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GENERAL VIEW OF THE APOCALYPSE.

An opinion concerning the nature and design of the Apocalypse, or Revelations.

The revelation of St. John contains a highly figurative and a sort of prophetic history of events relating to the church or visible kingdom of Christ, from its commencement to its final consummation, which will result in the overthrow of vice and error-the grand triumph of truth, and the moral subjugation of all things to the reign of the Messiah.

Rules for understanding figurative language, used in the Book of Revelations.

1. Angel and Angels. By these terms, as used in this book, we are not to understand celestial beings in the world of spirits. Doubtless, such beings exist, but the Revelator does not use the terms generally, if ever, in reference to them. Angels, messenger, and minister are words of the same import any minister or agent by means of which the Almighty executes his purposes, either of wrath or of grace, may properly be styled an Angel. The sword, pestilence and famine are Angels of wrath, sometimes sent to chastise perverse nations or individuals. Such Angels of vengeance were sent to scourge the Jews at the time of their dispersion, about eighty years after the birth of Christ. Men are frequently styled angels. Such were doubtless those angels of the seven churches to whom John was directed by

the spirit to write. These angels were merely the preachwho ministered in those churches.

ers

2.

Heaven. This word denotes the visible kingdom of Christ or the christian world. Before the middle wall between Jew and Gentile was broken down, the word heaven was sometimes used to denote the land of Judea only: See Matthew xxiv. 31. This heaven is considered as being high, because spiritual subjects are above those merely natural. In the Evangelists, the phrase "kingdom of heaven," and "kingdom of God" may be understood in a similar way as the word heaven in the revelations; Christ's kingdom, or the church.

3. The voices, trumpets, thunders, &c. heard in and from heaven. These are the calls and proclamations from the visible church of Christ.

4. The book in the right hand of him that sat upon throne. This represents the divine purposes.

the

5. Seals. That which holds or sanctions the miracles of divine truth. Christ opened the book aud unloosed the seals, i. e. he, by his advent, life, doctrines, miracles, death and resurrection made known the purpose of God concerning the final destiny of man.

6. The wonders witnessed upon the opening of the seals and sounding of the trumpets. Astonishing changes and commotions among men ; strange events.

7. The temple of God. The true church of Christ.

8.

Doors in heaven. Entrance of Christ's visible church. 9. Elders, seats, and thrones in heaven. Stations and dignataries in the church.

10. The four beasts or living creatures. Distinguished reformers or dignitaries in the church; Evangelists.

11. Silence in heaven. A time of peace in the church.

12. The great day of his wrath. A time of great calamity; the destruction of Jerusalem.

13. Mighty Angels. Eminent reformers and preachers of the gospel.

14. Sickles. Severe judgments; truth.

15. City of Babylon. Anti-Christ's kingdom, or the church in an apostate state.

16. Beast and false Prophet. The Pagan and Mahompower.

edan

17. Key. Knowledge and authority.

18 Bottomless Pit. A moral, and not literal, pit; the dark state of vice and error; also, oblivion or a forgotten

state.

19. Smoke of the Pit. Confusion and trouble on account of sin or unbelief.

20. Locusts. Soldiers and armies, especially those employed in ecclesiastical wars.

21. The two witnesses. The law and gospel.

22. The declaration of the Angel, Rev. x. 6, that there should be time no longer. The annunciation of the close of the old or law dispensation.

23. The beast that rose out of the sea and the earth : Rev. 13th chapter. Ecclesiastical and civil tyrants.

24. The Lamb and his company. Christ and his truly enlightened followers: Rev. chapter 14.

25. Vials of wrath. Divine judgments and dispensations.

26. Linen and white raiment. Truth and righteous

ness.

27. The judgment of the dead, small and great: Rev. chapter 20th. These were the morally dead; those dead in sin, idolatry, or unbelief. At the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, Christ came in his glory, ascended his throne,

and commenced, through his spirit and word, the process of judging both Jews and Gentiles.

28. Book of life. Men have their names written in this book as long as they are in the true faith: Believers have life, and unbelievers are in death.

29. The pure river of the water of life. The gospel of impartial grace: Rev. chapter 22.

30. Dogs, sorcerers, idolators: Rey. xxii. 15. Various sorts of infidels and unbelievers of the truth; such are without the holy city.

31. Seas, rivers, clouds, large collections of water.Denote nations, tongues, and multitudes of people.

32. Turning rivers, &c. to blood. Sanguinary or bloody wars, especially those that were to arise on account of religious differences of opinion.

33. Chain Rev. 20th chapter. The system of perfect truth.

34. Hail, earthquakes, &c. Commotions among the

nations of the earth.

35. City of New Jerusalem. Christ's kingdom of truth and righteousness.

36. Fire and brimstone. Temporal judgments or punishments See Isaiah, chapter 34.

37. The lake of fire. Severe spiritual or moral misery on account of sin or unbelief.

38. The second death. Apostacy from the true faith: See Jude xii. and Rev. iii. 1.

39. First and second resurrections.

reformations: See Ephesians ii. 1.

Moral and spiritual

40. The Dragon. Denotes Anti-Christ, or whatever is opposed to Christ and the gospel of peace.

42

41. Serpent, Satan, or Devil. An enemy to truth, họliness, or happiness; bad principles-unjust governments, and wicked men.

42. Satan bound. A time when truth and righteousness shall prevail in the world to an unusual degree.

43. Satan loosed from prison. A temporary triumph of vice, error, and delusion.

44. Sun, moon and stars, the celestial luminaries. Denote churches, ecclesiastical dignitaries and powers.

45. Hills, mountains, islands, the earth. Represent civil dignitaries and governments.

46. A new Heaven. A more perfect state and understanding of religion among all Christ's professed followers. 47. The new Earth. More just and equal systems of civil government throughout the world, brought about by the gradual diffusion of light and knowledge.

A subject explained by way of specimen, to show how the rules will apply in interpreting the Revelations. The subject is the war in Heaven mentioned: Rev. xii. 7, 8. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the Dragon; and the Dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

1. The war in heaven is the contest which exists in the visible kingdom of Christ between truth and righteousness on the one side, and vice and error on the other.

2. Michael and his angels are Christ and the advocates or ministers of truth.

3. The Dragon is Anti-Christ, and his angels the ministers of error.

4, The war.

This denotes that there can be no agreement between truth and error. This war has raged with various success for a long time: the Dragon and his angels have fought desperately, and with every vile weapon; the

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