TO KSBBfi mm K * ■ v fl ;- ALUMNI LIBRARY, | THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, !| * PRINCETON, N. J. | PRESENTED BY ft* j3^^^ t ♦ - 5e» Slulf, ' ec.lon £ e>V Y.fc .> » R, BIG&BRN. 9 - PRACTICAL EXPOSITOR: OR, AN EXPOSITION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, IN THE FORM OF A PARAPHRASE; WITH OCCASIONAL NOTES IN THEIR PROPER PLACES FOR FURTHER EXPLICATION, AND SERIOUS RECOLLECTIONS AT THE CLOSE OF EVERT CHAPTER. TO WHICH IS ADDED, AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL THINGS CONTAINED IN THE PARAPHRASE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NOTES. For the Ufe of the FAMILY and CLOSET. By JOHN GUYSE, D. D. THE FIFTH EDITION, VOL. VI. CONTAINING The GENERAL EPISTLES of JAMES, PETER, JO^N, and JUDE ; and the REVELATION of St. JOHN the Divine. EDINBURGH; PRINTED BY ROSS fc? SONS, For Robert Ross, Bookfeller, Lawn-market, Edinburgh, an£ James Gillies, Bookfeller, High-ftreet, G/q/jow, m,dcc,xcvi*. THE CONTENTS of the GENERAL EPISTLE of JAMES. CHAP. I. THE apoltle prefaces his epiftle with a general falutation of the Jeu,s in their difperlion, i. Addreffes^himfelf, firft of all, to the Chriftian converts a- mong them, directing them how to make a due improvement of their trou- bles, how to apply to God under them, and how to behave in profper- ous and adverfe circumftances, 2, — 12. Warns them, not to impute to God any temptations to fin; but to look upon all evil as proceeding from themtelves, and all good from God, £3, — 18. Infers the duties of watching againft a rafli and furious temper, and of receiving the word of God with meeknefs, and living ac- cording to it, 19, — 25. And fhews the difference between vain pretences, and real religion, 26, 27. p. 3. CHAP. II. The apoftle goes on to fhew that all notions and profefiions of faith are vain, if not productive of impartial love and jut- tice to others, the poor as well as the rich, 1, — 13. And ftrongly argues , from the nature of things, (illuftrated by fruitlefs pretences of pity to the poor, and by a body without a foul) and from the inftances of Abraham and Rahab, the neceffity of good works to" prove the fincerity of faith, which o- therwife is dead, and will be of no more advantage, than the faith of de- vils, 14, — 26. p. 14. CHAP. III. The apoftle cautions againft an arrogant affuming temper and behaviour, and againft the mifchief of an unfanctified and unruly tongue, 1, — 13. And fhews the excellency of heavenly wif- dom, whi-.'h difcovers itfelf in purity, meeknefs, and peace, in oppofition to that which is litigious, carnal, and worldly, 14, — 18. p. *3* CHAP. IV- The apoftle cautions againlt conupr af- fections, as the root of wars and quar- rels, and the bane of prayer ; and a- gainft an inordinate love of this world, as enmity with God, who gives grace to the humble, 1,— 6, Directs proud and carnal profeffors to fubmit and be- take themielves to God, and refill the devil, and to abandon and lament their finml courfes, in order to their being exalted, 7. — 10. And exhorts all profefiing Chriftians to fpeak can- didly one of another, and to undertake no affairs of life without a conitant re- gard to the will and providence of God, ii, — 17. p. 2S. CHAP. V. * The apoftle denounces the judgments of God againft the rich unbelieving- Jews, who defrauded the poor, and lived in luxury and oppreffion, 1, — 6- Exhorts the Jenvifh believers to pa- tience and meeknefs under their tribu- lations, which would loon have an end, 7, — 11. Cautions them againft rafii fwearing, 12. Recommends pray- er in afflicted, and praife in profper- ous circumftances, 13. Prefcribes prayer and anointing with oil for a miraculous recovery of the fick, 14, 15. Directs private Chriftians to mu- tual confeffion of their faults, and mu- tual prayer, 16", — iS. And fhews the happinefs of being inftrumental to the couverfion of a finner, 19,20. p. 35- TH E CONTENTS of the FIRST EPISTLE of PETER. C H A P. I. THE apoftle falutes the profefiing be- lievers, to whom he wrote ; and bleffes God for his fpecial benefits to them through Jefus Chrift, in which they rejoiced under all tribulations, r, — 9. Shews that falvation by Chrift was foretold in ancient prophecy, ro, — iz. And exhorts them to all holy converli ti .fuitabteto their princi- ples, privileges, and obligation. 13,—- 25. p. 47. CHAP. IL The apoftle recommends a temper fuit- able to their character, as bom again, and a daily recourfe to Chrift as their only foundation, r, — 10. Directs their holy converfation among the. Gentiles, a 2 11, The CONTENTS. 1 i, 12. Exhorts fubjects and lei vants to pay all proper obedience to their ci- vil governors and matters, 13, — 18. And to be patient, in imitation of their Suffering Saviour, under all hard- Ihips that might be wrongfully laid upon them, 19. — 25. p. 57. CHAP. III. The apoftle proceeds to recommend the duties of wives and hufbands, 1, — 7. Exhorts all Chriftians to mutual agree- ment in principle, affection, and kind- nefs, S, — 13. And encourages them to patience under persecutions for righte- oufnefs fake, in contlderation ot Chrift's liaving patiently luffered in their ftead, and of the rich advantage they have thereby, 14, — 22. p. 67. CHAP. IV. The apoftle improves the confideration of Chriftians fufferings, for purity and holinefs in heart and life, 1, — 6. And of the approaching diffolution of the Jewi/h ftate, for fobriety, watch- fnlnefs, prayer, and mutual love, and for a faithful difcharge of religiovS trufts, 7, — n. And cautions belie- vers againft expofing themfelves to pu- nifhments for their own faults; but encourages them to rejoice, and glory in reproaches and fufferings for Chrift, inftead of being furpriled or difmayed at them ; and to commit their fouls, in a courfe of well-doing, to the care of a faithful God, 12, — 19. p. 76. CHAP. V. The apoftle exhorts and encourages el- ders to be chearful, difmterefted, and humble, in a faithful difcharge of their office, 1, — 4. Directs younger Chrif- tians to fubmit to their elders, yea, all of them one to another ; and to yield with humility and patience, to the hand of God, and caft ali their care on him. and to be fober, watchful, and ftedfaft in the faith againft all the temptations of the devil, 5, — p. And then prays for their growth and efta- blifhment; and concludes with falu- tations, and a benediction, 10, — 14. p. 84. THE CONTENTS of the SECOND EPISTLE or PETER. CHAP. I. THE apoftle falutes them who had obtained like precious faith, and re- minds them of its attending bleflings, 1, — 4. Exhorts them to add the ex- ercife of various other graces to their faith, and encourages them thereto by the happy iffues of their lb doing, 5, — 11. Afiures them of his concern to be as affiftant, as poflible, to them therein, before his approaching de- eeafe, 12, — 15. And confirms the truth of the gofpel relating to Chrift's appearing to judgment, as it may be gathered from an immediate teftimony which came from heaven in his own and others hearing, and more directly proved by the infpired writings of the prophets, 16, — 21. p. 92. CHAP. II. The apoftle cautions believers Againft falfe teachers, whom lie defcribes by their pernicious principles and influ- ence, 1. — 3 Shews the certainty of ^heir^punifhmenr, from the examples of the fallen angels, of the old world, and of Sodom and Gomorrah, which the godly fliall efcape, as Lot did out of Sodom, 4, — 9. And gives a black account at large of thefe feducers, as they were aggravatedly wicked under high pretences to liberty and purity, 10, — 22. p. 101. CHAP. III. The apoftle declares the defign of this epiftle to be the fame with that of the former, to remind them of Chrift's fi- nal coming to judgment, 1, 2. Ob- ferves that fcoffers at Chrift's fecond coming Were to be expected under the gofpel- ftate, 3,4. Confutes their vain and infulting objections againft it, and fliews that he will certainly appear at unawares, when the prefent frame of nature will be diffolved by fire, 5, — 10. And infers from thence, and from the new ftate of things, that will then be introduced, the neceflity of holinefs, patience, and ftedfaftnefs in the faith, ii, — 18. p. no. TH C f he CONTENTS. THE CONTENTS of the FIRST EPISTLE of JOHN. CHAP. I. THE apoftle prefaces his epiftle to be- lievers in general with evident tefti- monies to Chrift, for promoting their happinefs and joy, i, — 4. Shews the neceffity of a life of holinefs, in order to communion with God; and relieves them under a fenl'e of in-dwelling fin, which they ought humbly to acknow- ledge ftill remains with them ; but from which there is an all-cleanQng virtue in the blood of Jefus, 5, — 10. p. 121. CHAP. II. The apoftle directs believers to the ad- vocacy and atonement of Chrift for help and relief .againft finful infirmi- ties, 1, 2. Defcribes the effects of a faving knowledge of, and union with him, as productive of obedience and love to the brethren, 3, — 11. Ad- dreffes Chriftians under the various characters of little children, young men, and fathers, 12, — 14. Cautions them all againft an inordinate love of this world, and antichriftian errors, 15, — 23. And encourages them to ftand faft in the faith and holinefs of the gofpel, according to the light and influence of the fpiritual unction, which they had received, 24, — 29. p. 125. CHAP. III. The apoftle breaks out into admiration of the love of God in making believers his children, 1, 2. Shews the purify- ing influence of a hope of feeing Chrift and bearing his likenefs, and the in- confiftency of pretending to this hope, and living in lin, 3, — 10. Makes love to the brethren a diftinguiftung cha- racter of real Chriftians, n, — 15. Defcribes that love by fuch of its act- ings as prove it to a man's own con- fidence to be fincere, 16, — at. And repre Cents the advantage of faith, love, and obedience, 22, — 24. p. 137. CHAP. IV. The apoftle cautions believers againft giving heed to every one, that pretends to the Spirit, and (hews bow to diftin- guifh the true from the falfe claimenta of it, 1, — 6. Then returns to his dar- ling topic of brotherly love, as a pro- per characterise of (incere Chriftians, enforcing it upon them by various weighty confiderations, 7, — 21. p. 145. CHAP. V. The apoftle concludes his argument for brotherly love, by (hewing that it is the effect of a new birth, which pro- duces fuch a love to God, as makes o- bedience to all his commandments pleafant, and fuch a faith in Chrift, as overcomes this world, i, — 5. Then, to eftablifh their faith in Chrift, he lefers to three witnefles in heaven, and three on earth, as concurring to prove that Jefus, the Son of Got!, is the true Mefiiah, 6, — 9. Shews the fatisfaction that the believer has in his own foul about him, and eternal life through him, and about God's hear- ing and anfwering the prayers that are offered up according to his will, for ourfelves and others, 10, — 17. And concludes with an account of the happy condition of true believers be- yond the re.r of the world, and with a charge to renounce all idolatry, 18, — 21. p. 154. CONTENTS of the SECOND EPISTLE of JOHN. I N this (hort letter the apoftle falutes the elect lady and her children. 1, — 3. Expretfes his joy in, and further ex- cites, their faith and love, 4, — 6. Cautions them to be upon their guard againft deceivers, whom he defcribes, 7, — 9. Directs their conduct toward rhem, 10, it. And concludes with excufing the (hortnefs of his writing-, by a promile, God willing, to make them a vifit, anddifcourte more large- ly about things, foaie of which he had touched upon; and with falutations from the children of her elect lifter, 12, 13. p. 165. THE The CONTENTS.' CONTENTS of the THIRD EPISTLE of JOHtf. r l , HE apoftle congratulates Gains up- •* on his eminent piety and hofpitality, i, — S. Cautions him againft Qding with Diotrephes, who was a minifter ©fahanghty and turbulent fpirit, 9, — 11. But recommends Demetrius as a man of an excellent character, 12. Excufes the brevity of this letter by the hope he had of foon feeing Gaius, and concludes with Salutations, 13, 14. p. i%u THE CONTENTS of the EPISTLE of JUDE. HHHE apoftle falutes the Chriftians to •*• whom he wrote, and exhorts them to fta-id faft in the faith againft thole "Jeivijh zealots that would under- mine it. 1, — 4. Shews the danger of being infected by them, and the dreadful punifhment which fhall be inflicted on them and their followers, as exemplified in the unbelieving If- raelites, in the fallen angels, and in Sodom and Gomorrah, 3, — 7. Gives a hideous defcription of thefe feducers and their deplorable end, 8, — 16. Cautions believers againft being fur- pnfed at fuch deceivers r.rifing among them, as being fore- warned, that they might be fore-armed againft them, and maintain their own ftedfaftnefs by faith and prayer, and a prudent care one of another, 17, — 23. And con- cludes with a lofty and encouraging doxology, 24, 25. p. 17s. THE CONTENTS of the REVELATION. CHAP. I. A Preface opens the divine original, defign, and importance of this book, 1, — 3. The apoftle Joh?t, the writer of it, falutes the feven churches of AficL, wifliing them grace and peace from God the Father, ive, the church and the world, after the Chris- tian faith had been publicly embraced, and began to be corrupted: 1, t. But, before they execute their office, another angel appears at the golden altar to offer incenfe with the prayers of all faints; and then rafts fire oa the earth, which produces terrible ftorms of vengeance, 3, — 5. Hereup- on the feven angels prepare to found their trumpets. in their order, as fig- rials of the judgments of God, that were to be gradually executed on the" Empire, 6. The firft angel blows his trumpet, which is followed with a ftorm of hail, fire, and blood; Signify- ing the great deftrucTion that Should fall on the Chriftian-empire after Con- Jlantine's death, till the reign of The- odojins from about the year 337 to 379, 7. The fccond trumpet is fol- lowed with a burning mountain caft into' the fea ; fignifying the invafiort of Italy by the Northern nations, till Route was facked by Alaric about the year 412, 8, 9. The third trumpet is followed with the falling of a fiery ftar, called Wormwood, on the rivers ; fignifying the devaluations in Italy, that put an end to the Rornan-empire^ and let up the kingdom of the Goths about the year 493, 10, 11. The fourth trumpet is followed with a darkning of the third part of the fun, moon, and Stars ; Signifying further wars in Italy, that ended in a total fubverfion of the power of Rome, and * the letting up of the Exarchate of Ra- venna about the year 56S, 12. And another The CONTENTS. ajaother angel denounces ftili greater woes to come upon the earth under the three following trumpets, 13. p. M9- CHAP. IX. The fifth trumpet is followed with a re- prefentation of another ftar as falling from heaven, and opening the bottom- lefs pit, out of which fwarms of locufts come to torment men upon earth ; fig- nifyins the rife of Mahomet, and the Spreading of his impofture, and of the Saracen dominion under him and his fucceffors in the Eaftern, as well as Weftern Empire, between the year 56S, and 675, 1,-12.' The fixth trumpet is followed with a represent- ation of the loofing of four angels that were bound in the great river Euphra- tes ; fignifying God's taking off the reftraint that had been. laid for fome years upon the Saracens, and now permitting them to invade the Empire again, and make further progrefs in their conquefts, between the year 675 and 750, 13,-21. p. 255. CHAP. X. An augufl introduction to the feventh trumpet, in which the angel of the covenant is reprefented as interrupting the train of prophecy, for a fmall in- terval, and as prefenting a little open book, and uttering his voice as a lion, which is followed with feven thun- ders, intimating what he would far- ther reveal under the feven vials, 1, — 3. A voice from heaven forbids writ- ing, at prefent, what was uttered by the feven thunders, 4. The angel fo- lemnly fwears that, at the expiration of the following prophecies, time fhbuld be no more, and that in the days of the feventh angel the myftery of God fhould be finifhed, 5, — 7. A voice calls to John (who obferves it) to eat the book, which would be fweet in his mouth, and bitter in his belly, 8, — 10. . And tells him he mud fur- ther prophecy of the yet future ftate of the church and of the world, in a fucceffive order of time, 11. which was to be from about the year 756, (when the Pope of Rome was firft^ in- verted with temporal dominion ) for 1260 years then to come, according to the general defcription that was to be given of it in the three following chapters. p. 264. CHAP. XL .. iie full: general defcription of the ftate ' of the church for 1260 years, in the third period, to be dated from the rife Bf the temporal power of the Pope a- bout the year 756, is reprefented un- der the figure of a temple meafured, but the outward court of which, as defer iptive of formal profeffors, is left to the Gentiles, or idolatrous church of Rome, for 42 months, 1, 2. Dur- ing this time, of equal date with 1260 prophetic days, or years, two witnefs- es, or a few, from age to age, prophe- cy in fackcloth, but with great pow- er, 3, — 6. They are flain by Popifh tyranny, which is figured out under the image of the bead, and are, in a manner, fupprefied for three prophe- tic days and a half, equal to the 42 months; after which they arife and afcend to heaven, as bearing their tes- timony with greater efficacy and ho- nour, than ever before, unto the over- throw of a tenth part of the Romifb jurisdiction and the flaughter of 7000 men, and to the confternation ot the reft of that party, which puts an end to the fecond wo, 7,-— 14. And un- der the feventh trumpet, denouncing the third wo, all antichriftian powers would be utterly deftroyed, and iffue in a glorious ftate of Chrift's kingdom upon earth, 15, — 10. p. 270. CHAP. XII. A fecond general defcription of the fame period of the church of Chrift, and of the Popifh empire, under the figures of a woman driven into the wildernefs, but preserved in fafety there, and of a great red dragon, meaning the devil, as exerting his power principally by the Pope and his party, who would perfecute her 1260 prophetic days or years, 1, — 6. Michael and his an- gels fight againft the devil and his an- gels, who are defeated ; upon which, there are loud acclamations of joy and praife, attended with a denuncia- . tion of woe to the inhabitants of the earth, by reafon of the devil's or dra- gon's rage, 7, — 12. Hereupon the dragon perfecutes the church, which is hid from him, and is nourifhed for a time, times, and half a time, anfwer- ing to 1260 prophetic days, 13, 14. He endeavours to deftroy her, as by a flood, which is fwallowed up by fome civil powers, ftyled the earth; and, being thus disappointed, he renews his war againft the remnant of her feed, CHAP. XIII. A t^iird general defcription of the ftate of the church, during the fame period of 1260 years under antichrift's reign, who is reprefented by the figure of a wild beaft riling out of the fea, to whom The CONTENTS. whom the dragon gave his power, i, — 10. And another reprefentation is made of the fame by the figure of a beaft, which had two horns like a Lamb, and fpoke as a dragon, exercif- ing all the power of the former beaft, ii, — 15. And obliging all to worfhip its - image, and receive its mark, as perfons devoted to it; with an admoni- tion to confider the time of the rife of the beaft, in order to our knowing the time of its fall, 16, — iS. 290. CHAP. XIV. To comfort the church under the melan- choly reprefentation, which had been made in the foregoing vifions of the 1260 years of the witnefifes prophefy- ing in fackcloth, of the church's being in the wildemefs, and of the reign of antichrift, a chorus of the heavenly church is introduced in another vilion, as celebrating the praifes of God, in the prefence of the Lamb, for their happinefs, who, as a virgin-company, had continued faithful to Chrift and his caufe under that period, *i, — 5. Then follows a vifion of three angels ; one proclaiming, in a way of predic- tion, the everlafting gofpel, which fhould be preached at the Reforma- tion ; another, the downfal of Baoy- ion, the fame with the antichriftian- beaft ; and a third, the dreadful wrath of God, which fhould be poured out upon the worfhippers of the beaft, to- gether with the blelfednefs of them that die in the Lord, 6", — 15. To this is added a vifion of Chrift himfelf with a fharp fickle in his hand, and of an angel crying to him to execute judg- ment on his enemies, as ripe for de- traction, under the emblem of a bar- veft ripe fur cutting down, which he according iy did, 14, — 16. And a vi- fion of two angels more ; one of which had alfo a (harp fickle ; and the other cried to him to proceed to further ex- ecutions of judgments, without delay, upon the antichriftian party, that had filled up the meafure of their iniqui- ties, which was done with dreadful vengeance, under the emblem of a vintage fully ripe, and trodden in the ■wine-prefs of Gud's wrath, 17, — 20. p. 299. CHAP. XV. A vifion of feven angels, having the fe- ven laft plagues, fellows, by way of Jblemn preface to the execution of them, as to be made upon the beaft; and a long of praife is fung by the church, which obtained victory over £im, i, — 4. Then the. temple in hea« Vol. VI. ven is opened, from whence the fe- ven angels come out with the feven plagues ; and to them one of the liv- ing creatures gives feven golden vials full of the wrath of God, that they might be ready to pour them out in their order : Upon which, the temple was filled with an inacceflible cloud of glory, 5,-8. p. 30S. CHAP. XVI. The feven angels are ordered to pour out their feven vials of the wrath of God on the antichriftian-beaft and all its fupports, I. The firft vial is poured out on the earth with griev- ous fores, fignifying great troubles through the 2iorni/?j community, be- tween the year S30 and 9S8, 2. The fecond on the fea, which is turned in- to blood, fignifying a great eiTufion of blood in the holy wars, between the year 7040 and 11 00, 3, The third on the rivers and fountains, which became blood, .fignifying civil wars in the pa- pacy, between the year 1200 and 137 1, 4, — 7. The fourth on the fun, which fcorched men, fignifying wars through the contentions of Popes for the papal chair; and the destruction of the ealtern empire, between the year 137S and 15^0, S, 9. The fifth on the feat of the beaft, fignifying the cib.blifhment of the Proteftant-refor- m it ion, which was a great fhock to Popery, between the year 1530 and 1650, 10,11. The fixth on the great- river Euphrates, fignifying force ter- rible invafion of the Pope's dominion, from its eaftem borders, which feera? 4 in order of time, to be yet to come, 1 2, — x6. And the feventh on the air, the teat of Satan's .power, which ihall ifiue in the total deftruclion of ail aniichriftian-enemies, 17, — zi. CHAP. XVII. Cne of the feven angels, which had the feven vials, explains the meaning of the former vifion of the antichriftiaa- beaft that was to reign 1260 years, and then to be deftroyed, whom he defenbes under the figure of a great whore fitting on many waters, and on a fcarlet beaft, attired in purple and fcarlet and other deckings. 'and bear- ing the name of Myfbery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abo- minations of the earth, 1, — 6. Inter- prets the rnyftery of the woman, and the beaft that had feven heads and ten horns, and of the many waters on which flie fat, who is overcome by the Lamb, and brought to condign b punijihrfteitt The CONTENTS. punishment by means of the ten kings that had fupported her, 7 — 18. P-323- CHAP. XVIII. Another r.ngel from heaven proclaims the fall of myftical Babylon, 1, — 3. And another voice from heaven ad- moniflies the people of God to come 1 :t of her, left, partaking of her fins, they partake alio of her plagues, /\, — S. Represents the lamentation of kings, merchants, and mariners over licr, o, — 1 p. And calls upon the church toiejoice in God's taking righ- teous vengeance upon her, who had ilain the faints; and whofe utter and irrecoverable ruin is figni.'ied by the emblem of a milftone thrown with violence by a mighty angel into the lea, 20, — 24. p. 3$z. CHAP. XIX. The church both in heaven and on earth triumph, and praife the Lord for his righteous judgments upon the great whore of Babylon, and for the ho- nour of their own efpouial to Chrift, I, — S. An angel pronounces them filefled, and refufes the worfliip which yobn offered him, 9, 10. Then fol- lows another virion of Chrift, as going forth on a white horfe at the head of his army, which is alfo mounted on white horfes, to make war againft the bead and his armies, which are utter- ly and miferably deftroyed, 1 [,---21. P- 34 1 - C II A F. XX. An sngel defcends from heaven, who binds and (huts up Satan in the bot- tomiefs pit. for lfcoo years, in the fourth period, during which the « hurch reigns with Chrift in a glo- rious ftate on earth, 1, — 6. Satan is loofed again for a little while to de- ceive the nations once more, vi the fijth period, and, gathering all his forces together, makes his laft eftbrt •againft Chrift and his church, which ifhies in tbeij - own finr.J and irretriev- . le overthrew, and iu the eternal torment ot the devil, together with the besrft and the. fialfe p.ophet, 7, — 10. Hereupon the general judgment of the great day is defcribed, in which :;!i the dead :i;-j gathen d bt fore: Chrift oh his throne, in the fxath period, the books are Opened, and they ar" judg- ed ; and all, that are net found writ- ten in the book o! life, are calt into the lake of fire and brim hone, to be tormented for ever, 11, — 15. p. 3^ c. CHAP XXT. In confequence of the final judgment, the blefled ftate of the church-trium- phant is reprefented in general, under the figures of a new heaven and new earth, and of the new yentfalern, in the fevetith period, where God dwells, banifhes all forrow from his people, and makes them completely happy, in oppnfition to the doleful ftate of the wicked, 1, — 8. And is more parti- cularly defcribed in its heavenly ori- ginal, luftre, and glory, fecure de- fence, and bright ornamems, under the figures of precious ftones, high walls, 12 gates, guarded by 12 an- gels, and 12 foundations inferibed with the names of 12 apoftles, 5,, — 14. In its beautiful ftrudiure, under the figure of an exceeding large city four fquare, and confifung cf the richeft and fineft materials, 15, — 21. In its confummate felicity, as irradiat- ed with the immediate prefence of God and the Lamb, exclusive of all the comforts of this world, which are figured out by the light of the fun and moon, 22, 23. And in the free accefs Of vaft multitudes, of all na- tions and degrees, through the open gates of this city, the glory of which will fwallow up all earthly honours, and the inhabitants of which are per- fectly holy, 24, — 27. p. 362. C H A P. XXII. The description of the heavenly ftate is carried on under the figures of the water and tree of life, and of the throne of God and the Lamb, 1, — 5. And, for a conchifion of the v the truth and certain accomplishment of all thc-fe prophetic viDons are con- firmed, by way of dialogue between the conducting angel, Chrift hi and the apoftle John, who was for- bidden to worfliip the angel, and or- dered not to feal the prophecies of this book, which were foon to begin to be fulfilled in their order, and are fo facred as not to be added to, or di- minifhed, upon pun of exclufion fr< m ail the blcflings promifed in thorn, which fhali be conferred on the righ- teous, and denied to the wicked; when Chrift lhali couoe (as he laid he quick- ly would) with a reward to every one, according to his works. 6, — irf, To w.hich the Spirit and the- bride fay. Come; an : > his amen, and clofes all with the ufual apoftolic i)e- nfeditfEioD, 17, — %\, p. 37 2 - A PR AC A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE GENERAL EPISTLE of the APOSTLE j a m e s; IN THE FORM OF A PARAPH R A S E. The PREFACE to the GENERAL EPISTLE of JAMES. T^HIS Epiftle is commonly fuppcfed to have been wrote by that apoftle James, who was the ion of Alpheus, and ftyled James the lefs 9 and the brother of our Lord. (See the notes on Mat. x. 3. and 1 Cor. xv. 7.) And it is called a general epiitle, probably, be- caufe it was wrote, not to any particular perfon, or church, but to profejfing Chriftians at large, though not exclufive of the unbelievers of the twelve tribes of Jfrael^ wherefoever they were difperfed through feveral countries, as appears from chap. v. 1, — 6. and fome other places : And therefore the injcription is not to Chriftians un- der any diftinguiihing character of them 5 but only to the twelve tribes in general j nor is the falut a tion in the ufual ftrain of grace i ana 1 peace, or the like, but only of greeting ; nor is any benediclion X added at the clofe. The divine authority of this epiftle is fumcier.tly eftabliihed in Dr. Whitby''?, preface to it. The time of its being wrote is thought to have been about the year of our Lord 60, when the deftru&ion of Jerufalem was approaching, in the year 72 } and its chief dejign was to remonftrate again*! the corruption of manners, which had fpread among that people •, many of winch leemed to be greatly ad- dicted to pride, contention, and worldly-mindednefs. and had per- verted the gofp el- doctrine of j unification alone by faith in Chriji, which fome of them had turned into licentioufnefs in practice, if not alfo in principle, directly contrary to its holy nature and defign, and utterly inconfiftent with a laving intereft in its bleflings ; as al- io to remind them of the defolation that was coming upon them, and to comfort the faithful among them under all the lufleiings- which they at prcfent did, or in a little time might, undergo from Jewi/h infidels for the fake of ChriiT, but which would foon have an end. Vol. VI. S The a "The Preface to the Epiftle of James The apoftle, after the infeription and falutation, encourages true believers to bear their trials with chearfulnefs and patience ; to maintain good thoughts of God, and charge themfelves with all fin- ful effects of their temptations ; to keep a watch over their turbu- lent pafTions; and to receive the word of God with meeknefs, and put it into practice, chap. i. Cautions them againft mewing a partial and undue refpecl: to the rich, and treating the poor with contempt and neglect, under feigned expreflions of pity to- ward them.; takes occafion from thence to illuftrate that part of Sis defign, which related to the infignificancy of all profeflions of in Chrift for justification, without fome proof of its fmcerity by fruitfulnefs in good works, which he confirms by the evidences that Abraham and Rahab gave of the truth and prevalent power of their faith in acts of holy obedience, chap. ii. Proceeds to guard them againft reviling, cenforious, and imperious language ; (hewing* what mifchief is done by an unruly tongue, and how inconfiftent an indulgence of it is with the Chriftian temper and profeflion, and with heavenly wifdom, chap. iii. Reproves them for their litigious, proud, worldly, and envious fpirit, which marred and defeated their prayers, and was contrary to God and his law; and for their dif- regard to Providence, in purfuing their fecular affairs, chap. iv. Denounces the judgments pf God againft thofe of the unbelieving Jews, as foon to come upon them, who heaped up riches to them- felves by unrighteous gains. And then, turning again to the Chrif- tian converts, he exhorts them to wait with patience for deliver- ance from the woril of their enemies, who mould fall by approach- ing calamities, and for the better bleiTings of the world to come, •without envying thofe that were in more affluent circumftances of thi<> life, than themfelves ; and efpecially to avoid ram and common iwearing; to behave with a fuitable Chriftian .fpirit in profperity and adverfity ; to acknowledge their faults to. and offer fuch pray- er? for, one another, as God will hear and anfwer •, and to do what in them lay, for the converfion of thofe that had lived in erroneous and ftnful courfes, contrary to the truth and holinefs of the gofpel, •'• \p, v. CHAP. Chap. i. TheEpiJih,&c. CHAP. I. 'The apojlle prefaces his epifle with a general falutation of the Jews in their difperjion, I. AddreJ/es him/ elf, firjl of all, to the Chrif- tian-converts among them, direcling them how to make a due im- provement of their troubles, how to apply to God under them, and how to behave in profperous and adverfe circumjlances, 2, — 12. Warns them, not to impute to God any temptations to Jin ; but to look upon all evil as proceeding from themf elves, and all good from God, ?•>' 1 8. Infers the duties of watching again/1 a rafh and furious temper, and of receiving the word of Crod with meeknefs, and living according to it, 19, — 25. And flews the difference be- tween vain pretences , and real religion, 26, 27. Text. Paraphrase. y.\MES a fer- e yAMES, who is, and counts it a high honour to • J be, a miniftring fervant of the God of Ifrael, and J vant of and of the Lord which are fcatter- ed abroad, greet- ing, 2 My brethren, count it- all joy when ye fail into divers tempta- fSoos ; of the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is God, and the only the twelve tribes Mediator between God and man, * fends this epitlle, by divine authority, to all and every one of the twelve tribes of Ifrael (Ac~ls xxvi. 7.) efpecially the profcf- ibrs of Chriftianity among them, into whofe hands it. may come, in what nation foever they be difperfed, whetherby formercaptivities, or by later feverities ; and he heartily wiflies them all manner of blefiings, rela- ting to this world, and that which is to come. 2 As to thofe of you, my dear brethren, who are* fo, not only after the flefh, but in a fpiritual relation, and who, for your profeffion of faith in Chrift, fuiFer many troubles of various kinds, which ye do not make to yourfelves by your own guilt and folly, but are call into by the unrighteous violence of wicked men, under the infinitely wile pcrmiffion and fovereign difpofals of the holy God, who gracioufly orders and over-rules them by his providence, and fandh'fies them by his fpirit, for the trial and improvement of your faith ; (vrr. 3. and 1 Pet. i. 7.) Be not ye difcoura^ed at them ; but rather efteem it your honour, and mat- ter of the greateft fpiritual rejoicing, that ye are count- ed worthy to fuffer Jhame, and other hardships, for his name; (A&s v. 31.) and fo to bear a noble teftimo- ny to him, for his glory, and the advantage of your own, as well as others fouls. .3 As being fully perfuaded in your own minds, 3 Knowing this, that the trying ot U p on tne f oot f divine revelation, and having an ex- your N O T i,. * A Servant of God, and of the Lord of God, B 2 perience Jefus Chrifl, (©sot; Y.oct Kvgtov Igrou X( even of the Lord Jefus Cbrl/f, no article follows ) and in the ) may be tranflated a fervant Greek. (See the note on Tit. ii. 13.) 4 The Epijlle of Chap. i. your faith worketh perlence in yourfelves, that they are defigiied of God patience. f or t h e trying, proving, and rendering approved, * the truth and efficacy of your faith in Chrift, and con- . ftancy in the profeffion of it, as what will ftand the tell ; and that every fuch trial of your faith has a powerful influence, through the concurring operation of the Spirit, ( I Pet. iv. 14.) to produce and improve a calm fubmiflion, and perfevering refignation to the fovereign will, and holy providence of God in the moil afflictive difpenfations, which in a fpecial manner minif- ter occafions, and call for, and inure the foul unto the exerciie of patience, without murmuring at his hand in them, or being enraged againft the inftruments of them. 4 But let pa- 4 But, as ever ye would reap this happy fruit of U ^ n f C % -i j " your trials, let patience take its own proper courfe, we 'ma* be* perfect without check or difturbance from your finful paf- and intire, want- fions ; and give fuil fcope to its genuine exercifes, as ing nothing. confuting of a meek and humble, compofed, refigned, and chearful frame of fpirit; and that not only in the firii onfets of one and another trouble, but with per- feverance, under every variety and continuance of them, ail your days ; to the end that (tvx) ye may be com- plete Chriftians, (fee the note on 1 Cor. ii. 6.) and arrive at the greatelt eminence in this, together with every other grace ; and fo may not be deficient in any thing that belongs to the Chrillian Hate and character, or that is neceffary to your holding on, and holding out to the end, and finifhing your courfe with joy, which fliall iiTue in a perfect freedom from all fin and forrow, and in the complete holinefs and happinefs of the heavenly Hate. 5 If any of you 5 In order to the attaining of this,ifetoy of you, bim : fc M S?.Gd? amidl1 aU y ° Ur llraItS and difficnltles >M P™') 1S def - that piveth to ail titute of fpiritual wifdom, (as the beft orus all, more men liberally and or kfs, certainly are) to direct, hirn in every cafe, and upbraideth not ; particularly how to judge of his afflictions, how to be- am! it fliall be gi- h ave m a becoming manner under them, and how to make a fuitable ufe and improvement of them, as may be molt for the divine glory, and his own foul's ad- ■ vantage ; let iuch an one, under a humbling fenfe of Iiis own weaknefs and folly, and of the infufficiency of NOTE. * The word £y«ci/u»*0 ^ ere rendered tience experience, (Jok/^hv) which fig- tlkS trying of *our faith, lifcntfces tpttf bff nilies the effect of the trying; and lb 'which our faith is tried, and pioved un- th.at, which tries our faith, works pa- to approbation, as pure and genuine, in tience in its fruits and effecls ; and the allufion to the trying of metals by a firr; patience, that is tried and proved, works and is a different word from thai nwch the happielt experience. (See the para- is uied in Row. v. 4 Habere the apoitle phrafe or. Rorn. v. 4) fays, tribulation works patience, and pa- Chap. i. James paraphrafed. 5 of any creature whatfoever, to conduct him in a right way, apply with earned application and prayer, through Jefus Chrift, to the God of all light and grace, for the leadings and guidance of his word, providence, and fpirit, who is readier to give, than we are to alk, needful blefiings of him ; who bountifully diftributes them with a free and open heart and hand to all forts of men, and particularly to all that fincerely and in a right manner aik them of him ; and who is fo rich in mercy, and of fo great kindnefs, as not to reproach humble fupplicants, or twit them with their ignorance, folly, and unvvorthinefs, or with the many favours which he has already bellowed upon them, and they have mifimproved ; nor will he difdain to hear and anfwer their petitions, how often foever they folicit him for ilill farther fupplies ; and he will gra- cioufly afford all feafonable counfel and affiftances, that are needful for fuch a praying Chriftian. ( See Prov. ili. 5, 6.) 6 But let him ' 6 Blit it is not his merely pouring out words, or ut- alk ia faith, no- tering a prayer before the Lord, that will meet with, thing wavering h [ s gracious anfwer ; no, if he would fucceed in his f ' Hit, eth is like ,a wave ft * to be printed, with a firm^ dependence on of the fea, driven Chrift, and on the wifdom, power, faithfulnefs, and with the wind, and goodnefs of God in him for a performance of his pro- tofied. mifes, without any itaggering at them through un- belief: {Rom. it. 20.) For he that gives way to d;f- truils, queftionings, and fmful jealoufies, whether God can, or will perform his gracious promifes, is as un- fteady and reftlefs in principle and practice, as a wave of the fea, which fometimes fwells upwards, and then finks downwards, and is driven one way and another, backward and forwards, in a tumultuous manner by a ftormy wind. 7 For let not 7 Let not therefore any man of fuch a diffident that man think and fluctuating fpirit, which dishonours, inftead of that he fhall re- n\ s ' iX{ g glory to God, flatter himfelf as though his un- theloTZ thUlg ftHbk and unbelieving prayer fhall be anfwered, or that he frail receive the wifdom, or any good thing, which he afks i f the Lord, in accompliihment of pro- mifes that belong only to true believers. 8 A double- 8 Araauofa^ikir/, (Pf. xii. 2.) that is .1 nan is un- divided between hope and defpondency, or between liable in all h.s God ^ w , :rrupt a ff c aions to the world, inclining now one way, and then another, like thole that halt- ■ ed between two 'opinions about God and Baal; (1 Kings xv^iu". 2\.) or he, who would faxn-ferve both God and Mammon, (Mat)h. vi. 2 1.) is un fet- tled in religion, and continually befrtating, fickle, and perplexed in all his though**, words, and actions about it; 6 TbeEpiJlleof ■ Chap. i. it ; and fo brings nothing to pafs, nor can expert to fpeed in his prayers. 9 Let the bro- g But, to return to what has been faid about re- re^ice u^thafhe &***$ in trIals > i ver ' 2 An y brother in Chrift is exalted : t * lat ^ as a ^ xed ^' dlt ^ m mm > and * n ^ le P ow er and grace of God through him, may warrantably plead and fafely rely on every promife of his covenant. Up- on this coniideration, let him that is poor in outward circumftances, and oppreffed by perfections, and is of a lowly fpirit, fuitable to fuch an afflicted condi- tion, glory (kuv^oktB-h) in the thought, that he is highly advanced to all the fpiritual riches of faith, as an heir of the kingdom of heaven, [chap, ii. 5.) and to the honour of thofe believers, to whom it is given on the behalf of Chrift to fuffer for his fake, and upon whom the fpirit of glory and of God rejleth. (Phil. i. 29. and 1 Pet. iv. 14.) to But the rich, 10 And, on the other hand, as to any Chriftian- in that he is made brother, who, amidft all his affluence, is brought to the 'floweT'of the ^ av ? * ow tnoil g^ ts °f himfelf, and of all his earthly grafs he (hall pafs enjoyments, as mean, precarious, and perifhing, and away. to be willing to give them all up for Chrift ; or who, having had abundance of the poffeffions of this life, is now reduced to poverty for the fake of his holy pro- feflion, and is of an humble fpirit, let him rejoice in the happy exchange of temporal wealth and profperi- ty for the incomparably better and everlafting riches of grace and glory : Becaufe, fuppofing that he were • not to be deprived of his worldly enjoyments while he lives, he muft foon die away from them ; and then all his flourifhing ftate in them will perifh with him, like the fading flower of the field. (If xl. 6, 7.) 1 1 For the fun 1 1 For as the fun in the firmament no fooner rifes \% no fooner rifen { n t ^ e f u li ftrength of ks fcorching heat, like that L TIt * h * . uni!n .S which beat upon the head of Jonah, and was attend - heat, but it wi- ,., f — n • »>/*-.«% » thereth the grafs, ec - with a vehement Lajt wind, (Jon. iv. 8.) but it and the flower immediately caufes the flourifhing grafs, or verdant thereof falleth, and ft em t0 w ither j an d its beautiful flower fickens, ftfJiSTrf t rfe! droo P s > and dies i and a11 the g loi 7 of its llvel 7» g a )'» riflieth : fo 'alio and florid appearance is deftroyed : So the man of (hail the rich man wealth and grandeur, that has no better portion than fade away in his the fplendid and pleafing enjoyments of this prefent wa ? s - life, fhall pine away in his iniquity, and be cut off, by one or another providence, in the -mid ft of all his fchemes and defigns for this world, and of all his pro- fperity and honour. i2 BIflffed h the 12 Happy, inexprrflibly happy, is the man who moi'that.fcoduRt6 fe called, and has wifdom and grace to enable him, itation : for . ^, - n - , iL . n " «v 1 when he is tried in a ^ nrittian manner, to bear the greateit tnbula- he fhall receive tion, even to the lofs of all things here for Chrilt : the crown of life, For when he has paffed through the trial, and is which (2**^0?) Chap. i. James paraphrafed. 7 which the Lord ( 2 ° r fin 3 g ainft hilB » ^ " 0t in th ° fe dlT P en{a - luiP and enticed. t»OM of providence, but in himfeif. Whenever they have fuch a malignant effecl upon him, it is owing to his own corrupt heart and wicked inclinations, which NOTE. * The evil here fpoken ofisundoubt- yet as he infli&s even this fort of evil, edly moral evil, or the evil oififi, as it only on account of fin, which has de- is determinate^ explained in the two ferved it ; we in the moral view may be next verfes. But the evil of affliction or faid to be the caufe of it, rather than funifbtnent is quite a different thing, God, who delights in mercy, and counts with refpeel to which God fays, I make judgments his flrange work ; and faid peace and create evil; and flail there be of Ifrael, that they h^d fallen by t!;eir evil in the city, and the Lord has not done iniquity, and dejlroyed them/elves, it? (Ifa. xlv. 7. and Amos Hi. 6.) And ? The Epiftle of Chap. i. which violently drag him off («|?A*o^i/o ? ) from the way of truth and holinefs, and from a profefiion of Chrift's name, and which (hxixfypwot) beguile and •delude him into fin and apoltacy, under fome fpe- cious deceitful appearances of carnal eafe and plea- fure, or worldly advantage that he purpofes to him- felf by it, as a fifh is caught and drawn out of the water by the hook, that is covered with a tempting bait. 15 Then, when 15 It is then, and then only, when the evil pro- luft hath concei- p en f lon in the thoughts of a man's own heart, which forth jto:' l £5 a k i is rtfelffin in embrio, (Prov. xxiv. 9.) has gained when it is finiih- tne approbation and free confent of the will, that it ed bringeih forth produces a&uai fin, as the genuine fruit of its own death, depraved inclination ; and actual lin, when it is com- pleted, allowed of, perfifted in, and indulged with impenitence and unbelief, not only renders him ob- noxious to, but will certainly ifTue in everlafling mi- fery, as its proper fruit and wages, (Rom. v. 21. 23. fee the note there) which is the fecond death ; and fo his deftruction is, and will be of himfelf. 16 Do not err, 16 Take heed then, my dear brethren, (^jj tc^cc- gay beloved bre- vetT ^ l e ft an y f vou run a ftray from the truth of the gofpel, and wander into fuch abominably errone- ous, blafphemous, and injurious conceptions of the holy and bkfTed God, or of his ways, as to imagine that he is or can be the author of fin, or doth any thing to encourage or promote it. 17 Every good 17 On the contrary, he k fo infinitely far from gift, and every this, that every good thing v/e enjoy, relating to pertecT: gift, is from ^jg wor \^ an( j tna t which is to come ; every bounty dow'nfrorn th™Fa- °^ P rov ^ ence > anc ^ intelle&ual ■endowment, and eve- trier of lights, r y gift of a Spiritual and holy kind, which has no with whom is no mixture of fin in it, but tends to the perfecting of variable fs, nei- our na t U re and happinefs ; all, and nothing but, tnrnin llml ° W ° f good in the natural, moral, and fpiritual world, is ori- ginally and effectively from God, whofe throne is in the heavens, and zvho/e kingdom rules over all ; (Pfal. ciii. 19.) and it defcends from on high, and is communicated to us from him, who is himielf light, * without, any dark nefs at all ; (l John 1.5.) and is the Fountain, Author, and Giver of all forts of light, rational and religious, as well as corporal, of all the light of knowledge, holinefs and happinefs, grace and glory ; and who is unchangeably the fame in himfelf and in his will and purposes, (Mai. iii. 6.) without the lead alteration, * or any mixture of fhadc, NOTE. * With whom is no a U thofe corrupt affections, which defile the fl^yVtX- fou1 ' %''»g t° tl >™, Ge, ye hence, (Ifa. xxx. 22.) nefs and receive an< 3 a ^ the overflowings of malice, (tti^o-s-iucv y.xy,ix$) with meeknefs the which are excefiively evil, and are like the luxuriant ingrafted word, branches of a tree, which fuck away the fap that which is able to fa ou \& ma k e ft fruitful ; and, having abandoned thefe, lave your luuis. ... ., . ° • , ,, , •». - let it be your great concern, that, with all humility, modefty, and lubmiflion of your understandings and hearts, confeiences and affections to the authority of God in his word, ye may cordially embrace it with faith and love, and it may be fet, like a good and fruitful graft, into your very fouls, as vitally united with them, and turning all their difpofitions and pro- ductions into its own holy likenefs, which is com- pletely fufficient to fliew you the way of falvation ; and when received into the heart by faith, and at- tended with the power of the Spirit, is wonderfully efficacious ty nourifh your immortal fouls with faving virtue, and bring them into a pofleflion of all hea- venly happinefs, which confi^s in a deliverance from fin and mifery, and in an enjoyment of. and confor- mity to, the bleffed God in all his glory for ever. 22 But NOTE. * The three directions contained in as the good and bad ufe of the, tongue, this verie may very well be conGdered as and regulation of the paliions, are hand- general rules of conduct in the ordinary led diilinoily and -t Urge in chap, ill, I COurCe of our lives and conver.afon, that lv.ther think that the apoftle intended all we (hould be m<»re fwift to hear than to thefe exhortations in fome fuch peculiar fpeak. and (hould keep a guard upon our reference to what he had juft before been paliions. But as this verfe is an infer- fpeaking of, as is luggefled in the para- e/ice from the foregoing difcouric ;'and phrale. (^Vid. Zurich, in loc.) Chap. i. James paraphrafed. n 22 But be ye 2 2 But that it may have this happy effect upon doers of the word, you, fee that its iunuence be fo powerful in your and not hearer? on- hearts, as to engage you to put its excellent and holy ly, deceiving your • • j ■ t pra &j ce j n your li ve s ; and that ye con- •vvn lelves. * r i • , , i • • • 1 v • tent not yourfelves with barely giving it the hearing, and affenting to it, to fill your heads with notions of the golpel, as if this were all that is neceflafey to fal- vation ; which would be to delude your own fouls by fallacious reafonings, [*x£xXoyi£<>{uyoi tavms) and put- ting the worft of all cheats upon yourlelves, in matters of the highelt and everlafting conlequence. 23 For if any be 2 3 For, let peopled pretences be what they will, if a hearer of the any one be oniy a hearer of the word of God, and do word, and not a pot rece ; ve J t w i t } x fo^ an d love, fo as to regulate doer, he is like hig ^ y - ^ Q od afid conver f at j on [ n the world, unto a man be- o . . . ... / * \ u 1 holding his natu. according to it, he is like g wan, [***#) who, being ral face in a glafs : ordinarily lefs curious tha:. women about cleanlinefs and drefs, curforily looks at the image of his own hu- man face in a mirror or looking- glals ; and when he goes away thinks no more of it, nor takes any care to wipe off the fpot8 01 dirt upon it. Juft fo it is • with the carelefs and unprofitable hearer: When he comes to attend on the preaching of the word of which may fitly be compared lo a looking-glafs, it plainly discovers what a man is in himielf, ace,. to the law, and what he may hope to be in C..r> : ac- cording to the gofpel, (2 O-r. Hi. 18.) he has Come notions and convictions of his own guile, depra and danger, and of his need of a Saviour, and of a thorough change in heart and life ; but proceeds no further : 24 For he be- 24 For, having taken only a flight and tranfient holdeth himfelf. view of himielf, without any deep and abiding imprcf- and *oerh his w?.\\ £ ong U p 0n j^ g heart< \ xc g oes a wav,hke the man who be* for d «ett«h" St held his natural iace m a glafi ; and through the cares, manner of man he or riches, or pleaiures, pf this life, (Luke viii. 14.) was. immediately lay,< aiide all thoughts or concern about what he law oi his own iin and mifery, and want of pardoning and renewing grace, while he lat under the word; and fo goes on in in 1 and unbelief, and in a finful courie of lift, juft a- before. 25 But whofo 25 But (0 fo Trx^Kv^u:,) he who, in oppofition Iooketh into the t0 a flight and tranfient view, Over. 23, 24.) accu- per " a *C coid* ratel y ar,a intentI y iooks into the s la; ° ot " l * ,J spf** 1 * berty, an con ^ revt . lal j 01)j * w hich is a con pletei coctn.it C 2 liberty N O T K. * By the perfect law of liberty teems law, in ev< . repre- tobe meant the doclnne oftbegefpel, tented iti the Nc« TefHi taw of which was fjidken <prl; context, an] in a lax fenie oi the word and never as a law of liberty. (Yid, is here itykd a law, a* in Rom. iii 27. Par. in loc.) (See the note theie.) For the Mofaic , jearf, this man's religion is vain 12 The Epiflk of Chap. i. naeth iter**, Tip liberty to true believers, for their deliverance from tfee fu! "hearer 3 fcSHi ceremonial y ok€ of bondage, and the fervile fpirit of the work l ^ e Mpfazc difpenfation, and from the guilt and pow- this man (hall be er °^ ^ ln > the curfe of the law, the wrath of God, blefled m his deed, and eternal mifery, and for their ferving him'with ho- ly freedom and delight ; and he who continues in the faith and practice of the things contained therein, and fo is not carelefs and unmindful of what he heard, or of what he faw himfelf to be in that glafs, but lives in the exercife of every grace, and in the difcharge of every duty anfvverable to it ; this man is happy in- deed, though not for, yet in his work of faitn and labour of love, and in the very keeping of God's com-, mands; (Pf. xix. u.) and as his fruit is unto holi- nefs, theendjhallbe everlnjiing life. (Rom. vi. 22.) 2jS If any man 2 6 Upon the whole then, if any one among you to™ be ^di.ious P re t tends to be a worfhlpper of God, (ty,™* uvoci) or and bridleth" not makes a g r ^at (how of religion, and talks abundant- ly is tongue, but ly of it, that he may pafs for a pious man ; and yet, iveth his own at the fame time, do not reitrain and govern his tongue, as a furious headftrong horfe is checked and curbed by the bridle ; but gives himielf leave to ufe profane and abufive language, or to rail againit, re- vile, cenlure, and reproach his brother, flattering him- felf with a vain conceit, as though a zeal for God would juftify all the injurious and bitter words, which in reality proceed from the pride and paflion of his own deceived heart ; all this man's religion, whatever he or others may think of it, is an empty infignificant thing, (ver. 20.) which will never do him any good, as one that is blefTed in his deed. (ver. 25.) i-j Pure relinon 27 In oppcfition to all thefe falfe and hypocritical fore God ^nd the a PP earances * th e religion of the gofpel, that is truly ra'her. is this, To ^ incerc ant * uncorrupted, without mixture of human vifit the^fntherle'.s inventions, or of carnal principles, motives, and ends and widow* in to defile it, and is excrcifed, as in the fight and pre- "JJ'jfc ke^'tim.' fenCC ° f G ° d ' eVen the Father > according to his will fdh unfitted rro-n and wor dj w ^b a defire of pleating him, rather than rhe world. » men ; the religion that is approved and accepted of God in Chriii, is this, it difpofes and engages the Chriilian to be tender, kind, and compaflionate to the needy and diflreffed, efpecially of the houfhold of faith, (Gal. vi. 10.) in doing what he can for their relief and comfort, with all the condefccnfipn and fritndfhip that are manifested in readily vifiting and afiiiling pcor fatherlefs children, and delHtute widows, who, of all others, need a helping hand ; and by its powerful influence upon him, he is enabled to behave in fuch a circumfpect and holy manner, as to keep clear of the pollutions of this evil and enfnaring world, that he may not defile himfelf, or bring a flur upon hi? Chap, h J ames paraphrafed. 13 « liis confcienct, hoj^, or chara&er, by the lujl of the flejb) the ,^Ji of /he eye., ot the pride of life, (1 John ii. 16.) RECOLLECTIONS. Blefted be God ! who takes care of his icattered ones, wherefoev?r they are. Though their tribulations tor his name's fake may be great; yet they may rejoice in them, as over- ruled and fanctified lor tbe tr.al and improvement of their taith and patience, and the perfecting ot kis good work in them, who fliall receive the crown of life, which he has promiied to thoie that love him. What is all this world, which fades and penfms like the flower or the field by the fcorebing heu or the fun, compared with the exalted and immortal bleilings that belong to the humble Cnnftian of the lowett degree ? But, O what fpirit ual wndom do the children of God need to enable them to behave, as becomes them under their various trials I And- what toiid grounds have they to alk it in faith ! i'he Father ot Lights will give it to them ; and not upbraid, but hoeraily iu'pply perlons ot all characters and conditions with fuch good things as' they pray tor in laith ; while others defeat their own prayers, by diitruuing his power, faithtulnefs, and grace, and by fluctuating in religion nke a. wave of tne lea. But if any are drawn into fin and apoftacy, by means ot the temptations they meet with, how momcroufly impious ana mocking is it to father their fin upon God, as though he were the cauie ot it ! Aii good and no moral evil comes from hun, who dwells on high ; and who, in the mere lo'vereign pleafure"bf his own gracious will, forms his peo- ple for himieif by his regenerating fpirit, and the inftrumentality of his word, that they may be an excellent kind of creatures to fhew forth his praife ; and fuch is the abfolute unehangeablenefs of his holy nature and will, that he can neither be induced to do any iniquity himieif, nor to abet or encourage it in others. But whoioever commits tin, it is all owing to the corrupt inclinations of his own Heart, which, having once gained the free confent of the will, produces actual lin ; and this, perfUVed in, brings forth its proper wages, in death ano rum ; and fo he de- ftroys himieif. — How watchful mould we be agauiit pride and paihon, hard thoughts ol God, and an afluming temper, that is more ready to fpeak, than to heai : And with what Humility, reverence, and fubmiliion to the authority cf God in his word, Ihould we receive it, that, by the concuirence ot his lpint, it may become an engrafted word to the faving ot our loius ; and that we may not only be hearers, but hearty believers, and confcientious observers and doers or all that it fays to us : Without practical godlinefs, all a man's thoughts about, his own ftate and .oudition, that have at any time been preteinea to his view, m rue giafs of God's word, are foon forgotten, and leave him jutt where they found him, un- penitent, unbelieving, and unretormed. But he who lias a clear and transioimaig inlight, by divine illumination, into the goipel, which is a ptneci lyuein 01 i,.e nobieit liberty to true believers, is fuch a hearer of the vvoio, as is l^ie.ifed in his way ana work, and fliall be io at the end ot them- o how lerroully concerned fuould we be, not to deceive our own fouls in an affair ot fuch van and eternal con- fluence ! If we are under the dominion or a feverely cemonous and unruiy fpirit and tongue, whatever our pretences to tension be, we may depend upon it, that they aie all hypocritical, empty, and vain. But it we have that faith, which works by love ana comp^lLon to the poor, the deftitute widow and laihciiels, and which piiKihes the hear l, and lorahes us againft the temptations ot the world ; this is lin- ceje and uncorrupted religion in God's account, and he will own it. CHAP. r 4 The Epiftle of Chap. CHAP. II. The apoflle goes on to fie w that all notions and prof efions of faith are vain, if not produ&ive of impartial love and jujlice to other s, the poor as we/l as the rich, I, — 13. And.Jlrongly argues fromjhe nature of things, (i/luf rated by fruit lefr pretence \ of pity to the poor, and by a body without a foul) and from the injiances of A.- braham and Rahab, the necefjity of good works to prove the finceri- f }' °J f m} hi which otherwife is dead, and will be of no more ad- vantage than the faith of devils, 14, — 26. Text. Paraphrase. M Y &**!*««* HTHAT your religion, my profeffing Chriftian bre- have not the X th e to be Q f that kind which {s faith ot our Lord , , / ', r , . , . v , , r Jefus Chart, the P ttr ^ and undejiled, (chap. 1. 27.) take heed ot en- Lord of glory, tertain'ing nitre notions of faith in our Lord jcius with refpect of Chrift, who is in himfelf a gioriouily divine perlbn, perfons. ; an( | t j ie p Urc }, a f er and giver of heavenly glory-; and is to be embraced ab glorified, after his fufferings and death, by a lively faith in him ; and beware of taking up with iuch empty proiefiions of his glorious name, and prefumptu< -us dependencies on him for eternal life, as leave you under the power of a partial, tin- juit, and carnal acceptation of perfons, (ssgAottanoAir^** h would be to contradict the apoftle Paul's order, {Rom. xiii. 7.) to render honour to tuhom honour is due, by virtue of their civil character : But it placing perfons of lower rank there in their judicatories ; and fpeaks oi judges and judgment-feats, and of perfons acting partially, as tranjgreffors of the la~,v t which feems to refer to the law about rather relates to partial rel peels being impartial judgment, without refpecl to fbewn in civil and ecclefiajlical proceed- ings, merely on account of one perfon's being richer and finer drtfied than ano- tbci ; for in the next verfe the apoftle fpeaks of one and the other's coming in- fo the ajfembjy or fynagogue («r n v) \liich was uft'd for civil ami ec- ftkral judicature, as well as for reli- the rich or poor, Lev. xix. 15. and Dent. i. 17. (See Dr. Hammond's and Whitby's notes here.) And fo this is no way incon- fiftcnt with that becoming deference to pctfons of fuperior rank and character, which our b lie fled Lord recommends in common converfation and behaviour, Luke xiv. S, — 10. Chap. ii. James paraphrased. 15 afTembly or court, that is in mean circumftances, and*, makes a defpicable appearance in a coarfe or ragged drefs ; 3 And ye have 3 And if, in this cafe, ye mew abundance of re- wlar^th™^ f P eA and defereRCe to him &** glitters in fine and dothing, and fry g aud y clpaths; and, for that reafon only, take great unto him, Sit thou care to ingratiate yourfelves with him, and to decide here in a good every thing in his favour, and in token thereof invite place ; and fay to him to the molt honourable feat, faying, Pray, fir, the poor, Stand , r „ . 1 1 , j 1 1 r • thou there or fit P* caie to. take your place here; and at the lame time here under my treat tne man of low circumftances with fcorn, and footflool: with a contempt of him and his caufe, faying, Stand you at a diftar.ee; or, if you would lit, it muft be at no better place than my footftool : 4 Are ye not ^ J 3 not this fcandalous difference, which ye make yourfelv P es, n and are betwecn tne r »ch and the poor, a plain evidence of an become judges of unjuftifiable partiality in your temper and conduct to- evil thoughts? wards one rather than the other ? And do ye not, in reality, pafs fuch a judgment about them feverally, as proceeds from carnal, wrong, and biaffed ways of thinking concerning tuem, only according to outward appearance ? 5 Hearken, my ' c To guard you againft, and cure you of this evil, beloved brethren, dear brethren, whom I truft God loves, con- hath not God cho- £ , , , • • • 1 t« r fen the poor of this "° cr novv contrary this opinion and proceeding or world, rich in faith, yours is to his thoughts and ways h\ things that re- and heirs of the late to religion and falvation ; has not the great and kingdom which he ble{ r ed God [n the exceeding riches of his grace, hath promifed to f „ ^ . , r / 7- ; • \ m r them that love from ai1 et 5 rnit Y cboien (Eph. 1. 4.) moftly perfons him ? of lower circumftances among mankind to faith and holinefs here, and to complete falvation hereafter? (2 Thejf. 1". 13.) And has he not fhewn, in thed;f- penfarions of his fovereign mercy, that he has peculi- arly made choice of fuch to be partakers of much more excellent riches, through faith in his Son, and through lively exercifes of it, than can be found in this world ; and to be intitlec! to, and brought to the pofTeffion of an inheritance of all the bleffings of that kingdom of grace here and of glory hereafter, which he has mae'e over, fn the pro miles of the new cove- nant, to thofe that defire, eftetm, and delight in h in above all creature-enjoyments \ , tf But ve have 6 j^.t while yt. op the contrary, have treated your ; xh \ "°' ,v - poor Chnflianbretl en &anddi{regatti, ye Do v.i • rich i.in \ •- . 1 diinonoured and poured contempt upon thole chaw 3011 be.'oit whom C'K 1 lev % and 1 8 put ' :v higheft tic Uf the judgment-, upon, 1 and paid your chief refpeds to fuch as he de- fpiies, and u ye have no < ^ui'e to carefs. For what for 1 , of treatment do ye mee't m them? Is it not ..he cuftom of the great h men of this world to deal very lnjurioufly by you? Do nt the generality i6 The Epifik of Chap ii. generality of them, through pride and infolence, and enmity to Chrift and his ways, fet themfelves againft you, and (x.xTce,ovvx or defigning, or di -firing to do, what lias a tendency to any unlawful way of deilroying the life of a fellow-creature, yoi? break in upon the whole of that divine authority, which enafted the law that equally forbids both : And the fame holds true with refpect to all its other precepts, i z So ipeak ye, 1 2 Let therefore the whole of your behaviour in and fo do, as they difpolition, word and deed toward fellow- creatures, ed* V 1,a the be iiw of aS Wcl1 a3 toward God > be fuch a3 is b ? comin g and right for thofe to be found in the practice of, that live under the gofpel- difpenfation, and that judge of their brethren, and (hall be dealt with in the great day, by, and according to the tenor of the gofpel, which is a docirinc according to godtinefs, (i Tim. vi. 3.) and both obliges to, and, upon prin- ciples of faith and love, fets a man's foul at liberty for an impartial and univerfal obedience to all God's commands, with a noble freedom and delight, far furpaffing all that could be obtained by the Mofaic- difpenfation, from which it has alfo let him free. (See the note on chap. i. 25.) For he (hall J 3 For he, whofe faith doth not work by love, have judgment according to the grace and obligation of the gofpel, without mercy, f () as to Hjew compafiion to his poor brethren, ih?Jl that hath the wed ^ a r g uru } er a fcvere fentence of condemnation and Swrcy^ejoiceth a- wratn » to be executed upon him in the day of judg- ^aintt. judgment, meet, without any mixture of that mercy, which h held forth in the doctrine of Chrifi : And, on the contrary, he who, as the fruit of his faith, exercifea teurlerr.ds and loving kmduefs toward them, fhall rejoice in his deliverai :e from condemnation and Vol. VI. . E> wrath, i8 The Epijlle of Chap, ii, 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man fay he hath faith, and have not works ? Can faith fave him ? 15 If a brother or filter be naked, and be destitute of daily food ; 16 And one of you fay unto them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled ; not- withstanding ye give them not thofe things which are needful to the body ; what doth it profit ? 17 Even fo faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being a- lone. 18 Yea, a man may wrath, and againft fears of being call in judgment * ; and divine mercy, according to the gofpel, (hall tri- umph in his favour, and glory over ftricTt juftice ac- cording to the law, in the final day of account, agree- able to our Lord's own reprefentation of it. (Mat. xxv. 34,-46.) 14 Of what advantage then, my brethren, can it be to any man, if t at the fame time, that he talks and boafts of his believing in Chrift, and expecting falvation by him, he has no good works fpringing from his faith, to prove the fincerity of it ? Can fuch a fort of notional faith, and his profeflion of it, that has no prevailing influence upon him to holinefs and obedience, be effectual unto his falvation ? No certainly ; It is not, in reality, what it pretends to be, as may be illuflrated in the following manner. 15 Suppofe any Chriftian brother or filter were all in rags, and had not cloaths fufficient to cover their nakednefs, and keep them warm ; and at the fame time were ready to periih with hunger, through want of neceflary food for the prefent day's fubfiftence, 16 And if, in fuch deplorable circumftances, any of you were to lay to them, with an air of pity and concern, Poor diftrefTed creature ! Your cafe is very miferable indeed ; I wifh you well, and mould be glad to hear of lome good providence's appearing for your relief; go your way with a fatisfied mind, in hope that God will provide necefiary raiment to co- ver you, and food convenient for you : But, though it be in the power of your hands, ye neverthelefs give them no manner of aiTiilance that is neceffiary for them ; What fignify all thele fine words and profef- fions of good willies ? They are all mockery, inftead of cordial affection ; and can be of no avail either to them, or to your own fouls. 1 7 Juit fo the cafe Hands with refpeft to faith, in God's account, whofe judgment is according to truth, if it do not produce fpiritual and holy fruits of righteoufnefs to his glory, and the good of others, it is a mere lifelefs notion, that has nothing vital or operative in it, as being entirely deftitute of every genuine effect, and proper evidence of its fincerity ; and it can never be profitable to eternal life, how highly foever any may boaft of it, and rely upon it. 18 Yea, a true believer may fairly expoilulate with, and N O * Mercy may here fignify the merci- ful, the abftracf being put for the con- crete, as the tirtumcijim fonr.cimes is for the circumcifea ' ; or elfc it may relate T E. to the mercy of God. which fliall be ex- tended to the merciful man, inftead of his being dealt with, in a way of juftice, according to his deierts. Chap. ii. James paraphrafed. 19 may fay, thou haft and confound fuch a vaunting hypocrite, by arguing faith, and I have w ith him in the following manner : You talk mighti- th^Yaith^without ty °^ ^ OUr faIth witnout S lvin S an Y P roof of Its tince " thy works, and I ntv 5 ana ^ h on tne contrary, inftead of taking up will (hew thee ray with high fwelling words and profcfiions of faith, have faith by my works, evangelical works of love and obedience to bear wh> nefs that my faith has its proper influence upon me. Now, if your faith is of the right fort, fliew it to be fo by your practice anlWfable to it, which I challenge you to do ; and I, in like manner, will give the fame proof of mine, even beyond all that you can produce of that kind *. Or elfe demonftrate to me, that your faith is good and effectual, if you can, (which is indeed impoffthle) without any fuitable works to fupport your confident boaftings of it : And I will take a better courfe for making it plain to you, that my faith is vital and efficacious, by its producing works of holinefs in my life ; and fo, in a juil and fcriptural way of reafoning, I will fubftanuaily prove the cauie by its effects, as the nature of a tree is known by its fruits. [Mattb. vii. 16, — 20.) 10 Thou belie- 19 If you infill that you have true faith in a fun- ?eft that there is damental doctrine of all real religion, becaufe you be- wdl G ° The Tvifs lieVe that there is a God > m °PP ofltion to ^fts ; alfo * believe and aR d that there is but one living and true God, in op- tremble, pohtion to heathen idolaters ; thus far it mull be owned that you are in the right, and bear an honour- able teftimony to the Deity. (tcoiX&r? -aaaiq) But.if you reft in a bare afftnt' to this important point, it will be of no avail to your ialvation : For the very de- mons themfelves, thofe wicked fpirits tfjat are con- figned over to everlafting dellruction, believe this a* well as you ; not one of them all can deny it ; and they tremble at the thought of his power and juftice, which, perhaps, is more than you do : But if you have no better faith than this, you have reafon to be afraid, and muff one day tremble before his terrible Majefty, as much as they. 20 But wilt thou 20 But, O foolifh empty profeffor of religion, (y. his beloved and only fon of the promiie, upon the al- tar which he had prepared for that purpoie ? [Gen. xxii. 1, — 12.) 22 Seeit thou 22 Do not you hereby plainly fee, how effectual- how faith wrought ly hi6 faith operated in producing- thtie remarkably with £is ^ C rK S emnicnt wor^g f unreierved fubjeriion and obedience and by %vnrk> w; He believed In tht P^mife of God, that the Mefiiah fhould be one of hi* feed ; and what he be- lieved concerning him, and in him for, was graci- cioufly accepted, and placed to his account, for righteoufnefs to eternal life. (See the note on Rom. iv. 3.) And upon the proof he gave of the truth of this faith in offering up his Son, from whom the pro- mifed Mefiiah was to come, as believing that God was able to raije him up even f rum the dead, (Heb. xi. 19.) The Lord fpoke with high approbation of this iignal evidence of his faith, laying, after the manner of men, Now I know that thou Jearefi God ; feeing thou hajl not with-held thy Jon, thine only fon : (Gen. xxii. 12.) And he was afterwards called the friend oj God, (2 Chron. xx. 7. and I fa. xli. 8.) as one in covenant with him, (which was folemnly re- newed and ratified, with an addition of more explicit promifes, on this occafion, Gen. xxii. 16, — 18.) and as one, that had mar. i felted the molt dutiful and affectionate obedience to his command, and was own- ed as his peculiar favourite, and taken into the near- eit communion with him, as his friend. 24 Ye. fee. then 24 Ye therefore may plainly difcein from hence, how that by works that a true believer's character is juftified againit a a charge NOTE. apoftle Paul, to confute thofe fe If -jujli- without any mixture of works, as ingre- ciaries that were for depending on their dients into it ; though it be not by fuch own works, as the ground of their ac- a faith in him, as is not productive of ceptance with God to eternal life, thews good works, they being inseparable from that jufiif cation in his fight is only by all laving faith of the operation of God. faith in Chrilt and his righteoufnefs, 22 . The Epiftle of Chap. ii. a man is juftified, charge of hypocrify, or of empty fpeculation and pro- ami ret by faith 'f e fii n, by the good woiks he produces, as the fruit of his faith, and not by mere pretences to faith, which is dead, as being alone, without fuitable works. (vcr. 17.) 25 Like wife alfo, 25 1 would alfo initance in another perfon, even a was nor Rahab the Gentile, whofe faith was not fo itrong as Abrahams ; wS2, J Whea fte WaS n0t the charaa * r of ^bab the harlot, who had received the dwelt at Jericho, juftified by her works, which un- meflengers, and queftionably mewed that me firmly believed God had feat them put would certainly deliver that city up "to Ijrael, (fee another way. the notes on wr/2 1 . and Ileb. xi. 31.) when, up- on that faith, me kindly entertained the merTcngers, which Jojhua fent to fpy out the land, and directed them to make their efcape in a way that might pre- vent their falling into the hands of their enemies, who fought to kill them ; and engaged the fpies to fhew kindnefs to her and her father's houfe, and fave them alive? (Jo/h. ii. 1, — 16.) By thefe examples you plainly lee how neceflary works of obedience are to demonilrate the fincerity of any one's faith in every cafe whatsoever. 26 For as the 26 For it appears from all this, that as the human body without the body without breath, or without a foul to animate fp.irit is deu1 ,' *° it, is a loathfome dead carcaie, very offenfive, and faith without . . ,. r jt 1 • e -en ' 1 • works is dead uttei 'iy incapable or diicnarging any functions ct this alfo. hfe ; fo all that fort of faith that is not efficacious for bringing forth good works, which are the infeparable effects and tokens of a living faith, really is, and fhews itfelf to be, entirely dead and deteilable in a fpiritual fenfe. RECOLLECTIONS. How natural is it for carnal minds to judge according to outward appearance ! And to be influenced by the gay drefs and fplendid ornaments of the rich, to give them an unjuftifiable preference ; and by the mean apparel of the poor, to ufe them with contempt and fcorn, whatever their relpecrive religious characters be ! Sure- ly, this fort of partiality proceeds from a very corrupt biafs of the heart. But how unfuitable is this to the temper and behaviour of true believers in Jefus Chrift ! The profeflbrs of his name ought to confider, that God has moftly chofen the poor of this world to faith and all its riches here, and to the inheritance of his heavenly kingdom hereafter, which he has promifed, without refpech of perfons on external accounts, to all that heartily love him ; and the poor among them, as much as the rich., are members of the Lord of Glory. they mould likewife recollect, that wickednefs, oppreffion, and blafphemous reproaches on the bleffed name of Chrift, by which it is their honour to be called, chiefly reign among pe«rfons of rank and figure in the world; and that, though decent refpedt is to be paid to all, accord- in- to their civil ltations ; yet favouring the rich rather than the poor, in religious or in matters of right and wrong, is exceeding (inful. It is a tranfgreffion of the moral law, by a breach of which, were it only in one point, a man becomes guilty of breaking its whole 'yftem, and as really affronts the whole of its d. vine authority, which equally enjoins obedience to every one of its precepts, as if he had broke them all ; and it is a direcl violation of that noble comprehenfive law, which requ res as to love our neighbours as ourfelves ; yea, is utterly contrary to the whole tenor of the gofpel of the grace of God, which may be called the law of liberty, Chap. iii. James paraphrafed. 23 liberty, but leaves no room for any to expect favour and mercy in the judgment of the great day, who are not conilrained by its endearments to fhew love and mercy to the poor, efpecially of the houfiiold of faith. What fignify fine words of pity and compafiion, and empty wifhes of all needful fupplies to hungry and naked Chriftians, without doing any thing, according to our opportunities and abilities, for their relief ? They are all mere pretences and hypocrify. And muft we not, with equal truth, pronounce that all notions and proteftions of faith, unlefs it be productive of, and evidenced by good works, is a vain snd dead faith ? It can never be proved to be otherwife. Though Abraham's and Rabab's works did not juftify their perfons before God, yet they juftiried their faith, and (hewed it to be true and genuine befofe men, as it was apparently practical in them feverally; but a bare affent of the mind, without holy effects on the heart and life, is no better than the faith of devils, who believe there is one God, and tremble for fear of him, as all mere notionalifts in religion one day will. Upon the whole then, it mult be concluded that faith without works is as dead and offenfive to God, as any human carcafe, that has no foul to enliven and actuate it, can be to us. And he is a vaia man indeed, who imagines that fuch a faith can lave him. CHAP. III. The apcftlc cautions againjl an arrogant ajfuming temper and behavi- our, and againjl the mifchief of an unfanBified and unruly tongue 9 1,— l j. and fhews the excellency of heavenly wifdom, which dif- covers itfelf in purity, meeknefs, and peace, in oppojition to that which is litigious, carnal, and worldly, 14, — 18. Text. Paraphrase. ]yjY brethren be np^KE heed, my Chriftian brethren, left many of not many maf- X ff a b /^aaxccXct) teachers of others ters, knowing that . ' . „ . \ ' . we fhall receive without iumcient qualifications tor it ; and much the greater con- more, left they give way, like the JewiJJ) doctors, damnation. to a magifterial and cenforious temper in matters of religion ; as being fully convinced that the more any of us indulge and act: according to it, the greater will be our fin, and the more fevere our fentence of con- demnation at the laft day. (Mat. vii. 1, — 5.) 2 For in m?ny 2 For it muft be owned that all, even the beft of Sl^a^manof US ' are dai V g uut Y of man y fli PS and falls, that are fend not^nVord" tranfgreffions of both tables of God's holy law, offen- the fame is a per- five to him and to our fellow-creatures, which fhould feet man, and able make us very humble and modetl in our thoughts of a! lb to bridle the ourfelves, and fparing in our cenfures of others. But if any one, like David, (Pf. xxxix. 1.) is enabled to keep a bridle upon his tongue, that it utter no op- probrious, falfe, or- other finful words, from, a pre- dominance of any corrupt or exceffive paflion ; (fee chap. i. 21, 26.) he is a fincere believer and finifhed Chriftian ; (fee the npt^ on 1 Cor ii. 6.) is a man of rich attainments in knowledge and experience, inte- grity and holincfs ; and is furnifhed with fuch divine aflillances, as are fufficient to curb all the irregulari- ties of his conduct, and to fpread an amiable influence through all the members of his body, and the whole behaviour :-]. TbeEipijik of Chap. iii. behaviour of liis life, to the advantage of every reli- gious and civil body that he is related to. 3 Behold, ive put g To illuftrate the benefit of a due government of bits m the ho; us tb£ tonRlle bferve how we deal with the horfes we moutbs, that they . , ° ttt i ^ i .. lL , , may obey us ; and nde u P° n - Wfc do not let tnem run at random, but we turn about their bridle them with bits in their mouths, to check, and whole body. retrain their mettlefome fallies, and direct their courfe that they may move according to our pleafure ; and by this means we turn their whole bodies to the right or the left, and into one and another road, juft as we think proper. 4 Behold alio 4 Obferve alfo how men ufe to manage the largefl the lhips, which fl^pg at f ea - n filing ; which though they are fuck !«!!? »«/*«. Hr;° nu S e veiTels, and fometimes toffed about and driven ven of fierce winds, out or their courie by contrary and tempeftuous ret are they turn winds, are neverthelefs turned about and directed in- ed about with a t0 xh&f due bearings again, by fo very fmall an in- ISXu "?■ ';?' ftrument as the rudder, which way foever he at the wbithcrtcever the . •<«".■ a i_ governor Iideth. helm is minded to iteer them. 5 Even To the 5 I» like manner, a man's tongue is indeed a very tongue is a little fmall member, in comparifon with the whole bulk of member, and boa it- his body ; and as it is of great ufe, when properly I?hJSr?iJ?gnSt man . a S ed ' under the influence of divine grace, for di- a matter a little reding the whole feries of life ; fo, if it be left un- iire kiisdletb ! der the power and conduct of an unfandtified carnal heart, it talks at an extravagant rate with all the airs of haughtinefs and contempt of others. And pray take notice how, by injurious language, it, like a fpark of fire in the midft of combuftible matter, kindles a terrible flame of contention and confufion all around it. 6 And ihe tongue 6 And an unruly, furious, and abufive tongue is it I fue, a WJJtld of rea V}y one f t h e wor ft f fi res . I t vents a g reat fezl iniquity,: io is the f f i s the outlet of the whole fource of wicked- tonrue atuont.fr. our _ ' ,. , . . ,_ . Ts t th-Ht it ne * s tnat " es in a mans heart; (Matih.xv. 18.) and derileth the whole is the caufe of abundance of iniquity among others ; and letteth f uc h a mifehievous and duftructive member is this lit- the cuuiie t j e onc am ;^ft t he other members of our bodies, that, i« nature: and it , , , . ,- ■ r r • r i -i , h fet oi See of ky #8 exnorbitant Iicentionineis, it tpreacs guilt and defile ment through the whole man, and kindles fuch wrath and anger in our own and other people's paf- i;on^ as throw the whole courfe of the moral world to a pernicious ferment, which runs through (to? v>a%" T *i? ynanttf) the whole circle of every ge- .tion, and the whole rotation of life, from youth to old age : And as all this evil is of a heililh nature, and is kindled and blown up by the diabolical influ- ence of the accufer of the brethren, and father of lies; io the tongue, together with the man who lays no re- ilraint upon it, will at length be tormented in the un- quenchable flames of hell fire, [Luke xvi. 24.) and that • ' Chap. iii. 7 For every kind of hearts, and or" birds, and of fer- pents, and thiigs in the fea, is ta- med, ai.d hath been tamed or mankind : S But the tongue can no man tame ; it is an unruly evil, full ot' deadly poi- fon. 9 Therewith blefs we God, even the Father; and there- with curie we men, whidi are made af- ter the fimilitude «f God. 10 Gut 01 tne fame mouth pro- •h b le fling and curling. My brethren, thefe - ought not be. Vol. VI. J ame s paraphrafcd. z 5 that moft juftly, fince fuch a violent tongue is more refractory and unmanageable, than the wildeft and fierceft of all the lower ranks of creatures. 7 For all forts of lavage beafts and wild fowls, and creeping animals, (^a-grav) even venemous terpen ts, and voracious nines and monllers of the fea, (oxpxCi- reit) are by human labour and art fubducd and kept within bounds, and have been brought under confine- ment and reftraint, and mattered by mankind, who ftill retain fomething of the original grant of domini- on over them. [Gen. i. 26.) 8 But when any one's tongue launches out in re- vilings, falfehoods, and other malignant fpeeches, un- der the power of ftrong, furious, and vile pafiions, it is more untraceable than all thefe ; no man upon earth can matter it by his own power and fkill ; nor can any other man gain an entire conqueft over it : It is a moft ungovernably evil inftrument, fpitting out the ▼enom of pride, malice, envy, reproach, and falfe- hood, and all forts of wickednefs, which are as de- finitive to a man's own foul, and to the welfare of fociety, as the moil mortal poifon is to the body : The poifon of afjbs, the moft deiperate of all others, is under fuch a man's ///>r. (Rum. iii. 13.) 9 An unfan&ified tongue runs fo much at random, that fome of us, who as men, and much more as pro- felling Chriftians, ought, like David> to count it our glory, (Pf. xxx. 12.) and to employ it in celebrat- ing the praifes of the Lord, ufe it, one while, for fpeaking honourably of God, praying to him, and of- fering up thankfgivings and praifes in public and pri- vate, even to the Father of our Lord Jefus Chriit, and of all believers in him, the Father of Mercies, and the Author of our beings and of all our enjoyments ; and, at another time, we abufe it, pouring out revil- ings and horrid imprecations and curfes upon our fel- low-creatures, for whom we ought to have a reve- rence, as they were originally created after the image of God, in knowledge, righteoufnefs, and true holi- nefs, and are ftill formed after his likenefs in the na- tural faculties of their rational fouls, and in their do- minion over the creature ; and are renewed according to his holy image by regenerating grace. 10 So that out of one and the fame mouth come forth Wettings and praifes in one mood, and curfes in another. Certainly, my Chriilian brethren, thefe contrary ufes of the fame tongue are monftrouily in- congruous and abfurd ; and ought, by no means, to have any place in thofe who make a profeflion of Chrift and his gofpel. E 11 Thev 26 The Epijlle of Chap iij. tain both fait water frefh. yield and 13 Who Is a with meekne wifdom. of 11 Doth a foan- 11 They are as utterly inconfiftent with true re- tain fend forth at Ugion and godlinefs, as it would be to fuppofe that fJLf ame # pla °! ftreams of contrary qualities proceed from the fame iweet inciter and . P r J * . -!->»•? 1 % >-^ . bitter ? opening or one fountain. JDid ye ever know ? Or is it pofiible, in the nature of things, that one and the fame fpring could gufh out at the fame place, and flow abroad in ftreams of water, fome of which arc quite frefli, and agreeable to the palate, and others entirely brackifh and diftafteful ? 12 Can the fig- I2 Or can a fig tree, my brethren, produce the tree, my brethren fruk whJch ws on j n jj ve treeg , Qr wag . bear olive-bemes ? , ° Li J r . , ■.■• »'•,•*' % either a vine figs ? ever known, that a grape vine brought forth figs ? fo can no foun- Why, full as inconfiftent is it to fuppofe that a man's heart, the fountain from whence all his words pro- ceed, mould freely and habitually vent itfelf in ways of talking, that are of as directly contrary a nature, as the fait water of the fea, and the fweet water of the fineft fpring are one to the other. 13 Who is there then among you, that would ap- wife man and en- p rove himfelf to be wife toward' God, and for him- fXL™!^;; felf and other,; prudent in his eondnd ; and endu- let him fhew out ed with the true knowledge ot God, of Chnft, and of a good conver- of himfelf ; and with a fpiritual difcerning of the ab- lation his works f ur dity and felf-contradic\ion of thefe things ? Let it be his great care and concern, that, by an honour- able deportment in the church and in the world, he may evidently pracliife all manner of good works, in the whole courfe of his converfation, with a meek and humble fpirit, which proceeds from, and difcovers the trueft wifdom. 14 But if ye 14 But if, inftead of fuch a laudable temper and have bitter envy- behaviour, ye give a loofe to your finful pafiions ; voir r^ glory and your hearts are full of envious, quarrelfome and not, and fie* not contentious difpofitions and defigns, which are a bit- againft the truth, ter torment to your own fouls, and, when breaking out in words, are grievoufly flinging and wounding to others : Never be fond or boaft of fuch a malig- nant temper, that is fo diredly contrary to the meek and humble fpirit of the gofpel ; nor dare to con- ceive, or utter any falfehood to put a fine glofs up- on it ; nor make any hypocritical pretences to fince- rity or prudence in fuch a courfe of life. 15 Whatever any may think of it, let me tell you, that this fort of pretended wifdom does not come from heaven, nor is God the author of it ; but it proceeds entirely from an excefs of earthly and fen- fual proptnfions to the things of this world, which unregenerate men are under the power of; and is ex- cited by the devil himfelf, bears his image, pleafes him, and promote! his interefts and defigns for doing mifchief. 16 For defcendeth not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, ctevilith. Chap, iil James paraphrafed. 27 16 For where 1 6 For wherever an envious, cenforious, and hti- envying and ftrir'e gious fpirit is indulged, and breaks forth irom the is, there is confu- j ieart through the lips, its natural tendency, and cr- v^work! CVery C * dinar y effeCt ' is nothin g but difturbance and deduc- tion to the peace and happinefs of a man's own foul, and of all about him, together with every other kind of iniquity and calamity. 17 But the wit- 17 But the wifdomthat is heavenly and divine, dom that is from as coming down from the Father of 'Lzgbts, (chap. above, is firft pure, 5; ^j ^nd tending to heavenly happinefs, is jilft the then . peaceable, ^^ of &{[ ^ . Jt hag> j n the firft p l acej a ltr^t r e n intVeaTecl aly full regard to purity of doctrine and manners in' heart, of mercy and : ond ipee-h, and behaviour ; and then, as tar as IS con- fruits, witltout par- liiterit with truth and holinefs, it itudie* the thingfl tiaiity, and without that make for peace ; and in 6r3er thereunto, it dii- bypocniy. pofes ^ foul ^ be v{M and courteo us in its treat- ment of others, and in meeknefs to infiruB thofe that opjtofe tfremfefaes) (2 Tun. ii. 24. 25.) and to be ealily perfuaded to all that is g od, to be open to conviction, and attend to nllreaier. ble coniiderations for condcicenfion and forbearance; it alo al ounds in acts of kindneis and compamon to the \ obr arid af- fli&td, and in every other fruit of rignr-ouvne.s ; to- gether with a generofity that has no rtipect of pr- ions, and that lays aiide all feveniy and partkiity m judging and condemning others; and with a nnceri- ty that is free from diflimulation. (Rom. xu. 9.) iS And the fruit ! 8 And the principle, productive of this r .giite- 6f righteoufnefs is ous behaviour, is fown, like good ieed, in the peace fown in peace of f a believer's own mind, and of his Chnftian brc- them that make threnj an d f the world ail around him, as in a ier- » eace * tile foil ; and mall be reaped in a plentiful hatveil of profperity here, and for ever hereafter, by thoir, who, in a way of fpiritual wifdom, are difpoled un- to, and lay themfelves out in promoting, fuch a pure and holy peace. RECOLLECTIONS. What caufe have we to be modeft and hum.de, inftead of indulging an arrogant and cenforious temper towards our Chriftian brethren, While we confider, in bow manytnings we all offend againd God and them! And what an aggravation would inobservance of our own and feverity on others fault* be, ot felf-condemna- tion at the great day ! How important is a due government or the tongue '. He that obtains help from God to rule his own tongue, is a great proficient m religion and well qualified for ordering his whole conversation aught. though the mod mettlefome horfes are governed by a bit and bridle, and the larged (hips, when .dri- ven by contrary and boifterous winds, are reduced to their proper courfe hv a 'mail rudder; and though the moft wild and lavage animals of the earth, air, and fea, may be, and have been brought into luhjedlion by human art ; yet no man oi bimfel* van get inch a maiterv over his tongue", as thoroughly to bridle its excefs; nor an any other man effectually cure its malignity Though it be hat a little member, and, if well magaged, is of great ule*t yet when it Ate- out -r > bl ter expreflions, it is an unruly evil, and 1? like a fpark of fire, that fete ab ble mat- ter into a flame. It is indeed the word of tire, that fpTeads canfufion, defilement, E 2 and 2$ The Epijtle of Chap. iy. and de(f.ruetron through the whole man, and amongft all around him ; derives its original from hell ; and is in danger of everlafting fire, without one drop of water to cool it. But O how monftroufly abfurd, and inconfiftent is it for the fame mouth to utter the praifes of God, and horrid imprecations upon men that are formed Iffer his image ! This is as directly contrary to the Chriftian character, as iW be to fuppoi'e that one and the fame fountain can fend forth tweet and hitter, frefh and fait water at the fame opening ; or that a fig-tr?e can bear olives, or a vine figs. If therefore the heart and tongue are full of envy, animofity. and angry contentions we ought to be alhamed, inftead of glorying in them. For if afey, that boaft of their wifdom, give way to tliefe pernicious evils, it is all a falfe pretence ; it is only the wifdom of the fleili, which proceeds from earthly and fen- fual pafiions and appetites, and is propagated by the devil himfelf after his own likenefs. But he who, with a meek, and humble tpirit, walks honourably, as be- comes the golpel of Chrift, is endued with the moft excellent wifdom and fpiritual u'nderftanding. This man's wifdom has its original from heaven, and fhall iffue in heavenly bappinefs ; it has a Uriel: regard to purity in principle and practice ; and tiK'n, in full coniiftency with this, it ftudies the things that make for peace, with all affability, and periiiadeablenefs to every thing that is right ; and abounds in companion to the afflicted, and in all beneficence, as occafions require, without any partial refpec'r of perfons, or hypocritical pretences to more than we really mean. And O the bfefied frmt of fuch a wife and holy deportment ' They, who thus ftudy and endeavour to promote this excellent fort of profperity and ;?ea«e, are therein lowing letd, which will fpring up to their own comfort here, and everlaft- ing joy hereafter. CHAP. IV. HhB aprfilc cautions aga : nf} corrupt affections, as the root of wars and quarrels, and the banc of prayer ; and againjl an inordinate Irje ef this world, a\ enmity with God, who gives grace to the bundle, i, — 6. Directs proud and carnal profef/brs to fubmit 6*d betake the??; 'elves to God, and rejijl the devil, and to abandon and t anient their finful courfes, in order to their being exalted, 7, — 10. and exhorts all prof effinz Chrijlians to J peak candidly one of another, and to undertake no affairs of life without a conftant re gard to the will and providence of God, 1 1, — 17. Text. Paraphrase. J? ROM whence a g j xyou \^ f ai * n exc it e you to a juft abhorrence come wars and JTX r .1 m „.i_ .. ,- • cf \ ^i_ amonW °* ^» e evi ' s tnat ' ie in oppoimon to the peace tame they but now recommended, (chap, nu 18.) Let me afk ncft h^'ice ci'en ct you, and leave the anfwer to your own confidences, / )ur luft , ..hat* What is it that gives rife to, and foments the dreadful your mem- contt . nt i or , s animofities and broils, that have fpread lo much mifery and confufion among mankind, and profeffing Chrillians, as they have among you of the Jewijh nation ? * Does not the root and fource of them NOTE. * Some have thought that the apoftle themfelves that temporal dominion, here re'e^ to the leditions, tumults, ?nd which they vainly imagined they h;td a wars that raged about this time among divine right to; and that fome Jenvi/h the Jenvt in their quarrels one with ano- Chriftians joined therein from t l eii car- ther, an nit the Romans, nal notions of the MeffiVn, as thou n he to throw oil their yoke, and obtain to were to let up a temporal kingdom a- mong Chap. iv. z Ye toft, and have not : j and deiire to haive, and cannot obtain : lit and war, yet ye have not. becaufe ye afk nor. 3 Ye aik, and re- ceive not, because ye aik amifs, that ve (iazy conTurhe it upotl yo;ir ruf •. 4 Ye adulterers, and aduiterciies, know ye not that the Frieridfhi'p of the world is en- mity with God ? Wbofoever. there- fore will be a friend ot the \'. orld, is the enemy of God. r,'A againit them, to their defilement, injury, and and againft the di&ates of reafon, religion, and James paraphrafid. ig them all lie in your corrupt affections, fuch as pride, envy, covetonfnefs, and ~n immoderate third aiter dominion over (-triers, or alter the riches, honours, or pleasures of this world, each of which intemperate appetites contend for the mattery in all the powers of your fouls, and over all the members of your bo- dies, (fee the note on Km. vii 5.) and all together war ruin confeience, and even againft the Spirit of God aim- felt in his holy operations ? 2 Ye inordinately defire and purfuc a gratification of your guilty pafiions ; and cannot compafs your crimi- nal deligns : Ye are ready to devour one another ; and have an envious reach (fyxmt) after the poflefficwi* of others ; and are not able fart&ftav) to gain the ad- vantages, which ye fo greedily covet ; much lefs can ye find your happinefs in them : Ye dill continue to itrive and contend furiouiiy for victory, wealth, and grandeur; and yet fail of obtaining your own ends, and fo meet with perpetual diiappointments, becaufe ye do not ferioufly afk cdunfel of God to aired your way, as to what ye ought to do, and to fucceed your at- tempts, as far as they may be agreeable to his will. 3 Or, if at any time ye pray for profpenty in your affairs, your prayers are not anfwerec ; becaufe your principles, motives, and ends, in aiking the things you would have, are all wrong ; not, as they ought to be, that ye may ufe them for the glory of God, . -nd your own and others real good, but that ye m;y riot upon, them, and fpend them in a profufe indulgence to your own vanity, ambition, and luxury, which is very offenfive to God. 4 Whofoever ye be, whether of the male, or fe- male fex, that under a religious character, as God's covenant-people, have fuch eager appetites after the pleafures and enjoyments of this world, as alienate your hearts from him, ye are guilty ot no lefs I'm than fpiritual adultery, in admitting a competitor with him, to whom ye are vifibly betrothed, as your fpiritual hufband. I)o you not underftand and con- fider fo plain a point as this, that an exctfhve fond- nefs for the great and good things of this world, and a conformity to worldly-minded men, in following their T E. rels in general, which on various occa- fions prevailed amoiii; the Je^utjh pro- fefibrs of Chriftianity ; and, alas' have fadly broke our amon<; other profelfors of it, all ak*ng, in public and private life, to this very day. N O mong his difciples, and make them lords oi the univerfe. But as the national wars were in Judea. and are fuppofed to have been after the time 6f writing this epidle, we may rather underftand the a- poftle to fpeak of contentions and quar- 30 The Epiftle of Chap. \v. their finful courfes to ingratiate yourfelves with them, and to obtain thofe things, Hand in direct oppofition to the holy nature and will of God, and are utterly inconfiftent with that fupreme love and affection, which ye owe to him? (i John ii. 15, 16.) Who- ever therefore is fo attached to the things of this world, as to place his chief happinefs in them, and will court the friend/hip of the men ot this world, at any rate, to procure them, is in heart an enemy to, inlfead of a friend and lover of God, and takes the part of his adverfaries, initead of tiding with him. 5 Do ye think 5 Are ye fo vain as to fuppoie, that thofe icrip- that the icriprure tures f the Qld Teftament ftand on record to no good laith in vain. The r « j- u* 1 n, 1 Spirit that dwell- P ur P ofe > or are n <* worth regarding, which ftrongly «th in us lufteth to remonftrate, in many paiTages, againft pride, envy, envy? covetoufnefs, and the like, and which give us fuch a .view of the corruption of human nature, as ihews that the temper, which abides and powerfully works in us, 'till we are renewed by grace, is fo impetuous and ambitious in its purfuits after earthly things, as to carry the foul into envious thoughts of thofe that have more of them, than we have ourfelves * ? Or, on the contrary, do ye vainly imagine, that the Spi- T rit of God which dwells in us, who are true belie- vers, excites fuch a carnal worldly difpofition in us ? No, this cannot be the nature, tendency, or deiign of his holy influence upon us. 6 But he gi- 6 But, on the contrary, in whomfoever the Spirit veth more grace, dwells, he, or God by him, gives them fuch a graci- wherefore neiaith, • «- : . ° ... r ir j • 1 1 God refifteth the ous im P r eiuon as tends to humility, ielr-denial, love, proud, but giveth an d all goodnefs ; and gives a greater abundance of it, grace unto the than to leave them under the power of any corrupt humble. affections. Therefore, to encourage their hopes and prayers for all needful affirmances, he fpeaks in his ho- ly word, (P/* xviii. 27. and Prov. iii. 34. and xxix. 23.) as our bleffed Lord himfelf alfo doth, (Mat. xxiii. 12. and Luhe xviii. 14.) to this effect, God fets himfelf, as it were in battle array, (uvriTct as tnofe that ^^erely and bitterly lament, td td momnii^o, Br *d weep over them, and for the miferies they have and your joy to brought upon you, or expofed you to : Let all your beavinels. jollity, mirth, and gaiety, which ye have fliaineiully indulged in gratifying your fenfual appetites, be turn- ed into. ingenuous and evangelical mournings ; and all your carnal pleafure into a religious grief and fadnefs of heart, on account of your provocations, and for fear of God's judgments, io Humble your- IO T n this manner, lay yourfelves at the foot of o/^Lor^anThe G ° d with the ioweft P roftrati on and felf- abatement, ihali lift you up. as offenders of his facred Majefty, and with an affect- ing conviction that he knows your hearts and princi- pally looks at them, and obferves all the fecret work- ings of corruption, on one hand, and of contrite for- row on the other, that pafs within them : And he, in his own time and way, will revive your drooping fouls with a fenfe of his pardoning, and with recover- ing grace ; will raife you up above all your fears and troubles, temporal and fpiritual ; and will exalt you to honour among his people in this world, and to im- mortal glory in the world to come, ii Speak not e- n J5ut to return to the vices of the tongue, [chap. vilone of another ^ & j Be cautious, my brethren in the brethren. He that T / r r • j -r i_ c Jpeakethevil oi' his Lord, of ceniunng and reviling one another, or ot brother, swdjadg- aggravating and needlefsly expofmg each other's eth his brother faults ; and much more of railing and propagating f?ea i k w h and Vli i ; - f falfe re P orts to the P re J ud ice of fellow Chriftians : eth the' iffSr^ftut ^or * ie tnat ^ an ders his Chriftfan brother, to whom, it ehoii e as fuch, he ought to be moll kindly affectionate, and iaw, thou :.rt not that takes upon himfelf rafhly to judge and condemn adc* -nil the l*v»j. j,j mj without any j nil caufe, or for things which are ."* a : lawful to him, reproaches the law of God itfelf ; and practically arraigns and condemns the wifdom, equi- ty, holinefs and goodnefs, both of the law, which al- lows of the things he condemns, and of the law, which requires him to love his neighbour as hun/elf, (chap. ii. 8.) and forbids his going up and down as a tale-bearer a?nonm. xiv. 4.) 13 Go to now, 13 Let me now a little expoftulate with thofe of ye that fay, To- you tnat are f worldly-minded, and fo thoughtleis day or to-morrow, Q f Q od an d his providence, as to promife yourfelves £ch W a ci?y Tnd long life and profperity upon earth, and fay, with a pe- continue there a remptory air of felf-fufficiency and independent con- year, and buy, and fidence, We will go to«day or to-morrow, or whene- iell, and get gain : yer we p i ea f Cj to t hi s or the other trading city ; and there we will ttay a confiderable time, and (if need be) for a whole year together, and purfue our traffic or merchandife in buying and felling various forts of goods, and fo enrich ourfelves by our own wifdom, care, and diligence. 14 Whereas ye 14 This is all prefumptuous, irreligious, not to know not what f ay a theiftical language, in the hearts or mouths of JbnU be on the f h ^ mortals as ye are> w ho, together with all " liuTIt is your affairs, are in a precarious fituation, ever liable even a vapour that to numberlefs difappoiutments, and entirely depend- sppeareth for a ent on t h e fovereign will and providence of God, and little time, and knQw nQt what a day may br j ng f ort h, what turn lmQieth "" your circumftances may take, or whether ye your- felves {hall be in the land of the living another day : For, pray confider, what is your life itlelf, that ye mould talk with fuch confident afiurance of what ye will do for time to come i Ye have no fecurity for any, the leail/cimtmi^ce of it, which may iudden- ly and unawares be cut off; much lefs ca.i ye be fare of opportunity and ability to compafs your dehgns, one day or moment beyond the prefent. Your breath is in your noftrils, and your life, with all that de- pends upon it relating to this world, may well be compared to a fleeting vapour, which rifes from the earth or from water, and is viiible for a little while, T- T7T F ^^d V OL. VI. 3 " Ten ray, 34 Tbe Epi/lle of Chap. iv. and then is immediately fcattered and loft in the at- mofphere, and is fcen no more. 15 For that ye 15 A contrary way of thinking and fpeaking th L d° M?' Xt therefore becomes you ; and whatever fchemes or pro- fhail live -and do J e< ^ 8 ^ e * iave ^ orme ^> anc * would purfue, it ought al- this, or that. ways to be with this humble and neceffary provifo, If it mail pleafe God to favour our views, we fhall con- tinue in life for discharging the duties of our ftations; and then, in a dependence on his guidance, affiftance, and blefiing, we intend to tranfact this and the other bufmefs, which, by his will, we may have opportunity and ability to engage in ; Hill leaving events with, him, who is our life, and the length of our days ; in whofe hand is our breath, and whofe are ail our ways. (Deut. xxx. 20. and Dan. v. 23.) 16 But now ye 16 But now, inftead of talking in this humble bo^ttra Is 5**11 S5 creaturel y and Chriftian-like ftrain, which is fo ho- reioicirfo- is eviL nourable to God, and fuitable to your ftate of un- worthinefs, and of entire dependence upon him for life and breath, and all things, (Acts xvii.. 25.) ' . Thofe of you that leave him out of your thoughts, and of your fecular employments, in the manner but how mentioned, glory in your own fufficiency, which ye fpeak of with a boafting air of felf-confidence. Alas ! all fuch fort of glorying is very fhameful ; it is abominable and foolifh, injurious to yourfelves, and a bad example to others ; and is exceeding finful and affrontive to God, whofe kingdom rules over all : (Pfal. ciii. 19.) And, were ye to reflect feri- oufly upon it, your own confciences, as profefiing Chriftians, could not but tell you that it is fo. 17 Therefore to 17 This therefore is a high aggravation of your him that knoweth crime, fince in this, as well as all other cafes, the to do good, and R)an ^o knows what is right and good, acceptable j t is f in# r to God, and fuitable to the relation he Hands in to him, and yet acts in direct contradiction to his light, thereby renders his fin abundantly greater, and more inexcufable and felf- condemning, than theirs who do the fame thing, but, through mere ignorance, have - no notion of the evil of it, to reftrain them from it ; and the finner, againft the convictions of his own confcience, fhall be more feverely punifhed than o- thers, in the great day of account. (See Luke xiL 47>48.) %*.<*•*•' RECOLLECTIONS. Mas! What dreadful work do the lulls of pride, covetoufnefs, and envy make in the world ! Hence proceed wars, and ail manner of difcords that are deftructive to civil and religious fociety, ard to a man's own foul : They carry him into wick- ci\ defues and artempts, which can turn to no good account ; and either make him caft oil prayer, or peiv-cri its ends in alking temporal advantages, that he may gratify his own corruptions, inftead of glorifying God, and doing good with them. No Chap. v. James par aphrafed. 35 No wonder, that fueh carnal prayers are not anfwered. — O what an enemy to God, and adulterous difaffection to him in profeffbrs of his name, is an exceffive foridnefs for any thing of this world ! How juftly doth the fcripture condemn this fenfual temper, which naturally works in us ! And how contrary is it to the r ig- geftions and influences of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in true believers, and freely gives grace, with all needful increafes of it, to humble fouls ; but rejects the proud with abhorrence and difdain ! How uniuitable to our creaturely depei-dence and Chriftian character is it, to form and profecute fchemes for this world, without a religious fenfe of, and dependence upon the providence of God, as if our rimes and the tuccefs of our affairs lay in our own hands, though life itfeif is but as a va >our that loon vanifhes away ! Surelr every thing ought to be undertaken with an eye to God, and fubmiffion to his will. A contrary way of thinking and talking is a vain-glorious boaft, difiionourable to God, and injurious to ourielves and others* It is indeed a fcandal to the Chriftian name, that all or any of the forementioned impieties fliould be found among goipel-profeffbrs ; and it is a high aggravation of their fin to go againft the light of their own confciences in pradrifing them. O how earned fliould we be in our addrefies to God for his grace to enable us to lubmit to his commanding and difpofing will, and in bewailing our iniquities, and humbling ourfelves before him for them ! And what encouragement have we, in this way, to hope for his reviving prefence and liftings up '. And if, in a dependence on di- vine ftrength, we refill the temptations of the devil, he will find us too hard for him, and flee, like a conquered enemy, before us. But how cautious fliould we be never to imitate his temper, and give him an advantage over us, by flandering, cenfuring, and condemning our Chriftian brethren for little things, or things that may be allowable in them '. This is to fet up for judges, infte^d of obeyers of the law ; and is a violation of its requirements to love them as ourielves ; yea, is an in- vafion of God's prerogative, who alone is able effectually to vindicate its authori- ty : O may it be unto our falvation, and not to our deftruclion 1 CHAP. V. The apojlle denounces the judgments of God again/? the rich unbelie- ving Jews, who defrauded the poor, and lived in luxury and op- prefjion, i, — 6. Exhorts the Jewifh believers to patience and meeknefs under their tribulations, •which wottteffbon have an end, 7, — li. Cautions them againft r a fh /wearing, 12. Recommends prayer in affli&ed; and praife in prof per ous circum/iances, 13. Prefcribcs prayer and anointing ivith oil for a miraculous recovery oftheftck, 14, 15. Diretls private Chrifiians to mutual confeffion of their faults, and mutual prayer, 16, — 18. Jindfiews the hap- pinefs of being inflrumental to the converjion of a firmer, 19, 20. Text. Paraphrase. QO to now, ye pOME now, ye carnal unbelieving Jews, who a- " d h" 6 "! bound in worldly wealth, and neither have, nor for your miferies defire a better portion than the things of this life, let that fhdll come up- me ferioufly and clofely reafon with you about the on you. evil and danger of your ways : Ye, of all others, have the greateft caufe for bitter forrow, even to floods of tears and howling lamentation, which ye muft foon be forced to go into, on account of the terrible calamities of every kind, that are ready to fall upon you, unlefs ye be brought to repentance ; and will overtake you whereioever ye be icatte.ed, and bereave you of all your earthly enjoyments, and F 2 of 36 The Epijlle of Chap. v. of life itfelf, in the general deftru&ion of your na- tion ; * and v/ill be followed with ftill more dreadful miferies in an eternal hell. 2 Your riches arc 2 Your ill-gotten and ill-managed treafures are corrupted, and your cankered at the root fuch of them as conflft f CQrn garments are moth- , . c . c \ , , . , eaten. and otn er fruits or the earth, are hoarded up, till they rot and putrify, and bring rottennefs into your very fouls ; and fuch as confift of your wardrobes are laid by, till they be eaten up of moths, and will ftand you in no ftead ; but, like a gnawing worm, will torment your confciences for ever. 3 Your gold and 3 Your abundance of gold and filver lies rufting in fsK-er is cankered; vour b a g S and co ff crS) Initead of being employed for f£li oVf w£ the g loi T of God and the good of others ; and will agiinft vou, and foon be as worthlefs and ufelcfs, as old rufty iron, to fhall eat your flefli your fore disappointment and vexation, and will not ■as it were fire : ye p ro fi t you in the day of wrath ; (Prov. xi. 4.) and have heaped trea- thfi f fu , methodg h t k t t d ^ f q£ fuse together lor , . . ' ~ , * the iaffc davs. them will bring the worit or all rults upon them ; will teftify again ft you as covetous mifers, that deferve the fevered indignation of the juft and holy God ; and the guilt ye contract thereby will prey upon your '-odies, as well as fouls, in the fiery defoiation that will confume you in this world, and in the unquench- able fire in the world to come. Ye have been laying up goods in ftore for many years, with vain hopes of finding comfort in them at the latter part of a long life ; but, in reality, it has been only heaping them up, as fpoils for your enemies, in the deftruction of the Jeivijh nation, and will ultimately prove to be a dreadful treaf tiring i//> of wrath, agawjl the day of 'wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, &c. (Rom. ii. 5.) 41-^0;.!, the hire 4 Behold, with horror and aftonifhment, what all ^u:!!^} 1 f b(JJ ' e [ 1 ' your gains by griping and opprefllve means are come down' your fieMs to * The juft wages of the poor labourers, who have which is of you reaped your corn with the fweat of their brows, kept back by fraud, which ye have fraudulently with-holden, directly con- er.cth: and the trary to the law of God, {Lev. xix. 13. and 'Deut. whkh hie reap! *™',^'l ^« trying fin, which, like the blood of cd, are entered in- Abel, calls aloud to heaven for juitice to be inewn to unto their relief, and your punifhment : (Exod. xxii. NOTE. * The apoflle in this and the follow- ftinate infidelity and other iniquities, iqg verfes apparently points at the days of But as that was an awful lpecimen of di- ruclion, that were then ibon to vine wrath, which fliould be poured out come upon the JewiJL' nation, not only upon them in the world to come, we in '/ ' iulea, but aftei w ard with wider ex- may, with good propriety, carry the tent through di^ant countries, by the view forward to the final vengeance that - of the Romans, in the way of will be executed upon all impenitent fin- Ood's righteous judgments, for their ol>- ncrs at the great day. Chap. v. James paraphrafed. 37 to the ears of the 23. Ifa. v. 7. and Habak. ii. 11.) And the mourn- Lord ofiabaoth. f u l complaints of thole, who with toil and labour have gathered in your harveft, are come up as a memorial for them, and againlt you, before the Lord of Holts, who hears their cries, and whofe kingdom rules over all. to right the injured, and take vengeance on their oppreffurs. 5 Ye have lived 5 Ye, like the rich man in the gofpel, [Luke xvi. iu pleafure on the j^j have f are( i f urn ptuoufly every day, and indul- earth, and been , luxurious appetites, as if all happinefs lay in wanton; ye have £ J rf ^ *. Ir / nonrilhed your ienlual piealures upon tne earth ; and nave gone into hearts, as in a clay a merry and lafcivious courfe of life : Ye have rioted of flaughter. upon the bounties of Providence, with as much glut- tony and profufenefs, as though every day were a feftival, in which many beafts are flain for facrifices to be feafted upon with jollity by the offerers and their friends. (Prov. vii. 14. and Ifa. xxii. 13.) But in all this ye have been fattening yourfelves, like fheep for the day of daughter, which is at hand, when the wicked fhall perijh, and the enemies of the Lord ' Jhall be conf timed as the fat df lambs, Sec. (Pf. xxxvii. 20.) 6 Ye have con- 6 Nay, over and above all this, ye, like thofe of demned and kill- y Qur own coun tryrrven that procured the. condemna- he doth not' relilt ^ on anC ^ death °* tne Lord Jefus, who is (tov ^ixuiov) you. by way of eminence the holy and jufl One, ( Acts iii. 14. and vii. 52.) have, under pretended forms of law, perfecuted as many righteous fervants of his to death as ye could get into your power ! And ye have done this to the holy profeffors of his name, who, like him, never offered the kail violence to oppofe or injure you. Eut God, who has hitherto exercifed long forbearance toward you, will certainly efpoufe their caufe, and avenge the quarrel of his covenant upon you. 7 Be patient 7 Thefe are trying difpenfations of providence to therefore, -nethren, Chriftian brethren ; but God permits, and unto the- coming ot . ' , r , •> * j •' c *u x r,i v h?\A over-rules them lor tne exerciie and improvement or the botd. behold, m ; I the hulbandman your faith and patience. (£/>*/>. 1. 3, 4. and 1 Pet, waited) tor the i. 6, 7.) And therefore, though it be ever fo un- pjreciqus fruit of righteous in your enemies to bring tribulations upon the earth, and hath ° / . , ., •? . ■ r 1 c .. Yon* Ye ouent to bear them without murmuring at long patience tor J » J b . . b "• it, until he receive tn e holy hand that Lrod has in them, and with all the early and latter long-fuffering, meeknefs, and Ciiriltian fortitude, till rai n* the Lord Jefus (hall come to execute judgment on the Jewi/h nation, and deliver you out of their pow- er ; or mall come by death to rid you of all the trou- bles of this life, as he certainly will in his time, how great or many foever they be. (Pf xxxiv. 19.) Ob- fervt, for your inftrucStion, and imitation, that the farmer, when he fows his feed, does not immediate- 38 The Epifile of Chap, v. ly expect a crop, but quietly waits a great while for the proper feafon of reaping the excellent produce of the earth ; and continues with pacient hope for it, till, by the blefiing of heaven, he be favoured with fuch early rains, as may be needful for bringing up the corn ; and with fuch after rains, as mall bring it to maturity, and plump the ear for the harveft. S - Be y « , wP 8 In like manner, ye, waiting for heavenly dews patie'nC: eftabhih. ^ r ,, !~* _^ r , J . tour hearts : tor the to fall upon you, ought to poffefs your fouls in pa- coming of the Lord tience, till ye receive the happy fruits of your labours draueth nigh, and fufferings, and to maintain a fedate and fettled temper of fpirit, a ftedfaft faith and holy refolution for God and godlinefs, under all prefent difficulties. And ye need not wax weary and faint in your minds, becaufe ye have not yet received the deliverance which ye hoped for ; but may affuredly conclude that it will not be long before it be brought to you : For the fignal coming of Chrift, with power and great glory, to the deftru&ion of the unbelieving Jews, and the deliverance of his people from all their cruel perfecutions., which he foretold ; [Luke xxi. 21, 27.) and the time of your complete redemption from all the calamities of this life, haftens apace, and is near approaching. 9 Grudge not g Upon thefe comfortable confiderationc, take heed, tTe^/Sfen.Ttt my perfecuted brethren, of groaning out your com- ye be condemned: plaints, (pj wocfy-rz) through envy, fretfulnefs, and behold the judge defire of revenge againfl thofe of your nation, that ftandeth before the opprefs you ; or againfl thofe of your profeiTing fel- low- Chriftians, that are lefs obnoxious to their rage, as too much favouring their darling notions of a tem- poral Mefiiah ; left any of you be condemned for your impatient murmurings and uncharitable cenfures : For behold, the Lord Jefus, the great Judge of all, is juil at hand, as ready to recompenfe tribulation to thofe that trouble you, his faithful difciples ; and to give you rejl from all your grievances : (2 Thejf. i. 6, 7.) And therefore ye may calmly refer the ilTues of all your troubles to him, in confidence that he will foon appear for your help, and fave you. 10 Take, my IO T/ encourage you hereunto, let me entreat brethren, the pro- d Chriftian brethren, to refled upon the phets, who have / , . 7 c , . . r . , , , , • , fpoken in the name behaviour or the ancient lnipired and holy prophets of the Lord, for under their fore trials, who were beloved of God, and an example of fuf- faithfully delivered their meflages to the people in his f "& S f a^iKe "' name > by commiffion from him ; let them be called to mind, as noble examples, for your fupport in fufFer- ing perfecutions, and for your imitation in patiently enduring them with an entire fubmiflion to the will of the Lord. 1 1 Behold ? Chap. v. James paraphrafed. 39 11 Cehold, we n Btiiold, whai judgment we who believe make count them hap- f t h e afflictions of the children of God, Wje are fo py which endure far from tanking them miicraole, or out of favour Ye nave heard ot . , . . . P , n in the patience of Wltn mra » on tnis account, that we eiteem and call Job, and have feen them happy creatures, who are enabled to bear them the end of the with refignation, faith, and patience ; [chap. i. 2, 3, Lord is ye? 1 P I2 *) a " d f ° ° r€ cha J !eried °f the Lord for their pro- ful and of tender fit* that they may be partakers of his holinefs, arid mercy. afterwards reap the peaceable fruits of righieoufnefs from a fancTtified ufe of them, (Heb. xii. 10, 11.) and at laft may be eternally faved. (Alatth. x. 22.) To give you a remarkable inftance of this fort, which ye, as converfant with the writings of the Old Tef- tament, cannot be ignorant of, Ye have, doubtlefs, heard of the patient behaviour of Job, that dear and eminent fervant of the Lord, with what humble fub- miffion and becoming acknowledgments of God, {Job i. 21. and ii. 10.) he endured a complication of the heavieli calamities, which Providence brought uppn him for the trial and exemplary proof of his in- tegrity ; and ye mull needs have known what a gra- cious and happy iffue the Lord gave unto them all, in not only delivering him out of them, but alfo in manifefting himfelf to him in an extraordinary man- ner, with high teftimonics of his approbation of him, and in reftoring to him, with rich advantage, double of all that he had loft. {Chap, xlii.) Ye hereby evi- dently fee that the Lord is (noAvs-xAay^yo?) a God of infinitely abounding compaHion* and is (oixli^uav) proper. fe, like one whofe bowels of love and pity are moved within him, to (hew the tenderell mercy to them that fear him, in upholding them under, and carrying them through, and giving them bleffed fruits of, all their trials and afflictions. 12 But above all 12 But there is one flagrant fin, my dear brethren, things, my bre- which the infidel Jews are abominably addicted to, and thren fwear not, j [d - ■ . . j mam and b u th th fc neither by heaven, r 11 • i_ ' 1 neidur by the men are a P r - Vj la ^' int o? through 311 impatient temper, tarth, neither by warn you aganift, a3 exceeding affrontive, difhonoura- any other oath : D } e anc i provoking to the great God, and as every way but let your yea, unprofitablc m ;,££ and utttJ .» inconfiftent with the be yea; and your ^,,. n - . T in t • 1 11 nay, nay; left ye <-hrilhan character. What I mean is, that ye would falJ into condem- never dare to go into rafh and impious curling * and nation. fwearing in a pailion, or in common converfation, by putting an oath before all that ye lay. Let no provo- cation caufe you Lo fwear profanely ; nor let any oath be ever ufed unnecciYarily, at all, either by heaven, which 1*3 NOTE. * The words, rendered above all cuftom of prefixing an oath, in common things (*fo ttcx 7«») literaiiy fignify be- co erfation, to all that is affirmed, or fore- all ; and cuy refer to the profane denied, 43 The Epifih of Chap. 13 Is any among you afflicted ? let hira pray. Is merry let any him frng pfaims. M Is any lick amon : % you ? let him call for the elders of the churc h ; and let them pray over him. anointing him with oil. in the same of the Lord : is God's throne, or by the earth, which is his footftool ; (Mai'b. v. 34. 35.) * or by any other oath, which, whatever be pretended, is, in effect, fwearing by the Creator of all things, whether his name be exprefsly mentioned or not. But let your converfation be fo evidently difpaffionate, honeft, and upright, that a plain affirmation or denial, fuch as a bare yes, or no, may be fufficient to gain an entire credit to what ye fay. left ye fall under the condemnation of fuch as take God's name in vain ; (Exod. xx. 7.) or of being either falfe-hearted profeffors, on one hand, or down- right infidels, on the other. 1 3 As to your deportment in adverfity and profpe- rity, if any of you be in afflicted circumftances, which is often the lot of God's own people, let him betake himfelf to folemn and fervent prayer for relief: If, on the contrary, any of you be furrounded with the blefs- ings of providence and grace, to the joy of his heart, let him give a facred vent to his grateful fentiments, in chearful thankfgivings and praifes to the God of all liis mercies, which may be very fuitably expreffed, by linging forth the honours of his gracious name in pfalms and fpiritual fongs. Thefe duties, which are indeed to have their turns through our whole lives, are efpecially feafonable in thofe refpe&ive fituations. 14 If there be any one among you that labours un- der a bodily diftemper, which is fuppofed to be in- flicted upon him for fome remarkable fin, (ver. 15. compared with 1 Cor. xi. 30. fee the note there) let him defire the officers of the church, and efpecially fuch of them as are endued with miraculous gifts, to come together ; and let them pray with, or over him fuitable to his cafe, and lay their hands upon him ; (Mark xvi. 18.) and, as a iign of healing virtue, a- noint him with oil in the name, and by the authority of the Lord Jefus, according to his appointment, (Mark vi. 1 3. fee the note there) calling upon him to exert his divine power for anfwering the fignal by an effectual cure f . N O * The Jews of this a^e were notori- ously guilty of profane fwearing, though not always by explicitly mentioning the name of God, yet by one or other of his creatures, which they did not reckon to he binding upon them ; bur which our Lord told them was, in effect, fwearing by the God himfelf who made them. (See the note on Malth v 34.) And it leems ro be with a fpecial reference to thefe forts of oaths, as well as to all pro- fane fwearing in common converfation, that Chrift there, and our apoftle here, 15 And T E S. fo earneftly remonftrates againft them. But this is no argument againft taking a folemn oath before a magiftrate, or in a court of judicature, on impprtant occa- fions ; provided it be only by the name of Cod, according to his command. (See Dent vi. 13. and x. 20. and Ifa. lxv. 16. and the note on Heb. vi- 16.) f Anointing with oil was an ordi- nance for the miraculous cure of lick perfons. {Mark vi. 13.) But fince thofe extraordinary gifts are ceafed, as being no longer necelfary for the confirmation of Chap. v. James paraphrafed. 41 15 And the pray- 15 And the prayer that is offered up by the elders er of faith fliall an( j the Tick perfon, {Mark v. 34. and x. 52. and ABs f r e x th ! £°n 3nd xiv. 9, 10.) with faith in the name of Chrift, and with the Lord ftiali raiie *'. . ' •,. , . ' c him up • and if he a particular extraordinary dependence on his power tor have 'committed a performance of what is humbly afked of him, fliall fins, they fliall be DC owned and fucceeded in the Lord's delivering the forgiven him. patient from death, and recovering him to a ftate of health and ftrength : And if any particular fins have been the immediate occalion of his difeafe, they (hall be forgiven him ; in token, or, at leaft, as an emblem of which, the ficknefs fliall be removed ; and, through his own faith in the blood of Chrift for the remitlion of them, they fhall be pardoned as to the eternal, as well as temporal punifhrnent, which they had deferved and expofed him to. 16 Confefs your 16 As to your brotherly behaviour in common, be faults one to ano- reac iy on a ll occafions to acknowledge any offences ther, and pray one . ' . . ., i- for another, that that >' e have S iven onc . to another > according to our ye may be healed, bleffed Lord's own direction; (Matth. v. 23, 24. The effectual fer- fee the note there) or if there be any fins that lie up- vent prayer of a on y OUr conferences, under a fenfe of their being the ™S mu c r n ^ reafon of God,s tending with you in the way of his judgments, unbofom yourfelves in free and hum- ble confeffions of them one to another, as Chriflian brethren, that ye may fympathize with, and know what to afk of God for each other by turns, as oc- cafions require * ; and according to the knowledge ye have of one another's afflicted circumftances, be earneft in mutual prayer for each other, that the dif- treffed among you, whether in body or mind, or both, may be healed of all their maladies. (Heb. xii. NOTES. of the gofpel, our faith, in the common common, and of what they ought to do coune of things, has now no warrant for to, and for one another. (axx«\o<«- xat uiing that; ceremony; much lets doth wxif axx»A«v) And fo here is no foun- what is here faid about it give any coun- dation for auricular confeffion to a prieft ; tenance to the papiits facrament of ex- fince what is here directed ro, chiefly re- treme wtfiion, which they adminifter, lates to offences which one had commit- not with oil only, but with oil and fpit- ted againft another, and is fo to be mu- . tie ; and that, not for the recovery of tual and reciprocal, as the words im- thefuli, but for a pretended purgation port ; and therefore, if it were to be un- from the fins of thufe, that are in the derftood of the people and the priejl, it 'very article of death, or paft hope of re- would oblige the prieft to confefs his covery. (Vicf. Par. in loc.) faults to the people, as well as the peo-, * Confefs your faults one to another, pie to the prieft. which would fcarcely and pray one for another, feem evident- go down with the popifh advocates for ly to relate to the duty that is to be re- this prie/lly prerogative ; and furely it ciprocally exercii'ed between private is as much the duty of the people to pray Chriflians, in diftinclion from what was for their minifters. as of their m Snifters laid, in the two preceding verfes, about to pray for them ; and the prayer which the prayer of thole elders, as molt im- is ("aid to avail much, is called the pray- mediately intended, who were endued er, not of the elders, but of th^ rigbtc- with miraculous gifts of healing. For ous man, as fuch. the apoftle here l'peaks of believers in Vol. VI. G The Epiftle of Chap. 17 Elias was a man iubject like paflions as we are, and be prayed earned ly that it might not rain : and it rained not on the earth by the fpace of three years and fix months. iS And he pray- ed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. 