xii. 10; all the tribes of nations covering the face of the earth. Behold! he cometh, not as formerly in a state of humiliation, but now becoming the captain of our salvation-he cometh in glorious majesty, as a reward for the travail of his soul.

9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Christ. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, what thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven Churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadel‐ phia, and unto Laodicea.

Here the seer of heavenly visions, the tender, lovely apostle John, describes his own person to all the churches, that it was he, whom they well knew as their brother in Christ, their associate in this persecution, a joint heir in the kingdom of God, and who had persevered with Christ in all his trials. His object in making himself known is, to procure the necessary authority for this prophecy, and settle its canonical dignity in the churches for ever.

In the year '95, the Roman emperor Domitian, commenced a violent persecution against the Christians, during which St. John was carried from Ephesus to Rome, where he was thrown into a chaldron of boiling oil, and afterwards banished to the isle of Patmos. Here he remained until the year '97, when the Roman senate, after the death of the emperor, annulled all his decrees, he also returned to Ephesus in the 90th year of his age, and yet lived seven years in peace, to A. D. 104.

The isle of Patmos is one of the Sporades in the Archipelago, about thirty miles in compass, very barren, full of

rocky mountains, without wood, and at present in the hands of the Turks. On this island the holy apostle received the Revelation, during his banishment. If he stood on one of those high and solitary mountains, from which there is an unbounded prospect, full of isles, ocean, and land, his mind must have been naturally disposed to deep and sublime contemplation. For here to the East, he had Asia minor, and the seven churches; between East and South, the Holy Land, though out of sight; towards south, Egypt; towards West, the ocean, Greece and Italy; between west and north, Macedon, Greece or European Turky, and further off Hungary and Germany. In almost all these countries there now were Christian churches planted, and thousands of fellow sufferers for the cause of Christ. They were precious jewels in his sight. He loved them as his own soul—his heart bled for them in this calamity-he often poured out his soul before the throne of grace, for their preservation and prosperity-he had so long laboured for their instruction and comfort, and now was separated from them all, solitary, and without any human assistance in his old age.

Here, on the Lords day, he received the Revela tion; which was either a Sabbath, or more probably the day of our blessed Saviour's resurrection. The apostle knew that on this day all Christians were engaged in divine worship, and no doubt was himself wholly absorbed in prayer and heavenly meditation. The circumstances of that time tended much, to augment the zeal and fervour of his devotion. Paganism swayed the sceptre—the Christians were cruelly persecuted, and all prospects for the future prosperity of the Church seemed enveloped in thick darkness. The ways of the Lord had become inscrutable and mysterious to the most sagacious foresight of mortals, and his whole soul thirsted for knowledge. Thus was his mind exalted to a state of heavenly visions, and prepared to hold converse with angels in light.

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Verse 10. I was in the spirit 'eyevoμnv ́ε εν

πνεύματι, may also be rendered I was set, placed, or put into the spirit. The apostle felt the impulse of the Holy spirit of God on him, withdrawing his Lind from all sensible objects, and placing his soul in a state of ecstacy and vision. Acts x. 10, 11. Mark xii. 36. Hence it follows, that the images which he describes, did not actually exist, and appear to his external senses, but that the whole vision passed by ideas through his mind, from a divine impulse, of which the angel mentioned in the first verse, seems to have been the means.

A great voice as of a trumpet. The ancients had only two wind instruments of this sort, the ram's horn, and the silver trumpet; probably the first is here meant, as its sound was more solemn and majestic. Exod. xix. 16. Numbers x. 2.

Verse 11. Send it unto the seven Churches. The number seven in this book, is the number of perfection, and here indicative of the whole Church of Christ; of which these select bodies of Christians in Asia, are only the representatives. There were larger and more considerable congregations at that time, even in Asia; and it is remarkable that these epistles are not addressed to them. How the holy father at Rome would rejoice, if they had been addressed to one of his predecessors also? No doubt, he would have discovered a variation in the text somewhere, and established a conjecture, so as to favour his pretended superiority in the church? But alas, Rome is not mentioned at all.

12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks.

13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like

unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

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14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow: and his eyes as a flame of fire;

15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

16. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his

strength.

Great God, what terrible majesty! Who can form to himself a lively conception of this appearance without being penetrated with a holy reverence and awe, ready to fall down and worship at his feet. Who does here not recollect the Lion of Judah? When he roareth, who would not tremble-when the Son of God commands, who would not submit? Blessed are they that read and hear-blessed those, who keep the words of this prophecy, for the time is at hand. All the tribes of the earth shall wail!

There never was such grandeur and dignity in any angelic apparition, as in this appearance of the Son of God; and yet, this is not his divine majesty, as seen by the hosts of heaven in glory;-It is only an emblematical representation of him, as the head of his Church-the King of kings, and Lord of lords in his heavenly armour and judgments.

Verse 12. Seven Golden Candlesticks. They stood in a half circle around his person, and represent the whole Church of Christ on earth, from the commencement of this prophecy to the beginning of the Millennium; when the Lord will establish a new economy and government in his Church a royal priesthood after the order of Melchisedeck.

Verse 13. One like unto the Son of Man. This expression is taken from Daniel vii. "BAR ENASCH,"

by which the Jews always understood the Messiah. Christ often called himself the Son of Man, to procure reception for himself and his doctrine among his people. He walks in the midst of the Churches, every where present to afford his aid; inspect, superintend and govern all. One is as near to him, as the other.

Clothed with a garment down to the foot. A long white gown, or robe of state, which was the customary dress of dignity with the ancients, and worn by priests, kings, and the Jewish nobility.

Girt with a golden girdle. It was a favourite figure in the East, to represent the armour of spiritual warfare, by the emblem of holy garments; in which the girdle denotes the pledge of religion, in common combatants, and with the Captain of our salvation here, of his Messiah-ship. It also expresses in scripture, righteousness in judgment, and faithfulness in his promises. Isaiah xi. 5. To be girt about the loins, indicates activity in business-immediately about the paps, solemn and dignified repose. 2 Sam. xx. 8. Daniel x. 5.

Verse 14. His head and hairs white. Tradition says, Christ had fair hair, but here it was so extremely white, that the apostle makes two comparisons, to show, that he wanted a word to express it sufficiently. The white colour here denotes holiness of heart, thought and disposition.

His eyes as a flame of fire. This is an emblem of his omniscience, infinite discernment and wisdom, in designing and executing his eternal councils on earth. With such eyes he may well observe the movements of his enemies, and the faithfulness of his friends. Reader, imagine you could see him with these eyes surveying the surface of all the earth, and penetrating into the inmost recesses of thine heart, what would he behold?