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K E 
 
 TOTH£ MYSTERY ofthe 
 
 REVELATION: 
 
 WHEREBY ALL IPS DARK MEANINGS, 
 
 BEING REDUCED TO ONE REGULAR SYSTEM, 
 
 ARE EASILY ACCOUNTED FOR, 
 
 AND 
 
 E X P L A I N E D..-';^^ixf p7^ 
 
 a-M ^O V 
 
 LONDON 
 
 printed for w. goldsmith, pater-no$ter-r0w« 
 
 m dcc lxxxv, 
 
 [price four shillings in soards.] 
 
Hik 
 
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 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE author is very fenfible of the 
 great difficulty of propofing in a fui-* 
 table manner to the world a fyftem of opi- 
 nions, entirely new, and contrary in every 
 refpeft to thofe which are generally recei- 
 ved, particularly in regard to the myftery 
 of the Revelation: but as he has found 
 from many years experience the great effi^ 
 cacy of the Key, or manner of explana- 
 tion, now offered to the public, in open- 
 ing thefe intricate wards, he thinks it in- 
 confident with that duty every good man 
 owes to his country to withhold from it 
 what he apprehends is of the utmoft im- 
 portance to it*s welfare, and places it in 
 the highefl rank of glory and dignity. No- 
 thing but thefe confiderations would tempt 
 a him 
 
( » ) 
 
 him to hazard any publication, and he flat- 
 ters himfelf that fuch motives will prevail 
 with the learned and great to allow his la- 
 bours that favour and indulgence, which 
 their novelty indeed greatly requires, ef- 
 pecialjy as he has endeavoured to eftablifli 
 them upon every principle of unity and 
 con&ftency. 
 
 These facred pages may be conGdered 
 as a dark senigma, held out and propoun- 
 ded by the great author, but at the fame 
 time wrapped up in every myftic covering 
 and difguife. Every one who attempts to 
 unfold it without being previoufly poffefled 
 of it's fecret key, or meaning, muft of con- 
 fequence wander through an inextricable 
 labyrinth; every flep he takes mull necef- 
 farily lead him to further difficulties, and 
 he muft be loft in endlefs mazes and incer- 
 tainties. The author however flatters him- 
 felf that he is poffefled of the happy clue, 
 which many years ago was accidentally 
 difcovercd to a friend. It is no more than 
 
 the 
 
( i" ) 
 
 the fimple hint of confidering thefe myfte- 
 ries as a regular feries of ecclefiaftical 
 events from the beginning to the end of 
 time, but yet varioufly expreffed, agreeable 
 to the feveri parts into which they feem 
 naturally to be divided. Every interpre- 
 ter therefore who confiders them in a diffe- 
 rent view^ mufl of confequence be greatly 
 confounded and embarraffed; but when 
 they are contemplated agreeable to the 
 plan here propofed, they are fo far from 
 diflurbing and perplexing the mind of the 
 reader, that on the contrary it muft be 
 greatly refrefhed, and enlightened. Every 
 different part contributes new matter and 
 information, and affords fuch a pleafing 
 variety that the ferious perufer is never 
 weary of repeatedly revolving the feveral 
 fortunes of the church, while at the fame 
 time he will perceive himfelf more and 
 more interefted in them, till at length they 
 muft totally engage his notice and atten- 
 tion : and indeed it is aflonifliing to fee 
 fuch a heap of feemingly wild and jarring 
 a 2 matters 
 
( iv ) 
 
 matters fo eafily yielding themfelves to or- 
 der and arrangement by To fimple a means. 
 
 The novelty of opinions, here introdu- 
 ced, (hould be fo far from offending the 
 cautious reader, that it {hould rather awa- 
 ken, his curiofity, and engage his attention 
 to what may probably at length give folu- 
 tion to things which haye afforded matters 
 of difpute and controverfy even for ages. 
 To walk in the paths of thofe who have 
 confeffedly failed in their attempts to deci- 
 pher thefe fecrets is the manifeft wafting 
 of time, and impofing upon the credulity 
 of the world. We muft confider this myf- 
 tery as a defperate cafe in medicine. Since 
 every effort to reftore it has hitherto proved 
 ineffeftual, fomething daring and uncom- 
 mon muft be attempted, the efficacy of 
 which may moft likely fubdue the malign 
 ni'ty bf the diftempcr. What is now offered 
 to the world is contrary to every former 
 attempt, but by it*s eafy pervafion of every 
 fecret and abftra6ied part in it's moft dark 
 
 and 
 
( V ) 
 
 and latent recefs, the author flatters him* 
 felf that he has difcovered what has lain 
 concealed for fo great a length of time, 
 and what muft confequently be greatly ac- 
 ceptable to the enquiring world, efpecially 
 as it will be found to be of the utmoft im- 
 portance and concern. 
 
 The truth of an expofition of any of the 
 of the facred oracles muft be known by the 
 greatnefs and importance of it, for a vague 
 and defultory one muft be rejefted, as alto- 
 gether incompatible with the wifdom and 
 foreknowledge of God. This expofition 
 may readily offer itfelf to fuch a trial; for 
 nothing can be greater than it's end, which 
 is the only true juftification of the ways of 
 God to man, in a full exemplification of 
 his providence and interpofnion in human 
 affairs, from the beginning to the diflblur 
 tion of the world, and the final fettling and 
 adjufting of them in the conformity of eve- 
 ry kingdom and nation of the earth to the 
 glorious inftitutions of the gofpel of Chrift. 
 
 This 
 
( vi ) 
 
 This muft certainly be a great and moft 
 important event, in comparifon of which 
 every former change and alteration of dates 
 and kingdoms muft appear trivial, and of 
 fmall account. They were only changed 
 to give way to further revolutions ; for ma- 
 ny of them, being grown unweildy, pe- 
 rilhed through the extent of their dominion 
 and greatnefs, no human wifdom being 
 able to keep in fubjeftion fuch a multitude 
 of kingdoms, continually differing from 
 each other in their political views and inte- 
 refts. The glorious univerfal kingdom of 
 Chrift, here pointed out and difplayed, 
 will be a kingdom, as the prophets fing, 
 never to be fhaken or difturbed to the end 
 of time. It is therefore called a new hea- 
 ven, and a new earth, as being altogether 
 different, in refpeft to it's ftability and mul- 
 titude of peace, from all other monarchies 
 preceding it*. Nothing therefore can be 
 more reafonable than to give a regular de- 
 tail of it's feveral ftagesand fortunes, from 
 it's firft beginning and formation till it 
 
 breaks 
 
( vii ) 
 
 breaks out to that univerfal dominion and 
 glory, which will be found worthy of the 
 great author of nature. The natural curio- 
 fity of mankind will require this hiflorical 
 feries, and the vindication of God's ways 
 to the world muft demand it. 
 
 Another argument of the truth of this 
 explanation is the conformity of the other 
 prophetic fcriptures to the rules and princi- 
 ples here obferved and enforced. Their 
 principal burthen is the celebrating of 
 Chrift's kingdom, and the prophets have 
 continually held it out in profpeft to their 
 countrymen, that they might with fuch 
 fplendid attractions allure them to a return 
 to their duty, and a rejeftion of thofe ido- 
 latrous infatuations, which have always 
 been a difgrace to humanity. In all their 
 earnefl: folicitations after the welfare of this 
 people, and that parental care which they 
 have every where fhewn in their addreffes 
 to them, nay even in the midfl: of their fe- 
 vered threatenings, they have conftantly 
 
 broke 
 
( viii j 
 
 broke out into the moft rapturous predic- 
 tions of the future glory of the church; 
 thereby expofing the ftupidity of the Jews 
 in deferting what was the only means to in- 
 fure to their pofterity a permanent inheri- 
 tance of this multitude of peace. This is 
 the conftant end of the prophets on every 
 occafion of exerting their prophetic fpirit, 
 this is the manifeft burthen of this Revela- 
 tion, in all the various lights and forms in 
 which thefe myfteries are reprefented : their 
 exaft agreement therefore in this great 
 and important purpofe muft certainly gi;^ 
 weight to this expofition, which every 
 where fupports and eftablilhes it. 
 
 As thefe prophecies had evidently rela- 
 tion to diftant times, they were purpofely 
 obfcured in aenigmatical terms, that their 
 genuine meaning might be referved entire, 
 to be manifefted more fully when thefe 
 times {liould be fulfilled. Neither would it 
 have been proper that they (hould have 
 been known before upon many accounts. 
 
 It 
 
( is ) 
 
 It would have been very afflifting and dif- 
 couraging to the old Roman church, com- 
 pofed of pure primitive chriftians, to have 
 found that in length of time their pofterity 
 fhould grow fo wicked and corrupt as to 
 perfe6i the image of Antichrift. The na- 
 ture of the world may Hkewife refemble 
 that of the human body, and neceffarily re- 
 quire a certain fpace of time before it be 
 fufficiently perfeQ, and able clearly to com- 
 prehend the mylleries of religion, andfub- 
 miffively and readily conform itfelf to her 
 laws. The kingdom of Chrift is therefore 
 Called the harveft, as it is faid in St. Mark, 
 ch. iv., ver. 26, &c, * So is the kingdom 
 God, as if a man fhould caft feed in the 
 ground, and fhould deep ^nd rife up night 
 and day^ and the feed fhould fpring and 
 grow up, he not knowing how. For the 
 earth bringeth forth fruit of herfelf, firft 
 the blade, then the ears, after that the full 
 corn in the ears. And as foon as the fruit 
 fheweth itfelf, he putteth in the fickle, be- 
 caufe the harvefl is come/ We may there- 
 fa fore 
 
( X ) 
 
 fore fee the reafon why chriftianity feemed 
 to be fo meanly and obfcurely founded, for 
 the feed of this harvefl was only then fown. 
 
 It may be obferved that all the prophets 
 foretel not the reftoration of the tribes of 
 Judah and Benjamin only, but the com- 
 plete re-efl:abli[hment of all the tribes, as 
 may be feen in the quotations of fuch parts 
 of the prophetic fcriptures as regard that 
 great event, and which are fubjoined at the 
 end of the defcription of the new Jerufalem. 
 It is very evident that only thereli6ls of the 
 Babylonian captivity returned to their 
 country ; for the ten tribes were fo far from 
 returning, that all memory of them was in 
 a manner loft, and they feem to have been 
 baniflied not only out of their own country, 
 but in a manner out of the v;orld. We 
 muft therefore conclude, that until the 
 whole body of the Jews be completely fet- 
 tled, without the leaft apprehenfion of any 
 further removal, the burthens of the facred 
 prophets, and this Revelation, muft be 
 
 confidered 
 
( xi ) 
 
 confidered as yet to be accomplidied. 
 When therefore the following obfervaiions, 
 by a plain and regular rule, (hew that this 
 Revelation, and all the prophets, point 
 out not only the general reftoration of the 
 Jews, but the converfion of the whole world 
 to the chriftian faith, not from mere con- 
 jefture, but a variety of fyftems, centering 
 in one end and purpofe, the prophets as it 
 were officioufly offering their tribute of tef- 
 timony to each other, it muft be difficult 
 to refift fo many concurring arguments, 
 and refufe our affent to a fyftem, every 
 where uniformly fupported and eflablilhed. 
 
 From the following work it appears that 
 the only profeffion of the true chriftian 
 faith is according to the doftrine of the 
 church of England, and that her liturgy 
 and fervice mull confequently be a model 
 for all other nations to conform to. As 
 God is not the author of confufion, it is 
 reafonable to fuppofe that one particular 
 chriftian church fliould be fele£led for this 
 b 2 purpofe; 
 
( ^1^ ) 
 
 purpofe; none therefore can have greater 
 pretenfions to this honour than that of Eng- 
 land. But as the principal bufinefs of the 
 following work is to fettle and eflablifli her 
 claims to this great pre-eminency,the reader 
 muft be referred to it for his greater fatif- 
 fa6iion. We may however obferve, that 
 as the earth is the Lordls, and the fulnefs 
 thereof, it may be natural to imagine 
 that he fhould chufe the moft eminent of 
 the proteflant kingdoms, orftates, (forfuch 
 only can be competitors for this honour, 
 as reforming in the fix thoufandth year) 
 to be the feat of his empire, and for the 
 refidence of his divine prefence. This dif- 
 tinftion may be eafily yielded to our cele- 
 brated country, which in glory, and re- 
 nown, may bear the palm from all the other 
 nations of Europe. 
 
 By the above fyftem alfo it manifeflly 
 appears that a great and dreadful perfecu- 
 tion is nov/ about fuddejily to break upon 
 us. Our viftory and triumph muft be pre- 
 ceded 
 
( xiii ) 
 
 ceded by a dreadful conflift, for fuch great 
 honours and diftinftions will not be rafhly 
 given, but only conferred on thofe who 
 fhall be fufficiently tried in the furnace of 
 affliftion. H^ppywill the author think him- 
 felf if by the reception, and ferious contem- 
 plation, of thefe his labours, his country- 
 men may be induced to flee the fhadow of 
 this world, and having before their eyes the 
 great and fiery trial, which is now literally^ 
 at hand, and clearly pointed out and difco- 
 vered in the following work, may make 
 that fuitable preparation for it that may in- 
 fure to them the fecret prefervation and 
 proteQion of providence. We ought (as 
 the prophet Efdras warns us) to make our- 
 felves ready for the battle, and in the trou- 
 bles be even as ftrangers upon the earth. 
 For as an arrow which is fhot of a mighty 
 archer returneth not backwards, fo the 
 plagues that (hall be fent upon the earth 
 {hall not turn again. What will ye do, or 
 how will ye hide your fins before God and 
 his angels? Woe unto them who are bound 
 
 with 
 
( xiv ) 
 
 with their fins, and covered with their ini- 
 quities, as a field is hedged in with buflies, 
 and the path thereof covered with thorns, 
 whereby no man may travel! It is fl'iit up, 
 and is appointed to be devoured with fire. 
 See II. Efdras, ch. 16. 
 
 TiiE ruin of all great kingdoms and ftates 
 has for the moft part been preceded by the 
 luxury and wickednefs of the people, which 
 have haftened and drawn upon them, as it 
 were with violence, that deflruftion which 
 might otherwife perhaps have been remo- 
 ved or deferred. Hov\r much the inhabi- 
 tants of thefe kingdoms are immerfed in 
 every fpecies of luxury, difiipation, and 
 corruption, is fufficiently known, and la- 
 mented: how muft we therefore expeft to 
 efcape the fortune of other empires and 
 flates, which have preceded us? We too 
 mutt fufFer, but not like them perifh; and 
 the evils, which are ready to happen to us, 
 will only be for our correflion and amend- 
 ineut, and not for our deftruftion. This 
 
 furnace 
 
( XV ) 
 
 furnace of affliftion will purge away from 
 us all drofs and corruption, and we (hall 
 come out of it like gold, pure and without 
 lofs of weight, and more refined and glit- 
 tering. 
 
 It may not be improper to take notice 
 of the beauties and excellencies of this di- 
 vine Revelation in refpe6l to it's ftile and 
 compofition ; for on mature contemplation 
 thefe allegorical defcriptions will be found 
 to equal the moll fublime flights of the holy 
 prophets of the Old Teftament, and greatly 
 excel them in the fteady and uniform con- 
 currence of their feveral parts in one great 
 and folid fyftem, conftantly tending to in- 
 culcate to the world the purpofes and de- 
 figns of the great author of thefe myfteries. 
 
 The feemingly wild and jarring matters, 
 which every where occur to the reader 
 who is unacquainted with the clue which 
 can only lead him through thefe labyrinths 
 and difficulties, muft no doubt greatly pre- 
 judice 
 
( xvi ) 
 
 judice him againft thefe myfteries^ and rea- 
 dily incline him to ViUcti to any objeftions 
 which may have been raifed againft them. 
 But the author does not doubt that the 
 light they are now propofed to be confide- 
 red in will fufficiently maintain their au- 
 thenticity, and the gradual openings, and 
 evident promulgations, of the great and 
 moft important fecrets intended to be re- 
 vealed, will fo effeSually intereft the at- 
 tentive perufer, as to caufe him gladly to 
 give up any trifling errors, while he is con- 
 templating matters of univerfal importancey 
 which angels have defired to look into. 
 
 If any literal and grammatical inaccura- 
 cies fhould appear to the minute and criti- 
 cal obferver, they will be found to be in- 
 finitely overborne by thofe ftrong defcrip- 
 tive expreffions which every where pene- 
 trate the foul of the attentive reader, and 
 fix in it fuch lafting impreflions as continu- 
 ally vibrate in the fancy* Thefe errors 
 ip.ay perhaps be imputed to the tranfcribers 
 
 of 
 
( ?^vu ) 
 
 of thcfe facred pages : or, when wc confi- 
 der the manner of delivering thofe myft^- 
 •ries, thefe little defefts may be pthqrwife ac- 
 counted for. The feveral matters, treated 
 of by the Evangelift, appear to be a conti- 
 nued feries of vifionary fcenes, fucceflively 
 paffingin review before him, which with the 
 feveral fpeeches, declarations, and other ver- 
 bal explanations, and illuftrations, necefTari- 
 ly connefiing them, were no doubt infinitely 
 perfeft, and totally void of every blemifli ; 
 but the digefting and recollefting of them 
 might be left to the liberty of St. John, 
 who might very likely be guilty of fome lit-, 
 tie inaccuraties in refpeft to ftile, which 
 are neverthelefs too trifling (as I obferved 
 before) to fuperfede the general beauties 
 and perfe£lions of thefe myfleries. We 
 may therefore readily allow this volume of 
 the Revelation to be the work of the holy 
 fpirit of God, and confequently contem- 
 plate it with attention, and reverence. Con- 
 fidering it with fuch a ftate of mind, and 
 c according 
 
( xviii ) 
 
 according to the plan mark'd out in the fol- 
 lowing explanation, we may very likely 
 comprehend it's heighth and depth, and 
 ohferve every proportion of this great and 
 fpiritual building. 
 
 PART 
 
 i 
 
PART THE FIRST. 
 
 Ba 
 
 A KEY 
 
i T- - r i. jifi i l i I. U.I .*£.< 
 
 K^EY to the Mystery; kc. 
 
 PART THE F I H S T. 
 
 REVELATTON, Chap. I. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1 . The Revelation of Jefus Chrift, which 
 God gave unto him, to (hew unto his 
 fervants thofe things which fhould fhort- 
 ly come to pafs: and he fent and figni- 
 fied it by his angel to his fervant John ; 
 2. Who bare witnefs to the word of God, 
 
 and 
 
( 4 ; 
 
 and the teftimony of Jefus Chrift, and 
 likewife to the things which he faw. 3. 
 Blefled is he who readeth, and thofe 
 who hear, the words of this prophecy, 
 and obferve the things written therein ; 
 lor the time is at hand. 
 
 /^r^HIS great myftery, and magnificent 
 i fyftem, when rightly explained and 
 underflood, will be a revelation in- 
 deed; for hereby God difcovers to the 
 world his very inmoft counfels, and pur- 
 pofes. They are no lefs than the accom- 
 plifliment of that univerfality of opinions 
 in matters of religion, which the world has 
 been hitherto deprived of; and the want of 
 which has occafioned fuch innumerable 
 wars and diffenfions among mankind, that 
 many of them, from the feeming improba- 
 bility of a general confent in religious prin- 
 ciples, have wholly abandoned all thoughts 
 of religion, ^nd degenerated into nS 'cHiy, 
 and an indulgence of every vicioub' , 
 
 and inclination. Why God flioulc . .r 
 
 tne 
 
( 5 } 
 
 the world to continue fo long a time in this 
 confufion of fentiments cannot eafily be 
 imagined; but one reafon of this procralli- 
 niation of his final decifions in this great 
 concern may perhaps be imputed to his ob- 
 ferving a general analogy in the nature of 
 things. As we fee no earthly produflion 
 perfefted at once, but arriving gradually 
 and imperceptibly to perfeftion, in the 
 fame manner God feems to have cultivated 
 the fpiriioal plant of religion. The difco- 
 very of it's feveral gradations and improve- 
 ments will be the bufinefs of this great myf- 
 tery, which will be manifeftly feen in the 
 explanation here offered to the public, if 
 indulged with that attention, which ought 
 to be given to what fo much belongs to our 
 peace. 
 
 The reader muft not be difcouraged 
 when he fees that this myftery relates to 
 things which muft (hortly come to pafs, and 
 that the time is at hand. Thefe are phrafes 
 peculiar to the eaftern manner of expref-^ 
 
 fion 
 
( ^ ;) 
 
 fion, ahd imply that the things here related 
 fliall furely come to pafs, and are fully de- 
 termined by God to be accompliftied in due 
 time. This may be confirmed by the fol- 
 lowing paflages. * Vengeance and recom- 
 pence are mine, their foot (hall (lide in due 
 time ; for the day of their deftruflion is at 
 hand, and the things that fliall come upon 
 them make hafte/ &c. Deut. xxxii., v. 35^ 
 Sec. When the prophet Ahijah denounces 
 the deftruftion of the houfe of Jeroboam, 
 among other expreffions he has the follow- 
 ing. * Moreover the Lord (hall raife him 
 ^ king over Ifrael, v^ho (hall cut off the 
 houfe of Jeroboam that day. What? 
 even now !' And thus Efdras. 'And there- 
 fore I fay unto you, O ye heathen, that 
 hear and underftand, wait for your (hep- 
 herd who (hall give you everlallihg reft, 
 for he is near at hand that (hall cOme in 
 this end of the world. Chap^ ii.j ver. 34, 
 The burthen of this great myftery was 
 otherwife fo far from being at hand at the 
 time it was given to St. John, that it re- 
 lated 
 
( 7 ) 
 lated to events equal to the duration of 
 
 time. 
 
 Chap, L Ver. 4, &c. 
 
 Ver, 4. John to the feven churches which 
 are in Afia: Grace unto you, and peace, 
 from Him who is, and who was, and 
 who is to come; and from the feven fpi- 
 rits which are before the throne of God: 
 5. And from Jefus Chrift, the faithful 
 witnefs, the firlt-born of the dead, and 
 the chief of the kings of the earth. To 
 him v/ho loved us, and walhed us from 
 our fins in his blood, 6. And hath made 
 us kings and priefts unto God and his 
 father, to Him be glory and power from 
 generation to generation! Amen. 7. Be- 
 hold, he Cometh with clouds, and every 
 eye fliall fee him, and thofe alfo w^ho 
 pierced him; and all the families of the 
 C earth 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 earth fhall lament becaufe of him. Even 
 fo, Amen. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, 
 the beginning, and the end, faith the 
 Lord, who am, and who was, the AU 
 
 'J 
 migiity 
 
 T"^HIS dedication, being an opening or 
 propofuion of the whole ful jeft of 
 thefe myfteries, fhev/s that the end of them 
 is to-eliablilli Chrift's kingdom in the worlds 
 and to feparate from it every thing that of- 
 fends: for behold, he cometh with clouds, 
 and every eye fhall fee him, (or acknow- 
 ledge him) even the ftubborn Jews who 
 pierced him. It is addreffed to the feven 
 churches of Afia in a figurative fenfe; for 
 it is evident tliat no records of them can 
 furnifh a feries of fafts corrcfpondent to the 
 feveral particulars hereafter mentioned con- 
 cerning them. They are manifeftly here 
 made ufe of as a difguife to wrap up thefe 
 things, and hide them from the knowledge 
 of the w^orld till God fnould think proper 
 to difcover them ; and they are the more 
 
 concealed 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 concealed as the literal churches were con- 
 temporary, whereas the real churches here 
 meant are fucceffive, comprehending the 
 feveral periods of the church from the be- 
 ginning to the end of time : tor the prefent 
 tenfe may be equally fignificant as the paft, 
 and ferve in even a more exprelTive manner 
 to illuitrate the hiftory of paft ages. 
 
 We may obferve that the prophets, in 
 their feveral denunciations to the Jev/s, 
 have generally begun them from the delive- 
 rance of that people out of Egypt, makiQcr 
 ufe of their paft ftory as an introduftion to 
 their prefent raiflion. St. Stephen likev/ife, 
 and St. Paul, began their difcourfes in the 
 fame manner, (A6is, vii., ver. 2, &c. and 
 xiii., ver. 17, &c.) and the propriety of 
 that method feems fufficiently evident. 
 How much more neceflary muft it there- 
 fore be, in this great exemplification of the 
 glorious univerfal church of Chrift, to de- 
 duce it from it's firft creation, and (hew it's 
 feveral ftages and gradations, fupported 
 C 2 and 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 and preferved by the extraordinary power 
 and providence of God, 
 
 To confirm what I have advanced, we 
 find that thefe things are revealed by Him 
 who is, and who was, and who is to come. 
 He hkewife ftiles himfelf Alpha, and Ome- 
 ga, the beginning, and the end. Thisfuf- 
 ficiently implies that thefe things are of no 
 temporary meaning, but comprehend the 
 important fafts of ages, and what w^e may 
 call the true ecclefiailical hiftory from the 
 beginning to the end of time. The epi- 
 thets, here mentioned, naturally imply the 
 ftrong controlling power of God, which is 
 not reflrained to any one particular period, 
 but bears up the fyftem of religion, propofed 
 by him, from its firfl; eftabliOime-nt to the 
 end, though planted in fo tempelluous an 
 element as the unruly mind of finful man. 
 
 Verse fifth, we may obferve the mani- 
 feftation of Chrill's divinity, where it is faid. 
 To Him who loved us, and v/afhed us from 
 
 our 
 
(11) 
 
 our fins in his blood, &c. to Him be glory 
 and power from generation to generation. 
 Behold, he cometh with clouds, &c. Thefe 
 acknowledgments can be only made to the 
 Deity, and to him alone can glory and 
 power be afcribed for ever and ever. But 
 Chrift's divinity will further appear in the 
 courfe of thefe obfervations. 
 
 Chap, L Ver. 9, &c. 
 
 Ver. 9. I John, who am alfo your brother, 
 and companion in affliction, and in the 
 kingdom and patience of Jefus Chrift, 
 was in the ifland called Patmos for the 
 word of God, and the teftimony of Jefus 
 Chrift. 10. I was in the fpirit on the 
 Lord's day, and heard behind me a great 
 voice like a trumpet, 11. Saying, I am 
 Alpha, and Omega, the firft and the laft, 
 and, What thou feeft write in a book, 
 
 an4 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 and fend to the feven churches in Afia, 
 to Ephefus, and to Smyrna, and to Per* 
 gamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, 
 and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea, 
 12. And I turned to fee the voice which 
 fpake to me, and when I turned I fdW 
 feven golden candleflicks: 13. And in 
 the midft of the feven candleflicks one 
 like unto the Son of Man, cloathed in a 
 long robe, and girded about the breads 
 with a golden girdle. 14. His head and 
 his hair were white as wool, like fnow, 
 and his eyes were like a flame of fire : 15. 
 And his feet were like fine brafs, as if they 
 burned in a furnace, and his voice was 
 as the voice of many waters: 16. And 
 having in his right hand feven flars, and 
 out of his mouth proceeding a two«ed- 
 ged fword; and his appearance was as the 
 fun Ihining in it's flrength. 1 7. And when 
 I faw him, I fell before his feet as dead; 
 and he laid his right hand upon me, fay- 
 ing unto me. Fear not : I am the firfl 
 gnd the lafl, 18. And who live, and 
 
 was 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 was dead, and behold, I live for ever and 
 ever, Amen, and have the keys of hell 
 and death. 19. Write the things which 
 thou haft fecn, and the things which are, 
 and the things which (hall be hereafter. 
 20. In regard to the myftery of the feven 
 ftars, which thou faweft in my right hand, 
 and the feven golden candlefticks; the fe^ 
 ven ftars are the feven angels of the church- 
 es, and the feven candlefticks, which thou 
 faweft, are the feven churches. 
 
 7T may be here neceflary ptevioufly to 
 confider the manner of difcovering this 
 important Revelation to St. John. The 
 prophets in the Old Teftament generally 
 revealed their prophecies in a plain and 
 open promulgation, direftly from God, 
 and ufed every power of divine eloquence 
 to illuftrate the future glory of the church. 
 The manner here made ufe of is different ; 
 for the great matters, intended to be difco- 
 vered, are reprefented in a variety of vific* 
 nary fcenes, fucceflively pafling in review 
 
 before 
 
( H ) 
 
 before the eye of the Evangelift, till they 
 are finally concluded, and brought to the 
 intended perfe6lion. It may be neceffary 
 to confider them in this light through the 
 courfe of thefe obfervations, in order to 
 avoid any confufion of ideas ; for otherwife 
 what, is only a ftrong vifionary reprefenta- 
 tion of things, may be fometimes taken for 
 a literal detail of them, by which means 
 their genuine meaning may be millaken 
 and confounded. 
 
 The firft thing to be confidered in the 
 above vifion mull be the reprefentation 
 of the feven golden candlefticks. In the 
 midft of thefe was feen walking a glorious 
 appearance of Chrift, cloathed in all the 
 pomp of majelly, as the great eternal high- 
 prieft of his people, both able and willing 
 to avenge them of their enemies, and efta- 
 blifh them in perfeft peace and glory. 
 Thefe candleRicks are the feven periods or 
 divifions of the church, and are made ufe 
 of as a proper reprefentation of religion, 
 
 which 
 
( i5 ) 
 
 which is a ftrong burning light, illumina- 
 ting the dark gloomy minds of erring mor- 
 tals, and directing them in the way of end- 
 kfs peace and felicity^ 
 
 In order the better to illuftrate the mean- 
 ing of thefe candlefticks we muft compare 
 them with that made by Mofes, according 
 to the exprefs command of God. Though 
 thefe are reprefented as ftanding feparate, 
 and that of Mofes as being only one ; yet 
 upon a proper comparifon it will be found 
 to have the fame typical meaning and ten- 
 dency, and to be explanatory of many par- 
 ticular terms ufed in thefe myfteries. The 
 candleflick of Mofes was to be made, with 
 it's feveral appurtenances, of a talent of pure 
 gold, in the following manner. The middle 
 part of it was the main (haft, or ftem; from 
 which proceeded fixbranches, threebranch- 
 es from one fide, and three branches from 
 the other fide. The two lowermoft, exten- 
 ding oppofite to each other, were in a man- 
 ner united by a knop, formed in that part 
 of the fhank of the candleflick from whence 
 D they 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 they proceeded, dire£lly under their con- 
 nexion. Two more branches proceeded in 
 the fame manner above them, and two more 
 ftill above thefe. Every one of thefe feveral 
 branches hadlampsfixed to their extremities, 
 and on the top of the middle ftem was like- 
 wife fixed a lamp. 
 
 m 
 
 The 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 The two lowermoft branches, connefled 
 together with a knop, may fignify the two 
 feveral periods of the church before the 
 law, here called the churches of Ephtfus 
 and Smyrna. The two other branches 
 above them may reprefent the two churches 
 under the law, called Pergamos, and Thy- 
 atira, and the two uppermoil branches ex- 
 prefs the two chriftian churches, called Sar- 
 dis and Philadelphia. The middle flem, 
 being as it were the parent of thefe branch- 
 es, is the third chriftian church, called here 
 the church of Laodicea, and in other places 
 of fcripture the great church, as being that 
 into which all the nations in the world will 
 bring their glory and honour, as the pro- 
 phets have every where loudly fung. We 
 may now fee the propriety of Chrift's walk* 
 ing in the midft of the feven candlefticks, 
 he giving life and exiftence to them all, 
 and like the fhaft of Mofes's candleftick 
 bearing and fupporting all the reft. Thus 
 we fee likewife the unity of our moft holy 
 religion, which with it's feveral branches 
 
 forms 
 
( i8 } 
 
 forms one glorious fyftem, that will blaze 
 and flourifh to the end of time. 
 
 Here it may be neceffary to obferve the 
 feveral divifions of the church. W.efeeit 
 in the firft place divided into feyen periods; 
 again it is contrafted into three divifions, 
 one before the law, one under the law, and 
 one under the gofpel. The chriftian church, 
 being great and extenfive, admits of two 
 divifions, one comprehending the churches 
 of Sardis, and Philadelphia, and the other 
 that of Laodicea: the whole church there- 
 fore from the beginning may alfo confift of 
 four feveral parts. 
 
 It may not be improper to obferve that 
 the number feven appears every where re- 
 markable in the Old Teflament, particular- 
 ly in the Jewifh ceremonies. All fprink- 
 lings and purifications were feven times re- 
 peated, and their religious year was in fome 
 meafure regulated by that number, the feafi: 
 of pentecoft being appointed by*a multipli^ 
 
 cation 
 
( »9 ) 
 
 cation of feven days by feven after the paf^ 
 fover. The Jubilee likewife was formed by 
 a miihiplication of feven years by feven: 
 and this facred number has been otherwife 
 fo often mentioned in the fcriptures that it 
 piuft be obvious to any perfon the leaft con- 
 verfant in them. We muft therefore con-^ 
 elude that it muft be of great importance, 
 and may well be imagined to imply the fe- 
 ven periods of God's church, from the be- 
 ginning to the end of time. 
 
 We may in the text particularly obferve 
 the divinity of Chrift, exemplified in the 
 great and pompous defcription of his majef- 
 ty ; which was fo exceeding great that the 
 Evangelift fell at his feet as dead. But he 
 mercifully raifed him up, faying, Fear not: 
 I am the firft, and the laft. I am he that 
 liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am 
 alive for evermore, Amen, and have the 
 keys of hell and death. He here gives 
 himfelf the attributes peculiar to the 
 Deity, which cannot poffibly be given to 
 any inferior power. 
 
 He 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 He goes on to dire6l St. John to write 
 the things which he had feen, the things 
 which were, and the things which (hould 
 be hereafter, &c. The intent of the whole 
 myftery is here particularly manifeft, and 
 appears to be a regular liiftory of God's 
 church, and a difcovery of his difpenfa- 
 tions to mankind from the beginning to 
 the end of time„ It is likewife reafonable 
 to imagine when God (hews his church, a- 
 dorned in all her ornaments like a bride, 
 and ready to receive the homage of the 
 yielding world, that he fhould give a regu- 
 lar detail of her feveral Itages and fortunes 
 from the beginning. She is his immediate 
 creation, every part of which mull be re- 
 corded with reverence. The prophet Ifa- 
 iah, e7<poIlulating with his idolatrous coun- 
 trymen, fays. Remember the former things 
 of old, for I am God, and there is none 
 elfe, I am God, and there is none like me, 
 declaring the end from the beginning, and 
 from ancient times the things which are not 
 yet done, faying, My counfel fliall (land, and 
 J will do all my pleafure. Ch.xlvi., v, 9, 10. 
 
 The 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 The feven ftars are faid to be the angek 
 of the feven churches, which we may fup- 
 pofe to be the chief governing powers of 
 each millinary. 
 
 Chap. IL Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. To the angel of the church of Ephe- 
 fus, write, Thefe things fahh he who 
 holdeth the feven flars in his right hand, 
 and walketh in the midfl of the feven 
 golden candlefticks. 2. I know thy 
 works, and thy labour, and thy pa- 
 tience, and that thou art not able to en- 
 dure thofe that are wicked; and haft tri- 
 ed thofe that fay they are apoftles, and 
 are not, and haft found them liars: 3. 
 And haft borne, and had patience; and 
 for my name haft laboured, and not been 
 weary. 4. But I have this againft thee, 
 that thou haft left thy firft love. 5. Re- 
 member 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 member therefore from whence thou haft 
 fallen, and repent, and do the firft 
 works; if not, I {hall come againft thee 
 quickly, and remove thy candleftick out 
 of it's place, unlefs thou repent. 6. But 
 this thou haft, that thou hateft the works 
 of the Nicholaitans, which I alfo hate. 
 7. He that hath an ear let him hear what 
 the Spirit faith to the churches. To him 
 who overcometh will I give to eat of 
 the tree of life, which is in the midft of 
 the paradife of God. 
 
 t N our review of thefe churches we muft 
 obferve the fignification of their names, 
 and the ftile, or epithets, alTumed by Chrift 
 in his meffage to each church; for the ex- 
 preflions here ufed will throw a great light 
 on thofe dark meanings: the conclufion 
 likewife of each meffage will greatly con- 
 duce to the fame end. But the middle parts 
 (efpecially of the meffages to the three firft 
 churches) feem to have been purpofely dif-= 
 guifed, that the whole myftery might be 
 
 locke4 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 locked up in obfcurity till God (hould fend 
 a proper key, or manner of opening of it; 
 without which not only this my Her y, but 
 the prophefies likewife of the Old f efta- 
 ment, are altogether uninteUigible. 
 
 The word Ephefus fignifies any thing de- 
 firable, and may well be applied to this 
 church, as being the firft fpiritual creation 
 of God, and like all his works great and de- 
 firable. It might alfo perhaps be under- 
 flood as any thing permitted, or left to it'i 
 fortune. This meaning likewife may agree 
 very well with the firft ftate or period of 
 the church, which was planted in the be- 
 ginning of the world, and left to make it's 
 way through all the temptations and evils 
 which might difturb it, being the beginning 
 of God's fpiritual creation, and the firft ef- 
 fay of his power. 
 
 The epithets here affumed are, He who 
 
 holds the feven ftars in his right hand, and 
 
 walketh in the midft of the feven golden 
 
 E candlefticks : 
 
( 24 ) 
 
 candlcfticks: that is, He who is the Lord 
 and Creator of all things, and rules and di- 
 refls his church from the beginning to the 
 end. Thefe expreflions may be very well 
 made ufe of in this review of the firft church, 
 where God's providence firft begins to ex- 
 ert itfelf, and from which he goes forth 
 conquering, and to conquer. 
 
 The fervice and duty of thofe firft pro- 
 fefTors of religion are commended, and 
 they are remarked for having zealoufly 
 maintained their integrity amidft that great 
 corruption of manners, which generally 
 overwhelmed the firft race of men. They 
 had the examples of the firft patriarchs to 
 form and dire£l them in the fervice and duty 
 which God might then require of them, and 
 which were not at that time circumfcribed 
 with particular lav/s and ceremonies. The 
 patriarch Enoch is faid to have walked with 
 God, or to have been remarkably favoured 
 with his notice; and muft no doubt by his 
 preaching and example have ftirred up the 
 
 zeal 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 zeal and devotion of God's votaries, and 
 taught them to difcover all falfe apoftles, 
 or corrupt teachers of religion. They ne- 
 verthelefs are faid not to have continued to 
 the end of their period in this fervency of 
 devotion, but to have grown lukewarm and 
 indifferent in their duty, and left their firft 
 love, called theirfiril works, or that zealous 
 exertion of their duty, fliewn by them at the 
 beginning. For this negle6l,of their duty 
 they are juftly cenfured, and threatened 
 with the removal of their candleftick out of 
 it's place, or forfeiture of all title to God's 
 favour and providence. 
 