19 Brethren, if any of you do e;r Horn the truth, and one cor. vert him ; xli. 13. and 3 John ver. 2.) And, for your encou- ragement, remember that the fervent in-wrought prayer (m^yaf^ivn) of a good and holy man, who is himfelf fan&ified, and accepted of God in Chrift as righteous, and fo has an intereft at the throne of grace ; the prayer that is excited in him, and con- ducted and animated with a facred warmth of foul, by the Spirit of grace and fupplication to help his infirmities, (Zech. xii. 10. and Rom. viii. 26.) has a wonderful power with God, and prevails, as Jacob's did, when he wreftled for, and obtained the bleifing. (Gen. xxxii. 28.} 17 We have a memorable example of the great to efficacy of believing and fervent prayer in the pro- phet Elijah ; he was a frail mortal man, of like na- tural and fmful infirmities, and of like fufferings and paffions with ourfelves ; and yet was remarkably heard and anfwered in the very things which he pray- ed for. At one time, he, not in an angry mood, or with a revengeful fpirit, but with great engaged- nefs of heart and believing importunity, begged of God that the bottles of heaven might be reftrained, in a way of judgment for the rebuke and conviction of king Ahab and the Ifraelites, who were fallen into idolatry: (1 Kings xvi. 30, — 33. compared with chap. xvii. 1.) And the Lord fo fully anfwer- ed his prayer, that the clouds of heaven were fhut up ; infomuch that no rain fell on the land of Ifrael for three years and a half together, by means of which great drought, a fore famine was brought up- on the earth. (Luhe iv. 25. fee the note there.) 18 After this, in mt;cy to the people that had been reclaimed from their idolatry, and in confirma- tion of their faith in the God of Ifrael, (1 Kings xviii. 39, — 45.) Elijah offered up his earneft prayer again for the return of plentiful and feafonable fhow- ers ; and it pleafed God in a wonderful manner to anfwer him, by fending an exceeding great quantity of rain from the clouds of heaven to revive the face of the earth, which thereupon yielded its fruits with rich increale. And God is {till, as much as ever, a God who hears prayer, and never faid to the fpiritual feed of Jacob feck ye me in vain. (Pfal. Ixv. 2. and If a. xlv. 19.) 19 To conclude this epiftle, in which I -have re- monftrated againft the fins that abound, among the unbelieving Jews, and have been too prevalent in fome of you, my brethren, who make a profefiion of Chrift's name, whofoevcr he be among you, that through infidelity, or backfliding and apoftacy, runs aftray from Chrift, and from the truth of the gofpel, in Chap. v. James paraphrafed. 43 in principle and practice, by errors in do&rine and immorality of life ; and any one of yon, in your re- fpe&ive itations, be inftrumental in turning him from his erroneous notions, and from his iniquity to God ; 20 Let him 20 Let fuch an inflrument of good confider the knovv ' that h J importance of this happy change ; and when his en- SefinnerTom^ deavours are rendered eff ^ al » by divine grace, to error of his way, produce it, he ought to rejoice and blefs God, in Hi ail fate a foul this reflection, that he who is fo highly honoured, from death, and as t0 fc e t h e means Q f a f inner » s converfion, or of a tudeoffins? m backflider's recovery from the erroneous thoughts, difpolitions, and courfes of his life, to God in Chrift, will be the- means of faving an immortal foul from fpiritual death and eternal deftru&ion ; and of lead- ing him into the way of life and peace, in which all his multiplied tranfgrtfiions mail be covered from the eye of avenging juftice, by the righteoufnefs of the Redeemer, which is cuto, and upon all that believe, without difference; (Rom. iii. 22.) and, by his con- verfion, many fins- will be prevented, which other- wife would have been committed by him, and by c- thers, through his bad example and influence, and would have appeared in open light at the day Qi judgment. RECOLLECTIONS. What a fnare are the riches of this world to a covetous and carnal mind ! They are often got and mifufed with much guilt, and bring upon their owners the molt diftreffing and aggravated forrows. The : cries of the injured and defrauded, and of the periecuted unto death, go up to the Lord of hofts, calling alwud for righte- ous vengeance to come down upon their oppreftbrs and murderers ; and what theie fpend m pomp and luxury, or unduely hoard up, will be a fwift witnefs againlt them, and add to their ftock of wrath againlt the day of wrath in the final judg- ment.— O what abundance of patience do the faints need in fuch a wicked and mi- ferable world as this! But what encouragement have they to exereife it, llnce Chrift will foon appear to reckon with all their enemies, and to deliver themfelves out of all their troubles ! They may learn the great leiVon of patient waiting for the falvation of the Lord, from the huibandman, who waits with long patience for the harveft ; from the ancient prophets, who, though dear to God, fuffered many tribulations, and were patient under them ; and from the eminent example of Job, who, though forely afflicted for a while, calmly fubmitted to the divine will, and had ivbnderful experience, at laft, of the tender mercy and compaihon of God, which glorioufly crowned all. How inconfiftent is it with the Chriftian character to fwear by God, or any of his creatures, or any petty oaths, in a paffion, or in common converfation ! And how becoming, to behave with fuch apparent integri- ty at all times, as thall engage a firm dependence on the truth of his bare affirma- tion, or denial ! How prayerful fhould he be in affliction, and how full of praife in profpenty \ And if the Lord, in the way of his righteous judgment, lay any difeafe upon him for fome particular fins, he fliould defire the prayers or the officers and private members of the church, as the ordinary means, that God- in the pic-tent ftate of things, in which miraculous gifts of healing are ceafed, will own and blels for his recovery, whenever, upon the whale, it may be for the belt : lor the be- lieving fervent prayer of a righteous man, that is animated by the Holy Spirit, has great power with God to obtain whatever is mod for his glory and agreeable to his will. An eminent mftance of this we have in the anfwers which were given to the prayers of Elian, a man of like human and linful pafiiuns with ourfelves, for fbutting and opening the bottles of heaven. J3ut how becoming is it tor Chriftians, G % in 44 The Epl/lle, &c. Chap, v, in fpecial cafes of offence given to their brethren, or of burden upon their fpirits, or o» divine rebuke, to make frank and open confemons of their faults to each ci- ther, that they may the better fympathize with, and know how to order their prayers for one another ! And fince there are fo great numbers of notorious finners a. d aooftates that run aftray in principle and practice from the truth and holinefs of the gofpel. How encouraging is it for minifters and private Chriftians too, to do what in them lies for their converCon ; and what an honour and pleafure to be inftrumental thereunto! Since he who is the means of turning any tranfgreffor from the evil of his ways to God, through Chrift, contributes, in a fubordinate manner^ to the faving of an immortal foul from eternal mifery, and to the preventing of many fins, and hiding others from the eye of God's avenging juftice \ i\ PR AC- A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PETER, IN THE FORM OF A PARAPHRASE. The PREFACE to the FIRST EPISTLE of PETER. THE apoftle Peter, as he himfelf tells us, was the penman of this, and the fecond epiftle that bear his name. And they are moil probably fuppofed to have been wrote, the jirfl either a- bout the year of our Lord 6$ or 66, and the fecond a year or two afterwards ', not long before the apoftle's martyrdom at Rome. (Sec Dr. Whitby's preface for confuting the popiih pretence, as though theory? were written about the year 44 or 45.) The infcription of this epiftle direcls it to the Jlr angers Jcattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Ana, and Bithynia, which feems to be much of the fame import with the infcription of the a- poitle James's general epiftle to the twelve tribes, which were Jcattered abroad, though the tribes of Ifrael are not cxpreffed in this infcrip- tion, as they are in that. However, the introduction to Mr. Peirce's paraphrafe and notes on the the epiftle to the Hebrews, and Dr. Benfon's hiltory of St. Peter, &c. would maintain that both the epiftles of Peter were wrote rather to the Gentile than Jewijh ChriiHam, who were fcattered in the various provinces above mentioned. But as all their rea- fonings and criticifms are, in my account, far from being conclu- iive ; and as canvafling them might not be much to the edification of the common Chriftian, for whofe ufe my paraphrafe and notes are moft immediately intended, I (hall not trouble him with them ; and. perhaps, they may in good meafure be anfv ered, by only fup- pofing, (as I think we naturally may) that the apoftle principally defigned fuch Jewifi converts, as were fcattered thoughout thofe countries, though not to the exclulion of fuch Gentile believers, as were mingled with them j in like manner as the apoftle Paul wrote to the Gentile Chnftians, though not to the exclulion of JewiJJj be- lievers, in moft of his epiftles to particular churches. Several 46 The Preface to the Firft Epiftle to Peter. Several confide rations incline me to think, that our apoftle had chiefly a refpecr to Jewijh converts in both his epiftles : For Peter was, in a peculiar manner, the apoftle of the circumcijion ; and therefore it items highly improbable, and out of character, to fup- pofe that the only epiftles he wrote were to Gentile, and not Jewijh converts ; and our thoughts are led to thefe by leveral hints in the epiftles thetnfelves. He confiders them as perfons who were re- deemed from their vain converfation, received by tradition from their fathers, (chap. i. 18.) which the Jews had been moil notorioufly and criminally fond of. (See Mat. xv. 2. 3 Mark vii. 3, 8, 9. and Gal. i. 14.) The apoftle alfo fpeaks of believing women, as the daughters of Sarah ; (chap. iii. 6.) which could not be faid with juft propriety of any but her dependents j fince the covenant, by which Gentile believers come to be the children of Abraham, was made immediately and exprefsly with him, and not with Sarah his wife : The apoftle's difcourfe about political and relative duties, in the fecond and third chapters, feem to have been occafioned by jewijh prejudices againft being fubjecl: to heathen magiltrates and mailers : His befeeching them to have their converfation honejl among the Gentiles, (chap. ii. 11, 12.) carries an intimation of their being a diftincl people from them*, the Judgment which mould begin at the .hoitfe of God, and was juft then at hand, {chap. iv. 17.) evidently relates to the deftruelion of the Jews and their temple, which moil nearly concerned thofe of that nation. And in his fecond epillie he fpeaks of always' putting them in remembrance, as lon% as he was in this tabernacle, and of endeavouring that they might always have them in remembrance after his deceafe ; (chap. i. 12, — 15.) which may point us to his ordinary perfonal miniftrations, as well as to his writiag thefe epiftles, and belt agrees to his office, character, and work, as the apoftle of the circumcijion. And his jlirring up their pure minds, by way of remembrance, that they might be mindful of the words which were fpoken before by the holy prophets, (chap. iii. 1, 2.) intimates, that they had been before canverfant with thofe words. It may alfo be very likely,' that what he mentions of his beloved bro- ther Paul'f hating written to them, (ver. 15.) refers to his epiftle to> the Hebrews. Upon the whole then, as I apprehend, we may abide by the com- mon opinion that both thefe epiftles were written moflly, at leaft, for the ufe of Jewijh profeffing believers in Chrift, who were difperfed through the feveral places above mentioned in the inscription of the ftrft of them. The defign of the apoftle in this firjl epiftle was to eftabliih thofe converts in the faith of Chrift, as their foundation ; and to comfort them under fevere perfections *, {chap. i. and ii. 1, — 8. to engage ihem to an honourable confcientious and winning behaviour'among the Gentiles, and particularly to a faithful difcharge of all the duties of their civil and family relations j j^bap, ii. 9. cdfin. and iii. 1, — 7.) and to an exercife of all the duties of brotherly love among them- felves, and of their refpe<5tive ftations in the church ; concluding with a prayer, that the God of all grace would, in and after all their ter- ribrle I'm fie rings, drengthen and fettle them in their faith and hope ; and Chap. i. The Fir ft Epiftle, &c, 47 and that they all might have peace in Chrift Jefus. {Chap, iii. 8. to the end of the epiftle.) CHAP. I. The apofile fa lutes the prof effing believers, to whom he wrote ; and hlejfcs God for his fpecial benefits to them through Jefus Chrift, in which they rejoiced under all tribulations, 1, — <) fhews that fal- vation by Chrifil was foretold in ancient prophecy, 10, — 12. and exhorts them to all holy conversation, fuitable to their principles, privileges, and obligations, 13, — 25. Text. Paraphrase. pETER an a- Y>ETER, who, by the immediate appointment < i$£2? ? f i C " I and commiflion of the Lord Jefus Chrift, was ins Chrift, to the ■*■ _ . . _, • • n ri • t ftrangers fcattered conftituted an apoitle principally ol the circumcilion, throughout Pontus, (Gal. ii. 8.) fends this epiftle, under divine infpira- Galatia, Cappado- x,lou, chiefly to the profefling Chriftians of Jeioifh cia, Afia, and Bi- extra & f w h are> not only in a metaphorical fenfc, but, properly fpeaking, ftrangers in foreign countries; as being expelled from their own land, and difperfed, by the providence of God, in the various Gentile contiguous provinces of Pontus, G alalia, Cappado- cia, the proconfular Afia, and Biihynia. * t Eleft accord- 2 Who, notwithstanding their former revolt as a ing to ' the fore- nation from the God of Ifrael, and from his cove- knowledge of God nant d w { t h t h e i r fathers, appear, in the judgment the Father, thro' r , . , , . \ , K r J tl ° • falsification of of chanty, by the tokens or his grace upon them in the Spirit unto their effectual calling, to be the objects of his fpeci- obedience, and al and eternal choice, according to the kind diftin- Xprinkling of the gifting notice, which God the Father took of them Chrift. Grace unto be ^ ore a11 worlds, (fee the note on Rom. viii. 29.) you, and peace be with a gracious defign of bringing them to eternal multiplied. life, through the renewing and purifying operations of his Spirit on their fouls, to engage and enable them NOTE. * Ail thefe countries, as the belt geo- Ifrael that did not return from the cap- jraphers think, lay in what was called tivhy to their own land, but fo; the LefTer Afia, which was contained in, in thofe countries, rather than of and fpoken ot by way of diftincYion from that were difperfed by the perfecution the large continent that bore the name fpoken of in Afts viii. 1. For the. of Afia, in the three grand divifions of fcattered aoly throughout Judea a:;d Sa- the then known world, America having maria, though afterwards, forne of them been difcovered in latter ages; and there- travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, fore the Afia here meant and diftinguifh- and Antiorh, preaching the word to ed from Pontus, Gaiatia, &-c muft be none but unto the- Jsws only, A&s xi. that which was fometimes called the 19. But all thefe countries were far Roman proconfular Afia. and at others, diftant from thpfe rn which theie ftran- , //fa proper. And the firavgers Jcatter- gers are J9 been Mattered. cd abroad throughout thefe provinces (Confult Pfell/s geography of the New fceiD to be meant of thofe of the tribes of Teftaruejit.) 48 The Firft Epiftle of Chap. i. them to yield themfelves up unto all holy obedience to his commandments in heart and life ; (Eph. i. 4. fee the paraphrafe and notes there) and to bring them under an application of the atoning blood of Chrift, for the remiffion of their fins, which was ty- pified by the fprinkling of the blood of facrifices un- der the law, and, in that allufion, is fitly called the blood of fprinkling. .(Heb. xii. 24.) May the free favour of God, with all its genuine fruits and effects, in their utmoft variety, manifeftations, and fulnefs ; and all profperity, fpiritual and temporal, as confift- ing of peace with God, and peace in your own con- fciences, and with one another, and all around you, and every other comfortable circumftance, be abun- dantly increafed towards, and in you ! 3 Blefled be the 3 When I reflect on the great and bleffed things Cod and Father w hich God has already done for us, whom he has of our Lord Jefus chof red emed and called my heart J g ffll d ith Chnft, which ac- . » . . ' ' f . . cording to his i- gratitude, joy, and praiie ; and ye ought to join with bundant mercy me in chearful afcriptions of all poflible glory and hath begotten us thankfgivings to God, even the Father, who with again unto a live- f a tQ (/je hnman JlQture of Chrift is his G(jd and ly hope, by the re- \ . . r -, ..... . r furreclion of Ferns an " WIt h reipect to his divine nature is, in a way or Chrift from the peculiarity and eminence, his Father ; and with re- read, fpeel: to his office capacity is the covenant-God and Fa- ther of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whom he has raifed up and anointed to be the Prophet, Prieft, and King, and fo the complete and only Saviour, of every one of us who truly believe in him. Adored and for ever mag- nified be his glorious name, who, not according to our deferts, but according to the wonderful riches and mul- titude of his free and fovereign mercy, in which he chofe us, has now begotten us anew by his regenerat- ing fpirit, to a joyful hope, which fprings from a live- ly faith, and revives the heart, has fpiritual life and vigour in it, and has for its objeft a refurrection to e- ternal life, and mail certainly iffue in it, through the quickening power and virtue of the refurre&ion of Je- fus Chrift, and through faith in him, who, by his fuf- ferings unto death, has fatisfied divine juftice for our fins, and by his rifing again from the dead for our j unification, is publicly owned and acquitted by God the Father; that our faith and hope might he in God through him. (ver. 21.) 4 To an inherit- 4 Bleffed be his name who has given us a new and ance - fpiritual birth, whereby we are rendered capable of, ble and undeflled d fi d f as well as intitled by gracious adoption am! that iadtth ..,: , , '.° .*, not away, referyed to > a ri <>ble inheritance, as the portion, aiuwerable to La. heave* for you. the dignity of his fons : (Rom. \ in. 17.) An inheri- tance, not of a perilhing nature, as all the riches, ho- nours, and pleasures of this world are ; nor an earthly inheritance Chap. i. Peter parapbrafed. 49 inheritance, like that of the land of Canaan, from which the Jews of the difperfion are driven away; but an inheritance, which will make a rich amends for the lofs of that, and of all temporal poffcfiions : An everlafting immortal inheritance, altogether pure and holy, incapable of being itfelf defiled, or being enjoy- ed by polluted fouls, or of defiling any that are par- takers of it : And never decaying in its worth, fweet- nefs, or beauty ; but always frefh, entertaining, and delightful ; a glorious inheritance, confuting of the fublimeft and moft refined enjoyments which never fade, like the garlands of herbs and flowers with which conquerers ufed to be crowned ; and is an inheritance fecurely laid up, and kept fafe in heaven, by the im- mutable purpofe and promife of God, and by the me- ritorious and efficacious, mediation of Chrift, as a pre- cious inexhauftible treafure for all and every one of you that are begotten to it. 5 Who are kept 5 Who, though weak in yourfelves, and expofed by the power of to innumerable temDtations and dangers which would S^* be to ° h2rd {or y° u '> werc y° u . ,eft to y° ur OWR ■*■ dy to be revealed dom and ftrength to combat with them, are guarded in the hft time. and preferved as in a garrifon, ( (p^s^svss ) by the al- mighty power of the great God himfelf, which is en- gaged for your prefervation and fafety againft all your enemies, through a daily exercife of faith in its depen- dence on Chrift, and realizing views of future glory, to animate you in your Chriftian courfe of obedience., and make you victorious over fm, Satan, and the world, (Eph. vi. 16. and 1 John iii. 9. and v. 4.) till ye ar- rive at complete falvation ; which falvation is already prepared for you, in the defign of God, from the foun- dation of the world, (Matth. xxv. 34.) and by the purchafe and advocacy of Chrift, who, as your head and forerunner, has taken poffcffion of it for you; and which will foon be manifefted in all its riches and delights, when he fhall appear to judge the world, at the laft day, and ye fljal/ appear with him in glory ; (Col. iii. 3, 4.) And fo ye are as fafely kept for this inheritance, as the inheritance itfelf is for you. 6 Wherein ye 6 In the believing view and hope of all this, ye well greatly reioice, may^ as \ truft ye do, exceedingly rejoice", (as ye fhall feafonVi7nTed°be) ^ more abundantly hereafter) even to an exultation, ye are in heavinefs though at prefent, in this imperfect Mate of weaknefc„ through manifold fin, and forrow, ye for a little while (if God fees it temptations: needful for his glory and your own good) are grie- voufly, and yet comparatively fpeaking, but lightly, afflicted, through a great variety of trials from Satan and the world, and from your own infirmities and frailties, which ye are now attended with, and arc permitted to be fo : Vol. VI. H 7 Ta 5G c l'be Fuji Epljlle of Chap, i, 7 That the trial 7 To the end that (wot) the experiment and proof ' of yo.u faith being- (% 0Ki p l0V} f ee the note on Jam. i. q.) of your ge- much more preci- • fakh > Chrift which ; abunt f ant) j more to fa cms than 01 gold , , . 7 , , • 1 r , , , that perifheth, tho' advantage and honour, than the trial oi gold can be it be tried with to it, as this, how much foever it be refined from its lire, might be found drofs by the fire, is of a perifhing nature ftill, and unropraife, amino- be wom b uf d lof fome of kg nour, and glory at . , . , •- 1 V . TTT1 r • 1 • • the appearing of tides in the verv trial of it ; Whereas true faith is 1m- Jefus Chrift j proved and increafcd, and made to mine the brighter, by the blcfling of God upon its trials, that it may e- vidently difcover itfelf with fuch purity and eminence, as (hall be to its higheil commendation, and fhall be .openly approved of God, and gracioufly rewarded with honour and glory, as its fruit and confequence ; and as fhall ultimately redound to his moil glorious praife ; when Jefus Chrift, the author andfinijher of your faith, (Heb. xii. 2.) ihall be revealed to crown his own work in you, at his fecond appearing to your complete falvation : And then it fhall be found, that thefe light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor. iv. 17.) S Whom having g Though ye, who are far diitant from Judea, ne- m*v!horrj ^ho^l! Ver favV ChHft with ^° Ur h ^ ^ *' ? et throu g h «6w ve ;ee him not, the revelation which has been made of him to, and in yet beiic-vhfv, j C your fouls, by his word and Spirit., ye have a fincere rejoice, with joy defire after him, affection to him, efteemofhim, and foutr to 1 *- and delI S ht in bim '> in whom > thou g h at prefent he be -■* P ' out of the reach of your corporal fight, and ye nei- ther fee him, as many did in the days of his flefh on earth, and as ye yourfelves will in his ftate of exalta- tion hereafter ; yet while ye realize and appropriate him by faith, and truft in him as your only Saviour, ye rejoice in him, and in hope of his glory, even unto a rapture and triumph, with a joy fo fublime, hea- venly, and fatisfying, as furpaffes the powers of lan- guage to exprefs j a joy which is glorious in itfelf, and attended with all glorying in him ; and is indeed a lively foretafte and earnelt ol the glory, with which * ye fhall hereafter be glorified with him. (wyuXXcctcrfc 9 Receiving the ' 9 When ye, like conquerors in the public games, i.r.d oryowc hiith, f\ Vd \\ rece ive as a ltward of grace, (rgAes) theperfec- ■ ven thc r i '*} < ' A ' m tion and ultimate aim of your faith, and the eno which w yoi/r Louis, . . _.„..' , . , ,. it terminates and mues in, even the complete deliver- ance of your fouls, which are the principal part of the man, and the falvation of which will draw after it that of your bodies too, from all fin, want, and mi- fery ; and .he advancement of your whole perfens to all the felicity and glory of the heavenly ilate. 10 Which Chap. i. Peter paraphrafetl. S r 10 Of which fal- io Which glorious and blefled falvation, as to be vation the prophets brought about, and clearly revealed in the Mcmah's have enquired, and daySj was f oreto ld by the ancient mfpired prophets, ly* who prlphe- who ' were earneftly mquifnive, and exceeding diligent, fie'd of the grace like miners digging for precious ore, [fywnwb) i n that fljould come their fearches after the meaning of their own prophs- untoyou: c { eSj wnen t j, e y fp k e many ages ago, concerning the rich ami eminent bleflings of light and grace, par- don, purity and peace, hope and joy, which ye mould be partakers of, with clear evidence of your own intereft in them. n Searching n They being very folicitous, as Daniel was, by what, or what ftudying the facred writings, {Dan. ix. 2.) to find manner of time to what purpofe, and with a reference to what the Spirit or Chnit \ , _ . r f > . . which was in period of time, and what mould be the particular them did fignlfy. figns, by which it might be known, as alfo whether when it terrified f t {frouid be in days of preceding purity or vice, feV 0f f aI1 f 'clruV light or darknefs, or of outward peace or trouble to anTSe glory that ^ church, that the things mould come to pafs, mould follow. which the Spirit of Chriil *, whom he imparted to them, and who guided and afted in them, intimated, when he bore witnefs, long before-hand in their pro- phecies, to the things that related to the extremely painful and abafing iufferings of the Median, in foul and body, unto death, by which he mould be cut off for the tranfgreffions of his people, and make recon- ciliation for their iniquities ; (I/a. liii. 8. and Dan. ix. 24, 26.) and that related to the glories (&>|«$) of his refurre&ion, afcenfion, and exaltation, and the effufion of his Spirit ; and to the glory* of the gofpel-flate, and, at length, of all his members with him, and in conformity to him, which mould be the effeel and confequence of his atoning facrifice, and mould abide lor ever afterwards. 12 Unto whom 12 Unto which holy prophets, it was made known, it was revealed, by ^ fuggeftion of the Spirit, that their predictions that not unto ^ ^ - fl after . t ; me8 themlelves, Dut ... r . J c n, 1 " 1 unto us they did and that, though their own fouls were reirelhed, and mir.ifter the things their faith, together with the faith of the godly in thofe which are now re-- ag . es was f U p pcr t e d by them ; yet that they did not Ported 6 rr H 2 therein N O T E. * The Spirit of ChrijVs teftifying the when Chriil after his afctnfion fent him, Sufferings of Chnjl, and the glory that (John xvi. 7.) and the Father fent him Jhould follow, and his revealing to the in his name; {Sap. xiv. z6.) and that prophets, that the teftimony related to therefore he was .properly the Spirit oj future ages, were the anions of a ftevine Cbrijl, or of tie Son, (Gal. it. 6.) us per/on, diftincl from him, whofe fpirit welt as of the Father, prior to, end in- he is, and whofe fufferings and glory he dependent of their fending him. in con- teftified; and his being called the Spirit fequence of Chrift's fufferings and txai- ofCbri/l, when he beforehand gave this ration, anr« luptible feed, but , r * . ,., , . . . r r of incorruptible, tai ieec *> " ke y our nat ural brth, nor from a corrupt by the word of principle, which produces only corruptible effects, Gcd which liveth like what Ae carnal Jews received, with all its ex- and abideth for e- ternal privileges, by defcent, as the natural feed of Abraham ; but is a fupernatural, ipiritual, and im- Mortal birth ; ye being begotten by means of the Word of Truth, {jam.i. 18.) which is uncorrupti- ble in ilfelf, and in its vital production, and which* under the influence of the Divine Spirit, is of quick- ening efficacy, and, like its author, remains unchange- ably the fame in its own nature, and in its immortal virtue for ever ; and io brings foith a nobler birth than can be derived from the moil famous anceftors upon earth. 24 For all flefh 24 For all flefhly defcent, with its faired fruits, . as gratej and a 4 nia y p r0 p ei ly De compared, to the green grafs or herb the glory ot man rf ^ ^ . ^ ^ ^ y ^ ^ aU ^ ^^ ^ acquired 56 The Virji Epijllc of Chap. i. as the flower of acquired endowments of man, as man, and external graft Tht grafs pn V [W es of any man, in his prefent ftate of deerene- witbereth, anrl the i n V r , 6 ,-, flows thereof fall- rac >'' and aU the ornam ^ nts °* nature and art, as well eth awar :• as the honours of pedigree, which carnal minds pride themfelves in, and the Jews boaft of in their relation to Abraham : All this may be likened to the gay and beautiful flower which the grafs bears in its verdure ; it all foon fades and dies away, like blighted and wi- thering grafs, together with its moil fhowy and ad- ' mired adornings, that ficken and drop off, like the flowers of the field, when the wind paffes over it, and it is gone. (Pf. ciii. 15, 16.) 25 Eut the word 25 But fo incomparably more excellent is the word of the Lord endu- f t h e Lord, (I fa. xl. 8.) and the fpi ritual birth pro- reth for ever. And ^uced by it, that it always abides the fame in its own this vs the word ,rro 1 r 7T« 1 which bv the gof- nature and ettects, as t he feed which remains^ in true pel is preached un- believers ; ( 1 John iii. 9.) and is ever living and en- *P you. livening without decay of its virtue, and will be ef- fectual to make them happy for ever. And this is no- other than that divinely infpired word, which contains the glad tidings of falvation by Jefus Chrift, and is communicated to you in the promulgation of the gof- pel by his miniilring fervants, and rendered efficaci- ous in the renovation of the whole man, by the blefs- ej Spirit, unto eternal life. RECOLLECTIONS. What a beautiful and harmonious concurrence is there in the election of the Father, the redemption of the Son, and the fandlification of the Spirit, for pro- ducing faith and holy obedience here, in order to complete falvation hereafter \ Blefted be Goo 1 , that wherever his grace takes effecT: upon any of us, we are new born to a happy and glorious immortality ; and our fouls are purified by the obe- dience of faith, unto a fincere love of the brethren, through the Spirit, by means of the gofpel, which has a quickening virtue, and ever lives in its efficacy to main- tain the principle of fpiritual life, till it be perfected in life eternal: We aie there- in begotten as the children. of God, according to his rich and abounding mercy, to a living hope of heaven, through the refurreclion of Chrift from the dead, and to an enjoyment, in due time, of that glorious inheritance, which is incorruptible, Jree from all impurity, and eternally abiding and entertaining, without decay : And as this is made ready and referved in heaven for us; fo we are iafely kept by the power of God, through faith, to that falvation, which lliall be revealed in all its fulnefs, grace, and glory at the Iaft day, for which we believe in an unfeen Je- fus. O delightful profpecx and fecurity to all that are born of God ! How tran- scendent to the perifhing honours and advantages of this life, which fade and die v like the grafs and flower of the field ! With what tranfport may their faith tri- umph in Chrift amidft all the various momentary afflictions, which God fees to be needful for them, that their faith being exercifed, proved, and improved, by means ofthofe fiery trials, to better purpofe than gold tried in the fire, may mine with the brighter honour and glory at the final appearing of Jefus Chrift !— What a fo- lid foundation for our faith have we in him, who was appointed of God from all e- ternity to be his falvation ; was foretold by the ancient prophets; and is now more clearly reavealed in the gofpel '. He came in the fulnefs of time fo redeem his peo- ple from all the fin and ruin of the fall, and of traditional corruptions, not with iilver and gold, but with his own precious blood, as of a lamb without blem.ifh ; and his Father raifed him from the dead, and exalted him in our nature to the highelt authority and dignity, that our faith and hope might be emboldened to fix on God, as yur reconciled God and Father through him. How furprifing and im- portant Chap. ii. Peter paraphrafed. 57 portant are thefe things ! The holy angels clofely ftudy them ; and we aught to do fo too, as being more nearly concerned in them. How affectionately lhould we love the once fuffering and now exalted Saviour, and all our Chriftian brethren for his fake ! How holy ought we to be in obedience to the commands, and in imi- tation of our heavenly Father, who, as aa impartial judge, has no refpecl: of per- fons, but will pafs a final fentenee ofhappinefs, or mi ft ry, by Jeius Chrift, upon the whole world, according to the different kinds and degrees of their works ! "With what godly fear mould we reverence him all the days of our lives ! And how mould we behave with vigilance and fobriety as pilgrims and ftrangers, who no longer fall in with the corrupt manners of this world, as in the time of our unre- generacy ; but travel through it to our heavenly home, and maintain a ftedtalt hope to the end of life, that he, who has begun the good work in us, will nniih it in eternal glory ! May grace and peace be abundantly multiplied to all fuch ! CHAP. II. The opojllc recommends a temper fuitable to their char abler, as born again, and a daily recourfe to Chrift as their only foundation, i, — 10. Direcls their holy converfation among the Gentiles, 11, 12. Exhorts fubjetls and fervants to pay all proper obedience to their civil governors and maflers, 13, — 18. And to be patient, in imitation of their fuffering Saviour, under all hardfoips that might be wrongfully laid upon them, 19, — 25. Text. Paraphrase. "^/"Hn-efore, lay- Q INCE therefore ye are partakers of a new and fpi- ing afide a 1 KJ r j tua i bnth, whereby ye are formed for purity and malice, and all . , . . , , / J . f * guile,' and hypo- brotherly love, {chap. 1. 22, 23.) ye ought to put crifies, and envies, off, caft away, and utterly abhor (as ye would old and all evil-fpeak- rotten and filthy garments that are unfit to be worn) all manner of wickednefs or naughtinefs, (ttug-xv y.x- kiciv, fee Jam. i. 21.) and particularly all malicious, fpiteful and revengeful heart-burnings, deiigns and practices againft your fellow Chriilians, or any one whatfoe ver ; together with all frauds, deceitful flatteries, and infincere compliments ; and all hypocritical pro- feffions of religion toward God, and of refpeel:, love, and friendihip to others ; as alto all envious grudging and repining at their profperity ; and all backbit in.:,, defamations, and detracting words, which proceed ei- ther from a guileful, or malicious, or envious dilpo- lition of the heart, new-born 2 And as all thefe defiling and pernicious evils are Ure t [^ e to be entirely abandoned ; fo, as new-born infants 1< :n^« iVb 0:1: thal^e may after the m ° th er's «U&s ye, under a feeling < en fe of ;ro* thereby : y our wants, ought to have eager appetites for, and earneft defires after the pure, uncorrupted word of God, (Aoyo&ov u^oMv} as containing proper food and nourifliment for rational and immoital fouls, that ye may grow in knowledge and grace, comfort and. ho- linefs, ftnd in all fpiritual vtrength and Itature unto a ol. VL 1 perfea the Lord is £iaci ous 58 fhe Brjl Epiftle of Chap. ii. perfect man in Chriil, (Eph. iv. 13.) by means of that very word of the gofpel, by which ye were regenerat- ed, and which lives and abides for ever. (Chap. i. 23-) 3 If fo be ye 3 Ye not only ought to have, but ye certainly will have tailed tn-u nave an utter averfion to all fin, and an appetite to the good word of God, (ver. t, 2.) in cafe ye have real- ly had, as I hope, an experimental acquaintance with, and a true relifh and favour of, the mercy and grace of the Lord Jefus to your own fouls, though ft be but as a tafte, in comparifon with what ye fhall here- after enjoy in, and from him. 4 To whom 4 To whom ye are to be daily applying by faith coming, as nmo for all further edifidlt ion, fupport, and eftablimment, a living ilone, dif- , , r i • r 11 r ■ 1 allowed indeed of as unto tne on ly foundation or all your iecunty, hope, men, but chofen and happinefs ; which, in allufion to the foundation of God, and pre- of the temple, in which the Jews glory, may be com- C10US * pared, not only to zfone for folidity and ftrength, firmnefs and duration ; but, by way of eminence, to a living f one, * as he has life in himfelf, and com- municates quickening influence, and ever lives to ani- mate all that are united to him, and built upon him: He is indeed defpifed and rejected, as by the Jcivi/h rulers, (Luke xx. 17.) fo by all carnal Jews, and unbelievers, who fee no form, come/in efs, or beauty in him to dejire him, (Ifa. liii. 2.) and will not come to him, that *hey might have life ; (John v. 40.) but he was chofen of God, and appointed to be the foundation of his church from all eternity; (chap. i. 20.) and is moft excellent in himfelf, dear and ho- nourable in the fight of God his Father, (who has highly exulted him) and in the efteem of all that be- lieve in him, (ver. 7.) as completely able to bear the whole weight of God's glory, and the falvation of his church, which he has laid upon him. 5 Ye alio as 5 And ye, thus coming to him, are, as it were, Lively ftoneF, are living itones, (ag x&ot Qvmf) as being fpiritually btvjt do a fpin. a |- yc 1 derivation f rom him, in virtue of vour union tual houle, ?n ho- . , . J . . .. .. , .. . J c . ly priefthood to VV!tn n ' m ' wno 1S Y our living and enlivening rounda- ofllr tion ; and are erected and edified in the noblell man- ner N O T E. * A living flute in the literal fenle the language, and no more impropriety may be thought an inconfiftent idea, in Chrifi's being fpoken of as'tf living But as this and feveral other cxpreffions Jtone, than as living bread, and a living in the following yerfe are evidently me- way, (John vi. 51. and Heb."X. 20.) to taphoncal: and defigned to fignify Chrijl fhew his excellence above all other as ? fpiritnal foundation, and his mem- bread, or ways. And the apoftle Peter's hers ?.s the building f reeled upon it, in fpeaking of him, under the metaphor of allufion and preference to the temple at a living /lone, ihews that he did not ac- yerifpilem, which the Jews looked up- count himfelf, but Chrijl only, to be the on a? their highe(t glory ; there is a Foundativn-flcne of the church.-" Unking beauty, vigour, and emphafis ' in Chap. ii. Peter paraphrafcd. 59 offer up fpiritual ner upon him, being built together for a habitation facrifices, accept, of God through the Spirit; (Eph. ii. 22.) all the able ro God by Je- p arts officii building are of a fpiritual nature, f ch fus Chnft. as Q od flights to dwell in after a more gracious and beneficial maimer, than he ever did in the temple, - ' which was built of the moil beautiful Hones : {Luke xxi. 5.) Ye are alfo become more excellent prion's to God, than thofe. under the law, *o bring and pre- fent, not ceremonial and typical facrifices, like them, much lefs atoning facrifices, like that of cur Lord ; but fpiritual offerings of feli-dedication, prayer and praifes, alms-deeds, and all fort of fruits of righte- oufnefs, {Rom. xii. 1. Phil. i. 11. and Heb. xiij. 15? 16.) which are well-pleafing to God, and gracioufly accepted of him, through, and on account of the propitiatory facrifice and interceffion of Chrift, the only mediator, who has reconciled you to God, in- troduces you to him, and renders both your perfons and fervices acceptable in his fight. 6 therefore al- 6 Accordingly, we have a teftiinony bFlhe fol- fo it is contained lowing purport concerning Chrift, as it is contained in the fenpuue, J„ t h e prophetic writings of the Old Tellament, (//I S^ciief ay cor n ?*4 16.) Obferve, lays God, with attention and ner-uone, elect, holy admiration, faith "and hope, love and joy, 1, precious: and he the fovereign Lord of all, have of my own mere that believeth on gooc i please appointed and provided, fitted, pre- lum ft.li not be d and laced tke Meffiah b n r Church *, as a confounded. £ ', r . , . . r X 1 • 1 v „„ fure foundation and chief corner- itone, wnicn has been tried and proved, and found effe&ual, to unite Jews and Gentiles, the Old and New Teftament- church, and cement all the members of both firmly and compacYiy together; and to add ftrength and beauty to them; a. Hone, which 1, in infinite wifdom and grace, have chofen for this purpofe ; which is excellent and honourable in itfclf, and exceeding dear to me. And whofoever he be, whether Jew or Gen- tile, a greater or leifer finner, that depends entirely on Chrift, or builds by faith on him, as his fure and only foundation, (hall never be aihamed to own him, or be confounded by any of his enemies for profefs- ing his name; nor lhall he ever be afhamed or con- founded, through any difappointment of his hope in I 2 Chrift; NOTE. » In Sion may iikewife poffibly refer ex. 2. and Ifa. ii. 3..) aml where the to Jerufalem, which is often called Sion firft gofpel-church was erecled on this and mount Sion in the pfalms and the foundation. (Acls ii. 41,— 47) But a*> prophets ; and fo God's laying this chief Sion and niounl-Sion are very commonly Corner /tone in Sion, may point to the ufed for God's church and people in the place where our Lord finilhed the work Old Teftament, and io Heb. xii. 22. I of redemption; where the glad tidings have rather chole to give the paraphrafe offalvation by him were iirit publiflied, in that feme, as molt agreeable to the and from thence fpread abroad; (Pfal. current of the context. 6o The Fir/I Epijlle of Chap. ii. Chrift, as they are, who inconfiderately build on a fandy foundation, and whofe vain confidences are de- feated, through rafh and precipitate meafures, and over-hafle to accomplifh them : (fee the note on Rom. ix. 33.) But he (hall have boldnefs in the day of judgment^ (1 John iv. 17.) as one discharged from guilt and condemnation, and made perfect in boli- ?,vi*s and happineis,. through the Redeemer's righte- oufnefs. 7 Unto you 7 He therefore is a high honour, (ti/xvi) and can- ?r r and build all your hopes entirely tli'em which be u P on him ; he, in his perfon, offices, and benefits, dtfobedient, the and in his relation to you, is altogether lovely in /lone which the y 0ur account, and is, and for ever will be, your crown ed Ih fa n ° V and £l° rv > honouring you, and honoured by you: made the head of But to them who, being difobedient to God and the corner. him, and to his word, fet him at nought and reject him by unbelief, this very ftone, which the Jewifh rulers, who pretended to be, and ought to have been, the builders of the church of Ifrael, would not re- ceive, but difapprovcd of, as the foundation of the gofpel-church, according to a prophetic account of him and them; (P/~. cxviii. 22.) even he is by the ordination and fettlement of God, notwithstanding all their fpite and rage againft him, the foundation, chief corner- ftone, ftrength and glory of his fpiritual houfe. s And a fiicne 8 And at the fame time, according to another pro- t roc^ot^offence 11 F hecv > (#*• viii - H-) he is become, like a ftone that cveu to them ^ es m mens wa y> st which they ftumble and fall to which ftumble at their hurt, and like a rock, which they rafhly dafh the word, being themfelves againft to their deilru&ion ; he is fo to u!uoS n th W w rC " then1 ' Wh ° aie offended at the do & rIne of the gofpel, appointed ^ " = which fets him forth as the only foundation that God has laid, and befides which no other can be laid, to anfwer its end ; (1 Cor. iii. 11.) they being obfti- nately unbelieving and refractory, to which God, in his holy fovereignty and righteous judgment, pur- pofed to leave them, as to the free choice of their own perverfe hearts ; and, for which, he determined ■ that this ftone mould fall, and his juftice fhould be glorified on them, to their utter ruin. (See the note on Rom. ix. 18.) 9 Bat ye are 9 But ye, who are built upon Chrift, as jour foun- a chofen geoera- dation, are, in the beft and moft valuable fenfe, par- bpod * a^hlPtia takerS ° f ^ the bltffin g s > that were % n,Tied bv . the lion.' *a pecuUar externa * privileges and national honours of the vifible ; that ve church of Ijrael ; (Exod. xix. 6. and Dent. vii. 6.) fhould (hew f.utii ye are a new-born generation and kindred (ysve?) of the 1 raises or him f p i r i tl1a l an d noble birth, whom God has fet apart for ! l _ if • himlelf by eternal choice, and effectual calling ; ye have hath called you Chap. ii. Peteh paraphrafed. 61 you out of dark- Have an unction from the Koly One, and are kings nefs into his mar- and ptief\ unto God, (Rev. i. 6.) as, like princes 9 vellous light : ve h ave power vvith him, and victory over fin, Satan, and the world, together with a holy dominion over your own fpirits, and are heirs of the kingdom of heaven ; and as, like prie/h, ye are .feparattd from the reft of the world, and confecrated to God for offering fpiritual facrifices acceptable to him by Jefus Chrift : (ver. 5.) Ye are alfo a holy fociety formed into one fpiritual body, like a nation collected together, under Chrift your* Lord and King, fanctified by his Spirit, governed by his laws, and embarked in the fame com- mon caufe and intereft : And ye are a purchafed and fpecial property to him, that, fuitable to your digni- ties, privileges, bleflings, and obligations, ye might both really and intentionally difplay the glory of di- vine virtues and perfections, fuch as the infinite wif- dom and power, holinefs, juftice, goodnefs, and truth of God ; and might (hew forth, in word and deed, his honour and -praiie, who has called you by his grace, and delivered you from the darknefs of igno- rance and error, fin and mifery, in which ye were formerly involved ; and has brought you into the raoft wonderful and affecting light of truth and grace, ho- linefs and comfort, which he has caufed to fhine in your hearts : (2 Cor. iv. 6.) 10 Which in 10 Who, for ages paft, have been difowned of time ' paft were God, and divorced from his vifible covenant ; (Jer. not a people, but j{j # g. and Ho/, i. 6, 9.) but now by the grace of the ^o^od: whic°h g° f P el > through Jefus Chrift, are brought into the had not obtained fweet and abiding relation of a covenant people to mercy, but now him ; and who, during all thofe former ages, were have obtained fh ut out f rom t he diftingui filing effects of his fpecial mercy, but have now found mercy with him, unto the renovation of nature, the forgive nefs of fins, and juftification of life, according to Hofea's prophecy : {chap. ii. 23.) And this, in a higher fenfe, may be laid of thofe Gentiles among you, who are now brought to the faith of Chrift, and fo become the fpiritual feed of Abraham. ( See the note on Rom. 11 Deariy be- Ii In confideration therefore of thefe diftinguilli- loved, I befeech i n g favours, which God has beftowed upon you, my and' M S rims Dg ab S d ear brethren, whom he has formed for him/elf, that ftain P rVom m fiefldy J e might fiew forth his praife, (If. xliii. 21.) I ear- lufts which war a- neftly entreat, and exhort you {tcu^atcccXm) to look gainft the foul; upon yourfelves as pilgrims and ftrangers upon earth, who are travelling onward to a better country ; ( Hcb* xi. 13, 16.) and I befeech you, as fuch, to renounce and keep clear of all thofe inward workings of fen- fual inclinations, inordinate affections, and defires af- ter 62 The Fir/I Epijlle df Chap, ii. ter earthly things, which arife from the corruption of nature, and exert themfelves by the body ; and are contrary to the liberty, peace and honour, purity and holinefs of your renewed fouls; and, as the worft of all enemies, are engaged in a perpetual war againft them, and do their utmoft to detilc, difturb, enfnare, and deftroy them. 1 2 Haying your j 2 Take heed that the whole of your behaviour neft Ve, ' l a a mon the towards > and u » d er the obfervation of, the uncon- Gentiies : that verted Gentiles, among whom ye live, be decent, ho- whereas they i'peak nourable, and commendable for its amiable beauty, againft you as evil- ( KCC x^ every way worthy of your "holy profeffion ; doers, they may tQ ^ ^ ^^ w | ierea$ tne y f ee k a r| occa f lons to re- works which they proach you, on account of your profeffion of Chrift, lhall behold, glo- and to fpeak againft you, as though ye were a refrac- rify God in the tory, ufelefs, and mifchievous fort of people, and prac- day of vifitation. dfers of iniquity> tlxey may be effeftually confuted by your regular, blamelefs, holy, benevolent, and love- ly deportment in every relation of life, by means of which, they, as eye-witneffes of it, may be induced to think well of you and of your religion, and may be themfelves brought to glorify God, by admiring his grace in you, and by imitating your good con- verfation in Chrift, when they come narrowly to in- fpe£t into it, and when he (hall look upon them and vifit them in his mercy, (Luke i. 68.) and (hall fet his gofpel home with light and power upon their hearts ; and fo render it effectual to their own falvation. 13 Submit your- 1 3, 14 In order hereunto, let me guard you againft fclves to every or- f ome things, that give occaiions of great offence to your dmance ot man ior ' e ' a 1 n. r ..l • the Lord's fake ■ enemies > a3 * or mitance, how itrong loever the preju- whether it be to dices of fome of you may be, through Jewi/h notions, the king, as fir- againft obeying heathen magiftrates, remember, that as P rerne ; the theocracy, or that divine form of government, in 14 Or unto go- wn i c h q 0( j was t } ie \^[ n cr of IfraeL is expired, it is vernors, as unto _,. * J ' . r . , them that are fent now y our duty, as Lhniuans, to be iubject m all mat- by him for the 'ters of a civil nature, to every fecular power, which punifhmentof evil- i s legally fet over you by the appointment and con- doers, and for the r ent Q f t ^ e community ; which, on that account, may pra;fe ot them that , ,. , , j- r 1 . • lL »• do well. * ke called the ordinance of man ; and yet is the ordi- nance of God, as he has appointed and ordered it for the good of human fociety, and by his providence di- rects and inclines bodies of people to fet up fuch a form of it, as they apprehend to be beft for the pre- fervation of all their civil and religious rights, liber- ties, privileges and properties, and for their protection and fafety in an enjoyment of them : (fee the notes on Rom. xiii. 1, 2.) And ye ought to fubmit your- felves to its rulers in obedience to the command of the Lord Chrift, (Matth. xxii. 21.) and for the honour of his name, that it may not be evil fpoken of* as Chap. ii. Peter paraphrafid. 63 15 For fo is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to filence the ignorance of foolifli men : 16 As free, and not ufing your li- berty for a cloke of malicioufnels, but as the fervants of Cod. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honour the kin-. as though he were the author of a religion which fub- verts the laws and rights of civil fociety. Ye there- fore mould think yourfelves obliged, in confcience, to pay chearful obedience in all lawful things to unbe- lievers, as well as others, that hold the reins of government where ye live, according to their politi- cal character and authority; whether to the fovereign, fuch as a king or emperor, like the Roman Cafar ; or to fubordinate magiflrates, like the governors of provinces, and inferior officers, as thofe that ar€ de- puted by him, and aft under his commifiion, in the feveral parts of his dominion, to execute the juft laws of the country, according to the ends for which God has appointed their authority ; as particularly for in- flicting deferved punifhment upon thofe that are im- moral and profane, difobedient to the juft laws of go- vernment, injurious to the lives and properties of o- thers, and difturbers of the public peace ; and for protecting, encouraging, favouring, and rewarding thofe who behave as becomes faithful fubjefts, and are orderly, fober, honeft, and benevolent in their ftations. (Rom. xiii. 3, — 5.) \ 15 For it is the declared will and command of God, and well-pleafing in his fight, that, by a regu- lar and commendable courfe of life, ye difprove, and flop the mouth of unreafonable and wicked calumnies, which men of weak and prejudiced minds, who are Ilrangers to God, and to your true character, would raife a gain ft you and your religion, as if it made you bad fubjefts. 16 It is his will, that ye conduft in fuch a mm- ner, as becomes thofe, who, as his free men, are in- deed delivered from the tyranny of fin and Satan, and from the ceremonial yoke, and the cuife of the moral law ; and are free from all obligations to fubmit to impofitions upon confcience by any authority of men : And he requires, that ye never turn this liberty into licentioufnefs ; nor make pretences of afferting it, as a cover to fedition and wickednefs, (rr.g xocx.ix$) or any malignant evil whatfoever ; but that ye nfe it only for inch good purpofes, as God approves of in them that are his JbrvaKls, as well as free-men ; and are bound to do every thing in obedience to him, as your fu- preme Lord and King, who has the higheft demands upon you, and enjoins the duty ye owe to him, and to others, according to his will. 1 7 Under this conviction therefore, fee that ye e- fleem, and pay a fin'table refpeft, on every occafion, to all ye hay€ to do with, according to their feveral ranks and Rations, whether they be high or lc*v, rich or poor, Chriitians or heathens, as far as any commend- able 6 4 The Flrfl Epidle of Chap. ii. iS Servants be fubjefifc to your matters with all fear, not only to the good and gen able thing appears in them. Entertain and exprefs the mod affe&ionate love to your believing brethren of all denominations, as members of Chrift, and of the houfhold of faith together with yourfelves. Do every thing with a religious, filial, and reverential fear of God, and of offending him, like true worfhippers of him, who always arft with a conference void of offence toward God and toward men. Upon this principle, and as far as is confident with it, behave as loyal fub- jefts in paying all civil homage and refpect to the per- fon and office of the chief ruler, as fuch, whom God in his providence has invefted with legal dignity and authority over you, even though, like Nero the pre- fent emperor, he be a heathen prince and inveterate enemy to Chriftianity. t8 As to thofe of you who are (oiy.iTca) houf- hold fervants of- every rank, whether flaves or not, that may be perfuaded to think yourfelves no longer obliged to pay obedience to unbelieving matters, it tie, but alfo to the certainly is your duty to be humbly fubmifiive to their froward. lawful orders, with a becoming reverence of them, whatever be their religious character ; and to ferve them with fidelity, and fear of offending them, and of offending God, by difobedience to their juft com- mands. (Co/, iii. 2 2.) This duty is to be paid, not only to fuch maflers as are generous, kind, meek, and merciful in their temper and behaviour ; but even to thofe alfo, who are auftere and morofe in their carriage to their fervants, efpecially if it be only becaufe they are Chriftians. 1 9 For it is matter of praife, and favours of a gra- cious fpirit, and is (^^ and waS contemptuoufly fpit upon, he threatened not- and derided under the mock-title of a king, never re- hut committed turned the leaft opprobrious language upon his info- himfelf to him l ent anQ « impious adverfaries ; when he fuffered the teoufi JUdgCth righ " utmoft indi g nItIes and barbarities in the judgment- hall, and at his death, he never difcovered the leaft impatience, nor threatned to avenge himielf, as he juftly might, and eafily could, upon his perfecutors; but meekly and calmly referred himfelf and his caufe to his heavenly Father ; trulling in him to give righ- teous judgment between himfelf and his crucificrs ; and at the fame time praying, that, inftead of aveng- ing their wickednefs in murdering him, he would gracioufly forgive them, through his atoning blood : (fee Ifa. liii. 7. and Luke xxiii. 34.) 24 Who his own 24 Who, being finlefs in himfelf, not only left a ielf bare our fms rnatchlefs example of patience in his fufferings ; but in chear fully NOTE. * Thofe copies, that read (vxte vyw, called— that- ye fiould follow his fteps vjttv) for you — leaving you an exam- are exprefled by verba of the fecond fer- ple. feem beft to comport with the ftruc- Jon plural, (ek^h^te, — runnin g aftra y from Go °V Shepherd and Bi- f rom ms ^o\6, ordinances, and commandments ; and mop of your fouls, running from the ways of truth, righteoufnefs, and peace, into every finful and dangerous path that leads to eternal deftruc~tion : But now, through the enlightening and renewing operations of the Spirit, by means of the gofpel, (am you, who have your own infirmities to be borne with by hei ; though' (he, being or a deli- cate, weak, and tender frame, may be more liable to other ?o The Firfl Epijlle of Chap. iii. other infirmities of body or rnind, that call for your companion toward her, and your bearing with her. And ye ought to be the rather induced to this, as confidering that, in cafe (he be a Chriftian, fhe, in fpiritual concerns, is upon a level with you ; ye being jointly heirs alike of all heavenly happinefs, which is the beft of life, and the gift of God's free grace e- qually to you both ; and that, if fne be an unbelie- „, ver, your behaviour toward her ought to be in fuch an endearing manner, as, by the bleffing of God, fhall win her over to the faith of Chrift, that flic, through the riches of divine grace, may be an heir- cfs with you of eternal glory ; and fo may not be fowred in her temper, and prejudifed againft joining with you, morning and evening, in family-prayer ; and that important duty may neither be neglected, nor uncomfortably and unprofitably performed ; nor your fpfrits be put out of frame for a due difcharge of it ; nor any of your prayers, whether focial or fecret, • may be prevented, or defeated, through your morofe, imperious, and unchriftian temper and behaviour to- ward her. 8 Finally, be ye 8 In fine, as to the duties which equally concern J U . ot * one m ' nd ' y° u a11 in every fituation of life, as believers in Chrift, having companion ; , . / . 7 , ' one of another ia bour to cultivate a mutual agreement in the great love as brethren, do&rines and duties of the gofpel, and a harmonious be pitiful, be cour- temper, feelingly fympathizing (crvpieekfaiq) one with a- nother in all afflictions ; maintain and exercife an affec- tionate brotherly fpirit in difpofition, thought, word, / and deed, towards each other, as becomes children of the fame heavenly Father ; fhew the tendered bowels of compaflion to thofe that labour under weak- neifes, infirmities, or troubles of any kind, whether fpiritual or temporal ; and let all your carriage one towards another, and towards all men, be affable, friendly, and engaging, (QihvpqMeg) to recommend religion to all around you, by (hewing what a fweet influence it has upon your hearts and behaviour. 9 Not rendering g Never fuffer yourfelves to meditate revenge by evil for evil or d j n g an {}} turn to thofe that have injured you ; nor bnV^contrariwife' eV( ^ rev ^ e thofe that have reviled you ; remembering bJefling ; knowing what a noble example of this fort Chrift has fet for that ye are there- your imitation : [chap. ii. 23.) But on the contrary, unto called, that f ce t » iat ve }jk e n j m anc j * n ODef Jience to his com- mand, [Matth. v. 4. and Luke xxiii. 34.) pray for bleflings to thofe who curfe you, and defpitefully ufe you ; knowing that ye, as Chriftians, are called by divine grace, and obliged by the example and autho- rity of Chrift, to give into this amiable temper and be- haviour, to the end that (im) ye, as the children of God and of his own likenefs, may inherit, in tempo- rals ye Qiould inherit bleffing Chap. iii. Peter paraphrajed. 71 rals and fpirituals, whatever mall be a bleffing to you in this life, as well as everlafting blifs and glory in that which is to come. 10 For he that 10 For evea as to this prefent world, whoever he will love life, and ^ e t ^ it j 8 defirous of enjoying life with comfort, and h!m g0< refram S ' his fe ein g man Y da Y s of profperity and peace upon earth ; tongue from evil, his bed way for attaining this end, is to fall in with and his lips that the divine directions of the following purport, ( Pf. they ipeak no xxx j v . 12, — 1 6.) Let him bridle his tongue, and ceafe from all profane and filthy fpeaking, and from all opprobrious language ; and keep the door of his lips from uttering falfehood, or deceit of any kind. 11 Let him ef- 1 1 Let him have an abhorrence of, and carefully a- chew evil, and do vo {& eve ry thing that is finful in itfelf, or prejudicial S mcV knd^nftie t0 ° therS ; and P raaife ever y tllin S that h {n its own ltt ' nature good, and beneficial to all whom he has to do with ; let him feek the things that make for peace, and do what in him lies, confident with a good con- ference, to promote it in all civil and religious focieties ; in his family, among his neighbours, friends, and ene- mies, and between himfelf and them ; and let him fhi- dioufly and fteadily follow after this extenfive peace by all prudent and honourable means, and earneftly purfue it when it feems to flee from him, that, through the divine favour, he may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinefs and honeily in this world, till he arrive at the glory of abetter. (See Matth. v. 9. and Jam. iii. 18.) 12 For the eyes 12 For the great Lord of all, whofe eyes run to of the Lord are ari{ j f ro throughout the whole earthy to fliew himfelf open unto their kingdom rules over a//> (2 Chron. xvi. 9. and PI. ciii. prayers: but the 19.) takes fpecial notice of, bears a peculiar affection face of the Lord is t0j an( j eX ercifes a kind and watchful care in his pro- dfevi! them ^^ vIdence over thofe that are rJ g ht * 0US ^ his fight through Jefus Chrift, and are upright in their hearts and lives ; and he is gracioufly attentive, like one who liilens with an open ear, to the voice of their Amplications, that are offered up with humility, faith, and fervour, for help againft their opprefiive enemies, and for fhewing them feafonable mercy of a temporal as well as fpiritual nature, according to what he fees to be heft for them. But the indignation of ihe Lord, like that which appears in the ft'ern, angry, and" wrathful countenance of a powerful and provoked enemy, is utterly averfe to, and burns againft all evil- doers, as a deteitable generation, to cut off the remem- brance of them from the earth. (Pfal. xxxiv. 16.) 13 And who is 1 g And as the Lord bears theft contrary difpofi- }.e that will harm t j ons x< war( ^ fa righteous and the wicked, which are you, if ye ^0^- a jj in j^ h an d S j an d un der his dominion, where is the w creature, 72 lowers of that which is good ? The Fhji Epijlle of Chap. iii. 14 But and if ye fuffer for righ- teoufnefs fake, happy are ye : and be not afraid of their terror, neither be trou- bled; 15 But fandtify the Lord God in your hearts : and be ready always to give an anfwer to every man that alketh you a iea- fon of the hope that is in you, with meeknefs and 16 Having a good confcience ; that creature, whether man or devil, that (hall be permit- ted to deftroy your trueft happinefs, or work your ruin, or bring any greater hardfhips upon you than ye fhall be enabled to bear, and triumph over with ho- nour and advantage, if, in an entire dependence on him, and devotednefs to him, ye be imitators (tk etyxBs fupnlxt) of God in his goodnefs and holi- nefs, or of any one who, from a confcience toward God, doth that which is benevolent and acceptable to him ? This will keep you out of harm's way, and ye will be fafe under his care. And what monfter of human nature can be fuppofed fo very wicked and cruel, as to feek the hart of fuch an inoffenfive and beneficent neighbour ? 14 But if, after all, the providence of God fhould fuffer you to come under the feverities and reproach- es of malignant adverfaries, on account of your righte- ous and religious character, as profefibrs of Chriil and his gofpel ; ye are neverthelefs exceeding happy in his favour and love under fuch outward calamities : And ye ought not to be terrified at their threatenings, or at the worft they can do againft you ; nor be filled with difcouragement, confirmation, and confufion in your own minds, as though they would turn to your real difgrace and ruin. 1 5 But ftill keep up high and honourable thoughts of the Lord Jehovah, with a holy reverential fear of him, (Ifa. viii. 12, 13.) and with an entire truft, in his infinite wifdom, power, mercy, and faithfulnefs for your fecurity, and for ordering all events to your e- verlafting honour and joy: (Matih. v. 10, — 12.) And, with this dependence upon him, (land prepared at all times to make your apology (uTroXoyw) by word and deed, in defence of your Chriftian faith and confidence, to every one, who, either in a court of ju- dicature, or in familiar converfation, or with a re- ligious intent for his own or other Chriftians fatisfac- tion, defires a reafonable account of the grounds of your hopes of falvation according to the gofpel, for which ye willingly fuffer : And let this be done with a meek and modeft air, temper of fpirit, and manner of exprefiion ; and with a ferious gravity and humble reverence of God, and jealoufy over yourfelves, left ye offend him by behaving in any way difhonourable to him, by concealing the truth, or faying any thing contrary to it ; as alfo with a cautious fear of offending any perfons by fpeaking difrefpectfully to them, whe- ther magiftrates or others, who may infift on fuch an account. 1 6 Herein exerctfinp yourfelves ', to have always a confcience void of offence toward God and man ; (Ads Chap. iii. Peter paraphnfecl. 73 that whereas they (Acts xxiv. 1 6.) And holding the myfiery of faith fpeak evil of you, tf2 a p ure confeience, (i Tim. iii. 9.) that can re- they°may be ' aTa ' fle moil eminent dignity and honour at the right hand of "d j^2?3S the Ma J eft y on hi « h > 1% the notc ° n Aas 1 *i\ made fubjeft unto and is inveited with all authority in heaven and earth ; him. the good and evil angels of every rank, and all the ru- lers and potentates of this world, being placed in an abfolute fubje&ion to him, that he may order and go* vern, commifhon or reitrain them, and make them one way or other fubferve his own and his Father's glory, and the good ol his people, a* he is head over all things to the church. (Eph. i. 21, 22.) RECOLLECTIONS. When believing wives, like Sarah, Abraham's contort, are cloathed with, and more felicitous about the inward ornaments of the never-fading charms or modefty, meeknefs and humility, from a principle ot trait in God, than about the deckings of rich and fplendid attire; and when they pay a relpecttul lubjechon to their own huibands in all lawful things, how amiable is their character ! How acceptable to God and winning upon even Inch hufbands as disregard his word ! And with what honour, humanity, and tendemeb, under all their intirm'ities, ihould believing huibands treat them, that thry may live together as co heirs ol the grace ot lite, and their prayers may not be hindered '. Per/anal as well as relative duties are incumbent on all the difciples of Jefus. They Qiould be as harmonious, as poffible, in important fentin.ent, and mutual atVecti-jn ; and Ihould be coropaffionate, kind, and courteous towards ail men : never retaliating injuries, or opprobrious language, L a but j6 The Firjl Epijlle of Chap. iv. but rather wiiliing all good even to thofe who ufe them ill, as knowing that this is a duty to which they are called, in order to their own inheriting a bleffing. And O how neeeilary is it for their prelent peace and comfort, to refrain from all evil in word and deed, and to purfue the good of others, and the things that make for peace ! Who can rind in his heart to hurt luch an inoffenfive, generous, and be- ne vulent Christian, or can compafs his eternal ruin ! There is a natural tendency in his engaging behaviour to make his yaffage eafy through this world ; and God himself has a ipecial care of him, to gnard him from mifchief, and fhew him favour; and to hear his cries in diftreis, and pour confufion upon his enemies. If he fuffers tor righteoufnefs fake, he need not be terrified at what his perfecutors can threat- en, or do againft him; but ihould be ready to give an account, with modefty and reverence, of the grounds of his Ghriftian hope, on all proper occafions ; and ought to difplay its happy influence upon him, in conftantly maintaining a good con- ference and holy converfation, by the grace of God, to the filencing and framing of al! that would invidioufly dander him And O how much better is it to fuflfer in a good, than in a bad caule ' And how chearfully fhould believers fubmit to the greateft hardfhips, that by divine permiflion, may betal them ' To animate them hereunto, Let them confider that the holy Jefus willingly fuffered in his human nature the moft terrible death of the crofs in their room and ftead, to make atone- ment for their fins, and bring them to God and glory; and that he was raifed a- gain by the Divine Spirit, and is now exalted at the Father's right hand in heaven , with full authority over all angels, men and devils, and every rank of creatures, to reftrain or employ them as may be moft for the fecurity and happinefs of his peo- ple. And O how great is his falvation, which is fignified by the ordinance of bap- t: th ! But it really belongs only to thofe, whofe hearts, as purified by faith, cor- refpond to the meaning and obligation of that facred fign, is a fort of antitype to that which Noah and his family had in the ark. Dil'obedient iinners fhall indeed perifh, like die ungodly world, with whom Chrift Itrove by his Spirit in the warn- ings that were given them by Noah's miniftry, with all long-fuffering for an hun- dred and twenty years together, who now, for their impenitence and unbelief, are mut up in an eternal hell, as the moft doleful of all prit'ons : But they who believe in the rilen Saviour, be they fewer or more, '(hall, by virtue derived from him, be raifed to a blifslul immortality, and dwell with him for ever in heaven. O what a fweet fupport and comfort are thele thoughts to all fuffering faints under the hea- vier! tribulations, which they may be called to endure for his fake ! CHAP. IV. The apefi'e improves the conjicteration of Chrifian fuffering s, for pu- rity and holinefs in heart and life, I, — 6. and of the approaching dijfolntion of the Jewifh fate, for fobriety, watchfulnefs, prayer, and mutual love, and for a faithful difcharqe of religious trufs, 7, — 11. and cautions believers againfl expofing themfehes to punijh- merits for 4heir own faults ; but encourages them to rejoice and glory in reproaches and fuffering s fur Chrifl, infiead of being fur- prijeJ or difmayed at them ; and to commit their fouls, in a courfe of well-doing, to the care of a faithful God, 12, — 19. T;:\-r. Paraphrase. y 'ra much then "VTOW, to return from the digiefiion about ChriiVs as Chnft hath 1M preying in tlie miniftry of Noah, Sec. (chap. lufff-red for us in ... l x 6 ,,. . . J , T ,- 1 V !i, arm your- In * x 9» — 22 *J oince the immaculate Jelus has lo pa- Mvtv like wif- with tiently and extremely fuffered in his body for us, who the fame mind : believe in him, that he might expiate our fins, (chap. U>r he thttf hath fa l8 | an( j nQW nQ j bears t] ^ 1 dJd be- fuffered jn the fleto, c / 1 ^ •• , r . .u- c re • n. • ha ,jj fore, (cha/i. 11. 24. ) Let this fortity you againlt im- patience Chap. iv. Peter paraphrafed. 77 hath ceafed from patience and faintings under your trials for his fake, fin; that ye may be armed againtl them by a holy fub- miflion and intrepidity of fpirit, after his noble and endearing example: For whoever has cruajied the old man, the body of Jin, or ihejfe/h iviih iti ajf'cBions and lujis, according to the defi^n, and in virtue of the death of Chrift, (Rom. vi. 6. and GaL v. 24.) * and has willingly and patiently iuffcred fiery trials for his fake, and in conformity to him, (ver. 12, 13.) in his mortal body ; fuch a Chriilian has renounced all his former iinful principles and practices, is cru- cified to them, utterly difallows and abhors them, and with full purpofe of heart has departed from them ; e That he 110 2 That he may no longer go on, as formerly, to longer mould live c 1 ... • \ r i_- j • „r u j «. „ the reft of his time *P ena tfie remainder 0I his days in the body at an un- in the fleflh to the g°dly and immoral rate, in a courfe of life that is a- lafts of men, but greeable to the, corrupt affections and defires of car- lo the will 01 God. na i men> b ut { n a \\ h }y difpofitions, defigns, and con- verfation, according to the will and command of God, as may be mod for his glory, and well-pleafing in his fight. 3 For the time 3 Yor we have too long wailed the precious hours paft of our life may f Hf e already, and ought to think it more than e- iUrhcc us to nJivc / ' . o wrought the will nou g n > " tnat we n ,ave employed them in compliance* of the Gentiles, with the wicked inclinations and practices of our hea- when we walked then neighbours, to whom we, and efpecially the in lalciviouinefs Gen life-converts amongft us, conformed ourfelves ; wine VeveliW! when in our fiate of unregeneracy, we indulged, and banqueting*, and perfifted in wanton dalliances, as expreffed by our looks, abominable idola- words, and geftures ; in criminal propenfions and pur- tnes - fuits after unlawful embraces ; in immoderate drinking of wine, or other ftrong liquors ; in gormandizings (Ko^o;?) and riotiugs ; in luxurious caroufings ; and in idolatrous worfhip, which is not only unlawful and deteftable in itfelf, but alfo on account of the fhame- ful lewdnefs, gluttony, drunkennefs, and other vices that attended it, particularly among the heathens : 4 Wherein they 4 With refpect to which, they wonder what is think it ftrange come t0 vou> that ve h avc nt>w f unexpectedly for- wkh ^Herti'to the ^ a ^ en their company, and do not ftill run along with fame excefs of riot, them into the fame diiTolute and profufe indulgences fpeaking evil of to all manner of luxury and intemperance, as ye were y ou •* wont, and they continue to do with guilty pleafure, and without remorfe : And hereupon they vilify you and your religion, as though it has made you the mod NOTE. * As the jleJJ) is fometiraes taken, in tbejleflj, may be confide red in either of a literal feme, for the body; and at o- thole views, as in the paraphrafe; one or thers, in a figurative fenfe, for the cor- other of which feems more natural tome ruption of human nature, (fee the note than any that I have met with. itn Gal. v. 19) He that has Jujfered in 7* The Firjl Epiftle of 5 give Who (hall account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For, for this caufe was the gof- pel preached alio to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the fielh, but live according to God in the Spi- rit. y But the end of all things is at hand: be ye there- fore lbber, and watch unto pray- er. Chap. iv a moft unfociable, itiff, precifc, and^mourfome crea- tures, that are not fit for common fociety, and ought to be the objefts of their contempt and fcorn. 5 Who, whatever they think of the matter now, fhall moft certainly be called to a Uriel account for ail their ungodly deeds and hard fpteches ; (Jude, ver. 15.) and muft anfwer for them to that great Lord, on whom all their reproaches of you for his fake ultimately fall ; and who has all authority, and will ere long appear, to pafs and execute a decifive fentence upon the whole world, even upon all that (hall be living on the earth, and that mall be found among the dead and raifed again, at the laft day, to the joy of the faints and terror of his enemies. (John v. 27,-29.) 6 For this is the end for which the gofpel was. preached to thofe believers, who are now the dead in Chri//, ( 1 ThefT. iv. 16.) as well as to thofe who are ftill living upon earth, that they* by a divine power attending it, being thoroughly mortified and dead to their former finful inclinations and courfes of life, might be eventually cenfured and condemned, and even put to death, for their novel and unfociable principles and behaviour, as being judged according to the dictates of corrupt nature, and of mere natural men ; but that they might really live after a fpiritual and joyful manner, by a holy conformity to the image and will of God in their renewed fouls, as be- ing quickened from the death of iin to the life of righteoufnefs, and afiifted by his Spirit, to do the things that are pleafing in his fight through Jjefus Chrift ; and might at laft be raifed up to a glorious and immortal life, by his Spirit that dwells in them, (Rom. viii. 11.) 7 But confider, for your encouragement and cau- tion under prefent and future trials, that all the fcenes, which lie before you in this world, will foon be over and gone : The Jewijh ftate and nation, tem- ple, city and worfhip, will quickly come to their fi- nal period, according to our blefled Lord's predic- tion ; (Luke xix. 43, 44.) the death of every one of you is near at hand ; yea, and in comparifon with e- ternity, the day is drawing on a-pace, when the earth and all things in it (hall be diflolved. {2 Pet. iii. 10, 11.) It therefore greatly behoves you, in this view and profpeft, to be wife, fober, and tem- perate in all things relating to your pafiions, appe- tites, and enjoyments; and to be conftantly upon your watch againft temptations, and all the workings of in- dwelling corruption, and for all ailiftances of the Spi- rit, that ye may be in a right frame for prayer, and may Chap. iv. Peter paraphrafed. 79 jriay readily fall in with all occafional as well as ftat- ed feafons of addrefling the throne of grace for every needful bleffing, and particularly for prefervation from fin, and from troubles, or for fuccour under them, and a fan&ified ufe of them, and deliverance in due time out of them all. 8 And above all 8 And let it be your governing concern to culti- thmgs have fer- va t e a warrn , brotherly, and cordial affection one to- y^uVelveT^fof wards a ™ ther > (^ m ; xIi - 9> IO Specially in peril- charity (hall co- ous <^ a ys, as being influenced to it by the fuperla- ver the multitude tive love of God in Chrift to you : For as he, in the •f ^ ns * greatnefs of his love, has freely forgiven and covered all your trefpafies, that none of them may be brought into judgment againft you ; (Eph. iv. 32.) fo a fin- cere and ardent love in you towards oie another for Chrift's fake, and in obedience to his command, will infpire you with a forgiving temper toward your bre- thren, and hide their numerous failings from your own refentment, that ye may kindly overlook, and be careful to conceal them from, inftead of expofing them to others. (1 Cor. xiii. 4, — 7.) 9 Ufe hofpitali- 9 As another token of love, be ready to exercife ty one to another a fl manner of kindnefs, and to give all feafonable af- without grudging. fift ances ne towards another, and particularly in en- tertaining religious ftrangers, who travel abroad for fpreading the gofpel, or fufFer lofs for Chrift, or are forced to fkulk. about, through the violence of the times, or are call among you by any providence ; chearfully receive, and generoufly relieve fuch as thefe, without reluctance, or thinking much at the expence. 10 As every mao 10 And as aj.1 talents for public offices, as well as hath received the private capacities of ufefulnefs in the church, are the gift, eptn fo mini- free . ft of God kt £ Qne that • f avoured wkh iter the fame one . 6 , c ' { ,' . to another, as good them, be caretul to employ them, in proportion to ftewardsof the ma- what he has received, for the advantage and edifica- nifold grace of tion one of another, as perfons entrufted with, and God * accountable to their great Lord and Matter for the various gifts and endowments which he has graciouJT- ly bellowed upon them, that they may manage them with wifdom and faithfulnefs, like honourable ftew- ards, (kxXoi oikgvo/iaoi) for the good of the church, for which he gave them. ti If any man n If an y one be Called to the office of preaching, fpeak, let him j et ^ m atten j to the facred writings of divine reve- cles of ? Gocl' e ifl- lotion, that he may deliver nothing but what is a- ny man m'inifter, greeable to them, and may faithfully declare the itt him do it as of mind and will of God, according to them, in fuch a fe- the ahihty which r i ou8j foiemn and reverential, fervent, fpiritual and ^-ivtth: that j l0 ]y ma nner, as becomes them : If another be called t« So The Firjl Epijlle of Chap. iv. God in all things t tne office of a deacon, * to colled, take care of, may be gloried and diftr ; bute the church's flock, for the relief of the through felu^ , . - , . . n . , _ Chn'ft; to whom be P 00r » the maintenance of the miniftry, and defray- praife and domi- ing the neceffary expences of divine ordinances, let r,ion for ever and him attend to his charge with all fidelity, prudence, evsr. Amen. tendernefs, and diligence, according to the ability of body, and mind that God has furnifiied him with, and according to the proportion of contributions and of the cafcG committed to his care ; to the end that all the temporal as well as fpiritual affairs of the church may be conducted in fuch a manner as fhall be mofl for the glory of God, and the magnifying of his great name, with fuch thankfgivings and praifes from the difpenfers and receivers of the benefit, as are ac- ceptable to him, through the mediation, merit, and advocacy of Jefus Chriil, to whom, and to the Fa- ther through him, may all grateful acknowledgments and honours be paid, and univerfal power, authority, and dominion afcribed, to the endlefs ages of eternity ! In teftimony of our earneft defire and joyful affurancc of its being fo, let us unanimoufly join our Amen. t a Beloved, think I2 My dear fuffering brethren, while ye reflect on ^nfn^thT fier" the im P erfeaion of your prefent flate, and the depra- trS^which is^o vlt Y °*" mankind, which fills their hearts with enmity try you, as though to God and godlinefs, and on our Lord's forewarn- fome ftrange thing ,' n g you, that in the world ye fhall have tribulation, happened unto DUt Yh a ll have peace in him, who has overcome the world, (John xvi. 33.) ye ought not to be difcou- raged or furprifed at the feverell perfecutions that can befal you, which, in allufion to the approaching con- flagration of Jerufa/em> may be called fiery trials ; and which, as they are defigned of God, not to de- ftroy, but to refine you, are like a furnace to try the fincerity of, and purify your graces, and purge away your drofs, even all your fin. {If. i. 25. and xxvii. 9. and xlviii. 10.) I entreat you not to be difmayed at them, as though they were unexpected and uncom- mon things, and foreign to the methods of God's love to his own dear children ; and as though ye were dealt hardly with in being called to fuffer them. ij But rejoice 13 But rather reckon upon them, think of them, in as much as ye an j ftand prepared to meet them, with holy joy ; for fVuV^fuffcriiips'* as mucn as y our L° r 6! and Saviour fympathizes with that a hen bis glo- you in all yout afflictions, and counts them his own ; . iy fhall be «veal : [Mat. xxv. 40, 45. and ARs ix. 4.) and ye therein eJ , are N O T E. * If any man minifter, or deaconzze, though they alfo may be expended, one (Si*v.ovtt ') items moft immediately to re- to Chriftian conference, and the other to late to the deacon's office, in diftinclion charitable contributions, in private cap?.- from that of public preaching; (fee the cities, notes on Ails vi. %. and Rom. xii. 7.) Chap. iv. Peter parapW"fed. 8 f ed, ye maybe glad arc made conformable to his fufFering=! for you, to the alio with exceed- en£ l t hat when he mail appear in all his glory at the mgjoy. j a fl. ^^ y e ma y ^ D { c € w { ^ fo £$u}$ttipn and triumph in, and together with him. [Rom. viii. 17. Col. iii. 4. and 2 Tim.'iu 12.) 14 If ye be re- 14. If ye be upbraided and vilified for your holy preached for the pro f e fli on of Chrift's name, and yet take it patiently, name of Chnft, r , . . . . ,. " • 1 ir j *.' 1 r happy are ye: for an " even re J 01cc in ll > tnis 1S a bleficd token or your the fpirit df glory, union and communion with him, and will, through and of God refteth his merit and grace, turn to your own richeit account. upon vou: on their For the Sp ; r ; t of q q ^ who> as a d ; v ; ne per f on , may Co": baton ytr wcU be ft y led **• *** °f S^' ™ ^ f^f ^r part he is glorifi- Son are called the Father of %/orv, and the Lord of " on account of his profefiion of Chrift, and doing but let him glorify tne duties belonging to it, he has no caufe, nor ought God on this be- he to look upon them as a real difgrace, or as what k aIf * he need be afhamed of: But, on the contrary, he mould etfeem them as an honour conferred upon him, which he may well glory in, and glorify God for, with a chearful fubmiffion to his will, and the difpofals of his over-ruling providence, who counts him worthy to fujfer Jlmme for the name of Chrift, (A6ts v. 41.) and enables him to undergo falfe imputations, and the fhai-peft trials, in fuch a manner, as may be moffc to the honour and praife of his Lord and Saviour. 17 For the time i« For the time is juft now at hand, when not on- menT rnift 1 bf ?n ly the tem P le > God ' 8 ancI ent habitation at Jerufa/em, •it the houfe of ma ^ ^ e * a ^ wa ^ e » m n * s righteous judgment, accord- God: and ifv it ing to Chrift's prediction ; (Luke xxi. 6.) but his New firft begin at us, Teftament-church, which was typified by that houfe of what fhdl the end Q d ? a nd m which he dwells in a more fpiritual man- bey not X'gofcel ? er ' malrbe g m t0 b « moft remarkably vifited with try- f God ? i n g difpenfations of providence for their correction and amendment, though for the elecVs fake thofe days of tribulation mall be (hortened : (Mot. xxiv. 9, 21, 22.) And if fuch fevere difcipline begin firil of all to be ex- ercifed on us, who are the habitation of God through the Spirit, (Eph. ii. 22.) even as his judgments of old began athisjantluary, (Ezek. ix. 6.) what can be ex- pected, but that his wrath mould go forth to the ut- moft extremity againft the wicked and ungodly, who, through their obftinacy and unbelief, disregard and re- ject the gofpel of the ever bleffed God, as it foon will, in a moft dreadful manner, againft the whole body of the refractory Jews ? iS And if the ig ^ n d if, in thefe perilous times, they who are in be h fHved f °vX!-e a ftate cf favour vvkh God through faith in the righte- fhall *the ' ungodly ou ^ ne ^ s °f Chrift, and are renewed and fan&iried by his and the firmer ap- Spirit unto holy obedience, mall have a narrow, though pear ? fure efcape, by the interpofitions of divine providence and grace, like perfons/#7W as by fire, ( 1 Cor. iii. 15.) and like Paul and his company, who fc-arcely, or ninth much ado, (poXis) came at the boat for their pre- fervation ; (ABs xxvii. 16.) * how difmal muit the condition NOTE. * The fatoatiort, here fpolcen of, feems chapter is to prepare and fortify believers from the tvhoie current of the context to againft the fevereft fufierings for Chrift, be, mofdy at leu ft, of a temporal na- and the dreadful calamities that were fure: For the principal defi^a oi this coming upon the Jewijfj church and ' ftate Chap. iv. Peter paraphrafed. 83 condition of thofe impenitent and unbejieving finners be, who periift in their impieties and iniquities, and are out of favour with God, and fit fuel for his wrath ? Where can they find any retreat for fafcty ? Where mail they dare to lift up their guilty heads, or be a- ble to appear ? Or where can they expecft, and where rauft they be obliged to appear ? Their end mult cer- tainly be for ever inexprefiibly miferable ; there can be no hiding-place for them, when God fhall come 4 to deal in righteoufnefs with them. to Wherefore, 19 Upon the whole therefore, in reflection upon let them that Cut- t hefe awful events, which carry fo much encouragement the wnT'of^od to y ou as ^' ls people, and fo much terror to his and commit the keepl your enemies, let them who endure perfecutions and ing of their fouls afflictions under the over-ruling providence of God, to him in well do- according to his appointment, and who bear them, by fuf Creator* * "' *" ^ anf ift ance of his Spirit, in fuch a manner as is plea- ting to him, commit their lives and fouls, and all their concerns, for time and eternity, by faith to him, in a courfe of holy walking with him, and of doing good to friends and enemies, and to all about them ; trufting in him through Jems Chrift, as faithful to his promi- fes of fafcty and happinefs in the word of times, and as the Almighty Creator and Preferver, who is able to perform them. RECOLLECTIONS. How animating is a conficleration of the extremity and defign of Chrift's fuffer- ings to determine us againft all compliances with the femual indulgences of men of carnal minds; and to be conformable to the holy will of God ! Do our old compa- nions wonder at, and revile us, for not running any longer, as we .vere wont, into the fame excefs of riot with them ? Let both parties coniider, that every one mail give an account of his own behaviour, whether good or bad, to the great Judge of all, who will determine in favour of thofe that are quickened from fpiritual death by means of the gofpel, which indeed brings them under the cenfure of men that judge according to the fle(h ; but leads them into a life ofholinefs, according to the will of God, by the power of his Spirit. How fhould the near approach of tri- bulations and death excite us to fobriety, watchfulnefs, and prayer, to all exerci- fes of brotherly love and hofpitality, and to a faithful improvement, like good Rew- ards of the manifold gifts and talents, in public or private capacities, which God in his free favour has given us, that they may be employed to his glory through Jefus Chrift ! Let Chriftians take heed that they never bring fufferings on them- fclves, by their own finful and injurious behaviour; or by prying and intruding like buly-bodies, into other people's affairs, in (lead of minding their own. But as we, who would cleave unto the Lord, may expect to meet with fiery trials for Ins fake, we ought not to be furprized, or affrighted at them ; but fhould rather re- M 2 juice N O T .E. flate ai the conflagration of Jei rttjaleut, be underflood only of the extreme dilli- which it is fuppoied was then within a- culties, troubles, fuflerings, and appa- bout fix or feven years at hand ; and, in rent dangers, through which the righte- ailufion to which, the calamities of thofe ous were to pafs in their way to heave:), days are called fiery trials, and the end and not of any real hazard, as to the e- cf all things is laid to be at hand. (ver. vent, with refpect to the purpofc, pio- 7, 12.) But if we make it refer to a mife and p'oWBr of God for accoatj J'piritual and eternal jalvathn, it 84 The Firft Epiftle of Chap. v. joice and glory in them, as an honour put upon us, while we are called and ena- bled to glorify him, by bearing them in an honourable manner, through the Spi- rit of glory's retting upon us, and making us conformable to Chrift in his fuffenngs, that we may triumph with exceeding joy, when he fhall appear in all his glory, and we (hall be glorified together with him. But if the righteous themfeives muft paii through great tribulations, for their correction and amendment, and God be- gin Jirft in an awful manner with them, that are his habitation through the Spirit, and they narrowly efcape out of imminent dangers, how dreadful muft the cafe of the finner and ungodly be, who rejects the gol'pel through unbelief: And where can they appear with fafety and comfort ? Their ruin mutt be unavoidable and in- iupportable. As ever therefore we would not perifli with them, may we, in a way or well-doing, commit our lives and fouls by faith, under all afflictions, to the care or that God, who is faithful to his promifes, and is able to fave his creatures, and to perform all things for them that truft in him. CHAP. V. l he aprflle exhorts and encourages elders to be chearful, dijinierejl- ed and humble, in a faithful dif charge of 'their office ; I, — 4. Di- recl.s younger Chrift ians to fnbmit to their elders, yea, all of them one to another ; and to yield, with humility and patience, to the band of God, and cajl all their care on him, and to be fober, watchful, andfedfaft in the faith againjl all the temptations of the devil, 5, — c,.. And then prays for their growth and efablijhment; and concludes with falutations, and a henediBion, 10, — 14. Text. PARAPHRASE. T H E e ' ders AS to thofe that are fpiritual guides or paftorSj mom* ov T^ a " chofen out of, and reiiding in your feveral chur- hort, who' am al- cnes > an d may be called elders, becaufe minifters ot fo an eider, ai.d si mature age and ftanding are ordinarily the mod pro- witnefs ot the of- ferings of Chrift, kef of the "lo-v con f cience > as being myfelf not a lord and mailer per to be put into that facred office ; I would direct my exhortation to fuch, and equally bind it upon my own that ihaii be i'e- but a fellow-elder and fervant of Chrift, though ho- veaied. noured with the apoftolic character: (2 Epi/7. i. 1.) And that they may pay the greater regard to what I am going to urge upon them, let them confider that I was an eye-witnefs of the bitter agonies and fuffer- . ings of Chrift in foul and body, (Mark xiv. 33, &c. and 54, &c.) and of their glorious iflues in his refur- re&ion from the dead; ( dels iii. 15.) and am now bold to bear my teftimony to them, and to their im- portant defign, by preaching, and by all manner of fuf- ferings for his Cake, and after his example, even at the peril NOTE. * This way of the apoftle Peter's ad- head of the church, commands with fo- dreft, frying, I exhort or entreat, t, ye feed his the overfightf/.'en?- * > , r , , / , , n /■ / r of, not by con- people with knowledge and under /landing, (Jer. ill. ftralnt, but will- 15.) even his lambs and his fheep, {John xxi. 15, ingly ; not for fil- j 6. ^ an d that (wyiavica) ye exercife a holy difcipline, thy lucre, .->ut o a accor ding to his word, in governing the church of ready mind : ,_ . 1,1 . , . . to n , r j 1 God, which he, in his incarnate itate, purchajed with his own blood, (Acts xx. 28.) and has committed, as his flock, to your patloral care under him, as the chief Shepherd : (ver. 4.) Act the part of good bifhops * in perfonally mfpeciting their principles, tem- per, and conduct, and in looking after all their fpiri- tual concerns with wifdom and meeknefs, fidelity, watchfulnefs and care ; and let this be done, not by any force upon your inclinations, or by fear of fhame among men, in cafe of neglect, but with freedom and delight, as matter of choice ; not, like the falle teach- ers, {Tit. i. 11.) with mercenary views to worldly advantages, which are fordid gains, and defiling to the conscience, and to the facred office of him who makes them his governing end ; but with a heart that is ready to engage in this delightful fervice, purely for the honour of Chrilt and the good of fouls. 3 Neither as be- 3 Nor let your important truil be managed with ant- ing lords over bitious views of honour to yourfelvcs, or in an imperi- Ood's heritage but haughty, domineering manner, as though ye were heme enfamplesto ? P J X l .u 1 • • .k C \.U me flock. ^ or " s anc * ''-aftei s, that have dominion over the taith and confeiences of the people of God's choice, whom, like Ifrael of old, [Dent. iv. 20. and ix. 29.) he lias made his peculiar inheritance, as it were by lot ; and who NOTE. * Thefe elders were to biJJjpp it, (f*«r- 3.) as diftinguifhed from pajiors ; and xore»v) or to exercife the office of bifj- thele officers are at other times del"- .bed ops over the flock; (fee the note on Acts as elders, that are to behave with gra- xx 17 ) which (hews that, though they vity and prudence, like aged and eipe- were only ordinary paftors, they were rienced men ; and at others, as hi/hops, the Chriftian bi/bops of the apoftolic age, that are to take the over fi^ht of the to fulfil all the duties of that office church : And fo all thefe are only differ- which is one and the lame in thofe that ent denominations, taken from fuch like are lpoken of is paftors or elders, who ronfiderationi of the fame office. 10 (Hcb. xiii. 10.) who has purehafed theinby his fnall receive a J r' v 1 r 1 1 1 • j crown of gloty blood, and lecures them by his power and grace, un- tbat fadeth not der whom ye act, and to whom ye are accountable, away, (hall appear on the throne of his glory to gather all nations before him, and mall fet his (beep at his right- hand, and pronounce them the bleffed of his Father, Sec. (Matth. xxv. 31, — 34.) Then ye, who are faithful to your truft, (hall receive an infinitely better reward, than all the riches of this world, or than the conquerer's withering garland of bays, olive, and flow- ers in the Grecian games. It mall be more durable and flourifhing than (ccftcc^uvnvov) a crown made of the flow- ers of amarinth, which it is faid, never fade ; even an immortal crown of honour and glory, which the Lord will gracioufly award unto you, as an uncorruptible and undefiled inheritance, that never fades or abates in worth or luitre. {Chap. i. 4.) 5 Likewife, ye ^ My exhortation, in like manner, to thofe of you younger, uibmit that are pr j va te church members, confuting moftly of yourselves unto the , r r r ~ .„. \.* ir °. t . J c elder : vea, all of the younger lort ot L-hnltians, * as alio to interiors 01 you be Tub/eel one every character, is, that ye be attentive and fubmiflive to another, and be to the admonitions, cautions, and reproofs of thofe that clothed witn nu - are of more advanced years, wifdom, experience, and fiite'th the proud" ^ at ^ on » an ^ particularly to thofe that are elders by of- and giveth grace 6ce, as fet over you in the Lord ; that ye treat their to the humble. perfons, characters, and inftructions, as far as they arc agreeable to the word of God, with due efteem and reverence : Yea, that all of you, in whatever relation ye ftand, behave with decency and refpect one towards another. Do not be ftiff and abounding in your own fenfe ; N O T E. * Elder and younger are fometimes feem to be principally intended by the ufed to fignify perfons of different age, elder in this verfe, which reprefents the as in 1 Tim. v. 1. (fee the note there) duty of the people toward them, in a and at others, younger is a denomination beautiful antiihefis by the word likewife. of inferiors in diftindion from fupcriors, (o^oius) But the younger, as far as I as iii Luke xxii. 26. But at other times, find, is never ufed as a term of office ; elders is a title of office, the fame with and that it is not to be taken in any fuch bi/hops or pa [tor s ; and that it is to be fenfe here, appears from there being no- fo underftood. iier. 1. is evident from the thing faid to them that relates to office- ■work, that the apoftle exhorts them to work, but only fuch things as are com- in the following veries, which is peculiar mon to them and all private Chriftians. to perfons of that character ; who alio Chap. Pe te r paraphrafcd. 87 6 Humble your- felves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you i« due time : 7 Calling all your care upon him, for he careth for you. fenfe ; but hearken to folic! arguments and kind re- proofs, from whomfoever they come ; and yield one to another, as far as is continent with your feveral ranks and fituations in the church, and in the natural and civil life : And, to make thefe duties the more ea- fy and pleafant to you, fee that ye be endued with unfeigned humility, and as it were covered all over with it, as a beautiful ornament to add a vifible luilre .to all your other graces, like a mining upper gar- ment that fpreads over all the reft, and hides their de- feds. And to induce you to cultivate this amiable grace, remember that a haughty fpirit is fo uncrea- turely and unchriftian-like, fo abfolutely unbecoming finful mortals, and fo contrary to your relation to God, and entire dependence upon him, that he fets himfelf, as it were in battle-array, (xvTtlx. iv. 7.) and unto the performance of all the duties of your places, and againil temptations that would draw you into fin and apoftacy ; ( 1 Tbe/T iii. 5 . ) becaufe your bufy and powerful adverfary the devil, that accufer of the bre- thren, (Rev. xii. 10.) like a fierce, favage, and hun- gry lion, greedy of his prey, is indefatigably reftlefs in his contrivances and endeavours, continually going to and fro in the earth, (Job 1. 7.) to try how far he may be permitted, by perfecutions, frauds, and evil fugge {lions, to wound, rend, and tear, and ruin immortal fouls ; though, bleffed be God, he, being under Chrift's controul, cannot compafs his defign of deftroying all whom he would, or of plucking any- one of the Redeemer's fheep out of his and his Fa- ther's hands. {John x. 28, 29.) 9 Whom refift g J± s ever ve would overcome this grand adverfa- itexlatf in e and all his inftruments, make a noble and cou- faith knowing- J7 n _ . n . . ' „ .. ni thnt the fame at- rageous tfand aga»nlt him, by ltedraitly maintaining tactions are ac- the pure doctrine of faith and your holy profeffion complilhed in your G f it, in a firm dependence on the power and grace fn the world"' ^ ° f ChHft t0 van< l ui(l1 hIm 5 k be{n S moft of a11 {m ' portant for this purpofe to take the fhield of faith, wherewith ye /ha// be able to quench all the fiery darts of the zvicked : (Eph. v.i. 16.) And that ye may not be difheartened in the combat, as though fome flrange thing happened to you, (chap. iv. 12.) re- member that the like meafure of fufFerings, in con- formity to Chrift, are filled up ( in-inteie-Oxi ) and fi- nifhed by your Chriftian brethren in all parts of the world, during their fhort abode in it ; and as n» temptation has taken you, but fuch as is common to man; fo God is faithful, who will make a way to efcapc, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Cor. x. 10 Bui Vue Cod 10 Now as God, who is rich in mercy, and of '•■'• ll - ' u ' no his own mere favour is the fountain and giver of all hath culled us un c c a ,_» e . , , \ ° . c to his eternal glo- g r * ce > from firft to laft > Citable tq every time of rv by Chrift Tefus, trial, has effe&ually called us by his worcLand Spirit after that ye have to an inheritance of eternal glory, which he has pro- fuffered a while, m jfed to, and referved in heaven for us, and will ZSsaTaESh: kee P l,s unto ,he P o(reffion . of ' ^ ch 9- ''• "to 5-) en, fettle you. through the merit and mediation of Jelus Chrift ; and as his grace is absolutely neceffary to enable you to put my admonitions ii'^o practice, it is my earneft prayer^ under theie encouraging and endearing con- fiderations Chap. v. Peter paraphrafed. 89 federations of him, and in reflection on my own dread- ful fall, when, being left to myfeif, I denied my Lord; (Mark xv. 68, 70, 71.) that after," a. d by means of your tribulations, which will foon be over, and are but light affiiBion for a moment, compared with the exceeding and eternal weight of git "y, (2 Cor. iv. 17.) he would perfeA all that concerns you, as to knowledge and practice ; would eftabhfh you immoveably in the faith and hope, profcflion and holinefs of the gofpel ; would firengthen you with all might, according to his glorious po-ver, un- to all patience and long-fuffering with joyfulnefs ; (Col. i. 11.) and would fettle your fouls, with un- fhaken peace, fafety, and comfort, on that founda- tion which he has laid in Sion. (Chap. ii. 6.) 11 To him be n To him, who is the glorious author of all the glory and dominion happinefs that we have in hand, or in hope, and re- Tmen" *"* '*" verfion, be chearfully afcribed, as is moil due, all pofllble honour, majefty, might, and dominion, through all generations on earth, and to all eternity in hea- ven, Amen ; fo may it be, and fo it mail, as well as ought to be. 12 By Silvanus 12 Thus I have wrote a fhort epiftle, and fent it a faithful brother to voll by Silvanus, (fee the note on A&s xv. 22.) unto you (as I whom j can recomme „d as a faithful brother in the wTuenlieily e" work of the Lord, («, J^M as I reckon upon hotting, and tefti- good grounds, that he is, and will approve nimielt fying, that this is t be to you : And my defign, in what I have wrote, the true grace of - g tQ ex h ort and encourage you to abide by the tefti- ftand Wlierem ye mony I have herein given for the confirmation of your faith ; alluring you that it is the true gofpel of the grace of God, relating to falvation alone by Je- fus Chrift ; in the do&rlne, belief, and profeffion of which (if/iKccri) ye have hitherto Hood fail; and by means of which ye ftill maintain your ground, as I truft ye ever will continue to do, through grace, not- withstanding all the artifices and terrors of your ene- mies to bring you off from it. 13 The church 13 The believers that are gathered into a church- that is at Babylon. ft atej an0 « ordinarily affemble for religious worfhip at eleded together * Babylon, where I now am, and that are to be look- with <> ed NOTE. * Some fuppofe that by Babylon is I alfo do, that the apoftle could have no meant Rome, which in a figurative fenfe reafon to conceal Rome under this hcti- mioht be called myltical Baly/on, as in tiousname, and that Ik being the a o | e Rei). xvii. 5. and xviii. 2. with a view to of the circumcifion was probably at or its future corruption, fuperftition, idola- near Babylon, either in Chaldea, or m try and oppreffions under the papacy, Egypt, when he wrote this epiftle; there when it would be as infamous for alia- being many converted Jiwt in thole bominutions, as the ancient Babylon e- parts. (See Dr. Li$htfoofs termon on ver was. But Calvin, Pifcator, Pa- this text in his works, Vol.11, p. 1141, reus, Pcarfon, and many others think, as &c.) - Vol. VI. N * 90 The Tirft Epifile, &c. Chap. v. with you faluteth ed upon in a judgment of chanty, as choice Chrifti- you, and Jo doth anSj ana as chofen of God to falvation together with Marcus my ion. your f e l V es, fend their moll affe&ionate and religious refpefts to you ; and fo doth John Mark, (Acts xii. 12.) who, at times, has ferved with me as a fon in the work of the gofpel, as well as was converted by my miniftry, and is, like a fon, exceeding dear to me. 14 Greet ye one 14 See to it that ye cultivate a cordial brotherly another with a kifs l ove one towards another ; in token of which falute of chanty Peace ch Qther j h chafte and friendl kifs accor ding be 'with yon all , r . n r _,, . n . ? . . . & that are in Chrift to tnc ui ual cultom ot Chnitians m their meetings Jefus. Amen. together. (See the note on Rom. xvi. 16.) May all the bleflings of the Lord, for prefent and everiafting happinefs, abound towards all and every one of you, wherefoever ye be fcattered, that bear a holy profef- fion of Chrift's name, and are fuppofed to be vitally united to him, as your only Head and Saviour ! To teftify my fincere defire and hope of this, I fay, A- men, RECOLLECTIONS. With what an exemplary fpirit, converfation, and humblenefs of mind, free from haughty airs of lording it over God's heritage ; and with what diligence, chear- julnefs and dilinterefted views, Ihould Chriftian paftors infpecT:, feed, and govern the churches committed to their minifterial care by the great Shepherd of the fheep, who fuffered for their redemption ! They have the fweeteft encouragement to be faithful, in hope of being partakers of, and crowned with glory, when he fliall be revealed in all the grandeur of his fecond appearing. And how dutiful and becoming is it, that humility and refpect run through the behaviour of their people to them, of inferiors to fuperiors, and of all believers, one towards another, in receiving holy admonitions \ But efpecially, how ought every one to behave with an abfolute, unreferved, and the loweft fubmiflion to the great God under his rebukes '. He fets himfelf againft the proud ; but ihews favour to the humble, and encourages them to caft all their folicitous cares and troubles upon him, who is the almighty God. and has a tender concern for them, and will exalt them in due iea* fon. And as the devil is a vigilant, cruel, and indefatigable enemy, like a formid- able, ravaging, and hungry lion, feeking, ifpoflible, to devour them, they ought to be conftantly on their watch againft him, and againft all inordinate affections that would betray them into his hands; and to withftand and reject all his temp- tations, with a ftedfaft faith in Chrift, to bring them off with victory and triumph over all the perfecutions and troubles, which they and their brethren, in all places and ao-es, are expofed to ; but which, comparatively fpeaking, are light afflic- tions, and of fhort continuance, and at furtheft can be only during their uncertain refidence in this prelect finful world. But oh what abfolute need is there of help from the God of all grace to fortify our fouls againft them, and to eftablifh, ftrength- en, and fettle us on Chrift, our fure foundation, and perfe- to the firft of theie titles; (fee the note i7i>vM r w ©eon *fto* *a/ o-^t^c? Ihctov on Eph. i. i.) but in the next verfe no X f r v) m i> he literally lendered in the article is prefixed to either of them. Ac- ri%htc ■> God and Saviour Je- cordingly the righteoufnefs here intend- fus Qhrlk ; and fo is to be uoderftoqd as ed is the mediatorial righteoufnefs of defcrintive of one and the fame perfon, the Chri(t > which is often ftyled the righte- oufnef 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us ali things that per- tain unto liie afcd godiineis, through ed us to glory and virtue : Chap. i. Peter paraphrafed. 93 who is a divine perion and the only mediator, as be- ing both our God and Saviour, who purchafe) word God to be in this place meant of I rather chul't to cenfider this as G Cod the Father, in diftinrtion from our ing by or through , (if pro Sia) as Saviour Jefus Chrift, it is neverthelefs to quently doth m o;her places, be taken for the right eovfriefs of 'Chrift ; * The part:*; 1 ;.!<-, (Sifufn/u.tui) lure becaufe, accor^p^s; to our ;ranflation, it rendered given, maybe confidered as of is the righteoufhefi of God, and our Sa- the middle voic t • riich admits of a cqn- viour Jefus Chrijl. And what can this ftf uction is the a£Hve, as well as paffivie be, through which precious faith is ob- mood, and takes oft the grammatu tained, but that righteouinefs ot Chrift ticulty of this lent which God has accepted, by which his f To glory and *yirtue t {ita So%m xai juftice is fatisfied, and for the fake of a^-r>c) is molt Itn'etly fpeaking, as tlu- which, he gives faith in it unto juftifica- margin has it, by glory and virtue . lion of life? And were we to render the may fignify the glorious pawer by v words (t v $ixcuc*>) in the righteoujnefs we are C ailed to c ,<.: nai gloi) , as ri , of God and our Saviour, they point us to and to Chriftian tortitude as the meant the righteouinefs of Chrift. as the object of attaining it. of faith, or that, in which we believe f V\ hereby (dV a*) is plural and re- unto righteouinefs, Rom. x 10 But as ters either to glory una virtue, men- believing in ths object of faith is ordina- tioned at the dole of the preceding verfe. 4 Whereby are given 94 2^* Second Epi/lle cf Chap. i. given unto us ex- rlous operations of their power, by means of the gof- ceeding great and p e ] ? are g{ ven to us the belt of promifes, which are that'by thefe* you emment ly g re ^ t i far beyond our utmoft conceptions, might be partakers a "d much more beyond all our deferts ; and they are ex- of -he divine na- ceedingly pri;&ed by true believers, and every way ex- ture, having eica- cellent and valuable, grand and noble (nfucc) in them- ped the corruption {l ag v ^ endrd frce and e verlafting promi- that is .•■. tiie world r ■* ,•„,• 7 , r j * through luft. * ts > ordered m all things and lure ; and as tney con- tain the ineftimable bleifings pf life and godiinefs, par- don and peace, grace and glory, and are admirably fuited to every exigence ; (*vat) to the end that by an application and fulfilment of thefe promifes, in all their variety, riches, and extent, ye might have fuch . communion with God (ymrfo Kotwvoi) in his holi- nefs, which on account of its refemblance of him, de- rivation from him, tendency toward him, and compla- cency in him, may be called a divine nature ; * ye having, as an introduction to it, and as a part and e- vidence of it, renounced and fled away, with vigour and abhorrence, (ccxtipvyovriq) from all the corrupt principles and practices, that fpread and prevail among the men cf this world, through the power of their depraved inclinations, and inordinate affections to car- nal things. 5 And befides r And for this reafon, {avro raro) or in confider- this, giving all di- at j on Q f w k at y e are a i reac jy partakers of, ye ought ftfrtiT vAueTeud to ufe the utmoft care and diligence for a progreffion to virtue, know- m every grace and duty ; as for inftance, in humble ledge j dependence on divine power and promifed afllftances, (vcr. 3, 4.) add to your precious faith a noble Chrif- tian- courage, in its profelhon and defence ; and to your NOTES, verfe, or to God, and Jefus our Lord, whom, for that reafon, I take to be in- at the clofe of ver. 2. ; and fo may be tended in ver. 3. according to the para- rendered either by which, or by whom, phrafe upon it. If we refer it to glory and virtue, the * The divine nature (6*/*? puo-ta?) meaning may be, that thefe promifes might have been much better rendered are given to believers by that glorious a divine nature, the expreflion in the energy or excellent glory, and effica- Greek, being without the article, molt cious power that attend the gofpel : Or naturally carries this^jjpfe ; and that if we render it. by nvhom, and refer it divine nature, which we are faid t-o be to God and Jefus our Lord, it may in- paitakers of, is not by a participation of timate that thefe promifes are given to the divine ejfence, which is incommuni- us, both by God the Father and his Son cable to any creature; nor is it by a Jefus Chrift, as the promife of the Spirit perfonal union with the divifte nature, was, Johnxiv. \6, 26. and xvi. 7. and as the human nature of Chrift is; but A6is 1. 4. But were we to follow the it is by a divine impreffion of God's own reading of Stephanus, and one or two o- holy image upon us, or by a holy princi- thers of lei's note, which puts it in the pie infufed into us, which introduces a ir number ( or to Jefus our Lord, as fore by the corruption that is in the the antecedent mentioned ver. 2. the world through lujL ft of which is Jefus our Lord, Chap. i. Peter paraphrafed. 95 your Chrifllan courage, add ftill further advances in fpiritual underftanding, wifdom, and prudence. 6 And to know- 6 And to this fort of excellent knowledge, add a ledge, temperance; due regulation and government of your x pa(Tions and ^uenc^^and'To' a PP etites > wlth a weanednefs of heart from the all* patience' godli- rm g objects of flefh and fenfe ; and to the moderation »efs ; of your affections to earthly things, add patience un- der all tribulations, with a meek and quiet fpirit, and an entire refignation to the will of your heavenly Fa- ther ; and to your Chriftian patience, add all exerci- fes of piety and devotion, in a holy reverence of God, and confcientious attention to every ordinance of di- vine worfhip, and all religious duties, according to his word, from a principle of love to him, in obedi- ence to his command, and for his glory. 7 And to gt)d- 7 And to your religion toward God, add an afFec- Jinefs, brotherly tionate love, tendernefs, fympathy, and compaffion, Kindnefs; and to -j f u j t able fruit and expreffion of them, toward brotherly kind- ' „ ' _,, ..„. . \_ . . T , , nei's charity. Y our iellow-Chrittians, as brethren in the .Lord ; and to this brotherly kindnefs, add an univerfal benevo- lence to all mankind, as partakers of the fame human nature with yourftlves, endeavouring to promote their temporal and fpiritual welfare, whether they be friends or enemies: (fee Gal. vi. io.) Thefe are things of great importance, and will turn to the bell account. S For if thefe 8 For if thefe excellent graces be found in you, things be in you, an d be lively and enlarged in their exercife, they will and abound, they make yQU thriving Chriflians ; fo that ye will neither S«// ^neither il be flothfal nor inactive («gyo<) in the concerns of your barren, nor un- fouls, and in the duties of your Chriftian profeflion ; fruitful in the n0 r ufelefs and unprofitable, and, like barren trees, knowledge of our deftitute of holy fruits, fuitable to the nature of your Lord Jefus Chnft. fiducial k now l e d ge and acknowledgment of Chnit; as our only Lord and Saviour ; which will make you vi- gorous, diligent, and abounding in every good word and work, relating to God, yourfelves, and others. 9 But he that 9 But whatever profeffor of Chriitianity he be, that lackefh thefe j 8 deftitute of the forementioned graces, or fo remark- things, is blind, , I deficient in them, as to have no experience" of and cannot fee far , > -r i-i 1 • c n 1 r 1 • off, and hath for. tn eir exercik, like what is leuhbly prelent to turn, gotten that he was (u> fa ncc^i) let his pretences to light :nd know purged from his De eV er fo great, he is Hill in fpiritual darknefs, like . Gid rin -' a blind man, or like one who winks hard, and fhuti his eyes againft the light; or at moil (pv&JTrx^uv) he has only a glimmering, confuf -d, and fhort fight, which cannot diiccver diftant objects, nor penetrate into the beauty and glory of gofpel- truths, or of Chi ill and holinefs ; nor plainly difcern the reality and importance of future things, which are as far out of his view, as if he were purblind, though they are made manifeil in the word of God, and in the light of 96 The Second Ep'iftle of Chap. i. of faith ; and will foon be prefent in all the mifery, or happinefs of the eternal world : And he has thrown off a fenfe of the obligations, end, and defign of his foiemn profeflion, as fignified by his baptifm, of be- ino purified from the fins he formerly indulged ; and is carelefs and unconcerned about being cieanfed by the blood and Spirit of Chrifl from the iniquities, which for a great while, even from his birth, had reigned over him. {If. xlviii. 8.) 10 Wherefore 10 Confidering therefore the wide difference there 'toe rather, bre- j s between real and nominal Chriftians,- and how ma- thren, give dili- , . , , . , . , . . {•ence to male "? ta ^ e U P Wlt " t " e rtame » without the thing, let it your calling and excite you, my dear brethren, to be the more ear- ele&ion Aire : for, neftly careful, in the ufe of all means of grace, to th?» y * d °e fo-U ° btaln a ful1 a(rurance > in the "light of the Spirit, of nev<4 fall • your effectual calling, and thereby of your having been eternally chofen of God to falvation; lince your election cannot be known but by its fruits in your calling, which are the firft evidence of it, * and from which it may certainly be concluded. See to it then, that this be a firm and fettled point with you, by its being manifefted in fuch holy effeft , as will be a ge- nuine and undoubted proof of it : For if ye live in the exercife of the graces but now fpecificd, {ver. 5, — 7.) whatever trials, flips, and infirmities may attend * you, ye mall never {tumble fo as to fall off from (Thrift, or apoftatize from your faith in him and ho- ly profeflion of his name ; nor ever fall into error or fin to your perdition, or fall fnort of eternal life. 11 For fo an en- T 1 Yor while in this way and manner of making trance flwli be im- t gleftion by your effeftual calling, ye add mftered unto you , J _. 3 J r . . « / \ abundantly, into {^Z^y^^J to yo^r faith virtue, &c. (ver. 5.) the everlafting ye fhall not only get fafe to heaven, but fhall have an kingdom of or abundant encreafe of hope and joy in your way to it; Lord . and NOTE. * The fcripture ufually fpeaks of ticn of one or another particular perfon election and calling in their proper or- is an entire fecret in the heart of God, der, as the firft wa< from eternity, and till it breaks forth, and is made known the other is in time ; one the caufe, and by its effects. And therefore it is a the other the fruit or effect, according vain, fruitlefs, unwarrantable, and pre- to the account given of them in Rom. pofterous attempt, for any perfons te viii. 20, 30. Eph. i. 3, — 7. and 2 The/, puzzle themfelves about their oivn e- ii. 13, 14. But for*? the apoftle inverts lection, before they are effectually call- the order, and puts our calling Jir/t, be- ed, or have evidence in themfelves that caufe his immediate defign in this paf- they are fo. But if their effecluul call- fage was not ib much to difcourfe of the big be clearly made out; they may cer- jthings themfelves, us of our knowledge tainly conclude from thence that they in them, and affurance concerning our were elected; fince all, and none but oivn interefl in them ; and this know- the elect are fo called : For otherwife ledge can be obtained only in this order, their being called could not be a lure by afcending from the effect tn the proof, that they were elected, which 13 « aide, from our calling to our election ; the very point in the apofile's view, and proving this by that: For the elec- the prefe r.t truth. Chap. i. Peter pat d. Lord and Saviour and when ye come to die, a triumphant entrance Jefus Chnir. be richly fupplied and added tu j er,yn%7iTcc.i) into all the fublime dignity, affluence) and delights of the eternal kingdom of our great Lord and Saviour Jefus Chritl, which he has pur- chafed and taken poffeffion of for us, who are ii.te- refted in him, and whom he wi/I receive to himje/j\ that where he /V, there we may be alfo. (John >:iv. 1 2 Wherefore I 12 As thefe are things of the greater! confequence, will not be negli- J therefore cannot be unconcerned about reminding »Kvays\] P remem l - Y ou °^ tnem > anc * P remn g tbem upon you, once and brance of " thefe a g ain » in order to your being fuitably affected with things, though ye them, and putting them into practice ; though I am know them, and well fatis-fied that ye are already acquainted with \L ! fta i h ! h t d J n them, and confirmed in a belief of the truth of the gofpel, according to the prefent difpenfation of it ; and particularly of the truth, which I am now recom- mending to you about the necefiity of univerfal hcli- nefs, in order to your joyful entrance into the ever, lajimg kingdom of our Lord ana 1 Saviour Jefus Chrijl % and which, in this day of trial and affliftion, emi- nently calls for a prefent attention to it. 13 Yea, I think ig Yea, fo great is its importance, and fo nearlv it meet, as long as arc ye concerne 19.) 15 Moreover, I 15 And as I am very felicitous for your ben will er.oeavour, ftabliftitd iu, and deeply pofTefled of, thefe intci that you may be truths, not merely during my continuance in th< Do- able alter my de- , r t n_ 11 1 n j j 1 u c 1 ceafe to have °Y » *° * * na " make 2t m y "udy and labour, for the thefe' thir-gs -A. little time I have to live, to inculcate them upon -.vays in remem- as I have done by committing thtm to writing in my Stance. former epiftle, and now do in this, that ye may ever Vol. VI. O retain 98 The Second Epijlle of Chap. i. retain a remembrance and lively fenfe of them, after I am dead and gone to a better world, by a depar- ture (ilodov) of my foul from the body, and from all the iins and forrows of time, to a perfectly holy and blefled eternity. 16 For we have 16 For we, the apoftlcs of Chrift, who publilh not followed run t j )e g {p e i of the grace of God, have not therein de- hle<: when we viied fophiftical and idle tales of our own heads, like bade known un- the traditional fabulous ib-ries that abound among to you the power Jews and G entile \ ; nor have we, like them, propa- mine! coming of our g ate d vain conceits, by artful and cunning methods Lord Jefus Chrift, -jp deceiving, when we declared unto you in preach- bnt were eve wit- . ° ' , . . . / _ . r . iiefies of his ma Mg, .as 1 alio have done in writing, (1 Epi/f. 1. 13. jefty. and iv. 5.) the things that relate to the divine autho- ritv, power, and glory, with which our Lord Jefus Ciiriit wili come to judge the world at the laft day ; but feveral of us, James and John together with my-. felt, wire preient at his tran figuration on the mount, •which was a lively emblem and prefiguration of his fii.al glorious appearing ; and were eye-witntfles of the illuitriuus roajefty and grandeur, in which he then (hone, like himielf, as with the meridian bright- nefs of the fun; and was eminently owned of his hea- venly Father. (See the note on Math. xvii. 2.) 17 For he rcrei- I 7 For, at that very time, he received an honour- ved from Go^ the aD l e an( j glorious teftimony from God the Father Fa V 5 •"'; ll ° no r himielf, which put the big heft dignity upon his cha- and glory, when . . r „ 1 , ',/«. , , there came uch a ractei, a c his proper bon and the true Melliah, when vo ee to turn trom an audible articulate voice was directed immediately the excellent glo to him from the Shechinab, which then appeared as ry. 1 his is rov a ma p-nificent fymbol of the divine prefence, (fee b"iovtd Son, m ° ,- ' L .. 1 t 7 • c \ j whom I am well tnt note3 on Matth. x\m. 5. and Luke ix. 26.) and l>leaftd. from which God the Father, who is infinitely glori- ous in himfelf, and dwells in the inacceffible light and glory of the upper world, diftinftly pronounced thefe words, This is my beloved Sot), in whom I am well picajed, that is, This Jefus is by way of eminence my moil dearly beloved eternal Son, in whofe perfon and office, undertakings, and performances, I am ex- ceedingly delighted, as I alfo am with all thofe that -are found in him by vital union with him ; and fo cloathed with his righteouinefs, and warned from their iins in his blood. \°j And th ; s 1 ft And this voice, in which thefe remarkable which came worc ' ls were uttered immediately by the God of hea- ffom heaven, we f - m , dom] f , j ^ ^ - q{ thfi ^ heard, when tve » °,.,i- 01 . 1 • 1 1 wtre wit!) him rri all of us then prcient diilinctly heard with a dear the holy mount. underftanding of its import, when we attended out- glorious Lord at the very time of his transfiguration on mount Tabor, which was fancTtifitd or made rela- tively holy, for the time being, by the divine pre- fsnee $ Chap. i. 19 We have al- io a more lure word of prophecy ; vvhereunto ye do well that ye t ifce heed, as unto a Ji_,ht th it ihineth in a dar)s; phce, until the diy dawn, and the day- (tar a- rife in youi hearts: * We have a more Jure word of pi o phecy is not to be underitood, as though the word of prophecy were in itielf more certain than the glorious attcitation which was given to Chriit horn heaven, ih the fight and hearing of the apolties ; or as though this, as far as it went and was reported by the apottles, were not to be as fully credited as that. but it was a more certain and indifputab!* proof of Chrift's fecond appearing with power and great glory, than could be gathered from what palfed .n the mount, according to the ingenious and judicious fenfe, in which Dr. Sherlock, now bi lho[i of London, has taken it. in his Df courfe on tiophecy, page 20, — n. where he oblerves, ". tb at the power and com- ing of our Lord fifus Chrijl is the oniy point here in queltion ;'* and lb it is, as though the apoflle fhould fay, it is a great prelumpuon that Cnrift thall come in glory, that we have already teen him glorified; and it is a further evidence of his power to dtliver his lervanls, fin* e God has openly declared him to be his Peter paraphrafed. 99 fence ; as mount Horeb was when the Lord appear- ed to Mo/es in the bufh that burned, and was net coniumed. (Etiorf. iti. 4, 5.) 19 Andbtiidethis il'.ullrious attcitation to ourbleffed Lord, which may well be coniidered as an cmb etnai cal atoAprffumptive notification of his future appearing with divine power and majetty, (vet, 16.) * We have a It i 11 more dire ft proof of it, as it may be biore aflur- edly gathered from the exprels declarations even o: the Old Teftament, (ver. 20, 21.) which arc confirmed in the New, (lee P/ai. xcvi. 13. Dan. vii. 13. 14. Marih. xiii. 40, — 43. and xvi. 27. and xxv. 31, — 46. and xxvi. 64. jhn v. 28, 29. A is i. 11. and xvii. 31. 2 C,r. v. 10. I fhejf. i. 10. 2 Thcjf* i. 7, — 10. 2 Tim* iv. 1. and 1 Pet* i- 9, — 13.) unto which ttlb'mony of inipired propntcy, relating to this very point, ye ought caftfuSy to attend, fo as to be guided and determined by it, as a light that, like a lamp mi a dark place, mines amio.il the dark- nefs of Judaifm and Heathenii'm, and of all carnal hearts; and rfce darknef* comprehends it not : (John i. 5.J It is your duty and intereft to ftudy and build your faith upon this, till the day &f Chrift's glorious appearing fhall begin to break ; and till he, as 'he Sun of > ighieohfnejs, the day-Jt<>r from on bigh, and the bright a?-d mjrning fa' , (Malach. iv. 2. Luke i. 78. and Rev. xxii. 16.) mall anfc in full luftre, and fhed luch a tranfetndent light in your fouls, as (hall O 2 entirely N O T K. well beloved Sun. But to allure us that he will indeed fo come, and fo t/fe his power, we have a more fure woi d of prophecy ; i. e we have the very word ol God, (fpe,»kir.g by his prophets) to whom z\\ futurity is known, to aflure us ot the certainty of this future event. — Bat Gi.aaul fuppoies that the compa- rative, finer, may be here ufed for the pojitive degree, fure, as in the Greek of Acts xvii 2i- Or rather he, Beta, and Pijcator take the comparative to be put lor the fupcrlutive degree, as in the Greek at Ads xxv. io 1 Cor- xiii. 1 ;. and xv 19 ; and 10 no companion may be here defigned, but oniy a flrong atier- tion of the certainty or firmnefs of the prophetic teftimony. See i4fp Giaffuu's Philologia Sacra, page 42S. where he gives feve'ral other inllances of the cvm- purative being p.it for the //?>.- degree, as particularly in Mattb xi. 11. xvui. 1 and xiti. 32. ; and tells us that fome refer, 2 Pet. 1 1 s> to this change; of the of ming to judge tne world ! L'hefo are not cunningly deviled fables, but un- c|ueftibnable T)U Chap. ii. Peter paraplsrafed. ici queftiouable truths, as concalned in the infallible word of God, which was wrote* not according to the private will and fancy oi men, but by the infpiration ot his Spirit; and ought to be attended to as a light, which he has given to guide us through all our darfcnefs in tins world, tilt, by the rrfitig ot the bun ot Kighteouf- nel's upon our fouls, we arrive at the unclouded light aod -lory ot the world to come. O may the bleilcu author oi the holy fcriptures lead us into the knowledge of his mind and will in them, aud nuke us wife to our own falvation '. C H A P. II. The apoffie cautions .' .-. < hers, Suborn I . })y their pernicious principle, and . i, — 5. Shews the certainty of their'pvnifhment, from /esq/ the fallen an- gels, of the old world, and oj Sodim and Gomorrah, which the godly /hall ejeepe, as Lot did out of Sodomy 4, — 9- And gives a black account at large of thefef educe rs, as they were aggravated- ly wicked under high pretences to liberty and purity, 10, — 2 2. T;.;>;t. PARAPHRASE. thgre were T>UT as there were true and holy prophets of" the falfe prophiets XJ Lord, who (as has been o'i fen ed, chap. i. 21.) ' onle* even as • vvrote under the infpiration of his Spit it, and are to there (hall be falfe be attended to ; fo there were likewife faille pretenders teachers ioioiig to this character, who role up in former times among you* who privily the people of 7/7W to feduce them, and were to be ftall [bring «> guar( j eci againft : and this is the cafe under the feoff- damnable hertlies. ° 6 * b (vn denying the pel-itate, according to the predictions ot our .Lord Lord that bought and his infpivtd apoftles. {Matlh. jsxir. \y. ^'5j xk. them, and bring ^o, 2 Cor. xi. 1 9. and 1 Tim, iv. 1.) There are upon themtelves ^ ^ fe f ^ teachers r jf ing up amoIlg you f t h c jewifb nation, who, under various pretences, will co- vertly and craftily introduce the moil pernicious he- retical tenets, which tend to the eternal deftru&ion of thole that broach, and thnfe that receive them, as they, both docfrinally and practically, renounce thc wil- dom, authority, grace, and holinels of their Lord and Matter, as difcovered in the gof pet- revelation of him, whom they boai't of, as the God that redeemed or delivered them ou ; : with a mighty hand *♦ and NOT F. * Toe Lord that bought them may, fecms to relate to thc temporal deliver* with the greatpfr propriety, be here un- ances he had wrought for I/xul, as his derftood of God, as the providential go- profeffing people, with a reference to vernor and deliverer oi' IJ'rael : For the Dettt. xzxii 6. where, (peaking of them word (Jfo-tro7»>f) here rendered the Lord, as his viMhle church, it is laid. Is not he is applied to God, when fpoken of by thy Father that has bought thee ? And, way of diftinction from our Lord Jel'us, in the paflage before us, there is no inti- in that parallel place, J tide, ver. 4. and is matioi. ol /,', or of re- feveral times ufed m other parts of the demotion by his blood, as there ufually New 'Feftament with a reference to the is when redemption by priec is intended. Father; but, as lar as I find, never 'o — Or if it be (uprooted to relate to thc the San : And his having bought them, purcbafc which Chi i ft made of thefr perfons. 