PREFACE TO THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. as the Roman empire continued heathen. Severe persecutions were almost perpetually renewed; and, a little before the time of Constantine, they were so severe, that they seemed to threaten the utter destruction of all who could not be forced to renounce the Christian faith, and fall in with the idolatrous worship established in the empire. The last persecution, under Diocletian, destroyed such incredible numbers, that the persecutors boasted they had effaced the name and superstition of the Christians, and had restored and propagated the worship of the gods. Yet the divine providence, after several great revolutions, made way for the authority of Constantine the Great, who put an end to the long persecution of ten years, gave freedom to the churches, and finally gave all protection and countenance to the Christian Church, and all assistance to promote the Christian faith and worship. So that the same power which before persecuted now protected the religion of Christ. The first period of prophecy, then, seems naturally to point out this period of history, which in general answers to it with great propriety and exactness, and will direct us to look for the fulfilment of the several parts of it, in some of the events of providence, which took place between the time of the vision, and the year of Christ about 323, when the opposition of the idolatrous power of Rome gave way to the protection and favour of Christian emperors. The second period of prophecy points out the period of history between the year of Christ 323 to about 750, in which compass of time we seem to be directed to look for the accomplishment of the several particular predictions contained in this period; namely, when the Roman empire beginning to lose its power, and becoming unable to protect the church, a swarm of idolatrous nations from the northern countries, under several names, broke in upon that empire, and divided the western part of it into several separate and independent governments, or kingdoms; so that the Christian faith and worship were in as much danger from the idolatry of the northern nations, who had divided the empire among them, as they were before in danger from the idolatry of the empire itself. It pleased God, also, to permit that impostor, Mohammed, and his successors, to gain so much ground, and to spread that imposture so far and so fast, that it threatened the ruin of the Christian name and religion in the East. Yet the idolatrous northern nations were soon themselves brought to embrace Christianity, and to use all their power and authority to protect and promote it. And though the Saracens made great inroads for some time, yet was their progress stopped both in the east and west, as shall be shown in the proper place. The third period seems also to be determined to the time of its beginning and ending by the prophecy itself, including the time of the beast, of the woman's being in the wilderness, and of the treading down of the holy city; which times are variously expressed, but plainly in such a manner a 3 to intend the same duration. It is said to be for "forty-two months;" (chap. xi. 2; xiii. 5;) “for a time, times, and half a time;" (chap. xii. 14;) which ways of numbering are explained by another; namely, twelve hundred and sixty days, chap. xi. 3. The difficulty then of assigning the exact historical time of this period lies chiefly in fixing when these twelve hundred and sixty days are to begin; or, which will be the same, at what period in history we are to fix the beginning of the power of the beast, of the flying of the woman into the wilderness, and of treading the holy city under foot; for these are the calamities of this period. When the last-mentioned period shall have continued the time specified in the above-mentioned numbers, namely, forty-two months, a time, times, and half a time, or twelve hundred and sixty days, according to the style of prophecy, the beast shall be destroyed, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, shall be bound a thousand years, during which time the church shall be in a happy and peaceful state, which will be the fourth remarkable period, described chap. xix. 20; xx. 2. When these thousand years shall be expired, Satan again shall be loosed out of his prison for a short time; and this will make a fifth period, chap. xx. 7. This shall occasion a new and the last attempt of error and wickedness against truth and righteousness; but this attempt shall end in the final ruin of all the enemies of religion, which shall be the sixth period, chap. xx. 9, 10. The seventh period, set forth in chap. xxi., xxii., respects the everlasting happiness of the righteous and faithful servants of God and Christ in a state of glorious immortality, and an endless sabbath. This order of the prophecies given by Lowman appears very natural and intelligible, and more agreeable to the important facts of history than perhaps any other system; and yet it is the truth of history which alone can show us what has been the providence of God toward the church and world from the time of this vision of St. John to our own days. PREFACE TO THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. It is evident such a plan of prophecy and order of history are well calculated to answer the important designs of revelation in general, to prepare the church to expect opposition and sufferings in this present world, to support good men under all the trials of their faith and patience, to give encouragement to persevere in true religion, whatever dangers may attend our so doing, to assure us that God will attend to and protect his own cause, so that no opposition shall finally prevail against it; that God will assuredly