 They are however commended for their 
 hatred of the doftrine of the Nicholaitanf. 
 Thefe were heretics of the primitive chrif- 
 tian church, who had their wives in com- 
 mon. But this doftrineof theNicholaitans 
 (here only mentioned as a difguife) I take 
 to have a further meaning, and clofely to 
 ' imply fpiritual fornication, or idolatry; for 
 the Jews in the third church are particu- 
 E 2 larly 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 larly charged with holding this do6lrine, 
 and were moft remarkably addifted to ido- 
 latry. As it may fignify in itfelf adultery, 
 or fornication, which is wandering from 
 lawful pleafures to thofe which are unlaw- 
 ful ; fo idolatry is wandering from the fer- 
 vice of God, to which we are married, to 
 tlie fervice of idols : for the Jev/s are fre- 
 quently faid to go whoring at'ter other Gods. 
 From ihis paffage we may gather that this 
 infaiuation was unknown to the firft age of 
 the world, but afterwards crept in by time 
 ani degrees. See Wifd. ch. xiii. 
 
 In the conclufion, thofe who overcome, 
 or prei'erve ihcir integrity, a>e promifed to 
 CciL of the tree of life, which is in the midfL 
 of the paradif<" of God, Here we fee a ma- 
 nifeft alluiion to the oiiginal paradife, in 
 which cur firft pare its were placed, and 
 which they forfeited by thetranfgreffion of 
 God's law. Such of their pofterity howe- 
 ver as fhould keep theml'elves unfpoited in 
 the v/orld were to be rewarded with endlefs 
 
 blifs 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 blifs and immortality, of which the tree of 
 life in the earthly paradife was only a type. 
 
 Chap, II. Ver. 8, &c. 
 
 Ver. 8. And to the angel of the church of 
 Smyrna, write, Thefe things faith the 
 firft, and the laft, who was dead and is 
 alive, 9. I know thy works, and thy af« 
 fliftion, and poverty, (but thou art rich) 
 and the blafphemy of thofe who fay they 
 are Jews, and are not, but of the Syna- 
 gogue oF Satan. 10. Fear not what thou 
 art about to fuffer: behold, the devil 
 purpofeth to call fome of you into pri- 
 fon, that you may be tempted, and you 
 fhall have tribulation ten davs: be faith- 
 ful unto death, and I will give thee the 
 crown of life. 11. He that hath an ear 
 let him hear what the Spirit faith unto 
 
 the 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 the churches. He that overcometh {hall 
 not be hurt of the fecond death. 
 
 T~^HE two firft churches, being freed from 
 all the reflraints and fetters of the law, 
 lefemble very much the chriftian churches 
 in that freedom of which St. Paul every 
 where glories in his epiftles: We fee there- 
 fore that very near the fame attributes are 
 affumed by Chrift in his miflion to thofe 
 two firft churches as to the laft. We may 
 likewife in the fame manner account for the 
 meaning of the name given to this church, 
 which fignifies myrrh, and may exprefs 
 thofe pure unbloody offerings, or fweet 
 odours, which are afterwards in this myfte- 
 ry termed the prayers of faints. It may not 
 be improper to obferve that the favour and 
 indulgence of God to the firft race of men 
 are confpicuoufly evident^ They were tri- 
 ed with all the liberty enjoyed by the pro- 
 ieffors of the gofpel, and God withheld no 
 encouragement which might enable them 
 to bear fruit worthy of his culture; but 
 
 their 
 
( 29 ) 
 
 their total degeneracy and corruption ot 
 manners brought upon them of neceffity 
 the feverer difcipline and fetters of the law. 
 
 This fecond church was chiefly under 
 the direflion of Noah. The affliftion and 
 poverty of it are therefore very evident: 
 for at that time the wickednefs of mankind 
 was fo general and great, that Noah and 
 his family appear to have been the only and 
 poor remains of God's worfliippers. But 
 they were fufficiently rich in being bleffed 
 with his providence and proteflionl for 
 after the flood God made a great and efpe- 
 cial covenant with Noah and his family, 
 and gave them a mofl remarkable fign of 
 performing his engagements. The hypo- 
 critical pretenders to the truth are here cal- 
 led Jews, and in the firft church they were 
 termed apoflles : we mufl: therefore confi- 
 der thofe appellations as indifferently ap- 
 plied to God's true worfliippers, and to be 
 here madeufe of chiefly as a difguife. 
 
 The 
 
( 30 ) 
 The tribulation, here mentioned, often 
 days may not unlikely feem to be the tem- 
 porary imprifonment of Noah and his fa- 
 mily in the ark, during the flood. For 
 though God favoured them with fo remar- 
 kable an inftance of his proteftion, yet the 
 terrors of a ruin'd world, and the dreadful 
 deftruftioh of it's inhabitants, and their fel- 
 low-creatures, muft have embittered their 
 minds with pamful reflexions, and rendered 
 their confinement irkfome and afflifting. 
 
 This interpretation may receive confir- 
 mation from St. Chryfoftom, who, in his 
 homily on Noah's confinement in the ark, 
 dwells largely, in his agreeable and moft in- 
 ftruQive manner on the irkfomenefs of it, 
 conflantly calling the ark a prifon, in which 
 Noah was fliut up, overwhelmed with un- 
 eafy fenfations in regard to the deflrudion 
 of nature, and continually lamenting the 
 unhappy fate of his fellow-creatures. For 
 as this great and moft rational interpreter of 
 the fcriptures obferves, the prophets are 
 
 fufliciently 
 
( 31 ) 
 
 fufficiently known not only to bemoan the 
 afflldlions of the people of God, but like- 
 wife the ruin and deftruftion of their ene- 
 mies* We may take notice that if the flood 
 had not been fo darkly hinted, the circum- 
 fiances of it were fo extremely remarkable, 
 that it muft otherwife have appeared very 
 evident, and confequently ruined the in- 
 tent of thefe myfteries; 
 
 In the conclufion, thofe who overcome 
 are aflured of not being hurt by the fecond 
 death, or involved in the dreadful and final 
 condemnation of the followers of Antichrift: 
 (fee ch. XX., ver. 14.) for all who are open 
 and prefumptuous fmners muft expeft the 
 fame eternal punifliment denounced againd 
 Antichrift and his followers. 
 
 ■ T " r"i i i ivt-wf f ff ima ni* 
 
 Chap, IL Ver. 12, 6?c. 
 
 Ver, 12. And to the angel of the church of 
 
 Pergamos, write, Thefe things faith he 
 
 F who 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 who hath the fnarp fword with two edges. 
 
 13. I know thy works, and where thou 
 dwelieft, even where Satan's feat is; and 
 holdeft faft my name, and haft not denied 
 my faith, even in thofe days in which 
 Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was 
 {lain amongft you where Satan dwelleth. 
 
 14. But I have a few things againft thee, 
 that thou hail there thofe who hold the 
 Goflrine of Balaam, who taught Balak 
 to throw a ftumbling-block before the 
 children of Ifrael, and to eat things fa- 
 crificed to idols, and to commit fornica- 
 tion. 15. Likewife haft thou thofe who 
 hold the doflrine of the Nicholaitans; 
 which thing I hate. 16. Repent, or 
 otherwife I fiiall come againft thee quick- 
 ly, and fhall fight againft them with the 
 fword of my mouth. 17. He that hath 
 an ear let him hear what the Spirit faith 
 to the churches. Xo him who overco- 
 meth will I give to eat of the manna 
 which is hid ; and I will give him a white 
 ftone, and upon the ftone a new name 
 
 written, 
 
( 33 ; 
 
 written^ which no man knoweth, faving 
 he who receiveth it. 
 
 \yl7E mufl here chiefly confider the epi- 
 thet affumed by Chrifl; for the fharp 
 fword with two edges implies the Itatutes 
 and judgments of the law, which take ven- 
 geance on the tranfgrenors of it. 
 
 We may date the commencement of this 
 church from the time of Abraham, and car- 
 ry it's duration to that of David. In the 
 courfe of this period various occurrences 
 happened, fome of which are here taken 
 notice of. The mifl:/ veil, thrown on the 
 tranfaftions of the former churches, feems 
 here in a great meafure removed; and we 
 may eafily compare v.'hat is h^re mentioned 
 with the real hiitory of the third thoufand 
 year. 
 
 Their dwelling where Satan's feat is, 
 
 may feem evidently to mean their abode 
 
 in Egypt, under the tyranny and op- 
 
 F 2 predion 
 
( 34 j 
 
 prefiion of a heathen prince : for the Egyp-^ 
 tian kingiQm mull be confidered as a part 
 of the great complicated body of Anti^ 
 chrift, being the firft pohtical power ftirred 
 up by Satan againft the church of God. 
 (See the observations on ch. xvii.) They 
 are here faid to continue in their faith and 
 duty, and not to fwerve from their rehgious 
 principles under every affliction and difcou- 
 ragement, even when Antipas, God's faith- 
 ful martyr, was (lain amongft them where 
 Satan dwelled. This circumftance may ve- 
 ry likely imply the maiTacre of the male 
 children belonging to the Jews by the ap- 
 pointment of Pharoah, the lirft engine of 
 Antichrid fabricated by the devil againft 
 the church': for had not the providence of 
 God fruftrated the intentions of this wicked 
 prince, the race of the Jews w^ould in time 
 have been wholly extin^uifhed. 
 
 They are how^ever afterwards blamed for 
 holding the doflrine of Balaam. This 
 wickednefs they v/ere aftually guilty of in 
 
 Uieir 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 their approach to the holy land. For after 
 Balaam was reftrained from his intention of 
 curfing them by the ftrong power of God, 
 and was obliged to turn his curfe into a 
 blefhng; he in fome meafure afterwards 
 had his revenge by the counfel he gave to 
 Balak to fend his young virgins among the 
 Ifraelites, who quickly feduced them to ido- 
 latry, and fornication. Numb, xxxi., v. 16. 
 
 They are like wife charged with holding 
 the doQrine of the Nicholaitans„ This 
 doftrine, as was obferved in the church of 
 Ephefus, muft mean idolatry ; for in this 
 thoufand year the Jews were remarkably 
 mfe6led with that madnefs, and moft ridi- 
 culous infatuation; from which they w^ere 
 never thoroughly reclaimed till after their 
 return from the Babylonian captivity. 
 
 Those who overcome thefe temptations 
 are promifed to be fed with the manna 
 w^hich is hid. The Jews who did eat of 
 the literal manna in the wildernefs died in 
 
 their 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 their lins : but the hidden manna, here men- 
 tioned, is that bread which came down 
 from heaven, of which whofoever eateth 
 {hall live for ever. This heavenly food is 
 promifed to the faithful pofterity of this 
 people, of which the manna they eat in the 
 wildernefs was but a type. See John vi., 
 ver. 48, &c. In a word, they (liouid be fed 
 w^ith all the graces and confolations of the 
 chriftian religion, at the end of the fecond 
 of the three larger divifions of the church. 
 
 They are likewife promifed to have a 
 white flone, and upon it a new name writ- 
 ten, which no man knoweth, faving he who 
 receiveth it. The ancients ufed to decide 
 their judgments by calling into an urn a 
 white or black flone, the v^^hite acquitting, 
 and the black condemning, the criminal. 
 From this cuflom is this exprefTion taken, 
 which here fignifies the promifed freedom of 
 the gofpel of Chrift to fuch of the pofterity 
 of the Jews as fhould be willing to receive 
 It : for the law was only a fchoolmafler to 
 
 bring 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 bring the Jews to Chrift. Chridianity is 
 likewife reprefented by the prophets as a 
 new creation and inditution, which will 
 further appear in the courfe of thefe obfer- 
 vations. 
 
 Chap. IL Ver. 18, &c. 
 
 Ver. 18. And to the angel of the church of 
 Thyatira, write, Thefe things faith the 
 Son of God, whofe eyes are like a flame 
 of fire, and whofe feet are like unto fine 
 brafs. 19. I know thy works and thy 
 charity, and thy fervice, and thy faith, 
 and thy patience, and thy works ; and 
 the laft to be more than the firft. 20. 
 But I have a fev/ things againll thee, that 
 thou fuffereft that woman Jezebel, v/ho 
 calleth herfelf a prophetefs, to teach and 
 deceive my fervants, to commit fornica- 
 tion, and to eat things facrificed to idols. 
 
 21. And 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 21, And I gave her fpace to repent of 
 her fornication, and fhe repented not. 
 
 22. Behold, I caft her into a bed, and 
 thofe who commit fornication with her 
 into great afRiftion, unlefs they repent 
 of their works. 23. And I will flay her 
 children with death, and all the church- 
 es fhall know that it is I who fearch the 
 reins, and hearts; and I will give unto 
 you every one according to your works. 
 24. But to you I fay, and to the reft in 
 Thyatira, who have not this doftrine, and 
 who have not known the depths of Sa- 
 tan, as they fpeak, I will not caft upon 
 you any other burthen. 25. But what 
 you have hold faft until I come. 26. 
 And he who overcometh, and keepeth 
 my works unto the end unto him will I 
 give power over the nations. 27. And 
 he (hall rule them with a rod of iron, as 
 the veffel of a potter fhall he break them 
 in pieces, as I have received from my 
 Father. 28. And I will give him the 
 morning-ftar. 29. He who hath an ear 
 
 let 
 
( S9 ) 
 
 let him hear what the Spirit faith untd 
 the churches. 
 
 'T^HE word Thyatira may be interpreted 
 a fweet favour of labour, and may very 
 properly be applied to this fourth church, as 
 expreffing their wholefome labour and per- 
 feverance in the law, and the rewards 
 which might jullly be expefied for keeping 
 it from Him, whofe eyes are like a flame 
 of fire, and his feet like fine brafs. 
 
 This period comprehends the time from 
 David to Chrift. In this meflage the Thy- 
 atirians are generally commended for their 
 good works, and diligent obfervation of 
 the law. But it is obferved to them that 
 thefe duties were more fcrupuloufly exer- 
 ted by them in the latter ftate of this mille- 
 nary than at the beginning. This appears 
 evident from the hiltory of this people : for 
 we find that after their return from the Ba- 
 bylonian captivity they never once relapfed 
 into their former idolatrous infatuations, 
 G but 
 
but religioufly perfevered in the ftri£kft ob- 
 fervation of the law of Mofes. 
 
 The divided ftate of the Jews in this 
 millenary is here evidently taken notice of, 
 and the revolted ten tribes under Jeroboam, 
 Ahab, &c. come firft under the juft cenfure 
 of God. They are blamed for fufFering and 
 fubmitting to that woman Jezebel, who ac- 
 tually refided amongft them, and m.ight no 
 doubt greatly contribute to corrupt their 
 naturally vicious inclinations with every fo- 
 reign fuperflitious refinement in their ido- 
 latrous rites. It may be obferved that not 
 one of the kings of thofe ten tribes adhered 
 to the law of God, but during their whole 
 continuance in the land of Canaan both 
 prj nee and people united their utmofl efforts 
 to provoke and affront the majefly of God. 
 After he had allowed them a fufficient fpace 
 for repentance, his juftice could no longer 
 be reftrained, but he was obliged to facri- 
 
 t:e them to his vengeance, and banifli them 
 om that land which they had fo long pol- 
 luted 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 luted with their impieties. In fine, they 
 were delivered up a prey to the Affynans, 
 who carried them away captives into their 
 own country; from whence however they 
 efcaped into fome unknown region, and 
 have been no more heard of, even unto this 
 day. Their return notwithftanding into 
 their own country is clearly predifted by 
 the prophets, and will be particularly taken 
 notice of in a proper place. Thus God 
 made them a juft example of his vengeance 
 in the face of the world, that all the nations 
 of it might know that it is he who fearch- 
 eth the reins and hearts, and rendereth unto 
 every one according to his works. 
 
 Having fatisfied his anger upon this re- 
 bellious people he next addreffes himfelf to 
 the kingdom of Judah, called the reft of 
 Thyatira, or the remains of this fourth 
 church, who had not been fo generally im- 
 pious as their brethren of Samaria; but 
 having had feveral religious and worthy 
 princes among them, the fpirit of religion 
 G 2 was 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 was for the moft part kept up, and their 
 idolatrous inclinations confiderably reftrain- 
 ed. From thofe he requires no other duty 
 and fervice but wh?it were enjoined them 
 by the law of Mofes; in which he exhorts 
 . them to perfevere till he himfelf (hould 
 come to them in the flefh, in whom all 
 types and ceremonies center and are 
 fulfilled. 
 
 To fuch of them therefore as fhall receive 
 his doftrine will he give power over the na- 
 tions, and impart all the glory and honour 
 referved for the lafl ftate of his church, to 
 which all nations will bow. The prophet 
 David, in the fecond pfalm, fpeaking of the 
 glory of Chrift's kingdom, makes ufe of the 
 words here mentioned in the text. ^ Thou 
 art my fon, this day have I begotten thee, 
 Defire of me, and I will give thee the hea- 
 then for thy inheritance, and the utmoft 
 parts of the earth for thy poffeffion. Thou 
 Ihalt bruife them with a rod of iron, and 
 bre^l^ them in pieces like a potter's vefTel/ 
 
 Pf. ii. 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 P£ ii., ver. 7, &c. He calls himfelf like- 
 wife the morning-ftar, which at the end of 
 this period arofe for the falvation, not only 
 of fuch of the Jews as (hould believe in him, 
 but generally of all the world. 
 
 The truth of this new method of expla^ 
 nation may feem already fufficiently clear; 
 but it will appear much more fo in the fur- 
 ther examination of this great and mod im- 
 portant myftery. 
 
 fhap.IIL Ver. 1, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And to the angel of the church of 
 Sardis, write, Thefe things faith he who 
 hath the feven fpirits of God, and the fe^ 
 ven ftars, I know thy works, that thou 
 haft a name that thou liveft, but art dead. 
 2. Be watchful, and ftrengthen that which 
 remaineth, which is ready to die; for I 
 
 have 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 have not found thy works perfefl before 
 God. 3. Remember therefore how thou 
 hafl received, and heard, ai.d ubferve, 
 and repent. If therefore thou wilt not 
 watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, 
 and thou flialt not know what hour I fhall 
 come upon thee. 4. Thou haft a few 
 names, even in Sardis, which have not 
 defiled their garments, and they fliall 
 walk with me in white, for they are wor- 
 thy. 5. He who overcometh (liall be 
 cloathed in white raiment, and I will 
 not blot his name out of the book of life, 
 and I will confefs his name before my fa- 
 ther, and before his angels. 6. He who 
 hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit 
 faith unto the churches. 
 
 'T^HE epitliet, here made ufe of, we 
 may obferve is general, agreeable to 
 ibofe affumed by Chrift In his addreffes 
 to the two firft churches, Vv'hich in their 
 freedom (as has been obferved) much re- 
 femble thofe of Chrift. Thefe things faith 
 
 he 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 he who hath the feven fpirits of God, and 
 the feven ftars : that is, he who ruleth and 
 direfteth his people from the beginning to 
 the end. 
 
 The duration of this fifth church may be 
 reckoned from the time of Chrift to that of 
 the reformation of the errors of the church 
 of Rome, which comprehends the greateft 
 length of time that kny one of the churches 
 has arrived at. 
 
 This meflage is partictalarly addreffed 
 to the papal church, which affumed to her- 
 felf the dominion of much the greateft part 
 of the chriftian world. This univerfal pow- 
 er was a principal caufe of hex ruin: for 
 being intoxicated with it, and choaked with 
 the thorny cares of the world, fhe yielded 
 herfelf a willing prey to thofe flattering 
 temptations offered her by the devil, and 
 deferted that beautiful fimplicity and purity 
 fo diligently and zealoufly cultivated by the 
 firft chriftians, for the pompous outfide^ 
 
 and 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 and flimfey tinfel, of religion. Thiffiiilg 
 only after the worldly gain of godlinefs^ 
 (for, as St. Paul obfervcs, godlinefs is in 
 itfelf the greateft of gains) Ihe opened a paf- 
 fage for innumerable errors; which conti- 
 nued increafing with fuch a variety of fla- 
 grant and open impoftures that they na- 
 turally compelled the more fenfible and 
 confidcrate members of this church to a 
 reformation of them. Platina, in the life 
 of Sixtus the Firft, acknowledges that at 
 firfl: the celebrating of divine fervice was 
 very plain and Ample. He fays that ma- 
 ny additional parts and ceremonies were 
 afterwards added to it by different Popes; 
 and that Pelagius the Firfl; was the firft 
 who invented the prayers for the dead, fo 
 late as about the year of Chrift 580. See 
 the homilies of the church of England 
 againft idolatry ; in which the learned au- 
 thor has irrefragably proved that the papifis 
 are guilty of the grofleft idolatry. This 
 mofl: heavy accufation is confirmed by the 
 holy Spirit of God: for in the fixth trum- 
 
 pet, 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 pet, where the utter ruin of the Romifh 
 church is reprefented, it is faid, that (uch 
 of thofe unhappy people as Ihould efcape 
 this fatal deftru£lion, would not repent of 
 the works of their hands, that they fliould 
 not worfhip devils, and idols of gold and 
 filver, and of brafs, and of ftone, and of 
 wood, which neither can fee, nor hear, nor 
 walk. Alfo they repented not of their mur- 
 thers, nor of their forceries, neither ot their 
 fornications, nor of their theft. See like- 
 wife the works of that great pillar of our 
 church, Bi(hop Jewell, which ought, for 
 the benefit of the chriftian world, to be re- 
 printed, as they cannot poffibly be made 
 too public. 
 
 For thefe reafons God tells them that 
 they have a name that they live, but are 
 dead: that is, that they have only the out- 
 ward appearance of religion, but are flran- 
 gers to the fubftance and reality of it. They 
 are advifed therefore to be w^atchful, and 
 to endeavour to nouridi what little expiring 
 H fpark 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 fpark of religion may he yet remaining 
 amongft them; for God affures them that 
 tlieir works are not perfe6t before him. 
 They are ordered to i'emember what they 
 had received and heard, diligently to con- 
 fider the firft inftitutii n and rudiments of the 
 gofpel, as laid down and eflablifhed by .he 
 holy apoflles ot Chrift, and yet fufficiently 
 feen in fuch of their writings as we have ftili 
 remaining with us. This appears to have 
 beenthecommendableprafiticeof the ancient 
 fathers of the church. St. Cyril, Archbilhop 
 of Jerufalem, in his difcourfe addreffed to his 
 new converts, is remarkable in this neceffary 
 precaution. ' In refpefl: to the divine and 
 holy myfterics of the faith Jie obferves) no- 
 thmg rafhly IhouM be obtruded without the 
 concurrence of ihe facred fcriptures; nor 
 what is fupported merely by the plaufibie 
 arrangements of eloquence and arguments. 
 Nor would 1 have you give implicit credit, 
 fays the Biihop, to what I tell you, unlefs I 
 fupport my affertions direQly by the autho-^ 
 rity of the facred writings : for the founda- 
 tion 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 tian of our faith does not depend upon the 
 ftudied modes of oratory and perluafion, 
 but on the limple demonftration of holy 
 writ/ They have however to this day neg- 
 lefled this good and wholefome advice, 
 and are confequently blinded and infatuated 
 with their errors. 
 
 We may fee that the Greek church, and 
 what other old chriftian churches may yet 
 remain, are equally disfigured with the ruft 
 and corruption of time, which is naturally 
 produftive of fuprrftitious errors, where a 
 diligent attendance, and conftant watching, 
 are not obferved over the great and impor- 
 tant doQrinesof chriftianity, which are not 
 to be the (port of vanity and caprice. This 
 {hews the neceffity of prefervmg them by 
 articles maturely eftablifhed, which are a 
 wall and ftrong fortrcfs of religion, and ef- 
 fedually bani{h from it all corruption, and 
 falfe dodrine. 
 
 H2 To 
 
( 50 ) 
 
 To return to the text. It is faid, vcr,4. 
 Thou haft a few names, even in Sardis, 
 who have not defiled their garments, &c. 
 Thefe are thofe bold and virtuous members 
 of that church, who wifely took the advice 
 before given them, of ftrengthcning the 
 things that remained, and cheriQiing and 
 reviving the little expiring flame of religion 
 left among them. This they effedually and 
 happily accomplifhed in a glorious refor- 
 mation of their innumerable corruptions, as 
 we fhall fee in the fucceeding church. 
 
 He that overcomes fhall be cloathed ip^ 
 white raiment, or rewarded with vi6lory, 
 glory, and triumph, which will be given 
 to thofe who perfevere in the doftrine and 
 truth of the gofpel; for fine linen is the 
 rightepufnefs of faints. 
 
 Chap^ 
 
( 5x ) 
 
 Chap. Ill Ver. 7, &c. 
 
 Ver. 7. And to the angel of the church of 
 Philadelphia, write, Thefe things faith 
 he who is holy and true, who hath the 
 key of David ; who openeth and no man 
 fhutteth, and (liuttethand no man open- 
 eth. 8. I know thy works: behold I 
 have fet before thee an open door, and 
 no man can {hut it ; becaufe thou haft 
 had a little ftrength, and haft kept my 
 word, and haft not denied my name. 9. 
 Behold, I will make them of the fyna- 
 gogue of Satan, who fay they are Jews, 
 and are not, but do lie ; behold I will 
 jmake them to come and worfhip before 
 thy feet, and knov/ that I have loved thee. 
 10. Becaufe thou haft kept the words of 
 my patience, I alfo will keep thee in the 
 hour of temptation, which ftiall come 
 upon all the world, to try them who 
 dwell upon the earth. 11. Behold, I 
 
 come 
 
( 52 ) 
 
 come quickly: hold that fafl: which thou 
 haft, that no man take thy crown. 12. 
 Him who overcometh will I make a pil- 
 lar in the temple of my God, and he 
 fhall go no more out ; and I will write 
 upon him the name of my God, and the 
 name of the city of my God, the New 
 Jerufalem, which defcendeth from Hea- 
 ven from my God, even my own name. 
 33. He who hath an ear let him hear 
 what the Spirit faith unto the churches, 
 
 T^HE meaning of Philadelphia is brother- 
 ly love. This name may with the 
 greateft propriety be given to this fi;xih 
 church ; for as fhe is adorned with every 
 habiliment and ornament proper to deco- 
 rate the Spoufe of Chrift, and hath need of 
 no additional perfeftion, but will remain 
 according to her prefent eflablifhment to 
 the end of time, fhe is juftly therefore dif- 
 tinguifhed by that great charaSeriftic of 
 chriltianity, love, which comprehends in 
 itfelf eyery requifite of religion. 
 
 Thf 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 The epithets, here ufed, do likewife re- 
 markably point out this laft great work of 
 God's fpiritual creation. Thefe things 
 faith he who is holy and true, who hath the 
 key of David ; who openeth and no man 
 fhutteth, and fhutteth and no man openeth. 
 That is, He, who having from the begin- 
 ning propofed to referve for his holy pre- 
 fence an eftablifhed church, continually vi- 
 fible and refident in the world, and by de- 
 grees to give it that perfeftion herequire*?, 
 is now ready to fulfil his purpofe, and finifh 
 and attire her as a bride adorned for her 
 hufband. This is accomplifhed by divefl- 
 ing her of the ridiculous vanities of fuper- 
 flition, and cloathing her with the pure fhi- 
 ning robes of truth ; by fetting before her 
 an open door of reformation, which no hu- 
 man power can fhut, but which will con- 
 tinue open for all the nations in the world 
 to bring their glory and honour into it to 
 the eiidof time^ 
 
 " ■ As 
 
. ( 54 ) 
 
 As this fixth church muft neceffarily be 
 a reformed one, we need not hefitate to 
 pronounce it to be the venerable and re- 
 nowned church of England. Though her 
 title to this pre-eminency may be difputed, 
 yet it will neverthelefs appear evident by 
 many arguments. 
 
 This church may boaft of a more pub- 
 lic foundation than any other of the reform- 
 ed churches, having been eftablifhed by the 
 deliberate united wifdom of a number of 
 wife, learned, and eminent men, publicly 
 appointed for that purpofe, and authorifed 
 and confirmed by the king and parliament. 
 
 It was likewife reformed the lateft of 
 any of them; and mufl confequently /"only 
 confidering it as a human eftablifhment) 
 under the direftion of fuch a number of 
 learned men, have availed itfelf of every 
 improvement, and avoided every error 
 which a rafh and intemperate heat might 
 have occafionj^d. 
 
 The 
 
( 55 .) 
 
 The true church is likewife known by 
 her being cliaftened and fcourged; for as 
 the nature of man is continually prone to 
 evil, God's prefence is never more known 
 than in his fatherly corrections of his peo- 
 ple, and bringing them by the wholefome 
 feverity of his judgments to a juft fenfe of 
 their impieties. Thefe challifements the 
 church of England has twice already parti- 
 cularly experienced; firll, under the tyran- 
 ny of Queen Mary, prefently after her re- 
 formation, and fecondly, by a new enemy, 
 fprung out of her own bowels, to wit, the 
 prefbyterians and feftaries, called in the 
 gofpel tares, and in the Revelation the court 
 without the temple. Another dreadful 
 judgment is ready to fall upon us, which 
 will be clearly demonflrated in the courfe 
 of this great myftery. 
 
 Yet the greateft evidence of the truth 
 
 of our pretenfions to this great dillinftion 
 
 will afterwards appear, when all the prote- 
 
 ftant nations of Europe will be (hewn to 
 
 I join 
 
( 56 ) 
 
 join with the papifts in our ruin and deftruc- 
 tion; which they will tor a while effetl and 
 accomp!i(h, though, like Judas, they will 
 afterwards miferably repent of their wick- 
 ednefs and folly. It may now be time to 
 return to the text. 
 
 Verse 8, it is faid, I know thy works: 
 behold, I have fet before thee an open door, 
 ^na no man can (liut it, &c. This expref- 
 Oon is ufed by St. Paul, For a great door 
 aid efTcflual is opened unto me, &c. i Cor. 
 xvi., ver, g. It fignifies the extraordinary 
 exertion and inrtrpofition of God's provi- 
 dence in encouraging the people of this land 
 to reform ihe errors of the church of Rome, 
 and givmg this chofen people fpirit and re- 
 fohitica to contend earneflly for that faith 
 which was once delivered to the faints. 
 This great work, through the affifiance of 
 God's Spirit, they effeflually accomplifhed: 
 and though prefently after it was interrup- 
 ted by a dreadful and fiery perfecution, yet 
 our gallant and Heady anceftors v/ere fa- 
 voured 
 
( 51 ) 
 
 voured with a little (ircngth, and kept God's 
 word, and did not deny his name. They 
 bravely ftruggled through all difficulties and 
 difcouragements, and in a little time emer- 
 ged into glory and vi£lory. 
 
 In reward of this zealous perfeverance in 
 the truth, God promifcs, in the next verfe, 
 to make all oppofers of her do6lfine and 
 fervice(the tares that were fcattered amongll 
 us, as well as all foreign proteftant church- 
 es) of the fynagogue of Satan, who fallely 
 pretend to the truth of the gofpel, and coixi- 
 pel theni to worfliip before our feet, and- 
 fubmit to the doftrines, and liturgy of our 
 church. This happy union will be accom- 
 plifhed immediately after the dreadful per- 
 fecution in a little lime to be expefted, a' 
 will afterwards appear. 
 
 We are further encouraged, ver. lo, with 
 
 the promife of God's proteftion at the time 
 
 in which he pours out his vengeance on all 
 
 the European nations, when v/e (li^ill be 
 
 I 2 fealed 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 fealed and marked cut as a precious trea- 
 fure, referved for glory and vitlory. See 
 ch. vii., ver. 4, &c. We muft therefore 
 ftrive topreferve our integrity, that no man 
 take our crown, or rob us of our promifed 
 triumph and pre-eminency. 
 
 Verse 12, it is faid, Him who overco- 
 meth will I make a pillar in the temple of 
 my God, &c. That is, thofe who efcape 
 out of the evils and affliftions, now near 
 at hand in a literal fenfe, will for ever 
 afterwards be firmly eilablifhrd in peace, 
 and be members of theNew Jerufalem, af- 
 terwards particularly defcribcd in this Re- 
 velation. We (hall then, as St. Paul fays, be 
 no longer R rangers and fojourners, but fel- 
 ]o\v-citizens of the faints, and of the houfe^- 
 hold of God, built upon the foundation of 
 the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrift be- 
 in s: the chief corner-ftone. In whom the 
 building, being completely fitted, increafes 
 into a holy temple in the Lord. In whom 
 we alfo fl^.all be builded together for a habi^ 
 
 tation 
 
( 59 ) 
 
 tation of God through the Spirit. Ephef. 
 chap, ii., ver. ig, &c. 
 
 Chap. III. Ver. 14, &c. 
 
 Ver. 14. And to the angel of the church of 
 Laodicea, write, Thefe things faith the 
 Amen, the faithful and true witnefs, the 
 beginning of the creation of God. 15. 
 I know thy works, that thou art neither 
 cold nor hot: I would that thou wert ei- 
 ther cold or hot. 16. Becaufe therefore 
 thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor 
 hot, I am about to fpew thee out of my 
 mouth. 17. Becaufe thou fayeft, I am 
 rich, and increafed in goods, and have 
 need of nothing; and knowefl not that 
 thou art wretched, and miferable, and 
 poor, and blind, and naked. 18. 1 coun- 
 fel thee to buy of me gold tried in the 
 
 fire. 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 fire, that thou mayeft be made rich, and 
 white raiment, that thou mayeft be cloath- 
 ed, and that the fhame of thy nakednefs 
 may not appear, and to anoint thy eyes 
 with eye-falve, that thou mayeft fee. 
 
 19. Thofe whom I love I rebuke and chaf- 
 ten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 
 20. Behold, I ftand at the door, and 
 knock: if any one hear my voice, and 
 open the door, I will come in to him, and 
 fup with him, and he with me. 
 
 21. He who overcometh, to him will I give 
 to lit with me in my throne, even as 1 alfo 
 overcame, and have fat down with my 
 father in his throne. 22. He who hath 
 an ear let him hear what the Spirit faith 
 unio the churches. 
 
 T AODICEA may fignify a juft people, 
 and be very applicable to this feventh 
 church, as having flood the teft of trials and 
 affliftions, and come out of this fiery fur- 
 nace 
 
( 6i ) 
 
 nace like gold, pure and without lofs of 
 weight, being honourably juClified and ac- 
 quitted before God. Thefe are they who 
 come out of great tribulation (ch. vii., ven 
 14.^^ the triumphantPhiladelphians^to whofe 
 order and liturgy all the nations of the 
 world will gladly conform themfelves. 
 They will then conftitute what in the fcrip- 
 tures is called the Great Church, which will 
 remain uninterrupted with any further chaf- 
 tifements and afflictions to the end of time. 
 This great peace and tranquility will occa- 
 fion that lukewarmnefs and indifiFerency 
 here complained of, and will confequently 
 bring on the ruin, and cataftrophe, of the 
 world. 
 
 The epithets, here ufed, are likewife re- 
 markable. Chrift calls himfelf the Amen, 
 to intimate that having now finilhed the 
 fpiritual creation of his church, he makes it 
 apparent that he has acquitted himfelf to 
 his creatures with faithfulnefs and truth. 
 The word Amen is likewife ufed to fignify 
 
 an 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 an affent to any matter before exprefled, 
 and as the final conclufion of it. We may 
 therefore confider it as implying the laft 
 ftate of the church, in which humanity has 
 it's furtheft indulgence; and being found 
 imperfeft it will perilh in the diffolution of 
 nature. He is likewife the faithful and true 
 w^itnefs, and the beginning of the creation 
 of God; that he may, as St. Paul fays, in 
 all things have the pre-eminency. 
 
 This meffage is addrefled to the laft ftate 
 of this church, for at that time the merits of 
 any period can beft be confidered. It's firft 
 beginnings will no doubt be fruitful in pie- 
 ty and good works, and mankind being re- 
 ceived into the bofom of God's providence, 
 will ftand in awful rev^erence of his great 
 and vifible prefence, which will then be 
 evidently revealed amongft them. 
 
 Tpiis fervour will, however, too foon 
 give place to lukewarmnefs, of which God 
 here complains, and upon which account 
 
 he 
 
( 63 
 
 he v;ill fpew them out of his mouth, oi 
 withdraw his prefence from them, and de- 
 .vote them to final deftruflion. 
 
 It here appears^that they will notjikethe 
 papifts, corrupt or innovate their religion^ 
 with fuperditious inventions; but imagining 
 themfelves fufificiently rich and happy in 
 the external profeflion of it; and fatiated 
 with the per fefl; knowledge of the prophets 
 and fcriptures, and having nothing further 
 to occupy their thoughts, they will grow in- 
 different to every thing, and be enervated 
 with indolence. They will imagine that 
 they fhall have n^ed of nothing, but confi- 
 der not that they, in reality, are poor, and 
 blind, and naked. 
 
 The true criterion of religion is love, or 
 charity: without this divine quality all 
 other knowledge is vain. They will forget 
 the advice of God in his fcriptures, and 
 and neglefl: to lay in the divine treafures re- 
 commended by him, to wit, gold tried in 
 K the 
 
( 64 ) 
 
 the fire, or the pure and efFeftual doftrihes 
 of chriftianity ; and white raiment, or purity 
 and holinefs, without which no man can ap- 
 pear before God, for it is written, * Be ye 
 holy, for I the Lord who fanftify you am 
 holy/ They will alfo negleft to prepare 
 for thiemfelves eyefalve, or a ckar and 
 perfefl; knowledge of the duties to God 
 and man. 
 
 Gob however ftill condefcends to offer 
 his riiercv to them, and even invites himfelf 
 to feaft with fuch of his votaries as fhall 
 open th^ir doors to his holy prefence (v.^o); 
 being defirous to negle6l nothing that may 
 contribute to the falvation of his people. 
 
 Verse 21. Thofe who are zealous and 
 repent, or are not deceived witli the 
 fhadow of fublunary things, but perfevering 
 ftedfaftly in their duty, go on from ftrength 
 to flrength, and bring forth every fruit of 
 true religion and holinefs ; thofe happy and 
 diftinguifhed perfons will be admitted to fit 
 
 with 
 
( ^ ) 
 
 with Ghrift in his thrpne, or rewarded with 
 a happy and glorious immortality: for there 
 will be no further earthly expetlations. 
 
 Thovqh the confideration of thefe 
 churches in the light I have prefumed to 
 offer them to the public, may be fufficient- 
 ly clear to the moderate and impartial rea- 
 der; yet it may not be unneceffary to ob- 
 ferve that a little refleflion will give us fuf- 
 ficient reafpn to be convinced that they can 
 have no regard to the literal churches in 
 any refpeft whatfoever. 
 
 They were all of them not only contem- 
 porary but contiguous ; comprehending in 
 their extent but a corner of Afia Minor. 
 It muft therefore be hard to conceive why 
 the many other extenfive countries, which 
 ^ually admitted colonies of chriftians 
 anioBg them, fhould be wholly overlooked 
 and neglefted, and only the affairs and 
 fortunes of thefe few churches fhould en- 
 K 2 gage 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 gage the notice and attention of the divine 
 providence. 
 
 For a farther confirmation of this opinio 
 on, it mav be worth while to recapitulate 
 lome particular fa6ls in the text, which 
 (Could have no poffible connexion with theni 
 in regard to any point of time whatfoever. 
 
 How the hteral church of Pergamos 
 could be charged with holding the doftrines 
 of Balaam, and eating things facrificed to 
 idols, cannot readily be comprehended: 
 but the figurative Pergamos, or the Jewifh 
 church in the third millenary, aQually re- 
 ceived thofe doftrines, and feverely fuffered 
 for their impieties. 
 