102 The Second Epi/tte of Chap, ii, and has, through a fuccefiion of many ages, fignally owned as his profeffing people, and wrought many temporal falvations for ; and fo, by acting the mutt ungrateful, abominable, and felt- condemning part, they contiru&ively deny him, and pull down fpcedy and utter detlruction upon their own guilty heads, which may overtake them betore they are aware. (i rhef.s.$:) 2 And fuch is the natural depravity of mankind, and the enmity of their cainal hearts again 11 God and godlinefs, that many prohrffurs of Chrift's name, who have not the grace of God in truth, will be ieduced into their deftru&ions, (x7ra)tetxt?) and follow their deteilabie example in licentious principles and practi- ces, on account of which the truth of the gofpel, and the way of holiuefs and happinefs according to it, (fiXccrfitfatfhitnTeu) will be blafphemoufly fpoken of by its enemies. 3 And, from covetous reaches after worldly gain, thele feducers will ufe abundance of deceitful flatter- ing lpeeches, which have no truth or fincerity in them, and are only a cover of their bale dtfigns to make a prey of you, that they may get fome fecular advan- tage by you, as merchants do by their traffic : But theirs is a dreadful merchandife, whofe righteous con- demnation has been of old determined of God, (Jude, ver. 4. fee the note there) to be executed for their flagrant iniquities, in due feafon, without delay ; and whofe everlailing definition haftens apace, and loon will certainly come upon them with a vengeance, \DeuL xxxii. 34, 35.) as may be concluded from the courfe ot God's dealings with former tranfgrefTors. 4 For if (as we well know) God in his awful juf- tice did not fhew any favour, or abate the punishment due to that higher rank of originally more excellent creatures, the angels themfelvcs, who, through pride and envy, trafcfgreffeid the law which God had given them for the trial of their obedience, by fwerving from its precepts ; but for their firii fin hurled them all down with righteous indignation from their blifs- ful, honourable, and holy habitation in heaven, (Jude, ver. 6.) into fome unknown place of mifery, which is called the deep and the boitomlefs pit; (Luke viii. 31- NOTE. might be eternally as may beft anfwer the ends of his king- underflood only ac- dom, which rules over all ; he being the cording to the judgment of charity, du- Lord of the quick and the dead, good ring their former credible profeffion of and bad, and his univerlal Lordfhip his name : Or his having bought them being founded on redemption by his may only fi;;ni'y his having purchafed blood. * dominion o^'tr them in fuch wn jl e he faved Noab *, who wis the eighth the worid of the .. .1 u j r 1 1 r j • u 1 ungodly • head or them that were pulerved in the nrk, (1 Pa. iii. 20.) and was by divine commflTion a faithful preacher of moral righteoufnefs repentance, and reformation, and of the righteoufnefs which iiby faith, of which he himfelf was an heir, [Heb. xi. 7.) and a preacher of the righteous judgments of God, which would deftroy that impenitent, unbelieving, and difobtdient world ; If God, I fay, at the appointed feafon, fwallowed up the whole of that pervcrfe fet of people in the univcrfal deluge of water which drowrud them, one and all, how great foever their numbers were : 6 And tt f ™ n S 6 And if in like terrible righteoufnefs, and esc- dom r and Gomor- cuted b y a contrar y element, he rained fire and brim- rha into a:he.\ • ftone from heaven upon Sodom and Gomor> ah, toge- condemned them ther with A'lmab and "Lcboitn, (Gen. xix. 24, 25. with an over- an d Dent, xxix. 23.) to the utter fubverfion of rtl°rn\ example | h °fe cities, reducing them, with ail their profligate unto thofe that af- inhabitants, to alius in the mod dreadful cataftrophe, ter fiibuld live un- {x-urur^otyn) to which he jullly condemned them for S 0£ hy; their abominable wickediu is ; and fo fct them forth as an example of his indignation and wrath, as 'a type or pattern yv^couyfcot,) of the final conflagration and eternal fire, which lhall confume all the wicked of the earth, (JuJe, ver. 7.) that it might be a warn- ing to all rtfolute finners of fucceeding ages, who perfift in their iniquities, and call off his fear; and' might (hew them what they mull expect at his hand : . 7 And delivered ' ? And if, in the midlt of all the flaming defola- " ■ . .' , ,'V tion of Soaoiu and Gomorrah, the gracious God put with the filthy f . 6 . . 1 convriV.tiyn of tne a >pecial maikor kind dilttnction upon his rjghteoiM wicked : fervant Lot, whom he plucked as a brand out of the fire ; NOTE. * Noak was the tenth from Adam, as three fons and t!u ir wives, together appears by the genealogy in Luke iii. ;6. with him fell, for whole fake they were — 38. and therefore the, eighth person prelerved, Gen vi. S. 10. compared with cannot mean the eighth from him, but chap vii 7 And therefore the apoftle the eighth ot them, or the head of might particularly mention h,m as the the eight, that were laved in the eighth. (See alfo the note on 1 Pet. iii. aik, which were his wife, and his 20.) 104 The Second Kpiflie of Chap. ii. fire ; and fo (zgfrvtraro) with a fort of merciful vio- lence refcued him from it, [Gen. xix. 16. ) who had been forely grieved, fatigued, and oppreffed in his - own pious foul at the vile, d.'iFolute, lafcivious, ob- fcene and unnatural behaviour of that perverfe and wicked people. 8 (For that ri^h- 3 (For this holy, juft, and good man, who dwelt teous man dwell- arnonS r them, and dailv faw and heard what (hock- ing among them, °. , ' , • . r e in feeing and hear- in S crirn es were openly committed in the courle of ing. vexed his their flagitious lives, exceedingly laid them to heart, righteous foul from and with the bittereft anguifh (s£«7#v;£;v) even tor- &\y to tiay with niented his holy foul in mournful reflections on their d eec M abominably filfchy and unjuft actions, which were con- trary to all the laws of God and nature.) p The Lord g As certainly as thefe are all undoubted facts, Knoweth how to we m f rom thence with equal certainty conclude, deliver the gooiy , J . r , r . t , \\ i , . , out of temptations, to the joy of the faints, _ and the terror of the wick- and to referve the ed, that, be the corruptions of the age ever fo great, unjuft unto the and the fnares, troubles, and dangers of his people e- day of judgment ver f man y > ^he great Lord of heaven and earth ? i e pu.ui e . wri0 fe underftandirrg is infinite, and power uncon- troulable, and whofe kingdom rules over all, perfect- ly knows at what time, in what manner, and by what means, to extricate thofe out cf all their trials and afflictions, who like Noah and Lot are religious worfhippers of him ; and he will affuredly do it in his love and faithfulnefs to them : And he equally knows how to hold the wicked and ungodly in fafe cuitody, like the fallen angels, [ver. 4.) under his fupreme dominion, till he (hall bring them forth, as condemned criminals, in the day of the final judgment, to be punifhed according to the iniquity of their hearts and lives. 10 But. chiefly IO j> ut efpecially he knows how to referve, and them that walk w ^ f j deal w ; th tho fc j mp j ous feducers, (ver. after the flelh in < . .. . r . . ' v ,. the lull of on- 1 ') w "o, aniwerable to their corrupt principles, live cleannefs, and de- according to the carnal dictates and defires of their fpife government: fenfual minds, indulging themfelves, and going on prefumptuous are W1 ' t h ut reftraint, in a gratification of their impure they, lelf-willed; . . . [ "' . ° . f , ... ~. r they ar« not a- anc * lalcivious inclinations, and iodomitical practices; fraid to fpeak evil (/Jude y ver. 7, 8.) and who infoiently pour contempt of dignities: upon all regular government and authority over them, that would put a check upon their vices : They are a daring, refractory, difobedient, and headftrong fort of people, ever feeking to-pleafe themfelves, and have no law to govern them but their own will ; nor do they fcruple or fear to fpeak reproachfully, not only of the apoftles and miniilers of Chrift *, but of civil NOTE. * Defpifmg govemwent, avd /peaking evil of dignities, forne think refer? Chap. ii. Peter paraphrafed. 105 civil magiftrates that are advanced to high dignity, ' and worthy of honour, as they a^e fet over them, and are the ordinance of God to regulate and con- troul their exorbitant pafllon6, appetites, and man- ners. 11 Whereas an- n They herein act a very contrary part to the gels, which are holy angels that excel inftrtngth, and do the com- and m' ht P i°^ et mandments of God, hearkening to the voice of bis not railing accufa- for whofe ufe the y werc originally seated: t i on . Thefe act at fuch a monftrous rate, as to reproach and rail againft perfons and things, both of a civil and religious nature, whofe ufe and excellence they neither know, nor approve of; and they mall be ut- terly deftroyed for, and by means of, the indulged corruptions of their own minds and manners. 13 And fhall re- 13 And they fhall reap the bitter fruit and wages ceive the reward w bi c h are juftly due to all their complicated wi< of unrighteoufnefc f h f j , d take d j. h ■ y «x they that count * , . . ° r 1 • 1 1 • 1 , it pleafure to riot tuous and vicious courles, which they impudently in the day-time : purfue in open day-light, iaftead of being afhamed fpots of N O T E. to the vile notions that the Niro/aitans\ poftle's ; and it appears mod natural to and the Gnnjlics after them, vented a- me to underftand him in this verfe, as bout angelical powers, and that the a- deferibing perfons, whoever they were, poftle, in the next verfe, refers to the that defy? fed civil government, and good angels not bringing a railing ac- fpoke evil ©f earthly dignities ; ityoppo- enfation againft the apoftate ipirits, fition to which", he, in the next verfe, which I have there glanced at, by point- allcdges the contrary condtn 1 ! of the ing to what the apoftle Jin-c lavs ver. 0. good angels that bring no failing acu. about the archangel's not bringing a fat ion againft them, with whom he may railing accufation againft the devil; poffibly include eCclefiaftical rulers (See though that feems to be an additional the note on Jude, ver. 8.) thought, and not the fame with our a- V01.. VI. P io6 The Second Epiftle of Chap. ii. their own decei- vings, while 'hey feaft with you ; fpots they are and of them as works of darknefs, which people, that blemi hes, (porting have the leaft grain of modefty left, dare venture to themselves with pra aife only in the night: (i Thejf. v. 7.) They are a reproach and fcandal to the Chriftian name, grati- fying their luxurious inclinations with their own de- ceived and deceiving devices, whereby they cunning- ly infinuate themfelves into your favourable opinion of them, and pleafe themfelves with their having cheated and impofed upon you, while, under preten- ces of love and friendftiip, they focially partake in ordinary or religious feails with you. (Jude, ver. 12. fee the note there.) 14 Their eyes are continually and infatiably em- ployed in wanton adulterous glances, to difcover their own lewd inclinations, and excite the- like in o- thers, and to find out proper objects for inflaming beguiling unftahle » .. . , .. .£ * . J , . P fouls: an heart and gratifying the vilett attections ; and lo propenic they have exerci- are they to all iniquity, that they know not how to fed with covetous re f ra i n from contriving to commit it, or endeavour- 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot ce*fe from (in ; practices children curfed g to draw others into it ; and fo, by their entice- ments in word and deed, they enfnare and catch poor unguarded fouls, that are not eftablifhed in the truth and holinefs of the gofpel, nor fortified with grace againft their guileful arts. Their hearts are entirely engaged in contrivances how to compafs their covet- ous defires after the riches, honours, and defiling plcafures of this world. They are children of wrath, dt voted to deftru&ion under the curfe of God's righ- teous and holy law, whofe vengeance is ready to be executed upon them. 15 And God may juftly abandon and abhor them, and give them up to utter ruin, who have renounced rft7ay, an °folTowing the onl Y true wa 7 of Ration by Jefus Chrift, and the way of Ba* of walking before God in faith and holy obedience, laam the fon of according to his mind and will ; and have wandered Bofnr. who loved f rom t h e p a th of truth and duty into the ways of firi and error, that lead to eternal mifery, as they tread in the very fteps of that infamoufly wicked prophet, Balaam the fon of Beor, (Numb. xxii. 5.) which in the Babylonian dialect is pronounced Bo/or ; and follow his deteftable example, who, notwithftanding all his fair pretences to the contrary, hankered after, and had a heart in love with the iniquitous rewards which Balak offered him, that he might unrighte- oufly curfe God's Ifrael. 16 But he was feverely reproved for his fin in go- ing about to tranfgrefs the pofitive command of the Lord, * and that by a brute beaft, the afs he rode upon, NOTE. Though Balaam had once and again faid, that be could not go beyond S the 15 Which have forfaken the right the wages of righteoufnel's 16 But was re- buked tor his ini- quity : the dumb afs, Chap. ii. Peter paraphrafed. 107 afs fpeaking with upon, which, though naturally a dumb creature, was man's voice, forbad miraculoufly enabled to fpeak with an articulate voice the madnel's of the ij|,. c a man . w hich was a ltrong indication to the in- prophet. fatuated prophet, that he ought by no means to have pei filled in his mad and foolilh attempt, which could only turn to his own confuiion. {Numb. xxii. 22, — 17 The'e are 17 To give a little further account of the falfe wells without wa teachers I am fpeaking of, they aie deceitful, un- ter, clouds that are f^ble, and utterly deilitute of all that is good ; their earned vvith a tern- , • , . *« , , j • . ^lao.nJIii peft, to whom the hl g h pretences to knowledge and piety, are like v^lls raift of darknefs that bid fair for the relief of a thirlty traveller ; but, is referved for e- having no water in them, difappoint his hopes : And rer - as clouds often look promiling for rain to relrefh the earth, but are foon difperfed by tempeftuous winds, and produce noxious vapours inllead of any good ef- fects ; fo thefe deceivers pretend to make their pro- felytes wife to falvation, but are carried by the vio- lence of their corruptions from one error and fin to a- nother, with fuch a malignant influence, that neither they nor their followers ever come to the knowledge of the truth, and the pra&ice of holincfs ; and the thickeft cloud of horrible darknefs, mifery, and deipair is kept in ftore, by the righteous judgment of God, for thefe vile mifcreants to be their dreadful portion for ever. 18 For when they utter great and pompous words 'hen they utter great and pompous words >f fan&ity, and of making fome wonder- iS For when they fpeak great w ith an air of fan&ity, fwelling words of £ ul difcovcries, they are all a noife about nothing, IhrouRh th the luTs €m P l y founds that VCnt the P ride a " d ^JJ ° f ^ of the fleih, own hearts ; and are thrown out as a bait to entice through much and catch unwary fouls, by being accommodated to wantonnefs, thofe t ^ e f en { ua l inclinations of depraved nature, and to the Iff JTm £m lalcivious temper of thofe, that had indeed been eicaped from them * r • 1 -r t\ »!,.>« who live in er- brought oftlrom the errors of judaifm, or ol heathen- ror ; ifai, and in their outward behaviour, * for a while at leait, had fled from the convention and practices of P 2 fuch, NOTES. tbe word of the Lord, and was con- gave fuch wicked counfel. as was the drained to refute Balak's offer; y*t it means ot drawing JJrael into a provo- appears from the whole h.ftory of him i.i Kin* trefpafs aga.nl the Lord which Numbers, (lee chaps, xxn. xx.ii.) that brought a dreadful plague upon tin m. as his covetous heart was fo fct upon tne of- appears from Numb. xxxi. 10. and Rev. fered bribe, as to make him earneltly ii. 14- f defirous, and exceeding reftle.s in at- * Some good copies infteadot clean tempts, to get a difperlation of God's or truly t>1«0 ^acl a ntJe ox a exprefs command that he mould .not go little whifej ( *.£> other,, atoojt, with Balak's meffeogers to curie Ijra- (h.^ »'«1' * Ethiopia] tu "- el- and he certainly would have curled you,) V.cl. Mill m loc. But which e- them, had not God invincibly over-ru-,ver reading we tolknv, it teems to elate led his mind, and reftrained h.m from it, only to a change of notions, and , mm - contrary to his own inc -linat.on : And ternal rejormation. (See the note o.. when he could not carry his point, he ver. 20.) The Second Epiftle of Chap. ii. fuch, ab lead wricked lives according to their erroneou* principles. thtj io. At the fame time that thev flatter their follow- ers with prom.feb of ail the liberty On for, to indulge their licentious pleafures, without fear or they are therr.felves the worft of flaves to the corruptions of their own hearts, which will iffue in their final deduction : Fur whatever a man is entire- he i , i-ii "latched and cone a« thty are by own lulls, he ib brought into an abfolute and (h fubjeciion to it, like a captive in war t: fallen into the hands of a victorious enemy ; and all will lurely find that fuch a fort of pretend- ed liberty is tin ry. have been fo far externally re- , formed fr-/m the grofb and fcandalous pra&icei - • orld wliich lies in wickednefs, (i John ■ <).) as to have fled from thofe defilements in life, though not in heart * through the cqnviaions and rcltramts that they were brought under by the notions they had received of Jeius Chrifl, as a Sovereign and woe ; a Saviour, to deliver them from fin and the wrath to come ; if, after all this, they are again enfnared and involved in thofe iniquities, and, like perions thorough- ly conquered and governed by them, yield then up as fervants to obey t r cafe is more aggra- vated!)' guilty, dangerou:, and hoptlefi, than it was be- fore they knew any thing oi i Ufcd the gofpel ; and efpecially than it was, when they firft had conceptions of them. 2 1 For their fin and punifhment would reai. been lefb, had they never heard, or received any notion of Chriit and the way of holinefs, and of righteoufnefs, through him, to eternal life, than, after they have been acquainted with it, to revolt and apoftatize froi " jn) pure and holy doctrine, which had been preached to them with divme authority to bind it upon their con- • -red unto them* * Sciences. (See Matt!.. — 2\. and Jchn ix. 41. iv. 22.) 22 NOT - Uutions of the world mere notions of Cbrift and the gofpel, as thrrrugb tit knouulfd^e of Cbrift, and to be reftrained from grofs in* clean cfeapet iher- brought to a credible profeffion of i)aretl.e ebce, for a while, to the divine com- j od tbat are ufed mends, and not be the 'ned in I 'thefe ape heart to God, a« >' ft I-t nor any other, Im~ were really partakers i'ented ftill the fame in their natural dh- uijpceh. l,; :e pofition, as the dog is. thar return' to his vomit, and the low to her wallow - D the mire, \tr. z2. (Sec U re.) Z4 I Chap. ii. Petxr paraphrafed, 109 22 But it is hap- 22 But it has fallen cut with them according to pcned unto them tw0 ancient proverbs, one of which is recorded in the true p',o!erl! Th! &**& l ™ w °' d of God, {??<*,. Xxvi. „.) and dog is turned to DOtn are remarkably verified in thefe apottates ; his own vomit a- under the power of conviction b} pin; and, The pel, eafed their burdened conferences by c*ftfng off fow that was wan,- i ome vicu.us practices which they had be6n addicted ed, to her wallow- , . . r ■ , ; , ing in the mire. to » but tncir nature not being changed by rent grace, and their inraoft temper b< ever, when their pangs wore off, they betook them- felves again to their former filthy comics with as much eagerneis as before ; and fo they are like a dog that k had cait up what was offeniive to his itomach ; but, continuing a dog ftill, and acting fuitable to his own nature as luch, he licks up his own vomit a^ain ; and, under all their external reformations, they are like a fow that was warned from the filth (lie had contracted by wallowing in mud and dirt ; but, being a low ftill, ^ returns, according to her own fwiniih temper, to roll- ing herielf about in the mire again. RECOLLECTIONS. How pernicious and deteftable are heretical teacbeis, whofe corrupt principle* and practices are fubverfive of the gofpel, even to conftructively denying that God, who they own has wrought wonderful deliverances in his providence for them, as his profeffing people ! They put on ipecious appearances, of wildom and piety to entice, enfnare, defile, and ruin unftabie fouis : But with all their high fwelling words of vanity, they are void of all good, like weils and clouds without water ; and walk after the fielli. They carry on the vileft defigns of eovetouu.efs, pride, luxury, and all manner of uncleannefs, and are a reproach to the Chntuan name, and all religious fociety. They prefumptuoullv deipjfe the bell of things, which they know nothing of, but which Hand in opposition to their carnal views ; and under vain boafts and deceitful promifes to others o: a liberty, which is down- right licentioufnefs, they are themielves the wont of flaves, under every t\ranniz- ing lull, to their own perdition, and the perairion ot thofe that apoftatize from Chtift and the gofpel, through their influence. How lhu.king ate theie thoughts'. But we need not be ftumbled at them, fine* we are forewarned that luch leducers would arit'e in the church, and draw away many into their miich.evous errors and fins. But, ah, how dreadful is the condemnation of tiio.e who preach and propa- gate, and of thofe who are perverted by herehes that tend to, and will lfiue in e-' ternal deltruction 1 They have forfaken the only true way to eternal life ; and the truth of the gofpel is defamed by them, and by others on iheir account ihey are under the curie of God, and liable, without repentance, to leverer rebukes ; ban he gave to Balaam for his iniquity, by miraculcufly opei ing the mouth ot I he rode upon. Judgment is already palled upon thee rpo'.e and word of God; and their damnation haltens a- pace, till it come with iurj .... as it did upon the fallen angels, and the finners ot the oiu wurid in ti.e days ol i\oah, that eminent preacher ot righteoufnef>, and upon the profligate ( iom and Gomorrah, ihey are held, as it were, in adamantine chains, to be punithed at the great day. But the righteous, who are grieved at the tranlgrefuons of the wick- ed, fliail be as effectually delivered, in God's way and tune, horn all evil, as Noah wa> from the deluge, and Lor from the conflagration oi thoie infamous cities. Alas ! How heavy will the deftruc^ion of the deceivers and deceived be 1 l hey fhall utterly perilh for, and in their own corruption, and receive the diimal r< of all their uarighteoufnefs, in which they rioted a;.d delighted, with open impu- dence; and the molt hideous darkneis oi horror and i id up iu ltore lor their cndlcfs milery. Ah! H propoitkm- able no The Second EpiJiU of Chap. iii. able jnuft be their puniihment, who have been externally reformed i hrough con- victions by golpel-light ; but, taking up fhort of a work of heait-changing grace, and remaining ftill the fame as ever, in their corrupt temper, return with eager- nefs to the vices which they had tormerly indulged, but which pangs of confcience forced them, for a while, to give up ; and fo are like the dog that licks up the vo- mit, which he difcharged while it offended his ttomach ; and like the low tnat was waflied, and returns with pleaiure to wallowing in the mire '. O how much better would it have been for fuch people to have never known the way of nghte- oumefs, than in this manner to abule their knowledge ot it ' Their condition, af- ter all, is inexpretlibly more milerable and hopelels than ever it was before j while the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out ot temptation. CHAP. III. The apofile declares the defign of this, epiftle to he the fame with that of the former, to remind them of Ch^iJPs final coming to judgment, I, 2. Obferves that feoffors at ChriJPs Jecond coming were to be expeBed under the gofpel-jlate, 3, 4. Confutes their vain and in- fulting obje&ions againfl it, and f hews that he will certainly ap- pear at unawares, when the prejent frame of natune will be difi fo/ved by fire, 5, — jo. And infers from thence, and from the newflate of things that will then be introduced, the neceffity of ho- tinefs, patience, and jtedfaflnejs in thejaitb, 11, — 18. Text. Paraphrase. XKIS fecond e- HTHE principal deiign of this fecond epiftle, which piitle, beloved, X j nQW writfi tQ deaf bmhren in the 1 now write unto T 111 1 r 1 • J , "V • • r 1 • l you; in both which jL,or(i > beloved ot him and me for his lake, is much I ftir up your pure the fame with that of the former ; in both which I minds by way of would excite the attention and caution of fincere fouls remembrance : among you, that are not yet corrupted in the faith, but need to be armed againft falie teachers, by remind- ing and folemniy warning luch of you, again and a- gain, (chap. i. 13.) of their deftructive fchemes and at- tempts to overthrow your faith and hope, holinefs and joy. 2 That ye may 2 I am earneftly defirous that ye may bear in mind, we mindful of the and ferioufly reflect upon, the predictions and doctrines, words which were which v er£ delivered in former t{mes b ho/ men Q f ipoken before by ^ . , , , , » ■■» *V ■ rr # the holy prophets, Lr0 "» who Jpake as they were moved by the Holy and of the com- Ghojl ; (chap. i. 21.) and were more lately confirmed mandment of us by the commandment, which we, the infpired apollles W^SavioJr 6 ° f ° Ur L ° rd J* 1 " 8 ' the Ki "£ and Saviour of thc church, have received from him, and delivered in word and writing to you, as about other things, fo particu- larly about his fecond coming to judgment, (chap. i. 16.) that ye may be fortified againll the pernicious influence of fecret and open feducers, and not be Hum- bled at them. 3 Knowing this 3 Eipecially fince ye have been forewarned, and firft, that "there ma y we u know, (Jude, ver. 17, 18.) that in this laft fo*U come 111 the age of ^^ difpenfationg toward the church> there would Chap. iii. Peter paraphrafed. i fI laft days fcoffers, would arife among them profane defpifers and derid- walkinjr after their e rs of the mod important points of divine revelation ; ownlufts, men) who j n the cour f e Q r t h e ir lives give themfelves up to, and follow their own carnal devices and corrupt inclinations, paflions, and appetites. 4 And faying, 4 And under the power of infidelity, they are con- ™r er VV- he Pr °" tinuall y fa y in £ In a wa y of taunt, jeer, and infult, like ™? for fin^tbe" th . ofe an ^ent fcorners, Let him make fpeed and haj/en fathers fell afleep, hls work > tkat we may fee it. (Ifa. v. 19.) What is all things continue become of the promife of your Lord's appearing, as as they were from Judge of the world, (ver. 7.) to put an end to the the c^eation^ ^ P refent f !" ame °^' nat . ure i and t0 take vengeance on his enemies, and deliver his followers out of all their troubles, which ye Chriftians fo confidently talk of, and expeft on the foot of divine predictions ? Where is there any fign of this ? Do not ye plainly fee that it is all fancy and delufion, and that there is nothing in it ? For ever fince the days of our fathers, who, ye fay, had the promife of it, and foretold it, but who are long ago dead and gone, or, as ye call it, fallen afleep to awake again at the general refurrection, all things in the whole courfe of nature continue, with- out any 'remarkable alteration, ju ft the fame as they were, even from the beginning of the world to this rery day. Thus thefe mockers vainly argue that, be- caufe Chrift is not yet come to judgment, he never will : But all this reafoning and ridicule is entirely groundlefs and mere trifling ; it proceeds only from the blindnefs and perverfenefs of their own corrupt minds and hearts. 5 For this they 5 For they wilfully (hut their eyes againfl the fcrip- willirigty are igno- ture-account of the great things, that God has done in thf word ^God hl * ° Wn timC ' wh,ctl m, ? ht fatIs fy them > that as a11 the heavens were things are poffible to him; fo no argument can be of old, and the drawn againft his never doing what he has not yet feen earth ftanding out fit to do : They will not ferioufiy confider, as they ?n the water 1 "- ^ ou S ht > that > after an imm enfe duration from all eter- nity had run out, he by a fovereign almighty command, faying, Let it be fo y and it was fo, created, above four thoufand years ago, the aerial heavens, (fee the note on ver. 7.) with all the waters in the firmament ; and the earth, confiding of land and fea, raifing the dry land above the furface of the fea, to which lie fet bounds, [Gen. i. 6, — 10. and P . civ. 9.) and placing fome part of the earth under the waters, and encom- paffing and moiftening the red with them, that the dry land might not crumble to pieces. 6 Whert-by the 6 By means of which waters from the heavens above was'!' 1 b*£ over ^ ! he ^ det 'P bcW ' ^' oM WOlld ' aftfT h had flowed with water continued in the fame ftate about fixtetfn hundred and perifhed. fifty-fix years, was overflowed ; and all mankind, ex- cept H2 The Second Epylls of Chap. iii. cept eight perfons (fee the note on chab. ii. 5.) were utterly deftroyed by the univerfal deluge ; [Gen, vii. 1 1 , — 23.) So that there is no room to pretend, that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation ; or that any length of forbearance can pre- vent an accomplifhment of the prophecies of Chrift's coming to judge the world at thelaft day ; which will bring a more terrible deftruction upon the wicked, than was fuffered by Noah's flood, after it had been foretold an hundred and twenty years. [Gen. vi. 3.) 7 Eut the he?.- 7 But the aerial heavens * and this earth, as fub- yens and the earth f,^j n g { n their prefent form, are 'kept in their courfes , -c re i\Z as fecure as a treafure, [ndmc-ctvpKrubvoi u \ ...S r ) keot in (lore, re mg to God's promiie, [Gen. vm. 22.) by the lame ferved unto fire a- powerful and effective word of command, which at gainft the day of £ r ft created, and afterward brought deftru&ion upon judgment, and per- thcm . But th are fo far frQm be j def d tQ a . iittion or ungodly . . c I . . r ° , P , roen ° bide for ever, that they are only relerved tor the ap- pointed feafon of their final diffolution, which will be, not by water, as before, [Gen. ix. 9, — 11.) but by an univerfal conflagration, that will fet them all on fire, and confume them at the general judgment of the great day ; which will certainly be the moft dread- ful that ever was known to all impious fcoffers at it, and to all that fear not God, and defpife the only Sa- viour, who are referved for destruction againft that awful day. S But, be'.oved, 8 But, though ungodly men raife objections a- be not ignorant of gainft the promife of ChrilVs coming to judgment, as this one thing, ;f ^ never WQuld be f u ifiU e d, becaufe fo long a time That one day if . . , „ • , . ri _i ° r • with the Lord as 1S already pail without any vifible appearance of it ; a thoufand years, [ver. 4.) and though, becaufe fentence againft their and a thoufand ev {/ works is not fpeedily executed ; their hearts are years as one day. f u // y f et in them to do evil; (Ecclef. viii. 11.) Yet, my dear Chriftian-brethren, whom I confider as be- loved of the Lord, I would not have you ftrangers to, or unmindful of this one thought, which is enough to confute their vain and ignorant cavils, and to quiet your own minds, namely, that with the eternal Jeho- vah, who is from ever lafiing to ever/a/iing God, and beholds all things, paft, prefent, and to come, in one comprehenfive NOTE. * By the heavens, as I take it, is which underwent a great alteration by meant here, and in ver. 5. the aerial the flood ; and as the waters of the hea- heaven, the plnral being put, by an a- vens and the earth were a preparation of nalo^y of number, for the fingular, as it materials for the univerfal deluge, fo are frequently is in other places: (fee the the fiery comets in the air. and fubter- note on Matth. xxi. 7 ) For the heavens raneous fires in the earth for the univer- and the earth are here fpnken of in op- fal conflagration of the world, which pofition to thofe of the old world, which will not be till the day of judgment, could mean nothing more than the earth (See Dr. Whitby's note.) and its former atmofphere, the ftate of Chap. iii. Peter paraphrafed. ir^ comprchenfivc view, a day and a tho-i fund years are equally but as a point of time, compared witb his own immenfe duration, without beginning, change, or end, ( Pf. xc. 2, 4.) and that, in his account, the longeit fucceffion of years is infinitely lefa than a fingle day is in our ways of reckoning, for fulfilling his purpofes and promifes ; the precife time of which he has fixed, but rcferved as a kcrei in his own brcaft. 9 The Lord is q As to the great promife in particular, which we not flick co-.cern- are f pea k- n rr f\ t h e Lord is not dilatory in perform- (a! te Pr ° men' ™g £ ™ fome "libertines impiouily fuggeil, to di'crc- count fheknefs) dit the thing itielf ; or, as fome of his own people but is long-fuffer- ma y De apt to think, through the workings of too in ? to us- ward, not mucn impatience and unbelief, under their prefent tSSf^X S burdens of fin and forrow : Sut it may be &id in this that ail ftwuld cafe, as in a prophecy of the Meihan s days, ( come to repent- ii. 3.) The vifion is yet for an appointed lime ; but * nce * at the end it jha/I fpeak and, not lie : Though it tar- ry, wait for it; hecaufe it ivill ' furely come, ti not tarry one moment beyond its fet time : And what fome fcoffers may count fu;h a delay, as defeats ail expectation of the event, if. only an exercife of the kind long-fuffering and forbearance of God towards us, * who are the objects of his ipecial love, that the whole NOTE. * As the perfons here meant by aft, comin? of Chrift, are in 1 Theff. iv. 15, are fuch as the apoitle ranked himfelf 17. (iee the note theie, and the para- with, and are apparently all along in this phrafe on Matth. xx ; v 22.) According- chapter, diftinguilhed from fcoffers and ly, the defign of God in his long-fuf- ■ungodly men, (ver. 3, 7.) God's ?wt fering toward them », tirttt none of them willing that any Jhould peri/b, Sec. fhould pertfh,but that all of Jthem Jhould fetms to refer to thofe who are often come to repentance in their proper fea- called beloved in the context, and par- ion'. Or, if tnftead of to us-iuard (r lf ticularly in the preceding verfe, which /^ac) we admit oi the reading of the A- may naturally include, at leaft, their lexandrian and Stevens's copies, which being beloved of God, as it is exprefied have it for you, ox for your Jules, (St* Rom.'i.'j.; and who had been fpoken of v^x^) and are followed by the Syria?, as having obtained like precious faith at Ethiopic, and feveral other vei the beginning of this eoiftle, (chap: i. 1.) (vulc Mil. in ioc.) it amounts to much and ftyled eleel according to the fore • the fame. — but if, after all, any will iu- knovuledge of God the Father. (1 Epift. lift upon it, that what the apoftle here i. 2.) And as it cannot reafonably be lays is to be extended to mankind in Re- thought that the long-fuffering of God neral, Its meaning, on this fuppofition, was defigned for the falvation of thofe may be, as Meifrs Cradack an J Pyle fcoffers and ungodly men, who are re- have given it, that the Luid defers his lerved for deftrudtion, together with the coming in his great long-Cutferinj heavens and the earth, againft the day patience tqward finuers, to a;tord allot* of judgment: (ver. 7.) So his long-fujfer- them the utinolt opportunities of! ing to us-ijr y be fet on things' above, and not in //// holy con. on things r,f the earth ? (Col. iii. 1, 2.) And with venation and god- w h at watchfulnefs, care, and circumfpection ought ye to behave in all manner of purity and holinefs of heart and life toward God and man, and in the exercife of every grace, and difcharge of every religious duty, with iledfattnefs, perfeverancc, and increasing fer- vour, during your fhort and uncertain abode in the body ? 12 Lookinrr for, 12 How important and becoming is this for per- and having unto f on s of your character, who are expecting, looking, day of God' where 6 lon S In g» and tending in your earnelt prayers, defires, in the he wens be- hopes, and preparations for the time, when that final in? on fire (.nil be decifive day of the Lord Jefus fhall come according to diifolved, and the divine appointment, in which, as has been obferved, elements * (ver* Chap. iii. Peter paraphrafed. 115 elements fhall melt (ver. io.) the aerial heavens being all in aflame with fervent heat ? fhall be deltroyed, and all the conftituent principles of the atmofphere, together with the earth and all things in it, mall be melted down by an intenfe dif- folvmg heat, into a confufed chaos, like that, out of which they were originally formed? (Gen. i. 2.) 13 Neverthelefs 1 3 Neverthelefs, as the particles of matter, that we, according to compofe thofe bodies, will not be annihilated, though his promise, look won d er fully altered from what they are in their pre- and 7 newelrth; fent contexture ; we, who believe in Jefus, arc fop- wherein dwelleth ported under preffetlt calamities, and awful profpects jighteoufnefs. of this tremendous catajlrophe, with joyful hopes of its turning to our unfpeakable happinefs and glory ; while, according to the true and faithful promife of our God, (//. lxv. 17. and lxvi. 22.) * we expect and long for a glorious and refining change of the pve- fent ftate of things, which for its excellency, as the product of the like almighty power and goodnefs that created this world, may well be llyled new heavens and a new earth, in which will be nothing that defiles, but all fpotlefs purity ; and in which none but righ- teous and holy perfons fhall dwell for ever. [Rev. xxu 27-) t4Wheref0re.be- 14 Therefore, my beloved brethren, fince, on the loved, feeing that foot of divine revelation, ye earneltly defire, and juft- ye -look tor fuch 1 ^ f or r uc ^ a gl or i us and bleffed alteration of thlT' e^may^be the whole frame of naturc > whcn Ch,ift flia11 C ° mC t0 found y of him in judge the world at the laft day, let it be your utmoft peace, without care and endeavour, through grace, to behave as be- fpot, and blame- comes the expectants of fuch wonderful events, that ye may meet the Lord Jefus, whenever they come to pafs, without terror, and may be found by him as your Judge, and in him with acceptance, comfort, and holy boldnefs, as waftied in his blood, and fan&ihed by his Spirit ; and fo may be,"~not like thofe that are Jpots and blcmijhes to Chriilian focieties ; (chap. ii. 13.) but may appear before him holy and without b/emijhy free from all defilement, as well as condem- nation. (Kph. v. 27.) Q_2 15 And NOTE. * New heavens and a new earth, in fenfe be created, out of the diflbived the ftyle of the Prophet lfa.ab, are ftrong materials, to be the habitation or the figures to reprefentthe glor.ous change, faints for ever. But, whatever the mean- that fhould be made in the affairs of the ing be, they are xo/ucrrcd the diflolu- chutch under the golpehdifpenfation, tion of the p relent trame ot the heavens with an ultimate reference to the much and the earth by fire, and the flaj 01 more glorious ftate of things that we look judgment ; (wr 10—13 ) and therefore for, as to be introduced at the laft day : feem to have no relation to the thousand And, poflibly. new heavens and a new years of Chrift's glorious reign on earth, earth, or a more refined and excellent which is to precede theft great event?, future than the prcfent, may in a literal (See the note on Rev. xxi. 1.) 1 1 o The Second Epijile of Chap. iii. 15 And account 15 And to encourage you hereunto, fet it down as tha } r " e . &5£ a f ure principle in your own minds, that the great pa- ' :ion ir t -ven tfence and l° R g forbearance of our Lord towards a fm- i loved !.,J- ful world, which his enemies, to countenance their ul il/o, ac- unbelief of his ever coming, call (lacknejs, is really cording to the wif defigned for, tends to, and (hall iffue in, not only your fcim hSr wrUtfert ovvn com P lete falvation, but likewife in the falvation of 'into you the whole number of God's elecl : (fee the note on ver. 9.) And the point I have been principally infill- ing upon is quite agreeable to what our dearly belov- ed brother in the Lord, and my fellow apoftie Paul, has alfo delivered in his epiftle to profefiing Chriftians of your own nation, * [tlcb. ix. 27, 28. and x. 36, 37.) which he wrote under divine infpiration, accord- ing to the eminent knowledge that God gave him, in which he was not a whit behind the very chief eji a- pofiles. (2 Cor. xi. 5.) t6 As alfo in all 16 He has alfo more or lefs intimated things of bis epiftles, fpeak- this nature in the generality of his other epiftles, in 1A tt »i.* t em ° which he warns Jews, as well as Gentiles* again ft falfe tnefe things: in J ' 1/1 - r> «, 1 rr which are feme ttachers and leducers ; and lpeaks or Gods long-iur- things bard to fc.e fering ; of Chrift's fecond coming and its momentous underlined, which consequences ; and of believers patiently waiting for They that are nn- h and the like . Amonp - wh ; ch thuigs /„ Clg \ there learned ana unfta- , . r , c r ° . .- ^ ° , ' , ,» bte wreft as they are > as nc mmie " * a 7 s t0 tnoie J^j- that were dull do alio the other of hearing, (Heb. v. 11.) fome doctrines, which Jrnptuics, unto though certain truths, and as plain in themfelves as their <*wn deftruc- their fublime and fpiritual nature well admit of, are not eafily apprehended and received by weak and pre- judiced minds ; and which, through the darknefs, pride, and corruptions of men's own hearts, they that are not taught of God by his Spirit f, but are unfkil- fui N O T E S. * Hath written to you is generally f They that are unlearned do not underftood as referring to the epiitle to here mean illiterate perfons, according the Hebrews, by moft commentators, to our common ufe of that word : But ir. -vho take the apoftie F-tter's epiftles to is to be underftood of thofe that are have been wrote to the converted Jews, ftrangers to all true principles of religion, jr>ut fome, who take it to have been or fluctuating in their notions about it, wrote, to the converted Gentiles, fuppofe through the corruptions of their own the reference is to thofe epiftles to Gen- hearts; and fo fome things in the apoftie tile churches in Afia Minor, to which Paul's writings were hard for them to the apoftie Paul wrote.— But our apof- underftand, becaufe they could not re- qs to refer to fome one of Paul's lifh them, as well as that there were o- epiftJes in particular, with a diftinction thers of too fpiritual and fublimea na- Ot it from all his other epiftles ; and I ture for their injudicious and carnal cannot, brut think that feveral paffages in minds to take in, or indeed for any finite ■■><■ - oil • "' two epiftles immediately mindfully to comprehend. But this is point ' Chriftians; (fee the no argument either againft the pe rfpicui- prefa e to this hrft epiftle) and that the ty of fcripture, efpecially in things that r< ere i . >ly to the gene- are neeefiary to falvation, or againft the 1 •. ; to: the Hebrews, than to any common people's reading them: lor eV>iftl< that was diric'Ud to only one par- though the apoftie fays, that Jome things lul's epiftles, he dees not fay that th:' Chap. iii. Peter paraplrafed. 117 ful in the word of right eoufnefs, or are fceptical and unlet tied in their principles, wrack and torture to a wrong meaning, and pervtrt rhe fenfc and ufe of them, as they iikewile do many ether paflages of holy writ, both of the Old and New Teilamcnt, to their own eternal perdition with high aggravations of their guilt, inilcad of receiving them with metknefs and improving them, as means of rmih toife lo JalV0tion t through faith in (thrift jefifr. (2 Tim. iii. 15.) 17 Ye therefore, I 7 Since therefore ye, my clear brethren, are lore- •* ' warned &i ail thefe things, and ib fore -armed againft crafty icduceis; and fmce ye know beforehand, that before. beware, ^ y •/, •„ . , / . ., , . , left vc alio be- ^hnit will certanuy come to judgment, and take ven- ing led awp.v w *h geance upon all the ungodly ; have a care left any of the error of the you being drawn alide, [c-jvocTray^vnt^) with othei a- wicked, fall horn p ftates, from him, and from the way of truth and holinefs, by the faLe notions, deceitful infinuations, and vile practices («diqKWJ of impious, immoral, and lawlefs men, ye fall from your own liability in the doctrines, purity, and profeflion of the gofpel, in which ye have hitherto perlilted. iS But grow in 18 But. to help you againft ail declenfions, and re- grace, and m the volts, let it be your earneft prayer, and endeavour, in knowledge of our j f f ^ be eflive fc dail Lord and Saviour " f * T . K* .J [djis Chrift. To exercilcs and increalcs or every Chnttian grace, as alio him be glory both in an abiding fenfe of the free love and favour of God, now and for ever, according to the gofpel j and in a clear, fiducial, prac- Am * B * tical, and experimental acquaintance with the perfon and office^, doctrines, pron.iies, and commandments of our divine Lord and all-fufhcient Saviour Jefus Chrift, and with your own perfonal interell in him • To whom be afcribed, as is moll jultly due, all adoration, wor- fhip, and honour, henceforth and for ever. May we, together with all the faints and angels, fincerely add, in teilimony of our approbation, hope, and affurance of its being fo, Amen ! RECOLLECTIONS. What need have we to be often reminded of the doctrines and commandments, that are delivered to us by our Lord Jefus and his infpired prophets and apoftles ; and to be cautioned againft the errors and evil practices of wicked and defin- ing men, that we may not be unfettled in our religious principles by them ! And how important is it to believers, for preventing this evil, that they grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Chrift, all their days ! The great doctrines of divine reve- lation are evidently confirmed by the harmony of infpired writings, both of the Old NOTE. the epi/lles them/elves, or that many, unlearned perfont did read them, or at much lefs all of them, are hard to be leaft heard them read, which he does vnderflood, but gives an honourable tcf- not blame them for. but only for their timony to hiin and his epiftles, as his be- making a bad ufe of them, as many do loved brother, who had wrote them ac- of the left raid moft neceffary things in cording to the ivifdom that Cod had gi- the world, by perverting them to their ien him : And it is fuppoied that thefe own dcluu^ion. Ii8 The Second Epiftk,&c< Gliap. iii. Old and New Teftament ; and yet, alas ! How many are there who, through wil- ful blindnefc and prejudices, ridicule, and raife groundlefs objections againft the molt interelting points of faith, like that of Chrift's coming to judgment ! And "how many that have not learnt the firft principles of the oracles oi God, but are of a fceptical temper, and pervert the plain meaning of various fcriptures to their own deftruction ! But the word of the Lord ftands faft for ever ; and the promiie of thrift's fecond coming (hall certainly be fulfilled in its appointed ieafon, to the joy of the faints, and the confulion of finners. As this world was once destroyed by a universal deluge of water ; fo the whole fyftem of its prefent frame fhall hereafter be fet on fire, diffolved and burnt up by a univerial blaze of melting heat, to which it is referved againft the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men, who fhall be tormented for ever with unquenchable flames. But O what a magnificent irate of blifs and glory in the new heavens and new earth, all refined, pure, and ho. ly, fhall the habitation of the righteous be, without any mixture of fin, or finners I ^How foon this finiihing day will come, the Lord only knows ; but it certainly will come, and that as fuddenly and unexpectedly as a thief in the rright, with terrible furprize to all that (hall be unprepared for it, Some indeed would fufpect that, becaufe it is hitherto deferred, it never will be at all. Vain and toolifli thought ! A thoufand years are infinitely lefs in the account of the eternal and unchangeable God, than one day is in ours ; and what may feem to be a delay in the opinion of fome, is only his long-forbearance and patience towards a finful world, till all his elect be gathered in, that none of them may perifh, but all and every one of them may be brought to faving repentance. Since therefore we, who believe in Jeius, know that there will be a total diflblution of this world and of all things in it ; how circumfpect, holy, and religious, weaned from the prefent life and all its con- cerns, ought we to be in our temper and behaviour ! And fince we defire and ex- pect a perfect (tate of happinefs in that eminent day of the Lord, and are forewarn- ed of deceivers, that would turn us afide from him and from our way to heaven; how folicitous fhould we be for conftant iupplies of grace to enable us fo to walk with God, as to find favour and acceptance with him in the beloved, till we be prefent- ed holy and unblameable in his fight through Jefus Chriftl To whom be glory and honour through all ages, and for ever. Amen, A PRAC A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF THE APOSTLE JOHN, IN THE FORM OF A PARAPHRASE. The PREFACE to the FIRST EPISTLE of JOHN. THOUGH the name of the writer of this, and the two follow- ing ihoit epiftles, be not prefixed to them - 7 there is neverthe- lefs no room to doubt but that it was the apoftle John, whofe name is no more mentioned in his gofye/, than in either of thefe epiftles. All antiquity afcribes the Jirjl of them to him •, and it was not long before the other two were generally efteemed canonical, and recei- ved as fuch ', and the gieat limilitude, and even famenefs of phra- feology and fpirit, that runs through them all and his gofpel, carry their own evidence of their being wrote by the fame hand : Ac- cordingly they caft a good light one upon another; and many paf- fa<-;es of thefe epiftles may be cleared up, by comparing them toge- ther, and with the evangelift. The place from whence, and the time when, they were written, cannot be fully determined ; but they feem to have been fent from Ephefus, or fome part of Afia the lefs, where this apoftle chiefly la- boured, and before the deltru&ion of Jcn/falem, as may be conjec- tured from his fpeaking of the lajt time as then come, chap. ii. 18. which probably relates to the laft period of the Jewi/h church and ftate, and the commencement of the gofpel difpenfation, which is the laft. and (hall remain to the end of the world j and from his mentioning many antichrifls and falje teachers^ as already ap- pearing, which our Lord foretold would arife before the defla- tion of the temple, chap. ii. 18. and iv. i. compared with Matth. xxiv. 24. The per/ons, to whom this epiftle was wrote were not any parti- cular church, but all Cbrrflwni in general of tha* age, perhaps, prin- cipallv Jeiuj y but inclusive of Gentiles, with a view to all fucceed- ing generations j on which account it is called a general epijlle. And the 120 The Preface to the Tirfi Epijlle 0,TJohn. the immediate occn-fion of writing it appears to have been taken from the pernicious efforts of jndaizing and antichriftian teachers, who had broached many grofs errors in doctrine and practice, and were the fore-runners of others, who the apoftle forefaw, by the fpirit of prophecy, would rife in after-ages, to corrupt and trouble the church under papal tyranny, fuperftition, and idolatry : In oppoiition to all which, our apoftle'g chief defign was to eftablifh believers in the faith of Chrifl's being the Son of God, and the true Meftiah ; to lead them into affecting views of the love of the Father in fending him, and beftowing the moft glorious benefits upon them on his account *, and thereby engaging their love to him and to one another, and fweet- ly conftraining them to depart from all iniquity, and yield a chear- ful obedience to all divine commandments, anfwerable to their high privileges, hopes, and obligations.' He begins with giving them the ftrongeft evidence of the truth of what he delivered to them concerning Chrift, that they might (hare, and rejoice with himfelf and his fellow-apoftles, in their happy com- munion with the Father and the Son ; and reminds them of their im- perfection through indwelling fin, and at the fame time of the ne- cefiity of departing from the practice of it, chap. i. He then comforts them under a fenfe of the difallowed fin that ftill remained in them ; but (hews that, if they were real Chriftians, their freedom from its dominion mull be demonft rated, by tjieir unfeigned obedience to God's commands, by their love to the brethren, and fitting loofe from this world ; and by watching and guarding againft feducers, in virtue of the anointings of the Spirit which they were favoured with, chap. \\. He thereupon breaks out into a rapturous admiration of the love of God in making them his children ', and infers from their hope of per- fect holinefs and happinefs with Chrift, that they ought to abftain from all iniquity, and live after a holy rate, and in a cordial affec^ tion to all their Chriftian brethren, as thofe that are born of God, and have an irreconcileable averfion to fin, chap. iii. From hence he proceeds to caution them againft hearkening to every pretender to the Spirit, and (hews how to diftinguifh the fpirit of truth and of error ; and adds various arguments to excite their brotherly love. chap. iv. Sets before them the efficacy of evangelical love, as fpringing from faith in Chrift, whofe divine and faving character is attefted by three unexceptionable witneffes in Jieaven, and three on earth, together with that which believers have in themfclves ; aiTures them that all their prayers, according to the will of God, (hall be anfwered ; that they who are born of God (hall be preferved from the evil one, and are happily diftinguifhed from the world which lies in wickednefs ; and concludes with an exhortation to renounce all idolatry, chap. v. C H A P. t Chap. i. John paraphrafed. 121 CHAP. I. The apoflle prefaces his epijlle to believers in general with evident teflimonies to Chri/? y for promoting their hapninct.s and joy, i, — 4. Shews the neceffity of a life of holme 'A, in order to c mmunion with God y and relieves them undc- a fenfe of in-dwelling Jin . which they ought humbly to acknowledge fill remain? wi'h them; but from which there is an all-cleanjing virtue in the blood of ' Jefus, 5,—io. Text. Paraphrase. THAT which rpHE defign of this epiftle is to let forth what was trom the I beginning, which * I and other apoitles of our Lord art fully af- we have' heard, fured of, upon undeniable evidence, and cannot but which we have teftify, ^A:ird and 'he Life, (John i. 1, 4.) as he is the living perfonal Word of God, who, together wi'h the Father and Spirit^ is the fountain and author of the liie of all creatures, . and NOTE. * Though from the beginning, (ar' and our apoftle fpeaks o f names that a^x n <) am ' ,;/ ti}e beginning (fv a? yf) as were not written in the book oj life from we have it John i. 1^ are lomewhat dif the foundation of the world, <<*<> af- ferent expreflions ; yet as Chrift is here Coxry xcr/not/) Rev wii S which I ft vied in the next verfe eternal life, it is think means from eternity. Accordingly natural to take in Ids eternal exigence, we may take thai which was / • < correfpondent to this aportle's aliertion beginning to relate to the eternal deity of of it, John i 1. : And ye have known him Chri/i, rather tliar to the beginnin that is from the beginning, (2 »■' a^wc) gojfeldiffienfation, though it n; 1 chap, ii 13, 14. (fee the note there) the lad of tbefe fenles in fomc other parts whether applied to the Father or Sun, e- 01 this eyiltle. vidently relates to his eternal exillence ; Vol. VI. R 122 2 (For the life was manifefted. and we have feen it, and bear wit- nefs, and fliew un- to you that eter. nal life which was with the Father, and was manifeft- ed unto us j) 3 That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto vou. that ye alfo may have fel. lowfhip with us : and truly our fel- low Hi ip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift. The Firfi Epiflle of Chap. i. 4 And thefe things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the melfage which we have heard of him. and declare unto vou. that God is light, and in him is no dark- nefs at all. and particularly of all fpiritual and eternal life to his people. 2 (For he in whom is life, and who is the life- giver, (John i. 4.) was God ?7ianifejied in the flefh ; (1 Tim. iii. 16.) and we, his apoftles, have actually feen and converted with him in his human nature ; and, as authorifed by his immediate commiffion, do bear our teftimony to him in all his characters, and difcover to you his divine perfon and offices, who had originally and eternally life in himfelf, and was from all eternity co-exiftent with God the Father, and was confpicuoufly made known to us in the fulnefs of time, in which God fent him forth, as his own Son, made of a woman, made under the law, &C+ Gal. iv. 4, 5.) 3 That, I fay, which we, in the manner but now mentioned, have both feen and heard of him, and in which it was impoffible for us to be miftaken, we now publifh and make known to you, to the end that ye, who believe in him, may have a partnerfhip and com- munion, as one fpiritual and holy body with us, in all the gracious promifes, ordinances and influences, bleffings and privileges, that belong to the gofpel- ftate, and that we ourfelves are admitted to : And this is a communion of the mod excellent, honourable, and heavenly nature, richly worth your coming into ; it being in reality a communion with God the Father himfelf in all the bleffings of his love, which are com- municated to us through Jefus Chrift, his eternal Son ; and with this dear Son of the Father in all the bleffings of his purchafe, as, through him, we are children and heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrijl, (Rom. viii. 16, 17.) and have accefs through him by one Spirit to the Father ; (Eph. ii. 18.) and fo have communion with the Holy Spirit too, in all his graces and comforts, (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) which is the earneft of the heavenly inheritance ; where w£ fhall have the mod intimate and blifsful communion with the facred Three in all their glory for ever. 4 And our aim in writing thefe great things to you is, that ye may have a fulnefs of folid fatisfaction and rejoicing in this delightful and holy communion, which makes up the nobleft pleafure we are capable .of, till it be perfected in heaven. 5 Now, in order to your having the joy of this ex- cellent communion, and being partakers of all the bleffings of it, ye ought to know what God is, and who they are that fhall inherit his grand promife (a snxyyiXi*) of eternal life. (Chat), ii. 25.) And the fum of that doctrine concerning his nature and per- fections, which we ourfelvea have heaxd from the mouth Chap. i. John paraphrafed. 123 mouth of our Lord in his miniftration upon earth, and which, as his meffengers, we publilh to you, is this, That God is an abfolutely perfeft Spirit, (Ma.uk. v. 48. and John iv. 24.) infinite in wifdom, purity, bleffednefs, and glory, and in all other adorable excel- lencies, that can be comprehended in an idea of the molt illuflrious, amiable, and all-penetrating light 4 and in him there is not the lead defedfc of any kind, or mixture of any thing contrary, or uniuitabie to his perfect rectitude, who utterly abhors all iniquity. (See HuLak. i. 13. and Pf. v. 4, 5.) 6 If we fay that 6 It is therefore a plain conference from hence, we have fellow- that it any of us, who bear the Chriltian name, pre- fliip with him. and ten( j tQ be admitted to comfortable communion with, ^t'an^not God, and hope of enjoying bam who is fo unfpot- the truth : tedJy pure and holy ; and if, at the fame, we live 111 the practice of any known fin, which involves igno- rance and error, and is the woril of all darkuel's in us, (Rom. xiii. 12. and Eph. v. 8.) but is open to his ali-feeing eye ; (Heb. iv. 13) we are infmcere in that proieffion, and pra&ically give the lie to it, and in works deny it; (Tii. i. 16.) and we lpeak and aft in direct contradiaion to the nature and will of God, who is truth itielf, and to the whole tenor and defign of the gofpel-revelation, or of his word, which is truth; (John xvii. 17.) yea, direaiy contrary to the very nature and truth of things, which render it impofiible that righteoulnefs ihould have any fellovv- fhip with unrighteoufnefs, or light with darknefs. (2 Cor. vi. 14.) 7 But if we 7 But if, according to our profeflion, we, as chil- walk in the light, (Jren of light, (1 The[[. v. 5.) do indeed live and as he is in the walk> under the guidance and influence of the Spirit, K&r«wS; in wa y s of truth and holinefs » in *< . 1J s ht f &?**- another, and the rexelatmm, and in refemblance of him, who dwells blood of Jefua in immortal light, (1 Tim. vi. 16.) and has laid, Be Chrift his Son holy ; for L am holy. (1 Pet. i. 16.) We then aUfin. "* have the beft of a11 communion, he with us, and we with him, in which all true believers fhare as fellow- Chriftians: And one great b'ieffing, and even the foundation, of this communion is, that the precious a- toning blood of Jelus Chriii, who is both the anoint- ed Saviour, and the eternal eminently beloved Son of the Father, is continually efficacious for cleanfing us from the guilt, condemnation, and power of all our fins ; and, at length, from all remaining defilement and in-being of fin, which, for his i'ake, (hall be en- tirely purged away, and have no more place in us, or bad effe&s upon us ; but we (hall be as like as pofii- ble to him, when we Jhall fee him as he is. (Chap, iii. 2.) R 2 8 However, 124 • ?7^ Fnjl Epiflk of Ch?p. i. s Ir" we fry that 8 However, as fin came into the world with us, v-t ir..vt do fin, we an( j carmol be utterly extirpated till we die out of deceive ourtePves, •. ■-* r % , ' j L i r j l »i. and the truth is !t ' " Ru y °* us ' w "° P rctena to be cleanfed by the not in us. blood of Chrilt., are To ignorant, proud, and vain, as to imagine that, in this p; dent ilate of weaknefs and mortality by reafon of fin, we are fo thoroughly cleanfed from it, as to have no remainders of its work- ings in us, we certainly deceive our own fouls ; r and neither the truth of God's word, which abundantly declares the contrary, nor any true light of know- ledge, grace, or holiruefs is found in us. 9 If we coafefs 9 If, on the other hand, we, under a humbling c '- t - 1 ' - he 1S fenie of our imperfections and many difallowed fail- • ancl J uft ures, acknowledge our tranfereffions to the Lord, to toroive us our. ,~ r . . « . , - , . .« _,. ._, .. * fins, and to cleanfe and conteis them with faith in Cnriirs propitiatory us from ailunrigh- facririce for the forgivenefs of them, and with peni- tecu - tential fliame and contrition, abhorrence of them, and full purpofe of heart, by his grace, to forfake them, (Prosy, xxviii. 13.) as all the iniquities of Ifrael were con felled over the head of the fcape-goat, and they afflicted their fouls in reflection upon them, (Lev, xvi. 21, 29, 30.) he is fo true and faithful to his promife to the Redeemer, and to thofe that be- lieve in him; {I/a. liii. 11. and Heb. viii. 12.) and is fo juit to the merit of his blood, {Rom. iii. 26.) as for his lake freely to pardon all our fins of omiffion and com million, in thought, word, and deed, and purge our conferences from guilt ; and to cleanfe us from the reigning power and defilement of all our ini- quities by the ianc"tification of the Spirit, which was pu; dialed by the blood of his Son to purify our hearts and lives, that we may be fit for communion with him in this world, till we be prefented fanltlefs before the fit efence oj kii glory with exceeding Joy in the world to come. {Jade, ver. 24. )■» - m to If we fay 10 If, alter all, we alTert that we have not tranf- that we have not g re fl" €( j tnc - law of God, fo as to need pardon through him aiiar ' knd his tnc D ^ oot ^» a "d '.ancrncation by the Spirit of Chrilt, word is not in us. w tj in eft.cl:, make God himfelf a liar, as we therein deny the truth of what he has faid in his word, which pronounces upon the whole race of mankind, that all . jinncd, and come J.hort rf the glory of God ; (Rom. iii. 23 ) and we thereby (hew that the truth ot the golpel has no place in us, the very nature of which iuppofes us to be finners, and is defigned to' bring us to a humble, penitent confeflion of fin ; {\e>\ 9.) and to faith in the Redeemer's blood lor the ren fiion of it, {ver. 7.) and for victory over it, till wt (hall be completely delivered from the whole of fin in that heavenly Jerufalern, into which nothing ■fi 11 Chap. iL John paraphrafed. 125 Jhall enter that defile \, or works abomination, or makes a lie. (Rev. xxi. 27.) RECOLLECTIONS. What inconteftible evidence have we from faithful eye and ear-witn?fles of the truth of the gofpej revelation, concerning, Chrift and the bent firs brought in by him I And what a biefied communion are ;rue believers hereby let! into with God the Father, and his only begotten Son, who, as a divine perfon, was ever living with him, and as the incarnate Saviour is the author of eternal life to them ! And O the fulntfs of joy that abounds in them, who are partakers of theie blellings \ But as God is infinitel) pure and holy, and polk lied ot ail exalted and amiable pet fec- tions. that can go into the notion of the molt llluftrious light, and is abfoiuteiy ab- horrent of all iniquity, and free from every kind of detect ; it is vain ielr-delution, and directly contrary to him, to his word, to the nature ot things, and to the truth of the golpel, for any who live in a courfe ot fin, which is the worlt of all dark- nefs, to imagine, or pretend, that they have communion with. him. And. on the other hand, it is as vain and lelf-deceivmg, and as directly giving the lie to God himlelf, in the declarations of his woid, ror any to think or lay, that they are en- tirely free from all remainder of fin, in this frail and mortal Late Eat n, with humble acknowledgments of indwelling fin, and 01 our need of a Saviour, and with faith in him, we conlcitntioufly contels and depart trum all iniquity, and walk, under the guidance and influence ot the Spirit, in the light of truth ana hotiiefs, conformable to the nature, will, and commandments of God, who is light ; we really have communion with him, a fundamental part ot which is, that the infi- nitely precious blood of Chriit, his beloved Son, is enedtuaii) applied to us tor the remifiion of all our fins, and tor fubduing their power in us : And God is lb faithiul to his promiie, and jult to the merit of his Son, as to pas by our tranlgrefiions for his take, and gradually fandtify and cleanie us from all iniquity ; tili, at length, in. a better world, we mail be holy y and without blemijij 1 not having Jpot t or ivrin- tie, or any fuch thing. CHAP. II. The apoftle directs believers to the advocacy and atonement of Chrijf for help and relief againfl finfui infirmities^ 1, 2. Dejcnbes the effcBs of a faving knowledge of end union with him, as produc- tive of obedience and love to the brethren, 3, — 11. jdddrejjes Chrijlians unaer the various characters of litiie children, j^ung men, andjaihers', 12, — 14. Cautions them an againjt inoratnate- love of this world, and antichrfiati error*, 1 ;, — 23. And en- cout ages them to juind fqjt in ihe Jaith ana holinefs oj the go// el, according to the light ana influence oj ihe jpiritual unction, ntJicb they had received, 24, — 29. Text. Paraphrase. M thi ^Y little chil- HTHE defign of what 1 havt thus far wrote (chap. • thei \ T thele u ) is to caution you, whoa. I cxnlidtr with all to'you.^that ye fin afte&ion, endearment, and tendernefs, as though ye not. 'And if any were the young offspring of my own bowels, * to man take N O T E. * My little children is an appellation of oiitinclion of younger and weaker, by which our apoiiie often addrefies the from older and ftronger believers, as in whole body of thefe Chriftians; and lb it ver 12, 13 (fee the note there) but as hmojtly to be undeiftood, not as a term a term of tendernefs and endearment, as our/ 126 The Firjl Epijlle of Chap. ii. man fin, we have take heed of giving way to any known iniquity, or an advocate with f falling into it through furprife or temptation, the lather, Tefus i rv • , . <~f • ,-• a » • • Chrift the riehte- m . m0re °* llVin S m the P raftice of ■* : An <* »* is ous : with this further view, that, as we all have finned, and remainders of corruption Hill attend us ; [chap. i. 8, 10.) fo, to prevent your defpairing of mercy on that account, ye may confider that, * when any of us, who believe, fall, through infirmity and tempta- tion, into one or another tranfgrefiiori, (For there is not a jit J} man upon earth that doth good, and Jin- tieth not. Ecclef. vii. 20.) we have a glorious and e- ver-prevailing interceffor to plead our caufe, with his and our Father, the Judge of ail, (Heb. xii. 23.) a- gainft the charges of law and juftice, and the accufa- tions of Satan, that our iniquities may not be charged and punifhed upon us according to their deferts, nor be fuffered to prevail and reign in us, as they do in others : And this advocate is no lefs than Jefus Chrift, the Lord our right coufnefs, (Jer. xxiii. 6.) who is per- fectly holy and righteous in himfelf, and has wrought out an everlafting righteoufnefs for us, which he pre- fents before the throne in his interceflion on our be- half. 2 And he is the 2 And we may fafely depend upon, and take the propitiation for our comfort of his intereft with God the Father for us, fins: and not for ag aU hig advoc - f ounded on lhe e ff e aual atone- ours only, but alfo . . / , _ „ _ . r _ . r ,. . for the fms of the ment he has made, to the full iatisraction of divine whole world. juftice, that we may be forgiven all trefpaffes, and --—. none of them may have -dominion over us : And his atonement is not only for our fins, who are of Jewijh extract, and have already believed ; but alfo for the fins, not indeed of the whole race of mankind, fince he prays not for them all univerfally, {John xvii. 9.) and multitudes of them perim in and by their iniqui- m / P* ties ; but for the fins of all, for whom he is an advo- cate, (ver. 1.) and who do, or mail hereafter believe in him, (John xvii. 20.) even Gentiles, as well as Jews, wherefoever they be fcaftered abroad through the whole world. (See the notes on John i. 29, and iii. 16.) 3 And NOTES, our blefied Lord himfelf ufed it to his in the ftyle of our apoitle, as in John difciples, John xiii. 33. And perhaps ma- xii. 3Z. ^fee the note there) and xiv. 3. ny whom rhe apoltle wrote to were con- and xvi. 7. And Calvin on .this place verted by his miniltry, which engaged thinks, that it ought to be reiolved in- his mod affectionate love to them ; and to a cavfal particle, becaufe it cannot as he was by this time an old man, it be but that we (hould fin ; and fo the a- was the more decent, and befitting his poftle confirms what he had been faying, a^e, to fpeak to all believers under this chap. i. S. about fin's remaining in true tide. believers tbemfelves, who are far fioru * The particle (est?) rendered if fre- being perfect in holinefs, quently figniries when, and particularly Chap. ii. John paraphrafed. 127 3 And hereby 3 And it is evident to us, that we have a true and we do know that f a ving knowledge * of Chrift, which includes faith we keTVs^om! ' m him and loVC t0 hIm > if ft haS a P owerful influence mandnients. " to en g a g e us unt0 a lincere, chearful, and unreferved obedience to whatever he has commanded, both in the precepts of the moral law, and in the inftitutions ofthegofpel. (John xv. 14.) 4 He that faith, 4 Whoever he be that pretends to fay, f I have I know him, and k nown i oved and believed in him, and have had com- keepeth not his .,,.,_. , , • ^ \ j 1 commandments, is muni ? n with him >. [chap. l. 6.) and yet makes no a Jiar, and the confcience of keeping his holy commandments, that truth is not in man fpeaks what is utterly falfe, and inconfiilent with his ever having had an effectual knowledge of him : He gives the lie to his own profeflion, and to the word of God ; and there is neither fincerity in his affer- tions, nor the truth of grace, or of the gofpel in his heart. 5 But whofo 5 But whoever duly regards, holds faft, and care- keepeth his word, f u ijy obferves the doctrines, ordinances, and duties the love V <>f U God contamec ^ * n tne word of the Lord, he is undoubted- perfetted- hereby ty under the eminently governing influence of that know we that we fincere and fupreme love to God, which, under a are in him. f en f e f m ' s } ove> conftrains him to keep his com- mandments, and not count them grievous. (Chap. v. 3. and fee the note on chap. iv. 12.) When it is thus with us, we are hereby well afiured, that we are vitally united to Chrift, and interelted in all his bene- fits. 6 He that faith 6 Keeping his word is fo clofely connected with 6 \* 3 ?!* 'J?' our union and communion with him, that every one ought nimlelt alio . rrr r ... i> » 1 ' ' fo to walk, even as wno proieiies a ipecial intereit in nun, as one that he walked. dwells in him, (John vi. 56.) and would make it out to himfelf and others, is indifpenfibly obliged to live and aft in the courfe of his converfation after Chrift's own example, and to tread in hisjieps, by a holy and humble imitation of him. (1 Pet. ii. zt.) 7 Erethren, I 7 In my fo earneftly preffing you, dear Chriftian wike no new com- brethren, to an imitation of Chrift, and that with re- mand- ' , gard NOTES. * Knowledge is fometimes put for, or exprefsly mentioned again in either of is at leaft inclufive of faith, as in Ifa. them; and yet he is plainly pointed out liii. n. zt\& John xv\\ 3.; and at others, in ;oes on m fuch errors and evil courfes as are fpiritual darknefs itfeK; and doth not underftand the wav that leads to eternal life, or the way in which he mould walk to the glory of God, and his own and others good ; nor doth he difcern and confider the fad tendency and dif- mal confequence of his pernicious fentiments and prac- tices, becaufe of the natural blindnefs of his heart; (Eph. iv. 18. and 2 Cor. iv. 3,4.) tz I write unto 12 The admonitions, cautions, and encouragements you, little chil- wn ich I have given, elpecially about the great duty dren, becaufe your ■ f j d ^ m f h j arc fuch as e- fins are forgiven ' "' '-« } - ir you for his name's qually concern you ail, whatever be the different oe- lake. grees of your gifts and graces, or of your rank and Handing in Chriilianity. As to thofe of you that are young converts, or for weakneis of faith and under- itanding, and all other religious attainments are but as babes in Chnjl, (1 Cor. iii. 1.) * and are apt to be NOTE. * Bexa, Pifcator, and many expofi ing much the fame meaning, to defcribe tors following them, apprehend that the the lower rank of Christians; and that apoftle does not begin his diftribution of the apoltle begins his diftinrition or he Chriftians into the feveral clalfes 0$ fa- feveral ages of believers in this verie. and thers, young men, and little children, repeats it jult in the fame order in the till he comes to the next verfe, becaufe Two following veries, whih appear^ more the Greek word, (tjxvjoO here render- natural, than to fuppoie that he drops ed little children, is different from that little children, and mentions only fa- in the original, (jaaiiioi) which is fo t bers and young men in the firft diftribu- rendered in the 13th verfe. But this cri- t'on of the feveral ranks of Chrift ia ticifm, I doubt, is fcarce fufhYient to which, as far as I.' fee, no good fupport its defign, fince the laft of thefe can be given. And were the verfes words (ctj/cThi) -is evidently ufed, ver- (which are of modern inyetftion) better iS- and John xxi. , -A , r ,° . J ' .. ber-mfe ye have o- in ^ nriit > becaufe ye have been a great while ac- vercome the wick- quaintcd with, and your thoughts are much employ- ed one. I write ed about the Ancient of Days, .(Dan. yii. 9.) * e- unio you little ven" God the Father and his co-eternal Son, ( 1 John children, be aute • T \ . t i ■ 1 , . , r i j j ye have known. the > together with their eternal couniels and de- Father, figns according to the gofpcl-revelation of them. Ye 14 I have writ- therefore, whofe hearts are fo much taken up with ten unto you, fa- the eternal love of the Father and Son, ought to a- thers. beetle ye bound j n lhe fi ; fe of thh ^ As tQ tho fc f have known him , c . & p . . that is from the Y ou > who, for zeal, activity, and ipintuai attainments, ng. I have are like young men that are come to the itrength and written urto you, vigour of their age, and fit for military exploits; young men be- (fee J/*rJ xiv. 51.) I write thefe things to you, be- caule ye are ftrong, V - . . J ' . . T . ° , J 7 e word of cauie > ociv.g ftrong ttt the Lord, and in t be power of Gcd abideth in his might, (Eph. vi. 10.) ye have encountered, \oci, anjj y • have wreftled againtt, and obtained glorious vi&ories over overcome the y Qm g reat ac /r jer / ar y t ^ e devil, that vile, apoftate, wicked one. • 1 j r • • ~i " n i • r wicked ipint, who walks about, as a roaring lion, feehing wh'im he may devour (1 Pet. v. S.) And as ye are conquerors only through him :hat loved you, ( Rom.viii. 37. ) ye ought to love him, and your brethren for his fake. — To imprefs thefe things the more deeply upon you feverally, I nciv fay again, (fee Gal. i. o.) I write NOTES. poftle's way of ranging thefe different tie children in this verfe to relate to M of Chriftians would have appear- C/.ri/'ians in common. ed with more piopriety and exactnefs. — * Whether by him that is from the And in whnt tie write* to tb~m frveral- beginning we underftand./Ae Father, or 1)', there leeras to be a beauti'V. allufion the Son, which I have pui both ways, of thing: as are moft gene- leaving the reader to his choice, the a- raliy fuitt-d to the tafte of mankind in poftle 'peaks oi the exi/lence of the per- thefr different fta^es of life, as fuggefted fpn here intended as from the beginning, in t'-u paraphrafe, according to Dr. (■?■*' et^yyi) w hi ; 'b, in either cafe, was h. i. 4.) And I have wrote thefe .things to thrtfe of you who, like young men, are grown up to maturity in fpiritual growth and liveli- Aneis for action ; becaufe, being ftrong in the grace that is in ChriJ} Jr/u.., (2 Tim.'ii. 1.) iti&j?rengtb± cried luith might by his Spirit in the inner man y (Eph. mi. 16.) ye are enabled to perform the moft difficult duties, and the word of God, according to the gofpel-revelation, has deep root, and continues to work effectually in you ; (1 Tbejfi ii. 13.) and by wielding this fword of the Spirit,. (£/>A. vi. 17.) with the hand of faithj, ye have defeated and gained fignal conquefts over the great enemy of your fouls, and all his wicked inftruments that would have perverted you. 15 Love net the 15 But, whether your {landing and progrefs in world, neither the re ligion be more, or lefs, I would caution all and e- thipgs that are in * Qne f k h d th {n con fift ence the world. If a- . \ . . .* . ,-■,■■, r r ny man love the Wltn a lubordinate love which is due to iome perlons world, the love of and things, your affections be fo weaned from, and the Father is not mortified to this prefent evil world, as never to think 1D nira# that here is your reft ; nor to be entangled with, en- .groffed by, or inordinately carried out after, any of its allurements, of what nature or kind foever, as though your portion for happinefs lay in them. If there be any among you, whole heart is fupremely fet upon this world, he neither has a,ny true love to God, the Father of Chrift, and of all true believers in him, who will admit of no competitor or rival, (Matth. vi. 24.) and reckons thar to be no true love to him at all, which is not fupreme * ; nor has fuch an one any claim to, or right fenfe of the love of God to him in his own foul. 16 For all that *6 For how enticing foever the things of this is in the world, world be to the irregular dclires of men's hearts ; the g 2 whether NOTE. * The love of the Father may relate either to his love to us, as in cL 16. and iv. 9. or to our love to him, as in cbaj>. iii. 17. snul v. .5. r 3 2 the luft of the ft< .h. and tiie lun of t£e eyes, and tiie p.ide of hie, is not ui the Fa- tter, but is of the World. ?#.* j}vj/? ££$& of Chap. ii. 17 A.nd the world pattern away, and the iuit thereof : tut tie that doth the will of God a- bideth far ever. iS Little rh<'!- dren, ii is i tiuie: ajxl ab ye heard that aiKuhnit fliaJJ come, evni no'v are there "i fmuchi .'is ; whWe> by we Sti o.v that :t is the raft time. whether its bleafures, that arc fluted to gratify lewd, intemperate, and luxurious inclinations ; or its riches, eftates, and poffeflions, that are looked upon with a greedy wifh and covetous eye, which cannot be fatis- iied by them ; (Ecde r . iv. 8.) or its honours, digni- ties, and preferments, grand houfes, furniture, and e- quipages, and the like, which feed the luft of ambi- tion, and are very tempting to the natural pride of men's hearts, and carry them into all the vanity of a gay, pompous, and fplendid way of living : So far forth as any of thefe are perverted, and prove enfnar- ing to the affections ; this is not according to the o- riginal defign of the Father of mercies in giving them; nor is it the product of his love to his children, or of theirs to him : No, nor can he be the approver, or author of it ; but it all proceeds from the malignant influence of the things of this world^upon men's car- nal hearts, and their own corrupt inclinations to them. 1 7 And Hill further to arm you againft all temp- tations, and take off all inordinate affections from things on earth, (Col. iii. 2.) ye ought to confider what an uncertain, unfatisfying, fading, and perifh- ing thing this world is ; that it is continually fleeting and changing hands while we are in it ; and that e- ven its beft things are very precarious and tranfitory, and will foon come to an end ; and fo will all our prefent inclinations and defires towards it, and grati- fications by its pleafures, riches, and honours, as wc in a little time (hail have nothing farther to do with it ; ( 1 Cor. vi. 1 3. and vii. 9, — 3 r ) and then all that fet their hearts upon it (hail periih with it. But the true lover of God, who is wrought into a conformi- ty to his holy will, as made known in his word ; and who, from a principle of faith, as working by love, peififts in a governing courfe of obedience to it, is poflVfTed of fubftantial, fa.tisfying, and abiding reali- ties ; Hands with everlailmg continuance in the love of God, and in a ftate of grace ; and fhall live for ever In full pofTeffion of all durable and heavenly happi- flefs. 18 My dearly beloved children, (fee the note on "uer. 1 ) it is proper for me to remind you, that the Jeivi ' difpenfation is juft now expiring, and the laft difpenfation of grace, which is to continue to the Hid of time, has now commenced : And as ye have bet 1 told in the predictions of our Lord and his a- poiths, (Uafb. xxiv. 11, 24, 25. 2 the[]'. ii. 3, — 10. and 1 Tim iv. 1.) that deceivers would ariie and let themfelvts agair.il him ; even fo, many of this malignant l'pint are already rifen up in the world, as forerunners Chap. ii. John paraphrafed. 133 forerunners of the utter deftruction of the Jcwijh temple and city, itate and polity, and of that great- eit of Jil anticbrifts, who will afl'ume the authority of •Chrift, and fet himfelf up in oppofition to him. (See the note on 2 Thejj. h. 4.) By this remarkable event, as it now begins to appear, we may be well allured thai we are come to trie very lait hour of the Jewijb- ftate, and are entered upon the lait ditpeniation of mercy, that God will ever afford to this finful world; and io may be the better confirmed in the truth of thole divine predictions, and the better fortified a- - gainii the errors of theie feducers, who make a pro- ieflion of Chriih'anity to cover their vile defigns, but are really apoliates trom it. 19 They went 19 They, for a while, made plaufible appearances out from us, but Q f being ii nctre converts, and were in communion us^ror it they had Wlt ^ 1 tne churches of Chwil ; and afterward depart- been of us, they ed from the faith, ana .-. ent out from amongft us to would no doubt broach their corrupt notions ; but they really never have continued were ; n g OOC j car neit of the fame mind and heart with "went** out** that us : ^ or ^ tne >' naa Deen lrue behevers, renewed by they mi/hr be grace, and of the fame fpirit with ourielvcs, there is made manifeft, no queition to be made, but that they would it ill that they were not have perfevered in the doctrines of Chrilt and his a- poftles, and continued in communion with us. . But they revolted from the faith and iellowlhip of the gofpel, and feparated themielvcs that they might ap- pear to the church and the world in their true co- lours, for a warning to iome, a caution to others, and a brand of infamy upon themielvcs, as mere hy- pocrites or falfc-hearted profelTors, which too often creep into the vifible church ; and that, under all their flourishing pretences, it might be known that none of their fraternity were true believers, vitally united to Chrilt together with us. 20 But ye have 20 But as to thoie of you that have not been car- an unction from r [ e< ^ away with their errors, ye have a rich unction of e : o y ;ne,an ^ Spirit in his gifts and praces, which bchny-sto ve know all things. r » & . » 5 you, as kings and ptiejts uftto L>oa, ( Kcv. 1. 6.) and is fhed abundantly upon you through jdus Chr.it, your exalted Saviour, who is by way of eminence the Holy One. (Dan. ix. 24. A£t& hi. 14. and Rev. iii. 7.) and who, as mediator and head of the church, was anointed with the Holy Ghoit above meafure ; {j'^hn iii. 34. and A : t\ x. 38. ) and, in virtue o\ his death and alceniion to heaven, communicates light and grace, according to the meaiure ot his gift, to all his living members: ( A/>/?. iv. 7.) And ye through this fpintual anointing, are led into an experimental and practical knowledge of every thing that is necef- fary / *34 The Firft Epiftle of Chap. ii. 7,1 I have not written unto you, becaufe ye know not the truth : but bttaufe ve kno-v it. rf.nd no lie is ot truth. that the 12 Who is a liar, but he that denicth that Jefus is the Chritt The is antiohnft that de- rieth the Father and the Son. -«3 Whofoever denietb the Son, the fame hath not the Father : {but he that acknow- ledged the Son, hath the Father alfo.) fary for your prefervation from the deceit of thefe fe- duccrs, and for your own eternal falvation. 21 The reafon, therefore 'of my having wrote to you on this head, is not from any fufpicion as though ye were unacquainted with the truth of the gofpel, and particularly with its grand fundamental doctrine, concerning Jefus Chriit as the true Mefliah, (ver. 22.) which your unction fuppofes ye cannot be ignorant of ; but the reafon of my writing is to remind you of, and ftill further confirm and eftablifh you in the truth, which I do with the greateft pleafure and confidence of fuccefs, becaufe ye already know, believe, and prize it ; and are well aiTured that nothing contrary to it can be true, and that no fraud, deceit, or error, like what thefe impoftors go into, can proceed from it, or be coniiftent with it, but is as contrary to the pure gofpel, as any lie can be to truth itfelf. 22 Who, of all others, is to be deemed an impof- tor, cheat, and falfe teacher, but he who denies our Lord Jefus to be come in the Jlefh, (fee the note on chap. iv. 3.) as the true Mefliah, whom the prophets foretold, and he declared himielf to be, with the at- tentat ion of miracles to confirm it, and whom God his Father publicly owned as {uch ? (Matth. iii. 1.7.) That man is to be looked upon, as one that directly oppofes Chrift, and defervedly bears the name of> anlichrijl, who, notwithstanding all this ftrong and complicated evidence, denies the Father, as the Fa- ther ; and the Son, as the Son ; and denies that God the Father has fent him into the world as the promi- fed Mefliah, and his beloved Son. 23 Whoever he be that denies the divine personali- ty and mediatorial office of the only begotten Son of God, [chap. iv. 9. and John i. 1, 14.) he denies, not only the Father's teltimony to him, as the Mefliah, but alfo, by confequence, denies the Father's divine relation to him as the Son ; and fo takes away the diltinguifhing perfonal characters of both, and the pe- culiar glory which belongs to them refpedtively in the economy of falvation ; and has not a true knowledge of the Father, nor a faving intereit in him. * But, on the contrary, he who cordially owns, believes, and confefles the Son to be a divine perfon, and the only Saviour of loft iinners, believes and owns that he is the eternal Son of the Father, and was lent- by him ; and T E. fed to have been dropt, through carelefs- nefs, vvhere.it is left out, rather than foif- tere<' into the text by a wickedly defign- ed interpolation. Vide j5 m tl firft prJncipk . s of the orac fc s of teacheth you all _ p . ,, , . , r \ ^ thing*, nnd'is truth Crod, [ti'-b. vi. i.) fey any man whomfoever ; * much and is no lie; and lefs of your being taught by any of thefe new up' 1 ts, even as it hath that would carry ycu off from the pure eofptl of tau - U Chriil: NOTE. * Te need not that any man tecrh you doctrines of the gofpel, which they were not lie laid with a defign of excluding already well acquainted with; o; r?th.>r. < an the ufe of miniften.u inftrujftipn ; for as I think, to their having no need to b« the apoitle was at thi^ very time giving taught an} it to t'.em (See the note on Heb. viii, giou v thefe falfc rs to it. who 1 1.) But it either relates to their having iedu^trioufly let themlelves to pervert it. Jto. need to be taught the fundamental him at his com- ing. 136 The Fir [I Epiflle of Chap. ii. tau-ht von, ye Chrift: : But as tbis holy un&ion itfelf leads you into fliall abide in him. tn . knowledge of all things neceffary to falvation, and is infallibly true, according to the word of God, which ii truth, (John xvii. 17.) and has no deceit or falfehood in it; and as it has already been effectual to bring you to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jefus, fuby means of its continual influence upon you; ye fliall llill remain ftedfaft in Chrifl, and in the doc- trines of his gofpel. 2S And now, lit- 2 8 And now, to conclude what I have to fay upon tie child™, aMde ft- head m ^ y ltx \ G children, take.heed that ye m him ; that when ,,.„ ,, ^ r^\ -a. ' 1 i_-j i. t. \ c± - he (hall appear, we " l11 ac hiere tu Cnriit, and abide by the pure doctrine may have conn- of the gofpel concerning him, and by your holy pro- dence, and not he fefTion of his name, that when he mail appear in all afhamed before ^ glory, the fecond time, without fin unto falvation, (Heb. ix. 28.) we, who have miniftered the gofpel to you, may have the fatisfadrion of feeing the happy fruit of our labours among you, and may not be dis- appointed in our hopes concerning you ; and that ye yourfelves may have boldnefs, together with us, be- fore him, and not be confounded in the day of judg- ment ; but may be our glory and crown of rejoicing, which will be to your own exceeding joy, in the pre- fence of our Lord Jefus Chrif, at his coming. ( 1 Thef. ". 19' 20.) 29 it ye Know 2 g This is the hope we nave concerning vou now ; that he is rights- , i. , x ' a 1 • *„ ?i/ i „. c ous, ye know that and hnce > (**»)*? we trutt » Y e havc n £ ht thoughts ot everyone that doth Chrift, as the righteous and holy One, who loves righteoufnefs, is righteoufnefs and hates iniquity, (PfaL xlv. 7.) and born of him. J s the author of all righteoufnefs in others, wherever it is found ; ye may from thence affuredly conclude, with an application to yourfelves, that every one, who, like him, is a lover and practifer of thofe things that are right and holy, in imitation of him, and from a principle of faith in, and love to him, is partaker of a divine nature, by his regenerating Spirit, and fo is by the new birth, as well as by gracious adoption, (chap. iii. 1.) a child of God, and heir of eternal glory. (Rom. sm. 14, — 17.) RECOLLECTIONS. How beautifully harmonious is the tendency and defign of the gofpel, to caution believers againft all fin, and to fupport them under a humbling feme of their for- mer iniquities, and of their prefent difallowed infirmities ! The propitiatory facri- fice of Chriit, and his advocacy founded upon it, are extended to all believing fin- ncrs of the Gentiles, as well as of the Jews, through the whole world. But how vainly do *ny pretend to have a right knowledge of Chrift. or true faith in him for their own falvation, if they caft off a confcientious regard to his commandments! 'Ihey give the lie to their own profetiion, and to the truth itfelf, and have no fin- cere love to him, which would engage them to a holy imitation of him — The law of love to his people is, for fubftance. an old commandment, but. for circumftan- ces, fuited to the light and grace of the gofpel, is a new one; and whatever any one may pretend to, his loving his Chriftian brother, qx not, is a plain teft of hi* either Chap. iii. John paraphrafed. 137 either being truly enlightened, or remaining under the power of darknefs. O how- happy is theii condition, who walk in the light of truth and holir.efs, whether they be babes, young men, or fathers in Chrilt ! The weakelt believer is forgiven all trefpafles for Chrilt's fake, and has a filial affection to God as his Father; the more grown Chriftian is eftablifhed in the faith, and has ftrength from Chrilt for vanquifhing the temptations of the devil and his inftruments; and the old experienced Chriftian is beft acquainted with the Ancient of Days, and his etrrnal counfels of wiidom and love. But alas ! What an enemy is the love of this world to the love of God ! As far as we are carried away with pleafures, riches, o: ho- nours, which are all precarious, empty, and perifhing, fo far are we etlranged from the love of God to us; and a predominant love of this world is inconliitent with a true love to him, who cannot be the author of any evil influence that the things ot flefh and fenfe make upon us. — How dangerous are rhe fchemes of men of an anti- chriftian fpirit, which has worked in all ages of the church ! When profeflbrs of Chrift's name go into it ; this makes it evident that they never were (incere belie- vers ; for they would otherwife undoubtedly have perfifted in the faith and feilow- fhip of the gofpel. But O what a blelTed and holy unction of the Spirit have true believers from their exalted Head and Saviour; By this they are well fatisti- ed about the truth of all the fundamental articles of the gofpel, infomuch that they do not need to be always taught the firft rudiments of Chriftianity ; much lefs to be taught any of its doctrines by fa lie pretenders to it. All that deny Jefus to be the Son of God and the only Saviour, are antichrijlians. and conftructively deny both the Father and Son ; but all that cordially believe the doctrine, originally delivered in the gofpel concerning thefe divine perfons, have a fure intereft in them both. The great promife of eternal life belongs to them ; and they, being ena- bled to perfift in their mod holy faith, continue in union and communion with Chrift, to their own and their faithful pallor's joy and confidence, at his fecond and molt glorious appearing : And they that have fuch juft and impreffive fenti- ments of his purity and holinefs, as produce an effectual change upon them in re- femblance of him, may certainly conclude that they are partakers of a new and fpiritual birth from him, and have the inheritance of children, even unto eternal life. CHAP III. The apojlle breaks cut into admiration of the love of God in making believers his children, l, 2. Shews the purifying influence of a hope of feeing Chri/l and bearing his /ikenefs, and the inconfiflency of pretending to this hope, and living in fin, 3, — 10. Makes love to the brethren, a diflinguifhing character of real Chrijtians, 11, — 15. Defcribes that love by juch of its actings, as prove it to a man's own confcience to be fincere, 16, — 21. And reprejents the advantage of faith, love, and obedience, 22, — 24. Text. Paraphrase. TOEHOLD, what T>EKOLD, with attention and admiration, gratf- manner of love JJ fud : and {( what an a ff e( cW and dil- the lather hath . . A . J / c f \ ' r 7 t 1 .u bellowed upon us, tingmihir.g lort of free and tranfeenctnt love the e- that we fliould be ternal Father of our Lord Jefus Chrilt, and the Fa- railed the ions of thcr of mercies in and through him, has vouchfafed God: therefore the to us w \ lo are born f God, (chap. ii. 29.) that, in not becaufe' it tne r,c ^ es °^ his condefcenfion and grace, he flvnikl knew him not. put f uc h a high honour upon us, who are in ourfelvea altogether worthlefs, mean, vile, and contemptible finners, both by nature and pra&ice, as to adopt us ^ Vol. VI. T into 1 3 3 The Ftrjl Etlflle of Chap, iii. into his family, that we might not only bear the name, but enjoy all the bleflings and privileges, which, an- fwerable to our dignity, belong to the regenerated fons of God ; (John i. 12, 13.) and might be ac- counted, owned, and dealt with, as fuch. It need not therefore be wondered at, (ver. 13.) that the men of this world, whofe hearts are carnal, and averfe to all that is good and holy, do not efteem, affect, and own, but mher hate us, who bear his image; be- caufe they are ignorant of the true nature of God, and neither approve of, nor acknowledge either the Father, or the Son. (Chap. ii. 23.) * - "Be^ed, now 2 gut let them think aad fpeak of us as they will ; Goc'^aru^ it 'doth t ^ 11Si beloved °*" l ^ € Lord, and therefore of me," is our not ' yet appear comfort and glory, that though our natural, and la- we Shall he : mented finful infirmities be great and many, and the but we know that figure we make in life be ever fo mean and despicable, when he fliall ap- and th rev j le d hate t a a U ally are al- j)ear, we fball be , , 1 r r ^ . \ ; J . , „. , like him': for we ready the ions or God, not by nature, as our bleiieo fliall fee him as he Lord is, nor merely by creation, as the holy angels * s « are ; (Job xxxviii. 7.) but by the fpecial grace of regeneration and adoption, and of marriage-union with his elTential Son : And fo great is the dignity and happinefs of this relation, that it is impofiible for us, much more for the men of this world, to conceive what fublime riches, honours, and delights we mail hereafter be advanced to, anfwerable to it. But thus far we know in the light of faith, and by the witnefs of the Spirit, acccording to the word of God, that when our glorious Lord himfelf fhall appear thefecond time to falvation, %ve Jhall appear with him in glory ; (Col. iii. 4.) and fliall bear his amiable and illuflri- ous image of light and love, hohnefs and happinefs in our fouls ; and even our bodies themfelves Jhall be . fajbipned /ike unto his glorious body : (Phil. iii. si.) For we fliall be admitted to a beatific and transform- ing vinon, not in a glafs darkly, but face to face ; (1 Cor. xiii. 12.) and fliall fee and enjoy him in his divine and mediatorial glory, as Alining forth in his exalted N O T E. * As to know often fignifies to ap- I have chofen you out of the world, prove ; f<> ndt to know figniBes to cliff- therefore the world hates you. This is (See the notes on Matth. vii. parallel to, and cafts a light upon, the 23. and Rom. viii. 29.) And it knenv paftage before us, and in ver. 13.; and ( fee'ms to refer to Chvift, and the might probably be in the apoftle's mind ill treatment he met with in the world, now: And in the following verfes, which on account of which he faid -to his dif- ate immediately connected with this, he (John x*. 18,19) If the world manifestly fpeaks of Chrift, pointing him rate von, ye know that it bated me he- out in i'uch a manner, as neceffarily fore it hated you. If ye were of the leads our thoughts to him. ' (See the 'world, the world would loiii bis ow/r ; note 011 chap, ii» 3.) but becavfe ye are not of the ws>rld, but !hap. in, John paraphrafed. 139 xvii. 24. 3 And every man that hath this hope in hmi part fieth himfelf, even as he is pure. 4 Whofoever comtriitt^th fin, tranfgrefleth alio the law : tor (in is the tranfgreffion of the law. 5 And ye know that he was niani- felted to take awpy oar Tins: and in him is no fin. exalted human nature ju ft as he is. (John fee the note on 2 Cor. Hi. 18.) 3 And every believer, who has a well-grounded hope of all this, cannot but be iniluenced by it, while he is in this world, to aim at and endeavour, through divine grace, to attain all pofPible purity in heart and life, in imitation of, and conformity to him, who is iuperlativtly pure and holy, and will admit or none but holy ones to lee his face with comfort. [Heo. vii. 26. and xii. 14.) 4 Whoever he be that lives in any known fin, as a wilful evil-doer, or worker of iniquity, (a voim a~ fAu^ueiv, fee the note on ver. 6.) that man not only fmneth againft the light, grace, and obligations oi the gofpel; but, as though he were lawlefs, goes in- to a manifeft 'violation even of the moral law, which is holy, juft, and good : For the ftric-1 and proper no- tion of fin is a deviation from, or contrariety ,a thought, word, or deed to, the law of God, changeable rule of rightcpufnefs, which is a tranfeript of his holy nature and will; and wfiere no law is, there is no tranf^rejjion. (Rom. iv. 15.) 5 And that the allowed pra&ice of any fin teriy inconfiftent with good hope of feeing Chrilt, and being like him, at his fecond coming, is evident ; for ye know from the whole tenor of the gofpel, that he was manifefted in the flcfii at his firft appearing, (tva) to this very end and purpofe, that by the iacri- fice of himfelf he might effectually deliver us from the guilt, and, in confequence thereof, from the power, and, at length, from all defilement and in-being of our fins: And he is, and ever was, fo abfolutely finlefs, as to need no expiation for himfelf, and as to have no fellowmip with them that walk in darknefs, {Chap. i.6.) 6 From hence it plainly follows, that whoever a- bides in him by vital and influential union and com- munion with him, as all true believers do, like branch- es in the vine, (John xv. 5.) doth not delibei habitually, pretumptuoufly, and willingly fin * : He T 2 that T E. plained in ieveral other verfes of viiis context, which we render cotmnitu • but the exjHf flions in tl :a <&>», and -zsoiu aj^gVav) an Ggnify comjnittjng'it as prfitl ers, or doers or it with freedom and choice, like perfons who make a or it ; and it is ti that our Lord ufed when he laid, ( John viii. 54 ) iVhf-joever coin: it ten txrjut tt.v xp.c*.«hu*') is 1 and 6 Whofoever a- bideth in h y ; eth not : 1 ever fmneth, hath not fetn him, nei- ther known him. N O * We are not to imagine the apoftle's meaning to be, that a true Chriftian ne- ver fins ; for this would be to make him dinclly contradict what he had laid, chap. i. S, 9. about deceiving o///frIves, if -cue fay °ve have no fin, and about the duty of covfeffmg our Jin s, which iup- pofes us to have occafion lb to do; and and.tbercfore he Jinnvth not mail be un- derstood in fome fuch fente, as is given jvi the paraphrafe; and h fufiiciently ex- 1 43 The Firjl Epijile of Chap, iif , that finneth at this rate, has never had any realizing view by faith of him ; nor any experimental and fav- ing acquaintance or communion with him. 7 Little cliil- j Take heed, my dear children, that no falfe pre- dec"ive Vou • "h" tenders *"JP°fe u P on y ou > anc * l ea "\ even as he is pies of faith and love, confcientioufly and habitually rgfa^eo^s. works righteoufntfs (a wtim *ni &***•**«»») in his reli- gious behaviour toward God, and upright dealings with men, is both inherently and actively righteous, according to his meafure and degree, in imitation of the bleffed Jefus, who is the holy One, (fee the pa- raphrafe on chap. ii. 20. ) and loves righteoufnefs, as well as fpent his whole life on earth in an invariable practice of it. 5 He that com- 8 He who works iniquity, as one that makes a tle'devil^'.or'tl'e trade of k > ( fee the note ° n rjer ' 6 ') is UIlder the devil finneth from P ower an d influence of the devil, bears his odious like- the beginning For ne ^ s J an ^ doth his will : For that great enemy of God thia putpofe the and fouls is an old offender, perfifting in a courfe of Son, tj God was a U iniquity himfelf, and practifmer the wicked art of nramfefted, that * : 1 •/• 5 r r • .t t he might deftroy te . m P nn g and exciting others to im, ever iince the be- the works of the gi nnin g of the world, when he fmned, and drew other devil, apoflate angels into fin, as alfo our firft parents into their horrible defection from God and his law, to the ruin of themlelves, and all their natural offspring in their feveral generations. And this is fo diredly con- trary to every thing, faid and done, or countenanced by Chrift, that he, the eternal Son of God, came in- to the world, and was made known in his faving of- fice, as fent of the Father to this great end and defign, that, by his doctrine, obedience, and fufferings unto death, he might diffolve the whole frame of thofe e- vil works, fin, mifery, and death natural, fpiritual, and eternal, which the devil propagates, and carries on, that they, who believe in Chriit Jefus, and hope to live with him, and to be like him for ever, (ver. 2.) . might be delivered from the guilt and dominion of fin, and live no longer in it here ; and might, at length, be entirely freed from all remainders of it, and from all its dreadful fruits and effects, for ever hereafter. 9 Whofoever is ^ The fum then of what I am faying is this, Who- born ot God, doth foever he be that is paj-taker f a divine nature, by not commit hn ; . .„.*.. . . 1 for 1, is feed re- ^' e regenerating spirit, is no longer a doer or worker m i ah in him : of iniquity, like other men, or like the devil, vthojin- and he cannot fin, net h from the beginning : (ver. 8.) For that divine becaufe principle N O T E. and our apoitle fays. ver. S. He that rotmnitfeth fui (* z??iuv af/.ag1ia.v^) is rf\ the devil, and ver. 16. ivhofoever is bora of God doth not commit Jut, (apx-ghz/ Chap. iii. John paraphrafed. 141 becaufe he is born principle of grace, which is infufed into him, by *>f God. means of the incorruptible feed of the word, ( I Pet, i. 23.) has an abiding root and rcfidence in him, to rule and govern him ; and he has fuch a thorough hatred of all iniquity, that he cannot give himfelf li- berty to fm with deliberation and full confent, as he ufed to do ; (fee the note on ver. 6.) he cannot love and live in lin ; and when, through temptation, fur- prife, or inadvertence, he at any time falls into it, he cannot but, upon conviction, forely repent of it, as David and Peter did, becaufe he, as a child of God, and born of the Spirit, has received a principle of grace, that wills and works in direct oppofition to all iin, as fin; (Go/, v. 17.) much lefs can he fin upon the fcore, or by virtue of his being born of God, as though his new birth were a licence for it, or had a- ny tendency towards it. 10 In this the 10 This therefore is the great diftinguifhing difFer- children of God ence> by which they who are truly born of God, and are rnamteft and f b ft h H children, and they who are ftill under tne children ot the . , „ :. t-i-i_ j 1 • devil: whofoever the power of the devil, as their rather, to do his doth not righte- works, and live according to his will, (John viii. 44.) ouinefs is not of art openly difcovered, known, and proved to be fo God neither he f ■ aivel L t peop l e » s pretences be what they that loveth not his .£..•' . f r , / , , t , j brother. Wi "> ]t 1S certain, that whofoever doth not love, and live in the practice of religion and morality, both which may be included in the notion of righteoufnefs, is not born of God, or partaker of the nature of his children ; no more is he, who has not a fincere and cordial affe&ion toward his Chriilian brother, as fuch. n For this is 1 1 For this is one great part of that practical doc- the meflage that trli\e t which our bleffed Loid committed as a charge Leaning tTat we t0 ™> bis a P oftleS aild fervantS ' and which We P reach " fliould lJve one a- e d\ and ye heard and received irom the very firll pub- nothcr. lication of the gofpel, relating to what he requires of his difciples and followers, (John xiii. 34. and xv. 12, 17.) that we, who claim relation to him, and intereft in him, lhould maintain a brotherly afft&ion, and difcover it in the bed manner, and by all fuitablc endearments and fervices, one towards another. 12 Not as Cain, I2 We are by no means to be like Cain, the firft- m*o was ot that born f our falkn cnM and amon r all the i r de- wicked one, aim r . n r . ' .... . b . . .. , flew his brother : icendents the hrit notorious child ot the devil, thai and wherefore flew eminently wicked and malicious murderer from the he him? becaufe beginning of the world : (John viii. 44.) and under his own works trie power f w hofe malignant influence, as he works were evil, and his f , ■,, . ,-,• 1 j- / -r- 1 \ /• brother's riehte- lt} the children of dyobedience, (Lph. 11. 2.) Lain ous. cruelly murdered his brother slbcl. And what was the reafon of his contriving and committing that mon- ftrpufly unlawful and barbarous a6f. of violence againft him ? Why, truly, it was enly becaufe he himfelf was you. 142 The Firji Epiftle of Chap. iii. was a wicked wretch, and, his fervices not being duly performed; God rejected both him and them ; and becaufe his brother was a righteous man, and his far' ciifice, offered with faith in the MefTiah's atonement, was good and acceptable in the fight of God, who had a refpecl: to him and his offering, and ihewed it in fuch a manner, as teftuied that he was righteous. [Gen. iv. 3, — 8. and KcL. xi. 4. lee the note there.) J3 Marvel not, T ^ Ye need not therefore wonder, or count it a the world 6 " hate neW ° r ftran g e thIn £' m J dear brethren > if > as is the cafe of the prefent day, the wicked men of this world, who are the feed of the ferpent, envy, hate, and per- secute you, who are the feed of the woman, between whom and them there is an irreconcileable enmity, {Gen. iii. 15.) which foon discovered itfelf in Cain, (ver. 12.) and has worked ever fince in the children of difobedience. 14 We know 14 We, through grace, are men of a better fpirit, that we have pafs- an( j mav ^ e verv ^fy un d e r a \[ the hatred of this toli'Cbecaufewe world, ■ fince God himfelf loves us, (ver. 1.) and love the brethren : fince we are tranflated from a ftate of law-condemna- he that loveth not tion to death into a ftate of juftification to eternal bis brother abideth l{f e . aR( j are quickened from the death of fin to the p death. j ife Q £ ^gjjteburneft : We are well allured that this is our happy cafe, becaufe our hearts are formed unto an affectionate love of all our brethren in the faith, hope, and fellowfnip of the gofpel, merely upon this confideration, that they* belong to Chrift, bear his image, and are beloved of him. Whoever, on the contrary, is not effectually engaged from fuch princi- ples and motives to love his brother in the profefiion of the gofpel, continues dill under the power of fpi- ritual death, and in a ilate of law-condemnation, and lies expofed to everlailing deftruftion, which is thefe- cond death. (Rev. xx. 14.) 15 Wbofoever ^ £et his pretences be what they will, every one fcateth his brother ^ j oftfead f culdvat ; this Qhrillian temper to- ss a murderer: and ji • , , . , , 6 , ,. * ye know that r.o w ard his brother, indulges wrath, malice, envy, and murderer hath e'- revenge, is guilty of the fin of murdering him in his ternal life abiding heart; (Matth. v. 21, 22.) and fuch is the rancour of his malignant fpirit, that were it left to take its own courfe, and had it opportunity, it would as fure- ly carry him on to actual murder itfelf as -Cain's did. (ver. 12.) And ye know, from all that the* word of God fays, that no perfon, who is under the power of fuch a wicked difpofition, much lefs an actual mur- derer, who either has not time, or not a heart for re- pentance toward God, and faith towards our Lord Jefus Cbrijr, which are neceflary to falvation, (Acls xx. 20, 21.) has any right or title to eternal life, or any principle of fpiritual life refiding in him, or any favintf :i him. Chap. iii. John paraphrafed. 143 faving grace, which is the beginning of, and a meet- nefs for, and (hall continue to, and iffue in eternal life. 16 Hereby per- 16 How contrary is this unmerciful temper to that, ceive we the love w hich God the Son has (hewn towards us ; we may of God, becaufe he conce { ve (bmething of the greatnefs of his compafiion- for d i° Wn and we ate love, from the moll tranfcendent mftancc that oughtVo lay down could be given of it ; fmce he, who is the eternal our lives for the Word, and was madefejh, and fo was truly and pro- brethren, perly Go^/ incarnate, {John i. I, 14.) has loved us and given himfe/ffor us, an offering and a facrificc to God for a fweet-fmelling favour, (Eph. v. 2.) and freely gave his life a ranfomfor many. (Matth. xx. 28.) And we ought to be fo deeply affefted with, and influenced by this unparalleled love of Chrift, as to Hand ready after his example, and in imitation of his love, to expofe our own lives, whenever he calls us to it, (as the apoftle Paul did his, Phil. ii. 17.) for encouraging the faith arid hope of thofe holy bre- thren, that have coil him fo much, and are fo dear to him j and for the prefervation and fafety of thofe that are eminently ferviceable to his church, (as Aquila and PrifcWa, laid down their own necks for that great aDoftle's life. Rom. xvi. 4.) i 7 Eat whofo 17 But if, inftead of copying after this noble pat- hath this world's tern of love, any profeffor of Chrifl's name, who, good, and feeth through the bounty of Providence, has the conveni- his brother have ences * nd com f orU G f this life, fee his neighbour, and up birbowds te o) efpecially his Chriftian-brother, in ftrait and necefff- com^afjwn from tous circumftances, and harden his heart againft him ; him, how dwelleth an( 3 } uk e one that has no tendernefs or pity for the the love of Gcfd in d ;n. re (r e( j > w ;u g{ ve him no relief, how fcandaloufly hm ' fl 10 rt doth he fall of that love, which God requires, and has given the moll afFe&ing example of in his Son ? How can fuch an one pretend to an intereft in God's love to him, or that the fincere love which God enjoins, and is the author and the object of, and which, inclines the heart to a fervent love of the brethren for his fake, has any place in him? (Jam. ii. 15, 16.) iS My little 18 Let us take heed, my dear children, that our children, let us p ro f e fii ori s of love to our fellow- Chriftians be without not love in word, (U jj ]wu , afion . ( Rom . x j{. 9 .) that it be not all com- but ^deed'S pHment without any meaning, nor merely kind ex- truth. preffions, without any fuitable affection toward them, or doing what we can for their help and comfort in fpiriuial and temporal concerns ; but let it demcn- ftratc itfelf in a&s of beneficence and fervice as occa- fions require, and in all offices ot'fubftantial friendmip, according to our profeffiuus, and the true nature of. Chriftiun charity. 19 And *4t The Fhjl Epi/ile of Chap. iii. 10 Ami liftt-eby 19 And by a prevalence of this excellent temper we know that we and condu ft we may be we ll fatisfied that God of his are of the truth, •// / 7 • / / . r- , and fliall affure own un,/ has bevmtten us With the word of truth* our hearts before (Jam. i. 1 8.) and has brought us to underftand, be- hitn. lieve, and live under the government of the true prin- ciples of the gofpel, as fincere Chriitians ; and here- upon we fliall be enabled to perfuade (7riuroft.1v) our own hearts, that we have fuch manifeft tokens and fruits of his effectual operation upon us, as will em- bolden our humble appeal to him for our integrity, in his fight and prefence, both now and at the day of judgment, whatever cenlures the world may pafs upon us : And this is a fweet and folid joy that frees us from the Hinging reproaches of a felf-condemning confeience. (2 Cor. i. 12.) so For if our 20 p or jf our con fciences, which are the c andle of heart condemn us fbg L j ^^ a // {he ,'„ wari f tarts of the belly, God is greater ,_. . . . r . lX r r J . * J than our heart, (1 ov. xx. 27.) witneis againit, accuie, and condemn and knoweth ail us for defigned or allowed hypocrify in our profeflions things. of love, and of adherence to the truth of the gofpel, it is very awful to confider, as we ought, that the heart- fearching God is an, infinitely higher, more im- partial, and critical judge of the true iiate of our cafe, and is greater in purity and holinefs, as well as in pow- er, to condemn all iniquity, than our own hearts can be ; and it is mod dreadful of all to be difapproved of liim, whofe judgment muft and will ftand for ever, and who has a perfectly comprehenfive knowledge of all things, even of the moil lecret thoughts and in- tents of the heart. ( 1 Kings viii. 39. and Rev. ii. 23.) And therefore he not only confirms the fentence which confeience juftly paffes in his name ; but fees and condemns many things in us, that efcape our own obfervation. at Beloved, if 21 But, on the contrary, my dearly beloved, if, our heart condemn w hjl e we canno t but be .fenlible of many lamented im- us not, tien aye p er f e &; ons our own consciences, upon due delibera- te confidence to- K . * -\ ... . , • /r r 1 wards God. ' t,on under the enhghtemngs and witnellmgs ot the Spirit, according to the truth of the gofpel, acquit us from all charges of reigning or allowed guile ; then, in proportion to our confeioufnefs of this, we may have humble boldncfs in our claim of God as our God and Father, and in our profeflions of lave to him . and our fellow-Chrillians for his fake, and in an ap- peal to him, like that of Peter, (John xxi. 17.) about the fincerity of our hearts therein ; yea, we may have (-rx^w-'ct'.') a holy freedom, courage, and liberty of foul in our fiducial pleas with him. 7% And whatCo- 22 And what good things foever we fincerely and ever we ^ ^ humbly pray for according to his will, with faith in becaufe tlae name of Jefus, and for right ends, [chap. v. 14* 'John Chap. iii. John paraphrafed. 145 became we keep John xiv. 13, 14. xvi. 23. and Jam. iv. 3.) we are, or his command ) n due time fhall be partakers of them by his free la- ments, and do v through his beloved Son, as far as he fees may SfA* be molt for h ;^ lory .' an A beft (o l 1 : ^ d we, Jt fight. holy David, (Pf. cxix. 6.) may be humbly confident of this ; becaufe, as an evidence of our inttrelt in his favour, we, through the grace bellowed upon us, have an unfeigned refpeB to a/I his commandments, and en- deavour to do fuch things as are acceptable and well pleafing in his fight, by Jefus Chrift. ( 1 Pet. ii. 5. ) 23 And this is 23 And this is the great commandment of God, his commandment, vvn j c h [ s fundamental to, and comprcheniive of all the JieveTn tTname -ft, that we fhould heartily embrace and truft in his of his Son Jefus Son Jefus Chnft for ourfclves, according to the got- Chriff, and love pel-revelation of him, as the only and all-luffieient Sa- one another, as he v j our G f \ ft nnners ; and that from this principle of gave us command. ^ {n ^ a§ alfo for proving the truth of it in its working by love, (Gal. v. 6.) we mould have, and exercife a cordial affe&ion one towards another, as members together of his myftical body, in obedience to the commandment, which he gave to ail his difci- ples. (John xiii. 34. and xv. 12.) 24 And he that 24 And whoever is brought to yield a confcien- keepeth his com- t ; ous obedience to all his commandments, from a prin- mandments, dwell- . , f faith as working by love, which counts none fttafttftaS of them grievous, [chap... 3.) fe really, doth, and by we know that hereby makes it evident that he doth live in a itate ot heabidethinusby v J t al union with him, and with the Father through the Spirit which him and that Chr ; J} fa^ m his hear, by faith, witf> he hath given us. ^ ^ hahitatwn f G od through the Spirit : (Ej fa ii. 22. and iii. 17.) And we who (land in this near ai d happv relation to Chrift, and to the Father through him, are aflurcd that he lives with abiding influence in us, by the light, energy, and witnefs of the Holy Spirit, which he has freely given us, to produe., ex- cite, and afiift an exercife of faith and love, and evuy other grace in our fouls. RECOLLECTIONS. Who can fufficiently admire, and be aft* fled with the love of God in making iuch contemptible, ill-'deferving creatures as we are, his children by fpecial grace. Though the men of this world defpife and hate them, they are already the ^ ot God. And who can conceive the dignity and delights wh.ch they will be advan- ced to when they (hall lee Chrift in ril bi« glory, and be made as l.ke as poffi We to him! O the happinefs of a well-grounded hope of this for ourfelves; and ot an experience of its purifying effefts upon us ! Thefe appear , the holy torn that is given to our hearts and lives by a principle of grace, which works in direfl .oppo- sition to all iniquity, and excites us to all the duties of piety toward God, ind righteoufnefs toward men, and to an imitation of the righteous and holy jelus. who was himfelt abfolutelv finleft, and was manifefted in our nature to take away our fins, and to deftroy the works of the devil, that wicked offender, f»"{«« e '» ™ promoter of On and ruin from the beginning ot the world -O all the rtivme commandments, faith and love are the chief; faith as working by love ; and l And O how careful ought we to be in forming that judgment concerning ourfelves, fin:e the infinitely great and holy God, who knows our hearts, is the fupreme Judge of all ■ and by his judg- ment we muft ftand or fall for ever I CHAP. IV. The apoflle cautions believer s againfl giving heed to every one that pretend V to the Spirit, and fheivs how to diflinguifh the true from the falje claiments of it, i, — 6. Then re! urns to his darling to- pic of brotherly love, as a proper characieriftic ofjincere Ch>'ifti- ans, enforcing it upon them by various weighty conf derations, 7, — 21. Text. Paraphrase. JJELOVED, be- np AKE heed d , bclovedj to whom God has lieve not every . , . . . J , , ... \ ., . , fpirit, but .try g iven llIS S P mt > ( cha P- In > 24.) that ye hear- the fpirits whether ken not to, and be not feduced by every pretender to tiny are of God; the Spirit of God, nor by every doctrine, (ver. 2, 3.) becaule many falfe t i iat } )e broaches under colour of extraordinary lighz tmiS^JSSi Md Mediate revelation; but, before ye give any credit to, and fall in with tnoie that make i«ch high. proftffions, carefully examine, and prove by the touch- ftonc of the word, (Ifa, viii. 20.) what manner of fpirit they are of, and are are influenced by, and What doc/trines they preach ; whether they carry plain tokens of their being fuch, as are agreeable to the holy nature and revealed will of God, and derive their original from him or not. And there is great need of your being very cautious on this head ; becaufe there Chap. iv. J ohn paraphrafed. 147 there are fwarms of importers at this day, who, accord- ing to our Lord's prediction, are gone abroad, and make a great noife in the world, endeavouring (if it were p- : //;b/e) to deceive the very elect. (matih. xxiv. 24.) z Hereby know 2 Now, to give you a certain mark, whereby ye ye the Spirit of m ay know who are taught and infpired by the Spirit God: every (pint of God and v;ho an : notj but are afted by a fpirit that conteiieto that f , , r , . f „ . ,-, * ,,_ „ii ,*,.,, . JelusChriitiscome of deluhoii, or would fallacioufly impoie upon you , in the' ilefh, is of it is ncceffary for you to obferve, that every one, who, Cod. under profciiions of preaching by the light and infpi- ration of the Spirit, cordially believes, freely owns, and boldly profeffes his faith in our Lord and Savi- cut Jcius Chriit, as the eternal Word, who is God, and the only begotten of the Father, and has actual- ly been made fleih, and dwelt amongit us, [Jehii i. 1, 14. fee the notes there) * and came into an incarnate ft ate to fulfil all righteoufnefs, and take away fin by the facrifice of himielf, and is to be entirely trufted in, as the only true Mcffiah, for eternal life ; fuch an - one really is what he profeffes to be, and fpeaks by the authority and irifpiration of God according to his mind and will, and is himfelf born of God. 3 And every fpi- 3 And, on the contrary, every pretender to preach tit rhat confers- by the infpiration oi the Spirit, that docs not believe Ch^ift^s^coni^in arld own > but den1eS that J efuS Chriil " the ° nly trU£ the fleOi is not of Meffiah, who, as the eternal Son of God, has alTumed God : and this is a real human bedy, as well as reafonable foul, and ta- that fpirit of an- ken upon him the form of a fervant, and become obe- tichrift, thereof dient untQ deati rp^ {l g# j for the demotion you have heard ,. . . 1 r 1 •• hicn an one 1S neither lent, nor approved come, and even of God, nor enlightened by his Spirit, nor born of now already is it him : And the fpirit by which he is governed, is that in the world. vej .y fp{ r j t f oppolition to Chrift and his gofpel, con- cerning which ye have heard from our Lord and his apoftles, as has been already hinted, (chap. ii. 18. iee the paraphraic there) that it would rife and (how if- fclf in the lait days; audit has now actually begun to appear and work in the world among the impof- tors of this day. U 2 4 But NOTE. * Every fpirit that confeffss that J ef us tion of him, as is indeed eflential to, and Chrifl is come in the fit'/b, f *a') ryiuy.ee included m, though it be not the whole 9 o/xoxoy*, Imc-kv KgtroV tv trdgxi fX»xt^ 5 - of, what is to be confeu'ed concerning t») might be more juftly rendered eve- lain : And they who, on the contrary, ry fpirit that confeffes Jefus Chrifl, who deny that Chrift came to offer up hnn- hascome in the fle/h ; and i'o Chrifl him- felf as a facrifice to fatisfy divine juftice /etfWthe fubjeel of the cont'effijn in ail and make atonement for fin, do, in ef- bis charafters, and not barely that parti- feci, deny him to be come in the delh even by the fpirit which he has greater is he that given you, (chap. ii. 20, 27. and iii. 24.) that ye is in you, than he might not be carried away by their delufions ; and that is in the y e h ave b een enabled to withftand thefe impoilors, and their errors in do&rine and practice, and to gain a noble conqueft over them, by the ftedfailnefs of your faith, proftffijn, and obedience ; and ye will ftill be more than a match for them all, becaufe he, who dwells in you by his Spirit, is infinitely fuperior, in wifdom and power, to that antichriftian fpirit- which is gone forth into the world, and to Satan himfelf, un- der whom it afts, and who works in the children of dijobedience. (Eph. ii. 2.) 5 They are of 5 Thefe deceivers that think, talk, and aft under the world : there- hj s j n fi uence are men Q f carnal minds, who walk ac- lore Ipeak they ot >• , r s 1 • // /t- i_ •• \ the world, and cording to the courfe of this world; (Eph. 11. 2.) the world heareth whofe views and interefts are all of a temporal nature, them. relating to the riches, honours, and pleafures of this prefent evil world : They therefore propagate fuch notions of fecular dominion and grandeur under the Mcffiah, as are agreeable to men of a like worldly temper with themfelves ; and unregenerate people, who place their happinefs in the things of this world, hearken to them, and greedily fuck in their corrupt doctrines, as being moil fuitable, of all others, to their own feniual inclination and tafte. 6 We are of 6 But we, who preach an incarnate and crucified God : he that Saviour, are enlightened, approved, fent, and owned, knoweth God n 1 r j j u r a heareth us • he as w as rn > a therefore every one that th^t is not ot' God truly knows any thing of God, and is well affected to- heareth not us. ward him, according to the dilcoveries he has made Hereby know we of himfelf in Chriit by the gofpel, diligently attends and th" fo' *'t f t0j anc ^ neart ^y* embiaces the divine truths, which we error, have received by revelation from him : But he that is not born of God, by his enlightening and renewing influence, pays no regard to the fpiritual doctrine we deliver concerning Chriit., as the only true Mefliah, ' who is come in the flefh ; (wr. 3.) nor will believe or adhere to us who preach it. This is adiifinguifh- in^ character, whereby we may eaiily and clearly dif- cein, on one hand, the Spirit of truth and its preach- ers, and on the other, the fpirit of faliehood and de- lufion, and what an evil fpirit they are under the pow- er of, who propagate antichriftian errors, and wicked pr Let li De our diligent care, beloved of the Lord, of God; and eve- an d therefore of me, to maintain, exprefs, and fhew ry forth the moil iincere and brotherly affection one to- wards love. Chap. iv. John parnphrafed. 149 ry one that loveth, wards another: For this excellent grace is the fruit is born of God, and f the Spirit, the birth ana offspring ot God himi'elf, kDoweth God. ^o b e g cCSj commands, and approves of it. And e- very one that cultivates and exemplifies this amiable principle, is a child of God, regenerated by his Spi- rit ; and has an experimental, appropriating, and trans- forming knowledge of the pcrfeciiuiis and Will of God, and particularly of his love. 8 He that loveth 8 He, on the contrary, that is a Granger to this jiot, knovveth not Chritlian love, is unacquainted with the nature and God ; lor God is will of Qq ^ For God * j s all love, he is the perfec- tion of it in his propenhons, thoughts, purpotes, and difpenfations of every kind, as though he were no- thing but love toward his children, and in his will to promote a like affedtion in them to one another : He therefore is a complete pattern of it, worthy of our imitation, though it is abfoluiely impoffible for us to come up to any thing near an equality to him in it, as appears, if we only confider the following eminent demonflration of it. o In this was g The aitonifhing, felf- moving, and condefcending xnanifefted the love j ove Q f the at q $ to us broke out, and was dif- gSttfl lJ»7«d with the brighttft and m* *&m evidence fent his only be- in this matchlefs initance of it, namely, that in the gotten Son into fulnef6 of time, God, according to his eternal purpofe the world, that we Q f i ove anc j g race? t ent forth his own divine and only rmght live through begotten Sq ^ in a way f f pec ial operation, into this lower world, to aflume human nature into perfonal union with himfelf, or to be made cfa ivoman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, (Gal. iv. 4, 5.) that through hi? merit and righteoufnefs we, who believe in him, might not pe- rijh, but have everlajhng life. (John iii. 16.) 10 Herein is 10 In this there really was, anu molt evidently ap- love, not that we peared to be be unparalleled love, not to friends, or loved God, but r ons lovc i in themfelves, bu!M*> enemies^ tinners, that he loved us, * , ,, . * , ,,, ^r> \ »f, and fent his Son and //^v/,y wretches ; {Horn. v. 6, 8, 10.) not from to be the propitia- any confederation or lore light ot previous love in us Lo- tion for our lins. ward him to move him to it, but from his own mere un- dtferved and preventing love and grace, by which he was beforehand with us; (ver. 19.) and, in the greatnefs of that love, he fent his own fupremtly beloved and only begotten Son to bleed, fuffer, and die in our na- ture and itead, and thereby make an effectual atone- ment, NOTE. * God is often ftyled holy, righteous, lo-ve : Which may intimate, that this is Jtt/i, good, zt\d gracious, wife, powerful, the darling and reigning attributt .