Notes-Apocalypse-Revelation-David-Steele-320

154 NOTES ON

end of the Avorh.!,—interrupted only by the isolated
history of the "little book; which, treating of events
which were matter of history under the first two woe-
trumpets, could not he sealed. N o w at the twelfth
chapter, Avithout regard to the seventh, or any other
of the trumpets in particular, Ave are furnished Avith
a second and enlarged edition, as it Avere, of the most
important parts of the first edition. We have ob¬
served before, that this is the manner of the prophets
on a large scale, especially in predicting "the suflier-
ings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.''
So it is with John and Paul. What the latter only
hints at, Avhen Avriting to Timothy, (1 T i m . iv. 1-3,)
he enlarges upon in addressing the Thessalonians.
(2 Thess. i i . 3-12.) The theme is the same as treated
by these two apostles; and this coincidencoAvill in
‫ל‬. duo time be more manifest. N e x t to Christ per-
HOiial, the |)r0|)hcts have been interested in the
destiny of Christ mystical.

Throe diifercnt viows of this twelfth chapter have
been taken by the more sober ami learned expositors.
One considers it as referring to the Koman empire in
its heathen state, prior to the time of Constantine.
Another understands the first part of this chapter,—
(vs. 1-0,)—as relating to Rome pagan, and the rest
of the chapter to antichristian Rome. A third con¬
ceives that the Avhole of it applies to apostate im¬
perial Rome only. The last is doubtless the correct
vicAV.

As the "sealed book" and the " l i t t l e open book,"
must be supposed to contain all the prophetical part
of the Apocalypse; and as the Avhole of the little book
is comprised in the eleventh chapter, (vs. 1-13,) this
twelfth chapter must belong to the sealed book.
Being a continuance of the history under the seventh
seal, although it may agree in time Avith some of the

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THE APOCALYPSE. 155

trumpets, it cannot go back to a period prior to the
seventh eal. But under the sixth seal, paganism
vas abolished in the Roman empire; therefore this
chapter refers to the antichristian empire. More¬
over, as the little book was introductory to the se-
vent 1 trumpet, designating the object of the third
woe,so this chapter and the next two, are^vhoUy oc¬
cupied in describing the object of the vials, (ch 16.)

We oucrht to bear i n mmd continually, that the
seals, trumpets and vials, are introduced as symbols
o T e i n e a t r o n e character, the j-penitent enemy 0
God and of his saints. B u t this enemy "begui es
through his subtlety," changing his aspec s and m-

ruments, the more successfully to assail the ci y of
the Lord. It is therefore the design of the H o l y
Snirit in these three chapters to present the foe in
hi'smos; prominent featm-es, that the two witnesses
may be able to identify the enemy, be apprized of
their danger, and intelligently choose their command¬
e r — " t h e Captain of salvation. _

" T h e r e appeared a great Avonder m heaven. i h e
ΛνοπΙ "Avonder" in this verse, and also m verse third,
simply means a sign or symbol ; and the whole
structure of the book requires that it be so transla¬
t e d - " W o m a n " is here the true church of God.
Here most expositors fail to explain the symbol ' hea-
y e n . " Otheis say " h e a v e n " symbolizes the church.
Then we have two churches-^ church withm a
church! This is unquestionably the only correct
view of the matter. D u r i n g most, i f not the whole
T)eriod of the 1260 years, the witnesses are so blended
with, or overshadowed by the church catholic or ge¬
n e r a , that few are able, and fewer still disposed
todistinguish the one from the other. A l l through
the B i b l e the church is spoken of as a female. She
is the "daughter of Z i o n , - t h e bride, the L a m b s

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156 NOTES ON

wife." A n y body politic is spoken of in tbe sacred

wvitings in •tl>e san.e style. " T h e daughter of B a -

b y l o ‫ ״‬, o f T y r e , o r even of E g y p t , " - T h e s e are fa¬

miliar figures. •‫ י‬c i n‫״‬o

This woman is " clothed with the sun. She has

<‫־‬put on the Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. xuuU.)

He is "the L o r d her righteousness.' (Jer. x x m . 6.)

The "moon under her feet," may represent the beg-

garly elements" of tlie Mosaic ritual, sublunary
things, or the ordinances which- derive all iheir light

torn the " S u n of righieousness." ‫ ׳‬l h e " twe ve

s f i r s " arc the doctrine of the apostles, or rather the

apostles' legitimate successors; their legitimacy test¬

ed bv their doctrine and order in opposition to the

imaaimry historical line of papistical and prelatic

succe«si(m. A faithful ‫״‬0.‫רף‬61 ministry are ever her

;tars and her crown, (ch. i . 20.) The true apostolic

church, t h ‫ ״‬. scripturally constituted, (ch x i . 1,) be¬

comes the joyful mother of a holy seed. ( i s . cxiii. J ;

Gal. iv. 26, 27.)

3 \1ul there appeared another wonder in heaven and,

behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns,

ond seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And 1 is tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,

ami du i t them to the earth: and the dragon stood beiore

X^vo‫״‬1anΛvhich was ready to be delivered, ior to devour

lier child as soon as it was born. , , , ,,

5 And she brouglit forth a man-child who was to rule all

nations with a rod of iron: and her chdd was caught up unto

^ ? ‫ ־‬I ‫ ״‬d I h e Î ™ fled into the wilderness, wirere she hath
a place prepared of God, that they should teed her there a
thousand two hundred and threescore days.

V s 3-6.—The next "sign in heaven," exciting
theapnstle's admiration, was " a great red dragon,
h a v i n ‫ ״‬seven heads and ten horns,"—Ihe dragon 13
fullv described, v. 9, leaving no place, or even pre¬
tence for conjecture. H e is known from the day that

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THE APOCALYPSE. 157

he " becruiled E v e " in the garden of E d e n . _ That
old serpent" still intrudes among the samts, m the
garden of the L o r d . (Job i . 6; John v i . 7 0 ; x u i . 27.)
A s the devil possessed the serpent to deceive the mo¬
ther of mankind, so, with the same malevolent design,
he possessed himself of the whole political and ecde-
siastical power of the Roman empire, thereby to de¬
ceive and destroy the " seed of the woman, all true
believers. His color is red, denoting his character as
cruel and blood-thirsty. Sir Isaac Nc3wton considers
tho d r a ‫ ״‬o n as symbolical of the Greek Christian em¬
pire of Constantinople. Scott thmks this symbol
represents the pagan Roman empire; while others
suppose the British government to ansAA^r the symbo ,
because of the scarlet costume of her officers and sol-
dicrs' Thus, inspired symbols may mean any thmg
su‫״‬c‫׳‬rfcsted to the imaginations of men, not by the text
orTontext, but by their respective and contlicting po-
Ittical prejudices. Suridy, if the red color signily any
thing besides cruelty, it may be discerned with equal
clearness in the scarlet cloaks of Fope and Cardinals.

A s "heaven'' is to be taken in an ecclesiastical sense,
so are-the "stars," (ch. i . 2 0 , - ) " t h e angels 0 the
churches,"' ministers of the g o s p e l . - A s he Sarace-
nie locusts and the Euphratean horses had stings and
hurtful power in their tails, (ch. ix. 10, 19;) so it is
with this dragon. The destructive influence of Ma¬
hometan delusion and papal idolatry, operatea as a
fatal poison in the souls of men. The judgments of
the past woes left many still in a state of impenitence
(ch ix ‫ר׳‬0 •‫ל‬1 ) " T h e leaders of this people caused

hem to er'r,"by i‫״‬cuh‫־‬ating submission to existing
corrupt civil power. The "little horn of Hamel
as first rendered visible in the person of the bruta
Phocas, began to be addressed in language of most
fulsome and degrading flattery, which seems to bo
t 11

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copied till the present time. T h a t w e may see how
mercenary and aspiring ecclesiastics paid court to
civil despots from the commencenient of the famous
12()0 Years, let tho following instance serve fo^r a
sample. Addressing the monster Pliocas, Pope Gre-
gor}'ί, cs the mouth, o' f, th. e cl. ergy and1 l1 a·it!y*,*. .uses t*h1 .ui s‫״‬
languaae: " W c rejoice that the benignity 0Ϊ your jne-
iy(\) Irris reached the pinnacle of imiierial power.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice."—
Now let us hear the chai-acter of Phocas from the pen
of an infidel :—"Ignorant of letters, of laws, and even
of arms, he induljicd in the supreme rank^a more
amidj privilege of lust and drunkenness.—The pu-
nishmcnt of the victims of his tyranny was imbittered
by the refinements 0Γcruelty: their eyes were pierced,
their tongues were torn from tho root, their hands and
feet wert^ amputated: some expired under the lash,
others in the liâmes, others again were transfixed with
arrows: and a simple speedy death was mercy Avbich
they could rarely o b t a i n . ' ' ! Thus the dragon's power
was in his mouth, issuing bloody edicts to " s l a y the
innocent;" while " h i s tail drew the third part of the
stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth."
They prostituted their ministry to sustain the policy

of the beast. " T h e ancient'and honorable, he is
the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is
the tail." (Is. i x . l 5 . ) Thus it is that pastors, fond
of show and ambitious of worldly distinction, attach
themselves to the train of earthly thrones and digni¬
ties, and so constitute and ]:erpetuate the antichristian
confederacy against the "woman"—the true church

* The terms " clerey and l a i t y " are of papal origin, and
the unlearned Christian should know that they are contrary
to the mind of the Holy Spirit. 1 Pet. v. 3. The body ot th
people are " God's heritage,"—cZc;-‫׳‬/j‫׳‬.

t Gibbon.

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ΤΠΕ APOCALYPSE. 159

During the first six hundred years of the Christian

era the woman had been " t r a v a i l i n g " to brmg forth

a holy progeny. A l l this time ^ e dragon s " eyes

are pÎivily'set against the poor." (Ps•

allusion is here to the cruel eaict of Pharoah. (Exod.

i . I G ; Acts v i i . 19.) 'The great city where the wit-

ncsses are slain is " spiritually called Egypt. ch

XIi 8 ) B y a like form of speech, Pharoah is called
a the great dragon," .(Ezek. xxix. Ö; Is. Ii- 9.) It

should be noted, that the Roman empire the beast,

in a l l its heads and borns is actuated by the devil,—

before as well as after its dismemberment, from the

time of Romulus its founder, till its overthrow by the

third woe. A t the time referred to in the text, when

the empire has "assumed the livery of heaven,"—

professedly in the interest of Christ, then it is that

the devil bestirs himself. L i k e his prototype, he

dreads the ‫ ״‬r o w t h a n d power of the woman's offspring.

Under pa‫״‬an Rome's persecutions, "the more God's

people we°re afflicted, the more they multiplied and

grew." Now the adversary shapes his policy ac-

e c o r d i n ‫ ״‬l y . — " C o m e on, let us deal wisely with them,
" lest they multi pi v. " — H i s avowed object is, to "de¬
y vour the child as'soon as it is born,"—by persecution
s to prevent ministers from laboring to convert sinners
s to G o d ; and to destroy all who "as new-born babes,
d desire the sincere milk of the word."—The woman
h had still "strength to bring forth."—"She brought
¬ forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a
n rod of i r o n . " — W i t h united voice papists and pre¬
h. lates declare, this child can be no other than Con-
Stan tine the first Christian emperor. The very fact

that this interpretation comes from such a source,

d may well suggest suspicion as to its correctness.
y
he Two considerations demonstrate the error of this pre-

latic interpretation, besides the fact that it is prelahc.

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Constantino l>ad gone the .‫ ך‬of all the ea.-th some

liiindrcds of years beiore the birth ot tins ciuia.

a η i ‫ ״‬, the eternal Father never made the pro-

m e to‫ ״‬Co'nstantine or - y other earthly monarch

to which the apostle John here refers. (P«; J")

This promise is obvionsly made to the L o d C W

L t i is obiected by those learned expos1tor.,-much

l i k ! Urn I'hirisees, •(John vii. 5 2 0 - ; S e a r c h an look

f n r o u t o f Galüee ariseth no prophet. bo leason

h c s ? m ‫ ״‬They hanghtily and confidently objec

t n s : - ' • Christ is U.e son of the Jewzsh c ^ r c h I n

is ; h i l d is the son of the CJa-istian church. ' Ih.s

^gument destroys the unity of the church of G d

which is ono under all changes of «^;«^^Ο

gracious covenant. (Rom. ^'‫ ^ ^ ^ ־ ^ ^ ־‬f f j , ; ‫^ ״ ; ״ ל‬

The Messiah is here represented as m the b c g ‫ ״‬m g

‫״‬Γ the war with the same enemy ;--the « ‫ ^ ״‬f he

^oojnan shall bruise the senicncs head bt U may

the church of God joylu y d e c l a r e ] ' - ^ ' . ^ γ

Child is born, unto us a Soa is given. (!•‫ •י‬i ^ • 0·

τ ί ‫ ״ נ ״‬/ ‫ ״‬: ^ son, howevm^ is not to be undersUu^

of Christ personal, but of Christ -J^^tical - o f hose

.dio are with him "called and chosen --^^^^η^

wlimn "he is not ashamed to call his brethien. (cn.

‫'״‬Γ14 li. 11.). •1•‫־•׳‬ rs'S

ifh vii 4 ‫ ן‬the "two witnesses;' (xi• à, the 1-t-±

vulers constitute but 0.1c " a o g o l , (‫י־‬.‫ ; ^ ' ^ ' ™ י" •־‬. ;

Γ‫ ־‬d : r S g ' - ' • o f ;!.‫ ־‬â - g o ‫ ״‬, ‫ ־ ־‬it ‫ י‬ore, the

‫ ״‬: ! , , ‫ ־ ו י ״‬a u | l , i up uuto God.autl «0 h.s h™ -
The leaders iu ehureh and state supposed that they
taJ "ruaie s u r e " of the Saviour, when they had

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THE APOCALYPSE. 161

..sealed tbe stone and ^0^^^^
the enenries of ^ 1 tt Λ ‫ ״‬Λ ‫ ־‬1‫ >־״־י»י‬shall

sentativeof bis people, in detancco 1

- « ‫ ־‬S « ? Srh‫^־‬:k Of

ness during the ‫ ־ י‬/ ‫ ^ ם‬/ ^ . ^ ' ^ · β , ^ . This flight is

period of the l ^ ^ ^ J ^ ^ ^ " ' , t‫״־‬ne. Ucr ihgbt,

[be wilderness during ^ ^ ^ ^ ‫ ן‬there, are al-

sojourn in the wilderness a i d fcej^l^ ^.

Är;.ÄÄvi^‫־׳^»«׳־״־‬

children. (Isa. xxvi-20.)

‫ י ד‬A n d prevailed not; neither was their place found any

more in heaven, ^ that old serpent,

‫״‬aLa^'i‫־‬έ‫״‬if,‫ב׳‬Sa»"‫־‬-‫^^^'•יי־''''״‬

/

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162 NOTES ON
l,e ^v‫״‬s cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast ou

' ' ï ï ' ' ï ‫ ״‬d I heard a loud voice saying ^^^^--f'^^.^
colic Ü'lu, and ^ ^ - f j l ^ ^ Ο ι Γ ^ ο ^ Γ ο ΐ r^î^^tSrS;

r : L ^ ; X ^ : r Ä ^ ï c ^ S ê A s ; our Ood day and

uuto the death.
Yg 7 _ l l . _ I n tinspart of the chapter we have

three attacks of the dragon upon the friends oj true
veligion. The hrst is the war m heaven (vs. . - l ^ •
The second persecution on the
The third is nrentioned in verse ! ‫ ! ^ ל‬: and these
tl‫״‬-ee contests cover the whole period of the 1-bU

hrst war is waged in ! - - e n . The allu^^^

is obviously to the rebellion of -ge^s^ for . h i h they

were cast down from heaven, (2 1 et. u. 4.j 1 •c

oiitcst is the same in principle as the i^^^^t war; bu

it is conducted in a diilerent form ‫\יך‬f^^'^J^^^

V..H here is tho church general, and the sciptnt acts

>v t c au l.ority of the empire. The woman having

i d 1 t t c viilerncss, the dragon's power becomes

0 V at in the symbolical heaven, that he aims a

h e ^ ‫ ; ״‬L d e s t r u c i n of true religion - the w‫״‬Hd

The advocates of the true religion at this time weie

th Waldenses, called by their adversaries in dension

: l e s : r S i ^ h r ; - ‫ ״‬t ^ a y . Tnese peop^wex
deemed the most dangerous enemies to the churc
of Rome. Yet the reasons for their condemnatio
by t inquisitors, are their full vindication in th
judgment of impartial men. ï ^ % ^ % Î ‫ ׳‬7 r ^ i
is the oldest sect; for some say it hath endured,
S o m the t^me of the apostles. It is more genera

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THE APOCALYPSE. 163

^'^l^ rr‫״‬i the Lcouisls hau, » 'ri^^y

concerning God, oBljthc) ^^^^^
Bomo and the e l c g V " ^urch, and both
horns, \ " ‫ ' ' ־‬8 » « ‫ ג‬J i i , ‫ ״‬: ‫ ״‬f th^ ohareh,"

a .irtaous mmor.ty at *^‫ ־‬-«»»-^^ » ' ^ Ber-

t/rSrÄÄ

but the Captain of salvation and I s ,^^,‫״‬,^
will give a <hffcvent verdict ‫^^^^^^^^ע‬

and martyrs, under the 0-^^^^^^^^^^ i i e war

^ began the struggle ^'.'t^^ 1 1 / ‫ ^^^^^^^^^^^^־‬, , t ‫״‬,· the 16th
diJ‫״‬otcometo1tslm1^1;^t^lt^
s century. Iben it\Nas t a
g fought a S ^ - t ü i e ^ a 0 a Ü10 . ^^^^

s ^^^^
at
his angels l^«th pa le Christendom.

e
n

was made 1 !own as t^e g ^ ^ before

xe for the children of God s peop t ‫״‬

ch

on

he

-

al,

/t

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164 NOTES ON

iv. 4.) The result of the v/ar is not doubtful. The
Avhole po^γer of Rome, civil and ecclesiastical,—em¬
perors, kings, princes, pope, cardinals and prelates,
were baflled; and this too, whether in the use of the
sword of the Spirit,—polemic theses,—or of the ma¬
terial sword, in literal warfare. When the Lord Je¬
sus ‫ ״‬mustered the hosts to the battle," he furnished
them " w i t h the whole armour of God to stand in the
evil way.'' When Zuingle, Luther, Calvin, Knox,
their compeers and successors, were obliged to wres-
tie with the hosts of Antichrist,—" against principa¬
lities, against powers, against the rulers of the dark¬
ness of°this world, against spiritual Avickedncss in
high places," {wicked spirits in heavenly places,) they
found it both lawful and necessary,—"having no
sword, to buy one." (Luke x x i i . 36.)

The dragon and his angels were defeated and rout¬
ed,—"They prevailed not,—he was cast out into
the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
The thunders of the Vatican thenceforth lost their
wonted power to terrify. Ever since, they are but
brutum fulmcn,—vox, et prœterea 7«7/e?,—harmless
thunder,—unmeaning voice. Papal curses, though
annually launched against all heretics, tend only to
amuse the popular mind, not to reach or disturb the
individual conscience. F o r centuries the dragon has
been unable to rouse any one horn of the beast to
deeds of blood.

It is msual for the victors to give outward exprès-
sion to their joy. " T h e voice of them that shout
for mastery," has been heard since the days of Moses.
(Exod. x x x i i . 18.) Accordingly, these conquerors
congratulate one another on their recent victory, but
their j o y terminates on the proper object. The
" k i n g d o m of their God and the power of his C h r i s t "
constitute their theme. H i s right hand and his holy

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THE APOCALYPSE. 165

arm have gotten him the victory. The devd accused
Job before God. H i s accusations in that instance
vcre prosecuted through Job's friends and his wife.
(Job i . 4, 5, 9, l l . ) - Ö 0 it was in the experience of
he l i f o r m e k . They were loaded with infamy by
their persecutors; and while they were depressed,
God himself seemed to give sentence against them.
This was the wormwood and the gal m the cup ot
their affliction, as it was i n holy Job's experience:
but in due time God "brought forth their righteous¬
ness as the light, and their judgment as the noonday.
Their " good conversation put to silence the >gnorance
of foolish men." The power of the Lord's Christ
was made manifest through the instrumentality of
his servants, by producing conviction in many he^ar s
that the cause f o i which they sufl-ered was from God,
and thus prevailing with such to join in the^ fellmv^
ship. The hearts of kings and princes of the ea th

were touched from on high; so that they braved the
combinations of imperial and papal power, win le ex-
t e n d i n ‫ ״‬the shield of their protection to tlie followc s
of tl e°Lamb. Frederick the Wise, and especially
John his brother, electors of Saxony in Luther s
ime, were notable bulwarks of defence to the suffer-
m " gainst the bloody edicts of Char es fifth emperor
of Germany. The "good regent'; in ScoUand and
others extended effbctual protection to K n o x his
coadjutors and followers i n the cause of refoimation
When the seven thunders uttered their voices John
uwas about to write," (ch. χ. 4.) H e was about to
proclaim a final victory! H e was too sanguine
‫ ״‬T h e time was not yet." Just so i n the case of his
legitimate successors in the work of th« Lord. Con¬
fident in the power and faithfulness of Michael their
Prince, confident i n the righteousness of their cause
fondly hoping that at this time their Master is about