 In like manner, it can be no eafy matter 
 to fhew how the church of Thyatira fhould 
 fuffer that v;oman Jezebel amongft them, 
 and commit idolatry; and that a great part 
 pf them fnould be extirpated, but the re-- 
 
 rnainder 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 mainder of them fliould wait for the Morn- 
 ing-ftar, which, figuring Chrift, had alrea- 
 dy fhined upon them, and in whofe beams 
 they then rejoiced and were glad: but the 
 figurative Thyatira, or the Jewifli church 
 in the fourth thoufand year, was aftually 
 guilty of this charge, and fuffered lor it in 
 the manner before explained. 
 
 In like manner we may confider the re- 
 maining churches; which I flatter myfclf 
 will give fufficient weight and authority to 
 the explanation of them which I have at* 
 tempted to enforce. 
 
 PART 
 
PART THE SECOND. 
 
 A K?Y 
 
^T-r "^ .^ 
 
tttfiftMM 
 
 Key to the Mystery, &c 
 
 PARTthe second. 
 
 REV. Chap. IV. 
 
 Ver, 1. After thefe things I looked, and be- 
 hold, a door was opened in heaven : and 
 the firft voice which I heard was as it 
 were of a trumpet, talking with me, fay- 
 ing, Come up hither, and I will (hew 
 thee things which mull be hereafter. 
 
 L 2. And 
 
( 72 ) 
 
 2. And immediately I was in the fpiritj and 
 behold, a throne was fet in heaven, and 
 one fat on the throne. 3. And he who 
 fat was to look upon like a jafpcr and a 
 fardine ftone; and^ a rainbow was round 
 about the throne in fight hke unto an 
 emerald. 4. And round about the throne 
 were four-and-twenty feats; and upon 
 the feats I faw four-and- twenty elders fit- 
 ting, cloathed in white raiment, and they 
 had upon their heads crowns of gold. 5. 
 And out of the throne proceeded lighten- 
 ings, and thundars, and voices ; and fe^ 
 ven lamps of fire were burning before 
 the throne, which are the feven Spirits 
 of God. ' 
 
 6. And before the throne was a fea of glafs, 
 . like tinto chryftal : and in the midft of 
 ^'^ %he tlwone^ and roun(J about the throne, 
 were four beafls, full of eyes before .and 
 behind. 7. And thejBrft beaft was like 
 unto a lion, and the fecond beaft like a 
 calf^ and the third beaft had the face of 
 
 a man. 
 
( n ) 
 
 2i man, and the fourth beafl was like a 
 flying eagle. 8. And the four beafls had 
 each fix wings about them, and they 
 were full of eyes within; and they red 
 not day and night, faying, Holy, holy, 
 holy. Lord God Almighty, who wait, 
 and who art, and who art to come! g. 
 And when the beafts give glory and ho- 
 nour, and thanks to him who fitteth on 
 the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 
 lo. The four-and-twenty elders fall down 
 before him who fitteth on the throne, and 
 worfhip him who liveth for ever and ever, 
 and call their crowns before the throne, 
 faying, 1 1. Thou art worthy, O Lord, 
 to receive glory, and honour, and power; 
 for thou haft created all things, and for 
 thy pleafure they are and were created! 
 
 Chap. V. 
 
 Ver. 1. And I faw in the right-hand of him 
 
 w^ho fat on the throne a book, written 
 
 L 2 within 
 
( 74 ) 
 
 within, and on the back fide thereof, 
 fealed with feven feals. 2. And I faw a 
 ftrong angel, proclaiming with a great 
 voice. Who is worthy to open the book, 
 and loofe the feals thereof? 3. And no 
 man was able in heaven, nor on the 
 earth, nor under the earth, to open the 
 book, neither to look thereon. 4. And 
 I wept much becaufe no man was found 
 worthy to open and read the book, nor 
 to look thereon, 5. And one of the el- 
 ders faid unto me. Weep not: behold, 
 the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root 
 of David, hath prevailed to open the 
 book, and loofe the feven feals thereof. 
 
 6. And I faw, and behold, in the midfi; of 
 the throne, and of ihe four beafis, and 
 in the midft of the elders, a Lamb flood 
 as it had been flain, having feven horn*?, 
 and feven eyes, which are the fevei) Spi- 
 rits of God, fent forth into all the earth. 
 y. And he came, and took the book out 
 of the right-hand of him who fat on the 
 
 throne. 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 throne. 8. And when he had taken the 
 book, the four beafls, and the four-and- 
 twenty elders, fell down before the 
 Lamb, having every one harps, and gol- 
 den vials, full of odours, which are the 
 prayers of faints, g. And they fung a 
 new fong, faying. Worthy art thou to 
 take the book, and loofe the feals there- 
 of! for thou waft flain, and haft redeem- 
 ed us to God by thy blood, out of every 
 tribe, and tongue, and people, and na- 
 tion: ID. And haft made us unto our 
 God kings and priefts, and we fliall reign 
 on the earth ! 
 
 11. And I beheld and heard the voice of 
 many angels round about the throne, and 
 the beafts and the elders, even thoufands 
 of thoufands, 12. Saying with a great 
 voice. Worthy is the Lamb that was 
 flain to receive power, and riches, and 
 wifdom, and ftrength, and honour, and 
 glory, and bleffing! 13. And every 
 creature that was in the heaven, and in 
 
 the 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 the earth, and under the earth, and in 
 the fea, and all that are in them, heard 
 I faying, To him who fitteth on the 
 throne, and to the Lamb, be bleffing, 
 and honour, and glory, and ftrengtb, 
 for ever and ever! 14. And the four 
 beads faid. Amen ! And the four-and- 
 twenty elders fell down, and worfnipped 
 Him who liveth for ever and ever. 
 
 *np HE Evangelift is now about to be fa- 
 voured with a fecond view of thofe 
 great and interefting events, in a different 
 light. Thefe various reprefentations of the 
 fame things have not only ferved to hide 
 the meaning of them from the world till the 
 proper time for revealing of them, but from 
 a continued variety of expreffion, make 
 them fhine with a double luftre, and give 
 them that importance and majefly which 
 they naturally claim. Befides, this manner 
 of varioufly expreffing the fame things 
 feems agreeable to the method God has for - 
 merly made ufe of; an inftance of which 
 
 we 
 
C n ) 
 
 we have in Pharoah's dreams. He had 
 them twice repeated, to (hew (as Jofeph in- 
 formed him, the certainty of them, and 
 that God haftened to accomplidi them. 
 The prophets likewife obferve the fame me- 
 thod, thereby ufmg every means to allure 
 their -countrymen to liPtcn to thofe things 
 which fo much belonged to their peace. 
 The infpired writers make ufe of no logical 
 arguments: their produftions are all great 
 and evident conclufions. It may fuit the 
 weaknefs of human nature to fupport it s 
 allertions by a variety of arguments, but the 
 w6rd of God is every where flable and per- 
 manent, and wants only a ferious examina- 
 tion, and attention, to imprefs for ever on 
 our minds a full convidion of it's truth. 
 For as the author to the Hebrews obferves. 
 The word of God is quick and powerful, 
 and fiiarper than any two-edged fword, 
 piercing even to the dividing afunder of (bul 
 and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, 
 and is a difcerner of the thoughts and in- 
 tents of the heart. Heb. iv., ver. 12. The 
 
 many 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 many different expreffions therefore of the 
 fame things feem the only natural means 
 of enforcing their truth, and are perfeftly 
 confident with the method and language of 
 the holy Spirit of God. 
 
 It is now time to confider the text. We 
 fee the fcene changed to a reprefentation oi 
 the great church, or the Laodicean church 
 in her glory. At this time only God's fpi- 
 ritual building is complete, and can be pro- 
 perly (hewn from the beginning, and foun- 
 dation: and as the full knowledge of thofe 
 myfteries will be only then generally un- 
 derflood, every different view of the feve- 
 ral. periods of the church feems properly in> 
 troduced with a vifion of the times, in 
 which only they will be open and confpi-* 
 cuous to the world. 
 
 Chapter iv., ver. i. it is faid. After 
 thefe things, &c. This feems fufficiently 
 to imply a fhifting of the fcene to another 
 
 profpefl, 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 profpefl, and the commencement of ano- 
 ther part of this great myflery. 
 
 A DOOR was opened in heaven, or a 
 further light was given to the Evangehfl of 
 thofe things which he was told were to hap- 
 pen hereafter, agreeable to the events which 
 were before fliewn him in the former chap- 
 ters. 
 
 The throne, ver 2. reprqfents the full 
 power and dominion, which God in the 
 lafl {late of the church will take to himfelf, 
 when he will reign over his people in un- 
 difturbed authority to the end of time. A 
 fign of this peace and proteftion is here 
 given by a rainbow, which glorioufly en- 
 circled this throne of power. The proprie- 
 ty of this interpretation may be confirmed 
 by confidering the rainbow which God fet 
 in the clouds, as a fign to Noah after the 
 the flood, that he would never more deflroy 
 the world with water ; but that he fhoufd 
 be ever mindful of his promife when he faw 
 M this 
 
( 80 ) 
 
 this emblem, and mercifully preferve and 
 prote6l his people from any danger of the 
 like nature. The Laodicean church being 
 firmly eftablifhed, this beautiful emblem 
 properly exprefies the liability of it's peace. 
 
 Verse 4, &c. The four-and-twenty el- 
 ders here mentioned, are the twelve patri- 
 archs of the Jewifh church, and the twelve 
 apoRles of Chrift; or the natural and fpiri- 
 tual fathers of the church. In regard to 
 the twelve apoftles, Chrift here feems to ve- 
 rify his promife to them, Mat. xix., v. 28, 
 where he laid to them. Verily I fay unto 
 you, that you, who have folIov;ed me in 
 regeneration, v;hen the Son of Man (hall 
 fit upon the throne of his glory, you alfo 
 fkall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the 
 twelve tribes of Ifrael. Thefe holy apof- 
 tles therefore, with the twelve patriarchs, 
 reprefent together what St. Paul calls the 
 Ifrael of God, or the great univerfal church. 
 As it is now complete, feven l^mps of fire, 
 
 which 
 
( 8i ) 
 
 which are the feven Spirits of God, are 
 feen burning round about the throne. 
 
 Verse 6, &c. Alfo before this throne is 
 a fea of glafs, refembling Solomon's brazen 
 fea, made for the fervice of the temple, and 
 figuring the laver of baptifm, which wafhes 
 away all our filth, ahd fin. 
 
 And in the midfl: of the throne, and 
 round about the throne, are four beafts, full 
 of eyes. Thefe beafts may be compared 
 with the Cherubims feen by Ezekiel, and 
 the Seraphims by Ifaiah. They reprefeni 
 the four generations, or larger diviiions of 
 the church. 
 
 The firft, being like unto a lion, figures 
 the two firft churches ^ W'hich in their free- 
 dom (as was obferved before) refemble 
 thofe of Chrift. The fecond, which was 
 like unto a calf, implies the two churches 
 under the law ; which ordained facrifice;?, 
 and other rites, typical of the great and ul- 
 M 2 timate 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 timate facrifice and fatisfatlion of Chrift. 
 Thefe facrifices confided of bullocks as 
 well as (heep and goats. The calf there- 
 fore is here put for bullocks, and other 
 beads proper for facrifice. The third beaft 
 had the face of a man, and expreffes the 
 perfcfl: reafonable fervice of chriftianity, as 
 adopted by the two firll chriflian churches. 
 And the fourth was like a flying eagle, fig- 
 nifying the fpreading empire and glory of 
 the Laodicean, or great univerfal, church, 
 fo often mentioned. 
 
 These four-and- twenty elders, and four 
 beafls, form one grand chorus, virtually 
 comprehending the ele£l from the begin- 
 ning to the end. For as the church is one 
 body, fo the members of every particular 
 part equally partake of the full graces and 
 benefits of religion. 
 
 Thus we fee, ver. 8, &c. the pure and 
 holy adoration, which thefe typical repre- 
 fentativcs of the faithful perform before the 
 
 throne 
 
( 83 ) ■ 
 
 of God, glowing with eternal ardour day 
 and night. They yield all glory, honour, 
 and power, to the only author of them, 
 and teach us to join in one pure and har- 
 monious worfliip, as we find it happily and 
 divinely ellablilhed in the facred liturgy of 
 our church. 
 
 Chapter v., ver. i, &c. This book, 
 fealed with feven feals, agreeable to our 
 propofed plan, w^e will call the volume of 
 the times. It gradually unfolds itfelf, and 
 difcovers the feveral millenaries, with their 
 particular marks of defcription, neceffary 
 and introduftory to the principal defign, 
 which is the placing in a further light the 
 great and inlerefting events, which are now 
 Ihortly about to happen. The honour of 
 opening this book, and pointing out to the 
 world the feveral remarkable aeras, and cir- 
 cumftances, neceffary to trace out the pil- 
 grimage of the church, is particularly refer- 
 ved for the holy Lamb of God, He only 
 iswworthyto take the book, and loofe the 
 
 feals 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 feals theieof, for he was flain, and hath re- 
 deemed us unto God, &c. ^and (as St, 
 Paul obferves, ASs, chap, xvii., ver. 26.) 
 hath determined the times before appoint- 
 ed, and the bounds of their habitation/ 
 As he is the Word of God, we thereforeby 
 him receive all revelation, and fpiritual 
 knowledge: through him we know the Fa- 
 ther, and by him are taught to do thofe 
 things which are acceptable unto God, and 
 which will fecure to us after this life the 
 fruition of his glorious prcfence. 
 
 All the powers vifible and invifible, an- 
 gels and mortals, do therefore juftly join 
 in one grand chorus, pouring forth their 
 gratitude to the holy and merciful Lamb 
 of God, for the unfpeakable favours vouch- 
 fafed to his creatures, Vv^orthy is the 
 Lamb, who was (lain, to receive power, 
 and riches, and wifdom, and flrength, and 
 honour, and glory, and bleiTrng! 
 
 Chap^ 
 
( 85 ) 
 
 Chap. VI. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 ]'cr, 1. And I faw when the Lamb opened 
 one of the feals, and I heard one of the 
 four beads, faying, as with the voice of 
 thunder, Come, and fee. 2. And I faw, 
 and behold, a white horfe ; and he w^ha 
 fat on him had a bow, and a crown was 
 given him, and he went forth conquering^ 
 ^ and to conquer. 
 
 np HESE feals for the moft part import 
 particular judgments brought upon 
 each millenary. Though no judgment is 
 mentioned in this firll period, yet God 
 {hews himfelf ready armed, and arrayed in 
 pomp and majefly. Having planted his 
 church in the world, he lets mankind fee 
 that he is both able and willing to defend 
 it. The holy flame of religion mufl never 
 be extinguiflied: though it may be often 
 fmothered in it's embers, yet it will ftill be 
 
 prcferved 
 
( 86 ) 
 
 preferved, and at laft break out in a full 
 blaze of glory. God ever conquers and 
 triumphs over his enemies, but will parti- 
 cularly fubdue them when he overcomes 
 the power of Antichrift, as will be feen in 
 the 19th chapter, There he appears, as 
 here reprefented, fitting on a white horfe, 
 and warring againft his oppofers. 
 
 Chap. VI. Ver. 3, &c. 
 
 Ver, 3» And when he had opened the fe- 
 cond feal, I heard the fecond bead fay. 
 Come, and fee. 4. And there came 
 forth another horfe, which was red; and 
 to him who fat on him was given to take 
 peace from the earth, and that they 
 fhould kill one another: and there was 
 given unto him a great fword. 
 
 IN 
 
( §7 ) 
 
 TN this fccond fcal, or church, are (hewn 
 the apoftacy of mankind after the flood 
 from the truth, and the divilions and ani- 
 mofities among them from a defire of pow- 
 er and dominion. 
 
 The fcripture mentions Nimrod as be- 
 ing the hid who thirfted after conqueft: 
 and by his example his contemporaries were 
 no doubt eafily inltigated to take peace 
 from the earth, and to flay one another. 
 So general was the wickednefs of the lafl: 
 ftate of this fecond period, that Abram was 
 faid to be called from his father's houfe, 
 where they ferved other Gods. Join, ch, 
 xxiv., ver. 2. 
 
 Chap. VI. Ver. 5, &c. 
 
 Ver. 5. And when he had opened the third 
 
 feal, I heard the third beafl: fay,. Come, 
 
 N and 
 
( 88 ) 
 
 and fee. And I faw, and behold, a 
 black horfe, and he who fat on him had a 
 pair of balances in his hand. 6. And I 
 heard a voice from the midft of the four 
 beafls, faying, A meafure of wheat for a 
 penny, and three meafures of barley for 
 a penny i and fee thou hurt not the oil, 
 and the wine. 
 
 T^HIS vifionary appearance may exprefs 
 the famine in Egypt, and the adjacent 
 countries, in the time of the patriarch Ja- 
 cob. In this extremity the fmall feed-plat 
 of the faithful muft have perifhed, had not 
 God in mercy raifed up Jofeph; who per- 
 fuaded Pharoahtolay up timely magazines 
 of corn, fufficient to fupply the enfuing 
 dearth. 
 
 The rider on the black horfe is therefore 
 feen with a pair of balances in his hand, 
 as fcrupuloufly weighing and diflributing 
 the precious flores, on which fo many lives 
 
 depended^ 
 
( 89 ) 
 
 depended, particularly thofe of Jacob and 
 his family. 
 
 Chap, VI. Ver. 7, &c. 
 
 Ver. 7. And when he had opened the fourth 
 feal, I heard the fourth bead fay. Come, 
 and fee. 8. And I faw, and behold, a 
 pale horfe; and his name who fat on 
 him was Death, and hell followed with 
 him: and power was given unto them 
 over the fourth part of the earth, to kill 
 w^ith the fword, and with hunger, and 
 with death, and with the beads of the 
 earth. 
 
 'X'HIS emblem exprefles the .ruin and de- 
 
 itruQion of the date and nation of 
 
 the flony-hearted Jews, by the Romans; 
 
 becaufe thefe flubborn Ifiaelites had not 
 
 N 2 depth 
 
( so ) 
 
 depth of foil to receive the facred feed of 
 God's word^ were repugnant to his will, 
 and contrary to all men. ' 
 
 They are called the fourth part of the 
 earth, as belonging to one of the four ge- 
 nerations, or larger divifions of the church; 
 that they may be properly diflinguifhed 
 from the reft of the world, overwhelmed 
 in paganifm and infidelity. 
 
 The word, interpreted helT, fignifies 
 properly in the Greek the ftate of the dead, 
 and in this place emphatically reprefents 
 the ruin'd flate of this Ilubborn people, in 
 which they have remained for many ages, 
 as it w^ere buried and overwhelmed in the 
 grave of deftruflion. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 91 ) 
 
 Chap. VL Ver. 9, &c. 
 
 Ver, 9. And when he had opened the fifth 
 feal, I faw under the ahar the fouls of 
 thofe who were flain for the word of 
 God, and for the teftimony which they 
 held. 10. And they cried with a loud 
 voice, faying, How long, O Lord, holy 
 and true, wilt thou not judge and avenge 
 our blood of thofe who dwell on the 
 earth! 11. And there were given unto 
 each of them white robes : and it was 
 faid unto them, that they fhould reft yet 
 a little time until the days of their fellow- 
 fervants, and brethren, who fluould be 
 flain as they were, fhould be fulfilled. 
 
 TN this feal we fee the many perfecutions 
 which the primitive chriftians endured 
 under the Pagan and Arian emperors. 
 They wandered about in (heepfldns and goat- 
 fkins, of whom the world was not worthy. 
 
 They 
 
( 92 ) 
 
 They fuffered every torment and torture, 
 which the malicious wit of man could de- 
 vife; but they ftill preferved their integrity, 
 being comforted with the fecret confolations 
 of God, whofe llrength is ever made per- 
 fefl: in weaknefs. 
 
 These faithful martyrs are cloathed 
 with white raiment, and their fufferings ho- 
 noured with the acceptance of God: but 
 the time of their vengeance, or final tri- 
 umph over their enemies, is deferred till 
 their brethren, or fuccefFors in the truth, 
 fhould fuffer as they had done. This laft 
 perfecution will be (hewn in the following 
 feal. 
 
 When this feal is accomplifhed, then 
 He, who goeth forth conquering and to 
 conquer, will fully take vengeance of the 
 enemies of his people ; for to him only 
 rengeance does properly belong. And 
 fhall not God avenge his own elefl:, who 
 cry day and night unto him, though he 
 
 bear 
 
( 93 ) 
 
 bear long wilh them ? Luke, xviii., ven 7. 
 Thus, Hkewife, Efdras, chap. 3A\, ver. 8, 
 &c. * Behold tlie innocent and juft blood 
 cries unto me, and the fouls of the jull cry 
 continually. I will avenge them with fury, 
 faith the Lord, and require from among 
 them all the innocent blood.' 
 
 Chap. VI. Ver. 12, &c. 
 
 Ver. 12. And I faw when he opened the 
 fixth feal, and behold there w^as a great 
 earthquake, and the fun became black as 
 fack-cloth of hair, and the moon as 
 blood. 13. And the flars of heaven fell 
 to the earth, as a fig-tree cafleth her un- 
 timely figs, when {he is fhaken of a 
 mighty wind. 14. And the heaven de- 
 parted as a book when it is rolled toge- 
 ther, and every mountain and ifland 
 were removed out of their places. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 P'er. 15. And the kings of the earth, and 
 the great men, and the rich men, and 
 the chief captains, and every fervant, 
 and every freeman, hid themfelves in 
 dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, 
 16. And faid to the mountains, and 
 rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the 
 face of Him who fitteth on the throne, 
 and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17, 
 For the great day of his wrath is come, 
 and who fliall be able to ftand ? 
 
 'T^HE opening of this fixth feal, figures 
 thelafl and greateft perfecution of the 
 chriftian church. This chaftifement is re- 
 ferved for the church of Philadelphia, or 
 England, and will be that day of fiery tri- 
 al, which will effeftually purge out of her 
 all things that offend. The fellow'-fervants 
 and brethren of the firfl; chriftians (as men- 
 tioned in the lafl: feal) will now in their fuf- 
 ferings, fulfil the meafure of affliflions ap- 
 pointed by God, and afterwards obtain 
 that triumph and glory, of which all the 
 prophets have fung. 
 
 The 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 The enemies of God's church will like- 
 wife ill this laft effort fill up the meafurc of 
 their iniquities, that they may be rendered 
 fitter objefts of the rigliteous judgments of 
 God. Thefe enemies will be afterwards 
 difcovered in the fifth trumpet, and parti- 
 cularly pointed out in the deftriptionof the 
 bealts. What is mentioned therefore in 
 this vifionary fcene (fo gloomy and dread- 
 ful to our church and nation) regards chief- 
 ly the greatnefs of our fufferings, and the 
 terrors of this ruinous calamity. 
 
 The day and hour knoweth no man: but 
 as it is now confiderably above an hundred 
 vears fince the lafl fubverfion of our church 
 and government, (and the church has been 
 conftantly challened and fcourged) there is 
 the greateft reafon to believe that this great 
 and dreadful calamity is very near at hand 
 in a literal fenfe, and hafleth greatly. 
 This feal may be compared with Matthew, 
 chap, xxiv., and xxv, 
 
 O Thesje 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 These tKIngs (as lobferved before^ muft 
 be confideied as vifionary fcenes, expref- 
 five of the different events mentioned in 
 thofe myfleries. 
 
 The great earthquake, here defcnbed, 
 does intimate therefore the violent concuf- 
 fions, and revolutions, which thefe nations 
 will in a Httle time be fliaken with. The 
 eclipfes of the heavenly bodies, here pour- 
 trayed, emblematically difplay the extinc- 
 tion of our Hate and polity, and the ruin 
 and removal of all it's officers and gover- 
 nors. To fiiew the exceeding greatnefs of 
 tliis evil, it is compared to a fig- tree, fliaken 
 v;ith a mighty wind, fo (trong and violent 
 as to cad to the ground even it's unripe 
 fruit. For all traces of polity and govern- 
 ment, both in church and Hate, will vanifh 
 like the volume of a book, rolled up, and 
 forgotten; and in the greatnefs of our af- 
 ffiflion, and defpair, we fliall call upon the 
 mountains and rocks to cover us from the 
 
 wraih 
 
( 97 ) 
 
 wrath of him who fitteth on the throne, and 
 of the Lamb. 
 
 Tpiese evils will, however, be but of 
 {hort duration, as we fhall afterwards find: 
 for Chrift told his difciples, that thefe days 
 fhould be fhortened, otherwife no flefh 
 could be faved. 
 
 Chap, VIL 
 
 Ver, 1. And after thefe things I faw four 
 angels ftanding on the four corners of the 
 earth, holding the four winds of the 
 earth, that the wind fhould not blow 
 upon the earth, nor upon the fea, nor 
 on any tree. 2. And I faw another an- 
 gel afcending from the eaft, having the 
 feal of the living God: and he cried with 
 a loud voice to the four angels, to whom 
 O 2 it 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 It was given to hurt tlie earth and the 
 fea, 3. Saying, huft not the earth, nei- 
 ther the Tea, nor the trees, until we feal 
 the fervants of our God in their fore- 
 heads. 
 
 Ve7\ 4. And I heard the number of thofe 
 who were fealed, and there were fealed 
 an hundred and forty-four thoufand of 
 all the tribes of the children"bf Ifrael. 5. 
 Of the tribe of Judah were fealed twelve 
 thoufand, of the tribe of Reuben were 
 fealed twelve thoufand, of the tribe of 
 Gad were fealed twelve thoufand : 6. Of 
 the tribe of An:ier were fealed twelve 
 thoufand, of the tribe of Napthahm were 
 fealed twelve thoufand, of the tribe of 
 Manaffes v;ere fealed twelve thoufand : 
 
 7. Of the tribe of Simeon were fealed 
 twelve thoufand, of the tribe of Levi 
 were fealed twelve thoufand, of the tribe 
 of Illachar were fealed twelve thoufand : 
 
 8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were fealed 
 twelve thcufand, of the tribe of Jofeph 
 
 were 
 
( 99 ) 
 
 were Tealed twelve thoufand, of the tribe 
 of Benjamin were fealed twelve thoufand, 
 
 Ver. 9. After thefe things I faw, and behold 
 a great muhitude, which no man could 
 number, out of every nation, and 
 tribe, and people, and tongue. Handing 
 before the throne, and before the Lamb, 
 cloathed in white robes, and palms ia 
 their hands, 10. And crying with a loud 
 voice, faying, Salvation to Him who fit- 
 teth upon the throne, and to the Lamb! 
 
 1 1. And all the angels flood round about 
 the throne, and the elders, and the four 
 beafts, and fell down before the throne, 
 upon their faces, and worfliipped God, 
 
 12. Saying, Amen! Bleffing, and glory, 
 and wifdom, and ihankfgiving, and ho- 
 nour, and power, and (Irength, unto 
 pur God, forever, and ever, Amen! 
 
 Ver. 13. And one of the elders anfwered, 
 and faid unto me, Who are thofe who 
 are cloathed in white robes, and whence 
 
 come 
 
( 100 ) 
 
 come they ? 14. And I laid unto him, 
 Lord, thou knoweft. And he faid to 
 me, Thefe are ihey who come cut of 
 great tribulation, and have waflied their 
 robes, and made them white in the blood 
 of the Lamb. ig. For this caufe they 
 are before the throne of God, and ferve 
 him day and night in his temple: and he 
 who fitteth upon the throne will dwell 
 with them. 16. They (hall not hunger 
 any more, nor third any more, neither 
 Ihall the fun light on them, nor any 
 heat. 17. For the Lamb, who is in the 
 midft of the throne will feed them, and 
 will lead them to living fountains of wa- 
 ter ; and God will wipe away all tears 
 from their eyes. 
 
 A FTER the church of Philadelphia, or 
 England, has (truggled through her lad 
 trial and temptation, and having a little 
 ftrength has kept God's word, and has not 
 denied his name ; he alfo in return will per- 
 form his engagement, and preferve her in 
 
 the 
 
-, 
 
 ( 101 ) 
 
 the hour oF temptation, which will come 
 upon all the world, to try thofe w^ho dwell 
 upon the earth. 
 
 This divine proteflion is emblematical- 
 ly expreffed, ver. i, &c., by four angels 
 holding, or reftraining, the four winds of 
 the earth from giving loofe to their fury till 
 the fervants of God Ihould be fealed in their 
 foreheads. Thefe four winds of the earth 
 are the Eaftern powers, the Turks, and 
 other Mahometan nations, whofe terrible 
 array will be particularly defcribed in the 
 fixth trumpet, and wlio are refer ved bv 
 God as the inftruments of his vengeance on 
 the whole papal empire. In this dreadful 
 fcene of ruin and deftruftion we fiiall, as 
 the Pfalmid expreffes it, abide under the 
 fhadow of the Almighty. We {hall not be 
 afraid for the terrors by night, nor for the 
 arrow that flieth by day, A thoufand (hall 
 fall at our fide, and ten thoufand ar our 
 right-hand, but the evil fliall not come nigh 
 
 us. 
 
, ( 102 ) 
 
 US. Only with our eyes we (hall behold 
 and fee the reward of the wicked. SeePf.xci. 
 
 Verse 4, &c. Here we have an accurate 
 reprefentation of the merciful feleQion of 
 God's people from every tribe of the chil- 
 dren of Ifrael ; or the true church of Chrift, 
 to wit, the happy and diftinguifhed Phila- 
 delphians. After this glorious deliverance, 
 and exemption, from the general wreck of 
 Europe, a fine defcription enfues, ver. g, 
 &c., of their mofl folemn and grateful ac- 
 knowledgments of the divine favour, ex- 
 prefTive of the higheft and moll feraphic 
 adoration of the divine Being. 
 
 We fee, ver. 13, &c., that this fele6l 
 multitude are Ihewn to have come out of 
 great tribulation, and muft confequently be 
 the Philadelphians, whofe fuffcrings have 
 . been particularly mentioned in the fixth 
 feal. Their happy fituation after all their 
 troubles is here elegantly and poetically 
 defcribed. 
 
 The 
 
K 103 ) 
 
 The prophet Ifaiah, in like manner, de- 
 defcribes the deliverance of God's people, 
 when he begins to eftablifli his kingdoin 
 in the world. In an acceptable time have 
 I heard thee, and in a day oF falvaiion 
 have I helped thee : and 1 v/ill preferve 
 thee, and give thee for a covenant of the 
 people, to efl:abli{h the earth, to caufe to 
 inherit the defolate heritages. That thou 
 mayeft fay to the prifoners, go forth to 
 them who are in darknefs, fhew yourfelves! 
 they (hall feed in the ways and their paf- 
 tures (hall be in all high places. They fhall 
 not hunger, nor thirft, neither fhall the 
 heat nor fun fmite them, for he who hath 
 mercy on them fhall lead them, even by 
 fprings of water fhall he guide them. Ifai. 
 49. v. 8. &c. See Pf. 23. 
 
 The prophet Efdras, making mention 
 of thofe times, ufes the very words of the 
 text in fome parts of the following quo- 
 tation. 
 
 P His 
 
( ^o4 ) 
 
 Mis words are a;^ follovv's. 2. Efd. ch. 2. 
 vcr. 25., &c. My people, wait and reft, 
 for your relt fliall come, O good^ nurfe, 
 nourifli thy children, ftrengthen ther feet. 
 None of the fervants which I have given 
 thee fhall parifh, for I v/ill feek them from 
 among thy number. Be not afraid; for 
 when the day of affliciion and anguifn^fhall 
 come, others fiiall weep and be forrow^ful, 
 butahou (hall rejoice and have abundance. 
 The Gentiles (hall envy thee, and fhall be 
 able to do nothing againft thee, faith the 
 Lord. My hands fiiall cover thee, fo that 
 thy children fliall not fee Hell, &c. 
 
 Again, ver. 34., &c. And therefore 
 I fay unto you, O nations, v;ho hear and 
 imderfland,' wait for your Shepherd, who 
 will give you everlafling reft ; for he is 
 near at hand who ftiall come at the end of 
 the world. Be ready for the reward of the 
 kingdom, for the light eternal ftiall ftiine 
 upon you for evermore. Elee the fnadow 
 
 of 
 
{ 1^5 ) 
 
 of this world; receive the joy of your glo- 
 ry : I teftify my Saviour openly, &c. 
 
 Arise, and fland upright, and fee the 
 number of thofe who are marked (^or feaU 
 ed,) for the banquet of the Lord : who 
 have withdrawn themfelves from rhe flia- 
 dow of the world, and have received the 
 fliinning robes of the Lord. () Sion, re- 
 ceive thy number, and preferve thy cloath- 
 ed in white, who have accomphfhed the 
 law of the Lord, The number of thy 
 children which thou didft defire is accom- 
 plifhed, &c. 
 
 I Efdras faw in mount Sion a great mul- 
 titude which I could not number, who all 
 together praifed the Lord with longs* And 
 in the midft of them was a young man, tal- 
 ler than the reft, who put crowns upon 
 the heads of each of them, &c. Then I 
 afked the angel, and faid. Lord, who are 
 thofc? he anfwered me, faying, thefe arc 
 P 2 they 
 
{ lOD ) 
 
 they who have put off the mortal robe, and 
 received the immortal, and have confeffed 
 the name of God : now are they crowned, 
 and receive palms. Again I faid to the 
 angel, who is that young man, who puts 
 crowns upon them, and gives them palms 
 in their hands ? and he anfwered me, fay- 
 ing, he is the fon of God, whom they 
 have confeffed in this world. 
 
 Chap. VI 11, Ver. i. 
 
 Ver^ 1. And when lie opened the feventh 
 feal there v.as hience in Heaven for the 
 ipace of halt an hour. 
 
 AFTEE. tliC opening of tlie feventh 
 feal r.ll the encn.ies of the church 
 will be hnaliy fubdiicd- She v/ill then en- 
 joy 
 
( 107 ) 
 
 joy the multitude of peace, and enter into 
 her reft ; for, as the author to the Hebrews 
 obferves, their remains a reft for the people 
 of God. Heb. 4. ver. g. This reft will at 
 the end of this myftery be particular/ 
 mentioned in the defcription of the new 
 Jerufalem; 
 
 P 3 PART 
 
PART THE THIRD. 
 
 A KEY 
 
f&?v>msaj^!! i< &.v * a - J i miUi 
 
 Key to the Mystery, &c. 
 
 PART THE THIRD, 
 
 Chap. VIIL Ver. 2, &c. 
 
 Vcr. 2 And I faw feven angels, wlio flood 
 bt^ro/e God, and there were given unto 
 i!iem fcven trumpets. 3. And another 
 augel came, and flood bel'ore the akar, 
 having a golden ceiifor: and there w^s 
 ^iven unto him much incenfe, that he 
 Q fhonW 
 
( 112 } 
 
 fhould offer it, with the prayers of a!i 
 faints, before the throne. 4. And the 
 fmoke of the incenfe afcended, with the 
 prayers of the faints, out of the angefs 
 hand before the throne of God. 
 
 Ver. 5. And the angel took the cenfor, 
 and filled ^t with the fire of the ahar, 
 and caft it on the earth : and there were 
 voices, and thunders, and lightnings, 
 and an earthquake. 6. And the feven 
 angels, %vho had the feven trumpets^ 
 prepared tliemfelves to found. 
 
 f T E have, as above, another fine 
 |/ and folemn fcene, introduCiory 
 to a further hiflorical detail of 
 the feveral fortunes and events of the 
 church of God from the beginning to the 
 end of time. 
 
 These feveral different accounts, not 
 only in their variety of defcriptions throw 
 necefTary lights on the many tranfaflions, 
 difplayed in thefe myllick pages, but like- 
 
 wnfe 
 
( 113 ) 
 
 wife ferve in compavifon to {hew the truths 
 and great importance, of the key, or man- 
 ner Oi" opening thefe myftcrics. Thougli 
 they arc all different in their manner, yet 
 they are the fame in their tendency, and 
 unite together in a full juRificaiion of the 
 ways of God to man. 
 
 In thir, introdufiory fccne we fee an 
 heavenly high priell, in full facerdotal 
 pomp, offering up direcily before the 
 throne of God the forcible penetrating 
 prayers of his faints, who cry day and 
 night to him in the feveral ages of the 
 world. Thefe holy prayers afcend like 
 incenfe before him, and bring down on the 
 world thofe judgments and punifhments, 
 whicli their prefumptuous crimes and pro- 
 vocations ]u(My merit, and which will be 
 the burthen of the feveral trumpets here- 
 after mentioned. 
 
 Trum?£ts, being martial inftruments, 
 
 are here properly made ufe of, where God 
 
 Q 2 aCTemAbles 
 
( 114 ) 
 
 gffembles the feveral armies of his wratn, 
 and numbers himfelf the hofls of the battle. 
 
 Ver. VIL | 
 
 Ver, 7. And the firfl; angel founded, and 
 there followed hail and fire, mingled 
 with blood, and they were caft upon the 
 earth : and the third part of the trees 
 ■was burnt up, and all green grafs was 
 burnt up. 
 
 IT muft be obferved tliat thefe judg- 
 ments have refpecl to the lafl fortunes 
 of each church. Thefe judgments, through M 
 God's indulgence to his creatures, are often 
 prolonged, he being defirous that '^H men 
 fhould come to repentance. 
 
 The 
 
( i'5 ) 
 
 The fir ft trumpet thereibre may fliew 
 the utter ruin and deftruftion of the firll 
 race of men by the flood ; which blotted 
 and expunged out of the world every 
 green thing, or living fubftance, except 
 Noah, and his family. 
 
 Ver. VIIL, Sec. 
 
 Ver. 8. And the fecond angel founded, 
 and as it were a great mountain, burn- 
 ing v;ith fire, was cad into the fea ; and 
 the third part of the fea became blood, 
 g. And the third part of the creatures, 
 which were in the fea and had life, died, 
 and the third part of the {hips was de- 
 ilroved. 
 
 As 
 
( 116 ) 
 
 AS the fea by the prophets is generally 
 ufed toTignify the wicked and infi- 
 dels, and the earth the true church; fo by 
 this mountain being cafl into the f<?a may 
 be fiievvn the general apoftacy of mankind 
 in the fecond thoufand year from the truth 
 to idolatry. Of this we have a remarkable 
 teftimony in Jofhua, ch. 24. v. 2. where 
 God is mentioned to have called Abraham 
 from his father's houfe, where they ferved 
 other Gods. If this family, from which 
 Abraham derived his birth, was tainted with 
 this wicked- and ridiculous infatuation, it 
 may eafily be imagined that all mankind 
 were then wholly immerfed in it. The 
 World therefore may very juftly be faid at 
 this time to be plunged, flaming with their 
 fms, into the fea of idolatry, and infidelity. 
 
 As the church may be divided into three 
 general diftinftions, one before the I'aw, 
 one under the law-, and one under the 
 gofpel ; the third part-of men is here made 
 ufe of to fignify the vAioh race of them, 
 
 as 
 
( 117 ) 
 
 as having once had fome title to be rank- 
 ed among God's people, though ni this 
 millenary they were defervedly abandoned 
 to their own inventions. 
 
 Ver. X,, &c. 
 
 Ver. 10. And the third angel founded^ and 
 there fell from Heaven a great flar, 
 burning as a lamp ; and it fell upon the 
 third part of the rivers, and fountains 
 of water, ii. And the name of the (lar 
 is called Wormwood ; and the third part 
 of the waters became wormwood, and 
 many men died of the waters becaufe 
 they were made bitter. 
 
