PRINCETON, N. ^J Division • ' ■ Section... Shelf. '^''''"^" - ■ ■ ■ r^ EEMAEKS UPON THE DRAMATIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE APOCALYPSE, OR BOOK OF REVELATION, (the unveiling of jesds cheist.) CONCISE VIEW OF THE MYTH AND PURPORT OF THE VISION. TO WHICH IS ADDED A GLOSSARY OP SYMBOLIC TERMS, WITH THEIR SUPPOSED ANALOGICAL MEANINGS. NEW-YORK: ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH, 688 BROADWAY. 1857. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by ANSON D. P. RANDOLPH, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New- York. John A. Gray, Printer and Stereotyper^ 16 & 18 Jacob St., Fire-Proof Buildings. PREFACE. In a work published some time since, entitled '•''Hyponoia^^'' it was the principal object of the writer to ascertain and to exhibit, by a strict analysis of " the Book of Eevelation," the proper and uniform interpre- tation of the language of this highly mystic composition. Accordingly, having adopted, as a rule of interpreta- tion, the principle that no application of fig-ures or expressions could be depended upon, but such as might be uniformly made to every portion of the sacred book, he became convinced, after having repeatedly gone over the work, that the whole purport of this apostolic vision relates to matters of religious doctrine or of Christian faith, illustrative of doctrinal errors on the one side, and of evangelical truth on the other. Satisfied in this par- ticular, and fiilly persuaded that the vision dictated to the apostle proceeded from the same source of divine inspiration as that from which the rest of the sacred writings had emanated, the further rule of exegesis was adopted, that no interpretation of the language or figures could be admissible, but such as corresponded with the doctrines of Christian faith set forth in other portions of the sacred writings. IV PEEFACE. Pursuing tlie inductive method, the writer avoided coming to any general conclusion as to the design of the idsion, till it could be made to appear from an exposi- tion of the whole. With this view, even attention to the mystic number of the name of the Beast {666) was set aside till the close of the work, lest any assumption of its meaning should bias the interpretation or appHcation of other passages. Neither was the solution of that num^- ber suggested to his mind till nearly all the sheets had been struck off, as will appear by its place in a note, nearly at the conclusion of the printed volume. (See " Hyponoia," p. 698.) Having thus first ascertained the general uniform sus- ceptibility of the doctrinal interpretation alluded to, and being afterwards confirmed in this view by what appear- ed to be the correct solution of the test number, {666^) he submitted the work to the pubhc, placing it especially before a number of the reverend clergy of different denominations, trusting that if there were any essential errors in it, those errors would be pointed out. Twelve years have elapsed since the issue of the pub- lication referred to, during which the writer's attention has been mainly directed to other studies and other pur- suits. In this time, although several commentators have made (as has been almost uniformly done before) a very different application of certain portions of the vision, no one has yet pointed out any particular error in the views taken by the writer. One difficulty, however, has remained upon his own mind, and has occupied his thoughts — ^without, however, disturbing his confidence in the general construction given to the vision. PREFACE. Persuaded that tlie Apocalypse was a divinely-inspired composition, perfect in its kind, and that, as such, it should be contemplated as suvhole—hming a beginning, a middle, and an end, he could not but believe that there was something in it like a plan or plofr—a. unity of design, and a tissue or connection in the series of sym- bohcal characters and events. That there was an epos to be defined, a principal character whose progress was to be traced out, and a catastrophe to be noticed, appear- ed from the analysis before made; but it was not till recently, in reading some remarks of a German author upon the ancient drama of the Greeks, that the hght he desired seemed to be afforded him. As will appear in the present work, a comparison of the arrangement of the ancient Greek tragedy with that of the Apocalypse can hardly be drawn without suggest- ing the resemblance between the two. Pursuing this comparison, the writer has been led to notice the ar- rangements of the vision, separating the dramatic por- tion of it from the introductory part ; again separating the dramatic actions from what appeared to be in the places of prologue and epilogue ; adopting the choral divisions;* discriminating between scenes in heaven and scenes in earth ; tracing out the priacipal character m the person of the Conqueror, and giving to the exodus and catastrophe the prominence to which they are entitled. * The substance only of these choral recitations being given, they can not be compared with the Greek metres; but they are expressly described as songs, (odes,) and in some cases as sung with accompaniment of instru- mental music, ("harpers harping with their harps.") Where the action is not spoken of as a song, it has evidently the character of a recitative chorus. VI PREFACE. Keeping tliese particulars in view, tlie reader is ena- bled to seize upon something like a dramatic pht^ by ■widchtlie tissue and unity of the piece become apparent, the lesson of the myth and the consistency of the inter- pretation more fully developed. For the convenience of those who are not in posses- sion of the " Hyponoia," (a volume of about 800 pages, octavo,) the writer has added a summary sketch of that work, omitting the argumentative portions of it, but otherwise according, in general, with the inter- pretation there adopted.* To this is added a glossary of symbolic terms, with their supposed analogical mean- ings, principally with the view of exhibiting the uni- formity of explanation of which they are susceptible throughout; the texts cited in connection being referred to only by way of illustration. A few notes, which, from their length, could not have been introduced in their places without breaking in too much upon the chain of the narrative, have been sup- j)hed as addenda. They are not, however, essential to the understanding of the preceding matter. Imperfect as the present work must appear to prac- tised commentators, the writer yet hopes that it may lead to more critical and exact views than have been commonly entertained of the purport of this interesting portion of the sacred writings, the importance of which should be estimated by the " blessedness" attached, in the language of inspiration, to the reading and hearing of the words of the prophecy^ and the keeping of the things written therein. * See 2d aud 3d parts of the present volume. NOTICE TO THE READER. The numbers at the foot of the page, with the mark §, refer to the sections of the "Hyponoia," where the subjects are treated at length, and the texts are cited both in Greek and English. The letters c. v. designate the common Enghsh ver- sion ; Grr., the Greek of the latest editions. If without this latter mark the sense expressed diJffers from that of the common version, the words varying will be found iU Italics. Those who take an interest in the subject, it is presumed, will have the sacred volume by them for continual reference. PART I . lenmrlis on il}t Jam at tfje |^p^llpf, "Ilmarks m ^t form of t\t %^ndli^BL CHAPTER I. REASONS FOR IMPUTING, IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE APOCALYPSE, AN ASSIMILATION OP FORM TO THAT OF THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA. To persons accustomed to look upon the drama merely as a theatrical spectacle, a pastime for the amusement of an idle hour, there may be something repulsive in the idea of imputing a dramatic form to any portion of the sacred Scriptures. Such an attemj)t may appear, at first sight, an abasement of the subject, divesting it perhaps of the solemnity properly belonging to it, and sanctioning in some degree exhibitions of the present day, worthy only of reprobation. But in this matter, we must lose sight of the present state of thiags, and carry our minds back to the circumstances and character of dramatic exhibitions nearly two thousand years ago. In an age when there were no printed books in circula- tion, when manuscripts were in the hands of the learned few, the mass of the people could be instructed, or even m- tellectualized, only by such exhibitions as the stagie of 1 2 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. those days afforded. For this purpose the drama was perhaps the best means to be employed, the outward action and symboUc representation leaving a strung though imperfect impression of the lesson taught. The ancient tragedy of the Greeks, that which was always held in the highest estimation amongst them, was of a moral and rehgious character — an imperfect morality, and a false religion, it is true, but still its design was moral and rehgious. The retributive punishment of crime, and this, too, in the cases of persons in the higher ranks of life, and the interest taken by heavenly powers in the affairs of men and nations, formed in general the burder of these compositions. There was a solemnity of thought and purpose in these exhibitions of the ancient Greeks which we do not associate with those of our own times but which should not astonish us, as we know that, sc late as the reign of Charles V., dramatic exhibitions in Christian Europe were confined to subjects of a rehgious character. The tragic writers of Greece were, in effect, the popular teachers of morahty and piety. The exhibition of their pieces was given in immense inclosures, under the sur- veillance of the pubUc authorities. Every sentiment was a subject of criticism with magistrates, poets, and philoso- phers, while the spectators in general composed a multi- tude, it is said, frequently of twenty thousand or more persons of all classes. The pulpit of our day was not then known. The priests offered sacrifices, ostensibly to the gods, but really for their o^vn consumption, hving and rioting upon the offeiings made. Augurs and oracles (the mediimis of the ancients) uttered predictions of future REASONABLENESS OF THE COMPARISON. 3 events. Philosophers confined their speculations to a few followers. The temples were scenes of blood, butchery, imposture, and impurity. For the people there was no moral instruction but such as poets or tragic authors afforded. Imperfect as this instruction was, the applause of the multitude on the enunciation of just sentiments, and the reprobation expressed for such as were false or vicious, fuUy justified the statement of the apostle (Rom. 2 : 14, 15) that, although without the revealed law, they had a law, or a rule of right and wrong, written in their consciences. Dramatic compositions, it is admitted, had deteriorated very much about the time of the apostles ; the solemnity and moral bearing of Greek tragedy had given place, in part, to the humor of satirical comedy. Nor was vice the only subject of satire. As the minds of the people became enlarged, the superstitious observances of heathen worship lost much of the popular reverence, and priests and deities were often not unacceptable subjects of satire with the multitude, as well as with the more enlightened, who secretly felt for these objects the contempt they deserved The way was opening for the introduction of Christiani- ty, and the loss sustained in the absence of the solemnity of the old Greek tragedy, was more than compensated by the approaching light of the Gospel. StiU the forms, the construction, the scenic effect, the combination, and the shadowing forth of some mystic conception in the tissue of the piece, were matters of familiar acquaintance as well as of known usage. On this account we may consider the dra- matic form probably the best in which the instruction con- tained in the Apocalypse could be conveyed, at the time it was written. If it has not appeared so since, it must 4 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. have been from want of attention to that peculiarity of construction by which the unity of the piece is developed. The symbolical or figurative relations of Scripture are given to us in the form most suitable to the subjects of which they treat; but they are all of them very con- cisely set forth; much is implied in them, which we must know before perceiving how well the peculiar form of relation employed, is adapted to the occasion call- ing for it. To ascertain these allusions, we have often to resort to the usages of the times, and to matters of general notoriety, which may be supposed to have been taken into consideration in the composition. To understand what is implied in the language of the prophets, we must search into the usages of the He- brews and other Asiatics. To understand all that is iia- plied in the narratives of the evangelists, we must acquaint ourselves with Asiatic, Jewish, Greek, and Roman cus- toms, of those or preceding times. To understand much of what is implied in the book of Revelation, written at the time and under the circumstances generally supposed, we must acquaint ourselves with the customs more partic- ularly of the Greeks, and especially in respect to their dra- matic usages; a use being made in that divinely inspired composition (the Apocalypse) of the well-known forms of Greek tragedy, corresponding with the allusions of the apostle Paul to the customs and regulations of the stadium and amphitheatre, and to the allusion of our Saviour (in his parable Of the marriage-feast) to the Asiatic usage in a royal entertainment.* * The festal-robe being furnished by the host and proffered to every guest EEASONABLENESS OF THE COMPARISON. 6 The Apocalypse was written after the destruction of Jerusalem ; Judea was no more a nation, and the Jews were no more a people. The literature of the civilized world was Greek. Even Romans of distinction resorted to Greece to complete their studies. The Greek language, Greek usages, Greek moral and philosophic, and even religious notions, were taking everywhere the lead. The Scriptures of the New Testament were all written originally in Greek, although the writers were not themselves Greek ; so the Greeks were spoken of by the apostle Paul, in con- tradistinction to the Jews, as the prophets had spoken of the Gentiles as opposites of the people of Israel; Paul himself not disdaining to quote the sentiments of Greek writers, whenever such use of them afforded additional force to his arguments. Amongst the usages of the Greeks there was none, per- haps, which found a more ready reception throughout the Roman empire, than their dramatic exhibitions. These, indeed, degenerated from the dignity of ancient tragedy, in proportion as they were removed from their source, as they had done amongst the Greeks themselves; but still, a certain familiarity 6f acquaintance existed as to the form, the arrangement of parts, the scenic show and its changes, the tissue of the piece, its unity, the import^ ance of the catastrophe, and the design of a myth^ or in- struction, concealed under the outward representation. Taking these circumstances into consideration, it can not appear surprising that the Holy Spirit, in dictating to the apostle the relation he gives, should have employed such an arrangement of its parts as would be familiar with 6 BEMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. readers of that age, and may become so with those of every age by a little attention to the subject. It may be objected, that there is a want of dialogue in the Apocalypse, essential to a dramatic composition, but we wish to have it borne in mind that we confine our com- parison to the construction only of the ancient drama ; yet, to our minds, the symbolic pictures presented are them- selves speakers — ^their language may be said to be the language of action, which is sometimes considered even more expressive than that of words. FOBM OP THE ANCIENT DRAMA. CHAPTER II. AKKANGEMENT OF THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA, AS IT RE- SEMBLES IN CERTAIN PARTICULARS THAT OF THE APO- CALTPSE. Having given some reasons in the preceding chapter for the supposed assimilation inform of the Apocalypse to the construction of the Greek drama, let us now take a glance at such points of resemblance as appear to confirm the views we have adopted. In some respects, we might compare the book of Reve- lation to an epic poem, irrespective of versification ; but, taking into view the pecuhar characteristics of the old Grreek tragedy, with its scenic arrangements, we think the Apocalypse has more of a dramatic cast. Not that this sacred composition is an imitation of any human produc- tion, but that its peculiar construction arises out of the aature of the illustrations required, and the adaptation of the form to the instruction to be conveyed. It is said of the Ihad and Odyssey of Homer, that they are compilations of poetical pieces, sung or recited amongst the Greeks at different times, and by different bards or speakers, and at last put together by the old father of epic poetry, in his own way. Accordingly the poet intro- duces most of his characters as parties already known, deeming it unnecessary to state, any further than by theu' 8 REMARKS ON THE FOllM OF THE APOCALYPSE. names, who or wliat they are. Tlie same may be said of the old Greek tragedies ; their deities, their heroes, etc., were known to the spectators, and theii' characters, and something of their history, were well understood by those present at the representation. So, the Apocalypse contains, as we aj^prehend, a con- densed view of the doctrines of the Gospel, already given in parts by different hands. The persons and things al- luded to are accordingly, with Uttle exception, easily recognized by every reader of the Old and New Testament, without other explanation than the appellations given them. Again, in the productions referred to, of the ancient Greek poets, there are scenes on earth, where the contest is between human beings, and scenes in the councils of the gods, where the controversy is between the powers above in relation to the warfare below. So, in the vision of the apostle, there is at one time a view of contending doc- trinal elements on the earth, and at another time, a de- scription of that which has taken place in the council of heaven, in relation to the earthly contest : as in the war in heaven, (Rev. 12,) and the contest with the ten-horned beast on earth, (Rev. 19.) As the epics and tragedies of the ancients had their side-scenes, something accessory to the plot, but not dis- turbing the unity of the piece, the Apocalypse has also its scenes aside, or episodes, accessory to the main narrative, but not interfering with the tissue of the narration : as the scene in the wilderness, (Rev. IV,) and the scene on the great and high mountain, (Rev. 21.) We use the term episode here in the modern sense. It. FORM OF THE ANCIENT DKAMA. 9 is somewhat difficult to determine whether the an^^^-^ts considered episodes accessory, or as parts of the body of the piece. The parts between the stashna being termed in Greek epeisodia, as originally something brought in 5y the way, but afterwards forming the body of the nar- rative. The general rule of such accessory matter is that it should have some immediate relation to the narrative ; and this rule we find fully observed in the composition of the Apocalypse. In the drama there is the action of opposite parties, characters good and bad; the one contributing to the development of the other. In hke manner, in the dra- matic portion of the book of Revelation, there are personi- fications of the opposite elements of doctrinal truth and error, and it is by the contrast of these opposite elements, that fight is thrown upon the peculiar features of each. Another peculiarity of the ancient tragedy is the fre- quent use of the chorus. In our day, we are apt to look upon the chorus as merely a musical interlude, but it performed a much more important part in the Greek drama. By some it is said to have represented a sort of privileged spectator, acting occasionally as an interpreter, or as one eficiting an interpretation, by which the myth, or real gist of the representation, is explained. Such seems to be the part performed by "one of the elders," in the Apocalypse, (Rev. 5 : 5, and Y : 13,) and one of the seven angels, (Rev. 17 : 1, and 21 : 9,) although, as the term angel properly signifies a messenger, these last may be classed as such, that character being also an important constituent of the Greek drama. 1* 10 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. The use of the chorus^ in its origin, is described to have been confined to one actor, two or three more being after- wards added. At first, the principal performance of the piece consisted in the singing of the chorus, the narrative being auxiUary. The plot was divided into four parts by this action, the intervening recitations being termed epei- sodia. Subsequently, the recitation, or dialogue, was the most important, till gradually the chorus became incor- porated with the action of the piece. Sometimes the chorus, it is said, was to speak, and then their chief, called coryphceus, spoke in behalf of the rest. The singing was performed by the whole choir. When the coryi^hseus struck into a song, the chorus immediately joined him — an action corresponding with that of "a voice from the throne," to which there is the response of a great multitude, (Rev. 19 : 5, 6,) in the last choral action of the Apocalypse. Sometimes in the course of the represen- tation, the chorus joined the actors vdth their plaints and lamentations, on occasions of unhappy incidents ; we do not find any joint action like this in the Apocalypse, but the lamentations of the kings of the earth, the merchants, ship-masters, and mariners, at the faU of Babylon, corre- spond very nearly with the commos^ or wailing scenes, of the Greek drama. Latterly, a function of the chorus was to en- gage the attention of the spectators, while the actors were behind the scenes. Corresponding with this, we find most of the choral actions of the Apocalypse precede an entire change in the character of the subjects represented: as from the description of the reign of the beast on earth, to the view of the Lamb on Mount Sion. The songs of the Greek chorus usually turned upon FORM OF THE ANCIENT DRAMA. 11 what was just exhibited, and were not to contain any thing but what was suited to the subject, and had. a natural con- nection with it. This purpose we find most fully exemph- fied in the actions of the apocalyptic choirs — they all bear this relation either prospectively or retrospectively. ^' Ancient Greek tragedy," says a writer to whom we are indebted for many of these remarks, " consists of a union of lyric poetry and dramatic discourse, which may be analysed in different ways. The chorus may be distin- guished from the actors, song from dialogue, the lyrical element from the strictly dramatic. But the most con- venient distinction in the first place, is that suggested be- tween the song of many voices and the song or speech of a single person. The first belongs to the chorus only; the second to the chorus or the actors. The many-voiced songs of the chorus have a peculiar and determinate sig- nification for the whole tragedy. They were called stasimon^ when sung by the chorus in its proper place, in the middle of the orchestra ; and parados^ when sung by the chorus while advancing through the side entrance of the orchestra, or otherwise moving toward the place where it arranged itself in its usual order." ***** " The parados chiefly explams the entrance of the chorus and its sympathy in the business of the drama, while the stasima develop this sympathy in the various forms which the progress of the action causes it to assume. As the chorus, generally, represented the ideal spectator^ whose mode of doing things was to guide and control the im- pressions of the assembled people, so it was the peculiar province of the stasimon, amidst the press and tumult of the action, to maintain that composure of mind which 12 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCAXYPSE. the Greeks deemed indispensable to the enjoyment of II work of art ; and to divest the action of the accidental and personal, in order to place in a clear light its inward significations and the thoughts which lay beneath the sur- face. Stasima are therefore only introduced in pauses, when the action has run a certain course." * * * ** " In this manner these songs of the assembled chorus divide the tragedy into certain parts, which may be com- pared to the acts of modern plays, and from which the Greeks called the part before the parados, the prologue^ the parts between the parados and stasima, epeisodia^ the part after the last stasima, exodus. ,The chorus appears, in this kind of songs, in its appropriate character, and is true to its destination, namely, to express the sentiments of a pious, well-ordered mind, in beautiful and noble forms." " The number, length, and arrangement of these parts admit," it is added, " of an astonisliing variety." How well these peculiarities of the Greek chorus accord with the action of the apocalyptic chorus, we shall notice hereafter. We have quoted the account at length, because it throws a. particular light on the language of the apoca- lyptic chorus, whether it be that of one or of many voices. For while we maintain that the language and symbols of the representations generally are to be applied to elements of doctrine, figuratively spoken of as animated beings, and even as human beings, we think it may be reasonably allowed, where the obvious scene and circumstance re- quire it, to take the language of the chorus (whether song or speech of one or of many voices) out of this general rule, " divesting its purport of the accidental and personal^ in order to place in a dear light its i^iward signification FORM OF THE ANCIENT DRAM^.. 13 and the thoughts lohich lay beneath the surface^'''' as we shall have occasion to show in commenting upon Rev. 7 : 9-21, and 21 : 3, 4. The Athenians, it is said, could judge of the character of an actor, and of the part he was to perform, by the quarter whence he made his appearance. The walls on each side had certain openings. Each of these openings had its established and permanent signification. A dis- tinct meaning was attached to the right and left side. A person entering on the right side came from the country, on the left from the city. The main wall, or scene, had three doors ; the middle called the royal door, rep- resented the principal entrance to the abode of the sove- reign ; the right led to the apartments of guests ; the left to the shrines, prisons, or other secluded apartments. The moment an actor appeared, his relation to the whole drama could be decided upon. Such is the information we may derive from noticing the place or position whence the Apocalyptic actors make their appearance : from heaven, from the earth or land, from the sea, from the throne, the temple, the altar, the east, the bottomless pit, etc. AQ these sources are to be taken into consideration in the interpretation of the subjects connected with them. We have an instance (Rev. 9 : 13) of a voice heard by the apostle as coming from the horns of the golden altar, corresponding in the action with a voice said to have come from the sacrificial table near the altar, in the rep- resentation of a religious festival of the Greeks, the voice being a response to the action of the chorus, then sur- rounding the altar, no doubt in relation to an ofiermg made or being made. 14 KESIAEKS ON THE FOKM OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Greek drama having originated in acts of religious worship, under the great masters of Greek tragedy, it was serious and instructive, or so intended. The parapherna- lia of the stage had its religious features. The altar of the deity worshipped, was in the centre of the orchestra. Altars and temples, as well as thrones, were ordinary parts of the scenery ; the grand chorus occupied a central posi- tion ; actors performing the part of heroes or spectators, came forth in front ; an immense multitude of all ranks of persons composed the audience. We can hardly forbear comparing these particulars with the scene described by the apostle. Rev. 4 and 5. The elements of the latter are, indeed, much more sublime and extraorduiary ; and in magnitude, the difference is as the infinite to the finite ; but there are certain features in the arrangement which bring before us at once the resem- blance between the coup d'^ceil described by the apostle, and the bird's-eye view we may imagine of an immense theatre, exhibiting the throne, the chorus before and round about the throne, the immense multitude of specta- tors ; some joining occasionally in the song of the chorus, and aU uniting in their plaudits when the treatment of the subject excited such an expression of approbation. The comparison suggests the separation of the matter of these two chapters (Rev. 4 and 5) from the subsequent representation. Rev. 4 exhibits what may be termed the eternal state of things in relation to the Supreme Being, without reference to the commg exhibition. The chorus of the four Hving creatures is the language of the eternal attributes of divine sovereignty ; and the response of the twenty-four elders is the purport of divine revelation, that FORM OF THE ANCIENT DRAMA. 15 purport being as unchangeable as the mind of God. The action of this chorus is always in process, and is not there- fore to be considered as a chorus of the piece about to be presented. " They rest not day and night." Revelation 5 presents the scenic state of things prior to the exhibition. The chorus here, Rev. 5 : 8-14, may be classed with the Greek parados / the action of which, by the description given of it, must have been preparatory to the representation of the drama itself; accordingly the matter preceding the singing of this chorus, (Rev. 5 : 6, 7,) must be classed with the Greek prologue. This distinction is important, because, as the dramatic action of the Apocalypse does not commence till the com- mencement of the 6th chapter of Revelation, the uniti/ of the piece is to be looked for between that commencement and the close of the vision. On the Greek stage, the same actor often personated successively different characters, male and female. To a person familiar with these representations, there was no thing incongruous in these different appearances of the same individual; as inthe Apocalypse we find the form "hke unto the Son of Man," the Lamb, the rider of the white horse, the bride, the holy city, etc., to be different pre- sentations of the same divine Word unveiled. Greek tragedies were so constructed, that the action of which they were composed, might with propriety pass on the same spot, as in the court of a royal palace. So in the Apocalypse the whole exhibition may be supposed to have passed under the eyes of Him who sat upon the throne, (Rev. 4:2; 5:1.) Certain actions were imagined to pass behind the scenes, 16 EEMAKKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. and were only related on the stage. Hence the import- ance of the parts of messengers and heralds. Of this we have examples in the Apocalypse, angels being literally mes- sengers and heralds when they perform the part of such. With the Greeks, it is said, this arrangement was favored, partly because it is never the outward act with which the interest of ancient tragedy is bound up. Thus we find, in the vision of the apostle, some parts spoken of as seen by him ; others as related to him, or in his hearing, by one of the chorus of twenty-four elders, or by an attending angel, (Rev. 7:13; 22 : 8, 9.) In the old Greek tragedy, there was a prevailing myth — a hidden meaning — conveyed beneath the symbolical action of the piece, in relation to some moral, poHtical, or religious principle. How well such a purport agrees with the Apocalypse, it is hardly necessary to say. The myth of the latter, indeed, is of a far more exalted character ; and the spectators (the Christian world in general) have been far more backward and less unanimous in their judg- ment of the hidden meaning than were the Greeks, in comprehending the un^r sense of their representations ; but that there is such a hidden meaning {hyponoia) in the book of Revelation, no reasonable person can deny. The tragedy of antiquity, we are told, originated in the delineation of some suffering or passion ; as in the wrath of Orestes, which formed the basis of the piece represent- ing it. It was the great endeavor of the Greek art to exhibit the character and rank of the individuals, whom it grouped together, and to present to the eye a symmetrical image corresponding with the idea of the action to be represented. So tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, is " the FORM OF THE ANCIENT DKAMA. lY imitation of some action that is serious, entire, and of a proper magnitude, effecting through pity and terror, the i-efinement of these and similar affections of the soul." "The wi-ath of the Lamb" (Rev. 6 : 16, 17,) differs in its nature and object from that of the Greek prince; but it forms the basis of action in the exhibition described by the apostle. From the scene of terror and dismay de- picted on the opening of the fifth seal, to the close of the 20th chapter of Revelation, the action has throughout re- lation to the wrath of the Lamb — whether the instrument- ahty be that of fire, hail, and blood, upon the earth and its productions, or that of the scorpion locusts, or that of the Euphratean cavalry ; or fire from the mouths of the witnesses in sackcloth, or the expulsion of the great ser- pent fi'om heaven ; or whether the operation be that of the harvest and the vintage ; the effusion of the seven vials; the earthquake; the destruction of Babylon; the contest with the beast and the false prophet and the kings of the earth ; with Satan and Gog and Magog ; whether in the scene of judgment, the perdition of Death and Hell, or in the exclusion fi-om the Holy City of every thing that defileth or maketh a lie — all are representations of the same "wrath of the Lamb," and of wrath against like ob- jects, these objects being elements, or principles, of a doctrinal character, figuratively spoken of as human beings, opposed to the divine plan of salvation by grace through the vicarious work of the Lamb of God. Keeping in view this basis of the apocalyptic exhibition, we shall perceive in it all the unity of conception, all the serious and entire action of a proper magnitude, required for a tragedy by the great master of Greek criticism. Nor 18 KEMAEKS ON THE FOEM OF THE APOCALYPSE. is there less attention to the grouping of individuals and the exhibition (symbohcal, however,) of their rank and character, whether supposed to be real or assumed. As there is a correspondence in the construction and seriousness of intent in the old tragedy, with the arrange- ment and solemn import of the vision of the apostle, so there is a like similarity in the scenery presented to the imagination. Simplicity and unity of plan, required no complete change of scenic decorations ; but in Athens, we are told, there were machines of a triangular form, which, being turned round, presented views corresponding with the scenes produced. There was the home side, the foreign side, the view of a temple, of an inner court, of a camp, a forest, or a sea, etc. This was sufficient for the purpose designed ; as it was not the acts themselves, but the cir- cumstances arising out of the acts when accomphshed, which occupied the reflections and feelings of the chorus and of the audience. Machines for raising figures from beneath the stage, or bearing them through the air, for the imitation of thunder and lightning, etc., were occasionally employed; and winged cars, and strange hippographs, were by turns introduced. The deus ex machina resembled the mono- logue : some divinity appearing in the sky, announcing the decrees of fate, and bringing the plot to a just and peace- able conclusion. Instead of the deus ex macliina^ the apostle describes a mighty angel, setting one foot upon the land and the other upon the sea, and thus announcing the decree of the Most High. Instead of the strange hip- pographs, we see in the Apocalypse the seven-headed and FOEM OF THE ANCIENT DRAMA. 19 ten-horned serpent, and the beasts from the sea and land. Instead of the flying cars, the apostle describes angelic heralds flying through mid-heaven, (Rev. 19 : 6-9,) while the angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon, (Rev. 18 : 1,) the attending angel annomicing the blessedness of the marriage feast, and the angel taking the apostle to see the bride, the Lamb's wife, (Rev. 21 ; 10,) severally perform their parts in bringing the plot to a just and happy con- clusion. The great masters of Greek tragedy, as they are justly called, flourished about five hundred years before the issuing of the Apocalypse ; but we may imagine that if any one of them had met with that divinely inspired produc- tion, being told it was such, and as such necessarily per- fect in its kind, his attention would have been at once arrested by the dramatic features we have noticed. In- stead of being deterred from an examination of the work by the peculiar strangeness of its symbolic pictures, he would have perceived immediately that, under these there was a myth, or hidden meaning, to be sought for. From the resemblance of form, in the dramatic portion of the vision, to that of a regularly constructed tragedy, he would have been persuaded that there was in it a plot^ a tissue of narration, and a unity of plan, the discovery of which must be indispensable to an understanding of its myth. K there be this unity of plan — such a connection of circumstances, (he would argue,) there must be a princi- pal character, (a protagonist^ according to the Greek no- menclature.) There must be a basis of action ; an oppo- sition of parties, each having its chief; and from the appa- rently belligerent complexion of the narrative, there must 20 EEMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. be a warlike contest, a triumph of the victor, and a happy or unhaj^py conchision. The unravelling of these particu- lars, and a perce^jtion of their connection, as a lohole, are necessary, he would say, to the discovery of the instruc- tion to be conveyed. Such is the improvement, we think, to be derived from the comparison traced out. There is a myth covered by the symboUc exhibition of the Apocalyptic vision ; to dis- cover it we must contemplate the piece as a lohole ; there is a unity of plan ; there is a principal character corre- sponding with the Gveek protagonist — who is he ? There is a basis of action — what is it ? There are contendmg parties — who and what are they ? There is a final contest — who is the victor ? who are the vanquished ? what is the triumph of the victor? what the happy conclusion? and what is the lesson taught ? To reply to these inqui- ries we must examine the form or construction of the whole vision, analyse its symbolic representations, notice their connection, and adopt a consistent system of analogy for the interpretation of the figures, figurative terms, and language employed. And if, as we suppose, the tnyth^ or lesson taught, consists in a development of the doc- trines of the Christian faith, we must appeal for the correctness of our interpretation to its correspondence mth the whole purport of divine revelation, as it is hand- ed down to us in other portions of the sacred Scriptm-es. CUOHAL DIVISIO-NS OF TUE ArOCALYl'SE. 21 CHAPTER III. ARRANGEMENT AND CHORAL DIVISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE, AS THEY CORRESPOND WITH THE FORM OF THE ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA. The tliree first verses of Rev. 1, occupy the place of the title-page of a modern book. The remainder of that chapter is a preface ; the apostle relating therein the cii-- cnmstances mider which the vision was vouchsafed, and the directions' given for its circulation. Rev. 2 and 3 consist of an introduction, in the form of messages to certain seven churches of Asia. These mes- sages, with some commendations of what is good, detail certain errors countenanced by the angels of these church- es ; with reference, at the close of each epistle, to an indi- vidual spoken of as the conqiieroT^ (Greek, " the conquer- ing,") he that overcomes, or the overcoming ; a character equivalent to that of the protagonist of the Greeks. Apparently, the angels of the churches had been under some wrong impressions as to who this conqueror should be, perhaps supposing it might be one or more of them- selves. Their views in this respect are corrected, by showing from the narrative given, and fi'om a comparison of the rewards promised with their fulfillment, that, as there is but one name under heaven whereby we can be saved, so there is but one combatant in the working out 22 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. of the divine plan of salvation,, who is to be contemplated a-s the conqueror or " He that overcometh." Rev. 4, is occupied with a description of the scene pre- sented to the favored spectator at the commencement of the exhibition: the throne and he that sat upon it, the four living creatures round the throne, (the attributes of divine sovereignty,) the twenty-four elders or presbyters, (representatives of divine revelations,) all of whom are par- ticularly described. Here there is a choral action of adoration, responded to with prostration, spoken of as being continual, " they rest not day and night." This we must consider as something eternally in operation; the attributes of divine sove- reignty and the elements of divine revelation, (the sub- stance itself of that revelation,) virtually combining in set- ting forth the holiness and worthiness to receive glory, and honor, and power, of the Supreme Being, as the Creator of all things, for whose pleasure all things were and are created. The action of this chorus we consider something irre- spective of the vision about to be described, and as there is no mention here of any other being than the Lord God Almighty, as the object of praise and adoration, the scene is equivalent to the representation of the Supreme Bemg as he has been, and is, and will be throughout eternity — the " all in all," the process of giving up the kingdom to the Father, spoken of by the apostle, 1 Cor. 15 : 28, being a matter of manifestation only ; as the perfect sove- reignty of the Deity must, in the nature of things, be ever the same. The next scene presented (Rev. 5 : 1-14) is still pre- CHORAL DIVISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE. 23 paratoiy only to the exhibition about being made ; that ex- hibition resulting from the opening of a book in the hand of Him who sat upon the throne. The book is sealed with seven seals. Some one worthy to open the book and loose the seals thereof is called for; of the immense concourse of beings present, but one is equal to the task, and this one, in appearance, a Lamb, as it had been slain ; himself an element of the sovereignty represented by the throne. Immediately upon his taking the book the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders, pros- trate themselves before him and sing " a new song," as- cribing their redemption to him as a reason for his worthi- ness to take the book, and to open its seals, being made also by him kings and priests unto God, and thus caused to reign on the earth ; that is, as we shall see, on the new earth. As we now confine ourselves to the construction only of the vision, we defer any remarks on this new song, or those who sing it for the present ; but as it is responded to by an immense multitude of angels, who join in with the chorus of the living creatures and elders, and as it is again echoed by every created thing, and again responded to by the four elements of sovereignty, and the twenty-four elders, we can not but compare the whole action to the strophes and antistrophes of the Greek chorus. Such as it is, we deem it equivalent to the parados of the Greek drama, and consequently class the matter. Rev. 5 : 1-7, as the prologice. Revelation 7 : 9-12 furnishes the next chorus of many voices. It is a recitative rather than a song. The multi- tudes of nations, kindreds, etc., in white robes, ascribing 24 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. salvation to God and the Lamb,* with a response by the angels around the throne, the presbyters and the living creatures. As it is said, the ideal or supposed spectator, formed a part of the constituents of the Greek di-ama, and occasion- ally joined in the chorus, so these multitudes, whom no man could number, occupy the position of the ideal audience on the Greek stage. This second chorus of many voices, may be termed the first stasimon, and the intervening matter, from Rev. 6 : 1 to V : 8, the first epeisodio9i, representing as it does, the commencement of the dramatic action ; or rather the state of things at that commencement : namely, the going forth of the four mounted combatants, the cry of the captive souls under the altar, the great earthquake, the panic of the inhabitants of the earth, in anticipation of the wrath of the JOamby the hurting by the four winds, and the sealing and safety of the twelve thousand of each of the twelve tribes. Thus far, the status only has been exhibited ; that is, the scene and the condition of things at the commence- ment of the action of the piece. The going out of the forces, to be engaged in the coming contest; the cry of the oppressed for the vindication of their cause ; the commo- tion in earth and heaven, caused by the hostile prej^ara- tions ; the apprehension of danger on the part of those who previously maintained a despotic sway, and the secu- rity of all bearing the seal of God in their foreheads. The remainder of Rev. V from 13th verse, is the lan- guage of a chorus of 09ie voice ; explanatory and prophetic * God and the Lamb are afterwards seen to occupy the same seat of sove- reigntv. CHOKAIi DIVISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE. 25 of the denouement of the piece. In the representation of the exulting character of these choral songs, it must be re- membered that the scene is laid in heaven ; and thus fore- reaches upon the earthly scenes afterwards represented. So, the prediction of one of the elders, Rev. 1 : 13-17, is represented as fulfilled. Rev. 21 : 4, 6, and 22 : 3, 4. The third chorus of many voices is described, Rev. 1 1 : 15-18 — a recitative uttered by great voices in heaven, and responded to by the twenty-four elements of divme revelation. The matter between this stasimon and the preceding comprehends the altar-scene in heaven, the giving out of the seven trumpets, the results of the sounding of the four first trumpets, and of the two first woe trumpets, with the account of the two witnesses. The matter of the tenth chapter is accessory; preparative and explanatory of what follows. This third chorus ushers in the last woe and the sounding of the last of the seven trumpets. The fourth chorus is described. Rev. 14 : 2, 3. The preceding matter comprehends the account of the appearance of the woman and dragon in heaven ; the war in heaven; the ex- pulsion of Satan and his angels from heaven ; the persecu- tion of the woman on earth ; the appearance of the ten- horned beast from the sea, and the two-horned beast from the land, with a relation of their prosperity and power. The song of this chorus is uttered by the one hundred and forty-four thousand elements of the divine plan of redemp- tion, (as revealed in the Scriptures,) as they stood around the Lamb on Mount Zion. The song may be considered the substance of all that is revealed of that plan, and, of course, no other element could reveal the same ; as it is said, "no one could sing that song but the one himdred and forty-four 2 26 KEMABKS ON THE FOKM OF THE APOCALYPSE. thousand" uncontaminated elements of truth. Here the scene is laid in heaven, as it is also in the matter following, as far as Rev. 15 : 1, including the several announcements of angelic heralds ; the appearance of the one like unto the son of man on the white cloud, the harvest, the vintage, and its results. The fifth chorus of many voices, (fourth stasimon,) is sung by those who had gotten the victory over the beast, etc. They sing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb, being themselves those elements of divine revelation, (O. and ]Sr. T.,) which virtually overcome the errors sym- bolized by the beast and his allies. The song is prospect- ive in the order of representation ; the victory refen-ed to, being that represented as having taken place on earth, Rev. 19 : 11-21. The armies in heaven following the Word of God, are, in fact, those here represented as sing- ing the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb. The difference is between scenes in heaven and scenes on the earth, without any reference to difference of time ; the first showing a process in the divine councils ; the last the carrying out of those councils on earth. The sixth and last chorus of many voices, (Rev. 19 : 1-6,) immediately succeeds the accounts given of the destruction of Babylon, which accounts aft-e expansions of the relation given Rev. 16 : 19, of Babylon's coming in remembrance before God ; as the whole of the remaining exhibition may be considered an expansion of the summary account, given of the results of the test applied to the air by the pouring out of the seventh vial, (Rev. 16 : 17.) The intervening matter, between the fifth chorus and the sixth, comprehends the scene in heaven of the temple, and Hib CHOKAL DIVISIONS OF THE APOCAIiTPSE. 27 the giving out of the seven vials, and the scenes on earth of the effusion of these vials. The action of this last chorus, and the representations succeeding it, may be classed with the exodus of the Greeks ; the matter corresponding with what we call the catastrophe ; as with a httle attention we perceive in it a groupmg together of all the leading characters before spoken of, with their respective fates, excepting only the harlot, Babylon, whose destruction before related, was necessary in the nature of the case, ere the bride, or true wife, could make her appearance. The admonition. Rev. 16 : 15, is the language of a chorus of one voice ; as such, it may be applied to the disciple directly ; but we think it has reference to the decisive battle, the account of which, Rev. 19 : 11, should be con- sidered as immediately connected with it ; the intervening particulars respecting Babylon (Rev. 17 and 18) being episodical and accessory. The particulars of Babylon are first given under the figure of a woman, in which character she is the opposite of the wife of the Lamb. Her destruction is afterwards (Rev. 18) more particularly described as a city. As such she is the opposite of the holy Jerusalem. Adhering to this figure of a- city, a chorus of one voice gives an ac- count of the wailing or lamentations (the commos) over the destruction of Babylon ; closing this account with a call upon the elements of divine revelation (apostles and prophets) to rejoice over the same event. The scene then exhibits the action of a mighty angel casting a stone into the sea, with which the fall and end of Babylon is compared ; the comparison being accompanied with a finale 28 KEMAEKS ON THE POEM OF THE APOCALYPSE. malediction. Then follows the last chorus, already alluded to, in which the readiness of the true wife of the Lamb, for the marriage feast, is announced; this feast being equivalent to a pubUcation or manifestation of the mar- riage ; a rite symbolical of identity of being ^ and thus rep- resentmg the Lamb and the Lamb's wife as one indi- vidual. Lnmediately in connection with this annunciation of the chorus, the scene of the great battle of Armageddon is exhibited. The two contending parties are brought together. The rider of the white horse (he that was fii'st seen going out " a conqueror and to conquer") is here again seen victorious; his enemies are overcome — the kings of the earth and their armies are slain by the sword of his mouth, and their flesh given to the carrion birds of the ah'. The beast and false prophet are taken as ui a snare, and cast into the lake of fire — Satan is bound in chains in the bottomless pit. Tribunals of judgment, called as it were upon the field of battle, assign rewards to those who had suffered in the cause of the victor — ^the captives under the altar, now liberated, and their blood avenged. Again, Satan having been loosed from the pit, the na- tions (Gentiles) are led on by him to besiege the camp and the beloved city. Fire from heaven destroys them aU; Satan is cast into the burning lake. A great white throne is seen — earth and heaven flee away — the judgment of the dead takes place, the sea gives up its dead, and is itself no more — death and hell give up their dead, and are themselves judged, condemned, and cast into the lake of fire. A new heaven and a new earth appear. The bride, before announced as ready for the feast, is now seen CHORAL DIVISIONS OF THE APOCALYPSE. 29 descending from God out of heaven, adorned for her husband. As in the case of Babylon, the figure of a woman was changed mto that of a city; so here the figure of the bride of the Lamb is changed into that of the holy city — the new Jerusalem. And as the particulars were before given of the destruction of Babylon, and of the lamenta- tions over her fall ; the particulars are now given of the glory of the new Jerusalem, and of the abundant provi- sion for eternal life with which she is furnished. Such is the grouping of characters and of circumstances be- longiQg to the exodus of the apocalypse, constituting what we think may very properly be termed the catastrophe. The tissue of the exhibition, resulting fi*om the opening of the sealed book, having been thus concluded, the re- mainder of the vision, fi-om Rev. 22 : 16, may be consider- ed in the place of an epilogue, being, in the nature of the case, a comment upon the representation previously made. Note. — " The many-voiced chorus" is said to have divided the ancient Greek tragedy into a certain number of parts. By some, these divisions are limited to four, five, or six. Others are of opinion that the number varied according to circumstances, and could not be limited. Not deeming the number important, our divisions are intended only to show the general resemblance of arrangement. In each of our choral divisions (acts) there must be supposed certain changes of scene ; changes made not only during the action of a chorus, but also occasionally in the intervening representations. The apostle's position does not change, but, as a privileged spectator in heaven, he sees, or has an account given him of things taking place, at one time in heaven, and at an- other on the earth. It is of some importance to keep this distinction in mind, otherwise there would seem to be occasionally a repetition, as in the proclamation of the fall of Babylon, first made in heaven, afterwards on the earth. The whole representation must be supposed to take place under the eye 30 EEMAEKS ON THE FOEM OP THE APOCALYPSE. of Him who sat upon the throne. The throne, therefore, with the four liv- ing creatures, and the twenty-four elders, and the multitude of the heavenly host round about the throne, are to be contemplated as occupying the back- ground of the scene throughout; the changes taking place in the fore- ground. As it is said of the Greek drama, an entire exhibition may be sup- posed to take place in the court and presence of the sovereign ; so indeed we might say of the divine plan of redemption, that God hath purposed it for his own pleasure and for his own glory. It is something which he himself contemplates with pecuhar delight. By scenes in heaven and scenes on the earth, we mean such on\j figu7'a- tively speaking. The apostle in vision witnesses certain pictorial represen- tations ; some as in heaven, and some as in earth. The first reveals the de- terminations in the counsels of the Most High ; the second, the carrying into effect of those counsels ; both equally symbolical, and alike important to the reader, as bearing a strict analogy with the truths and errors represented in them. We shall notice the changes of scenery more particularly hereafter. PLOT AND UNITY OF THE APOCALYPSE. 31 CHAPTER IV. PLOT OP THE APOCALYPSE — ^ITS UNITY, AS EXHIBITED IN THE PEOGEESS OF ITS PEINCIPAL CHAEACTEE. Having in the preceding chapter gone over the choral divisions of the Apocalypse, we are now to take a view of the plot of this sacred composition, the better to perceive the unity of the piece, the connection of its several parts, and its principal character, preparatory to ascertaining its tnyth and the lesson it conveys. Assuming the form of the book of Revelation to be dramatic, the suggestion occurs to us that, if dramatic, there must be something in the representation like the progress of a distinguished individual, a warrior perhaps, whose course is to be traced from the commencement to the end ; the issue or catastrophe showing the drift of the narrative, and indicating the particular instruction to be drawn from it. Such a character being supposed, there must be enemies with whom he has to contend ; there must be a cause for the contest, and obstacles to overcome : we wish to know what the object of the war is, who the enemies are, and what will be the triumph of the victor. In the epistles to the seven churches, we find certain promises made to one, whoever this may be, who proves to be the conqueror in a certain contest m contemplation. 32 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. This individual is spoken of throughout, in the singular number, as the conquering (one), or he that conquers. There are several different rewards promised, but appar- ently they are all destined for the same victor. Some of the promises, besides, are of such a peculiar character that we can only apply them to one being, and that one must be something more than human. We have thus two means of ascertaining who the fa- vored individual may be : firs% the course of the narrative and its results, from which we learn who is in fact the vic- torious leader, finally overcoming every hostile power; second^ in the event of the success of the personage thus pointed out, we have to compare the promises made, with their fulfillment to him. The dramatic action of the Apocalypse, as we have noticed, commences with the opening of the first seal. Here we are at once struck with the description of a war- rior, going forth as a conqueror and to conquer^ or over- coming and to overcome.* He goes forth upon a white horse, armed with a bow. Is this the conqueror? He has triumphed hitherto. Is he to do so stiU? Three other combatants go forth at the same time. Are these his enemies ? will he triumph over them ? and what others has he to overcome ? We lose sight of all four of these for some time in the subsequent representation, although they may be supposed to act on several occasions, by their respective forces, as through so many instrumentah- ties. The rider of the white horse is the only one who reappears personally on the field as a combatant. * The Greek term is the same for both of these English terms. PLOT AND UNITY OF THE APOCALYPSE. 33 On the occasion of the opening of the sealed book, the Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, is said to have over- come to open the seals ; but we do not consider this the contest in contemplation. On the opening of the fifth seal, we hear of the cry of certain captives (souls under the altar) for the vin- dication of their cause — we want to know whether the conqueror succeeds in delivering them, or in avenging their blood ; and on the opening of the sixth seal, a panic- stricken multitude is represented fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb^ as in dread of some invading foe — ^we want to know whether the conqueror is on the side of the Lamb, or one of this multitude. Further on we find a beast from the bottomless pit, spoken of as having conquered and even slain the two witnesses, notwithstanding the ex- traordinary powers given them to destroy their enemies. Is this beast, then, the conqueror? where is the rider of the white horse ? has he, too, fallen under the power of the beast ? Waiting the issue in suspense, our anxiety is somewhat relieved by the account given of the " war in heaven." Michael and his angels fought against the dra- gon and his angels, and the dragon and his angels were cast down from heaven to earth, the brethren having C07iquered him (the dragon) by the blood of the Lamb. Here the Lamb appears as the victor, by the power of his blood. But this is a war in heaven ; the dragon is still un- subdued on earth, although upon earth he may contend under diiferent characters ; as in the beast from the bot- tomless pit — the murderer of the two witnesses. There are now, apparently, two conquerors in their re- spective fields — the Lamb in heaven, the dragon upon 2* 34 REMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. earth. If these two powerful combatants meet, " which," it may be asked, " will be the conqueror ? " For a time they seem destined to avoid each other; reminding us of the contest between Turnus and Eneas in the epic of Virgil. We have still the impression that the rider of the white horse will appear again, and if so, that he will be on the side of the Lamb. We do not find the Lamb, as such, appearing in the field on earth ; and on the other hand, the dragon, as if to avoid being recognized in his proper character, com- mits his cause to a substitute ; transferring his seven heads and ten horns, his throne, his power, and great authority, to the beast from the sea. This beast, the impersonation of Satan himself, makes war with the saints, and, it is said, overcomes or conquers them. On the other side, the Lamb is in heaven; and on earth, instead of the rider of the white horse, we know only of a persecuted woman, whose child, for its own preservation, has been taken from her, and who is now driven into the wilderness — while the vicegerent of Satan not only sus- tains himself but upholds also in her power and hcen- tiousness, a female sovereign, of so vile a character as to be tenned the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Is this beast, then, the conqueror ? Are we to join in the acclamations of his subjects: "Who is hke unto the beast? who is able to make war -with him?" We can not beheve it. The malediction of the Most High is pronounced in heaven upon this element of error and his adherents ; he is denounced, according to the number of his name, as the adversary of the cross of Christy and all PLOT AND UNITY OF THE APOCALYPSE. 35 who bear the mark of his title are to share his fate — the fate of his consort (his image) having been already also announced. Besides this, it is predicted of the ten kings, rej^resented by the ten horns of this beast, that they shall be conquered by the Lamb, who is declared to be King of kings and Lord of lords. Still, we have two conquerors before us, each claiming the supremacy: the Lamb on the one side, and the beast, the representative of the dra- gon, on the other. As to the rider of the white horse, we are almost disposed to say as the children of Israel did of Moses : " We know not what has become of him." We are now, however, about being reheved from this state of suspense. Preparations are being made for a bat- tle, which is to decide in a great measure the question be- tween these two hostile powers. The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, have sent their emissaries to the kings of the whole earth, to summon them to the great struggle, about to be made with the heavenly powers. And the Supreme Kuler of events also has so ordered it that the meeting takes place on his own chosen ground^ (the Mount of the Gospel.) The contending forces are seen in battle array against each other, the beast and his vizier, and the kings of the earth with their armies, on one side, and the rider of the white horse, who now makes his long wished for appearance, with his armies, on the other side ; while, pro- phetic of victory on the side of the latter, a herald sum- mons birds of prey to feast upon the flesh of the slain. The charge of the heavenly cavalry, under the con- duct of the Word of God (as the name of the rider of the white horse is now called) is irresistible — ^the contest is 36 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. soon over ; it is as when the same Word spake and it was done ; when he said, " Let there be Hght, and there was light." The beast and the false prophet are taken, ac- cording to the Greek, as in a snare. The kings of the earth and their armies are slain by the sword out of the mouth of the Word of God. The beast and the false pro- phet are cast into the lake of fire, and Satan himself, the au- thor and instigator of the war, is, as a result of the victory, confined, bound with a great chain, in the bottomless pit. There can be no hesitation, now, in fixing upon the rider of the white horse as preeminently the conqueror. In the description given of him, (Rev. 19 : 13,) he is caUed the Word of God, but he wears also the insignia of the King of kings and Lord of lords, and is destined, as it is declared of him, to rule the nations with a sceptre of iron. He is thus identified with the Lamb, as well as with the child caught up to God and his throne, for preservation fi'om the jaws of the dragon. All the conquests or vic- tories before ascribed, therefore, to the Lamb, are equally those of the Word of God. In heaven, the Lamb contends with and overcomes the ten kings, (the ten horns of the dragon.) On earth, under the appellation of the Word of God, the same being con- tends with and overcomes the representatives of the dra- gon and their allies. There is, in fact, but one conqueror. It is, however, especially in reference to the contest on earth, that we are to contemplate the conqueror as the recipient of the promised rewards. In heaven, or in the heavenly counsels, the blood of the Lamb overcomes the accusations of Satan, (the dragon ;) on earth the Lamb, in the person of the Word of God, executes that wrath which PLOT AND UNITY OP THE APOCALYPSE. Si was the cause of so much dread on the part of the inha- bitants of the earth, as exhibited on the opening of the sixth seal — a dread well founded, as appears by the issue of the battle just described. But the execution of this wrath was not the only object of the contest. The souls in captivity under the altar were to be released, and their cause vindicated. So we find immediately after the victory gained by the Word of God, and the destruction of their enemies, these souls not only released, but even raised to tribunals of judgment, being made virtually judges in the cause for which they had before suffered. But there was yet another battle to be fought, and a siege to be raised. Satan, loosed from his prison, gathers together the nations of the earth, and lays siege to the camp of the saints, and the holy city. Here he is defeated, as it is said, hjjlrefrom God out of heaven. This would appear, at first sight, as something in which the rider of the white horse had no part ; but that warrior is the Word of God, and the Word of God is afire. Fire from heaven — a revelation of the divine will or purpose. The conqueror is the same, the symbolic figure only is changed. So, immediately after this victory, we find the white horse exchanged for a white throne, the Word of God bemg now ftiUy revealed as the Jiat of divine sovereignty itseJf. Before or by that Word of God, the elements or princi- ples of doctrine, represented as the dead, (apparently those slain in the great battle of Armageddon,) are judged, and with these, the rider of the greefi horse. Death, and the Hell that followed with him. These both are not only judged, but are also cast into the burning lake. We do 38 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. not rest our proof, however, of the identity of the Word of God with the Lamb, upon his titles alone. The course of the narration will lead us to the same result. The rider of the white horse is not spoken of as such, after the relation of the great battle of Armageddon ; but almost coincident mth that victory, a personage not before recog- nized, is introduced. The wife of the Lamb is said to have made herself ready for the marriage feast; as if, prior to this, although the true wife, she had not been known as such, another female, of a different character, having usurped her place in pubUc estimation. That hindrance being re- moved by the destruction of Babylon, the true wife is prepared to take her place at the festal board, in the pre- sence of those who are to bear witness to the celebration. The woman clothed with the sun, and the moon imder her feet, was no other than this wife of the Lamb ; her infant being a type of the element of propitiation, origin- ating from the divine purpose of salvation, and on other occasions represented by the Lamb himself. Driven into the wilderness by the persecution of the dragon, she was there in seclusion during the reign of the beast and that of the harlot. Prepared, as she is said to be, for the feast, she may now be considered as coming out of the wilder- ness, like her of whom inquiry is made : " Who is this that Cometh from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?" She does not, however, actually make her appearance till after the great changes we have alluded to as resulting from the judgment of 'him who sat upon the white throne^ and the fleeing away of the old earth and the old heaven. Then, when all things are made new, when there is a new lieaven and a new earth, and no more sea, the bride of the PLOT AND UNITY OF THE APOCALYPSE. 