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posed hardly to have required: a degree of sycophancy generally the accompaniment of a mercenary and selfish motive of conduct.

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Small and great, rich and poor,' &c.-The enumeration of these different classes may be designed only to give intensity to the term all. Possibly the verse may admit of a further analysis, but it appears sufficient to take these specifications altogether as indicating the peculiarity that, without exception, every principle or element belonging to the kingdom, system, or mystery of the beast, must exhibit the characteristic feature alluded to; the influence producing this exhibition being in all cases that of the false prophet, through the instrumentality of his two horns or most prominent doctrines.

The term rendered mark, zápaypa, occurs in the New Testament only in the Apocalypse, and is not found at all in the Septuagint. The term zagantno, which approaches nearest to it, coming also from the same root, is met with but once in the New Testament, Heb. i. 3, and once in the Septuagint, Lev. xiii. 28. In Hebrews, it is applied to Jesus Christ as the character or express image of the Deity. In Leviticus, it designates a mark (cicatrix) attendant upon a certain stage of leprosy. As the term from which both these words are derived primitively expressed the action of digging a trench around a camp, and was thence applied to the cutting or graving upon stone or metals, the leading idea to be associated with this mark is its almost indelible nature; at the same time we may presume it to be not merely an arbitrary mark, but some peculiar expression of the leading feature of the thing of which it bears the impression. It may be characteristic of the abject bondage peculiar to the kingdom of the beast, or of the blasphemy with which the principle of self is chargeable; or it may be some prominent feature of selfishness, or of want of gratitude to God, necessarily predominating in all the elements of the doctrinal system of this spirit of error.

We find, from the next chapter, that the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed ones are seen standing with the Lamb upon the Mount Zion. This mount is part of the earth, and the one hundred and forty-four thousand were inhabitants of the earth at the time of their being sealed, but they cannot be amongst those who bear the mark of the beast. On the contrary, they have the name of the Father of the Lamb in their foreheads, -an opposite of the mark. They are exceptions to the general rule here, as they were before exempt from the action of the four angels, withholding the winds from blowing on the earth. The power and influence of the two beasts extends to all the dwellers upon the earth, but always with this exception.

The seal upon the foreheads of the chosen ones, we have supposed to be something bearing an analogy with the marks of the blood of the paschal

lamb upon the door-posts of the houses of the Israelites; this blood being a figure of the atonement of Christ-a memento of his vicarious interposition. If this seal and the Father's name in the foreheads of the one hundred and forty-four thousand be identic, we may suppose these elements of truth to bear the impress of the new name, JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; a name having the same protecting quality as that ascribed to the evidence of the vicarious sufferings of the Redeemer. Both figures or marks representing the same truths-every element of doctrine exhibiting a tendency to inculcate a reliance upon the means of salvation represented by either of them, bears as upon its front the seal of its intimate connection with the plan of sovereign grace. On the other hand, we suppose the mark of the beast to be put for the leading feature of elements of doctrine, of precisely an opposite tendency; the name of the beast being also an opposite of the new name just alluded to. Every element belonging to this system is to bear the mark in one or the other of these particulars.

'In their right hand, or in their foreheads.'—The mark in the right hand may be a characteristic of action or tendency. The mark in the forehead may be a mark of identity. The right hand of man may be taken as an opposite of the right hand of God;—the right hand of God is his righteousness, (Is. xli. 10,) the power by which he saves. The right hand of man may be put for man's supposed or pretended righteousness. Every element of doctrine, accordingly, sustaining the principle of man's salvation by his own merit, bears upon it the mark of the beast. So, as the seal of the Father's name upon the foreheads of the one hundred and forty-four thousand exhibits the identity of the principles thus sealed with the divine word or purpose, the name (perhaps self) in the foreheads of the subjects of the beast, may be supposed to designate the identity of every selfish, and mercenary, and vainglorious principle, with the ruling element setting itself up in the heart of man in the place of Jehovah.

