Page images
PDF
EPUB

tian church; nor that the precife number of twelve thousand shall be fealed in any one of them. That number, like the other parts of the hieroglyphic, is fymbolical. It is made up of the number twelve multiplied into a thoufand. Twelve is taken from the twelve apostles, on whofe doctrines the Chrif tian church is built; and the thousand is taken from the thousand years, in which the fervants of God fhall reign with Christ on earth, chap. xx. 4, 6. which is the millenium ftate of the church. Hence the twelve thousand fealed ones are all thofe individual Chriftians in every particular church, whofe religion is modelled on the doctrines of the apoftles of Jefus, who, in fome degree, refemble the purity of the worshippers of God in the millenium state, and alfo in the internal joys of religion, in fome degree partake of their happiness. They are those perfons, who under God, are the inftruments, in every preceding age, of bringing about that ftate. Accordingly, when the millennium ftate is introduced in this book, these fealed ones again appear in the precife fame number of 144000, chap. xiv. 1. And in chap. xxi. 16, 17. the dimentions of the walls and city of the new Jerufalem, the fymbol of the millennium ftate, is made up of the fame numbers, and refers to the fame perfons, as fhall be fhewn in the commentary.

Thefe 144000 fealed fervants of God, out of the twelve tribes, fignify, that from the time in which Christianity

Christianity was established by law, in the fourth century, to the commencement of the millennium, in the year of Chrift 2000, the true church of Chrift on earth, shall not be any one conftituted church vifible to the world; but fhall confift of many individual Chriftians, whom the Lord knows to be his fervants, and who naming the name of Christ, depart from iniquity, in many different churches. That this is the real ftate of the church of Chrift during that period, is evident from fome following vifions, as fhall be fhewn in the commentary upon them.

Not only is the general number of all the fealed ones mentioned; but also, the particular number of those who were fealed in each tribe. By this minuteness it is intimated, that not one real Chrif tian fhall escape the notice of God, and that the providence and grace of God shall not be awanting to a fingle one of them.

This reprefentation of the church of Chrift during this period, exactly correfponds to what every candid and intelligent obferver of what paffes in the world, must perceive to be in fact the state of the Christian church during this time. Since the days of Conftantine, where has there been a vifible conftituted church, modelled in every part upon the divine standard of inspired fcripture? Since the first three centuries of the Chriftian æra, no fuch visible conftituted church hath appeared;

and

and the world hath no reason to hope to see another fuch, until the millennium, when the kingdom of God fhall come, and his will fhall be done on earth, as it is in heaven. And where is the Christian church, built upon the foundation laid by Chrift and his apoftles, though the whole fuperftructure is not, in every part, executed upon the divine plan, in which there are not many individual true Chriftians, many honeft and good men, many whom the Lord knows to be his fervants, and who name the name of Chrift, and depart from iniquity?

Let this fituation of the church of Chrift give a check to bigotry, and let it teach us mutual charity and forbearance. Let us diveft ourselves of that bigotry, which makes fome men confider none as Chriftians, except thofe, who are members of the fame church or fect with themfelves. While fuch

[ocr errors]

men say, "I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of "Cephas," let us fay, we are of Chrift. And let us love with brotherly affection, all who in fincerity love our Lord Jefus Chrift; though they and we may be members of very differently conftituted churches. Let the imperfections, which are to be found in every conftituted church, teach mutual forbearance to them all. Let the many wife and good individuals, which are to be found in every one of them; teach us mutual charity and brotherly affection. Let us efteem and love every good

man.

man.

Let us regard as the fealed fervants of God, all whom the Lord knows to be his, all who name the name of Chrift, and depart from iniquity, fo far as we can know them to be such, in whatever conftituted church they worship and ferve God. Let the many imperfections which still cleave to every conftituted church in the world, and on account of which there are fo many oppofing churches and fects in it, make us look back with refpect on the grand fimplicity of the Apoftolic church; and forward with hope and exultation to that glorious period, when in this world there fhall be one fold and one fhepherd; when all jaring and contending churches and fects, not even the Jewish one excepted, having become of one faith, one heart, and one way, fhall be included in one pure univerfal, and triumphant church.

Verfes 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th.-After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitúde, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, faying, Salvation to our God which fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders, Hh

VOL. I.

and

and the four beafts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, faying, Amen: Bleffing, and glory, and wifdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

This fecond part of the third vifion represents an enlarged and glorious ftate of the Christian church, which fhall fucceed immediately to the preceding one reprefented by the fealed fervants of God. Through the whole of this book the clofe fucceffion of one event to another is always expreffed by this phrase "After thefe things," as in verfe ift. "After this," as in this verse,

In this hieroglyphic the fervants of God are not reprefented as fcattered individuals known to God in each tribe of Ifrael; but as a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. They are not merely known to God; but they publicly ftand before, that is, worship God and Christ. They are vifible by their garb, their white robes. They are no longer in a perfecuted ftate, or in a state of warfare; but they are in a ftate of victory and triumph; for they have palms in their hands, the fymbols of victory and triumph, and the fongs which they fing are expreffions of triumph. They afcribe their deliverance from, and victory over

all

« PreviousContinue »