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166 KOTES OK

to restore again the kingdom to Israel they pre
turely e x c l a i m , - " Now is come salvatu)n. —
rca1>in‫ ״‬the first fruits of victory, they antici
the han'cst of final and absolute conquest, (ch.
8 ) Indeed, the salvation of God and the powe
]lis Christ, were experienced by great multitudes
ruvr the time of this content. The saints cx
enc^d times of refreshing from the presence ot
L o r d . Then followed a work of grace both on
continent of Europe and in the British Isles• C
tians entering into solemn covenant bonds with
and with one another, whereby the kingdom of
was rendered more visible among mankind tha
the "dark ages." The weapons, with which
•saints overcame the dragon, were not carnal

miahty. These, we are told, were " the blood o
Lamb, and the word of their testimony.' I h e
licved and they taught in opposition to the po
doctrine of good works and penances, tjiat the
teousncss which the law of God requires ot a s
is provided by a Surety; that the b ood of C
alone cleanses believers from the gu.lt of sin
thus justifies them in the sight of G^od N o
ever used stronger language than Luther m
nouncing the supposed efficacy of works, or
sorting the sovereignty of free grace, in the jus
tion ‫־‬01 a sinner. Indeed it was the deep impr

which the doctrine of justification made upo
hearts of men, and the firm hold which faith t
it, that enabled and constrained them to forsak
Ilomish church and to seek and erect a separa
lowship. This was with them "the word of C
patience." Other doctrines of grace were, of
connected with this of justification in the app
sion of the Reformers, but it was the centra
A n d thus we may learn, that any doctrine

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THE APOCALYPSE. 167

ema¬ such cases,—»11 ,,.,,!y tlic schisroa•
—In
ipate t,c3amlsc1a1at‫־‬1ls. ‫״‬11 j ‫^^^^ ״‬
xiv.
er of -f^S:mr:;1^iÏi|evi1Ju^
s du-
xpcn- ^Many of the combatants fell '1\ζΤ'11 ‫׳‬yUj ^ ,‫״‬
t the
n the sisting unto blood, striving ag‫""־‬f , f ^ " ; 3 ,
Chris¬
T h i s t ‫ ־‬s « ‫ > ״‬o a y . ‫ ־‬c a W , u . h ‫ ־‬1 7 t h ‫ ״‬1 _ ^ ^ ^ that it
God
God timony of Jesus t^rnist. x^uca /· ‫ו‬:,^,? The
an in
h the understood - ^ e a r m g upon ^‫^^^״^^^^^^^״‬

but fices and work. I n eithei sense sharing the
of the
y be- enjoy intimate communion with h - i s e l ‫^ י‬hjii g ^^^^
opular
hoiiour of his victories, (v. 5.) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^b.
rigti-
inner heavens rejoice m prospect 01 final v i c i o i y , ν
Christ
n, and ""ΊΓTherefore rejoice ye ^?^^J^^^St^^^^Î^
o man
m de¬ Î e knowèth that he hath ‫נג‬ut a B^^mrt tmr · .^^^ ^,^^
m as¬
stifica¬ e a ä , t ^ M t l A i n a Î S ! brought forth the
ression
on the " v f % 1 3 - H e r e is a note of warning The
took of
ke the
ate tel-
Christ s
course,
prehen¬
al one.
of the

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168 NOTES ON

yet bound with tbe great chain, (ch. x x . 1, - ) H i s
late defeat has only incensed his rage, as c bear
robbed of her whelps." B u t the specia reason as¬
signed for his "great wrath " is, "because he knoweth
tltt he hath but a short time " How ‫״‬oes the dey.l
come to tliis knowledge.^ , ^ 1 "•‫ת^״^ייף‬N o '
Was he i‫״‬int-e‫״״״‬sellor witli the Most High? Iso.
(Isa. x l . l o , 1 1 ; K o m . x i . 34.) He must have de¬
rived this knowledge from revelation ; and from some
l i i s l n c e s in Script^ure, we might infer that the devil
is more skilled in theology, espec.aly m prophecy,
than many, if not most modern interpreters. I n Ire
time of cur Lord's humiliation he quoted and applied
to him a prophecy in the 91st psalm ( v . l l , 12.) H e
also dreaded being t o r m e n t e d , - " before the time.
(Matt. viii. 29:) from which it appears that he rea¬
sons of the "times and the seasons' as revealed i n
the Bible. But by the phrase, " a short time, the
devil understood,-and we are to understand - - n o t
the time to transpire tUl the end of the wor d , but
the time intervening between his ejectment out ot
heaven, and the overthrow of Antichrist when he
is to be bound. Now, we may learn from the devds

ealculation, that all those learned ^'^\f‫״«™^־‬f l '
vines, especially of the prelatic church of England,
<'do greatly err, not knowing the fecnpturcs; who
sav, ?hat the dragon was cast out of the symbolic
hc:ave‫ ״‬m ihe time of Constantine The space of
duration from Consta'ntme till thevnllemnwn, cannot
be relatively "short," under the New Testament dis-
p L i l o n . ‫ ׳‬T h c tim'e of the dragon's being cast ou
i f heaven, and the instruments by which this was
accomplished, are to be found clearly verified m .he
authentic histories of the sixteenth century, to which
some references have been already made, as eluci-
d a t i n ‫ ״‬the events of the 11th chapter: for it is to be

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TIIE APOCALYPSE. 1 fi9

‫י־^^־‬

•;1

r ‫ ־‬. ‫ ־‬. b « d * a t a > ‫ ־‬f o ™ « part » f * ‫ ־‬1 1 f t

îrb‫!^^־‬::îatt‫ ״‬p a r t o u t . ™

r;Γat‫ד‬n‫ד‬1Γtl;;‫־‬K1f•sa‫״‬ivi^aa,‫״‬0gt.^^

or revolutionary ^^*^;^ ^ ! ‫ ^ ; ״ ^ ^ ך‬/ , , , ‫ ״‬d unexpected

means.

u. .0.1.», T ‫ » ; ׳ ־‬r ; s / i ; i i S ‫ ־‬i s ‫ ״‬s i ‫ ״‬P ' S •

Ä 'SSl^£'<^^'^' ‫׳״״׳״ ״ ׳ ״ ״ י י ״‬

from the face of the äer[xnt. ^ ^ flood,

of the flood. woman, and the earth opened

j ^ i ; ‫ ״‬1 , ‫ ״‬r Ä ‫ ״ ־‬0 Ä > x »‫־־‬. ‫ ־<״‬-‫־«•״‬0‫־‬0

cast out of Ids mouth.

V s 1 4 - 1 6 . - T 0 guard against the seeand attack

of the dt-a^on, the woman flees a . < ‫ ־‬. W time to the

/ρ a of safet;, which had been merci ully prepar d

for her preservation before the war began, (v. 6.)

I n d s h e l in no less peril from her deadly enemy

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The "two wings of a great eagle" have furnished
occasion to many fertile minds for indulging m fan¬
ciful conjectures. To such persons nothing occurs
answerable to the svmbol but some emblem of impe¬
rial power or national sovereignty. A n d because
the ca‫״‬lc was the visible symbol on the military ban-
ncr of^Rome, it is conjectured that "the eastern and
western empires afforded protection to the church
Why, the empire, in both its wings, was the dead y
enemy of the church, as we have already seen ! (ch.
xi 7 ) Alas! what absurdities result from political
bias! The unlettered Christian will readily perceive
under the emblem in the text, a plain allusion to the
gracious interposition of the church's Redeemer m
the days of old. " Ye have seen what I did unto the
Ecryntians, and how I bare you on aighs ivivgs,
ami brought you unto myself." (Exod. xix. 4 ) Ihus
the Lord'delivered his people and brought them into
a literal wilderness on their way to the promised
land (.f liberty. A n d now in a time of equal danger,
be will " set his hand again the second t i m e " to de¬
liver his neople. He who delivered them from so
great a death as Pliaroah threatened, doth still dc-
liver; in whom Ids saints have ground to trust that
lie will still deliver them. (2 Cor. i . 10.) The great
and beneficial change accomplished ammig the na¬
tions l;v the reformution in the sixteenth and seven-
teentir centuries, whereby the dragon was hurled

from seats of ecclesiastical and civil power, did not
materiuUv change tho position of the " t w o wit-
liesses." " The t‫ו‬mc had not yet come when ^they
were to be called up into the svmbolic heaven. They
must continue to prophesy till the close of the ap¬
pointed period of 1:^60 years. T i l l the expiration of
that definite period the true church of Christ is not
to be permanentlv established in any nation of the

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THE APOCALYPSE. 171 Hi

earth The actual condition of the church and of
he nations among whom she dwells, - d f ' - f ; ! ; ^
these verses during the time subsequent to the 110
est^t Reform‫״‬tion,-consequentlyinour‫״‬wn time.
¥ h e time, times and half a time" of the 14th vers^,
are an obvious reference to Daniel vu. - ‫ ; נ ׳‬x n . ( ,
and are the same period as 42 months, or 1200 day
‫ ״‬à a y f o r a y e i r . " During this Avhole time the
w m t ' i s n o u r i i e d i n the wilderness "f^^om idie ace
of the serpent." Safety is secured for her only m

^ ' ' ‫ י‬é v i t e r , " as a symbol or metaphor, is of frequent
occurrence and varied import in Scripture Among
itsdiversifiedsignif.catio‫״‬s,pe1d1apsthat^
tive element is most common. Ps. x v m . 4 , x x x u .
ΰ ) ItTs indeed often used to denote gospej bless-
mis (as Is. I v . l ; John vii. 3 8 ; Rev. x x n . l i . ) A s
l e i e ' u ed the "water as a flood," represents some-
, : ; : g •::ended by the dragon for the destruction 0
the woman. I f he cannot destroy her by hio, he
a ms overwhelm her with water. This water comes
ou 0 the dragon's " m o u t h . " So of the "unclean
spirits " (ch. x v i . 13.) Soul-destroymg e r r o r s , - l e¬

e s - a r e undoubtedly intended. I f he cannot de-
; : ; f a s a roaring lion, he will ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
and seduce as a cunning serpen . ^ ^ ^ ‫^^' י‬heie 010
instructed hereby to look for "damnable heiesies
to prevail, acconianied and followed by popu ax cam-
modois and licentiousness. The age ‫״‬1 which we

V emarkably characterized by false systems and
.pious thcoriesf Speculative atheism «aus d j e
French revolution, and led to t e ei-ection of the Un -
ted States government; which, having openly do-
clared independence of England, soon after virtually
declaved independence of God. France Germany
England and the United States, have all been per-