39 Lamb is seen, not merely coming out of the wilderness, but descending from God out of heaven. We then find the wife of the Lamb to be the new, the holy Jerusalem, the holy city, of which the apostle Paul speaks as "Jeru- salem above," and which he tells us is the 7iew covenant^ the opposite of that represented by the bondmaid. This new covenant is thus represented, in the Apoca- lypse, as the bride or wife of the Lamb. It is the divine plan of salvation by grace through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ ; the opposite of the old covenant, or plan of salvation by works of the law. The divine plan of salva- tion is the mind or purpose of God ; and that mind or purpose is the Word of God — the Word, or logos^ of which John speaks in his Gospel, as havmg been imper- sonated in Jesus Christ. The wife or bride of the Lamb, being thus a figure of the divine purpose of salvation, and the rider of the white horse being also a figure of the same divine purpose, the two figures represent the same thing, being changed only to correspond with the circumstances of the representation for which they are employed. When the illustration of a contest was requii-ed, the figure of a conqueror was made use of, and such was the rider of the white horse ; but all enemies having been sub- dued, a different truth is to be illustrated. It is to be shown, that the Word of God and the Lamb are one and the same individual. This is done by the figure of a mar- riage — a rite by which two individuals are accounted one. The symbol of the warrior is thus laid aside. The bride, or wife, now represents the Word of God, (the conqueror,) and the wife of the Lamb, being one with her husband, 40 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. the Word of God and the Lamb are manifested to be the same being. In the subsequent description, therefore, of the glorious appearance of the holy Jerusalem, all that is said of the city, is, in fact, a symbolical illustration of the attributes of the Word of God; in other words, the attributes, or rather the features, of the divine plan of salvation by grace. So, at the close of the narration, the Lamb of God being spoken of as occupying the same seat of divine sovereignty as God, he is identified with God. The Lamb and the Word of God being also one, it follows, that the Word of God, or the conqueror, enjoys the triumph of a throne. We have thus traced in the Apocalypse, the progress of a distinguished character, such as comports with the composition of a dramatic or epic work. The subject of the representation is the conduct of a war. The cause of the war is the state of rebellion of a certain class, figura- tively spoken of as the inhabitants of, or dwellers upon, the earth, or men of the earth. The rebels have sustained themselves against their lawful sovereign for a long time. They have imprisoned and shed the blood of the faitliful subjects of the sovereign. The evil having reached its height, preparations are made by the sovereign for the complete subjection of these his enemies. Very extraordinary rewards are promised to the warrior who may subdue them. A champion, one who has before distinguished himself by his victories, midertakes the task. He is seen going forth. The wrath of the sovereign is now known to be about being inflicted, and the rebels, in their panic fear, are fleeing to their places of refuge. They PLOT AND UNITY OF THE APOCALYPSE. 41 are of all classes, from kings, or chiefs, down even to the bondsman or slave. The first operation of the war consists in destroying the resources of the enemies of the offended sovereign. This is represented symbolically, by the action of certain phy- sical phenomena, and of venemous animals, (as the locust of the bottomless pit, and the serpent-tailed horses, with their riders, from the Euphrates.) To these preparatory measures may be added the prophesying of the witnesses in sackcloth. Here our attention is called from the rebel scene of action, to the councils of the sovereign. A traitor in those councils, who proves to be really the instigator of the re- bellion, seeks the destruction of an infant, known to be the heir of the sovereign. Failing in this object, he di- rects his hostility against the mother, who, although her- self the wife of a sovereign, is obhged to seek shelter in a wilderness. Meantime, the traitor subject, who has been expelled from the comicils of the sovereign, provides the rebels with a chief of his own making, giving to this chief all his own power and great authority. This pretender to the throne is readily received, reverenced, and obeyed by the rebels. These rebels, hitherto spoken of only as a peo- ple, or an assemblage of nations without a leader, are now to be viewed as an organized body. Their chief, or ruler, with imperial sway, and by the advice of his prime min- isters, the better to confirm his power, sustains the infamous female before alluded to, as a substitute for the persecuted mother of the rightful heir to the throne. While a picture is given of the prosperity of these ad- verse powers, various developments of the councils of the 42 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. true sovereign afford the assurance that this prosperity is to be of short duration. An account is first given of the miserable end of the female pretender, opening a way to a restoration of the persecuted wife to the position to which she is entitled. The conqueror, who previously had been operating through the instrumentaUty of his agents, at length appears in person, with his forces in battle array, the rebels, with the pretender to sovereignty, being also gathered together in all their strength. The champion, by whom the cause of the true sovereign was first under- taken, obtains a decisive victory ; enemies are destroyed ; captives Hberated; the faithful subjects are rewarded; the rebellious are punished, the conqueror being judge. The true wife, revealed fi^-om heaven, is seen in her glorious array, and the denouement of the piece exhibits the con- queror himself the possessor of undisputed sovereignty. Such is the ^lot: the subject, the execution of the wrath of a sovereign; the cause of this wrath, a rebellion; the result of the contest, the complete subjugation of all opposing powers, the destruction of the incorrigible rebels as well as of theh' leaders, and the final triumph of the victor. Accessory to these scenes is the preservation of an infant, the heir to the throne, together with the resto- ration of a persecuted woman to her position as the wife of the true sovereign. So much for the external character of the representation; the myth of the piece is to be gathered fi'om the analogical meaning of this symbolic exterior. Of this we shall treat hereafter, having first to produce a confirmation of our views of the conqueror, by comparing the promises of reward mth their fulfillment. PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 43 CHAPTER V. PROMISES TO THE VICTORIOUS CHAMPION, AND THEIR FUL- FILLMENT. Starting with the supposition, derived from the narra- tive, that the divine plan of salvation, represented succes- sively as the rider of the white horse, (the Word of God,) the Lamb's wife, and the holy Jerusalem, is the conqueror, to whom the promises ia the epistles to the churches have been given, we are now to see in what manner these promises have been fulfilled. The first promise is in the letter to the Ephesian angel : " To him that conquereth will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." (Rev. 2:7.) To eat of the tree of life, is to be nourished by its fruits, even so as to be identified with it, {accounted the same :) as to participate in the merits of Christ, is to be accounted one with him,* (John 6 : 48-55.) Such participation, being the means of eternal life, is not merely tasting, but living upon the food or fruit alluded to, as the manna of the wilderness was to the Israelites their only article of food, (John 6 : 56, 57.) We have shown elsewheref that the tree of life is a * Corresponding with the mystery represented by the Lord's Supper. t §47. 44 EEMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOOAIiTPSE. figurative expression (equivalent to that of the a'oss of Christ) for the divine will, purpose, mind, or Word (logos) of God. This Word being the conqueror, the promise is fulfilled by the manifestation of the identity of that Word with the tree spoken of. In addition to this, we notice at the close of the representatioji (Rev. 22 : 2) that the tree of life grows in the midst of the street of the holy city, which city can be no other than the Paradise of God refer- red to in the promise. We have shown from the course of the narrative, that the Word of God is identical with the wife of the Lamb, the holy Jerusalem, or Paradise of God, and that the fruit of the tree is the food provided for the city. Thus the conqueror (the Word) has the fruit of this tree not merely for tasting, but for sustenance. The tree bears twelve manner of fruits, but they are all the product of the same plant. The victorious Word is the holy city, and as such is nouiished by the tree of life. So, we may say analogically, the divine plan of salvation depends for its efficiency (vi- tahty) upon the provision peculiar to it, the imputable righteousness of Christ. As the literal cross bore the material body of Christ, so the sovereign will or purpose of God, (the tree, or cross,) yields its provision for eternal life, the righteousness and atonement (the flesh and blood) of Christ. As this is the predominant feature of the divine plan of salvation, so the tree of life is found all over the city, on both sidee of the river of the water of life ; one element of eternal life depending on the other : where the river flows the tree grows. The second promise is in the epistle to the Smyrnean PEOMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 45 angel, (Rev. 2 : 11:) "He that overcometh shall not be hurt * (unjustified) of, from, or by the second death." The second death is the lake of fire, (Rev. 19 : 20 ; 20 : 14, 15,) the unending trial, to which the beast, and the false prophet, and the devil, and death, and hell, and all not written in the book of life, are condemned. The book of life, or the Lamb's book of life, we take to be another figure of the divine plan of salvation, the Word (logos) of God, corresponding with the wife of the Lamb, the cross, and the tree of life. The Word of God is not only written in the book of life, he is himself the book of life, the whole purport of the book of life being the same divine purpose of salvation as that represented by the Word of God. All not written in the book of life, are cast into the lake of fire, but the rider of the white horse, being the Word of God, is written in the book of life, and is, therefore, not subject to this second death. The Lamb, the wife of the Lamb, the holy city, the tree of life, the Word of God, are all written in the Lamb's book of life; they can not, therefore, be hur% or unjustified, by the second death. The revealed word of God is declared by God himself (Jer. 23 : 29) to be fire. It is the fire that is to try every principle and every doctrine, (1. Cor. 3 : 13.) The Word of God, (the divine purpose of grace,) exposed to this trial, must, like the faithfiil Hebrews, come out fi'om it unhurt; not even the smell of fire passing over it. Such we con- sider the fulfillment of the promise. The third promise is in the epistle to the angel of the * §56. 46 KEMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. church of Pergamos, (Rev. 2:17:) "To him that over- cometh (conquereth) I will give to eat of the hidden man- na ; and wiU give him a lohite stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth saving he that receiveth it." The hidden manna and the fruit of the tree of life, are but different expressions of the same thing ; that is, the righteousness or merits of Christ, the true bread of life, (Jno. 6 : 32, 33.) Here, as m the first promise, the fulfill- ment consists in the manifestation of the sameness or one- ness of the Word of God and the holy city. The tree of life, a real bread-fruit tree, furnishes the holy city with its provision for eternal life. The rider of the white horse (the conqueror) is that city, and to him it is given to eat of the hidden manna, (the bread that comes down from heaven,) the fruit of the tree of life, which is m the midst of the city. As the city represents the Word, or divine covenant of grace, the righteousness of Christ is to that covenant what the hidden manna, or fruit of the tree of life, is to the New Jerusalem. But there is another mark of distinction connected with this promise, particularly calculated to point out the rider of the white horse as the conqueror, and as the recipient of the reward held forth : the white stone, with the new name wi'itten or engraved upon it, which no one knows but he that receives it. The Greek word translated white^ properly signifies bright, lucid, transparent, corresponding with the descrip- tion of a splendid precious stone,* upon which a name or * In our former work, we had not noticed this pecuUarity, and accord- ingly lost sight of the more correct view now afforded. (?§ fifi, 67.) PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROK. 47 title might be engraved. Such is apparently the stone alluded to. In the account given (Rev. 19 : 12) of the rider of the white horse, (the Word of God,) it is said " he had a name written which no 07ie knew but himself," the name so far corresponding with the promise ; but the stone is not mentioned. It is said, however, that on his head were many diadems; as the Greek word, translated crow7is, should have been rendered. The diadem is well known to have been the insignia of imperial power. A regal crown is usually of some metal- lic subtance. The eastern diadem, it is said, consisted of a shawl woven or interwoven after the manner of a turban for the head. In the times of the Roman Emperors the diadem was a plain fillet or band, of a fine texture, orna- mented with one or more precious stones. A name engrav- en upon a diadem, must consequently be graven upon the precious stone or brilUant with which it is decorated. Thus, we may presume, in the case of the rider of the white horse, that the possession of the name, of the pecuhar character designated, implies the possession of the precious stone or brilliant, upon which that name is engraved. He, there- fore, whose " name is called the Word of God," and who, according to the narrative, overcomes the beast and his allies, must be the recipient of the reward here promised. What the name alluded to may be, it is not for us ia this connection to inquire. To know it would be a contradic- tion in terms ; for if it were known to any one else than him who received it, it would not be the name designated. Neither is it material for us to inquire whether the in- scription on the stone be a name or a title ; as Jehovah is the proper name of the Supreme Bemg while the terms 48 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. God, and Lord, and King of kings, are only titles. It is sufficient for our object to learn that the name described as known only to the recipient was received by the rider of the white horse, (the Word of God.) The fourth promise is in the epistle to the Thyatiran angel, (Rev. 2 : 26, 21 :) " To him that conquereth and keepeth my works to the end, to him will I give pow- er over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod (sceptre) of iron ; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces, even as I received of my Father ; and I will give him the morning star." Whatever is to be understood by the reward here pro- mised, it is e\adent that the rider of the white horse (the Word of God) is the recipient of it ; for it is said in the de- scription of him, (Rev. 19 : 15,) " out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations ; afid he shall rule them with a rod (sceptre) of iron." So much for the fulfillment of this promise to the letter. We shall show in another place our views of the analogical meaning of the terms here employed. Meantime we notice that the promisor here, as through- out, is the one like unto the Son of Man, a scriptural appellation, as we know, of the Son of God. The ex- pression " as I received of my Father," refers accord- ingly to what is said of that Son, iPs. 2 : 8, 9. The re- compense is therefore in efiect a transfer to the conqueror of that which in the psalm is given to the Son. And if the fulfillment of the promise be such as we suppose it, that ful- fillment is equivalent to the coming of the e?ic?,* spoken of * The end in respect to the development of divine truth, not in respect to time. PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 49 by Paul, when the Son shall give up the kingdom to the Father, that God may be (manifested to be) all in all. The title of King of kings and Lord of lords^ upon the vesture and upon the thigh of the rider of the white horse, further marks him out as possessing the promised rule over the nations ; while the action of the sharp sword fi'om his mouthy in gaining the victory over the kings of the earth and their armies, is a fulfillment of the promised power to break the nations to pieces as a, potter^ a vessel — a figurative allusion to the operation of divine revelation, rightly understood, in destroying systems or doctrines of human invention, founded upon a literal or carnal inter- pretation of the written word of divine revelation.* A like construction we put upon the term natiotis (Gog and Magog) destroyed by fre from heaven in the siege of the beloved city, (Rev. 20 : 9,) the fire there mentioned being a revelation, or action of the same "Word of God. The prospective style of the expression in the use of the word shall is in keeping with the narrative ; the rule promised being a result of the victories, in which the Word of God is distinguished as the conqueror. The addition to the conditions of the promise " and keepeth my works to the end," is apparently equivalent to the requisition of a perfect correspondence of the divine purpose of salvation, (the Word of God,) with the working out of that plan in the person of Jesus Christ, as set forth in the Scriptures both of the Old and 'New Tes- taments. The Word, or divine purpose, in its exhibition, must not only overcome opposing errors, in order to possess the prescribed rule; it must correspond, also, with * §§ 80, 81. 50 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. all the sayings and works of Christ, and with all the types and prophecies respecting him. The fulfillment of this condition is certified in the appellation given to the rider of the white horse, of " Faithful and True," (Rev. 19:11.) He went forth with the crown, equivalent to the crown of life allotted to a faithful discii^le. He is now to be viewed as at the end ol his career ; having kept the works of the promisor to the end, for which reason he is called Faith- ful and True. There is yet a further promise in this epistle to the con- queror: "And I will give him the morning star." For the fulfillment of this promise we have to turn to the close of the vision, (Rev. 22 ; 16,) where Jesus, then unveiled, declares himself to be " the root and the oflsprmg of David, and the bright morning star?^ Then going back to Rev. 5 : 5, and its context, we find " the root of David" to be the Lamb — thence, according to a chain of identity before employed, we find the New Jerusalem, as the wife, to be one with the Lamb. The conqueror, (the Word of God,) therefore, being, as elsewhere shown, one with the New Jerusalem, or the wife of the Lamb, is identical with Jesus ; and thus in him possesses the promised attribute of the morning star — the star alluded to in the prophecy of Balaam, (Num. 24 : 17-19,) where the rule we have been treating of was also predicted.* This, perhaps, may account for the association of the two promises in this epistle. The fifth promise is in the epistle to the angel of the * " There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth" — appellation put for Gentiles or nations. PEOMISES TO THE CONQUEEOR. 51 church in Sardis : " He that overcometh (conquereth) the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels," (Rev. 3 : 5.) The rider of the white horse is described as being cloth- ed in a vesture, or raiment, dipped in blood ; but this was an equi^Dment for battle. As the brethren overcame the accuser m heaven^ by the blood of the Lamb, so it is with the evidence of that blood that the Word of God conquers the beast and his allies. The armies of heaven following the Word of God, are clothed in fine linen, clean and white. Their leader (the conqueror) does not receive his white raiment till after the victory ; and here we come to a change of figure, which is at the same time equivalent to that of a change of raiment. There is no mention in the Apocalypse, as already no- ticed, of the rider of the white horse, or of one " called the Word of God," after the relation given of the vic- tory over the beast and his allies. This would appear very strange were it not for the change alluded to, in which the same conquering Word (the divine purpose of salvation) claims our attention under a different symbol. Immediately prior to the account of the great battle, we are apprised of the appearance about to be made of one hardly before recognized, in her true character, (Rev. 19 : 17-19.) "The wife of the Lamb," it is said, "hath made herself ready ;" that is, ready for the festal celebra- tion, by which her union with the Lamb is to be manifest- ed or made pubhc* The bride, or wife, of the Lamb, as we learn fi'om Rev. * §§ 425, 426. 52 BEMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. 21 : 2, 9, 10, is the heavenly Jerusalem; and this Jerusa- lem from above^ according to the apostle Paul, (Gal. 4 : 24-26,) is the new covenant or testament, (the divine plan of salvation by grace,) personified in the Apocalypse as the Word of God. Thus the rider of the white horse (the conqueror of the beast) is now identified with the wife of the Lamb, to whom " it was given that she should be clothed -with fine linen, clean and white," and thus, the white raiment promised " to him that overcometh" is received by the victorious Word of God, under the figure of the bride. That the name of this conqueror is not blotted out of the book of fife, will appear from what has already been shown of his preservation from the second death. The Word of God and the book of life, as weU as the tree of life, are figures of the same divine purj^ose of salvation. The Word of God (the conqueror) being manifested, or revealed, to be the book of life, his name is not blotted out of that book, and can not be. The promise is fulfilled in the manifestation of this identity and its consequence. The promise of the confession of the name is fulfilled towards the rider of the white horse, by the appellation given him, as it is said " his name is called the Word of God." He has other titles, but this is the name by which he is divinely recognized, and by which the angels or messengers of divine revelation are to recognize him. The name is further confessed by the recognition of the bride as the Jerusalem above — the covenant of grace, which is in fact the same Word of God. The revelation of this name of the conqueror, associa- ted with the weapon by which he conquers, afibrds us PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 53 the information that it is by the development of the divine plan of salvation, in its proper sense, that all doc- trinal systems, or principles, opposed to the cross of Christ, are to be overcome. The sixth promise is in the epistle to the angel of the PhUadelphian church : " Him that conquer eth will I make a pUlar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, (New Jerusalem,) which Cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name." (Rev. 3 : 12, 13.) As before remarked, the prospective style of these pro- mises must refer to the manifestation of the things spoken of, and not to their existence. "The temple of God," we take to be that arrangement in the purpose of God,* by which the sinful creature, man, is permitted to worship Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and in whose sight even the heavens are unclean. As the Jews considered the temple in Jerusalem the place in which men ought to worship, so it is in Christ only, and in his name, that the disciple can worship God acceptably, (in spirit and in truth.) Thus Jesus Christ himself may be said to be an impersonation of the temple of God. Of this temple, the conqueror (the Word of God) has the promise of being the pillar, or support. So the loord of God, the divine purpose, or covenant of grace, is the support of the Christian's way of access to the throne of grace, a support of an immovable character; one that will no more go ou% eternally the same. So Paul, we apprehend, speaks of the Church or house of * §§ 97, 98. 54 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. God as "the pillar and ground of the truth." Not the visible or invisible assembly or aggregate of disciples, which, at the best, could be compared only to a broken reed, as a stay or support of the truth, but the divine plan of salvation itself, which must be that support when fully revealed. Upon this immovable pillar, certain names, according to the promise, are to be wiitten. The rider of the white horse has "a name written upon his vesture and upon his thigh. King of kings and Lord of lords." This designates him as that of which he bears the name. The name thus wiitten is equivalent to a de- claration of the true character, dignity, and power of him upon whom the name is inscribed. So in relation to the pillar in question, the writing of the names mentioned upon it, is equivalent to a declaration, or development, of the fact, or truth, that the pillar is that of which it bears the name, or inscription. Thus the rider of the white liorse, (the conqueror,) the Word of God, is God — the God of the one Hke unto the Son of Man. The "Word of God is also the city of the same God, the New Jerusalem, which Cometh down fi-om heaven; and he is also that which is designated by what the promisor calls his ncAv name. What this new name* may be, is not so easily shown ; but as the name promised, which no one knew but he that received it, is also termed a new name, we may presume this to be the same. The promise is fulfilled in respect to the Word of God, the conqueror, because he carried that new name written upon his diadem ; and if that be the * §§ 99, 100. PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 55 name, it is not for us to inquii*e what it is. We may take it for granted, the name wiitten upon the diadem is the new name to be inscribed upon the pillar, as we are per- suaded it is the nem name written on the promised bril- liant or white stone. Bearing in mind, however, that the conqueror, "called the Word of God," and the heavenly Jerusalem, represent the same divine igUI^ or purpose, there is a name spoken of as a new name^ in a prophecy, applicable to either or both of these figures, and which may, therefore, be referred to here, (Isa. 62 : 1, 5.) We quote the whole of the predic- tion to show its correspondence with the result of this apocalyptic exhibition, as we understand it : "For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Je- rusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness there- of go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy right- eousness, and all kings thy glory ; and thou shalt be called by a new name^ which the mouth of Jehovah has spoken. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of Jeho- vah, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken, neither shall thy land be termed desolate ; but thou shalt be called Sephzihah, and thy land JBeulah ; for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee, and as the bride- groom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." The name Hephzibah signifies, "my will m her," that is, God being the speaker, the will or good pleasure of Jeho- vah, equivalent to the definition we have given to the 56 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. Word or mind of God. So, according to the apocalyptic representation, the woman, or wife, that once appeared "forsaken," (secluded in the wilderness) is afterwards seen descending from God out of heaven. Beulah signifies married, or the mistress of a household. Corresponding with this, the woman, once desolate in the Avilderness, apparently deprived of child and husband, is at last recognized as both wife and mother of him that was to rule the nations with a rod of iron, identifying the bride, the Lamb, and the infant caught up to God and his throne, as representing the same mystery. So, as we have noticed, the Word of God being one mth the wife of the Lamb, and the wife and her husband being also one, and the Lamb on the throne with God being one with God, Jehovah rejoiceth over his own plan of mercy, (his will or good pleasure) as a bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride ; this plan of mercy being his delight^ (marginal reading.) Corresponding with this figurative development, it is said in another prophecy of the holy Jerusalem: "She shall be called Jehovah our righteousness ;" as the same thing is also said of the Branch, (Jeremiah 23 : 5 ; 33 : 16,) the name of the husband being thus given to the wife. The seventh promise is in the epistle to the angel of the church in Laodicea, (Rev. 2 : 21 :) "To him that con- quereth will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." Comparing this promise with the declaration of the Father, (Isa. 42 : 8,) " I am Jehovah, that is my name, and my glory will T not give to another," it is evident PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 57 that the promise to the conqueror here is equivalent to a manifestation of identity, or oneness, of the Father, Son, and Him that overcometh. It is charged upon the man of sin, (error,) (2. Thess 2 : 4,) that he " sits 'in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God," corresponding with the language ascribed to Lucifer, (Isa. 14 : 12, 13,) and Jesus Christ himself was accused of blasphemy by the Pharisees, because he made himself equal with God : yet there can be no stronger evidence of equality with God, than that of sitting in or on the throne of God.* "Whoever the conqueror be, therefore, he must be identical with God ; and as God is an unchangeable being, the promise can only b*e fulfilled by a manifestation of this identity. Apocalyptically, the promise is fulfilled in that denoue- ment of the vision which exhibits God and the Lamb as occupying the same throne, and the New Jerusalem (the Word) as the wife of the Lamb ; and, consequently, one with the Lamb, and thence one also with the sovereign God. As it is said of Jesus Christ, (Isa. 42 : 6,) that he should " be given for a covenant of the people," being himself an impersonation of that covenant, here represented by both the Word of God and the holy city. Add to this, in the 20th chapter of Revelation, immedi- ately after the delivery of the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and the final destruction of Satan, a great white throne is seen, with Him that sat upon it ; the white throne being a figure there substituted for the white horse. He that sat upon it is to be considered the * To sit in the throne, or seat of God, is to be in the place of God. 3* 58 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. same Word of God. The throne is indeed the throne of God, and here is the manifestation that the conqueror, the Word of God, is God, and it is thus that the Word of God is to be considered as deciding in the cases presented in the subsequent judgment scene. So, when at the close of the vision, " He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new," we are to understand that it is the Word (the mind or purpose of God) that makes all things new, as an understanding of the divine purpose of salvation by grace, superseding the legal dispensation, enables the disciple, as it did the apostle, to see heaven new^ and earth neio, loithout a sea, (Rev. 21 : 1.) Throughout the Apocalypse, God (the Supreme Being) is spoken of, but he is not represented as the speaker. He speaks throughout in the person of the one like unto the Son of Man, who announces himself to be the Son of God, " the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end- ing," and who, as such, utters the several promises we have examined, all of which, as well as that we are about to notice, are to be considered as, in point of fact, the lan- guage of the sovereign God.* The eighth and last promise is not contained in either of the epistles to the churches, but it is given by the same Alpha and Omega, (Rev. 21:7:) " He that conquereth shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." The same conqueror we understand to be here alluded to, (the term in the original is the same.) The promise might be considered fulfilled in the manifestation already * It is in Jesus Christ only that God reveals himself. (John 1 : 18 ; U: 9.) PROMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 59 afforded of the identity of the Word of God and bride with God and the Lamb, as we have traced it through the progress of the conqueror. Apocalyptically, however, we consider the mheritance of all things to be set forth in the description (immediately following the promise) of the holy Jerusalem, (the bride,) the truly great city, (Rev. 21 : 10; 22 : 5;) its foundations; its capacity; the magnitude and strength of its defenses ; the preciousness and solidity of its walls ; the richness and purity of its composition ; the divine character of its temple ; its ample provision of life and heat ; the dependence of the nations upon its light ; the tribute brought into it ; the homage of the kings of the new earth paid to it, and the glory and honor of the nations subservient to it ; its abundant stores of food and medicine ; together with its exalted rank, the throne of God and the Lamb being in the midst of it. These various advantages, with what is imphed in them, point out something figuratively equivalent to the inherit- ance of all things^ to which may be added all that is com- prehended in the diadem of the conqueror, in his rule of the nations with a sceptre of iron, and his title of King of kings and Lord of lords. The latter part of the promise, " I will be his God, and he shall be my son," is fulfilled in the manifestation of that which before existed. The conquering Word of God, under the figure of the bride, is manifested to be 07ie with the Lamb. The Lamb is the root of David, (Rev. 5 : 7,) the root of David is Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is " declared to be the Son of God, with power," (Rom. 1 : 4,) as of old he was also appointed heir of all things, (Heb. 1 : 2-8.) CO REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Word of God is thus manifested to be the Son of God, and that Son Jesus Christ. The converse of which proposition is that Jesus Christ unveiled is the Word of God, a result we deem it the design of the vision to show, as will appear by a further analysis."* RECAPITULATION. 1st. The Word of God^ under the figure of the New Jerusalem, is nourished by the tree of life, the tree with its fruits being in the midst and throughout the holy city. So the vicarious offermg of Christ is the sustaining element of the divine plan of salvation — the cross and the tree being equivalent symbols of the same plan. 2d. The Word of God is not unjustified (hurt) of the second death, the Word of God being found in the book of life, which is, in fact the same divine purpose of salvation. 3d. The Word of God is supported by "the hidden manna ;" the imputable righteousness of Jehovah (the true bread from heaven) being an essential provision of God's plan of redemption. The Word of God also possesses the brilliant precious stone, with the name engraved upon it, known only to him that received it. 4th. The Word of God possesses the power to rule the * We are aware that disciples of Christ have the promise of being sons and daughters of God, (2 Cor. G : 18,) and also heirs, (Gal. 4 : 7,) but this is by adoption in Christ, the inheritance being that of his merits. We do not think this the allusion here, because the design of the Apocalypse is, aa its title purports it to be, fhf. vnveiling of Jesxs CVirist. PEOMISES TO THE CONQUEROR. 61 nations with a rod, or sceptre, of iron, (the sceptre of righteousness), and to break to shivers every hostile error or system. He is also, in the person of Jesus Christ, the promised " morning star." 5th. The Word of God, as the wife of the Lamb, is clothed with white raiment. His name is not blotted out of the book of life, for he is the book of life. His name is confessed by the one " Hke imto the Son of Man," before the Father, by the manifestation of his oneness with the Son, under the figure of the wife of the Lamb. 6th. The Word of God (the purpose of divme sove- reignty) is a pillar in the temple of God ; being the im- movable support of that arrangement, by which the wor- shipper finds access to the throne of grace. And as the name in the pillar designates that which the pillar represents, the Word of God bears the name of God, of the city of God, and the new name of the Son of God, because the Word is that which these several names represent. 1\h. The Word of God, under the figure of the wife, is identical with the Lamb, and, as such, has his place on the throne of God and the Lamb, the Father, the Son, and the Word being difierent appellations of the same sove- reign God. 8th. The Word of God^ under the figure of the New Jerusalem, (the wife of the Lamb,) inherits all things, as is seen in the particulars given of the holy city at the close of the vision, and as is also to be mferred from his titles and his victorious career, and his manifested oneness with God and the Lamb. We have thus seen how the fulfillment of the promises to the conqueror (Him that overcometh) confirm the in- 02 liEMAEKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. ference drawn from the narrative, that the rider of the white horse (the Word (logos) of God) is the conqueror^ that he is the principal character, whose progress is to be noticed throughout the ^ision ; both as executing the wrath of the Lamb, as triumphing over the adversary of the cross of Christ, and as developing the grand features of the plan of salvation by sovereign grace, in which development the unveiling and coming of Jesus Christ virtually consists. Two or three only of these promises could be understood as applying to the case of disciples, while they all apply to the Word of God, the only con- queror, thus affording us a knowledge of the pt'otagonist^ or principal character, to be noticed in the dramatic action of the subsequent exhibition. SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTKASTS. 63 CHAPTER VI. SCENES IN HEAVEN — SCENES ON EARTH — SYMBOLICAL CHA- KACTEES — SYMBOLICAL CONTRASTS. In taking a general view of the Apocalypse, we do not proceed far, after the opening of the sealed book, before perceiving two different series of representations : one, in which the scene is laid in heaven, exhibiting, as trans- actions in the councils of the Most High, that which, in fact, had been determined from all eternity ; in the other, the scenes may be said to be laid on earth, although wit- nessed by the apostle from a heavenly position ; with the advantage in both cases of an angelic attendant, occasion- ally acting as an interpreter. Something hke this arrangement is to be found in the introductory part of the book of Job, where the scene is first laid in heaven ; the sons of God being represented as meeting in the presence of the Supreme Being, Satan pre- senting himself also among them. Subsequently, having received power, the adversary acts on earth, in the trials to which the patriarch is subjected. In the Apocalypse, the parties at issue are the Lamb on one side, and Satan on the other. But the Lamb is de- scribed only as in the heavenly scenes, in the midst of the throne, on the heavenly Mount Zion, and as an occupant of the throne. On earth he is seen, or spoken of, in the person 64 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. of the rider of the white horse, (the Word of God,) in that of the wife of the Lamb, and under the figure of the New Jerusalem. Satan appears in his proper character, (the great red dragon,) in the "war in heaven," and after his expulsion, he is spoken of as operating on earth in his persecution of the woman, (Rev. 12,) but otherwise, he appears in the earthly scenes only in the person of his agent, or repre- sentative, (Rev. 13 : 2,) (the ten-horned beast,) till his release from the bottomless pit, (Rev. 20 ; 7,) when he is described as acting in j)erson in the attack upon the camp of the saints and the beloved city. In heaven, the contest is between the elements of sove- reign mercy and the strict requisitions of the broken law, the Lamb, the blood of the Lamb, and the child caught up to God and his throne, representing the powerful pleading of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ ; against which Satan urges the demands of justice, till he himself is ex- pelled from the divine councils. On earth, the contest is between the true view of God's plan of salvation, and the errors opposed to that plan. Li heaven, the principles of avenging justice, (the dragon and his angels,) are overcome by the principles of divine sove- reignty and sovereign grace, (Michael and his angels.) On earth, erroneous views of the way of salvation (plans of self-justification and self-propitiation) are overcome by a development of the divine plan of salvation iii its ])roper sense ; the Word of God, operating with the sharp sword of the mouth, fire^ hail, and other instrumentalities. In heaven, the result of the contest is the triumph of God's plan of salvation by sovereign grace, through the SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTRASTS. 65 vicarious sacrifice of Christ. On earth, the contest results in the triumph of the just view of this divine plan of salva- tion over all opposing errors, or devices of human inven- tion, which just view is, in fact, the xmveiling^ or coming of Jesus Christ. The contest in heaven appears to be figuratively alluded to by the apostle Jude, as a strife between Michael and the devil, "about the body of Moses;" the accuser pur- posing to use the law for the ruin of the sinner; the ele- ment of divine sovereignty using it as a leader to bring the disciple into the way of salvation. The contest on earth corresponds with that in which the disciple is called upon to put on the whole armor of God, that he may withstand in the evil day, (Eph. 6 : 13.) In heaven, the blood of the Lamb overcomes the ac- cuser of the brethren ; and the Lamb himself overcomes the condemning power of the law, (the ten kings.) On earth the wrath of the Lamb is executed by the Word of God, (by fire from heaven, or by the sword of the mouth,) against principles and systems of doctrine opposed to his work of salvation ; or rather opposed to a right view of that work. In the choral action, and most of the angelic announce- ments, tte scenes are laid in heaven, as amongst those who are made acquainted with the divine purposes, even in anticipation. These changes in the scenes of the exhibition remind us of the machines said to be employed by some of the Greeks to inform the spectators of the position of the actor, whether in the country, city, temple, etc. So, in 66 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. order to understand the apocalyptic representation, we must notice whether the scene is laid in heaven or upon the earth. Corresponding with this view of the dramatic construc- tion of the vision, we give here an enumeration of the characters represented. In this it will be perceived that, as in the management of the Greek drama, the same actor personated different characters, so in the exhibition be- fore us, which purports to be an unveiling of Jesus Christ, he is personified under different characters, each of which affords some peculiar illustration of his being and mission. SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTRASTS. 67 PERSONIFICATION OE JESUS CHRIST. The one like unto the Son of man, declaring liimself to be the Son of God. The Lamb : TJie element of divine, vicarious sacrifice. Michael and his angels : Divine sovereignty and its elements. The rider of the white horse, \ The occupant of the white throne y The Word {Legos) of God. and white cloud : ) The woman clothed with the sun, ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ The wife of the Lamb, y „t ^ r „^7„,^^. ^ •' The New Jerusalem : ) ^^^^ of salvation. The child caught up to God and his throne : Same as the Lamb. Chorus of many voices, chorus of one voice, heralds, angels, etc. AUXILIARIES OF THE WORD OF GOD- The two witnesses in sackcloth: Divine revelation itrtperfectly under- stood. Locust — scorpions, angels, and horse- men from the river Euphrates, Physical elements, earthquakes, fire, hail, etc., Riders of the red and black horses : Souls under the altar slain for their testimony ) Sufferers whose cause is to in favor of the "Word : J be avenged. 144,000 sealed ones, ) Elements of divine revelation corre- Armies in heaven on white horses: J sponding with the Word of God. Legal elements preparing the way for the conqueror. ADYERSARIES OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE LAMB. Satan (the dragon) and his angels : The accuser and adversary. ApoUyon, the destroyer, and the beast from the bottomless pit : Personi- fications of Satan. Death and hell on the green horse : Powers of legal condemnation. The beast with ten horns : The adversary of the cross of Christ. The beast with two horns, (the false prophet :) Element of misinterpreta- Hon of the revealed word. The harlot, (Babylon,) the image of the beast: False plan of propitiation. Kings, chiefs of the earth and their armies : Auxiliaries of the beast. ^:TZ Zgof^ "'*' |^-'«!' »<^ eermprincipUs. Spirits unclean as frogs, heralds of Satan the beast and false prophet. 68 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. To this enumeration we might add the four living crea- tures, or elements of di\ine sovereignty, and the twenty- four elders, or representatives of divine revelation. They are included, however, imder the appellation of the chorus. REMARKS ON OPPOSITION OF FIGURES. There is a contrast here, as well as between other principal characters, worth noticing. The first livmg crea- ture like a Hon, representing the attribute of divine JMS^^ce is an o]3posite of the second, representing the element of mercy. In the opening of the seals, the attribute justice calls forth the champion with his covenant how ; the avenging power of the law appears at the call of the at- tribute of mercy ; the standard of the law is called out by the element of wisdom, and the powers of condemnation are called out by the Comforter: the one showing the necessity of the other. The great red dragon is the opposite of the Lamb, as the element of legal accusation is an opposite of that of vicarious sacrifice; so Michael, the power of sovereign grace, is an opposite of Satan, the legal adversary of man. The beast with ten horns is an opposite of the Word of God. The harlot Babylon is an opposite of the bride or wife of the Lamb. The city Babylon is an opposite of the holy Jerusalem. Earth, or the earthly system,* is an opposite of heaven, or the heavenly system, as a plan of jus- tification by works of the law is an opposite of the divine plan of justification by grace. So the grass of the earth, * The earthly system comprehends an earthly view of the heavenly bodies. The heavenly system is equivalent to a new view of heaven and earth. SCENES AND SYMBOLICAI. CONTRASTS. G9 as the covering of the earth, is an opposite of the white robe of divine righteousness ; as the green horse, also, is an opposite of the white horse. The dwellers upon the earth are opposites of the dwellers in heaven, (Rev. 12 : 12,) as the principles of a system of justification by human merit are opposites of the principles of a system of justification through the merits ol Christ. This contrast of characters affords some idea of the nature of the contest about to be represented. The open- ing of the fifth seal exhibits a scene of panic fear amongst the dwellers or inhabitants of the earth, in view of an ap- proaching execution of the wi'ath of the Lamb. This state of panic is to be contrasted with the condition of security of the 144,000 sealed ones, immediately after- wards described. These sealed ones, we suppose to be elements of the divine plan of salvation, as revealed in the sacred Scriptures both of the Old and New Testaments ; symbolized by the number of the twelve patriarchs multi- phed by that of the twelve apostles. The earth being a figure of the plan of justification by works of the law, and the inhabitants of the earth being the principles of such a plan, (elements of self-justification,) it is against these that the wi*ath of the Lamb is directed. The 144,000 sealed ones, on the contrary, representing principles of the divine plan of salvation by grace, have nothing to fear from the threatened visitation. Accord- ingly, we find that, while the earthly elements are suffer- ing from the reaction of their own legal priQcij^les upon themselves, as in the torment of the locust-sting and that of the Euphratean horse, the sealed ones are offering their tributes of praise ; the condemnation of error being the 70 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. justification and triumph, of truth. This we propose to show more fully in the analytical sketch about to be given of the matter and purport of the whole vision. The Apocalypse or unveiling of Jesus Christ, being some- thing equivalent to a development of the mystery of the Gospel, it is a revelation of what has been done, rather than of what is to be done, things revealed being no otherwise future than as regards their manifestation. Time literally is not to be taken into consideration, (Rev. 10 : 6,) the periods of time mentioned indicating only a coincidence of circumstances or operations.* The true wife's seclusion, for example, in the wilderness corresponds with the circumstance of the reign of the ten-horned beast, and the consequent support given to the influence of the harlot ; these also coinciding with the treading of the holy city under foot by the Gentiles, and their posses- sion of the outer court of the temple, the prophesying of the witnesses in sackcloth, and the exposure of their dead bodies in the street of the great city. The symbolical terms of this coincidence expire simultaneously when the beast and his allies are overcome by the Word of God, and Satan is bound in the bottomless pit. That the rider of the white horse (the Word of God) and the ten-horned beast are opposites there can be no question, for they are seen arrayed in battle against each other. Besides this, the Word of God is the mind or will of God — ^that will which Jesus Christ came to fulfil, and which is accordingly typified by the cross xx^oyl which lie suffered. The ten-horned beast, on the other hand, as we shall show in its place, from "the number of his * § 230. SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTRASTS. 11 name," is the adversary of the cross of Christ ; an appel- lation equivalent to that of an adversary of the Word of God — of the divine purpose of salvation by grace. The Lamb does not appear as such in the earthly con- test. Elements of error (of self-justification) being the ob- ject of the wrath of the Lamb, the contest with these is carried on by the Word of God. Here, instead of the Lamb as it had been slain, we see the conqueror arrayed in a garment dipped in blood. The Lamb, as the King of kings, overcame (in the heavenly councils) the ten legal kings. The Word of God, as the King of kings, also over- comes, in the earthly scene, the kings of the earth and their armies, by the sword of the mouth. Thus the Word of God is seen to possess, and to exercise, m this war, the power of the Lamb, the true interpretation of the revealed Word of God being the instrument that is to overcome every opposing error ; as the sharp oral sword is an op- posite of the false prophet. On the other hand, the dragon, or great red serpent, does not appear as such in the contest on earth. He transfers his power, his throne, and his great authority, to the beast from the sea, the same seven heads and ten horns being apparently transferred from one to the other. That the woman deprived of her child, and secluded in the wilderness, is an opposite of the harlot in the wilder- ness, there can be also no doubt. Li the wilderness, one ap- pears desolate, where the other is in her glory. It is equally unquestionable, that the harlot is an opposite of the wife of the Lamb, which brings us to the conclusion, that the woman, or wife, desolate in the wilderness, is afterwards represented as the bride coming down from 72 EESIARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. heaven, adorned for her husband ; while on the other hand, the harlot, bemg the looman of the beast, is the image of the beast, and identical with the beast, (1. Cor. 6:16.) That Babylon (the city falsely esteemed great) is an opposite of the holy Jerusalem, the truly great city, ap- pears as a matter of course. That the Jerusalem from above is a figure of the new covenant or plan of redemption by grace, we gather from a declaration of the apostle Paul ; whence, as an opposite, we conclude Babylon (the great city of traffic) to be the figure of a false covenant, or false view of the new covenant. As the new covenant has a propitiatory provision, represented by the communion of the blood of Christ, (the true cup of blessing,) so, the false view of that covenant, represented by the harlot, pro- fesses to have its propitiatory provision, (the harlot's cup,) a mixture of abominations, equivalent apparently to human inventions for propitiating the mercy of God by some meritorious actions, or conduct of man, as a substitute for the atonement of Christ; The cup of the harlot, as well as the great river of Babylon, (the Euphrates,) are oppo- sites of the river of the water of life, the Babylonish river, perhaps, representing human means of atonement, or of satisfying the broken law, without any hypocritical pretension ; while the cup of the harlot is a mixture of human means with a pretension to share in the atone- ment of Christ. The abomination of the harlot's wine consisting in this admixture of human with divine merits, as such is to be contrasted with the purity of the river of the water of life, dear as crystal. The harlot is represented to be sustained in the wilder- ness by the ten-horned beast ; as the mystery of self-justi- SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTRASTS. 73 fication may sustain a pretension to the power of a pro- pitiation by human merit, or by an admixture of the merit of some sacrifice of man, together with a partial dependence upon the atonement of Christ. The harlot herself, we suppose to be the image caused to be created by the false prophet, as a means of sustaining more firmly the power of the beast ; as the wife of the Lamb is the image of the Lamb. The wilderness of the Apocalypse, is an opposite of the heavenly Jerusalem, (the paradise of God,) as the wilder- ness or earth of Genesis, is an opposite of paradise. It represents the condition of man under the law, going about to establish his own righteousness, as it were by the sweat of his brow. This position corresponding with that in which the cup of the harlot appears the great resource, she is here in her glory. The harlot, in her glory, is arrayed in the various colors and decorations of the tabernacle in the wilderness. We may suppose she professes great zeal for the laio, and that the composition of her cup is accordingly a mixture of legality and self-righteousness, with its other pretensions. The bride, or wife of the Lamb, in her glory, appears with no other decoration than that of a raiment of fine Hnen, pure and white, symbolical of the divine, imputable right- eousness, substituted for that of the law in the economy of grace. The true economy of salvation is represented, toward the conclusion, as a city coming down from God out of heaven, her splendid appearance corresponding with that of her first appearance, when clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. 4 74 REMARKS ON THE FORM OF THE APOCALYPSE. The false economy, as a city, is represented, also, toward the close, as the hold of every foul sj^irit, and the cage of every unclean bii'd, referring apparently to the impure and selfish motives of action generated by the principles of the system. So, as a city, Babylon is spoken of as an emporium of traffic, a place of buying and selling, in allu- sion to the mercenary principles of this substitute for the true means of salvation. In the description of the holy Jerusalem, there is no allusion to commerce, or to any thing like progress in the acquisition of wealth, power, or glory. Every thing is represented as perfected; the holy city has no need of traffic; there is no room for the action of mercenary mo- tives with those interested in her welfare. The Euphrates, the great river of Babylon, was a re- source liable to be turned aside. According to historical account,* as well as that of the Apocalyi:>se, the river was an instrument in the overthrow of the Babylonish power. The river of the water of life, in the midst of the holy city, flowing from the fountain of divine sovereignty, and hav- ing its source within the city itself, can never fail or be turned from the du*ection given to it in the begioning. The sea, as the symbol of judicial wrath, is an ojDposite of the fountains of living waters, under the control of the Lamb ; so, mider the new economy, there is no sea. The bottomless pit is an opposite of Mount Zion ; as a system of faith, without a foundation, is an opposite of * According to profane writers, the city was taken by turning the course of the river; according to the Apocalypse, the drying up of the Euphrates preceded the fall of the city. SCENES AND SYMBOLICAL CONTEASTS. 75 that faith which rests upon Christy (the Word of God,) the mountain, or rock, that can not be removed. The destruction of the harlot is effected by the ten horns of the beast : as a system of propitiation by human merit must be destroyed, when tried by the requisitions of the law. The bride, or wife of the Lamb, in the per- son of the Lamb, overcomes these same ten horns^ or ten kings : as the vicarious offering of Christ overcomes the penalty of the law, by his fulfillment of the law. Babylon, as a city, is destroyed by fire^ (the revealed Word of God.) Jerusalem, as a city, comes down from heaven, being a city, or covenant, of which God and the Lamb is the light and glory. These opposites of the ele- ments on the side of the Word of God, are not to be con- sidered unforeseen obstacles, which the Lamb, or the Word, finds it difficult to overcome ; they are all fore- seen, and provided for, and controlled, many of them being instrumental in carrying into effect that wrath of the Lamb which is the subject of the vision ; and all afford- ing some additional illustration of the meaning of the figures mth which they are contrasted. The sting of the locusts from the bottomless pit, and of the serpents from the Eui^hrates, are opposites of the leaves of the tree of life, but their action is such as to prepare the way for the victory of the conqueror, (the Word of God ;) as the con- viction of sin, and of the need of some other than a human remedy, leads the sufferer to seek the cure repre- sented by the leaves and the fruit of the tree, nourished by the river of the water of life, flowing fi'om the throne in the midst of the paradise of God. So, death and hell, although opposites of all that is represented by the Lamb 16 KEMAEKS ON THE FOEM OP THE APOCALYPSE. as it had been slain, (as the powers of condemnation are op- posites of the power of justification,) perform nevertheless their part in avenging the cause of Him whose triumph is their destruction. The whole narrative of the vision having shown that death (legal condemnation) has ex- ercised a permanent power only over elements depending upon the earthly system of justification by works, there is no more death where the tabernacle of God is with men, as there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. PART II l^pml^i^tit Ititrokciwn. ^icmlptir Introkctiaii CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY REMARKS APOSTLE'S PREFACE EPISTLE TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. As in a former work* upon the same subject, we have adopted here for a rule of interpretation, the view that the design of the Apocalypse is to exhibit the contest be- tween truth and error in matters of Christian faith ; the final triumph of the truth being exhibited m the unveil- uig of Jesus Christ as the Word of God, which unveil- ing is the purport of the book. The wrath of the Lamb, the basis of the dramatic por- tion of the vision, is accordingly taken to be a wrath against erroneous principles or doctrine ; such, for exam- ple, as are opposed to the element of divine projDitiation, or vicarious offering for sin, of which the Lamb " as it had been slain," is a personification. So we have consider- ed 171671^ dwellers upon the earth, as they are called, (as well as other animals and earthly elements,) symbolical * See preface to Hyponoia. 80 APOCALYPTIC IXTEODUCTION. appellations of doctrinal j^rinciples or powers ; applying to such principles or powers the d enunciations and vindic- tive action generally apphed in a literal sense to the rational inhabitants of the earth. To this rule, however, we allow some exceptions, where it appears evident that the language of some mterpretiiig voice, or angel, is to be apphed more directly to the disci- ples of Christ, or to those who profess to be such. We feel the more warranted in making this exception, by noticing, as we have done, the part often assigned to the chorus of the Greek drama — ^that of indicating the myth, or under meaning of the representation ; the language of a chorus^ on such occasions, being susceptible, of an appli- cation somewhat different from that of the other perform- ers in the piece. We adopt as a fm-ther rule of exegesis, the view that the design of the vision is to instruct (edify) professed disciples of Christ — ^those who call themselves Christians, members of the visible Church. The chastisement is directed against incorrect views of faith, the epistles, with the vision accompanying them, being directed expressly to certain Christian churches, or to the angels of such churches. The errors to be corrected, are errors prevail- ing among Christians, or in Christian systems of doctrine. It is to behevers in the Gospel, that the mystery of Christ is here unfolded. It is to those who akeady look up to Christ* as the source of instruction, that he gives this instruction. It is to his disciples, what ever =» their errors may be, that he here imveils liimself : as in the case of * And look for him, (Heb. 9 : 28.) PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 81 the Laodicean church, with all its liikewarmness and self- sufficiency, it is rebuked and chastened as an object of af- fectionate regard. To those who do not believe in Christ as the truth^ and the source of divine truth, this unveiling of himself would be addressed in vain;* but those who do beHeve are enabled to see in him, by this symbolical revelation, the divine purpose of salvation hy sovereigji grace^ of which he is the impersonation, being himself the purpose, or mind^ (logos,) of God, once manifest in the flesh. To such, therefore, this imveiling so far fulfills the office of the com- forter^ as it enables them to see, and to trust to, a way of salvation which their own merits could never secure them. The vision, thus understood, enables us to perceive, also, that it is by a fuU development of this purpose of sove- reign grace, that errors on the subject of Christian faith are to be corrected ; and, in this respect, the revelation performs the part of the Holy Spirit, as promised, to con- vict the world of error ^ of righteousness, (justice,) and of judgment. (John 16 : 8.) And again, if the representations of the vision compre- hend (as we think they do) all that is alluded to in the Old Testament, as well as in the New, of the way of salva- tion, they fulfill also the promise of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Christ, of teaching them all things and bring- ing aU things to their remembrance — that is, aU things relative to God's plan of salvation. Such being the purpose of the vision, we are now to see how that purpose is accomphshed. In pursuing this ex- * A case parallel to that alluded to, 1 Cor. 5 : 12, 13. 4* 82 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. animation we are to keep in view the unity of j^lan, now arrived at, and the plot as exhibiting the progress, con- flicts, and triumph of a principal personage ; that person- age being the conqueror (" he that overcomes") to whom the several promises are made in the introductory epistles; that is, the rider of the white horse, first seen going forth with his bow, " conquering and to conquer," and m the catastrophe appearing as the conqueror of the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth and their armies, and even of Satan, death, and hell; the celebra- tion of this conqueror's triumph consisting in the recogni- tion of his divine character, his enjoyment of the promised rewards, and his glorious appearance under the several characters of the Word of God, the Avife of the Lamb, the holy Jerusalem, constituting the manifestation of his 07ieness with the sovereign of all.* APOCALYPTIC INTEODUCTION. The dramatic features of the book of Revelation, are not exhibited till after the opening of the door in heaven, and the call of the apostle up thither. The introductory mat- ter of Kev. 1, 2, 3, however is important, as furnishmg the proper stand-point from which to judge of the design of the vision and the manner of its accomplishment. *^ The term spiritual, of which an occasional use has been made in this, and more freely in a former work, having been variously used, or abused, by authors and speakers, the writer deems it necessary to explain here that whenever he has employed it, his meaning of^the spiritual sense or inter- pretation of a term or passage, is the principle of doctrine analogous to the figure or symbol to which it relates — which meaning he now occasionally terms the analogical sense. THE APOSTLE'S PREFACE. 83 Rev. 1 is occupied with the title of the work, the in- scription of it to the churches, with some prefatory re- marks ; a relation of the circumstances under which the vision was vouchsafed the apostle ; and the directions given to transmit the revelation to those for whose use it was intended. Rev. 2 and 3 contain the introductory letters to be transmitted severally, with a copy of the whole revelation, to the angels of each of the churches addressed. These introductory epistles are also important as giving an iu- sight into the character of the churches, or systems, allud- ed to ; the errors for which their angels are reproved, or against which they are cautioned ; and those correct views for which they are commended. APOCALYPTIC TITLE.* The title of the work is, according to the Greek, " the imveiling\ of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him to show to his servants the things which are to be forthwith; and, havmg sent, he signified them through his angel to his servant John." That the purport of this book is the unveiling of Jesus Christ himself, and not a revelation, by him, of coming events on this globe of earth, is an important distinction borne out by a thorough analysis of the whole vision. Having made this analysis, however, in a former work, we shall not do it here with the same particularity. This mweiling must have been virtually committed to * fv§ 1,2. \ % 2. 84 APOCALYPTIC INTKODUCTION. Christ, when the divine purpose of God was first conceiv- ed in his unchangeable mind; that is, from all eternity. The things to be forthwith^ are accordingly the things forthwith to be set forth, or manifested : as when the apostle Paul speaks of the Mngdom being given up to the Father, that God may be all in all, he must allude to the manifestation of this fact, and not to a change m the fact itself. The word translated signified^ is expressive of a com- munication by signs, or sjTnbols, corresponding with the symboHc representations in which this signification is made. So the appearance of the woman clothed with the sun, and that of the red dragon, (Rev. 12 : 1, 3,) are termed, according to the Greek, signs. The Greek word angel, signifies a messenger, and by a common figure of speech, the messenger is here j^ut for the message or vision. Thus the unveihng of himself, committed to Christ, he symbolized in vision to the apostle John, The apostle, in describing himself, refers to the Gospel bearing his name. This reference is important, as it will be seen that there is a close connection between John's Gospel testimony of the Word, and the revelation made by Jesus Christ of him- self in this vision of the same Word. The declaration of blessedness (Rev. 1 : 3) occupies the place of a motto on the title-page of a book ; but it is evident no ordinary reading, hearing., and keeping are here alluded to. The blessedness, or happiness, spoken of must be equivalent to that of one who, in the contemplation of the divine plan of salvation by sovereign grace, through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, feels an THE apostle's PREFACE. 