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L E C T U R E II.
REVELATION I.
Ver. 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must
shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
This book is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ, because Christ, as the Head of the church, gave it to man.
The Father is spoken of as having given it to Christ, in allusion to the official inferiority of Christ to the
Father, he having engaged, in the covenant of redemption, to operate as Mediator between God and fallen man,
and thus to occupy a sphere of subordination to the Father, in the great work of redemption. May this distinction
be ever remembered, that this inferiority of Christ to the Father, is not one founded in the nature of Christ, or
in any want on Christ's part of being possessed of real, proper, and infinite divinity; but is founded in his
undertaking in the work of man's salvation; according to the following inspired testimony; "Who being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took on him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man." To Jesus Christ, in this his state of official
inferiority, God gave this blessed book, as the finishing part of his holy book of grace to man. And Christ
communicated the same to his beloved disciple John by a heavenly messenger. The angel Gabriel had, ages before,
been sent from God on a similar message to the prophet Daniel; Dan. ix. 21-27. And the prophetic parts of the
Revelation may in a sense be called a new and enlarged edition of the prophecy of Daniel, with liberty of
paraphrase; especially as it related to events future of the period in which John lived. This Revelation was
communicated by one who is called an angel -- a heavenly messenger -- as the term imports. A
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human spirit, sent from heaven on this message, as well answers to the term angel here, as would a person of a superior order. The term imports one who brings a message; -- "one employed to communicate information to another at a distance." On which account, a minister of the gospel is called an angel of his church; Rev. ii. 1. The word angels, when found in the plural, signifies (at least usually) the superior order of intelligences in the invisible world. But when used in the singular number, to denote a bearer of tidings from heaven, it may mean one from that superior order, or one of the glorified saints. Should one of the latter be sent on a divine mission, the word angel would as fitly apply to him as to one of the superior order. Some have hence been of opinion, that the messenger here sent with the Apocalypse to John, was the prophet Daniel. In favor of it, they adduce what he says, chap. xxii. 9, when John (supposing him to have been Christ) falls down to worship him, and the angel says, "See thou do it not! for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the sayings of this book; worship God!" They suppose we learn from these words, that he was one of the prophets; and they think none so probable as Daniel, the "man greatly beloved," and who had been blessed as being inspired to predict various of the same great events found in the Revelation, and of which the Revelation seems to be an inspired commentary. And his keeping the sayings of this book, may seem to indicate such an interest in them, as one would naturally have who had been the honored instrument of their being first revealed! Such conceive that Daniel was sent from above to give an enlarged view of his own former prophecies. Moses and Elijah had before been sent from heaven to converse with Christ on the mount of transfiguration: and Daniel might be sent on the present message. But a belief or disbelief of this, is of no great importance to us.
The object of this message is to us of deep interest: -- "to shew unto his servants things that must shortly come
to pass." These, the Saviour calls (ver. 19) "the things which shall be hereafter." These must mean the line of
events then future, in which the people of God would have a deep interest. What these things are, must be decided
by the facts that are revealed; and not by the caprice of any man. None can have a right to say, they must mean only
several great events; as the overturning of the Jews;
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and of Roman paganism. These events no doubt are given; but by no means exclusively. Many other things then future would be found to be of no less interest to the church, and equally entitled to consideration. Human wisdom must here be exercised, and yet only in humble reliance on divine; "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." No doubt the great course of events, concerning the church, in which she would have a special interest even to the end of the world, will be found to be included in the "things that must shortly come to pass," and "the things which shall be hereafter." This history of events (if it may be so called) beforehand declared, and given in language deeply figurative, must be, construed by pious and sound discretion; taking into view the language of prophecy, and the analogy of things. The chief object of the Revelation is, not to reveal things done in heaven, but things done on earth; and this information is to be most piously gratefully and obediently received.
Ver. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.
We have here the duty and encouragement of this study; and the rich benefits to be derived from a due and pious attention to this book. The remotest events to occur on earth might be said to be at hand, at the period in our text; such is the shortness of time compared with eternity. And the phrase implies that the events are to be studied and kept in mind while yet future.
Ver. 4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which are before his throne.
5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Seven messages were to be sent from the mouth of
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Christ to the seven churches then in Asia Minor. These messages were not prophetic, as some have imagined; but simply admonitory. See chaps. iv. and v., where is a formal preparation, to unfold events of futurity. They, as such, are full of instruction to the people of God in all ages. What is said here of God the Father, that he "is, and was, and is to come," is an essential glory of real and underived divinity. We have in this phrase the eternity of God, as in the following: "Thus saith the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity." Let this be remembered, when we shall find the same attribute of underived divinity taken by Jesus Christ to himself.
The seven Spirits in the text, denote the Holy Ghost in his various gifts and graces furnished to men. "There are diversities of gifts; but the same Spirit." In the text we have three in the Godhead expressed: -- "from him that is, and was, and is to come; and from Jesus Christ; and from the seven Spirits" -- "three are thus noted that bear record in heaven!" Grace and peace to man are from these Three, united in one God! which Three are one! Most clearly is this prime article of the Christian faith here established. The flowing of grace and peace from Heaven is only by Christ, the true witness to the law, government, and mercy of the Godhead; -- who died to redeem; and is the resurrection from the dead; the King of kings; Head over all things to the church, whom he makes kings and priests unto God; to whom be glory and dominion (says the text) for ever and ever. The saints are made kings, as having grace to govern themselves; as having fellowship with Christ in his government of the world; and as being heirs of the crown of glory in heaven. And they are made priests, as having a full interest in Christ's priestly office; and as being themselves prepared, by Divine grace, to offer unto God holy spiritual sacrifices and services, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. In these, they praise their Almighty Saviour for their redemption, and their title to glory.
Ver. 7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds
of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
The scene here hinted is one well known in the sacred oracles; -- the coming of Christ to judge the world. Christ
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in humanity is the judge of the world. "When the Son of man shall appear in his glory, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations." -- To learn who this Judge of the world is, see Psalm I. 1, -- "The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come -- I am God, even thy God!" Verily, then, Christ is God. And he will thus come. "Unto you that look for him, shall he appear a second time without sin, unto salvation." His coming in the flesh was his first coming. And his literal appearance in our text is his second coming. This is said to be "in clouds!" the true sense of which, the event will unfold. It seems he will be attended with clouds of fire; clouds of angels; clouds of all the saints; and (for aught we know) clouds of the unknown legions of intelligences in the universe. And what clouds of overwhelming splendor will attend, none can now conceive. All then will literally behold Christ, the infinite Judge! -- Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas, all the Jewish rulers, all who have persecuted him in his person, or in his people, or pierced him by their sins. All the multitudes of the papal, and infidel Antichrist; of Mohammedans; of the world of rejecters of his salvation; -- the final Gog and Magog, going upon the breadth of the earth to destroy the church of God; all shall see him; and all destitute of his salvation shall wail in eternal horror! -- while the saints hail their heavenly Bridegroom with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
The Bible furnishes several mystical comings of Christ, which were to be antecedent to the last and literal coming just noted, -- as, his coming in the destruction of Jerusalem; in the revolution in Rome from paganism to Christianity; his coming in the reformation; and especially his coming in the battle of the great day just before the Millennium; and in the introduction of that event. And the coming of Christ in signal judgments is noted as being in clouds. "Clouds and darkness are round about him." Christ's coming in the battle of the great day, in Rev. xiv., is noted as being on a white cloud. And the antichristian nations shall then see him, and shall wail.
Ver. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
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Alpha is the first, and Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet, in which language the New Testament was first written: which led the Saviour to add, in another text, "the first and the last!"
Ver. 9. I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This beloved disciple would thus be known to all the people of God as their companion and brother in the labors and perils of the gospel. He was then suffering, as an exile, in the desolate island of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea, to which he had been banished by a Roman emperor for his Christian faith; and Christ here conferred upon him the signal honor of this vision. The Most High says, "They that honor me, I will honor." No pagan emperor was ever blessed with honors in any degree comparable to the honor now given to this preacher of Christ. Persecuting tyrants may doom to infamy the dearest people of God; but he that sits in heaven can commute the sentence, and make its fulfilment a scene of true glory. Such is the economy of Heaven. Who then would not choose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
Ver. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
The Christian Sabbath is here called the Lord's Day, as the holy Eucharist is called the Lord's Supper. The Sabbath is
so called, because that on its morning our Lord burst the bands of death, and finished the provision made for the
salvation of lost man. The first day of the week, on the morning of which our Saviour arose, was henceforth adopted
as the holy Sabbath, instead of the seventh day as before. This was thenceforth to be celebrated in special commemoration
of the resurrection of Christ, the chief corner-stone of the new heavens and new earth; as well as in commemoration of
his creation of the world; it was likewise to be a day for special improvement of the ordinances of grace.
Relative to this change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week; -- the prophet Isaiah, predicting
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the mission of Christ on earth, as a rod from the stem of Jesse (Isa. xi.), says, "His rest shall be glorious." In the Hebrew original it is, "His Sabbath shall be glorious:" Christ then should have a special, and a glorious Sabbath. The Psalmist, predicting the rejection of Christ, and his yet becoming the Head of the corner, as he did indeed by his resurrection from the dead, says, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will be glad and rejoice in it." (Psalm cxviii.) These prophecies, it is thought, give the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week, as kept by the Jews, to the first day to be kept by Christians. Accordingly, our Lord made special visits to his disciples, after his resurrection, on the first day of the week. See Luke xxiv. 13-43, and John xx. 19-29, where the first day of the week is repeatedly noted as the time of the gracious visits of Christ to his disciples, as well as the day of their convocations for his worship. Paul at Troas waited some time for the arrival of the first day of the week, when Christians would convene, that he might preach to them. And to the Corinthians, Paul gave directions for their performance of their charities and pious donations on that holy day. 1 Cor. xvi. 1,2. These, together with the testimony in our text, of John's being in the Spirit on this day, and having on this day his Revelation, afford testimony to the divinity of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. The example of the inspired apostles is equal to a command of God. And when we add to these arguments, the considerations that the day of Pentecost was on the day following the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath, or was on the first day of the week, answering to the Christian Sabbath; as was also the ancient Jubilee; the arguments in favor of this change of the Sabbath are complete. On this day was changed the dispensation of the covenant of grace, from the Mosaic to the Christian; when the Holy Ghost came like a rushing mighty wind, and three thousand were converted to Christ. And this first day of the week gives the true antitype of the ancient Jubilee trumpet, proclaiming liberty and salvation! On this holy day, John was in the Spirit. If Christians now better imitated him in this, they would, no doubt, have more and richer interviews with Heaven. The apostle in our text being thus engaged, heard behind him a loud commanding voice; --
Ver. 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
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the last: and, what thou seest write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Christ asserts his underived divinity; and then orders that the vision should be committed to writing, and sent to the seven churches in Asia, which he names.
Ver. 12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks:
13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned. in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
16. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
On turning to see who thus addressed him, his eyes fastened on the glorious Mediator, Immanuel, God manifest in the
flesh, whom John beheld in vision as descended from heaven, and standing near him in an attitude and appearance which
well-nigh drank up his spirits. How changed now was the Saviour from what he was when John had been conversant with
him, in the days of his humiliation, in his agonies in the garden, and on the cross, and when John had often leaned
on his bosom! The golden candlestick in the ancient temple seemed to stand here before Christ, which gave him the
appearance of standing in the midst of those seven branches of the one candlestick, as the Jewish high-priest was wont
to stand, to dress the seven lamps. This candlestick was of pure beaten gold, to assure us of the purity of all the
true people of God. The branches were seven, to indicate the many particular churches of Christ. They all united in
one foot, to assure us that all true churches unite in Christ, and are supported by him. The position and dress of
Christ seem to have some allusion to the style of the Jewish high-priest, when seen in the temple in his official
habiliments. It is thought this dress and appearance of
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Christ, are to be viewed as emblematical of things like the following; -- His flowing outer garment down to his feet, reminds of his mediatorial righteousness, furnished for the salvation of his people, even the vilest. His golden girdle round the breast, tells us of his faithfulness, and of the tenderness of his heart; that his people are set as a seal on his arm and heart, with love which many waters cannot quench, nor floods drown. The intense whiteness of his hair denotes his eternity, and infinite venerableness. His eyes being as a flame of fire, reminds of his omniscience, and the piercing attention he pays to every thing. His feet being like burning brass, and as though they glowed in a furnace, denotes the holiness of all his ways; the excellence and majesty of all his dispensations. The sounding of his voice as the roaring of an ocean in a tempest, denotes the various alarming events of his holy providence against his enemies. The seven stars in his right hand denote his ambassadors, who are ever held and supported by his grace! "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." The sharp sword from his mouth is an emblem of the keen power of his word, sharper than any two-edged sword, to save, or to destroy. And his countenance shining as the sun, is a most fit emblem of his infinite majesty.
Here, Christians, is the Being, "whom having not seen ye love: in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing; ye rejoice with joy unspeakable." This is the Personage, sinners, who assures you, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock!" This is he of whom saints glory, when they exclaim: "This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
Ver. 17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18. lam he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Man, being hut dust and ashes, cannot, in this his mortal state, see God's face and live. It is then, in mercy to man, that "he holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it." Our Lord, in this his bright manifestation of himself to John, no doubt veiled much of his glory, a full view of which would instantly have extinguished
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his animal life. But such was the view of glory given, that the beloved disciple fell at his feet as dead! But Christ kindly laid his hand upon him, furnishing him with strength, as he had done to the beloved Daniel, ages before, who, on a similar occasion, was sinking at his feet, overwhelmed with his glory. (Dan. x. 8 -- 12.) Most kind was his address: "Fear not! I am the first, and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead, and am alive for evermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death." Here again, from his own mouth, we learn that he is God! and is the only way to heaven, and sovereign of heaven and of hell; -- to receive to the one, and to banish to the other, whom he will. Such is he who tenders salvation to man.
Ver. 19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
The Apocalypse has a number of grand divisions, as will be seen, each in its place. Here is one of interest. (1.) "The things which thou hast seen," are this introduction of the book, in chapter first. (2.) "The things which are," consist. of the seven epistles to the seven churches, which follow in chapters second and third. (3.) "The things which shall be hereafter;" all the events then future, which shall be found contained in the book. The great events of salvation to the church, and of destruction to her enemies, from that time to the end of the world, which the Spirit would unfold in courses of events exhibited in the figurative language of this book.