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172 NOTES ON

vaded with infidel and atheistical sentiments; and
these, whether propagated nnder the name of soM
science or polite literature, have corrupted the pubic
mind for generations. In tlie name ot science, treat-
ino- of the material or moral world, the agents of the
di^igon have been exceedingly success ‫ ״‬. M e a -
phfscians and geologists have constructed systems
which would exodude the Almighty Irom the heavens
and the earth. But however active and zealous ihesc
laborers in the service of the dragon hey do ‫ ״‬0
reach the popular ear but m part. Ihose sons of
B e l i a l who devise false systems of religion under the
name of Christianity, have been still more Pûrmcio >s
to the nations, and dangerous to the church. It the
church of Rome cannot prevail with kings as befo e,
to execute her cruel sentences of death 0(,‫״‬., h e 0
she is not less active in disseminating her idolatious
and superstitious dogmas among the ‫'־״‬t>ons. B y
freemasonry, oddfellowship, temperance assoc.atioi s
and a counUess number of aiKliated societies - t h e
offshoots of popery and infidelity, the dragonstiU a -
sails the woman. Reason, toleration, humanity cha-
ritv and liberality are terms which have been selected

and abused bv the servants of the dcyi " 0 deceive
the hearts of tlie simple." These are ahkc he watc -
words of the spiritual seducer and the political agi¬
tator. What dogma or heresy so absurd,—wiiat
conduct so immoral, as not to find patronage in he
i o n r n a l s o f t h e d a y ? or not to find to erance m ρ 0-
*tection under the fostering wings of church or s ate
What is impiously called "free love, ' as wel l a s
avowed infidelity and polygamy, are Patronized by
constituted authorities in Christendom. W hen ak g
a survey of the errors and systems of error, host, e
to the honor of Messiah and the free grace of his
gospel, how few can be found in the different nations

/ :i

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THE APOCALYPSE. 173

of tbe earth who "overcame by the blood of the
of the , f rth ^vno ^^^-^‫ ^^^ן‬by the nations of

E: ‫ ״‬to a ‫ ״‬t nl°‫־‬v visibility. ï b e y are Γ ‫ ־‬Λ , t»
begin to ‫ייך״ =״^י‬4 witnesses are slain. —

ï h e y are ‫ _ " ל ״‬. ; ‫ ״‬a „or tbe testimony

‫ ב ו‬the S p S of Λ ‫ ־‬Lordiball lift up a standard

^ ' ‫ ן > ״‬e a n d ^ h e gentiles tread the outer court, on
one side ‫"^־‬d the gent ^oly city,-‫־‬the

the other. Ihe testimony of the witnesses
church nominal, and the testimony

' t a l t i r r t r i e5 Tder^other symbols.

fountains of natural *nd moia 1^^•^•‫י‬ ^

iac^ce°p^te‫־‬d‫״‬b?y dthtev hÄum- a‫״‬n t d as settle'^d^^^b^u.^t ^lu^^‫^ן‬is.

thrown into debate. . · ζ refreshment
staniial nourishment, and th1r‫־‬t1ng loi

12

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174 NOTES ON

truth and error, a combination of Christianity, ve-
fined idolatry and speculative atheism, fails to satis¬
fy the necessary cravings of the immortal soul.
- T h e r e be many that say, Who w i l l show us any

aood?" (Ps. iv. 6.)

I n this state of the popular mind, there is a gene¬

rda‫׳‬ilefrteesedednotfmiomreonmftesrpweehc0iccahinaindoidns.cooufTnththeeneacnprcryeessos^,f"pteornelesarolatuitneiosd^ns ,i-in-n
the public ear among most communities since the
d r a ‫ ״‬o n was cast down from the mystic heaven. I h i s
popular sentiment is not an expression of the law ot
chïrity, actuating hearts influenced by divme grace
but rather originates from indifference alike tothe
claims of Messiah and the destinies of mankind.
Thus "the earth helps the woman." Indeed, the na¬
tions of Christendom, contrary to their former policy,
are now much more tolerant of ecclesiastical than ot
political heresies. W i t h few exceptions the policy
of the nations at the present time is to discriminate,
not among churches, but among rehgw71s. I h e po¬
pular voice is obviously in favor of dissevering that
alliance between church and state, from which man¬
kind have suffered in past generations. Whde every

earthly potentate, usurping the place and F e r o g a ‫־‬
tives of the Mediator, assumed to dictate the faith
and worship of his subjects, all dissenters and reçu-
«ants must necessarily be subjected to penalties.
Such was the policy of the dragon for centuries,
while in the heavens of ecclesiastical and civil power.
The nominal church established by the state, defined
heresy; and the heresy found by the church became
rebellion against the civil authority. Of course the
saints were then executed as traitors. E v e n a su¬
perficial view of the signs of the times will result m
the conviction, that a great change has taken place

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THE APOCALYPSE. 175

niably the ^ y . ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ V o f Christendom at tho

great ^0^^ fg^O^^ S w L t is this but an open

present time, (1» ‫׳‬ ‫ ״‬Mediator as he is the

!ienial of V f the e a t l i ' ' Thus has the

'^"';f^rC^l:;\::ulj J of hervopnotsnitriionng. abSroomad‫־‬
pont i n t le 0

d « T b n f v . 1 4 ) S t i e middle of tbe

,ng life. ( J o ‫" ״‬ I 1, jhe reformation i n

seventeenth 0 0 " ' " Α Λ ‫ ־‬1 ° 1 3 the dragon was cast

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the enemy ot all . ‫ ״ „ ״ ! ן‬ä pi-ofessed

a‫״‬a with too ^lfSl^Slnilt^^/ons,^u,^ as

i 1 f o S n o n s , so that unde

And alas! "^.^t Z^"^^ ^"‫"^״ י־‬
earned " ™ J ' f ‫ י‬Û " t down from their ex

Stf:h;u:er^071\u

1,. A n d the dragon was ‫^ ? ״ ״ ז ו ^ ^ ״ ״ ״‬

" ' ν ' ΐ , . - Ι η tlris verse ‫ ־ ״‬have * ‫ ־‬last effort

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THE APOCALYPSE. 1‫זז‬

.ainst her shall V^^?f'Jl\,l be différent from
i° v a ‫ ״‬P The mode of attacK is .^

.;LT?t%as in the - - ^ ^ Ä n c ^ t o ornpl‫״‬y
‫ ״‬m a k e vvar,"-to resort to open ν

the agency 0 the civd ρο^^^^^^ ‫ ן‬, t war

d tomless pit, (ch. ^]•^J^ η time with the 8^a2/^‫ן״‬

s waged by the dragon a^«0^^ ^ !«0 with
mmess^s. This , f J^*; ‫„·^ ״‬tage ‫ ״‬and the last

l e "third woe-trumpet the J ^ i‫״‬troduct‫״‬10

ï v i a l ; " and i - ™ - ^ - ^ ^ ^ ' ^ a n t of the woman s
of the millennmn ^^\^^,,ence to those of her

er

^ Von, through his ' : ! ; ' V s ) The character
x-
‫״‬t the Most Higb: ( D » 4 ^ •‫ ״‬sufferers proves

which the Holy Spirit g-vesot ‫^^^^ ־‬

Λ ‫ ״‬to he the - m a n ‫ ־ ־ ־ ־‬ä . Jh^J^mon^y of J‫״־־‬,‫־‬

niandments of God, and have t the.dev.ls

Christ." This .s the ‫ ־‬P ‫ « ^ ' ־ ־‬comprehensive and

hostility towards * ‫־•־״״‬ Ρ^^^.^^ ‫ ״ ״ ן‬a

aeflnite descrip • ‫ ־ ״ ^ ״ ־ ־‬r s ot r d f » ‫ ״‬, * ' ^

Ä —:!•::t . Ä ‫ ־‬d ! a |
of

m J r of « » • * ^ r n t i h e measuUent ot.Gods

r î t th‫־‬irfS1:äp* ‫״‬-‫״•״י‬- ‫״‬

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178 NOTES ON

innovations are to be tolerated. B u t besides their
conscientious care to have all the laws of the house
of God duly observed, these remaining witnesses sus¬
tain and propagate the testimony of their predeces¬
sors, with such additional facts as they may have
collected i n their own time, for the personal glory,
the offices and work of Jesus Christ. This testimony
will necessar ily bring them into collision with the
children of those who killed their fathers in the same
quarrel. L i k e their fathers, ' ' they have the sentence
of death in themselves, that they should not trust in
themselves, but in God which raiseth the dead,—not
accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a bet¬
ter resurrection." (2 Cor. i . 9; Heb. x i . 35.) F o r
as already hinted, this remnant is to "overcome by
the blood of the L a m b and by the word of their tes¬
timony," as others d i d ; and i n death to gain the final
victory over death by vital union to their living L o r d ,
"being made conformable to his death." (Heb. 11.
14, 15.)

CHAPTER XIII.

1 A n d I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast
rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and
upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name ot

blasphemy.^^ beast which I saw was Uke unto a leopard, and

his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth

of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat,

and great autliority. . ‫״״״ג‬,.

3 A n d I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death

and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered

after the beast. ,. ,

4. A n d they worshipped the dragon which gave power

unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, W h o

is lilie unto the beast ? Who is able to make war with h i m ?

/3

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THE APOCALYPSE. 179

S n u e forty and tw« momh ‫־‬ ^od t‫״‬

• U a % Ä Ä e , ^ Ä e r n a c F e , andthem that dwell

^ ^ Î T n d - i t was given - ä ^ r e ^ w t ^ r v Ä Ä

<^^‫ך^ך‬::1\1‫ך‬:^^^^^exypl.icalt-iol On .o-rTchoims mentary upon the sev^^^

of Daniel's r ^ / a e r e S symhols i n the two

what is revealed 'i^ider drfferent sy ^^^^

preceding chapters; j d J ‫״‬0e ^.^^^^^^ ^

gent understanding ot its conw ,^ those

^ent knowledge ^he symbob^ ^ ^^^^

chapters. Here the ^ ‫^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ״‬

graphic, intelligible ^-^^ΤΓά^η employs, to
^^^^•^,^
the complex power which th^^

persecute and slay the ^fl^f^^^ ^^e war against
kitherto the devil has conducted ^ ^^^^^ ^

the saints_ through ^he ^^^^^^^^^ "his angels:"

pit, (ch. x i . 7,) and those allies 0 obscurity

[ch. x i i . 7:) ‫ ^ ז‬- ‫ ^ ' ^ ^ ^ ^ י ^ ^ ט‬Who Λ ο beast and

hanging over these ^ge^^^^^^^^^ ^ the very cies.^«

other allies of t h ^ / ^ ^ ^ f ' ^ ι ^ greater precision

of this chapter to disclose ^^^^^

and clearness than heretotore ^^,,!cHRisT.

z t ^ ^ t ï ^ ^ t : ^ ^ - ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ ‫׳׳׳׳׳׳׳׳׳‬

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our inspection. A n d it is a fact, that by a com
tent knowledge of this hostile combination, the
fering saints of God have been hitherto enable
direct their testimony with intelligence and eff
against their appropriate objects. A n d alth
the developments of providence in past centu
and those transpiring in our own generation, are
culated to shed light upon this and collateral
phecies; yet the gross conceptions of the illitera
the contemplation of prophetic symbols on the
hand, and the reckless t isregard of scripture
and usa‫״‬e by the learned on the other, have gr
contributed to the present lamentable ignorance
culpable indifference of most Christians. F o r p
cannot feel an interest in that of which they ar
norant. B u t to be " w i l l i n g l y ignorant of
which may and ought to be known, is one o
characteristic sins of a generation of impeniten
profane "scoffers." (2 I'et. i i i . 3, 5.) On tho
hand, all who humbly and earnestly desire to
the mind of God for their direction in faith and
ness, shall assuredly obtain the necessary ins
tion. (Dan. vii. 16: viii. 15; John xvi. 13; 1

xiv. 38.) . ,. ,

In these first ten verses are contained the ct

teristics of that beast whose origin is given, ch.

