vengeance, they all appear to look forward, beyond their first and more immediate object. Little indeed can we doubt that such is to be considered the use and application of these prophecies, since we see them thus applied by our Lord and his Apostles *." "the One of the most remarkable of these prophecies is that splendid one of Isaiah, ch. xxxiv; the importance and universality of which is to be collected from the manner in which it is introduced: "All na"tions and people, the world and all things in it," are summoned to the audience. It represents "day of the Lord's vengeance," and the year of the recompenses for the controversy of Sion (ver. 8); it descends on all nations and their armies (ver. 2). The images of wrathful vengeance and utter dissolution are the same which are presented under this sixth seal. The hosts of heaven are dissolved; the heavens are rolled together as a scroll of parchment; the stars. * See Matt. i. 22, 23. xxvii. 9. John xv, 25. xix. 36, 37. Acts ii. 20, 27. iii. 19, 22, 24. Heb. iv. 7, 8. x. 27, 37. Rom. ii. 5. Gal. iv. 24. Eph. v. 14. 2 Thess. ii. 3, &c. 2 Pet. iii. 2-14; where the prophecies of the Old Testament are applied in a more extended and spiritual sense, than in their first and primary designation. For observations on the nature of Divine Prophecy, as applicable in a double sense, which has been denied by some divines, (by Dr. Sykes and Dr. Benson, and by Collins, the free-thinker,) see Bp. Lowth, Prælection xi, and Note on Isaiah, ch. xl.; Mr. Lowth on Isaiah vii. 15; Jortin's Remarks on Eccl. Hist. p. 188-228; Serm. v. 1, 124; Sir Isaac Newton on Prophecy, 251; Bp. Hurd's Sermons on Prophecy, iii. iv. v; Bp. Sherlock on Prophecy, Disc. ii; Bp. Warburton, Divine Legation, book vi. 8; Bp. Horne's Preface to the Psalms; Jones on the Figurative Language of Scripture, lect. viii; and, lastly, a very recent publication by Archdeacon Nares, in which, with great judgment and ability, he has shewn the indubitable right and authority by which we apply the prophecies in a double sense, because they are thus applied by our Lord himself and his Apostles; (Sermons at the Warburtonian Lecture, 1805). fall, fall, like a leaf from a vine, or a fig from its tree. And yet Idumea is mentioned by the prophet as the particular object of vengeance: such seems to be the typical completion, and primary application of this prophecy but it has evidently a more sublime and future prospect, and in this sense the whole world is its object and using the same symbols and figurative expressions with this prophecy of the sixth seal, with those of the fourteenth, fifteenth, and above all, sixteenth chapters of the Apocalypse, and with others of the Old and New Testament, it must, with them, be finally referred to the great day of the Lord's vengeance for its perfect completion. The sixth seal appears to exhibit a general description of this great day; and is illustrated by many preceding prophecies, which, having a primary reference to the destruction of God's enemies in Babylon, Egypt, Jerusalem, &c. have evidently received their partial accomplishment, yet as evidently look forward to a more full and glorious consummation. They are not become a dead letter; they unite in pointing to some grander object, which all such prophecies describe; even the universal and final overthrow of the enemies of Christ. And they encourage us to look with certain assurance to the completion of the predictions in their final sense, since we have already seen them fulfilled typically. As our Lord, in foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem, made use of the expression of former prophets, and thus directed their application to events then to come, involving in the same prediction the vengeance to fall, not only on his enemies in that siege, but at the end of the world;" so, this prophecy of the sixth seal, published after the destruction of Jerusalem, 1 Jerusalem, yet containing the expressions of these former prophets, together with those of our Lord, seems to give clear indication of a more full and perfect accomplishment of all these prophecies. Additional light will be cast on this prophecy (which, like the other seals, is to be considered as only a general sketch and outline) by subsequent visions in this book, which cotemporize with it, and were so understood by Cyprian in the third century; who referred them, together with this prediction of the sixth seal, to their grand and final accomplishment at the end of the world*. * Cyprian. ad Novat. Hær. i. PART II. SECTION IX. The sealing of the Hundred-and-forty-four Thousand, and the Presentation of the Palm-bearing Multitude before the Throne. 