85 assurance that he himself may be one of those, according to this purpose, whose transgressions are forgiven, and to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Thus the reason given for the blessedness is that " the time is at hand," the development of this blessed provision is now being made. The inscription to the seven churches, is in the style of apostohc greeting, of which we shall only remark here, that the grace spoken of, must be the grace of God, ex- cmpMed in the plan of salvation about to be set forth — t lie free gift of that salvation ; as the »e«ce also must be that resulting fi*om reconcihation with God through the atonement of Christ. Taking these seven churches as symbolical exponents of the doctrine of Christ, the expres- sion is equivalent to a prayer that these exponents may exhibit, in their system of doctrme, the grace and peace alluded to, in its proper light. The seven spirits lefore the throne of God, afterward described as seven lamps of fire, may be considered seven operations or manifestations of the Holy Spirit, hnmedi- ately connected with the element of divine sovereignty. x\s the source of the grace and peace mentioned, they are opposites of the seven heads of the great dragon, as the divine plan of redemption is an opposite of the serpent's sting. (See Appendix A.) The title of Jesus Christ, as prmce or chief of the kings of the earth, is made good in the vision, by the triumph of the Word of God over the kings of the old earth, and the tribute brought into the holy city by the kmgs of the new earth. (Rev. 19 and 22.) In the ascription of glory and dominion to Christ, the 86 ArOCALYPTIC INTBODUCnON. expression " wlio washed ics from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God," is evidently to be confined here to the apostle, and those whom he addresses, (John and the seven churches.) It cor- responds with the language of the four beasts (living crea- tures) and of the twenty-four elders, who speak of them- selves as having been made kings and priests unto God, and as having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, (Rev. 5 : 8, 9.) In both cases there is a personification of exponents, or leading principles of doctrine : kings or chiefs in their ruling character, and priestly in their fimc- tions of promoting the true worship of God ; " redeemed," as true principles brought out from the midst of a multitude of errors, by the revelation of the vicarious work of Christ, (the blood of the Lamb.) Immediately after this ascription to Jesus Christ, the apostle exclaims : " Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him, and all the kindreds (tribes) of the earth shall wail because of him."* To perceive the connection of this exclamation with the succeeding matter of the vision, it must be borne in mind that the clouds mentioned are figurative clouds ; that the coming consists in the unveilhig which Jesus Christ here makes of himself, by signs and symbolical or figurative representations, these being the clouds alluded to ; that the earth is a figure of the system or platform of justifica- tion by works of the law, " the kindreds" or tribes of the earth, being the principles and elements of doctrine con- 17, 18. THE APOSTLE'S PREFACE. 87 nected with, and dependent upon this earthly platform. These tribes of the earth have thus the same cause to mourn at the development about to be made, as an advo- cate of the legal system here represented might be sup- posed to have, in view of such a revelation of the truth of salvation by sovereign grace alone, as would set his theory of works entirely at naught.* The immediate instruments in crucifying and piercing the Lord Jesus, were but agents of earthly literal powers ; as such, these powers and their instruments were types of the principles of the earthly system, their action cor- responding with the requisitions of the law, by which the vicarious sacrifice of Christ became indispensable. The exclamation of the apostle, announcing this commg, is responded to by the voice of one who declares himself to be the Alpha and Omega — ^the Almighty If as if he had said, It is even so — I am now coming ; this advent being a tiling to be seen by the eye of the understanding, in the subsequent revelation, not merely of the letter, but of the spirit of the revealed word, its analogical sense. The several appellations here assumed by the speaker, seem to be given in the outset, m order that we may identify him with any of those subsequently employed. The divine character of him who is thus about to come, and the manner of that coming being defined, the apostle describes his own circumstances, at the time of being favored with the vision ; the directions he received for com- * So we find these earthly tribes and powers described as in a state of panic, (Rev. 6 : 15,) and so they seem to be al hided to by our Saviour, (Ar-dtt. 24 : 30.) + The source also of grace and peace. See Uev. 1 . 4, and compare. 88 APOCALYPTIC INTKODUCTION. municating it to others, and the letters he was to write, in- closing the communication ; thus exhibiting the cause of this remarkable development, and securing a proper at- tention to it. The confinement of John, in the island of Patmos, is a matter of history which, correctly used, might have pre- vented many mistakes in the aj^plication of the vision to temporal matters. But with this we have nothing to do here, our purpose being only to show what we believe to be the bearing of the symbolical representation uj^on mat- ters of faith and Christian doctrine. John was, he says, in spirit in the Lord-day /* an ex- pression equivalent to saying, that in a vision, or a trance, he found himself present in the day of the Lord^ the day when the Son of Man is unveiled^ (Luke 17 : 30,) the day of the Lord, and the unveiling of Jesus Christ, being nearly equivalent expressions,! and both in keeping with the announcement, " Behold, he cometh." Corresponding with this, the apostle, in spirit^ heard a great voice, as of the sou7id of a trumpet ; the sound predicted as ushering in the sign of the appearance of the Son of Man, abeady referred to, (Matt. 24 : 30, 31.) The voice uttered, being that of one who announces himself the Alpha and Omega, must be equivalent to the voice of the Almighty; and John, turning to see the voice, and seeing immediately the " one like unto the Son of Man, " the inference is that this latter, and the Almighty, are the same being, whatever may be the manifestation ; * § 24. t We do not rest our interpretation of the dai/ on this appellation alone ; we think it borne out by the whole purport of the vision. THE APOSTLE'S PEEFACE. 80 it is accordingly by divine direction, that the apostle writes his book, and sends it to the seven churches in Asia. The appearance of one Hke unto the Son of Man, was an appearance familiar to the apostle — one in which he could not be mistaken. He thus recognized in the Alpha and Omega, the form of him, who, in his last interview, left the intimation, that this apostle should tarry till he came — an intimation now apparently made good; the coming and the unveiling of Christ being nearly syno- nymous terms. The array,* of the one Hke unto the Son of Man, cor- responding with that of an officiating high-priest, (Rev. 1 : 13,) indicates his character here as mediator, or intercessor; while his position in the midst of the golden candlesticks points him out as the centre of that system of faith of which the churches are, or should be, the exponents. The lustrous whiteness of his head and hair,f or beard, sym- bolizes, as a white robe would do, his perfect right- eousness ; the completeness of the garment, " down to the foot," indicating the all-sufficiency of that righteousness as a means of justification. The feet of fine brass, symbolize apparently the strength, or power, and progress of re- vealed truth ; the trying effect of that progress upon all erroneous views, being shown in their hurning appearance ; the sound of many waters is a sound that overcomes all others, and such is the voice of Gospel truth when fully developed. * § 29. t The lucid whiteness of the "head and hair," reminds us of "the Ancient of Days," seen by the prophet Daniel, and noay symbolize the attribute of eternal existence. 90 APOCALYPTIC INTEODUCTION. The seven stars are defined to be the angels of the seven churches ; but then- position in the right hand of the Alpha and Omega, indicate rather his right to control them, than their submission to that control ; as we should judge from the reproofs administered in the epistles. The candlesticks, representing the churches, being golden^ of the same comj^osition as the girdle of the perfect garment, are to be considered vehicles of Gospel truths the perver- sions afterwards noticed being charged upon the angels of the churches ; as, in one case, the removal of the candle- stick, or church, is threatened, in case of the impenitence of the angel, (Rev. 2:5;) the light being bad, its power to misrepresent the Gospel, is taken away. The two-edged sword,* out of the mouth of Him whose voice is as the sound of many waters, like the cloven tongues of the day of Pentecost, bespeaks the two-fold language of revelation — the letter, and the spiiit ; his countenance as the sun, corresponding with a manifestation of the Sun of Righteousness. In recognizing, in the form of his beloved Master, the di\dne character of him who hath said, "There is no man that can see my face and live," (Ex. 33 : 20,) the apostle falls as dead at his feet ; but being raised with the as- surance, " Fear not," he is taught that, in his Saviour and Mediator, he may see the face of God with safety, " he that liveth and was dead," being raised for the justification of his followers, as he died for their sins. The keys of death and hell,f in the possession of Christ, must be the means of unlocking, or developing, the mys- * § 33. t §§ 37, 38. THE APOSTLE'S PREFACE. 91 teries of legal death and condemnation ; in reference to which Paul says: "I was alive once without the law, but when the law came, sin revived, and I died.'''' It would be equally true, if we defined the possession of the keys, as the power of dehvering from death and hell, but we think the unlocking of mysteries is more in keepmg here with the general purport of the vision. As these two characters are afterwards represented to be combatants, we shall have occasion to notice them in another place, as also to notice the superior power, by which they are brought into subjection. The apostle is here again directed to write^ the matter to be written being the things which he has seen, which he sees, and which he is to see in this vision ; these things having a relation to the mystery of the seven stars spoken of in the same connection. This we shaU under- stand better, by comparing the purport of the subsequent representation, with the reproofs and warnings admin- istered to these stars, or angels.* As we consider the New Jerusalem, sometimes called n Scripture the Church, a figure of the ISTew Testament dispensation, so we consider these seven churches of Asia, figures of so many exponents of this same new cove- nant, or divine plan of salvation. (Gal. 4 : 24, 26.) As the material of the holy city is represented to be of gold^ (truth itself) these churches are also represented by can- dlesticks of GOLD ; whence we infer that as systems or ex- ponents of the faith in Christ they are tnie in themselves ; but that under certain influences, perhaj^s of misinterpre- * For a particular analysis of this description of the Son of Man, see ^§ 30-34. 92 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. tation or misconstruction, the correction of wMcli is the design of the revelation, the truth they represent is in danger of being placed in a false light ;* a danger to be guarded against by exposing the nature of the errors ap- parently countenanced by some of the angels, and unveil- ing the opposite truths. EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHTJKCH IN EPHESXJS. The angel of this church is commended for works, for labor, for patience, for fidelity m trying certain false doc- trines, and for perseverance for the sake and on account of the name of Him who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the golden candle- sticks;! but he is reproved /or having left his first love. He has lost that love without which, according to the apostle Paul, all these works are nothing. This love we apprehend to be that of a saved sinner for his God and Saviour, which is the proper return of the love of God to him, as it is said, " we love him because he first loved us." It is that gratitude for the benefit of a salvation fi-eely given, which furnishes the Christian with the only motive of conduct acceptable to God.J The Mussulman sufi(ers for Mahomet's name-sake. He is not actuated by love for Mahomet, or by gratitude for the * As the light thrown upon any object by a star may differ from that afforded by the sun, in kind as well as in degree. t The source of this admonition seems to intimate that as Christ wae seen in the midst of the golden candlesticks, so the love of Christ is the cen- tral point from which every Christian virtue should radiate. X §43. EPISTLES TO THE CHUECHES. 93 love Mahomet has shown him ; he only looks forward to the recompense promised for his fidelity and martyrdom. The fault of this angel may be compared to that of a Christian disciple, who, when first converted, imder a sense of his entire unworthiness, and the conviction that his salvation through Christ is indeed 2^ free gif% feels in some degree, at least, the gratitude or love here alluded to ; afterwards having acquired, as he supposes, a certain per- fection in Christian attaiaments, he thinks there is some worthiness in himself, and that his own merits have a share (perhaps a large share) in the salvation he expects to en- joy. He no more feels it to be a free gift, and conse- quently loses that sense of gratitude for the benefit which he once had ; he has lost his first love. He still la- bors and suffers, and is zealous for the truth, but, nke the Mussulman, he is operated upon by the expectation of a recompense for his works. The Ephesian angel, we may suppose, puts such a con- struction upon the system of doctrine under his influence as to have the effect here described. The fault is not in the church or system itself, but it is in the construction put upon it. This appears from the threatened removal of the golden candlestick iq default of a change of views on the part of the star. The angel, however, is commended for hating the doc- trine of the Nicolaitanes, which apparently can not differ much from that with which the Laodicean angel is re- proached as so extremely nauseous, (Rev. 3 : 16,) both being hateful to him who is in the midst of these churches.* Here one of the promises to the conqueror is given, to * § 45. 94 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. which we have had occasion to refer in the former part of this work. Ha\Tng there shown that the individual re- ferred to as " he that overcometh" must be the Word of God, (see Part I., chap. 5,) it is unnecessary to enlarge upon the expression here any further than to remark that it seems the design of this unveiling of Jesus Christ to show that He (the Word once made flesh, the Lamb of God) has performed the whole work of salvation for his redeemed, thus showing his love (the love of God) to them, in re- turn for which theii* gratitude or love is due. The admonition, " He that hath ears let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," is found in each of these seven epistles in immediate connection with the promise to the conqueror, and seems intended to direct attention to the peculiarly mystic sense of the passage. The ear required is that capable of hearing what the spirit says, as distinguished from the letter; the mider sense, instead of the obvious or apparent sense, conveying the instruction intended.* EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OP THE CHXJECH IN SMTENA. To the angel of this church, the speaker addresses him- self as " the fii*st and the last, which was dead and which is alive," referring at once to his divine character, and to his vicarious work as the once dead but risen Saviour. This angel is commended also for works, suffering, and self-abasement, although really rich, (that is, rich in the merits of Christ ;) but there is an exposure to the danger of certain anti-evangelical influences, and these even of a EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. 95 blasphemous character: figuratively, those "who say they are Jews* but are not." They are not true Jews in the Pauline sense, (Phil. 3:3.) They are such as those to whom Paul would not give place by subjection, as he says, " no, not for an hour." (Gal. 2:5.) They teach a de- pendence upon the merits of man — a dependence upon works ; the effect of which is to bring the disciple under the power of the law, an effect similar to that produced in paradise by tasting the forbidden fruit, for which rea- son they are said to be of the synagogue of Satan ; the bondage of the law being also alluded to as a state of imprisonment. These anti-evangelical elements are repre- sented as partially successful, by the action of Satan in casting some, the true ones, into prison for ten days ; so permitted that they may he tried. The action of these legal influences upon the construction of the system repre- sented by the church, is such apparently as to bring its Gospel character to the test. The term synagogue\ is here used as an opposite of that of the church;X the synagogue, or doctrinal system of Satan, being an opposite of the church, or Gospel sys- tem of Christ. As Satan is afterwards defined to be " the accuser of the brethren," so we suppose these figurative members of his synagogue to be accusing legal elements, under which the principles of the Gospel suffer tribulation, till they triumph, as did the brethren in heaven, by the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 12 : 10, 11.) The crown of life promised the angel for his fidelity in * §§ 51-53. t § 53. t The term rendered church, signifies something elect or select, which is not implied in that of synagogue. 96 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. this contest, is the evidence of liis triumph over the pseudo- Jewish elements, being such a crown as was given to the successful competitor in the public games; differing in this resjDect from the crown, or diadem^ a token of im- perial dignity and power. The reference to the conquerer here, may apply more particularly to the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews ; that blasphemy consisting in the pretension of elevating the disciple to the position of the conqueror; thus inculcating an assumption by man of a dignity and power belonging to God alone, (see Rev. 2 : 27 ; 3 : 21,) the first and the last, the beginning and ending of the whole work of salvation. EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHUECH IN PEEGAMOS. To this angel the speaker addresses himself as having " the sharp sword with two edges," indicating the dis- crimination to be made between the letter and the spirit of written revelation, as well as between the joint action of the two, and that of the letter only ; a peculiarity which this angel perhaps has especially occasion to keep in view. He is commended for his steadfastness in certain particu- lars, notwithstanding the very unfavorable position in which he is placed, dwelling "where Satan's seat is." Satan's seat, or throne^ is where the power of the law is predominant. He is the legal accuser, and as such oi> posed to the divine plan of salvation ; opposed also to the vicarious suffering of Christ, who seems to be aUuded to imder the name of Antipas, {in behalf of all.) Where * § 59. EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. 97 Satan dwells and reigns the element of Christ's atonement is lost sight of, (Antipas is there slain.) Notwithstanding this disadvantage, the angel of this church relies on the power of Christ, and professes his name, although, as would appear from what follows, with- out any definite idea of the wholeness of his vicarious work. While the angel contends against the power of Satan, the open enemy, there appear to be some insidious in- fluences gaining admission into his construction of the re- vealed word ; " them that hold the doctrine of Balaam," which doctrine, as described here, seems to characterize the admission of a certain mixture of principles, inculcating dependence partly upon one's own merits, and partly upon the merits of Christ ; which mixture leads away the mind from the worship of God, (the only Saviour,) to the wor- ship of one's self, or of one's own goodness, as the efficient cause or means of salvation ; the idolatry of many, who would be the last to suppose themselves capable of break- ing the first commandment. Yet he who trusts to some merit or work of his own for his acceptance with God, and his inheritance of eternal life, regards himself as his own saviour, thus virtually worshipping himself; his own goodness, in whatever it may consist, being virtually the god of his idolatry. The insidious character of these mixed views is too evident to need illustration ; yet they are often found in theories of doctrine, where the power of Christ in fulfilling the law is strenuously maintained. Nearly akin to the doctrine of Balaam must be that of the Nicolaitanes ; except that this last appears to be something more directly opposed to the glory of Christ.* * § 63. 98 APOCALYPTIC INTEODUCTION. The name is said to signify the victory of the people; and contrasting this with the promise to the true victor, or conqueror, we may presume the tendency of the doc. trine to be such as to ascribe to the disciples of Christ the glory due to their divine head, in the achievement of their salvation ; ascribing to the merits or works of man the victory, which, according to the Scriptures, is obtained only through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15 : 57.) The errors alluded to, we suppose to be those of con- struction or interpretation, and that these arise from attention to the letter only of divine revelation, or from a misapplication of the letter ; accordingly the speaker threatens, unless there be a change of views,* to fight against the errors with the sword of his mouthy that is, the sword of the spirit^ as distinguished fi*om that of the let. ter ; the sword by which, as it will be seen, the Word of God obtains the victory in the great battle of Armaged- don. Having already commented upon the promise here given to the conqueror, (Part I., chap. 5,) we have only further to remark in this place, that its application in showing that there is but one conqueror, that is Christ, (the Lamb of God and the Word of God,) is an antidote to the poison- ous influence both of the Balaamic and Nicolaitane doc- trines. EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA. To the angel of this church the same speaker announces himself plainly as the Son of God ; the reference to his * § 64. EPISTLES TO THE CHUKCHES. 99 eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass, (with a burning appearance as first described,) indicatmg the trying process, here, perhaps, especially called for.* The works, charity, service, faith, and patience of this angel, are recognized, the works and patience " more than the first." What the degree of these good qualities may be, is not announced ; but there is evidently a deficiency in theu' character, judging from the reproof in immediate connection. There is an evil influence operating in the system of faith, or views of doctrine, figuratively spoken of as the teaching of " that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess " j such a false prophetess being the figure of a false gloss or interpretation of written reve- lation. The tendency of this woman's teaching is similar to that of the Balaam doctrine, inculcating a mixture of prin- ciples, and fostering an idolatrous worship. As a false prophetess, Jezebel corresponds with the two-horned beast, or false prophet, afterwards described (Rev. 13 : 14) as causing an image of the beast to be created, thus introducing an idolatrous object of worship. As the soothsayers of old pretended to announce the will and purpose of their deities, so these false interpret- ers (put for their interpretations) profess to give the true meaning of divine revelation, by the false construc- tion put upon the letter of the written word. This con- struction is of so plausible and insidious a character, that its idolatrous tendency can only be detected by the eyes of Him who searcheth the reins and the heart.f The word translated ted here, (Rev. 2:22,) should have * §§ 69, 70. t §§ 73, 77. 100 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. been rendered hier. To cast upon a hier is equivalent to treat one so cast as a dead body : analogically, it is exposing the want of the spirit in the matter tried — its in- consistency with the true spkit and purport of the writ- ten word. Thus the false construction, and mixed and idolatrous principles connected with it, are threatened with exposure and destruction ; as it is said also of the offspring of this misconstruction, " I will kill her children with death ;" showiag the condemnatory nature of the principles emanating from this Jezebelian influence. So we suppose the giving to each according to their works, to be equivalent to exposing the real character of the elements referred to. The style is here somewhat changed ; instead of ad- dressing the angel in the singular number, the plural is employed. Considering this church as one of the golden candlesticks, (Rev. 1 : 20,) we still presume that, as a sys- tem of faith, it is itself pure and precious truth ; but some of its principles have been seduced, and foreign principles have been introduced, under the influence of the miscon- struction described. Others not having suffered, or not having been generated from this influence, are personified as members who have not this doctrine, and have not known the depths of Satan. These are requu-ed only to remain faithful; "none other burden being put upon them;" an expression corresponding so closely with the language of the apostolic epistle to the disciples at Anti- och, (Acts. 15 : 28,) as apparently to indicate a similarity in the two cases.* * The Thyatiran church was distinguished for its worlcs, but apparently those works did not spring from right motives ; not being such as to sus- EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. 101 " The depths of Satan" we take to be the plausible arti- fices of the spirit of legal accusation, bringing the disciple ultimately under the power of the broken law ; a conse- quence of Jezebelian false interpretation. As by a mis- construction of the language of the written word, the Gos- pel of Christ may be so perverted as to represent the plan of salvation by grace^ in the light of salvation, or rather justification, by works, (the merits of man,) necessarily involving the disciple in the condemnation of the law — that law applying to the motive (the heart and the reins) as well as to the outward act. For this error the promise directing attention to the only conqueror is a corrective. The promise here (Rev. 2 : 26, 27) is so explicit, and accords so exactly, as we have shown elsewhere, (Part L, chap. 5,) with the promise made to the Son, (Ps. 2 : 8, 9,) with what is said of the child caught up to God and his throne, (Rev. 12 : 5,) and with the description of the conquering Word of God, that there can be no misapprehension in respect to it, when these are duly considered.* EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHUECH IN SAEDIS. In this address, the speaker is identified with the source of grace and peace (Rev. 1 : 4) by his possession of the seven tain the searching of " the reins and the heart." Instead of being the offspring of faith in Christ, they proceed rather from a want of faith in his work, and a belief of the necessity of something more on the part of the dis- ciple to secure salvation ; as the Judaizing teachers troubled the Gentile converts, inculcating the necessity of circumcision, thus, according to Paul, (Gal. 5 : 2, 3,) bringing those converts back to a dependence upon lhe:r own merits ; equivalent to the bondage and burden of the law. * §§ 80-83. 102 APOCALYPTIC INTEODUCTION. spirits of God ; as also with the Lamb, whose seven horns and seven eyes symbolized the same seven spirits of God. By his possession of the seven stars he is also identified with the one like unto the Son of Man, having control over the seven angels (stars) of the churches. The same searching action is here (Rev. 3 : 2, 3) indi- cated as in the preceding epistle, and, seemingly, even with more reason. The reproach of this angel is that he has a name to live, while he is really dead ; although it appears that there are some things in him, or in his character, caj)able of resusci- tation. ■ To be dead, according to the apostle Paul, is to be un- der the power ol the law.* A dead body is also a body deprived of the spirit. Such is the letter of revelation without the spirit, or spirit sense. The inspired apostles are spoken of (2 Cor. 3 : 6) as ministers not of the letter but of the spirit ; because it is said the letter kiUeth (tend- ing to condemnation) but the spmt giveth life, (leading to justification.) Considering the Sardisian angel in the light of a commentator, his construction, or that symbolized by him, must be something equivalent to this letter vieio^ in which the spirit sense is wanting; on this account his works are said to be not complete — not reaching the end designed. " The things which are ready to die," are ap- parently principles, which, if carried out, would lead to the condemnatory result frequently termed death. Repentance, according to the Greek,f signifjing a change of mind or views, such a change is here required of the angel ; and such a change, we may suppose the unveiling * § 84. t §. 4A. EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. 103 or coming^ about to be exhibited, is calculated to produce — resuscitating the spirit sense of the written word, and showing the real and only conqueror in his true light. i^QQ promise^ Part I., chap. 5.) The " few names in Sardis," must be certain doctrinal views or principles excepted in the reproach. They are icorthy to walk with the speaker, as agreeing (Amos 3 : 3) with the revelation elsewhere made of him, the gai-ments of righteousness held forth by them being un- spotted with any mixture of human merits. They cor- respond with the armies of heaven clothed in fine linen, clean and white, followers of the Word of God, (Rev. 19 : 14,) as they must also be opposites of the 7000 names destroyed by the earthquake, (Rev. 11 : 13.) EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHUECH IN PHILADELPHIA. To this angel the one like unto the Son of Man, speaks as " he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no one shutteth, and shut- teth and no one openeth ;"* or, as the Greek might more strictly be rendered, he that locketh and iinlocJceth; refer- ring to the use of a key, as also, perhaps, to a prophecy of Eliakim, (Is. 22 : 22.) Christ only has the key to a right understanding both of the history and of the psalms of David — ^he is indeed himself the Jcey^ as he is of the whole of the revealed word. As he opened the Scriptures to the understanding of the disciples on their way to Emmaus, so he virtually opens, or unlocks, the whole volume of inspiration, by * §§ 88-90. 104 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. what he has done, and taught, and suffered, as well as by his resurrection and exaltation. This angel is addressed almost wholly in the language of commendation, although it is intimated that his strength is small; yet as it is said, "To him that hath shall be given, and that more abundantly," correspondmg with the use of a key, the faithful and true witness de- clares that there is now placed before him (this angel) " an open door," that is a door once locked, but now un- locked ; this unlocked door consisting, as we may sup- pose, in the symbohcal development of truth contained in the subsequent portion of the vision. As such the door corresponds with that seen opened in heaven by the apos- tle, (Rev. 4:1.)* Faithful and steadfast as the Philadelphian angel has been, it appears that he also is exposed to some danger from the influence of those of the synagogue of Satan, " who say they are Jews, but are not." The character of these we have already passed upon, but what is singular here, is the assurance of him that is holy and true, that he will cause these Satanic members to worship^ ov prostrate themselves, at the feet of the angel of this church. The term is the same as that elsewhere used in reference to the worship of God.f Of course we can understand it here in no other sense than as figuratively alluding to a manifestation to be made of the subordination of the prin- ciples personified as affecting to be Jews, to the principle, or Gospel element of interpretation, represented by the angel. It is evident that it can not designate a class of himaan beings, who are to be made by Christ himself to * § 91. t § 92. EPISTLES TO THE CHUECHES. 105 worship a fellow creature, or even an angel in the ordina- ry sense of that term. The subordination alluded to may correspond with that of the law to the Gospel. The name of the church (Phila- delphia) signifying brotherly love, and brotherly love be- ing a token of passing fi-om death unto hfe, (1 John 3 : 14,) we may suppose these pretended Jews to be accusing spirits or principles, applying the law to the condemnation of the brethren. (Rev. 12 : 10.) These, therefore, are to be manifested as overcome by the principle of brotherly love. As in the war in heaven, Satan, who accused the brethren day and night, is overcome by these breth- ren, through the blood of the Lamb ; which may be a ful- fillment of the promise here given. The hour of temptation, or time of trial,* spoken of, is apparently the trial represented in the coming exhibition of the wrath of the Lamb ; a wrath directed against the elements of the earthly system, figuratively termed here, "them that dwell upon the earth." (Rev. 3 : 10, 11.) The promise of preservation in this trial, is equivalent to the security afforded the 144,000 by the seal of God in their foreheads. The crown here is of the same kind as that spoken of in the epistle to the angel of the church of Smyrna. That is, it is the crown bestowed upon the victor in the games ; a token of triumphant success, but not of sovereignty. Such a crown can only be taken away by a competitor in the race or contest. " Let no one take thy crown," is equi- valent to saying, " Let none of these competitors triumph over thee." * § 94, 95. 5* 106 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. For the purport of the promise to the conqueror here, (Rev. 3 : 12,) which is one of the most peculiar, we refer to our treatment of those promises collectively, (Parti., chap. 5.) Its flilfiUment, by showing who the real and only con- queror is, must be calculated to sustain the angel in his conflict with the members of the Satanic synagogue, the more so, as the assurance of coming quickly is an intima- tion of the development immediately about being made. It is here given as an encouragement to perseverance. Perhaps this promise, peculiar as it is, may be considered the ope7i doo7\ which no one can shut. No one can rightly apply it to any other than the true conqueror, and thus it opens the way to an understanding of the whole purport of the vision.* EPISTLE TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHUECH OF THE LAODICEANS. The angel of this church seems to be nearly an oppo- site of that of Philadelphia. He is addressed with pecu- har solemnity ;t the speaker appeahng, as it were, to his own divine sovereignty, as the great First Cause of crea- tion, as well as " the Amen, the faithful and true witness," especially in relation to the divine plan of redemption. (Rev. 3 ; 14.) The strong terms in which the system (construction) of this angel is repudiated, leads to the supposition that it must be very nearly allied to the doctiine of the Nicolai- tanes. Of the one it is said, " which thing I hatep'^ of the other, " because thou art lukewarm, I will spue thee out of my mouth." The name of the first signifying the victory * §§ 96-100. + § lOL EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. lOV of the people, seems to refer to a pretension of ascribing the victory in the work of salvation to the disciple him- self; the name of the other signifying the just or righteous people, appears to indicate a self-justifying pretension, simi- lar to that of the Pharisees, who esteemed themselves just or righteous, and despised others. The system of construction, or the light thrown upon divine revelation, by this angel is professedly/ Christian. It is a star in the right hand of Him who is in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, yet it is evident that the spirit or tendency of this construction, is not such as to inculcate that fervent gratitude for the benefit of salva- tion, which should result from viewing the benefit entirely as a free gift on the part of the Saviour. As the Ephesian anorel was said to have lost his first love, so the Laodicean angel's love, from a like cause, had become lukewarm — not entirely lost, but perhaps little better than mere profes- sion — a lukewarmness, in divine estimation, of an exceed- ingly nauseous character. The doctrine inculcated by this angel does not recognize the unworthiness, sinfiilness, destitution of merit or of right- eousness, and the blmdness of mind, the sense of which is indispensably requisite to a just appreciation of the need and of the real value of the divine plan of salvation by grace, upon which alone the disciple can rest his hopes with security.* Hence the luTcewarmness : for, as it is said, " We love God because he first loved us," just in pro- portion as we appreciate the love of God to us, our own love of him will be fervent or lukewarm, and we can not appreciate this love without feeling our need of it ; as it * § 103, 104. 108 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. is also said, herein is the love of God manifested, that while we were yet siiuiers^ Christ died for us.* The language of the Laodicean angel, " I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing," is equiva- lent to saying, " I have no need of the love of God ; I have no need of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ." Per- haps it may be admitted, that this increase of goods has been bestowed in some sense by God ; yet as men, in a literal sense, too generally give the credit of their wealth to their own industry and sagacity, so the gratitude of tliis angel for what he possesses of supposed merit, although admitted to have been imparted from the Giver of all good, is necessarily but lukewarm. To appreciate the love of God in Christ, and to feel the fervent gratitude called for by it, the 7ieed of that love must be felt con- tinually. This deficiency we suppose to be that of the doctrine here reproved. " The ransom of a man's life is his riches," (Prov. 13 : 8,) and the only true ransom of a man's eter- nal life is the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, of which the truth is like gold tried in the fire, the thing itself consti- tuting the true riches which only the angel is here counselled to procure ; as the imputed righteousness of Christ is the " white raunent" in which alone the disciple can appear be- fore his God, and without which he is naked^ or destitute of clothing. The Laodicean angel is not an infidel, or a pa- gan, or a Jew, professedly ; he must be contemplated as a member of the Church of Christ. His error arises from his blindness and his insensibility of that blindness. Hence, he is offered the " eye salve" so necessary to di&. * §§ 105-107. EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. 109 cem his own destitution : considering him a commentator, we may suppose him to put such a construction upon the written word as to lead to the supposition that the disciple, after conversion, undergoes a certain intrinsic change, whereby he becomes rich in merits of his own, and thence- forth is in need of nothing. Whatever these errors be, the subject influenced by them is stiU represented as an object of love. Love to- wards the Philadelphian angel is to be manifested in the protection afforded him, and love towards the Laodicean errorist, is exhibited m the rebuke and chastisement in- tended for his correction. It is not said here, as in the preceding cases, " Repent, or else I will come quickly," or "I wiU come as a thief," but, " Behold, I stand at the door and knock," equivalent to saying, " Behold, I am come — ^I am here, even at the door" in allusion to the unveiling or revelation just about being made.* " If any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with me." This hear- ing of the voice and opening of the door must be equiva- lent to the reading and hearing of the words of this pro- phecy, or revelation, and to the keeping the things written therein, on which the blessing is pronounced in the com- mencement of the book. (Rev. 1:3.) The figure of a supper, while it refers to the same revelation, may be also an aUusion to the supper of Jesus with the two disciples, at Emmaus, in which he was made known to them in the breaking of bread : illustrated, also, * §§ 108-110. 110 APOCALYPTIC INTKODUCTION. by that supper in which his death is made known or set forth. The doctrine or construction of the Laodicean angel is an extreme of error calUng for immediate remedy. It is not represented, as in the other cases, to be sound in some measure or in certain respects. It is altogether bad. It is not said to be in danger of the insidious influences of Balaam, or of Jezebel, or of the Nicolaitanes ; but it seems to be wholly given up to a certain perversion — what that is, we may best judge from its efiects, that is, the lukewarmness it engenders, and from the o-p^fosite ferve7icy required in the change of views called for. Without this change its blindness is equivalent to the state of dark- ness, described as the precursor of the coming of the Son of Man, (Mark 13 : 24,) and to the darkness of the king- dom of the beast, (Rev. 16 : 10 ;) while its efiects corre- spond with the working of the mystery of error, the de- tection of which necessarily precedes the coming or reve- lation of the day of Christ. (2 Thess. 2 : 3-7.) The application of the promise* to the conqueror in this epistle, shows the tendency of the error reproved, and the folly of the pretensions to independence involved in it. The theory of this angel, that he is rich and in- creased in goods, and in need of nothing ; or in other words, that he is competent to redeem himself by some merit of his own; that he is rich in his own goodness or righteousness ; that he needs no divine propitiation, atone- ment, or vicarious ofiering, is equivalent to an assumption of divine sovereignty : making himself equal with God ; a pretension, however, which we may suppose he would * §§ 111, 112. EPISTLES TO THE CHURCHES. Nil] himself disavow ; yet his theory would lead him to sup- pose that he himself may be the conqueror, to whom the several promises are given. To correct this supposition, the greatest promise of all is here introduced, that of sitting down on the throne of God himself. The correction, however, depends for its effect upon attention to the subsequent development, (the unveiling of Christ,) showing who the real conqueror is, and thus showing that the pretension of any other to the position promised, is nothing less than constructive blasphemy. (See Part I., chap. 5.) N. B. — From necessity, in some degree, we have adopted here, as else- where, the style of personification employed in the vision ; but it is to be borne in mind that the false construction is the thing repudiated. The error, and not the errorist, is the object of abhorrence, the latter being saved, yet so as by fire. (1 Cor. 3 : 15.) The Laodicean angel is a star in the right hand of the one like unto the Son of Man, and notwithstanding his deficiency, is upheld by the right hand of divine righteousness. 112 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER II. THE apostle's CALL UP INTO HEAVEN — ^THE THRONE, AND HIM WHO SAT ON IT — CHOETJS — THE LAMB AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN — GRAND CHORUS. The scene first presented to the apostle, (Rev. 4 : 1-11,) after receiving his commission to the churches, may be said to be something, in the nature of the case, eternal in its character, as already noticed in remarking upon the choral action described in it. (Part I., chap. 3.) A door is seen by the apostle, opened in heaven, and the voice, as of a trumpet, which he had before heard, now calls him to come up thither, that he may see things about to he represented. As the physical heavens display the glory of God in natural objects so the analogical heaven, here alluded to, displays the glory of God in matters pertaining to the divine plan of redemption, and to the sovereignty of the Supreme Being. Such is the heaven to which the apostle is now called ; the door^ referred to being the avenue of symbolical revelation by which he is to see the things to be unfolded. The first object that meets his attention is the throne, (the emblem of divine sovereignty,) and Him that sat upon it. It is to be remembered, however, that it is in * §§ 114-117. THE HEAVENLY SCENE. 113 sjnrit he sees these thmgs, as in a vision, for no one can Uterally see the face of God the Father, otherwise than as it is seen in that of the Son. But John is m heaven in spirit, as he was also in spirit in the day of the Lord.^ The appearance of the occupant ofHhe throne was that of splendid perfect purity, comparable to the transparent brilliancy of a most precious stone ; the combinations of the sardinef with the jasper stone, reminding us of the identity of the Father and Son, corresponding with the ap- pellation afterwards given to the throne, as that of God and the Lamb, of which, however, the manifestations are not yet made. The sea-green color of the rainbow J; or iris, above the throne, seems to symbolize the element of judicial wrath, as it corresponds with the sea itself, which we take to be a figure of that wrath. Whence we consider the present scene to be a representation of divine sovereignty irre- spective of the exercise of sovereign grace, afterwards revealed as connected with it. At least, it so appears to the beholder, whose eyes are not enhghtened to compre- hend the whole of the divine plan of government. The element of mercy here is latent, but not yet developed. Around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, or seats, (tribunals of judgment, perhaps,) occupied by twenty- four elders ; these are supposed to represent the principles of the divine plan of redemption, revealed in the old and new dispensations, but existing in the unchangeable mind of God from all eternity. They are principles of truth, * §§ 24, 118. t The appellation sardi7ie is derived from a Greek word signifying Jlesh, as tinged with that color. The jasper, on the contrary, is pure rock crystal. X §§ 118-120. 114 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. unchangeable in their nature, crowned^ as triumphing over all other principles, and with crowns of gold indicative of their truth. " Out of the throne proceeded hghtnings, and thunderings, and voices," corresponding with those of Mount Sinai at the giving of the law ; and thus confirm- ing our supposition that the present scene represents the character of divine sovereignty, as it appeared, or might appear, before the exercise of the attribute of mercy was revealed, as it is about to be in the remainder of the vision.* The seven lamps of fire, it is said, are the seven spirits of God. They have been spoken of before as the source (together with God and Jesus Christ) of grace and peace, (Rev. 1:4;) they must be also the seven spirits symbolized by the seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb. (Rev. 5 : 6.) As a whole, which the nmnber seven indicates, they represent the Holy Spirit. As lamps^ in immediate connection with the emblem of divine sovereignty, they symbolize the illuminating office of the Holy Spirit. Before the throne was a sea of glass, Hke unto crystal.f A sea is an opposite of a river ; and this sea, we may sup- pose to be an opposite of the river of the water of life. As such, this sea may represent the action of avenging justice; the sea, and the waves roaring, (Luke 21 : 25,) being emblematic of the threatenings of that justice. But this sea, smooth as glass and clear as crystal, symbolizes both the clearness of divine judgment, and the complete control of divine sovereignty over its action : as before the throne, it is subject to the power of the throne. In the midst of the throne were four living creatures^\ * §§ 121-123. + § 124. t § 125. THE HEAVENLY SCENE. 115 (as the Greek should have been rendered,) full of eyes before and behind. Beuig m the midst of the throne and round about the throne, these creatures must represent attributes of divine sovereignty, their eyes before and be- hind indicating the omniscience connected with that sove- reignty ; a perfect knowledge both of the past and present. The first of these living creatures was like a lion : a representation of the power and inflexible justice of the sovereign. The second animal was Hke a calf: represent- ing the element of divine propitiation, or the attribute of mercy.* The third animal had the face of a man : a symbol of the attribute of wisdom or mind, in which the human being differs from other animals. The fourth was like a flying eagle : designating the ofiice of the Comforter, especially as connected with the exercise of divine sove- reignty.! Each of these four animals is described as having six wings, corresponding in number with those of the sera- phim seen in the vision of Isaiah, and as in number, we may suppose they correspond also in use. (Isa. 6 : 1-3.) " With twain he covered his face, with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." The figure represents, ap- parently, the continual progress in development of these at- tributes of divine sovereignty. The purpose, or face, con- cealed, the execution secret, but ever progressing. The office of the seraphim seen by the prophet, was to pro- claim in songs and responses, the holiness of the Lord God Almighty ; and such seems also to be the function of the * The calf, or young bullock, under the Levitical dispensation, being an appointed sin-offering, t §§ 126-129. 116 APOCAJLTPTIC INTEODUCTION, living creatures and twenty-four elders before the throne. As the wings of these animals indicate the progressive development of the attributes represented, the "eyes within and without" appear to have reference to the iuner and outer sense of the written word. They, the four living creatures, " rest not day and night" in proclaiming the holiness of the Lord, and when they do so, the twenty-four elders respond. Consequently the action of both may be considered as something virtually continual, and this throughout eternity ; the divine attribute of holi- ness beiag ever the same, and the praise, honor and glory due to the Supreme Governor of the universe being also ever the same. We may thus consider the action of this chorus, as according with the state of things in heaven prior to the going into operation of the divine plan of redemption, or of the revelation of it ; for which reason, as already noticed, we have not classed this song of the living creatures and elders with the choral divisions be- longing to what we consider the dramatic portion of the vision. Throughout this ascription of glory, honor, and thanks, on the part of the living creatures, " to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever," and throughout this response and worship of the twenty-four elders, there is no allusion to the Lamb, or mention of the work of redemption. The ascription to the divine Sovereign, of worthiness to receive gloVy, honor, and power, is grounded altogether on the fact, that he created all things, and that all things are and were created for his pleasure.* The mystery of redemption, therefore, is to be consider- * §§ 180-132. THE ETERNAL CHORUS. 117 ed as not yet revealed, even to these elements, here offer- ing their praise and thanksgiving. The hoolc contauung the mystery is yet sealed, and in possession of Him that sat on the throne. The attributes of divine sovereignty, and the twenty-four prraciples of divine government en- tering into the plan of redemption, exist in the nature of things, but they are not yet revealed or manifested. As truths in themselves, these twenty-four principles possess crowns of gold ; and as truths subservient to the element of divine sovereignty, they cast these crowns before the throne. The design of the ascription at this crisis, appears to be to proclaim the perfect sovereignty of the Creator, and his right to do as he pleases with all that he has creat- ed ; having created every thing for his own pleasure. In this view he would have been entitled to the same ascrij)- tion of holiness, glory and honor, if the plan of redemption had not been formed ; consequently that plan must ha^e been purely a matter of sovereign grace. He had a moral right as sovereign to form it or withhold it as he pleased, and if he did form it, it was for his own pleasure that he did so. The plan itself is, therefore, like him who executed it, entirely a /"ree^e/^^, and as such, calls for the fervent, unmixed gratitude (love) of those who have the benefit of it. This exhibition of divine sovereignty reminds us that when the apostle Paul speaks of a certairi crisis when the Son is to give up the kingdom to the Father, he must be understood as referring only to the manifestation of that truth, and not to the existence of the truth or fact itself. In point of fact, the kingdom, or reign, is, in the nature of 118 APOCALYPTIC INTEODUCTION. things, that of Him who created all things, and for whose pleasure aU things were created. So with respect to the purport of the exhibition we are about to examine : the Word of God is represented as overcoming aU enemies ; that Word is afterwards merged in the Lamb, the Lamb on the throne of God is identi- fied with God, till in the end the Lord God alone is mani- fested as the source of light, and the only being to be worshipped ; corresponding with the crisis above alluded to. Thus, in fact, the same Lord God, the Creator of all things, was, before as after this development, the Ruler and Governor of all things, the kingdom having been his from all eternity. We will now enter upon an examination of the exhibi- tion about to be presented : we may suppose by way of illus- tration, ages to have intervened, during which the sealed BOOK (Rev. 5 : 1) had been kept back ; the time has now come for its unsealing, and for a development of its contents. The subject of Rev. 5 is preparatory only to the dra- matic action of the exhibition about to be presented. It furnishes us with a description of the scene in heaven at the moment when the development determined upon is about being made : we are to imagine innumerable mil- lions of spectators, waiting with impatience the disclosure of that mystery, which was hid from ages, as it is said, and which angels — messengers, the prophets themselves — desired to look into. The throne before described is now the prominent ob- ject of contemplation ; a book is seen in the hand of the Sovereign ; that book contains the mystery to be unfolded. THE SEALED BOOK TAKEN. 119 The book consists of a scroll, or rather it is a roll of scrolls, written on both sides, within and on the back side, corre- sponding with the inner and outer sense (the letter and the spirit) of the written word. It is sealed mth seven seals. According to the ancient form of books, we may suppose it to consist of seven scrolls, one over the other, each hav- ing its separate seal. The outer scrolls must necessarily be opened first, but the inner (the seventh) is that which contains the most important portion of the mys- tery. As on the occasion of a grand tournament, a herald (a strong angel) challenges the assembled multitude to fur- nish some one worthy, or capable, of opening the book and of loosing its seals. No one of the whole assembly of spectators is found competent to open it, or to read it, or even to look into it. A pause ensues, corresponding with the lapse of ages be- tween the promise of him who was to bruise the serpent's head, and the fulfillment of that promise in the person of Jesus Christ.* The apostle laments much that no one is found equal to the task in question. The lamentation may be compared to the regrets of those who waited the coming of the Mes- siah, yet died without the sight. John is, however, com- forted by one of the elders, (one of the elements of the plan of redemption,) with the assurance that the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, had prevailed (over- come) to open the book ; an assurance equivalent to the whole bearing of the Hebrew prophecies.f Immediately in connection with this assurance, he per- ^ §§ 1.33, 134. t H 135-13S. 120 APOCALTPTIC IHTRODUCTTION. ceives " a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes," in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the twenty-four elders. This Lamb came and took the book out of the right hand* of him that sat upon the throne, and as it appears afterwards opened the seals. This Lamb, therefore, is the Lion of the tribe of Juda, and the root of David referred to by the elder. That he is the Lamb of God, pointed out by the Baptist, (John 1 : 29,) is equally evident from his appearance, "as it had been slain." Seen in the midst of the throne, he is character- ized as himself an element of divine sovereignty ; in the midst of the four attributes of that sovereignty, he is the central point of those attributes; as he is also of the elements of the divine plan of salvation represented by the twenty-four elders. As having the seven spirits of God, he is the source of grace and peace alluded to, Rev. 1 : 4, — symbolized also by the seven lamps burning be- fore the throne; the whole description corresponding with the apostolic declaration concerning the Son of God, that " in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodi- ly ;" the attributes of the illuminating lamps, of the horns of power, and the searching eyes, being collectively m his person. The inference is that, as the Sovereign on the throne formed, and possessed, and sealed the mystery, the same sovereign power only could make it known. As the Lamb as it had been slain represents the vica- * The right hand of Jehovah is spoken of in the prophets as the power by which he saves. (Is. 41 : 10.) The book here contains a development of that rigbteousness or power witb which the Lamb is identified by his ex- altation to the right hand of the Most High, (Rom. 8 : 34.) THE GRAND CHORUS OR PARADOS. 121 rious offering of Christ for the sins of the world, the fbr- ther inference is that this element of propitiation is an in- herent principle of divine sovereignty itself; so the grace. that bringeth salvation is a free act of sovereign power. Immediately upon the taking of the book by the Lamb, the four elements of divine sovereignty, and the four and twenty elements of the divine plan of salvation, (before represented as ceasing not day and night in their adora- tion of the Creator,) now prostrate themselves before the Lamb. As the lesson inculcated throughout this vision is that God only is to be worshipped, we must infer from this act of homage on the part of these elements, that in their apprehension the Lamb, and Him that sat upon the throne, are identified ; that the Lamb is not only an element of sovereignty, but he is also the same in being with the Sovereign, although on this occasion differently personified. The chorus here offered is not merely a song of voices ; it has an accompaniment of instrumental music — ^that of the harp, which throughout the vision is to be consid- ered a symbol of praise. They offer, also, incense in ves- sels of gold, which is said to be the prayers of the saints or holy ones. The material of gold indicates the perfect truth of the elements offering this praise, its perfect corre- spondence with God's plan of redemption ; the principles of which, as set forth in the Scriptures, are here figura- tively termed saints, or holy ones. They correspond with the souls afterwards represented as under the altar, the purport of their prayers being probably the same ; that is, that their deliverance may be speedily accomplished, * §§ 139-143. 122 APOCAI.TPTIC INTRODUCTION. as it is to be by the development about to take place. They are the saints, whose blood had been shed by the dwellers upon the earth, (Rev. 21 : 6,) which blood was aftei-wards foimd, with that of the prophets, in Babylon. (Rev. 18 : 24.) The prayers for the deliverence in question, thus go up to the Lamb as to the expected deliverer, be- ing offered by the elements of the purpose of redemption itself. The material of gold indicates the correctness and value of this offeiing of praise and prayer to the Lamb, which correctness would not exist if the Lamb was less than a manifestation of the Divine Being himself. The song of these four laving creatures and twenty-four elders, is termed a new song, apparently in contradistinc- tion to the matter of the preceding ceaseless act of adora- tion of the same elements. They were then represented as ascribing glory, and honor, and thanks, and power to the Supreme Being, as the Sovereign and the Creator of all things. They now adore the Lamb especially as their Redeemer — proclaiming his worthiness to open the sealed book, from the fact that he had redeemed them out of every kindred, tongue, and people, and nation. That is, we may say the plan of redemption, through the vicarious offering of Christ, has brought out these principles fi'om amidst the multitude of errors on the subject ; these distinguishing features of the gracious purpose of the Supreme Being, exhibiting the attributes of his character and the principles of his government in their true light. These attributes and principles bemg thus made ruling elements in matters of faith, and essential principles of true worship ; figuratively, as they term it, kmgs and priests unlo God. The redemption alluded to in this 'tie'tn THE GEAND CHOEUS OE PAEADOS. 123 song, uttered by these elements, it must be noticed, regards only themselves, the ulterior object of God's purpose of grace not being thus far reached in the order of the exhi- bition. So, we find in the subsequent songs of this grand chorus of many voices and responses, with which the scene may be said to conclude, the purport to be that of recognizing the equality of the Lamb slain with Him who sitteth upon the throne — worthiness to possess power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing, are ascribed to the Lamb slain, by the multitude of angels round the throne, in unison with the four living creatures and twenty-four elders, their number " ten thousand times ten thousand and thou- sands of thousands ;" an ascription represented as virtually responded to by every created thing ui heaven, in earth, under the earth, and in the sea, and again reechoed and confirmed by the four elements of divine sovereignty, and the twenty-four principles of the divine plan of government as revealed ui both the Old and New Testa- ment dispensations; these last apparently by their ac- tion being compared with that just before noticed, (Rev. 5 : 8,) identifying the Lamb slain with Him that sitteth on the throne, as one Being in the person of Him that " liveth for ever and ever." This whole ascription to the Lamb slain accords with the definition of his being, by the apostle Paul, as " the image of the invisible God, by whom all things were created that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or domm- ions, or principahties, or powers ; all things bemg created by him, and for him, and he is before all things, and by him aU things consist." 124 APOCALYPTIC INTRODUCTION. Thus far,* however, as respects the exhibition before us, the divine character only of the Lamb slain is unveUed or revealed. The sealed book is not yet opened, and its mystery, the divine plan of redemption, is not yet de- veloped. The chorus just noticed, we have already classed with the 2Mrados of the Greek drama, (Part I., chap. 3.) The scene beiag introductory to the action of the coming re- presentation, corresponds also, both ia place and matter, with the prologue of the Greeks, the dramatic action from which we are to trace the unity of the whole exhibition com- mencing, as must be borne in mind, with the opening of the sealed book, or with the unrolling of the several scrolls of the looh of scrolls; wiitten as these are within and with- out, we are to discover their inner sense as we notice the outer sense, the whole symbolical exhibition, resulting from the unsealing, being equivalent to the reading matter of a book, and to be so considered. * § 144. PART III t ^zkU^ I00IU C^^ ^tKlt^ iaolu CHAPTER I. SIX SEALS OPENED — THE FOUK CHAMPIONS — THE CAPTIVES — THE EARTHQUAKE — THE PANIC — ^THE SEALING-CHORUS — INTERPRETATION OF THE ELDER. Act I. /Scene: Heaven. Having, m our first part^ vindicated the propriety, and set forth the advantages of imputing a dramatic arrange- ment to the book of Revelation, by a comparison of some of the features of the vision with those of the ancient Greek drama ; and having in our second part noticed the scene as it was presented at the opening of the represen- tation ; with a concise commentary on the epistles to the churches of Asia ; considered in the light of an apostolic preface and introduction ; we now propose to take an analogical view of what may properly be considered the dramatic portion of the vision, aided by the choral divisions already traced out, and the hints afforded of the unity of the piece in the progress of its principal cha- racter. 128 THE SEALED BOOK. The matter of the first Act, as it may be called, is con- tained in Revelation 6 and V, between the chorus of many voices just described, and the next chorus of the same character at the close of Rev. Y. The throne and Him that sat upon it, and the four hving creatures in the midst and about the throne, and the twenty-four elders, mth the seven lamps before the throne, and the unmense multitude of spectators, (Rev. 5 : 13,) are still in view ; together with the " Lamb as it had been slain," now in possession of the book taken fi'om the right-hand* of him that sat upon the throne.f On the opening of the first seal, with a noise of thunder, reminding us of the threatenings of Sinai, (Ex. 19 : 16,) and at the call of the first living creature, like a lion, (the element of divine power and justice,) a white horse is seen, whose rider armed with a bow, without quiver or arrows, and wearing the crown of a -vdctor, goes forth a conqueror and to conquer, (c. v. overcoming and to over- come.) A war-horse is a scriptural symbol of power. This whitel horse we take to be a figure of the power of divine righteousness, as exercised by imputation in the salvation of sinners.§ The rider is he who has the control of this power. The bow without arrows, like that seen in the clouds after the deluge, is a symbol of the covenant of * For an allusion to this right-hand see Isa. 41 : 10, and compare with Mark 14 : 62. t § 145. X The word translated white signifies properly bright, clear shining, and is so used throughout the Apocalypse. S §8 14'^.. M7. THE FIRST SIX SEALS OPENED. 129 peace and reconciliation, of which the rider of the white horse is the messenger or minister. (Malachi 3 : 1, 2.) The crown is an evidence of Jihe victory already won in a different field,* while it may indicate also the certaiaty of success in the contest in which the wearer is about to en- gage.f As this champion proves to be afterwards the Word of God, identic with the Lamb, we may suppose the victory already won, to be that of the Lamb over the dragon in heaven, equivalent to the victory of the Son of God by his vicarious sacrifice over the requisitions of the broken law. The conquest to be achieved here, consists in the over- coming of systems and errors of legality and self-justifica- tion, hostile to a just view of the divine plan of salvation by sovereign grace. At the call of the second living creature (the element of divine mercy or propitiation) a rider of an opposite cha- racter comes forth. He is seated on a red, a fiery red, horse,! a color similar to that of the great dragon. (Rev. 12 : 3.) To this warrior a sword is given, with power " to take peace from the earth, and (to cause) that they (the dwellers upon the earth) should slay one another." The sword is that of the magistrate ; one, who " beareth not the sword in vain." The horse is a figure of the power of the broken law, or of judicial vengeance. The rider is the executor of that power. The earth spoken of here is the earthly system, or platform of justification by works of the law, or by the merits of man. The dwellers upon * The field in which the same conqueror appears in the character of the Lamb, + § 148. X § 149. 