Preface.

Preface.

2. It contains predictions of the persecutions of the Chris tians under the heathen emperors of Rome, and of the happy days of the church under the Christian emperors, from Constantine downwards.

3. It contains prophecies concerning the tyrannical and oppressive conduct of the Roman pontiffs, the true Antichrist; and foretells the final destruction of popery.

4. It is a prophetic declaration of the schism and heresies of Martin Luther, those called reformers, and their successors; and the final destruction of the Protestant religion.

The first opinion has been defended by Professor Wetstein, and other learned men on the continent.

The second is the opinion of the primitive fathers in general, both Greek and Latin.

The third was first broached by the Abbe Joachim, who flourished in the thirteenth century, was espoused by most of the Franciscans, and has been, and still is, the general opinion

of the Protestants.

The fourth seems to have been invented by popish writers, merely by way of retaliation; and has been illustrated and defended at large by a Mr. Walmsley (I believe,) titular Dean of Wells, in a work called the History of the Church, under the feigned name of Signior Pastorini.

In this work he endeavours to turn every thing against Luther and the Protestants, which they interpreted of the pope and popery; and attempts to show, from a computation of the Apocalyptical numbers, that the total destruction of Protestantism in the world will take place in 1825! But this is not the first prophecy that has been invented for the sake of an event, the accomplishment of which was earnestly desired; and as a stimulus to excite general attention, and promote united exertion, when the time of the pretended prophecy was fulfilled.

The full title of the book which I quote, is the following: "The General History of the Christian Church, from her Birth to her final triumphant state in Heaven, chiefly deduced from the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle. By SIG. PASTORINI. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy-APOCALYPSE, Ch. i. ver. 3. Printed in the Year MDCCLXXI." 8vo. No place nor printer's

name mentioned.

The place where he foretells the final destruction of Protestantism is in p. 249 and 262.

The Catholic College of Maynooth, in Ireland, have lately published a new edition of this work! in which the author kindly predicts the approaching overthrow of the whole Protestant systein both in church and state; and in the mean time gives them, most condescendingly, Abaddon or the devil for

their king!

Who the writer of the Apocalypse was, learned men are not agreed. This was a question, as well in ancient as in modern times. We have already seen that many have attributed it to the apostle John; others to a person called John the presby. ter, who they say was an Ephesian, and totally different from John the apostle. And, lastly, some have attributed it to Cerinthus, a contemporary of John the apostle. This hypothesis, however, seems utterly unsupportable; as there is no probability that the Christian church would have so generally received a work which came from the hands of a man at all times reputed a very dangerous heretic; nor can the doctrines it contains, ever comport with a Cerinthian creed.

Whether it was written by John the apostle, John the presbyter, or some other person, is of little importance, if the question of its inspiration be fully established. If written by an apostle, it is canonical; and should be received, without hesitation, as a work divinely inspired. Every apostle acted under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. John was an apostle, and consequently inspired: therefore, whatever he wrote was written by divine inspiration. If, therefore, the authenticity of the work be established, i. e. that it was written by John the apostle, all the rest necessarily follow.

As I have scarcely any opinion to give concerning this book on which I could wish any of my readers to rely, I shall not enter into any discussion relative to the author, or the meaning of his several visions and prophecies; and for general in formation refer to Dr. Lardner, Michaelis, and others.

Various attempts have been made by learned men to fix the plan of this work; but even in this few agree. I shall produce some of the chief of these; and first that of Wetstein, which is the most singular of the whole.

He supposes the book of the Apocalypse to have been written a considerable time before the destruction of Jerusalem. The events described from the fourth chapter to the end he supposes to refer to the Jewish war, and to the civil commotions which took place in Italy while Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian

were contending for the empire. These contentions and de structive wars occupied the space of about three years and a half, during which Professor Wetstein thinks the principal events took place which are recorded in this book. On these subjects he speaks particularly in his notes, at the end of which he subjoins what he calls his Avakepaλatwois, or Sy. nopsis of the whole work, which I proceed now to lay before the reader.