- vhat true, mil faithful, and the like; but I flieds a molt amiable glory upon all his ilo not recolltc't that he is ever faid, in other perfeclions, and up* all his de- the ab/lracl, to be holinefs, right eoufnefs, figns and performances with regard to Jujtice, goodnefs, &c. as he is faid to be his people. 150 The Firft Epijlle of Chap, iv, ment, to the full fatisfaction of divine juftice, for our great and multiplied offence?, which otherwife mull have been charged and punifhed upon us to our eter- nal deftruction. ii Beloved, if II How great, ye dearly beloved of God and me, God fo loved us, are the conftraints of this love ! If God loved us at we ought alto to fo h - h and aftonifhi a rate as thi wh Jove one another. , , 6 . , , , *"» ,, . '. \. , , *. he thus loved, and redeemed by the precious blood of his Son, molt certainly ought, in imitation of him, and as influenced by his fuperlative love, to keep up the mod ardent affection one towards another, as Chriftian brethren, for his fake, and in. obedience to his commandment, [ver. 21.) 1 2 No man hath 1 2 God himfelf is an invifible fpirit, whom no mart feen God at any has r nor can fee with both bodily eyes, (1 Tim. time. If we love , J , v J . . rr n> 1 • 1 1 , * one another God V1 " l6 */ to move his aiiection to him; but the ob- dweileth in us, and je&s of his love, who bear his holy image, are vifible, his love is perfect- daily feen, and converfed with, that we might be in- ed In us * duced to teflify our love to him, by mewing it for his fake to them. (See ver. 20.) If therefore we love one another, as children of his own likenefs, this is a proof of our love to him, and it hereby appears that he dwells in us by his Spirit to produce this love ; and both his love to us has hereby manifefted itfelf, and attained its end and defign to a good degree in us ; * and our love to him is hereby brought to its true form, and exercifed with eminence, and is proved to be fincere in us. 13 Hereby know 13 By this we have a comfortable evidence of a we that we dwell mutual inhabitation between God and us, of our us becaufThe hath dwelling Dv faith an -d love in union and communion, given us of his Spi- through Jefus Chriit, with him; and of his dwelling rit. by gracious manifeftations and influences in our fouls ; becaufe he has freely afforded us rich communications of his Spirit to beget and animate this faith and love, and to caft a light upon his own work in us. 14 And we have 14 And we, the apoftles of Chriil, have feen him feen and do tefti- vvith our bodily eyes [chap. i. 1.) in his human na- the/tent the Son tUre ' P reachin g> and miracles, fufferings, death, re- to be the Saviour furrection, and afcenfion to glory ; and we now bear •f the world, witnefs, upon infallible evidence, that the eternal Fa- ther has actually fent his only begotten Son, to take upon NOTE. * His love (w ayaxn au7ou) may be and produced the whole of its effects ; confidered tithtr fubjeclively for the love but both his love and ours may be faid that is in him to us, or objectively, for to be perfected in us, much after the the love we have to him. (See the note fame manner as hisjlrength is faid to be on chap- ii. 15.) But which ever way we made perf eel, or manitclted with great take it, his love being perfecled in us, is advantage in our vueaknefs ; (2 Cor. xii. not to be umlerftood, as though either 9.) and zsfaith is faid to be made perfect, his love to us, or ours to him, had in this or deraonitrated to be fincere, genuine, world completely attained all its ends, and, eminent, by works, (James ii. 22.) Chap. iv. John paraphrafed. 151 upon him our nature ; and by the courfe of obedience and fufferings, which in that humble flate he fulfilled, to be the Redeemer and Saviour of both Jews and Gentiles, that do, or ever mall believe in him through- out the world, (fee the note on "John iii. 16.) accord- ing to ancient prophecies, that the dejire of all na- tions Jhould come, (Hag. ii. 7.) and that in him all nations of the earth JJjould be blejfed. (Gen. xxii. 18.) 15 Whofoever 15 Whofoever therefore fliall, from a principle of fiiall confefs that faith, which works by love, boldly own and declare Go f d S Goddwe lIet°h his belief wkh ful1 affent and confent, in the face of in him, and he in a ^ oppofition and danger, in thefe perilous days, that God. Jefus is this eminently peculiar Son of God, an] the only Saviour of finner?, it is thereby manifell that God dwells in him by his Spirit, which has led him into thefe jull and exalted fentiments of Chrirt, with a firm adherence to him; and that he dwells in God by faith and love, through the great Mediator. \6 And we have 16 And we, who are bleffed with an experience of ved W h *" * bd h ie " thlS> haVC bee " WeI1 affured > and full y perfuaded, on God hath" to us! tne *° ot °^ tne g°fpel-revelation, and the concurring God is love : and witnefs of the Spirit with our fpirits, that the molt he that dwelleth peculiar, tranfcendent, free, and diitinguifhing love is in love, dwelleth { n tne heart of God toward us, and is manifefted by in him.* *" ° ^fending his Son to be the propitiation for our fns f that we might live through him. (ver. 9, 10.) By this it plainly appears, as has been obferved, (ver. 8. fee the note there) that God is all love to us, and there is no fury in him again it us ; and we may cer- tainly conclude from thence, that whoever lives under the power of a hearty love to him, and to his children for his fake, is fo affim elated to the God of love, as to abide in a reciprocal union and communion with him. 17 Herein is our 1 7 By our thus dwelling in love, it is evidently love made perfe5^ The Fir/l Epiftle of Chap. iv. feareth is not nmle perfect in love. 19 We love him, fcecaufe he hrft lo- ved us. 70 If a man fay, I love God, awl haleth his bro- ther, he is a liar : for he that loveth rot his brother ■whom he hath feen, how can he love God whom he kath not ieen ? or terrifying fear of God in it, as if he were our e- nemy : But a fincere love to him, and to fellow Chrif- tians for his fake, efpecially when it is exalted to its higheil pitch and fervour, under an affuring fenfe of his love to us, banifhes all diffident, flavifh fear of God ; becaufe this fort of fear is a molt diftrefling paflion, utterly inconfiftent with a prevailing fenfe of liis love, and with the fweetnefs, pleafure, and confi- dence of a complacent ial love to him. It is a plain confequence from hence, that he who has a fervile dread of God, as an enemy, is far from living under the power of that delightful love, which fprings from faith, and confiders him as a reconciled God and Fa- ther in Chrill, and as the moft amiable object, infi- nitely lovely in himfelf, and all love to us. (ver. 16.) 19 Our love to him is kindled by, and is the fruit and effect of his own free love to us. He was firft in his love to us, which eternally delighted in all his thoughts, fchemes, and purpofes of glorifying himfelf in our recovery and falvation by his Son, and which is the (original caufe and pattern of all our love to him ; and tin' manifeftations of his love to us, and our fenfe of it, and reflections upon it, are the power- ful motives of ours again to him ; our hearts having before been alienated from him, and never would have been in love with him, had he not firlt loved us, and given us fome difcoveries of it to induce our love to him again. 20 This love to God is fo infeparably connected with love to his children, that if any one pretends to fay, I love God, and at the fame time bears an uncharitable, irreconcilable, and malicious temper to- ward his Chriftian brother, he acts inconfittently with, and gives the lie to his own profeflion, and to all that the holy Scriptures fay about finceve love to God, which includes a love to all that bear his image and belong to him : For whoever he be that has not a cordial affection to his brother in the faith and fel- lowfhip of the gofpel, whom he has feen with his bo- dily eyes, in whom he may alfo fee vifible traces of the image of God, and who is an object daily pre- fented to his fenfes, to raife his eltetm of him, and move his companion and kindnefs to him, -as occa- fions require ; how is it likely, or even poflible, that he fliould heartily love God, who is invisible to mor- tal eyes, and makes no imprcflion of himfelf upon the external fenfes, to affeft the heart and engage its love to him, which can never be fincere without a confeientious refpect to all his commandments ? (See chap. v. 3.) 21 And Chap. iv. John paraphrafed. 153 ai And this com- 21 And this is one great and fummary command- mandment have me nt, which we have received from him, as ye have That he m who hi lo' heard, ( cha P* "*' 23 *) a " d "^ ^ has S iven US in vetb God love his- l ^ e mnra ^ ^ aw > an( ^ w ith further explications and eti- brother alio. forcements by Jefus Chriit in the gofpcl, ( Matth. xx.iL 37, — 39. and John xv. 12, 17.) that he, who fincerely loves God, fhould alfo love his Chrilliart brother, who bears his Father's image, and is dear to him j and fhould make it appear by this, that he doth indeed unfeignedly love God. RECOLLECTIONS. What a certain teft have private Christians, as well as others, in the word of God, to difiinguifh between thole that broach errors concerning the divine perfon and laving offices of Chrift, under pretence of their having the Spirit of God ; and thole that, under his guidance and influence, preach 'the truth as it is in Jems, and cordially own, and bravely profefs that he is the only begotten Son of God, and has really appeared in human nature as the Saviour of loft finners among both. Jews and Gentiles ■' All pretenders to the Spirit are not of God, nor are to be be- lieved and followed ; v and they that are born of God, need not be {tumbled at them, fince there ever have been fuch in the world ;. and true believers are enabled to fee through them and their delufions, and to withftand and overcome them ; be- caufe God, who dwells in them by his Spirit, is infinitely greater, wifer, and ftrong- er than the devil, who works and prevails by his antichnltian emiffaries, upon car- nal men. And what wonder is it, that people of a worldly Spirit fhould adhere to them, who are like themielves, and accommodate their fchemes and difcourfes to their corrupt tafte ? But the fervants of God fpeak from, and for him, according to his mind and will ; and therefore are fuitably regarded by thofe, and thofe only. that are well affected in their hearts toward him. — Kow aftonifhing is the free: love of God toward fuch finful creatures as we are, that he (as his infpired fervants teftify) has fent his beft beloved Son into the world to be the propitiation for our fins, that we might live in all blelfednefs and glory for ever with him ! This is a high demonstration indeed, that God is love ; and we muft be utter Strangers to his amiable excellencies, if we do not love him : Not that we are or can be before hand with him in loving ; for we love him, becaufe he fisft loved us, and becaule we are brought under its influence and manifestation, to know and believe it. This melts our hearts and gains over our affedtions to him, and to his children for his fake. And what a fure token is this of our being born of God, and of his dwelling by his Spirit in us, and of our union and communion with him, as thofe whom he loves ! But how vain and prepofterous is it, for any to pretend that they have a true and hearty love to that God, whom they never faw, if they have en- mity in their fouls againft thofe in whom his image is vifible, and whom they of- ten fee and converfe with '. This is giving the lie to their own profeffion, and to the declarations of God in his word, who has commanded that he who loves him, fhould love his brother alfo. And when love to God and one another is genuine and abounding, how fweet are its workings ! It banithes all flavifh tormenting fear of him and of his wrath, which is inconfiltent with an affectionate compiactntial Jove to him, and to his children as fuch. But having this evidence of our intereft in his love, with what fatisfaclion may we hope to appear before him with humble boldnefsin the day of judgment, as thofe that are accepted of him through his Son. Vol. VI. X CHA V 154 The Firjl Epl/lle of Chap. v2 C H A P. V. The apojlle concludes his argument for brotherly love, by /hewing that it is the effecl of a new birth , which produces fuc h a love to- God, as makes obedience to all his commandments pleafant, and fuch a faith in Chrifr, as overcomes this world f I, — 5. Then, to ejlablifh their faith in ChriJ}, he refers to three witneffes in hea- ven, and three on earth, as concurring to prove that Jefus, the Son of God, is the true MeJJiah, 6, — 9. Shews the fatufaBion that the believer has in his own foul about him, and eternal life through him, and about God^s hearing and anfwering the praters, that are offered up according to his will, for onrfelves and others, 10, — 17. Arid conclude* with an account of the happy condition of true believers beyond the refl of the world, and with a charge to renounce all idolatry^ iS, — 21. Text. Paraphrase. \y Hofoever be- VT Q W, to clofe the argument about brotherly love, lieveth that 1 \ 1 • v 1 1 r i_ • rn. j • /i_- Tefus is the Chrift which has been 10 much mimed upon in this e- is born of God • piftle, ye ought ferioufly to confider, that whoever and every one that in his very heart believes that Jefus is the true Mef- lovfch him that fi^ an( j nas accordingly an entire dependence upon b f,? at ' l ™ l t hl ? him, as thea nointed Prophet, Prieft, and King'of the alio that is begot- , , r n r 1 • • 11 1 r. • • ten of him. church, tor all lalvation, is regenerated by the Spirit of God : And every one who, from this. principle of faith, has a fupreme love to God, in his efteem of him, defire after him, and delight in him, who of his own will begat us with the word of truth, (James i. 18.) cannot but likewife bear a good will to, and take plea- fure in his Chriftian-brother, merely becaufe he is be- loved of God, and bears his image, as one that is fpiritually begotten of him. 2 By this we 2 It is a plain token, by which we know that we know that we love l ove tne children of God, with a genuine Chriftian God when we love ^ ove » mere ^y on account of their relation and likenefs God' and keep his to him, when it proceeds from fuch a prevailing love commandments. to God himfelf, as inclines and engages us fincerely to endeavour, by his grace, to live in all holy obedi- ence to his commandments, relating to this and every other duty. 3 For this is the 3 For this is the true and diilinguiming character- love of God, that {ft{ c f an unfeigned and governing love to God ; and -we keep his com- ^ j g tne te ft proo f and evidence of its being fo, and mandments ; and . . r . , ._ _ . ■ . , ° his commandments 1S lts Proper tendency and errect, that it determines are not grievous. us to have an impartial refpeft to all his command- ments : (Pf. cxix. 6.) And this fweetly conftrains us to pay a confcientious obedience to them, without picking and chufing, or counting any of them ((Zcc- Z%uu) a heavy burden or grievous talk ; but attending to Chap. v. John paraphrafed. 155 to them all, as comprehended in the great law of love, with freedom and delight. (See Mac. xi. 29, 30.) 4 For whatfo- 4 For whofoevcr is bom again by the regenerating ever is born of operation of the Spirit of God, he himlelf, and (ttccv God, overcometh To yiymfMvot ) z \\ tna t new nature which is born or !his i7°L viftorv Produced in him, gets above the terrors and allure- that overcometh ments of the men and things of this world, and even the world, evtn triumphs over them ; io as not to be difheartened or ©iir faith. driven away by the one, or drawn afide by the other, from his duty toward God : And the noble conqueft which we, of this character, obtain over every thing of this world, that would obftruct or interfere with our love and obedience to God, is not by any power of our own, but by the ftrength we derive from Chrirt, through faith in him, whereby we trull in him and in God through him, and have realizing and afluring views and hopes of an incomparably higher happinefs in the world to come, than it is poflible for us to lofe in this. (Heb. x. 34. and xi. I.) 5 Who is he 5 Who is there of all mankind, whether Jew or that overcometh Gentile^ that ever hath obtained luch a victory over the world, but hf this world and ; 3 fo f ar dea( j to every thing in it, as that beheveth that , , . , . rr o« j r> a Jefus is the Son of not to D€ co °l e( i in ms aiiections toward ood, nor a- God ? lienated in heart or life from him, by any of its frowns or fmiles? Where is the man that has attained to this, but the Chriftian, who in his very foul believes that Jefus is the true Meffiah, and the only begotten Son of God, and depends upon him by a lively and effectual faith as fuch, for j unification, fanctification, and complete falvation ? 6 This is he 6 This true and only Meffiah, even Jefus the a- that came by wa- no j n ted Saviour, is he who came into our world with Ten "fefu^Chrtt ■ a commiffion from his heavenly Father to fulfil the not by water onlyl work of redemption, which was divinely teftified, not but by water and only by his coming with water at his baptifm; (Mat. blood: and it is i n \ 16.) but alfo with water and blood at his death, the Spirit that when ^ wr j ter f tn i s epiflle particularly obferved, becaufe the Spirit tri at both water and blood came forth from his pier- is truth. ced fide; intimating, in a fymbolical way, the purifica- tion which was brought in by him from the defile- ment and guilt of fin, according to what was typified by legal wafhings with water, and with the blood ot expiatory facrifices. (See the note on John xix. 34, 35.) And his character was afterwards attefied by the Holy Spirit, in applying the virtue of his death to the confidences of believers for producing both thefe efieds, as well as in glorifying Chrift, by (hew- ing his things to them, and enabling his fervants to work innumerable miracles in his name ; and we may depend upon the witnefs which the Holy Spirit, in this practical and effectual manner, bore to Chrift, X 2 becaufe 156 The Tirfl Epifile of Chap. v. becaufe he is, by way of eminence, the Spirit of truth. (John xfv. 17.) 7 For there are 7 For there are three divine perfons, the habita- tluee tnat bear re t | on f wno f e olory is in heaven, that bear their uni- cord in heaven, the 4 . t a . f ./ • c • r *.l_ Father the "Word te teihmony to the incarnate Saviour from thence. and the Holy Theftfl is God the Father, who faid of Chriit at Ghoft: and thefe his baptifm and transfiguration, {Matth. iii. 17, and tniee are one. xvii. 5.) This is my beloved Son, in whom lam well plea fed ; and {Rom i. 4.) declared him to he the Son of God with power, by the refurreBion fr->m the dead : The fccond is the eternal uncreated Word himfelf, who ever was God with the Father ; (fee the note on John i. 1.) and faid, I and my Father are one ; (John x. 30.) and often afTerted his office, as ' well as divine character in the plaineil terms, and ap- pealed for the truth of it to the miracles which he wrought by his own power, and particularly to his raifing himfelf from the dead: {John ii. 19.) The third of thefe heavenly witneiTes is the Holy Spirit, who gave abundant atteitations to our bleffed Lord, as the only Saviour, by his vifible defcent upon him at his baptifm, (L'>ke iii. 22.) and by his coming from the exalted Median in heaven to bear witnefs to him, and to fpread his name, kingdom, and glory in the world *. And thefe three heavenly witneiTes, though NOTE. * It would be to little purpofe to witnefs or witneiTes elfewhere, as is ma- trouble the common Engli/b reader with nifeftly fuggelted in the words, And the difputes that critics, efpecially of la- there are three that bear witnefs in iter ages, have raifed about the genuine- earth, ver 8. But all ftands in a natu- nefs of this verfe. The learned may ral and elegant order, if we take in the confult Mill, in loc. where the Doctor 7th verfe, which is very agreeable, and gives the fulleft and faireft account, I almoft peculiar to the ftyle and fenti- have any where met wi^h, of the pleas, ments of our apoftle, who, of all others, that are urged from ancient copies, ver- delights in thefe titles, the Father and fions, and quotations, on both fides of the the Word, and who is the only facred queition ; from the whole of which he writer that records our Lord's words, concludes, that the arguments brought in which he fpeaks of the Spirits teftify- for the authority of this text feem to ing of him, and glorifying him by recei- him to be fo Mrong, that it ought by no ving of his things and Jhenving them to rne wis to be dropped. And J everalmf/o« his difciples, and fays, I and my Father al evidences to fupport %he authenticnefs are one. (John x. 30. xv. 26 and xvi. of it m:.y be ieen in Mr. John Reynold's 14.) The Trinitarians therefore had continuation of Mr. Henry's exposition ; lei's occafion to interpolate this verfe, where he makes molt of the following th?.n the Antitrinitarians had to take it observations, with which I have inter- out of the facred canon, if any, on ei- mixeu a few others. If we drop this ther fide, can be fuppoled to be fo very vene, and join the 8th to the 6th, it wicked as to make fuch an, attempt; looks ^0 like a tautology, and the beau- and it is much more likely that fome ty and propriety of the connection is lolt, transcriber might, through the fimili- as may appear to any that attentively rude of the beginning of the 7th and 3th read the 6th and Sth verfes together, verfes, or through fome obfturity in the leaving out the 7th ; and they do not give writing of that part of his copy, carelefs- us near fo noble an introduction of the ly flip over the 7th, than that any mould ■witneH'es, as our prefenl reading doth ; be fo during as dtfignedly to add it to nor make the vifible opposition to fome the test; and it can fcarce be thought that Chap, v- John paraphrafed. 157 though peri anally diftinct in a manner that infinitely trar.fcends all our idtas, are effentia/l) one divine be- ing, one thing, (ev ujv ftac^Tv^av) which he has given by his own witnefling, in the ways above-mentioned, to the mediatorial character of his only begotten Son. ! 1 1 And this is the fum and fubftance of the divine teftimony, viz. That God the Father, according to the eternal counfel and good pleafure of his will, has, on Chrift's account, given to us who believe in him, (ver. 13.) a right and title to, and meetnefs for, to- gether with the beginnings, earnefts, and foretaftes of eternal life : And all the felicity of this moft excellent life is purchafed by, and treafured up and fecured in his Son, who, as the head of his body, the church, has all the Springs and fulnefs of it in himfelf, to com- municate to us in the difpenfations of grace, which ihall iffue in all the bieflings of eternal glory. 12 Hence Chap. v. John paraphmfed. 159 xt. He that hath 12 Hence It plainly follows, that he who is vitally the Son, hath life ; united to, and fo has a fpecial intereft in the Son of and h f ^J,* halh God, as his head and redeemer, through faith in him, God hath " not 1S a ^ rea ^Y Spiritually alive, both in a legal and moral life' fenfe, and has the whole of everlafting life in title and fure reverfion : But he who, through unbelief, rejects the Son of God, and fo, according to the gofpel-con- flitution, excludes himfelf from any peculiar relation to, and intereft in him as a divine Saviour, continues ft ill to be dead in trefpafies and fins, and has no plead- able right or claim to the bleflings of eternal life. {John iii. 36.) 13 Thefe things 1 3 My defign in fetting thefe divine teflimonies to have I written un- Chrift in fo clear and flroug a light before you, who to you that believe under a fenfe of helplefs, guilty, loft, and ruined on the name of the n , ,. .' J '° J \ r* j 1 . -i Son of God- that " ate ana - condition, as iinners againit Lrod, heartily ye may know that receive and depend upon his eternal Son as your only ye have eternal Saviour, is, that ye may be affured, for your comfort, life, and that ye ' Dy the witnefs of the Spirit with, and in your own may believe on the C J ■. ,. , r ji_. i_ n.t. nameoftheSonof fouls » according to the word, ^ that ye have all the God. blefTednefs and glory, included in the notion of an im- mortal and heavenly life, in title and reverfion ; and have not only the earnefts of it in yourfelves, but have the whole of it in Chrift your head, who, as fuch, has taken pofTeflion of it for you ; and my further view herein is, that ye may be excited Hill more and more ftedfaftly, and with all humble and joyful confidence and perfeverance to adhere to, and maintain a firm and entire truft in, the merit and mediation of the only begotten Son of God. T4 And this is 14 And we, who really believe in him, are not on- we ^vt^xT him ly affured that he wI11 brin S . us fafe to g loi 7> but we that if we afk any * iave tms f urtner fatisfa&ion and holy boldnefs ( Tra- ining according to ^o-iuv) in our humble addreffes to the throne of his will, he heareth grace through him, that even while we are in this us * world of temptation, fin, and forrow, whatever we prefent our petitions to God for, with faith in (Thrift's name, after fuch a manner as is agreeable to his holy will, according to the notices he has given of it in the declarations, precepts, and promifes of his word, he mercifully attends to, and favourably regards the voice of our fupplications. (John xvi. 23, 24. and Jam. i. 5, 6.) 15 And if we x ^ And if we are well fatisfied that he gracioufly know that he hear condc f cendp f ov Chrill's fake, to hearken to our fin- us, what(oever we .... . . . . r we a(k, we know cere > believing, humble, and iervent prayers, we may that we have the certainly conclude from thence, that whatever we, petitions that we f or matter and manner, thus beg of him, as may be defired of him. moft for hig gk)ry and our good> he> Jn hig own time and way, doth, or will grant the requefts, which 160 The Firjl Epiftle of Chap. v. which we have put up to him in the name of his Son. 16" If any man x 6 Now, to add a direction or two with regard to TfmZhiTil not ° nt "' S P ra >' Jn - *"<«■ another; if any believer in Chrift junto death he P erce,ve > tnat his brother in the profeflion of the fuall afk, and he gofpel is guilty of any fin, which though in its own fhall give him life nature it be, as all fin is, worthy of death, and by for then that fin t fc e f en tence of God's law has a iuft entail of ever- rot unto death, i n* j n n.* v There is a fin unto Iaftin £ deftruaion upon it, as its proper wages, in death: Idonotfay, oppofition to eternal life \ (Rom. vi. 23.) Yet if it that he fhall pray be not the /in againfl the Holy Gho/l, which our * or **• blefTed Lord has declared fhall never be forgiven ; (See the note on Matth. xii. 31, 32.) Or, which a- mounts to much the fame in thofe who once made a profeflion of Chrift, (fee the note on ver. 18.) if it be not a wilful and utter apoftacy from him, in which cafe, nothing remains but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which fhall devour fuch adverfaries, (Heb. x. 26, 27.) if, I fay, it be not an unpardonable fin, * his Chriftian brother, as bound in duty and love, fhall beg of God to forgive it, in the riches of his grace, through the merit of his Son ; and there is ground to hope that, in an- fwer to his prayer of faith, God will grant repent- ance unto life f to thofe that have not been guilty of the fin, which irreverfibly binds one over to everlaft- ing mifery. There is fuch a fort of unpardonable fin, as will certainly ilTue in eternal death : And whenever it plainly appears from words and behaviour, that any one has gone into that fin, his cafe is paft reme- dy ; and I cannot encourage praying for the forgive- nefs of it. 17 All unright'e- 17 It muft be owned indeed that all iniquity, •rfnHsn Tin: *ii& r u i iKM ) as i t { s contrary to what is right and juft unto death. *" toward God, or man, is a deviation (xpx^rtx) from the holy law of God, and, as fuch, in ftri& juftice deferves death. But as, under the Jew'fJj difpenfa- tion, NOTES. * It has been fu?gefted, that the Jin all of which cannot be iuppofed, even in which is, and the (in which is not unto the apoftle'sdays, to have had the fuper- death, relates to fuch difeafes of the bo- natural gift of healing, there feems to he dy as were infixed in a way of iudg- no foundation for that thought, ment for fin ; for the healing of which f He fljall give him life, ( . 9. ) bear a high efteem of them. % For the truth's 2 This our attention is c i a fpiritual nature merely, fake which dwell- or chiefly at leaft, en account of the Lord Jeius v\ u o eth in us, and fball J s t \ lt truth, and of their harmonious agreement witri us in 1 tceiving the word oj truth, with which G .d of 'his own will has begotten us; (Jam. i. 18.) and which, being an incorruptible feed, abides as a t»ue and living principle of faith and hollrlefs in us, and will remain, as fuch, in our fouls all oui Gays upon earth, and then flourifh up into eternal life in heaven. 3 In rci 1 66 3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace from Go, the Father, and from the Lord fe- fus Chrift, the Son of the Fp.ther, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly, that I found of thy chil- dren walking in truth, as we have received a com- mandment from the Father. 5 And now I bcfcech thee, *la. dy, not as though I wrote a new commandment un- to thee, but that which The Second Epi/lle of 3 In the fulnefs of my heart, and with humble con- fidence that my defire mall be anfwered, I earneftly beg for you, (vpm) mother and children, that all the riches of free love rnd favour, all tender companion and pardoning mercy, and all manner of peace in your own fouls, with God and one another, and with the whole houfhold of faith, together with ail profperity of every kind, efpecially in your fpiritual concerns, may abound towards, and abide with you all, (^^ vfAuv) from God the Father, who in the economy of falvation is to be confidered, as the original fountain of all bleflings ; and from the anointed Lord and Sa- viour, who in his divine nature is the eternal Son of the eternal Father, with the moil eminent propriety, and with the higheft delight, as he is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his /erf on, and is the dearejl Son of his love ; (Heb. i. 3. and Col. i. 13.) and who in his office-capacity is the only, mediator, purchafer, and difpenfer of all the blefiings that come from the Father through him. All this I earneflly wifh and hope in the fincerity and affection of my heart for you, * that ye may be efta- blifhed in truth and love, and perfevere in the profef- fion of them according to the gofpel. 4 In teftimony of the fincerity of my lave and de- fire for you, I can aflure your iadyfhip that my foul was warmed with exceeding joy, (on) becaufe, upon good evidence, I was well fatisiied that, of the chil- dren which God has gracioufly given you, there arc fome, at leaft, who have not only received Chrift and the truth of the gofpel, in the notions of their heads, but have received them with faith and love to influ- ence their hearts and lives ; -j- infomuch, that where- foever they go, their converfation is anfwerable there- unto, in obedience to the holy commandment, which we, the apoftles of Chrift, have received from God the Father with a commiffion to declare it. 5 And now, as the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good con fcience, and of faith unfeigned, (1 Tim. i. $.) one great rea- fon of my writing is to entreat you, dear lady, to culti- vate a holy difpolition conformable to the nature and defign, NOTES. or other, fome of her fons had travelled abroad, as the word (*ff/Ta7ou7/) may fignify ; and that the apoftle had met with them, and feen their excellent fpirit and deportment to be as became the gof- pel of Chrift; and therefore fpoke of them as perfons whom he had found walking in the truth* * hi truth and love may relate either to Chrift's being the Son of the Father ; or to the apoftle's wifliing that grace, merry, and peace might be nuith them ; or to the end tor which he defired this on their behalf, as reprefented in the para- phrafe. f It is probable that, on one occafion John paraphrafed. 167 which we had from defign of the great law of love; (Matth. xix. 19.) not. the beginning, that ^^ j mean t write and recommend to you any new- tier ° Ve ° ne an °" commandment, as though I would impofe any thing that you are not already acquainted with and obliged to obey ; but what 1 fpeak of is only, for fubftance, that fummary compreheniive commandment of the fe- cond table of the moral law, which was enjoined at the beginning of the Mofaic difpenfation, and which our bleffed Lord repeated and further explained, in- culcated, and inforced by evangelical motives, at the beginning of his miniftry, namely, that from a princi- ple of love to God, we, as his diciples, mould bear a hearty affection one towards another, in imitation of his love to us. (See the note on John xiii. 34.) 6 And this is 6 And this is the teft, proof, and evidence or a tru- love, that we walk jy. Ch r iftj an l ovej an d is its genuine tendency and ef- mandments. This ^ e ^> tnat lt engages us to have a confcientious, chear- is the command- ful, and universal refpec~t to all God's commandments, ment, that, as ye ( 1 John v. 3.) But the law of love, as fpringing from have heard from f aith fo Chrift, (1 John iii. 22, 23.) and influential fhouMwaiTin it! 6 to a11 hol y obedIence > is the commandment, which I have principally in my eye, that, according to what ye have heard of it in the preaching of the word, e- ver fince ye were firft acquainted with Chriftianity, ye mould carefully continue to put it into practice, iuitable to the defign of the gofpel. 7 For many de- 7 For many falfe teachers are gone abroad in the ceivers are enter- world, on purpofe to feduce Chriftians from the way- ed into the world, f evan a e lical faith, love, and obedience, and to fap who coofeis not , r j *• c J\. 11 u .u • • « that Jefus Chrift tne foundation or them all by their pernicious errors, is come in the who are fo far from believing and acknowledging, that flefli. This is a they flatly deny our Jefus to be the only true Meffiah, antfchrift 3nd ^ Wh ° haS aftuall y a PP eared m hu:nan nature to ful!li the work of redemption ; (fee the note on 1 John iv. 2.) or deny his having had a real body of flefli, but affirm that he lived and died in appearance only. Whoever efpoufes and broaches fuch heretical notions, he is one of thofe deluders of the people, and direct oppofcrs of the perfon, doctrine, and glory of Chrift, and of the whole of his laving office, which he fore- told would arife ; (Matth. xxiv. 11.) and of which I have given warning. (1 John ii. 18.) 8 Look to your- § Beware therefore of them ; look about you ; ST* h ? ^hin iC s ftand ' m0thcr and children > u P on y° ur g uard 5 and which we have ta ^ e heed that your own faith and practice be not wrought, corrupted by them ; that fo neither ye yourfelves, * nor NOTE. * The Alexandria;!, Stepbam/s's, and paraphrafe therefore is made with an ac- other copies of good repute, read ye, in- commodation to .both fenfes, in a juft ftead of iue lofe, 'n the Son nor we, the fervants of Chrift, may lofe the good fruit ot our miniftry, which was inftrumental in gain- ing you over to Chrift, not only in profeflion, but, as we truft, in ft ictrity and truth : But, after all the attempts of deceivers to pervert you, hold that fqjl zv'Trb ye have, that no mar? take your ct 'own , (Rev. iii. ti.) and that we, together with you, may reap the whole of the blefied reward, anfwerable to the ut- moft of our hopes and defires, which God, for ChrilVs fake, has gracioufly promiied to his faithful fervants that turn many to right£0ufnefs 9 (Dan. xii. 3.) and to all them that love him, (Jam. i. 12.) 9 Let men's pretences be what they will, every one who allowedly tranfgreflVs the law of God, and particularly that of love ; {ver 5. 6.) and does not continue to hold and profefs the pure doctrine of Chrift, as the true Mcifiah, (1 John ii. 22, — 24.) doctrine of Chrift, h e Ras not tne Spirit of God dwelling in him ; nor Fathef 1 and* the haS he ™V daim t0 an intereft ' m God > ° r ™ hIs fa " vour and love. He, on the contrary, who continues to believe and profefs, and to practife according to the doctrine of Chrift, and concerning him, is a true believer, in fpiritual and holy union and communion both with the eternal Father and his eternal Son : (1 John i. 3. and ii. 24.) The Spirit of the Father and Son dwells in him ; (1 John iv. 2.) and he has a fure intereft in their favour and love. 10 If there be any one that comes to you with pretences of preaching the gofpel, and doth not bring the forementioned doctrine of Chrift in his miniftra- tions, but advances principles fubverfive of it, give him no hofpitable entertainment, more than the com- mon laws of humanity require, as though he were welcome to your houfe ; no, nor fo much as admk him into your doors to vent his errors in your family, and endanger the corrupting of them from the fimpli- city that is in Chrift ; * nor have any fuch familiar converfation NOTES. agreeable to a like paffage of this apof- not to eat. (1 Cor. v. 9, ti. fee the note there.) And the ftory is well known which Eufebius relates from Irenceus, in his eotefiaftical hiftory, (lib. 4 cap. 14 ) where he fays, " The apoftle John. " going into the bath at Ephefus to wafh. " himfelf, and feeing Cerinthus there, a " notorious heretic, leaped out of the " bath unwafhed. faying, that he fear- " ed left the bath JJjould fall down, when " Cerinthus, the enemy of truth, was in " it : And Polycarp, one of John's dif- " ciples, meeting at a certain time with " Mareion, who faid to him, acknow- " ledge me ; he anfwered, / know thee "t9 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doc- trine, receive him not into your houfe, neither bid him God fpeed. tie in 1 John ii. z8. * To bid one God fpeed (^aiff«v) was afrerdly falutation among the ancients; and the forbidding this to be ufed ro fuch as propagate fundamental errors, con trary to the doctrine o\ Chrift. is general- ly thought to allude to the Jews forbid- ding to have any familiar correfpondpnee with excommunicated perlons, who were to be treated like Heathen men and Pub- licans ', as our Lord alfo directed the pro- ceedings of his church {Matth. xv'di. 17.) againft obftinate offenders, with whom tbe apoftle Paul fays they were John paraphrqfed. 169 converfation with him, as looks like wtming that God would profper him in his pernicious defigns. ir For lie that n For whoever (hews him any countenance, and biddeth him God f pea ks him fair, like one that wilhes him fuccefs in tKe of his'evil deeds * Cr abominable principles and practices, which he would propagate, is acceffory to, and by jufl: conltruc\ion a partner with him in his wicked works, and con- tracts the guilt of helping him forward therein, and of encouraging others to fall in with him. 12 Having many 12 There are many things of this and the like na- thino S to write mi ture, that I could write to you, which I do not think l ( !Z°, U ' l "T ldn0t P™Pe r to do at prefent, by further fetting pen and wrzte with paper i . r , T ,- • , ^ 11 11 and ink; but I truft lnk to P 3 P er J tut I live in hope, that, by the will to come unto you, of God, I may, ere long, have an opportunity of mak- and fpeak face to ing you a vifit, and perfonally converling with you face that our joy jj th t } mutual plea f ure aI1(1 an ent f re may be lull. r * - ,_ . . i. . ... *_ ' , , c latisfaction, m freely talking them over by word or mouth. 13 The children 1 3 The pious children of your filler after the flefh, of thy elect filter and in a fpiritual fenfe your choice, excellent, and I greet thee. Amen. truft your fifter chofen ; n Chrift, fend theu - moft du . tiful and affectionate refpects to you. * May there, be many fuch ornaments to the Chriftian religion among ladies of diftin&ion and their offspring ! Amen, RECOLLECTIONS. How rare, but O how lovely is it for perfons of quality and their children to em- brace the pure uncorrupted doctrine of Chrift with faith and love, and to walk anfvverable to it. All faithful minifters and friends to the truth of the gofpel great- ly rejoice wherever they find it, and moft fincerely wifh them the bell of bleffings from God the Father, and from Jefus Chrift, his dear and only begotten So -. — Chriftian religion makes no abatement of civil refpect to perfons of high rank and near a-kin; but gives a fpiritual turn to the moft dutiful and affectionate l'aluta- tions of them — How important is it for profeffing believers to ftand faft and perfe- vere in the faith of Chrift, as the incarnate and atoning Saviour, and in the moft: cordial love to him, and to one another for his fake, according to the command- ment of God, inclufive of a confeientious refpect to every other precept! Thefe, and thefe only, have the benefit of a fperiai relation to, and intereft in God the Father, and his eternal Son. But, in order to their evident and comfortable con- tinuance herein, how highly doth it concern them, that they be not deceived by falfe teachers, and infected with antichriftian errors, left they ihemfelves, as well as thofe that were inftrumental to their converfion, fhould be difappointed of the ample fatisfaction they hoped for in the happy effects of the gofpel upon them ! And how cautious fhould they be of giving any encouragement or countenance to feducers, that would fubvert the fundamental articles of faith, relating to the per- fon and offices, doctrine and glory of Chrift I They who bid them God fpeed are accefiory NOTES. "to be the firjl-bom of Satan" So * Probably the lifter herfelfwas ab- greatly were the apoftles and their dif- fent, if not dead, when the ancflle wrote ciples afraid of countenancing and freely this epiftle, and therefore he fent only converting with any that had proj'sly a- the falutation of her childxen, at their dulterated the truth, even as Paul fays, a requeft. heretic, after thefirfl and fee oi?d admoni- tion, reject. (Tit. iii. 10. ) Vol. VI. Z 170 The Second Epijlle, &c. acceflbry to all the mifchief that is done by their deftru&ive errors.— But thefe things may be better ta iked over in a free converfation with private Curiftians, more at large, than can well be wrote in a fhort letter May all profeffors of Chrift be preferred, by divine grace, from every delufion \ Amen, A PRAG A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE THIRD EPISTLE OF T HE APOSTLE JOHN, IN THE FORM OF A PARAPHRASE. The PREFACE to the THIRD EPISTLE of JOHN. IT is needlefs to add much to what has been faid in the prefaces to the two former epiftles of John. Gaius, to whom this was wrote,' is moft generally thought to have been that Gaius, whom the apoftle Paul called his hojl. (Rom. xvi. 23. fee the note there.) But as various perfons bore that name, it is hard to determine who this Gains was. The cpqflle congratulates Gaius upon his eminent piety and hofpitality, 1, — 8. Cautions him again/} Jiding with Diotrephes, who was a mini/ler of a haughty and turbulent fpirit, 9, — 11. But recom- mends Demetrius as a man of an excellent charaBer, 12. Excu/es the brevity of this letter by the hope he had of foon feeing Gaius, and concludes with falutations, 13, 14. Text. Paraphrase. r ~T'HE elder unto JOHN the apoftle who, on. account of his great age , 1 ^ he - well " be " J and high office, may with double propriety, and loved Gaius, whom © ' / r r j I love in the truth, peculiar emphahs, be itylcd the elder, lends theie lew lines to the dearly beloved Gaius, for whom I, who call myfelf the elder, have the moft fmcere affection, on account of his attachment to the truth of the gof- pel. 2 Beloved, I wifli 2 So eminent are your light, grace, and holinefs, above all things a nd fo evident the fruits of them, my dear Chrillian that thou mayft f r ; cn( j t h a t w h cn I couiider the weaknefs and inrlr- P rol > er Z 2 mitt 172 The Third Epijlle of foul profpereth. 3 For T rejoiced greatly vvhea the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walked in the truth. 4 I greater have no joy than my profper and be in mity of your bodily ftate of health, * and the many 'th, even asthy difficulties that obftruct your being fo vigoroufly and extenfively ufeful, as your pious and generous temper difpofes and qualifies you for, I have nothing fo much at heart relating to you, as to delire and beg of God, that all your affairs of life, and animal nature, may hold equal pace with your judicious and thriving foul in all its fpiritual concerns. 3 For I exceedingly rejoiced, when thofe Chrifti- an brethren that came from you, gave an account of the Sincerity of your faith, by means of which the word of truth, the gofpel of falvation has taken pof- feflion of your heart, as evidently appears by your fteadily pet fevering to walk in Chrift, and in the way of truth and holineif , through the whole courfe of your life and conversation, in thefe perilous days of persecution, defection, and error. 4 Nothing can afford me a greater fatisfa&ion and delight, than to hear, as I do of you and others, a (2 Kpijf. ver. 4.) that thofe converts, whom I think of with as much tendernefs, care, and affection, \ as if they were my own children according to the ftefh, hold fail the truth of the gofpel in its purity, and live in all holy converfaticn and godlinefs anfvverable to it, 5 It is an unfpeakable pleafure to me, my dear Gaius x when I hear and reflect upon it, that you aft with an integrity becoming your lovely character, and with faithfulrefs to your obligations, talents, and con- ference, as a Chriftian, in all companionate and ge- nerous afiiftances to the minillring fervants of Chrift, and private brethren of your church and acquaintance, that need your liberality ; and to religious ftrangers that are driven from place to place by the violence of perfecutions, or voluntarily go abroad to preach the gofpel, and are well recommended to you. 6 Some NOTES. * It is probable that Gains was of a tie Paul called his hoft while he was at fitkly conftitution, and met with lofTes, Corinth, Rom. xvi. 23.) feems to have or entanglements in fecular affairs, been converted by that apoitle who bap- through perfecutions for the fake of tized him, (1 Cor. i. 14.) and fpoke of Chrift, which were a reftraint upon himfelf, as the fpiritual father that had fome more eminent degrees of public begotten the Corinthians by the gofpel, to hear that the truth. 5 Beloved, thou dolt faithfully whatfoeyer thou dolt to the bre- thren, and to ftran- sers. iervice, that he might otherwife have gone into. This therefore was the beft and efpoufed them to Chrift • (1 Cor iv. 15. and %Cor, xi. 2.) And therefore, when wifh that the apoltle could make for our apoltle fpeaks of Gains and other Gaiut. But to wifh that profperity of believers a.s his children, it may be con- fou! may be the meafure of profperity in fidered as the tender ftyle of paternal love }-' 'lth and worldly affairs to the greateft and affection toward them, whoever parr, of mankind, would be to imprecate were the inftruments of their converfion; a ante, inftead of defiring a bleffing up. on thrr.i. f Gaha (if it was he whom the apof. nid his ufing this appellation, when writing under the character of the elder, has its peculiar beauty. John paraphrafed. 173 6 Which have 6 Some of thefe who have been refrefhed by your born witnefs of thy bounty, have publicly bore an Honourable teftimony chanty betore the tQ y OUr benevolence and hofpitality in the prefence taM«t£ni ° f "* church where I now refide , (fee the prefaee on their journey to the firit epiftle) and as they are about to return after a godly fort to you, and then proceed to fome other places for fur- thou flialt do well. tner fpreading the gofpel among the Gentiles ; if, according to your wonted kindnefs, you will be fo good as to do what in you lies to give them all need- ful afiirtances for their journey, in a manner fuitable to your own Chriftian temper, and to their relation to, and employment for God, you will a6l (kx\u$) a worthy part toward them, in imitation of his goodnefs. 7 Becaufe that 7 For in their love and obedience to our bleffed for his name's fake Lord, and zeal for his glory, they, though of the takfn Went hin° rth f 7 ewi fi nation » chearfully went abroad with a com- tne in Gent°iIes" g ° m ifii° n to preach the gofpel to the Gentiles ; and, that they might do it without prejudicing the Gen- tiles againil them, as though they were mercenary in their defigns, they waved their right of claiming a maintenance from them; (fee the paraphrafe and notes on i Cor. ix. 4, — 14.) and gave their labours freely, carting themfelves on the providence of God for a fubfiftence, without aiking or receiving any thing towards it from the Genti/e-conveits. 8 We therefore 8 It therefore certainly is our duty, who wifh well ought to receive tQ the caufe f Chrift and to immortal fouls, to take be 'feUow-helpers ^ ucn generous, and difinterefted, and needy miniiters to the truth. into our affectionate care and kind regards ; and to be helpful to them according to our ability, that we may have the pleafure and the honour of bearing a part with them in the fuccefs of their miniltrations, by contributing to their maintenance ; and fo may work together with them in propagating the truth of the gofpel among Genti/es, as well as Jews. 9 I wrote unto g J WO uld have wrote a letter * to recommend thefe the church : but won hy brethren to the church, of which you, my dear NOTE. * Several critics have obferved, that why he wrote to Gaiv s about receivi?ig according to the indefinite latitude of the the brethren, rather than to the church aoriji (ey§a^x) I wrote, may be ren- or to Diotrephes, who feems to have dered / would have wrote, or was a- been a furious judaizitig Chriftian, and lout to have wrote to the church, re- an imperious over-bearing and leading ferring, not to any former letter, but to man, if not j-nltor of the church, that what the apoille would have wrote, had it had affumed to himlelf fuch an exorbi- not been for the malignant loidly temper tant power ov«-r it, as would have ena- and influence of Diotrephe r among them, bled him, either to fupprefs the letter, probably the church at Corinth, of which or to defeat its defign, by forbidding the Gains appears to have been a member, if church to comply with it, and carting it is the fame that is fpoken of Rom xvi them out that would, neverthelefs, fhew 23. (See the note there.) And then, kindnefs to the travelling preachers to what the apoftle adds about Diotrephes, the Gentiles whom it recommended, gives a very good and obvious reafoa 174 Tk* Tlrrd Epijlfc of Diotirpbes, who dear Gains, are a merrber, to encourage and affift them Jowh to have the j n their important fervice : But Diotrephe^ as I am jm'i^htnweceT- we ^ informed, behaves at fuch an imperious and veth us uot.' haughty rate, and is fo very ambitious of bearing an abfolute fway, and of carrying every thing among them in an arbitrary manner, juit according to his own mind and humour, that whatever I fay, even by apof- tolic authority, ftands for nothing with him, but is treated with difdain, as far as it thwarts his pride, prejudices, and felfifh defigns. I therefore chofe ra- ther to write to you about this affair, than to them, or him, who fo tyrannically lords it over them, and fo contemptuoufly rejects both me and the brethren, that are for propagating the pure gofpel of Chrift a- mong the Gentiles, (ver. 5, — 8.) 10 Wherefore if IO This is fo infufferably domineering and infolent, I corr-c, i wal re- an( ^ r Q j n i U rious to the apoftolic character, to the truth member his deecis . j. .. J r . * c , which he doib , H e ^? ari ° to the common rights and privileges of the prating agairifl as church, that, for this reafon, whenever I may have an with malicious opportunity of making them a vifit, I will feverely words • aud not animadvert upon, and publicly expofe and reprove neither * doth * he ^ m before tne whole church for the evil of his do- hiir.'.eit receive the ings, who gives himfelf a fcandalous liberty to talk brethren, and for. faucily and impertinently, with wicked and malicious biddeth them that reproaches °f me anc ^ tne brethren recommended by 1 ! 7 me, as though we were beneath notice and regard : eth them out of ' p . . . 1 , • the church. And, not being iatished with this, he not only him- felf refufes to (hew any kindnefs to the brethren that have expofed themielves to wants and hardmips in preaching the gofpel to the Gentiles ; but, by his ar- bitrary way of proceeding, hinders thofe from coun- tenancing and afiiliing them that are well inclined to it ; and is fo violent againft them, that if they either will not, or in confcience dare not comply with his unreafonable impofitions, he, by his own ufurped au- thority, excommunicates them from any further re- lation to, or communion with the church. 11 Beloved fol- 11 My dearly beloved Gaius, take heed of being low not that which j n timidated by his haughty and tyrannical manage- js evi , ut fchat t muc | 1 move f being influenced to an imitation which is good, he ';..'., , , & r r r i that doth good, 1? or his wicked temper and ways, or or any lintul prac- of God: but he that tice whatever; but copy after * every thing that is doth evil, hath not excellent in a good man, wherefoever you fee it. He ieen God. w j 10 « s a j Qer f g 00( J i ( ccyxSoTrowv) and that parti- cularly in a way of benevolence to the fervants of Chrift NOTE. * JDiotrepbes having Ven fpoken of as eye upon both thefe perfons, as well as a ivicked man jure before, fter. 0, 10. and their ways, in his exhortation to follow Demetrius being recommended as a good not that which is evil, but that which man lmmediarely utter, ver- 12. it is na- is good. tural to luppot'e that the apoltle had his cord is true. John paraphrafed. 175 Chrift for his fake, is born of God, bears his Ukenefs, lives under the influence of his Spirit* is approved of him, and has communion with him : Bur whofoever he be that is a Worker of iniquity (o xcaccyrotatv) like Dioirephei ; and that particularly in haughty infolence, and in cruel and malicious oppolitiorj to the faithful fervants of Chrift, is a ftranger to the true knowledge of God and communion with him, who is /ove, (1 Jo 1 m iii. 6, 10. and iv. 3.) 12 Demetrius 12 There is one among you, a man of a more excel- hath good report i ent f pmt t ^ an £); , rep f Jes ; f uc h an one I would re- 01 all men, and ot . i± . , , . , ^ » the truth itfelf commen d to your imitation ; and that is the noted yea, and we alfo Demefn'u.f, * who is a Chriftian ot a rnoft amiable bear record and ye character, particularly for beneficence and charity, a- ™i V V! iat ° Ur fe * amon g a ^ mt acquaintance, whether profeffors or not ; as appears from many inftances of his goodncfc, and as mult be acknowledged, to the credit of the gofpel, by every one that would fpeak the truth concerning him: Yea, and we, the apoftles and minifters of Chrift, can- not but bear an honourable teftimony to him, from what we have feen or heard of him, as an exemplary and public- fpirited Chriftian ; and thofc of you who are fmcere members of the church, (oi^xrs) well know that our teftimony, (pexgrvgiee) which is never given upon flight evidence, may be fully depended upon as faithful and true. 13 I had many 13 Many other things were in my mind to write things to write, to y OU> relating to thefe and fuch like points ; but, but I will not with f h thoughts, 1 judge it mav be more pru- jnk and pea write , r • 1 1 , • 1 • unto thee : dent not to commit them by pen and ink to paper in this epiftle to you. 14 But I truft 14 But I hope, by the will of God, ere long, to I ihall fhortly fee make you a vifit ; (vcr. 10.) and then we (hall have thee, and we jhall an pp ortun ity for perfonal converfation together by iDeuk race to face. • . Peace be to thee! wor ^ °f mouth, in which we may freely talk over Our friends falute thefe things at large. In the mean while, I heartily thee. Greet the wifh and pray, that all profperity of every kind, relat- friends by name. ; ng to f ou i and bodv> may attend you> Qur Chrif- tian friends in my neighbourhood fend their moll af- fectionate refpe&s to you. Be pleafed to make mine acceptable to all the orderly members of the church, and cordial lovers of Chrift and truth, and friends to me and his miniftring fervants, in your parts, as though I particularly mentioned them by name. RECOL NOTE. * What Demetrius this was, or whe- of him, he appears to have bee- an exem- ther he were a minifter, or private mem- plary Chriftian, particularly feft hofplta- ber, or officer of the church, is unknown lity; and on that, as well a> on other to us; though it was well known, and accounts, a pattern of good works wor- he .was honourably fpoken of, in thofe thy of imitation. dap: And, by the apoftle's character 1^6 The Third Epi/lle, &c. RECOLLECTIONS. How deferable, but, alas! How few are the inftances of fuch profperiry of foul in fpiritual concerns, as one would wifh to be the meafure of a proportional ftate of bodily health and fuccefs in temporal affairs ! Such Chriflians as abound in faith and charity toward their pious acquaintance and ilrangers, and give fubftantial proofs of it in their lives, are exceeding lovely and greatly beloved, rejoiced in, caretled, and honourably fpoken of as worthy of imitation, by all true friends to the gofpel of Chrift, and efpecially by his minutring fervants. But how mould proud, infolent impofers upon churches, and malicious revilers of the uncorrupted gofpel and its faithful preachers, be detefted, expofed, and cenfured, as open enemies to it and them, and as injurious and domineering lords over God's heritage, who will neither do good themfelves, nor fuffer others to do it that would ! They are Grangers to the true knowledge of God : But all who, from principles of faith and love, feek and do the things that pleafe him, are his children, and ought for his fake, to affift miniftring fervants in their Lord's work, that they may bear a part with them in propagating evangelical truth and the good of precious fouls. To write fuch things as thefe to Chriftian friends, as occafioas offer, is very ufefal : But how much more delightful and advantageous is it to converfe freely together about them ! May all religious affection be ever preferved among true believers, and mutual fincere withes of every kind of happinefs, both temporal and l'pintuai, be cultivated between them, with cordial friendship one towards another ! Amen.' A PRAC A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION OF THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE JUDE, IN THE FORM OF A PARAPHRASE. The PREFACE to the EPISTLE of JUDE. THE apoftle Jude, the author of this epiflle, ftyles himfelf the brother of James, (ver. i.) and was called the fon of Alpheus and Mary, and own brother to James the lefs, {Luke vi. 16. and Mark xv, 40.) to diftinguifh him from Judas Ifcariot, who inramouf- ly betrayed his Lord \ accoidingly our apoitle is called Judas, not Ifcariot. (John xiv. 22.) His principal defign in writing this epiltle was to caution and for- tify the Jewijh converts, perhaps, as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, thofe e- fpecially of Judea, againft being drawn into apoitacy by means of the falfe teachers that had arofe, and were very bufy among them, to fubvert the foundation of Chritb'anity And as the argument of this is much the fame with, efpecially the fecond chapter of the fe- cond epiltle of Peter, it is generally thought to have been wrote a- bout the fame time, three or four years before the deltruction of Je- rufalem ; and great aflillance may be gathered for understanding one ©f them by comparing it with the other. Vol. VI. A a The 173 The Epijile of The apofllefalutes the Chriflians to whom he wrote, and exhorts them to /land fajl in the faith again/1 thofe Jewifh -zealots that would undermine it, i, — 4. Shews the danger of being infeBed by them, and the dreadful punifhment which fhall be infii&ed on them and their followers, as exemplified in the unbelieving Ifraelites, in the fallen angels, and in Sodom and Gomorrah, 5, — 7. Gives a hi- deous defcription of thefe feducers and their deplorable end, 8, — 16. Cautions believers again/I being furprifed at fuch deceivers arifing among them, as being forewarned, that they might be forearmed again/1 them, and maintain their own fie dfaflnefs by faith and pray •> er, and a prudent care one of another, 17, — 23. And concludes with a lofty encouraging do xo logy, 24, 25. Text. Paraphrase. JUDE the Or. yUDAS, not Ifcariot, but a faithful fervant of Je- ChriirlndbrJ'her fuS ChrIft ' fent f ° rth by h * S immediate commiffion of James, to'them to P reach the g of P el > even that 7 uJas * who » h Y na * that are fandlified tural birth, was brother to James the lefs, fends greet- by God the Father, ing to all believers of the circumcifion, who may be and preserved in confidered, in the judgment of charity, as thofe that called: ^ were fet a P art h y God the Father > for himfelf in hia eternal purpofes of love and grace, as his eleft * ; and in confequence thereof, have been fecured in Jefus Chrift, their covenant- head, and preferved by his all- governing providence from being cut off by death in their unconverted ftate ; and, in due time, were ef- fectually called to the knowledge of him, and to a participation of all the privileges and blefiings of the gofpel here, and of his glorious kingdom hereafter. (1 The/flu. 12.) a tyCercy unto 2 May the tenderer!: compafiion of the Father of you, and peace, mercies toward the miferable and unworthy, and peace ^inlied° Ve * "^ ' w ^ *" m and one another, and in your own conscien- ces, NOTE. * As fanclified, and preferved are thoughts the fame way, as it fpeaks of mentioned before called, they feem to their having been fandlified, and prefer- relate, not fo immediately to internal ved. antecedent to their being called: holinefs, and pnefervaiion in the faith. And lb fanclified by God the Father here which are after calling, as to feparation anfwers to elect, according to the fore- to God, as the word fanclified lignifies ; knowledge of God the Father, and not (fee the notes on Jobr-x. 36. and xvii 17) to the fanclification of the Spirit in and to a federal and providential pie- 1 Pet. i 2. And the Alexandrian, Ste- Nervation in Chrift before, and in order phanus's, and fome other copies, and the to thefe perfons being called. Or if, Sytiac, Ethiopic. and other antient ver- with Beza, Parens, and Dr. Whitby, fions, (Vid. Mill, in loc.) inftead of we admit of a tranfpofition of the fen- fandlified rend beloved (i-yxxuftiyots) by tence, then the order and conftruclion Cod the Father. But, which ever way will ftand thus, (tou xwtqk tv Gtu -crxlgi we take it, the fanclificat ion and pre- wyia.criu.fnti; v.xt inaou Xgira TtTnp»/jc.fvct( ) fervation of the called are aiciibed, not To the railed that hai-e been fanttified to themlelves, but to the gracious acls by God ihe Far her, and preferved in, or of God the Father, and of Jefus Chrift. /»/ Jefus Chtift. And this ftill points our J u d e paraphrafed. 1 79 ces, together with the beft of all profperity of every kind ; and all the excellent fruits of his fpecial and diflinguilbing love, with the richeft manifestations of it, increafe abundantly, in their utmoll fulnefs, to- wards all and every one of you, unto the begetting of the moil fervent love to him and one another. 3 Beloved, when 3 My dearly beloved in the Lord, when I was ftu- 7 gave all diligence dioufly thoughtful about, and earnellly applied to the to write unto you fc f f di aQ iftle to vou , concerning that ot the common . . • o r . ' l- 1 • „,^™ tr» ialvation, it was fpintual and eternal falvation, which is common to needrul for me to you and me, and all true believers, whether Jews or write unto you, Genti/es, and is propofed, and recommended in the a " d ^hort you, gofpdj tQ the acceptance f a U forts of tinners, to JieftVwntendfor whom il is Poached with this affurance, that whoever the faith which comes to Chri/f, he will in no wife cajl him out, was once deliver- (John vi. 37.) This is a point of fuch vaft import- ed unto the taints. ance> and r Q ve hemently ftruck at in this day of lad defe&ion, and of intriguing, as well as violent me- thods to overthrow it, that I thought it neceffary, under divine fuggeftion, to write to you about it, and Hir you up by every confideration relating to your own fafety and comfort, and to the glory of Chrifi and of God in him, to exert yourfelves, in an hum- ble dependence on divine grace, with the utmoft vi- gour, even, as it were, to an agony of labour, ftrife, and concern, {iTrAywnt^^oti) in maintaining, defend- ing, and practifing the pure and uncorrupted doc- trine of faith in its full extent, with refped to the perfon, offices, righteoufnefs, grace, and government of the Lord Chrift, which was once for all perfected, and was delivered by him to his holy apoftles, and by them to the church, confining of believers that are holy in heart and life ; and which was committed as a truft and treafure to them, that they might keep it faithfully, and tranfmit it to pofterity, and not fuffer it to be altered, or wrefted out of their hands, by any means whatfoever. I fay there is great need that I mould write to you about this. 4 For there are 4 For there are certain impious and heretical men, certain men crept who have clandestinely introduced themfelves, by craft in unawares, who and fl atterVj among you, unawares indeed to you, 3-1 *«£ but not to God • the * be, "g me ">. wh0 7T *" tte " con. of in ancient prophecies, * according to the itill move A a 2 ancient NOTE. » Who were before of old ordained to prophecies, if any fuch can be found, be- tbit condemnation manifeftly relates, not fides that of Enoch, which is not written to their having been before ordained to in the Old Teftament, nor, as far as T their fin, but to their being awfully know, written at all ; or to what was, judged and condemned for it. In this as it were, written in the eternal coun- view it appears to me to be of little mo- fels of God, in which he determined to ment, whether before of old ordained puniih them, not as creatures fimply rsiers to what was anciently written in conudcred, but as f niter s ; For whate- I So TheEpiJileof condemnation, un- ancient records ofithe divine mind, as a fet of ungod* gouh men, turn- { m that fl^i, be brought to the aw f ul judgment ln M llie grace ot J , , , n b . . _ J . 9 . . our God into laf- and ri g nt eous pumfhment, due to them for their mi- civoufnefs, and quities ; who, under pretences of having embraced denying the only Chriftianity, pervert the doctrine of the grace of God. Loid God, and unto the indulging of wanton and lafcivious pra&i- our Lord Feius * i • i 1 r 1 t_ Chrift. ces; and who, either to countenance themielves there- in, * or to throw (lander upon the principles and pro- feffion of fincere believers, put a corrupt and reproach- ful conftruction upon this gofpel of free grace, as though it were calculated to encourage diflblute man- ners ; and, by their wicked courfes, they practically deny the wifdom, holinefs, and authority of God in his moral precepts delivered under the Old Teftament, even of that God, who, to the exclufion of all that are not by nature God, is the only living and true God : ( fee the notes on John xvii. 3 . and 2 Pet. ii. 1 . ) And at the fame time they reject the true gofpel- doctrine con- cerning the divine perfon and offices of our Lord Jefus Chrift, as the prophet, prieft, and king of the church ; whofe gofpel, as a prophet, is the doclrine according to godlinefs ; (1 Tim. vi. 3.) who gave him f elf for us, as a prieft, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar people, 'zealous of good works ; (Tit. ii. 14.) and the fcep- tre of whofe kingdom, as a king, is a fceptre of rightenvfnefs. (Heb. i. 8.) 5 I will there- 5 To deter you therefore from giving heed to rare put you irr re ; thefe f educers l » wou i d remmd you though ye as mer>-. '-.ranee, tho' - : . , ^1 , m n , ° i , . ye once knew thl- conv erlant with the Old 1 eitament, have already how that the Lord known, and been fully affured, that the Jehovah of raving faved the 1/rael, having, with an outftretched arm, delivered 1* d^f e'* ° the * lIs P^kfl^g people out of their extreme bondage terwa*d defooyed and °PP reffions in the land of Egypt, did neverthelefs them that believed afterward cut off multitudes of them in the wilder- not. neis, by terrible judgments, for their difobedience and unbelief. (1 Cor. x. 5, — 10.) And they who, being corrupted by thefe deceivers, fall into like fins, efpecially NOTES, ver has been before written in divine provocations; and therefore both are fug- predi&ions concerning them, it was on- gefted in the paraphrafe. ir ■-. tr niVript of what God had before * Turned the grace of God into lafci- determine'd to inflict upon them, accord- vioufnefs may be underftood, either of ing to the due defert of their iniquities, thele fatfe teachers taking liberty from which he forefaw they, through the per- the doctrines of grace, to indulge their verfenefs of their own hearts, would vo- fenfual inclinations; or of .their malici- lini' ilv -md malicioufly involve rhem- oufly ftigmatizing the gofpel doctrine, fclves in. And I cannot conceive, why concerning it, as though in its own na- thcrr fhould be any thing more harfli in nire and -Jefign, it led to all impurity, the idea of God's having before appoint- But I am moil inclined to the laii of ed, than of his hn\'m% foretold the righ theie fenfes ; becaufe they profetfedly teous procedure, whereby he will take oppofed, inftead of ownrng the true doc™ vengeance upon them for their heinous trine of the grace of God. Jube paraphrased . i8r efpecially under the clearer light of the gofpel, murt expedr to be itill more feverely punifhed alter their ex- ample, (i Cor. x. ii.) 6 And the an- 6 And as ye cannot but knew, fo ye ought feri- gela 'hich kept ou fly to confider, and reflect upon, the tremendous Sate, buUeftthelr condition of th °fe once ha PPy and ho :y an £ els ' .(» own habitation, he Superior order of beings to man) who did not main- hath reserved in tain their integrity in that original Hate of honour and everlaftin ? chains dignity (xty* 9 ) m which God created them, but re- under darknefe i, ifhcd and b t h e righteous judgment of God, unto the judgment , ^„ .' 7 n. j c *i r c ef the great day. ( 2 iV. n. 4.) were can down Irom the manlions or blifs and glory, which he had given them to be their own proper abode for ever, in cafe of their continu- ing in finlefs obedience to him. Thefe, on account of their r< volt from God, and rebellion againft him, through p :de, envy, and affectation of higher power and dominion, than he had afligned to them, he has put into fafe culled y, like condemned prifon- ers that are loaded with fetters: ; and has held them fad by his holy purpofe power, and providence, as with itrong and perpetual chains of the horrible dark- nefs of fm and milery, and difmal defpair, againft the final judgment of the great day, when their torment will be completed, and when all apoftates, and impe- nitent, unbelieving finners mail depart from the blifs- ful prefence of Chrift, into everiajlin^ jire, prepared for the devil and hit- cupels. (Matth. xxv. 41 .) 7 Eten as So- 7 Utter deftru&ion fhall certainly and iuddenly dom and Gcnior- comc frcm the Lord upon a H f uch . even as [ t d ; d up _ rha, and 'he cities .1 • r n • f irej j s~- about them in like on tne 'nfamouiJy wicked people ct b>>dom and Go- manner, giving morrahy and of the neighbouiing cities of Adma and themielves over to Zeb'ot?!, (Gen. xix. 24, 25. and Deut. xxix. 23.) fortnott.on, and in ltcrms of fire and brimftone, rained down from hea- goin-; after (trance ■ ■,, c .» * • - . i_* 1 ..1 flefli are let forth ven u P on them lor the flagitious crimes which they for 'an example, greedily committed, by going into all manner of un- fufFering the ven cleannefs, and particularly the unnatural monrlrous geance of eternal f in Q f men w j t j 1 men# ^he perpetual dcfolation of that wicked people, and of their cities, the evident marks of which remain to this day, is exhibited in the facred hifiory. and in providence, to open view, as in example of God's tremendous vengeance, which carries a lively emblem of the evcrlailing deftrudtion of all the wicked and ungodly in hell-fire. 8 Likewife alfo g T n ]{ke manner alfo, thefe profligate creatures, crsdefi' th T/fT w ^° vainly delude themfelves and others with their defpife dominion' ovvu imaginations, which are no better than rbolift and fpeak evil of and impure dreams, indulge gratifications of flcihly dignities. \ u {{ s rj iar war againft the foul ; and defile their own bodies by their lewd pradticcs : Yea more than that, they, like lawlefs peifons, treat all the autho- rity 1 82 TheEpifikof rity of fecular magiftrates with infolence, and fct afe nought all civil government with contempt, especial- ly fo far forth as it would reftrain their exorbitant vices ; and they vilify the perfons, as well as the au- thority of thofe rulers that are advanced to the Wgh- eft of all earthly dignities. (£o|#s, fee the note on 2 Pet. ii. 10.) * They alfo do the fame by ecclefaf tical officers and their doctrine, and even by the in- fpired apoftles themfelves, who ought to be efteerned in their minifterial character, as the glory of Ch-ijl. {fho\a X£ as > to mftance in one of the higheit dignity, body of Mofes, when (according to the traditional and currently be- durft not bring a- lieved account) Michael -j- that eminent chief of the gainft him a rail-- ^ Q \ a ngels, was engaged in a remarkable conteft ing aceufation, but • £•■*'* r f & . . n - . laid. The Lord re- Wltn thc P nnce °* demons, as arguing againtt him buke thee. about having the place known, where the body of Mofes was buried, that he might have a further op-, portunity of tempting Ifrael to idolatry in worship- ping it, for the prevention of which God, in infinite wifdotn, concealed his fepulchre from them. (Deut, xxxiv. 6.) In this debate the archangel would not venture to do any thing, fo contrary to his own ho- ly nature, fo offenfive to God, and fo much above his own match in the diabolical art of railing, as to return the reviling and opprobrious language of that I leave NOTES. * Thefe feducers undoubtedly reviled poftle's arguing from tome known and ecclefiaflical, as well as civil governors; allowed tradition among them had, its and we are led to a thought of this by weight in his dealing with them : And,, the apoftle's comparing them (ver. 11.) poffibly, he might know by divine revela- to thofe that perifhed in the gainfaying tion, that this was a realfacl, and not an a/Core againft Mofes and Aaron. idle ftory, like many others of their tradi- f Some by Michael underftand Chrijt tions. The Came may be obterved with himfelf, and others, the moft embie?it of refpeel: to what he fays, i>er. 14. about all the holy angels. And Dr. Lightfoot Enoch's prophecy. (See the note on tells us, (Vol. I. p. 338.) that '• among 2 Tim. iii. 8.) Upon the whole, though the Talmudicks there feems to be fome- I am far from being certain ; yet, for thing like the relicts of the ftory here want of a better, I incline to this literal referred to, «/<&. of Michael, and the interpretation, as more natural and lefs angel of death difputing or difcourfing forced, than any other that has been of. about fetching away the foul of Mofes" fered on this difficult pafiage ; among But this is a different thing from difput- which the moft probable of them feems ing about the body of Mofes. However to be that, which takes the body of Mo- Dr. Whitby fays in his note on this verfe, fes, in a figurative fenfe, to fignify the " that there was an altercation betwixt body or fyftem c/Moies's law. But ftill Michael the archangel, and Samae I the we are at as much uncertainty about prince of the devils, about the body of there ever having been any fuch difpute Mofes, we learn from the traditions of between Michael and the devil about the Jew." On this fuppofition, the a- tbt faw, as about the body ot Mofes. Jude paraphrafed. 183 io But thefe fpeak evil of thofe things which they know not : but what they know naturally, as brute beafts ; in thofe things they corrupt themfelves. tiWo unto them; for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for re- ward, and perifhed in the gainfaying •f Core. 1 2 Thefe are fpots in your feafts «f charity, when they- feaft with foul fpirit; but only faid. in a way of folemn rebuke, I leave you to the righteous judgment of God, to deal with you according to your wicked delign of drawing his people into the moil flagrant fin againft his divine majefty, crown, and dignity. 10 But thefe daring pretenders do not flick at vi- lifying and reproaching things, both civil and facred, (fee the note on ver. 8.) which are in their own na- ture fo far from being evil, like the devil and his de- figns, that they are of eminent worth and importance; but the ufe, defign, and benefit of which they are utter ilrangers to: And (&) even in thofe things, which they naturally know, like animals void of reafon, and, by the light of nature, cannot but know to be unlawful, they, like irrational beafts, behave as though they had no principle of reafon to guide or govern them ; but act at fuch a monilroufly perverfe, fenfual, and brutal rate, as to defile and debafe themfelves, beneath hu- man nature, to the lad degree. 1 1 The moft dreadful of all woes will furely fall upon their' heads ; for in hating and envying thofe, whom they ought to have treated with refpedl, they are influenced by the fame malignant fpirit that go- verned Cain, when he murdered his brother Abel, only becaufe his own works were evil, and his bro- ther's righteous : (1 John iii. 12, 15.) And, with a profufion of covetous, ambitious, and wicked de- fires and endeavours, (z%s%vSr, tention and reverend awe, the Lord Chrift, the pro- mifed Meffiah, is coming, and in due time will cer- tainly appear in all his majeily and glory, with a re- tinue of myriads, even an innumerable company of his holy ones, (aytcctg uvm) angels and faints, to their everlafting joy. [Mat to. xxv. 31. and 1 "Ihe/f. 15 To execute 15 He will then fit on the throne of his glory to judgment upon all, arra ig n all mankind before him, and pafs a'decifive Sat weonMdfy *. fente ? ce u pon them feverally, according to their re- mong them of all fpe&ive characters; and particularly to reprove, con- their ungodly deeds vfdr., condemn, and punifn all that mail then be found which they have to be wicked and ungodly among them. He will ungodly commit- feverel reckon with them for all their i mp i ous WO rks, ted, and or all , • , , , 1 • 1 ,•? j •• their hardfpeeches, which they have wrought witn premeditated malice, which ungodly fin- and for all the virulent fpeeches which thefe licenti- ners have fpoken ous finners have thrown out upon his perfon, gofpel, againft rum. an( j cau f ej - anr j U p G n his members and faithful fervartts for his fake, which he will refent in the day. of judg- ment, as done againil himfelf. (Matth. xxv. 45.) 16 Thefe are 16 The falfe teachers we are fpeaking of, will fnuj-murers, com- mect w j t j 1 tne heavieft doom in that awful day : For plamers, walKin? , r . a r , , , /. after their own Y are l £Cret rnurmurers again it G-od and his pro- lufts ; ' and their vidence, againft magiiiratcs and minifters, and againil mouth fpeaketh Chrift and his followers and ways ; and are continu- great (Welling a vj v fi n( l m g fault and openly quarrelling with all his mens 'd fonTn doctrines and difpenfations, as being prejudiced a- admiration, be- gainft them, and difiatisfied with their own Hate and caofe of advan- condition in the world : They, in the reftlcfs temper t3 £ e ' of their minds, purfue their own vicious inclinations to unlawful pleafures ; and at the fame time they talk in lofty, unintelligible, fenfelefs ftrains, with high pretences to knowledge and religion ; and, in the pride of their hearts, fpeak the molt exceffively vain and conceited things of themfelvts, that have nothing in them ; and they extravagantly flatter, carefs, and extol perfons of their own party, espe- cially the rich among them, be they ever fo vile ; becaufe they cxpedl to reap fome worldly advan ige from them, to gratify their covetous and luxurious temper. 17 But, beloved, 17 But, my dearly beloved brethren in the Lord, remember ye the J et none f thefe thincs move vou from your own words which were ftedfaftnef „or be ye' "flumblrd'at them, as.thov?b tpoken 1 ■ , 1 7 1 /t» jomeltranec thing had hot>benea to you* (1 ret. iv. Vol. VI. Bb r.'.tf.) 1 86 fpoken before of the apoftles of our Lord Jefas Chrift : i3 How that they told you there fhould be mockers in the laft time, who fhould walk after their own un- godly lulls. io Thefe be they who feparate the mfe Ives, fenfu- al, having not the Spirit. ■:c But ye, belo- ved, building up yourfelves on your moft holy faith, praying in the Ho- ly Choft, The Epiftle of 12.) To filence all fuch difcouraging thoughts, call to mind and reflect upon the warnings about them, that have been given you beforehand, as by our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift hlmfelf; {Matth. xxir. 11.) fo by his infpired apoftles ; (2 Tim. iii. 1. and 2 Pet. iii. 2, 3.) which being now fulfilled, are a confirmation of, rather than an objection againft, the doctrines de- livered by them. 18 Remember how plainly they have told you, that in this concluding period of the Jewifh church and ftate, and commencement of the laft difpenfation of grace, which is to continue to the end of the world, there certainly would arife profane fcornful /lenders of every thing that is facred, and particularly of Chrift's coming to judgment ; (2 Pet. iii. 3, 4.) a fet of aban- doned men, who treat thefe folemn things with con- tempt and ridicule, that they may be the more eafy in indulgences of their corrupt inclinations, according to the full bent of their own wicked hearts, that have call off the fear of God. 19 Thefe are the very men, of whom our blefTed Lord and his apoftles warned you ; men that make factions and divifions in the church, alienating them- felves from the true apoftles, fervants, difciples, and doctrines of Chrift, and forming feparate parties of their own fortment, as though they were more holy than others ; whereas, in reality, they are mere fen- fualifts, governed by animal appetites, lufts, and paf- fions ; and are entirely deftitute of the enlightening, purifying, and fanctifying gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. 20 But as to yon* my dear Chriftian friends, take heed of being milled by men of fuch corrupt principles and practices. But go on by divine afiiftance, with in- tegrity and faithfulnefs in your holy profefiion ; and in order hereunto, perfift in feeking, by all proper and appointed means, your own and your fellow- Chriftians x (fee the note on Eph. iv. 32.) fpiritual c- ftablifhment and advances in grace, holinefs, and com- fort, upon the foundation of faith, which is laid in the doBrine of the apoftles and prophets, Jefus Chrifil him- Je If being the chief corner ft one ; (Eph. ii. 20.) and upon that principle of faith in you, which purifies the heart, works by love, and overcomes this world ; (Acts xv. 9. Gal. vi. 6. and 1 John v. 4.} and which derives all grace out of ChriiVs fulnefs to enable you to grow up in all things into him, who is the head: (Eph. iv. 15.) And, together with a lively exercife of this moft holy faith, be inftant in prayer, under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit to help your infirmities, (Rom. viii. 26.) 21 IB Jude paraphrafed. 187 si Keep your- 21 In this mod excellent way of proceeding, let it {elves in the love be your conilant iludy and endeavour to approve your- of God, looking f e i ves to q 0( ] j as t hofe that fincerely and fervently for the mercy of j Qve hJm> and delight to k eep his commandments; Sfriftunto et&S (i >*» *■ 3.) and be careful to cultivate this love fife, in one another, as alio to maintain a iweet ami expe- rimental fenfe of God's fpecial love to yourfelves, to influence you thereunto, as thofe that are looking, hoping, and longing, in a prepared Mate and frame, for the final manifestations, fruits, and effeds of the graci- ous and merciful fentence of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrilt, unto your complete deliverance from all fin and forrow, and admifiion to all the bleffings of e- ternallife, even for the grace that is to be brought un- to you at the revelation of Jefus Chrif. (1 Pet. 1. 13.) 22 And of fome 22 And as to fuch among you, that may be fedu- have compaffibn, ced into any error or fin, great prudence is to be ufed making a differ. [ n a different manner of dealing with them, according eilce - to their different circumftances. Some that have been daggered, and in meafure drawn afide, through their own inadvertence, ignorance, and weaknefs, and the fubtilty of deceivers, ye mould treat with all tender- nefc, meeknefs, condefcenfion, and endearing kindnels, v and with a friendly and companionate concern to re- cover and eftablifh them. 23 And others 23 And others that have gone further lengths, and fave with tear, f ee m to be obftinate and hardened, like thofe who fe- pulling them out duced them, ye ought to deal more fharply with, by eve^the 5 a h rmen S t faithfully fetting before them their guilt and danger, fyotted £ by the the awful threatnings of God's word, and the dread- £ e m. ful wrath and ruin they expofe themfelves to, and by palling a church- cenfure upon them, if needful, that ye may awaken their juft fears of perfifting in the evil of their ways: This is the likelieft method, by the bleffing of God, to reclaim them and prevent their e- ternal deftrudion ; and to pluck them, with a fort of holy violence, as brands out of the fire, that were very near being confumed by it. In all which ye mould be influenced by an utter deteftation of every thing that has any defilement in it ; and fhould at! with a holy refolution to avoid, and have nofelhwfhip with unfruitful works of darknefs ; (Eph^v. 11.) in like manner as the Jews, according to the law of Mofes, were not to touch any unclean thing ; a gar- ment, that had the plague of leprofy in it, was to be burnt. {'Lev. v. 2, &c. and xiii. 52.) 24 Now unto 24 Now, to conclude with a folemn doxology, Lim that is able wn ich belongs, as to all the perfons in the adora- ts keep you from ^ Godhead fo particularly to our Lord Jefus faliin S' B b 2 Chriil, fa'iiri?, and tc" r>re fenr j'o;/ fautHef" b^' re the preieno bef re the prei'enc o' his -.iurv vvfih exceeding joy. The Eplftle of Chrifr, * whom we have been fpeaking of under fuch. characters, as are peculiarly fuited to your encourage- ment and relief under all your prefent troubles yliefi 14, 15, 21.) I would exprefsit in the following lofty and endearing ifrain, To him who has almighty pow- er originally in himfelf, as God, and all office-autho- rity and qualifications, as Mediator ; and, having gracioufiy undertaken, is as willing as able, to pre- serve you from apoliacy, and from irrecoverably Hum- bling and falling into, and by the errors of the wick- ed ; and, after your ftate of warfare is accomphlhed, to prejent you to himfelf, and to his Father, at his fecbnd coming, a glorious churchy not having Jpo , or wrinkle, or any Juch thing ; but that it fhould he ho- ly, and without blemifl ; (Eph. v. 27.) and mould Hand with complete acceptance in his immediate pre- ftnce, when he iliall appear in all his glory, and ye fhall appear with him in glory, [Co/, iii. 4.) and with triumphant and ecllatic joy, ant} all the holy an- gels and glorified faints, together with the lacred Three, fhall exceedingly rejoice with you. 25 To this God our Saviour, who, together with the Father and Spirit, is infinitely, originally, eifen- tially and communicatively the only wife God : To him, as well as to thofe other adorable perfons, be a- fcribed, as is equally due, all the glory of his divine nature and attributes, as God, and of all his love and grace, deligns, undertakings, and performances, as likewife all the grandeur of his heavenly Majefly, as God-man mediator, together with univerfal rule and government, might and authority, over all perfons and things, in the kingdom of providence and of grace, now, henceforth, and for evermore. In this aiciiption of glory, may we and all the faints and an- gels join, as with one heart and voice ! Amen, fo let it be, and fo it fhall be. RECOLLECTIONS. What an honour do the beft of men think it, to be the faithful fervants of Jefus Chfirt ! Such are heartily defirous that all the bleffings of divine love, mercy, and peace NOTE. * It feems to me, that the divine per- manifeftly relates to the time of his ^lo- fon. here mod: immediately intended, is rious appearing to judgment, for execuu ovr Lordyfefiis Chrift who is principal- ing a dreadful fentence on the ungodly, ly fuoked or all along in the preceding and Ihewing mercy to believers* unto e- contexr. and is often ftyled, by way of ternal life; {ver. 14, 15, 21.) fo this ex- eminenre, The Saviour, and God cur aclly agrees with the work that is pecu- Saviour,' a* in Eph. v 23 Phil iii *o liarly afenbed to him, as the Saviour of Tit. ii. 13. and 2 Pet i 1. ; and is here the body, and head of the church (£/>/;. called the only wife God, (ver. 25.) not v. 23,-27.) But I do not find that the tc the excltffion of the Father and Spirit, ptejentation of the church at the laft day Lu only or all Idols. (See the note on is «e, under all then vain boafts. are an unliable, deluded, and deluding fort of men , haughty deriders of all that is facred and worthy . deftitute ot the Spirit of God ; and perfect fenlualifls, that aim at nothing but worldly gratifications. But, ah ! what a reproach are perfons of iheSe odious characters to Chnilian or civil So- ciety, in their featting, with love and choice, together ' They are not only ufeiefs and unprofitable, but injurious and dangerous: And when Chrift fliall appear in his glory, with an innumerable company of attending faints and angels, lie will juftly condemn and puniSh them for all their impious and malicious calumnies up- on him and his people, doctrines and ways. Eut believers need not be Staggered at, or by them, Since our Lord himfelf and his apoftles have given fair warning of them before hand ; nor need they return railing for railing, in vindication of the truth and of themfelves, but only refer them to that God, who judges righteoi.fi y. But O what a happinefs is it, amidft all theSe trials, to go forward in faith and prayer under the but yc Wall be baptized with the Holy Ghofl, (Acts 33, 15, l6.) It 192 The Preface to the Revelation. It feems to me, that one great defign of prophecies is to leave our thoughts under fome obfcurlty about their precife meaning and time of accomphfhmcnt, till events explain them; left a certain knowledge beforehand of the things pointed to, and of the times in which they were to take place, ihould give umbrage to fome reigning powers on earth: and Ihould difconcert the ordinary courfe of human affairs, and put fome men upon meafures, which they otherwife would never have thought of, to fulfil the predictions ; and thereupon the accomi>ii(h- inent of the prophecies, in their feafon, mould be afcribed to the crafc and management of men, rather than to the wifd J eius Chn * ft * the exaited Saviour, to whom, as TnTohin^to lew ™ n an(1 the £ reat P ro P^ et of tnc church, God the unto his' fervants Father gave it in commifiion, * that he might make things which muft known to his fervants and faints thofe things which flioitly come to muft f oon \. c „[ n to ^ e fulfill, and then be carried oats : and he lent , , °. • r 1 . , . . ,. and GgniBed it i>y on > through their feveral penocs, in as certain predic- hn tions, as if they were prefent fads, relating chidly to NOTE. * As Chrift fuftained the character of fertt his angel to fhenv thefe things', is a prophet in human nature, God the Fa- llyled the Lord Cod of the holy prophets, ther is i'poken of with great piopriety, (chap. xxii. 6.) which is a magnificent according to the divine economy, as flefcription of the only true God. and giving this revelation to him, that, in feems to be meant of the fame divine the execution of his office, he might com- perfon, who there fays a little municate it by his angel to John : But wards, (zei: 16.) 1 Jefits />. his understanding being infinite, as God, mine angel to tejlify theft things and he, in that confideration of him, had no thefe things are here called 'The rcvtU- need of fuch a revelation ; and he, who tion of Jefits Chrift. Vol. VI. C c in at hand 194 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. L bis angel unto his to the Roman empire, and his church as concerned fervant John : NV ; t h it, till they be completed at the confummation of all things : And Jefus, the fovereign Lord of all the angelic hoft, communicated them by the miniftra- tion of an holy angel, whom he fent with authority to notify them in the following vifions to me, his fer- vant and apoftle, whofe name is John : 1 Who bare re- 2 Who have heretofore wrote an authentic feiftori- cord of the word cal account f chrift, as the eternal Word of God, tefti'mon^of le- ( T0V AoyoV T8 ® iH ) W ^° * s ^°^'» and was ma ^ e J? e fti fas Chrift, and of and dwelt amongji us; (John 1. 1, 14.) and have all things that he bore witnefs to him, under divine infpiration, as the f avv « only true Mefiiah, and to the fubftance of all the doc- trines which he taught, and the miracles which I faw him perform to confirm them ; and (hall now faithful- ly relate the further revelations, which he has made to me. i 3 Bleffed is he 3 Happy is the man, who diligently reads and con- that readeth, and fiders ; and happier ftill are they, that attend to, re- they that hear the cc j ve an( j underftand the defi^n and meaning of the words of this pro- . .... .. ? „.v l - t* t phecy, and keep important things pointed out in the prophecy, which tho r e things which I am about to deliver, and that obferve and compare are written there- the predictions therein written, and the events of Pr.o- for the time is v {^ ence anfwernble to them, and bear them upon their minds, and lay them to heart, with an humble and holy temper and deportment correfpondent to them : For the time, in which fome of them muft begin to be accomplifhed, draws on apace ; and, in compari- fon with the endlefs eternity that will follow, it can- not be long, before they (hall all be as certainly ful- filled, as if they were inftantly to come to pafs. 4 JOHN to the 4 T^T OW, according to the revelation, and com- J feven churches J[^j m iffi n to write it, which Jefus Chrift figni- S^e^un n to A yt : fied t0 * e b >' hIs *** l > h *' { ^ ^ ^ ^ and peace from of it in the following epiftles from him ; one to each him which is, and of the feven principal churches, that are planted in which was, and t h e lefTer Afia. May the divine favour, and its fa- wbich is to come ; • ^^ and mam 'f e ft at j ons j„ a f pec i a I wor k f and from the'ttven P . r . , r r c ^1 . c c fpirits which are grace in your lculs ; and may a ienle ot that free ia- before his throne ; vour, together with all manner of happinefs, tempo- ral, and efpecially fpiritual, unto eternal life, abound towards all and every one of you from God the Fa- ther, who, under the notion of deity, the character of which he fullains in the fcheme of providence and falvation, * is to be coniidered as from ever lofting to everlajling NOTE. * Which is, and nuas. and is to come, clufion of the Son and Spirit; becaufe, cannot, I think, be confidered as a per- ' whftt is nearly equivalent to this, and foriZtl diftincllve character of God the appears to be full as much pefybttal, is i'ather, merely as the Father, to the ex- affirmed of the Son, as when it is faid, that Chap. i. The Revelation paraphrafed. 195 everlafling Cod, (Pf. xc. 2.) invariably and un- changeably the fame in his being and perfections, couniels and deiigns, and ever has been, is, and will be the fame in his love and care of his people ; and from the divine Spirit, who is the fovereign author of all fpiritual gifts and graces, and of every diverfity of his fupernatural operations ; ( 1 Cor. xii. 4, 7, — 11.) which for the variety and perfeBion of them, and with a reference to the /even churches may be caliedfeven, under the denomination oifpirits, as that which is bom of the Spirit is ' fpirit ; (John iii. 6.) and who is ever prefent with the Father, as btfore his throne, ready to execute his will in every thing, and particularly in what relates to the fafety and wel- fare of the church ! 5 And from Je- 5, 6 And may all thefe bleffings be multiplied to fus Chrift who is y OU f rom j e f us Q ir jft;, through his mediation and nefs and t£e firft me " c » w ho» as a prophet, bears a faithful teltimony begotten of the to his Father's mind and will, and to his own charac- dead, and the ter, as the Son of God and the true Mefiiah ; and prince of the kings w } 10) as a p n 'e/7, having offered up himfelf a facrifice ot the earth: Unto f £ was m to k en of its acceptance, raix r ed from the him that loved us' r . ' » , * ■ '■• , ' t 1 j and wafhed us from dead, as the head or his body, the church, and as our tins in his own the very firft that ever rofe to immortal life, and thai blood, as the pattern, pledge, and firft fruits of their refur- 6 And hath reak)n tQ k after h{ , fee CqL - lg# and the note made us king's and „ » , • r t 1 • i_ priefts unto God on * ^ or ' xv * 20 ') an "> m conlequence ot this, he, and his Father ; as the due reward of his atoning death, was exalted to him be giory to his throne of glory, with an all fulnefs of authori- ty and dominion, as King of kings and Lord of lords, (chap. xix. 16.) and the head of all principalities- and powers on earth, as well as in heaven, for the preservation and government of his people, and for reitraining and fubduing all his and their enemies ! (Eph. i. 20, — 22. and Phil. ii. 8, — n.) Unto him who has freely loved us, and given himfelf for us, an offering and a facrifice to God for a fwcet fmell- C c 2 ing NOTE. that he is Alpha and Omega, the begin- Father is to be confidered as maintain- ning and the ending, the Jirjt and the ing the prerogatives of deity, and the lajt, ver. 8, it, 17. and chap. xxii. 13.; Son and Spirit as acting either from him, and perhaps in chap vxi. 6. Bur if it be or towards him >■ : Accordingly, in the there underftood of the Father, it Ihews ciofe of this verfe, the Spirit is re- that the very fame divine characters are preiented as before the throne, to adl perfonally applied to both (See the from the Father, toward the church; note below on ver. S.) — But he which and in the following verfes, the Son is is, and was, and is to come, is a defcrip- reprefented as acting toward the Father tion of the divine nature, very proper- for the church in his priejlly office, as ly applied to the Father, when he and well as from the Father toward the the Son and Spirit are reprefented as fuf- church in his prophetic and kingly offi- taining their refpective parts in all dif- ces; and he is mentioned lujl, becauic penfations, particularly relating to the the apoltle defigned to enlarge upon his church ; for, in this economy, God the character. and dominion for ever and ever. A- men. 196 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. L ing favour, (Eph. v. 2.) and has cleanfed us from the guilt and power of our iins by an effectual appli- cation of the virtue of his own precious blood, which he Jhed for the remijjion of them, and for redeeming us from all iniquity ; (Matth. xxvi. 28. and Tit. ii. 14.) and has advanced us, in our relation to God, even his Father, and our Father in him, to the high honour of kings, ox princes, in a fpiritual fenfe, that hold our dignities under him, in an entire dependence on him, . and that have power to prevail with God in prayer, (Gen. xxxii. 28.) and are heirs of the king- dom of glory, (Jam. ii. 5.) and enabled to govern our own fpirits, and to overcome fin, Satan, and the world, and are fan&ified to his fervice, as priejls, that have near accefs to God, and offer up fpiritual Jacrifces acceptable to him by Jefus Chrifl • (1 Pet. ii. 5.) unto this bleffed, lovely, and loving Jefus, who is divinely glorious in himfelf and in his office, be a- fcribed all poffible honour, and be paid all folemn ac- knowledgments of his fovereign and univerfal domi- nion, from henceforth to all eternity. Amen, fo be it, and fo it fnall be. 7 Obferve, for your encouragement, the happy if- fue of all the following prophecies, to put an end to the afflicted ftate of the church, and complete their falvation, and to pour confuiion upon all their ene- mies, the Lord Jefus will quickly appear with awful majefty to judge the world at his fecond coming, which will be like the God who makes the clouds his- chariot, (Pf. civ. 3.) in illuftrious clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, amidft furrounding an- gels, according to his own, and ancient predictions. (Dan. vii. 13. and Matth. xxiv. 30, 31.) And that ap- pearance in human nature will be fo open and vifible, and fo attempered by the clouds to mitigate the bright- eft rays of his divine glory, and accommodate them to corporal fight, that all mankind fhall fee him with their bodily eyes ; and they particularly, that joined in his crucifixion, (Zech. xii. 10.) and never after- wards looked by faith to him, with penitent forrow, for the remiffion of their fins, (hall behold him with terror and anguiih of heart for having defpifed and re- jected him : And not only the tribes of Ifracl, but all perfecuting powers, and people of all nations of the earth that remain in impenitence and unbelief, mall bitterly lament their miferable cafe, becaufe of his coming to call them to a Ariel: and fevere account for all that they have faid and done againft him. E- ven fo it certainly fhall be ; and ail who now by faith lool$ for it, and (hall then be joyful fpediators of it, >t but confent to, and approve of it, as righte- ous, 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds ; and every eye ihall fee him, and they alfo which pierced him : and all kin- dreds of the earth ihall wail becaufe of him : even fo, Amen. Chap. i. The Revelation paraphrafed K 197 ous, faying, with folemn applaufe, Amen. (Chap, xvi. 7. and xix. 1,2.) 8 I am Alpha 8 To acid the greater weight to thefe things, for and Omega, the t jj e terror of his enemies, and the fupport and com- begimiing and the f f true b u fa who • tQ come {q ^ thig ending, faith the . ,, , /., ' . . , r , . Lord, which is, majcity ana glory, laid ot himieli, (ver. 11,17. and and which was, chap. xxii. 12, J3.) * I am from eternity to eternity, and which is to am alio the author and hniiher of the works of pro- C °™hi tht AI " v *dence anci g rac e> and of this revelation concerning many of them, and will accordingly aecoraplifh them in their order from the beginning to the end ; and fo may be fitly represented by the lint and iatt letters of the Greed- alphabet* which are Alpha and Omega: And he who laid thefe things, affirmed of himfelf, that he, in his divine nature and perfections, is the Lord God Almighty. (See Ija. ix. 6.) o I John, who 9 To proceed then to the firji part ofnhe revela- alfo am your bro- t J on mac } e to me> I j h„ t h e evangelilt and apoille, ther, and cempa- h £m ^ fa h £ thc fefa and • the fa _ nion in tribulation, .. _ ' , r .. , ^ . , ,. ., r and in the king- mj ty °* God 5 ana am a iellow-luherer with all tnoie dom and patience that are, or ever fnail be, perfecuted for the fake of of JefusChrift, was Chritt, and an heir with them of ail the bleflings of oiled Palmos^for *"s kingdom of grace and glory, and am called and the word of God cna bl ea with them, through his llrengthenings, to ex- and for the teftu ercife all humble fubmifiion, refignation, and patience mony of Jefus in fufferings for him, and quiet waiting for his glori- 7* hnft ' ' ous kingdom ; I was banifhed by the emperor Domi- iian to a confinement in the mountainous ifland of Patmos, merely for my adherence to Chriii, and faithfully preaching his gofpel, whofe name is called the Word of God, (chap. xix. 13.) and for the wit- nefs I bore to the truth and importance of the things that I had feen and heard from him. (ver. 2.) 10 I was in the IO During this ftate of exile, on a certain lirlt day Spirit on the f the week, which is commonly ilyled, by way of e- Lord's day and mi th L # s D f like reafon as the mfti- heard behind me . ' .._,.,*',. -177 ,, n a great voice, as of tut ^d memorial of his deatii, is called the Lord s Sup- a trumpet. per, ( 1 Cor. xi. 20.) ai.d which, according to the uni- verfal practice of gofpcl-churches, I obierved, in com- memoration of his rtiuricction from the dead, as a holy day to him, (fee the notes on John xx. 26. Acts NOTE. * As Chrifi is the perfon. laft mention- fame in effence with the Father ; and fo ed, and is represented as the revealer of may be conlidcrcd as a defcription of the thefe things to his fervant Johu ; (ver. fame deity, whenever it is applied to ei- !•) fo it plainly appears by the parallel ther of them, not to diitinguifh one from plr.ces referred to in the paraphrafe, that the other of the adorable perfons of the thefe titles are afenbed to him: And as Trinity, as fuch, but to diftinguifh the the Father was described by like charac- 'Divine Being from all that are not by ters, ver. 4. (fee the note there) it gives nature God, as it is ufed for that purpofe us a ltrong atteftation to the true and in a defcription of God absolutely, as proper divinity of the Son c/Gcd, as thc fuch, lfa. xli. 4. and xlviii. 12. 198 The Revelation par aphrafed. Chap, i, ASis xx. 6. and Col. \\. 16.) I was on that day in a fpiritual frame, and employed in religious medita- tions and exercifes ; and, while I was fo, the fpirit of prophecy came upon me, (as it formerly had done on ancient prophets) and revealed the following things to. me ; which were introduced by my being alarmed with the hearing of an exceeding loud articulate voice behind me, like the ftrong and folemn found of a trumpet, fuch as was heard at the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. (Exod. xix. 16.) 1 1 Saying , lam n The voice which I perfectly and diflin&ly heard A a Ph Jhe an fi d rft°a 1 nd Snd underftood » faid to me > h that Jefus, for whofe thelaft: and What ^ a ^ e y 011 arc banifhed to the ifle Patmos, am he, who thou feeft write in called myfelf, (ver. 8. fee the note there) and now a book, and (end repeat it, the more deeply to imprefs you with a fo- 2, on l° th 5- v ' ven lcmn reverence of me, and regard to my words, even churches which are T ., . , ~ ' . & , j n . n ' .. in Alia- unto E- A am SMpha and Omega, the author and nnilher 01 all pheius, and unto things, relating to the world and the church, from the Smyrna, and unto beginning of the creation to the end of ages. And fo F Th 1 «i«" d Tnd he then ilrial y barged me, faying, Take care that unto Sardis' and y ou faithfully record in a book the things which I am . unto Philadelphia, making known in vifion to you for the inftrudb'on and and unto Laodicea. admonition of the univerfal church ; and lend fuch particulars of it, in my name, to the feven moil: noted churches of Afia, as belong to them refpe&ively, and they are moil immediately concerned in, namely, to the churches which are feated at the following cities ; to that at Ephefus, and that at Smyrna, and that at Per- games, and that at Thyatira, and that at Sardis, and that at Philadelphia, and that at Laodicea. ed *to fee" the voice I2 And thereupon I turned myfelf about with ea- that fpake with g er defire to fee from whence this awful voice proceed- me. And being ed, which directed itfelf to me, and having fet my face turned, I faw ie- that way, I had a clear fupernatural vifion of a candle- Jlic\f° lden CaUdie " ftick of P ure S oId > which ma y be f P oken of in the^/tf- ral number, as confuting of feven branches to hold fe- ven lamps, anfwerable to the number of the churches, to which I was ordered to write, and like the feven branches that were made by divine appointment, and placed in the tabernacle of the Lord, [Exod. xxv. 31, 32.) and may be confidered as emblematical of the light of doctrine, holinefs, and comfort, which the churches receive from Chrift, and hold forth to the world, as they are all one in him. 13 And in the j^ ^nd as the Jehovah of Ifrael dwelt in that ho- SSuS- I fCVen ] y houfe > and the pneft ufed to ftand in the midft of candlefticks, ove \ , ', . *,• .. . . , ' , like unto the Son the branches when he lighted the lamps, and particu- ot man, clothed larly the middle one, which went right up from the with a garment fhaft among them; (Numb. viii. 2, 3. fee slinfwortb down to the toot, there) fo j . j, hch ^ d 5 the midft of thefe em . and gut about the ., ' . , r ,. £ . . ',. . . , . r blematical candleiticks, a divinely glorious perlon in the paps Chap. i. The Revelation paraphrafed. 199 paps with a golden the form of an illuftrious man, which left me under no S^die. manner of doubt but that it was the MtfTiah, who wa3 prophefied of, and frequently fpoke of himfelf, as the Son of Man : He appeared to me as clothed with a magnificent, rich, and fplendid robe, like unto, though of incomparably greater luftre than that of the Jewi/o high prieft ; a garment which covered him all over down to his feet, and was a fit emblem of his prieflly robe of glorious and perfect righteoufnefs, which co- vers him, and all his members, even down to the low- ed and meaneft of them : And to (hew how near the concerns of his church lie to his heart, and how ready he is to difcharge his prieilly office on their behalf; he appeared as girded about his breaft with a gold- en girdle of inedimable worth and beauty, far furpafs- ing the curious and codly girdle of the high pried's ephod, (Exod. xxxix. 5.) with which he ufed to gird himfelf over his breaft. 14 His head and 14 The appearance of his per/on alfo was tran- his hairs were fcendently majeftic and glorious, like that of the An- Z rti'teu fnew- cient °f da y s > as reprefented in vifion to the prophet and his eyes were Danie/, (chap vii. 9.) His head and his hair upon it, as a flame of fire ; fhone like the Shechinah of old, which was always an emblem of the divine majedy and glory ; and his hairs appeared like a venerable crown, as pure and clean as the fined warned wool, and fhining with a luftre as dazzling as the whiteft'fnow ; and his eyes fparkled, and as it were dreamed out with light as piercing and awful, as the brighteft flame of a ftrong and clear fire ; a lively emblem of his penetrating wifdom, knowledge, and influence to difcover the fecrets of all hearts, and to purify and refine them, or elfe to confume them, as the hotteft fire doth the materials that are capable of being a£ted upon by it. 15 And his feet 15 And his feet feemed to be, for flrength and like unto fine brafs ft ea dinefs, purity and beauty, in all his ways and dif- -s if they burned r .. V. V . f . J f . , ri • n a furnace- and P entatl0ns > to the joy or the faints, and terror of his voice as the enemies, like folid pillars of burnifhed metal, that had found of many wa- been thoroughly melted and refined, and appeared as ters# red hot, as though it were dill burning in a fiery fur- nace : And his voice, according to the language of his word and providence, was as loud and thundering, dreadful and aftonifhing to the wicked, as the roaring of the fea, when its huge collection of waters are thrown into the mod violent commotion by a dorm. x6 And he had 16 And, to add dill further to the majefty and in his right hand grandeur of his appearance, as alfo to fliew his effec- feven ftars: and f 1 ru- r -fir 1 r \ r .. j out of his mouth c " dre faithful icivants, he was reprefented went a (harp two- to rne as holding in his right hand, the emblem of fa- V J \ l /r J * 1 r feven churches: w» mefengers, (uyyihoi) or embajfadors to, or paj- and the feven can- &>r/ of the feven churches, who have the honour of dlefticks which being fet over them in the Lord, and, who as liars, thou taweft, are wn ich 1 have lighted up and taken into my favour the leven church- and p rote &; onj are to ^j ne> ijk e an g e l s> m the purity of their doctrine and holinefs of their lives, for the direction of thofe that are committed to their charge : And by the feven branches of the cand/efick, are moil immediately meant the feven churches of slfia them- felves, and, by juft conftru&ion, all other churches, that are, or may be in like circurnftances, and are u- nited together under me, as their head, in one body, even as the branches of the candleflick in the taber- nacle were in one ftem, that they, by my miniftring fervants in future times, as well as in the prefent age, may be enlightened with the knowledge of falvation ; and may hold forth the word of life in their holy pro- fefiion, worfhip, difcipline, foundnefs of faith, and moral converfation to all around them. [Phil. ii. 16.) RECOLLECTIONS. How worthy is every revelation, which Chrift has made from God the Father, of our ferious, humble ftiuly, and religions regard '. And how h; utj notwithstanding all this, he fays, There is I have Jomewbat j- h if ; n u on accollllt f wn ich I aeainft thee, be- , 6 v r • , Yt i • i t caufe « av e a fpecial controverly with you, and lor which I D d 2 mu.'L NOTE. * Chrift ordered the feven epiftles to the pqflors, the churches ttfcmfelves are be fent to the/even churches ; (chap. i. to be confidered as Concerned and inclu- ii.) and therefore though directed to ded in them. -204 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. ii« caufe thou haft rauft fharply reprove you ; becaufe, of late, you have left .thy firft love. grown cool and indifferent in your affe&ion to me, and my people and caufe, to the great decay of that fervent love, which worked in you, and difcovered it- felf by fuitable fruits and effects, in the earliefl days of your efpoufals to me. 5 Remember 5 Refleft therefore with the utmoft impartiality '• ' , „ „ . on your fhameful declenfions and revolts from your " fit HCC tnOU urt £ . . - • 1 <*■' • Vl 1 if" fallen, and repent, former love and zeal ; think lenoully how much of and d the firft the purity, pleafure, and life of religion you have loft tvo ks ; or elfe I by them ; and be deeply humbled and grieved for them ; thee quickly *and Snd ^ r ' in S forth fruits m€et for rc P entance > in return- will remove thy ln 8 to tu e lively exercifes of faith, love, and obedience, caodleftick oat of which you honourably profeffed at your converfion : his piace, except Otherwife I will take away all your gofpel-privileges, t iou repent. an j mjpfc^jjj, VOUj tnat y OU ma y no l on g er be like a candleftick, to hold forth the light of truth, holinefs, and comfort : You may certainly depend upon my do- ing this ; unlefs it be prevented by a timely humilia- tion, repentance, and reformation. 6 But this thou ^ g ut j bferve, and own for your encouragement, haft, tnat thou ha- .1 . • ,/■ «■ 1 i r r n 1 1 teft the deeds of > amidit all the decays or your ririt love to that the Nicoiaitans, which is good, you ftill retain a hatred to that which which I alfo hate, is notoriously finful, and particularly, have a high deteflation of the idolatrous and filthy tenets and practices of the feci of the Nicol'aitans *, which are fo directly contrary to my holy nature, will, and word, that I myfelf alfo have them in the utmoft abhorrence. 7 He that hath 7 Whoever is capable of hearing, and defirous of an ear, let him knowing things of fo great concernment as thefe, let hear what the Spi- hJm f(m f oufly con f lder , and lay to heart, the truth nt iaith unto the . . J ' ' . . » churches. To him and lm portance or what the holy spirit or prophecy that overcometh herein fays, not only to this, f but to all the church- will I give to eat e s of the faints, that are, or ever may be in like which 7 s ee in f tfS cir cumftances to the end of the world. Upon the midft of the para- wn °k then, he, and he only, who, in humble depend- dife of God. enc ^ on my grace, wars a good warfare, unto the fubduing of his corruptions, and the temptations of Satan and his inftruments, and of this evil world, and fo NOTES. * Interpreters are much at a Iofs to the feven churches of Afia, it intimates determine, whether the feci: of Nicolai- that the things wrote therein are to be tans (prang from one Nicolas ; and if fo, applied to all other churches, in every whether it were one of the firft deacons, place and age, fo far as their ftate and (Acts vi. 5.) who bore that name, and condition is like that of the churches to had apoftati^ed, or not : But they all a- which either of thefe epiftlesis addrefled. gree that the doctrines, which thefe But I cannot think that the different perfons taught, under a profefllon of ftates of fucceeding churches would fall Chriftianity, and their practices anfwer- out, juft in the fame order of time, as able thereunto, were Abominably, vici- anfwers to the order of thefe epiftles. idolatrous. (See the preface to the paraphrafe 0* t As this admonition to the churches this book.) i« added at the ciofe of every epiftle to. Chap. ii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 205 fl And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write, Thefe things faith the firft and the laft, which was dead and is alive. 9 I know thy works, and tribu- lation, and pover- ty, (but thou art rich) and / know the blafphemy of them which fay they are Jews, and are not, but me the fynagv>gue of Satan. 10 Fear opne rf thoie things which thou flialt fuller ; behold, fo endures to the end, flail be faved. (Matth. x. 22.) I will freely grant unto him all the benefits of my put-chafe, in the fublime and fubftantial honours and delights of the heavenly Hate, with an irreversi- ble confirmation in it, even unto eternal life ; which may be coniidtred, in allufion to the happinefs that man in innocence would have enjoyed, and been con- firmed in for ever, if, after having fulfilled his courfe of trial, he had eat of the tree cf /ife, (Gen. ii. 9. and iii. 24.) which was in the midft of the earthly paradife of God's own appointing and forming for his abode, as he h?.s the heavenly one to be the habitation of his faints with himfelf in biifcful glory for ever. 8 And the Jecond epi (tie, which Chriit ordered me to write in his name, is directed to the pallor of the church at Smyrna^ another Afiatic city, relating to their fpiritual concerns, in which they are to be told, that the things contained therein are his own true fayings, who, according to his reprefentation of him- felf, [chap. i. 11, 17, 18.) was before all things, and will come to judge the world at the lail day ; who al- fo died for his people's fins, that he might redeem them to God by his blood, and is now rilen and lives again, for evermore in a ftate of exaltation, to fecure all their interefts for time and eternity. 9 I am perfectly acquainted with, and take a pleaf- ing notice of, your works and labours of love for my name's fake ; as alfo of your enduring fevere perfec- tions with Chrittian courage and patience ; and I be- hold with tendernefs and fympathy the extreme want to which you are reduced by the violence of the times, and which you meekly fubmit to, as being poor in fpi- rit, while in the opinion of the world you arc poor and miferable wretches : (But you are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which God has promifed to them that love him : (James ii. 5.) And, on the con- trary, I obferve, with julV indignation, the falfe, hypo- critical, and blafphemons pretences of thofe, who call themfelves Chrijlian-feivs, as if they, like the ancient church of Ifrael, were the only covenant-people of God, and who maintain Jewijh rites and ceremonies, which are abrogated under the gofpel ftate ; but they are fo far from being the only, or even any true mem- bers of my church, that they belong to it merely in name and profeffion ; and, in reality, are devoted to the fervice of the devil, and do his woik, under his influence, in propagating iniquity and error, and in. perfecuting my people. 10 I, who am able and ready to fupport and com- fort you, under all your tribulations, admoniih and charge you, to be no way terrified or dilheartened at the no6 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. ii: behold, the devil fa wor ft > that you may ftill further fuffer from thefc fhall caft fome of - krf T fe nQ j - x ,, fa f you into pnfon, . , . ' . J that ye may be " an d, to fore-arm you againlt them, that your great tne^ ; and ye fliall adverfary, the devil, will prevail by his inilruments to have tribulation perfecute fome of you, even unto imprifonment and ten days: be thou bond wh j ch j ^ mk fer the ^ am j improve . laithiul unto death, * r r . , , r K ... , and I will give ment °* vour graces, and particularly of your faith : thee a crown of (i Pet. i. 7.) And though your grievous troubles *ife- will laft for a confiderable time ; * yet let none of thefe things move you; (Acls xx. 24.) but maintain your dependence upon, and fidelity to me, even unto martyrdom itfelf, and I will make you a rich amends For the lofs of a temporal life, by crowning you with all the felicity and glory of an immortal one. 11 He that hath ri ]-j e w ^ i s willing to know his own ftate and hear what the Soi con< 5ition, let him ferioufly attend to, and confider Tit faith unto the ^ e cautions, encouragements, and promifes which churches. He that my Spirit has given to all churches, of like character overcometh, fliall with this. (See the note on ver. 7.) Whoever he itcond delth?* ^ be that obtainS the vIao, T over a11 hfs and m Y cne " mies, though he may not efcape temporal death, fhall feel none of the miferies of an eternal hell, which in diftinftion from that of the body, and as coming af- ter it, may be called the fecond death, and is woril of all. \% And to the T2 And the third epiflle, which I was ordered to ?n Per°amos C write W " tC ^ Chrift ' S name > is dire in which he which hath the ^ e ^ a y s > The following things are what I fpcak, who lharp fword with appeared in viiion, (chap. i. 16.) with a iharp two- two edges ; edged fword, as proceeding out of my mouth to ex- ecute vengeance, by my word and providence, upon backfliders, apoftates, and all mine obftinate enemies, and to defend thofe that hold faft their integrity ac- cording to, and by means of my word. 13 I know thy 13 I am a kind and careful obferver of every good Xu k dwelleft W ^ tl "" g d ° ne by y ° U ' and tS . ke the m ° re f P ecIal notice where Satan's feat °^ *f to your commendation, and my own glory, as is: and thou hold- I perfectly know, that you are fituated in the moft eft fait my name, enfnaring and dangerous circum (lances amongft a peo- and haft not ^ p l e , and under civil governors, that are, as it were, the NOTE. * It is very uncertain to what precife fometimes for many, (fee Gen. xxxi. 7, period thefe ten days are to be referred ; 41. 1 Sam. i. S. Job xix. 3. and Ecclef. whether in the fenfe of a natural day, or vii. 19.) and at others for few, (fee Gen. of a day for a year; whether, with fome, xxiv. 55. Lev. xxvi. 26. Amos v. 3. and to the perfecution under Dioelejian ; or, vi. 9.) a certain number being put for with others, to that under Trajan ; or, an uncertain ; 1 therefore incline to with others, to the ten heathen perlecu- think, upon the whole, that ten is not tions. But as ten is a number of multi- here to be taken literally for that exacft tude, and all units end in ten ; and it number either of days or years, but for >s often ufed in Scripture indefinitely, an indefinite number of them. Chap. ii. The Revelation paraphrajed. 207 ivas my martyr, < flain among you where Satan dwell cth. nied ray faith, e- the throne (0 S^ovog) on which Satan fits and rules- ven in thoic days ^^ uncommon fway ; and yet, through my fuperior w erei " f a " t hful in fl uence » y° u continue ftedfaft in your holy profefiion ho was °f m y name, and have not departed from, much lefs renounced my gofpel, nor your humble dependence upon me ; no, not in thofe days of the hotteft perfe- ction, in which my faithful fervant, the well known Antipas, * bravely bore his teftimony to me, and my doctrine and ways with his laft breath, and with the laft drop of his blood, when he fuffered martyrdom at your city ; which is a plain proof of the powerful dominion that Satan exercifes over his fubje&s there,, in whom he works unto the producing of fuch crueL outrage againft me and my followers. 14 Neverthelefs, there are a few very blameable things among you, which I have to complain of, and reprove you for ; becaufe there are fome of your church that fall in with the corruptions of the day,. hold the dodlrine through a worldly-minded and prevaricating temper, of Balaam, who jjj^g t jj at f Balaam, the infatuated prophet, who, ta ^ §ht ft^iL! contrary to the plain will of God, and the conviaions caft a Humbling- f ,. ; r - r A n „ A ' fl xx A block before the or his own comcience, uled itratagems, and lnitructed children of Ifrael, Ba/ak> to enfnare and pervert the children of Ifrael y and draw them into the fins of idolatry, and fornica- tion with the daughters of Moab. (Numb. xxv. 1, 2. and xxxi. 16.) In like manner, thefe temporizing Chriftians, contrary to my known orders, (A&, xv„ 29.) go into the practice of feafting upon facrifices that are offered to the honour of heathen idols, and of committing fornication, as though they were no crimes. 15 Yea, what is ftill more heinous and provoking^ there are fome of you that openly efpoufe and main- tain the corrupt principles of the Nicolaitans, which, as has been faid, I have the utmoft abhorrence of. (See the note on ver. 6.) 16 It is high time for the guilty perfons among you, and for you as a church, to be heartily grieved and humbled for, and to repent of, and reform thefe gainft them. R with abominable evils : In cafe you do not, I will foon the fword of my come forth, in the way of my judgments, to punifh you ; and, according to the emblem of the fword of my mouth, (chap. i. 16.) will ufe my fword of war, and of juftice, to cut off thofe bold offenders, as cer- tainly as a plague was fent to deilrov the congregation of 14 But I have a few things a- gainfi: thee, be- caufe thou haft there them that to eat things fa- crificed unto idols, and to commit for- nication. 15 So haft thou alfo them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent; or elfe I will come unto thee quickly, and will tight mouth N O * As ecdefiaftical hiftorv does not inform us who this A?itipas was, and he is no where elfe mentioned iu Scripture, we rauft be contented to be ignorant of it; T E. but he was doubtlefs fome eminent mar- tyr lately put to death, and well known at Pergamos in thole days. 208 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. ii. of the Lord for following the courrfel of Balaam, (Numb. xxxi. 16.) 17 Ke that hath 17 Whoever is defirous to know how things ftand an ear, let him between God and his own foul, let him carefully con- nt a faTt l h a umo S the fldc . r th ^ fe fokmn earnings and kind encouragements, churches: To him which the Spirit of prophecy herein fpeaks to all per- that overcometh fons and churches, that are in like circumilances : wiJl I give to eat (f ee t ne note on ver . m j e j To him, who, prizing my m. th :„ci im'7™ favour and re!yin s on my a . mfta,,ce ' (ha11 g ain * e him a white ftone, conqueft over all the temptations of the day, in which and in the ftone a his lot is catf, I will grant the refreshments and con- new name written, folations of communion with me, who am the true w ic 1 no man Qn j ji v ' 2read which came down from heaven ; knoweth, laving he , T1 , a . . ... , ■ . • , c that receiveth it. (J°" n V1 « 3 2 > — S 1 ') anc * W1 '* m ake him partaker ot all the Herrings of fpiritual and eternal life, which confift of joys that ftrangers intermeddle not with, and are fafely hid, as precious treafures, with me in God, (Col. iii 3.) and were typified by the manna, that Ifrael lived upon in the wildernefs, a pot of which was laid up before the Lord, and hid in the ark : (Exod. xvi. 33.) And I will publicly abfolve him from the guilt of all his fins, and give him bold- nefs, like a conqueror, in the day of judgment ; * which may be illuftrated by the white Jlone, that is wont to be given to fuch as are acquitted, in courts of judicature, from all charges brought againft them ; and by the white Jlone, that is given to conquerors in the Grecian games : And 1 will give him a new name of dignity and honour, even that of a Chriftian, and a child of God, and heir of glory, as though it were engraven on the white ftone ; the pleafure and happi- nefs of which none can conceive, relifh, or prize fuit- able to its worth and excellence, but the perfon him- felf, who is made partaker of it, and knows it as his own. 1 S And unto the j 3 And the fourth epiftle, which our bleffed Lord angel of the church ordcred me to wrIte as f rom h j m is £ n f cr ibcd to the jii Thyatira, write, ■, eri •-'■• 1 • c * Thefe things faith paitor or the church at lhyatira, another city or A- the Son of Qod, Jia, faying, The things that are contained in this e- who hath his e%es p ;ft] e are the words of the eternal Son of God, who of k fire Un and a hi? feet * S by natUre G ° d > 3nd wh °' t0 ^'^ h ' S ******* are like fine b'rafs ■ vvl 'fdom and penetrating knowledge of all hearts, per- fons, and things, appeared as with a bright flame of fire darting from his eyes ; and to fignify the purity, ilrength, and lteadinefs of all the outgoings of his pro- vidence, the firm fupport of his people in the furnace of NOTE. * Here feeras to he an allufion to the cuftom of thofe days, in which a white ftone was given on the occafions hinted in the paraphrafe. (See Dr. Hammond\ note on the place.) Chap. ii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 209 of affliction, and his dreadful juftice in trampling up- on his enemies, appeared as having feet like pohftied red'hot, bright, and burning metal. {Chap. i. 14, 19 I know thy 19 I, fays he, take particular notice, and highly uork?. and chari- a pp rove f a \[ t } le g 0Of J things done by you, and of feiti" andThy pa- a tne ^ ove to me ' an( * m Y P e0 P^ e ant * cau ^ € > which tienc'e, and thy works as a powerful principle within you ; and of all works ; and the the fervices, which from that principle you have per- 1 k (1 '? l c e m ° re f° rmed for ine reuef of m Y afflicted members, and for than the firft my honQur and g , Qry . and of aU the ^ whcrcby you ftedfaftly adhere to me and my doctrine ; and of all the patience under various tribulations for my fake, which you have remarkably exercifed ; and of the whole of your conduct and behaviour, in whatever you have been laudably engaged : And I, with great pleafure, obferve that, in£ead of having left your firll love, like the church at Ephefus, (ver. 4.) thefe a- miable things are on the increafing and improving hand ; fo as that your laft works of piety, love, and o- bedience are more numerous, eminent, and fpiritual, than when you firft entered upon the profeflion of my name. 20 Kotwith- 20 But, though I mention thefe many good Handing, I have a things for your encouragement, and the honour of my few things agair.ft e in { muft Revert h e lefs, fharply reprove thee, becaufe thou 6 r r i_ c . \i. I fuffercft that wo- y ou * or a * ew otn ers °* a contrary nature, that you man Jezebel, may not be lifted up with pride, or think yourfelf which calleth her- perfect ; and efpecially for one great offence, in which felf a prooheteis, y OU are exceedingly to blame ; becaufe you too much feduce my fervants conmve at > an ^ mew countenance to a fet of wicked to commit fomi- perfons, under an infamous ring leader, who take to cation, and to eat themfelves the character of infpired teachers ; but are things Sacrificed rea Hy f t h e f ame v [\ e fpiHt and temper with that in- famous woman Jezebel * who flew the prophets of the Lord, and feduced king Ahab to idolatry, and practifed whoredom and witchcraft : ( 1 Kings xvi. 31. and xviii. 4, 13. and xxi. 25. and 2 Kings ix. 22.) And thefe pretenders to a fpirit of pro- phecy are tamely permitted to broach their errors, and to corrupt and draw away my profefling people to the like fins of idolatry and unclcaunefs, awd, bv all NOTE. * I rather think that here is an allu- manufcripts read thy m>ife ; (yvvaciKx. ft on to the wicked practices of Jezebel, o-ou) and fome have thought that this whofe name is transferred to thefe fedu- woman was the wife of the Bifliop of that cers, becaufe their character is like church, and was called Je%ebel, becaufe her's, though they pretended to be in- flie was the author of evil things, and the fpired prophets, than that any perfon of wife of the chief man of the church, as this name, then living, was pointed at. the ancient Je%ebel was of king Ahab. However, Grotius tells us, that forne Vol. VI. E e 2io The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, it all arts of fubtilty and cruelty, to feduce them into a£s of fornication in a literal, as well as fpiritual fenfe, and into eating of fuch meats as have been offered up, and devoted to the honour of fictitious gods and their images, both which are contrary to my orders about the purity of manners and worfhip. {A51s xv. 29.) 