The subjects of the beast are marked in the right hand, as well as in the forehead; the chosen ones of Jehovah are sealed only in their foreheads. Under the economy of grace, the disciple needs no other power than that of the right hand of his God and Saviour. If he have the mark of identity, or of adoption, it is all that is required. Under the economy of works, man depends upon his own right hand, as well as upon the character of his faith as it is said, Ps. cxliv. 8, Their right hand (their professed means of deliverance) is a right hand of falsehood. In this state of dependence, we may suppose him to be met with the requisition of the false interpreter, that every element of doctrine belonging to the system of self-justification must bear, as on the right hand, the characteristic of self, self-love, or selfishness. § 314. And that no man (no one) might buy or sell.'-Here it is implied that buying and selling constitute the universal occupation of these

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dwellers on the earth. All belonging to the kingdom of the beast, high and low, rich and poor, are engaged in traffic-all are actuated by the mercenary motive of getting gain. To cut them, or any of them, off from this privilege, is equivalent to depriving them of the rights of citizenship, and even of the means of sustaining life; still more of the means of accumulating riches either for purposes of ransom, for their immediate gratification, or for promoting their future glory. In like manner, under the influence of the false prophet, no doctrine is deemed efficient in pointing out the way of eternal life, and of entering into the glory of a future state, unless it bear the mark or stamp of this blasphemous principle in its avowed character, or in its virtual tendency.

We find nothing said of buying or selling, or getting gain, in connection with the New Jerusalem. There all avocations of toil or labour cease, and there (in the economy of grace) no mercenary motive of action finds a place. Babylon on the contrary, as we shall see hereafter, is distinguished for her commercial avocations; and that great city we suppose to be but another figure of the kingdom of this ten-horned beast. The dwellers upon the earth we take to be the elements of a system of which all the principles are of a mercenary character-making a gain of Godliness; every motive of obedience urged upon the disciple being grounded upon calculations of profit and loss, present or future. Consequently, every motive or principle, not bearing this mark of selfishness-not having the glory and interest of self in view-is virtually deprived of its franchise in this system, or kingdom, influenced, as the system is, by the mode of interpreting revelation adopted by, or rather represented by, the false prophet; this influence being part of the deception practised by the second beast, and the means by which from the beginning he causes the dwellers upon the earth to worship the first beast through the image of their own creation.

'Save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.'-Here there appears to be three grades or classes of this peculiar characteristic of the beast: the mark, (zágayua,) the name, and the number of the name. Some editions of the Greek, however, omit the first disjunctive particle, (or,) so as to leave room to suppose the two last classes or grades to be in apposition to the first;-as if it were said, Save he that had the mark, that is, the name of the beast, or the number of his name; the mark comprehending the other two particulars. So, Rev. xiv. 9, the mark in the forehead or hand seems to be given for name and number, both or either; and Rev. xiv. 11, the mark of his name is spoken of as identifying name and mark. Again, Rev. xv. 2, the mark and the number of the name only are mentioned, leaving us to suppose the mark to be put for the name itself; while, Rev. xvi. 2, xix. 20, and xx. 4, the mark alone is mentioned, apparently, as equivalent to all three of the terms. Unless

we can find, therefore, some meaning for the mark distinct from that of the name, we should be inclined to think the first (or), above alluded to, rightly omitted in the Greek edition from which we copy; the mark, name, and number, being but three ways of expressing the same characteristic, and neither of the terms being designed to be understood in a literal sense, any more than those of the forehead and hand. All of them apply to some remarkable characteristic of doctrinal elements, exhibiting, as soon as their true nature is exposed, the mark of the beast-the mark of something blasphemous in its pretensions, destructive in its tendency, and essentially unclean in the spiritual sense of the term.*

