Anno DOMINI 96.

A mighty angel sweareth

DOMINI 96.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their

mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship a Ps. 115. 4. devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

& 135, 15.

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor and this, as Mr. Daubuz observes, has a literal accomplishment; for the Othmans, from the first time of their appearance, have affected to wear such warlike apparel, of scarlet, blue, and yellow. Bp. Newton.

were as the heads of lions ;] Having a fierce and terrible appearance. Jos. Mede.

-fire and smoke and brimstone.] Here is a manifest allusion to great guns and gunpowder, which were invented in the period marked by this trumpet, and were of signal service to the Othmans in their wars. For "by these three was the third part of the men killed," that is, by these the Othmans made such havock and destruction in the Greek or Eastern empire. In particular, at the siege of Constantinople, Mahomet employed guns of such a size, as were never made before; one is described so monstrous, that it was drawn by seventy yoke of oxen, and two thousand men. Bp. Newton, Jos. Mede.

19. their tails were like unto serpents,] By this figure it is meant, that the Turks draw after them the same poisonous train as did the Saracens; they profess and propagate the same imposture; they inflict injury not only by their conquests, but also by spreading false doctrines; and, wherever they establish their dominion, there too they establish their religion. Bp. Newton.

20, 21. And the rest of the men &c.] And, though the gracious end of Providence, in this and the foregoing judgments on the corrupted Christian empire, was, to cause men to consider and reform the several abuses of the Gospel light they had so long enjoyed, yet were these intentions of Heaven frustrated by an incorrigible temper universally prevailing. For even the western Christians, under the influence of Rome, and the Roman Catholick governments, who had seen the eastern and Greek churches thus punished, and quite destroyed, for their superstitious and vicious practices, yet even they still persevered in the practice of idolatry, saint worship, and image worship; nay, would not so much as reform that cruel spirit of persecution, nor of putting cheats, delusions, and impositions, on the understandings and properties of mankind. Pyle.

21. Neither repented they of their murders, &c.] That is, of their persecutions and inquisitions; nor of their sorceries," their pretended miracles and revelations; nor of "their fornication," their publick stews and un

СНАР. Х.

1 A mighty strong angel appeareth with a book open in his hand. 5 He sweareth by him that liveth for ever, that there shall be no more time. 9 John is commanded to take and eat the book.

AND I saw another mighty an

clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

cleanness; nor of "their thefts," their exactions and impositions on mankind; being as notorious for their licentiousness and wickedness, as for their superstition and idolatry. As they therefore refused to take warning by the two former woes, the third woe, as we shall see, will fall with vengeance upon them. Bp. Newton.

Chap. X. ver. 1. And I saw another &c.] St. John, in the conclusion of the last chapter, having touched upon the corruptions of the western church, proceeds now to deliver some prophecies relating to this lamentable event. But, before he enters upon it, he (and the church in him) is prepared for it by an august and consolatory vision. Bp. Newton.

clothed with a cloud: &c.] The sublimity of this description, ver. 1-3, made an early impression on the mind of the great Sir William Jones: and at a period of mature judgment,' says his biographer, he considered it as equal in sublimity to any passage in the inspired writings, and far superiour to any that could be produced from merely human compositions.' Dean Woodhouse.

a cloud:-a rainbow &c.] To come in the clouds, or with the clouds, of heaven, is among the Jews a known symbol of Divine power and majesty. The "rainbow" was the emblem of God's covenant with mankind after the flood, and therefore fit to be made a sign that God is always mindful of His cove nant and promise. The brightness and splendour of the sun and fire were also proper figures to express the majesty of a Divine appearance. Lowman.

2.- a little book open:] A "little book," or codicil. different from the "book" mentioned before; "open," that all men might freely read and consider it. It was indeed a codicil to the larger book, and properly comes under the sixth trumpet, to describe the state of the western church, after the description of the state of the eastern; and this is with good reason made a separate and distinct prophecy, on account of the importance of the matter, as well as for the purpose of engaging greater attention. Bp. Newton.

·he set his right foot &c.] This was intended perhaps to shew the extent of his power and commission. Bp. Newton.

3.-seven thunders] Here a particular prophecy, or

that there shall be no more time.

Anno DOMINI

96.

Anno DOMINI 96.

a Ezek. 2. 8.

5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer :

7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

8 And the voice which I heard

10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

3

CHAP. XI.

The two witnesses prophesy. 6 They have power to shut heaven, that it rain not. 7 The beast shall fight against them, and kill them. 8 They lie unburied, 11 and after three days and a half rise again. 14 The second woe is past. 15 The seventh trumpet soundeth.

