tery of iniquity began even in Paul's day (2 Thess. ii. 7), but ecclesiastical history no less clearly records its almost uninterrupted progress and increase until it amounted to the great Apostasy. Surely, then, as John's revelation was expressly sent to the servants of God in order to forewarn them of what was very soon to take place, it is only a fair inference that the seals describe not national and civil convulsions, for Christians are forewarned not to mind high things, but momentous changes of an evil nature about to spring up even in the bosom of the Church. It is therefore antecedently probable that the seals denote the firm establishment of the growing infant Apostasy.

No sooner does John declare that the Apocalypse is a communication to God's servants respecting things shortly to take place, than he announces the coming of Christ as at hand to the grief of all the tribes of the land. But Paul declares that immediately after the firm establishment of the Apostasy Christ will appear for its destruction. As, then, John makes the coming of Christ to the grief of all the tribes of the land the theme of the Apocalypse, and Paul declares the Apostasy will occasion and precede His coming, it follows that "the things shortly" to take place, and whose time is at hand," will include the Apostasy as their leading event, and that the grief of all the tribes of the land will originate from the judgment executed upon them by that advent. Why otherwise should they be coupled together and made the heading of the Apocalypse? This is confirmed by what follows: Every eye shall see Him." It shall not be partial, but general. "They also who pierced Him." Here is an allusion to our Saviour's death; not, however, to those who literally pierced His body, for they merely executed officially a judgment in which they took no personal interest; but who virtually perpetrated the same deed as the chief priests and scribes, the real authors of Christ's death? Paul says, that

* 2 Thess. ii. 8.

apostates in every age "crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." On this principle, they who are here condemned for piercing Him are apostates from the faith, or an aggregate of them, a general departure, resembling that of the ten tribes of old.

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All the kindreds of the earth."† This is more properly rendered, "all the tribes of the land," in allusion to the division of the ancient people of God into tribes. But the Jews are not here intended, nor is there an instance in the Apocalypse wherein a reference to the Jews can be taken literally. The meaning is this, that as the phrase, all the tribes of the land, under the Mosaic economy, would describe God's visible Church and people, so here is intended the professed people of God, or the visible Church under Christianity. those words are identical with the phrase, "the twelve tribes of Israel" (chap. vii. 4-8), which I shall there demonstrate to be the Roman Empire when it became nominally Christian. It will there also be seen, that the judgments of the four winds or seven trumpets burst upon the empire in consequence of its apostasy.

But

And

Such is the theme of the Apocalypse, viz., the great apostasy symbolised, and Christ's advent for the punishment of the visible Church in consequence of its apostasy. this is only what might have been expected. A review of the history of the Popedom will almost justify the assurance that the Apocalypse will describe its rise, development, and full expansion, no less than its decline, wasting away, and fearful end. It has practised wickedness which the human mind could hardly have imagined, and in comparison of which the darkest colouring of heathenism is comparatively light.

Having in general terms announced the subject of his communication, he briefly mentions the circumstances under which he received it.

Alpha and Omega, the first and 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. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 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. His head and His hair were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. 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. 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: I am He that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are seven churches." (Vers. 10-20.)

Though the vision had passed away when John sat down to commit it to writing, for he says, "I was in the Spirit," yet I have already observed that only Divine inspiration enabled him to recall what he had seen, or bring to his recollection such a long and comprehensive series of things as are contained in the Apocalypse. Still he declares he was in the Spirit whilst the vision lasted, which implies that he was not in the same sense in the Spirit when he sat down to commit it to writing. In what did the difference consist which John was conscious of? It was this: as he knew that he was in the body whilst

he was composing the Apocalypsefor he could not possibly doubt it. being engaged in the manual exercise of writing, he felt certain that he was not sensibly in the body during the vision, from the purely mental character of the communication. He was not, however, merely engaged in thought, but was so entirely controlled by the Spirit, that everything which transpired, together with his own actions, composed the revelation which he had to communicate. Scott, the commentator, expresses very much the same opinion, when he says, "John was cast into an ecstasy, and brought under the immediate impulse of the Spirit of prophecy, as Daniel, Ezekiel, and others." "It is not to be supposed that any external objects were presented to the senses of the prophets on such occasions, but the natural use of their faculties being suspended, their minds were supernaturally impressed with the ideas of such things as were suited to illustrate the subjects they were employed to reveal." The first verse implies that the vision was wholly a mental phenomenon, for it is said that Christ's angel signified or communicated by symbols the revelation to John, that as Satan showed to Christ all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, so here a good angel brings before John the visions of the Apocalypse. God could have presented to John's bodily eyes the non-natural creatures described in the Apocalypse, but as they manifestly have no material existence, it is not probable that He did so, when the same purpose was equally answered by a mental exhibition. It is most reasonable, therefore, to conclude that John beheld the scenes of the Apocalypse in a trance or ecstasy.

I now come to the vision itself, which begins by a heavenly voice commanding him to write what he had seen, and send the communication to the churches whose names are mentioned. John immediately turned round, and beheld the first scene, but is so profoundly terrified by the sight that he fell prostrate to the ground as dead. Whilst in this position he received a more explicit command, viz., to write the things

which he had seen, implying that his posture was unaltered, then the things that are, and, lastly, the things which shall be hereafter. The meaning of these directions appears to be this, that three periods are described in the Apocalypse, the past denoted by John's hearing a voice behind him, his turning round, and seeing one like unto the Son of Man; the present denoted by his prostration and the seven Epistles, and the future beginning with chapter iv.