 In 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 IN the fore going trumpet, we faw the 
 world generally funk and overwhelmed 
 in idolatry, in this we find even, the pro- 
 geny of the faithful Abraham tainted with 
 this mod pernicious error. 
 
 This falling ftar may be compared with 
 that other mentioned in the fifth trumpet, 
 called the angel of the bottomlefs pit, and 
 may fignify how much the Jews at this 
 time were poifoned and embittered with 
 idolatrous infatuations. This fatal corrup- 
 tion continued more or lefs deftroying every 
 religious principle till the Babylonian, cap- 
 tivity, but wholly ceafed alter the deli- 
 verance of the Jews by Cyrus, and their 
 return into their own country. 
 
 Ven 
 
C i'9 ) 
 
 ■l. w ! l llU<T | | l' ' WiV»'iTPH"'*" 
 
 Chap. Vill Yer. 12. 
 
 And the fourth angel founded, and the 
 tliird part of the fun was fmitten, and 
 the third part of the moon, and the 
 third part of the ftars ; fo that the third 
 part of therh was darjiened, and the 
 day flione not for the third part of it, and 
 the night hkewifc* 
 
 HERE we fee the utter deflruOion of the 
 Jc:\vi(h government both in church 
 and Hate. In the fixth fcal the heavenly 
 bodies fuffered and were dedroyed, inti- 
 mating the fubverfion ot the Philadelphian 
 polity ; Co in this fourth trumpet we fee 
 them darkened and eclipled, emblematic- 
 R ' ally 
 
( 120 j 
 
 ally figuring the ruin of the Jewifli nation. 
 The princes and governours of a (late may 
 juftly bear this comparifon, giving lighc 
 and glory to the community by a regular 
 diftribution of juflice, and a wholefome 
 exertion of their power and authority. 
 
 Chap. Vlll Ver. i^. 
 
 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying 
 through the midft of Heaven, faying 
 with a loud voice, woe ! woe ! woe ! to 
 the inhabitants of the earth by reafon of 
 the other voices of the trumpet of the 
 three angels, who are yet to found ! 
 
 THE enfuing woes are here denounc- 
 ed iA a particular manner, to inti- 
 mate that the pad were only mentioned to 
 
 giv€ 
 
( i21 ) 
 
 give order and regularity to this fcries of 
 ccck'fialtical events ; but that the follow- 
 ing are yet to happen, to demonftratc 
 which thefe myflick pages were principal- 
 ly defigned. 
 
 tm 
 
 Chap. IX. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And the fifth angel founded, and I 
 faw a ftar fall from Heaven to the earth, 
 and there was given unto him the key 
 of the bottomlefs pit. 2# And he open 
 ed the bottomlefs pit, and there came 
 up fmoke out of the pit like the fmokc 
 of a great furnace ; and the fun and the 
 air were darkened by reafon of the fmokc 
 of the pit. 3, And out of the fmoke 
 came forth locufts upon the earth, and 
 pov*'er was given unto them as the fcor- 
 R 2 pioa?- 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 pions oF the earth have power, 4. And 
 it was commanded them that they (lioulcl 
 not hurt the grafs of the earth, nor any 
 green thing, nor any tree, but only thofe 
 men who have not the feal of God in 
 their foreheads. 5. And to them it was 
 given that they fhould not flay them, but 
 they fliould be tormented five months : 
 and their torment was as the torment of 
 a fcorpion when it flriketh a man. 6, 
 And in thofe days men fliall feek after 
 death, and fhall not find it, and fliall 
 defire to die, and death fliall flee from 
 them. 
 
 ^<??^ 7. And the fliapes of the locufts were, 
 like unto horfes prepared unto battle, 
 and on their heads were as it were 
 crowns of gold, and their faces were as 
 the faces of men. 8. And they had 
 hair as the hair of women, and their 
 teeth w^ere as the teeth of lions. 9. And 
 they had breaflplates as it were breaft- 
 Tijlates of iron, a^nd the found 6f their 
 
 wings 
 
( ^^3 ) 
 
 Wings was as the found of chariots of 
 many horfes running to battle. lO. And 
 they had tails like unto fcorpions, and 
 there were flings in their tails : and their 
 power was to hurt men five months. 1 1 , 
 And they had a king over them, who is 
 the angel of the bottomlefs pit : whofe 
 name in the Hebrew tongue is Abad- 
 don, but in the Greek tongue hath hi:^ 
 name Apollyon. 
 
 Ver» 12- One woe is part, and behold 
 there come two woes more hereafter. 
 
 IN this fifth trumpet, as alfo in the 
 fourth vial, may be feen fome variation 
 from the thread, and regular fucceffion of 
 things, before obferved. But it mud be 
 confidered that as thefe trumpets and 
 vials for ihe moft part (hew God's judg- 
 ment's on the world, and as judgment mull 
 begin at the houfe of God; fo in this fifth 
 trumpet muft neceffarily be fliewn the great 
 perJTecuticn and sifflifticn of the church of 
 
 PhiladelDhia. 
 
( i«4 ) 
 
 Philadelphia, or England. We muft fuffer 
 firft, and drink of the cup of God's wrath; 
 but our enemies muft immediately after- 
 wards drink deep of the dregs of it, and 
 reel and totter with madnefs and aftonifti- 
 ment, tumbling headlong into utter ruin 
 and deftruftion. 
 
 The fallen ftar, mentioned ver. i. is the 
 Pope of Room, or antichrift ; who per- 
 verting and corrupting the truth and fim • 
 plicity of our moft holy religion, and dark- 
 ening it with innumberable errors, may juft- 
 ly be faid to have fallen from Heaven, and 
 to be banifhed and excommunicated from 
 the church of the faithful. 
 
 Being unworthy to feed the fiieep of 
 God's palture, the care of loathfome odi- 
 ous creatures is committed to him, which 
 come thronging and iffuing to him frQm 
 the dark manfion of the bottomlcfs pit. 
 Being freed by him, the keeper of the key 
 f this tnfernal prifon, they darken the 
 
 air 
 
( i2^ ) 
 
 ^ir with their fcoty pirieons, and are eager 
 to gorge themfelves with ruin and delhuc- 
 tion. They are here called locufls, and 
 defiorned as the inltruments oi God^^ wrath 
 againftthis nation. 
 
 This beautiful country, fair as the gar- 
 den of Eden, they will devour and fpoil, 
 and leave it behind them like a delolatc 
 Vildernefi). This day of trouble and afflic- 
 tion is literally at hand, and hafleth great* 
 ly. At this time all the terrors mentioned 
 in the fixth feal will be accompliflied upon 
 us, who by our fins and wickednefs are juil- 
 ly the objefts of God's wrath. Thefc days 
 will however be fhortned. Other particul- 
 ars, regarding this calamity, will be care- 
 fully noted as we proceed in thefe obfer- 
 Vations. 
 
 Wp: find, vcr. 4, that the power of ihefe 
 locufls is reftrained, and there fury is direc- 
 ted to rage on thofe among us who have 
 i^ot the feal of God in their foreheads. 
 
 This 
 
( 526 ) 
 
 This will be more paniculafy explained 
 in the eleventh chapter. It will in rf.ality 
 be impOxTible for any particular hi cf .nen 
 to efcape in this general and promifcuous 
 ruin , though no doubt all good men, even 
 of every denomination, will greatly merit 
 the protection ofprovidence. But this paf- 
 fage muft be taken in a kind of dramatick 
 viev/, and imply God's merciful ele£lion 
 and prefervation of the eftabifhed church 
 of this nation, and the rejeftion and re- 
 probation of all fchifmaticks and fcclaries 
 amongft us. 
 
 This is v/hat in many parts of fcrip- 
 lure is called the harveft ; when the pure 
 wheat, or the true profefTors of religion, 
 will be carefully gathered, and laid up in 
 God's barn, but the tares, or all falfe pre- 
 tenders to ir, will be gathered up in bund^ei 
 to be burnt. For God will purge froan his 
 kingdom every thing that offends, and e- 
 very plant, which he has not planted, muft 
 be rooted out. 
 
 Ver, 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 f'er. 5. Shews tlic duration oF tlils evil, 
 wliic h is here mentioned to be five month??, 
 and is called in other places three days and 
 an halF. By this we mult underfland three 
 years and an hall': but as we are told that 
 thefe days ihall be (hortened, w^e may hope 
 that it will only partake of three years and 
 an hair, and not endure the full extent of 
 that time. 
 
 Vc7\ 6., &c. We fee the great ctefpera- 
 tion and extremity men will be reduced to. 
 The wMckednefs of our enemies will ra- 
 ther pleafe itfelf with protra61ed tortures 
 than fpeedily put an end to the wretched 
 lives expofed to their cruelty. Such even 
 as may elcape to hiding places, through 
 want and mifery, and the mod dreadful 
 defpondency, will, as in the fixth feal, call 
 to the mountains and rocks to fall on them, 
 and hide them from the face of him who 
 fittcili on the throne^ and from, the wrath 
 of thr! Lnmb. 
 
 S But 
 
( i?8 ) 
 
 But when we refie£l on the behaviour 
 of the Papifts to our countrymen in Queen 
 Mary's perfecution, we may be inclined to 
 give this paffage another interpretation. 
 By death in fcripture may be underftood 
 a fpiritual death, or apoftacy from the 
 truth. In this light we way confider the 
 above pafTage as follows. By our defiring 
 to die, and death fhall flee from us, may 
 be underftood, that many raen will be glad 
 to conform to the fuperftition of our ene- 
 mies for the fake of their lives, which ne- 
 verthelefs they will not be able to preferve. 
 An inftance of this may be feen in tte 
 ufage of Archbifhop Cranmer whom they 
 burnt, notwithftanding his mod unfortun- 
 ate recantation. 
 
 The remaining verfes are chiefly em- 
 ployed in defcribing the ftrength and puif- 
 fance of thefe formidable enemies, who 
 will be more particulary mentioned after- 
 wards. The name of their chief is Abad- 
 don, or a deflrover. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 129 ) 
 
 V€r. 12. (hews that this is the firll of the 
 three Avoes before denounced to the world : 
 this being part, the other two woes will 
 quickly follow. 
 
 Chap, IX. Ver. 13, &c. 
 
 Ver. 13. And the fixth angel founded, 
 and I heard a voice from the four horns 
 of the golden altar before God, 14. fay- 
 ing to the fixth angel, who had the 
 trumpet, loofe the four angels bound on 
 the great river Euphrates. 15. And 
 the four angels were loofed, who were 
 prepared for an hour, and a day, and a 
 month, and a year, that they might flay 
 the third part of men. 
 
 S 2 7ei\ 
 
( ^3^ } 
 
 Ver., 16. And the number of the armic-; 
 of the horfemen was twice ten thotifand 
 thoufand : and I heard the number of 
 them. 17. And thus I faw the horfcs in 
 the vifion, and thofe who fat on them^ 
 having brcadplates of fire, and jdcinet, 
 and brimflone: and the head^ of the 
 horfes were as the heads of hons, and 
 out of their mouths came forth fire, and 
 fmoke, and brimftone. 18. By tliefe 
 three were killed the third part of men, 
 the fire, the fmoke, and the brimftone, 
 which came out of their mouths, ig. 
 Their power was in their mouth : their 
 tails were like unto ferpents, having 
 heads, and with them they do hurt. 
 
 Ve7\ 20. And the reft of the raen, who 
 were not flain with thefe plagues, re- 
 pented not of the works of their hands, 
 that they ftiould not worftiip devils, and 
 idols of gold, and filver, and brafs, and 
 ftone, and wood, which neither fee, nor 
 bear, nor vralk. 21. And ihcy repent- 
 ed 
 
( iSi ) 
 
 cd not of their murthers, nor their force- 
 ries, nor their fornication, nor their 
 thefts. 
 
 GOD, having long delayed the venge- 
 ance of his faints, does now in this 
 fixth trumpet arm himfelf with a!! his ter 
 rors, and pours them with horrible ruin and 
 combuftion on the guilty head of anti- 
 chriflian Rome. 
 
 Th£ feveral nations of Europe, devot^ 
 ed to her fuperflitious worfliip, will at this 
 time be totally overwhelmed with defiruc- 
 lion, like Sodom and Gomorrha, and ne- 
 ver more have any elfablidied polity and 
 government, as will afterwards in ihefe 
 myfteries be manifeftly feen. 
 
 The church of Rome has alwavs dc- 
 ceived herfelf with the flattering opinion 
 of being the only true Chriflian church: 
 ftnd finding that God in the fcriptures haj; 
 
 every 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 e\rery where promifed univerfal dominipa 
 to the church, fhe has greedily fnatch'd at 
 the tempting bait, making herfelf fure oi 
 the jiiftice of her pretenfions to this pre- 
 eminence. But having in reahty no title 
 to this empire, and ufing her own unlaw- 
 ful means to arrive at it, fhe juftly perifties 
 in her ambitious enterprifes, and renders 
 herfelf an objeft of God's anger and re- 
 fentment. 
 
 The inftruments of God's vengeance on 
 this devoted people are the Turks, and 
 eallern nations. They are in the text faid 
 to be bound on the river Euphrates, a$ 
 that is the moft remarkable river in their 
 empire, rolling itfelf as it were in the cen- 
 ter of it. 
 
 These people are the four winds of the 
 earth, mentioned, ch. 7. v. 1. to be held 
 back and reftrained from mifchief till the 
 Ibrvants of God fhould be fealed in their 
 foreheads. But in this fixth trumpet they 
 
 are 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 are loofed from their bands, and indulged 
 with the full liberty of glutting themfelves 
 v.ith ruin and dellruftion. 
 
 We niay here admire the wifdom, and 
 foreknowledge of God, who has purpofe- 
 ]y refcrved this great and formidable people 
 to check and controul the papal nations, 
 and their confederates, in their wicked de- 
 figns againft us, and placed thofe inftru- 
 ments of revenge, ready at hand to be 
 made ufe of the moment their irruption is 
 neceflary. 
 
 They are faid, ver. 15. to be prepared 
 for an hour, a day, a month, and a year, to 
 (lay the third part of men : that is, a cer- 
 tain limitted time is appointed for them to 
 execute the commifTion intruded to them, 
 and to wreak their fury on the third part 
 of men or thofe who may be comprifcd in 
 the third divifion of the church, in the 
 manner before obferved. 
 
 Ver 
 
( 134 )':^ 
 
 Ver, iS., &c. Shew the terrible array ©f 
 this formidable people, and how perfeftly 
 they are qualified for the bufmefs of def- 
 tru£lion. They will at this time be infpir- 
 ed withirrefiftable fury, and courage, and 
 the JlrongeR cities and fortreffes will not 
 refift them a moment. All human devices, 
 and machinations, will fail before a people 
 armed with the fury and indignation of 
 God. The confequences muft therefore 
 be dreadful and decifive. 
 
 We fee, ver. 20. that notwithftanding 
 the feverity of this judgment, the papifts 
 will dill be blinded and infatuated with 
 their errors. Their cafe will be miferabls 
 and deplorable ; and thofe, who deny en- 
 trance into Heaven to all religions and fefts 
 befidcs their own, will be the only people 
 excluded from the grace and mercy of 
 God. For after the accomplifiiment of 
 their deflru61ion, not only all other chrif- 
 tian nations and fefis will willingly yield 
 obodience to the Philadelphian, or Eng- 
 
 lift. 
 
( m ) 
 
 iifh church, but all other nations in the 
 world will gladly conform themfelves to 
 herdo6trine and fervice. 
 
 When therefore the papifls fee the Eng-^ 
 liQi church (which they have always per- 
 fecuted and hated,) covered with all thofc 
 glories, their anguifh and miferies will be 
 greatly increafed, and they will (as it is 
 elfewhere mentioned in thefe myfteries,) 
 gnaw their tongues for pain. The weak- 
 nefs of human nature will then be moft 
 evidently feen, when not only the mofl 
 palpable errors, which are utterly void of 
 any foundation in fcripture, nay even di- 
 reflly contrary to it, will be ftill embraced 
 and continued; but their utter ruin and 
 deftruflion, and the profperity of all the 
 world befides, will not bring them to re-- 
 pentance, nor incline them to give glory 
 to the God of Heaven. Mis judgments 
 upon them will therefore appear jult ; but 
 ihortal man mud pity his fellow creatures 
 T perifliing 
 
( 13^ )■ 
 
 perifhing in obftinacy, and expofed to the 
 vengeance of an indignant God. 
 
 Chap,X. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And I faw another mighty angel 
 defcend from Heaven, cloathed with a 
 cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, 
 and his face was as it were the fun, and 
 his feet as pillars of fire. 2. And he had 
 in his hand a little book open j and fet 
 his right foot upon the fea, and his left 
 upon the earth. 3. And he cried with a 
 loud voice as when a lion roareth, and 
 when he cried feven thunders uttered 
 their voices. 4. And when the feven 
 thunders had uttered their voices I was 
 about to write : and I heard a voice out 
 of Heaven, faying unto me, feal thofe 
 
 things 
 
( m ) 
 
 things which the feven thunders have 
 uttered, and write them not. 
 
 Vcr. 5. And the angel, whom I faw {land- 
 ing upon the fea3 and upon the earth, 
 lifted up his hand to Heaven, 6. and 
 fwore by Him who liveih for ever and 
 €ver, who hath created the Heaven, and 
 all things therein, and the earth, and all 
 that is therein, and the fea, and all 
 things in it, that there fhould be time 
 no longer. 7. But in the days of the 
 voice of the feventh angel, when he 
 Ihall begin to found, even the myftery 
 of God {hall be {ini{hed, as he hath dC' 
 clared to his fervants the prophets. 
 
 ¥er. 8. And I heard a voice from Heaven 
 again fpeaking with me, faying, go, and 
 take the little book, that is open in the 
 hand of the angel, who ftandeth upon 
 the fea, and upon the earth, g. And L 
 went to the angel, and faid unto him, 
 T 2 give 
 
( '38 ) 
 
 give me the book. And he faid unto 
 me, take, and eat it : and it will make 
 thy belly bitter, but Ihall be in thy 
 mouth fvveet as honey, lo. And I took 
 the little book out of the hand of the 
 angel, and eat it : and it was in my 
 mouth fweet as honey, and when I 
 had eaten it my belly was made bitter. 
 3 1. And he faid unto me, thou muft 
 prophecy again before many peo^ 
 pies, and nations, and tongues, and 
 kings. 
 
 THE reader will in this, and the follow- 
 ing chapter, be diverted from the re- 
 gular feries of events by digreffive repre < 
 fentations of particular circumftances, ne- 
 cefiary to illuftrate the principal purpofe 
 of thofe myfleries. Thefe chapters (with 
 fome others defcriptive in like manner of 
 feveral matters tending to the fame end,) 
 afford an agreeable variety to the fubjeft ; 
 and being all of them cafily explained as 
 
( ^39 ) 
 
 fo many different parts of this great build- 
 ing, the truth of this explanation will 
 thereby become fufficiently evident. Whe- 
 ther therefore we regard the harmony and 
 connexion of the feveral parts with each 
 other, or the general tendency of the whole, 
 which will be found to be of the utmofl: 
 importance to mankind, we mull equally 
 acknowledge the efficacy of the key, here 
 made ufe of to open thefc hiden ftores. 
 The fimplicity of it is likewife an argu- 
 ment of its truth. The wards of this myf- 
 tick lock eafily yield to its power, which 
 have refifted the infinite efforts and at- 
 tempts of ages. But we mufl now con- 
 fider ;he text. 
 
 This mighty angel, fo glorious in his 
 appearance, holds in his hand a little book 
 open. This little book may fignify the 
 myfteries now before us, which areheld out 
 open to the evangelift, and ready for him to 
 read, or tranfcribe. By fetting his right 
 foot on the fea, and his left on the earthy 
 
 may 
 
( 140 ) 
 
 may be implied the tendency of this vo- 
 lume ; which is to unite the Pagan with 
 the Chridian world, and join them to- 
 gether in one uniform fyflem of religion. 
 For in the fcriptures by the fea are gener - 
 ally underflood the heathen nations, and 
 by the earth the true church. 
 
 It is faid, ver. 3., &c. When he cried 
 feven thunders uttered their voices ; at 
 hearing of which St. John was about to 
 write. This however he was forbid to do. 
 From this pafTage we may gather that the 
 voices of thofe thunders imported the dif- 
 covery of thefe fecrets, which was by no 
 means to be then communicated to the 
 world, but on the contrary locked up 
 and fealed till Gods appointed time. 
 
 Ver, 5., &c. The angel is defcribed 
 folemnly prolefting that there (hould be 
 time no longer ; but when the feventh an- 
 gel (hould found the myftery of God 
 fhould be finiflied. By this may be under« 
 
 flood 
 
( Ml ) 
 
 flood that at the founding of the feventh 
 trumpet the fpiritual labours of God in Jiis 
 church fliould be finifhed, and no more 
 time fhould be employed in her formation ; 
 but being now made perfefl flie fiiould en- 
 ter into reft and glory, as all the holy 
 prophets in their feveral times have de- 
 clared. 
 
 Ver. 8., &c. afford a reprefentation of 
 the formal delivery of Gods prophetick 
 commiffion to the holy cvangelift, whereby 
 he was empowered to promulgate Gods 
 myfteries to the world. By eating of the 
 book is implied a thorough digeftion of its 
 contents, and a clear and accurate arrange- 
 ment of its feveral parts. 
 
 EzEKiEL like wife was commanded to eat 
 the prophetick volume, which had the 
 fame effe6l with the book here mentioned, 
 making his belly bitter. Ezek. 2. and 3. This 
 bitternels may imply the many judgments 
 contained in this volume, and denounced 
 
 againft 
 
againfl the wicked in their feveral ages^ 
 which rxiuft have given pain and concern to 
 St. John in the refleflion of them. 
 
 Ver. 11. The evangelift is told that he 
 muft prophecy again before many nations^ 
 and tongues, and kings. This he wull ef- 
 feflually do when thefe myfteries are fully 
 explained, and all the kings and potentates 
 of the earth are ready to bring their glory 
 and honour into Gods church. Their 
 greatnefs and importance will then be due- 
 Jy honoured and reverenced. 
 
 Chap. XL Ver. i,&c. 
 
 Ver, 1. And there was given unto me a 
 reed like unto a rod, faying, arife, and 
 raeafure the temple of God, and the 
 
 altar 
 
( ^43 ) 
 
 fthar, and thofe who worfhip ihereiil* 
 2. But the court that is without the tem- 
 ple leave out, and meafure it not, be- 
 caufe it is given to the gentiles : and the 
 holy city ihall they tread under foot 
 foity two months, 
 
 Ph\ 3. And I will give power unto my two 
 witncffes, and they fliall prophecy a 
 thoufand two hundred and threefcorc 
 days, cloathed in fackcloth, 4. Thefe 
 are the two olive trees, and the two 
 candlefticks, Handing before the God 
 of the earth. 5. And if any would 
 hurt them, fire proceedeth from their 
 mouth, and devour^th their enemies • 
 and if any would hurt them in this man- 
 ner muft they be killed. 6. Thefe have 
 power to (hut up Heaven, that it rain 
 not in the days of their prophecy : and 
 they have power upon the waters to turn 
 
 i them to blood, and to fmite the earth 
 \rith every plague as often as they will. 
 
( ^^i ) 
 
 fa\ 7. And Vvhen ihey (hall finifti theli' 
 teftimony, the bcaft, which afccndeth 
 out of the bottomlers pit, (hall make 
 war with them', and overcome them, 
 and kill them. 8. And their earcafes 
 (liall lie in the flreet of the great city, 
 which is fpiritually called Sodom, and 
 Egypt, where alfo our Lard was cruci- 
 fied, g. And the peoples, and tribes, 
 and tongues, and rrations, fhall fee their 
 earcafes three days and an half, and 
 fhall not fuffer their earcafes to be put 
 into graves. 10. And thofe who dwell 
 upon the earth fliall rejoice over them, 
 and fliall make merry, and fend gifts 
 one to another; beoaufe thefe two pro- 
 phets tormented thofe who dwell upon 
 the earth. 
 
 Ver, 11. And after three days and an half 
 the fpirit of life from God entered into 
 tliem : and tliey flood upon their feet, 
 and great fear fell upon thofe who fav\r 
 ikem. 22. And they heard a loud. 
 
 voic* 
 
( Hh ) 
 
 voice out of Heaven, faying unto them, 
 come up hither. And they afcended 
 into Heaven in a cloud, and their ene- 
 mies beheld them. 13. And in the 
 lame hour was there a great earthquake, 
 and the tenth part of the city fell, and 
 there Were flain of men in the earth- 
 quake feven thoufand : and the remnant 
 were affrighted, and gave glory to th^ 
 God of Heaven. 
 
 *" I ^HIS chapter contains many thitig.^ 
 -*- great and interefting, which merit 
 particular regard. The principal tendency 
 of this myilery is to difcover the true 
 chriftian church, to which all other chrif- 
 lian churches (except the Roman,) mufl 
 conform, and to which all other nations in 
 the world mufl; yield obedience. This will 
 be in a great meafure effefted by the con- 
 federacy of the proteftant with the papal 
 powers againfl; us in their invafion, menti- 
 oned in the fifth trumpet, 
 
 U 2 JBuT 
 
( m5 ) 
 
 But that the true church may be ilill 
 more accurately difGovered, a particular 
 part of ihe Revelation is here fet apart, 
 which reprefents in a clear and lively man- 
 ner her happy feleftion at that time from 
 the many and various profelfors of chrif- 
 tianity amongft us. It is not enough that 
 flie fhould be diftinguifhed from foreign, 
 fhe mud alfo be dillinguifhed from all do* 
 meftick rivals. Her title to pre-eminency 
 will then be fixed and determined, and (he will 
 be fufBciently confpicuous to engage the 
 homage and fubjeftion of the world. 
 
 To illuflrate what is mentioned above 
 we find the evangelifl commanded, ver. i., 
 &c. to meafure the temple of God, and 
 the altar, (or the eflablilhed church of Eng- 
 land,) and mark out this holy inclofurc 
 Ibr protedion, and deliverance, in the 
 time of ruin and defolation mentioned in 
 the filth trumpet ; but the court without 
 the temple (or the many different diffen- 
 ters from our church,) mult be left out, 
 ^nd given up a prey to the fury of the 
 
 Gentiles. 
 
( 147' ) 
 
 Gentiles, or the proteftant and papal in- 
 vaders of thofe kingdoms, called in the 
 fifth trumpet locufts. This mcafurement 
 muft however be here only ufed as an em- 
 hlematick diflinftion of the wheat from 
 the tares in this time of harvefl ; for other- 
 ^rife, as I obferved before, in realjty all 
 perfons of every denomination will be 
 equally expofed to the fury of thofe times. 
 
 It may not be amifs to refer to this laft 
 perfecution of the church the fiery trial 
 mentioned by St. Paul ; for then only the 
 truth of religion will be fully known and 
 efiablifhed. 
 
 Other foundation (fays he, i Cor. 3. 
 V. u, &c.) cao no man lay befides that 
 which is already laid, which is Jefus Chrift. 
 If any one will build upon this foundation 
 gold, filver, precious ftones, wood, hay, 
 and flubhle: every mans work fhall be 
 manifefi^ for the day Ihall declare it, for 
 it fliall :bc revealed by fire; and the fire 
 
 {hall 
 
( 148 ) 
 
 ftall try every man's work or what lort it 
 4s. If any mans work fhall remain, which 
 he hath built, he fhall have a reward. If 
 any mans work (hal! be burnt, he (hall fuf- 
 ferlofs, but he himfelf fhall be faved, yet 
 fo as by fire. ' In this manner w^ill all er- 
 rors and corrupt doftrines be totally de- 
 firoyed and effaced, and the Philadelphian, 
 or Englifli. church will come of this fur* 
 nace of affliftion like gold, pure and with- 
 out lofs of w^eight, and more refined and 
 glittering. 
 
 The court without the temple, above- 
 mentioned, is to be given up to the Gen- 
 tiles for the fpace of forty two months ; 
 which time comprdiends exaftly three 
 years and an half. This will be the utmofl 
 duration of this great aflliflion ; but for 
 the fake of the Eleft we may hope that 
 tliefe days will be fhortened.* 
 
 Va\ 3., &c. It is faid, and I will give 
 power unto my two witnefTes, &c. which 
 
 are 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 are called alfo two olive-trees, and two 
 candleilicks. 
 
 In order the better to comprehend the 
 meaning ul thefc appellations we mult 
 take notice of the golden candleftick 
 fiiewn to the prophet Zachariah, Ch. 4, 
 This candleftick is for the moft p^rt the 
 fame with that made by Mofes, and expref- 
 fivc of the feven divifions of the church; 
 but befidc it were feen two olive-trees, one 
 on each fide. 
 
 These two olive trees reprefent the two 
 larger divifions of the chriftian church, to 
 wit, the two firft chriftian churches, and 
 the great univtifal church. As therefore 
 every branch of the facred candleftick e- 
 qually comprehends the whole, and the 
 leven branches are all one folid mafs of 
 pure gold, for true religion is one and the 
 fame in all ages, and only differs in its 
 feveral ftages of perfetlion ; we rnuft ap- 
 ply the meaning cf the two witnefies, &c. 
 
 above- 
 
( \5^ ) 
 
 above-mentioned, to the pure fincerechrif- 
 tians, who amidfl; the deluge of fuperftiti* 
 ous errors, which overflowed and darkened 
 the papal church, did not defile their gar- 
 ments, as is mentioned in the church of 
 Sardis, with thefe impurities, but fecretly 
 lamented them, cloathed as it were in fack- 
 cloth. And though they openly protefted 
 againft them at the reformation, yet they 
 may ftill be faid to prophecy in fackcloth 
 till this great decifive fiery trial, fo often 
 mentioned ; for then only will their merits 
 be finally acknowledged and determined, 
 and then only will be laid the foundation 
 of their future glory. 
 
 The time of this humiliation is faid in 
 the text to be a thoufand, two hundred, 
 and threefcore days. Thefe days we may 
 ^11 fo many years, and date the com- 
 mencement of them from the firfl: general 
 admifiion of errors and corruption in the 
 church of Sardis,. or Rome. 
 
 These 
 
( 151 
 
 These holy witnefTes, or true profcf- 
 fors of the faith in the feveral chriftian 
 churches, are here (hewn to have always 
 been armed with the fecret proteftion of 
 providence. The rage of their enemies 
 cannot tranfcend the bounds appointed by 
 God ; but at every effort to exceed them 
 they are conftantly driven back with (hame, 
 and confufion. The prayers of tho(e holy 
 profcffors of true religion are here faid to 
 be ftrong' and efficacious ; in the ftrength 
 of which they fafcly pafs through the vale 
 of tears, and afflidions. 
 
 Though the firfl: appearance of thofe 
 witneffes mufl: take date in the fixth centu- 
 ry, when the chriftian church was fuffici- 
 cntly darkened and overwhelmed w^ith cor- 
 ruption and fuperfliiion to banilh from it 
 the glory of the divine prefence ; yet it 
 may not be amifs to obferve the notice 
 ^vhich protedants have taken of them in 
 the eleventh century, when the chriftiail 
 world was totally buried in ignorance and 
 X ftupidity. 
 
( i\5^ ) 
 
 ■flupidity, and afforded a plentirul harveilr 
 for the cunning and infidious fpiritual di-^ 
 reftors of thofe gloomy limes. 
 
 The learned Mofheinv, in his eeclefiaf- 
 tical hiftory, takes notice, * that from ths 
 time of Gregory the 7th in feveral coun- 
 Mes of Europe, particularly in Italy and* 
 France, there very evidently appeared the 
 velliges of thofe people who are common- 
 ly called by Proteftants the witnefTes of 
 the truth, that is, good and pious men, 
 who bewailed the vices and difeafes of 
 publick religion, and the whole ecclefiafti- 
 eal body, oppofed the i'mmoderatc tyranny, 
 as well of the Roman pontiffs as of the 
 ordinary bifhops, and endeavoured both, 
 privately and openly to effeft fome refor^* 
 mation of the church. However rude up- 
 on the whole aiid ignorant of true divini- 
 ty this age might have been, yet what few 
 fragments of chriftian doftrine were 
 thought proper to be divulged to the mur« 
 litude were fufficient to inform, even the 
 
 illiteratie 
 
illiterate and ruflick that it was not pure 
 
 and genuine, and that Chrift required any 
 
 •thing from -his difciples rather than what 
 
 the priefts of thofe times profefled cither 
 
 by their words, lives, or manners ; that 
 
 pontiffs and bifhops egregioudy abufed 
 
 the power they were intruded with, in fine 
 
 that the divir>e favour and falvation were 
 
 not to be obtained by cremonics, liberality 
 
 to churches and priefts, or ^building and 
 
 endowing of monafteries, but only in the 
 
 purity and bolinefs of the mind andxlifpo- 
 
 fition/ 
 
 To return lo the text, ^er. 7th, &c, it 
 is faid, and when they (hall finilh their tef- 
 timony, the bead, which afcendeth out of 
 the bottomlefs pit, (hall make war with 
 them and overcome them, .&c. that is^ 
 •when the terin ef one thoufand two hun- 
 dred and threefcore days, or years, is ex» 
 pired, then will commence the lafl: af- 
 fliftion, and fiery trial, allotted for the 
 fathful. At this time will they be given up 
 
 X 2 aa 
 
( m )" 
 
 an eafy cdnqueft to the devouring lorjfls, 
 mentioned in the fifth trumpet, and their 
 carcafes will be given to be trodden under 
 foot in the ftreets of the great city, fpiri- 
 tually called Babylon, and Sodom. Here 
 we find that the fcriptures give difguifed 
 names and titles to the feveral nations 
 which are the objefts of their notice, that 
 they may be the better concealed from the 
 knowledge of the world till the time when 
 it may be proper that they fl:]ould be fully 
 known and difcovered. Thus we fee the 
 papal church is here called Babylon, as flic 
 is likewife in other parts of this Revelati- 
 on, as well as in other places of the pro- 
 phetick fcriptures. 
 
 Our enemies will now imagine that 
 they have laid a lading foundation to their 
 long defired fpiritual empire, and will 
 congratulate one another upon fo happy 
 an event. Their joy will be fo much the 
 greater as thefe witnefiTes gave them trou- 
 ble and uneafinefs, and checked and inter- 
 rupted 
 
{ ^55 ) 
 
 rupted their progrefs in fpiritual tyranny. 
 This England has been allowed to have 
 done, having always been accounted the 
 great bulwark of the proteftant faith. 
 
 But we find, ver. ii, &c. that after 
 three days and an half, or three years and 
 an half, the time allotted for our fuf- 
 ferings, thefe dead carcafes were re-anima- 
 ted, and afcended, in the fight of their 
 enemies, with glory and triumph into 
 Heaven. The meaning of which is, we 
 fhall then be happily and miraculoufly de- 
 livered from the powder and tyranny of our 
 enemies, in the manner which will be here- 
 after taken notice of as we proceed in thefe 
 myfleries, 
 
 ^Ver. 13., it is faid, and in the fame hour 
 there was a great earthquake, and the 
 tenth part of the city fell, &c. This earth- 
 quake, is the trouble and affliftion of our 
 church and nation, fo often mentioned ; 
 in which die tenth part of the city (or the 
 
 court: 
 
court without the temple, mentioned in 
 the beginning of this chapter,) will fall, or 
 be devoted to deftruflion. A oertain num- 
 be rof them (faid in the text to be feventhou- 
 fand,) will be Ilain in this calamity ; but 
 the remnant will hapily repent of their er« 
 roY9 and obftinacy, return to the bofom 
 of our moft holy and venerable church, 
 and give glory to the God of Heaven. 
 
 Such are the remarkable particulars of 
 the great revolution, which, according to 
 thofe myfteries, will fhortly happen in 
 ihofe kingdoms. It will be the greatefl €- 
 vil the church has ever endured, but it 
 %vill alfo be the 4afl: : and though we fhall 
 fow in tears, yet we (hall fhortly afterwards 
 reap with joy, and bear oui (heaves with 
 
 Chah^ 
 
^c 257 ) 
 
 Chap, XL Ver. 14, &c. 
 
 Ver, 14. The fecond woe is paft, and be- 
 hold, the third woe eometh quickly. 
 
 AFTER the above necefFary circum- 
 fiances, relating to our church and 
 nation, are particulary related, as above, 
 the fecond woe, (or Gods judgments and 
 dreadful vengeance on the papal nations, 
 defcribed in the fixth trumpet,) is pro- 
 nounced to be paft. This will fpeedily be 
 fucceeded by a third woe, comprifed in the 
 following trumpet. 
 
 Cka-p. 
 
C '58 ) 
 
 Cjj^ap, XL Ver. 15., &c. 
 
 Ver. 15, And the fcventh angel founder^, 
 and there were great voices in Heaven, 
 faying, the kingdoms of this world are 
 became the kingdoms of our Lord, and 
 hi^ Chrift, and he fiiall reign for ever 
 and ever 
 
 Ver, 16. And the four and twenty ciders, 
 who were fitting before God upon their 
 thrones, fell upon their faces, and wor- 
 fnipped God, faying, 17. Let us give 
 thanks unto thee. Lord God Almighty ! 
 who art, who waft, and who art to come ! 
 becaufe thou haft taken thy great power, 
 a'nd haft reigned* 18. And the nations 
 
 were 
 
( ^59 ) 
 
 Vv^re angry, and thy wrath was come^ 
 and the time of the dead that they 
 fhould be judged/ and that thou fhould- 
 efl give reward to thy fervants the pro- 
 phets, and to thy faints, and to thofe 
 who Jfear thy name, both fmall and 
 great, and to dellroy thofe who deRroy 
 the earth ! 
 
 Ver^-^ig, And the temple of God was open- 
 ed in Heaven, and there was feen in his 
 temple the ark of his covenant: and 
 there were lightnings, and voices, and 
 thunders, and an earthquake, and a great 
 hail. 
 
 THE feVenth trumpet is employed in 
 fubduing all the kingdoms of infide- 
 lity to that of Chrifl : and he will now reign 
 for ever and ever. 
 
 The flrong nigged powers of the Ma- 
 hometan empire (liall ftrctch forth their 
 Y hands 
 
•f x6o ) 
 
 Mand^ unlohim, anddefire to be foftened and 
 eivilifed by his gentle laws and inftitutions^ 
 All the mighty Pagan nations, with their 
 numerous dependents, and every wild and 
 favage ilate, will feel the pervading fpirit 
 oF God, which will inftil into their r^iinds^ 
 a ftrong and irrefiftable defirc of fubmitting 
 to his laws. For at that time (as the PfaU 
 mift expreffes i-t,) his dominion (liall be 
 from the one fea ta the other, and fronr 
 the flood unto the world's end. They who 
 dwell in the wildernefs (hall kneel before 
 him : his enemies flia:ll lick the dufK The 
 kings of Tharfis, and of the lilcs, fhall give 
 prefejfits ; the kingi? of Arabia, and Saba, 
 ihall bring gifts. All kings fhall fall down 
 before him, all nations fliall do him fer- 
 \ke/ Pl 72. V. S., &c. 
 
