my name.'
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 7, 8 ; —
" ' Let us be glad and exult and give glory to him, for
the marriage of the Lamb is come,' signifies, joy of soul
and heart, and consequent glorification of the Lord, because
from henceforth a full marriage of him with the church is
effected : ' and his wife hath made herself ready,' signifies,
that they who are to be of this church, which is the New
Jerusalem, will be collected, initiated, and instructed : ' and
it was given her to be arrayed in fine linen clean and shin-

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB." 305
ing,' signifies, that they will be instructed in genuine and
pure truths through the Word by the Lord : ' for fine linen
is the righteousness of saints,' signifies, that by means of
truths out of the Word, they who are of the Lord's church
acquire goods of life."
Ibid, art. '81 5;—
" The reason why justice or righteousness signifies good
of life among those who are in truths, is, because no one
can be called righteous or just, unless he lives according
to truths ; for he is called just in a natural sense who lives
well according to civil and moral laws ; but he is called
righteous or just in a spiritual sense, who lives well accord
ing to the divine laws ; and the divine laws are truths from
the Word. He who thinks himself just, and consequently
in good of life, without the aid of truths according to
which he may regulate his life, is much deceived; for man
cannot be reformed and regenerated and so made good,
but by means of truths and by a life conformable to them.
Hence it is evident, that by ' fine linen is the righteousness
of saints,' is signified, that by means of truths from the
Word they who are of the Lord's church acquire goods of
life. This manifestly appears from the case of the angels,
who, in proportion as they are more in truths and a life
conformable thereto, in the same proportion do they appear
clothed in whiter garments ; the reason is, because they
are in a whiter light."
Ibid, art. S12;—
" That when the Lord's Humanity is acknowledged to
be Divine, there is a full marriage of the Lord and the
Church, may appear almost without explanation ; for it is a
known thing in the Reformed Christian world, that the
Church is a Church by virtue of its marriage with the Lord ;
for the Lord is called the Lord of the vineyard, and the
Church is the vineyard : moreover the Lord is called the
VOL. IV. x

306 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XIX.
Bridegroom and Husband, and the Church is called the
Bride and wife ; that the Lord is called the Bridegroom,
and the Church the Bride, may be seen above, n. 797 ; that
there is then a full marriage of the Lord and the Church,
when his Humanity is acknowledged to be Divine, is evi
dent ; for in this case God the Father and he are acknow
ledged to be one like soul and body ; and when this is
acknowledged, the Father is not approached for the sake
of the Son, but the Lord himself is approached, and
through him God the Father, because the Father is in him
as the soul in the bodv, as was observed. Before the Lord's
Humanity is acknowledged to be Divine, there is indeed a
marriage of the Lord with the Church, but only among
those who approach the Lord, and think of his Divinity,
and not at all whether his Humanity be Divine or not :
this the simple in faith and in heart do, but men of learn
ing and erudition rarely. Besides there cannot be given
three husbands of one wife, nor three souls of one body ;
wherefore unless one God is acknowledged in whom there
is a Trinity, and that God is the Lord, no marriage takes
place. The reason why this marriage takes place from
henceforth, is, because it could not be fuUy effected until
the Babylonians and also the Philistines (the latter of whom
are they who profess faith alone) were removed in the spi
ritual world by means of the last judgment ; and since
what went before treats of their removal, it is said from
henceforth." On this subject we remark, first, that if the period al
luded to by St. John be the period when the marriage of
the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready,
it is obvious that before that period the marriage of the
Lamb had not come, nor had his wife made herself ready ;
in fine that down to that period, there had been no true
marriage. Hence it is that in chap, xiv, those who were

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " MARRIAGE OP THE LAMB." 307
redeemed from amongst men, and who were ultimately to
be of the church, are called virgins, as being those with
whom the full marriage was not to be celebrated tiU the
period in the narrative here referred to. In opposition to
these therefore Babylon is described as a harlot ; as pre
tending indeed to be a virgin and the Bride, and as such
representing the five virgins who went forth to meet the
Bridegroom at his coming, that is to say, as being the
Church elect. In this case Babylon could not be repre
sented as an adulteress ; for an adulteress is one who has
already been married, whereas the period of true marriage
is represented as not yet arrived ; nor does it arrive upon
earth till the New Jerusalem descends from God out of
heaven. The true marriage, then, of the Lamb is not with
any antecedent church, but only with the New Jerusalem ;
and hence the relation of the redeemed to the Lamb before
that period, is the relation not of a wife but of a virgin or
an intended bride ; and therefore the relation of any false
church to the Lamb antecedently to that period is corre
spondingly that of a harlot; one who follows not the Lamb
whithersoever he goeth, but who herself goes after other
lovers ; yet all the while pretending to be the bride elect,
or the actual wife of the Lamb.
This is a sufficient answer to those who object that
if Babylon had been intended to signify a false church, it
would have been called not a harlot but an adulteress ; or
one who had been married to the Lamb, and had become
unfaithful. The foregoing observation is further confirmed by
Ribera, who writes on this subject as follows ; —
" The wife that is to be, when remaining at home, is said to
be betrothed ; but when the marriage has taken place and she is
brought to the house of the Bridegroom, she is then caUed a wife.
So the Church, whUe awaiting at home the advent of the Bride
groom, i. e., while remaining upon earth to the day of judgment,
x2

308 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAP. XIX.
is caUed a Bride, as the friend of the Bridegroom says; 'He
who hath the bride is the bridegroom,' John iii. But when at
the day of judgment she shaU be led to the house of the Bride
groom, that is, shaU ascend with Christ into heaven, she shall be
called the wife. This is the marriage of which it is written in
Matt. xxii. ; ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a king who
made a marriage for his son,' that is, who intending to make a
marriage for a son, ' sent to call such as were invited.' And
inasmuch as the marriage is now at hand (for now there will be
but a little interval before the consummation of the age and the
completion of the number of the elect) ; therefore it is that John
says, the marriage of the Lamb is come."
The observation of Cornelius a Lapide is to the same
effect, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" In this life the Church is the spouse of Christ, whose es
pousals are by grace celebrated in baptism. But in a future life
she wUl be the wife by glory, whose nuptials wiU be celebrated in
heaven throughout all eternity. It is of these espousals of Christ
and the church, that it is said in Canticles iii, 11 ; ' Go forth,
O ! ye daughters of Zion ! and behold king Solomon with the
crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his
espousals.' ... It is of this marriage that it is said, that ' the
marriage of the Lamb is come.
" Wherefore the opinion of Alcasar is only mystical and in
the way of accommodation ; namely, that the wife is the Church
of Bome; that the marriage was celebrated when Rome was
converted by St. Peter and others to Christ ; and that it is for
this reason that the whole church says, Alleluia !"
It has been seen above that these writers, and indeed
those of the Roman Communion in general, refer the
period of the marriage here alluded to, to a future life in
heaven; all of them however acknowledge that it takes
place at that period when the former heavens and earth
pass away, a new heaven and a new earth are created, and
the New Jerusalem descends from God out of heaven.
That the descent, however, of the New Jerusalem out
of heaven upon earth, does not mean an ascent from earth

VERSE VII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB." 309
into heaven, might be thought by some to be sufficiently
plain. It will however be confirmed in the sequel by
authority, both ancient and modern. At present we shall
add only the following observation on this subject.
Scott, Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" AU that has hitherto been done seems to be merely an in
troduction to that happy era, when innumerable multitudes will
be converted aU over the earth, and the state of the Church wUl
greatly resemble heaven itself. Then the marriage of the Lamb
wiU come ; and his espoused Church being purified from heresies,
divisions, and Antichristian corruptions in doctrine, discipline,
worship, and practice, wiU be made ready and meet to be pub
licly owned by him, as his delight and his beloved."
That this marriage of the Lamb is to take place upon
earth is also the interpretation of the Assembly in their
Annotations, Vitringa, Mede, Robertson, Durham, Poole,
Mayer, Gill, Gauntlett, Pyle, and numerous others.
Secondly, we remark, that, in p. 154, it has been seen
that the communication or union between Christ and the
Church is said to be of the same kind as that which exists
between Christ-God and Christ-Man ; in other words, the
same with that which exists between the Divinity and Hu
manity in the person of Christ. Hence likewise Perrone
observes in his Theological Prelections, vol. ii, p. 851, that
the authority of the Church ought not to be regarded as a
human authority, but as the organ of Divinity and a per
petual or continual manifestation of Christ himself ; whence
also it is affirmed that the decrees of the Church are divine.
Thus by aiming at too much, the whole is lost. For the
union of the Church is thus said to be a union or marriage
not with the Humanity but with the Divinity. Now we
have seen that the Lamb signifies the Humanity ,- hence in
this case there is no marriage of the Lamb with the Church.
The Church puts herself in the place of the Lamb, and
hence substitutes her own humanity for that of the Lord ;

310 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
herself for the Lamb ; and thus it is she calls herself a
divinely human body ; and as a natural consequence, denies
the Divine Humanity of the Lord ; who, as to his Hu
manity, is said to be absent altogether, and to be in need of
a Vicar. There can be no marriage of a bride with an
absent bridegroom.
Besides ; the marriage between pure Divinity and Hu
manity can take place only in the person of the Lord ;
hence the relation between the Divinity and Humanity in
his Person is often called a marriage by ancient writers,
and in him it is of the most perfect kind ; for he has so
sanctified the Humanity by and from the Divinity within
him that he alone is Holy, or Holiness itself. Hence what
ever dogma destroys the perfection of that union, destroys
the divine marriage. " He did sanctify our nature," says
Dr. Barrow, " by the closest conjunction thereof with the
Divine Nature, and rendered it more than a temple of the
Divinity ;" so that if in the subordinate marriages of men,
it may be said they twain are one flesh, infinitely more may
it be said that in the Saviour, the Divinity and Humanity
are one ; not one simply, as Eutyches is aUeged to have
taught when he said the Humanity was so absorbed in the
Divinity that the Humanity ceased to be ; but distinctly
one ; by reason of which the Humanity was glorified, not
nullified ; and was thus so united to the Divinity, as not to
be annihilated but married, and thus to become the Divine
Humanity, or the Divine Human, Immanuel, God with us.
Hence likewise Dr. Barrow in his Sermon on the Na
tivity of the Lord, vol. ii, p. 20, observes ; —
" Is not our flesh become adorable as the true Shechinah ;
as the everlasting palace of the Supreme Majesty, wherein the
fulness of the Godhead dweUeth bodny ; as the most holy shrine
of the Divinity; as the orb of inaccessible light; as more than
all this if more could be expressed, or if we could expound that
text, ' The Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us ?' "

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " FINE LINEN." 311
We have seen that the Humanity of Christ is re
garded by existing churches as not adorable ; hence it
will be further seen in the sequel that to that Humanity a
new name is given, or a new quality ascribed, when the
marriage of the Lamb has come. Hence the New Name
and the New Jerusalem are immediately connected with a
New Revelation.
It is said that ' the fine linen is the righteousness of
saints.' It has already been seen that fine linen means
truth. Cocceius says it means "words pure and true!'
The righteousness is interpreted by the Assembly to sig
nify good works. Lowman says it signifies " a real righte
ousness and holiness, a divine nature and a godlike temper
in conformity to God's own perfections." Doddridge says
it means "righteous acts" and adds, "I cannot suppose
that these words have that reference which some have ima
gined to the imputation of his righteousness to us. And
I hope Christian divines will have the courage to speak
with the Scripture, even though it should be at the expense
of their reputation for orthodoxy with some who profess,
nevertheless, to make Scripture their standard."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 9 —
11;- " ' And he said unto me, Write, blessed are they who
are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb,' signifies,
a single angel sent from heaven to John, and talking with
him of the Lord's new church, and saying that it would
be given to know upon earth that they have life eternal
who receive the things which are of that church : ' and he
said, These are the true words of God,' signifies, that this
is to be believed because it is from the Lord : ' and I fell
at his feet to worship him, and he said, See thou do it not :
I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren who have the
testimony of Jesus : worship God,' signifies, that angels of

312 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
heaven are not to be worshipped and invoked, because they
have nothing divine, but that they are associated with men,
as brethren with brethren, i. e., in the case of such as wor
ship the Lord ; and therefore that the Lord alone is to be
worshipped by us in consociation with them : ' for the tes
timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,' signifies, that
the acknowledgment, that the Lord is the God of heaven
and earth, and at the same time a life conformable to his
precepts, is, in a universal sense, the all of the Word and
of doctrine derived from it. ' And I saw heaven open,
and behold a white horse,' signifies, the revealing of the
spiritual sense of the Word by the Lord, and thereby the
discovery of the interior meaning of the Word, which is the
coming of the Lord."
Franciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 253 ;
"'And I saw heaven opened,' &c. St. Thomas says, that
by this is signified that the secret of the divine mysteries was
revealed by Christ in his preaching, suffering, rising again, as
cending into heaven. Before the advent of Christ this heaven
was shut, because as yet the truth had not been revealed in this
manner." Viegas, Ribera, Alexander de Hales, Gaspar a Melo,
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, &c, refer the period of
this vision to the times of Antichrist ; in which the Word
of God goes forth to fight against the adversaries of his
church. For, as Berengaud says, " it refers to the elect
who are to be born at the end of the world ; for when the
end of the world is at hand the Lord shall come in his
saints, in order by them to fight against Antichrist and his
ministers." Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' I saw heaven opened ;' that is, the mysteries of God were
revealed to me ; whence the opening of heaven is the revelation
of mysteries." Richard of St. Victor, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " HEAVEN OPENED." 313
" ' And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse,' &c.
The opening of heaven is the revelation of mystery ; the white
horse is the Humanity assumed by the Word, who is rightly
called a white horse as being without spot. Therefore heaven
being opened a white horse is seen, because the mystery of the
sacred page being revealed, the immaculate Humanity assumed
by the Word comes to be known."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" Heaven being opened, therefore, the white horse and the
rider are beheld ; because by the preaching of the church, the
Humanity of Christ and his Divinity are made manifest unto
the nations." Gagneus, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' I saw heaven opened :' aU the mysteries of heaven were
clearly pointed out to me."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" 'And I saw heaven opened.' LiteraUy that gate of heaven
was opened which before was shut, Gen. hi. ' And he placed
before the paradise of dehght cherubim, and a flaming sword
which should turn every way.' In that the cherubim, which
being interpreted signify fulness of knowledge, were placed
before Paradise ; it is signified, that the gate would not be
opened except by the Son of God, who is the Wisdom of the
Father. . . . Mysteries are revealed, because man may now ascend
into heaven and have the knowledge of God."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xix.' ; —
" The mysteries of the church were revealed to me, and also
that man might now ascend into heaven and have a knowledge
of God." Dr. GiU, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" Since heaven often in this book signifies the church on
earth ; a more glorious and comfortable state of the church may
be designed, when her gates shaU be opened continually and not
shut day nor night to receive the forces of the Gentiles and
their kings, Is. Ix, 15. Such a state as is referred to in chap.
xi, 9, and xv, 5, to which visions this is cotemporary ; and it
may denote a very glorious appearing of Christ, not in person,

314 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
which wiU be after* this, but in his kingdom and power ; in
defeating his enemies and reigning spirituaUy with his saints."
Marloratus, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' And I saw heaven opened.' . . . The opening of heaven
betokeneth here, as in many other places, a fuller discovery of
God's mysteries ; or else, that the whole earth shaU be enlight
ened with brightness and glory, and that the day of judgment
shaU be exceeding far brightest of aU." Gaspar Megander.
It signifies, says Cluverus, " a revelation of Christ from
heaven and indeed a new one." Wesley says it is " a new
and peculiar opening in order to shew the magnificent ex
pedition of Christ and his attendants against his great ad
versary." Mention has already been made of the horses given to
the sun, of which we find a notice in the Scriptures in
2 Kings xxiii, 11. In the mythology of the Greeks also
mention is made of the horses which were harnessed to the
chariot of Phoebus ; by which is wont to be signified the
speed or velocity of the sun's light. Dionysius also re
marks that horses are in close affinity to the divine light ;
and hence we may regard them as signifying the rapid pro
gress of the light of divine truth.
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" In Isaiah xix, 1, it is said ; ' The Lord rideth upon a swift
cloud and shaU come into Egypt ;' by which is signified, that in
his own time God will come into the world with the Gospel and
his Spirit ; and especially into that empire which has a resem
blance to Egypt, and which also comprised within itself the
hteral Egypt. So likewise Christ is here said to go forth upon
a white horse : i. e, as the Prince of peace manifesting himself
in the sons and messengers of peace. See Apoc. vi, 2. For
those in whom Christ lives and reigns, and through whom he
manifests himself to the world, as willing that he should reign
in it, are most evidently compared with a white horse."
The ' swift cloud' upon which the Lord rides into Egypt
* No.

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WHITE HORSE." 315
is interpreted by Cardinal Hugo to signify among other
things the Scriptures ; and in this respect it has nearly the
same meaning as the symbol of the white horse, which ac
cording to Grotius, Robertson, Cluverus, Gill, and others
signifies the Gospel, and thus the Word of God. In this
point of view the interpretation accords with that of Swe
denborg, with this exception; that the white horse sig
nifies the Word of God under a particular aspect, viz, its
interior meaning, as received by the understanding ; for
the horse signifies the progress or discursus of the Word*
in the mind, as already explained in chap, vi, to which the
reader is referred.
St. Bernard in his Works, vol. ii, p. 778, art, 66, says
there are three species of horses, one of which he men
tions as being spiritual knowledge. Cornelius a Lapide on
Habakkuk ii, p. 556, observes that the various colored
horses mentioned in Zechariah signify the manifold wisdom
of God. Alexander de Hales on Apoc. vi, observes ; that
the apostles were white horses, by reason of the truth of
their wisdom, and the brightness of their eloquence. Thus
we see both knowledge, wisdom, and preaching or dis
coursing associated with the white horse.
* The ancient writers and many of the more recent regard the white horse as
signifying the Humanity of Christ. Alexander de Hales says it signifies the Deified
Humanity, and the rider the Humanated Divinity. These interpretations perhaps
would not very much differ from the former, if we regarded the white horse as sig
nifying the Humanitas Verbificata ; for in this case it would signify, equally as in
the former, the Word of God ; and in this point of view Christ is here represented as
the wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
See Haymo.
We may here notice the observation of Archbishop Tennison in his Treatise on
Idolatry, p. 376, where he says, that " the fathers in the council of Constantinople
maintained that Christ ascended was intellectual flesh, neither properly flesh nor yet
incorporeal, but visible to them who have pierced him without grossness of flesh.
They believed it a great point of Christianity, that Jesus God-Man sat in the heavens
in illustrious visible glory. And this St. John saw in a vision ; in which the Logos,
the God Omnipotent, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, or Lamb, God-Man
appeared on his throne crowned and with eyes like flames of fire."

316 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. fcHAP. XIX.
The reason for which a horse may signify spiritual
knowledge or understanding has already been explained in
the observations on this subject in chap, vi.; where we have
seen it to be derived from the use of this animal, which is
to carry a person from place to place, in discurrendo.
Lauretus, art. Equus ; —
" The various colored horses in Zechariah vi. are teachers
and preachers, who, adorned by works and various doctrines and
by a variety of miracles, run about [discurrunt] as horses, writing
and teaching, now from one place now from another." Jerome.
We have already however observed that the bodily
action of discursus from one place to another is only an
outward sign of another kind of discursus, namely, of that
operation of the mind which is called by that name. Ac
cordingly there is a much higher sense in which discursus
may be predicated of preachers than of their going from
place to place ; namely, that in virtue of which they are
said to discourse. For thus we speak of the discursus of
reason, or of the understanding.
Reece's Encyclopaedia, art. Discourse ; —
" Discourse, from discurro, I run over, is an operation of the
human mind whereby it passes or proceeds from one thing to
another, that is, from a known thing to an unknown. The
schoolmen define it an act of cognition whereby the mind de
duces one thing from another ; so that discourse consists in a
dependency of assents, and supposes such an order between the
acts, that that belonging to the consequent arises from that be
longing to the antecedent. So that the inteUect is then said
discurrere to discourse, when from an assent to one or more pro
positions, it infers or draws an assent to another."
This however is the discursus rationis ; and of this
Suarez, De Angelis, book ii, chap, xxxiii, observes, that
" discursus is a motion or transition of the intellect from one
thing to the other " and again, " men are in need of dis
cursus, which is as it were a spiritual motion by which they

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WHITE HORSE." 317
come to the knowledge of truth ; but celestial spirits have
intuition without discourse." There may however be a
discursus, though of a higher order, even in celestial
angels. For theirs being the knowledge of ends, there
may be a discursus or spiritual motion or transition of the
thought from end to end, from prior to posterior, from first
to last, according to celestial order. So likewise, although
in the most eminent manner, there may be discursus in God ;
as Scotus admits, though Suarez denies. For he is Divine
Order itself, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and
the Ending, the First and the Last, Which is, and Which
was, and Which is to come; and therefore there may be in
Him in the same eminent sense a discursus from the one to
the other, as they exist in their divine order. This is more
especially true in regard to the relation of God to the out
ward creation ; for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth. Hence also Habakkuk iii,
16;' Thou didst ride upon thine horses, and thy chariots
of salvation ;' ver. 16 ; ' Thou didst walk through the sea
with thine horses, through the heap of great waters ;'
Psalm lxviii, 4 ; ' Extol him that rideth upon the heavens
by his name Jah.' In the present chapter of the Apo
calypse, the Word of God rideth upon a white horse. Con
sidered then as pertaining to the Word, this white horse
must signify what is divine, hence a divine discursus, as
implied in that name or quality of divine intelligence, which
no man knoweth but he himself. Thus in Psalm clxvii, 5 ;
'He teUeth the number of the stars, he calleth them all by
their names. Great is Our Lord and of great power, and
his understanding is infinite.' Isaiah xl, 28 ; ' There is no
searching of his understanding! In this point of view,
therefore, the white horse signifies the divine understanding
or divine discursus ; and as it is the Word that rides upon
the white horse, so the latter signifies the divine meaning
of the Word, or the Word as divinely understood.

318 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
The same may be said of the white horses of the saints,
which signify in like manner their discursus, or the spiritual
motion or transition of the intellect from one truth to
another in the Word. Hence we may likewise obtain a
clue to the right understanding of that expression of Am
brose in Psalm cxviii. " O rationabilium equorum grande
certamen ! 0 mirandum mysterium !" On the other hand,
where there is ignorance or falsification of the Word, in
this case the discursus is of a horse that is black, red, pale,
according to the quality of the falsification.
Now, He who is here described as being on the white
horse is the Word of God ; that is, the Logos ; that is,
the Essential Reason. Hence the spiritual motion of that
Reason is represented by the white horse. Thought is said
to be nothing more than the spiritual motion of reason ;
and hence the white horses of the saints represent their in
terior thought, or motion of their understanding in follow
ing the Word or Logos, or the Essential Reason. For, as
Aquinas says, " thinking is a consideration of the intellect ;
which, before we come to perfection of understanding by
means of certitude of vision, is attended with a kind of
enquiry." Aquinas, vol. xxii, p. 11, qusest. 2, art. 1 ; vol.
xxiv, p. 65, art. 1, 2, qusest. 2. It is then through the
medium of this discursus, that we arrive at the full or per
fect vision to which we shall allude in the sequel.
Thus we see that all the armies in heaven, the faithful,
caUed, and chosen, are represented as following the Eternal
Logos, or Essential Reason, by means of a spiritual mo
tion of the understanding, which is the act of thinking :
as exemplified in consideration, deliberation, meditation, or
in general, discursus, on the Word of God : and this be
cause the heavens are now opened, and the divine mysteries
are now revealed.
In this point of view the vision of the white horse may
be regarded as opposed to the authoritative teaching of

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WHITE HORSE." 319
Babylon ; according to which either the Word of God ought
not to be read at all, or if read, the discursus of reason
ought to be superseded by the assent of a blind faith ; as if
this discursus was necessarily an heretical act of private
judgment ; whereas it may be no other than following the
Word of God on a white horse.
Dr. Henry More, Theological Works, p. 673 ; —
" In this vision you see that the Eternal Word of God, of
which the Holy Bible is in some sense and some part a transcript,
is at last upon his triumph adorned with many crowns, and has
got into possession of his just title exposed visibly to the view of
aU the world in a writing upon the thigh of this great Hero's,
King of kings and Lord of lords. Which power the lady of
Babylon had usurped before, and under the pretence of her in-
falhbility had sUenced not only the express law of the written
Word of God, but most coarsely and barbarously had trodden
down those innate principles of morahty and reason that the
Eternal Logos or Word had implanted in the souls of men, and
by terror and cruel forcibleness did what she could to smother,
stifle and extinguish them. But here the scene of things begins
in a wonderful manner to be changed, the pure Word of God
going forth to battle with so magnificent an attendance against
the corrupt, superstitious, idolatrous, and contradictious opinions,
and fond institutes of that Antichristian body of men over whom
the Pope has a special headship and sovereignty in order to gain
an assured victory and triumph over them."
Cardinal Hugo, Matt, xxiv, 44 ; —
" ' Therefore be ye also ready, even as the Bridegroom is
ready for the Bride.' Note this also ; that man ought to be pre
pared to fight against the Deril. Prov. xxi, 31 ; ' The horse is
prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.' More
over he ought to be prepared to give a reason for the faith against
heretics. 1 Pet. ih, 15; 'Be ready always to satisfy every one
that asketh you a reason of the faith and the hope that is in
you.' Also to maintain good works against eril speakers. . . .
Also to be ready to preach against the world; Jer. 1, 14, 15;
' Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about : aU ye
that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows : for she hath

320 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
sinned against the Lord. Shout against her round about : she
hath given her hand : her foundations are fallen : her walls are
thrown down,' " &c.
The Word, then, rides forth to battle on the white
horse accompanied by his saints, themselves also on white
horses ; even as formerly the Lord rode into Egypt on the
swift cloud to make war against the idols of Egypt. These
idols of Egypt were heresies or false dogmas. And so in
like manner he goeth forth in the present case to the battle
of Armageddon, or to make war directly against the
idols or false dogmas of the Dragon, the Beast, and the
False Prophet, mentioned in chap. xvi. ; and they who
are with him are the called, the chosen, and faithful, who
worship the Lord in his Divine Humanity and keep his
commandments. Thus Mr. Knox, in his Remains, vol. iii, p. 220 ; —
" ' Man,' says Whichcote, ' is not at all settled or confirmed
in his rehgion, untU his rehgion is the self-same with the reason
of his mind ; so that when he thinks he speaks reason, he speaks
religion ; or when he speaks religiously, he speaks reasonably,
and his religion and reason are mingled together ; they pass into
one principle; they are no more two, but one; just as the hght
in the air makes one iUuminated sphere, so reason and rehgion,
in the subject, are one principle.' "
" What is here, as I conceive, most justly stated to be the
perfection of the individual, wUl no less be necessary to the
moral renovation of society ; but, in order to this blessed effect,
reason and truth must be each fitted to unite with the other.
Beason must be unprejudiced and undebased ; truth must be
unmixed and intelligible. How the former wUl be effected, we
cannot yet pronounce ; we only know, that with God all things
are possible, and that already common sense shews striking
marks of increased clearness and strength. How truth wUl be
freed from obscurity, as well as from drossy admixtures, we may
easUy conceive, as nothing further wiU be necessary than a clear
apprehension of the contents of the Sacred Volume. There
remain, unadulterated and unclouded, the oracles of God ; and

VERSE XI.J SEVENTH VIAL — " WHITE HORSE." 321
so soon as men have eyes to see, they wiU appear as a Book
newly unsealed, the view of them will be so very different from
what it had ever been before."
" Here, then, I rest. In the Word of God I seem to myself
to see a depth of wisdom and of exceUence in a great degree yet
unexplored. I see, as I conceive, a divine philosophy, which
needs only to be known and understood, in order to a triumph
of pure Christianity over all false views of it, or prejudices
against it, as decided and as universal as that which has been
gained by the Copernican over the Ptolemaic system. In fact I
see, or think I see, what the most cultivated taste will contem
plate with dehght ; what the most exalted genius will bow down
to with unfeigned veneration ; what the profoundest mind will
attach itself to as its most congenial study ; and this not from
mere poverty of spirit, or a humiliating sense of sin (necessary
as these may be to the well-being of the individual), but from
the same kind of conviction which made Newton recognize a
presiding and a sustaining God in the system of the universe."
Thus we are brought to that age of prophecy in which
the heavens are opened, that is, the Lord reveals the mys
teries of his Word, and these mysteries are caused to be
understood by the saints who are thus said to follow him
on white horses ; an age therefore in which truth shall not
only be revealed but also understood.
Now the harlot teaches that the Word of God is not
necessary to salvation, much less the reading and under
standing of it. That is to say, when the Word of God goes
forth upon the wThite horse, she cries out to the saints that
they have no need of white horses, or to follow the Word ;
and against those who would do so she would make war ;
for she is seated on a beast of her own, under her own
guidance, which is full of blasphemies ; and holds out to
her own followers the golden cup which is full of the abo
minations of her fornication. And as the Word has a name
which no man knoweth but He himself, and they to
whom he will reveal it ; so has the harlot a name which is
VOL. IV. Y

322 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
mystery to all those who receive of her cup ; for she has
withholden the sacramental cup of the Lord, and adminis
ters only her own potations.
Sweoenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 11 — 13 ;
" ' And he who sat upon him is called Faithful and
True, and in justice he doth judge and make war,' signifies,
the Lord as to the Word, that he is divine good and divine
truth itself, from both which he executeth judgment : ' and
his eyes were as a flame of fire,' signifies, the divine wisdom
of the Lord's divine love : ' and on his head were many
diadems,' signifies, the divine truths of the Word from him :
' having a name written which no one knew but himself,'
signifies, that what the Word is in its spiritual and celestial
sense, no one seeth but the Lord, and they to whom he
revealeth it : ' and he was clothed in a vesture stained with
blood, and his name is called the Word of God,' signifies,
divine truth in its ultimate sense, or the Word in the
letter, to which violence has been offered."
' His eyes were as a flame of fire ;' because, says Al-
bertus Magnus, they illuminate and inflame ; or according
to Richard of St. Victor, because " they subdue the wicked
with the torments of damnation, illuminate the elect with
the knowledge of truth, and inflame them with a love of
virtue." Pareus, Apocalypse, p. 490 ;—
" ' A name written that no man knew.' This name John
himself doth by and by express. The Word of God, the King
of kings, and Lord of lords ; this is the name of the Son of
God ; the which name the Father hath given him far above every
name : ' that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of
things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth.' But how is it
that none knows it but himself; seeing that John wrote and
revealed the same unto us ? I answer ; he saith truly, no man
knows it, because no man knows the Son but the Father, and to
whom the Son wiU reveal him. Now this name he revealed to

VERSE XIII.] SEVENTH VIAL — " VESTURE." 323
John, and by him to us. Therefore aU are excluded from the
knowledge thereof except it be by revelation and faith. We
know him, because he hath revealed himself unto us : and be
cause we have believed on the Son of God. The wicked know
him not ; either because it is not revealed unto them, or because
being revealed, they beheve not the same. Before, to him that
overcame, was promised a white stone, and in the stone a new
name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth
it : this is the name of the children of God, which none know
but such as apprehend their adoption in Christ : like as no man
knoweth the sweetness of honey, but he that tasteth it."
Hildrop, God's Judgments upon the Gentile Apostatized
Church, p. 201 ;—
" ' And he had a name written which no man knew but him
self.' By name in Scripture is often signified nature, and so
this mysterious name may be something expressing the hypo
static union of the two natures in our blessed Lord ; which, as
it does infinitely transcend the short hmited capacity of human
nature to comprehend, so it wUl appear now more Ulustrious
and glorious than ever."
' He had a name written ,-' for, says Cocceius, " it is
found written in the Scriptures ; i. e., God by the Scriptures
testifies those things which we ought to believe concerning
Christ." Thus also, according to Rupertus, the vesture
upon which the name is written signifies the Scriptures :
see Vol. I. ofthe present work, p. 261.
But this vesture was dipped in blood. We have al
ready seen that blood, in an evil sense, signifies the Scrip
ture depraved by a carnal understanding. Joachim gives
an interpretation somewhat similar, when he says that —
" We may by the ' vesture sprinkled with blood' understand
the righteousness of Christ, the doctrine of which wicked men
deprave by blackening, and poUute by blaspheming ; when they
incur divine judgment by saying, it is the wiU of the Lord that
the wicked should act wickedly, and it is of necessity that they
perish in their sins."
Dr. Wordsworth, Lectures on the Apocalypse, p. 288 ; — ¦

324 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
" The, written Word has been treated in the same manner as
the Incarnate Word. The Herods and Pilates of earth have
conspired against it ; and it has been set at nought by the Scribes
and Pharisees of the great city."
" The sufferings of Scripture," says Dr. Wordsworth
again, p. 270, " coincide with those of the church."
Suarez also admits in his Defence of the Catholic Faith,
p. 311, that—
" A man is slain when he is deprived of the spirit by which
he lives and speaks ; and therefore then most especially may the
Scripture be said to be slain when it is deprived of that spirit by
which it was constituted and ought to be interpreted. Now the
written letter is as it were the body of Scripture ; its spirit and
life is its meaning," &c.
Swebenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 14, 15;
" ' And the armies in heaven followed him upon white
horses clothed in fine linen white and clean,' signifies, the
angels in the new Christian heaven, who were in conjunction
with the Lord, in the interior understanding of the Word,
and thereby in pure and genuine truths : ' and out of his
mouth there went a sharp sword,' signifies, the dispersion
of falses by virtue of doctrine thence derived, by the Lord :
' that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall feed
them with a rod of iron,' signifies, that he will convince all
who are in a dead faith, by truths of the literal sense of the
Word and by rational arguments."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 491 ; —
"This Captain hath only a sword (very sharp indeed), not in
his hand, but in his mouth ; which shews that it is no material
sword, which is guided not with the mouth, but the hand.
Therefore this spiritual sword, proceeding out of the mouth of
the Captain, if we respect the time next going before the last
judgment, what is it, save the Word of God, of which the apostle,
Eph. vi, 17; 'Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word
of God:' and Heb. iv, 12; 'The Word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword ?' With this

VERSE XV.J SEVENTH VIAL  " WINEPRESS." 325
sword he both strikes the adversaries himself; as also commands
us therewith to fight against all spiritual powers, and in special
against Antichrist. But if we respect Christ's last coming, of
which is here treated ; then this sharp sword proceeding out of
his mouth, is the Spirit of his mouth, with which (according to
the prophecy of the apostles) the Lord will destroy that wicked
one ; to wit, his divine power, by which at his pleasure Anti
christ and aU adversaries shall be consumed."
" 'That with it he should smite the nations.' He adds the
use of the sword, viz, not therewith to defend himself or his
armies (for they are subject to no dangers), but to smite the ad
versaries, whom he caUeth Gentiles, or the nations ; because An
tichrist under the name of Christianity imitates the heathens in
rehgion, life, and tyranny : in this sense, chap, xi, 2, the inward
court was said to be given to the Gentiles, that is, to Antichrist
and his clergy ; and at the sounding of the seventh angel, the
GentUes were angry, that is, Antichrist and his foUowers did fret
against Christ : but wrath without power is vain : neither shaU
the holy city be always trod under foot, because our Captain wUl
slay the nations with the sword."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 15, 16;
" ' And he treadeth the winepress of the fury and wrath
of God Omnipotent,' signifies, that the Lord alone bore all
the evils of the church, and all the violence offered to the
Word and consequently to himself : ' and he hath on his
vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings,
and Lord of lords, signifies, that the Lord teacheth in the
Word what he is, that he is the divine truth of divine wis
dom and the divine good of divine love, consequently that
he is the God of the universe."
The thigh, says De Lyra, is intrinsic to man ; the
vesture, extrinsic. The thigh and the loins, says Sweden
borg, signify conjugal love; the vesture, the Scriptures,
says Rupertus. Therefore being written on the thigh and
on the vesture signifies being written intrinsically in the
Word as to divine love, and extrinsically in the Word or
the truths of the letter.

326 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
Dr. Henry More, Works, p. 556 ; —
" ' Winepress.' That a winepress is an hieroglyphic of great
pressure and affliction, yea, of effusion of blood and great slaugh
ter, the nature of the thing itself does witness ; I mean, the
pressing of grapes till their blood comes out, as it is called,
Deut. xxxii, 14 ; ' And thou didst drink the pure blood of the
grape.' And accordingly Scripture has made use of the emblem,
Lam. i, 15 ; ' The Lord hath trodden under foot aU my mighty
men in the midst of me : he hath called an assembly against me
to crush my young men : the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the
daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.' And Joel iii, 12 ; ' Let
the heathen be awakened, and come up to the valley of Jehosha
phat : for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe : come, get ye down ;
for the press is fuU, the fats overflow ; for their wickedness is
great.' This is understood of the great slaughter of the enemies
of the Jews in the valley of Jehoshaphat iv rr\ KoiXaSi 'Iwaa^ar,
as the Seventy render it."
" But though this iconism of the winepress signify slaughter,
or an abundant effusion of blood, yet we are to remember that
death and slaughter itself does not always signify physically, but
sometimes morally. And for my part I do not question but that
of Isa. lxiii. ['Who is this that cometh from Edom, with his
dyed garments from Bozrah ?' &c. And again ; ' I have trodden
the winepress alone, and then blood shaU be sprinkled upon my
garments'], whatever other sense there is thereof, has some such
allegorical meaning as the fathers have put upon it concerning
Christ, his spiritual victories, as I shall have occasion to insist
more largely upon in its due place."
Ibid, p. 761 ;—
" For 'tis this dispensation of the Spirit which is to inflict
upon Antichrist the greatest wound of aU ; and not a fiery sword
proceeding out of the mouth of him that sits on the white horse
literally understood; or large floods of fire poured out upon
him from heaven; or any other such prodigious assistance, as
some at the end of one thousand two hundred and sixty days do
expect. Which absurd supposition tends to nothing else, but to
fill the mind with vain tho' vehement passions and presumptuous

VERSE XV.] SEVENTH VIAL — "WINEPRESS." 327
opinions ; to which no other answer shaU be given but shame
and disappointment."
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Prophecies, Apocalypse,
part ii, chap, xix, p. 303 ; —
" Above all, we must take notice in this 63rd chapter, that
the six first verses represent in a magnificent manner the bloody
victory of a conqueror. ' Who is this that cometh from Edom,
with dyed garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in his
apparel, traveUing in the greatness of his strength? I that
speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red
in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the
winefat ? I have trodden the winepress alone ; and of the people
there was none with me : for I wUl tread them in mine anger,
and trample them in my fury ; and their blood shah be sprinkled
upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day
of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is
come. And I looked, and there was none to help ; and I won
dered that there was none to uphold : therefore my own arm
brought salvation unto me ; and my fury it upheld me. And I
wiU tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk
in my fury, and I wUl bring down their strength to the earth.'
Ordinarily this passage is interpreted of the passion of Jesus
Christ, and I do not oppose that it should be applied to it by a
pious allusion."
" But I much wonder that none hath descried its true mean
ing, and that none hath perceived that the same event exactly is
foretold here, and in the 19th of the Bevelation from the 11th
verse to the end. 'Tis so plainly the same thing, that the ex
pressions are in a manner the same. 'Tis clear that the Holy
Ghost alludes to this passage of Isaiah, when he saith, ' And he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God.' The figures are the same, borrowed from war, slaughter,
combats, and bloodshed ; so that without doubt, the same thing
is signified in both places, namely, that great victory that the
Lord Jesus must gain over aU the enemies of the church (before
the period of the thousand years) ; an unbloody victory, and
which must be gained by the sword of his mouth, i. e, his Word.
But 'tis represented under the figure of war, according to the

328 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XVIII.
custom of the Holy Ghost, who paints our spiritual victories
with colors borrowed from temporal ones."
Dr. Henry More, Theological Works, p. 675 ; —
" And so for that sharp-edged sword which is here said to
come out of the mouth of Christ ; it is in effect the very same
that comes out of the mouths of his saints, who rule the world
by convincing them of their wickedness, and causing them to
return to God. This sharp, piercing, and vehement reproof out
of the mouths of the people of God against the beast and the
false prophet is here said to be a sword coming out of the mouth
of Christ ; because then mouths are his mouth* by right use and
possession, and he inspires by his Spirit, and they are only his
inro<f>firai, that transmit this fiery law, this blast of fire and flam
ing breath, as it is called in Esdras, whereby the wicked are
consumed; they are, I say, but as a seized gate or passage
through which or in which this sharp-edged sword, wherewith
the nations are smitten, is so powerfully brandished by our vic
torious Saviour. For this flame and this sword I take to be
clear truth, and sound and searching reason inspired from the
Eternal Word; which, whetted with an holy, sincere, and unaf
fected kind of enthusiastic zeal, and backed with an unexception
able life and conversation, will be hke a sharp-edged sword with
the weight of running quicksilver in the back of it, whose stroke
wiU fall with such a sway, that it will even chine the enemy at
one blow, will divide asunder soul and spirit, and pierce through
the joints and marrow, as the apostle speaks."
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Prophecies, part ii, p.
273;— " I wiU only make the observation upon this chapter, which
I made upon the foregoing. That we must not understand lite
rally the expressions of war and destroying that are used here :
for example, that Jesus Christ must tread the winepress of the
wrath of God, that he must give to be eaten by the fowls, the
flesh of kings, of captains, of mighty men, of horses, of free, and
bond, &c. These are metaphors borrowed from war, and must
be understood suitably to the nature of this spiritual war, which
* It proceeds primarily from out of the mouth of Christ ; as in the case of the
church of Pergamos.

VERSE XV.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WINEPRESS." 329
Jesus Christ must make against idolatry, superstition, heresies,
and tyranny ; his quarrel is with these, and not with men. Be
sides the reasons alledged, we have here a convincing one, that
the instrument of so many victories, and which must make such
a slaughter, is the sharp sword, that comes out of the mouth of
him who sitteth upon the white horse. And the remnant was
slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, . . . and all
the fowls were fiUed with their flesh. Now aU know, that this
sharp sword, that comes out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, is the
Word of God; a spiritual sword, which must act only spiritual
slaughters, and which does not destroy the fives of men, but
their manners and idolatries. So that I fear, lest those are mis
taken who hope to render to Babylon that which we have re
ceived from her ; and in the cup which she hath filled, to fill to
her double, i. e, to give her blood for blood, torment for torment.
This is not the spirit of the true church."
Dr. Henry More, Theological Works, p. 673 ; —
..." That the eyes of this Hero are said to be as a flaming
fire, intimates his sharp-sightedness, as it is said in the epistle to
the Hebrews, that 'the Word of God is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart, and that there is no creature
that is not manifest in his sight, but that aU things lie naked
and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do :' where
the written Word and the Eternal Word are jointly spoken of,
as here they seem to be in this vision, by an Henopceia."
" Again, in that his eyes are said to be as a flaming fire, we
may note also how fire is a symbol of intellectuality, especially
a flaming fire, that implies light ; as is easily understood out of
the philosophic cabbala of the first day's creation."
" Igneus est ollis vigor et coelestis origo
Seminibus."
" And we read of irvptvh'i z>S<? in the magic oracles, and of
irvp cbaetvbv attributed to the soul as being *&eia tk esla koX
voepa, as Plethon speaks. Wherefore the Logos here is rightly
said to have eyes hke a flaming fire, because he is not only in-
teUectual, but that Great and Eternal Intellect from whence all
intellectual beings are ; as also all their operations exercised by
virtue of the more pure, ethereal, and igneous spirits."

330 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XIX.
" That also of having ' a name written that no man knew but
himself seems to be agreeable to the cabalistical doctrine, which
makes Aaron a symbol of the Eternal Word that fills the uni
verse, as also of Christ who is this Word incarnate. The allu
sion therefore may be to Aaron's having the tetragrammaton
written upon his mitre, that name which is said to be appyrov
koI aveKJxiavqrov, and could be read only by the high priest, that
had it written upon the golden plate on his mitre, as Alcasar
has observed ; but in brief, it signifies the incomprehensibleness
and imperscrutableness of the Divinity of our Saviour ; he alone
who is it, being able to comprise it."
" And in that his vesture is said to be dipt in blood, it is a
symbol of his passion : so that we may know that it is the Mes-
sias that is here meant; of whom St. John in his gospel has
said, o X070? cap% iyevero, ' The Word was made flesh.' And
here he is called o A,6ryo? tS @e«, the Word of God, and yet in
a bloody garment, that indicates his humanity or terrestrial
body, (for the body is but a vestment of the soul, no enduring
part of the man, according to the Platonists,) which made him
capable of suffering death."
..." A sharp-edged sword is said to go out of his mouth ;
which is analogical to that in the epistle to the Hebrews ; ' The
Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged
sword.' And in that he is said to ' rule the nations with a rod of
iron,' it is an allusion to the second Psalm, which is a prophecy
of the Messias ; ' Thou shall rule them with a rod of iron, and
break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.' Which is a pro
phetic symbol of that wonderful contrition of heart that the
powerful Word of God makes when sincerely and seasonably
eribrated against the enemies of his kingdom ; as in the epistle
to the Hebrews it is said to divide asunder and cut between soul
and spirit, and hew down into the very joints and marrow. Such
is the militia of this heavenly host. ' He shaU smite the earth
with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shaU
he slay the wicked,' Isa. xi, 4."
" And in that he is said to tread the winepress of the fierce
ness of the wrath of Almighty God, it looks as if it referred to
that of Isaiah lxiii. ; ' Who is this that comes from Edom, with
his dyed garments from Bozrah, this that is glorious in his ap-

VERSE XVI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " KING OF KINGS." 331
parel, travelling in the greatness of his strength ? I that speak
in righteousness, mighty to save.' Which answers to that in
this present vision, ' Whose name is Faithful and True, and in
righteousness doth he judge and make war.' But it foUows in
Isaiah ; ' Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel, and thy gar
ments hke him that treadeth in the winefat ? I have trodden
the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me.
For I wiU tread them in my anger, and trample them in my
fury ; and their blood shaU be sprinkled upon my garments, and
I will stain aU my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in my
heart, and the day of my redeemed is come.' This answers to
what is said of the rider of the white horse in this vision, that
he was clothed in a vesture dipt in blood : which in both these
prophecies refers both to the passion of Christ, and his spiritual
victories over his enemies. The winepresses also answer to one
another in each vision."
"And being that the harvest is, as our Saviour says, the end
of the world, the vintage, which is something later than this,
must be a later part of the end of the world. So that this vision
of Edom and Bozrah wiU very well suit in that respect also to
this of the Apocalypse. And it is farther considerable that
Bozrah signifies vintage, and Edom the carnal persecutive church,
real enemies to the true Jerusalem, as the Edomites were to
Israel : and I need not add that Edom and Ismael are types of
one and the same thing. So that the warfare seems plainly to
be spiritual, as it may be I shall take occasion to clear up more
fully in another place."
" Lastly, in that it is written upon his thigh, ' King of kings,
and Lord of lords,' it shews the royal descent of Christ even ac
cording to the flesh, as if he had laid claim to this sovereignty by
descent from David the king, accordingly as it is said, chap. xxii. ;
' I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morn
ing star.' The root of David, as to his divinity (7rplv 'Afipaap,
yeve&ai, iyco hfii), and the offspring of David, as to his hu
manity. But the meaning of this part of the vision is, that the
Word of God, that is to say, the law of Christ, inward and out
ward, is just upon the point to gain a most complete and abso
lute victory and triumph ; though it had been kept under and

332 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
plainly trodden into the dirt for so long a time in reign of the
two-horned beast or the whore."
" But that the church of Christ, which is his body, has also
a share in this part of the vision, is easUy discoverable. For in
that this title of King of kings and Lord of lords is written upon
his thigh, it signifies also the dominion of his posterity in the
church, as Bibera and Alcasar have rightly noted, and accordingly
as it is said elsewhere in the Apocalypse, ' He has made us kings
and priests,' &c. And for the treading of the winepress of the
wrath of God, or the subduing of Edom, does not Christ do it
by the powerful and convictive zeal of his saints and faithful mi
nisters of the Word ? who seriously and weightily laying the law,
and the heavy wrath of God against sinners, in the hearts and
consciences of these carnaUy-complexionated Edomites, squeeze
out, if I may so speak, their corrupt blood, that is, the principle
and nourishment of that ungodly fife in them (for in the blood
thereof is the hfe thereof) ; and so making them dead as to sin,
after reviving them into righteousness unto everlasting salva
tion." Cornelius a Lapide observes that " Christ is King of
kings both as Man and as God." The same observation
is made by Haymo, Ambrose Ansbert, Gregory the Great,
Gagneus, Richard of St. Victor, Alexander de Hales, Car
dinal Hugo, Estius, the Rhemish Testament, and numerous
other authors, both ancient and modern ; and all agree that
when referred to Christ as God it signifies Omnipotence ;
hence if applied to the Humanity, in the same sense, it
must signify the Omnipotence of the Humanity, which
would thus be acknowledged to be divine. But as this
doctrine is generally repudiated, it is obvious that some
other meaning must be given to the words which shaU not
imply divinity, to make them consistent with the received
theology. Accordingly Estius thus comments on the same
title in 1 Tim. vi, 16 ; —
" If it be asked whether Christ as Man may be said to be
King of kings and Lord of lords, the answer is in the affirma-

VERSE XVI.] SEVENTH VIAL  "KING OP KINGS." 333
tive ; for so he is expressly caUed in the Apocalypse, chap. xvii.
and xix, although not in the same sense in which, in this pas
sage, it is attributed to God. For that kingdom and dominion
of Christ which he hath over aU other kings and lords, is given
to him by the Father, and is in subjection to the Father, and is
to be given up to the Father with an acknowledgment of this
subjection; according to what is said in 1 Cor. xv. ; 'When he
shaU give up the kingdom to God even the Father,' " &c.
Now it has been shewn in former volumes how, in
virtue of the communication of properties between the Hu
manity and the Divinity, the Man Christ may be said to
be God, and to have the properties of Divinity attributed to
him ; whence it is affirmed that we may call the Man Christ
Omnipotent, though it does not so clearly appear that we
may call him Omnipresent. It appears however here, that
not even a nominal divinity, or a nominally divine omni
potence is to be ascribed to him ; in fine, the scholastic
doctrine of the communication of properties, is in this
case practicaUy a nonentity ; since it is only a finite crea-
turely omnipotence that we are told is here to be under
stood by the title ' King of kings, and Lord of lords,' and
which as being finite is not divine.
It is not however necessary to renew the consideration
of a question which has already been sufficiently treated
of : we shall only add the annotation of Scott upon the
passage in Timothy, in opposition to the former ; —
" The invisible God is revealed to us only in and through
the Human Nature of Christ as the only-begotten Son of the
Father. And this display 'of the divine glory will be rendered
most Ulustrious, when Christ shaU be seen as Man exercising aU
the power, authority, and perfections of God by the whole assem
bled universe."
Now the title King of kings, and Lord of lords, is ad
mitted by many to be the new name which is spoken of in
Apoc. iii, 12, where it is said, ' I will write upon him my
new name, and the name of the city of my God.' Indeed this

334 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
is acknowledged by Grotius ; although he regards the name
as signifying only power over other kings and lords, and
says nothing about the name signifying divinity.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 17,
18;- " ' And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he
cried with a great voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in
the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together
unto the supper of the great God,' signifies, the Lord out
of divine love and thence out of divine zeal calling and
inviting all who are in the spiritual affection of truth, and
think of heaven, to the new church, and conjunction with
himself and so to life eternal : ' that ye may eat the flesh
of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of the
mighty, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on
them, and the flesh of all, both free and bound, and small
and great,' signifies, the appropriation of good things from
the Lord by means of the truths of the Word and doctrine
deduced therefrom, in every sense, degree, and kind."
By the angel standing in the sun is signified Christ
according to Haymo ; thus ; —
" As much as to say, he exhibited the mystery of his assumed
humanity in the light of open discovery. In this place therefore
the sun signifies the discovery arising from manifest vision. Christ
therefore stands in the sun, that is, in manifest light and in the
faith of the people ; since his glory is diffused throughout the
whole earth. For he rose from the dead, he was preached by
the apostles, beheved on throughout the whole world, and in this
light of faith he stands."
Alexander de Hales and Ambrose Ansbert are of opi
nion, that the angel standing in the sun may signify some
individual preacher who shall be raised up in the latter
days to make known the mysteries of divine truth; and
Ansbert regards this preacher as Elias. On the other hand,
Richard of St. Victor, Albertus, Cardinal Hugo, Berengaud,

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH VIAL  "SUN." 335
Franciscus a Jesu Maria, and others regard this angel as
representing not an individual preacher, but an order of
preachers, who shall be raised up in the latter times or the
end of the world for a similar purpose ; and in both these
cases the sun is interpreted as signifying light and heat, or
else Christ himself.
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' One angel,' that is, the whole body of preachers. ' Stand
ing in the sun,' that is, preaching pubhcly. Or, ' standing in the
sun,' that is, having plenary gifts of the knowledge and love of
God, or in the hght of the understanding of the Scriptures, and
heat of zeal for souls, even as the sun gives out heat and hght. . . .
' And he cried out,' in this is expressed zeal ; ' with a loud voice,'
confirmed by the Scriptures ; for the voice of the preacher is but
low which is not supported by the Scriptures."
This harmonizes with the interpretation given by Al
casar and others concerning the opening of the heavens ;
for as he observes ; —
"By heaven is here adumbrated the church, as in other
places frequently throughout the course of the present work.
The opening of heaven denotes that before the pubhc profession
of the Christian rehgion, heaven itself seemed as it were shut,
because the teaching of the church was scarcely known to the
world. But after the heaven was opened, and a great multitude
of preachers had poured themselves forth throughout the high
ways and byways of the world, the preaching of the Gospel was
seen to prevah and to signalize itself in a wonderful manner."
We have already seen that this prophecy applies not
to the early times of Christianity but to those of Antichrist.
Accordingly Gill observes, Apocalypse, chap. xix. ; —
" ' And I saw an angel standing in the sun.' ... A minister
of the Gospel, or rather a set of Gospel ministers, such as in
chap, xiv, who may be said to stand in the sun, in like manner
as the woman, the church, was seen clothed with it, chap, xii, 1 ;
and it may denote the conspicuousness of Gospel preachers : for
as the church now wiU be established upon the top of the moun
tains, so her teachers shall not be removed into corners any

336 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
more, but her eyes shaU behold her teachers : and also the clear
sight they shall have of the doctrines and mysteries of the
Gospel, who shaU now see eye to eye; and particularly the
further breakings forth of the glory of the latter day and the
ensuing victory of Christ over aU his enemies ; and also shews
the great strength of their sight, who, far from being like moles
and bats, whl be able both to look upon the sun and to stand in
it ; and it may hkewise signify the glory and majesty of Christ's
kingdom, the comfortable influence of him, the Sun of righte
ousness, who wUl now arise upon his people with healing in his
wings ; and the steadfastness of Christ's ministers to him and
his pure Gospel, and the glorious truths of it."*
In a similar manner Wodehouse observes that "the
angel standing in the sun betokening the light and know
ledge which shall then beam upon mankind, invites all the
world to join true religion and partake the victory."
So Da Sylveira ; who also remarks that, according to the
general opinion, by the fowls which are here mentioned are
signified the faithful and the servants of God. These fowls
are invited to the supper of the great God.
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury says that by the
supper of the great God is to be understood Christ himself :
Cardinal Hugo, that it means God himself, who will be a
mighty feast and banquet ; for ' he is the living bread who
cometh down from heaven,' John vi. : (Ecumenius and
Andreas, that it means the fulfilment of the divine will.
Alcasar gives substantially the true interpretation, though
he applies it to the Church of Rome ; for he says that the
marriage-supper of the Lamb has reference to the future
increase of wisdom in the church, the knowledge of Christ,
and the teaching of the church. Hence also he observes ; —
" I remember to have heard it said by a certain person of
eminent wisdom and sanctity, that the representative upon earth
* It is to be regretted that Dr. Gill instead of following out this spiritual inter
pretation in a uniform manner, should immediately after recur to the literal in in
terpreting the ' supper of the great God.'

VERSE XVII.] SEVENTH SEAL  " SUPPER." 337
of the happiness of heaven, seemed to him to be no other than
reading and understanding the Sacred Scripture."
Moreover he adds that in this sacred supper are im
plied discourses, abundant supplies of books replete with
heavenly doctrine, conversations with the wisest among men,
and the excellent instructions of spiritual persons ; all of
which properly make up the feast of wisdom ; and, what
is more than all, interior illustration from the Divine Spirit
derived from pious observations on divine things, and fre
quent prayer to God. Hence he remarks that this mar
riage-feast is set forth in Proverbs ix, where Wisdom is said
to have mingled her wine and to have prepared her table.
Da Sylveira likewise regards the supper here men
tioned as a sacramental repast ; and what Swedenborg ap
plies to the Word of God, he applies to the Eucharist.
Thus Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 450 ; —
"Divine Wisdom hath buUt unto herself the house of the
church, hath mingled the wine of her blood, and set before us
the feast of her body, and hath sent forth her handmaids in
order to caU together the httle ones to so rich a repast, Proverbs
ix. 3 ; ' She hath sent forth her maidens : She crieth upon the
highest places of the city. Whoso is simple, let him turn in
hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, She saith to
him, Come, eat of my bread,' &c. Why is it that She invites
the little ones and not rather adults ? Possibly because they
alone wait for this table, who regard themselves as children and
as of the least account. In the present case, the httle ones are
caUed hither, that is, the untaught and simple, with whom She
discourses concerning this table, in order that by partaking of so
great a sacrament they may be made wise and intelligent. Car
dinal Hugo says, the httle ones are caUed in order that they may
be made wise. The Holy Eucharist Uluminates most especiaUy
the ignorant, teaches the simple, and instructs the untaught.
Such are caUed to this feast, in order that in it they may receive
true light, and be imbued with true intelligence and knowledge ;
so that it may be truly said of him who worthily eateth this
vol. iv. z

338 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
sacrament, Eccles. xv. 3; 'With the bread of understanding
will she feed him, and give him water of wisdom to drink.' "
That this supper is to be understood spiritually is ad
mitted by Haymo, Ambrose Ansbert, Alexander de Hales,
Rupertus, Bede, Gaspar a Melo, Gagneus, Glossa Ordi
naria, &c, although they vary from each other in some of
the details of the interpretation. Indeed Hildrop observes,
p. 200 ;—
" I must acknowledge that there are good reasons given by
Dr. More, in the last of his divine dialogues, to prove that this
cannot be understood otherwise than in a mystical and spiritual
sense." Mayer, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 499 ; —
" That whereunto the fowls are invited, is the supper of God,
consisting of the flesh of kings and captains, and of mighty men,
and horses, &c. ; this is altogether allegorical, being taken out
of Ezekiel," &c, &c.
So Pellicanus in Ezekiel, chap, xxxix, 17. Patrick
Forbes, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 206 ; —
" Thus was the description of the great Captain of the hea
venly host, in himself, his army, armour, and manner of fighting.
Now foUoweth his herald or trumpet; who is remarkable for
his standing-place, and the tenor of his proclamation. He
standeth in the sun. To more exceeding great hght now of the
Gospel and preaching thereof, wherein the preachers should
clearly see, and confidently proclaim Antichrist his ruin. For
great measure of hght, the apostolic church, in the woman, chap.
xii, was clothed with the sun. We see, to the praise of God
and evidence of this prophecy, hght already grown in great de
gree ; as no doubt but, for this sight and great effect, it shaU
yet grow more : so as the hght of the moon shall be as the light
of the sun, and the hght of the sun sevenfold."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' ver. 19 — 21;
" ' And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and
their armies gathered together to make war with him who
sat on the horse, and with his army,' signifies, that all the

VERSE XXI.J SEVENTH VIAL  "FOWLS." 339
interiorly wicked, who have made profession of faith only
with their leading men and their adherents, wiU impugn
the Lord's divine truths in his Word, and infest those who
are to be of the Lord's new church : ' and the beast was
taken, and with him the false prophet, that wrought signs
before him, with which he seduced them that received the
mark of the beast, and worshipped his image,' signifies,
all those who professed faith alone, and were interiorly evil,
as weU the laity and common people as the clergy and the
learned, who sby reasonings and attestations, that faith
alone is the sole medium of salvation, have both induced
others to receive that faith, and to live according to it :
' these two were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
sulphur,' signifies, that all these, as they were, were cast
into hell, where are loves of the false principle, and at the
same time cupidities of evil : ' and the remnant were slain
with the sword of him who sat upon the horse, which pro
ceeded out of his mouth,' signifies, that all of various here
sies among the Reformed, who have not lived according to
the Lord's commandments in the Word, which they knew,
being judged according to the Word, perish : ' and all the
fowls were satiated with their flesh,' signifies, that the in
fernal genii feed as it were upon their concupiscences of
evil, which are their proprieties or propriums."
That by the sword above mentioned is signified the
sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the in
terpretation of Haymo, Gagneus, Berengaud, Franciscus a
Jesu Maria, Da Sylveira, Glossa Ordinaria, &c.
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xix, p. 496 ; —
" ' And all the fowls were fiUed with their flesh.' After the
overthrow, all the fowls are gathered together to the supper, and
are filled with the flesh of the slain : by which is signified the
miserable and total destruction of the "wicked."
"Bibera here is frivolous, in understanding this properly
without a metaphor : for he feigneth, that such a battle shall
z2

340 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XIX.
really* happen, and that the carcasses of the enemies being left in
the fields are to be devoured by the fowls. As if forsooth this
even were rare, and that it were not most frequent, that after
great discomfitures of armies, the fowls and wild beasts should
be filled with the earcasses of the slain. But the Holy Ghost
persists in the prophetical type before expounded, ver. 17; in
timating that what of old was literaUy done to Gog and Magog,
should allegorically be fulfiUed in these, after such a manner as
is agreeable to the last judgment : for then indeed all the un
godly shall be killed with the sword of Christ's mouth ; that is,
being by his sentence adjudged to the everlasting torments of
hell, they shall be cast as a prey unto the infernal harpies."
With respect to the fowls first mentioned, they are said
to fly in the midst of heaven, and are hence to be under
stood in a good sense ; but the fowls which are afterwards
mentioned, are not said to do so, and are generally under
stood in an evil sense.
It is observed by Poole • in his Comments that the
secular part of Antichrist is meant by the Beast ; and the
ecclesiastical by the False Prophet. We have already seen
that the Beast refers to the laity, and the False Prophet to
the clergy.

* The folly and inhumanity of such interpretations is treated of at large in the
Review of the Principles of Apocalyptical Interpretation, vol. ii.

CHAPTEB XX.
REMOVAL OF THOSE WHO ARE MEANT BY THE DRAGON.— ASCENT OF THOSE
OUT OF THE INFERIOR EARTH WHO WORSHIPPED THE LORD AND SHUN
NED EVILS AS SINS.— JUDGMENT UPON THOSE IN WHOSE WORSHIP THERE
WAS NO RELIGION.— DAMNATION OF THE DRAGON.— UNIVERSAL JUDG
MENT UPON THE REST.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xx, ver. 1 ; —
" ' And I saw an angel coming down from heaven,
having the key of the abyss, and a great chain on his
hand,' signifies, the Lord's divine operation upon lower
principles, in consequence of his divine power of shutting
and opening, and of binding and loosing."
We have already noticed, Vol. I, p. 19, the observa
tion of Jerome concerning the interpretation of the Apo
calypse, " Omnis ille liber aut spiritualiter accipiendus, aut
fabulis acquiescendum ," and as this remark applies to the
whole of the Apocalypse, so most especiaUy does it apply
to the present chapter; which, in consequence of being
interpreted in the literal sense, has been the fertile source
of almost all manner of fabulous legends.
Throughout the Apocalypse the scene of the Last
Judgment has been treated of as being placed in the spi
ritual world. It is consequently in the spiritual world that
the scene of action lies in the present chapter ; upon which
principle all the theories which have been advanced con
cerning Millenarianism and the two resurrections, are with
out foundation.
It has been seen that the Apocalypse refers to a crisis

342 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP; XX.
or last Judgment ; that this Judgment is of two kinds, the
Judgment of discretion or separation, and the Judgment of
condemnation. That which we have hitherto considered is
the Judgment of discretion or separation, which is effected
by trial and examination, or temptation. Accordingly we
have seen two modes in which this trial has been carried
on ; the trial of the wicked, by an influx of goodness and
truth ; and the trial of the good, by an influx of evil and
falsehood. It is of the latter kind that the present passage
is treating ; as first, of the withholding of this influx whilst
the witnesses of Christ are rescued ; secondly, of the re
newal of this influx afterwards ; and lastly, of the general
Judgment of condemnation.
As nearly all the symbols occurring in this chapter have
occurred also in previous chapters and may there be found
explained, it will be unnecessary to repeat them here.
According to the greater number of commentators, the
angel here descending from heaven is Christ. He has a
key and a chain ; a key to open the abyss, and a chain to
secure those who are to be shut up in it ; symbols repre
sentative of the power of binding and loosing.
Lauretus, art. Catena; —
" The great chain with which the deril is bound is the divine
power ; by which, as if bound, he is restrained from hurting."
B. Gregory. Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 1780; —
" A chain invisible and spiritual, as were also the binder and
the one to be bound. ' Great,' that is, implying the exercise of
a very strong force, &c.; and 'in his hand,' i.e., his power of
binding and coercing demons (Cluverus). This chain designates
the omnipotence of Christ, his passion, resurrection, &c, espe
ciaUy the doctrine of the Gospel," &c. Pareus.
GiU, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 845 ; —
" The key in one hand, and the chain in another ; by which
last is meant, not any material chain, with which spirits can't

VERSE II.] SEVENTH VIAL  " THOUSAND YEARS." 343
be bound, nor indeed sometimes bodies possessed by eril spirits,
Mark v, 3, 4, but the almighty power of Christ, which he wiU
now display in binding Satan faster and closer than ever. . . .
Now he'U be so bound by the power of Christ over him, that
he'll not be able to stir hand or foot, to disturb the saints, or
deceive the nations, whether with false worship, and false doc
trine, or by stirring them up to persecute the saints."
So also Tirinus, Cocceius, Anselm Archbishop of Can
terbury, Gaspar a Melo, Alexander de Hales, Pareus, &c.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent,
which is the devil and Satan,' signifies, that they were with
held who are meant by the dragon, and who, because they
think sensually and not spiritually on matters of faith, are
caUed the old serpent, and because they are in evils as to
life, are called the devil, and because they are in falses as
to doctrine, are caUed Satan."
That the dragon signifies those who think sensually and
not spiritually, has abeady been explained in chap, xii.
Vol. Ill, p. 296, &c.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And bound him a thousand years,' signifies, that
they who are here meant by the dragon, were withdrawn
and separated from the others in the world of spirits, that
for a season there might be no communication with them."
That by a thousand years is here signified not a definite
but an indefinite period, is the interpretation of (Ecumenius,
Gaspar a Melo, Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Me
nochius, Tirinus, Cornelius a Lapide, Da Sylveira, &c.
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 507 ; —
"Augustin, whom most of the ancient and latter writers
foUow, understood the thousand years indefinitely. ... By thou
sand, in Scripture, we often understand a very great and indefi
nite number, John ix, 3 ; Psalm xci, 7 ; 1 Sam. xviii, 7 ; Psalm
xc, 4, &c. The like also we find in heathenish writers, Virgil i. ;
iEneid. xi. ; ^Ene. ii. ; Pers. Sat. v.; Ovid, Met, lib. xiii, &c."

344 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [ciIAF. XX.
In this view coincide Bossuet, p. 330, Cal met, and the
authors he there cites, p. 1011 ; such as Gregory, Andreas
Caesariencis, Berengaud, Ribera, Viegas, Alcasar, Dupin,
and others.*
Wardlaw, Religious Tract Commentary, p. 623 ; —
" If the words occurred in an historical or epistolary com
position, to explain them symbohcaUy would justly be pronounced
unnatural, unless specially warned of a purposed deviation. In
a professedly symbolical book, there is the same force of objec
tion against their being interpreted literaUy. The whole of this
very vision is symbolical, the dragon, the binding with a chain,
and the sealing. Why, then, are we immediately to make a
transition from the symbolical to the hteral, from the style of
prophecy to the style of history ?"
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 503 ; — ¦
" But when all the other parts of a passage in this book are
to be taken in a spiritual or figurative sense, we see no reason
for making the expression a thousand years an exception to the
general rule. There is no reason why the term thousand, or
that of years, should not be as figurative as the terms chain,
key, pit, &c. In addition to this, we are to take into considera
tion the declaration of the mighty angel, Bev. x, 7 ; ' There
shall be time no longer ; and we have as good reason for apply
ing this declaration to the term of one thousand years here, as
we have had for applying it to the twelve hundred and sixty
days. We have no warrant for maintaining the distinction, that
the years are hteral, but the days are figurative. So, on the
other hand, if we were to consider the twelve hundred and sixty
days, or forty-two months, as days of years, and months of
thirty years each, by the same rule we should consider the
period now under consideration as one of three hundred and
sixty thousand years, instead of one thousand."
Wesley, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 527 ; —
* Family Bible ;—
. . . " ' A thousand years.' Whether this be intended to denote the precise time
of a thousand years, or only such a long time as will in the wisdom of Divine Provi
dence bear a proportion to the time of the Antichristian reign, it is not easy,
neither is it at all necessary, to determine." Pyle.