judge and punish the enemies of truth and righteousness, and that their opposition thereto shall certainly end in their own destruction, when the faithful perseverance of the true followers of Christ shall be crowned with a glorious state of immortal life and happiness. The great truths concerning the majesty of God, the wisdom and care of his providence, the dignity, authority, and power of Christ, the protection of the church, the restraint and punishment of its enemies, and the final happiness of all who shall faithfully persevere in true faith, piety, and virtue, are here delivered in such an awful manner, such animated language, and striking representations, as must greatly affect the spirits of genuine Christians. A regard to this book of Revelation, as predicting events by a Spirit of prophecy, which, therefore, will surely come to pass, serves to raise us above the fear of men, by a lively faith and assured confidence in God. To look upon the promises and threatenings of this book as infallible predictions, which shall certainly be accomplished, must animate every well-disposed and considerate person to resist all temptations of error and sin with faithfulness, constancy, and zeal. The lake of fire, and the terrors of the second death, the portion of the fearful and unbelieving; and, on the other hand, the glory and felicity of the New Jerusalem, and a right to the tree of life, the portion of all the faithful, are represented by such strong and lively images, as are calculated, not only to fix men's attention, but to touch their hearts and affections, and engage them with zeal and diligence to follow the wise directions of truth and righteousness. And an exact conformity between these prophetic descriptions and the real state of the church and the world, for a series of some hundreds of years, gives continually new and increasing evidence of the truth and importance of the Christian revelation, and the authenticity and authority of the books of the New Testament; and it greatly confirms our faith in God's promises and threatenings, and thereby gives them their full force and influence upon us. Such is the improvement which the Holy Spirit of prophecy designed should arise from the perusal of this book of Revelation; and doubtless it has had, and still will have, this effect upon thousands that seriously read and weigh its contents. For one of its prophetic declarations is, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear, the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein." It must be observed, however, that in the interpretations and applications of these prophecies we are not to expect demonstrations, or such proofs as shall be liable to no manner of objection; or that some weak and ill-informed persons may not wrest these prophecies, as they do the other scriptures, and may do any principles whatsoever, to extravagant expectations, designs, and actions. It should be sufficient to satisfy us, if we find a proper and probable sense of these prophetic expressions and descriptions, suited to the manifest and wise design of the whole prophecy. And if these interpretations are supported by an application of events in history, that are justly applicable, both to the prophetic descriptions, and to the series and order of the predictions; if they are events worthy a spirit of prophecy to reveal, and agreeable to the spirit and intention of this prophecy in particular, we may, without exposing ourselves to the charge of being over credulous, reasonably rest satisfied with them. Then we may represent these prophecies to ourselves in that noble and useful view in which a great author (Bossuet, bishop of Meaux, Explication of the Revelation, Preface) has placed them: "In the gospel of St. John we read the life of Christ on earth; a man conversing with men, humble, poor, weak, and suffering; we behold a sacrifice ready to be offered, and a man appointed to sorrows and death; but in the Revelation we have the gospel of Christ now raised from the dead. He speaks and acts as having conquered the grave, and triumphed over death and hell, as entered into the place of his glory; angels, principalities, and powers being made subject to him; and exercing the supreme universal power he has received from the Father over all things in heaven and earth, as our Saviour, for the protection of his church, and for the sure happiness of his faithful servants in the end.” Nothing, says Dr. Apthorp, who pursues the same line of interpretation with Lowman, in the Jewish prophecies themselves, exceeds the sublimity of the exordium of the Apocalypse; "the vision of Jesus Christ, the monarch of his church, and the divine instructions to the Asian churches, and in them to the churches of all succeeding times, chap. i. 1–8; iii.; iv. In the second vision heaven PREFACE TO THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. opens, the throne of God is surrounded by his saints, and the Lamb opens the seven seals amidst the acclamations of the angelic hosts, chap. v.-viii. In the third vision the angels sound the seven trumpets, viii.-xi. In the fourth vision the dragon persecutes the church, the two beasts rise from the earth and sea, and are defeated by the Lamb, chap. xi. 15; xiv. In the fifth vision the angels pour the vials of the wrath of God on the kingdom and throne of antichrist, chap. xv.