21 And I ?Hve 21 And though I have hitherto bore long with - to repent t h e f e J^zeM-Tike feducers, that they may have means , n t " rriiCano!! » an d opportunities for conviction, repentance, and re- aotm formation of their crimes ; yet they continued to be hardened and impenitent, and Hill perfifted in their evil courfes. ii Behold,! will 22 But as certainly as the threatning, which the mit her into a bed, L or d denounced againft Jezebe/, was executed after and them that com- r • • i. "i j £ "i\. .' t • . tr '■ ■ , . • , iome time, in her tremendous death ; ( 1 Kings xxi. rait adultery with ' . . " » • V 5 ~ her into great iri- 2 3« ar, d 2 Kings ix. 36.) lo, be Jt known to theie 1 Nation, except corrupters of the Chriftian faith and practice, that in they repent of their due f ea fon I will feverely punifh them, as perfons, whom in my wrath I will bring to a painful, Tick, and death-bed ; and will inflict like dreadful calami- ties upon all thofe who fuffer themfelves to be fedu- ced into the commifiion of the fame adulterous and i- dolatrous iniquities with them, unlefs it be prevented by a timely repentance and forfaking of the evil of their doings. 23 And T will 23 And as the fons of that wicked king Ahab kiU her children were (lain, according to the Lord's threatning to vs'ith dtath, and all , • -t -. • 1 r c ^i • • • > ? t .. , , n „ bring- evil upon hts houle, ror the lmouities wmch he the chur-hes (bail o . l ' _ t know that I am lva ? drawn into by jezebe/s enticements ; (1 Kings he which fearch- xxi. 29. and 2 Kings x. 6, 7, 10, Ji.) fo furely will eth the reins and J bring utter deftru&ion upon the difciples and fol- hearts: » P d I will lowers of thcfe depravers of the Chriftian doftrine and vfive unto eveiy ., r . _ . ...... one of you ac- manners, as well as upon themielves ; and will do it cording to your in fuch exemplary executions, a? (hall convince all the works. churches, which know or hear of it, that I am in- deed a divine per/on, whofe prerogative it is to look into the fecret thoughts of all men's hearts, (Afls i. 24. compared with 1 Kings viii. 39.) and fearch out . all the hypocrify that lurks in their inmoft parts, in their principles, motives, and ends : And I will deal impartially with every one of you, who make a pro- fefiion of my name, as well as with all others, accord- ing to the nature and degree of your doings, whether they be good or bad. 24 But unto you 24 But I allure you for the encouragement of the I fay,. and unto the faithful among you, and of all others in Thyaiira, As many av*have t ^ ou g n not actually members of your church, even not this doftrine, every one that has not fallen in with, but heartily op- and which have poled and rejected the above-mentioned pernicious n , tl ' e doctrine ; and has not cenfented to, or approved, much depths rr kh not known the Chap. ii. The Revelation paraphrafech 211 depths of Satan, lefs given into the practice, of the diabolical delations, as they l'peak ; I which thefe impoftors propagate, with the deepeil in- n-ill put upon you tr jg Ue an d fubtilty under Satan's influence ; and none other bur- ^^ they boaft of as the produ a s of profound know- ledge and wifdom, while they are indeed myfteries of iniquity ; I fay to you, who are my faithful fervants, that 1 will put no further inunctions or rellramts up- on you, than ItiU to keep clear of thele abominations ; nor the burden of any more ruylleries law*, or cere- monies, than are already eilabliihed in my woul. a 5 But that 25 I only mud upon it, that ye ttiil perfevere in, which ye have at- an d itedfattly maintain your faith, love, and obedience, ready, hold ifaft till t0 g etncr w j tn tne p UV j t y of the doctrines and pre- cepts, which ye have already received from me, and not count them grievous, till I mail come the iecond time to your ialvation. 26 And he that 26 And whoever he be that, on thefe encourage- overcon.eth, and ments, itands his ground againft, and comes ott vic- keepeth my works tor { ous> over a ll temptations to the contrary, and per- biro will 7' give feveres in the faith and holIncfri of the g° f P el t0 the power over the na- end of his wartare, I will make him a lharer in my Lions : conquefts, and he Ihall have dominion over ail the wicked of the nations in the morning of the reiurrec- tion. {Pf. xlix. 14.) 17 (And he (hall 27 And as in my office-capacity, in which I am rule them with a conitituted King of the church, I have received a rod of iron: as the grant, with full power and authority from my hea- vellds ot a potter , Father, to have the heathen for mine inherit- ihall they be bro- J * , . ; a- ken to fliivers) e- once, and to break my obiunate enemies among veu as I received them, as with a rod of iron, and dajh them to f>ie~ ot my Father. ces as a potters vejfel ; (Pf. ii. 6, 8, 9.) fo I will give power to every fubject of my kingdom, as acting under me, and by my allillance and authority, to pre- vail againft them to their utter coniuilon. (PJ. xiix. 14.) 2% And I will 28 And I will give him all the light and grace, t>'ive him the morn- comforts and enjoyments, that are to be found in me, 1U & ltar * who am, for excellence and delight, the bright and morning Star, (chap. xxii. 16.) and the Sun of Righttoufnefs, who hath arofe with healing in my wings; (Ma/ac. iv. 2.) and lie, enlightened with my glory, Jhali fuine as the bright nefs oj the fir- mament, and as the JIars for ever and ever. (Dan. 5-9 He that hath 29 Let every one that is defirous to know his fin jm ear, let him and danger, and the ground of Ins hope, carefully at- hrar what the Spi- ten( j unU)j anc i re fl e & Upon what the Spirit of pro- X «mr f che h s "'^ ^ P 1 '"? ^ m a wa >' ° f P romife > aS wdl aS ° f threat " ning, not only to this church, but to all the church- es oi this day, and to the end of thw world, whole li e 2 cafe 2L2 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. iii. cafe is, or ever may be like theirs. (See the note on ver. 7.) RECOLLECTIONS. How imperfect as to purity and profperity are the churches of Chrift on earth ! Though iheie are many excellent things found in them, there are others to he blamed, as in all thefe churches, except that of Smyrna, which was infefted with fatanical enemies, and, doubtlefs, had its fins of infirmities, though the love of Chrift caft a mantle over them. How critical, penetrating, and truly divine, is the knowledge that Chrift has of all his churches 1 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and he feapches the fecrets of all their hearts. How kind and condefcending is the no- tice he takes of all their graces, fervices, and fufferings for his fake ! of their hat- ing what he hates; of their oppofition to lin and error; and of every good thing that is found in them ! He admonifhes them not to be afraid of the worft, and to hold fall what they have of the belt, that belongs to their profeflion of his name. He dwells in the midlt of them, and holds their minifters, as ftars in his right hand : He is the beginner and perfecter of all that concerns them ; and as he died, fo he ever lives for them. How compaflionately does he remind them of their falls, and of the declenfioiis of their firft love and zeal, and call them to repentance and re- formation ! But how awful are his threatnings, in cafe of their perfifting in any cor- rupt principles or practices, relating to doctrine, worfliip, or manners, like idola- try and fornication ! He will furely ere long fight againft them, as with the fword of his mouth, and unchurch them. And, alas! how tremendous will the execu- tions of his wrath be upon impoftors and hypocritical profeiTors, and upon all his malicious and obftinate enemies ! Whatever their boafts of deep underftanding be, they act under the powerful and crafty influence of the devil, and do his work, in feducing the unwary, and in perfecuting the faithful fervants of Chrift. He, whofe feet are like burning and mining brafs, will trample them in his righteous anger, till he bring them and their adherents to utter deftruction. But O how encourag- ing and animating are his promifes to his people that war a good warfare, in his name and ftrength, againft all his and their fpiritual enemies, unto victory over them ! He will give them all refreshments and delights, in partaking of his fruits, as the hidden manna, and tree of life in the heavenly paradife ; will fecure them from all the miferies of the fecond death ; will put s. crown of immortal glory on their heads ; and will give them the nobleft plcafure, which they themfelves only can be conlcious of, as being like the new name, and white ftone, which no man knows but he that has it ; and which, at length, (hall fliine in all the luilre derived from him, who is the bright and Morning Star. May every one, that is concern- ed about his own falvation, ferioufly conlider all thefe awful and comfortable things, with a reference to himfelf, as far as they are applicable to his own cafe, that he may not be confounded; but may have boldnefs in the day of judgment, when Chrift will render to every one according to the kind and degree of his works. CHAP. III. Here follow three other cp'fles. containing warnings ana' threatnings, exhortations') encouragements, and promifes, Juitable to the fate of toe church at Sardis, I, — 6. at Philadelphia, 7, — 13. and at Lao- dicea, 14, — 22. Text. Paraphrase. A ND unt0 the nr HE fifih cpiftle, which Chrift ordered me to angel of the I wrJte ; n h j g n j g dirc a cd to the ^ or of church in S;ird;s, . . , r , ,. . . c , r r r . . write Thefe thinus e church at cordis, another city or sJfa> tor their faith he that hath ufe. The things contained herein are the immediate the feven Spirits of dictates of that divine pcrfon, who, as Mediator, has God, an Chap. iii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 213 God, and the feven an all-fulnefs of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spi- ftars; I know thy rit, with authority to diitribute them in their utmolt works, that thou p Cr f e cl;ion and variety, [chap. i. 4. lee the paraphrafe tbo* KvSrand«! there ) and wh ° h ° lds his minitbin S {ervanU: Hke lhrs 4ead. ir» his right hand, under his direction, diipofal, care, and government: {chap. i. 16.) He fays to you in particular, which is likewife applicable to all others of your Hate and character, I perfectly fee through all the fpecious appearances of your external behavi- our and forms of religion, as though you were alive to God and fpiritual thing?, which gives you a repu- tation for faints among men ; and, at the fame time, I know that too many of you are Hill dead in tref- pafles and fins ; * and that others of you are grown very dead, 3ull, and lifeltfs in the frame of your hearts, and manner of performing religious duties, e- fpecially when you are aione, and no eye oi man is upon you. 2 Ee watchful, 2 Take heed of fuch a ftupid temper: Watch and ftiengthen the carefully againft it, and make ufe of all means of things wmch re- g racCj j a humble dependence on me, who have the dy^to die 3 \qx I * even Spirits, (ver. I.) to render them effectual, that have not found thy you may derive light and influence from me for add- woiks perfect be- ing ftrength and vigour to the fmall remains of thofe (ore Gpd. good things, that are in fome of you ; but are fo weak and languifhing, as to be on the very point of expiring, unlefs revived by frefh recruits : For, by the fearch which I have made into your hearts and ways, I find fuch woful defects in your performan- ces, as render them unfit to be acceptable in the fight of God. 3 Remember 3 As ever therefore you would make a right judg- thereiore how thou ment f your (late, call to mind, and ferioufly reflect heL reC and d hoTd U P° n the d ° arine of m Y g of P d > ar ' d the manner in faft, and repent, which you at firft received it, and heard the preach- It thererore thou ing of it ; whether it were in faith and love, whereby frtalt r.ot watch, I it was rooted in your hearts, or were only with fome will come on thee fudden • ffion and fl ; htg of aff^ion, which l'oon as a thiet, and thou re • Air. • i- l ihalt not know w cre on again : And to tar as it was according to the what hour I will truth of the gofpel, and was entertained with a fin- come upon tbee. cere faith, do not give it up, but keep it with the utmoft care in your religious regard and conformity to it ; but fo far as it was only in a notional and fu- perficial manner, or as you have loft much of the life and NOTE. * It appears from ver. 4. that there of the grace of God, while having a were lome fincere and eminent believers form of gcdlinefs, they denied the ponv- ln this church, though the greater part er of it, like thole whom the apoftle of them were not what they appeared to fpeaks of, 2 Tim. iii. 5. The paraphrafe, be ; but were either inwardly decaying, points to perfons of both thefe characters, as to vital religion ; or utterly deftitute 214 Tbe Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. iii. and power with which you at firft received it, be deep- ly humbled before God in penitential reflections upon it, and reil not fatisfied till chore defects be rectified : For if you continue cartlefs and unconcerned about thefe things, which fo nearly affect your falvation, and do not awake out of your lethargic temper to watch againii it, I will certainly break in upon you with my terrors, in the way of my judgments, aslud- denly and unexpectedly, and with as much furprize to your lofs and damage, as a thief doth into a houfe, at a time when the mailer leaft of all thinks of it. (Match, xxiv. 42, — 44. and 1 The//', v. 2, 3.) 4 Thou haft a 4 There are indeed a few perions of eminence, few names even in w hich are known to me as by name, even in the Sardis, which have • « . n ' »• > -• 1 , • • \ not denied their cnurcn at Sarais, (corrupt and degenerate as it is) garments ; and vv ho have not contracted the defilements of error and they mail walk immorality, that have fpread all around them, but with me in white: } iave maintained their integrity, as found in the faith, fw they are wor- and ^ ^ ^ ^ . A|jd be k knQWn tQ them for their comfort, that they fhall itill be kept clofe to me, and live in holy and delightful communion with me, * and mail be advanced to the higheft honours ; For they are gracioufly accepted, as worthy through my righteoufnefs, and are fit and meet by the fan&i- fying influences of my Spirit, (Co/, i. 12.) to be ad- mitted to all the privileges and favours, that I will confer upon them, even unto eternal life. 5 He that over- 5 Whoever he be that overcomes all temptations, rometh, the fame e fpecially in a difiblute and apoftatizing age like this, white raiment • ^ a ^ mme * n Splendid robes of righteoufnefs, light, and and 1 will not blot gl° r y» tn at are wajhed and made white in the blood out his name out of the lamb ; (chap. vii. 14.) and J will be fo far from or the book of life, tfriking him out (according to what he may fome- hi? name before tImes fear ) from the ^gifter of eternal life, in which my Father, and be- his name is, as it were enrolled as a citizen, and heir fore his angels. of heaven, among the chofen of God before all worlds, that I will publicly own him for mine, whom the Fa- ther has given me, and I have redeemed by my own blood, and who has, under the influence of my grace, bravely confeffed me before men, in theworil of times; and I will (hew my approbation of him in the prefence of my heavenly Father and of his holy angels, when I fhall come in all my glory to the judgment of the great day. [Matth. x. 32. and Luke xii. 8.) 6 He that hath 6 He that is defirous to know the ftate of his own an ear, let him r ou j k e f ore God, let him impartially confider, and com- pare NOTE. * White maybeanallufiontothe white or to the white robes of princes and con- robes which the priefts ufed to wear, in querors, in token of theii high honour token of their acceptance and fan&ity, and joyful triumph, when they minilleied before the Lord: Chap. iii. The Revel ation par aphr a fed. 215 hear what the Spi- pare himfelf with what the holy Spirit of prophecy nt faith unto the h ere ,* n fpeaks to all the churches, which are, or ever may be in circurnitances like this of Sardis, (fee the note on chap. i. 9.) that he may fee what part of it be- longs, peculiarly to himfelf, and be fuitably affected with it. 7 And to the j And the fix*h epiftle which Chrifl commanded fn g pL'I^IT 11 me to write, as from him, is infcribed to the pallor in Philadelphia, r ' . .. r . .. . , . r . write, Thefe things or the church at Philadelphia another AJiatic city» faith he that is ho- for their immediate ufe, and for the inftruction of all ly, he that is true, others, whofe cafe may be like theirs, He, who fays he that hath the t h e things contained herein, is effentialiv and infinitely key of David, he , , . fe , . .. . ' r ,: , . . , / that openeth and "°v m nis divine nature, unlpottedly holy in his no man fhutteth ; human nature, communicatively holy in his office, and (hutteth, and and perfectly holy in all his difpenfations ; and is no man openeth : i nvar f a b!y truth in himfelf, infallibly true in his de- clarations, threatnings and promifes, and is the truth or fubftance of all types and prophecies relating to him ; who alfo has the government of the church, and the world upon his moulders, as the Son of David, who fucceeds, in a fpiritual fenfe, to the throne and dominion of his houfe and kingdom, (I/a. xxii. 22. J and has the power of life and death, and of heaven and hell, the doors of which he authoritatively and effectually opens ; and when he does fo, (actus) no crea- ture in heaven, earth, or hell, can poilibly (hut them ; and when he fhuts them againft thofe that would be glad to go to heaven, or flints them upon thofe that are forced to go to hell, none can open them either to let them into heaven, or to deliver them out of hell. 8 I know thy 8 I am perfectly apprifed, and approve of the true works : behold, I na ture, tendency, and defign, and of the principles and have fet before manner f vour religious fcrvices. Behold, with hum- thee an open door, ,,«•••. , ° . r r 1 1 , and no man can ole admiration and praiic, I have opened to you a door ftuit it: lor thou of opportunity for my word to have free courfe and halt a little be glorified; (2 Thetf. \\\. 1.) and none of its ene- ftrength. and halt mi / 5 v whetner men or deviIg fl^ be permit- kept my word, and , \ j r • 1 r 1 1 halt not denied my ted t0 have P° wer t0 defeat ll i becaufe, though you name, are not fo eminent for light, grace, and holtnefs, nor fo proficient therein anfwciable to your advantages, as fome other firft-rate Chriflians are ; yet I kindly obferve, that you have fome fmall degree of thefe ex- cellent attainments, in fincerity and truth; and have faithfully maintained the doctrines of my gofpel, to- gether with my inttitutions and commands ; and have not renounced your holy proftiTion of my name, as your only Lord and Saviour, notwithstanding all the temptations you have been under fo to do. q Behold, I will g Take notice farther, for your comfort and en- couragement, that I will give you victory over them, who make them of the fyna 216 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, iih fynaeo?ue of S.itan who fei ve Satan's interefts as a company of his devot- ( which (ay thev ec j f ervantS) that live and aft under his influence, and not but do 1^ at the fame time profefs themfelves to be JewifJj behold, I will Cbrifiianti but are evidently proved by their principles make them to and practices, to be falie pretenders to that charac- come and worfhirj ter: Obferve, I fay, that I will conftrain them to come •, * T * / Y .7^ before you with confeffions of their errors, and to lit and to kuow that , ; r ... . » I have loved thee. down at Y our feet, like humble ditciples, to receive your inftruftions, and proftrate themfelves in your pre- fence, though not with religious homage of you, yet to pay it to me, as your Lord and Saviour ; and they fhall be forced to acknowledge, that I have a pecu- liar favour for you, as the objects of my fpecial love. ic Becaufe thou 10 Since, in obedience to my command, you have haft kept the word hJtherto patiently endured perfections for my fake, ot my patience, I j • r • • <- rr • i alto will keep thee and m contormit T *° m Y patience in iuttenngs, and from the hour of have preferved your integrity in faithfully adhering to temptation, which the pure doctrine of the gofpel, which is continued, in fhall come upon m y g rea t long-fufFering and patience, to a fmful world, al the world to ^ teaches patience under all tribulations, I aflure trv tnem that r h r . . ' ir dwell upon the y ou > * or Y om rurtr >er encouragement, that 1 alio, on earth. my part, will certainly preferve you from apoftacy in the Hill more trying days of yet forer troubles and af- flictions, which, by divine permilTion, will come, not upon you only, but upon all the profeflors of my name throughout the Roman empire, * for their trial who dwell therein, that the approved may be made mani- feft, and openly diltinguifhed from others who will turn apoftates. ii Behold, I ii To fupport you nnder thefe melancholy prof- come quickly: hold pc £ S) behold, with attention, admiration, and joy, it thou haft ~that ^ a ^ not ^ e * on £ before I will come, like one in hafte, no man take tbv to deliver my church and people from all their ene- crown. ' mies. In the faith and hope of this, and in an hum- ble dependence on my promifed grace to keep you in the hour of temptation, (ver. 10.) hold fall with the utmoft care and conftancy, zeal and holy refolution, the doctrine you have received, the work of God wrought in you, and done by you, and your faithful profefiion of my name, that none (%h:?) through fub- tilty or violence, may ever pervert you, and fo rob you of this honour, much lefs of the crown of life, which I have promifed to them who are faithful un- to death; (chap. ii. 10.) and that none may out- mine you in any thing truly excellent. 12 Whofoever NOTE. * The Roman empire was often call- peror Trajan, which was more fierce ed the -a otlcl, becaufe it extended to the and univerfal, than thole which the greaceii part of the known world ; and Chriftians endured under Nero or DomU the uerfecution here foretold is probably tiafu thought to point at that under the em- Chap. iii. The Revelation par aphrafed. 217 iz Him that o. 12 Whofoever he be that overcomes all tempta- verconaeth, will I tions, I, as his head and Saviour, will fix him immove- make a pillar in ab j y> ^ a p jvi arj m the church of my covenant-God ctilZt^Z f" dF , ath "' triumphant for ever in heaven ; and he, go no more out : hke the pillars, called jachin and Boaz, m Salomon s and I will write temple that were confecrated to Gcd, ( I Kings vii. upon him the name |# 2l \ ma ll never depart, or be removed from of my God and h And tQ honQur h ; m w j th the h ; heft di { _ the name of the _.,..- \, . . , e r c city of my God, ty* I Wi "- mlcribe upon him the name ot a Jon ot my ivbicb is new Je- covenant- God, and of a citizen of that blefled ftate, rufalem, which which he is the author of, and fills with his light and cometh down out . eyen the New J cru r a / em w hich is fo called in ot heaven from *?.„.«. r ■ - c 1 %• 1 faying, I am rich in fpiritual gifts and gra- and mcrealed with 11 11 rn j^i_* *• goods, and have ces > an ° " ave an Sundance or all good things pertain- r.eed of nothing ; i n g to life and godlinefs, and am in nothing defective ; and knoweft not and becaufe you are fo ftupidly blind to your own de- that h H h ° U H art P lorable cafe » as not t0 tmderftand and confio'er, that ferable 6 and" poor" Y ou rca % are £° l° rn > an ^ miferable, and deftitute of and blind, and na- a ^ true riches toward God, and ignorant of your dan- ked. ger, and of the way of deliverance, and are expofed to his jull wrath and difpleafure, like naked and de- formed perfons, that have no righteoufnefs, either of juftification or of fandtification, to cover you. 18 I counfel thee 1 8 I, as a companionate friend to fouls in fuch to buy of me gold wretched felf-deceiving circumftances, advife you- tried in the fire humbly to apply to, and. deal with me, which, in that thou mayeft . , ] c !. cc u 11 J l • r be rich ; and white the language of traffic, may be called buying of me, raiment, that thou as you muit part with your fins, and vain conceits of mayeft be clothed, felf-wifdom and righteoufnefs, for the treafures of and that the frame mv mer j t an( j grace, that you may receive them at of thy nakednefs c J a •? j \r ^ • /it do not appear- * ree co "-' wU "OUt money ana without price ; (11a. and anoint thine lv. i.) it being impoflible for fouls, fo miferably eyes with eye- poor, (ver. 17.) to give any valuable confideration falve that thou f or t h e r e excellent thing8, which are much more pre- maye ee« cious than the fineft gold after it has been pu ified by the fire : Your being partakers of thefe is of the high- eft importance, that you may be rich in faith and e- very other grace, and in good works, and may be endowed with all fpiritual and durable riches as an heir of the kingdom of heaven : And as, in a fpiri- tual fenfe, you are really naked, (ver. 17.) I coun- fel you to apply to me for the bright and fpotlefs robe of my righteoufnefs, * which, for purity and fplen- dor, may be compared to white raiment, that you may be completely covered and beautifully adorned with NOTE. * As gold tried in the fire is a fit that believe, for juftification, {Rom. iii. metaphor, to fignify the reiined graces 22.) than the inherent righteoufnefs of of the Spirit, which enrich the foul ; fandlification, which is much the fame (1 Pet. i. 7.) fo, to keep the ideas dif- with the graces of the Spirit, that are tincl, I rather chufe to underftand white the inward adorning! of the heart, raiment to fignify the righteoufnefs of (r. Pet. iii. 4-) €hrijt ) which is wito, and upon all tbevi Chap. iii. The Revelation par aphrafed. 219 with it, and your guilt and odioufnefs may not be ex- pofed to the eye of incenfed juftice, unto your ever- laliing fhame and confufion : And as you are exceed- ing blind, (ver. 17.) through pride, prejudices, and worldly affections, with refpecl: to your fpiritual con- cerns, your only way for a cure is to receive the know- ledge of my word, under the illumination of my Spi- rit, which is like the moll fovereign and effectual eyc- fa/ve, that your underftanding may be enlightened, and you may be wife to falvation. 19 As many as 1 9 While I give you this neceffary, tender, and en- J love, I rebuke gaging advice in your deplorable circumftances, you and charten : be ma , r wc i] conclude that your cafe, though dangerous, zealous therefore, . defperate, notwithstanding the folemn, and repent. , _ * , r . . r - , , , x , P v dole, and faithful rebukes I have given you: for whenever I fee any thing amifs in the objects of my love, I warn and reprove them for their conviction, and bring them under the difcipline of the rod for their inftrudtion and reformation, that they may be partakers of my holinefs. [Heb. xii. 6, — 10.) As ever therefore you would reap the happy fruits of my rebukes and chaftenings, and make a due improve- ment of them, you ought to be earneftly defirous of having your heart infpired with facred love, and fer- vour in religion, and zeal for my glory ; and to re- flect with ingenuous fhame and grief upon, and with full purpofe of heart turn from, all your lukewarm- nefs, and every other evil, that is fo prevalent in you, and offenfive to me. 10 Behold, I 20 For your encouragement hereunto, take notice ftand at the door, of my wonderful condefcenfion and kindnefs, who, and knock : if a- a f ter ^ ftill wait to be gracious, and continue fland- "oic" an and ar op^n in S> like an importunate lover and fuitor, as it were, the door, I wiil at the door of your heart, and knocking there by come in to him, my word, providence, and Spirit, for admiffion into it : and will fup with £f anv one fh a ii attend to my repeated and endearing him, and he with pkas wkh him> and by fa j th Qpen tQ m ^ j wiU make entry into his foul with all my riches of righteoufnefs, grace, and confolation ; will take delight in all the good things found in him ; and will entertain him with fenlible manifeilations and expreffions of my love to him ; and fo will admit him to the fweeteft com- munion, in which we mall have mutual fcllowfliip here, and for ever hereafter, like that of the moil in- timate friends and affectionate relations, who chear- fully fcaft together, in token of their reciprocal love. 2i To him that 21 Whoever, oy receiving me into his heart, overcometh, will I fliall overcome all corruptions within, and tempta- grant to ht with t j ons frQm w j t h out j w fl] OWn an( j honour him as a ne m my throne, ' . . . even as I alfo 0- brave conqueror, and will gracioully advance him to vercame, the high dignity and happinefs of fitting with me in F f 2 my izo The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. iii. vercame, and am my throne of glory at the day of judgment, that he fet down with my mav concur with, and fhare in the benefit of, my fi- Srone" ™ ^ na ^ fentence u P on a ^ mankind ; (fee the paraphrafc on i Cor. vi. 2.) even as I^myfelf, in my office-ca- pacity, have overcome the world, and all the powers of darknefs ; and am exalted in my human nature to the higheft power and authority with my heavenly Fa- ther, at his right hand, on his throne of glory. 22 He that hath 22 He that is folicitous about falvation, and would h" "h ^h s!°* not deceive his own *° u ^> let him carefully attend to rkfaTth^unto the the folemn » awful, _ and threatning things, on one churches. hand, and encouraging things, on the other, which the holy Spirit of prophecy herein fpeaks, not only to this, but to all the churches, according as they may be applicable to them refpectively, in their feve- ral generations. (See the note on chap. ii. 7.) RECOLLECTIONS. How different is the ftate of churches and profeffing Chriftians on earth ! Some, like that of Philadelphia, are fincere, faithful, and thriving ; and, though but of little ftrength, are highly approved of Chrift, and honoured with peculiar tokens of his love ; whilfl others, like thofe of Sardis and Laodicea, are not what they profefs to be; and come under his fevered rebukes ; fome among them have only a name to live, while they are dead ; others are under languifhings of grace, as though it were ready to die ; and others are of a lukewarm temper, and yet flatter themtelves as if all things were right and well, and do not perceive that they are wretched, miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked. But O the important and affecting difference that Chrift will make between them ! He, who is the author of the creation, has an all-fulnefs of the Spirit, is divinely holy and true in himfelf, and in the execution of his office, and has the key of government to open or (hut without controul. He opens an effectual door for his word to have free courfe and be glorified ; and takes a favourable notice of the loweft degrees of fpiritual ftrength in true believers, and of their ftedfaft adherence to the truths of the gof- pel, with patience under all tribulations for his fake : He will bring all the emif- faries of Satan into fubjection to them, will keep them in every hour of tempta- tion, that they may perfevere in the faith, profeffion, and holinefs of the gofpel, and hold faft what they have attained to, that none may deprive them of the honours of their crown; and he will foon come to own them in the prefence of his Father and of the holy angels, and to fix their abodes in the heavenly Jerufalem, as citi- zens that have the name of their God and Saviour upon them, a moft excellent name, anfwerable to the eternal record of their narces in the book of life, which fhall never be blotted out ; and they mail be deemed worthy to fhine is prieftly and royal robes of li^ht and glory, and (hall fit with their head and Saviour on his heavenly throne. — But how dreadful is the cafe of formal and hypocritical, cool and indolent profeffbrs ! Chrift is fully acquainted with, and refents all the fecret treachery and indifference of their hearts; and, unlefs cured by his grace, will caft them off with abhorrence, and come upon them to their terrible lurprife, like a thief in the nipht, before they are aware : But. in the mean while, how aftonifh- ing and endearing are his patience, condefcenfion, and mercy, even to luch as thefe! He calls them to lerious reflection and repentance ; couniels them to come by faith to him, that he may enrich them with his precious gifts and graces; may adorn them with his glorious robe of righteoufnefs ; and may bring them out of darknefs into marvellous light: His very rebukes and chaftifements are defigned and blefs- ed for this purpqfe, to thole whom he loves; and he gracioufiy waits, in the mi- tions of hi« word and motions of his Spirit, to gain admiffion into their hearts; and, to en; r ur.Tge their opening to him, promifes that he will thereupon manifeft his love to them, and hold delightful commuoion with them, which (hall begin in this world, Chap. iv. The Revelation paraphrafed. 221 world, and be perfected in heaven. May we feverally confider how far, either thei'e comfortable, or terrible things belong to us ! And may the Holy Spirit, who fpeaks them in his word, ipeak them to laving purpofe in our hearts 1 CHAP. IV. The apojile having finified the epifl clary part of his revelation relat- ing to the then prefent and near approaching fate of the feven churches of Aha, proceeds to open the prophetic Jcene, which was reprefentcd to him in another vifion, relating to the more general affairs of the church for times to come, to the end of the world : And as he introduced the former with his vifion of Chri/t, (chap. i.) he introduces this with his vifion of God the Creator, as on his glorious throne, furrounded with a heavenly bo/I, which he faw under the emblems of twenty four elders, and four living crea- tures, i, — 7. and with their and the holy angels fongs which he heard, 8 — II. Text. Paraphrase. ^FTER this I A FTER having been led into the foregoing vifion, looked, and be- mx. and rece i V ed the directions, which I was ordered hold, a door was k ^ fa f churches of Alia, I was favoured opened in heaven : . . . r r y c . and the firft voice Wlt " another vinonary repreientation 01 an opening m- which I heard, to heaven, (fee the note on Acts vii. 55, 56.) that I •was as it were of might obferve what patted there. And the firll voice, a trumpet talking whfch wag RQW direaed to me f rom the Lord J e f us with me ; which . . r . r , , \ r faid, Come up hi- as in the former vifion, (chap. 1. ic, II.) was, tor ther, and I will its folemnity, and loudnefs, like the found of a trum- ifcew thee things p et , after the manner of that, which was heard at the beSter" 10 * ^ d ^ liverIn S of the law on mount Sinai ' This Voice ° f Chrift ordered me to draw near and come up to him, and faid, I will reveal to you the operations of Provi- dence, relating to my church and its enemies, which mail take place hereafter, in a regular fuccefiion of events, to the confummation of all things. 2 And immedi- 2 And prefently thereupon I again, as before, ately I was in the (chap. i. io.) fell into a holy rapture, or fupernatu- Spmt: and behoId ' ral extacy, like thofe of the apoftles Peter and Paul, a throne was fet in / A »_, 1 r-> •■ r ..1 heaven, and OS* fat ( A6ls X * IO > II ' f nQ 2 C ° n X1K 2 > 3' fce the n0te on the throne. there) under the immediate illumination and conduct of the Spirit of prophecy : And as the prophets Ifaiah, E'zekiet, and Daniel, faw in their vifions a reprefenta- tion of the Lord, as fitting upon a throne, high and lifted up ; or faw the likenejs of a throne, as a fiery fame, on which the Ancient of Days fat ,• (Ifa. vi. 1. Ezek. x. 1. and Dan. vii. 9.) fo the prophetic vifion clearly exhibited to my fight a majeftic, awful, and glorious throne, eftablifhed and exalted in hea- ven ; and I faw an emblem of the Creator and Go- vernor of the world, (ver. 11.) as feated with augufl majefty 222 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, i v. majefty and grandeur, not in human form, but in an illuftrious fymbolical appearance upon his imperial throne, whofe kingdom rules over ail. (Pf. ciii. 19.) 3 And he that 3 And he who appeared in this emblem, as fitting fat, was to look U p 0n t h e throne, mined with a viable radiant lultre, ^nTafSi^on": like fl ** ° f 20.) as particularly, his glo- rious appearance was like the iplendid tranfparent colour of the jafper, which, being of a glittering white, with an intermixture of beautiful colours, may be confidered as a fymbol of God's purity, together with various other perfections that are difplayed in all his difpenfations, and of his gracious regard to his people : The appearance was alio like the blood- co- lour of the fardine Hone, which may be confidered as an emblem of God's juftice and fiery indignation a- gainft his enemies * : And there was a further repre- sentation of a refplendent rainbow t like a glorious arch over the throne, enlivened with a molt beautiful green, like that of the emerald, to be the token of God's unchangeable faithfulnefs to his covenant of grace and peace, according to his own declaration of his defign, in giving that emblem of his mercy, not to drown all the earth any more. (Gen. ix. 13, j J# x QT ki „ gJ ag well as prieJ}s to crowns of gold. . .'x , , n y . ' , , 5 ' x , , , , , . their God, (Rev. i. 6. and v. 10.) that hold their dignities under him, and pay homage to him ; and they accordingly appeared round his throne with crowns of life and glory, like thofe of the moll pre- cious mafly gold, upon their heads, agreeable to Chrift's promife to them that are faithful unto death, (Chap. ii. 10.)- 5 And out of 5 And I faw and heard the moft awful and terrf- the * hrone P ro " ble flames of lightning, attended with loud cracks and C th'^d n - n ^ S ' an d rumblings of thunder, and folemn voices proceed- and voices. And m g from the imperial throne, like what was feen and there ivere feven heard at the promulgation of the law on mount Si- lamps of fire burn- Wrt / y f n token of the prefence of the Lord there, and ing before the f his dreadful wrath againft the tranfgreflbrs of that throne, which are . , ~ , . c 6 x A , 5 r . the feven Spirits of law : \& xod * X1X * l6 > — io.) And as leven lamps God. were continually burning before the Lord in the ta- bernacle, [Lev. xxiv. 2, — 4.) I faw an appearance before the throne of feven lighted lamps burning in full ftrength and luftre, as emblems of the variety and perfection of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, which he diftributes for enlightning, purifying, and warming the fouls of his ministers and churches, by dividing to every one fever ally as he will. (1 Cor. xii. 11. fee the paraphrafe on chap. i. 4.) 6 And before 5 And before the throne, anfwerable to the laver the throne there or great veffel of brafs in the tabernacle and temple, Was a lea or glals . 9 * ■ r . , - ,,,, , r ,i-~ like unto cryftal. which tor its largeneis was called the molten fea, (Ex. And in the midft xxx. 18, 19. and I Kings vii. 23.) for the priefts to of the throne, and wam [ Uf when they went into the fanctuary of the round about the Lord t f aw a brJght and ft j n j n f f hf throne, were four , 1 . r . & ,11,., 6 , ^ beatts full of eyes and ipotlels, as clear as cryltal ; which may be con- before and behind, fidered as a lit emblem of the blood ofChriJi, which cleanfes NOTE. pear very probable, that the reprefenta- on thrones, and crowned as conquerors ; lives of the whole body of the church and they are called ancients or elders. fhould be only four, while thofe of the (Ifa. xxiv. 23.) And, poffibly, there mim/lers ate four and twenty: And maybe fome allufion to the Roman em- thefe elders being reprefented us fitting peror, who fat as foverei«n upon the im~ on thrones, (3-fovouc) as the word ren- perial throne, and had kings of feveral dered feats properly fignifies, and their provinces under him, who derived all appearing with crowns on their heads, their honours from him in a dependence (yer. 4.) is agreeable to the common on him, as in an infinitely higher fenfe character of true believers, who are fpo- the church does theirs, in an entire de- ken of in fcripture, and particularly in pendence upon the great God, who is this prophetic book, {chap. i. 6. and ii. the abfolute and fupreme Lord over all, 10. and iii. 21.) as kings, and as fitting 224 The Revelation par aphrcfcd. Chap. iv. clean] es from all Jin, and in which all true worfhip- pers muft be warned from their iniquities. And near the imperial throne, and in the midft of its circuit, as furrounded with the four and twenty elders, or repre- fentatives of the church, (ver. 4.) * I beheld the form of four living creatures, as reprefentatives of the minifters of the gofpel, and placed between God and them ; and to intimate their being fufficiently qualifi- ed, NOTE. * The four living creatures, as the tives of the holy angels : For both they word (£«x) fignifies, ought to be fo and the twenty- four elders are brought rendered, as in Exck. i. 5. rather than in as falling down before the Lamb with beafls, which cannot agree to the third golden vials full of odours, which are and fourth of them, one of which had a the prayers of faints ; and as joining face as a man, and the other was like a with the elders, who led their wor- Jlyinq eajle. (ver. 7.) The learned fhip in a fong of praife to him that fat Mr.^Jofeph Mede, Mr. Wh'fton, and Sir upon the throne; (ver. 9, 10) and to Ifaac Newton, with others, fuppofe that the Lamb, laying, Thou waft Jlain and thefe four living Creatures are a repre- haft, redeemed US to God by thy blood, fentation of the whole body of the church, out of every kindred, and tongue, and. or of private Chriftiaus, in allufion to people, and nation ; and ha/l made us the whole army or body of the Ifraelites imto our God kings and priejls ; and we encamping with their ftandards, that foall reign on the earth, (chap. v. 8, — bore the figures of a lion, an ox, a man 10) which furely the angels cannot lay, and an eagle about the tabernacle in the concerning themfelves. And then, in wildernefs. ' But Mr Loivman has well the very next veries, tr, — 13 and chap. obferved that, as there is no hint in vii. 11, 12. the angels are di/lingui/ljed Scripture, or any ancient writers, of fuch from the living creatures and the elders, ftandards in the camp of Ifrael ; to there and are fpoken of as joining with them is no evidence of it to be depended upon in other fongs of praile, to God and the from later Jewi/h writings ; and that it Lamb, for things in which they were all is very unlikely that Mofes fhould make one way or other concerned. And there- any fuch images, left Ifrael fhould be fore, even admitting that here is an at- tempted to idolatry, for which they had lufion to Ifaiahh and E to fl S"' cond bead like a n *fy undaunted boldnefs and courage ; and the fecond calf, and the third living creature's face was like that of a calf or ox, beaft had a face (Ezek. i. io.) to fignify patience and fitnefs for la- fourth "eaft" 1 ^a b ° Ur *" the W ° rk ° f the L ° rd ; a " d the ^'^ ^^ like a flying- ^ea- creature appeared with a face of human form, to fig- gle. nify wifdom, prudence, and compafiion ; and the fourth living creature had an appearance like the face of an eagle, which has a piercing eye, foars aloft, and is fwift in flight, to fignify penetration of mind into the great myfteries of the gofpel, and fublime fentiments and devotion, together with eminent zeal, activity, and vigour in the fervice of God. 8 And the four 8 And every one of thefe living creatures was re- beafts had each of prefented, as with a furniture of fix wings round a- them fix wing, a- fa h; th f eraphim were in /fell's vifion. bout him, and they . _. * . _•{ r r e ..*,,.. J •- f ; r, , were full of eyes {Cha/>. vi. 2.) 1 he ule of which is there laid to within; and they be, to cover his face with two of them, in token of reft not day and humility and reverence ; to cover his feet with two night faying, Ho- Qth fn token of readme f s and d ili gence f or exe . iy, holy, holy, . .. . .„. . . , °, , Lord God Al- ctiting divine commiliions ; and with the other two mighty, which he flew, to intimate his alacrity and expedition there- was, and is, and in : And they all appeared in my vifion as full of eyes, s to come. turning inward to look well to their own hearts, and attend to the illuminations of God's word and Spirit for directing them in the difcharge of their office : And they, like the feraphim that appeared to Ifaiah, (chap. vi. 3.) are continually employed in their ho- ly miniftrations, and in folemn adorations, faying, with the profoundeft reverence and facred wonder, in a three-fold acclamation and afcription of glory to the Father, Son, and Spirit, as three perfons but one God, Holy, holy, holy, unfpottedly, infinitely, ef- fentially, and communicatively holy, is the Lord Je- hovah, the Almighty God, who from everlalling to everlafting always was, is, and will "be unchangeably the fame ; and is the Creator, Preferver, Governor, and Difpofer of all things, as their firft caufe and ul- timate end ; they all being of him, through him, and to him, to whom be glory for ever , Amen. (Rom. xi. 36.) Vol. VI. G g 9 And 226 The Revelation paraphrafed. Ghap. iv. 9 And when g And when thefe living creatures, the reprefenta- thofe beads give t j vcs c f drift's miniftring fervants, are thus engaged £7k?l tol'm' in folemn afcripticns of the higheft glory, and of all that fat on the divine honours and thankful acknowledgments to the throne, who li- great God, who, as perfonated by the Father, (fee veth tor ever and t h e notc on c hap. i. 4. ) appeared in emblems of aw- ever ' ful and illuftrious majefty, as feated on the imperial throne; (ver 2, 3.) and is the immortal, the only and ever living and true God ; 10 The four and 10, 1 1 The four and twenty elders, the reprefen- twenty elders fall tat i ves f t h e c h U rch, joining in chearful concert with that fat on the tne "" minifters who led the fong, (ver. 9.) bowed throne, and wor- down in low proftration, and with humble adoration, fliip him that li before their Maker, who was reprefented as fitting on veth for ever and t ]. ie tn rone, and paid their folemn homage in worfhip- ever, and caft their . , . 1 1 i_ • .. r,. °.i ' . • crowns before the PJ n g him > who onl y has immortality, without begin- throne, faying, ning of days, or end of years ; and, taking off their 11 Thou art glorious crowns from their heads, they laid them down worthy, O Lord, at t ^ e f oot f trie throne, as deeply fenfible of their to receive g my, utter unworthinefs to wear fuch royal honours in and honour, and . . . / power : for thou "is prelence, and of their receiving and holding them haft created all merely by his free favour : In humble acknowledg- things, and for ment f which they faid, Thou, O Lord, and thou a- thy pleafure they j art infinitely worthy, that the moil exalted a- 3rc Jind were crc» ate ^ # ' fcriptions of glory, and honour, and power mould be paid to thee : For thou art the great Creator of all things in heaven and earth ; and it is by thy fove- reign effective will and pleafure, and for thine own glory, who haft made all things for thyfelf, ( Prov. xvi. 4.) that they ft 111 fubfift, and are wifely difpofed of, as feems good in thy fight, as well as that they at firft w r ere brought forth out of nothing into being, by the almighty word of thy fovereign command. RECOLLECT IONS. How delightful is the thought that a door of accefs is opened into heaven itfelf. through the blood of the Redeemer, to all that are waflied in it ! They may enter by faith, under the Spirit's guidance and influence, into that holy place while they are here, till they (hall be admitted to immediate vifion hereafter. With what awful majefty and grandeur, covenant faithfulnefs to his people, and terror to his enemies, together with all adorable excellencies, doth the great God appear, as on his high imperial throne! And how furprifing are the honours of celeftial thrones and crowns, which his fervants and people (hall be advanced to in his blifsful pre- fence, as furrounding his throne of glory, and paying their folemn homage to him with the profoundeft reverence '. How courageous, diligent, and laborious, prudent, vigilant, adlive, and chearfully expeditious fliould the fervants of Chrift be in exe- cuting their commiflion, under the illumination and afliltance ot his Spirit, in all the variety of gifts and graces that he diftributes to them ! With what humble a- doration, and difclaims of merit, fliould believers appear before the throne of God, as catting their crowns and proftrating themfelves at his feet, and afcribiog the higheft honour, glory, blefiing, and power, to the facred Three in One, as all things were created, and are preferved and governed by, and tor him, that he may be glorified for ever and ever : And what initrudlive emblems are all thefe, of what the Ciiap. v. The Revelation, paraphrafed. 227 the minifters and churches of Chrift oirght to be, and do on earth, till they get to heaven, and join the general affembly and church of the firft born in their eternal hallelujahs! CHAP. In a following part of the apofle^s vifton, he faw in the right hand of God a book of divine decrees, which was fealed with [even feals for fecrecy, and could be opened by none but Chrift, i, — 5. He, appearing under the emblem of a Lamb in the midjl of the throne, took the book to open it, 6, 7. Upon which the four living crea- tures and four and twenty elders afcribe all honour to him for un- dertaking this difficult work, and for redeeming them to God by his blood, and making them kings and priejls to him, 8, — 10. Aid an innumerable company of angels join with them in another fang of praife to God and the Lamb, 1 1, — 14. Text. Paraphrase. A^ND I faw in A ND I further faw in my vifion of God, who fat the right hand il on t ^ e imperial throne, the appearance of a Qf him that fat on , , ,, ,. r , .. . , , r \, the thmne a book DO °k or roil, which, methought, he held, as it were, written ' within in his right hand, to intimate that he would maintain and on the back- and execute its contents. This book was full of fide, fealed with wr itten records, as I afterwards underftood, relating to fuch important events, concerning the church and the Roman empire, and even the whole world, as God had determined to bring to pa(s in their order ; and it was fealed with feven feals, * according to the feven principal parts contained in it, one on the out- fide of each to prevent its being looked into and read, till they in their order mould be opened ; (Ifa. xxix. 11.) thereby intimating that God's purpofes, which are as certainly recorded in his own eternal mind, as if G g 2 they N O T E. * The mofl common books of the an- within another, each of which was feal- cients were not like ours, that confift of ed ; fo that, upon opening and unrolling many leaves bound together ; but were the firft, the fecond appeared to be feal- volumes, or long pieces of parchment, ed up, till that was opened, and fo on to that were rolled upon a round ftick, in the j (event h — And this feems to be coun- like manner as Glks or fluffs often are m tenanced by the opening of the feals, one our days This book of prophecy, which, after another, in the next chapter: For according to our translation, was writ- in cafe all the iVven feals had been on the ten within and on the backfule, might, outlide, none of the volumes could have by a little alteration of the pointing be been read till all the feals were looted ; read, written within, and fealed on the whereas, upon opening of every feal, the backfide, or without, (^wO-ic) as Ste- next came in courfe to be opened toe. vert's and feveral other copies read it. And Patwus, after others, conceived (Vid. Grot, and Mill, in loc ) And, ac- that though this book was only vifional ; cording to Grotius, the wotds fealed yet it is to be underftood as tf> emblem luith ftven feals are a prolepjis ; and are of this book of Revelation iti'elt. in which to be underftood, nut as though the a- Chrift was pleafed to reveid fuch thing? poftle faw them all on the outfide ; but to John, as he afterwards committed to there were feven volumes wrapt up one wilting for the ufe of the church. to thereof ? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither un- look thereon. 22S The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, v* they had been wrote down in a book, are as much. concealed from the knowledge of all creatures till God mail pleafe to reveal them, as the writing of a- ny book can be, that is clofely fealed up with ever fo many feals to keep it fecure and fecret till it is o- pened. 2 And I faw a 2 And I faw a mighty angel, Handing forth and flronjr angel pro- cr yj nP - ou t with a ftrong and earneft voice, in a way claiming witn a / 1 • j 1 11 .i. t_ i • Joud voice Who °* P roclamatl on and challenge to the whole creation, is worthy ' to o Is there any one of you all that is fufficiently qualified, pen the book, and or has worth and dignity enough to unfold the con- !°°o the feals tents °^ tnis book, and break open the feals that are fet upon it, fo as to be able to underftand and make known the fecret purpofes of God with refpeft to his difpenfations, which are to be fulfilled in their proper time and courfe ? 3 And none (xhis) in the whole compafs of cre- ated beings, no angel in heaven, nor any creature li- der the earth* was Vin £ u P on earth, nor any departed fpirit of the moft able to open the famous patriarchs, prophets, or apoitles, whofe bodies book, neither to are laid under the earth, was capable, or deemed fit and worthy of the honour of penetrating into the fe- crets of God's counfels, or of fo much as looking into them to difcern any thing of them, as was figni- fied by there being no one found among them all that could open this fealed book, or look into a fingle line of it ; but they all flood filent and aghaft, as being confeious to themfelves of utter infufficiency for it. 4 And as I apprehended that things of vaft confe- quence w r ere included in this book of divine decrees, relating to future events, which I hoped and earneftly and to read the defired might by fome means or other be revealed to book, neither to me, I was exceedingly grieved and burn: out into floods of tears ; becaufe, in anfwer to this univerfal fummons, no creature could be found equal to this arduous tafk of difcovering the fecret defigns of Provi- dence, relating to the church in this world, till it mail be glorified in a better ; as was fignified by there being none in the whole creation that could loofen the feals, 'and read this emblematical book, or get the lead in- fight into its records, that he might reveal them. 5 And while my fpirit was thus troubled within me, one of the four and twenty elders, or reprefenta- tives of the church, fpake feafonably and comfortably to me, faying, Refrain your eyes from tears on account of there being no mere creature that can unfold thefe fecrets ; behold ! there is a divine perfon, the only true Mefiiah, who, according to ancient prophecies of him, as the victorious prince of the tribe oi'Judah, is, for ftrength and eminence, like a //on, to main- tain and defend his property, and tear his enemies to pieces ; 4 And I wept much, becaufe no mart was found worthy to open, look thereon. 5 And one of the eiders faith unto me, Weep not: be- hold the Lion of the tribe of Jiula, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to Uofe the feven feals theie- of. Chap. v. The Revelation paraphrafcd. 229 pieces; (Gen. xlix. 9, 10.) and is not only fprung in his human mature from that tribe, as a defcendent of Je/fe, the father of David ; but in his divine na- ture and office-character, is the root or fource of all the happinefs and glory of his kingdom, which was typi- fied by that of David; (I fa. xi. 1, 10.) this almigh- ty conqueror has overcome all obftructions, (mx/.ri) and obtained the honour, by the merit of his death, to difclofe the divine counfels, the emblem of which is his opening the book, and taking off its feven feals, that the things contained therein might no longer re- main abfolute fecrets, but be gradually made manifeif. in a regular fucce flion of providences to explain them. 6 And I beheld, 6 Hereupon I looked to fee this wonderful perfon ; and lo, in the midft an d, behold ! to my immediate relief and tranfport- of the throne and • • j h d -^ f th Lord J efus Chr J ft fo of the four beafts, , 6 J /' c . . ,. . , , . J . , ' and in the midft of l " e g* or y °* njs mediatorial exaltation in human na- the elders, flood a ture, at the Father's right hand, as Handing near the Lamb as it had throne, and within the circle of the four living crea- been (lain, having tures> anc j f t h e f our an d twenty elders, to mediate feven eyesT which between God and them ; I faw him in this pofture of are the feven Spi- readinefs and ability to execute all his offices of a pro- rits of God, fent phet, prieft, and king, which were reprefented under forth into all the p roper emblems of them feverally. His prieflly of- fice was reprefented by his appearing with evident characters of the Lamb of God, who had been flain, as a propitiatory facrifice to take away the Jin of the world, when through the eternal Spirit he offered himfelf without fpot unto God ; (John i. 29. and Heb. ix. 14.) and who intercedes before the throne in virtue of his atoning blood : His h'ngly office was reprefented by the emblem of his hzvingfeven horns, a number of perfection, to denote his almighty pow- er to execute the will of God's purpofe to protect:, fupport, and defend his church, and pufh down all his and their enemies : And his prophetic office was re- prefented by the emblem of his having feven eyes, to denote that all the treafures of wifdom and know- ledge are in him, (Col. ii. 3.) that he has a tho- rough forefight of all events, and an unmeafurable fulnefs of the Spirit of wifdom and revelation, whofe gifts and graces are under his direction, to be iffued forth, in all their variety and excellence, for the be- nefit of his minifters and people, wherever they arc fcattered through the whole earth. 7 And he came 7 And, as I further faw in my vifion, the Lord and took the book J e f U s came clofe up to the throne, and received the out of the right book out of the right hand of the Father, who fat hand of him that . , , , , 1 • r 1 n • fat upon the Throne. u P on Jt > an d gave the book to him, as a lignal ot his delivering all power in heaven and earth to him ; as his receiving it alfo was, of his being both able and willing 230 The Revelation par aphrafed. Chap. v. willing to open the meaning of the things contained therein, and to take care that they mould be effe&u- ally accomplished in their proper time and order, ac- cording to the divine purpofe about them. 8 And when he g And when he had taken the book into his own a taken t e ^and, which carried this intimation of his gracious book, the four _ ' , - .. ,, r- r beaits and four oeiign, the tour living creatures, as reprelentatives or and twenty elders his miniftring fervants, and the four and twenty el- fell down before ders, as reprefentatives of the church, proftrated the Lamb, having t h em f e i ves w { th the profoundeft reverence and humili- every one ol them , r 1 • 1 • t 1 11 e 11 1 harps, and cr !den *Y before this glorious .Lamb, and chearluliy united vials full of odours, in their folemn homage of adoration and worfhip, which are the prayer and praife to him, juft as they had before to prayers of faiats. the Father on his imperial throne; {chap. iv. 9, 10, 11.) all of which, in allufion to one of the chief mu- fical inftruments that were ufed for thankfgiving and praife in the temple-fervice, appeared with harps, as emblems of the melody of their hearts, and of the moll charming notes in their praifing fong ; and each of them appeared with cups full of incenfe, (Svpixpccrw) like the typical cenfers of pure gold, in which the prielts were wont to burn incenfe before the Lord, as emblems of the prayers that are offered up by the church and its minifters, (Pf. cxli. 2.) and are made acceptable to God, as prefented with the fweet per- fume of the merit and advocacy of their great High Prieft. (Rev. vKi. 3, 4.) 9 And they fung g And they joined together, as with one heart and ? ne w long, ay- vo j ce j n f ]n m n g a moft excellent fong, which, for mg, Thou art wor- , r 6 6 , , „ & . \ thy to take the tnat reaion, may very properly be called a new Jong, book, and to open fuited to the prefent joyful occafion, (ver. 7.) and the feals thereof: fitted for the gofpel-ftate, in confequence of the death anVhait ^Ltmed ° f Chn ' ft > fa y in S» Th ° U ' ° f P otlefs Lamb of God > us to God by thy and t ^ lou on ty> art thoroughly qualified for, and de- blood, out of eve- ferveft the honour of knowing and opening the eter- ry kindred, and rial counfels of God, as fignified by thy taking the tongue, and peo- book, and breaking open its feals, that the things F e> an na 10n ' contained therein may not be entirely hid from all mankind ; for thou waft led as a lamb to the /laugh- ter, and madeji thy foul an offering for fin ; ( Ifa. . liii. 7, 10.) and haft bought us out of the bondage of the law, and of fin and Satan, to God, as his pe- culiar property, for his honour and fervice, (Luke i. 74, 75.) and for communion with him, and an ever- Iafting enjoyment of him ; which thou haft done by the ineilimable price of thv precious blood, * where- by NOTE. * The redemption here fpoken of is .carries the ftrongefl: intimation, th«t he Lhat which Chrilt made by bis blood, and paid the price of redemption, not for e- is laid to be out of every kindred, and very individual ot them, but for fomp tongue f and people, and riation, which from among them all. io And haft made us unto our God kings and priefts : and we fliall reign on the earth. Chap. v. The Revelation paraphrafed. 231 by thou haft redeemed not all of every natipn, but us from among all others of every tribe, and language? and people, and nation, whether Jews or Gentiles, with whom we lived, and were equally involved in guilt, and expofed to deftruftion. 10 And thou haft advanced us to the mod ho- nourable relations to our covenant-God and Father, in making us true Ifraelites, who as princes have power with God and prevail, (Gen. xxxii. 28.) and in confecrating us to him and his fervice, as kings, to matter and fubdue our own fpirits, and all indwell- ing corruption, and overcome the world, ( 1 John v. 4) in a dependence on him and devotednefs to his fear ; and as priejls to have free liberty ofaccefs, through thee, by one Spirit to the Father, (Eph. ii. 18.) and to offer up fuch fpiritual facrifices of pray- er and praife, as are acceptable to him on thine ac- count : (1 Pet. ii. 5.) And we, through thy favour, merit, and influence, (hall gain the victory, and triumph over all our fpiritual enemies, fin, Satan, and the world, even while we are upon earth. (Rom. viii. 37.) 1 1 And I looked again for ftill further difcovcries of this glorious fcene, and heard the melodious voice of a vaft multitude of holy angels, which encamp round about them that fear the Lord, (Pf. xxxiv. 7.) and furrounded the imperial throne, and the living creatures, the reprefentatives of gofpel-minifters, who were neareft the throne, (fee the note on chap. iv. 6.) and the elders the reprefentatives of the church, who were nearer it than the angels themfelves : Thefe joined in harmonious concert with them, to exprefs their praifes, as they alfo were confirmed by Chrift, and rejoiced in his favour to men ; (fee Luke ii. 13. 14. Eph. iii. 10. and 1 Pet. i. 12.) their number was ten thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufands multiplied by thoufands, (fee Pf. Ixviii. 17. and Dan, vii. 10.) yea, an innumerable company of them, (Heb. xii. 22.) 12 Saying, with a ftrong, lively, and articulate voice, with chearful hearts, and lofty notes of joy and praife, Infinitely and only worthy is this exalted Lamb of all the honours, not only of his divine per- fon, but alfo of his mediatorial office, who was (lain in offering up himfelf to God a facrifice for fin, that the general affembly and church of the firit born may be joined to the angelic quire in heaven. (Heb. xii. 23.) He, undoubtedly, deferves to receive all grateful acknowledgments, and high afcriptions of univerfal authority and dominion over all, and of inexhauftible riches of grace and glory, and of unfearchable wifdom, and invincible ftrength, and of every kind of religi- ous II And I be- held, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beafts, the elders : the number them was thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thou- fands : and and of ten 12 Saying, with a loud voice, Wor- thy is the Lamb that was flain to receive power, and riches, and wif- dom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, and blefs- ing. 232 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. v« ous honour, and of all divine and mediatorial glory, and of the livelieft adoring praifes, which of right be- long to him, who is completely qualified for discharg- ing the high truft that the Father has committed to him. 13 And every Y n And, methought, I heard the whole creation ^ e i!! a ? W '^ T concurring in the fong ; even all the angels in hea- in heaven, and on j 11 1 r • 7 the earth, and un- ven > and ali the lamts on earth, and all the feparate der the earth, and fpirits of the juft made perfect, whofe bodies are bu- iuch as are in the r j e d i n the earth, and in the bottom of the fea ; yea, fea, and all that met h 0U ght, I heard all creatures contained in them, are in them, heard . & . , . ., , r r . . . . * I, faying, Bleffing, an " particularly all the leniitive creation, echoing to and honour, and the Redeemer's praife for the deliverance he will glory, and power bring to them from the bondage of corruption into firJuTj^ 'the the g iorious libert y °f the children of God, (Rom. throne, Tnd" unto vJn ; l 9>~ 22 ' f ee the note there ) % Jn g> Ma Y a11 the Lamb for ever united thankfgivings, and honour, and glory, and and ever. might, and dominion be equally afcribed to God the Father, who fits on the imperial throne, and to the a- dorable Lamb, who is God, and purchafed the church with his own blood ! (Acts xx. 28.) May thefe tri- butes of praife be perpetuated to them jointly from henceforth to all eternity ! r jFA^ the four 14 And the four living creatures, the reprefenta- And the four and tlves °^ t ^ le mm ift ers °f tne church, who had began twenty elders fell the chorus, (ver. 8.) clofed it, faying, Amen, fo it down and worflrip- ought to be, and fo according to our earneft defire JTl f im that U a lt ^ al * be ; and ttie * our and twent y elders, the re- iver ° r eVef an prefentatives of the body of the church itfelf, readi- ly confenting, proftrated themfelves with humble re- verence, and paid their religious adorations to the e- ver and only living and true God, inclufive of the li- ving Redeemer, to whom they afcribed equal ho- nours, (yer. 13.) and who is unchangeably the fame, in his perfon and office, yeflerday, and to day, and for ever. (Heb. xiii. 8.) RECOLLECTIONS. What a privilege and pleafure is it to be acquainted with the counfels of God for our fupport under every trial, till our happinefs lhall be perfected in eternal fal- vation ! And what u grief to have them hid from us! But, bleffed be God, that, when no creature in heaven or earth was able to reveal them, the Great Mefliah of yndab's tribe, and the root of David, has interpofed between him and the church, and has taken the book of divine decrees, by the Father's grant, into his hand, and has loofed the feals thereof, to lay them open, and to fulfil them in their feafon. He is worthy of the moft grateful acknowledgments and honours oft his own account, and on account of his meritorious death, whereby he, as Media- tor, obtained authority for this important work. How awful and majeftic is his character, as a Hon to tear his enemies to pieces, and defend his people from their rage againit them ! And how endearing, as a lamb for meeknefs, that was led to the flaughter, and died a facrifice to fatisfy divine juftice for them, whom he redeem- ed by his precious blood as a peculiar people, and has dignified with the honour of kings and priefts to God, in diftindlion from the reft of mankind, throughout the world, of what nation, or kindred after the flefh, foever they be \ O the divine a- dorations Chap. vi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 233, dorations and worfhip, and longs of praife, that are and ought to be offered to him together with God the Father, by all his miniltring l'ervants, and the whole church ! The innumerable company of angels delight 10 join with mem, in afcrih- ing all bleffing, honour, glory, and power, equally to him that fits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, as the fame God with him, and as fultaining their pro- per parts in the economy of falvation, that they may be jointly glorified for evef. May all creatures in heaven and earth concur herein, and chearfully fay, Amen \ CHAP. VI. The apofile goes on to an account of the opening of the fe ah in their order, for revealing the purpofes of God that are to be fulfilled by his providence in f even grand fucce (five periods ; thefirjl of which is reprefented in the opening of the fix firfl feals, and relates to the Jlate of the church under the Heathen emperors j looked, and, behold, a white wm e horfe appeared, the emblem of joy and triumph, and Vol. VI. H h of white horfe ; and he that fat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he ■went forth eon- quering, and to conquer. 234 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. vi. of the purity of the gofpel, and of all divine proce- dures : And the illuftrious perfon, even the Lord Je- fus himfelf, who fat upon it, like a mighty warrior riding profperoufly, was figured out to my view as having a bow in his hand, like what is ufed in battle for mooting arrows, a fit emblem of the power of his word and Spirit, which penetrates as deep as fharp ar- rows into the hearts of his enemies, either to flay them before him, or to make them a willing people in the day of his power: (Pfal. xlv. 5. and ex. 3.) And a glorious crown was fet upon his head, the em- blem of his royal dignity and victory, who, for the fuffering of death, is crowned with glory and ho- nour. (Heb. ii. 9.) And he marched forth in a tri- umphant manner, immediately beginning to conquer, and carrying on his conquefts, till they fliould be completed to the joy of his people, and the confufion of his implacable enemies ; * which might point to the wonderful fuccefs of the gofpel, in its fpreading far and wide through the Roman empire, unto the converfion of vail multitudes of finncrs, efpecialry from among the idolatrous Gentiles, and tfie defeat- ing of all oppofition to it, in the firft age of Chrifti- anity, when its preachers went forth with ilrength and fpeed, like horfes, to propagate ft every where under Chrift, who rode in triumph on their miniftra- tions, as a fpecimen of what mould be done in after ages, till the whole number of his eledt. mail be ga- thered in, and all his enemies mall be made his foot- ftool. (1 Cor. xv. 25. and Heb. i. 13.) Seal II.] 3 And when I faw in my vifion that Jefus, the glorious Lamb, had opened the fecond ka\ to difcover the next part of the roll, I heard the voice of the fecond of the four living creatures, or re- prefentatives of gofpel minifters, which appeared to me like an ox or calf, [chap* iv. 7.) calling upon me, and NOTE. * Mr. Jofeph Mead and Sir Ifaac what unaccountable, that the furprifing Newton, with others, fuppofe that the progrefs of the gofpel by the preaching of firft/of/r feals relate entirely to the judg- the apoftles, which, according to Sir I- ments that were executed on the Roman faac's fcheme, was moftly after this vi- empire ; and that the prophecies con- fion, efpecially among the idolatrous cemlng the affairs of the church do not Ge?itiles, fliould be taken no notice of at the beginning of a revelation, in which the church was fo nearly concerned. But it was exceeding proper, and tended greatly to their comfort, to reprefent the judgments of God, in the opening of the three next feals, that fliould fall upon thofe who fbould furioufly fet themfelves againft the gofpel, after he had fo fignal- ly owned and bleffed it, 3 And when he had opened the fe- cond feal, I heard the fecond beaft fay, Come, and fee. come in till the fifth feal ; and that Chrift's riding on the white horfe, co?i- (juering and to conquer, is emblematical of victories obtained to the deftruction of his enemies — But, methinks, riding on a while horfc does not leem to be a proper emblem of only the fame fort of terrible /laughter of Chrift's enemies, as under the very next feal is reprefented by a rider on a red horfc / and it teems forne- Chap. vi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 235 and faying, in like manner as the firft had done, Come hither, and fee what prefents itfelf in the part of the roll which is now unfolded, relating to the next fuc- ceeding event of Providence. 4 And there 4 And, upon my drawing near, I faw a reprefen- went out another tation of another horfe, whole colour was as red as red*"; 3 ^f™Z if he had b^r. all over ftained with blood, a proper was' given to him emblem of dreadful war and bloodfhed : And the ri- that tat thereon, der of this horfe was reprefented, as an agent of Pro- to take peace from vidence, * to fpread confulion and flaughter among the earth, and that th perfecill ; n g inhabitants of the earth, to the de- they fliould kill n £. r . • ii« 1 r r j . j one another : and "ruction ot their tranquillity and iatety ; and to do there was given this by means of his throwing one party of them in- mito him a great to a ftate of war with the other, that they might flay iWOr(i * one another : And, as a further emblem of this righ- teous judgment of God upon them, a huge formid- able fvvord was put into the hand of the warrior, who fat upon the red horfe • All which may be confidered as a prediction of the dreadful deftruction of infidel Jews and Romans, thofe common enemies to Chrif- tianity, in the wars between them, efpecially in the reigns of Irajan and Adrian, till about the year of our Lord 138, which was a righteous judgment up- on thofe joint perfecutors. 5 And when he Seal III.] 5 And when the Lamb had loofed had opened the t he third feal, and fo laid open the next part of the ^.^V 1 aT d roll, I heard the voice of the third of the living crea- the third heart lay, • ' r . r . .„ ... ° , Come and lee. tures, or repreientatives ot miniiters, which appeared And I beheld, and with a face like a man, [chap. iv. 7.) faying to me, lo, a black horfe ; as the two former had before, Come near, and fee what and he that fat on ^ contained in this unfolded part of the roll, relating balances in his to tne next remarkable event of Providence ; and, hand. looking into it, I obferved the reprefentation of ano- ther horfe of a black colour, a fit emblem of mourn- ing and afflidion, by reafon of great diftrefs : Accord- ingly, he, who appeared as mounted upon this horfe, had the figure of a pair of fcales in his hand, f to H h 2 weigh NOTES. * It is hard to determine, whether after the viiion. (See Mr. Lawman's hif- the rider on the red horfe be meant im- tory of this feal) rcediately of Chrift, or of fuch inftru- f Some confider the pair of balances ments as he made ufe of, who is King of as an emblem of plenty, and of jtrict an.l kings, and Lord of lords. (Chap. xiv. impartial ju/iicc, which was adminilter- 16.) But, be that as it will, it this viGoa ed in the reigns of Severus, and his foil of ihefeco/id feal was (as is molt com- Alexander. Uut it rather appears to me raonly thought) in the time ot Domi- that it is here to be taken as an emblem tian's persecution, about the year of our of affliclion, in a way of judgment upon Lord 96, (Vide Mill, proleg. p. 19.) it the Heathen persecuting empire, accurd- may very fairly be referred to the vaft ing to the purport of the next foregoing- numbers of both Jews and Romans that and following feals, and according to the fell by the wars between them in Tra- molt natural conftrnrtion of the emblem jan'i and Adrian's reigns, about 40 years of a black horfe • and the interpretation of ■2 7 6 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, vu weigh the corn, that mould be fold at an exceflive price, as in a time of great fcarcity next to a famine ; (fee Lev. xxvi. 26. Lam. v. 10. and Kzck. iv. 16.) which may be confidcred as pointing to a great want of provifions ; and was another judgment upon the Heathen empire for perfecuting the Chriftians under the reigns of the two Antonines, between the years 138 and 179. 6 And I heard a 6 And to explain the meaning of this fymboiical voice in the midft reprefentation, I heard a proclamation among the four of the four hearts j— crcatures f ay £ ne r So great will be the fcarcity lav. A meamre of f1 & , , • • 5 , r 11 r r • i_ / wheat for a penny, °* breaa at this time, that or.e Imall meaiure or wheat, apt! three meafur.es no more than is fufficient for a fmgle day's fuftenance or barley for a pen- for one man, fhall be fold at the extravagant price of r,y: and fee thou a R oman penny; and three fuch little meafures of and the wine. barley, which makes the coarfefl bread, fhall coft the fame : * And, as a further token of the fcarcity of o- ther provifions, an order was added to take heed, that no injury be done to the olive-trees and vines, left: they utterly faii of producing oil and wine for the re- freshment of the rich, as bread is of the poor ; and fo the famine become in a manner total. 7 And when he Seal IV. J 7 And when the Lamb proceeded to had opened the p en \he fourth feal, and unfolded the next part of fourth leal. I heard h n j heard h vo;ce f ^fourth pf the living the voice of the r ■ . • f . . T A . . p fourth beaft fay, creatures, or reprelentatives ot goipei miniiters, which Come, and lee. appeared with a face like an eagle's, [chap. iv. 7.) calling to mc and faying, Come near, and fee what this exhibits to your fight. S And I looked, 8 And having drawn near, and looked upon it in sijjd behold, a pale m y virion, I beheld a reprefentation of another hor'.e; and his name h or f c% w hofe colour was as pale and ghaflly as a dead tnat Cat on him r r , , r j 1 1 • i_ j • was Death and cor P* e » a "* emblem ot death, which ravaged in van- hell followed with ous forms through .the Rowan empire, in executions cf him : and power judgments upon them that perfecuted the church of was given unto Chrift: Accordingly there appeared an infeription of fourth part "of the tlie name of the r * dcr of tllIS hor k> i ntimatIn g t}iat ne earth, to kill with was the king of terrors, called Death ; and in his train Sword, there was a reprefentation of the grave, and of the fe- parate N O T E S. cf it in the next vcrfe feems to confirm was about feven-pence half-penny of our this fenfe. (See Ihidh hiftory of the money, was as much as a labourer could fcarcity of provifions in the reigns of the earn in a day, as appears from Matth. jintonines, which bejjan about the year xx. 2. (Vide Grotius in loc.)— Several cf our Lord 158 and ended about 179.) fenfes, very contrary to one another, * A ink a fare of wheat (x o,y '% riT0V ) nave heen put upon hurt not the oil and j< varioufly computed : But if Grotfys'i the ivine ; but that given in the para- nccount from Herodotus, Hipocrates, phrafe, which for ought I know, is fin- Hfogenes. Laertius, and Athencevs, may gular. appeals moft agreeable to what I be depended upon, it is no more than take to be the meaning of the former one man in health needs for the allow- part of the verfe. i»ncc of each day. And a fenny, which Chap. vi. "The Revelation paraphrafed. 237 fword, and with parate ftate, (cthg) into which the departed fouls of hunger, and with t he wicked immediately enter to be caft into hell, Heath, and u.th the ^ ch be ftld the feconal death. (Chap. xx. 6, beaftscfthe earth. " - , 7 , . * Tr • i r r 14.) And I law that commiihon was given to theie for- midable inftruments of divine wrath, to make dread- ful havock in the deftruftion cf vail multitudes upon one fourth, or a confiderable part of the Roman em- pire, that extended to the greateft extent of all the known regions of the earth ; which judgments were to be executed in cutting off fome by the fword of war ; and others, according to God's threatnings to finful and idolatrous nations, (E an d no more expanded than if it had been roll- rolled together ; ed up together, like a huge fheet of parchment, and and every moun- entirely rolled away ; and all the mountains and tain and ifland Jfl an( js of the earth appeared at the fame time, as were moved out 1 , t -, f> j l r of their' places : thrown down and deltroyed, never to be ieen any- more : All which fignified the abfolute irrecoverable overthrow of the Heathen ftate, and power of the perfecuting Roman empire, together with the whole frame of its ecclefiailical conilitution, from the high- eft to the loweft degrees and orders of people in it, when Conjlantine the Great mounted the throne, de- ltroyed the pagan temples, that were often built on mountains, abolifhed idolatry and idolatrous priefts on the iflands, as well as on the continent, and changed the whole Empire from its Heathen to the ChrijHan form of government. This grand and furpriling re- volution was reprefented to me in a like emblematical manner, as the deftru&ion of the enemies of the church were by the ancient prophets, under the ftrong and ftriking figures of an earthquake, of dark- ening the fun and moon, o'f the falling of the ftars, and rolling the heavens together as a fcroll, and re- moving the earth out of its place ; and as the deftruc- tion of Jerufalem had been defcribed by our bleffed Lord. (See Ifa. xiii. 9. — 19. and xxiv. 23. and xxxiv. 4. Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8. Hag. ii. 21, 22. and Matth. xxiv. 29.) 15 And the kings ^ And fuch was the terrible fright and confter- of the earth, and nation of all ranks and degrees of Heathen idolators the and ■40 The Revelation paraphrafsd. Chap. Vf. the gireat men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and e- very free- man, hid themieives in the dens, and in the rocks of the moun- tains ; 1 6 And faid to the mountains and xocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that fitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of -the Lamb : 17 For the great day of his wrath is come : and who lhall be able to ftand? and perfecutors at this doleful catajirophe, and at the heavy punifhment thereby inflicted on them, that thofe of the higheft authority, even the emperors or chief rulers of the earth, who exercifed royal domi- nion in the Empire ; and the nobles, magiftrates, and governors of provinces, and all the principal men in authority; and the richeft fubjefts of the Empire ; and the molt bold and daring foldiers and commanders of armies ; and men of the mod undaunted courage that feared nothing before; and people of lower rank, whe- ther fervants or mailers, flaves or free citizens ; per- fons of all characters, ran about in wild defpair, feek- ing, if pofliblc, to find fome retiring place, as they had formerly forced the Chriftians to do, in obfcure caves of the earth, and in the clefts and holes of crag- ged rocks, or on the tops of mountains ; and fo the loftinefs of all forts of men was bowed down, and their haugbtinefs made low, as was prophefied of thofe whofe idols JJjould be aboli/hed in the days of the Meffiah's kingdom: (Ifa. ii. 17, — 21.) And this may be confidered as a ftrong and lively prengu- ration of the {till more dreadful confufion and difmay that will feize all gracelefs finners, of every character, at the day of the final judgment and difTolution of all things. 16 And, amidft all this terror and anguifh, they, like the Ifraelites, when God punifhed them for their idolatry, (Hof. x. 8.) wifhed, and called in vain for mountains and rocks to tumble down upon their heads, and overwhelm and crufh them to death, if by this means they might poflibly be fheltered and hid from the prefence of the incenfed God, who, as fovereign of the univerfe, was reprefented as fitting upon the throne ; and from the righteous vengeance of the Lord Jefus, for the furious oppofition they had made to him and his caufe, and for the cruelties they had exercifed upon his members, whofe juft refentments, though a lamb for meeknefs, were now kindled againft them, and whom they provoked to a£t the part of the lion of the tribe o/Judah, (chap. v. 5.) by tearing them in pieces, when there was none to deliver them, (Pf. 1. 22.) 17 For they found, by woful experience, that the fignal threatened day of Chrift's terrible -jultice was then come in its fevcreft executions ; and therefore, under a fenfe of guilt, they cried out with bitter a- gony, horror, and defpair, who of us all (hall be able to efcape, refift, or bear the fiery indignation, that now comes forth to devour us I RECOL- Chap. vii. The Revelation par aphrajed. 241 RECOLLECTIONS. How glorious are the triumphs of the gofpel, when Chrift ride? forth upon it, with all-conquering ftrength, to fubdue his enemies, and make a willing people to himfelf ! And yet how many are the trials of faith and patience, that he furffers his followers to undergo, even unto death, for their fidelity to him ! But they need not be difmayed or difcouraged at them ; for in a little time the cry of their blood ihall be heard, and God will avenge himfelf on their per'fecuting enemies.— In. what a dangerous (late are the oppolers of Chrift and his gofpel ! They are liable to be cut off" from the earth by terrible judgments, fuch as war, famine, peftilence, and every kind of violent death. And ah ! the conlternation, horror, and difmay, that will pierce their guilty fouls, when the whole frame of this world ihall be dii- folved, and the great day of wrath (hill come ! Then all ranks and orders among them, from the greateft monarch to the meaneft peafant, and the moft bold and daring of them all, (hall tremble before the great God, and the provoked Lamb ; and they would rather have rocks and mountains fall on them to crufh them to death, and, if poflible into an annihilation, than feel the terrors of divine ven- geance, which they can neither efcape, nor bear. But G the unfpeakable happi- nefs of the faints after all their troubles, which fhall foun have an end ! Though men may kill their bodies, they cannot kill their fouls ; but they fhall go to God, and find acceptance with him through the blood of Jefus, and ihall be clothed with illuftrious robes of fpotlefs purity, and immortal honour and delight: And when the number of holy martyrs and fufferers for Chrift fhall be completed, and their teftimony to him be finished, they (hall join the glorious multitude that are alrea- dy in heaven, and be ever with the Lord. C H A. P. VII. A paufe between the two firjl grand periods, reprefents a Jhort re- /pile from perfecution, for the comfort of the faints, from about the year 323 to 337, I, — 3. And .heir peace, happinefs, and fafe- ly, as fignified by an angel' 's J 'eating 144,000,4, — 8. A chorus cf the whole church, with which the holy angels join in a fong of praife on this joyful occafion, 9, — 12. And one of the elders in- forms the apoflle of the unfpeahable bleffcdnefs and glory of thofe that fuffered martyrdom for Chri/I, 13, — 17. A^ND after thefe A ND after the view I was favoured with of the four 1 anil's \lll thin S s ^covered by the opening of the fifljx in" on the four feals, relating to the deflruction of the Heathen idola- corners of the trous Roman power, I had another vifion, in which I earth, holding the beheld four angels, or meflengers, that were to be the four winds ot the i n ft rurr ,ents of Providence for executing judgments in wind* fhould not ^ ue ^ ea ^ on on tne Rotnan empire, after it had publicly blow on the earth, embraced Chriflianiiy : They appeared to me as (land* nor on the fe a, nor Jng at the utmoft bounds of the northern, eaftern, on any tree. weftern, and fouthern parts of the earth, and as de- taining the four winds which blow from thofe cardi- nal points, * that none of them, as yet, might rife and fpread NOTE. * It is moft commonly agreed, that and trees are varioufly interpreted with the nvinds here mentioned are emblems great uncertainty, according to different of divine judgments; but the earth, fea, conieclures of escolitors. The general Vol. 'VI. I i fcpfe T43 The Revelation paraphrafed; Chap. viL fpread malignant influence upon the inhabitants of the continent, or of the iflands in the fea, or upon the the fruits of the ground : Thereby intimating, that as the judgments of God are compared to ivinds, (Jer. xlix. 36, 37. andli. 1, 2.) and to pernicious do£rriues, (Epb. iv. 14. and fude ver. 12.) fo their being held back was an emblem to fignify, that, for the prefent, there fhould be a calm and peaceful ftate of the Church and Empire, free from commotions and disturbances, by any grofs errors on one hand, or epprefiions and de- iolating judgments on the other : Which m.iy be con- fidered as taking place, for a few years, after Chrifti- aniry was eftablifhed by Conftantine the Great, and be- came the religion of the Roman empire, which con- tinued in a peaceful Rate during his life, from about the year 323 to the year 337. z And I faw a- 2 , 3 And, to fiiew that this reflraint was to be notber angel a- Qnl f 01 - a little while, I beheld another angel, or di- icending from the . J ~ _ r . , . . b 7 _ eaft having the vme meilenger, 01 iupenor authority, coming up irom y'eal of the living the eailem quarter with an emblem of the higheil ho- God : and he cried nour, and power, figniiied by his. having the feal of with a loud voice the onl 1- and tru£ God . * and fc cr ; ed w J th to the four angels, r • 1 • n r j rr to whom it was Sovereign authority, great earncltnels, and companion given to hurt the for his people, and with a thong voice, loud enough earth and the fea, to be heard at the moil diilant parts of the earth by 3 Saying, Hurt t | ie ther four angels, that had received a commiffioa not the eanh, nei- L *j '*"/"« j> V* j j thcr the fea nor ° execute judgment in God's time and way, accoid- the iug t0 his will, upon all ranks and degrees of people ; faying NOTES. fenfe is more eafily apprehended, while rnents, till he had done this important they are confidered as things that are ex- work in favour of his church. Now, to pofed to injuries by tempeftuous winds ; whom can all this be fo properly applied, a:d I know not, whether any thing more as to Chrift himlelf ? He is the head and particular be certainly intended ; but, if Lord of all the angels, and is in his office- it be, what is fuggefted in the para- capacity fealed by God the Faiher ; phrafe bid* as ftir for it, in my thoughts, (John vi. 27.) and he only, together as any other conjecture. with the Father and Spirit, knows bis * This other anvel teems to have been foeep, or thofe that are his; (John x. .'- 7/? himfelf, who is fpokenof as zmigh- 14. and 2 Tim. ii. 19.) and fo he only, ty angel, (chap, x.* 1.) and the angel of exclufive of all creatures, had a certain Co(Vs frefenccy (Ifa. Ixiii. 9.) and is knowledge of them, and fufficient pow- cali'-d, by way of eminence, hit angel er and authority to feal them with his that hears his name, and the angel or Holy Spirit, whereby he marks, diftin- mefenger of the covenant : (EwkL xxiii. guifhes. and fecures them unto the day arq, — 2> and Mulac. iii. i.) and who of redemption. (Eph. iv. 30) And as rofe as the Sun of Right eou fiefs, and the in fealing thofe that belong to him, he t'.ax- firing from on high, (Malac. iv. 2. a els in the character of Met.yitor, and and Luke i. 7S.) and came from yudea. makes ufe of gofpel minifters, in that the caftern part of the Roman empire, work, he is fitly represented -as an angel, He appeared with an eminent enfign of and they may be fuppofed to be included, honour, as having the feal of the living in a fubiervient way of operation, with <~?od upon >, imfclt, with power to feal his himfelf, when he laid. Hurt not the fervattts; ajid fpoke with the authority earth. &o till ice have fealed the fer- ofaGod in commanding the other four vants of our God in their forebcuds. ewgels to refrain, from executions of judg- (ver. 3.) Chap. vii. The Revelation paraphrafecl 241 the trees, till we faying to them, Stay your hands for a feafon, and exe- have fealed the cute no judgments on any part of the Empire, till we, Servants of our ^dio are authorifed, in our difFerenUorder, to take care feeds'" the,r ' " ofthe faintS an(l fervants of our covenant- God, have put a fcal upon them for diftinguiming, pveferving, and appiopriating them, as a peculiar people to him, and for making them as evidently known to be fo, as if they were vifibly marked on their foreheads, in token of his owning and fparing them, as the fprinkling of the blood of the paichal lamb on the door polls of the children of Ifraei t and the mark ordered to be let on the foreheads of thofe that cried and «ghed lor the abominations in the midil of Jerufa/em, were the to- kens, by which they were to be laved from the judg- ments that were to fall upon others. (Exod. xii. 12, 13, 23. and E%ek. ix. 4, — 6.) By this was intima- ted that the terrible defolations and peftilential here- fies, which were to be denounced by the [even trum- pets under the feventh fen/, as to be executed upon the Romilh antichriftian empire, mould be deferred for a while, tiLl in that interim many converts frruukl be brought to ferve the Lord in fpirit and truth, aid to make a iree and open profeflion of his name, and fhould be taken into his fpecial favour and protection. And I heard 4 And hereupon, methought, I heard a declaration the number of ofthe number, that were thus di fr ° m which ° Ur L ° rd in **« *^™ "^^ Reuben iwrtfeal Sprang, and which therefore has the honour of being ed" twelve thou- firit referred to. In like manner twelve thoufand ia.nd. Ofthe tribe were f ca lcd, as if reckoned to the tribe of Reuben, °i I i 2 7*C6fa 244 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. vii. of Gar! were feat- Jacob's eldeft fon, though by his iniquity he loft the fand tWelVC th ° U " honour and P rivile ge of the firfVborn, which were 6 Or" the tribe of transferred to Judah. Twelve thoufand more were Afer were fealed fealed, as if reckoned to the tribe of Gad. Twelve twelve thoufand. thoufand more were fealed, as if reckoned to the Ne i!u' tribe ° f tribe of A fi er - Twelve thoufand more were fealed, fea\ed\wd™ethou! as ^ reckoned to the tribe of Naph'ha/i. Twelve land. Of the tribe thoufand more were fealed, as if reckoned, to the of Manaiies were tribe of Manajfch. Twelve thoufand more were feal- fealed twelve thou- ed, as if reckoned to the tribe of Simeon. Twelve 7 Of the tribe of thoufand more were feaied, as if reckoned to the Simeon were feal- tribe of Levi. Twelve thoufand more were fealed, cd twelve thou- as if reckoned to the tribe of Ijfachar. Twelve thou- iand. Or the tribe f an( J more were fealed, as if reckoned to the tribe of ed twelv fr»r *t . - L tner chief favourite fon. All thefe make up together S Ot the tribe , , . - r , r , . r . . °. of Zabulon nvere one hundred and forty four thouland ; in which ac- iealecriwelvethou- count of them, the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are lanq Ot die tribe palled by, as having been ring- leaders of idolatry* of Jpfcph were Q uef xvJii . 30, 31. 1 Kings Xii. 28,-30. and Hof. feaUd twelve thou- > J a . , D r * * A ~ , . s /. °, 11 fand. Of the tribe 1V * J 7*J a no Dear a P in e emblems of benjamin were or " the pure church of Chrift : But, in their Head, the feaitd twelve thou- reckoning refers to the tribe of Levi, though they !aild ' had no inheritance with the reft in the land oilftael ; (Numb, xviii. 24. and Joih. xiii. 33.) and to the tribe of Jofeph, the eldeft of Jacob's moil beloved fons, to whofe^two fons Jacob gave fuch a bleding as might conftitute them heads of diftinrit. tribes. {Gen xlviii. 14, — 20.) 9 After this I 9 After this vihon of the peaceful and profperous b rea e t W ' mukiiud * ftate ° f tllofe ° n earth > that were fai * thful to Chrilt > which an( ^ rnarked out as a peculiar people, * I had ano- ther N O T E. * The former vifion of the 144000 that and perfection, after they fhall have got were fealed, i apprehend to be a re pre- through their tribulations, when God fentation of the ftate of the true church will dwell among them, and wipe away on earth, for a little interval then com- all tears from their eyes, (vcr. 15, — 17.) ing on, as confiding not merely of the which, in this prophetic book is, I think, natural feed of Ifrael, the converts from defcriptive of the heavenly Jl ate : (chap, which were not & numerous at that xxi. 3, 4.) And indeed all the expref- time ; but of Jews and Gentiles toge- fions here ufed are too ftrong and magni- ihcr, though it be figuratively exprefled Scent to be applied to any ftate of the by lealing thole of the twelve tribes of church on earth; unlefs we fuppofe, with Ifrael But this following vifion, as I fome, that it relates to the Millenium. lake it, is of the church triumphant ;'// But the diftant prolpedr of the time when heaven, confuting of all true believers that Ihould be, feems not fo well fuitcd of all nations, that either had, or ever to fupport the faith and patience of fuf- fhould f offer martyrdom lor their fidelity fering faints in the approaching and fuc- ta Chrift: For it relates to their glorious ceeding ages, (which is the evident in- uod bielled Hate, in its utmoft purity tenticn of this prophecy) as a reprefen- Chap. vii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 245 which no man ther vifion of the glorious {late of the church trium- could number, of phant in heaven, to encourage and comfort me and all nations and all f incere believers, againit the oreateft violence of kindreds, and peo- ... . P. r », . & ^ .. . pie, and tongues, pe"tcut:on, that would tollow the converhon oi the ltood before the Roman empire in fucceeding ages of antichriftian ty- thione, and before ranny and idolatry : And I beheld, with admiration the Lamb, clothed and tran f porIS ct j oy a vail multitude, which, with white robes, . , j.ft. ,ii jy r> i i and palms in their though diiunctly known to Lrod, and comparatively hands; fpeaking, but a remnant and little flock ,• yet abtolute- ly, and in itielf coniidered, is lo great as to exceed the power of any creature to caft. up, and give their fum total, as they are collected together in confequence of their having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, {chap. v. 9.) out of all nations, and families, and kindreds, and people of different languages, whereioever they were fcattered through the earth. Thefe ftdod with holy boldnefs and full acceptance before the throne of glory, and before Jefus Chrift, who appeared as a Lamb that had been ilain, {chap. v. 6, 12.) to recommend them to the divine favour, by his merit and mediation ; and they were arrayed with illuitrious robes of righteoufnels, the emblems of honour and acceptance, purity, and fublime plea- fure ; and carried paim branches in their hands, the tokens of victory and triumph, joy and praile, like the hofannahs that were fung by the Jews at their feail of tabernacles. (See the paraphrafe and note on Matth. xxi. 9.) 10 And cried 10 And they lifted up their voices with zealous, jptth a loud voice, \ ud t an d chearful acclamations, faying, We afcribe all to^'God, 3 which the g loi T> not -° nl y of our J^FPy an . d complete deli- fitteth upon the verance from the feventies of periecutions, but from all throne, and unto the evil of fin and forrow on earth, and of deferved the Lamb. wrath and ruin in hell ; and we give the glory of our advancement to all the dignity and bleffednefs of hea- ven, entirely and alone to our gracious, reconciled, and covenant- God and Father, who fits with augult ma- jefty on his imperial throne, and is the original con- triver, appointcr, and giver of all falvation ; and ta the great Redeemer, who was (lain, as a lamb offered in facrifice to expiate our lins, and procure that falva- tion which is in him with eternal glory. ir And all the n, 12 And, methought, the whole ho ft of angels angels ftood round a pp eare d as Handing round about the throne, and en- circling N O ' T E. tation of their dill more glorious dignity ver. rr. : And all the innumerable com- and triumph in heaven, to which they pany of angels can Icarce be thought to (hall be admitted, immediately alter their leave their habitation m heaven, and tribulations on earth, in their feveral come down to live a thoufand yeais with ages, till the whole number of them the faints on earth; nor is any hint of fhall be completed ; when a chorus of that kind given in the delcription of the all the holy angels lhall join their fongs, Millenium glory. 246 The Revelation- paraphrafed. Chap, vii. about the throne, and about the el* ders, and the tour bealts, and fell be- fore the throne on their fices, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, A- men : Eleffin'g and glory, and wifdom, and thanKlgiving, and honour, and pow- er, and might, be unto our God, for ever and ever men. And one of circling- the reprefentatives of the whole church, and of ics miniftring fervants ; and they proftrating thern- felves with the deepefl humility, reverence, and adora- tion before the imperial throne, joined in conceit with the genera! cffcmbly and church of the fi ' -Ji-born, (Heb. xii. 22, 23.) offering up thankfgivings and praifes to God with them, faying, as they had before in ascriptions of glory to God and the Lamb, {chap, v. 11, — 13.) Amen^ We heartily concur in this joy- ful fong. May all devout and folemn acknowledg- ments and adorations of God, as infinitely bleiTed in himfelf, and the fountain of all bleffedi.efs to others; A- and may all afcriptions of honour, in confideration of his divine perfections, and wonderful works of nature, providence, grace, and glory ; and of the confummate wildom that mines forth in them all ; and may all thankfgivings for every favour of a temporal, fpiritu- al, and eternal nature ; and the higheft afcriptions, that are due from angels and men, together with the moll folemn acknowledgments of his univerfal do- minion, and almighty power, be paid to our great and glorious God to the endlefs ages of eternity ! Amen, fo it ought to be, fo we heartily defire it may be, and fo we firmly believe it (hall be. ; Ana one or 13 Then one of the forementioned elders, or re- the eiaers ankver- nrefentatives of the church, came near, as another of WhaT'^re^hete t ^ iem ^ ^ one on a f° rmer occafion, {chap, v. 5.) and which are arrayed called to me to engage my attention, and to enquire in white robes ? what my thoughts were of this illuftrious company, faying, Do you underftand the meaning of this virion? Who, think you, are thefe excellent perfons that ap- pear fo glorioufly r.pparelled with glittering fpotiefs robes ? And from what condition, and how is it that they came hither ? 14 To which I anfwered in an humble, model!:, and refpe&ful manner, and with a free confefiion of my own ignorance, you, Sir, underftand thefe things much better than I, and, as it lies in your power, I mould efteem it a great favour, if you would pleafe particularly to inform me of them. Then, to give me a clear and fatisfying account of this delightful fcene, he readily replied, This glorious mining and palm-bearing multitude, are the faithful faints and fervants of Chriit, that have bravely encountered fore trials and afHicTtions for his name's fake on earth ; (like thofe mentioned chap. vi. 9, — 11.) and fo through much tribulation have entered into the kingdom' of God ; (AcTts xiv. 22.) and the fplendid robes of perfect righteoufnefs in which they fhine, are not purified and brightened by their own fufferings, or the blood of martyrdom, any more than by their tears of and whence they ? T4 And I faid unto him, Sir, thou knowelt. And he faid to me, Thefe are they which came cut of great tribulation, and have waflied their robes, and made them white in the blood of the J.imb. W Chap. vii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 247 of repentance, or their own obedience; but merely by the atoning blood of the Lamb of God. Not as literally warned with it, which would have made them red inftead of white ; but as fhed, and applied in its merit and virtue, for the remiflion of their fins, and for their complete juftification, and fpotlefs purity, through faith in him. (See Eph. v. 25, — 27.) 15 Therefore are 15 It is on this account, as the only meritorious or thfy before the deferving caufe of it, that they are now exalted to a throne of God, and n „ f . u r i v n. • j j* •.. v ferve him day and ? ate °'. the fubhmeft P unt Y and dignity, joy ana praife, nipht in his tern- in tne immediate prefence of God as fitting upon his pie: and he that heavenly throne ; and that they inceifantly worfhip, fitteth on the adore, and glorify him, as his attendants, in his ho- *3 ,e t 1 ? ia11 dwe11 ly and blefTed habitation on high, which, though pro- among them. 3 . r , . , . p ' . A - 9 r ; perly lpeaking, there is no night or darkneis in that flate, (chap. xxii. 5.) may be called, theiry^r=y//zjs- him day and night, in allufion to the prieils and Lcvites, who continually ferved God by night, as well as by day, in the tabernacle and temple; (Pf. cxxxiv. 1.) and his glorious majefty, who fits upon the throne, will ever have the moll intimate communion with them, and gracious refidence among them, to con- fummate their felicity. 16 They fhall 16 In this honourable and blifsful flate, they, ac- huneer no more, coring to the fulleft meaning of ancient prophecy, neither thirft any , r/ . ,. ■. n „ . & ■ r 1 • more; neither (hall (.//' xlix * IO ™™ never have an ) r Panful appetites, the fun light on like thofe of unfatisfied hunger and thirft ; nor any them, nor any cravings of gi eater happinefs than they enjoy, much. lieat " lefs of earthly things, and much lefs ftill of carnal and fenfnal pleafures : Nor fnall they ever be moleiled any more with fiery trials that fcorch like the fun in its full ilrength ; nor be made uneafy, or incommoded by fin or Satan, afflictions or labours of any kind, that arc uncomfortable, tedious, and irkfome, like the heat of a fultry day. 1 7 For the Lamb 17 For, as to their not hungring nor thirling, the Wh m h f is l l the exalted Lamb of God, who, iu diftmdion from the mid ft 01 tne throne, r • :. , li.n-ir 1 11 lhall feed them, laints and angels that itand before, and round about •and ihall lead the throne, (ver. 9, 11.) fits with his heavenly Fii- them unto living ther, pofleflcd of all divine majefty and power, as God- fountains of wa- man Mediator, in his throne, (chap. iii. 21.) He (hall" vripe away wil1 perpetually fupply and latiate them with the rich- all tears from their eft entertainments ; and will conduit them to the eyes. fountain-head of ever-flowing, over-flowing, and ever- living and reviving couloir ions : And, as to tfu.ii be- ing freed f> om all uneafinefs^ the great and blefTed God will entirely tak^ avvay all caufes and appearan- ces of trouble from, them; and as a tender mother, not only fuckhs her child, bu wipes ff the mourn- ful tears that trickle down from it . jres, and doth all flie can to cheer and comfort it ; fo their God will ef- fectually 248 The Revelation paraphrafed. Ghap. vih fec"lually remove all forrovv from their hearts, and e- very token of it ; all former grievances being pafled away. {Chap. xxi. 4.) RECOLLECTIONS. With what kindnefs, care, and tendemefs doth God indulge his people, by gi- ving them fea'on ihle refpites from the troubles of this evil world ! Yea/fo great is his favour toward 'hem, that for their fakes, he mercifully averts public judg- ments from thofe nations of the earth, that permit them to live in peace and fafety; and when, through the corruption of mankind, perfecutions and errors threaten the church of Chrift. he will take effecTual care of his fealed ones, and have a vaft many thoufands of them here below to own, honour, and ferve him. How mould it animate their faith, patience, and courage, under all their tribulations for Chrift, to think of the glorious, finaj, and eternal iflue of them all ! God, in the riches of his grace, will abundantly more than compenfate their fevereft hardfhips for his fake Innumerable multitudes of them from among all nations fhall fhine in the brighter! robes of purity, rijhteoufnefs, and glory, as made white by the blood of the Lamb; and they (hall triumph, as with palms of viclory, joy, and praife in their hands; and fliall worfliip God with unwearied and uninterrupted pleafure in his heavenly temple above. God himfelf, as fitting; on his throne of glory, will dwell, in the mod immediate and delightful manner among them, to banifti all uneafinefs far from them ; and he. as the original fountain, and Jefus Chrift as the purchafer. and immediate beftower of all poflible bleflednefs, will re- fresh and completely fatisty them with the moft refined and transporting, fubltan- tial, and noble enjoyments, ever frefh and flowing to the utmoft of their enlarged capacities and defires. And O, with what chearful acclamations in heaven will they difclaim all merit of their own, and afcribe the entire glory of their talvation to the free and diftinguifhins; grace of God, through the atoning facrifice of his Son ! And with what harmonious concert will all the holy angels join in celebrat- ing the praifes of God's perfections, and of his works of nature, providence, and grace ! To whom, together with the Lamb, be afcribed all glory for ever and e- ver, Amen. CHAP. Chap. viii. The Revelation par aphrafcd. 249 CHAP. VIII. The feventh feal is opened, and filence follows in heaven for a little fpace ; and J even angels appear with feven trumpets, ready to pro- claim the purpofe of God relating to the Roman empire, the church and the wo- Id. after the Qhrifiian faith haa been publicly embraced, and began to be corrupted ; I, 2, But, bt-fore they execute their office, another angel appea/s at the golden altar 10 offer incenfe with the prayers of all faints, and then caffs fire on the earth, which produces terrible forms of vengeance; 3,-- 5. Hereupon the feven angels prepare to found their trumpets in their order a. fig- tials of the judgments of God that were to be gradually executed oft - the Empire, 6. The firfl angel blows his trumpet, which is follow- ed with a form of hail, fire, and blood ;Jignifying the gre-ai detrac- tion that jhou Id fall on the Cktifiian empire cfer Conftantine's death, till the reign of Theodcfius,/ 'om about the year 337 to 379, 7. The fecond trumpet is followed with a burning mountain caffl into the fea ; fignifying the invafion of Italy by the northern na- tions, till Rome was jacked by Alaric about the year 412, 8, 9. The third trumpet is followed with the falling of a fiery far call- ed Wormwood, on the rivers ; jignfying the devafiations in Italy, that put an end -to the Roman empire, and fet up the kingdom of the Goths about the yea* 493, 10,11. The fourth trumpet is fol- lowed with a darkning of the third part of the fun, moon, andfiars, fig n ifyi- r 'g further wars in Italy, that ended in a total fubverfion of the power of Rome, and the fetling up of ihe Exarchate of Ra- venna about the year 568, 12. And another angel denounces fill greater woes to come .upon the earth under the three following trumpets, 13. PERIOD II. Text. Paraphrase. A ND when ^ e l\ ND now, to go on with mv prophetic vifion oi had opened the £\ h righteous judgments 'of God, that would feventh leal, there . g •» p . > was filence in hea- * a " on tne Horn an empire alter it became Chniuan, ven about the but degenerated into perfecuting and erroneous prin- fpace of half an ciples and practices ; when the Lord Jcfus, the Lamb of God, who had opened the fix former feals, [chap, vi.) took oft the feventh and laft, to dlfclofe the con- tent's of that part of the roll, I perceived that, as in the temple-worfhip, the people were filently employ- ed in fecret prayer at the time of incenie, {Luke i. 10.) there was a profound filence in heaven 'or a lit- * tie while, in humble expectation of what was next to be revealed after the fhort interval of the church's peace and profperity. {Chap. vii. 3.) 1 And I faw the 2 And I faw the feven angels hereafter mentioned', feven angels which fy er ^ 5.) wno ftood before God to receive and cxe- 00 cute his commands : And there was an appearance of Vol. VI. K k /even 2$o The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, viiL flood before God : /even trumpets that were given to them, each of them and to them were having one, to proclaim the judgments, which were given feven trum tQ be executed m f even f U ccefiive feafons, till they all mould be completed. 3 And another 3 And I beheld another angel, fuperior to at! angel came and thefe, even the Meffenger of the covenant, the fame flood at the altar, head and Lor(J f u h K hoft h appeared having a golden • 1 r • 6 j 7 r K 7 cenfer- and there before with a iovereign command over them: {chap. was given unto vii. 2.) * And as the high prieft on the great day of him much incenie, atonement carried a more than ordinary quantity of ft?*'" *$£*'£ , ' nccnfc in a golden cenfer ' andburnt k In the hol y leavers of all faints °f holies before the Lord ; fo this glorious angel of upon the golden GWV pre fence, who in his incarnate perfon is the altar which was gofpel high prieft, was reprefented as ftanding in a before the throne, fluniftring pofture before the altar of burnt-offering, to fignify the atonement he had made by his blood ; and then as having a golden cenfer, filled with live coals from the altar, to fignify that his mediation is carried on in virtue of his expiatory facrifice : And much incenfe was given him, to fignify the fulnefs of his merit in the difcharge of his prieftly office, to which he was called, and for which he was anointed by God the Father, (*v* S«j-jj tu.l<; irgo0*tijpu$) to the end that he might give or add it to the humble, importunate, and believing prayers, of all that are deahfed by his blood, and fanetified by his Spirit, to render them acceptable to God, in his interceflion be- fore the mercy-feat, or throne of grace ; as the fweet perfume of incenfe which was offered en the golden al- tar was a typical appointment for adding fragrancy to the prayers of Ifrael, his peculiar people. 4 And the fmoke 4 And as the perfuming fmoke of incenfe, which or the incenie. was ma( j e f t } ie fineft aromatic fpices, afcended up the nra rers o r the ^ e a cloud to heaven with the prayers of the congre- faints, ascended up gation of Ifraef, that were offered at the fame time ; before God, out fo a reprefentation was made of the virtue of Chrift's of the angel's facrifice, which mingled like a fweet odour, with the prayers of holy worihippers ; and, like the incenfe * that paffed through the hands of the high prieft, was prefented NOTE. * I think what is faid of this angel Lord within the veil on that day: (Z aRc j wcre no longer under reftraint, as the four SSTS&A **&*** before, (chap vji. S .) lieemed to put f oun( i. themielves into a proper poiture tor blowing each one his trumpet in its courfe. 7 The firft an- Trumpet 1. 3 7 Then thef>f angel founded his gel founded, and trumpet ; and thereupon 1 had a vifion of a dreadful there followed hail tempe ft G f \^{[ an ^ licrhtninsr, attended with a fhow- and lire mingled * , . , .., r 1 1 r r rxr with blood, and frot blood, like one of the plagues of Egypt ; (Ex. the-y wcre caft up- ix. 24, 25.) which fignifted, in the ftyle of prophecy, en the earth: and great devaluation upon the wicked of the earth ; (P/^ the third part of x ^ 5. and xviii. 1 3. If xxviii. 2. and xxix. 6. and up.^ancTaU grew xxx ' 3°0 and io mighty was the defolation, that it grafs was burnt cut orr tne great men and common people, as em- up. blematically reprefented by the blait, that iuch (forms ordinarily bring upon the trees and green grafs of the held ; which may be considered as a figurative K k 2 defcription NOTE. * Voices, thundering!, lightnings, ways of righteous judgment, and parti- av^l earthquake!, attended with fire, are cularly in this prophetic book, chaff, >:v:, emblems in Scripture language ot dread- iS. and XX. tj. fol calamities, which God inflicts in 212 8 And the fe- cond angel fourd- ed, and a<* it were s great mountain burning with fire was cafl into 'he fea ; and the third part of the fea be- came blood ; 9 And the third part of the crei- tures which were in the fea, and had life, died ; and the third part of the fhips were deftroyed. to And the third angel founded, and there fell a great ftar from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of The Revelation paraphrafid. Chap, viii, defcription of the woful calamities, that were to be brought upon the Empire between the years 337 and 379, by means of the wars of Conjlantine, Con/lance, and C'jnjlantiusy the three fons of Conjiantine the Great, which commenced foon after his deceafe ; and iflued in the deftructton of his family, and in the ter- rible ravages, that were made on all ranks and degrees of people, together with the fruits of the ground, and vaft effuiions of blood, by the northern barba- rous nations that broke in upon the Empire ; * which might be ftyled the third part of the earth, according to the reckoning of the ancients, who, till America was difcovered, fpoke of the earth as divided into three parts, of which Europe was one. Trumpet II. J 8, 9 Then the fecond angel blew his trumpet ; and thereupon, methought, I faw an awful appearance, as though a huge mountain, all on fire, was thrown into the fea ; by means of which the waters of the third part of the fea were turned into blood, as the great river Nile formerly was in one of the plagues of E<*ypt. (Exod. vii. 17, 18.) And this was fo grievous a calamity, that the third part of the fifh.es, which fwam in the fea, were killed ; and the third part of men, in their (hips of war and vef- fels of merchandize, were destroyed ; -j- which was a figurative prediction of further judgments that mould make difmal havock upon R>me and 1 aly f and other parts of the weftern empire, to the deftru£tion of a- bundance of their inhabitants, ftrength, and riches ; and may be confidered as fulfilled, by repeated irrup- tions of the Vandal* and other barbarous nations in- to France and Spain, &c. and by Aaricus's plun- dering Rome, and laying watle the country round a- bout it, between the years 379 and 412. Trumpet III.] 10, 11 Then the third angel blew his trumpet j and thereupon methought, I beheld a great blazing ftar falling down, like a fiery meteor, from heaven to the earth, and it lighted upon the third part of the rivers and fpings or fountains of waters : And fo exceeding bitter were the fruits of this, r e s. tio/rs, Jer. li. 45, — 30 and Pf. xlvi. 2.: The fea, as a collection of waters, is an emblem of large collections of people in- to one body politic. Rev xvii. 15. And deadf./bes of the waters are emblems of the detrnilion of nations, Ezek- xxix. 3, — 12. And fo thefe are proper figures, to reprefent Rome, and the country round about, as tumbling into confufian and ruin. N O * The hiftories of the times that cor- rcfpond to this and the following prophe- cies, may be confulted in Mclirs. Mede, Vitringa, Whiflon and Lowman. the ll v ot which 1 have mo'.tly fallen in with, and to which the reader is there referred for the*> and feveral other facts under this and the fucceeding trumpets. f In the ftyle of prophecy, mountains :'ie emblems of citie s, and ca fling them into the fea of the moft terrible de/bla- bitter. Chap. viii. The Revelation paraphrased. 253 of the rivers, and this, that from thence it may be figuratively called upon the fountains Wormwood ; and by the falling down of this flaming of waters: fl_ arj j^efe wa t e rs were infected with fuch a poifouous name of the ltar quality, as killed multitudes of people that drank of is called Worm- them, becaule they were moft gncvoufly bitter : wood: and the Thereby fignifying (till greater devailations, that ^ part of the ft^y ^ut off feveval of the Roman provinces, and, in wormwood ^"and a manner > deftroy the government itfelf, the feat of many men died of the Empire, and the fountain of all authority in it ; the waters, becauie which may be confidered as emblematical of the follow- they were made j n ~ j nva f lon3 G f the Goths and Vanaa.s, and other barbarous nations between the years 412 and 493, chiefly under the command of Genferic, who came into Italy, and lacked and plundered Home about the year 455 ; and under the command of Odoacer king of the Hcruli, who again invaded Italy about the year 476, and marched to Rome, which he alfo took and plundered, carrying away a great deal of its trea- fure and a multitude of people ; and returning after- wards, retook Rome, conquered all Itaiv, and, afluming the title of v king to himfelf, dethroned Augujiulus the Chriflian emperor ; which was figuratively repre- sented according to prophetic ftyle, by the falling of a far, (Ifa. xiv. 12, — 15. and Dan. viii. 10,) and by drying up fountains and rivers of water ; (Ifa. xix. 4, — 8. and Hof. xiii. 15, 16.) and which was like that plague of Egypt, whereby the rivers, ponds, and pools itank, and all their waters were turned into blood. (Exod. vii. 20, 21.) 12 And the Trumpet IV 7 .] 12 Then the fourth angel blew fourth angel found- his trumpet ; and thereupon, methought, I faw a thick ed, and che third darknefs covering the face of the heavens to fuch a was fmitten and degree, that the fun which (hone on this third part the third part of of the earth, gave no light by day, nor the moon the moon, and the nor ftars by night ; infomuch that all was gloomy and third part of the difmal, entirely dark unto a total eclipfe, which over- third'uart of them Shadowed this third part cf the earth, both day and was darkened, and night ; which might fignify the utter destruction of the day fhone not the imperial city, and of all its authority, both fu- for a third part p reme an( j fubordinate, as lodged in the hands of iVe wT> 6 n ^ princes, nobles, and inferior magistrates under its for- mer constitution, according to prophetic reprefenta T tions of the dreadful downfal of kingdoms and na- tions, by the darknmg of the fun, moon, and far s f (Ifa. xiii. 9, — 11. and Ezek. xxxii. 7, 8.) * and this may NOTE. * Mr. Loivman, in his hiflory of the head of the Goths in Il/yricum, attacks third and fourth trumpets, obferves, that Odoacer's new founded kingdom in /- foon after Odoacer had taken to himfelf taly, engages Odoacer, overcomes him, the title oi king of Italy, (fome make it and puts him to death ; and fo founded about two years) " Tkeodorick, at the the Gothic kingdom of Italy, which con- tinued 254 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. viiL may be confidered as fulfilled between the years 493 and 568, by means of the wars in Italy, between the Goths and the forces of Jitfiiruan the emperor of the eaft, which lailed about twenty years ; and in the eourfe of which Rome was befieged and taken five times ; and all the country fuffercd the greateft calami- ties ol war, attended with the peftilence and famine, till, at length, Rome was entirely fuhdued, and de- prived of all remains of authority, and fubje&ed to the Exarchate, which was fet up at Ravenna about the year 568. 13 And I he- 13 And while I was waiting to hear the fifth an- fceld, and heard ge i f oun( j his trumpet, I faw in my vifion and heard, througiwhe midl no } one of the f even but anoth e r angel, who flew of heaven, faying with the utmoft fpeed through the midft of heaven, with a loud voice, and cried aloud with a terrible voice, that all might Wo, wo, wo, to hear, and the church might take warning, and pre- the mhahuers of r 11 r • rn. i_ ^l • j . the earth, by rea- P ar . e for a11 events > ™Y W 8> Though the judgments fon of the other which have been foretold, under the four trumpets voices of the trum- already founded, as to come upon the Roman empire, per of the three an( j particularly on its wefiern part, for its degene- angels which are V '^ u nu -a.' * to found racy imce it became Lnnitian, are very great ; yet much more tremendous and extenfive calamities ftill are appointed of God to be inflicted, particularly on the fubje&s of its eafiern part, by means of the fe- verer punifhments that are to be denounced againft them, for their grofs corruptions in doctrine, wor- fhip, and manners, by the three other trumpets whick the remaining three angels are to found in their or- der, as fignals of them ; and fo he ufhered them in with three woes, diftinctly repeated, that would fall m their order upon the eafiern as well as the wefiern empire ; the two firfi by the ravages of the Saracens under the fifth zndfixth trumpets; and the third 'up- on all antichriftian nations, eafiern and wefiern, un- der the feventh. RECOLLECTIONS. How fhort are the intervals of profpe-rity and peace to the church of Chrift in perfecuting ages \ But while they are engaged in humble and folemn addreffes at the NOTE. tinued many years under his fucceffors, was eftablifhed by the emperor Juftin till it was fubdued by Narfes, for the II. Longinus is fent into Italy* He ap- t-mperor Jujlinian, A. D. 553. However points a new form of government : The under the Gothic kingdom Home, though feat of government was from that time it loft the fupreme authority of the Em- fixed at. Ravenna, and every city of Italy pire, was permitted to retain fome ap- entirely fubjected to the Exarch, both in pearawe of its ancient form of govern- things civil and military. — Thus Rome ment and magiftracy. Theodorick made loft all her dignity and authority, her fe- Ravetina the feat of his kingdom; yet nate and confuls; and was put upon a Rome retained it fenate and confuls, and level with all the leffer citie^ and towns the image of its former government. — A of Italy, and became only a (mall dutchy little after the Exatchate of Ravenna of the Exarchate ," &c. Chap. ix. The Revelation paraphrafied. 255 the throne of grace, and commit themfelves and all their concerns by faith to ►he wife, holy, and tovereign difpofals of divine Providence, Jefus their great H:gh- prieft, altar, and facrifice, as well as the Angel of the covenant, prefents their prayers in his interceffion, and pei fumes them with the odours of his atoning death, which is like the fweeteft of all incenfe to take away the offenfivenefs of their im- perfections that they may be gracioufly accepted, heard, and anfweied O happy provifion for all the faints in the worft of times ! They are taken under divine care and protection, while all the terrors of God's righteous vengeance are coming up- on the wicked of this world, and the degenerate profeffors of Chrift's name. What images of horror can be ftrong enough to paint out their bitter diftrefs ! We may read fomething of it in the ftriking emblems of tempeftuous winds, thunders, light- nings, and earthquakes, dreadful florins of hail, fire, and blood, burning mountains, falling ftars, and the moft difmal darknefs, that throw all nature into oonvultions, and fpread confternation and miferies, death and ruin, among all ranks and orders of men upon earth, efpecially among thofe that wear, but difhonour and abule, the Chriftian name by their abominations. And yet how long luffenng and flow to anger is the gracious God ! What previous repeated warnings and notices before- hand doth he give, by his word and providence, to lead men to repentance, when he is about to come out of his place to pumfh the inhabitants of fhe earth ! And hour gradually doth he proceed in executing firft lelTer, and then greater judgments up- on them, proportionate to the increafe of their iniquity, and obftinaoy in it, till all former methods having failed of reclaiming them, he makes an utter end of them ! But O the comfort and encouragement of true believers ! The bleffed God takes their part againft all his and their enemies; there fhall foon be an end of all their troubles, though the wicked fall into mifchief, never to rife more. The righteous /hall rejoice nvhen he fees, but fhall not feel the 'vengeance ; fo that a man fhall fay. Verily there is a reward for the righteous ; eerily he is a God that judges m the earth. (Pf. lviii. \c, n.) CHAP. IX. 'The fifth trumpet is followed with a reprefentation of another fiar as falling from heaven, and opening the bottomlefs pit, out of which /warms of locufis come to torment men upon earth ; fignifying the rife of Mahomet, and the fpreading of his impofiure, and of the Saracen dominion under him and his fucceffors in the eaftern as well as wefiern empire, between the year 568 and 67 5, 1, — 1 2. The fix! b trumpet is followed with a reprefentation of the loafing if four angels that were bound in the great river Euphrates ; fig- nifying God's taking off the reflraint that had been laid for fome years upon the Saracens, and now permitting them to invade the Empire again, and make further progrefs in their conquefls, between the year 675 and 750, 13, — 21. Text. Paraphrase. A ND the fifth Trumpet V. being the"} A FTER the folemn andTL"; M strumpet. f ^ warning given fall from heaven («**A- vm - '3-) °f the three Mowing ™oes, The unto, the earth : fifth angel blew his trumpet; and thereupon, me- and to him was thought, I faw the appearance of a large liar, repre- sser, the key of f ent j ng a per fon that had fallen, (tt^^kctu) like a the bottomlefs pit. hm- J f c \ j »u *u 1 peftileiitial meteor, from heaven down upon the earth: And perniiflion was granted him for exerting detlruc- tive power, figniried by the emblem of a key, with which he might open the gate of hell to let out the unclean 256 5T& Revelation par apbrafed. Chap, is. unclean fpirits that had been fhut up there, as in a bottomlefs depth of horror and darknefs ; (chap. xx. 1, — 3.) * which may be confidered as a figurative prediction of the rife of Mahomet, and of the irruption of the Saracens under him and his fucceffors into the eaficrn, as well as weftern empire of the Romans, to propagate his impoftures, who revolted from Chriili- anity, and fet up a dominion among them by the af- fi {lance of infernal fpirits, as might bell anfwer their wicked temper and defign. 1 And he open- 2 And this impoftor, as I faw in my vifion, made 'it ^nd^tW ^ ufe ° f h ' S P° WCr t0 °P Cn tllC mOUth ° f the infernal a ' rofe », fsake out byfs ; and immediately thereupon a thick and dark of the pit, as the fmoke burft out of the pit of hell, like the fmoke fmoke of a threat that afcends from a large burning kiln or ftove, and furnace; and the Xike that which rofe from the conflagration of Sodom were darkened, by an . J Gomorrah: (Gen. xix. 28.) And fo thick was reafon of the fmoke this hideous fmoke of the pit, that the face of the of the pit. fun, and the whole region of the air were covered with horrid darknefs ; which may be confidered as an em- blem of the grofs errors that would be fpread by Ma- homet and his followers, to darken the eyes of men's underftandings, and hide the light of truth from them, and to deftroy all that was dear and valuable to them, in great fury, as the judgments of God are expreffed by like figures. (Pf. xviii. 8. and If a. xiv. 31.) 3 And there 3 And, to fet forth the pernicious nature of thia came out ol the D l ac k fmoke, methought, I faw the appearance of a mo e ocu s up^ f orm J(J aD l e fwarm of locufts iffuing out from thence, on the earth ; and _ . » » unto them was pi- after the manner 01 natural locults, that commonly ven power, as the lay their eggs and breed in deep pits, out of which fcorpions of the they rife and cover the face of the earth, as they did earth have power. £ Qne of the plagueg of Egypt . ^ Q± x ^ ^ 12, — 15.) And they, by divine permifiion, were ex- ceeding N O T E. w * Some make this ftar that fell from to the following defcription of the /o- heaien to pomt at Pope Boniface the cujls, to underftand it of Mahotne t, who third, who was the firft that affumed the likewife began his pretences to infpira- titie of univerful bi/ljop in the year 606 tion about the year 606, and under bv the grant of the tyran> Phocus ; and whom, and his fucceffors, the Saracens they accordingly explain the locnjls to made great conquefts in Europe, AJia, mean the Romi/h clergy, and particular- and Africa, ■ which commenced many ly the Jefuits. But this order of men years after the Exarchate had been fet in the apoftate church, was not founded up at Ravenna, and a few ye-ars before till leveral hundreds of years after the Mahomet died, which, according to time that this trumpet feems to relate Dean Prideaux, (fee his life of Mahomet, to; nor does it apree to the nature of pag. 70, — 76 edit. 7) was in the year this i.roi hecy, which (as I take it) prin- 632 ; and the conquefts he made were cipally relptcls the eaflern empire : nc carried on with great rapidity and extent to the get er;tl nature of the trumpets, under his fucceffors, to about the year which found mifery and de/trvflion. not 6^1, foon after which a ftop was put to fo much to the true church of Chrift. as them by the death of Otbman % about to the Empire. I t'. eiefore chufe, with 655, for about 50 years, many others, and think it melt agreeable Chap. ix. The Revelation paraphrafed. 