130 THE SEALED BOOK. the earth being principles depending, or resting, upon this earthly platform, the power of the rider is exercised in setting these princij)les at variance one with another ; or exhibiting their action in destroying each other : while at the same time, the sword of the law is imminent over them all : thus showing their inconsistency with peace of conscience, or reconciliation to God.* Neither this rider nor his horse is again mentioned in the vision, but his power (the power of the broken law, and the use of his sword, are exhibited in the effects of the various tests, trials, and tortures, to which the elements of self-justification (dwellers upon the earth,) are exposed. ISTo crown is given him, for he is not the conqueror ; al- though, as the law is a leader to bring us to Christ, the operations of this rider open the way to the victorious career of the Word of God. On the opening of the third seal, the call of the third living creature, (the element of wisdom or reason,) f a black horsej appears, whose rider carries a pair of bal- ances in his hand : while a voice from the midst of the four elements of divine sovereignty proclaims a tariff of prices, " a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny," with a caution not to hurt or to prejudice the oil and the wine. By comparing the value of the Roman penny§ with the quantity of wheat and barley here mentioned, the prices appear to be such as were considered the fair value of the articles mentioned ; and wheat and barley being materials for bread, they are here used as figures of the * §§ 150, 151. + See Luke 14 : 28-82, X % 152. § § 153. THE FIRST SIX SEALS OPENED. 131 means of eternal life. The rider with his balances is thus a representation of the law of God ; while the voice from the source of divine sovereignty (the throne) pro- claims the standard of that law ; a perfect fulfillment of its requisitions being the legal means of eternal fife. The black horse represents^ the power of enforcing these re- quisitions, resulting in the condemnation of those who do not meet them : equivalent to the annunciation, " Do this, and thou shalt hve," Fail to do it and thou shalt die — a figure apparently of the Law, (Dan. 5 : 27,) as weighing the merits and demerits of man in one scale with all that is required of him in the other. As there is no one perfectly just or righteous in the sight of God, there can be no human pretensions to merit, tried in these balances of the law, that will not be found wanting. Hence the color of this horse is black — black as sack-cloth of hair, corresponding with the melancholy condition and prospects of the convicted sinner, in view of the issue of the trial supposed. No recourse being here supposed al- lowable to the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, or to his righteousness and atonement alluded to under the figure of the oil and the wine?' This horse and his rider, like the preceding, are not again mentioned in the vision : but, as figures, they corre- spond very nearly with that of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth. These last being supposed to interpret the Gospel under the disadvantage of a legal construction : wherever, however, the standard of the law appears to be symbolically appKed to the elements of the earthly ^sys- tem, there the black horse and his rider with the balances, * § 154. 132 THE SEALED BOOK. may be considered in action, and, wherever these act, darkness and blackness must accompany their movements. The effect of the use of these balances in favoring the operations of the rider of the white horse, is equivalent to the repentance and comdction of sin preparatory to faith in the atonement of Christ, as the only som'ce of hope and consolation. On the opening of the fourth seal, at the call of the fourth hving creature, Uke a flying eagle, (the comforter,) the ajDOstle sees a pale gree7i* horse. The rider's name is Death, and Hell follows with him. The color of this horse is taken fi'om the grass of the earth in its withering state ; this earthly covering bemg a figure of the pretended righteousness furnished by the platform of justification by works, or by the merits of man. Death, as appears from the Pauline use of the term, symbolizes the position of man under the power of the law, (Rom. 7 : 9.) Man being a sinner, this position is necessarily followed by that of legal condemnation, of which Hell is the figure. Thus this last is the inseparable concomitant of the first ; Hell is to Death what the sword of the magis- trate is to the rider of the red horse — the weaj^on of de- struction. As this position of legal death and condemna- tion arises from the fallacy of the pretension to righteous- ness or justification by works, the power of Death and Hell is represented by the green horse; as on the contrary. Death and Hellf have no power where the dependence is on the merits of Christ. The green horse is not mentioned again in the vision, * ^ lof). t §§ 150-157. THE FIRST SIX SEALS OPENED. 133 but in the course of the representation every green thing upon the earth is destroyed. Even the earth itself flees away. Death and Hell thus lose the power upon which they depended, and are themselves at last overcome, and go into perdition. Meantime, wherever the action of death is mentioned, the aUusion is to the same legal condemnation. As in the sentence pronounced upon Jezebel : "I wiU kiU her children w^th death; so, in a hke sense, it is said power was given to Death and Hell over the fourth of the earth, to slay with the sword, with hunger, with death and with the beasts of the earth — or, according to the Greek, power was given to him (Death) corresponding with our idea that Death is the warrior, and Hell the weapon or instru- ment of executiug the deadly purpose of the rider of the pale green horse. The Wiclif and Rheims' versions render this passage by the four parts of the earth, which would be equivalent to the whole of the earth, and which would be the easiest supposition to interpret, as it accords with the physical phenomenon ; but following our common version, we sup- pose, for reasons given in a former work,* this fourth of the earth to be a figurative expression for a system of mixed pruiciples, partly of dependence upon human merits or works, and partly of dependence upon the merits of Christ: this mixed system being apparently the object against which the wrath of the Lamb is more particularly directed ; for, as we have before remarked, the errors to be corrected are those in the visible Church of Christ, not those out of it. These errors are personified as pro- * §§ 158-159. 134 THE SEALED BOOK. fessed disciples of Christ, whose system of faith leads them to rest their hopes of salvation in part upon some merits or works of then* own ; appealing to the perpetuity of the law as the foundation of their theory of doctrine. Against this theory the power of Death and Hell is here particularly du'ected. It is given to them to destroy the errors alluded to by the four instrumentahties mentioned : the sword of the Spii'it showmg the extent and inflexibili- ty of the demands of the law ; hunger exhibiting the entire destitution of righteousness or merit on the part of man ; death showing the condemnatory nature of the shi- ner's position under the law ; and the beasts of the field showing the destructive character of principles of the legal or earthly system, in their action upon pretensions to self-justification ; corresponding with the power given to the rider of the red horse in taking peace from the earth, that " they should kill one another." The four attributes of divine sovereignty have thus called forth the principal combatants to be engaged in the coming representation. Divine justice has brought to view that exhibition of the saving power of divine right- eousness, and of the new covenant, which is to overcome the errors of legality and self-dependence. The attribute of Mercy has caused an exhibition of the power of the broken law, with its avenging sword, showing the need of a propitiatory provision. Divme wisdom exhibits the legal standard by which all pretensions to merits are to be weighed, irrespective of the vicarious work of Christ ; and the Comforter^ as in convincing "the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment," shows, in the power and part assigned to Death and Hell, the folly of depend- dence upon any sys:tem of self-instification. THE FIRST SIX SEALS OPEKED. 135 On the opening of tlie fifth seal the cause of the coming contest is made known; the souls of the witnesses,* slain for the Word of God and the testimony they held, cry from under the altar \ for the vindication of their cause, and the avenging of their blood upon their oppres- sors — the dwellers upon the earth, (the errors of self-justi- fication.) These, for a long time reigning triumphant, have deprived the elements of evangelical truth (the slain witnesses) of the spirit-sense of their testimony : the letter only of divine revelation having been regarded, which priva- tion of the spirit-sense, or Hfe, that is, of the true meaning of these elements, is here and elsewhere spoken of as a shedding of blood. The spirit of revelation is safe, as in custody, under the altar, which itself is a figure of the will or Word of God ; but the cause of complaint is, that it has been so separated fi-om the letter as to be disre- garded. These souls are comforted with the assurance that the time of their vindication is at hand ; waiting only till oth- ers, Hke themselves, shall need the same vindication. A certain fulfillment or completion of the reign of error ^ be- ing requisite before its extinction can be accomphshed. Meantime these souls rest, as witnesses of the power of divine righteousness, exercised in God's plan of salvation ; which power is symbolized by the white robes given them. The brethren alluded to, as yet about to be killed^ * §§ 160-163. t That is, the j^olden altar before the throne or before God, (Rev. 9 : 13.) This altar, together with the cross sometimes termed tree, and the tree of life, are apparently so many figures of the will or purpose of God, which Christ, the Son, came to fulfill. (Heb. 9 : 10.) 136 THE SEALED BOOK. are such probably as the witnesses in sackcloth, and those who have suffered under the reign of the Beast and false prophet, (Rev. 13 : 15.) The position of these souls under the altar may indicate the character of their testimony as pertaining more immediately to the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. The altar is in heaven, and not on earth. The souls, the proper sense of the testimony itself, are confined beneath the altar. The letter of the testimony, deprived of these souls, is with the dwellers upon the earth. Seene. The Eaeth. On the opening of the sixth seal (Rev. 6 : 12) there was a great shaMng* not only of the land but of all the elements connected with it. A shaking \ of the earthly system, comprehending the heavenly bodies of that sys- tem ; accordhig to the notion of early times, that the earth was the centre of a system (such as we now term our solar system) around which the sun, moon, and stars revolved. The heavens and heavenly lights, in this connection, with the symbolical earth, are to be considered such as they were esteemed (speaking figuratively) by the dwellers upon the earth. (See Appendix H.) This shaking exhibits the true character of the distin- guishing elements of the earthly system of justification by works. Its Sim, instead of appearing, as it had done * We prefer this term in this place, because it is more strictly the sense of the original, here as elsewhere in the N. T., not confining our ideas to an agitation of the land only, or even of this globe of earth. Compare with Heb. 12 t 26. t §§ 164-167. PANIC AND SEALING. 137 to the dwellers upon the earth, a Sun ol righteousness, with healing in his wings, is now seen to be a Sun of con- \dction, clothed in a blackness of sackcloth. Then* moon, the symbol of glad-tidings, (Rev. 12 : 1,) now appears to them to reflect only the rays of judicial vengeance. The stars, the lesser Hghts of revelation, are brought down, (Rev. 12:4,) to the level of a Hteral and carnal appre- hension ; under this aspect the true heaven or exhibition of divine revelation, is rolled up, scroll-like, and with- drawn, that those who reject the truth may be no longer permitted to contemplate it. (Heb. 12 : 17, 25.) The iQstability of all earthly means of salvation, (works or merits of man,) is exhibited to the apostle by the re- moval of mountains and islands out of their places. The symbolical dwellers upon the earth, of every rank and de- gree, from the king* to the bondman, are apparently yet unconvLQced of this instability. They perceive the signs of the coming visitation, (the great day of the wrath of the Lamb;) but they still cling to their supposed means of safety ; hiding themselves in the dens and under the rocks of the mountains, (Rev, 6 : 15-17:) a state of appre- hension and panic corresponding with the wailing of the kindreds or tribes predicted. Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24 : 30 ; Isaiah 24 : 17-23. The sha7ci7ig of the earthly system of works, and the judicial appearance of the heavenly bodies connected with it, is thus represented as bringing all the principles resting upon this system, to a certain crisis : as in view of the administration of an immediate test which they are unable to withstand : what the peculiar character of these princi- * §§ 108-171. 138 THE SEALED BOOK. pies is, may be gathered from the objects of their appre- hension — the wrath of the Lamb, and the face of Him that sitteth on the throne. They are all principles of doctrine opposed to the attribute of divine sovereignty, and to the vicarious offering of Christ. The whole system of justifi- cation by works is here represented as shaking from its foundation. The mountains and islands (false refuges) do not yet entirely disappear ; that event being reserved for a further development. (Rev. 16 : 20.) Opposite to this picture, but as part of the revelation of the same seal, an exhibition is made of the safety, in the midst of the coming trial, of certain elements of revealed truth. Four angels* (Rev. 7:1) occupyiug the four corners of the earth, (all the earth,) are commissioned to with- hold the wind from the earth, and from the sea, and from every tree. An operation analogous to a manifestation of the want of the spirit, or spirit-sense^ in the subjects to be acted upon. The earth, as a platform of works ; the sea as an earthly means of purification from sin ; or rather as the earthly inadequate view of judicial wrath ; and the trees as means of shelter or sustenance, in the same re- lation, opposites of the tree of life. The four angels are thus about to show that all the principles of the earthly system are without the spirit; and consequently are inconsistent with the divine plan of salva- tion ; opposed to the sovereignty of God, and to the pro- pitiation of Christ. But there are some exceptions ; there are prmciples of this system, designed to come into the divine plan of mer- PANIC AND SEALING. 139 cy ; as the law itself is said to be a leader to Christ, and as the old dispensation ushers in the new. An angel from the risings of the sun^ — a certain evangelical message, or revelation, interposes to check this operation, till the ex- cepted principles are marked with the seal of God, show- ing by some characteristic feature their correspondence with Gospel truth. According to our common version, this withholdiag of the word, is said to hurt the earth, etc. ; but the Greek term signifiesf something the opposite of justification, equivalent to unjustify, or to withhold justification, to show that a thing or principle is not just. Accordingly the elements exempted from this process, are those that remain justified ; that is, as principles they are designated as just, corresponding with the divine plan of justification, and are spoken of as servants of God and as bearing the seal of God in their foreheads. J These favored elements are symbolized as one hundred and forty-four thousand of the tribes of the children of Israel — ^twelve thousand of each tribe. The term thou- sand^ we consider only as indicating an indefinite large number ; but the initial number, 144, being the product of twelve times twelve, indicates the joint testimony of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, the number of the twelve apostles multiplied into that of the twelve tribes. These 144,000 sealed ones accordingly corre- spond with the principles contained in those writings. The * § 173. t § 174. X The term rendered hurt here and elsewhere in the Apocalypse, is the same as that translated unjust, Rev 22 : 11. It is to be taken throughout in u judicial sense. 140 THE SEALED BOOK. evidence that they are such, must be found in the Scrip- tures, from which they are drawn ; and this evidence of their accordance with the sacred volume, may be consid- ered the seal of God in their foreheads. We shall have occasion to notice the action of these 144,000 in another scene; at present we only consider them as opposites of those so much dreading the wrath of the Lamb. There is no doubt* a meaning to be attached to the pa- triarchal names or characters here enumerated ; but we will advert only to one significant change ; that of Manas- seh (forgetfulness) substituted for Dan, (judgment,) cor- responding with the purposes of Him with whom judg- ment is a strange work, (Jer. 21 : 34 ;) and the transgres- sions of his redeemed people are forgotten. (Heb. 8 : 12; 10 : 11.) The difference between the twenty-four elders and these sealed ones, we conceive to be, that the first symbolize eternal principles inherent in the element of divine sove- reignty ; their number indicating their development in the old and new dispensations, whereas the 144,000 f sealed ones indicate the principles of doctrine revealed in the Old and New Testaments, as they enter into the plan of salvation and form the true system of faith in Christ. These latter are figuratively represented as the chUdi-en of the promise, mixed in for a time with the dwellers on the earth. Every system (professedly Christian) of sal- vation by works or merits of man having in it some elements of truth gathered from the Scriptures. As we find in the account given of the destruction of Babylon, * § 176. t §§ 175-176. PANIC AND SEALING. 141 Rev. 18 : 4, there were those called upon to come out from her, that they might not partake of her plagues The sealing of these 144,000, accordingly, may be contem- plated as a process taking place on earthy as well as the panic scene of the opposite character ; although the apostle sees both from his standpoint in heaven, where only these are seen or known. As far as the present representation goes, the sealed ones are not separated from the inhabit- ants of the earth; they have only a distinguishing character- istic, which preserves them from being imjustified^ as the others ; wMle, to use apostolic language in a case analogous, they still remain " amidst a crooked and perverse genera- tion, shining as lights in the world." Immediately after these different exhibitions of panic on one side, and of security on the other, a choral action of many voices takes place, constituting, as we have sup- posed, the first stasimon, or one of the grand divisions of the representation.* The song is first taken up by an innumerable multi- tude of all nations, kindred, and people, standing before the throne, clothed with white robes, and pahns in their hands, crying with a loud voice, " Salvation to om- God who sit- teth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb ;" equivalent to an ascription of praise to the sovereign grace of God, and the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This song or act of praise is responded to by all the angels round about the throne, and aroimd the four living creatures. These angels, according to the Greek, stand- ing in a circle outside of the throne and the elements con- nected with it, prostrate themselves on their faces before * §§ 177-178. 142 THE SEALED BOOK. the throne ; ascribing " Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor unto God for ever and ever." This last ascription is nearly the same as that before given to God and the Lamb : here, the angels, elders, and four living creatm-es, speak of God alone ; we suppose, there- fore, a fore-reaching in their views to the crisis, when the Son (the Lamb) gives up the kingdom to the Father. Those in " white robes," contemplate the process of their salvation as due only to the sovereign grace of God, exer- cised in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. The explanation of the elder,* (Rev. 1 : 13-17,) may be classed with the interpreting chorus of the Greek tragedy, explaining somewhat of the mythoiXhQ representation ; and showing its application to disciples themselves, for although there coming out of great tribulation would apply to the souls under the altar, to whom white robes were given ; yet the latter part of the explanation, which is still in figura- tive language, seems to aj^ply directly to the disciples of Christ ; if so, we must consider that it is by faith that they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. The palms in then- hands indicate the honor they purpose to ascribe to the Lamb ; as the children scattered branches of palm trees in the way of Jesus Christ on his entrance into Jerusalem. The chorus itself does not form part of the contest about to be exhibited ;t it contemplates the result of that contest. It is uttered at the conclusion of the sixth * §§ 179-181. t The sealing of the 144,000 is lo be considered the conclusion of the iriatter contained in the sixth scroll. The clwrus is the act of spectators, who are to be supposed to have witnessed the developments of this and the preceding scrolls. CHOEUS. 143 seal development, but the action of the seventh seal is not to be considered as commencing where this chorus ends, or where the explanation of the elder leaves it. The description of the service of God by this multitude, (Rev. 7 : 15,) corresponds with what is said of the servants of God at the close of the exhibition. (Rev. 22 : 3.) Their condition, secure from hunger, and thirst, and heat, corre- sponds also with the position afforded by the ample provi- sions of the New Jerusalem, with its river of the water of life, and its tree of life, and the throne of God and the Lamb in the midst thereof; he that sitteth on the thi-one dwelling amongst them. As it is only when the disciple feels his salvation secure that he can fully experience the gratitude, or love to God, due for that salvation ; so it is only when he performs his duty from this sense of gratitude, or love, that he can be said, strictly speaking, to serve God. So long as he con- siders his salvation hypothetical, his motive of service will be hypothetical ; something like the vow of Jacob, (Gen. 28 : 20 :) "If God will keep me," etc., " then shall the Lord be my God ;" as if he had added, if not, not. That the seiwants of God may serve him from a motive of love or gratitude, and not from a view of benefiting themselves, there must be no doubt of what God has done for them, and this state of perfect assurance can only exist where they hunger no more, neither thirst any more, and where the Lamb in the midst of the throne, feeds them, and leads them unto living fountains of waters. Meantime their love and their service will be in proi)ortion to their faith and hope in these promises. Thus far the opening of the first six seals has only revealed 144 THE SEALED BOOK. to 113 the condition of the several parties at the commence- ment of the aggressive movements about to be exhibited. The combatants have gone forth ; the souls of the mar- tyred victims of the earthly powers are crying to heaven for the vindication of their cause; their oppressors, dwellers upon the earth, (elements of the platform of works,) in view of the coming visitation, are vainly seek- ing refuges and hiding-places in the fundamental elements of their own systems. This whole earthly system of self- dependence, with its atoning and self-justifying preten- sions, de23rived of any evidence of the spirit^ is exposed to the wi'ath of the Lamb, as we shall see, without means of defense : while the elements of revealed truth, protected by the characteristic seal of God, the prominent feature of the plan of sovereign grace, are prepared for this hour of trial; Tcept^ according to the promise to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. (Rev. 3 : 10.) This preparative exhibition completed, a choral action of an innumerable multitude of spectators, together with an explanation of one of the elders, as a chorus of one voice, closes the scene.* * §§ 182-184. SEVENTH SEAL AND TRUMPETS. 145 CHAPTER II. SEVENTH SEAL SEVEN TRUMPETS GIVEN OUT — ^FIEST FOUR TRUMPETS — EIETH TRUMPET, FIRST WO ; LOCUST-SCOR- PIONS SIXTH TRUMPET, SECOND WO ; EUPHRATEAN CAV- ALRY ^THE MIGHTY ANGEL — ^TIME NO LONGER THE LIT- TLE BOOK WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. Act II. Scene : in Heaven. At the opening of the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.* (Rev. 8:1.) This silence, or pause, seems intended to dii*ect our atten- tion to the commencement of the aggressive action of the wrath about to be represented; for which the previous developments were only a preparation. Accordingly, the exhibition is introduced by the presentation of the seven trumpets to the seven angels, (messengers,) preceded by solemn sacrificial rites, in keeping with the custom of an- cient times, as well amongst other nations as with the Hebrews. The use of the trumpet, as frequently alluded to in the Scriptures, and particularly as employed in the siege of Jericho, (Josh., 6 : 4-16,) is sufficient to prepare our minds for the contemplation of an active state of hostilities. The altar,f the same as that before spoken of, (Rev. 6 : 9,) is here described as of gold; the censer, also, is of the same material, truth being the characteristic of both. * §§ 185, 186. t § 187. UG THE SEALED BOOK. The first, we have ah-eady noticed as a figure of the will, or purpose, of God. The censer, with the priestly action of the angel in possession, symbolizes the virtual interces- sion of Christ, in ofiering upon the altar, his own merits, his body and blood, as incense, with the petitions of the holy ones ; thereby securing their acceptance ; identifymg the one with the other. These holy ones, (saints,) we suppose to be the souls be- fore seen under the altar, and the matter of their petition* may reasonably be considered such as there described: the petitions of those waiting the \Tndication of their cause and the avenging of their blood. The smoke of the incense is its sweet-smelling savor, and as such represents the ac ceptable character of the mediatorial ofiering of Christ Fire, being a figure of the revealed Word of God,* tht fire from the altar, cast into the earth, is equivalent to the application of a development of the nature of the vicarious ofiermg of Christ to the earthly system of salvation by works : perhaps, by way of comparison, the voices, thmi- derings, lightnings, and an earthquake, indicate, also, a development of the law, as from Sinai, giving efiect to the comparison by showing the insufficiency of that earth- ly system, and its tendency, in its own nature, to call forth the very legal powers it professes to satisfy. Amidst these Sinaic accompaniments, and preceding the comparison supposed, the seven angels (messengers) pre- pare to sound. The withholduig of the four winds of the earth, (Rev. 1 : 2,) by manifesting the want of tlie Spirit in the earthly system, with its sea and trees, having imjustijled these * § 188. FIRST TRUMPET. 147 elements, (showing their inconsistency with the divine plan of justification ;) their incapability to withstand the test of divine revelation is now to be exhibited. Scene : the Earth. On the sounding of the first trumpet,* haU and fire mingled with blood were cast upon the earth, and the third of trees was burnt up and all green grass was burnt up. All these trumpets are figures of the development of divine truth ; the results of the sounding showing the par- ticular truth, developed in their action upon the errors opposed to them. Hail is spoken of in prophecy (Is. 28 : 15-18) as an instrument in sweeping away the refuges of lies — false ways of escape from the vengeance of the broken law ; and Jire (the fire of the revealed Word of God) is declared to be the element destined to try every work (Jer. 23 : 29 ; 1 Cor. 3 : 3) upon which dependence is placed for salvation. As blood is the life or spirit of the animal, the mingling of blood with hail and fire indicates the action of the inner sense of written revelation, as what is commonly called the spirituality of the law — its exactions in their strictest sense, as satisfied with nothing less than the blood of the transgressor. The thii'd of trees and the third of grass, we take to be these things in their third, or analogical, sense.f * §§ 189, 190. t Our common version here and in some corresponding passages speaks of the third* ^ar^ of certain things, where it is evident that the idea of a partis not admissible. In the Greek, the word^a;-^ is not expressed; ♦ §§ 191,198. 148 THE SEALED BOOK. Trees and grass* are the production of tlie earth. Trees afford shade — shelter from the rays of the sun — and their fruit for food, theii* leaves for medicine. They are accordingly supposed means of shelter from the wrath of God ; supposed means of eternal life, and the reme- dies of the earthly system for the disease of sin. Theii* shelter is an opposite of that compared in prophecy to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Their fruit is an opposite of that of the tree of life, in the midst of the holy city, and theii' leaves are alike opposites of those for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22 : 2.) The gi*ass of the earth is its covering or garment, a cov- ering of its own growth, and as such is a figure of the pretended robe, or garment, of self-righteousness furnish- ed by the earthly platform of justification by works, or that of tUrd only is employed ; and it seems necessary to define here what we understand by the third of things, as used throughout the vision. There are three senses in which the language of Scripture may be understood : 1st. The letter or literal sense, which is too commonly used to need explanation. 2d. The metaphorical or rhetorical sense, in which figures of speech are employed by speakers and writers, very much at ran- dom, to illustrate a subject or adorn an expression ; and thiy^d, what we term the analogical, or spirit-aense ; sometimes the spiritual sense ; a sense in which we conceive every figurative word and symbol of divine revelation, has its own peculiar hidden meaning ; that meaning bearing an evident re- lation to the word or figure employed, and according with some uniform rule of analogy. The rhetorical speaker, for example, might express the variety and uncertainty of all earthly things, by comparing them with the trees and grass of the earth, which is well enough as far as it goes ; but we say there is a more definite sense in which these figures are to be under- stood in the Apocalypse, and perhaps throughout the sacred writings; this we denominate the third, or analogical, sense, of which onr use of it as above, will afibrd a sufficient explanation. * S 194, SECOND TRUMPET. 149 meritorious observances. This is rendered more signifi- cant in the Greek, by a term equivalent to that of pale green grass^ the color of the pale green horse. (Rev. 0:8.) The action of the hail, fire, and blood here corre- sponding with that ascribed to the burning heat of the sun by the apostle James ; as the rich man there spoken of is apparently a character similar to that of the deluded angel of the Laodicean church. Such are the pretensions of the earthly system of self- justification, and such their destruction when exposed to a comparison with the requisitions of the law developed in its spirit-sense, symbolized by the action of hail, fire, and blood, showing the entire insufficiency of that system to furnish any means of eternal life, any remedy for the guilt of sin ; any shelter from the wrath to come, or any robe of righteousness as a garment of salvation. At the sound of the second trumpet, a great burning mountaiu is cast into the sea. The sea, in the third sense^ becomes blood ; the living creatures in the sea, in the same sense, die ; and the ships, also in the same sense, are destroyed. (Rev. 8 : 8-9.) Mountains* are refuges, or rather foundations of refu- ges : foundations for fortified places, in case of invasion, and for dwellings in case of deluge ; as such, they symbol- ize foundations of earthly systems, upon which the self- righteous rest theii' hopes of salvation. This moimtain, great in the estimation of the men of the earth, is an op- posite of Mount Zion. As a mountain in a state of com- bustion, it represents the foundation or fundamental prin- ciple of a system undergoing a test or trial, by the action * §§ 195-197. 150 THE SEALED BOOK. of the revecded word of God. By this action it is brought in contact with the sea^ the element of judicial wrath, in- cident to the broken law. By this contact, or compari- son, the true, or ^pzVeY-nature, of that wrath, is exhibited as requiring nothmg less than the life (blood) of the trans- gressor.* The mountain, the foundation of the whole sys- tem, is swallowed up in this element; and with it, aU the crea- tures or prmcij^les exposed to the same action are manifest- ed to be without the Spirit or life ;t the real character of this avenging element of the broken law being thus shown. Ships, hi the third sense^X ^^'^ means of salvation of hu- man invention ; as figures, they are arks of human con- struction ; opposites of the only ark of safety, typified by that built by the command of God. These means of sal- vation by ofierings of human merit, are all manifested to be insufficient to withstand the judicial visitation repre sented. On the sounding of the third trumpet, a great star, caUed Wormwood, burning " as it were a lamp," fell fi-om heaven upon the rivers and fountains of waters, in their third sense, by which these waters became bitter, even causing the death of many of those dwellers upon the earth who drank of them.§ At the commencement of this representation, we have seen the heaven rolled up as a scroll ; we now perceive- that there are to be, nevertheless, partial revelations from it. This great star is an important light thrown fi'om the * § 197. t The mountain corresponds, apparently, with that spoken of by the pro- phet, of which not a stone could be allowed for a foundation. (Jer. 51 : 25.) X § 198. § §§ 199-201. FOURTH TRUMPET. 151 heavenly upon the earthly system. The star is not in a state of combustion Hke the mountain. It burns as a lamp, to give light wherever it is employed, and falls as the Holy Spirit fell in the day of Pentecost. The effect of this hght is to show the real character of the means of atonement belonging to the earthly system of works ; figuratively rivers and fountains of the earth, opposites of the river of the water of life, (Rev. 22 : 1,) and of the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness, (Zech. 13 : 1 :) as all human inventions of propitiation are oppo- sites of the atonement or blood of Christ. The bitterness of these waters,* so as even to cause death, manifests the reaction, as well as insufficiency, of all earthly pretensions to ablution from sin, showing that at the best, they can only result m a conviction of sin without hope of relief; derived, as they are, altogether from the earthly system of justification by works of the law. As the bitterness of the waters of Marah could be cured only by the wood (type of the cross) apphed to them ; so the bitter conviction of sin, here represented, can only be reheved by a resort to the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. That remedy, however, is not a part of this trumpet's voice : the design here being only to show the folly of the pretensions of man (the sinner) to atone for himself by works of the law. At the sounding of the fourth trumpet, (Rev. 8 : 12,) the sun, moon, and stars (in their third or analogical sense) * The name of the star, (that of a bitter herb,) directs our attention to ihe manner of keeping the passover under the legal dispensation, (Gen. 12 : 8.) typical of the sense of sin, requisite to faith in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. 152 THE SEALED BOOK. are smitten. The day and night, also in the same sense, are deprived of light.* Here there is an exhibition of total darkness. On the opening of the sixth seal, the sim became black and the moon as blood, and the lights of revelation (stars) were brought mider an earthly construction. Now, the light, or righteousness, afforded by the heavenly system, is alto- gether withdrawn from view. The Sun of righteousness, as part of that system, is not at all discerned. The moon, the harbinger of glad tidings of salvation, is not seen. The stars, the Hghts before referred to, are not merely dragged to earth, or brought under an earthly construc- tion ; they afford no light whatever. We do not mean here, intellectual hght merely; we mean that divine righteousness, which is figuratively spoken of in the Scrip- tures as light, (1 Timo. 6 : 16 :) that righteousness, which by imputation to the disciple, is the means afforded in the heavenly system of his justification in the sight of God. The development of this trumpet's voice, indicates the entire absence, in the earthly system, of the means of justification : corresponding with what is afterwards said of the kingdom of the beast ; that it is full of darkness — a darkness, such we may suppose as was typified by one of the plagues of Egypt. (Ex. 10 : 22.) Thus far, we have still only seen the preparation for the execution of the wrath of the Lamb upon the dwellers on the earth — that is, upon the principles hostile to his government. As in the warlike operations of a military commander, the resources of the enemy are first cut off. The trees of the earth afford no shelter ; the pale green grass no covering ; the great m.oimtain of self-dependence •55- k;§ 202-204. FIFTH trumpet; FIRST WO. 153 is swallowed up in a sea of blood ; the fountains and, rivers yield no water fit for the purpose of life, and dark- ness pervades the whole land, or system. Scene: the Mid-Heaven. THE THREE WO-TRUMPETS. At the close of the representation resulting from the sounding of the first four trumpets, a special messenger, flying through the mid-heaven, announces certain woes, especially to the inhahiters of the earth ; in contradis- tinction to the earth itself and its productions, or other elements.* (Rev. 8 : 13.) The visitations described in the voices of the preceding trumpets, applied directly to the pretended resources and fallacious character of the platform of self-justification, symboKzed by the earth as the centre of a system ; com- prehending the land, with its productions, the sea with its ships, and the heavenly bodies, as its satellites; ac- cording to the astronomy of the ancients. The fallacy of these earthly views having been exposed, the principles depending upon them for support, (symbolized as men, or " inhabiters of the earth,") must be now supposed to be in the position of a people whose resources have been cut ofi*, and who are thus reduced to contend with a hostile power in the last extremity. In this position, these sym- bolical inhahiters of the earth have pecuhar reason to dread the developments of the three subsequent trumpets.f * § 205. + All of the seven trumpets may be considered as announcing woes to earthly elements, but the developments of the last three are woes to the ■inhallters of the earth, as distinoruished from its productions and satellites. 154 THE SEALED BOOK. Scene: the Earth. — First Wo. A star falls from heaven imto the earth, equivalent to a light of revelation thrown upon the earthly system : the star, faUi?ig also in a good sense, as the Holy Spirit /eZ/ upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. To this star is given the key of the bottomless pit, (one of the keys of Death and Hell ; Rev. 1:18.) This pit,* without a bottom, may well be supposed to represent a mystery, kindred, if not equivalent, to that of Death and Hell.f The purpose of the key is to unlock or to expose the true character of the principles of the system repre- sented by the pit. As a pit must be part of the earth, so must this pit with- out a bottom, represents a part of the earthly system of That these "inhabiters of the earth," or "dwellers upon the earth," are principles of doctrine, and not human beings, is confirmed by the manner in which they are finally destroyed, Identifying them, as we must, with the kings of the earth and their armies, they were slain at last by the sword mit of tlie moxdh of the Word of God, (Rev. 19 : 17-21,) and that which such a sword destroys must be errors of doctrine and not literally human beings. There are thus two classes of errors represented in these visitations, difibr- ing as the material differs from the work or works formed from it. The earth, with its productions and satellites, represents the material of the legal platform of self-dependence : the inhabiters of the earth represent the prin- ciples, or pretensions of merit, as works performed with this material. An illustration of this may be found in the case of Adam, to whom the earth (cursed on his account) was the material for his labor; while, in this posi- tion, thorns and thistles were to be the reward of his works. * § 206. t AH systems of faith or doctrine, tending to legal condemnation, must belong to the mystery of Death and Hell, and as such are virtually opened by the Word of God, as exliibited in this unveiling of Jesus Christ. FIFTH trumpet; FIRST WO. 155 works ; or that system itself under a certain aspect ; equivalent to the view of a system of justification by works without a foundation, as opposite to the divine plan of salvation as a bottomless pit is to Moimt Sion ; or as a plan of salvation founded upon human merit, is an op- posite of the divine plan, founded upon the purpose of sovereign Grace. The pit being opened,* the fir^t emanation from it is smoke, as from a gToat furnace ; symbolizing a system of docti-ine undergoing a trial by the fire of the revealed Word of God. The sun and au' are darketied by reason of the smoke, exhibiting the tendency of the principles of the system in question, to obscure the sun of righteous- ness, not allowing the prominent feature of God's plan of salvation, by the imputed righteousness of Christ, to be discerned ; and this by causing a misconstruction of the written word. The az>, as the medium through which we contemplate the heavenly bodies literally, being symboli- cally employed here and elsewhere in the Apocalypse to represent the construction, through which, or mider which, the sacred Scriptures are interpreted. A system of doc- trine causing a false construction of the written word, is thus figm^atively said to darken the ae> by the views ema- nating from it. But the o]3ening of the pit evolves another characteris- tic of the bottomless system represented. As a system of justification by works, (the merits of man,) the accusatory pi-inciples of the law are necessarily involved in it ; and as soon as the mystery^ the hidden but real character of the system is revealed, these legal, accusatory elements * ?§ 207, 20S. 156 THE 6EAXED BOOK. are perceived to act upon the principles of self-justifica- tion ; which action is represented by that of a multitude of locusts, (having power as the scorpions of the earth have power) upon the men of the earth. Earthly elements thus destroying each other, corresponding with the pow- er, or commission, given to the rider of the red horse, " to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another." (Rev. 6 : 4.) . These locust-scorpions* were commissioned to hurt only the men of the earth, who were without the seal of God in then* foreheads. The term translated hurt is the same, in the original, as that applied to the withholding of the winds of the earth, (Rev. 7 : 2,) and signifies here, as there, the opposite of justifying. To hurt^ accordingly, ij3 to unjustify. Thus the men of the earth,t being a figure of principles depending upon the earthly system of justification by works, the action of these legal accusatory elements is to demonstrate the want of any power of just- ification in the earthly principles symboUcally spoken of as men. Excepting always those elements of diidne truth contained in the sacred Scriptures, which, although mixed in with certain earthly principles, are distinguished from them by some characteristic equivalent to " the seal of God in their foreheads." The natural food of the locust consists of vegetable substances ; for which reason, the choice of the figure here seems intended to prevent any literal understanding * §§ 209-211. t As these men of the earth are distinguished from the 144,000 sealer! ones, we presume them to be those represented in the panic scene, at the opening of the sixth seal, now beginning to experience the wrath thev then so much dreaded. FIFTH trumpet; FIRST WO. 151 of it, prohibited, as these figurative animals are, from acting upon grass or any green thing ; a further reason for this prohibition may be, that the earth and its trees have been already unjustified (hurt) by the withholding of the four winds of the earth. The word translated torment, would be better rendered here by that of torture; being an allusion to the operation m ancient times of extracting a confession of truth from a supposed criminal. These locust-scorpions had power not to kill, but to torture the men of the earth for five months. As the scorpion is distinguished for the tenacity of his attack, the whole figure seems to correspond with that conviction of a destitution of all righteousness or means of justification, which must result from an application of the accusing principles of the law (in its strictest sense) to all pretensions of justification by works. The process is some- thing i^arallel to the preaching of repentance producing a conviction of sin, by John the Baptist ; whose priority of birth to that of our Saviour may be alluded to in the figurative limitation oi five tnontJis for this torturing trial. As the preaching of repentance opened the way for faith in Chi-ist, by showing the necessity of a super-human propitiation, so the action of these scorpion-locusts, upon the earthly principles, seems preparatory to an exhibition of the false pretensions to atonement, represented in the development of the next trumpet ; the error of self-justi- fication leading (on the principles of the earthly system) to the next error of self-propitiation. The desire of death, without the ability, of obtainmg it, may be considered a figure of this extreme bitterness of conviction ; corresponding with the condition of a sufiferer 158 THE SEALED BOOK. upon the rack, from whom death is withheld till the confes- sion desired is extorted by the tortm-e inflicted ; the men thus tortui'ed being symbolical men, (dwellers upon the earth,) figures of prmciples of self-justification, undergomg the test or trial of a comparison with the requisitions of the law. The shapes* of the locust, " like unto war-horses," asso- ciates tliem with one or another of the horses seen on the opening of the foui* first seals ; apparently the fiery red horse, whose rider was armed with the sword of the law. Their crowns, as of gold, symboHze their triumph as prin- ciples of truth ; elements of a legal power not to be dis- puted. Their faces, as the faces of men, indicate that reason or wisdom which should prompt a counting of the cost in every contest ; as has been remarked in relation to the rider of the black horse, with his balances and tariff of prices. Theii' hair, as the hair of woman, (1 Cor. 11 : 15,) indicates their subservience to Gospel princij^les ; while their teeth, as the teeth of lions, symbolize their legal power otherwise. Their breast-plates (cuirasses) of iron indicate their own invulnerable character, as elements of that law of which every jot and tittle must be ful- filled. So, the soimd of their onset corresponds with the fearful alarm of the law, when carried home to the conscience. (Heb. 12 : 21.) Their power to imjustify^ (hurt,) vested in the sting of their tails, leads us to asso- ciate their action with that of the great dragon, (Rev. 12:4;) symbolizing a construction of the law in-espect- ive of its proper use in leading to Christ. The legal elements themselves are true, but the construction is false, * §? '212,214. FIFTH TEUMPET; FIRST WO. 159 for, as it is said, " If there had been a law given which could have given hfe, verily righteousness (justification) should have come by the law." (Gal. 3 : 22.) According- ly, the sting is here represented in the tail; as where the head of the serpent has been crushed, the. sting of this head 710 mcyi'e remains. The tail may also have reference to the misconstruction or misapprehension, as of the false prophet. (Is. 9 : 15.) These locusts had a king over them ; another feature distinguishing them from ordinaiy locusts. (Pro v. 30:27.) He is termed the angel of the bottomless pit, and his name, both m the Greek and Hebrew, signifies the destroy- er. As the agent or messenger of the legal host, emanat- ing from the bottomless pit-system, he is the destroyer of aU pretensions to self-justification. As coming from the bottomless pit, he may be also identified with the beast from the pit, by whom the two witnesses in sackcloth are killed, (Rev. 11 : 8 ;) in which respect he is also the des- troyer of witnesses of the truth, when their testimony, as we shall see, is delivered under a sackcloth-misconstruc- tion. As the king or chief of these accusatory principles of the law, the action of \M\^Appolyon^ (according with that of Satan, the accuser of the brethren ; Rev. 12 : 10,) we may presume him to be a personification of the same principle. Here his action is directed, and the exercise of his power is permitted to show the presumption of the earthly principles* of selfjustification, in contending with the legal elements necessarily evolved from the system itself, to which they belong.f * " Inhabiters of the earth," alluded to Rev. 8 : 13, in reference to this first wo. t §§ 215, 217. 160 THE SEALED BOOK. Scene : the Earth. — Second Wo. {Rev. 9 : 13-21.) On the soimding of the sixth trumpet, a voice is heard from the four horns of the golden altar.* The source whence this voice proceeds indicates a near connection of the object about to be presented with the sacrificial pur- poses of the altar. The golden altar is the true altar ; which, as we have before remarked, is a figure of the will, or Word of God, upon which, as upon an altar, the vicari- ous sacrifice of Jesus Christ was ofiered. (Heb. 5 : 7, 9.) The preceding trumpet having caused an exhibition of the folly of earthly pretensions to self-justification, the question next occurring is : " If the earthly system of wo7'lcs can not furnish the means of self-justification, can it furnish any adequate means of propitiation, to atone for the deficiency?" "What is the atonement it offers?" *' And what is the nature of it ?" The voice from the sacrificial department of the divine system of government, now apparently calls upon the earthly system to bring forward its pretended means of atonement, that its true character and action may be ex- hibited.! The great river Euphrates, Hke the great mountain, (Rev. 8 : 8,) is great only in the estimation of the " inhab- iters of the earth." In earthly estimation, too, it may be * The horns of the altar represent the power of the altar to save those flying to it for refuge. In number they correspond with the four corners of the earth, thus holding out the refuge to all mankind, (Exo. 29 : 12.) They also correspond with the limbs of the Lamb offered, and thus symbolize the power of perfecting the sacrifice. (Ps. 118 : 27.) + § 216. SIXTH trumpet; second ^vo. 161 also, as the name imports, very good or pleasant to look upon. As the prmcipal river of the Babylonish Empire, it is an opposite of the river of the water of life m the midst of the New Jerusalem ; it is thus a symbol of the pretended atonement fm-nished by the earthly system of works, supposed to be equivalent to any deficiency in the principles of the system just now shown to be insufficient for justification. The four angels* bound in this great river, are seeming- ly those commissioned to wijustify the earth, and the trees, and the sea. (Rev. 7 : 2.) They were then appar- ently restrained from acting on the rivers, or at least upon this great river ; now, " the hour, the day, the month, the year," has come — the crisis is reached, when this element is manifested to be as incapable of the work of propitia- tion, as the whole earthly system is of justification. Now, accordingly, the four angels prepared for this crisisf are loosed, and perform their office of ujijustifying this great river— this earthly system of atonement ; by exhibiting the legal nature of the prmciples of which it consists. The manifestation to be made is that the principles of this Euphratean plan of atonement, like those of the bot- tomless-pit system, are of a legal character, and instead of supplying any deficiency in the earthly principles of self- justification, must go to destroy them altogether, wherever the two are brought into action. The operation here, as in the preceding case, corresponds with that assigned to the * §§ 219, 220. t The crisis may correspond with that in the process of conversion, when the convicted sinner yet " ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish his own righteousness," aims at performing some work of merit to atone for his past transgressions. 162 THE SEALED BOOK. rider of the red horse, " to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another," both the river and the pit being earthly elements. This operation is figuratively represented as the issu- ing from the river of an immense number of armed horse- men, who immediately attack and slaughter the symboli- cal men of the earth, (men in the third sense.) The num- ber of these horsemen, (two hundred millions,) their weapons of offense, and their mode of fighting, are amply sufficient to afford the assurance that nothing literal is to be here understood. Taken together, the figure repre- sents the overwhelming requisitions of the broken law. As if, on the prmciples of the system of works, the law can not be fulfilled ; how much less, on the same princi- ples, can any delinquencies in that fulfiUment be atoned for? In both of these operations the wrath of the Lamb against self-righteous errors is exhibited, and the way for the triumph of the conqueror is preparing ; although the immediate action is committed to the riders of the red and black horses, the one with his sword, the other with his balances. The appearance of this immense body of cavalry is more characteristic of offensive warfare than that of the locust-scorpions.* The shapes of the locusts were like unto horses, and their faces as the faces of men; but here, there are both men and horses ; and both are armed, and both take a part in the contest. Instead of breast- plates of iron, the riders have breast-plates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone. The horsemen have not the teeth * §§ 221-223. SIXTH trumpet; second^ wo. 163 of lions, as the figure would not be compatible ; but the horses have the heads of lions, which includes the teeth ; and instead of alarming by the sound of their onset, the fire, and smoke, and sulphur, out of the mouths of the horses, are instruments of slaughter. Horses, as we have before noticed, symbolize power ; the riders being figures of the mind that directs that power. The purpose and the power of these legal elements are represented as con- stituting one agent. Here there is no instruction not to kill, but on the con- trary, the power both to kill or slay and to mijustify^ or hurt, is exercised. The killing is executed by the fire, the smoke, and the sulphur ; the unjustifying is performed by the tails of the horses ; for these "tails were like serpents and had heads," (including, of course the serpent's sting.)* Fire being a figure of the revealed word in its strictest sense, (the mind of the spirit, of which the letter is only the external mdication,) the action of this fire is the effi- cient agent in the destruction of the principles here figu- ratively spoken of as men, (inhabiters of the earth;) the sulphur represents the element of perpetuity, and the smoke indicates the fiery trial to which the principles act- ed upon are subjected, as in the furnace of the assayist. The heads of lions, including the teeth, indicate the judi- cial character of the whole operation.f The tails of the horses, like the tails of the locusts, sym- * Both head and sting, however, depend instnuraentally upon the tail ; as the action of the whole system depends upon a false construction of the revealed word. t So in the giving of the law from Mount Sinai, the smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace. The action of the locust-scorpion is represented as of short duration ; that of the serpent-tailed horse is endless. 164 THE SEALED BOOK. bolize that construction of the written word of revelation, which gives it the character of a minister of the law, rath- er than of a messenger of glad tidings. The tails are con- sequently like unto serpents, having the serpent's sting, and acting the part of legal accusers. As such they wijus- tify these earthly principles or pretensions of self-propi- tiation; showing their entire inadequacy to meet the requisitions of th e broken law. Under the Gospel dispensa- tion, the serpent's head has been crushed ; the law being fulfilled by Christ, the sting of the serpent is no more. But the earthly system, or plan of atonement by works, virtually sets aside the Gospel dispensation, and conse- queiijtly here the law is contemplated as in full force ; and the head of the serpent, in this view, never having been crushed, the sting possesses all its original power. Although principles of doctrine are only alluded to under these figures, the analogy is plain, that such is the folly of every pretension of man, either to justify himself in the sight of God, or to atone for his transgressions of the law, by any works or merits of his own. The development of the fifth trumpet, is a xoo to such of the dwellers upon the earth, (prmciples,) as depend upon the bottomless-pit system ; that of this sixth trumpet is a wo^ to those that depend upon the atoning power of their great river Euphrates. From the conclusion of the account of these two trials or tests,t it appears that, besides the principles tried, there are others belonging to this earth- ly system, termed the rest of the men, which remain un- * § 224. t Both of these are mysteries of Death and Hell unlocked^ or developed, by the Iceys before referred to. SIXTH trumpet; second wo. 165 changed, figuratively, " which repented not," not having changed their views. These are represented as idolaters, worshipping demons and idols of different materials, (the works of their OTra hands,) apparently symboHcal of princi- ples which set up works or meritorious actions of men as the means of their salvation ; thereby substituting such means in the place of their Saviour God. As that which saves a man, or which justifies him is his saviour, to which alone he is to be thankful for eternal life. If this be his own righteousness or merit, or any meritorious act of his own, (the work of his own hands,) such he must regard as his God : an idolatry more culpable than that of the ignorant savage, who worships the wooden image of his own making.* The murders, sorceries, (pharmacies,) fornications, and thefts, of this same "rest of the men," (earthly principles,) are capable of a hke construction ; murder, or blood guilti- ness, is chargeable upon those, who shed the blood of the holy witnesses imder the altar ; such are principles founded upon the letter of revelation, separated from the spirit, which is its hlood^ or life. Sorceries, or as the Greek signi- fies, 'pharmacies^ are false remedies for the disease of sin ; chargeable upon principles, setting up any other remedy, than that of the merits of Christ; so principles, main- taining any other mode of eternal happiness, than that of a union with Christ, are figuratively chargeable with fornications ; as those which would deprive the same di- vine Redeemer of any part of the glory, and praise, and gratitude, and service, due him in return for his work of * §§ 225, 226. 166 >' THE SEALED BOOK. salvation, are thieves and robbers ; of which we have a typical allusion in one of the prophets. (Mai. 3 : 8, 9.) Scene: Heaven. In the preceding exhibitions, resulting from the sound- ing of the first five trumpets, the scene is laid on the earth. We are now to witness a scene, corresponding with an exhibition of the councils in heaven. (Rev. 10 : 1-11.) Our attention, therefore, to the tissue of the dramatic action on earth, is to be for a time suspended. The stand- point of the apostle, it is to be remembered, is throughout in heaven, (Rev. 4:1,) where he sees at one time what is resolved upon above ; while he witnesses, also, from the same position, what is done below. Another mighty or strong angel (see Rev. 5 : 2) comes down from heaven clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head, his face as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire, — ^the sun of righteousness exhibited in the progressive work of trial. Comparing this description with that given of the one like unto the Son of Man, (Rev. 1 : 15,) we can not but consider this angel a persona- tion of Christ himself. The rainbow likewise indicating his near connection, as the messenger of the covenant, (Mai. 3:1,) with Him who sat upon the throne. Rev. 4:3; while this boio identifies him also with the rider of the white horse, going forth as a conqueror to conquer. His appearance in a cloud corresponds with the symbolical description of the conmig of our Lord, at the commencement of the vision, (Rev. 1:7;) whUe the whole TIME NO LONGER. -. 16 7 tenor of his action and language, indicates the character, not merely of a messenger, but of the Sovereign himself.* The little book in the hand of this angel, may be sup- posed to correspond in substance with the New Testa- mant revelation, (the new covenant.) The position of his right foot upon the sea, (the element of judicial wrath,) and of his left foot upon the land, or system of justifica- tion by works, exhibits his sovereign control over both. His voice as the roar of a lion, while it speaks him to be the Uon of the tribe of Judah, symbolizes the sovereign power of his voice over all other voices. The Son of God, veiled m the character of an angel, as in a cloud, is now about to develop the mystery of the new covenant.f The legal covenant, soon to be super- seded, as if alarmed at the approaching termination of its power, is about to bring forward all its claims ; its seven thunders — all the thunders of Sinai utter their last pro- test. These voices, however, are no longer to be re- garded — they are sUenced by that of divine sovereignty. The apostle is not even permitted to write them, or to put them on record — the protest is to be sealed up and laid aside. The Uttle book in the hand of the angel is an oj)en book. It is a revelation — open for investigation, as is the whole mystery of the divine will in the matter of man's redemp- tion. The Lamb has opened all the seals of the sealed book ; Christ himself being virtually the development of the mystery of God. (Col. 2 : 2.) The law and the pro- phets were until John, (the preaching of the latter inclu- " ^ 227. + ?§ 228,229. 168 THE SEALED BOOK. sive ;) since that, the kingdom of God is preached. Such is the crisis here. The oath of the angel is a farther evidence of his per- sonification of Him, who, since he could swear by no greater, sware by himself. (Heb. 6 : 13.) But the oath itself has also a peculiar bearing upon the subsequent representations. The angel swears that " there shall he time no longer^'''^ by which we understand that tune, in a literal sense, is not to be taken into consideration in the matter of the coming revelation ; for we find, immediately after that solemn declaration, that time shall he no longer^ several periods of time mentioned, all, however, resolva- ble into one and the same term. The solemnity of the asseveration seems necessary to fix our attention upon this point ; as otherwise we may lose sight of the real object of this vision, in our endeavors to know times and sea- sons, which are to be known only to the Ruler of the uni- verse. (Acts 1 : v.) But there is yet another important feature figuratively expressed in this declaration, namely, that the matter contained in the sounding of the seventh trumpet, completes the development of the mystery of God; corresponding with all that has been predicted by the prophets. This completion, consists as we aj)prehend, in that development of divine sovereignty, in which, as it is said, (Rev. 11 : 15,) the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of om- Lord, and of his Christ, that He (God in Christ) may be manifested to reign God over all.f * §§ 230-232. t Systems of faith or doctrine are here spoken of as kingdoms ; these systems being about to be manifested as subservient to the overruling prin- ciple or system of divine sovereignty. THE LITTLE BOOK. 169 After hearing the declaration* above mentioned, the apostle is directed to take the httle book from the hand ox this mighty angel ; which he does, and receives with it the further direction to eat it up ; admonishing him at the same time of its ejBfect, which corresponds, as he finds, with his experience ; being in his mouth sweet as honey ^ while it made his helly hitter. This effect apparently indicates the double sense of the revelation symbolized by the book. The angel is a per- sonification of the Son of God ; the book is a revelation committed by Jesus Christ to this apostle. It may refer to all that John has written, or it may refer to this vision alone ; in either case there is a Hteral and a spiritual sense in it, as our Lord said of his own teaching. The Spirit, quick- eneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, (John. 6 : 63,) and Paul, " The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life," (2 Cor. 3 : 6.) The words are spirit; they are to be understood in a spirit- ual sense ; under this construction, we suppose the helly to represent here, the literal or carnal sense — that which Paul terms the natural man^ (1 Cor. 2:14,) to whom the things of the spirit of God are fooUshness. The mouth, as being a part of the head, or seat of understanding, is equivalent here to the spii'itual mind by which spiritual things are discerned or expressed. (1 Cor. 2 : 14.) The distinction thus made is the more important as the apostle is told after eating the book that he is to prophesy again, or over again, concerning^ many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. That is, concerning these ele- * §§ 233, 234. + The Greek preposition translated here in our common version, before, properly signifies, concerning, iipon, or about. IVO THE SEALED BOOK. ments, apocalyptically so called, as we shall see in the sub sequent portion of the vision, (Rev. 11 : 9 ;) nations or Gentiles, etc., being figures correspondmg with that of the kings of the earth and their armies, (Rev. 16: 14; 19:18; 20 : 8,) although differhig in a certain respect. The unportance of the construction put upon the decla- ration,." that time shall be no longer," will be seen by the use we make of the several terms of time subsequently introduced in the revelation. That the reference is to these, appears the more probable as the eating of the httle book seems to be that which quahfies the apostle for j^roceeding with the remaining j^ortion of his relation, the matter con- sisting, in fact, of the contents of the little book. (See Ezekiel 3 : 1-4.) For this reason it is the more important to keep in view the distinction between the spiritual and literal or carnal senses — ^the mind of the spirit and the letter ; understanding by the first, the hidden or mystic sense,' bearing a certam analogy with the literal figure or expression.* Note.