1 Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον τέσσαρας ἀγ γέλως, ἐςῶτας ἐπὶ τὰς τέσσαρας εγω vías rus yus, xęατοντας τις τέσ σαρας ανέμοις τῆς γῆς, ἵνα μὴ ποίη ἀνεμα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, μήτε ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, μήτε ἐπὶ πᾶν δένδρον. CHAPTER VII. 1 And after these things sea, nor on any tree. 1 And after these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any 2 tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having 2 Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλον ἄγελον ἀναβαίνοια ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς ἡλία, ἔχοντα σφραγίδα Θεό ζωής· καὶ ἔκραξε φωνῇ μεγάλη τοῖς τέσσαρσιν απ γέλοις, οἷς ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἀδικῆσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασ 3 σαν, Λέγων· Μὴ ἀδικήσητε τὴν γῆν, μήτε τὴν θάλασ σαν, μήτε τὰ δέντ δρα, άχρις ο σφρα γίσωμεν τες δέλες τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῶν μελώπων αὑτῶν. 4 Καὶ ήκεσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαξες χιλιάδες ἐστ φραγισμένοι ἐκ πά στης φυλῆς υἱῶν Η Ισραήλ. Εκ φυλῆς a seal of the Living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was committed to injure the earth and the sea, Saying, . 3 "Injure not the earth, σε nor the sea, nor the "trees, until we shall "have sealed the ser "vants of our God upon their fore4" heads." And I heard the number of the sealed : an hundredand-forty - four thousand were sealed out of all the tribes of the 5 sons of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand 6 sealed; Of the tribe of Ιέδα, 46' χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι· ἐκ φυλῆς Ρεβήν, σ' χιλιάδες ἐσφρατισε μένοι ἐκ φυλῆς Γάδ, ιβ' χιλιάδες Ο εσφραγισμένοι· Ἐκ φυλής Ασης, 67 χιλιάδες ἐσφρανιστ μένοι ἐκ φυλής Νεφθαλείμ, ιβ' χια λιάδες εσφαγισμέ νοι· ἐκ φυλῆς Μανασσῆ, ιβ' χιλιάδες | s 7 ἐσφραγισμένοι Εκ Asher, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Naphthali, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand sealed; Of the tribe of Zabulon, the seal of the Living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the 3 sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in 4 their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Is5 rael. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thou6 sand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelvethousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve 7 thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Ofthe tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Isachar were sealed twelve 8 thousand. Of the tribe Φυλής Συμεών, χιλιάδες εσφραγισ σμένοι ἐκ φυλῆς Δευτ, ιβ' χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι· ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰσαχάρ, το χιλιάδες ἐσφραγια 8 σμίνο: Εκ φυλής Ζαβαλών, ιβ' χι λιάδες ἐσφραγισμέ νοι ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰωσήφ, ιβ' χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμίν, ιβ' χιλιάδες ἐσφρα[ισε Ο μένοι. Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἰδὲ ὄχλα πολὺς, ὃν ἀριθμῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐδεὶς ἠδύναλο, ἐκ πανὸς ἔθνες καὶ φυλῶν καὶ λαῶν καὶ γλωσσῶν, ἐξῶτες ἐνώπιον το θρόνο κα ἐνώπιον τῇ ἀρνία, περιβεβλημένες 50λὰς λευκάς· καὶ φοί νικες ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν 10αὐτῶν· Καὶ κρά ζέσι φωνῇ μεγάλη, λέγονίες Η σωτηρία τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν τῷ καθημένω ἐπὶ τῇ θρόνε, καὶ τῷ ἀρνίῳ. 11 Καὶ πάλες, σε άρ λοι ἑςήκεσαν κύκλῳ το θρόνο καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζώων, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐνώπιον το θρόνες ἐπὶ τὰ πρό twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin,twelve thou9 sand sealed. After this I beheld, and lo! a great multitude, which no one could number, from all nations and tribes and people and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm-branches in 10their hands; And they cry with a loud voice, saying. "The Sal"vation be ascrib"ed to our God who "sitteth upon the "throne, and to the 11 Lamb! And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living-creatures, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped 12God, Saying," Amen! "The praise, and the glory, and the wis"dom, and the thanks of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9 After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all vations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before. the throne, and be fore the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their 10 hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and un11 to the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped 12 God, Saying, Amen : Blessing and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto |