CHAP. X. 1. And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as 2 pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book opened, and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his 3 left upon the earth. the earth. And he cried with a loud voice, as

a lion roareth; and while he cried, seven thunders uttered 4 their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven

CHAP. X. From the first verse of this chapter to chap. xi. 13, preparation is made for the important trumpet of the seventh angel. It consists of two parts, which run parallel to each other: the former reaches from the first to the seventh verse of this chapter; the latter from the eighth of this, to the thirteenth verse of the eleventh chapter: whence also the sixth verse of this chapter is parallel to the eleventh verse. The period to which both these refer begins during the second wo, (as appears, ch. xi. 14.) But being once begun, it extends in a continued course far into the trumpet of the seventh angel. Hence many things are represented here, which are not fulfilled till long after. So the joyful consummation of the mystery of God is spoken of in the seventh verse of this chapter, which yet is not till after the consummation of the wrath of God, ch. xv. 1. So the ascent of the beast out of the bottomless pit, is mentioned ch. xi. 7, which nevertheless is still to come, ch. xvii. 8. And so the earthquake by which a tenth part of the great city falls, and the rest are converted, ch. xi. 13, is really later than that by which the same city is split into three parts, ch. xvi. 19. This is a most necessary observation, whereby we may escape many and great mistakes.

Ver. 1. And I saw another mighty angel-Another different from that mighty angel mentioned ch. v. 2, yet he was a created angel; for he did not swear by himself, ver. 6, clothed with a cloud-In token of his high dignity, and a rainbow upon his head-A lovely token of the divine favour. And yet it is not too glorious for a creature: the woman, ch. xii. 1, is described more glorious still: And his face as the sun-Nor is this too much for a creature: for all the righteons shall shine forth as the sun, Matt. xiii. 43, and his fect as pillars of fire-Bright as flame.

V. 2. And he had in his hand-His left hand; he swore with his right. He stood with his right foot on the sea, toward the west; his left on the land, toward the east; so that he looked southward. And so St. John (as Patmos lies near Asia) could conveniently take the book out of his left hand. This sealed book was first in the right hand of him that sat on the throne. Thence the Lamb took it and opened the seals. And now this little book containing the remainder of the other, is given opened as it was to St. John. From this place the Revelation speaks more clearly and less figuratively than before. And he set his right foot upon the sea-Out of which the first beast was to come, and his left foot upon the earth-Out of which was to come the second. sea may betoken Europe; the earth, Asia; the chief theatres of these things. V. 3. And he cried-Uttering the words set down, ver. 6, and while he cried -Or was crying, at the same instant, seven thunders uttered their voices-In distinct words, each after the other. Those who spoke these words, were glorious, heavenly powers, whose voice was as the loudest thunder.

The

V. 4. And I heard a voice from heaven-Doubtless from him who had at first commanded him to write, and who presently commands him to take the book, namely, Jesus Christ. Seal up the things which the seven thunders have attered, and write them not-These are the only things of all which he heard, that he is commanded to keep secret. So some things peculiarly secret were

5 thunders have uttered, and write them not. And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth, 6 lifted up his right hand toward heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that 7 are therein, There shall be no more a time. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, while he shall

revealed to the beloved John, beside all the secrets written in this book. At the same time we are prevented from inquiring, what it was which these thunders uttered. Suffice that we may know all the contents of the opened bock, and of the oath of the angel.

V. 5. And the angel-This manifestation of things to come under the trumpet of the seventh angel, hath a two-fold introduction. First, the angel speaks for God, ver. 7. Then Christ speaks for himself, ch. xi. 3. The angel appeals to the prophets of former times; Christ to his own two witnesses: Whom I saw standing upon the earth and upon the sea, lifted up his right hand toward heaven-As yet the dragon was in heaven. When he is cast thence, he brings the third and most dreadful wo on the earth and the sea: so that it seems as if there would be no end of calamities. Therefore the angel comprises in his posture and in his oath, both heaven, sea, and earth, and makes on the part of the eternal God and Almighty Creator, a solemn protestation, that he will assert his kingly authority against all his enemies. He lifted up his right hand toward heaven-The angel in Daniel, ch. xii. 7, (not improbably the same angel,) lifted up both his hands.

V. 6. And sware-The six preceding trumpets pass without any such solemnity. It is the trumpet of the seventh angel alone, which is confirmed by so high an oath, by him that liveth for ever and ever-Before whom a thousand years are but a day, who created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the things that are therein-And consequently has the sovereign power over all: therefore all his enemies, though they rage a while in heaven, on the sea, and on the earth, yet must give place to him: that there shall be no more a time, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God shall be fulfilledThat is, a time, a chronos shall not expire, before that mystery is fulfilled. A chronos (1111 years) will nearly pass before then, but not quite. The period then which we may term a non-chronos, (not a whole time) must be a little and not much shorter than this. The non-chronos here mentioned seems to begin in the year 800, (when Charles the Great instituted in the west a new line of emperors, or of muny kings,) to end in the year 1836: and to contain, among other things, the short time of the third wo, the three times and a half of the woman in the wilderness, and the duration of the beast.

