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tern were not at all reclaimed by the ruin of the eastern, but persisted still in the worship of saints, (and what is worse) the worship of images, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk' and the world is witness to the completion of this prophecy to this day. Neither repented they of their murders,' their persecutions and inquisitions, nor of their sorceries.' their pretended miracles and revelations, nor of their fornication,' their public stews and uncleanness, nor of their thefts,' their exactions and impositions on mankind and they are as notorious for their licentionsness and wickedness, as for their superstition and idolatry. As they therefore refused to take warning by the two former woes, the third woe, as we shall see, will fall with vengeance upon them.

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CHAPTER X.

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St. John, in the conclusion of the last chapter, having touched upon the corruption of the western church, proceeds now to deliver some prophecies relating to this lamentable event. But before he enters upon the subject, he and the church in him is prepared for it by an august and consolatory vision. • Another mighty angel came down from heaven,' ver. 1. described somewhat like the angel in the three last chapters of Daniel, and in the first chapter of the Revelation. He had in his hand, ver. 2. a little book,' biblaridion, a little book' or codicil different from the biblion or book mentioned before: and it was open, that all men might freely read and consider it. It was indeed a codicil to the larger book, and

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properly cometh under the sixth trumpet, to describe the state of the western church after the description of the state of the eastern: and this is with good reason made a separate and distinct prophecy, on account of the importance of the matter, as well as for engaging the greater attention. He set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,' to show the extent of his power and commission: and when he had cried aloud,' ver. 3. 'seven thunders uttered their voices.' St. John would have written down, ver. 4. those things which the seven thunders uttered,' but was forbidden to do it. As we know not the subjects of the seven thunders,' so neither can we know the reasons for suppressing them: but it may be conceived, that something might be proper to be revealed to the apostle, and yet not to be communicated to the church. By these seven thunders,' Vitringa understands the seven great croisades or expeditions of the western Christians for the conquest of the holy land, and Daubuz the seven kingdoms which received and established the Protestant reformation by law. But doth it not savour rather of vanity and presumption than of wisdom and knowledge, to pretend to conjecture what they are, when the Holy Spirit hath purposely concealed them? Then the angel, ver. 5, 6, 7. 'lifted up his hand to heaven,' Ilke the angel in Daniel, xii. 7. and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever,' the great Creator of all things, hotichronos ouk esti eti, that the time shall not be yet,' but it shall be in the days of the seventh trumpet that the mystery of God shall be finished,' and the glorious state of his church be

perfected, agreeably to the good things which he hath promised, hos euenge life, to his servants the prophets.' This is said for the consolation of Christians, that though the little book' describes the calamities of the western church, yet they shall all have a happy period under the seventh trumpet. St. John is then ordered, ver. 8, 9, 10. to eat the little book,' as Ezekiel, iii. 3. did upon a like occasion: and heate it up;' he thoroughly considered and digested it; and found it to be, as he was informed it would be, sweet as honey in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach.' The knowledge of future things at first was pleasant, but the sad contents of the little book afterwards filled his soul with sorrow. But these contents were not to be sealed up' like those of 'the seven thunders;' this little book' was to be published, ver. 11. as well as the larger book of the Apocalypse; it was a kind of second prophecy, added to the former: and as it concerned 'kings and nations,' so it was to be made public for their use and information. But if here, as some contend, the prophecy begins again anew, the subject is resumed from the beginning, and all that follows is contained in the little book,' then 'the little book' contains more matter than the larger book,' and part of the sealed book is made part of the open book, which is contrary to the regularity and order of the Apocalypse, and in great measure destroys the beauty and symmetry of the different parts; for it is evident and undeniable, that the seventh trumpet is the seventh part of the seventh seal, as the seventh seal is the seventh part of the sealed book, and consequently can be no part of

the little open book, which endeth, as we shall see, with the sixth trumpet, and immediately before the sounding of the seventh.

CHAPTER XI.

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In the former part of this chapter, from the first verse to the fourteenth, are exhibited the contents of this little book. St. John is commanded, ver. 1. to measure the inner court, the temple of God, and the altar, and them who worship therein,' to shew that during all this period there were some true Christians, who conformed to the rule and measure of God's word. This measuring might allude more particularly to the Reformation from Popery, which fell out under this sixth trumpet; and one of the moral causes of it was the Othmans taking of Constantinople, whereupon the Greeks flying from their own country, and bringing their books with them into the more western parts of Europe, proved the happy occasion of the revival of learning; as the revival of learning opened men's eyes, and proved the happy occasion of the Reformation. But though the inner court,' which includes the smaller number, was measured, yet, the outer court,' which implies the far greater part, was left out,' ve. 2. and rejected, as being in possession of Christians only in name, but Gentiles in worship and practice, who profaned it with heathenish superstition and idolatry: 'and they shall tread under foot the holy city;' they shall trample upon, and tyrannize over the church of Christ, for the space of forty and two months,'

At the same time God should raise up some true and faithful witnesses, ver. 3. to preach and protest against these innovations and corruptions of religion : for there were Protestants long before ever the name came into use. Of these witnesses there should be, though but a small, yet a competent number; and it was a sufficient reason for making them, 'two witnesses,' because that is the number required by the law, and approved by the Gospel, Deut. xix. 15. Matth. xviii. 16. In the mouth of two witnesses shall every word be established:' and upon former occasions two have often been joined in commission, as Moses and Aaron in Egypt, Elijah and Elisha in the apostasy of the ten tribes, and Zerrubbabel and Joshua after the Babylonish captivity, to whom these witnesses are particularly compared. Our Saviour himself sent forthhis disciples, Luke x. 1. 'two and two;' and it hath been observed also, that the principal reformers have usually appeared as it were in pairs, as the Waldenses and Albigenses, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, Luther and Calvin, Cranmer, and Ridley, and their followers. Not that I conceive, that any two particular men, or two particular churches, were intended by this prophecy; but only it was meant in the general, that there should be some in every age, though but a few in number, who should bear witness to the truth, and declare against the iniquity and idolatry of their times. They should not be discouraged even by persecution and oppression, but though clothed in sackcloth,' and living in a mourning and afflicted state, should yet prophesy, should yet preach the sincere word of God, and de

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