 Vcr, 16., ''&^' Yvhat is here mentioned 
 X^i?,v be compared with the other -preced- 
 incT defcriptions of Chrift's kingdom ; for 
 hc*J^ ttic &gtf and twenty elders arelil«:wife 
 
 faid 
 
( -iSi ) 
 
 faid to proftrate ihemfelves before ttie' 
 throne of God, and do him homage, as be- 
 fore. 
 
 They obfervc in his prefence that the 
 nations were angry ; but that at the fame 
 time his anger was kindled againd them, 
 nor did it ceafe but in their deftriiflion. 
 It is impoffible for the combined powers of 
 nature to refift his will ; for the world and 
 nature are his, and even the reCIlance and 
 ftubbornefs of his enemies ferve the more 
 to accomplifh his purpofes> He will now 
 fully reward his fervants the prophets, and 
 his faints, having deftroyed thofe who de^ 
 ftroyed the earth, and broke the burning 
 arrows of the bow, the fhield, the fword, 
 and the war* The Heathen made much 
 ado, and the kingdoms were moved ; but 
 God fhewed his voice, and the earth melt- 
 ed away^ Pf. 46. v. 6. 
 
 Y 2 Ve^ 
 
 Xl^^.fVof Pm;,,,^ 
 
( l62 ) 
 
 Ver. 19. Wc fee that the temple of God 
 ' now opened in Heaven, and the ark of 
 ne teflament is feen in his temple. His 
 religion, and dominion, are now fully cfta- 
 blifhed, and guarded and defended with 
 the terrors of his Majefty : for there were 
 lightnings, and thunders, and voices, and 
 an earthquake, and a great hail. 
 
 PART 
 
PART THE FOURTH. 
 
 A KE» 
 
i 
 
Key to the Mystery, &a 
 
 PART THE FOURTH. 
 
 Chap. XII. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And there appeared a great fign 
 in Heaven, a woman cloathed with the 
 fun ; and the moon was under her feet, 
 and upon her head a crown of twelve 
 Itafrs. 2. And fhe^ being with child, 
 cried, travailing in birth, and pained to 
 be delivered. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( i66 ) 
 
 Ver. 3. And there appeared another fign iti 
 Heaven, and behold, a great red dra-^ 
 gon, having feven heads, and ten horns^ 
 and upon his heads feven crowns. 4, 
 And his tail drew the third part of the 
 ftars of Heaven, and caft them to the 
 earth : and the dragon flood before the 
 womaii, who was ready to be dehvered, 
 that he might devour her child as foon 
 as -it (hould be born. 5. And flie 
 brought forth a man child, who fhould 
 rule all nations with a rod of iron ; and 
 the child \Vas taken up to God, and to 
 his throne. 6. And the woman fled in- 
 to the wildernefs, where fhe hath a 
 place prepared for her of G>od, that they 
 fhould nourifli her there a thoufand two 
 hundred and three fcore days, 
 
 Ver, 7. And there was war in heaven : 
 Michael, and his angels, fought againft 
 th^ dragon, and the dragon fought, and 
 his angels. 8. And they prevailed not, 
 neither was place found for them any 
 
 more 
 
( '6; ) 
 
 more ih Heaven. 9. And the great 
 dragon was cad out, that old ferpent, 
 called the Devil, and Satan, who deceiv- 
 eth all the world ; he wa^ cad down to the 
 earth, and his angels were call forthwith 
 him. 
 
 Ve?'. 10. And I heard a loud voice faying 
 in Heaven, now is come falvation, and 
 powder, and the kingdom of our God, 
 . and the power of his Chrift : for the ac ♦ 
 cufer of our brethren is call dow^n, who 
 accufed them before God day and night! 
 1 I. And they have overcon^.e him 
 through the blood of the Lamb, and 
 through the w^ord of their teftimony ; 
 and they loved not iheir life unto death. 
 12. Wherefore rejoice j O Heavens, and 
 you who dwell therein! W^oe to the in- 
 habitants of the earth, and the fea ! for 
 llie Devil is come down unto you, hav- 
 ing great wrath, knowing that he hath 
 a (hoit time. 
 
 Z Ver. 
 
{ i68 ) 
 
 Ver. 13. And when the dragon faw that he 
 was cafl out to the earth, he perfecuted 
 the woman who brought forth the man 
 child. 14. And to the woman were gi- 
 ven two wings of a great eagle, that 
 {he fhould flee into the wildernefs, where 
 they fhould nourifli her for a time, and 
 times, and half a time, from the face 
 oF the ferpent. 15. And the ferpent 
 caft forth after the woman out of his 
 mouth water as a river, that he might 
 caufe her to be carried away with the 
 flood. 16. And the earth helped the 
 woman, and the earth opened her mouth, 
 and fwallowed up the flood, which the 
 dragon cafl: out of his mouth. 17. And 
 the dragon was wroth with the woman, 
 and went to make war with the remnant 
 of her feed, fuch as keep the command- 
 ments of God, and have tlie tefiimorfy 
 
 ^ of Jefus Chrift. 
 
 IN 
 
t i69 ) 
 
 IN this fourth part of the myftery of 
 the Revelation, the reader will find 
 a change and relaxation from the 
 continual repetition of ecclefiaftical events 
 in their progreffive feries, and will find 
 them contrafled with a ftrong and formid- 
 able pifture of antichrift. 
 
 Th£ dcfcription in the text is deduced 
 from that part of him called the iron king- 
 dom, or the old Roman empire, the moft 
 potent of any preceding it, and carried on 
 in the next chapter to his lafl ftage of ex- 
 iftence, when he will receive his deadly 
 wound, and no more trouble and interrupt 
 the peace of the world* 
 
 Trjis chapter is remarkably dark, and 
 its fecret meanings feem hard to be extrac- 
 ted from its clouded materials ; but it may 
 however be neceffary to attempt an expla- 
 nation of it, as the following chapter evi- 
 dently appears to be, a continuation of the 
 ^ntichriftian hiftory, ajid may eafily be ex- 
 Z 2 plained 
 
C 1/0 ) 
 
 plained into many particular circunjilances 
 regarding the laft fortunes an4 flrugglings 
 of the church: and though the ej^pofuion 
 will not be fo particular as niight be dc- 
 fired, it may however be fufficient to car- 
 ry on the thread of the narration. 
 
 The woman, cloathed with the fun, &c, 
 may reprefent the church, and the great 
 red dragon, the Iron kingdom, or pagan 
 Rome. This terrible monfter flood ready 
 to devour chriftianity as foon as it fliould 
 be born ; but the providence of God ihel- 
 tered it from his malice, and preferved it 
 from defiruftion. 
 
 This dragon is faid to have feven heads, 
 and ten horns ; for though he compofes 
 but a part of the image of antichrift, yet 
 he nevcrthclefs equally partakes of the 
 whole. In the fame manner we have feen 
 the church reprefented as one folid body, 
 compofed of levcn different members, or 
 periods. 
 
( 171 ) 
 
 Vcr. 6. The woman is faid 4o fiee iiuo 
 the wildernefsj where fhe has a place pre- 
 pared for her, in whicli Tne is to be nou- 
 rifhed a thoufand two hundred and three- 
 fcore days. X'^^i^ pafl'cige nriay be compat*- 
 ed with that In the eleventh chapter, where 
 it is faid the witnefTcs fhould prophecy in 
 fackcloth the fame number of days. 
 
 This number of days we mufl confider 
 as fo many years/ and (as was there obferv- 
 ed,) date the commencement of them 
 from the firft general corruption of the 
 church. From that time the true faith 
 feemed as it were hid and fecreted from 
 the eye of the world, and was only pro- 
 fieffed and preferved by a more enlightened 
 and confcientious few, who might rever- 
 ence in fecret what they were not allowed 
 openly to praftice ; as we find recorded 
 concerning the revolted tribes of IfraeJ, 
 that God had referved for himfelf feven 
 thoufand perfons who had not bowed their 
 Jinees to Baal. And though (as was ob- 
 
 ferved) 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 ferved) the church oF England has for a 
 long time afforded reception and protefti- 
 on to the perfecuted faith ; yet as it can- 
 not ftill be reckoned free from the danger 
 of its enemies, and has not yet received its 
 crov;n and reward, it may therefore till its 
 period of final deliverance be looked upon 
 as under a ftate of pilgrimage. 
 
 Var. 7, &c. The fate of antichrift. feems 
 to be determined by God, and the fcale of 
 his power to be overpoifed by the glory, 
 and good fortune, of the church. This 
 is a general emblematick pifture of the fi- 
 rial decifion of his fate. 
 
 The know^ledge of his doom exafper- 
 ates him the more to perfecute and vex 
 thofe whom he is not permitted to deftroy. 
 Accordingly, ven 13., &c. may reprefent 
 the many perfecutions the church has fuf- 
 fered from the envy and malice of the De- 
 vil, v/ho has flirred up every member of 
 antichrift to affli6l and diflrefs her in the 
 
 time 
 
( -^73 ) 
 
 time of her pilgrimage, a thoufand two 
 hundred and threefcore years. Wc may 
 likewife fee thdt God preferved her from 
 every attempt of her enemies, and was 
 always a prcfent help in the time of her 
 troubles. 
 
 Ver. 17. The dragon is reprefented as 
 enraged at his many difappointments, 
 and the confufion of all his enterprifefi a- 
 gaintt the woman, or the church : he is 
 therefore determined to collefl; all his 
 ftrength, and to make one more furious ef- 
 fort againft the remnant oF her feed. 
 
 This will be the bufincfs of the next 
 chapter, w-hich is a circumftantial defcrip- 
 tion of the feveral enemies who will (hort- 
 ly invade thefe kingdoms, with feme not- 
 able particulars which will mark that fatal 
 time. 
 
 Cha/^. 
 
( n\ ) 
 
 Vcr* 185 dni Chap, 13. 
 
 Vtr, 18. And I flood upon the fand of the 
 fea, chap. 13, ver. 1. And I faw com^ 
 ing up out of the fea a beaft, having 
 feven heads, and ten horns ; and upon 
 his horns feven crowns, and upon his 
 heads the name of blafphemy. 2. And 
 the bead which I faw was like unto a 
 Leopard, and his feet were as the feet 
 of a Bear, and his mouth as tlie mouth 
 of a Lion : and the Dragon gave liim 
 his power, and his throne^, and great 
 authority. 
 
 Vcr. 3. And I faw one of his heads as it 
 w^ere wounded to death : and his deadiv 
 wound was healed, and all the world 
 
 w^ondered 
 
( ^n ) 
 
 v/ondeied after the beaft. 4. And they 
 worfhipped the dragon which gave pow- 
 er unto the beaft, and they worfliipped 
 the beaft, Taying, who is hke unto the 
 beaft ? who is able to make war with 
 ham? 5. And there was given unto 
 him a mouth fpeaking great things, and 
 blafphcmies ; and power was given unto 
 him to continue forty two months, 6. 
 And he opened his mouth in blafphemy 
 againftGod, toblafpheme his name, and 
 his tabernacle, and thofe who dwell ia 
 Heaven. 7. And it was given unto him 
 to make war with the faints, and to o- 
 vercome them : and power was given 
 unto him over every tribe, and tongue, 
 and nation. 8. And all who dwell upon 
 the earth fliall worfliip him, whofe 
 naines are not written in the book of life 
 of the Lamb, flain from the foundation 
 of the w^orld. 9. If any one hath an ear 
 let him hear. 10. He who leadeth into 
 captivity fiiall go into captivity, if any 
 killeth with the fword, he fnal! be killed 
 A a with 
 
( 17^ ) 
 
 With the fword: here is the patience^ 
 and the faith of the faints. 
 
 Vei', ii» And I faw another beaJl afcend 
 out of the earth ; and he had two horns 
 like unto a lamb, and he fpake as a dra- 
 gon. 12. And he exercifed the power 
 of the firft beaft in his prefence, and 
 caufed the earth, and thofe who dwell 
 therein, to worfhip the firft beaft, whofe 
 deadly wound was healed. 13. And he 
 doth great wonders, fo that he maketh 
 fire to come dow^n from Heaven to the 
 earth before m«n. 14. And he dcceiv- 
 eth thofe w^ho dwell upon the earth, 
 through the wonders which were given 
 him to make in the prefence of the beaft,- 
 commanding thofe who dwell upon the 
 earth to make an image to the beaft, 
 which had a w'ound with a fword, and 
 did live. 15. And power was given un- 
 to him to give life to the image of the 
 beaft, fo that the image of the beaft 
 Ibould both fpeak, and caufe, that thofe 
 
 -svho 
 
( ^11 ) 
 
 who fhould not worfhip the image of 
 the beaft (hould be (Iain. \^, And he 
 caufeth all, both fmall and great, ricli 
 and poor, free and bond, to receive a 
 mark in their right-hand, or on their 
 foreheads. 17. And that no man fhould 
 buy, or fell, but thofe who had the mark, 
 or the name, of the beaft, or the num- 
 ber of his name. 18. Here is wifdom. 
 Let him who hath underltanding count 
 the number of the bead; for it is the 
 number of a man, and his number is fix 
 hundred threefcore and fix. 
 
 AT the end of the preceding chapter 
 we found the dragon wTOth with 
 the woman, or the church, and preparing 
 to make w^ar with the remnant of her feed. 
 In this chapter he puts in execution his 
 threatnings, but makes ufe of a deputy to 
 give them tbeir full accompifliment. 
 
 This deputy is the beaft, which St. 
 
 John fees, ver. 1. coming up out of the 
 
 A a 2 feav 
 
( 1/8 ) 
 
 fea. He has like wife feven heads, and ten 
 horns, to fhew he is a member of the great 
 body of antichrill. Thefe heads and horns 
 v/ill be particularly defcribed afterwards in 
 the 17th chapter. 
 
 This formidable beaft is the papal 
 church, and is called in the fifth trumpet 
 the angel of the bottomlefs pit, and Apol- 
 lyon, or a deflroyer. This name is empha- 
 ti^ally given to that fatal church, which 
 hath already, not only here, but in every 
 part of the world w^here its power has ex-^ 
 tended, fufficiently manifefted its perfecut- 
 ing and deftroying principles, Thefe per-, 
 nicious qualities, fo contrary to the gentle 
 doftrines of the gofpel of Chrift, have juft- 
 ]y broken this devoted church from the 
 olive-tree of tlie faith, and caufed her to 
 be ingrafted into the body of antichrift. 
 
 This beaft, ver. 2. is faid to be like un- 
 to a leopaid, or to the Grecian monarchy, 
 preceding the Romay ; his feet to be like 
 
 thofe 
 
( ^79 ) 
 
 thofe cf a bear, or the Perfian monarchy, 
 and -his mouth like a Hon, or the Babylo- 
 nian empire. Thcfe fucceffive empires, 
 with fome others preceding them, which 
 will be taken notice of in the 17th chap- 
 ter, and that of the Roman church, and 
 her ten confederate kingdoms, m.ake up 
 the perfect image of antichrifl. To this 
 beaft the dragon delegates bis full power 
 and authority, which he will eff'eflually 
 make ufe of in caufing the temporary ruin ' 
 and d^ftru6lion of thefe kingdoms. 
 
 St. John faw, ver. 3., &c. one of his 
 heads as it were wounded to death. We 
 muft underiland every thing mentioned in 
 the fcriptures as particularly relating to 
 the church of God. In this light the dead- 
 ly wound, here faid to be given to the 
 beaft, will appear to have been infliSed by 
 our reformation, and the feceffion of thefe 
 kingdoms from the empire of the church 
 of Rome. 
 
 At 
 
( i8o ) 
 
 At tliis time, in refpect to thefe king- 
 doms, it received a deadly wound : but 
 this Xvound will Teem to be fully healed, 
 and the |)Ov;er oF the Roman church re- 
 ellablifhed in a greater extent than ever, 
 when the beail afcends out of the botiom- 
 lefs j,)it, with his army of locuils, when 
 the carcafes of the faints fhall be trodden 
 under foot, and expofed in the (Ireets of 
 the great city, fpiritually called Sodom, 
 that is Rome, or under the power of the 
 papal tyranny ; in a word, when England 
 is fully conquered and fubdued by the 
 power of antichrifl. 
 
 All the world v/ill then wonder after 
 the beafi, as his empire will appear fully 
 fettled and eftablifhed ; and in the eyes of 
 his votaries no power whatfoever v;ill be 
 accounted able to make war v;ith him» 
 This triumph and exaltation, hov;ever, we 
 find will be limitted to forty two months, 
 Biaking exadly three years and a half, 
 
 and 
 
( i8' } 
 
 and called cb. ii. v. g. three days and ari 
 half. 
 
 But ver. lo. we are comforted with 
 this obfervaiion, that he who leads into 
 captivity fhall go into capiivity, and he 
 who killeth w^ith the fword dial 1 be killed 
 with the fword. This is agreeable to the 
 righteous judgments of God, who will no^ 
 fuffer wickednefsto profper with impunity, 
 but in his own due time will avenge his 
 church, and caufe her in her turn to tri- 
 umph over her enemies. 
 
 Ver, 11, &c. The evangelifl: fees ano- 
 ther bead come up out of the earth, hav- 
 ing two horns like a lamb, and fpeakin^ 
 like a dragon. This is the perfon who will 
 be the particular indrument of bringing to 
 perfeftion the purpofes, and counfels, of 
 the church of Rome. By his means the 
 ten horns, or foreign protellant powers^, 
 will be confederated againll us with thofe 
 of Rome, and jointly with tliem, effect the 
 
 entire 
 
( l82 ) 
 
 entire conqueft of this nation, this bead 
 p-ivine full force and power to the confe- 
 cleracy. 
 
 He will exercife the power 'of the pre- 
 ceding bead, and caufe all meH to wor- 
 fhip him: that is, he will propagate and 
 eftablirn the doftrines and fervice of the 
 church of Rome, and utterly fubdue thofe 
 kingdoms to her tyranny* It is even faid 
 that he will caufe fire to come down from 
 Heaven, and have the power of doing 
 miracles ; that the faithful in thofe days 
 may be tried to the utmoll, and that their 
 virtue and integrity may the better appear 
 to merit that exceeding glory and triumph, 
 which will afterwards be given them over 
 all their enemies. 
 
 Those feats he is faid to do in the pre- 
 fence of the beaft, that is, under the in- 
 fpeftion and authority of the court of 
 Rome. To this beaft he will make an im« 
 age, or ^promulgate laws and ilatutes, 
 
 which 
 
^vhicll will effeftually eflablifh the papal 
 authority amonglt us. By thofe ordinances 
 it will be made capital to refufe a full 
 and blind obedience to the do6lrines, and 
 fuperftitions, of the church of Rome ; and 
 bv thofe means will the abomination of 
 defolation, mentioned by Daniel, be fully 
 fet up. 
 
 It may not be improper to fubjoin to 
 the above St. Paul's defcription of anti- 
 chrid. 2. Theff. ch. 2. v. 3, &c. ' Let 
 no man deceive you by any means, for 
 that day fliall not come except there come 
 a falling away firft, and that man of fm 
 be revealed, the fon of perdition, who op- 
 pofeth and cxalteth himfelf above all that 
 is called God, or that is worfliipped ; fo 
 that he as God futeth in the temple of 
 God, fliewing himfelf that he is God, &c. 
 For the my fiery of iniquity doth already 
 work : only he who letteth will let until he 
 be takefl out of the way. And then fhall 
 that wicked m^an be revealed, whom the 
 JB b Lord 
 
( 1^4 ) 
 
 iord Iliall confume with the fpirit of his 
 mouth, and fhall deftroy with the bright- 
 nefs of his coming. Even him whofe com- 
 ing is after the working of Satan, with all 
 power, and iigns, aud lying wonders, and 
 with all deceivablenefs of unrightcoufnefs 
 in them that parilh, &c. And for this 
 caufe God fhall fend them flrong delufion, 
 that they fhould believe a lye,' &c. 
 
 Again, i. Tim. ch. 4. v. 1, &c. Now 
 the fpirit fpeaketh exprefly that in the lat- 
 ter times feme fliall depart from the faith, 
 giving heed to feducing fpirits, and doft- 
 rines of devils : fpeaking lyes in hypocrify, 
 having their confcience feared with a hot 
 iron, forbidding to marry, and command- 
 ing to abftain from meats, which God 
 hath created to be received with thankfgiv- 
 ing,' &c. 
 
 And whereas the members of the true 
 church are faid, ch. 7. to be fealed in 
 iheir foreheads,^ and the number of the 
 
 fealed 
 
c ^85 ) 
 
 fcaled is folemnly meniioned, with a fine 
 
 defcription of their glory and triumph: 
 
 that the church of Rome may in every re- 
 
 fpeft affume to herfelf the badges of the 
 Eleft, {he like\vife, when arrived at this 
 
 pinnacle of glory, will caufe all in fubjec 
 tion to her to receive a mark in their fore- 
 heads^ or right-hand. But as The has hi- 
 therto been unfortunate in all her religious 
 innovations, fo in this laft fanSion of her 
 authority, when flie imagines (he has llren- 
 thcned it with the finifhing mark of religi ." 
 ous perfeftion, to her utter confufion and 
 aftonifhment it will be found not to be the 
 feal of the living God, but the wicked 
 mark of the antichriftian beafl. 
 
 Without this maTk in thofe fatal times, 
 ver. 17, no man will be able to buy or fell, 
 or enjoy any rights or privileges, but be 
 utterly excluded from every ipecies of li- 
 berty, thruft into confinement, expofcd to 
 every trouble and difficulty, and trodden 
 mnder foot like mire in the ftreets. 
 
 B b 2 h 
 
( i86 ) 
 
 In refpeft to the number of the beaft^ 
 which is faid, ver. 18., to be 666, it is re 
 markable that the letters of the word la- 
 teinos, (which may imply the latin church,) 
 confidered as numerals, and thofe of the 
 word Romijth, (which may exprefs the 
 city of Rome,) as alfo the word papeifl^^os, 
 (which may in fome ineafure agree with 
 papa, or what we call in englifh pope, im- 
 plying the head of the Romifli church,) 
 exaflly compofe the above number. 
 Whether this is really what is meant in 
 this place, or not, muft be left to the dif- 
 covery of time. 
 
 Re(h " 
 
 • 200 
 
 L 
 
 - 30 
 
 P 
 
 - 80 
 
 Vau - 
 
 6 
 
 a 
 
 1 
 
 a 
 
 1 
 
 Mem 
 Jod 
 
 - 40 
 10 
 
 t 
 e 
 i 
 
 - 3^^ 
 
 " 5 
 10 
 
 P 
 e 
 
 i 
 
 s 
 
 - 80 
 
 - 5 
 
 - 10 
 
 - 200 
 
 Jod 
 
 10 
 
 n 
 
 - 5^ 
 
 k 
 
 - 20 
 
 Tau - 
 
 400 
 
 
 
 - 70 
 
 
 
 ' 70 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 - 200 
 
 s 
 
 - 200 
 
 ' 
 
 666 
 
 
 666 
 
 • 
 
 666 
 In 
 
( i87 ) 
 
 In order the better to illuftrate the fore- 
 going interpretation of thofe beads, it may 
 be neceffary to compare them witli thofc 
 mentioned by Daniel ; which will likewife 
 be found to conftitute the body of anti- 
 chriR, and in their latter flate to corref- 
 pond with thofe mentioned above. By 
 thofe means the fcriptures will be found 
 to have only one great and important end, 
 which is the evident difcovery of the true 
 church ; that all nations without hefitation 
 may readily flow unto her. That we may 
 the better judge of what is mentioned by 
 Daniel, it may be proper to give the text, 
 and interpretation, in the manner made 
 ufe of in expounding this myftery of the 
 Revelation. 
 
 DANIEL, 
 
i88 
 
 DANIEL, Chap. 7. Ver. i„&i. 
 
 Vcr. 1. In the firit year of Beldiazzar, 
 king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, 
 and the vifions of his head upon his 
 bed : then he wrote the dream, and 
 told the fum of the matter. 
 
 Vcr. 2. Daniel fpake, and faid. I faw in 
 my vifion by night, and behold, the fotit 
 winds of the Heavens ftrove upon the 
 great fea. 3. And four great beafts 
 came up from the fea, diverfe one from 
 another. 4. The firfl was like a lion, 
 and had eagles wings : and I beheld till 
 the wings thereof were pluckt, and it 
 was lifted up from the earth, and made 
 
 to 
 
t89 ) 
 
 to (land upon its feet like a man, and a 
 man's heart was given unto it. g. And 
 behold, another beall, a fecond, like un- 
 to a bear, and it railed up itfelf on one 
 fide, and it had three ribs in hs mouth 
 between its teeth ; and they faid thus 
 unto it, arife, devour much flefh. 6. 
 After this I beheld, and lo, another 
 like a leopard, which had upon the back 
 of it four wings of a fowl : the bead had 
 alfo four heads, and dominion was given 
 unto it, 
 
 Ve7\ 7. After this I faw in the night vifion, 
 and behold, a fourth beaft, dreadful and 
 terrible, and flrong exceedingly, and it 
 had great iron teeth ; it devoured and 
 brake in pieces, and ftamped the refidue 
 with the feet of it: and it was diverfc 
 from all the beaRs which were before it, 
 and it had ten horns. 
 
 Ver, 8. I confidered the horns, and behold, 
 there came up among them a little 
 
 horn. 
 
( ISO ) 
 horn, before whom there were three ol 
 the firfl horns pluckt up by the roots : 
 and behold, in this horn were eyes hke 
 the eyes of a man, and a mouth fpeak- 
 ing great things. 
 
 V€7\ 9. I beheld till the thrones were fet 
 up, and the ancient of days did fit, 
 whofe garment was white as fnow, and 
 the hair of his head like pure wool : his 
 throne was like the fiery flame, and his 
 wheels as burning fire. 10. A fiery 
 flream iflued, and came forth from be- 
 fore him ; thouland thoufands minifler- 
 ed unto him, and ten thoufand times 
 ten thoufand flood before him: the 
 judgment was fet, and the books were 
 opened. 
 
 Ver, 1 1. I beheld then becaufe of the voice 
 of the great words, which, the horn 
 fpake : I beheld even till the beaft was 
 flain, and his body deftroyed, and given 
 
 to 
 
( 191 } 
 
 to the burning flame, 12. As concern- 
 ing the reft of the beafts, they had their 
 dominion taken away, yet their lives 
 were prolonged for a feafon, and time. 
 
 H^er. 13. I faw in the night vifions, and 
 behold, one like the Ton of man came 
 with the clouds of Heaven, and came 
 to the ancient of days, and they brought 
 him near before him, 14. And there 
 were given him dominion, and glory^ 
 and a kingdom, that all people, nations, 
 and languages, fliould ferve him : his 
 dominion is an everlailing dominicn, 
 which fhall not pafs away, and his king-* 
 dom that which (liall not be dedroyed. 
 
 THE four beafts, above-mentioned 
 in the text, are the four great fuc- 
 ceffive monarchies, commencmg from that 
 of Babylon. 
 
 The firft bead, being like a lion, repre- 
 fents the Babylonian monarchy, defcribed 
 
 C c ia 
 
( i92 ) 
 
 Ml the image ftiewni to Nebuchadnezzar, aS' 
 ^he head of gold. By having his eagles 
 wings pluckt off, and being fet upon his 
 feet as a man, may be intimated the parti- 
 cular fortunes of that prince ; who for his ar- 
 rogance and prefumption was driven for a 
 while from his kingdom, till he was hum- 
 bled to a due fubmiffion to the king of 
 kings. ^ 
 
 The feconif beaft, being like a bear, 
 figures the Perfian monarchy. By his 
 {landing on one fide, with three ribs in his 
 mouth, is fignified the colleftive ftrength 
 of that empire, which comprehended the 
 dominions of the Medes, Peifians, and 
 Babylonians. 
 
 TriE third beaft, being like unto a leop- 
 ard, is the Grecian empire. This beaft is 
 faid to have four win^s of an eagle, and 
 four heads ; becaufe after the death of Alex- 
 ander, his kingdom became divided among 
 his principal officers. Tothofe three king- 
 
 doms 
 
( 193 ) 
 
 doms the beaft, mentioned above in the 
 Revelation, as coming out of the fea, and 
 fucceeding the dragon, is compared, as 
 partaking of their political body, and giv- 
 ing himfelf perfefti^n to it. 
 
 The fourth beaft, fo ftrong and terrible, 
 is the old heathen Roman empire, called 
 above in the Revelation the dragon, and 
 the apoftate power of chriftian Rome ; to 
 which, as we have feen, he delegates his 
 power and authority. 
 
 The defcription of the ten horns, to avoid 
 repetition, it may be proper to refer to the 
 17th chapter of the Revelation, and mention 
 only the little horn, which makes fo re- 
 markable a figure in this vifion. 
 
 This little horn is the third beaft, men- 
 tioned above in the Revelation, ch. 13, v, 
 13, &c. and is there explained to be the 
 inftrument of accomplifhing the papal 
 counfels and contrivances againft this na- 
 C c 2 tion. 
 
( 394 ) 
 
 tion. , The three horns, pluckt up by the 
 roots, are the three flourifl^ing kingdoms of 
 England, Scotland, and Ireland ; which, 
 being fubdued by him, will conllitute three 
 of the ten horns, being then w^iolly under 
 his power, and fubjeflion. He will then 
 fpeak as a dragon, or, as is mentioned in 
 the text,have a mouth fpeaking great things. 
 He will then give vigour to the papal autho- 
 rity, and fix it, in the opinion ^of his vo* 
 taries, upon a lading foundation. 
 
 Tins little horn is mentioned again, 
 Dan. 8. v. g., &c. as fpringing from the re- 
 mains of the above-mentioned monarchies. 
 
 He is there faid to be great, and to pro- 
 fper againft the ftars of Heaven, and to caft 
 them to the ground ; or finally to fubdue 
 and conquer our church and nation. He 
 is likewife faid to take aw^ay the daily fa- 
 crifice, or utterly to abolifh the fervice 
 and exercife of religion amongfl us. An 
 iippointed time is there faid to be given 
 
 him^ 
 
( 195 ) 
 
 him, which is called above in the Revela- 
 tion forty two months, or three years and 
 an half. In the conciufion of this further 
 account of the little horn, were it poflible 
 to fettle a certain (late of chronology, the 
 time of this great afflifclion might be ac» 
 curately determined. It is there faid that 
 one faint fpake to another faint, and enquire 
 ed how long (hould continue the vifion of 
 the daily facrifice, and of the abomination 
 that maketh defolate. That is, how long 
 Ihould it be till the laft ftruggles, trials, 
 and affliftions, of the church (hould be 
 ended ? And it was anfwered, from the e- 
 vening to the morning, two thoufand three 
 hundred (days, or years,) then (hould thje 
 fanftuary be clean(ed. Now if w^e could 
 compute this number of years from the ex- 
 a6t time that Daniel faw this vifion to our 
 deliverance from the power of antichrifl, 
 and dedufl from it three years and an half, 
 the duration of our affliflion, and the 
 beafts reign, the time of the commence- 
 ment of this great perfecution would be 
 
 perfeflly 
 
( J96 ) 
 
 p^rfetliy afcertained. But we are told that 
 the day and hour of it are concealed even 
 from the angels in Heaven, and muft con- 
 fequently be beyond the reach of all hu- 
 man fagacity to determine. 
 
 In this eighth chapter of Daniel, in the 
 interpretation of the vifion, the power of 
 antichrift, or the Pope of Rome, is re- 
 markably defcribed. 
 
 It is there faid, ver. 23, &c. And at 
 the end of their kingdom, when the tranf- 
 grefibrs fhall be fealed, or determined ; 
 that is, when the myftery of iniquity fliall 
 be finilhed, or the reign and power of an- 
 tichrift fjiall be completed : there fhall arife 
 a king of fierce countenance, and under- 
 ftanding dark fentences. 
 
 This fubtle potentate is the Pope of 
 Rome, whofe power is great, by his fpi- 
 ritual authority reigning over the confcien- 
 CQS of his dependents. He is faid to un- 
 
 derftand 
 
( ^97 ) 
 
 derftand dark fentences, as being an eccle- 
 fiaftick, pretending to be vcrfed in the myf • 
 teries of religion. 
 
 And in the text it is faid, and he (hall 
 be mighty in his Hrength, yet not in his 
 llrength : that is, he fhall rule rather by a 
 fpiritual than a temporal authority, with- 
 out any political or legal power reigning 
 at will over the confciences of his depend- 
 ents, or as the poet expreffes it, 
 
 Mome, qui fans fildats porte en tans Ikux la guerre. 
 
 Henriade. 
 
 It is further faid, by his underflanding 
 he {hall caufe deceit to profper. This is 
 agreeable to what is above-mentioned in 
 the Revelation, w^here the lalt mentioned 
 beaft is faid to do w^onders, and to deceive 
 all thofe who dwell upon the earth ; for 
 what he does is in the prefence, or under 
 the authority of the fiiil beaft, or the Pope 
 of Rome, 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 In the conclufion, lie is faid to be de- 
 flroyed without any effort ; that is by the 
 immediate power and vengeance of God. 
 
 It may be now time to return to ch. 7. 
 where, ver. g., &c. Daniel faw the thrones 
 fet up, and the ancient of days fitting, and 
 deciding the fate of the world. This may 
 be compared with Rev. ch. 20. v. 11, &c. 
 It fignifies the final doom of antichrift, and 
 ajufl: determination of the fate of every 
 oppofer of the truth. The true church 
 will at that time be diftinguifhed with the 
 divine approbation, and received into her 
 reft, and glory. For, ver. 13, &c. Daniel 
 faw the fon of man, or Chrift, coming with 
 the ctouds of Heaven, and receiving from 
 the ancient of days dominion, glory, and a 
 kin2[dom : his dominion is an everlaftincr 
 dominion, and his kingdom that which 
 ihall not be deftroyed. 
 
 Chap. 
 
{ i99 ) 
 
 Chap. XIV. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Vcr, 1. And I faw, and behold, a lamb 
 {landing upon mount Sion, and with 
 him an hundred and forty four thoufand, 
 having the name of his father writtpa 
 on their foreheads. 
 
 Ver. 2. And I heard a voice from Heaven 
 as the voice of many waters, and as the 
 voice of a great thunder ; and I heard 
 the voice of harpers harping with their 
 harps. 3. And they fung a new fong 
 before the throne, and before the four 
 beafls, and the ehiers : and no man wa$ 
 able to learn the fong, except the hund- 
 red and forty four thoufand, who were 
 redeemed from the earth. 4. Thefe are 
 D d they 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 they who were not defiled with women, 
 for they are virgins : thefe are they who 
 follow the lamb wherefover he goeth ; 
 thefe were redeemed from among men, 
 being the firft fruits to God, and the 
 lamb. 5. And in their mouth was found 
 no guile, for they are without fault be- 
 fore the throne of God. 
 
 AFTER the above defcription of the 
 reign and tyranny of antichrift, a^ 
 greeable to the method conftantly made ufc 
 of in this myflery, we have another fine 
 and interefting view of the faithful, tri- 
 umphing over all their enemies, and receiv- 
 ing the full and complete reward of all 
 their fufferings and affliftions. Hitherto 
 they have pofleffed their fouls in patience, 
 and in all their trials and diltreffes have 
 indeed had a hope full of immortality, but 
 jio expeftation of temporal honours, and 
 glory : but at this time their patience and 
 integrity will be honoured with every re- 
 €ompenc# that the world is able to furnifli. 
 
 These 
 
 I 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 These diftinguifhed people are the 
 fame who are mentioned in ch. 7. being 
 an hundred and forty four thoufand, and 
 having the name of their father written in 
 their foreheads, or fealed with the feal of 
 the Hving God. 
 
 They here, as in ch. 7. proftrate them- 
 felves before the throne of God, and ex- 
 prefs their gratitude in continual adorati- 
 ons, ferving him day and night in his 
 temple. They fing new fongs of praife, 
 known only to themfelves, and agreeable 
 to thofe of David, which chiefly celebrate 
 the viftory of Chiift in his church. They 
 are faid not to be defiled with women ; that 
 is, to poffefs their fouls pure, and unpol- 
 luted with the finful corruptions of the 
 world, and thereby able to follow the lamb 
 wherefocver he gceth, or remain continu- 
 ally in the doflrines and praflice of our 
 moll holy religion. They will imitate the 
 zeal and fervency of the primitive chrifti- 
 ans, but will not like them be afflifted and 
 D d 2 difcouraged; 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 difcouraged ; on the contrary they will be 
 rewarded with the acquifnion of all world- 
 ly glory and honour. They will then fing 
 with the proptiet, we have a ftrong city : 
 falvation hath God appointed for walls, 
 and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that 
 the righteous nation, which keepeth the 
 truth, may enter in. Ifai, 26. v. 1., &c. 
 
 M Ver* 6, &c, 
 
 Ver. 6. And I faw another angel flying 
 in the midft of Heaven, having the e- 
 verlafting gofpel, to preach to thofe who 
 dwell upon the earth, and to every tribe, 
 and nation, and tongue, and people. 
 y. Saying with a loud voice, fear God, 
 and give glory to him, for the hour of 
 his judgment is come ; and worfhip him 
 
 who 
 
( 203 ) 
 
 who made Heaven, and earth, and the 
 fea, and the fountains of water. 
 
 THIS is a fcene expreffive of the ge- 
 neral publication of thofe myfleries 
 to the world ; \vhereby the ways of God 
 will be fully juflified, and mankind be ad- 
 mitted to the knowledge of the fprings 
 and motives of his judgments. 
 
 This vifion may likewife indicate the 
 preaching of the gofpel of Chrift to every 
 kingdom and nation in the world ; for the 
 publication of it at that time will be rapid, 
 and univerfal, and the minds of men will 
 be fecretly impelled by the pervading fpi- 
 rit of God to a ready and fincere reception 
 of it. 
 
 Chap, 
 
( 204 } 
 
 Ver. 8, &c. 
 
 And another angel followed, faying, Baby- 
 lon is fallen, is fallen, that great city ; 
 lor fhe hath made all nations to drink 
 of the wine of the wrath of her forni- 
 cation. 
 
 THIS fall of Babylon, or antichriflian 
 Rome, will be remembered at large 
 in the i8th chapter, and there recorded in 
 elegiack drains, that her prefumptuous 
 \vickednefs may remain a warning and ter- 
 ror to mankind to the end of time : for 
 file hath made all nations to drink of the 
 wine of the wrath of her fornication. 
 
 Chap, 
 
( 20 
 
 r 
 
 k 
 
 Vn\ 9.5 &c. 
 
 Ver. g. And a third angel followed them, 
 faying with a loud voice, if any man 
 worlhips the beaft, and his image, and 
 receives his mark upon his forehead, or 
 on his hand, 10. Even he fhall drink of 
 the wine of the wrath of God, which is 
 poured out without mixture into the cup 
 of his wrath ; and he (hall be tormented 
 with fire, and brimllone, before the holy 
 angels, and before the lamb. 11. And 
 the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up 
 for ever and ever ; and they have no reft 
 day or night who worfhip the bead and 
 his image, and if any man receiveth the 
 mark of his name. i2» Here is the pa- 
 tience 
 
( 206 ) 
 
 tience of the faints, here are thofe who 
 keep the commandments of God, and 
 the faith of Jefus. 
 