— The difference between bitter and sweet corresponds with the differ- ence between the law and the Gospel. Certain teachers spoken of as " they of the circumcision" are said to be " slow bellies," (Titus 1 : 12,) as the Jews were said to be sloio of heart. The language of revelation, understood in that sense which places the disciple under the law, is bitter ; when un- derstood in that sense which announces a free salvation, it is sweet, " The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life." Scene : the Eaeth : THE TEMPLE OP GOD, AND THE COURT OF THE TEMPLE IN VIEW. The dramatic series or tissue of the earthly portion of the exhibition, is now (Rev. 11 ; 1) resumed. The scene "- § 285. GENTILE POWER. 171 presented is that of the temple of God, the altar, and the worshippers within ; together with the exterior of the temple, the court around and about it. The temple, etc., are such in a spiritual or analogical sense, al- though the inhabiters of the earth are not supposed to per- ceive it hi that sense. The circumstances and transactions about to be presented, may be considered coincident with those before related. The same warfare (the wrath of the Lamb) is being carried on ; different particulars being exhibited of the same contest. The same conqueror is operating ; employing different troops for different ser- vices, or for assailing different points of the enemies' strong- hold. The locust-scorpion eo7'ps was employed in overcoming the pretensions of man's dependence upon his own works for justification ; and the Euphratean cavalry assail the pretensions of man's ability to atone for his transgressions by some propitiatory act of his own. While, as we shall see, the court of the temple and the Holy City are in possession of the Gentiles ; and the two witnesses are pro- phesying in sack-cloth. Indeed, these last circumstances, together with the suffering of the souls under the altar, may be said to have caused the necessity of the warlike measures previously represented : as the misconstruction of revelation, by shutting out a knowledge of the divine purpose of grace, renders it necessary to employ legal principles to overcome the elements of self-righteous and self-atoning pretensions. So in the assault of Gideon upon the Midianites, every man's sword in the enemies' host was against his fellow. The scene before us has not so much of a military 1Y2 THE SEALED BOOK. character, but it may be compared to a practice in ancient warfare of employing a herald to set forth to the inhabit- ants of a place besieged, the evils they are about to incur by persisting in their hostiUty. (Kings 18 : 35.) Li the present case, it is with the elements of the earthly system that the expostulation of the two heralds is employed, while it is the Beast from the bottomless pit that deprives these heralds, at a certain crisis, of the influence they might otherwise exercise. As the present is a temple and altar-scene, the matter analogous to it must be something relating to the worship of God, and the divine propitiatory oflering involved in that worship. The temple is a symbol of Christ himself; as it is only in him that the disciple can worship or serve God accept- ably. (Rev. Y : 15.) The altar represents, as already suggested, the will^ purpose, or mind of God ; that upon which the sacrifice is offered ; God's purpose, or plan of salvation, requiring the vicarious sacrifice of his Son. (Heb. 10 : 9.) * A reed or rod is given to the apostle with directions to measure the temple, and the altar, and the worshij)pers, (the elements of true worship.) As the apostle does not appear to have undertaken the task, the inference seems to be, that these elements are immeasurable ; as in the vision of the prophet, (Zech. 2 : 1-5,) and as according to Paul the length, and breadth, and depth, and heighth of the love of God in Christ are passing knowledge. (Eph. 3 : 18, 19.) t The inner portion of the temple corresponds, as a sym- * §§ 236-238. t §§ 239, 240. GENTILE POWER. 1^3 bol, with the spuit of all that is revealed in relation to the true worship of God. The outer court, on the contrary, represents the letter of revelation in the same particular. The Gentiles (nations) being opposites of those termed by Paul, Jews inwardly^ we take them to be principles of doctrine, adhering to the letter or carnal sense of the written word. These, having possession of the outer court, bar the access to the inner portion of the temple. As an adhesion to the literal or carnal sense of Scripture prevents a just view of its inner meaning; whether in reference to the true worship of God, or to a right under- standing of his plan of salvation. The Holy City, (the New Jerusalem, as we afterwards find it,) is a figure of the divine purpose of salvation, by grace; wliich purpose can not be justly discerned without attending to the spiritual sense of the written word; and this can not be discerned, so long as the letter only of revelation is adhered to ; figuratively, so long as the Holy City is trodden under foot of the Gentiles.* We perceive here the reason why the two witnesses, spoken of in this connection, are prophesying in sackcloth. Whether we consider them the two dispensations, (their testimony being contained in the Old and New Testa- ments,) or suppose them to represent the law and the proph- ets, (Rom. 3 : 21,) their testimony (as in sackcloth) affords reason to mourn, from that misconstruction of the re- vealed word which prevents a right understanding of God's plan of salvation, as well as the appointed way of access to the throne of grace. The witnesses prophesy in sach- cloth^ because the Holy City is in possession of the Gen- * §§ 241-243. 174 THE SEALED BOOK. tiles; and because the apj^roach to the inner temple is barred by the same obstructing power. "We may suppose besides, that on account of this captive position of the city and temple, the witnesses themselves can not give that tes- timony which the true sense of revelation would afford. Thus, as prophets, instead of annoimcing glad tidings of salvation, or being so^ understood ; as the letter killeth, they appear to be preachers only of the law ; or like him, who came fi'om the wilderness with a raiment of camel's hair, (sackcloth,) in the nature of the case, they can preach only the baptism of repentance. Their language is so understood, perhaps, although their testimony may be that of the Gospel. So, to those who do not discern in divine revelation, an exhibition of the love of God in Christ, the whole tenor of the Old and New Testaments appears a prophesying in sackcloth. The Holy City was to be in possession of the Gentiles forty-two months,* equal to twelve hundred and sixty days ; the term assign- ed for the j)rophesying of the two witnesses in sackcloth. Time literally being no more a subject of consideration, (Rev. 11 : 9,) these figurative tenns of duration are to be viewed only as symbolical equivalents ; showing a parity of circumstance, or coincidence of action, in the various subjects to which these periods (all resolvable into the same time or number of days) are assigned. As, in the pre- sent instance, so long as the Holy City is in the possession of, or trodden by the Gentiles, so long these witnesses prophesy in sackcloth. As ohvef trees, we suppose the two witnesses to be * § 240. t §§ 244, 245. WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. 175 messengers of peace* iii the sight and purpose of God ; before whom they are also two candlesticks, or exponents of his plan of salvation; but being clothed in sackcloth, (a li'gal construction put on their prophesying,) they do not appear to the dwellers upon the earth to be what they really are. As a part of the second wo^ their proph- esying corresponds with the action of the locust-scorpions, and of the Euphratean cavalry ; equivalent to convincing the world of sin. They exhibit the real action of the law in destroying all the pretensions of the earthly system. Such we suppose to be the character of the^re from their mouths, in destroying the elements of self-justification with which they have to contend. The power of these witnesses to shut heaven,f that it rain not, consists in their withholding any revelation of the heavenly provision of atonement. Turning the waters (of the earth) into blood, their prophesying shows the legal tendency of all earthly plans of atonement, to bring the law into action in its strictest judicial sense. Their smit- ing the earth with plagues symbolizes the effect of their prophesying, as in the administration of the tests of the same law to the principles of self-justification. Notwithstanding the extraordinary powers given to these two witnesses, when they have finished their testi- mony, in sackcloth^ the Beast from the bottomless pit overcomes and Idlls them.J The finishing alluded to, may correspond as a crisis with the termination of the legal dispensation. As we may say that although the law and the prophets, * Peace in the Gospel sense of the term, t §§ 246, 247. X % 248. 176 THE SEALED BOOK. in fact, preached or prophesied the Gospel, they did it under a legal construction, till the veil was rent by the consummation of the vicarious work of Christ ; wherever and whenever the law and the prophets are understood in this legal sense, there and then the two witnesses are prophesying in sackcloth. In this garb, or as we may say, under this disadvantage, the Beast, or leading principle of the bottomless-j)it system, is able to overcome and to kill them ; separating the letter from the spirit of their prophesying, and keeping the latter out of sight.* For we may suppose the overcoming and the killing of these witnesses to be the means by which their testimony is finished ; consequently they are only overcome because they are prophesying in sackcloth. As we may say, the principle of self-justification, however baseless it may be, will triumph over the preaching of the Gospel, wherever that Gospel is imperfectly represented, or is under the disadvantage of a legal construction — which construction necessarily follows a substitution of the letter of revelation for the spirit. The two prophets being dead, their bodies lie in the streets of the great cityf three days and a half Days, here are put for years, to be in keeping with the remain- der of the figure. A longer term than this for a dead human body to be in the street, would involve the idea of corruption, which is not in this case admissible. These * The possession of the city and court of the temple by the Gentiles, may be both cause and effect of the prophesying in sackcloth, and consequently of the inability of the witnesses to withstand the power of Apollyon, foi' such we suppose the Beast to be. t §§ 249, 250. WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. 1*77 symbolical three and a half days, are therefore equiva- lent to forty-two months or twelve hundred and sixty days, showing that these terms figuratively synchronise — indicating a parity of circumstance. The dead bodies of the witnesses in the street of the great city, corresponding as a figure in kind, though not in degree, with their prophesying in sackcloth elsewhere.* The dead bodiesf of the witnesses represent the letter of their testimony only, whereas the prophesying in sack- cloth represents their testimony under a legal construc- tion. So divine revelation may be misconstrued by one class of readers or hearers, who admit its spirit partially ; while, in the view of another class, as far as the Gospel meaning is concerned, it is but a body without the spirit. This last condition is that most favorable to the principles figm-atively spoken of as "they that dwell upon the earth." For which reason they are represented as re- joicing and making merry over the bodies. Principles of self-justification are thus supposed, figuratively, to rejoice over an interpretation of the Scriptures, in which the sense of the spirit is entirely banished from consideration. The reason given for this rejoicing is, that the two proph- ets, notwithstanding the disadvantage of the sackcloth covering, tortured (tried as on the rack) these symbolical principles of justification by works, (the earthly platform.) But there is another class of spectators, who apparently manifest a different interest in these dead bodies, which the * The two conditions are coincident, the prophesying in sackcloth, and the state of the dead bodies, (the letter without the spirit,) being different illustrations of the same view. t § 248. 178 THE SEALED BOOK. dwellers of the earth, apparently, would gladly have remov- ed out of sight. These are they of " the people, kindreds, and tongues, and nations ;" (the pleonasm of the expression indicating its symbolical character.) These will not suffer the dead bodies to be buried. They appear to be such as are represented elsewhere as waiting to see whereof these things would come; somewhat like those disciples of our Lord, who after his crucifixion still thought that it was he who was to have redeemed Israel in a literal sense. The spectators of this class appear to resemble persons not understanding the spirit of revelation but cherishing the letter of it, with the persuasion that there must be a spirit-meaning yet to be revealed. The difference seems to be essentially that " the dwellers upon the earth" (principles of self-justifica- tion) are incorrigible. They are not be changed exce|)t by the changing of the earth, or earthly system upon which they rest. (Rev. 21 : 1.) The better class* cor- responds with that of principles resting upon the literal con- struction, and needing only the addition of the spiritual un- derstanding to correct their views. We shall have occasion to notice this distinction hereafter ;f meantime we may remark that the figurative appellation of "the dwellers upon the earth," or " inhabitants of the earth," is not em- ployed after the account of the fall of Babylon, although they may be supposed to be enumerated in the armies of the kings of the earth, defeated and destroyed by the sword out of the mouth of the rider of the white horse. (Rev. 19 : 18-21.) (See Appendix F.) The bodies of the witnesses are said to he " in the street of the great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt ; * §S 251, 252. t See Note on Gentllea in Appendix. WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. 179 where also our Lord was crucified ;"* according to these ai^pellations, this city is an opposite of the Holy City ; we think it will prove to be the same as Babylon. It is called great ironically, because it is great in the estimation of the dwellers upon the earth. As Nebuchadnezzar said of the capital of his empire, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built ?» The city represents a system of faith — a doctrinal mys- tery. The three appellations given to it indicate certain doctrinal features of the system, bearing an analogy with the distinguishing characteristics of the cities enumerated. Sodom was a city of impurity, and as such is a figure of the mixed motives and principles of all self-righteous views : Egypt was a land of bondage, symbolizing the legal features of the system alluded to; and the city where our Lord was crucified, was a city of Pharisaical self-justification, as weU of literal interpretation. All these features enter into the composition of the system afterwards represented as the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth ; Babylon, as the name imports, being a system of confused elements. It is in the midst (street) of such a confused mixture of doctrinal principles that the letter of divine revelation may be found without its spu'it or spirit-sense, (its analogical sense.) f The letter of revelation, Uke these dead bodies,J waits only the reiinion of this spirit-sense (its right interpreta- * §§ 249-250. t §§ 251, 252. X The terms of time being equivalents, the events connected with them are not successive, but coincident, as different figures of the same thing, ter- minating also coincidently ; the witnesses are not killed till the 1260 days expire. Nor are they resuscitated till the power of the Beast is ended. 180 THE SEALED BOOK. tion) to manifest its accordance with a just view of the divine plan of salvation, a manifestation figm'atively de- scribed as a -restoration to life of the two prophets, and their call and ascension up into heaven in a symbolical cloud. This manifestation of the true meaning of the written word, whether we apply it to the law and the prophets, or to the two dispensations, necessarily produces a great commotion* in the earthly system or platform of justification by works ; figuratively an earthquake or shak- ing attended by the fall of a tenth of the city, and the killing of (according to the Greek) seven thousand names of men. The scene we have just witnessed is a temple scene. The tenth, or tithe^ of the great city, we suppose has reference to that feature of the system which relates to the worship of God ; as such it symbohzes an opposite of the true principles upon which God is to be worshipped. The tithe figure being an opposite of the immeasurable temple of God. (Rev. 11 ; 1.) Among the errors of the earthly system of works, we may suppose that of the service or worship of God upon mercenary principles to be perhaps the most prominent, as it appears by what is said of the self-justifying Phari- sees, (Luke 11 : 42,) that they considered the payment of tithes, in which they were very precise, the establish- ment of a merit in the sight of God ; a work of will- wor- ship for which they were entitled to a reward or compen- sation. The tithe of the city is thus employed, seemingly, as a figure of this error of will-worship generally, and it * §§ 253-255. WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. 181 is by the development of the spirit of revelation* belong- ing to the letter that this error is destroyed ; figuratively, by which the tenth or tithe of the city falls. The seven thousand names of men kiUed, are apparently figures of all the principles belonging to this characteristic of the tithing element. The number seven symbolizing the whole of the subject under treatment, and the thousands (or decimals) representing an indefinite nmnber, in keep- ing with the figure or symbol employed. The. remnant^ or rest, it is said, were affrighted, and gave glory to God ; affrighted, we may suppose, but not converted, and giving glory to God without recognizing the glory due to the Lamb. As it is said of the specta- tors of a certain miracle performed by Jesus Christ, " great fear came upon all, and they glorified God," without, how- ever, recognizing him who had performed the miracle, even in the character of their expected Messiah, (the Lamb of God.) This remnant we accordingly suppose to be put for all of the other principles of the earthly system ; being pro- oably the same remnant that is said (Rev. 9 : 20) not to have repented of the works of their hands; the same remnant afterwards represented as perishing by the sword out of the mouth of the rider of the white horse. Their end, however, at present is not yet revealed. f Here we have the conclusion of the second wo, and of * Represented as the restoration of the spirit of life to the two prophets. This crisis, we may presume, corresponds with that of the triumph over the Beast b/the Word of God, (Rev. 19 : 20;) when the seclusion of the true wife, etc., terminates also. (Rev. 12 : 6, 14.) t §§ 256, 257, 182 THE SEALED BOOK. the sounding of the sixth trumpet. The loo to the inhabit- ants of the earth or earthly principles, consisting in the action of the Euphratean cavahy, showing the legal opera- tion of the earthly plan of atonement, (the impractica- bility of any atonement by man through the merit of his own works.) As also iu the prophesying or preaching of the two witnesses in sackcloth, showing the inconsistency of the principles of divine worship, under Gentile con- struction, with that arrangement of sovereign grace, through which alone in Christ, and in return for the immeasurable love exhibited m his vicarious work, God can be truly worshipped.* Note — As we consider the occupation of the court of the temple and posses- sion of the city by the Gentiles, the prophesying of the witnesses in sack- cloth, and the condition of the dead bodies ; as well as the seclusion and persecution of the woman, and the reign of the beast, (afterwards related,) different aspects or illustrations of the same prevalence of error; it follows that, when this figurative period expires, the Holy City and court of the temple are relieved from the occupation of the Gentiles — a release from captivity prophetically alluded to perhaps by the Psalmist. (Ps. 14 : 7.) The termination of all these hindrances to the knowledge of the truth, coinciding with the victory of the. "Word of God over the Beast, the false prophet, and Satan. By the same scale we learn that the Beast from the bottomless pit is himself overcome, coincidently with the killing of the two witnesses. This pro'pliesying of the two witnesses in sackcloth, may compare with that of the law and the prophets, contemplated under a construction of the Mter, by which their real Gospel purport is hid, (2 Cor. 4 : 3,) so hid that they appear to be only the utterance of judicial denunciation, with solemn admonitions to repentance. When this sackcloth construction is removed, and the spirit of the letter (both of the law and the prophets) is perceived, the Gospel purport being no longer Md, the city is delivered from captivity ; the covenant of grace being fully revealed, the true principles of divine worship are developed. The saints (elements of evangelical truth) are no longer overcome. The * ?? 250, 257. WITNESSES IN SACKCLOTH. 183 new dispensation is seen taking the place of the old, as the new Jerusalem (once the persecuted woman) is seen, as it were, descending from heaven. All things are thus comcidently made new. Truth developed in one particu- lar, being attended with a like development of truths in all other par- ticulars. 184 THE SEALED BOOK. CHAPTER III. SEVENTH TEUMPET SOUND — THIRD WO — CHOETJS — "WAR IN HEAVEN THE BEAST FROM THE SEA THE BEAST FROM THE LAND ^THE IMAGE AND THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST, Act rH. Sce7ie: Heaven. CHORUS. We are now come to the third chorus of many voices, (Rev. 11 : 15,) corresponding with the second stasimon of the Greeks ; the matter intervening between this and the next chorus (Rev. 14 : 1) comprehending a scene in heaven and a scene on the earth. The song of this chorus is called forth by the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet ;* the last of the three trumpets of which the voices were declared to be a cause of wo to the inhabiters of the earth ; of which last voices, it was also said, that in its days " the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants, the prophets ;" by which we understand that, whatever the development of this voice may be, it must accord with what has been before announced by prophets and apostles ; while it com- pletes also all that is to be revealed of the subject of the vision. The burden of this choral songf is a rejoicing over facts known in heaven, but yet to be revealed (exhibited) on * § 258. • t §§ 259, 2«0. SEVENTH TEUMPET CHORUS. 185 the earth. For there can be no doubt that the kingdoms of this world, in every sense, have always been subject to the Lord Almighty : but that these kingdoms, in a doc- trinal sense, are become those of Jehovah and his Christ, and that He (the two in one) shall reign for ever, are to be made manifest ; as is symboUcally done in this revela- tion. The purport of this trumpet's voice, accordmgly corresponds with the end referred to by the apostle Paul, when God shall be manifested to be all in all. Such is the announcement of the great voices in heaven (Rev. 11 : 15-18) responded to by the four and twenty elements of divine revelation, represented as falling on their faces and worshipping God, saying : " We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come, (the eternal ;) because thou hast taken to thy- self thy great power, and hast reigned ;" meaning evi- dently because this has been manifested. The preceding chorus (Rev. 7 : 10) ascribed salvation to God and the Lamb ; the present chorus ascribes all power to God alone. The difference can be explained no other- wise than as the apostle Paul explains it ; that in the end here contemplated, the Son is manifested to have given up the kingdom to the Father. " The nations," as is said by these elements of revela- tion, " were angry or raged ;* corresponding with what is said of the heathen, (Ps. 2:1;) and thy wrath, or rage, is come ; and the time of the dead that they should be judged; and that thou shouldst give reward to thy servants, the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, and shouldst destroy them that corrupt the * § 261. 186 THE SEALED BOOK. earth." These things are contemplated by the chorus as things done, in which respect the expressions forereach upon the conckision of the vision — referring to the whole exhibition resulting from the voice of this last trumpet. The raging of the nations is to be seen under the reign of the ten-horned Beast, and false prophet, and in those corrupted by Babylon ; in the gathering together of the Beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, (Rev. 19:9,) and in the attack of the Gog and Magog host upon the camp of the saints. The " great power" alluded to, is manifested in the destruction of these elements that corrupt the earth ; such as the Beast, the false prophet, the harlot, Satan, Death, and Hell, and the elements con- nected with them. The time of the dead^ corresponds with the judgment-scene described. (Rev. 20 : 12-15.) As the reward to be given to the faithful, corresponds with the dignity and privileges granted to the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, (Rev. 20:4;) while the sovereignty of the Lord God (his taking to himself his great power and reigning) is manifested more particularly at the close of the vision. Thus the song of this chorus of the twenty-four elders, contains in effect, a summary of all that is developed by the voice of this last trumpet. Scene : in Heaven. THE TEMPLE OE GOD OPEN — THE AEK WITHIN THE TEM- PLE IN SIGHT — LIGHTNINGS, VOICES, THUNDERINGS, SHAKING, AND GEEAT HAIL. In the preceding temple-scene,t the spectator was per- * §§ 2G2, 263. t §5 264, 265. THE WOMAN, THE CHILD, THE DEAGON. 187 mitted to see only the outside of the temple, " the court, and those that worship therein." The inner temple is now exhibited, affording a sight of the ark of the testament, or covenant ; a symbol of the divine plan of salvation by grace : as the voices, lightnings, etc., symbolize the claims of the legal covenant ; the thunderings of Sinai. The scenery^ as we may term it, corresponding with the exhi- bition about to be given of the contending elements in the coimcHs of heaven ; as of the claims of the broken law on one side, and those of the Gospel on the other : or of the power of legal condemnation on one side, and that of sovereign grace on the other. Upon the opening of this scene, there appeared in hea- ven a great symboHcal figure or sign : a woman* clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. The word translated here, woman^ is elsewhere rendered by the term ^^/e, a married woman, and may be so considered here, as we shall find subsequently this woman to be identic with the wife of the Lamb. Here, she is not announced in her true charac- ter ; although her array might indicate it. She is clothed mth the rays of the Sun of righteousness ; (His righte- ousness being her righteousness ;) a dress corresponding with that of the bride. (Rev. 19:8.) The moon, the harbinger of glad-tidings, is under her feet, and the crown of twelve stars (the number of the apostles) indicates their testimony, or collectively, that of the whole New Testament, to her final triumphant course. f As the rider of the white horse went forth also crowned, in token of his final triumph, we may consider the two * § 26G. t §§ 267, 268. 188 THE SEALED BOOK. figures symbolical of the same thing ; the word, or pur- pose of God, corresponding with the contents of the ark just being exposed. The condition of the woman, prior to the birth of the child, may be compared to that of the new covenant under the old dispensation ; as withheld, and that for four thou- sand years, till the power of the law to give life had been tried. The pains of travail alluded to, correspond with the extreme difficulty of the case, m which the demands of justice could be reconciled with those of mercy only by the sacrifice of the Son of God. Simultaneously with the appearance of this woman, another great sign is seen in heaven, (a symbolical figure also ;) a gr edit fiery red dragon* or serpent, having seven heads and ten horns. From what is afterwards said of this dragon, we perceive that he is the legal adversary, intent upon the condemnation of man, and consequently the opposer of the divine purpose of salvation by grace. Hence his ten hor7is may be taken to represent the power of the law ; the number of horns corresponding with the decalogue, or summary of the divine law. His seven heads probably represent so many elements of the accu- satory power — purposes by which the broken law is brought into action ; but it is sufficient here to consider them as one head, (seven being a symbol of totality,) and that head containing the sting of legal death or condemnation. The tail of this serpentf drew the third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. The stars of heaven, in the third sense, are the lights of divine revelation, as contained in the sacred Scriptures. To cast or drag * §§ 269-272. t § 273. THE WOMAN, THE CHILD, THE DRAGON. l89 these stars to the earth is to bring these lights ot divine revelation, by misconstruction or misinterpretation, do^vn to a level with the earthly system of justification by works. The ftinction of this tail of the serpent, is accordhagly equivalent to that of a false prophet ; as it is said, (Is. 9 : 15,) " The prophet that teacheth lies he is the tail." A prophet here, as in other parts of the sacred writings, being not merely one who foretells coming events, but also any one who undertakes to interpret divine revelation (the purposes of God) by an exposition of the written word. Such a one may be either a true or a false prophet. In the figurative language of the apocalypse, the prophet is put for the prophecy. So the tail of the serpent here represents the false construction, itself, by which the letter of the written word without the spirit, is made to sub- serve the purposes of the legal adversary. The tail of the dragon and the two-horned beast, being two figures of the same false interpretation. On the seven heads of the serpent were seven diadems^ not merely crowns^ (such as were given to successful com- petitors in the games,) but diadems symbolizing the pre- tensions of the great serpent to sovereignty; as the assumption of the diadem was equivalent, amongst the Romans, to a pretension to imperial power and authority. The dragon thus pretends to a power derived fi-om that of the law, (Luke 3 : 5, 6,) even superior to the element of divine sovereignty itself. This serpent,t such as he has been described, stood before the woman ready to devour her child as soon as it was bom : a symbolical representation of the attitude of * § 272. t 55 274. 190 THE SEALED BOOK. the broken law, in its relation to the divine purpose of salvation by grace. That divine purpose is represented by the woman ; and the offspring of that gracious pur- pose, (the vicarious sacrifice of Christ,) by the child : " the child Jesus," in whom this propitiatory element was impersonated. We shall find indeed, in the end, that this mother and cliild are one : but here, as elsewhere in the Scriptures, different figures are employed for the same sub- ject, for the purpose of affording some illustration peculiar to each figure. The purpose of God, however, is not to be frustrated. The woman brings forth the man-child,* who is to rule all nations with a rod or sceptre of iron (with perfect sove- reignty) corresponding with the promise to the conqueror, (Rev. 2 : 26, 27 ; )with the promise to the Son of God, (Ps. 2:9;) with an attribute of the rider of the white horse, (Rev. 19 : 15 ;) and with the appellations of the cliild spoken of by the prophet. (Is. 9 : 6, 7.) The sovereignty destined for this child is over all principles, including those of the law. His position is in direct hostility to that of the serpent. The aim of the legal adversary is thus from the beginning, to swallow up this element of divine pro- pitiation by the power of the law over the transgressor, (" the soul that sitmeth.") The difficulty of the case, as a question of principle, is again illustrated here by the manner in which the child is saved ; perhaps, we may say, the only manner in which it could be saved. The child was caught up to God and his throne ; equivalent to a manifestation that this vicarious element of propitiation is itself an element of divine sove- - §§ 275, 270. THE WOM.^JN, THE CHILD, THE DRAGON. 191 reignty — an attribute of God and his throne. An attri- bute of Him, who being the creator and possessor of all things, and by whom all things were created, has a right to do as he will with his own—ihQ maker of the law only having a right to dispense with or to modify its requisi- tions. (Mark 2 : 28. Luke 6:5.) The woman fled* into the wilderness, where, as it is rep- resented, she has a place prepared for her, for a period corresponding with that assigned for the possession of the Holy City by the Gentiles, the prophesying of the wit- nesses in sackcloth, and, as is seen afterwards, the reign of the ten-horned Beast. (Rev. 13 : 5.) The plan of salvation deprived of its distinguishing fea- ture, the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, is in a state of seclu- sion, corresponding with the condition of this woman m the wilderness. God's plan of salvation, without an exhibi- tion of the propitiation of Christ, can not be discerned, or it appears to be no other than a legal dispensation. The prevalence of the errors of false construction, before ex- hibited symbolically, may be considered both cause and effect of tliis seclusion ; for where the divine plan of salva- tion is recognized in its proper light, these errors or causes of error can not exist ; and if it were not for the literal and carnal construction, and partial development of truth, alluded to under the figure of the power of the Gentiles over the Holy City, the influence of the prophe- sying in such clothing, and the state of the dead bodies of the witnesses, there would be no room for the misunder- standing of the plan of salvation ; these operations corre- * §§ 277, 278, 192 THE SEALED BOOK. spending with the action of the dragon's tail in bringing the stars of hearen to earth. On the other hand, when the man-child again makes his appearance, as we shall find he does in the persons of the Rider of the white horse and of the Bride or Lamb's wife, with whom he is identified, then the divine plan of salvation is understood, and overcomes all opposmg prin- ciples ; the element of vicarious sacrifice peculiar to it being in effect, the sceptre or rod destined, figuratively, to rule over all nations, (Gentile principles.) Time being out of the question, we are not to under- stand the " war in heaven," mentioned here, as commenc- ing, Uterally, at any particular period. It is a contest of principles, which must have always existed: "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels."* Michael, from the signification of his name, (" who is Hke unto God ?") appears to be a personation of divine sovereignty, the angels or messengers being the subordi- nate principles of that sovereignty. The dragon, as is seen by his diadems^ is a pretender to the same sovereign- ty; enforcing his claims by the power of the law — ^his ten horns. He is, besides, afterwards declared to be " that old serpent," (the tempter of the woman in Para- dise,) " the devil," the accuser or prosecutor under the law, and Satan, the adversary of the divine plan of re- demption. His first operation was to bring his victim under the power of the law ; his second effort is to en- force the penalty of the broken law, and his third attempt * §§ 279, 280. THE WAR IN HEAVEN. 193 is to defeat the divine plan of redemption by urging the supremacy of the requisitions of the law perverting the whole economy of redemption, (Gal. 1 : 7.) The con- test represented, is accordingly that of the power of divine sovereignty, as exercised in God's plan of salvation, and the power of the broken law in its condemnation and eternal ruin of the transgressor. The result of the contest is such as corresponds with the whole purport of the Gospel. "The dragon prevailed not — ^neither was there any more place found for him in heaven." The element of divine sovereignty triumphs. The law being fulfilled by Christ, (according to God's purpose of sovereign grace,) the power of the broken law ceases. The accusing element in enforcing the penalty of transgression has no more place in the heavenly coun- sels, or in that exhibition of them which is figuratively termed heaven. The dragon was cast out* into the earth, and his angels or messengers were cast out with him. It is now only in the earthly system of justification by works of the law that the devil or Satan finds a place. The reign or king- dom, the strength and the salvation of God, and the power of his anointed^ are proclaimed to be manifested in heaven although not yet developed on earth, f So the triumph of the attribute of divine sovereignty, through the power of the sacrifice of Christ, is set forth in the sacred Scriptures, when those are rightly understood. But under a false construction, the same Scriptures exhibit * §§ 281, 282. t Compare with Luke 10 : 18 ; Is. 14 : 12. 194 THE SEALED BOOK. only an earthly view, as a way of salvation by works of the law. Corresponding vrith the idea that the war here describ- ed symbohzes a struggle between contending principles, we suppose the brethren^ spoken of, as heretofore accused contmually by the dragon, to be the elements or princi- ples of the plan of salvation by grace, which principles we may imagine to have been accused of licentiousness, or of that tendency. As the preaching of Paul appears, from his epistle to the Romans, to have been not without accusers of this character. These brethren^ however, are said to have overcome their accuser " by the blood of the Lamb."* The legal adversary, Satan, urges the demands of the broken law, as something not be satisfied except by the death (con- demnation) of the transgressor, and as a consequence accuses the principles of the plan of salvation by grace with disregard for the divine law itself. "With this pre- tended zeal for the law he assumes, as it is said of him, the appearance of an angel of light. The elements of God's plan of mercy meet the accusation and overcome it by urging the all-sufficiency of the atonement of Christ (the blood of the Lamb) to satisfy the requisitions of divine justice ; enabling the sovereign to be just and yet to just- ify in the appointed way, the transgressor of his laws. The law being magnified in the exhibition of the costli- ness of the sacrifice demanded for its 'satisfaction. (Is. 42 : 21.) For the triumph of these Gospel principles, the heavensf * §§ 285-285, t g 286. THE WEATH OF THE DEAGON. 195 (the whole body of divine revelation) are figuratively- called upon to rejoice. For the same reason, that is, on account of the defeat of the accuser and his expulsion fii'oni the heavenly councils, together with his subsequent resort to the earthly system, a wo is pronounced on the elements of that system, with those of its adjunct — the symbolical sea. The inhabiters of the earth, being princi- ples of self-justification, have reason to dread, although not aware of it, the admission of the legal accuser amongst them ; because his action must necessarily be to try the strength of their pretensions. For the same reason the inhabiters of the sea, represented by ships or arks, (human inventions of safety,) have reason to dread the visitation ; the real power of the sea, with its waves roaring, being brought out by the rage of this legal advocate, showing at the same time the insufficiency, in the hour of trial, of these means of safety. Sceiie: the Eaeth. Excluded from the heavenly plan of divine government, the avenger of the broken law, as he professes to be, is driven to seek a place in the earthly platform ;* where he finds full scope for the exercise of his power ; as those de- pending upon the merit of their own works, necessarily expose themselves to condemnation for every act of diso- bedience or neglect of duty m heart or action. The first eJQTort of Satan (in the earthly system) is to banish from sight the divine purpose of salvation by grace : figuratively persecuting the woman till she is driven into * § 287. 196 THE SEALED BOOK. the wilderness. Here, indeed, she is protected by the symbolic over-shadowing of the spirit of truth, (the com- forter ;) the two wings of a great eagle, till the crisis of development is reached, when this symbohc veiling is re- moved, and she appears, as she afterwards does, in her true character — that of the bride of the Lamb. Meantime, her seclusion"^ m the wilderness (the earthly system) corresponds as a figure, with the possession of the Holy City by the Gentiles,t the prophesying of the wit- nesses in sackcloth, the state of then- dead bodies in the great city, and the reign of the ten-horned beast. These several coincidences, as also the woman's deprivation of her child, aU combining by divine arrangement to place her in this wilderness position.^ The water from the mouth of the serpent§ cast forth as a flood, and taken up by the earth, corresponds with the power of the broken law, which acts only on the earthly plan of justification by works; the covenant of grace * §§ 288, 289. t A time, times and half a time, or one year, two years and half a year, being equivalent to forty-two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, or three and a half annual days. X As, according to the Greek order, (Rev. 21 : 1,) the apostle saw " heaven new and earth new," perhaps we may say in respect to this woman, it is not so much the individual as it is the aspect under which she is contemplat- ed, that constitutes the peculiarities of her position. Under a true con- struction, God's plan of salvation appears symbolically a garden of Eden— a paradise : under a false construction, the same plan appears a desert. The atonement of Christ being lost sight of, it is a wilderness where there is no water. (Ps. 63 : 1.) So under a false construction, the wife of the Lamb may be made to appear as a harlot, disguised in the trappings of the legal covenant, the heavenly Jerusalem thus contemplated being converted into a Babylon. § § 290. THE TEN-HOENED BEAST. 197 (the -woman) being as safe from its effects as was the ark of old amidst the deluge of waters.* The dragon, defeated in his purpose of overwhelming the woman by the accusatory deluge from his mouth, di- rects his further efforts against the remnant of her off- spring. The child (the divine element of vicarious sacri- fice) being protected from every assault by the attri- bute of divine sovereignty : the hostility of Satan is now directed against the other elements of the divine plan of salvationf — ^figuratively those that keep (as in custody) the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. This war, as we shall see, the arch-adversary carries on by insidiously endeavoring to substitute a prin- ciple, the opposite of that of sovereign grace and a mys- tery, or plan of salvation, the opposite of that revealed in the Gospel.J; Prior to the relation of this " war in heaven," our at- tention was taken up with an exhibition of the wrath of the Lamb against the elements and principles of the earthly system, (the productions of the earth and its inhabiters.) We are now to witness, for a while, the action of the wrath of the dragon, dm-ing the short period of his power on earth ; after which we shall see the two parties more immediately in contest with each other. Succession of time, however, is not to be taken in consideration. The * The woman deprived of her child appears cast off, forsaken, deso- late. The remedy apparently would be to restore the child, but the design seems to be to show that the woman and child are in effect one, symbolized also by the marriage of the bride and the Lamb. Their separation destroys the character of both ; as in the separation of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ from the plan of salvation by grace, and mce versa. t § 291. X % 292, 198 THE SEALED BOOK. matter about to be represented, is to be contemplated as coincident with what has been previously represented — different illustrations of the same contest. Sceiie : The Mabgin of the Sea. The apostle, though in heaven, has in vision a position or stand-point, on the sand of the sea-shore : a position* corresponding with that of one who, in sight, as it were, of " the sea, and its waves roaring," builds his house upon the sand — the earthly foundation of human pretensions to merit. Not that the apostle himself is under this delu- sion, but that he is so placed as to see certain objects in the light that the dioellers upon the earth view them — a certain despotic power, for example, is about to be de- scribed, which these men of the earth regard as equal to the Deity, although in the sight of God that power is but as the dust of the balance. A beast, not merely a living creature, but according to the Greek, a ferocious, carnivorous animal, is seen to rise out of the sea. Judicial vengeance with its terrors giving birth to a principle or mystery, which, in effect, claims to occupy the place of the God of our salvation. This ferocious animalf has seven heads and ten horns, corresponding with those of the great red dragon, and, as this latter is afterwards said to have given his power and great authority to the Beast, we may presume the heads and horns of both to be the same ; with this difference, that the dragon bore upon his seven heads seven diadems, while the beast bears ten diadems upon his ten horns. These ten horns collectively, we have supposed to sym- * § 293. t §§ 294, 295. THE TEN-HORNED BEAST. lf)0 V bolize the power of the law. The diadems being sym- bohc of sovereignty, the Beast hypocritically ascribes his sovereignty to the power of the law ; while the dragon, as we have seen, imscrupiJoiisly claims that attribute for himself; at least in respect to the kingdoms of the earth, and their glory. (Luke 4:6.) The Beast, however, bears upon his heads the name of blasphemy, indicating that in reahty, his purpose and pretensions (making him- self equal with God) are equivalent to assuming the dia- dem, or to placing that insignia of supreme authority upon his own heads.* The general appearance of this Beast was that of a Leopard, an animal most remarkable for the indelible spots of his skin. His feet were those of a bear, (ugly and swift to shed blood ;) opposites of the beautiful feet bringing glad tidings of peace. His mouth was hke that of a lion uttering denunciations terrible as the Hon's roar. To this beast the di'agon gave his power, his throne or seat, and his great authority ; great in the estimation of the dwellers upon the earth : his power, that of the ten horns of the law, and his seat, throne, or tribunal, the function of accuser and prosecutor, or avenger of the broken law. The ten-horned beast may, therefore, be considered ia every respect, the representative of Satan himself—" the accuser of the brethren," the enemy of the element of divine propitiation, and the persecutor of the woman, or, in other words, the adversary of the divine purpose of salvation by grace — ^the Word of God. One of these blasphemous heads was, as it were, slaugh- tered to death ;t symbolizing a sacrifice to propitiate death, * §§ 296, 297. t § 298. 200 THE SEALED BOOK. apparently the covenaut of deatli alluded to, Is. 38 : 15. Death bemg throughout one of the personifications of this apocalyptic exhibition. The death-woimd, however, of this head was healed, and all the earth wondered after the beast, apparently on account of this supposed trium- phant healing or resuscitation of his slaughtered and resuscitated head. As this death and restoration of a head appears to be a sort of simulation or imitation of the death and resurrec- tion of Christ, we may presume this blasphemous head to be the figure of a pretension to atoning power equiva- lent to that of the sacrifice of the Son of God. This head we denominate accordingly that of self-'propitiation^ presuming the others to be of like character; such as self-dependence, self-justification, self-regeneration, self- sanctification, self-glorification, self-purification. All these principles are blasphemous, as resultuig in pretensions to an equahty with God; as such, they may be oppo- sites of the seven spirits of God, symbolized by the seven lamps before the throne, and the seven horns and seven eyes of " the Lamb as it had been slain." The seven heads thus represent seven modes in which the mystery of iniquity symbolized by the Beast is exhibited ; as the seven lamps are figures of so many operations of the Holy Spirit, by which the power of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ is manifested, as emanating from the attribute of divine sovereignty. We are not tenacious, however, of these several appellations, but put them forth rather as suggestions for consideration.* The spotted skin of the leopard, black and white, and * See note on the seven spirits of God, at the close of the volume. THE TEN-HORNED BEAST. 201 rather a dingy white too, corres23onds with that pretended garment or robe of righteousness, which even professing Christians may in imagination weave for themselves, and to which they trust ; a garment of salvation composed partly of their own merits and partly of the righteousness of Christ.* Takuig these pecuhar characteristics into view, and bearing ui mind that the whole vision is intended for the admonition of certain Christian assemblies, we consider this Beast the symbol of a spii'it or principle of a doctrinal sys- tem or mystery of error (perhaps the mystery itself per- sonified) entering into or fornnng the views more or less of members of the visible Church of Christ; perverting the faith by its apparent zeal for the law, and by the plau- sibility of its pretensions; virtually preaching another gospel which, in the language of an apostle, is not a gospel. (Gal. 1:7.) According to our common version, the world wondered after the Beast. According to the Greek it should be the earth wondered after the beast. Allusion being made to the earthly platform of justification by works. The prin- * Heretofore we have contemplated the productions of the earth as symbolizing the offspring of an mimix£d plan of justification or propitiation by worlcs, and " the'inhabiters of the earth" as figures of doctrinal princi- ples resting or depending on such a platform. Our attention is now to be directed to a mixed system ; partly of works and partly (in profession at least) of grace ; meaning by works, as we do throughout in the use of the term, any supposed merits of the disciple, whether derived from a pretended fulfillment of the divine law, the observance of ordinances, or any species of will-worship ; as by grace, we mean that provision of sovereign mercy on which the disciple depends for salvation through the atonement and right- eousness of Jesus Christ. 9* 202 THE SEALED BOOK. ciples of this platform or system of faith figuratively look with reverence equal to adoration upon this power, emerg- ing from the element of judicial wrath, and sustained pro- fessedly by the law, (his ten horns,) and by the voice of offended justice, (the mouth of the lion,) which, togeth- er with the apparent sufficiency of his pretension to aton- ing power, seem to render his claim even to divine sove- reignty, indisputable — as expressed in the exclamations : " Who is like unto the Beast ? who is able to make war with him ? " As if emulating in oj^position, the language of the apostle Paul in allusion to the true plan of redemp- tion or " mystery of Christ," " It is God that justifieth ! Who is he that condemneth ?" * The mouth of this monster, siDcaking great things and blasj)hemies, is indicative of all the pretensions to self-suf- ficiency and self-righteousness, corresponding with the blasphemous features symboHzed as we have supposed by his seven heads. His continuance in power " forty-two months " has been already noticed as marking out the in- timate connection of the reign of this system of error with the prophesying ^?^ sackcloth of the two witnesses, the state of theii- deadibodies, the Gentile possession of the Holy City and outer com't of the temple, and the seclu- sion of the woman (the real bride) in the wilderness. There is too strong a resemblance between the symboh- cal description of this blasphemous element and the de- scription of the man of sin, (2 Thess. 2 : 1-12,) to leave a doubt of the identity of the two ; of course, in point of fact, the rising of this Beast from the sea, together with the existence of all the other elements of error we have * §§ 290, 300. THE TEN-HORNED BEAST. 203 contemplated, was coeval with the first preaching of Christianity. The mystery was already working in Paul's time; it was only the development or revelation of it that he spoke of as a thing to be. The reign accordingly is not to be limited to time or place. With some it may appear in the form of the Nicolaitane error, with others in the doctrine of Balaam ; with some it may occasion the loss of theii* first love, with others it may engender the nauseous lukewarmness of the Laodicean. The blasphemies of the Beast are classified, as against God, as blaspheming the name of God and his tabernacle and them that dwell therein.* Any pretension virtually representing the sjDeaker or thinker on an equality with God must be blasphemy against God; such is described to be the crime of the Man of Sin, or error. Blasphemy of the name of God must be a claim or pretension of su]oeriority to the power of God, as repre- sented by him, whose name is called the Word of God, (Rev. 19 : 13 ;) and blasphemy of the tabernacle of God and them that dwell therein a pretension to superiority over the divine plan of salvation; symbohcally "the tabernacle of God," (Rev. 21 : 2, 3.) Those that dwell therein being its principles or elements, opposites of the dwellers upon the earth. The blasphemies alluded to we su^Dpose to be virtually such ; principles or pretensions of an uividious character — principles hypocritically sustained " after the working of Satan" by an appearance of zeal for the law and divine justice. The system or mystery being chargeable with this hypocrisy ; not those who are deluded by it. The * §§ 001-303. 204 THE SEALED BOOK. mystery in fact possessing the accusing power of the dra- gon, whose authority is instrumentally sustained by the ten horns of the law. To this representative of the dragon* it is given to make war with the saints^ and to overcome them. As these saints or holy ones are put for the principles of the covenant of grace, they are the remnant of the woman's seed, against whom Satan was before said to have directed his hostility. How these saints or holy ones are overcome is not men- tioned till we reach the account given of the second Beast, or false prophet. The power over the doctrinal elements figuratively termed kindreds, (tribes,) tongues, and na- tions, is apparently exercised through the same instrumen- tality ; that is, through the misconstruction of written re- velation, of which misconstruction the false prophet is a symbohcal figure. The same distinction is to be observed here as akeady noticed, (Rev. 11 : 9-10,) between the dwellers upon thef earth, forming one class, and the kindreds, tongues, and nations forming another. The first, those that rejoiced and made merry over the dead bodies of the two prophets, are here said to worship or serve the Beast ; as it was before said, the whole earth wondered after the Beast, and wor- shipped the dragon, and also worshipped the Beast ; all that dwell on the earthy whose names are not wiitten ui the Lamb's book of life ; the 144,000 sealed ones being those excepted. The class of kindreds, tongues, and na- tions, those that would not allow the dead bodies of the witnesses to be removed, although brought under the power of the Beast, are not said to worship liim. The * § 304. t § 305. THE TEN-HOKNED BEAST. 205 book of the life of the Lamb, or the Lamb's book of life, we consider here as in other parts of the Apocalypse, a figure of the divine plan of salvation, through the propi- tiatory sacrifice of Christ, of which the Lamb is the sym- bohcal figure. The admonition,* (Rev. 13 : 9,) "If any man have an ear let him hear," corresponds with that given in each of the epistles to the churches. He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith. The attention being thus par- ticularly called from the letter to the spirit-sense of the passage under consideration. It is very apparent that we can not get at the true meaning of what has been and is to be here said without knowing what is represented by this ten-horned Beast, whose name or title, according to the number^ (of which we shall treat in its place,) must be the adversary of the cross of Christ; this cross, as we apprehend, being another figure of God's purpose or will of salvation by grace, through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. The Beast, accordingly, whether we term him a principle, system, or mystery, is the adversary of this divine purpose of grace, elsewhere termed the Word of God. In correspondence with this title, we find the same hostile power the leader, in the great battle of Armaggedon, of the forces arrayed against the rider of the white horse, whose "name is called the Word of God": the Word declared in one of the gospels to be impersonated in Jesus Christ. As the adversary of the divine purpose of grace, the Beast must be the symbolical exponent of a doctrinal system, or the spirit of a mixed system of self-dependence, * § 306. 206 THE SEALED BOOK. (self-justification and self-propitiation,) whicli sets the gra- cious Word of God at defiance. It is the spirit of one re- lying on his own fulfillment of the law, anS. his own ability to meet by some propitiatory work any short-coming in that fulfillment ; while professedly mixing up with these a dependence upon the merits of Christ. We do not apply it, however, to any particular individual, sect, or rehgious denomination; but as the whole vision was primarily intended for the admonition of the seven Christian churches, we consider the error here represented as something which, through " the working of Satan," has crept into the views of Christians generally ; a mystery working in the time of the apostles, and which will work, as it is said, (2 Thess. 2 : 7,) till that which letteth or hindereth is taken out of the way ; this hindering principle or power being apparently that false construction of the written word, to which we have had occasion already to advert. As the adversary of the cross* or divine purpose of grace, this Beast must represent a principle or system of salvation, j)artly of works and partly of grace ; the two being incompatible with each other, (Rom. 11:6.) Such a system would bring aU dependent upon it under the action of the law in its strictest sense, a tendency figuratively alluded to here as leading into captivity. At the same time, the system or spirit itself, as being one of works, must be open to the test of the la-w, by which it is also itself brought into captivity, as one snared in his own words, (Rev. 13 : 10.) As a system depending upon the ten horns of the law for its power, it kiUs with the sword of the law, the sword of him that sat upon the red horse ; * § 307. THE TEN HORNED BEAST. 20*7 while it is itself killed by the sword of the spirit ; as we shall see to be the fate of this Beast in the contest with him who conquered by the sword out of his mouth y and by whom ^the Beast and false prophet are taken as in a snare (Rev. 19 : 20) and cast into the lake of fire.* " Here," it is said, " is the patience and the faith of the saints." Here is matter to encourage the faith and pa- tience of those spoken of as saints. Although the wicked (this evil principle or system) may flourish for a certain period, or under certain circumstances, the certainty that he will finally go into captivity, or perish by the sword, is or should be sufficient to sustain the patience and faith of the saints or holy ones ; apocalyptically, those who under the Altai' were calling for the vindication of their cause, and the avenging of their blood, upon these dwellers upon the earthy (Rev. 6 : 11,) by whom the Beast is worshipped, and by whom as subjects his power is sustained. Difier- ence of time being out of the question, as a thing not to be taken into view, the state of the souls under the altar may be viewed as one of the effects of the power of the Beast, to make war with these saints, and to overcome them. Note. — As this Beast has the heads of the serpent, as well as the horns, he may be supposed to carry in those heads the sting of the serpent. Such is ihQ worMng of Satan that without appearing himself in his true character, he introduces principles into doctrinal views, professedly Christian, which in reality subject the disciple to all the penalty of the broken law. * The same Beast, as it appears subsequently, (Rev. 17 : 8,) is that from the bottomless pit, by which the two witnesses in sackcloth were over- come and killed. The principle of the hottomlcss-pit systftn overcoming the testimony in sackcloth ; but afterwards itself overcome by the sword of the spirit. 208 THE SEALED BOOK. Scene: the Maegin of the Sea. — {Co7itinued.) THE SECOND BEAST. The apostle's post of observation being unchanged, a second Beast is seen coming up from the land.* Some- thing originating from the land or earthly system, as the first Beast owed its origin to the elements of judicial wrath, represented by the sea. The appearance of these two animals is to be considered simultaneous ; although the description of one unavoidably follows that of the other. This second Beast has two horns lilie a lamb, but he speaks as a dragon. He is indeed a carnivorous animal, as the appellation (translated Beast) given to both in the Greek, signifies.f He is not afterwards mentioned as a Beast, but in the catastrophe (Rev. 19 : 20) he is very plainly designated as the false j^rophet. As such we shall accordingly consider him; the figurative term of false prophet, being put for a false interpretation, or false con- struction of the written word of divme revelation. The action of this second Beast corresponds accordingly with that of the tail of the dragon, bringing down the heaven- ly fights or sense of Scripture to a level with the earthly platform of justification by works. As this second beast comes fi'om the la7id, we may consider the misinterpreta- tion represented by him to be an eflect or emanation of the earthly system of works. t Both elements are su.stained by the carnnl or literal sense of written revelation. THE TWO-HORNED BEAST, OR FALSE PROPHET. 209 The " two horns like a lamb," mdicate two doctrines professedly di'awn from the Gospel ; and, as horns are a general figm'e of powers, we may presume that whatever this Beast is able to effect (as subsequently related) is done by the operation, or through the instrumentality of these two doctrinal powers or lamb-like horns. The doc- trines peculiar to this false construction professedly corre- spond with faith in the atonement of Christ, and trust in his merits; but the construction itself is in effect the language of legal accusation, speaking as a dragon; the dragon of course so much opposed to the woman and child recently noticed in the *' war in heaven." The ten- dency of this false construction must be such, therefore, as is opposed to the divine plan of salvation by sovereign grace. " He exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before hirap'^^ that is, the pretended power of this first Beast ; this power being derived from the ten horns, backed with the authority of the dragon. The second Beast operating with his two lamb-like horns,f exercises all the power of the ten horns, together with the authority of the accuser; or without a figure, the false construction of the Gospel revelation is enabled, by the two doctrines alluded to, to exercise all the power of the law with its judicial denun- ciations, in rendering the earthly system of works, and the principles depending upon it, subservient to the ad- versary of the cross of Christ worshipping (serving) the Beast whose deadly wound was healed. The second Beast * § 309. + To define the power of these two horns, we must hare recourse to the tendency of the doctrines represented by them. 210 THE SEALED BOOK. does this it is said, before or iii the presence of the first Beast. That is, as the prune minister or vizer of an eastern sovereign acts as in place of that sovereign, and is so re- cognized as expressmg the mind of his ruler. He doeth great wonders or signs,* even so as to make fire come down from heaven i7i the sight of nian^ but not in the sight of God. As a false prophet liis construction of the written word is so plausible as in appearance to be deemed divine revelation in its true sense. The allusions of the figure are apjDarently to the pretended miracles performed by the magicians of Egypt before or in the presence of Pharaoh, so hardening his heart that "he would not let the people go." By these plausible appearancesf of divine sanction ascribed to this element of false construction, the dwellers upon the earth, the principles of the earthly system of worksj are drawn into the fonnation or concoction of a plan of salvation (an image) which has all the characteris- tics of the Beast, especially in reference to the wounded and resuscitated head. That head being a pretension to a vicarious sacrifice, we may presume the image of the Beast to be something of the same character; a plan of redemption, a propitiation put forth by the false prophet (false construction) as a substitute for the divine plan of salvation, represented by the woman bearing the male child ; this image, the first Beast, and Babylon, being dif- ferent illustrations of the same mystery. The plausible construction (the false prophet) has * § 310. t §§ 311, 312. X By xvorlcs we understand here and elsewhere all supposed merits or meritorious observances of man's performance. THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST. 211 power to make his false plan of propitiation appear as having the spirit of revealed truth; figuratively, giving life to the image. The speaking of the image is a fig- urative expression for the influence of this pseudo plan of propitiation, in turning the mind from a just view of God's purpose of salvation, through the atonement of Christ : speaking, like prophesying, apocaly]^)tically, being put for the action of glosses, constructions, and interpretations, as they speak to the mind. The false prophet had further power to cause* those who would not worship the image, to be hilled ; the worship of the image being equivalent to the worship of that which is represented by the image, the two in efiect are one. Killing^ as a figure, is the separation of the spirit fi*om the letter ; the false prophet had the power, in the sight of men, (apparently, not really,) to give or withhold this spirit, causing some elements or principles of doctrine to appear to have the spirit as well as the letter of revelation, and others not to have it ; those, accord- ingly, which were not subservient to the worship of the image were, by the power of this construction, made to appear as principles resting upon the letter alone. What becomes of this image as such, is not afterwards related. Its fate is not alluded to under that appellation ; but from some analogies in the case, we suppose the woman afterwards described as seen in the Tvilderness, sitting on the Beast (supported by him) to be the image here referred to. (Rev. 18:3.) That woman (Babylon) standing in the same relation to the Beast, that the true wife (the New Jerusalem) stands to the Lamb. As the * § 313-315. 212 THE SEALED BOOK. woman is the image or glory of the man, so the bride, or New Jerusalem is the image or glory of Christ ;* and so Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, is the image and glory of the ten-horned Beast. As the wife of the Lamb, and the bride, are one, so the image (Babylon) and the Beast are one ; and as the wife of the Lamb represents the true plan of salvation, so the image of the Beast (the harlot) represents the false plan of salvation. The false construction, accordingly, causes a pseudo plan of propitiation to be formed, which in its character is identic with the Beast ; the two being to a certaia extent different aspects of the same error. In re- lation to the principles of the earthly system of justification by works, they are both alike the one pretended cause of salvation, and consequently the one object of worship. The " working of Satan " thus operates in a two-fold manner. First, by sustaining a spirit of self-justification, and the second by introducing a substitute for the propi- tiation of Christ; both j^lacing man, the sinner, in the blasphemous light of being his own Saviour — ^making him equal with God. The effect of the false gloss or construction, represented by the second Beast, is to inflict a certain characteristic feature upon all the doctrinal elements or principles par- ticipating in the system, or kingdom, as it is afterwards termed, of the first Beast and his image. All, from the least to the greatest, whether they relate to matters of works or matters of faith, (the hand or the head,) must have the prominent mark oi hostility to the cross of Chinst^ (Rev. 13 : 16, 17 :) corresponding with the name of the * See 1 Cor. 11:7, and context. THE MAEK AND NUMBER OF THE BEAST. 