I begin with the scene of the past, which consists of a glorious personage standing in the midst of seven candlesticks, with seven stars in his right hand, beheld by the prophet only by his turning round. This

appears to me to describe the Christian Church set up by the apostles, introduced here in order to stand in contrast to the Apostate Church, afterwards described, and as a mirror to disclose its deformity. The Apostolic Church is sevenfold, because seven is of constant occurrence in the Divine proceedings, and probably on account of its being set up in the Roman Empire, which that number often symbolises.* There are several Churches, and not one only, because the Apostolic Church was composed of many independent communities; but they are united under one head, their ministers being in the right hand of the same glorious personage. It has been usual to regard this as a representation of Christ glorified in heaven, but if my theory be correct, it is a symbolisation of Christ's government of His Church on earth. No sensible or material representation of heaven and its inhabitants ought to be taken literally, because we cannot form adequate ideas of the future or invisible world. The Bible does not acquaint us with the materialities of heaven, for all its literalities are confined to a description of the understanding and the affections. Love in heaven and upon earth only varies in degree, for he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." A spi

ritual body, a natural body, and a spirit, are indeed different things; but our acknowledgment of the difference does not in the least degree help us to conceive of the former except as a negation, viz., that a spiritual body is neither a natural body nor a spirit, and it is left undefined because John affirms that we know not what we shall be. It may be replied, allowing that Christ glorified in heaven is not literally represented here, will it follow that it is a symbol of Christ in the militant, rather than in the triumphant Church? Certainly not, considered in itself, but taken in connection with the rest of the scene, it can only be regarded in that light. This glorious personage stands in the midst of candlesticks, and holds stars in His hand, which are declared to be churches and their ministers, conditions which apply to the militant, but surely not to the triumphant Church. These ministers are independent of each other, or they have no common visible head corresponding with the Bishop of Rome. And such was evidently the condition of Christianity when it was established by the apostles. Sometimes Peter, at another James, then again Paul appeared to have the pre-eminence; but it did not exist in any one of them, each Apostle claiming direct authority from and under Christ. But though the Christian Church had no visible it had an invisible Head, and this is conspicuous in the vision. In the midst of the candlesticks John beheld one like unto, but not the Son of Man, for likeness is not identity, but surrounded by a splendour and glory precluding the supposition of a merely human or earthly state. According to Scott, the brightness of His countenance and feet symbolised the moral and natural attributes of Christ's Deity. It denotes also the present glorified condition of the Head of the visible and militant Church in his being an inhabitant of heaven, the place of glory, whilst he is virtually ever present in the midst of the Church below. "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."* The

* Matt. xxviii. 20.

two-edged sword describes also His prophetic office through the Spirit: the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God; or the Bible is the great instrument in the hands of Christ's Spirit in the multiplication and building up of the Church. The white garments and golden girdle refer to His priestly office in the visible Church, who is priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek. Thus without any forced construction, the scene exhibits the militant Church composed of independent communities, presided over not by a visible, but by the invisible Head, the glorified Prophet, Priest, and King, Jesus Christ. No writer has hitherto taken this view of the subject, and yet what is more strictly just and true? If I would symbolise the Christian community, set up by the apostles among Jews and Gentiles, or described in the New Testament, composed of independent Churches, having no visible but only the spiritual Head, the glorified Redeemer, could I do this more completely than it is effected here? This, however, is not the visible Church of the period when John saw the vision, but of a period elapsed, for he beheld it only by looking back, and no sooner had he seen it than he fell prostrate to the earth, and remained in that position till the next scene commenced. It is written, the "stars which thou sawest;" and in further confirmation we read that he did not look up till Christ ceased to speak, and probably had disappeared: "after this I looked up." But if this part of the vision describe the past, then the candlesticks are not the Churches to which the Epistles are addressed; and this, indeed, is implied in the original, where they are called seven, not as in our translation, the seven Churches. And if they were not those, what could they represent except the Churches originally planted by the apostles? And nothing could be more proper or looked for than such an introduction to the great apostasy, that by the boldness of the contrast its evil nature might be the more conspicuous.

I pass on to the second scene, to the things that are, or to the state of the Church when John beheld the

vision. No sooner had he fully considered the first scene than he fell prostrate, and remained for some time upon his face. As the vision is interpreted by Christ Himself to be partly symbolical, John's emotions ought to be regarded in the same light. His inability to behold the glorious exhibition of the true Church in its original condition, or as first established, denoted nothing less than a decline from the purity of the Gospel. Every act of John is significant, and that he still lay prostrate, though bidden to rise, denotes something more than the mere expression of his own feelings, viz., a defect in the Church at the time of the vision, and as he continued prostrate down to the beginning of the next, the natural inference is, which history confirms, that the warnings contained in the Epistles had no permanent effect upon the Church. These remarks will be confirmed by the brief observations I shall make upon the epistles themselves.

REVELATION II.

"Unto the angel of the Church 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; 2. I know thy works, and thy labour, 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 has laboured, and hast not fainted. 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. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 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.

"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; 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. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 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.

“And to the angel of the Church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 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. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac 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 Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. 16. Repent: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 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.

"18. And unto the angel of the Church of 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; 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. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 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. 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. 26. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 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.

REVELATION III.

"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. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things that 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. 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. 5. He that overcometh, the same