Ver. 20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
An infallible interpretation is here given of the ancient golden candlestick in the temple, with its seven branches; and of its light on the summit of each branch. That rich emblem is here applied, by Christ himself, to the seven churches then in Asia; each branch is a church; and its light, called a star, an emblem of the gospel ministry in that branch. And thus the candlestick, with its lights,
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was a symbol of all the churches, with their pastors, to the end of the world. This Christ notes as a mystery; or as a thing denoted by figure. The candlestick was a type of all the visible churches of Christ. Its seven branches denoted their many branches. But all are one in Christ. Christ is in the midst of his churches, as he seemed to stand in the midst of the branches of the candlestick. The thought and assurance of this presence of Christ in his churches, are most animating, and full of salvation. "Zion behold thy Saviour King! -- He reigns and triumphs here!" The church is the pillar and ground of the truth, as the means of upholding the ambassadors of Christ, and the order of his truth and grace. "Ye are the light of the world." Ministers and churches find here their strength and righteousness; -- their Saviour and their God. Christ says to them, "Because I live, ye shall live also." And they triumph and rejoice, "I live; yet not I; but Christ liveth in me." "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." "And the life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." The thought is, by the emblem and the unity of the candlestick, deeply impressed, that all the saints are one in Christ. All want of love and union then, is vile, and utterly unworthy of the saints. All true ministers of Christ shine with light derived only from him. "In thy light shall we see light." The churches must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. They first are pure; then peaceable. "Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." The candlestick was formed of purest gold. The almost Christian then, is but dross. He has no part nor lot in this bright emblem. "The hope of the hypocrite shall perish." Nothing short of the correct and pure Christian faith, heart, and life, can answer to the pure gold of the candlestick! This is a new heart, created in Christ unto good works. Without holiness, no man can see the Lord. And all is not gold that glitters. Counterfeit graces abound. "Five of them were wise, and five were foolish." With holy fear and trembling, then, let each professor say, "Lord, is it I?" "Search me, O Lord, and prove me! try my reins and my heart!" "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me!" Form Christ in me the hope of glory!
Think, Christian, of the glory and dignity of your Saviour and Lord, always present! Dwell on his character as here given, till your whole soul is transformed to love
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and admiration; and till you can constantly breathe out the confident address, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." Then live the life of holy faith; the happy life of looking unto Jesus! Then will his love refine your soul. Then will you find rich mines of consolation; rich and most glorious in your heavenly Bridegroom; for ever present, and prepared to save! "He is thy Lord, and worship thou him." Here is our atonement, our righteousness, our life, and our salvation. We will behold his flowing mantle; his girdle of love; his white and infinite venerableness; his flaming eye; the holy footsteps of his burning feet; the two-edged sword of his mouth; his countenance brighter than the sun! We will not fail to listen to the sound of his providences, as the roar of a thundering ocean! And we will lie prostrate at his feet, imploring his life-giving right hand kindly to be laid upon us! We will ever prize and implore his kind, life-giving whisper, It is I; be not afraid. I am he that liveth, and was dead. And because I live, ye shall live also. We will follow him till we come where he is, to behold his face in righteousness, and to be satisfied, awaking in his likeness and glory!
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LECTURE III.
REVELATION II.
Ver. 1. Unto the angel of the churches of Ephesus write; these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
Ephesus was the metropolis of Lydia in Asia. A church was here early collected: and with this church Christ commences his epistles to the seven churches. Each epistle is directed to the angel of that church. In this term, probably, were included whatever teaching elders there might be in that church. Some suppose the pastor or pastors of each church were all that is meant by the angel of that church. Others suppose it meant, especially, a person who
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was a moderator or president of a consociation of the particular churches found in each city named. We read, Acts xx. 17, of elders in the church of Ephesus. And we are informed that the apostles, and others ordained hy them, "ordained elders in every city." Those first churches were wont to have a plurality of elders in each church. And we learn, in church history, that in the first Christian ages, contiguous churches were led to form themselves into a kind of consociation, for their mutual benefit; each consociation having a standing moderator; which moderator might be the person denoted by the angel of that church. Whether this were the case; or whether this angel means the eldership of that church, meaning to include all its officers, is not essential. *
Jesus Christ, in each address, gives a description of himself from some of his notable characteristics exhibited in the first chapter of this book, and in different sacred Scriptures. And there seems to be some affinity between the trait of character thus selected, and the state or character of that church. It appears to have been selected for their admonition, or their consolation, as their case required.
To the Ephesian church, the address is thus given, -- from him "who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand; and walketh in the midst of his seven golden candlesticks." Blessed indeed is Zion, that her Saviour and Lord walks in the midst of his churches, by his word, ambassadors, and ordinances, by his spirit of grace, and his government
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* Mosheim says, "It is highly probable that the church of Jerusalem, grown numerous, and deprived of the ministry of the apostles. was the first that chose a president. And it is no less probable that the other churches followed so respectable an example." Of these presidents, or ancient bishops, he says (relative to their difference from modern bishops), "they bad not power to decide or to enact any thing without the consent of the presbyters (common pastors) and the people." Scott speaks of them as moderators, or censors, elected at the discretion of the churches, and probably (he thinks) with the countenance of the apostles; but that they possessed no official superiority to other teaching elders. Jerome, afterwards when some of these bishops were struggling to be viewed as of a superior order, opposed them, and said, "Let, therefore, the presbyters (common pastors) know, that as by the custom of the churches they are subject to him who is their president; so let the bishops (these standing presidents) know that they are above presbyters more by the custom of the church, than by any true dispensation of Christ." This order of ministers thus arose only by human discretion and custom, and were only first among equals in office. Each city of note seems to have had such a president, or bishop of the churches in that city and vicinity. And this might have been the angel mentioned in the address of each epistle.
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of all things. In these, he is a wall of fire round about, and a glory in the midst of her. And Christ's true ministers are assured, that they rest in the right hand of their Lord and Master. "Lo, I am with you always." "My grace is sufficient for thee."
Ver. 2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
3. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
Their good deeds, the Saviour first notes to their praise. They had labored in duty; they had patiently endured trials; they had detected and abhorred evil doers; they had examined and exposed false teachers. Paul had warned that church (Acts xx. 29, 30), "For I know that after my departure, shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock: also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them." Soil had taken place. These impostors (as all false teachers do) pretended they were sent of God. This church had tried those false apostles by the word of God, and condemned them as liars. And this their faithfulness Christ especially notes and approves; and this testimony he leaves for the benefit of all, to the end of the world. And the good deeds of this church, the Saviour repeats: -- their patience, their labors for his sake; and their perseverance! Few, perhaps, are the churches, at this period, concerning whom so much good can be said! Much reason, then, have many to tremble, when they peruse the following: --
Ver. 4. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5. Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
They had suffered the pious fervor of their first gracious affections to abate. In this, they had been guilty of criminal inattention and ingratitude. A speedy repentance of
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this sin was demanded; -- to love as they had first loved; or Christ would soon visit them, and dispossess them of their church blessings. This awful judgment was, in after days, executed upon them. Too many have left their first love; while the love of the world has taken its place! Such have reason to be deeply affected with this warning of the glorious Head of the church.
Ver. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
The Nicolaittins were a sect of Antinomians who, under the notion of Christian liberty, pleaded for a licentious community of wives. Such a hateful sect existed, and were here, by the Head of the church, condemned. And the Ephesian church had dealt faithfully with these licentious hypocrites: and probably, had cleansed their community from them. And this faithfulness, Christ publicly approves for the benefit of all his churches, from that period.
Tradition has branded Nicholas, one of the seven deacons, as the infamous leader of this sect. It seems probable that this is incorrect, and very injurious. Those seven deacons were said to have been "full of the Holy Ghost." Could one of them, then, be guilty of such enormity? No doubt there were different men of this name. It does not follow that because one by the name of Nicholas, led in this error, it hence must be this pious deacon. This is not to be admitted without positive proof.
Ver. 7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
This is connected with the address to the Ephesian church: yet it is "what the Spirit saith unto the churches." It is equally applicable to all of similar character in all ages; and it is most unhappy that so many who have ears, pay so little attention to what the Spirit of God urges here upon them. This conduct will one day "bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder." Let us hear; and so hear, that our souls may live! Can as much be said in favor of all our churches, as was said in favor of the church of Ephesus? But they had suffered the fervor of their first love to abate! The command to those who have once loved,
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is, "Keep yourselves in the love of God." -- "Abound therein more and more." -- "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord." Confidence that we once loved God, with present contentment without it, is not the way to overcome, but to sink in despair!
The motive to overcome here is powerful. Such shall feed upon the antitype of the tree of life. Adam in the garden of Paradise (we are led to believe) was, at the close of his term of trial, to "put forth his hand. and eat of the tree of life, and live for ever." This act was to have been the sealing of his active personal righteousness, as his legal title to an eternal confirmation in holiness and bliss; alluding to which order, our text assures us, that all who overcome shall find, at the close of their season of trial, something in their second Adam well answering to this. Jesus Christ -- "the Lord our righteousness" -- "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" -- will be to them the tree of life indeed, to fix them in eternal holiness and bliss.
Ver. 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Smyrna was a large city in Asia Minor. The gospel was early preached here with success; and a church was here found which entirely escaped censure; and which received much commendation. The trait of Christ's character selected for them, therefore, is his eternal divinity, and his death, and resurrection, -- essential glories in the Christian salvation, -- "God manifest in the flesh," "Who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification."
Ver. 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
They had a severe lot in the early persecutions; but none of their trials were overlooked by the omniscient eye of their Immanuel. Their poverty too, he noted, and would a thousand-fold compensate. And he assured them they were rich. "God hath chosen the poor of this world,
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rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom." "When I am weak, then am I strong." -- Emptied of self, and filled with the fulness of God. And, for their further consolation, Christ assures the church that he was not inattentive to the insults and impertinence of false religionists among them; who, while disturbing their holy order, claimed to be viewed and treated as the true people of God. The term Jews here, means true saints. The Saviour declared, that, instead of such being true saints, they were "of the synagogue of Satan." Many, from that day to the present, have made equally high claims, with no better characters! In these last days, the thing will prove too certain, and the interpretation sure! The high claims of heretics, Christ here calls blasphemy. Such blasphemy has, in our day, been heard; and much more is yet to come. If it has always been a truth that "there must be heresies among you, that those that are approved may be made manifest;" this is more particularly to be the case in the period just before the battle of that great day of God. The Saviour, with his eye fixed upon such, and at the same time upon his dear people, says to the latter, Fear not!
Ver. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye maybe tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
As though he should say, "Fear not! for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God. Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die; and of the son of man that is grass? Where is the fury of the oppressor?" "The moth shall eat them up like wool!" Much more happy was this church, than were the persecuting Roman emperors; or than was Alexander, in conquering the world! The latter would die in vexation and despair; but the followers of Christ were heirs of an immortal kingdom. For such, death had no terrors; the devil would cast some of them into prison by his wicked agents, and they should have tribulation ten days. A ten years' persecution was just ahead. Christ hence exhorts them to be faithful unto death, and he would give them a crown of life! Give up your temporal life for my cause, when you are called; and the eternal life of the soul shall take its place.
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Ver. 11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death.
This solemn direction is repeated. And who would not hear and obey it? What church would not feel a holy ambition to deserve such commendation? Here are the true riches; here is true greatness. O church of the Redeemer, "go thou and do likewise." The second death (the king of terrors to the wicked) will have no power against people of this character. But the promise in the text implies that all who do not overcome, shall be hurt of the second death. They that turn back from God, as well as they who seek not God, will all be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing away from the living God."
Ver. 12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Pergamos was another city of Asia Minor, to the northward of Smyrna. This church, while it had some things to be commended, had some things likewise to be censured. The trait of Christ's character now was, "he that hath the sword of two edges!" The two-edged sword of Christ will be dreadful where sin is indulged. May delinquent churches remember this, and tremble, and reform!
With this church, Christ begins with commending what good he found among them, evincing that he is more ready to commend than to censure. This is much more the delight of benevolence; while the reverse is the malignant delight of the carnal heart.
Ver. 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
All their deeds and their trials were before his omniscient eye. Happy the people who act always under the full
impression of this great truth! This church dwelt where Satan had a seat (throne). Pergamos was one of
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the head-quarters of the Prince of Darkness. Here were champions of idolatry, of heresies, and of persecution. Here Antipas (an early martyr) had been made to seal his testimony for Christ with his blood. Yet this church, in such perils, maintained its Christian profession and the doctrines of grace. One would imagine they would escape censure. But censurable dereliction is found even here!
Ver. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Some base mercenary characters were suffered to continue in their communion. Some who were of a covetous temporizing spirit, similar to that of ancient Balaam, who savored not the things of God, but those of men, and were ready, slily, to give counsel against God's dear Israel. Such Antinomian counsellors of Satan were by some means retained in the bosom of this church. This spirit of Balaam can operate in many ways, according to time and place; while yet it is the same thing; viz., a covetous worldly spirit, most hateful to God!
This good church embosomed also some who held the impure tenets of the Nicolaitans; abominable to Christ; who practically denied that "fleshly lusts do war against the soul!" that "they who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts!" and that the offending eye, not plucked out, will sink its owner into hell. Sensualists will forget these things: but that church should not have forgotten them, nor held such in her communion. Hence Christ adds:
Ver. 16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
As though he had said; -- with such offenders as these, parley no longer. Take effectual and immediate measures either to reclaim them, or to sever them from your church. Listen not a word to their vile pleas of liberty of conscience, or of sincerity in their sentiments! Hear not
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their vile appeals to charity. Be no longer blinded with such pretences. Purify yourselves at once from such scandals; or you may expect to know the meaning of the sharp sword of two edges. Faithfulness in one point will never atone for sin in another. One leak neglected, will sink the ship! He that offends in one point is guilty of all.
Ver. 17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
This solemn admonition is thus repeated, to show the danger of not yielding the pious attention demanded. Sublime
motives to duty are continually presented. Here, they that overcome shall richly partake of that bread of life,
typified by the ancient manna, hid in a golden pot in the ark of the covenant. Christ is the bread of life -- the
true bread that came down from heaven. The soul that overcomes shall perfectly enjoy him in his full salvation in
heaven. And in order for this, such a soul shall be justified by Divine grace, denoted by the white stone here
mentioned, in allusion to the process in ancient courts. In the trial of one indicted for a crime -- the judges
would vote for his condemnation, by casting into a box a black stone; or for his justification, by casting in a white
one. The white stone should be here given in behalf of the true saint. And, to this figure Christ adds a rich
appendage, that the white stone of justification has, wrought into it, a new name, which none but the receiver can
construe; or none can infallibly know the evidence of grace in the heart of another. This is a thing which a person
must see to for himself, by the witnessing of the Spirit of grace. Such witnessing gives meat to eat which the world
knoweth not -- joys, with which the stranger does not intermeddle. The white stone of justification has indeed
sanctification inscribed on it; and well may the subject of this be noted as having a new name. "Thou shalt be called
by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name;" the new name of Christians was indeed given to the followers
of Christ, and will be the new name given to the Jews, when they shall be called in! A true Christian, is indeed
a name which no one truly knows, but by being brought to the possession of it. "The world knoweth us not, because
it knew not him."