V. 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel-Who sounded not only at the beginning of those days, but from the beginning to the end, the mystery of God shall be fulfilled-It is said, ch. xvii. 17, The word of God shall be fulfilled. The word of God is fulfilled by the destruction of the beast, the mystery by the removal of the dragon. But these great events are so near together, that they are here mentioned as one. The beginning of them is in heaven, as soon as the seventh trumpet sounds: the end is on the earth and So long as the third wo remains on the earth and the sea, the mystery of God is not fulfilled. And the angel's swearing is peculiarly for the comfort of holy men, who are afflicted under that wo. Indeed the wrath of God must be first fulfilled, by the pouring out of the phials: and then comes the joyful fulfilling of the mystery of God. As he hath declared to his ser vants the prophets-The accomplishment exactly answering the prediction. The ancient prophecies relate partly to that grand period, from the birth of Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem; partly to the time of the seventh

the sea.

8

sound, the mystery of God shall be fulfilled, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake with me again, and said, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel, who standeth on the sea and on the 9 earth. And I went to the angel, saying to him, Give me the book. And he saith to me, Take and eat it up, and it will make thy belly bitter, but it will be sweet as honey 10 in thy mouth. And I took the book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, but when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11 And he saith to me, Thou must prophesy again concern

ing people, and nations, and tongues, and many kings. XI. And there was given me a reed, like a measuring rod;

and he said, Arise, and measure the temple of God, and

angel, wherein they will be fully accomplished. To the seventh trumpet belongs all that occurs from ch. xi. 15, to ch. xxii. 5. And the third wo, which takes place under the same, properly stands, ch. xii. 12, ch. xiii. 1—18.

V. 8. And-What follows from this verse to cb. xi. 18, runs parallel with the oath of the angel, and with the fulfilling of the mystery of God, as it follows under the trumpet of the seventh angel. What is said ver. 11, concerning St. John's prophesying again, is unfolded immediately after: what is said ver. 7, concerning the fulfilling of the mystery of God, is unfolded ch. xi. 15-19, and in the following chapters.

V. 9. Eat it up-The like was commanded to Ezekiel. This was an emblem of thoroughly considering and digesting it. And it will make thy betly bitter, but it will be sweet as honey in thy mouth-The sweetness betokens the many good things which follow, ch. xi. 1, 15, &c. the bitterness, the evils which succeed under the third wo.

V. 11. Thou must prophesy again-Of the mystery of God; of which the ancient prophets had prophesied before. And he did prophesy, by measuring the temple, ch. xi. 1, as a prophecy may be delivered either by words or actions: Concerning people, and nations, and tongues, and many kings-The people, nations, and tongues, are cotemporary; but the kings, being many, succeed one another. These kings are not mentioned for their own sake, but with a view to the holy city, ch. xi. 2. Here is a reference to the great kingdoms in Spain, England, Italy, &c. which arose from the eighth century; or at least underwent a considerable change, as France and Germany in particular: to the Christian, afterward Turkish empire in the East; and especially to the various potentates who have successively reigned at or over Jerusalem, and do now, at least titularly, reign over it.

CHAP. XI. In this chapter is shewn, how it will fare with the holy city, till the mystery of God is fulfilled: in the twelfth, what will befal the woman, who is delivered of the man-child: in the thirteenth, how it will be with the kingdom of Christ, while the two beasts are in the heighth of their power. And there was given me-By Christ, as appears from the third verse: and he said, Arise-Probably he was sitting to write, and measure the temple of God -At Jerusalem, where he was placed in the vision. Of this we have a large description by Ezekiel, ch. xl.—xlviii. concerning which we may observe,

1. Ezekiel's prophecy was not fulfilled at the return of the Babylonish captivity.

2. Yet it does not refer to the New Jerusalem, which is far more gloriously described.

2 the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple cast out, and measure it not : for it is given to the Gentiles, and they shall tread the 3 holy city forty-two months. And I will give to my two witnesses to prophesy twelve hundred and sixty days, 4 clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if any one would hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies: and if any 6 would kill them, he must thus be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophesying, and have power over the waters, to turn

3. It must infallibly be fulfilled even then when they are ashamed of all that they have done, ch. xliii. 11.

4 Ezekiel speaks of the same temple, which is treated of here.

5. As all things there are so largely described, St. John is shorter and refers thereto.

V. 2. But the court which is without the temple-The old temple had a court in the open air, for the heathens who worshipped the God of Israel: cast out -Of thy account, and measure it not-As not being holy in so high a degree: and they shall tread-Inhabit the holy city, Jerusalem, Matt. iv. 5. So they began to do, before St. John wrote. And it has been trodden almost ever since, by the Romans, Persians, Saracens, and Turks. But that severe kind of treading which is here peculiarly spoken of, will not be till under the trumpet of the seventh angel, and toward the end of the troublous times. This will continue but forty-two common months, or twelve hundred and sixty common days; being but a smell part of the non-chronos.