-xix. In the sixth vision Satan is bound for a thousand years, chap. xx. The seventh vision reveals the destined glories of the true religion, emblemized by the new heavens and new earth, and the New Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven, chap. xxi., xxii." Respecting the style of this book we may rely on the testimony of Blackwall. "The Revelation," says he, in his Sacred Classics, "is writ in much the same style with the gospel and epistles, and entertains and instructs the reader with variety of Christian morals and sublime mysteries. From this noble book may be drawn resistless proofs of our Saviour's eternal existence; the incommunicable attributes of eternity and infinite power are there plainly and directly applied to Jesus, the Son of God. It is in vain to look for more lofty descriptions or majestic images than you find in this sacred book. Could the acclamations and hallelujahs of God's household be expressed with more propriety and magnificence than by the shouts of vast multitudes, the roaring of many waters, and the dreadful sound of the loudest and strongest thunders? And how transporting an entertainment must it be to the blessed to have all the strength of sound, tempered with all its sweetness and harmony, perfectly suited to their celestial ear and most exalted taste! The description of the Son of God in the nineteenth chapter, verses 11-17, is in all the pomp and grandeur of language. We have every circumstance and particular that is most proper to express power and justice, majesty and goodness; to raise admiration and high pleasure, corrected with awe." b 697 THE REVELATION OF SAINT JOHN THE DIVINE. CHAPTER I. This chapter contains, (1,) A preface, showing the divine original, the design, and importance of the book, 1-3. (2,) John's salutation of the seven churches of Asia, wishing them grace and peace from all the three Divine Persons in their distincı economical characters, 4-8. (3,) An account when, where, and how he received his revelations, 9–12. (4,) A vision of Christ, with an affecting display of his divine glory, encouraging and animating to true believers, but terrible to backsliders and apostates, 13-20. A. D. 96. с A. D. 96. A. M. 4100. THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, | shortly come to pass; and he sent A. M. 4100. a which God gave unto him, to and signified it by his angel unto his show unto his servants things which must servant John: a John iii. 22; viii. 26; xii. 49. b Chap. iv. 1; Verse 3.- - Chap. xxii. 16. NOTES ON CHAPTER I. relative to each other, at a small, at a great distance; Verse 1. The book opens with the title or inscrip- and therefore, sometimes, as it were, disappearing, tion of the book itself, and an account of the scope broken off, suspended, and afterward unexpectedly, and design of it, namely, to foretel things which and most seasonably, appearing again. In all its should shortly begin to be fulfilled, and should suc- parts it has an admirable variety, with the most exceed in their due season and order till all were ac- act harmony, beautifully illustrated by those very complished. The Revelation-Properly so called;|| digressions which seem to interrupt it; in this manfor things covered before, are here revealed, or un- ner does it display the manifold wisdom of God, veiled. No prophecy in the Old Testament has this shining, in the economy of the church, through so title; it was reserved for this alone in the New. It many ages. His servants-Much is comprehended is, as it were, a manifesto, wherein the Heir of all in this appellation. It is a great thing to be a serthings declares, that all power is given him in vant of Jesus Christ. This book is dedicated partiheaven and earth; and that he will, in the end, cularly to the servants of Christ in the seven churchgloriously exercise that power, maugre all the oppo- es in Asia; but not exclusive of all his other sersition of all his enemies. Of Jesus Christ-Not of vants, in all nations and ages. It is one single reveJohn the divine, a title added in latter ages. Certain lation, and yet sufficient for them all, from the time it is, that appellation, the divine, was not brought it was written to the end of the world. Serve thou into the church, much less was it affixed to John the the Lord Jesus Christ in truth. So shalt thou learn apostle, till long after the apostolic age. It was St. his secret in this book. Yea, and thou shalt feel in John indeed who wrote this book; but the Author || thy heart, whether this book be divine or not. The of it is Jesus Christ. Which God gave unto him—|| things which must shortly come to pass-The things According to his holy, glorified humanity, as the great || contained in this prophecy did begin to be accomProphet of the church. God gave the revelation to || plished shortly after it was given; and the whole Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ made it known to his ser- might be said to come to pass shortly, in the same vants. To show-This word recurs chap. xxii. 6. sense as St. Peter says, The end of all things is at And in many places the parts of this book refer to|| hand; and our Lord himself, Behold I come quickly. each other. Indeed, the whole structure of it|| There is in this book a rich treasure of all the docbreathes the art of God; comprising, in the most || trines pertaining to faith and holiness. But these finished compendium, things to come; many, vari- || are also delivered in other parts of Holy Writ; so ous; near, intermediate, remote; the greatest, the that the Revelation need not to have been given for least; terrible, comfortable; old, new; long, short;|| the sake of these. The peculiar design of this is and these interwoven together, opposite, composite; || To show the things which must come to pass. Anc || They are blessed who hear A. D. 96. CHAPTER I. and keep the worú of God. A. M. 4100. 2 d Who bare record of the word || 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and A. M. 4100. f of God, and of the testimony of they that hear the words of this proJesus Christ, and of all things that he phecy, and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. saw. e d1 Cor. i. 6; Chap. vi. 9; xii. 17; Verse 9.