Is. iv. 5, 6; xxv. 4. xlix. 10; Dan. xii. 10, &c. Johu, x. xi. &c. We have the Church now formed; the gospel of the kingdom has been preached and received and we must prepare for the visitations which are to mark the times of the end.

CHAP. VIII.

We have seen the servants of God sealed both Jews and Gentiles, in order that no injury might fall upon them; the Lamb too remains in the midst of them, providing for all their wants, and affording consolations for all their woes. We also know, from the New Testament, that the disciples were particularly commanded to be watchful and to pray during these times. Matt. xxiv. 42. Mark, xiii. 33. Luke, xxi. 36. 2 Thess. iii. 1, 2: and the circumstances of the case make it probable, that this must have formed a very considerable part of the service of the primitive Church.

Verse 1-5. We are here told, that upon opening the seventh or last seal, a pause ensued. Seven angels with trumpets then present themselves, as if ready to proclaim the Divine commands. In the next place, the prayers of the suffering saints are presented in a golden censer, and are accepted. The censer is then filled with fire from the altar, and is cast into the earth, in order, as it should seem, to commence the visitation of Christ, which was to be revealed in fire. 2 Thess. i. 7, 8. See also Ezek. x. 2. Then follow voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake; and such had been the declarations of our Lord. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." "There shall be wars and rumours of wars.' "There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places:" and these actually came to pass. After this, seven angels successively

**

Baptismi lavacro dealbandos. Judæos contra Christi interfectores severè judicandos et puniendos." Hence, perhaps, the enlightened (4wriadívras) Heb. vi. 4; or, Candidati, persons dressed in white garments in the primitive Church, who were termed Candidates, and looked upon as being in a state fit to be introduced into Christ's Church. The state of purity thus arrived at, is here, in the true Church, supposed to continue.

* See the notes on chap. vi., where these visitations are intimated as about to come to pass: here they are actually commenced.

sound, upon which the vengeance of Christ's revelation is carried on under various figures; and, when the last sounds, it is merely to proclaim the victory of the Church; and with this the eleventh chapter closes. Here, I think, ends the second vision. Let us trace a few of the particulars, and see how far we can identify them with the circumstances of these times.

7. The first angel sounds; and hail and fire mingled with blood fall upon the earth, and a large part of the trees and the grass is burnt up. So in Isaiah, speaking of these very times, unless I am greatly mistaken, wickedness is said to bring about the burning of the briers and thorns, and a flame in the forests." Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as fuel of the fire," &c. Is. ix. 18, 19. Examine the scope of the whole chapter. Ib. xxix. 17-24; xxxii. 18, 19; where the safety of God's elect is pointedly noticed in connection with these visitations. The last two can relate to none but these times.

8. The second angel sounds; a great burning mountain is cast into the sea, and a third part of the sea assumes the appearance of blood. The figure is taken from Jer. li. 25, and is there used with reference to the destruction of the Babylonian empire; a favourite topic also with St. John, by which he means to inculcate, that God's enemies, whether Jews, Gentiles, or both, however potent, shall thus be overthrown generally. I believe, however, that the circumstances relating to Babylon were applied by St. John to heathen Rome for other reasons. See also Ezek. xiv. 19–23. Amos, vii. 4.

10, 11. The third angel sounds, and a great flaming star falls from heaven, which lights upon a third part of the rivers and fountains of waters. The star is called wormwood; it embitters the waters, and many die in consequence. The notion of the falling star seems to be taken from Is. xiv. 12, where the fall of Babylon is predicted: and, as Babylon appears in this book to be put for heathen Rome, the fall of

* From ver. 8 to ver. 13, the context applies to the times of the prophet: from ver. 1 to ver. 8, the times of the Messiah are certainly meant: from ver. 13 to the end, the denunciations seem general; but, from their parallel passages, are most likely intended to relate to the times of the end.

the latter is here undoubtedly had in view by the Apocalypse. The star is further called wormwood, to denote, perhaps, the sorrows inflicted by that people, wherever they went. See Ruth, i. 20. Exod. xv. 23. The first prediction of this event is given in Jer. ix. 12-17, which will afford an ample comment on the place; and the parallel passage will fix its period. See also chapter xxiii. 9—15, where the same times are probably had in view: see the former part of this chapter.

12, 13. The fourth angel now sounds, and a third part of the sun, the moon, and the stars, is smitten, so as to produce great darkness. A better comment on this passage than Is. viii. 21, 22; ix: 1-7, cannot be given; which is a direct prophecy of these times. Another such prophecy is to be -found in Zech. xiv.; and ver. 6, 7, mark out the particulars here mentioned.* The last verse (13) contains general denunciations of wrath, which must necessarily be referred to the same period.

CHAP. IX.