V. 3. And I-Christ, will give to my two witnesses-These seem to be two prophets, two select, eminent instruments. Some have supposed, (though without foundation,) that they are Moses and Elijah, whom they resemble in several respects; to prophesy twelve hundred and sixty days-Common days, that is, a hundred and eighty weeks. So long will they prophesy, (even while that last and sharp treading of the holy city continues,) both by word and deed, witnesseng that Jesus is the Son of God, the Heir of all things, and exhorting all men to repent, and fear, and glorify God; clothed in sackcloth -The habit of the deepest mourners, out of sorrow and concern for the people.

V. 4. These are the two olive-trees-That is, as Zerubbabel and Joshua, the two olive-trees spoken of by Zecheriah, ch. iii. 9, ch. iv. 10, were then the two chosen instruments in God's hand, even so shall these be in their season. Being themselves full of the uuction of the Holy One, they shall continually transmit the same to others also: and the two caudlesticks-Burning and shining lights, standing before the Lord of the earth-Always waiting on God, without the help of man, and asserting his right over the earth and all things therein.

V. 5. If any would kill them—As the Israelites would have done Moses and Aaron, Numb. xvi. 41, he must be killed thus-By that devouring fire.

V. 6. These have power-And they use that power, (see ver. 10,) to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophesying-During those twelve hundred and sixty days; and have power over the waters-In and near Jerusalem, to turn them into blood-As Moses did those in Egypt; and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will-This is not said of Moses or Elijah, or any mere man besides. And how is it possible to understand this otherwise, than of two individual persons?

them into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues 7 as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the wild beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war with them, and conquer 8 them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall be in the street of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And some of the people, and tribes, and tongues, and nations, behold their dead bodies three days and a half, and they shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in a 10 grave. And they that dwell upon the earth rejoice over them, and they shall make merry, and send gifts to one another; because these two prophets tormented them 11 that dwelt upon the earth. And after the three days and an half, the Spirit of life from God came into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them 12 that saw them. And I heard a great voice saying from

heaven to them, Come up hither. And they went up to 13 heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And

V. 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony-Till then they are invincible, the wild beast-Hereafter to be described, that ascendeth-First out of the sea, ch. xiii. 1, and then out of the bottomless pit, ch. xvii. 8, shall make bar with them-It is at his last ascent, not out of the sea, but the bottomless pit, that the beast makes war upon the two witnesses. And even hereby is fixed the time of treading the holy city, and of the two witnesses. That time ends after the ascent of the beast out of the abyss, and yet before the fulfilling of the mystery, and shall conquer them-The fire no longer proceeding out of their mouth when they have finished their work, and kill them-These will be among the last martyrs, though not the last of all.

V. 3. And their bodies shall be-Perhaps hanging on a cross, in the streets of the great city-Of Jerusalem, a far greater city than any other in those parts. This is described both spiritually and historically: spiritually, as it is called Sodom (Isa. 1) and Egypt; on account of the same abominations abounding there at the time of the witnesses, as did once in Egypt and Sodom: historically; where also their Lord was crucified-This possibly refers to the very ground where his cross stood. Constantine the Great inclosed this within the walls of the city. Perhaps on that very spot will their bodies be exposed.

V. 9. Three days and a hálf-So exactly are the times set down in this pro phecy. If we suppose this time began in the evening and ended in the morning, and included (which is no way impossible) Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the weekly festival of the Turkish people, the Jewish tribes, and the Christian tongues; then all these together, with the heathen nations, would have full leisure to gaze upon and rejoice over them.

V. 10. And they that dwell upon the earth-Perhaps this expression may peculiarly denote earthly-minded men; shall make merry-As did the Philistines over Sampson, and send gifts to one another-Both Turks, and Jews, and Heathens, and false Christians.

V. 11. And great fear fell upon them that saw them-And now knew that God was on their side.

V. 12. And I heard a great voice-Designed for all to hear. And they went up to heaven, and their enemies beheld them-Who had not taken notice of their rising again; by which some had been convinced before.

V. 13. And there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell VOL. II.

Сс