 WE here fee the dreadful danger of , | 
 fhewing the lead compliance to | 
 the commands of the antichrillian beall : 
 for this is the laft trial of the church, and 
 God will require of us at this time the 
 vitmoll exertion of our faith, and fortitude* 
 
 We fliall then greatly need the fervent | 
 zeal of the apoftle, who cries out in his e- 
 piflle to the Romans, ch. 8* ver. 35, &c. 
 * What fliall feparate us from the love of 
 Chrift? (hall tribulation^ or diflrefs, or 
 perfecution, &c. For I am perfwaded j 
 *that neither death, nor life, nor angels, I 
 nor principalities, nor powers, nor things 
 prefent, nor things to come, nor height, 
 nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall 
 be able to feperate us from the love of 
 God, which is in Chrift Jefus, our Lord/ 
 
 This 
 
( ^^1 ) 
 
 This exceeding zeal and fortitude will, 
 I truft, in that fatal hour be giveri to our 
 prayers, 'and fafely guide us through that 
 Vale of tears, and perfecution. Here will 
 be clearly {^.^xv the patience of the faints, 
 and their merits will be tried to the utmoft. 
 But he is ftrong who will protefl them, 
 and his ftrength will be made perfe6l in 
 tlifeir weaknefs. 
 
 Vcr. 13, 
 
 And I heard a voice out of Heaven, fay-^ 
 ing unto me, write, bleffed are the dead, 
 who die in the Lord from this time : 
 even fo, faith the fpirit, that they may 
 reft from their labours, and their works 
 do follow thenik 
 
 E e THIS 
 
( 208 } 
 
 THIS verfe is with great propriety 
 made ufe of in the burial fervice of 
 cur church. Tliey are equally happy who 
 die at any time in the true profeffion of 
 the faith ; but from this time they will be 
 more remarkably fo, as it will be more ful- 
 ly manifefted, and afcertained. The ftrong 
 foundations of the church will then be e-» 
 mincnily feen, and (he wiM reft firm and 
 unfhaken upon them for ever. 
 
 Ver. 14, &c. 
 
 Ver. 14. And I law, and behold, a white 
 cloud : and uppn the cloud one fate, like 
 untp the fon of man, having upon his 
 head a golden crown, and in his hand a 
 fhitrp fickle:. 15. And another angel 
 
 Gftme 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 came fc^lh out of the temple, crying 
 with a loud voice to him who fate on the 
 cloud, thruft in thy fickle, and reap, for 
 the hour of reaping is come, for the 
 harveft of the earlli is ripe. 16. And 
 he who fate upon the cloud thruiled in 
 his fickle 9n the earth, and the earth wa^ 
 reaped. 
 
 THIS vifionary fcene is an emblem of 
 the time of trial, and affliftion of 
 the church, fo often mentioned, when God 
 will purge out of his kingdom all things 
 that offend. 
 
 This is what in other parts of frnpture 
 is called the harveft : for the tares, or here- 
 tical pretenders to chriftianity, being ga- 
 thered in bundles to be burnr, the puie 
 wheat, or God's elcfl people, will be care- 
 fully treafured in his barn. Then will tli*,- 
 juft fliine like the fun in the kingdom ot 
 their father. See Mat. 13. 
 
 E c 2 Va-, 
 
( 210 ) 
 
 ^mtmmmam 
 
 Ver. 17., <3<:. 
 
 Ver. 17. And another angel came out of 
 the temple of God in Heaven, having 
 likewife himfelf a (harp fickle. 18. And 
 another angel came from the altar, hav^ 
 ing power over fire, and he cried with a 
 loud voice to him who had the fiiarp 
 fickle, faying, thruft in thy fharp fickle, 
 and gather the clufters of the earth, for 
 her grapes are fully ripe. 19. And the 
 angel thrulkd his fickle into the earth, 
 and gathered the vine of the earth, and 
 caft it into the great v;ine-prefs of the 
 wrath of God. 20. And the wine-prefs 
 w^as trodden without the city, and blood 
 came from the wine«prefs, even to the 
 
 horfes 
 
( ^11 ) 
 
 horfes bridles, for the fpace of a thou- 
 fand and two hundred furlongs. 
 
 A S in the preceding fcene we have feen 
 4 ^ the pure wheat carefully feparated 
 from the tares, and treafured up in God's 
 barn ; fo in this we fee the gathering of 
 the vine of the earth, or the feleftion of 
 the fubjefts of thci antichriftian beaft, (that 
 unhappy unrepentant race, mentioned in 
 the fixth trumpet,) not for ufe and pre- 
 fervation, but for ruin and deftru£lion. 
 
 This figure isufed in other parts offcrip- 
 iure, where God {he.ws his judgments on 
 the wicked. In the laft verfe of the 76th 
 Pfalm it is faid, according to a literal tranf- 
 lation of the text, * He (hall gather as 
 grapes the fpirits of princes, and is 
 wonderful among the kings of the earth.' 
 
 The prophet Ifaiah, fpeaking of Edom, 
 or the papal church, ufes the very fimili- 
 tude mentioned above in the text. 
 
 ' Who 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 * Who is this who cometh from Edoni, 
 with dyed garments from Bozrah ; who is 
 glorious in his apparel, travelling in the 
 greatnefs of his flrengih ? I who fpeak in 
 righteoufnefs, and am mighty to fave. 
 Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel, and 
 thy garments like him who treadeth in the 
 wine-prcfs ? I have trodden the wine-prefs 
 iilone, and of the people there was none 
 with me : for I will tread them in my an- 
 ger, and trample them in my fury ; and 
 their blood Iliall be fprinkled upon my 
 garments, and I will ftain all my raiment. 
 For the day of vengeance is in my heart, 
 and the year of my redeemed is come. 
 And I looked, and there was none to help, 
 and I wondered that there was none to 
 uphold : therefore my own arm brought 
 falvation unto me, and my fury it upheld 
 me. And I will tread down the people in 
 n)y anger, and make them diunk in my 
 fury, and I will bring down their flrength 
 to the earth/ ch. 63. v. 1., &c. 
 
 PART 
 
PART THE FIFTH. 
 
 A KEY 
 
-^itib^iMi^iBM^ittiyMMiHiMiMM^^^^iiKiiii^ 
 
 Key to the Mystery, &c* 
 
 PART THE FIFTH. 
 
 Chap, XV. Vcr. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1 And I faw another fign in lieaveti^ 
 great and wonderful, feveti angels, hav- 
 ing the feven lad plagues, for in theiu 
 is filled up the wrath of God. 2. And 
 I iaw as it were a fea of glafs, mingled 
 with fire, and thofe who had overcome 
 F f th© 
 
( 216 ) 
 
 the beaft, and hig image, and his mark, 
 and the number of his name, ftanding 
 upon the fea of glafs, having the harps 
 of God. 
 
 Ver. 3. And they fung the fong of Mofes, 
 the fervant of God, and the fong of the 
 lamb, faying, great and wonderful are 
 thy works. Lord God Almighty! juft 
 and true are thy ways, O king of faints ! 
 4. Who fhall not fear thee, O Lord, and 
 glorify thy name, for thou only art ho- 
 ly ? for all nations fhall come, and wor- 
 fhip before thee, for thy judgments have 
 been made manifeft. 
 
 Ver. 5. And after that I looked, and behold, 
 the temple of the tabernacle of the tef- 
 timotiy in Heaven was opened. 6. 
 And th^e feven angels came out of the 
 temple, having the feven plagues, cloath- 
 cd in linen pure and finning, and hav- 
 ing theit breads girded with golden 
 girdles. 7. And one ®f the four beafls 
 
 gave 
 
( 217 ) 
 
 gave to the feven angels feven golden 
 vials, full of the wrath of God, who 
 liveth for ever and ever, 8. And the 
 lemple was filled with fmoke from the 
 glory of God, and from his power : and 
 no man was able to enter into the tem- 
 ple till the feven plagues of the feven* 
 angels were fulfilled. 
 
 Chap. XVI Vcr. i. 
 
 And I heard a loud voice out of the 
 temple, {aying to the feven angels, go, 
 and power out the vials of the wrath of 
 God upon the earth. 
 
 AFTER the hiftorical feries of e- 
 vents, refpefting the church of 
 God, has been interrupted with a 
 particular detail of the complicated power 
 of antichrift, and a relation of many in- 
 terefting anecdotes, which in their com- 
 pletion will greatly affefl; the faithful in 
 F f 2 tliofc 
 
( 2i8 ) 
 
 thofe times ; we return again for the laft 
 time to a regular narration of the feveral 
 fortunes of the church, and fee the feveral 
 judgments of God diverfified in another 
 different reprefentatiop of them. 
 
 Though it cannot but appear, from 
 the manner of this explanation, that the 
 whole myflery of the Revelation has only 
 regard to one great and particular purpofe ; 
 yet we find fo great a variety in the many 
 different lights in which this grand fcheme 
 of God's providence is viewed, that we 
 may contemplate it with pleafure in its va- 
 rious defcriptions, and continually admire 
 the greatnefs and juftnefs of the divine dif- 
 penfations. 
 
 Agreeable to the introduftion to the 
 fore -going relations, we fee the pouring 
 out of the vials ulhered in with a view of 
 the triumphant church, celebrating the 
 great author of her deliverance, and en- 
 joying the multitude of peace : for at this 
 
 time 
 
( ^19 ) 
 
 time onfy, as has been obferved, the ways 
 
 of God to man can be regularly examined, 
 
 and juflified. At this enlightened period 
 
 the prophetick fcriptures will be clearly 
 
 underllood, and what has hitherto fhined 
 
 as it were in a dark place will ther^ with its 
 
 fpreading beams fufficiently illuminate the 
 
 world : the propriety therefore of thofe 
 
 introductory fcenes rnufl. be fufficiently e- 
 
 vident. 
 
 The fea of glafs has been mentioned 
 before in the fourth chapter, and is here 
 made ufe of in the fame manner as a pro- 
 per emblem toexprefs the purity and holi- 
 nefs of the church, which after her triumph 
 over the beafl, and his image, w^ill be pre- 
 pared as a bride adorned for her hufband. 
 She will then pour forth her gratitude in 
 fongs of praife to her great deliverer, a-, 
 grceable to that of Mofes when the Ifrae!- 
 
 ites were fo wonderfully delivered from the 
 tyranny of the Egyptians. Our deliver- 
 ance out of fpiritual Egypt, or the power 
 
 of 
 
( 22a ) 
 
 of aniichriii will be equally great, and the 
 fong of Mofes will at that time be equally 
 applicable in expreffing the joy of our 
 hearts. 
 
 We fee, ver. 5., &c. a fine reprefenta- 
 lion of the feven great miniflers of God's 
 judgments. Their cloathing is grand and 
 fplendid, and exprefTive of that purity, 
 which is requifite in thofe who difpenfe the 
 vengeance of God to a finful world. To 
 thofe holy angels are given the feven fatal 
 vials by one of the four beafts ; and the 
 temple of God is filled with the bright- 
 nefs of his glory, expreflive of the great- 
 iiefs and terror of his judgments. From 
 this temple the feven angels receive their 
 commiflion, the execution of which will 
 be feen in the following verfes. 
 
 Ver. 
 
{ 221 ) 
 
 Ver. II. 
 
 And the firft angel went, and poured out 
 his vial upon the earth, and there was a 
 noifome and evil fore upon the men who 
 had the mark of the beaft, and thofc who 
 worfhipped his image. 
 
 THIS paffage is greatly difguifed, and 
 may feem hard to be reconciled with 
 the fyftcm here propofed : but a little re- 
 fleftion, and attention to the nature and 
 defign of thofe myfteries, will render it 
 eafy to conceive according to the plan 
 made ufe of for their explanation. 
 
 Sin: 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 SlN may generally be defined a trahf^ 
 greffion of the law of God : and this law 
 may be underftood either as that which is 
 written in the fcriptures, or that which is 
 naturally written in the hearts of men, who 
 (as St. Paul obferves,) have within them- 
 felves a fecret inftinftive knowledge of the 
 will of God. Whoever therefore prefump- 
 lu'oufly fins againfl: God may be faid to 
 worlhip the beafl: and his image, or be cut 
 off from the body of the churchy and in-* 
 grafted into that of antichrift. We may 
 likewife obferve that in whatever age or 
 country the true church is fituated, what- 
 ever immediately difturbs and oppofes it 
 mufl he Gonfidered as the power of anti- 
 chrift, which, from the natural Wickednefs 
 of mankind, follows the church as a fba- 
 dow does the fubftance* 
 
 This vial therefore, being poured out 
 tipon the earth, and aft'efting with griev- 
 ous plagues thofc who worfhippcd the 
 
 beafti 
 
I 
 
 ( 223 ) 
 
 bead, and his image, may be interpreted 
 in the following manner. 
 
 As all men, who (hall receive the mark 
 of the antichriftian bead:, will be wiped 
 and expunged out of God's book, fo was 
 the firit race of men condemned by God, 
 and totally blotted and expunged out of 
 the world, except Noah, and his family; 
 The noifome and grievous plague, here 
 mentioned, may be compared with that of 
 the fifth vial, where the fubjefls of the 
 beaft are faid to gnaw their tongues for 
 pain, reprefenting their total condemnati- 
 on, and deftruflion. 
 
 It riiuft likewifc be obferved that theie 
 vials, being called the laft plagues, muft 
 . be confidered as the great and final punifh- 
 ments of mankind in each period. 
 
 G g Ven 
 
( ^24 ) 
 
 Ver.III. 
 
 And the fecond angel poured out his viat 
 into the fea, and it became blood, as of 
 a dead man, and every living foul died 
 in the fea, 
 
 THIS fecond vial may be compared 
 with the fecond trumptet, where a 
 great mountain is faid to be caft into the 
 fea, and that the third part of the fea be- 
 came blood. It was there interpreted to 
 m^ean \\\t general apoftacy of mankind in 
 the fecond thoufand year from true religion 
 to idolatry: Heathen and idolatrous na- 
 tions being generally ia ike fcriptures ca;I- 
 led ft^s* 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 225_. ) 
 
 Ver. IK, &c. 
 
 Ver. 4. And the third angel poured out his 
 vial upon the rivers and fountains of 
 water, and they became blood. 5. And 
 I keard the angel of the waters fay, right- 
 eous, O Lord, art thou, who art, and 
 who Waft, and Ihall be ! becaufe thou 
 haft judged thus. 6. For they have (hed 
 the blood of faints and prophets, and 
 thou haft given them blood to drink, for 
 they are worthy. -7. And I heard ano- 
 ther out of the altar, faying, even fo, 
 O Lord God Almighty, true and juli 
 are thy judgments ! 
 
 g 3 THIS 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 THIS third vial, being poured out up^ 
 on the rivers and fountains of wa° 
 ter, implies the final ruin and deftruflion 
 pf the Jewifli nation by the Romans. 
 
 In the third trumpet they are called the 
 rivers and fountains of water, and being 
 there faid to be impregnated with worm= 
 wood, they continued poifoned with this 
 wicked bitternefs till they jullly merited a 
 total ruin of their polity, and a general 
 difperfion among all the nations of the 
 world, in which they continue to this day, 
 
 God's righteous judgments on them are 
 here applauded, becaufe they continually 
 refifted his providence, flied the blood of 
 faints and prophets, not fparing even the 
 prince of life, and were contrary to all 
 men, 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 k 
 
 Vcr. VIIL, &c. 
 
 Ver. 8. And the fourth angel poured 
 out his vial upon the fun, and it was 
 given him to fcorch men with fire.» 9. 
 ' And men were fcorched with great heat, 
 and blafphemed the name of God, who 
 had power over thefe plagues, and^^ re- 
 pented not to give him glory. 
 
 THIS plague muft be the portion of 
 the church of England, which ^ ynli 
 fuffer as is mentioned in the fixth fe ah 
 But after the time appointed for her affl ic- 
 tion is accomplifhed (he will (land up on 
 her feet, to the aftonifhment of her er le- 
 'lilies, and burn up and'confume th( *rn 
 
 throu gh 
 
( 228 } 
 
 through him who hath power over thefe 
 plagues. 
 
 Ver.X., &c. 
 
 Fer. 10. And the fifth angel poured out 
 his vial upon the throne of the beaft, 
 and his kingdom was darkened, and 1 
 and they gnawed their tongues for pain. | 
 11. And they blafphemed the God of 
 Heaven by reafon of their pains, and 
 of their fores, and repented not of their 
 works. 
 
 THE fifth vial may be compared with j 
 
 the fixth trumpet, as it (hews the ut- J 
 
 ter ruin and fubverfion of the power of M 
 
 jmtichrift. 
 
( 229 } 
 
 antichrift, or the whole papal empire* 
 God is fuily juflified in his judgments to- 
 wards them, as their infatuation will {till 
 remain with them, and they will not re- 
 pent of their works, or thofe heretical doc- 
 trines and fuperftitions, which cut them 
 off from the olive-tree of the faith. 
 
 This judgment on the enemies of the 
 church is agreeable to what is mentioned 
 by the prophet Zachariah, ch. 14; v. 12. 
 * And this ftiall be the plague wherewith the 
 Lord (hall fmite all the nations which war 
 againft Jerufalem ; to confume their flefh 
 while they are (landing on their feet, and 
 their eyes fhall confume away in their 
 holes, . and their tongues (hall rot away in 
 their mouths.* 
 
 Ver^ 
 
( 230 } 
 
 Ver. XII. 
 
 And the fixth angel poured out his vial 
 upon the great river Euphrates ; and 
 the water thereof was dried up, that th6 
 way of the kings of the eaft might be 
 prepared, 
 
 THIS great river Euphrates fignifies the 
 Mahometan empire, which muft not 
 efcape with impunity, but in its turn drink 
 of the cup of God's wrath. 
 
 After they have fatiated their fury on 
 the papal kingdoms, they muft yield them- 
 felves up to the judgments and chaftife- 
 ments of God, and fubmit themfelves, and 
 
 theif 
 
( 231 ) 
 
 their empire to his laws. The impious 
 fuperftitions of Mahometanifm muft va- 
 nifh before the brightnefs of the gofpel as 
 darknefs and obfcurity before the fplendour 
 of the fun. ^ For in that day the Lord 
 with hi^ fore, and great, and mighty fword, 
 will punifh Leviathan, the piercing ferpent, 
 even Leviathan that crooked ferpenr, and 
 he fhall flay the Dragon that is in the fea* 
 Ifai. 27. V. 1. 
 
 When this formidable power is fubdued 
 then will the way of the kings of the eaft 
 be prepared ; for all obftruSions to the con- 
 verfion to chriftianity of all the eafl:ern or 
 other nations will then be fully removed, 
 and they will be ready to bring their glory 
 and honour into Ggds church. 
 
 H h Veu 
 
(f 3^^ 
 
 Ver. XIII., ^c. 
 
 Ver. 13. And I faw three unclean fpirit^ 
 like frogs come out of the mouth of the 
 Dragon, and out of the mouth of the 
 beaft, and out of the mouth of thefalfe 
 prophet. 14. For they are the fpirits of 
 devils, doing miracles, going forth to 
 the kings of the earth, and the whole 
 world, to gather them to the battle 
 of that great day of God Almighty. 
 
 Ver. 15. Behold, I come as a thief: blefTed 
 is he who watcheth and kcepeth his gar- 
 ments, that he do not walk naked, and 
 they fee his ftiame. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 233 ) 
 
 Ver. 16, And he gathered them into a 
 place^ called in the Hebrew tongue 
 Armageddon. 
 
 THESE unclean fpirits like frogs are 
 the fliattered remains of Rome, who 
 after a certain period, called, ch. 20. ver* 
 7. a thoufand years, will be loofed from 
 their confinement, and permitted to make 
 one more feeble and impotent attempt up- 
 on the church. A further account of their 
 preparations will be feen in the above-men- 
 tioned chapter. 
 
 The faithful however are warned at 
 that time to keep themfelves pure and holy, 
 and worthy of the proteftion of God : for 
 we fee in the account of the Laodicean 
 church that too many of them will grovv^ 
 lukewarm, and through their negligence 
 and indifference occafion the diffolutioa of 
 tht world. 
 
 H h 2 Tpi£S£ 
 
( 234 ) 
 
 Thi:se wicked and unclean leaders, 
 with their deceived multitude, called in the 
 20th chapter Gog, and Magog, will be ga- 
 thered to a place, called Armageddon. 
 This word may be interpreted the moun- 
 tain of the gofpel, or the church. Here 
 they will ftand ready prepared to make 
 their laft and fugitive effort againft the 
 faithful ; but it will be in effeft only to re- 
 ceive their juft doom and punifhment, 
 which will be mentioned in the next and 
 laft vial. 
 
 Ver, 17. And the feventh angel poured out 
 his vial into the air ; and there came 
 forth a loud voice from the temple of 
 
 Heaven, 
 
( 235 ) 
 
 Heaven, and the throne, faying, it is 
 done. 18. A»d there were voices, and 
 thunders, and lightnings : and there was 
 a great earthquake, fuch as never hap- 
 pened fince men were upon the earth, 
 fo mighty an earthquake, and fo great, 
 
 Ver. ig. And the great city was divided 
 into three parts, and the cities of the na- 
 tions fell : and Babylon the great came 
 into remembrance before God, to give 
 unto her the cup of the wine of the 
 fiercenefs ot his wrath. 20. And every 
 ifland fled away, and the mountains 
 were not found. 21. And there def- 
 cended out of Heaven upon men a great 
 hail, every ftone of the weight of a tal- 
 ent : and men blafphemed God by rea- 
 fon of the plague of hail^ for the plaguQ 
 W4S exceeding great. 
 
 WHEN 
 
( 236 ) 
 
 WHEN the feventli vial is poured 
 cut God will aecomplifli all 
 ^^ordly vengeance, and finifh it on the 
 unhappy and obftinate remains of anti- 
 chrifL 
 
 They will be hardened in their flub- 
 bornefs and prefumption to the utmoft li- 
 mits of their continuance : for in the text 
 it is faid, it is done ; that is, all temporal 
 punifhments are ended, for no longer fpace 
 will be given to mankind to provolj^e God 
 with their wickednefs, and impiety. 
 
 In all probability in thislaft effort of the 
 remains of antichrift they will aflemble an 
 innumerable multitude, and encourage 
 themfelves with the hopes of once more 
 triumphing oyer the people of God. But 
 God himfelf will fight againft them, and 
 arm all the powers of nature for their de^ 
 firu£tion, which will be great and terrible, 
 ^nd beyond all former examples. 
 
 In 
 
( 237 ) 
 
 In the J20th chapter, where mention i^ 
 again made of thofe people we fee them 
 miferably configned to eternal punifliment. 
 It is faid, and the Devil, who deceived 
 them, was caft into a lake of fire and 
 brimftone, where the beaft, and the falfe 
 prophet, are, and they flialj be torment- 
 ed day and night for ever and ever. 
 
 PART 
 
PART THE SIXTH. 
 
 I i 
 
 A KEY 
 
Key to the Mystery, &c, 
 
 PART THE SIXTH. 
 
 Chap. XVIL Ver. i, ^Sc. 
 
 Vcr. 1. And one of the feven angels, who 
 had the feven vials, came, and talked 
 with me, faying unto me, come, and I 
 will fhew thee the judgment of the great 
 whore, who fitteth upon many waters : 
 2. with whom the kings of the earth 
 I i 2 have 
 
t ^42 ) 
 
 have committed fornication, and the in- 
 habitants of the earth have been made 
 drunk with the wine of her fornication. 
 
 Ver. 3. And he carried me into the wil- 
 dernefs in the fpirit, and I faw a woman 
 fitting upon a fcarlet coloured beaft, 
 full of names of blafphemy, having fe- 
 ven heads, and ten horns. 4. And the 
 
 \ woman was arrayed in purple and fcar- 
 let, and decked with gold and precious 
 flones, and pearls, having a golden cup 
 in her hand, full of abominations, and 
 filthinefs of her fornication. 5. And 
 upon her forehead was a name writ- 
 ten, MYSTERY: BABYLON THE 
 GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HAR- 
 LOTS, AND THE ABOMINATI- 
 ONS OF THE EARTH! 6. And I 
 faw the woman drunk with the blood of 
 the faints, and with the blood of the 
 martyrs of Jefus : and when I faw 
 her, I wondered with great admiration. 
 
 Ver. 
 
{ ^13 ) 
 
 Ver. 7. And the angel (aid unto me, w-Ifpvn, 
 fore doftthoii wonder? I will tcll r},,,- 
 the myftery of the woman, and o?' the 
 bead that carrieth her, 8. The h-r.f!: 
 which thou faweft was, and is not. ajil 
 fhall afcend out of the bottomfefs pit, 
 and go into perdition : and thofe who 
 dwell upon the earth flir.ll wcyadcr 
 (whofe names are not w^ritten in the bobl: 
 of life from the foundation of the world,") 
 when they (hall fee the beafl:, whicli wa-% 
 and is not, and yet is. 
 
 Ver. 9. Here is the mind that hath wifdom. 
 The feven heads are feven mountains, 
 whereon the woman fitteth. 10. They 
 are alfo feven kings : five are falien. a;i.i 
 one is, and the other is not yet coi.ie ; 
 and when he cometh he n^ali continue* 
 a (hort fpace. ii;|^And the beaft, whklu 
 was, and is not, even he is the eigh*.]}, 
 . and is of the feven, and gceth into per- 
 dition. 
 
 Ver 
 
( 244 ) 
 
 Ver. 12. And the ten horns, which thou 
 faweft, are ten kings, who have not re- 
 ceived any kingdom as yet, but {hail 
 have power as kings one hour with the 
 beaft. 13. Thefe have one mind^ and 
 they fliall give their power and authority 
 to the beaft. 14. They (hall make war 
 with the lamb ; and the lamb fhall over- 
 come them, for he is Lord of Lords, 
 and king of kings, and thofe who are 
 with him are called, and chofen, and 
 faithful, 1 5. And he faith unto me, the 
 waters, that thou faweft, on which the 
 ^ whore fitteth, are peoples, and multi- 
 tudes, and nations, and tongues. 
 
 Ver, 16. And the ten horns, which thou 
 faweft upon the beaft, thefe fliall hate 
 the whore, and xnake her defolate and 
 naked, and fliall eat her flefli, and burn 
 her with fire. ij. For God hath put in 
 their hearts to fulfil his will, and to have 
 one mind, and to give their kingdom to 
 
 the 
 
( 245 ) 
 
 the beaft, until the words of God (houid 
 be finidicd. 
 
 Ver. 18. And the woman, whom ihou 
 faweft, is that great city, which reign- 
 eth over the kingdoms of the earth. 
 
 HAVING had many different views of 
 antichrift, we arc prefented in this 
 fixth part with the laft fcene of this 
 formidable power. 
 
 In this defcription the papal church is Co 
 forcibly and accurately painted that it is 
 impoffible to miftake for whom this piflure 
 is defigned : and it is touched indeed in fo 
 powerful a manner by the great author of 
 nature, that every figure of iii^ (and cfpc- 
 cially the principal one,) feems to pafs in 
 review before the minds eye as vifibly as it 
 was aQually fecn in vifion by the evan- 
 gelift. 
 
 It 
 
li^J .T 
 
 r a nielanclioly confidera- 
 t:on to tiihik that fo many great nations 
 {li ould lo obttiaately perfift in errors, ma- 
 nifedly contrary to the fcriptures, and e- 
 ven to common fenfe ; for it is obvious 
 that they can find nothing to juftify 
 thofe abfurdities but cuftom, length of 
 lime, and the infalhbiHty of the church;: 
 But thefe pretended arguments are fo fat 
 from fupporting thofe infatuations that thef 
 manifeltly condemn them, as fuch pre- 
 tences are the natural parents of all cor- 
 ruption, and error. 
 
 This defcription is called the judgment 
 of the great whore, for in it all her wicked- 
 neffes and abominations are enumerated ; 
 which have fo greatly incenfed the eternal 
 judge of nature, as to provoke him to de* 
 ilroy her with his final condemnation. 
 
 This great whore is the church of 
 Rome. She is defcribed as fitting upon 
 aaany waters, or ruling fpiritually over the 
 
 many 
 
( 247 ) 
 
 many nations who yield obedience to her 
 laws. 
 
 These are faid to have committed 
 fornication with her, and to have been 
 made drunk with the wine of her fornica- 
 tion : that is, they have devoted themfelve^ 
 bHndly to her errors, and receiving them 
 without any fcruple or enquiry are jullly 
 faid to be intoxicated widi them. 
 
 The evangehft fees this vifion of the 
 whore in the wilderneTs, as the nature o£ 
 fuch a place is defcriptive of the perplexed 
 wanderings of this unhappy church ; where 
 every path flie treads leads her only Air- 
 tlier from the trr,th, and brings her into 
 inextricable difficulties. 
 
 She is faid, vcr. 3. to fit upon a fcarlet 
 coloured bead. This' bead is the perfon 
 who will hear and introduce the papal 
 power into thofe kingdoms. He is faid, 
 cli. 13. v. 11. to have two horns like a 
 K k lamb. 
 
( 248 } 
 
 lamb, and to fpeak like a dragon, and is 
 called in Daniel the little horn. 
 
 The gorgeous array of this harlot re- 
 prefents the pomp and fplendour of th^ 
 papal church, with which (he dazzles her 
 votaries, and lulls them in her embraces. 
 She holds in her hand a golden cup, full 
 of abominations; or intoxicates her fub- 
 jefts with her deluding doftrines, deceiv- 
 ing, and being deceived. This cup is e» 
 qually fatal with that of Circe : whoever 
 drinks of it fancies himfelf an angel, 
 though he is in reality deprived of all title 
 to humanity, and may be ranked with the 
 beads which perilh. 
 
 Upon her forehead is a name writ- 
 ten,. MYSTERY: BABYLON THE 
 GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HAR^ 
 LOTS, AND THE ABOMlNATIONiJ 
 •OF THE EARTH. In this name is 
 fummed up the account of her impieties, 
 \vith which Ihe provokes the majefty of 
 
 God, 
 
( 249 ) 
 
 God. She is called myftery in refpefl to 
 her religious profedion, and the cultivation 
 of thofe myftick ceremonies and fupcrfti- 
 tions^ with which her devotees arc amufcd 
 and infatuated, Scaliger, in a note on 
 this place, obferves that M.- de Montmo- 
 rency, being at Rome when people fpoke 
 very freely of the holy father, and the 
 holy fee, was told by a perfon of credit, 
 that the word myflerium had actually been 
 wrought on the frontal of the pontifical 
 tiara ; but that Pope Julius had lately taken 
 care to have it removed, and his own name 
 wrought with diamonds, placed in its 
 ftead. He likewife judicioufly obferves, 
 that only the word myfterium mufl be fup- 
 pofed to be written on the whores fore- 
 head, Babylon the great, &c. being ra- 
 ther to be underftood as St. John's inter- 
 pretation of it. 
 
 I met with the above note of (1 fuppofe} 
 
 Jofeph Scaliger, along with a few others 
 
 K k 2 en 
 
 J^ 
 
 ^.^^-^fi..^ 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 on different parts of the New^ Tedament, 
 preferved by the editors of a Greek Tef- 
 lament, with the apocrypha in Greek an- 
 nexed, printed and pubhfhed, * Colonise 
 Allobrogum/ which Ortehus places about 
 five leagues to the weftvvard of Geneva. 
 
 She is defcribed, ver 6. as diunk with 
 the blood of the faints, &c. by this de- 
 fcription are fignified the many cruel per- 
 fecutions (he has carried on againft all who 
 have oppofed her, and thofe feas of blood 
 flic ha> filed in defence of her errors. In 
 fliort her whole appearance was fo terrible 
 and fhocking to the calm and placid mind 
 of the evangelift, that he beheld her with 
 the utmoll aftonifiiment and confufion. 
 
 St. John has, ver. 7, &c. a particular 
 interpretation of the vifion before him, e- 
 fpecially of the beaft which beareth the 
 great whore, as he is the means of intro- 
 cUicing her authority am.ongft us. 
 
 ThI: 
 
( 251 ) 
 
 This bead \fas, and is net: that if^ lie 
 formerly had authority, but that authority 
 having been fuperfcded, it ^vill continue 
 fufpcnded till the time of our invarion. 
 He will however receive it again wheii he 
 afcends out of the bottomlefs pit at the 
 head of his army of locufts, as in the fifth 
 trumpet; and then all the world v;ill vron- 
 der when they fee the beaft which was, and 
 is not, and yet is. 
 
 We fee, ver. 9., &c. the feveral fuccef- 
 five monarchies of antichrift. They are 
 here mentioned as being feven in number; 
 iive of which were fallen at the time St, 
 John lived, one w^as at that time in power, 
 but the other was not then eftablifhcd. 
 
 The order of them mufl therefore be 
 reckoned as follow^s. We may call the firft 
 ihe Egyptian kingdom ; for under this 
 power the Jewifh church was oppreffed irj 
 her infancy : and, as we obferved before, 
 ^ptichrift muft be fuppofed to have a con-r 
 
 temporary 
 
( 252 ) 
 
 temporary fubfiftance with the true church, 
 following it as the fliadow follows the fub^ 
 fiance. 
 
 The fecond monarchy muft be the Af- 
 fyrian. It feems fufficiently evident that 
 it preceded the Babylonian from the pro- 
 phet Ifaiah, who mentions a congratula- 
 tory embafly fent to Hezekiah from the 
 king of Babylon a little while after the re- 
 treat of Sennacharib out of the Jewifh do- 
 minions. It appears likewife from Hero- 
 dotus that not long after that time the 
 Medes fhook ofi the Aflyrian yoke, when 
 that empire had continued about 520 years, 
 and became powerful enough afterwards to 
 iubdue it, except the territories of Baby-> 
 Ion. The kingdom of Babylon, as is well 
 know^n, prefently became great and flour- 
 ifhing, and continued increafmg in glory 
 and dominion till it was finally fubdued by 
 Cyrus. 
 
 The 
 
( m ) 
 
 TfiE third monarchy is the Babyloni- 
 an, the fourth the Perfian, and the filih ihe 
 Grecian. 
 
 These at the time St. John faw this vi- 
 fion were all extinguifhed, but the fixth, 
 being the Roman empire, was flourifhing 
 and fubfifting in his days. 
 
 The feventh, being the papal empire, 
 was not then eftabliftied, but fhould fuc- 
 ceed in its time ; and for a fliort fpace, or 
 during the beafts reign, as mentioned in 
 the 13th chaprer, fliould more eminently 
 tyrannize and flourifh than any of the pre^ 
 ceding powers. 
 
 But the bead that was, and is not, (be- 
 fore explained,) may in fome meafure be 
 accounted the eighth ; though being only 
 as a delegated power of the papal monar- 
 chy, and the inftrument of introducing ita 
 authority amgngft us, he can only be pro- 
 perly 
 
pearly conndercd as one of the feven, or i 
 meniber, and fubflitute^ of the feventh. 
 
 The ten horns, mentioned ver. 12, &c. 
 come next under confideration. They are 
 faid to be ten kings, who have received no 
 power as yet, but (liall receive power as 
 kings one hour w^th the beaft. 
 
 These ten kings are the proteftant nati- 
 ons in Europe, which, through the means 
 and intereft of the beaft before mentioned, 
 wnll be confederated with thofe of the 
 papal church, and jointly with them in- 
 vade thofe flourifhing kingdoms in the 
 manner before mentioned in thofe my • 
 fleries. They will yield themfelves impli- 
 citly to the pleafure of the beafl, and hear- 
 tily at (irit efpoufe and promote his caufe. 
 They will be harndened to make war w^ith 
 the lamb: hut the lamb will overcome 
 them for he is King of kings, and Lord of 
 lords. 
 
 These 
 
( ^55 ) 
 
 These ten horns are the clayey part of 
 the feet and toes of the image of antichrift, 
 fhevvn in a dream to Nebuchadnezzar. 
 As it is impofhble for iron to be mixed or 
 incorporated with clay, fo will it be equally 
 impoflible for thofe proteftant nations, ia 
 refpefl to religious principles, to be 
 thoroughly united with thofe of the papal 
 church. When therefore thofe proteUant 
 auxiliaries fhall perceive that the end of 
 their invafion will only be to eftablilh the 
 papal authority in thofe kingdoms, they 
 will then change their opinions, and hate 
 the whore. Being greater in numbers and 
 flrcngih, they will fuddeuly fall upon her, 
 and make her defolate and naked, devour 
 her fleth, and burn her with fire. 
 
 For, ver. 17. it is faid, God hath put 
 in their hearts to fulfil his wili, and to have 
 one mind, and to give their kingdom to 
 the beaft; until the words of God fhould 
 be fini filed. The meaning is, God Al- 
 mighty, in this lafl effort of our enemies, 
 L I will 
 
( 256 ) 
 
 will incline tliofe protellant kingdoms to 
 join their power with the beaft ; that when 
 his reign (hall be determined they may be 
 ready at hand to deftroy him, and thereby 
 releafe us out of perhaps the greateft dan- 
 gers and difficulties the church has ever be- 
 fore experienced. 
 
 We may therefore cry out with St. 
 Paul, ^ O the depth of the riches both of 
 the ^wifdom and knowledge of God ! how 
 unfearchable are his judgments, and his 
 ways pad finding out! Rom. ii.ver. 33. 
 They likevvife may fay who live to fee 
 thofe fatal times, if the Lord himfelf had 
 not been on our fide when men rofe up a- 
 gainfl us, they had fwallowed us up quick 
 when they were fo wrathfully difpleafed at 
 us, &c. The deep waters of the proud 
 had gone even over our foul, &c. Our 
 foul is efcaped even as a bird out of the 
 fnare of the fowler : the fnare is broken, 
 and we are dehvered ! Pf. 124. 
 
 This 
 
I 
 
 ( ^57 ) 
 
 This great deliverance will be like what 
 Jehofaphat experienced when his inva- 
 ders flew one another ; and like that in the 
 time of Gideon, when God fl;ruck the Mi- 
 dianites with his terrors, and utterly dif 
 perfed and deflroyed them. 
 
 It may not be improper to fubjoin fome 
 cxtra6ts from the 83d Pfalm, which will 
 be found to relate to thofe times. 
 
 Hold not thy tongue, O God, keep 
 not flill filence, &c. For lo, thine enemies 
 make a murmuring, and they who hate 
 thee have lifted up their heads. They have 
 imagined craftily againfl: thy people, and 
 ' have taken counfel againfl thy fecret ones. 
 They have faid, come, and let us root 
 them out, that they may be no more a 
 people, and that the name of Ifrael may 
 be no more in remembrance, For they 
 have cafl: their heads together with one con- 
 fent, and are confederate againfl thee. 
 The tabernacles of the F.domites, and the 
 L 1 2 Iflimaeliies ; 
 
( 258 ) 
 
 Ifhmaelites ; of Moab, and the Hagarencs, 
 Gebal, and Aminon, and Amalek, the Phili- 
 ftines, with the inhabitants of Tyre. AiFur 
 alfo is joined with ihem : they have holp- 
 en the children of Lot. (Thefe feveral 
 ftates thus enumerated imply the ten horns, 
 or proteftant powers, confederated with 
 the beaft, as before mentioned,) 
 
 * But do thou unto them as unto the 
 Midianites, &c. Make them and their 
 princes, like Oreb, and Zeb ; yea make all 
 their princes like Zeba, and Salmana, &c. 
 And they (hall know that thou, whofe 
 name is Jehovah, art only the racft high 
 over all the earth !' 
 