"This prophecy, which predicts the calamities which God should send on the enemies of the Gospel, is divided into two parts. The first is contained in the closed book; the second in the open book.

I. The first concerns the 'earth and the third part,' i. e. Judea and the Jewish nation.

II. The second concerns 'many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings,' ch. x. 11. i. e. The Roman empire.

1. The book written within and without, and sealed with seven seals,' ch. v. 1. is the bill of divorce sent from God to the Jewish nation.

2. The crowned conqueror on the white horse armed with a bow,' ch. vi. 2. is Artabanus, king of the Parthians, who slaughtered multitudes of the Jews in Babylon.

3. The 'red horse,' ver. 4. The Sicarii and robbers in Judea, in the time of the proconsuls Felix and Festus. 4. The 'black horse,' ver. 5. The famine under Claudius. 5. The 'pale horse,' ver. 8. The plague which followed the robberies and the famine.

6. The souls of those who were slain,' ver. 9. The Christians in Judea, who were persecuted, and were now about to be avenged.

7. The great earthquake,' ver. 12. The commotions which preceded the Jewish rebellion.

8. The servants of God from every tribe, sealed in their foreheads,' ch. vii. 3. The Christians taken under the protection of God, and warned by the prophets to flee immediately from the land. 9. The 'silence for half an nour,' ch. viii. 1. The short truce granted at the solicitation of king Agrippa. Then follows the rebellion itself. 1 The trees are burnt,' ver. 7. The fields and villages, and unfortified places of Judea, which first felt the bad ef fects of the sedition.

2. The burning mountain cast into the sea, which' in con Sequence became blood, ver. 8. and,

The 'burning star falling into the rivers, and making the waters bitter,' ch. viii. 10, 11. The slaughter of the Jews at Cæsarea and Scythopolis.

4. The eclipsing of the sun, moon, and stars,' ver. 12. The anarchy of the Jewish commonwealth.

5. The locusts like scorpions hurting men,' ch. ix. 3. The expedition of Cestius Gallus, prefect of Syria.

6. The army with arms of divers colours,' ver. 16, 17. The armies under Vespasian in Judea. About this time Nero and Galba died; after which followed the civil war, signifled by the sounding of the seventh trumpet,' ch. x. 7, 11. xi. 15. 1. The two prophetic witnesses, two olive trees, two can. dlesticks,' ch. xi. 3, 4. Teachers in the church, predicting the destruction of the Jewish temple and commonwealth. 2. The death of the witnesses,' ver. 7. The flight, and the flight of the church of Jerusalem, to Pella, in Arabia.

3. The resurrection of the witnesses, after three days and a half,' ver. 11. The predictions began to be fulfilled at a time in which their accomplishment was deemed impossible; and the doctrine of Christ begins to prevail over Judea, and over the whole earth.

4. The tenth part of the city fell in the same hour, and seven thousand names of men slain,' ver. 13. Jerusalem seiz ed by the Idumeans; and many of the priests and nobles, with Annas, the high-priest, signified by names of men, i. e. men of name, slain by the zealots.

5. The woman clothed with the sun; the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head,' ch. xii. I. The Christian church.

6. The great red dragon seen in heaven, with seven heads, seven diadems, and ten horns,' ver. 6. The six first Cæsars, who were all made princes at Rome, governing the armies and the Roman people with great authority; especially Nero, the last of them, who, having killed his mother, cruelly vexed the Christians, and afterward turned his wrath against the rebellious Jews.

7. The seven-headed beast from the sea, having ten horns surrounded with diadems,' ch. xiii. 1. Galba, Otho, and Vitel lius, who were shortly to reign, and who were proclaimed emperors by the army.

8. This beast, having a mouth like a lion, the body like a leopard, the feet like a bear, ver. 2. Avaricious Galba: rash, unchaste, and inconstant Otho; Vitellius, cruel and sluggish with the German army.