1-4. The fifth angel sounds, and a star falls from heaven, having the key, or power, to open the well of the great deep (τὸ φρέαρ τῆς ἀβύσσου). I must be allowed to make a new translation here; because I believe the received one is generally taken in a sense unsuitable to our context. The Greek word ȧlúoros, abyss, is often used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew inn, as in Gen. i. 2; vii. 11; viii. 2, &c.; in the two last of which we have ai anyai rõs àlborov, the fountains of the abyss, which I take to be nearly synonymous with the gag rãs àlúorov, well of the abyss, noticed above. The word in is used to signify, first the great mass of waters which covered the earth before all was reduced to order by the Almighty; secondly, the great sea; or generally, any great mass of waters. To bring any one into great waters, the depths; or to bring up the waters of the great

* Hippolytus the martyr refers the evening to the time of the end; the morning to that of the resurrection: by which he probably means the end of the Jewish dispensation and of heathen darkness, and the resurrection from the death of sin to the life of righteousness introduced by the Gospel. See Dan. sec. Sept. p. 121, where the context seems to require this interpretation ; for it is added, ἀρχὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἑτέρου αἰῶνος.

river, or the like, are frequently put in Scripture to represent circumstances of great distress and trouble; and often those which are the effects of war. So in Ezekiel, xxvi. 19: "For thus saith the Lord God, When I will make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up THE DEEP (Heb. in Sept. rvalúoσov) upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee." By this must be meant, that some great and overwhelming power, and consequent calamity, shall be brought upon Tyre. And, perhaps, by parity of reasoning, the opening of the great deep, in the Revelation, will also imply the letting loose of some power to take similar vengeance. This, we are told, an angel does: which is sufficient for our purpose at present.*

The pit is opened; and it appears, from what follows, to be a vast receptacle of fire rather than of water; for we are told, that smoke issues out, such as to darken the sun, &c. This, however, in the language of symbols, can only be meant to raise the expectations as to the terrific events which are to follow. (See Joel, ii. 30. Acts, ii. 19. Matt. xxiv. 23, &c.) We have too, a further instance of this sort of climacteric transition; neither water nor fire is brought upon the people doomed to wrath, but locusts; and these, from what follows, are said to have power to torment, not to kill men, for a certain season; which torment is, however, described as worse than death. The sealed REMNANT, however, as already provided for, is not to be injured. At ver. 7, we are told, that these locusts were like horses prepared unto battle; they were richly caparisoned, or had marks of victory (crowns) on their heads; their faces resembled those of men ; they had the hair of women (perhaps well trained, and with fine flowing manes); their teeth were like those of lions; their breastplates were those of iron (they had armour on); their wings rattled like chariots (their rush was audible and destructive). In their tails too lodged a poisonous sting; and their commission is to injure for a season. The king of the great receptacle of all that is thus injurious and destructive

I do not, however, see any particular or strong reason why this may not apply to Satan and his emissaries, as principals in this matter: still, as these symbolical exhibitions appear rather to relate to what was to be done on earth, I would rather keep to this view of the subject.

commands them in person; and he is named THE DESTROYER. That some tremendous earthly power is here meant, I think there cannot possibly remain a doubt; and, if so, this will confirm the view taken of the first and second verses. Let us now see whether we can find any further notice of this power.

*

In Joel, chap. i. 4, an army of locusts is mentioned, such as, by successive invasions, to have eaten up all the provision of the land. This is explained in ver. 6, thus: "For a nation is come up upon my land, strong and without number, whose TEETH ARE THE TEETH OF A LION, and he hath the CHEEK TEETH OF A GREAT LION." Then follows an account of the general devastation made.

In ver. 15 of this chapter of Joel, we have the day of the Lord introduced, and said to be at hand; after which follow descriptions perfectly similar to some already noticed. In chap. ii. 2, the subject is continued; and the clouds, darkness, invincible warriors of the Apocalypse, with the times never before seen, nor again to be witnessed, of the spread of the Gospel, are alluded to. The fire is to consume before them (ver. 3); their appearance, as in the Apocalypse, is like the appearance of horses; and as horsemen shall they run. Their noise is like that of chariots, &c. (ver. 5), and themselves as a people set in battle array. (ver. 10.) The earth shall quake before them; the sun and moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining (ver. 11). The Lord shall utter his voice (Apocalypse, the angels sound their trumpets); "for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible, and who can abide it?" (ver. 11.) Then, at ver. 28, after the weeping, mourning, &c. of the true Zion, the Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh, &c. which we know, from inspired authority, belongs to these times. (See Acts, ii.)

It is remarkable enough, that Joel (chap. i. 6) describes this army as having the teeth of a lion; St. John describes

Hippolytus, who suffered martyrdom during these times, speaking of Daniel's fourth beast, whose teeth were iron, says: HAH daμágu naì λsætúru πάντα· ΗΔΗ ὑποτάσσει πάντας τοὺς μὴ θέλοντας· ΗΔΗ βλέπομεν αὐτὰ ἡμεῖς· ΗΔΗ δοξάζομεν τὸν Θεὸν ὑπό σου (i. e. Δανιήλ) διδασκόμενοι. De Antichristo, par. xxxiii. Another writer, Judas by name, whose works are now lost, is mentioned by Eusebius (Hist. Eccles. lib. vi. cap. 7,) as having reckoned the seventy weeks of Daniel to extend to the times of the Emperor Severus; when, according to him, the Antichrist was to be expected.