Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not [the unjust. the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still : and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have EXPOSITION. Adam in his state of innocence, but without" the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Gen. ii. 9, 16, 17.) We are well aware, that evangelical expositors explain these fruits allegorically, for fruits of holy enjoyment; as well as the water of life, for the influences of divine grace and consolation. But if we are to have material bodies (though highly purified), and if we are to inhabit a material world, of which there seems no question; if our Lord himself ate with his disciples after his resurrection, we should be afraid to say that these promises in no degree admit of a literal interpretation; though some think that our Lord's hody did not fully attain its glorified state till the hour of his ascension. There are some trees that, by engrafting, produce different fruits, and at different seasons, from the same stock; there seems no absurdity, therefore, in admitting a literal interpretation of what is said, that "they yield twelve manner of fruits," and one or other of them "monthly," though we would by no means contend for it. We have mentioned in our remarks upon the Paradise of Adam, Dr. Kennicott's hypothesis, that the tree of life was not an individual, but a species. Here we find it on either or both sides of the river; as also in Ezek. xlvii. 7. Mr. Fuller remarks, "There is doubtless an allusion in these verses to Ezek. xlvii. 1-12. Both Ezekiel and John make mention of a city-of a river-of trees growing upon the banks of it-and of the fruit thereof being for meat, and the leaf for medicine. Ezekiel's waters flowed from the temple, near the altar; those of John, out of "the throne of God and the Lamb." The city is doubtless the same in both; but, I couceive, at different times. Ezekiel's city had a temple; but that of John, as we have seen, had no temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. The first, therefore, describes the church in her lat ter-day glory; the last, in a state of perfection; and which answers to the promise in chap. ii. 7: “ To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." But the most important clause in this section of Scripture is the last" And they shall reign for ever and ever." This may be literally rendered, " for ages of ages;" and some have strenuously argued from hence, against the eternity of misery inflicted on the finally impenitent. For ages of ages," say they, means only for 66 NOTES. Ver. 7. Behold, I come.-Perhaps the words, "He said," or "saying," should be supplied between the verses. Archb. Newcome supplies, "saith Jesus;" Behold [saith Jesus], I come quickly. Ver. 8. I fell down.-It is difficult to account for the apostle attempting to worship the angel a second time; but Mr. Fuller thinks it was the same incident a second time related. The reproof is the same, and does not charge him with a repetition of his fault. To this inclines also Archdeacon Woodhouse. Ver. 10. Seal not the sayings.-The contrary of what was said to him, chap. x. 4. Comp. chap. i. 11. Ver. 12. Behold, I come quickly -Here again the angel speaks in the name of Christ. See also ver. 19. Ver. 13. I am Alpha, &c.-Compare chap. i. 8, 11; xxi. 6. right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man [Spirit and the Bri that heareth the words of the proper of this book, If any man shaa unto these things, God shall act him the plagues that are writ this book: 19. And if any man shall take a from the words of the book of t prophecy, God shall take away part out of the book of life, and of the holy city, and from the t which are written in this book. 20 He which testifieth these t saith, Surely I come quickly; A Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Christ be with you all. Amen. ( EXPOSITION-Chap. XXII. Continued. a long period. God forbid we should take pleasure in such a painful subject! But have those persons considered, that while they are endeavouring to comfort the wicked, they are distressing the pious and the just? If there may be an end to the punishment of sinners, why not to the happiness of good men? The duration of both is expressed in the same terms, and God forbid we should comfort the former to distress the latter! (2) Ver. 6-21. Conclusion of this book, and of the New Testament.