9. One head' i. e. the seventh, cut off, ver. 3. Galba.

10. He who leadeth into captivity, shall be led inte capti. vity; he who killeth with the sword, shall be killed with the sword,' ver. 10. Otho, who subdued the murderers of Galba,

and slew himself with a dagger: Vitellius, who bound Sabinus with chains, and was himself afterward bound.

11. Another beast rising out of the earth, with two horns,' ver. 11. Vespasian and his two sons, Titus and Domitian, elected emperors at the same time in Judea.

12. The number of the wild beast 666, the number of a man,' TEITAN, Titan or Titus: T, 300. E, 5. 1, 10. T, 300. A, 1. N, 50. making in the whole 666. [But some very respectable MSS. have 616 for the number; if the N be taken away from Teitan, then the letters in Teita make exactly the sum 616.] 13. A man sitting upon a cloud with a crown of gold upon his head, and a sickle in his hand,' ch. xiv. ver. 14. Otho and his army, about to prevent supplies for the army of Vitellius.

14. An angel of fire commanding another angel to gather the vintage; the wine-press trodden, whence the blood flows out 1600 furlongs.' The followers of Vitellius laying all waste with fire; and the Bebriaci conquering the followers of Otho with great slaughter.

Then follow the seven plagues:

་

1. The grievous sore, ch. xvi. 2. The diseases of the soldiers of Vitellius through intemperance.

2. The sea turned into blood,' ver. 3. The fleet of Vitellius beaten, and the maritime towns taken from them by the Flavii. 3. The rivers turned into blood,' ver. 4. The slaughter of the adherents of Vitellius, at Cremona, and elsewhere, near rivers.

4. The scorching of the sun,' ver. 8. The diseases of the Vitellii increasing, and their exhausted bodies impatient of

the heat.

5. The seat of the beast darkened,' ver. 10. All Rome in commotion through the torpor of Vitellius.

6. Euphrates dried up, and a way made for the kings of the East; and the three unclean spirits like frogs.' The Flavii besieging Rome with a treble army; one part of which was by the bank of the Tiber.

The 'shame of him who is found asleep and naked.' Vitel lius, ver. 15. 'Armageddon,' ver. 16. The Prætorian camps. 7. The fall of Babylon,' ver. 19. The sacking of Rome. 1. The whore,' ch. xvii. 1. Rome.

2. The 'seven kings,' ver. 10. CESAR, AUGUSTUS, TIBERIUS, CALIGULA, CLAUDIUS, NERO, and GALBA.

3. The eighth, which is of the seven,' ver. 11. Otho, destined by adoption to be the son and successor of Galba. 4. The ten horns,' ver. 12-16. The leaders of the Flavian factions.

5. The 'merchants of the earth,' ch. xviii. 11. i. e. of Rome, which was then the emporium of the whole world.

6. The beast and the false prophet,' ch xix. 20. Vespasian and his family, contrary to all expectation, becoming extinct in Domitian, as the first family of the Cesars, and of the three princes, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius.

7. The millennium, or a thousand years,' ch. xx. 2. Taken from Psa. xc. 4. a time appointed by God, including the space of forty years, from the death of Domitian to the Jewish war, under Adrian.

8. Gog and Magog going out over the earth,' ver. 8. Barchochebas, the false Messiah, with an immense army of the Jews, coming forth suddenly from their caves and dens, tor. menting the Christians, and carrying on a destructive war with the Romans.

9. The New Jerusalem,' ch. xxi. 1, 2. The Jews being brought so low as to be capable of injuring no longer; the whole world resting after being expiated by wars; and the doctrine of Christ propagated and prevailing every where with incredible celerity.

Wetstein contends, (and he is supported by very great men among the ancients and moderus,) that "the book of the Revelation was written before the Jewish war, and the civil wars in Italy: that the important events which took place at that time, the greatest that ever happened since the foundation of the world, were worthy enough of the Divine notice, as the affairs of His church were so intimately connected with them; that his method of exposition proves the whole book to be a well-connected certain series of events: but the common method of interpretation, founded on the hypothesis that the book was written after the destruction of Jerusalem is utterly destitute of certainty; and leaves every commentator to the uxuriance of his own fancy, as is sufficiently evident from what has been done already on this book; some interpreters leading the reader now to Thebes, now to Athens, and finding in the words of the sacred penman Constantine the Great; Arius, Luther, Calvin; the Jesuits; the Albigenses; the Bohemians; Chemnitius; Elizabeth, queen of England; Cecil, her treasurer; and who not!"-See Wetstein's Gr. Test. Vol. II. pag. 889.