There we had no particular description of this

.sonage; only he was the agent by whom the

nesses were opposed in open warfare, and by w

they were finally killed. Now we have a mor

account of his origin, character, achievements

duration. This personage is denominated a b

So are designated other characters, who are ve

feront from this, (ch. iv. 6.) In that place w

mated that the authorized version is imperfect

that either " l i v i n g creatures" or simply "anim

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THE APOCALYPSE. 181

wbich latter we prefer is t h . ^ t l m r ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

mpe¬ understand ^ ^ ‫ ^ ״‬Î * ^ A ‫ ״‬t in origin, nature and
e sut-
ed to the "four animals differed ‫^^^ ^^^^^ ך‬p,, 3
ficacy
ough agency from the "beast but 1 ^^^^^ ^
uries,
e cal¬ tfey a're morally o p p o s ^ t e ^ I h m ^ ^ ^^^^^^^,^,
a beast of prey. ^ e^hore ^‫״‬
pro¬ a "wild beast,''.a "venomous
ate in
e one (Acts X . 1 2 ; ^ ^ . ^ ' " v t L prophet Daniel, (Λ^ 3.)
rules appeared in ^^^^on to the prop
reatly (jf the four g^-e^t beasts whm^^
e and
people this is the last. A l l f!^P\^^'‫^״;״‬animals, hut each
re ig¬
their resemblance to some ^ΠΟΛΝ ,^^^ ^^^^^^
that
ot the I f e r o c i o u s , - ' ; * hon bear le^^^^^^^^^^ . ^ ^ ^ ^
nt and
is a nondescnpt; there J^J^o .p ‫^״‬
other
know kingdom that can ^ ^ F ^ ^ ^ f ;^'re'Tefore i t , " (v- 7·
11011-
struc¬ from all the beasts that were ^^•^
1 Cor.
These four beasts represent Now all
tiarac-
. χι. 7. that is, "kingdoms ( ; • . ^ ^ ^ d y n a s t i e s are the
s per-
e wit¬ interpreters «g^-^V^at these 10^
whona
re full same as those symbolized m ^^^^ ^^^^
s arid
beast. (ch. i i . 31-43.) The d tt^\on ρ .^^^ ^he
rydit-
we inti¬ L L w e r to the four beastf ‫ ^ ״ ^ ' ^ ׳‬th^^^^^ Orecian

; and symbols of the Babyloman ^t expositors
mals.
/nd Roman οί^Ρ^^' J - ^ ^ J ^ ; ^ agreement that

aJorehna'sgreed bea^st^i^d3en^ ^ ^ f^i^e3w‫^^^^^^ ^^^^י״ ^״‬th Dan

Roman empire. . ^ ^ 1 ' ‫ ״‬a

(^^^'^.'.‫י‬description by bo h Prophets J^^
; b r e e f o l d , - " out 0 the
and ten horns.'

":r^JZr^^;S i l . ,) ‫״־‬d ‫־‬i‫״״‬i

Out of the sea ot the comi , · j^y •whom the
l ‫ ־‬i o ‫ ־ ״‬of the - t ‫ ™ ־‬, ‫ ״‬t * r "The t ‫ ״ ־‬1.0™‫־‬

Koman empire « s ä'‫ ^^״^^״""־‬, ftat shall arise."
out of this krogdom are ten Kinfc

Λ

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(Dan vii 24.) This is the result of revolution
"the"sea." The Roman empire, especially as no
nally Christian, is thus characterized as being ear
ly sensual, devilish," a suitable agent of the drag

The fact of the ten horns of the beast, no^t‫ ׳‬w
inq crowns, proves that the time to which the
phecy refers: is that which followed the division
fhe empire into ten kingdoms. The seven head
the beast have a double significance,-seven differ
forms of government, and seven mountains, al
wards to be more fully explained, (ch. xvu. 9
The "name of blasphemy" may indicate eter
4ty, mistress of the world."-Of this character
* the beast, other examples will be discovered h

D‫׳‬âniel was solicitous to "know the truth (in
pretation) of the fo'^rth beast wbch was div
from all the others," (ch. vu. 19.) Although
verse from all the others" in geographical extent
destructive power, this fourth beast combined in
all the raveious propensities of the three prede
sors, but in reverse order. The "leopard, bea
lion of Daniel," by which Grecian, Persian and C
dean dynasties were symbolized, are all compns
John's beast of the sea,-the antichristian Ro
empire. Since this beast of the sea embodies a
voracious properties of the three persecuting po
which went before it; this may be a suitable
briefly to review the sufferings inflicted by them
the saints, that we may know what the witn

were taught to expect at the hands of this mons
enemy.—" Israel is a scattered sheep, the lions
driven him away: first, the king of Assyria ha
voured him, and last, this Nebuchadnezzar ki
Babylon hath broken his bones.-The violence
to me and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, sha

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ΤΠΕ APOCALYPSE. 183

n,— inhabitant of ^ion say ; a‫״‬d M^^^ y^^^^
orai- habitants of Chaldea, ^^^^ Je^usa^
rth¬ 17; h. 3 5 . ) - ' H a m a n , the son ‫ ״‬a
gon.
wear- Ahagnadgsiteo,n tMheordeecwasi' a^lo"n^^e^. ^?-:^:îIîft^"tfpΡleas^e the king,

pro¬ ^et it be t ^ ^ : ^ ^ ï ^ ‫ ג‬n paVt^e^^^
n of
ds 0 be destroyed; and ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ; ‫ ^ ׳ ״ ״‬treasuries."-''Be-
erent
lter- silver,-to bring It ^^*"^;^Jft^high, which Haman

10. hold also the gallows, ^"^^Ι^^ζ^ spoken good for the
rnal
ristic had made for Mordecai, who had spoK g
here-
king, standeth in the hou e of Hama ...
nter¬
verse king said. Hang him .thereo«. Κ punishments

di¬ 9.) Such - ^ - f ^ X ^ p S a h y l o n and Persia,
t and
n one of the enemies of God s Peopi J j^^^ we
eces¬
ar and as already matter ^ ^ " f P ^ ^ ^ d of t L punishments
Chal¬
sed in equally full ^ ™ u i e s of
oman
all tue as we have of *he cruelties 0 ! Λ ^^^^^^^^
owers
place successors of Alexander the GreaM ? ^^^^^^d
m upon
nesses we would Bee, as in the 0th r^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^al
strous
s have of the wicked. Ot all t‫״‬et>«
ath de¬
ing ot and persecuting p o ^ f « , j h i h the Divi P^^^ ^^^^^
e done
all the resented by leasts of p r e y , J ‫ ^^•^^ ^ ^ ^ ״‬,!,lence.

. e r e to ^e r e m ^ ^ ^‫ ״‬B-^^^^^^^^^ and strong

Texhciseefd«i‫י‬n^g‫^י‬lyt , wwaass ttoo.adeevvoo t a^ break in pieces, a^n.d^

stamp the r^f^f 1^‫ ־״‬Wicted^^^^ them that "they

l^mtZln,which they had b‫־־‬a int'o the body

passed, by a kmd of ‫ ״ ־ » ״‬8 ‫״‬f ^‫״‬toa‫״״‬g

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the klnsrdorn of God, we think, is plainly indic
l,v tlic^hrce features of this beast of the sea,
-leopard, bear and l i o n . " I f these three "s
tlieir thousands," this monster has " s l a i n his
thousands" of the saints; and the remnant of
woman's seed are yet to be "slain as they we

(ch. vi. 11.) ,, ‫י‬

"The dragon gave him his power, —phys

force, " h i s seat" or < t a e , - h i s right to reign, "

2reat authority"—dominion—by the voice of the

pie Thus, it is obvious that the seven-headed,

horned beast is the first, and the oldest, among

combined enemies of the Christian church ; a

whose origin is from the dragon, the abyss or

tomless pit. The writers of the church of R

while forced to acknowledge that this beast is

blematical of the Roman empire, still insist

φαααη Rome is intended. It is sufficient in op

tion to this false interpretation to observe, tha

beast appears to John with crowns, not upon lus k

but upon his horris, denoting the actual divisio

the empire into ten kingdoms: an event which

not transpire till after the empire had become n

nally Christian under the reign of Constantin

Great The reign of this emperor and his succe

by their largesses fostered the luxurious propen

of the Christian ministry, and so contributed to

pare the way for the rise of the next enemy i

antichristian confederacy against the witness

The "head wounded unto death is the sixth.

says expressly, elsewhere, "five are fallen, and

is, and the other is not yet come," (ch. xvu

The "five fallen" were, kings, consuls, dictator

cemvirs, and military tribunes. A l l these for

civil government had passed before the time o

apostle. The one existing in his time, was the

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HIE APOCALYPSE. 185

‫ ״ ״‬e of whom the apostle

cated head,-tl1e emperors ^ y ‫״‬0e ‫^ ^^^^ ן‬,^.^t isle
, the
slew was now subjected to hamsh nei i ‫^* ״‬β em-

ten ^^-^^^',ζ'^^ΪΛof Patmos. This
f the the change from P ^ g ^ . f ^ n v ways erroneous: but it
ere,
pire. N o ; *his view s many w^y^ ^
·‫ו‬
sical L n o u g h to remark that the Roman ‫^ ץ‬, ^^^^.^^^
"and
e peo• to both P^PhetB, D^^^^^^^^^

ten- &e«iiaUnder chang^B. dur g .^^.^^^^
g the
all ot 1260 years. deadly ^^^^^^ ^he empire,

bot¬ the northern .invaders w^o ^^^^
Rome,
s em¬ and, for the time, extinguished the j

that peror in the P ^ f « ^ ^ « ^ ^ ^ ^ Ρ ^ Γ ί ί : empire had been
pposi¬
t the Lsunbdiovfidtheed ^fi^o^o^n^g^^th^e;^^veicttoorriioous 1^^^ ^o^f^t^he^^i^n^v^a^^-
keadu,
on of ders from the north, and the peop ^^^^ι^^.
h did
nomi¬ supposed the h e a s ^ l a i n the throne ^^^^^^^^ive
e the
essors, pdcontinued to be occupied by t P ^
nsities
o pre¬ t h ï b e a ^ e t e V i o be utterly cut off
n this
ses.— penal head f J ^ ^ r * , , ^ by a sword:

John by the sword of ^doacer,
d one
u. 10.) b i t the several kingdoms ^ « t ^ j f «^j^ed in the bonds
rs, de¬
rms of divided, in process of time b^^J ^;^‫״‬,^^
otthe
of an apostate faith J h ^ i J ^ ^ ^ ^^,^,,
sixth
were revived in thepersono ^^^^ ^^^^^^

ηγ, Charlemagne, in 8U0 anc J been

the horns of the beast, the ^tleo^^^^^^ ^

claimed alternately by Ger^a^iJ, .^^^^^.^^^

down to our own time, i n e ^he mystic
^^^in^^the Baby¬
^^;^^^^ifJ^Zirhioersnsamofonthge thbeeast^ver^toresha

lonish nionarch's d r e a m . - t h e j ‫ _ ״‬g ^^^‫ןן‬

partly strong P^t^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is not'mixed with

: i Ä h r S S : i : a i v i n e m e r c y , t o divert

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186 NOTES ON

their attention occasionally from tho witnesses \ \ hile
they have been made the instruments of mutual pu¬
nishment, the Lord's people have been " h i d i n the
day of his fierce anger." (Zeph. 11. 3.)