257 ceeding malignant and mifchievous, like the moil ve- nomous land fcorpionsy that have both ability and in- clination to wound and torment men upon the earth ; which may be confidered as an emblem of vail multi- tudes of Saracens or Arabians^ that would break in- to the Empire, and efpecially the eaftern pare of it, to make fpeedy and dreadful havock upon it, accord- ing to prophetic defcriptions of the deitruclion of na- tions by prodigious numbers of grafs-hoppers and fo- cujls : (Judg. vi. 5. and Ifa. xxxiii. 4.) 4 And it was 4 And as thefe were not locufts in a literal, but on- commanded then ly { n a metaphorical fenfe, to fignify their multitude that they fhould and ihc f w ffi„ e r s f the j r m Vht for doing ir.ifchicf ; not hurt the grafs , 1,1 r 1 i_ r*. j *j of the earth, nei- DUt c° u 'd proceed no farther than God wcuid per- ther any ^reen mit them, he effectually charged and over-ruled them, thing, neither any by h{ s providence, not to injure the grafs-of the earth, tree ; but only nor green herb, nor any fruit-tree, which natural thole men which . n J 9 ,, , ' . ., • have not the feal locufts ufually love to prey upon ; nor to vent their of God in their poifonous and deftructive influence upon any but thofe foreheads. men, whom he had not ordered to be fealed, as though marked on their foreheads, as he had his own peculiar people, on another occafion before; [chap. vii. 3.) which may be confidered as a figurative prediction of the fpecial care that God would take to preferve his faithful fervants, with their minifters or ethers, who have the truth of grace in them, to preferve them from the mifchievous errors, and cruel violence of thofe wicked enemies to Chriilian religion, that the true church might not be dcirroyed by their ravages, nor corrupted by their new impoitures ; while he (offered them to infect only the idolatrous church of Rome, and to prey upon them. 5 And to them 5 And as a further limitation of their power, even it was given that w j t h r efpe£l: to carnal and apoftate Chriftians them- they fhould not f j th were ordercJ f or the pre f ent not to per- kill them, but that f- -y * r * , * . they fhould be fecule them unto death, nor to murder luch multi- tormented five tudes of them, as they afterward would under the months : and their Jl xt fj trumpet; but to harafs, ravage, and diilrefs them torment nvat as for a feaf( J n vtet\ may be figuratively called five the torment or a , ,. r ■, J . °, c . jLi 1 a r fcorpion when he fnont " s , m allufion to the time ot natural locuits u- ftnketh a man* ving in the fummer feafon * : And thefe favage crea- tures NOTE. * The natural locujls are faid to live and then reckoning each day for a year, only the five fummer months iijclufive of the amount of which is 1 50 years; which May and September; and the way of the fome fttppbf/e to be defcriptive of the Saracens wars upon the Empire was by /pace of time from the beginning to th • incurfions only in the fummer feafons, to end of thefe incurfions of rhe Saracens which their tormenting five months into the Empire : And as this interpre- feems more naturally to refer, than to tation has fomething plaufible in it, ac- the years of the continuance of their cording to the common fcheme ot the power, by cafting the months into days, trumpet prophecies, I would refer ;he at the rate of thirty days to a month; reader to what Me firs. Jurieu, Dauo'./,, Vol. VI. L 1 <&*. 25 S The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. ix. tures went to the extent of their commiffion by afflict- ing them in as grievous and painful a manner, as though it were by the wound of a fcorpion, when he ftrikes a man with his fting ; which may be confider- ed as a figurative prediction, that thefe Saracen-Spoil- ers mould be permitted to fpread fore calamities all around them, though retrained from fuch terrible {laughter, as they wotild afterward make at their next invafion. 6 And in thofe 6 And their various ways of diftrefiing men in day ^fhaU men th f e <]| a y S we re reprefented to be fo fevere, as would leek death, and em bJ tter t ] le j r ]{ ves to fo^ a degree, that, as was pro- Inall not nncl it ; , 1 • • * -r • ^nd anil deHre phefied or Juaah, when their threatened milenes to n'te, and death mould come upon them for their idolatry, {Jer. viii. mall flee from g # ) t h ev WO uld choofe death rather than life ; and tnem * would wifli for death to put an end to their torments, rather than continue to live under them ; but their ene- mies were reftrained, at prefent, from affording them this piteous fort of relief to their groans. 7 And the (ha pes y And fo dreadful was the appearance of the forms fke'^m'to^'hor'S of thefe % urative locufts, that they feemed to be preVrTruntobat! like horfes read Y accoutred for war, (Joe/ il 4.) and tie : and on their to carry a refemblance of golden crowns on their heads were as it heads ; and their faces had the fhape and air of men : were crowns like j±]\ vv hJ c h may be confidered as an emblematical pre- sold, and their fa- ^ f h terrlble h h Saracens would ces were as the fa- , . . . , ° . . r • cesofmen. make in battle, with great tagacity, ipeed, and ftrength, according to their cuftomary way of fight- ing upon Arabian horfes, which, like locufts, were fwift of flight in purfuit of victory ; whofe riders would triumph, like crowned conquerors of feveral kingdoms, where they mould come ; and would wear turbants, like crowns, on their heads. 8 And they had g And, as a further defcription of this very peo- hair as the hair of j ^ werg re p re f en t e d in my vifion, as wearing women, and their *..,--/< £ vi r teeth were as the tneir nair in an e n erm nate manner, like women, alter teeth of lions. the Arabian fafhion, either difhevelled to a great length upon their backs, or elfe plaited and treffed up ; which may be confidered, as an emblem of their infinuating and leacherous temper : And the appear- ance of their teeth was fharp and ftrong, like thofe of lions, to fignify their rapacious fury, and the pre- valence of their nrms, as a ftrong people fet in bat- tle-array ', according to the prophetic meaning of fuch images. (Joe/ I. 6. and ii. 5.) 9 And, NOTE. Mede, and Dr. More have faid uDon ir. them to death for their profeffion of However, it is generally agreed, that.the Chriftianity ; nor did they fucceed in Sararens in their firlt expedition chiefly their fieges of Co?iftantinople and Rome plundered a??d ravaged, but did not then, ?s they did afterwards under the commonly kill thofi nftl Chrlftian na« fixth trumpet, tions, whom they conquered ; nor put Chap. ix. The Rev el ation paraphrafeiL 2:9 9 And they had g And, to fliew that their defenfive was equal to breait-plates, as it t | ie j r ff eT1 f t r 0e armament, they, in alluiion to the hard of^ron -"and ^he norn y ^ m °f ^ e natural locufts, appeared with found of their breaft-plates, to fecure their hearts from mortal wings tvas as the wounds, as hard and impenetrable as if made of iron ; found »f chariots a p ro p er emblem of their being proof againft the af- of many horfes fe j f h f . h Empire with whom they waged mnmng to battle. , . ., , . , . r t > . -J °- war; and againlt their being overcome in battle, or in- vaded, by way of reprifal, in their own land. And the ruining fpeed and multitude of their armies on Arabi- an horfes, which would give dreadful alarms to all that were near them, was reprefcnted by the loud noife that locufts make with clapping their wings when they fly in large companies, as if it were the found of a multitude of chariots and horfes, clattering and ruining into the battle, according to the defcription that is given of armies in prophetic language. (Joe/ ii. 4, 5.) to And they 10 Furthermore, they were reprefented in uncom- had tails like unto mon anc i f ur p r jfmg forms, as having long tails, like thTre^were ftirtgs t ^°^* e °^ venomous fcorpions ; and they, like them, in their tails ; and bad defperate ftings in their tails ; fignifying that they their power was would not only make dreadful havock by the power to hurt men five f trie ir arms, but would alfo infed the wicked inha- bitants of the Empire with their poifonous errors, by their falfe teachers, who, in prophetic tiyie, are called, the tail; (Ifa. ix. 15.) and fo, from firit to laft, would be very pernicious : And this power of theirs was to be continued, for a confiderable time, to its proper period, like the power of locufts, that are lively and aftive for about five fummer months, which is as long as they ordinarily live. (See the note on ver. 5.) it And they had 1 1 And there was fomething in this reprcfcntation a king over them of th dire&ly contrary to .the ufage of natural nvnich is the ancrel in 111 1 ■ 1 -» \ -n of the bottomlefs loc ^^y which have no king : (Prov. xxx. 27.) But pit, whofe name in thefe figurative locufts appeared as under the domi- the Hebrew tongue nion and government of a powerful, tyrannical, and w Abaddon, but in ma li c i ous ru l er> wno fe likenefs they bear, and whofe hath bit name^A- ^ rte ^ e ^ 8 tnev ^ erve 5 an d be is no other than prima- pollyon. r;'/)> the devil himfelf, that prince of darknefs, and of the fallen angels in hell ; or fecondarily one of his wicked meflengers, wliofe do&rine came from hell, whofe name, as alfo the name of his principal, an- fwerable to his temper, work, and defign, is the de- Jiroyer, as is fignified by the Hebrew word abaddon, and by the Greek word apollyon : Which may be confidered, as intimating that Satan would be the principal chief; and, by his inftigation and influence, Mahomet, under him, would be the grand leader of all the mifchief and ruin, with refneft to civil and re- L 1 2 ligious z6o The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. ix. ligious concerns, which the Saracens, headed by Ma- hornet, and his fuccefibrs, would bring upon the Em- pire, by the power of their arms, and the infection of their abominable errors, unto the deftruction of the bodies and fouls of men. 12 One woe is I2 Thus the fi-Ji fignally terrible wo, which was There Tome^lo denounced h Y the^/?A angel to denote the judgments wops more here- °^ God, that mould befal the degenerate Chriftian '■iter. empire, under the firft invafions of the Saracen x, is reprefented as what would be part and gone, about the year of our Lord 675, when they mould bring that war to a conclufion. But, behold with aftomfh- ment, and aflured expectation ! There will be ftill two other yet more tremendous fcenes of judgment open- ed, when the fixth and feventh angels (hall blow their refpeclive trumpets in their order; the account of which follows. 13 And the fixth Trumpet VI. being thel 13, 14 Then the Jixtb nngel, Ibunded, and fecond wo-trumpet. j angel blew his trum- from^the* ^fdut P et » anc * thereupon, methought, I heard a certain horns of the goto ^ ou< ^ voice, (jv ptxv) proceeding from the golden en altar, which is altar of incenfe, which was exhibited to my view, before God, hke that which flood before the mercy feat in the ta- 14 S ?7 mg to the bernacle, (Exod. xxx. 1,— 6.) as being four-fquare, fixth angel which j 1 • r 1 i r 1 , had the trutnoet and having lour horns, one at each corner of the al- Jvoofe the four an- tar ; which may be confidered as emblems of the in- geh wb^ch are terccffion of Chrift for his people, and of his power hounriu, the great to prote & t h em i n the four corners of the earth ; at nver Euphrates. l- - 1 ia 1 r 1 «*••'■■* whicn altar the Angel or the covenant ottered up the prayers of all faints in the immediate prefence of God, as has been reprefented : (chap, viii. 3.) And this being the voice of Chritl himfelf, he, with fove- reign authority, commanded the Jixth angel that had t\\tfecot>d wo trumpet, faying to him, Set at liberty the four deftroying angels, who have been under rc- ftraint for fome time paft, as meffengers of wrath that are bound, as it were, in chains, at the great ri- ver Euphrates * ; which may be. confidered as a figu- rative NOTE. ^ t fhould be (trongly inclined, with be the period of the fifth trumpet ; and Mr. Mede, an i his many followers, to- therefore is not eafjly reconcileable to confider the fixth trumpet, as referring the regular and connected order of thefe to the devastations made by the Ottoman predictions; unlefs upon the plan of fyn- or Turkifh empire, were it not that this cbronifms, which, though fo commonly makes too great a gap upon the clofe fe- received, have always thrown the whole rief of prophecy, which, as I take 't, is i'cheme into fuch confufion in my mind, carried on from the be^inninj to the end : as I could never get over, or tell how to For the Ottoman oftl'ptre did not rife till adjuft: And yet, I muft confefs, that Ottoman d <1 ; i. from whom it took the Jixth trumpet has long appeared in ; , and who died about the year my thoughts to be the moil difficult, of i vw( .". fix and '"even any other part of the prophecy, to be re- hundred years after what I apprehend to conciled with the orderly and well con- nected Chap. ix. The .Revelation parapbrdfed. 261 rative prediction of the order lhat would be given and fulfilled in the difpeufations of Providence, to take off the reftraint which had been laid on the Saracens for about fifty years, (fee the note on v er. i.) that they might go forth from all quarters of their land, to execute yet further judgments upon the degenerate Chriitian empire in ever) part of it toward the lour corners of the earth, as four other angels had been before ordered to hold back, or let out, the lour winds, that were deiigned for judgments, according to the will of God. (Cbap. vii. i.) 15 And the four j c Hereupon the four angels, or mctTengers of di- angels were loo- y ; ne wr3 fo were f et at liberty, and flood ready to ex- fed, which were , . . , . , A -. = , c .. ', ••„ prepared for an ecute tne judgments which God had further dehgn- hour, and a day, ed to bring upon the Romifh pretendedly Chriilian, and a month, nnd but really antichnjlian empire, according to the ex*a£r. a year, for to flay t j me f jJia appointment, whether it be to an hour, or thejfnrd part of & ^ ^ & ^^ ^ a ^ .^ ^ ^ ^^ pkafe to order it in his providence ; and, in that preciie time, to cut off a great number of the inhabitants of the Empire, under the flyle of the third part of the known world ; which may be conhdered as a figurative pre- diction of the flill more terrible defolarion that the Sa f acens would make in the Empire, between the years 675 and 750, when they would enter Spain about the year 713 or 714, and obtain a complete victory c- ver the Spaniards i foon after which they would over- run the whole country ; and afterwards invade Ft ance, till they were defeated by ChdrUi Matta/, in a terri- ble and decifive battle, which put an entire flop to their arms about the year 734. 16 And N O T E. netted feries of correfpondent events of any other that I have met with, and But I am much obliged to the learned falls in with what this learned writer Mr Lawman, whofe hiftoryof facts may goes into, a wording to the obfervation probably account for it, which is all of Mr. Daubu*, who takes the number that I can pretend to in this r.nd feveral four to denote a nnwerfality of the other inftances. I have therefore entire- matter comprifed, as the four winds fig- ly followed the track that he has drawn nif'y all the winds. Jer xlix. 36. The out before us, relating to Xhejixth trum- four corners of the earth, all parts of pet, as I have done, and fhall in great the eai th, Ifa \\ 12. and the four cor- meafure do, in other particulars, where tiers of the land, all parts o f the laijJ of I think him to be in the right, referring Judea, Ezek. vii. %■ And thefe dettroy- the reader to confult his collection of an ing angels were bound in the great liver thorities, which I now give notice of, Euphrates, according to his account, by once for all. whether hi^ name be men- the divifions and quarrels of the Saracens tioned in the feveral places, or not. And after the death of Othmun about the the realon given in my paraphrafe on fuceeffion to the Empire, which kept this verfe, why the deftroying angels or them near the rivei Euphrates, where merTengers of wrath (which I take to moft of their battles were fought, and mean the Saracens. ?.s inftruments or di- prevented rheir ufual inv-dlons and in- vine Providence, .iccording to what is curfions into the Roman empire about faid of them, iter. 16. 17.) are fpoken 50 years- of as four, fecms to me the moft likely 262 The Revelation pdraphrafed. Chap. ix. i6Andthenum- l6 And t fo mu ltitude of their horfemen, which the borfemeti row wone and worfe, till, at length, all the vials of God'- wrath (hall be poured out upon them. But O what a com- fort is it to God's own church and people, that Chrift, who appears at the golden altar on their behalf, will take care of them, that they may have a hiding-place in every day of evil . and that the miferies, which will come upon others, (hall not touch them, who have this leal, as it were on their foreheads, The Lord knows them that are his ! (2 Tim. ii. 19.) CHAP. X. An auquft introduction to the /event h trumpet, in which the An?el of the covenant ix represented as interrupting the train of prophecy, for a J ma II interval, and as prejenting a little open book, and ut- tering his voice a: a lion, which is followed with feven thunders, ■ intimating what he would further reveal under the f even vials, 1 , — 3. A voice from heaven forbids writing, atptefent, what was uttered by the J even thunders, 4. The angel folemn ly f wears that, at the expiration of the following prophecies, time fhould be no more, and that in the days of the feven th angel the myflcry of God fhould he finifhcd ; 5, — 7. A voice calls to John (who cbferves it) to eat the book, which would be fweet in his mouth, and bitter in his belly, 8, — 10. And tells him he mt/f further prophefy of the yet future fate of the church and of the world, in a fuccejjive or- der of time , 1 1. which war to be from about the year 756, (when the Pope ofWomt was fi>f invejled with temporal dominion) for 1260 years then to come, according to the general defcription that was to be given of it in the three following chapters. T:.v T . Paraphrase. A NI) l law ano - A FTER the former reprefentations which had been n ,e?" e m d ghty madc t0 me ° f the ftatC ° f thc Roman em P ire heaven, Ho- and of the church, firft before, and then after, the le- ' thed gal eftablifhment of Chriitianity, I was favoured with Chap. x» The Revelation pararhrafed. 265 thed with a cloud, a fucceeding vifion, in which I beheld another angel, and a rainbow was different from, and fuperior to thofe that In.' trunir upon his head, and pet8 gj ven t h em to found, even Chrift himfelf, (fee his race was as it r . ° . .. { , , 1 o.- u were the fun, and the note on chap. vn. 2.) who, though ading the his feet as pillars of part of a divine meffenger in human nature, is parta- fire. ker f proper deity, as the mn-hty God ; (If- 1 , ix. 6.) methought, I faw this glorious perfon defceud from heaven, and covering himfelf with an illuitrious cloud, as an emblem of his coming to make a* further revela- tion for the inftru&ion and comfort of the church ; he appeared like the great Jehovah, who makes the clouds his chariot, (Pf. civ. 3.) as our bleffed Lord ^ did in his defcent upon mount Sinai, and afceniion to heaven: (Exod. xxxiv. 5. and Acl 's i. 9.) And there was the circular form of a beautiful rainbow over his head, like that which appeared round about the throne of God, (Ezek. i. 28. and Rev. iv. 5. fee the note there) in token of his being ever mindful of his covenant in the darkell times: (fee Gen. ix. 13, — - 17.) And his countenance Ihone with a dazzling; luftre, Tike the fun in its meridian brightnefs, to the admiration and joy of his people ; and his feet appear- ed with awful majefty and itrength, like pillars of burning brafs, for fupporting the faithful, and of fire for confuming his enemies, much after the fame au- - gull manner in which he had exhibited himfelf before. \Chap. i. 15, 16. See the paraphrafe there.) t And he had in 2 He alfo appeared as holding in his hand a little his hand a little un f lded book, or roll, being the laft part of the ^b?s^righT(ott book which had been iealed > bu ? the fcals of which upon the tea, and he had undertaken to loofe ; {chap. v. 1, — 7.) and his left foot on the which might be called a little booh, as it was now only- earth, the remainder of the whole, containing fuch events as mould fall out in ages yet to come. And he having defcended to this terraqueous globe, as confifting of land and water, methought, I faw him Hand with his right foot on they}/?, and with his left on the earth, to fignify his fovereign dominion over all perfons and things in both ; and that he would extend his govern- ment and grace to the continents of Afia, Africa, and Europe, with their iflands, including both the Eaftern and Weitern empire, and even the uttermofl parts of the earth, which his Father promifed him the poffeffion of. (Pf. ii. 8.) 3 And cried with 3 In this fituatiofj he, who has been fpoken of as a loud voice, us the Hon of the tribe of judah, (chap- v. 5.) made eth^ and 'when he p rG tarnation with a ftrong and tremendous voice, as had cried, feven loud as the roaring of a iion, commanding filence and thunder* uttered attention to what would follow : And no fooner had their voices. ne g{ vcu f ortn this order* than I heard feven other voices, as !oud, awful, and terrible, as the greater! Vol. VI. M m clap z66 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. x„ clap of thunder, to denounce thofe judgments of God in general, which were to be particularly executed, in their order, on his antichriftian enemies, by the pouring out oi feven vials under the /event h trumpet. 4 And when the 4. And -when the feven thunder-like voices had fi- ic ven thunders had n i(hed their articulate denunciations, I was going to ces t was about to wr * te them down, as apprehending that I was autho- wrire : ar.d I heard rized fo to do by the order before given me, [chop. a voice from he?.- i. 19.) and that they contained fomething of great ven, faymg unto confequence, for the comfort of the church under Sings 6 wjSchflie the{r antichriftian-opprefiions : But I was immediate- feven thunders ut- ty flopped fhort, and prevented by another voice, teied, and write which I heard, as directed to me from the throne of them not. God in heaven, faying, Keep the things in your own breaft, which have been uttered by the voices that were like feven thunders ; ponder them in your heart,' and conceal them, as yet, from public notice, as clofely as if they were fealed up in a book, that none might read them : And there is no need for you to write them novo, as the general hints, given by them, will be more particularly drawn out in fome fol- lowing viiions ; referring to thofe of the feventb trum- pet, and the feven vials under it, which were after- wards to be revealed and recorded. 5 And the an- 5, 6 And to affure me of the certainty and impor- gel which I faw tance f t h e things that were further to be revealed, Hand upon the lea, ht{ t the affa j rs Q f the church and f th wcrld and upon the , o . earth, lifted up * n ages yet to come, the glorious Angel, whom, (as his hand to hea- is faid, ver. 2.) I faw Handing with one foot upon ven, the fea, and the other upon the earth, was reprefent- 6 And fware by ^ t v j ag }if t f n cr up his hand to heaven, the him that hveth (or ] c ' . & r . ' ever and ever, who throne ol Goo's glory, according to the ancient man- created heaven and ner and poflure of taking foiemn oaths; (Gen. xiv. the things that 2 2. and Dan. xii. 7.). and as fwearing by the eter- 1 herein are, and 1 almighty, and immortal God, who, in diftin&ina the earth and the f 7 „ 9 , , J . r , a . 1 n . , thWs that there- * rom a ** ic "ns> ^ jrom evertajting to evertajting, the ' in axe, and the fea only living and true God, and the Creator of the up- nnd the things per and lower worlds ; of heaven and all the hoil* which are the*re- thereof, whether in the aerial, the ftarry, or the hea- ftoulAe^timVnb vcn °* neavens '■> and of the terraqueous globe, cpnfift- lofiger : i 1] g °f the earth and fea ; and all things contained therein : And the purport of this foiemn oath, which Chriil took, as the Angel of the covenant and God's Meflenger, was, that, as formerly in anfwer to the queltion, Kow long it mould be to the end of the then predicted wonders ? He fware that it fiiould be for a time, times, and a half*, meaning twelve hun- dred NOTE. * A time, times, and a half time, ar.d time fiall he no longer, feem to refer to the fame period, and intimate, not that all time fliould then tome to an end; but that Chap. x. gel, when he fhall begin to found, the myftery of God iliould be finifhed, as he hath decla- red to his fervants the prophets. The Revelation paraphraftd. 267 dred and "fixty years; {Dan. xii. 6, 7.) fo he now fware, that there mould be no longer time, than that, before all antichriitian enemies fhould be deftroyed, and a glorious (late of the church fhould take place, and put a final period to popiih darknefs, fuperflition, and idolatry, as will more diiiinc~tly appear in afte'r- parts of this prophecy, though the time fhall not be yet. {x^'os * y - 1$°" ir%*) 7 But in the 7 But he fware that in the days which would be days of the voice pointed out by the denunciations of the feventb an- ' gel, when he fhould begin to found his trumpet *•, then all divine revelations and difpenfations of Provi- dence, relating to the trials and the fucceeding hap- py days of the church, and the deftru&ion of anti- chrift and exaltation of the kingdom of the Lord Je- fus in all its glory, fhould be brought to a conciu- fion, which at prefent are fecrets, and Will all along in great meafure be fo, till correfpondent facls, in a regular feries, fhall explain them, according to the prophecies and declarations that God has given of them to his ancient prophets, and particularly to his fervants, Daniel (chap. vii. 25, — 28. and xii. and TLechariah. (Chap. xiv. 9.) 8 And after this fcene of viH»n, the voice, I had heard from heaven, {ver. 4.) called to M m 2 N O T E S. ftate of the church riod of the laft date of the fufFerings of the church to its fucceeding glorious ftate, in which Satan lliail be (hut up for a thoufand years: But the other way of computing is agreeable to the prophe- tic ftyie in former ages, which makes a time ftand for a year, Dan. iv. 25. ; and a day for a year, Numb. xiv. 34. and E'-c>ek iv. 5, 6. And feventy weeks fig- nify not feventy times (even weeks of iia- r.vra/days, but feventy times (even years, Dan. ix. 24.; which, according to Sir /-• 8 And the voice which I heard frfcrn heaven that the glorious fhould not be yet, 6,7-^ which me a- gain, till after the expira- tion of 1 260 years, which are fignified by other prophetic numbers that are made ufe of to give a general view of this pe- riod in the nth, 12th, and 13th chap- ters of this vifion. Accordingly a time, times, and a half time, as refolved into prophetic days, fignify'1260 years, reck- oning each day for a year, and each year to confilt of twelve months of thirty days each month : For three years, which anfwer to time, times, (meaning two faac Newton, were 490 years from the more times) and a half time, or half a year, make up 42 months, or 1260 years, which in our apoftle's prophecy are paral- lel defcriptions of the exacl time of the holy city's being trodden laider foot by the Gentiles, and of the nuitnefes pro- phecying in fackcloth ; (chap. xi. 2, 3.) as aifo of the church's flight into, and nourijhment in the wildcmefs, (chap, xii. 0, 14.) and of antichnlt's or the heaJVs reign. (Chap. xiii. 5.) — It is evi- dent, that, were we to take thele num- bers of days, months, ami years, in a li- teral fenfe, the fpace of time would be abundantly too (hort for ail the events that are fpoken of as to be fuhihed in- that time, which includes the whole pe- tinie that the difperlVd Jews fhould be re- incorporated into a people and holy city, until the death and refurrection of Chrift. (See his Observations 00 Daniel, p. 130. See alio his note, p. 137. and 13S, about the way of computing years,, as confiding of 12 months, and every month of 30 days) * The feventh trumpet, in courfe, was to found next, as beginning at the expiration of the f.\th ; but is deft to c'vap xi. 15. £-'-c. by the trrterpofition ti a folemn preface, with which Chrift, the Angel of the covenant, appear the beginnii duce i f . 268 Tbe Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. x. heaven r c»ake unto me again, and laid, Go, and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which it-iideth upon the fea. and upon the earth. 9 And I went unto the angel, and faid unto him, Give me the little book. And he fata unto me, Take it, and eat it up ; and it fhall make thy belly bitter, but it fhall be in thy mouth ■ 'eet as honey. 10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and eat if up ; and it was in my mouth fweet as honey : and affbon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 1 1 And he faid unto me, Thou mufl prophefy a- again before many peoples, and na lions, and tongues, and kings. gain, faying, Go up to tht Angel of the covenant, who you obferve Hands with his right foot on the fea, and his left on the earth, (ver. 2.) and receive from him the little book or roll, which is exhibited as unfolded in his hand, that you may have a clear in- fight into the great things contained therein, with a commifiion for making them known to others. 9 Accordingly, in obedience to the divine com- mand, I drew near to the Head of all principalities and powers, and humbly befought him to deliver that little book to me, for my perufal. And he thereup- on holding it out, faid to me, as he formerly did to the prophet Ezekiel, (chap. iii. I, — 3.) Take it, according to your requeft ; and then read and medi- tate upon it, and lay it up in your heart, till you underltand and digefl it, and be fuitably affected with it, which, in figurative language, may be called eat- ing it up ; (fee Jer. xv. 16.) and in fo doing, you will find fome of its contents, relating to the fore af- fliction^ and perfecutions that the church is to fuffer, will be as extremely grievous to your mind as the bit- tereft fenfations can be to your bowels : But the knowledge of the mind and will of God herein, as his fecrets revealed to you, and more efpecially with refpedt to the tender care which he will all along take of his people, and to the final iftue of all their trou- bles, and the glory that is to follow them, will be as fweet to your thoughts, as honey itfelf can be to your palate. 10 And I readily took the little open book or roll out of the Angel's hand, and did eat it up in the man- ner he ordered me, and I found by experience, as he told me I would, that my infight into the great my- fteries revealed therein, taking them all together, was as delightful to my foul, as it is poflible for honey to be to the tafte. I, like the prophet, {Jer. xv. 16.) found God's words , and did eat them ; and his word was unto me the joy'and rejoicing of my heart : And afterward, when I came to reflect on the tribulations that mull befal the church of Chrilt, before it attains its higheft profperity and glory on earth, my foul was as deeply affected with pain and anguifh in the doleful profpeel:, as the bittereft tortures can be to the bowels. 1 1 Then this glorious Angel faid to me, Sweet as thefe things are in one view, and bitter in another, you mult not keep ihem to yourfelf, as you was or- dered to do by the general intimations that were gi- ven you by the feven thunder-like voices; (ver, 4.) but you mpft go on to pubu'lh thefe, for the fupport and com f ort of my people, in the further revelations that fhall be made cf them to you, as to come to pals in Chap. x. The Revelation paraphrafed. 269 in their iuccefiive order *, upon many people, and na- tion^, ano countries of different languages, and upon rulers and potentates, as well as lower ranks of peo- ple, with regard to what frail befal them till the whole fcheme of God's pLrpofes, prophecies, and provi- dences flir.U be accomphihed concerning them, and fhall end in tht total overthrow of all antichriftian-e- nemies, and in the complete lalvation of the church. RECOLLECTIONS. How endearing, auguft, and # awful are the reprefentations Chrift has made of himfelf, as the Angel of the covenant, with a rainbow on bh head, and a counte- nance as bright and dazzling as the fun ; and with teet, like pillars of fiery metal, ftanding on the earth and lea, and a voice as loud and tremendous as the roaring of ■> lion ! He is ever mindful of his covenant with his people in the word of times; and amidft all the troubles that are denounced to his enemies, as with the voice of thunder, has all things under his dominion ; and appears with illuilnous majefty for the relief and comfort of thofe that belong to him, and for the terror and destruction of his snd their enemies. Thefe are things worthy of the cloieft meditation, that we may underftand, and.be fuitably affected with them, as far as they are revealed, with a commiffion from Chrifl to publifh them, while fecret things are ftill to be left with him, till time fliall declare them. Though it can- not but be bitter to the fouls of true believers to think of the fevere persecutions which the church is to expect under the reign of antichrift ; yet what a fattening to that grief; what an encouragement to faith and patience ; and what a pleaiure muft it be, to have realizing proipects of the care that Chrift will take of them during their tribulations, and of the happy period he will put, in his appointed time, to all their forrows, when they fhall be turned into joy and praife, and his kingdom fhal! be built up in its purity and glory, with wide extent upon the ruins of all antichriftian powers ! Then, as the Angel of the covenant fwore by the Cre- ator of all worlds, who lives for ever and ever, the myftery of God, relating to his difpenfations of providence and grace, fhall be finifhed; and all the prophecies, which are now the objects of the faith and hope of his people, fhall be clearly ex^ plained, and actually fulfilled, to his glory and their everlafting triumph. CHAR NOTE. * It is well known to grammarians, regimen, it is tranQated over and upon t that the prepojition (fjr«) with a dative as in Luke xv. 7. over one /inner, (ers cafe, as it is here, and rendered before, i»i a.y.n^luxo') and Eph. ii. 20. upon the often Signifies concerning ; and, in that foundation. (i#i ra &s^fx<») 270 Tbe Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xi. CHAP. XI. The firfl general defcription oj the /late of the church for 126c years, to bt iiau from the rije of the temporal power of the Pope about the year 756, is riprejented undtr the figure of a temple me a fared, hut the out ward cow i of which, as defcriptive of formal prcfejfors, is left to the Gentiles, or idolatrous church of Komc, for 42 months, 1, 2. During this time of eaual date with 1260 prophetic dayr, or years, two witnejfes % or a few, from age to age % prophecy in fach- doth, but with great power, 3, — 6. They are flain by popi/h ty- ranny, which isfgured out under the image of the beafl, and are in a manner fpprefjed for tht ee prophetic days and a half, equal to the 42 months ; after which they arife and afcend to heaven, as beaming their teflimony with greater efficacy and honour than ever before, unto the overthrow of a tenth part of the Romifh jurifdic- tion, and the Jlaughtcr of 7000 men, and to the conjlernation of the 7 efl of that party, which puts an end to the fecond wo, 7, — 14. ; And under the J even th trumpet, denouncing the third wo, all antichriflian powers would be utterly deftroyed, and ijfuc in a glo- rious flate of CirrifPs kingdom upon earth, 15,- — 19. PERIOD III. Text. Paraphrase. A ND there was T^HEN, in order to my having a general view of given rae a A the Uue ftat£ ^ Q ^ Q f the £ and the an( .j_ reed like unto ar , ..,. , , , . f rod : and the an- chriitian-church, methought, a reed was put into my gel flood, laying, hand, aniwering to the meafuring rod, and line, which Rile, and meafure the prophets, Ezeiiel and Zechariah, faw in vifion the temple of Got!, r Qr mca f ur i ng the temple and Jerujalem, (Ezek. xi. them t C ha a t worflSp 3>S' an ? Z , ed J' *r l > 2 ') ^ nd ^e Angel of the co- therein. venant, who had given me the open little book, (chap. x. 8, &c.) {landing near, faid unto me, Arife, and with this rod, which is a proper emblem of the holy fcripture, as the rule by which all perfon. days, the her dominion, and feem~d to lofe it with- time of this ).c.-TK>n, but fo m^ny jjropbe- out hope of recovery, fliould be reftored tic days, in wmch a day is given lor a to power and empire again, which was year." to continue during the 1260 days of this 272 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xi. ruptions of that apoftate church, in a fuccefiion of them from age to age ; *" which may be called two witnej/es, with reference to the validity of their tefti- mony to eftablifh the truth of what they declare; (fee Deut. xvii. 6. and xix. 15. Matth. xviii. 16. and 2 Cor. xiii. 1.) and with an allufion to fome famous pairs of prophets in former days : And thefe (hall continue to bear a noble teftimony to me and my caufe through the whole term of antichrift's reign, which will be twelve hundred and fixty days, reckon- ing each day for a year ; and fo will be exactly the fa»r \ n a time of drought and famine, to flop the ven, that it rain fe j f h according to his predidion, that not in the days of .., * > ir & irri their prophecy : rain might not delcend tor the lpace of three years and have power and fix months to make the earth fruitful; (1 Kings over the waters to xv ;j # I# anc [ Jam. v. 17.) and as Mofcs and Aaron turn them to rcce j ve( j aiUnor ; tv f rom God to turn the waters of blood, and to Imite _ . \ . J ' _. : ■ , .. . ■. . a .r, the earth with all Egypt mto blood > (ExoJ. vn. 17.) and to mflia any plagues, as often as other plague on that opprefiive and perfecuting peo- they will. pie, which a divine order directed them to : So thefe witnefs.bearing fervants were reprefented to me, as being fo dear to God, and having fuch an intereft in him by the prayer of faith, as, during the courfe of their prophefying, to denounce againft, and bring down upon their cruel antichriitian -enemies, fuch ter- rible punifhments of a temporal and fpiritual nature, whether by war or famine, or with-holding the rain of his word, Spirit, and providential bounties, as often as he fees fit to order them to denounce either c I thofe judgments againft the fubje&s of the Romii!: dominion : And this he authorifed them to do, with effecl: upon them, for their obftinate wickednefs, not from a fpirit of private revenge, but for the vindica- tion of his own honour, and of the.faithfulnefs and importance of their teftimony. Vol. VI. N n 7 And -2^4 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xi 7 And when they fhall have finifhed their tef- timony, the beafl that alcendeth out of the bottomlefs pit, Shall make war againit them, and ihall over- come them, and kill them. 7 And during the time of their witnefs-bearing 3 till they fhall have finifhed their teftimony in fack- cloth, to Chrift and his gofpel, and againll all antichrif- tian- errors in doctrine and worfhip, through the for- ty and two months, or twelve hundred and fixty years, the papal tyranny, or grand antichrift, which was re- prefented to me under the figure of a wild beaft, (to S/ioiov, fee alfo chap. xiii. i. and xvii. 8.) the fame that was foretold by the fourth beaft in. Daniel* % prophecy, (chap. vii. 23, — 25.) and derives his power from Sa- tan, like one that rifes up from the horrid unfathom- able abyfs of hell: This cruel beaft, whofe coming will be after the working of Satan, (2 ThefT. ii. 9.) will make a furious opposition to my witneffes, and will be fuffered to prevail, by ftratagem and violence, for a time, againft them, and deprive them of their ci- vil and religious liberties, and make great flaughter of them *. 8 And NOTE. ' * Many learned expofitors underhand three years and a half, think, that the thvsjiaying of the witneffes, to relate to faying of the witneffes, and confequent- fome more than commonly fevere perfe- ly their rifing and afcending is ftill to cutions of the church, for three prophe- tic days or years and a half, f ver. 9.) to- ward the clofe of the 1 260 years of an- tichrift's reign, and of tri£ witneffes pro- phefying in fackcloth. But they are much divided in their conjectures about the time of this event, whether it be al- ready naft, or yet to come. They, who fuppofe it to be already paft, refer it to very different instances of fevere persecu- tions, which continued only three years and a half. Some carry it fo far back, as to the council of Conflance, about the year 1414, when John Hnfs and Jerome of Prague were put to death ; others re- fer it to the Smalcaldic war in Germany, about 1547 ; "others, to the PopiSh perfe- ction in Queen Mary's days in Eng- land, about the year 155^; others, to the the maffacre ef the ProteStants in France, 1572 ; and others, to the cruel- ties exercifed on the Vaudois in Pied- mont, under the Duke of Savoy, about 16S5: All which remarkable perfec- tions laSted about three years and a half. And Several of thefe expofitors fuppofe, though not very confidently with their own Schemes, that the refurretlion of the witneffes was at the time of the Pro- tcjlant Reformation ; whereas moft of the facts, to which they apply the fay- ing of the- witneffes, were after the Re- formation commenced : Others of them, who alfo take the three days and a h?lf (vcr. ,o.) to figntfy in prophetic ftyle come toward the clofe of the 1260 years, or 42 months of their prophefying in fackcloth : For they apprehend that the witneffes are not yet rifen, and advan- ced to fo great power and honour as is Signified by their Jlanding on their feet and afcending up to heaven ; and that no fuch blow has hitherto been given to Popery, as is represented to be the im- mediate confequence of their rifing and afcending. All this fhews the extreme uncertainty that attends every guefs a- bout the flaying, rifing, and afcending of the witneffes, upon the foot of under- standing, the three days and a half to mean only three years and a half But all thefe controversies about it are effec- tually fuperfeded, if (as feems to me molt likely) we refolve the three days and a half into prophetic days of years, and then the three years and a half into an a- greement with the time, and times, and half a time, in this book, {chap xii. 14.) and in Daniel's prophecy, (chap. xii. 6, 7 ) and fo make them equal tp the pro- phetic 42 mouths and 1260 days. (See the note on chap. x. 6" ) -This makes the general defciiptions of this period entire- ly uniform : And the words when they /ball have finiftjed their teflimony (ot«k t( Kto-uai) may, according to the Latitude of the tenfe and particle, Signify, while they are, or fhall he performing their teflimoay : For (gtxi/) ivhcn fometimes Signifies while, as in Matth. xxiv. 32. ; and Chap. xi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 2/5 alio our crucified S And their 8 And as it is the higheft inftance of mcrcilefs bar- dead bodies Jlall barity, to deny dead bodies a burial, and leave them lie in the ftreet fhamefully expofed in public places of concourie ; fo, of the great city, ., ' r .. .. ' ,*, , . ,. . s which fpiritualiy t0 " ltw tne mo! '- m ahgnant inhumanity and indignity is called Sodom againft thefe witnefles, they will not only be {lain, in and Egypt, where a political, and many of them in a literal fenfe ; but Lord was w m b e eX pofed to open contempt and ignominy in the popifh dominion, which is Gf large extent, and has for its capital the great city of Rome ; (chap. xvi. 19. and xvii. 18. and xviii. 10, — 16, 18, 21.) which in a myilical fenfe may be called Sodom, for its pride, iilthinefs, and wickednefs, ana E?ypt, for its tyranny, opprefllon, and idolatry ; and may be compared to Jervfaiem, which killed the prophets, and, when un- der the Roman jurifdiction, put our bleiTed Lcvd to the ihameful and painful death of the crofs, and af- terward crucified him afrefh in the martyrdom of his members, which will be a&ed over again by thefe cruel perfecntors. 9 And they of 9 And this will be counted fuch a triumph of the the people, and antichriilian power over the faints, * that the fub- kmdreds, and - ft f ■ dorRinion wherefocver they dwell, in dif- tongues, and na- -' . ' . .. , 7 ' ■ , tiofas fliall fee * ercnt countries or various tribes, languages, ana na- their dead bodies, tions, will barbaroufly infult over them, as feeing three clays and an them expofed, with as much in^nominy, abhorrence, half, and fliall not and { n h umam « ty as though they were loathibme car- fuffer their dead ri t , ; jjr/rj*L 1 caies kept above ground, -and not iuiiered to be de- cently interred, during the period of their prophefy- ing in fackcloth, which may Be called three days and a half, in allufion to the time that unburied dead bo- dies may ordinarily be kept, without offenfive putre- faction, and which in prophetic ftyle is anfwerable to a time, times, and half a time, another prophetic num- ber, parallel to forty and two months, or twelve hun- dred and Jixty days. (See the note on ver. 7.) 10 And the inhabitants of the papal territories that dwell upon w ill be mightily pleafed at the inhuman treatment of lhe " ■ N n 2 the NOTES. and finifhed is rendered performed, be put in graves, underftand their kind Luke ii. 39.- But if, as fome fuppofe, Proteflant friends, who would not iu(Ytr the words may be rendered, When they them to be buried, in hopes of their re- Jljall be about to finijb their tcjiimony, viving again. But it feems more fuitable their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they or toward the dole of the period for the witnefles prophefying in fackcloth, which I apprehend is not yet expired, then this flaying t'hetn mult 11 ill be to come. And it feems not improbable but that the lalt efforts of antichriftian powers may be the moti terrible and prevalent of all that have gone before it (nice the Re form a- tion._ * Some by the people, that Jbould fee 1 heir dead bodies, and noifvffer than to to the following vcrie, and the whole tenor of this general defcription of the mournful ftate of the witnefles, while prophefying in fackcloth, to un.derftand it as meaning their barbarous popijh ene- mies; And yet it mult be owned, that the other fenfe fuggefts -rent encourage- ment to the church under all their buf- fering circumftances, on fuppofition thai it is to be confined tc Reformation, times after th' 2/6 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xi. the earth fhall re- joice over them, and make merry, and fhall fend gifts one to another ; becaufe thete two prophets torment- ed them that dwelt on the earth. i r And after three days and an half, the Spirit of life from God en- ned into them : and they flood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which Taw them. 1 1 And they heard a gTeat voice from hea- ven, faying unto them, Come up hither. And they attended up to heaven in a (.load, and tiieir enemies beheld them. the (lain witnefles ; and, as though the day were now abfolutely their own, will congratulate one another, and go into all forts of merriment and feafting, and fending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor, as if, like the day of the Jews deliverance from their enemies, {Eflh. ix. 22.) this were to be obferved as a time of thankfgiving to God ; becaufe they had brought down the faithful monitors, that filled the fubjects of the antichriftian-empire with intolerable vexation, by teftifying both openly and practically, by preaching and example, againft their abominable corruptions in doctrine, worfhip, and manners ; and by denouncing the judgments of God, which would come upon them, en that account. 1 1 But in vain will they imagine themfelves fecure from being ever troubled again with a revival of the caufe, which they thought was fo thoroughly fup- preffed, as to be pad all likelihood of recovery : For, after the expiration of the above-mentioned period, which, though confifting o." twelve hundred and fix- ty years, may, in a way of computing prophetic num- bers, be expreffed, as it has been but now, (ver. 9.) by three days and an half, (fee the note on ver. 7.) Methought I faw the quickning Spirit, which, pro- ceeding from God, entered into, raifed up, and ani-* mated a fucceffion of faithful witnefTes to this fame glorious caufe, of the fame principles and tmper with thofe that had gone before them, as John the Bap! if} came in the fpirit and power of E/ias, and for that reafon bore his name : {Luke i. 1 7. and Matlh. xi. 14. and xvii. 11, 12.) And they flood with itrength, courage, and vigour, on their feet, like perfons raifed in full health from the dead, and ready to engage in any fervice that God (hould call them to, as If-ne/'s reiloration was reprefented in Ezekie/'s vilion under the figure of a refurreBion of dry bones, and of their {landing upon their feet. {Chap, xxxvii. 1, — 10.) And, at their enemies feeing this unexpected wonderful alteration, they were terribly afraid of be- ing tormented by thefe witnefles, more than ever be- fore. 1 2 And for the further encouragement of thefe ri- fen witnefTes, methought, 1 heard a loud voice call to them from heaven, the throne of God's glory, faying, Come up hither ; by which was fignified, that God would vifibly take them into his fpecial protection, and would afiift, own, and honour them with great in his work and caufe : And thereupon, me- in allulion to Cm-id's vilible afcenfion to heaven in a cloud after his refurrection from the dead, [cended up to heaven in the midft of a bright cloild, fuccefs thought, Chap. xi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 277 cloud, to fignify God's exalting them to eminent dig- nity, power, and profperity, according to the meta- phorical fenfe, in winch the fcripture ufes fuch terms ; (Ifa. xiv.' 13. and Matth. xi. 23.) and their enemies could not but fee what a glorious change was made in their circumftances, and what a figtfal tcftimony of favour and honour God had therein given to them. 13 And the fame 13 And, at the very fame time, there were ilrong hour was theie a convu lf lons anc J confufions in the civil and ecclefiafti- Snd^he^eftth parr ca ^ a ff a ' rs °f tnc antichriftian nations, which were re- of the city fell, prefented under the emblem of a great earthquake, and in the earth like that which attended the refurre&ion of otu Lord; quake were Hair, ^ Matth. xxviii. 2.) and by means thereof a very con- fa nd-aid'the^m" finable body, which may be called a tenth part of naut were adright the papal junidiChon, fell on from it *. And, in the ed, and gave glo- midft of thefe commotions, a great number of their ry to the God of party, like feven thoufand men of name, power, and influence, (ovc^xtu av^anm) together with their de- pendents, fell in battle : And the remainder of them were aitonifhed and terrified, and forced to own, to the glory of the only true God, whofe throne is eita- blifhed in heaven, that there wa* an extraordinary ap- pearance of his power and providence in favour of his church, and againft his popifh enemies ; and by means of preaching the gofpel, in concurrence with his Spi- rit and his amazing providence, they were converted from fuperflition and idolatry, to the glory of God, in an acknowledgment of the truth, as it is in Jefus. 14 The fecond 14 This brings us to the end of the fecond great wo is part, and wo tnat nac i been threatned by the fixth an eel : behold, the third / / ^ • j . x A , , r ; • , J ^ . 6 , vo comcth quick- \ cha P' 1X * I 3* ( ^ c -) And obferve, with attention and ly. reverend awe, the third and Iqft wo will be immedi- ately denounced by the /event h angel. 15 And the fe- Trumpet VII. being the 1 15 Then the fe- venth angel found- t }j{ rc j an( j / a j( WG . tr umpet. \ venth angel blew his ed, and there were trumpet) whJch wag tQ be foUowed with e fF u fions of f the NOTE. # The account given in the para- meant Rome itfelf, which is now but a phrafe of the tenth part of the city, and tenth part of what it was at the time of feven thovfand men, as meaning a con- this prophecy. But be thefe guefies as fiderable part of the Rotni/h jurifdiclion they will, I take the tenth part of the and principal men in it. appears to me city's falling, and feven thoufand being as probable, as any of the numerous con- JJain, to fignify fome very great down- je&ures that have been made about it. fal of popifh powers, that is immedi- Some fix upon one, and others upon ano- ately to fucceed the 1260 years of the ther of the ten kingdoms, into which the beaft's reign, and of the . witnefles pro- Weftern empire was divided, after it he- phefying in fackcloth, and to be com- came antichriftian. But, as far I fee, pleted by the pouring out of the feven we mult wait for the event to determine vials under the feventb trumpet : (chap, it, fince this part of the general view of xvi ) For the numbers feven and ten are the prophecy feetns to be not yet tultilled: often ufed to fignify many, as in Job. v. And the fame may be (aid with refpeel 19. Pfui lxxix. 12. Lvle xvii. 4. Gen to the fentiments ot others, who think xxxi. 7. 1 Sam. i. S. and Ecclef. vii. 19, that by the tenth part of the city t is -2)8 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xi. great voices in thtfcven via/.', (chap, xvi.) that would bring about The^kin d^^f the entirC ruin ° f the anticnni * ian - ftat€ oiRome; and, thi* world are 'be- > mme( liately upon this notice of it, there were loud become the king, acclamations of joy and praife among the witneffes dams of our Lord, that afcended up to heaven, (yer. X2.) faying, Now and of his Chrift, the long-looked for, and earneftly defired time is and he (hall re.g* c j rf which aU h kingdoms of this world, and .or ever 2i:d ever. -it i r , , ,*? , -it.,, particularly thole that had been under antichrift's do- minion before, are brought into a fpiritual, ch earful, and holy fubjettion, as nations devoted to God and to his MefTiah ; they being made a willing people in the day of his power: And he, who has let up his throne in great glory among them, (hall rule over them by his word, Spirit, providence, and fceptre of righteoufnefs, as their King ; and he fhall reign in this manner upon earth, till the utmoft period of this glorious difpenlation, and afterwards under a differ- ent form, in heaven, together with his Father and Spirit, to all eternity. \6 And the four 1 6, 17 And, upon hearing thefe glad tidings of and twenty eniers great joy, the four and twenty elders, or reprefenta- ^ h - ch J* b r efo ; e lives of the church, which were feated with honour, God on their teats, ,. . ' . ... .. fell upon their fa- dignity, an d delight on their thrones in the immediate ces, and worfhip- prelence of God, (chap. iv. 4.) rofe from their feats ; ped God, ^ and, proftrating themfelves with deep humility and re- 17 Saymg, \\e verenc£j p^d t h e ; r folemn adorations to God the Son, O^LorT^od 3 Ak to g ether with the Father, * faying, We blefs thy ho- mighty, which ait, ly and glorious name, and pay our chearful and grate- and waft, and art ful acknowledgments to thee, O thou eternal and al- to come; becaufe m ; ghty Jehovah, the fovereign Lord of all, and, to- thou naft taken to fi J J . , , V .1 iT* i r* ' ? /f 1 thee thy great g ether Wlt " tn y Father, the only true God, (fee the power, and haft notes on chap. i. 4, 8.) who from everlafting to e- eigned. verlafting art unchangeably the fame in thy being and perfections, counfels, appointments, and covenant, as God ; and art the fame yef/erday, and to-day, and for ever, as Mediator; (Heb. xiii. 8.) We iblemn- ly adore and praife thee ; becaufe thou hail now emi- nently affumed and afTerted thy natural and office right and authority, to exercife univerfal dominion for the good of thy church ; and haft reigned, by thy pro- vidential difpenfations, with great power and righte- oufnefs over all thine enemies ; and, by thy grace, over all thy people in the mofl confpicuous, effectual, and extenfive manner. '18 And NOTE. * I think that all the following de- with the Son, the kingdoms of this world ;criptions or the divine Perlbn here fpo- will be brought into fubjection, when ken ot, may, in an efpecial manner, Chrift fhall take to himfelf his great point out to us the Lord Chrift, as moft power and reign ; which feeros moll e- imraediately intended in this afcription vidently to be fpoken of, by way ot emi- of glory, though not to the exclufion of nence, as the time of his glorious king- the eternal Father, to whom, together dom upon the earth. Chap. xi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 279 iS And the na- 18 And we blefs thy divine majefty, that though tions were angry, the nations, which were fubjecd; to antichriftian-pow- and thy wrath is were enra ored againft, and cruelly perfecuted thy come, and the • n- j ^ii j - k i • j- 5 i J time of the dead witnefles, and were tilled with indignation at thy ap- that they (hould pearing for their refcue ; yet their glorious caufe is bejudged, and that now judged; thy righteous -vengeance is executed thou lhouldit give upon tno r e that pp re fT e d them, and repented not feints "he" pri of their evil deeds 1 and th >: ^pointed time, the fet- phets, and to the time for favouring Sion, is now come, that thou faints, and them fhouldft avenge the quarrel of thy covenant in reviv- that fear thy name, ^g^ owning, and honouring thofe, who in a civil fenfe fmall and great; d j and j fl v i n d !Ca ting the charaders of thy and fliouldft de- ' . ° - itroy them which holy martyrs who were faithful unto death ; and that eleftroy the earth, thou fliouldft beitow gracious rewards of full liberty, peace and profperity, in the enjoyment of all gofpel- ordinances and privileges, upon thy miniftring fer- vants, who in their own perfons, or in their predeccf- fors, or both, made known thy will, and preached thy pure gofpel, in mournful circumftances, at the pe- ril of their lives ; and not upon them only but upon all thy people whom thou haft fet apart and fanclifi- ed for thyfelf, and who worfhip thee with a reveren- tial fear of thy holy name, whether they be weaker or itronger believers, or perfons of lower or higrfer rank and ftation in the church, ©r in the world ; and that thou fhouldft render tribulation to thofe anti- chriftian-enemies, who troubled them ; and bring" ut- ter deftrudlion upon thofe, who in their day, by falfe doctrine, fraud, and violence, corrupted, plundered, and deftroyed the inhabitants of the earth. 19 A.nd the tern- 19 And as the temple at Jernja/em, which was pie of God was the feat of public worfhip, and a type of the New r\tre n wa"^ Teftament-church appeared in all its glory, when in his temple th* the vei1 was turned aiide to give an open view of the ark of his tefta- holy of holies, and of the ark of the covenant, with ment: and there t he mercy-feat and cherubim upon it, which were em- TnT voices, tm and blemS of the dIvine P refen ^ ; fo I had a vifion of the thunderings,' ar.d temple, and all things in it, as expofed to my iight, an earthquake, without the interpofition of a veil, to intimate the ex- and great hail. ceeding light, liberty, and glory, with which God's fpiritual temple, his church on earth, fhould appear in this happy ftate of it : And this glorious revolution was reprefented to me, as attended with fuch heavy and deftru&ive judgments upon the enemies of Chrlft and his church, as may fitly be compared to the mod terrible tempefts of lightning, and roarings in the air, and claps of thunder ; and to the fhocks, overthrow?, and ruins of a univerfal earthquake, ;>nd ftorms of pro- digious hail ftones, as if the diflblution of all things were at hand. RECOL- 280 Tht Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xL RECOLLECTIONS. How certainly may we conclude, tha the wickednefs of the wicked (hall have aji end, ami that God will eftablilh the juft 1 When he appropriates a peculiar people to himfelf. according to the rule of his word, he will feparate the preo'ou? from the vile, and make no account of carnal prjfefibcS, whom he will leave to the power of anrichriftian enemies: But he will always hive a feed to ferve him, and bear witnefs to him and 1 is gofpel, though in mournful c-'rcumftances, like perfons clothed i« lV.ckcloth. trough the whole period of popilh tyranny, fuperftition, and idolatry, which was to Iaft twelve hundred and fixty years. His faithful witnefs- es. fhali, ntverthelels, itand all that while with acceptance before him, and be the m.-ans ot conveying light and influence in the true church of Chrift. But wo to thofe who, like ancichriftian-^o/we, (which may well be compared to Sodom. and Egypt roc wickednefs, perfecutbn. and idolatry) fet themfelves againft thefe witnefles, to oporefs. iiknee, and flay them. God will take their part, and bring down heavy vengeance upon the heads of all their enemies: And though he may fuffer them, lor an appointed feafon, to he politically, and fome of their number cor- porally (lain, and their caufe to be in great meafure fuppreflfed, by the beaft which rofe out of the botiomhfs pit ; and to be treated with inhumanity and indignity under the jurifdidlion of Rome, and inl'ulted with mirth and triumph by multitudes of that party, which could not tell how to bear the flinging admonition and reproof of their holy doctrines, examples, prayers, and threatnings ot divine judgments; they fhall have a riling, attending, and fl>uri(hing ftate of fecurity and honour, by the power of God's Spirit, and the workings of his providence, to their own exceed- ing j°y* an d t0 -he envy and vexation of their enemies And ah ! How will many of their perfecutors be then affrighted at the thought of what they have done a- gainft the faithful fervants of the Lord, and at the defolation then coming upon themfelves ! Happy will it be for thole, whole fright fhall end in a thorough con- version, and in giving glory to God. And O what a blefled time will that be, when the power of popery (hall be totally reduced, and the kingdoms of this world fhall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chrift. ! Then the glorious privi- leges of the gofpel-chuich thall open in light and liberty, purity and peace, in de- Jightful communion with God, and in holinefs of heart and life; and then their Lord and Saviour, who is the eternal and almighty God, together with the Father, will vindicate their righteous caufe, and bountifully reward his fuffering fervants with the fmiles of providence and grace ; and will pour deftruclion upon all anti- chrifti an powers at the end of their twelve hundred and fixty years reign, who had been the plague of the earth : And this he will do by methods as terrible as the mod (hocking tempeits of thunder, lightning, hail, and earthquakes, can pofiibly figure out to us. The hope of this complete deliverance of the church is their fup- port and comfort in all preceding tribulations; and when Chrift fhall take to him- felf his great power and reign, to the entire deftrudlion of his enemies, and happi- nefs of them that love and fear him, then all his people on earth will join the hea- venly chorus in animated thankfgivings and praifes to him, who fhall reign for e- ver and ever. CHAP. Chap. xii. Tbe Revelation paraphrafed. a8i CHAP. XII. A fee on d general defcription of the fame period of the church of Chrifl, and of the Popifh empire, under the figures of a woman driven into the wilder nefs, but prefcrved in fofety there, and of a great red dragon, meaning the devil, as exerting his power princi- pally by the Pope and his party, xvho would perfecute her 1262 prophetic days or years, 1, — 6. Michael and his angeh f.ght a- gainfl the devil and his angels, who are defeated ; upon which there are loud acclamations of joy and pre. if c, attended with a denun- ciation of wo to the inhabitants of the earth,' by reafon of the dc- viPs or dragon's rage, 7, — 12. Hereupon the dragon perfecutes the church, which is hid from him, and is nouri/hed for a time, timer, and half a time, anfwering to 1260 prophetic days, 13, 14. He endeavours to deflroy her, as by a flood which is [wallowed up by fome civil powers, fly led the earth ; and, being thus dfappoinled, he renews his war againf the remnant of her feed ^ 15, — fj. a P- A l^D in another general view which was give reat XI f t ^ e ft atc Q f t ^ e c hurch, and of its anti en me tichrif- Text. PARAPHRASE. j\ND there peared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed tian-enemies, for the ipace or twelve hundred andhxty with the fun, and years, there was reprefented to me a very remarkable the moon under fignificant figure ((rYipuov) in heaven, * portending her feet and upon t evcnts . whJch WM of a woman moft , r l or i ou fl y her head a crown °, , -. . , r -., . rt , , , 5 e J of twdve ftara : adorned, a ht emblem or Chriit s church or ipoule, as highly honoured of God : She appeared as furround- ed with rays of illuflrious brightnefs, like the fun ; which may fignify her having put on Chriit. and his righteoufneis, and being irradiated with the light of truth, comfort, and holinefs, as derived from the Sun kind providence had prepared a place of retreat and refrefliment for them, that as he there fed them with manna ; \o his miniftring fervants mould feed her with knowledge and under/landing, as pajlors according to his own hearty ( Jer. iii. 15.) for the whole fpace of his witneiTes prophefying in fackcloth y which was to be twelve hundred and fixty years. (See the notes on chap. x. 6. and xi. 3.) 7 And there was 7 And a further reprefentation was made to me of war m heaven ; the itate of the church, during this period, under the Mlchael emblem NOTE. chrift's reign. (See the notes on chap, church's being in the wildernefs, i a . )d lo{l aJ j cheir autho . rity in the true church ot Chriit, as being overcome by their faith and patience, and by the breakings out of the light ot the gofpel ; which might point to the Froiefant-rejortnanon, when the gofpel had a wonderful fpread, and feveral itates and kingdoms threw off the aritichriitian yoke, o And the great 9 And the great dragon himfelf, at the head of dragon was caft his formidable army, was turned out ot the dominion out, that old ler- wn ich he before had afiumed over thofe vaffais that devil aM Safcn* were now delivered out oi his kingdom, who, as long which deceiveth ago as the fail of the human race, beguiled Eve, the whole world : through his fubtilty, under the form oi a lerpent ; he wdscaitout in- (Q en% iii. 4. and 2 Cor. xi. 3.) who is often caiied Ss^anS^J^e in fcr >P ture the den)i ^ and > according to the fignifi- c aft out with hhtf. cation of that word, is a malicious and falfe accufer of the brethren, (ver. 10.) and is properly ilyled Sa- tan, who, as that name fignilies, is an inveterate and implacable adverfary to them ; and by his ferpentine craft, betrays the carnal people of all nations into error and idolatry, and every other kind of abomina- ble evil : This malicious and powerful adverfary had a great downfal in my vifion, like one who tumbles headlong from heaven to earth ; and his agents and cmiiTaries, as acting under his influence, were call down from their former power and authority with him ; Thereby intimating that Chrifl and his church, in the days of the Reformation, mould prevail againft the devil and all his inftruments, notwithstanding the fubtle and furious oppolition that would then be made by NOTE. * In heaven, I here take to mean the Chrift (who, as many good expofitorsun- merial heaven; becaufe the devil is fty- derftand it, is fignitied by Michael) and led the prince of the power of the air, his people, on one hand; and by Satan (Eph. ii. 2.) and the apoftle fpeaks and his popifli adherents, on the other, vi. 12.) pf fpiritual nvickeibicfs in high Or, perhaps, by heaven here, and in ver. or heavenly places, (inu^avtoii') But d, to. may be meant the church ofChriJi this may be confidered as emblematical on earth, of the combats that are carried on by 2 86 "The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xii. by untichriftian powers againft the reformed religion among rhem. 10 And I heard I0 Hereupon, methought, I heard a loud accla- a out voice fay- mat ; on f melociioxis thankfeiving, joy, and praife in mg in heaven, Now , . . ~ . . . ° ?• * . , , as "come lalvatidn the heavenly aflembly, with which the church on anri fbrtength, and earth chearfully joined, faying, Now is a time of the kingdom of great deliverance to the true church of Chriil from its oar Gou and the idolatrous and persecuting enemies, and of its profpe- poweroihisChrut: • j f c „ r \. r< i n. u- nr & for the accufer of r ^ an(1 laiet y 5 now nas ^ ^ 'hewn nimielr itrong our brethren is caft on behalf of his people ; and now is the goipel-king- dou n, which ac dom of our God highly exalted in the light and pu- cuitd them before r i tv f j ts do^nnes and inftitutions ; and now the niffht ° C ^ ^ power and authority (il% wh ° WaS flain ' a ° d offered up himfelf an atoning facrifice for them ; and by means of the /word of the Spirit, which is the word of God, (Eph. vi. 17.). through their ftedfaft adherence to it, dependence upon it, and open pro- feflion of it, in its uncorrupted purity, which they faithfully bore witnefs to, in their dodtrine and con- verfation : And fo bold and upright were they in their holy profeflion of Chritt and his pure gofpel, that they valued not their lives, in any comparifon with him and his caufe ; but, like the apoftle Paul, (Ads xx. 24.) they rather chofe to expofe them- felves to death, than deny, renounce, or difown him, and his truths. 12 Therefore re- 12 Therefore, as on occafion of the Lord's re- joice, ye heavens deeming ai d comforting his people, and having mer- and ye that dwell cy Qn hfg afflide ^ the heavcM and the earth were called Chap. xii. The Revelation pafaphrafed. 287 in them, Wo to called upon to fing and be joyful; {/fa. xliv. 23. and the eartWnd of XliX * I3 *^ f ° ^ heaven ab ° Ve ' *** ^ the faIntS alld the fea :' for ' the an g e ^ s that dwell therein, and the whole church on devil is come down earth, rejoice and triumph with them, (hot tzto) on unto you, having account of this happy change in the face of its af- great wrath, be- f a j rs . But, at the fame time, its vifible members that that he Lthbufa dweU 0n the earth ' whkh Confifls of land and water ' fhort time. an0 * on tne continent and the iflands of the fea, and efpecially fuch of them as are carnal and earthly- minded under a profeflicn of the true faith, may well tremble on account of the calamities they will yet be . expofed to : * For the devil, whofe power is not to- tally deftroyed, though much weakened, is come down to diftrefs and pervert you, as much as pofiible, with the utmoft fury and rage; becaufe he finds that his ftrength is on the declining hand ; and that, as he has begun to fall, the time of his doing mifchief to the church and caufe of Chrift mall ere long be brought to its period. 13 And when 1 3 Accordingly, when the devil, as exerting' his the dragon faw p 0wer under the character of the dragon, that ap- t at he was ca p earec j w \ ln f eV en heads and crowns upon them, and onto the earth, he r . . A r . . . ,. ._ _ ■* , , ' , perfecuted the wo- ten horns, {yer. 3.) found himieif fo greatly baffled man which brought by the Protejiant-reformation, like one call dow« ftelh the xaanfbtii. from heaven to earth, (ven 9.) and faw that, in fpite of all his endeavours to the contrary, pure Chrif- tianity had gained fo confidcrable an afcendency in various countries, he turned all bis malice and power, and raifed up a new fet of inftruments f, againft the true NOTES. * The paraphrafe has given feveral eftablifhed, as a fociety, by Ignatius fenfes of the inbahiters of 'the earth andof Loyola in the year 1534, foon after the the fea.: But, perhaps, what relates to the Reformation, which was begun by Lu- eontinent and the i/laruls. and chiefly to ther in the year 1517, and was carried the earthly-minded members of the vifi- into an open protefl againft the fevere ble church that would be moft in dan- popifh decrees at Spire in Germany, by ger of falling off by the devil's efforts, feveral princes of the Empire in the year may bed fuit the intention of this part of 1529, which was the original of the the prophecy, as pointing to Great Bri- name Protejlants, by which the reform- tain and Ireland, and the nations on the ed churches are called to this day : And continent, which threw off Popery at how indefatigable numerous fwarms of the Reformation : For the Wo to the in- jfefuits have been in their endeavours to habit 1 is of the earth and of the fea, overthrow the Reformation ; and what feems, from what follows in the next cruelties the Duke of Alva ufed in the verfes, to refer to the woman or church Netherlands, and ^hiccn Mary in Eng- of Chrift ; and the devil's knowing that land ; and how the Council of Trent, he^ had but ajhort time, is much more the Parif.an and IrifJj maffacies, and fairly applicable to the time of the Re- numberlels other efforts of popifh princes formation, than of the downfal of Pagan- have been fpirited up to fupprefs and ex- ifm in the Empire, which has been al- tirpate the Protejiant religion, is fo fa- ready about 1400 years ago ; and there- miliarly known, as are all the reft of the tore it could fcarcely be laid then, that facts, correl'ponding to the interpreta- the devil knew he had but a fbort time, tion given of this chapter, with refpect t The Jefuits, the moft' fubtle and *o the time of the Reformation, that it i^iveofall the popifh emilfaries, were is quite needlefs to quote particular au- thorities, 288 1 he Revelation paraphrased. Chap. xiL true church, which had been the mother of fo fair and numerous an offspring, and had propagated, as by a man child, the caufe of Chrift in a fuccefiion of converts from age to age, and more efpecially at the time of the Reformation 14 And to the j^ And, notwithftanding all thefe fierce attempts wonvm were gi- i nft h God ftni took care Q f her p re f e rvation ; ven two wings ot . P ■ ■ . •_ y r . a great eagle; that an " a3 " e was * ai " to bear lirael e>« eagles wings, fhe might ftj into when he brought them out of the land of Egypt ; the w'JJemeis, into (Exod. xix. 4.) fo the wonderful ftrength, fpeed, and her plane: where fafet wJth wh j ch Re wou ] d appear f or tno c hurch at (lie is nourSfhed for . . f *> , r _ r j r , ,. . . ■, a time, and times, thl » feafon > ma Y be rtprefented by his giving her a and half a time, pair of eagles wings, that fhe might flee away from from the face of the rage of her enemies, though attended with many the ferpent. difficulties, to her place of retirement, which he had provided, during her wildernefs-ftate, (which was not yet come to its full period) for her efcaping the fury and fubtilty of that old ferpent the devil, and his a- gents ; and for her being refrelhed and comforted by his word and Spirit, and the miniftrations of his two witneffes, [chap. xi. 3. fee the note there)' to the end of all her trials and afflictions, which under various forms were to laft till the expiration of twelve hun- dred and fixty years ; and may be exprefied, in the flyle of the prophet Daniel, (chap. vii. 25. and xii. 7.) by a time, or year, two times or years, and half a time or half a year, which make together twelve hundred and fixty prophetic days or years. (See the note on chap. x. 6.) 15 And the fer- 15 And this malignant ferpent, the devil, (wr. pent caft out of his ^j ^j n i s u tmoft to prevent the church's efcape to month water as a , f ^^ of f f ^ the ^ of ^ R flood, after the ^ ;r ., . .air j r woman; that he formation, by pouring out a Mood ot error and perle- mitjht caufe her to cution after her, to fink and drown her before fhe be carried away of cou ld reac h it ; which may fitly be reprefented by a torrent of water poured out of his mouth, that by the force of antichriftian errors and enemies, which he raifed up againft her, he might pervert and ruin her* as by a mighty flood that bears down all before it ; which might point to the vigorous attempts of the Jefuits, and others of the popilh party, to overwhelm the Reformation by craft and power, before it \va, well eilablifhcd. (See the note on ver. 13.) t6 And the 1 6 And yet, as great floods of water are (wallow- earth helped the c d U p j n caverns of the earth, to prevent the dreadful in, and the i nun d a tion3 which they would otherwife have made ; earth ppewdh" fo God ; n #6 providence inclined the hearts of many to NOTE, thorities, which may be feen in all the hiftorians of thofe times; and are almofl: in every one's hands. Chap. xii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 289 mouth, and fwal- to jnterpofe for the protection and fiielter of his faith" lowed up the flood ful fervant's and people, from the fury of the devil and r a ft rh out e o^his" hl8 Papal agentS, that they mi 2 ht n0t be Avallowe(i U P mouth!" S by thefe attempts to deftroy them; Which might point to fome fecular powers, fuch as King Henry the Eighth, and other princes, who, under the influ- ence of temporal interelrs, favoured their righteous caufe ; and to fome warm contenders for civil and re- ligious liberty, who, though not themfelvcs fincere Chriftians, detetled persecution of all forts ; and fo took the part of Prot eft ants to prevent their being over-run by antichriftian power?, and their tyrannical impofitions upon confeience. 17 And the dra- 17 And that old ferpent and blood-thirfty dragon, gon was wroth thfi devi j incMlve of h ; s ifh j n ft ruments ■ was f with the woman, , , . of r 1 mi 1 and went to make enraged at this unexpected powerful aiiiitance to the war with the rem- church of Chritt, that he renewed his attacks with nant of her feed, the utmoft violence upon all he could pofiibly come which keep the at of her f pir i tua i children, whom by former me- commandments of , , , \, , , J , . God, and have the tn ods he could not overcome 5 and who were a holy teftimony of Jefus remnant referved for God by his grace, and were Chrift. faithful in having an univerfal refpect to his commands, and in maintaining both a doctrinal and practical wit- nefs to the purity of the gofpel, and of all its ordinances of worlhip, according to Chriit's inftitutions ; which might point at the laft vigorous efforts of antichrifti- an-power, that it fliould ever make againft the reform- ed church, towards the clofe of the twelve hundred and iixty years of the bead's reign, and of the vvit- nefTes prophelying in fackcloth *. RECOLLECTIONS. How beautiful and glorious is the church of Chrift, as lifted up above this world, and fliining in illuftrious rays of the Sun of righteoufnefs, and of the pure apoftolic doctrine of the gofpel ; and how earneft are her defires, prayers, and endeavours, that, in her, many converts may be born to God ! And her labour fhall not be in vain ; for when Sion travails (he brings forth her children. — But what a bitter e- nemy is Satan to the church's profpeiity and increafe ! He wati hes to devour all her fpirituai feed, as foon as they are born into the gofpel-kingdom ; and he with fury and fubtilty under all the antichriftian forms of a monrtrous dragon, with fe- ven heads and crowns and ten herns; and of an old lerpent and ■falfe accufer of the brethren, fets himfelf to oppofe, vilify, and deltroy them. How fain would he and his popifh agents fwallow them up, as with a flood! and how indefatigable are they, from time to time, to renew their war againlt them ! But though they may be fuffered to drive them into a wildernefs of lolitude and affliction, they fhall find fafety and refiefiiment there, as if taken up to the throne of God for protection and comfoir, NOTE. * If this relates, as I think, to the the ftate of the church quite through the - iaft pufh of popifh power, which is (till to 1260 years of her being 111 the wilderncls, come againft the Proteftant caufe, and and of antichrift's reign, in full agree- will iffue in the entire defeat of its ene- ment with the firft and third general mies, then the whole feries of events fuf- view that is given of this period in the ficiently anfwers the fummary prophetic preceding and next following chapters-, description contained in this chapter, of Vol. VI. P p 290 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xiii. c omfort, till the days of their mourning (hall be ended: And how certainly fhall -ciolory fall on their fide, when their warfare fhall be accomplished ! Chrift and his tiliniftring fervants, whether angels or men, will take their part againft the great dragon and his whole pojfe of infernal and antichriltian inftruments ; and there- fore, in the iffue, he will defeat all their forces and throw them down from their tyrannical dominion. — Though the worft of woes may fall on carnal Proteftants, Chrift will ever have a referve of a chofen remnant, that fhall keep his command- ments, and maintain the purity of his doctrines and ordinances ; and when they are moil expofed to perfecuting enemies, the earth fhall help the woman ; and flic herfelf fhall obtain the bed of conqueits over them, through faith in the blood of the Lamb, and by the light and power of his word and Spirit, even though it fliou'd coft many of her children their lives to abide by their teftimony to him. O what matter of thankfgivinq; and praife is this ! How fhould all the faints on earth rejoice and triumph, with the holy angels and fpirits of juft men made perfect in heaven, for the falvation which is brought to the church in a difplay of the glory of the kingdom of God and of the power of his Chrift ! This glory has begun to open in the reformation from popery. But O when fhall the twelve hundred and fixty years of her wildernefs-ftate come, to its full period ? it wears off apace : And when the power of antichrift fhall be demolifhed, He that fhall come, will come, and will not tarry. CHAP. XIII. A third general defciption of the /fate of the churchy during the fame period of 1260 years under antichriJPs reign , who is reprefented _by the figure of a wild beafil rifing out of the fea, to whom the dra- gon gave his power, 1, — 10. And another representation is made of the fame by the figure of a beqfi, which had two horns like a lamb, and /poke as a dragon, exercijing all the power of the for- mer beqfi, 11, — 15. And obliging all to werfhip its image, and receive its mark, as perfons devoted to it ; with an admonition to confider the time of the rife of the beqfi, in order to our knowing the time of its fall, 16, — 18. Tekt. Paraphrase. ^NDIitoodup- A FTER the two preceding fummary vifions, on the fand ot il , cb X] - and ^ re i at i nR to the ftate of the toe tea, and law & , £ V. , , .J. P r , r - beaft rife up out or" church and its antichnitian enemies, tor the lpace or the lea, having le- twelve hundred and fixty years, methought, I llood yen heads and ten upon the fand of the fea-fhore ; and there had another horns, and upon v jf 13ri) relating to the fame period, in which was re- crowns^and up'" Panted a favage wild beaft, (Sv%av) as an emblem, in his heads the name prophetic ilyle, of an empire ; and this, being the of blai'phemy. Roman-empire, figniiied by the fourth and lail bead in Daniel's vilion, (chap. vii. 2, 3, 7, 8.) feemed to rife up out of the fea, as an emblem of the tumultuous ilate of the nations, (Rev. xvii. 15'.) like the trou- bled fea in a ftorm, when the barbarous Goths and Vandals would break in upon the Empire, and it would be divided into ten kingdoms ; intimating that out of thofe Commotions this antichriftian-power would rife, which appeared under the emblem of fe- ven heads, to iignify that the feat of its dominion would Chap. xiii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 29 1 would be at Rome, which (lands upon feven hills, and that it would be the feventh fuccefiive form of fupreme government; {chap. xvii. 9, iq. fee the note there) and under the emblem of ten horns> to fignify the ten kingdoms that would be united under, and fubje&ed to its power ; and ten crowns, one upon each horn, to fignify the regal authority it would then exercife over all the ten kingdoms ; And upon its feven heads were wrote the name of blafphemy, and it was full of fuch names, {chap, xvii. 3.) to fignify that the pow- er of the feventh form of government would be em- ployed to fet up, maintain, and propagate idolatry, in the worfhipping of images, and of faints and an- gels, which is a blafphemous indignity thrown upon the unalienable honour of the only li\'ag and true God, and is juftly ftyled blafphemy in the writings of the prophets. (Ifa. Ixv. 7. and E%ek. xx. 27.) 2 And the bead 2 And, methought, this beaft had the appearance which I lVtv was f a leopard, only his feet refembled thofe of a bear ; like unt ® a leo " and his mouth was terribly frightful, like the mouth - were' as the feet of a ravenous lion ; to intimate that all the cruelty, of a bear, and his fubtilty and power of the three preceding monarchies, mouth as the reprefented in Daniel's vifion, under theie figures, mouth of a lion: { c h a p. vii. 4, — 6.) would be united in this Roman gave him his"?™ P a P al em P ire j A " d the devil > wh ° ln m 7 iaft vlll ° r :' er, and his i'eat, relating to this period, was reprefented as exerting his and great authori- power, by the antichriitian-bead under the form of a tv \ great red dragon of feven heads and fo many crowns, "and ten horns, (chap. xii. 3. fee the note there) was Hill more diitindtly and fully reprefented in this, as conveying all his tyrannical power of civil government to this favage wild beaft, and placing him at Rome, the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth, (chap. xvii. 18.) and which had been the feat of perfecuting monarchs of the Empire in its Pagan itate : And he inverted him, whofe coming is after the working of Satan, w'vh great authority to pro- mote fuperitition and idolatry, by all power, and Jigns, and lying wonder a ; (2 ThefT. ii. 9.) and to perfecute the true church ot Chrill with the utmoft ieverity. 3 And I faw 3 And I perceived that one of the feven forms of one, of his heads, government, fignified by the feven beads of the beaft, as it were wound- wM fo ^r tl wounded, as leemed to be pall all ed to death ; and , r • • 1 1 • 1 his deadly wound ' 10 P e ot recovery ; to intimate, that the imperial pow- was healed : and er under the Roman Coefars would be fubverted ; and all the world won- y e t the wound, to all appeai-ance mortal, was furprif- feeaft 1 after the in & ly ncaled > which m2 Y be confidered as referring to the erection of the imperial government under the Pope, at Rome, from whence the fupreme authority ©f the Empire had been entirely removed, during the P p 2 exarchate fhipped ".he dragon which gave power ui-o rhe 292 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xiii. exarchate of Ravenna^ without any human profpefl of Rome's ever being reftored to its ancient dignity again: (fee the note on chap. viii. 12.) And upon this before unexpected and unlikely revival of the pow- er of Rome under the temporal dominion of the Pope, all the nations of the Empire were aftonifhed at it; and ran with veneration and delight after the beaft, as people ufed to do after a ftrange and grand light, full of wonder at his amazing rife and power, riches, ho- nour, and grandeur. (Chafi. xvii. 8.) 4 And tbev wor- 4 And the generality of them paid not only civil, but idolatrous worfhip, in effect, and by juft conftruc- beaft • tlon » to tne devil himfelf, who before had been repre- n'd they worfhio- fenced, as exerting his tyrannical power, by antichrift, ped the beaft, ;*/- under the form of the great red dragon , (fee the note m ;. Who is hke on c fj a p t x jj # 5 \ an( j nac [ now configned it over to unto the brail ? , • j ,~ V c 'r ' z. a ». t j .. Who is able to ' un ° er tne J°rm or the bea/t, to whom, and to make war with whofe arbitrary and idolatrous injunctions and decrees, him ? they readily fubmitted and yielded implicit faith and obedience ; looking upon him as a fort of deity, and the univerfal head of the Empire, as well as of the church : And they wondering at the uncontroulable authority and power with which he reigned, cried out with pleafing admiration and triumph, What pow- er on earth is equal to this of the Pope, fignified by the beaft ? What prince or potentate is able to refill, 1 or contend with him, or Hand before him ? All mud and fhail fubmit to him, and vail to his authority o- ver them, which he will afTume by difpofing of crowns and kingdoms, and treating kings and emperors with indignity and contempt at his pleafure *. 5 And there was c. And by the devil's influence,, and God's pcrmif- S lven " nto ,lim fion, he opened his mouth, as with great terror, fo greTt° U thin£" ind wIth hi S 1 . 1 C weUin g words of vanity, talking at a haugh- blafphemies ;' and ty and imperious rate in promifes and threatnings, power was gjyep and in blafphemous boafts of divine authority, and unto him to conti- c l a ; ms f religious, as well as civil homage to be paid month? to ^ I " m > wno w °uld exalt and magnify himfelf above every god. (Dan. xi. 36.) And he was permitted to exercife his idolatrous and perfecuting power, more or lefs, through his whole reign, which was to laft for the fpace of forty and two prophetic months, which amount to twelve hundred and lixty years, and make up the fame period of time that is allotted to the church's being in the wildernefs, and the witnefs- es prophefying in fackcloth. (See the note on chap. x. 6.) 6 Yea, NOTE. * A moft fhockinjj account of the ex- and dignities of emperors and prince?, rravagarit pride, and tyrannical infolence may be feen in Dr. More's theological of Popes, in treating the perfons, ctowns, works, p. 400. Chap. xiii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 293 6 And he open- 6 Yea, he was reprefented *s /peaking marvellous ed his mouth in things again ft the God of gods, (Dan. xi. 36.) and blafphemy againft /f • as Qtf.fr t h e temple of God, /hewing him/elf ^^^ that he is God; (2 Theft, ii. 4O and arrogantly tabernacle, and affuming the prerogatives of God in pretending to them that dwell in forgive fins, and ufurping authority over mens con- heaven - fciences, and eftabliming fuch idolatrous laws and ca- nons, as are a difhonour and reproach to his facred name : And, methought, he went on with his blaf- phemous reproaches of (he church of God,* (in which he after a ipecial and gracious manner dwells, as he did in his tabernacle and temple of old) ftigmatiz- ing them as heretics and apoftates ; and robbing them of their glory, by fetting up for an univerfal headflup over them ; which belongs to Chrift only : He hke- wife difgraced the names and cliara&ers of departed faints and the angels in heaven, by fabulous legends about them, and turning them to an idolatrous ufe in paying the religious worihip to them* which they de- left ; (chap. xix. 10. and xxii. 9.) and in auathema- tizing the faithful fervants of Chrift, that are citizens of the heavenly Jerufalem y and his holy martyrs that have their manfions in heaven. 7 And it was 7 And he was permitted by divine providence, and given unto him to f p { r ; te( i up D y Satan, to fet himfelf againft the pro- tTe k raints a , r and l to feffors of Chrift » who were vifible faints, by violent overcome ' thtm : perfecutions and wars upon thofe that mould refufe and power was to fubmit to his authority : By which means he was given him over f u fFered to pervert fome, and deprive others of their all kindreds and eftat liberty and i ives . and to exercife his tyran- tongues, and na- . , ' J ' .. . r ,. 1 t i ons- meal power over all nations or various lineages ana languages through the vail extent of his empire. 8 And all that g And his power and authority, in the whole of emh fcVdl w,,rilii e > hIs dommIdR > was reprefented to be fo prevalent, that him, Whdfe^amrt a11 tne inhabitants of the Empire would be brought in- are not written in to either a forced, or willing obedience to his cruel the book of life of and idolatrous decrees ; except thofe whom God of the Limb (Jain ^ own mere ce y xas chofen, as his peculiar people, from the tounda- , , ° . , , 1 j-n* oi u „-,™*. oe tion of the world. anc * * cnows as particularly and diihnctly by name, as if they were written down, in a literal fenfe, in the Lamb's book of life : ;< in which all are, as it were, regiftered, who were given him of the Father, to be redeemed and brought fafe to glory, in virtue of his facrifice, which may be faid to have been (lain, not only in the purpofe of God from eternity, (fee 1 Pet. i. NOTE. * By his tabernacle fome underftand in the facrifice of the mafs by a pretend- the temple of Chrift's body, in which he, ed tranfub/tantiation, and offering it up the eternal Word, ivbo is God, dwelt, or again and again, as though by one of- tabernacled on earth: (John i. 1, 14.) fering he had not perfected for ever them And this may be faid to be blafphemed that are fan&ified. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that lead- eth into captivity, fliaU go into cap- tivity : He that kilieth with the fword, mult be kill- ed with the fword. Here is the pati- ence and the faith of the faints. 294 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xiiL i. 19, 20.) but in the firft promife, and in its typical representations and prophecies, and faving efficacy, from the beginning of the world, ever fince the fall ot man. 9 If any one is defirous to underftand the meaning and importance of thefe prophecies, relating to this new antichriftian power, Let him ferioufly attend to what has been faid about it, for his caution againft holding any communion with it ; and to what is go- ing to be immediately added, for his encouragement, fupport, and comfort, which is this : 10 The great antichrift, who, during this period, takes fo many captive at his will, and tyrannizes over their confciences, fhall not always prevail againft the church of Chrift ; but fhall at length be himfelf taken captive and reduced to an abject (rate, and they fhall triumph over him : He who has been the caufe of eternal death to fome, by means of his pernicious errors, and the caufe of temporal death to others, by- martyrdoms and wars, muft himfelf, at the expiration of his term, be utterly deftroyed, foul and body, by the fword of men, and the fword of the Spirit for e- ver ; what meafure he metes to them, God will mea- fure to him again. (Matth. vii. 2.) It requires a great deal of faith to believe this, and of patience to wait for it ; and as the people of God, during the reign of the beaft, will have great occafion for the exercife of both thefe graces ; fo here is a confideration well fuited to fupport their patience at the word of times in hope of deliverance ; and to ftrengthen and ani- mate their faith to perfevere and bear up with Chrif- tian fortitude under all tribulations, as believing that what is foretold of the downfal of antichrift fhall fure- ly be accomplifhed, in God's appointed time, to his glo- ry, and their triumph over all his and their enemies. 1 1 After this, was prefented to my view another form of a beaft, which, though for fubftance the fame with that but now defcribed, (ver. 1, &c.) may on account of its fhape, and in different confiderations of it, be called another beaft *, which rofe up -from the earth T E. ercifes the fame power, and has the fame mark, and name, and number, with the firft, is another reprefentation of the fame papal empire fet in a different point of light, chiefly (I do not fay wholly) in its ecclefiajlical, as the former was chief- ly in its temporal power. And it is no uncommon thing for the fame ftate to be fet out in Scripture by different emblems; a>> the Perfian empire i- by a bear and a ram, (Dan. vii. 5- and vi h« 3-) and thc 11 And I be- held another beaft coming up out 1 of the earth ; and he had two horns like N O * The obfeurities and difficulties that lie upon all conje&ures I have met with about the meaning of this fecond beaji, moft of which may be feen in Mr. Lonv- nmk'c note upon it, are fo great, and ma- ny, that it would anfwer no good end for the reader to be puzzled with them, as I myfelf have been ; nor can I be ful- ly fatisiied with that, which I am moft inclined to, though with fome fingulari- ty, viz* that this fecond beajl, which ex- Crecian Chap. xiii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 295 a iamb, and be earth beneath, as iffuing out of a worldly temper, and fpake as a dragon f the bottomlefs pit : (chap. xi. 7.) And he appear- ed with two horns, refembling thofe of a lamb, a lym- bol of his fpiritual, as well as temporal dominion, who feemed to put on a fpecious air of meeknefs and gen- tlenefs, humility and purity, like a lamb ; but, in reality, his anathemas and cruel injunctions, enforced by the civil arm, were as terrible, as the rage of a dragon. 1 a And he ex- 12 And under pretence of being the univerfal ercifeth all the head of the church, he, as fhewn to me m vifion, af- beTft^fore^im, fumes and makeS ufe ° f a11 the P 0Wer 3I,d authorIt y» and caufeth the (t&nav) that had been before reprefented as exef- earth, and them cifed by the bealt, which appeared in a former vifion which dwell there- un d e r the figure of a monfter of feven heads and ten fiV^T^w horns, with a crown on each of them: (ver. 1.) And nrlt bealt, whole ... iir • • j r deadly wound was DV violent methods or. excommunications and perle- healed. cutions - , through the affiftance of fecular powers, he forces the carnally-minded inhabitants of that part of the earth, which is under his dominion, to pay all the religious homage, obedience, and fubmiffion to him under this new form of his appearing, as had been given to the monflrous beaft that was reprefented un- der another figure in the foregoing vifion, (ver. 3.) as recovering fovereign empire at Rome t after it feem- ed to have been mortally wounded pad recovery. 13 And he do- 1 3 And, the more effectually to compafs his tyran- eth great wonders, m * ca l and idolatrous defign, he pretends to miraculous lo that he maketh powers . i n f much that, as Elijah^ to vindicate the from heaven on character of the Jehovah of Ifrae/, as the only true the earth, in the God, obtained by prayer, that fire mould come down fight of men. from heaven, at one time to confume the burnt-facri- fice, and at another to cenfume the captains and their fifties, which were fent by king Aha%iah to appre- hend him ; ( 1 Kings xviii. 37, 38. and 2 Kings i. 10, 12.) fo this two-horned beaft feems to do like mira- cles, and that publicly in the view of many fpectators, to NOTE. Grecian by a leopard and a he-goat ; in the wildernefs. (See the note on chap. (Dan vii. 6. and viii. 5.) and our Lord x. 6) And this is all that I think of himfelf is reprefented, in this book of moment in the prefent cafe, whichever prophecy, fometimes as a lion, and at way the vifion of the beaft, as appearing others as a lamb, and under various o- like a lamb ivith tnvo horns, Sec. be in- ther characters. But, whether I am terpreted. But the number of the beajt, right in my thoughts of the fee ond beaft, ver. 18. at the clofe of the delcription of or not, it is no great doubt with me, but this fecorid beaft, manifeftly relates to that it relates to fome form or other of the date of antichrift's power, which is the pouifh power, during the term of for- fignified by the Jirjl beajl. This feems ty two prophetic months, or 1260 years, to be a ftrong objection to all fuch inTer- wh'ch ?re pointed out in the fummary pretations, a3 make the fecond berft to view that is given in this and the two be emblematical of any different per.on preceding chapters, as the time of the or power, that rofe at any confiderable fteaft's reign, and of the woman's being diftance of years after the fir ft. I : - 2C)C Tbe Revelation" pA Chan. xiii. to confirm his falie do&rines and nfurped authority ; :h may be confidered a? pointing at the fytng wondrrr, (2 ThefT. n. 9.) and numerous lham-mira- cles of the Romilh church, which are boafted of and recorded in their legend? : and at their dreadful thunderbolts by public anathemas, in which they enrfe the excommunicated with bell., book, and can- dle, as though they would bring fire down from heaven upon them ; and which are executed, by deli- fecular power to put them to c .- tortures, which are in- _ .- dpod the fabjedj of his em- pire tfcatt are nflaei , deluding ED into fuperrlition and idolatry, bv thofe feigned miracles which he pretended to hare power :b b? to -• :cr the countenance, approbation, and ea- ^*c V- of the fecular arm, the emblem of which jj^ ~ : (ver. 1 1 . And he per- -ommanded theie earthly- idol, and pay ther ftxrcld : to him, as to the image of the which was represented in the former viHon to have re- -'overeigm empire at R it was thought U L J! J 1 a • ■ r L U J to have : r Hec unto w r.ead ; : v. ..;;h may be rmblemati- cal of the : r, and of all their image- wcr :d obedience to the wholr. tern of I 7 by his author: I 15 And he UM fufficient in his own I -- ta the living image of the -rityofai:: ir tee . . . - . , , . J . . . to enforce it with vigour fhcold : and caaie tkat is the heathens, this living image of the beaft n w^^ttT*.^ both f P cak b]af P' "8 ■** eaft, SoJ ; htex- f t.'.. ti te them by excommunication and penal- . even to to m - to acknowledge, I to t bis image of the beaft, accord- maj be ponfidacd, U pomtii lfh church, Jtho- ^-rcmed he j 1 te church : from o- -rs who would not comply with hi* authority idon thai ma of all rants and degrees v- - the dominion of the papacy, high and low, rich and poor, Chap. xiii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 29 7 mark in their right poor, matters and fervants, fhould make an open profef- hand, or in their fion of their acknowledging it ; which may be figured oe ' out by the emblem of a vilible mark, impreiTed on their right band, to denote their activity in his caufe, or on their foreheads, to denote their viiible profeffion of devotednels to him ; in allulion to the cuftom of maf- ters fetting a mark upon their flaves, to fignify that they were their own property *, and of heathen ido- lators marking themfelves with fome figure, in token of what deity they were devoted to. 17 And that no 17 And fo ftrict and fevere were thefe orders f, man might buy or ^ at no one whatever was allowed the common privi- lell, lave he that 1 r « »■ • 1 • r iV „ had the mark & e merchandize or commerce in buying or telling, the name of the much lefs the pretendedly moie valuable privilege of beaft, or the num- buying or felling pardons, difpenfations, and indul- ber oi his name. gences, <&'c except thofe that made an open profef- fion of the popilh religion, and thereby wore the dif- tinguifhing badge of the beaft, and bore his name, like children of their own father, as the PapiJIs do of the Pope, who in Latin is called Papa ,• or that took upon them the profeffion of that fyftem of erro- neous doctrines, which he eitablifhed, and are cha- ra&eriftic of him, as the great antichrift. iS Here is wif- 18 It is an inltance of adorable wifdom in God, dom Let him that f or re aTons beft known to him, to foretel events of hath underftand- thjs na • j^ manner : And it requires mg count the num. r . . ^ . , ber of the beaft : ipiritual wiidom and application or thought, witn fur it is the num- humble dependence on divine guidance, to underftand ber of a man; and the myftical defcriptions of the antichriftian bead. hls Whoever NOTES. * Martial, in his epigrams, (lib. 2. (See Ainpworth on the place.) And epig. 29. and lib. 3. epig. 21.) fpeaks of Crotius fhews that fervants were princi- Jlaves being marked on their foreheads ; pally marked on their forehead*, xnd and of one who endeavoured to hide the foldJers on their hands. (Vid. in loc ) mark of his flavery, by putting a patch f Pareus obferves in his note on this or plaifter upon his forehead to cover it. veri'e, that Pope Mart in the Fifth, in his And Dean Prideaux tells us, (Conned. Bull annexed to the Council of Co'ijlance, Vol. II. book 2.) that Ptolemy Phtlopu- enjoined by an oath, that all »vho prp- ter, to degrade the jfeivs of Alexandria, feffed themfelves to be devoted to the ordered M that all of them that lhould Roman See, fhould expel all thole, that come to be inrolled, in the third rank a- do not hold the faith and communion of mong the common people of Egypt, the church, as fcabby iheep, which in- fliould at the time of their enrollment feci the dock of the Lord ; and fhould have the mark of an ivy-leaf, the bade? not permit them to preach, nor to dwell of his god Bacchus, by an hot iron im- among them, nor to make any contracts prefi'ed upon them; and that l\\ thole or bargains, or exercife any trade among who fhould refufe to be thus enrolled them ; nor to enjoy with Christians the and ftigraatized with the laid mark, comforts of humanity. And Mr Crad- fhould be made flaves ; wnd that if any dock refers to the Council of L .' of them fhouid (land out againft this de- anathematizing all that entertained any cree, he fhould be put to death.*' And of the Waldenfes, or tiadrd with them ; the cuftom of the heathens printing and to a fynod in France, which fore- marks upon their bodies, fignifying the bad any commerce wit'i heretics in buy- deity to which they were devoid, is ma- ing or felling, uifeltly referred to in Leiit. xix. z$. V©l. VI. Q^q 298 "The Revelation parafrhrafed. Chap. xiiL his number is Whoever is minded, and has any fkill for inquiries of fix hundred three- tn j s f ort> i et m - m ca refully employ it in a clofe and diligent fearch into the number of years henceforth to come, when this idolatrous power is to rife in its full ftrength, that he may thereby learn, who, or what is meant by this reprefentati6n of it ; and confequent- ly, at what time its period of twelve hundred and fix- ty years mail expire. The rinding out of this need not be absolutely defpaired of: For its rife in its complete Hate is to be difcovered by computing from the time of this vifion a number of years, which is commonly ufed by men in their way of reckoning ; and that number is * Jtx hundred and Jixtyjtx. RECOLLECTIONS. In how many forms doth the papal antiehrift appear ! fometimes with the meek- nefs and gentlenefs of a lamb to deceive, and at others with the fury and cruelty *>f a dragon to deftroy; both uniting to pervert and ruin the church of Chrift. "With what blafphemie* doth he open his mouth ! With what lying wonders doth he impofe upon earthly-minded men ! With what uncontrouled authority doth he command and force his fubjecls to fubmit to idolatrous image^worfhip, and all the abominations of popery ! And with what dreadful feverity doth he curfe all that \v\\\ not ooen'y profefs abfolute and blind obedience to him and his decrees ! This is the plain mark of the beaft ; and they that have not this mark upon them, whe- ther they be of high or low decree, muft, according to his orders, be deprived of the common privileges of civil fociety and commerce, and of life itfelf. Alas' How many nations and people are deluded into fatal errors, to their eternal per- dition, by his allurements on one hand, and terrors on the other ! None under his dominion can be fecured againft it, but God's elect that are written in the Lamb's book of life, the virtue of whofe facrifice has been effectual to falvation, through faith in him, ever fince the entrance of fin, foon after the creation of the world. But how much foever the RomiJJj potentate may diftrefs thefe by wars, perfecutions, and martyrdoms, to the kill^g of their bodies, he fhall nev°.r prevail to pervert and deftroy their fouls. And, blefTed be God, there is a certain limited time, NOTE. * The obfcurity in which the number number. But as thefe, however ingeni- £6* is left in prophecy, calls for ftudious ous, are very uncertain conjectures, I rnodfeft inquiry, and humble prayer to have rather chofe to fall in with fuch f«ttle the meaning of it. The learned writers, as feem more probably to corn- Mr. Potter, in an, elaborate difrourfe on pute the number 666 from the time this number, endeavours to adjuft it by when the apoftle jfohn received and extracting ihtfquare root of 665, which, wrote this virion, which, fays Mr. Loiu- wirh a fraction of 41 is 25, which mul- man, taking the general received opi- tiplied into itfelf and aciding the frac- nion, was about the year of, our Lord tion, gives the number 666, and add- 94; and adding 666 to 94 makes 760, ing 25 to the year of oi:r Lord 33, makes which reaches but about four or live 58, and this, added to 666, makes 7 14; years beyond the rife of the beaft, as when, as feme think, the beaft arrived iuppofed to be about the year 755, or to it- ftate of manhood, a'td the war a- 7*56, when the Pope became a temporal bout worshipping of images began. O- prince, and received the inveftiture of thers have thought that this number Peter's patrimony from Pepin king of might be made out by the Creek word Trance, and might poffibly be about 4 inos {xtru-jc;) which figntfies the or 5 years in taking actual and complete church, the numeral Jctteis of pofleffion of it. (See Mr. Lonntman'^ which make juft 66'>, thus, note.) According to this account, an- x a r t i 1)0 <■ tichrift's reign is to expire about the 2P :. 30O. 5- 10. 50. 70. 20c. year of our Loid 2015, or 2016, as may 1 . :x: the voice of a vaft multitude, as fignified and as the voice of by many waters ; (chap. xvii. I, 15.) and a voice a great thunder : as loud as sgreat clap of thunder: And it was exceed- and I heard the i n g harmonious in mine ears, like the mufic of tem- vo.ce of harpers pi c . worftl ; p on f oIemn f e ftivals ; where harpers played harping with their r 1 < , , , . . , . , r , • r ; r harps . upon their harps, and others joined with their muli- cal inftruments, in charming concert with the voices. (1 Chron. xxv. 1, — 7. and Pf. lxviii. 25.) 3 And they 3 And this glorious company united, as with one new fen 1 * Tefore ^^ and V ° kt) " fm S [n S a *&T h Y mn of hle I tn g> thT throne, ^nd honour i g^O'i and power to Rim that fits upon the before the four throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever ; (chap, hearts-, and the el- v. 13.) A pfalm or fong of praife, of a mod excel- ders : and no man ] ent lia ture, and new ftrain, for redeeming love, as Cone but 1 the ^ Ultc ^ to au< tne % nt > grace, and purity of the gof- hundred a?ul forty pel-revelation. They were employed in this folemn and four thoufand, act of worfhip in the prefence of God, bowing with which were re- the moft humble and adoring proftration before him, earth. ^ flS fitti ' n S 0n the throne *' ^ ho P' iv « IO and in the prefence ot the four living creatures, the reprefenta- tivts of goipelrr.inifters ; and of the four and twenty elders, the representatives of the church. (See the notes on chap. iv. 4, 6.) And fo fpiritual and fublime was this fong, that none could fully underftand it, or tafte its fweetneis, and join heartily in it, but thofe that are fymbolically reprefented by the hundred and . forty four thoufand, who were redeemed by the blood ofCl.iifr, {chap. v. 9.) and, in confequence thereof, by his power and grace, from among the reft of man- kind upon earth, and particularly of the antichriftian part of ihem. 4 TheCe are they 4 Thefe are the holv and happy fouls, who, in which were not the days of antichrill's reign, did not defile themfelves defi,cd with Chap. xiv. The Revelation paraphrased. ;or defiled with wo men ; for they are virgins: thefe 'tie they which fol- low the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth ; thefe were redeemed from a- mong men, being the tirit- fruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their rno :th was found no guile : tor they are without fault before the throne oi God. 6 And I f?w a- nothcr angel fly in the mid ft: of hea- ven, having the everlafting gofpel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and . with the idolatry of the Romim church, that great whore of Babylon, and mother of harlots^ wnh whom many commuted fornication or fpiritual whore- dom, [chap. xvn. i, 2, 5.) as idolatry is often ityled by the prophets : (lee L as wkh a ftrou S voice » whIch ,<;lory to him; § for m ^g nt De heard far and wide, .and demanded atten- the hour of his tion, See to it that ye worfhip and ferve God in fpi- judgment is come : rit and truth according to his word, as the only rule and worfhip him f f aith and obedience, in oppofition to human inven- tnat made heaven .• , ,. . . , , , ri _- j and earth and ons anci tra ditions, with holy reverence or him and the fea, and the ^ ear of offending him by idolatry, or any other ini- iountains of wa- quity ; and thac ye glorify him, by humble adora- ters * tions of his divine being and perfections, and his ho- ly providence ; and by afcribing all falvation to his free and fovereign grace, through the only Mediator, in oppofition to the merit of good works, and the mediation of faints and angels : For the time is now conye, in which he will begin to execute judgments upon his antichriftian-enemies. And let all your wor- fhip be offered up to the great God, through Jefus Chrift, and, in oppofition to all creatures, to him only, (chap. xix. 10. and xxii. 9.) who is the Creator of heaven and earth, and the fea, and fprings of water, 1 and of all things contained therein. 8 And there foi- 8 And, after this, there followed another angel Wd another an. wkh moft - fu j tid; tQ thc churd •• th gel, laying, .baby. . . J J . ~ ., °, . , . 7 b & . . .. ion is fallen is faL notlc€ » tnat > ,n God's due time, their great antichnf- len, that ' great tian-enemy mould be utterly deftroyed, an earneft of city, becaufe flie which was given in the P rot eft ant-reformat ion, fay- made all nations m g ? j n t h e ver y t erms that had been ufed concerning ofdieurathorher ^ e Chaldean-Babylon, (Ifa. xxi. 9.) and in prophe- fomication. tlc &yl e > which fpeaks of things to come as though they were already pail ; and doubling the expreffion to give the ftrongeft affurance of its certain accom- plishment, Baby ion is fa lien, is fallen; Thereby inti- mating that, as the ancient Babylon did actually fall, according to the prophecy; fo antichriftian Rome, that great city, which may be called myftical Babylon for its haughtinefs, perfecutions, and idolatries, mould as certainly be deftroyed in its appointed time ; becaufe, as men ufe to be overcome by ftrong wine, and lewd women are faid to entice their lovers to fornication, by giving them philters or love-potions ; fo by the allurements of riches, honour, and pleafure, and the deceits of lying wonders, me had intoxicated ail na- tions Chap. xiv. The Revelation paraphrafed. 303 tlons under her dominion, and prevailed upon them to have fellowfhip with her in idolatrous worfhip p which is frequently represented by the prophets, as fpiritual whoredom, that incenfes the wrath of God againft the pradtifers of it. 9 And the 9 And a third angel fucceeded the two laft, with third angel fol- tidings as terrible to the antichriftian party, as the ir^with^' loud tW0 former Were comfortable to the faithful Servants YcnceTff any man <>f tne ^ord : But he gave them fair warning before- worfhip the beaft hand, faying with a thundering voice, enough to ftrike and his image, and terror into all that heard it, If any one in thefe days receive his mark of jj ht and after the fe p ^ n not i C es, will ftill obili- in his torehead, or r m • %• • * ..u ..- in hi? hand nately perfift in paying religious homage to the anti- chriftian- beaft, which has been defcribed under various forms, {chap, xiii.) and in fubmkting to his authori- ty, and complying with image-worfhip, or other parts of Popifh fuperftition and idolatry; and (hall make an open profefiion of all this, like bearing its diftinguifh- ing mark on his forehead ; or (hall be active in Serv- ing its intereft, like Setting his hand to it, (fee the note on chap. xiii. 16.) he will do it at his utmoft peril. 10 The fame io Be he who, or what he will, he mall feel the fhall drink of the weight of divine vengeance: As he drank of the in- wine of the wrath toxicating wine of the great whore's fornication, in %£&£&£. praaifing idolatry with her (w r 8.) he (hall drink out mixture, into of the wine of God's juit fury, (Jer. xxy. 15, 16./ the cup of his in- which, like the ftrongeil deadly compofition, is pre- dignation ; and he pared without mixture of mercy, and is poured out fliall be tormented • h dreadful ab horrence of fuch an one, as into a with fire and brim- ... . . . , ' _ „ ftone, in the pre- CU P hlled with his provoked wrath ; and he mail be fence of the holy punifhed with agonizing pain, as with the torment angels, and in the n f burning fire and brimft one, in the light of the ho- £ refe " ce of the ly angels, as witnefles and executioners of it ; (Matlb, xiii. 49, 50.) and before tire face of the Lamb of God, as Judge of all, who will pafs a righteous fen- tence upon fuch an o n ^» and will behold his deferved mifery, without relenting, or affording any help or pity. 11 And the 11 And fo horrible was the representation of the fmoke ofthfirtor- p Un Jfhrnent of fuch offenders, that, raethought, I f:uv for ever and ever • tne mio ^ e °^ tne ^ re » which tormented them, aScend- and they have no lu % U P incefiantly with difmal darknefs, as Srom a fire reft day nor night, which fliall not be quenched to all eternity: [Mark who worfhip the j x . 4?, 44.) And they, like miferable wretches that beaft and his «-< • ' 1 1 •. a -n. j j • v.. 1 „,.,„» „ a u r ar ^ in the bittereil anp-uilh day and nip;ht, have no mage, and whofo- . irr . o J h 1 ever receivcth the mtermiilion, eaie, or relpite or their torment, who iTiarkof his name, yield themSelves up to the authority of the antichrif- tian-beafi, under any form of its appearing; and this fliall be the deplorable condition of every one who o- penly profefTes obedience and devotednefs to it, as though 304 5 "b: Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xiv. though its name were printed on his forehead. (See the note on chap. xiii. 16.) 12 Here is the 12 In this view of things, we fee the trials that the patience of the pat ; encc of the f a f nts W J U be put tQ and th honour la.nts: here are r ., ,. , . -,, f, . , _ . thev that keep the W!tn which ft will appear and he crowned at laft, in commandments of the accomplifhment of what they patiently waited God. and the faith for : Here we fee who they arc, that, notwithftand- *f J eilis - ing all oppreffions by antichriftian-enemies, keep clofe to the word of God, as the only rule of their faith, worfhip, and obedience, and faithfully conform to it in heart and life ; and that maintain the purity of the doctrines and inftitutions of the Lord Jefus, as what they fmcerely believe, profefs, and practife upon his fblc authority, in oppofition to all the cor- ruptions, traditions, and impofitions of men. 13 And I heard 13 And for their further fupport and comfort un- a v ;ce from hea- der a jj tribulations, I heard a voice from heaven, like me' Write" b\efc- tnat wmcn came from the excellent glory, relating to ed are the dead our bleffed Lord, (2 Pet. i. 17.) faying to me, Write •which die in the in your narrative of thefe prophetic vifions, that they Lord, from hence- w } lf) flfe j n t \ ie fa^ f Chrift, united to him as mem- the h s P ^' m bers of . h . {s m ^ ftical hod y> and fha11 bc found in hIm •» they may reft from (Phi/, iii. q.) as well as they who fuffer martyrdom their labours ; anH for Chrift, are and (hall be unfpeakably happy from ^^ work s do fol- the time of their death to all eternity : Yea, the Spirit of prophecy, whofe teftimony is infallibly true, pofi- tively affaires them, from this time forward, of the certainty and excellence of this bleffednefs, which is xo great, that, at the end of their trials on earth, they mall reft with fweet refrefhment from all their labours and fufferings for Chrift, from all their fpiritual con- flicts with fin, Satan, and the world, and from all for- rows of every kind : And none of their works of faith, love, and patience, fhall.be loft, or forgotten ; but they mall all follow them to bear witnefs to them, as true believers who die in the Lord, that they may receive the blefted fruit of them in a proportionate re- ward of grace, at the great day of account ; (-fee Rom. viii. 17. and 2 Cor. iv. 17.) though they do not go before them, in a way of plea or merit,' to entitle them to eternal life. 14 After N O T E. * I rather think that the dead iuhs under her various troubles, in the prefent die in the Lord, relates to all. true belie- ftate of fin and forrow. And though the 'vers that have a faring intneft in Chrift, particle (jr*-«fT<) rendered from hence- than merely to martyrs tor his fake: For forth is differently referred by critics to this beft agrees with the meaning of like either what goes before or to what fol- phrafes in 1 Cor. xv iS. and 1 thejf iv. lows after it, there may be no great dif- 14, 16.; and a declaration of the bleffed. ference in the fenfe as given in the para~ neis of all fuch is moie ext«*nfively ufeful phrafe. and encouraging to the whole church.. low them. Chap. xiv. The Revelation paraphrafed. 305 14 And I look- 14 After this, I looked again for fome further re- ed, and behold, a velation ; and, obferve the following vifion, I faw an r^theTloud Tne iUuftrious br 'g ht cloud \ and U P on thJs cloud the Lord St^ikcf unto the J e ^ us > tne Meffiah himfelf, who was truly man, and Son of man, having often ftyled the Son of 'man , appeared, in like manner on his head a gold- as he did in Daniels vifion ; {chop. vii. 13.) he alfo en c "" own > ana in appeared with rays of glory upon his head, which fickle a ma y be called a crown of s old > to % nif y hIs ro y al do - minion, as Lord of all; {Dan vii. 14.) and with the figure of a fnarp fickle in his hand, luch as huiband- men ufe in reaping corn ; an emblem of his coming forth in righteoufnefs to cut down his antichriilian enemies *. 15 And another 15 I alfo beheld another angel coming forth from angel came out of t h e c hurch-triumphant in heaven, which is eminently w>K em ] le '/ ryinS the temple of God where he mod gloriouflv dwells ; with a loud voice ? . ° f v: t to him that fat on arK * this angel, as delivering the order which he the cloud. Thruft brought from God in the heavenly temple, earneftly in thy fickle, and called upon the Lord Jefus, who fat on the bright reap: for the time c j ouc i faying, Execute righteous vengeance on evil is come for thee to , . \ b , , , . b , ,? . „ reap • tor the har- doers, without delay, which was emblematically ex- veft of the earth is prefled by immediately thrulting his fickle among ripe. them and reaping them down : For it is high time, according to their provocations and to divine appoint- ment, that thou ihouldft cut them off; for the wick- ed inhabitants of the earth are become as ripe for de- llruetion, as the corn is to be cut down at the harveft, like what was faid of ancient Babylon. (Jer. li. 33.) 16 And he that 1 6 Accordingly, the fet time for this ftroke upon fat on the cloud antichriilian powers being come, the Son of man, who enThetrlhftd appeared . s lilting upon the clond, ( W r. ,4.) im- t j ie mediately began to execute judgments on that wick- ed NO T E. * Some are of opinion, that in this vi- the Reformation, which was a great fion, the fickle, reaping, and harve/l, are diftrefs upon her, and diminution of he* to be taken in a good jh>fe, as they of- fubjecls and power, or to any other pa- ten are in Scripture ; and that they here niihment of her before her downtal; and refer to Chiift's reaping the fruits of the refer the fecond to her utter dejlruciion gofpel-roiniftry, and gathering a great at the clofe of her appointed period, or to multitude of fouls into his kingdom, at the final judgment of all the wicked, the time of the Reformation ; or to his But as the vintage is after harveft, and gathering the whole church to himfelf is reptefented {ier. iS, ItV.) in more at the end of the work}. — But as thefe terrible language of deftruction than the expreflions, and thofe in the next vifv>n, harveft, I am inclined to confider the manifeftly allude, at leait, to Joel in. harvejl as emblematical of the ftroke gi- 13. where they fignify the judgments of ven to Popery at the Reformation ; and God for the great nuickedntfs of the peo- the vintage of that which rtiall come pie; and as the J]jar[> fickle in the hand with the heavieft vengeance hertafter. to of the angel, that appeared in the next the utter extinction of that antichrjftian vifion, (jver. 17.) was an emblem of ex- power. And the general defcription ecution, it feems moft proper to inter- here given of this total overthrow is piet the fame emblem in the fame way drawn out more particularly, and at in both thefe virions, whether we refer large, in the iSth and ipth chapters. She ftr/l to the ftroke upon antichrift at Vol. VI. R r job "The Revel atiou paraphrafed. Chap, xiv, the earth was reap- ed generation ; and multitudes of them were as effec- e ^« tualiy cut down as corn is with a fickle in harveft ; which may point at the great blow he gave to the beaft, when feveral nations fell off from, and made head againft Popery at the time of the Reformation^ which was a great lofs and terror to the antichriftian- party, and the occafion of bloody wars, by which many of them were flam ; and the Lord did judg- ment upon their graven images, as he did upon thofe of ancient Baby Ion. (Jer. li. 47, 52.) 17 And another 17 And as Chrift has all inftruments at his com- angel came out of man d to execute his wrath ; fo I afterward faw ano- the temple which ^ r , £ ^ f rom the immediate prefence is iu heaven, he al- * . . r fo having a fharn or ^rod in the heavenly temple, with the like emblem fickle. of a fharp fickle in his hand, to fignify that he was to be employed for further executions of wrath, in fubordi nation to, and by the command and power of Chrift. 18 And another jg Hereupon, methought, another angel came forth angel came out frQm thg akar of burnt offer ; ng the fire of w hich, from the altar, r ...» ° 7 ., - .. . ' which had power to coniume the iaennces, was an emblem ot divine over fire ; and cri- juftice, which this angel had authority (s|» whIch ma Y well be ftyled the degenerate ed the vineof the v hte of the earth, as with a fharp crooked knife ; and, eartl), and cafl it gathering them together, delivered them up to be into the great wine- p Ur .jflied by the moil dreadful executions of divine oTccf thC Wrath wratb > which would P refs them wIth 3S f ° re an . d hea " vy calamities as are figuratively reprefented in the writings of the prophets, by the treading of grapes in a wine-prefs. {Ifa. lxiii. 3, 4. and Lam. i. 15.) And this appeared, in my vifion, as a very great wine-prefs, on account of the vaft multitude that Chrift will then tread down in his anger and fury. (Ifa. lxiii. 3, 6.) 20 And Chap. xiv. The Revelation par aphrafed. 307 20 And the wine- 20 And the deftruct ion of the idolatrous perfecut- preis was trodden ^g enem ies of Chrift, that were without the pale of and h °blood came his true church, and mall be excluded from the hea- ©ut of the wme- venly city, {chap. xxii. 15.) and call into outer prei's, even unto darknefs, was fo exceeding great and extenfive, as the horfe-bridles, fignified by the treading of a large wine-prefs, which thoufand^ a«/ f fix ? wont t0 be done wIthcrut the cft y» that in allufiofl hundred furlongs. to tne greateft ilaughter in a field of battle, and to the juice of grapes, which, being fqueezed out, is called the blood of grapes, (Gen. xiix. 11.) their blood feemed to flow, like prodigious quaintities of liquor, from a huge wine-prefs, in fuch a torrent, as might be figured out by its rifing and fwelling as high as the bridles of war-horfes, to the deftruciion of them and their riders ; and fpreading through all the Pope's patrimony, the length of which may be computed at lixteen hundred furlongs*. RECOLLECTION S. How delightful is a view of Chrift as the Lamb on mount Sion among his people, and of their finging with inimitable {trains of melody, the praifes of redeeming love ! Thefe have diftinguilhing marks of the children of God, that own and ho- nour h-im, and are owned and honoured by him : Thefe are they that were redeem- ed from among the reft of mankind on earth: They are pure from the fuperftiti- ous and idolatrous worfnip of the Papifts; and follow the Lamb wherefoever he goes, and are a kind of firft-truits confecrated to him and his Father ; they are fin- cere in their profeffion of his name and are prevailingly holy and without blame in love, and free from guilt and condemnation, through faith in the righteoufnefs of Chrift : In thefe, patience mail have its perfect work ; and they will confcienti- oufly obey the commandments of God, and maintain the uncorrupted doctrines of Chrift, with a humble truft in him for all falvation ; and thefe (hall be blelTed from the time of their death, and for ever afterwards, as has been declared by an im- mediate voice from heaven, and by the infallible Spirit of prophecy. How thank- ful fhould we be, that after a long night of popilh darknefs, the everlafting gofpel was preached in its purity, and with great iuccefs, at the Reformation ! What a bleffing is this to the church of Chrift ! and what a humbling and vexatious ftroke upon antichrift, and fure prefage of her utter downfal ! This fhall be as certainly accomplifhed in God's appointed time, as it is now foretold. And, ah ! how dreadful will the portion of their cup be, who have drank of the wine of her for- nication, by joining in her idolatrous worfhip ! They fhall drink cf the cup of R r 2 God's NOTE. * Mr. Jofepb Mede obferves, that it furlongs, or 200 Italian miles ; whereby is not faid that the angel, which caft the it is probable that the Pope's own terri- grapes into the wine-prefs trod them; tories, Stato delta Cbie/a, may prove but this was done by Chrift himfelf, who the cockpit of this execution, whether is reprefented as the King coming forth Chrift, as into a wine-prefs, will from all from heaven, with a celeftial army of parts gather the bloody grapes, when he horfementodeftroythem:(Vid. Bibliarid means to tread them." However, as the in loc.) And fays in his Remains , (1. 3. execution, here pointed at, feems yet to chap. 7. p. 736. ff his works) " Suppof- come, it pr&bably will be at the clofe of ing this vintage to be yet to come, I am the period fet out' in prophecy, for the much inclined to think, that this 1600 reign of the beaft: And though we may furlongs without the city fhould be a de- not be able to determine the exact time iignation of Peters patrimony; or the and circumftances of it, it will as furely demefns of the church, which, in the be brought to pals, in God's appoinied longeft extent thereof, from the walls of time, as the bapvejl ard vintage return RotneXo the rfter Po, is exa<5tly 1600 in their appointed lealons. 3o3 The Revelation par aphrafed. Chap. xv. God's wrath, without mixture; and their torment (hall be inceffant for ever and ever. The Lord Jelus, who appeared on a bright cloud with a glorious crown, will efpoufe the caufe of his church and people, and come forth in righteoufnefs a- gainft their antichriftian-enemies, by gradual difpenfations of providence, in which he will cut them down, as with a fickle in harveft ; till at length he will make a ■full end of them, as the grapes of a vintage are cut off, and caft into and trodden in a wine-prefs, till all their juice is fqueezed out. Thus (hall it be done in God's fet time to the idolatrous and tyrannical church of Rome ; and the (laughter of them will be great and terrible beyond expreffion. How mould we rejoice in faith and hope of the glorious, though awful manifeftation, that will then be made of God's righteous judgments, to open a way for the profperous and happy (late of the church, which (hall fucceed it. CHAP. XV. A vifion of f eve n angels, having the /even lajl plagues, follows, by way of folemn preface to the execution of them, as to be made up- on the beqjl ; and a fong of praife is fun g by the church, which obtained viBory over him, j, — 4. Then the temple in heaven is opened, from whence the feven angels come out with the /even plagues ; and to them one of the living creatures gives feven golden vials full of the wrath of God, that they might be ready to pour them out in their order : Upon which, the temple was filed with an inaccejpble cloud of glory, 5, — 8. Text. Paraphrase. ^ND I fawano- A pTER the foregoing vifions, which gave me a ther fign in A general view of the judgments that mould come heaven, great and & , . . .