which, in the common version, is rendered, and properly so, "confess." This part of the passage having an evident reference to the words quoted from Isaiah, commentators have generally confined the reference to this prophet only; but it deserves to be particularly noticed that the text also presents, "heavenly, and earthly, " and subterrene creatures;" nor can we find much difficulty in determining that the Apostle, in these words, had in his mind what is written in Rev. iv. 11. v. 12—14, &c. when we find afterwards, in this Epistle to the Philippians (ch.iv. 3), a direct allusion to the Apocalypse in the expression, “ ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς, whose names "[are] in the book of life." The book of which the Apostle speaks is τῷ βιβλίω τῆς ζωῆς τοῦ ἀρ víou "the book of life of the Lamb," Rev. xxi. 27. Indeed "The book of life" is a term so perfectly Apocalyptical (see ch. iii. 5. xiii. 8. xvii. 8. xx. 12, 15. xxii. 19.) that, excepting this passage in the Epistle to the Philippians, it is found only in the Revelation. Can we doubt then whence Paul took the expression, especially when we find him, in other epistles, frequently quoting, or directly alluding to, the Apocalypse?

§ 6. Of Evidence respecting the Date of the Apocalypse furnished by the Epistle to the Colos

sians.

The Epistle to the Colossians presents such a torrent of internal evidence, of its having been written later than the Apocalypse, that it is wonderful critics should not have perceived it; nor can this be accounted for, but from the power of prejudice and prepossession. The basis of the Apostle's topics, arguments and illustrations, in his address to this Asiatic church, are wholly Apocalyptical.

In Ch. i. 12. he gives "thanks to the FATHER, "who hath made us meet to be partakers Toũ xλýpov “ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ, OF THE INHERITANCE "OF THE SAINTS IN THE LIGHT:"—having in his eye what is declared in Rev. ch. xxi.: "He "that overcometh, xanρovoμnσs Tάvтα SHALL IN

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HERIT ALL THINGS." (v. 7). This inheritance is represented under the symbol of a city-the New Jerusalem. This city hath no need of the sun, or of the moon, to shine therein; "for the

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glory of THE OMNIPOTENT, even the light "(literally the lamp) thereof, THE LAMB, EN"LIGHTENS it: and the nations of them who are " saved shall walk in τῷ φωτὶ αὐτῆς THE LIGHT "THEREOF" (v. 23, 24). No night shall be there,

nor any need of a lamp, or of sun-light; because "JEHOVAH, the OMNIPOTENT, QWTIET ET' autoÙS WILL ENLIGHTEN THEM:" (Rev. xxii. 5).

V. 13. "Who hath delivered us from ovσías Tou "σxÓTOUS THE POWER OF THE DARKNESS, and "hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son;" -The saints having an inheritance in the light, are, of course, delivered from darkness; but the Apostle presses the contrast:-they are delivered from the kingdom of the beast, which has become iσxorwμémy darkened (Rev. xvi. 10), and now belong "to the kingdom of God's dear son; "-(yea, they shall reign for ever and ever." Rev. xxii. 5.) For the convenience of comparison the following corresponding passages are placed in opposite columns :

COLOSSIANS.

APOCALYPSE.

I. 14 Through whom we I. 5 To him who have THE redemption, through hath washed us from our sins his blood' (the forgiveness of in his own blood. v. 9 hast sins). redeemed us to God by thy blood.

The words, "Through his blood”—dià rov aïμaros avTOũ, are absent from some of the early versions and seven of the antient MSS., and have been thrown from the text into the margin by Griesbach. Some Critics think they were transcribed here from Ephes. i. 7. But in fact they found their way into both Epistles, from the Apocalypse being in

16 For by him were created all things, those in the heavens, and those on the earth;

IV. 11 For thou hast created all things.

X. 6 who created the heaven and the things in it; also

the visible and the invisible; whether thrones, or dominions, the earth and the things in it, or principalities, or powers: likewise the sea and the things all things were created by him therein.

and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist:

IV. 11 Yea as they were made, so also they exist by thy will.

...

I. 5 From Jesus Christ...

18 And he is the head of the body, the church; who the first-born from the is Chief [or Prince, 'APXH], dead, and the Chief [or Prince, the first-born from the dead, "APXON] of the Kings of the that in all things he might be earth.

first [or Chief].

In Ch. ii. 9, 10. we read, "In him dwelleth "all THE FULness of the GODHEAD BODILY; “and ye are made complete by him who is the head of “all PRINCIPALITY ['APXHΣ Princeship or Government] and Power." That is: to him belongs POWER, in all its forms and attributes, with all the glory that attaches thereto. When the

the mind of the writer when he penned them. The way in which "the forgiveness of sins" is introduced, probably led to their rejection by some early transcriber, who did not perceive that the latter words are explanatory of the redemption through his blood--literally through the blood of him, who is the image of the invisible God," the forgiveness of sins" being read in parenthesis.

reader shall have weighed what is stated in the Fifth Dissertation, respecting the radical sense of the word beds [Theos] commonly rendered God, he will probably feel no difficulty in admitting that the power, glory, &c. ascribed to the Lamb, in the fifth chapter from the 12th verse to the end, and in other parts of the Apocalypse, explain fully what is meant by the fulness τῆς θεό TηTоs (Theotētos) OF THE GODHEAD, dwelling in him bodily. In this place I need only remark that, in the Apocalypse, the radical sense of Theos is Power; and that, in the passage before us, Paul having (in v. 15) stated CHRIST JESUS to be the image of the INVISIBLE GOD—that is, the image of THE INVISIBLE POWER, informs them here, that THE BODILY MANIFESTATION of this POWER had its fulness in his person; which is precisely the same truth stated in other words.

The recurrence of the article, generally omitted by translators, in this passage, is too striking to be passed without notice: "THE inheritance," "THE light,”- "THE darkness,"

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THE re

demption," &c. refer emphatically, to matters not now laid before the Colossians for the first time, but with which they were already made acquainted, by him who is the head of all 'APXHZ (Arches), even by the "APXON (Archoon) himself. Is it possible to read, with any atten