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May ministers and professors, who are called to dwell where Satan peculiarly has a seat, hear and joyfully obey this address of Christ! Such places where Satan's seat is, are many; and the professed people of Christ there are in danger of becoming themselves of a temporizing character; or of being led astray by those who are of such a character. Dreadful indeed is the charge, when it applies, "Thou savorest not the things that be of God; but the things that be of men." Ministers and churches then, have great need to maintain vigilance and prayer, and to be bold, zealous, valiant, and persevering. They must not consult flesh and blood; but the word of God.
Ver. 18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
We have here characters of Christ full of meaning. This city south-eastward of Pergamos, had its true church of Christ; but such were the imperfections found in this Church, that Christ was about to administer solemn warning and reproof. He hence assures them that the address was from Him, before whose flaming eyes their conduct lay open! that their wickedness was before Him, whose feet are like burning brass; or, his ways most pure and holy. But he kindly commences by rehearsing their good deeds.
Ver. 19. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
The character of this church it seems had been established by exhibitions of a good degree of charity, or holy love. And they had performed services of faith, of holy patience, and of good works a second time expressed. Happy, if so much good could be said of all the professed churches of Christ. But Christ adds;
Ver. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
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In some great sin, various of their members were living. And the Saviour saw fit not to call the delinquents, nor their crimes by name; but to denote both by some figure well known. So delicate and wise is the word of Divine reproof! It chooses acceptable words. It presents a kind glass in which people may thus discover themselves, and reform, without being too fatally exposed. Of some, it thus has compassion, making a difference. May public instructors improve this hint of Christ relative to the best modes of public reproofs! May they avoid the Scylla of harshness, needlessly offensive and cruelly personal; on the one hand; -- and the Charybdis of hiding their reproofs, and rendering them ineffectual by false delicacy, on the other.
We know not the particular things here condemned, but that church, no doubt, well understood the reproof. Some wicked character or sect, was there indulged in the church, in a degree similar to the idolatrous Jezebel, the queen of Ahab, who persecuted the prophets of the Lord, and unrighteously put her royal consort into possession of Naboth's vineyard. And made herself both impertinent and hateful by her idolatries. Some wickedness was winked at in this church, which tended to real idolatry, which is spiritual impurity. They pleaded divine authority for their peculiarities; but their pleas were false. Evils, like this, have infested the church of Christ in all ages, -- plausible by the blandishments of innovators, and assuming shades of difference in different times and places.
Ver. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
This sect, spiritually licentious, Christ had called upon to repent; but they had refused. And he now denounced that he would soon turn their bed of selfish religion, and of mystical impurity, into a bed of torment; perhaps alluding to the threatening in the prophet, of the same wrath for a similar sin, -- "Behold, all ye that kindle a fire; that compass
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yourselves with sparks! Walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled; lo, this shall ye have at my hands; ye shall lie down in sorrows." As a bed of licentiousness shall end in a bed of eternal torments; so the framers of licentious sentiments, -- forming their sentiments from their own imaginations, and not from the word of God, shall, at the end, lie down in eternal sorrows! And their children -- probably neglected under some sanctimonious pretence, or trained up for annoyance to the faithful saints -- Christ would "kill with death!" probably indicating, that the error of this sect was of-a nature to prove fatal to their families. Thus their own wickedness should correct them; and they, with their neglected children, should perish in their sins. And all the churches, beholding such examples of justice, shall know the judgments of God, and that Jesus Christ is the Jehovah, who knows all hearts, and will render to all according to their real characters!
Ver. 24. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25. But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.
Some, by the grace of God, had escaped the pollutions which have been noted. They should walk with Christ in the purity of his salvation, with no additional burdens. These had not known certain depths, in which, it seems, the censured sect had gloried. To these depths they probably gave some specious name of wisdom; but Christ calls them "depths of Satan." The boasted intimacy of this sect, then, was not with God, as they vainly fancied; but with the wicked one. Too many, alas, have made the same mistake, fancying they were led by the divine Spirit; when their leader, in fact, was a fallen angel! So that their boasted depths of wisdom were in reality but "depths of Satan" who transforms himself into an angel of light. Such will turn into crooked ways, and be led forth with the workers of iniquity. But the true disciples of Christ will hold fast till he come.
Ver. 26. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.
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27. (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers); even as I received of my Father.
28. And I will give him the morning star.
29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
It is predicted of Christ, in Psalm ii., relative to the heathen and the antichristian world, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." This has a special allusion to "the battle of that great day of God Almighty," which shall sink the antichristian world. And this event Christ sees fit to ascribe to the persevering triumphant saints. They are noted as doing this work of judgment in the same sense in which they are to "judge the world." They will have perfect fellowship with Christ in those mighty operations; and he will do these things in answer to their prayers for the salvation of Zion. Christ thus puts upon his children the honor of his operations of judgment, even as the two witnesses are said to "have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and power to smite the earth with all plagues as oft as they will." The Psalmist gives the same view of this honor put upon the triumphant people of God; that "the high praises of God are in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishment upon the people; to execute upon them the judgments written: this honor have all the saints." "Even as I have received of my Father." This honor the Father has officially given to the Son, as Mediator, and as Head over all things to the church, as a part of the reward of his sufferings and humiliation, when he obeyed and died to magnify the law. And Christ gives a participation of the honor of it to his children, in consequence of their obedience to the gospel; as he says in another passage, "He that overcometh shall sit down with me in my throne; even as I have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Christ had before said to his disciples, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." As the saints are justified, and will be glorified in Christ; so he puts a measure of his honor in governing and judging the world upon them. His saints will have full fellowship with him in these events, and in his destroying the antichristian world, to
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prepare the way for the Millennium: and he will do it in answer to their prayers for Zion, and to complete her salvation.
Christ's giving to all that overcome, the morning star, means his giving himself to them. "I am the bright and morning star." This is indeed the gift of all gifts. "He that overcometh, I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Well does such a promise close with the gracious demand so often repeated, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Seven times over, in this book, is this divine command given in the same words! We have here, then, a perfect testimony given to the personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost! And most perfect is the testimony, in this book, borne to the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity of God. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God the Father gave unto him. And it is, at the same time, what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Let the communications thus made sink deep into our hearts. Let them be to us quick and powerful, sharper than any
two-edged sword. Let them pierce to the dividing asunder, as it were, the soul and spirit, the joints and marrow.
Let them be the discerner of our thoughts and intents of the heart. May our sins be purged off. May all the members
of the church of Christ see to it that no followers of Jezebel, no seducing characters or practices, are allowed in
their hearts, or in their communities; lest they at last find themselves shut out from the holy temple above, and
must lie down in eternal sorrows.
L E C T U R E IV.
REVELATION III.
Ver. 1. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Sardis, southward of Thyatira, was once the renowned
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capital of Croesus; and was the seat of the Lydian kings. The gospel had there triumphed, and a church was collected: but their religion was, at this time, at a very low ebb. Christ, in his address to them, takes the characteristic of his being the official director of the Holy Spirit in his multiform gifts and operations, denoted by the perfect number seven; and of his holding in his gracious power the stars, -- the ministers of the gospel. He thus signifies to a delinquent church, that he it is who can replenish them with graces and gifts; or withdraw from them all gospel blessings, as he may please. The phrase, "the seven spirits of God," is a powerful expression of the different gifts, and operations, and of the infinite fulness of the Spirit of God. Paul alludes to the same, when he tells the Corinthians, "There are diversities of gifts; but the same Spirit." Christ assures this church of his full acquaintance with them; and that while they had a name to live, they were dead. We find this was not the case with all the individuals in that church. But the phrase seems to imply, that it was thus with a majority of them at least. They had taken their lamp without the oil. This is an awful prelude to eternal and most aggravated condemnation; as in the case of the foolish virgins; and of the hope of the hypocrite, that shall perish.
Ver. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
They were here warned immediately to awake, and cherish whatever of Christianity was still existing among them, lest it become utterly extinct; to give the more earnest heed to the things which they had heard; to repent, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; or Christ would soon visit them in some unexpected and fatal manner.
Ver. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Even in this church, thus dead as a body, were contained
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a few faithful members, who were in a good degree uncontaminated with the general corruption of the body. They had dared alone to stem the torrent of evil, and to stand firm. Their walking with Christ in white, may allude to the following facts, that white is a natural emblem of purity, and also of victory; that the singing Levites of old were ordered to minister in their service before God "being clothed in white;" and that the Ancient of days (Christ) appeared to Daniel, and on the mount of transfiguration, in a garment intensely white. These few names then, should walk with Christ in purity and victory. "For they are worthy:" not with legal or condign worthiness; but with a worthiness of congruity or fitness by divine grace within them, and by their interest in Christ. Here is a blessed encouragement, in a time of general corruption, to dare to be bold and singular for Christ, at whatever expense of name, property, or even of life.
Ver. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
To encourage, effectually, those few names, and all similar characters, to the end of the world, the general declaration is made that all who thus follow Christ, and overcome, shall be treated as conquerors; -- confirmed in eternal purity; -- shall find their names in the book of life in heaven; -- and shall be owned of Christ before the Father, and all the angelic hosts. Their not having their names erased from the book of life, is spoken only after the manner of men; inasmuch as professors who have never forfeited their characters, are received and spoken of as the righteous, and consequently as having their names in the book of life. And, following the same language, if they full away, they are noted as turning from their righteousness to iniquity, and having their names taken from the book of life. But the literal fact is, apostates discover only that they never were truly of the righteous; and their names were never in the book of life. Had they been there, they never would have been suffered fatally to apostatize. "The righteous fall seven times, and rise again."
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The Holy Ghost assures us that nothing shall ever separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This address, like the others, is closed with the call to all who .have ears to hear, or obey. In view of the charge, "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead!" let professors tremble; and each one say, "Lord is it I?" "Search me, O Lord, and prove me! Try my reins and my heart!" And may the few faithful names found in dead churches, be stimulated to new zeal. May they "be strong, and bold, and very courageous," at the direction of him who says to them, "Watch ye; stand fast in the faith; quit ye like men; be strong." And when the dead mass of false brethren shall sink in ruin; they will be crowned as conquerors before the general assembly of angels and saints. In the darkest scenes, they have it for their encouragement, that "the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his!"
Ver. 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth;
This city, southward of Sardis, contained a church not to be censured. They were, indeed, according to the name of their city, friendly brethren! The Saviour now takes his name from those traits of character that are most encouraging: -- "He that is holy;" or full of pure and perfect love: "He that is true;" and hence is faithful to his promises: "He that hath the key of David;" or has infinite power to save, resting on the covenant of redemption made with him as the antitype of David. "He that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth;" or, has infinite power either to unfold, or to hide the plan of salvation; to open the door of the human heart, that it shall receive salvation; and also power to open the door of heaven or of hell to the souls of men.
Ver. 8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a
little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
All their faithful deeds Christ noted, and would unfold
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for their reward. He had set open before them a door both of Christian usefulness, and of eternal glory, which no
enemies could close. Such doors Christ opens to the faithful; -- doors of securing a bright reward, and of his
conferring it upon them. These saints had "a little strength," moral strength; not from themselves, but from the grace
of God, which they had received and cultivated in the most trying days. Such gracious habits of soul Christians may
and ought ever to cultivate in the strength of Jesus Christ. Then they have an open door indeed, which Ihe kingdom of
darkness can never shut, a door of usefulness and of salvation.
Ver. 9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold,
I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
This church, too, had been annoyed by vile impostors, calling themselves Jews, meaning here true friends of God.
But their claims were false. Christ declared them to be "of the synagogue of Satan!" And these vile characters should,
sooner or later, be made to feel and to confess the excellency of the characters they had thus injured. And their
confusion in this thing is denoted by the proverbial phrase of their coming and worshipping before the feet of those
they had despised and injured; as in the prophet: "They shall come bending unto thee. They shall bow themselves down
at the soles of thy feet." Scenes of eternal and intolerable mortification await all such impenitent offenders of
Christ's little ones. Christ had before said, that it had been better for such if a mill-stone were hanged about their
necks, and they cast into the sea, than that they should thus offend. Such hints will be found to contain infinite
terror to very many, who here delight to torture and oppose the true people of God!"
Ver. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which
shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
"The word of my patience!" thus called, because that to obey it, in such a time, and to endure the consequent
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persecutions, required great patience; and also because the wonderful patience of Christ towards his enemies, was exhibited in such scenes of their cruelty and outrage! Christ now engaged to such, to keep them in all their future scenes; not from being tried; but from being overcome. A tremendous scene of temptation and terror then awaited the Christians of the Roman earth, in the persecution under the Emperor Domitian. The Roman empire is often spoken of in Revelation, as the earth, and the world. That bloody persecution was then coming "upon all the Roman world, to try them that dwelt upon the (Roman) earth." In this, Christ would sustain that church. Christians in all ages have their special trials, in which their Lord graciously engages to keep them. "Fear not! for I am with thee!" "It is I; be not afraid." The covenant of grace assures, that "in every temptation, God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with every temptation make a way for your escape, or enable you to bear it." "My grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in weakness." But such grace is derived and enjoyed only in the way of diligent Christian faithfulness. Hence our blessed Lord adds:
Ver. 11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Christians are ever to remember, that behold their Lord cometh quickly! and at all times must they "look for, and haste unto the coming of their Lord "and Judge. He may speedily come in their individual death. And the time that may intervene between this and his final coming, will be as nothing compared with eternity. The grace given to Christians must be held fast; and it requires diligent cultivation, that no enemy may wrest their crown from them, or rob them of their eternal glory. Grant that the crown
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of glory is, in the covenant of grace, made certain to all the regenerate: yet this certainty of the end does not preclude the necessity of means of arriving at the end; nor of giving all diligence to persevere, -- of agonizing to endure unto the end: and after all their diligence, it is said, "If the righteous scarcely are saved." -- Such is the manner, on their part, of their reaching salvation.
Their salvation is here noted by their being made a pillar in the temple of glory, that shall be honored with the inscription of the name of God, of the name of the city of glory, and of the new name of Christ. The particular things meant, eternity will unfold! "How can ye understand, if I tell you of heavenly things?" "It does not yet appear what we shall be." Relative to Christ's new name, we know not; it may allude to the new character, under which Christ will appear to eternity in heaven, after he shall have divested himself of his present mediatorial kingdom, at the end of the world. "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father." Surely Christ must, thenceforward, in eternity, appear to the redeemed in some new point of light. And this may, for aught we can tell, account for his "new name," to be inscribed on the redeemed pillars of the heavenly temple. And as things are thus, no wonder Christ repeats his command to have all that have ears, hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches! All other interests sink to nothing before this! Most pitiful, then, is the sleepy state of the Christian world! In how great danger are many who hope, and who profess religion, of coming short of such glory! And how irreparable will be the loss! Many of the children of "the kingdom will be cast out." "There shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God; and you yourselves thrust out!" Awake, then, all who wear the name of Christ! you walk on snares! you are in an enemy's land! Will you sleep in the field of battle? Foes most potent are engaged to rob you of your eternal life, -- your eternal all! Thousands have been thus robbed; and thousands more will be thus robbed! Will you permit yourselves to be found among them? In order to escape, inspiration says, "Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may devour."
