ments of truth being found in the earthly system, as the pure metal is found in the ore mingled with dross and foreign substances; or as the gold and silver will be found in the day of trial amidst wood, hay and stubble, when "the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is." As in that day of manifestation, the foreign substances will be shown not to be of the precious material, so in the same final development, principles belonging exclusively to the earthly system will be manifested to be subservient to the beast. The same allusion is met with, Rev. xvii. 8, where it is said, "They that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world ;) which passage we suppose to be capable of the same construction as the present.

From the foundation of the world.'-It is immaterial whether we render the expression, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, or the names written in the Book from the foundation of the world. It is evident that in either case the reference must be to the divine purpose which has been unchangeable from all eternity, and which is thus spoken of to adapt the expression to the ordinary apprehension of human minds.

It may be noticed here that the word rendered world in this verse, differs from that translated world in the third verse in our common version ; the term xosuos (the world) being applicable to an order of things, while (the earth) expresses rather a position under a certain order of

that of things.

Εἴ τις ἔχει οὖς, ἀκουσάτω. Εἴ τις αἶχε μαλωσίαν συνάγει, εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει· εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτενεῖ, δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρα αποκτανθῆναι. ὧδέ ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις τῶν ἁγίων.

§ 306. If any man have an ear,' &c.—This is the same expression as that met with at the close of each of the addresses to the seven churches of Asia; supposed to be designed (§ 46) to give a special caution against adopting the literal sense, or even taking the literal sense of the passage where it is found at all into view; and so we consider it here. Not that other portions of the Apocalypse are more literal than this, but that there is more danger of taking this passage in a literal sense than there is of others: or rather, we should say, there is more danger of adopting the temporal sense, for it would be hardly possible to fall into the mistake of a literal construction. An animal, such as this beast is described to be could not be supposed to exist literally; but what is next to this literal sense, is the application of this vision to temporal objects, (ecclesiastical or political affairs,) which is, in fact, a literal or carnal construction, as opposed to the spiritual sense. To guard against such a construction we may presume to

be the design of the caution here given: the necessity of it is but too evident from the experience of ages.*

'He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.'-This denunciation we presume to apply here to the beast and his partisans. The word translated leading or going into captivity, signifies leading or going into bondage: Aigualario, captivum abduco; vel, in captivatatem bello captum abduco; in servitutem abduco, (Suiceri Lex.)—“I lead away into bondage the prisoner taken in war;" captivity and bondage, according to the custom of ancient warfare, being almost synonymous terms. We meet with the same expression Rom. vii. 23, "bringing me into captivity to the law of sin." Better rendered, perhaps-bringing me into the state of bondage peculiar to the law of sin. The law of sin may be said to be that of ancient warfare-that the captive is entirely at the mercy of the captor. His life is forfeited, and if it be spared it is only that death is commuted for bondage. In allusion to which, Paul exclaims, in connexion with what he has just said of this captivity, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death." The law of sin is, the soul that sinneth it shall die. To be brought into captivity to this law of sin, is to be brought into this position of legal condemnation or death; a position from which the sinner can be delivered only by the redemption which is in Jesus Christ.

Those who advocate the principle of self-justification by one's own fulfilment of the law, make themselves by their own system subject to the law; leading themselves into the position of bondage, or captivity, under the law or rule of sin. They choose to be justified by that law, and they teach that others are to be so. With what measure they mete, therefore, it is to be measured to them: they must be judged out of their own mouths, and according to the principles of their own system.

We suppose such to be the tendency of the self-righteous spirit or principle represented by the beast. His action is to bring his followers into this captivity; and we find, corresponding with the declaration of this pas

* No commentator of the Apocalypse pretends to render its meaning literally. A few passages perhaps excepted, it is universally considered a figurative composition. But the ordinary construction given to it is that of applying these figures to worldly or temporal objects. The beast, for example, has been supposed by some to represent the Roman emperor Nero; (vid, Calmet, art. Antichrist ;) by others, the Roman empire under Charlemagne. The ten horns by some are supposed to represent ten kings or governments, into which that empire was first divided, &c. This construction cannot be called literal, but it may be called carnal; this last being a term expressing apparently something equivalent either to literal or temporal; as 1 Cor. ix. 11, where it applies to what we call temporal things, as distinguished from spiritual things; and Rom. viii. 6, where it is used in the sense of literal. So we might say of the construction usually put upon this mystic composition; although not literal, it is carnal. There is in it the admission of a mystic sense, but the application of that sense is to worldly or temporal objects, whether secular or ecclesiastical.

sage, he is, in the issue, himself taken captive, and subjected to a condition represented by a state far worse even than that of bondage, or of death itself, (Rev. xix. 20.)

The same term in the original is found Eph. iv. 8, in allusion to the triumph of Christ over the power of the law, and the consequent gift or grace of salvation: "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive :"-He captured, bound, or overcome the bondage of captivity-quadóórɛvoer aizpahwoíur. So it is said, 2 Tim. iii. 5, 6, of certain teachers of false doctrines, or of the doctrines themselves—“ having the form of godliness, (or piety,) but denying the power thereof "—that they creep into houses, and lead into the bondage of captivity silly women* laden with sins: probably a figurative expression for the influence of legal views upon those who, weak in faith, and feeling the burden of their sins, are seeking to work out a righteousness of their own; on which account they are the more easily led to adopt principles placing them in the position of this bondage.