Allusions to this name continue to be made, as we have noticed, as far as the twentieth chapter; we shall, therefore, have occasion hereafter to advert to it further. Meantime we may remark, that, as it is an opposite of the name Jehovah, we may also consider it an opposite of the name Immanuel, God with us, and equally an opposite of the name Jesus. Of the first it is said, Ps. cxlviii. 13, Let them praise the name of Jehovah; for his name alone is excellent. The false prophet's interpretation is, that the name of the beast is excellent. Of the second it is said, Is. ix. 6, It shall be called Wonderful, the Counsellor, &c. ; whereas, according to the false prophet, the name of the beast is the wonderful, and mighty name. Of the third the apostle says, Col. iii. 17, Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. In the kingdom of the beast nothing is done but what pertains to buying and selling; the exaction of the false prophet is, therefore, equivalent to a requisition exactly counter to the injunction of the apostle Paul. The false interpreter, by the mark in the forehead or hand, requires every thing, in word or deed, to be done in the name of the beast. The follower of Jesus does every thing in the name of his master, that all the honour and glory of what is done may be ascribed to that master, that God in all things may be glorified. The subject of the beast, on the contrary, by the misconstruction of the false prophet, (through the instrumentality of his two doctrinal powers,) is prevailed upon to do all in

*The leading idea to be associated with the Scripture term unclean, &c., is that of mixture, or adulteration. Doctrinal principles, systems of faith, modes of interpretation, Antichrist, and the spirit of error, are all, we apprehend, of this character of adulteration; corresponding with the definition of Suicerus of the Greek term applied to the misinterpretation of Jezebel, as well as to that of the contents of the harlot's cup, Rev. xvii. 4: Пogrúa, propriè notat commixtionem eorum qui extra conjugium vivant. We think it important to keep this discrimination in view, because the error represented by the crime is one chargeable not merely upon infidels, but rather upon professed disciples. It is not so much the vice of a skeptical as of an erroneous system of faith which possesses this peculiar character of impurity. Hence the antiChristian elements depicted in this chapter, are both of them represented by animals Levitically unclean as well as naturally ferocious and destructive.

the name of self, that to his own self may be ascribed the glory and honour of what he is enabled to perform.

V. 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that

hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man ; and his number (is) Six hundred threescore (and) six.

Ωδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν· ὁ ἔχων νοῦν ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ θηρίου· ἀριθμὸς γὰρ ἀνθρώπου ἐστί, καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτοῦ

χές.

'Here is wisdom.'—An intimation of a hidden or mystic meaning— something requiring a particular kind of wisdom to be understood; a wisdom peculiar to the subject-wisdom in a spiritual sense-the wisdom of God in a mystery-the hidden wisdom, spoken of by Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8.

'Let him that hath understanding.'-This understanding must be also of the same kind as the wisdom. An ability to discern the spiritual sense of revelation-the deep things of God, which it is said the Spirit searcheth. "Howbeit," says Paul, "we speak wisdom among them that are perfect (in faith); yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world," tv ágzórzov rov alávos roúrov. Not in the words, he adds, which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. Not the didactics of human wisdom, but those of the Spirit—the spiritual understanding. The natural or physical man, he says, (the man that understands what is said of the mysteries of the gospel in an ordinary sense,) receives not-comprehends not -the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him, (the ravings of madness :) neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, (1 Cor. ii. 6-15.)

An allusion to a change of views in this particular seems to be made by the prophet, Is. xxix. 24: "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." So Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams, being able to give the hidden meaning from the external indication of it. Solomon also had a wise and an understanding heart, especially we think in reference to matters of religious doctrine; as the whole tenor of the Canticles, and a multitude of allusions in his proverbial sayings, might be brought to testify. Paul prays for the Ephesians, that the eyes of their understandings may be enlightened: and this, not in order that they may be converted to the Christian faith, but because they are already converted; and being now disciples and followers of Christ, it is desirable for them (as it is their privilege) to become acquainted with the mysteries of their faith. The same apostle's prayer for the Colossians, also, was that they might be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, ovvéoi avevμarinn, (Col. i. 9;) the word translated understanding signifying a concurrence, as of two streams running together, or as two persons may concur in seeing an object in the same light; and, as Paul expresses himself elsewhere, "We

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