Ver. 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans
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write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
This city was southward of Philadelphia, and on the way to Ephesus. These seven churches lay in a kind of circle. Laodicea is the last; but is far from being the best. The divine Master presents himself to them as the Amen, or immutable Being; one who bears faithful and true testimony concerning them, and all men. "The beginning of the creation of God:" or who, in his constituted mediatorial office, is the "firstborn of every creature;" the first created establishment actually brought into existence. The covenant of redemption was first formed between the Father and the Son, in which Christ was constituted Mediator. And as the humanity of Christ (which was then covenanted to be received in due time) should be created; as the connexion between this and the infinite divinity of Christ, should be created; and as the whole official character of Christ is constituted; so he denominates himself, "the beginning of the creation of God." This text belongs to that class of texts, which presents Christ as officially dependent on the Father, -- made to be both Lord and Christ, -- and his having all power in heaven and on earth, committed to him. This class of texts alludes not to any natural dependence of Christ, in his divinity, on the Father! For he is one in him! But they allude to his constituted character, as Mediator. Another great class of texts assures us, that Christ is of underived, eternal divinity; the true God; "without Father, without descent, without beginning;" as in Melchisedec.
Ver. 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
The word lukewarm alludes to that state of water which is most offensive to the stomach. Christ would have them understand, that their state of heart, relative to religion, being neither one thing nor another, was most offensive to him. They had their form of godliness, it seems, without the power. They would not take the position of open enemies; nor would they be zealous friends. They seemed determined to reconcile God and mammon. Christ says, "I would that ye were cold or hot!" Be one thing or
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another. Either be zealous Christians; or make no pretence. As he had said to the Jews; "Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt." But, continuing as they were, Christ would soon reject them; even as lukewarm water is thrown as sickening and disgusting from the stomach. So base and contemptible does the Saviour view professors who are neither one thing or another; having a little of religion to quiet their consciences, and yet not enough to mortify their lusts, or to disturb the selfish heart.
Ver. 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
We have here a most natural trait of the character of hypocrites; in their own imaginations they are rich and happy in spiritual prospects! having no proper idea of their depravity, guilt and wretchedness; -- at ease in Zion; crying Peace! while they are spiritually dead, and sinking in eternal death. God says they are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked!" This they will find, when it is for ever too late.
What multitudes are in this wretched case! "Five of them were wise, and five foolish!" If the disciples were struck with a panic, on being informed that one of their twelve was thus wretched; what should be the fear of the present visible kingdom of Christ, when assured that five in ten are thus? This greater danger hardens many, even to a cold insensibility! -- "and knowest not that thou art wretched." Examine yourselves, then, O professors, whether ye be in the faith! prove your own selves, "Search me, O Lord, and prove me! try my reins and my heart."
Ver. 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.
This church was yet within the reach of mercy. An urgent call was once more addressed to them by him who is Wonderful, Counsellor! "I counsel thee." Happy token
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for good, if the counsel might at last be heard! The counsel is addressed in the most appropriate figures. "Buy," -- take as a gift, -- "gold;" a thing men most value; the gold of heaven, tried and pure. White raiment, too; grace and righteousness. "Buy," take them, that the soul may be adorned; and not be found naked. And eye-salve from Christ, -- the Balm of Gilead, -- the Light of the world, -- the Sun of righteousness. Eyes thus anointed shall see clearly. But in this buying, they must part with -- give up -- all their sins!
Ver. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous, therefore, and repent.
We have here a sentence most appropriate to the lukewarm, for whom Christ had any design of mercy. Such coldness will but hasten the chastening rod, where there has ever been a spark of grace. The paternal rod must be laid on, to recover. Let the chastised, then, fervently repent, and zealously reform. Let penitent zeal pluck out the offending eye, and cut off the offending foot or hand; lest both soul and body be lost in hell.
Ver. 20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Although Christ was virtually turned out of doors by this ungrateful church; yet, as though graciously unwilling to leave them to perish, he stands at the door, and most kindly knocks for admittance. If any, then, will come to their senses, and open the door of the heart to this wonderful heavenly visitor; he will come in, and receive such to his holy fellowship and salvation. Jesus Christ does, indeed, knock at the door of the heart of the gospel sinner, and hypocrite. He knocks by his word; by the whispers of his Spirit; by his faithful ministers; by the profession, order and examples of his followers; and by his works of mercy, and of judgment. And, into every heart that graciously admits him, he enters with the riches of his grace. "I will sup with him, and he with me." A blessed fellowship commences. "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with the Son." This will yield substantial peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." "And the peace of God, that passeth understanding, shall keep your heart
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and mind through Jesus Christ." The grace of God, the love of Christ, and the fellowship of the Spirit, are settled on such, as their rich inheritance.
Ver. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Jesus Christ most diligently performed and finished the work assigned him as our Redeemer: and he was hence exalted to the throne of God, where he engages that all who, with his Spirit, encounter the difficulties and perform the duties of the Christian life, shall be exalted to reign with him. "If so be that we suffer with him; that we may be also glorified together." Most pungent warning is in our text implied for all those pusillanimous, faint-hearted pretenders to religion, who will shape their plans to slide by every cross, as though determined never to suffer any inconvenience for the sake of Christ. Such characters have ever abounded. But such "fearful souls" are ranked with the "unbelieving," who shall "have their part in the lake of fire." Those who cheerfully suffer with Christ, are the souls who shall reign with him. "Ye are they who have continued with me in my temptations; and I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father hath appointed unto me." All others virtually deny Christ; and will be by him denied.
Listen, then, to the way by which to overcome; and to the infinite benefit to your souls, of overcoming. It must be by faith in Christ; and by persevering faithfulness in his strength and grace. And "he that overcometh shall inherit all things."
Ver. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Seven times are we presented, in these epistles, with this solemn warning, in the same words. Why is it thus repeated? The reason is manifest: men are dull of hearing. But, that they should hear, and obey, is of eternal importance. They must hear and obey: or eternally sink in the lake of fire. Hence the same words are repeated to the perfect number seven. Seven is a number much used in this mystical book. We find here at least seven septenaries; or, the number seven, seven times used. We have seven addresses to an equal number of churches;
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seven horns of the Lamb; the seven lamps; the seven eyes of the Lamb (the same as the seven spirits of God); the seven seals; the seven trumpets; and the seven vials.
Vastly important to us is the warning in our text, seven times from the mouth of God, urged in the same words. This should make a deep and practical impression on the hearts of all in Zion. Let those who seldom read them; -- and those who read, but yield no trembling obedience, pause and consider. May all awake, and hear, and obey the warnings in these seven epistles to us from our final Judge! Such they are, though alas, forgotten! They furnish a glass in which every church, and all the members in the visible kingdom of God, may see themselves, and prepare to meet their Judge! Let us be conversant with this most precious heavenly mirror. Let us, with devout souls, and most devout breathings of heart towards God, often place ourselves before it, and form our hearts and lives by it, lest we be condemned at the close of our probation. "The words which I have spoken, they shall judge you at that day."
L E C T U R E V.
REVELATION IV.
Ver. 1. After this, I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
The actors in the following scenes are next to be presented; and it must be done in the figurative language of this book. The place chosen for the presentment of them is found to be the third heavens; or the space imagined to be above our visible heavens, above the air and starry regions. Looking upward, John saw in vision (or seemed to himself to behold) an opening in the vault in the upper sky which terminates our sight, when directed upward. From this opening, a trumpet-like voice directed him to ascend thither, and he should learn scenes of futurity.
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Ver. 2. And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine-stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
John seemed to himself instantly to obey, and to lose sight of all things earthly. He now seemed to behold, in a world to him new, beyond that door, God the Father as seated on a throne worthy of himself. But inspiration assures us that no man hath seen God at any time, or can see his face and live. This scriptural representation, and the one in our text, form no disagreement; for the former speaks of seeing God literally, as he is; and in the text, the view given of God is only figurative, and such as mortal man can endure. This view, given of God the Father to John, was on the same principle with that which, in the close of the Revelation, is given of heaven, in the figure of the New Jerusalem. Similar figurative views had before been given of God; -- as that to Isaiah, "in the year that king Uzziah died;" that to Micaiah, when called before Ahab; and that to Stephen, about to suffer martyrdom. God was said to converse with Moses "face to face," as a man converses with his friend: while the fact was, Moses only heard God's voice from the Shechinah: and while yet God assured Moses, that no man could see his face and live. The Divine appearance to John, in our text, was merely assumed, that God might accommodate himself to mortal man. The scene might be borrowed from the style of earthly monarchs, who have their thrones, robes, and richest gems. The Divine appearance like a jasper and a sardine-stone, was an emblem of God's perfection. Grotius was of opinion, that the jasper in the Revelation means the diamond, the richest of all gems; and it here denotes the power and purity of the Almighty. The sardine-stone, of a red hue, may here remind us of the Divine justice. And the rainbow round the throne denotes the faithfulness of God to fulfil his word. The rainbow is set in the cloud, to show that God will keep his word, never again to drown the world; so, whenever it is appended to any Divine appearance, it indicates God's immutable faithfulness. The greenness of the bow round the throne, in our text, denotes the mild and pleasant effects of the faithfulness of God to man; -- like the still small voice to Elijah after the earthquake, the wind, and the fire.
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Ver. 4. And round about the throne were four-and-twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four-and-twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
These elders denote the common members of the church of Christ. Their number is that made by the union of the patriarchs. and apostles; as the gospel church and the church of the Old Testament are essentially one. It is a fact, too, that the priests of old (typical of the gospel church) were divided into four-and-twenty courses. And among the Levites of old, there were also four-and-twenty courses of sacred musicians for public worship. With these things accords the fact in our text, that the representatives of the common members of the gospel church, who arc God's royal priesthood, should be exhibited as twenty-four. They appear sitting each one on a seat round the throne of God, which denotes the presence of God with them: "God is in the midst of her." Their clothing of white raiment denotes their purity: and their crowns are an earnest of their eternal glory. They are kings, as well as priests, unto God.
Ver. 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
These thunders, lightnings, and voices, are most fit appendages of the scene; and they indicate the judgments with which God vindicates his church, and destroys her enemies. The seven lamps burning before the throne, or in tin: midst of these elders, assure us of the various gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, communicated for the salvation of the people of God; "There are diversities of gifts; but the same Spirit." The Jews viewed seven as a perfect number, to denote a multitude. Inspiration adopts it as such. "I will punish you seven times for your sins;" or many times. Peter inquires of Christ, how oft he should forgive? -- till seven times? Christ assured him, that he must do it not only till seven times, but till seventy times seven. The perfect wisdom of Christ, as the stone and shepherd of Israel, was denoted (Zech. iii. 7) thus, "Upon this stone shall be seven eyes." Upon the same principle, the various gifts of the Holy Ghost are in the text denoted by seven lamps burning before the throne of God.
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Ver. 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts, full of eyes before and behind.
This sea of glass is in allusion to the great brazen sea, in the temple of old, which was for washing. This vessel was called a sea, on account of its vast capacity; and it was made of brass. In allusion to that ancient sea, in the temple, Divine grace, under the Christian dispensation, was predicted as a "fountain to be opened for sin and for uncleanness." The Christian church, as well as the church of old, should have her sea for gracious cleansing. But in the Christian church, instead of this sea being of brass, impervious to the rays of light, it should consist of pure transparent glass. This is to denote the lucidness of the Christian dispensation, where light has come into the world, the Sun of Righteousness has risen, and his rays now pierce through the whole establishment of gospel cleansing, as rays of light pervade a vessel of glass. This sea of glass is before the throne of God, as the ministrations of grace are under the special eye of Heaven, -- as God dwells in Zion, -- and as he engages his special presence in all Christian assemblies for worship.
The brazen sea of old stood on twelve brazen oxen; three of them facing each cardinal point of the compass. We have here a lively emblem of the twelve apostles, setting their faces in every direction, to carry the gospel through the earth; and in this employment their successors were to follow them, down to the end of the world. We accordingly find in the text emblems of the ambassadors of Christ, as though annexed to this sea of glass; even as the old brazen sea stood upon its twelve oxen. These ambassadors are now denoted by four living creatures, instead of the twelve brazen oxen; one now for each point of the compass. They are rendered in our text four beasts; which rendering is very unhappy. The word in the original is zoa, from zoo, to live; and should have been rendered living creatures. Gospel ministers are here denoted by these emblems, instead of by brazen oxen, as of old -- connected with the emblems of cleansing grace. The word in this book rendered beasts, is thereia. (Chap. xiii. 1-10 and xvii. 3.) That these four living creatures are emblems of the ambassadors of Christ, is evident from the following things; they belong to the fallen
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race of man; for they were redeemed by the blood of Christ. See chap. v. 8-10; where the four living creatures, and the elders (lay members of the church) devoutly prostrated themselves before Christ, saying, "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation,-and hast made us kings and priests unto our God, and we shall reign on the earth." "Thou hast redeemed us!" Certainly, then, they are men, and not angels. We repeatedly find that the angels are mentioned besides them, and distinct from them; as chap. v. 11. and vii. 11. "I beheld and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures. and the elders." They are ever distinguished, too, from the common members of the church, known as the ciders. Under the seals, in chap. vi., as new events of providence unfold, each, in turn, of these living creatures says, "Come and see!" q. d. "Come, behold the works of the Lord!" This is a part of the employment of the ministers of the gospel. The connexion of these living creatures with the sea of glass, as the twelve oxen were connected with the brazen sea of old, suggests, that they denote the same characters, -- the ambassadors of Christ. And the employments of these emblems decide the same thing: for they are found (in verses 8-11, of our context) leading the common members of the church in the worship of God.
These emblems of the ministry are said to be "in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne!" indicating their nearness to God, and his care of them. The following words of Christ to his ministers, give the true sense of their being in and round about the throne; "Lo, I am with you always." "He that receiveth you receiveth me: but he that despiseth you despiseth me." These stars of Zion our Saviour holds in his own right hand, while he walks in the midst of his golden candlesticks -- the churches. And the text assures us they are "full of eyes before and behind," which are significant of their correct knowledge, and holy vigilance, to examine all things both before them, and after them.
Ver. 7. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. We have here the various gifts of the ministers of Christ.
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We find that these gifts are often noted in different scriptures: "And he gave to some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers." And again, "All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas;" meaning the different gifts of the ministers of the gospel. The first class in the text, is like a lion, -- bold, undaunted, as well as strong. The second like a calf, or a young ox; alluding to the brazen ox under the sea in the temple of Israel, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox;" or shalt support the ministry. This second class of these emblems denotes a class of ministers patient, strong, and though not brilliant, yet profitable; -- means of great good in God's husbandry. The third emblem, with the face of a man, may denote ministers who are argumentative, deep, perhaps very humane. The fourth like a flying eagle, swift of flight; of piercing vision; passing fearlessly over deserts, mountains, lakes; towering toward heaven, and flying to different regions. This emblem may remind us of the flights of missionaries, -- some to the ends of the earth.
