heaven, saying unto me, Write, | Blessed are the dead which die works, would not be prevented, but would attend them wherever they might go. It is settled beyond all dispute, that leath is used in the Scriptures in the iiteral, and also in the metaphorical, or moral sense. It is equally well settled, that even in the moral sense the distinction is subdivided, for we read both of a death in sin and a death to sin. Take a few examples, from the Scriptures, of the use of the figure in both senses. "Shall die in his iniquity;" Ezk. iii. 19; "Die in his iniquity;" xviii. 18; "Die in your sins;" John viii. 21; "Dead in trespasses and sins;" Eph. ii. 45; "Being dead in your sins;" Col. ii. 13. For the other sense, viz., death so sin, see the following: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ, were baptized into his death?" Rom. vi. 3; "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin ;" ver. 6; "Like- | wise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord;" ver. 11; "Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances;" Col. ii. 20; "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him;" 2 Tim. ii. 11; "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness;" 1 Peter ii. 24. These passages make it abundantly evident, that believers are said to be in a state of moral death — death to sin. They are said to be in Christ. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature;" 2 Cor. v. 17. They are said to be dead with him; to be crucified with him; to be buried with him; to be “baptized into his death." According to these figures of speech, to die in the Lord is to die to sin in him, in his faith, and his spirit, as fallen, as the worshippers of the beast were tormented, - so the Christians for a time would enjoy peace. Blessed, then, from henceforth, (said the revelator,) are those who shall die in the Lord; meaning, as we think, after the sense in which Paul sets forth the matter to the Romans, chap. vi. For they rest from their labors, (Kopon,) their toils, trials and troubles. This rest was precisely what the Christians were promised when their enemies were put down. In fact, all Christians are said, in a certain sense, to rest from their works. See the words of St. Paul: "There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, (ton ergon,) as God did from his;" Heb. iv. 9, 10. Do we not find something here parallel to the passage in Revelations? When that great persecutor Saul was converted, "then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria;" Acts ix. 31. The Thessalonians had suffered for the kingdom of God's sake. The time of the destruction of their enemies was about to come; and Paul said to them, "And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven," &c., &c.; 2 Thess. i. 7. They rested from their labors and in the Lord from henceforth | Yea, saith the Spirit, that they sufferings when their enemies were So, then, after the Lord had spoken punished; and this, it seems to us, is unto them, he was received up inte precisely the idea given in Rev. xiv. heaven, and sat on the right hand of 13: "Blessed are they who die in the God. And they went forth, and Lord from henceforth," from the time preached everywhere, the Lord workof the overthrow of Christ's enemies. ing with them, and confirming the "Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest word with signs following;" xvi. from their labors," as the churches 17-20. The Greek word translated had rest at the conversion of Saul, "works" in Rev. xiv. 13, is applied and as the Christians generally had to the wonderful works of Christ and rest at the time the kingdom of Christ his apostles in repeated instances. came with power, and he took ven- John heard while in prison the works geance on his enemies. For their of Christ; Matt. xi. 2. Jesus was a works do follow them; -or go with prophet "mighty in deed (en ergo) them. They held fast their faith, and and word;" Luke xxiv. 19. See, also, their efforts were crowned with suc- John v. 20, 36; vii. 3; x. 25, 38, in cess. The revelator was obliged to all which places the word is ergon. reprove the church at Ephesus, be- "Blessed are the dead who die in the cause it had forsaken its first works; Lord [the Christians who are dead to Rev. ii. 15; which they were required sin while in Christ] from henceforth: to keep unto the end. "And he that [because the power of the persecutor overcometh, and keepeth my works is broken;] Yea, saith the Spirit, unto the end, to him will I give for they rest from their labors," power over the nations;" Rev. ii. 26. their toils and sufferings, as the Here it is evident that the Christians Thessalonian Christians rested when were required to be faithful; and in Christ came to take vengeance on being so, their good works continually his enemies; "and their works do went with them. Some were faith- follow them;" i. e., if they are faithess, and did not do their first works. ful, the fame of their purity and their David said, "Surely goodness and wonderful deeds, as signs of their mercy shall follow me all the days of faith, shall attend them wherever my life and I will dwell in the house they go. This seems to us to be a of the Lord forever;" Psa. xxiii. 