213 Beast. The system being a mercenary one, tlie figure (apjDropriately employed) is that of buymg and selling as the only means of life. No one is admitted to the privi- lege of trading in this kingdom, but such as possess a token of this hostility to the ci^oss — the mark or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name : that is, the mean- ing signified by that number. The allusion to difierent ranks and degrees, carries us back to the panic-scene exhibited on the opening of the sixth seal, (Rev. 6 : 15,) reminding us that the existence of this Beast's Mngdom is not a thing subsequent to mat- ters before related ; but that it is itself one of the causes of the wrath of the Lamb ; and may thus be considered as having preceded even the opening of the sealed book Time, however, in a chronological sense, is not to be con- sidered. The vision is a development of doctrine, in which, of course, error precedes the correction of it — other- wise aU the representations may be taken as synchronical. We have already supposed the name or title of the ten- horned Beast to be that of the Adversary of the Cross of Christ. We have now to furnish the reasons for this sup- position as drawn from the number of the name. " Here is wisdom," it is said ; "let him that hath under- standing, count the number of the Beast ; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred three score and six, (666.)* With both Greeks and Hebrews the common mode of representing numerical values was by the use of letters of the alphabet — certaki letters being used for units, deci- mals, hundreds, and thousands. Accordingly in the origi- * § 316, and note, pp. 693-694. 214 THE SEALED BOOK. nal language of the apocalypse, the number 666 is ex- pressed by three Greek letters (x ^ r) equal to our ch, z, st. The Hebrew cabbalist had three modes of applying the letters of a number or other term. One of these modes was that of selecting such letters as, according to theii* respective arithmetical values, would amount to the given number, and at the same time compose a word or term, supposed to be that sought for. Another mode was that of employing each letter of a number, or term, as the initial of another word, and with the aggregate of these words composing a phrase indicative, as supposed, of the sense to be conveyed. A thii-d method consisted in the transposition of the letters of a word, as in the formation of anagrams, till the arrangement yielded an expression satisfactory to the operator. As this last could avail nothing on the pre- sent occasion, we shall take no fuilher notice of it. The first method is that usually adopted by commen- tators on the mystic number imder consideration — so far, we believe, without success ; the process suggesting such a variety of names as can not fail to show the uncertainty of any interpretation depending upon it. The second mode, so far as initials are concerned, ac- cords with a practice common amongst Greeks and Ro- mans, as well as other nations, in theu' inscriptions upon monuments, medals, and coins. For this reason we think it better entitled to attention than any other ; and have therefore adopted it, with the more confidence, as, in the result, the name or title it gives us of the ten-horned Beast, corresponds with all tha,t is said of his character and operations in the preceding representation. THE MAEK ANT> NUMBER OF THE BEAST. 215 Of the three Greek letters above referred to, x (ch) for 600, is the initial of the Greek word Ghristou, (of Christ,) ^ (z) for 60, is the initial of the word Zuloic^ (of the cross,) and g- (st) for 6, is the miiisil of the nsune jSata?ias, (Satan,) which signifies the adversary. Thus the expression, accord- ing to the Greek order, is of Christ, of the Cross, the adversary : or according to English order, The adversary/ of the Cross of Christ — which accords with the relation given of the Beast, as we have viewed it, and as will ap- pear more ftilly, when we treat of his image, the mother of harlots. (See Hyp. § 560, p. 693.) The Beast is the adversary, not merely of Christ, but of the cross of Christ ; the cross, as ah-eady iutimated, being a figurative expression for the diviue purpose of salvation by grace. The cross is also a figure correspond- ing in purport with the bride of the Lamb, and the New Jerusalem ; of which the image of the Beast (the harlot, or Babylon) is a blasphemous substitute. The cross like- wise corresponds with the Word of God, of which the Beast is seen to be the adversary in the great battle of Armageddon, being thus, ia fact as iu name, the adversary of the cross of Christ. The term man, as used in this connection,* is evidently a symbolical appellation put for a principle, or element of doctrine, as when Paul speaks of the ma7i of sin or man of error, (2 Thess. 2 : 3,)f and as we regard throughout lq the apocalypse the terms men, inhabiters of the earth, and * Rev. 13 : 18. + Having no hesitation in regarding the mystery here alluded to by Paul as that represented by the ten-horned Beast, we have so occasionally referred to it for illustration. 216 THE SEALED BOOK. dwellers upon the earth, equivalent to principles of the earth-system. Meantime adoi3ting the 7iame thus estab- lished, we shall so use it in the subsequent examination of the vision.* * §§317-324. THE LAMB ON MOUNT ZION. 217 CHAPTER IV. THE LAMB ON THE MOUNT ZION — CHORUS — THE MID-HEAVEN HERALD THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN — ^THE WHITE CLOUD — THE HARVEST AND VINTAGE THE WINE - PRESS OF WRATH. Act IV. Scene : in Heaven. The chorus of many voices here described (Rev. 14 : 1-5) is equivalent to the thu'd stasimon of the Greek drama. The scene presented affords a perfect contrast to that just exhibited, and seems intended to remind us that while the progress of error in matters of faith is such upon the earth as to be a cause of lamentation to the lovers of evangehcal truth, the divine purpose of grace, understood as it is in heaven, is there a cause of rejoicing and praise.* The subjects represented by these different scenes, we must bear in mind, are not successive, but figuratively speaking contemporaneous. While the power of the vice- gerent of Satan, and the false prophet is apparently para- mount in the earth, the Lamb, the real victor, is occupying a triumphant position on the heavenly Mount Sion, sur- rounded by the 144,000 faithful witnesses, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.f * § 325. + As the name of the Beast in the forehead, designated the mercenarj' character of the elements characterized by it; so the name of the Father in the foreheads of these attendants of the Lamb, has its aUusion to the attribute of divine sovereignty. 10 218 THE SEALED BOOK. Thus to see the Lamb on the Mount Sion is to discern the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, sustained by the principle of sovereign grace, as testified by all the elements of divine revelation, triumphing over every principle opposed to God's plan of salvation. Such is the heavenly view, of which we aj*e to contemplate a corresponding development in the catastrophe of the coming representation. The Moimt Sion* is an opposite of the sand of the sea, as the Lamb is an opposite of Satan in heaven as well as of his representative upon the earth; and as those, sealed with the Father's name in their foreheads, are opposites of the men, (principles,) bearing in then- right hands and in their foreheads the mark of the Beast. If those who are sealed with the Father's name in their foreheads are not sealed in their hands also, it must be that they are prin- ciples of doctrine making no pretensions to worJcs^ as a means of justification. The voice fi-om heaven is the language of divine revela- tion in its true sense.f In its utterance of the law, it is com- pared to a voice of thunder. In its development of the way of salvation, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, it is Hke the voice of many waters, overcoming all other soimds or voices ; a result calling forth the praises symbolized by "the voice of harpers harping with their harps." The subject of praise is nearly the same, if we consider it the child, at first apparently exposed to be devoured by the dragon, and saved only by being snatched up to God and his throne, now appearing as the Lamb about to exercise the sovereign rule for which he was destined. (Rev. 10:5.) On the opening of the sealed book, or rather, when the * § 826. t § 327. CHOEUS. 219 Lamb, as it had been slain, assumed that work, the four attributes of divine sovereignty and the twenty-four pres- byters sang, it is said, a 7iew song before the Lamb. On the present occasion the one hundred and forty-four thou- sand sealed ones, themselves on the Mount Sion with the Lamb, are said to sing as it weee a neio song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. The first new song apparently had relation to the plan of redemption, as shadowed forth under the Old Testament dispensation, the elements of which are brought out, in their true character, by the vicarious suffering of the Lamb. The second song, although appearing "«s it were''* a new song, is in fact the same, inasmuch as it reveals ex- pKcitly the whole plan of redemption, of which the first was only an indication. This second song, it is said, could be learnt only by the 144,000, which were redeemed from the earth. The four attributes of divine sovereignty, and the twenty-four elders speak of themselves^ as redeemed to God by the blood of the Lamb out of every kindred, tongue, people, and na- tion. They may represent therefore general principles, showing the way of salvation through the atonement of Christ, and as such, predominating in estabhshing a just view of the sovereignty of God, and the worship due to him, being figuratively "kings and priests imto God." (Rev. 5 : 8, 9.) The 144,000 are spoken of as undefiled* (principles un- mixed) followers of the Lamb ; principles necessarily inci- dent to the vicarious work of Christ ; " redeemed fi-om among men," taken out of the general principles of the ^^ § S28. 220 THE SEALED BOOK. earthly system, (Rev. 7 : 31,) first fruits, or specimen prin- ciples of the plan of salvation, without guile or fault* be- fore the throne, without any mixture of a self-righteous tendency in divine estimation ; but they are not spoken of, nor do they speak of themselves, as " Mngs and priests unto God," nor are they again mentioned in the Apoca- lypse by this numerical designation. Nor are the four living creatures and twenty-four elders or presbyters men- tioned ao-ain till we reach the last choral scene, or Exodus. (Rev. 19:5.) But as this song of the 144 thousand is sung before the four living creatures, and before the elders, (as well as before the throne,) we may consider it a commen- tary in response to the first new song, referring to the com- bined testimony of the Old and ISTew Testament. As both of these reveal the plan of redemption by grace, the song applying to all that is afterwards exhibited in the vision, the action of these same elements is not again called for. Such being the purport of this new song, none but the 144,000 sealed ones could learn it, or rather as the Greek might be translated, teach it ; as it can only be taught by the contents of the sacred Scriptures. While this chorus continues its action, (the process of praise for redemption never ceasing,) another angel is seen flying through the mid-heaven. The angel previously seen (Rev. 8 : 13) flying through this mid-heaven, was the messenger of the three woes to the dwellers upon the earth. The present messenger announces the everlasting * Spotless. The song they utter (the teaching of their mouths) is free from any admixture of false doctrine or of any tendency to self-justification. A^ such it is an opposite of the leopard skin of the Beast. THE HEEALD. 221 Gospel, according to the Greek, ujyon^ or concerning them that dwell upon the earth, and concerning every nation, and kindred, tongue, and people. Literally, as akeady no- ticed, the last class would be included in the first, but we consider both figures of two distinct classes of elements or principles, concerning^ (not unto,) which the Gospel is to be preached ; the substance of that preaching consisting in what is afterwards represented concerning these two classes, as it is part of the preaching of the Gospel to ex- pose the errors adverse to it. The dwellers upon the earth having been deluded into the worship of the Beast, and the setting up of his image, and the kindred, and tongues, and nations havhig been brought under the power of the Beast, although not actually his worshippers, these erroneous views need to be brought out. All accordingly that is afterwards related of the Beast, and of Babylon, and of the kings of the earth, and their armies, and of the nations, Gog and Magog, is matter concerning these two classes ; as must be also the fleemg away of the earth itself, the scene of judgment, and the coming in of the new earth with the nations and kings belonging to it. (Rev. 20 : 11 ; 21 : 24.) The purport of this angel's preaching* is good tidings to those who have not been led away by the Beast, but to tJie dwellers upon the earth, and even to the nations or Gentiles, it is altogether admonitory. These, however, are here the subjects, and not the objects of the preachuig. As if it were said, " Fear God and give glory to him, in- stead of wondering after and worshippiag the Beast. For the hour of his judgment (the judgment of God) is come," * §§ .320, 330. 222 THE SEALED BOOK. referring to the visitations upon the elements of error about to be exhibited. " Worship Him, who made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of wa- ters," instead of worshipping or becoming subservient to elements originating from the sea and from the earth. The whole announcement is equivalent to a declaration that no element of doctrine can be admissible in the divine system of government, but such as accords with the per- fect sovereignty of the Creator of all things, visible or m- visible. Whether the principles in question be peculiar to matters of revelation, (heaven,) to a system of works, (the earth,) to the action of the broken law, (the sea,) or to the work of atonement, (the fountains of waters;) they are in- admissible unless they inculcate the fear of God, the ascrip- tion of all glory to him, and the worship due to him alone. And there followed another angel (herald) saying, Ba- bylon is fallen, that great city, because she made all na- tions (Gentiles) drmk of the wine of rage of her fornica- tion.* These announcements, it is to be remembered, are in the mid-heaven ; the substance of them remains to be developed in the earthly exhibition. Accordingly, although we are yet to witness a representation of Babylon in her glory, and in her ruin, her fall is already announced in heaven. Indeed we are not to suppose any lapse of time between the proclamation of the angel here, and the de- struction afterwards described. We must divest our minds throughout the vision of any thought of time or succession of events. We have already given reasons for supposing this great city to be the image of the Beast ; represented, as it is * § 331. THE HERALD. 223 subsequently, by the woman (Babylon) in the wilderness, sitting on the Beast, having a cup in her hand full of abom- inations and filthiness. As the image of the Beast, the system or mystery she symbolizes, corresponds with that represented by the adversary of the cross himself. Her cup of mixture* corresponds with the wounded but resus- citated head of the Beast, a pretended substitute for the vicarious offering of Christ ; the mixed contents of her cup, the wine alluded to, being a substitute for the blood of the Lamb, or the element of divine atonement. The rage of her fornication is a figure of the insane madness of the mixture of prmciples of which her pretended element of atonement is composed. The nations or Gen- tiles made to drink of her wine, are the various doctrinal systems drawn from the letter of revelation into which this pretension of atonement has been introduced; giving them a certain plausible appearance of evangehcal truth. Babylon herself, as the name signifies, represents a con- fused mixture of principles, some of which may be sup- posed to belong to the true plan or mystery of salvation, from the call made on them to come out from her, (Rev. 18 : 4;) but it is this very mixture of the evil with the good, the false with the true, which renders the system, like that of the Nicolaitanes, peculiarly hateful in the sight of God. The features of the Babylon-mystery were partially de- veloped under the figure of "the great city," in the street of which the dead bodies of the witnesses lay for a term corresponding with that of the prophesying in sackcloth, and consequently during the continuance of the * § 332. 224 THE SEALED BOOK. Beast in power. (Rev. 11:8, 9, and 13 : 5.) We may conclude, therefore, that it is under the circumstances of that mystic period that the nations or Gentiles participat- ed in the cup of the harlot ; the recij)rocal action of cause and effect being such here, also, as before alluded to, Babylon (the image) exercises her influence so long as the Beast continues in power. Thus far, the faU of Babylon and the reason of her faU, only have been annoimced ; developing that feature of her system represented by her intoxicating cup, in addi- tion to the illustration afforded by the three-fold character of the great city above aUuded to. The next messenger proclaims the doom of those who have been under her in- fluence, as it must necessarily have been connected with the reign of the Beast. While the false prophet is causing all to worship the Beast and his image, and to receive the mark of the Beast in the hand or forehead, the third mid-heaven angel* is represented as proclaiming the sentence, that aU who thus worship and receive this mark, shaU drink of the wine of the wrath of God, poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation ; and shall be tortured with flre and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The cup, and the wine of wrath without mixture, appear to be expressed here par- ticularly in contradistinction to the cup and mixed wine of the harlot — as if it were measure for measure ; thus con- necting the worship of the Beast and his image with a participation in the wine of Babylon ; so identifying the § 333. THE HERALD. 225 woman and the image with beast as one and the same ob- ject of divine indignation. The punishment* describedf corresponds with the ac- tion of the second death ; and, presuming that those who have worshipped the beast and his image, and have received his mark, compose his forces in the great battle of Armageddon, (Rev. 19 : 18,) we find the sentence exe- cuted in the result of the judgment-scene, where the dead^ the slain in that battle, not having their names written m the book of life, are finally cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast himself and false prophet are tortured day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20 : 10- 13.) The figure, in both cases, corresponds with the trial represented by the action of the fire, and smoke, and brimstone of the Euphratean cavahy ; the fire being the revealed Word of God in its true sense, the brimstone the symbol of perpetuity, and the smoke the evidence of the process — ^which evidence is here declared to continue forever and ever. They have no rest,j: it is added, day nor night, who worship the Beast and his image and receive the mark of his name. The principles of doctrine belonging to the sys- tem here represented by the Beast and by Babylon, are prin- ciples of salvation by works of the law, or by the merits of man, consequently there is no element oirest in them.§ * § 334. t This punishment is not something in addition to the drinking of the wine of wrath, but it is another figure of the same thing ; thus, to be tor- mented as described, is to drink of this cup of wrath. X % 335. ■? As it is with the principles, so it must be with those who profess them. 10* 226 THE SEALED BOOK. The exhibition of the true character of the principles thus tried, is said to be a subject for the patiei^e of the saints ;* figuratively referring to the souls under the altar, who, calling for the avengmg of their blood " on them that dwell on the earth," were persuaded to wait for a short season, (Rev. 6 : 10, 11 ;) the blood of these saints being afterwards found amidst the ruins of Babylon. (Rev. 18 : 24.) They that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, are so spoken of as witnesses having these commandments and this faith in custody^ as before noticed in remarking upon Rev. 13 : 10. Opjoosite to those who have no rest day nor night, are those that " die in the Lord."f The kingdom or system of the Beast is here contrasted with the mystery of Christ; the first contains no element of rest. In the last the true rest is found. (Rev. 14 : 13.) This may be applied to the principles of Christ's kingdom ; they are principles of rest in contradistinction to those of dependence u]Don works. But the "voice from heaven," heard by the apostle on this occasion, may be considered in the light of a chorus interposing, as was sometimes the practice in the Greek drama, for the purpose of throwing light upon the myth of the representation ; especially as the direction to write intimates the permanency of that which is to be written. We may thus be justified in applying the declaration not merely to the principles of the Gospel system, but more particularly to those who profess, and act, and rest upon them. If depending upon their own merits, either to fulfill the law or to atone for the transgression of it, they act consistently, they can have no rest in their efforts to accomplish the work they undertake. * ? 336. + S 337. THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN. 227 *' Henceforth,"* it is said, (that is, the want of any element of rest in the system of the Beast and his image having been manifested,) " blessed, or haj^py, are the dead that die in the Lord." To this there is a resj^onse of the Spirit, equivalent to an explanation of the spirit-sense of the latter. "Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them ;" or " hut their works do follow with them." It is suiBcient to refer to the writmgs of the apostle Paul to show that to die in the Lord, is, in Christ, to be released from the labor of going about to establish one's own righteousness by works of the law; and that the works of the disciple, ^\\iGh. foUoio loithhim^ consist in the "reasonable service" of gratitude to the Benefactor by whose fulfillment of the law, this position of rest has been procured.f The works of the behever in Christ being a consequence, and not a cause of his justification, or participation in the vicarious sacrifice of his Redeemer. The want of rest peculiar to the Beast's system, as thus declared in heaven, is exemplified m the earthly scene, on the pouring out of the fifth vial, (Rev. 16 : 10,) and the blessedness of the rest provided for in the system of the Gospel is seen in the ample provision of the covenant of grace, as illustrated by the description given of the Holy City at the close of the vision. The expression, henceforth^ reminds us of the words of our Lord to Nathaniel, (John 1 : 51 :) "Henceforth ye shall see heaven open, and the angels (messengers) of God * § 338. t Rom. 6:3-5; 7:4; Gal. 2 : 19, 20 ; Col. 2 : 20 ; 3 : 3 j Rom. 12:1 2 Cor. 5 : 15. 228 THE BEALED BOOK ascending and descending vpo7i (concerning) the Son of Man," evidently referring to that which was about to be revealed in the writings of the evangelists and apostles — the messengers alluded to. So here, the appearance of the Son of Man on the white cloud, the harvest and vin- tage, are causes of the blesssedness alluded to. The commencement of our Saviour's ministration was a crisis, in which the harvest of the earth was said to be ripe, corresponding with this crisis, the madness of the system of works having been exposed, and the opposite position of rest declared ; one hke unto the Son of Man is seen upon a white cloud, (Rev. 14 : 13,) having on his head a golden cro^Ti, and in his hand a sharp sickle ; the same foi-m as that seen in the midst of the golden candle- sticks, (Rev. 1 : 13.) There he appeared as presiding over the churches, being also the Alpha and Omega, " He that Hveth and was dead, and is ahve forevermore." 'Now he appears in the character of a reaper;* the crown of gold being indicative both of his truth, and of his success in the work in which he is engaged. The white cloud and the crown identify him also Tvith the Rider of the white horse, who is to be considered throughout as on his career of conquest. The sharp sickle, as a figure, corresponds with that of the sharp sword out of the mouth of the conqueror, (Rev. 19 : 15,) being the sword of the Spirit ; the instrument of ' exhibiting the spirit- sense of revelation in contradistinction to the letter alone. By this instrument, it appears the harvest of the earth- system is to be reaped, the time being come for it accord- ing to the call of the angel or messenger from the temjDle.f * §'? 339, 340-841. f § 342. THE HARVEST AND VINTAGE. 229 The errors in relation to the worship or service of God have reached such an extent in the earthly system of works (founded upon the Utter of revelation) as to call for their eradication by an exhibition of the spirit-sense of that revelation ; figuratively, a gathering of the harvest. " He that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped." What became of the yield or crop is not stated. It was not perhaps worth stating, as the product of a system, of justification by works is of no avail. The earthly system, tried by the spirit of revela- tion, like its vine, afibrds no means of eternal life.* The true view of divine worship, (the temple) having been thus vindicated by the result of the harvest of the earth, showing that no works of righteousness that we have done can qualify us for appearing in the presence of God, or can be considered strictly the service due him, another messenger, from the same element of divme worship, with a like sharp sickle, (the sword of the Spirit,) is loudly called upon by a messenger from the altar^ having power over fire (the fire of the altar appar- ently) to apply his sharp sickle to the gathering of the vine of the earth — her grapes being fully ripe. The errors now to be corrected, are seemingly those pertaining particularly to the element of propitiation,! (the atonement of Christ.) The altar, as we have akeady noticed, is a figure of the Word or purpose of God, which Jesus Christ came to fulfill by the offering of himself. * The picture presented here corresponds with what is said of the harvest of the world. Matt. 13 : 37-40, except that the apocalyptic earth appears to yield tares only— the 1M,0(>0 (good) not being included. t §343. 230 THE SEAIJirD BOOK. The fire from the altar is a revelation of that word or purpose, in respect to the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, (the Lamb as it had been slain,) the true vine, of which the vine of the earth is a pretended substitute. The atonement of Christ is elsewhere alluded to as the fruit of the vine, (Matt. 26 : 29.) The grapes or fruit, of the vine of the earthy must therefore be a proposed substitute for that atonement, by certain works or pretended merito- rious acts of man. The test or trial of these pretensions is accordingly here represented under the figure of a vin- tage. The instrument of this vintage is the sharp sickle, the spirit-sense of divine revelation, of the same character as the fire from the altar, which, on the opening of the seventh seal, when cast upon the earth, ehcited the threat- enings of Sinai.* The vine of the earth is gathered, cut up root and branch, and with all its fruit cast into the great wine- press of the wrath of God. The test is here presented of the ability of any earthly pretension or means of proj^itia- tion to meet the judicial action of the broken law. The wine-press is trodden without the city, as Christ also suflered without the gates ; the wi'ath of God not. being an element of the covenant or arrangement of grace symbohzed by the city. The holy city, we presume, is here alluded to. It is only out of this covenant that the power of the broken law is felt. "And blood came out of the wine-press, even unto the * The time of the vintage, like that of the harvest, is now come, the errors represented especially in the reign of the Beast and his image, hav- ing reached their maturity. THE HARVEST AND VINTAGE. 231 horse-bridles or bits, for the space of a thousand six hun- dred furlongs."* This might be passed upon naerely as a hyperboHcal expression indicating the immensity of the propitiation requisite to atone for the transgression of the law of God ; but the mention of the horse-bridles directs our attention to " the armies of heaven on white horses," afterwards described as led into the contest with the Beast and his aUies, by Him who was " clothed in a vest- ure dipped in blood ;" and who accordingly may be sup- posed to have just trodden the wine-press with his mount- ed forces. So a development of the folly of all earthly pretensions to meet the broken law, is a preparation for exhibiting the incapability of the mystery of error, repre- sented by the Beast, to mthstand the sharp sword out of the mouth of the Word of God. The term furlong is merely an appropriate figure of land-measure, as the cubit is for the measure of buildings ; and 1600 being the square of 40, and the earth bemg sup- posed anciently to be a square, the allusion seems to be to the whole surface of the earth, as a figure of the entire earthly system, particularly in reference to its pretended means of atonement.f These are representations in heaven, corresponding with an insight into the divine councils afforded the apostle as a privileged spectator. Something like a counterpart of these scenes is yet to be exhibited on the earth.J * § 344. t We find the i^Tva forty almost always applied in Scripture to periods of humiliation and trial, to which there may be some allusion in the figure here. X % 345-347. 232 THE SEALED BOOK. CHAPTER V. CHORUS, SONG OF MOSES, SONG OF THE LAltfB VIALS OF WEATH FROM THE TEMPLE THE SIX FIRST TESTS THE FORCES OF THE EARTH SUMMONED TO THE GREAT BATTLE SEVENTH TEST TO THE AIR. Act V. Scene : in EDeaven. We now come to another choral scene (Rev. 15 : 1) of many voices, equivalent to the fourth stasimo7i of the Greeks. The scene is still in heaven, but the introduction of the chorus divides the matter between this and the last chorus or exodus (Rev. 19 : 4-6) as one act with its scenic subdivisions. The apostle speaks of what he now sees as another great sign,* or symbolic rej^resentation, as in reference to the great signs of the woman and the dragon, before seen on the opening of the temple in heaven. (Rev. 12 : 1-4.) This sign is " great and marvellous," or particularly im- portant, as being an exhibition of the last tests apphed to the earthly system and its elements. " Seven angels (mes- sengers) having the seven plagues," (tests,) " the last," so styled because in them is completed the exhibition of the wrath of God.f Before gi™g the particulars of the appli- * § 347. \ The wrath of God and the wrath of the Lamb are two expressions of the same thing. The words rendered wrath differ in the original, but are nearly synonymouB. CHORAL SONGS OF MOSES AND THE LAMB. 233 cation of these tests, the apostle describes the choral scene, Avhich may be considered an introduction to the subsequent exhibition. A sea of glass* or crystal is seen mingled with fire, upon which those stand, who have gotten the victory over the Beast, and his image, and his mark, and the number of his name. These, with the harps of God, sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. It is evident, that the action of this chorus forereaches upon what is afterwards exhibited on earth, while in heaven it is contemplated as ah*eady done. We have as yet had no account of any victory obtained over the Beast, but we find, in what may be termed the catastrophe of the representation, such a victory is ob- tained by the Rider of the white horse, followed by the armies of heaven. We can not suppose the Beast to have been previously conquered by some other powers. This then must be the victory alluded to. This Rider of the white horse is called the Word of God, (Rev. 19 : 13.) The armies of heaven followmg him on white horses must be the elements of the divine purpose of salvation, of which that Word is the impersonation. These therefore, by the action of the sword of the Spirit, and by the fire of the Word, are those which have gained the victory over the adversary of the cross, and over his image, (Babylon.) f These elements of the covenant of grace, through the * § 348. t Babylon as the harlot, was destroyed by the ten horns of the law, operat- ing with the fire of the revealed word; as a city she was likewise destroyed by the same fire, but as th\a Jire is a figure of the Word of God, the victory is still the same. 234 THE SEALED BOOK. revelation given of them in the sacred Scrij)tures, (the harps of God,) virtually offer the tribute of praise, a summary of which is here given. They stand upon a sea of glass, ex- hibiting their ascendency over the element of judicial wrath, which instead of being to them, as to the dwellers upon the earth, a sea with its waves roaring, is a foundation of gratitude and adoration, exhibiting in its smooth and transparent surface the clearness and consistency of divine judgment; as in its subjection to the power of that incar- nate Word, which could say to the tumultuous wave, " peace, be still, and there was a perfect calm." The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb comprehend all that is revealed in the legal and gospel disi^ensations, of which the beginning and the ending constitute that exhibition of sovereign grace, in the divine plan of redemption, by the revelation of which the adversary of the cross, and all con- nected with him are overcome. The purport of these songs,* or that which is involved in the two-fold revelation alluded to, is to show the great and marvellous works of the Almighty. Not merely the works of the material miiverse, but especially that marvel- lous work of redemption, in which the elements of divine justice and mercy are reconciled. Thus showing the justice and truth, the unchangeable perfection and consistency of the King of saints, and the obligation of all to fear him, and to glorify his name, in view of his perfect holmess, as ma- nifested in this plan of justification. As the Lord God Almighty only is the object of this ascription of glory and praise, so He only is said to be * §S 349-352. CHORAi SONGS OF MOSES AND THE LAMB. 235 holy.* The song of the Lamb coinciding in the ascription, we may consider the action of this chorus as contemplating the end^ when the Son shall have given up the kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all. f After the conclusion of these songs, and apparently as a result of them, the apostle beheld the temple of the ta- bernacle of the testimony opened in heaven ; the effect of hearing and understanding the purport of these songs of Moses and of the Lamb being equivalent to an opening of the tabernacle of the testimony ; a revelation of gospel mysteries. The development now at hand, seems to be that which pertains more particularly to an exposure of errors opposed to the divine plan of salvation, and the fate ultimately attending them. The issuing of the seven angels from the temple is an in- dication of the near relation of their functions to the ele- ment of divine worship ; the errors in question being such as are adverse to the worship of God in spirit and in truth. The array of the angels, in " pure and white linen," may le termed then- livery, as messengers of that divine right- eousness, by which alone the disciple can be justified ; so their golden girdles are the evidence of the truth of their mission. The vials of wrath are given out by the^rs^ of the four living creatures,! (the attribute of divine justice.) The vials themselves are of gold, an evidence of truth in their composition. Thus also the test represented by the effusion of these vials upon the objects tried by them, is equivalent * The Greek term rendered Tioly in this place, signifies a holiness of quality, being different from that which signifies a holiness of position, (consecration.) t § 353. X § 354. 236 THE SEALED BOOK. to that accomplished by the immediate comparison or con- tact of revealed truth with error. The temple* was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. Here there is evidence of a process going on in the preparation of the contents of these vials. The process is in the temple, the preparation is therefore something required for the temple service. The agents in making the preparation are the glory of God and his power. The test must be therefore such as is re- quired for the manifestation of this glory, and for the establishment of the doctrine of divine sovereignty. As, if a disciple were saved by his own merits, or justified by his own works, the glory would redound to him and not to God; so, unless it be shown that the sinner is saved by the interposition of divine righteousness (the merits of Christ) in his behalf, the power of God in this work of salvation can not be manifested. In either of these cases, without such manifestation, God can not be regarded as the only source of dependence, and can not be worshipped ui spirit and in truth ; whence, it is represented that no one could enter the temple, till the seven angels with their seven tests had performed the functions assigned them. Ac- cordingly,f a voice from the temple directs them to go (immediately) and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. As if it had been said, " Let no time be lost in applyiug these tests to this earthly system of error." Scene: The Eaeth. (Rev. 16 : 2-21.) The first vial was poured upon the earth, or land^ the earthly platform of justification by works, from which the * § 355. t § 356. THE FIKST AND SECOND TEST. 237 false prophet emanated. " And there was a noisome and grievous sore upon them which had the mark of the beast, and them which worshipped his image." The application of these tests* is not a cause of the evil exhibited : but it has the effect, as in a chemical analysis, of showing the true character of the matter subjected to the process ; or as in medical treatment, a certain applica- tion of cold water to the body is said to bring out sores upon the surface, evidences of bad habit or diseased state of the system. The final trial or torture of these ele- ments by fire and brimstone is yet to be represented. In the mean time, this effusion of divine wrath exhibits their nature and tendency. The men (inhabiters of the earth) bearing the mark of the beast, are principles of self- righteousness, bearing the characteristic mark of hostility to the divine j)lan of salvation by grace. They belong to the system, or mystery of iniquity, represented here by the adversary of the cross of Christ. As principles of a false system of atonement or propitiation, they are worshippers in the service of the image of the beast, (Babylon,) partici- pating in the cup of the harlot. The development pro- duced by the test, reveals the impurity (mixture) of mo- tive and hatefiil hypocrisy, peculiar to these doctrines or principles. The sore corresponds, apparently, as a symbol of uncleann'ess, with the leprosy of ancient times (a dis- ease under the skin) and with the character of those who were compared by Jesus Christ to whited sepulchres, in- wardly full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. The second testf is appHed to the earthly element of judicial wi*ath (the sea) — ^the penalty or requisition of the " § 357. t § S5S. 238 THE SEALED BOOK. broken law. This element, in the estimation of the dwellers upon the earth, is something of a trivial charac- ter ; its requisitions being easily satisfied by certain meri- torious acts of hmnan performance. The result of the test shows that the law of God, once broken, can be satis- fied with nothing less than the death (the eternal con- demnation) of the transgressor. The sea becomes bloody and every living soul exposed to its action dies in it. The appHcation of the third test* to the earthly rivers and foimtains of water, is followed by a like result. These inventions, pecuhar to the earthly system, for washing away the gmlt of sin, being of a legal character, designed to satisfy the requisitions of the broken law, are all shown to be of the same nature as the sea : they become blood, calling for the transgressor's condemnation. The justice of the retribution with which these errors are visited, is here set forth by the angel of the waters ;\ a figure of all that is revealed in the Scriptures on the sub- ject of the atonement of Christ and the necessity of it. The principles of the earthly system of self-propitiation, have sustained themselves by depriving the language of the written word of its true sense, its spirit Or blood. That true sense of revelation, on the other hand, now shows the real character of these earthly elements of ab- lution from sin, as it is said : " They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they have deserved it ;" a declaration re- sponded to by a voice fi'om the altar : the sacrificial ele- ment of the true plan of propitiation. The blood of saints and prophets alluded to, is appar- * § 359. t § 360, THE FOURTH TEST. 239 ently, that for the shedding of which, the souls under the same altar were crying for vengeance, and that, too, which was found in the ruins of Babylon. The petitions of the souls are accordingly here answered ; taking this represent- ation in connection with the destruction of Babylon, which is another figure of the same just retribution. Immediately after the interposition of these two choral voices, that from the angel of the waters, and that from the altar, the fourth angel pours out his vial* upon (concern- ing) the sun. This test exhibits the true character of the Sim of righteousness, in its action upon all vain pretensions of human merits, figuratively termed men of the earth. These pretensions correspond with the riches of the Lao- diceans ; and with those compared by another apostle to the flower of the gras^ of the field ; concerning which it is said, " the sun is no sooner risen with a scorching heat but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth." So it is with the men (principles) of the earthly system of justifi- cation by works. These principles, themselves, are a blasphemy of the name of God, as they tend to exalt the name (reputation) of the worker to an equahty with that of God : so we may suppose here the blasphemy of these men to have existed before, but it is not till the test is ap- plied, by a true exhibition of the Sun of righteousness, that this blasphemous character is exhibited. The men blasphemed the name of God, not merely on account of this last plague, but apparently on account of all of them ; the tests all exposing the blasphemy of the * §§ 361,362. 240 THE SEALED BOOK. pretensions alluded to. They rlpented^ not, however, to give him glory. The tests do not operate, nor were they intended to operate, as a corrective, their design being only to develop and expose the true character of the errors referred to. The vice of these principles consists in their tendency to deprive God of the glory of his work of salvation, ascribing that glory to the power of man, which is due only to the power of divine righteousness interposed in behalf of the disciple. The fifth angelf poured out his vial upon (concerning) the throne of the beast. This test is applied to the pre- tension of the beast to sovereignty, a pretension, as we have seen, professedly sustained by the power of the ten (legal) horns, and the great authority of the accuser; the throne of the beast being, in reality, equivalent to that of Satan. The result of the test shows the kingdom of the beast to be full of darkness. There is not an element of light, or true righteousness, in it. As this test brings out the true character of the princi- ples of the beast's kingdom, or reign, they are repre- sented as criminals upon the rack, from whom a confession of truth is extorted by torture, " they gnawed their tongues for pain." Their blasphemy (such as we have just noticed) is exposed rather than excited by the action of the test ; their sores corresponding with the grievous sore exposed by the action of the first test. As in the last case, they repented not, the operation of the test being intended to go no further than to expose the error and its blasphemous * We use throughout the term repent or repentance in the sense of the Greek expression, which signifies a change of mind or views. \ % 368. THE SIXTH TEST. 241 character, the intimation seemingly being given, that the only corrective to be administered, is the entire over- throw of the whole system, or kingdom, with its elements, as finally exhibited in the perdition of the beast, the con- flagration of Babylon, and the fleeing away of the old earth and heaven. The beast, as the adversary of the cross of Christ, hypo- critically maintains the supremacy of the law over the divine plan of salvation by sovereign grace, through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. In doing this, he maintains that the righteousness (light) of his kingdom comes by the law ; consequently that Christ died in vain, or to no purpose ; thus denying to God the glory and power of the work of salvation, (Gal. 2 : 21.) The test concern- ing the sun shows that there is no such righteousness (light) as is pretended in the beast-system, (it is full of darkness,) and thus vindicates the power and glory of the God of our salvation. The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates.* The character of this great river has already been exhibited in the legal elements issuing fi.'om it, (Rev. 9 : 16,) which, so far from sustaining the princi- ples of the earthly system, go directly to destroy them. Here there is a further object in view, that of showing the drying up of this stream, together with the con- sequence attending it. The Euphrates representing the great earthly system of atonement, (by the works of man,) the test applied to it shows the entire folly of the pretension ; an operation fig- uratively expressed as the drying up of the river. By * I 360. 11 242 THE SEALED BOOK. thus depriving the earthly system of its grand resource of propitiation, the preparation is made for the action of the Sun of righteousness, as revealed by the Word, in destroy- ing the systems and pretensions , opposed to that Word. Thus, the drying up of the Euphrates prepares the way of the kings of the east, or, according to the Greek, " the kings /rom the risings of the sun. Besides the general symbolical character of the Euphra- tes, as the great river of the earth, it is also to be consid- ered, as it UteraUy was, the great river of the empire of Babylon ; and as the harlot Babylon was the image of the beast, and as such is to be identified with him, so we may take the kingdom of Babylon to be symbolically the king- dom of the beast. Babylon, as a woman, represents, in certain particulars, the character of the beast, of which she is the image. So the city or empire Babylon rej^re- sents, in certain particulars, the features of the kingdom of the beast. Here, as elsewhere in, the Scriptures, differ- ent figures are employed to represent different character- istics of the same thing, or the same thing under different aspects. Corresponding with the figure here used, as pro- fane history informs us, the city Babylon was taken by its besiegers, through the drying up of a portion of the river running through it, that same night in which, according to the Scripture, Belshazzar was slain and his kingdom given to another. Pursuing the analogy, we may say that when the views of atonement peculiar to the beast system or mystery, are manifested to be erroneous, the way is prepared for the destruction of the system itself. The exhibition of the pouring out of the vials seems sus- THKEIE UNCLEAN SPIBITS. 243 pended here for the purpose of allowing the apostle to witness another spectacle, apparently preparatory to the effusion of the seventh and last vial, as it affords a view of the state of things at that crisis. As if the dragon and his coadjutors, reduced to an extremity by the recent trials, were about to make one great and final effort for the maintenance of theii' power ; the expiration of the figurative term of forty-two months, being at hand. The apostle saw three spirits, imclean, as frogs are un- clean,* " out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet ;" the spirits of demons^ working miracles, going forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. "And he," (God Almighty,) it is added, " did gather them together in a place caUed in the He- brew tongue, Armageddon." In the midst of this relation there is interposed a voice, as fi'om Him who thus gathers them together, saying, " Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." Frogs are LeviticaUy unclean, fi^om their amphibious cha- racter ; they thus represent doctrines, or the spirit of doc- trines of a mixed character, as partly of self-justification or self-atonement, and partly of a professed dependence upon the atonement of Christ ; corresponding with what might be spoken of as a mixed garment of salvation, com- posed partly of divine and partly of human righteousness, partly of the merits of Christ and partly of the pretended * § 365. 244 THE SEALED BOOK. merits of the disciple — a sort of linsey woolsey garment^ typically prohibited under the Levitical law. (See Leviticus 19 : 19.) The plausibility of these hypocrit- ical doctrines in leading the mind away from a just view of God's plan of redemption by gmce^ may be easily com- prehended ; for which reason spirits of the miclean charac- ter here spoken of, were the best instruments for prevail- ing upon the kings of the whole world, (Gentile princi- ples,) as well as of the earth, (legal principles,) to unite their forces in contending agamst the Word of God. The language of the dragon is that of legal accusation ; the language of the beast is that of self-justification or self- dependence, and the language of the false prophet is that of misinterpretation. These, in then- known characters, having lost theii* influence, the efibrt is now made to dis- guise their real tendency by a certain mixture of evangeli- cal truth ; as, by a hke mixture, (frogs,) doctrinal prmci- ples derived from the letter of revelation, and others rest- ing on the platform of works, may be brought to bear, as auxiliaries of the adversary of the aross^ against the divine purpose of grace. These spirits are appropriately termed those of de- mo?is,* because the working of the demoniacal spirit is that of causing the possessed to see things in a different Hght from what they really are; as the tombs of old times were apparently mistaken by demoniacs for taberna- cles or suitable places of habitation. Figuratively speak- ing, we may suppose these spirits of demons were sent to influence the kings into a behef that the signs they wrought were evidences of the correctness of their mission : as SUMMONS TO BATTLE. 245 the false prophet himself wrought miracles in the sight ofmen^ although they were not really such. These ambassadors of Satan and of the beast are suc- cessful, it seems, in their mission ; but they are so because they are instruments of God Almighty in briuging about the purpose he has m view. J3e* gathers these kings and their forces together for their final overthrow, ia the most suitable place or position to answer the end he designs to accomplish. That place, according to the interpretation given to the Hebrew appellation, (Armageddon,) is the Mount of the Gospel — a field of battle which neither the dragon, nor the beast, nor the false prophet, would have chosen, but the Sovereign of all so overrules their opera- tions.f The battle itself is yet to be exhibited, towards the close of the vision, but in the mean time, the admoni- tion of the coming as a thief suddenly and when least ex- pected, seems to be given here as something in close con- nection with the gathering together, and its results ; as if this advent or coming was to correspond with the time and place of the battle.| The shame alluded to m the warning, we suppose to consist in the want of suitable clothing or covering ;|| as the shame of the guest at the marriage feast consisted in his want of a wedding robe, so the shame of a soldier when summoned to the field, would consist in his being found without his armor. The warning corresponds with that t The contest in this field being equivalent to bringing the truths of the Gospel to bear directly upon the errors represented, the appropriateness of the appellation must be evident. X § 367. II § 368. 246 THE SEALED BOOK. given in the epistles to the churches; and if, as before sup- posed, the coming there referred to, be equivalent to the unveiling of Jesus Christ, the result of the battle of the great day of God Almighty must have a near relation to the same event. The soldiers engaged in that battle on the side of the Word of God, are found with their gar- ments on, being clothed in fine linen white and clean ; the array of divine righteousness, corresponding with the breast-plate or cuii-ass of the Christian armor referred to by the apostle Paul. (Eph. 6 : 14.) All preparations having been now apparently made, the seventh and last test is applied to the air.^ This opera- tion being that of the last vial, of the last of the seven trumpets, of the last of the seven seals, there seems to be a peculiar importance to be attached to it; especially, when we call to mind the declaration of the mighty angel, (Rev. 10 : 7,) that the mystery of God should be finished, or fully developed, in the sounding of the seventh trum- pet, of which the present test furnishes the conclusion ; the result of it being applicable to the whole of the re- mainder of the vision. As we have before noticed, the air literally being the medium through which we contemplate the heavenly bodies, as such, it symbolizes, apocalyptically, the medium of construction or interpretation through which we con- template the truths of divine revelation, as we have them in the written word.f The Greeks distinguished between air and ether, the latter beiag applied to the pure atmosphere of the heavenly regions. The term here rendered air ap- * § 870. t See p. 186, SEVENTH AND LAST TEST. 247 plies to the grosser atmosphere surrounding our globe of earth, which we know to be always more or less affected by exhalations, or emanations from the sphere with which it is connected. Such may be said to be the medium of construction surrounding the earthly system of justifica- tion by works. It is more or less affected by the views of the earthly platform, in respect to the way of salvation or justification by the works or merits of men. The medium of contemplation itself, is besides, not of the i>urest quaUty ; there is thus, in the contemplation of heavenly objects of a doctrinal character, a continual action and reaction. Our views of the importance of worhs^ for ex- ample, as a means of salvation, affect the construction we put upon the language of Scripture ; and the construction we are in the habit of putting upon the sacred wi-itings, affects the doctrinal views we form from them. Hence, as it is well said, " we here see through a glass darkly."* The symbolical air, or medium of construction, peculiar to the earthly platfoiTu of works, which has been so favora- ble to the kingdom of the beast, and his image, and the false prophet, we may suppose to be of the grossest character — a carnal, and literal construction. The false prophet being the interpreter, the air is such as best suits his purpose. The test a^Dphed to the apocalyptic air produces a change in its character. The medium of contemplation is purified, and the objects presented, whether heavenly or earthly, are seen in their true light. * The action of the first six tests corrected the errors of the earthly sys- tem, the influence of which, like the smoke from the bottomless pit, tended to affect the construction put upon the written word. The last test is ac- cordingly requisite to correct that medium of contemplation itself. 248 THE SEALED BOOK. The impoi-tance of this operation is pointed out particu- larly by the great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, " It is done." The application of this last test effects all that remained to be done for the puri- fication of the views of divine worship, required by, or for a right apprehension of the attribute of divine sove- reignty. This is uttered, not by two voices, as relating to two distinct elements, but by one voice from the throne^ though proceeding out of the temple, (v. 17,) the attri- bute of divine sovereignty being one and supreme. As in a chemical operation, so soon as a test is applied, the work may be said to be done^ although it may require some tune after to exhibit and describe the results of the operation, here, too, the work is done^ when the vial is poured out, although the exhibition and description of its effect occupies the remainder of the vision, or nearly so. The same may be said of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the mystery is finished^ as soon as the trumpet sounds, (Rev. 10 : 7 ; 11 : 15,) although the results re- mained to be described. The voices, thunders, lightnings, and the earthquake,* or great shaking^ attending the effusion of this vial, are Sinaic indications, symbohzing the action of the law upon the earthly system, when both are contemplated through the right medium of construction. Similar indications have been before described, but on this occasion, the earthquake, or shaking^ is said to be the greatest, although in that last mentioned, a tenth of the city fell, and 7000 names of men were destroyed. The j^resent, hoAv- ever, is the last of these indications, and more may be * § 371. EFFECT OF THE LAST TEST. 249 implied in the action of this greatest shaking than at first appears. (Heb. 12 : 26, 27.) " The great city was divided into three parts,* and the cities of the nations fell, and great Babylon came in re- membrance before God, to receive the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath :" the punishment before de- clared to be inflicted upon the worshippers of the beast and his image, and those receiving the mark of his name. (Rev. 14 : 10.) Thence we conclude that the whole of this class is included here under the appellation of Baby- lon; the empire of Babylon being equivalent to the kingdom of the beast, and the name of the empne or city being put for all connected with it. The great city is apparently that "spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified," a figure corresponding with Babylon ; the three parts re- ferred to being those distinguished severally by these three appellations. (Rev. 11:8.) The efiect of this last test is that of producing an analysis of the system repre- sented by this great earthly city : showing its three promi- nent features to be those of, 1st, uncleanness, (impurity or mixture of principles and motives ;) 2d, legal bondage ; and 3d, self-justification : elements all opposed to the di- vine plan of salvation, and thus identified with the princi- ples pecuHar to the kingdom or reign of the adversary of the cross. The cities of the nations or GentUes, are, ap- parently, figures of plans of salvation, founded upon a literal or carnal view of divine revelation. The fallacy of this view being exposed, the plans formed from it fall as a necessary consequence. * §§ -372, 373. 11* 250 THE SEALED BOOK. Anotlier effect of this last test is represented as the fleeing away of the islands, and the disappearance of the mountains. On the opening of the sixth seal, which was also attend- ed by an earthquake, or shaking^ every mountain and island were moved out of their places ; symboHzing the instabiUty of all pretensions of human merits, or works of the law, as foundations upon which to rest a hope of sal- vation ; or as refuges against the wrath of offended just- ice. The medium of construction of the written word, being now perfectly cleared, these supposed foundations and refuges entirely disappear: even the mountains (sys- tems, the opposites of that represented by Mount Sion) are not to be found ; under the new construction there is no place for them. Another effect of the test applied to the azV, is the fall- ing of a great hail out of heaven,* about the weight of a talent. *' Hail out of heaven" may be considered the figure of a certain portion of divine revelation, which is symbolically said to sweep away the refuges of lies. As such, it acts upon the principles of the earthly system as a test, (plague,) showing the true character of the principles (v. 21) to be blasphemous. This character, corresponding with the real, although unconscious, blasphemy of one, who trusting to his own merits for justification in the sight of God, virtually places himself on an equality with God, professing an independence of divine mercy, and actually making himself judge in his own cause ; thus showing himself that he is God ; in effect giving himself forth as such in this matter. * § 374. EFFECT OF THE LAST TEST. 251 The powerful nature of the test is illustrated by the figure of the enormous size of the hail — about the weight of a talent — a size sufficient to destroy the earthly pro- ductions upon which men depend, although not sufficient to destroy the men themselves, sheltered as they may be in their earthly tabernacles. Their destruction, however, is only reserved for another representation. Meantime, we may notice, that as hail is a condensation of certain exhalations from the earth, its operation here may repre- sent the reaction of the elements of the earthly system of works, upon that system itself, such being the effect of a right construction of the law of God, as revealed in the Scriptures. Here (Rev. 16 : 18, 21) we have a smnmary only of the results of this last test. So far as regards the fate of Baby- lon, we are yet to learn, from an amphfication of this summary, what is to be understood by Babylon cortiing in remembrance before God^ and in what the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath consists. This we have in the subsequent accounts of Babylon, first as a woman, and afterwards as a city. As a woman, Babylon is the image of the beast ; and thence, we may consider the features of her character and influence, to be such as are peculiar to the beast himself. She is thus employed to illustrate certain points in the mystery of the adversary of the cross, which could not otherwise be shown to the same advantage. As an impe- rial city, Babylon may be taken to represent, to a certain extent, the kingdom of the beast ; for we have no other particulars of the fate of that kingdom than those related of the effects of the effusion of the fifth vial. Here, the 252 THE SEALED BOOK. figure of a great city affords an illustration of certain fea- tures of the reign of the beast, which could not be so well given otherwise. The kingdom of the beast is, apparently, an opposite of the kingdom of God, of which it was said, (Luke 17:21,)" The kingdom of God is within you." So its opposite, the kingdom of the beast, is something in the mind of the disciple, not an external pohtical or ecclesi- astical power. The account of the image (Babylon) as a woman or queen, both in her prosperity and in her ruin, is introduced by way of an episode^ occupying the whole of Rev. 17 ; for which purpose the narrative or tissue of the vision is suspended till we reach Rev. 18:1, where the words, " And after these things," shows the connection with Rev. 16 : 21. The narration following, is an amplification of great Babylon's coming, as a city, in remembrance before God, as appears from the expression employed. (Rev. 18 : 5.) This account is also that of the fate of the beast's kingdom. The fate of the beast himself, is related afterwards, although in effect coincident. The first notice we had of Babylon by name, was that of her fall as announced in the heavenly scene, (Rev. 14 : 8,) but which is to be considered coeval with all here represented of her destruction. The cause of her fall was there assigned ; that she had made aU nations partici- pate in the cup of her abominations. In this second no- tice, the instrument in bringing about her fall, is made known — the application of the seventh test to the air. The test, prepared, as it was, in the temple, showing, when applied to the construction of the written word,* the in- * We do not pretend to assign a period when this right construction will EFFECT OF THE LAST TEST. 253 consistency of the Babylonish plan, or mystery, of salva- tion (the mystery also of the beast's system) with the true worship of God, and with a just manifestation of his glory and power, as exhibited in the work of man's re- demption. That Babylon, in the character of the harlot, and the image of the beast, are owe, appears further from the fact that this is the only link by which we can connect her his- tory with other portions of the narrative, as on the other hand, it is the only clue we have to the character and fate of that image. Add to this, we find, in the con- clusion of the Apocalypse, that the Lamb has a wife, or bride, whose attributes illustrate the mystic character of her spouse. If this was required for the Lamb, who is, in fact, the conqueror^ something of the same kind must have been provided for his opposite the beast. Accordingly, through the agency of the false construction (the earthly atmosphere) and the use made of that construction by the false prophet, a simulation of the bride is created from, or by, the principles of the earthly system, which simulation^ or image, as a woman, and as a city, represents a false plan of salvation ; as the bride and New Jerusalem represent the true plan ; both being images of their re- spective heads. The offices of both are the same, as sym- bols of identity, (1 Cor. 16 : 16; Eph. 5 : 31, 32,) al- though morally differing, as a harlot differs from a lawful wife. With this clue we learn, when the harlot is destroyed by the action of the ten horns, (Rev. 17 : 16) prevail: perhaps it may do so only in that state where we shall see face to face, but meantime every commentary on the Scriptures may approximate somewhat towards it. 254 THE SEALED BOOK. and the great city by fire, that ;Such is, in reality, the fate and the end of the image of the beast. Note.— On the opening of the bottoj^less pit, (Rev. 9 : 2,) the air was darkened by the smoke of the pit. We may suppose this darkness to have existed in all the earthly scenes, afterwards described, till the coming in of the new heaven and the new earth. On the application of the fourth test, vvcn were scorched by the heat of the siWi, but it does not appear that they were benefited by the ligJit of the sun. .As, the influence of the pit system so affects the construction or interpreta^on of the written word, in like manner it prevents a right apprehension of divine revelation in other re- spects. At the same time, as the pit, or dottomless system influences a mis- interpretation, so the misinterpretation (the smoky atmosphere) sustains the erroneous system. The same state of the analogical atmosphere gave effect to the locust- scorpion sting, and to the more deadly sting of the Euphratean cavalry ; clothing also the two witnesses with sackcloth, and enabling the false pro- phet to perform his apparent miracles 'if^ tlie ,ngM of men, ; giving life to the image of the beast, and causing .both the beast and his image to be worshipped. ' ""'* -- The same obscurity enabled Satan to operate, through the beast, without being recognized; giving a condemnatory effect to the ten horns of the law, enforced by his accusatory authority; corresponding with a legal presentation of the Gospel under such a misconstruction, that the fulfill- ment of the law, by Jesus Christ, is not apprehended. By the application of the last test, the figurative air, or atmosphere, is cleared from the influence of the pit system, as well as from every other in- gredient of obscurity, and thenceforth both true and false systems appear in their right aspects. The Sun of righteousness is again seen unobscured in the persons of the Word of God, the New Jerusalem, and God and the Lamb.* So the harvest and vintage of the earth, the action of the seventh vial test upon the oAr, and the victory of the Word of God by the sivord of his mouth, may be considered so many different figures of the same crisis. * §§ 3T5-578. THE WTLDEENESS. 