the fierceness of his wrath towards his enemies; and, Christ's treading this wine-press of divine wrath, expresses his glorious conquest over the enemies of AIinighty God. The text now in view, is parallel with that in Isaiah, which we have already endeavoured to explain. I have trodden the wine-press alone-I will tread them in mine anger-and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. This we conceive expresses nothing but glorious victory and triumph. And that in the Revelation is of the same tenor. We shall find it evidently to be so, if we consider it in its connexion. Dr. Doddridge's paraphrase accords with the foregoing sentiment; "And a glorious vision immediately followed; for I saw heaven opened; and behold and observe it with due attention, a white horse appeared, and he that sat upon it [was] called Faithful and True, being indeed no other, than the person speaking of him elsewhere as the Amen, the faithful and true Witness; and he judges and makes war in righteousness and not like the unjust conquerors of the earth, who are so ready to use their superior power to oppress all that fall under it. This was the glorious Prince, whose eyes [are] piercing as a flame of fire; and many diadems were upon his head, having also a mysterious name written upon them, which no man knows but himself: to signify that there are mysteries in his nature, and in the administration of his kingdom, which it is impossible for men to find out. And, to express the irresistible power with which he triumphs over his enemies, and brings destruction upon them according to his pleasure, he was clothed in a garment dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God, the glorious and Divine Person whom I saw elsewhere spoken of, as in the beginning with God, and himself God, and the great Medium of Divine Revelation in all ages."

"And the armies which are in heaven followed him, in token of being willingly and entirely under his

command, and they appeared riding] on white horses, and themselves clothed in fine linen, white, and perfectly clean and pure, to denote their perfect innocence and righteousness."

"And he still retains this circumstance in the vision, I at first saw of him, that there went out of his mouth a sharp sword, that with it he might smite the heathen; to signify the power of his word; and he shall govern them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the wine-press of the indignation and wrath of Almighty God, which was signified by the blood staining his garments, to intimate that he shall subdue the proudest enemies with as much ease as men burst grapes by treading them under their feet.* And he hath upon his garment, and upon his thigh, that is, upon his sword which hangs upon his thigh, a magnificent and exalted name written, even KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS; to signify his universal empire over all the princes and potentates on earth and in heaven."†

In his Dissertation on the Prophecies, Bishop Newton's commentary on the place is to the same purpose. "It was said by the angel, speaking of the kings subject to the beast, Rev. xv, 11, 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." And the vision (verse 11-21.) is added by way of enlargement and explanation of that great event. Heaven is opened, and our Saviour cometh forth riding upon a white horse, as a token of his victory and triumph over his enemies. He is described in such characters as are appropriate to him in this Book and in the ancient Prophets. On his head also were many crowns, to denote his numerous conquests and kingdoms which are now (xi, 15,) become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." As the Jewish high priest

* Compare Isaiah Ixiii, 23, with Rev. xix, 15.

† Rev. xix, 11-16.

wore the ineffable name of Jehovah on his forehead, so he had a name written, which none could properly comprehend but himself; his name is called the word of God. He had likewise another name written, on that part of his vesture which covered his thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords, a title much affected by the Eastern monarchs, and by Antichrist himself. The Pope is styled King of kings, and Lord of lords; but what he is only in pretence, Christ is in reality. His armies are mounted upon white horses as well as himself, and are clothed in fine linen, white and clean, as an emblem of their victory and sanctity. An Angel standing in the sun, called the fowls to the great slaughter of Christ's enemies. These enemies are the Beast and the false Prophet-with their armies gathered together, and determined to support idolatry, and oppose all reformation. But the principals, as deserving of the greatest punishment, are taken and cust alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone: and their followers are slain with the sword of Christ, the sword which proceeded out of his mouth; and all the fowls are filled with their flesh. In a word, the design of this sublime and significative description is to show the downfal of popery, and the triumph of Christianity; the true word of God will prevail over superstition and idolatry; all the powers of Antichrist shall be completely subdued; and the religion of Rome, as well as Rome herself, he totally destroyed."Therefore,

Christ's treading the wine-press of the wrath of God, affords no evidence, that he himself endured the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. The Bishop has given us no intimation of such an idea, but has represented the whole scene as expressive of Christ's victory and triumph over all his enemies: for he shall rule them with a rod of iron."

It is thought by some that the, dying words of our Saviour, uttered just before he cried with a loud voice and yielded up the Ghost, afford proof that the Son

of God endured the wrath of God. The passage of Scripture is this: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!* It is evident from this prayer of Christ that he was in some sense forsaken of his Father. But to learn the real sense, it is necessary to attend to the connexion, in which the words were spoken, either in the 22d Psalm, or in Matthew xxvii, 47. Bishop Horne, as well as some others, supposes that the Beloved of the Father, was, for a time, while he suffered for our sins, forsaken of God; that is, deprived of his comforting influence and presence. He supposes that Christ underwent spiritual desertion, in the same sense that his disciples are left of God. But did the Father ever leave his well beloved Son in the same sense that David was left of God, when he was guilty of murder and adultery? And as Peter was left of God when he denied his Lord and Master; when he declared with an oath that he did not know him? I know not how the Bishop or any one else can prove this. The Bishop views Christ as having set in a cloud, though he rose without one. But how does it appear that he, who is the Sun of righteousness, and the bright and morning star, set in a cloud? He might be viewed as being sometimes in a cloud by his enemies; but in that situation he was never viewed by his heavenly Father. From his comforting presence he was never excluded by any intervening cloud. He surely did not set in a cloud. Of this, even his enemies were convinced. For when Jesus expired on the cross, we find that all nature was, as it were, in commotion; the vail of the temple was rent in twain-the earth did quake the rocks rent-and the graves were opened. Now, when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earth quake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying,

* "We are not from hence to imagine, that Jesus meant by these words to express any mistrust of God's favour and kindness towards him, or any appre hension that the light of his countenance was withdrawn from him. This was impossible." Bishop of London.

Truly this was the Son of God. Hence, Christ, even in the opinion of his enemies, did not set in a cloud. While upon the cross, he, no doubt, appeared to his enemies, if not to his friends, as in a cloud involved in thick darkness. His enemies said of him, He saved others, himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God. Those who thus viewed him and treated him, were the chief priests, scribes and elders; they said these things, mocking and reviling him, saying, If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Thus was Christ viewed by the infidel mockers as in a cloud, and, therefore, forsaken of God. He therefore prayed the Father to dispel the cloud, and let it appear that he had not forsaken him. The Father heard him, and his enemies were immediately convinced: for they said, Truly this was the Son of God. Hence, "No idea can be admitted, that in any sense the Father had forsaken him, except in the want of outward evidence, which, upon his request was exhib. ited in such a convincing manner, as to draw from the actors in the dreadful scene, the most unreserved acknowledgment of his divinity." The Bishop supposes that "every prayer preferred even by the Son of God himself was not granted." His opinion is founded upon these words, O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. (Psalm xxii, 2) But Jesus at the grave of Lazarus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, and I know that thou hearest me always. We may conclude, then, that the words on which the Bishop founds his sentiment, must be applied to David, and not to Christ.