6; reasonable construction of the pasi. e., goodness and mercy shall attend sage. It is based upon facts that we me wherever I go. The works of know did exist; and the language the faithful Christians, the fame of employed in describing those facts is their works, and the power of them, similar, in other parts of the New attended them wherever they went. Testament, to the language of the This was precisely the case with the passage before us. We are sustained early faithful Christians, when they therefore in our view by the analogy rested so far from their labors and of interpretation. But in addition to sufferings that they could work to all, we think the force of the context advantage in the cause of Christ. leads directly to the construction we See the words of Mark: "And these have given. The hour of God's judgsigns shall follow them that believe, ment was announced as having come; [their works shall follow them:] Inverse 7. The revelator then promy name shall they cast out devils; claims, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen;" they shall speak with new tongues; ver. 8; and then follows an account they shall take up serpents; and if of the punishment of the persecutors they drink any deadly thing, it shall of Christianity, who were tormented not hurt them; they shall lay hands with fire and brimstone in the pres on the sick, and they shall recover. [ence of the holy angels, and of the their works do follow them. lowed with them, i. e., they were enabled, by the abatement of perse cution, to preach the gospel and labor more diligently, and do those works which followed such as truly believed wheresoever they travelled. But if, after all, the reader supposes, that to "die in the Lord" signifies to pass into the immortal state, then let him consider the following remarks, pub may rest from their labors; and Lamb; and these had no rest day'nor night, vers. 10, 11. This had given patience to the saints, ver. 12. Then follow immediately the words, "Bles'sed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest [the worshippers of the beast had no rest] from their labors, and their works do follow them." Why should the want of rest to the persecutors be considered as belong-lished about three years since, by ing to this world, and the rest enjoyed by the Christians as belonging to the immortal state? Would the context lead us to apply the passage to that state? We think not. Certain other considerations deserve our attention in this place. Did not the Christians rest from their labors in this life, when their enemies were destroyed? Did not their works follow them in this life, when, by the overthrow of their persecutors, they were enabled to persevere in their duty without hindrance? If such things actually transpired in this world, why need we seek for the fulfilment of the passage in the future state? But there seem to us to be some difficulties in applying the passage to the future state, which have not been generally apprehended. Why should it be said the Christians rest from their toils in the state of the dead more than others? Do not all men rest from their toils there? Death, surely, is a state of rest to all. And besides, what idea can we get of men's works following them, or going with them into the immortal world? The common idea is that the works follow them there in the shape of rewards. But this is certainly a very strange construction; for there is not one word said in the verse about reward that we can discover. But on our construction of the passage, the mcaning seems rational. The Christians, when their enemies were put down, rested from their toils, but their enemies had no rest, day nor night; and as to the former, their works fol. Rev. Asher Moore, of Philadelphia: "But here we shall be reminded that there is an important part of the passage, concerning which we have thus far said nothing:-'And their works do follow them.' Are we to conclude from this expression that the works of the persons spoken of actually follow them into the future state of existence, and there continue with them? What are the works of men in this world? even the best of men -the very martyrs to the cause of Christ? The voice of inspiration declares, and all human experience confirms the fact, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God?' And let us suppose that a company of the best men have passed away from this life, and now stand before God in the spiritual world. Their works are with them, and these works are exhibited in the presence of the Almighty. Well, what is the amount of these works? To say nothing in regard to an eternal weight of merit, let us inquire whether these godly men have in all respects ever performed their duty? If they have in any wise been remiss in simple duty, it is in vain to talk of their great merit. Our Saviour said to his immediate disciples: When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable ser. vants; we have done that which was our duty to do.' But this company of good men cannot even say that they have done their duty; and they are therefore worse than unprofitable. Their best deeds fall far short of the 14 And I looked, and behold, | of man, having on his head a a white cloud, and upon the golden crown, and in his hand cloud one sat like unto the Son a sharp sickle. perfect righteousness required by the divine law; while their sins are many and great. And though just and true, compared with other men, they are obliged to confess, after all, that salvation is not of works, but the free gift of God's grace! But we do not believe that the revelator meant, in the passage before