Ver. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Their six wings a-piece assure us of their alacrity in duty; that true ministers fly in swift obedience to their Lord and master; as saith Isaiah, "Here am I, Lord; send me!" and Paul, "For the love of Christ constraineth us." Their being "full of eyes within," indicates their gracious self-knowledge, and vigilantly keeping their own hearts, as well as cultivating their mental powers.
Their resting not day nor night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy" -- is most significant. They are themselves holy! "Be ye clean, who bear the vessels of the Lord." One great business of their lives is to proclaim the holy God, and the holiness of God, as well as to call on men to be holy. Let the following hints illustrate this; "I ceased not to warn every man, night and day, with tears." "I have set watchmen on thy walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace, day nor night." Their saying, holy, holy, holy, is thought by some to allude to the eternal Three in One, in Him who is, and was, and is to come! that each in this infinite Three is superlatively holy!
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Ver. 9. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
The ministers of Christ lead in the holy worship of God; and the churches unite in the same. The casting of their crowns at God's feet, denotes their most feeling and devout confession, that all their salvation, from its origin to the crown of glory, is of the most free and sovereign gift of God. One argument used by them is powerful indeed -- that God made all things, and this according to his own pleasure! While hypocrites and sinners contend with the Divine sovereignty; the true people of God adore him in it, and rejoice that "the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" May ministers and churches be ever deeply impressed with a view of the great exaltation and responsibility of their character and standing. Verily their duties, at such a day as this, are great and urgent! What must the many eyes of the ministers of Christ, (eyes before and behind, and within) discover, at this age of infidelity and of licentiousness! May all Christ's ministers clearly discern the signs of the times -- what is doing -- and what ought to be done! If ever wakefulness and faithfulness were important, they are now important! In the midst of the terrors of the times, just antecedent to the Millennium, let it be remembered, that faithful ministers and Christ's churches, are round about the throne! God is near, and with them, with the rainbow of his covenant faithfulness, which will not fail of bringing salvation to Zion, and desolation to her enemies. They "that be with us, are more than they that be with them." "God is our refuge and strength!" May ministers know, and well cultivate their own proper gifts; and not get out of their place, by attempting to fill that of another. Let them be themselves; and not vainly attempt to be other men. Every man has something of his own; which, should another attempt to imitate, it would be disgusting. A lady said to her minister, while making such an attempt, "What does ail you? I long to see you
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act yourself again!" Should the ox attempt to act the lion; or the lion the ox; or both attempt to be a flying eagle; their success would be but miserable. Let each man learn and improve what is his own. And may hearers learn to be content with what they ought; and not be "puffed up for one against another." People who have chosen their minister; if he be a good man, should be content with him, even if he be not a lion, nor a flying eagle. "Much increase is by the strength of the ox." Benefits derived from ministers of this class, may bear the same proportion to the benefits derived from men far more popular, which the increase by the strength of the ox bears to the benefit derived from lions and eagles.
LECTURE V.
Having thus far exhibited the actors of the scenes to be unfolded; another preparatory scene is now introduced. A lively exhibition must now be given of the fact, that no revelation of mercy could be given from God (after man's apostasy), and no merciful predictions of future events, but by an infinite Mediator. All the gracious communications which had been made in the Old Testament from the beginning, of the doctrines, duties, and motives of salvation in the prophecies and promises, had been made only in anticipation of a Saviour to come. And of this, a clear decision must now be given, before entering on the revelation of scenes of futurity. No such gracious revelation from God to man could have been made, after the fall of man, but through one mighty to save. And a council must here be represented as held in heaven, to see if such a Saviour could be found, and hence such an unfolding of the salvation be made! With this view, we are prepared to attend to this chapter.
Ver. 1. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals.
God on the throne holds a book in his right hand -- a book not of modern, but of ancient form. The form of books in ancient days, was a leaf (either a parchment, or the rind of papyrus, or some fit substance), written sometimes on both sides, as in the case of Ezekiel's roll; but
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usually on but one side, and rolled up, the writing inward. If they had matter for more than one leaf, they would write it on another leaf, and roll it over the first; then another; and so on, to any amount. Such a book is seen in the right hand of God the Father, consisting of seven leaves, thus written on the inside, rolled over each other, and sealed on the last edge of each leaf, so that it was, in a sevenfold degree, a sealed book.
The text seems to tell us, that each leaf was written on both sides; but the best expositors agree that this is not the sense of the passage. A wrong sense is given by placing a comma in the passage, where it does not belong. The pointing of the Bible is of human invention, and this passage is mistakingly so pointed as to read thus: "written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals!" whereas the true reading is as follows: "written within, and on the back side sealed with seven seals." The whole account shows this to be the true reading; for the book was sealed, and no part of its writing could have been designed to be seen, till its seal was broken, and its leaf unrolled by a person able to accomplish it. This sealed book was an emblem of events then future, designed for the salvation of the church; and which could be opened only by Christ.
Ver. 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
The question, of infinite interest to a fallen world, was to be decided; could there be, in the case of fallen man, any hope that salvation, and a merciful unfolding of future scenes, could be given? The inquiry seems great and public, made by a strong angel; probably the greatest agent in the intelligent creation; -- q. d. Is any creature in the universe able to open this book? And no one, oudeis (in the original), meaning here, no creature in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth; -- meaning, living or dead; -- no created being in the universe was found able; which amounts to a divine decision, of most unusual formality, to the real and infinite divinity of Christ;
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and that none but the infinite Godhead could furnish a Saviour for lost man.
Ver. 4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Had not one in the infinite Three in heaven been found disposed to undertake, all men must have wept, and wailed, and gnashed their teeth in eternal wo! But infinite wisdom and goodness found and presented one both able and willing to undertake, and to accomplish.
Ver. 5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
"The Lion of the tribe of Juda." The old rabbinical legend relative to the four standards of the camp of Israel in the wilderness, of which that of Judah was a lion, may, or may not be true. But it is by no means so satisfactory an origin of the figure in the text, as is the following, viz.: Jacob, when he was about to die, and was inspired to foretell the destinations of his sons, speaks of Judah (from whom Christ in his humanity came) as an "old lion!" This appellation then, naturally descended to Christ; -- "the Lion of the tribe of Juda!" One of the elders -- representatives of the church on earth -- communicates this blessed information of the Saviour. It might seem to human wisdom, as though some favored angel, or at least one of the emblems of gospel ministers, would be commissioned to give this information. But it is otherwise. It must be one of the ciders! -- a common member of the church! Was this designed to hint that Adam had been the honored agent to give information to his fallen race of the blessed heavenly secret, that a Saviour was found for lost man? -- that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head? Whether this be here meant or not, so the thing was in fact, as we find in the history of ancient Paradise.
Ver. 6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood
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a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
The beloved disciple now looked, with solicitous expectation, to see this wonderful "Lion of the tribe of Juda!" And he beheld in the midst of the throne, and of the emblems of the gospel ministry, and those of the private followers of Christ, a Lamb! as having been slain, and recovered again to life! When people look for great things in religion, thej are often disappointed, in finding what appears at first small. The Lord is not in the fire, nor in the strong wind, nor in the earthquake; but in the still small voice! Both the lion and the lamb are notable emblems of Christ, in our holy oracles. And the position of this Lamb hints to us, that Christ, through God, is ever in the midst of his ministers and churches, even while he is on the throne of the universe; and he holds his stars in his right hand. The seven horns of this Lamb are emblems of his omnipotent power. His seven eyes are emblems of his omniscient wisdom; and also of his having, at his official direction, the Holy Ghost in all his multiform gifts, and gracious operations, for the salvation of Zion.
Ver. 7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.
Christ took the book from the Father. The Father officially communicates to the Son all he has to do as Mediator. It is in this official sense that Christ says, "The Father is greater than I." And the business of both revealing and fulfilling the decrees of God, is thus received by the Son from the Father. And, in view of such a Saviour, and of the economy of divine grace towards men in him, Christ's ambassadors and his whole church prostrate themselves before God and the Lamb in the most humble adoration, praise, and holy obedience. The harps in their hands are emblems of their actual preparation for the business of praise and holy worship, either with or without instruments of sacred music to aid their voices.
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And their golden vials, or cups, full of the prayers of the saints, assure us that the true people of God pray much! Their vials are not merely half filled; but they are full! And we here learn that their prayers are odors, in a twofold sense; or both as coming from hearts truly grateful, graciously contrite, and sincere; and as being perfumed with the incense of Jesus Christ in his powerful intercession.
Ver. 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The song of salvation by Christ is and eternally will be new, as it will for ever excite in the souls of the redeemed new wonders and joys; and will never appear old, nor in the least degree irksome. We read of a new commandment as given to Christians, that they "love one another." This is the same commandment which they had from the beginning; but it is called new, because attended with new light and obligations under the Christian dispensation. Upon the same principle, the songs of praise to God for the salvation by Christ, will appear new in eternal ages. Those then, who become tired of their religion, have never learned the new song of redeeming grace in our text. The fact here, that the four living creatures and the elders unite in ascribing their redemption to the blood of Christ, further decides, that both do indeed belong to the human family. And God sees fit to employ these two sets of emblems to denote his true people on earth, consisting of his ambassadors, and the other members of his church. Such is the distinction which God makes between the ambassadors of Christ, and other Christians. But they both adore and praise God that he hath not only redeemed them, but has made them kings and priests unto himself. Levites and priests were types of Christians under this last dispensation. And inspiration sees fit to prefix here the title of kings also; making them a royal priesthood. Christians are priests, as being consecrated entirely to God in the temple of the gospel; and as being prepared by grace to offer to God holy and daily sacrifices, acceptable
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to him by Jesus Christ. And they are kings, as governing themselves by the divine direction, and as having holy fellowship with Christ in his government of the world. "And we shall reign on the earth." In the Millennium, Christ will reign on the whole earth -- not visibly -- but spiritual in the hearts and the holy faith of the world of people. And the reigning of the saints on the earth will be, not by any literal resurrection of those who have died; but by a blessed participation of the whole family of the saints (in heaven, and on earth) with Christ in his millennial reign. The saints in glory will see and know that the blessed cause in which their hearts were bound up, both living and dying, now fills the world! and this fact will add new joys to their heavenly glory. And also the saints on earth will at that time have such fellowship with Christ in his reign of grace, that they too may be said to reign on the earth!
Ver. 11. And I beheld. and I heard angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory. and blessing.
13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four-and-twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
A grand chorus here arises from all creation, except from the world of despair! -- from the holy angels; -- from all the ambassadors of Christ; -- and all his followers, amounting to millions innumerable! The ministers and people of Christ are distinguished in this universal chorus, as being the people more immediately interested, having been redeemed. In this grand Halleluia, Christ is expressly worshipped and adored; and this too, in the most ample and rich profusion of expressions of wonder and adoration. And the scene closes with a renewed burst of
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rapture from the redeemed. The ambassadors of Christ exclaim, Amen! -- a term of adoring acquiescence, -- and a token for others to follow. Upon which the whole church fall down and worship.
Most rich is this chapter in instruction, and in practical reflections. The opening of the way of gracious communication from heaven is, for lost man, a theme of immortal wonder and praise. And it is a subject worthy of all acceptation and improvement. And great indeed must be the folly, guilt and self-ruin of neglecting it. The thought of the ministers and people of Christ being in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, furnishes a most commanding motive to gratitude and Christian faithfulness. An ancient prophet assures us, "Jerusalem shall be called the throne of God." And another; "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early!" God governs the world for her salvation. May Christians more diligently learn the new song of redeeming grace; and never become weary of it. The idea, "And we shall reign on the earth," is commanding; and should ever awaken in Christians new and holy zeal. Their sea of glass, too, their luminous fountain for washing from all sin, should set their souls in holy fire of love and gratitude. We are in ourselves denied; and our deep innate depravity too often tills with vanity, folly and guilt. This, every true Christian daily laments; and he feels his need of cleansing grace! and, blessed be God, our sea of glass is ever at hand! We may there daily and hourly wash and be clean. "Wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved." "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin!" This sea for cleansing is not only pellucid; but is ample and free for all. God's kings and priests wash here without defiling the fountain; which is ever clear as crystal, like the waters of the river of life in the new Jerusalem. O ye kings and priests of the Lord; dwell on the broad and ample brims of this sea of glass; [see chap. xv. 2,] and keep yourselves pure. It is striking to find that the church there, at the opening of the Millennium, is noted as standing on this sea of glass. Its brims are so ample and firm, that all may, as the kings and priests of God, take their station upon it continually, to enjoy its waters of salvation. They now seem to have David's request truly fulfilled in themselves; "One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold
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the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire at his temple." Let us labor, let us pray, that we may enjoy this blessedness! Then shall we indeed answer to the description of Paul; -- "And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." And then may we obey the following gracious direction; "Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord who made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion!"
L E C T U R E VI.
REVELATION VI.
The way was now prepared to commence the unfolding of events then future.
First Seal.
Ver. 1. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Jesus Christ broke the seal on the last edge of the outer leaf of the book; and, unrolling the leaf, he presented to view its contents; upon which it seemed to thunder. Thunder is a noted emblem of war; and wars tremendous were about to commence. One of the emblems of the gospel ministry officially and audibly said, "Come and see!" We here learn, that when new and interesting events take place, the minister of Christ is to call the attention of his people to them. Come, and behold what God has done, or is doing. "Ye can discern the face of the sky; how is it that ye cannot discern the signs of the times?" "None of the wicked will understand; but the wise will understand." Of the wicked, inspiration says, "Thy judgments are far above, out of his sight." But it is not to be so with the people of God! they are to behold the fulfilment of the sacred Scriptures. Paul at Thessalonica reasoned three
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Sabbath days upon the prophecies, to show that the events then taking place before their eyes relative to Jesus Christ and his evangelical kingdom, were but the fulfilling of ancient prophecies of these events.
Ver. 2. And I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
A white horse is an emblem of victory and triumph. We have in this figure a striking view of the power of God in destroying his enemies, and promoting his cause, which should distinguish that early period. This rider on the white horse was, no doubt, an emblem of our Lord Jesus Christ, marching forth as the Captain of our salvation. "The Lord is a man of war." "The Lord shall utter his voice before his army; for his camp is very great." His crown is an emblem of his official glorification; and his bow, of the weapons of his indignation. He will give victory and salvation to his followers. His going forth, conquering and to conquer, assures us of the glorious triumphs of his gospel, in the ruin of its contending foes, and the salvation of its friends; in the multitudes of its early converts, and their stability in the order of the gospel. Jesus Christ had predicted these very triumphs to take place at this time, when he said to his disciples, "Verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here who shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." This event, as it took place upon that generation, was the destruction of the Jewish nation, forty years after Christ, and the attendant far more extensive propagation of the gospel. These things did indeed take place upon that generation as a mystical coming of Christ, and this twofold event may be viewed as a lively fulfilment of the figure in our text under the first seal. The destruction of Jerusalem by Titus * the Roman, was an event
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* Should it be objected, that the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews wag probably past when the text was written; it may be answered, that this, if it were a fact, would form no objection to the exposition given. It is a notable fact, in this book, that when a series of events is to be exhibit ed, the commencement of which is already past when the figure of the series is given, the account goes back to the commencement of the series, though it were then past. It will be shown, that such liberty is repeatedly taken in this book of prophecies. The reason is obvious: it is to give the whole series of events, the commencement of which is already past. No objection can lie against this, which is of any avail.