 Chap, 
 
( ^^59 ) 
 
 C/iap. XVIII, Ver. i, &c, 
 
 Ver. 1. And after thefe things I faw an 
 angel defcend out of Heaven, having 
 great power, and the earth was lightened 
 with his glory. 
 
 Ver. 2. And he cried in flrength, with a 
 loud voice, faying, Babylon the great is 
 fallen, is fallen, and is become the habi- 
 tation of devils, and the hold of every 
 foul fpirit, and a cage of every unclean 
 and hateful bird ! 3. Becaufe flie hath 
 made all nations to drink of the wine 
 of the wrath of her furnication ; and the 
 kings of the earth have committed fur- 
 nication with her, and the merchants of 
 
 the 
 
( 26o ) 
 
 the earth are waxed rich througTi the a- 
 bundance of her dejicacies. 
 
 Ver. 4. And I heard another voice out of 
 Heaven, faying, come out of her, my 
 people, that ye partake not of her fins, 
 and that ye receive not of her plagues. 
 5. For her firrs have reached unto Hea- 
 ven, and God hath remembered her 
 iniquities. 6. Reward her even as (he 
 hath rewarded you, and give unto her 
 double according to her works : in the 
 cup which {he hath filled fill toher double. 
 7. How much (lie hath glorified herfelf, 
 and lived delicioufly, fo much torment 
 and forrow give her : for {he faiih in her 
 heart, I fit a queen, and am no widow, 
 and {liall fee no forrow. 8. Therefore 
 in one day her plagues fhall come upon 
 her, death, and mournings and famine : 
 and file fhall be burnt with fire, for 
 {Irong is the Lord who judgeth her. 
 
 Ver. 
 
(. 26l ) 
 
 Ver, 9. And the kings of the earth, who 
 have committed fornication and lived 
 delicioufly with her, fhall bewail her, 
 and lament for her, when thev fee the 
 fmoke of her burning : 10. ftanding afar 
 off for the fear of her torment, faying, 
 alafs, alafs, that great city Babylon ! 
 that mighty city ! for in one hour is her 
 judgment come ! 
 
 Ver. ii. And the merchants of the earth 
 {hall weep and lament for her, becaufe 
 no man buyeth of their merchandife any 
 more. 12. The merchandife of gold, and 
 filver, and precious flones, and pearls, 
 and fine linen, and purple, and filk, and 
 fcarlet, and all odorous wood, and all 
 manner of vefTels of ivory, and every 
 veffel of precious w^ood, and brafs, and 
 iron, and marble: 13. and cinnamon, 
 and odours, and ointment, and frankin- 
 cenfe, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, 
 and wheat, and cattle, and fheep, and 
 horfes, and chariots, and flaves, and 
 
 fouls 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 fouls of men. 14. And the fruits, that 
 thy foul lufled after, are departed from 
 thee, and all things which were dainty and 
 goodly are departed from thee, and thou 
 fhall not find them at all any more. 
 15. The merchants of thefe things, who 
 were made rich by her, fliall {land afar 
 oif, through fear of her torment, w^eep- 
 ingand lamenting, 16. and faying, alafs, 
 alafs, that great city, which was cloath- 
 ed in fine linen, and purple, and fcarlet, 
 and decked with gold, and precious 
 flones, and pearls, for in one hour fo 
 great riches are come to nought ! 
 
 Vcr, ij. And every {liip-mafter, and all the 
 company in^fliips, anfi failors, and as 
 many as trade by fea, flood afar off, 
 - 18. And cried when they faw the fmoke 
 of her burnings faying, what is like to 
 this great city ! ig. And they call dufl 
 upon their heads, and cried, weeping 
 and lamenting, and faying, alafs, alafs, 
 tliat great city, by which all who had 
 
 fhips 
 
( ^63 ) 
 
 fiiips in the fea were made rich, by rea- 
 fon of her colllinefs, for in one hour is 
 {he made defolate ! 
 
 Fcr. 20. Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, 
 and ye holy apodles, and prophets, for 
 God hatli avenged you on her ! 
 
 Ver, 21. And a ftrorlg angel took up a 
 great mill-ftone, and call it into the fea, 
 faying, thus with violence (hall Babylon, 
 that great city, be thrown down, and 
 fhall be found no more at all ! 22. And 
 the voice of harpers, and muficians, and 
 piper.?, and trumpeters, fhall be heard 
 no more at all in thee ; and no craftf- 
 man, of whatfoever craft he be, (hall be 
 found any more in thee, and the found 
 of a mill-Ilone fliall be heard no more 
 at all in thee. 23. And the light of a 
 candle (hall fhine qo more at ail in thee; 
 and the voiice of the bride- groom, and 
 of the bride, fliall be heard no more at 
 all in thee ; for thy merchants were the 
 M m * great; 
 
( 264 ) 
 
 great men of the earth, for by thy force-* ' 
 ries were all nations deceived. 24. And in 
 her was found the blood of prophets^ 
 and of faints, and of all who were {lain 
 upon the earth. 
 
 THIS chapter records the great and fi-^ 
 nal deftruftion of antichrift in a fine 
 and folemn elegy, called in the prophetick 
 fcriptures a lamentation. It is added to 
 give a fulnefs and confiftency to this grand 
 fyflcm of the Revelation ; which is form- 
 ed of a nurhber of parts, all of them tend- 
 ing to build up and perfe£l its greatnefs^ 
 and magnificence. 
 
 The meaning of thofe figurative aliufi- 
 ons may be eafily obvious to the reader^ 
 and they will therefore ne>ed no other com- 
 tncnt than a comparifon of them withthofe 
 other parts of fcriptures, which record 
 in like manner the ruin of Babylon, ox 
 antichrift. 
 
 We 
 
( 2% ) 
 
 We fee in the nth chapter of this Re- 
 velation that he is difguifed under different 
 fiftitious names and is fpiritually called 
 Sodom, and Egypt: he may likewife be 
 traced under that of Edom, under which 
 name v;e fliall make free to detecl him, 
 as well as his more common one of Ba- 
 bylon» 
 
 || Isaiah in the thiueenth chapter parti- 
 cularly mentions the deftruClion of this 
 power, and concludes it with the moft live- 
 ly defcription of the permanency of his ruin 
 and defolation. 
 
 ' And Babef, the glory of kingdoms, 
 the beauty and pride of the Chaldeans, 
 {hall be as the deftruftion of God in So- 
 dom, and Gomorrha, It fhall not be in- 
 habited for ever, neither (hall it be dwelt 
 in from generation to generation : neither 
 fliall the Arabian pitch his tents there, nei- 
 ther (hall the flieplberds make their folds 
 there. But Zim (hall lodge there, and 
 M m 2 ^ their 
 
( 2.66 J 
 
 their houfes {hall be full of Ohim : ofl-= 
 riches fliall dwell there, and the Satyrs 
 fhall dance there. And Ijim fhall cry in 
 their palaces, and dragons in their pleaf^ 
 ant palaces : and the time thereof is ready 
 to come, and the days thereof (hall not be 
 prolonged.' 
 
 iExTKACTS from ch. 14. How hatji the 
 oppreffor ceafed, and the gold-thirfly Ba- 
 bel refted, &c. The whole world is at 
 reft, and is quiet : they fing for joy, &c. 
 Hell beneath is moved for thee, to meet 
 thee at thy coming, &c. Thy pomp is 
 brought down to the grave, and the found 
 of thy viols : the worm is fpread under 
 thee, and the worms cover thee. How 
 art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, 
 fon of the morning ! and cut down to the 
 ground who didft caft lots upon the nati- 
 ons, t&c. For I will rife up againft them, 
 faith the Lord, and will cut off from Ba- 
 bel the name^ and the remnant, &c. And 
 
 will 
 
( 267 } 
 
 will make it a poffeffion to the heel 
 and pools of water, &c. 
 
 rrp 
 
 o--^^^S> 
 
 From Ifaiah, chap. 34. For rny Rvord 
 flaall be drunken in the Heave^ns, behold, it 
 Ihall come down upon Edcm, even upon 
 the people of my curfe, to judgment, &c. 
 For it is the day of the Lords vencreance. 
 and the year of recompence, for the judg- 
 ment of Zion. And the rivers thereof 
 (hall be turned into pitch, and the duft 
 thereof into brimflone, and the land there^ 
 of {hall be burning pitch. It fliall not be 
 quenched night, nor day : the fmoke there- 
 of {hall go up evermore, it {hall be defolate 
 from generation to generation, none {hall 
 pafs through it for ever. But the pcle- 
 can, and the hedge-hpg, {hall polTefs it, 
 and the gr^at owl, and t^e raven, {hall 
 dwell in it ; and, he ftiall {iretch out upon 
 it the line of vanity, and die {lones of 
 emptinefs. The nobles thereof {hall call 
 to the kingdom, and there {hal! be non«; 
 and all the prince th^eof fi^^all he as no- 
 thing. 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 tiling. And it fhall bring forth thorns in 
 the palaces thereof, &c. There {hall 
 meet alfo Zim, and Ijim, and the Catyrc 
 (hall cry to his fellow, &c. 
 
 From Ifaiah, chap. 47. Come down, 
 and fit in the dull, O virgin daughter Ba- 
 bel ! fit on the ground, there is no throne, 
 O daughter of the Chaldeans ! for thou 
 fliall no more be called tender and delicate, 
 &c. Sit flill, and get thee into darknefs, 
 O daughter of the Chaldeans ! for thou 
 {halt no more be called the lady of king- 
 doms, I was wroth with my people, I 
 have polhited my inheritance, and given 
 them into thy hand : thou didft fiiew them 
 no mercy, &c. Therefore now hear, thou 
 who art given Lo pleafurcs, and dwelleft 
 carelefs. She faith in her heart, I am, and 
 none elfe : 1 fl^all not fit as a widow, nei- 
 ther fhall know the lofs of children. But 
 thefe tw^o things (hall come upon thee, the 
 iofs of children and v/idowhood, &c. 
 Therefore fhall evil eome upon thee, and 
 
 thou 
 
( 269 ) 
 
 thou (lialt not know the morning thereof; 
 dellruBion (hall fall upon thee, which thou 
 {halt not be able to put away,' dedruflion 
 fliall come upon thee fuddenly before thou 
 art aware. Thou art wearied in the mul- 
 titude of thy counfels : let now the aftro- 
 logers, the Ilar-gazers, and prognoIHcators, 
 ftand up, and fave thee from thofe things 
 which fhall come upon thee, &c. 
 
 From Jeremiah, chap. 50. Babel is 
 taken, Bel is confounded, &c. In thofe 
 days, and at that time, faith the Lord, the 
 children of Ifrael fnall come, they, and the 
 children of Judah, together, &c. Put 
 yourlclves in array again!! Babel round a- 
 about, &c. her foundations are fallen, and 
 her walls are deitroyed ; for it is the ven- 
 geance of the Lord : take vengeance upon 
 her. As (lie has done do unto her, &c. I 
 have laid a fnare for thee, and thou alfo art 
 taken, O Babylon, and thou waft not a- 
 ware, &c. Call together the archers againfl: 
 Babylon : all ye who bend the bow, camp 
 
 againft 
 
(270) 
 
 ag'^iaft it round about, let none thereof ef- 
 cape: recompence her according to her 
 work, according to all that (he haih done 
 do unto her, &c. Therefore the wild beafls 
 of the defers, with the wild beafts of the 
 illands, fnal! dwell there, and the ovv'ls 
 {hall dwell therein : and it fliall be no more 
 inhabited for ever, neither (hall it be dwelt 
 in from generation to generation i As* God 
 overthrew Sodom, and Gomorrha, and the 
 neighbouring cities thereof, faith the Lord, 
 fo {hall no man abide there, neither {hall any 
 fon of man dwell therein, &c. 
 
 From chap, 51. Flee out of the midft 
 of Babylon, and deliver every man his 
 foul : be not cut off in her iniquity, for 
 this is the tim.e of the Lords vengeancej 
 he wil^ render unto her a recompence. Ba- 
 bylon hath been a golden cup in the Lords 
 hand, that bath made all the earth drunken : 
 the nations have drunk of her wine, there- 
 fore the nations are mad, &c. We 
 would have healed Babylon, but {he is not 
 
 healed ; 
 
( 271 ) 
 
 healed : forfake her^ and let us go every 
 one into his own country ; for her judg- 
 ment reacheth unto Heaven, and is lifted 
 up even unto the fkies, &c. O thou, who 
 dwellcft upon many waters, abundant ia 
 treafures, thy end is come, and the mea- 
 fure of thy covctoufnefs, &c. Behold, I 
 am againft thee, O deltroying mountain, 
 faith the Lord, which deftroyeft all the 
 earth, and I w^ill llretch out my hand upon 
 thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, 
 and will make thee a burnt mountain, &c. 
 My people, go ye out of the midll of her, 
 and deliver ye every man his foul from the 
 fierce anger of the Lord, &c. 
 
 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the e- 
 vil that {hould come upon Babylon, and 
 all thofe words that are written againft Ba- 
 bylon. And Jeremiah faid unto Seraiah, 
 W'hen thou comeft to Babylon, and flialt 
 fee and (halt read all thefe words, then 
 thou (halt fay, O Lord, thou haft fpokeri 
 againft this place, to cut it oft, that none 
 N n . fliall 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 fhall remain in it, neither man nor beaft, 
 but that it fliall be defolate for ever. And 
 it {hall be when thou haft made an end of 
 reading this book, that thou fhalt bind a 
 flone to it, and caft it into the midft of the 
 Euphrates, and thou (halt fay, thus fliall 
 Babylon fink, and fiiall not rife, from the 
 evil that I will bring upon her : and they 
 fhall be weary. 
 
 Though it muft be allowed that this 
 laft mentioned prophecy was in fome mea- 
 fure fulfilled on literal Babylon, yet it mufl: 
 be confidered alfo as typically to fignify 
 fpiritual Babylon, which ultimately claims 
 to iifelf the principal burthen of it. 
 
 As the prophets did not continue for e- 
 ver, their prophecies feem to have a kind 
 of perpetual meaning chiefly centering in 
 the laft ftate and fortune of the church. 
 After the deftruftion of Babylon the Jews 
 are conftantly mentioned as being lafting- 
 ly eftabliftied in their country, and all na- 
 tions 
 
( 273 ) 
 
 tions are reprefented as flowing to the 
 church : but the eftabliOiment of the Jews 
 after their deliverance from literal Babylon 
 was only temporary, and was followed 
 not long after with their total ruin and dif- 
 perfion. 
 
 Besides Babylon itfelf fuffered little 
 more when it w^as taken by the Perfians 
 than a change of its polity and govern- 
 ment, and might yet flourifh, though per- 
 haps in a lefTer degree, under its new lords. 
 But as the deliverance of the Jews at that 
 time greatly refembled the deliverance 
 which will happen to the church from the 
 tyranny of fpiritual Babylon, the prophets 
 have conftantly dire6led the principal fcope 
 of their prophecies to this great event, as 
 is evident from a thorough review of them, 
 and particularly from that part of them 
 which I propofe to fubjoin to the defcrip- 
 tion of the new Jerufalem. 
 
 N n 3 - It 
 
( 274 ) 
 
 It is likewife natural to imagine that 
 the holy prophets, in whom the fpirit of 
 God refided, would not be content to 
 confine their prediftions to only a particu- 
 lar temporary event, but would rather in- 
 dulge themfelves with the rapturous con« 
 templation of the univerfal glory and do- 
 minion of the church, which might be 
 eafily couched under thofe typical repre* 
 fentations* 
 
 Chap. XIX. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And after thefe things I heard the 
 voice of a great multitude in Heaven^ 
 faying, Hallelujah ! falvation, and glo- 
 ry, and honour, and power, to the Lord 
 our God ! 2. For true and righteous arc, 
 
 his ' 
 
( ^15 ) 
 
 his judgments : for he hath judged the 
 great whore, who hath dellroyed the 
 earth through her fornication, and hath 
 avenged the blood of his fervants at her 
 hand. 3. And again they faid Hallelu- 
 jah ! and the fmoke of her burning af- 
 cendeth up for ever and ever. 4. And 
 the four and twenty elders, and the four 
 beads, fell down and woifliipped God, 
 who fitteth^upon the throne, laying, a- 
 men ! Hallelujah ! 
 
 Vcr. 5. And there eame a voice from the 
 throne, faying, praife our God, all ye 
 his fervants, and ye who fear him, both 
 fmall and great ! 6. And I heard the 
 voice of a great multitude, and as the 
 voice of many waters, and as the voice 
 of mighty thunders, faying, Hallelujah ! 
 for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth ! 
 7. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give 
 glory unto him ; for the marriage of 
 the lamb is come, and his bride hath 
 made herfelf ready. 
 
( 276 ) 
 
 Ver. 8. And lo her it was given that fhe 
 fhould he cloathed in fine linen and fhin- 
 ing, for fine linen is the righteoiifnefs of 
 faints, g. And he faid unto me, write, 
 bleffed are they who are called to the 
 marriage fupper of the lamb. And he 
 laid unto me, thefe are the true fayings 
 of God. 
 
 Ver. lo. And I fell at his feet to worlhip 
 him, and he faid unto me, foe thou do 
 it not ; I am thy fellow fervant, and of 
 thy brethren who have the teftimony 
 of Jefus ; worfhip God : for the tefli- 
 mony of Jefus is the fpirit of prophecy. 
 
 HERE again, according to the ufual 
 manner of this myftery, the gloomy 
 fcenes of antichrift are contrafted with the 
 fplendid vifions of the triumphant church, 
 which is reprefented as continually pouring 
 out her praifes and ihankfgivings to God. 
 
 We 
 
( 277 ) 
 
 We cannot do better than illuflrale 
 this pafiage with a fong of thankfgiving, 
 which Ifaiah has compoled for the ufe of 
 the faithful, when they fliall triumpli over 
 their enc/mies, and be eftabhflied in the 
 multitude of peace. 
 
 ^ And in that day thou (halt fay, O 
 Lord, I will praife thee : though thou waft 
 angry with me thy anger is turned a- 
 way, and thou doft comfort me. Behold, 
 God is my falvation, I will truft, and not 
 be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my 
 llrength, and my fong, he alfo is become 
 my falvation. Therefore with joy fball ve 
 draw water out of the wells of falvation. 
 And in that day (hall ye fay, praife the 
 Lord, call upon his name : declare his do- 
 ings among the people, make mention that 
 his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, 
 for he hath done excellent thing*? : this is 
 known in all the earth. Cry out and fhout, 
 thou inhabitant of Ziort, for great is the 
 holy one in the midll of thee. 
 
 Ven 
 
C 278 ) 
 
 BiBBSaeSB 
 
 Ver. XL, &c. 
 
 Vcr. 11. And I faw Heaven opened, and 
 behold, a white horfe, and he who fat 
 upon him was called Faithful, and True, 
 and in righteoufnefs doth he judge, and 
 make war. 12. His eyes were as a flame 
 of fire, and upon his head were many 
 crowns: and he had a name wTitten, 
 which no man knew but he himfelf. 13. 
 And he was cloathed in a veRure dipt in 
 blood, and his name is called the Word 
 of God. 
 
 Ver, 14. And the armies in Heaven follow- 
 ed him upon white horfes, cloathed in 
 white linen and pure, i^. And out of 
 
 his 
 
( ^19 ) 
 
 his mouth progeeded a fharp fword, 
 that with it he might fmite the nations, 
 and he {hall rule them with a rod of 
 iron : and he treadeth the wine-prefs of 
 the fiercencfs and wrath of Almighty 
 God. 16. And he had upon his veflure, 
 and his thigh, a name written, KING 
 OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 
 
 Vcr, 17. And I Taw ati angel {landing in 
 the fun : and he cried with a loud voice, 
 faying to all the fowls that fly in the 
 mid{l of Heaven, come, and gather 
 yourfelves together to the fupper of the 
 great God : 18. That ye may eat the 
 flefh of kings, arid the {lefh of captains, 
 and the flefh of mighty men, and the 
 flefli of horfes, and of them who fit on 
 them, and the fle(h of all men, free and 
 bond, and fmall and great. 
 
 Yci\ IQ. And I faw the beaft, and the 
 kings of the earth, and their armies, ga- 
 thered together to make v/ar again{l him 
 O o who 
 
( 28o } 
 
 who fat on the horfe, and againfl his 
 army. 20. And the beaft was taken, 
 dnd whh him the falfe prophet, who 
 wrought miracles before him, with which 
 he deceived them who had received the 
 mark of the bead, and them who wor- 
 fhipped his image : both thefe were cafh 
 ahve into a lake of fire, burning with 
 brimftone. 21. And the reft were flain 
 with the fword of him who fat upon the 
 horfe, which proceeded out of his mouth, 
 and all the fowls were filled with their 
 flelh. 
 
 AS the . divinity, of ^ Chrift docs here 
 Ihine in full majefty and fplendour, 
 it may be very proper to attend to every 
 particular part of this defcriptior.. 
 
 We have in this place another view of 
 tlie triumph of the fon of God over the 
 power of' antichrift. He prefents himfelf 
 before him. in all the terrors of his great- 
 
 nefs^ 
 
I 
 
 ( 281 ) 
 
 nefs, and eafily configns his trembling e* 
 nemy to eternal punifhraent. 
 
 The evangelift fees Hqaven open before 
 him, and our powerful Redeemer appears 
 now ready to avenge the blood of his fcr- 
 vants. He fits upon a white horfe, as in 
 the firfl feal, and goes forth conquering, 
 and to conquer. There is no neceffity 
 that Heaven and earth {hould arm them- 
 felves in the defence of their creator, the 
 juftice of his caufe is alone fufficient to in- 
 flict a mortal wound on his enemies ; for 
 in righteoufnefs does he judge, and make 
 war, and he is always called Faithful and 
 True. 
 
 The evangelifl: goes on to defcribe his 
 glorious appearance. 
 
 His eyes were as a flame of fire, as he 
 
 feemed when he was firft feen wa,lking a- 
 
 mong the feven golden candleflicks ; and 
 
 upon his head were many crov/ns, figuring 
 
 O o 2 the 
 
( 282 ) 
 
 the greatnefs of his power, for he alone is 
 KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF 
 LORDS. 
 
 He had likewife a name written, which 
 no man knew but himfelf ; intimating that 
 no mortal, or even immortal, nature can 
 be able to comprehend the exceeding great- 
 nefs of his majefty and dominion in their 
 full extent, for it is impoffible for us to find 
 out the Almighty to perfeftion. 
 
 He is cloathed, ver, 13, in a vefture 
 dipt in blood, to fignify his redemption of 
 his people, when he offered himfelf a fa» 
 orifice for the fins of the world, and fuf- 
 fered death, even the death of the crofs. 
 He then revealed to the world the glory of 
 the Father, and became the Word of God, 
 manifefting particularly the will of God to 
 mankind, and accomplifhing every end and 
 purpofe oi religion. St. John calls Chrifl 
 in his gofpel the Word of God, faying, in 
 
 the 
 
( 283 ) 
 
 the beginning was the Word, and ihe Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God, 
 &c. And the Word became flcfb, and 
 dwelled amongft us: and we beheld his 
 glory as of the only begotten of the Fa^ 
 ther, full of grace, and truth. John, i. 
 ver. 1., &c. 
 
 He is followed, ver. 14. by the armies; 
 of Heaven upon white horfes, and out of 
 his mouth proceeded a (harp fword. Arm- 
 ed in this moft formidable manner he 
 treads the wine-prefs of the fiercenefs of 
 tlie wrath of Almighty God, agreeable to 
 the reaping of the vine of the eaith, ch. i/|. 
 ver. 17, &c. 
 
 After all the fowls of Heaven are in- 
 vited to the fupper of the great God, we 
 fee the armies of antichrift hardened to 
 oppofe themfelves to his majefly : but the 
 lamb of God overcomes them, for he is 
 KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF 
 I^ORPS. The beaft is taken, and with 
 
 him 
 
( 284 ) 
 
 Iiim the laHe prophet, and are call ahve in- 
 to a lake, burning with fire, and brim- 
 llone. 
 
 David in the 45th Pfahr!, exprefles 
 the greatncfs and power of Chrift, agree- 
 able to the above defcription of them. 
 
 * Gird thee with thy fword upon thy 
 thigh, O thou' moft mighty ! according to 
 thy worfliip, and renown. Good luck have 
 thou with thy honour ! ride on ! becaufe of 
 the word of truth, of meaknefs, andjight- 
 eoufnefs ; and thy right-hand fiiall teach 
 thee terrible things, &c. Thy throne, O 
 God, endureth for ever : the fcepter of 
 thy kingdom is a right fcepter. 
 
 Again, Pfalm 24th. The earth is the 
 Lords, and all that is therein : the compafs 
 of the world, and they who dwell therein, 
 &c. Lift up yourhcad<^, O ye gates, and 
 be ye lifted up, ye everlafling doors, and 
 the king of glory flrall come in. Who is 
 
 the 
 
( 285 ) 
 
 the king of glory ? even ilie Lord of luAU, 
 he is the king of glory. 
 
 Christ's divinity and majcfly are like- 
 wife remarkably defcribcd by Ifaiah, ch. g. 
 ver. 6, &c. 
 
 * For unto us a child is born, and unto 
 us a child is given : and the government 
 fhall be upon his (houlders, and he (hall 
 call his name. Wonderful, Counfellor, the 
 mighty God, the everlafting Father, the 
 Prince of peace ! the increafe of his go- 
 vernment and peace fhall have no end : he 
 fiiall fit upon the throne of David, and 
 upon his kingdom, to order it, and to e(- 
 tablifh it with judgment, and with juRicc, 
 from henceforth, even for ever ! 
 
 To thefe great teflimonies v/e may add 
 others equally remarkable. 
 
 St. Paul, mentioning with pity and 
 concern, his brethren the Jev/s, fays, of 
 
 wliom 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 Vvhoril are the fathers, and of whom is 
 Chrift, according to the flefli^ who is over 
 all God, bleffed for ever. Amen. Rom^ 
 
 g. ver. 5. 
 
 Again, taking leave of the Ephefian 
 elders, he warns them as follows. * Take 
 heed therefore to yourfelves, and to all the 
 flock over which the holy fpirit hath made 
 you overfeers, to feed the church of God, 
 which he hath purchafed with his own 
 blood. A6ls, 20. ver. 28. Here St. Paul, 
 full of the holy fpirit, direftly, and with« 
 out the lead ambiguity, acknowledges 
 Chrift as God, for Chrifl; only was our fa- 
 crifice, and propitiation. See 1. Tim. 3, 
 ver. 16. 
 
 Mat. 12. ver. 1, &c. When the Pha- 
 rifees reprimanded Chrifl's difciples for 
 plucking on the Sabbath day fome cars 
 of corn, Chrilt juftified them by the ex- 
 ample of David, w^ho through neceflTity 
 eat even of the fliew bread ; and obferved 
 
 likewife 
 
( 28; ) 
 
 iikcwife that the priefts in fome inRances 
 prophaned the Sabbath in the temple. Af • 
 ter which he fays, I fay unto you, here is 
 one greater than the temple : and a little 
 after, the fon of man is Lord of the Sab- 
 bath. If the temple was built and dedi- 
 cated for the fervice and worihip of God, 
 it is impodible that any inferiour creature 
 fliould be able to proclaim himfelf greater 
 than this facred inclofure. He only mull 
 be greater who is adored and honoured ia 
 it. And in refpeft to the Sabath, feeing 
 that the obfervation of it was inliituted in 
 remembrance of God's red from the la- 
 bours of his creation, what other being, or 
 angel-, or mferiour power, can flile himfelf 
 Lord of the Sabbath ? he only can be 
 Lord, of it who relied on it after the w^orks 
 of his creation, and v/ho appointed the fo^ 
 lemn obTervation of it. 
 
 Mat. i8. ver. 19, &c. Chrill fays^ 
 
 **' Again 1 fay unto you, that if two of 
 
 you agree together upon earth in any thing 
 
 P p which 
 
( 288 ) 
 
 -vvhich lliey fnall requeft, it fliall be grant- 
 ed to them by my Father who is in Heaven. 
 For where two or three are gathered toge- 
 ther in my name, I am in the midft of 
 them." We fee lirft thai any two perfons 
 devoutly preferring their petitions to God, 
 will be heard and relieved by him : and 
 Chrifl: afterwards adds, * for where two 
 or three are gathered together in my name, 
 I am in the midft of them.' As thefe two 
 verfes comprehend one particular matter, 
 and the latter is an explanation and illuf- 
 tration of the former, it is very evident 
 that Chrill here fnews that he and the Fa- 
 ther are one. Fie is in the midft of them, 
 that is, he is ready to hear and grant their 
 petitions, which in the former verfe are faid 
 would be granted by his Father who is in 
 Fleavcn. None can forgive fins but God : 
 He only can be prefent to our prayers, He 
 only can be in the midft of us. 
 
 This great and holy myftery is ftill ren- 
 dered clearer by the following remarkable 
 
 pafTage*, 
 
( 289 ) 
 
 paflages. John, 25. ver. 7, &c. ' If you 
 had known me you had known my Father 
 alfo ; and from henceforth you have known 
 him, and haye feen him. Philip faid un- 
 to him, Lord, (hew us the Father, and it 
 will be fufficient for us, Jefus faith unto 
 him, fo long time have I been with you, 
 and have not you known me, Philip ? he 
 who feeth me hath feen the Father ; and 
 wherefore doft thou fay, (hew unto us the 
 Father. Doll thou not believe that I am 
 in the Father, and the Father in me ?' 
 
 These expreffions are fo forcible and 
 irrefiflable that the paffage towards the end 
 of this chapter, where it is faid, ^ my Fa- 
 ther is greater than I,' may from them be 
 readily and eafily concluded to fignify that 
 this fuperiority of the Father can only be 
 underftood in refpefl to his Godhead, and 
 the manhood of the fon. This is agreeable 
 to the definition of this faith by ilie Atha- 
 nafian creed, wlierc it is faid, that ChrKh 
 is equal to the Fatlier as touching iiis god- 
 P p 2 iiead. 
 
( 250 ) 
 
 head, and inferiour to the Father as lovich- 
 ing his manhood. This diflinflion is fur- 
 ther explained by St. Paul, (Phihp. 2. v. 
 6, &c.) who, fpeaking of Chrift fays, who 
 being in the form of God, thought it not 
 robbery to be equal wiih God : but made 
 himfelf of no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a fervant, and w^as made 
 in the likenefs of man. And being found 
 in fafliion as a man, he humbled himfelf 
 and became obedient unto death, even the 
 death of the crofs. For as he obferves to 
 Timothy, ' without controverfy great is the 
 myflery of religion, God was manifefled 
 in the flefh, juflified in the fpirit, feen of 
 angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed 
 in the world, received to glory. 1 Tim. 3, 
 ver. 16, 
 
 It would require a volume to confider 
 the many difcourfes of Chrift to his a- 
 poflles, concerning faith in him, recorded 
 by St. John. His divinity is therein fufhci- 
 cntly illuRratcd to the plain and unpreju- 
 diced 
 
diced reader. If he is not Gcd, io what 
 purpofe is our faith in him ? I!' he is not 
 God he mud be a creature, and as a rrca- 
 lure mall be infinitely inlerionr to God. 
 Faith therefore in a creature can be of no 
 cffc6l : for a creature is fp far from afford- 
 ing falvation that itfelf muft of neceflity 
 fland in need of it. Faith therefore in 
 Chrift muft always be underpLOod as faith 
 in God, for he only is able to aiTord falva- 
 tion to his creatures. 
 
 The holy fcriptures, being the imme- 
 diate revelation of Gods will to iiis crea- 
 tures, can only be depended upon as a 
 foundation for doftrines of this great and 
 moft fublime nature. Ir is infinitely be- 
 yond the utmoft reach of human faculties 
 to comprehend them in their full extent. 
 We may amufe ourfelves as we pleafewith 
 volumes of logical pofitions and premifes : 
 as we have no real certainty of their truth, 
 the fuperftruclure built upon them mufl 
 be altogether tottering, and imperlccl, 
 
 Rcligioa 
 
( ^9^ ) 
 
 Religion muft therefore fufFer by vague 
 and unfupported arguments ; and after all 
 our length of reafonings we mull be glad 
 to return to an implicit faith in the doc- 
 trines recommended to us in the holy fcrip- 
 tares. 
 
 We may however indulge fo much of 
 argument in refpe6l to the great doflrine 
 of Chrifts divinity as to confider it in the 
 following manner. Chrift muft of necef- 
 fity be either God, or a creature ; for it is 
 impofiible in the nature of things that 
 there (hould be any other intermediate be- 
 ing. He may no doubt be greatly fuperi- 
 our to man, but if we confider him as a 
 creature he muft be infinitely inferiourto 
 God. We may therefore gather that if he 
 is a creature he muft be altogether unequal 
 to the great bufinefs of redemption; for 
 nothing can be fuppofed to reconcile us to 
 God but his own immediate pardon, and 
 forgivenefs of our oftences, which muft be 
 
 virtually 
 
( 293 ) 
 
 i virtually implied, and as it were relident, 
 in the facrifice, or propitiation, Tor our 
 fins. 
 
 Chap. XX. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Ver. 1. And I faw an angel defcending out 
 of Heaven, having the key of the bot- 
 tomlefs pit, and a great chain in his 
 hand. 2. And he laid hold of the dra- 
 gon, that old ferpent, Avhich is the De- 
 vil, and Satan, and bound him a thou- 
 fand years. 3, And he caft him into the 
 bottomlefs pit, and fliut him in, and fet 
 a feal upon him, that he {houldno long- 
 er deceive the nations, until the thou- 
 fand years fhould be finifiicd ; and af- 
 ter 
 
' ( 294 ) 
 
 ter tliat he rnufl be looL^d for a fiiort 
 fpace. 
 
 Vcr. 4. And I hw thrones, and they fat 
 upon them, and judgment was given un- 
 to them, and the fouls of thofe who 
 were beheaded for the teduiiony of Je- 
 ins, and for the word of God, and Vv^ho 
 worQiipped not the beaR, nor his image, 
 and received not the mark upon their 
 foreheads, nor upon their hand : and 
 they hved, and reigned with Chrift, a 
 thoufand years. 5. And the reft of the 
 dead lived not a^ain until the ihoufand 
 years were finifhed. This is the firft re- 
 iurreflion. 6. Bleffcd and holy is lie 
 who hath part in the fird refurreftion : 
 upon fuch the fecond death hath no 
 povv^er, but they (hall be priefts of God, 
 and of Chiift, and fliall reign with him 
 a tl.oufand years. 
 
 THIS 
 
( ^95 ) 
 
 nPHlS fpace of a thoufand years muft 
 -*- reprefent what is called in the fcrip- 
 tures the reft of the church, or the king- 
 dom of Chrift, or the Laodicean church 
 in her firft glory, fo often before mention-^ 
 ed ; for the commencement of which in 
 the Lord's prayer we daily pray. 
 
 The defcription of this glorious king- 
 dom will take up the remaining of the fe- 
 ven parts, into which this great myftery 
 fcems naturally divided. It is there called 
 a new Heaven, and a new earth, fuch a 
 vifionary reprefentation (as is every fcene 
 in this Revelation,) figuring a folid and 
 permanent ftate of things, altogether new^ 
 and different from that precarious and fluc- 
 tuating one in which of neceflity they muft: 
 remain till this moft happy and lafting ef- 
 tabliftiment. 
 
 It muft alfo be obferved, that nothing 
 
 is mentioned in the writings of the pro^ 
 
 Q q pl^et5 
 
( 296 ) 
 
 phets but what regards us, or our pofleri- 
 ty ; for it is not in the power of our men- 
 tal facukies to comprehend the glories of 
 the immortal world, as it is written, * eye 
 hath not feen, nor ear heard, the things 
 which God hath laid up for thofe who ferve 
 him.' It feems likewife to be his pleafurc 
 to make us in this life continually depend- 
 ent on him ; that when he fhall think pro- 
 per to receive us to himfelf, we may rufli 
 at once into glories, which nothing but the 
 happy change of our nature can enable us 
 to comprehend. 
 
 During this reft of the church, the 
 power of the Devil will be altogether re- 
 trained, that no evil may interrupt this 
 peace, but that mankind may have a full 
 and uncontrolled enjoyment of it. 
 
 This is called the firft refurre£lion, or 
 reception into favour and dominion, of the 
 juit and faithful of thofe times ; llVe fecond 
 
 death 
 
( ^^97 ) 
 
 death being the great and final condemna 
 tion of the wicked. 
 
 Ver. VII, &c. 
 
 Ver. 7. And when the thoufand years fhall 
 be fini(hed, Satan (hall be loofed out of 
 his prifon : 8. and fhall go forth to de- 
 ceive the nations in the four corners of 
 the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather 
 them together to battle, the number of 
 whom is as the fand of the fca. 
 
 Ver. 9. And they came up upon the 
 breadth of the earth, and compafled a- 
 bout the camp of the faints, and the 
 beloved city : and fire came down from 
 God out of Heaven, and devoured them. 
 Q q 2 10. And 
 
C 298 ) 
 
 10. And the Devil, who deceived them, 
 was cafl into a lake of fire and brim- 
 fione, where the beaft, and the falfe pro- 
 phet are ; and they (hall be tormented 
 day and night for ever and ever. 
 
 TH I S army of Gog, and Magog, is 
 the fame with that collefted by the 
 three unclean fpirits like frogs, which came 
 out of the mouths of the dragon, the beaft, 
 and the falfe prophet. They are the (bat- 
 tered remains of Rome, who towards the 
 conclufion of the w^orld will gather toge- 
 ther all who fhall be wicked and abandon- 
 ed like themfelves, that they make one 
 more defperate effort againft the people of 
 God : but it will prove feeble and impo- 
 tent, for fire will come down from Hea- 
 ven, and deftroy them, as in the feventh 
 vial. 
 
 As the Gog, and Magog, here menti- 
 oned, fcem to be the fame v;ith the Gog, 
 
 and 
 
( ^99 ) 
 
 and Magog, of the prophet Ezekiel, it 
 may not be improper to produce fome 
 extrafts from this prophet concerning 
 them. 
 
 From chap. 38. Son of man, fet thy 
 face againft Gog, and againfl the land of 
 Magog, &c. Behold, I come againft thee, 
 
 Gog, the chief prince of Meftieck, and 
 Tubal. And I will deftroy thee, and put 
 hooks in thy jaws, and I will bring thee 
 forth, and all thy hoft, cloathed in all forts 
 of armour, &c. Thou fhalt afcend, and 
 come up like a tempeft, and fhall be like a 
 cloud to cover the land, &c. In that day, 
 when my people dwelleth fafe, fhalt thou 
 not know it ? and come from thy place out 
 of the north, &c. in the latter days. And 
 
 1 will bring thee upon my land, that the 
 Heathen may know me when I fhall be 
 fanflified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes* 
 For I will call for a fword againft him 
 throughout all my mountains, faiih the 
 Lord God : every man's fword fliall be a- 
 
 gainft 
 
( 300 ) 
 gainft his fellow. And I will plead againft 
 him with peftilence, and with blood, and 
 I will caufe to rain upon him, and upon 
 his bands, and upon the great people who 
 are with him, a fore rain, and hailftones, 
 and fire, land brimftone, &c. 
 