$307. He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.'The sword is a scriptural figure, of a twofold character. In one sense, the sword is that of the Spirit, which is the word of God; in another, it is the sword of the magistrate-the instrument of vindictive justice. We must judge of the construction by the manner in which the figure is employed. Here it is evidently employed as the sword of the magistrate-the sword of vengeance-an instrument of wrath against which the sinner has no defence but that of the shield of faith; a weapon terrible to the unbeliever, but one which cannot separate the faithful follower from the love of Christ, Rom. viii. 35.

They that take the sword, shall perish with the sword," Matt. xxvi. 52. This is an axiom undeniable in a natural sense; but we suppose the application in the Apocalypse to be especially spiritual, and the construction to be similar to that given to the figure with which it is connected. Even here, however, both swords may be alluded to. The sword of the beast, or the weapon of his warfare, is not the sword of the Spirit; it is something corres ponding with the power of his ten horns; it is a legal sword, the instru ment of the magistrate-the weapon of vindictive justice. On the other hand, we find this beast at the end of his career to be overcome and taken by the WORD, out of whose mouth went a sharp sword; which SWORD is evidently that of the Spirit, Rev. xix. 15, 19, and 20. Those

*The word translated silly women, is merely a diminutive of womankind, and is apparently applicable not to a few weak women, in a literal sense, but to something represented by persons of this character, "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;" the truth as it is in Jesus; the truth of salvation by sovereign grace.

who advocate the legal principles of vengeance, must be themselves judged by those legal principles. Doctrines advocating these principles must also be judged by the same. A system of self-righteousness sustaining itself by such legal principles, on the same principles will be proved to be void— incapable of giving life-Gal. iii. 21, "For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." As this process, however, is effected by the word of God—the sword of the Spirit-the result is the same. He that killeth with the sword, is killed with the sword: and even here the sword of the Spirit may be as the sword of the magistrate, when exercised against erroneous doctrines or principles.

Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.'-Perhaps we may say, here is matter for consideration, capable of affording faith and patience; as if in allusion to the inquiry of the souls under the altar, Rev. vi. 10: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" The dwellers on, or elements of, the earth are supposed to conspire and to co-operate with the beast in depriving the principles and doctrines of truth of their spiritual and proper sense. The advocates of the truth, or the principles of truth personified as such, are supposed, like Lot in the midst of Sodom, 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8, to be vexed in beholding the prevalence of these self-righteous and antievangelical doctrines. In the anguish of their minds they exclaim, How long, O Lord, will these errors be permitted? In reply, they are assured that the errors themselves carry with them, and in them, the elements of their own destruction: they have led captive, they will on their own principles be brought into captivity-they have taken the sword, they will perish by the sword. Here is wherewith to sustain faith and patience; as if it were said, Be assured falsehood itself is designed to work out the development of the truth. The period and process of this manifestation is certain and sure; therefore," Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him," Ps. xxxvii. 7; or, as it is expressed by Paul, (2 Thess. iii. 5,) " And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."

The Beast from the Earth.

V. 11. And I beheld another beast

coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλο θηρίον ἀναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ εἶχε κερατα δύο ὅμοια ἀρνίῳ καὶ ἐλάλει ὡς δράκων.

$308. And I beheld another beast.'-The apostle still retains his position upon the sand of the sea. only makes its appearance in the

The scene is unchanged, another object midst of the same scenery; or rather,

another object attracts the attention of the spectator; for we may suppose both beasts to have been present at the same time, although the apostle completes his account of the rise and power of one before he commences upon that of the other. The two animals coexist from the beginning of their career, as we shall find they co-operate and finally perish by the same miserable end.

'Coming up out of the earth ;'—åraßaivor, coming up, the same word precisely as that rendered rise up in the first verse of the chapter. The idea to be associated with it we apprehend being also the same, viz., that of a continual coming up of this element from the system or mystery symbolically termed the earth. The earth we suppose to be a system of selfdependence, founded in a literal interpretation of the language of revelation; a system of faith, placing man in the position peculiar to his state by nature as opposed to his state by grace. This system, wherever it prevails, and as long as it prevails, sends forth an element represented here as a beast, igor, an unclean and a destructive animal.

'And he had two horns like a lamb.'-That is, as a lamb has two horns, so this beast has the same; a male lamb no doubt being the one in contemplation. And if we choose to render the Greek by the definite article, as if it were understood, which occurs frequently in other passages, the reading would be, he had two horns like the lamb; that is, like the Lamb of Godthe Lamb afterwards said to be seen standing on Mount Zion. So far we may suppose this spurious lamb to affect to be a representative of the real lamb. He resembles the real lamb, however, only in having two horns ; these horns perhaps resembling also those of a lamb, in other characteristics beside that of their number.

'And he spake as a dragon ;'-or, if we suppose the definite article to be understood, he spake as the dragon. The language of the first beast was that of a vain boaster, speaking great things and blasphemies; the language of the second beast is that of the accuser of the brethren, who accused them before God day and night. He is not the accuser himself, nor does he profess to be so; no doubt he assumes a very lamb-like character; but his language is in effect that of an accuser, He may pretend to be on the side of the mediator or intercessor, but he virtually and really argues for the prosecution: a character alluded to, Ps. 1. 19, 20, "Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest (in judgment) and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son."

This beast is not mentioned under the same appellation in any portion of the revelation subsequent to the close of this chapter; but by comparing what is said of him here, especially in the next two verses, with Rev. xvi, 13, and xix. 20, we feel fully warranted in identifying him with the false