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which would not be overlooked in the commencement of the seals, where things of great interest to the church were to be given, from early in the Christian era. Christ had predicted his coming in the destruction of the Jews, and in his remarkable propagation of his gospel, in Matt. xxiv., Mark xiii., and Luke xxi. And it is most natural to expect, that the series of events in the seals would open with these. The figures in our text to denote the going forth of Christ as the Captain of our salvation, for the united designs of judgment and of mercy, are most appropriate, and are well known in the sacred oracles. As Ps. xlv. 3-6: "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty: and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee." Hab. iii. 3: "God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Before him went the pestilence; and burning coals went forth at his feet. Thou didst ride upon thy horses and thy chariots of salvation. Thy bow was made quite naked. The mountains saw thee, and were troubled; the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high!"
In Rev. xix. 11 -- 14, we find Jesus Christ riding forth upon his white horse of victory and salvation against Antichrist, at the battle of that great day of God Almighty, as will be shown on the passage. That passage and event furnish us with an argument in favor of the exposition given of our text. In the text, Christ rides for the destruction of the infidel persecuting Jews (the type of Antichrist), and for the subsequent propagation of his gospel. And, in the similar figure in Rev. xix., he rides forth against Antichrist himself, to sweep the field of his enemies, and prepare the way for his own millennial kingdom. The two great events, -- of ruin to the enemies of God, and of salvation to his friends, -- are usually found in close union through the prophetic Scriptures. Our blessed Lord was thus anointed (Isa.lxi. 1, 2) "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord; and the day of vengeance of our God." The figure in our text accordingly combines things upon this scale; -- ruin to the hostile Jews; and enlargement to the Christian church. Christ rides forth "conquering and to conquer!" The king of Zion has conquered his foes, is conquering, and will conquer them. And vain and mad are the hopes of his
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enemies for success against him. As well might stubble, fully dry, dream of vanquishing a glowing furnace, by flinging itself upon it. God will "go through, and will burn them together!" "What do ye imagine against the Lord!" "Our God is a consuming fire." The Jews found him to be thus in the destruction of Jerusalem, and of their commonwealth. They were destroyed as being antichristian; and their destruction was a lively type of the final destruction of the great Antichrist in the last days before the Millennium. Hence the similarity between the event in our text, as type, and that in Rev. xix. as antitype, as will be seen. All ye saints of the Lord, rejoice, even in these perilous times of the last days! Your Captain of salvation is with you, conquering and to conquer. He cheers the souls of his followers with the kind address, "Fear not! it is I; be not afraid." "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
Second Seal
Ver. 3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
The seal of the second leaf being broken, and the contents presented, another emblem of the gospel ministry says, "Come and see!" Each minister of Christ should be able to answer the question, "Watchman, what of the night?" And, exhibiting the signs of the times, he should in some fit manner say, "Come and see!" "Come, behold the works of the Lord." This red horse and his rider, -- commissioned to take peace from the earth, and holding a great sword, -- furnish an emblem of another terrible scene of slaughter in the empire, after the destruction of Jerusalem and the commonwealth of the Jews, last noted. This event of the second seal took place in the reign of the emperors Trajan and Adrian, before the middle of the second century. The Jews had greatly multiplied in the empire; and the Romans, by their idolatrous worship of Jupiter Capitolinus, exasperated them to rage and open rebellion. And further to excite and direct their rage, a pretended Messiah arose at this time, by the name of Barrcocab (importing a son of a star), giving out that he was the star that
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was to arise, as predicted by Balaam. How signal was this judgment upon the Jews. They had willfully rejected the true star of Bethlehem, miraculously demonstrated among them; and now they were given up to follow an ignis fatuus, -- a glow-worm, -- simply because he was wicked enough to say, he was the star to arise! Miserable, deluded Jews! They must now be visited with another tremendous judgment, in union with the Romans, who also had aided in the death of the Lord of glory. The Jews, in Egypt and Cyprus, led by the vile Barcocab, are asserted to have slain with vast cruelty, four hundred and sixty thousand of the people of those Roman provinces! This excited against them the vengeance of the empire; and of the Jews there fell not less than five hundred and eighty thousand; and it is said not less than one thousand of their fortresses were destroyed. Eusebius says, upon the events of the times, "The doctrines and church of Christ daily increased; but the calamities of the Jews were aggravated with new miseries."
It is striking to reflect, that the persecutors of Christ and of his people, were thus led to be each other's executioners. We have here, then, an event fully equal to the emblems in this seal, -- a horse red indeed; and its rider wielding a great sword, and having power to take peace from the earth, and that the enemies of the gospel should kill one another.
Third Seal.
Ver. 5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse: and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
On the opening of the third leaf, a third emblem of the ambassadors of Christ says, "Come and see!" This testimony to ministerial faithfulness must still be given. Ministers must never sleep on their posts. If they become, as the prophet expresses it, "Dumb dogs, that cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber!" God will make them "contemptible," as false teachers. This black horse seems an emblem of deep affliction, and especially of famine.
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In the Lam. v. 10, we read, "Our skin is black, like an oven, because of the terrible famine!" This sense of the figure is confirmed by the pair of balances in the hand of the rider, and by the declaration in the midst of the four living creatures, emblems of the gospel ministry -- "A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see that thou hurt not the oil and the wine." It is here ascertained, that the price of a day's work must be given for the usual allowance of food for a day! And this little pittance must be weighed with great exactness! Those balances, and all that is said, betoken famine. Ezek. iv. 16. "Son of man, behold I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment; that they may want bread and water, and be astonished one with another, and consume away for their iniquity."
The church of Christ, during the time of the seals of judgment on pagan Rome, weltered under ten successive bloody persecutions from the pagan emperors. In the time of the fourth persecution, the tremendous famine predicted in this seal took place, under the reign of the Antonines. After the horrid mutual slaughters of the Jews and Romans under the second seal, the famine of the third seal commenced, in the course of the second century. Tertullian testifies of the event, that a scarcity occurred in every city, aggravated with such rains as seemed to threaten a second deluge. This scarcity occasioned great tumult in Rome, insomuch that the emperor, Antoninus Pius, was attempted to be stoned. And he found himself obliged to open his own treasures to supply the hunger of his subjects. And this judgment continued in the succeeding reign of Antoninus the philosopher. The river Tiber overflowing deluged much of the city of Rome -- wafting on its surface people, cattle, and (he various ruins of the country, as we find stated by Eachard. Earthquakes succeeded; the conflagrations of cities, and an infection of the atmosphere. This corrupted the land with infinite numbers of insects, which devoured what little of the fruits of the earth remained; "and (says Capitolinus) produced the most grievous famine." This famine continued in the reign of Commodus; and such was the desperation of the people of Rome, that they raised a sedition, and put to death Cleander, the favorite of the emperor. Frequent wars, scanty harvests, ill-management of public
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stores, and various disasters, produced the long and deadly famines of those days, and fulfilled the judgments of this seal, in the second century.
Fourth Seal.
Ver. 7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8. And I looked, and behold, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth. to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
The contents of the fourth leaf were in turn presented. The fourth ministerial emblem calls the attention of all within hearing, to "Come and see." Thus all the emblems of the ambassadors of Christ, in turn, call for attention to the signs of the times. No one can be exempt from this duty. And those who from popular views or slothfulness, undertake to exempt themselves, do it at their peril. This leaf presents a pale horse, -- an emblem of mortality, with one by the name of Death seated upon him; and an emblem of hell, the place of departed sinners, following him. Death and hell to the wicked are nearly allied. The former delivers over to the latter. "The rich man died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment." Death upon his pale horse, in this seal, has his commission from God to kill a fourth part of men with some of the four usual means of destruction -- the sword, famine, pestilence, and beasts of prey! And soon after the opening of the third century, in the midst of fiery persecutions of the church, a new series of divine judgments upon the empire commenced, answering precisely to this hieroglyphic. Wars, foreign and domestic, raged; thirty competitors laid claim to the imperial crown at once. Twenty actually reigned in the space of sixty years, from Caracalla, A. D. 211, to Aurelian, A. D. 270. Most of these met with violent deaths. And the Persians and northern nations hence gained no small advantage against the empire. Valerian was taken captive by Sapores, king of Persia, and treated with much severity till his death. These wars, with civil contentions, failed not to produce famine; which unseasonable weather rendered severe. These calamities were charged upon the persecuted Christians.
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But Cyprian boldly testified, that they were divinely sent according to the sacred predictions, and were inflicted, not because the Christians had rejected the idolatries of Rome, as the enemies pretended; but because the Romans refused the worship of the true God.
Death (meaning pestilence) was numbered among the means of mortality in this seal. And this was fulfilled. Zonaras and Lipsius (mentioned in Mede) inform, that a pestilence from Ethiopia raged for fifteen years together through the provinces of Rome, to their tremendous depopulation. Zonaras says, "Gallus the emperor was very severe to the Christians; many being cut off by persecution." Then (after noting the invasions of the Persians in Armenia; and almost innumerable hordes of Scythians falling upon Italy, Macedonia, Thessaly, and Greece; and hosts from the Palus Maeotis laying waste many provinces) he says; -- "the plague spread itself through the whole east and west; destroying the inhabitants of many cities, and ravaging for fifteen years." Zosimus declares the same; and says, that "so great a destruction of men had never before taken place." Eutropius also assures us, that in the reign of the emperors Gallus and Volusian, "the times were memorable for pestilence and grievous distempers!" And the invasions of wild beasts, at that period, were tremendous. An author in Bishop Newton informs, that five hundred wolves entered at once into a city, where the emperor Maximin the Younger then was. And we are assured, that lions and tigers made war upon the inhabitants of different parts of the empire. God thus visited persecuting Rome, under this seal, with his four noted judgments; as in Ezek. xiv. 27; "For thus saith the Lord God, how much more when I send my sore judgments; the sword; and the famine; and the noisome beast; and the pestilence, to cut off man and beast?"
Fifth Seal.
Ver. 9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11. And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a
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little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The four living creatures, emblems of the gospel ministry, had all in turn called for attention, on the unfolding of a new scene. This therefore is not now repeated; but was well understood. Nine bloody persecutions had taken place previous to this in the pagan Roman empire (that under Nero, Domitian, Adrian, the Antonines at two periods, that under Maximin, that under Decius, that under Gallus, that under Volusian, and the ninth by Valerian). Thousands innumerable had been thus called to seal their testimony with their blood. One more tremendous pagan persecution was now pending; the tenth and last, under Dioclesian which was to continue ten years. Then the pagan beast was to receive a wound in the head, and die for a long course of centuries; as will be seen under the sixth seal.
In this state of things, the fifth seal is opened. Here the souls (psuchas, lives, meaning the blood of the martyrs), under the altars, where they had been sacrificed, is noted, in figure, as crying to God for vengeance. This seems to be in allusion to the blood of the first martyr Abel. "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." The blood of the millions of martyrs shed in pagan Rome, was thus calling for justice on that wicked empire! The inquiry is made by this blood, How long vindictive justice should be delayed? The reply informs, that it must be deferred yet for a time, until more of their brethren (as though spoken to the souls of these martyrs), about to suffer as they had done, should be thus united with them. Their memories, in the mean time, should be blessed; while their souls should be peculiarly exalted in glory. Which things were denoted by white robes (emblems of victory and triumph) being given to every one of them!
The history of these times gives the best comment upon this passage. When the nine persecutions in the empire had
taken place, as has been noted, another furious one was still pending; -- that under the emperor Dioclesian, which
was of ten years' continuance. As this was approaching, the saints would need the consolation furnished in our text.
The events of this seal furnish an implicit prediction of the revolution in the Roman empire, which
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took place after the tenth persecution, which was then just at the door. In this (which will be given under the next seal), God took signal vengeance on the pagan emperors, and their supporters. God would in a degree avenge the blood of the martyrs on them who shed it, according to the cry in our text. He would make, on that generation, inquisitions for blood in kind remembrance of his slaughtered children: and would do it upon a greater scale than in any of the antecedent seals. . Great judgments had already been inflicted on the Roman persecutors, as has been shown. But these were so small, compared with what should then take place, that the martyrs were in our text represented as feeling themselves to be unavenged. "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge!" This seems but a note preparatory to what should soon follow. And, as that is expressed in figures which are calculated to receive more than one fulfilment (as may be shown), the fifth seal may be viewed as a kind of awful preparatory hint of all the signal inquisitions for blood which God would institute before his millennial kingdom; while yet it had a primary allusion to events then soon to be accomplished.
Sixth Seal.
Ver. 12. And I beheld, when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake: and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
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This scene prefigured the revolution in the Roman empire (which took place in the fourth century) from paganism
to Christianity, under the Christian emperor Constantine. We have here an avenging of the blood of the martyrs,
indeed; and given in language borrowed from the great judgment day, at the end of the world! I will give a concise
history of the scene to which it primarily alluded.
About the year 320, soon after the tenth most bloody persecution in the Roman empire, under the emperor Dioclesian,
Constantine, upon the death of his father Constantius, came to the imperial throne. Galerius, who had succeeded
Dioclesian, was emperor of one part of the western branch of the empire. And he was inclined still to carry on the
Dioclesian persecution. But he was smitten with an incurable disease; as also with a consciousness that it was
from an angry God for his persecutions of the Christians. He hence, by a public edict, put an end to the persecution
in his part of the empire, and desired the Christians to pray for his restoration to health! But he soon died! "I
will make thine enemies come bending unto thee!" Maxentius had got himself declared emperor in his stead; and a
large faction followed him. Constantine embraced the Christian religion, and formed a determination to vindicate
it. He accordingly marched an army against Maxentius; who met him with an army of 188,000 men. But, in a great
battle, Maxentius was defeated; and Constantine became sole emperor of the west. In the eastern wing of the empire,
Maximin and Licinius were emperors. The former made war upon the latter, but was defeated with the loss of his
army. Maximin, upon this his defeat, put to death many of his pagan priests and soothsayers as impostors, and
false flatterers. Soon after, as he was meditating another battle with Licinius, he was divinely smitten with
incurable torments, and blindness, and died in despair, -- confessing the guilt of his hostility to the people
of God! Licinius was now the only emperor of the east, as Constantine was of the west. The former was disposed
yet to carry on the persecution of the Christians. A war soon broke out between him and Constantine, in which
Licinius was utterly defeated, and was forced to flee. Again returning, he renewed the contest; but was again
defeated with the loss of 100,000 men, and himself taken prisoner. Soon after, for an attempt upon the life of
Constantine, he was put to death. Constantine became now the sole emperor of the whole empire, and
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removed the seat of it to Byzantium in the east; which he called from his own name Constantinople.