Those who consider the Apocalypse as a prophecy and scen. tcal exhibition of what shall happen to the Christian church to the end of the world, lay this down as a proposition, which comprises the subject of the whole book:-"The contest of Christ with his enemies; and His final victory and triumph over them." See 1 Cor. xv. 25. Matt. xxiv. Mark xiii. Luke xxi. but what is but briefly hinted in the above Scriptures, is detailed at large in the Apocalypse, and represented by various images nearly in the following order;

1 The decrees of the Divine Providence concerning what is come, are declared to John.

Preface.

2. The manner in which these decrees shall be executed, is painted in the most vivid colours.

3. Then follow thanksgivings to God, the Ruler and Governor of all things, for these manifestations of His power, wisdom, and goodness.

After the Exordium, and the seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia Minor, to whose angels or bishops the book seems to be dedicated, (ch. i. ii. iii.) the scene of the visions is opened in heaven, full of majesty; and John receives a promise of a revelation relative to the future state of the church, ch. iv. v.

The enemies of the church of Christ, which the Christians had then most to fear, were the Jews, the heathens, and the false teachers. All these are overcome by Christ; and over them He triumphs gloriously. First of all, punishments are threatened to the enemies of the kingdom of Christ, and the preservation of His own followers, in their greatest trials determined; and these determinations are accompanied with the praises and thanksgivings of all the heavenly inhabitants, and of all good men, ch. vi-x.

The transactions of the Christian religion are next recorded, ch. xi-xiv. 5. The Christians are persecuted :

1. By the Jews; but they were not only preserved, but they increase and prosper.

2. By the heathens; but in vain do these strive to overthrow the kingdom of Christ; which is no longer confined within the limits of Judea, but spreads among the Gentiles, and diffuses itself over the whole Roman empire, destroying idolatry, and rooting out superstition, in every quarter, chap. xii.

xiii. 1-10.

3. False teachers and impostors of various kinds, under the name of Christians, but enemies of the cross of Christ, more intent on promoting the interests of idolatry or false worship than the cause of true religion, chap. xiii. 11-18. exert their influence to corrupt and destroy the church; but notwithstanding, Christianity becomes more extended, and true believers more confirmed in their holy faith, chap. xiv. 1–5. Then new punishments are decreed against the enemies of Christ, both Jews and heathens: the calamities coming upon the Jewish nation, before its final overthrow, are pointed out chap. xiv. xv. Next follows a prediction of the calamities which shall take place during the Jewish war; and the civil wars of the Romans during the contentions of Otho and Vitellius, chap. xvi. 1-16. who are to suffer most grievous punishments for their cruelties against the Christians, chap. xvii. The Jewish state being now finally overthrown, chap. xviii. the heavenly inhabitants give praise to God for His justice and goodness; Christ is congratulated for His victory over His enemies, and the more extensive progress of His religion, chap. xix. 1-10.

Opposition is, however, not yet totally ended: idolatry again lifts up its head, and new errors are propagated; but over these also Christ shows Himself to be conqueror, chap. xix. 11-21. Finally, Satan, who had long reigned by the worship of false gods, errors, superstitions, and wickedness, is deprived of all power and influence; and the concerns of Christianity go on gloriously, chap. xx. 1-6 But, towards the end of the world, new enemies arise, and threaten destruction to the followers of Christ; but vain is their rage, God appears in behalf of His servants, and inflicts the most grievous punishments upon their adversaries, chap. xx. 6-10. The last judg ment ensues, ver. 11-15. all the wicked are punished, and the enemies of the truth are chained so as to be able to injure the godly no more; the genuine Christians, who had persevered unto death, are brought to eternal glory; and, freed from ali adversities, spend a life that shall never end, in blessedness that knows no bounds, ch. xxi. and xxii.-See Rosenmuller.