A t what time the sixth head of the beast disap¬
peared and the seventh became developed, is not
dearly marked i n the Apocalypse, and it is of com¬
paratively little importance, since the latter is to
"continue a short space," (ch. xvii. 10.) Thecen-
tral fact is the continuance of the beast a definite
time under all the heads,-1260 je^vs. Under a l l
the forms of government through which the empire
passed, it continued bestial and was the object ot
popular admiration. " A l l the world wondered after
the beast." The populace made court to, fawned
upon, followed in the train, or formed the retinue of
the beast. W e are to limit the p h r a s e , - - " a l l the
world,'' for not all the inhabitants are to be under¬
stood, but such only as professed allegiance to the
existing imperial dominion; and among those within
the beast's territorial jurisdiction, the witnesses still
stood to their protest against'diis impious claims.—
But from admiration and loyalty, the servde multi¬
tude break forth into adoration, addressing the dra•
‫״‬on and the beast i n such language as is F o p e r to
God only. (Ps. Ixxxix. 6.) The shouts of the rabble
on Herod's birth-day may illustrate the conduct of
these votaries of the beast and dragon. (Acts x u .

22 ) TMre poor ignorant and deluded subject, in ren¬
dering homage to the beast, did homage to the devil,
from whom the power was derived, buch is the de¬
gradation to which man is reduced by blind obedience
to despotic power, whether civil or eçclesiastica
He glories i n the chains which bind him ! - A n d this
is the actual and voluntary condition of the great
majority of the population of Christendom at the

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THE APOCALYPSE. 18T

present hour. There has been indeed^^ . i ü ‫ ״ ״‬the

'current century an f ^ ^ t ‫ ״‬y t ^^^^ ^0 re-

pie to assert their natural an

^^^''''\fj,\0he^v^fngainsetlehceting «*"didates to Dea
^^^„,hise ; but them,
rule over

they generally ?‫ל^^^י‬. £ j r o m the commonwealth

^^?s^Ä^reÄ--^

tbe several ^ J ^ . ^ t t ^ y a n d superstition within their
have estabhshed idolatry ana 8 Ρ ^^^^^^^ head-

respective dominions J^^ . ^sViewed and de-

ship" over the church 0* ^^ri^^^^ ^g^^^, h

^igLted by his f ; X ; t t ' S p l ^

empire, may tend to illustrate τ 1 ^e-

hisiory. King. Henry ^J/^^^l^^tical headship 0 the
nouncing the civil ai^^lecciesi •^^^ headship

Pone proceeded to usurp an c succès-
S A i s own dominions; - d a l ^ h i s r o y ^

sors till the P f sent day have ^ g^^.
xninion over the fa>Λ of the "supreme
a inherent right of the crown

tain, male or ^^7^;11^;/‫ י‬ecclesiastical as c i v i l ! '
i u d s e i n all causes, as ^^eu blasphemous i n
ï h e rest of the horns are no less b a ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^

their haughty V^'^2^[‫ךן‬eàiC^^^^ ^
¬ martyrs of Jesus d«nou‫״‬c^d t^ .^^^.^^.^
, the prerogatives of ^bnst, ana
8^‫^^^^ן‬,‫ן‬
¬ lis church, as ' ' B / n ' ^ ^ V ‫ ״‬X r T X s that the bias-

e

s
t
e

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188 NOTES ON

indeed tliis confounding of symbols and consequent
mistaking of objects in actual histoi-y, are the prima¬
r y errors of expositors in nearly all tbeir attempts
at expounding the Apocalypse. This first beast ot
John, and fourth of Daniel, however, is wholly secular
or civU; and clearly distinguished by both inspired
prophets, from the other agents of the dragon as
we shall find in the subsequent part of this chapter.
This beast "blasphemes the name of God by com-
nellin‫ ״‬men to worship idols and images, enacting
penal^'statutes and issuing bloody edicts to force their
consciences. He "blasphemes lus tabernacle,
when stigmatizing the assembhes of God s worship¬
ping people as "traitorous conspiracies, rendevouses
of r e b e l l i o n , " - " and them that dwell in heaven, he
blasphemes by calling them "incendiaries, fanatics,
enthusiasts, rebels and traitors;" for a l l these terms
of reproach are well authenticated in history, as
heaped upon the faithful and heroic s f v a n t s o f Christ
Those who suppose that the phrase "them that dwell
in heaven," means saints departed and angels as
worshipped by papists in obedience to the Romish
church make two m i s t a k c s , - t h e one, that ecc estas-
tical power is here intended, wherejxs we have already
shown that the power is civil; the other, that the
word " h e a v e n " is to be taken in a literal sense, con-
trarv to the symbolic structure of the whole context.
A l l history, so far as authentic, teaches that the civil
powers throughout Christendom, attempt to coerce
by penal inflictions the consciences of a l l who refuse

obedience to their commands, no less than the church
of Rome Even constitidional guarantees of liberty
0Î conscience have never secured the witnesses from
the savage rage of the beast or any of his infuriated
horns. Witness the, history of the bloody house of
the Stuarts of B r i t a i n . In vain did the victims ot

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THE APOCALYPSE. 189

!1

i‫ ״‬the seventeenth century, η done violence

of their native land! Those.vho^ ^

teonatchtemelanwts w0h[ic. h‫י ך‬st‫ד‬an‫ץ‬d‫ ״‬i7n ttbhe^ wwaayy of their ambitious

schemes. Their own laws wm ^^.^^^
of sand, as Samson 8 ; ; * ^ ' ,^^^h verse,
as water. Such is persecuti^^^^^ 1 ^^.^^^

expressing * ^ ? • ^ 1 ‫ י‬e r s expla‫^^״‬ of ch. x i . J ,
the extent of his power, 1« ^xp^^^a >
9; and the time of his/ontinuance l^^

s2a:m) esoasththaet wtreeaadriengas^su^"rfe^d,^oJt ft^hee aag^^^^^^ ^^^^-

beiween the events here --^^ΐζ^^^^^ here pre-
of the eleventh chapter ^1«‫״‬, tn ρ

sented are the « \ ‫ ^ ״‬. ^ . ^ " Λ ^ ^ ^ aspect! by appro-

only they a^V^hibit^^^^^sb^^^ of'the beast in-

priate symbols.---The ‫ ^ ^ ״ ? ^ ? ״‬t those "whose

Sude all under his . ^ ^ ‫ ' ^ ^ ״ ״ י ״‬Ä ^ook

names ^ere written in the hook « U 1

is different both from the seaiea ^,

also from the O P J ^^ok, (^h ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^,,

ter, as it were, of the names ‫^^^ן‬.

ga^e to the Son, to be by him Or

(John xvii. 2; Heb. ‫ •יי‬J;^'JJ'J'tbese are preserved,

-ing the whole reign of the beast these P ^

having been "sealed un^o he day 0 ^ ^^^^^^^^

In the seventh chapter j e naa ^ •‫^ !ן‬hese ser¬

in holding the four ^^"ds «f the eart ,^^ ^^^^^^

vants of God ‫ ף « ך‬f . f , t v o V b y the trumpets, '!he
the first alarm should be g ven oy τ

book of life c ‫ ^ ^ ־ ^ \ ״‬r ^ t o n T f the\vorld. (Eph. i.

tion,-before the ^ ‫ ^ ^ ; ״‬J ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

4.) They were in time s e a l e ü j ^^^^^^

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(Eph. i . 1 3 ; Matt. xxiv. 2 4 . ) - T h e Lamb may be
said to be " s l a i n from the foundation of the Avorld
in the purpose of God, (2 T i m . i . 9;) m sacrifice,
(Gen iv. 4 ) in the ceremonial law and prophecy.
(Matt. xi. 13;) and in the efficacy of his satisfaction
rendered to divine justice, for which the Father gave
bim credit from the fall of man. (Rom. 111. 2b.)—
So many erroneous views have been taken, and false
interpretations given of this chapter in particular,, as
of the Apocalypse in general, that the Divine Spirit
calls special attention here to the rise, reign and
ruin of the beast of the sea. The prophetic descrip¬
tion of this beast in an especial manner is ot such
importance to instruct, and thereby sustain and com¬
fort, the suffering disciples of Christ, that he causes
his servant John to pause, as it were, and allow the
reader to reflect. Indeed, wherever a note of atten¬
tion is thus given, we may be sure that something
" h i d from the Avise and prudent" is intended. A c -
cordindy, it were endless to follow the vagaries of
even learned men dealing out their "private inter¬
pretations ‫ ״‬of this chapter. Y e t the understanding
of its general outlines .vas at the bottoin of the Re¬
formation by Luther, his colleagues and successors.
Elsewhere, however, we may take occasion to notice
how vague, and inadequate, and bold, were some of
their conceptions; all going to show; the seasonable-
ness of the solemn admonition,—" Κ any man have
an ear, let him h e a r . ' ‫ ׳‬- T h e beast is to be treated as
he dealt with the victims of his cruelty. H e is justiy
doomed to captivity and death. " T h e beast was
taken a n d - c a s t alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone," (ch. xix. 20.) "Tophet is ordained of
o l d . " I t i v a s used by the prophets as a figure ot
hell. (Is. XXX. 33.) 'Jlo this place, whence there is no
redemption, this monstrous beast was to be consigned,

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TUE APOCALYPSE. 191 ‫׳‬1

as nredicted by the prophet Daniel, ( v n - ! ! 0 ^ ^ . —(‫י‬
beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given
to the burni‫ ״״‬Ü a m e . ' ‫ ׳‬- I n the protracted contest of
f 2 ? 0 years with this imperial power, " the patmnco
a^d the faith of the saints" were exemplified Fa^th

V u - J o h n "beheld another beast,' -therefore

not the same, as many expositors strangely suppose

No one can have an intelligent understanding of this

chapter unless he views the beast of the sea and the

ieas of the earth as perfectly distmct As the for¬

mer arose out of a revolutionary state of society^ and

was consequently more clearly marked in histo y,

Γ the latter grew " up out of the earth " more quietly

anl sradua ly, like a spear of grass,--we " know not

how " A s this second beast of the Apocalypse is to

ac a prominent part in the scenery afterwards pre¬

sented in vision 10 the apostle, and a corresponden

par in actual history, and as it is called by different

names and appears under different aspects, it is ne-

c e s s a r y î h a t its character be closely -spected so

hTt •Z identity may be clearly ascer ained The d -

scription here given is very minute. One thing is

very Ôbvio‫״‬s,-that this bea.st of the earth is the con-

ederaïe, the'ally, and the -compl the beast 0

the sea. They act in concert. They had been thus

e^resented in vision to Daniel. η the sevenA

chapter of that prophecy we have the beast of he

sea as here, with his " ten horns, (v. 7.) >^ Jile the

P p i e t nar;owly "considered the horns, behold,there

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192 NOTES ON

came up amoug ihcra another little horn," (v. 8.) It
has been already shown that these horns represent