255 CHAPTER VI. Act V. — Continued. (Episode.) BABTXOIf, THE HARLOT — HER REIGN AS A QUEEN — THE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS — THE TEN HORNS ^THE VIC- TORY OF THE LAMB — ^THE END OF THE HARLOT. Scene: The Earth — ^the Wilderness. The apostle is invited* (Rev. 17 : 1) by the angel which poured out the first of the seven vials, (administering the test to those that had the mark of the beast and that worshipped his image^) to turn aside from the general representation for the purpose of witnessing the judgment (condemnation) of the great harlot ; sitting^ as it is said by the angel, upon many waters ; this harlot proving to be, as we find by the designation on her forehead, Baby- lon, the image itself just referred to. The sitting here mentionedf must be taken in a regal sense, as she is afterwards represented to have said in her heart, "I sit as a queen," (Rev. 18 : Y.) The figure of many waters may be taken from the waters irrigating the city Babylon, drawn from the Euphrates, or from other rivers of the empire fed by that stream. They are after- wards said to be "peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues;" both expressions being symbolically used for falso or earthly systems of means of propitiation ; the first * §§ 379,380. + § 381. 256 THE SEALED BOOK. having more immediate reference to the element of atone- ment, and the last to systems of doctrine built uj)on the Gentile or letter construction of divme revelation, in con- tradistinction to the spirit. As foundations (fundamental principles) the instabihty of these waters may well be con- trasted with the stabihty of Mount Zion. As the beast is an opposite of the Word of God, so these waters are oppo- sites of the mount that can not be removed. (Ps. 125 : 1.) Babylon herself, as her name signifies, represents a con- fused system of propitiation, as of law and Gospel elements mixed. The earth or land being a symbol of a plan of sal- vation by works of the law, " the kings of the earth" re- present the leading principles of that system — the same principles of law, perhaj^s, as are afterwards said to be overcome by the Lamb, (Rev. 17 : 14.) Being imlawful- ly used in this mixed system of the harlot, their mixture with that system is figuratively spoken of as an illicit con- nection,* while the iufiuence of the mixture itself, sanc- tioned as it may appear to be, by these elements of law, is represented as that of the wine of that illicit intercourse, by which the inhabitants of the earth, the dwellers upon the earth, (principles of self justification or self-dependence resting upon the earthly platform,) are made drunk ; re- ferring to the folly and madness of intoxication, rather than to its stupidity. This figure appears to be taken from the drugged wine (philters) commonly used amongst the ancients by characters corresponding with that of the harlot, to allure and overcome the unwary. The apostle, however, did not see Babylon under the aspect described by the angel. He is carried awayf into * § 882. t § 383. THE WILDERNESS. 257 the wilderness, where he sees her sitting upon a scarlet- colored beast, full of the names of blasphemy. Babylon still sits as a queen, but her throne, or that by which her pow- er is sustained, symbohzes a different feature of her sys- tem.* The apostle is carried away into a wilderness, in spirit^ as he was taken up into heaven in spirit^ and as he saw the day of the Lord ^V^ spirit. It is only in the wilderness that Babylon could appear as a qiieen^ in the enlightened view afforded the apostle. As she reigns in the wilder- ness, so it is the wilderness position which makes her to reign : as it is only where the true view of the divine plan of salvation is wanting, that the false view can obtain credence. The wilderness position corresponds with that of man under the law, depending, as it were, upon the sweat of his brow for the means of eternal life, and obtain- ing only thorns and thistles as the fruit of his labor. Li such a wilderness, a pseudo-plan of salvation comes as a rehef, a sort of compromise, between the principles of law and those of sovereign grace : very acceptable, we may suppose, to the inhabiters of the earth,f fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb, but abomination in the sight of Him who " will not divide his glory with another." The term rendered woman here, is the same as that * The bond-woman, Hagar, represented, according to Paul, a purely legal covenant or system ; the harlot, a pseudo-covenant of legal and other principles, mixed. t To the dwellers upon the earth, figuratively speaking, the harlot wilder- ness may appear a magnificent city, a place of refuge amply provided with means of defense and sustenance ; but to the apostle, who sees it through a purified medium of vision, it is but a defenseless wilderness. 258 THE SEALED BOOK. applied to the " woman clothed with the sim," who fled into the wilderness to escape the persecution of the dra- gon. Either the one is in seclusion where the other is in her glory, or the same individual is seen under different aspects. As if we could suppose (the aspects being chang- ed) the woman bearing the man-child to take the place of the harlot ; the wilderness would then blossom as the rose, and the bride would appear coming out of that wilderness leaning on her beloved ; corresponding with a change of views in the mind of the disciple who contemplates God's plan of redemption under the new aspect presented by the wife of the Lamb. (Is. 35 : 1 ; Cant. 3 : 6.) The scarlet-colored beast, from his seven heads and ten horns, and their names of blasphemy, is apparently the same as that seen by the apostle rising from the sea ; and if so, the features of his character and the system or mys- tery he represents, are still the same, excej^ting that his spotted skin is changed for one of a scarlet color. Scarlet or crimson being a hlood-red color, s}Tnbolizes the action of the law, and may be put here to remind us that the beast exercises the great authority of \hQ fiery-red dragon; his ten horns indicating th§ power of the law, and his seven heads containing seve^'^y and collectively the sting of r the serpent. Thus the soj^ereign control of the harlot system is sustained by the accusing power of the broken law, to which also it owes its high reputation, (amongst the dwellers upon the earth^ as furnishing the mixed rem- edy represented by the wine of the harlot. The array of the woman* in purple and scarlet color, with her gold, and precious stones, and pearls, (all very * § 384. THE HAJRLOT QUEEN. 259 good things in their place,) corresponds with the decorations of the tabernacle in the wilderness, indicating the preten- sions of the woman, or of that which she represents, to the sanctions of the legal covenant. Connecting this array, so directly an opposite of that of the bride of the Lamb, (Rev. 19:8,) with the position of the woman in the wil- derness, and the opprobrious appellation given her, and the support she has from the ten-horned beast, the sys- tem she symbolizes appears equivalent to a substitution of the old covenant for the new ; using the law unlawfully, and substituting for the propitiation of Christ, represent- ed by the blood of the Lamb, the abominable mixture con- tained in her golden cup. (See Appendix J.) Gold we have always considered a figure of truth, giv- ing the character of truth to whatever is said to be com- posed of it, and so we still consider it. The material of the harlot's cup is truth, because it exhibits its contents in their truly abominable character :* representing the element of atonement as an indispensable ingredient in any plan of salvation, it is also true. The evil is in the xoine of the cup, the substitution of earthly meritorious works of propitiation, or pretensions of that character, for the atonement of Christ, as if the woman had purloined the precious cup of blessing, spoken of by the apostle Paul, (1 Cor. 10 : 16,) and had filled it with her delusive mixture. As she pretends to the sanction of the old cov- enant, she pretends also to supply a remedy for its trans- gression, equivalent to that of the new covenant. The mixture in her cup corresponds with that of the pharma- 385. 260 THE SEALED BOOK cy, elsewhere reprobated in the Apocalypse, under the ap- pellation, as our common version has it, of sorcery. Upon the forehead* of the woman a name is written, " Mystery^ Bahylon the Great^ the mother of harlots (for- nications) and abominations of the earth." We have already anticipated the necessity of any comment on these names ; they sanction , however, all that we have said. The name in the forehead must be an opposite of the seal of God, in the forehead of the 144,000. The woman is declared to represent a mystery. \ As such she must be an opposite of the mystery of Christ, (Eph. 3 : 4,) and of the mystery of the Gospel ; and as the mys- tery of the Gospel, and of Christ, and of God, (Rev. 10 : V,) are but different appellations of the same divine plan of salvation, the mystery of this woman is equivalent to a pretended plan or system of salvation, an opposite of the true. As the woman is declared also to be Babylon the great, whatever the woman is put for, that great city is put for ; both representing the same mystery, but ex- hibiting different illustrations of its features. As the same woman, or city, is the mother or source of all the errors or erroneous systems of doctrine, figuratively term- ed the harlots, or fornications and abominations of the earth, (doctrines and systems of faith resting on the earth- ly platform of works,) she must be an opposite of the woman bearing the man-child destined to rule all nations, and who herself proves to be the ^'•Jerusalem above,^'' " the mother of us all," (Gal. 4 : 26.) And as the harlot is the image of the beast, the mystery of Babylon is an image of the mystery of the beast. * § 386. t §§ 386, 231. THE HARLOT QUEEN. 261 The name Babylon, derived from the tower of Babel, remmds us of that typical history in which the me?i of the earth assembled together to build themselves a name^ and were defeated in their vainglorious attempt by the confrision of tongues ; a pertinent figure of systems Hke that of Babylon, which tend to give to man the glory of salvation, to be ascribed only to God ; and which, in the nature of the attempt, produces such a multitude of mixed and discordant views that no two of them may be said to speak the same language. Such we may suppose to be the systems symbohcally termed, " nations, kindreds, peo- ples, and tongues." From the array of the harlot, we may presume that, like the beast of which she is the image^ she professes great zeal for the law ; and from her golden cup, we con- clude that she admits the necessity of an atonement to meet the transgression of the law. The wine of her cup, as that of a harlot, must be the opposite of the wine of the marriage feast, produced from the water of purifica- tion by the power of Christ. The contents of the cup must be an opposite as weU as a pretended substitute of the blood of the new covenant, abominable in this re- spect alone, but still more so in its mixture of the pre- tended merits of man with the propitiatory work of Christ — an adulterated atonement. The wilderness of the harlot corresponds as a figure with that in which the rebellious Israelites perished from imbelief ; with that in which the Baptist found no suste- * That is, to glorify themselves, to give themselves a permanent repu- tation. 262 THB SEALED BOOK. nance other than locusts and wild honey ; and with that, which to Christ himself, was destitute of all nourishment. As the image of the beast, and as supported by him, the mystery represented by Babylon, corresponds* with that symbolized by him whose names were full of blasphemy, names all adverse to the cross of Christ, emblematic of priQciples tending to exalt the creature and the sinner to an equality with the Creator and the Saviour ; ascribing a salvation, the result of sovereign grace alone, to the works or merits of man. Hence as these mixed pretensions rest upon the platform of justification by works, they are, figuratively, abominations and harlotry of the earth. The woman was seen drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus \\ the blood of those who were " slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony they held," and whose souls under the altar (Rev. 6 : 9) were crying for judgment and vindi- cation ; and the blood afterwards found amidst the ruins of Babylon. This blood (the life of the animal) we have already de- fined to be the spirit or spii-it-sense of the revealed word. The mystery of Babylon flourishes by separating the spirit from the letter of all that is revealed in the sacred Scrip- tures. The spirit being rejected, the mixed principles cleave to the letter ; because this last may be perverted to sustain the mixed views represented by the mystery of the harlot and the contents of her cup. The apostle wonders at this sight. That the harlot * As it corresponds also with the mystery of iniquity, which may be said to be the image of the man of sin. (2 Thess. 2:7.) t § 387. THE HAKLOT QUEEN. 263 should be thus drunken, or satiated with the blood of saints, is not so much a matter of wonder, as it is that she should be permitted so to shed this blood; as, in reading the accounts of the bloody persecutions to which the disciples of Christ have been subjected, we do not wonder so much that theu' enemies should have thus mani- fested their hatred of him and of his cause, as that these persecutions should have been permitted by that divine overruling power, without whose knowledge not a spar- row falleth to the ground. This wonder calls forth an explanation by the angel at- tending the apostle, who had called him aside to see the judgment of the harlot, and instead of that had shown him a woman assuming the position of a sovereign, and satiating her hostility to the cross (the truth) by shed- ding the blood of saints and martyrs. He might be sup- posed to exclaim, " Is this the judgment (condemnation) of the harlot that I was called to see?" The explanation of the angel, taking place, as may be supposed, on retiring from the exhibition, goes to show that, notwithstanding all this appearance of power and prosperity, the woman is destined to be destroyed, even by the very instrument upon which she had depended to sustain her authority. "I will tell you," he says, " the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her." The mystery is related in symbolical language ; whence we may understand that telling a mystery is not an interpretation of it. The mystery explains to the apostle why, in showing him the judgment of the harlot, he is made to see her in her glory, before he learns her end, but as a mystery or system, it requires itself a devel- 264 THE SEALED BOOK. opment beyond that of telling it : the hidden purport re- mains to be discovered. The Greek term translated beast* here (Rev. 17 : Y) is applied in the New Testament to serpents, as well as to quadrupeds. (Acts 28 : 4, 5.) The head and horns, only, of the beast carrying the harlot, being mentioned, the ap- plication may be made either to the great serpent with seven heads and ten horns, or to his representative and vicegerent upon the earth, the beast from the sea. The difference is not material, except so far as one or the other may enable us best to understand the subsequent mystic expressions in the same connection.f The beast, it is said, " was^ and is no% and is to ascend out of the bottomless pit, and to go into perdition.''^ The verb to be, is used here, as in other instances in the Scrip- tures, in reference to a manifestation of the thing spoken of. The beast from the sea, as the adversary of the cross, ruled and was manifested under the legal dispensation, when the view of that dispensation was so perverted as to favor the pretension of justification by works ; as was the case in the view of the Pharisees of old. The beast " is wo^,"I under the Gospel dispensation of grace, where the law is contemplated as having been ful- filled by Jesus Christ. Again the beast ascends out of the bottomless pit, when the bottomless pit system, (sucli as we have seen it,) obscures the Sun of righteousness, * § 297. t Satan opposed the plan ol salvation in heaven, and the beast from the sea is the adversary of the same plan on the earth, or the adversary of the true exhibition of it. 1 ?§ 888, "89. THE BEAST — HIS HEAD AND HORNS. 265 and resuscitates the legal elements opposed to the cross of Christ, as when the witnesses are prophesying in sackcloth. But when the right construction of the revealed word clears away the mists of this earthly influence, the beast is seen to be overcome by the Word of God, and to go into perdition^ corresponding with the figure of his being cast into the lake of fire, (Rev. 19 : 20.) Nearly the same may be said of the serpent, (Satan.) Me is, or is mani- fested, under the reign of the beast, and wherever the persecuted woman is secluded in the wilderness, and the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth. Me is not, when chained in the bottomless pit, (Rev. 20 : 1.) Again, he is, when loosed out of his prison, (Rev. 20 : 7 ;) and he goes into perdition when cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20 : 10.) The figurative accordance of these last circumstances with the mystic expression to which they may be sup- posed to aUude, suggests the idea that the intention of the angel's explanation is to show " that old serpent^'' or beast, the DevU and Satan, to be himself the real sup- porter of the harlot mystery or system. As that serpent's object was, from the beginning, to bring man under the law, for the purpose of effecting his condemnation ; so, being baffled in this purpose by the divine plan of salva- tion by grace, through faith, his next object is to turn away the disciple from the faith by substituting a false plan in place of the true, through the instrumentahty of the beast system, and the false interpretation ; all sym- bolized by the beast and his image, and the false prophet. The wonder of the dwellers upon the earth (principles not contained in the Book of Life (Rev. 17:8) or divine 12 266 THE SEALED BOOK. plan of salvation) at beholding these changes in the beast, may be designed to illustrate the wonder or astonish- ment of those led away under these influences, when a right construction of the wiitten word enables them to discern the working of Satan in all the errors they have embraced. The apostle wondered at the prosperity of the wicked, (the harlot and the beast ;) the dwellers upon the earth, it is said by the angel, shall wonder when they discern the real character of the beast, and behold his end. This wonder may not be such as to lead to a change of views. It is rather to be compared to that alluded to in the saying of the prophets, to which the apostle Paul has referred, (Acts 13 : 41,) the principles of the earthly- platform of works being unchangeable in then- nature, otherwise than by the removal of the platform itself; as symbohzed by the fleeing away of the old earth, on the full development of the attribute of divine sovereignty in the Word of God. (Rev. 20 : 2.) The intimation of a pecuharly mystic sense here given, corresponds with that connected with the announcement of the number of the beast, *' Here the mind having wis- dom." We need not be surprised, therefore, if there be something apparently far fetched in the interpretation to be given. " The seven heads are seven mountains, where the wo- man sitteth, and are seven kings," or chiefs.* As heads^ these members of the beast represent tendencies, (pur- poses) of the beast system ; as mountains where the wo- man sitteth^ they symbolize foundations or fundamental principles of the woman's pretensions to sovereignty, (op- * % 890. THE BEAST — HIS HEAD AND HOENS. 267 posites of Mount Zion,) corresponding with the moun- tains of the earth, which were first moved out of their places, and in the end (the result of the last test upon the air) were not to be found. In keeping with this figure, when Babylon is destroyed we may presume these moun- tains disappear : this also being the crisis when, as it is said, every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Our limits will not permit a further definition of these fundamental principles than to say that they must be all opposites of the principle of sovereign grace repre- sented by Mount Zion, and of the same character, appar- ently, as that ascribed to the heads. (See Appendix B.) As the power of the law is represented by ten horns in the destruction of the harlot, and by te7i kings in being overcome by the Lamb, so we may presume the seven Icings (Rev 17 : 10*) represented by the seven heads to be leading principles or pretensions of the beast system : all of them pretensions adverse to the cross of Christ. What is said of them as past, present, or to come, refers, as in other cases, to the order of manifestation in the vi- * The word "^Aere," in this verse, is, we think, uncalled for ; the reading should be, " and are seven kings," that is, the seven heads are seven moun- tains and are seven kings. As heads they represent the pretensions of a system or mystery ; as mountains they represent its foundations or funda- mental principles ; and as kings they are figures of its ruling principles per- vading the whole system. In character they correspond with the strong- holds, imaginations, and Mgh tilings alluded to by Paul, 2 Cor. 5:5; princi- paUty, power, might, and dominion, Eph. 1 : 21 ; 6:12, and every name that is named in opposition to the name of Christ or of God as the only Saviour. As figures, the seven heads of the beast appear to be opposites of the spirits of God, and as the latter are symbolized by lamps, by horns, and by eyes, so the spirits of the adversary are figuratively said to be heads, moun- tains, and kings, according to the several features of the mystery set forth. 268 THE SEALED BOOK. sion itself, and not to an order of existence or succession of time. Five are said to have fallen ;* these five may be, for example, 1st, The pretension of the earthly system to a righteousness of its own ; destroyed or fallen by the burning up of the vegetable covering of the land, on the sound of the first trumpet. 2d, The pretension of ability to withstand the power of judicial wi'ath ; fallen by the exhibition of the sea as blood, the destruction of ships, and of all that had life in it — the second trumpet's sound. 3d, The pretension of the earthly system of works to furnish a sufficient atonement for sin ; fallen by the action of the star Wormwood on the waters of the earth. 4th, The pretension to self-justification of the bottomless-pit system ; fallen by the action of its own elements, the scor- pion-locusts. 5th, The pretension of the Euphratean sys- tem ; fallen by the drying up of the river. Of the sixth king^ it is said " one is ;" this, we may suppose to be the pretension of the mixed system, represented by the harlot, then imder treatment. The seventh we may consider the pretension of the beast himself, whose appearance at the head of the kings of the earth and their armies, is spoken of as his coming^ and whose speedy overthrow in the great battle, is intimated in the expression of his continuing a short space. The eighth Jcing or pretension, or leading principle, of which it is said, he was, and is not, and is of, or out of the seven, and goeth into perdition, we have no difficulty in supposing to be Satan, the great serpent himself, the ac- cuser of the brethren, the pretended advocate of the claims of the law. He was, as described in the war in heaven ; * i§ 391,892, THE BEAST — HIS HEAD AND HORNS. 269 I he is not^ when, having given his power and great author- ity to the beast, he does not appear in the earthly scene, and yet he is of or out of the seven, because he is the real actor in all the pretensions represented by the seven heads. He is the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. As the adversary of man's salvation he was manifested till overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the power of divine sovereignty ; as the adversary of the cross^ he is not manifested, because he acts only in the person of the ten-homed beast, and his concomitants; and yet he is, because he is the real actor under this disguise. He is also manifested when seen to be bound with a great chain in the bottoroless pit, and finally he goes into perdition when cast iato the lake of fire and brimstone after his de- feat before the camp of the saints, (Rev. 20 : 9, 10.) We are not tenacious of this definition, but are neverthe- less persuaded that these heads, mountains, and kings, have reference to matters represented in this vision, symbolizing doctrinal elements bearing an analogy with them ; different figures being required to illustrate difier- ent features of the same doctrine. The ten horns of the beast (v. 12) are also ten kings.* According to the Greek, they have never received a king- dom themselves ; but power has been given them to rule or reign as kings simultaneously with the beast, (" one hour.") When the beast system prevails these ruHng principles prevail, as the law must rule in a system of self- justification. " They have one mind, and give their pow- er to the beast," both the beast and the dragon depend- ing upon the law, symbolized by the ten horns (the deca- * § 393. 270 THE SEALED BOOK. • logue) as a whole, for theii- authority. As these legal horns are connected with the beast system ; so, as kings, or ruling principles of the law, they are said (v. 14) to make war with the Lamb. The law, that is, the broken law, contends with the element of divine propitiation. The Lamb, however, overcomes these legal chiefs, as the power of the law is overcome by that of divine sovereign- ty, exercised in the vicarious fulfillment of the law by Jesus Christ, " the Lord of lords and King of kings," the conqueror, as we afterwards find, of the beast himself; those with the Lamb, "chosen, faithful, and true," like the followers of the Word of God on white horses, being the principles of this divine plan of salvation by grace, (Rev. 19 : 11-14.) This contest* is expressed by the sign of the future tense, (shall,) not because the thing represented was, or is, something to occur at a fiiture time, but because the trans- action figuratively spoken of, is to be exhibited in a subse- quent part of the vision, where we find this same beast with his earthly forces arrayed in battle against the Lamb ; there seen in the person of the rider of the white horse, the conqueror, " He that overcometh," called the Word of God, and bearing upon his vesture and upon his thigh the title of " King of kings and Lord of lords." Here (v. 15) the waters where the woman sitteth are said by the angel to be " peoples, and multitudes, and na- tions, and tongues,"! doctrinal systems and principles of the Gentile character,}; as we have before defined them. * i§ 894, 895. t The pleonasm of this expression very plainly indicating its figurative character, as on other occasions. X § 396. THE BEAST HIS HEAD AND HORNS. 271 The harlot sits enthroned upon these, as a queen, overrul- ing and subverting them to the su23port of her mixed sys- tem, and to a participation m her pretended cup of pro- pitiation. Under one aspect the harlot-mystery is represented as sustained by many earthly plans of atonement, (v. 1,) imder another, it is .sustained by seven fundamental princi- ples, all having a condemnatory tendency, (serpent heads,) operating by the power of the law, the ten horns of the beast. For as the woman is the image of the beast upon which she sits, so her mystery is the image of the beast's kingdom, (v. 3,) two figures of the same thing interchangeably illustrating each other. Again these same principles are represented as mountains, opposites of Mount Zion, and as such, opposites of the purpose of sovereign grace, (v. 9 ;) and lastly, the same mystery is represented as a sovereign ruling a multitude of systems and principles formed from literal and carnal views of divine revelation, (v. 13.) As the head and the horns, furnishing these illustrations, are throughout those of the beast, so the adversary oj the cross of Christ is everywhere the real operative, the agent of the dragon, (the legal accuser and the power adverse to man's salvation,) in opposing right views of Gospel truth. In the end^ (corresponding with the pouring out of the last vial,) as the Lamb overcomes the ten legal kings, (v. 14,) this same power of the law (ten horns or kings) over- comes the false plan of salvation or mystery of the harlot. The triumph of the Lamb (Christ) over the ten kings (the power of the law) and the triumph of the power of the law over the false system of propitiation, (the mystery 272 THE SEALED BOOK. of the harlot,) together with what is afterwards represent- ed as the conflagration of Babylon and the victory of the Word of God over the beast, may be contemplated as coincident, being different illustrations of the new views resulting from the change in the construction put upon the written word ; the effect of the effusion of the seventh vial or test apphed to the air. We must consider the de- scription of the harlot in her glory, as relating to some- thing coincident with the reign of the beast and the influ- ence of the false prophet and the worship paid to the image, (Rev. 13 : 1-18;) all prior to the pouring out of the vials of wrath ; while the victory of the Lamb over the ten kings, and the destruction of the harlot by the ten horns of the beast, must be something coincident with the coming of Babylon in remembrance before God, (Rev. 16 : 19,) and is accordingly to be viewed as resulting from the pouring out of the seventh vial.* The harlot system is figuratively represented, by the hatred of the ten horns, as odioits to divine justice, (v. 16,) the mixed views of this mystery of iniquity, or error, pro- bably corresponding with the character of the ISTicolaitane doctrine, (Rev. 2:6.) The ten horns hate\ the harlot, and make her desolate, as a woman in the wilderness and without her offspring ; naked^ as destitute of any garment of salvation or robe of righteousness, or means of justifica- tion : her flesh, or pretensions to merit, being consumed by * As sitting or enthroned upon peoples, multitudes, and nations, the har- lot-mystery is sustained by the letter of revelation without the spirit ; as sitting upon the ten-horned beast, the same mystery is sustained by the ad/versary of the cross with the power of the broken law. 't ?§ 397, 398. FATE OF THE HARLOT. 273 the Jire of the revealed word. All these are but different illustrations of the requisitions of the law of God fully de- veloped, showing the entire insufficiency of the means of propitiation or justification, represented as the mystery of Babylon, and her cup of mixture. In this operation the elements of the law may be said to be unanimous, agreemg in this destruction of the mixed propitiatory system of the harlot, while in a certain sense they give their kingdom or reign to the beast. The system of the latter, apart from what is represented by its image, being one of self-justi- fication, depends for its support upon, the pretension of vindicating the power of the law, and enforcing its requi- sitions ; corresponding with the transfer of the diadems from the seven heads of the dragon to the ten horns of the beast ; that is, for a season, God having so designed it till his words shall be fulfilled (v. 17.) This fulfillment, we may presume to be coincident with the victory of the rider of the white horse over the beast, afterwards de- scribed, (Rev. 19.) Thus, whilst the development of the law of God is sufficient to destroy the pretensions of the harlot system of propitiation, (a mixture of the merits of man with the merits of Christ,) it requii*es a complete de- velopment of the divine plan of salvation by sovereign grace (the Word of God,) to overcome the pretensions of the ten-horned beast, sustained as they are by the power of the law. As it is only the creator of a law who can dispense with its requisitions, (Mark 2 : 28,) so it is God alone who can provide for the fulfillment of his law by a vicarious arrangement in behalf of those otherwise subject to its requisitions.* * According to some editions of the Greek, the ten horns and tTie beast 12* 274 THE SEALED BOOK. The angel closes his explanation here, (Rev. 17:18,) with the information that the woman of which he has given an accomit, is " that great city^ which reigneth over the kings of the earth ;" thus identifying the harlot Babylon with the city Babylon, as two figures of the same mystery, preparatory to the exhibition about to be witnessed by the apostle, on his return to the position he had occupied be- fore having been taken away in spirit into the wilderness. The expression, that great city, may be intended also to refer, as a connecting link, to the close of the preceding relation of the effect of the seventh vial upon the air, in which Babylon is said to come in remembrance before God, and to have been divided into three parts, referring us again to the ''•great city, spiritually called Sodom, and Egypt, and where our Lord was crucified." (Rev. 11 : 8.) The city is said to be that "which reigneth over the kings of the earth." The Greek term rendered Mngs^ signifies either pohtical or ecclesiastical chiefs. As such chiefs, these kings are figures of ruling principles of the earthly system. The reigning alluded to, carries us back to the condition of Babylon, when first seen in her glory, hate the harlot. If this be the case, the beast must be considered a figure of self-justification simply; as one who professes to stand upon his rights under the law, professing ability to meet its requirements, and rejecting all propositions of atonement, in which there is an admission of the necessit}"- even of a partial admixture of the merits of Christ. But the rendering of our common version here appears preferable, as it does not seem in keeping with the figures that the beast which carries the woman, and upon which she sits as a queen, should hate her. Besides that, the harlot is, as we have supposed, the image of the beast, favoring the hostility of this adversary of the cross, by her mixed plan of propitiation, in which she is an opposite of the bride or wife of the Lamb. * * § 399. FATE OF THE HARLOT. 275 enthroned upon the beast with the ten horns. Hence we may conclude these ruling principles to be those of the law, misused alike both by Babylon and by the adversary of the cross. These kings of the earth must be also those engaged in the great battle with their armies, (Rev. 19 : 19,) as auxiliaries of the beast. The reigning of the Babylon- mystery over these legal principles, is therefore equivalent to a perversion of the law to the support of a false system of propitiation ; the parent of all other systems of a like character, figuratively the mother of harlots. This per- version of the principles of the law by their admixture with a false system of propitiation, is spoken of as an illicit intercourse between the kings of the earth and Babylon, to which mystery these principles are by this admixture made subservient. We may suppose the chief ingredient in the cup of Baby- lon to consist mainly of the proposition, that together with the atonement of Christ, the disciple himself must do some great thi7ig to satisfy the law. The harlot systems, of which this of Babylon is the parent, may differ as to the great thing or meritorious work or works to be performed, but they have all the same abominable pretension of mix- ing up the merits of Christ with those of the disciple, such as they are supposed to be. The parent error may appear under a variety of forms in its offspring, but these are all to be traced to the same image of the same mystery of iniquity.* Note.— Taking the earth for a figure of the platform of works, as opposed to the divine plan of salvation by grace, and the products of the earth for * § 400, 276 THE SEALED BOOK. the works themselves, the dwellers upon the earth are the principles of self- justification, sometimes denominated "men" or " inhabiters of the earth." These earthly principles depend for their authority and importance upon the supposed unchangeable requisitions of the law. If the law be contemplated as unbroken, its requisitions demand complete fulfillment for justification. If the law be contemplated as broken, its requisitions demand a sufiicient propitiation. These legal requisitions may accordingly be considered the kings or ruling principles of the earth and its inTiabiters. The nations, peoples, multitudes, and tongues, represented by the Baby- lonish waters, dififer from the dwellers upon the earth, as the Gentiles of the Old Testament difi'ered from the Jews. They are doctrinal principles, derived from a carnal or literal construction of divine revelation, and hence, as multitudinous and contradictory in the language they speak, as were the nations of the world in the confusion of tongues, to which we have already adverted. Such principles, it must be evident, are easily made subservient to the harlot views of a mixed element of propitiation, although they may not be said to be subject to the legal elements, spoken of as kings of the earth. DESOLATION OF BABYLON. ' 277 CHAPTER VII. FALL OF BABYLON ANNOUNCED HER DESOLATION — VOICE FEOM HEAVEN SINS OF BABYLON — CONFLAGRATION — LAMENTATION OR COMMOS CALL FOR REJOICING — UTTER DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY — BLOOD FOUND. Act v. — Continued. Scene: The Earth. And after these things,* the apostle says, (Rev. 18 : 1,) he saw another angel come down from heaven — another message, or development, from the heavenly exhibitions of truth, throwing an extraordinary light upon the earthly system, by contrasting it with the glory of the heavenly. The purport of this angel's message is a confirmation of the account just given by his predecessor, of the end of Babylon, which is thus testified by the voices of two witnesses. The fall of Babylon had been previously proclaimed, in a heavenly scene, as a revelation of the divine purpose, (Rev. 14 : 8.) It is now announced in the earthly scene, as a fact accomplished. The fall consists in an exhibition of the true character of the subject. Thus Babylon, once in appearance so wealthy, so populous, and so magnificent, (all that is impUed in the term great in a city,) is now seen to be, in reaUty but "the habitation of demons, the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every un- clean and hateful bird." * § 401. 278 THE SEALED BOOK. As we have noticed before, the influence of demons^ consisted in causing those possessed to see things in a different light from what they really were : such as mis- taking tombs for tabernacles or habitations. Analogous with this are doctrines tending to represent the righteous- ness of man by works, or merits of his own, as equivalent to the righteousness of Christ. So, the hold, or place of custody, of every foul spirit, appears to symbolize the depository of every selfish and mercenary principle; as a cage of unclean and hateful birds is a figure of a collec- tion or assemblage of mixed and self-righteous doctrines ; the whole system, or mystery, of Babylon, (as an opposite of the divine plan of salvation by grace,) comprehending this variety of anti-christian doctriaes. The same ingredients apparently enter into the compo- sition of the drugged wine of the cup with which the Gentilef elements, before alluded to, have been perverted, or made to particij)ate. The mixture of legal elements ruling in the platform of works with the harlot's false plan of propitiation, is here, as before noticed, represented as an illicit intercourse of the kings of the earth with the harlot queen. In addition to these two figures, a new one is here introduced — that of the merchants^; of the earth, enriched by trading in the luxuries (delicacies) of Baby- lon. These merchants apparently represent those merce- nary principles of the earthly system, according to which the means of eternal life (the propitiation for sin) are sup- posed to be obtained in barter for the merits or works of man. Such principles derive their value (their wealth) from their supposed ability, under the harlot system, to furnish ■» §S 402, 403. t § 404. X % 405. THE VOICE FEOM HEAVEN. 2*79 certain means of salvation, spoken of as the luxuries of Babylon — equivalent to the wine of her cup of propitia- tion. There seems to be here a designed combination of the two figures, the harlot and the city, (v. 3,) for the purpose of afibrding illustrations of different features of the same system or mystery — ^the unlawful mixture of legal princi- ples in a plan of propitiation for sin, and the admission of mercenary principles, as motives^ in which the gift of God is regarded as a matter of trade. The ransom of a man's life, it is well said, is his riches ; for, as it is also said, what will not a man give to save his hfe, above all, his eternal life, only to be ransomed by the greatest of all riches ; not riches to be obtained in barter with God, as supposed in the harlot system, but riches the free gift of sovereign grace. The fallen state of Babylon, as announced by the angel, exhibits the worthlessness, as well as the odious character, of the mystery or system she represents ; but thus far the announcement is only preparatory to the account to be given, imder this last figure as a city, of her final de- struction. In the mean time, bad as the system is, there are cer- tain principles* in it of an evangehcal character — elements of truth, figuratively spoken of as the people of God, kept hitherto in captivity, but now as a consequence of her fall, having the way open for their escape. This feature of the mystery may be another reason for employing here the figure of a city to afford the requisite illustration. The first voice, that of the angel " liaving great pow- * § 4nfi. 280 THE SEALED BOOK. er," (v. 1,) corresponds with the voice of the law rightly applied ; equivalent to the action of the ten horns, in eating the flesh of the harlot. The voice from heaven (v. 4) is that of the Gospel as revealed in the Scriptures, rightly understood. The elements of the covenant of grace, which had become mixed up and misrepresented iu the harlot plan, are here called upon, figuratively, to separate themselves, that they may not, ia their misrepresented cha- racter, be exposed to the tests or plagues which the false system is to undergo. Here we have to bear in mind that the Greek terms translated in our common version sins and iniquities^ are apphcable to errors of doctrine, as well as to acts of im- morality.f We must judge of the meaning intended by the subject under treatment; any divergence from the straight line of truth, is doctrinally sin or iniquity: errors of self-righteousness, self-justification, mercenary principles, want of faith or trust in Christ, are sins in this sense of the term. Babylon is a mystery^ so declared by the name on her forehead. The sins and iniquities of a mystery must be therefore of the character of errors, and, in the present case, errors as opposed to the truths of the Gospel. The " plagues" visited upon these sins and iniquities are tests apphed to so many doctrinal errors, or to the whole sys- tem of error. The final test of all is the apj^lication of the revealed word of God in its proper sense, as of the Jlre which is to try every work. The errors of Babylon have reached such a crisis, * § 407. t The English term miquUy has the same import— unevenness, want of conformity to any given line or standard. THE VOICE FEOM HEAVEN. 281 affecting the exhibition of Gospel truths, (heaven,) as to call for immediate visitation. She has now come into re- membrance before God, (Rev. 16 : 19,) or, as it is said here, (v. 15,) God hath remembered her iniquities. The 6?ow6?e'^ retribution called for, seems to be that symbolized by tiie action of the ten horns (the law) and that of fire, (the revealed word of God,) both in the spirit, not merely the letter. The Babylonish mystery has kept the elements of Gos- pel truth in a state of captivity and subservience ; now they are called upon to react upon that mystery or sys- tem, giving unto her double according to her works. The elements of truth, liberated from their state of bondage, by the fall of Babylon, become in their turn instruments of trial, (" torment,") acting as tests, showing, as by tor- ture upon the rack, the real destitution of the system — ^its want of any provision of glory, happiness, or eternal life. All this is shown at once — ^these plagues or tests coming in " one day," all at the same time — death, mourning, and famine ; legal condemnation, as opposed to the preten- sion of sovereignty, (sitting asa queen;)f mourning as for the loss of a husband, opposed to the pretension of not being a widow, (Babylon pretending to substitute herself for the wife of the Lamb ;) and famine, the want of any means of eternal life — an opposite of the boasted exemption from any cause of sorrow ; finally, utter destruction hyjire, the fire of the word of God, of which the other tests may be considered partial developments. The law brought to bear, as a test, upon the false sys- tem of propitiation, exhibits its incapacity for the purpose * § 408. t § 409. 282 THE SEALED BOOK. pretended. The fire of the word of God, by bringing the true system of salvation into immediate comj^arison with the false, in addition to the action of the law, finishes the operation; as the just exhibition of truth completes the destruction of falsehood. Difference of time being exclud- ed, (Rev. 10 : 9,) this destruction of Babylon may be con- sidered coincident with the triumph of the rider of the white horse, exhibited in the next chapter. This action of the word of God is here (v. 1) spoken of as a fiery trial, or torture to elicit truth ; the idea of this test corresponding with the figure of the subject to be tried : if that figure be one of mere matter, the fire is that of the alchemist, in an operation in which, as was suppos- ed, every substance but pure gold would be consumed ; if the figure be animal, the Jire is that of the inquisitor. In either case the result proves, in the present instance, the strength of the power employed. " Strong is the Lord, who condemneth her," therefore she is utterly con- sumed.* The evidence of this fiery process (the smoke) calls forth the lamentation of the kmgs of the earth — ruling principles of legality, heretofore connected with the false system of propitiation, but now deprived of this resource. Babylon being destroyed, the wine of her cup (her lux- uries) is no more to be enjoyed. The illicit commingling of principles of law with principles of a misrepresented Gospel, ceases.f The merchants of the earthj have a like cause to mourn; Babylon gave her luxuries, her pretensions to * § 410. t § 411. X % 412. LAMENTATION. 283 merit, (corresponding with the abominable mixture of her cup,) m exchange for the figurative articles of com- merce enumerated ; as pretended means of propitiation may be said to be given in exchange for the pretended merits of good works. These pretended merits are worth nothing if they can not procure an atonement for siu, and so Babylon is represented as the only purchaser of these pro- ducts of the earth. Her end being come, the occupation of these traders (mercenary principles) is gone : " No man buyeth their merchandise any more." The earthly products here (v. 12-14) enumerated, have no doubt some significance peculiar to each,* but it is enough for us to notice their correspondence with the gifts of the people under the legal dispensation to the tab- erDacle in the wilderness. The people gave, it is said, willingly. They gave willingly, for every one considered that in giving, a certain degree of merit was established. They gave these products of the earth in exchange, as they considered, for the benefits afforded by the old tab- ernacle. The ship-masters, ship-owners, and sailors,f represent principles of the same character — principles of the earthly system of works, applying the pretended merits of man to a supposed system or way of salvation. The system or mystery beiug exploded, its entire fallacy being shown, these principles have thus, figuratively speaking, the same reason as with the preceding to lament the loss of all that gave value to the commerce in which they were en- gaged. * § 413. t § 414. 284 THE SEALED BOOK. The voice fi'om heaven,* giving these particulars, con eludes with a call on heaven, and the holy apostles and prophets, to rejoice over the fallen city, for the reason that God has avenged them on her. The mystery, or false scheme of propitiation, represented by Babylon, has misrepresented the true plan of salvation, (heaven,) as ex- hibited in divine revelation, and all that is said of it by the apostles and prophets. These elements of truth are now vindicated ; the ftitilityf of the harlot system being ex- posed by having its pretensions brought into juxtaposi- tion with the requisitions of the law, and by being com- pared with the revealed word under its right construc- tion, the rejoicing here called for (v. 20) is in effect the triumph of truth over error, in matters of doctrine relat- ing to the divine plan of salvation. The crisis has now arrived for avenging the blood of the souls under the altar. That crisis we suppose to be brought about by the effusion of the seventh vial upon the air: the whole of these changes resulting from the true construction put upon the written word, the result of the test applied to the medium of interpretation; the prevalence of the mystery of error having been the result of the false con- struction symbolized by the state of the air before the operation of the test apphed to it. The exposure of the delusive, mercenary, and doctrinal- ly impure character of the Babylonish mystery, or earthly system of propitiation, is here represented as a cause of * As in the management of the Greek drama, matters which could not be well represented in the scene, were recited by a mesenger or chorus, t § 415. ENTIKE DESTRUCTION. 285 rejoicing on the part of all the heavenly elements of revela- tion ; these apostles, prophets, souls under the altar, and theii- brethren, beiug opposites of the kings of the earth, merchants, ship-masters, and traders, as Babylon herself is an opposite of the holy Jerusalem. The apostle does not speak of the destruction of the harlot, or harlot city, by the ten horns, or by fire, as some- thing seen by him, but as something related to him. He saw, however, the angel come down from heaven, (Rev. 18 : 1,) declaring the fallen condition of Babylon, and tak- ing the Greek cardinal for an ordinal, (as is sometimes allowable,) he now apparently sees the same angel* take up a stone like a great mill-stone, and cast it into the sea, comparing with that action the impulsive violence with which the city (this system of error) is to be destroyed. The declaration Rev. 18:2 should be read in connection mth the close of 3d verse of that chapter ; as if the mighty angel seen to come down from heaven, had suspended his further action till the recital of the particulars given by the voice from heaven was concluded ; he then, as it were, in confirmation of that announcement, describes the sud- den violence of the destruction under contemplation. The indignant impulse expressed in his action with the great stone, corresponds with the language of the prophet. Is. 1 : 10-15, as if the error of the system were such as to be borne no longer ; the comparison also so nearly according with that of another pro^^het, (Jer. 51 : 63, 64,) as to lead to the conclusion that the Babylon of old and that of the Apocalypse, are figures of the same mystery. The particulars given, verses 22 and 23, of thef entire- * § 416. 1 § 417. 286 THE SEALED BOOK. ness of this destruction indicate the pretensions of the false system symbolized. Babylon pretended to possess the elements of praise, joy, rejoicing, and triumph. The city being destroyed, these pretensions cease. The voices of harpers, musicians, pipers, trumpeters, are heard no more. No craftsman of whatsoever craft will be found there ; no room now for pretensions to the merit of works of any kind. The sound of the mill-stone is not heard — ^there is not even the preparation for bread. The pretensions of furnishing the bread or means of eternal life cease. Neither is there room any more for pretensions to the light of righteousness ; not even so as to be com- pared to the light of a candle.* The voice of the bride and bridegroom are no more heard in Babylon, still less is there room for any pretension to an equivalent of the mar- riage of the Lamb's wife.f The reasons given for this complete destruction of the harlot city, are that her merchants! were the great men of the earth, and by her sorceries (pharmacies) all nations were deceived. Mercenary principles of action and false remedies for the evil of sin, are the distinguishing charac- teristics of the system. The merchants of Babylon were * The Greek term translated candle here, is the same as that rendered by- light, (Rev. 21 : 23,) where the Lamb is said to be the light (candle) of the New Jerusalem. As there is not even the light of a candle in Babylon, so there is not in her system any exhibition of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The Lamb is not the candle of that mystery, neither is there in it any exhibition of the glory of God. t A comparison of this picture of desolation with the description given of the New Jerusalen at the close of the vision, will throw light on the elements of both mysteries. : § 418. BLOOD FOUND IN THE RUINS. 287 the great men of the earth — prominent mercenary princi- ples of the earthly system of works. They dealt in the products of the earth — pretended merits of the earthly system. The luxuries (pretended means of eternal hap- piness) and the false remedies of Babylon, were exchang- ed for works or meritorious actions equally pretended. As the priests and Levites, in the time of our Saviour, made the temple a house of merchandise, so the Babylonish sys- tem makes merchandise of the elements of the way of salvation, equivalent to representing the pardon of sin and eternal happiness, a compensation for certain merito- rious works or service of the disciple. The pharmacies of Babylon, are apparently such as compose the mixed wine of her cup of abominations — opposites of the atonement of Christ, although put forth as a substitute for it. By these the nations or Gentiles were deluded, as elements of doctrine founded upon the letter or carnal sense of revelation are most easily per- verted to the support of false views of the way of salva- tion. The blood* of prophets and saints found in Babylon, (v. 24,) has been already alluded to as that of the souls under the altar, (Rev. 6 : 10.) It is now vindicated. Tlie harlot system, or mystery, had prevailed by depriving the elements of written revelation of their spirit sense, (life or blood.) The purification of the medium of construction (figuratively, the test applied to the air) reveals this fact amongst others. These holy elements^ thus deprived of their true sense, are said to be slain or slaughtered upon the earth — sacrificed to sustain the views of the earthly * %% 413. 420, 288 THE SEALED BOOK. system, of which Babylon may be termed the imperial principle. This slaughter, however, was not openly or professedly such ; accordingly it is not till after the de- struction of the city that the secrets of her prison-house are brought to light.* We have now come to a conclusion of the history of Babylon — ^her rise and fall ; her rise as an image of the beast, created by the influence of the false prophet ; the flourishing period of her reign, as seen in the wilderness ; and her final destruction. The latter is the more appro- priately compared to the engulfing of a mill-stone in the midst of the sea, (the roaring waves closing over it so that it is seen no more for ever,) as the sea, according to our uniform interpretation, is a figure of judicial wrath — the vengeance of the broken law, Avith which the Babylonish way of salvation pretended to cope. The two are no sooner brought together than the power of the broken law is seen to overwhehn entirely the pretended means of escape ; a figure corresponding with that of the action of the ten horns upon the harlot herself. We meet with nothing more of Babylon in the remain- der of the Apocalypse, except an allusion in the last choral scene to the justice of her doom, (Rev. 19:2.) She ap- pears to have been entirely destroyed, in order to give place to the wife of the Lamb ; as if the two could not be supposed to exist together, or as if the two represented the same mystery under difierent aspects, or seen through different mediums of contemplation. The false appear- ance must be removed before the correct view can be ex- hibited. This may account for the absence of the figures * § 421. EFFECT OF THE SEVENTH VIAL. 289 of Babylon, the harlot, and the image, in the last act^ which denominate the catastrophe. Any notion of the difference of time, however, must be discarded. The beast and his image, together with the false prophet, or false construc- tion, come to their end coincidently, the same action on the air, of the seventh vial, exposing to view the true cha. racter of all ; or, according to the apostle Paul, he that let or kindred (this false construction) being taken out of the way, and the true construction (the spirit of the mouth of the Lord) taken in its place, " that wicked" is revealed. Note.— In keeping with the figure of the drying up of the Euphrates, preparatory to the conflagration of Babylon, no mention is made in the de- scription of that destruction of any river or fountain. The great river was dried up, and with it the many waters upon which the harlot sat, (as a queen ;) streams from the Euphrates, as we have supposed, irrigating the city, Babylon may be said, figuratively, to have been consumed for want of water ; thus symbolizing a plan of salvation of which the fallacy is mani- fested by its destitution of any adequate atoning element, or means of pro- pitiation. 13 290 THE SEALED BOOK. CHAPTER VIII. Last Chorus, or Exodus, choral songs and responses — ^bride's preparation for THE MARRIAGE FEAST ANNOUNCED — BLESSEDNESS OP THE GUESTS — ^ADMONITION OP THE ANGEL. Act VI. /S'ce7^e; Heaven. We come now (Rev. 19 ; 1-7) to the sixth and last choral division of the apocalyptic representation, equivalent to the Greek exodus^ the subsequent matter corresponding with what is commonly called the catastrophe. The scene to be imagined here is that described prior to the opening of the sealed book. Indeed, we are re- minded by it that such has been the scene in the back- ground throughout, (Rev. 4 : 3-6 ;) the whole exhibition having been represented in the presence of the throne and Him that sat upon it, and of the twenty-four elders round about the throne, and the four Hving creatures in the midst and round about the throne.* The apostle hears a great voice, as (Gr.) of much people in heaven, saying : " Alleluia," (praise Jehovah,) " salva- tion, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God." The crisis contemplated is that of th^ end, alluded to by * § 422. LAST CHOKIJS, OR EXODUS. 291 the apostle Paul, (1 Cor. 15 : 24-28,) when the Son shall have given up thekmgdom unto the Father; salvaUo7i'hemg ascribed on this occasion to the Lord God alone, and to him alone also is the ascription of glory, honor, and power. Before the opening of the sealed book, glory, honor, and power were ascribed to Him that sat on the throne, as the Creator of all things, and as having created all things for his own pleasure. Now, these sacred attributes are ascribed to him as the Saviour of all. On the opening of the sealed book, the Lamb was declared worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory ; that is, we may presume, to receive these from the Sovereign on the throne, (corresponding with the declara- tion of the Father, Ps. 45 : 6 ; Heb. 1 : 8,) and blessing, and honor, and glory, and power were ascribed to the Lamb, in conjunction with "Him that sitteth on the throne;" but now, in this choral action, the figure of the Lamb seems to be merged in the presentation of the sovereign Ruler ; as we find the emblem of sovereignty (the throne) afterwards spoken of as that of God and the Lamb. The especial cause for the ascription by this great voice of much people is the truth and justice of the condemnation* passed upon the great harlot, by whom the earth had been corrupted, and in whose destruction the blood of the servants of the Lord (souls under the altar) had been avenged. The ascription of salvation to its true source is thus a conse- quence of the destruction of Babylon, as the exposure of the falsehood of the harlot system is a means of setting forth the divine plan of redemption in its true Hght. * § 423. 292 THE SEALED BOOK. The harlot system corrupted the earth by niingling legal prmciples with elements of self-justification, amalgamating pretended merits of man with the propitiation of Christ ; the manifestation of the truth, by restoring to the elements of divine revelation their spirit-sense^ and thus vindicating the cause of the martyrs, constitutes the avenging of their blood. For this Jehovah alone is to be praised, his praise comprehending that of the Lamb, which seems im- pHed in the repetition of the chorus : " and again they said, Alleluia.'''' While these praises are being offered, the smoke of Ba- bylon (the evidence of her trial by the Word of God) is said to rise up for ever and ever: this evidence of the de- struction of error, as well as of the praise due for it, being something continually in operation, not an event occurring at a particular moment. As in the mind of the disciple, wherever and whenever the revealed word of God is brought to bear in its proper sense upon the errors repre- sented by the harlot system, there and then Babylon is destroyed. Thus far these choral praises seem to be retrospective ; but considering the harlot the image of the beast, and her destruction coincident with his, (afterwards exhibited,) we may view the action as applicable to both. In response to the ascription of the great voice of much people in heaven, the four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures* prostrate themselves before the throne, and worship, it is said, " God that sat on the throne," saying. Amen ; Alleluia^ (praise Jehovah.) To which again an- other voice from the throne responds, calling upon all the * § 424. LAST CHORUS, OR EXODUS. 293 servants of God, (elements of revelation,) small and great, to praise him ; while other voices, as of a great multitude, and as of the noise of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, join in the loud Alleluia^ assigning for the reason of this action the truth that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. The great cause of praise is thus distinctly set forth to be the manifestation of divine sove- reignty^ as it is expressed by the twenty-four elders, on the sounding of the seventh trumpet, that the Lord God Al- mighty had taken to himself his great power and had reigned, that is, had manifested his perfect sovereignty, especially, we may add, in the matter of man's salvation. The twenty-four elders, we have supposed from their number, to represent the two dispensations, or first and second covenants. From their position around the throne, (Rev. 4 : 3,) we may suppose it their duty to maintain or guard the attributes of divine sovereignty. In other words, their position and number indicate the great purpose of the whole plan of redemption (as revealed in both Testa- ments) to be that of exhibiting and maintaining the doc- trine of God's perfect sovereignty in the work of redemp- tion, as in that of creation. The four living creatures are described (Rev. 9 ; 6) as in the midst of the throne, as well as round about the throne, corresponding with the position of the Lamb as it had been slain, seen in the midst of the throne, (Rev. 5 : 6,) for which reason we have considered these four elements of the throne symbolic of so many attributes of the Creator and Governor of all things. These all consistently unite in giving thanks that this perfect sovereignty of God is now being manifested, as we shall find it more iully developed in 294 THE SEALED BOOK. the subsequent portion of the vision. The language of this chorus, as well as that at the seventh trumpet soimd, is partially prospective in the order of the exhibition, al- though in other respects no difference of time is to be supposed. In the choral song of the twenty-four elders immediately on the sounding of the seventh or last trumpet, (Rev. 11 : 18,) they give thanks that "the time of the dead that they should be judged, is come," and that " those that destroy or corrupt the earth, should be destroyed," yet it is not till we reach the account just given of the destruc- tion of Babylon, that we perceive this time to have come. She was evidently, as declared, (Rev. 19 ; 2,) of the cate- gory of those that corrupt the earth ; whence we may con- clude, associating her destruction with the victories of the Word of God over the beast and Satan, and the judgment scene about to be described, that the whole of these re- presentations apply to this thne of the dead. So the par- ticulars of the New Jerusalem, together with the thrones of judgment given to the souls of the witnesses, (Rev. 20 : 4,) at the close of the vision, are illustrative of the re- \jcard given to the servants of God, as well as of the vindi- cation of their cause. These choral actions, it is to be remembered, also, are all in heaven, where things to he are contemplated as already done. They thus forereach in their application to the matter about to be presented. The language of the last voice, that compared to a great multitude, to the sound of mighty thunderings, and to the noise of many waters, may correspond with that of every creature in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth, (Rev. 5 : 12,) in calling for gladness, and rejoicing, and THE MAEEIAGE. 295 honor to God, on occasion of the approaching marriage festival, for which the Wife of the Lamb has made herself ready. According to the figure here employed, it is the Father that gives the feast, (v. 9,) and to him the honor is to be given ; as it is God who has formed, and who communicates in the Gospel, his plan of salvation, of which the Lamb and his Bride are the elements.* The term translated marriage, (Rev. 19*7,) has refer- ence more particularly to the feastf given in celebration of the marriage, spoken of in the same connection as the marriage -supper; this feast being, according to the custom of the Hebrews, equivalent to a publication of the marriage. The guests, thus made acquainted with the fact of the union, are so many witnesses, qualified to bear testimony to it, if need be, afterward. The unio7i of the Lamb and his bride existed in the un- changeable mind of Jehovah from all eternity, but its manifestation, a result of that of divine sovereignty as a matter of revelation, may be said to be an event occurring at a certain crisis ; 1;he elements of divine revelation being the witnesses to that manifestation. On the present occa- sion, these witnesses may be said to be called out to per- form their part, having hitherto been kept back or sup- pressed, as we have found them under the appellation of saints, prophets, and souls under the altar. Now that Babylon is destroyed, (the last test having been appUed * The voice of the great multitude is the overwhelming voice : that of great waters may apply to all elements of atonement; as that of great thun- derings indicates the language of Sinai. All rejoice in the manifestation about to be made. t § 425. 296 THE SEALED BOOK. to the a^>,) these witnesses are released; the same changes constituting apparently the preparation for the feast, or manifestation, by which the wife of the Lamb has made herself ready. So long as the harlot was reigning as a queen, the Lamb's wife was in seclusion in the wilderness : as truth can not appear while error occupies its place. The seme operation that destroys the error exhibits the truth. Thus the destruction of the harlot is the preparation for the appearance of the bride. How the latter may be said to have made herself ready, wiU appear in considering what she really is. " To her it was given,"* it is said, " to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white" — splendidly pure and white, corre- sponding with the appearance of the raiment of Jesus Christ, as seen by the three apostles on the mount, the fine linen being, as it is declared, the righteousness of the saints ; that is, the righteousness to which the saints (ele- ments of divine revelation) bear witness — saints such as those whose blood (spirit-sense) was found in the ruins of Babylon. The wife of the Lamb, as we shall learn from her New Jerusalem character, is a figure of the divine purpose of salvation by grace, through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. It is gwen (v. 8) to this symbolic figure to exhibit the divine righteousness, provided in God's plan of re- demption for that justification by grace, through the im- puted righteousness of Christ, which can not be obtained by works of the law. As the harlot assumed the gorgeous apparel of the legal tabernacle, characteristic of the works of the law, so the wife of the Lamb appears in the * § 426. THE MARRIAGE. 