Eichorn takes a different view of the plan of this book; though, in substance, not differing much from that above. According to this writer, the whole is represented in the form of a drama, the parts of which are the following:-L. The title, chap. i. 1-3. II. The prologue, chap. i. 4. iv. 22. in which it is stated, that the argument of the drama refers to the Christians: epistles being sent to the churches, which, in the symbolic style, are represented by the number seven. Next follows the drama itself, the parts of which are:-1. The prolusio, or prelude, chap. iv. 1. viii. 5. in which the scenery is prepared and adorned.

Act the first, chap. viii. 6. xii. 17. Jerusalem is taken, and Judaism vanquished by Christianity.

Act the second, chap. xii. 18. xx. 10. Rome is conquered, and heathenism destroyed by the Christian religion..

Act the third, chap. xx. 11. xxii. 5. The New Jerusalem descends from heaven, or the happiness of the life to come, and which is to endure for ever, is particularly described, chap. xxii. 6-11. Taken in this sense, Eichorn supposes the work to be most exquisitely finished, and its author to have had a truly poetic mind, polished by the highest cultivation, to have been accurately acquainted with the history of all times and nations, and to have enriched himself with their choicest spoils.

My readers will naturally expect that I should either give a decided preference to some one of the opinions stated above, or produce one of my own: I can do neither; nor can I pretend to explain the book; I do not understand it; and in the things which concern so sublime and awful a subject, I dare not, as my predecessors, indulge in conjectures. Í have rend

Grace be unto you] This form of apostolical benediction we have often seen in the preceding epistles.

From him which is, and which was, and which is to come] This phraseology is purely Jewish, and probably taken from the Tetragrammaton, YEHOVAH; which is supposed to include in itself all time past, present, and future. But they often use the phrase, of which the o wv, kaι ó ŋv, kat o exo. prvos, of the apostle is a literal translation. So in Sohar Chadash, fol. 7. 1. Rabbi Jose said, By the name Tetragrammavens, the earth, and all they contain, were perfected; and they

Things which must shortly come to pass] On the mode of intepretation devised by Wetstein, this is plain; for, if the book were written before the destruction of Jerusalem, and

הוא היה והוא היה והיא ;are all before in reputed as nothing

rehu haiyah, vehu hovah, vehu yehiyeh; and HE is, and HE WAS, and HE WILL BE So in Shemoth Rabba, sect. 3. fol. 105. 2. The holy blessed God said to Moses, tell them—`

hu acashaio, veani hu leated labo; I was, and I NOW AM, and I WILL BE in future."

In Chasad Shimuel Rab. Samuel ben David asks, "Why are we commanded to use three hours of prayer ?”—Answer, These hours point out the holy blessed God: ma man some

-et incipient magni procedere menses. "And those times, pregnant with the most stupendous events, will begin to roll on." 2. Who hare record of the word of God] Is there a reference here to the first chapter of John's Gospel, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God? &c. of this word John did bear record. Or, does the writer mean the fidelity, with which he noted and related the word, doctrines, or prophecies, which he received at this time by revelation from God? This seems more consistent with the latter part of the

verse.

3. Blessed is he that rendeth.] This is to be understood of the happiness or security of the persons who, reading and hearing the prophecies of those things which were to come to pass short ly, took proper measures to escape from the impending evils. The time is at hand] Either in which they shall be all fulfilled, or begin to be fulfilled.-See the note on ver. 1. These three verses contain the introduction: now, the dedication to the seven churches commences.