 PART 
 
PART THE SEVENTH. 
 
 A KEY 
 
Key to the Mystery, &c 
 
 PART THE SEVENTH. 
 
 Chap. XX. Ver. ii, &c^ 
 
 Ver, 11. A^d I faw a great white throne, 
 and him who fat upon it, before whofc 
 face the earth and the Heaven fled away, 
 and there was found no place for them. 
 12. And I faw the dead, fmall and great. 
 Handing before God, and the books were 
 R r opened: 
 
( 3^4 ) 
 
 opened : and another book was opened 
 which is the book of life, and the dead 
 were judged out of what was written in 
 the books, according to their works. 
 13. And the fea gave up the dead which 
 were in it, and death and Hell gave up 
 the dead which were in them : and they 
 were judged every man according to his 
 works. 14. And death and Hell were 
 call into a lake of fire : this is the fe- 
 cond death. 15. And whofoever was 
 not foinid written in the book of life was 
 ca^l; into a lake of fire. 
 
 "W^ O R the reafons given in the obfer- 
 Jl^ vations on the firft part of this chap- 
 ter we muft confider the above as a 
 further reprefentation of what is called the 
 harveft, or the grand revolution of things, 
 when antichriit will be condemned, and 
 bound in the bottomlefs pit, and Gods 
 irue church rewarded according to her 
 works, and promoted to reft, glory, and 
 empire. 
 
 THi.q 
 
( 3^5 ) 
 
 This judgment and diflinftion of things 
 are naturally previous to that great and 
 particular defcription of the church, called 
 the New Jerufalem, immediately following ; 
 which will be found agreeable to all the 
 prophets, in a view of the feveral extrafls 
 from them, intended to be fubjolned in 
 their proper place. The reader mufl like- 
 wife obferve that all thefe things are (hewn 
 in vifionary fccnes, and mud be largely 
 and figuratively underftood. 
 
 Chap. XXL Ver. i, &c, 
 
 Ver. i» And I faw a new Heaven, and a 
 new earth, for the firft Heaven, and the 
 firft earth, were paft away, and there 
 was no more fea. 
 
 R r 2 Vcr. 
 
( 3o6 ) 
 
 Ver. 2. And I John faW the holy city, New 
 Jerufalem, coming down from Heaven, 
 prepared as a bride adorned for her huf- 
 band. 
 
 Ver. 3. And I heard a loud voice out of 
 Heaven, faying, behold, the tabernacle 
 of God is with men, and he (hall dwell 
 with them ; and they fliall be his people, 
 and God himfelf (hall be with them, 
 and be their God. 4. And God ftiall 
 wipe away all tears from their eyes, and 
 there fhall be no more death, neither 
 forrow, nor crying, neither fhall there be 
 any more pain : for the former things 
 are paft away, 
 
 Ver, 5, And he who fat upon the throne 
 faid, behold, I make all things new : and 
 he faid unto me, write, for thefe words 
 are faithful and true. 6. And he faid 
 unto me, it is done : I am Alpha, and 
 Omega, the beginning, and the end : I 
 will give unto him who is athirft of the 
 
 fountain 
 
C 307 ) 
 
 fountain of the water of life freely. ^» 
 He who overcometh fhall inherit all 
 things, and I will be his God, and he 
 fhall be my fon. 8. But the fearful, 
 and unbelieving, and the abominable, 
 and whoremongers, and forcerers, and 
 idolaters, and all lyars, fhall have their 
 part in the lake which burneth with fire, 
 and brimllone, which is the fecond death. 
 
 FIrr. 9. And there came unto me one of the 
 feven angels, who had the feven vials, 
 full of the feven laft plagues, and talk- 
 ed with me, faying, come hither, and 
 I will fhew thee the bride, the lamb's 
 wife. 
 
 Ver. 10. And he carried me away in the 
 fpirit to a great and high mountain, and 
 fhewed me that great city, the holy Je- 
 rufalem, defcending out of Heaven 
 from God : 11. having the glory of God, 
 and her light was like unto a (lone mod 
 precious, even like a jafper ftcne, clear 
 
 as 
 
( 3o8 ) 
 
 j^s chryflal. 12. And had a wall great 
 and high, and twelve gates, and at the 
 gates twelve angels, and names written 
 thereon, v/hich are the names of the 
 twelve tribes of the children of Ifrael. 
 13. On the eaft three gates, on the north 
 three gates, on the fouth three gates, 
 and on the wed three gates. 14. And 
 the wall of the city had twelve foundati- 
 ons, and in them the names of the twelve 
 apoftles of the lamb. 
 
 Vcr. 15. And he who talked with me had 
 a golden reed to meafure the city, and 
 the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 
 16. And the city lieth fourfquare, and 
 the length is as large as the breadth : 
 and he raeafured the city with the reed 
 twelve thoufand furlongs, the length, 
 and the breadth, and the height, of it 
 are equal. ^17. And he meafured the 
 wall thereof an hundred and forty and 
 four cubits, according to the meafure of 
 a man, that is, of the angel. 
 
 Vcr. 
 
( 3^9 ) 
 
 Ver. 18. And the building of ihe wall of 
 it was of jafper : and the city was pure 
 gold, like unto clear glafs. ig. And 
 the foundations of the wall of the city- 
 were garnifhed with all manner of pre- 
 cious (tones. The firft foundation was 
 jafper, the fecond fapphire, the third a 
 chalcedony, the fourth an emerald : 20. 
 the fifth a fardonyx, the fixth a fardius, 
 the feventh a chryfolite, the eighth a 
 Ireryl, the ninth a topaz, the tenth a 
 chryfoprafus, the eleventh a jacinft, the 
 twelfth an amethyfl. 21. And the 
 twelve gates were twelve pearls, every 
 fevcral g-^te was one pearl : and the 
 flreet of the city was pure gold, as it 
 were tranfparent glafs. 
 
 Ver. 22. And I faw no temple therein, for 
 the Lord God Almighty, and the lamb,, 
 are the temple of ir. 23. And the city 
 had no need of the fun, neither, of the 
 moon, to flriine in it ; for the glory of 
 
 the 
 
.( 3^^ ) 
 
 the Lord did lighten it, and the lamb is 
 the light thereof. 24. And the nations 
 of them who are faved (hall walk in the 
 light of it, and the kings of the earth 
 do bring their glory and honour into it. 
 25. And the gates of it (hall not be fhut 
 at all by day, for there fhall be no night 
 there. 26. And they fhall bring the 
 glory and honour of the nations into it. 
 27. And there fhall in no wife enter in- 
 to it any thing that defileth, neither 
 whatfoever worketh abomination, or ma- 
 keth a lye, but they who are written in 
 the lamb's book of life. 
 
 Chai^, 
 
( 3^1 ) 
 
 Chap. XXII. Ver. i, &c. 
 
 Yer. 1. And he (hewed me a pure river of 
 water of life, clear as chryftal, proceed- 
 ing out of the throne of God, and of 
 the lamb. 2. In the midft of the Ilreet 
 of it, and of either fide of the river, 
 was there the tree of life, which bare 
 twelve manner of fruits, and yielded its 
 fruit every month : and the leaves of 
 the trees were for the healing of the na- 
 tions. 3. And there (hall be no more 
 curfe ; but the throne of God, and of 
 the lamb, (hall be in it, and his fervanti; 
 ihall ferve him. 4. And they fliall fee 
 his face, and his name (hall be in their 
 foreheads. 5. And there fliall be no 
 S f night 
 
( 31^ ) 
 
 night there, and they need no candle^ 
 neither Hght of the fun ; for the Lord 
 God giveth them light, and they fliall 
 reign for ever and ever. 
 
 Ver. 6. And he faid unto me, thefe fayings 
 are faithful and true, and the Lord God 
 of the holy prophets fent his angel to 
 fliew unto his fervants the things which 
 muft fliortly be done. 7. Behold, I 
 come quickly : bleffed is he who keep- 
 eth the fayings of this book. 
 
 Ver, 8. And I John faw thefe things, and 
 heard them : and when I had heard and 
 feen I fell down to worfhip before the 
 feet of the angel who (hewed me thefe 
 things, g. Then -faid lie unto me, fee 
 thou do it not ^ for I am thy fellow fer- 
 vant, and of thy brethren the prophets, 
 and of them who keep the fayings of 
 this book : worOiip God. 
 
 Ven 
 
( 3^3 ) 
 
 Vtr. lo. And he faid unto me, feal not the 
 layings of the prophecy of tliis book, 
 for the time is at hand. 1 1. He who is 
 unjuftlet him be unjuft flill, and he who 
 is filthy let him be filthy flill ; and he 
 who is righteous let him be righteous 
 flill, and he who is holy let him be holy 
 ftill. 
 
 Ver. 12. And behold, I come quickly, and 
 ' my revwird is with me, to give to every 
 man according as his work (hall be. 33. 
 I am Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, 
 and the end, the firft, and the laft. 14. 
 Blefled are they who do his command- 
 ments, that they may have right to the 
 tree of life, and may enter in through 
 the gates into the city. 15. For with- 
 out are dogs, and forcerers, and whore- 
 mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, 
 and whofoever liyeth and maketh a lye. 
 
 Ver, 16. I Jcfus have fcnt my angel, to tcf- 
 
 tifv unto you thefe things in the church- 
 
 S f 2 , es : 
 
( 3'4 ) 
 
 es: I am the root and the offfpring of 
 David, and the bright and morning ftar. 
 17. And the fpirit, and the bride, fay^ 
 come ; and let him who heareth fay, 
 come : and let him who is athirfl come, 
 and whofoever will let him take the wa- 
 ter of life freely. 18. For I teftify un- 
 to every man who heareth the words of 
 the prophecy of this book, if any man 
 fliall add unto thefe things God fhall add 
 unto him the plagues that are written in 
 this book. ig. And if any man fliall 
 take away from the words of the book 
 of this prophecy God fliall take aw^ay 
 his part out of the book of life, and out 
 of the holy city, and from the thing:, 
 which are written in this book. 
 
 Ver. 20. He w^ho teftifieth thefe things faith, 
 furely I come quickly. Amen, even fo: 
 come, Lord Jefus. 
 
 Ver. 21. The grace of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift be with you all. Amen. 
 
 AS 
 
^ ^ 
 
 ( 3^5 
 
 A S heretofore in tins great and moft 
 -^ -^ important m) fiery our minds have 
 had for the mod part the difagreeablc, 
 though necefTary, compulfion of inveftiga- 
 ting the gloomy power of antichriff, tia- 
 cing him from his remotefl origin, and dc- 
 tefling him under every borrowed and af- 
 fumed appearance, (for Satan has often 
 been known to transform himfelf to an an- 
 gel of light ;) fo henceforward all this la- 
 bour and toil will be rewarded with the 
 refrefhing and delightful views of the glo- 
 rious and immaculate fpoufe of Chrift, his 
 only true church, fhewn to us in every 
 dazzling appearance, particulary as a holy 
 city and flate, built and eftabliflied, not 
 with earthly and corruptible materials and 
 polity, but fixed on immortal and perma- 
 nent foundations, and adorned with tvtry 
 fpiritual excellency, and ornament. She 
 will appear, as St. Paul fays, built upon 
 the foundation of the apoltles, and pro- 
 phets, Jefus Chrifl himfelf being the chief 
 
 corner 
 
( 3^6 ) 
 
 corner flon?. In whom all the building, 
 liily framed together, grov/eth unto an 
 holy temple in the Lord : in whom you 
 alfo arc bailded together for an habitati- 
 on of God through the fpirit. Ephes, 2. 
 ver. 20., &:. 
 
 It may now be proper to examine the 
 principal parts of this moft inchanting 
 view of the glories of Chrifl's kingdom ; 
 for it will generally be fufficiently plain an 
 obvious to the reader. 
 
 St. John fav/, ch. 21. ver. 1., &c. a new 
 Heaven, and a new earth, &c. that is, a 
 fixed and permanent ftate of things, net 
 like thofe of common human polity, fub- 
 jeft to every change and accident of for- 
 tune, and born along with the flu61uating 
 tides of human affairs, but ellablidied in a 
 firm and lading foundation, never to be 
 (liaken, and difturbed. Ifaiah ufes the fame 
 exprefiion, where he evidently fpeaks of 
 the glories of Chrifl's kingdom. ^ For be- 
 hold, 
 
( 3'7 ) 
 
 liold, I create new Heavens, and a ncv/ 
 earth; and the former fliall not be remem- 
 bered, nor come into mind. But be vou 
 glad and rejoice for ever in that which I 
 create; for behold, I create Jerufalem a 
 rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will 
 rejoice in Jerufalem, and joy in my peo- 
 ple ; and the voice of weeping fhall be no 
 more heard in her, nor the voice of crying, 
 ch. 6^* ver. 17, &c. For St. John heard, 
 ver. 3., &c. a loud voice out of Heaven, 
 faying, behold, the tabernacle of God is 
 -with men, and he fliall dwell with them ; 
 and they fliall be his people, and God him- 
 felf will be with them, and be their 
 God, &c. 
 
 Ver. 9., &c. We fee a new and parti- 
 cular view of the church, and the glories 
 of Chrift's great and univerfal kingdom, 
 which mufl fliortly be eflabliflied in the 
 world. St. John fees it in the appearance 
 of a glorious city, defcending out of Hea- 
 ven, having the glory of God, and whofe 
 
 light 
 
( 3i8 ) 
 
 light was like ualo a ftone mod precious. 
 This beautiful vifion he does not fee in 
 the v/ildernefs, but from a high and lofty 
 mountain. 
 
 Ver. 12, &c. We fee this city fortified, 
 and furrounded with a great and high wall, 
 having twelve gates, named after the twelve 
 tribes of Ifrael. The wall of this city is 
 likewife faid to have twelve foundations, 
 and in them the names of the twelve a- 
 poIUes of the lamb. Here we fee the na- 
 tural and fpiritual fathers of the church, 
 called in other parts of this myftery the 
 four and twenty elders, who, together with 
 the four beafts, are reprefented as continu- 
 ally refideht before the throne of God, 
 and adoring day and night his greatnefs 
 and majelly. 
 
 We fee, ver. 16., &c. the meafurement 
 of this facred city. It lieth fourfquare, e- 
 very fide of which is extended twelve thou- 
 fand furlongs; the circumference of which 
 
 muft 
 
( 3^9 ) 
 
 mad necefTarily be forty eight thoufand. 
 Now if we divide this circumference of 
 forty eight thoufand furlongs by eight, it 
 will be reduced to fix thoufand Englifh 
 miles ; which figuring fo many years, may 
 reprefent the complete duration of time, 
 or the world. This may very likely be 
 the meaning of this meafurcment. 
 
 The wall of it was meafured an hund« 
 red and forty four cubits. This is agree- 
 able to the number of thofe who were feal- 
 ed, chap. 7., (adding fo many thoufands,) 
 the fclefl fupporters of the church : by 
 Avhich we may find that the purpofc of this 
 myftery is only one and the fame, every 
 part agreeing perfeflly with each other, and 
 foritiing one beautiful whole. 
 
 The remaining part of this" chapter is 
 employed in fiicvying the further embellifh-- 
 ment of this moil holy ciiy, which may be 
 eafily comprehended, and needs no further 
 comment. 
 
 T t Chap. 
 
( 320 ) 
 
 Chap. 22. ver. 1, &c. St. John was 
 (liewn a pare river of water of lite, adorn- 
 ed on each fide w^ith the trees of life, yield- 
 ing twelve manner of fruits every month, 
 whofe leaves too are given for the healing 
 of the nations. Here we fee renewed that 
 paradife, from which cur firfl: parents by 
 their tranfgreffion were driven. It is how^« 
 ever now open to fuch of their pofterity 
 as perfevere in the truth of the gofpel. 
 In thoie happy and truly golden days there 
 fliall be no more curfe ; but Gods fervants 
 ihall continually behold his face, and his 
 name fliall be written in their foreheads. 
 
 Yer, 6. We are to*ld that thefe words 
 are faithful and true, and fnall furely be 
 accomplifhed in their day. \Yt mufl there- 
 fore look upon tiiem as no vain thing, 
 but confider them as our life. We mufl: 
 weigh them v/ith the moft fcrupulous at- 
 tention, and receive them as the oracles of 
 God. The truth and importance of them 
 1 flatter myfelf are fully manifeft from the 
 
 preceding 
 
( 321 ) 
 
 preceding explanation ; wliich could ne- 
 ver have been perfefled without the key, 
 or manner of expounding thofe niyderies 
 from the beginning. In iliis light they ap- 
 pear eafy, and intelligible, and the know- 
 ledge of them muH only be attributed to 
 the favour and goodnefs of God. 
 
 Ver. 8., &c. We fee the wdrfhippinn- 
 of faints, and angels, exprefly forbidden : 
 and it is aftonitlnng to imagine that the 
 church of Rome fhould dare to eftablifh 
 fuch idolatrous worfliip in open contradic- 
 tion to fo manifefl: a condem.nation of it. 
 
 Ver. lo. St. John is forbid to feal the 
 words of the prophecies of this book, for 
 the time is at hand ; that is, they {hall 
 furely be accomplilhed in their day, agree- 
 able to the like phrafes made ufe of in fcrip- 
 ture, as in the beginning of this v.crk I 
 have endeavoured to explain. 
 
 T t 2 
 
( 322 ) 
 
 It follows, ver. ii. He wlio is unjull: 
 let him be unjuft flill, &c. and he who is 
 righteous let him be righteous ftill, &c. 
 The meaning of which is that this Reve- 
 lation is tlie only means of difcovering to 
 mankind the true" church of Chrift, and 
 explaining to us his will ; whereby we may 
 live holily and happily in this life, and be 
 allured of endlefs peace, and a glorious 
 immortality, in that to come. Chrift now 
 has fhewn himfelf the Alpha, and Omega, 
 the beginning, and the end, in prefiding 
 over his people, and governing them, from 
 the beginning to the end of time, and ma- 
 king even the end of time the commence- 
 inent of a happy eternity. Bleffed are' 
 thole therefore v;ho live after his com- 
 mandments, that they may have a right to 
 the tree of life, or participate of all the 
 benefits' and graces of religion, and enter 
 in through the gates into the city, or be 
 made members of the New Jerufalem : for 
 without are dogs; and forcerers, &c. 
 
 Ver. 
 
( 323 ) 
 
 Ver. i6., Chrifl fays, I Jefus have fcnt 
 iny angel to tcitify thofe things to the 
 chiirches : I am the root, and the offspring, 
 of David, the bright and morning flar. 
 This bright and morning itar v/as promifed 
 to the faithful of the fourth church, or pe- 
 riod, that of Thyatira. In the beginning 
 of the following period of the church he 
 was born in the world, and took our na- 
 ture upon him: and having offered himfeif 
 a facrifice for the fins of mankind, he re- 
 mains an eternal high prieft, making con- 
 tinual interceffion for us. 
 
 Ver. 17. We find an earned invitation 
 to partake of the water of life, or refrcfh 
 our thirlty fouls wMth all the comforts and 
 confolations of religion. 
 
 We fee, ver. 18, &c. an exprefs denun- 
 ciation of Gods eternal anger againft thcfe 
 who fliall alter and pervert the text of this 
 Revelation, thereby making it fubfervient 
 to any particular purpofe, contrary to its 
 
 true 
 
( 324 ) 
 
 true intent and meaning. It has hitherto 
 I believe remained pure and free from any 
 wiiful corruptions,, and though locked up 
 in the mod dark and inexplicable difguifes, 
 has been neverthelefs carefully tre-afured 
 and preferyed in the church : but it may 
 very likely happen that when the church 
 ot Rome finds herfelf openly condemned 
 by this volume, (he may produce a fpuri^ 
 ous copy of it, purpofely corrupted and 
 altered, thereby foothing herfelf in fome 
 meafure in her errors, and agreeable to her 
 conftant praftice, deceiving, and being 
 deceived : for we fee in the fixth trumpet 
 that fhe will never repent of her fuperfti- 
 tions. 
 
 The holy evangelift earneflly wifhes for 
 the 'coming of Chrift's kingdom, and con- 
 cludes this f^rcat Revelation with a fuitable 
 blelling. ' The grace of our Lord Jefus 
 
 ChriPt be with you all. Amen. 
 
 I Shall 
 
( 325 ) 
 
 I Shall now take the liberly to fabjoia 
 fuch of the prophecies of fcripturc as ma- 
 nifeltly relate to the future glory of the 
 church, and the univeifal kingdom of 
 Chrift. Their harmony and connexion 
 with the above defcription of the New Je- 
 rufalem will be evidently fccn, and the 
 truth of the above explanation v/ill there- 
 by clearly appear. 
 
 Extracts from Ifaiah. chap. 2. ver. 2, 
 &c. It fiiall be in the laft days that the 
 mountain of the houfe of the Lord fiiall 
 be prepared in the top of the mountains^ 
 and fiiall be exalted above the hills, and 
 all nations fhall flow unto it, &c. And he 
 fnall judge among the nations, and rebuke 
 many people : they fhall break their 
 fwords alfo into mattocks, and their fpear^ 
 into fcythes, nation {hall not lift up fword 
 againlt nation, neither flrall they learri to 
 fight any more. 
 
 JTROM 
 
( 3^6 ) 
 
 From chap. ii. There fhall cornea 
 rod fbnh of the flock of Jeffe, and a graft 
 (hall grow out of his roots. And the fpi- 
 rit of the Lord fhall reft upon him, &c. 
 With righteoufnefs (hall he judge the poor, 
 and with equity fHall he reprove for the 
 meek of the earth : and he fliall fmite the 
 earth with the rod of his mouth, and with 
 the breath of his lips (liall he flay the 
 wicked, &c. The wolf alfo fhall dwell 
 with the Iamb, and the leopard fhall lie 
 down with the kid, &c. And the fucking 
 child fhall play at the hole of the afp, and 
 the weaned child fhall put his hand upon 
 the cockatrice den. Then fliall none hurt 
 nor defiroy in all the mountain of my ho- 
 linefs: for the earth fhall be full of tlie 
 knowledge of the Lord as the waters co- 
 ver the fea. And in that day the root of 
 Jefl'e fhall fland up for a iign unto the peo- 
 ple : the nations fliall feek unto it, and his 
 reft fhall be glorious, &c. And he fliall 
 fet up a fign to the nations, and afTemble 
 the difperfed of Ifrael, and gather the feat- 
 
 tered 
 
( 327 ) 
 
 lered of Judah from the font corners of thd 
 world. The hatred alfo of Ephraim (that 
 is, Ifrael, or the ten tribes,) fhall depart, 
 &c. Ephraim fhall not envy Judah, nei- 
 ther (hall Judah Vex Ephraim, &c. 
 
 From chap. 35. The defert, and the 
 wildernefs, (hall rejoice, ^nd the waRe 
 ground fhall be glad, and flourifh as the 
 rofe, &c. Then (hall the eyes of the blind 
 be lightened, and the ears of the deaf be o- 
 pened, &c. And there (hall be a path, 
 and a way, and the way fhall be called ho- 
 ly, the polluted fhall not pafs by it : for he 
 (hall be with them, and the way faring 
 men, though fools, fhall riot err therein, 
 &c. Therefore the redeemed of the Lord 
 fhall return, and come to Zion with praife : 
 everlafling joy fhall be upon their heads, 
 they fliall obtain joy and gladnefs, and for- 
 row and mourning fliall flee away. 
 
 From chap. 52. Arife, arife, put on 
 
 thy ftrength, O Zion, put on the garments 
 
 U u of 
 
( 328 ) 
 
 of thy beauty, O Jerufalem, the holy city, 
 for henceforth there fhall no more come 
 into thee the uncircumcifed/ and the un- 
 clean, &c. How beautiful upon the moun- 
 tains are the feet of him who declareth and 
 publifheth peace, who declareth glad tid- 
 ings, and publidieth falvation, faying unto 
 Zion, thy God reigneth ! The voice of 
 thy watchmen (hall be heard, they fhall lift 
 up their voice, and fhout together: for 
 they fhall fee eye to eye when the Lord 
 fhall bring again Zion, &c. The Lord 
 hath made bare his holy arm in the fight of 
 all the Gentiles, and all the ends of the 
 earth fhall fee the falvation of bur God^ 
 &c. 
 
 <• 
 From chap. 54. Rejoice, O barren 
 that didft not bear, break forth into joy, 
 and rejoice, thou that didft not travail with 
 child : for the defolate hath more children 
 than the married, faith the Lord, &c. For 
 he who made thee is thy hulband, whofe 
 name is the Lord of hofts, and thy redeem- 
 er. 
 
( 329 ) 
 
 er, the holy one of Ifrael, (hall be called 
 the God of the whole world, &c. For this 
 is unto me as the waters of Noah : for as 
 I have fworn that the waters of Noah 
 (hould no more go over the earth, fo have 
 I fworn that I would not be angry with 
 thee, nor rebuke thee, &c. O thou afflic- 
 ted, toffed with tempefts, and not com- 
 forted ! behold, I will lay thy ftones with 
 fair colours, and thy foundations with fap- 
 phires.. And I will make thy windows of 
 agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and 
 all thy borders of pleafant ftones. And 
 all thy children (hall be taught of the 
 Lord, &c. 
 
 From chap. 60. Arife, O Jerufalem, 
 be bright, for thy light is come, and the 
 glory of the Lord is rifen upon thee, &c. 
 And the gentiles (hall walk in thy light, 
 and kings in the brightnefs of thy rifing. 
 Lift up thy eyes round about, and behold, 
 all thefe are gathered, and come unto thee, 
 &c. Then thou fhalt fee, and fhine, thy 
 
 heart 
 
( 33C> ) 
 
 heart fliall be af^oniftied and enlarged ; be^ 
 caufe the multitude of the fca fliali be con- 
 verted unto thee, and the riches of* the gen- 
 tiles {hall come unto thee. The multitude 
 of camels fhall cover thee, &c. Therefore 
 thy gates (hall be open continually, neither 
 day nor night fhall they be fhut; that men 
 may bring unto thee the riches of the gen- 
 tiles, a.nd that their kings may be brought, 
 &c. Thou {halt fuck the milk of the gen- 
 tiles, &c. Violence fhall no more be heard 
 of in thy land, neither defolation nor de- 
 flruftion within thy borders ; but thou fhalt 
 call falvation thy walls, and pr^ife thy 
 gates. Thou flialt have no more fun to. 
 fnine by day, neither fli^ill the brightnefs 
 of the moon (hine unto thee : for the Lord 
 ihall be thy everlafling light, and thy God 
 thy glory, &c. 
 
 FnoM chap. 62. And the gentiles fhall 
 iee thy righteoufnefs, anid all kings thy glo- 
 ry : and thou flialt be called by a new name, 
 wliich th^ mouth of the Lord fhall name^ 
 
 5cc, 
 
( 331 ) 
 
 &c. It fhall no more be faid unto thee, 
 Forfaken, neither fhall it be laid any more 
 to thy land, Defolate : but thou fhalt be 
 called Hephzibah, and thy land Bculah ; 
 for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy 
 land (hall have an hufband, &c. 
 
 From chap, 65. For behold, I create 
 new heavens, and a new earth, and the for- 
 mer things fhall not be remembered, nor 
 come into mind. But rejoice and be glad 
 for ever in the things which I create : for 
 behold, I create Jerufalem a rejoicing, and 
 her people a joy, &c. They fhall not 
 build and another inherit, &c. for as the 
 days of a tree are the days of my people,&c. 
 
 From chap. 66. A voice of tumult is 
 heard from the city, &c. the voice of the 
 Lord executing vengeance on his enemies^ 
 &c. Who hath heard fuch a thing, &c. 
 Shall a nation be born at once? For as foon 
 as Sion travailed fhe brought forth her chil- 
 dren, &G» For thus faith the Lord, Behold 
 
 I will 
 
( 33^ ) 
 
 I will extend peace to her like a river, and 
 the glory of the gentiles like a flowing 
 llream: then (hall ye fuck, ye fliall be 
 born upon her fides, and be dandled upon 
 her knees, &c. It fhall come that I will 
 gather all nations and tongues, and they 
 fiia!! come and fee my glory. And I will 
 fet a fign among them, and I will fend 
 fhofe who efcape of them unto the nations, 
 to Tarfhilh, Pul, and Lud, that draw the 
 bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the ifles afar 
 off, that have not heard my fame, neither 
 have feen my glory ; and they fliall declare 
 my glory among the gentiles. And they 
 fliall bring all your brethren for an offering 
 unto the Lord, out of all nations upon 
 horfes, and in chariots, and in litters, and 
 upon. mules, and upon fwift bealts, to my 
 holy mountain Jerufalem, faith the Lord, 
 as the children of Ifrael, faith the Lord, 
 bring an offering in a clean velfel, into the 
 houfe of the Lord. And I will take of 
 them for priefls and for Levites, faith the 
 Lord. For as the new heavens, and the 
 
 new 
 
( 333 ) 
 
 new earth, which I make fliall remain be- 
 fore me, faith the Lord, fo ihall your feed 
 and your name remain. And it fliall come 
 to pafs, that from one new moon to ano- 
 ther, and from one fabbath to another, 
 (hall all flelh come to worfhip before me, 
 faith the Lord. And they fliall go forth 
 and look upon the carcafes of the men who 
 have tranfgreffed againft me; for their 
 worm jfhall not die, neither fiiall their fire 
 be quenched, and they fhall be an abhor- 
 ring unto all flefh. 
 
 From Jeremiah, chap, iii., ver. 17, &c. 
 At that time they fhall call Jerufalem the 
 Throne of the Lord, and all the nations 
 Ihall be gathered unto it, even to the name 
 of the Lord in Jerufalem, &c. In thofe 
 days the houfe of Judah ihall walk with the 
 houfe of Ifrael, and they fhall come toge- 
 thier out of the land of the north, into the 
 land that I have given for an inheritance to 
 your fathers. 
 
 From 
 
^ 334 ) 
 
 From chap. 30, &c. For lo, the days 
 come, faith the Lord, that I will bring 
 again the captivity of my people Ifrael., 
 and Judah, &c. Again I will build thee, 
 and thou fhalt be built, O virgin Ifrael, 
 &c. For the days {hall come that the 
 watchmen upon the mount of Ephraim 
 fhall cry, Arife, and let us go up unto Zi- 
 on to the Lord our God, &c. Therefore 
 they fhall come and rejoice in the height 
 of Zion, &c. I have heard Ephraim la- 
 menting, Thou haft correfled me, and I 
 was chaftifed as an untamed calf, &c. Is 
 Ephraim my dear fon, or pleafant child ? 
 Yet fince I fpake unto him, I ftill remem- 
 bered him : therefore my bow^els are trou- 
 bled for him, I will furely have compafiion 
 upon him, faith the Lord, &c. Behold, 
 the days come, faith the Lord, that I w^ill 
 make a new covenant with the houfe of If- 
 rael, arid with the houfe of Judah, &c^ 
 This fhall be the covenant that I will make 
 with the houfe of Ifrael, after thofe days, 
 faith the Lord, I will put my law in their 
 
 inward 
 
( 335 ) 
 
 inward parts, and write it in their hearts, 
 &c. Behold, ilie days come, faiih the 
 Lord, that the city fhall be built to the Lord 
 from the tower of Hananeel, &c. In thofe 
 days, and at that time, will I caufe the 
 Branch of righteoufnefs to grow up unto 
 David, and he fhall execute judgment and 
 righteoufnefs in the land. In thofe days, 
 fhall Judah be faved, and Jerufalem (hall 
 dwell fafely, &c. And the word of the 
 Lord came unto Jeremiah, faying. Thus 
 faith the Lord, If you can break my cove- 
 nant of the day, and my covenant of the 
 night, that there fhould not be day nor 
 night in their feafon, then may my covenant 
 be broken with David, my fervant, &c. 
 
 From chap. 23. And I will gather the 
 remnant of my iheep out of all countries 
 whitheir I have fcattered them, and I will 
 reftore them to their paflure, and they fhall 
 be fruitful, and multiply, &c. Behold, the 
 days come, faith the Lord, that I will raife 
 up to David a righteous Branch, and a king 
 X X fhall 
 
( 336 ) 
 
 fhall reign and prorper, &c. In his days 
 Judah (hall be faved, and Krael (hall dwell 
 in fafety : and this is the name with which 
 he {hall be called. The Lord our righ- 
 teousness, &c. 
 
 See Ezek. xxxvi. and xxxvii. and chap. 
 xL, &c. Hof. ii., ver. 2, &c. and iii., ver. 
 4, &c.. Mic. iv., ver. 1, &Cw Zeph. iii., ver. 
 ix., &c. Zach. vi., ver. 12, &c. and viii. 
 and ix. ven 10. Mai. iv. Pf. xxii., ver. 28, 
 &c. 
 
 As St. Paul faw from the prophetic fcrip- 
 tures the return of his brethren the Jews to 
 their ow^n land, and the foftening of their 
 ftony heart into one of flelh, it may be very 
 proper to give in part his fentiments on fo 
 important an event, as the return of the 
 Jews will be contemporary with the univer- 
 fal kingdom of Chrift. 
 
 From Romans, chap. 11. I fay then. 
 Hath God call viway his people ? God for- 
 bid. 
 
( 337 ) . 
 bid. Far I alfo am an Ifraelite, of the feed 
 of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin, &c. 
 Have they (tumbled that they, (liould fall? 
 God forbid: but rather through their fall 
 falvation is come unto the gentiles, &c. 
 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the 
 world, &c. how much more their fulnefs, 
 &c. For I would not, brethren, that ye 
 {hould be ignorant of this myflcry, (left ye 
 fliould be wife in your own conceits) that 
 blindnefs in part has happened to Ifrael, 
 until the fulnefs of the gentiles come. And 
 fo all Ifrael (hall be faved, as it is written. 
 There (hall come out of Sion a deliverer, 
 and fhail turn away ungodlinefs from Ja 
 cob, &c. 
 
 It may likewife be proper to take notice 
 of the Lord's prayer, wbich manifeftly has 
 regard to this great and moft important 
 event. 
 
 It confifts of three parts. In the firft 
 
 part we pray for the coming of Chrid'sking- 
 
 X X 2 doni,. 
 
( 338 ) 
 
 dom, that his will may be done in earth 
 as it is in heaven, or that all the world 
 may unanimoufly ferve him according to 
 the glorious inftituiions of the gofpel. 
 
 The Rcond part relates to the common 
 cravings and necefliiies of our nature; which 
 will not pafs unregarded by him who feeds 
 the ravens, and fupports every fpecies of 
 his creatures, efpecially when we call upon 
 him in faith, and trufl to his providence 
 and mercy. It alfo regards our general pre- 
 fervation and proteftion from. evil. 
 
 And the third part confifts of a folemn 
 doxology, or acknowdedgment of his power 
 and omnipotence, agreeable to the worffiip 
 and homage which we have feen fo often 
 paid to him in the Revelation. 
 
 Though I have referred the reader to 
 the 37th chapter of Ezekiel, the firft part 
 of which is a fine reprefentation of the return 
 of the Jews to their own land: yet as the lat- 
 ter part is Hill a firongcr and more pofitive 
 declaration of the return of all the twelve 
 uibes to their ancient country^ their perma- 
 nent 
 
{ 339 ) 
 
 nent eflablifhment in it, and reception of 
 the gofpel of Chrift, I think it may be very 
 neceffary to illuftrate what has been advan- 
 ced with feme extrafts from it. 
 
 Chap, xxxvii., ver. 16, &c. Moreover, 
 thou fon of man, take thee one ftick, and 
 write upon it, for Judah, and for the chih 
 dren of Ifrael, his companions. Then take 
 another ftick, and write upon it, for Jofeph, 
 the ftick of Ephraim, and for all the houfe 
 of Ifrael, his companions. And join them 
 one to another into one ftick, and they (hall 
 become one in thy hand, &c. Thus faith 
 the Lord, Behold, I will take the ftick of 
 Jofeph^which is in the hand of Ephraim, and 
 and the tribes of Ifrael his fellows, and will 
 put them wuth him, even with the ftick of 
 Judah, and make them one ftick, and they 
 fliall be one in my hand, &c. Thus faith 
 the Lord, Behold, I will take the children of 
 Ifrael from among the heathen, whither they 
 be gone, and will gather them on every fide, 
 and bring them into their own land. And I 
 will make them one nation in the land upon 
 
 the 
 
( S40 ) 
 
 t!ie mountains of Ifracl, and one king fhall 
 be king to them all : and they {hall be no 
 more two nations, neither fhall they be divi- 
 ded into two kingdoms any more at all, &c. 
 And David, my fervant, (hall be king over 
 them, and they fhall all have one fliepherd, 
 &c. And they fhall dwell in the land that I 
 have given to Jacob, my fervant, wherein 
 their fathers have dwelt, and they fhall 
 dwell therein, even they and their chil- 
 dren, and their children's children, for ever: 
 and my fervant David fhall be their prince 
 for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant 
 of peace with them, it fhall be an everlafling 
 covenant with them ; and I will place them, 
 and multiply them, and will fet my fanfluary 
 in the'^midft of them for evermore. My ta- 
 bernacle alfo fliall be with them, yea, I will 
 be their God, and they fhall be my people. 
 And the heathen fhall know that I the Lord 
 do fanftify Ifrael, when my fanftuary fliall 
 be in the midfl of them for evermore. 
 
 F I N I S 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 105 line 8, for fhinning read fliining. 
 
 - 124 - 9, for Room read Rome ; and line 12, for 
 
 innumberable read innumerable. 
 
 • 126 - I, for particulary read paiticularly; and 
 
 line 10, for eftabifliecl read ellablilhed. 
 
 • 130 - 6, for jocinct read Hyacinth. 
 
 - 134 - laft, for obodience read obedience. 
 ^53 " 9> ^^^ cremonies read ceienionies. 
 
 - 161 - II, for ftubbornefs read I'tubbornnefs. 
 
 - 177 - 20, tor acconipifliment read acconiphfliment. 
 
 - 184 - 7, for parifli read peiifli. 
 
 - 200 - 3, for vvherefover lead whercfocver. 
 
 - 204, - after verle 8, blot out &:c. 
 
 - 206 - lafl but I, for feperate read feparate. 
 
 - 224 - 6, for trumptet read trumpet. 
 
 - 236 - 6, for llubboruefs read ihibboinnefs. 
 
 - 254 - 18, for harndentd read hardened. 
 
 - 259 - 13, for furnication read fornication ; the fame 
 
 in the next line. 
 
 - 262 - 5, for fhall read flialt. 
 
 - 264 - laft but 2, , for Icriptures read fcripture. 
 
 - 268 - 3, for facyre read fatyr ; and line 9, for 
 
 Ihall read Ihalt. 
 
 - 284 - 17, for Lords read Lord's. 
 
 - 299 - 13, for fhall read fhalt. 
 
 - 309 - 12, for Jacind read Hyacinth. 
 
 - 316 - 18, for in read on, , 
 " 3^5 " i3> ^or in read on. ',0 
 
1.65 
 
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BS2825 .T238 
 
 A key to the mystery of the Revelation: 
 
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