To the Revelation of St. John. gon is vanquished by the angels: (chap. xi. 19.-xii. throughout.) The deplorable condition of the church in this period is described further, 3. By the faithful being exposed to the ravages of a wild beast, whom St. John saw in a vision rising out of the sea, having seven heads, and ten horns, that is, ten diadems, and on his heads names of blasphemy, to whom the dragon gave his power and authority; so that the inhabitants of the earth worshipped the beast, as well as the dragon; and the beast had power to make war with the saints 42 months, or 1260 days; (which is the same space of time, during which the woman, in the preceding vision, is said to have been supported in the wilderness, and during which, in the first vision, the two witnesses are said to prophesy in sackcloth: a cir cumstance which plainly demonstrates these visions to be descriptive of the state of things in the same period, and not in successive periods.) And the power and authority of this beast is supported by another beast, which arose after it, and which is also particularly described. And the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, which is also said to be the number of a man, is six hundred and sixty six.-After which follows a sublime description of the Lamb standing on mount Zion, surrounded with the one hundred and forty four thousand, who have the name of his Father written in their foreheads, while the heavenly church celebrates the happiness of those who had continued faithful, and persevered to the end.-The next vision, is of an angel flying through the midst of heaven, with the everlasting gospel in his hand, denouncing the judgment of God to be approaching on the beast, and on them who worship him: which is likewise set forth by some succeeding representations:-And particularly, By an order given to the seven angels to pour out their vials, full of the seven last plagues, in which the wrath of God is completed on the beast and his votaries. The first vial is poured out upon the earth, and produces a grieVous ulcer on them who had the mark of the beast. The second vial is poured out upon the sea, which becomes blood, and every living thing in the sea dies. The third vial is poured out on the rivers, and on the fountains of water, which also become blood. The fourth vial is poured forth on the sun, which hath power given to it to scorch men with fire. The fifth vial is poured out on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom is darkened, and his votaries gnaw their tongues, and blaspheme the God of heaven for their pains and their ulcers. The sixth vial is poured out on the river Euphrates, and the water of it is dried up, so that a way is prepared for the kings of the east; against whom the worshippers of the beast are drawn up in order of battle. And then upon the pouring out of The seventh vial, a voice is heard from heaven, accompanied with thunder and lightning, saying, "It is completed;" that is, Babylon 3 G 2 421 422 A General Introduction Babylon the great hath drank of the cup of the wine of God's fiercest indignation. After the pouring out of these vials, one of the angels, who had executed that commission, further explains what had been repre. sented, by describing the character of the great harlot who sitteth on many waters, and with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication. And then follows an account of another angel descending from heaven, declaring with a loud voice, that Babylon the great is fallen, and pointing out the lamentation of her friends and merchants over her. Upon which is described the triumph of the heavenly host on account of the fall of Babylon; which is further illustrated by the representation of an attack made by Christ and his army on the beast, ending in an entire victory over him. (chap. xiii.-xix.) The FOURTH PERIOD represents an angel descending from heaven, to confine the great dragon, or Satan, in the bottomless pit for the space of a thousand years; during which the church is in a very peaceful and flourishing condition. (chap. xx. 1-6.) The FIFTH PERIOD represents Satan loosed again for a little season, and making a fresh attempt for the establishment of his kingdom, which shall issue in its utter destruction. (ver. 7—10.) The SIXTH PERIOD represents the general resurrection, the last judgment, and the utter destruction of the wicked. (ver. 11, to the end.) The SEVENTH PERIOD represents the vision of new heavens, and a new earth, or the happiness of the Jerusalem above, described by the sublimest figures which can enter into the human imagination. (chap. xxi. xxii.-5.) In the conclusion of this truly marvellous series of prophecy, with which the canon of scripture closes, our blessed Lord in the most awful manner charges his faithful servant and apostle John, to reveal to the churches what had thus been revealed to him, and declares his own speedy approach to the final judgment; denounc ing a very dreadful sentence of condemnation on those who should add to or diminish the words of the prophecy of this book. And then the sacred writer concludes the whole with a solemn benediction; (chap. xxii. 6, to the end.) After all the labour and pains, which learned men have been at to explain and illustrate this book, so many articles are contained in it, which are dark and mysterious, that I remained some time undetermined, whether I should publish any commentary upon it at all. But on a more devout and attentive review, I resolved to offer to the reader what assistance I could, to enable him to comprehend its general design, and lead him to those practical and important To the Revelation of St. John. important instructions, which it suggests with great plainness and energy; without entering very deeply into critical inquiries concerning those particular events to which the several prophecies may be supposed to refer. It is an excellent observation of Monsieur Saurin, that this is a very mortifying book to a mind greedy of knowledge and science, but a very satisfying and agreeable one to a heart solicitous about maxims and precepts, for regulating our tempers and lives; or, in his own expressive and elegant words, L'Apocalypse, qui est un des plus mortificans Ouvrages, pour un Esprit avide de Connoissance & de Lumiere, est un des plus satisfaisans pour un Cœur avide de Maximes et de Precepts. Saurin's Serm. Vol. XII. p. 234. 423 A PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN. SECT. I. The preface, and dedication to the seven churches in Asia; includ- REV. I. 1. THE Revelation of shortly come to pass; to his servant John: REVELATION I. 1. Jesus Christ, which THIS is the book of the revelation of Jesus God gave unto him, to Christ; even that revelation, which God his shew unto his servants Father gave to him for wise and holy purposes, things which must to shew to his servants the things which must and he sent and signi shortly be; many of which are to be very quickfied it by his angel un- ly accomplished, and the rest within a period of time, which, when compared with his reign in the heaven of heavens with all his saints and people, is only a short and very inconsiderable duration. And sending the discovery of these things by his angel, whose office it was to raise extraordinary signs and representations in his imagination, he signified them to his servant John, who had indeed been distinguished by his Master's affection in the days of his flesh; insomuch that he even lay in his bosom, and was styled, by way of eminence, the disciple whom Jesus SECT. i. Rev. I. 1. |