us, to furnish any information concerning works that follow men into the spiritual and immortal world. The works of a man may follow him, and be known in the world, after he has ceased from his labors. Thus, St. Paul says of righteous Abel, Heb. xi. 4: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it, he, being dead, yet speaketh.' Now, in the very same sense that Abel's speech continued after he was dead, did the works of the persons mentioned by St. John follow them. Being dead, they yet work; and the fruits of their labors are seen and known and enjoyed wherever man is blessed with the hopes and comforts of that religion, in behalf of which they did not count their lives dear unto themselves. Though they were put to death, their works were not destroyed; but their influence still continues, as Abel speaks by his righteous example to the sons of men. Solomon says, "The memory of the just is blessed.' It lives in the hearts of posterity. And while we witness the continuance of the faithful labors of those devoted and self-sacrificing servants of God who laid down their lives in the service of Christ, we revere their toils, and cherish their memory with grateful feelings. Their works live with us; and while the name of the wicked shall rot,' the righteous shall be held in everlasting remembrance." 14. Behold, a white cloud. It is a very common figure in the Bible to speak of God coming in the clouds. His descent at the giving of the law was in a cloud, which veiled him from the sight of the people; Exod. xvi. 10; xix. 9; xxxiv. 5. He accompanied Israel in a pillar of cloud by day, and of fire by night, the latter being more distinctly visible in the darkness. God, it is said, maketh the clouds his chariot; Psa. civ. 3; and hence saith Isaiah: "Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it;" xix. 1. The coming of Christ to judgment, after the custom of the ancient Jewish writers, is said to be in the clouds. So Daniel prophesied of the coming of the Son of man; vii. 13. So Christ himself described his coming; Matt. xxiv. 30; and the same figure is used in the communication to the revelator; i. 7. ¶ Son of man The revelator having shown thal the persecutors of the church and worshippers of the beast had no rest, day nor night, but were to be destroyed, while the Christians rested from their labors and toils, he proceeds to speak further of the judg ment of these persecutors under the figure of a harvest; and in the first place he describes the reaper. The Son of man appears upon a cloud, having on his head a crown, (as king in Zion,) and having in his hand a sharp sickle. He who hath the sickle is the reaper, and the sign of the sickle shows that the harvest is ripe. The coming of the Son of man took place at the end of the Jewish age, or world, when he rendered to men ac cording to their works; Matt. xvi 27, 28. 15. Another angel came out of the temple. Lightfoot states, "It is ob. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap for the time is come servable that the word for reaping of the earth comes out from the temple; yea, though Christ have the sickle in his hand, yet an angel out of the temple calls to him to reap; and another angel comes out of the temple with a sickle; and a third out of the temple calls to him to reap. As this may be understood to doctrinal information, that the cries and urgencies of the church to Christ stir him up to avenge them on their enemies, (Luke xviii. 7,) so the expressions may be explained by an allusive application. The putting in of the first sickle, to reap the first corn in Judea, was by the word and warrant of the priests and rulers sitting in the temple; and they that were to reap, when they were come to the corn, put not in the sickle, till the word was given Reap."-(Works iii. 351, 352.) Hence the angel that came out of the temple cries to him that sat on the cloud, (who seems to be waiting for the command,) "Thrust in thy sickle and reap." Harvest of the earth is ripe. for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. time of her harvest shall come;" Jer. 16. And the earth was reaped. How appropriate, in view of all that we have said, was it to represent the destruction of the Romans by the reaping of the harvest. This destruction did not perhaps fall upon them all at once; but it was to happen at no very distant day, and formed a part of the divine plan of operations in ushering the gospel into the world. Let us proceed now to the consideration of the metaphor of the vintage. The ripeness of the harvest denotes that the people were exceedingly wicked, and that the full time of their destruction had come. See the language of Joel, which the revelator seems to have copied. "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great;" Joel iii. 13. This settles the point, that by the ripeness of the harvest is intended that the enemies of the church had filled up the measure of their iniquities, and 17. Another angel came out of the nothing remained to them but to be temple. The same form of the scenedestroyed. But once more: "Forry is kept up. The second angel with thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; the daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, it is time to thresh her yet a little while, and the the sickle comes from the temple like the first. The sickles in both cases were sharp and ready for service. The same facts which had been rep |