derived from perufing fome parts of it: and it will appear, upon a minute inquiry, that much of this diversity of interpretation is to be attributed, not to any inherent ambiguity in the apocalypse itself, but to many of its commentators having been unprepared to illuftrate the fubject on which they had entered, and especially to their being fuperficially acquainted with the language of fymbols, in which that prophetic work is written. With a reference to this objection, let one of the most masterly of our English writers be cited. Shew me the question in religion, or even in common morals, about which learned men have not disagreed; nay, fhew me a fingle 'text of scripture, tho' ever so plain and precise, which ⚫ the perverseness or ingenuity of interpreters has not ' drawn into different, and often contrary meanings. What 'then fhall we conclude? That there is no truth in religion, no certainty in morals, no authority in facred fcripture? If such conclufions, as these, be carried 'to their utmoft length, in what else can they terminate, • but abfolute univerfal fcepticifm2?' To treat the prophetic writings, without the fulleft conviction of their 'falfhood, with neglect and fcorn, is,' fays the bishop of Worcester, plainly indecent, and may be highly cri⚫minal and dangerous 3.' But it will perhaps be afked, what are the ends which the book of Revelation fubferves ?-what are the benefits which have resulted, or are likely to refult, from the study of it? In order to give a full answer to this queftion, a very wide field of inquiry must be traversed. Here, however, it will be fufficient to touch upon two general and two particular advantages, which have refulted from it. 2 Hurd, vol. II. p. 60. 3 Vol. II. p. 225. I. By foretelling events which have occurred several ages fubfequent to its publication, the apocalypse manifefts not merely the existence of a Deity, but the superintendency of his providence. II. Written by a disciple of Chrift, and containing many predictions relative to the fortunes of his church, predictions which no human forefight could have framed, it furnishes the most convincing evidence of the truth of the religion which he was commiffioned to teach. Thus is it calculated to maintain in the world a reverence both for the Deity and for the Gospel. III. Notwithstanding the true meaning of the far greater part of it, during the perfecutions of Severus, Decius, and Dioclefian, was not to be penetrated at all, and those who then perused it were incapable of explaining any paffages in it with precifion; this prophecy. nevertheless served to animate the hope, and to fortify the conftancy, of the primitive Christians; since a very imperfect acquaintance with it was fufficient to fhew, that it predicted the overthrow of the Roman empire, as well as the perpetuity of the Chriftian religion. It fhould also be remembered, that every aid, every encouragement, was of fignal importance, at a time when the inventive malice of their enemies prefented to their view death in its moft frightful and diverfified forms; at a time when an infant religion had to ftruggle with the pride of philofophy and the prejudice of the vulgar, with the multiplied arts of the priesthood and the formidable power of the ftate". IV. Since the denunciation against the church of Rome, included under the figure of Babylon, as antichristian and idolatrous, is one of the clearest and most prominent parts of this facred prophecy, and fince it ex 4 See bishop Newton, vol. III. p. 325. prefsly prefsly commands men to feparate from her; it encouraged the authors of the Proteftant reformation to commence and to profecute thofe important changes, which they might otherwise perhaps have been intimidated from attempting, or might have attempted without fuccefs. Not to mention the virulence of that external opposition, under the weight of which they were fometimes on the point of being crushed, a feparation from the vifible head of the church, under the dreaded appellation of SCHISM, was represented as the most inexpiable of crimes; and fuch were the prejudices of the times, that it was almost universally admitted to be criminal, and the most undaunted of the reformers, even Luther himself, shrunk from the charge'. But an examination of the apocalypse enabled them to repel it, and furnished them with the moft powerful weapons, for conducting an attack against the fee of Rome with vigour and fuccefs. On every fide, indeed, they loudly appealed to the predictions of the Chriftian prophet, as authorizing their conduct; multitudes acknowledged the validity of their appeal; and bp. Hurd hefitates not to affert, that on this popular ground, chiefly, 'the Proteftant caufe, in thofe early times, was upheld".' If then the Proteftant reformation was chiefly, or only in a great degree, fupported by arguments drawn from the apocalypfe (which at that period became an object of general investigation), in how high a degree are we indebted to that prophetic part of the New Teftament; for to this revolution, imperfect as it was, we unqueftionably owe, not only the promotion of civil as well as religious liberty; not only the knowledge of fcripture and of genuine Christianity; not only the spread of light and science; but to this great event are justly to be 5 See Hurd, vol. II. p. 46–51. 6 Vol. II. p. 48. attri attributed a confiderable portion of the virtue, the liberality, and the civilization, which prevail in the European world! " But it is a future period, which is deftined to bear the amplest testimony to the usefulness of the apocalypfe. Other proofs," fays the bishop of Worcester, are fup'posed to be, and, in fome degree, perhaps, are weakened by a length of time. But this, from pro'phecy, as if to make amends for their defects, hath the peculiar privilege of ftrengthening by age itself ".' May it not then be expected, that the progrefs of events, and the fucceffive labours of commentators, will hereafter throw so strong a light upon the predictions of St. John, as to produce a change in the minds of men, and, by materially influencing their conduct, to accelerate the accomplishment of those happy events, the prospect of which at present appears confused and indiftin&t? This prophecy,' Bengelius beautifully observes,' is like a cloud richly full of fructifying rain which spreads ' over a large extent of land, which fheds fome part of 'its waters on every ground in its turn by fpecks or 'fpots. What belongs to each particular time, the believers of that age may turn to their advantage in a • special manner 3.' Containing, as it does, the myfteries of divine providence, the destiny of the Roman empire, the rife and fall of the kingdom of Antichrift, and the fubfequent univerfality of the religion of Jefus, ' none,' fays an ingenious expofitor of the book of Revelation, ought to 'be difcouraged from studying it by the darkness wherewith it is enveloped.' That its predictions are veiled under a profufion of imagery, there need indeed be no 7 Hurd, vol. II. p. 203. 8 P. 194. 9 Pref. to the tranflation of an anonymous French work, entitled, A New Syftem of the Apocalypfe. hefitation hesitation in admitting 10. But it is not for a creature like man, limited as he is in duration and in intellect, to point out all, or the principal, reasons, which determined the divine mind to invest these predictions with a degree of darkness. Objections of this kind against the prophecies, fays bp. Hurd, are addreffed not only to the ignorance, as we fay, of the disputant, but to an 'ignorance clearly invincible by all the powers of human 'reafon 11.' Some of the fuppofed causes of this obscurity may, however, be investigated, provided they are investigated with modesty. 11 9 There is,' as Mr. Lowman obferves, a wife reafon, why the persons and events described in this prophecy fhould remain with fome uncertainty as to a parti'cular application 12. Otherwise princes might adopt measures, as the Roman emperors for inftance might have done, to obftruct the accomplishment of events injurious to them; and might unfeasonably interpose to destroy thofe, whom heaven has raised up for the exe. cution of its purposes. By Jurieu obfcurity of prophecy is in a fimilar manner accounted for 13. If God,' fays a divine of Scotland, had revealed the future va'rious revolutions of the church in a perfpicuous man'ner, then human liberty, or the freedom of the will, 'would have been greatly limited; fo that there could not have been fuch a proper trial of the worth of hu⚫ man actions as in the present cafe 14.' But by throwing fome part of the predicted event into fhade' (to use 10 And what follows from this being admitted? Not, says Vitringa, that it should be thrown aside unread, but that it should be ftudied with augmented diligence. Præf. 13 See Suppl. to his Introd. and vol. II. p. 39. 14 An Eff. on fome Important Paffages of the Rev. by Lauchlan Taytor, A. M. Edinburgh, 1770.' |