4. John, to the seven churches] The apostle begins this much in the manner of the Jewish prophets. They often name themselves in the messages which they receive from God, to deliver to the people:-e. g. The vision of ISAIAH, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.-The words of JEREMIAH, the son of Hilkiah; to whom the word of the Lord came.-The word of the Lord came expressly lo EZEKIEL, the priest.-The word of the Lord that came unto Hosza, the son of Beery.-The word of the Lord that came to JOE-The words of AMOs, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa. The vision of OBADIAH; thus saith the Lord.-The word of the Lord came unto JONAH.-So the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which he sent and signified to his servant JoHN -JOHN, to the seven churches, &c.

The Asia here mentioned was what is called Asia Minor, or the Lydian or Proconsular Asia; the seven churches were those of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamcs, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Of these as they occur: we are not to suppose that these were the only Christian churches then in Asia Minor; there were several others then in Phrygia, Pamphylia Galatia, Pontus, Cappadocia, &c. &c.

and WHO SHALL BE. The MORNING prayer points out Him who WAS before the foundation of the world; the NOON-DAY prayer points out Him who is; and the EVENING prayer points out Him who is TO COME." This phraseology is exceedingly appropri ate, and strongly expresses the eternity of God; for we have no other idea of time than as past, or now eristing, or yet te exist; nor have we any idea of eternity but as that duration called by some eternitas à parte ante, the eternity that was before time, and eternitas à parte post, the endless duration that shall be when time is no more. That which was, is the eternity before time; that which is, is TIME itself; and that which is to come, is the eternity which shall be when time is no more.

The seven Spirits-hefore his throne] The ancient Jews, who represented the throne of God as the throne of an Eastern monarch, supposed that there were seven ministering angels before this throne, as there were seven ministers attendant on the throne of a Persian monarch. We have an ample proof of this, Tobit xii. 15. I am Raphael, one of the SEVEN HOLY ANGELS, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One. And in Jonathan ben Uzziel's Targum, on Gen. xi. 7. God said to the SEVEN ANGELS which stand before him, Come now, &c.

In Pirkey Eliezer, 4. and vii. "The angels which were first created minister before Him, without the veil." Sometimes they represent them as seven cohorts or troops of angels, un der whom are thirty inferior orders.

That seven ANGELS are here meant, and not the Holy Spirit, is most evident from the place, the number, and the tradition. Those who imagine the Holy Ghost to be intended, suppose the number seren is used to denote His manifold gifts and graces. That these seven spirits are angels, see chap. iii. 1. iv. 5. and particularly v. 6. where they are called the seven spirits of God SENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH.

5. The faithful witness] The true Teacher, whose testi mony is infallible, and whose sayings must all come to pass. The first begotten of the dead] See the note on Coloss. i. 18 The prince of the "kings] 'Ó apxar, the Chief or Head of all earthly potentates; who has them all under His domining and control, and can dispose of them as He will.

Unto him that loved us] This should begin a new verse, as it is the commencement of a new subject Our salvation is

the first begotten of the dead, and " the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, P and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behoid, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

m 1 Cor. 15.2.

Col. 1.13-n Eph. 1.20. Ch. 17.14.& 19. 16.-0 John 13. 34. & 15.9. G 20-p Heb. 9.14. | John 1.7.-q 1 Pet.2.5, 9. Ch.5.10.& 216-r | Tim 6,16. Heh, 129, 1 Pet. 4. 11. & 3.11.- Dan.7.13. Matt.21.30. & 26.64. Acts 1.11.- Zec. 13. Jonn 19.37.

attributed to the love of God, who gave His Son; and to the love of Christ, who died for us.-See John iii. 16.

Washed us from our sins] The redemption of the soul, with the remission of sins, and purification from unrighteous. ness, is here, as in all the New Testament, attributed to the blood of Christ shed on the cross for man.

6. Kings and priests] See on 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. But, instead of Bartlets kai iepɛis, kings and priests, the inost reputable MSS. Versions, and Fathers, have Baoiλciav iepets, a kingdom, and priest; i. e. a kingdom of priests, or a royal priesthood. The regal and sacerdotal dignities are the two highest that can possibly exist among men; and these two are here mentioned to show the glorious prerogatives and state of the children of God.

To him be glory] That is, to Christ; for it is of him that the prophet speaks, and of none other.