——————e 1 John i. 1. A. D. 96. f Luke xi. 28; Chap. xxii. 7.- Rom. xiii. 11; James v. 8. this we are especially to have before our eyes, introduction and conclusion agree with Daniel; the whenever we read or hear it. It is said afterward, Write what thou seest; and again, Write what thou hast seen, and what is, and || what shall be hereafter; but here, where the scope of the book is shown, it is only said, the things which || must come to pass. Accordingly, the showing things to come, is the great point in view throughout the whole. And St. John writes what he has seen, and what is, only as it has an influence on, or gives light to, what shall be. And he-Jesus Christ; sent and signified them—Showed them by signs or emblems; (so the Greek word properly means;) by his angel -Peculiarly called in the sequel, The angel of God, and particularly mentioned chap. xvii. 1; xxi. 9; xxii. 6, 16; to his servant John—A title given to no other single person throughout the book. || description of the man-child, and the promises to Sion, with Isaiah; the judgment of Babylon, with Jeremiah; again, the determination of times, with Daniel; the architecture of the holy city, with Ezekiel; the emblems of the horses, candlesticks, &c., with Zechariah. Many things, largely described by the prophets, are here summarily repeated, and frequently in the same words. To them we may, then, usefully have recourse. Yet the Revelation suffices for the explaining itself, even if we do not yet understand those prophecies; yea, it casts much light upon them. Frequently, likewise, where there is a resemblance between them, there is a difference also; the Revelation, as it were, taking a stock from one of the old prophets, and inserting a new graft into it. Thus Zechariah speaks of two oliveVerses 2, 3. Who bare record of, or testified, the trees; and so does St. John, but with a different word of God—That is, who, being honoured with so meaning. Daniel has a beast with ten horns; so important a message, did not fail faithfully to declare has St. John. And here the difference of words, it; and the testimony of Jesus-That which Jesus, emblems, things, times, ought studiously to be obas the faithful and true Witness, appointed to be de- served. Our Lord foretold many things before his clared; and all things that he saw-Was made passion; but not all things, for it was not yet seaacquainted with in such a manner as was attended sonable. Many things, likewise, his Spirit foretold, with the fullest and most satisfactory evidences of in the writings of the apostles, so far as the necessitheir truth and importance. Blessed-Makapios, hap- || ties of those times required; now he comprises them py; is he that readeth-Some have miserably hand- all in one short book, therein presupposing all the led this book. Hence others are afraid to touch it. other prophecies, and at the same time explaining, And while they desire to know all things else, reject || continuing, and perfecting them in one thread. It only the knowledge of those which God hath shown. is right, therefore, to compare them; but not to They inquire after any thing rather than this; as if measure the fulness of these by the scantiness of it were written, Happy is he that doth not read this those preceding. Christ, when on earth, foretold prophecy. Nay, but happy is he that readeth, and what would come to pass in a short time; adding a they that hear and keep the words thereof Especi- || brief description of the last things. Here he foretels ally at this time, when so considerable a part of them the intermediate things; so that both put together is on the point of being fulfilled. Nor are helps constitute one complete chain of prophecy. This wanting, whereby any sincere and diligent inquirer book is therefore not only the sum and the key of may understand what he reads therein. The book all the prophecies which preceded, but likewise a itself is written in the most accurate manner possi- supplement to all, the seals being closed before; of ble; it distinguishes the several things whereof he consequence, it contains many particulars not retreats by seven epistles, seven seals, seven trumpets, vealed in any other part of Scripture. They have, seven vials, each of which sevens is divided into therefore, little gratitude to God for such a Revelafour and three. Many things the book itself ex- tion, reserved for the exaltation of Christ, who boldplains, as the seven stars, the seven candlesticks, the ly reject whatever they find here, which was not lamb, his seven horns and seven eyes, the incense, revealed, or not so clearly, in other parts of Scripthe dragon, the heads and horns of the beasts, the ture. He that readeth and they that hear-The fine linen, the testimony of Jesus. And much light distinction here made of him that readeth and of arises from comparing it with the ancient prophe- them that hear, is remarkable; for books, being then cies, and the predictions in the other books of the in manuscript, were in few hands, and it was a much New Testament. In this book our Lord has com- readier way to publish a prophecy, or any thing, by prised what was wanting in those prophecies, touch- || public reading, than by transcribing copies. It was ing the time which followed his ascension, and the also the custom of that age to read all the apostoliend of the Jewish polity. Accordingly, it reaches || cal writings in the congregations of the faithful. And from the Old Jerusalem to the New, reducing all perhaps John sent this book by a single person into things into one sum in the exactest order, and with || Asia, who read it in the churches, while many a near resemblance to the ancient prophets. The heard. But this likewise, in a secondary sense, re |