VERSE III.] SEVENTH VIAL  " SEDUCE." 345
" But neither the beginning of the first nor of the second
thousand will be known to the men upon earth, as both the im
prisonment of Satan and his loosing are transacted in the invi
sible world."
From these interpretations it is obvious that not only
do a thousand years signify an indefinite period, but also
that this period elapses in the spiritual or invisible, not in
the natural world.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' And cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and
set a seal upon him, that he should seduce the nations no
more,' signifies, that the Lord entirely removed those who
were in faith alone, and put a stop to all communication
between them and others, lest they should inspire into
those who were to be taken up into heaven anything of
their heresy."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 770 ; —
" By the tongue of the deril we understand false doctrine ;
therefore when our angel approaches and descends, that is, our
Christ from heaven, this tongue is bound, that is, the teaching
of the dragon and his power is bound," &c.
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 846 ; —
" The end of this apprehension, binding, imprisonment, and
security of Satan, is, that he should deceive the nations no more ;
that is, by drawing them into idolatry, false worship, and false
doctrine ; and by exciting them to make war against the saints,
or to persecute them, as appears from ver. 8, as he had done
before." Patrick Forbes, Apocalypse, p. 211 ; —
"The dragon is here described by these same names and
property of seducing nations, which are given him in the 12th
chapter, in the first degree of this his first foU, towards this first
captivity : when by Michael his valour, he was cast from heaven.
Which the Holy Ghost doth of purpose, to lead us to know that
this first binding is from that rage. So wisely and plainly the
Spirit teacheth us to couple together the parts of this prophecy.
Now Christ is he properly, who treadeth down the head of that

346 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
serpent : who only is that stronger than the strong one, coming
in, binding him, and spoiling his house : as who only hath come
to loose the works of Satan, and only hath the keys of hell and
death. But, according as he giveth gifts to men and worketh
by his ministers of whatsoever calling, who, in his light and
strength advance the kingdom of hght and bring down that of
darkness ; his ministers, thus instructed by him and to this end,
are also binders of the dragon. Of whom this angel is the
general type."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 3, 4 ; —
" ' Until a thousand years should be fulfilled, and after
that he must be loosed for a season,' signifies, this only for
a season, or for some time, until they are taken up by the
Lord into heaven who were in truths originating in good;
after which they who are meant by the dragon, were for
a season to be loosed, and a communication opened be
tween them and others : ' and I saw thrones, and they sat
upon them, and judgment was given unto them,' signifies,
that the truths of the Word, according to which all are
judged, were opened, and that then they were taken up
from the earth beneath, who had been concealed by the
Lord, that they might not be seduced by the dragon and
his beasts." By thrones, says Gaspar a Melo, may be signified judi
ciary power. The first step in the release of the saints was
to withdraw the power of the dragon over them, that he
should not seduce them by false teaching ; the second is to
impart to them a judiciary power ; in virtue of which they
become spiritually kings and judges over their enemies ;
and are made superior to the force of temptation. The
subject will be further aUuded to in the sequel.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 4 ; 
" ' And the souls of them who were smitten with the
axe for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God,'
signifies, that they were rejected by those who are princi-

VERSE IV.] SEVENTH VIAL  "AXE." 347
pled in falses originating in self-derived intelligence, because
they worshipped the Lord, and lived according to the truths
of his Word : ' and who did not worship the beast, nor his
image, neither received his mark upon their forehead and
upon their hand,' signifies, who did not acknowledge and
receive the doctrine of faith alone : ' and have lived and
reigned with Christ a thousand years,' signifies, who have
been already for some time in conjunction with the Lord
and in his kingdom."
Lauretus, art. Securis, that, —
" An axe may signify in a good sense the preaching of the
Gospel, by which heresies are cut asunder (B. Gregory) ; in an
evil sense the devil, or a heretic, or concupiscence." Jerome.
In Poole's Synopsis on Matt, iii, 10, it is said, p. 86, —
" The axe is here either the Word of God, his Gospel, and
the preaching of it, or, &c. . . .
According to Rabanus Maurus, an axe may also sig
nify rebuke ; or, severe persecution. According to Cardinal
Hugo, it may signify severe temptation.
As therefore in a good sense the axe signifies divine
truth, so in an evil one it signifies divine truth falsified, or
falsity and heresy. Whence being smitten by ihe axe sig
nifies the temptation, trial, or persecution arising from the
hatred and aversion produced by those false principles of
life and conduct which the dragonists entertained ; in fine,
the souls were spiritually killed.
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 507 ; —
"'And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded/ &c.
The word translated beheaded is from the verb 7reXe/a'£a>, to strike
with an axe. The kind of axe with whieh the blow is struck,
must be gathered from the circumstances of the case. The
noun ireXexv? may signify a common axe, a battle-axe, or the
axes borne by the lictors amongst the Romans before their con
suls (Donnegan). The term occurs nowhere else in the New
Testament ; in the Septuagint it is applied to the instruments of
stonecutters and carpenters, or their uses. The custom of bear-

348 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
ing axes by the lictors, probably arose from the previous very
general use of the pole-axe in the field of battle. Taking into
consideration the peculiarity that the assembly now described is
supposed to be called together immediately after a great military
conflict, we think that the allusion here is to the use of the
battle-axe. Our translators have employed the term beheaded
apparently from associating with the Greek word the idea of the
use of the axe by order of the civil magistrate only."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 6, 7 ; —
" ' And the rest of the dead revived not, until the thou
sand years were consummated,' signifies, that besides these,
now spoken of, not any were taken up into heaven, till
after the dragon was loosed, and that such were then proved
and explored what sort of persons they were : ' this is the
first resurrection,' signifies, that salvation and life eternal
primarily consist in worshipping the Lord, and living ac
cording to his commandments in the Word, because thereby
conjunction with the Lord is effected and consociation with
angels of heaven : ' blessed and holy is he who hath part
in the first resurrection,' signifies, that they who go to
heaven, enjoy the felicity of life eternal, and illustration in
consequence of conjunction with the Lord : ' over these the
second death hath no power,' signifies, that they are not
damned : ' but they shaU be priests of God and of Christ,'
signifies, because they are kept by the Lord in the good of
love and thence in truths of wisdom : ' and shall reign with
him a thousand years,' signifies, that they were already in
heaven, when the rest, who were not revived, that is, who
have not yet received heavenly life, were in the world of
spirits." By the rest of the dead are signified the rest of those
who were spiritually slain by the dragonists, see verse 4.
' This is the first resurrection.'
Cruden observes among other significations of the word
First, that it means ; —

VERSE V.J SEVENTH VIAL  " FIRST RESURRECTION." 349
" That which is chief or most excellent. Rom. iii, 2, ' Chiefly
because unto them were committed the oracles of God.' Chiefly,
in the original, is first and shews the quality and excellence of
the privilege here mentioned. So also in Luke xv, 22, ' Bring
forth the best,' in Greek, ' the first robe.' "
So again in Matt, xxii, 36, 38 ; 'Master, which is the
great commandment of the law? Jesus said unto him,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. This is the first
and great commandment.' So Mark xii, 28 ; ' Which is
the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him,
The first of all the commandments is, thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. This is the first
commandment.' So again 1 Cor. xv, 3 ; 'I delivered
unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins,' &c. In all which cases it is ad
mitted, that first has not so much an arithmetical, as rather
a moral relation ; such as to importance, excellency, dignity,
&c. By the first resurrection is in like manner here implied
not that there is a second after this ; but that of two or
more kinds of resurrection this is the first in excellency,
dignity, importance, &c. For that it is a spiritual resur
rection of the soul which is here meant is affirmed by
Haymo, Gaspar a Melo, Alexander de Hales, Da Sylveira,
&c. Religious Tract Commentary, p. 619 ; —
" Those who suffer with Christ, shaU reign with Christ ; they
shaU reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in
glorious conformity to him in his wisdom, righteousness, and
holiness, beyond what had been known before in the world ; this
is caUed the first resurrection, with which none but those who
serve Christ, and suffer for him, shall be favored. The wicked
shaU not be restored to their power again, tiU Satan is let loose.
This may be caUed a resurrection, as the conversion of the Jews
is said to be life from the dead. The happiness of these servants

350 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
of God is declared. None can be blessed, but they that are
holy; and aU that are holy shaU be blessed. These were holy
as a sort of first-fruits to God, in this spiritual resurrection, and
as such blessed by him. They are secured from the power of
the second death. We know something of what the first death
is, and it is very awful ; but we know not what this second death
is ; it must be much more dreadful ; it is the death of the soul,
eternal separation from God. May we never know what it is
by experience ; those who have experienced a spiritual resurrec
tion, are saved from the power of the second death."
' Thousand years.'
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 848 ; —
" The Syriac version rightly renders it these thousand years ;
referring to those of Satan's binding."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 516, 517; —
" They shaU five and reign with Christ those thousand years,
i. e, during Satan's binding."
Robertson, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 418 ; —
" That thousand years, or during Satan's binding."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 7 — 9; —
" ' And when the thousand years are consummated,
Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,' signifies, that after
they, who had before been concealed and preserved in the
earth beneath, were taken up by the Lord into heaven, and
the new heaven increased by their numbers, all those, who
had confirmed themselves in false principles of faith, were
to be let loose : ' and shall go forth to seduce the nations,
which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,
to gather them together to battle,' signifies, that they who
are here meant by the dragon, would draw to their party
all those who were from the earths throughout the universal
world of spirits, and lived there only in external natural
worship and in no internal spiritual worship, and would
stir them up against those who worshipped the Lord and
lived according to his commandments in the Word : ' the

VERSE VIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " GOG AND MAGOG." 351
number of whom is as the sand of the sea,' signifies, the
multitude of such : ' and they went up over the breadth of
the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about,
and the beloved city,' signifies, that being stirred up by the
dragonists, they held in contempt all truth of the church,
and endeavored to destroy all things of the New Church,
and even its very doctrine respecting the Lord and respect
ing life."
That is, says Pareus, p. 530 ; —
" During the whole thousand years that Satan was bound,
for again he adds the article ra %/Xta err) — those thousand
years." Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xx. ; —
" Gof. interpreted is covering, tectum ; Magog, from out of
covering, de tecto ; which is similar to house and coming from
out of the house. By the covering, tectum, are understood the
hearts of the wicked, in which the deril is now lying concealed ;
conformably to what we read above, that he was shut up in the
abyss. The devU is however de tecto, when regarded as coming
from out of the hearts of the wicked. Por now he is in his
covering, and wiU then proceed from out of it. For the deril
is now lying concealed within them, but in the times of Anti
christ wiU go forth from out of his covering, being as it were
discovered; because that which he now does secretly, he will
then do manifestly. Or at least the nations are said to be tectum,
because in them the deril is now concealed and shut up ; and
they wiU be de tecto, when they shaU break forth into open per
secution. He wUl therefore go forth to open persecution, to
seduce Gog and Magog, that is, aU his own members. This
seduction wiU take place when he shaU incite aU the wicked
against Christ."
Similar interpretations of the words Gog and Magog
are given by Primasius, Andreas, Ambrose Ansbert, Bede,
Alexander de Hales, Berengaud, Gaspar a Melo, Rupertus,
Cocceius, Da Sylveira, &c.
So also Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 851 ; —

352 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
" These now may be caUed Gog and Magog, as the one sig
nifies covered; the other open, or uncovered: these being aU
the enemies of Christ and his people, both secret and open."*
Hyponoia, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 513 ; —
" ' Gog and Magog, to gather,' &c. These names appear to
be put as an equivalent for the nations in the four quarters of
the earth. The Gog mentioned in the Old Testament is said to
have been the king of a people called Magog, inhabiting regions
far remote from Palestine. Some suppose, by this name Magog,
the ancients to have intended to denote northern nations gene
rally (Rob. Lex, p. 132) ; and that the term is used in a simUar
sense in this passage. If this supposition be weU founded, the
use of these names here may be merely as an intensive, indicat
ing the nations in question to be gathered from the utmost ends
of the earth; the force now assembling being figuratively all
that the earth can possibly furnish," &c.
" The names employed in the sacred writings, however, are
not, we think, selected by the Spirit of inspiration without re
ference to their meaning, although it may be difficult for us at
present to ascertain precisely what this meaning is. So, too, it
seems probable, that names occurring in the Old Testament are
not cited in the New without the design of bringing about the
collation of the passages bearing this index, and thus affording
some additional Ulustration. The word Gog is said to signify a
cover, or that which covers — tectum vel solarium : and Magog
covering — tegans, tegulans (Cruden, Leusden, and others) ."
* Family Bible ;—
" What nations are designated by these names, it is very hard to determine (Pyle).
The nations of Gog and Magog figuratively describe the enemies of true religion and
of its faithful professors (Lowman). In Ezekiel (chap, xxxviii. xxxix.), there is a
famous prophecy concerning Gog and Magog ; and this prophecy in the Revelation
alludes to it in many particulars." Bishop Newton.
Scott, Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xx. ; —
" Being ' loosed out of his prison,' this great deceiver (the dragon) will again
exert himself, and soon excite agents, who with all earnestness, subtlety, and
sagacity, will corrupt the Gospel ; and seduce men into apostasy, idolatry, heresy,
infidelity, and vice : and thus, the old generation of helievers dying, the succeeding
race, through many nations, ' in the four quarters of the earth,' will be deceived
by him : and ' having themselves departed from the faith, they will be instigated to
hate and persecute such as adhere to it.' "

VERSE VIII.J SEVENTH VIAL  " GOG AND MAGOG." 353
From these remarks it seems that Gog and Magog de
signate the nations which are farthest toward the north,
the most remote from the Holy Land, or who occupy the
utmost ends of the earth ; and as throughout the Apo
calypse the scene is laid in the spiritual world, so these
nations designate those who are in the utmost bounds of
that world, in other words, in its circumference. Thus we
see not only the process but the progress of judgment ; how
first it began with the house of God, or those who are
nearest the centre ; then proceeded onward to Babylon ;
and finahy reaches to Gog and Magog in the circumfer
ence ; thus extending itself from the inmost or centre, to the
outermost boundary of the spiritual world.
We have seen how, according to some writers, Gog
means covering, and Magog uncovering. It should how
ever be observed that Calmet in his Dictionary assigns (as
well as other authors) the same meaning of tectum or
covering to both words. And this seems to be also the
meaning adopted by Swedenborg. In this case, as both
words signify covering, and as covering implies that which
is outermost in relation to that which is inmost (just as the
roof of a house is outermost in relation to the inner cham
bers) ; so these names indicate thus the nature of those
whom they designate ; for they signify those who are most
remote from the church, and consequently include all the
heathen nations, such as Mahomedans, and idolatrous reli
gions of all kinds ; they likewise include those among Chris
tians, who, although outwardly Christian, yet were ignorant
of the nature both of Christian charity and faith, and
placed religion only in external observances.
For a fuller consideration of this subject, the reader is
referred to the notes in the Appendix.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 9, 10 ;
" ' And fire came down from God out of heaven, and
VOL. IV. A A

354 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP XX.
consumed them,' signifies, that they were destroyed by
concupiscences of infernal love : ' and the devil, who se
duced them, was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur,
where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented days and nights for ages of ages,' signifies, that
they who were in evils as to life, and in falses as to doc
trine, were cast into hell."
See chap, ix, 17, 18 ; also xi, 5.
Fire in a good sense signifies celestial love ; in a bad
sense, infernal hatred, which is the fire of hell.
Tychonius, Apocalypse, chap, xx.; Works of Augustin,
vol. xvi, p. 666 ; —
"Fire feU from heaven, and devoured them. This may be
understood in two ways ; for either they are spirituaUy devoured
by the fire of the Holy Spirit, when they are incorporated into
the church ; or else, if they are unwilling to be converted unto
God, they are devoured by the fire of their own sins and
perish." Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xx. ; —
" In another way ; we have read above concerning the holy
preachers, that fire going out of their mouth devoured their ene
mies. Por as it were fire descended from heaven, when, at the
preaching of the divine Word, the rage of iU wiU grew up among
the reprobate ; and thus the preaching which to the righteous is
life, is to the wicked eternal damnation. Whence Paul says,
' Unto some we are a savor of death unto death, unto others a
savor of life unto life.' "
So Ambrose Ansbert, Primasius, Gaspar a Melo, &c.
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xx. ; —
" The saints are called camps because they are always fight
ing against the deril and his members. . . . Rightly is it said
' they went up,' namely, against the elect ; swelhng out in their
pride, and imitating their Head, who says, ' I wiU ascend unto
the heights of the clouds, and I will be hke unto the Most
High.' "
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 537 ; —

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WHITE THRONE." 355
" It is a metaphor taken from Jerusalem, which of old was
God's beloved city, and the type of the new church, as appears
by the foUowing allegory."
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 851 ; —
" The allusion is to the encampment of the chUdren of Israel
in the wUderness, about the tabernacle, which was in the midst
of them, Numb, ii, 2, &c. Afterwards the city of Jerusalem
itself was caUed a camp, and answered in all respects to the
camp in the wUderness, to which the reference is in Heb. xiii,
11 — 13, and which serves to Ulustrate the passage here; since it
foUows, and the 'beloved city,' not Constantinople, as some have
thought, but the holy city, the New Jerusalem, chap, xxi, 2,
the general assembly and church of the first-born, beloved by
God and Christ, and by the holy angels, and by one another."
Commentary of Religious Tract Society, Apocalypse,
chap, xx, p. 620 ; —
" This formidable army, ver. 9, compassed the camp of the
saints about, and the beloved city, the spiritual Jerusalem, in
which the most precious interests of the people of God are
lodged, therefore to them a beloved city."
Poole, Comments, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 1003; —
" ' And they went up on the breadth of the earth,' that is, in
aU parts of it where the church of Christ was. ' And compassed
the camp of the saints about, and the beloved , city ;' the church
of God (typified by old Jerusalem, which was God's beloved
city) they encompassed in a military order and manner, design
ing to destroy it or make it subject to their lusts."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 11 ; —
" ' And I saw a great white throne, and him who sat
on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away,'
signifies, the universal or general judgment executed by the
Lord upon all the former heavens that were inhabited by
such as were in civil and moral good, but in no spiritual
good, consequently who feigned themselves Christians in
externals, but in internals were devils ; which heavens,
with the earth belonging to them, were totally dissolved,
so that nothing of them appeared any more." A a 2

356 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XX.
It has already been observed that Judgment is generally
considered to be of two kinds, the Judicium discretionis, or
Judgment of separation, which is the same with that by
which classification is effected. This is the Judgment which
has hitherto been described, in virtue of which characters
are developed and classified, and thus the interiorly wicked
are discriminated and separated from the interiorly good.
There now remains therefore the Judicium condemna
tions, or Judgment of condemnation, which is the disposi
tion of individuals into their own places, that is, suitably
to their own natures. For all the books are now opened,
and the secrets of all hearts are now shewn. All that
remains therefore is finally for each individual to go to his
own place ; and this being effected, all things are reduced
INTO ORDER.
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 1995; —
" White designates the justice (Cluverus) and sanctity of this
judgment." Durham.
It signifies, says Poole in his Comments, p. 1003,
" Christ's purity and holiness in his judging the world."
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 838 ; —
" This throne thereof is white, most pure, most bountiful,
full of saving health, carrying mercy in the outward appearance
thereof. It is a great one, to declare the most glorious majesty
of God, which shall be now made manifest in this great assize of
his as it were, wherein he sitteth in state upon his throne among
his people. He sitteth also upon this throne, being ready to
give judgment, because there shaU not be any deferring of his
recompense any longer, which he will give to men according to
their deeds ; the delaying whereof before, made men think as if
God did neglect the matters done upon earth : both heaven and
earth fly from before him that sitteth on it, in regard of that
great change of all things, which shall be then made, both in
the false church, which shall be utterly rooted out, as also in
the true, which shall be encreased and stored with so great true
happiness, that the former rueful condition thereof, seemed to
be quite fled away."

VERSE XI.] SEVENTH VIAL — " WHITE THRONE." 357
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p, 852 ; —
" This throne is also said to be a white one ; just as the same
person is said to sit upon a white cloud, and ride upon a white
horse, chap, xiv, 14, and xix, 11; it may be in aUusion either
to a white and serene cloud, or to a throne of ivory, such an
one as Solomon made, 2 Chron. ix, 17; and this is either ex
pressive of the majesty and splendor of it, it being a throne of
glory, or a glorious throne, Matt, xxv, 31 ; or else it may denote
the purity and justice of him that sits on it, according to which
he wiU proceed in judgment, and finish it ; his character is the
righteous judge, and the judgment he will execute wiU be
righteous judgment."
Similar is the interpretation of Da Sylveira, Menochius,
Cocceius, Gaspar a Melo, &c. See also Gauntletf, p. 411.
TiUock, Dissertations upon the Apocalypse, p. 373 ;- —
" ' The First and the Last,' chap, ii, 8, is the one who dic
tated the epistles to the churches, namely, Jesus Christ; and
'the First and the Last' is the 'Alpha and the Omega,' chap.
xxi, 6, and xxii, 13 ; and 'the Alpha and the Omega' is Kvpcos
6 @eo?, Jehovah Elohim (c. v., the Lord God), chap, i, 8, and
iv, 8, who is the Kathemenos, chap, iv, 10. It is impossible
to evade the conclusion : the Kathemenos (the sitting one), on
both thrones, is the same individual, Jehovah Elohim [the Eternal
Omnipotent], the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,
Jesus Christ ; who appeared in the midst of the golden lamp-
stands ; who, in the sanctuary, dictated the epistles to the seven
churches ; who is the root and the offspring of David, the Lamb
in the midst of the throne : the same individual who hath de
clared, that ' he that honoreth not the Son, honor eth not the
Father.' "
That it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is here sitting on
the throne, is the interpretation of Haymo, Tirinus, Gaspar
a Melo, Da Sylveira, Cocceius, Marloratus, &c.
Patrick Forbes, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 229 ; —
"This great white throne (shadowed by that of Solomon)
albeit then, in full and final degree, it shaU be erected, when
our Lord returneth in the clouds of heaven : yet, in some degree,

358 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
it is erected here in the clear and evident prevailing light and
poiver of the Gospel. So as, even here after a sort, heaven and
earth depart, that is, the whole state of the world is changed :
as, upon pouring out of the seventh vial, was denounced : and
as (for the hke event, though not in so full measure), was spoken
of at the opening of the sixth seal. For, even here, we shall
have new heavens and a new earth, that is, a new state of things,
by the enemies' utter fall ; and goodly, graceful, and peaceable
estate of the church thereupon, when there shall be no more
sea : as, by Esaias is prophesied often, and magnifikly in the
subsequent chapters is declared. Thus the state under the
Gospel, in collation to the former, is called of the apostle a new
world ; and so the condition of the Christian church (upon de
struction of whore, beast, and dragon, and strange alteration of
all the states in the earth) enjoying peace, shall be yet, in respect
of her state before, a new world."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 12; —
" ' And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before
God,7 signifies, all who had died from the earths, and were
now among those who were in the world of spirits, of what
ever condition and quality, assembled by the Lord for
judgment : ' and the books were opened, and another book
was opened, which is the book of life,' signifies, that the
interiors of the minds of all them were unclosed, and by
the influx of light and heat from heaven, it was seen and
perceived what their nature and quality was as to their af
fections which are of the love or will, and thence as to their
thoughts which are of the faith or understanding, as well
the wicked as the good : ' and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books according to
their works,' signifies, that all were judged according to
their internal life in externals."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 544 ; —
" Origen understands it of the books of conscience, which
now are hid, not to God, but to men ; for the hidden things of
the heart are not now known : but then they shall be opened,

VERSE XII.J SEVENTH VIAL  " BOOKS." 359
that is, manifested to the consciences of all and every one, so as
there shall be no place left of excuse, or withdrawing. Thus no
man shall be injured, because every one shall either be accused,
or discharged by his own conscience."
Similar is the interpretation of Menochius, Tirinus,
Andreas, Gaspar a Melo, Alexander de Hales, Haymo, Be
rengaud, Cornelius a Lapide, Da Sylveira, &c.
Mayer, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 517 ; —
" The books that are opened are, according to somej the books
of men's consciences ; according to others, the books of Holy
Scripture ; but according to Augustin, both ; which I think to be
lightest ; for every man's conscience shall then be made mani
fest, whether it be good or evil, foul or clear ; and according to
the books of Holy Scripture, all shaU be judged, as they have
received and observed the things therein contained or not."
Gill, Apocalyps chap, xx, p. 853 ; —
" To which may be added, the book of conscience ; the con
sciences of men wUl be awakened, and will accuse them, and
bear witness against them, and be as good as a thousand wit
nesses." Commentary of Religious Tract Society, Apocalypse,
chap, xx, p. 621 ; —
" ' The books were opened.' The book of God's omniscience,
who is greater than our consciences, and knows aU things. There
is a book of remembrance with him both for good and bad ; and
the book of the sinner's conscience, though formerly secret, will
now be opened. Every man will have recollection and conscious
ness of aU his past actions, though he had long forgotten many
of them, tiU thus brought to light and remembrance."
"'And another book shall be opened;' the book of the
Scriptures, the rule of life ; this book is opened, as containing
the law, the touchstone by which the hearts and hves of men
are to be tried ; this book determines matter of right, the other
books give evidence of matter of fact."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 13; —
" ' And the sea gave up the dead that were in it,' sig
nifies, the external and natural men of the church called to

360 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XX.
judgment : ' and death and hell gave up the dead which
were in them,' signifies, the men of the church who were
impious at heart, and who in themselves were devils and
Satans, called to judgment."
Hartley Frere, Combined View of the Prophecies, Dan.
i, 3; p. 181;—
" The symbol of the great sea here introduced, resembles in
the voice ^of its many waters, the voice of a great multitude of
the people. The sea also is to be considered as exhibiting these
waters in a barren and unproductive state, and as representing
those nations in which paganism, infidelity, or even a corrupted
Christianity prevafied."
. . . "Again, in Rev. xxi, 1, the future glorious state of the
church is shewn to St. John, under the figure of a new heaven,
and a new earth, in which ' there was no more sea ;' by which
is implied, that there wiU then no more be any people in a barren
and unbelieving state."
Ibid, p. 83 ;—
"The sea, or 'the untillable and barren deep,' — multitudes
in a barren and unfruitful state towards God; which are subject,
also, to be agitated by storms like the troubled deep, that can
not rest, but whose waters cast up mire and dirt. If it is the
great sea, it may represent the Gentiles, or the nations of the
world at large, professing paganism. If an inland sea, it may
represent the population of some principal kingdom, in an un
fruitful state, professing infidelity or a corrupt religion."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 13 — 15 ;
" ' And they were judged every one according to their
works,' signifies, here as before : ' and death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire,' signifies, that the impious at
heart, who in themselves wrere devils and Satans, and yet
seemed in externals like men of the church, were cast into
hell among those who were in the love of evil and thereby
in the love of the false principle accordant with that evil :
' this is the second death,' signifies, that these are actually
in a state of damnation : ' and if any one was not found

VERSE XIII.] SEVENTH VIAL  " WORKS." 361
written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire,'
signifies, that they who did not live according to the Lord's
commandments in the Word, and did not believe in the
Lord, were condemned."
Mayer, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 520 ; —
" What is written in the book of life is kept so secret that
we cannot know it ; but they whose works are evil, may be sure
that they are not therein written : the book of life and the register
of men's works do paraUel one another. Wouldest thou then
see into this great secret ? go to thy works, and consider them ;
if they be good, thou art assuredly written in the book of life ;
otherwise thou mayest be sure that thou art not, and then the
lake of fire gapeth for thee. Be not deceived therefore by thy
faith ; but wouldest thou live long, and see good days ? refrain
thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guUe ;
cease to do eril, seek peace and ensue it. Attend to that direc
tion of our blessed Saviour, given to him that asked what he
should do to be saved ; ' Keep the commandments ; and if thou
be rich, forget not to distribute of thy goods to the poor, and so
lay up to thyself a good foundation."
Commentary of Religious Tract Society, Apocalypse,
chap, xx, p. 621 ; —
" By their works men shaU be justified or condemned ; for
though God knows their state and their principles, yet, being
to approve himself to angels and men as a righteous God, he
wiU try their principles by their practices, and so will be justified
when he speaks, and clear when he judges."
Gauntlett, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 421 ; —
" But upon what principles wUl the trial proceed ? God wiU
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ; and the Judge, being
omniscient, will bring to light all the hidden things of darkness.
Men wUl be tried and judged according to their works : for ' God
wUl bring every work into judgment, and every secret thing,
whether it be good or whether it be eril.' All the deeds done
in the body, with all the circumstances relating to them, wiU be
exhibited in their true light. But when it is said that men shall
be judged according to their works, this includes hkewise their
words and their thoughts. ' For every idle word,' says Jesus,

362 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
' that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the
day of judgment.' And the apostle declares, that 'the Judge
wiU then make manifest the counsel of the hearts.' Thoughts
do not come under the cognizance of man ; but they are not
exempt from the judgment of God. Before him our thoughts
are as much an evidence of our true state as our words or our
actions. The secret springs of man's conduct will then be
brought to light and exposed to view. The design of this
scrutiny, in the great day of account, will not be to inform the
Judge, who already knows all things ; but to convince angels
and men of the justice of his proceedings, and to exhibit the
grounds upon which he passes sentence."

DIVINE ORDER.
The foUowing remarks upon Divine Order constitute
the more immediate introduction to the present work
upon the Apocalypse, and might have been placed in the
First Volume as a Fourth Preliminary Discourse : it has
been reserved for the present occasion only because the
author found it convenient to be enabled to keep in view
the spiritual interpretations of the Apocalypse which have
been adduced. § 1.
It is affirmed by Swedenborg in his treatise on the
Last Judgment and the Destruction of Babylon, art. 46,
that " the Lord came into the world for this end, that he
might reduce to order aU things in the heavens, and by
the heavens aU things on the earths, and might at the same
time make his Humanity divine, which, unless he had done,
no one could have been saved."

DIVINE ORDER. 363
The same doctrine is repeatedly asserted in the Arcana
Ccelestia; as in art. 4075, 4286, 9937, 4287, 9397; also
in the Universal Theology, vol. I, art. 115. Again, in the
Coronis or Appendix to this work, Lemma vii. ; —
" That redemption, which was accomplished by the
Lord when he was in the world, consisted in the subjuga
tion of the hells, the orderly arrangement of the hea
vens, and thereby in the preparation for a new spiritual
church, may be seen in the work entitled, True Christian
Religion, n. 115 — 117, and likewise from n. 118 — 133.
But as this is a new discovery, and has lain hid for ages,
like a ship cast away with its valuable wares in the bottom
of the sea, and yet the doctrine of redemption is as it were
the treasury of all the spiritual riches or doctrinal tenets of
the New Church, therefore we shall treat of the mystery
of redemption in the last lemma of this volume, in which
the following propositions shall be unfolded and explained.
I. That liberation from enemies is what in the Word is
called redemption. II. Consequently, that redemption is
a liberation from evils and falses, which, as being from hell,
are spiritual enemies ; for they kill souls, as natural enemies
kill bodies. III. Hence it becomes evident, that the first
[act] of redemption accomplished by the Lord was the
separation of the evil from the good, and the elevation of
these latter to himself into heaven, and the removal of the
former from himself into heU, for thus the good were libe
rated from the evil : this first [act] of redemption is the last
judgment, treated of above, n. 10 — 13. IV. That the
second [act] of redemption was the co-ordination of all in
the heavens, and the subordination of all in heU, by which
means the good were still more distinctly separated and
liberated from the evil ; and this is the new heaven and the
new hell, spoken of above, n. 14 — 17. V. That the third
[act] of redemption was the revelation of truths out of the

364 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
new heaven, and thereby the raising up and establishment
of a new church in the earths, by which means the good
were further separated and liberated from the evil, and
hereafter are separated and liberated : this third [act] also
is treated of above, n. 18 — 20. VI. That the final cause
of redemption was a possibility, that the Lord by virtue
of his divine omnipotence might regenerate man, and
thereby save him ; for unless man be regenerated, he
cannot be saved, John iii, 3. VII. That the regeneration
of man, inasmuch as it is a separation and liberation from
qvils and falses, is a particular redemption by the Lord,
existing from his common [or general] redemption. VIII.
That with those who are regenerated, evils are first of all
separated from goods, and this resembles a judgment ; that
afterwards goods are collected together into one, and ar
ranged into a heavenly form, and this resembles a new
heaven ; and that lastly hereby is implanted and produced
a new church, whose internal is heaven, and whose external
from the internal, consequently whose internal and external
together in man, is what is called a church. IX. That all
are redeemed, since all, who reject the falses of the former
church, and receive the truths of the new church, are ca
pable of being regenerated ; but that still the regenerate
are, properly speaking, the redeemed. X. That the goal
of redemption, and the prize of the redeemed, is spiritual
peace. XI. That a redemption has at this day also been
accomplished by the Lord, because at this day is his second
advent according to prediction."
The great fact that redemption consisted in the subju
gation of the hells and the orderly arrangement of the
heavens is here said to be a new discovery ; but in what
sense this is to be understood Swedenborg explains in the
words afterwards added, namely, that it is a truth which
"has lain hid for ages." The reader therefore is here

DIVINE ORDER. 365
referred to what has been said upon this subject by Alcasar
in our First Volume, p. 32.
Mohler's Symbolik, vol. ii, p. 291 ; note by J. B.
Robertson, translator ; —
" Mohler says, that according to Swedenborg's theory, ' Re
demption, in part at least, depended on the application of mere
mechanical powers.' How so ? Because the Swedish prophet
makes redemption to consist, chiefly, in the reducing the heUs
into subjection, in delivering the blessed spirits from the impor
tunity of demons, and in producing, by this means, the renova
tion of the church. The Catholic Church, on the other hand,
teaches that the object of the redemption, was the restoration of
faUen man, his deliverance from sin, and especiaUy original sin.
This is the doctrine clearly inculcated in Holy Writ. See Luke
xix, 10 ; John ih, 14; Gal. iv, 4, 5 ; Heb. v., 1, seq. ; John i,
29; Rom. v, 12, 15, 21; vi, vii.; 1 Cor. xv, 21, 22. Thus,
according to Swedenborg, redemption produced, as it were, a
mere outward mechanical change in the moral condition of man
kind; but, according to Catholic doctrine, it brought about a
living, internal, and organic change."
The doctrine of the satisfaction of one Divine Person
by another, has in the present day so entirely excluded
every other view of the Atonement, that Mohler imagines
that Swedenborg is here advocating a heresy, or a mere
outward mechanical change in the moral condition of man
kind as constituting preeminently the work of redemption :
whereas that Swedenborg is only reviving, in the foregoing
statements, a professedly Catholic though long-forgotten
doctrine, will be perceived on comparing these statements
with those which we are now about to adduce.
The redemption of the world at the first advent was
accompanied by the creation of a new heaven and a new
earth ; we shall also see that in the Apocalypse, chap, xxi,
or at the second advent, there occurs likewise the creation
of " a new heaven and a new earth!'
Parkhurst, in his Dictionary, observes upon the word

366 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
/co5/m>?, that " Aristotle, De Mundo, defines ko^^os to be, a
system composed of the heaven and the earth, and of the
beings contained in them ; otherwise the order and beau
tiful arrangement of the universe is caUed Ko<;fio<;; and
Plutarch says that Pythagoras was the first who called the
system of the universe «o9/^o? from the order observable
in it." To create a new heaven and earth, then, is to create a
new aw/ho? 0r a new order of things, or to bring order out
of disorder, a cosmos out of a chaos. Accordingly we shall
find that this ordination of things, this restoration or resti
tution of things to order, was the principal object of the
Incarnation or of the First Advent. On Col. ii, 5, ' Though
I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit,
joying and beholding your order,' Cornelius a Lapide ob
serves, that, —
" As Theophylact remarks ; hke as in military array, a good
orderly arrangement makes a phalanx firm, so also does the
same effect take place in the church, when the good order in
troduced by charity arranges all things."
" How great the good and advantage arising from this order,
is erident in every commonwealth; for there is no common
wealth that can hold together without order ; but for it to do so
it is requisite that the citizens should be subordinate to and obey
the magistrates, and that every citizen should keep to his own
degree and rank ; for if this order be disturbed, the common
wealth is disturbed."
" Secondly, the same thing is evident in the celestial hie
rarchy of spirits and angels ; in which exists the highest order,
which consociates, strengthens, preserves, and with wonderful
beauty adorns the commonwealth of angels."
" Thirdly, the same thing is erident in the orderly motion
and situation of the heavens, stars, elements, aU creatures, and
the whole universe ; for order is the bond of union and the sal
vation of the universe. ' The perturbation of order,' says Na-
zianzen in his Oration upon the moderation to be observed in
Disputation, 'has introduced thunders into the air; upon the

DIVINE ORDER. 367
earth, conflagrations ; in the sea, inundations ; in cities and fami
lies, wars ; in bodies, diseases ; in souls, sin ; as attempting to
introduce another disposition of things.' ' AU things,' says the
wise man, Wisdom xii, 21, 'thou hast ordered in measure,
number, and weight, O Lord ! thou Creator of all things."
..." St. Augustin teaches that everything or every good has
first its measure, which prescribes to it a certain mode, from the
determination of its efficient and material principles. Secondly,
number, which gives to everything its species. Thirdly, weight,
that is, an ordination and inchnation to its acts and its end, which
weight brings the thing itself into its state of rest and stabUity.
... It is because so great are the advantages of good order, that
the apostle so often inculcates order and wishes it to be preserved
in aU things."
Now this order of the universe had been disturbed, and
at the time of the Incarnation, the disorder had arrived at
its crisis ; as is plainly intimated by Isidore of Pelusium,
in epistle 329, where he says ; —
" When wicked demons, with their leader, the Devil, had no
longer permitted things to remain in their order, but revelling
in aU manner of wickedness and inordinate indulgence, and
knowing no bounds to their insolence, had reduced men to the
extremity of eril ; then did the King over aU, the Word of the
Father, who abominated their tyranny and had compassion upon
the miseries of mankind, entering into human nature, put him
self in battle array. Wherefore the trophies of his victory have
partly already been fixed, partly are now being raised, partly are
still to be hoped for ; and that barbarous troop of devUs, with
their wicked Leader, have been driven into calamitous straits ;
whUe human nature has been rescued into a state of liberty.
Wherefore also the Psalmist commanded that those who had been
set free, should sing a new song ; for he saw with prophetic eyes
what was to happen in the future."
So likewise in the chapter on the Final Cause of the
Incarnation Petavius observes, vol. v, chap, vi, p. 81,
that, —
..." Christ came to release us from the yoke of the deril
and his tyrannical domination; and that when the deril was

368 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
keeping the whole world in a state of the most abject slavery, he
was put to flight by the Incarnation of Christ, and was cast
down by his death. ' To this end appeared the Son of God,'
said John, ' that he might destroy the works of the deril.' More
over Christ himself, when the time of his death was impending,
exclaimed, 'Now is the judgment of this world; now is the
prince of this world cast out.' "...
. . ." How base and wretched was the condition of mortals, whUe
that foul beast was domineering over them, many of the ancients
graphicaUy describe ; enumerating aU the erils to which before
the coming of Christ the human race was obnoxious. Among
which were especiaUy and the most to be deplored, ignorance of
the true God, of divine worship and religion ; under which, with
but extremely few exceptions, all mankind were laboring. For
the Devil, being hopelessly driven from his possession in heaven,
endeavored in his turn to cast out God from the world, and
entirely to abolish the remembrance and veneration of him;
studying and striving how to put himself in the place of God ;
while other demons, who were associates in his crime and pun
ishment and were his sateUites, were, by the nations who were
blinded by the error, esteemed for inferior and lesser deities.
Hence flowed the superstition of false gods, and that principal
crime of the human race (as TertuUian says), that most preemi
nent guUt of the world, which was the entire cause of the judg
ment — idolatry. Hence the images erected everywhere in cities,
houses, streets, to profane and for the most part ridiculous
deities. For, as observes the same TertuUian ; the streets, the
forum, baths, stables, and our very houses themselves, are not
without their idols. Satan and his angels have filled the whole
world. Nor, says Cyprian, have they any other employ than to
call men away from God, and turn them aside from the under
standing of true rehgion to superstition."
Again, on the goods and advantages accruing to
man from the Incarnation, Petavius observes, chap, vii,
p. 82 ;—
" The head of all these, and that which collects and contains
within itsetf aU the benefits of the Incarnation, as Cyril testifies,
is the one which the apostle so strenuously preaches, ' that he

DIVINE ORDER. 369
might make known unto us the mystery of his wUl, according
to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself; viz, in
the dispensation of the fulness of times to restore all things in
Christ which are in the heavens and the earth;' where he says
that the end regarded by God as the principal and primary of
his purpose and will by which he decreed to make his own
Son, man, was avaKetyaXaiaxraaQai, ; that is, to recapitulate aU
things into Christ which are in heaven and in the earth ; or,
as TertuUian renders and interprets the word in Latin, ad ini-
tium redigere, or ab initio recensere, that is, to recall them
to their primitive state. Which he more evidently intimates
in his book, De Monogamia ; where he thus renders the pas
sage, ' to refer to their Head, that is, back again to their be
ginning all things in Christ, &c, that he might thus shew that
in himself is the procession of the beginning to the end, and the
return of the end to the beginning.' Therefore avaKefyaXauo-
aaa-Oai wiU mean, to restore to their pristine state the ruined
condition of things. With a view to this meaning CyrU uses
the word instaurare ; the Commentary attributed to Ambrose,
restaurare." Chrysostom says, according to Petavius, that the signi
fication of the word, is, to collect into one sum and head
things various and dispersed : Theodoret, and from him
Photius, a change implying a brief and compendious dis
position of things : Irenseus, to recall to one head, and
subject to one Prince and Ruler, things which before were
dissolved and dissipated.
Petavius, p. 83 ; —
" More agreeable to the interpretation of Chrysostom is the
reason assigned by fficumenius ; that the angels who were alie
nated from men and hitherto forced away from them, were now
consociated with them under one Head, Christ ; and as it were
bound together by the same bond of union. The force and power of
such a signification, however, does not properly belong to the word
avaKecpaXatwaaaOai, but only follows by way of consequence ;
inasmuch as things which are put together under one Head, when
previously they lay scattered far and wide in confusion and dis-
VOL. IV. B B

370 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
order, are brought together within given limits, and in a manner
contracted into one sum. This view of the subject is especially
agreeable to the words of the apostle. For Christ came to bring
into one the scattered and dissociated members of the universe,
and to bind them together one with another, and also with Him
self as the Author and the Head of aU. This kind of office he
exercised especially in regard to men ; who, being disjoined from
the one and true God, that is, from essential unity, were carried
away into various errors, and into a multifold worship of vain
deities and superstitions ; and, being ensnared into diverse vices
and cupidities, had gone astray from their native and inborn sim
plicity. It is a trite saying of Aristotle in his Ethics, but a most
true one, that good men pursue a course of one kind only and
single ; but that the wicked deflect from the straight path in aU
manner of directions."
"From this multiplicate corruption arising from the vices,
pursuits, and cupidities which draw men away in diverse direc
tions, God hath recaUed us ; and hath brought us back to one
head and to one end, even to Him who is Christ the Head,
and who is the end of the law for righteousness unto every one
who beheveth. For this reason he undertook a compendious
method of bringing back the human race to their pristine state
from which they had fallen away by sin, and of restoring aU
things in Christ, as says the apostle ; according to the Vulgate."
Zanchius, De Certa Salute Ecclesia, vol. vii, p. 234 ; —
" That he might restore all things and estabhsh them in
judgment and justice. Some explain judgment to mean the pu
nishment of the wicked ; justice, the protection and reward of
the good; for by these two is a kingdom restored and pre
served. We affirm simply that the judgment is reformation and
renovation ; which is effected when the authors of disorder are
expelled, and aU things are restored to their primitive order, as
in John xii. ; 'Now is the judgment of this world, now shah the
prince of this world be cast out.' Justice is the execution
and the maintenance of the commenced reformation, and of the
laws and ordinances appointed in that kingdom. For thus was
it that his kingdom, that is, the church, which had become
whoUy corrupted and coUapsed both as to external worship and
rehgion, and also as to internal, Christ first restored by a judg-

DIVINE ORDER. 371
ment; that is, by a reformation; namely^ by the expulsion of
false doctrine and useless sacrifices, and by the introduction of
true doctrine and true sacrifices ; Satan being then expelled from
the hearts of the faithful, and sins being taken away and par
doned, and in their place the Holy Spirit being given and his
righteousness. Secondly, Christ restored the church by justice
in the accomplishment and maintenance of the order designed ;
as indeed he is daily doing by the preaching of the Word, the
administration of the sacraments, and the operation of the Holy
Spirit in the saints. By this same judgment and justice does he
establish his kingdom for ever. This now is the judgment of
Christ in the reformation of his kingdom ; that every one who
beheveth in him may have eternal life, without the sacrifices or
works of the law."
Moreover in the explication of the passage before quoted
from Eph. i, 10, Zanchius observes, that some understand
the word avaKecbaXaicosatfai as signifying to recall all things
to their first principle, this being the meaning of creating
a new heaven and a new earth. ' Behold, I make all things
new.' — "The whole creation waiteth for the redemption of
the sons of God ; that it may be liberated from the bondage
of corruption." — Now every renovation of the world is
accomplished by Christ. Hence the revocation of all things
to their first principles, Zanchius considers to be the same
with making a new heaven and a new earth, vol. vii, p. 21 ;
" Thus, that there might be a new heaven and a new earth.
. . . For it is not without cause that the apostle mentions first
those things that are in the heavens and afterwards those that
are in the earth ; and in like manner did Christ say first, ' All
power is given to me in heaven,' and then added, 'in the
earth ;' because Christ being glorified in the heavens as the head
of aU the elect, first the angels in heaven and then the GentUes
together with the Jews, were made subject unto him by the
preaching of the Gospel ; as above stated. Thus were aU the
elect, both angels and men, adjoined to their Head, and are so
daUy. The others, such as wicked men and infernal derils, are
put under the feet of Christ," &c. b b 2

372 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XX.
Poole's Synopsis, Eph. i, 10, p. 746 ;—
" AvaK€(j>aXai,5v is to conjoin into one body (Beza, Vorstius,
Bodius), and to recaU to one head (Bodius, Vorstius, Strigelius),
and finally to unite and agglutinate to the head (Zanchius, Bodius)
the disjected and separated parts (Beza) ; to collect together again
the dispersed members, and to recaU them to their origin and
first beginning, from which they had faUen away (Bodius), or
to their pristine state and first integrity (Zanchius, TertuUian) .
.... All things ; all those which being before divulsed and
distracted, Christ himself was sent by the Father to coUect into
one body (Bodius, Beza) ; human nature, which had become
ruined, corrupted, and lost (Zanchius, Photius) ; men who had
lapsed and become scattered through sin (Bodius), or aU the
elect (Zanchius, Bodius), or the faithful both of the Jews and
Gentiles, who were before dispersed and scattered as it were
throughout the wildernesses of vanity, error, impiety, and ido
latry; these the apostle intimates were gathered together by
God (Bodius) under one head, Christ, into one body, which is
the church and communion of saints (Zanchius), or into one
mystical man, coalescing in the same spirit faith and charity
(Bodius) .... And how I pray you could the angels, who had
never apostatized from God nor been scattered one from the
other, be said to be gathered together again by Christ ? (Quidam
in Zanch.) In this way ; although they had not faUen away,
still they might have done so, unless they had been in Christ
their Head ; to the end that by him they might be perpetually
preserved and confirmed in their felicity," Bodius, &c.
Bloomfield, Becensio Synoptica, Eph. i, 10, p. 521 ;—
" On the sense of avaKe§aXaid)Gaa6aL ra, rvdvra commentators
are not agreed. Certain it is that ra rrdvra is put, by an idiom
familiar to St. Paul and every good writer : for roi><; iravras
'AvaKe<pa\. signifies to bring again under one head («*<£•) ; which
implies their being brought into one society. The best commen
tators are agreed that by ra rravra are meant both Jews and
GentUes. So in a paraUel passage of Col. i, 20, Christ (who is
here meant by the head) is said drroKaraXKa^ai ra irdvra eh
avrov. See also Chrys. But the apostle adds something further,
namely, that God hath not only thus united all nations on earth

DIVINE ORDER. 373
under one head, but also united with them the hosts of heaven,
the angels in heaven (for so the best commentators, ancient and
modern, explain the ra ev toi? ovpavols), who are called the
upper family, God's famUy in heaven. Compare infra ver. 21,
and 3, 15. It is well observed by Theophyl. (from Chrys.), that
the heavenly and the earthly had been split and separated, and
had not one head. For though, in respect of creation, there
was one God over all ; yet in respect of union, there was not.
The Father therefore determined to unite the heavenly and the
earthly, i. e, to place one head over all ; even Christ," &c.
Calvin, Eph. i, 10 ;—
" In my opinion, Paul designed to teach that all things which
had been scattered abroad out of Christ, were by him brought
back into order. And indeed what can we see in the world, out
of Christ, but mere ruins? for since we are by sin alienated
from God, how can we be otherwise than dissipated and scat
tered abroad in a miserable manner ? For the right state of the
creatures, is, that they should adhere to God ; that there should
be such a gathering together into one as might bring us into due
order; as the apostle says was effected in Christ. Since by
coalescing into his body we are both united unto God, and mu
tually conjoined among ourselves. Lastly, without Christ the
whole world is a chaos without form, and a horrible confusion.
He alone coUeets us together into a true unity. But why does
he include celestial creatures in this number? for the angels were
never separated from God, consequently never scattered abroad.
Some explain the passage thus ; the .angels are therefore said to
be gathered together into one, because men were united to them ;
that both being alike conjoined to God, they both might obtain
by this blessed unity a common happiness. In hke manner as we
are wont to say that a whole edifice is restored, which in many
of its parts was ruinous or had fallen down ; although some por
tions continued to stand upright. This indeed is true ; yet no
thing prevents our saying that the angels also were gathered
together into one; not indeed from a state of dispersion; but first
that they might perfectly and firmly adhere to God, and then
that they might retain such a state permanently. For what pro
portion is there between the creature and the Creator, except

374 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
through the intervention of a Mediator? for, inasmuch as they
are creatures, if they were deprived of their blessing in Christ, they
would be liable to change and defection ; and therefore not to be
eternally happy. Who then will deny that both angels and men
were by the grace of Christ brought back into a state of esta
blished order ? for men were lost, and the angels were not out of
danger. Christ, therefore, by uniting both into his body, con
joined them with God the Father, that so a true harmony might
exist between heaven and earth."
Grotius upon the same passage in Ephesians, observes ;
" ' By things in heaven and things on earth' are signified,
according to the Hebrews, God's family above, and God's family
below. Compare Col. i, 20. For unto Christ is given all power
in heaven and in earth, Matt, xxviii, 18. See below, ver. 21,
and compare it with Col. i, 16, where eKria-drj seems to be ordi-
nata sunt, arranged into order. . . . The Jews hated strangers as
idolaters. The Jews were themselves hateful to the Gentiles on
account of the diversity of their institutions from their own.
. . . Now those of either class who come to Christ, are friends
and brothers one to another, and are together one people of God."
On Col. i, 16, Grotius observes on the words, 'By
him were all things created that are in the heavens and the
earth ;' —
" It is certain that all things were created by the Word ; but
the circumstances which precede, shew, that the apostle is here
treating of Christ, which is the name of the man ; in which sense
moreover Chrysostom interprets the passage, who however un
derstands it to signify the world created for the sake of Christ ;
not a bad sense ; but yet, by reason of what precedes, eKriadr] is
here more rightly interpreted disposed into order, acquired a
certain new state."
Poole's Synopsis, Isaiah li, 16 ; —
" ' I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered
thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens,
and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou
art my people.' He expresses the end of his mission, namely,
that I may restore all things to order ; heaven, and earth, and
all creatures, which by the faU of the first man had become

DIVINE ORDER. 375
deranged and as it were paid the penalty, are renewed by Christ
and the doctrine of salvation, Ephes. i, 10 (Calvin). 'That I
may create a new heaven and a new earth,' Is. lxv, 17 ; lxvi, 22 ;
2 Peter iii, 13 ; Apoc. xxi, 1 (Piscator) . . . . ' That I may con
stitute a new, i.e., spiritual world and kingdom of God ; whose
foundations were laid by Christ and the apostles.' " Forerius.
Poole's Comments, Eph. i, 10 ; —
" The meaning of the whole seems to be, that whereas the
order and harmony of God's principal workmanship, inteUectual
creatures, angels, and men, had been disturbed and broken by
the entering of sin into the world (all mankind and many of the
angels having apostatized from him, and the remnant of them
being in their own nature liable to fall and mutable), God would
in his appointed time give Christ, the heir of aU things, the
honor of being the repairer of this breach, by gathering to
gether again the disjointed members of his creation in and under
Christ as their Head and Governor ; confirming the good angels
in their good estate, and recovering his elect among men from
their apostate condition."
Wesley, Ephesians i, 10, Comments ;—
" That he might gather together into one in Christ — might
recapitulate, reunite, and place in order again under Christ their
common head."
Manning (formerly Archdeacon*), on the Unity of the
Church, p. 88 ; —
" From these places it is evident that the Incarnation and
passion of the Son of God is the mysterious cause of a new
order, in which even unseen and heavenly beings are partakers.
The Father sent him into the world to redeem and regenerate
the creation of God ; that in the dispensation of the fulness of
times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven and which are in earth. How or in what
manner the heavenly orders are reconstituted in a new order;
whether the original sin of angels was a refusal of homage to the
anticipated mystery of the Incarnate Son, whether the elect
angels, as they yielded to the adoration of the Word made flesh
so are now partakers of a new summing up of God's creatures
* Now a member of the Roman Communion.

376 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
under a new head in Christ Jesus, we know not. Most evident
it is that they together with the spirits of just men made perfect,
are members of Christ's mediatorial kingdom, and gathered to
gether with the visible church of Christ under one head in a
wonderful order. They are members with us of the one mystical
body, of which part is seen and part is unseen."
Thus we see all the way through the foregoing quota
tions, that the creation of a new heaven and earth is im
mediately connected with a general reformation of religion,
or a regeneration of the Church, attended by convulsions in
the state of the Church, of society, and of the world in
general ; such in fact as our Lord himself has described in
Matt. xxiv. ; circumstances necessarily resulting from turn
ing back the course of things in the Church toward those
first principles, that one fountain-head, from which they
had gone astray. Hence on Haggai ii, the Family Bible
observes from Bishop Hall, that it means, " I will once
more make a great change in my Church by the bringing in
of my Gospel ;" and that this change was accompanied
also by commotions and convulsions in the world.
Matthew Henry, Isaiah li, 16 ; —
"As God by Christ made the world at first, Heb. i, 2, and
by him formed the Old Testament church, Zech. vi, 12, so by
him and the words put into his mouth he will set up (1) a new
world ; will again plant the heavens and found the earth. Sin
having put the whole creation into disorder, Christ taking away
the sin of the world put all into order again ; ' old things are
passed away, all things are become new :' things in heaven and
things on earth are reconcUed, and so put into a new posture,
Col. i, 20. ' Through him, according to the promise, we look
for new heavens and a new earth,' 2 Pet. iii, 13 ; and to this the
prophets bear witness. (2). He will set up a new church, a
New Testament church; he will say unto Zion, 'Thou art my
people.' The gospel church is called Zion, Heb. xii, 22, and
Jerusalem, Gal. iv, 26. And when the Gentiles are brought
into it, it shaU be said unto them, ' Ye are my people.' When
God works great deliverances for his church, and especiaUy when

DIVINE ORDER. 377
he shah complete the salvation of it in the great day, he will
thereby own that poor despised handful to be his people whom
he has chosen and loved."
Alvarez, Isaiah, lxv, 17, p. 786; —
" Others by the new heavens and new earth understand a new
creation ; since when we are renewed by grace all things are
made new, as the apostle says, ' If any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature. Old things are passed away ; behold, all things
are become new.' Where we are to note with St. Thomas, that
' renovation by grace is called a creation.' For creation is a mo
tion from nothing to being (esse). Being however is of two kinds ;
being of nature and being of grace. The first creation was that
by which creatures were produced by God out of nothing into
the being of nature, and then creation was new ; but it grew old
by sin; Lam. iii, ' He hath made old my skin, &c.' It was re
quisite therefore for there to be a new creation, by which there
might be a bringing forth into the being of grace ; which crea
tion is from nothing, because they who are without grace, are
nothing. 1 Cor. xiii. ; ' Though I knew all mysteries, but have
not charity, I am nothing.' Job xviii. ; ' His companions shah
dweU in the tabernacle of him who is not,' that is, sin (Augustin) ;
for sin is a nothing, and men become nothing when they sin.
And thus it is evident that infusion of grace is a certain creation.
As therefore the apostle eaUs the soul renewed by grace a new
creature, so also Isaiah declares that a new heaven and a new
earth are created, when those who put off the old man and put
on the new man, which is created according to God, begin
through Christ a new life ; having put away the old one."
Thus far then we have seen that a restoration to order,
a creation of new heavens and a new earth, hence an esta
blishment of a new church, were effected at the First
Advent of the Lord.
We now proceed to the subject of Decline from this
order, and Defection from the Church thus established,
before the Second Advent.

378 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XX.
§2.
Augustin, vol. i, p. 908 ; De Moribus Manichseorum ;
" All things decline by corruption from that which they were ;
not being compelled to remain that which they were, they are
not compelled to be. For to be has reference to permanence.
Therefore that which is most highly and eminently said to be, is
so said by reason of its maintaining in itself permanence. For that
which is changed into the better, is not changed in consequence
of its permanence, but of its having been perverted into the
worse, that is, having experienced a defection from its being ;
the author of which defection is not the same with the author of
the original being. Some things therefore are changed into the
better, and for this reason tend to be ; nor by this change are
they said to be perverted, but reverted, and converted. For
perversion is contrary to orderly arrangement. Those things
however which tend to be, tend to order ; which order when they
have attained, they have attained their very esse, in so far as
the creature can attain it. For order reduces to a certain agree
ment that which it ordinates. For to be is no other than to be
one. Therefore in so far as any thing acquires unity, in so far
it is. For the operation of unity is agreement and concord ; in
virtue of which composites are, in so far as they are. For sim
ples are per se, because they are one. But things not simple
imitate simphcity by the concord of their parts ; and in so far
as they attain this concord, in so far they are. Therefore it is
ordinate arrangement that constrains a thing to be ; inordinate
arrangement, not to be; which also is denominated perversion
and corruption. Therefore whatsoever is corrupted, tends not to
be. It is your part to consider whether corruption is constrain
ing you ; that you may find out what is the one preeminent eril ;
for it is that to which corruption is endeavoring to lead you."
" But the goodness of God does not permit a thing to come
to such a pass ; and hence all those things which are undergoing
a defection, he so ordinates that they may be there where they
can most aptly be, untU by ordinate movements they go back to
that from which they had declined. . Therefore also those ra
tional souls in whom freewill is the most powerful, and who are
undergoing a defection from themselves, he places by orderly

DIVINE ORDER. 379
arrangement in the inferior grades of creation, where it is proper
for them to be. They become miserable therefore by that divine
judgment by which aU are disposed into order according to their
merits. Hence the admirable saying, against which you are
wont so vehemently to inveigh, Is. xiv, 7, Ego facio bona et creo
mala. For to create means to put together and ordinate. There
fore in most copies the words are, Ego facio bona et condo mala,
' I make good, and ordinate evU.' .... For to make, is said
in relation to that which was not. To put together, is to put
into order ; that, whatsoever a thing was, it might become better
and more. For God condit, that is, puts into order, when he
says, ' Condo mala,' i. e., things which undergo defection, that
is, tend not to be ; not those things which have reached the
destiny to which they tend. For we have said, that nothing is
permitted by Divine Providence to come to such a pass as not
to be." In conformity with this view of the subject, we find that
although at our Lord's First Advent he established a New
Church and reduced all things to order both in the heavens
and on earth; yet, through the evil inherent in the creature,
there grew up again in the Church a tendency to disorder,
hence to the loss of unity; and as this continued to increase,
there was a tendency in the Church not to be ; till at length,
through a decrease of charity and increase of false teaching,
the Church, having entirely lost its unity, came likewise at
last to lose its being. But since it is requisite that there
should be a Church upon earth, our Lord promises another
or a Second Advent, in which he will establish another
New Church and again restore all things to order. Thus
a New Age is foretold, which is likewise to be the last;
because in it the Church is to return to the first, or the
age of Paradise upon earth.
What therefore Augustin has above stated in the way
of theory, we shall now illustrate by prophecy, i. e., our
Lord's prophecy concerning the Temple ; following our

380 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
usual plan of presenting first the interpretation of Swe
denborg, and afterwards that of other commentators.
Matthew, chap. xxiv.
Verses 1, 2. And Jesus going out, departed from the temple ;
and his disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of the
temple. But Jesus said to them, See ye not all these things?
Verily I say to you, There shall not be left here a stone upon a
stone which shall not be dissolved.
*SwEDENBORG ; —
" By a stone upon the temple not being left upon a
stone, which should not be dissolved, is signified the de
struction and total vastation of the church : a stone also
signifies the truth of the church : and whereas that destruc
tion and vastation were signified, therefore in Matthew
xxiv. ; Mark xiii. ; and Luke xxi, the subject treated of is
concerning the successive vastation of the church."
" From the time of the Council of Nice dreadful here
sies began to be propagated concerning God and concern
ing the person of Christ ; whereby the head of Antichrist
was lifted up, and God was divided into three, and the
Lord the Saviour into two ; and thereby the temple erected
of the Lord by the apostles was destroyed ; and this to
such a degree that stone was not left upon stone which was
not dissolved ; according to the Lord's words in Matthew
xxiv, 2 ; where by the temple is not only meant the temple
of Jerusalem, but also the church, the consummation or
end of which is treated in that chapter throughout."
Cardinal Hugo, Mark xiii, 1 ; —
"'And as he went out,' Ezek. x, 18. 'The glory of the
Lord departed from off the threshold of the temple.' Rightly
* These extracts from Swedenborg are taken from the work on the Four Gospels,
by the Eev. John Clowes, Rector of St. John's Church, Manchester, and late
Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. The unusual literality of translation is
adopted with a view to the spiritual meaning.

divine order. 381
does he say from off the threshold; as the edifice itself which
men had built was yet standing : it was the sanctity which the
Lord had instituted that had faUen to the ground. Heb. vii,
12; 'The priesthood being changed, there is made also of neces
sity a change of the law.' "
Ibid, Matthew xxiv, 1 ; —
" ' And his disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of
the temple.' Not that they were unknown to him, but that they
might be admired. As if they should tacitly say, that buhdings
so sohd could not possibly be thrown down."
Aquinas, vol. iii, p. 272 ; Matthew xxiv, 1 ; —
" In the preceding chapter he says, ' Behold your house is
left unto you desolate ;' and this he also presents ocularly to
view, because he went out of it ; hence in going out of it cor-
poreaUy, he shewed that he went out of it spiritually. John
viii., 59 ; ' But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.'
When the sinner wUls not to be corrected, the Lord goeth from
out of him. Lam i, 6 ; ' From the daughter of Zion aU her
beauty is departed.' "
De Lyra, Mark xiii, 1 ; —
"AU religion may be called the temple of God; and is
so destroyed that not one stone remains upon another, when
there no longer remains in it any conformity to its Founder."
Cardinal Hugo, Luke xxi, 6 ; —
" Morally : it is a destruction of the temple, a desolation of
religion and of the church, and its downfal; which for a great
part are already destroyed ; not in respect of the multiplicity
of its stones and revenues, but in respect to sanctity of morals,
and devotion of faith. Whence Chrysostom : the building of
the temple indeed is standing, but its sanctity has faUen. Now
the buUding made by men is a buUding of stones; but the
temple of God is the congregation of the elect."
" And inasmuch as at this day the Prelates and Clergy nearly
all care more about stones than about the building up of souls,
therefore in the course of a short time the church will be de
stroyed. Whence Micah ih, 12; 'Therefore shall Zion for your
sake be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of
stones.' And this is that which is here said ; ' And as some spake

382 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
of the temple how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,
he said, As for these things which ye behold, the days wUl come
in which there shaU not be left one stone upon another which
shall not be thrown down.' "
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv. 1 ; p. 800 ; —
" Figuratively : when the Lord departed from the temple all
the buildings of the law and the structure of the commandments
were so overthrown that none of them could be fulfilled by the
Jews ; but the Head being taken away, all the parts were at war
among themselves (Jerome) . Every man also, who, by taking
into him the Word of God, is become a temple ; if after sin
ning he yet retains in part the traces of faith and religion, his
temple is in part destroyed and in part standing. But he who
after sin has no regard for himself, is gradually alienated, until
he has altogether forsaken the hving God, and so one stone is
not left upon another of God's commandments, which he has
not thrown down," Origen.
Ibid. ;—
" Stone — testimony of the prophets," Pseudo- Jerome.
Ibid, Luke xxi, 6 ; p. 674 ; —
" It was spoken then of the temple made with hands, that it
should be overthrown. For there is nothing made with hands
which age does not impair, or violence throw down, or fire burn.
Yet there is also another temple, that is, the synagogue, whose
ancient buUding faUs to pieces as the church rises. There is
also a temple in every one which falls when faith is lacking ; and
above aU when any one falsely shields himself under the name
of Christ, that so he may rebel against his inward inclinations."
Ambrose. Calvin, Matthew xxiv. 1 ; —
" ' And Jesus going out.' The disciples undoubtedly thought
that Christ had spoken this as his last adieu to the temple. It
therefore remained for him to raise a new temple far more
splendid, and to establish a more flourishing state of his king
dom, as was predicted by the prophets. For there was nothing
in common with him and this temple in which everything was
adverse to him. But to the disciples it was incredible that the
magnificent splendor of the temple should give way to Christ.

DIVINE ORDER. 383
And it ought to be carefully noted, that at a time when the ex
ternal aspect of the temple was sumptuous even to a miracle,
their eyes were so smitten by its present magnificence, that they
entertained scarcely any hope that the kingdom of Christ could
rise up. They do not indeed expressly confess their doubt, but
tacitly insinuate it, when they object to Christ the pile of stones
which had to be surmounted, nay, rather to be reduced to no
thing, if he wished to establish his reign. A hke admiration of
the Papacy also keeps back many of the simple at the present
day ; for when they behold it possessed of such mighty riches
and immense power, they are forthwith astonished at the idea
that such an aspect of the church should degenerate into one
that is rile, ignoble, and squalid. For many fancy that we must
be as great fools in attempting its ruin, as in attempting to pull
the sun down from heaven."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Matt. xxiv. 3 ; —
" The Temple signifies pride, inasmuch as it was the cause of
the pride of the Jews."
Verse 3. But as he sat on the mount of Olives, his disciples
apart came to him, saying, Say to us when shall these things
be ; and ivhat shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consum
mation of the age ?
Swedenborg ; —
"They who abide in the sense of the letter cannot
know whether the contents of these verses, and those things
which follow in this chapter, have relation to the destruc
tion of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish nation,
or to the end of days, which is called the Last Judgment ;
but they who are in the internal sense see clearly that the
subject here treated of is concerning the end of the Church ;
which end is what is here and in other passages called the
coming of the Lord and the consummation of the age ; and
since that end is meant, it may be known that all these
things signify such things as relate to the Church."
" The mount of Olives signifies the divine love, on

384 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
which account the Lord was accustomed to tarry on that
mountain, Luke xxi, 37 ; xxii, 30 ; John viii, 1, and there
discoursed with his disciples concerning his coming and the
consummation of the age, that is, concerning the Last
Judgment; and also thence went to Jerusalem and suf
fered ; and by this was signified that he did all things from
divine love, for the mount of Olives signified that love."
Cardinal Hugo, Mark xiii, 3 ; —
" He sitteth on the mount, signifying by the mount of Olivet
those whose bowels move with affection and pity."
Whitby, Matthew xxiv, 3 ;—
" When wilt thou come to destroy the temple, and to put an
end to the Jewish Church and age ?"
Family Bible, Matthew xxiv, 3 ; —
" What shall be the sign of thy coming to destroy the Jewish
state as had just been foretold ? And of the end of the world ;
rather of the end of the age, that is, of the age when the Jewish
Church* and state were to last ; Bishop Pearce." So Gill.
Verses 4, 5. And Jesus answering said to them, See, lest any
one deceive you. For many shall come in my name and say, I am
the Christ ; and shall deceive many.
Swedenborg ;—
" By those who shall come in his name and shall say
that they are Christs, and shall seduce many, is signified,
that those are about to come who shall say that this or the
other is divine truth ; when yet it is truth falsified, which
in itself is the false ; for by Christ is meant the Lord as
to divine truth, but here in the opposite sense truth falsi
fied." Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 4 ; —
" See that no one seduce you by philosophy and vain deceit,
according to the tradition of men. ' Let not your prophets who
* If referred therefore to the time of Antichrist, it signifies the end of the aiaiv
or age of the present Christian church or dispensation ; and that this is the appli
cation will be further seen in the sequel.