9 And I went unto the angel, and

perhaps seven distinct prophecies, are uttered by seven voices, loud as thunder, awful and terrible as that of the lionlike voice of the angel which introduces them. Dean Woodhouse.

4.-saying-Seal up those things] As we know not the subjects of the "seven thunders," so neither can we know the reasons for suppressing them: but it may be conceived that some things were proper to be revealed to the Apostle, and yet not to be communicated to the church. It would savour rather of vanity and presumption, than of wisdom and knowledge, to pretend to conjecture what these things are, when the Holy Spirit has purposely concealed them. Bp. Newton. 5.-lifted up his hand] An ancient form of taking an oath. See Gen. xiv. 22; Deut. xxxii. 40. This mode of swearing has descended even to our own times and nation, being still used in Scotland. Dean Woodhouse.

6,7. that there should be time no longer: But in the days &c.] The expression translated, "that there should be time no longer," does not mean that time itself should be no more; but more literally, the time shall not be yet.' Some understand by it, that the time of fulfilling the prophecy should be no longer delayed; or, as Grotius says, it shall not be long before the secret purpose of God is fulfilled. But both the intention of the prophecy, and the more literal meaning of the expression, better agree with the interpretation of Daubuz, who says, The angel in the vision declares with an oath, that the glorious state of the church shall not be as yet, but that, however, it should not be long to it; for in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall sound, (that is, in the period of prophecy to which the remainder of the book yet unrevealed relates, under the seventh trumpet,) the mystery of God shall be perfected, as He had declared to His Prophets. This was a consolation proper to the general design of the prophecy. Lowman.

stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

2 But the court which is without

9.- Take it, and eat it up;] That is, thoroughly consider and digest it. What St. John is ordered to do here, Ezekiel did on a similar occasion, Ezek. iii. 3. Bp. Newton.

Eating and drinking signify acquiring and possessing; and eating the book is becoming inspired with the prophecy contained in it. It implies being inspired in a vigorous and extraordinary manner with the prophecy of the whole book. Sir I. Newton.

it shall make thy belly bitter, &c.] That is, thou shalt find, in the events it shall reveal unto thee, an occasion for comfort and joy, for grief and sorrow. Lowman.

The glorious promises thou wilt see made to the church of Christ, will please and delight thee; but, when thou comest to the sight of the corruptions, idolatries, and persecutions, which this same church will first undergo, before these days of glory are to come, thou wilt be astonished and confounded. Pyle.

-thy belly bitter, — sweet as honey.] Honey, when taken in excess, like other sweet things, is generally thought to produce bile, and to cause pains in the stomach. Harmer.

11.- Thou must prophesy again &c.] The angel tells him, that he was to consider that the prophecies contained in this book were not intended only for his private instruction and meditation; they were prophecies which concerned the publick, many nations, and people, which he was to publish in farther revelations for the publick use and benefit of the church. Lowman.

Chap. XI. ver. 1. And there was given me a reed &c.] After this, I beheld in the visions of prophecy a new representation of the future providence of God towards the church and world; for there was a measuring rod put into my hand, with which I was directed to measure the temple and the court in which the altar stood,

The two witnesses prophesy.

Anno DOMINI 96.

+ Gr. cast out.

|| Or, I will give unto my

prophesy.

7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

where the priests worshipped God and performed the duties of their office, and into which such as offered private sacrifices for themselves were admitted. A proper representation of the true worship of God, and of such as were true worshippers of Him. Lowman.

2.- the holy city shall they tread under foot] That is, they shall trample upon, and tyrannize over, the church of Christ, for the space of "forty and two months." This is the same space of time with the thousand two hundred and threescore days, mentioned in the next verse. For forty-two months, consisting each of thirty days, are equal to 1260 days, or years in the prophetick style: and this, as we have seen in the book of Daniel, Dan. vii. 25, and shall see hereafter in this book of Revelation, is the period assigned for the tyranny and idolatry of the church of Rome. Bp. Newton.

3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, &c.] Meaning that God would raise up some true and faithful witnesses to preach and protest against these innovations and corruptions of religion; for there were Protestants long before that name came into use. Of these witnesses there should be, though but a small, yet a competent number; and it was a sufficient reason for calling them two witnesses, that this was the number required by the law and approved by the Gospel, Deut. xix. 15; Matt. xviii. 16. Also, upon former occasions two have often been joined in commission, as Moses and Aaron in Egypt, Elijah and Elisha in the apostasy of the ten tribes, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua after the Babylonish captivity, to whom these witnesses are particularly compared. Our Saviour sent forth His disciples, Luke x. 1, "two and two;" and it has also been observed, that the principal reformers have usually appeared as it were in pairs, as the Waldenses and Albigenses, John Huss and Jerome of Prague, Luther and Calvin, Cranmer and Ridley, and their followers. Not that it is to be thought that any two particular men or churches were intended by this prophecy, but only that, in general, there should be some in every age, though but few in number, who should bear witness to the truth, and declare against the iniquity and idolatry of their times. Bp. Newton.

As this testimony of the witnesses is to be of equal duration with the apostasy itself, it cannot be meant of any two particular persons, nor does there appear any sufficient reason to understand it of any two particular churches, or bodies of men, in perpetual succession. The representation shews, in general, that as God

Anno DOMINI 96.

raised up prophets in the ancient church, to witness against the idolatrous corruptions of religion, and denounce His judgments against the guilty, so it should be in this corrupt state of the Christian church. Low

man.

a thousand two hundred and threescore days,] The same period which is called forty-two months at ver. 2, and which Daniel (vii. 25) calls "a time and times and dividing of times." See note at ver. 2.

- clothed in sackcloth.] Which represents their mournfully deploring the devastation of the holy city by the introduction of Gentile worship, their bearing testimony to Divine truths, and exhorting to repentance. Jos. Mede.

4. These are the two olive trees, &c.] The two olive trees that fed the lamp of the temple, Zech. iv. 3, 11, 12, the lights and ornaments of the Christian church. Pyle. This representation seems taken from the prophecy of Zechariah, chap. iv., in which Zerubbabel and Jeshua are represented by two olive trees on each side of the candlestick, which afford oil out of themselves; to express that those persons should be supported by Divine Providence and grace in all the difficulties which they had to encounter. Lowman.

5.-fire proceedeth out of their mouth,] That is, they strike down their enemies by the weapons of the mouth, denouncing the judgments of God against them; see Jer. v. 14. Jos. Mede.

6. These have power to shut heaven, &c.] This alludes to the history of Elijah, 1 Kings xvii. 1, as does the next expression of turning water into blood, to the miracles of Moses and Aaron, Exod. iv. 9; vii. 17—20. The meaning is, that as miracles were formerly wrought in defence of the old Prophets, and for the punishment of their malicious persecutors, so will God in His due time verify the words, and vindicate the cause of the Christian reformers; and by exemplary punishment on the antichristian powers, will make way for the esta blishment of His kingdom of righteousness upon earth. Pyle.

7. And when they shall have finished &c.] The conjectures of interpreters have been extremely various in applying this prophecy of the death and resurrection of the witnesses to events which are now past; but, though the instances adduced may correspond with the prophecy in some points, they are deficient in others. It appears then that this prophecy relating to the witnesses remains yet to be fulfilled. Bp. Newton.

the beast] See note at chap. xiii. 1.

The seventh trumpet soundeth.

Anno DOMINI 96.

days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in

graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake ↑ Gr. names of were slain † of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

men.

The elders celebrate God's glories.

which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which || destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

CHAP. XII.

13.- the tenth part of the city fell,] Signifying that the tenth part of the idolatrous church should lose its power. Daubuz. The "tenth," meaning a very considerable part of its powers shall be taken away. Low

man.

14. The second woe is past; &c.] Let not any person imagine, he adds, that the church will be free in this third period from opposition and persecution, to try their faith and patience, any more than in the two former periods: for a third woe is to follow upon the second, to try those that dwell in the earth. Lowman.

15. And the seventh angel sounded;] We are now come to the seventh and last trumpet, or the third woe trumpet. At the sounding of this trumpet the third woe commences, which is rather implied than expressed, as it will be described more fully hereafter. The third woe, brought on the inhabitants of the earth, is the ruin and downfall of the antichristian kingdom; and then, and not till then, according to the heavenly chorus, "the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever." St. John is rapt, and, as it were, hurried away to a view of the happy period, without considering the steps preceding and conducting to it. At the same time, "the four and twenty elders," or the ministers of the church, ver. 16-18, are represented as praising and glorifying God for manifesting His power and kingdom more than He had done before; and give likewise an intimation of some succeeding events, as the anger

great

Anno DOMINI 96.

|| Or, corrupt.

|| wonder in heaven; a woman || Or, sign.

of the nations, Gog and Magog, chap. xx. 8; and the wrath of God displayed in their destruction, chap. xx. 9; and the judging of the dead, or the general judgment, chap. xx. 12; and the rewarding of all the good, as well as the punishing of the wicked. Here we have only a summary account of the circumstances and occurrences of the seventh trumpet, but the particulars will be enlarged upon hereafter. Bp. Newton.

19. And the temple of God was opened] This verse would perhaps more properly form the first verse of the twelfth chapter; for it appears to be the beginning of a new subject. "The temple-was opened," that is, more open discoveries were now made, and the mystery of God was revealed to the Prophet. "Lightnings and voices," &c. are the usual concomitants and attendants of the Divine presence, and especially at the giving of new laws and new revelations, Exod. xx. 18; chap. iv. 5; viii. 5. Bp. Newton.

Chap. XII. ver. 1. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman &c.] St. John here resumes his subject from the beginning, and represents the church as a woman, and a mother bearing children unto Christ. Bp. Newton.

A woman, in figurative language, is used to signify a city, a state, a body politick. Such is the daughter of Tyre, of Babylon, of Jerusalem; the latter of which, when virtuous, is honoured with the high appellation of the espoused of God; when wicked and idolatrous, she

A woman clothed

Anno DOMINI 96.

Or, sign.

clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

3 And there appeared another || wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

is styled the harlot, the adulteress, Isai. liv. 1, 5; lxvi. 6-14; Jer. xxxi. 4. Dean Woodhouse.

with the sun travaileth.

5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in hea

ven.

Ánno DOMINI 96.

heads denote that at this time the imperial power was in Rome, the city seated on seven hills, which presides over the whole world. Bp. Newton.

The particular allusion of these symbols has been variously conjectured by learned men; but the general meaning is certain, that the blessings of true religion in the revelation of Jesus Christ, as taught by His Apostles, that is, of the true Christian religion, deserve the highest esteem and honour, however they may be despised by the world. Lowman.

2. — cried, travailing in birth,] St. Paul had made use of the same metaphor, and applied it to his preaching and propagating the Gospel in the midst of tribulation and persecution, Gal. iv. 19. But the expression here of St. John is much stronger, and more emphatically expresses the pangs and struggles and torments, which the church endured from the first publication of the Gospel to the time of Constantine the Great, when she was in some measure eased of her pains and brought forth a deliverer. Bp. Newton.

3. And there appeared—a great red dragon,] Which is the well known sign or symbol of the devil or Satan, and of his agents or instruments. We find the kings and people of Egypt, who were the great persecutors of the primitive church of Israel, distinguished by this title in several places of the Old Testament, Ps. lxxiv. 13; Isai. li. 9; Ezek. xxix. 3; and with as much reason and propriety may the people and emperours of Rome, who were the great persecutors of the primitive church of Christ, be called by the same name, as they were actuated by the same principle. For that the Roman empire was here figured, the characters and attributes of the dragon plainly evince. He is "a great red dragon;" and purple or scarlet was the distinguishing colour of the Roman emperours, as it has been since of the popes and cardinals. His seven heads, as the angel afterwards (chap. xvii. 9, 10) explains the vision, allude to the seven hills on which Rome was built, and to the seven forms of government which successively prevailed there. His ten horns typify the ten kingdoms into which the Roman empire was divided; and the seven crowns upon his

5. And she brought forth a man child,] After all these hardships and persecutions under which the Christian church laboured, during the first three hundred years, the time was to come when she should be delivered from them by a famous prince, who was to embrace the Christian faith and be exalted to the throne of this empire, to abolish idolatrous and heathen worship, and defend and support the religion of Jesus Christ. All which was fulfilled in Constantine the Great, whom the other tyrants and princes of the empire endeavoured to destroy. Thus the "child" of the church was brought forth, and, in the prophetick language, exalted to heaven. See chap. vi. 12-17. Pyle.

6. And the woman fled &c.] This is here said by way of anticipation. For the war in heaven between Michael and the dragon, and other subsequent events, were prior in order of time to the flight of the woman into the wilderness: but, before the Prophet passes on to a new subject, he gives a general account of what happened afterwards to the woman. Bp. Newton.

7. And there was war in heaven: &c.] It might be reasonably presumed that all the powers of idolatry would be strenuously exerted against the establishment of Christianity, and especially against the establishment of a Christian on the imperial throne: and these struggles and contentions between the heathen and the Christian religions are represented, ver. 7, by "war in heaven" between the angels of darkness and the angels of light. Michael was (Dan. x. 21; xii. 1) the tutelar angel and protector of the Jewish church. He and the good angels were the invisible agents on the one side, as the devil and his evil angels were on the other. The visible actors in the cause of Christianity were the believing emperours and ministers of the word, the martyrs and confessors; and in support of idolatry were the persecuting emperours and heathen magistrates, together