Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

companied by a fierce war,' a German divine, the author of an apocalyptical treatise, long ago obferved 24. By Peganius alfo a war was expected to refult from it; and from Brenius's obfervations on the paffage I am confidering, it appears he thought it probable, that the rage of the Gentile-Chriftians on account of this revolution might stimulate them to the fatal war of Armageddon, predicted in the xvith ch. of St. John.

And thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they fhould be vindicated 25. The expreffion, the dead, is fufceptible either of a literal or a figurative interpretation.

24 Clavis Apocalyptica, published by Mr. Hartlib, 1651, p. 8.

The words which follow are from Grotius, as quoted and approved by Lowman. 'Kpivey judicare, fæpe eft vindicare.' Grot. in loc. In confirmation of this remark, which occurs alfo in Brenius, I observe that DW, which commonly fignifies to judge, frequently signifies to vindicate: and is accordingly often rendered in the LXX by ende, of which the proper meaning is to vindicate or avenge. The claufe above refers, fays Daubuz, to Rev. ch. vi. v. 10, where thofe flain for the teftimony which they held, are represented as crying with a loud voice, How Long, O Lord, Holy and True, doeft thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth, i. e. on the antichriftian part of mankind?

Vitringa, fpeaking of the verse upon which I am commenting, fays, to vindicate does appear to be the certain sense of xpvw in this place; and in proof of this he cites, among other paffages, Pf. Ixxii. 4, where DDW in the Hebrew, and xpw in the Septuagint, bear that fignification. This will appear from an inspection of the verfe, which, independently of the light it may throw on the meaning of xpvw, does itself deferve citation and reference. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall fave the children of the needy, and fhall break in pieces the oppreffor. Surely the word judge, which is the rendering of our English version, is not in unifon with the other claufes of the verfe; and, as it communicates to the English reader a false idea, vindicate should be substituted in its place. That the word in the original does here fignify to vindicate or defend, is observed likewise by Simeon de Muis, by Munfterus, and by Vatablus. Pf. Ixxii. fays Dr. Apthorp (vol. 11, p. 142), ' evidently harmonizes with those predictions, ⚫ which defcribe Christianity in its moft perfect ftate on earth.' That it has a reference to Chrift's kingdom, fays bp. Patrick, is unquestionable, as the Jews themselves acknowledge.'

·

In the former cafe, it may fignify, that, the period of God's vengeance being at length arrived, he will vindicate the cause of thofe, who, during fo many ages, have béen flaughtered or oppreffed at the inftigation of the privileged orders: in the latter case, it may import, that God will vindicate the caufe of thofe, who still remain politically dead, and raise them to a different condition. The time allo is come, that thou shouldst give reward to thy fervants the prophets, and to the faints. Since prophets, according to the general fignification of the word in modern language, will not exist at the period here fpoken of; it is neceffary to have recourse to another interpretation; an interpretation which the mind of the reader will probably anticipate. Whilft those styled faints may be fuppofed to denote good men in general and genuine Chriftians; the term prophets may be reafonably thought to bear a somewhat narrower import, and to fignify fuch as in an eminent degree fuftain the charac ter of inftructors of mankind and of witneffes against errors and corruptions. This is the æra, when the Supreme Being fhall diftribute to them, in particular, favours and rewards; and fhall fo alter the complexion of human affairs, that they fhall not merely enjoy the bleffings of life, unperfecuted and undisturbed, but fhall obtain, from their fellow-citizens, an equitable, and confequently a liberal, fhare of estimation and regard. And the divine favours fhall be extended to all who are of real worth; for the fmall and great is an expreffion,' fays Daubüz, 'which implies univerfality.' But before the world can be fitted for the refidence of men of this character, another clafs of perfons must first be destroyed, namely those who deftroy the earth. To point out any language, lying in a compafs equally narrow, more ftrongly defcriptive of fome among the tyrants of the European continent, would fcarcely be poffible. Sruck with the force of the expreffion,

[ocr errors]

M 4

6

6

expreffion, a modern commentator of Scotland, when arrived at this verfe, thus exclaims. Alas! and is this the character of the celebrated heroes, who fhine in the annals of empires and kindoms, whofe names are im'mortalized by the conqueft of fuch, perhaps, as were 'weaker and lefs wicked than themselves! Alas! what are they all but deftroyers of the earth, defolating countries, murdering the inhabitants, or miferably plundering them of their properties 26. We are perfectly fure,' fays an earlier Scotch commentator, Mr. Robertson, of the nature of the perfons, that they are no other than the enemies of the witneffes.' And of this verse it is obferved by Mr. Waple, that it refers to what is called the great Battle of Armageddon", in which the antichriftian princes of the European world are to receive a decifive and dreadful overthrow.