Ihus evident that the last h o r n , - t h e eleventh, is as

ealy t the beast, a^the_ other ten • a n d of

courJe this h o r n , - " l i t t l e ' ' at its rise b ‫ ״‬in tim be

r:i?1;:n‫״‬ryo?ÎtA^h;Lt^itii
? : ^ e L e horn made w a r ^

S ^ S - ^ F O ^ t o begeMleandinn.

i s i is naturll that a laÎnb sÎouUl have only ü v ‫״‬

I'lTmb a'nd a beast of prey. J h e s e two antagomsl

ί' 1 tt ho n ' ‫ ־‬of the civil beast; but says nothing 0
th ‫ ״‬twodrorned beast." On the other hand, Johi

^p-^^p1^^‫י״‬y[h^'1ittretol‫^'יי‬Bl‫ז‬t‫י‬t:sto‫ו‬

re‫״‬tÎ''"anVthe " i i t ü e 1 - η ' ‫ ׳‬sustain the, same

latTon to the first beast, the " beast of tbe -the

Roman empire; therefore the "two-horned beast 0.

fhe earth" and the "little horn" are identical; and

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THE APOCALYPSE. 193

Ulis identi; is, cmihrmed by ^e a ^ ^ ^ ^

‫ ״‬false prophet," grven to he bea, ^^.^^^

, i , . 20. His a nance a‫״‬d c-0 ope ^^.^ ^

îb^^ewasotuigshtprmecirisaecllyesthbeefosraemhem^i , tha iiss —in his^^^in^^t^e^-

r e i r 'some i^terp-ters ha e -s^^^^^^^^

prophet" as a s j f b«i of Maliom .^^^^^^^^^^^^^^‫^״‬

^f h W y demonstrate the ia^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^

for the delusions of Mahomet •^^!^tries of the
have not now, any affimg ^ t ^ t^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^^

f 7 Z : S a r e obviously in the closest sym-
; u r y Ä : common interest^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^ 1 / A n d He exerciseth all tbe S e T w Ä Ä tliereia, to
him and causeth the farth and them ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^^ ^.
S ‫ ״‬P the first beast, whose dea y
^^^^

γ 1 2 . - T h e second beas ex^ ^g^‫^״‬e,

p o I ; r of the first beast before hi^^^^ - b^.;‫ _״‬.jbus

U d e r his sanction and P°J‫^^^^^״׳‬b under obliga ‫״‬10,

the state, or empire, lays the ^h ^.^^ ^Q,

and of course expects a ‫ ץ ז‬, ‫ ק‬y

This is effected by the beast O t t ^^^^^ ^^^^^

, , , t h - t o worship he first beast. ^^^^ ^y ‫״‬

this is accomplished ^

fif^^'^^^^^the regular and
the hierarchy, as
he enjoins "submis-

from the mouth of a dragon ;^^t besides the

70n to the (civi^ Po^js that be• authority this

horns of PO^^-er that IS echtes ^^^^^^^

beast of the earth, m °^der more ^.^.^ ^^^^^^

his commands to worship the hrst

sorts to "great T ^ i f S ^ T s i f^ ^"f ‫״'״^־‬
‫ ״‬l y i n g wonders; •^^1^^^?.‫ ־‬. ga\ne diabolical agcn-
agree in their description o t t h c ^ a ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

J . ‫ ״‬As Jaunes ^"^^^^^^^^^^

èSÎunS:^s?-^^---^^^^^^

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194 NOTES ON

fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the

sight of (credulous) men." (2 Tim. i i i . 8; E x o d . v i i .

22; Acts viii. 9-11.) The venal ministry of the

heathenized church, (ch. x i . 2,) inculcate passive

obedience to the beast of the sea, as to the "ordinance

of God;"—to " r e s i s t " which, subjects the recusant

to "damnation." (Rom. xiU. 2.) Here, then, we

behold the counterfeits of the two great ordinances of

church and state, against which it is the special duty

and arduous work of the two witnesses to contend

for 1260 years. This "false prophet," who "spake

as a dragon, and made fire to come down from hea¬

ven," to authenticate his divine mission, may repre¬

sent the bulls, anathemas, interdicts, encyclical letters,

which emanate from Rome, together with the less

terrifying mandates of her coadjutors,—" daugh¬

ters.'"'

13. A n d he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire
come down from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men,

14. A n d deceivetli them that dwell on the earth, by the
means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of
the beast; saying to them that dwell on tho earth, that tliey
should make an imago to the beast which had the wound by
a sword, and did live.

15. A n d he had power to give life unto the image of tho
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the
beast should be killed.

16. A n d he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and bond, to receive a mark i n their right hand, or i n
their foreheads:

17. A n d that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name.

Vs. 13-17.—This lamb-like beast of the earth de¬
vises another agency, by which to subserve his own
diabolical interest, as well as that of the "first beast."
He causes to be made " a n i m a g e " to or of the beast
of the sea. O f images in general, as objects of idola-

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THE APOCALYPSE. 195

‫ ״‬o . s y > p we are j ; ‫ ־ ״‬f ' ^ Γ ^ Χ Τ Η Ο ?‫<״‬

deadv^na dumb 1^0'«‫׳‬.^^^^‫־‬ / „ d it is surprismg
this one is altogether different. Ami f^. .^^^

to find learned expositors fixing "P°" ^ jffying this
use of the cross by papis

symbol. The Holy SP^^t as f to gu ^^^^

a^gainst such - ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ ί ^ Τ ^ T b l only

this image has f ;,'embles others is, that it

h i e , - t h e ten-horned be «tof th beast. At tho

least of the earth, and ^be ^^^de ; not to

instance of ^he second b^st an imag^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^,^

or of himself, but ‫ ׳ ף‬X \ f p ^ 4 ; ‫ ״‬ï ; t h e i r h o r ‫ ״‬s , s o this

as the beasts put forlh Jeir power y

ecclesiastical beast of the ^/t^jn^es t^^ J^^^

horns. In « ^ 0 ^ , histo y e x i d ^ ‫ ״‬s the^^^ ^^^^^^

Roman ^‫^^^^^^^^'^ךי־‬ and language,-
Pope; and, in jbeir own ^.,reate,theyadore;‫יי‬

quem crea71t, adorant, wnomi > ],écornes the

iike all other }^olaters Ihus the ρ

‫ ״‬man of sin,sitting ‫״‬1 the te^ap^ 0 ^,^^

self that he IS God, f^^^'^^^^ U^evov-, claiming

niost perfect image t γ . ^ ‫ ך ״‬b ' e same titles and pre-

the same universal dominion tne

r‫״‬gatives,in the eame city• b u t t l e ^ p ^

emperor never identify, ^•^^ey^^^^^ y ^,
Two authoritative ^^easures are to be spe ^^^^^
in this connexion; o^^^y the beast
other by the image « the beas

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196 NOTES ON

by the second beast to receive the mark of the first
or civil beast. The penalty in this case is privation
of civil and political privileges,—to " b u y or sell.''
It is to be noticed here that the " m a r k " is imposed
by the authority of the ecclesiastical power, the two-
horned beast. A s there is liability to mistake as to
which of the two beasts the " m a r k ' ' refers, and as
this mistake is in fact generally made by expositors,
the apostle John has been directed, as i n the case
of the image, to be peculiarly explicit, that all may
know it to be the mark of U\Gfirstbeast. (See chs.
XV. 2 ; x i x . 2 0 ; x x . 4.) B u t it will be asked,—
What are we to understand b y the "mark.^' This
question is easily answered from history. The hea¬
then idolater gloried in his devotion to his imaginary
god; as the ivy leaf was the token of the worshippers
of Bacchus: soldiers bore the initials of the names
of their commanders; and slaves, of their masters.
These characters were impressed on the foreheads or
other part of the persons of individuals. The gene¬
ral idea suggested by the " m a r k " was subjection

properly. In short, tho mark of the beast sign!-
fies open and avowed allegiance to antichristian or
immoral civil power, when in the "forehead;" and
active co-operation with the same, when in the
"hand." It is at once a pitiable and culpable error,
to suppose, as many preposterously do, that this
" m a r k of the beast" \s popery! And as the " m a r k '
is the recognised badge of loyalty to civil rule,_of
course the prohibition to " b u y or sell," must signify
civil iïïs&Vu\ues,—disfranchisement. M e n who suffer,
necessarily feel. Christ's witnesses, as they only
have the scriptural conception of the rights of man,
have long been familiar with the deprivation of their
rights, both civil and ecclesiastical. The moral evds
incorporated in the constitutions of church and state,

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THE APOCALYPSE. 19T

tbroughout all the streets of my^i^^^ Babylon, W

effectually excluded the two ζ ^ ^ ^ ^ , ^ a place,"

in the "wilderness. ^^*^^^ from the face

and here they are ^e j o ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^^^

? / / ' ^ r r La : ^ o f o f f i e s s , ' • (orphans,) is a l l

L l ' l e r e i r tieir soul-satisfying experience.-

This will appear in the next chapter, understanding
ihis will dpi
18. Here wisdoin Let l‫״‬m that^^^

count the number of J^^f^' £ e e s c o r e and six.

aud his number IS IX W^^^^^ ^.^^^ ,^e time

V . 1 8 . — " T h e name ot ' ^ 0 was cotem-

of Ireneus, disciple of Polycarp

porary with f^^^^}\^;lX1:1X known to scho-
Lateinos, or Lateinus, " ‫ן ״‬ orthography of
lars, that chxssical ^^s‫״‬ge J J ^ i ^
this word. However lea^^^^^^ indulge their
fancy, and sport w 1 ^h s mys ^^^^^^
and number^ no other w u r ^^^^
latvnus is the

^ ^ ^ ‫ ' ^ ^ ^ ^ י‬m'e of ^ r S t h e a < ' the X a . n empire:
proper name of the nrsi , population of
It is the name common to t h e j l i ^ Ρ

the empire, the i:a^n^^^^ ,^e number,

{:aÄ^i^^ea^U^^

his expressions to the ^ ^ « f ^ ^ ^ b e r or count by the

even children soon learn t« «unibor ^^^^^

nse of Roman letters *he a phabet y ^^^^

that tbe letter I , stands for one Greeks and Ro-

Now, i n the ^P^^^J^^^^f^^.p^l'numbers by the

r:fSetrrhtr^^^^^^^^^

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198 NOTES ON

we suppose to be the only rational and probable me¬
thod of solving the mystery.