For ever and ever] Eis Tovs alwvas Twv alwvov, to ages of ages; or rather through all indefinite periods, through all time, and through eternity.

Amen] A word of affirmation and approbation; so it shall be: and so it ought to be.

7. Behold, he cometh with clouds] This relates to His coming to execute judgment on the enemies of His religion: perhaps to his coming to destroy Jerusalem, as he was to be particularly manifested to them that pierced Him: which must mean the incredulous and rebellious Jews.

And all kindreds of the earth] Iarai ai ovat rns yns, all the tribes of the land. By this the Jewish people are most evidently intended; and therefore the whole verse may be understood as predicting the destruction of the Jews; and is a presumptive proof that the Apocalypse was written before the Anal overthrow of the Jewish state.

Even so, Amen] Nai, auny, yea, Amen. It is true, so be Our Lord will come and execute judgment on the Jews and Gentiles. This the Jews and Romans particularly felt. 8. Iam Alpha and Omega] I am from eternity to eternity. This mode of speech is borrowed from the Jews, who express the whole compass of things by uleph and ♫ tau; the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet: but as St. John was writing in Greek, he accommodates the whole to the Greek alphabet, of which A alpha, and N omega, are the first and last letters. With the rabbins mealeph vead tau, "from aleph to tau," expressed the whole of a matter, from the beginning to the end. So in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 17. 4. Adam transgressed the whole law, from aleph to tau; i. e. from the beginning to the end.

Ibid. fol. 48. 4. Abraham observed the law from aleph to tau; i.e. he kept it entirely, from beginning to end.

Ibid. fol. 128. 3. When the holy blessed God pronounced a blessing on the Israelites, He did it from aleph to tau; i. e. He did it perfectly.

The beginning and the ending] That is, as aleph, or alpha, is the beginning of the alphabet, so am I the Author and Cause of all things: as tau, or omega, is the end or last letter of the alphabet, so am I the End of all things; the Destroyer as well as the Establisher of all things. This clause is wanting in almost every MS. and Version of importance. It appears to have been added first as an explanatory note, and in process of time crept into the text. It is worthy of remark, that as the union of N aleph and tau in Hebrew, make n ath, or et, which the rabbins interpret of the first matter out of which all things were formed; see on Gen. i. 1. so the union of A alpha and 2 omega in Greek, make the verb aw, I breathe; and may very properly in such a symbolical book point out Him in whom we live, and move, and have our being: for, having formed man out of the dust of the earth, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and he became a living soul: and it is by the inspiration or in-breathing of His Spirit, that the souls of men are quickened; made alive from the dead, and fitted for life eternal. He adds also, that he is the Almighty, the allpowerful Framer of the universe, and the Inspirer of men. 9. Your brother] A Christian begotten of God and incorporated in the heavenly family.

Companion in tribulation] Suffering under the persecution in which you also suffer.

In the kingdom] For we are a kingdom of priests unto God. And patience of Jesus] Meekly bearing all indignities, privations, and sufferings, for the sake, and after the example, of our Lord and Master.

The isle that is called Patmos] This island is one of the Sporades, and lies in the Egean Sea, between the island of Icaria, and the promontory of Miletus. It is now called

End: the First and the Last.

91 John, who also am your brother, and w companion in tri. bulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, d 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.

u Isa. 41. 4. & 44.6. & 49. 12. Ver. 17. Ch.2.8. & 21.6. & 22.13. Ver. 11.-v Ver.4. Ch. 4.8 & 11. 17. & 16.5.-w Phil 1.7. & 4.14. 2 Tim. 1.8.-x Rom.8.17. 2 Tim.2.12.y Ch.6.9. Ver. 2-z Acts 10.10. 2 Cor. 12.2. Ch.4.2.& 17.3.& 21.10.-a John 20.26. Acta 20.7. 1 Cor. 16.2-b Ch.4.1. & 10.8-c Ver.8.-d Ver.17.