[ocr errors]

One additional reflection fhall conclude the obfervations on ch. xi. of St. John. It is in v. 13 we are told, that there was a great Earthquake in the Tenth Part of the fymbolic city: it is in v. 15 we are affured, that the Ringdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. The speediness with which the one is mentioned after the other naturally encourages the expectation, that the leffer Revolution will be preparatory to the greater, and that it will be followed by it at no very distant period of time. Accordingly Vitringa declares, that the Revolution, which would take place in the Tenth Part of the city, would speedily be followed by other more grievous judgments, which would bring on the final demolition of the antichriftian empire 2.

26 Kershaw, vol. II. p. 131.

7 In Mede (p. 739) a fimilar observation occurs.

28

18 P. 485.

CHAP

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE VIALS IN GENERAL.

AFTER introducing fo many obfervations on the

fourth vial, and on the seventh trumpet: it is proper, that I should flate my ideas respecting the vials in general more explicitly than I have hitherto done. That fome or all of them have an intimate connection with the third woe or the feventh trumpet, has I believe never been denied.

In the commencement of this work, Mr. Fleming's explanation of the fourth vial has been brought forwards; and it has I think been proved (the only thing of which I undertook to allege a proof), that, if that vial does relate to the Revolution in France, it is prophetic of the overthrow of its monarchy, and cannot be interpreted fo as to appear unfriendly to the interefts of the French nation. If Mr. Fleming's interpretation of the fourth vial be folid, it will then follow, that we are now living under the fifth vial; and I should not do justice to Mr. Fleming, were I not to obferve, that this perfectly agrees with the statement of a learned and uncommonly industrious examiner of the apocalypse. third woe is commenced appears from the 13th and 14th v. of ch. xi; and Dr. Creffener regards it as certain, that the fifth, fixth, and seventh vials conftitute it, and confequently, that the beginning of the plague of ⚫ the fifth vial is the beginning of the third woe'.'

That the

But I fhould not act an open and ingenuous part, were I not to declare, that I am now of opinion, that the pouring out of the vials was to be fubfequent to the

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Earthquake in the Tenth Part of the city, and that the vials are only beginning to be fulfilled; an opinion respecting which I had come to no decision, when compofing the two first chapters of the work. If this be admitted, it follows of confequence, that the French revolution is not foretold by the fymbols of the fourth vial, and that any arguments which have been or can be produced in favour of that opinion are inconclufive. Such a prediction, it must indeed be confeffed, does not feem wanting, because v. 13 of ch. xi. may be justly thought prophetic of the revolution in France, and is, of itself, amply fufficient. I have, however, been induced to print the two first chapters of the work, partly because they were the foundation of it, partly because they contain observations fufceptible of general application, and partly on account of the reasons, alleged in the preface to the present performance, which prompted me to commence it, and first occafioned me to turn my mind to prophetical inquiries. Though firmly perfuaded, that the fourth vial could not poffibly be interpreted in a manner favourable to the enemies of the French revolution, I was never by any means equally confident that it pointed to the events of that revolution at all. In order to be convinced that the fymbols of any particular prophecy are fulfilled in any particular event; I do indeed require a degree of evidence fuperior to that, which would enfure the affent of the generality of perfons. Of those who have applied the predictions of the apocalypfe to particular occurrences, many have encoun tered, and, I am perfectly ready to admit, have deserved, the imputation of credulity. But though it be taken for granted, that the vials were to be poured out fubfequent to the accomplishment of the French Revolution; it fhould be observed, in juftice to Mr. Fleming's interpretation of the fourth vial, that it does not therefore neceffarily follow, that that vial has no reference to the over

throw

« AnteriorContinuar »