In this chapter we have the fullest exhibition ot
the great antichristian confederacy, spoken of by
prophets and apostles, including the " m a n of sin, to
be revealed in his time." The component parts of
that complex moral person called " A n t i c h r i s t , ' ' are
here graphically portrayed. The three most promi¬
nent features are the two beasts of the sea and of the
earth, with the image of the first; or, a tyrannical
empire, an apostate church, and the Pope. To sup¬
pose that the Antichrist is a power or moral person
distinct from these,—& " w i l f u l , infidel or atheistical
k i n g , " is a mere chim.era framed in a learned brain,
disordered by antichristian politics. The chief, i f
not the only ostensible ground of such hypothesis is
the language of our apostle, (1 John i i . 22.) " H e
is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son.
The sound of the words of Scripture i‫־‬s too often
mistaken for the sense. This is a notable example.
From the words of our Divine Redeemer,—"My Fa¬
ther is greater than I, Socinians infer the essential
inferiority of the S o n t o the Father. So in the pre¬
ceding instance. The inference is, that the Anti¬
christ is to be known by a doctrinal denial of deity.
But the very name ofthis enemy of all righteousness,
Antichrist, demonstrates his recognition of the exist¬
ence and office of our Saviour. F o r why should he
oppose a nonentity? A l l scholars are aware that the
primary meaning of anti, is substitution. (Matt. x x .
28.) Antichrist usurps Christ's place in church and
state, that he may more successfully oppose his inte¬
rest. There is no mystery to the intelligent Christian
in the declaration, that men too often "profess that
they know God, but in works deny him." This ex¬
plains the fact of Antichrist's denying the Father

0

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199

THE APOCALYPSE.

and the Son. ? ‫^ ״ ^ ^ ך‬ ^^"^

diator is a Practica den al of h^m ^^^^ ^ i m .
and by consequence, ot tne ^^.^ ^^^^^^
u H e that acknowledgeth the bon,
‫ ״‬b a t h the Father a so ; - h ^ the
the same s e n s e , - whosoeve ^^^^^

same hath « 0 * * \ « Father^ ( Antichrist of pro-

it is not ί»·^^ that the i^ope IS X combined;

phecy, nor the «^urch of R o m ^ "0 , ^^^.^eaded^

>ut Daniel's ten-horned beas John ^.^^^^

ten-horned beast, which are the sam^^^ ^^e

horn and John's « ^ ^ ^ of ""'^'""

same; together ^^*^ the image ^^^^^^^^
l the Saracenic ! « « f ^s andj^upmr antichrist

.all these go to the « ° ‫ ^ ״‬P « ^ * X ^ ‫ ״‬s t , " so identified

tbe ''eastern and west rn A^itctiris^,

^nàfamuiarly designated ^y χ j ^^^^^

nesses of Jesus ^ ‫ ״‬d r ds ot y

family of nat10^,calkd then ^^^^ ^.^^ ^

(chap. XI. 0 i n 7»^‫ ך‬,omhined, constitute the

church; / o h . XI. 2,) ^,^^^ ,bis man to reign

Antichrist. They, w i n ^^•^^ it !s the ap-

over them.". Agamst this como two witnesses to

pointed business - t h e life o t t n ^ ^^60

prophesy for a definite period 0 . ^,^^^^

days, time, times and a halt aii 6^

duration, 1260 " ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ - ^ t i n an obscure and de¬

nesses are alive and ^‫'^^י^״‬

pressed condition, wearing sack^^^ ^^^^^

unot reckoned, (not rec/conng i 22, 2T; Rev.

the nations." (Num. ^^-;ä^^J^^Hhe ;!nt^, and such

vx 4.‫ ו‬Such IS the condition 01 ‫״״ « ״‬1 svnibolical-

Iv represented i n the •t^"^' ^ nrolonged and eventful
the Apocalypse. .f^^^Jj^^^ ^ . F t u T n alide and see this
conflict we may with Moses,

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200 χ ο τκs ON

fvrcat sight, wliy tho bush is not burnt." (Exod. 111.
S.) The L o r d was in the bush, and "greater is lie
that is in them than he that is in the world. (1
John iv. 4.) This will appear in the foUowmg chap¬
ter.

CIIAPTBIl XIV.

As the 13th chapter contains the most full and
graphic description of the great apostacy, so in this
chapter we have the other party described which pro¬
tested against that apostacy. It is a concise history
of the two witnesses i n holy and happy iellowship
with Christ, when he had rejected the heathenized
church, because of her unholy league with the beast
of the bottomless pit, (ch. x i . 2, 7.) The contrast
between the " s e a l e d " ones here, and those who bore
the " mark of the beast," is very noticeable, l l n s
fact suggests that the parties are cotemporary. Be¬
sides, it is evident that this company of 144,000 arc
the legitimate successors of those sealed in ch.^vn. 4¬
8; or''rather, from the perpetual identity of the
covenant society as a moral person, we may view
this company as the same with the sealed ones of the
seventh chapter, the two witnesses of the eleventh
chapter, and as i n the wilderness in the 12th chapter.
Political bias caused a learned expositor to interpret
the third angel of this chapter as a symbol of the pre-
latic church of England! and a similar bias, or mo¬
dem charity, induced another to distinguish between
the "two witnesses" and the 144,000. To^the un¬
biased and enlightened mind it is obvious that instead
of the 144,000 symbohzing the ",'pious people,—in
the différent branches of the Christian church"—all

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Τ11Ι2 Al'OCALYl'Slî. 2οι

true Christians; they are ^njact dis^ngm^

true Christians, ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ r o Ï e s , and made them a

. . . . Λvho had bed ^ ; ^ ‫ ץ ״‬, ‫ ^ ׳ ך‬. vii. 9, 14.

,bite in the bloodof t^e ^amb, h ‫^^^י‬,

A s the Antichrist after nr ^^„j^ation,
the world, appearedin diverseo m s ^ ^ ^^^^^

thereby more effectual y t o ^ ; ^ ^^^^^ ^^,^, ty,
on the earth, yet stiH P^f^rve esented in

- the faithful ser^^^^^^^^^^ I f a s p e c t s , to oppose and

corresponding attitud^^^^ an ‫ן‬.

counteract his dmbolicalpo y , ^^^^^^ ,he

wavs preserving tneir

w h L period of 1260 ye-^^ God in

The process of ‫ י‬sealing t ^^^^ ,^e

their foreheads," ^'J^^XA^^^^^ (ch. viü.

six>th seal before th« «P^^^^S^^ , ^ , - t h e harbingers

1,) which introduced t h f ' ^ ^ ^ P ^ ‫ ״‬t christ. F o r this

opLuff \rpphooepsuevlatihrfocloe"m^fm"^^^o^Stiyo^.nXjs;^‫ ״‬A-7^‫״‬v^reie^e^bb^yy^f^o^ur angeelms^b^rl^ec^smtraatiincead

from blowing upon the earth ‫ _^^^^^^^^^י‬u ‫ ״‬d e r

ftuhle rpeaigtrnonoafge0«o"/f^^th^o^sen onommi^n^ a l lyy^Christian e^m^p,^erorbse,

as history informs us, um ‫ ^^^^ ן‬unworthy

church; "the ^ ^ ^ f - ^ J e r e r S the example

Christians began so to mcre^s , ^ ^^,^ . . .

real piety and virtue became e J^^^^helmed

The virtuous few ^^^re « P P r e ^ ^ ^^.^^^^ licen-

T h ^ t h e way was prepared for the visible

tions.".* ^ f f . r f Z a n of 8 i n , " - t h e papacy, bo

appearing of the J ^ ^ \ ^ ,f'tbe dragon are com-

soon as the X * ^ , , ‫ \ ״‬v i t n e s s e s take their posi-

pletely organized, the two wi

lion with the Lamb. .

* Mosheim.

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202 KOTKS ON

1 A n d I looked, and, 10, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion
and with him a huiulred forty and four thousand, havmp: his
Father's name written in their foreheads.

Y . 1. While " a l l the world wonders after the

beast,"'(xiii. 3,) and the gross senses of the multi¬
tude are preoccupied with that object; here is ano¬
ther presented more worthy of our contemplation.
Often has the Lord Jesus appeared in vision to John
while viewing the grand panorama passing before
him in Patmos. Here he appears as the "captain of
the Lord's host" at the head of his army; not in¬
deed i n active military enterprise, but rather as
leader in acts of solemn worship during a temporary
recess from sanguinary warfare. H e and his asso-
elates are on the " M o u n t Z i o n . " " I n Zion is 1113
seat." . . . " T h e Lord hath founded Zion, and the
poor of his people shall trust i n it. (Is._ xiv. 32.)
This select company maintain fellowship with bhrist,
being " r e a l l y and inseparably united to him as their
Head," by the bond of the Spirit, on his part, and
faith on theirs. Christ's "Father's name i n their
foreheads" indicates that they are the property and
voluntary servants of God i n Christ. Of this cove¬
nant relation baptism is the visible sign; but while
Simon Magus may bear the sign, none but those who
are "sealed unto the day of redemption,' are ho¬
nored to "stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion.
To him their number is as accurately known, as one
hundred and forty-four thousand is to us ; and " t r u l y
their fellowship is with the Father and with his Son
Jesus Christ." The votaries of the beast may either
rrlory in bearing his mark in their foreheads, or con¬
ceal the mark in their right hand; but the followers
of the Lamb will "confess him and his word before
men," at the hazard of a l l that is dear to men,—
even life itself. (Mark viii. 38.)

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TilU APOCAUYrSB. 203
A . d I heard a voice fr‫״‬mheav^^^^^^^^^

V« 9 3 _ " L e t the children of Zion be joyful in Î

Vs. 2, d.— -i^eb t u praises of God

their King. , i ^ ' ^ ^ X l i) Unterrified

be in their ™outh. —(fa. cxiix ‫ ) י‬followers

by the paring of tbe^ ^,^,^er

of the Lamb lift tl^eir \ 0 1 c e a ^^^^^

on mountains or valleys, η dens 0 ^ ^^^^

the earth, their songs of P ^ ^ f ^ ; ^ ^ ^ ^ height-
of the Lord of Sabaoth. The s y m ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ • ^

ened by the ' ' ^ ^ V ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ e so gnorant as to

)

lÄioÄ^i—

Zion with a literal lamb! .^^ ,^0

The song was new. ‫ ״ ^ ״ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ״‬w a x old and

Mosaic economy; hat, hke it, was^^^

vanish a^ay. -(l^eb. V ) ^^^^^^ ^

by the Holy Spirit, to wnom ^^^^,^

a i d all events foreknown^ It wa^ all inspired

framed to answer the ^two^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^

¬ songs-to display the gje^^es °t t ^•^^

delineate the workings of grace and ^^P ^^^^

infallible prec.1^^^^^^^ ,,^,,pired men ;

successfully miitated^byt ^^^^^bees-the slaves

much less by the licentious worship, as

of Antichrist M o r e o v , ^ f ^ ^ ^ , , ^ ο η , The

here exemplified, ^"^.«";^, X ge.vice "before tho

144,000 perform this solemn, servie

' : ; i ^ ' t t J ^ ' ^ ^ Lord Christ-direct

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