allowed to him to mislead even the votaries of Rome fhall be fhort, when compared with the period of his existence. For, as shall appear from chap. xx. he fhall be bound for a 1000 years, and from the time in which he was caft down to the Roman empire in the year 756, to the commencement of these 1000 years there fhall be only 1243 years.

Verse 13th. And when the Dragon faw that he was caft unto the earth, he perfecuted the woman which brought forth the manchild.

The heathen Roman emperors, as in verfe 4th, perfecuted individual Chriftians, but after the dragon was caft to the earth, after the Papal dominion was erected, Papal Rome perfecuted the woman herself, the church of Chrift. Now it was, that Rome began to ftile the Chriftian church heretical, and to reprefent all doctrines, worship and difcipline to be wrong and heretical, except those which were established and obferved in the church of Rome.

Verfe 14th. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly unto the wilderness, unto her place: Where

Ver. 14.

ON THE REVEL

serpent caft after the

Where she is nourished for a tii

and half a time, from the face

pent.

to be car

h-help

her

The eagle, the bird of Jove, was the stand her of Rome. As the eagle flies very high, and far and lives long, the Roman eagle was the emblem of the height of their power, the extent of their kingdom, and the duration of their empire. But that power should not fubdue the kingdom of heaven. The church of Chrift, fhould be provided with two wings of a great eagle, which fhould carry her beyond the reach of the Roman eagle, fmall when compared with this one. The two wings of this great eagle feem to be the fymbols for the providence and the grace of God. Supported by thefe, the church of Chrift can defy the Roman eagle, and even fly with safety over the gates of hell. This great eagle with these two wings is the bird of the great Jehovah. With this ftandard the kingdom of Chrift fhall rife much higher, extend much farther, and continue much longer than that of Rome with the eagle for its ftandard. Upon thefe two wings the church of Christ should fly unto a wilderness ftate from the face of the ferpent, and should be preserved and trained up in that state "for a time and times and half a time."

VOL. II.

D

A

A time is one year, times are two years, and half a time is half a year; the whole together are three years and an half. Each year confifts of 12 months, and each of these months of 30 days, which make 360 days. Hence the time here is exactly the fame with the 1260 days mentioned in verse 6th, as relative to the continuance of the wilderness state of the church. For 1260 days are exactly the days of three years and an half. Here, as in verse 6th, it fignifies 1243 years. It is evident, that this period commenced at the year of Chrift 756, which in next chapter fhall be clearly fhewn to be the time when the dragon was caft unto the earth. The woman fled unto the wilderness from the perfecution of the dragon; but the dragon perfecuted the woman, as in verse 13th, only when he faw that he was caft unto the earth. The wilderness ftate of the church commenced in the year 756, is to continue for 1243 years, and therefore fhall terminate in the year 1999. This wilderness ftate of the church is exactly cotemporary with the treading of the holy city under the foot of the Gentiles for 42 months, which is just three years and an half, or 1260 days; and with the prophefying of the two witnesses for 1260 days, both as in chap. xi. 2, 3.

1

Verfes 15th, 16th.-And the ferpent caft out of his mouth water as a flood, after the woman, that he might caufe her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon caft out of his mouth.

When the dragon perceived that the woman was flying out of his reach, he caft waters out of his mouth like a flood, that fhe might be carried away by the flood. The flood fignifies that great inundation of errors, which the devil at this time introduced into the world, by means of the Papal church. His defign was, not that these might be imbibed by that church, but that they might be imbibed by the church of Chrift, and that by them fhe might be carried away from the truth, purity, and fimplicity of the gofpel. In this defign he was disappointed, for the earth helped the woman. The Roman empire, now become Papal, greedily 'fwallowed these errors, and thus, as it were hindered the church of Chrift from embracing them. We are not to fuppofe, that the church of Rome intended to promote the intereft of Chrift's church, in fwallowing up these errors with which the devil defigned to carry away the church of Chrift. Without intending or knowing it, fhe proved on

ly the occafion or inftrument of helping the church of Chrift.

Verse 17th.-And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her feed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jefus Christ.

When the devil found that he could not hurt the church of Chrift in the wilderness ftate; that the flood of errors and delufions, with which he intended to have drowned her, had been greedily fwallowed up by that church and empire which he had used as inftruments in order to deftroy her; and that thus, contrary to his intention, or without their knowledge or defign, they had actually helped her; he then expreffed his rage against the church, by perfecuting the remnant of her feed. Who her feed are we are told, in terms which cannot be misunderstood. They keep the com"mandments of God, and have the teftimony of

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Jefus Chrift." They are those who in matters of religion ftrictly adhere to the commandments of God. They do not make void the law of God by human traditions, nor teach or believe as doctrines of God commandments of men. They firmly believe and heartily approve of that teftimony