Constantine now new-modelled the government of the empire; -- abolishing all the powers of paganism; -- establishing
Christianity as the religion of the empire; -- and placing the administration of the government in the hands of
Christian prefects! The power of persecution was now destroyed. "The great lights, so called, of the heathen world,"
says Bishop Newton, "the powers, civil and ecclesiastical, were all eclipsed and obscured. The heathen emperors and
Cesars were slain; the heathen priests and augurs were extirpated. The heathen officers and magistrates were removed.
The heathen temples were demolished; and their revenues were appropriated to better uses!" Here the secular Roman
beast received his death wound, in his sixth -- his imperial -- head, and died; which death was to continue till
these last days; when the deadly wounded head was to be healed. (Rev. xiii. 3, 12, 14.) This long interim was to be
occupied by the rise and predominance of the papal beast; as will be shown on Rev. xiii. 11-18.
The figures in our text, to denote this revolution, are prophetic and appropriate. The sun is a prophetic emblem of
emperors and kings, or of first rulers. The moon here is a figure of their armies. The stars, of the various
subordinate officers of a government. Hence the darkening of the sun, the turning to blood of the moon, and the
falling of the stars, denote the various terrors of a revolution; as might be shown from various passages in the
prophets, and especially in the predictions of the battle of the great day; of which event, the judgment of the
sixth seal was a lively type and emblem. Joel ii. 10; "The earth shall shake before them, the heavens shall tremble;
the sun and the moon shall be dark; and the stars shall withdraw their shining." Isaiah iv. 4; "All the hosts of
heaven shall be dissolved; and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their hosts shall fall
down, as the leaf falleth from off the vine; as a falling fig from a fig-tree." Isaiah xiii. 10; "For the stars of
heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened at his going forth;
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine." Such is the language of the prophets, relative to most signal
national judgments. As in the following; Isaiah ii. 19; "And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into
the caves of the earth, for
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fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth." And Hos. x. 8;
"And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us."
Says the text, "For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" That revolution was a great
day of God's wrath to the pagan empire; and the abetters of paganism were not able to stand. It was also a lively
emblem and type of the battle of the great day of God, now not far future; and also of the end of the world. The
language therefore, which we find appropriated to the battle of that great day, and to the end of the world, was
adopted by the prophetic Spirit, and applied to that typical event; not that it was an ultimate accomplishment of
it; but because it held a conspicuous rank among the types of it; as did also the destruction of Jerusalem. Both
brought a day of God's wrath, indeed, upon antichristian enemies, and afforded a solemn memento of the battle of
the great day, and also of the end of the world!
In the event in our text, the pagan Roman beast died! In a still greater fulfilment of the description there given,
or in the battle of that great day of God, the same beast (having obtained the healing of his deadly wound, and,
according to another prophetic figure, having arisen from the bottomless pit) goes into perdition; and sinks as a
mighty millstone into the depth of the sea, never to rise again before the Millennium. (See Dan. vii. 11; Rev. xix.
19; xi. 15; xvi. 17; xiv. 14, to end; and xviii. 21.) In this scene, our text will receive a much more striking
fulfilment, as to the import and amount of its figures, than in the event to which it primarily and in its chronological
order applies. The imagery of the sixth seal is manifestly one of those prophetic descriptions, which allude to a
rising course of events, as type and antitype, till they are fully accomplished in that last great day for which all
other days were made! Hence such events are noted, as a coming of Christ; -- "the great day of his wrath is come!"
All such antecedent comings of Christ are but mystical, and not literal; and are thus but types of his last and
literal coming to judge the world.
The first six seals thus related to judgments on the pagan Roman empire. "The sixth seal abolished paganism, and
planted Christianity as the nominal religion of the empire." Viewing the event described under the sixth seal as
a type of the battle of the great day of God, now
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not far distant; its language is of the deepest interest to us. The language of the fifth seal too, being a note
preparatory to divine inquisitions for blood, is of interest to this generation. The earth is now deeply defiled
with blood. And even our land is not free from it. And blood, wantonly shed, has a voice calling for vengeance,
which God will not fail to hear, and answer. The kind and solemn warning then, applies to this very period, --
"Come my people, enter into thy chambers." [See Isai. xxvi. 20, 21.] Christians, awake, and obey. And, O sinner,
awake! fly from the wrath to come. "Escape for thy life." It is no time to sleep nor linger at such a day as the
present!
L E C T U R E VII.
REVELATION VII.
Six of the seals having been opened, and paganism in the Roman empire having been subverted; a new era opens upon
the church. But the empire, though now under a government nominally Christian, had resting upon it the enormous
guilt of ten bloody persecutions of the followers of Christ; and God had vengeance yet to take upon it. A series
of judgments was now about to commence upon the empire, predicted under the figures of trumpets, as trumpets of
old were used to sound alarms. Seven trumpets of judgments were to be blown by seven angels; inasmuch as angels
are ministers of Providence to fulfil divine judgments on the enemies of God.
But some important representations were first to be given of the sealing grace of the Spirit, -- of the prevalence of Christian prayer in numerous conversions, -- and of a deferring of pending judgments for this great object.
Ver. 1. And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds Of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
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The commencement of the judgments of the trumpets is here denoted by winds that were about to sweep the Roman earth, by invasions of hordes of barbarians from the north. Winds are a noted emblem of such judgments; as Jer. xlix. 36; And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of Heaven; and will scatter them towards all those winds; and I will send my sword after them." The holding of such winds then, implies both that the judgments were coming, and that they were to be deferred for a time. To give a lively view of this, four angels were represented as standing at the four cardinal points of the compass, holding those pending winds, till the chosen of God in the empire should be brought in, and sealed for Christ.
Ver. 2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
This angel of mercy must have been Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, coming like the natural sun from the east. He had the seal of the living God, the power of grace and of life, which is but the impression of the moral image of God upon the soul. Their being said to be sealed in their foreheads, seems in allusion to a custom of ancient times, in which masters affixed some mark upon their servants, to note them as their property; -- also from the custom of labelling articles, to show to whom they belonged. The chosen of God were to be set apart for him, by a mark said to be upon their foreheads, but really affixed to their hearts; impressing there the image of God; and bringing them into the visible kingdom of God under the seal of his covenant. This blessed operation must be accommodated with a season of peace; as was in fact the case in the empire for fifteen years after the judgment of the preceding seal; and, to a considerable degree, for forty years. In this season 144,000 were there converted to Christ;
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probably a certain number put for an uncertain; -- said to be of the tribes of Israel.
Ver. 5. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8. Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
The number is the square of the number of the twelve patriarchs, and of the twelve apostles, carried out in thousands, to indicate the greatness of the number of the converts of that time. And these converted gentiles are noted as being of the tribes of Israel, from the fact, that the gentile church succeeded the Jewish church, and are called children of Abraham.
Ver. 9. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
After this, or presented in vision as a subsequent event, John beheld multitudes innumerable in glory, having come from every region of the earth, and now standing before the throne of glory in sinless perfection; and holding in their hands each a branch from the palm-tree, as an emblem of victory over all their enemies. of sin, Satan, and the world. These we must view as a prophetic exhibition of the amazing multitudes who should, in times then future, and to the end of the world, be in like manner sealed, and should be brought to glory by gospel grace. What follows, to the close of the chapter, confirms the idea, that
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this is a description of the state and glory of the spirits of the just made perfect in heaven. Such a view of that state is most delightful to the church in all ages; but especially to the saints just entering the scenes of tribulation then about to be inflicted on the Roman earth, in which good people would not fail of having some painful participation. This vast company of glorified saints in heaven are presented as saying, with loud voices, "Salvation to our God, and to the Lamb." All the glory of their salvation they ascribe alike to the Father, and to the Son whom they worship as God.
Ver. 11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12. Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
The angels are here noted as distinct from the saints in glory, as standing round the throne, and round the elders, and the four living creatures, and prostrating themselves before God in the most profound adoration and worship. They are the guardian spirits of the saints: as says inspiration, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of salvation?"
Ver. 13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more: neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains
of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. One of the elders calls the attention of John to this
heavenly
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company; asking who, and whence they were? that their character and state might be thus drawn out, and exhibited. John refers the question to the interrogator, who himself gives the reply. And the remark, "These are they that came out of great tribulation," may have an emphatic allusion to the martyrs, who had suffered in the ten pagan persecutions. But it must be viewed as including all martyrs in every age; with all the glorified saints in heaven, from first to last; especially before the Millennium. The description substantially applies to all in the world of glory, inasmuch as it is a general fact, that "through many tribulations the people of Christ enter into the kingdom of heaven." The veil of heaven seems to be drawn aside, not to exhibit here things done on earth, as in most of this prophecy; but to exhibit the glorious state of the saints above. Angels are distinctly given in their own names; as are also the elders, and the four living creatures; denoting the church on earth, and her ministers. But, distinct from all these, we find a company of the human race described as in glory; -- a great multitude, that no man could number, of all nations, kindreds and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and holding palm-branches, as emblems of victory, in their hands. This view of the redeemed in glory is most kindly given as an antidote to the church on earth against the terrors through which she would have to pass, in days of persecutions, and in all the trials of life. It was designed to operate as a needful support and consolation to the people of God, from that time to the end of the world. This description was designed to excite their alacrity in obedience, and in sufferings for Christ's sake; and it should extinguish at once all the vain hopes of men who are not willing thus to. endure tribulation for their Lord; but whose economy it is to slide round every cross, and to make their way through life without having to endure any thing for him who died for them! Such fearful and self-pleasing souls are not in the way to be prepared to unite in the songs of those hosts in glory. It would seem rather, that should they be admitted among the ranks of those glorified ones, they would be ashamed of themselves. Whatever descriptions of the glorified saints are found in the sacred oracles, they may be viewed as receiving their finishing touch in our text. We have here their perfect holiness, denoted by their white robes, and by their being washed in the blood of atonement; and they are satisfied
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in God's likeness, in that perfect love which casteth out fear. Their victory is exhibited by their palm-branches in their hands; and they are presented before the throne, beholding God in Christ, and shouting their loud and united praises for redeeming love and salvation. Their perfect services have no interruption of night; nor any alloy in that temple of unfading glory. Hunger, thirst, and every calamity known on earth, are now for ever banished; while they enjoy the presence and fulness of God. Jesus Christ, in the midst of the throne, feeds them with his heavenly treasures; leading them unto fountains of living waters; and wiping all tears from their eyes. In these figurative strokes, every thing is included which heaven can afford: -- things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath ever entered the conceptions of man.
Let the saints in this world of trials, often turn to this description, and be exceedingly joyful in all their tribulations. May it set their souls on a holy fire, and lead the children of God to triumph over the world, over sin and Satan, and every foe; while they most diligently pursue the path of duty. Let timorous souls gird up the loins of their minds, and be bold soldiers of the cross for Christ and the great salvation! for in due time all shall reap who faint not.
REVELATION VIII.
Seventh Seal.
Ver. 1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
This seal was not, like its predecessors, to contain some precise event; but it was to contain all the trumpets, or
seven successive judgments, which would occupy the time following the sixth seal; or from about the middle of the
fourth century, to the battle of the great day, and the Millennium.
The silence in heaven of half an hour, upon the opening of this seal, may denote the awe and the suspense occasioned
by the expectation of great things; but which were not yet discovered. Place yourself before a scene about to be
opened, though now hid from your sight. Suppose your expectations to be highly raised relative to the things next
to be exhibited. After a little waiting, the curtains are drawn aside; but you at first perceive no definite object;
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yet are confident something will soon be presented. What would be your state? It would be a state of breathless silence! no motion, no whisper, no loud breathing! So it is in our text: and half a prophetic hour passes in this silent suspense without being able to learn what is to be exhibited. What is here implied? -- that something great was soon to burst upon their sight; also that it was something not to be soon finished, as were the scenes of the antecedent seals; but should occupy a length of time. The distinct series of things of nearly 1600 years, was then about to commence; and no wonder that half an hour should be devoted to breathless silence and anxious expectations, before any thing distinct should be presented.
Ver. 2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
This silent interval was succeeded by the coming forth of seven angels, to each of whom was given a trumpet, an emblem of the judgment which was to be by him executed. But, previously to the first of these angels commencing his work of judgment, a bright representation was to be given of the reality and the prevalence of the intercession of Christ for the saints; and of the acceptableness of their prayers thus perfumed, and their prevalence with God.
Ver. 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
This figure alludes to what we have in the ceremonial law, Ex. xxx. 1-10, where God demanded an altar of incense to be made, like a table, twenty-two inches square, and forty-four inches high, of the most durable wood, such as composed the ark of the covenant, that type of Christ. This altar should be overlaid with pure gold; and hence it is called in our text the golden altar; and it was placed
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before the veil that was by the ark of the covenant in. the holy place." The priests of old were here to make atonement once a year, by putting the blood of the sin-offering upon it; and he also should burn incense upon it every morning and evening, at the time of the morning and evening sacrifice. We find here prefigured both the necessity and the acceptableness of the blood, and the intercession of our heavenly High Priest, who has entered for his people into heaven, there to intercede, having once shed his blood for them. Jesus Christ, then, is this other angel in the text, who, in allusion to that ancient type, is noted as coming and standing by this golden altar, on which he offers much incense, with the prayers of the saints before the throne of God, where the perfume of the incense rises with these prayers to render them acceptable to God. This figure is full of salvation and joy to the true people of God; who are here assured of the way of access to him, and the acceptance with him of their prayers and gracious services, through the blood and intercession of Christ. It is here implied, that the prayers and services of fallen man, performed without an entire reliance on Christ, must be of God rejected. Verily, that golden altar, with its services, was a rich shadow or good things to come, -- of the salvation in Christ for all the broken in heart. The penitent, guilty soul may here venture, with humble boldness, to the throne of grace. A view of the prevalence of such prayers and intercessions follows: -- Christ casts to the earth, with his censer, coals from that golden altar where the prayers of the saints had thus been perfumed; and voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake follow! which scene denotes the judgments then about to commence under the trumpets; and more remotely, all the judgments with which God would vindicate his cause against his enemies; these would be in answer to the prayers of his people for the salvation of Zion. The following words of Christ illustrate this scene; "And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry unto him day and night, though he bear long with them? I tell you, he will avenge them speedily." What is said of the two witnesses, also illustrates this scene: "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not; and have power to smite the earth with all plagues as oft as they will." See also Ps. cxlix. 6-9; Rev. ii. 26, 27. This figure assures us of the prevalence with God of Christian prayers, to protect against the enemies of our holy religion. And the way is now prepared to commence the judgments of the seven trumpets.
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Trumpet I.