„. . J n © marvellous feven u P on the antichnitian-bealt, 1 had another, which was angels, having the preparatory to the execution of the judgments them- feven lad plagues, felves, that in their order were to begin, carry on, for in them is filled an( j comp j ete his ru ; n> To th ; g purpo f e I beheld a up the wrath of 111 1 • • 1 (• 0( j # very remarkable and amazing appearance 111 heaven of feven angels, as minifters of divine vengeance, who had a commiflion to execute the feven laft fevere ftrokes that were to fall upon antichriil, in their courfe, till he mould be utterly deftroyed : For all the wrath, which God had righteoufly determined againft this idolatrous and perfecuting power, was contained in thefe executions to make a full end of it, together with all the enemies of Chrift and his church. z And I faw as 2 I furthermore faw, as in a former vificm, {chap. it were a fea of i v . 6.) a reprefentation of a large veffel, like the mol- ?' a!S, ^ led T h * ten fca » in Solomon's temple, (1 Kings vii. 23.) fire; atid them that , . , ' . , ... r v 1 •*. j i had gotten the vie- wn: ch lhone witn a bnghtneis as white and clear as tory cryltal, mixt with a beautiful colour, as red as fire*; Which NOTE. * Among the numerous conjectures church on earth ; the fcene of this vifion about tile meaning of i1\efia ofglafs, it being in heaven, #/ aph afed. 309 tory over the beaft, Which may be confidered as an emblem of the fpot- and over his image, J e f s purity and efficacy of the atoning blood and ngh- a«d over his mark. teoufnefs of ChrI{t w hereby he -appealed the nay re- xnd over the num- r ,,...„. J A ■, i -, • ber of his name fentments 01 divine juipce : And, as to the glorious ftar.d on the Tea of company which, through faith in the blood ot the glafs, having the Lamb, had bravely refitted, and by their doctrine, harps of God. example, and patient fufferings even unto death, had overcome all temptations to comply with the authori- ty of antichrift, and to make an op.n profeffion of his idolatrous religion, which may be fignified by their getting the victory over' the beait, and his image and mark, and the number of his name ; Thefe appeared as {landing with confidence and triumph on the fea of glafs, as the foundation on which they ftand with complete acceptance in the divine prefence ; and they feemed to have harps in their hands, in allufion to thofe mufical inftruments that were ufed in the tem- ple-fervice for celebrating the praifes of God. 3 And they fing 3 And, methought, they joined in concert, as a the long of Mofe- c horus, to fmg the wonders of Divine Providence in the iervant of God ■ tr j ump j, ant fo n „ f or deliverance out of the hands of and the fong of. * r .- • b • ,-, , , - , th^ Lamb, faying, their ptriecutmg enemies, ake that which was ccm- Great and. marvel- pofe-d by Mojes the fervant of the Lord, and was lous are thy works, f un g by lf rae j for their deliverance from the Egyp- Lord Cod Almign. ■ fa Red . fea , £ j xv< &c> ) And t ty; iuft and true , . . ... c v r 1 1 r • • -s are thy ways, tbou this they added a long of thankigiving and praiie to King of faints. the honour of Chrift, the Lamb cf God, for the much greater falvation brought; in by him ; a fong, which he put into their mouths, faying, in an aienp- tion of glory firfl to God the Father *, Great and wonderful NOTES. or reprefentatives of the minifters of the long give what feems to me the moft church, appeared. {Chap- iv. 6. See the probable that has offered to my thoughts note there.) And among the interpre- upon the plan of this fcene's being in tations, which confider it as in heaven, heaven. that given in the paraphrafe, I am ready * Though Chrift in his divine nature to think, may be as probable as any o- is truly the Lord God Almighty, and ther, fince thefe victorious and triumph- characters equivalent to this are elfe- ing faints are reprefented as flanding where afcribed to him ; (fee the notes anthefea of glafs ; and fo may direcT on chap. i. 4, 8. and Dr. Waterland*> our thoughts to the foundation on which fermons at the Lady Moyer's Lecture, they ftand with joy and praife, rather p. 230, Stc.) Yet it appears to me that than to their own purity, love, and zeal, Cod the Father, or God effentially Con- or any other excellent graces found in fidered, inclufive of the three divine per- them, or exercifed by them. And as fons, is here moft immediately Ipoken of the following paraphrafe on this chapter under this title; and that Chrift in his proceeds upon the fuppofuion, which I office- capacity, is meant by King of think the Spirit of prophecy determines, faints, to whom glory is afcribed toge- that heaven is the fcene of this vifion, ther with the Father: For the former it need not be wondered at, that it is part of this fong feems to relate to the different from the fenfe of moft expofi- fong of Mofes ; and the latter to the tors, who place the fcene in the church fong of the Lamb : And the title, King on earth ; or that I take no further no- of faints, is with the gre;.teft prupntrv |ice of their explications, while I all a- given to Chrift, who in his regal office 3 io Tin Revelation paraphra fed. Chap. xv. wonderful are thy works of providence in ways of judgment and mercy, O Lord Jehovah, the almighty God, whofe uncontroulable power performs them ; and then to the glorified Lamb, faying, Thou art juit and righteous in all thy proceedings againit thine enemies, as rendering to them according to their de- fens ; and thou art true in executing thy threatnings upon them, and faithful in performing thy promifes to thy people, O thou King of the church, which confifts of holy ones, whom thou haji redeemed from all iniquity ', and purified to thyfelf. (Tit. ii. 14.) 4 Who Orall not 4 Who, that knows thy name, O Lord, will not *nd th 7j r i?' *d?' revcrcnce > worfhip, and put his truR in thee, and a- .nme ? for thou f° noe a ^ glory to thee, who art infinitely worthy of Dwy art holy: lor it? (Pf. Ixxxix. 7.) For, in oppofition to antichrilVs all nations ihall vainly afluming to himfelf the title of his Holirrrfs, betbre^ther^for tH ° U °" ly ** 6t t0 Wear "*» 3S th ° U 3rt oxi & n * ]l Y* thy judgments are c ^ euiia ^Yy and communicatively pure and holy. We made tuanifeft. believe, and rejoice in the thought, that the time is coming, when thou wilt be more abundantly feared and glorified on earth, than hitherto : For all nations of the world mail come as a willing people unto thee, and own and honour thee, and pay their folemn ado- rations to thee, as in thy fpecial prefence, and under thine eye, in the affemblies of the faints ; for the judgments, which thou wilt execute upon thine anti- chriftian- enemies, are manifeft tokens of thy taking the part of thy people againft them, to the conviclion j>f all that duly obferve the awful operations of thy hand. «; And after that 5 At the conclufion of this praifing fong, I had a JLleVtf?' ? ml | De "f ^ llrlncr vinon > which led on to the fcene of judgments the t'abernacle of t * iat werc to ^ e executed in their order : And as the the tettimony in Holy of holies in the tabernacle and temple, and the heaven was open- ark of the tellimony, the mercy-feat, and the cheru- bim between which the Lord dwelt, (Exod. xxv. 22. and Pf. lxxx. 1.) were feen when the high prieft en- tered into the mofl holy place ; fo, methought, I faw an opening in heaven, which gave me a view of God's mod eminently glorious throne, and of all the fymbols of his favour to his true worfhippers, to intimate that, as inquiries were wont to be anfwered from the ora- cle, (2 Sam. xvi. 23.) fo God was now about to an- fwer the prayers of the church for delivering them from the power of their antichriftian-enemies. € And the feven 6 Whereupon, I beheld feven angels, the appoint- angel. came out of e d minifters of God's wrath andjuftice, coming out the J of NOTE. is, by way of peculiarity, King of S ion, and King of the church - ? and the follow- ing part of this long is evidently, though not reitri&ively, applicable to him. Chap. xv. The Revelation paraphrafid. 311 the temple, having of the mofl holy place, even heaven itfelf, as having the feven plagues, received his orders with refpeft to the feven judg- elothed in pure and rnents> tnat were to be fuccefiively executed upon the ^ e |'h n eir' a bre!' ft a ; beaft : Thefe angels, to fignify the faulty of their girded with golden chara&er and miniftrations, appeared as arrayed in an girdles. awful and fplendid manner with holy garments of pure and white linen, and golden girdles about their breafts, fuch as the high prierls ufed to wear, (Exod. xxviii. 4, — 8. and Lev. xvi. 23 ) when they went in- to the holy of holies, and came out from thence to bring the anfwers of God to the prayers of his peo- ple, which they had received from the oracle. 7 And one of 7 And one of the four living creatures, the repre- the four beafts fentatives of gofpel-minifters, (iee the note on chap, gave unto the fe- j v# g-j w | 10 were mo fl. near l v concerned for the weL. golde'nlials fullTf fare of the church > was employed, b 7 divIne co f m ™ f - the wrath of God, fion, to deliver to the feven angels, to each of them who liveth for e- one of the feven golden cups or vials*, which were ver and ever. fin e( j ^ftj, morta l ingredients, as fymbols of the wrath of God, which they were to be inftruments of pour- ing out upon the idolat«)us perfecuting beaft, at his order, and by the a&ivity of his own power, who h from everlafting to everlafting God, and lives for ever to execute his righteous judgments in their courfe, till all his enemies be utterly deflroyed. 8 And the tern- 8 And when they had received their comm'fTion, pie was filled with j faw the heaven l y ternp l e filled with a cloud of glo- gtoryof God, and *fi refembling that which formerly filled the taberna- from his power ; cle : This cloud appeared like a thick fmoke awfully and no man was a- glorious, which was a fymbol of divine vengeance, ble to enter into rpr Yv ^ u g \ as going forth from the prefence of the fa£3££f& Lofd > and to be executed by the glory of his power, feven angels were in the definition of antichrid ; even as the cloud fulfilled. on the tabernacle was of his dreadful judgment upon Corah, Dathati, and Abiram, and the murmuring [fr a elites.: (Numb. xvi. 19, 42.) And as Mofes could not enter into the tabernacle, nor the priefls ftand to miniiler in the temple while the glory of the Lara* filled the houfe of the Lord ; (Exod. xl. 35. and 1 Kings viii. 11.) fo no one was able to enter into this heavenly temple, to entreat for the preventing of thefe grievous calamities upon the beall ; none were fuffered to do this, that judgment blight have it., free courfe, till all the feven punifhments, to be iufii&ed by N O T E. * A vial was a cup, or wide-mouth- %^. fer xxv. 15. and Zech. xii. 2.; fo .•d veflcl, to drink out of; and as a cup thefe feven vials or cups aie i'aid to be figuratively bgnifcl fujferiugs and affile- full of the wrath of God, which was to lions, Pfal. xi. 6. and Matth. xxvi. 39. be poured out upon, and drank by the and ve often ;eadofr a cup of the Lord's antichriftian-beaft, and all the enemies fury, and a cup of trembling, Ii'a. li. 17, of the church. (See alio chap. xiv. io.) 312 The Revelation paraphrafcd. Chap. xvL by the miniftry of the feven angels, were fully exe- cuted in their order. RECOLLECTIONS. How glorious are tbe triumphs of the faints, who ftartd in the immediate pre- fcnoe of Cod, with all icceptance on the foot of the atoning righteoufnefs of Chrift; and who, through :a ith in his blood, have got the victory over all their enemies! And bow fweetly do they ling of mercy and of judgment ; of the wondrous works of providence and gracej which are juft and true, to the glory of the Lord God Almighty, and of the Lamb, their fovereign Lord and King ! How worthy is he to be reverenced, ferved, and glorified '. All the beauties of bolinefs, and of every other divine perfection, mine in him; and the time is coming, when all nations of the earth mail w or (hip him, and his judgments mall be fully manifefted in the deftruciion of the antichriftian beaft. The decree is gone forth againft him ; the (even angels have their commimon to pour out their feven vials, which are filled with the wrath of God, to he executed in due courfe upon him ; and no intercef- fion< fliall be admitted, to prevent the progrefs of thefe judgments, till they be fulfilled in the utter deftruciion of all popifh powers, and every other enemy. What a fupport and encouragement to the church of Chrift is the belief and allu- red profpeci of this, as given by the Spirit of prophecy, for their comfort under all their prefenr, tribulations? CHAP. XVI. the feven angels are ordered to pour out their feven vjals of the wrath of God on the antichriflian-beafl and all its fupp^rts, \. The firft vial is poured out on the earth with grievous fores, fgnifying great troubles through the Romijh community, between the year 830 and 988, 2, The fecond on the fea, which is turned into bloody fgni- fying a great ejfujion of blood in the holy wars, between the year 1040 and 1 1 90, 3. The third on the rivers and fountains, which became bloody fgnifying civil wars in the papacy, between the year 1200 and 1 3 7 1 , 4, — 7. The fourth on the fun, which fc arch- ed men, fgnifying wars through the contentions of Popes for the papal chair ; and the deflruBion of the Eaflern empire, between the year 1378 and 1530, 8, 9. The fifth on the feat of the beafl, Jignifying the efablijhment of the F *roi 'eft l tint -reformation, which was a great Jhock to Popery, between the year 1530 and 1650, 10, 11. The Jixth on the great river Euphrates, fgnifying fome terrible invafion of the Pope's dominion, from its eaflern borders, which feems, in order of rime, to be yet to come, 12, — 16. And the feventh on the air, the feat of Satan's power, which fh all iff tie in the total deft ruction of all antichrijlian enemies, 17, — 21. Text. Paraphrase. j^ND I heard a r JpHE feven angela, having received their refpe&ive great voice out 1 y j a j s or cups Q f the wrath Q c Q Q £ . {chap. XV. 7. 1 nJ he to en tl! ) efeve y n &* the nolc therc ) and fo bein S read y t0 F 0Ur them angels, Go your out in their order, whenever he mould give the word ways, and pour out of command ; I thereupon heard an exceeding loud, the vials of the ayyfifl, and authoritative voice, proceeding from the dearth ^ heavenly temple j (w,UO whereby, in aliufion to God's Chap. xvi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 313 God's ancient way of manifefting his will from the oracle, he iffued out his commiffion, faying to them, Go forth according to my appointment, and pour out the cups fucceffively *, that are full of the righ- teous wrath of God, upon the wicked inhabitants, and particularly the antichriir.ian-encmies, on the face of the earth ; a general view of which had been given me in feveral foregoing vifions. 2 And the firft Vial I.] 2 And, in obedience to this command, went and poured t he/r/? angel went forth, and poured out his cup of out his vial upon ,- • V , , K . , r -c the earth • and davine wrath upon the earth ; which may lignity peo- there fell a noifome pie of various countries, and chiefly of the inland and grievous fore parts of the antichriftian-terntories : And thereupon, upon the men methought, the moil loathfome and painful boils and which had the i ?-i r ^u i re , t- i • mark of the beaft, ulcerS > ll « OBC of the P^g^s of Egypt, (Exod. IX. and upon them 9> — lI «) broke out upon, and tormented this ipiri- which wormipued tual Egypt, in various miferies which befel them, even .his image. t h e f UD jec>s of the papacy, that had complied with the authority and corruptions of the antichriilian- beaft, and made an open profeffion of the idolatrous worfhip that he had fet up ; {chap. xiii. 15. fee the note there) \ which may be confidered, as referring to the general NOTES. * There is a remarkable fimilhude — Wounds, bruifes, and putrifying fores ; between the four firft vials or cups of wounds that /link, and are corrupt, and God's wrath, under the leventh trum- loathfome difeafes, are ftriking figures of pet, which relate to the judgments that a corrupt and miferable condition, Ifa. i. led the way to, and fliould iiiue in the 5, 6. and Pf xxxviii. 5, 7. Accordingly, ruin of anti'chri/i ; and the four firft the noifome and grievous fores are a tit trumpets, under the feventh Teal, {chap, emblem to reprefent a corrupt and cala- viii.) which relate to the deftruction of mitous ftate of the worftiippers of the the Roman empire, and made way for beaft ; and this the but now mentioned the rife of antichrift. They are repre- learned writer thinks may relate to " all fented in both, as falling upon the earth, forts of corruptions that gained ground, the fea, the rivers, and fou?itai?is of and prevailed in the Romi/lj church and mater, and the fun, and that in the fame ftate, which brought a painful fore, and order; which may intimate that the was in great meafure the caste of thofe fteps of her fall ftiall be anfwerable to many evils, that for a long time afflicted thofe of her rife. the inhabitants of the earth, during the t As the firlt of thefe vials, and con- quarrels and contefts between the fuccef- fequently all that follow, is exprel'sly lors of Charles the Great, and were an faid to be poured out upon the men that occafion of many other ralamities, that had the mark of the beaft, and worfbip- greatly weakened the Weftern Empire ped his image, we muft, I think, con- by the Normans (who were Heathens') elude that the judgments, intended by invading and ravaging feverai parts t it, them, are luch as were to be executed efpecially in France; by the Saracens upon the antichriftian-church, during ravaging Italy; and the Hungaiians, the period of 1260 year-;, after" the Pope then a barbarous and brutal |x had obtained his temporal power. And breaking in upon the Gerrhah dominion^ i; though, among the many different con- which was the calamitous ft.ite < ft rue/lions about their accomplishment, it Weftern Empire, for above 160 does not become us to he pofitive in ei- from the death of Lewis the Pious, A. 1"). therofthem; yet Mr. Lowman\ plea- 840, to the tettieinent or the Ccuncn fes me belt, as it preferves the feries, as empire in Otho the Great, A. D. 962 ; far as they have hitherto appeared by and well agrees to the prophetic deU-ri;>- hiftorical fa<5rs, in a molt regular pider. tion, and to the time and order of the Vol. VI. S f prophecies, 314 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xvi. general corruption of faith, worfhip, and manners, and the fore diftreiTes, in body and mind, of the pro- feffors of this apellate church, when dreadful devafta- tion was made upon them, as occafioned by the con- tentions and quarrels, which arofe between popifh prin- ces after the death of Lewis firnamed the Pious, and continued for a long time, between the year eight hundred and thirty, and nine hundred and eighty- eight. 3 And the fe- Vial II.] 3 And the fecond angel poured out his cond angel poured q{ div j ne wrath n thefea ; which may hVnify out his vial upon r t r . D • n • , , ' .. ° \ the fea; and it be- man y P eo P Ie of the R °™J h empire, {chap. xvn. 15.) came as the blood that dwelt upon the borders, or iflands of, and traf- of a dead man : and ficked upon the fea : And as the waters of Nile, in every living foul anotner plague of Egypt, were turned into blood, and died in the fea, ^fifties in that great river died; (Exod. vii. 17, 18.) fo every one in thofe parts, who owned, and lived in fubje&ion to the popifh power, was in dan- ger of being mortally wounded, and of his blood be- ing congealed, like that of a dead man ; thereby in- timating, that vaft multitudes would perifh in the wars, that would moftly be carried on by fea ; which may be confidered as referring to the wars that enfu- ed upon the Pope's claiming a power of excommuni- cating and depofing emperors, and to the holy wars, that he fet on foot for recovering Jerufalern, and the fepulchre of our Lord and the holy land, from the Saracens, who had taken poffeflion of it ; in which wars many hundred thoufands of papiils loft their lives : All which came to pafs between the year one thoufand and forty, and eleven hundred and ninety. 4 And the th^-d Vial III.] 4 And the third angel poured out angel poured out jjj s CU p of divine wrath on the rivers and fountains bis vial upon the - y h alfo f - f mult ; tude Q f rivers and foun- J . . r • ■ \ • c 1 1 tains of waters; people in iome principal countries ot the popedom; and they became and thereupon, as the ftreams, rivers, ponds, and blood. pools, as well as the great river Nile, in the foremen-^ tioned plague of Egypt, became blood ; ( Exod. vii. 19, — 21.) fo it was intimated that thefe countries fhould be filled with blood ; which may be confider- ed as referring to the dreadful civil wars between the G ue I ph.; NOTE. proj hecies, with refpeel to each other." be certain as to the precife times and The hiltorical facls correfpondent here- contents of each particular 'judgment, unto, :md to the four following vials, are figniried by the feveral vials in their or- fupported by the authority of writers of der, or not, there is a general ufe to be the greateft credit, as he has quoted made of the more general meaning, if them at large, which, as far as I have we were to understand no more of it, had opportunity of examining them, ap- for the encouragement of faith and pa- prar to be faithfully reprefented. — I rea- tience, and for warning us againft falling dily agree with this, and fome other ju- in with the great apoltacy of this period, dicious expofitors, that whether we can Chap. xvi. The Revelation paraphrafid. 3 1 5 Guelphs and Gibellines, and between popes and em- perors, that continued for above a hundred years, and occafioned vaft effufions of the blood of the in- habitants of cities, towns, and villages,, in moil parts of Italy j between the year twelve hundred, and thir- teen hundred and feventy one, which cut ofF abun- dance of the Pope's dependents, and was a great di- minution of his power. 5 And I heard 5 And no fooner had this angel executed his com- the angel of the million for pouring out his vial of divine wrath upon waters fay, Thou t h e countries, fignified by the rivers and fountains of Lord'^whiTh'ar? waterS t0 turn them int ° blood ' than X he ^ d Him and waft and flialt fy, with a voice of folemn adoration and praife, Juft be, becaufe thou and righteous are thefe awful difpenfations of thy pro- haft judged thus; vidence, O Lord, who in thy being and perfections, counfels and appointments, art, and ever waft, and wilt be from everlaiting to everlaiting unchangeably the fame : Thy ways of judgment ever have been, are, and will be, all righteous ; and thou mull, and malt be juilified in them, and particularly in the judgment now denounced ; becaufe, in this way of re- tribution, thou haft juftly retaliated upon this perfe- cting blood-thirily people the very fame fort of pu- nifhment, as they had wickedly infli&ed upon thy church. 6 -For they have 6 For they have, in a moft cruel manner, imbru- flied the blood of ed their hands in the blood of thy holy people and faints and pro- miniftring fervants, that have fuffered martyrdom, and ? h l tS V ? ' nd h h0 " therein bore an honourable teftimony to thee and thy blood ^to" drink • cau ^ e » atlj ^ fealed it with their blood ; Which may be for they are wor- coniidered as referring to the Waidenfcs and Albi- thy. genjes, great numbers of which had been lately per- fecuted unto death at the in [ligation of Pope Inno- cent the Third * ; who alio fet up a bloody court of Inquijition, about the year twelve hundred and twelve : And therefore thou haft given them a cup of wrath to drink, by fending the fword among them, S f 2 that NOTE. * The Waldenfes were fo called from quifition for extirpating heretics, as they Waldo, a citizen of Lyons in f ranee ; were called: In' order to which he ap- and the Albigenfcs took their name from pointed commiffaries to inquire after Albi\ anether city of France in the up- them. They that were ful'pecled of per Langucdoc, where they fir ft appear- herefy were examined by torture ; and ed ; and their opinions were moftly the the accul'ed were not allowed the privi- fame with thofe. of the Waldenfes, who lege of defending themfelves, or making declared 'againft the authority of the any appeal. At firft they were punifhed Pope, and many corruptions of the Ro- with imprifonment ; afterward were put tni/b church ; fuch as tranfubjlantiation, to death by the fword, and moft corn- purgatory, praying for the dead, and monly, at length, by burning : And ifi -i.or/hippi?ig of faints. Thele toward the year iziz fay fome, or 1216 lav o- the beginning or the 13th century were then, he made Domininis, a Spaniard, -perfecuted under the influence ot Pope inquifitor-general. (Vid. Spanh, Ecttef. innocent III. who erefted a Court of In- Hilt. p. 1657, Sec.) 3 1 6 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xvn that they may be drunken with their own blood ; (Ifa. xlix. z6.) and haft thereby rewarded their ini- quity upon their own heads ; for by their murderous cruelties they have highly deferved it. 7 And I heard 7 And the equity of this divine procedure was fo anotuorout of the evident and affecting:, that, methought, I immedi- altar iay, Even fo, . i t , .., • r ' u l i. Lord God Almlgfi atd ) r heard the V ° lce of another an g el > who > as » tv, true and righ- were, perfonated the fouls under the altar, that had trous are thyja«l£- been long ago flain by Rome-'Pagan, {chap* vi. 9.) echoing back to, and joining in this folemn applaufe, to fignify the confent and approbation of the whole church, faying, Amen, I heartily concur with this afcription of glory to thy righteoufnefs in this way of thy judgments, O Almighty Jehovah, who halt made known thy great power herein : Thou art true in fulfilling thy threatnings of thine enemies, and faithful in performing thy promifes to thy people ; and art un- deniably and glorioufly juft in inflicting this deferved punimment on fuch a blood- thirfty generation ; as thou alfo art in all the judgments, which thou haft begun to execute, and wilt further carry on, till thou {halt utterly deftroy the AntichriJHan y as thou haft the Pa- gan perfecutors. ul the fourth Vial IV.] 8 And the fourth angel poured out angel poured out his cim of divine wrath on the fun; which, being the fun VIa and P °power c *" e ^ °f l ^ c heavenly bodies, is a fit emblem of the wasViven untofcim fupreme power or headfhip over the church, which is t<> fcorch men with claimed by the Pope, as Jacob, the father of the fa- " :c - mily, was fignified by the fen in Jofeph's prophetic dream: (Gen. xxxvii. 9, 10.) And the angel had a commiffion, by means of this judgment, to bring tor- menting diftrefles on the wicked men of the earth, as extreme and deftructive as are produced by the moft violent burning heat of the fun, when it fmites the earth, and its fruits and inhabitants, as with fire in a hot and fultry day, without any fhadc to fcreen them from it. (See Pf. exxi. 5, 6.) And men were . 9 Accordingly the Popes themfelves, together '-r.i.ed with. urtav with the fuhje£ts of the papacy, were as forely affli&- ned' the foam* T r ed in body and mind, as by the parching and noxious huh hath. neat of the fun, when it (nines in full ftrenglh, and over thefc burns up all before it ; which may be conlidered as - ■ and they referring to the terrible calamities that arofe from va- r?' t0 r ' ous cau ^ es ' and particularly from the ambitious in- trigues and furious wars that were carried on between feveral Popes for the papal chair, between the year thirteen hundred mid feventy-eight, and fifteen hun- dred and thirty *. And under all theft piercing ca- lamities, NOT E. * Th-re were many warm confefts between Urban, and Clement VII ; and afterward Chap. xvi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 317 lamities, they who fuffered by them were enraged at them; and, like a wicked people of old,// et'ed them- felves, and cur fed their God, (Ifa. viii. 21.) quarrel- ling with, and reproaching his providence, who had power to inflict., or remove theie punifhments : And they hardened themfelves m their cruel and idolatrous pradices, and evil ways, and obilin;.tcly refilled to give glory to him, by acknowledging the jultice ot his dealings with them, and by conkfling their ini- quities, and accepting the punifhment of them, or for- faking them, but ftiil periifted in them ; which may be fuppofed to refer to their barbarous and perfidious perlecutions of John Hufs, and Jerome ot Pi aguc> notwithstanding all the judgments which they them- felves were groaning under. no And the fmh Vial V.j io And, next in order, the fifth angel sngel poured oat poured out his cup of i"*.ine wrath upon the throne his vial upon the /& \ Q f the antichriftian-beaft, the emblem of his ieat o! the beaft ; xs ' ■ •' i' "• 1 • n 1 • r •£ j l and his kingdom P ower i which in prophetic ilyle is fignmed by a was full of dark- throne ; (2 Sam. iii. 10. and vii. 16. and 1 Kings i. nefs, and they 37, 47.) And may be considered as referring to the gnawed their g reat fhock that was given to the authority and do- .ongue; p minion of the Pope, by the glorious Protefiant-rej orm- ation, when, between the year Jij 'teen hundred and thirty, and fix teen hundred and fifty, it was complete- ly eflabliihed, and many nations fell erf from him, and turned their arms againfl him ; and others retrenched their NOTE. afteiward between Eugene IV. and Fe- A. D. 1414, condemned John Hufs, and tix, befides other intermediate competi- afterwards Jerome of Prague, to be ttrs for the Popedom, which they feve- burnt to death for oppofing the Pope; rally claimed at the fame time. This aad they were accordingly executed, eccafiontd excommunications one of contrary to the moft folemn promifes of another, and violent perfections and fate paflports, under pretence that no wars, that were ieverely diftrefllng to faith is to be kept aiith heretics. (See, themfelves, and to their refpedlive ad- for theie fuels, the authorities quoied in herents, during the fchifm, which, hav- Mr Lovumanh hiftory of them.) — Some ing laited for above 50 years, ended a- have included thefe villainous executions bout A. D. 1447. Here may alio be a in the fcorchwg heat of the fun. But further reference to the fchifm between as all the judgments, fignified by the the Greek and Latin churches, and the vials, were to ta.ll on the papal party, I wars between the Christians ot the Enji- can fcarce think that this vial related to em and Weftern Empire, which remark- the death of thofe noble witneiles againft ably weakened both, and gave the Turks the corruptions 01 Rome ; though, pro- an advantage, which ihued in their bably, it might to the vexation which taking Co»Jta?itiuople about A. D. 1453, their brave teftimon) ro the death gave and putting an end to the Eajlern Era- their adverfaries, and to the Bohemian pire. Others ftill further take in the war that was occaficned by this decree confideration of a peftilential diftemper, at the Council of Con/lance, and the ex- which fpread like hre in Germany about ccution of it, wiiich coft great numbers A. D. 1529, and had infected England of Papifts their lives. And their going in a fweating firkneis feme years before, into thefe violent meafures, while tht All which events were between the year hand of God lay fo heavy upon them, 137S and 153c. Within this period was may, perhaps, he pointed at, by their the Council of Conjtance, which about not repenting to give him glory. 3 1 8 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xvj\ their obedience to his authority ; which was a great eclipfe of his glory and diminution of his power, and a fore vexation to his fpirit, and to the fubje&s of his kingdom, which, like one of the plagues ot E- gjpt* (Exod. x. 2 1, — 23.) was full of hideous dark- nefs, the emblem of difconioiate forrow and affliction ; (I/a. v. 30. and ix. 1.) and was fo diftrefhng to them, that they raged like perfons, who bite their tongues for madnefs and extremity of anguifh. 11 And blafphc- ii And inftead of being reclaimed by thefe trou- med the God of bles from their fuperftition, idolatry, and perfecutions, heaven, becauie of .v . • j . r J /-.1 -n , , their pains and ^ continue d inveterate enemies to Chriit and the th< ir fores, and re- goipd ; and, in effect, fpoke opprobrioufly of the rented not of their great Lord of heaven and earth, on account of his - & bringing many painful anxieties and fore rebukes up- on them, though it were for their iniquities ; Which may be confidered as pointing at their reviling the firft reformers, and their adherents, as fchi/'matics, he- retics, and cpojiates, and inveighing againit their iepa- ration, and the means ufed to fupport it, though ap- parently under the conduct of the God of heaven, as unlawful, damnable, and rebellious : And fo blind and hardened were their hearts, that they would take no conviction of the evil of their doings, as the procuring caufe of all the punifhments that befel them ; which might refer to the Council of Trent, that, notwithstanding all the light of the Reformation, cftablifhed the whole fyftem of their corrupt doctrines and idolatrous worfhip ; the Council beginning in the year of our Lord 1545, and ending in the year 1563. 1 1 And the fmh Vial VI.] 12 And the fixtb angel poured out rmgel pcured out h J s cup Q f divine wra th upon the great river Euphra- r,s vial udop. the . \ • , ,'. n 1 1/1 r ^reat riverkuphra- les > vvmch > literally taken, was the ealtem part of Tes ; and the water the Roman empire, and the barrier of the Sljfyrwn thereof was dried and Babylonian empires; and fo was a proper em- up, that the way D i em of the eaftern boundaries of the papal kingdom: ^aft mi'-hf be pre- ^ nc * ^y the pouring out of this vial the barrier was oired. deflroyed, that had prevented invafions from thole quarters upon the Popedom ; which, in allufion to the draining of Euphrates by Cyrus, when he took Ba- by/on, (Ifa. xliv. 27, 28. Jer. 1. 38. and li. $6, 37.) may be fignified by the drying * up of the waters of the NOTE. * See Dean Prideat/x's account at fignified by the kings of the eajl, in or- large of the draining of the river Eu- der to which the lurkijh empire is to be phrates by Cyrus at his taking Babylon, weakened : Others think that iome new- (ConnecT Part I. book 2. p. r2i," &.c. ly converted princes of the Eajl will pafs edit. 4th.) — There are indeed feveral o- Euphrates to join with the true church ther interpretations of this via!, than of Chrift : Others underiland it as relat- that fuppofed in the paraphrafe, which ing to the ruin of the Turkifo empire, or may be l'een in many expofitors. Some Eaftcrn-antichrifl ; Others, to the remo- refer it to the conversion ol the Jews, as val of obftacles, fuch as the terror ot the bulls, Chap. xvi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 319 the great river Euphrates, that a paffage might be opened for the Turks, or fome princes of eafteru countries, to invade myftical Babylon ; and may be fuppofcd to relate to fome powerful invafion of the kingdom of the papacy by that people, as a future judgment, which is not yet executed upon it; but is ftill to come, as the next is that fha!l follow it ; and is to be prayed and waited for with faith and pa- tience, and to be explained by events, which fhall as certainly be brought to pafs, v.. God's time, to fulfil thefe parts of the prophecy, as any of the foregoing- have been, and as all the reft mall be, in their order. 13 And I faw 1 3 And I further faw, in my vifion of what would three unclean fpi- come t0 pa f s under this vial, a figurative reprefenta- nts like frogs come • r V • r ■*'•; v 1 • 11 r out of the mouth tl0n of tnree impure fpirits, which, in allufion to a- of the dragon, and nother plague of Egypt, (Exod. viii. 3, — 6.) were as out of the mouth filthy and loathfome a9 the frogs that crept into their of the beaft, and bed-chambers, and crawled about on the earth and in the falfe^rooTt ° t ^ ie vvraters » anc * ma y ^e confidered as an emblem of the activity, trouble, and mifchief, of thefe wicked fpirits, which were reprefented as proceeding, one out of the mouth of the great dragon, the devil ; (chap. xii. 9.) another out of the mouth of the an- tichriftian-beait, which has feven heads and ten horns with crowns upon them; (chap. xiii. 1.) and a third out of the mouth of the fecond representation of the antichriftian-beail, which appeared with two horns like a lamb, but fpoke as a dragon ; (chap. xiii. 11.) which may alfo be fitly ftyled the falfe prophet. (Chap. xix. 20. and xx. 10.) Thefe united together in fending forth their emiflaries, fuch as the Jcfuits, Monks, and Friars, and fecular clergy, to creep in- to the fecret councils of princes, that they might cor- rupt them, as the frogs of Egypt crept into the cham- bers of the king; (Exod. viii. 3.) and to fpread wicked principles and practices by their influence. 14 For they are I4 p or tne f e ecclefiaftics are of the very fame fpf- thefpmtsotdev.Is, r ; t an d temper with the infernal demons, who excite working miracles, . . n r . . r , r ' , which go forth un- and influence them to make talie pretences and ap- to the kings pf the pearances of working miracles, as the magicians of earth, and of the Egypt did, that by thefe lying wonders, and other whole vtotld^to cra y ty met hod 3 , they iivght deceive the princes of salie ' the NOTE, bulls, ^edicts, and cenfures of Rome, that termine any thing particularly about had before prevented the princes of £«• fuch an obfeure repiefcntation of this rope from invading the Pope's dominions, vial, till the providence of God fhall turn but will no longer be a terror or bar to the prophecy into a hiftory, in the ful- them, which tnefe writers fuppofe may filment of it, by fome eminent judg- be fignitied by the figurative Euphrates ment upon the papacy, greater than all being dried ?ip. But I humbly appre- that has preceded it. hend that we want light fufticient to de- 320 Tbc Revelation paraphrafed. Chap: xvi. gather them to the earth, and particularly of the papal empire ; and ^•ea^da 6 of God mf S ht ftIr U P a11 the mhabitants of the world, whom almiohty. tne y could draw into their intereft, to engage them to join together as a formidable army, that mould fet themfeives in battle-array againft thrift and his church, in their laft united and moll vigorous oppo- fition to the almighty God, who is infinitely ftrong- er than all his enemies. 15 Behold, I 15 As this will be a time of great trial to the come as a thief. c hurch, The Lord Jefus faid, Obferve what I now watcheth Ke ^nd declare beforehand, for their caution and comfort, I keepeth 'his gar- VV J^ come as fuddenly, furpriilngly, and unexpectedly, ments, left he walk as a thief in the night, to the deftruction of my an- naked, and they tichriftian-enemies, and the deliverance of my people lee his fhame. f rom ^^ power. Happy, and only happy is that man, who in a prepared waiting and looking for it, mail be found all along, and at that day, to be upon his watch, like one who by that means keeps his gar- ments from the thief that would rob him of them 5 and to maintain his faith in me for righteoufnefs unto eternal life, and his integrity and foundnefs in princi- ples and manners, unfpotted by the defiling doctrines and practices of popery ; left, at my coming to take vengeance on that party, he be expofed to difgrace and confufion, like the man who had not on a wed- ding-garment ; {Mattb. xxii. n, 12.) and left, in the fight of numerous fpectatars, he have nothing to cover the fhame of his nakednefs. 16 And he ga- 1 6 And it was ftill further reprefented to me, that, thered th«m toge- in this laft ftruggle againft the church, the devil, as ther into a place, wor k| n np m a nd by wicked and feducing fpirits, would called, in the He- 6 „ , . c ' , ...» ° c f. c . . brew tongue Ar- mutter a " nis forces together as in a field of battle, fnasjeddon. which, for the dreadful (laughter that would then be made of his armies, may be compared to that famous place, which, according to the fignification of the Hebrew word Armageddon, is the mountain of Me- giddo, (ramn) in the tribe of Manqfeh ; (Jofh. xvii. 11.) and may be called the Mountain of def ruc- tion, where Si/era was defeated, and his numerous hoft cut off by Barak with the edge of the fword ; (Judg. iv. 15, <&c. and v. 19.) and where king Jo- fiah, for his imprudent rafhnefs, was ilain by Pha- raoh Necho, king of Egypt ; (2 Kings xxiii. 29, 30.) on which account the greateft lamentations were pro- verbially expreffed by mourning in the valley of Me- giddon. (Zech. xii. 11, 12.) 17 And the fe- Vial VII.] 1 7 And upon this grand defeat of veuth angel pour- antichriftian-powers, The feventh and laft of the an- e 1 out his vial m- ^ s poured out his cup of divine wrath into the re- there came a great S ion °f the air > wm ' ch encompaffes the whole earth, voice as an emblem of the vengeance that fhould be execu- ted Chap. xvi. voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, faying-, It is done. IS And there were voices, and thunders, and light- nings ; and there was a great earth- quake, fuch as was not fince men were upon the earth, fo mighty an earth- quake and fo great. I0x\nd the great *iry was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell : and great Babylon came in remem- brance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenefs of his wrath. Vol. VI. The Revelation pqraphrafed. 321 ted upon Satan, 'he prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that zvorks in the children of ' difobedience ; and upon all the demons, which are the rulers of the darknefs of this world, and fpiri'uai wickednejfes in high places : (Eph. ii. 2. and vi. 12.) And to (hew that this would be the deftrucrtion of Satan's empire, and of all the enemies of the church with him, I heard a loud majeftic voice, proceeding from the throne of God in his heavenly temple, faying, The great work is now accomplished ; it, according to a former hint, that has been given of the myltery of God, as to be finifhed, (chap. x. 7.) is now brought to its ifJue ; This laft cup of divine wra-h has com- pleted the judgments which God had purpofed to ex- ecute, unto the total overthrow and ruin of Satan and all his agents, that they may no longer pervert the doctrines of the gofpel, or perfecute Chritt's faithful fervants. 18 And as a further lively emblem of this, me- thought, I heard and faw in the air, into which this lail vial was poured, fuch tremendous and aftonifhing founds, and cracks of thunder, and flafhes of light- ning, as though the whole frame of the aerial hea- vens were diffolving ; and thefe were attended with fuch a terrible and univerfal earthquake, and of fuch mighty force, as was never felt fince the earth was peopled ; which may be fuppofed to reprefent fuch amazing convuliions and commotions in this world, as mould make a thorough change in the whole fyftem of its religious affairs, to the entire deftru&ion of the dominion of the devil, together with all antichriftiaii powers upon earth ; and to the letting up of that glorious ilate of the church, in which, as has been hinted, (chnp. xi. 15.) 'he kingdoms of thi- Id /hall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chrijl ; and will be a lively image of the heavenly ftate of perfect happinefs, when God will make all things new. (Chap. xxi. 5.) 19 And the immediate effect of this amazing ca- taflrophc, as reprefented in vifion, was, that the great city of Rome, the. head of the papal empire, and all under its jurifdicl ion, were terribly mattered, and di- vided into three parts, to be deftroyrd by three forts of punifliment, in allufion to the threatnings denoun- ced againlt Jerufolem, and the apoftate Jews for their abominations, when God faid, A third part of thee (hail die with the peflilence, and with famine fiall they be confumed in the midjl qf thee ; a J a third part fball fall by the f word round about the-"-; and Iwillfcatter a third part into all the winds* and I wilt draw out a j word after them ; (Ezek. v. 12.) T t And, 3 22 ao And every ifland fled avvay, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every fio?ie about the weight of a talent : and men blafphemed God, becaufe of the plague of the hail ; for the plague thereof \v?.s ex- ceeding great. The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xvL And, together with the capital city of the anti- chriftian empire, the other cities under its dominion, and the cities of all nations that oppofed Chrift and his gofpel, fell in the wide-fpreading ruins : And the whole of that idolatrous and perfecuting body, which is myftically called Baby/on, (chap. xvii. 5.) and Sodom, and Egypt, (chap. xi. 8.) and feemed to be forgotten of God, through his long-fuffering and patience, was now remembered by him, to take vengeance upon her for all her wickednefs, corruptions, and oppreffions, to make her drink the dregs of the cup of his fierce indignation, as filled up with the moil deadly ingredients, without mixture cf mercy, (chap. xiv. 10.) in the fevere punifhments that were inflicled upon her, by way cf retaliation for her hav- ing made the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of her fornication. (Chap. xvii. 2.) 20 And as earthquakes fometimes fwallow up iflands, and overturn mountains, this punifhment was reprefented to be fo extenfive, as to reach every place where antichriilian-enemies dwelt, that they might no longer be found, either on the iflands or conti- nents of the earth ; and that the idols, which were wont to be worshipped upon mountains, might be utterly deftroyed. 2 1 And, to fet forth the univerfal and total ruin of the devil's empire, there were not only reprefenta- tions of thunder, lightning, and an earthquake, to de- ftroy cities, towns, and villages, and to overthrow iflands and mountains within its dominion ; but wherefoever men fled, as in cafes of earthquakes they ufe to do into the fields, to efcape danger, there was no fafety for them ; but prodigious llorms of hail, like one of the plagues of Egypt, (Exod. ix. 22, — 25.) though inexpreffibly more terrible than that, or than the ftorm of hail-ftones which fell upon the A- monies, (jofh. x. 11.) or than any other before or after thofe, were fhowered down from heaven upon them, to crufh and dam 1 them to pieces : Every ftone of which feemed to be of fuch an ailonifhing fize, as if it were a talent in weight : And yet thefc obdu- rate impenitent wretches, inftead of taking convic- tion of their iniquities, and faying, even fo much as the hard-hearted Pharaoh did under the plague of hail, the Lord is righteous, and we arc wichd> (Excd. ix. 27.) fpake blafphemoufiy againfl the pro- vidence of God therein, as if he had dealt unjuftly by them : For their diibefs and anguifh, by means of this laft cup of his wrath, was intolerably torment- ing to them, as will be found, in God's appointed time, for finifhing their dcilruclion. (Chap, xviii.) RECOL- Chap. xvii. The Revel at ign paraphrafed. 323 RECOLLECTIONS. How manifeftly righteous are the judgments of God, that Pnall bs executed, in due feafon, upon antichriftian idolaters and perfecutors, and all the wicked and ungodly of the earth ! They act under the influence of unclean diabolical fpirits, which deceive the nations, and fet them as in battle-array againft the Almighty ; and, inftead of being reformed by one and another judgment, they obftinately perfift in their iniquitous courfes, and blaiphemc the name of God, as though he dealt un- jultly in punilhing them. But, how long foever he may bear with thein, he has his let-time for calling their fins to remembrance, and pouring out the vials of his righteous wrath upon them. And, ah ! how dreadful are the calamities, which he fooner or later, will inflict upon them! They are as grievous and tormenting as the foreft ulcers; as naufeous and mortal, as feas and rivers of blood; as diftreffing, as the mod fcorching heat of the fun, which, like fire, burns up all before it; as doleful, as the thickeft darknefs ; as expofed to every invading milery, as a coun- try that has no barrier for its defence ; and as terrifying and overwhelming, as in- expredible tempefts of thunder, lightning, earthquakes, and the heavieft (forms of hail, beyond all that ever was felt on the eartb. In this manner fhall the wor- fhippers of the beaft, and all anuchriftian-enemies, drink of the wrath of God, til!, at length, they, together with the whole kingdom and power of Satan, fhall be ut- terly deftroyed. And who mull not fay that they are worthy of all this, as a juff. return upon them for the blood of the faints, which they have flic-d ; and for all their abominable idolatries, and other multiplied corruptions in doctrine, worlhip, and manners? God will be applauded, as holy, righteous, and true, in thefc exe- cutions of wrath ; and his church mult fay Amen to his judging thus, concerning all that oppreffed and tyrannized over them during the reign of the bead ! With what fudden and unexpected furprife will this tremendous day of the Lord come, Jike a thief in the night ! Blelfed are they that Shall then be found upon their watch, and appear with fpotlefs robes of righteoufnefs and honour before him. C H A P. XVII. One of the /even angels, which had the /even vials? explains the meaning of the former vifion of the antichrifiian beafl that was to reign 1260 years, ana 7 then to be defiroyed, whom he defcribes un- der the figure of a great whore fitting on many waters, and on a fcarlet beafi, attired in purple and fcarlet and other deckings, and bearing the name of Myjlery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, 1, — 6. Interprets the myf- tery of the ivoman, and the beafi that had feu en heads and ten horns, and of the many waters on which fije fat, who is overcome by the Lamb, and brought to condign punijhment by means of the ten kings, that had fupported her, 7,^—18. Text. Paraphrase. j^ND there came A FTER the foregoing vifions, one of the feven ™™ f the am » what were meant by the repro grcat whore, that fentations which had been made of her, faying to me, Gucth Come near, and I will give \ou an account of her T t * Mi, with the wine of her lornication. 324 The Revelation paraphrajed. Chap. xvii. futeth upon many fins, and of God's righteous proceedings in condemn- waters > irig and punifhing her, who may fitly be compared to a great ftrumpet, that fays in her hearty I Jit a queen, and Jhall fee no forrow ; (chap, xviii. 7.) and fits with magnificent pomp and power, eafe, luxury, and allurements, on the furface of many wa- ters, the emblem of her jurifdi&ion over many na- tions and people : The more particular meaning of which I fhall foon fet before you. (ver. 15, — 18.) z With whom 2 The reafon of her being called the great whore the- kings or the j s becaufe, like a lewd woman, fhe has enticed the earth nave com- . . , . „ tiihu d fornication, P nnces and governors of the Roman empire to commit and the inhabiters idolatry with her, which is fpiritual fornication, or of the earth have adultery ; and the carnally minded people of the m ™ de J™ n ^ earth > as wel1 as their ^lers, have been intoxicated with her wicked arts and allurements, fuch as her honours and preferments, external pomp of habits, procefiions and worfhip, pretended miracles, difpen- fations and pardons, and other fpecious motives, to draw men into a compliance with her idolatrous prin- ciples and practices, as if they had been overcome with flrong wine, or had been bewitched with love- potions, to inflame the vicious inclinations of her paramours or fweet- hearts. 3 So he carried 3 The angel thereupon conducted me, not cor- rne away in the porally, but in a vifion of the fpirit, into a place of dernefs" andVfaw ^ ontu ^ e or retirement, that I might the better obferve a woman fit upon an ^ contemplate the ftate of this antichriftian power, a fcarlet- coloured during its tyranny over the church in the wildernefs; beaft, full of names { c hab. xii. 6.) and there I beheld the reprefenta- of blafphcmy, ha- t j on ' Q f a woman or t h e great antichriftian . whore, ymg ieven heads, , . r ; * .. ° ' and ten horns. K? 6 ?* l ') as htting upon a beaft of icarlet- colour, in allufion" to the fcarlet robes which the Roman em- perors wore in time of war, to denote her cruel per- secutions, and her afcendency over the civil powers of the Empire, for fupporting her authority and her Sanguinary laws and executions. This papal govern- ment bore many inferiptions, which fet forth the blafphemous titles of idolatry, infallibility, and fu- premacy, that it would affume, or be called and known by ; and it had a monftrous appearance of fe- ven heads and ten horns, according to the reprefenta- tion made of it in my former vifion. [Chap. xiii. I.) 4 And tke wo- ^ And the lewd woman herfelf, meaning the ec- iT" 'u7l e arra aTd cleflaftical P ovver of the Po P e > that fat ' u P on > and fcarteSoor, and was Supported by the civil power Signified by the decked with <*old beaft, was apparelled with gay and furnptuous rai- snd precious ftones, ment of purple and fcarlet dye; which may be con- and pearls, having fidfred as a prop hetic emblem of the Pope and his a polden cup in hei ..1 f n '• i '-I .1 11 1 c hind full of abo- ca^inals, who are itained with the blood ot martyrs, ruinations, and the colours of whofe habits are purple and fcar- let ; Chap. xvii. Tbe Revelation paraphrafed. 325 initiations, and ftl- fet : And fhe was adorned with rich and glittering thinefs of her for- ornaments of gold and precious {tones and pearls, as emblems ol her wealth, grandeur, and fovereignty ; which may point to the imperial authority, and to the vaft pomp of the Rotnifh church, and the extra- vagant proiufion of its treafures in adorning its tem- ples, relics, and images, to procure the veneration of carnal minds : She was alfo reprefented like the an- cient Babylon, (Jer. li. 7.) as having a golden cup in her hand to entice her devotees to drink of it ; which, notwithftanding its fair tempting appearance, was filled with all manner of abominable errors and iniquities, and with the loathfome impurities of ido- latry, or fpiritual fornication, and adultery in thofe that profefs efpouials to Chrift ; and may point at the delufive charms of popery in its gaudy mows, and bold pretences to miracles, pardons, and indulgences, and to being the only true church, and the l»ke, as lures to bring people into her boiom. 5 And upon 5 And upon this itrumpet's forehead was an inferip- her forehead ivas tion that bore her name, by which (he may eafily be MYsrF e «Y n H? k,lown and <3iftinguifhed Irom ail others ; a name im- BYLON THE porting 'her to be a MYSTERY OF INIQUITY, GREAT, THE (2 Thef.W. 7.) for the depth, fecrecy, and unfearch- MOTHER OF able methods of carrying on her wicked defigns ; * ABOmSatl and in a % urative or njyftical fenfe BABYLON ONS OF THE THE GREAT, meaning the apellate church of EARTH. Rome ; which may be fo liyled, as fhe pretends to be the catholic church, and refembles Baby/on of old, in the large extent of her jurifdi&ion, and in idolatry, pride, luxury, and oppreffion : She is the MOTHER, the parent, ringleader, patroneis, fupporter, and nou- rifher of both literal and fpiritual adultery and fornica- tion, and of all ABOMINABLE UNCLEAN- NESS, and every other fort of notorious crimes, which abound in the nations of the earth, that are under her dominion, id I taw the 6 And I further beheld this whorifh woman to be Zkh%t blooto" M ^ Snd S lutted Wfth tllC bl ° 0dof thofe whom God the faints, and with ^ &t apart for himfelf and fanctified by his Spirit, the blood of the an ^ of Chrift's faithful witneifes, who fealed their tef- martyrs of Jefus: timony to him with their blood, which fhe ihed on h"r 'r heP 1 ( \ ^'d account of their °P en confeffion of him : And when with greet adinira- * ^ aw ber in ^ ieie unnatura ^ an d monftrous forms, I tion. was exceedingly amazed at her grandeur and cruelty, and at the patience of God in fuffering her to reign and tyrannize over his beloved people; as not know- ing N O T E. * Scaliger, Dotvnbam, and others, Frotejlants alledged this paftage of ferip- obierve, that the word my fiery was for- ture to prove that the Church of Horns merly wrote on the Pope's mitre, till the was a?iticbrifl. 326 2 be Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xvii. ing what to think of one that would fuftain fuch a pompous, vile, and hideous chara&er. 7 And the an- j Hereupon the angel obferving it, faid to me, SsS&S^aS Why did you feern to be fo greatly aftonifhed aad thou marvel? Iwill contoundcd at this repreientation i 1 will explain the tell thee the myf- meaning of thefe emblems, which are fo dark and tcry of the woman, myflerious to you, concerning this whorim woman, and of the beaft that and the beaft fa r ; deg and which a ;„ carncth. her, winch . . . r ,. r , / i_ 1 r 1 r hath the feven tllis vmon > according to what you had Icen before, heads and ten [chap. xiii. I.) as having feven heads and ten horns. horns. That which is figured out in this prophetic defcrip- tion is as follows : 8 The beaft that 8 The beaft, which you faw, is a fymbol of the thou laweft, was, D • • . 1 j i_ a • and is not • and ^- omon empire, as anciently governed by kings, con- ifhall afcend 'out of f u ^ s i di&ators, decemvirs, and military tribunes, but the bottomlefs pit, is no longer fubfifting in either of thefe forms, it being and go into per- now , at the time of this vifion, under the government i 11 ^"? ^ d *^S y of emperors ; or when the time comes, which the vi- that dwell on the r r r y . . . r . , . 7 . , . _ earth fhall wonder " on Terers to, it may then be laid, that the bealt, hg- (whoie names were nifying the Roman empire, was idolatrous and perfe- not written in the cuting under heathen magiflrates, but its Pagan fiate bo.k of life from h now del t roycd ; and the Empire, headed by the Pa- tiie foundation ol .,, , J c r , j- 1 v 1 -it "1 the world ) when P ac y* W1 " De °* * ucn a diabolical, wicked, and tyran- they behold the nical temper, as derives its original, and proceeds from beaft that was, and the infernal malignant fpirits of the bottomlefs pit, 75 not, and yet is. and w [\\ * &e fupported by their mitigation and afiiftance : But, at length, the papal church, which had been de- finitive to the true church of Chrifl on earth, mail be utterly deftroyed and fent down to hell, to fhare in torments with their inftigators : And (excepting thofe, whom God has chofen in Chriji before the foundation of the world, (Eph. i. 4. and fee the note on 1 John i. 1.) and who are as particularly known by name as if they were literally regiftered for eter- nal life in the book of his decrees, and in the book of the Lamb, as perfons that were given of the Father to him, to be redeemed, and fan&ified, and faved by him) the inhabitants of the popifh territories will gaze with admiration, pleafure, and fupcrftitious vene- ration, when they mail fee this beaft, which in the forementioned.fenfes was, and is not *, and yet ex- ills in another form, and will be the fame, in effect., -as a perfecuting and idolatrous paganizing power, which, in refemblar.ee of the vvorfhip of heathen N O T E. ■* The conjeclures about the meaning fay which of them may be depended up- of this phrafe, the beafl nvhich was, and on. But one or other of the two fenfes is not, and yet is, or and JhaAl he,, (x.a<- given in the paraphrafe, appears to me ■xiq t7Toci) as Steven's and the ALxandri- as probable as any; and the reader is n?;, and feveral other copies have it, are left to chufe that which pleafes him beft, fo many and dubious, that it is hard to Chap. xvii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 327 ■idols, will introduce the worfhip of angels, faints, and images. 9 And here is 9 And here is a proper trial and exercife for a ftu- the mind which dious and inquifitive mind, that has a faculty of dif- hath wifdom. The cerm ' n g an d fpiritual wifdom to underftand, reflect feven heads are fe- ° , r , * r ^ . r \ h ven mountains on u P on » and c o m P^e the reprefentation of characters, wh'di the woman which are given in the preceding and following parts fitteth. of this vifion, as a key to open the meaning of it, It is therefore carefully to be obferved and conlider- ed, that the feven heads of this idolatrous perfecuting power, fignified by the hcajl, are emblematical of the feven mountains or hills, on which, as is notorious, the city of Rome i9 built, and on which, as on an im- perial feat, the great whorifh weman is reprefented as fixing her throne, with as much power and authority as any ruler of the Empire that had ever gone before her. 10 And there are IO And for a further underftanding of this Ro- arriallen^and one mIftl antichrillian "P 0Wer > k is to be obferved, a.-; a- h?- and\T other not her diftinguifhing character of it, that there will is' not yet come ; have been feven kings, or different forms of fupveme and when he com- government, which are alfo fignified by feven heads ; e !^ ^""V™""' five of wmch at the tIme of this vifion are & 6 #$£&p iJa '" e as they confifled of a fucceflion of kings, cqryit/s, Sec. according to what has been hinted; (jver. 8.) and one, even that of Pagan imperial government, is at this prefent time fubfiit ing ; * And another which is to fucceed it, namely, that of the Chritlian emperors, has not yet mounted the throne ; and, when this a- rifes, it will continue but for a little while, compared with the other fupreme powers that went before, and will follow after it ; which may be coniidered as pointing to Conjlantine the Great, and his fuccefTors, under whom the Chriltian religion was eilabliihed, and maintained with purity fcarce a century and a half ; all which forms of government are to ceafe, in their order, before that (hall appear, which is intended by the antichriltian beaft in this prophetic emblem. 11 And NOTE. * Kings in prophetic ftyle fignify ment different from that, and yet retain- flates or kingdoms, as appears from Dan. ed Jo much °* i ts fenatorial iorm, as to vii. 17, 23. ; and if, with feveral learned make it in that refpeel much of the. iame •- emmentators, we take ihejivtb king to kind with tlxejixtb : So that in fome re- denote /imply the imperial form of go- fpe tnat the ten horns, which you faw on the kings/which have head of the papal beaft, (ver. 3.) fignify ten king* received no king- or principalities, that (hall arife in the weftern part of dom . as yet ; but the Roman empire, as to be divided into ten king- receive power as d om s ; but none of thefe potentates have received their tmgs one hour ,.. n . A , . , . r . r . . . r , n ,. with the beaft. diitinct kingdoms at the time 01 this vilion, but lhall receive them as fovereign princes, about the fame time *, that the papal beaft or antichriftian power fliall begin to erect its idolatrous empire ; which may- be confidered as an intimation, that the rife of the Pope fhould be at the time when the Empire would be divided into ten kingdoms by the barbarous nations, about the middle of the fifth century, foon after Gen- Jericus, the Vandal, had taken Rome; and fo the man of fin ) would be revealed, when the Empire, that let or hindered, while it was under one head, fhould be taken away. (2 Thejf. ii. 3, — 8.) 13 Thefe NOTE. * Moft expofitors, after Dr. More, ren- oned up by Mr. Mede and Sir Ifuac >der one hour (/it/crv cgcy) the fame time, Newton: But others fuppofe that there as in ver. 15, 17. ore mind (,««v yvw^nv) is no neceflity of finding out that exact plainly fignifies the fame mind, and fo number of different kingdoms, neither ■one heart, and one foul, (w kx§Six x«i » more nor lefs ; ten being Ibmetimes put 4"^" A*«0 Acts iv. 32. fignifies the fame for many, a certain for an uncertain heart and fouj. And the word render- number. However, all hiftory allures ed hour (ogu) is often ufed for and us, that when the northern nations broke tranflated time. This makes the divifion in upon the Weftern Empire, it was di- of the Empire into the ten kingdoms co- vided into much about that number 0* temporary with the rife of the beaft. kingdoms. Thefe ten kingdoms ace varioufiy reck- Chap. xvii. The Revelation paraphrased. 329 at 13 Thefe have 1 3 Thefe ten kingdoms, with fovereign princes one mind, and (hall their head, how different foever they may be in feci 1 - £T ftrenV 3 ^ f"*** ^ be ° f the fame ™" d in *#*">* C0 »" the beaft. cerns, and, as with one heart, agree to pay homage to the papal power, fignified by the beaft, and to fur- render up their riches, arms, and authority (4Jw«*y) to his will, and ufe them to fupport his fupr^macy and idolatrous interefts and defigns. 14 Thefe (hall 14 Thefe, under the influence of the papal bead, make war with the w iH f c t themfelves againft Chrift, to oppofe his doc- Lamb' (half ove^- tT } neS > inftitutions > cau ^> i»^reft, a » d people, by come them : for he v ^ ent perfecutions, and the power of the fword, is Lord of lords, and to force their confciences into fubmiffion, and and King of kings; blind obedience to the pretended infallibility and ec- and they that are c l c f ia aical authority, fuperftition, and idolatry of with him, are call- . ^ n t • ' t -rr r 1! - L . 1 ed, and choien, and l ! ie Po P e * But » in the lfr " e of the combat, the glo- faithful. nous Lamb of God fhall be victorious over them, in and by means of the ftedfaftnefs of the faith, pro- feflion, and patient fufferings of his members, who will make a noble ftand againft all their enemies, and love not their lives unto death : For he by nature as God, and by conftitution as Mediator, is the fove- reign Lord of all earthly lords, and fovereign King o- ver all the potentates of this 'world ; as the govern- ment of the church and of all nations is upon his moulders, to order and difpofe of them according to his infinitely wife and holy will: And his difciples, who fide with him againft thofe common enemies, are effectually called by his grace ; are a chofen and pecu- liar people, whom God ha-s fet apart for himfelf in his eternal purpofe ; and, in confequence of their e- leclion and efre£tual calling, are made fmcere and faith- ful to him in their profeffion of his name and gofpel, and perfeverance in his ways and ordinances, whate- ver it may coft them. 15 And he iaith ijj And ftiil further to explain the diftinguifhtno- jrito me. The wa- marks of the antichriftian whore, the angel laid to ten wmch rhou Th reprefentatl - oa that was made of , iaweft, where the , K , n r . £ , / _ whore fnteth, are fers > on which ihe lits, [ver. I.) are an emblem ot peoples, and mul- the people of the papacy under her ex.tenfive empire, titudes, and nati- and of the vaft multitude of them of different nations ons, and tongues. an( j vai j 0l]8 languages, over which fhe reigns as a queen, and by which me is fupported in her dominion, riches, and grandeur ; and fays, Hie ffjall fee no for - row. (Chap, xviii. 7.) 16 And the ten 16 And yet the ten borns^ which were reprefented >ms which thou in y 0Ur v j;i on f t h e beaft, and have been interpreted upon^t^e to fignify ten dillinct dates or kingdoms, [ver, 12.) and whi.'h, amid ft all the revolutions and alterations Vol. VL U u that t.oms 330 The Revelation par aphrafed. Chap. xvii. beaft, thefe fhall that may be made in them *, will fubfift under fuch hate the whore, \fc e diftinft governments, during the reign of the defolaTe 1 Trf na- beall » and never h * fwallowed U P m a univerfal mo- ked, and /hall eat narchy by any that may afpire after it : Even thefe her flefli, and burn very nations or kingdoms, with their refpe&ive poten- her with fire. tates, which were before engaged in the fupport and advancement of the whorifh woman, (hall, in God's appointed time, grow weary of her tyranny, oppref- fions, frauds, and abominable corruptions in doclrine and practice ; and, when they come to fee how grofs- ly (he had impofed upon them, they (hall be incen- fed againft and abhor her, more than they ever before were in love with her ; even as gallants ufe to behave toward a (trumpet, when they are convinced of her treacherous delufions, and of the evil of their former familiarities with her : And they fhall withdraw their prote&ion of her, and turn their arms againft her, and firip her naked of all her riches, pomp, and pow- er, and lay her wafte by fire and fvvord, which fhall not only deflroy her, but be as tormenting to her, as though they were to gnaw her flefh off from her bones, and burn her to death by devouring flames, as was foretold by the prophet Daniel \ (chap. vii. ii.) and as the daughter of a prieft guilty of whore- dom was to be burnt. [Lev. xxi. 9.) 17 For God 17 For the great God and Governor of the world, hath put in their } n w hofe hand are the hearts of kings, and who hearts to fulfil his turm them ^hith erf ever he will, (Prov. xxi. 1.) will, and to a- .- , J . • ,;-.- r 7 K . , / gree and give their " as determined to give them up, for a time, to their kingdom unto the own hearts lulls, which they freely and out of choice beafr, until the indulged; (fee the notes on John xii. 40. and Rom. ttrttim- ix * l8 *) He al{ °' by an over - rulin g providence, turn- ed the voluntary current of their own finful inclina- . tions into fuch a courfe, as mould eventually accom- plifh his purpofe, relating to the rife and progrefs of the papal power ; and he permitted them, under the jniligation of Satan and the workings of their own corruptions, to agree together to fubmit to its autho- rity, NOTE. * The flutes or kingdoms, fignified by that at. firft fupported her, but as their the ten horns, are to be, a* length, the fuccejfors in various kingdoms, who will inftruments of the ruin, as they formerly turn againft her, as thole of the reformed were of the fupport of antichrift. This nations have already; and it is to be ex- fuppofes a continued fucceffion of diftintt pedled that mod, if not* ait the reft, nations, that originally belonged to the will follow their example, and unite Roinan empiTe ; though there may be with them in a religious war againft the ^liftings and changes in them, and they papacy; though, perhaps, fomeoftheru may not always be bounded juft in the may perfift in her idolatrous communion, fame limits as at the firft divifion of the till they fliall fee the time of her burn- Empire among them. (See the note on ing, and bewail her; (<-£#/>. xviii. 9.) and n>er. 12.) Aud fo the kings that ft j all then fliall either renounce her, or all hate the whore, &c. are to be confider- with her. ed, not as the fame individual perfgns Chap. xvii. "The Revelation paraphrafed. * 331 rlty, fuperftition, and idolatry, and to furrender up their ftrength, riches, and even their crowns, to the fervice of this antichriftian beail : But he did this on- ly for a limited feafon, till all the words of God, contained in this and ancient prophecies, relating' to the flourifhing ftate of its dominion, fiiall be fulfilled ; and then, by a gracious and providential influence, or both, upon their hearts, he will incline them to accomplifh the will of his command and pleaiure, as well as the will of his purpofe, relating to the utter dtflru&ion of the idolatrous power which they fup- portcd before, (ver. 16.) 18 And the wo- 18 And, to conclude, the plain marks of this an- man which thou' tichriftian power, relating to the place of its chief re- faweft, is that fidence, The apoearance of a whorifh drunken wo- great city, which 1 • 1 r , ,- i 11 / ?ei wnicn >' ou ^ aw and io much wondered at, {yer. kings of the earth. 5> -6.) represents the civil and ecclefiaitical authority and dominion of the Pope and his conlillcry ot car- dinals, that is to be feated in, and railed to its height at Rome, the great metropolis ; which, and no other, is at this very time to be confidered as the miftrefs of the world, which bears fway over the kings of the earth, and particularly over the nations of the Empire s that hath exiitcd under various fucceffive forms of go- vernment, but is now imperial, as the Pope's alfo, in a manner, will be in reigning over all the kingdoms into which the Empire will then be divided. RECOLLECTIONS. How plain are the prophetic marks of the idolatrous and perfecuting power of the papacy ! This in a Spiritual fenfe is the great whore, who makes biafphemous pretences; and is decked with furnptuous ornaments; whofe difringuiihing colours of purple and fcarlet are the attire of Popes and Cardinals; who has intoxicated piinces and people to join in her idolatries, and has glutted herfelf with the bicod of numberleis faints and witnerTes for Chrift : She is a myftery of iniquity : the very image of ancient Babylon for pride and luxury, persecution and idolatry ; and is the grand parent of fpuitual fornication, and of all abominable iniquity : She de- rives her original from hell itfelf; and is the great bead, that reigns over vaft mul- titudes of people of all nations, and draws the admiration of all under her domi- nion, except thofe that are chofen of God to eternal life : Her feat of empire is at the great city of Rome, which is built upon feven hills, and was. the metropolis of the Roman monarchy : She rofe as the feventh idolatrous and perfecuting head, after the deftruction of thole that preceded her, under various forms of govern- ment, in the Roman empire; upon the divifion of which into ten kingdoms, ihe fet up her throne with fupreme authority, making ui'e of their itrength, as ten horns of power to fuppoit and defend her ecciefiattical tyranny ; and me, by di- vine permiffion, leduced them into a compliance with her cruel and idolatrous ufurpations, and into a furious oppofition to Chiilt, his people, and caufe. To whom can all thefe defcriptiops agree, but to the Romijl'j papal power ? How a- mazingly monftroas, and yet j.: ft, ib this divine portrait other ! And how git-at ;-: part of wifdom is .t to find her out, by applying thefe characters to her, to whom alone they belong I But O what a comfort ought it to be to the church of Chrrft, and what a terror to the antichriflian harlot, that ihe, who has been fo deiliu:- tive to others, ihall finally go into perdition 1 The glorious Lamb, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords, lha 11 overcome her, by animating the faith and patience, F thofe that-aix- eholen ar.d called, and faith- U U 3 fu| 33 2 The Revelation paraphrafed. Cliap. xviiu ful :n their adherence to him ; and in his appointed time he will turn the hearts of thofe very powers againft her, that were before in love with her, and united all their forces to uphold her. He will ipirit them up to defert, hate, and oppofe her ; to drip her of all her riches and grandeur ; and to prey upon her, and puriue her with fire and fword, tHl fhe be utterly deftroyed by as painful a death, as if her ilem were to be gnawn off from her bones, and fhe to be confumed, as by devour- ing fire, in the conflagration of Rome, and by the total ruin of ail the territories under her dominion. CHAP. XVIII. Another angel from heaven proclaims the fall of 'myflical 'Babylon, I, — 5. And another voice fom heaven admonifhes the people of God to come oat cf her, left, partaking of her fins, they partake alfo of her plogues, 4, — 8. Represents the lamentation of kings, merchants, tfnd mariners over her, 9, — 19. And calls upon the church to re- joice ?n God's taking righteous vengeance upon her, who had Jlain the faints ; and whole utter and irrecoverable ruin is fgnifed by the emblem of a mi If one thrown with violence by a mighty angel into the jea, 20, — 24. A NI)al!:er thefe A ND after the explication that had been given me no'lLr af- r-1 corne ' in thc laft X ^ Wn ° f the woman > and the fcarlet- Text. Paraphrase after thefi Rings I faw a v..jr anp'el conic down from heaven, coloured beaft on which fhe fat, I beheld another an having great pow gel defcending from heaven in moft illuftrious fplen- er ; and the earth dor*, as difpatched with an immediate commiffion W ll^ V Ul ^ rom t^nce, anc * invefted with great power and au- thority ; and the church on earth was irradiated with his furrounding light and glory, like what appeared to Ezckiel in his vilion of the glory of the God of Ifrael, which tilled the houfe of the Lord. [Chap. xliii. 2,-5.) 2 And he cried 2 And he proclaimed with an exceeding majeftic, i.ughtily with a loud, and articulate voice, faying, in the very words ■IT^rIua*' t\~ that foretold, and were accomplished in the deilruc- mg, Babylon the . ' „ . ■ r . , rt Treat is fallen, is tion or the Lhalaean-Babylon, (11a. xxi. b.) to this fallen, and is be- effect, The papal hierarchy and power, which for come the habita- perfecution, pride, idolatry, and all manner of abo- ihe hV.rl'of'evef 1TlJnations » ma 7 * tl Y be ft )' lcd myftical Babylon, foul fntrit and a wn °fe dominion is with great authority and wide ex- cage of every un tent, will foon be as certainly deftroyed, as if it aU rl-an and hateful ready were actually fallen from all its riches, gran- "• dcur, and power, into the moll deplorable ruins : And to certify this with the greater vehemence 'and afiu- rance, he repeated the words, is fallen, is fallen ; and NOTE. * This angel feems to have been hovah of Ifrael that lightened the earth, Cbt/'/l, the Angel of tin- covenant, with and filled his houfe, in Ezekiel's vifion, who fie glory t'/r - f , v , ?\ ^ ' bj e# and ye are commiiiioned from heaven to multiply ca- lamities doubly upon her, to her utter deftruction, not from a fpirit of private revenge, but as authorifed in- ftruments of divine juftice, in puniihing her to the ut- termoit for all her evil deeds, according to the iaw which, in cafes of robbery, required double reftitution ; \Exod. xxii. 4, 7, 9.) and according to God's threat - ning of Ifraei's enemies, that he would recompence ikeir iniquity and their Jin double: ( Jer. xvi. 18.) As fhe has wrung out, and made you drink the cup of iorrow and affliction j fo now ye are called to fill out to her a cup of doubly bitter and deadly ingredients, for her to drink to the very dregs. 7 How much (he y In proportion to her pride and felf-confidence, frit aid iftedUfe£ in wmcn & e nas magnified and exalted herfelf, and cioufiy, fo much to ner luxurious way of living, render to her torment- torment and for- ing mifery and anguiih, in her utter confufion and o- row give her: for verthrow : For (lie, being the whore on many waters, heart Tfit \.-t a *** { c ^ a P' xv>1 * l 5*) proudly boafh of her dominion over and am no widow'' a multitude of people and nations in church and und mail lee no ftate, and flatters herfelf in her own conceit, faying, f° rrow - in her vain and haughty mind, like Babylon of old, which was called the Lady of kingdoms, (lfa. xjvii. 5, 8.) I fit with imperial majefly, pomp, and fafety, after the manner of a mighty queen in her moil exalted ftate and firmeft eilabliihment ; and I neither am bereaved of any dignity, power, or plea- fure, like a widow deprived of her defence and ftrength, glory and comfort in the lofs of her hufband ; nor mall my throne ever be (haken, or any kind of tribulation come upon me. freford (hall g Becaufe me is thus infolent and vain-glorious, i.er p agu4* .coaje am j f on ^\y f rna nrj n es that no mifchief or danger can in one assr. death, , ; , » , r _ ,, , .„ ° . and roourntnjr, arid approach her; therefore mall her punilhment and Famine,: and fhe ruin come unexpectedly, and all on a fudden, as it were (bail be utterly ; n one day, upon her ; as was laid of the ancient Ba- Vurnt with lire- l • j (If a . xlvii. 9, 11.) Death, by peililence, or for ftrong is the / , K . , - ?.\ ' a .'. ; , J r , \ , Lord iw °rdj or both, fhall cut oit multitudes or her iub- jeds; Chap, xviii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 335 Lord God who jefts ; and lamentation and mourning for the lofs of judgeth her. her children, and deftru&ion by famine, or. the want of all neceffary refreihment and fupport, mall meet upon her ; and flie (hall be utterly confumed by fire : {chap. xvii. 16.) For the Lord Jehovah, who righ- teoufly judges and condemns her, and has determined to deftroy her, is almighty ; fo that there is no refill- ing his power, who is able to execute the decreed, vengeance, and will certainly do it. 9 And the kings g And fo abfolute and unavoidable mail her de- af the earth, who ftru&ion be, that the earthly-minded princes and po- have committed c \. ,, t .•• j 1 • fornication and li- tentates of this world, who, continuing under her ju- veddeliciouflywith rifdiction and in her communion, have complied with her, fhall bewail and fupported her idolatrous injunctions and pracli- her and lament ce ^ an( j indulged themfelves in pomp and luxury Aalifeethe e fmoke with her, (hall not be able to give her any further cf her burning, affiftance, or protection ; but fhall bitterly mourn o- ver her helplefs ftate, and lament her doleful diftrefs and ruin, when they mall behold the fad tokens of her torment and defolation, as appearing like horrid pillars of fmoke, that rife up from a raging fire in the conflagration of cities * ; and efpecially when they fee Rome itfelf, the feat of her dominion, all in flames through the righteous vengeance of God upon her. 10 Standing afar 10 They being difmayed at this awful judgment, cff for the fear of an( j terribly afraid left they fhould fall with her in hT t0 Al?T' Ills the common calamity, and fo partake of her plagues, that great city Ba- as tnev had of her fins, will endeavour to get as far bylon, that migh- as pofiible out of the way cf danger ; and Handing at tycity! for in one a diftance, like fpe&ators full of confufion and afto- hour is thy judg- nffhrRent w ni cry out in the anguim of their foul?, Alas! alas! What dreadful and unexpected wo and mifcry is this ! What defolation and diftrefs is that great city, which is called myftical Baby/or/, that itrong and powerful city, now brought into ! What is become of all her authority, pomp, and dominion, which are fallen with her ! What an amazing revolu- tion is here ! For all on a fudden, as it were in one hour, that was little thought of before, thy judgment, condemnation, and execution, are come upon thee, O thou miftrefs of the papal world, vrhojaitejias a queen in NOTE. * The fmoke of her torment, maybe probably, be deftroycd, either by fuh- taken, as in the paraphrafe, either in the terraneous fires bur fling out of the vol- metaphorical fenfe to fignify the mod canos, that are frequent in thofe parts; dreadful and entire deftruction of all her or by the fire of enemies in befieging it, pomp and power, through the whole ex- when the ten kin?s fhall hate the whore, tent of the papacy; or in the literal and burn her with fire ; (chap. xvii. 16.) fenfe for the conflagration of Rome, the or by tire immediately from heaven, iike feat of the Pone's authority, and the ca- that which c unturned Sodom and Gcmcv- jital city of his dominion, which will, rah. Bient come. *ny more 336 The Revelation paraphrajcd. Chap, xviii. in all thy grandeur and boafted fecurity, fnyingy I Jhali fee no forrow. (ver. 7.) ^ 1 1 And the mer- 1 1 And as t h e merchants bewailed the deftru&ion ftiatt* we d "and or " anc,t,nt X$ r *> that eighty flouriming and trading mourn over] her. for city; (Ezek. xxvii. 37, &c.) fo the earthly-minded no man buyeth dealers in the fpiritual merchandize of antichriftian their^ merchandife R r ,we, to put off her indulgences, abfolutions, po- pifh relics, and preferments, will, in the grief of their hearts, lament with weeping over her, as not being able to afford her any relief in the day of her diftrefs, nor to get any further advantages by her ; becaufe there will then be an entire end of all her gainful traffic ; and from thence-forward none will ever be fo impofed upon and deluded, as to purchafe her eccle- fiaftical commodities any more. 12 The mer- 12 So that they can no longer delight and pride and fflwr,%d*pc£ tnemfelves in the prodigious g ams that they were clous fton'es, and of wont to make by this fort of merchandife * : It will pearls, and fine 11 never bring them in, as formerly, gold and filver, and nen, and purple, precious ftones, and pearls, to enrich themfelves, and and nlk. and kar. tQ f U pp 0rt an( j difplay the fplendor of their hierarchy wood, and ail man- anc ^ wor &ip ; nor fine linen, and purple, and filk, and ner veftels of ivo- fcarlet, to adorn themfelves, and make diftinguifhing ry. and all manner veftments for their priefts, bifhops, cardinals, and vefTels oi ruott pre- p p es . nor thyine-wood, fo much efteemed for itb b^aod^pn"and grateful fcent and durable flrength, for building or. marble decorating magnificent houfes and temples j nor any of thofe various forts of veffels made of ivory, and of the mod beautiful and coftly wood, andofbrafs, and iron, and marble, which ufed to be wrought into ido- latrous images, and into all manner of utenfils for fu- perftitious fervices and ornaments. 13 And cinna- ig Nor fhall their merchandife any longer procure rnon, and odours t0 t ^em fragrant cinnamon, and fweet odours, and 1 ankincenfe ' and ointments, and frankincenfe, to gratify their fenfes, wine, and oil, and and perfume and beautify their bodies, or to feed their fine flour, and pride and luxury, and make their fweet- fmelling in- wheat, and beafts, cen f € an( j co ftly ointments for idolatrous and fuper- .and flieep, and ft ; t - ous p Ur p f es . nor wme an d oil, to cheer their hearts NOTE. * The defcription given In this and on the popifh traffickers, in her egregi- the following verfes of the merchandife ous impofitions and delufions. who had and lamented deftruction of the Roviift) amaffed to themfelves vale riches and ho- Jjabylon. need not in all particulars be nours in the days of her prosperity : And taken in a literal, but only in an accom- this is beautifully defended in moft ol modated fenfe, like what is is fuggefted the very fame terms"lhat are med in the in the paraphrafe ; and may be confider- 26th and 27th chapters of Ezekie!, will ed as a itrong and ftriking figurative re- relation to Tyre, which had been notori- prefentariou of her downfal from all her ous for idolatry, wickednefs, and pow- former ftate and affluence ; and of the er, and for the moft gainful and extern horrible disappointment, lofs, and trou- five merchandife. ble, which by that means will come up*. Chap, xviii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 337 horfes, and chari- hearts and make their faces mine, or to be idolatrouily ots and flaves, and an d fuperftitioufly ufed in the facririce of the m'afs, and in extreme unction ; nor fine flour, and wheat, and beads, and fheep, to be tithed by the priefts for the fuf- tenance of nature, or fupplying them with the neceffa- ries, much lefs the conveniences and comforts of the animal life ; nor horfes and chariots, and (ropcMTw) the bodies of men to furnifh out a pompous equip. ige* and mow away with the magnificence of haughty popes and prelates ; nor mall they any more enflave mens fouls by ufurping a tyrannical power over their confciences, and drawing money from them for par- dons and indulgences, and for praying them out of purgatory, which, in reality, is being paid for de- llroying, inftead of faving their fouls. 14 And the fruits 14 And the products of your iniquitous rncrchan- that thy foul lufted dife, O rayitical Babylon, in which you fo much glo- *L~ »i. re ~^V C n ried. and of which you were fo eagerly defirous, inch from thee, and all ' . . . J , . r *=> > . . ' things which were as tne ri ches, honours, and pieaiures or this world, dainty and goodly which were the top of your ambition ; all thefe are are departed from n ow cut off: And all things that were delicious to aTu c 5 n ?i thou the tafte, and made a gay appearance to the eye, are ilialt find taem no 1 r p 1 n n r * more at all. now remove d far from you* wno lnall never rind your account in them any more ; but mall be entirely ftript, and remain deilitute of them all, pail retrieve for ever. Thus all the merchandife of antichriftian Rathe, by the factors of her fpurious wares, fli ill, like that,of the ancient wicked Tyre y utterly fail, and ne- ver be recovered. 15 The mer- i$ They that dealt in thefe commodities, and .Hants of thefe were enriched in their temporal, and vainly boafted of things, which were their being fo in their fpiriiual concerns, by her means, made rich by her, n i, r1 °, , - J f.y .+■ 7 J ^ , , fliall ftand afar off, mall > llke the km S s of the €arth » i ver - 9> W'l unaD ^ for the fear of her to help her, remove and keep at as great a diilance a& torment, weeping may be from her, for fear that, as they had. been. and wailing, partakers of her guilt and riches, they mould (hare in torments with her ; at the very fight of which, they will vent the forrows of their hearts with floods of tears, and great lamentation over her. 16 And faying, 16 And crying out, with bitter afionilhment and Alas, alas, that condolence, will fay, Alas ! alas ! How tremendous SL" closed fa. 'fine * the deftraffira of Ifo*,, that great and famous cl. linen, and purple, ty* wr^e the head of the papacy, who fata in her and fcarlet, and heart, Ijli a queen, and 'flail fee no farrow* (ver. 7.)" decked with gold, had her imperial feat ; and in the height of her pomp, and precious ftones, ^ Hch was f umptlIou fl y arrayef i m fine and pearls! for in f. ' , , - , r . r , r > „ . \ , .. one hour fo great imen » an " purple, and lcarlet, and let oil with the ght- riches is come to tering ornaments of gold, and all manner of precious nought. ftones, and pearls ! Her cafe is extremely deplorable: For all on a fudden, as though it were in one unex- pected and uiithought-of hour, (lie is ifivefted of all Vol. VL X x hej 33^ The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xviii. her rich treafures, and reduced to the utmoft. poverty and diftrefs. 17 And every 17 And the. lower ranks of her officers, that were fhip-mafter, and all devoted to her fervice, and retailed her pardons and ihips, C and^ilcrT, indulgences, and other trumpery, and compaffed fea and 'as many as and land to make profelytes, fuch as priefts, monks, trade by fea, flood ffiars, and Jefuits, who got their living by this trade, afAr 0& > and may be reprefented, in allufion to the lamenters of Tyre\ ruin, (Ezek. xxvii. 29, — 33.) under the em- blem of mailers of (hips, and all their fhip-mates and mariners, and all traffickers in them by fea: All thefe as unable, as the kings and merchants, (tie r. 9, 11.) to help her, fhall likewife get out of the reach of her ca- lamities, as far as they can, for fear of fharing in her punifhments, as they had in her crimes and gains. iS And .cried, 18 And when they fee the difmal tokens of her when they faw the utter deftrudion, like the thick and gloomy columns lmoke ot her burn- r r 1 ..t. *. t c 1 c • 11 • ing, faying. What ot lmoke > that rile irom ev e»7 part of a city all in city is like unto flames, (fee the note on ver, 9.) they fhall cry out this great city ! with amazement, lamentation, and horror, faying, as was faid of Tyre, (Ezek. xxvii. 32.) What city fo grand and magnificent, wealthy, powerful, and proud, was ever fo entirely and fpeedily involved in mifery and ruin, as this great city, together with her vaft dominion, is, beyond all that could have been imagine cd! 19 And they 1 9 And as great mourners have ufed, in their dif- caft duft on their trefs, to throw dull upon their heads, ( Jofh. vii. 6. heads, and cned. a nd >£ ii. 1 2O and the bewailers of ?>* are repre- weeping and wail- r J . . . . J . , _ , • • \ r f r ing. faying, Alas, tent ed by this token j {E'zek. xxvii. 30.) io thefe alas, that great ci- huckfters of Rome's wares will go into all expreffions ty, wherein were of the .deepeft forrow, and cry out with weeping and made rich all that bitter lamentation, Alas ! alas ! for that great city, as fen by P reafon of m Y^- lC2 ^ Baby/on is often ftyled in this prophecy, and her coftlinefs ! for may alfo be well compared to Tyre, (fee the note on in one hour is fhe ver. 12.) How (hocking are her defolations and mife- made defolate. r j es> w j 10 has been in fuch a ftourifhing ftate as to enrich all her devotees that carried on traffic with, and for her, in employing their velTels at fea to export her pardons, indulgences, &c. which were fold and pur- chafed at colily rates by her authority 1 What a fur- prifing, fudden, and miferable change is now made upon her flate and condition ! For fhe, as it were in one hour, is reduced, and fpoiled of all her former wealth, power, and grandeur ; utterly incapable of a- ny further helping her fervants, or of being helped by them. 20 But, faid the voice from heaven, {ver, 4 ) How much foever they, that trafficked and gained worldly riches and honours by her influence and authority, for may figh and mourn for her defolation ; it will be a juft zo Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apM' ittd prophets Chap, xviii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 339 for God hath a ven- juft occafion of great joy and gladnefs to the faints, ged you on her. while they confider it, not as the deftru£tion of their fellow-creatures, but as the day of their own happy deliverance from the oppreffiona of this antichriihan- enemy, and of God's glorifying himfelf in her righte- ous overthrow, and in ere&ing the glory of Chriit's kingdom on her ruins: Triumph ye therefore over her, O church of Chritt, both in heaven and on earth, and ail ye holy apoftles and prophets, that have minif- terially laid the foundation upon which the church is built, Je/us Chrift btmfclf being the chief corner f one ; (Eph. ii. 20.) and be exceeding glad, O all ye faith- ful pallors and teachers, whom he has lent ; and all ye interpreters of his word, whom he has raifed up to preach and explain his pure gofpel, as his witneffes who have prophefied in fackcloth : {chap. xi. 3.) For now God has awfully displayed his terrible juftice, and the truth of his previous, {chap. xvi. ) in tak- ing full vengeance, for your fakes, upon this corrupt and perfecuting power, whioh fain would, have de- flroyed the foundation of the church itfelf, and all that are built upon it. • ii Andamigh- 21 And Hill further to confirm all this, as the ty angel took up a prophet Jeremiah was ordered to bind a itone to the ftone like a great book he ha( j read? and caft ; t into t \ lt m &ft G f Eu- hin^theiea,^ grates, Joying, Thus flail Babylon^, ar,l flail ing, Thus with vi- not rife from the evil that I will bring upon her; olence fliail that ( Jer. li. 63, -64.) fo a glorious angel, who excelled in great city Babylon ftrength, too k U p, as he appeared in my viiion, a Si f SEBTlefta h «g e itone in his hand, like a great milftone, and no more at all. threw it with mighty force into the depth ot the iea, into which it fuddeniy funk, never to rife again : And, to explain the meaning of this emblematical ac- tion, he faid, After this violent manner, mail that great city, myftical Babylon, and all her power, au- thority, and magnificence, be fuddeniy call into utter deftruaion, and never (hall be rebuilt, or recover ftrength and dominion, or have any place in the world at all, from henceforth for ever. 22 And the voice 22 And as to you, O myllical Babylon, according of harpers, ite tatt* to what was threatned againil apoftate Ifrael, (Jer. ficians, and of pi- xxv> io .) all your days of fuperftitious and civil mirth S?M be'E »* FWJf M come to a perpetua! end : No con- no more at ail certs ot players upon harps and other muiical mitiu- in the* ; and no ments, nor any melody of pipes and trumpets (hall e- craftsm*n,of what- ver - be heard in your churches, or in your merry meet- ftSffcf *£ h \ h l* in R s ™y raore \ and al1 y° ur f p hitual traffic and fe ; more S |ee1 32 c Jar tilde and bufinefs, togeth er with all your chonf- the loui.d of a mil- tors, that adulterate the worflnp of God; and all your ftone fliall be heard etfhmng artificers, and laborious workmen, fuch as no more at all in ^ and fmitIl3 , (//„. {{{. 3. and Jer. xxiv. I.) 1 ' X X 2 to 3-P The Revelation paraphrafed, Chap, xviii. 4f to ferve the common conveniences of mankind, (hall be taken away from you ; and even the neceflaries of life mail fail, infomuch that the noife of a mililone, to grind the corn for food and fuftenance, fliall never more be heard in you. 23 And the light 23 And not hing comfortable of any kind (hall e- ot a candle mail f . , ° .- J , , ihine no more at ver be en J ove( * an >' more » no > not 1° much as the all in thee; and l'g nt of a candle, to relieve the horrid darknefs of the the voice 01 the night, {hall ever be feen in you again ; much lefs fliall '\ om n *lfi ot any bridal lamp or nuptial fon^s, or rejoicings of a the bride fliall be . • , u- u -j • r r • heard no more at bnde g room ov ^ r hl * bride, or propagating ot farm- all m thee: tbr thy ^ les and inheritances, be ever found any more in you: merchants were For your dealers in fpiritual merchandife enriched the greit men or' themfelves, and became the great and dignified men of thy forceries'^w 7 ^ 0ur earta b* empire, fuch as cardinals and prelates, all nations deceiv- ^y means of the iniquitous trade which they carried f d. on to promote your authority and influence : For, by your bewitching allurements, all nations under your dominion were impofed upon, and deluded into an admiration of, and compliance with your fuperllitior. and idolatry. *4 And in her 2 ^ And what greatly adds to a n t h e f e provoca- was found the . ^ r '«." , D & , , ; , , r . blood of prophets, tl0ns of m yftical Babylon, and aggravates her crimes, and of faints, and condemnation, and mifery, and aloud proclaims the of all that were righteoulnefs of God's judgments upon her, is, that fain upon the me has filled up the meafure of the cruelties and murders, which have been practifed upon the faithful mihiitring fervants and holy people of God, and upon all that by her authority, canons, and decrees, have e- ver been put to death for righteoufnefs fake, through- out her territories, and to the utmoft extent of her intliience upon earth, as by her perfecutions (he has approved of, imitated, and exceeded all that were ever known before ; and fo the blood of all martyrs for Chriil is found in ber Ikirts, and, by juft conflruc- tion, is chargeable upon her: (See Matth. xxiii. 29, ■ — 35.) And therefore God has given her blood to drink, for Jhe is worthy. (Chap. xvi. 6.) RECOLLECTIONS. How certain, fudden, and irrecoverable will be the deftruction of the feat of the beaft at Rome, and of the whole papal power with her ! She is the myftical Babylon, whofe fall- rs it were in one hoar, was prononnced by an illuftrious angel, and farther confirmed by the emblem of a vaft ftone plunged with violence into the fea, from whence it never can rife again. How dreadful and total will her ruin be ! She who flourihed in pomp, luxury, and plenty, and thought The fat as a que en and fliould fee no ibrrovv, mall become defolate, like a horrid uninhabited •wihiernefs, haunted by demons, and doleful birds, and favage beads. All her pride , riches, and luxury, lhall be turned into fhame, want, and mifery; all her joy into mourning; and all her pleafure into torment. She fhaU be ftript of all ha greatoeft aqd fumpJuous ornaments, and cut off from all the comforts, conve- niences, and neceflaries of life ; and all nnks of people under her dominion fhall be red; utmoft poverty and diftrefs; and (lie fliall be repaid with the heaviest Chap. xix. The Revelation paraphrafed. 341 heavieft vengeance from God for all the wiath th^t (he had reeked upon his faith- ful fervants and people. The tokens of her torment mall be as vmuie and afiectHg-, as the thick and fiery fmoke that alcends from the ruins of ? city ail in names : And when her friends that had fupponed her. and had been profited, to a greater or ieis degree, in temporal concerns, by the faie of tier indulgence* and pardons, and Other fpiritual commodities, by which fhe deceived the nations, and drew ihem into ta- perftition and idolatry; when thefe (hall fee her fudden, miiera j.€, and utter de- folation, they fhall be aftonilhed, and bitterly lament ovei her, as unable to help her, or to be helped by her any more ; and lhali ltrive to get as far as they can out of the way of God's judgments upon her, left they Giould be Uvallowed up in her calamities, as they had been partakers o: her lins. And O how nghieoufly will theie judgments be executed upon her, who; enormous and multiplied iniquities are heaped up, as it were, to heaven, and cry aloud for vengeance to come down upon her ! Her fuperftition, lewdnefs and idolatry, luxury and haughrineis, cruel- ty and perfecution of the faints and lervants ct Cbrift ; her merehar.dile or the iouls, as well as bodies of men, to their destruction; her allurements ot kings and nations to forfake God, and join themlelves to i^ols, (hail all be remtmbred in his vvrath, to her everlafling confufion. With what abhorrence fiiouid *n the people of God feparate from her communion, left they partake of her fins, and of her pu- nifhments ! And how lhould they rejoice and triumph, in reflection that the time is coming, when God will vindicate his righteous caufe, and avenge them, in her juft destruction, and will deliver thern from all her moieftations for ever ! CHAP. XIX. The church both in heaven and en earth ttiumph, and praife the Lord for his righteous judgments upon the great ichore oj Babylon, and for the honour of their own efpoufai to Chrijl, i, — 8. An angel pronounces them bleffed, and refujes the worjhip which John of- fered him, 9, 10. Then folio ws another vijkn of Chrift, as going forth on a white horfe at the head of his army, which is a /Jo mount- ed on white horfes, to make war again/1 the beaji and his armies, which arc utterly and miferably def toyed, 11, — 21. TjEix. Paraphrase. J^ND after thefe \ ND after the preceding vifioils of the total ruin things I heard S\ Q i thc great whore of Babylon, in the downral a great voice ot r , 1 ?• r v 1 - \ i_ t l j much people in ofthe papal chief city and empire, methought, I heard heaven, faying, Al- an exceeding loud and joyful acclamation of the hea- leluia ; Salvation, venly church, faying, in obedience to the order, {chap. ^uV §l0 an'i a »wwer XvI "* 2 °') Hallelll J ah > Prai f c Jf the Lord > We a P" unto'the Lord owr P^ au( ^> anc * ca ^ upon all the faints on earth to join Cod : with us in blcfiing the Lord our Gpd for the happi- nefs of his people, in their complete deliverance from the corruptions and tyranny of the antichriftian- church. The glory, honour, and power, which are confpicuous in all God's works of creation, provi- dence, and redemption, and particularly in this re- markably glorious diipenfation, ought to be afcribed, with the greateft veneration and chearfulnefs, to his holy name. 2 For true and 2 For he has faithfully fulfilled his promiies to his righteous are his peop i e a8 we jl as provc j himfelf to be true to hij ludff- 1 • - a threatnings 343 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xix. judgments : for he threatnings againft his and their enemies ; and has hath judged ihe a & e( l a m oft righteous part in the punifhment he lid corrupt* ^the* ^ as d enounce d againft, and inflifted upon them : For earth with her for- he has condemned, and executed judgment upon an- nication, and hatb tichriftian-iv^wi?, (which may be compared to a great avenged the blood ftrumpet) and upon all her lovers, for the iniquity her hand eiVantS * °* her doings, and for their compliance with her al- lurements, who had fpread idolatrous fornication throughout her territories on the earth, and thereby- corrupted the religion and manners of her fubjedts ; And now God has taken juft vengeance upon her for all the blood of his faints and miniitring fervants, which (he has unrighteouily and cruelly caufed to be Hied, on account of their faithfulnefs to him ; and he has requited her, in kind, according to her deferts. „ 3 And again g And they repeated their Hallelujahs, * begin- TW lai h ' Al ! eIui k a ' » m g» carrying on, and ending their fong, with joyous role up for ever anc * tr i um phant thankfgivings and praifes, for the ut- and ever. tcr difTolution of the idolatrous and perfecuting power of Rome. And the perpetuity and mifery of her o- verthrow, never to revive any more, was reprefented by the emblem of horrible fmoke from the unquench- able fire that confumed her, as incefiantly afcending from her ruins to an endiefs eternity. 4 And t&e f<*£r ^ Then the four and twenty elders, and the four and thefour beaftJ' livin S crcatur es, the representatives of the church, feii down and won ana * of gofpel-minifters, (fee the notes on chap. iv. 4, fhipped God that 6.) proltrated themfelves with the profoundeft reve- st on the throne, rence, and paid their adorations and praifes to the £S' AmCn; A1 " & reat God ' who a PP eared as feated on his imperial throne, faying, We heartily join with the general af- fembiy, (ver. 1.) in their hymn of praife, for the judgments which thou haft executed upon this anti- chriitian-power ; and in teitimony of our high appro- bation of, and concurrence with, all the afcriptions of honour to thee on that important occafion, we add our Amen : Halel/ujah, praifed be the Lord ! 5 An ve been pronounced by a diator, called his difciples his brethren, created angel, who was near the throne and fent a meffage to them, faying, of God, and was probably either the an- (John xx. 17. fee the paraphrafe there) gel by whom Chvift fignified the things lafcend to my Father and your Father, contained in this prophecy to his fervant and to my God and your God; yet he John; (chap. i. 1.) or the angel who there expreffed his own and their relation bad J/jevj?i unto him the Judgment of the to God diftinclly, in fuch a manner, as great whore. (Chap xvii t ) referved the pre-eminence to himfelf. f The Lord God omnipotent reigns, However, admittirg that Chrift, as the may be confidered with relation 'to the head of the church, might have called Father, or to the Son, who is alio the upon them, faying, without any impro- mighty God, (Ifa. ix. 6.) and I think is priety, Praife our God; yet the perfon ftyled the Lord God Almighty, Rev. xi. who uttered this voice teems to be the 17. (See the note there.) Accordingly, fame that ordered the apoftle John to the kingdom here fnoken of is the king-. write, Bleffed are they which are called dom of the Lord and of his Chrift; and. unto the marriage-fupper of the Lamb, is called the kingdom of our God, and and that refufed the nvorfiip which John the poller of his Chrift, chap. si. 15, offered to pay him, under fome miftake ; and xii. 1 ■;■. {ver. 9, 10.) whereas our bleffed I«oid 3 44 ?2k Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xix, 7 Let us be 7 Let us now indulge a facred pleafure and delight fid gi" hoZrTo ''" I 1 ™' a " d Pf a » honour ' thankf g ;v;ng, and prjife him: for the mar- to nin / : * or tne nappy, time is now come publicly riage of the Lamb and vifibly to folemnize the efpoufal of Chrift to his is come, and his church, (2 Cor. xi. 2.) whom he has redeemeoUo his herfelf read - "^ Father ' and P urch afed for himfelf, with his own pre- cious blood, as the Lamb that war fain; (chap. v. 9, 12.) and me being joined in a marriage- covenant with him, who rejoices over her, as a bridegroom over the bride, * (Ifa. Ixii. 5.) is now chearfully waiting in a prepared Hate and frame to meet her bridegroom, and enter into his joy. S And to her 8 And that (he might be fuitably adorned for his ' vas n gra n ed / that reception, h was gracioufly vouchsafed to her that, rayed in fine linen, as g rand bridegrooms ute to make prelents ot rich at- clean and white : tire to their brides of inferior character, that they tor the fine linen is may make a becoming appearance at the celebration the righteouihefiof f their nuptials; fo fhe mould be beautifully decked, at her hufband's expence, with the moft excellent or- naments ; which may be compared to the fined linen that is fpotlefs and bright, a lively emblem of honour, favour, and acceptance, and of purity, and holmefs : For the fine linen fignifies (^ikxioj^xtx) the righte- oufnefs both of juftification by faith in the righteouf- nefs of Chrift to intitle her to heavenly blifs, and of fan&ification by his Spirit to make her meet for en- joying it ; both of which are put upon all the faints, like garments of falvaticn, the robe of right eonfnefs, and the wedding garment. (Ifa. lxi. 10. and Matth. xxii. 11, 12.) 9 And he faith 9 Then the angel, who had uttered the voice from -jnto me, Write, the heavenly throne, (fee the note on ver. 5.) applied which* are" called hfmfelf direal y t0 me > % In S» In enumeration of unto the marriage- wnat Y ou * iave now heard, write down, for the ftand- fupperoftheLamb. ing ufe of the church under all tribulations, that A:u! he faith unto they, and they only, are fubftantially and fecurely me, Thefe are the y Ted and fl^j be fo for ever who are e rTe&ually *rue;aym?sofGod. „ . ' .. . , , '. , n <■ • • 1 called by divine grace, and admitted to all fpintual entertainments and delights, which may be figured out by the marriage-feaft, that the Lamb of God has made for his bride. (Luke xiv. 15, 16.) And he, who talked with me, further faid, This, and all other things revealed in your vifions, are the infallible truthi of God, and (hall certainly have a punctual accom- plishment in their feafon, according to his word. {Chap. xxi. 5. and xxii. 6.) 10 Upon NOTE. viore and Mr. Mede fuppofejthat invited to the marriage of the King's the marriage oftheLamb, and his wife's fan, refilled to come ; but now, being being made ready, refer to the conver- ready and prepared, made hafte to come. iion of the Jew?, who, being formerly Chap. xix. The Revelation paraphrafcd. 345 10 And I fell at IO Upon hearing thefe great and comfortable his feet to worfhip things from the angel, who appeared in fuch an II- him : and he (aid i u ft r i ous an( j majeftic form, as feemed like that of the unto me, See thou A ir«.i. .. t • r .. r i • ~ do it not : I am thy 4 n S el of the covenant > h m a transport of adrmra- fellow-fervant. and tion and joy, proftrated myfelf at his feet t© pay him of thy brethren divine honours, a9 the Son of God : But he ha (lily that have the tefti- flopped mc fhort, and, correcting my miftake, laid mony of Jefus: fa Hfe maQner as thfi '^ p et p au I worfhip God: tor ' . ,., _ , r rr . . ' .. . the teftimony of an( * Barnabas did to thole that ottereci them religious Jefus is the fpirit worfhip, (Acts x. 25, 26. and xiv. 13, — 15.) Take of prophecy. heed what ye do: * This fort of worftiip mult not be paid to me, who, though a glorified fpirit, am not a divine perfon, but only one of your fellow-fervants and brethren in my prefent employment, who am commiffioned by the Lord Jefus to make known to you the things that relate to his perfon, caufe, and government, and to the revolutions he will make in the church and in the world, as you alfo are to com- municate them to others. [Chap. i. 1, 2.) Let all your religious worfhip be referved for, and paid only to God, to whom alone it is due; (Matth. iv. 10.) and by no means to me : For the teflimony I have borne to Jefus, the Saviour, is dictated to me by the fame Divine Spirit, who infpired the ancient pro- phets, and who by me now reveals to you the future events contained in your vifions, that you may convey them to the church for their fupport and comfort : And therefore religious adoration is no more due from you to me, than from me to you ; and fo he rectified my miftake. 11 And I law 1 1 In my next prophetic virion, methought, I lav; :ieaven opened, and h eav en itfeif opened, from whence the Saviour came behold, fortb> NOTE. * The worfhip which John offered to ix. 6.) fo the apoftle Job?i was in fuch a this glorious angel, (fee the note on ver. traufport and furprife, as might not ad- 5.) feems not to have been merely civil mit of calm and deliberate reflection, refpecl, but of a religious nature: For fome time after the former rebuke, which there was no reafon why the angel ihould was not quite fo ftrong and decifive as refute to accept of civil refpecl ; and his that which followed ; and this might pre- ordering the apoftle to pay that very fort cipitate him into xhefeco/id, as it had in- of worfhip to God, which he was about to the jirji miftake And if here was a to offer him, {chap. xxii. 9.) was furely neglecT: of due consideration, he might more than civil honour, which is inti- be fnffered to fall into the fame error u- nitely beneath God's acceptance, and gain, to fhew what imperfection attends would be to put him upon a level with the beft of men in tlvs world; and to (oma exalted creature. It may indeed give an opportunity. for rhe more remark- fee m ftrange, that the apoftle John ably fisiiu the eternal rule of all religi- fiiould, after this rebuke, fo far forget ous worfhip at the dole or the canon o,f himfelf, as to attempt fuch an idolatrous the New Tenement ; as alfo for the act a Jecond time, as in chap. xxii. S. more ftrongly condemning the worfhip of But it is to be cenfidered, that as Peter, faints and angels, and guarding the peo- in the mount of Transfiguration, was in pie of God againft it, which the Spirit uj fuch an ecftacy of awful wondtr and joy, prophecy foiefaw would notoiiaufly p«- • rhat he knew not what to fay; (Mark vail in the atitichiiftian-church as it were, one upon another, the fymbols of his natural and mediatorial authority, and univerfal dominion o- ver the church and the world, in all fpi ritual and tem- poral concerns, and of his fubduing all nations and things to himfelf : And he bore an adorable name, which, as expreflive of , his divine nature and perfec- tions, and of his dignity and authority, as the Word made flejh, (John. i. 1, 14.) was fo wonderful, {If. ix. 6.) that, like the name Jehovah, no mere crea- ture knew any thing of it, till it was revealed ; and even then it was fo inconsprehenfible by any of them, that none but himfelf, to the exclufron of all crea- tures, could fully underftand the deep myfteries con- tained in it. (See Matth. xi. 27.) 13 He was further reprefented to me, like a migh- ty and vi&orious general, as wearing a garment all over ftained with the blood of his vanquished and flaughtered enemies, over whom he was to gain a complete conqueft in his ftate of exaltation, as the re- ward of his obedience and fufterings unto death, when his raiment was dyed with his own blood in his ftate of humiliation : And one of the glorious names that properly belongs to him, and he is known by in the church, according to divine revelation, {chap. i. 2, 1 2 His eyes were as a dime of fire, and on his head were many crowns: and he had a name written that no man knew but he himfelf: 13 And he was clothed with a vef- ture d pped in blocd - Mir 'I Le Word ot God. r.r.d h:s s railed, Chap. xix. The Revelation parapbrafed. 347 9. and John i. I, 14.) is the eternally effential and perfonal, who in due time became the declarative and executive Word of God. 14 And the ar- 14 And his armies, confilling not merely of the mies which were heavenly hoft of angels, who as miniftring fpirits at- in heaven followed tend h j m> but chiefly, if not wholly, of his miniftring ho^fes, UP cTothe V d in fervants and faithful people, who are born from a- fine Tinen, white bove, have their citizenlhip in heaven, and are joined and clean. in communion with the general afjembly and church of the frf. born, whofe names are written in heaven : Thefe, like a numerous and well-difciplined army of the called, chofen, and faithful, (chap. xvii. 14.) who had lifted as volunteers under his banner, and were headed and animated by him, appeared as march- ing after their glorious Leader with exceeding pomp and fplendor, to make up his magnificent train, as mounted, like himfelf, upon white horfes, the emblem of gofpel-truth and purity, joy and victory ; and they feemed to be richly arrayed with fine linen, brighc and pure, an emblem of the robe of right eoufnefs, and garment of fahaiion, which, as has been faid, (ver. 8.) fjgnify the righteoufnefs of the faints. The meaning of all which may be confidered as pointing to fuch a ftate of peace and triumph, and of dignity and honour, like kings and priefts unto God, that the church of Chrift on earth ftiould now be advan- ced to, as bears a near refemblance of what is enjoy- ed in heaven. 15 And out of 15 And to allure me that the Captain of falvatkm his mouth goeth a would obtain his victories, not by any power of his lharp /word that f n owers as of themfelves, but entirely by his own with it he lhould ■■ , ■ . * v : j-^i r*i fmite the nations: P ower > as exerted either immediately, or mediately and he (hall rule by them, I faw the appearance of a (harp fword pro- them with a rod of cecding out of his mouth, an emblem of his dreadful iron : and he tread- threatnings, and of his having the power of the .erh the wine-piefs r , *?. , . . . r i- /1 • j • of the fiercenei's lwor °> which he would uie according to his word, in and wrath of Al- taking righteous vengeance on the idolatrous, perfe- raighty God. curing, and fmful nations, and would rule Oyer them by his authority and power, as with an iron fceptre* and dafi them in pieces like a potter's vej/el : (Pf, U..9.) And as, their iniquity being full, they were thoroughly fitted for deftru&ion, like clufters of grapes fully ripe to be trodden and fqueezed in a wine-prefs ; fo he would tread them in his anger, and trample them in his fury, (Ifa. lxiii. 3.) and thereby crufh them to death by terrible impreflions of the hea- vier! wrath, which is no lefs than that of God Al- mighty, whofe power is infinite and irrefiftible; and none canfiand before hi\ indignation, or abide in t& : jiei cenefs of his anger. (Nah. i. 6.) Y v 2 16 Anu 343 1 6 And he hath on his vefture, and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xix- 1 6 And this vi&orious avenger of his church upon his and their enemies was further represented, as hav- ing an infcription 6f another of his diftmguifhing ti- tles, like a motto wrote upon his upper raiment, an*d particularly on that part of it which covered his thigh, the place where the fword ufually hangs in order to its being drawn, (Pf. xlv. 3.) and where it might be vifible to all around him, importing, that he is ; and by his mighty a&s foon would effectually prove himfelf to be, by way of eminence, the fovereign Lord and Ruler of all the potentates, princes, and nobles of the earth, (far beyond what the vain- glori- ous monarchs of the Eaji could claim) to govern, in- fluence or reftrain, fave or deftroy them ; and to do his will, and work by and upon them, as feems beft in his light. 17 And, the more deeply to imprefs me with a fenfe of the dreadful, extenfive, and complete devas- tation he would make upon all his antichriilian-ene- mies, I beheld an angel as illuftrious and confpicuous to the whole world, as if he flood in the midft of the fun to be feen of all : And, with a voice ftrong and loud enough to be heard far and wide, he fummoned all the ravenous birds that fly in the region of the air, faying, in allufion to a day of general (laughter, in which the dead bodies of the (lain are expofed to be devoured by thofe voracious animals, Come, and ga- ther yourfelves together, to eat the carcafes of thofe that fall in battle; which the King of kings, and Lord of lords, (ver. 16.) who is the great God, (Tit. ii. 13.) has prepared for you to feaft upon, as in a field all over covered with the dead bodies of van- quifned and (laughtered armies ; which may he con- sidered as Chrift's call to his people on earth, by a oommiilioned angel, to rejoiee and triumph over them, like his guefts, invited to feaft on the facrifice, which he would make to his wrath and juftice, for their ac- tual deliverance from the power of thofe that hated and opprefied them. 1 8 Come ye all hither, that, to allude to an anci- ent prophecy, [Ezek, xxxix. 17, — 21.) ye may re- gale yourfelves, and feed to the full.on the carcafes of the wicked kings of the earth, and particularly of the Roman pcpifh empire ; and of the commanders of armies, and of men of mightv valour; and may them that fit on feaft n the fle(h f war-horfes and their riders ; and them, and the flefh f _ n r ,, , , , r , • t of all men, both u P on tne * em °* a " rar >ks and orders of men, which free and bond, both had taken the part, and joined in the caufe of anti- frriall and great. chrift, whether they be mailers, or fervants and (laves, high or low, who (hall univerfally fall a prey to you, like dead bodies on the field of battle ; which may be 17 And I faw an angel ftanding in the fun ; and he cried with a loud voice, faying to all the fowls that fly in the midft of hea- ven, Come and ga- ther yourfelves to- gether unto the iupper of the great God; that ye may cat the flefh of kings, and the flefh of captains, and the tlefii of mighty men,, and the flefh of hones, and of Ghap. xix. The Revelation paraphrafed. 349 be confidered as a ftrong figurative reprefentation of the faints rejoicing to divide the fpoil, which will fall to them by the total and ignominious deftruction of all their enemies, as a juft retaliation for their having flam Chrift's witneffes, and not fuffered their dead bodies to be put in graves, but rejoiced over them in their calamitous circumftances. [Chap.yii. 7, — 10.) 19 And I faw 1 9 Then, after this fummons to feaft upon the the beaft, and the flain, methought, I faw the antichriftian-beaft, which kings of the earth, repre f eil ted ivW/ l faw an appearance of glorious thrones, and given unto them : of perfons feated with honour and dignity upon them, and I faw the foals to whom the authority of ruling over their enemies, or them that weie an( j exerc Jf in£ r ecclefiaftical and civil iurifdiction was beheaded for the . . ° , c » • -ti • j ^ v 1 wttnefe of Tefus committed, and tor whom righteous judgment haa, and for the word at length, been given againft all thofe that had unjuft- of God, and which ly reproached, perfecuted, and opprefTed them : And had not worfldp- j beheld a reprefentation of the fouls + of thofe, who, P cd as NOTES. * The term thoufand is often ui'ed in that each day is to be taken for a year, prophetic ftyle in an indefinite fenfe, for which would make the duration of this a large and perfect number, as id Beat, period about 365,000 years, i. 11. and vii. 9. and xxxii. 30. Pfal- xc. f The fouls of them that.njuere be* 4. and xci. 7. and cv. 8. Ecclef vi, 6. Ifa. headed for the ivitnefs ofjefus may be xxx. 17. and !x. 22. and 2 Pet. Hi. S. confidered as meant, not of the indivi- with leveral other places ; and it is left dual perfons that fuffered martyrdom to the reader's judgment to take it either for his fake, but of their fncceffors in the in the indefinite, or the ftrierly literal fame fpirit, who being of the lame tem- feiifc. But fome have imagined (I think per for faith, patience, zeal, and forti- without fufficient ground) that the 1000 tude, and profeffing the fame doctrines years are to be refolved into days, and with the martyrs, were one body with them : Chap. XX. The Revelation paraphrafed. ped the bead, nei- ther his image, nei- ther as one fociety, with their predeceiTors, may be faid to have fuffered martyrdom by being beheaded, or put to NOTE. them? and fo in the ftyle of prophecy ven to this earth ; fo a literal refurrection. might be fpoken of, as though they of all the bodies of the faints is fpo- were the fame perfons, in like manner ken of, as in a moment, in the twinkling aJ John, the Bapti/l is called Elias, be- of an eye, at the la/} trump, in order to caufe he came in the fpirit and power of their meeting the Lord in the air, and Elias, (Mattb. xi. 14. and xvii. 12. com- being with him, not on earth, but for pared with Luke i. 17.) and as Rome-an* tichriftian is in feveral places of this prophecy called Sodom, Egypt, and Ba- bylon, on account of its being like them in idolatry, pride, luxury, and cruelty ; and the two witnejfes, that were to pro- phecy in fackcloth 1260 days of years, {chap. xi. 3.) could not mean the fame individual perfons, but a fucceffion of them that perfifted in the fame faith and profeffion : (fee alfo the note on 1 TheJJT. ii. 3.) When therefore it is faid, The fouls of them that 'were beheaded for the ever in heaven. (1 Cor. xv. 52. und 1 Thejf. iv. 16, 17.) And atter the expi- ration of this thoufand years, and after Satan (hail be looted again for a little while at the end of them, we have an account of the general refurreclion of all perfons, without any exception, or the leait hint that the martyrs, or any o- ther faints,' had rofe fo long a time be- fore, ver. 12, 13. of this chapter. (See the notes there.) And as a proper re- furreclion is never expreffed in Scripture by the reviving or living again of the nvitnefs ofjefus lived and reig?;ed with foul, but only of the body ; fo it feems Chrijl a thoufand years, this may be taken, according to prophetic ftyle, in a metaphorical fenfe, and may fignify a fucceffion of fuch, in like manner as the two witnejfes being kilRtd, and their dead bodies fifing and Jianding on their feet, is to be underftood chap. xi. 7, 11. ; and as the reftoration of Ifrael from their captivity is called their living and fiand- i??g on their feet, and God's opening their graves, and caufing them to come out of their graves ; (E2ek. xxxvii. 9, 10, 11.) and as the converfion of the Jews in the laft days is fpoken of, as life from the dead. (Rom. xi. 15.) Accord- ingly the faints living and reigning with Chrift, may relate to their abundance of fpirituality, purity and glory, light, love and joy, tranquillity and fafety, and to the power of civil magiftracy, as feeing in their hands, and eXercifed with great authority and fuccefs, for fupprefs- ing all iniquity and profanenefs, and promoting true religion and holinefs in thole happy days. — I am not infenfible that many learned and pious men have put a literal conftruction on this prophe- cy, to denote a proper refurreclion of the dead bodies of ,'ormer martyrs, and (as fome of them' think) of all other depart- ed faints; and they accordingly fuppofe that their dead bodies fbaU be railed to life, and reign in a glorious manner with Chrift, as perfonally and vifibly fitting on his throne, for a thoufand years upon earth. But as I can fcarce think that the corporal prefence of Chrift will be removed for a thoufand years from hea- VOL. VI. extremely forced tounderftand the living again of the immortal fouls of them that were beheaded, as, defcriptive of a literal refurreclion ; and a refurreclion of the bodies of glorified faints to live on earth for a thoufand years, feems inconfiftent with the fublimer felicity and honour that their fouls wefe poffeffed of before in heaven, and with their being liable to be deceived, in cafe Satan had rn&t been reftrained, as alfo with the trouble that muft neceffarily arife to them from the vigorous opposition which he and his army would make againft them at the expiration of the thoufand years, in which he was bound. It muft likewife be an exceeeding debasement of their refined dignity and delight in the immediate prefence of Chrift on his heavenly throng tp exchange them for any pleafures or honours upon the earth, especially if (a-. fome Millenaries imagine) they are tp be entertained with ar.y fenlitive enjoy- ments. (See Dr. Whitby on the Milleui- nm. and Mr. Durham's lectures, intro- ductory to his expofition of this chapter.) I therefore rather incline to think that, according to the ftyle of prophecy, and particularly in this book, which is figu- rative, all this relates, not literal'}- to the refurrection of the marryrs or >thei faints, and the perfonal reign of Chrift for a thoufand years on earth ; but figu- ratively, and in a fpiritual fenfe, tor glorious days of Ion? continuance to the church on earth, whether for the pteci - number of a thoufand yea: >, or nor the note on vtr. 2.) 7. 7 354 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xx* ther had received to other cruel deaths for the fake of their faithful te£ his mark upon timony to Chrift, as the only Saviour, and to the infbeir'bands^and wpItten word of God » as the onl y rule of faith > wor " and they lived and mi P> and obedience ; and who had maintained their reigned with Chrift integrity with the fpirit, faith, and patience of mar r ^ a thoufaad years. tyrs, without fubmitting, through fear of tortures of death, to the authority of the Pope, or paying reli- gious homage to him, or to any idols of his fetting up ; and had neither promoted nor owned the power of the antichriftian beaft, as thdugh they had been diftinguifhed by bearing his ba3'^e upon their fore- heads, or their hands. (See the note on chap. xiii. 1 6.) And thefe, together with their fucceffors of the fame fpirit, lived as a fpiritual and political body in a much happier ftate than ever before ; and, the Jews being converted, and the fulnefs of the Gentiles brought in, they, who before had fuffered with Chrift) (Rom. viii. 17. and 2 Tim. xi. 12.) now reigned with him on earth, under him, and by virtue of his powerful influence, and of their relation to him, in a glorious ftate of reft, love and peace, of light, liberty and holinefs, of victory and dominion over their enemies, and of all manner of profperity and fafety, during the forementioned thoufand years, in which Satan was bound, andWhut up in prifon, that neither he, nor his inftruments might deceive or an- noy them. 5 But the reft 5 But as to the reft who, in contradiftindion to of the dead lived thefe, had worshipped the heq/i, &c. and were the not again until remna nt that were Jlain with the f word of him thai tVfinS Th" >< <" < he hor fi> ( cha P- xix - "-)*^V ™e fo en- is the firft reiurrec- tirely fubdued, that they loft all their power and au- tion. thority, and had no fucceffors of the fame wicked and aftive fpirit and temper to furvive them, till the thou- fand years of the faints living and reigning with Chrift were expired ; and fo, during this glorious period, the antichriftian perfecuting party will be reduced to a political death, as the witneffes prophefying in fack- cloth had been before : And then the church of Chrift will be fo exceedingly happy and profperous in all its temporal and fpiritual concerns, as may juftly be e- ileemed, in a metaphorical fenfe, a refurre&ion from the NOTE. * " There is mention, (fays Mr. Lonv - are called the remnant, the r>efl, (0/ Aoi~ tnaii) in this prophecy, of two forts^of wo*). Thus the dead church raifed to dead ped'ons ; thole who were (lain for life, and living and reigning tor a thou- the witnefs of Jffas, and thofe that land years, and the enemies of the church were (lain by the /word of him that fat remaining dead, and not living again till onthehorfe. As here is an account of the thoulaod )cars were finifhed, will the death of faithful Chriftians by their exactly agree in the fame figurative persecutors, and of their perfecutors meaning, bV." (See the whole ot \v -, tbemfelves by Chrilt, thefe perfecutors, note.) Chap. xx. The Revelation paraphrafed. 355 the dead, as the reftoration of Ifrael from their cap- tivity, and the general converfion of the Jews are de- fcribed. (E%ek. xxxvii. 10, 12. and Rom. xi. 15.) This glorious ftate of the church in the Millenium may- well be called the Jirjl refurre&iorjj as it will precede, and may be confidered as a figure of the refurre&ion of the body afterwards unto eternal life. 6 That man is richly blefled of God, and effe&u- ally fan&ified by his Spirit, that (hall mare in all the honours and delights of \\nsjitjl refurreciion to a ftate of freedom from his former troubles and temptations, and of as complete happinefs and conformity to the holy image of Chrift, as can be enjoyed on earth, and that, as a certain pledge, earneit, and lively foretaite of all perfection in heaven. Though fuch as thefe may die corporally as well as the wicked, they (hall not, like them, die eternally, or feel any of their mi- feries in the lake that burns withjire and britn/lone ; (chap. xxi. 8.) which may be called the fecond deaths as it comes after the death of the body : But they, in a fuccefiion of them, {hall be vifibly confecrated to God the Father, and to his Son Jefus Chrift, as a kingdom of priefts, entirely devoted to their fer- vice in the beauties of holir.^fs, with freedom and de- light ; and, as has been faid, (vet*. 