A

CONCISE EXPOSITION,

ETC. ETC.

HAVING fully considered the subject to which it relates, and the language in which it is unfolded, we are now duly prepared to enter upon the examination of the prophecy itself.

Miracles are conclusive evidence of divine interposition to those who witness their performance; but no historical testimony, however strong, can be equally convincing to those who only hear of them. On this account, the Christians of the apostolic age are conceived to have had much stronger grounds for belief than we possess in the present day. Modern sceptics require, that the power of performing miracles should either have been transmitted from age to age, or that some perpetual miracle should have been left to satisfy their doubts.

That this would have satisfied them, is not so certain: all who saw miracles were not convinced: ancient as well as modern scepticism had its reasons for disbelief; and the agency of demons was urged by some who were eye-witnesses as the ground of objection.

The Christian revelation, however, is supported by testimony sufficient to remove all objections; and if not strong enough to satisfy those who would not be convinced although one rose from the dead, yet is it such as places the believers of the present day on at least an equal footing with those of the apostolic age.

In the first place, this testimony is miraculous; in the next, it is perpetual. All who desire it, may be eye-witnesses. And, unlike the miracles witnessed by the first Christians, which become less convincing to succeeding generations, this goes on from age to age, progressively increasing in the force of its evidence.

B

Such a miracle is prophecy, and especially the Apocalypse, the last revelation from God to man.

The subject of this prophecy is the most important in the sight of Heaven, and should be esteemed the most interesting by man,a history of the progress and final establishment of true religion.

Communicated in the language of metaphor, it does not admit of interpretation before the events are fulfilled, though it afterwards becomes perfectly clear and satisfactory. This history is full and circumstantial; nothing material connected with the subject is omitted; and the uniform employment of the same metaphors, renders the interpretation more easy and more convincing, the farther we proceed.

The present attempt to develope this history, is founded upon the same general principles as the able and excellent dissertation of Archdeacon Woodhouse; from which also is borrowed, in a great measure, the interpretation of the metaphorical language. The chief point of difference between them, regards the chronological order of events, or the particular application of each symbol to the corresponding period of history.

This difference rests upon the following ground: where the corruptions of Christianity are foretold, it seems reasonable to expect that they should be announced in the prophecy, at least as early as they are stated to have occurred in history; that is, as soon as they can be said to have distinctly taken place.

Now the Archdeacon has more frequently chosen that period at which the corruptions in question had reached their summit; and thus, although the symbols are applied to similar events, yet the chronological arrangement that results is totally different.

The plan of the Apocalypse is as follows: the whole is comprised in the Book with Seven Seals; but in this is contained another, called the Little Book, being a supplement to the former, and relating exclusively to the history of religion in the West, while the other relates chiefly to its progress in the East, as will hereafter appear.

The Seven Seals are opened in succession, and at the opening of each some important change or event is announced. The chronological order in which these events

follow each other, will be found surprisingly regular; an almost uniform period of half a century intervening between each.

At the opening of the Seventh Seal, a new order and a fresh series of events present themselves, announced by seven angels with seven trumpets. The events unfolded at the sounding of each trumpet, have the same intervening periods as those contained under each seal; unless a deviation from that order is expressly declared in the prophecy.

The first notable exception to this chronological order occurs under the Fifth Trumpet, which foretells the rise of the Saracen empire, occupying a period of 150 years. The next occurs at the foundation of the Turkish dominion, which, from its complete establishment on the ruins of Christianity in the East, is announced to continue 391 years. After this, the scene changes from the East to the West; and in order to give a complete view of this branch of the subject, the prophet reverts to the earliest periods of Christianity. This is the subject of the Little Book, the contents of which are unfolded after the sounding of the Sixth Trumpet, and embrace a period of 1260 years; with a prefatory view of such events preceding that period, as are intimately connected with its history. The Seventh Trumpet, like the Seventh Seal, branches off into a new series of events, announced by seven angels pouring out the contents of Seven Vials. Under these the period of 1260 years is brought to a close, and with this terminates the present treatise..

The three septenaries of the seals, the trumpets, and the vials, relate each to a different series of events. The Seals describe the gradual corruption, and, at length, almost total extinction of true Christianity. The Trumpets treat of the rise, progress, and final establishment of the dominion of Antichrist in the East; while the Little Book shows his progress in the West; and the Vials relate to the subversion of his dominion, and the restoration of true religion.

Much difference of opinion prevails respecting the precise places at which the Little Book begins and ends; some commentators assigning to it three, some four, and others more chapters; but as they for the most part coincide as to the subject of which those chapters treat (a far more important question), the writer has not thought it necessary to enter into this discussion.

By the word "book" is here to be understood, as is well known to the classical reader, a roll or sheet: seven of which are supposed to be folded one over the other in the book with seven seals, and each separately sealed; and of course the Little Book, which is declared to be open at its appearance, will naturally be so, as it is contained under the Seventh Seal, and does not come into view until after that seal has been broken.

The development of the prophetic part of the Apocalypse does not begin before the sixth chapter.

The first three are occupied by epistles to each of the seven churches in Asia, which were then the centre of the Christian world, and to which the prophecy is particularly addressed, as first foretelling the progress of religion in the East.

The fourth chapter presents the vision of a throne in heaven, and One in "nameless majesty" seated thereon. Around the throne are four and twenty Elders clothed in white raiment, and crowned with crowns of gold; and four living Creatures full of eyes before and behind; and before the throne are seven lamps burning, called the seven Spirits of God.

In the fifth chapter, the book of prophecy, which was seen in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, being sealed with seven seals, is given to the Lamb, who is declared to be alone worthy to open the seals. When the Lamb has received the book, the four living Creatures, and the four and twenty Elders, having harps, and golden vials full of incense, fall prostrate before the Lamb; and along with them, an innumerable company of Angels join, in giving praise to Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb.

With the sixth chapter begins the opening of the seals. The explanation of the fourth and fifth chapters, not attempted in the former edition, but now submitted to the reader, requiring more ample discussion than could be reduced into the columnar form, like the rest of the exposition, is subjoined to the Appendix.

(See Note O.)