DIVINE ORDER. 385
are in the midst of you, and are your diviners, seduce you,'
Jer. xxix, 8."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Luke xxi, 8 ; p. 675 ; —
" In every heresy the devU says in disguise, I am Christ, and
with me there is truth." Athanasius.
Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 247 ;—
" It does not appear that either in the times preceding the
destruction of Jerusalem, or since, there have been many lite-
raUy claiming to be themselves the Christ, or who have set up
avowedly to oppose him. Yet St. John bears witness to its ful
filment : ' even now,' he says, ' there are many Antichrists,
whereby we know that it is the last time,' 1 John ii, 18. It
seems therefore, as Origen thinks, not to imply any distinct
claim or personification of Christ, but a false doctrine coming
with pretension, as being that of Christ, and arising out of a
false exposition of Scripture ; and occasionally developed in a
particular person, such as Simon Magus, whom St. Hilary and
others think this aUudes to, who bewitched the Samaritans,
giving out that himself was some ' great one,' and leading them
to believe him ' the great power of God.' "
Assembly, Annotations, Matthew xxiv, 4 ; —
" Satan wiU be busy to seduce you by many and variable
impostors, which he wUl send into the church to corrupt the
doctrine which I have delivered you ; but be you vigilant that
you be not deceived."
Tract Society, Commentary, Matthew xxiv, 4 ; —
" Neither miracles nor multitudes are certain signs of a true
church. ' They shall deceive if it were possible the very elect,'
ver. 24. This speaks first the strength of the deluson: it is
such that many shaU be carried away by it, so strong shall the
stream be ; even those who were thought to stand fast. Men's
knowledge, gifts, learning, eminent station, and long profession
wiU not secure them ; but notwithstanding these many will be
deceived ; nothing but the Almighty grace of God will be pro
tection." Ibid, Mark xiii, 6 ; —
" They must take heed that they are not deceived by the
vol. iv. c c

386 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
seducers and impostors that should shortly arise. When many
are deceived we should thereby be awakened to look to ourselves.
. . . The disciples of Christ, if it be not their own fault, may
enjoy holy security and serenity of mind when all around is m
disorder." Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 5 ; —
"Note: that there are three kinds of enemies. Heretical
seducers, who take away the faith of the church; tyrannical
Prelates, who take away the substance of the church ; corrupters
within the church, that is, false brethren who corrupt morals.
Lam. i, 10; 'The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all
her pleasant things ; for she hath seen that the heathen entered
into thy sanctuary.' "
Ibid, Mark xiii, 6 ; —
"And note that he says 'they shall seduce many.' For
Simon, that is. Simony, seduces many ; because at the present
day there are but few who do not receive or confer ecclesiastical
benefices SimoniacaUy ; inasmuch as they do so from carnal
motives ; such as from solicitation, or time-serving, or love of kin,
or love of money. Acts viii. ; ' And when Simon saw that the
Holy Spirit was given by the imposition of hands, he offered to
them money, saying, Give me this power.' And few there are
who love not money. Eccles. x. ; AU things are obedient to
money. Moreover Antichrist has seduced many already. For
who or what is Antichrist but he who is opposed to Christ, that
is, the love of dignities ? When Christ was sought to be made
king, he made his escape, John vi. When he was sought in
order to be crucified, he offered himself up, John xviii. Now,
the contrary takes place."
Verse 6. But ye are about to hear of wars and rumours of
wars : see that ye be not troubled : for all these things must come
to pass, but the end is not yet.
Swedenborg ; —
" By hearing of wars and rumours of wars is signified
that disagreements and disputes are about to exist con
cerning truths, and that thence will come falsifications."

DIVINE ORDER. 387
Cardinal Hugo, Luke xxi, 8 ; —
" ' Thou makest darkness that it may be night, wherein all
the beasts of the forest do creep forth,' Psalm civ, 20. As at
the hour of his death a man beholds fantasies, so in like manner
wUl the world, at the time of its exit, suffer from numerous
errors." Verse 7. For nation shall be stirred up against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom : and there shall be famines, and pesti
lences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Swedenborg ; —
" By nation being stirred up against nation, and king
dom against kingdom, is signified, that evil is about to
fight with evil, and the false with the false ; for evils never
agree among themselves, neither do falses; which is the
reason why churches are divided amongst themselves, and
why so many heresies have come forth ; nation signifies
those who are in evils, and kingdom those who are in falses,
of which the church consists ; by famines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes, is signified that there whl be no longer
any knowledges of truth and of good, and that by reason
of the falses which will infect, the state of the church will
be changed; famine denotes the privation of the know
ledges of truth and good ; pestilence denotes infections from
falses ; and earthquakes denote changes of the church."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 7 ; p. 805 ; —
" Figuratively : kingdom rising against kingdom ; and pes
tilence of that discourse which spreadeth as a plague spot ; and
hunger of hearing the Word of God ; and commotion through
out the earth ; and separation from the true faith ; may be rather
understood of the heretics, who, fighting among themselves, give
the victory to the church (Jerome) . This must come to pass
before we can see the perfection of that wisdom which is in
Christ; but not yet shall be that end which we seek; for a
peaceful end is far from those men." Origen.
Cardinal Hugo, Luke xxi, 10 ; — c c 2

388 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
" ' Nation shall rise against nation! Laity against clergy,
the canonical against the canonical. Isaiah hi, 5 ; ' And the
people shaU be oppressed, every one by another, and every one
by his neighbor : the child shall behave himself proudly against
the ancient, and the base against the honorable.' Isaiah ix, 21 ;
' They shaU eat every man the flesh of his own arm ; Manasseh,
Ephraim ; and Ephraim, Manasseh ; and they together shall be
against Judah.' ' And kingdom shall rise against kingdom,' that
is, church against church, closet against closet. Isaiah xix,
2; 'And I willset the Egyptians against the Egyptians ; and
they shaU fight every one against his brother, and every one
against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against
kingdom.' Zechariah viii, 10 ; ' For I set aU men, every one
against his neighbor.' Hosea x, 2 ; ' Their heart is divided.'
Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to de
solation. Earthquake is separation from the true faith or alie
nation from good morals . . . first in heretics, then in hypocrites
... or at least a perturbation of the church, such as is produced
by advocates who disturb the peace of the church."
Ibid, Matthew xxiv, 6 ; —
" For these things must come to pass. 1 Cor. xi. ; 'It must
needs be that heresies should come.' ' But the end is not yet,'
that is, the final desolation of the world, or the day of judgment.'
' For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against king
dom,' Isaiah xix. Spiritually, says Chrysostom, heresy against
heresy, bishopric against bishopric. And this is the sign of suc
cessful assault upon the church, as it was at that time upon the
city of Jerusalem. . . . Spiritually, in the church there wiU be
the pestilences of sins of the flesh, famine of the Word of God,
earthquakes of tribulations. If these things were not so, our
schisms would not exist."*
Ibid, Luke xxi. ; —
" ' The angel took the censer and fiUed it with fire from the
altar and cast it to the earth ; and there were thunderings, and
voices, and lightnings, and a great earthquake.' There are four
* Grotius refers these wars to the red, black, and pale horses in the Apoca
lypse, chap. vi.

DIVINE ORDER. 389
things which are now disturbing the church of God ; heretics,
schismatics, hypocrites, advocates."
Verse 8. But all these are the beginning of sorrows.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' All these things are the beginnings of sorrows,'
signify the things which precede, viz, which are of the
first state of the perversion of the church ; consisting, as
was said, in beginning no longer to know what is good
and what is true ; but in disputing among themselves on
those subjects ; from which disputes come falsities, conse
quently heresies. That such things have perverted the
churches for several ages past, is evident from this con
sideration, that in the Christian world the church is divided ;
and this according to opinions concerning good and truth ;
thus that the perversion of the church hath been begun for
a long time back."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 8 ; p. 805 ; —
" These aU are the beginnings of sorrows, is better under
stood of pains of labor, as it were the conception of the coming
of Antichrist, and not of the birth." Jerome.
Verse. 9. Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall
kill you : and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall
kill you,' signifies that good and truth are about to perish
first by affliction, which is by perversion ; next by kiUing
them, which is by denial. . . . ' And ye shall be hated of
all nations for my name's sake,' signifies contempt and
aversion of all things which are of good and of truth ; for
to hate is to despise and to hold in aversion, these being
the properties of hatred ; . . . ' for my name's sake,' denotes
for the sake of the Lord, thus for the sake of all things
which are from him."

390 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XX.
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 9 ; —
" 'And they shall kill you, and ye shaU be hated/ &c. ; by
those who are wise according to man's wisdom. First ; because
you rebuke them. Prov. xv, 12 ; ' A scorner loveth not one
that reproveth him, neither wiU he go unto the wise.' Secondly,
because he is unlike them. Exodus i, 12 ; ' The Egyptians were
grieved beeause of the children of Israel. And they made their
lives bitter with hard bondage ; in mortar, and in brick, and in
all manner of service in the field,' &c. Augustin assigns a
third reason ; namely, that that light is odious to the sick which
is lovely to the pure, Wisdom ii, 14."
Verse 10. And then shall many be scandalized, and shall
betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Swedenborg ;• — ¦
" 'Manybeing scandalized' denotes enmity in themselves.
The human principle itself in the Lord is that against which
they have enmity ; that this principle was about to be an
offence and scandal is predicted in the Word throughout.
' They shall betray one another,' denotes enmity amongst
themselves, derived from the false in opposition to truth ;
' and shall hate one another,' denotes enmity amongst them
selves, derived from evil in opposition to good."
Calvin, Matthew xxiv, 10; —
" ' Then shall many be scandalized,' &c. He now enumerates
the temptations arising from bad examples. This is a kind of
temptation which is especially vehement and difficult to be over
come ; when Christ is himself to many a stone of offence, against
which some there are that stumble ; others, at seeing it placed
in their way, draw back; others, apostatize altogether. It seems
to me that Christ in this word embraced many species of trou
bles ; because not only do many fail who had entered upon a
right course, but many are exasperated against Christ. Some
there are, who forgetful alike of humility and justice, throw
themselves into a rage; some who grow profane, and divest
themselves of all sense of piety ; others take advantage of the
confused state of things to license themselves in wickedness."

DIVINE ORDER. 391
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 10 ; —
" ' And then shall many be scandalized,' &c. Two shall be
divided against three, and three against two. Chrysostom says,
when the Christians were but few, they were not scandalized,
nor mutually betrayed each other, but were of one heart, Acts
iv. But now they mutually hate each other ; so that in no two
Christians, not to say even in many, do you find sincere charity.
Chrysostom adds moreover, you who raise persecutions, how is
it that you blush not at reading these things ?"
Isaac Williams, Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week,
p. 259;— " The stronger and more close every bond of union is, the
greater becomes the injustice and consequently the hatred and
anger (for these passions arise from injustice, real or supposed)
when it is broken ; and therefore the Christian bond being the
most intimate of all, the greater is the violence when these ties
are broken. And for- this reason nothing is so exciting as the
stirring of religious principles; the whole mass of society is
moved and shaken to the centre when these are stirred ; besides
which there is an intrinsic hatred of goodness in the human
heart, which ever heightens religious discord. Now if all these
things operate in some measure within the Christian fold thus
subtilely, how much more without in those fearful and perUous
times of which St. Paul speaks, when men shaU be without
' natural affection !' " &c, &c.
Verse 11. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall
deceive many.
Swedenborg ; —
" This signifies preachings of what is false. False pro
phets denote those who teach falses, thus false doctrine.
And shall seduce many, denotes derivations still further of
falses, from the foregoing."
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 11 ; —
" And many false prophets shall rise, who before were as
dead. Mark xiii. ; ' There shall arise false Christs and false
prophets, and they shaU shew signs and wonders, so as to seduce,

392 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
if it were possible, the very elect.' Chrysostom says, that
teachers are caUed prophets. 1 Cor. xiv, 29 ; ' Let the prophets
speak two or three, and let the other judge.' False prophets
are therefore false teachers."
Cornelius a Lapide, Matthew xxiv, 11 ; —
" ' And many false prophets,' &c. ; false teachers, heresiarchs,
such as Simon Magus, Menander, Arius, Nestorius, Luther,
Calvin, and the head of aU, Antichrist."
Assembly, Annotations, Matthew xxiv, 11 ; —
"False prophets, such as shaU feign themselves to be the
most holy teachers of truth : many such shall rise, intruding
themselves into the work of the ministry, unto which they are
not called of God : neither shall they easily be discovered, but
so subtilely act as closely to carry on their designs under fair
pretences of singular zeal for the cause of Christ ; insomuch as
that they shall deceive many good and knowing men."
Verse 12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of
many shall grow cold.
Swedenborg ; —
" This signifies together with faith the expiration of
charity ; ' because of the multiplication of iniquity,' denotes
according to the falses of faith. ' The charity of many shall
grow cold,' denotes the expiration of charity ; for each
keeps pace with the other : where there is no faith there is
no charity, and where there is no charity there is no faith ;
but charity is what receives faith, and no charity what
rejects faith : hence the origin of all that is false, and of all
that is evil."
Isaac Williams, Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week,
p. 262;— " They wiU be very few, says Origen, investigating the truth.
But false doctrines and corruptions wiU loosen even a strong
man from the purpose of truth, and will multiply those who
have itching ears, speaking lawlessness for their gratification;
and so injurious wiU be the words of many teaching contrary

DIVINE ORDER. 393
things, that they will cause that fervent love, which had before
existed in the simplicity of faith, to grow cold in the compre
hension of divine mysteries and truth."
Verse 13. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be
saved.
Swedenborg ; —
" This signifies the salvation of those who are in cha
rity. He that endureth to the end, denotes who doth not
suffer himself to be seduced, thus who doth not yield in
temptations." See Rev. i, 9.
Verse 14. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
in the whole inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations ; and
then shall the end come.
Swedenborg ; —
" This Gospel of the kingdom denotes this truth that
so it is. . . . Gospel denotes annunciation, kingdom denotes
truth : ' in all the inhabited earth,' denotes the Christian
world ; . . . ' for a witness,' denotes that they may know
lest they should pretend that they were ignorant. . . . For
when they are in the false and in evil, they no longer know
what is true and what is good ; believing in this case what
is false to be true, and what is evil to be good, and vice
versa : when the church is in this state, then shall the end
come. That the church is of such a quality, doth not
appear before those who are in the church, viz, it doth not
appear that they despise and hold in aversion all things
which are of good and of truth, also that they cherish en
mities against those things, especially against the Lord
himself ; for they frequent temples, hear preachings, are in
a sort of sanctity when there, go to the Holy Supper, and
occasionally discourse with each other in a becoming manner

394 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XX.
on those subjects ; the evil doing these things alike as the
good ; yea, they even live one with another in civil charity
or friendship. Hence it is that before the eyes of men there
doth not appear any contempt, still less aversion, and least
of all enmity against the good and truths of faith, thus
neither against the Lord. But those things are external
forms by which one seduces another ; whereas the internal
forms of the men of the church are altogether dissimilar,
yea, altogether contrary to the external : the internal forms
are what are here described, and which are of such a
quality ; what their quality is, appears to the life in the
heavens ; for the angels do not attend to any other than
things internal, that is, to ends, or to intentions and wills,
and to the thoughts thence derived. How dissimilar these
are to the externals, may be manifest from those who come
into the other life from the Christian world ; ... for in the
other life the internal things alone are the things according
to which they there think and speak, for external things were
left behind with the body. It there evidently appears, that
however such persons seemed peaceable in the world, they
still hated one another, and hated all things which are of
faith, especially the Lord ; for when the Lord is only named
before them in the other life, a sphere not only of contempt,
but also of aversion and enmity against him manifestly
breathes forth and diffuses itself around, even from those
who, according to appearance, have spoken and have also
preached holily concerning him ; in like manner when men
tion is made of charity and faith. Such is their quality in
the internal form, which is manifested in the other life ; so
that if, during their abode in the world, external things
had been loosened and taken away from them, (that is, if
they had not been afraid of the loss of life, and of the
penalties of the law ; and especially if they had not been
afraid of the loss of reputation for the sake of the honors

DIVINE ORDER. 395
which they courted and coveted, and for the sake of the
wealth which they lusted after and greedily sought,) they
would have rushed one against another from intestine
hatred, according to their tendencies and thoughts; and
without any conscience would have plundered the goods of
others, and also without any conscience would have mur
dered them, how guiltless soever they were. Such are
Christians at this day as to the interiors, except a few who
are not known ; hence it is evident what is the quality of
the church."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 14 ; p. 808 ; —
"The sign of the Lord's second coming, is, that the* Gospel
shah be preached in all the world, so that aU may be without
excuse." Jerome.
Verse 15. When therefore ye shall see the abomination of de
solation, declared by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy
place (he that readeth, let him observe).
Swedenborg ; —
• " ' When therefore ye shall see the abomination of de
solation,' signifies the vastation of the church, which then
hath place when the Lord is no longer acknowledged, con
sequently when there is no love and no faith in him ; also
when there is no longer any charity toward the neighbor,
and consequently when there is not any faith of good and
of truth. When these things have place in the church, or
rather in the tract of country where the Word is, i. e., in
the thoughts of the heart and not in the doctrine of the
mouth, then is desolation ; and the above things are its
' abomination.' Hence, ' when ye shaU see the abomina
tion,' denotes when any one observes such things. . . . ' He
who readeth, let him observe,' signifies that these things
* Not the Gospel, but this Gospel j this prophetic annunciation that these things
are so to be ; in order that when they do happen, no one shall say that he has not
been forewarned.

396 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
ought to be well noted by those that are in the cliurch ;
especially by those who are in love and faith, who are now
treated of."
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 15 ; —
" It is observed by Jerome, that according to the Old Testa
ment an idol is called an abomination. And therefore it is added,
' of desolation ;' because it is in the temple brought to desolation
and deserted that an idol is placed. . . . There is no greater abo
mination than an idol, in which it wiU be the main effort of the
devil to stand, in the holy temple of God. 2 Cor. vi, 16 ; ' What
agreement hath the temple of God with idols ?' ' standing in the
holy place,' that is, in the temple of God. 'Then he that
readeth, let him understand the prophecy to be fulfilled.' "
For the meaning of idol and idolatry, see Vol. I, p.
331 ; Vol. Ill, p. 416 ; Vol. IV, p. 202.
Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 266;— " Origen suggests that ' the abomination standing in the holy
place' implies that Antichrist wiU sit in the temple of the Scrip
tures, proving by those very Scriptures that he is God. And,
indeed, we have seen much of this tendency ; for all heresies,
and even Socinianism, which has the great mark of Antichrist
in denying the Son, seats itself in Scripture; and the devil,
also, in the temptation of our blessed Lord, quotes Scripture,
transforming himself thereby, as in other manifold and exten
sive ways, into an angel of hght. St. Jerome likewise explains
' the abomination of desolation' as any false doctrine taking its
station in the holy place, that is, in the church of God, and
shewing himself to be God. And certainly they who look
deeper into the causes of things may see why any false principle
should be said to make desolate, especiaUy when seated in the
church ; in fact no desolation, strictly speaking, can take place,
excepting from the setting up of false principles : such is empha
tically, peculiarly, and in some sense alone, ' the abomination
that maketh desolate.' This, by a httle attentive consideration,
may be seen in aU history ; a principle of good or evU adopted
into the polity of any nation, secretly, but more strongly affects
its destinies than any mere movements of armies or counsels of

DIVINE ORDER. 397
politicians. But St. Ambrose explains it of Antichrist taking
possession of the soul of man, which is God's temple : ' the abo
mination of desolation,' he says, 'is the execrable coming of
Antichrist, who will contaminate the inner mind with his un
happy sacrileges ; sitting, according to the account, in the temple,
to claim for himself the seat of divine power. And, according
to spiritual interpretation, he is beautifuUy said to ' stand,' in
that he desires to estabhsh the footing of his perfidy in the affec
tions of each, disputing from the Scriptures that he is Christ.
It is curious that these last words go on to imply also Origen's
interpretation ; they may both be true, for if seated in false ex
position of Scripture, then also in the heart of man ; and if such
should prevah extensively, then also in the church. All this,
therefore, would coincide with those who think that his standing
in the temple of God signifies that he wUl arise out of, and sit
within, Christ's own church, hke the Scribes and Pharisees, and
like Caiaphas and Judas. And indeed, if, as some say, Jerusalem
itself is to be rebuilt, it may be that he shaU actuaUy sit in the
temple at Jerusalem ; but such an interpretation is indeed like a
returning to the mere letter, and lower carnal sense. At all
events he is to appear to stand in the holy of hohes ; whether it
be in the church, in the Scriptures, or in the heart of men, or in
all these combined. Whatever these may be, certainly it has,
in the opinion of ancient writers, some connexion with the name
of Rome ; and the world has never yet witnessed anything so
wonderful as the Church of Rome, wherein the spirit of ancient
Rome and the Spirit of Christ, ' the mystery of godliness' and
' the mystery of iniquity' seem combined in a manner most in
explicable : the great old serpent imbedded so long in the seven
hills, seems therein wreathing his coils, as in a last and desperate
struggle, around the new man ; taking the ancient capitol for his
fulcrum, he wreathes around the developments, and endeavors
to stifle the breath of the new man — which is the power of God
— but who (may we venture to hope ?) wiU finaUy, even in this
instance, ' bruise the serpent's head.' "
Verse 16. Then let them that are in Judcea flee to the
mountains.

398 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
Swedenborg ; —
" This signifies that they who are of the church ought
not to look elsewhere than to the Lord ; thus love toward
him and charity toward the neighbor. ... By Judaea is
signified the church ; by 'mountain' is signified the Lord
himself; but by 'mountains,' love to him and charity to
ward the neighbor."
Cardinal Hugo, Mark xiii, 14 ; —
" In Judcea, that is, in the church, where there is a confession
of the truth. ' Let them flee to the mountains,' i. e, let them
ascend to the summit of the virtues that they may there be saved.
Gen. xix, 17 ; ' Escape for thy life ; look not behind thee, neither
stay thou in aU the plain ; escape to the mountain, lest thou be
consumed. Isaiah ii, 3 ; ' Come ye and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,' &c,
that is, unto religion."*
Verses 17, 18. Let him that is on the house not come down to
take anything out of his dwelling : and he that is in the field let
him not return back to take his clothes.
Swedenborg ; —
" Man before regeneration acts from truth, but by it is
acquired good; for truth then becomes good with him
when it gains place in his will, and thereby in his life ; but
after regeneration he acts from good, and by it are procured
truths. For the better understanding of this, it is to be
observed, that man before regeneration acts from obedi
ence ; but after regeneration, from affection : thus those two
states are inverted in respect to each other; for in the former
state truth hath dominion, but in the latter state good hath
dominion ; or in the former state man looks downwards or
backwards, but in the latter upwards or forwards. When
man is in this latter state, viz, when he acts from affection,
* According to Aquinas, Judaa is confession of the truth; 'mountains,' "the
mountains of Christianity."

DIVINE ORDER. 399
it is no longer allowed him to look back, and to do good
from truth, for then the Lord flows-in into good, aud by
good leads him ; if in this case he was to look back, or was
to do good from truth, he would act from a principle of
self; for he who acts from truth leads himself, but he who
acts from good is led by the Lord. These are the things
which are meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew,
' When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, he that
is on the house let him not go down to take anything out
of his house ; and he that is in the field let him not return
back to take his clothes.' "
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 17, 18 ; p.
814;— " ' Let him that is on the housetop not come down to take
anything out of his house/ is thus understood. The roof is the
highest part of the house, the summit and perfection of the
whole building. He then who stands on the top of his house,
i. e, in the perfection of his heart, aloft in the regeneration of a
new spirit, ought not to come down to the lower desire of things
of the world. ' Neither let him which is in the field return back
to take his coat ;' i. e., he that has attained to obedience to the
command, let him not return back to his former cares, to take
on him again the coat of his former sins in which he once was
clothed." Hilary.
Augustin, Epistle to Hesychius, De Fine Saculi, vol. ii,
p. 980;— " ' Let him that is on the house not come down,' &c, may
more aptly be understood in a spiritual sense, in this manner ;
that in aU tribulations we are to beware, lest any one being over
come should come down from a spiritual to a carnal life ; or lest
he who has made progress forward, should faU and look behind
him. And if we ought to be instructed to be on our guard
against this in every tribulation, how much more in the event of
the tribulation which was foretold as happening to that city, and
as being such as never was from the beginning nor ever will be
again. And if in the case of that city, how much more in the

400 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
case of the last tribulation which is to happen to the world, that
is, to the church diffused throughout the world !"
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 18 ; —
" ' And he who is in the field,' that is, who is in the field of the
church, or the preacher, whose office it is to cultivate it, to root
out the weeds, and place in it good plants. . . . ' Let him not
return back,' &c, to the secular affairs of which he has divested
himself ; that, denuded of all these, he may follow Christ ; as
says the Glossa Interlinea."
Verse 19. But woe unto them that bear in the womb, and to
them that give suck in those days.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' Woe unto them that bear in the womb,' &c, signi
fies those who are imbued with the good of love to the
Lord and the good of innocence. Woe is a formulary of
expression signifying the danger of eternal damnation ; to
bear in the womb denotes to conceive the good of celestial
love ; to give suck denotes also a state of innocence ; those
days denote the states in which the church then is."
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 19 ;• —
" Augustin says, love is fourfold : incipient, which is being
born ; proficient, which is being nourished ; matured, which is
being confirmed ; most perfect, which is desirous of death. To
the two first wUl be eternal woe, as being imperfect and there
fore unable to stand. Those who bear in the womb are those
who conceive good. Isaiah xxvi, 17; 'Like as a woman with
chUd, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and
crieth out in her pangs, so have we been in thy sight, O Lord.' "
Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 270;— " St. Hilary gives another turn mystically to the expressions
of ' being with child' and ' giring suck ;' he says that it is not
to be taken literaUy, but is a description of souls burdened with
the weight of sin ; or which are as babes in the ways of righte
ousness. Origen also thus spiritually interprets it ; that ' the

DIVINE ORDER. 401
soul with child by the Word not yet having brought forth is
liable to a woe ; and the same also if the Word hath been brought
forth, but not attained sufficient growth.' "
Verse 20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,
neither on the sabbath.
Swedenborg ; —
" No faith, and faith without love, is by the Lord com
pared to winter, where he predicts the consummation of the
age ; flight denotes the last time of the church, also of
every man when he dies. . . . Flight denotes removal from
a state of the good of love and of innocence spoken of just
above ; ' flight in the winter ' denotes removal from them in
a state of too much cold. There is cold when the things
here referred to are held in aversion, which aversion is in
duced by the loves of self and of the world ; ' flight on the
sabbath' denotes removal from them into a state of too much
heat. Heat consists in a holy external when the love of
self and of the world is within."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 20 ; —
" ' Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,' &c. ; that
we be not taken in the frost of sins, or in discontinuance of good
works, because of the soreness of the affliction." Hilary.
Lauretus, art. Hyems ; —
" Winter designates a state of sin and a defect of charity ;
and flight is made in winter, when it is made in cold and a
defect of charity and good works." Origen.
Ibid, art. Sabbatum; —
" The Sabbaths were said to be those of the Jews and not of
God, because the Jews did not observe them according to the
will of God, but according to their own traditions ; nor did they
abstain from sin (De Lyra) . ' Bring no more vain oblations ;
incense is an abomination unto me ; the new moons and sabbaths,
the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with,' " &c. Is. i, 13.*
* Therefore winter denotes the absence of the zeal of love ; sabbath, a false reli
gious zeal. As much as to say, Beware lest you reject those who are in the inno-
VOL. IV. D D

402 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
Verse 21. For then shall be great affliction, such as was not
from the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' For then shall be great affliction,' &c, signifies the
highest degree of the perversion and vastation of the
church as to good and truth, which is profanation ; for the
profanation of what is holy induces death eternal, and much
more grievous than all other states of evil ; and so much
the more grievous as the goods and truths which are pro
faned are the more interior. Inasmuch as interior goods
and truths are open and known in the Christian church and
are profaned, therefore it is said that then shall be great
affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the world
until now, neither shaU be."
Aquinas, Matthew xxiv, 21 ; vol. iii, p. 276 ; —
" For then shaU be great tribulation, because there will be a
perversion of Christian teaching by false doctrine."
Cardinal Hugo, Mark xiii, 19 ; —
" There has been a threefold persecution in the church. The
first, from those tyrants who slew the martyrs ; of which in Matt.
x. it is said, ' And when ye are persecuted in one city, flee ye
to another.' Secondly, from heretics, who have assailed the con
fessors of the truth ; of whom in Matthew vii., ' Beware of false
prophets,' &c. The third was and stiU is from false Christian
brethren, and will be therefore greater than all. Whence Gre
gory ; ' The last tribulation is preceded by many tribulations ; of
which it is said in Isaiah xix, 2, ' And they shall fight every one
against his brother, and every one against his neighbor ; city
against city, and kingdom against kingdom ; and the spirit of
Egypt shaU fail in the midst thereof.' These are the four winds
and the four beasts of which it is said in Daniel vii, 2; 'I saw
in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the heaven
strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from
cence of Christian infancy ; either by reason of indifference, faith without charity,
or the cold philosophy of human wisdom ; or, on the other hand, by reason of a
false religious zeal arising from fanaticism or from ecclesiastical traditions and love
of external ceremonies.

DIVINE ORDER. 403
the sea, diverse from one another. The first was like as it were
a lion ; the second hke to a bear ; the third was hke a leopard ;
aU these are hypocrites. The fourth beast was dreadful and ter
rible and strong exceeding, and it had great hon teeth unhke
the rest. This is Antichrist."
Verse 22. And except those days should be shortened, no flesh
should be saved : but for the sake of the elect, those days shall be
shortened.
Swedenborg ; —
" By these words is meant that unless the church was
ended before its time,* it would altogether perish. The
subject treated of is concerning the consummation of the
age and concerning the coming of the Lord ; and by the
consummation of the age is meant the last state of the old
church, and by the coming of the Lord the first state of a
new church."
Aquinas, Matthew xxiv, 23 ; vol. iii, p. 276 ; —
" And unless the days were shortened, namely, in respect of
teaching, by adducing true doctrine ; no flesh should be saved,
that is, aU would be converted to the false doctrine."
See Vol. I. of the present work, p. 212.
Verse 23. Then if any one shall say to you, Lo, here is
the Christ, or lo, there ; believe not.
Swedenborg ; —
" It is not to be understood from these words, that any
will arise who wiU call themselves Christ or christs ; but
who will falsify the Word, and say that this or that is
divine truth, when it is not. They who confirm falses from
the Word are meant by false christs, and they who hatch
falses of doctrines are meant by false prophets ; for the sub
ject treated of is concerning the successive vastation of the
church, thus concerning the falsification of the Word, and
* Or while there is yet a remnant.
D d2

404 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
at length concerning the profanation of truth thence de
rived." Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 279;— " Whatsoever they profess to you of the Scriptures, and the
mysteries which are set forth in them, believe not what is
spoken." Origen.
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Matt, xxiv, 23 ; —
" If therefore they shall say to you, Behold, he is in the
desert, that is, in the teaching of GentUe philosophers who are
altogether deserted by God, go not out after them and away
from your faith. If they say, Behold, he is in the secret cham
bers, that is, that Christ is in the secret sects of heretics, believe
it not." Verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false pro
phets, and shall give great signs and prodigies, so as to deceive,
if possible, even the elect.
Swedenborg ; —
" By false Christs are signified truths not divine, or
falses ; and by false Prophets, they who teach them."
" It is said in the Revelations, chap, xiii, 11, that the
beast which came up out of the earth, ' had two horns like
to a lamb, and spake as a dragon ;' by which is signified
that the clergy speak, teach, and write from the Word, as
if it was the divine truth of the Lord, and yet it is truth
falsified ; and that this is signified, is evident from these
words of the Lord in Matthew, ' If any one shall say to
you, Behold, here is the Christ, or there, believe not ; for
false Christs and false prophets shall arise,' &c. : by Christ
is signified the like as by Lamb, viz, the divine truth of
the Word ; wherefore by their saying, ' Behold, here is the
Christ,' is signified their saying that this is the divine
truth of the Word ; but that it is that truth falsified is
signified by these words, ' Believe not, because false Christs
and false prophets shaU arise.' "

DIVINE ORDER. 405
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, 24 ; —
" ' For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders.' Apoc. xiii., 11; 'And I
beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had
two horns like a Lamb, and he spake as a Dragon, and he exer-
eiseth aU the power of the first beast before him.' And after
wards ; ' And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire
come down from heaven in the sight of men.' ' So as to lead
into error,' that is to say, lead into error finally. ' If it were
possible :' Gregory in his HomUy upon Ezekiel says ; ' In that
it is said, 'if it were possible,' it is expressed that in their
hearts the elect would be tempted. They stumble, but do not
fall. Therefore it is said, if it were possible, that is, they wiU
be in trepidation ; and yet nevertheless they are called elect be
cause they fall not. The doubtfulness of language therefore of
the Lord in respect of the elect, expresses their trepidation of
mind ; and yet he eaUs them elect, because he sees that they per
sist in faith and a good life."
Ibid, Mark xiii, 22 ;—
" Moreover, false Christs are eril prelates ; for Christ is the
same as anointed ; whence Psalm cv, 15, ' Touch not my Christs.'
False prophets are eril preachers ; whence follows in the same
Psalm (with regard to good prophets), 'Do my prophets no
harm.' Matt. vii. ; ' Beware of false prophets,' &c. Jer. v,
31 ; ' The prophets prophecy falsely, and the priests bear rule
by their means, and my people love to have it so.' "
Aquinas, Matthew xxiv, 24 ; vol. iii, p. 277 ; —
" ' And they shaU shew great signs and wonders,' 2 Thess.
xi, 9, 'whose coming is according to the working of Satan.'
Apoc. xvi, 13 ; ' And I saw three unclean spirits hke frogs com
ing out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of tbe mouth of the
beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.' "
Tirinus, Matthew xxiv, 24 ; —
" Can then the elect be led into error ? I reply they cannot,
unless voluntarily. For partly by means of divine light, partly
by the instruction of the more wise, they will easily detect
the frauds and deceits of impostors, and discern the false from
the true."

406 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
Cornelius a Lapide, Mark xiii, 22 ; —
" ' And shall shew signs and wonders to seduce, if it were
possible, even the elect.' So great wUl be the power of the
tribulation and temptation arising from false Christs and here
tics ; so great their deceit, hypocrisy, and plausibility ; that if it
were possible even the elect would be seduced by them and
would go over to their error and heresy, and would therefore fall
away from the faith and be damned. ... So great wiU be the
temptation that even the most holy men, the religious, and apos
tolical, who are eminently beloved by God, win, if possible, faU
away from the faith ; nor wUl the more powerful grace of God
and their more assured election become any obstacle to it."
Verse 25. Behold, I have told you before.
Swedenborg; —
" ' Behold, I have told you before,' signifies exhortation
to prudence, viz, to take heed to themselves ; since they
are amongst false prophets, who appear in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravenous wolves, Matt, viii, 25.
Those false prophets are the sons of the age, who are more
prudent, that is, more cunning than the sons of light in
their generation ; see Luke xvi, 8. Wherefore the Lord
exhorts them in these words, ' Behold, I send you as sheep
into the midst of wolves ; be ye therefore prudent as ser
pents and simple as doves,' Matt, x, 16."
Assembly, Annotations, Matthew xxiv, 25 ; —
" Behold, I have told you before ; that yourselves by this fore
warning may be armed against their delusions, and may not be
troubled when you shah see so many falling away from the truth
and giving heed to the spirit of error."
Verse 26. If then they shall say to you, Behold, he is in the
desert, go not forth; Behold, he is in the closets, believe ye not.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' Believe ye not,' signifies they are not to be believed as
to what they speak about truth, nor as to what they speak

DIVINE ORDER. 407
about good. . . . Moreover, since the Word which the Lord
spake contains in it things innumerable, and ' desert' is a
term of large signification, (for all that is called desert which
is not cultivated and inhabited, and all those things are
called closets in which are things interior,) therefore also by
desert is signified the Word of the Old Testament, for this
is thought to be abrogated ; and by closets, the Word of
the New Testament, because it teaches interior things or
concerning the internal man. In like manner also the
whole Word is said to be a desert, when it no longer serves
for doctrinals; 'closets' are human institutions, which,
because they depart from the precepts and institutes of the
Word, make the Word to be a desert ; as is also a known
thing in the Christian world; for they who are in holy
external worship, and profane internal, (on account of the
innovations which respect the exaltation of themselves over
aU, and opulence above all, as ends,) abrogate the Word ;
and this, to such a degree, that they do not even allow it
to be read by others. And they who are not in such pro
fane worship, although they hold the Word to be holy, and
allow it to be commonly read ; still they warp and explain
all things to their doctrinals ; which hath this effect, that
the remaining things in the Word which are not accord
ing to their doctrinals, are a desert ; as may be sufficiently
manifest from those who place salvation in faith alone, and
despise works of charity. These make all that as a desert,
which the Lord himself spake in the New Testament and
so often in the Old, concerning love and charity ; and as
closets,* all those things which are of faith without works."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, p. 820 ; —
" When then one shaU say, ' Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there,'
we need not look abroad out of the Scriptures ; for out of the
* Or penetralia ; i.e., hidden mysteries, which lead, as explained elsewhere by
Swedenborg, to the desolation of good. See Vol. II. of the present work, p. 368.

408 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
law, the prophets, and the apostles, they bring the things which
seem to favor their lie. Or by this, ' Lo, here is Christ, or lo,
there,' they shew that it was not Christ, but some impostor
under the same title ; such for example as Marcion, or Valentinus,
or Basilides (Origen) . If then any one assert to you that Christ
tarries in the desert of the Gentiles, or in the teaching of the
philosophers, or in the secret chambers of the heretics who pro
mise the hidden things of God, beheve him not." Jerome.
Verse 27. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east,
and shineth unto the west ; so shall also the coming of the Son of
Man be.
Swedenborg ; —
" Inasmuch as the Lord is the East, therefore it is said
in Matthew, ' As the lightning goeth forth from the east.'
. . . The west in the internal sense is what hath set or
ceased to be, thus non-acknowledgment of the Lord. . . .
Thus lightning ' which goeth from the east and appears even
to the west, denotes dissipation."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv, 27 ; —
" The lightning of truth comes out of the East, that is, from
the first beginnings of Christ, and shines throughout even to his
passion, which is his setting." Origen.
In another sense ; Lauretus, art. Occidens ; —
" The setting of the Sun may signify a state of sin, and the
decline of a better hfe, and obscuration of mind by reason of
the withdrawal of God from the soul, and the decline of reason."
Jerome. " Sometimes the Sun is said to set when the light of intelli
gence is withdrawn." Richard of St. Victor.*
* Aquinas also says in his own exposition of Matthew, that the lightning is the
advent of the truth. It is unnecessary to present the other and conflicting interpreta
tions of this passage. The foregoing which is given by Origen approaches the nearest
to that of Swedenborg ; and if we bear in mind the signification of west as indicating
the setting or decline of light, there is no difficulty in the interpretation ; which
implies the extinction of light almost as soon as it flashes into the mind. That is to
say, the false prophets are so given up to their own delusions, that truth no sooner
shines into their minds than it becomes extinguished.

DIVINE ORDER. 409
Verse 28. For wheresoever the carcase is, thithei' will the
eagles be gathered together.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' Wheresoever the carcase is,' &c. When a faith in
three Gods was introduced into Christian churches, (which
was done at the time of the Council of Nice,) every good
of charity and every truth of faith were banished ; for
those two principles have no sort of consistence with the
mental worship of three Gods and at the same time the
oral worship of one God ; for the mind denies what the
mouth speaks, and the mouth denies what the mind thinks ;
whence it comes to pass that there is neither a faith of three
Gods, nor a faith of one. From this consideration it is
evident, that the Christian Temple from that time was not
only rent into chinks and clefts, but also is fallen down
into a heap of ruins ; and that from that time the pit of
the abyss hath been opened, from which hath ascended a
smoke as of a great furnace ; and the sun and air have
been obscured, and out of the smoke locusts have come forth
upon the earth, see Rev. ix, 2, 3 ; yea, from that time
began and increased the desolation foretold by Daniel, Matt.
xxiv, 15; and to that faith and its imputation were ga
thered together the eagles spoken of in verse 28 of the same
chapter. By eagles are there meant the lynx-eyed [or sharp-
sighted] primates of the church."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matt, xxiv, 28 (Eagles) ; —
" It may be understood of the warfare of the heretics against
the church ; or of those Antichrists, who, under pretext of false
science, fight against Christ." Jerome.
Verse 29. But immediately after the affliction of those days
the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens
shall be shaken.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not

410 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
give her light,' signifies love to the Lord, who is the Sun ;
and charity toward the neighbor, which is the moon. To
be obscured and not to give light, signifies that they are
about not to appear, thus that they are about to vanish
away." Ambrose, Luke xxi, 27 ; vol. iv, p. 237 ; —
" While many also fall away from rehgion, clear faith wiU be
obscured by the cloud of unbelief; for to me the Sun of righte
ousness is either increased or diminished according to my faith ;
and as the moon in its monthly wanings, or when it is opposite
to the sun, by the interposition of the earth suffers eclipse, so
also the holy church, when the sins of the flesh oppose the
heavenly hght, cannot borrow the brightness of divine light from
Christ's rays. For, in persecutions, the love of this world gene
rally shuts out the hght of the Divine Sun ; the stars also faU,
that is, men who shine in glory fall when the bitterness of per
secution waxes sharp and prevaUs. And this must be until the
multitude of the church be gathered in ; for thus are the good
tried, and the weak made manifest."
Cardinal Hugo, Mark xiii, 24 ; —
" By the name of the Sun and Moon is signified the church,
which gives out hght in its Prelates, and receives light in those
who are under their authority. Cant. vi. ; ' Who is she that
looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun,
and terrible as an army of banners ?' The sun is therefore the
assembly of Prelates ; the moon, the congregation of those who
are subject to their authority; the stars, which give light by
night, are preachers, of whom it is said, Judges v., 20, ' The
stars in their courses fought against Sisera.' Then the sun
shone, the moon was refulgent, and the stars gave hght by
night ; but now the sun is darkened by the shades of ignorance,
and therefore the moon is turned into blood before the day of
the Lord comes."
Ibid, Matthew xxiv, 29 ; —
" ' The sun shall be darkened,' that is, the teaching of the
knowledge of Christ shall be sUent. ' The moon shall not give her
light,' that is, the church shall not shew the light of her sanctity.
' The stars (preachers) shaU fall from heaven,' that is, from hea-

divine order. 411
venly conversation ; ' and the powers of heaven shaU be shaken,'
that is, the angels."
Cornelius a Lapide, Matthew xxiv, 29 ;—
" With respect to the meaning of this passage, Augustin in
his Epistle to Hesychius thus interprets it. ' The sun, i. e,
the church, shall be darkened ; because in so great a tribulation
and temptation as that which shall happen at the end of the
world, many will faU from faith and from grace, who appeared
to be shining and stable even as the sun and the stars."
Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 284 ;—
" It may, indeed, be the case that these are figurative ex
pressions ; and that as our Lord's first coming was described as
' every mountain shaU be made low, and every valley shaU be
exalted,' words which were intended in a spiritual sense, so may
also these which describe his Second Advent. For by an inter
pretation analogous to that on the former occasion, it might be
said that the sun signifies Satan or Lucifer, whom our Lord
' beheld faU as lightning from heaven ;' and that the stars repre
sent aU high things which exalt themselves against the know
ledge of God, which at the exceeding virtue and brightness of
that cross shah be consumed and vanish. Origen interprets it
in a way of this kind ; and indeed ancient writers generally
attach to it some mystical exposition ; but more frequently take
the heavenly luminaries in a good sense. In this manner St.
Ambrose would explain it, that the moon is the church, which
wiU then borrow no hght from Christ, who is her Sun ; being
eclipsed by the earth, i. e, by carnal desires intervening. They
wiU not be able to see the Sun, for faith will fail. The love of
life in persecution generaUy excludes the light of God. And the
stars, under the figure of which the faithful were described to
Abraham, shaU lose their influence and cease to give their light,
the saints being no longer regarded. So St. Ambrose interprets
it. St. Augustin also seems to suggest that the church and the
saints wiU be eclipsed, and scarce risible on earth, from the
darkness of those days of Antichrist. And indeed this explana
tion of the sun being darkened might be implied in the Revela
tion, and ' he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke

412 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XX.
out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and
the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.' Where
the smoke out of the pit, darkening the sun, seems a figurative
description. And indeed we know from other passages that
'the faithful' will be 'minished from among the children of
men ;' that that day wiU come ' as a snare on all them that dwell
on the face of the whole earth.' And there seem some sort of
indistinct intimations that those who should be ' the lights of the
world,' the ministers of religion, wUl themselves faU. Thus,
when Moses descended from being with God on Mount Sinai,
the priesthood and people had fallen from the true God ; and
when our Lord came down from the mount of transfiguration,
the very disciples had failed in faith. And in a mournful and
prophetic inquiry it is asked, when the Son of Man cometh,
shaU he find faith upon earth ?"
Verse 30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man
in the heaven : and then shall all the tribes of the earth wail, and
shall see the Son of Man coming in the heaven with power and
much glory.
Swedenborg ; —
" ' And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man
in heaven,' signifies on this occasion the appearing of Truth
Divine ; a sign denotes appearing ; the Son of Man is the
Lord as to truth divine. . . . This appearing, or this sign,
is what the disciples enquired about, when they said to the
Lord, ' Tell us, when shall those things be done, especially
what is the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation
of the age,' verse 3 of this chapter ; for they knew from
the Word, that when the age was consummated, the Lord
would come ; and they knew from the Lord, that the Lord
would come again ; and they understood by that, that the
Lord would come again into the world ; not yet knowing
that the Lord hath come as often as the church hath been
vastated : not that he hath come in person, as when he
assumed the human [principle] by nativity, and made this

divine order. 413
divine ; but by appearings, either manifest, (as when he ap
peared to Abraham in Mamre ; to Moses in the bush ; to
the Israelitish people on Mount Sinai ; to Joshua when he
entered the land of Canaan ;) or by appearings not so ma
nifest, as by inspirations, by which the Word was [written] ;
and afterwards by the Word ; for in the Word the Lord is
present, inasmuch as all things of the Word are from him
and concerning him, as may be manifest from what hath
heretofore been abundantly shewn. This latter appearing is
what is here signified by the sign of the Son of Man, and
what is treated of in this verse. ' And then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn,' signifies that all shall be in
grief who are in the good of love and the truth of faith ;
that mourning hath this signification, see Zech. xii, 20 —
24 ; and that tribes signify all things of good and truth,
or of love and faith, n. 3858, 3926, consequently those
who are in them ; they are called the tribes of the earth,
because those are signified who are within the church. . . .
' And they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds
of the heavens with power and much glory,' signifies that
then shall be revealed the Word as to its internal sense, in
which the Lord is ; the Son cf Man is the truth divine
which is therein ; . . . a cloud is the literal sense ; power is
predicted of the good, and glory of the truth, which are
therein. That those things are signified by seeing the Son
of Man coming in the clouds of the heavens, see preface
to chap, xviii. Gen. This coming of the Lord is what is
here meant, but not that he is to appear in the clouds ac
cording to the letter. The subject which now follows is
concerning the establishment of a New Church, which is
effected when the old one is vastated and rejected."
Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Matthew xxiv. ; —
"He comes every day with great power to the mind of the
behever in the clouds of prophecy, that is, in the Scriptures

414 spiritual exposition. [chap. XX.
of the prophets and the apostles, who utter the Word of God
with a meaning above human nature. Also we say, that to
those who understand he comes with great glory ; and that this
is the more seen in the Second Coming of the Word, which is to
the perfect." Origen.
Cardinal Hugo, Matthew xxiv, Mark xiii. ; —
" ' In the clouds of heaven,' i. e, with his saints (Matthew) ;
. . . they are called clouds because they pour the rain of doc
trine." Mark.
Boole's Synopsis, Matthew xxiv, 31 ; —
" I am of opinion that the prophetic narrative is here con
tinued; and the rather because in Apoc. xii., 1, 3, and xv, 1,
mention is made of a sign in heaven. Properly speaking, this
sign or evident proof of the divine power of Christ, which is
given for the good of the church which is called heaven, is, I
think, the same noticed here which is described in Apoc. xix,
11 ; ' I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.' Now the
white horse (as we may infer from the history of Jewish affairs
given in Apoc. vi.) is the pure preaching of the doctrine of
the Gospel. Christ therefore says, that after so many corrup
tions of life, doctrine, and disciphne occurring in so many places ;
this preaching of the doctrine of the Gospel is to be restored
with a wonderfully efficacious power, by the ministry, as we may
not unreasonably believe, of those witnesses who are to come in
the spirit of Moses and Elias. For like as the pure teaching of
the truth has sounded throughout aU nations to the condemna
tion of the Jews ; so it is again to sound, especiaUy among the
Jews, to the condemnation of many nations." Grotius.*
Verse 31. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet of
great voice, and they shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from the extreme of the heavens to their extreme.
* If we understand the name Jews in the Apocalyptic sense as given in Vol. I,
p. 314, of our present work, Grotius here confirms the interpretation of the pas
sage in the Apocalypse, chap, xix., 11, as given by Swedenborg, and explained
in the present work, Vol. IV, p. 312. Although however the interpretation is
substantially the same in both cases, the application is different ; Swedenborg ap
plying to the time of the Second Advent, what Grotius seems here to apply to the
time of the First.

divine ordek. 415
Swedenborg ; —
" ' He shall send forth the angels with a trumpet and a
great voice,' signifies election ; not that it will be by visible
angels, still less by trumpets, and by great voices ; but by
an influx of holy good and of holy truth from the Lord by
angels ; wherefore by angels in the Word is signified some
what of the Lord ; in this case the things which are from
the Lord, and concerning the Lord. By a trumpet and a
great voice is signified evangelization [preaching the Gospel],
as also in other passages of the Word. ' And they shall
gather together the elect from the four winds, from the ex
treme of the heavens even to their extreme,' signifies the
establishment of a New Church. The elect are those who
are in the good of charity and of faith ; the four winds
from which they shall be gathered together, are all states
of good and of truth ; the extreme of the heavens to their
extreme, are the internal and external things of the church.
These now are the things which are signified by the above
words of the Lord."
Boole's Synopsis, Matthew xxiv, 30 ; —
" The sense is ; Jerusalem being destroyed, he shall send forth
his ministers with the trumpet of the Gospel, who shaU gather
together his elect among the nations ; so that God shall not be
without a Church, notwithstanding the abdication of the Jews."
Lightfoot. So Whitby, GiU, &c.
Gospel Narrative of the Holy Week, Isaac Williams,
p. 298 ;—
"No one can read at length the detailed and particular ac
count of that solemnity of the moving of the camp, when the
camp was arranged, as to the four winds, east and west, and
north and south, but he wiU see that so solemn a movement,
marshalled and ordered of God himself, did typify and set forth
this gathering of God's church ' from the four winds,' to take
possession of the heavenly Canaan. And if the Jewish church
did typify and represent this movement and gathering of the
Christian church, we may weU suppose that the Christian church

416 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
visible may be intended to do the same, in setting forth before
hand those invisible things of God. For in this, even now,
Christ hath sent forth his ministers, whom he designates his
angels, and also his reapers, — to gather his elect ; for this word
elect is applied to his risible church on earth, as well as to that
in heaven. And then gathering from the four winds into the
Christian church is expressly spoken of : 'He hath delivered
them from the hand of the enemy, and gathered them from the
east and from the west, from the north and from the south.'
And Isaiah ; ' I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather
thee from the west ; I wUl say to the north, Give up ; and to
the south, Keep not back : bring my sons from far, and my
daughters from the ends of the earth.' And his gathering is by
the breath of the Holy Spirit : for Ezekiel says ; ' Then said he
unto me, Prophesy unto the wind : prophesy, Son of Man, and
say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God : Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may
live.' His ministers, though they literally sound not the trumpet,
yet they are called his heralds ; and they who proclaim his word
are in Scripture likened to the trumpet; 'lift up thy voice hke
a trumpet ;' and, ' if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who
shaU prepare himself for the battle?' The loud voice of the
trumpet may signify the clear and distinct call of the Gospel,
unlike that of the law. Thus Origen says of the angehc trump ;
' Not giring an uncertain sound, but clear and manifest ; that
they who have heard and learned may prepare themselves for
the way of perfection, which leadeth unto the Son of God.'
And in another place ; ' There is, according to the law, a festival
of trumpets, the new moon of the seventh moon ; perhaps a
mystery of some true festival, and of some spiritual trumpet and
greatness of speech.' St. Jerome also connects this trumpet
with those of the Old Testament, and spiritually interprets
them. ' Of this trumpet,' he says, ' the apostle also speaks ; and
we read of it in the Apocalypse of St. John ; and in the Old
Testament injunction is given for the making of trumpets of
gold, and brass, and sUver, to sound the sublime sacraments of
doctrine.' Add to which, we may remember, that St. Paul
mentions ' the new moons' among the ' shadows of things to
come.' In all these points we can see but very little ; but this

DIVINE ORDER. 417
httle is like a glimpse of great things in these types. What if
every movement of that camp of Israel did but prefigure what
this passage speaks of? What if not the trumpet only, but
every other sacred instrument, and the musical voice of man, be
but the faint emblem of things divine ?"
Swedenborg ; —
" The internal sense of all the preceding verses of this
chapter in a summary is evident from what hath been ex
plained, viz, that prediction is made concerning the suc
cessive vastation of the church, and at length concerning
the establishment of a new church, in this order ; I. That
they began not to know what was good and true, but dis
puted on the subject. II, That they despised good and
truth. III. That in heart they did not acknowledge them.
IV, That they profaned them. V. And whereas the truth
of faith and the good of charity were yet about to remain
with some, who were caUed the elect, the state of faith on
the occasion is described. VI. And next the state of cha
rity. VII. And lastly, the beginning of a new church is
treated of, which is meant by these words, ' And he shall
send his angels with a trumpet of great voice, and they
shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from
the extreme of the heavens to their extreme.' When the
end of an old church and the beginning of a new one is
at hand, then is the Last Judgment, and also the coming
of the Son of Man. The subject now treated of is con
cerning the coming itself, respecting which the disciples
asked the Lord, saying, ' Tell us when shall those things
be, especially what is the sign of thy coining, and of the
consummation of the age.' " §3.
We thus see the nature of the disorder, commotion, or
tumult in the church which it was predicted would precede
VOL. IV. E E

418 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
the Second Advent ; the d,Kara<;raaia from a negative, and
Karasrask setting in its place ; in reference to which there
would be an aTroKarasrao-fc. The word occurs in Luke xxi,
9. By aKarasrasla, says Bloomfield, is meant that " unset
tled and turbulent state which especially arises from sedi
tion and civil dissensions ; when through the prevalence of
faction the laws cease to be efficient, and things are carried
on by force and violence." In the present case the unset
tled and turbulent state of things is that of the Temple or
Church, and not of the civil powers ; except in so far as
the latter arises out of the former. And thus we come to
the meaning of the expression used by Ubertini de Cassali,
when he says that the Church " is called a great harlot be
cause the order of the virtues in it is thrown into enormous
confusion by reason of the disorder of the vices," &c. ;
whence also Babylon is by interpretation confusion.
Moreover, this ctKarairaaia is otherwise termed chaos.
This kind of chaos is described in Jer. iv, 23, also
in Apoc. xviii, 2. ' I beheld the earth, and lo, it was
without form and void.' " That is," says Menochius, " as
if he should say, I beheld all things in such confusion and
perturbation, that they seemed to resemble the old chaos."
Tirinus : I beheld the earth, &c, and lo, it was as it were
" the chaos out of which it was at first created." A Lapide :
" the earth seemed to have returned to its primitive chaos."
Calmet : " all was in disorder ,• it was only one general
chaos, and overturning of things." Calvin : " everywhere
reigns a horrible chaos and mere confusion ; the Jews per
verted the order of nature and the creation of God, and
mingled heaven with earth ; so that there was no longer
any distinction of things."
Such is the state of the Church signified by the a/con-a?-
raaia- and here therefore begins the d'jroKara<;rd<;t,<;, the resto
ration or restitution of all things to their order. Thus Ben-

DIVINE ORDER. 419
gelius observes, Acts iii, 21, that the aTroKarasrdsis is the
restitution of things from out of a disturbed state to their
former order. Others : that it is a restoration, restitution
to a former state, reformation, or change for the better.
Bishop Pearce observes, says he, that —
" Kadkravew or Kadfcravai, signifies to estabhsh and settle
anything in a good state ; and when drro is added to it, then this
preposition imphes that this good state in which it is settled was
preceded by a bad one, from which the change is made to a good
one. This, he thinks, is the sense of drroKard'ira^i^ here and in
2 Pet. ih, 13, where we have the expression, ' a new heaven and
a new earth' wherein dwelleth righteousness."
This disorder and confusion are otherwise caUed anarchy,
from a without, and dpxv beginning, or without a first and
ruling principle, in reference to which aU other things are
arranged. Thus also those things which deviate from their
first or ruling principle are often ultimately without one, or
anarchichal. Now it is the object of a Judgment to restore
things to order from out of disorder, and similar likewise
is the process of creation. We proceed therefore to the
restoration to order, or the Judgment and New Creation
which constitute the subject-matter of the Apocalypse.
On the relation between Creation and Judgment, it is
observed by Viegas, Apocalypse, p. 477 ; —
..." In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth ;
where for the word which we render God the Hebrew is Elohim,
that is, judges. Now why does God, when he announces him
self as the Creator of the world, caU himself a Judge ? Or what
affinity has creation to judgment ; since the fabric of the world
proceeded rather from the omnipotence of God than from his
justice ? Cardinal Cajetan adduces a twofold answer ; one is,
that the word Elohim is introduced, that is, judges, in the crea
tion of the world, because in making the creation God observed
a method of distributive justice by assigning to each created
thing its grade, order, and place, according to the nature of
each ; in like manner as TertuUian, Adversus Marcion, chap.
E E 2

420 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
xii, beautifully explained in these words; 'From the beginning,'
says he, ' the Creator is both good and just : his goodness made
the world, his justice gave it harmony.' Where you see that,
according to the opinion of TertuUian, the Divine Justice framed
the world after the manner of a harp, and disposed aU creatures
within it as its resonant strings, each in its own place, as if by a
certain law of justice ; wherefore it is to the justice not to the
goodness or power of the Creator that TertuUian imputes what
the nature of each required, in order that from all might be won
derfully given forth a most sweet harmony, which might sound
abroad both the power and the wisdom of God. He adds in
further explanation : ' There is need of justice ; because a sepa
ration is pronounced between hght and darkness, between day
and night, between heaven and earth; so that goodness conceived
aU things, justice distinguished their situations, the habitudes
of the elements, their motions, states, origins ; the decays of
each are judgments of the Creator.' Thus TertuUian. The
other reply is that of Cajetan, which makes for our purpose ;
viz, that God wiUed these things, that we might think that the
judgment of the world belonged to Him by right of creation ;
so that the very same Being who made the world, might, for the
very reason that he made it, be believed to be the future Judge
of the world," &c.
Bagius, likewise, in the word Elohim includes the idea
of judgment ; and Cornelius a Lapide says, Gen. i, that it
means " He who in the character of wisdom reacheth from
end to end, and sweetly disposeth all things." Accord
ingly some explain the words ' Jn the beginning! of Christ ;
Aquila renders these words, iv Ke^aXiBi in capite, i. e., sum-
matim, i.e. God, in creating the heaven and the earth, at the
same time created in them all things summatim. The words
may be rendered in capite or in capitulo, that is, the crea
tion of heaven and earth is an dvaKetyaXaiwsK or sum of
created things ; for within these are all other created things
contained. Berashith is from rosh, that is, head ; and
it does not denote simply a beginning, but the one capital
and admirable first beginning of all things. The earth

DIVINE ORDER. 421
was without form and void ; Bohu means void ; Tohu has
relation to disorder, and an undigested condition in which
all things are in confusion. See Poole's Synopsis.
Cardinal Hugo gives a similar allegorical interpretation ;
" In the beginning, that is, in the Son, who saith ; I am the
Beginning, who also am speaking unto you. And Apoc. i. ; ' I
am Alpha and Omega.' "*
We have already observed, p. 371, that Zanchius consi
ders the dvaKecpaXaid>o-i<; or the revocation of all things to their
first principles, to be the same with making a new heaven and
a new earth. Hence he quotes the passage in TertuUian,
De Monogamia, where the dvaKe<f>a\ac(bo-i,<;, or reduction of
all things to order, or creation of a new heaven and a new
earth, is immediately connected with the title of our Lord,
as the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending,
the Eirst and the Last. Thus ;
Zanchius, Eph. i, 10; vol. vi, p. 20; —
" The words of Tertulhan are these ; The apostle says, writing
* Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, i, p. 45 ; —
" ' I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the
Last.' ... It is the property of the Divinity to be the first beginning from which
all things arise, and therefore Christ as God is in this place said to be the Begin
ning. And he it is to whom all things tend as their ultimate end ; according to
what in Proverbs xvi. 4, Solomon says ; ' The Lord made all things for himself.' As
he is the Beginning, he operated all things ; and as he is the End, he operated them
for himself and implanted into all of them the appetite of tending to God. ... I am
the Alpha and the Omega ; I am the sum of all things. All things proceed from me
as from their fountain-head, and all things are referred back to the same as the gate
to their felicity."
Alcasar observes, Apocalypse, chap, i., p. 130, that " to say I am the Begin
ning and the Ending is no other than to say that God is Author and Consum-
mator, that is, He who begins and who will complete." Again, p. 131 ; —
"In confirmation of our explanation, observe, that God is called the Beginning
and the Ending, Apoc. i., 8, and in like manner Christ so calls himself, Apoc. xxii.,
13. And the proper meaning of this mode of speech is, that God or Christ is he
who began the church and who will perfect it ; as if it should be said, that God began
this edifice and will bring it to its end ; nor shall any be able to impede the com
pletion of his work. Therefore the abstract is put for the concrete ; tc\os for
T€\€uenis, that is, the end or consummation for the consummator, as we have re
marked in the Commentary on Apoc. i., 8. We have therefore God called in Scrip
ture The End, by reason of the efficacious power by which he perfected his work."

422 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP.

XX.

to the Ephesians, 'That God purposed in himself, in the dispen
sation of the fulness of times, to recall to their head, that is, to
their beginning, aU things in Christ, even in him, which are in
heaven and upon earth.' And thus it is that the Lord invests
himself with two Greek letters, viz, the first and the last, for in
the Apocalypse he is caUed A and il, which are figures of the
Beginning and the Ending meeting together in him ; for as the
A goes on to the il, and again the il goes back to the A, so He
would shew that in himself there is a procession from the begin
ning to the end, and a return of the end to the beginning, that so
the whole order may end in him from whom it began, namely,
in the Word of God, who was made flesh ; and therefore may
thus leave off where it began ; and in this manner are aU things
in Christ called back to their beginning," &c.
The same interpretation is given by Jerome in his Eirst
Book against Jovinian, chap. xi. ; —
" The apostle, writing to the Ephesians, teaches us that God
proposed to Himself in the fulness of times to gather together aU
things into one head ; and to bring back into Jesus Christ, to
their first beginning, the things which are in the heavens and in
the earth ; whence also the Saviour in the Apocalypse of John
says, ' I am the A and the il, the Beginning and the Ending.' "
Thus we see that the title Alpha and Omega is inti
mately associated with an dvane<ba\aid)ai<; ; and indeed that
it is the title under which the Lord disposes all things into
order. Accordingly there is a repetition of this title in the
Apocalypse; that is to say, at the beginning, chap, i, 8, 17,
and again at the end, chap, xxi, 6 ; xxii, 13. Thus the title
indicates the character in which our Lord appears, as also
the nature of the work which his Second Coming is de
signed to effect, thus the subject matter of the Apocalypse,
namely, the gathering together of all things into one ; the
reduction to order of all things which are in the heavens
and on the earth, and their restoration to unity. Such is
the subject matter of the Apocalypse ; and obviously the
same view is taken by Vitringa, whose remark we have

DIVINE ORDER. 423
already quoted in Vol. Ill, p. 462, and which for its im
portance we here quote again ; —
" When God recaUs men from idolatry to true religion, he
is everywhere, through the medium of his prophets and minis
ters, wont to bring them to a contemplation of himself as the
Creator of this universe, Is. xl, 26; Jer. x, 11, 12; because
this act of his bounty, and the attributes of supreme perfection
which it involves, are laid down as the foundation of aU rehgious
worship. In this phrase moreover there hes hid somewhat more
of mystic import, the whole of this book being indeed mystical.
God is not only the architect of that most beautiful fabric of
heaven and earth which he has presented to our sight to be
contemplated in faith, in order that from this so mighty a work
we may infer his perfection ; but he also undertook a much
greater, more noble, and more worthy achievement in the dis
pensation of grace, when in the theatre of this world he built
up a church, which should mystically represent the heaven and
the earth, Is. lxv, 17 ; the economies of which, he determined,
should depend upon him alone, and be changed by no one else ;
of which mystical heaven and earth we have formerly treated.
Now the Roman Catholics had undertaken to change that spi
ritual economy of the church, which makes the new heavens
and the new earth that abide before God and which are spoken
of in Isaiah lxri, 22, into a hteral and carnal economy ; and
had shamefuUy deformed this beautiful work of God. But God
DETERMINED TO RECALL THINGS TO THEIR FIRST PRINCIPLES, and
to begin the structure of the mystical heaven and earth, and to
adorn it, anew ; so that the old heaven and earth being abol
ished, the new heaven and the new earth might from henceforth
appear in aU their beauty, chap, xxi, 1."
Such then is the illustration of Swedenborg's observa
tion, when he says in the Apocalypse Revealed, art. 523 ; —
" The Apocalypse from beginning to end treats exclu
sively of the state of the former heaven and church, and
of their abolition, and afterwards of the new heaven and
new church, and of their establishment ; in which one God
will be acknowledged in whom there is a Trinity, and which

424 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XX.
God is the Lord. This the Apocalypse teaches from be
ginning to end ; for it teaches that the Son of Man, who
is the Lord as to the divine humanity, is the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Eirst and the
Last ; He that is, was, and is to come, and the Almighty ;
and, lastly, that the New Church, which is the New Je
rusalem, wiU be the church of the Lamb, that is, of his
divine humanity, thus at the same time of the Divinity."
The subject matter of the Apocalypse being thus deter
mined to be the Bestoration of all things to Order at the
Lord's Second Advent, the next point for consideration is
the way in which this is effected.
Now the process by which this is accomplished, at the
Second Advent, is a process both of judgment and creation,
as at the first.
On John xii, 31, * Now is the judgment of this world,
now is the prince of this world cast out,' Calvin observes ;
" Magnificently does he here set forth the fruit of his death,
which to the disciples had been the cause of consternation. For
the word judgment signifies according to some, reformation ; to
others, damnation. I rather assent to the former, who explain
it as meaning that the world is to be restored to its legitimate
order. For the Hebrew word, which is rendered judgment, sig
nifies right constitution. Now we know that out of Christ there
is nothing in the world but confusion. For although Christ had
begun to establish the kingdom of God, it was nevertheless his
death that was the beginning of its rightly constituted state and
the plenary restoration of the world."
Again, on John xvi, 11 ; —
" They who understand the word judgment in the sense of
damnation do so not without reason ; beeause Christ afterwards
subjoins that the Prince of this world is judged. To me how
ever a different sense appears to be more congruous ; namely,
that the hght of the Gospel being kindled, the Spirit would
make manifest by the rictory of Christ, through which he cast
down the empire of Satan, that the state of the world was now

DIVINE ORDER. 425
rightly and ordinately constituted ; as if he should say, that this
is the true renovation by which all things are reformed, when
Christ obtains sole possession of the kingdom, having subdued
and triumphed over Satan. This judgment therefore is opposed
to the confused and dissipated state of things ; or, to speak more
briefly, it is the antithesis to disorder ; as if any one should regard
it in the sense of rectitude, in whieh sense it is frequently taken
in the Scriptures. The meaning therefore is, that as long as
Satan possessed the power to commingle and disturb affairs, there
is in the works of God nothing but a foul and deformed confu
sion, but when he is stripped of his tyranny by Christ, then will
a duly adjusted order of things shine forth in a reparation of the
world. It is thus that the Spirit convinced the world of judg
ment, that is, that Christ having overcome the Prince of wicked
ness, restored to order those things which had previously faUen
into a state of ruin and divulsion."
Judgment, then, is a restoration to order from a state
of disorder ; by means, first, of instituting a distinction be
tween those things which had become commingled or con
fused ; i. e., between good and evil, truth and error ; se
condly, by causing a separation between the two, and hence
a classification of the good with the good, the evil with the
evil : hence likewise originates a corresponding creation ;
that is to say, there is produced a new heaven formed by
the good who are thus separated, and a new hell by the evil
who are separated in like manner, as in the Apocalypse.
We thus perceive the relation of creation to judgment ;
for creation is the result of disposition into order by means
of distinctions, separations, and classifications, effected by
a judgment. Hence the reason of the definitions of the
word Bara, viz, " to bring into order, to regulate " (see
Taylor's addition, Calmet's Dictionary, art. Creator ; Hors-
ley's Biblical Criticism, vol. i, p. 32), in which it seems
to include both judgment, and creation properly so called ;
inasmuch as both are included in the general idea of re
duction to order.