4..) they mall be advanced to all civil and religious dignity and au- thority with Chrift, in a due fubordination to him, their Lord and King, through the whole duration of the thoufand years of that moft happy ftate of the church on earth. « Bleflcd and ho- ly is he that hath part in the firft refurreclion : on fuch the fecond deathliath no pow- er, but they fliall be priefts of God, and of Chrift, and fhall reign with, him a thoufand 7 And when the thoufand years are expired, Satan fhall be looted out of his jirifon, S And fliall go out to deceive the nations, which are in the four quar- ters of the earth, Gog. and Magog, to gather them to- gether to battle : the number of whom is as the fandof the fea. PERIOD V. 7 And at the expiration of the thoufand years, in which the faints fhall triumph with glory, and meet with no difturbance from any of their enemies, their grand adverfary, £he devil, fhall be again fuffered to go forth for a little feafon, as out of his prifon, in which he had been fliut up ; {per. 3.) and fhall try his laft and utmoft effort againft them ; their happy ftate on earth not being perpetually to abide, as that of the heavenly ftate will. 8 And Satan being releafed, by divine permifiion, from the total reftraint that Chrift had laid upon him for a thoufand years, will then purfue his own mali- cious temper and defigns, as he had done before^ a- gainft Chrift and his church, by endeavouring, once more, to delude and draw after him people of various nations, whether confiding of fuch formal profeffors, as externally fell in with the church, and durlt not do othcrwife, in the years of its flourilhing ftate, but were at he.art difaffected to the purity of the gofpel Z z 2 and 356 The Revelation paraphrased. Chap. xx. and the power of godlinefs ; or confifting of fuch, as through enmity or fear, flew to as diftant countries as they could ; even all fecret and open enemies to real religion, where-ever they were fpread abroad, to- ward the Eaft, Weft, North, and South, through the earth : Thefe, for their great multitude, and for their wicked, envious, ambitious, and oppreflive temper, and the utter deftru&ion which they at laft will be brought to, * may figuratively be ftyled Gog and Magog, who, as Egypt and Babylon had been before, were the laft powerful and inveterate adverfaries to Ifrael, accord- ing to the prophetic account of them. (Ezek. chaps. xxxviiL and xxxix.) All thefe will Satan practife up- on, by his artful intinuations, to affemble themfelves together into one grand army, and unite their forces* by all ways and means pofiible, againft the church, to mar its profperity, and regain his loft power over it ; and they were fuch a prodigious multitude, as, like the fand of the fea-fhore, is innumerable. 9 And they went 9 And I faw in my vifion, that this huge hoft, of ^hJ^utt"*!! Wlth Satan at theIr head ' aS their ca P tain 'g eneral > eoamaffed ' the fp rea d themfelves over the face of the earth, and par- cam* of the faints ticularly over the breadth of Immatiuel*% land: {I/a. about, and the be- viii. 8.) And. to allude to the encampments of Ifrael S ed am? : rf.Tvn 3b ° Ut the ta ^ ernacle ia tne wilderncfs, (Numb, *ii. 2, from God Qjgt.-of ^ V# ) t ^ le > T Surrounded the tents of God's peculiar and heavtn, and de- noi y people, in the midft of which his tabernacle was •jjicd them. fet, that they might harrafs and diftrefs them : And, to allude to I/rae/'s fettlement afterwards at Jerufa- tem\ thefe bold enemies encompaffed the church, which, like a city, was compacted together in beauti- ful order, and which God had loved, and chofen and delighted to dwell in, that they might befiege and deitroy it by their united attacks upon it: And while they were engaged in this daring attempt, the fire of God's wrath, like what he threatned to Gog and Ma- gog, (Ezek. xxxviii. 22. and xxxix. 6.) came down from heaven, and utterly confumed them in the ge- neral conflagration of the laft day, and in the eternal fire NOTE. * All the gueffes I have met with a- chriftian powers were ftyled Egypt and bout the fignification of Gog and Magog, Babylon, (chap. xi. 8. and 16, 19. and in an application of it to any particular >;vii. 5.) becaufe they were ancient op- nation, people, or party, upon earth, or preffive enemies to Ifrael; fo„the laft e- to the wicked that were politically dead, nemies to the true church, after the and fuppofed to be now railed again, ap- thoufand years of its profperity, before pear to me lb very unfatisfying, fanciful, the fecond coming of Chrift, may be and unlikely, that I have conteuted my- ftyled Gog and Magog, becaufe they felf with fuch a general account, as, ac- were the laft powerful enemies to Ifrael, cording to the fty'le of prophecy, fo fami- after their deliverance from captivity, liarly ufed in this book, may anfwer to before his firft coming, as appears from the character of Gog and Magog: For the 36th, 37th, 3Stb, and 39th chapter^ as, in this book of prophecy, the anti- of Ezekiel. Chap. xx. The Revelation paraphrafed. 35J. fire that follows it ; an emblem of which had been given in the overthrew of Sodom ard Gomorrah, as God rained fire and brimilone from heaven to deitroy thofe wicked cities. (Jude, ver. 7.) id And the de- 10 And the devil himfelf, that grand deceiver, vll, that deceived who had i n fl ucnce< j his fubje&s to combine together, the hke ot'fireTrd ™ d &* themfelves in battle-array againii the church, brfmftone, where and had headed them in their opposition to it, was the beail and the thrown down from all his dominion, and plunged in- falfe prophet are, to a ^ ee p an( j | ar g f p j tj w fcicfo burned with the mod mentis day *rS &™^ torture, as with unquenchable fire and brim- nijjht, for ever and ftone ; where the persecuting and idolatrous papal ever. powers, that had been represented under the figures 4>f the oeail and the falfe prophet, were already iuf- fering the due reward of their abominable ana com- plicated iniquities: (chap. xix. 20.) And the judg- ment of the great day being then at hand, to which Satan was referred in everiojling chains of darhnefs 9 (Jude, vcr. 6.) he fhail be, not barely retrained, as he was before, for a thouland years; (ver. 2, 3.) but mail be exquifitely tormented, together with thole his chief inftruments, incclTant'y, without relaxation or end, in the ever la/ting fire prepared for the devil and his angels ; (Matth. xxv. 41.) which may be called a lake of fire and hrimftonc, in allufion to the fulphureous lake, where Sodom and Gomorrah itood, when the Lord rained fire and knrfene upon them. to deflroy them. (Gen. xix. 24, 25.) PERIOD VI. ir And I faw a n And for the execution of divine wrath upon great white throw, the r e ringleaders in wickednefs, and upon all that liv- and him that tat - , ,9 - , , . , . / T . r . , , , on it, from whole c<1 and aied und er u,eir dominion, I further beheld a face the earth and magnificent throne of judgment, awfully glorious, the heaven fled a- and mining with illulbious light, and fpotlefs purity, nay and there was foe .from all injuiticc ; and faw the Lord Tcius, as round no place for T 1 fJ . T , u r , • , r t l iem# J» d gc ot the whole world, ieated upon it, whofe ap- pearance was fo auguft, powerful, and tremendous, that all nature feemed to fly before him ; and the for- mer Hate of the earth, and of the elementary heaven pa^ed away ; which, being fct on fire, were diffolv- ed and melted with fervent heat, in order to the in- troduction of the new heavens and new earth, where- in dwells right eoufnefs : (2 Pet. iii. 10, — 13.) The prefent frame of things fo entirely yaniihed, that there was no remainder of them. great, n ghteous and wicked *, winch were now raifed from their NOT E. Thisjlefcription ol the fund judgment t.\act!\- correfpends to our Lord's own 35 8 32te Revelation paraphrafed* Chap. xx. &reat, (land befote their graves, whether they are high or low, rich or Goo ; and the p 00rj magiitrates or peafants, older or younger cd: S and Mother P er ^ ons » ftanding in the immediate prefence of Chrift, book was opened, t0 be judged by him, who is God, as well as man, to rvhich is the book whom all judgment is committed ; (John v. 22.) and, j* ! lf< \ : .f ml , th *} t0 allude to tf ie moft accurate modes of procefs in hu- out o/thole '"hints ma n c °urts of judicature, methought, I faw the book whirh were writ- °f divine cmnifcience, in which are critically regiiler- ten in the books, ed all the thoughts, words, and deeds, of every one ; * c coniipg to their ar ,d the book of confeience, which tallies to it; and the books of the law of nature, and of the revealed law and gofpel, the only rules of judgment, (Rom. I ii. 12, — 16.) all opened, in order to this innumer- able multitude's being brought to their public and fo- lemn trial : And another book of eternal decrees of love and grace was opened, which contained the names of all that were enrolled in heaven for eternal life, as thofe whom the Father had given to the Son to be redeemed, fan&ified, and faved by him, on which ac- count it may be ftyled the Lamb's book of life. (Chap, xiii. 8. and xxi. 27.) And all the dead, being rai- led again, were tried, together with thofe then alive on earth, (1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. and 1 Thejf. iv. 15, . — 17.) and had a decifive and final fentence parTed upon them, anfwerable to the things that were re- corded in thofe books refpeCtively, according to the evidence of, and in proportion to, their feveral works, whether good or" bad, as they teftified in judgment for, or againft their being real Chriftians. 13, And the Tea ig And tlys final judgment was fo abfolutely uni- -ave up the dead V erfal, that not only they, that had been buried in ,Vh !^T e IfiSli the earth, role out of their graves; but they alfo, r.nd death and hell ,,,' r1 . & i • / r . ri*livered up the that had been iunk and covered in the waters or the dead which were great deep, were raifed by the omnipotent command in them ; and they f ^^ w ho fat upon the throne ; (ver. 11.) fo that were judged every ne i tner t n e earth, nor the fea, nor any repofitory whatfoever, could retain their bodies under the pow- er NOTE. own reprefentation of the univerfal pear before the judgment-feat of Chrifl, judgment, (chap. xxii. 12.) when he that every one may receive the things jJjalljtt on the throne of his glory, and done in his body according to that he has all nations fljall be gathered before him, done, whether it be good or bad: (2 Cor. at the fame time, for judgment to pals v. 10. fee alfo 2 Theft", i. 7, — 10.) It vn the righteous and the wicked, accord- therefore is moft natural to confider the ing to the proof that fhall then be given dead's /landing before God, and their be- of their different characters; (Matth ing judged according to their works, as* xxv. 31, — 46.) and, fpeaking of that fo- meant, not barely of the judgment of lemn day, he laid, Then he Jhall reward the wicked, but of the universal judg- c-very man according to his works. (Mat. ment of all mankind; nor is it otherwife Jtvi. 2-7.) The apoftle Paul alio fays, eafy to conceive why the book of life, that God will render to every man ac- which the wicked have no fhare in, is fording to his deeds ; (Rpm. ii. 6. fee here fo particularly mentioned in t^e the note there) aud that we inujl all ap- procefs of this judgment. Chap. xx. The Revelation paraphrafed. 359 man according to er of" death, but were forced to Jtfign them*. And their works t h e fouls f them that exifted in a feparate ftate, by means of death, were fummoned to appear, together with their bodies, before the great Judge of all ; and could be no longer held in their ftate of feparation, which refigned them. And all thefe were impartial- ly tried, and received fentence according to the kind, and in proportion to the degree of their refpe&ive works, whether good or evil, as witnefiing for or a- gainft them. 14 And from this time forward, not only death 14 And death and the grave loll all their dominion ; but the dead and hell were call bodies of the wicked, and their fouls that had before into the lake of exifted in a f eparat e ftate, were, in execution of the fare. Ihis is the _ „ \ . ' . . , . , fecond death. fentence palled upon them, thrown with mighty ven- geance into the dreadful abyfs of unquenchable lire, to be tormented there for ever with the devil, and the beaft, and the falfe prophet. > {ver. 10. and fee Matih, iii. 12. and Mark ix. 43, — 48.) This may be called emphatically the fecond deaths as it comes after that of the body, and is inexpreffibly more ter- rible ; and fhall lever end in a refurrediion to eternal life. 15 And whofoever he were, that, upon the open- 15 And whofoe- ing of the books, and the critical and all-fearching ver was not found tr { a i f t [ iat f i emn day according to them, was not rnife^wasVaK found > b 7 the P r <> duced evidences, to have been writ- to the' lake of fire, ten in the forementioned book of life, was immediate- ly call into the burning lake to be tormented there for his evil deeds, as with the fire of divine wrath which never fhall be quenched. But the righteous fhall enter into life eternal, as will be reprefented in the next vifion. RECOLLECTIONS. What a glorious time of light, liberty, love and peace, purity, joy and triumph, fhall the church of true believers enjoy upon earth, after many years of darknefs, trouble, and oppreffion ! The Lord Jefus will bind and fhut up Satan, that old fer- pent, the devil, as in prifon : The caufe of truth and holinefs fhall revive with great power, fpirituality, and fplendor : And they, who, with the constancy, pa- tience, and fpirit of martyrs, had courageoufly renounced all idolatry, wkkednefs, and error, and maintained a good profeffion of Chrift and of his gofpel in the worft of times, fhall, together with their fucceffors of the fame fpirit, li*e and reign with him, under his protection and fmiles, for a thoufand years upon the earth. And O with what honour and acceptance will they then appear, like royal ;>riefts to him, and to God the Father through him ! This will be a bleffed revival from their former low and diftreffed circumftances, and be as life from the dead, before the refurrection of the body ; and therefore may be figuratively called the firft re- fund-lion ; NOTE. * As the Greek word (.«J»«) com- where it feerns to make a much eafier monly fignilies the Jiate of feparate fpi~ conftruciion of death and hell being caji rits i I have taken it uniformly in this into the lake of fye, than any that F m fenfe, both here and in the next veife, have met with; 360 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xxi. furrettidn ; and they, rbat bear a part in this, fhall be fecured from eternal rttife- ry, which is thefeccnd death. Bur how vain would it be to expect an everlafting continuance of fuch a happy ftate on this earth! At the expiration of the thoufand years, Satan will, in fome meafure, be let loofe again for a little while, and be permitted to go forth, once more, to deceive the nations throughout the world, and gather all his numberlets forces together from among them, who may be com- pared to Gog and Magog, thofe laft enemies of IJrael, to attack and difturb the faints, the beloved city of the Lord. But, blefled be God, this regained power and laft effort will be very fhort, and certainly end in the utter deftruttion of the devil, and all his adherents, who (hall be continued by fire from heaven, and caft into everlafting flames with him : For Chrift will fet his throne for judgment, and the prefent frame of the earth and aerial heaven fliall be diffolved at his appearing. Thent here fhall be a general refurreclion of the dead, wherefoever they were bu- ried, in the earth or in the lea ; and the final judgment of all mankind will, upon trial out of the books which (hall be opened, publicly and unalterably determine the eternal ftate of eveiy one of them for inexpreflible happinefs, or mifery, ac- cording to their refpective works, whether they be good or bad. Then all the un- godly, whole bodies were dead, and whofe fouls had been in a feparate ftate, and not found to be written in the book of life, fliall, according to the juft fentence pafied upon them for their evil deeds, be caft into everlafting burnings. But O the happinefs of the righteous ; as defcribed in the following chapter ! CHAP. XXI. In confequence of the fin-al judgment, the bleffed ftate of the church- triumphant is reprefented in general, under the figures of a new heaven and new earthy and of the New Jerufalem, where God dwells, bonifies all for row from his people, and makes them com- pletely happy ', in oppofition to the doleful 'fate of the wicked, 1, — 8„ And is more particularly defcribed in its heavenly original, luflre, and glory, fecure defence and bright ornaments, under the figures of precious f ones, high walls: 12 gates, guarded by 12 angels, and 12 foundations infer ibed with the names of 12 apoflles, 9, — 14. In its beautiful flrnBure, under the figure of an exceeding large city four fquare, and confifiing of the richefl and fine/? mate- rials, 15, — 21. In its confummate felicity, as irradiated with the immediate prefence of God and the Lamb, exclufive of all the com- forts of this world, which are figured out by the light of the fun and moon, 22, 23. And in the free accefs ofvafl multitudes, of all nations and degrees, through the open gates of this city, the glo- ry °f which will J wallow up all earthly honours, and the inhabU Uints of which are perfecily holy, 24, — 27. PERIOD VII. Text. Paraphrase. AND I faw a A FTER the preceding vifions, which ended in the new heaven, J. x. ^ na j judgment, another followed, in which I and a new earth : behcld thc bIef r ednefs Q f the f aints in glory*, as fi- gured NOTE. * Thofe interpreters that are for the perfonal reign of Chrift a thoufand years vpon earth, and fome others with them, confider the defcription given of the glo- rious Chap. xxi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 361 for the firft heaven gured out, like the ftate of the Nciv Tcjlament and the firft earth church, (Ifa. lxv. 17. and Ixvi. 22.) by a new hea- were paffed away ; ven an j new eart h . which may be fo called with re- and there was no #• o . v • e j i- • r t • move fea. fpect to their torm and qualities, ngnilying an entire- ly new fabric, as emblems of the new ftate of happi- nefs that will then be introduced : For the former e- lementary heaven and this earth, aot with refpeft to their fubftance, as though they were to be annihilat- ed ; but with Tefpeft to their frame and ufe, which are fuited to the accommodation of its prefent inha- bitants, and yet become noxious by reafon of the fall of man, were diifolved : And I obferved, that in this new and moft excellent ftrnclure there was no fea, za there is in this terraqueous globe : Which might in- timate that, in this new blifsfal ftate, there ihall be no tumultuous pafliow, like the troubled Jea ; (Ifa. Ivii. 20.) nor any mifchievous enemies to dif- turb the peace of its inhabitants, like the beaf} that rofe out of the fea, (chap. xiii. 1.) or the great whore that fat on many waters ; (chap. xvii. 1.) and fo there mall be uo calamity of any kind. 2 And NOTE. vious ftate of the church in this and the And as it might juftly be thought ftrang;e, 501 mer part of the next chapter, as a that a prophecy, which is all along de- large comment upon what had been ligned tor the fupport, encouragement, more briefly faid in the preceding chap- and comfort of the church under all pre- fer about the Millenium ; and fo con- lent tribulations, fhouid give us no view tine it to the happy ftate of the church's of the final, complete, and eferiafting thoufand years reign with Chrift on happinefs of all true believers, and fuflfer- earth ; And it muft be owned that fe- ing faints, in heaven ; fo it looks like per- .veral paffages, efpecially taken by them- plexing and fubverting the orderly pro- felves, feem to have an afpect that way. grefe of the prophecy, to fnppofe, that But it appears to me, that, viewing after an account of the general judgment* them in connection with the whole, they and the mifery of the ivicked, at the may fairly admit of a conuruction, (as ciofe of the laft chapter, no notice fhouid may be fsen in their places) very confift- be taken of the heavenly blejfednefs of ent with the heavenly glory; and that the righteous; but that, inftead thereof, there are other expreffions too high aud our thoughts fhouid be carried back again ftrong to be applied to any ftate ihort of to the Millenium which preceded them, heaven itfelf. As, for inftance, here the Upon the whole, therefore, I am moft: lzintifee the face of God and the Lamb, inclined to think with others, th^r ih<- {chap. xxii. 3, 4) which the Scripture regular feries of the prophecy requires always reprefents as peculiar to the hea- that, after it had led us to the univerfal venly ftate ; and their reigning here is judgment, and the punilhment of the faid to be for ever and ever, (chap, damned, (chap. xx. 11, — 15.) it fhouid xxii. 5.) after the general refurreAion of courfe go onto the ftatf of the church- a.nd judgment, (chap. xx. 12, 13.) in op- triumphant in heaven, as the crowning pofitiou to their reigning a thoufand part of its noble defigu tor railing the years on earth, after the firft refurrec- hopes and joys of believers under all pre- tion; and it is not faid of them that tbey fent trials and afflictions ; (vid. Pol. Sy- .ihall not die, only that the second nopf. and our note on 2 Pet. iii. 13.) death has no power on them. (Chap. Or that, if it be fuppofed to have any re- xx. 4, 6.) But it is faid of this biefled lation to the Milienium, it is only to "ftate, There /hall be no more death, what will then be fulfilled in part, as a (Chap. xxi. 4.) Other particulars of like lively figure of what will be much more fort will appear in the expofition. (See gloriotifly completed in the heavenly alio Durham's firft lecture. on the place.) ftate. Vol. VI. A a a 302 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xxL 2 And I John 2 And I John- who had all thefe vifions, and have faw the holy city, faithfully recorded them, faw the church of Chrift new jerufalem, co- n • - . , , • 1 . .-, , , . , r ifcing down from fhinm g ,n her onghteft glory ; which was reprefentccl God out of heaven, to m e under the figure of the city of the Lord, as prepared as a bride made perfect in holinefs, even the heavenly, which | dor "^ for htr may be ftykd the new$ Jcrufa/em, on account of its excellency, and in contradiftin&ionlo the ancient and beloved city of that name upon earth ; this being a city that has foundations ', wbofe builder and maker is God; (Heb. xi. 10.) a plan of which was exhibited - to my view, as defcending from God's throne out o£ heaven toward me, to give me an opportunity of the more diHinctly and critically obferving it ; * and to allure me that its original is from heaven, that no fuch city was ever on earth, and that all its glory (hall be perfected in heaven. It made a moil beautiful and delightful appearance, which may be compared to that of an amiable bride, richly adorned, and quite ready to meet her bridegroom on the day of folem- nizing their marriage ; this holy city being an em- blem of the church, which is efpoufed to Chrift, and mail then appear in robes of righteoufnefs and of im- mortal light and honour, and be prefented fauhlefs before the prefence of his glory with exceeding joy. (Jude, ver. 24.) 3 And I heard 3 And the meaning of this virion was explained by a great voi'e out a ] ouc } articulate voice, which I heard, as coming out n u*Tl 32?$ from heaven, %ing, «* allufion to the Sbechinab, Behold, the taber- ... 1 • , , 1 •« n . nade of God is wnicft appeared in the tabernacle, as an lliuirnous to- wit!i men, and he ken of the divine prefence among the Ifraelites, Be- will dwell with hold, God has fixed his moll glorious refidence in the ilnlT 'be "is d peo h !e y ""^ ° f h{S he2Venl > r chlirch > which COiififta of the and God hSetJ whole number of his chofen, redeemed, and called from fli-d! be with them, among men of all nations: And he will henceforth and be their God. . dwell perpetually in the mod immediate manner with them, and they (hall be owned and honoured by him as his peculiar people, and the great God himfelf will intimately commune with them ; and, fuitable to the near relation into which he has taken them, as their covenant God and Father, will make up a complete portion of all poflible happinefs to them in the full en- joyment of himfelf for ever and ever. {Chat), xxii. 5.) 4 And NOTE, * Though, ttc holy dty, the ?iev.> Je- And the fame manner of expreflloa fol- fujalem, is represented as coming from lows with relation to the great voice out God out of heaven, toefe, and in ver 10. of heave?/, which our apoftle heard, ver. 3. This may relate to its dravght or mocleVs (fx row ov^hu) However the heizven* \ifibly descending from thence to the a- ly /iate itfelf is exprefTed by the vert poftle Jahn, that he might (riftinclly fame phrafe, chap. 'in. 12. and is called view it, as the fleet did to Peter Jn his. our houfe, which is from heaven, 2 Cor. vifion, (Acls x. 1 1 ) rather than to the v. 2. (e^ ov£*vjv) place where the city itfelf fliould be, Chap. xxi. The Rev -elation paraph rafed. $83 4 And God (hall 4 And in this Hate of heavenly blifs, God, by his pc away ail tears immediate prefence, will not only relieve their for- fro-n their eyes ; and there fhall lie 110 move death, nei- ther forrow, nu crying, neither Shall there- be any. move pain : for the for- mer things are palied away. rows, bat entirely remove them, that they may neves have the leaft occaiion to weep, or ever ihed a tear, as formerly, on any account wh.atfoever ; arid there jfjiaJl be no more mortality or liablenefs to death, as there was while they lived in the lower world ; nor fhall there be any thing of a grievous nature to afflict them; ncr any outcry, (*«#vyu) by reafon of opprcf- fion, frights, or fears ; nor fhall there be any more pain or iicknefs of body, or anguifh of fpirit, which they were fubjeft to v/liile they dwelt in mortal fleih : For all defective- and uncomfortable things, and fin, the root and caufe of them all, are in that glorious ilate abibiutely and eternally baniihed to the remoteft distance from them: They are all over and gone, ne- ver to return, that nothing may ever interrupt or a- bate their confummate happinefs ; which is more than can be faid of any condition on this fide heaven.' (See the notes on ver. 1. and chap. xx. 4.) 5 And as an additional continuation of all this* The bleffed * God, who has been often represented in my virions, as fitting upon the throne, faid, Behold ^with admiration and joy, I make an entire change, by my power and grace, in the prefent date of all things, and completely new-form all the* happy and holy in- habitants- of the new world. And thefe are matters of fo high importance for fupporting and encpuraging the faith, hope, and patience ef the church, under all its tribulations on earth, that he commanded me to record them in writing for their comfort: For, faid he, all thefe declaration? are infallibly true, and fhall faithfully be performed to their eternal joy. 6 And, for their farther encouragement, he faid to me, with refpect to this wonderful change, The confummation of all things is now come; all the ekcl A a a 2 arc N O T E. * He that Jut upon the throne, may peated promjfes to him that overcome?, poffibly be meant o! Chrift: For I do not in the fycond and third chapters; and tied that, in either of the foregoing or his adding here, / 'will be his Cod, and following vifions, God the Father is ever he Jball be my Jon, may be faid by him, 5 And he that fat upon the throne, laid. Behold, I make all things new. And he laid unto me, Write : tor thefe words are true and faithful. 6 And he faid unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Q- mega, represented, as immediately fpeaking and giving orders to the apoftle ; and Chrift had appeared, as feated upon a great white throne for judgment, (chap. as well as by the Father; lince he is called the mighty Cod, and the ever- > Father, (ifa. ix. 6) and his peo- ple ?re called hii feed, (chap. liii. 10.) xx. 11.) and might here call himfelf Al- and he is laid to give them power to he- pha mid Omegu, the begin/ting and the come the Jons of God. ( ;ohn i. 12.) end, (ver. 6.) which in leveral places of And as he will prefenv them to birafeH a this book are titles, that, I think, he ai- fumes to himfelf. (See the notes on chap. i. 4, 8.) — The promife to him that t::er, faying^ Behold, I. and t'.c ci overcomes, (ver. 7.) evidently agrees ' that over- 7 He who, warring a good warfare, with faith and rometlvfliall '^- patience, againft fin, Satan, and his inftruments, and nt all tilings: ami r . ,, '.. *> . ' .. c .. ' . , I will be his God a ? ainlt aii the temptations 01 this prelent evil world, nd he lhall be -my gains the victory over them, in humble dependence on my ftrengthenings, mail be poffeffed of an everlaft- ing inheritance of glory, and of every thing that can contribute to his happinefs : And I, the all- compre- hending' good, and rightful difpofer of all things, will be his God and portion for ever; and he fhall be par- taker of all the exalted privileges of his adoption, as my fon. (See the note on ver. 5.) 5 But the fenr- g But, on the contrary, they that are afliamed, or to , an unbe- re f u f e to own anc ^ honour me, through cowardice, or lievjng-. and the rr , . r '. & , abominable and tear °* reproaches and fuftermgs on that account; murderers, and and they that reject the grace of the gofpel, through whoremonger?, and unbelief, and are diftruftful of my power, mercy, and iorcerers, and ido- p ro mifes to fupport them under, and carry them liars, ' fhall have ^ou&ll all tribulations to eternal glory ; and flagi- their part in the tious finners, that indulge unnatural lufts, like the de- lake which burn- teftablc Sh'dotriitei ; and murderers in heart or deed ; ' h th ft* th " re - ari k anc ^ C ^P CC ^% infamous perfecutor-s of my people un- is^he "fecend death. to ^ ealn * anc * unclean perfons, that are addi&ed to fornication, or adultery ; and dealers with familiar fpirits, or pretenders fo to be ; and worftuppers of image*, or of any that are not by nature God ; and they that fpeak falfehoods and lies in hypocrify, with indent to deceive and impofe upon others : Ail and every one of thefe, living and dying in impenitence and unbelief, mall have their deferved portion cf the (1 exqtiifite torments, like perfons thrown alive in- to inn. Chap. xxi. The Revelation paraphrafed. 365 to a great collection of burning-hot materials, fuch as fire and brimftone ; which may be called the fecond and mod terrible dealt), as it comes after the death of the body, and is an abfolute deprivation of all com- fort, and an cndlefs intolerable complication of all pofiible mifery. 9 And there 9 Then, to give me a further account of the blefs- caoie ento me one ednefs of the righteous, there drew near to me one of of the ("ever, angels, tbe ^ n an g e ; &) .|, at wcre re prefented in a former vi- ^nvLfs^ull ot the &™> t cha ?>- *▼?• «• % d xvi '- »0 as employed in exe- feven lad plagues, cuting the feven lail judgments, which were figmned, and talked with by pouring out the feven lail cups or vials of the roe, faying. Come wratn f God upon his enemies for their deftruclion; the/tL bride die an< * ^ e * n a ^ ree . anC * W CIU % manner called to me » &Y" Iamb's wife.' ' ing> Come up mVner, and I will fet before you a par- ticular and diftinft emblematical view of the ftate of the church in her advancement to heavenly glory, fuitable to her dignity as the bride, which Chrilt, the Lamb that was (lain, has purchafed with his own blood, and efpoufed to himfelf in an ever! ailing cove- nant, that me, when fully prepared for him by the graces of his Spirit, might celebrate her nuptials with him, as her glorious hufband, in all the folemnity, fplendor, and joy of the higheft marriagc-fellival. 10 And he car- 10 And this angel, methougbt, in £he vifions of ried. me away m m y mi ' n d, conducted me to an exceeding great and the / P l nt r a?r0at lofty mountain, to give me the advantage of a and high raoun- J » 6 , •, • j tain and (hewed ciear and hill prolpect ; and there he exhibited lo my me that great city, view a grand and glorious city of vail extent, and the holy Jerufa- filled, with an innumerable multitude of inhabitants, Jem, defcendmg ^ fc . allufion to J eri/ f a / e , n > 5 being called the holy out of heaven irom ' \ , , fa 1 • Q 0( $ m city, (Matth. iv. 5.] beais that name, as being con- fecratedto God, and thoroughly fanclified by his Spi- rit : And I diftin£tly beheld the model of it, as cqm- ing down from God out of heaven, the habitation of his immediate prefen.ee. (See the note on ver. 2.) 11 Having the ii This city of the living God, the heavenly Je- glpiyof Opd: and ru f a / c;/2 , was figured out to me as filled with the di- nntj'a'ftone'mott ^ glory, the vifible fymbol of which formerly ap- precibus, even like peared in the Jewijh tabernacle and temple, as the ajafper-ltoae,clear token of God's dwelling in a way of fpecial grace and - ? cryfial ; favour there : And its light of knowledge, purity, ho- nour, and joy, was illuftrioully bright, like a molt ex- cellent ilone, even like a fplendid jafper-llone, as ihin- ing as cryilal. t 2 And had a 12 And it was further reprefented to me, as a city jwall great and of the greateft beautv, ftrength, and fecurity, en- lugh, a>ul had • „-^ , ., J ' 6 ,. ... /,• , twelve gates ,: and com pahed about witn an exceeding thick and high nt the gates twelve wall : Which may be confidered as an emblem of the - angels, and names almighty and invincible power of the great God and WhtCn th w r hich Saviour > for the fafet 7 and defence of all its bleifed inhabitants : 366 The Revelation paraphrafed* Chap. xx'u which are the inhabitants : In the wall there appeared twelve gates names of the of entrance from all quarters ; wnich might intimate rh^rJof Lrfef that thc ° n ^ d °° r ° f falvati ° n b 7 J efus Chrlil had been opened, through all parts ot the earth, in the miniftry of the twelve apoSles : And at the twelve gates, mtthought, I faw twelve angels, one at each gate, Handing as guards of (lane at every avenue of the city and palace of the great King, and as minif- tring fpirits to open the gates to ail the heirs of fal- vation, and to ihut them againft all that were not ivritten in the Lamb's book ot "life : (ver. 27.) And I law an infeription of names, one upon each gate, which reprefer.ted the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Ifrael ; and may be conlidered as em- blematical of the whole church of Chrifl, which was typified by them, and confifted of all the fpiiitual Ifrael, that were admitted into this glorious city, there to abide for ever. 13 On the eaft, 13 The petition of thefe gates on each fide of this three gates; en the large four-fquare city, (wr. 16.) appeared to be in north, three gates; the following manner, anfvverable to E-zekiePs vifion on the iouth three rv r i r i -i r rr / <*ates • and on the or its tv P c > a ' ter tne names ot the tribes or .Ifrael. weft, three gates. (Ezek. xlviii. 31, — 34.) On the eaft fide were three gates, upon which were written the names oijofeph, Bsnjamin, and Dan : On the north fide three gates, upon which were written the names of Reuben, Ju- dah, and Levi: On the fouth fide three gates* upon which were written the names of Simeon, If a- char, and Zebulon : And on the weft fide three gates, upon which were written the names of Gad, Sifier, and Naphtali, to intimate that none, who in reality belong to the true Ifrael ol God, mall be ex- cluded from this general affembly and church of the firfi'born. (Heb. xii. 23.) 14 And the wall 1 4 And the wonderful wall of this magnificent ci- of the city had ty was reprefented as having twelve foundations, on n ^ iV in fo them i0 the which ^ alluflon to the cuftom of infcrib i n g the names" of the names of thofe that lay the firft Hone in buildings, twelve apoflles of for a perpetual remembrance of them) there ftemed the Lamb. to be written the names of the twelve apoftles of Chrift, the Lamb of God, who redeemed the church with his own blood, and was laid in the do&rine and miniftrations of thofe firft and chief mafter-puildevs, as its only foundation, Jefus Chrif himfaf being the chief corner-Jiune. (Eph. ii. 20.) if And he that 15 And the angel that communed with me appear- talked with me, C( j as having in his hand a mealuririg reed ol pure l.ac la golden reed „ f ; tabl emblem of the pure and fpotiefs ltate *o meaiure the c;- £> > . . K. \ . ,- ■iy, and the gates of this glorious city, and ol all that pertained to it : thereof, and the With this, he took the dimenfions of the city itfelf, "wall thereof. ^d of its gates, and of i\s wall ; which may be con- fiderei Lieth Chap. xxi. The Revelation paraplrafed. 367 fidered as a figurative reprefentation cf its being a ftate of the molt beautiful order and proportion ; and that all admiffions to it, and fecurities in it, are exactly according to the perfect rule of the uacorrupted word of God. 16 And the city 16 And it appeared by the meafurement, that the four-fquare, c j tv wa s juft four-fquare, of the very fame dimenfions and the length is tl , th be ; exa & ly equa l to t h e as large as the , ', , ; , • , . , • • i c A- n. \. • breadth : and he breadth ; which might intimate the perfection, itaDi- xneafured the city lity, and uniformity of that bleiTed ftate of the church, with the reed, And in meafuring this heavenly city with the golden twelve thoufand feed £ was found tQ be ; n compa f 8 twelve thoufand furlongs; the - , ... , • i r i *i length, and the furlongs, wmch, reckoning eight furlongs to a mile, breadth, and the are fifteen hundred miles ; each of the four fides con- height of it are e- taining the length of three hundred fcventy-five miles ; S" a a city of prodigious extent for the reception of an in- numerable multitude of bleffed inhabitants, far, yea, incomparably far beyond all that ever was known up- on earth. The length aad breadth of it appeared to be exactly equal, one to the other ; * and its height bore a juft proportion to its length and breadth f which may be confidered as an emblem of the vail ca- pacioufnefs of the heavenly city for receiving and ac- commodating the whole church, when collected alto- gether, and of its entire harmony and beauty in eve- ry part. 17 And he mea- iy Then, methought, he proceeded to meafure the fured : the wail height of the wall of this holy city, and found that it drldand fontanel rofe U P> from the foundation to the top, one hundred four cubits, accord- and forty-four cubits, according to the common way ing to the meafure of men's meafuring from the elbow to the end of the of a man, that is, middle-finger, which is the fame that was ufed by the et the attje . - angel in meafuring the height of this wall ; and fo it appeared to be out of all danger of ever being fcaled and invaded ; and may be confidered as a figurative reprefentation of the abiolute fafety of the faints, in the heavenly world, from all affaults or difturbances from their enemies. iS And the I 8 And the materials of this unfurmountable wall auilding of the were represented in my vifion, not as confiding of any wall thing NOTE. * Mr. LowTt;.i?i obferves that it would by a thoufand ; and in the other, which be c.it of all proportion to fuppole, that feems to be the meafure of the- height of either the wall or buildings of the city the wall, the fame myftical number, are to be underftood as of equal height twelve, is multiplied into itfelf ; and \o with the length and breadth ; and that the height of the wall is represented to the numbers in this and the next verfe be one hundred forty-four cubits, which are evidently typical. (Perhaps he make about feventy-two yards, accord- meant mv,lical~) In one, which is the ing to the lefier cubit, or about eighty- meafure of the breadth and length of the fix yards, according to the greater. (See city, the myftical number twelve, taken his notes or. thefe two vecfes.) from the twelve apullles, is multiplied 3^3 7 he Revelation paraphrajed. Chap, xxi, wall of it was of thing fo mean and brittle as brick, or common build - £ f S2 "rehtol" in ^*^ one ; bllt of the raoft durable > fumptuous, ftrong, liL^unto" dear and beautiful jafper-ftone, to render it impregnable glaj& and fecure againft all decay, as well as furprifmgly magnificent ; which may be confidered as an emblem of the everlafting and unchangeable Hate of blefled- nefs and glory : And the auguft manfions of the city feemed to be all made of mafly gold ; or, at leaft, o- ver-laid with the fineft and pureft gold, fo exquifitely polifhed, that it appeared as bright and glittering, as the moft mining mirror or cleareft cryftal ; which may be confidered as an emblem of the incomparable grandeur, riches, and delights of the heavenly ftate. 19 And the 19, 20 And the foundations of the city, which, foundations of the though really but one, yet, having been laid by the wall of the city *?. / , ,' ; '„, & c J . were gami(hed P reac " m g Q* the twelve apoitles, were reprelented as with all manner of twelve: (yer. 14.) Thefe, methought, were beautifi- precious (tones, ed and adorned with inlayings of all forts of the moil Tne firft found*- excellent, folid, and dazzling Hones, one in one part, the" fecond J a 'fao- an< * anot ^ er m another, in allufion to the names of the phire ; the' third,' a twelve tribes of Ifrael, which were feverally engraven chalcedony; the on the twelve* precious ftones in the high priefl^ fourth, an emerald; breaft-plate ; (Exod. xxviii. 15, — 21.) the appearance r 1° l X b l\ * of fuch precious ftones on the foundations of this wall, fardonyx; the uxth, . r ** _ ? sardiui- the fe- niight be coniidered as an emblem 01 the perfection, venth, ohryfolite ; glory, and precioufnefs of Chrift, the only foundation the eighth, beryl ; f the church, on which their names were in a manner the ninth, a topaz; infcribed 2S tr ,ofe, whom the Father had Iven h ; the tenth, a chryfo- . , . ., . . , . ,. b . . ' praius ; the eh*- aR( * who are Duut u P on niH1 > as their foundation. * venth, a jacinth; The firft. part of it was reprefented as adorned with a the twelfth, an jafper ; the fecond, with a fapphire ; the third, with a ametbyft. chalcedony; the fourth, with an emerald; the fifth, with a fardonyx ; the fixth, with afardius; the fe- venth, with a chryfalith ; the eighth, with a beryl; the ninth, with a topaz ; the tenth, with a chryfopra- Jus ; the eleventh, with a jacinth ; and the twelfth, with an amethyft ; All which taken together, as being itones of the moft illuftrious and valuable kind, might figure out the variety and perfection of the glory of Chrift, NOTE. * I cannot pretend to determine what, an exceeding fine green: The far do nix ©r whether any thing particularly, was is of a pale red : The. fardius is like, if iignifred, in the myftical way, by the va- not the fame with the cornelian ftone, of riety of theie precious /tones. — But as a blood-colour : The chryfalith is green. far as I can learn from the belt accounts with a fhade of yellow : The beryl is of I have met with of the ftones them/elves, a pale green : The topaz> is of a gold cc- the jafper is a ftone of leveral colours, lour, tranfparent and hard : The chryfn- the moft excellent of which is green, prafus is of a yellowuh green : The/ia- fpotted with red or purple: The fap- cintb is of a violet or purple colour: The phire is of a fky-ccloured blue, tranfpa- ametbyft is of a colour nearly rcfembling rent, and very hard : 'Die chalcedony is the jacinth : And the pearl is a round, of a fhining grey, clouded with yellow, white, hard, and fhining fubftance ; ana or purple, or blue : The emerald is of is commonly hred in a thell-fllhi €hap. xxi. "The Revelation paraphraft'd. 369 Chrift, the foundation ; and of the church and its blefiings, that are founded upon him. 21 And the 21 And the twelve gates of this glorious city ^ of twelve gates were the living God were reprefented to me, as confiding twelve pearls; e- of twe i v ; pearls f t h e gre ateft worth and aftonifliing verv feveral gate . ■ . r . f . , , i was of one pearl: magnitude, each gate being only one large pearl; and the ftreet of which might be emblematical of Chrift, as the pearl the city * I fo w no reprefentation of a temple in thh Xarab^are die tern- ^:^y|^%i as there was in the Millemtim- pie of it. ftate itfelf, in which the temple of God was opened : (fee the paraphrafe on chap. xi. 19.) For the great and bleffed Lord God omnipotent, and Jefus Chrift, the Lamb that was (lain, are inftead of a temple, as they dwell in an incomparably more glorious, vifible, and immediate manner here, (chap. xxii. 4.) than e- ver was feen in the earthly temple at Jerufalem, or in the latter day-glory ; which might intimate, that all divine ordinances, as the appointed mediums of com- munion between God and his church in this world, ihall entirely ceafe in the heavenly Rate; when, inftead of them, the immediate prefence of God effehtially confidered, as inclulive of Father, Son, and Spirit, mall be all in aJl i (fee the note on 1 Cor. xv. 28.) with no other medium of conveying felicity and glo- ry to the heavenly citizens, than the perfon of Chrift, as Mediator, and God-man, in whom the glory of all divine counfels, peife&ions, and performances, in their rnoft amiable afpeft, will ihine, as in their brightcit minor, for ever. 23 And the city 23 And fo illuftrious was this city in my vifion, had no need of the that there was no manner of cccalicn either for the fun, neither of the f un b d or the moon by n j ght to enlighten it ; ruoon J J ' or N O T E. * Dr. Hammond obferves, that here, ther in the fame fenfe, Matth. vi. 5. and chap. xxii. 2. The ftreet, or broad And Grotius understands the ftreet of place of the city, denotes a place of con- the city tn lignify a place of public af- ~£ourfe and refort ; and iofynagogaes, or fembly. as in 2 Chron. xsxii. 6. and flffemblies, and ftreetj, are uftd toge- Job xxix. 7. Vol. VI. Bbb 37« moon to fhine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the ii^ht thereof. :4 And the na- tions of them which are laved, fliall Walk . iu the light of it : and the kings of the earth fib bring their glo- iy and honour in- to it. 25 And the gates of it lhall not he flmt at all by day : for there lhall be no flight there. 16 And they Uiall bring the glo- ry and honoui" of the i.ations into it. The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xxi. or for any creature to adorn or comfort its inhabit- ants, as there is in this world, and will be till the difTolution of all things : For the glory of God him- {clf, a fymbol of which was given in the Shechinah that filled So/omo/i's temple, (1 Kings viii. 10, 11.) and in the tran [figuration of our bleffed Lord, (Matth. xvii. 2. and 2 Pet. i. 17.) (hone in the mod perfect manner to illuminate the whole city; and the glorious Lamb, as in office- capacity, and clothed with human nature, is the purchaser of admifiion to this light, and the clear medium of it ; and as God, in effential union with the Father and Spirit, iufeparably concurs with them in diffufmg it. 24 And thofe people of all nations of the earth 3 who, through faith in the blood of the Lamb, arc faved from fin and the wrath to come, fhall be admit- ted to enjoy its delightful and illuftrious light, and to walk in fweet and holy communion together in the midft of it. And as the converted princes and poten- tates of the earth had employed all their riches, pow- er, and honour, to fubferve the interefts of this celeili- al city ; fo they bring the produces of their good in- fluence into it, and chearfully refign up all their digni- ty and authority for it, counting them as nothing, in comparifon with it ; the glory of which, me- thought, appeared to be inexpreflibly more grand and beautiful, than if all the magnificence and preci- ous treasures of the kingdoms of this world had been collected together to enrich and adorn it. 25 And fo absolutely fafe are the inhabitants of this city in their fublime manfions, not merely by the height and flrength of its walls, and the guard of an- gels, (yer. 12.) but principally and fupremely by the immediate protection of the divine prefence, thajL there will be no need of fhutting up its gates in the day- time, to fecure them againil invading enemies; (as is tifual to do by cities on earth, when any danger threatens them) and if not in the day, not at all : For there mall be no night to favour any attempts a- gainii them ; nor the leaft darknefs of any kind, whe- ther natural or civil, moral or fpiritual, to interrupt, or obfeure the light of glory, that will perpetually fhine with //z^r/dVtf/z-brightnefs upon them. - 26 And all that come to dwell there will bring the holy fruits of their faithful improvements of their riches and honours into it, and will gladly furrender for it whatever they had pofTefTed of wealth, gran- deur, and honour, in any nations of the lower world : All thefe glories will be fwallowed up in that, which infinitely excells them ; and its fplendor may well be confidered, as vaflly fuperior to all that could be ima- gined, Chap. xxj. The Revelation paraphrafed. 371 gined, were all the affluence, gaiety, and magnificence of the higheft ranks of people on earth to be amafied together, and laid out to embellifh it. 17 And there 27 And fo perfectly pure and holy is this heaven- ihall in no vyife en- i y c j ty t h at t h OU crh its gates are continually open ; tcr into it any / ' ' \ . 1, • -r j j 1 thing that defileth, i ver ' 2 S\) y et » as . the uncircumcifed and unclean neither ivbatfoe- were forbid entrance into the holy city of Jerufalcm ; ver worketh abo- (Ifa. lii. I.) fo no perfon or thing, [ttccv) no evil Ti nat r° n ' h ™h k ~ tem P er or difpofition, thought, word, or deed, that which'are written is morall 7 defiIed b 7 an Y iniquity, or is of a defiling in the Lamb's book nature, fhall ever be permitted, on any account what- ef life. foever, to enter into it : Nor any one that lives and dies in any known fin, which, whatever it be, God is of purer eyes than to look upon it, without detefla- tion ; (Habak. i. 13.) and particularly the fin of /- do/a try, which is, by way of eminence, the abomi- nable thing that he hates ; (Jer. xliv. 4.) nor any one that contrives, forges, or utters falfhoods with an intent to deceive ; not one of either of thefe : But they, and they only, [chap. xx. 15.) fhall be admit- ted into this blifsful (late, that were regidered, as it were by name, in the Lamb's book of life, which, contains all thofe that were given him by the Father, to be redeemed, and fandtified, and brought fafe to> glory, and that, by holy fruits and effects, fhall be proved to be fo in the great day of account. RECOLLECTIONS. Who can conceive the immenfe felicity and glory of the church triumphant in heaven! All the images of light, beauty, honour, and grandeur, and of riches, fafety, and delight, that we are acquainted with, are but faint reprefentations of it. It is all new, and furpaffing every thing that can be found, or imagined in the pre- sent frame of the univeife. It is the holy city of the living God, fhining in all his glory ; a city built on Chrift, who was laid, as its only foundation, by the minis- try of the twelve apoftles; and its inhabitants confift of the whole number of the chofen and redeemed, called and faithful, as collected together, and brought into it, from all nations of the earth ; its gates being open to them, who were typified by the twelve tribes of ifrael. It is a ftate of complete and immortal blifs, abfo- lutely fecure and free from all darknefs, pain, and uneafinefs of every kind, and from death itlelf ; thofe former things being palled away : And it is enlivened with all the joys and honours of a public folemnization of Chrift's marriage with his church ; it is inexpreffibly more glorious than the moft fplendid city of beauti- ful, ltrong, and lofty walls, erected on folid foundations, and all erhbeliifhed as with the moft precious glittering ftones ; and magnificently adorned, as with gates of the moft coftly pearl, at which angels ftand, like officers of ftate ; and as if its ftreets were all oter paved with the fined polifhed gold. All the riches and gran- deur of the greateft monarchs, and of all nations of the earth, are fo far exceeded by it, fwallowed up in it, and chearfully refigned for it, as not worthy to be com- pare4 with its heavenly treafures. It is illuminated, honoured, and bieffed with the immediate pretence of God and the Lamb, as fhining with amiable and divine majefty on their throne of glory, and as the beginners and perfecters of its happi- nefs; infomuch that it needs no creature-enjoyments, like the fun and moon ; nor any ordinances, like the temple at Jerufalem, to affift its heavenly entertain- ments: For God in Chrift will be their God, and the everlaftmg fountain of all that is great and good j and they fhall inherit ali things, to the utmoit of their j&bb-? wifhes. 372 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xxii, wiflies, as the gift of free grace ; and (hall live together in holy, harmonious, and transporting fellowfliip' with God, and Chrift, and one another, in its ever-fhining and unclouded light. But, alas ! all that are afliamed of, or afraid to own the Lord, and every unbeliever and habitual liar, with all other impenitent finners, that are abominable in God's light, (hall be utterly excluded from the hea- venly itate, and have their portion in everlafting burnings, which is the fecond death. But, in oppofition to thtfe, all they, and none but they, that are written in the Lamb's book of life, as proved by its holy fruits, fhall be admitted to the fublime enjoyments of this bleffed city. Thefe are the true and faithful fayings o£ God, which thall certainly have their full accompliihment, to the infupportable mifery of gracelefs Unners, and the confummate joy of faints for ever. CHAP. XXII. The defer ipiion of the heavenly fate is carried on under the figures of the v>a:er and tree of life, and of the throne of God and the Lamb? 1 j— 5, And) for a^eonclufion of the whole, the truth and certain accomjilifjjrncnt of all thefe prophetic vifions are confirmed, by way of dialogue between the conducting angel, Chrift himfelf, and the apoflle John, who was forbidden to worfhip the angel, and ordered not to feal the prophecies of this booh, which were foon to begin to be fulfilled in their order, and are fo f acred as not to be added to, or diminijhed, upon pain of exclufion from all the blejfings promifed in them, which fhall be conferred on the righteous, and denied to the wicked, when Chrifl fhall come (as he f aid he quickly would) *with a reward to every one, according to his works, 6, — 16. To 'which the Spirit and the bride fay, Come; and John adds his Amen 9 and clofes all with the ufual apoflolic benedi&ion, 17, — 21. Text. Paraphrase. ,\ND he (hewed A NJ} the condu&ing angel gave me fome further *f w'alT of 'life* emblematical reprefentations of the heavenly Je- ciear as cryftalj rufalem, by a vifion of a pure river, as clear as cryf- proceeding cut of tal, dreaming freely and plentifully out of the foun- the throne of God, tain of the water of life, {chap. xxi. 6.) not through and of the Lamb. 0r(1 ; nanceS) but immediately from the throne of God and the Lamb, who are one in the divine nature, and whofe throne, as divine perfons, is one, from whence all bleflings are derived in their utmoft purity and per- fection unto eternal life ; which, in allufion to the ri- - ver that watered the garden of Eden, (Gen. ii. 10.) or to the waters in Ezeliel's vifion, (chap, xlvii. i, - — 12.) may be confidered as an emblem of the ful- nefs of joy, that is in God's immediate pre fence, and of the immenfe pleafures that are at his right-hand for evermore. (Pf. xvi. 11.) 7. In the mi.sfr 2 Jn the midit of the chief place of concourfe, or of the (licet o f " it, principal ftreet of the heavenly city, (fee the note on and on ei'Ler fide chqpi xxi. 21.) and on each fide of the river which o. t e rrar^wfl/ watcl . e{ j ; t> mcta0U ght, there ftood a delightful row ef Chap. xxii. The Revelation par aphrafed. 373 there the tree of of a moft excellent kind of trees, * like thofe that life, which bare E'Zekiel faw in his viflon, on the bank of the river, fmits V %^elded one ° n one f lde > undone on the other; (chap, xlvii. her S ' fruit ^every 7> I2 *) Which may alfo he considered, in allufion to month ; and the the tree of life in the midft of the earthly paradife, leaves of the tree {Gen. ii. 9.) as an emblem of Chrift, and oftheim- nvere for the heal- ^o^l Kf e of happinefs, which all its inhabitants de- * rive from him : And, in this figurative way, he was reprefented, in allufion to the twelve tribes of Ifrael, and the twelve apoilles of the Lamb, (chap. xxi. 12, 14.) as yielding twelve fort6 of fruit, to fignify the greateft variety and abundance of the moft delicious, fpiritual, and heavenly entertainments, to the full fa- tisfaction of all the IJrael of God, according to the doctrine of the holy apoftles : And this emblematical tree produced its plcafant ripe fruits, not once a~ year only, like common trees ; but continually, month after month, without the leaft intermiflion, or defect, for ever : And fuch was the excellent virtue of this tree of life, that its very leaves had a fovereign effi- cacy to perfect and maintain perpetual health and eafe, and to prevent ail infirmities, pains, and difeafes in the fouls, or bodies of the faints, that were admitted to partake of it, from among the various nations of the earth. 3 And there 3 Yea, fo abfolutely complete and confirmed is curie be but The ll ? eir ha PP inefs > that thc CUrfe > together with all its throne of God and ^ifmal effects and confequences, which the fall brought of the Lamb mall upon all mankind, and which came upon their firft be in it; and bis parents in the garden of Eden, (Gen. iii. 16, — 19.) fervants (hall ferve fhaAl be adually, thoroughly, and finally removed from them for ever ; fo that there fhall be no remain- der of fin or forrow, or any rxcurfed perfon or thing there : But the glorious throne of God and of the Lamb, whofe divine throne is one, fhall be ever a- biding in it, as the fountain of its felicity and delight, (yer. 1.) without mixture or allay ; and his faithful fervants fhall pay their folemn homage in the fublimeft adorations and praifes, and fhall do tjie will of their God and Saviour in the moft perfect manner, with all alacrity, conftancy, and delight. 4 And NOTE. * Mr. Kemiicott thinks, that this a tree, which xsftngvlar, is ufed plural- tree of life alludes to the trees on one ly, and rendered trees, Gen. iii. 2, 3.; fide, and on the other of the river, in E- and fignifies the whole genus of trees, 'zekieVs vifioo, rather than to the tree through the hiftory of the creation and oi life in Paradife. (See his Diferta- fall ; unlefs where it is confined by the Hon on the tree of life, p. 93,-97.) emphatic article, or a neceflary reftric- And yet he conjectures that the tree of tion in the fenfe. But, perhaps, John's life in Paradife was not a Jingle, or one virion was only of one tree of life, whofe particular extraordinary tree, (p. 75.) branches extended to both fides of the and fliews, (p. 81.) that the word (fP) river « 374 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xxii, 4 And they (ball fee bis face : and his name Jhall be in their fore- heads. 5 And there fiiall be no night there; and ihey need no candle, neither light of the inn ; for the Lord God giveth them light : and they fhall reign for ever and ever . 6 And he faid unto me, Thefe fayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy'prophets fent his angel to fhew unto his fervants the things which muft fhortly be done. 4 And they (hall have a beatific vifion of the blefs- ed God, like feeing face to face ,• (Matth, v. 8. and i Cor. xiii. 12.) and (hall behold the Lord Jefus in all his glory, as God man, and fee him as he is with their bodily eyes, as well as with the eyes of their minds; (John xvii. 24. and 1 John iii. 2.) and, beholding his face in right eou/nefs. they fia/1 bear his /ikenefsy (Pf. xvii. 15.) as confpicuoufly as if his name and the characters of his glorious and holy i- mage were written on their foreheads, in like manner as Holinef to the Lord, was engraven on Aaron's mitre, which was put upon his forehead. (Exod. xxviii. 36, — 38.) 5 And fo illuflrious will be their light of know- ledge, purity, and joy, that there fliall not be the leail darknefs of error, fin, or affliction ; and fuch will be the perfection of this light, that they will have no occafion for creature-aftiftances to add to their comfort, fuch as the light of a candle, which is wont in this world to relieve the darknefs of the night ; or the light of the fun in the firmament to enlighten it by day ; which may be confidered as emblematical inti- mations that they fhall neither have any need of the faint light of the ceremonial law ; no, nor of the clearer light of the gofpel, and of its ordinances of divine worfhip : For the Lord Jehovah himfelf is the immediate fountain of light to irradiate and fill them with his glory, that in his light they may fee fight, in all its beauteous and transforming manifeftations : {Pfa/. xxxvi. 9.) And they fhall reign, like kings on their thrones, with dignity and honour in his blifsful prefencc to all eternity, which will make them a rich amends for all the tribulations that they endured with faith and patience on earth for his name's fake. (See 2 Cor. iv. 17.) 6 And the conducting angel, having led me through the vifions, which ended in the final happi- nefs and glory of the faints, faid to me, All the things that you have heard and feen, and recorded for the ufe, encouragement, and benefit of the church in all nges, fhall be faithfully accomplifhed, and are in- fallibly true, to be fulfilled in their order. And the Lend Jefus, who in his original nature is, with the Father and Spirit, the only living and true God, (fee the note on chap, hi.) and who infpired and autho- rised his holy prophets of old to foretel the things which were revealed to them, relating to his fuffer- ings, and the glory that fhould follow, ( 1 Pet. i. 11.) has fent me, his angel, with thefe divine mefiages to make known to his fervants, of the New Tdtament- church, the things which fhall begin to be performed very Chap. xxii. The Revelation paraphrafed. 575 very foon after this revelation of them, till they be gradually completed in their proper feries ; and the fulfilment of them all will be in a little fpace of time, compared with eternity, when they will iflue m the confummate happincfc of the followers of the Lamb. 7 Brho'd I 7 In farther confirmation of all thefe things, Jc- come quickly: f u8 himfelf fpake, ( io .) I aga i n , through gS ' want of recolle&ing my former error and rebuke for it, proftrated myfelf, in a pofture of adoration, at the feet of the angel, who, by ChrifPs commifiion, as 1 afterwards found, (yer. 9.) had difeovered thefe things to me. 9 Then faith he 9 Upon his perceiving this, he inftantly reproved, unto me, See thou and p revente d me, faying, Take heed of paying any do it wt: for I am re i; g j ou8 . homage to me, who have no claim to it: &*f£*2 Fo? I am not Jefus the Saviour, but only one of his the prophets, and fervants, that worlhip, and adore him, and do n.is of them which w j}j . an( j am no t the author of thefe revelations, but keen the fayings of mef fc no - er Hke yourfelf, to communicate them to Gcd VOn,J,P y^, as you are to do to the church ; and I have herein only acted the part ol a fellow-fervant with you, and with your brethren in office, the prophets, apoftles, and minifters of the gofpel, and with the faints, that {hew a juft regard to the things delivered in this prophetic book. Let therefore all your ado- ration, or religious worfhip, be paid to the only true God, to whom alone it is due : For the nature of things, and the divine command have fixed an unal- terable 376 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap, xxii, 10 And he faith unto me, Seal not the fayings of the propfeecy of this book : for the time is at hand. ir He that is unjuft, let him be unjuft ftill: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy ftill : and he that is righ- teouf, let him be righteous ftill : and he that is holy, let him be holy ftill. 12 And behold, 1 come quickly ; and my reward is with me, to give every man aecord- ing as his work ' be. terable obligation to worfiip the Lord thy God, and him only to ferve. (Matth. iv. 10.) 10 And, the angel, or rather Chrift himfelf, * charged me, not to conceal the things contained in this prophecy, as though they were to be fealed up " in the book which I had wrote, and fo hid from the notice of the church, relating to the troubles they are to expect, and the glorious iffues of them : For the time draws nigh, ({"aid he) in which they {hall begin to take place, and be carried on in a due feries, till they all be fulfilled, which, compared with the fuc- ceeding eternity, will be but a little while hence. 1 1 Then the ftate and condition of all mankind fliall be unalterably fixed, never to admit of any after- change ; but the decifive irrevevfible fentence {hall go forth, faying, He that is deftitute of rightcoufnefs to give him acceptance with God, as found to be an e- vil-doer, Let him for ever remain in that deplorable ftate: And he that is under the prevailing defilement of fin, Let him never be cured of his loathfome dif- eafe : And on the other hand, he that is righteous before God for juftification to eternal life, and appears to be fo by his fruits of righteoufnefs, Let him ftand for ever juitified in his prefence : And he that is re- newed and fanctified by the Holy Spirit, Let him be for ever holy, ivithout blemifh, /pot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing. (Eph. v. 27.) What every one now is, he {hall be unchangeably, for mifery, or happinefs, to all eternity. 12 And the more ftrongly to affure the church of this, and to imprefs them with it, for their encourage- ment and joy, Behold, faid the bleffed Jefus again, (fee ver. 7.) I am fpeedily coming at the appointed time, which fliall not tarry, but haftens apace to bring all things to their final iffue. And according to an- cient prophecies of my coming with my reward, {Ifa» xl. 10. and lxii. 11.) I, who as Mediator and Judge of the whole world, have all power in heaven and earth, will then diftribute rewards of grace to the righteous and holy, and inflict condign punifhment on the un- righteous T E. church, and as foretelling the condition of linners and faints, in confequence of it ; {ver. 11.) which fome, taking the impe- rative for thefuttire tenfe, confider as a prophecy of the different effects that this revelation would have upon them refpec- tively; while others (to whom I incline) confider it as a fentence that will fix their ftate and temper at the final J 'udg~ mint. N O * As Chrijl had fpoke, *w. 7 ; fo in this and the next verl'e, (unlefs we make ihem and who confeientioufly attend to, and, from a may have ri^ht to principle of faith and love, fmcerely obferve the com- the tree of lite, and mandments of God, in all moral obedience, together may enter in w j t h all gofpel inftitutions, and the duties which the into the eft* §ae * Lord J efus has en J oined in thfs prophetic book, who will be their judge at the laft day, that they, o'c- ing hereby proved to be my true and faithful difci- ples, may have the dignity and authority (s|»<7 , , , 9 . „ , thefe things in tne authority to all that 1 had leen and heard, directed churches, 1 am the his words to me, faying, I Jefus, the fovereign Lord root and the off- of angels, and the Lord God of the prophets; (fee fpring of David, the paraphrafe on ^r. 6.) it is 1 myfelf who employed and the bn ? ht v it . • \ 11 .u r .u- vud mornins ftar. m Y an g €HC meiienger to communicate all thele things to you, that they may be declared, as a teftimony from me {net txis ixXycnxis) CQncerning the church- es, and in and among them of this and all fucceeding generations to the end of the world. I, who have done this, neither will, nor can deceive you : For I, as God, am the Root, Lord, and Source of David's family and kingdom ; and, as man, am Davids fon, truly defcended from his loins: {Matth. xxii. 42, — 45.) And, as was prophefied of the Meffiah, (Numb. xxiv. 17.) I am thejlar out of Jacob, like the bright and morning-liar, and the Sun of right eoufnefs, min- ing in all my glory ; (Ma/acb. iv. 2.) I have arofe to put a total end to the night of antichrirlianifm, and to fcatter all the darknefs of ignorance and error, fin. and forrow ; and to ufher in an eternal day of light, purity, and joy, with unclouded luftre. 17 And the Sp : - 17 And as thefe are matters of the greateft confe- rit and the bnde q Uence) f or affuring the people of God of the certain let him that hear- deftru&ion of all their enemies, and of their own com- eth, fay, Come, plete and eternal falvation, the Spirit of prophecy And let him that hereby teftities his approbation of it, and doth the is athirft come: f ame? as fc e ; s t h e j^fy g p — t t ^ at f pea k s { n the wSl let \im °take nearts °^ believers ; and they, the Lamb's wife, in- the 'water ot' life clufive of the church- militant and triumphant, fay freely. with earned defire and expectation, Come, Lord Jefus 9 (ver. 20.) in all thy glory, to fulfil thy gracious pro- mifes, and folemnize the marriage with thine efpoufed bride. (Chap. xxi. 2, 9.) And let every one that hears, underftands, and believes the things contained in this prophecy, join with the Spirit and bride in faying, Come, Lord Jefus : And let every one that thirfts af- ter righteoufnefs, and after the everlafting happinefs, Which fhall be brought to the church at the revelation of Jefus Chrift, (1 Pet. i. 13.) come by faith to him for thefe moll excellent of all bleflings : And whofoe- ver is inclined and defirous to be made partaker of them, let him come and welcome, to refrefh his weary foul by drinking gratis, without money and without price, of the ever-flowing and overflowing water of life., Chap. xxii. The Revelation paraphrafid. 370 Jife, which fprings from him, {chap. xxi. 6.) and will be a fountain of all divine confolation, in its utmoft fulnefs for ever, at his fecond coming to complete the prophecies of this book, which are to be believed, juit as they are here revealed. 1 8 For I teftify 18 For T, the divine Author of this revelation, unto every man j wr ; 2Q ^ and t h e faithful and true Witnefs, (chap, trds" p^ & H-) do folemnly declare to every one that hear, phecy of this book, the prophecies contained in this Dock, relating to the If any man fhali affairs of the church end the world, which Oral end in. add unto thefe tne nna l deftruction of mine enemies, and the corn- things God (hall , ete falvatJon f p e0 pie, If any one, be his cha.- add unto him the * . J *\ r > / . plagues that are racter what it will, mall preiume to add any pretend- written in this ed vifions or revelations contrary to thefe ; or ihali i^ok : wilfully pervert their meaning, by putting falfe inter- pretations upon them, God will certainly iniiict upon him the dreadful punifhments, that are threaten- ed in thio book, and particularly all thofe that are de- nounced againlt impoftors and deceivers. 19 And if any 1 9 And if, on the contrary, any one fhall dare to man fhall take a- detract from, or go about wilfully to explain away, way from the words fet afid Qr nif of thg wr j t ; ngs or f - xxi ; things which are 27.) and from all the blefiings ox the heavenly and written in this holy Jerufalem^ and all the great and glorious things, book, which are promifed in this prophetic book to them that overcome^ and are faithjul unto death; (chap. ii. 7, 10, 17. and iii. 5, 12, 21.) he fhall be for e- ver excluded from them : All which may be consi- dered as a folemn and awful fandtion to confirm, no.t only the divine authority of this bookj but of the whole of the New Teitament-revelation, as it clofcs its canon, in like manner, as Mofes guarded the divine authority of the law, (Deut. iv. 2. and xii. 32.) and as God himfelf did the like, in clofing up the canon of the Old Teitament. (Malacb. iv. 4.") 20 He which 20 The Lord Jefus, who is the Author of the teftifieth thefe w hole of this revelation, and fo folemnly confirms it, things, faith, Sure- , ^ * f f h encouragement and com- ly I come quickly. ). r \ / 1 1 n » • • i« ■ i Amen. Even fo, * ort °» the church under all tneir intermediate trials :ome, Lord Jefus. and afflictions, I am certainly coming, without delay, as foon as ever things are ripe, which will be ere long, for their perfect and everlafting happinefs, and for the utter deftruction of all their enemies, at the I day. Hereupon I, the writer of thefe prophecies, to exprefs my faith, together with my earncit defire and C c c z hope 380 The Revelation paraphrafed. Chap. xxii. hope of it, faid, Amen^ in like manner as the whole church mould chearfully echo back to his voice, fay- ing, So we rejoice and long to have it, and are fully fatisfied it will be, Come, Lord Jefus, in all thy glo- ry ; Come quickly, as thou halt faid, for our help, deliverance, and complete falvation. at The grace of 21 In the mean while, to conclude the whole with an apoftolic benedidion, fuitable to the flate of the Amen V ° U c ^ urcn * aR d to the duties incumbent upon it, during its afflictions and trials on earth, May the free love or favour of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, and all its fpecial fruits and blefiings, richly abound, and be manifelled, in all feafonable fupplies of grace and ftrength, fupport, guidance, and confolation, to all and every one of you in every age, who love, look, and long for his fecond coming ! So may it be ! And in teltimony of my great defire, hope, and affurance of its being fo, I heartily fay, and let them all join with me in faying, Amen. RECOLLECTIONS. What a fulnefs of joy fliall Chrift's faithful followers have in the heavenly Jerufalem, to banifli all their forrows ! There they fhall drink at the fountain-head of the water of life, which proceeds from the throne of God and the Lamb, as in the midit of them; and (hall be ever feafting on the various, abundant, and deli- cious fruits of Chrift's love and purchafe, as the tree of life ; and be perfectly free from all maladies of foul and body, and from all the dreadful effects and confequen- ces of the original curie: They fhall be publicly known and owned to be the Lord's ; and fliall dwell in the light of his immediate prefence, and behold his face in rig*hteoufnefs, without any cloud or darknefs at all. And O with what uninter- rupted conftancy, chearfulnefs, and delight, will they then worfhip, ferve, and glorify him ! and with what dignity and honour reign with him for ever and ever'. How unfpeakable is the happinefs of thofe that faithfully obferve, and behave in a due correfpondence to the prophecies of this book, which is laid open to be read and confidered, for the fupport and comfort of the church under all its prefent troubles ! They who, upon trial, fhall be found true believers, by the fruits of their faith, in confeientioufly obferving the commands of God, fhall be authorifed and qualified to partake of all the bleffednefs of the celeftial world, and be admit- ted to an enjoyment of it: But all the wicked and ungodly, of every character, fliall be caft into outer darknefs. The ftate and condition of every one fliall be fi- nally decided, for happinefs, or mifery, at Chrift's fecond coming ; and they who /hall then be unrighteous and defiled, on one hand, or righteous and holy, on the other, fliall continue to be fo for ever. O folemn thought ! How certain and im- portant are thefe great events ! They are teftified by the apoftle John, and by the vnrho conducted him in his vifions, as his fellow-iervant, but not as an object : ms worfhip, which is due to God only; yea, by Jefus Chrift himielf, who introduces the eternal day of light and glory,4ike the illuftrious morning-fcar ; and who as the Lord God of the prophets, fent his angel to communicate thefe things. tin and again, that he would quickly come to execute them, in •.t and in mercy, till they all fliall be fulfilled at the .great day of account, -n^erous is it to add to, detract from, pervert, or deny thefe facred records,' p.tit of the word of God ! We fhould dread doing any thing like ei- ther uf tiicfe, a.s ever we would efcape the torments threatened, and inherit the Mind, in this book. And how certainly may we depend oh Chrift's with his rewards of juftice and grace to every one, according to they be good or bad ! With a view hereunto he fays, Surely, I ■ ) . And what is the language of the Spirit in his word, and in the hearts Chsp. xxii. the Revelation paraphrafed. 381 hearts of believers, and their language under his influence but, Jmen #oen fo come Lord Jefus ? In the mean while, How endearing and encouraging are iofpel-invitations to thirfty fouls to come by faith to Chnft, and dnnk at free coft fnd abundantly, of the water of life ! That we leverally may do fo, while we are under the diibenfation of gofpel- grace, May the free love and tavour of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and every happy fruit and manifestation thereof be continually with us all ! Amen, AN AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL THINGS CONTAINED IN THE PARAPHRASE, And Efpecially in the NOTES, 6F THIS AND THE FIVE FORMER VOLUMES, N. B. p (lands for paraphrafe, and n for notes. ABBA, fome account of the word, ^*- with its fignification, n Rom. 8. 15. Abomination of deflation, what fo call- ed, and who, p and n Mat. 24, 15. ^tbraham, his attempt to offer up his fon vindicated, « Heb. 11. 17. Acceptance of thofe that in every na- tion fear God and work righteoufnefs, how to be underftood, n Acts 10 35. Acctirfed from Chrifl, in what feme Paul wiflied himfelf fo, p and n Rom. 9. 3. Act, not uncommon to put this for the objecl in fcripture, n chap. 4. 3. , judicial of God, in confequence of, and a juft punilhment for what, ?i John 12. 40. Adam, a covenant-head, n Rom. 5. 14. and Chrifl, one being of the earth earthy, and the other, the Lord from heaven, relates to what, n 1 Cor. 15. 47. Added to the Lord, the import of it, n Acts 11. 24. Addrefs, Peter's and the Pope's very different, n 1 Pet. 5. 1. Adorning, ivomens, what fort thereof condemned, n 1 Tim. 2 9. Adria, where, n Acts 27. 27. Adultery, the ivotnan taken ie, an en- lnaring queftion put by the fcribes and Phanfees to Chrift about ber, n John 3. 6. Ages, three of the world's continuance, according to the Jews, n 1 Cor. 10. 11. Agony, Chrifl's, greater in foul than in body, n Luke 22. 44. tfpa, Son of Herod Agri$pa % his good character, n A&s 25. 13 Alexander the copper-fmith, Paul's man- ner of fpeaking concerning him, n« rule for us, n z Tim. 4. 14. Alive, the all made fo in Chrift, who they are, ?i 1 Cor. 15. 22. Alone, in what fenfe Chrift was not fo, n John iS. 16. Alpha and Omega, Chrifl's calling him* felf fo,. a flrong atteftation to his true and proper divinity, n Rev. 1. 8. Altar, at Athens by whom fet up, n Acts 1 7. 23. , the fouls that were under it, feems not to allude to the brazen altar, but to the altar of incenfe, n Rev. 6. 9. Amanuenfs, Paul often ufed one, n Rom. 16. 22. and Gal. 6. 11. Amen, pronounced by the Jewifl church, and by the primitive Chrif- tian-ehurch, at the end of the mi- nifters' public thankfgiving and praife, n 1 Cor. 14. 16. Amphipolis, why fo Called, h Acts 17. r„ Ananias, the High Prieft, Paul's repri- mand of him how to be confidered, u Acts 23. 3. Anathema, Maranatha, the fignifica- tion thereof, n 1 Cor. \6. 22. Anceflors, Chrifl's, remarks upon them y n Matth. 1. 16. Angel, tutelar or guardian, to ever.y' good man, no foundation in fcripture for the notion, n Acts 12. 15. , another, Chrifl fo called, n Rev. 7. 2. and S. 3. and 18. 2. of the church, who fo ftyled, n Luke 4. 17. Angels, how many appeared to the wo- men at Chrifl's fepuickre, n Mat. 2S. c. INDEX. £ and whether they did not appear to them alio at another lime, n John 20. 2. Angel, Chrift's not taking on him their nature explained, n Heb. :. 16 why Chrift's pre-eminence above them proper to be infilled on, n Heb. 1.4. the elect, not judges, but witnefies, n i Tim 5. 21. Anger, in its own nature not finful, n Eph. 4. 26. ■ when finful or not p and n Mat. 5. 22. Antioch, two places fo called, n Acts 13. t 4 . Antipas, uncertain who he was, n Rev. 2. 13. Antonia, the caftle of, how fituated, n Acts 21. 36. Apborifms, why choice fentences fo call- ed, n R.om. r. 1. Apojlates, ftrong expreffions of good that may have been found in them, n 2 Pet. 2. 20. Apoftles, fignify what ; have no fuccef- fors to their fpecial characters, privi- leges, and powers, n Rom. 1. 1. Appearance*, Chrift's to his difciples af- ter his refurrection, not all taken no- tice of by any infpired writer, n 1 Cor. ?5-4- Areopagus, an Athejiian court of judica- ture, n Acts 17. 19. Aretas, who, n 2 Cor. n. 32. Arimathea, Jofeph of, not certain who, n Luke 23. 51. Ark, Noah's, the figure and fize of it, n Heb. n. 7. ■ , and the fafety of thofe that were in it, prefigured, not baptifm, but the gofpel-falvation, n 1 Pet. 3. 20. Arm of the Lord, what it figuifies, n John xii. 38. Arms, Roman law of, n 2 Tim. 2. 4. Armour, why none for the back, n Eph. 6. 14. of righteoufnefs, what meant by it, p and n 2 Cor. 6. 7. At tide, its being left out before the word God, an objection of little weight, /; fohn 1. 1. Afcenjion, Chrift's, wab by his own pow- er, n chap. 10. 17. . not iwitt but gradual, why, n Acts 1. 10. •- into heaven, the Socinian fenfe or it exploded, n John 3. 13. Ajia, the lefler, what and where, n 1 Pet. 1. 1. AJfes, rode upon by judges and kings of J/rael, by Da vid, "and by Chrift him- felf, u Mat, 21. j. Attained, different fenfes of the word, « Phil, 3. 12. Augujline, the famous, what text he was converted by reading and reflect- ing upon, n Rom. 13. 13. Authority, Paul's equal to Peter's, n Gal. 2. 11. B Baal, an idol of the Sidoniaus, n Rom. 11. 4. Babler, what the critics fay about its meaning, n Acts 17. 18. Balances, a pair of, emblematical of af- fliction, n Rev. 6. 5. Baptifin, the mode of it, p and n Mat. 3.6. — — lara^e quantity of water not ne- ceflary to, n Mark 14. 22. John's and the Chriftian, where- in they agree, and wherein they dif- fer, n Luke 3. 16. not adminiftered by Chrift him- felf, for what reafon, n John 4. 2. of John, what it relates to, a, Acts 1. 22. of the Eunuch, where, n chap. 3. 36. Infant and adult, confident in dif- ferent circumftauces under the gof- pel-ftate, n chap. 10. 47. — why not faid to be adminiftered to Gentile profelytes in the inftituted form, n chap. 2. 381. and 10. 4S. the mode of it not fignifjed by our being buried with Chrift, n Rom. 6. 4. and n Col. 2. 12. Baptized, how Ifrael were fo in the cloud and in the fea, n 1 Cor. 10. 2. Baptising the houfhold, what meant by it, n chap. 1. 16. Barnabas, an apoftle, and Saul's fellow- pupil under Gamaliel, n Acts 9. 27. Beaft, his number, very difficult to fet- tle, n Rev. 13. 1 3. Bea/ls, the apoftle's righting with them at Ephefus, differently explained, n 1 Cor. 15. 32. Beelzebub, its fignification, n Lukt si. Beginning, in the, how underftood by the Sociniaris, n John 1. I. chofn from the, what it means, ;/ l rheff. 2. 13. Belial, its fignification, n 2 Cor. 6. 1 5. Believers, equally God the Father's, Chrift's. and the Holy Ghoft's property, ?i 1 Cor. 6. 20. Bereans, of a religious fpirit before Paul preached to them, n Acts 17. n. Bernice, a lady of no good character, n chap. 25. 13. Bethany, from whence Chrift afcended, where it was, n Luke 24. 50. Bishops, IN D E X. Bi/hops, or pastors, to attend the fpiri tual, and deacons the temporal con- cerns of the chumh. n Rora. 12. 7. Chriftian, who : n r Pet. 5. 2. the fame with elders, n Phil 1. 2. Blafpbemy, againft che Holy Ghoft, what, p and n Mat. 12. 3. and n Acts li-4v Bleffing God, our, how different from his blefling us. n Eph. 1. 3. Blood, moon turned into, metaphorical, n Acts 2. 20. Blood, the eating of it, not in its own nature finful, why forbid, n Acts 15. 20. the manner of fprinkling it, ft Heb. 9. 19. of the pafchal Lamb, the fpnnk- Bread, r-a^ed Chrift'sbody.as the pafchal fupper was the pajfover, n chap. 22. 19. breaking of it, an expreflion of dif- ferent ugnifkations, ?i Acts a. 46. Brethren, Chrift's who, n Mat. 12 46. when Cbrift firft directly called his difciples fo, n John 20- 17. a term not always ufed by Paul with refpect to the fame fort of per- fons, n Acts 23. 4. Brightnefs of the Father's glory, what intimated by Chrift's being ftyled fo, n Heb. 1. 13. Built all things, the meaning of it, n chap. 3. 4. Bull, a fevere one of Pope Martin's, 71 Rev. 13. 17. ling of it, a temporary ordinance, n Buried 'with Chrijl, what it relates to, 11 chap. 11. 28. of Abel, what intended thereby, 71 chap. 12. 24. Body, Chrift's, did not penetrate the door of the room where the difciples were affembled, ?i Luke 24. 37. of this death, the apoftle's mean- ing by it, 11 Rom. 7. 24. fins without it, what they are, n 1 Cor. 6. 1 3. Paul's keeping it under, no argu- ment for Popifli penances, n chap. 9. 2 7- , future rewards and puniftiments to to be received by that, as well as by the foul, n 2 Cor. 5. 10. in one, what meant by it, n Eph. 2. 1 6. a, hajl thou prepared me, how re- conciled with Pf 40. 6. n Heb. 10. 5. Bondage, great confidence in the Jews to fay they never were in any, n John S- 33- Bone, of the pafchal lamb not to be bro- ken, prefigured what, n chap. 19. 36. Book, the volume of, its meaning, n Heb. 10. 7. Books, of the ancients, different in form from ours, n Rev. 5. 1. Born out of due time, in what fenfe Paul was fo, n 1 Cor. 15. S. Bofom, Abraham's what the meaning of Cedron, the brook, where it ran ; Da Col. C Cue far, the prudence of Paul in appeal- ing to him, 11 Acts 26. 32. Caiaphas, his prophecy, the extent of it, n John 11. 51. Cainan. why inferted by Luke, n Luke 3- 3^ Calling upon the name of the Lord, ap- plied to Chrift, n Acts 2. 21. — of God according to bis purpofc, what it relates to, n Rom. S. 28. your, what meant by it, n 1 Cor. 1. 26. Candace, a common name of the Ethio- pian queens, n Arts S. 27. Candle/lick, the weight and form of it, n Heb. 9. 2, Captains of the temple, who, n Luke. 22. 52. and n Acts 4. 1. Carnal, believers not abfolutely, but comparatively fo, n 1 Cor. 3. 1. Carpenter's trade, Chrift faid to work at it, n Luke 2. 51. Cafl away, Paul in no doubt about his being fo, n 1 Cor. 9. 27. Cajlor and Pollux, foroe account of them, n Acts 28. 11. Caves, ufual burying places, n John 11. 3S. it, ttLuke 16. 22. ' Bottles, formerly made of leather, 71 Mark 2. 22. Branch, grafting it with its buds, what it intimates, « Rom. n. 17. Branches, withered, what men's gather- ing them fignifies, 71 John 15 6. Bread, and daily bread, what, n Mat. 6". 11. ■ eating of it in the kingdom of God, a metaphor fignifying the advantages of vid, a type of Chrift went over it, n chap. 18. 1. Cenfer, golden, what, and its ufe, n Heb. 9. 4. Centurion, his office what ; and whe- ther he came to Chrift in perfon or not, p and 71 Mat. 8. 5. and p Luke 7. 3- probably engaged in family pray- er, when the angel appeared to him, n Acts ic. 3c. religion here ; and the bleffednefs of Chaining prifoners, the Ro/nan way of heaven hereafter, 71 Luke 14. 15. doing it, n chap. 1:. 6. Charity INDEX. Charily, not to be rcftrained to what we commonly call by that name, but fignifies love, n i Cor. 13. 1. Cha/ic. Paul's ityle remarkably fo, n chap. 7. 5. Cherubim, what made of, and in what manner placed; their form uncertain, 11 Heb. 9. 5. Children, little, why brought to Chrift, n Matth. 19. 14. and Mark 10. 13. my little, moftly a term of tender- nefs and endearment, rather than a diftinclion of younger -and weaker from older and ftronger believers, n 1 John 2. 1. and fervants, Chriftian, how far to obey their heathen parents or mai- ters, n Col. 3. 20. Choofing and calling, God's, particular perfons to eternal life, intimated, n Rom. 9. 24. and predominating, what they may feverally relate to, n Eph. 1. 5. Chrifl, the moil high God together with the Father and Spirit, ?i Luke 1 70. over all, God bleffed for ever, n Rom. 9. 5. the Lord, whom we are not to pro- voke to jealoufy, 11 1 Cor. io. 22. myftical, the meaning of the expref- fion, n chap. 12. 12. the only proper, vital, influential, and authoritative head of the church, n ibid. ver. ?i. included in the living God, n 2 Cor. :>• 3- cured diftempers in a god-like way, p and n .Mark 7. 34. a fin- offering, n chap. 5. 21. raifed up, etc. in him, what it re- lates to, n Eph. 2. 6. that which I have committed to him, how to be underltood, n 2 Tim. 1. 1 z. Chriftian, probably the new name, which the mouth of the Lord named by im- mediate fuggeftion, p and » Acb 11. 2 5. Cbriflians, remarkably preferred at the deftrucTion of Jerifulem, n Luke 21. 18. Church, the firft famous one, where ga- thered, « Adls 13. 52. at jerufalem, the mother-church under tne gofpel-ftate, v. chap. iS. 22. the meaning pi the word, r. chap. 15- 3*- Conflian, never met on the leventh day. n chap. 20. 0. in thcii houfc, how to be underdood, n Rom. 16. 5. - — at Tbt'ulonica, not the mother- Vol. VI. church of Macedonia and Achaia, « 1 Tiieli'. 1. 8. Romijb, the corruptions of it, n 2 Tim. 3 1 the angel of. who, n Rev. 2. 1. Churches, in the apoftles days, congrega- tional, n 1 Cor 14. 23. Circumcijlon. in what fenfe incontinent with a rtate of pardon and acceptance to eternal life, vz Adts 15. 5. : the fign and fcal of the covenant of grace, n Rom. 4. 10. 11. in what view Paul oppofed it, ;i Gal- 5. 6. of Chrift to be taken in a fpiritual I'eue, n C"l 2. 1 1. C/£y, the tenth part of it fell, what meant thereby, p and « Rev. 11. t-. Cloke, Paul's, various opinions about the word To tranflated, n 2 Tim. 4. 1 5. Cloud ofwitnejfits, a metaphorical allu- vion to what, n Heb. 12. 1. Coat, Peter's, diiputes about it ; no oc- casion to fuppofe him naked bc-rore be girt it about him, n John 21. 7. Cock crowing, time of it when, n Mat. 26. 34. Coming to Chrift, what, p ar..i n Matth. 11. 28, and John 6. 35. Commandment of the Father, not the ground of Chrift's having power to Jay down his life, n John 10. iS. new, Chrift's to his difciples, no*; abiolutely 10, n chap. 13. 34.' the end of it, how to be under- ftood, h 1 Tim. 1. 5. Commijion, Chrift's to the apofties, Its extent, n Mark 16. 1$. Comp: ;*s, in what fenfe they clld, and did not hear the vol ci fjpske ro him. b Acts 9. 7. Computation, Roman, of the hours of the ;.). Phil. CoHciJion, what fignified by it, o 3 ' "' Condemnation, the meaning of it, n Rom. 5. 16. anil justification, the ground of both, n ibid. 19. before of old crdai.ied to, how to be underltood, n Jude, vcr 4. Ccnfejlcn, how made unto falvation, n Rom. 10. 10. auricular, without foundation « James 5 .16. Canfecration, this is my body, not the form of it, « 1 Cov. II. 24. Contain, fome times taken in a metaphor- ical fenfe, fignifies receive, n fohn zi. Contention, between Pawl and rv.v/, when it Happened, >: Acts 1 D d d Convcrjion, INDEX. Converfioti, taken in different fenfes, n Mat. iS. 3. of the idolatrons Gentiles, and not of the profelytesof the gate atjjintiocb, declared by Paul and Barnabas, n Act* 15. 3- Paul probably the inftrument of Timothy's, n 1 Tim. i."%. Converts, jfekviflj, why the council at Je- rufalem fay notbini; about their being circnmrifed, and keeping the law of Mofes, n Acts 16 3. Corinth, a f cmple of Venus there, n I Cor. 10. S Corinthianr, might not be drunk at the Lord's fupper, though they drank too freely, in imitation of the jews, and heath ens, at their pafiover and feafts on their facrifkes, n chap. 11 21. Cornelius, a profelyte of the gate, n Acts io 2. Corruption, of nature, extends to all mankind, n Rom. 3 10. — — tiie body fown in, how, n 1 Cor. 15.42. Govenant^ fignules what, n Heb. 7. 22. Coven 7»ts, how to be taken, n Rom. 9. 4. and n Eph. 2. 1 1. Covet oufnefs, wherein it confifts, p Heb. I }. e/. Counfeh of God, how all made known by Chrift to his difciples, n John 15 15. Cfeaiion, faid to be performed by Chrift, no argument of his being an under a- gent in that work, n chap. 1. 3. Creature, and whole creation, difficult to determine what is meant thereby, r. Rom. S. 10. , fir ft born of every, what it fignt- fies, 1: Col. i- 15. Creatures, the four living, what defigrs- ect to represent, >: Rev. 4. 6. . Chriil's, carried by whom, n Mat. 27 32 Taking it up, an ullufion to what, II Mark S. 34. Chrifl's coming down from it, in- ccnfiftent with his defign in coming into the world, n Mat. 27. 42. and n Luke 23. 35. Crucifying, the manner of it 26. Cvp t put for the wine in it, 2 which we llcfs, why io callfA » I Cor. to. 16. n Mat. 27. 2 Luke 22 fignifying temporal judgment, and not eternal damnation, n 1 Cor. 11. 29. Damned, in what fenfe the doubtful eat- er is fo, n Rom. 14. 23. Darknefs, outer, to what it alludes, « Mat. S. 12. and light, what they fignify in Scripture, n Eph. 5. 8. Darts, fiery, what they refer to, n chap. 6, 16. David, that the Meffiah was to be his offspring, generally owned by the Jews, n Luke 2c. 41. Day, natural, how reckoned by the jews, n Mat. 12. 40. and when it be- gan, n Mark 14. 30. that, refers to what, n Mark 13. 32. and Luke 21. 33. another fenfe of it, n John 14. 20. Abraham rejoiced to fee ChrifVs, the meaning of i\ n John 8. 56". in which Chrift's difciples fhould afk him nothing, what, n chap. 16". and the _/zr?. fignify the day of judgment, and the latter word cannot mean the fire of purgatory, n 1 Cor. 3. 13- Days, ten, what meant thereby, n Rev. 2 16. Deacons, their office, n Acts C. 2. firft chofen from' among whom, n chap. 11. 30. the apoftles and other pallors of churches not excluded, on proper oc- cafion?, from acting in that office, n 2 Cor. S. 4. Dead, in what view . Chrift fpeaks of himfelf as raifing and quickning them, n John 5. 21. Chrift's raifing them a proof of his proper deity, n 2 Cor. 1. §\ the baptized for them, various fen- fes of it, p and n 1 Cor. 15. 29. infills, the meaning of it, n Eph. 2. 1. the idolatrous heathens thought them loft for ever, efpccially as to the refurreclion of the body, n 1 Theff. 4. 13. *whp die in the Lord, refers to whom, n Rev. 14. 13. Drath, in what fenfe not lawful for the Jews to ioflhft it, n John iS. 31. — - — and iefurrection of Ch rift, typified in the law of Mofey, n Acts 26. 22. the Papift's ficiilegiouily deprive that came upon the whole world cf mankind for fin, what, n Rom. 5 12. Decently audi// order, what all things be- in ^ done fo relates to, n 1 Cor. 14. 4c, Dare at Jer/falcm related not merely to profelytesof the gate, n Acts 15. 20. of Cod. makes hflppy events infal- libly the people of it, n chat'. 11. 25. Cut off, what trouhlefsof the church be- i»g fo, fignifies, » Gal. 5. 12. Cymbal, tinkling, what, n 1 Cor. 13. f. D Damnation, z prticuhr rhfUsee' cf its INDEX. libly certain with refpect to the heirs of falvation. n Rom. S. 30. Degree, good, what purchafing this means, n 1 Tim. 3. 13. Demas, who, and what lie probably was, n 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demonflration of the Spirit and of pow- er, what included in it, n 1 Cor. 2. 4. Deputy, what it fignffies f , and to whom this name belonged, n Acts 13. 7. Defcending of Cbri/i into the lower part of the earth, what meant by it, n Eph. 4- 9- Dejlruclion of him for whom Chrifi died, how to be taken, n Rom. 14. 15. Difciple the other, who with Peter ac- companied Jefus to the high prieft's hall, conjectures about him, a John iff. 15. Difobedience, children of, a Hebraifm, fig- niiying wnat, n Eph. 2. 2. Difputants, againlt Stephen, who, « Acts 6. 9 . DiJJimulatbcn, Cnrift- not chargeable with it, when offering to leave the difcipies at Emmaus, n Luke 24. 29. Divinity, Chrift's, a ftrong atteftation to it, n Rom. 14. 11. Doctors, Jewiflj, ufed to read (landing, and preach fitting, « Luke 4. 20. Doctrine, Chrift's, in what fenfe not his own, « John 7. 16. Door, opened to Paul, an ailufion to what, n 1 Cor. 16. p. Dorcas's friends fend tor Peter, why, n Acts 9. 38. Doxology, an encouraging one, n Eph. 3. 20. to Chrift, n 1 Tim. 1. 17. Dragon t red, and the Z/*vt/?, reprefent the fame perfon or power, n Rev. 12. 3. Drefs, promifcuous of both fexes, forbid in the law of Mofcs, and why, n 1 Cor. 11. 14. Drought in Elijah'sday?, difficulty about it reconciled, u Luke 4. 25. Drunkennefs, a reigniog fin at Ephefus, 11 Eph. 5. 1 3. Drufilla, her character, « Acts 24. 24. Dulia and Liithriu, the popi'.li diftinction between them confuted, « Gal. 4. 8. Duties, relative, difcourled on in their natural order, only I eginning with the inferior relative why, n Eph. 5. 22. E Eating the bread of life, what, no proof of tranfubftantiation, n John 6. 58. and drinking unworthily, what it relates to, n 1 Cor. ir. 27. Eclipfe at Chrift's crucifixion, not a na- tural one, n Mat. 27. 45. Edict, Pharaoh's cruel one, relaxed or de- feated by Providence, n Heb. 11. 24. Efforts of the oil man, fpeken of in oppo- fition to the new man, n Rom. 7. i- Effujion of the Spirit, iur gracious as well ?.b miraculous operations, ;; Ac!.-- 2. 41. Elder add younger, what they are ufed to %niiy, n 1 Pet. 5. 5. figuifies !'j, both by age and by of- fice, n 1 Tim. 5. 1. fer-vivg the younger, a prediction ho w fulfilled, ;; kom i-j. 12. Elders, or pa/iors and bijuups, titles of the lame import, ;.' Acts 20. 17. — -*- none but preaching ones to bf: maintained at the church's coft, r 1 Tim. 5. 17. difficult to fay why they are repre- fented as twenty four, and who figni- ried by them; but fome conjecture* about it. n Rev. 4 4. Election, Chrift's, of the apoftles, more peculiar and beneficial than to the a- poftlediip, n John 13. zS. ibmetimes fpoken of as national, n Rom. r i. 23. peribiial, made evident by our ef- fectual calling, and no other way, n 2 Ptt. 1. 10. Elements, weak and beggarly, what meant by turning again to them, n Gal. 4. p. Ellypfes, frequent in fcripture, an in- ltance of one, n Acts 7. 16. Emmaus, why the difcipleswent thither, n Luke 24. 13. Enlightened, &Tc. impofjlble iffzich fall away to renew them to repentance, how to be underftood, n Heb. 6. 4. Enmity, the, wnat meant by it, ;.' Eph. 2. 15. Enon s expefitors at a lofs about it, n John 3. 23. Eyaphroditus, who, n Phil. 2. 25. Epicurus, his doctrine, n Acls 17. i3. Epijlie to the Corinthians, wiote from Ephefus, and not, as the poftfciip: fays, from Philippi, n 1 Cor. 16. S. EJpouJbtg, what; cuftomary with the Jews before marriage, n Luke 1. 27. Eunuch's, fome called that were not lite- rally fo, and were chief minifters in the eaftern courts, n Acts S. 27. Euodias and Syntyc'ne, who, n Phil. 4.2. Euroclydon, what wind it was, p and n Acts 27. 14, Exaltation, Chrift's, called his fitting, and once his (landing at God's right hand, and why, u Acts 7. 55. Exorcijls, j'cwijb, ufed to invoke fome name for worKing miraculous cure;, tt Acts 4. 7. Expectation, afcribed to the Gmliles, « Rom. 8. ip. D d d a Faith, INDEX. Faith, divine, Chrilt the object of this equally with the Father, « John 14. 1. roes not jollify as a work, n Rom. 4. 16. how it juftifies, n Gal. 3. 21. Abraham's, rejected the promiled Mefliah, « ibid. 24. — — .'. miiades, Uitt'erent from laving faith, n 1 Cor. 15. >. and hope, how they do and do not abide, n ibid. 13. the fame /pit it of, refers to what, n z. Cor. 4. 13. end a good cot/fc'uHce, what put- tin, them away means, n 1 Tim. 1. 19. the deicripticn of it, how to be confidered, ;; Heb. n. 1. of what lore Kahab'i, was, r, ibid. ' lli ■fulnefs of God, engaged only to ^ true believers, n 1 Cor. 1. 9. Famine, not to be confined to Judea, though the difciples not laid to fend relief any where die, u Acts n. 2S. Far off mid nigh, who meant by both, 11 Lph. 2. 17. Farthing, Jeivijh, its value not certain- ly known, n Mat. 10. 29. Father and Hon, economically ufed, n Mark 13. 32. ■ what the Je vjs understood Chrilt to mean when he called God his Fa- ther, n John 5. iS. r how greater than Chrilt, n chap. ij. 2S. Son and Spirit, diftinguifhed from each other by perfonal characters, n Rom. S. 11. Feaf, the governor of, who, n John 2. S. Iqji day of a high day when there v. ms the greateit concourie ot people, n chap. 7. 37. of dedication, a civil appointment, why Chrilt came to Jcrufalcm, then, s chap. ic. 22. keeping of it, refers to the Lord's lupper, n 1 Cor. we- do noc rind the apoftles wafhed one enothers, « John 13. 14. . a wicked, cruel, and covetous ^ man, n Acts 24. 2. >n what fenfi? pqreh^fed by Judas, with the rWard of loiquity, £ and « :. 18. of blood, why fo called, n ib. 19. ■ .'.■' why the Jews mention* it's being nearly that, n John 'd Chri '• 57- -.\v:Y, its meaning, Fig-tree, barren, a conjecture concern- ing the three years of God's patience with it, n Luke 13. 9. Remarks upon Chrift's feeing Na- thaniel under it, n John 1. 4$. Fill up, a beautiful cruiciun upon it, n Col. 1. B4. Filth and of scouring, allude to a cuftom among the Heathens, n 1 Cor. 4. 13. Finally, noc always a note of conciufiou, n Phil. 3. r. Finger of God, what it alludes to and fignihes, n Luke 11. 2c. Flefh, the Word being made fo, the meaning and manner of it, u John 1. 14. may be differently taken, n Rom. 6. 19. and Eph. 2. 3. one particular fignilkation of it, n Rom. 3. 20. all commonly ufed to defefibe the human race as trail, mortal, and dege- nerate by the fall, n John 17. 2. to be taken in a limited fenfe, n Acts 2. 17. me works of, what, n Gal. 5. 19. taken literally and figuratively, n 1 Pet. 4. 1. Food, eaten by Chrilt after his refurrec- tion, too curious to enquire what be- came of it, n Luke 24. 43. Fools, in what fenfe Chrilt called the difciples going to Emma us fo ; this no breach of his own rule, (Mat. v. 22.) n Luke 24. 25. and in what fenfe Paul ufed the fame term, n 1 Cor. 15. 36. Fore- knowing his people, God's, the meaning of it, n Rom. S. 29. Fore-runner, Chrilt an uncommon one, n Heb. 6. 20. Forgivenefs of fins, Chrift's prerogative, n Mat. 9. 2. and Luke 5. 23. Form of God, oppoied to what, n Phil, 2. 6. Fornication, what, n Mat. 5. 32. and 1 Cor. 5. i. Fornicator., any, what fignified by it, ?; Heb. iz. 6." Fornicators, in what r enfe not to be comp.mied with, n 1 Cor. 5. 9. Foundation of God jiandeth jure, many interpretations given hereof, p and « 2 riai. 2. 19. Fox, Chrul'a calling Herod fa vindicated, u Luke i^. 32. Freedom, from righteoufufs, a very bad one, ?.' Rom. 6. 20. Fr/eman, of Romr, how i\///J came to be fo, n Adis 22. r8. //.•//, what, n Rom. 8. 23. ot whom meant, u chap. 11. 16. Finnefs, of Je r ws and Gentiles, how to uw underffood, wRoxn. 11. 25. I N D E X. Fulnefs,all dwelling in Cbrijl, relates to his mediatory fulnefs, « Col. i. 19. G Gains, who, n Rom. 16. 23. his circumftances and character, p and >J 3 John, ver. 2. Galileans, who, /> and n Luke 13. 1. why obnoxious, n chap. 23. 5. Gallio, the brother of Senear, the great character he gives him, but was o. tco carelefs a difpofition, « Acts iS. 14. Gamaliel, who, /' and » Acts 5. 34. Games, Ijikmian, why lo called, n 1 Cor. 9. 24. — i — Grecian, a law to be obferved in them, n 2 Tim. 2. 4. and Roman, races run in them al- luded to, n Heb. 12. 1. Garments, long-, wore by eaftern nations, n Luke 12. 35. Gate, beautiful, of the temple, why fo called, p and » Acts 3. 2. Gates of hell, the fignification thereof, n Mat. 16. iS. Genealogy, Chrifl's, different in Matthew and Luke, but accounted for, « Mat. 1. 1, 2. Genealogies, endlefs, what they refer to, n t Tim. 1. 4. Generation, faithlefs, who meant by it, 11 Mark 9. 153. Gentiles, not bleffed and chofen of God only, exclulive of Jewijh believers, n Eph. 1. 3, 4, 11. their having mercy fliewn them, enraged the Jews, p and n Luke 1-. 2 b'. Ceri •:/;:/, mount, the occafion of a tem- ple bi-ing built upon it, n John 4. zo. Ghf , what fignifications it bears, n Eph. 1. iS. put for its object, n Heb. 6. iS. Horeb, where, and why fo called, n Gal. 4. 25. Ho/anna, its fignification, ;z Mat. 21. 9. Hofpitality, a lover of it, what meant thereby, n 1 Tim. 3. 2. /fo/zr, f&zVyi, its meaning amongftf the. Jews, the fame with the fixth hour a- monglt the Romans, n Mark 15. 25. Houjhold, its general fignification, n Adls 16. 35 . INDEX. Hymns and fpiritual fongs, what meant by thetn, n Eph. 5. 19. \ Jailor's, houfe, in what feme faved through his faith, n Acts 16. 31. 1 am, points out Chrift's eternal exiftence in his divine nature, n John 8. 58. James, beheaded with the fword, and the firft martyr among the apoitles, p and ;/ AlIs 12. 2. Jannes and Jambres, who, n % Tim. 3. S. Jafon, who, n Rom. 16. 21. Idlenefs, a deteftable vice, tz i Theff. 4. 11. Idolatry, various, of the heathen nations, a Rom. 1. 23. Jerufalem, Chrift wept over it, why, n Luke ro. 41. as feems to be rebuilt, ?/ chap. 21. apo.lle John and others furvived its deftruction, n ibid. 32. the firft time of Paul's going thi- ther after his converfion, n Gal. 1. 18. Paul's third journey thither, n ch?.p. 2. 1. * new, coming down from Gor} out of heaven, how to be underftood, n Rev. 21. 2. deftruction of, by Titus, n Luke r 9. 44. emblematical of the more terrible and everlafting deftruction at the great day, n ibid. 27. a type of Chrift's coming to judge the -vorld, n ibid. 33. Jefus Chrift, why the Je o/i', and of charity, what, 7* Rom. 16. i€. Knowledge, put for approbation, p and 77 Mat. 7. 23. ■ various meanings of it in Scripture, 7/ John 10. 14. and r John 3. ;t ■ human, Egyptians, in great re- pute for it, 72 Acts 7. 22. a//, what it fignifiej, n 1 Cor. 1. 5. L Labourers, hived into the vineyard, who meant thereby, n Mat. 20. 1. Laodicea, the epiftle from, various con- jectures about it, n Col. 4. 16. .£rt/? of nil, why the ap?itles faid to be thus fet forth, n 1 Cor. 4. q. Lizu, ufed in a ias fenfe, 72 John to. 34. ceremonial, a means of life to If- rael, n Acts 7. 3$. avd the prophets, into how many fcclions divided, 72 chap. 13. 15. Mofaic, how far Paul oppofed an obfervation of it, n chap. 21. 24. 1 the doers of it jujlificd, how to be taken, n Rom. 2. 13. in what fenfe the term ufed, 71 chap. 3. 10. any doctrine of God may be call- ed ^0, n ibid. 27. God's defign in giving it, n chap. 5. 20. the, to be confidered under the no- tion of a covenant, 72 chap. 7. 4. why the corrupt principle called io, n ibid. 2-1. bfthtfifrH of life in Chrift Jcfus, different femes or" it, n chap. S. :. of rightcoufr.cfs, its Signification, n chap. (.. 31. going to, about matters of confi- de-, with a Cbriftian temper* not tfbfolutely to be condemn- ed, 72 t Cor. 6. 1. in what fenfe judaizing Chriftiar.s did not k< ep ir, v. Gal. 6. 13. per feci of liberty, what, 7/ James 1. 25. not made for a righteous man, in v.hit fenfe, 71. 1 Tim. r. 9. delivered, from it, how to be un- deri'tood, n Horn. 7. 6. Learned thrift, what meant by it, 72 Ephi 4. 21. Legions, like our regiments, uncertain in their number, 77 Mark 5. 9. Let, or hindered, how Paul was feveral times fo ii Rom. 1. 13. Letter and fpirit, what meant thereby, p and 71 2 Cor. 3. 6. Lcvites, who, 7/ Luke 10. 32. Lie, feveral heathens thought it lawful to tell one that might be profitable to them, 77 Eph. 4. 25. Rahab\ officious one, by no means juftifiable, n Heb. 11. 31. Life, the Father's giving the Son to have it in himfelf, how to be under- stood, 77 John 5. 26. be fhall give him, the meaning of it, 72 1 John 5. 16. tree of, alludes to what, n Rev. 22. 2. Light, fhinuig in our hearts, what op- pofed to, n 2 Cor. 4. 6. Like/iefs of finful fie ft), how Chrifc ap- peared therein, n Rom. 3. 3. Like-minded, what meant by it, 11 Phil. 2. 2. Living by the Father, Chrift's, what it relates to, 72 John 6. 57. Locujis, which Joh7i the Baptift eat in the wildernefs, what, 72 Mat. 3. 4. natural, are faid to live only five furnmer month", 77 Rev. 9. 5. Logos, what it Signifies, 72 [ohn 1. 1. Lord, the. when fcen by Paul after his refurreciion, n Acts 13. 3. °f gtwy* wn >' Chrift fo called, 71 i Cor. 2. S. c<7id God, both titles applicable to Chrift, n 1 Cor. S. 6*. that bought than, the meaning of it. 71 2 Pet. 2. 1. the Holy Spirit fo called, n 2 Thef. 3- 5- Lord's day, how fanetified and blefied by Chrift, 11 John 10. 26. - always obferved by the apoft!e% though they often went to' the iyna- gogues of the Jews on. their fabbath, why, Acts 13. 1 j. Loft, who Chrift fays were not I John 17. 12. Lot, which determined Matthias to the apofllci'hip. a probable account of it, 72 Acts j. ?.5\ Zc-7-. INDEX. love, Peter\, to Chrift, more than what, n John 21. 15. — o* 'God to Jacob, and hatred toEja/t, how to be undciucod, //Rom. 9. 11, r 3- of the Spirit, various fignifications of it, // chap. 15. 30. God's, how perfected in ns, n 1 John C'j./ ix, a remarkably peculiar and emphHtic.il e.vpreffiou, n ibid 8. Loving much, not the reafon of the wo- man's being forgiven, n Luke 7. 47. Lucius, who, x Acts t j. i. and n Rom. 16. 21. M Maintenance \ fignified by honour, n 1 Tim. 5. 3. Mammon, its fignification, *> and a Mat. 6\ 24. and 11 Luke i<5. 9. Man, the Son of, why Chrift called hicnfelf fo, n John 1. 51. ot(v, the meaning of it, « Rorr. 7. 22. natural, who, « 1 Cor. 2. 14. every, what it ofteu figniiies, n Col. I. 2*. .!re, by, the fcripture ufe of the fern:, n Eph. 2. 3. aretb, jefus of, why Chrift fo call- ed, n John r. 4*5. ■ 0/' Galilee, vulgar error about Chrift's being born there, u chap. 7. J\crxarites vow, what it included, k Acts IS. iS. Necks of their enemies, conquerors ufed to tread on, n Acts 2. 35. i\>/-, 01 the difpiples not broken with the great quantity of hih, and why, n John 21. 11. Nicolaitans, unrertain from whom they fprang, their doctrines of what kind, n Rev. 7, 6. Nimpolis, where, ;/ Tit. 3. \z. Noah, a preacher of the righteoufnefs of faith in the Mcffiah for juftincation, n 1 Pet. 3. 19. O Oaths, have a reference to God, and are binding, n Mat. 23. io. foiemn and religious, lawful, n Heb. 6. 1 <. Oblation, how God teftiSed his approba- tion ot Ab?Vs, n chap. 11. 4. Obfrurity, of feme parishes in epiftolary writings, the reafon of it, n Gal. 4. Obfervances, legal, the Galatians laid a ftrefs upon them as neceffary to juf- tification, n ibid. rr. Office, prieftly, Chrift did not die out of it, n Heb. 7. 16. Oil. anointing with, not a means of healing, n Mark 6. 13. — — — sn ordinance formerly for the mi- racuious cure of the fick, but not to be uied no*' for that purpole, or by way of extreme unction, n James 5. 14.' Onejimvs, who, n Col. 4- 9. Operation, Chrift one with his Father therein, n John 5. 17. ■ and Chrift's doing nothing of him- felf, how to be underftood, ibid. 20. Oratories, cuftomary for the Jews to have them in fields and mountains for the renvenience of travellers, » Luke 6. 12. and fynagogues, the difference be- tween them, n Acts 16. 13. Ordained to eternal life, the meaning of it, n chap. 13. 4$. Order, Chrift's, to the apoftles to preach the gofpel, when given, n chap. 10. 42. Ox, muzzling him prohibited with a further view than merely to that creature, n 1 Cor. 9. 10. P Parable, what, n Mat-, 13. 3* Parables, why Chrift often fpake bj them, p and n Luke 6. 39. Paradife, and the third heaven, mean one and the fame bleiied and glorious world, n 2 Cor. 1 2, 4. Parents, earthly, generate only the bo- dy, n Heb. 12. 9. Part, to have none with another, the meaning of it, n John 13. S. in, the fignification of it in Paul's epiftles, n Rom. 11. 25. Pajfover, at what time it was eaten, n Mat. 26. 2C. Chrift's fuffering at it obfervable, n Luke 2?. S. Paflors and teachers, different, p and n Eph. 4. 11. evangelical, wherein their rule lies, n Heb. 13. 7. Patriarchs, the, had a revelation and promife of a future ftate of glory in heaven, n chap. n. 16. Paul, formerly called Saul, the fignifi- cation of both his names, and fome account of him, n Acts 7. 58. represented by fome as an unliable ma-n, why, n Gal. 5. II. Paul's low opinion of himfelf, n Eph. 3. 8. Peace be with you, a common faluta- tion under the old and new difpenfa- tion, n Rom. 1. 7. Peace, the of God, how to be under- ftood, » Col. 3. 15. Penny, Roman, its value, n Mat. iS. 28. and Rev. 6. 6. Pentccojl, where to fee an account of this feaft, n Acts 2. 1. People, barbarous, the meaning of the expreffion, n chap. 2S. 2. Perfect., them that are, what is meant thereby, « 1 Cor. 2. 6. and Heb. 13. 21. not meant in the ftricteft fenfe, tt Phil. 3. 15- . the Captain of falvation being made fo. what it fignifies, « Heb. 2. 10. Perfjttf, the Father and Chrift diftinct, n John S. 19. Peter, miftaken about the place where Chrift was going, n John 13. 26. crucified at Rome, n chap. 21. 19. *s, primacy, the church 2LtjfcrufaleT.il had no notion of it, n Acts 15. 23. 's name being generally mentioned before the other apoftles, no argument of his fupremacy, « chap. iS. iS. Pharaoh, how God's railing him up, &c is to be taken, n Rom. 9. 17. Phai ifces, who, n Mat. 3. 7. Phebe, a woman of confiderable rank. though a fervant of the church, n Rom, 16. I. Philippi, INDEX. Thilippi, not the chief city of Macedo- nia, n Acts i6. i*. Places, heavenly, how otherwife to be rendered, n Eph. I. 3. Pool of Betbejda, the virtue of its water, whence derived, » John 5. 4. Princes of this world, who, « I C^r. 2. 5. Principalities ana powers, who intend- ed by them, a Kom, 8. 3S. and n Eph 1 21. Spoiled, refers to evil and not good angels, « Col. 2. 15. Popedom, various competitors for it who Principle; oj the doctrine of Chrijl, how excommunicated one another, n Rev. many, ami what, n lieD. 6. l. 16. 9. Privilege, Ro-nan, why the apofHe PflHtd poffeffed, by dezik. what meant by it, did not pie id it when fcourged by the n Mat. 4. 2q. ana ;/ Luke S. iq. Jews, n 2 Cor. u. 24. Poffejfion, pur chafed, what it may relate Proceeding from God, Cnril's, intimates to, n Eph. 1. 14. his divine original as web as miflion. Pound, the value of it uncertain, u Luke n John 8. 42 Procedure. God's in judgment, the rulf of it, n Rom. 2. 6. Prodigies, in the air and on earth before the deftruction oijerufalem, a Acts 2. ?°* Pronnfe for their children, Genttie-be- lievers have a right thereto as well as Jews, /> and n ibid. 39. Prom'fes, inherit the, what and of whom meant, n Heb. 6. 12. Property, common, what to between the Father and Son, n John 17. 10. Properties, attributed to one nature of Chnit, while he is fpoken of under a title which relates to his other nature, n chap. 3. ($. Prophecy, ipirit of, when it departed from Ifrael, n Luke 1. 76. ■ ■ its various meanings, n 1 Cor. 14. * *' more fure word of, what intended thereby, p and n 2 Pet. 1. 19. Prophecies, Old Tettament, why fo fre- quently aiiedged by Matthew, n Mat. i. 2.. Preacher, among the Jews, cuftomary Projelytes, Jew?/l>, notorioufly full of to aik him queitions relating to what rancour againit Cbrift, n chap. 23. 15. he had delivered, n 1 Cor. 14. 35. of righteoulhefs and of the gate* Preachers, of Chnit through envy and who, n Acts S. £7. ttrife, who they were, n Phil. 1. 15. Prctejtants, the occafion of the reform- Preaching, or piophefying, a means of ed being called fo, n Rev. 12. 13. God's appointing and owning for the Prove your ownfeives, a metaphor ta- converiion of linners, n 1 Cor. 14. 21. ken from what, n 2 Cor. 13. 5. Pfetepts, Noah's, what they weic, n Prudence, TauF$. in not, teeming tc Acts 8. 27. charge the Jews too feverely with rc- Pfe-exijlence of fouls, a ftrong intimation gaid to their conduct toward him, ?; 19. 13. Power, the woman's having it on her head, becau'.e of the angeh, very diffi- cult to understand, ri 1 Cor. 11. 10. of God toward them that believe, „ how to be taken, p and n Eph. 1. 19. Prayer, the Lord's, iuited to the then prefent dbpenfation, morr* than to after golpel-days, 71 Mat. 6 13. 1 Chriil's, not reftrained to the apof- tles only, n John 17. 6. ■ when moft immediately for them, n ibid. it. • when it extends to others befides them, 11 ibid. 2c. I when he therein returns to fpeak particularly of them, ibid. 25. of the difciples, to whom adaielT- ed, n Acts 1. 14. r* — three ftated hours of, amongft the jews, n chap. 3. 1. private, unieaionable, in time of public worihip, n 1 Cor. 14. 2S. ■ night and day, refers to what, a 2 j im. 1. 2. againtt it, n Rom. 9. 1 1. Prepojitions, nc and sx, differently ren- dered, n Acts 8. 38. Prefent infpirit, how Paul was fo with the Corirlthimis, n 1 Cor. 5. 3. Pretorium, what and why 10 called, » Mark 15. 16. Pritjit, chiej, who, n Mat. 2. 4. and n Acts 9. 14. and Levites, a great number at Jerieko, n Liike 10. 30. Prtejl-bood, Chrilt's, commenced upon earth, n Heb. 5. 5. and n 8. 3. Acts 2S. 17. PJalm, 69th. prophetic of the Meffiah, « Rom. 11. 9. Pjalms, m the title of which there is no penman gamed, to be reckoned to David, n Acts 4. 25. Purged (y the law, what .things by fire and water, and what by blood, p and n Heb. 9. :2. Puriji cation, why Chritt fubmitted" to it, // Luke 2. n. Pu.pofe of God, relates to faving and eternal bet >OT. 1 1» E e e 2 INDEX. Put all things under him, of whom to be underftood, ;; Heb. 2. S. R MtaUh why Chrift called fo by John's difciples, n John r. 3$. Rablies, who, n IMat. 23. 7. Rabbc/u, the meaning cf it, « John 20. 1 5. Ranks by hundreds and fifties, how dif- pofcd, n Mark 6. 40.' Rebecca, her management unjustifiable, though wifely over-ruled" by God, n Heb. 11. 20. Recompenfe cf reward, what meant by ir, and why fo railed, n ibid. 26. Reconciled to Go,! , 3f jr , to whom this addreiled. ,7 9 Cor. 5. 20. Reconciliation to God, to be differently taken, n Ron:. 5. 10. Reconciling all things to himfelf the meaning of it, ?i CuL 1. 20. Record, three that bear it 'in heaven, reasonable evidence to fupport the au- thenticncls of that text, n 1 John 5. ,7- Redemption, both by price and by pow- er, 11 1 Cor. 1. 30. ■ Chrift's, did not extend to every in- dividual of mankind, n Rev. 5. 9. Refrr/hing. the times of, what therein referred to, n Acts 3. 19. Regeneration, the, what it relates to, n Mat. 10. 2S. > more intended by it than being bap- tized with water, ;/ John 3. 10. Rcigm, Chrift's, upon earth, not a person- al one, // Rev. 20. 4. ' ■ what PatcTk wifhing the Corinthi- ans, might, included, n 1 Cor. 4. S. Repent, Paul did not of what he wrote under divine infpiration, 77 2 Cor. 7. S. Repentance a natural duty, but encou- raged by golpel-grace, n Mat. 3. 2. how God wills that all fhonld come to it, 11 2 Pet. 3. o. Reprobate, (ufo/i/moc) a word of vari- ous acceptations, n Rom. 1. 28. Refpett of perfons, in what fenfe Christi- ans are not to have it, n James 1. 1. Re/!, God's, three forts of it, Heb. 4. 3. .Rcjl.tution, laws about; no true repent- ance without it, n Luke 19. 8. R.'J': ireiiion, Chrift's, on the third day, and why, ;; Mat. 2b. r. unquestionable evidence of it, 71 Johq 20. 9. ■ none of the difciples eye-wifi •< Rei ■ >. and no OCcafion that ih. y ihould, n A&i 1 . 1 ■ rettraintfl by the l llC ; — ' ' ' ' 1 c ; ■ bap. %6. < the firft, how to be underfbed, p and n Rev. 20. 5. Revelation, hov^ Paul went by it to j t V- rujalem, n Gal, ;. :. the fpirit of what meant thereby, n Eph. 1. 17. which God gave to Chrifl, how to be ander flood, n Rev. 1. i„ Rhegium, its fignilication, n Acts 2S. 13. Riglrteoi/fnefs of God, Sometimes (leni- ties the juftice cf God, n Rom. 3. 6. at others a justifying rigbteouhWs, and is called the righteoufnels cf forth ; l)Ow this is revealed from faith to faith, n chap. r. 17. of the lanu, what, n chap. S. 4. and fanllification, evidently diftin- guilhed from each other, n r Cor. l Right-hand, an hononrah-e Situation for perfons to be placed in, n Acls 2. 35, Rob, fome churches, in what fetrfe Paid faid to do fo, n 2 Cor. ir. S. Rock, on which the church is built, what is it? n Mat. i<5 iS. — — at Horeb, a conjecture about it, r 1 Cor. 10. 4. Rod, what PanPs coming with it to thr- Corinthians Signifies, n chap. 4. 21. and 2 Cot. 9. 6. Rods, beating -with, fome account of it, n chap. 11. 25. Rome, kings' of Judea, went to be in- verted there, n Luke 19. 12. the antichriftian church of, exactly defcribed, ?? 1 Tim. 4. r. how it will be probably at laft de- stroyed, 7/ Rev. iS. 9. Roof of the houie uhere Chrift was, un- covered how, ?? Mark 2. 4. Room, upper, in which the difciples met. where it was, n Acls 1. 13. # ■ cf the unlearned, what, « r Cor. 1^.16. \ Root, the, Abraham fo called, 71 Rom. 11. 17. Rudders, Ships had formerly often two, n Acts 27. 40. Rude in fpeech, what meant by Paul's being to, n 2 Cor. 11. 6. Rufus, who, /'/Rom. 16. 13. Ruler of the fynigogue t but one by way of eminence, though fometimes feveral ruiers of one Synagogue, n Mat. 5. is. and n p Luke 13. 14, S Sabbath, Chrift Lord of it, his change of tin. day, and our obligation to keep ir, 8 Ma'. 12. S. next, what meant bj it, n Acts 13.. 4*' ■'" weekly, oblcrving it of moral obli- gation, a Kern. 14. 5. Sabbath, INDEX. •*,\tbe feventh-day Sabbath intend- ed ; a judi-i. us nor- of JVj r Keunuttt about it, tf Col ■;.. 16. -r- — a*.7i', .!.(•, begui nd ended with the , • ., ri Ala,. S. 1 6. Sacrifice, Owing, an allufion to what, tf Rom. i:. i. '■■ Abel offered his with faith in the great l'acruice of atonement, n Heb. 11.4. Sacrifice t y falted with ialt, for what end, n Mark 9. 40. > iegai, a proper atonement for poli- tical goilt, n Heb. 9. 9. < of Pagan idolater*, of what fort*, and how ditpcferi of, n 1 Cor. 8. 1. Sacrilege, the meaning of it, p and « Rom. 2. it. Sadducees, who, and what their opinions, ?i Mat. 3. 7. and 22. 51. the greateft enemies to the apoftles; the reafon of it, ;; Aces 5. 17. Saints that, arofe after ChriJV s refurrec- ticn, who they w.re, n Mat. 27. -> ~ departed, do proof of prayers rube l ■ ■'. for them, n 2 Tim. 1. 16. Salt, what meant by it, and hew tafte- lefs, n Lnke 14. 34, 35. . Salio eibt lenses of the word, « chap. 19. 9. 1 a fpiritual bent-fir, fo called aboat forty times in the New Teftament, n Acls 4. 12. ■ fomc-times ufed for temporal deli- verance, n 1 Fet. 4, iS. Samaritans, who, n John 4. 4. the rea- fon of their not receiving Chrilt, v. Luke c. 53. >——and Jews, gvertt enmity between them, p and c John 4. 9. ' V;,'* t0 , '"hat \\ often fignifies, ;z John 17. 17. :.;-.< 4 j Cor, 1. 2. Sanclifted, who they are that are often laid to he lo, rz Judc, , what, w Mat. 26. 3- «Wtf/j and Hagar, prefigured the fpiritual and carnal iced of Abiaham, n Gal 4. Satan, Chrift's meaning when calling Peter fo, » Mat. 16. 23. ■ — — delivering lo him in excommunica- tion; what it means, n 1 Cor. 5. 5. Saved Jhejfjali be, not to be ivkrrtrt to Eve perlbnally, n 1 Tim. %■ 15. Save to the utlcnnof. Chrift able to, how to be underllood, n Hrb 7^10. £////, hi- being born and con>erted on GentiIe-grow>d remarkable, «Acts ro. 1 1. Chrift's appearing to him, how to be undeTltood, n ib;d. 17. Sawn a/under, the prophet 7/ir^/j laid to have been fo, n Heb. tj. 37. Sceptre, when departed irom judak, n Luke 3 1. apd « Acts 6. 12. Schifrn, the true notion of it, » I Cor. it. IS. School of Tyrannies, what, n Acls 19. 9. Schools of the prophets, where an ac- count of them to be ieen, n chap. 3. 24. Jewiflj learners in them ufed to fit at their matter's feet, n chap. 22. 3- Scorpion, whet, n Luke n. tl. Scourging, the manner of \t ; and why Pilate ordered Chrilt to be icour^ed, n Mat. 27. 16. and n Luke 23. 22. Scribes, who; lawyers and they, the fame, n Mrit. ;. 20. Scripture:, Spills forbidding the rrm- mon people to read then:, condemned, 71 1 lheif. 5. 27. uld Teitament, sble to make wife to falvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Scythians, a lavage people, n Co!. 3. ir. ota, emblematical oi large collections of people, n Rcr. S. 9. Sealing of the Spirit, what, /> and 9 Epn. 1. 13^. Seed, thy, how applicable to Chrilt, n Gai. 3. 16. Sepulchre, the itone of it how fealed, n Mat. 27. 66. Servant!, who their mailers property to difpofe of as they pleafed, w Rom. 6. 16. Shale, or appearance, of God, to whom invifible, r. John 5. 37. Sheep, Child's, who, « chap. ic. : Shekel, how much in value, ;/ Mar. zC. l S- Shepherd, good, a high title claimed by Chrilt, n John 10. 1 r. Sheivbread, how made and placed, and why fo called, v. He.b. 9. 2. S'hittim-icQod, a conjecture about it, « ibid. Sickle, in Chrift's hand, for what pur- pole, ;/ Rev. 14. 14. Sight, in his, all things naked, of whom mciint, and what it alludes lo, n Heb. 4. 13. Sig.is, wonders, and miraeles\ bow to be underllood . lihed from the i; iics of tlie Holy Choir, /> and r chap. 2. 4, INDEX. iiiiocnn, tower of) a conjecture about it, n Luke 13. 4. Similitude of Aclatti s tranfgrejjion, what, n Rom. 5. 14. Simon Magus, his blafphemous and abo- minable doctrines; he worked pre- tended miracles, p and n Acts 8. 9. ir. Simony, its. derivation and meaning, n ibid. 20. Sin, entered into the world, what it in- timates, n Rom. 5. 1 z. ■ of Adam imputed, n ibid. — — original, always in the world fiore the fall of man, with an entail uf death, n ibid. .13. <— — all infants involved in the guilt and depravity of it, ;/ Rom. 9. 1 1. • and gr- time, and body at another, put for the whole man, n Rom. 13. 1. Souls of them that were beheaded, how to be understood, n Rev. 20. 4. Speed, God's, what iort cf falutation, n % John ■ver. ic. Spirit, Holy, fpoken of as a diitinct per- fon from Chrifi:, n chip. 14. 16. properly ftvled a Comfoner, ibid. being called the Spirit of Truth, and faid to proceed from the Fatner, an argument of his being properly a divine perlbn, -n chap. 15. 20; the lame fort of powerful operation, and the lame freedom and icwiei-my in ditaibucing his gifts afcribed to him, as unto God, n 1 Cor. 12. 11. was properly the fpirit of tne Fa- ther and of Chrift, prior to their fend- ing him in confeqence of Chrift's death and exaltation, n 1 Pet. 1. PI. of God and of Chrilt, te.ms ufed promifcuouily, why. n Rom. 8. 9. his fearching all things, a peculiar property of deity, n I Cor 2. it. — — — of God, how Paul's thinking he had it, is to be understood, n ch. 7. 40. ' that dwells in ur, how to be un- derttood, n James 4. 5. what Chrift's being quickned there- by fignifies, n 1 Pet. 3. iS. — — - quenching the, what meant by it, n 1 fheft. 5. 19. Spirits of the prophets, fubjecl to whom, 1 Cor. 14. 32. Spiritual, he that is, what intended by ' it, n chap. 2. 17. Staff, Jacob's, leaning upon the top of his when he worihipped, how to be taken, n Heb. if. 21. Star, how it directed the wife men t» the houfe where Jefus was, p and n Mat. 2. 9. Stars fallen from heaven, who meant thereby, n Rev. 9. 1. Stoics, their principal opinions, « Acts 17. iS. Stont, living, no impropriety, but a beau- ty in Chnlt's being called fo, n I Pet. 2. 4. Sfzne, INDEX. Stone, white, alludes to what, p and n Rev. i. ■ 7. Stones, precious, fome account of tbem, n rhap. 21. 19. Stou/'u >; to death, the manner of it a- rrvwgft the Jews, n Mat. 2 1 . 44. Strength, without, what it includes, n Rom. 5. 6". Struggles, between the remainders of in- dwelling corruption, and the principle of grace, represented, « chap. 7. 14. Sufferings, Chrift's, he uttered do mur- muring complaint of them, n John 10. 2S. Sun going down upon our wrath, a pro- verbial expreflion ufed to figr.ify what, n Eph. 4. 26. Supper, Lord's, not deGgned for bodily refrefhment, n Mark 14. 22. Chrift fat at it, and did not ftand at an altar, n Luke 22. 19. pafchal, it was at this that Chrift pointed out the traitor, n ibid. 21. and John 13. 27. ■ when it was that Chrift ro f e from it to waih his difciples feet, « John 13. 2. Surety, Chrift one for his people to Gad, n Heb. 7. 22. Swearing, how far forbid, n Matth 5. 34. profane, the Jews notoriouCy guil- ty of it, n James 5. 1 2. Swine, their being furTered to be porTeff"- ed,and drowned vindicated, n Matth. S. 32. Sword, Chrift's order to get one, how to be taken, n Luke 22. 2,^- Synagogue at Nax-areth, why Chrift read the Scripture only here, though he preached in others, n Luke 4. 16. cafting out of, liquified excommu- nication, of which there were two forts, « John 9. 34. Synagogues, courts held there, ?: Mat. 10. 17. T Tabernacle, why the temple called Co, n Acl:;. 7. 46. ■ of which Chrift is faid to be the mi- nifter, what, ;/ Heb. 8. 2. the form of it, n chap. 9. t. Table in the tabernacle or fan and n Eph* 1. TO. better, provided for us, how to be understood, n Heb. 11. 40. Thomas, v. hy Several times interpreted to be Didynms, n John 11. r6. uncertain whether he made the ex- periment that Chrift offered him ; his divine and appropriating faith how be- got within him, 11 chap. 20. 27. Thorn in theflc/h, uncertain what Paul's was, u 2 Cor. 1 2. 7. Thovfand, a word ufed in an indefinite feme for a large number, «Rev. 20. 2. Thrones, dominions, £tc what meant by tbem, n Cui. 1. 16. Times, latter, what Signified thereby, 72 1 Tim. 4. 1. TimotbeuSy who, n Rom. 16. 2X. r, how Levi paid them in Abra- I n H*b. 7. 10. Titles of civil refpedr. not condemned by C.' rift, but what fort of titles are, n Mat. 2.3. S. Tombs, INDEX. r, in Chris's time, where, n chap. S. iS. Tongue, unknown, probably the Hebrew, n I Cor. i.j.. z. Tongues, toe Mtv of, many prided them- fcives therein, n ibid. 5. — — cloven, on whofe heads they relied, n Acts 2. 3. b not, fometiffles fi^nifies eat not, n Cot. 2. a r. Tr.'i'tious, oral, not countenanced by k r Cor. 11. a. holding of t'wn, what it means, « 2 The:". 2. 15, what to be regarded, and what not, « 4c;b. rz. 21. Tranfubfmntiation, abfurd and over- thrown, n L'ike 22. zo. Travail, the pains of a woman in, a fit representation of T he rortoents of the wicked at the great day, a z Theff. 5. 5. Tribute-moitey, for what purpofe, n Mat. 17. h- Troas, the place where Luke met 2 3 a#/, and became his fellow-traveller, n \ :s 16. 10. Trump of God, what it alludes to, » r Tiied. 4. 16. Truth, uncertain why Pilate alked Ghrift what it was, n [ohn 1 8. 3S. and righteomhefs, what they figni- ry, « Eph. 6. 14. the pillar and ground of, what, « 1 fiin. 3. 15. Twslve, apofties lb called, when but e- leven were living, why, n 1 Cor. 15. 5. V Vail, women's wearing it in the eaftern nations, a token of fubjection, and men's being unveiled a fign of fuperi- oiity, n 1 Cor. 11. 3. a double one mentioned by Paul, p and n 2 Cor. 3. 14. Vanijbing, Cbrift's, out of fight, how it might be, n Luke 24. 3r. Variable fiefs, none in God, what it al- ludes to, and how confident with his being laid to repent, n James 1. 17. Verily, verily, the meaning thereof as ufed by Cinift, » John 1. 51. Vial, a, what, n Rev. 15. 7. Vine, what might give occafion, to Chrift's calling himlelf fo, « John 15. 1. Vinegar, mixed with water, the drink OJ the Roman foldiers, n chap. 19. 29. Virgin betrothed, called a wife under the law of Mofes, n Mat. 1. 19. ■ Mary's queltion not finful, and at what time the conceived, n Luke [. 34. 38- Virgins, include (ingle voung people of b l'exes, n 1 Cor. 7. 25. , Vi,'ions and revelations, what they fe- verally Ggnify, n 2 Cor. 12. 1. Unclean and holy, the meaning of the - rms, n t Cor. 7. 14. Ungodly, who faid to be fo, ti Rom. 4. 5 " Unlearned, they that are, who meant, n c Pet. 3. 16. Unrighteous fometimes fignihes unfaith- ful, n rfeb. 6. 10. Voice, of Chrift, what, p and u John 5. 25. W Wafers at the faerament, no fcriptural inftitution, » 1 Cor. 10. 17. p, and gift, remarkably oppofed, n Rom. f>. 23. Waidenfes and Albigenfes, why fo call- ed, and their opinions, what, n Rev. 16.6. Wafhed, what the believing Corinthians being fo may intend, n 1 Cor. 6. ir. Watch of the night, what, n Mat. 14. 25. Water and 3/ooi coming out of Chrift's pierced fide, not eafily accounted for, n John 19. 34. fived by, the meaning of it, p and n 1 Pet. 3. 20. Wedding-garment, the neceffity of it, n Mat. 22. 11. Weddings, Jewifu, why lamps ufed at them, n chap. 25. 1. Well, Jacob's, why fo called, uncer- tain, n John 4. 6. Wheat, almoft the only grain that dies in the ground, n chap. 12. 24. a meafure of, varioufly computed, n Rev. 6 6. v While, little, what particular time it relates to, h John 16. id. Wickednefs, fpiritual, in high places, what it refers to, n Eph 6. 12. ■ Widow taker, into the number, relates to what, ;; 1 Tim. 5. 9. Will, God's working upon the heart no infringement upon the liberty thereof, n 2 Cor. S. 17. Wifdotn, different fenfes of it, n Luke 7. 35- .. of God, the meaning of it, n chap. 11. 49. in a myjfery, what it fignifies, n 1 Cor. 2. 7. and n chap. 4. I. Wife men, taken in various fenfes, p and n Mat. 2. 1. WitnejJ'es, two, what meant thereby, it Rev. 1 f. 3. the flaying of them, many conjec- tures about it, n ibid. S. Women, in what fenfe not to fpeak in the church, « 1 Cor. 14. 34. Wonderful things, fpoken by the apofties^ what they were, n Acts 2. IX. Word} INDEX. Word, the, Chrift fo called, and is more than an attribute or operation of the Father, n John i. i. ofwifdotn and of knowledge, figni- fy different things, « i Cor. iz. 8. of God, what meant by it, n Heb. 4. 12. Words, Hebrew and Syriac, why inter- preted more by John than by- any o- ther evangelift, n John 1. 42. of the Lord Jefus, what meant by them, n Acts 20. 35. Work, a good, what intended by it, u Phil. 1. 6. Wbr£j-, Chrift's, the reafon of his refer- ring fo often to them, 11 John 14. 11. how thofe of the apoftles greater than Chrift's, n ibid. 12. good, forefeen, no caufe of God's gracious purpofe concerning any, n Rom. 9 11. how Abraham juftified by them, ?i James 2. 21. World, when denoting thofe that receive laving benefit by Chrift's death, what it moll ufually fignifies, n John 1. 29. — — its moft common meaning when ufed by the evangelift Joh?i, n chap. 3. 16. to be underftood with reftriction, n chap. 12. 19. the whole, put for the Roman em- pire, n Rom. 1, 8. and n Rev. 3. 10. — •- how Abraham the heir of it, n Ronr. 4-13- why among thofe things which, fpeaking to the Gentiles, Paul fays-, are theirs, n 1 Cor. 3. 22. the, fignifies either the things, or the carnai men of the world, n 2 Cor, 7. 10. before it began, what meant by the exprelfion, n z Tim. 1. 9. Worfnp, fynagogue, the manner of it, « 1 Cor. 14. 27. religious, Chrift confidered as the object of it, n 2 ThefT. 2. 16. offered by John to an angel, of what fort, n Rev. 19. 10. Worjhipper of God, the ufual defcription ot a profelyte of the gate, n Ads iS. 5. Worthy, different fenles o ; f the word, 11 Luke 21. 36. Writing, Chrift's, on the ground, fome conjr ciures about it, n John S. 6. Wrong, forgive me this, how to be under- ftood, n 2 Cor. 12. 13. Y Tears, four hundred and thirty, the ufual computation thereof, n Gal. 3. 17. twelve hundred andfixty, when to begin, n Rev. 11. 3. Z Zaccheus, probably a yew, n Luke 19. 2. Zealots, Jewijh, an inftance of their ri- gour, n 1 Theff. 4. 13. J I N I S, Sua Ik