29*7 array of divine righteousness, symbolized by her garments white as the light. The bride, however, has not yet (in the order of the representation) made her appearance ; her readiness or preparation only is here annomiced. The re- moval of some obstacles to her appearance, although it has actually taken place, has not yet been exhibited. Here the apostle is directed to write that which is afterwards dictated to him, " Blessed those called to the marriage supper of the Lamb;" and apparently, as if asked* who are these, the angel in attendance adds, " These are the true sayings of God." These true sayings, or words, are, as we apprehend, the elements of truth be- longing to the divine plan of redemption, personified as guests called to the marriage feast, and witnesses of the manifestation of that union. They are figuratively pronounced blessed^ as the language of the passage, and indeed of the whole vision, is figurative.f The importance of marriage feasts with the ancients, and that of the testimony afibrded by the guests, will ap- pear from the consideration that on the reality of this rite depended in law the accounted one7iess of the husband and wife, and of consequence all questions pertaining to the legitimacy of children and rights of inheritance, whether of rank, wealth, or power. Hence with persons of distinction these feasts continued for days and weeks, other modes of publicity being then wanting. The distinguishing characteristic of the marriage rite, * § 427. t As the expression of a chorus of one voice, these words may be consid- ered exceptions to our general rule of interpretation, but we do not see the necessity of it here. 13* 298 THE SEALED BOOK. in a scriptural point of view, is this accounted oneness of the two parties, and here we perceive the importance of the elements of divine revelation in testifying to the one- ness of the bride and of the Lamb ; as we shall have occa- sion to show, in the issue, that the Lamb and the wife of the Lamb are but two figures of the same being. The account given by the apostle,* at the close of this choral scene, (Rev. 19 : 10,) of his mistake in supposing his angehc companion to be an object of worship, appears to have two objects — the first to remind us that, whatever has been, and whatever may yet be represented in this vision, God alone is the object of worship. If the Lamb and the Word of God, both of whom are entitled King of kings and Lord of lords, are to be worshipped, it must be that they are both identified with the sovereign God. If the Word of God be impersonated in the Son, and the Son be worshipped as the Father, then the Word of God, the Son of God, and God the Father, are one and the same Being, contemplated under these difierent aspects. The second object of the admonition is apparently to remind us that this angelic interpreter is himself a repre- sentation of all that is revealed in the written word. He stands in the same relation to the apostle that the whole body of Scripture stands to the Apocalypse : the two are fellow laborers. There is nothing in this unveiling of Jesus Christ, which is not contained in other portions of the sacred writings. The angel had the testimony of Jesus, and this testimony is the spirit (not merely the let- ter) of prophecy. Even if we confine this word prophecy to the purport of the Old Testament writings, the spirit * § 428. THE MARKIAGE. 299 of these writings will be found to accord with the spirit- sense of the apostolic writings ; both are alike the testimo- ny of Jesus, comprehending all that is to be miderstood in the vicarious work of Jesus Christ. There seems to be here something like a pause, equiva- lent to a change of scenes. The choral action and the ad- monition of the angel have all taken place in heaven ; we are next presented with a view of transactions to be con- sidered as taking place in a scene on the earth. 300 THE SEALED BOOK. CHAPTER IX. CATASTROPHE. THE EIDER OF THE WHITE HORSE — THE GREAT BATTLE — VICTORY OF THE CONQUEROR (tHE WORD OF GOd) — PER- DITION OF THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET IMPRISON- MENT OF SATAN REWARD OF THE WITNESSES— LAST EFFORT AND PERDITION OF SATAN — THE JUDGMENT — DOOM OF DEATH AND HELL — THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY CITY — ALL THINGS NEW. Scene : The Earth — a Battle-field. Immediately after the last chorus and the admonition of the angel, the apostle sees heaven opened ;* somethmg equivalent to a develoi3ment of the purport of written rev- elation beyond any thing hitherto afforded. The apostle himself is in heaven ; he now sees, as it may be said, hea- ven opened upon the inhabiters of the earth. As if in a citadel, he saw the gates opened and the forces of the be- sieged issuing forth to join battle with the enemy ; sym- bohcal of a special revelation of the divine plan of salva- tion about to bear upon the earthly system and its prin- ciples. " And behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him caUed Faithful and True." The narrative here (Rev. 19 : 11) must be connected * § 429. CATASTEOPHE. 301 With the close of the pouring out of the sixth vial, (Rev. 16 : 16.) Three spirits, unclean as frogs, had gone out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, as heralds to summon the kings of the earth and of the whole world to the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and he (God Almighty) had gathered them together in a place called the Mount of the Gospel; the Gospel position corresponding with the site of the citadel we have above imagined, whence the charge upon the enemies of the truth is to be made. We are now to imagine this field of battle in sight ; the rider of the white horse, with his forces, takes up his position on the sides of the Mount ; the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, occupy the plain below; as-the sites of Babylon and the cities of the plain were opposites of the mountains round about Jerusalem. On the borders of this plain we may picture to ourselves the bottomless pit and the lake of fire. This rider of the white horse* can be no other than the champion seen on the opening of the first seal, (Rev. 6 : 2,) going forth a conqueror and to conquer. He has been long expected, but, although not recognized by the dwellers upon the earth, he has been operating through different instrumentalities, and even in his own person. As in the harvest of the earth, where his ichite horse wa« exchanged for a lohite cloud, and his covenant bow for a sharp sickle. On this occasion also, his bow Avithout arrows is laid aside. He holds no covenant with error, a different weapon being now about to be em- ployed. * § 430. '^02 THE SEALED BOOK. He is called Faithful and True, because faithfulness and truth are his attributes ; corresponding with the appella- tion "^me/i, the faithful and true witness," and with what is said of certain words and sayings. Rev. 21 : 5 and 22 : 6 ; with what is said also by the prophet, of the coun- sels of God, (Is. 25 : 1,) and of the stem of Jesse, (Is. 11 : 5.) " In righteousness," (justice,) it is added, " he doth judge and make war ;" the war being that which is the subject of the representation — the contest between evan- gelical truth and doctrinal error — a contest in which the same conqueror was of old called upon to gird his sword upon his thigh^ (Ps. 45 : 3 ;) the wrath of the Lamb (the element of divine propitiation) against errors opposed to the doctrine of the cross, such as are symbolized by the beast and prophet, being the cause of the war. " His eyes* were as a flame of fire," as were those of the one seen by the apostle in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. On his head were many diadems. The ten heads of the dragon, and the ten horns of the beast, had each their diadems, (pretensions to sovereignty,) but the claims to sovereignty of the rider of the white horse, are unlimited. " He had a name written that no man knew but himself;" or, according to the Greek, on his head were many diadems having a name written that 7io one knew but himself. The diadem of the ancients was a fillet or shawl, a woollen or cotton fabric. Where there were many on one head, they may be supposed to have been interwoven after the manner of a Turkish turban. According to the Greek * § 431. CATASTROPHE. 303 reading, the name must have been upon the turban, or diadem^ on which we may presume it to have been placed in front, written, or rather engraved, upon a precious stone, or brilliant, corresponding with the (white) precious stone promised to the conqueror, in which a name was to be en- graved, or written, known to no one except to him who received it, (Rev. 2:17.) The expression is unlimited in the original, indicating the identity of the recipient of this name with the Deity himself. It would be idle to surmise what this name might be, for if it were known to any one but him who received it, it would not correspond with the description given of it. The design appears to be to fur- nish a key to the designation of " Him that overcometh," (the conqueror,) to whom all the promises in the several epistles to the churches are to be fulfilled. K this accord with the facts of the narrative, we can feel no hesitation, as elsewhere suggested, in identifying this rider of the white horse with " Him that overcometh." He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood,* like Him alluded to by the prophet as coming from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah, (Is. 63 : 1-4.) As the breth- ren in heaven overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb, so the rider of the white horse bears, in the appear- ance of his vesture, the evidence of the atoning sacrifice by which his conquests have been won.f His name is called the Word of God.J As he is " call- * § 432. t As the handkerchiefs of the early Christians, dipped in the blood of the martyrs, bore witness to the faith and fidelity of these devoted victims of persecution. X % 433. 304 THE SEALED BOOK. ed Faitkftil and True" because he is faithful and true, so he is called the Wo7'd of God because he is the Word of God ; that is, he is the personification of that Word. This term (Logos) signifies, it is evident, something more than a word spoken, in the ordinary sense of the term. The Word which was in the beginning with God, was made flesh, (John 1 : 1-3, 14 ;) impersonated in Jesus Christ, who himself informs us that the mind of God was in him, (John 12 : 50; 14 : 10.) This Word of God is therefore the divine plan of salvation, the mind or purpose of God especially in reference to the work of redemption, as de- veloped in the doctrines, and acted out in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God. Correspond- ing with the real union of the wife and Lamb, before noticed, this word, or mind of God, has been the same from all eternity ; the manifestation only being the occur- rence of an epoch. Here, this mi?id of God is symbolized as revealed in its true character — the proper sense, not that of the letter only, but of the spirit of the written word; of which the opening of heaven is a figure. Of that word, or purpose, or plan, of salvation, the attribute of divine sove- reignty, (indicated by the diadems,) the power of divine imputable righteousness, (the white horse,) and the ele- ment of divine atonement, (the garment dipped in blood,) are the distinguishing features. Strange array, it may be said, this for a warrior ; but the contest is between truth and error. It is by bringing the word of God in its strictest sense, with these distinguishing features, side by side with erroneous doctrines, that the victory in contem- plation is to be won. In keeping with the same figure, and with the analogy CATASTROPHE. 305 we draw from it, the armies* of heaven following the Word of God " upon white horses, clothed with fine linen, white and clean," represent the elements of divine revela- tion as drawn fi'om the sacred Scriptures, and as charac- terized by exhibiting the same divine righteousness ; both as a power of salvation overcoming all opposing principles, and as a covering, or robe, provided for those who seek its protection. As the physical heaven, with its starry ele- ments, declares the glory of God in a physical sense, so the scriptural heaven, with all its elements of revelation, de- clares or exhibits the glory of God in a doctrinal sense ; the work of redemption being something analogous to the work of creation.f Out of the mouth of this warrior, " goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, (Gentiles,) and he shall rule them with a rod, or sceptre, of iron ; and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God." The sword spoken of is the sword of the mouth. It is the language of divine revelation, of which every word may be said to proceed out of the mouth of God ; but the sharp sword is not merely the letter of revelation. It is the sword of the Spirit, the spirit-sense of that letter. The errors to be overcome, are to be contended with by the word of revelation in its spuit-sense. The same sword was seen from the mouth of the one hke unto the Son of Man, (Rev. 1 : 16,) and with the same sword the angel of the church of Pergamos was to be contended with. (Rev. 2 : 16.) * § 434. t "We must bear in mind that this exhibition is subsequent to the applica- tion of the seventh test to the air. It is only through a ])urified medium of construction that the word of God can be thus seen or understood. 306 THE SEALED BOOK. With the sharp sword of the mouthy the Word of God is to smite the nations, (GentUe elements of doctrine, de- rived from the carnal or letter-sense* of the written word.) The distinction, before noticed, between the figurative na- tions, or Gentiles, and the dwellers upon or inhabiters of the earth, is to be observed here. The latter (elements of self-dependence) are to be entirely destroyed, as we see in the sequel, by the same sharp sword, but the Gentile elements are only to be smitten, overcome and brought into subjection ; for if destroyed first, they could not be afterwards ruled over.f The Greek term rendered rod, signifies also a sceptre, the figure being taken from the staff" of a shepherd. As the shepherd rules his flock by his eod, the king rules his people by his sceptre, (the ensign of sovereignty.) In this connection a sceptre of iron would have been a better rendering than a rod of iron. Both signify a despotic sway. The shepherd does not smite the sheep to destroy them, but to keep them in the right way, or to keep them from going astray : so the sovereign uses his sceptre not to destroy his people, but to keep them in perfect sub- jection. Thus, principles drawn fi'om the letter of revela- tion, are to be brought into complete subjection to the revealed purpose of God by the spirit-sense of the written * By this term we mean the application of the symbolical and figurative language of revelation to temporal sul^ects. The language may be admitted to be figurative, but as applied to temporal subjects, it is taken in a carnal sense. The Jews admitted the language of the prophets in relation to the reign of the Messiah, to be typical and figurative, but they understood it in a carnal seme, applying it to temporal subjects. t § 435. CATASTBOPHE. 307 word. Perhaps we may say, the spirit-sense of revelation is to be so applied as to prevent the letter, or literal sense, fi'om going astray ; or from being perverted to the main- tenance of self-righteous or self-dependent principles, such as are represented by the kings of the earth, the allies and auxiliaries of the beast. Here the sword of the con- queror and the sceptre of the sovereign are two figures of the same thing. This function of sovereign rule we have already noticed as one of the proofs of the identity of the "Word of God with " Him that overcometh," to whom the promise of this rule is given in the epistle to the angel of the church inThyatira, (Rev. 2 : 27.) The same was predicted of the branch from the roots of the stem of Jesse, (Is. 11 : 4;) the same is alluded to as the function of the Son of God, (Ps. 2:9;) and the same is spoken of as the destiny of the man-child caught up to God and his throne, (Rev. 12 : 5.) That child we may now look upon as coming forth from God and his throne in the person of the rider of the white horse, (the conqueror,) from heaven. (Rev. 19 : 11.) The wine-press of the wrath of God* we have had an account of as that into which the vine of the whole earth was thrown, (Rev. 14 : 19.) We were not then told who it was that trod the press ; we now learn that it is the Word of God, and who this Woed is, we are informed by one of the prophecies, in reference to this same warrior, whose garments were like him that treadeth in the wine- fat, (Is. 63:2;) the object of the vengeance and fury aUuded to by the prophet, being the same as that spoken ^ § 43fi. 308 THE SEALED BOOK. of here, against which the " fierceness and wrath of Al- mighty God" are directed. As the vine of the earth, with its clusters, comprehends all the errors peculiar to the earthly system on the subject of the atonement of Christ, these errors are the objects of the wrath of God, or of the wrath of the Lamb, and, as such, are trodden down and overcome by the Word of God revealed in the spirit-sense, as symbolically represented. We may notice here that although in our common ver- sion the past tense is several times introduced in italics in this description, the tense is not so expressed in the Greek. The idea seems to be throughout that the matter here alluded to, is something continually in existence and con- tinually operating. The Word of God is and will ever be caUed " Faithful and True." His eyes are and will ever be " as a flame of fire ;" on his head are and will ever be " many diadems.'''' He is and will ever appear in such a contest as this, " clad in a vesture dipped in blood ;" " the armies of heaven" are always in his train ; as wherever the errors alluded to exist, he is continually treading "the wine-press of the wrath of God ;" and, whenever the sharp sword out of his mouth is employed, the errors opposed to God's plan of salvation must be overcome. (Matt. 24 : 28.) " He had on his vesture and on his thigh the title writ- ten, King of kings and Lord of loeds," a title* iden- tifying this Word of God with the Lamb, by whom the ten horns of the beast or ten kings were overcome. At the same time this title, characterizing both the armor and the weapons of the warrior, indicates the attribute of * § 437. CATASTEOPHE. 309 divine sovereignty as the power, giving efficiency to all the instruments of warfare employed in this contest. The sword out of the mouth of Him that sat on the white horse, is in fact the sword of the Spirit, wielded by "the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords," (1 Tim. 6 : 15, and Dan. 2 : 47.)* Besides this, as the vesture is here put for the armor, and the thigh is the place for the sword, the title appears to indicate the attri- bute of divine sovereignty as the provision both of offense and defense. The vesture dipped in blood and bearing the title, symbolizing the power of the work of atonement sus- tained by this attribute of sovereignty, corresponds with the figure of the saving of the man-child, " caught up to God and his throne." We have already imagined the position of the two con- tending forces, gathered together as they were seen to be on the field of battle designated as the Mount of the Gospel. The armies of the "Word of God appear as the hosts of Jehovah did to the opened eyes of the young servant of the prophet, (2 Kings 6 : 17.) They may correspond as figures with the forces of the kings from the risings of the sun, (Rev. 16 : 12.) In which case, we may suppose, that the battle to be fought decides the fate of Babylon ; for, the succession of time being out of the question, it is im- material whether the fall of that city be already related or not. We suppose the destruction of the beast and that * Compare with Ps. 45 : 3-6, 13, where the same contest and the same weapon appear to be contemplated ; the king's daughter of the Psalmist corresponding as a figure with the Bride or Wife of the Apocalypse, the Je- rusalem above of Gal. 4 : 26. 310 THE SEALED BOOK. of his image to be coincident, and the Euphrates having been dried up, we may regard the conflagration of the city as a consequence of the defeat and perdition of the adver- sary of the cross, whose forces occupy the plain in front of the city ; the drying up of the Euphrates, the smnmon- ing of the kuigs of the earth, and the gathering together of their forces for the battle of the great day, having been all related in the same connection. The angel* standing m the sun, (v. 17,)— the Sun of Righteousness — is an opposite of the three unclean spirits fi'om the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They went forth as heralds to summon the earthly powers, uncertain of the result. The angel, on the contrary, perfectly acquainted with that result, summons the birds of heaven to feast upon the slain — a feast de- signated as the supper of the great God ; a feast to be contrasted with the merry-making of the dwellers upon the earth on the occasion of the slaughter of the witnesses in sackcloth, and with the blood of the martyi's of Jesus, with which Babylon, the harlot, had satiated herself. This angel " in the sun" appears to be put for a develop- ment of that divine righteousness, typified by the flesh of Christ, which, brought into comparison with the pretended merits of all earthly works of the law, exhibits their entire nothingness, and worse than nothingness, as a means of justification, (Phil. 3 : 8.) The fowls of heaven, or rather of the mid-heaven, repre- sent apparently elements of the law in its strictest sense, corresponding with the ten horns, by which the flesh of the harlot was consumed. These legal elements (the * § 433, CATASTEOPHE. 311 sword of the Spiiit having performed its office) eat or consume the pretensions to merit represented by the flesh of the kings, captains and others, described as composing the auxiliaries of the beast and false prophet. These auxiharies must be also the dwellers upon the earthy of every rank and degree, described as fleeing to their earthly re- fuges in the commencement of the exhibition, (Rev. 6 : 15-17,) the great day of the wrath of the Lamb, there referred to, being now come. The particulars of the battle* are not given. The armor of the beast may be supposed to be his spotted skin ; his weapons, his ten horns, (kings overcome by the Lamb,) his hon's mouth, his bear's feet, the power receiv- ed from the dragon, and the influence of the false prophet, all opposites of the sword out of the mouth of the Word of God. The apostle saw, in vision, the array on both sides. The result is spoken of as a matter of course. The beast and false prophet are taken alive, as in a snare ;\ (Gr.) "snared in the works of their own hands," (Ps. 9 ; 16 ; Is. 24 : 18 ;) corresponding with the manner in which a false doctrinal system of salvation by the works or merits of man, claiming to rest upon the written word, (especial- ly the law,) may be shown to be inconsistent with that word itself, in its spirit-sense. The beast and false prophet are not taken alive to be spared, they are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ; a fate afterwards spoken of as that of the second death, that from which the conqueror was to be exempt, (Rev. 2:11,) but to which Satan, and death, and heU, are finally exposed. * § 439. t § 440. *■ 312 THE SEALED BOOK. " The remnant,"* tliat is, the kings of the earth and their armies, are said to be slain with the sword out of the mouth of the rider of the white horse, and the fowls were filled with their fleshes. The difference between the fate of these auxiliaries and their leaders, seems to be that the first suffer, so far, only the first death, being apparently destined to undergo the judgment afterwards described ; whereas, the beast and false prophet are immediately doomed to the second death, without having experienced 2i. first death. As slain by the sword, these principles of the earthly system are shown to be dead — devoid of the spirit. They are principles of doctrine not compatible with the spirit- sense of divine revelation ; and the pretended merits they tend to establish, (as fleshesf devoured by carnivorous birds,) are manifested to be mere pretensions, incapable of meeting the requisitions of the law. Still their bones are left upon the plaia, like the dead iu the vision of the prophet, (Ezek. 37 : 1 ;) they are not annihilated, nor have they reached their end — there is a further trial to which they are to be exposed, and of which they are to experi- ence the result. The beast and the false prophet,! ^^ the contrary, sym- bolize errors, or causes of error, too egregious to need fur- ther trial — error in spirit as well as in the letter. As such they are exposed at once to the everlasting torture^ or trial, of the "second death:" a perpetual trial, as akeady de- * § 441. t The Greek term in the plural appears indicative of the variety and multitude of pretensions to merit spoken oioB fleshes. %% 442. CATASTROPHE. 313 fined, by the Word of God in its strictly spirit sense ; that word spoken of in the Scriptures as a fire, (Jer. 23 : 29 ;) and as the fire which is to try every work, (1 Cor. 3 : 13 ;) the perpetuity of this trial being indicated by the ingredi- ent of sulphur — a figure drawn from volcanic fires, which were supposed to owe thek perjDetuity to this material. *Tm mediately! after this triumph of the Word of God, and apparently as a consequence of the victory, (Rev. 21 : 1,) an angel comes down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit. This pit was unlocked on the sounding of the fifth trumpet, (Rev. 9:1;) the key and the action of the angel on that, as on the present occasion, symbolizing a development of truth from the written word, showing the character of the pit-system, or mystery, by the exhibition of its elements. These elements were then seen to be those of the law, which under the lead of the destroyer (ApoUyon) tried, or rather tortured^ the prin- ciples of self-dependence, spoken of as men of the earth. Apollyon we take to be a personification of Satan, who, as chief of the locusts, operated with his legal scorpions, as he afterwards is represented to operate in the person of the beast with his legal horns ; two figures representing nearly the same thing, the adversary of man being also the adversary of the divine purpose of salvation by grace. By the opening of the bottomless pit system, Satan was seen to be let loose upon the earthly, to which he had been driven ; his proper place even here, however, was from the beginning the pit^ to which he is now sent back. * The separation of chapters here, in our common version, is unfortunate, as the course of the narrative itself is uninterrupted, t § 443. 14 314 THE SEALED BOOK. Meantiine the pit has been, figuratively speaking, open during the whole reign of the beast, the birth of the man-child and the ejection of the great dragon from the divine counsels being knoT\Ti only in heaven. Thus, though operating in the earthly system under these several characters, the power of Satan is in fact con- fined to the bottomless pit system ; a mystery now about being developed. As the ruling element -of that system, Satan overcame the two witnesses, but it was because they were in sackcloth. Under the figure of ApoUyon, Satan employed the whole force of the locust host in darkening the Sun of Righteousness — excluding from view the remedy for the disease of sin. Under cover of the ten-horned beast, with the aid of the false prophet, or false interpretation, and of Babylon, the image of the beast, he perverts the elements of the earthly system, to establish the reign of the beast, which is in reaUty his own. Final- ly we find him as the dragon, or great serpent, and as one of the triple alliance sendmg forth his emissaries to sum- mon the kings of the earth and of the world, to the battle of the great day ; a battle which proves to be the final contest between the Word of God and the adversary of the cross of Christ ; or, which is the same thing, be- tween the divine plan of salvation by grace, and the pre- tended champion of the law — ^the legal accuser himself The other members of the alliance having been dealt Avith, the doom of Satan now remains to be exhibited. The angel having the key, lays hold, it is said, of the dragon,* the old serpent, and Satan, binds him with a § 444. CATASTROPHE. 315 great chain^ for a thousand years,f casting him into the bottomless pit, where he is locked up and a seal set upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more till the term of his imprisonment is fulfilled. The use of the key, in the first instance, was to unlock the pit for the purpose of showing the tendency of its ele- ments, and the power of their chief. The use of the key, in the second instance, is to lock the pit, showing by the chain (of principles) that the mystery of error, (the adver- sary of the cross,) the false prophet, and the image of the beast, being overcome, it is only in the bottomless pit that Satan can have or can exercise his power; equivalent to showing that a system, or plan, of salvation, which has not Christ for its foundation, (there being no other founda- tion,) can afford no resource from the power of the brok- en law, or fi'om the legal spirit of accusation enforcing the penalty of the law. Satan, it is said, is locked up in the pit to prevent him from deceiving or deluding the nations,! (Gentiles.) The inhabiters of the earth are not here, or subsequently, spoken of as such, having been aU slain, of every rank and degree, from the king to the slave, by the oral sword of Him that sat on the horse. Satan, of course, can no more make use of them, but there yet remains the other class, capable of being influenced or perverted, by him — princi- ples derived from the literal or carnal construction of revelation, and as such termed Gentiles. It is only by showing that Satan, or the principle of legal accusation, * A logical chain— a concatenation of certain truths of divine revelation , showinoj the proper place of the element of legal accusation. See Addenda, t § 445. t § ^6. 316 THE SEALED BOOK. belongs to the pit system, that these elements of the letter can be preserved from becoming, like the beast, adversaries of the cross of Christ. For this reason, it is manifested that this old serpent is bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. Assuming the asseveration of the mighty angel, (Rev. 10:6,) that there should be time no longer, to be applica- ble here, as elsewhere, we consider the term, a thousand years, with its subsequent use, a figure of parallelism, or coincidence, as in the case of the twelve hundred and sixty days, or forty-two months. The term is repeated, in this connection, six times, which would appear unnecessary, but for the purpose of the parallelism supposed. So long as Satan is confined to the bottomless pit, the witnesses for the truth rule, or reign, as judges — living and reigning with Christ;* and the 6^ew^^7e elements of hteral construc- tion are not perverted by that of legal accusation ; and, so long as this is the case, the erroneous principles, repre- sented as slain by the sword of the Word, wiU remain manifested as dead — not having the spirit. On the other hand, whenever and wherever the element of legal accusa- tion (Satan) does not appear confined to the bottomless pit system, then and there these doctrinal errors will be resus- citated. It will be perceived by the representation here (v. 4-7) that what is termed the^rs^ resurrection, is Jlrst in kind, not in order of succession, for it is not succeeded by a second resurrection, nor is any mention made of a second resur- rection. There are two classes of subjects contemplated in the passage — the faithful witnesses, who suffer one ^ § 450. CATASTKOPHE. 317 death and enjoy one resurrection ; and the enemies of the truth, who undergo one resurrection and suffer two deaths, the first and second. The first death is that in which the elements of doctrine symbolized are either wrongfully or rightfully made to appear destitute of the spirit, (its life or blood,) — slahi, slaughtered, or killed. The second death is that in which the doctrinal priuciples symbolized are adjudged to be entirely inconsistent with, and to form no part of, the divine plan of redemption, (the book of life,) and, as such, are doomed to the everlasting test or trial of the word of God, symbolized as a lake of fire. The souls imder the altar* were wrongfully deprived of their life, or spiiit-sense, by the dwellers upon the earth; but this Ufe is restored to them as a consequence of the triumph of the Word of God, by the sword of his mouthy and in consequence, perhaps it may be added, of the confine- ment of Satan to the pit, by which in their turn they be- come judges. This is to them accordingly their first, as it is their only, resurrection, for they suffer no second death.f Those slain by the sword of the Spirit, are rightfully manifested to be without the spirit, being principles rest- ing upon the earthly platform of dead works, which mani- festation is their first death. From this death they are raised to judgment. This is to them a first and only re- surrection, but not that Mnd of first resurrection, which is * §§ 448, 449. t We do not mean to apply these remarks to wTiat ia said of a judgment to come in other portions of the sacred writings. We confine our views of what is said of death and resurrection here altogether to the purport of this unquestionably figurative vision. 318 THE SEALED BOOK. termed "blessed and holy." Thus raised, and judged, and found not to correspond with the contents of the book of life, or of the Lamb's book of hfe, they are adjudged to the second death. According to the promise to the conqueror in the epistle to the angel of the Smyrnean church, the action of the second death is to unjustify (" hurt") the subject exposed to it, (Rev. 2:11;) the same term as that denoting the effect of withholding the winds of the earth, (Rev. 7 : 2, 3.) This last trial by fii-e shows the entire want of any element of justification, in the doctrines or principles submitted to the test of a comparison with the word of God in its proper sense. The several appellations given to Satan, (v. 2,) indicate the nature of the deception he practises. As the dragon, we are reminded of his disposition to devour the man- child, (the element of propitiation,) and of his effort by a flood to carry away or destroy the woman, (the symbol of God's plan of redemption.) As the old serpent, we see m him the tempter of the woman in paradise, bringing the law mto operation by the knowledge of good and evil. By the appellation of the devil, he is designated as the accuser or prosecutor acting under the broken law ; and as Satan he is the adversary of men, (perverting the straight ways of the Lord for the purpose of drawing away disciples from the faith in Christ, Acts 13 : 10,) not openly, but as preach ing another gospel than that of Jesus Christ, (Gal. 1 : 6-9.) The Greek word translated thrones'^ in this connection, (Rev. 20:4,) is applicable to any kind of seats. The kind contemplated must therefore be judged of fi'om the con- text, or occasion upon which the term is employed. Here, ♦ §447. CATASTROPHE. 319 they evidently signify tribunals of judgment ; the souls occupying these tribunals as judges being elements of gos- pel truth, free from any taint of the error represented by the beast or his image, (Babylon,) and free from any feature of false doctrine or mercenary principle, character- ized as the heast-marJc of hostility to the cross of Christ. These pure gospel elements are here represented as crite- ria, acting as judges, (standards of comparison,) by which the character of aU doctrines is to be tried. The figure corresponds with the promise of Jesus to his disciples that they should sit on twelve thrones, (seats,) judging the twelve tribes of Israel; a promise virtually fulfilled in the action of the New Testament upon the Old.* The souls to whom judgment is given, are the blessed and holy, who have part in the first resurrection, and on whom the second death has no power. They are priests of God and of Christ, and reign with him in the same sense as they are judges. As priests they are principles of doctrine essential to the right worship of God, " in spirit and in truth ;" and as ruling elements they cooperate in exhibiting the attribute of divine sovereignty in the work of salvation through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. They are priests and kings in the sense in which the four living creatures and twenty-fom' elders speak of themselves as such, (Rev. 5 : 10,) opposites of the kings of the earth and of the false prophet. So long as these elements of doctrine rule, Satan is con- fined as by a great chain to the pit ; whenever and wher- * Matt. 19 : 28; Luke 22 : 30. That is, in the new creation, (regeneration,) where all things are made new, (Rev. 21 : 5,) compare with Ps. 122 i 5. 320 THE SEALED BOOK. ever* tliis is not the case, then and there Satan is let loose, (Rev. 20 : 7,) operating (as already suggested) in per- verting principles, drawn from the letter or carnal inter- pretation of the written word. The principles of self-de- pendence, derived from the earth, or earthly system of works, have been destroyed, as we have seen ; but the earth itself still remains. These elements of carnal con- struction are accordingly drawn together from all quarters of the earthly platform, (Gog and Magog.) The figure is apparently taken from the supposed incursion of tribes of barbarians, but without reference to any particular event in the history of the world. A new host takes place of the dwellers upon the earthy standing in the relation of Gentile errors to Jemsh errors: their "number as the sand of the sea." (See Appendix C.) We must judge of the nature of these errors by the object against which their hostility is directed.f Under the conduct of Satan " they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints and the be- loved city." Satan may be supposed to act here without his horns, having given them to the beast, and the beast having gone into perdition ; the power of the horns also as kings having been overcome by the Lamb. The plat- form of works, the earthly basis, still remains, and these Gentile elements, acting on this basis, may be supposed to represent all the plans, or " many inventions," the ingenuity or vain imagination of man can devise as substitutes for God's purpose of salvation by sovereign grace, or of jus- tification through the merits of Christ. The divine pur- pose of grace, accordingly, is spoken of as " the beloved * § 451. t § 452. CATASTEOPHE. 321 city," or " camp of the saints," wMcli these Gentiles, under the conduct of Satan, are now about to besiege, (v. 9.) The object of hostility is not religion ui general, or even the Christian religion in general; as the errors contem- plated throughout this vision are not those out of the visible Church, but those in the Church. It is the pecuhar feature of the Christian rehgion, comprehended in what is commonly called the covenant of grace^ agaiast which these Satanic and Gentile elements are arrayed. The camp of the saints and the beloved city* are nearly interchangeable terms, or differing only as the outworks of a fortified place are to the citadel — two figures of the same thing, each affording its peculiar illustration. The camp of the saints, as a figure, directs our attention to the elements or principles of the divine plan of salvation, (the holy ones.)t The beloved city sets forth the aspect in which that plan is regarded by the Maker of it himself. It is called beloved^ because the economy of salvation by grace is the beloved plan of Him with whom judicial ven- geance is a strange work. It is called beloved in fulfill- ment of the promise referring to the same plan, " Thou shalt be called Sephzibah^ (my delight,) for Jehovah de- Hghteth in thee." (Is. 62 : 4.) Under a like aspect, ap- parently, the name of the apostle John, signifying the grace of God, affords us a symbolical reason for his distinction as the beloved disciple. As the camp of the Israelites in the wilderness corresponded with the old city of Jerusalem * § 453. t These saints may be supposed to be the souls under the altar, judges in the first resurrection, while Satan is confined. When he is loosed, the holy ones are put on the defensive, and are thus represented as in camp. 14* 322 THE SEALED BOOK. after it was built, (two figures of the same old dispensa- tion,) so the camp of the saints and the beloved city of the Apocalypse are both figures of the new dispensation. The power of the beast having been brought to an end by the victory of the Word of God, the forty-two months of his continuance has of course expired ; and conse- quently, according to the use we make of that symbolical term of time, in the present stage of the rej^resentation, the Gentiles do not now tread the holy city underfoot^ and not having possession of the city, we may presume they no longer have possession of the court of the temple, (Rev. 11 : 2-10.) For the same reason, the two witnesses no longer prophesy in sackcloth, nor do the dwellers on the earth rejoice over their dead bodies, but the same Gentile elements once in possession of the holy (the beloved) city, have now, under the conduct of Satan, compassed it, mth the purpose, we might say, of obtaining a repossession, carrying it by assault. In this purpose they are defeated. Flre^ comes down from God out of heaven and devours them, as the ten horns devoured the flesh of the harlot and burnt her with^re — fire from heaven being a figure of the revealed word of God. These Gentile elements, principles of doctrine derived from literal and carnal views of the written word, are perverted by the devil to elements of accusation, directed against God's plan of sal- vation. As there were false accusers in the days of the apostles, apparently charging the faith in Chi'ist with its tendency to hcentiousness, (1 Peter 3 : 16,) and as Satan accused the brethren in heaven, who overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, so, in this attack upon the beloved 454. CATASTROPHE. 323 city, (the divine plan of grace^) the accuser and his forces are overcome by a full revelation of that vicarious arrange- ment, by which Jesus Christ " destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil," (Heb. 2 : 14 ;) the destruction alluded to corresponding apparently with that described in the vision. The devH, which deluded these Gentiles, was cast into the lake of fire to be tormented (tortured) day and night, for ever and ever. The Gentile elements now destroyed hj fire^ appear to have come to their final end ;* but the leading element of accusation is continued in existence, always to be under the trial compared to the torture of the rack, exposing his true character and designs — an ex- posure sufiicient to counteract his delusive practices. As the fire from God out of heaven represents an ex- ternal power by which the camp of the samts and beloved city are delivered from the power of Satan, we may pre- sume the truth developed effecting this deliverence, to be the attribute of divine sovereignty ; the element from which the beloved plan itself proceeded. So, in the case of the man-child, when (as if in a last resort) caught up to God and his throne, he was saved fi'om the dragon's mouth; here (as in the last resort) the city is saved by an equivalent operation. As if it were said in answer to all objections to God's plan of salvation by grace, that he is a sovereign, and as such he has a sovereign right to do as he will with his own, having the same right over his creatures, that the potter has over his clay, (Rom. 9 : 20, 21.) * " As the tongue of fire devoureth, and the stubble and the flame con- eumeth the chaff." (Is. 5 : 24.) 324 THE SEALED BOOK. This supposition seems to be confinned by what follows ; for siamltaneously with the overthrow and perdition of Satan and his Gentile host, the apostle sees " a great white throne,* and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was no place for them." As we have before remarked, the Greek tei*m translated throne^ applies to a seat of any kind, and its meaning must be judged by the context. Here the flee- ing away of earth and heaven from the face of Him that sat on the throne^ is suffitdent to show that the exhibition is that of divine sovereignty; as it is by this attribute of sovereignty that the Supreme Ruler has the right to abolish the old dispensation, (that of the law,) in order to give place to the new economy, (the dispensa- tion of grace.) We have noticed that, although the dwellers upon the earth were overcome and slain in the great battle with the beast, the earth, or platform of works, still remained, and accordingly Satan and his host of Gentiles went up " upon the breadth" of it, against the camp and beloved city. They were destroyed by a development of the attribute of divine sovereignty, (figuratively j^re from God out of heaven.) By the same development, in connection with an exhibition of the enthroned Word of God, this platform of works is now abolished for ever.f As if we should say that where, or when, God's purpose of salvation, or justifi- cation by grace, is manifested to rest upon the attribute of his perfect sovereignty, there, or then, there will be no room, or place, for the supposition of a system of justifica- * § 455. + § 456. CATASTROPHE. 325 tion, or salvation, by the works or merits of man, or by works of the law. The distinguishing characteristic, of shining while^ given to the throne, indicates the presence of the rider of the white horse, (the Word of God,) the conqueror of the beast and his allies : he is now elevated to the throne, as a result of his victories ; in other words, he is, as afterwards manifested, the sovereign God himself,* as there is, in fact, no distinction of heing^ between the Word of God and God, any more than there is between the " King of kings and Lord of lords,^^ and the Supreme Ruler of the universe. It is evident that the heaven spoken of ?k% fleeing away with the earth, is not the heaven to which the apostle was called up ; he is still in that position where he sees the great white throne ; but the heaven fleeing away is the earthly heaven, " the heavens which are now," (2 Peter 3 : Y.) As we have noticed, in speaking of the heavenly bodies, commonly so called, the earth was regarded by the ancients as the centre of that system which we now term the solar system — whence that earthly system had its heaven, in allusion to which the view of divine revela- tion, peculiar to a system of works, is symbolically repre- sented as fleeing away^ together with the platform of works with which it is connected. There is no place for either of them, where the word of God is exhibited, rest- ing upon the attribute of his perfect sovereignty, (Rom. 11 : 6.) It is in the same sovereign capacity that the * The element of divine sovereignty could not be displayed till the oppos- ing elements of that divine sovereignty, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan, were overcome. 326 TILE SEALED BOOK. Word of God is now represented as exercising the pre- rogative of judge, and not only as judge, but also as exe- cutor of his own judgment, (Heb. 4 : 12.) Judgment was before said to have been given to the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus ; but these may be considered only inferior com-ts, having but a limited pow- er, whereas the throne, as in ancient times, is to be con- sidered a court of last resort ; as Paul appealed from the court of the Roman governor to the judgment of Caesar. I saw, says John, the dead,* small and great, stand be- fore the throne\ — the throne representing the attribute of divine sovereignty ; he that sat on the throne being the Word of God, that is, the divine purpose of salvation impersonated in Christ, as revealed in the sacred Scrip- tures. By tliis word, or purpose, involving and resting on the attribute of divine sovereignty, all elements or principles of faith or doctrine are to be judged; and these principles we suppose to be the dead alluded to, personi- fied as seen standing before the great white throne. The phrase " small and great," du-ects our attention to the enumeration of the hostile multitude, "small and great," (the remnant,) slain by the sword out of the mouth of the rider of the white horse. By that death these principles were manifested to be destitute of the spirit of the word, the analogy being drawn from the sep- aration of body and sj^irit by natural death. They are now to be judged by a further standard. As the multi- * § 457. + Our common version has this " before God," but approved editions of the Greek, warrant our use of the word ihrone, which at the same time ap- pears most in keepinor with the whole tenor of the vision. CATASTROPHE. 327 tude, " small and great," they comprehend the dwellers upon the earth, of all classes, from the king to the slave — those that were described in the panic scene as seeking a refuge from the wi'ath of the Lamb. They comprehend also the worshippers of the beast — those that received his mark, and those that " gnawed their tongues with pain" when his kingdom was full of darkness. We do not include the Gentile host, (Gog and Magog,) because they are said to have been devoured by fire from heaven, which seems to be a figure equivalent to that of the second death y besides that these are only mentioned as nations of the earth, without the appellation of small and great. On the other hand, the last we read of the 144,000 seal- ed ones, is that they were on Mount Zion singmg the song of the redeemed ; and we suppose those enjoying ihe first resurrection to comprehend all before spoken of as saints or holy ones, including "saints under the altar," and " saints and prophets" whose blood was found in the ruins of Babylon. As these were not subject to the sec- ond death, we do not suppose them to appear in this judg- ment scene. Taking these particulars into view, as there is but one class of dead mentioned here,* we suppose these dead to be all representatives of that class of false doctrines, or principles of doctrine, which are inconsistent with God's plan of redemption; such, perhaps, as are spoken of by the apostle Paul as " dead works," (Heb. 6 ; 1 ; 9 : 14.) * On this account it will be perceived that the scene described here dif- fers essentially from those elsewhere given in the New Testament of the last judgment. 328 THE SEALED BOOK. "And (Gr.) books* were opened, and another book was opened, which is of the life," (the Hfe of the Lamb un- derstood.) In the original, there is no article preceding the word books when first mentioned ; as if the reference were to some particular books. " The book of the life," or, as it is elsewhere termed, " the Lamb's book of life," or, according to the Greek, " the book of the life of the Lamb," as already suggested, we take to be one of the figures by which the plan of redemption, through the vica- rious sacrifice of Christ, is symbolized. Opposite to this, are all the books, or plans, of human device, or of vain im- aginations, pretending to set forth a way of salvation, or justification, through the works or merits of man. These books, accordingly, are opposites of the book of life, or of the Lamb's book of life, which is here spoken of as the standard of judgment. The Lamb's book of hfe we suppose to have a particular reference to his vicarious sacrifice, as the indispensable element of the way of salvation. The dead to be judged, we take to be principles of doctrine, or the doctrines themselves, contained in the books alluded to. These are brought into comparison with the contents of the Lamb's book of life, and being found inconsistent therewith, (the Word of God, exercising the attribute of divine sovereign- ty, being the judge,) they are condemned to the everlast- ing trial of the revealed word, in its spirit sense^ as in a furnace, (the lake burning with fire and brimstone,) — ^the fire that is to try every work, (1 Cor. 3 : 13.) * In our former work we have supposed these books to be put for the law and the prophets, constituting, with the book of life, the criteria of judg- ment; but subsequently, giving more weight to the absence of the article in the original, (Rev. 20 : 12,) we consider them opposites of the book of life. CATASTEOPHE. 329 " And the dead" (these dead principles) " were judged out of the things written in the books," These things written in the books, being the doctrines taught by these principles, they are judged according to their purport or tendency, (their works.) The term books, of course, is a figurative one, being put for plans, or human inventions, of the way of salvation, opposites of that contained in the book of life ; as it is said, God created man upright^ that is, in a position of justification^ "but they have sought out many inventions," (Ecc. 7 : 29.) These inventions and their elements, not corresponding with the divine plan of salvation by grace, through the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ, are doomed to the same trial, by the revealed word, (as by torture,) as that to which the beast, and false prophet, and Satan, and death, and hell, themselves are condemned. The crisis of this judgment scene, appears to be that alluded to as " the time of the dead," in the chorus, (Rev. 11 : 18,) immediately succeeding the sounding of the last trumpet, as it is also a result of the efiusion of the seventh vial upon the air ; the time^ also, of giving reward to the prophets and saints, by manifesting the truth and cor- rectness of their testimony, as in the promotion of the souls beheaded to tribunals of judgment ; and the time of destroying the corrupters of the earth — the beast, the false prophet, and their auxiliaries. Referring also to Rev. 13 : 8, we find the dwellers upon the earth are those whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life, the 144,000 sealed ones being on Mount Zion with the Lamb, as subsequently seen by the apostle. The Greek term rendered the dead^ in our common ver- 330 THE SEALED BOOK. sion, signifies, primarily, the body of an animal deprived of its life or spirit, and is thus an approjDriate figure of a doctrine, or doctrinal principle, derived from a literal or carnal mterpretation of written revelation. As such, the dead here are those who died in the sea at the sound- ing of the first trumpet ; those who died from drinking of the bitter waters of 'Wormioood ; those that were killed or slain by the cavahy from the river Euphrates, on the sounding of the sixth trumpet ; those that were killed by the fire from the mouth of the witnesses in sackcloth, and the seven thousand slain by the earthquake, (Rev. 11 : 13;) although these last, according to the Greek, are distinguish- ed as the names of men. Those of the opposite class, kill- ed under the influence of the false prophet, for not worship- ping the beast, are necessarily to be found amongst the blessed and holy, enjoying the privilege of the first re- surrection, (Rev. 20 : 4.) We do not consider the New Testament only, as consti- tuting the hook of life. We suppose this book to repre- sent all that is revealed, or comprehended, m both Testa- ments, in relation to the vicarious sufferings of Jesus Christ ; both Testaments setting forth that divme plan of redemption by which all other plans, and the principles of all others, are to be judged. On the other hand, it is to be noticed that it is only by being found amongst the con- tents of the hooh of life^ that any are saved from the sec- ond death : being found in the other books is of no avail. " And the sedf^ gave up the dead which were in it :" the sea^ that was not to be unjustified till the 144,000 were sealed ; the sea^ the third of which became blood * § 459. CATASTROPHE. 331 when the great burning mountain was cast into it; the sea upon which the right foot of the mighty angel was placed, and against the inhabiters of which, as against those of the earth, the wo was pronounced ; the sea out of which the ten-horned beast, the adversary of the cross of Christ, vras seen to arise; the sea upon which, or concerning which, the second vial of wrath was poured out, causing it to become as the blood of a carcase, and every living soul dying in it ; and the sea into which the stone hke a mill- stone was cast, no more to be found at all, as a simile of the eternal destruction of Babylon. This sea^ " with its waves roaring," we have throughout considered a figure of the vengeance of the broken law. This sea now gives up apparently those who have been represented as having died in it — " its dead," (Rev, 8 : 9,) principles of doctrine, such as of self-justification, or self-dependence, which have sufiered the first death, in the manifestation of their incon- sistency with the spirit of the written word, and their con- sequent incapacity to meet the requisitions of the law ; they are now to undergo the second trial, that of compar- ison with the contents of the Lamb's book of life — God's plan of salvation through the vicarious sacrifice of Christ.* * We use the expression vicarious sacrifice of Christ here, and elsewhere, in preference to that of the atonement, as being more comprehensive, according to our association of ideas. The atonement of Christ, typified bj the blood and water shed upon the cross, we apply to the removal of the guilt of sin, thus saving the sinner from merited punishment, but leaving him unentitled to any thing further than the benefit of this escape. The mca)'iotis sacrifice of Christ comprehends, besides this atonement, the oiFering up of the right- eousness, or merit, of Christ (typified by the body of his flesh, offered upon the cross as upon an altar) in behalf of the saved sinner, thus entitling him to the further benefit of eternal life. The merit of the divvne righteousness. 332 THE SEALED BOOK. The sea is not represented as being itself condemned. It is a legitimate element for a certain pm*pose, and hav- ing accomplished this purpose, it is, as afterwards said, to be no more met with. Death and hell, on the contrary, not only deliver up their dead, but they themselves, also, are cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.* The same death was seen on the opening of the fourth seal, going forth on the pale-gr^en horse, and the same hell followed with him. They were represented as in- separable comj)anions, as closely connected as the condem- nation of man is with his position under the law, or physi- cally, as death is with the grave. They are not afterwards represented as having acted in the character first de- scribed, but wherever the state or condition of death is alluded to throughout the vision, there we may suppose the rider of the pale-green horse to have acted his part with hell, his coadjutor. They are spoken of in the com- mencement of the revelation as a mystery, of which the One like unto the Son of Man has the keys, (Rev 1:18.) As a figure they seem to be very nearly equivalent to the bottomless pit ; there would have been something incon- gruous, however, in the representation of casting the bot- tomless pit into the lake of fire ; they are here, therefore, spoken of as warriors, and in keeping with that figure they experience the fate depicted. so offered in behalf of the disciple, and accounted Ms, becomes to him that ia- heritance, the reward of which is everlasting bliss, such as " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." The principles of the whole of this blessed mystery constitute, we apprehend, what is termed the book of life, with which all other books, mysteries, or doctrines are to be compared. * § 460. CATASTROPHE. 333 As before remarked, tlie same subject often requires a variety of figures to illustrate different features of its cha- racter ; at the same time, whatever this variety may be, there is in the sacred writings a certain regard to congru- ity in the treatment of each figure. To exhibit the power by which the death and hell mys- tery is sustained, it was necessary to represent its depend- ence upon the system represented by the pale-green horse ; as it was necessary that the same mystery should be symbohzed by combatants, to illustrate its hostihty to the Word of God, or divine plan of salvation. To throw light upon the hopeless character of the mystery, required the figure of a bottomless pit — a system of faith or hope without a foundation. Again, to show its inconsistency with the mystery of the Gospel, the two combatants appear as criminals tried and condemned at the bar of divine sove- reignty, for their rebellious opposition to the purpose of the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, and thus, as rebels taken in arms, doomed to the everlasting torture as by fire of the second death. Death and hell themselves constitute \h.Q first death; it is therefore only to the second death that they can be sub- jected ; as it is only by the exhibition of the mind (Word) of God, involving the attribute of divine sovereignty, that the power of death and hell is overcome ; as it is said, " It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth ?" The mystery, or system, of death and hell comprehends all the legal and condemnatory principles referred to in the saying of the apostle Paul " I was ahve without the law but when the law came sin revived and I died :" the death alluded to being a position under the law — a death 334 THE SEALED BOOK. in trespasses and sin, necessarily followed by condemnation. The principles constituting this position, we take to be the dead which death and hell deliver up to be judged by comparison with the Lamb's book of life. The sea, death, and hell, are judged each according to their works.* These several systems, or mysteries, are judged according to the tendency of their respective prin- ciples — tendencies exemplified in the operations of the locusts from the bottomless pit, and of the horsemen from the Euphrates, and consequently inconsistent with the con- tents of the Lamb's book of life. The doom of the sea is not mentioned, but, as appears afterwards, it is, figuratively speaking, condemned to banishment, as an element incompatible with the new state of things — ^the new heaven and the new earth. The fate of death and heU corresponds with the triumph alluded to by the apostle Paul, " Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting ? O hell, {liades^ where is thy \ictory?" (1 Cor. 15 : 55.) The ascendency of the Lamb's book of life over these condemned elements, corresponds with the victory ascribed by the same apostle to our Lord Jesus Christ. In this apocalyptic scene, the power by which these elements are condemned, is ascribed to the occupant of the white throne, (the Word of God;) but, as we shall see, there is no dis- crepancy here, the result showing that Word, and the Book of life, and the Lamb, to be one; as these are seen also to * The expression of our common version, Rev. 20 : 13, " every man," does not seem warranted by the original, the term there employed signify- ing each, referring, as we apprehend, to the three personifications mentioned in the same verse. CATASTROPHE. 335 be one with Him that sat upon the throne at the com- mencement of the vision, (Rev. 4 : 2, 3.) Any one, it is added, not found written iu the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.* The same personification of principles we conceive to be continued here. This lake of fire is something into which death and hell are cast, and death and hell are mysteries, or systems of doctrine. The lake of fire must be, therefore, somethiag by which such mysteries may be acted upon. On the other hand, the term any one must apply to things like these mysteries, capable of being subjects to the same action. Here, there- fore, as elsewhere in the Apocalypse, we consider Xh^fire m question, to be the fire of the written word, operating as an unceasing test upon every doctrine, or doctrinal ele- ment, exposed to its power — ^the trial, ever going on, of false doctrines and false principles with the revealed word of God in its proper sense. Corresponding with the triumphant song of the chorus on the sounding of the last trumpet, (Rev. 11 : 18,) the elements of doctrine, which have " corrupted" the earthly system, (perverting the use of the law to the estabhshment of a self-righteous plan of self-justification,) are now them- selves doomed to corruption; their destruction by the test to which they are exposed, being manifested.! Note. — The whole of this judgment-scene, as well as the sentence after- wards pronounced (Rev. 21 : 8) upon the fearful and unbelieving, and others, and the exclusion of certain things (principles or elements of doctrine) from the holy city, (Rev. 21 : 27, and 22 : 15,) we consider exhibitions of the same wrath of the Lamb, or wrath of God, before represented under different figures or symbols; the subjects condemned to the lake of fire m this judg- * § 4G1. t § 402. 336 THE SEALED BOOK. ment-scene comprehending those to which we have alluded as afterwards enumerated. These several representations, therefore, are not to be looked upon as appli- cable to successive events ; they are so many illustrations of different features of the same errors, and of the different tests by which their enormity is ex- posed. The destruction of Babylon by the ten horns and by fire, is an exemplication of her fall, proclaimed in the mid-heaven, (Rev. 14 : 8,) and the fate of those cast into the lake of fire, (Rev. 20 : 15,) is a fulfillment of the prediction concerning the worshippers of the beast and his image, and those receiving his mark in the forehead or in the hand. (Rev. 14 : 9, 10.) The subjects slain by the sword out of the mouth of the Word of God, are manifested to be devoid of the spirit of revelation : ("not having the Spirit," Jude 19.) The same subjects, by their exclusion from the holy city, are manifested to be inconsistent with the divine plan of salvation. The same, also, condemned, as not being found in the book of the life of the Lamb, are manifested to be principles inconsistent with the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. And the same, as doomed to an everlasting trial by the standard of written revelation, in its true sense, are described as cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. The slaughter, the second death, and the exclusion from the holy city, are thus three figures of the execution of the same wrath upon all erroneous doctrines. These errors, being such as are prevalent in professedly Christ- ian systems of faith, symbolized by certain churches, their destruction is a pre-requisite to the new views about to be presented. Although this scene has been almost universally taken to be an exhibition of the last judgment, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, we do not ap- prehend it to have been so intended; except that there maybe a certain analogy between the doctrinal judgment here supposed, and a judgment to come in a more literal sense. For the latter we are to have recourse to other portions of the sacred writings, where there is no lack of evidence upon the subject. Our own impression is, as we feel bound to add, that the sentence of that judgment is virtually passed upon every individual immediately upon the change from the present to the next state of existence. The language and representations of the Scriptures are admitted to be frequently those of accommodation, (anthropological ;) and in whatever terms the subject of a future judgment may be presented to our minds, the same scriptures warrant our presuming that the Searcher of hearts, from whom no secrets are hid, can have no occasion to wait a distant period, when his mind will be made up as to the merits or demerits of any of his creatures. CATASTROPHE. 337 Scene: The new Heaven and the new Eaeth. " And I saw," says the apostle, " a new heaven and a new earth ;"* or, as it might be rendered, according to the Greek order — I saw heaven new and earth new. The change is an effect of the pouring out of the seventh vial upon the air. Truth itself is unchangeable, but error seen through a false medium may appear truth ; that medium being changed, truth appears as it is, and error vanishes. The scene presented is equivalent to a manifestation of the substitution of the new dispensation for the old, allud- ed to Heb. 8:13. Prior to the effusion of the seventh vial, from a false construction, the covenant of grace had appeared to be one of works, or partly such ; that con- struction being now corrected, (the air purified and the false prophet gone to his last trial,f) all opposing elements having been overcome, the divine plan of salvation appears in its true light. The old earth and heaven had fled from the face of Him who sat upon the great white throne ; all legal views of the Gospel economy being unable to withstand the exhibi- tion of the "Word of God, (the divine purpose of grace,) * The chapters should not have been separated here, (Rev. 21 : 1,) for the subject is immediately connected with and resulting from the matter- just ex- hibited. There is no pause in the representation — the scene only is changed. (§ 463.) As the confinement of Satan to the pit was a result of the victory over the beast and false prophet and their forces, so the appearance of the new heaven and new earth, of the Bride and of all things new, is a result of the judgment-scene just witnessed, as well as of the doom of Satan, death, and hell to the lake of fire. f That woman Jezebel also being in effect cast upon a JeVr. (Rev. 2 ; 20.) 15 m. 338 .