Ver. 6. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Most of the events which fulfil the trumpets, are secular events, or events political; but they will not be exhibited here merely as such; but as judgments of God in fulfilment of his word, in the protection of Zion, and in the confusion of her enemies. As such, Christians should contemplate them, to increase their devotions, and their confidence in God; even as the historical national events of the Old Testament are to be contemplated. The events of this trumpet are given under an assemblage of figures, such as are used in similar cases in the word of God, especially in the prophecies. The earth, which was the seat of those judgments, means the provinces of the Roman earth, as the earth often means a country then under consideration. The Winds of judgments, which the four angels were (in chap. vii. 1) holding, that they should not for a time blow on the earth (the Roman empire), were now let loose, and began to scour the regions of their destination with vast ravages. The imagery in the text, to denote them, is both rich and scriptural. Storms of hail, with thunder and tornados, prostrate and destroy the blessings of life. They are here taken as fit emblems of wars, foreign invasions, and bloody scenes, which waste and destroy. The prophet Isaiah predicted the invasion of Israel by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, as follows: Isa. xxviii. 2; "Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which is a tempest of hail, and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth." And the invasion of Sennacherib is thus predicted, Isa. xxix. 6; "Thou shall be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm, and tempest, and flame of devouring fire." In like manner Ezekiel predicts the divine judgment on the wall built up with untempered mortar: Ezek. xiii. 23; "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, I will rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it." The following
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strokes in the word of God are in the same kind of diction; "The Lord also thundered, and the Highest gave his voice, hailstones, and coals of fire." "The Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering tempests and hailstones." Says Sir Isaac Newton, "In prophetic language, tempests, winds, or the motions of clouds, are put for wars: and thunder, lightning, hail, and overflowing rains, are put for the tempests of war." And he adds, "In like manner animals, and the green grass, express the beauty and fruitfulness of the land; also trees signify people of higher rank; and green grass people of common condition." The figures in our text then, denoted war, invasion, terrible ravages of the empire; and as hail in those regions usually came from the north; so those judgments should be fulfilled, as was the fact, by invasions from the north. And in the histories of those times we find all this fulfilled.
Upon the death of Constantine, under whose reign the empire enjoyed the peace noted by the staying of the winds; -- his three sons, to whom the empire was divided, began to contend; they thus prepared the empire for foreign invasion: and the historic pages of those times assure us that barbarians from the north of Europe poured forth like storms of hail indeed! Says Guthrie, "Those fierce tribes were scattered over the vast countries of the north of Europe, and northwest of Asia; the subjects of the Russians and the Tartars. Great bodies of armed men, from the vast and wild regions of the north, with their wives and children, issued forth like regular colonies, in quest of new settlements in the south of Europe. New adventurers followed them; and the regions which they deserted were occupied by more remote tribes of barbarians. These in their turn pushed forward into more fertile countries, and like a torrent, these numerous hordes rolled onward, threatening to sweep all away before them. The scourge of God, and the destroyers of men, were names by which the most noted of these barbarian chieftains were known. These savage and furious hordes of human-beings overran (as is well known) and settled in the southern realms of Europe, and the western branch of the old Roman empire. The Suevi and Alans settled in Spain, early in the fifty century; who soon after were themselves overrun by the Goths, who captured Rome, and settled in Italy.
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The Franks soon after subdued and settled in Gaul, from whom it derived the name of France. The Huns, about the
middle of the fifth century, invaded Hungary, and settled themselves in that region. The Gepida and Lombards planted
themselves in Italy. And the Vandals crossed the Straits of Gibraltar, and established themselves in the northern
and fertile provinces of Africa," whence they would be found to fulfil another trumpet of divine wrath, as will
appear. These things fully answered to the figurative language of our text, and to the time of its events; as says
Dr. Lowman: "All the Roman provinces were at once invaded, from the eastern to the western limits:" and Eutropius
says, "The Roman empire now nodded with distress:" and Claudianus (in Lowman), "Nothing but the shadow of the Roman
name then remained." Mr. Mede informs, that Alaric, with a huge army of Goths, and others, broke into the eastern
wing of the empire, especially Macedonia, sparing neither towns nor people: that in Greece he wasted and destroyed
with horrible carnage; carrying the same destruction into Epirus, and Achaia, burning and destroying! -- that having
thus ravaged in the east, for five years; he passed into the west, and spread desolation far and near! -- that after
him, Madagaiso, a Scythian, with an army of 200,000 men, invaded the Venetian territories, carrying slaughter and
terror! -- that a third and more deadly army of Vandals and Alans invaded the western wing of the empire, occasioning
vast calamities; and that these judgments fulfilled that terrible storm of hail, mixed with fire and blood, alluded
to in this trumpet. Gregory, of those times, says, "Such terrors from heaven were then oftentimes stricken in the
minds of men, as lightning, flaming fires, and sudden storms occasion." And thus was fulfilled the judgment of the
first trumpet on the Roman earth.
The texts, expounded in this lecture, furnish rich materials for reflection. Divine judgments are often deferred for
a sealing time! and, at such a time, how important it is to obtain the seal of salvation! Sealing times are nearly
allied to days of divine vengeance! -- as in the following: "To declare the acceptable year of the Lord; and the
day of vengeance of our God." God is long-suffering; but at the time appointed his judgments will speak, and will
not lie. If because judgment against an evil work is not speedily executed, the hearts of sinners are fully set in
them to do evil; yet, sooner shall heaven and earth
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pass away, than such denounced judgments fail of fulfilment. God will be known by the judgments which he executeth.
"Go your way and pour out your vials upon the earth!" "Go ye forth, and slay utterly: but come not nigh to the men
that have the mark." The days in which we live render such directions of the deepest interest!
L E C T U R E VIII.
REVELATION VIII.
Trumpet II.
Ver. 8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and
the third part of the sea became blood:
9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships
were destroyed.
A mountain, in prophetic language, means a kingdom; and a mountain on fire, means a kingdom flaming in war, and
burning with indignation for revenge, or for plunder. The sea in prophecy means a realm in a tumultuous state; and
sometimes the seat of a power marked out for ruin: in our text it means the latter.
This trumpet denotes another signal step towards the downfall of the Roman empire, after the first fury of invasion,
like a storm of hail and thunder from the north. And it was fulfilled by the capital plundering of Rome itself, the
seat of the empire, by bloody hordes of Goths and Vandals. The judgments of the first trumpet fell, like a tempest
of hail and fire, upon the provinces of the empire; but this second trumpet takes the seat of it. Alaric with an
army of Goths, laid siege to Rome, took the city, and plundered it; slaying a vast multitude of its inhabitants, men,
women and children; noble and ignoble, priests and laity. But this scene of terror was outdone by another of a similar
kind within half a century; when Genseric, with
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an army of Vandals from the northern- parts of Africa (where this people had planted themselves from the north as has been noted), landed at the mouth of the Tiber at Rome, and took the city. The burning mountain was now cast indeed into the sea, in prophetic imagery. The ferocious Moors and Vandals had the unrestrained possession and plundering of this vast city, the capital of the world, for fifteen days; when its treasures, sacred and secular, fell a promiscuous prey into the hands of these rapacious legions. When their fury was glutted, and their rage for plunder satisfied; -- Genseric led them back to Africa, conveying thither immense riches, and many captives, among whom was the Empress Eudoxia, with her two daughters. This may be viewed as a finishing of the judgment of the second trumpet; and thus as a notable infliction of divine wrath on that capital city, so long the seat of the pagan persecutions of the church of Christ. As the hail-storm of the judgment of the first trumpet came from the north, this finishing and most capital scene of the burning mountain of the second trumpet, came from a burning clime of the south.
Trumpet III.
Ver. 10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon a third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters:
11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. A falling star, in prophetic imagery, and when secular things are the subject, imports the falling of some civil prince. Thus Isaiah, addressing the king of Babylon after his fall, says, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!" or, thou light-bearing star; alluding to the day-star, as though this should fall to the earth! What Roman prince then, fell at this time? Their last Roman emperor, Momylus (called Augustulus, or the little Augustus), was, at the time to which this trumpet naturally alludes, put down, -- to the great vexation of the provinces of the Roman empire. Odoacer, king of the Heruli, collected an army in Germany, entered Italy, and put down their last emperor (after taking Rome), and
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assumed to himself the title of the king of Italy: this operated indeed like wormwood on rivers and fountains of water, which renders them bitter. The condition of the kingdoms and provinces of the empire, denoted by the rivers and fountains in our text, was thus embittered and perplexed. For bloody scenes, revolutions, and barbarous governments followed, occasioning bitter anxieties, terrors and much slaughter.
Another bitter scene too, -- one of a religious kind, -- occurred at this period; -- the terrors of the Arian heresy. A star falling from heaven, in things ecclesiastical, denotes an apostate, a false teacher, a fatal heretic: as in Rev. ix. 1; where such a falling star denoted the author of the Mohammedan delusion, as will be seen. The falling star in our text then, may allude to the noted Arian heresy of those days. Both Arius, and his more active followers, may well be called wormwood; because, with all their sanctimonious zeal, and cry of Persecution (a trait of character common to heretics), they were themselves extremely bitter against the orthodox followers of Christ. And their enmities and persecutions did, at that very time, embitter the blessings of life; -- whether this were or were not a. fulfilment of our text. Ariua denied the doctrine of the Trinity in the Godhead; holding that Jesus Christ is but a mere creature, though of exalted rank, and above angels. And he exhibited his scheme, when he said of his opponents, "They hold that Christ, in his divine person, is not posterior nor inferior to the Father!" And again; "We (Arians) are persecuted, because we say Christ had a beginning!" Though Arius himself lived before the time of the judgment of this trumpet; yet the Arian heresy received a notable revival at this very period. We learn in history that kings and first characters of those barbarous hordes from the north, as they came within the twilight of Christianity, embraced the tenets of Arius; and they became their furious advocates, and the bitter persecutors of the orthodox.
Mosheim testifies as follows: "Towards the commencement of the sixth century, the Arians were triumphant in several parts of Asia, Africa and Europe! Their opinions were openly professed, and their cause maintained by the Vandals, in Africa, the Goths in Italy, the Spaniards and Burgundians, the Suevi, and the greater part of the Gauls." He further proceeds to speak of the Trinitarians as being rigorously treated by them; particularly in Africa
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and Italy, where, he says, "they felt, in a very severe manner, the weight of the Arian power, and the bitterness of their resentment." And this storm, he informs us, was not over, till the Vandals were driven (in 534) from Africa; and the Goths by the arm of Justinian out of Italy." (Vol. i, p. 467.) These Arian persecutions accord so fully with both the chronology and the imagery of this trumpet, that they are here adduced as at least aiding in the fulfilment of its events. They did indeed contribute their full part to the bitter scenes of those days, and were effected by the bitter Goths and Vandals who had been the instruments of the judgments of the two antecedent trumpets.
Trumpet IV.
Ver. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
The darkening of the heavenly luminaries, imports, in prophetic language, the subversion of the civil authorities in a kingdom or empire; the destroying of their civil peace. A writer says, As light is the symbol of joy and safety; so darkness of adversity and misery; and hence, said Jeremiah to the Jews; "Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness; and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains; and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness." We have here one description of the Babylonish captivity; it caused "gross darkness." The degree of darkness in such passages may hint to us the degree of the judgment fulfilling them. The prophet Isaiah, predicting the judgments of the last days, when God will "cut off the spirit of princes, and show himself terrible to the kings of the earth;" says, "For the stars of heaven, and the constellations thereof, shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth; and the moon shall not cause her light to shine; and I will punish the world for their evil." Ezekiel, also, predicting fatal judgments on Egypt, says, "When I shall put thee out (or extinguish thy luminary); I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud; and the moon shall not give her light; and all the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over
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thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God." Joel, also, says, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, before the great and notable day of the Lord;" meaning the fall of kings in wars and revolutions.
Thus we learn the sense of the prophetic language in our text; that God would darken a third part of the political Roman luminaries; or extinguish that third part of the political light of that empire, which then still remained. It seems, from the history of the fulfilment of our text, that the third part of the light extinguished was not the first third; but the last third; or the part which had till now remained. And this their darkness settled down upon them for both day and night, meaning continually. Rome never again should recover her pristine glory, nor much meliorate her degraded condition. And all this took place upon that empire. After the Gothic kingdom had for some time continued in Italy, -- which kingdom had left to Rome a considerable degree of splendor, and some degree of the power of her senate, consuls, and other magistrates; -- the emperor of the eastern wing of the empire sent his general Belisarius and took Rome. The year following, Vitijes, king of the Goths, besieged Rome with an army of 150,000 men, and reduced it to great extremity. Soon after, To- tilas, a succeeding Gothic king, took Rome: and the next year Belisarius took it from him: two years after, Totilas recovered it: and five times in less than twenty years, this rioted city was thus taken and retaken; reducing that capital of the world to a sorry condition. In a short time after, Narses, another general of the emperor in the east, again subdued Rome, and got himself constituted duke of all the realm, with Rome and the other provinces subjected to him. The exarchate of Ravenna was now established, and became the seat of the new government; and Rome lost all its supremacy, and was placed upon a level with other cities of Italy; and thus the last third of the light of this great national luminary was extinct! Darkness settled on all the advocates of the old government; and the judgment in our text was accomplished. The first four trumpets inflicted on Rome after its revolution to Christianity, are the four minor trumpets: but they brought the fall of the Roman empire.
Ver. 13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo,
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to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound.
Notice is here given, by an angel flying, of the three woes then yet awaiting the guilty world: and these three
trumpets are hence denominated the three wo trumpets; or the first, second, and third woes; which were to be still
more notable events. They were to relate each to a different power, as will be seen; and were events great, and
far distant from each other.
The three trumpets, expounded in this lecture, furnish interesting reflections. By these judgments, God made himself
known, -- vindicated his name and government, -- and gives solemn warnings to men on earth. Rome had been great,
and had long governed the known world. But long had this wicked empire persecuted the cause of God, and slaughtered
millions of the dear followers of Christ; and God poured his judgments upon them. These savage barbarians from the
north had their own selfish and bloody designs; and the Most High had his deep, holy and vindictive designs, in the
same events. "Surely the wrath of man shall praise God; and the remainder of that wrath he will restrain." These
calamities were the wicked deeds of those vile hordes of robbers; and they were yet the righteous dispensations of
God: "Ye meant evil against me (said Joseph to his brethren); but God meant it for good." God governed the whole,
and fulfilled his word, and his wise designs; yet were the aggressors free agents; and their cruelties were without
excuse. God said of the Assyrian, Isa. x., coming against the Jews; "I will send him against the hypocritical
nations, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey,
and to tread them down as the mire of the streets." But of the same Assyrian, God says; "Howbeit he meaneth not
so; neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few:" hence God
cut off the Assyrian, in his turn, as he did the Romans in the judgments recited. Let transgressors then, tremble!
for "the triumphing of the wicked is short!" "When they say, Peace and safety; sudden destruction cometh, and they
shall not escape!" "He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without
remedy."
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