Pactino, Patmol, or Palmosa. It has derived all its celebrity from being the place to which St. John was banished by one of the Roman emperors; whether Domitian, Claudius, or Nero, is not agreed on: but it was most probably the latter The island has a convent on a well fortified-hill, dedicated to John the apostle; the inhabitants are said to amount to about three hundred men, and about twenty women to one man. It is very barren, producing very little grain, but abounding in partridges, quails, turtles, pigeons, snipes, and rabbits. It has many good harbours, and is much infested by pirates. Patmos, its capital, and chief harbour, lies in east long. 26° 24', north lat. 37° 24. The whole island is about thirty miles in circumference.

For the testimony of Jesus Christ] For preaching Christi. anity, and converting heathens to the Lord Jesus.

10. I was in the Spirit] That is, I received the Spirit of prophecy, and was under its influence when the first vision was exhibited.

The Lord's day] The first day of the week, observed as the Christian Sabbath, because on it Jesus Christ rose from the dead therefore it was called the Lord's day; and has taken place of the Jewish. Sabbath throughout the Christian world. I heard behind me a great voice] This voice came unexpectedly and suddenly. He felt himself under the Divine afflatus; but did not know what scenes were to be represented.

As of a trumpet] This was calculated to call in every wandering thought, to fix his attention, and solemnize his whole frame. Thus God prepared Moses to receive the law. See Exod. xix. 16, 19, &c.

11. I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and] This whole clause is wanting in ABC. thirty-one others; some editions; the Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Arethas, Andreas, and Primasius. Griesbach has left it out of the text.

Saying-What thou seest, write in a book] Carefully note down every thing that is represented to thee. John had the visions from heaven; but he described them in his own language and manner.

Send it unto the seven churches] The names of which immediately follow. In Asia-This is wanting in the principal MSS. and Versions. Griesbach has left it out of the text.

Ephesus] This was a city of Ionia, in Asia Minor, situated at the mouth of the river Caystor, on the shore of the Egean Sea, about fifty miles south of Smyrna.-See Preface to the Epistle to the Ephesians.

Smyrna] Now called also Ismir, is the largest and richest city of Asia Minor. It is situated about one hundred and eighty-three miles west by south of Constantinople, on the shore of the Egean Sea. It is supposed to contain about one hundred and forty thousand inhabitants, of whom there are from fifteen to twenty thousand Greeks, six thousand Armenians, five thousand Roman Catholics, one hundred and forty Protestants, eleven thousand Jews, and fifteen thousand Turks. It is a beautiful city, but often ravaged by the plague, and seldom two years together free from earthquakes. In 1758, the city was nearly desolated by the plague; scarcely a sufficient number of the inhabitants survived to gather in the fruits of the earth. In 1688 there was a terrible earthquake here, which overthrew a great number of houses: in one of the shocks, the rock on which the castle stood, opened, swallowed up the castle, and five thousand persons! On these accounts, nothing but the love of gain, so natural to man, could induce any person to make it his residence; though in other respects, it can boast of many advantages. In this city the Turks have nineteen mosques; the Greeks two churches; the Armenians one, and the Jews eight synagogues; and the English and Dutch factories have each a chaplain. Smyrna is one hundred miles north of the island of Rhodes, long. 27° 25′ E. lat. 38° 28′ N.

Pergamos] A town of Mysia, situated on the river Caicus. It was the royal residence of Eumenes, and the kings of the race of the Attali. It was anciently famous for its library, which contained, according to Plutarch, two hundred thousand volumes. It was here that the membrana Pergamenia, Pergamenian skins, were invented; from which we derive our word parchment. Pergamos was the birth-place of Galen, and in it, P. Scipio died. It is now called Pergamo, and Ber gamo, and is situated in long. 27° 0' E. lat. 39° 13' N.

Thyatira] Now called Akissal, and Ak-kissar, a city of Natolia, in Asia Minor, seated on the river Hermus, in a plain, eighteen miles broad, and is about fifty miles from Pergamos: long. 27° 49′ E. lat. 38° 15′ N. The houses are chiefly built