-The angel confirms his message by a solemn asseveration in the name of God; and the following words, " Behold, I come quickly," are evidently spoken in the name of Christ, and as from him. These expressions, "the time is at hand," and "behold, I come quickly," imply only, that their accomplishment was shortly to commence, and would rapidly proceed; but, certainly, not that their accomplishment would shortly be completed, for they contain the fate of many centuries. Our Lord Christ, having, from the 10th to the 16th verse, addressed the apostle, now, in verse 17. and sequel, addresses himself to the churches of Asia, as in the beginning of the book; not separately, but connectedly, and through them Christians in every age. ** Reader he should say), you have read of the c of life: you are invited to come an freely of it. You have heard or real Spirit that spake to the churche speaks also to you individually, sum of what he saith is, Come. Y heard of the bride, and of the glas pared for her: she does not covet these things by herself, but joins Spirit of inspiration in inviting | come. Nay, every one that hear believeth these things, is warranta. vite his neighbour. And let ev who has any regard for his own set the cup of the mother of harlots, to the living waters. There nees hesitation on the score of qualifiest it is free to all who are willing to "Know, also, that the wordren phecy are sacred. If any man ad God will add to him its plagues any man take away from them, G take away from him whatever be expected to receive of its blessi who testifieth these things saith, i come quickly. To this solemn testin Christ, the apostle adds his solem?! Even so; come, Lord Jesus."-F CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. dged from the INDEX to our authorized Quarto Bibles (taken from the Chronology of --The facts not in the Index above referred to, nor in the sacred text, are inserted in a smaller type, § 1. THE EARLY LIFE OF CHRIST. Six months after the birth of John the Baptist-Christ, | Luke ii. 6. It has been long since ascertained, that the birth of Christ took 21. The wise men (or Magi) of the East bring presents to the Mat. ii, 1. Mr. Benson arranges the arrival of these wise men in Jerusalem Herod, finding himself neglected by the wise men, com- Almost immediately after this, Herod himself dies, and Luke ii. Mat. ii. 14. 16. 20. Josephus Mat. ii. Herod died in the 37th year of his reign, aged about 70. Benson. CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. A.D. | Egypt into Nazareth, in Galilee, where he resided till about 1 The first year of the Vulgar Christian æra (Ann. Dom.) By the reckoning of Doddridge, Benson, and the common ver- Archelaus, accused by the Jews, disgraced and banished. Mr. By occasion of the Passover, our Lord [at twelve years of Lake Tiberius made equal with Augustus in the armies and pro- Augustus dies, and Tiberias succeeds him. Josephus, called Caiaphas, is made High Priest of the § II. CHRIST'S PUBLIC MINISTRY. John the Baptist begins to preach and to baptize in the M Jesus entering upon the 30th year of his age, comes from Jesus returns from Jordan, and is led by the Spirit into M Christ, at a marriage in Cana of Galilee, turneth water a John gives testimony to our Saviour, passing by him. Jesus soon after cometh to Jerusalem, at the time of the The Jews requiring a sign or miracle, to prove his autho Nicodemus cometh to Jesus for instruction by night, for The same year, Herod the Tetrarch casts John the Bap Soon after this, Christ discovers himself to the woman of t A.D. 31 32 33 CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX. Jesus goes throughout all Galilee, teaching in the syna- Jesus calls Matthew (otherwise Levi) to be his disciple, Jesus comes up to Jerusalem at the time of the feast of Christ, out of the multitude of his disciples, chooseth John the Baptist, by Herod's command, is beheaded in Jesus miraculously feeds 5000 men, besides women and Jesus is transfigured on the Mount, where Moses and Christ payeth tribute to Cesar for himself and Peter. A certain village of the Samaritans refuseth our Saviour Luke iv. 42-44. Luke v. 27-32. Mat. x. Mat. xiv. Mat. xvii. 24-27. Luke ix. 51-56. The seventy disciples are sent out, by two and two, to Luke x. 1. Christ teacheth his disciples to pray. Christ raiseth from the grave Lazarus, who had been Luke xi. 1. Caiaphas, the High Priest of the Jews, prophecieth con- John xi. 1-45. 49-52. Zaccheus, a publican, converted, and Christ carries salva-Luke xix. 1-10. Christ restoreth sight to blind Bartimeus. He curses the fruitless fig tree, and the next morning it is Divines differ considerably as to the duration of our Lord's § III. THE DEATH, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST. 1-9. 28-40. On the first day of unleavened bread, when the passover Mat. xxvi. 1-35. |