"of blood; a way of speaking not unknown to the Jews; for, the Jesuralem Talmud, describing the "woeful slaughter which the Roman Emperor Adrian "made of the Jews at the destruction of the city of Bitter, saith, that the horses waded in blood up to the "nostrils. Nor are similar examples wanting even in "the classic authors; for, Silius Italicus, speaking of "Annibal's descent into Italy, useth the like expression; the bridles flowing with much blood*." * Bp. Newton, Dissert. iii. p. 267. Svo edit. PART THE APOCALYPSE, &c. PART VI. SECTION I. The Vision preparatory to the seven Vials. 1 ΚΑΙ είδον άλλο μαςὰ τὰ ἔργα σε, CHAPTER XV. & CHAP. xvi. VER. 1. 1 And I saw another and over his image, 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the saying, "Great and 4 un pobnoṛ [σε], "Who shall not fear, 1 And I saw another sign they sing the song of 4 Who shall not fear και προσκυνήσσεινενώπιόν σε ὅτι τὰ δι καιώματα σε έφα5 νεξώθησαν. Kai μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἀνοίγη ὁ ναὸς τῆς σκηνής το μαξλυξία 6 ἐν τῷ ἐρανῷ. Καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἑπτὰ αγγελοι οἱ ἔχολες τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγάς [ix to ve8], indeδυμένοι λίγον καθαρὸν λαμπρὸν, καὶ περιε ζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ σήθη ζώνας χρυσᾶς. 7 Καὶ ἐν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάζων ζώων ἔδωκε τοῖς ἁπλὰ ἀγέλοις ἐπα φιάλας χευσᾶς, γεμίσας͵ τὸ θυμά To De To Cavlos εἰς τὰς αἰῶνας τῶν 8 αἰώνων. Καὶ ἐγε μίσθη ὁ ναὸς καπνά in Tüs dons To Θεῦ, καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐδεὶς Αδύνατο εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν, ἄχει τε λεσθῶσιν αἱ πια πληγαὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ Ἡ ἀγγέλων. Καὶ ἔχειν σα φωνῆς μεγάλης ἐκ τὸ ναό, λεγέσης τοῖς ἁπλὰ ἀγέλοις Υπάγεις, καἐκχέατος τὰς ἑπτὰ φιάλας τῷ θυμῷ τῷ Θεῷ εἰς τὴν γήν. ship thee; for thy righteous judgments "have been made ma 5 "nifest." And after this, I looked, and there was opened the temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony 6 in Heaven. And the seven angels, who had with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living-creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden Vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for 8 ever and ever. the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels should be 1 completed. And I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go, and pour out "the seven vials of the wrath of God upon "the earth." all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judg ments are made mani5 fest. And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testi 6 7 mony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, cloathed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels, seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and 8 ever. And the temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven augels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. Ver. 1. Another sign in heaven-seven angels; &c.] The scene of the vision continues the same, heaven and earth in view, and the angels, who are the actors, passing between both. The present exhibition is preparatory. Such a general representation had preceded the seven Seals, and the seven Trumpets; this precedes the seven Vials. We are now in the midst of the warfare carried on by the Church of Christ, under his auspices, to resist the formidable efforts of the combined enemies. It is a silent warfare, operating chiefly in the human heart. But heaven is now seen interposing visibly to repress the pride and arrogance of the antichristian usurpers. And as seven angels, by sounding the alarm, had foreshewn the several shocks of battle, which the Church should sustain from her enemies: so seven angels, by pouring forth seven Vials, express the vengeance of the Almighty, poured out on the triumphant worldly powers, checking their career, imbittering their success, and finally overwhelming them in destruction. They are to be accounted, as the word whyrn expresses, so many blows or strokes; visitations of Divine Providence on unrepentant sinners. Such fell on Pharaoh and the hardened Ægyptians, who, persisting in their obstinate opposition, were overwhelmed in the Red Sea. The number seven implies a complete visitation*. "When I begin, I will also make an end, saith "the Lord t." So, with the last of these Vials, “the "wrath of God will be completed." And it is in allusion to this completion, that they are called "the "last plagues;" for they do not seem to extend to the very last times of final judgment, but to end with the beast and false prophet finally and completely subdued; with whose action therefore they seem cotemporary. Ver. 2. A sea, glassy, mingled with fire; &c.] This glassy sea has been already displayed as standing before the throne of God*, where it was seen to represent the purifying blood of the Redeemer; the price of human redemption, in which alone the vestments can be washed white; by which alone the Christian can be presented pure before God. But the Redeemer has two characters, conformably to the offices assigned him on earth; the one of meekness, in which he came to suffer; the other of exaltation, in which he returns to reign, and to pour out vengeance on his enemies. We are now arrived at that point of the prophetic history, in which this vengeance begins to be poured out. We therefore see the glassy sea mingled with fire; its waves flashing flame; symbolically expressive of anger and vengeance †. Here we see collected, as in an appropriate situation, those who, during the usurpation of Antichrist, had contended for the faith; and suffering, had gained that victory, which is only to be acquired by the blood of the Lambt." The purification of the priests for the service of the earthly temple was in the brazen sea; these, who are to minister before the God of heaven, are purified by the heavenly sea; by the blood of the Redeemer. And many of them, having poured out their own blood in his cause, and after his example, now begin to enjoy the triumph which was promised them under the fifth Seal §. They are now to be" avenged." Ib. Of the beast.] in T8 Inpis, not," says Dr. S. Clarke, over the beast, but from out of the midst of the beast for, by this expression is implied, not only their conquest, but the difficulty of it, by a few persons, ad |