426 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
Therefore as it is Wisdom or the Word who created
the heavens and the earth, so it is Wisdom or the Word
who judges the heavens and the earth ; and Wisdom or the
Word accomplishes both in the character of the Alpha and
Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the Eirst and
the Last ; being revealed in the Apocalypse first as Judge,
and finally as Creator; as Judge, when the distinctions
and separations are to be made ; as Creator, after they
have been made, and the result is seen in a New Heaven
and a New Earth. The reason is, that both judgment and
creation are only parts of one and the same general process,
viz, disposition into order ; and Wisdom or the Word is
order itself. For Cornelius a Lapide also admits that Wis
dom herself is essential order, and as such that all her works
are necessarily most highly ordinate ; and that she disposes,
aUocates, and governs all things in the most perfect order.
Cornelius a Lapide, Wisdom viii, 1 ; p. 171 ; —
" ' Wisdom reaches from the highest and greatest angel down
to the lowest worm (says St. Bernard on Grace and Freewfil),
preserving, vivifying, directing, governing all things. And St.
Dionysius, chap, vii., on the Divine Names, when treating of the
Divine Wisdom, says ; The Logos, Ratio, likewise is caUed God
in the Sacred Scripture ; not only because He is the giver of
reason, sense, and wisdom, but because He before aU things
comprehended in himself uniformly the causes of all things ;
and inasmuch as Wisdom proceeding forth penetrates through aU
as it is written, reaching from the highest substances down to
the lowest, &c, therefore likewise in aU God is recognized, and
apart from aU and out of aU, as I have said, is to be known the
wisdom of God ; and Wisdom is according to Scripture the effecter
of aU, and always coapting aU things she is the cause of the in
dissoluble agreement and order of all things, always conjoining
the ends of the prior with the beginnings of the subsequent
posterior, and most beautifuUy raising up a conspiration and
agreement of things throughout the system of the world.' "
..." AUegorically : the wisdom of God reacheth from end to

DIVINE ORDER. 427
end in Christ. For by the Incarnation the two extremes are
joined together, namely, the highest and the lowest, God and
Man, combining into the same hypostasis and person. So St.
Augustin in a passage before cited, epist. hi., to Volusius. For
the work of the Incarnation was the work of the highest wisdom,
of the highest strength and power, also of the highest sweetness
and pity; as St. Thomas shews, p. 3, q. i, art. i."
..." Moreover St. Bernard, in his Sermon concerning the Seven
Gifts of the Holy Spirit, thus accommodates to his subject the
foUowing remarks ; ' Wisdom overcomes wickedness, when Christ,
the power of God and the wisdom of God crushes Satan; she
therefore reaches powerfully from end to end, in heaven, by cast
ing down the proud one; in the world, by overcoming the
wicked one ; in hell, by despoiling the covetous one. And she
disposes aU things sweetly ; in heaven, by confirming the angels
that stand ; in the world, by redeeming the enslaved ; in hell, by
liberating the captives, &c.' "
We thus see how heaven, earth, and hell, or both the
spiritual and natural worlds, are included within the scene
of restoration to order by Wisdom or the Word. Now that
the church in heaven and the church upon earth, or the
church militant and the church triumphant, constitute one
church, or one body, is maintained by divines universally.
Thus, Suarez on the Incarnation, vol. i, p. 327 ; —
..." Where there is one body it is necessary to assign one
head. For one multitude ordinated into one in respect of dis
tinct acts or offices, is caUed by way of similitude one body.
Now it is manifest that both men and angels are ordinated
unto one end, which is the glory of the fruition of God. Whence
the mystical body of the church consists not only of men but
also of angels."
The same thing is asserted by Bishop Bearson, who in
his article on the Communion of Saints observes that;
" Jerusalem is sometimes taken for the church on earth,
sometimes for that part of the church which is in heaven ;
to shew that as both are represented by one, so both are
one city of God," Heb. xii, 23.

428 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
The same is asserted by Wittsius on the same article
of the Creed, n. 44, p. 469 ;—
" Scripture very expressly inculcates the Communion of
Saints upon earth with blessed spirits. Certainly in Eph. i, 10,
Paul speaks of the gathering together of all in Christ, both the
things in heaven and the things upon earth. This is the dva-
/ee</>aXaiow?, collection into one sum ; just as in calculations aU
separate pecuniary sums are added together into one. This ga
thering together is said to be of aU ; not aU creatures or all
men, but aU the faithful ; all who are in Christ, whether in hea
ven or in earth. For even the heavenly inhabitants are most in
timately conjoined with each other, and are bound together into
one fascicle of Uving beings, much more than when in the flesh.
1 Sam. xxv. 29. And the saints who are upon earth are asso
ciated with the inhabitants of heaven, Heb. xii., 22."
Again in his Becensio Synoptica, Bloomfield observes
on Eph. i, 10; —
" But the apostle adds something further, namely, that God
hath not only thus united aU nations on earth under one head ;
but also united with them the hosts of heaven, the angels in hea
ven ; for so the best commentators, ancient and modern, explain
to. iv roi'; kpavous, who are called the upper family, God's family
in heaven. Compare infra ver. 21, and hi, 15. It is weU ob
served by Theophylact (from Chrysostom), that the heavenly and
the earthly had been split and had not one head."
There being then this communion between the church
in heaven and the church upon earth, it remains to be seen
in what manner it was disturbed ; and to this end we may
refer to what the apostle says in the first place concerning
heavenly places ; as in Eph. i, 3 ; ' Who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ :'
ver. 20 ; ' Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him
from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places! — Eph. iii, 10; 'To the intent that now
unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might
be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' —
Eph. ii, 6 ; ' And hath raised us up together, and made

DIVINE ORDER. 429
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.' Now
with respect to these heavenly places, it is to be observed
that on Eph. vi, 12 ; 'We wrestle not against flesh and
blood, &c, but against spiritual wickedness in high places!
Barnes makes the following remark ; —
" LiteraUy, the spiritual things of wickedness ; but the aUu
sion is undoubtedly to evil spirits, and to their influences on the
earth. In high places iv rot? iirapavioK — in celestial or heavenly
places. The same phrase occurs in chap, i, 3 ; ii., 6, where it is
translated, in heavenly places."
That by spiritual wickedness is here meant spiritual
wickednesses, or (concretely) wicked spirits, is the general
interpretation. At our Lord's First Advent, then, we read of wicked
spirits in heavenly places, who it seems had thus reached to
heaven (p. 220), and intercepted the communication between
heaven and earth ; for that at the time of the First Advent
the heavens were infested by the powers of hell, and that
the angels themselves were in consequence molested, we
have already been told (p. 373).
But we are further informed that the scene of redemp
tion, at the First Advent of the Lord, included not only
heavenly places, but also the lower parts of the earth,
called by the fathers Limbus. Thus,
Mayer on Eph. iv, 9 ; p. 368 ;—
" The opinion of Christ's descent in soul to dehver the pa
triarchs and other saints, hath been received by most of the
Fathers, and of later times hath most prevailed ; insomuch that
not only aU the Pontificians but many of our side also have em
braced it ; but that ours consent only in the descent, but not to
deliver out of Limbus, but only to shew his victory over death
and hell gotten upon the cross. St. Augustin sometimes seemeth
to be for this Limbus, as epist. xcix. ; ' Concerning the first man,
the Father of mankind, all the church believeth that he was
loosed from thence ; neither is it probable that it is vainly be
lieved thus, although there be none express authority of cano
nical Scripture for it.' And in another place; 'It doth not

430 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
seem absurdly to be beheved that the ancient saints, who held
the faith of Christ to come, were in some part of heU, but far
removed from the torments of the wicked, tiU that the blood of
Christ and his descent to those places dehvered them.' "
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Eph. iv, 8 ; — ¦
"'Ascending up on high,' that is, Christ ascending to his
habitation in heaven, ' led captivity captive ' . . . those who were
held captive in heU and who may be designated by the name of
' captivity,' he led with himself to the kingdom of heaven. For
like as by the word militia are understood those who mihtate ;
so by the word captivitas are understood those who are detained
in the dungeons of hell. In this life also many were held cap
tive in sin, by the devU who are themselves likewise called ' cap
tivity ;' but Christ took them into a happy captivity. . . . ' The
lower parts of the earth' may be understood as being places in
hell in which the saints were detained. . . . He descended into
the lower parts of the earth, in order that with a mighty arm, he
might bring forth his own people. . . . ' For the edifying of the body
of Christ,' that is, that the church, which is the body of Christ,
may be built up, whether in the virtues or in the conversion of
unbelievers to the faith. For this is the house, which, as the
Psalmist says, is buUt up after the captivity ; since the church,
which is the house and body of Christ, is buUt up from out of
those who were held captive by the deril."
So Cardinal Hugo, Eph. iv. ; p. 174 ; —
" In that he says captivity, he denotes liberation from
Limbus." So again in Col. iii. ; p. 192 ; —
" Having spoUed principalities and powers, he led his own
people from Limbus to heaven."
Calmet, Literal Commentary, Heb. xi. ; —
" A great number of others suppose, and it is the faith of the
church* that before the resurrection of the Saviour the gates of
* The reader is requested to observe that these extracts concerning Limbus, are
adduced only to shew that the redemption accomplished by the Lord at the first
advent, was not confined to the natural world, but that it included the spiritual.
With the vague and erroneous notions entertained by the Fathers upon the subject of
Limbus, we are not concerned. No one points out their absurdity more effectually
than Swedenborg ; but like many other things in the writings of the Fathers, the
errors upon this point have a certain basis in truth.

DIVINE ORDER. 431
heaven were not open, and that the just hved in Limbus in a state
of happiness and conformably to the truth ; but not yet in glory,
awaiting the coming of the common Dehverer, who should bring
them to glory after the resurrection."
Cornelius a Lapide, Eph. iv, 8 ; —
" A captivity passive, according to Jerome and others ;
namely, Christ carried with him in triumph to heaven, by a holy
and blessed captivity to himself, the patriarchs, prophets, and
other holy men rescued from the captivity of heU. So the Fathers
passim, and it is here evident from what the apostle says."
So likewise Tirinus observes on Col. ii, 15, 'Having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them
openly, triumphing over them in himself ;' —
" That is, demons ; even though they were the most powerful ;
first despoiling them of their power and dominion over those
men who by the handwriting were accounted obnoxious to sin ;
secondly, despoiling them of their prey, consisting of so many
millions of souls, whom they kept shut up in Limbus as in a
prison-house." The same is the interpretation of Estius, Menochius,
&c. And indeed in his Exposition of the Creed, art. 5,
' He descended into hell,' Bishop Bearson admits, vol. i,
p. 370 ;—
" Another opinion hath obtained, especially in our church,
that the end for which our Saviour descended into heU, was to
triumph over Satan and aU the powers below within their own
dominions. And this hath been received as grounded on the
Scriptures and consent of fathers. The Scriptures produced
for the confirmation of it are these two ; ' Having spoUed prin
cipalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumph
ing over them :' and, ' When he ascended up on high, he led
captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he as
cended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower
parts of the earth?' By the conjunction of these two they
conceive the triumph of Christ's descent clearly described in this
manner. Ye were ' buried with Christ in baptism, with whom
ye were also raised : and when ye were dead in sins, he quick-

432 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
ened you together with him, forgiving yoursins, and cancelling
the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,' and ' spoil
ing powers and principalities, he made an open shew of them,
triumphing over them in himself.' That is, say they, ye died
and were buried with Christ, who fastened the handwriting of
ordinances to the cross, that he might abohsh it from having
any right to tie or yoke his members. Ye likewise were quick
ened, and raised together with Christ, who rising spoiled powers
and principalities, and triumphed over them in his own person.
So that these words, ' spouing principalities and powers,' are not
referred to the cross, but to Christ's resurrection. This triumph
over Satan and all his kingdom, the same apostle to the Ephe
sians setteth down as a consequent to Christ's death, and per
tinent to his resurrection, ' Ascending on high, he led captivity
captive :' and this, ' He ascended, what meaneth it, but that he
descended first into the lower parts of the earth?' So that
ascending from the lower parts of the earth he led captivity
captive, which is all one with, he triumphed over powers and
principalities. With this coherence and conjunction of the apos
tle's words, together with the interpretation of the ancient
fathers, they conceive it sufficiently demonstrated, that Christ
after his death, and before his resurrection, in the lowermost
parts of the earth, even in heU, did lead captivity captive, and
triumphed over Satan."
Now whatever be the varieties of interpretation of the
word Hades, whether regarded as meaning HeU properly,
or Limbus, or the lower parts of the earth, or what is com
monly caUed the Intermediate State, it is agreed that it
signifies some region in the spiritual world. And thus at
the First Advent were included within the scene of redemp
tion, heaven, heavenly places, and other spiritual regions.
To say that the natural world also was included is scarcely
necessary ; we may however add the following remark.
Aquinas, vol. vii, p. 188 ; —
" And by him to reconcile all things to himself, 2 Cor. v,
19. God was in Christ reconcUing the world to himself. He
explains the nature of this reconciliation, and how all things

DIVINE ORDER. 433
were reconciled. In reconciliation two things are to be con
sidered. First, in what they agree who are reconciled. For
discordant persons have diverse wills ; but they who are recon
ciled agree in some one thing ; and thus it is that wiUs at first
discordant, agree in Christ. And of this kind are the wills of
men, of God, and of angels. Of men, because Christ is man ;
of God, because he is God. In like manner there was discord
between the Jews who desired the law, and the Gentiles who did
not desire the law ; but Christ unites both in concord, because he
was of the Jews, and because he abrogated the observances of
the law. And this agreement was effected by the blood of his
cross. Sin was a cause of discord between God and man ; be
tween the Jews and Gentiles, the law. Christ by the cross
destroyed sin and fulfiUed the law ; and so removed the cause of
discord. Heb. xii., 22 ; ' Ye are come unto mount Zion the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.' And thus are
we reconciled, and thus is peace made, whether in regard to
things in heaven, such as the angels and God, or things upon
earth, as in the case of the Jews and Gentiles. Therefore when
Christ was born, it was said in Luke ii., 14, ' Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men.' So at
the resurrection, ' Peace be unto you,' as in John xx, 19 ; Eph.
xi, 14, ' For he is our peace who made both one.' "
In this manner was the natural world included within
the scene of redemption : the diverse of wills and under
standings of Jew and Gentile were reconciled to each other,
each of them undergoing a change ; and so the perversity
of the will and the darkness of the understanding in each
being removed, there was removed also the cause of the
discord, and catholic unity was restored upon earth, with
the restoration of order. Thus were both the spiritual and
natural worlds included within the scene of redemption ;
the spiritual world, primarily ; the natural, subordinately.
Moreover, as observed by Suarez on the Incarnation,
Qusest, art. i, p. 265 ; —
" There is a twofold order between the creatures and God.
One being that according to which created things are caused by
VOL. IV. P f

434 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
God, and depend upon him as upon their first principle. . . . The
other that according to which things are brought back into God,
as into their end. And as far as relates to the latter, there is a
medium found between the creatures and God, because the
inferior creatures are brought back into God by the superior."
Accordingly, we see at the Second Advent in the Apo
calypse, or second restoration to order, how this principle
is carried out. For after the warning to the Seven Churches,
the throne of judgment is seen in the fourth chapter, and
the angelic choirs are immediately introduced into the
scene ; in the sequel, again, the successive changes which
occur in the scene are produced by the seven angels
sounding the seven trumpets, and pouring out the seven
vials ; until at length the remotest parts of the spiritual
world are reached, as represented by Gog and Magog and
also by the souls who are raised up from below, or from
that region which, according to Roman Catholic inter
preters, answers to Limbus or Burgatory ; for Da Sylveira
observes that both to himself and Ferrarius the narrative
appears to relate to the souls in Burgatory.
Thus also the duration of the judgment at the Second
Advent corresponds to the duration of the judgment at the
First Advent : both of them relating to a crisis. For on
Apocalypse xiv, 7, ' Fear God and give glory to him, for
the hour of his judgment is come,' by judgment Alcasar
understands crisis, . or that turn which a malady takes at
the time of its crisis, when either it progresses for the
better, or fatally for the worse. We have already noticed
a similar interpretation of the word by Chrysostom and
Theophylact when referring to the First Advent ; and we may
further quote the remark of Matthew Henry, John xii, 31 ;
" ' Now is the judgment of this world ; now is the crisis of
this world.' The sick and diseased world is now upon the
turning point ; this is the critical day in which the trem
bling scale will turn for life or death to all mankind ; all

DIVINE ORDER. 435
that are not recovered by this, will be left helpless and hope
less." Barnes : "It does not mean that then his reign
over all men should entirely cease ; but that then would be
the crisis, the grand conflict in which he should be van
quished, and from that time his kingdom should begin to
decline," &c.
We thus see that both the First and Second Advents
refer to a crisis.
To suppose then that the Apocalypse relates to the his
tory of the church from the time of its establishment down
to the present day, would be to commit the same error as
to suppose that the judgment accomplished by our Lord at
the First Advent, began with the establishment of the
Mosaic economy, and continued down to the times of the
Gospel. Both of them on the contrary relate to a crisis ;
in other words, when disorder had arrived at its crisis, then
commenced the work of reduction to order.
To suppose moreover that the Apocalypse relates to
earthly conflicts, or to warfares between earthly and secular
powers, whether Asiatic, African, or European, would be
to commit the same error as to suppose the spiritual con
flicts of our Lord and his foUowers with the powers of hell,
to relate merely to the battles of the Jews with the Roman
or other armies.
Thus far then have been determined the subject matter
of the Apocalypse, namely, the restoration of all things to
order ; the scene of action, namely, the spiritual world
primarily, the natural world subordinately; the duration
of action, namely, that of a crisis.
We now proceed to point out the principal agent in
this restoration to order, namely, the Word of God.

F F

436 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cIIAP. XX.
§ 4.
Cornelius a Lapide, Froverbs viii, 24 ; p. 184 ; —
" Wisdom herself, by means of wisdom and of the order im
parted to each individual thing, hath most wisely and ordinately
disposed all things ; moves, rules, and governs them ; according
to that saying, ' AU things hast thou ordered in measure, number,
and weight,' Wisdom xi, 21. Wherefore all angels, men, and
creatures are so appositely disposed by Wisdom in their station,
as to resemble an ordinated array of camps ; for which reason God
is called the Lord of hosts, that is, of armies ; for these armies
are no other than the orders and marshalled disposition of angels,
men, and all created things."
We may further add that it is in relation to this dis
position into order, that mention is made in Apoc. xx, 9,
of ' the camp of the saints / which again has reference to
the orderly arrangement of the camp of the Israelitish
church in the wilderness ; so that whereas before, Babylon
was the same with confusion, the New Jerusalem is a
camp in respect of order and unity ; one being the Head,
in reference to which are disposed all the members in
subordination. It is then by the revelation of Wisdom that error and
disorder are brought to light ; by the operation of Wis
dom that they are removed, that order or catholic unity
is restored, and that all things are made new ; for, as ob
served in the Wisdom of Solomon, vii, 26 ; ' Wisdom is
the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror
of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. And
being but one she can do all things : and remaining in
herself she maketh all things new : and in all ages en
tering into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and
prophets.' Hence as the Old Dispensation was a state of disorder,
darkness, and error; and as there must be light before
these can be removed ; so Wisdom or the Word reveals

DIVINE ORDEB. 437
itself anew — a revelation which is indicated in the coming
of the Son of Man in clouds, Apoc, chap, i, and also in
the vision of the opening of heaven and of the Word on
the White Horse, chap. xix.
The state of the church under the former Dispen
sation is described as being one of disorder ; as of nation
fighting against nation and kingdom against kingdom, or,
as we have seen it interpreted, heresy fighting against
heresy. Luther, for instance, thus describes the doctrine
of Justification by faith alone assailing and impugning the
doctrine of meritorious works, on the part of the Roman
Catholics. Commentary on Galatians, p. 461 ; —
"Wherefore, when our adversaries charge us, that there
riseth nothing of this doctrine but wars, seditions, offences,
sects, and other such infinite enormities, let us answer, Blessed
be the day wherein we may see these things. But the whole
world is in an uproar. And well done ; for if the world were
not so troubled, if the deril did not rage and stir up such broils,
we should not have the pure doctrine of the Gospel, which can
not be preached but these broils and turmoils must needs foUow.
Therefore that which ye count to be a great evU, we take to be
a special happiness."
Now it is obvious that the reconciliation of Frotestant
and Roman Catholic at the Second Advent ; even as at the
First Advent the reconciliation of Jew, Samaritan, and
Gentile ; must be the work of that wisdom, which, in the
character of order, is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning
and the Ending, the First and the Last.
In accomplishing this reconciliation, the first act must
be an act of Judgment ; in which good and evil, truth and
error are distinguished from each other ; a distinction which
must be instituted in the mind itself by the purification of
the will and the illumination of the understanding ; and
when this is accomplished, an actual separation of the one

438 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
from the other must take place in the individual ; and thus
will arise the creation of a new will and of a new under
standing ; in other words, a new creature ; and this being
accomplished, the new creature is classed with others of
a like nature, and this new classification originates a new
society ; in other words, a New Church, called the camp
of the saints, both from its fighting against evil and error,
and from its catholic unity arising out of its interior or
derly arrangement.
Thus it is Wisdom or the Word which creates the
church, and to which therefore the church owes its exist
ence ; and as the church is a nothing considered apart from
Wisdom or the Word, so is the authority of the church a
nothing apart from the authority of the Word. To esta
blish the authority of the Word or Wisdom upon the au
thority of the church is to reverse the true order of things,
consequently to introduce disorder and confusion ; and
the church which does this is Babylon. To establish the
authority of the church upon that of the Word is to intro
duce order and unity ; and the church which does this is the
camp of the saints or the New Jerusalem. Thus Babylon
introduces internal disorder, which it ordinates externally
by despotism. For internal error cannot be brought into
external unity without the most despotic external authority.
While the New Jerusalem introducing essential order is,
as such, under no external control ; for external laws
are not required when they are internally written on the
heart, or when the member of the church is order itself.
In the former case, there is a complexity and multiplicity
of ecclesiastical legislation ; in the latter case, perfect sim
plicity.

DIVINE ORDER. 439
§ 5.
But there being a New Heaven and a New Earth,
there is necessarily a New Age, Feriod, Economy, or Dis
pensation. Cornelius a Lapide, Broverbs viii. ; p. 181 ; —
" Christ was the beginning of a new world, both because he
commenced a new church and a new people consisting of Chris
tians and saints, as likewise because in rising from the dead he
gave to his own the beginning of a new and blessed life, and
commenced the assembly of the blessed. Whence in Isaiah ix,
6, he is caUed the Father of the age to come. Of which the
SybU in VirgU, eclogue iv, thus speaks ; —
" Tu modo, nascente puero quo ferrea primuin
Desinet et toto surget gens aurea mundo,
Casta fave Lucina."
Moreover on the words in Isaiah li, 16, ' I have put my
words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee with the
shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and
lay the foundations of the earth,' &c, it is observed by
Pellicanus ; —
" I have placed my words in thy mouth in order that through
the patience and consolation they impart, thou mightest have
hope, and know how to make use of adversity by rejoicing in
tribulation. And I protect thee by the shadow of my power,
that the pious may not yield, be overcome, and perish ; in order
that I may buUd unto myself new heavens in which I may dwell,
and form temples by my spirit; that so a new earth may be
founded, a new age created, new men, new citizens of the
heavens, and heirs of the promised land, sons of grace and sal
vation, a new church, which may be called and may be my
people, citizens of the spiritual Jerusalem."
This mention then of the age to come, or the new age,
brings before us the subject of the Ordo Sceclorum.
It is universaUy admitted that by duov* is meant an
* See the Ordo Stsclorum, hy the Rev. H. Brown, Principal of the Diocesan
College, Chichester ; also Professor Lee's " Enquiry into the Nature, Progress, and
End of Prophecy," p. 133, on the Scriptural usage of the terms diaiv, &c. Appendix.

440 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
age, a period, or periodical dispensation of Divine Provi
dence ; and, as such, an age may be said to consist of a
number of generations.
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah xii. ; p. 341 ; —
•'Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations
from the beginning ? I the Lord, the first and with the last,
I am he."
" CaUing the generations, that is, creating, and according to
the Chaldee, ordaining, the perpetual course of the generations,
so that one may continuaUy succeed the other. Calling is a meta-
lepsis ; that is, foreknowing, providing, and placing each of them
one by one in its order, so that he may distinctly designate and
caU forth any one, and may de facto caU it forth and produce it
it in its own time. As if it should be said, Who is he that
causes the different generations to succeed each other in one
continuous series ? . . . Who, I say, has ordained all these gene
rations from Abraham, nay, from Adam to Hezekiah, and in like
manner from him down to Christ ; and wiU also ordain the end
of the world ? except it be God ; who, as St. Paul says, is King
of the ages, that is, the Author, Creator, and Governor of the
ages, who by his providence disposes the ages in a certain series,
and the things that are to happen in every age. The reason of
which is, that, as St. Dionysius says on the Divine Names,
chap, v., ' the whole esse and every esse, and every subsisting
being, is made to turn and revolve as it were in God and around
God. For like as the felly of a wheel round the axle, the cir
cumference of a circle round the centre, and in the mundane
system the heavens around the earth, so aU times and ages past,
present, and to come, are revolved in a certain order around
the eternity of God ; for eternity itself is always standing still and
is present to every time, and encompasses and embraces aU time
within it. This is what Boethius sings, book hi, De Consolatione ;
" 0 qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas,
Terrarum coelique sator, qui tempus ab aevo
Ire jubes, stabilisque manens das cuncta moveri ;
Principium, rector, dux, semita, terminus idem."
" ' I the Lord, the First and the Last.' As if he should say ;
I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, Apoc.

DIVINE ORDER. 441
xxii, 13. I am the I Am ; before me there was no God ; and
after me there shall be none, Is. xxxiv, 10. As if it should be
said ; I create, preserve, dispose aU the ages ; because I am the Fhst
and the Last. I precede aU ages, and follow after them. I am
he from whom, into whom, and around whom they all flow. This
is not the case with the idols and the gods of the nations ; for
they are fabricated and engraven by the nations themselves, there
fore they are not as old as the artificers ; how then can they be
first and last ? How could they from the beginning order all
ages, nay, their own worship and worshippers ? The Septuagint
render it thus ; Ego Deus primus, et in ea qua ventura sunt ego
sum. As if it should be said, ' I have been, am, and wUl be in
every age: I am eternal.' Thus also the Chaldee refers this
passage to the eternity of God."
" So Plato, book iv, on the Laws, observes, that it was an
ancient proverbial saying concerning God ; that he contains and
embraces the beginning, middle, and end of all things. So
Theocritus in his encomium of Ptolomseus says, —
" Inter homines Ptolomseus vocetur primus, ultimus, et medius."
" The Hebrews have at the word, Ego Dominus primus, et
cum novissimis ego ipse, (understand) futurus sum. As if he
should say ; ' I am the First, because I have created aU things ; I
shaU be after the things which are the last, and after the consum
mation of the age. I am the Last ; I am Eternal ; I am without
beginning and end.' So Vatablus. And consequently, ' I am
Alpha and Omega ; I am the sum of all things, the prow and
the poop, the head and the heel. AU things proceed forth from
me as from their fountain-head, and aU things refer back again
to me as the gate to their own felicity.' Hence the words of VirgU,
" A te principium, tibi desinet."
Hence, again, Cornelius a Lapide on Ecclesiasticus xiii,
18; p. 374;—
" ' The Lord knoweth all that may be known, and he be-
holdeth the signs of the world! . . . The genuine sense is, God
knows by what sign or by what previous signs the ages and times
and aU things in them wUl undergo changes, and alternations ;
and one succeed the other. For God sweetly disposing and con
necting the series of the ages, hath appointed certain signs known

442 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
to himself, but unknown to us, to indicate the future changes of
things, and to dispose and prepare them for those changes. God,
for instance, has appointed that in such an age after so many
hundreds or thousands of years Christ should come, and after
him Antichrist ; for he has marked out precisely the age, the
year, the month, and the day in which it was to happen. ... So
likewise in the transference of kingdoms and monarchies, God
hath appointed to each a certain measure or period of time and
of years, from which, as from a sign, he knows when this trans
ference wUl take place." . . .
" The reason of this a priori, is, the connexion of the uni
verse and of all things in it. For God hath mutuaUy connected
together aU the events of the world and of the fluent ages in a
fitted and determined series and order, so that one may be the
previous sign, nay, the cause of the next following and of others
which foUow after. Hear what Boethius says, book iv, De Con-
solatione, pros. vi. ' Providence,' says he, ' is that Divine Reason
which is set up as the head over all things, and which disposes
all things : Fate is that disposition which inheres in all things
mobUe, by means of which Providence connects all things to
gether in their several orders, &c. For fatal order proceeds
from the simple unity of Providence.' And again in the sequel ;
' Therefore hke as ratiocination is to the inteUect, and that which
is generated to that which is, and time to eternity, and a circle
to a point in the centre ; so is the mobUe series of fate to the
stationary unity of Providence, &c. This unity binds together, by
an indissoluble connexion of causes, the acts and the fortunes of
men ; which, although they set out from the beginnings of an
immoveable Providence, yet of necessity are themselves also
immutable. For events are best overruled, when the unity, re
maining in the Divine Mind, puts forth an undeviable order of
causes ; now this order keeps together coercively the things that
are susceptible of change, by means of its own unchangeableness ;
which things would otherwise flow on at random ; whence it
comes to pass that although to you who are unwiUing to con
sider this order, ah things seem to be in confusion and disturb
ance ; nevertheless the limit set to everything, directing it to its
own good, is disposing all things into order.' And again at
the end ; ' For there is a certain determined order comprehend-

DIVINE ORDER. 443
ing aU things; so that whatsoever departs from the assigned
course of this order, although it deviates into some other,
relapses nevertheless into its own proper order ; lest in the king
dom of Providence anything should be left to adventure. This
infallible order and connexion of things therefore is the sign of
the age ; for from its cause, as from an infallible preceding sign,
God beholds what wUl certainly foUow and happen ; for every
disposition of Providence carries with it certainty."
" Moreover by the sign or signs of the age or world, under
stand metonymicaUy the designation* of the world itself. Whence
the Tigurine version renders it, ' he beholds the consignation of
the age.' For God has marked out from eternity what is to be
done, and what is to happen in every time ; and from this
marking out, this secret and decree of his mind, as from an in-
faUible sign, nay, as from a most certain cause, he knows what
is to happen in every time and every place. By designation he
understands metonymicaUy the things designated which are to
happen in every age; such as the course of the world and of
events throughout the several ages, as Rabanus and De Lyra ob
serve. The son of Sirach speaks anthropopath&s, or after a human
manner, and aUudes to Gen. i, 14 ; ' Let there be lights in the
firmament, i. e., the sun and moon, &c, and let them be for signs
and for seasons ; whence also he himself caUs the moon a sign of
the age in verse 6 of the foUowing chapter."
..." Verse 19. He declareth the things that are past and
for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things."
" God alone knows the reasons and the limits of things by
which, as by certain signs and steps, the secret things may be
traced and known, such as are things to come and the secret
thoughts and intentions of men's hearts ; and reveals them to
such prophets and other saints as he pleases, in order that they
may be able to predict and presignify them to others."
" Symbolically : a ' sign of the age' is Christ the Lord ; both
as he is God (for thus by him, as by his Word and idea, God
made and consequently ordained and disposed the ages, Heb. i,
2) and also as he is Man. For thus by him God predestinated
and disposed all the generations of the church, the faithful, the
* By designation or consignation is meant the marking or mapping out.

444 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
saints, and the elect. Whence also he is caUed the Father of
the age to come, Isaiah ix. Lastly ; he is put for a sign which
shall be gainsayed, as Simeon predicted in Luke ii, 34."*
It is above observed, that by ' signs of the world' are
meant the lights of the firmament, the sun, moon, and
stars ; as in Gen. i, 14, where it is said, ' Let them be for
signs and for seasons, and for days and years;' accord
ingly we read in Luke xxi, 25, ' And there shaU be signs
in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars.' What
then are these signs ? Jerome thus interprets the passage ;
" There shall be signs in the sun, when Christ the Sun of
Righteousness shall be obscured by reason of the httle degree of
faith ; in the moon, when the church is darkened by our sins ;
in the stars, when the saints cease to give light to us."t
These signs are adverted to in the Apocalypse, and
have already been explained at large, on the foregoing
principle. It is obvious, then, that ' the signs of the world,' when
interpreted as denoting signs given by the sun, moon, and
stars, signify moral and spiritual states of the church.
But the lights in the firmament were to be not only for
signs, but also for seasons, for days, and years, which are
all likewise constituents of an age or generation. Our
Lord accordingly illustrates the decline of the age by
autumn and winter ; and the rise of a new age, by spring
and summer. Thus Matthew xxiv, 32 ; ' Now learn a
parable of the fig-tree. When his branch is yet tender
and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh : so
* We have already seen what is signified by the sign of the Son of Man.
f Cardinal Hugo, after observing that in this passage the Sun may mean a Pre
late ; the Moon, the church ; the Stars, the clergy ; the Earth, the laity ; subjoins, —
" In these four, the Lord says that there shall be signs at the approach of the
consummation of the world. The sign in the Sun is its darkening, and in this is
denoted the incapacity of Prelates. The sign in the Moon is blood, and in this is
denoted the carnal love of consanguinity. The sign in the Stars is their falling to the
earth, and in this is signified the avarice of the clergy. The sign in the Earth is
trouble, and in this is denoted the mutual oppression of each other by the laity."

DIVINE ORDER. 445
likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that
it is near, even at the door.' Now the ancients divided
the year into two parts, summer and winter ; the summer
included the spring, and summer properly so called ; the
winter, autumn and winter properly so called ; hence what
is here denominated summer is the beginning of summer,
which answers to our spring. Thus we have an Age, Dis
pensation, or Beriod, divided into spring, summer, autumn,
and winter ; or into its rise, progress, decline, and end ; and
this is that infallible order and connection of things in an
age or period to which Boethius adverts ; and which can
be foreknown and provided for only by that Divine Wisdom
who knows the hidden changes of the human heart, and
the internal and spiritual states or seasons of the church ;
who, as such, is the First and the Last, and beside whom
there is no God.
The reference to winter and summer, which is made
in Matthew xxiv, may be iUustrated by a reference to the
Song of Solomon, chap, ii, 10; ' My beloved spake, and
said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come
away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and
gone. The flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the
singing birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard
in our land ; the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and
the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise,
my love, my fair one, and come away.'
Calmet, Song of Solomon, chap, ii, 10 ; —
" The winter is passed ; the spring is begun ; nature seems
to experience a rebhth. The New Law compared with the Old
is hke spring compared to winter. Cold, darkness, and rigor
were the inheritance of the Jews ; the ardor of charity, the light
of the Gospel, the realization of figures, the sweetness of the
yoke of the Saviour, are things distinctive of the Christian re
ligion." De Lyra, Song of Solomon, chap. ii. ; —

446 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
" ' The winter is past, the rain is over and gone ;' that is, the
horrid season of Egyptian bondage, in which you were hindered
from service to me. ' The flowers appear on the earth,' that is,
the sweet time of liberty is come, in which you are enabled to
serve me in freedom. It is this time of liberty which is here un
derstood by the time of spring, in which the flowers begin to
appear, the turtles and other birds to sing, the vines to flourish
in a land which abounds in warmth, the trees to be pruned, and
the early figs to ripen. And indeed according to historical fact,
it was in the spring that the people of Israel went forth out of
Egypt. For they went forth on the fifteenth day of the first
month which begins from the first lunation nearest the vernal
equinox, and the Law was given on Mount Sinai on the fiftieth
day after their departure."
Lauretus, art. Hyems ; —
" As in winter the days are short, and the shadows thick,
and the cold abundant ; so by these are designated the time of
the Synagogue, and the time before the advent of Christ ; when
the tempestuous season, that is, the most foul tyranny of the
Devil prevailed, and, on the coming of Christ, the winter passed
away, Cant, ii." Ambrose, Cyril, Gregory, Isychius.
Scott, Annotations, Song of Solomon, chap. ii. ; —
" This most poetical description of the approach of spring, in
which the spouse speaks of Christ as inviting her to walk abroad
with him, may be variously applied. It may have some reference
to the abrogation of the more dark and discouraging dispensation
of Moses, for that of Christ ; but it seems also to mean the
sinner's conversion. Christ invites the new convert by the dis
coveries of his love, to arise from sloth and despondency ; and
to leave sin and worldly vanities, for the sake of holy and joyful
communion with him."
We thus see how a preceding dispensation is compared
to winter, and a succeeding one to spring. The dispensa
tion preceding the Mosaic and under which the Egyptian
bondage took place, is likened to winter ,¦ and the change
of this dispensation into the Mosaic to the setting in of
spring. Again, the decline of this dispensation in the time

DIVINE ORDER. 447
of the Saviour is itself likened to winter, and the change of
this for the Christian dispensation is likened to spring. So
that when our Lord said of the fig-tree, ' When his branch
is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer
(that is, spring) is nigh,' He was speaking of the passing
away of one dispensation, and the setting in of another ;
in other words, of the passing away of one Period, Aicov,
or Age, and the commencement of another, that is, of a
New Age.
As referred then to the Second Advent of Christ instead
of the First, the interpretation is the same ; the application
only is different.
Maitland, the History of Noah's Days, p. 138 ; —
" Among the things that once darkened my own mind on
the subject of the coming of the Son of Man, was the circum
stance of the Second Advent being almost always put in con
nexion with the end of the world ; at least, so it appeared by
our version of the Scriptures. Concluding, as I then did, that
the dispensation under which we live was the final dispensation,
and that what we translate ' end of the world,' meant literally
the end of the world, I could come to no other than the gene
rally received opinion, that there would be no reappearing of
our Lord Jesus Christ tiU the day of the general judgment.
Had the Greek word ' atav' been rendered in our version by its
nearest corresponding term in our language, viz., ' age,' instead
of ' world,' it would have removed one great difficulty out of my
way. And since I doubt not but that which once misled my
self, may at this day be a stumbling-block in the way of many
of my brethren, who only read the Scriptures in the Enghsh
version, I begin with noticing it, and shall proceed to offer a few
plain thoughts in connexion with this expression, ' end of the
world,' or ' age.' "
"By the phrase, 'end ofthe world, or age,' I would say un
hesitatingly, we are not to understand that period when this
globe shaU be dissolved ; because the Scriptures distinctly affirm
the perpetual endurance of this habitable globe. Whatever
changes it may be subjected to, it shall not cease to be. God's

448 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XX.
Word has made it fast for ever ; as it is written in a vast variety
of places, out of which take this one for an example. ' He hath
founded the earth upon her basis, that it should not be removed
for ever.' We must understand therefore, by this phrase, not
the dissolution of the globe, but the end of a dispensation or
particular economy upon it ; and forasmuch as several of these
have obtained by the divine appointment, the expression, when it
occurs, will mean the termination of one of these dispensations
of God with man — the closing or shutting up of one account,
with a view to the adjustment of it, and the opening of another,
in order to a progression in the divine plan. Hence we find God
has rarely permitted any one of his dispensations to extend itself
over a very large portion of time."
The author having proceeded, according to his own
view of the subject, to distribute the duration of the world
into seven periods, thus proceeds ; —
" These seven periods I have named, make up the ages of the
world ; and the termination of each of those that have already
existed, with the exception of the postdiluvian or patriarchal,
has been of such a nature as to make it almost appear to those
who lived at the moment of the crisis, that the end of the world
was absolutely come. They closed with a judgment of the un
godly; and for the most part with the salvation of the godly.
Thus the age of innocence in paradise, terminated with a judg
ment. It was thus too, God shut up in terrible displeasure his
dispensation of grace to the antediluvian world ; ' bringing in a
flood upon the world of the ungodly,' but at the same time, ex
alting Noah and his famUy to the skies. It was thus he com
pleted the days of the Mosaic economy ; ' finishing the work
and cutting it short in righteousness ; (as a man cuts his work
which has been marred from off the loom ;) making a short work
upon the earth.' And whilst executing summary judgment by
fire and sword, upon the people of his wrath, separating to sal
vation and safety those who obeyed his word."
" Concerning the end of the Jewish dispensation, it may be
remarked, that expressions are used with reference to it, which
might from our translation, have led us to infer, that time would
fail with its termination. We read in 1 Cor. x. ; ' Now all these

DIVINE ORDER. 449
things happened unto them for ensamples ; and they are written
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.'
Again, in Hebrews ix. ; ' But now once in the end of the world
hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.'
By these instances you wUl see how the expression, ' end of the
world,' is used. In both of these places the word employed is
aicov, and the passages most closely rendered would be, 'the
end, or completion of the ages.' "
" The same may be said of those parables which involve in
them a representation of the judgment ; as the tares and the
wheat ; the net thrown into the sea, &c. ' As therefore the tares
are gathered together, and burned in the fire, so shaU it be in
the end of this world.' Again ; ' So shaU it be at the end of the
world ; the angels shaU come forth and sever the wicked from
the just,' &c. Now in both these places the words closely ren
dered would be, ' so shall it be at the end, or completion of this
age ;' not of the next age, but of the end or completion of this ;
for this is the true force of the expression. Our Lord appearing
to press hereby upon those who hved under this dispensation,
this solemn truth, that like as the other dispensations did
NOT PASS AWAY WITHOUT A JUDGMENT OF THE PARTIES, SO NEI
THER would this : ' the harvest is the end of the age.' "
These observations concerning, first, the reduction of all
things to order at the first advent, and hence the creation
of new heavens, a new earth, and a new church ; secondly,
the return to disorder, foretold by our Lord in Matthew
xxiv. ; thirdly, the restoration again into order, by a pro
cess of judgment and creation; fourthly, the accomplish
ment of this process by divine wisdom ,• and lastly, the in
troduction of a new age ; wiU prepare the way for the inter
pretation concerning the new heavens, the new earth, and
the New Jerusalem, which will be found in the ensuing
chapter.

vol. iv. o G

CHAPTER XXI.
THE STATE OF HEAVEN AND OF THE CHURCH UPON EARTH AFTER THE
LAST JUDGMENT.— BY MEANS OF THE NEW HEAVEN A NEW CHURCH
WILL EXIST UPON EARTH, WHICH WILL WORSHIP THE LORD ALONE.—
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CHURCH AS TO INTELLIGENCE, DOC
TRINE, AND EVERY OTHER QUALITY.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xxi, verse
1;— " ' And I saw a new heaven and a new earth,' signifies,
that a new heaven was formed out of Christians by the
Lord, which at this day is called the Christian heaven,
where they are who had worshipped the Lord and lived
according to his commandments in the Word, who there
fore have charity and faith ; in which are also all the infants
of Christians." Ibid, art. 876 ¦—
"By 'a new heaven and a new earth,' is not meant a
natural heaven visible to the eye, nor a natural earth inha
bited by men, but a spiritual heaven is meant, and an
earth belonging to that heaven, where angels are; that
such a heaven and an earth belonging to it, is meant, every
one sees and acknowledges, if he can only be abstracted
a little from ideas purely natural and material when he
reads the Word. That an angelic heaven is meant, is evi
dent, because it is said in the next verse, that he saw ' the
city Holy Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ;' by which is
not meant any Jerusalem that came down, but a church,

VERSE I.] "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 451
and the church upon earth comes down from the Lord out of
the angelic heaven, because the angels of heaven and men
of the earth, in all things relating to the church, make
one, n. 626. Hence it may be seen, how naturally and
materially they have thought and do think, who, from these
words and those which foUow in the same verse, have fabri
cated a notion that the world is to be destroyed, and that
there wiU be (literally) a new creation of all things."
Suarez in his observations on the Renovation of the
World, sec. i, disp. lviii, quest, lix, vol. ii, of the Com
mentaries and Disputations of St. Thomas, part iii, p. 689,
observes, that this renovation and re-creation, as it were,
are frequently promised in Scripture, as in Isaiah lxv. and
lxvi, and also in Apoc. xxi.; which passages, he says, are to
be understood of the celestial and terrestrial bodies, and
their sensible and material change, and their future renova
tion at the end of the world. The heavens and earth
therefore which are above referred to in Isaiah and the
Apocalypse, Suarez understands to be the sensible and ma
terial, or, as Swedenborg calls them, natural, heaven and
earth ; in which sense likewise Suarez affirms that all the
saints explain the passage, and here therefore he does not
even intimate the existence of any other interpretation. Nor
indeed would any other interpretation harmonize with the
doctrine of the indefectibility of the Catholic Church.
We shall now supply the omissions of Suarez, both in
regard to some of the saints, and to most of the commen
tators of his own church ; to which will be added Bro-
testant authorities.
St. Jerome, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" ' For behold I create new heavens and a new earth, and
the former shaU not be remembered nor come to mind.' . . . We
may likewise say this, that they who are converted from ido
latry, and from their former error which they have abandoned,
behold new heavens and a new earth ; imagining no longer that
g g 2

452 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
the elements, and those things which spring from out of the
earth are gods."
St. Cyril of Alexandria, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" ' There shall be a new heaven and a new earth.' How or
in what manner ? Formerly they thought that earth and heaven
were gods ; but when they shall receive divine light into their
minds through Christ, the Saviour of us all, they will have in
themselves as it were new sentiments ; for they wiU know that
these are no gods, but are the works of the Artificer and Creator
of aU things."*
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 486 ; —
" Many of the fathers, as also Joachim, Ansbert, Albertus
Magnus, say, that in this passage is described the glory of the
church militant after Antichrist ; so that the meaning is, ' I saw
a new heaven,' viz., the assembly of the saints shining like a
heaven. ' And a new earth,' namely, the inferior classes of the
faithful, who had now been renovated by baptism. ' And there
was no sea,' that is, no Gentiles to stir up the biUows of trouble
against the ship of the church."
"Of the same opinion is D. Nicsenus in his Thirteenth
HomUy upon the Canticles, where he says ; the making of a
church is as it were the creation of a world, in which, according
to the words of the prophets, a new heaven is created whose
firmament is that of faith in Christ, and a. new earth is prepared
which, drinks in the shower of celestial gifts conferred upon it ;
and another man is formed who is made anew by a generation
from above, after the image of his Creator, that he might shine
forth as the hght of the world."
Calmet, Isaiah li, 16 ; —
" The Saviour of the world has established the heavens in
founding his church, (which in the Gospel is frequently called
the kingdom of the heavens), in giving to his faithful foUowers
the grace of adoption, in making them citizens of heaven and
* Jerome admits both the literal and the spiritual interpretation of this passage;
hence after giving the literal he adds, as above, ' We may likewise say,' &c. Cyril
seems evidently in favor of the spiritual, though he says that some refer the passage
to the epistle of Peter ; but adds that the judicious are at liberty to choose whichever
interpretation they prefer.

VERSE I.J " NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 453
servants of God's household, in discovering to us the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven, in procuring to us an eternal happi
ness in the possession of God himself. In a word, he has made
new heavens and a new earth ; he has changed the face of the
world by the preaching of the Gospel ; and from out of a people
corrupted, earthly, and dark, he has made a people holy, pure,
and enlightened, whose conversation is in a manner in heaven.
He has made with his people a new alliance, and has verily said
to Sion, ' Ye are my people.' "
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah li, 16 ; —
" ' That thou mayest plant the heavens and found the earth,'
&c. ; namely, that thou mayest create and found a new spiritual
world, namely, a church, and kingdom of God ; in which the
faithful may lead a heavenly life, and be firmly established as the
earth, and founded in faith, hope, and charity. So Jerome,
Haymo, Forerius, Dionysius, Adamus, &c. Others by the heavens
understand not inaptly the apostles. For as the light in heaven,
so did the apostles also give light to the world. By the earth,
namely, the new earth, are signified the common people who, are
in the church upon earth, who are constantly receiving this hght,
and who, forgetful of the downward pressure of earthly things,
are borne aloft to heaven, and with Paul can say, Our conversa
tion is in heaven. Wherefore some, supplying the supposed
omission of the letter beth, that is, in, render the passage thus ;
that thou mayest plant the heavens and found them in the earth.
For by the heavenly life which the saints lead, angels and inha
bitants of heaven descend to men, and pious men ascend to inha
bitants of heaven. Whence John, Apoc. xxi, 1, beheld the
church, the faithful, as a New Jerusalem descending from out of
heaven." So Glasse, Bhilologia Sacra, p. 1667.
Cocceius, Isaiah li, 16; —
" He is making mention of the care which he has for the
church ; namely, that while the sea is thus in motion, the church
possesses the Word of God, which God would put into her
mouth ; and that he would protect her with the shadow of his
hand, so that she could not be obliterated by her enemies, but
might always survive as a refuge. Moreover he indicates his

454 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
design, or why it is that the sea is in motion so that its waves
roar ; namely, that from out of that confusion of the world there
might arise ' new heavens and a new earth,' which he would give
to the people who adhere to Sion ; so that in due time he might
say to them, ' Thou art my people,' or my true church ; but
might cast out and renounce those who arrogate the name of
The Church to themselves."
Calmet, Literal Commentary, Isaiah lxvi, 22 ; —
" ' For as the new heavens and new earth, which I wUl make,
shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and
your name remain.' The name of Christians, the church of
Jesus Christ, shah remain as long as the world. These new
heavens and this new earth are no other than the evangelical doc
trine, the faith in Jesus Christ, and the admirable change which
the coming of the Saviour has wrought upon earth. The duration
of both these is equal and reciprocal. The church is founded
only upon the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and subsists only by
creation in his words and by the practice of truth."
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah lxvi, 22 ; —
" The new heavens and the new earth are the heavens and
the earth which are to be renewed in the resurrection. Mysti
cally, they are the kingdom of God or the church."
Glossa Ordinaria, Interim. Obs, Isaiah lxvi, 22 ; —
" ' I create new heavens and a new earth,' &c. ; holy men, who
are continually renewed ; by ameUorating, changing their quali
ties : ' I saw a new heaven and a new earth.' And the apostle
says, ' The fashion of this world passeth away.' "
Calmet, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" (1.) 'I create new heavens and a new earth,' &c. At the end
of the ages God wUl create new heavens and a new earth in favor
of his elect. This is the sentiment of aU antiquity and the faith
of the church, that after a certain number of years, which
many have fixed at 6,000 from the creation of the world, God
wiU purify the world by fire and produce a new heaven and a
new earth. But some of the ancients having understood this in
too gross a manner, imagined that at the end of the world after
a thousand years, the world would be peopled with inhabitants
who would live in luxury and a wholly sensual life. The church

VERSE I.J " NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 455
has condemned this opinion as far as regards the thousand years
and the fleshly hfe of the inhabitants of the new world, and has
taught us to entertain sentiments more pure and more elevated
concerning the reign of Jesus Christ, which must be in heaven
and not upon earth (query) ; and that there will be a life fiUed
with glory, happiness, and dehghts, but all spiritual and aU disen
gaged from matter. . . (3.) At the birth of our Saviour and at the
preaching of the apostles, were seen a new heaven and a new earth
in the happy change which came upon the world. The Gentiles,
who for so long a time were in a profound night of corruption,
ignorance, and death, began to open their eyes to the hght of
the Gospel. The earth plunged into disorder, idolatry, and
given over to the power of heU and the empire of sin, not only
barren in good works, but miserably fertile in all sorts of crimes,
the earth changed its face and became bright, pure, free, and
fertile. This latter sense is the most natural, and that which
best fulfils the promise of the prophet."
Cornelius a Lapide, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" ' I create new heavens and a new earth.' Observe here
that the kingdom of Christ in the church is called a new world,
much larger, more adorned, more august than the one we out
wardly behold, &c. The kingdom is commenced here, but wUl
be perfected at the resurrection, when the heaven and earth will
be truly and materially (query) renewed."
Biblia Maxima De la Haye, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" ' I create new heavens and a new earth.' He means the
church (Menochius) ; a new world, that is, a metaphorical one,
viz., the church of Christ, which is much larger, more adorned,
more august than the synagogue, and is as it were a new
world." Tirinus.
Family Bible, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; — ¦
" ' For behold I create new heavens and a new earth ;' that
is, in prophetic language, wiU institute a new dispensation of
religion different from that which God had given to the Jews
and subversive of it ; for it foUows, ' the former shaU not be re
membered nor come into mind ' (Bishop Hurd) . The prophet
describes under this character the state of things in the days of
the Messiah (Berriman). St. Peter in his Second Epistle, chap.

456 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
hi, 13, applies this passage of Isaiah to that new and refined
state which is to succeed to the dissolution of this world, and m
which righteousness is to dwell, agreeably to what is said in
chap. Ix, 21; Rev. xxi, 1 (Mede, Lowth). And many have
taken this for the primary and principal sense of the passage ;
but it appears that the establishment of the Christian church
and religion is what is more obviously and primarily pointed at
in the expression, new heavens and new earth (see chap li, 16) ;
and that it is only to their more hidden and fuUest meaning that
St. Peter (referring to this and other passages in Isaiah) applies
them as above. The creation of new heavens and earth, which
began at the time when the Gospel of Christ began its progress,
is to be completed at that other time when it shaU please God
the Creator to render it perfect in the consummation of all
things (Vitringa) . The two advents of Christ are for the most
part not distinguished in the Old Testament." Berriman.
Boole, Comments, Isaiah lxv, 17 ;—
" ' For behold I create new heavens and a new earth,' &c.
For behold I wiU teU you yet a more admirable thing. I am
about wholly to alter and change the state not only of my people
who are now afflicted, restoring them to a more hghtsome state,
more free from trouble and afflictions ; but I create new heavens
and a new earth, bringing a new face upon the world, sending
my Son to raise up a new church, and to institute a new worship,
John iv, 21, 24. And giving out my Spirit in a more plentiful
manner, Acts ii, 17; which new state shall abide until a new
heaven and earth appear, in which shall dweU nothing but righte
ousness, 2 Pet. iii, 13 ; Rev. xxi, 1. And that state of things
shaU be such and so glorious, as that the former state of my
people shaU not be remembered nor come into mind. Whether
this new fieavens and new earth here promised, signifies such a
state of the church wherein Christ shaU personally reign upon
earth over his saints (the wicked being destroyed) as some have
thought he shall for a thousand years, / very much doubt, and
do not see how from this and the parallel texts any such thing
can be concluded."
Boole's Synopsis, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" This indeed was done at the first advent of Christ, but not

VERSE I.] "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 457
fully completed before the last advent (Belgicse Annotationes,
Calvin) . The sense is, I wUl restore aU things in Christ (Junius) .
The kingdom of Christ is a new world, more beautiful, more
august than the outward." Forbes.
Vitringa, Isaiah li, 16 ; vol. ii, p. 739 ; —
. . . " ' That I may plant the heavens and lay the foundation
of the earth,' &c. The phrase is, as I have said, figurative ; and
is the same as to create new heavens and a new earth, Is. lxv,
17 ; lxvi, 22 ; which may be explained synecdochaUy, or else
mysticaUy or metaphoricaUy. Taken synecdochaUy, it denotes
that into this universe he wUl introduce a new form, not in
respect of the whole of its state, but only of its spiritual state ;
that is, in respect of the matter of rehgion, which in the world
is that which is of the greatest potency, and of the most avail.
MysticaUy he says, that he would institute in the church a new
economy, or that the economy already instituted, but corrupted
and vitiated, he would renovate. An economy of this kind em
braces the mystical heaven and mystical earth."
After stating that the mystical heavens comprised the
superior powers in the church, whether divine, angelic, or
sacerdotal, &c. ; and the mystical earth, the inferior, ple
beian, or laical; Vitringa proceeds to assign a similar mean
ing to similar expressions in Haggai ii, 6 ; ' I will shake
the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land,' &c, to
which prophecy we shall refer in the sequel ; —
" The whole form, the entire cr^pa of the world in respect
to its spiritual state, i. e., in respect to the matter of religion,
was inverted ; and thus there appeared new heavens and a new
earth. For the state of the world, i. e., of the heavens and earth,
is considered to be such as is the state of the church. When the
economy of the church is changed, the aitov mundus is considered
also to be changed and altered into another. This is that new
Krio-t,<i creation, which God made by Christ Jesus. Therefore
in this passage God designs to say, that he had put his words in
the mouth of the church and its teachers, and in the time of
violent persecution and affliction would protect it, in order that
he might perfect, consummate, and establish that great work of
the new creation, or form, which in the time of grace had begun

458 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
to be brought into the world ; that is to say, the new economy,
the foundations of which had been begun to be laid by his own
Son, and by his apostles."
Vitringa, Isaiah lxv, 17 ; vol. ii, p. 1065 ; —
" I desire that what I have written on chap, li., 16, may be
reperused, ' I have put my words in thy mouth, in order to
plant the heavens and to found the earth.' Do you not see that
phrase to be the same with the present? And yet who can doubt
that the subject is there concerning the mystical making of the
heaven and the earth ? God is said to create new heavens or a
new earth when he changes for the better or renews the economy
or state of the church, and this in a twofold respect. First, be
cause the economy of the church, regarded in a spiritual sense,
consists of heavens and a mystical earth, as I have explained
in chap, li, 16; Apoc. vi, 12. Moreover because a change in
the economy of the church introduces a change into the state of
the world, which among the Hebrews comes under the name of
a heaven and earth. For the economy of the world depends
upon the economy of the church. The change of the old eco
nomy into the new is expressed by this phrase in Haggai, in a
weU known but a clear passage, chap, ii., 17 ; Heb. xii., 26 ; just
as in like manner in the New Testament, the renovation of the
church into a better form after the destruction of the mystical
Babylon, in Apoc. xxi, 1.
Although Vitringa thinks that the expressions in this
passage have the same general meaning with those in the
Apocalypse ; yet he is also of opinion that the prophet here
alludes only to the destruction of the Jewish church, and
the creation of a new Christian church. Bishop Horsley,
however, while he agrees with Vitringa in interpreting the
heavens and the earth to signify the church, and the crea
tion of new heavens and earth to signify the establishment
of a new church, new economy, or new state of the church,
agrees with Cocceius and others in applying this prophecy
to the state of things designated in the twenty-first chapter
of the Apocalypse. Hence in his Biblical Criticism, vol.
i, p. 435, Bishop Horsley observes ; —

VERSE I.J "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 459
" To stretch out the heavens and lay the foundations of the
earth, may be an image generaUy signifying the execution of the
greatest purposes of Providence. Perhaps the heavens may de
note hierarchies, or religious establishments, and the earth,
secular governments. And under the image of extending the
heavens and setting the earth on its foundations, the Holy Spirit
may describe a new and improved face of religion and civil gov
ernment, as the ultimate effect of Christianity in the latter ages.
Certainly not rehgion only, but civil government also, has al
ready received great improvement from Christianity. But the
improvement will at last be inconceivably greater and universal.
And whenever this phrase of stretching out the heavens and lay
ing the foundations of the earth is applied by the prophets to
things clearly future and yet clearly previous to the general
judgment, I apprehend it denotes those great changes for the
better in ecclesiastical and civil politics, in religion and morals,
which are to take place in the very last period of the church on
earth ; not without aUusion to that physical improvement of the
system of the material (query) world which seems in some places
to be literally predicted. I cannot beheve with Vitringa that any
thing that has yet taken place, answers to the full meaning of that
astonishing image. It is true that the. prophets often confound
the ends of things with their beginnings. But if the first pro
mulgation of the Gospel be ever described under the image of a
new making of the whole external world, which, with the highest
reverence for the authority of the learned and judicious Vitringa,
I as yet beheve not, it must be so described not simply in itself,
but with a view to its ultimate effect."
That the creation of New Heavens and a New Earth
cannot apply to the first promulgation of the Gospel, may
be regarded as an opinion peculiar to Bishop Horsely. Still
so clearly does he think it indicates a new and improved face
of religion, and great changes for the better in ecclesiastical
and civil politics, in religion and morals, and such as never
yet has occurred, that he regards it as capable of referring
only to the New Heavens and New Earth mentioned in the
Apocalypse.

460 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
Scott, Annotations, Isaiah lxvi, 17 ; —
" ' I create new heavens and a new earth.' ... By the new
creating power of God the circumstances of the church and the
character of men shaU be so altered that it shall appear entirely
as a new world; so that the former confusions, iniquities, and
miseries of the human race shall be no more remembered or
renewed (Rev. xx, 1) . The servants of God are therefore com
manded to rejoice in this new state of things which he was about
to create ; for he would make Jerusalem the true church, and all
the inhabitants joyful and a joy to all around them ; nay, he
would rejoice in them and put a final end to aU their sorrows
and complaints."
Brofessor Alexander, Isaiah lxv, 17; p. 940; —
" ' For lo, I am creating or about to create new heavens and
a new earth,' &c. ... A promise or prediction of entire change
in the existing state of things ; the precise nature of the change,
and of the means by which it shall be brought about, forming
no part of the revelation here. That the words are not inappli
cable to a revolution of a moral and spiritual nature, we may
learn from Paul's analogous description of the change wrought
in conversion, 2 Cor. v., 17 ; Gal. vi, 15 ; and from Peter's ap
plication of this passage ; ' Nevertheless we, according to his
promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dweUeth
righteousness,' 2 Pet. hi, 13. That the words have such a mean
ing even here is rendered probable by the last clause ; the ob
livion of the former state of things being much more naturally
connected with moral and spiritual changes than with one of a
material nature."
We now proceed to refer to the prophecy in Haggai.
Calmet, Literal Commentary, Haggai ii, 7 ; —
" ' Yet a httle while, and I wiU shake the heavens, the earth,
the sea, and the dry land,' &c. This signifies a universal change
in all parts of the world in regard to religion, manners, doctrine.
And lastly, we shall see in the end of the ages another commo
tion, terrible in another manner and quite different (query) from
those which we have hitherto seen, when he who came to save
us in his mercy, wiU appear to judge us in the severity of his
justice at his second coming."

VERSE I.J "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 461
Scott, Annotations, Haggai ii, 7 ; —
" For their further encouragement, the rulers, priests, and
people were informed that during the continuance of this temple
a most important change or revolution would take place, intro
ducing a new and more glorious state of the church. Yet once
more the Lord intended entirely to change the external form of his
church, and to bring in that Dispensation which should endure
to the end. The word ' once ' has a clear sense if understood of
the evangelical age ; for many political revolutions succeeded,
. . . but only one great and final religious revolution (Bishop
Newcombe). . . . The Lord, would shake the heavens and the
earth ; various convulsions would take place in the Jewish church
and state, &c. (Again, ver. 21,) ' I wiU shake the heavens and
the earth.' . . . The Lord again declared his purpose of causing
violent concussions and revolutions in the heavens and earth, or
in the state of the church and the world."
Estius, Commentary on the Epistles, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
" The apostle speaks of this commotion as if it were yet to
come and were stfil future. As if he should say, one was for
merly effected, another is stUl to be expected according to pro
mise." " Moreover Chrysostom and all the Greek interpreters with
out exception, explain this passage of that commotion of heaven
and earth which shall take place at the end of the age, when
the whole world wiU be made new. For Cyril also, as quoted
by tEcumenius, gives this in plain terms as the meaning of the
passage. To these may be added Latin interpreters, such as
Anselm, Thomas, Cajetan, and others."
Barnes, Notes Explanatory and Bractical, Heb. xii, 26 ;
" ' But now hath he promised, saying,' &c. The words here
quoted are taken from Haggai ii, 6, where they refer to the
changes which would take place under the Messiah. The mean
ing is, that there would be great revolutions in his coming, as if
the universe were shaken to its centre. . . . ' And this word, yet
once more ;' that is, this reference to a great agitation or com
motion in some future time. This is designed as an explanation
of the prophecy in Haggai, and the idea is that there would be
such agitations that everything which was not fixed on a perma-

462 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
nent and immoveable basis would be thrown down as in an
earthquake. Everything which was temporary in human insti
tutions, everything which was wrong in customs and morals, and
everything in the ancient system of rehgion which was merely
of a preparatory and typical character, would be removed. What
was of permanent value would be retained, and a kingdom would
be established which nothing could move. The effect of the
Gospel would be to overturn everything which was of a tempo
rary character in the previous system, and everything in morals
which was not founded on a solid basis, and to set up in the
place of it principles which no revolution and no time would
change. The coming of the Saviour and the influence of his
rehgion on mankind had this effect in such respects as the fol
lowing ; (1 .) AU that was of a sound and permanent nature in
the Jewish economy was retained ; all that was typical and tem
porary was removed. The whole mass of sacrifices and ceremo
nies that were designed to prefigure the Messiah of course then
ceased ; aU that was of permanent value in the law of God and
in the principles of rehgion was incorporated in the new system
and perpetuated. (2.) The same is true in regard to morals.
There was much truth on the earth before the time of the
Saviour, but it was intermingled with much that was false. The
effect of his coming has been to distinguish what is true and
what is false, to give permanency to the one and to cause the
other to vanish. (3.) The same is true of religion. There are
some views of religion which men have by nature which are cor
rect ; there are many which are false. The Christian religion
gives permanence and stability to the one, and causes the other
to disappear. And in general it may be remarked, that the
effect of Christianity is to give stabUity to aU that is founded on
truth, and to drive error from the world. Christ came that he
might destroy aU the systems of error, that is, all that could be
shaken on earth, and to confirm all that is true. The result of
all wUl be that he wUl preside over a permanent kingdom, and
that his people ' wUl inherit a kingdom that cannot be moved.'
Ver. 28, ' The removing of those things that are shaken.' Marg.
more correctly ' may be.' The meaning is, that those principles
of religion and morals which were not founded on truth would be
removed by his coming. ' As of things that are made.' . . . The

VERSE I.J "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 463
apostle is contrasting the things which are fixed and stable with
those which are temporary in their nature, or which are settled
on no firm foundation. The former he speaks of as if they were
uncreated and eternal principles of truth and righteousness. The
latter he speaks of as if they were created, and therefore liable,
like aU things which are ' made,' to change, to decay, to dissolu
tion. ' That those things which cannot be shaken may remain.'
The eternal principles of truth, and law, and righteousness.
These would enter into the new kingdom which was to be set up,
and of course that kingdom would be permanent. These are
not changed or modified by time, circumstances, human opinion,
or laws. They remain the same from age to age in every land
and in aU worlds. They have been permanent in all the fluc
tuations of opinion, in all the varied forms of government on
earth, in aU the revolutions of states and empires. To bring
out these is the result of the events of Divine Providence, and
the object of the coming of the Redeemer ; and on these prin
ciples that great kingdom is to be reared which is to endure for
ever and ever."
Doddridge, Eamily Expositor, Heb. xii, 26,
" This shaking must refer to the alterations made in the con
stitution of religion ; hence he thus paraphrases the words,
' Behold, yet once more I make so thorough a reformation, that
I may be said to shake not the earth only but also the heaven."
Tract Society, Comments, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
" The glory of the Gospel appears in that it was by the sound
of the Gospel that the former dispensation and state were shaken
and removed ; and shall we despise the voice of God that pulled
down a church and state of such long standing, and of God's
own building ? It is by the sound of the Gospel that a new
kingdom is erected for God in the world, which can never be so
shaken as to be removed."
Bloomfield, Becensio Synoptica, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
" It is agreed on by the best commentators that the highly
figurative language of the prophet must be understood as pre
dictive of that total alteration and thorough reformation in reli
gion by the promulgation of the Gospel, and which was also
brought to pass in that very age. ... So RosenmuUer, who thus

461 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
explains ; ' Before this time I have made great changes. The
words, ' I will shake heaven and earth, the sea, and aU nations,'
point to this ; I will make the greatest possible change and revolu
tion in the world, so that all nations may come to the Messiah.' "
Boole, Comments, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
..." This is also a powerful moral shaking, so as to change
and remove that heavenly church frame pitched in the Jewish
tabernacle ; that he might pitch a tabernacle himself more hea
venly and spiritual, whereof Jesus should be the Lord, High
Priest, and Ruler, as well as minister. . . . This shaking of God
intends not a smaU alteration, but a total removal and abolition
of the Israelitish heaven and earth forementioned ; an alteration
of their church, religion, and administration, and a total abro
gating of them, because they are handwork, chap, xix, 24."
Matthew Henry, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
" Then indeed his voice shook the earth, but now by intro
ducing the Gospel state he hath shaken not only the earth but
the heavens ; not only shaken the hUls and mountains, or the
spirits of men, or the civil state of the land of Canaan, to make
room for his people ; he hath not only shaken the world, as he
then did, but he hath shaken the church, that is, the Jewish
nation, and shaken them in their church state, which was in Old
Testament times a heaven upon earth ; this their heavenly, spi
ritual state he hath now shaken. It is by the Gospel from
heaven that God shook to pieces the civh and ecclesiastical state
of the Jewish nation, and introduced a new state of the church,
that cannot be removed, shall never be changed (query) for any
other on earth, but shall remain till it be perfect in heaven."
Calmet, Heb. xii, 26 ; —
" Heaven and earth and aU nature were moved and shaken
in a figurative and moral sense at the establishment of the new
law. Jesus Christ could not establish his own rehgion except
upon the ruin of that of the Jews, and of idolatry. What tur-
moUs, what agitations, what persecutions did not the rising
church behold excited against itself, on the part of the Jews
and on the part of heathens ? What commotion did not occur
to cause the fall of the state and of the religion of the Jews
in the ruin of Jerusalem and its temple? What efforts did

VERSE I.J "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 465
not the devil make to oppose the. estabhshment of the doc
trine and morals of the Gospel, which ruined without resource
his empire? Behold here the second commotion of which
Haggai designed to speak — a commotion of which the one which
caused itself to be perceived at Sinai was only the shadow and
the symbol." Wesley, Heb. xii, 26 ; vol. ii, p. 339 ;—
" ' Yet once more I wUl shake, not only the earth, but also
the heaven.' These words may refer in a lower sense to the dis
solution of the Jewish church and state ; but in their fuU sense
they undoubtedly look much farther, even to the end of all things.
This universal shaking began at the first coming of Christ. It
wiU be consummated at his second coming."
Dr. Owen, Heb. xii, 26 ; vol. xxviii, p. 388 ; —
" We shall yet farther observe, that although the removal of
Mosaic worship, and the old church state, be principally in
tended, which was effected at the coming of Christ, and the
promulgation of the Gospel from heaven by him ; yet aU other
oppositions to him and his kingdom are included therein ; not
only those that then were, but all that should ensue to the end
of the world. The things that cannot be moved, are to remain
and be established against all opposition whatever. Wherefore,
as the heavens and the earth of the idolatrous world were of old
shaken and removed; so shall those also of the Antichristian
world, which at present in many places seem to prevah. AU
things whatever, which may be comprised in the names of heaven
and earth here below, must give way to the Gospel and the
kingdom of Christ therein. For if God made way for it, by the
removal of his own institutions which he appointed for a season,
what else shall hinder its establishment and progress to the
end ?" Gill, Heb. xii. ; p. 482 ;—
" ' And this word yet once more,' &c.J Or as it is in Haggai
ii, 6, 'Yet once, it is a little while;' which suggests, that as
something has been done already, so in a very httle time, and
at once, something very marvellous and surprising would be
effected : and it signifieth the removing of those things that are
shaken, as of things that are made ; which some understand of
vol. iv. H H

466 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
what will be done at Christ's coming to judgment ; as the passing
away of the heavens and the earth, which are things that are
made, or created by the power of God ; when there will be a
shaking of them, so as that they shaU be removed, and pass
away with a great noise ; and so they interpret the next clause,
of the permanency of the new heavens and the new earth, and
of the immoveable kingdom of glory, and the never-fading in
heritance of the saints; and of their fixed, unalterable, and
unshaken state."*
The Family Bible, following the interpretation of Byle,
Heb. xii, 26 ;—
" ' Whose voice then shook the earth,' &c.J For, as great a
dispensation as the Jewish law may seem to be, by the solemnity
with which it was at first dehvered ; yet it is not comparable, either
for its greatness or duration, to that of Christ. At the giving
of that law, indeed, the earth was said to tremble, Ps. lxviii, 8 ;
and the most remarkable dealings of God towards the Jewish
people are expressed in Scripture by 'his shaking the earth.'
But when the prophets describe the great changes and revolu
tions that should forerun, and the mighty power that should
accompany, the last and perfect dispensation of Christ the Mes
siah, they represent it by ' God shaking the heavens and the
earth,' Haggai ii, 6, 7. ' Yet once more,' says God, ' and I
will shake not the earth only, but also heaven ;' that is, make a
thorough revolution, and establish a lasting dispensation of religion
to all mankind."
Tract Society, Commentary, Symbolical Language of
Brophecy ; —
" The passing away of heaven and earth, introduction of a
new heaven and a new earth, signifies a cessation of a church, or
a transition of the same church from one state to a better."
Faber, Sacred Calendar of Brophecy, book i, chap. i. ; —
" The passing away of a heaven and an earth and the intro
duction of a new heaven and a new earth, denote sometimes the
cessation of one ecclesiastical establishment and the introduction
* Gill however goes on to apply it to the removal of the Jewish dispensation.

VERSE I.J " NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 467
of another in its place ; and sometimes the transition of the same
ecclesiastical community from one condition to another."
Bishop Warburton observes in his Divine Legation,
vol. vi, p. 86 ; —
" But now, besides the hteral primary prophecies concerning
the person of Jesus, we say, in the second place, that there are
others which give a primary and direct intimation of the change
of the dispensation. Isaiah foreteUs great mercies to the Jewish
people in a future age ; which, though represented by such me
taphors as bore analogy to the blessings peculiar to the Jewish
economy, yet, to shew that they were indeed different from what
the figurative terms alluded to, the prophet at the same time
adds, ' My thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are your
ways my ways, saith the Lord.' This surely implies a different
dispensation. That the change was from carnal to spiritual is
elegantly intimated in the subjoining words, ' For as the hea
vens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.' But this higher
and more excellent dispensation is more plainly revealed in the
foUowing figure ; ' Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-
tree, and instead of the brier shaU come up the myrtle-tree ;'
i. e, the new religion shall as far excel the old, as the fir-tree
does the thorn, or the myrtle the brier."
Ibid, p. 87 ;—
" But Isaiah, as he proceeds, is still more explicit, and de
clares, in direct terms, that the dispensation should be changed,
' Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth ; and the former
shaU not be remembered nor come into mind.' This in the pro
phetic style, means a new religion and a new law ; the metaphors,
as we have shewn elsewhere, being taken from hieroglyphical
expression. He speaks in another place, of the consequence of
this change; namely, the transferring the benefits of religion
from the Jewish to the Christian dispensation."
Ibid, p. 89 ;—
" Yet aU these prophecies of the Gospel being dehvered in
terms appropriate to the Law, the Jews of that time would na
turally, as they in fact did, understand them as speaking of the
h h 2

468 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
extension and completion of the old dispensation, rather than
the perfection of it by the introduction of a new."
And this seems to be the principle on which Bishop
Bearson proceeds in his Treatise on the Creed, vol. i, p.
527;— " For being the Church, which is truly Catholic, containeth
within it all which are truly churches ; whosoever is not of the
Catholic church, cannot be of the true Church. That Church
alone which first began at Jerusalem on earth, will bring us to
the Jerusalem in heaven, and that alone began there which al
ways embraceth the faith once dehvered to the saints. Whatso
ever Church pretendeth to a new beginning, pretendeth at the
same time to a New Churchdom ; and whatsoever is so new is
none. So necessary it is to believe the holy Catholic Church."
Such was the argument of the Jews, who therefore,
as Bishop Warburton says, looked rather for the extension
of the old dispensation than the establishment of a new
one. How effectually Bishop Bearson has been answered
by interpreters ancient and modern, has already been seen.
We shall add one further testimony.
Dr. Whitby, Heb. xii, 26 ;—
" Now this shaking of the heaven and earth, being to be
accomplished at the coming of the Messiah, or ' the desire of aU
nations,' cannot signify the removal and subversion of the ma
terial heavens and earth, they being not thus shaken at Christ's
coming : but this is a metaphor frequently used in the prophets
to signify the subversion of a state and kingdom, and of the
government which obtains amongst them ; as when the prophet,
speaking of the destruction of Babylon, saith, ' I wiU make the
heavens shake, and the earth shaU be removed out of its place,'
Is. xiii., 13. And of the destruction of the Jews by the As
syrians he useth these very words, ' The earth shall be moved,
and the heavens shaken,' Joel ii, 10: see Judges v, 4; Psalm
lxxvh, 18 ; Isa. xxiv, 19, 20. Thus at our Lord's coming to
destroy Jerusalem, say some interpreters ; to destroy Antichrist,
as others think, ' the powers of heaven shall be shaken,' Matt.
xxiv, 30 ; Mark xiii, 25 ; and Luke xxi, 26. Which import of

VERSE I.J " NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 469
this phrase being not understood by Estius, he without cause*
rejecteth this interpretation of the word."
" This shaking being for ' the removal of things which were
shaken,' and they being not the material earth, must signify the
things which were then introduced with 'the shaking of the
earth ;' that is, the covenant made, with the worship and taber
nacle, and other materials then appointed to be made with hands
for God's service ; which the apostle throughout the whole epistle
contends were to be abolished, and to continue only thl the time
of reformation, chap, ix, 10, and then to give place to that new
covenant and dispensation which procured for us an eternal re
demption, and an entrance not into the holy places made with
hands, but into heaven itself."
Enough has now been advanced to shew that the crea
tion of new heavens and a new earth, and likewise the
abolition of a former heaven and earth, do not necessarily
refer to the material and visible heavens and earth. And
if the prophecy of Haggai applies to the latter times or to
the end of the world, and the shaking of heaven and earth
at this period be a moral or spiritual shaking, and result
in the transition of spiritual heavens and earth (as so many
commentators ancient and modern admit), but little foun
dation remains for any literal interpretation of the passage
in the Apocalypse ; as the reader must have seen from the
authorities already adduced.
This moreover is still further confirmed by other and
more immediate interpretations of the passage, which we
now proceed to offer, and in which no allusion is made to
any heavens and earth that are material.
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 114; referring to
the times of the Beformation ; —
" ' I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the former
heaven and the former earth were passed away,' &c. By which
* Perhaps not ' without cause;' for had not Estius a cause in common with all
other advocates of an indefectible church ; since the sorcerers, magicians, &c, assured
Babylon that she should ' never be moved ?' See above, p. 236, &c.

470 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXI.
is signified that from the time that Jesus began to teach more
clearly by means of his eternal Gospel and illustration from him,
and from out of those things which were written in the Old and
New Testament to judge those who were in error, not only was
the Church led forth from out of Babylon, and so began to be
hberated from the yoke of those who, as if sitting in heaven, dic
tated laws and pronounced judgments ; and thus a new heaven
and a new earth began to be made, i.e., the kingdom of heaven
began more purely and clearly to shew itself in a people emanci
pated from their yoke and bondage, and dehvered from their
masters ; but also the remains of such an hierarchy in the Church
were at length abolished (an abolition of which Isaiah speaks,
chap, xxiv, 23) ; nay, the kingdom of the adversary was more and
more enfeebled, and was so destroyed that he no longer reigned
in the same manner he did before. And this obliteration of hu
man power in the church results from what was said by Haggai
ii, 7, and which the apostle repeats, Heb. xii, 26, 27. More
over Esaias mentions the new heavens and new earth, chap, lxv.,
17. And in 2 Peter iii, 13, mention is made of a new heaven
and new earth in which will dwell righteousness, and of which
we are in expectation. From these passages compared with
Haggai ii., 7, where it is said, ' I wiU shake heaven and earth,' it
is evident that this shaking wUl be successive and wiU have dis
tinct parts and gradations; tUl those things are brought to pass
whieh can no more be shaken, but wUl remain for ever; aU
earthly powers and principalities being abolished, 1 Cor. xv, 24."
It has already been observed that this prophecy cannot
be applied to the Reformation, except we grant that at that
period a New Church was begun and also a New Dispen
sation ; that it must therefore refer to events destined to
occur after the time of the Reformation ; and this observa
tion applies to the interpretations which follow. See Vol.
III. of the present work, p. 267, 271, 273.
Byle's Baraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 219; —
" Having, in a short compass only, mentioned the last and
great judgment of the world, at the general resurrection (chap.
xx, 11, 15), which is to follow after the destruction of all the

VERSE I.J " NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." 471
adversaries of God's church, and after the happy state of that
church in its reformed and last period upon earth ; I now return
to give the particular description of this Christian church as thus
fully reformed. Now, this was pointed out to me in ah the
bright images under which the ancient prophets set out the
glories of this very church. In the general, I saw, methought,
that total revolution of things and men, in the Christian world,
with respect to religion, which the prophet Isaiah expressed in
the high phrase of a new heaven and a new earth (Isa. lxv., 17,
18, &c.) ' Behold, I create a new heaven and a new earth : and
the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But
be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create ; for
behold, I create Jerusalem (the true church of God) a rejoicing,
and her people a joy !' And again (li, 16) ; 'I have put my
words in thy mouth, and covered thee in the shadow of mine
hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of
the earth, and (or, that is) say unto Zion, Thou art my people.'
And again, lxvi, 22 ; li, 6, signifying, that aU corrupt, idola
trous, and persecuting rehgion should be abohshed ; and virtue,
truth, and hberty prevah. ' And there was no more sea,' i. e.,
the sea or waters, by which is meant the nations and people, on
which the woman, the idolatrous church-power, sat and go
verned, should now be no longer what they were, but shall be
converted to the way of saving and true religion. Or again, as
the sea sometimes denotes a turbulent and unsettled state of
things, or kingdoms ; this new state was to be clear of aU such
commotions, and remain in perfect tranquillity (see chap, xvii,
15)." Ibid, p. 219, in a note ; —
" Though I interpret these figurative descriptions, as intended
to set forth the last and full reformation, and glorious state of the
Christian church upon earth; I am sensible of the arguments
upon which several learned persons conceive them to belong
more properly to the heavenly state of happiness. Nor wiU I
contend against them." . . . Still,
" Those figures and lofty images, wherein those prophecies
express these things, appear to me to go no higher (in their
immediate sense) than to the blessed deliverance, and glorious
state of God's church and true worshippers upon earth."

472 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Brophecies, Apocalypse,
chap, xxi, p. 320 ; Is. ii, xii, xlix, lv, lx, liv. ; —
" We may not say, that all this hath respect only to spi
ritual graces, the stability of God's covenant, and the joy of the
faithful. I will not deny but the Holy Spirit may have some
reference thereto ; but it is false, that those sphitual favors (in
that weak degree wherein we see them at this day) can compre
hend the full significations of such great expressions, which
clearly import a peace in reference to earth as weU as heaven.
Add to this, that though these promises should not be apphed
but to spiritual blessings, there must yet be a new kingdom and
a new age, for the fulfilhng of them ; for we have never yet
seen any wherein spiritual peace and invisible graces have been
so abundantly poured out, to satisfy in any measure the great
ness of such expressions."
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 885 ; —
" ' And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away,' &c.J The external
and carnal economy which by the false prophets of Rome had
been introduced into the Christian church and obscured its real
face, began to be abohshed with the reformation of the church.
But at that time this work of God was not completed ; it shall
however be completed when the kingdom of the Beast wiU be
plainly destroyed; when the church, the saints sitting with
Christ upon his throne, shall appear in aU its beauty and splen
dor, and the face of earth and heaven shall be seen as new, the
old heaven and earth being destroyed. It is in this manner that
we have explained this emblem more at large in chapters vi, 12,
and xvi, 17, 18, to which passages allusion is here made; as
also to the prophecies of the Old Testament, which in the same
manner depict the renovation of the state of the church, espe
cially Isaiah lxv, 17 ; as interpreters everywhere observe."
Bareus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 549 ; —
" Some understand it allegorically of the renewing of the
world by Christ, touching which the apostle, ' If any one be in
Christ, he is a new creature ;' ' Old things are past away ; be
hold, I make all things new.' This spiritual renovation began
even from the preaching of the apostles : and is undoubtedly an

VERSE I.J "FORMER HEAVEN AND FORMER EARTH." 473
aUusion unto the prophecy of Isaiah ; ' Behold, I create new
heavens and a new earth,' &c, which seems to be spoken of the
new state of the church in the kingdom of Christ on earth : and
so Brightman,* as I have shewed, interprets it metaphoricaUy
of the renewed state of the church, through the conversion of
the Jews, shortly to be accomplished."t
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 1 ; —
" ' For the former heaven and the former earth passed
away,' signifies, the heavens which were formed not by the
Lord, but by those who came out of Christendom into the
spiritual world ; aU which were dispersed at the day of the
Last Judgment."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' From whose sight the heaven and earth fled away.' This
is that which the Lord said, ' Heaven and earth shall pass away ;
but my words shall not pass away,' Matt, xxiv, 35."
Estius, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, 11 ; —
" ' For the first heaven and the first earth departed,' that is,
passed away. According to what the Lord had foretold in the
Gospel, 'Heaven and earth shaU pass away,' Matt. xxiv. 35."
So also B. Gregory.
It has already been abundantly shewn, that by the
' heavens and earth' are not necessarily meant, as Suarez and
others suppose, the natural and visible heaven and earth ;
but that they imply a new church, economy, or dispensation;
and as there are new heavens and earth, so likewise there
is a new age. Hence we have seen the meaning of the
words of the Lord, Matt. xxiv. ; ' Now learn a parable of
the fig-tree. When her branch is yet tender and putteth
* Ibid., p. 551 ;—
" By the new heaven Brightman understands a new worship and purity in god
liness : by the new earth, new Israelites, which then shall join unto the church of
Christ : by the former heaven that passed away, the Jewish worship, which they
shall no longer exercise : by the former earth, the Jews themselves, who of Jews
shall become Christians : by the sea, which was no more, corrupt doctrine, which
shall have no place among the new people : for then the Jews shall cast off their
errors touching the Messias, which now they maintain tooth and nail," &c.
t Pareus himself adopts the literal interpretation.

474 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
forth leaves, ye know that spring is nigh :' in which pas
sage the former dispensation, as we have seen, is likened
to winter, and the beginning of the new dispensation to
spring or summer. The same illustration is used by B.
Gregory in the present case in the Apocalypse ; thus —
" For through the aridity of winter the earth dechnes from
its beauty, but with the moisture of spring is again virescent.'
So likewise Haymo, speaking of the face of heaven and
earth, which will then appear new ; — -
" The same thing likewise we may deduce from actual ex
ample ; for after the revolutions of the days of winter we behold
the time of spring resplendent with a more abundant light of
the sun from above, and exhibiting evidence of a more interior
warmth through the variety of floral productions."
Joachim adopts a similar illustration when interpreting
the words in verse 4, ' Behold, I make all things new ;' —
" A new heaven, a new earth, a new Jerusalem. For now,
as He says in Canticles, ' The winter is past, the rain is over and
gone.' For in relation to the time of winter, summer appears
to be a something new ; and almost everything that is seen,
seems beautiful to the eye and to have an aspect of newness."
We thus see the connection between Matthew xxiv, 35,
and the present passage in the Apocalypse ; both of them
indicating the setting in of a new age. See page 444.
Cocceius, Isaiah lxv, 16 ; —
" Although by the death of Christ and the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit and the destruction of Jerusalem, a new heaven and
a new earth were made ; nevertheless, even subsequent to this,
there is a certain old heaven and a certain old earth, which are
abolished when they are abolished ' who set their mouth in
heaven that their tongue may walk through the earth,' Psalm
lxxiii, 9 : who arrogate to themselves, as it were, the vicarious
power of Christ, that they may keep watch over men lest they
should know anything or beheve anything concerning Christ
except what they themselves dictate. A ' new earth ' moreover
is made, not only when the church goes forth out of Babylon,
and is emancipated from a Gentile condition ; but likewise when

VERSE I.J "FORMER HEAVEN AND FORMER EARTH." 475
the Beast is cast into the lake of fire together with the False
Prophet and the Deril."
By ' the heaven and earth which passed away ' are
meant, in the aUegorical sense, according to Alexander de
Hales, Gaspar a Melo, and others, evil spirits who had inha
bited the heavens ; as also earthly-minded men ; and in
this general sense these interpretations confirm that of
Cocceius. What devils or demons may be thus signified, Cocceius
has already pointed out ; by saying that they refer to the
Beast and the False Brophet ; moreover the interpretation of
Apocalypse xviii, 2, is thus given by Cornelius a Lapide ; —
" Mystically : by this phrase is signified the idolatry, super
stitions, and other crimes which shaU prevaU at Rome at the end
of the world, before its destruction ; for by these things it will
be made the habitation of devils : so Primasius, Aretas, Ansbert,
and others."
That heavenly places have been occupied by evil spirits,
has already been intimated, p. 428. Also Vol. Ill, p. 317.
According to the foregoing account, when it is said
that Babylon is destroyed at the end of the world, it means,
at the end of the heaven and earth which constitute the
world, that is, at the end of the existing economy or dis
pensation. Thus Babylon passes away only with the old
dispensation. But the old dispensation passes away only
in proportion as the new one comes in, and as this entrance
is gradual, so will the autumn and winter of Babylon and
the False Brophet and Beast disappear gradually with the
gradual coming in of the spring and summer of the New
Jerusalem. See on this subject, Vol. Ill, p. 328.
It may further be observed that on the subject of this
passing away of the former heaven and earth, Gaspar a
Melo refers us to Bsalm cii, 25 ; 'Of old thou hast laid
the foundation of the earth ; and the heavens are the work

476 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
of thy hands ; they shall perish, but thou shalt endure ;
yea, aU of them shall wax old like a garment ; as a vesture
shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.' Yet
on referring to different authors for the explanation of this
passage, we find that Menochius and Tirinus refer the
whole Fsalm, in its allegorical sense, to the Jewish and
Christian economies ; nor is Augustin adverse to a spiritual
interpretation of the passage.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 1 ; —
" ' And the sea was no more,' signifies, that the ex
ternal of the heaven collected from among Christians since
the first establishment of the church, was in like manner
dispersed, after those who were written in the Lord's book
of life were taken thence and saved."
Alcasar refers the heaven and earth before mentioned
to the church triumphant, and maintains that they are al
together mystical; and that although the words of Beter,
2 Ep, chap, iii, 12, ' We look for new heavens and a new
earth wherein dweUeth righteousness,' may at first sight
appear to refer only to a material renovation of heaven and
earth, yet he affirms that if the words be carefully con
sidered, they will be found to intimate not obscurely an
allegorical meaning (which is the opinion also of Ham
mond, Whitby, and of Brofessor Lee in his Enquiry, &c,
p. Ill) ; hence Alcasar maintains that the sea here men
tioned is mystical, and so says Albertus Magnus. Pri-
masius is uncertain upon the subject ; so are Augustin, the
Glossa Ordinaria, and Ambrose Ansbert; while Berengaud
admits both an allegorical and literal interpretation. It
would, however, be inconsistent to interpret the heavens and
earth in a mystical sense, and the sea of that earth in a literal.
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
"At length the sea is no more ; that is, all people are become
obedient to the church, Dan. vii, 27 ; Apoc. xi, 15, and xv, 4;

VERSE II. J " NEW JERUSALEM." 477
because there no longer remain any who separate themselves
from God ; or among whom there is no dissemination of the
the Word, and from whom proceed not the fruits of edification."
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 886 ; —
" In that it is added that in this new earth ' the sea was no
more,' it signifies that those foreign (or external, barbaras) na
tions who had hitherto adhered to the errors of paganism or of
a false rehgion, would, in this new world, adopt the worship per
taining to the Christian rehgion ; and that the paganism which
in Mahomedism had again sprung up, would be abolished."
From these remarks we perceive that the sea is said to
signify heathen nations ; that is, Gentiles who are external
to the church. Swedenborg regards it as signifying rather
those who are in the externals of the church, such as prin
cipally the laity; as observed in former chapters. This
sea had given up those within it which were spiritually
dead, and likewise those within it whose names were found
written in the book of life : this sea therefore had become
dissipated; and in the new heavens and the new earth
which were now created there were in future to be no such
external members of the church or others as had before
been indicated by the sea.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, com
ing down from God out of heaven,' signifies, a new church
to be established by the Lord at the end of the former
church, which will be consociated with the new heaven in
divine truths as to doctrine and as to life."
Ibid, art. 879, 880 ;—
" ' The reason why John here names himself, saying, I
John, is, because by him as an apostle is signified good of
love to the Lord, and consequent good of life ; for which
reason he was loved more than the other apostles, and at
supper lay on the bosom of the Lord, John xiii, 23 ; xxi,
20 ; and in like manner this church which is now treated

478 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
of. That by Jerusalem is signified the church, will be seen
in the next article ; which is called a city and described as
a city from doctrine and a life according therewith, for city
in a spiritual sense signifies doctrine : it is caUed holy from
the Lord who alone is holy, and from the divine truths
which are in it, derived from the Word from the Lord,
which are called holy ; and it is caUed new, because He who
sat upon the throne said, ' Behold, I make all things new,'
ver. 5 ; and it is said to come down from God out of heaven,
because it descends from the Lord through the new Chris
tian heaven, treated of in the first verse of this chapter ;
for the church upon earth is formed through heaven by
the Lord, that they may act as one and be associated."
" The reason why by Jerusalem in the Word is meant
the church, is, because in that city in the land of Canaan,
and in no other place, the temple was and the altar, and
sacrifices were offered, consequently divine worship per
formed ; wherefore also three feasts were held yearly there,
and every male throughout the whole land was commanded
to come to them ; hence it is, that Jerusalem signifies the
church as to worship, and therefore also the church as to
doctrine, for worship is prescribed in doctrine, and per
formed according to it ; also because the Lord was in Je
rusalem and taught in his own temple, and afterwards glo
rified his Humanity there. That by Jerusalem is meant
the church as to doctrine and consequent worship, appears
from many passages in the Word ; as from the foUowing ;
in Isaiah, ' For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and
for Jerusalem's sake I wiU not rest, until the justice thereof
go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp
burneth: then shall the nations see thy justice, and aU
kings thy glory ¦. and thou shalt be called by a new name,
which the mouth of Jehovah shall utter ; and thou shalt
be a crown of glory in the hand of thy God. Jehovah

VERSE II.J "NEW JERUSALEM." 479
shall be well pleased in thee, and thy land shaU be married.
Behold, thy salvation cometh ; behold, his reward is with
him ; and they shaU caU them, the people of holiness, the
redeemed of Jehovah : and thou shalt be caUed, the City
sought for, not deserted,' lxii, 1 — 4, 11, 12. This whole
chapter treats of the Lord's Advent, and ofthe New Church
to be estabhshed by him : it is this New Church which is
meant by Jerusalem, which shaU be called by a new name
which the mouth of Jehovah shaU utter, and which shall
be a crown of glory in the hand of Jehovah, and a royal
diadem in the hand of God, in which Jehovah shall be well
pleased, and which shaU be called a City sought after, and
not forsaken. By these words cannot be meant that Jeru
salem, which, when the Lord came into the world, was in
habited by the Jews, for that was opposite in every par
ticular ; and might more properly have been called Sodom,
as it also is caUed in Apoc. xi, 8 ; Isa. iii, 9 ; Jer. xxiii,
14 ; Ezek. xvi, 46, 48. So in another part of Isaiah ;
' Behold, I am creating a new heaven and a new earth : the
former shall not be remembered : rejoice and be glad for
ever in that which I create. Behold, I am about to create
Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy, that I may
rejoice over Jerusalem, and joy over my people. Then the
wolf and the lamb shall feed together : they shall do no
evil in aU the mountain of my holiness,' lxv, 17 — 25."
As it is the doctrine of the Roman Catholic church
that it is to last as long as the visible world, and conse
quently is to be succeeded by no other ; the writers in that
communion are naturally anxious to shew that by the New
Jerusalem is signified the church in heaven or church tri
umphant, and not the church on earth or church militant ;
for otherwise they would admit that their own church is to
be succeeded by another upon earth, or else is to undergo
such changes as to justify its being called a New Church.

480 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXI.
It may therefore be desirable to ascertain whether
there are any authorities which regard the New Jerusalem
as applying in any way to the church militant ; that is to
say, not to a New Church confined to heaven, but a New
Church likewise upon earth.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" This holy city, Jerusalem, Primasius and Bede interpret to
signify the church militant ; though all the fathers and interpre
ters (query) understand it to signify the church triumphant."
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xxi. Prologue ; —
" Although it be the common opinion of doctors, that in this
city and its river are adumbrated the church triumphant in hea
ven ; still there have not been wanting some authors who have
thought that this is a representation of that great felicity to
which the church militant upon earth is to be exalted. Those
especiaUy have been of that opinion who have thought that the
church has never yet attained to that sabbatical state which is
predicted to it in the Sacred Scriptures ; and therefore that it
would come into the enjoyment of this rest either after the com
ing of Antichrist, or even before. Of this opinion of some
writers we have spoken in chap, xx, not. 2, Opinions 9 and 10.
Seraphinus de Fermo therefore persuades himself that at least in
chap xxi, the narrative treats concerning the church as renovated
upon earth ; but in the chapter foUowing, concerning the glory
of heaven. The representation of the city therefore he refers to
the church militant in that perfectly happy state which he con
jectures the church is to enjoy upon earth ; although the river he
interprets as relating to the church triumphant. Others, with
out making any difference, explain both chapters as relating to
the state of the church militant, which as they conceive, is to
become mpst felicitous. These authors, however, not venturing
to refute the most generally received opinion of expositors
concerning the glory of the church triumphant, in order to
reconcile both explanations, affirm, that in these two chapters
the church in both states is described by John; namely, the
great felicity of the church which is to take place upon earth,
and in like manner the eternal beatitude of heaven. So
Ubertini de Cassali, in his Tractate upon the Seven States of the

VERSE II.J "NEW JERUSALEM." 481
Church, chap, viii, § 2; where, treating of the vision in this
chapter, lie has the following words ; ' It refers neither wholly
to the church in the present life, nor whoUy to the church
in a life to come; but is accommodated promiscuously some
times to one sometimes to another.' And in favor of this view
he cites Richard of St. Victor. To this view of the subject
Hortulanus gives his assent, in a remark on Canticles vi, 3 ;
' Thou art beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem ;'
where he adduces the saying of Paul in Heb. xii., 24 ; 'Ye are
come unto mount Zion and to the city of the living God the
heavenly Jerusalem; and to the assembly of many thousand
angels, and to the church of the first born,' &c. On which
Hortulanus thus remarks ; ' Persuaded by these words of Paul, I
am induced to accede to the opinion of those who think that
what John in the Apocalypse relates as seen by himself concern
ing Jerusalem, the Holy and the New City, coming down from
heaven, pertains not only to the church triumphant but also for
a great part to the church as it will exist at that time ; in which
it wiU receive iUustration from an exceedingly great multitude
of heroic saints ; and who, as they will express by living example
the life not of mortal men but rather of such as are immortal
and divine, wiU deserve to be called the heavenly Jerusalem.'"
" Moreover, Turrianus of our own communion, in his Trea
tise concerning the Eucharist, makes a remark in which he
shews that the opinion of these doctors meets with his own ap
probation. For he says that this vision of the Apocalypse is to
be explained as concerning the church in heaven conjoined with
the church militant; and that this is signified by the words
' coming down from out of heaven ;' because the church in hea
ven descends to that which is upon earth. These remarks he
makes in order that those words, ' Behold the tabernacle of God
is with men, and he shah dweU with them,' may be explained
concerning the mystery of the Eucharist. To this view also
BuUenger accedes ; for he thinks that the words may be fulfilled
concerning both churches, namely, the church militant and tri
umphant, though principaUy concerning the church triumphant."
" Further ; the Abbot Joachim somewhat favors the conjoin
ing of these two opinions ; for although he declares that the
principal part of this chapter treats of the church triumphant,
VOL. IV. 1 I

482 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
nevertheless the earher verses he explains of the church militant,
such as the words ' new heaven and new earth.' "
To these writers Alcasar, in chap, xx, not. ii, Expositio
ix, adds also the authority of Pannonius in his Prologue
to this chapter.
From the foregoing remarks, then, we perceive that the
New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, sig
nifies the church on earth according to some, and the
church in heaven and on earth according to others ; such,
for instance, as Primasius, Bede, Ubertini de Cassali, Se-
raphinus de Ferrmo, BuUenger, Turrianus, Joachim, and
Pannonius ; all of them being Roman Catholic authorities.
Similar anticipations of a glorious state of the church
upon earth occur in Schlegel's Philosophy of History ; and
are further followed out in various German prophecies on
the state of the church in the Dublin Review, No. 57 ;
October, 1850.
The reasons which have induced writers to take this
view of the subject are thus stated by Alcasar ; —
" There are principaUy two arguments which lead a person to
suppose that in this last vision of the Apocalypse, is depicted the
felicity which the church is to acquire upon earth. The first is,
that in this vision allusion is made to many passages in the pro
phets, the hteral sense of which relates to that fehcity which
was to belong to the church upon earth. Thus in the ' new
heavens and the new earth' regard is had to Isaiah lxv, 17, and
lxvi. 21. And again in 'the tabernacle of God with men,' to
Ezekiel xxxvii, 27 ; 'My tabernacle also shall be with them ;
yea, I will be their God, and they shaU be my people.' More
over, the words ' God shaU wipe away aU tears from their eyes '
have others of a like aim in Isaiah, chap, xxv, 8, where the
narrative is manifestly concerning the felicity of saints in this
life, as likewise is evident from Apocalypse vii. 17. Further*
what is here said, ' Behold I make all things new,' is taken from
Isaiah xliii, 19, where the narrative is treating of that newness
of life which is given to holy men in this mortal existence ; or, of
that new creature of which Paul speaks, 2 Cor. v. 17."

VERSE II. J "NEW JERUSALEM." 483
" Moreover, the description of the city as being foursquare,
and of its twelve gates, is taken from Ezekiel xlviii. ; where, by
aUusion to the old Jerusalem, he is treating of the new and mys
tical Jerusalem which God was about to buhd upon earth.
Moreover, the river and trees planted on either bank of the
river are taken from Ezekiel xlvii, 12. ' And by the river upon
the bank thereof on this side and on that side shaU grow all trees
for meat, whose leaf shaU not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof
be consumed : it shall bring forth new fruit according to his
months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary ;
and the fruit thereof shaU be for meat, and the leaf thereof for
medicine.' Now from Ezekiel it is erident that in that passage
is predicted the felicity which the church was to enjoy in this
hfe. For that river flows into the Dead Sea and heals and fe
cundates its waters ; and procreates in them a great multitude of
fishes ; and in these waters abundance of fishing is going on.
And this clearly relates to the words of Christ which he spoke to
his disciples, 'I wiU make you fishers of men.' Moreover the
precious stones and pearls which were seen by John are not dif
ferent from those treated of in Tobias xiii, 21, where, alluding
to the new and mystic Jerusalem to be restored by God upon
earth, Tobias himself says, ' The gates of Jerusalem shall be
built up of sapphire and emerald, and the whole circuit of its
waUs with precious stones.' "
" Further ; if the temple of Solomon typified the Church of
Rome (!) what marvel that of this church should be mystically
spoken what is put forth concerning the temple, 3 Kings vii.,
10 ; ' Its foundations were of precious stones.' And in Isaiah
liv. 11, where the subject is concerning the church militant;
' Behold I wiU lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foun
dations with sapphires. And I wUl make thy windows of agates,
and thy gates of carbuncles, and aU thy borders of pleasant
stones.' Again, the words ' The city hath no need of the sun
nor of the moon,' &c, and ' Its gates shaU not he shut by day,'
&c, and ' There shah be no night there,' &c, are aU taken from
Isaiah lx, who is there speaking of the church to be erected by
Christ upon earth. Finally, of those things which John relates,
in this last vision of the Apocalypse, to have been seen by himself,
i i2

484 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
there is scarcely a single one to which something similar may not
be found in the predictions concerning the church militant."
We may further add that even Alcasar admits that the
expression, 'coming down from God out of heaven,' indicates
the descent of the church from heaven to earth ; and as such
that it designates a church militant upon earth : he observes
however that it relates to the church which had been mili
tant ; thus to the past, not to the present ; and that it is as
much as to say, the new city which had been militant or
been founded by Christ upon earth, but which is now at
length triumphant and enjoying that eternal glory which
awaits it in heaven. This warping of the true sense is
however, deprecated by Da Sylveira and Cornelius a Lapide,
who both admit that Karafiaovsaav relates to the present,
not to the past ; to the act of descending, as prophetically
witnessed by John, and not to any past transaction as
having already occurred before he witnessed the vision.
Therefore if it really means the church militant, as Alcasar
admits, it cannot refer to that which was past.
Cornelius a Lapide also, when he says that the New Jeru
salem here beheld does not mean the church militant, as
Primasius and Bede maintain, but the church triumphant,
is not consistent with himself ; for on Ezekiel xiv, 6, he
observes, p. 1239; —
" AU these things rather belong aUegorically to the buUding
of that church both militant and triumphant which St. John
describes in Apocalypse xxi. ; where the entire aUusion is to this
building of Ezekiel, as is evident on comparing the words and
phraseology of the two."
Whence likewise he afterwards supposes that the City
there mentioned implies literally secular rule and status in
the church, as does the Temple, ecclesiastical; according
to the opinion of Jerome, Gregory, Hugo, Carthusianus,
Maldonatus, De Lyra, and Fernandus.

VERSE II.] " NEW JERUSALEM." 485
So again on Isaiah li, 16, he says that the 'new hea
vens and the new earth' which Christ created, are the
church both militant and triumphant, as we have already
seen ; and in the same comment he refers to the same ex
pression in Apoc. xxi, as having there the same meaning.
Menochius likewise on Isaiah lxv, 19, makes the same
remark ; namely, that the new heavens, the new earth, and
the Jerusalem there mentioned refer not only to the church
triumphant but to the church militant. The same obser
vation is made by Emanuel Sa with respect to Jerusalem,
Isaiah lxvi, 13 ; and the same is obviously implied in the
interpretations of the corresponding passages by Tirinus.
From these remarks it is clear, that the creation of a
new heaven and a new earth mentioned in the Apocalypse,
is regarded as implying not only the church in heaven, but
the church upon earth.
Further : it would seem that in the Apocalypse, chap.
xxi, by the New Jerusalem Cornelius a Lapide understands
a New Church ; for he says, " hanc Novam scilicet Eccle-
siam ;" in which case if the passage relates to a church
militant or church upon earth (as A Lapide and others on
Isaiah and again on Ezekiel affirm it does relate), then the
holy city, the New Jerusalem coming down from God out
of heaven signifies a New Church upon earth. See
above, Vol. Ill, p. 11, 264.
That the expression New Jerusalem is equivalent to that
of New Church is admitted by Calmet in his own inter
pretation ; although he refers its existence to the time of
the apostles. Thus ; —
" He who sat upon the throne said, ' Behold, I am about to
make aU things new ;' a new heaven, a new earth, a new Jeru
salem, a new kingdom, a new spouse, a new church."
This interpretation accords with that also of Frotestant
commentators. Thus Bishop Lowth calls it a New Church
in Ezek. xlviii, 24, and after him, Scott ; both regarding

486 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
it as a future church upon earth. Boole also observes in
his Comments on Isaiah lxv, 17 ; —
" For behold, I will tell you yet a more admirable thing. I
am about whoUy to alter and change the state not only of my
people who are now afflicted, restoring them to a more hghtsome
state, more free from trouble and afflictions ; but I create new
heavens and a new earth, bringing a new face upon the world,
sending my Son to raise up a new church and to institute a
new worship, John iv, 21, 24, and giving out my spirit in a
more plentiful manner, Acts ii, 17; which new state shall
abide until a new heaven and earth appear in which shah dwell
nothing but righteousness, 2 Pet. iii, 13 ; Rev. xxi, 1."
What then is this new heaven and earth mentioned in
Revelation to which we are here referred ? the author in
terprets it to signify " a new and glorious state of things
relating to the church," although he refers it to the church
triumphant. Still, whether the expression refer to the
church in heaven or upon earth, if it means a new state of
the church or a new church in the one case, so does it in the
other. For as Bossuet and other Roman Catholic writers
observe upon this passage ; —
" In the mystical sense John designs to say, that the church
which is in heaven is the same as that which is upon earth ; that
it is, in effect, from heaven that we are citizens, and that it is from
thence that our Uluminations and graces descend ; as wUl further
appear in chap, xxii, 2."
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 491 ; —
" Behold, the church triumphant is here introduced as des
cending from heaven ; and why does it descend ? but that it may
render its aid to the church militant. These two churches are
most closely conjoined with each other ; nay, according to St.
Augustin, De Civitate, book x, chap. 7 ; we are together with
them that one city of God of which it is said in the Psalm,
' Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God.' "
" Very wonderful is it that the celestial court should be seen
descending. But aU our wonder is removed by what foUows,
where it is said, ' I heard a voice saying, Behold, the tabernacle

VERSE II.J " NEW JERUSALEM." 487
of God is with men.' As if it should be said, No wonder that
the city of God should descend to men, when the tabernacle of
God is with them, namely, the Son of God made man; no
wonder, therefore, that the celestial kingdoms could not contain
themselves, but must make the utmost haste to come unto us.
The royal prophet in Psalm cxlv. exclaims, ' Bow thy heavens,
O Lord, and come down.' WeU indeed might he have descended,
whUe the heavens remained in their own lofty heights. But
supposing him to have come, and the heavens to have remained
in their place, why should it be necessary for the Psalmist to
conjoin the two ; namely, bowing the heavens and coming
down? Because the two are most intimately conjoined with each
other. For when the Son of God comes to man, immediately
aU the heavens also bow themselves and come down; as St.
Bernard says in Sermon hi, on the dedication of a church ;
' Why should he not bow the heavens for those for whom, as
king of the heavens he so bowed himself, as with his own finger
to write on the earth, O Lord, bow down thy heavens, and tarry
not ere thou come down?' "
Cocceius likewise on Eph. i, 10, has a lengthened in
terpretation to shew that the avaKe$aXat,wcn<; or gathering
together into one, of all things in the heavens and earth,
signifies the evcoaiv adunationem of the two.
The same author has the following interpretation on
Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 114 ; —
" And I, John, beheld the Holy City, the New Jerusalem,
descending from God out of heaven,' &c. He beheld the last
state of the church in this world, namely, that it was adorned for
her husband and prepared for his advent. . . I am indeed at a
loss to know how this is not to be explained of the state of the
church upon earth, but of the church in heaven. That which
comes down from heaven, comes down assuredly to the earth.
Nor do I think that this city is said to descend from heaven, be
cause it was upon earth that John beheld this enigmatical vision.
Certainly this cannot be said in the passages 2 Cor. v., 1, or Apoc.
hi, 12. What need, however, of many words ? Can we deny
that in Christ there is that dvaKecbaXalcocns, by which the things
of earth and of heaven become one ?"

488 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 488 ; —
"Now followeth, more particularly, the change that is made
on the church of the elect, when they are gathered together,
and the world now is new and another thing than it was ; so is
the glorified church new and another thing (as to her quahties
and glory) than before. After I had seen the new earth (saith
he), I saw also the New Church, exceeding beautiful, no city,
no bride so adorned on her marriage day as she is ; she is so
glorious, when he getteth but a little view of her."
Matthew Henry says this New Jerusalem is the Church
of God in its new and perfect state, though he (or rather
his continuator) with Durham regard it as the church tri
umphant. Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, i, p. 886, says that the
creation of the new heavens and the new earth signify
" a renovated state of the church, as in Isaiah lxv., 17, as
interpreters observe passim ;" and accordingly' he quotes
Brocardus, who says, that " here is described the renova
tion of the world, a new ecclesiastical and political state in
one New Church, and one new kingdom of Christ embrac
ing the whole world."
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 856 ; —
" The gospel church-state in its imperfection is caUed the
heavenly Jerusalem, and the Jerusalem above, which is free,
and the mother of all ; and here the church in its perfect state
is called the New Jerusalem, where wUl be complete peace and
prosperity ; and which is caUed new, because it has its seat in
the new heaven and new earth ; the inhabitants of which wiU
appear in their new and shining robes of immortality and glory ;
and to distinguish it from the old Jerusalem, and even from the
former state of the church."
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 221 ; —
"Again, it was shewn under the emblem of the New Jeru
salem ; not the hteral, the Jewish city of that name rebuilt, and
new adorned ; but that Israel of God, that seed of Abraham,
Jacob and Sion, or Jerusalem, by which the prophets were ac-

VERSE II.] " NEW JERUSALEM." 489
customed to express the true church, and worshippers of God,
under Christ the Messiah : as on the contrary they used the
terms Egypt, Moab, Edom, Babylon, Gog and Magog, as terms
for the adversaries and persecutors of the same church. As this
Christian Church, in its former corrupt state, answered to the
sinful Jerusalem, that was to be destroyed by the Chaldeans and
Romans ; so now, in its reformed 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 GentUes, and reformed Christians. And, finally, it
seemed to descend from heaven ; as being founded and perfected
by the Divine Power and Providence, and abounding in aU those
graces and virtues, that are taught from heaven, and whereof
God himself is the infinite fountain and exemplar. Thus is the
church to be adorned as a bride (ver. 9, &c.)"
Again, in a note, the same author observes, p. 221 ; —
" That this New Jerusalem is not 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
coming from God out of or from heaven, i.e., to be spiritual or
heavenly ; in the same sense with being from above, being of
God, not of this world, &c. Thus the Christian church in gen
eral is called Jerusalem which is from above, Gal. iv, 26, in
opposition to the carnal and earthly nature of the Jewish religion.
So again, this church (even whUe upon earth) is, by the same
apostle, comparing it with the Jewish law, styled Mount Sion,
the city of the bring God, the church of the first born, who are
(not yet in, but) written in heaven. The heavenly (or sphitual)
Jerusalem, Heb. xii, 22 — 29."
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 537 ; —
It is a metaphor taken from Jerusalem, which of old was
God's beloved city, and the type of the New Church, as ap
pears by the foUowing aUegory."
Pareus also calls this a new church in pp. 213, 255,
257, 476, 537, 550, 551, 560, 569; regarding it how
ever here as the church triumphant.
Patrick Forbes, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 238; —

490 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
" The second thing seen, in this general notice of the bride,
is that for which, and in the newness of whose case, all this
change is in the university of things. Even the bride herself,
the true church, here described by many notes. Holy, a
city, new ; and this last, not only in comparison to that old
Jerusalem under the law, which begat chUdren unto bondage, as
did Hagar ; for so the Christian Church hath always been and
is the new Jerusalem mother of us all ; but also new, in com
parison to her own former state, in her sufferings and wresthngs
by and with her great enemies, who now being fuUy overthrown,
and she perfectly prepared as a bride for the wedding, the mys
tery of God is, in that, finished : through the full accomplish
ment of all what the prophets foretold, either of her graceful and
quiet state, or of her foes, full destruction (either of which, for
aught that before this goodly condition had fallen out, could not
be seen fulfilled in the measure promised) ; and in this respect
she is in a sort new, and the heavens and earth therein, are
new." Hammond, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 1003 ; who yet
refers the period of the New Jerusalem to the early Chris
tian church.
" That ' heaven and earth ' signify no more than the world,
hath been shewed in a note on 2 Pet. iii. ; and consequently a
new heaven and a new earth, instead of the old which is put
away, must signify no more than a new world. And this in the
prophetic style is most proper to denote a flourishing state and
condition of the church ; as there in St. Peter the ' new heaven
and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness,' is a pure Chris
tian church planted by Christ, instead of the old Judaical mode ;
but this here with some difference, noting the flourishing con
dition of it, in opposition to the former persecutions it was under,
the change consisting in that. And this from Isai. lxv, 17,
where [creating new heavens and new earth] is sending the Jews
a joyful deliverance, and that a very permanent one, chap, lxvi,
22." " The true meaning of [the new Jerusalem] mentioned here,
ver. 2, and again with the addition of ' holy,' and the glory of
God upon it, ver. 11, will be a key to the interpreting this

VERSE II.] "NEW JERUSALEM." 491
chapter. That it signifies not the state of glorified saints in hea
ven, appears by its descending from heaven in both places, (and
that, according to the use of that phrase, chap, x, 1, and xviii,
1, as an expression of some eminent benefit, and blessing in the
church). And so it must needs be here on earth, and being
here set down, with the glory of God upon it, it wiU signify the
pure Christian Church, joining Christian practice with the pro
fession thereof, and that in a flourishing condition, exprest by
the new heaven and new earth. In this sense we have the su
pernal Jerusalem, Gal. iv, 26, the new Jerusalem, Rev. hi, 12 ;
where to the constant professor is promised that God will write
upon him the name of God, and the name of the city of God,
the New Jerusalem, which there signifies the pure Catholic
Christian Church."*
* It is observed by Dean Wodehouse in his work on the Apocalypse, p. 489,
that the New Jerusalem signifies only the church triumphant. " Some commen
tators," says he, " have been led to a different interpretation, by observing that the
new city descends from heaven, and is therefore, say they, upon earth : but this
objection will be completely removed by remarking that the earth to which the hea
venly Jerusalem descends, is not the earth we now inhabit. ' A new heaven and a
new earth' are produced; 'Behold,' says the Creator, 'I make all things new.'
This vision therefore appears to exhibit the future mansions ofthe blessed."
In answer to this it may be stated, first, that even though the earth to which
the New Jerusalem descended were a spiritual earth, this New Jerusalem would not
for that reason cease to descend to the natural or visible earth ; but rather for that
reason would continue its descent to men ; inasmuch as the church above and the
church below constitute a one ; as already has been seen.
It may be replied that there could be then no church on the earth we now inhabit,
because this had been destroyed. But where is the proof ? In looking to what
Dean Wodehouse has said upon the subject, he observes in p. 478, that " the
heaven, the earth, and the sea, with sometimes the rivers sad. fountains, in Scriptural
idea compose the world." On looking however to p. 400, we perceive that land,
sea, rivers, springs, waters, &c, are aU interpreted in a figurative sense ; so again
in p. 173 is the dissolution of heaven and earth, as frequently described by the
prophets ; and in p. 477 the Dean observes that the ' new heavens and new earth'
are those foretold by Isaiah, chap, lxv., lxvi,, and seem to be the same with those
which are referred to by Peter. Now if the reader refers above to p. 451, &c, he
will there find the new heavens and earth foretold by Isaiah to be interpreted by the
best commentators in a spiritual sense ; and as Dean Wodehouse adduces no further
authority, it may be affirmed that he has adduced none to demonstrate that the earth
earth we now inhabit will have been at this period destroyed, and that the New
Jerusalem therefore cannot be upon it.
Secondly ; Dean Wodehouse argues as if the expression in the original was ' com
ing down from God out of heaven to the earth,' which it is not ; therefore when

492 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI,
Indeed Poole observes in his Comments on the Apoca
lypse, chap, xxi, p. 1004 ; —
" This chapter begins with the vision of the new heaven and
the new earth, by which aU understand a new state of the church,
but are dirided in their opinions, whether what is spoken be to
be understood of the church militant upon earth, or of the
church triumphant in heaven."
Similar remarks are admitted into the interpretation
contained in the Assembly's Annotations.
Thus whether we regard the New Jerusalem as the
church militant or triumphant, or both together, it signifies
either a new church or a new state op the church.
It has already been seen that Swedenborg regards the new
heaven and earth as signifying the church triumphant ; the
New Jerusalem, the church militant.
Worthington observes in his Essay on the Scheme and
Conduct of Man's Redemption, p. 385, referring to the
foregoing passages in the Apocalypse ; —
" It is thought by some that God Almighty revealed himself
by a visible appearance to Adam in Paradise ; however, it is
certain he did to several other holy men of old, not only upon
particular occasions, but moreover that he vouchsafed a standing
manifestation of his glory to the Jewish church for many ages.
And who can teU but he will again converse as freely and fami
liarly with men, when the paradisiacal state shall be restored?
When his tabernacle shaU be once more pitched among men,
the divine Shechinah may again appear in it. For it is not im
probable to suppose, that what has been vouchsafed to a less
perfect economy, may be restored under a more perfect one.
But whether the divine presence wiU be any way risible, or no,
its influence wfil be as effectual to all intents and purposes, which
is sufficient to satisfy our enquiries concerning it."
Again, p. 459; —
authors use this expression, ' to the earth,' they are entitled to use it in their own
sense, and not in this case in any supposed prophetic sense ; as the words, ' to the
earth,' do not occur in the original.

VERSE II.] "BRIDE." 493
" This consideration may serve to prevent our being too much
discouraged by the bold advances of Atheism and infidehty, and
the great increase of profaneness and immorality in the present
age. These daring offences and impieties forebode indeed but
hi to the reformation and improvement of the world in virtue
and rehgion : they even threaten the total corruption and disso
lution of morality as weU as religion in principle as well as prac
tice. Notwithstanding, these overflowings of ungodliness ought
not to make us afraid or to be dismayed at them. For this is
our confidence, that he who hath said to the sea, ' Be still,' and
' Hitherto shall thou come and no farther,' hath likewise set to
this deluge of impiety its bounds which it cannot pass, nor re
turn to cover the earth : so that how much soever it may rage
and swell for a time, yet at length its proud waves wiU be stayed,
and its rage wUl be spent in vain ; because we have a most sure
word of prophecy that the gates of hell shall not prevail against
the church of Christ ; but that notwithstanding the present low
estate of Christianity, the time will come when it wUl yet have
its due influence, and finally triumph over the obstinate preju
dices and unruly lusts of men, and everything else that exalts
itself against it. Therefore this should excite our best endeavors
for the promoting of this great end, by using aU diligence to
overcome the remaining corruption, each of his own nature, in
aU holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastening the
coming of the day of God : and by uniting, one and aU, in our
respective places and stations, to promote, or at least prepare the
way for, what hath been often wished and talked of by good
men, though hitherto scarce hoped for, viz., a universal
reformation, but which this scheme affords encouragement to
attempt, as it gives us, at least, a distant prospect of it."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 2 ; —
" ' Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,' sig
nifies, that church joined by the Word unto the Lord."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 502 ; —
" ' Prepared by God ;' for she does not arrogate to herself
the prerogative of being the Holy City, but always remembers
and gives eternal thanks that she has received it of God, not
through her merits, but by grace from heaven. . . ' And I heard a

494 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
great voice from the throne, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God
is with men,' &c. Truly great and delectable is that voice (ut
tered by Him who sitteth upon the throne) which demonstrates
the City to be holy, and commends it as worthy to be his spouse.
For she never commended herself, and therefore it is meet that
her husband, her God, should commend her. The Harlot, on
the other hand, commends herself to the corrupted and the cor
rupters ; and in the midst of her sins magnifies herself in her
heart and with her own mouth ; for on her forehead is written
the name, ' Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of forni
cations and abominations of the earth.' Moreover she says in
her heart, ' I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shaU see no
sorrow.' Whereas the Holy City commends not herself; it is
only God, her husband, who sits upon the throne, who with a
great voice commends her."
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 497 ; —
"Although so great are the virtues with which this Holy
City is adorned ; so great the gifts with which she is enriched ;
yet not the least word has she uttered in laudation of herself;
whUe on the contrary, that abominable and foul Harlot, with
whom the kings of the whole earth have committed fornication,
extolling herself highly, speaks mighty things of herself; 'I sit
a queen, and am no widow, and I see no sorrow,' Apoc. xviii,
7. How is it that this infamous and base woman speaks of her
self such mighty things ? because she is impious, and abounds in
all pollution. It is the characteristic of the wicked to commend
themselves, and to exalt themselves with their own praises. The
same says Rupertus. . . . Hence very beautifuUy does St. Chry
sostom speak of the praises of Pavius in HomUy v. ;' It is a great
evil to speak anything great of oneself; and it is marveUous and
altogether the utmost madness, when there is no immediate ne
cessity, to decorate oneself with one's own laudations ; for this
is not to speak according to the ordinance of God, it is rather a
sign of insanity."
Da Sylveira remarks in p. 493, that in chap, xvii, 4,
when treating of the Babylonian harlot with whom the
kings of the earth committed fornication, is described more
especially her own pompous preparation ; as that she was

VERSE II.] "BRIDE." 495
arrayed in much beauty with a vesture of gold, adorned
with necklaces and precious stones ; and he then quotes a
considerable part of the following observation of the Abbot
Joachim, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" She is denominated the New Jerusalem, that it may not
be understood to be spoken of that Old Jerusalem which is in
bondage with her sons. Whence likewise she is said to be ' pre
pared as a spouse adorned for her husband,' that she may be
understood to be that Queen of whom the Psalmist, addressing
himself to Christ the King, says, ' At thy right hand stood the
Queen in a vesture of gold wrought about in divers colors.' But
of what kind are these ornaments to be considered ? Are they
risible or made by the hand ? Far from it. For what good can
the external maintenance of glory confer upon mercenary de
votees ? For it is written, that Babylon herself was clothed in
a vesture of gold and precious stones ; and yet this was not to
her glory, but to her confusion. Moreover Jerusalem is always
prepared for the nuptials of Christ ; being careful lest there ap
pear in herself any deformity arising from defilement by sin, by
reason of which she might offend the eyes of her spouse ; and
she adorns herself daily with the ornament of the virtues, as with
necklaces or precious stones, knowing that her spouse requires
by no means exterior but interior beauty."
Gaspar a Melo repeats substantially the interpretations
of Rupertus and Joachim, further referring us to the six
teenth chapter of Ezekiel for a description of the clothing
of the New Jerusalem, which he contrasts with that of
Babylon. On reference to this chapter we find that the
adorning of Jerusalem, which was accorded to her as the
spouse of God, continued afterwards to be worn by her in
her character as a harlot ; just as the clothing of Babylon,
which had been originally given for sacred purposes, be
came perverted to those which were profane. Thus Ezekiel
xvi, 10 ; 'I girded thee about with fine linen, and I
covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments,
and I put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy

496 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead and earrings in
thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. Thus wast
thou decked with gold and silver ; and thy raiment was of
fine linen and silk and broidered work, &c. But thou
didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot
because of thy renown, &c. And of thy garments thou
didst take and deckedst thyself with diverse colors, and
playedst the harlot thereupon, &c. Thou hast also taken
my fair jewels, of my gold and of my silver which I had
given thee, and madest to thyself images of men and didst
commit whoredom with them. And tookedst thy broidered
garments and coveredst them ; and thou hast set mine oil
and mine incense before them.'
Without entering into all the particulars, it may be
observed in general, that the Chaldee version, according to
De la Haye, reads the passage thus, " I have ornamented
thee with the ornament of the words of the law, which were
written upon the two tables of stone, and given by the
hands of the prophet Moses ; and in the sanctity of my
own name have I most especially sanctified you." De
Lyra says that by the earring is meant ' the ornament of
the law ! Gaspar a Melo, ' giving ear to the Word of God.'
By gold and silver, the Glossa says, is signified wisdom and
eloquence ; by raiment of diverse colors, sanctity and the
various virtues. By the words, ' Thou madest to thyself
images of men,' observes the Glossa quoting from Jerome,
is signified as follows ; —
" SpirituaUy we make idols out of the gold and silver of the
Sacred Scriptures, when with heretical pravity we corrupt their
meaning and eloquent instruction, and set up our mouth against
heaven." So likewise with respect to the meal and oil; which,
according to the Glossa quoting from Jerome, are "in
themselves pleasant and most sweet, but when offered to
idols and false doctrines become bitter."

VERSE II.] "bride." 497
Now it is observed by Tirinus that by the raiment and
anointing are signified in Ezekiel xvi. the priesthood and
the pontificate conferred by God upon the synagogue. De
Lyra says, that the betrothing referred to consisted in this,
that the synagogue had entered into covenant with God by
receiving the law. We have seen that by the synagogue,
Cornelius a Lapide and others understand the church of the
Jews ; hence in this chapter of Ezekiel it is the synagogue
or church of the Jews which is described as a harlot ; and
in the same character Babylon is presented to view, having
the same clothing.
When therefore we are referred by Gaspar a Melo to
the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel for a description of Jeru
salem as a faithful spouse contrasted with Jerusalem as a
harlot, and afterwards find Babylon set before us in the
Apocalypse in the character of a harlot and in the same
apparel, we naturally presume that they both appear in
the character of an unfaithful church.
We have seen that the New Jerusalem or New Church'
is called the bride, and the Lord himself is called the hus
band; thus there is a conjugal relationship between the
Lord and his church.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 825 ; —
" In this passage is rightly introduced the comparison derived
from a spouse and from nuptials. Since in the Incarnation of
Christ there was a twofold espousal, and likewise nuptials twofold.
The first nuptials were the admirable ones celebrated in the womb
of the Virgin, between the Divine and Human natures ; when,
by the operation of the Holy Spirit, the Divinity and Humanity
were ahke united into one person. In the next place, together
with these nuptials were accomplished others also, namely, of
Christ the Man with the Holy Church. For when he was made
man he took this church for his spouse, as it were, first of all in the
womb ofthe Virgin, and caused it there to cohabit with himself;
which marriage was consummated when with his espoused wife
he slept upon the bed of the cross; that is, when he conde-
VOL. IV. K K

498 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
scended to die for the human race upon the cross in the same
nature which he had assumed at his nativity."
With respect to this view of the subject, we observe,
first, that it has been seen, Vol. I, p. 209, that the mar
riage of the Divinity with the Humanity in the person of
the Saviour was not perfected till the resurrection or rather
ascension ; and as the marriage of the Divine Humanity
or Lamb with the church results from the previous mar
riage of the Divinity with the Humanity, it could not be
on the cross that the marriage was consummated between
the Lord and his church ; nor is any full marriage described
as taking place between the Lord and his church until the
period now mentioned, when the marriage-supper of the
Lamb has arrived, as already explained above, p. 304 ;
for previously to this period it has been shewn how the
church had slain the Lamb, as in Vol. II, p. 90 ; but the
economy under which this had taken place having at length
passed away, it is now shewn how the church is finally
married to the Lamb.
Secondly : we observe that the marriage of the church
is not with the Divinity, but with the Divine Humanity or
the Lamb, as already has been remarked above, p. 154.
Hence the principal reason why there has been hitherto no
consummated marriage of the Lamb with the church has
been, first, because it has been declared that the marriage
of the church is with the Divinity of the Lord and not with
his Humanity or the Lamb. Secondly ; because the mar
riage of the Lamb with the church is the marriage of the
Divine Humanity with the church ; but the Lamb, which
is the Divine Humanity, has not yet been acknowledged to
be divine, but has been slain. See on this subject, Vol. II,
p. 90, and other places.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 3 ; —
" ' And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying,

VERSE III.] "tabernacle." 499
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,' signifies, the
Lord out of love speaking and declaring the glad tidings,
that he will now be present himself among men in his
divine humanity : ' and he wiU dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and he himself will be with them, their
God,' signifies, conjunction of the Lord, which is of such a
nature, that they are in him, and he in them."
Eranciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" By ' the tabernacle of God with men,' St. Thomas, Albertus
Magnus, and others understand the Humanity of Christ in which
he made war against the devil," &c.
The same interpretation is given by Cardinal Hugo,
Alexander de Hales, Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury,
Gagneus, Da Sylveira, the Glossa Ordinaria and Interlinea,*
&c. Hence by the Tabernacle of God being with men is
signified the Humanity of the Saviour being with men.
How is it then that in this sense the Tabernacle of God
is with men ? The following answer may be found in —
The Doctrines of a Middle State between Death and
the Besurrection, by the Hon. Archibald Campbell, p.
313 ;—
" Whatsoever place lets in and receives the rays and influ
ences of the sun, is said to let in and receive the sun. Just so
every soul which admits and receives the rays and influences of
the Sun of Righteousness, may well be said to admit and receive
Jesus Christ. For he is called the Sun of Righteousness, Mai.
iv, 2 ; ' But unto you that fear my name shaU the Sun of
Righteousness arise with healing in his wings.' To this answers
St. Luke i, 78 ; ' Through the tender mercies of our God,
whereby the dayspring (or sun rising, or the east) from on high
hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in
the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.'
And the Vulgate hath it, Oriens ex alto, &c. Also in the Sep
tuagint, Zach. hi, 8, he is called rbv BovXov pov AvaroXtfv,
* See Petavius, Treatise on the Incarnation, vol. v., p. 364.
K K2

OOO SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
which in the Vulgate is rendered thus, Adducam servum meum,
Orientem." " Nor need any one, in my apprehension, reasonably doubt
that the Sun of Righteousness is able to impress his rays upon
any proper subject, from the highest heavens, where he sits at
the right hand of God the Father, to any part of the earth.
And, I think, what we find written, Acts xxvi, 14, doth help to
prove this ; for there St. Paul gives king Agrippa an account of
his hearing the voice of Jesus from heaven, speaking distinctly
to him in the Hebrew tongue, and saying, ' Saul, Saul, why per-
secutest thou me ?' &c. Now this was most certainly the voice
of Jesus, reaching from heaven to the earth ; for in ver. 15, he
said, ' I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.' And, I think, it is
full as easy to conceive, that the rays of Christ's glorified Hu
manity can reach from the highest heavens to the earth, as that
his voice did. And in this very appearance of Christ to St.
Paul, we find, both in Acts ix. and xxii. and in this xxvi. chap
ters, that there was a great light which did shine from heaven
upon this occasion ; and this light I take to have been the rays
of the glorified Humanity of Christ, reaching, in full splendor
and force, from heaven to earth."
" And to help us stiU more to a right conception of Christ's
being the Sun of Righteousness, and of the force and influence
of his rays as such, let us consider farther what St. Peter saith
in his 2nd Epistle, chap, i, 19. The words are ; 'We have also
a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do weU that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place ; until the
day-dawn, and the day-star, </>a>cr(£6po?, Arise in your hearts,
dvarelXy ev ral<; KapSlais vpwv. This answers exactly to the
AvaroXr; e£ ityou?, &c, in the above-mentioned St. Luke i, 78,
79, and to Job xxxviii, 12, according to the lxxii, where God
himself saith to him, 'H eVl croO avvrkra^a cpiyyos irpwivav ;
Eaio-cp6po<} Se eZSe rrjv eavrov rdgtv, which we render ; ' Hast
thou commanded the morning since thy days, and caused the
dayspring to know his place ?' ' E<oo-<p6po<; signifies Lucifer, or
the bringer of light, ab ea>? pro »jg>? Aurora, the morning, et
(pipa, fero, to carry ; and the Vulgate renders it by Aurora.
Now St. Peter's </>&)<roiopo9, or day-star, which answers to Job's
Ecoacjiopos, or dayspring, and to St. Luke's AvaroXrj, or day-

VERSE III.] "tabernacle." 501
spring; is hght, and this light is God, for God is light. 1 St.
John i, 5, and God is in the hght, ver. 7. And this <f)a}o-<b6po<;,
this day-star of St. Peter, or light-bringing star, not only giveth,
or sheweth, hght itself, but also it shews that day is approach
ing. This is that divine light, which is bestowed upon the truly
righteous, by Almighty God himself; and is the purchase of
Jesus Christ, by whom only we have access to the Father, Rom.
v, 2; Eph. ii., 18, and hi, 12. 'Neither is there salvation in
any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved,' Acts iv, 12. And as
this day-star sheweth light from itself, so it also sheweth that
day is approaching ; and this light, this divine light, is given by
the ministry and operation of the Holy Ghost the Comforter to
the truly righteous, even in this world ; and yet is nevertheless
but as a star, when compared with the Sun of Righteousness,
when he shall arise at his Second Advent, with heahng in his
wings, Mai. iv, 2."
Ibid, p. 316 ;—
" Thus far, I must allow of the Lutheran ubiquity of Christ's
Humanity; that the rays, light, and influences of his glorified
Humanity are communicable to every one whom he pleases to
shine upon, in any place, at any distance, and in what measure
or degree he thinks fit."
" Every living (though mortal) body hath a certain atmo
sphere belonging to it, to the extremity of which the effluvia of
it doth reach ; who then can doubt of the largeness of the atmo
sphere of the glorified Humanity of Jesus Christ, God and man,
that it reacheth from heaven to the earth, if he pleaseth, and to
any person on any part of the earth, that he has a mind it
should reach to, as well as his voice ?"
Ibid, p. 317 ;—
" And whereas I said above, that these divine rays do also
purify the soul, my reason is, because I think I have elsewhere
made it appear at least highly probable, that the great fire
through which every one must pass and be tried after the resur
rection, is not a material fire : for such a fire cannot be pre
sumed to affect a soul, nor indeed a body, after the resurrection,
when all that which was adventitious to it, from the elements by

502 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXI.
nutriment or otherwise, is gone from it ; but is the divine light
of our blessed Lord's glorified Humanity which will then shine
with such a heavenly, divine, and penetrating lustre and resplen
dency, that the rays and influences of this most glorious light
shall pierce through the bodies and souls of all the posterity of
fallen Adam, and will answer to all the powers of material fire
upon its proper subjects, in its operation upon both the just and
unjust, by darting and impressing these divine rays, divinely
tempered with justice, love, and mercy, by his Almighty fiat,
wherewith he made the world at the beginning, into the very
centre of every soul of the faithful ; purifying them from their
remaining dross, and thereby making them his own asshnhate,
by which they become one with him, as He is one with the
Father, and thus they become partakers of the divine nature.
Then these divine rays of light shall also pierce through the
souls of the wicked ; who being then only an amassed heap of
opaque, dark, indissoluble dross, they can receive no comfort
from them, but are hurt, put to great pain, violent agony, and
exquisite torment by this divine light."
It is here to be observed, that to say ' the Tabernacle
of God is with men,' is to imply that before that time it
was not with men. Accordingly we find that the promise
of our Saviour, ' Lo ! I am with you alway, even to the
end of the world,' has been the subject of great dispute.
Thus Maldonatus, Matthew xxviii. ; —
" Various are the opinions of ancient authors concerning the
interpretation of this passage. Some are of opinion that Christ
did not speak of the Human, but of the Divine nature, in which
he is everywhere present ; such as St. Augustin and St. Ful-
gentius. . . . Others interpreted it of the Divine Providence, by
which God is said to be more present to men than to things
inanimate, and in this respect rather among the just than among
the unjust  To me Chrysostom, Jerome, Prosper, Bede, and
Euthymius seem best to have expounded the passage as mean
ing, that Christ spoke not only of his Divine but also of his
Human presence ; not that as he is Man he would be present in
body with the apostles ; but that he calls his favor and his help

VERSE III.] "tabernacle." 503
his presence, which he would afford to the apostles not only as
God but also as Man."
The tabernacle of God, however, is not merely the favor
or the help of God, but the Divine Humanity ; hence we
must seek a higher and more specific meaning of the words,
' the tabernacle of God is with men.' Accordingly, Calmet
observes, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" God had promised on another occasion to his people, that
'he would place his tabernacle in the midst of them. He had
performed his word in one sense, in giving to the Hebrews marks
of his presence in his tabernacle and in his temple. Something
more than this he has done for Christians ; in giving them Jesus
Christ incarnate and sacrificed for us; and afterwards, by the con
tinuation of his incarnation and his sacrifice, present among us in
the sacrament of his body and his blood. StiU it is not there that
is the consummation of the promise of the Saviour ; it perfectly
fulfils itself only in heaven, and in the heavenly Jerusalem ;
where the elect, united together again without any admixture of
strangers, compose the true people of God."
We have seen however in Vol. Ill, p. 6 of the present
work, that notwithstanding the alleged real presence of the
body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament, the Humanity
of Christ is affirmed to be absent in heaven, and hence
that it is not with men, since there is required a Vicar or
representative of the Humanity in the person of the Pope.
In the same sense the Tabernacle of God is not with men.*
This remark prepares us for the second interpretation
of the Tabernacle of God, as signifying the church.
Hence Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 829 ;
" The tabernacle of this hfe is the church militant, as we
have already stated. This is that tabernacle of which the Lord
spake in Amos ix, 11 ; 'After this I will return, and wiU build
again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down ; and I will
build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up ; that the
* Suarez observes ; " The power communicated to the Humanity of Christ is
not the very omnipotence of God, but a certain power of excellency over all crea
tures, which does not require a real presence in all creatures. ' ' (Treatise on the In
carnation, p. 439.)

504 spiritual exposition. [chap. xxi.
residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles
upon whom my name is called,' &c. This prophecy is quoted
by St. James in the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apos
tles; in which passage the tabernacle of David is called the
church, both because in the time of David it had a glorious
standing, as well as because Christ the Lord, who is the head of
the church, was an offspring from David the king. It is caUed
a tabernacle because it is a defence from rain and storms. Hence
Esaias says in chap, iv, 6 ; ' The tabernacle shaU be a shadow in
the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge, and for a
covert from storm and from rain.' Now the wall which sur
rounds the church is the faith which has been overthrown by va
rious errors and false interpretations of the Sacred Scriptures ;
nay, immediately after the flood this wall fell down, nearly all
mankind declining into idolatry. But the fall of this tabernacle
Christ the Lord and his disciples repaired ; by reason of whose
doctrine and preaching idolatry ceased throughout the world,
and Jews and GentUes were called to the true faith."
We have seen however throughout the Apocalypse, that
the true faith has been again overthrown by various errors
and false interpretations of the Scriptures ; that the Taber
nacle has been blasphemed, chap, xiii, 6 ; that the two
Tables of Witness in the ark have been destroyed, chap.
xi, 7, and that as such the old economy is represented as
having departed, and a new one introduced ; so that we
may apply the remark of A Lapide on Isaiah iv, 6, —
..." When the ark was taken by the Philistines in the time
of Heli, the wife of Phineas said ; ' The glory of Israel is de
parted,' because the ark of the Lord is taken ; and therefore
when she brought forth a son, she called him Ichabod, i. e, where
is the glory ? As much as to say, Fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium, et
ingens gloria Teucrorum, puta Isacidum et Israelitarum."
Gaspar a Melo, however, thinks that the tabernacle
here intended is the church triumphant.
Matthew Hoe, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 323 ; —
" An examination and comparison of the words in Apoc.
xxi, 3, ' Behold, the tabernacle, of God is with men ; and he will
dwell with them, and they shall be his people,' manifestly testify

VERSE V.] "ALL THINGS NEW." 505
that these are the very same words which are found in Ezekiel
xxxvii, 27. Now it is beyond aU doubt that in Ezekiel the pas
sage is treating of the church militant, not of the church tri
umphant ; and that the words in the Apocalypse are taken and
repeated from out of Ezekiel. It is necessary therefore that the
words in the Apocalypse should be understood and explained of
the church militant, no less than the words in Ezekiel."
The passage in Ezekiel, as we have seen, is explained as
alluding to the church militant as well as triumphant, by
Cornelius a Lapide and other writers. Enough however has
been said to shew that the description of the church upon
earth, may extend also to the church in heaven ; since both
are included in one mystical body, and all things in heaven
and earth are now represented as gathered together into
one. Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 4, 5 ; —
" ' And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ;
and death shaU be no more, neither shaU wailing, nor crying,
nor labor, be any more ; for the former things are passed
away,' signifies, that the Lord will take from them all grief
of mind, fear of damnation, of evils and falses from hell,
and of temptations arising from them ; and they shaU not
remember them ; because the dragon, who had caused
them, is cast out. ' And he who sat upon the throne said,
Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me,
Write : for these words are true and faithful,' signifies, the
Lord confirming all respecting the New Heaven and the
New Church after the Last Judgment was executed."
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 835 ; —
" ' These words are most faithful and true.' What words ?
They are these, ' Behold, I make aU things new.' I wiU restore
that which has been corrupted ; I wiU make new that which has
become antiquated ; I whl throw light upon that which has gone
out of use ; and there shaU be nothing imperfect, obscure, or
obsolete. I am able out of stones to raise up sons unto Abra
ham ; out of mortals to make immortals ; out of the corruptible

506 spiritual exposition. [chap. xxi.
to make the incorruptible ; out of the ignoble to make the Ulus
trious ; out of the earthly to make the heavenly : most faithful
and true are the words that ' I make all things new.' "
Moreover, the making all things new is the same with
creating new heavens and a new earth, &c. ; and this, as we
have seen, is the same with the restoration of all things to
order. Hence on Isaiah li, 16, the Assembly explain it
by saying, " All things in the church are made new, Rev.
xxi, 5, and all things both in heaven and earth are restored
and settled, Eph. i, 10."
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' Behold, I make all things new,' that is, God by his Word
will make those who shah diligently observe and rightly discover
the signs of the times, to understand that he is engaged in
making aU things new, and thus that he is true and that he
fulfils his promises. Observe again that the Apostle in 2 Cor.
v., 17, says, ' Behold, aU things are made new ;' yet nevertheless
he was looking forward to other days. For he saw that aU the
old things had not yet so passed away as not to be. And now
finally God here proclaims, ' Behold, I make all things new ;'
for in this avaiuuvmaui there is a progressiveness. ' And he
said unto me, Write : for these words are faithful and true :' as
if he should say, although this may appear to your eyes to be a
mighty undertaking, still hesitate not to write that these things
wiU verily come to pass."
Accordingly Poole in his Comments interprets the
words, ' I make all things new,' to signify, " I wiU put
a new face upon all things ; the state of my people shall
not for ever be a troubled and afflicted state ;" hence also
he explains the new heavens and new earth to signify " a
new and glorious state of things relating to the church"
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 889 ; —
'"Behold, I make all things new.' The subject matter of
the passage is, that after the storms and terrible confusion and
darkness of the former times, by which sacred things had be
come commingled with profane, spiritual things with carnal, and
the faces of aU men had become spread over as with a vail, Is.

verse v.] " all things new." 507
xxv, 7, He would now make new and better times. The phrase
is similar to that of the Lord, Is. xlih, 19 ; to which passage
allusion is here made. This work the Lord began in the time
of the Reformation, as pious men have already seen and re
marked ; but He will bring this great work to completion after
the destruction of the great empire of the Beast."
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 224 ; —
"Christ also, methought, declared, in a most solemn manner,
that this was the glorious change in the face of religion, foretold
by the prophets to be wrought by his divine power and provi
dence : and again gave me in charge to write down the parti
cular descriptions of it, and leave it for the comfort and encou
ragement of aU true Christians in posterity."
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 491 ; —
" Wonder not at this glorious change ; for (saith he) I that
once made ah things, now I make them new, new heavens, new
earth and church,* &c, as to their qualifications : which ' all
things ' relate to the passing of the former things mentioned, ver.
1 and 4, and chap, xx, 11, and shew that the omnipotency and
faithfulness of Jesus Christ is engaged for bringing this about
for his church's comfort, and strengthening of their faith in this
great point."
Robertson, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 451 ; —
" As the apostle Paul words it, concerning the primitive state
of the church, 2 Cor. v, 17, 'Old things are past away, behold !
ah things are become new :' yet none dreams this is to be meant
of heaven, but of the pure state of the Gospel church, in oppo
sition to both Judaism and GentUism. Much more will it be
true, when all the kingdoms of this world shall become the king
doms of our Lord and his Christ : then there will be a wonderful
change upon the face of the church ; yea, and of nature itself,
as we have heard."
GiU, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 857 ; —
" He addresses John, and dehvers the foUowing things to
him ; ' Behold, I make all things new ;' which is to be under
stood not of the renovation of persons at conversion, when a
new heart and spirit are given, and men are made wholly new
* Yet he applies it to the church triumphant.

508 spiritual exposition. [chap. xxi.
creatures ; (for this is the work of the Spirit, and which is done
daily, and is not peculiar to any particular period of time) ; nor
of the renewing of the church-state at the beginning of the
Gospel, when the Jewish church-state and ordinances waxed old,
and vanished away, and a new covenant took place, a new and
living way was opened, and new ordinances appointed, since all
this was before John had this vision ; nor was there any need of
it to represent it to him ; but of the making of the new heaven,
and the new earth, which Christ ascribes to himself, and of his
forming his church anew, making it a new Jerusalem, bestow
ing new glories upon his people, both in soul and body, and so
presenting them to himself a glorious church ; and of the new
administration of his kingdom in a very singular and glorious
manner ; so that it respects a new people, a new habitation, and
a new manner of ruling of them ; all which is his own doing,
and is marvellous ; and because it is a matter of great import
ance, and is wonderful and certain, therefore a 'behold' is pre
fixed to it ; see Is. xlih, 19."
Assembly's Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" When old things were, new must needs succeed. This may
intend the glorious state of God's saints after the resurrection :
or a more ample restoration of the true doctrine and sincere wor
ship of God on earth, before the end."
Jurieu, Accomplishment of the Prophecies, p. 395 ; —
"I am informed, that the learned and famous professor,
Mr. Wittsius, of Utrecht, hath thought fit to declare his mind
on this subject, in some public lectures. I am told, that he
agrees with me concerning a great change, which is to be in the
church, before the end of the world, with respect to manners,
union in doctrine, and the spreading of the Christian faith, as
well among the Jews, as among the nations which as yet are
Pagan." Fleming observes also in his Treatise on the First Re
surrection, p. 159; —
"And now, that I have mentioned this period once more, I
shall take my leave of it, at present, after I have added one
thing; viz, that it is my humble opinion, that, when that glo
rious state of the militant church comes, there will be some

VERSE V.J "ALL THINGS NEW." 509
very eminent discoveries of the truths of God, and some peculiar
prophetical manifestations of what is to follow."*
We may here add the following applications of these
remarks to the present age.
In his Life and Correspondence, Dr. Arnold remarks,
vol. i, p. 311 ; —
" However, whether this be a real sign or no, I believe that
' the day of the Lord' is coming, i. e, the termination of one of
the great di&ves of the human race ; whether the final one of all
or not, that I believe no created being knows or can know. The
termination of the Jewish aicov in the first century, and of the
Roman dtcov in the fifth and sixth, were each marked by the
same concurrence of calamities, wars, tumults, pestilences, earth
quakes, &c, aU marking the time of one of God's peculiar sea
sons of visitation. And society in Europe seems going on fast
for a similar revolution, out of which Christ's church will emerge
in a new position, purified, I trust, and strengthened by the de
struction of various earthly and evil mixtures that have corrupted
it. But I have not the slightest expectation of what is com
monly meant by the Millennium, and I wonder more and more
that any one can so understand Scripture as to look for it."
Ibid, p. 312 ;—
" But my sense of the evils of the times, and to what pros
pects I am bringing up my children, is overwhelmingly bitter.
AU in the moral and physical world appears so exactly to an
nounce the coming of the ' great day of the Lord,' i. e, a period
of fearful visitation to terminate the existing state of things,
whether to terminate the whole existence of the human race,
neither man nor angel knows, — that no entireness of private
happiness can possibly close my mind against the sense of it."
Church of England Quarterly Review, June, 1844,
p. 99;— " The age in which we hve is one affording subject matter
for solemn thoughts and deep reflection. It is full of signs and
portents ; it contains in its experience the summing up of the
* See also the author of Catholica Doctrine, p. 490, who both there and in
other places, speaks of a New Dispensation upon earth which is to succeed the
present ; see also Lectures on the Jews, by Dr. Mc Neile, Abdiel, &c.

510 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
past, and, in its continually advancing progress, an inductive rea
lization of that future in the hope of which holy men have lived
and died. A new dispensation is in the dawn ; and though it
cannot shine forth with glorious effulgence till the present has
utterly fulfiUed its work and passed away ; yet there are signifi
cant indications on every hand that some mighty event is not
far distant, which philosophers may caU a ' great moral revolu
tion,' but which the Christian believes to be the period spoken
of by St. Paul, as that for which ' the whole creation groaneth
and travaheth in pain ;' for which ' the earnest expectation of the
creature waiteth' — 'the manifestation of the sons of God' —
' the dehverance of the creature itself from the bondage of cor
ruption into the glorious liberty of the chhdren of God.' "
Westminster Review, January, 1850, art. Beligious
Faith, p. 406 ;—
"We are passing through a solemn moment — men of aU
sects and religions, however they may be opposed to each other
in doctrines — men of every creed and men of no creed at all,
are nevertheless of one accord in believing that some great
change is at hand ; they are ' as men who watch for the day ;'
they look for some presh dispensation which wUl reconcile the
confusion and contradiction in which the world is lying, and
which shall combine in a new creation the social elements
which are now struggling in a disorganized chaos, and which
shall realize ' the new heaven and the new earth ' which Christians
have been taught to expect from the beginning of Christianity.
There is one aspiration throughout the world in which aU men
join— 'the MUlennium' of the Christians and the Utopia of
the Socialist is expressed in the same word — and that word is
UNITY." The same anticipation is vindicated upon purely philo
sophical principles, in a work entitled The Theory of Human
Progression ; in which it is maintained that if the sciences
continue to advance, as they have hitherto done, they must
end in the method of synthesis, and so run parallel with
revelation.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 6 — 8; —

VERSE Vl.J "ALPHA AND OMEGA." 511
" ' And he said unto me, It is done,' signifies, that it is
divine truth : 'lam Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
the end,' signifies, that the Lord is God of heaven and
earth, and that all things in the heavens and earths were
made by him, and are governed by his Divine Providence,
and are done according to it : 'I will give unto him who
is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely,' sig
nifies, that to those who desire truths from any spiritual
use, the Lord will give out of himself through the Word
all things conducive to that use : ' he who overcometh shall
hereditarily possess all things, and I will be unto him a
God, and he shall be unto me a Son,' signifies, that they
who overcome evils in themselves, that is, the devil, and do
not yield or sink when they are tempted by the Babylo
nians and Dragonists, wiU go to heaven and there live in
the Lord, and the Lord in them : ' but the fearful, and the
unfaithful, and the abominable,' signifies, those who are in
no faith, and in no charity, and thence in aU kinds of evils :
' and murderers, and whoremongers, and enchanters, and
idolaters, and liars,' signifies, all those who make no account
of the commandments of the Decalogue, and do not shun
any evils therein mentioned as sins, and therefore live in
them : ' shall have their part in the lake which burneth
with fire and sulphur,' signifies, their portion in hell where
are the loves of what is false and cupidities of what is evil :
' which is the second death,' signifies, damnation."
It has already been observed that the title Alpha and
Omega has relation to the Lord in the character of Judge
and Creator, in which character the Lord reduces all things
to order. It is this reduction to order which is now com
pleted, and in reference to which the words are uttered,
' It is done.' Hence Cocceius observes on the title Alpha
and Omega, that the Lord intimates that " although he is
the Beginning of all things, he is now likewise the End,

512 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
and recalls all things to himself, that in his own people he
•may be glorious."
By the 'fearful' are indicated those who have no faith,
' Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith ?' Matt, viii, 26.
In the present case it may allude to those who enter not into
the New Jerusalem by reason of fear. Thus John vii, 13 ;
' Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the
Jews. John ix, 22 ; ' These words spake his parents be
cause they feared the Jews : for the Jews had agreed al
ready that if any man did confess that he was the Christ,
he should be put out of the synagogue.' Acts v, 13 ;
' And of the rest durst no man join himself to them ; but
the people magnified them. And believers were the more
added, to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.'
By the ' unbelieving ' are meant also the unfaithful. It
had previously been said, ' Write, for these words are true
and faithful ;' and the words meant are those which had
immediately preceded ; ' Behold, I make all things new.'
Hence the unbelieving may signify those who placed no
confidence in this promise, or who did not believe it when
it came to be fulfilled.
The ' abominable ' are those who drink of the abomina
tions of Babylon, or who hold out the cup of abomination
to others, chap. xvii.
'Murderers' are treated of in Vol. II, p. 122, 158,
339, 343 ; Vol. Ill, p. 400, and other places ; and ac
cording to Haymo, Ansbert, &c, the name here compre
hends those who hold each other in hatred.
' Whoremongers ' are treated of in Vol. I, p. 355 ; Vol.
IV, p. Ill, 211.
'Sorcerers' are treated of in Vol. II, p. 343, 375 •
Vol. IV, p. 287.
We may further add, that in his Dissertations on the
Apocalypse, p. 109, Dr. Tillock considers the term to

VERSE VIII.J "liars," &c. 513
mean " sophisticated doctrines, sophisticators of the truth."
See also Da Sylveira, chap, xxi, p. 504.
' Ldolaters ' are treated of in Vol. I, p. 331 ; Vol. Ill,
p. 416 ; Vol. IV, p. 202 ; and other places.
As to ' liars,' Alcasar says that all those are in Scrip
ture called liars who violate the commandments of God ;
for these are liars, if not in their words at least in their
works, since they perform a practical lie, namely, sin.
Liars, says Gaspar a Melo, include those who renounce the
truth or abjure the faith. In general, liars are those who
speak and teach concerning the false that it is true, and
concerning the true that it is false.
These are all to have their part in the lake which burn
etii with fire and sulphur, the nature of which has been
explained in Vol. II, p. 338 ; Vol. IV, p. 249 ; and other
places. On the words ' Come, and I will shew unto thee the
spouse, the wife of the Lamb,' Haymo observes, that in
this passage John signifies the Church, to which God speaks
by a secret inspiration in the mind, inviting the church
to come with the steps of faith and of love. Who
those are which are designated by John, we have already
stated. They are those who are elsewhere designated by
the elect, and are ' in the kingdom and patience of Jesus
Christ ;' or who patiently await the coming of Christ's
kingdom, and hasten toward it, when coming, with the
steps of faith and of love. These have the faculty to per
ceive the real nature of the New Jerusalem when shewn to
them, and these alone ; others, if they saw, would only
disbelieve. " The Holy City was seen," says De Lyra,
" descending out of heaven from God. For we pray thus,
' Thy kingdom come ;' and we cannot go to it unless it first
come to us." Moreover, this New Jerusalem is said to
have ' the glory of God.'
VOL. IV. L L

514 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 9 — 21 ;
" ' And there came unto me one of the seven angels
who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and
talked with me, saying, Come, I will shew thee the Bride,
the Lamb's wife,' signifies, influx and manifestation from
the Lord out of the inmost of heaven, respecting the New
Church which is to be joined to the Lord by the Word.
' And he carried me away in the spirit upon a great and
high mountain, and shewed me the great city, the Holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,' signifies,
that John was translated into the third heaven, and his
sight there opened, before which was made manifest the
Lord's New Church as to its doctrine in the form of a
city : ' having the glory of God : and the light thereof was
like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone
resplendent as crystal,' signifies, that in that Church the'
Word will be understood, by reason of its being translucent
from the spiritual sense thereof : ' having a wall great and
high,' signifies, the Word in its literal sense, from which
the doctrine of the New Church is deduced: 'having
twelve gates,' signifies, therein all knowledges of what is
true and good, by which man is introduced into the church :
' and over the gates twelve angels and names written thereon,
which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel,'
signifies, divine truths and goods of heaven, which are also
divine truths and goods of. the church, in those knowledges ;
and guards to prevent any one from entering unless he be
in them from the Lord. ' On the East three gates ; on the
North three gates ; on the South three gates ; and on the
West three gates,' signifies, that the knowledges of what is
true and good, in which is contained spiritual life out of
heaven from the Lord, and by which introduction into the
New Church is effected, are for those who are more or less
in wisdom or the affection of truth : ' and the wall of the

VERSE X.J "THE HOLY JERUSALEM." 515
city having twelve foundations,' signifies, that the Word in
its literal sense contains all things of the doctrine of the
New Church : ' and in them the names of the twelve apos
tles of the Lamb,' signifies, all things of doctrine derived
from the Word concerning the Lord, and concerning a life
conformable to his commandments. ' And he who talked
with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the
gates thereof, and the waU thereof,' signifies, that there is
given by the Lord, to those who are in the good of love, a
faculty of understanding and knowing what the quality of
the Lord's New Church is, as to doctrine and its intro
ductory truths, and as to the Word from which they are
derived. ' And the city lieth four square,' signifies, justice
in it : ' the length thereof is as great as the breadth,' sig
nifies, that good and truth in that Church make one, like
essence and form. ' And he measured the city with the
reed as far as twelve thousand furlongs : the length and
the breadth and the height of it were equal,' signifies, the
quality of that church from doctrine shewn, that all things
appertaining to it proceeded from the good of love. ' And
he measured the wall thereof, an hundred forty-four cubits,'
signifies, that it was shewn what the quality of the Word
is in that Church, and that out of it they have all their
truths and goods : ' the measure of a man, which is an
angel,' signifies, the quality of that church, as making one
with heaven. ' And the building of the wall of it was jasper,'
signifies, that aU divine truth in the literal sense of the
Word among the men of that church is translucent from
the divine truth in the spiritual sense : ' and the city was
pure gold, like pure glass,' signifies, that thence all of that
Church is good of love flowing in together with light out of
heaven from the Lord. ' And the foundations of the wall
of the city were adorned with all precious stones,' signifies,
that all things of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem taken
l l2

516 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
from the literal sense of the Word, among those who are
in it, will appear in light according to reception : ' the first
foundation was jasper ; the second, a sapphire ; the third,
a chalcedony ; the fourth, an emerald ; the fifth, a sar
donyx ; the sixth, a sardius ; the seventh, a chrysolite ; the
eighth, a beryl ; the ninth, a topaz ; the tenth, a chryso-
prase ; the eleventh, a hyacinth ; the twelfth, an amethyst,'
signifies, all things of that doctrine in their proper order
out of the literal sense of the Word among those who im
mediately apply to the Lord, and live according to the
commandments of the Decalogue by shunning evils as sins,
for these and no others are in the doctrine of love to God
and love towards their neighbor, which two things are the
foundations of religion. ' And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls, and each of the gates was of one pearl,' signifiesl
that the acknowledgment and knowledge of the Lord
joineth in one all the knowledges of truth and good, which
are derived from the Word, and introduceth into the
Church. ' And the street of the city was pure gold like
transparent glass,' signifies, that every truth of that Church
and of its doctrine is in its form good of love flowing in
together with light out of heaven from the Lord."
In his treatise on Ezekiel, vol. ii, p. 321, it is observed
by Villalpandus, that according to Pradus the ark of the
Testament is frequently called in the Sacred Scriptures the
glory of God; and that we are always to understand that
this is what is signified in Scripture by the ' glory of God,'
unless compelled by the context to assign another meaning.
Moreover on 1 Sam. iv, 21, ' She named the child Ichabod,
saying, The glory is departed because the ark of God was
taken,' Poole in his Comments observes that the ark is
often caUed God's glory. So likewise Dr. Owen in his
Commentary on the Hebrews, vol. iii, p. 104.
On the same chapter in the first book of Samuel the

VERSE Xl.J " GLORY OF GOD." 517
Glossa Ordinaria observes, that the taking of the ark by
strangers signifies the passing over of the Testament to the
nations. So likewise Eucherius. Gregory the Great says
that the ark of God in that passage means " the mysteries
of the Holy Scripture ;" and Dr. Gill intimates the same
when in his remarks on the same passage he observes that
" when the Word, worship, and ordinances of God are re
moved from a people, the glory is gone from them." So
the Comment of the Tract Society.
We thus see how it is that the ' ark of the Testament'
signifies both ' the glory of the Lord ' and ' the Word of
God ;' for the ark contained the two tables which were repre
sentative of the whole Word of God, which Word is called
the glory of God and the glory of the Lord ; for the cloud
pf glory stood over above it.
In conformity with this view of the subject it is ob
served by Rupertus on " the glory and honor of the Son
of Man," Matthew xxvi, vol, ii, p. 692, that the glory of
the Lord is the truth and the Word of the Lord.
This subject however has been explained at large, Vol.
I, p. 226 ; Vol. Ill, p. 488 ; Vol. IV, p. 22 ; from which
it wiU be seen, that by the glory of God is signified the
light of the knowledge of the Word of God : in which
sense also wisdom is described as the brightness of the
everlasting light.
Hence Lowman, speaking of the New Jerusalem, Apoc.
xxi, observes ; —
" The presence of God himself and the Lamb did enlighten
it always without interruption, as the glory of God did the Holy
of Holies in the temple."
" This part of the prophetic description seems to be taken
from the Shekinah or glory of God in the several divine appear
ances. This is represented as a bright and glorious hght : the
Holy of Holies, the seat of God's presence in the temple, had
no other light than that of the Shekinah or the glory that shone

518 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
over the mercy-seat between the cherubim. How strong is this
figurative representation to shew that this happy state of the
church shall be without comparison more glorious than any
former state had been ! The Shekinah or glory of God's pre
sence shaU not be shut up or concealed in one part of a temple,
but shaU be spread through the whole extent of this spacious
city, and every inhabitant shall enjoy the fuU fehcity repre
sented by it."
In a similar manner we read in the Apocalypse, chap.
xv, 8, Vol. IV, p. 22, that ' the temple was filled with
smoke from the glory of God.' Accordingly it is stated,
in the interpretations of that passage, that the smoke sig
nified in a good sense the arcana, judgments, or mysteries
of the Word of God. Moreover the Four Living Creatures
in chap, iv. Vol, II, p. 36 ; Vol. IV, p. 17, signified also
the Word of God in its four several aspects. So again
chap, xiv, 16. The 'white cloud' was seen to signify the
Word of God. See also Vol. I, p. 226.
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' 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 Testa
ment language, is to be a glorious church, Eph. 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." It may here be further observed that ' the glory of God'
is the same with the Cherubic glory ; which, as we have
likewise seen, is the same with that of the Word. De
Lyra says it means the clear vision of God. As the glory
had departed from the former church, so it is now espe
cially mentioned as being with this church.
It is said of the New Jerusalem that ' her light was

VERSE XIV.J " TWELVE FOUNDATIONS." 519
like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone,
clear as crystal. For an account of the jasper, see Vol.
II, p. 20.
Moreover ' the city had a waU great and high.'
By a wall, says Grotius, is meant the doctrine of the
Gospel. So Hammond. Walls shut out the enemy, says
Grotius, and keep the citizens safe. Alexander de Hales
says, in regard to the church militant, that " the wall is the
canonical Scriptures, the Catholic faith, men who wait upon
God." Walls, says Vitringa, define and circumscribe cities,
and in this sense they figuratively represent the canons of
faith and discipline. Vitringa likewise interprets the wall
to signify also the doctrine of the Gospel.
' The wall had twelve gates.' The gates are ways by
which entrance or introduction is effected into the city.
Now a gate, says Franciscus a Jesu Maria, is " the doctrine
of the Gospel," or again, the doctrine of the twelve apostles.
Similar is the interpretation of Da Sylveira and various
other authors. By the twelve gates then are signified all the
truths of the Word introductory to the New Jerusalem,
and adapted to the states of those who come from the east
and from the west, from the north and from the south.
As by ' twelve gates ' are signified all introductory truths,
so by ' twelve foundations ' are signified all fundamental
truths ; for the wall is described as having twelve founda
tions. Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" The wall is the city itself which has twelve foundations,
because its consistence is in the doctrine of the apostles and pro
phets ; the foundation of which foundations is Christ, of whom
Paul says ; ' Other foundation can no man lay save that which
is laid, namely, Jesus Christ.' "
De Lyra, Alcasar, and others are of opinion that the
twelve foundations of the wall are the twelve articles of
faith contained in the Apostles' Creed, which according to

520 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
them contain the fundamental truths of the Christian reli
gion, each precious stone being appropriated to signify
some corresponding and fundamental article in the Creed.
In order however to shew how these foundations have
been broken up, it is only necessary to quote Mr. Palmer's
Treatise on the Church of Christ, vol. i, p. 124, on "the
Doctrine of Fundamentals ;" —
"Waterland observes, with perfect truth, that there are
' almost as many different rules for determining fundamentals,
as there are different sects or parties,' and thus, 'that which
might otherwise serve (if all men were reasonable) to end all
differences, has itself been too often made one principal bone of
contention.' Accordingly, having himself first laid down the
Christian covenant and its parts, as the rule for determining
fundamentals, he proceeds to detail the different rules of other
writers as follows. (1.) Some regard the definition of the church
as the rule of fundamentals. (This is the doctrine generaUy
maintained by Bomanists, as we may see in Knott the Jesuit,
Tournely, BaUly, and other of their divines.) (2.) Some regard
whatever is asserted in Sacred Scripture as fundamental. (3.)
Others hold everything that is expressly taught in Scripture to
be fundamental, and nothing which is not so taught. (4.) An
other rule is, that what Scripture has expressly declared neces
sary is alone fundamental. (5.) Several eminent writers, as
Petit, Usher, Davenant, Cahxtus, Chillingworth, Stilhngfleet,
Tillotson, Whitby, &c, have referred to the Apostles' Creed as
the rule and sample of fundamentals. (6.) Others, with the
Arian Clarke, teach that the fundamentals of rehgion are defined
by Hebrews vi, 1, 2, and that we may differ about everything
else. (7.) Locke and others regard the profession of faith made
by converts to Christianity in the apostolic age, viz., ' that Jesus
is the Messiah,' as the only fundamental. (8.) Universality of
agreement among Christians so caUed, is the rule of funda
mentals with some. (9.) Herbert and other infidels regarded
the universal agreement of the whole race of mankind as the
true measure of fundamentals. (10.) Some throw off all con
cern for a right faith as insignificant, and comprise aU funda
mentals in the single article of a good life, as they call it ; to.

VERSE XIV.J "TWELVE FOUNDATIONS." 521
which some are pleased to add faith in the divine promises.
(11). Some consider professed love to the Lord Jesus Christ as
the only fundamental."
" As it might be conjectured from the infinite variety and
contradiction of the above definitions and rules, there is the
greatest difficulty and uncertainty as to what doctrines are fun
damental. ChiUingworth declares that the variety of the cir
cumstances of different men, ' makes it impossible to set down
an exact catalogue of fundamentals,' and he is obliged to pro
pose, as the only security against fundamental error, the belief
that Scripture is true, and that it contains all things necessary
to salvation ; and the endeavor to find and believe the true sense
of it. Now if it be impossible to determine practically what are
fundamentals in Christianity, the distinction is surely not avail
able for practical purposes. Knott the Jesuit, Tournely, Bailly,
&c, regard aU the definitions of the Synod of Trent as funda
mentals. ChiUingworth holds nothing fundamental beyond the
Apostles' Creed. Others regard some of its articles as not fun
damental. Laud esteems not only the creed, but some deduc
tions from it, fundamental. Locke includes the Socinians,
Arians, and all other Unitarians among those that believe funda
mentals. Jurieu, and others, exclude all that do not believe the
Trinity. In short, this term is used in an infinite variety of
different senses, according to contradictory rules, and with con
tradictory conclusions."
With respect to the names of the twelve apostles
written on the twelve foundations of the wall of the New
Jerusalem, Robertson observes, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p.
459;— " This is not to be meant of the apostles personaUy, but of
their doctrines ; just as the law and the Old Testament pro
phecies are called Moses and the prophets, Luke xvi, 29, ' They
have Moses and the prophets ; yet aU of them were dead long
before.' But the meaning is, they have the law Moses dehvered ;
and the sermons the prophets preached : so at that time they
wUl have all the writings of the apostles ; i. e, the whole New
Testament, according to which that state of the church will be
exactly framed." So Cocceius.

522 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
' And he who talked with me had a golden reed to
measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall
thereof.' The signification of measuring has already been consi
dered in chap, xi, 1, Vol. Ill, where John is commanded
to rise and measure the temple. The measure here signi
fied by the 'golden reed' is, says Albertus Magnus, 'sacred
doctrine! Alexander de Hales says that it is wisdom, which
is called a measure, because ' wisdom hath ordered aU things
in number, weight, and measure ;' and that the wisdom
here meant is that which is contained in the Sacred Scrip
ture. The 'golden reed! says Gaspar a Melo, is "the
wisdom of Christ, and his just judgment shining with the
gold of divine wisdom." Anselm Archbishop of Canter
bury says, that " the measure is the Divine Scripture, and
that it is golden because it is composed by the wisdom of
God." A similar interpretation is given by Haymo, and
by B. Gregory on Apoc. xi, Vitringa, Poole in his Com
ments, and numerous other authors ancient and modern.
We may further add that Cardinal Hugo interprets it as
signifying that " an understanding of the Scriptures is now
given to each person of inferior inteUigence according to
his capacity, and a divine knowledge in regard to what is
to come to pass."
The Glossa Ordinaria says ; —
" The golden reed is the Divine Scripture composed by the
wisdom of God, which comes into contact with the hearts of the
faithful and gives them illustration. To measure the city and its
gates, signifies to give to the less inteUigent, according to the
measure of their capacity, the understanding of the Scriptures."
As then we have seen that by the city is meant the
church, so here it is signified that the quality of this church,
which is the New Jerusalem, can be perceived only by per
ceiving the measurements made by the golden reed in the
hands of the Lord ; hence by being gifted with that divine

VERSE XVII.J " MEASURE OF A MAN." 523
wisdom from out of the Word which alone can enable us
to form a just estimate of the nature of the New Church
descending from God out of heaven. Any other measure
is to be repudiated as being of human fabrication.
Moreover, ' the city lieth foursquare.'
Gagneus, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
"Length is the contemplation of things far removed from
human comprehension, such as of things divine, nay, even of
God himself ; breadth is the love of God, and charity ; which
things are equal ; because the more profoundly the blessed con
template God, so much the more fervently do they love him."
Similar is the interpretation of Haymo, and as a whole
it is substantially the same with that of Swedenborg ; the
only difference being that length is interpreted by him to
signify love, and breadth to signify truth ; and the reason
is, because length or longitude, as in the case even of ter
restrial admeasurements, is in the direction from east to
west or vice versa, and east and west have relation to states
of love ; latitude is in the direction from north to south or
vice versa, and has relation to states of illumination of the
understanding. Hence in the New Jerusalem love and
wisdom, charity and faith are proportioned to each other.
The degree of light in the understanding does not exceed
the degree of love or affection in the wfll, and hence the
degree of corresponding practice, but the two are in just
proportion to each other ; neither is one doctrine magnified
to the diminution or disparagement of another.*
It is further said, ' He measured the wall thereof, a
hundred and forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, which
is of an angel.'
Swedenborg, Apocalypse Revealed, art. 910; —
" ' The measure of a man, that is, of an angel,' signifies,
the quality of that Church as making one with heaven. By
* This subject may be further illustrated by the remarks of Turretin, Institutio
Theologian, vol. iii., p. 681.

524 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
measure is signified the quality of a thing ; by a man, here,
is signified the church as consisting of men, and by an
angel is signified heaven as consisting of angels ; therefore
by the measure of a man, which is of the angel, is signified
the quality of the church in that it constitutes a one with
heaven. By man in the Word is signified intelligence and
wisdom derived from the Word ; and intelligence and wis
dom derived from the Word in man, constitute the Church
with him ; hence by man in the concrete or in general,
that is, when a society or assembly is caUed a man, in a
spiritual sense, is meant the Church ; hence it is, that the
prophets were caUed Sons of Man, and that the Lord him
self called himself the Son of Man, and the Son of Man is
the truth of the church derived from the Word ; and when
said of the Lord, is the Word itself from which the church
exists. By an angel three things are signified ; in a su
preme sense, the Lord ; in a common sense, heaven or a
heavenly society ; and in a particular sense, divine truth ;
that these three things are signified by an angel, may be
seen, n. 5, 66, 170, 258, 342, 344, 415, 465, 644, 647,
648, 657, 718 ; here it signifies heaven, with which the
Lord's New Church will make one. That the Church,
which is a Church from the Word, and thus from the Lord,
is in consociation with heaven, and in conjunction with the
Lord, may be seen above, n. 818 ; but it is otherwise with
a Church which is not from the Word of the Lord."
As the ' measure of a man is here mentioned, so in
chap, xiii. Vol. Ill, p. 438, we find mention ofthe 'num
ber of a man ¦' and it was there seen that in a good sense
man signified the church, as to wisdom, knowledge, under
standing in regard to the Word of God ; also, in an evil
sense, the church as to its corruptions of the Word, desig
nated by the number 666. In the latter case the measure
is indicated by number, in the former by magnitude.
According to Villalpandus, the measure of the Temple,

VERSE XVII.J "MEASURE OF A MAN." 525
as given in Ezekiel, is also the measure of a man ; for the
three divisions, namely, the Holy of Holies, the Sanctuary,
and the Courts, correspond to the three divisions in the
body of a man, viz, the head, the trunk, and the legs and
feet ; and hence in vol. ii, chap, xxxi, p. 471, he shews
that the whole arrangement of the Temple is taken from
the symmetrical proportions of the human form ; also in
the chapter following, that the measure of the Temple, as
being the measure of a man, is that of Jesus Christ him
self, of whom the Temple was representative.
In the present case, however, it is said not that the
measure of the Temple but that of the wall of the city was
the measure of a man, that is, of an angel ; and by the wall
of the city, i. e., the city in its extreme boundaries, we have
seen to be signified the doctrine of the Gospel, or in general
of the Word of God : in the present case this waU is mea
sured not by the Church but by the Angel who measures
the Church, and that Angel is in the supreme sense Christ
himself; shewing thereby the perfect conformity which ex
ists between himself and his church ; hence between the
church of angels or the church triumphant, and the church
of men or the church militant ; in other words, demon
strating by actual admeasurement that all things in heaven
and in earth are now gathered together into one, and, as
such, are reduced into perfect order, symmetrical proportion,
and conformity of parts ; the church in heaven being called
an Angel on the same principle that the church on earth is
called a Man.
Moreover as the Lord himself is caUed a man, and the
church also called a man, so is the Word of God likewise
called a man.
Thus Mosheim, De Bebus Christianorum, treating of
the Third Age in the History of the Christian Church,
p. 638, says, that according to Origen, —

526 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
" The Sacred Scripture resembles a man. For in like manner
as, according to Plato, a man consists of three parts, the
rational soul, the sentient soul, and the body ; so likewise the
divine books possess a threefold sense ; the body, that is, the
historical and grammatical sense ; the soul, that is, the moral
sense ; lastly, the spirit, that is, the mystical or spiritual sense."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 22 ; —
" ' And I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God
Omnipotent and the Lamb is the temple of it,' signifies,
that in this Church there will not be any external separated
from what is internal ; because the Lord himself in his
Divine Humanity, from whom is derived the aU of the
Church, is alone approached, worshipped, and adored."
Now the whole scene of the Apocalypse is more or less
connected with the temple. Moreover it is observed by
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 580 ; —
" In this passage John declares, ' I saw no temple therein,'
namely, in that heavenly city. But how then is it said in chap.
xvi, ' I heard a great voice out of the temple :' again, ver. 17,
' And there came a great voice out of the temple from the throne ?'
Moreover in various passages heaven itself is called a temple,
since it is the habitation of God and of the saints," &e.
The answer is that the ' temple ' has here a different
signification. De Lyra, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" The worship of God in the time of the Old Testament was
figurative in respect of the worship adumbrated in the time of
the New. 1 Cor. x. ; ' All things happened to them in a figure.'
The worship under the New Testament, again, is figurative in
respect of the worship in heaven ; for the church militant repre
sents, as best it may, the things which are heralds of the things
in heaven; whence it is said that the church represents the joys
of our mother which is above, which representation is made in
a material temple by services of the body. Whereas the state
of blessedness above is not figurative of anything waited for
or not in possession ; for God is there beheld in clearness, and
is there possessed and adored presentiaUy. For this reason

VERSE XXII.J "NO TEMPLE." 527
says John, ' I saw no temple therein,' because God is not wor
shipped there in a representative manner, but presentially."
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 903 ; —
" That is to say, God, according to the promises formerly
given to the church, would at this time most especially shower
down upon it the gifts of his Spirit, and would in this respect
demonstrate that he would dwell in it not typically but truly,
and would enlighten it with his glory. The whole church there
fore would be a temple of God ; or, God and the Lamb would
confer upon it in truth, that which formerly in his terrestrial
sanctuary he bestowed upon the Israelites after a typical manner.
For this blessing was the typical presence or dwelling of God
(Shekinah) among the Israehtes, as shewn in the external
symbol of the divine glory resting upon the ark ; which very
thing he would now present truly and after a spiritual manner,
by his gracious and glorious indwelling in the church."
Lauretus, art. Templum ; —
" They who say, ' The temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord, the temple of the Lord are we,' Jer. vii, are those who
boast of the external worship of God, and have no care for its
internal. And this they say by a threefold falsehood, who
desired to trust in the temple, without works." Glossa Ordinaria.
The state of the church therefore here presented by
John is that in which we no longer see through a glass
darkly or in enigma, but face to face.
With a view to a further illustration of this subject, it
is to be observed that John was carried away in spirit to a
great and high mountain, signifying the third or highest
heaven. It has already been stated that there are three heavens ;
the first is in a state of love, hence also of wisdom ; the
second in a state of intelligence, hence also of love ; the
third in both combined, but in a comparatively external
degree. These statements moreover we have seen au
thorized by Dionysius, B. Gregory, Cyril of Alexandria,
Petavius, and others. We may here further add the au-

528 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
thority of Aquinas, and also of Suarez De Angelis, where
the subject is treated of at large.
It is then of the highest heaven where truth is seen in
its celestial form, that John is here speaking ; which heaven
corresponds, as already stated, to the Holy of Holies, in
which was the Shekinah, or the glory of God.
Now the Church on earth, called the New Jerusalem,
is one which is described as corresponding to this heaven,
in which truth is seen in its celestial form, and which is
therefore represented as having the glory of God.
Such a state of the church cannot be suddenly brought
to pass ; there must be trials and purifications of the soul ;
reason itself must be purged and enlightened; for it is
through the medium of rational truth that the church is
brought to this state, and enabled finally to see intuitively.
Reasoning however is but the staff which aids the pilgrim
on his road, and which, as soon as he has arrived at his
home, he lays aside as having no further use of it.
Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 872 ; —
" The worship that shall then be in use, shall be most simple
and most pure ; not obscured with any of those legal rites which
God did institute of old to continue thl the time of reformation,
much less with any devices and patcheries of human rites ; but
it shall be such as by means whereof God shall shew himself to
be present amongst men in a most simple and familiar manner."
Assembly's Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" If it be understood of the last church on earth, then it
signifieth, that the worship of God shall be more pure and spi
ritual, and like to the heavenly, than ever before."
Bickersteth, The Promised Glory of the Church, p.
78;- " Man has ever been prone to glory in the outward distinc
tion : as the cry was of old, ' The temple of the Lord ! the
temple of the Lord !' (Jer. vii, 4,) so the cry now is, ' The
ehurch ! the church !' But, my brethren, the true church, for

VERSE XXII.J "NO TEMPLE." 529
ever blessed of God, hitherto does not consist, and never did
consist, of any perfect visible establishment here on earth.
During the absence of Christ, the Church is here as in a wilder
ness, it is a gathering of his people, not only out of the world,
but also out of the risible Church ; a gathering that has been
going on in every age. Part of this Church is now with the
Lord ; the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures sur
round his throne above : part of this church is militant here on
earth ; some of this part being found in every denomination of
Christians holding the head, not excluding the Church of Rome
itself : part is yet uncalled, and now dead in sins, children of
wrath even as others. (Eph. i, 22; ii., 1 — 3; iii, 10 — 21; v,
25—27 ; Col. i, 18 ; Heb. xii, 23.) This Church will never be
perfect, either in its individuals now in heaven (Heb. xi, 40), or
now on earth, or in its completed number ; the Bride will never
be ready for the glorious Bridegroom, nor the first fruits unto
God and the Lamb be all presented — -thl the Lord shall return
in his glory. Then we shall have the completed general assembly
and Church of the first-born visible in its full glory ; that Holy
Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory
of God gathered from aU countries, all kingdoms, all periods,
aU ages ; and from every tongue and every chme ; and with one
voice they whl sing, ' Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb.' Here, and not in any ficti
tious and usurped supreme head upon earth, and any fancied
perfect unity during the absence of our Lord, is animating new
and old truth, which we need to lift us out of the wretched lit
tleness of our present contractedness of talking of a Catholic
Church, and boasting in our partialities as Catholic doctrine, and
glorying in apostohc succession, of which Antichrist can make
an equaUy fair show in the flesh, whUe we lose sight of the spi
ritual and heavenly glories of the church of the living God."
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 232, note ;
"And moreover, I understand it so, that though the first
scenes and remarkable beginnings 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 enor
mous corruptions have had so long a continuance ; yet is it as
VOL. IV. M M

530 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
reasonable to be believed, that there will be a gradual progress
of these happy revolutions, with respect to the most distant of
heathen and infidel nations, and the whole earth be filled with
the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, in the most strict
meaning of abundance of prophetic promises."
' For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the
temple of it.'
TiUock, Dissertations on the Apocalypse, p. 367; —
" In the common version the 22nd verse is rendered, ' And
I saw no temple therein : for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it :' and so also, with trifling variations,
in Tindale's translation, Cranmer's, the Bishop's Bible, the ver
sions of Doddridge, Wynne, Worsley, Newcome, the Unitarian
version commonly attributed to Belsham, the anonymous trans
lation of 1729, the Catholic version of C. N, and the translation
of 1812 by the author of the Christian Code. Nothing can
mark more strongly the force of prepossession than such a
version. The translators seem to have seen that the Lamb as
well as the Theos is declared to be the Temple (or, more cor
rectly, the Sanctuary) ; but, notwithstanding, fully persuaded, in
opposition to John's words, that these two terms indicate two
individuals, they have, as if John knew not what he was saying,
converted his singular verb ' Is ' [\E3TIJ into the plural ' Are !'
Such a bold departure from the original, an<l the error which it
tends to foster and propagate, cannot be too much lamented.
I am happy however to be able to state that several translators
have here given the substantive verb in the singular; as the
Doway version, 'for the Lord God Almighty is the temple
thereof, and the Lamb ;' Webster's translation of Simon's French,
' was the temple thereof, with the Lamb ;' Cooke's translation,
' is the temple of it, and the Lamb ;' Wakefield's, ' is its temple,
and the Lamb :' but, with still more precision as to the identity
required by the original (for the substitute of the temple is
['E^TIJ but One), Haweis renders the passage thus, 'for the
Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, even the Lamb ;' and
Scarlet thus, ' for the Lord God Almighty, even the Lamb, is
its temple.' Either of these two gives, as to identity, the true
sense of the Greek text, in which the expressions 6 0eo? (God)

VERSE XXII.J " LAMB "  " TEMPLE." 531
and ro dpviov (the Lamb), are each a nominative to the verb
singular 'EUTI, and therefore both indicate the same indivi
dual." " Another circumstance may be noted, in passing, respecting
the expression employed by John in this verse, Kvpios 6 0eo? o
vavroKpdrcop, commonly rendered, 'the Lord God Almighty.'
We have seen that the first two of these nouns represent the
Hebrew nouns Jehovah Elohim. Here aU the three are em
ployed as a name of the Creator (for the last term is not in this
place a definition of @eo?, or we should have had along with it
the definition also of Kvpiosi) ; and as the first two represent
Hebrew terms, it seems not unreasonable to conclude, that so
must the last ; and that this is the fact wiU appear erident on
turning to the Old Testament, to discover by what epithet the
name Jehovah is most commonly foUowed, when, in addition to
Elohim, a third term is employed. It wiU instantly occur to
the reader that the word nisiit sabaoth, ' hosts,' or ' armies,' is
often joined to Jehovah and to Jehovah Elohim; and if he
take the trouble to examine the Septuagint he will find that the
Hebrew term sabaoth, when translated (for in that version it is
often retained untranslated, and expressed in Greek characters)
is commonly rendered -rravroKpdrwp. Thus the words — 'rf>n
rrirr niwav Jehovah Elohi sabaoth, Amos iii, 13 ; iv, 13 ; v, 14 —
— 16, 27, &c, usually translated ' the Lord, the God of hosts,'
are, in the Septuagint, rendered, Kupto? 6 @eo? 6 rravroKpdrap,
— the precise words used by John in the passage before us ; and,
therefore, if it be desirable that a uniformity of diction should,
where the expression is identical, pervade the translations of the
Old and the New Testament, the words of John in this place,
and those of the prophet Amos, ought to be rendered in the
same manner ; for there can be no doubt that John is here ex
pressing in a Greek translation, this Old Testament name of the
Creator ; and so also in Eev. xv, 3 ; xvi, 7 ; and xix, 6, — the
only places in which rravroKpdrap is found along with Kvpios
(Jehovah), excepting chap, i, 8; iv, 8; and xi, 17, where, as has
been seen, it is introduced in definitions. It appears also in chap.
xvi, 14, and xix, 15, along with the noun 0eo? ; and in both of
these, the double term seems obviously to mean what John, had
he been writing in Hebrew, would have expressed by Elohi
m m 2

532 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
sabaoth, 'God of hosts,' for, in both, the context has relation to
armed hosts. This term, except in one other place, is found
only in the Apocalypse, a book evidently cast in a Hebrew
mould. The other passage in which it occurs, in the Greek
Scriptures, is 2 Cor. vi, 18, where it is joined to Kvpw ; and
where, I doubt not, the expression, in any Hebrew translation of
the epistle, ought to be Jehovah sabaoth : indeed Paul seems to
have had the Apocalypse fuU in his mind when he wrote this
passage, as may be seen by comparing the context with Eev.
xxi, 3, and xviii, 4."
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" It is subjoined, ' and the Lamb ' in order that the Divinity of
Christ may be manifested; as Ansbert and Eichard of St. Victor
have shewn against certain heretics who deny the divinity of
Christ." Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 508 ; —
" ' The Lamb is the temple thereof.' For verily the Lamb,
which is the temple of God, is the temple of the Holy Trinity ;
and so will continue to be, in respect of the edifice of his body,
in which dweUeth aU the fulness of the Godhead bochly."
Doddridge, Family Expositor, Apocalypse, chap, xxi,
p. 669;— " ' The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of
it.' God was present in Christ his Son, by a more intimate pre
sence than had ever been known upon earth ; and by that pre
sence he made even the whole of the city most holy."
Holden, in his Testimonies to the Divinity of the Lord
Jesus Christ, p. 154 ; —
" Are not God and the Lamb so identified in these expres
sions, as necessarily leads us to infer sameness of nature ?' (See
also the same asserted in p. 153.)
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 568 ; —
" In that he jointly makes God and the Lamb to be that one
temple of the saints, it is a clear argument of Christ's Deity.
For if Christ be the temple of all the saints, of necessity he must
be immense, omnipotent, and infinitely good, as God himself."
Ibid. ;—

VERSE XXII.J "LAMB"  " TEMPLE." 533
" ' And the Lamb is the hght thereof.'] In the light also
he joins the Lamb unto God, to shew that the majesty and
glory of both is equal. For however the Lamb in respect of his
most glorious flesh shaU be under God : notwithstanding in the
majesty of his Deity, he shaU be that one light of the city, with
the Father and the Holy Ghost."
Ibid, chap, xxii, 1, p. 577 ; —
" In that again he placeth God and the Lamb on the same
throne, he manifestly confirmeth that the divinity and majesty
of both is alike. For two unequals cannot sit in the same seat.
He confirms also the unity of both, by what follows ; ' and his
servants shaU serve him :' for the relative avrov and avrco his
and him is referred neither to God alone, nor to the Lamb
alone, but to both as one."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" The light of the Father and of the Son is one, but to be
conceived in different ways ; it emanates from the Father, and
inheres in Christ, who is the express image of his hypostasis,
Heb. i, 3." Cottelerius.
Gill, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 863 ; —
"The Jews expect a third temple, but in vain. For the
Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it ; God
wiU be immediately present with his people, whose face they
shaU see, and whom they wiU serve in a most pure and spiritual
manner ; and Christ in his human nature, in the temple of his
body, that tabernacle which God pitched and not man, which is
filled with the train of the divine perfections and in which the
fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily, wiU be the only medium
ofthe divine presence, and of the communications of glory to men,
and of the saints' praise to God, which wUl be the service they
wiU be employed in ; and the Lamb being joined with the Lord
God Almighty, shews his deity and his equality with his Father."
Assembly's Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' The Lamb is the light thereof.' Even in heaven, all our
communion with God is through Christ. If it be understood of
the church on earth, the sense is ; they shall have so much sweet
communion with God in Christ, that they shall make hght
account of all worldlv contentments."

534 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
Scott, Annotations, Rev. xxii, 22 ; —
" In heaven there will be no need of external symbols of the
Lord's presence; when he shall be fully manifested in his essen
tial glory, as far as his reasonable and holy creatures can
possibly perceive and know him. He wUl be evidently among
them, to communicate unalloyed felicity, and to receive their
adorations ; and the eternal Son in human nature, as ' the
Lamb that was slain,' wUl be ' the temple,' in which ' aU the
fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily ' wiU be made manifest to
the glorified bodies of the saints ; whUst the perfections of the
• divine nature wUl be contemplated as ' with open face,' by the
exercise of their inteUectual powers."
These authors could not fail to perceive that the Lamb
is here described as endowed with attributes of Divinity,
or as being Divine ; but the Lamb, as we have already
seen, signifies the Humanity. We further observe that if
the temple be taken to signify the Humanity, then in that
case it could not be said, consistently with the received
theology, ' I saw no temple therein ;' for it is maintained
that the Humanity is locaUy in heaven ; nor can the ex
pressions be made to refer to the Humanity in any other
sense than as being omnipresent in heaven.
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 23 ; —
" ' And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the
moon, to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it,
and the lamp thereof is the Lamb,' signifies, that the men
of that church will not be in self-love and in self-derived
intelligence, and thence in natural light only, but in spi
ritual light by virtue of the divine truth of the Word de
rived from the Lord alone."
From these remarks it is clear that in the new state of
things signified by the New Jerusalem, the wisdom pos
sessed by the church will be derived from the Lord through
the medium of the divine truth of the Word alone.
The following two kinds of interpretation of this pas
sage, although directly opposed to each other, are never-

VERSE XXITI.J "sun." 535
theless equally instructive, and tend to throw light upon
the true interpretation.
First : it is affirmed that so far from the Word of God
being the source of instruction in this new state of things,
this Word is on the contrary to pass away.
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" By the sun is designated the New Testament, by the moon
the Old Testament. In the state of darkness of this world the
church cannot go on in a straight path without frequent stum
blings if these two luminaries be absent. But in that state
of blessedness where there is no darkness, no stumbling, nothing
uncorrected which can be corrected, the light of the New and of
the Old Testament will not be necessary; for the saints will
enjoy without end the hght of Him who is the Author of light,
and who hghteneth every man that cometh into the world."
Rupertus, Apocalypse, chap, xxi, p. 508 ; —
" To what purpose wiU it then be to seek for the sun or the
moon of the Scriptures, when in his own self, and in the heart
: of the Father wiU be presented to view God the Word ; how
ever necessary the Scriptures may be to direct us to him in this
life ? For hke as in Psalm xix, in which it is said, ' Day unto
day uttereth speech, and night unto night teacheth knowledge ;'
so here also by the sun and moon we rightly understand a greater
and lesser degree of the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, which
in that state wUl not be necessary."
We have seen it maintained by Bozius also, vol. iv,
p. 166, that after the day of Judgment, the church wiU be
in no need of the Scriptures ; which he regards as a good
argument to prove that the authority of the church is above
that of the Scriptures.
Mayer in his work on the Apocalypse, p. 303, observes
that in heaven there will be no further use of the Scrip
tures.* In the Finished Mystery, a work by the Duke of
Manchester, it is said, p. 291 ; —
* See Marckius and Joachim on this passage.

536 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
"With respect to the Sciiptures becoming obsolete, Mr.
Brown and we, I apprehend, partly agree and partly differ. We
both agree in supposing that at no time before the Second
Advent of our Lord will they be unsuitable to the church ; but
that after his appearing they will become so."
In his Treatise on Christ's Second Coming, Mr. Brown
observes, p. 104 ; —
..." Thus one half of the Scripture would be inapplicable to
saints, and the other half to sinners bring after Christ's coming:
in other words, the Scriptures as a means of grace will be put
out of date by the Second Advent. It is a light shining in a
dark place until the day dawn, and nothing more."
Abdiel, Essays, p. 348 ; —
" Startling as it may appear to some, yet I apprehend it will
be found that the Holy Scriptures would for the most part be
rendered inapplicable to the then existing circumstances of men
in the flesh, and that there would need some further revelation
from God."
Similar passages are quoted from the Guide to the
Prophecies, by Mr. Bicker steth ; Lectures on the Jews, by
Dr. M'Neile, Mr. Woodward, &c.
On the other hand, a second kind of interpretation of
this passage is that in virtue of which we are told that it is
not the Word of God that is to become obsolete and to
cease, but the present teaching of the church from out of
that Word ; which are two mightily different things.
Glossa Ordinaria, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' Hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon,' &c, that
is, no need either of a superior or inferior order of preachers."
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" And the city above is in no need of the sun, that is, of any
teaching to inform it with respect to the choice of good ; nor of
the moon, that is, of teaching to inform it with respect to the
rejection of evil; 'to shine in it,' that is, so as for the citizens
to receive hght from acquired learning."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xxii, 5 ; —

VERSE XXIIl.J "sun." 537
" ' There shah be no night there ;' no ignorance ; ' and they
shall need no hght of a candle,' that is, of the teaching of the old
law, or else of the lower order of preachers who illuminate the
night; ' nor of the light of the sun,' that is, of the teaching of
the new law, or of the higher order of preachers."
Ibid, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' And the city had no need of the sun,' namely, no need of
any higher or lower order of preachers ; which those on earth
require for then Ulumination."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, 5 ; —
"And inasmuch as there wiU be no ignorance, therefore,
they wiU be in no need of the light of a candle, that is, of the
teaching of the old law or of any mediocre preacher ; nor of the
light of the sun, that is, of the teaching of the new law, or of
any higher order of preacher."
Ibid, chap. xxi. ; —
'"And the city has no need of the sun, neither of the
moon,' &c. He is here speaking of the ulumination of the soul
with respect to understanding, when he says, ' The city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon,' &c, that is, it had no need
of any greater or lesser degree of teaching. ' To shine in it,5
i. e., so that the citizens should be illuminated interiorly by it,
namely, as ministered either by a higher or lower order of
teachers ; because they shaU aU be taught of God, John vi."*
Franciscus a Jesu Maria, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, 5 ; —
"By a candle, says St. Thomas, may be understood any
teacher endowed with but moderate knowledge ; by the sun, a
teacher endowed with exceUency of doctrine : as if he should
say, they shall not be in need of the teaching of any teacher,
whether small or great."
* Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xxii., 5 ; —
" 'And they shall need no candle,' i. e., teaching ofthe old law, which is a light
lying hidden under figures ; ' nor light of the sun,' that is, teaching of the new law,
which is called the light of the sun by reason of the full manifestation of the truth ;
and he immediately adds the reason why they shall need no light nor instruction from
these ; ' for the Lord God shall give them light,' by displaying to them Himself, who
is the True Light, in whom they will know and most clearly see all things without any
scruple of doubt, Isaiah lx., 19. ' The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither
for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee : but the Lord shall be to thee an
everlasting light," &c.

538 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXI.
The same interpretation is given by Richard of St.
Victor. Those which now foUow assign the reason.
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 240 ; —
" No night, no candle, nor light of the sun. In the further
prophetic sense, the meaning may be well thus : no night of
ignorance, idolatry, and superstition, Rom. xiii, 12. No candle,
no fictitious lights, no false instructions of carnal and artful men,
Is. Ih. ; John ix, 39. Nor sun, i. e, wicked rulers in church
or state, Is. xxiv, 23."
Scott observes on Is. xxiv, 23, that it means all other
real or pretended luminaries will be eclipsed and confounded.
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, 5, p. 498 ; —
"They need no candle, no borrowed or artificial light; dark
ness is removed, and that which was in part, is done away,
1 Cor. xiii. ; and that which is perfect is come, and knowledge
is at a height and perfection : so that though there be candles,
or sun and moon here (and they are needful), yet not so there.
The Lord giveth them light, they have hght, and immediately
from God himself," &c.
Cocceius, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" Although neither this sun nor moon existed, although the
church could not behold then hght, (as in persecutions, im
prisonments, and other vexations, has been frequently the case,)
stih the church is not without its hght. Certainly it wants
not any other Sun to teach, than God ; nor any other Moon to
give it recreation in the night of this life. Moreover in Isaiah
xxiv, 23, it is said that the time would come when God, taking
possession of his kingdom, the sun and moon should be ashamed,
that is, teachers and rulers who arrogate to themselves a greater
authority and power in the church than they are entitled to, shaU
be confounded." Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" Or, in the prophetic sense of sun and moon, no arbitrary
princes or prelates shah rule the church. Such suns and moons
shall be confounded and ashamed, according to Isaiah xxiv, 23."
Vitringa, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
"Allusion is here made to Isaiah lxi, 1, and Zech. xiv, 7,

VEESE XXIII.] "SUN." 539
and these things are to be referred to the present state of the
church as compared with the one preceding. For it was night
before the times of Christ, who, as the sun of righteousness, pro
duced the day by his rising. But this light became overclouded
with afresh darkness, by reason ofthe scandal of idolatry, super
stition, impurity of morals, tyranny, introduced into the church,
which had brought with it great calamities. Thus again was the
veil spread over the face of all nations. But the darkness of this
night being dispelled, and the veil removed, nothing of the like
kind was again to be expected. The hght of science and spi
ritual learning, of hohness, and of the glory of God would shine
throughout the whole world ; and the Christian rehgion chaste
and pure would be recognized by the people in ah its beauty
and splendor, and cultivated with fervent zeal, and those who
participated in this so great a prerogative would reign for ever
and ever."
Thus we see the teachers had arrogated to themselves
a greater authority and power in the church than they were
entitled to ; they had overclouded the light, and introduced
idolatry, superstition, impurity of morals, &c, which was
the true reason why neither the superior nor inferior order
of preachers was any longer wanted. Moreover it has
been seen that the teachers are caUed prophets, and one
main subject of the Apocalypse, has been the Dragon, the
Beast, and the False Prophet, or the prophets who teach
things that are false; and with respect to Babylon, it
has been seen that by the golden cup in her hand full of
abominations was signified her teaching. For ' the golden
cup,' says Cardinal Hugo, signifies " the knowledge of the
Scriptures, which in itself is clear ; ' in her hand,' signifies
her perverse conduct, for it is according to her works that
she expounds the Scriptures ; ' full of abomination,' is fuU
of the error of corrupt exposition."
Such then is the teaching signified by the sun and
moon, and such the teachers ; in which a line of distinc-
tinction is justly drawn between the Scriptures themselves,

540 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
and what is pretended by others to be the teaching of
Scripture. These are two very different things. Accord
ingly the pretended teaching from out of the Word of God
will pass away, and with it the heavens and earth of the
old economy. But the Word of God itself shaU not pass
away, but stand fast for ever. Now the Scriptures are
the written Word of God ; and the reason why the city
had no need of such teaching or teachers as existed before,
is this, that the glory of God itself did lighten it and the
Lamb is the light thereof ; that is, the truth itself as pre
sented to view in the Divine Humanity.
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap. xxi. ; —
" ' The city had no need of the sun,' &c. That is, not that
there would be no need or use of hght, or comfort, or true
religious understanding ; but that these now should so far sur
pass what was formerly enjoyed among Christians, as, in a
manner, to supersede them. Agreeably to those other expres
sions of the prophet Isaiah, concerning this very time of Christ's
kingdom, Is. xxx, 26. 'The light of the moon shall be as
(bright as) the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shaU
be sevenfold,' i. e., aU religious knowledge, and prosperity, shaU
be vastly increased. St. Paul foUows the same style, 2 Cor. iv,
6 ; ' To give us 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."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 24 —
27;— " ' And the nations which are saved shall walk in the
light of it,' signifies, that all who are in good of life, and
believe in the Lord, will there live according to divine
truths, and will see them inwardly in themselves, as the
eye sees objects : ' and the kings of the earth shall bring
their honor and glory into it,' signifies, that all who are in
truths of wisdom, originating in spiritual good, will there
confess the Lord, and ascribe to him all the truth and all
the good that is in them : ' and the gates of it shall not be

VERSE XXIII.] "sun." 541
shut by day, for there shall be no night there,' signifies,
that they wiU be constantly received into the New Jeru
salem, who are in truths originating in good of love from
the Lord, because there is not any false principle of faith
there : ' and they shall bring the glory and honor of the
nations into it,' signifies, that they who enter will bring
with them a confession, acknowledgment, and belief, that
the Lord is the God of heaven and earth, and that all truth
of the church and all good of religion is from him : ' and
there shall not enter into it anything unclean, and that
worketh abomination and a lie,' signifies, that no one will
be received into the Lord's New Church, who adulterates
the goods and falsifies the truths of the Word, and who
doeth evhs from confirmation and thus also falses : ' but
they who are written in the Lamb's book of life,' signifies,
that no others wiU be received into the New Church, which
is the New Jerusalem, but they who believe in the Lord,
and live according to his precepts in the Word."
Father Lambert, in his " Exposition of the Predictions
and Promises made to the Church," vol. ii, chap, xix, pro
poses the question, viz, " Whether it can ever come to pass
that, at the epoch of the grand reign of Jesus Christ upon
earth, God will communicate to his church new lights con
cerning the sense and understanding of the Prophecies of
the Old and New Testament ?"
In answer to which he quotes 2 Tim. ii, 3 ; John xiii,
17 ; xv, 14 ; and thus continues ; —
" We cannot hence conclude that under a different economy
from the one in which we now hve, for example, in the reign of
the* thousand years, God would divest himself of the right and
liberty of teaching his elect truths of which we are ignorant ; of
shewing to them, in the prophecies, depths and marvels which
have been unknown even to the apostles themselves and to the
holy teachers of the ehurch. It would be, observes St. Augustin,
* Not to be literally understood.

542 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
a rashness highly absurd to suppose that Eternal Truth cannot
communicate itself to man in greater abundance than it has
hitherto done."
"It is, indeed, a generally recognized principle, that in heaven
the elect wUl possess a knowledge infinitely superior to that which
they have possessed here below. They wiU see in God truths
and marvels which they had neither known nor suspected so
long as they were upon earth. Why then at the happy epoch,
when the earth* purified, renewed, filled with hohness and justice,
shaU be as the entrance court of the heavenly Jerusalem, may
not the Lord begin to manifest to his children, that which was
absolutely unknown to them in the world as it now is, and which
wUl be unveUed to them plainly in heaven ?"
..." We see in the Apocalypse that the righteous, who by
their patience have triumphed over the malice of Antichrist,
acknowledge with admiration and thanksgiving that the divine
judgments are made manifest to the eyes of the universe, Apoc.
xv, 2 — 4. Thus the order of God's designs with regard to his
church developes itself only by successive degrees, and in the
latter times he makes known to it truths which he had not
communicated to it in previous ages, because these truths were
not then necessary."
" St. Paul, speaking of his rapture to the third heaven, says,
that he heard secret and unspeakable words which it was not
permitted to man to relate. (1.) These secret and unspeakable
words relate to no other than the profound mysteriesf shewn to
the apostle, and the knowledge of which it was not permitted him
to communicate to the faithful of his time. But is it therefore
impossible that God should one day reveal to his church these
same mysteries which he then discovered to St. Paul? It is not
possible to prove by any solid reasoning, or any that is appa
rently so, that such a manifestation is absolutely and for aU
time, contrary to the order of his designs, and to the plan
according to which he has resolved to govern his church untU
its perfect re-union in heaven."
" For any one to maintain the contrary, would be rather to
afford a visible abuse of the authority of the apostle, than for us
* Not to be understood in the literal sense.
t See A Lapide, 2 Cor. xii., 4.

VERSE XXIII.J "sun." 543
to render ourselves liable to the anathema which he pronounces
against any one who declares any other Gospel than that which he
has preached. (2.) This text proves nothing more nor less than
that we ought not under any pretext, to listen to any innovator*
who dares to contradict the doctrine revealed by Jesus Christ to
his apostles, and taught by them to the faithful. Were this in
novator by any impossibility an angel from heaven, we ought to re
pudiate him and pronounce an anathema against his errors. But
it does not hence follow that God cannot, in some future time,
manifest to his children truths and mysteries of which they have
been ignorant down to this day, and impart to those who shaU
be charged to announce them to man, the character of his mes
sengers, and a character so striking that one shall be obhged to
believe them."
" ' Who is there,' says Estius, in explaining the passage in
Galatians i, 8, ' that wUl dare to say anathema to an angel of
heaven who comes to announce a mystery which has not been
yet revealed to men ? and that we ought not rather to give cre
dence to him in like manner as to the other revelations of the
prophets ?' (See Estius, Gal. i, 8.) Whence this theologian con
cludes that by another Gospel which should deserve an anathema
uttered against its author, or announcer, Paul means a Gospel
contrary to that which he had preached ; that we ought conse
quently to reject without examination every doctrine contrary to
that which had been taught by the apostles and fathers of the
church ; but that we ought to receive and approve that which
accords with the dogmas we have received from the fathers in
the faith."
" It may happen then, without making any assault against
the faith, that God may some day make known to his church
truths which are not contained in the sacred depository confided
immediately to the apostles; truths which far from contradicting
the former revelation, will be no other than its complete develop
ment. It is in this way that Jesus Christ makes us very clearly
to understand his meaning when speaking thus to his apostles,
' I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear
them now,' John xvi, 12. On which Augustin makes this re-
* It should be remembered that by Babylon, this author understands the Church
of Rome.

544 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXI.
flection ; ' Perhaps you deshe to know what are the things which
the apostles could not bear at that time. But which of us can
venture to say that he is now capable of believing that which
the apostles were unable either to bear or to comprehend ? And
in like manner neither ought I to expect to be told that which
perhaps I could not comprehend when told me by another ; and
which (although I were so highly pririleged as to be able to
communicate to you things above your comprehension) you
yourselves could not endure.' . . . . ' It would be rashness to
presume or to pronounce what those things are which Jesus
Christ has not told us.' Augustin, Tract 96, on John. But
that which our divine Master did not immediately teU his apos
tles, because they could not endure truths of so high a nature,
could he not at some other time reveal to his church ; at that
epoch above all, when, according to the ancient oracles, he has
resolved to pour down upon it torrents of light and abundance
of benedictions?" " It will be said perhaps that in sending his Holy Spirit to
the apostles, he made them capable of bearing and of compre
hending that which before the Pentecost was above their capa
city; because, according to the promise of Jesus Christ, the Holy
Spirit could not but teach them all truth. And as the apostles
afterwards transmitted viva voce, or in writing, all that they had
learned of this Divine Spirit, and which they had not till then
been able to endure or comprehend, it would seem that we can
not make any use of this text of St. John to estabhsh our
position." " But in order to deprive us of our right to it, it would be
necessary to prove that the truths of which Jesus Christ did not
judge the apostles to be immediately capable, have since that
time been consigned by them to their writings, or that they have
transmitted them by the channel of tradition. It would be,
says St. Augustin, a palpable rashness to be sure without proof;
and it is impossible to bring forward the slightest proof of this
kind capable of making an impression upon a reasonable mind.
Because it pleased Jesus Christ, says this father, to be silent
on things which the apostles could not bear, who wiU dare to
tell us that such and such are the things that were meant ? And
if he cannot dare to say it, how can he dare to prove it ? For

VERSE XXIII.J "sun." 545
although he should speak what were certain truths, would it not
be a foohsh temerity to affirm, without any divine testimony,
that these truths are precisely the same as those which Jesus
Christ desired not to communicate to the apostles ?' "
From these and other remarks Father Lambert proceeds
to conclude that —
..." The truths which by then majestic or terrible moment
would have overwhelmed the spirit of the apostles, are not those
which we read in their writings or that tradition has transmitted
to us, but such as are reserved for a different economy ; and that
while awaiting its arrival, there is no teacher (whatever be the
light, whatever the rank, or whatever the authority he may pos
sess in the church) that can boast of knowing them or of teach
ing them to those who listen."
" The foUowing principles then are certain : 1. That our Lord
permitted the apostles to be ignorant of important truths, be
cause they could not then bear them. 2. That it cannot be
proved in any manner, nor can any one without temerity assure
himself, that our Lord after his resurrection either by himself
or by his Holy Spirit, taught these truths, nor that they make
part of those which we read in their writings, or that we have
learned from tradition. 3. That it is even very probable, accord
ing to the reasoning of St. Augustin, that the truths the imme
diate knowledge of which was refused to the apostles, are of an
order superior to, and different from, those which were commu
nicated to them. 4. That nevertheless the word of Jesus Christ
causes us clearly to understand, that He will some day teach his
apostles that of which He then permitted them to be ignorant.
Now after this may not one say that this would be the time of
the regeneration, in his visible reign,* when he will cause them
to sit upon thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel, and
wUl teach them, and through their medium a new people, the
high truths which were more than they could bear at the time
of their first ministry ?"
" The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians furnishes an addi
tional proof of the truth of our sentiments."
" St. Paul had given viva voce to the faithful of that church,
* Not visible, or personal.
VOL. IV. N N

540 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
important instructions relating to the future apostasy of the
Gentiles, the characteristics and coming of Antichrist, the marks
by which we might recognize the mystery of iniquity, &c. But
these instructions of the apostle have never reached us. (Bos
suet, Preface to the Apocalypse, sec. xxiv.) ."
" See here then the knowledge on matters of rehgion which
the Spirit of God, by the instrumentality of St. Paul, diffused
through the church of Thessalonica, and which has not come
down to us, nor has tradition transmitted it to us. But who shall
dare to assure himself that Jesus Christ wiU not communicate
anew to his church, on subjects so interesting, the same lights,
and even still greater than those which he had imparted to the
holy apostle, and through his medium to the first disciples of
the faith ?"
" The same is the case with the Apocalypse, continues M.
Bossuet. ' The most ancient fathers,' says he, ' far from setting
before us any tradition which had been handed down, offer only
for the most part particular conjectures upon the mysteries of
this prophecy. Whence we conclude that we should torment
ourselves in vain in seeking here for any constant tradition. The
whole affair is one of research and conjecture. It is in histories,
in the relation and series of events, in a word, in the discovery
of some sense consecutive and complete, that we can be sure of
having explained and deciphered, so to speak, this divine book.
We may then without wounding the faith or injuring the church,
suppose that the Apocalypse comprises depths which no one has
yet penetrated, and truths stiU unknown to the pastors and the
faithful, but which God wUl some day unveil to his people. For
the seal which he has put upon the mysteries of this divine book
will be opened sooner or later ; since without this the Spirit of
God would have consigned it to its sacred depository in vain.
Consequently it would be a great temerity to suppose that the
church has nothing more to learn from her divine spouse in
regard to the mysteries of rehgion."
" The plan of God in respect to the church, till the time of
its perfect consummation, is certainly traced in the Scriptures
of the Old and New Testament. But where is the eye suffi
ciently piercing to detect aU its relations and marvels ? The
immense riches comprised in this treasury are not all of them

VERSE XXIII.J "sun." 547
known. The truths and mysteries which the Spirit of God has
concealed in the writings of the prophets, above aU in the Apo
calypse, wiU develope themselves only by little and little,* in
proportion as God wiU open the seals, and communicate to his
church that light which wiU be necessary for her in order to
instruct her children and console and confirm the elect. Whence
it evidently foUows, that the truths which have been hitherto
unknown, or have for a long time lain in obscurity, even in the
bosom of the church, may be perceived in the Holy Books by
theologians whom the Spirit of God shall cause to attend to
them ; and this without any one being consequently enabled to
accuse them of introducing novelties. God performs for his
elect at that time, at least in some respects, that which Jesus
Christ did for his disciples after his resurrection : ' he openeth
their understanding, that they may understand the Scriptures.' "
" The history of religion offers many examples of this prin
ciple, which are to our purpose. One only we shaU select in
place of the rest. The church had been perfectly formed ; the
Holy Spirit had descended in fulness upon the apostles and other
disciples. Jesus Christ had for some time previously opened
their minds that they might understand the Scriptures. And
yet the caUing and conversion of the GentUes, although so often
and so clearly predicted in the Psalms and other writings of the
Old Testament, were to them a mystery concealed. It was
requisite to send an angel and to make an express revelation to
St. Peter, in order to determine him to go to Cornehus. And
when he gave an account of his conduct before the assembly of
the faithful, who had been scandalized by it, the faithful cried
out with the greatest astonishment, ' What ! hath God then
made the GentUes partakers of the gift of repentance, in order
to lead them to hfe eternal ?' Acts xi, 18."
" We must not be astonished, then, that in explaining, as in
chap, xv, the different characteristics of the grand reign of Jesus
Christ upon earth, we have attributed to the faithful who shaU
have the happiness to be admitted there, lights infinitely superior
to those which we are now able to possess in the present state of
the church."
* This is true if applied to the case of individuals, or to general diffusion through
out the world.
N N 2

548 spiritual exposition. [chat. xxi.
The same sentiments which are here advocated by a
Roman Catholic, are thus advocated by a Protestant.
Bickersteth, on the Promised Glory of the Church,
p. 63 ;—
" The second coming of our Lord from heaven, wiU be the
great means of the triumph of divine truth. He returns from
heaven to overthrow all error, and to establish truth and righte
ousness on the earth (Psalm xcri, 13 ; xeviii, 1, 2). He is de
scribed, in the fullest account of this return in the book of
Revelation, as being called Faithful and True. One great de
ceiver, the false prophet, is cast into the lake of fire ; and Satan,
the original deceiver, is bound for a thousand years, previous to
his everlasting punishment. Our divine Redeemer is called
Wonderful, Counsellor ; and it is said, ' of the increase of his
government and peace there shaU be no end, to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth,
even for ever.' Christ is now truly and emphatically the light of
the world, so that at present he that follows him shall not walk
in darkness ; but there is a day yet to come that shall burn as
an oven, to consume all the proud, and aU that do wickedly ;
and in that day, we are assured, ' unto you that fear my name
shaU the Sun of righteousness arise with heahng in his wings.'
After a long dark night, when all our light is but an artificial or
a reflected light, how cheering the rising of a Sun that dispels
the mists and darkness ! Such whl be the effects of an actual
return of our Saviour. We are instructed, the night is far
spent, and the day is at hand. We may be comforted then with
the assurance, that the visible* return of our Lord whl bring to
our earth a fulness of hght and knowledge far beyond anything
human beings have yet known. He who is the Prophet, as well
as the Priest and the King of his church, wiU fiU the whole earth
with his divine truth. He who is Truth itself, wUl, when per
sonally manifested, bless his church, and through them bless
the world with light and glory of which we can now have no
adequate conception. ' What I do, thou knowest not now, but
thou shalt know hereafter.' Thus ah past knowledge and past
* Not visible, nor is our Lord personally manifested. But he comes in the
power and glory of the Word, as already explained.

VERSE XXIII.] "sun." 549
events wUl be as the elementary principles of growing and
enlarging knowledge; the alphabet, the grammar, the dic
tionary, and the language through which we shaU acquhe and
diffuse unceasingly fresh supphes of light and love through
eternity." " The large outpourings of the Holy Spirit in this day of
Christ, wiU be attended with a vast increase of knowledge. ' It
shaU come to pass afterward, that I wiU pour out my Spirit upon
all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shaU prophesy ; your
old men shaU dream dreams, your young men shaU see visions.
And upon the servants, and upon the handmaids, in those days
will I pour out my Spirit.' The return and reign of our Lord
Jesus Christ on earth wiU be accompanied by unprecedented ef
fusions of the divine Spirit ; and this with such enlarged know
ledge, that judgment shaU dwell in the wUderness, and righte
ousness remain in the fruitful field, and the work of righteous
ness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness
and assurance for ever, Is. xxxii, 15 — 17."
" Such are some of the means in store for the full triumph
of divine truth ; and they may lead us to see how deep, how full,
and how extended whl be the ultimate triumph of that truth.
Speaking of that day, the Holy Spirit has declared, ' They shaU
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain ; for the earth
shaU be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover
the sea : and in that day there shaU be a root of Jesse, which
shaU stand for an ensign of the people ; to it shall the GentUes
seek, and his rest shall be glorious.' The sea in its surface is
incomparably the largest extent of unobstructed space which our
earth affords ; it completely covers by far the largest portion of
our world, and the whole of its bed or channel ; and it is in its
greatest depths unfathomable to man. Thus extensive, thus
abundant in our earth, shall be the knowledge of the Lord."
" The church of Christ has promises of perfect knowledge,
full of consolation : ' Now we see through a glass darkly, but
then face to face : now I know in part, but then shaU I know as
also I am known : we know that when he shaU appear we shaU
be like him, for we shaU see him as he is.' "
" The light of divine knowledge will far exceed in glory the
brightness of the sun. ' The sun shall be no more thy light by

550 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAF. XXI.
day, neither for brightness shaU the moon give hght unto thee ;
but the Lord shaU be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy
God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall
thy moon withdraw itself, for the Lord shaU be thine everlasting
light, and the days of thy mourning shaU be ended. Moreover
the light of the moon shaU be as the light of the sun, and the
light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the hght of seven days ;
in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people,
and healeth the stroke of their wound."
" All the doctrines which the church of Christ now sees so
indistinctly, shaU then have that fuU development which whl not
only make aU clear and manifest, but wiU give the brightest and
most glowing displays of the character and glory of our God,
and of the unsearchable riches of his wisdom."
" The doctrine of Regeneration, now dimly seen through its
sign and means, baptism, and experienced in the real and vital
change wrought in the heart of the believer, wUl have its glo
rious unfolding in that day, when, the former things passed
away, he that sits upon the throne says, ' Behold, I make aU
things new ;' and, as promised in the regeneration, when the
Son of Man shaU sit upon the throne of his glory."
" The doctrine of the Holy Communion, now dimly seen in
our partaking of the Lord's Supper, and experienced in the
heart of the behever by feeding on Christ in the spiritual eating
of his flesh and drinking of his blood, wiU then have its glo
rious accomplishment. ,We shaU gaze on the Saviour in his full
glory, when we sit down at the marriage-supper of the Lamb,
when the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shah feed
us : in that day, of which he speaks in connection with his last
supper, ' I say unto you, I whl not drink henceforth of the fruit
of this vine, untU that day when I drink it new with you in my
Father's kingdom.' WeU then may we now thus eat this bread
and drink this cup, and so shew forth the Lord's death till he
come." " What an opening will there be of the love and righteous
ness of God the Father, as set forth in that glorious truth,
' God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life :' when we see the wicked who have rejected this

VERSE XXIII. J "sun." 551
grace, go away into everlasting, punishment, and we ourselves
through faith in Jesus, which realized this abounding love of
God to us, are numbered with the righteous who partake of life
eternal." " The fuU love of Jesus in dying for us, which now seen by
faith is the spring of all holy devotedness to him, wiU indeed
have its richest and largest discovery to our enraptured souls,
when we come in the heavenly kingdom to know the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and he shall come to
be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
beheve." " How clearly shall we discern the full blessedness of the
work of the Spirit in our sanctification, which is now often so
difficult to trace, and so doubtful to our minds, that the earnest
of our inheritance can hardly be realized ; when we wake up
after the divine likeness and are satisfied, when his servants
shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall
be in their foreheads."
" So every other doctrine of revelation wiU shine out with a
splendor and glory that wiU shew that the truths which we now
hold are but the seeds of harvests of increase and blessedness,
that whl supply through eternity our enraptured souls with
springs of never-failing joy and thanksgiving. Oh ! how shah
we then enter into the full meaning of those precious words,
' This is hfe eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent !"
" Such is the assurance which the Scriptures give us of the
full and universal ultimate triumph of divine truth."
Now in a work entitled, " The Finished Mystery," by
the Duke of Manchester, it is observed, p. 292 ; —
" With regard to fresh revelations, when a little mistake of
Mr. Brown's is cleared up, I do not think we shaU differ much.
We both agree, I conceive, in expecting that 1 Cor. xiii, 10 —
12, wiU be fulfiUed at the Second Advent. Now partially we
know, but when that which is perfect, ' the perfect ' (state) is
come, we shaU know even as we are known. There wiU then
be abundance of new revelation. But Mr. Brown has fallen
into a shght error in supposing we expect 'a book' (p. 89).

552 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [dlAP. XXI.
His quotation from Mr. M'Neile (p. 88) shews that the revela
tion we expect is of and from the Lord himself."
It has been seen that some writers even in the Church
of Rome, suppose that at the time of the New Jerusalem
the Scriptures we now possess will be needless, and as such
will be done away : it has been seen also how this opinion
has been confirmed by some Protestant, writers ; all how
ever agree that at this period there will be new revela
tions. That is, according to Swedenborg, not new revela
tions in the sense of new Scriptures, for no new Scriptures
will be given, but new revelations arising from the unveiling
and opening of the Scriptures we now possess. Accordingly
Father Lambert justly remarks that so far from the Scrip
tures being abolished at this period, they will rise into an
immensely increased importance ; and the new revelations
which are made will be made through their medium, for
now all the depths and marvels they contain will be laid
open to view.
Hence we see the justice of the following observations
made by the author of Catholics Doctrince, p. 499 ; —
" The Jews were greatly departed from the faith of Abraham
at the close of their dispensation ; and the best of them, whose
hearts were right with God, and who waited for the consolation
of Israel, were very ignorant of the nature of the Christian dis
pensation, for which their own was designed to prepare them.
They needed a revelation— an unveiling and opening of the Scrip
tures ; and such was the object of our Lord's ministry among
them. He gave them no new revelation; he only taught them
that which was contained in the Scriptures — those things which
Moses and the prophets did write ! So now, the Lord's king
dom of glory will not be introduced by any new revelation, but
by an unfolding of that which we have— the unveiling of the
Scriptures, bringing before us those great truths of God con
cerning the Lord's advent which are truly written in his holy
Word, but of which, through our neglect of them, we are as
ignorant as though they were not there ! Do we marvel at the

VERSE XXIII.J " SUN." 553
bhndness which happened unto Israel, and at the ignorance of
our Lord's own disciples concerning the Christian dispensation ?
Those who wUl enter into the next dispensation wUl look back
with no less astonishment at our ignorance now concerning it !
If we understood only one half of that which is written in the
Scriptures concerning the Lord's advent, what mysteries would
be opened up to us ! Let no one be deceived by the lying divi
nation of Satan, as -though the Lord would give a new revelation
in these days. Such a delusion is already gone forth, and by it
thousands are led astray, as in the case of the Mormonites ! It
is not possible. I speak with reverence — God cannot give any
new revelation ; for his whole purpose is contained in the Sacred
Volume of Eternal and Unchangeable Truth : and cursed is the
man who taketh from it or addeth to it ! The revelation which
the Lord giveth, to prepare us for his appearing and kingdom,
is a revelation of the truth contained in his holy Word — opening
to our hearts and understandings the hidden mysteries, which
untU now have been kept secret. It is the wisdom of God to
conceal a matter. The prophetic Word is not opened until the
time of its fulfilment, because it is not needed until then. Now
the time is come, the Lord wiU make it plain. And what a
gradual preparation for the coming of the Lord has there not
been going on in the church from the time of that great pro
phetic era, 1793 ! — I mean the French Revolution. As truly as
the shock of that political earthquake was felt throughout the
world, and stiU shaketh all things, so were the people of God
awakened, as by a voice from heaven, declaring the coming
morning. A ray of prophetic light gleamed along the heavenly
horizon — men betook themselves to their Bibles — they marked
the fulfilment of God's Word — they lifted up their voice on high,
declaring that a new era had arrived ! The light which then
dawned upon the church has shone more and more, and the
people of God have been taught to see, through the ministry of
his holy Word, somewhat more of the purpose of God concern
ing the new dispensation and the glorious majesty of Christ's
kingdom ; so that they are, comparatively speaking, enlightened.
They now expect Christ's kingdom of glory to be estabhshed on
the earth, and are waiting for him from heaven. It must be
confessed that there has been much hght of late thrown upon

554 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXI.
the prophetic Word of God concerning the appearing and com
ing of the Lord ; and such a revelation is needful for us who are
living in the last days of the Christian dispensation or age. Let
it be borne in mind, then, that this is the period of the revelation
of Jesus Christ. The vision was closed up and sealed until the
time of the end — that end is come, and now it is opened. The
same truth concerning the revelation, appearing, and coming of
the Lord, is contained in the prophecy of Isaiah. He says, in
chap, xxv, ' The Lord wUl destroy in this mountain the face of
the covering cast over aU people, and the veU that is spread over
all nations.' In the mountain of the Lord's house, in his
church, wUl he do this ; and he is now removing the veU ! By
his preached Word he is opening the eyes of his people to un
derstand what the prophets have spoken, and to know the mys
teries of his coming kingdom, its introduction, and establish
ment. Moreover, the prophecy says, that the Lord wiU not
only destroy the covering and remove the veU, but that in this
mountain 'he whl swaUow up death in victory.' This is the
next thing to be done. This is that which foUows the unveiling,
the uncovering, the revelation of God's Word touching the age
which is to come."

CHAPTER XXII.
THE NEW CHURCH.— ITS INTELLIGENCE ORIGINATING IN TRUTHS FROM THE
LORD.— THE APOCALYPSE MANIFESTED FROM THE LORD TO BE REVEALED
AT ITS PROPER TIME.— THE COMING OF THE LORD AND HIS CONJUNCTION
WITH THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIM AND LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS COM
MANDMENTS.— THE THINGS WHICH ARE REVEALED ARE TO BE OBSERVED.
—THE DESPONSATION.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' chap, xxii, verses
1,2;— " ' And he shewed me a pure river of water of life clear
as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb,' signifies, the Apocalypse now opened and explained
as to its spiritual sense, where divine truths in abundance
are revealed from the Lord, for those who are to be in his
New Church, which is the New Jerusalem. ' In the midst
of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that,
was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits,' signifies, that in
the inmost principles of the truths of doctrine and thence of
hfe in the New Church is the Lord in his divine love, from
whom flow aU the goods, which man there doeth appa
rently as from himself : ' yielding its fruit according to
every month,' signifies, that the Lord produceth goods in
man according to every state of truth in him : ' and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations,' sig
nifies, rational truths thence derived, by which they who
are in evils and thence in falses, are led to think soberly
and to live decently."
Ibid, art. 932 ;—

556 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
" By a pure river of water of life clear as crystal, is
signified the divine truths of the Word in abundance, trans
lucent from its spiritual sense, which is in the hght of
heaven ; the reason why by a river is signified divine truths
in abundance, n. 409, is, because by water, of which a river
consists, are signified truths, n. 50, 685, 719, and by the
water of life those truths from the Lord through the Word,
as will be seen presently ; and by clear as crystal are sig
nified these truths translucent from the spiritual sense,
which is in the light of heaven, n. 879. By that river being
seen to proceed out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
is signified that it comes out of heaven from the Lord, for
by a throne is signified the Lord as to judgment, and as to
government, and as to heaven ; as to judgment, n. 229,
845, 865 ; as to government, n. 694, 808, at the end; and
as to heaven, n. 14, 221, 222 ; here therefore out of heaven
from the Lord. By God and the Lamb is here signified, as
frequently above, the Lord as to his Divinity itself, from
whom are all things, and as to his Divine Humanity. That
by this river of water of life, are meant in particular the
divine truths now revealed in abundance by the Lord here
in the Apocalypse, appears from verses 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16
— 19 of this chapter, which treat of the book of this pro
phecy, and declare that the things which are written therein
are to be kept ; which could not be kept untU the things that
are contained in it were revealed by opening the spiritual
sense, by reason that they were not understood before. Fur
ther, the Apocalypse is a Word similar to the prophetic
Word of the Old Testament ; and in the Apocalypse are now
laid open the evils and falses of the church which must be
shunned and held in aversion, and the goods and truths
of the church which must be done, especially concerning
the Lord and concerning eternal life from him ; which
indeed are taught in the prophets, but not so plainly as

VERSE I.] "river." 557
in the evangelists and in the Apocalypse ; and the divine
truths concerning the Lord, as being the God of heaven
and earth, which then proceed from him, and are re
ceived by those who will be in the New Jerusalem, and
which are treated of in the Apocalypse, are what are
meant in particular by the pure river of water of life clear
as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb, as may also appear from the following passages :
Jesus said, ' He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water,'
John vii, 38. Jesus said, 'Whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life,' John iv, 14. ' I will
give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water
of life freely,' Apoc. xxi, 6 ; xxii, 17. ' And the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and
shall lead them unto living fountains of waters,' Apoc. vii,
17. ' And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall
go out from Jerusalem. And Jehovah shall be king over
all the earth : in that day shall there be one Jehovah, and
his name one,' Zech. xiv, 8, 9 ; by living waters or waters
of life are there signified divine truths from the Lord."
Haymo says that by the river of living water is under
stood the teaching of the Old and New Testament. Be
rengaud ; that by the river is signified the great stream of
the Divine Scriptures.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 587 ; —
" Buonaventura in the book which is inscribed Principium
Sacrce Scripturce, interprets the river to signify the Sacred Scrip
ture; and this for many reasons; for instance, it fertihzes the
mind as water from heaven. It is of this water that St. Am
brose, book vii., upon Luke, interprets the passage in the song
of Moses, Deut. xxxii, 2 ; ' My doctrine shah drop as the rain ;
my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the
tender herb, and as drops upon the grass ;' whence St. Ambrose

558 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
observes, ' O Lord Jesus, would that my mind might become
virescent with moistening showers from thee ; O that thou wouldst
sprinkle the ground within me with the brightness of thy snows.'
Moreover the river signifies the Sacred Scripture, because Scrip
ture presents to our eyes an appearance most fair and beautiful,
like as crystal appears to the eye ; nay, sheds abroad a bright
and solar hght according to the mystical sense of Esther x, 6,
' Esther is as a little fountain which grew into a river, and was
turned into light and the sun.' "
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 410; —
" Psalm lxv, 9, ' Thou hast visited the earth and watered it,'
and then foUows, ' the river of God is fuU of water.' It is
the river of Sacred Scripture, whose source is uncreated wisdom.
Ecclesiasticus xxiv. ; ' I wisdom have poured out the rivers,' the
course of which is that of wisdom inspired : the river of God
is as it were filled with wisdom, the fruits of which are the per
ception of wisdom."
De Lyra, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" The life truly celestial has its beginning in the study of
Sacred Scripture; as Jerome speaks in his epistle to Paulinus
with reference to all the books of Sacred Scripture. ' I pray
thee, my dearest brother, to live in these, to meditate upon them,
to know nothing else, to seek nothing else. Is it not from hence
that while yet upon earth it seems as if thou hadst thy dwelling
in heaven ?' For which reason this river may be said to be the
Sacred Scripture, which proceeds by revelation from the throne
of God and the Lamb, as living water ; for it flows down by reve
lation from him who is essential life, and flows back again in
clear vision. For Scripture is the fountain of water springing
up, or causing to spring up unto life eternal, even as material
waters flow forth from the sea, and return back again into it."
The ' tree of life ' is a symbol, according to Alcasar
and A Lapide, of Divine Wisdom ; according to Da Syl
veira, either of Divine Providence, or of Divine Wisdom.
De Lyra says that by the leaves of the tree are signified
' the words of Christ ;' the Glossa Interlinea, Aquinas, An
selm Archbishop of Canterbury, the ' precepts of Christ ;'
Berengaud, ' words of preaching ;' Alexander de Hales, the

VERSE I I.J "TREE OF LIPE." 559
' words and doctrine of the great Physician ;' Ambrose Ans
bert, ' the doctrine of the apostles.'
Swedenborg says that leaves signify rational truths ; the
reason of which is, that the leaves of a tree are its lungs ;
and as the heart corresponds to the whl, so do the lungs
to the understanding, whence they are employed in giving
utterance to the ideas of the mind. See above, Vol. II,
p. 249. Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 238 ; —
" ' For the healing of the nations,' i. e., for curing them of
the guUt of their former rices (which are called sores and ulcers,
chap, xvi, 2 ; Is. i.) and procuring them pardon and remission,
upon their conversion and repentance. The leaves are repre
sented as containing a balm in them, proper to the cure of
wounds : agreeably to Jer. viii, 22; xlri, 11 ; li, 8; Ezek. xxx,
21." Ibid, p. 237 ;—
"The 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 enjoyments 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 placed, for the pleasure
and comfort of these blessed inhabitants, through every street
of the city. In this there was a plain allusion to the river of
the first earthly Paradise, Gen. ii, 10, &c. ; and the blessings
intended to be described by it are expressed in the very language
of the prophet, Ezek. xlvh, 1 — 12. The waters running from
the temple through the city, perpetually increasing in depth and
plenty. Everything shaU live, where the river cometh, ver. 9.
And they have the same meaning with that of Isaiah, concern
ing this very time and church, Is. lxvi, 12; 'Behold, I whl
extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the GentUes
like a flowing stream.' And again, xii., 3 ; ' Ye shaU draw water
with joy out of the weUs of salvation, or fountains of salvation.'
And with that of our Saviour himself, concerning his true doc
trine and the practice of his religion ; ' He that beheveth on me,

560 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [cHAP. XXII.
out of his beUy shall flow rivers of living water,' John vii, 37 :
' And the water that I shall give him, shaU be unto him a weU of
water springing up unto everlasting hfe,' John iv, 14."
" And as Ezekiel then, so the angel now, represented these
refreshing and beautiful canals as set on each side with trees,
abounding in variety, and constant bearing, of the fruits that
ministered both to perfect health and delight ; and their very
leaves were a medicine 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 commands, the graces of his Spirit, and the joyous
hopes in his divine promises, with the full assurance and expe
rience of his favor, upon the penitent and virtuous ; pardon,
blessing, and protection, will be the same things to their good
and virtuous minds, as an abundance of all temporal conve
niences are to a populous city ; or as the most delicious meat
and drink is to the hungry and thirsty body ; or a sovereign
remedy is to a diseased one.' "
Again in a note, p. 238 ; —
" ' The tree of life ;' not one tree 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. hi, 18 ; xi, 30 ; and a wholesome tongue is so
called, Prov. xv, 4, i. e., is the means of procuring both the hap
piness of hfe, and the future immortality of it ; as the tree in
Paradise was to prolong the life of man. The description of
Ezekiel, in his 47th chapter, inclines me very much to the
opinion of the learned and ingenious Mr. Kennicot, viz, that
the tree in the first Paradise, was not one single tree, but many ;
the Hebrew vs (etz) signifying, often, not a particular, but the
whole species of tree ; which are caUed trees of life, i. e., for
supporting and prolonging life. See his Dissertations on this
subject."* * Dauhuz observes, p. 1026 ; —
"First, wood is put for tree, and then, secondly, the singular number ex
presses the whole species ; and so signifies here the whole wood, or plantation of such
trees. That wood is put for tree, is evident ; the Hebrew yy has both these signifi-

VERSE III.] "GOD AND THE LAMB." 561
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 3 — 9 ;
And no cursed thing shall be there, and the throne
of God and of the Lamb shaU be in it, and his servants
shall minister unto him,' signifies, that in the church, which
is the New Jerusalem, there will not be any who are sepa
rated from the Lord ; because the Lord himself will reign
there, and they who are in truths through the Word from
him, and do his commandments, will be with him, because
they are conjoined. ' And they shall see his face, and his
name shall be in their foreheads,' signifies, that they wiU
turn themselves to the Lord, and that the Lord will turn
himself to them, because they will be conjoined by love :
'and there shall be no night there, and they need no
lamp, neither light of the sun, for the Lord lighteneth them,'
signifies, that in the New Jerusalem there will not be any
false principle of faith, and that men there whl not be in
knowledges concerning good from natural light, which is
from their own intelligence, and from glory originating in
pride, but wUl be in spiritual light derived out of the Word
from the Lord alone : ' and they shall reign for ages of
cations, of growing wood, and of timber, or wood cut and dry. So lignum is put
for tree in Ovid ; — ' Oscula dat ligno, refugit tamen oscula lignum ;'
Where he speaks of Apollo embracing Daphne just turned into a bay-tree. So
Virgil ; — ' Quid tibi odorato referam sudantia ligno
Balsamaque, et baccas semper frondentis acanthi.
For the balsam drops out of the growing tree. See Pliny. And lignorum vocabula
signifies the names of trees in Donatus. Secondly, this tfi\ov is a generical word.
In the very first place, where Moses speaks of all kinds of trees, he uses the singular
number p>, and the LXX turn it by tpXov. And thus when he speaks of the oaks
of Mamre, the text is indeed in the plural d'^N, Gen. xiii, 18 ; xiv, 13; and xviii,
1 ; but the LXX constantly turn it by the singular Spvs. Thus also Homer calls
"Epivebs, a wild fig-tree, a place in Troas, whereas there was a wood or grove of
such trees. Strabo speaking about it says, 'Epivtbs rpaxvs ris r6iros, Kal ipiveaSns.
And so (pr/ybs, a beech, in the same may be understood of a grove of beeches. Thus
likewise in Rev. xiv, 18, the word &/j.irz\o5 is to be taken for dfiireKiiv , a vine for a
vineyard." Alcasar and others make the same remark.
VOL. IV. 0 O

562 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
ages,' signifies, that they will be in the Lord's kingdom
and in conjunction with him to eternity. ' And he said
unto me, These words are faithful and true,' signifies, that
they may know this for certain, because the Lord himself
hath testified and said it. ' And the Lord God of the holy
prophets hath sent his angel to shew unto his servants the
things which must shortly be done,' signifies, that the
Lord, from whom is the Word of both covenants, hath
revealed through heaven, unto those who are in truths from
him, the things which will certainly come to pass. ' Behold,
I come quickly ; blessed is he who keepeth the words of the
prophecy of this book,' signifies, that the Lord will cer
tainly come, and give eternal life to those who keep and do
the truths or precepts of the doctrine of this book now
opened by the Lord. ' And I John saw these things and
heard them ; and when I heard and saw, I fell down to
worship before the feet of the angel, who shewed me these
things,' signifies, that John thought that the angel who
was sent to him by the Lord, that he might be kept in a
state of the Spirit, was God who revealed these things ;
when nevertheless it was not so, for the angel only shewed
what the Lord made manifest : ' and he saith unto me,
See thou do it not : for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy
brethren the prophets, and of them who keep the words of
this book : worship God,' signifies,, that angels of heaven
are not to be adored and invoked ; because nothing divine
belongs to them ; but that they are associated with men,
as brethren with brethren, with such as are in the doctrine
of the New Jerusalem and do the precepts thereof; and
that the Lord only, who is in consociation with them, is to
be adored." Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" What wonder is it, I pray you, that this city should be free
from aU curse, when God who is blessed hath his throne in it ;
and also the Lamb his Christ? What wonder is it that the

VERSE III.] "GOD AND THE LAMB." 563
royal throne of God is for ever placed in this city, that God and
the Lamb never desert it, but always dweU within it, since no
thing can be found in it displeasing to them. For this reason
the Evangelist immediately subjoins, 'and his servants shah
serve him.' In this passage Primasius reads throne : one throne,
one seat of indivisible session. For this is what he writes ; ' he
does not say there will be plurally (erunt), nor does he say thrones ;
for where there is a natural unity of Godhead and no differ
ence in the glory, there most especially ought to be com
mended to our notice one throne of indivisible session, which
cannot be divided by any subtlety of Arian corruption, nor con
founded by any insinuations of Sabelhan vanity.' The Greek
reading is, Kal 6 Opovos r5 Bed koa, rs dpvU iv dvrfj esrat, i. e,
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. This throne
is the kingdom of God and of the Lamb. Christ sits with the
Father even as Man, and shall for ever sit. ' He shall reign,'
says Luke, ' over the house of Jacob for ever.' We beheve that it
is the administration only of the kingdom that is committed to
Christ as he is Man ; and that because the administration of it
shaU then cease, it does not foUow that Christ shall cease to be
king." Assembly, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" God and Christ sit upon one throne ; this shews Christ to
be God equal to the Father."
If ' sitting upon one throne ' implies equality, and if,
as we have seen, the Lamb signifies the Humanity, then
the Divinity and Humanity sit upon one throne ; and this
shews the Humanity to be Divine, equal to the Father. Ac
cordingly, by the Lamb is signified the Humanity ; as af
firmed by Richard of St. Victor, Cardinal Hugo, and other
writers. Matthew Hoe observes, p. 382, that none of the
angels sit on the throne of the Father, but only the Lamb ;
and that to sit on the right hand of God signifies no other
than by a most intimate presence to rule over all creatures
with infinite strength and power; a presence which the
author does not distinguish nor design to distinguish from
Omnipresence. o o 2

564 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
Pareus, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 577 ; —
" In that again he plaeeth God and the Lamb on the same
throne, he manifestly confirmeth that the Divinity and Majesty
of both is alike. For two unequals cannot sit in the same seat.
He confirms also the unity of both, by what foUows : ' And his
servants shall serve him :' for the relative dvrov and dvra, his
and him, is referred neither to God alone, nor to the Lamb
alone, but to both as one." (See also Calamy's Sermons, p. 42) .
Daubuz, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 1036 ; —
" The throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it. . . . God
and the Lamb, though sometimes distinguished, are still, as
here, spoken of as but one."
Ibid, p. 1040 ;—
" For the dvrov his, as in the former expression dvrw him,
relates to God and the Lamb as one ; so that when they see the
Lamb, invested with all tlie glory of the Divine Majesty, they see
God himself. So Christ argues, John xiv. 9 ; ' He that has seen
me, hath seen the Father ;' which is grounded upon the strict
union of natures, Divine and Human, as it appears from the
following words."
See above, Vol. II, p. 88.
' Behold, I come quickly ;' this expression occurs in
verses 7, 12, 20. This is said, observes Da Sylveira, in
relation to what was declared in the first three chapters of
the Apocalypse to the angels of the seven churches. A
Lapide and Tirinus say that it means both most quickly
and most certainly ; Franciscus a Jesu Maria and Meno
chius, that it means most certainly. Alexander de Hales,
in Apoc. i, 1, says that the words, ' which must come to
pass shortly,' mean come to pass truly and infallibly.
Pyle, Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 239 ; —
" For though, in this happy state, there must remain some
imperfections and inconveniences, that are natural to, and inse
parable from, an earthly condition of life ; yet there will be no
thing that looks like the curse upon the first paradise ; nothing
of the hardships and oppressions that were felt in the foregoing
times of the Christian church ; but as the prophet Zachary ex-

VERSE X.] " SEAL NOT." 565
presses the fehcity of this same New Jerusalem (Zach. 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. Ix, 18, 21) ; ' Violence shaU no more be heard in
thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders ; but thou
shalt caU thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise. Thy people
shah be all righteous.' Since every Christian in profession whl be
reaUy what he professes to be ; and, as such, wiU dwell under the
sure protection of God, and the love of Jesus Christ. (See Isai.
xxxv, 1 — 10, and his whole 60th, 61st, and 62nd chapters)."
Ibid, p. 241 ;—
..." Assure the Christian world, said the angel, that these
predictions are not the ravings of enthusiasm, nor the forgeries
of a false prophet ; but the words of God himself, whose mes
senger I am, to declare them, for the warning, comfort, and
consolation of future Christians. Time and the events them
selves wiU demonstrate their truth ; to the glory of Divine Pro
vidence over mankind."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verse 10; —
" ' And he saith unto me, Seal not the words of this
prophecy ; for the time is at hand,' signifies, that the Apo
calypse must not be shut, but that it is to be opened, and
that this is absolutely necessary at the end of the church
that some may be saved."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" Why is it that he says here, ' Seal not,' i. e., thou shalt not
seal, thou shalt not shut up the words of this book, when in the
middle of this prophecy it was said, ' Seal up the things which
the seven thunders have uttered, and write them not ?' For
this reason; that from the wicked and from despisers, divine
mysteries are to be sealed and shut up and hidden ; whence it is
said, ' Give not that which is holy unto dogs, and cast not your
pearls before swine.' To the faithful, on the contrary, the divine
oracles are to be made manifest. Whence the Lord says, ' Unto
you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
but to others in parables.' It is then on account of the unbe
lieving that it is said, ' Seal up the things which the seven thun
ders have uttered, and write them not ;' and again on account

566 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
of the believing, that it is said, ' Write the things that thou
seest, and seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book."
Ambrose Ansbert, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" Nor is it any wonder if, as the future judgment draws near,
the mystical contents of the Scriptures should be presumed to
be more largely opened than they now are, when faUacious doc
trine everywhere in opposition to the truth is raising its yell
throughout the entire world. As indeed will take place under a
dispensation remarkable for great piety; so that the hght of
truth whl at that time shew itself more clearly than it does at
present, when, in the minds of the wicked, the dark night of
universal falsehood is overclouding the world."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" Scripture is sealed to those by whom it is not understood.
John therefore is commanded not to seal the words of the pro
phecy of this book, that is, not to hide in sUence its dark say
ing, but rather to make them manifest by explaining them to
all who wish to know them ; because the Day of Judgment, which
in this book is described in different ways, is near ; and it is ne
cessary to see from the heart the danger which is impending,
lest as a thief it should come upon the unwary and destroy
them." Brightman, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 885 ; —
" ' Seal not.' Here we have a pubhshing of this book en
joined, whereby every one hath free power to examine and to
judge of this prophecy by the event. John was not to keep this
prophecy for his own use alone, but he was to offer it to public
inquiry, whatsoever danger might come thereby, as he was
bidden presently after the beginning ; that which ' thou seest,
write it in a book, and send to the seven churches,' chap, i, 11 ;
and again, ' Write what things thou hast seen, and which are,
and which are to be ;' that is, do not conceal them from others,
but make them openly known to the people."
Durham, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 500 ; — ¦
..." The Lamb opened not the seals of this book, that they
should again be closed ; that is not the end it is given for ; but
on the contrary, let it be public for their behoof, and the reason
is, for the time is at hand."

VERSE X.J " SEAL NOT." 567
. . . "This command of pubhshing this prophecy may be
thought strange, and it may be objected, men may wax worse and
worse ; and seeing, as Peter saith of less obscure Scriptures, 2 Pet.
ih, they pervert them to their own destruction, much more, it
seemeth, it may be said of this which is so dark ; and so would
the objection conclude, better seal it than not seal it. This is pre
vented by an answer usual in the prophets ; Keep it not (sealed)
up, whatever come of it (hke Ezek. ii, 7), whether they wiU hear
or forbear. And this is foUowed with a twofold qualification : 1.
If it be dark or an offence to any, it will be but to the profane
and rile or filthy, who abuse the best things ; it wiU make none
profane but filthy persons, who may from their corruption abuse
it, as they do the plain truths. But, 2. These who are single
and sincere, it whl not hinder, but strengthen them in the way
of holiness, and confirm them in the faith of Christ ; and so it
will be to the one the savor of life unto life, and to the other
the savor of death unto death, 2 Cor. ii, 16; and that is no
strange thing, and cannot be attributed to the unsealing of this
prophecy ; for if it were sealed, that would follow, as we see in
Dan. xii, 9, 10, &c."
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 242 ; —
"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.) ; remember, you have now seen the particulars
of it opened and explained to you, as far as is needful to sincere
and attentive minds. ' Keep it open,' i. e, write them all down,
and leave them to posterity (see upon chap, v, 1) . Daniel's
prophecy was, indeed, in great part, made concerning the Chris
tian church ; but, as the events to be fulfilled in it were at a
great distance, the prophecy was sealed up, as it were, in general
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."
Lowman, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 175 ; —
" The angel then gave me in charge not to keep these reve
lations private to myself and concealed from the church."
Hammond, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 1005 ; —

568 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
" Seal not, shut not up this prophecy (as sealing is opposed
to leaving open and legible, Is. xxix, 11). Lay it not up as a
thing that only future ages are concerned in : for the time of
the completion of a great part of it is so immediately at hand,
that 'tis fit the prophecy should be open, for aU to see and to
observe the completions of it."
Poole's Synopsis, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 2018; —
" That is, hide it not, nor shut it up in an earthen vessel, as
commanded in Jer. xxxii, 14, but communicate it to the church
(Piscator) . Promulgate it, so that it may be read and known of
all ; lest any one, under the pretext of ignorance, should not be
upon his guard against Antichrist." Pareus.
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 11, 12 ;
" ' He who is unjust, let him become unjust still •. and
he who is filthy, let him become filthy still : and he who is
just, let him become just still : and he who is holy, let him
become holy still,' signifies, the state of all in particular
after death, and before the judgment of each, and in ge
neral before the Last Judgment, that from those who are
in evils goods will be taken away, and from those who are
in falses truths will be taken away ; and on the other hand,
that from those who are in goods evils will be taken away,
and from those who are in truths falses will be taken away :
' and, behold, I come quickly ; and my reward is with me,
rendering unto every one according as his work shall be,'
signifies, that the Lord will certainly come, and that he is
heaven and felicity of life eternal, to every one according
to faith in him, and a life conformable to his command
ments." Andreas, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" These things are not adduced in the foregoing passage as if
it was designed to lead anyone to injustice or impurity; far
from it ; but in order to shew that he had decreed for a cer
tainty to preserve the will of man free, and clear of all compul
sion. For the sense is, let every one do as he pleases ; I offer
violence to the will of no man. One thing only do I shew and

VERSE XI.J " UNJUST." 569
declare, namely, that the lot of every one shaU be in accordance
with his efforts and his works ; wherefore also he adds, ' I come
quickly, to reward every man according as his work shall be."
So Aretas. Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" The way of speaking is permissive, not optative, nor im
perative, for the Omnipotent God permits man by reason of past
sins to rush'on to others stih more heinous. Whence it is said
by the Psalmist, ' My people did not hear my voice, and Israel
did not obey me,' &c, ' therefore shaU they go on in their own
inventions.' In which passage it is clearly shewn that the guilt
of disobedience had preceded; by reason of which they were
permitted by God to go on in their own ways. Hence Paul says
of some who, when they knew God, glorified him not as God,
or gave him thanks. ' For which reason God gave them over to
a reprobate sense, that they might do those things which are not
convenient.' In like manner it may be said, ' He who is unjust,'
that is, to himself, ' let him,' i. e, as not being wUling to hear the
words of God, ' be unjust still,' i. e, remain impenitent and be
conjoined to his past sins. ''And he who is in the filthiness of
vice, let him be filthy still,' i. e., faU into what is worse ; for so
long as any one enjoys time for repentance and yet remains im
penitent, and turns himself to sin, such a one converts the
remedy of grace into an augmentation of guilt. And inasmuch
as he wiU not abandon eril in order that he may live, he in
creases to himself the source of death ; of whom Paul speaks
when he says, 1 Thess. ii., 16, ' that they are alway filling up
their sins.' "
A similar interpretation is given by Primasius, Alex
ander de Hales, Da Sylveira, Cornelius a Lapide, Meno
chius, Tirinus, &c.
Pyle, p. 242 ;—
" During the whole state of this church of Christ upon earth,
it must be expected, that lewd, and profane, and mercUess men
will, many of them, persist in their cruelties and impiety : as,
on the contrary, all sincere and virtuous-minded persons whl
learn, and be improved in goodness, by the serious belief of
these predictions. For so is the way of divine government, to
afford to all men sufficient light and knowledge of their duty ;

570 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
and then leave them to the free and unrestrained use of it. And
thus wiU 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 shaU understand, but the wise shaU understand.' And
Hosea xiv, 9; 'Who is wise, and he shaU undertand these
things ? prudent, and he shall know them ? for the ways of the
Lord are right ; and the just shaU walk in them : but the trans
gressors shaU faU therein.' And thus Ezekiel brings in the Al
mighty speaking of the Jews ; ' He that heareth, let him hear ;
and he that forbeareth, let him forbear,' Ezek. iii., 27. In the
same manner St. Paul says, 1 Cor. xiv, 38 ; 'If any man be
ignorant, let him be ignorant stiU.' "
The Family Bible on 1 Cor. xiv, 38 ;—
" ' Let him be ignorant.' He that whl not, I have no more
to say to him : let him take the effects of his obstinate and
wilful ignorance." Pyle.
Which is thus similarly commented on by Barnes,
p. 293 ;—
" ' Let him be ignorant.' At his own peril let him remain
so, and abide the consequences. I shall not take any further
trouble to debate with him. I have stated my authority. I
have dehvered the commands of God; and now, if he disre
gards them, and stfil doubts whether aU this is said by divine
authority, let him abide the consequences of rejecting the law of
God. I have given full proof of my divine commission ; I have
nothing more to say on that head : and now, if he chooses to
remain in ignorance or increduhty, the fault is his own, and he
must answer for it to God."
Macknight, 1 Cor. xiv, 38 ; p. 245 ;—
" And if any one, after that, is ignorant that my precepts
are the commandments of the Lord, let him be ignorant. His
ignorance being wilful, I wUl trouble myself no farther with
him."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 13 —
15;- " ' I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End,

VERSE XIII.J " ALPHA AND OMEGA." 571
the First and the Last,' signifies, because the Lord is God of
heaven and earth, and by him all things in the heavens
and in the earths were made, and are governed by his
Divine Providence, and done according to it : ' blessed are
they who do his commandments, that their power may be
in the tree of life, and that they may enter in through the
gates into the city,' signifies, that they enjoy eternal feli
city who live according to the Lord's commandments, to
the end that they may be in the Lord, and the Lord in
them through love, and in his New Church through know
ledges respecting him : ' but without are dogs, and en
chanters, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters,
and every one who loveth and doeth a lie,' signifies, that
no one will be received into the New Jerusalem, who
maketh no account of the commandments of the Deca
logue, and doth not shun any evils there enumerated as
sins, and therefore lives in them."
It has already been observed that this title of Alpha
and Omega is assumed in relation to the dvaKe^>aXa(coo-K
performed at the Last Judgment, or the reduction of all
things to order ; for such is the word used by Irenseus
in lib. i, adv. Hseres, c. ii, p. 34, to express the subjuga
tion of all things to Christ at his Second Coming. Cor
respondingly with this view of the subject De Lyra ob
serves on Apoc. xxi, 6, on the title, 'the Alpha and
Omega, the Beginning and the End,' that God is the effi
cient first principle from which aU things are produced,
and the end to which all things are ordinated. Hence like
wise Cyril of Alexandria regards the term dvaKe^a\aiw<n,<i
as implying a reformation, the making of aU things new in
Christ, or their restoration to a new and better state. See
book i, Glaphyrorum, De Adamo, p. 3. A similar inter
pretation also he gives to Eph. i, 10.
Pyle's Paraphrase, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —

572 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. fJCHAP. XXII.
" Happy then wiU 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."
Swedenborg, ' Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 16, 17;
" ' I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you
these things in the churches,' signifies, a testification from
the Lord before the whole Christian world, that it is true
that the Lord alone made manifest the things which are
described in this book, as also the things which are now
opened : 'lam the root and race of David, the bright and
morning star,' signifies, that it is the Lord himself, who
was born in the world, and then was the light, and who
will come with new light, which will rise up before his
New Church, which is the holy Jerusalem : ' and the Spirit
and the bride say, Come,' signifies, that heaven and the
church desire the Lord's coming : ' and let him who hear
eth say, Come. And let him who is athirst come. And
let him who is willing, receive the water of life gratui
tously,' signifies, that he who knoweth anything of the
Lord's coming, and of the new heaven and New Church,
consequently, of the Lord's kingdom, should pray that it
may come ; and that he who desireth truths, should pray
that the Lord would come with light; and that he who
loveth truths, will then receive them from the Lord without
any labor of his own."
Haymo, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" ' I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these
things in the churches.' . . . All the churches ; which are often
comprehended in the number seven, in which is expressed the
ONE CATHOLIC OR UNIVERSAL CHURCH."
Gagneus observes on the morning star mentioned in
the case of the church in Thyatira, Apocalypse, ii, 28 ; —
" ' I will give unto him the morning star.' The morning star

VERSE XVI.J " MORNING STAR." 573
we may understand either as being Christ, or the clear know
ledge of divine things, which Peter caUs Lucifer, when he says,
' To which ye do weU to attend as to a light shining in a dark
place,' until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts."
Alcasar, on Apocalypse ii, 28 ; —
" The true exposition I conceive to be this ; that to an apos
tolic man is promised in this life, in the midst of calamities and
persecutions, the greatest solace from God, arising from a most
certain hope of the prosperity of the church and of the mighty
advantage which God shall perceive to accrue to others from his
preaching. And according to this sense especiaUy, Christ is
most truly said to be a Morning Star ; because in the midst of
their very persecutions he consoles his people with the most
certain hope that the sun whl rise, that is, that in a short time
prosperity will foUow. And in this sense it was highly suitable
that Christ, at the end of the Apocalypse, should assert of him-
. self in the way of a brief epilogue to the whole book, ' I am the
bright and morning star.' For the whole of this book tends to
shew this, namely, that to the Christian church, then in a state
of vehement affliction, the promise is made that not long after
wards it would most gloriously enjoy a rictory over the Roman
empire; and to this purpose Christ interposes his assurance,
affirming that by the revelation of this book he is like the star
Venus to his church, which announces the brightness of the sun
as not being afar off."
This interpretation is substantially true : the difference
is in the application.
Viegas, Apocalypse, chap, ii, 28; p. 189; —
" The fifth interpretation is of those who interpret the morning
star to signify that understanding of Sacred Scripture, which
the Lord giveth to the faithful ; according to the 24th Psalm,
' The Lord is a strong foundation to them that fear his testa
ment, that it may become manifested to others ;' as Peter tes
tifies, 2nd Epis, chap, i, 19, where he calls the understanding of
Scripture the morning star, &c. In this passage, Lucifer not
only signifies grace or glory, but also the understanding of the
Sacred Scripture and the knowledge of the divine mysteries,
which is promised to those who are diligent in their endeavors

574 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
to understand the Scriptures. Rightly in this passage does Christ
promise a reward of this kind to those who have contended with
Jezebel, that is, heretics, concerning the meaning of Scripture,
and refuted their errors by the testimony of the Divine Writings."
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" ' I am the Bright and Morning Star.' Because it is in this
teaching of the Apocalypse most especiaUy, that Christ shines
forth and gives light to the whole church ; it is called the ' morn
ing star,' as announcing the coming of the sun ; for so Christ in
this Apocalypse hath manifested to us the sun of divine vision
and of the heavenly country, as above, chap. xxi. Gregory the
Great, book xix, Mor., chap, xxx, says ; ' Because when born
of a virgin he appeared as the Morning Star amid the darkness
of our carnal condition, and because when the darkness of sin
was dissipated he announced to us eternal morning.' Ansbert
says ; ' Is not he unto us a Bright and Morning Star, who, dissi
pating the shadows of this mortal state, rose again from heU ; .
shining with the light of new life ? When Christ the Lord re
veals by his angel the Apocalypse to his church, he is called
Jesus, that is, Mediator, Saviour, the Root and Race, that is,
the Son of God and of Man ; but a bright star more especiaUy
in this than in any other place ; and a morning star, announcing
eternal beatitude; because Christ, when reveahng the Apoca
lypse, shone with such radiance in his church, and illustrated it
with so great a light from these revelations ; and therefore it is
that in unveiling such great splendor, he is distinguished with so
many names.' " So Poole in his Comments.
Alexander De Hales, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" He is called the Morning Star, as putting an end to our
ignorance and bringing in the light of the day of truth and of
knowledge." Gill, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
"Christ is compared to a star, as in Numb, xxiv, 17, for its
hght, the light of nature and of grace and of the New Jerusa
lem state being from him ; and for its glory, his glory being the
glory of the only-begotten of the Father, and he having a glory
as Mediator which his saints will ever behold and be dehghted
with ; and for its influence, all the blessings of grace, life, and

VERSE XVII.] " COME." 575
righteousness being from him ; and to a bright star, because he
is the brightness of his Father's glory, and so splendid, shining,
and Ulustrious that he is hght itself, and in him is no darkness
at all ; and to a bright morning star, which shews the night is
going off and the day is coming on, and is the phosphorus or
bringer of light ; as Christ, by his First Coming, who was then
the Dayspring from on high, put an end to the night of Jewish
darkness, and sprung the great Gospel day so often spoken of by
the prophets, and brought life and immortality to light by the
Gospel, and shewed the way to eternal life by himself; so, by
his Second Coming, to which this character refers, he whl put an
end to the night of Antichristian darkness, Pagan, Papal, and
Mahomedan ; so that there shaU be no more night ; and shall
make an everlasting day, and bring such light into the holy city
that it shah need no candle nor light of the sun or moon. The
dawn of light at the Reformation was a presage of this, chap.
ii, 28, called there the morning star."
Wodehouse, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 497 ; —
" He is that Bright and Morning Star which now gives con
siderable hght to the world after a long night of ignorance and
superstition ; and to those who love such light, a certain earnest
and prelude of increasing knowledge and glory shining forth
unto perfect day."
Assembly Annotations, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" Chap, ii., 28. His birth was manifested to the wise men
by a star, Matt, ii, 9, 10, to shew that he was the star foretold,
Numb, xxiv, 17, which bringeth the day of knowledge to the
church, and glory after the night of ignorance and misery, 2
Pet. i, 19."
Gauntlett, Apocalypse, chap, xxii, p. 473 ; —
" His rising in his power whl put an end to Antichristianism,
disperse the darkness of ignorance and error, and introduce the
millennial day."
' And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come,' &c.
Alexander de Hales, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
" ' He who hath ears to hear, let hhn hear,' i. e., let him un
derstand." " He therefore who hears, i. e., who understands the words

576 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
w
of this book, 'let him say' to others, 'Come,' namely, to under
stand it. As if it should be said, Let him not hide from others
that which he himself understands, but let him teach it to
others. Wisdom vii, 13; 'I learned diligently and do commu
nicate her liberally : I do not hide her riches.' Where we find
reprehended the grudging of those who are unwhhng to teach
when then they know how to speak wisely and beautifully.'
"Therefore 'he, who heareth let him say, Come, and whoso
ever thirsteth let him come.' Whosoever desires the knowledge
of this book, let him come with humble and devout deshe ; for
the understanding of revelations is not given except to those
who desire it with devout affection. Dan. x, 11; 'I am come
to shew unto thee the vision, for thou art a man of desires.'
Whosoever therefore thirsteth to know this prophecy, let him
come with diligent endeavors. ' And whosoever will, let him
receive the water of life freely.' In the same passage in which
he has here admonished the ignorant to make haste, he admo
nishes teachers to communicate and to teach freely. I have said
this, because you ought to come hither to hear and understand
this book ; and certainly it is not very difficult for you to come,
nor to have a knowledge of it, because God is prepared to
confer this knowledge upon you, for ' whosoever wiU, let hhn take
of the water of life freely;' for the will is hke a bucket used
for the purpose of drawing, in order that by its means the water
of wisdom may be conveyed into the soul. Whence all that is
required is a good whl ; because the influx of this knowledge is
from God, who gives it to us gratuitously, without any merit of
our own. ' Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the water
and drink.' And in the same chapter, [ Come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price/ Is. Iv."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; — ¦
" ' He who heareth,' i. e, who understands, ' let him say,'
that is, to another, ' Come ;' that thou also mayest understand
as I do ; and that he may not hide that which he knows, but may
say with the wise man, Wisdom vii, 13, 'I learned dhigently,
and whl communicate her liberally.' Or ; 'he who heareth, let
him say, Come ;' i. e., he who is attracted by the sweetness of
the spiritual sense, let him say, Come, just as do aU mentioned
in ver. 14; likewise as Saul when he saw the company of pro-

VERSE XVII.] "COME." 577
phets propheeying,' i. e., praising God, was himself also con
strained to prophecy with them, 1 Sam. xix. Although therefore
the inriters are many ; yet it is not every one who comes, but
only one out of many. ' He who thirsts let him come,' i. e., he
who desires to believe. For the revelation of visions is not given
except to him who desires ; as is evident from Dan. ix. For the
angel spake to Daniel because he was a man of desires ; it was
for this reason he had come to him to reveal the vision. And
lest any one should think that great labor is required in pro
curing, he subjoins, 'And whosoever wiU;' as if he should say,
that for this purpose it is only a will that is required."
De Lyra, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ;—
" ' He who heareth,' i. e, who understands, let him say,
' Come ;' for those who understand the Sacred Scripture ought
to induce others also to come to the understanding of it. ' And
he who thirsteth let him come ;' for they who desire, find."
Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury, Apocalypse, chap.
xxii. ; —
"'And the bridegroom and the bride,' the faithful, say,
' Come,' i. e., to the knowledge of this book. ' And let him
that heareth,' i. e., who understandeth, say, ' Come ;' namely,
let the more intelligent tell the others to come ; ' and whosoever
thirsteth, let him come.' And yet it is not every one that shall
enter in, but he only who both desires and fulfils those desires
in actual practice : ' and whosoever will, let him come and take
of the water of life freely :' an efficacious wUl suffices."
Brightman, p. 888 ; —
" ' And the Spirit and the Bride say,' &c. These words con
tain a confirmation taken from the wish and deshe of those that
be sanctified ; who long after nothing in this world more eagerly,
than to see these things consummated, whereof this book put-
teth them in hope : for as the souls under the altar cried with a
loud voice, desiring their dehverance, chap, vi, 10, so the faith
ful leap for joy, in that God hath given them hope of their future
marriage ; and that maketh them desire so exceeding greatly to
have that day hastened, chap, xix, 7. For the Spirit here sig-
nifieth each of the faithful, in whom the Spirit dwelleth; the
Bride signifies the whole church, and multitude of the faithful.
VOL. IV. P p

578 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
The longing desires of all the faithful, both severally and jointly,
do strive together by prayer with the Lord, to accomplish this
one thing only. And that earnest desire and request which is
kindled by God's Spirit, cannot be frustrated."
Swedenborg, 'Apocalypse Revealed,' verses 18 —
21;— " ' For I testify unto every one who heareth the words
of the prophecy of this book, If any one shall add unto
these things, God shall add upon him the plagues written
in this book,' signifies, that they who read and know the
truths of doctrine in this book now opened by the Lord,
and yet acknowledge any other God than the Lord, and
any other faith than faith in him, by adding anything
whereby they may destroy these two things ; cannot do
otherwise than perish from the falses and evils, which are
signified by the plagues described in this book : ' and if
any one shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of
hfe and out of the holy city, and the things which are
written in this book,' signifies, that they who read and
know the truths of doctrine in this book now opened by
the Lord, and yet acknowledge any other God than the
Lord, and any other faith than faith in him, by taking
away anything whereby they may destroy these two things ;
cannot acquire any wisdom from the Word, nor appropriate
to themselves anything out of it, neither be received into
the New Jerusalem, nor have their portion with those who
are in the Lord's kingdom : ' He who testifies these things
saith, Even so, I come quickly : Amen, come Lord Jesus,'
signifies, the Lord, who revealed the Apocalypse and hath
now opened it, testifying these glad tidings, that he cometh
as a Bridegroom and Husband in his Divine Humanity,
which he took upon him in the world and glorified, and
that the Church desireth him as a Bride and a Wife."
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —

VERSE XVIII.] " ADD THE PLAGUES." 579
" ' If any one shall add,' &c, signifies that there woiUd be
heretics who would adulterate the Apocalypse and Sacred Scrip
ture (of which the Apocalypse is the end and close), either by
adding or diminishing, as did Marcion; whom therefore Ter
tuUian in his book, De Came Christi, c. iv, caUs the Pontic depre
dator or mouse, for he came from Pontus. So Tychonius, Bede,
and others. John therefore does not here reprehend the human
laws, either apostohcal or ecclesiastical, which are added to the
Divine, and to the Gospel itself; for they are not added as if they
were laws or writings that are Divine, but as human deduced from
such as are Divine. See what is said on Deut. iv, 2."
Tirinus, Apocalypse, chap. xxii. ; —
"From this passage heretics are desirous to overturn all
human laws, most especially such as are ecclesiastical ; but this
they do foolishly ; for these laws are not added as if they were
Divine writings, or appendages tacked on to the Divine ; but as
human deduced from such as are Divine ; as I have elsewhere ex
plained." According to this account the authority of the Scrip
tures is divine, the authority of the laws or writings of
the church is human.
Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, by Sir I.
Newton, p. 14 ; —
" The authority of emperors, kings, and princes is human. The
authority of councUs, synods, bishops, and presbyters is human.
The authority of the prophets is divine, and comprehends the
sum of rehgion, reckoning Moses and the apostles among the
prophets ; and if an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel
than what they have dehvered, let him be accursed."
Without entering into any controversy upon this point,
the reader is left to reconcile this, as best he may, with the
doctrines maintained by Bozius and Moehler, as stated
above, pp. 156, 157, &c, in the present volume.
The foregoing passage is frequently interpreted as al
luding to the canon of Scripture, and has hence originated
a controversy between the Roman and Protestant churches
upon that subject. p p 2

580 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
Thus in his Lectures on the Canon of Scripture, Dr.
Wordsworth observes, p. 79 ; —
" Fhst of all, we reply, that no council of the church, — no,
nor a hundred councils, — can make a book to be inspired which
was not inspired before ; and that if the Apocrypha was in
spired in the fourth century, it must have been inspired in the
first ; and that if it had been inspired in the first, then Christ
and his apostles would have received it as such : and that they
did not so receive it ; and that therefore it is not inspired."
Ibid, p. 52 ;—
" What words, therefore, can describe the guilt which makes
the reception of these books (the Apocrypha) as inspired, a
term of church communion, and denounces imprecations upon
all who do not and cannot receive the word of man as the Word
of God ?"
Dr. Wordsworth further observes, p. 57 ; —
" In a solemn decree, promulgated at that council, the Church
of Rome proceeded so far as even to anathematize all who did
not receive these other books as inspired ; and, at this day, she
requires aU her clergy, and all her academic teachers, to affirm,
by oath, that they who do not receive this decree, ' cannot be
saved.' "
Ibid, p. 89 ;—
" Lastly, to the Church of Rome we say : . . . you anathe
matize all who do not receive the Apocryphal books as inspired ;
you make their reception a condition of communion with your
self. What ! we say, are you the author of Scripture ? ' Came
the Word of God out from you ? or, came it to you alone ?' Can
you make and unmake it, as you please ? WUl you dare to
imprecate curses on those who do not receive what Christ never
received? Nay, by so doing, you pour out your anathemas,
not only upon us, but upon the holiest men of Christendom ;
you say anathema to Jerome, anathema to Ruffinus, to Atha-
nasius, to Cyril, to Melito ; and in them, you say anathema to
the ancient churches of Palestine and Asia, and anathema to
the ancient Church of Rome, and even to the apostles them
selves, — we dare not proceed further."

VERSE XVIII.] " ADD THE PLAGUES." 581
Douglas, a Protestant writer, in his essays on The
Truths of Beligion, observes, p. 79; —
"The more importance we attach to Scripture, the more
importance we must also attach to the inquiry concerning the
canon of Scripture ; or to the rule which separates the inspired
books from those which are merely Apocryphal. This is a ques
tion either very plain, or very difficult, according to the manner
in which it is handled. Jones has observed ; ' It is not so easy
a matter as is commonly imagined, rightly to settle the canon
of the New Testament. For my own part, I declare with many
learned men that in the whole compass of learning, I know no
question involved with more intricacies and perplexing difficul
ties than this."
We shall now add only the following observations of
Swedenborg, who does not regard the passage as referring
to the canon of Scripture. Apocalypse Revealed, art. 957 ; —
" By hearing the words of the prophecy of this book,
is signified to read and know the truths of doctrine in this
book now opened by the Lord (see above, n. 944) ; by add
ing to them is signified to add anything whereby they may
destroy those truths, as wiU be seen presently; by the
plagues written in this book, are signified the falses and
evils which are denoted by the plagues written in this
book, as mentioned in chap. xv. and xvi. ; that plagues
signify the falses and evhs which befall those who worship
the Dragon's beast and false prophet, may be seen, n. 456,
657, 673, 676, 677, 683, 690, 691, 699, 708, 718: the
Dragon's beast and false prophet, are they who make faith
alone without the works of the law competent to salvation.
There are two things in this prophetic book, which every
thing in it hath relation to ; the first is, that no other God
is to be acknowledged but the Lord ; and the other, that
no other faith is to be acknowledged but faith in the Lord.
He who knoweth these and yet adds anything with intent
to destroy them, cannot be otherwise than in falses and

582 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
evils, and perish by them; because from no other God
but the Lord, and by no other faith but faith in the
Lord, is given the good which is of love, and the true
which is of faith, and thence the felicity of life eternal ;
as the Lord himself teacheth in many places in the evan
gelists, see above, n. 553. That this is what is signified,
and not that God will add the plagues described in chap.
xv. and xvi, upon him who adds anything to the word
of the prophecy of this book, any one may see from his
own judgment ; for this an innocent person might do ; and
many might likewise do it with a good intent, and also
from being ignorant of what is signified ; for the Apoca
lypse hath been hitherto like a closed or mystic book.
Wherefore any one may see that the meaning is, that no
thing is to be added or taken away which destroys the
truths of doctrine in this book now opened by the Lord,
which truths refer to those two points ; for which reason,
also, these words follow in a series after : ' I, Jesus, have sent
my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the root and race of David, the bright and morning
star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him
who heareth say, Come. And let him who is athirst come.
And he who is willing, let him receive water of life freely,'
verses 16, 17. By which is signified, that the Lord will
come in his Divine Humanity, and give life eternal to those
who acknowledge him ; wherefore these words follow like
wise in a series ; ' He who testifieth these things, saith,
Even I come quickly. Amen, even come Lord Jesus,'
verse 20 ; from which it is plain that nothing else is meant.
Moreover to add is a prophetic word signifying to destroy,
as in Psalm cxx, 2, and in other places. From these con
siderations then it may be seen, what is signified by the
contents of this and the following verse."
" ' And if any one shall take away from the words of

VERSE XIX.] " TAKE AWAY." 583
the books of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and of the
things which are written in this book,' signifies, that they
who read and know the truths of doctrine in this book now
opened by the Lord, and yet acknowledge any other God
than the Lord, and any other faith than faith in him, by
taking away anything whereby they may destroy these two
things, cannot acquire any wisdom from the Word nor ap
propriate to themselves anything out of it, neither be
received into the New Jerusalem, nor have their portion
with those who are in the Lord's kingdom. By this the
same is signified as above ; only that here it is said of those
who take away, and there of those who add ; consequently
of those who either by adding or taking away, destroy
those two truths. By taking away their part out of the
book of life, is signified that they cannot acquire any wis
dom out of the Word, or appropriate anything out of it to
themselves. The book of life is the Word, as is also the
Lord considered as the Word, n. 256, 469, 874, 925 ; the
reason is, because the Lord is the Word, for the Word
treateth of him alone, as is fully shewn in the Two Doc
trines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning the Lord,
and the other concerning the Sacred Scripture ; wherefore
they who do not immediately approach the Lord cannot see
any truth out of the Word. By taking away their part
out of the holy city, is signified out of the New Church,
which is the Holy Jerusalem ; for into it no one is received
who doth not approach the Lord alone. By taking away
their part out of the things which are written in the book,
is signified, not to have their lot with those who are in the
Lord's kingdom ; for all the things which are written in
this book, respect the New Heaven and the New Church,
which constitute the Lord's kingdom, as their end and
object ; and the end is that to which all the things which
are written in a book, relate."

