was completely spent only when they retired from the scenes of the militant church. When they came out of tribulation, it was not in the way of enjoying a state of blessedness and tranquillity upon the earth, but by being translated to heaven. Many, perhaps the greater part of them, were removed from the turbulent and distressing scenes of the present life, by the most cruel deaths which their adversaries could inflict. But the company described in the verses before us are represented as having their station upon the earth, and enjoying the greatest tranquillity and blessedness, on this side of the grave.

But if few or none of them were placed in the distressing circumstances of their predecessors, with what propriety could they be represented as having come out of troubles? If they never were involved in tribulation, how could they be said to be come out of it ?-For the solution of this difficulty, it is necessary to remark, that the answer of the elder is to be understood as bearing upon their public state, and not upon their personal and individual condition. He speaks of them as a collective body, whose members may change, but whose public state is continued from generation to generation. Individuals are not permitted to continue long by reason of death; but, as one generation of professors is removed, another is introduced; or rather, as one is retiring, another is just entering upon the scene. Hence, the church, like a river, continues from age to age without interruption. The same public body, that was brought out of Egypt and out of Babylon, exists at this day; and, therefore, though few of the individuals of whom this multitude was composed might have felt the oppression of the Antichristian yoke, yet, as the body to which they belonged had felt all its severity, they are therefore said to have come out of great tribulation. It is of the church, or public organized body, and not of the multitude personally and individually considered, that the elder here speaks.—To mark her peculiarly afflicted condition in the times of Antichristian usurpation, the same kind. of phraseology is here used" as in the preceding verse; which may be rendered thus: These are they who came out of the tribulation, the great tribulation.

All that tribulation, to which she had been subjected in the times of Pagan darkness and persecution, was not to be mentioned in comparison with what she endured at the hands of the bishops of Rome. Nero, Domitian, and other persecuting emperors, were mere children in deceit and cruelty, compared with many of those who styled themselves the vicegerents of Christ. The troubles of these times were so far beyond any thing to which the church is subjected in the present day, that, to be able to form an adequate conception of them, it would have been necessary to have lived in that age. Hence, when she survived that gloomy period, this multitude, who are her representatives in the age which succeeded these times of trouble, might be said to be come out of great tribulation.

Secondly, The way in which they came to make this splendid appearance is stated in the close of the verse: They have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. These robes cannot be meant of their justifying righteousness, because this was so perfect from the moment it was wrought out, as to be incapable of receiving any higher degree of purity or excellency; whereas the robes here mentioned are said to have been washed and made white by these individuals themselves. They must be interpreted of their sanctification, a work which is not completed at once, but carried on by degrees and in proportion as it is advanced, the saints always appear to be more and more glorious within.-The fountain in which these mystical robes were washed was the blood of Christ. It is opened for sanctification as well as justification; and no progress whatever is made in this work, but as there is a believing improvement of the blood of the atonement. This fountain takes out the deepest stain of transgression; but the waters of it must be applied, otherwise they will never cleanse.

In this work of sanctification, all believers are in some measure active. Hence, this washing is represented as if it were their own act: They are workers together with God; they work out their salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in them to will and to do of his good pleasure. In the communication of grace, the soul is altogether

passive; but in the exercise of grace all the powers and faculties of the soul are employed. Hence the work of sanctification is sometimes ascribed to the Spirit, and sometimes to themselves. When he draws, they run; when he strengthens them in the Lord, they walk up and down in his name.

Yea,

This multitude shone in the beauties of holiness; and this, in a very eminent measure, will be the attainment of the church in the latter days. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts; and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein; and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts,' Zech. xiv. 20, 21. The appearance of the church will then be beautiful and glorious. Every thing in this house will then be conformed to the law of the God of the house; and while the strictest attention will be paid to her scriptural constitution and order, every individual member will be attentive to the work of his own sanctification. Holiness then appearing to such advantage, both in the public state and in the personal exercises of her members, she might be fitly represented under the emblem of a multitude that had washed their robes and made them white.

Thirdly, An account of the place which they occupied. It is one of great nearness and intimacy with God; ver. 15, Therefore are they before the throne of God. If they had not been sanctified, at least in part, they would not have found any place before the throne; for without holiness no man can see the Lord.' Till the divine image is restored, the God of holiness can never look with complacency upon the soul.The illative particle therefore marks the connexion between the privilege and the purity of this multitude. There is no connexion of merit; for we are elsewhere assured, that by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified.' Let any person's diligence in the work of sanctification be ever so

great, it is never by his own efforts that he establishes a right to stand before the throne. The blood of Christ is the only meritorious cause, both of justification and of sanctification: there is nevertheless a connexion of means, as leading to an important end, that may be traced between them. If without holiness no man can see the Lord, sanctification will be equally necessary with justification; and as in the work of sanctification believers are in some measure active, this holy activity must belong to the established order in which the blessing here mentioned may be expected. If the justice of God forbids that any sinner, under the imputation of guilt, should stand before the throne, his holiness can as little admit that the sinner, continuing under the power of defilement, should appear there.

In the dark ages of Popery numerous absurd rites were celebrated, and sometimes very distant pilgrimages undertaken, as the best means of sanctification. Whippings, fastings, macerations, and other austerities, were likewise supposed to possess much virtue, provided they were practised with rigour. But when the light of the Reformation began to dawn, it discovered the folly and wretchedness of such means, and directed to the blood of Christ as the only fountain which could take out the deep stain of transgression.

Fourthly, We have an account of their exercise; they serve him day and night in his temple. The official duties of the priests required their personal attendance in the sanctuary during the night as well as the day. The sacred fire was to be kept continually burning, the lamps were to be supplied with oil, and other services to be performed, which required their attendance in the night; and as there were numerous and more important services to be performed by them in the course of the day, the temple was never without some of the priesthood in it. In allusion to these ministers under the law, this spiritual priesthood are described as serving God, both day and night, in his temple.-The figure is not intended to intimate, that their whole time and attention would be occupied

with religion, but that they would be habitually and strongly inclined to it, and that they would be very frequently engaged in the celebration of its ordinances.

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We may form some idea of what is meant by the figure from what is recorded concerning Anna the prophetess; She departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day,' Luke ii. 37. No person imagines that this pious woman observed a continual fast, or that she was incessantly engaged in the direct and immediate exercises of religion; the infirmities of the flesh, especially at her advanced period of life, could not long have endured the want of food, or been capable of such unremitted exercises. The design of this interesting fragment of her history is to intimate, that she was a person habitually and strongly inclined to the services of religion; that she was never absent from the temple at the stated hours of prayer; and that at other seasons, sometimes even at midnight, she had been accustomed to rise and call upon God. As religion was her favourite employment, so she embraced all opportunities for the celebration of its ordinances, whether public, private, or secret.—In like manner, will the services of religion be attended to by the members of the church in the latter days. In the apostle's sense of the expressions, they will pray without ceasing, and rejoice evermore.'

The great body of the members of the Protestant church seemed to enjoy a very copious measure of this disposition for piety, at the commencement of the Reformation. Hence, public ordinances were well frequented; their hearts were with the multitude which kept the solemn holy days; they therefore rejoiced when it was said unto them, Let us go up unto the house of the Lord.' Their habitations were houses of

prayer. In these families of the righteous was regularly heard the voice of religious joy and melody, both in the morning and evening of every day. Their closets too were little sanctuaries where they conversed with God, and poured out their hearts before him. They were delighted with his