584 SPIRITUAL EXPOSITION. [CHAP. XXII.
" That it may be known that by these words is not
meant the taking away from the words of this book as it
is written in the literal sense, but the taking away from the
words of the doctrine contained in its spiritual sense, I will
explain whence this is. The Word, which was dictated by
the Lord, passed through the heavens of his celestial king
dom and the heavens of his spiritual kingdom, and so
came to the man by whom it was written ; for which reason
the Word in its first origin is purely Divine : this, whilst it
passed through the heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom
was divine celestial, and whilst it passed through the hea
vens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom was divine spiritual ;
and when it came to man, it became divine natural. Hence
it is that the natural sense of the Word contains in itself
the spiritual sense, and this the celestial sense, and both
of them a sense purely divine, which is not discernible by
any man nor indeed by any angel. This is adduced, that
it may be seen, that by not adding nor taking away any
thing from what is written in the Apocalypse, is meant
in heaven, that nothing is to be added or taken away from
its truths of doctrine respecting the Lord and respecting
faith in him ; for it is from this sense, and what relates to
a life according to his commandments, that the literal sense
is derived ; as hath been observed."
" ' He who testified these things, said, Even so I come
quickly. Amen, even so come Lord Jesus,' signifies the
Lord, who revealed the Apocalypse, and hath now opened
it, testifying these glad tidings, that he cometh as a bride
groom and husband in his Divine Humanity, which he
took upon him in the world, and glorified ; and that the
church desireth him as a bride and wife. The Lord saith
above, ' I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you
these things in the churches,' verse 16th of this chapter,
which signifies a testification by the Lord before the whole
Christian world that it is true that the Lord alone mani-

VERSE XX.] " COME, LORD JESUS." 585
fested the things which are written in this book and which
are now disclosed; as may be seen above, n. 953. Thence
it is plain, that by ' He which testified these things,' is
meant the Lord, who revealed the Apocalypse and hath
now unfolded it, testifying. The reason why it means
testifying this Gospel or these glad tidings, is, because He
here declared his coming, his kingdom, and spiritual mar
riage with the church ; for he saith, ' Yea (or, even so) I come
quickly. Amen, yea, come Lord Jesus ;' and by Gospel
or glad tidings is signified the Lord's coming to his king
dom ; see n. 478, 553, 625, 664. The reason why He here
comes to a spiritual marriage with his Church, is, because
this New Church is called the bride and wife, and the
Lord her bridegroom and husband, above, chap, xix, 7 —
9; xx, 2, 9, 10; xxi, 17; and here at the end of the
book, the Lord speaketh and the Church speaketh, as
bridegroom and bride : the Lord saith, ' Yea, I come
quickly, Amen ;' and the church saith, ' Yea, come, Lord
Jesus ;' which are words of desponsation unto spiritual
marriage. That the Lord will come in his Divine Hu
manity which he took upon him in the world, is plain from
this circumstance, that he names himself Jesus, and saith
that he is the Root and Race of David, verse 16, and from
the church here saying, ' Come, Lord Jesus,' see above,
n. 953, 954."

FINIS.

APPENDIX.

NOTES TO VOL. IV.

p. 1. Sea of glass.
Swedenborg, Apocalypse Explained, art. 659 ; —
" By sea of glass is signified the ultimate boundary of the spiritual
world, where they were collected who had religion and consequent wor
ship, but not good of life. Inasmuch as a collection of these is signified,
therefore it is said, as it were a sea of glass ; and moreover it appeared
' mingled with fire,' and by fire there is signified love of evil and conse
quent evil of life, for where there is no good there is evil. That a collec
tion of these is here understood by * as it were a sea of glass mingled with
fire,' appears also from what next follows ; as that they who had gotten
the victory over the beast and over his image stood beside this sea ; by
whom are signified those, who, in consequence of faith separated from
charity, were in good of life and thence in heaven, art. 660. It is this
sea also which is meant in chap, xxi, 1, by ' the sea which was no more,'
art. 878. What was the nature and quahty of this sea and of them that
were in it, hath also been given me to see. They were such as had some
religion, frequented churches, heard preachings, received the Lord's supper,
and had not thought anything further about God, salvation, and life
eternal ; being so ignorant as not even to know what sin is ; wherefore
they were men in regard to their faces, and for the most part also as to
civil and moral life, but not at all so in regard to sphitual life, by virtue
of which nevertheless man is man."
By the seven angels are meant all the angels or angelic heavens, just as
by the seven churches are meant all the churches. Hence, says Gagneus,
seven angels signify all the angels.
A considerable number of writers interpret both the sea and the fire
above mentioned in a good sense ; regarding the sea as signifying the
waters of baptism, and the fire as the fire of love or of the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, there are those who either approximate to the inter-

590 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
pretation above given by Swedenborg, or else directly confirm it. Da
Sylveira, referring to the interpretations of fire and sea in a good sense,
observes, Apocalypse, chap, xv, 2, p. 227; —
" Although every one of these opinions has a good moral tendency,
nevertheless they appear to me to be foreign to the literal meaning ; and
consequently from no principle can we better ascertain what this sea of
glass is, than from the circumstances of which we are in possession at the
commencement of this chapter, and which constitute as it were the theme
of what is afterwards declared in the sequel. At the commencement John
sets before us Seven Angels seen by himself having the seven last plagues.
Therefore this sea of which he is now speaking, must have a reference to
these plagues"
" Bibera, Cornelius, Estius, Menochius, and others teach that the sea
of glass denotes that multitude of men which will follow Antichrist. Of
the sea likewise it is written, Isaiah lvii, 20 ; ' The wicked are like a
troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.' Of glass ; because al
though the wicked conceal their sins, nevertheless their thoughts are most
perfectly manifest to God, as much so as if they were covered over only
with transparent glass. This sea John beheld mingled with fire ; since they
will burn with that fire which precedes Christ as judge, and will also be
afflicted before this with wrath and with fire. . . . The sea will be mingled
with fire on the part of the wicked ; namely, with the fire of luxurious
indulgence, concupiscence, rage of anger, contentions, and other vices; as
I have already said in the Exposition."
This is the interpretation which Da Sylveira adopts.
p. 9. The song of Moses and the Lamb.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xv, 3, p. 592; —
" For in these days the church will sing the song which it formerly
sang, when it went out from among the Egyptians and was liberated from
them. Those days Hosea calls the days of its youth."
p. 10. The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in
heaven was opened.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocalypse, chap, xv, p. 599; —
" The second interpretation which Gagneus adduces, as relating to the
Second Advent of Christ, is the more simple. By the Tabernacle of
the Testimony is understood the heaven whence the Lord gives out his
testimonies, laws, and commandments. The sense therefore is this ; that

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 591
>
when Christ is gone forth to judgment, the heaven is opened, that is, all
the mysteries which were predicted concerning Christ are made manifest."
See what Albertus Magnus has said in this chapter concerning the
opening of the temple, and the vials ; amply confirming the interpreta
tions already given, both here and in chap. xi.
p. 18. The Word the Maker of all things, who sitteth upon
the Cherubim.
This account is taken from Irenseus, book iii. Adv. Htzreses, p. 190,
where he regards the Cherubim as being the fourfold representative form
of the Word, the Son of God.
p. 21. Seven vials, &c.
Albertus Magnus, Apocalypse, chap, xv, 7 ; —
" Septem phialas, id est, Sacra Scriptures intelligenlias universas."
p. 22. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of
God.
Villalpandus on Ezekiel, chap, x, 4, vol. i, p. 135 ; 'And the house
was filled with the cloud ; and the court was filled with the brightness of
ihe Lord's glory ;' —
"Moreover cloud, darkness, smoke, shadows, when in the Sacred
Scriptures they are attributed to God, signify exceeding brightness, the
divine radiance, inaccessible hght, by which the eyes of mortals are struck
blind. Isaiah vi, 4 ; ' And the posts of the door moved at the voice of
him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.' And again, 1 Kings
viii, 11 ; 2 Chronicles v, 14 ; Exod. xx, 21, &c. It is called thick
darkness and cloud because it dazzles our eyes, and they are unable to
behold the immense glory of God except as a most dense shade, pitch
darkness, or black cloud. Which St. Paul, 1 Tim. vi, 16, has expressed
in these words ; ' Who dwelleth in the light inapproachable, which no
man hath seen or can see.' The same appears to be signified in the pre
sent case by the cloud with which the house is said to be filled, viz, a
most bright light attesting the Divine presence ; as is clearly evident from
the preceding verse."*
Cardinal Cajetan, Commentaries, Deut iv, 11 (marginal note) ; —
" ' And the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with
darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.' To this perhaps the Royal Pro
phet makes allusion, when he says that on all sides the Lord was surrounded
* See Dionysius, Areop., vol. i., p. 594.

592 notes to Vol. iv.
with thick darkness, and so great indeed that no penetration of human
sight availed in finding him out or knowing him. So in Psalm xviii,
where he describes the majesty of God as inspiring fear into all, and as
being unapproachable. ' Darkness,' says he, ' was under his feet.' And
in Psalm xcvii. By this darkness the Lord shews that no one can enter
into the divine mysteries, and that they altogether exceed the comprehen
sion of man. Paul, in Bom. xi, 33, teaches clearly the same truth."
See also Gaspar a Melo and Gagneus on the passage in the Apocalypse.
p. 48. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun.
Lauretus, art. Sol; —
(In a good sense). " The sun is love, shedding his beams upon all the
other virtues, as the sun does upon the celestial orbs." Jerome, Bede,
Rupertus, Bichard of St. Victor, Bernard.
(In an evil sense). " The sun giving out heat may signify the ardor of
concupiscence. For it shines as with light, and burns up the mind upon
which it shines, Matt. xiii. It likewise signifies the ardor or fervor of
temptation." B. Gregory, Bernard, Jerome.
Rupertus regards the sun as signifying here carnal men, among whom
there is zeal and contention. Da Sylveira says that some regard it as
signifying '' the ardor of concupiscence and fire of pleasure." When it is
said that the sun, in an evil sense, means Antichrist regarding himself as
the light of the world, it indicates that form of self-love which is proper
to self-intelligence. So likewise when it is referred to doctrine, it may
include not only the false hght of false teaching, but also fiery and unhal
lowed zeal, and thus the theologicmn odium. See on this passage Gaspar
a Melo.
p. 60. Here they (the waters of the Euphrates) are to be
interpreted in an evil sense.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xvi, 12, p. 271 ; —
" But why is the water of this river first dried up that a way may be
prepared for the kings of the east ? Because, in order that a way may
be prepared, and a passage to heaven, for those who come from the East
(which is Christ our Lord), it is necessary that all the water of worldly
wisdom and human folly should be first dried up and become extinct."
p. 68. Three unclean spirits like frogs.
See here Alexander de Hales and Da Sylveira. According to Albertus
Magnus, the mouth of the dragon signifies the inspiration (or, as the

NOTES TO VOL. IV.

593

Glossa says, the suggestion) of the devil; the mouth of the beast, the
words of Antichrist ; the mouth of the false prophet, the false apostles of
Antichrist; the three unclean spirits, all false Christians; for says he,
" frogs appear to be in the water ; nevertheless they only lie buried in the
stinking mud of a pool, and pour forth their prating voices with impa
tience and importunity. They are thus hypocritical teachers who seem to be
in the water of wisdom ; nevertheless they are in the mud of deep heresy,
and utter voices which contradict the truth ; they lose all patience, and
are hurtful to what is good (for they are the spirits of devils), inasmuch
as they are spiritually unclean, or are under the tuition of devils."
The mouth, says Da Sylveira, p, 273, on this passage, is often taken
in Scripture for the will or else for command. Again he observes, p.
274;— " Frederic. Staphyl. in his book on the discord introduced by the
Lutherans ; and Gabriel. Patreolus, in his catalogue of heretics ; aptly
accommodate these three frogs to the three sects which emanated from
Luther. The first is that of the Anabaptists, the parent of whom was
Rothmann. The second is that of the Saoramentarians, the author of
whom was Carlostadt, from whom Zuinglius and Calvin originated. The
third is of those Protestants who had as their leader Melancthon."
p. 74. Blessed is he that watcheth, &c.
Gaspar a Melo, Apocafypse, chap, xvi, p. 628 ; — ¦
" In this passage Christ our Lord admonishes us to watch, that is,
carefully to be on our guard, lest we be seduced by the devil, or beast, or
by others who are false prophets."
Ibid, chap, xvi, 15 ; —
"He keepeth his garments who keepeth his faith free from error."
p. 75. And he gathered them together into a place called in
the Hebrew Armageddon.
Albertus Magnus, Apocalypse, chap. xvi. ; —
" They will not be gathered together into one place but into one con
sent of evil will." So also says Gaspar a Melo.
p. 84. The great city was divided into three parts.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xvi, 19, p. 283; —
" Among the most certain signs of the utter* destruction of the world
is that which is set before us by the Lord, Matt, xxiv, 7, viz, ' Nation
* See p. 477 of the present volume.
vol. iv. Q Q

594 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
shall rise against nation.' For there will then be no union, but men will
be altogether divided among themselves, that from this cause may come
at last the destruction of the world ; and this has already been desig
nated in the celebrated statue seen by Daniel, in which the states of king
doms are denoted, is manifest. The head was of the finest gold, the
breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron,
one part of the feet was of iron, another of clay ; and yet the statue, sub
lime and lofty as it was, was broken to pieces by the slightest touch of a
single stone, and reduced to a cloud of summer dust. And how could a
statue so very lofty, fabricated out of every metal, so easily fall and break
into pieces ? See what the Scripture says of the feet ; ' And whereas
thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with
the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another even as iron is
not. mixed with clay,' Dan. ii, 43. For where the foundation or the feet
were partly of iron, partly of clay, the substance of which had no cohe
rence in itself ; what was the consequence ? immediate fall and ruin. For
the smallest stone falling upon disunited parts will convert them all into
dust and reduce them to ashes ; since the presage of destruction is division.
To this Nazianzen alludes in his Oration, Be Pace, who when beholding
his people divided and differing one from the other, makes this remark ;
' As these divisions continue to make progress, where will they stop ? I
fear indeed lest the present state of things be only as the smoke to the
expected fire : lest Antichrist should overtake us in our backslidings, and
turn our spiritual deaths into an opportunity to establish his own supre
macy. For I do not think he will come upon those who are sound in the
faith, nor upon those who are surrounded with and fortified in the Hght of
truth.' Mark those words, lest the present state of things be only as the
smoke to the expected fire. For as before the burning of fire there arises
smoke, so likewise before the final ruin of the world will arise variance
and mutual dissension among men." .'..
p. 88. Every island fied away, and the mountains were not
found.
In a good sense, mountain signifies love either to God or the neighbor ;
in an evil sense, self-love ; hence pride and elation; see p. 181. Albertus
Magnus interprets the word island to signify the whole congregation of
the good fleeing from the society of the wicked, in mind if not in body ;
and mountains, the saints who are not moved from the faith. Gaspar
a Melo interprets mountains to signify the perfect, the more perfect, or
apostolic men ; so Richard of St. Victor and Gagneus. Primasius says

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 595
that by mountains and islands are figured forth the knowledge belonging
to the church. In an evil sense, islands, says Jerome (Jeremiah xxxi.),
signify the nations who Hve afar from the truth : in a good sense, they sig
nify those who are surrounded with the waters of truth ; hence abstractedly
truths themselves.
p. 96. With whom the kings of the earth, 8fc.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 486 ; —
"With whom such as hold the principal station among men, and
who ought to direct those who go astray and to raise up those who fall,
have committed fornication, and have been the first to decHne from God ;
being vehemently dehghted with a false religion and an impious worship."
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, v, 10 ; —
"The manuscripts have the word kings; i. e., hast made us the uni
versal heads of the church, because we have the care both of sacred things
and profane, things ecclesiastical and poHtical, and administer them upon
earth. Wherefore we (the priesthood ?), who seemed to be oppressed by
the world and its powers, shaU reign upon the earth ; and hence to us as
the rulers of the world it is most highly expedient to know whatsoever is
to befall the church mflitant, and all the rest of the people down to the end
of the world."
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 492; —
. . . " ' With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,'
that is, those who being inflated with pride possess only a worldly wis
dom ; because they take a vehement deHght in her false religion and wor
ship, and have increased rather than repressed her criminaHty ; although
they ought to have exercised a control over others and to have set them
the example of a good Hfe. Moreover the inhabitants of the earth are
intoxicated with the wine of her scortation; those, I mean, who are car-
naUy wise, and are occupied with an immoderate love of frail and tran
sitory things. For besides that they are delighted with the false religion
of Antichrist (such as is that of aU sectaries) as with most exceUent wine ;
and have drank of it even to drunkenness : they have given themselves
over to the pleasures of the body, and entirely immersed themselves in
them ; instead of divine and heavenly wisdom, that wisdom is pleasing to
them which is earthly, sensual, and devUish." . . .
Ibid, p. 495 ;—
" ' And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and decked with
gold and precious stones and pearls,' &c. In these words appear to be
signified the magnificence, pomp, and pride of the wicked and luxurious
of this world; who foUow after aU kinds of indulgence. As also the
Q Q 2

596 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
hypocrisy and fictitious sanctity with which the harlot endeavors to hide
her abominations, in order that she may the more easily deceive the un
wary and draw them aUke into an admiration and love of herseU. She
pretends that she is iUuminated with divine wisdom, when she is never
theless perfectly fooHsh, and possesses oidy the wisdom of this world,
which is fooHshness with God ; and she can glory only in worldly elo
quence, which may be that which is meant by gems and pearls ; and this
for the express purpose that those whom she cannot by open force draw
into error, she may deceive by a pretended sanctity. Whence also she is
said to have a golden cup in her hand, which is full of the abominations
and uncleanness of her fornication."
p. 101. Drunk with the blood of the martyrs.
According to Berengaud, Apocalypse, p. 332 ; " Drunk, that is, ahen-
ated from aU spiritual reason."
p. 103. Into the wilderness.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 493 ; —
" Under the name of wilderness John seems to comprehend, as St.
Ambi-ose the bishop observes, the whole multitude of the wicked, who
have either openly cast away Christ (such as Mahomedans), or who make
an outward profession of Christianity and the Church ; when they are aU
nevertheless, no other than such as are aU assemblies [ccetus] of heretics."
p. 110. This woman is called a harlot.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 287 ; —
" This Harlot is seen as being the opposite and contrary to the Woman
clothed with the sun. She stands for the assembly of aU the wicked (pro
ceetu omnium reproborum) ; but the former for the holy church with the
whole congregation of the just."
With respect to the two harlots contending before Solomon, as re
corded in 1 Kings iii, 16, A Lapide says that one represents the Catholic
Church, the other the Arian and Nestorian heresies ; B. Gregory, that
these two women represent true and false teachers, Moral, book i, chap.
viii. Consult also A Lapide, Proverbs, p. 106.
p. 112 and 202. Simulated sanctity.
Babylon is celebrated for its idolatry ,¦ idols are simulacra, from simu
late, to simulate. The idols of Babylon are her doctrines or alleged vh-

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 597
tues which simulate, or are simulations, or simulacra of genuine truths
and goods. See Cajetan on the word simulacrum, Deut. iv, marginal note.
The tares mentioned in Matthew xiii, 25, are sham wheat.
p. 117. A shew as of religion and divine worship.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 487 ; —
" Now the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet ; putting forth
in her apparel an appearance of Royal dignity (although it was falsely as
sumed), and being covered over with gold and precious stones and pearls,
and dissipating herself in aU kinds of lust, luxury, and lascivionsness.
She makes a shew indeed of being iUuminated with divine wisdom ; but
she perverts the true worship of God by hypocrisy, fictitious sanctity,
blasphemous and adulterous doctrine ; drawing away men from the or
thodox rehgion of the Fathers to the most execrable idolatry. No wonder
therefore if by her impious dogmas, under a pretext of probity and sanc
tity, with her vices dissembled, and her teaching overlaid with the gold
of a pretended divine wisdom, she seduces and inebriates more than do
the openly wicked ; dragging away with herself, by the perverse example
of her Hfe, her miserable votaries into abominable crimes and into a Hke
damnation with her own, whensoever they purposely imitate her."
p. 125. Having a golden cup in her hand.
Albertus Magnus, Apocalypse, chap. xvii. ; — *
" ' A golden cup,' that is, the Scriptures : 'in her hand,' that is, in
her power, because many wiU know them by heart ; or it means in their
power, because they wUl explain it according to their own wiU : 'full of
abomination' that is, of pride, or error and falsity."
Cardinal Hugo, Apocalypse, chap. xvu. ; —
" ' Having a golden cup,' that is, the knowledge of the Scriptures, clear
indeed in themselves, and for this reason golden. ' In her hand,' in her
perverse doings [operation^], for she explains them in conformity to her
doings. ' A sinful man wiU not be reproved, but findeth an excuse accord
ing to his wiU,' Eccl. xxxn, 17. And hence foUow the words, 'full of
abomination' that is, of corrupt exposition."
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvu, p. 496; —
" This cup is certainly the blasphemous, perverted, and adulterous
teaching of heretics; who boast indeed that they possess the Sacred
Scripture, but who corrupt it with their depraved expositions; and
who, supplying to the minds of men the turbid and fetid water of
pools, and the deadly drink of their errors, so pervert their minds as
to seduce them into abominable crimes and to a like damnation with
their own. Outwardly, therefore, this woman, by a simulation of vir-

598 notes to vol. iv.
tues, appears to be beautiful as it were ; although interiorly she is full of
aU manner of filthiness and abomination. For it is in hypocrisy that she
feigns to others the gold of pretended truth, in order that she may the
more easUy invite every one to drink of the uncleanness of her fornica
tion." Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xvii, p. 307 ; —
" Anselm, De Hales, Albertus Magnus, interpret the golden cup to sig
nify Scripture. But how is such a cup said to be full of abomination
and the uncleanness of fornication ? Does the divine Word contain im
purities ? The words of the Lord are pure and chaste. But inasmuch
as heretics and false teachers [magistri] interpret it according to their own
pleasure and not according to the true sense, and twist it ad libitum by
iniquitous and abominable expositions ; therefore the woman, that is, the
assembly [castus~] of the wicked, offers a golden cup full of abomination
and of all her uncleanness, which, with its perverted and sinister mean
ing, she designs to dispense to aU the good. De Hales says ; " This woman
having a golden cup, that is, the book of the Scripture in her hand,
that is, in her corrupt expositions : and full of abominations, that is,
errors and falsities : aud full of the uncleanness of her fornication, because
their doctrine teaches uncleanness of the flesh, and excites to indulgence."*
Now what is aU this but to say that Babylon as a Church interprets
the divine writings according to her own tradition ; the Scriptures being kept
under her own power and authority, as being her own especial property ;
and, as such, she alone claiming the right over them, and being their sole
guardian ? And does not Babylon in claiming this right, claim the alleged
characteristic and prerogative of a church ; in the present case, too, of the
Roman Cathohc Church? For let us hear Perrone, in his Theological
Prelections, on the interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, chap. Hi, vol.
ii, p. 1110 ;—
" Dogmatic interpretation is that which is taught with power and
authority, accompanied with a. force of obligation upon others; and it has
for its object some dogma of faith ; or it sets forth some truth which
has a relation to faith and morals, or in any other manner to the depo-
situm of faith. . . . Now according to Catholics, dogmatic interpretation
belongs exclusively to the Church alone, as being her who alone is invested
by Christ with infallible authority and magisterial rule to hand down the
true faith and to settle aU controversies relating to the faith."
" For the Scriptures, besides that in many places they are obscure
and of difficult interpretation, nowhere expressly exhibit to us any symbol
or catalogue of each of the truths to be beheved. Hence arises the ne-
* Fornication has already been explained in a spiritual sense.

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 599
cessity of some interpreter, infallible, visible, living, invested with public
authority and jurisdiction, who may not only render us certain and secure,
without any fear of error, concerning the several truths contained in the
Sacred Scripture ; but may besides have the power to compel all firmly to
believe and profess them. An interpretation moreover of this kind is that
which we have caUed dogmatic; and which, we contend, can be put forth
only by the Church, so that if the Church be removed, it is aU over with
the faith." Accordingly it is common to the advocates of dogmatic teaching to
put into the mouth of the church the foUowing words, which are quoted
from TertuUian by Dr. Mflner iu his End of Controversy, Letter x. It
is, says he, proper to address heretics as foUows ; —
"Who are you? whence do you come? What business have you
strangers with my property ? By what right are you, Marcion, feUing
my trees ? By what right are you, Valentine, turning the course of my
streams ? Under what pretext are you, ApeUes, removing my landmarks ?
The estate is mine. I have the ancient, the prior possession of it. I have
the title-deeds dehvered to me by the original proprietors. I am the heir
of the apostles ; they have made their will in my favor ; while they disin
herited and cast you off as strangers and enemies."
p. 129. The prophet is speaking under the figure of an adul
terous woman.
Cardinal Hugo on Ezekiel xxiii, 40, p. 87 ; —
" ' Thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with
ornaments' &c. Some theologians there are who wash themselves with
devUs [lavant se demonibus] ; who make false confessions or shed false
tears. They paint their eyes with pigment because in their exterior looks
they pretend [simulant^} that they have the rosy tint of love ; and they
adorn themselves exteriorly with the ornament of upright behavior. And
they pretend [simulant] that they sit upon a most beautiful couch, that is,
they pretend that they have tranquUHty and peace of mind, or purity of
heart. And they have before them a table set with ornaments ; because
they seem to be studious in the Sacred Scriptures. And they place upon
it the incense and ointment of the Lord ; because, together with the study
of Sacred Scripture, they seem to apply themselves to prayer and devotion.
And besides these things on the table, there is the voice of the exulting
multitude ; because they have many hearers who rejoice in their teaching.
And aU these things do they lose ; because they direct their whole in
tention and study to the praises and exultations of the multitude who

600 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
commend them. ' Verily, I say unto you they have received their re
ward,' Matt, vi." p. 133. Mystery, Babylon.
"BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvu, p. 497 ;¦ —
" For since Babylon hypocriticaUy pretends to be that which she is
not, that is, since she makes a shew of sanctity and integrity of Hfe, al
though she is fuU of iniquity and abomination ; so, lest the superstition of
error, through being covered over with the cloak of pretence, should deceive
the unwary, the Divine Mercy has made us cautious through the medium
of the title on her forehead ; since Babylon, that is, confusion, is written
there. In my opinion, however, the word Mystery is not set before us by
John as the name of the woman ; but is interposed by way of parenthesis
in order to excite us to attention. As if it should be said ; attend to this
mystery ; for that is caUed a mystery under which Hes some arcanum and
something occult that is known but to few ; in which also one thing is
seen and another is meant. Although this harlot therefore openly, not
with dissimulation, puts herself forward in doing wicked actions (for from
his works every one is easily known) ; yet, nevertheless, being ornamented
with so many pretended virtues, her perversity does not make itself known
to all, but only to the pious and prudent, and to those who are illustrated
by the Spirit of God. For this reason it is that by the art of simulation
she deceives innumerable persons ; when nevertheless upon her forehead
she eames the name of Babylon, that is confusion, because it is not given
to aU to know the mystery of her. Her name, as we have said, is on her
forehead ; since she perpetrates her execrable crimes without a blush ; but
still from some it is shut up in mystery. To the unskilled and untaught,
who cannot foresee and understand these things, she is a mystery ; because
from these that which is done by the multitude of the wicked is concealed.
But to the instructed and the prudent she shews her name upon her fore
head, because they know aU her actions at once."
p. 140. Cornelius a Lapide, 8fc., " I say therefore Babylon
here is Bome."
Thus again on Isaiah xxiv, 10, ' The city of confusion (Vulgate, city
of vanity) is broken down,' A Lapide says, p. 231 ; —
" Jerome, St. Thomas, and Haymo, say that the ' city of vanity ' is
Babylon, that is, Rome, which at the end of the world having become
most iniquitous will be totaUy given up to vanity, indulgence, and ambi
tion ; and therefore wiU be vastated together with her daughters, that is,
the other cities which are subject to her. Apoc. xviii." See also Jer. li.

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 601
Bellarmine De Roman. Pont. Disputationes, vol. i, p. 897 ;—
" Secondly, it may be said in my opinion more properly that by the
harlot is meant Rome, . . . but Rome reigning as Pagan, worshipping-
idols and persecuting Christians ; not Christian Rome," &c.
Suarez sometimes admits it however to be Christian Rome. Moreover
that Babylon signifies Rome, is, he says, the exposition given by the gene
rality of ancient and modern commentators, and is the most probable. In
his Defence of the Cathohc Church he thus observes, p. 296 ; —
" This exposition therefore being admitted, we may finaUy coUect from
it that the city of Rome is to be blotted out* [delendam] before the end
of the world, and to be entirely overtm-ned as to its material edifices and
given over to the flames ; which many CathoUcs teach and maintain not
only without a blush, but also with constancy ; whose names and opinions
Thomas Malvenda records at length, De Antichristo, book iv, chap. iv.
And although he himseH is afraid to come down to their opinions, and
therefore endeavors to interpret those passages in the Apocalypse in dif
ferent ways (and which it is not necessary now to examine, to approve, or
to disapprove) ; nevertheless, it cannot be denied that this opinion is the
most probable, and is highly agreeable both to these passages in the Apo
calypse and to the ancient Fathers, especiaUy Jerome on Is. xxiv," &c.
p. 150.
Father Lambert ; Exposition of the Predictions and the Promises made
to the Church, vol. ii, p. 341 ; —
..." It is certain from the examples presented in Scripture, that John
has been able to trace out, under the emblem of a prostitute, Rome Chris
tian, but perverted, faithless to the aUiance which she had made with
God, and who had corrupted herself with the kings of the earth."
Do not statements of this kind partly tend to account for the remark
of the learned Jesuit Pen-one ; that, of Father Lambert's works, the most
ridiculous and worthy of condemnation is the Exposition of the Predic
tions and Promises, &c, part i, chap, iii, De Ecclesia? Notis (Theological
Prelections.) p. 166. I believe in one holy Catholic Church.
See MUner's Tenth Letter in the End of Controversy.
p. 179. And here is the mind which hath wisdom.
That is, says De Lyra, in regard to the occult meaning of Scripture.
* Delenda est Carthago ?

602 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
p. 183. By one nothing else is signified but this divine truth,
that unto the Lord is given all power in heaven and in
earth, 8fc.
This observation of Swedenborg may be illustrated by the foUowing
remark of Suarez in his Defence of the Cathohc Church, p. 124 ; —
" It was therefore the opinion of some CathoUcs, especiaUy those who
were skilled in the law, that in the church there was not only a spiritual
regimen but likewise a temporal monarchy ; and consequently that in the
whole Cathohc Church there was only one supreme temporal Prince having,
per se and directly, supreme civil power over the whole church ; and that
by the institution of Christ this temporal Prince is the supreme Pontiff.
Whence they consequently inferred that there was no State, nor King, nor
Emperor possessing supreme power in temporal matters ; because there
cannot be in one and the same order of things two supreme heads. There
fore if the Pontiff has supreme temporal power directly and per se, it
necessarily follows that no supreme power can exist in any other temporal
Princes, because there is not one who would not recognize in temporal
affairs a superior. Nay, some there are who add, that aU right over
kingdoms and aU dominion is conferred upon Peter as the Vicar of Christ ;
and thus that the Roman Pontiff succeeds to him in this right ; and there
fore that supreme civil power in habitu (as they speak) is alone in the
Pontiff, although by a grant impHed or express he may administer it
through the medium of other Kings."
After quoting the authorities in favor of this view of the subject,
Suarez thus proceeds ; —
" In the first place, these opinions are founded in many of the decrees
of the chief Pontiffs, who seem to affirm this doctrine, and which we shaU
cite below when we explain their meaning. Secondly, they are founded
also in usage, and in various circumstances which exhibit this power. Of
this nature are the transference of the empu-e from the Greeks to the
Germans, and the institution of the method of choosing the Emperor, and
confirming him, and sometimes also deposing him ; which are aU of them
acts of a supreme temporal power. But if an Emperor be not supreme,
much less are others who are Kings. Whence also sometimes Kings were
deposed by the Pontiffs. Thirdly ; in passages from Scripture which they
adduce to prove this, and in which they suppose that Christ had a direct
power not only spiritual but also temporal; both because he said, 'All
power is given to me in heaven and in earth,' as also because he
was the Son of God by nature. Whence they infer that both kinds of
power were equally committed to his Vicar ; because he himsetf made no

notes to vol. iv. 603
distinction between them, but said to Peter absolutely, ' Feed my sheep,'
(under which term feed is comprehended not less the civU than the spiritual
regimen ; for of David it is said, 2 Kings v, ' The Lord said unto thee,
feed my people Israel,') and also because it was expedient for the good of
the church, and for its unity and peace. Whence likewise, Fourthly, is
added this natural reason ; that in one body there ought to be only one
supreme head, from which, as from their primary source, might proceed
all the actions of Hfe which subserve the body or the spirit. Now the
Church is one mystical body, as above declared ; therefore it requires one
supreme governor for both orders of functions ; nay, both powers vested in
one person ; because if they are in different persons there wiU arise infinite
dissensions and quarrels which can scarcely be settled by any human care
and means, as experience itself has shewn."
p. 190. These shall hate the whore.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvu, p. 507 ; —
" ' And the ten horns which thou sawest,' &c. Some there are who
think that this passage treats of the conversion of those who were formerly
deceived by the impostures of Antichrist ; whom the Lord wiU bring at
length to the acknowledgment of the truth. For such writers affirm that
these wiU pursue with hatred the harlot, that is, Antichrist self-indulgent
and effeminate, who repudiates the yoke of the evangehcal law : that
these, repenting of then errors, wUl refuse to act any longer in concert
with Antichrist as being an impostor. Hence therefore we infer that the
time wUl come, when, his abominations being known by means of the
preaching of Apostolical and CathoUc doctrine, and Antichrist being re
vealed ; these kings wiU at length hold the harlot in hatred ; and, despising
her authority, wiU take away from her the lands which she had occupied by
force and tyranny, wiU deny to her tribute, and leave her naked and des
titute of aU their former assistance. For so great wiU be the power of
Evangelical and Catholic preaching, that by reason of its brightness the
abominations which before had lain hid as if in secret places, are brought
forth into Hght ; so that now at length those abhor them who had before
defended them with the sword and with arms."
BuUenger, after adding a second exposition, remarks as foUows ; —
" But our first exposition seems to come nearer to the meaning of St.
John ; so that we understand that in this passage is foretold the wonderful
conversion and repentance of those who had been seduced by Antichrist ;
when, the execrable errors of Antichrist and heretical perfidy being rejected
in earnest, they become obedient to the true and eternal God through
Jesus Christ, and approve and openly admit the catholic preaching of his

604 NOTES TO vol. IV.
Word, together with the legitimate administration of the sacraments,
under obedience to the holy Apostolical seat. These forsaking her impiety
and holding her in contempt wiU subject the harlot to marveUous tor
ments, because they had been so fouUy deceived by her ; and with one
consent will adjudge her to be worthy to be burned with fire."
It may be observed that the holy Apostolical seat is at Rome ; that
according to De Sacy it is agreed by Roman CathoUcs that Babylon
means Rome ; and it has been seen that BuUenger unreservedly aUows
that Babylon means a church. The church therefore against which the
ten horns contend is some aUeged Cathohc Church at Rome.
p. 201 And he cried mightily.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvni, p. 519; —
" ' And he cried mightily with a strong voice.' In this passage the
Angel is performing the functions of the office undertaken ; and being
possessed of heavenly Hght, besides being endued with great power, he acts
not simply as one conveying a message, but likewise cries out vehemently,
with a great and mighty voice ; by which we understand the preaching of
Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel with which the Lord began to
demolish and to overtm-n the towers and fortresses of the kingdom of
Babylon ; so that he said : repent of your former life, and be converted ;
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, by which, through his Spirit and
behef in the Gospel, God reigns in the minds of the elect, justifying and
saving them. . . Babylon is twice said to have faUen. It feU first when,
the Doctrine of the Gospel being promulgated, it lost the great multitude
of the elect, who, being cut off from it by faith in Christ, became citizens
of the holy city, that is, of the holy church ; having broken the chains
of their sins. It shaU again faU at the last day," &c.
p. 204. Cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 522 ; —
" By these birds some understand not only impure spirits ; but like
wise false prophets and heretics, who, as Virgil writes of the harpies,
Quarum — Turba sonanspradampedibus circumvolat uncis — Polluit ore dopes.
They fly about when perversely teaching ; and with their unclean touch
defile and poUute with their claws the festive banquet of Scripture ; so that
when they are satiated there is nothing left of any use to mankind."
p. 210. They have all drunk of the wine.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 512; —

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 605
" Because aU nations have drank of the wine of her fornication . she
has made the whole world drunk with her fallacies ; so that both by the
teaching of her doctrine, and by the example of a false religion-, aU the
inhabitants of the earth have revolted from the true worship of one God and
from piety." p. 212. Kings of the earth.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 512; —
" ' And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.'
The princes of this world foUowing in the steps of her pestiferous writings
[documentis'] and examples ; casting God, piety, and all uprightness of life
behind them ; have preferred before these their own obscene and foul
pleasures. ' And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the
abundance of her dehcacies.' For, neglecting true riches, they have in
their boundless avarice panted after the mere perishable riches of this
world, and are thus become rich at the loss of their own souls."
Ibid, Apocalypse, chap, xvni, p. 516; —
" Since her merchants (namely, those who, panting after worldly lucre
by reason of their insatiable cupidity of getting, and then avarice, seU
their own souls and let them pass into the power of the devU), ' were the
great men of the earth,' who oppressed aU in the earth by their usurious
practices ; since in aU nations a vast number were seduced and led away
into wickedness ; ' by her sorceries,' namely, by her pestiferous persuasions,
destructive doctrines, and most foul examples."
Ibid, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 523; —
" Those are merchants, who, as Primasius says, panting after earthly
lucre, exchange their souls by an unhappy merchandize, for the abundance
of the fleeting and fraU possessions of the world ; acting contrary to the
commands of the Lord who said, ' What shaU a man give in exchange for
his soul ?' This evil do the hucksters of sacerdotal offices meditate
again and again in their mind ; as do also those who seU or buy ecclesias
tical benefices, or who confer them upon the person who can count the
most money, when on the death of the official they ought to have been
conferred upon some other person ; despising as they do the learned and
pious man who is in straitened circumstances. And this in order that
they may enjoy the deHghts of the harlot, Babylon. For unless while
they have yet time they repent of so great wickedness, they shall etemaUy
with her suffer the severest torments in the lake of heU."
p. 219. Come out of her .
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 513 ; —

606 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
"And I heard with the ears of the mind another voice (namely of
admonition to the elect), saying from heaven and from the height of the
Divine Majesty, Come out from Babylon my people, and withdraw your
selves early from the congregation of the wicked. Be ye not foUowers of
their manners ; detest and consign to utter damnation the false rehgion of
that city, her pursuits, and mode of Hfe. Have no communication with
the unfruitful works of darkness. Abstain from carnal concupiscences
which war against the soul, that ye be not partakers both of her sins and
her punishments. For if ye partake of her guUt, ye shaU partake of her
judgment. But if in mind ye are far from communication with the wicked ;
then, when these are perishing, the mercy of God shaU provide salvation
for yourselves." Ibid, Apocalypse, chap. xvUi, p. 524; —
" ' Come out of her, my people.' As if he should say ; withdraw
yourselves in season from the assembly of the wicked whom I have decreed
to destroy ; lest ye utterly perish together with them. Come out, I say,
not in body, which ye cannot do, but in mind. Now to go out in mind
from intercourse with the wicked is to detest and consign to utter damna
tion the false religion, superstition, pursuits, manners, Hfe— in a word,
everything belonging to that wicked city."

p. 242. Even in this case it is then a church in the latter
days and not a city that is meant by Babylon.
Because it is one part of the church that faUs away from the other
part : moreover Babylon is the coUection or congregation of those who
decHne from the church into heresy ; and these are the same with the
ecclesia malorum.
p. 242. It is the church perhaps that will for the greatest
part fall away.
In like manner the expression of Malvenda, p. 187, in describing the
opinions of certain writers concerning the desertion of the Christian faith
by Rome, is fidem Christianam puorsus deserturam ,¦ and Dominicus a
Soto, as quoted by BeUarmine in his Disputations, vol. i, p. 917, suggests
the same idea. BeUarmine objects to it, because he says this would shew
that our Lord's promise in Matthew xvi, 18, to the church, would not be
fulfiUed. But it would be strictly fulfiUed notwithstanding in the esta
blishment of a New Church militant, viz, the New Jerusalem. Hence

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 607
by some Roman Catholic writers the prophecy in Matthew xvi, 18, is ac
tually applied to the church signified by the New Jerusalem.
p. 254. I have hated the congregation of the wicked.
*The version here given by Richard of St. Victor is that of the Sep
tuagint and of the Vulgate on Psalm xxv, 27, which St. Victor adopts
as a matter of course, viz, ' I have hated the church of the wicked' Augustin
caUs it congregatio malorum ; Menochius, " ecclesia, i. e, ccetus malorum."
Lauretus says, "Ecclesia est congregatio convocata;" and Jerome, " Ecclesai
. malignantium est congregatio Judaeorum & hereticorum." Alexander de
Hales, p. 311, speaks of the woman as representing " Christiana falsitas,"
and according to Joachim, Seraphinus, and Ubertinus, Babylon signifies
the " ceetus malorum Christianorum " (Da Sylveira, p. 287). Thus we see
that the ccetus, or congregatio malorum, which Babylon is constantly caUed
by different writers, Patristic and Roman Cathohc, is the same with the
ecclesia malorum. Hence it is that Alexander de Hales speaks of Babylon
indifferently as the congregatio malorum, or the ecclesia malorum. Hence
also it is observed by Albertus Magnus on the Epistle to the Church of
Smyrna, (' He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
to the churches ;') " The church is threefold, — the church of the wicked,
the just, the good [ecclesia malorum, justorum, bonorum]." The city of
Babel, says Bede on Gen. xi, may signify the church of heretics.
BuUenger, the Roman Cathohc writer before quoted, and who dedi
cates his work on the Apocalypse to the Most Illustrious Prince Henry
Lothario Duke of Guise, a.d. 1589, writes as foUows ; —
p. 487. " Then said the angel to me wherefore dost thou marvel? I
wiU shew unto thee the mystery of the woman, the church, I say,
which is Antichristian ; and its secret signification," &c.
p. 494. " Therefore this harlot or city which is here described wiU be
no other than the dominion, headship, power, authority, pride, and ambi
tion of a false and adulterous church, whether Mahomedan or
heretical ,- be it wheresoever it may."
p. 494. " To this city (viz, Babylon) belongs the false church of
Antichrist and of heretics ; which, although it had withdrawn from Christ,
the Head and Spouse of the true church, nevertheless wishes to be accounted
a true church, and thus the spouse of Christ."
p. 499. " I wiU shew to thee, says he, what this woman signifies and
what the beast ; and I wiU point out their damnation, and the judgment
* See the ancient authorities quoted in the Tracts for the Times, No. 90, art. 4,
The Visible Church.

608 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
which is to come upon them ; though it is hid from then eyes whUe that
liarlot, that is, the Antichristian church which is carried by the beast,
&c, is ghttering and shining forth in purple and scarlet, in gold and
precious stones and pearls."
p. 517. "In this chapter under the type of Babylon, is described the
judgment of the church of the wicked," &c.
When therefore it is said by De Sacy and other Roman Cathohc
writers, " We agree with them (the Reformers) that Babylon is Rome,
but they are required to shew that this Rome is the Church of Rome :"
the answer is plain : Have not Roman Cathohc divines shewn it them
selves, and what further need is there of any other authorities ?
p. 254. That great city Babylon.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvin, p. 538; —
" The city is caUed great, because she sets the example of apostasy to
aU other Christians." p. 260. Barrels full of drugs.
The original is dolia pigmentaria, tubs full of pigments ; possibly spices
or perfumes ; but I am not sufficiently acquainted with the monastic his
tory of that period to assign the specific meaning.
p. 264. They belong not to a true church, but to a false or
simulated church.
That is, the Laodicean, or to those who say they are Jews and are
not, Rom. ii, 28. p. 276. Merchants.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvin, p. 533 ; —
" Various and multifold are the merchants of Babylon who wax rich
out of the pomp and magnificence of the Babylonian harlot. For who can
easily teU her pride and magnificence. Some there are who traffic in order
to acquire to themselves great wealth and riches, by means of which they
live in enjoyment and luxury ; denying nothing to the mind which burns
with its lusts and insane cupidities. Others there are, alas ! who make
pubhc sales of sacred things, and hold everything as venal provided they
can only make money by it. They seU and buy spiritual things or what
is annexed to spiritual things; such as saoraments, teaching, prayers,
sacerdotal offices. Whatever spiritual employment they undertake, they
expect for it temporal remuneration ; nor wiU they perform the duties of

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 609
their office, whether they teach, or exercise their ministrations and per
form divine services, or whether they pray, unless some hope of deceitful
money gHtter in their eyes ; when, nevertheless, their most especial desire
ought to be to serve God, to administer the sacraments, and perform then-
other ecclesiastical duties without any view to reward ; although, to those
who faithfuUy perform the duties of their station, the necessaries which
relate to the Hfe and conveniences of the body, ought to be kindly
supphed." Lbid, Apocalypse, chap, xviii, p. 539; —
" We must here by no means pass over in sUence the question who
especiaUy are those whom St. John introduces as mourning over the de
struction of Babylon, namely, the kings of the earth. They are eminent
rulers, merchants ; by whom we understand aU those of whatever rank
and condition, whether bishops, priests, abbots, monks, or secular princes,
who, in order that they may amass great wealth and abundance of aU
things, become implicated in the merchandize of Babylon, and are employed
in getting gain in the sea, that is, in the world."
p. 285. No artificer of whatsoever art shall be found in
thee, 8fc.
See what is said, Vol. I, p. 33, respecting Bezaleel. On Exodus
xxxi, 4, ' I have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom and in un
derstanding, and in knowledge, and in aU manner of workmanship ; to
devise cuiming works ; to work in gold, and in sUver, and in brass, and
in cutting of stones, to set them ; and in carving of timber to work in aU
manner of workmanship,' De Lyra observes, " Here the passage is treat
ing of the artificers of the tabernacle. The tabernacle, however, signifies
the church, as above stated ; for which reason those who were employed
in constructing the tabernacle signify the builders of the church under
Christ, that is, who is the principal Author of aU ; and these were the
apostles, especiaUy Peter and Paul. See 1 Cor. iu. ; Gal. u."
Berengaud, Apocalypse, chap, xvin, 22 ; —
" ' And no craftsman of whatsoever craft he be,' &c. AU these things
are to be understood spiritually. By arts we may understand the wisdom
of this world, which is foonshness with God ; which the wicked artificers
and sons of Babylon learn for the purpose of making progress in the
wickedness of Babylon ; for they are wise to do evil, but to do good they
know not."
Jerome says, that " the artificer in wood, making idols, is the heretic ;
who Hkewise is caUed a wise artificer by reason of his cunning, in virtue
of which he appears to himself to be wise." See Lauretus, art. Ars.
VOL. IV. R R

610 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
p. 285. And the light of a lamp.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xvin, p. 516 ; —
" ' And the Hght of a lamp shaU shine no more at aU in her.' Babylon
being precipated into horrible and dense darkness, and for ever deprived
of the sweet Hght, no brightness shall shine upon her for her consolation;
since, whUe she was yet living, she was endeavoring by aU methods to put
out the Hght of the Gospel, lest it should shine upon mankind."
p. 286. By thy sorcery.
BuUenger, Apocalypse, chap, xviu, p. 543 ; —
" The Holy Spirit sets before us in this passage three causes of the
vastation of the kingdom of Babylon ; the first of which is avarice and the
insatiable lust of possessing ; such as we see at this day in those who, by
an unhappy merchandize, offer their souls to sale for worldly profit ; and
whom he denominates merchants. For of these are they who equal great
Princes in their wealth and abundance. These are they who in their lives
made a bad use of their temporal goods, and accordingly of these things
are they justly deprived ; and being cast into hell become the victims of
eternal torments. The second cause is placed in her sorceries ,• by which
name we understand her pestiferous persuasions, destructive dogmas, and
deadly errors ; as also most foul examples by which the human race is
more and more deceived every day. The third cause is the pouring out of
the blood of the innocent," 8rc.
p. 302. This person was not Jesus Christ, nor was it the
Three- One God, but only God the Father.
The foUowing and concluding part of the sentence ought to have been
added ; —
" This is the opinion of Irenaeus, Athanasius, and BasU, as may be
seen in Annot. xxiv, John xii, by Toletus. Origen also maintains the
same opinion in Hom. iv. upon Isaiah."
p. 307. The foregoing observation is further confirmed by
Bibera.
And by Da Sylveira on this passage, p. 393.
p. 353. It should however be observed that Calmet in Ms
Dictionary gives the same meaning of tectum or cover
ing to both words.
In this case Gog means tectum, and Magog, de tecto, as before ; but

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 611
not de tecto in the sense of detected, laid open, or discovered ; but de as
implying descent or de stirpe ; so that Magog would in this sense imply
the descendants, famfly, or progeny of Gog.* And this seems to be the
sense in which De Lyra takes the word ; for says he, " Magog signifies
de tecto, by which are understood those who are the adherents of Anti
christ, as being of (de) his famUy or people." This interpretation more
over is countenanced by Jerome, who says on Ezek. xxxviu. ; " Gog we
shall interpret the princes of heretics ; and Magog, those who have
received their doctrine." Thus the land of Magog would signify the land
of the descendants and adherents of Gog ,- and in this manner we preserve
the meaning of Gog and Magog as signifying in both cases covering. Thus
the names Gog and Magog would signify Gog and his adherents, or
Gog and his descendants or family ; and would correspond in form of ex
pression with that of the DevU and his angels, or Michael and his angels,
or the Church and its members.
Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xvi, p. 680 ; —
" A suspicion therefore comes into my mind, that the name Gog is
feigned by Ezekiel the prophet for some wise purpose ; as being the name
from which that of Magog is derived. For although Magog was a name
proper to the son of Japheth (from whom the land of Magog appears to
be caUed where the city of Magog was built) ; stUl, any one skiUed in the
Hebrew tongue wiU easUy see that the name Magog is taken from the
name Gog, with an addition of the letter Mem, which indicates the same
as among the Latins a or ab. And after the same manner as the Greeks
derive Constantinople from Constantine, so may the Hebrews or Syrians
derive the name of the city [civitas'] Magog from Gog. And therefore
from this form of the words it may be aptly imagined, that Gog is as it
were a substantive, and Magog an adjective."
According to Gessenius, Gag means (1.) a flat roof or top of an
oriental house. Thus Josh, ii, 6, 8 ; ' She had brought them up to the
roof (Gag) of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax which she
had laid in order upon the roof (Gag).' Prov. xxi, 9 ; ' It is better to
dweU in a corner of the housetop (Gag), than with a brawhng woman in a
wide house.' 1 Sam. ix, 25 ; 'And when they were come down from the
high place unto the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the
house (Gag).'
* Alcasar, Apocalypse, chap, xvi., p. 6S0 ; —
" Although there have been many who have asserted that Magog signifies persecution
• going forth openly ; still such an explication is forced. For we wander away from the
noun de tecto, which is an ablative with a preposition, to the participial mode of the
verb detego. And although it may be said that he who goes de tecto, goes out in
apertum, still the word Magog indicates only de tecto or a tecto."

612 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
(2.) Gag means also the surface or top of an altar. Thus Exod. xxx,
3 ; 'And thou shalt overlay it (the altar) with pure gold, the top (Gag)
thereof, and the sides thereof, and the homs thereof,' &c. Exod. xxxvii,
26; 'And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top (Gag) of it, and
the sides thereof round about and the horns of it.'
In all these cases it is obvious that Gag means the outside as contrasted
with the inside, the exterior as contrasted with the interior. Accordingly
if we consider man as a house or as a temple having three divisions, as
already observed, Vol. Ill, p. 21 ; the sanctum sanctorum, dedicated to
the ra iruTTa, or things of heaven, as relating to the heart or affections ;
the sanctum, dedicated to the to vor/ra, or things inteUectual; the ex
ternal court, or -ra aurora, things sensible or the external senses ; it is
obvious in this case that Gag corresponds to things sensuous or the ex
ternal senses ; and hence Gag wiH signify those whose rehgion consists
only in things the most external and sensuous, as in mere ritual observances
and external forms and ceremonies, which are regarded as of supreme
importance where the rehgion is idolatrous or superstitious. There may
be those whose rehgion may consist in externals, through simphcity and ig
norance ; in this case, Gog and Magog would be taken in a good sense ;
where however there is no love interiorly, however simple, nor any know
ledge animated by love, but a mere external form prevaUs, actuated from
within by a spirit of bigotry, superstition, and uncharitable feehng ; there,
if we rightly understand Swedenborg, exists the character designated by
Gog and Magog. I would also suggest here that Gog and Magog may
be the corresponding opposite to Dan. See Vol. II.
Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, xx, p. 470 ; —
" Antichrist had a numerous army, of which by reason of its multi
tude it is said in the present case, ' whose number is as the sand of the
sea.' The Christians indeed were extremely few in number ; whUe the
soldiers of Antichrist were innumerable and most abundant, mounted in
chariots and on horses ; and although they went round about the camps of
the saints and the beloved city, stiU they were unable to make an irruption
into them. And why ; notwithstanding the Christian soldiers were so few ?
Because the camps of the saints were assembled together and united in
mutual charity; and where there is the bond of fraternal love, by no
human strength can they be broken or dissolved so as to afford ingress to
enemies. Thus Rupertus ; ' The beloved city is the camps of the saints,
camps of peace and love, strong in the munition of faith and immaterial
stones, armed with the Word, not with iron. These are the camps, this
the city which they went around, but did not rush into; which they
assailed, but did not break into.' "

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 613
" Secondly, it is said of the wicked, that although they were an innu
merable multitude as the sand of the sea, they only went round about the
city, but not that they subverted it ; for aU that the impious can do is to
go round about the church, but not to capture and to destroy it. St.
Thomas says, they wiU go round about ; by which is denoted that they will
not enter into its interior, by reason of their wickedness ; for never will
the Church be cast down."
" Thirdly ; it is not said that they stood, or that they fought against
the city, but that they went round about it. The wicked walk round
about in order to come into the enjoyment of their desires ; but they are
never able to find rest there, or to come to an end, but are always engaged
in laboring, as says the Royal prophet, Psalm cxl, 9 ; ' As for the head of
those that compass me about, let the labor of their own Hps cover them.'
Why does he connect together labor and Hps ? in order that he may hence
announce that their labor is never to come to an end, but that when it
seems sometimes to have come to an end, it is then only beginning."
..." When the Lord demanded of Satan whence he came, he rephed,
' I have been going round about the earth and perambulating it,' Job. ii,
7. And how is it that he who promised to himseU to sit in the mount of
the Testament, Isaiah xiv, 13, how is it, that he says concerning himseU
that he goes round about the earth ? For this reason ; that since he had
faUen from grace into grievous sin, he testifies concerning himseH nothing
but that he goes round about ; which he mentions as a continual labor
without rest and repose. So when the devUs were expeUed from the man,
it is said, ' They walked through dry and unwatered places, seeking rest
and finding none,' Luke xi, 24 ; and speaking of sinners, David says,
Psalm Hx, 6 ; ' They wUl return at evening : they make a noise like a
dog, and go round about the city.' By reason of hunger and ravenous
appetite they cannot rest in any place, but go round about the cities,
transferring themselves from one place to another ; which he mentions as
an indefatigable labor ; as Cyprian observes, De Zelo et Lahore."
In the present case, the camp of the saints or beloved city is in the
centre; its enemies, Gog and Magog, in the circumference. Thus the
words, Gog and Magog, correspond to the expression, going round about.
Swedenborg says that by going up over the breadth of the earth is sig
nified to hold in contempt or despise aU the truth of the chinch. Da
Sylveira says it signifies pride, as in Isaiah xiv. Cardinal Hugo, that
through pride they wiU assail the faith and love of the church. So Alex
ander de Hales and Ambrose Ansbert. The whole of the comment of
PeUicanus upon the subject of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel, confirms the
general view of the subject which has here been taken.

614 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
p. 480. Not to a New Church confined to heaven, but to
a New Church likewise upon earth.
In p. 421, it has been observed on the authority of TertuUian,
Jerome, Irenseus, Vitringa, and Zanchius, that the avaKetpaXalwaii has
relation to the making of a new Heaven, a new Earth, and hence a New
Church. We may further add the testimony of Musculus on Ephesians
i, 10 ; who says that the recapitulation here mentioned, signifies the bring
ing- back to a first principle, or renovating. Thus iu his Comment upon
this passage, p. 14 ; —
" AU creation, including both heaven and earth, experienced from the
beginning a dechne from the integrity of its first principle. God pro
posed a restoration of creation, in Himself ; foreordaining that in his own
times it should be accomplished in Christ. With this view the Apostle
does not say simply, that he would gather us together into one ; but that
he would ' gather together into one aU things by Christ, both the things
which are in the heavens and the things which are upon earth.' Now
this is no other than to make a new Heaven and a new Earth, as we read
in the Apocalypse ; ' I saw a new heaven and a new earth,' chap. xxi.
And again: 'Behold I make all things new.' The Jews expected that
the restoration of the kingdom of David would be effected by Christ ; but
that which they expected they did not understand. The apostles, more-
ever, entertaining the same opinions, said to the Lord (Acts, chap, i.)
' WUt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' But not only had
God the Father appointed his Son restorer of the kingdom of David, but
likewise restorer of all things both in heaven and earth ; that as by Him
aU things were made, so by Him should aU things be restored. The
same meaning I conceive to belong to the passage, Col. chap, i, 16."
This avaicecfiaXativais is the same, then, with ' making aU things new,'
and imphes therefore an avatcTiaK, or avatcaivihaii innovatio, according to
Musculus. If, moreover, we refer to p. 173 of the present volume, we
see on the testimony of Calmet, Menochius, and Tirinus, that the passage
quoted in Hebrews i, 10, 'Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the
foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands :
they shaU perish but thou remainest, and they aU shaU wax old as doth a
garment,' &c, refers to the renovation of the Old, or the formation of a New
Church. Thus the expression waxing old, or •n-aXaiuiai^ is the correlative
to avatcjiais or avaicaivujoi'i. Hence in the Apocalypse when it is said,
' I saw a new heaven and a new earth,' it impHes that the former heaven
and the former earth had waxed old ; but as the heaven and earth signify
the church, so it implies that the former church had waxed old, or become

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 615
as a worn out garment ; that is to say, antiquated, obsolete, out of date.
Thus in Scripture, the terms neto and old are taken both in a good sense
and in an evU sense. When it is said that the Athenians spent their time
in either teUing or hearing some new thing ; the word new may be taken
in an evU sense : when it is said, that ' If any man be in Christ he is a
new creature,' it is taken in a good sense. When it is said, ' Old things
are passed away,' old is taken in an evil sense; when it is said, ' See and
ask for the old paths,' old is taken in a good sense.
In the case which we are now considering, old is taken in an evil
sense, and new in a good sense ; and thus the old heaven and earth or
old church, signify a heaven and earth or a church antiquated, out of date,
obsolete, Hke an ancient garment that is worn out, has served its purpose,
and is set aside.
Now that in the Apocalypse this is the character of the former heaven
and earth, or the former church or dispensation which had passed away,
might be deduced from what has been said ; but it is confirmed by direct
testimony. In his Prolegomena to the book of Canticles, CorneHus a Lapide,
treats of the infancy of the Christian Church, its growth or adolescence,
its plenitude or manhood, its old age, and lastly its renovation ; and con
cludes his observations with these words ; —
" Therefore great is the analogy and resemblance of the Canticles to the
Apocalypse. First in subject matter; because in both is described the rise,
progress, maturity, decline, renovation and glorification of the church."
Hence it is that in the fourth division of his Commentary on the
Canticles, he says that from chap. i. to ii. is described the infancy of the
Christian Church ; from chap, ii, v. 8 to chap. Hi, v. 6, is described the
adolescence of the church ; from hence to chap, v, ver. 2, the manhood of
the church ; thence to chap, vi, v. 3, the decline of the church which now
grows antiquated as it were and faUs into old ag'e — " Ecclesia veterascentis
in senium declinatio." For as he says, " WhUe men slept the enemy came
and sowed tares," Matt, xiii, 25. And this old age of the church he attri
butes to the general corruption in doctrine-and morals beginning from the
time of Arius. The time of renovation of the Church, however, he thinks
has long since commenced and wiU continue to the period of the New
Jerusalem, when the Church wiU be fully and finally glorified. Whether
or not this be reaUy the genuine interpretation of the book of Canticles, it
is not our province here to consider. The subject is here referred to only
to illustrate the expression, ' they all shall wax old as doth a garment ,-' and
to shew that the Church has its periods of infancy, adolescence, manhood,
old age, and lastly renovation.

616 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
A similar view of the subject is maintained by Albertus Magnus in his
Prolegomena to the Apocalypse ; though he divides human Hfe into periods
somewhat differently. Thus ;—
" Suffice it nevertheless at present to observe, that Hke as man has
three different states in respect of age, namely, infancy, manhood, and old
age ; so the church in the beginning was, as it were, in its state of
infancy ; afterwards in a state of robust growth ; and finally, it wiU be in a
state of old age, as it were, and vi great debility. The first state (infancy)
is described by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles ; the second (manhood)
in the Epistles of Paul, and in aU the canonical writings ; the third (old
age) by John in the Apocalypse, as it was revealed to him by the Lord."
This period of the old age of the church, Albertus Magnus conceives
to be the same with the age of Antichrist ; and thus is illustrated and
confirmed the observation of Swedenborg in the True Christian Rehgion,
art. 762 •. that 'in the Lord's sight the Church appears as one man; and
this grand* man must needs pass through his different ages Hke the indi
viduals of which he is composed, advancing from infancy to youth, through
youth to manhood, and at length to old age ; and then when he dies he
rises again.' The Lord says, ' Except a grain of wheat faU into the
ground and die, it abideth alone ; but if it die it bringeth forth much
fruit,' John xii, 24.
The Apocalypse then treats of an Old Church, and a New Church ;
Old, in the sense of having lost the vigor of spiritual Hfe and hence become
antiquated, worn out and old fashioned, and Hke an old garment unfit for
further service ; or again, in the sense of having fallen into a state of
dotage and decrepitude ; hence of the rise of a New Church in the place
of the Old. But the question has been whether this New Church, signified
by the New Jerusalem, is the church triumphant or the church militant.
Now the first place in the Apocalypse where mention is made of the New
Jerusalem, occurs in the epistle to the church in PhUadelphia : ' And I
wiU write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my
God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God,'
chap, iii, 12. On this passage Gaspar a Melo observes, Apocalypse,
chap, iii, 12, p. 180; —
" ' Which cometh down out of heaven from my God.' This church
militant is caUed Jerusalem, because of the peace and concord produced -
by Christ, Ephes. ii, 17. 'He came and preached peace to you which
were afar off. Of which Esaias speaks, chap. xi. ' The wolf shaU dweU
with the lamb, and the leopard shaU He down with the kid ;' and it is
* Cornelius a Lapide somewhere calls the Church, magnus homo.

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 617
said to descend from heaven both here and in chap, xxi, both because
everything perfect is said to come from heaven, as in James i, 17. ' Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights ;' and because this our Church is formed after the image
of the heavenly Jerusalem, and is therefore caUed the kingdom of heaven."
Hence Gaspar a Melo is of opinion that it signifies the church triumphant
also. Da Sylveira, Apocalypse, chap, iii, 16, p. 229 ; —
"Rightly are both churches caUed Jerusalem which is interpreted 'the
vision of peace ;' because in the church triumphant there is the highest
peace and tranquilHty ; in the church militant, an inchoation and con
templation of this state."
Cornelius a Lapide, Apocalypse, chap, iii, 16; — »
"Note. The church, both militant upon earth and triumphant in
heaven, is caUed Jerusalem, i. e., the city of God (or vision of peace) :
new, in respect of men, to whom it was unknown in previous ages, namely,
in the time of the law of Moses and the law of nature. It is said to
descend from heaven, both because it is literally celestial in its origin,
since its origin is in heaven ; and because it is brought down from God ; for
which reason it is seen to descend from heaven to men on the earth when
ever it makes them heavenly and blessed. As also mystically ; when it is
always descending together with Christ by reason of its humUity, in con
trast to the proud Lucifer, who, inflated with pride, exclaims, ' I will
ascend into heaven; I wiU exalt my throne above the stars of God.' "
De Lyra, Apocalypse, chap, iii, 16 ; —
'"And the name ofthe city,' &c, i.e., the church militant, as is
evident from what is added, ' which cometh down out of heaven,' for
the church militant is ordered and governed by the Holy Spirit."
Bossuet also obviously regards the city of God, the New Jerusalem,
as the Church Cathohc among men, which has its origin in heaven. So
Franciscus a Jesu Maria and Ribera, who in applying it (chap, in.) to the
early Christian church, apply it to a church militant. The same is the case
with Albertus Magnus and Haymo, who speak of the church descending
from heaven to earth in baptism ; Andreas also refers to the New Jeru
salem as descending from heaven to earth, " because the knowledge of
God and of divine things, which has its origin in heaven, descends in a
certain order to men." Moreover that the New Jerusalem may include
the church militant, is affirmed by BeUarmine, Disputations, vol. i, De.
Rom. Pont, chap, ix, p. 628, where he quotes St. Bernard as an au
thority. From these observations it is evident, that the New Jerusalem is a
VOL. IV. S S

618 NOTES TO VOL. IV.
church upon earth coming down from a church in heaven. It is caUed
new in opposition to the former ; which, as we have seen, had fallen into
a state of old age ; so that the very recommendation of this church is that
it is new, or free from aU that is old, obsolete, and unsuited to the new
condition of mankind.
That this is the case is clear from the interpretations given by various
authors. For the reason why the former heaven and earth had passed
away, is, because they had waxed old as a garment. The new heaven
and earth therefore is one which is free from aU that is old, decayed, or
unsound. Thus Pannonius says, that Babylon, as opposed to the New
Jerusalem, is "urbs vetustate marcida." Richard of St. Victor; that
the New Jerusalem is so caUed quia vetustate purgatam. Anselm Arch
bishop of Canterbury ; that it is called new as being that in which nil
remanet vetustatis. (Ecumenius ; that the heaven and earth and Jeru
salem are caUed new us experiencing a removal vetustatis et rugarum.
Primasius ; that the New Jerusalem is so caUed ut nulla remanent vestigia
vetustatis. Cardinal Hugo ; that it is so caUed quia tunc plenarie au-
feretur omnis vetustas. Now if we look to the paraUel passage in 2 Cor.
v, 17, to which we are referred for an explanation of this subject, ' There
fore if any man be iu Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed
away ; behold, aU things are become new :' what is the explanation?
Estius, 2 Cor. v, 17 ;—
" ' Behold, aU things are become new,' that is, from out of their pre
viously old state. In other words, aU oldness is changed into newness.
Which you are in like manner to understand partly as now reahzed, partly
as having a relation to the hope of the world to come ; concerning which
latter, properly speaking, it is said by the One sitting on the throne,
' Behold, I make aU things new,' Apoc. xxi. Things new therefore, such
as faith, righteousness, holiness, are opposed to things old ; so also the New
Testament with its institutes ; and especiaUy the liberty acquired under
the New Testament : in a future world, moreover, the whole man is new
both in soul and body. Lastly, tlie heaven and, earth are new, and Jeru
salem, that is, the church, is new ; as we read in the Apocalypse."
It has already been seen in these notes, and is stUl further shewn in
the body of our work, p. 477, that the New Jerusalem signifies the Church
upon earth.
Slade, 2 Cor. v., 16 ;—
"The Old Dispensation., together with aU the former principles of
human conduct, is abolished : the Christian has new views and new
motives of action."
Cornelius a Lapide includes in it new affections and judgments :

NOTES TO VOL. IV. 619
Calmet, new knowledge, new desires, new views : Poole, new thoughts,
feelings, and principles : Whitby, new worship ; and this because (as
Cardinal Hugo and the Glossa Ordinaria observe) the old legal observ
ances had passed away, or the old errors of idolatry had been succeeded
by truth ; or as Calvin, he caUeth those things old which have not been
reformed by the Spirit of God ; consequently the term is opposed to the
grace of renovation. Passed away [transiisse] the Apostle regards as sig
nifying decayed [emarcuisse] ; just as things that are decayed fall away in
their due season. Barnes regards these old things as possibly including
former prejudices, natural pride, spirit of seducing others, attachment to
rites and ceremonies.
That the new heaven and earth and the New Jerusalem signify a new
age, new dispensation, and new church upon earth, is frequently
maintained by Professor Lee in his Enquiry into the Nature, Progress,
and End of Prophecy; as in pp. 110, 111, 112, 114, 123, 140, 271,
274, 305, 337, 436, 451,466,486; although he apphes the prophecies
to the first estabHshment of Christianity. We have seen, however, how
many of the Fathers and other writers regard the prophecies as referring
to the future, not to the past ; the only difference is in the application :
we preserve the interpretation.

Walton and Mitchell, Printers, Wardonr-street, Oxford-street,

EERATA.
p. 56, 1. 11 from the bottom, for 'regards the expression as signify
ing,' read regards the expression, 'gnawing their tongues? as signifying.
p. 106, 1. 1, for ' chap, xi,' read chap. XII.
p. 107, 1. 2 from the bottom, after the word 'power,' insert the fol
lowing sentence, Moreover in chap. XIII, one beast arises out of the sea
and another out of the earth ; both of them representing abstractedly doc
trine derived from a falsification of the Word.
p. 108, 1. 2, for ' resemblance between the two,' read resemblance be
tween the beast we are now speaking of and those mentioned in chap. XII.
and XIII.
p. 128, 1. 5, for 'consider,' xea&ponder.
p. 131, 1. 2 from the bottom, for 'to others,' read from others.
p. 136, 1. 21, for ' Belteshazzar,' read Belshazzar.
p. 138, 1. 6, for 'advent of Christ,' read advent of Antichrist.
p. 143, 1. 12, for ' wickedness it,' read wickedness is.
p. 190, 1. 3, for 'whence not only the greater number of all who are
understood,' read whence of all these not only the greater number who are
understood, &c.
p. 253, 1. 18, for 'his interpretations,' read his Disputations.
p. 367, 1. 8 from the bottom, for ' commanded those,' read commanded
that those.
p. 433, 1. 13 from the bottom, for 'diverse of wiUs,' read diverse
wills.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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